entertain no more discourses of love with him because there are too many who the second time have fallen into dangers which they bad avoided the first Madam remember that love is blind and blinds us in such a manner that when we think the path most sure it is oftentimes most slippery And Madam it seems to me that you ought not to make the least show of what in this case hath happened to you either to himself or to any other and if he shall yet speak any thing to you concerning it do you pretend that you know nothing at all to avoyd two dangers the one of the vain glory of the victory you have obtained the other in taking pleasure in remembering things so pleasant to the flesh some the most chaste have enough to do to keep themselves from feeling some heats thereof although they fly from the temptations as fast as possibly they can And to the end Madam that he might not think by this hazard that he hath done something which may be agreeable to you I shall advise you that by degrees you will remove your self and your accustomed familiarityes from him to the end he might understand how much you despise his follies and how great your goodnesse is which is contented with the victory which God hath given you without demanding any vengeance on him And Madam God give you the grace to continue the honesty which he hath put in your heart and understanding that all blessings come from him to love and serve him better than you have been accustomed to do The Lady intended to put in practice the counsell of her Lady of Honour and slept with as much comfort as the Gentleman did keep himself awake with sadness The next morning the Lord prepared to be gone and asked for the Gentleman it was told him that he was struck with so sudden a sicknesse that he could not endure to see the light nor any Man to speak to him whereat the Prince was very sorry and would have gone to see him but being informed that he was asleep he was unwilling to awake him and without saying Adieu unto him he departed from his house taking his Wife and Sister with him who understanding the excuses of the Gentleman not to see the Prince nor the Company at his departure did hold her self assured that it was she who had brought this dangerous Indisposition on him because he duist not shew the marks which she had given him And although his Master the Prince sent often to him to come to Court yet he would not return untill he were well healed of all his hurts but only that which Love Despite had printed in his heart When he was returned to Court and found himself before his victorious Enemy it was not without blushing on her part and he who was accustomed to be the most spiritfull in all the Court was so amazed that oftentimes before her he held down his head wherefore she was fully assured that her former suspition was true and by little and little she estranged her self from him though not so closely but he perceived it well enough but he durst take no notice of it for fear of suffering worse and kept afterwards that love of his concealed in his heart with that patience of Restraint as he deserved Ladies Here you may behold what ought to give a great fear to those who presume on that which pertains not to them and it ought to be an example of incouragement to Ladies to behold the virtue of this young Lady and the good Counsel of her Lady of honour If any one of you shall chance to be in the like condition the remedy is already given It seems to me said Hircan that the Gentleman of whom you have spoken had so faint a heart that he was not worthy of that Lady for having such an opportunity he ought not either for young or old to let fall his enterprise And I might well say that his Heart was not full of Love since the fear of death and shame found so much room therein Nomerfide replyed unto him what would you have the poor Gentleman do seeing he had two women against him Do said Hircan why he ought to have killed the old one and when the young one was with him alone she had been half overcome Kill him said Nomerfide would you make a murderer of a Lover If you are of that opinion one might well fear how he falls into your hands If I had you so far said Hircan I should account my self dishonour'd if I came not to the end of my intentions Whereupon Guebron said Do you think it such a strange thing that a Princesse â—rought up in all the ways of Honour should be so difficult to be surprised by one man you ought then much more to marvel at one poor woman who escaped from the hands of two men Guebron said Emarsuite I give you my voice to speak the fifth Novel Since you have chosen me said Guebron to be that party I will tell you a History which I know to be true for I have made inquisition of it at the place where it was done and by that you shall understand that all the wit and virtue of woman is not altogether in the heads and hearts of Ladies nor all love and artifice in those of whom we do oftentimes esteem more highly than they are A Beat-mans wise escaped from two Friers who would have forced her and play'd her part so well that their sin was discovered to all the world The fifth Novell IN the Port of Couloon hard by Niort there was a Boat-mans Wife who night and day did nothing else but ferry over passengers It fell out that two gray Friers of Niort did passe the River with her alone and because it is one of the longest passages in all France to keep themselves in action they courted the woman in the way of Love she made them such an answer as did become her but they who were not weary for any long travel they had on the way nor cold by any disâ—â—mper of the water nor ashaâ—ed at the denial of the woman did both determine by â—â—â—mselves to take her by force and if she made any complaint they threatned to throw her into the River she being as wise and cunning as they were foolâ—h and malicious said unto them I am not so hard hearted as I have made you think for I pray you only to grant me two things you shall then understand that I have a greater desire to obey you than you have to entreat me The Friers did swear unto her by their St. Francis that she should not ask that thing which they would not perform to have that of her which they desired In the first place I require of you said she that you swear and promise to me that neither of you will declare what shall be done to any man living to which most willingly they did swear Secondly
to your body that he deserved to lose both together He who doth now possesse your body is not worthy to have your heart wherfore neither is your Body his nor can it properly appertain unto him But I Madam for the continued space of five or six years have endured so much love and travel for you that you cannot be ignorant that both your heart and your body do pertain to me for which I have so often hazarded my own And if you think to defend your self by Conscience be you assured that those who have proved the power of Love will lay all the blame upon you who have so ravished my liberty from me and by your divine perfections blinded my understanding that for the time to come not knowing what to do I am constrained to be gone from you without any hope of ever seeing you again Neverthelesse you may be most confident that in any part of the World wheresoever I shall be whether it be on the Sea or on the Land or in the hands of my most cruel Enemies you shall have my heart which shall continue for ever yours And if before my departure I could have that assurance from you which my great love doth merit I should be made strong to endure with patience the affliction of my long absence And if you please not to grant me my request you will quickly hear it spoken that your cruelty hath given me an unhappy Death Florinda being transported with as much sorrow as amazement to hear these words to proceed from him of whom she had never the least suspition did reply in tears unto him And woe is me now Amadour Are these the effects of the virtuous Discourses which from my Youth hither to we have had together Is this the Honour of Conscience which so oftentimes you have counselled me rather to die than to abandon Have you forgotten the great Examples you have instanced to me of so many excellent Ladies who have resisted that foolish Love Have you forgotten the neglect which you your self have had of light and inconstant Ladies I cannot beleeve O Amadour that you should be so far from your self or that God your Conscience and my Honour should be all dead in you But if it be accordingly as you speak I blesse the Divine goodnesse which hath prevented the mischief into which I headlong was falling by shewing me by your words your heart of which I was so much ignorant for having lost the Son of the Infant Fortunate not only by being married my self unto another but because I found and sufficiently understood that he loved another Lady and seeing my self married to one whom I cannot love and that let me do what I can he cannot be agreeable unto me I considered and intirely resolved with my self to love you with all my heart and affections grounding my love upon the Virtue which I have found in you and which by your means I have in some measure attain'd my self which is to love my Honour and my Conscience more than my life To this rock of Honour I am come where I was confident I should find a most sure foundation but in one moment Amadour you have shewn me that in the place of a Rock sure as I thought and beautifull the foundation of the building is upon loose and uncertain Sands or upon a soft and ruinous Bogg And although I had already begun a great part of the building where I resolved to have made my perpetual residence you on the sudden have overthrown it Wherefore you ought by degrees to forsake all hopes which you have promised to your self of me and to resolve with your self that in whatsoever place you see me not to court me at all either by words or countenance And be not so vain to hope that I either can or will ever change my thoughts I speak them to you with so much sorrow that it is impossible it should be greater but if I had proceeded so far as to have sworn unto you perfect love I do well perceive my heart to be such that it would have been dead within me in this rupture although the amazement that is upon me to be deceived by you is so great that I am confident it will render my life either short or dolorous And on these words I do bid you Adieu for ever I will not here undertake to tell you the grief which entred into the heart of Amadour hearing these words for it is not only impossible for a pen to expresse it but for a heart to conceive it unlesse it be such a heart who by experience hath found the like And observing on that â—â—el conclusion that she was going away he did stay her by the arm knowing very well that if he should not take from her again that evil opinion of him which he had caused her to entertain he should lose her for ever wherefore he said unto her with the most dejected countenance that he could put on Madam Through the whole travels of my life I have desired to love a virtuous Lady and because I have found so few I thought good to make experience to see if by your virtue you were as worthy to be esteemed as you are to be loved which now I understand for certain and I thank God who hath put it into my heart to love such great perfection beseeching you to pardon that foolish and presumptuous enterpise and the rather because it turns to your honour and to my great contentment Florinda who by him did begin to understand the subtility of men as she was difficult to believe the Evil in which he was so she was more difficult to believe the Good in which he was not did say unto him I would to God that you did speak the truth but I am not so ignorant but the estate of Mariage in which I am doth make me clearly enough to understand that a blind and a violent passion did make you to do that which you have done for if God had suffered me to let loose my hand I am sure enough that you would have gone away with the bridle Those Signior Amadour who make it their businesse to follow virtue must not tread in that path in which you would go But it is enough that heretofore I have lightly believed any Good in you it is now time that I should know the truth which doth deliver me from you And speaking those words she departed out of the Chamber and did weep away that night finding so great a grief in this change that her heart had enough to do to sustain the assaults of sorrow which love had given her For although according to her Reason she resolved never to love him more yet he heart which now was not subject to the rules of Reason would not consent unto it wherefore being not able to love him lesse than she was accustomed to do and knowing that love was the occasion of that defect she determined with
such signs of Honour and of a familiar Love In this manner the Gentleman departed who because he was not so well furnished with Silver as with gallant qualities the young Lady gave him a Ring that was worth three thousand Crowns which he morgaged for fifteen hundred And not long after his departure the Gentleman Husband to the young Lady came unto her Guardian and besought her to give his Wife leave to go for a certain time to a Sister of his to continue with her which the old Lady thought very strange and besought him to acquaint her with the occasion of it part whereof he did impart unto her but not all After that the young marryed Lady had taken leave of her Guardian and of all the Court without any tears at all or the least sign of grief she travelled to that place which her Husband did assign her and was conducted by a Gentleman to whom an expresse charge was given to keep a strict watch over her and above all things that on the way he should not speak unto her who was suspected to love her too familiarly She who understood the Commandment of her Husband did give them alarms every day and laughed at them and at their too officious Care One day amongst the rest just at her departure from the Inne she found a Frier on horseback and she being mounted on an ambling Nagg did hold him in Discourse from Dinner untill Supper and when she was about a mile from the place where she was to lodge she said unto him Good Father for the consolations which you have given me this afternoon behold two Crowns which here I give you and have put them in this Paper because I know that you dare not touch them with a bare hand desiring you that when ever you are gone from me that you will crosse the way with all the speed you can make When he was gone a good way from her the Lady spoke aloud to those that waited on her Do you think that you are good Servants and diligent to guard me since he himself concerning whom you were bid to have such a care hath Discoursed with me all this day and you have permitted him so to do you do well deserve that your good Master who doth repose so much trust in you should reward you with blows of a Cane on your shoulders instead of the wages you expect When the Gentleman who had the charge of her heard this he was so impatient that he could make no answer but immediately did put spurs to his horse calling to two others that were in the Company to follow him they made so great a dispatch that they had almost overtaken the Frier who looking back and seeing them to make up unto him did ride away as fast as ever his horse could carry him they in a full gallop pursued him and because they were better mounted the poor Frier was taken but not knowing wherefore he did cry them mercy and putting off his hood he shewed his bare and shaven crown and began humbly to beseech them Whereupon they knew that he was not the Man they looked for and that the young Lady did but laugh at them which she yet did more at their return saying That such people were fit to be a guard to such Women who suffer them to speak they know not to whom and then adding faith to their words they go to act a mischief on the servants of God and after all these mocks she came to the place where her Husband appointed she should have her residence where her two Sister-in-laws and the Husband of one of them did keep her in great subjection And during that time her Husband understood that his Ring was engaged for fifteen hundred Crowns for which he was sorry But to save the Reputation of his wife and to recover the Ring he sent her word that she should call for it back of the Merchant and that he would pay the fifteen hundred Crowns She who had no care of the Ring because her Friend had the money that was lent upon it did write unto him That her Husband was importunate with her to Redeem the Ring And because he might not think that she did it to diminish the good will that was betwixt them she sent him a Diamond which her Guardian gave her at her departure from her which she loved better than the Ring she had of her Husband The Gentleman that was her friend did willingly send her back the Merchants Obligation and was well content with the 1500 Crowns to have received a Diamond the witnes of the Continuation of the affection of the young Lady to him Howsoever as long as her Husband lived he could never arrive to the opportunity to speak unto her but only by Letters And after the Death of her Husband thinking that she would continue faithful according to her promise he used all his diligence and endeavours to procure her in Marriage but he found that in his long absence she had provided her self with a Companion that was better beloved than himself for which he was possessed with such a sotrow and indignation of spirit that flying the company of Ladies he sought altogether after great adventures and places of as much danger as honour where he was as well beloved as it was possible for a young Man to be and so he finished his days See here my Ladies that without sparing our own Sex I have given an Example unto Husbands to show them that women of a great spirit are sooner overcome with anger and vengeance than with Love and Courtship and although this Lady knew a long time to resist yet at the last she was vanquished by despite which a virtuous woman ought not be or in whatsoever sort it be she ought not to find an Excuse to do evill And by how much the more great the occasions of the offence are given by so much the more virtuous ought they to demonstrate themselves by resisting and overcomming Evil with Good and not by recompencing Evil with Evil And oftentimes the Evil which one thinks to render to another doth fall upon his own head Thrice happy are they in whom the Graces of God do demonstrate themselves by the Examples of Chastity Sweetness Patience and Longammity Hircan said unto her It seems to me Longaren that the Lady who was the subject of your Discourse was led on more by despite than Love for if she had loved the Gentleman as well as she made an apparence she had not abandoned him for another and by the whole tenour of your discourse she shewed her self to be spitefull revengefull obstinate and inconstant You speak at random said Emarsuite to Hircan but you know not what a heart-braking it is to love and not to be beloved again It is true said Hircan I have too lately made experience of it but let her but continue in that sullen humor and I shall quickly leave Love and the
Queen and himself for the Queen seemed to be the more contented with the life of her Husband wherefore they lived a long time in familiarity both on the one side and on the other untill that old age did put a period to it Ladies Behold here a History which I willingly represent unto you for Examples sake that when your Husbands do give you the Horns of a Goat you may present them with the Horns of a Stagg Emarsuite laughing began to speak I am well assured Saffredant that if you doe love as much now as heretofore you have done you would endure to wear Horns as great as any Oak to give one where you do fancy but now since your hairs grow white it is high time to give a respite to your desires Madam said Saffredant Although that all Hope is taken from me by her whom I did love and the Heat of Love by Age yet my good will continues still but because you have reproved me for so unblamable a desire I give you my voice to speak the fourth Novell that we may see if you can disprove me by any Example True it is that during this discourse one of the Ladies in the Company began to laugh out-right knowing that she who took up Saffredant for these words was not so well beloved by him as that for her sake he would suffer either horns or shame or damage And when Saffredant perceived that she who did so laugh did understand him he did contain himself being very well contented and gave Emarsuite leave to speak who began in this manner Ladies To the end that Saffredant and this fair Company may understand that all Ladies are not like to this Queen of whom he hath spoken and that the rash and unadvised do not always arrive at their own ends as also to conceal the opinion of a Lady who judged the Despite to fail in the Enterprise to be worse than Death I will give you the account of an History in which I will not name the persons because it is so fresh in Memory that I am afraid I shall displease some of her Kinred who are not far from me The rash Enterprise of a Gentleman to incounter a Princess of Flanders and the hurt and shame which he sustained The fourth Novell IN Flanders there was a Lady of so good a House that the could not be of a better she was a Widdow and had had two Husbands but no children by them living During her widdo whood she lived privately in her Brothers House by whom she was very well beloved who was a great Lord and Husband to one of the Daughters of the King This young Prince was much addicted to his pleasures hunting hawking and other pastimes and to the Company of Ladies and such sports as youth is prone unto He had a very perverse Lady to his Wife to whom the Pastimes of her Husband were no way pleasing whereupon he took his Sister to live with him who was of a merry heart and the best Company that could be neverthelesse very wise and provident There was in the house of this Lord a Gentleman whose Greatness Bounty and sweetnesse of Disposition did surpasse all his Companions This Gentleman seeing the Sister of his Master to be alwayes merry and of a lively disposition did resolve with himself that he would try whethor the propositions of an honest Friend would be displeasing to her or no which he did accordingly but received from her an answer quite contrary to her countenance and although her answer was such as became a Princesse and a Lady of unquestionable honour yet seeing him so lovely and in other things so noble she easily pardoned his boldnesse and told him that she would not be displeased as often as he should speak unto her but desired him to make no more words concerning such a purpose which he promised to doe being afraid to lose the happinesse and the honour to converse with her Neverthelesse at last his affection did so encrease that he forgot the promise which he had made unto her not that he intended to court her any more with words for he had too often to his experience found the wise and grave answers which she gave him but he conceived with himself that if he could get her at a place of advantage that she who was a Widdow young lusty and of an excellent complexion might possibly take some pity on him and on her self also To arrive to this end he told his Master that he had neer to his own house a very fair Chace and if he pleased to repair thither to kill three or four Bucks in the month of May he could not see better sport The Lord as well for the love he did bear unto the Gentleman as for the pleasure of the Chace did grant him his request and did go along with him to his house which was a very fair one and in good order he being the richest Gentleman that was in that Country He lodged the Lord and his Lady in one body of the house and over against them her whom he loved better than himself The Chamber was so well hung with Arras and so well matted that it was impossible to perceive the trap-door which he had made betwixt the Bed and the Wall which descended into that Room where his Mother lay who was an antient Lady and troubled with a weaknesse in her eyes and because she had the cough being afraid to disturb the Lady who lay above her she changed her chamber for that of her Sons and every evening that old woma did carry Confects to the Lady for her Collation in which service this Gent did assist her who being much beloved by her Brother and of his most privat counsels was not refused to be present every morning at the Princesses and at her rising up and every night at their lying down where he saw daily an occasion to augment his affection Insomuch that one Evening having kept this Lady up so late that sleep seizing on her eys did force him from her Chamber he retired to his own and when he had taken the most gorgeous and perfumed shirt that he had and a night cap so well accoutred that nothing could be wanting to it looking in his glass he thought unto himself that there was no Lady in the world who could refuse so lovely gallant and so proper a personage Wherefore promising to himself a happy issue of his Enterprise he repaired to his bed where he intended to make but a short stay for the desire and the hope he entertained to possesse a place in one more honourable and pleasant As soon as he had sent forth all his people he did arise to shut the door after them and a long time did listen if in the Chamber of the Lady which was directly above his own he could hear any noise and when he could assure himself that all was quiet he began his sweet travels and by degrees
bring And having spoke these words she took her leave of him Her Mother who observed her Countenance knew not what to judge of it but after that time she perceived plainly that her Daughter did no more affect Amadour and concluded thereupon that she was of a crosse disposition and hated all those things which she loved and from that hour did carry her self so strangely to her that she spoke not one word to her in seven years together unlesse it were to chide her and all this was at the request of Amadour During this time Florinda turned the fear which she had to be with her Husband into a desire to be never from him only thereby to avoid the rigour of her Mother But seeing that nothing would prevail she resolved with her self to be even with Amadour and for two or three dayes together looking upon him with a more pleasing countenance she counselled him to hold discourse of love with a Lady who she said had spoken very liberally of theirs This Lady was in the Court of the Queen of Spain and was called Loretta she was proudly glad to have obtained such a Servant as Amadour and so great were the familiarities betwixt them that the report thereof was noised every where and the Countesse of Arand being at Court did her self perceive it wherefore afterwards she did not so much torment Florinda as she had been accustomed to do Florinda one day understood that the Captain the Husband of Loretta was possessed with so great a Jealousie that he was resolved by one means or other to kill Amadour Florinda who for all her dissembled countenance could carry no ill will in her heart to Amadour did immediately advertise him of it but he who was most easie to be drawn into his first train did make answer to her That if she pleased to entertain him but three hours in a day he would never speak to Loretta more which she would not consent unto Whereupon Amadour said unto her Since you will not have me to live wherefore do you deny me to dye unlesse you hope to give me more punishments by life than a thousand Deaths can afflict upon me But although Death doth flie me I will never leave looking after it untill I have found it for in Death onely I shall have Rest Whiles they were in this Conference news was received that the King of Granada had begun a most cruel War against the King of Spain insomuch that the King had sent thither the Prince his Son and with him the Constable of Castile and the Duke of Alba as two Adjunct of great trust and experience Whereupon the Duke of Cardona and the Earl of Arand would not stay behind and besought the King to assign them some charge in the Army which he did according to their Houses and appointed Amadour to be their Guide who during the War was so famous for his atchievments that they seemed rather to proceed from a desperat rashnesse than a well-grounded resolution and to give you the intention of my account I must inform you that his great Courage was approved to his Death For the Moors pretending that they would give battel to the Army of the Christians having better observed how it was marshalled and how great it was did make as though they fled and the Spaniards did follow them in the pursute but the old Constable and the Duke of Alba suspecting the Stratagem of the Moors with much importunity did withhold the Prince of Spain that he passed not the River which notwithstanding the Orders to the contrary the Count of Arand and the Duke of Cardona did and when the Moors saw that they were followed with so unconsiderable a number they did return upon them and with one blow of a Scemiter did Iay the Duke of Cardona dead upon the place and so wounded the Count of Arand that he fell to the Ground Upon this Defeat Amadour arrived so furious and enraged that with great slaughter he did break through the Army of the Moors and commanded the two Bodies of the Duke and of the Count to be taken up and to be brought into the Princes Camp who did so much lament their deaths as they had been his own Brothers But in beholding their wounds he found the Count of Arand yet living who was sent in a Litter to his own house where he continued a long time sick and on the other side the body of the young Duke was brought unto Cardona Amadour having done his endeavour to bring off these two Dukes did think so little of himself that he was suddenly invironed with a great number of the Moors and he who would no more be taken having lost his Mistress falsified not his faith which he made unto God her knowing That if he should be brought to the King of Granada that either he should cruelly die or renounce his Christianity he did resolve with himself to adde Glory to his Death and kissing the Crosse on the hilt of his sword rendring his Soul and Body to his Creator he did give himself so mortal a blow that there needed not a Second to dispatch him So dyed the poor Amadour and was as much lamented as his Virtues deserved The News thereof was immediately carried through all Spain insomuch that Florinda who was at Barcelona where her Husband was interred after that she had honourably performed the Funerals without speaking either to her own Mother or her Mother-in-Law or any other did render her self a Votaress in the Monastery of Jesus taking him for her Husband and her Friend who had delivered her from a love so vehement as that of Amadour and from a persecution so grievous as was the Company of her Husband She imployed all her affections to the love of God and that so perfectly that having lived a long time a religious life she surrendred her Soul to God with so much joy as the Espoused doth go to behold her Spouse Ladies I know that this long History doth prove tedious unto you all but if I should have satisfied him who first of all gave me the account I should have yet made it longer I must beseech you Ladies that in following the Example of the Virtues of Florinda you would abate a little of her cruelty and not at the first to believe so much Good of Men as by the acknowledgment of it to give them afterwards a cruel Death and to your selves a sorrowfull life After that Parlament had spoke so long she turning to Hircan said unto him It appeareth now plainly to you that this Lady was sollicited and importuned to the last and that most virtuousty she resisted No said Hircan For a woman cannot make the least resistance but by crying out and if she had been in a place where she could not be heard I know not what would have become of her And if Amadour had been more amorous and lesse fearfull he had not for so little have left off
but instead of beholding her from whom he hoped to have the preservation of his life he beheld the precipitation of his death which was a drawn sword which the Gentleman had in his hand with which he struck at the Duke with all his force who was in his shirt and being without arms but not without heart defended the blow with the Bed-cloaths and taking hold of the Gentleman about the body said unto him Is this the fulfilling of the promise which you made me And seeing he had no other weapon but his teeth and nails he did bite the Gentleman on the pulse of his hands and with the strength of his arms did so long defend himself that they both fell down between the Wall and the Bed The Gentleman who began to be overborn by him called to his servant who sinding the Duke and his Master so tyed together that he knew not which of them to choose did dragg them both by the feet into the middle of the Room and with his Poynard did cut the throat of the Duke who defended himself until the losse of bloud did render him so feeble that he could make no more opposition Then the Gentleman and his Servant did carry him into the bed where with many blows and thrusts of the Ponyard they did over-act their Murder Afterwards having drawn close the Curtains they did both depart and shut up the dead Body in the Chamber When the Gentleman saw himself victorious over his Enemy by whose death he thought to procure the Liberty of the Publick he conceived that his work was imperfect if he did not as much to five or six more of those who were next in power to the Duke And to put his hand to the work he told his Servant that he should go for them one after another and do with them as he had done with the Duke But his Servant who was not of any great heart or courage said unto him Sir Methinks you have done well enough already for one time and that you should rather think of saving your own life than of taking more lives away from others for if we should stay to do as much to every one of them as we have done unto the Duke the day would discover our enrerprize before we should have put any period to it although we should have found them all without defence The Gentleman whose evill conscience did render him fearful did beleeve his Servant and taking him along with him he addressed himself to the Bishop in whose Custody were the charge of the Keys of the City and the Command of the Post-horses The Gent. said unto him I have this Evening received News that my Brother is on the point of Death I have been to demand leave of the Duke to go unto him who hath granted it Wherefore I desire you to command the Posts to let me have two good horses and the Porter of the City to open the Gates unto me The Bishop who esteemed his intreaty no lesse than the Commandement of the Duke with whom he knew he was most gracious did give him incontinently a Ticket by virtue whereof both the Gates of the City were opened to him and the Post-horses suddenly provided accordingly as he desired And instead of seeing his Brother he took his way directly to Venice where he caused the bitings which the Duke had given him to be healed and not long after he travelled into Turkey In the Morning the Servants of the Duke found it very long before he came forth and did attend his return for they suspected that he was gone to see some Lady But seeing the morning far spent and they could hear nothing of him they began to look for him in every place The poor Dutchesse who began to affect him most intirely understanding that they could not hear any News of him waâ— in a great perplexity But when the Gentleman whom so well he loved could be heard of no more than himself they resorted to his house to seek him our and finding some drops of bloud at his Chamber door they did enter into his Chamber and found not any there to give them the least Intelligence but their suspition increasing they followed the tracts of the bloud and came to the Door of the Chamber where the Duke was which they found locked and having broken open the Door they found the place full of bloud and drawing the Curtains they found the body in the Bed asleep to wake no more You may imagine what Lamentation his poor Servants made who carryed his dead body into the Palace whither the Bishop came and informed them how in the time of night the Gentleman in great diligence departed under pretence to see his Brother By which it most clearly did appear that it was hewho did commit that Murther And it was also proved That his poor Sister did never hear the least word of any thing who although she was astonished at the sad news she heard yet it increased her love unto her Brother who had delivered her from so cruel a Prince the Enemy of her Chastity by the apparent hazard of his own life And continuing more and more her Progresse in all virtues although she was poor for her House and all her goods were confiscated she found good friends rich Kinred in Italy by whom being assisted she lived a long time in great and good reputation Ladies here you see what may make you fear that little God who taketh delight to torment Princes as well as Beggars and the mighty as well as the feeble and who doth render them so blind that they lose God and their Conscience and at last their own lives And Princes and those who are in authority may well be afraid how they displease those who are inferiours to them for there is none so weak but he can do hurt when God will take vengeance upon a sinner nor so great that can guard himself from his Enemy when he is under his power This History was much listned to by all the Company but it produced great diversities of Judgement for some maintained that the Gentleman had done his duty in saving his own life and the honour of his Sister as also in delivering his Country from a Tyrant Others were of another mind and affirmed that it was a great Ingratitude in the Gentleman to put him to death who had bestowed upon him so many benefits and honours The Ladies said that he was a good Brother and a virtuous Citizen The Men professed the contrary and that he was a Traitor and a wicked Servant It would be requisite in this place to allege the reasons on both sides but the Ladies according to their Custom did speak as much by passion as by reason assirming that the Duke was worthy of Death and that happy was the hand that did give the blow wherefore Dagoucin perceiving the great contestation that he had made amongst them did say unto them For Gods sake
ey of Faith we are in danger from being Ignorants to become unbelieving Philosophers For Faith only doth represent unto us causeth us to receive that Good which a carnal man cannot apprehend See you not said Longaren that the Ground not husbanded doth produce many herbs and trees although they are unprofitable which sheweth unto us the good desire of it and the promise it doth make that it will bring forth good fruits when it shall be sowed and weeded So the heart of Man which hath no other understanding but by things visible will never arrive unto the love of God but only by the sowings of his holy word in the heart for the Ground of the heart is of it self barren and cold and almost lost to all hope And this is the Cause said Saffredant that the greatest part of Men are deceived who look not but only on exterior things and despise that which is most pretious and is lodged within If I could speak Latin well said Simontault I would allege unto you what St. John saith That He who loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen for by things visible we are drawn to the love of things invisible Shew us the Man said Emarsuite that is so perfect in that love Et laudabimus eum There are some said Dagoucin who love so purely and so perfectly that they had rather die than to think one thought against the Honours or the Consciences of their Mistresses and would so carry it that neither their Mistresses themselves nor any other should perceive it They said Saffredant are of the Nature of the Cameleon who lives on the Air. For I am of a belief that there is not a Man in the world who doth not desire to declare his Love and to be assured that he is beloved and there is no Feaver of Love so violent but suddenly will slack when we come to know the contrary I will speak it of my self I have seen such Miracles made evident I beseech you said Emarsuite to take my place and to give us an account of some one who hath been raised from Death to Life by finding his Mistress to act contrary to that which he desired I am so afraid said Saffredant to displease Ladies to whom I have been and ever shall be a Servant that without their expresse Command I durst not give any account unto them of their Imperfections but to shew my obedience I will not conceal the truth A Gentleman unexpectedly is recovered of the malady of Love finding his Mistresse too severe unto him in the Arms of her Horse-Keeper The Tenth Novell IN the Country of Dauphine was a Gentleman called Signior de Ryant who belonged to the House of King Francis the first of that Name and was as honest and as fine a Gentleman as could be looked on He was a long time servant to a Lady that was a Widdow whom he so much loved and reverenced that for the fear he had to lose her favour he durst not importune her for that which he so much desired And being handsom himself and worthy to be beloved he firmly believed that which she had often sworn unto him which was that she loved him better than all the Gentlemen in the world and if she were put to it to do a Gentleman a courtesie it should be for him onely as being the most accomplished Man that she knew and did entreat him to rest himself contented with it without transgressing that honest love assuring him That if she knew that he pretended to any thing more and would not be contented with reason that he should lose her Love and all The poor Gentleman not onely contented himself with it but conceived himself to be a happy Man to have gained the heart of that Lady whom he believed to be so virtuous It will appear tedious unto you to repeat the discourse of their love and the long frequentation which he had with her and the voyages which he made to see her But in the conclusion this poor Martyr being in so pleasant a Fire that the more he burn'd the more he would burn did search after all means to augment his Martyrdom One morning a fancy did possesse him to take Post to see her whom he loved better than himself and esteemed above all the Women in the world Being arrived he entred into the Court and demanded where she was answer was made That she was but just come from Vespers and was gon into the Garden to compleat her Devotions whereupon he alighted from his Horse and took his course directly to the Garden where it was told him that she was In the way he did meet with some other of her servants who informed him That she was walking all alone in a long Allee in the Garden wherupon he began more than ever to hope that he should meet with some happy Fortune and as leisurely as possibly he could he pursued his design thinking to find her in most private Retirements And being come to a long Arbor of plashed Trees it being the most pleasant and most delightful place that Art or Nature ever did contrive he suddenly entred in as one who thought long till he had seen her whom he loved At his first Entrance he found her in the Arms of the Horse-keeper of the House as loathsom and as nasty a fellow as she her self was fair and lovely I will not in this place undertake to declare unto you the Indignation that poffessed him which was so great that in one moment it had power to quench the fire which so long had burned And being filled with as much despite as he was before with love he said unto her Madam Much good do 't you This day for your discovered Incontinence I am recovered and delivered from a perpetual perplexity occasioned by the rare Honesty which I conceived to be in you And without any other Farewell he departed from her with greater speed than he came The poor Woman made no other answer to him but only covered her face with her hands It was fit indeed that because she could not cover her shame she should cover her eyes that she might not see him who saw her now too clearly notwithstanding her long dissimulation Wherefore I beseech you Ladies if you have not a desire to love perfectly do not dissemble with an honest man nor seek to displease him for your own glory for Hypocrites are payed in their own Coin and God doth favour those who do love intirely It is well said Oysilla you have given us a good one for the conclusion of this dayes work And were it not that we have sworn to speak the Truth I could not believe that a woman of Estate as she was could be so wicked as to forsake an honest Gentleman for such an ugly Varlet Alas Madam said Hircan If you knew the difference betwixt a Gentleman who all his life-time hath born arms
and see him hoping also that his sight would conduce something to the health of his Wife Signior D' Avanes having received the Letter did make no delay at all and came in Post to the House of his Father At the entrance into the house he found the Men servants and the Maid servants making so great a lamentation as the losse of so good a Mistresse did deserve whereat the Signior was so amazed that he stayed at the door like a man in a trance the good old man his Father seeing him did make hast to imbrace him and began to weep so abundantly that he was not able to speak one word He brought him into the Chamber where his Wife was who turning her languishing eyes towards him did give him her hand and drawing him with it towards her with all the strength she had she imbraced him and kissing him again and again did make a marvellous complaint and said unto him O Sir the hour is now come that all dissimulation must cease and that I must confesse the truth which I have so much indeavoured to conceal from you It is that if you for your part have born any love to me you may believe that my love hath been altogether as great as yours but my affliction hath surpassed yours because I have taken such pains to conceal it against my own heart For Sir you are to understand that God and my Honour did not permit me to declare it to you fearing that I should add that unto you which I had a desire to diminish But know Sir that the word of Denyal which I have so often spoke unto you hath done me so much prejudice to pronounce it that it is the occasion of my death with which I am well contented since God hath made me so happy that neither the violence nor the excesse of my love hath blemished at all my conscience or reputation For with a far lesse Fire than is mine there hath been far greater and more noble structures ruined But now I shall depart contented that before I die I shall declare my affection to you to be equal unto yours nothing excepted but that the honour of men and women are not alike I shall desire you Sir for the time to come that you will enforce your self to make no addresses but to the most noble and most virtuous Ladies for in their hearts do dwell the strongest passions and are alwayes most wisely managed and the Grace Beauty and Civility which is in you will not permit that you shall be fruitlesse And I beseech you so to remember me and to think of my constancy as that you will not impute that unto cruelty which is to be attributed to Honour Conscience and Virtue which ought a thousand times to be more dear unto us than life it self Now Sir I shall bid you farewell and commend you to the good man whom you vouchsafe to call Father and who is my Husband to whom I must beseech you to declare the truth what you know of me that he might throughly understand how much I have loved God and himself and I must beseech you to forbear to come any more before my eyes for the few hours I have to live I will altogether imploy them in the meditation of the promises which God hath made unto me before the Creation of the World and speaking these words she gave him the last kisse and imbraced him with all the force of her feeble arms Signior D' Avanes who had his heart within him as surprized with compassion as was hers with the Agony of Death being not able to speak one word unto her did withdraw himself from before her and threw himself upon a Bed which was in the next Chamber where oftentimes he swouned away Not long after the Lady called for her Husband and having made many honest remonstrances unto him she did recommend unto him the care of Signior D' Avanes assuring him that next unto himself he was the person whom she best loved in the World And kissing her Husband she did bid him adiew Immediatly afterwards she commanded that the Sacrament of the Altar should be brought unto her and after that the Unction which she received with great joy as being assured of her Salvation And finding that her eyes began to grow dim and all her strength to fail her she did speak aloud her In manus At that Cry Signior D' Avanes did rise from the bed and looking compassionatly on her he came in a sweet sigh to render his Soul unto her as she was rendring her Soul unto God to whom she was going and when he perceived that she was dead he did run to the dead body to which being alive he durst not approach but in fear and imbraced it and kissed it in such a manner that with much difficulty they did take her from between his Arms her Husband was much astonied at it for he never perceived that he did bear such an affection to her and saying to him Sir It is too much they both retired from her And having made a long lamentation the one for the Death of his Wife the other for the Death of his Friend Monsieur D' Avanes did give him an account at large of the whole course of his Love and that to her Death she never made any signe unto him but what did expresse Severity and an obstinate Chastnesse whereat her Husband being more contented than ever did double his grief for the losse of her and continued all his life afterwards in doing good services to Signior D' Avanes who was then not above eighteen years of Age. After this he departed to the Court where he continued divers years without seeing or speaking to any Woman in the world and he did wear mourning apparel two years together for her Ladies you may here observe the difference betwixt a wise woman and a foolish who do shew distinctly by themselves the different effects of love by which one of them received a death commendable and glorious and the other did lead a life loose and infamous For as the Death of a holy Man or Woman is pretious before God so the Death of a Sinner is as displeasing Truly Saffredant said Oysilla you have rehearsed to us as pleasant a History as I have ever heard and he who knew the persons as well as my self would find it yet more pleasant for I have never seen a braver Gentleman nor of a greater Gracefulness than the said Signior D' Avanes Do you think said Saffredant that a wise and a young Woman to dissemble her love which the counsel of Nature doth admit that she should bear to so desireable a Gentleman should ever suffer her self to dy for denying her self that pleasure of which so violently she desired the content covertly and he openly If she had such a desire said Parlament she had place and occasion enough to declare it to him but her Virtue was so great that she would
that those whom God keeps are well kept In my opinion said Parlament the punishment is but reasonable and as just as moy be for as the offence was worse than death so was the punishment worse than death I am not of your opinion said Emarsuite for I had rather all my life time behold the bones of dead Servants in my Cabinet than indure to die for them there is no crime so great which cannot be amended but after death there is no amendment at all How is that said Longaren can you amend your Honour you know I am sure that after such a misfortune whatsoever a Woman can doe she can never recover her honour Tell me I pray you said Emarsuite if Mary Magdalen hath not more honour now amongst men than her Sister who was a Virgin I must confesse said Longarine that we do praise her more but it is for the great love which she did bear our Saviour and for her repentance for if you doe observe it the title of a Sinner doth continue with her still I care not said Emarsuite what name men give unto me for if God doth pardon me and my Husband to boot there is nothing that I know of for which I would die Although that Gentlewoman did not love her Husband as she ought said Dagoucin yet I doe wonder that she did not die for grief to behold the bones of him whose death she occasioned by her own offence Say you so Dagoucin said Simontault are you yet to understand that Women are capable neither of grief nor love Yes said he and that is the reason that I never dare to tempt their loves for fear I should find lesse than I desire You live then said Nomerfide like a Plover of the Wind upon Faith and Hope we may seed you at a cheap rate I am contented said he with the love which I doe find in my self and the hope I have in the heart of one Lady which if I know to be such as I hope it is the extream content thereof would so transport me that I should not endure it without death Nay be wise said Guebron and take heed of that Plague for it is a dangerous malady I dare assure you But I would know to whom Madam Oysilla will give her voice I doe give it said she to Simontault who I do know will not spare any You praise me so highly said Simontault that you doe almost call me a Detractor Howsoever I will not forbear to represent unto you that those whom they call Detractors have spoken the truth And Ladies I am confident ye are not so foolish to believe that in all these Novells which have been spoken whatsoever appearance they may have of truth yet if they were brought to the triall the proof is not so great but they may be a sufficient Subject for the Sceptick nay oftentimes we find a great abuse under the pretence of a miracle and therefore I have a desire io give you an account of one which will be no lesse to the honour of a faithfull Prince than to the Dishonour of a wicked Minister of the Church The abhomination of an incestuous Priest whose Sister under the pretence of a holy life was great with child by him and of the punishment that did follow thereupon The third Novell COunt Charles of Angoulesm Father to King Francis the first of that name a virtuous Prince and fearing God being at Coignac intelligence was brought unto him that in a Village not far from thence called Chernes there was a Vigin lived so austere a life that it was admirable yet neverthelesse she was great with Child which she no ways dissembled but was proud of it and assured all the people that came to behold her that she never knew man and that she could not conceive which way she conceived it if it were not by the adumbration of the Holy Ghost which the people easily believed and did repute her to be a second Virgin Mary Every one that knew her did affirm that from her Infancy she was so precise that there never appeared the least sign of any worldlinesse in her She fasted not only the Fasts commanded by the Church but many days in the week she made Fast-days for her private Devotion and as song as any service was said in the Church she never stirred from it wherefore her life was so much esteemed by all the people that every one did come on purpose to look upon her as a wonder and happy was he who could but touch her garment The Curat of the Parish was her Brother a man of about fifty years of age and of a very austere life and accounted by his Parishioners to be a very holy Man who to outward appearance did intreat his Sister so roughly that he did in a House keep her shut up as in a prison at which the people were very much displeased and the report of this miracle was so great that the news thereof was brought to the Ears of the Count who perceiving the abuse with which all the world was possest did desire to take it away wherefore he sent the Master of the Requests and his Almoner two very accomplished personages to understand the truth thereof who repaired to the place and to be informed as diligently as possibly they could they did addresse themselves to the Curat who seemed to be much amazed at the affair and besought them both to assist him in the attestation of it which he said he hoped would give satisfaction to the World The next morning the said Curat did sing Masse in the Church at which his Sister did assist him on her knees being very big with Child At the end of the Masse the Curat did take into his hand Corpus Domini and in the presence of all the Assembly did speak unto his Sister Wicked and Blasphemous as thou art accused to be Behold here him who hath suffered death and who was crucified for thee before whom I demand if thou art a Virgin as thou hast always assured me She boldly and without the least Impression of fear made answer to him Yes And how then is it possible said he that thou shouldest be great with Child and yet remain a Virgin She answered I can give no other cause thereof but that it is only by the Grace of the Holy Spirit who doth in me that which he pleaseth Howsoever I ought not to deny the grace which God hath vouchsafed to me which is to preserve my Virginity for I had never the least desire to a Husband Her Brother then said unto her I give thee here the precious Body of Jesus Christ which thou shalt receive to thy own Damnation if it be otherwise than thou allegest of which these Honourable personages who are sent hither from the Count shall be the Witnesses whereupon his Sister who was about thirty years of age did take this following Oath I take the Body of my Lord here present to
the Day One of these Friers is very fat and the other lean enough The fat one would have confessed himself to his Companion and told him That the Butcher not having the fear of God before his eyes did make no more account to cut his throat than if he had been an Oxe or any other Beast And because they were locked up in their chamber and had no other way down but must passe thorough the Chamber of their Host they both did collect unto themselves that they were sure enough to be killed and did both of them recommend their Souls unto God But the younger of them who was not alltogether so overcome with fear as his Companion did say unto him That since the Door was locked up they must assay to escape out of the Window and come what will there could come nothing to them worse than Death To this the fat Frier did consent The younger of them opened the Window and observing it was not very high from the ground he did leap lightly down and ran away as fast and as far as ever he could He being gone and not staying for his Companion the corpulent Frier did attempt the danger but the weight of his body did constrain him to lye where he fell for instead of leaping he fell down so heavily that he much bruised his Legg When he beheld himself forsaken of his Companion and that he was disabled to follow him he looked round about him to find where he might hide himself but he could discover no place but a Piggssty only to which he did creep as well as he could and opening the door to go into it two Hoggs did run out and escaping grunted their gratitude to him The poor Frier did possesse himself of their place and intended when ever he heard the noise of any Travellers that passed that way to call unto them and crave their assistance But as soon as day appeared the Butcher took into his hand his two great knives and desired of his Wife to keep him company to kill his two fat hoggs When they came unto the Stie where the Frier did hide himself he opened the door and cried aloud come forth my gray Fiers come forth this day I shall both eat and sell of your Puddings The Frier being startled and not able to stand on one legge did hop out of the Stie the length of four feet with the other and cryed out Mercy Mercy as loud as ever he could And if the Frier was surprized with a great fear much more was the Butcher and his Wife for they verily believed St. Francis was angry with them because they gave the name of a Frier unto a Hogg they therefore kneeled down before the poor Frier and demanded pardon of Saint Francis and his Religion so that on hoth sides the Frier cried and called for mercy of the Butcher and the Butcher and his Wife on the other side cried as loud for mercy to the Frier insomuch that they were above a quarter of an hour in this agony of fear before they could understand one another At last the Frier perceiving that the Butcher did intend no harm did declare unto him the cause wherefore he did hide himself in the Hoggs-Stie whereupon their fear was immediatly dissolved into an abundant Argument of laughter which had been greater but the poor Frier who had his Legg sorely hruised by reason of his great pain could not goe along with them in their mirth the Butcher therefore did lead him to his house where he continued until he was well recovered His Companion who did forsake him in his greatest need did run all night long and in the morning came unto the house of Signior de Fo rs where he complained of this Butcher who as he verily believed had killed his Companion because he found he did not follow him Signior de Fo rs did immediately send to the Village of Grip to understand the truth which being known he found there was no argument of grief and immediatly he made an Account therof to his Mistresse Madam the Dutchesse of Angoulesm Mother to King Francis the first of that name Ladies you may from hence observe that it is not good to listen to a secret to which we are not called or give a false interpretation to the words which another man doth speak Did not I know well enough said Simontault that Nomerfide would not make us weep but heartily to laugh in which I find that every one of us have had their share And how comes it about said Oysilla that we are inclined to laugh at folly and not so much as to smile at any thing that is well and wisely done The reason is said Hircan because it is more agreeable unto us and neer of kin unto our Nature which of it self is never wise and every one affects that which is like unto it self and this makes the Fools to be addicted unto Folly and the Wise unto wisdom But I believe there is neither wiseman nor Fool that can restrain from laughter at the hearing of this Account There are some said Guebron who have their hearts so addicted to the Love of Wisdom that say or doe what you will you can never make them langh for they have so moderate a Joy and Contentment in their hearts that no accident can move them who be they said Hircan Guebron made answer The Philosophers of former times whose joyes and sorrows were never perceived so great a virtue they esteemed it to overcome themselves and their own passions I doe approve of it as well as they to overcome a vicious passion said Saffredant but to strive against a natural property which doth no hurt to any it seems to me to be impertinent Howsoever you judge it said Guebron others did esteem it a great virtue It is not so much because they were wise men said Saffredant but because they had no occasion to testifie their grief or joy and therefore it was rather an apparence than an effect of Virtue Howsoever you shall find said Guebron that they reproved all Vices and so Diogenes himself trampled with his feet on Platoes bed because it was adorned with more than ordinary accoutrements and to shew how much he despised the vain-glory and the avarice of Plato he said thus doe I tread upon the pride of Plato But you doe not speak all said Saffredant for Plato suddenly replied unto him It was true that he did tread upon it but with far greater pride than his own for Diogenes undervalued and despised all neatnesse in a vain and dogged affectation of Simplicity To speak the truth said Parlement it is impossible that the victory of our selves should be obtained merely by our selves nor can we goe about it without a marvellous presumption which is the Vice that every one ought to hate for from it death first proceeded and is the ruine of all Virtues Did I not read this morning to you said Oysilla that they who
that she would have no Supper of such Viands again and that she resolved to live in such a manner that he should not be the Butcher of her second Husband for she could hardly be induced to believe that he would pardon another having shewed himself so mercilesse to him whom he loved best in the world And although she was but weak and unable to revenge her own Cause yet her Hope was in HIM who is the true Judge and who will suffer no Sin to passe unpunished to whose only love she would devote her self during her life in that Hermitage which she did accordingly for she never departed thence until the day of her Death untill her Soul departed from her Body living with such patience and austerity that after her Death every one did run thither as to the Seat of a Saint and so great a Ruine did fall upon her Brothers House that of six Sons which he had not one remained alive but all of them dyed most miserably and in the end the Inheritance was devolved as you heard in my other Account upon his Daughter Rolâ—ndine who succeeded in the Prison which was made for her Aunt Ladies I pray to God that this Example may be prefitable to you that none of you may have a desire to marry for your own pleasure without the consent of those â—o whom you do ow obedience for Marriage is an Estate of so long a Continuance that it ought not lightly to be undertaken nor without the Consent of our best Friends and Kinred And it cannot at the best be so well managed but it will undoubtedly bring with iâ— as much pain as pleasure In good faith said Oysilla if there were neither God nor Law to teach fools to be wise this Example is sufficient enough to instruct them to bear more reverence to their Parents and Kinred than to marry at their own pleasure Madam It is so said Nomerfide that she who hath one good day in a year is not unfortunate throughout all her life She had a long time the pleasure to see and to discourse with him whom she loved better than she loved her self and after that she had the delight of the Marriage-bed without any trouble or remorse of Conscience And I esteem that Contentment to be so great that it seems to me it doth exceed the sorrow it brought with it You will say then said Saffredant that Women do receive more pleasures to ly with their Husbands than they do receive grief to to see them killed before their eyes That is not my in tention said Nomerfide for I should then speak against the Experience which I have of married Women but I conceive that so great and extraordinary a pleasure as to marry that man whom we love best in the world is more greatly to be esteemed than to lose him by death which is a common calamity So it is said Guebron if it were by a natural death but this here spoken of was too cruel for it is very strange to me seeing this Signior was neither her Father nor her Husband but her Brother only and moreover that she was of full age and that the Laws doe permit the Daughters to marry whom they please how he durst execute such a cruelty I do find it not strange at all said Hircan for he killed not his Sister whom so perfectly he did love but the young Gentleman whom he cherished and brought up as his own Son and loved as his own Brother and having preferred him and inriched him in his Service the Gentleman ought to have been content and not to have sought his Sister in marriage which nothing at all did pertain unto him The Honour and pleasure said Nomerfide is not usual for a Gentleman who is but a Servant to marry a Lady of so great a Family And if the death be strange the pleasure must be new also and so much the greater that it hath the opinion of all wise men to affirm it and the contentment of a heart full of love to aid it and the repose of the Soul to attend it which is a quiet Conscience seeing God is not offended with it And as for that death which you say was cruel it seems to me that it being inevitable the speediest death is the best for we all know that of necessity we must passe through Nature to eternity And I esteem them most happy who stay not any long time in the Suburbs and from the felicity which only in this world can be so called do in an instaet fly unto that which is eternal What do you call the Suburbs of death said Simontault Those said Nomerfide who have had many tribulations in Spirit those who have been a long time sick those who by the extremity of corporal or Spiritual griefs are come so far as to despise death and to complain that their last hour comes too slowly These are they who have already passed through the Suburbs of Death and have lodged in those Inns in which there is more noise than rest It was impossible but that this Lady must lose her Husband by death but in losing him by the choler of her Brother being exempted from seeing him sick or bedrid and exchanging the joy she had to be with him into the love and the service of God she might well call her self happy Do you make no reckoning said Longaren of the disgrace which she received and of her tedious imprisonment I do believe said Nomerfide that a Man or Woman who absolutely doe love according to the Commandment of God do know neither shame nor dishonour but when they alter or diminish from the perfection of their love for the glory to love truly doth not know nor is it capable of disgrace And as for the imprisonment of the Body I do believe this Lady had such an inlargement of her Soul which was united to God and to her Husband that she was hardly sensible where she was but esteemed her solitude to be the greatest liberty for they who cannot behold that which they love have no other happinesse but incessantly to think upon iâ— And that confinement is never streight where the Soul is free and the thoughts can exercise themselves at their own preasure There is nothing more true said Simontault than that which Nomerfide doth declare but he who by his fury made that separation may truly be called guilty and unhappy for he at one and the same time offended both God and Love and Honour In good earnest said Guebron I do much wonder at the different loves of women and do well observe that those who have the most love have the most virtue and that those who have the least do indeavour by dissimulation to counterfeit themselves to be virtuous It is true said Parlament that a Heart honest to God and Men doth love more sincerely than that which is vicious for it feareth not that we may sound the depth of its intention I have
and Spurs on The Gentlewoman awaking was as sorry and as much ashamed as possibly could be but whatsoever remonstances she could make he took her by force and told her that if she revealed that affair he himself would disclose it to all the World and declare that she had sent for him on purpose The young Gentlewoman was so amazed at what he said that she durst not cry out Not long afterwards one of the Chambermaids came into the Chamber whereupon the Gentleman hearing her to come up the Stairs did rise up so suddenly that he had not been discovered but only by his Spur which taking hold on the upper sheet did dragg it about the Chamber insomuch that the poor young Gentlewoman having nothing to cover her was left almost stark naked in the bed And in speaking those words although she pretended to give an Account of another yet she could not take such heed to her tongue but it blabbed forth There was never Woman more ashamed than my self when I found that I was so naked Immediatly the Lady who had listned very attentively to the Account she made without laughing could not forbear at the last words she spake to say unto her For ought that I can perceive you have good reason to relate this story for it properly belongs unto you The poor Gentlewoman blushing did allege what ever she could imagine to recover her Honour but it was already flown away and so far that she could not recall it Ladies I do perswade my self that if it had been so unpleasing to her to commit the Act as she represented she would willingly have lost the memory of it and have taken no delight to have repeated it But as I have said Sin will easily be discovered by it self and sind eyes enough to disclose it when it is not covered with that coverture which David affirmeth doth render a Man blessed In good earnest said Emarsuite this is one of the most notorious and most ridiculous Fools that ever I heard of to make others laugh at the expence of her own follies I find it nothing strange said Parlament that the word should follow the deed for it is more easie to speake than to do What a businesse do you make of it said Guebron What Sin had she committed she was fast afleep in her bed and he did threaten her with Death and Shame Lucretia who is so famous amongst you would have done the like It is true said Parlament there is no Woman so pure and innocent who needs not to wear an Apron But when we take a great displeasure in the Act We do also take as great a displeasure to have it in our memory but we find it was the pleasure of this Gentlewoman to make others laugh at the follies she committed Neverthelâ—sse said Nomerfide It appears that this Woman was a good Woman because she had oftentimes been sollicited by the Gentleman and yet would never consent unto him insomuch that the Gentleman was constrained to assist himself with force and threatnings to deceive her How said Parlament do you think that a Lady may be excused for losing her Honour when she doth let it go after the second or the third denyal There would be then many virtuous Women which are now esteemed to be clean contrary For we see sufficiently every day that there are Women who do a long time refuse and put off those whom in their hearts they do desire Some for fear of their Honour others that more ardently they may be followed and loved and more highly be esteemed Wherefore if you speak indeed of Virtue you should make no reckoning of that Woman who doth not continue firm unto the end Where is that Phoenix said Saffredant let us know and we shall extol that miracle in earnest But what said Dagouâ—in if a young man should for once or twice refuse a young Lady would you not esteem that to be a great Virtue Truly said Oysilla if a young Man and in health should continue to use that Virtue I should esteem it as excellent and glorious as it is difficult to believe But I have known one said Dagoucin who hath refused those pleaasures which all his Companions with greediness did pursue I must desire you said Longaron that you will take my place to account unto us the particulars thereof but withall remember that we are here all bound to speak the truth I professe unto you said Dagoucin that I will deliver it to you so clearly that therein ther shall be no colour at all that shall disguise it The notable Temperance and Chastity of a French Lord. The third Novel IN the City of Paris there lived four young Maids two whereof were Sisters and of so great a beauty and youth and such a fresh complexion that they were courted with multitudes of Suters A Gentleman whom the King who then reigned had made Provost of Paris observing his young Master the King to be of age to desire such Company did so mannage his design amongst them all that every one of them believing they should be for the King they all accorded to that which the Provost desired which was that on such a day they would come altogether to a Feast to which he would invite his Master and in the mean time he did acquaint him with what he had done who did like it very well The King also did impart it to two other great Personages of the Court who did agree to have their pennyworth in the Market with him And looking for the fourth Companion for the fourth Maid there came in by accident a young Lord a courteous and most lovely Gentleman and ten years younger than any of the other three he was also invited to the Banquet and made an outward appearance to be very willing to attend upon the King although in his heart he had no desire to be present at such a meeting for on one side he had newly married a beautiful Wife who was the Mother of two lovely Infants with which he was very much contented and they lived together in such peace and unity that he would not for any thing that his Wife should entertain the least suspition of him On the other side he was a perfect Servant to one of the fairest Ladies who were at that time in France whom so much he loved and so highly esteemed that all others did appear but imperfect and deformed to him insomuch that at the beginning of his youth before he was married it was impossible to perswade him to see or frequent the Company of any other Lady how beautiful so ever she were and took far more pleasure to see her and perfectly to love her than in all the delight whatsoever it were that he could receive from any other This young Lord came to his Wife and acquainted her with the enterprize which the King had undertaken assuring her that for his part he had rather die than accomplish what he had
amorous of her she turned from him to the other side and said unto him Sir since you bear no love to me nor to the Infant with which I goe let us perish both together And with those words she poured forth such an abundance of toars and made such a lamentation that the Duke was much afraid that she would lose the fruit of her Womb. Wherefore taking her in his Arms he desired her to acquaint him with what she did desire and assured her that he would conceal nothing from her Ah Sir said she and sobbed as she spake what hope have I that you will doe any thing for me that is difficult when you deny me the most easie and the most reasonable request in the World which is to tell me who is the Sweet-heart of the most ungrateful Servant you ever had I did once believe that you and I had but one heart But now I find that you doe use me as a stranger for those secrets which ought to be revealed unto me are by you concealed and kept from me as if I were your greatest Enemy Call Sir to mind how many secrets and businesses of the greatest importances have you imparted to me and which of them have you ever understood that I have disclosed You have made so great an experience of my good will equal unto yours that you ought not mistrust me for I am more yours than my own And if peradventure you have taken an Oath that you will not reveal the secret of the Gentleman to any in acquainting me with it you cannot break your Oath for I neither am nor can be any other than your self I have you in my heart I do hold you in my arms I carry your Infant in my womb in whom you live again and yet I cannot enjoy your love as you have mine but the more loyal and faithful I am to you the more cruel and perverse you are to me that a thousand times a day I do desire by a sudden Death to deliver your Infant from such a Father and my self from such a Husband which I hope shortly to perform because I do find that you prefer an unfaithful Servant before your Wife and such a Wife as I am to you and before the life of a Mother and to the fruit of her womb which is so little regarded by you being not able to obtain that of you which I desire to know Speaking those words she imbraced and kissed her Husband wetting his face with her tears and breathed forth such sighes that the poor Prince who was afraid to lose his Wife and his Child at once did determine with himself to acquaint her with the truth but withall he did swear unto her That if she revealed it to any creature in the world she should be sure to die and by no other hand but his own To which she condiscended and accepted of the punishment Whereupon the poor deceived Husband did account unto her all that he had seen from the beginning to the end whereat she seemed to be very much contented although her heart was surprized with an intolerable anguish Neverthelesse for fear of the Duke she did dissemble her passion as well as possibly she could Not long after the Duke made a great Feast at his Court to which he invited all the Ladies of the Countrey and amongst others his Niece where Dinner being ended Dancing did begin and every Lady did endeavour to set forth her self in the best manner that she could but the Dutchess who was tormented to behold the great beauty and the gracefulnesse of her Niece could take no Delight an all much lesse could she forbear from making her spitefull fury to appear For after that Dancing was ended having called all the Ladies together she caused them to sit down near unto her and did begin to Discourse unto them concerning the Affairs of Love And observing that her Niece was silent and did speak nothing at all she said unto her with a heart inflamed with Jealousie And you my fair Niece Is it possible that your Beauty can be without either Friend or Servant Madam she replyed My Beauty looks not after such a purchase for since the Death of my Husband I desire no other Sweet-hearts but only his children with which I am well contented Fair Niece Fair Niece the Dutchesse replyed to her in an extreme Indignation Fair Niece Fair Niece There is no Love so secret but may be discovered nor little Doggs so well taught and brought up to the hand whose Barking may not be understood Ladies I leave it to you to imagine how great a sorrow on those words surprized the heart of the poor young Lady finding a thing that had been kept so close to be so openly declared to her Dishonour Her Honor so carefully guarded and so unfortunately lost did greatly torment her but most of all did the strong suspition she entertained that her Friend had failed in his promise which she thought he never would have done unlesse for the Love of some Lady more beautifull than her self to whom the extremity of his Love did foolishly perswade to declare this effect Her Virtue neverthelesse was so great that for all this apprehension she made no apparence of discontent and smiling did make answer that she did not understand the language of Beasts and in this wise dissimulation her heart was so overburthened with sorrow that she was constrained to rise up and passing by the Chamber of the Dutchesse she entred into a Wardrop where the Duke walking in the Gallery did behold her to goe in When the poor Lady thought she was in a place where none could either soe or hear her she did throw her self upon the bed with so great a violence that a damosel who was sat in a corner of the room to sleep was awakened at it and did rise up to see who it might be But finding it was the Niece of the Duke who thought she had been alone she durst not speak unto her but gently listned to the complaint she made The poor Lady with a voice half dead did begin in these words to lament her self O unfortunate that I am What are the words which I have heard what an arrest of death have I understood by them What a sentence to condemn me have I received O thou the most beloved that ever was Is this the reward of my chastity and of my honest and virtuous love O my heart why didst thou make so dangerous a choice to take for the most loyal the most unfaithful for the most honest the most crafty for the most secret the loudest Detractor in the World Wo is me Is it possible that a thing hid from the Eyes of all Men should be revealed to Madam the Dutchesse Alas poor little Dog the only means of my long and virtuous love it is not thou that hast discovered me but he who hath a voice more barking than a Dog and a heart more ungrateful than
who brought you to this place The poor Nun who did not know her did make answer Woe is me my friend my misfortune is so great that I have no recourse but unto God only whom I doe beseech to vouchsafe unto me the means that I may speak to Madam the Dutchesse of Alençon for to her alone will I declare my business being confident that if there be any redress for such a miserable Creature as my self she will grant it to me Friend said the Dutchess to her you may speak as confidently unto me as unto her I am one of her gratest friends Pardon me said the Nun none but her self only shall understand my secret Whereupon the Dutchesse said unto her that she might speak freely for she had found her whom she demanded The poor Nun did prostrate her self at her feet and having wept a long time she gave her the whole account of what already I have expressed unto you whereupon the Dutchesse did comfort her so well that exhorting her to repentance for her misdeed she took from her quite the resolution of going to Rome and sent her back to the Prioresse with a strict charge to entertain her and with Letters to the Bishop of that place to take order for the expulsion of that scandalous Monk who having abused the Body of the Nun did afterwards most petulantly upbraid her and caused her to depart the Covent I received this Acount from the Dutchesse her self by which Ladies you may understand that the Rule of Nomerfide is not proper to all sorts of Persons for these two both touching aed burying the dead were neverthelesse at the same time touched and overcome with infirmities This was an invention said Hircan which I believe was never practised before to speak of death and at the same instant to do the works of life It is not said Oysilla any work of life to sin for we all know well enough that sin produceth death You may believe said Sassredant that at that time neither the Monk nor the Nun had the least thought of that Divinity but as the Daughters of Lot having made their Father drunk did think by that means to preserve human Nature so this Monk and the Nun would repair that which death had destroyed by making of a new Body Therefore I cannot but reflect again upon the tears of tho Nun who always wept and always returned to the cause of her weeping I have seen too many of those said Hircan who at the same time bewailed their sins and yet kept their pleasures I do much doubt said Parlament by whom you do speak those words wherefore it seems to me that their laughter hath lasted long enough it would be now time that weeping should begin Hold your peace said Hircan The Tragedy is not yet finished which doth begin with laughter But to change the Subject of our discourse said Parlament it seems to me that Dagoucin hath wandred from our first determination which was that the Accounts of this day should be all pleasant and this hath been a sad one You made a motion said Dagoucin that we should not forget to give an Account of the greatest follies and in that I am sure I have not failed but to hear one that is more pleasant I do give my voice to Nomerfide hoping that she will mend my fault She made answer I have an Account ready for you and one which is worthy to follow yours for it speaks of Religious persons and of death also Give ear unto it if you please The End of the Accounts of the Novels of the late Queen of Navarr which are all that can be recovered of them A Table of the Summary of the Novells of the Queen of Navarre The first Journal AN Advocats Wife of Alençon had two Friends one of them for pleasure and the other for profit she caused that man of her two Lovers to be slain who first discovered her wanton life for which murder she begged pardon both for her self and for her sagitive Husband who afterwards to save a sum of money did repair to a Negromancer and their Enterprize was discovered and punished Novel 1. Fol. 1. The chast and lamentable Death of the Wife of one of the Mule-keepers of the Queen of Navarre Nov. 2. f. 11. A King of Naples abusing the Wife of a young Gentlewoman did at last wear the horn himself Nov. 3. f. 15. The rash Enterprise of a Gentleman to incounter with a Princess and the shame and disgrace which he received Nov. 4. f. 22. A Ferry-woman escaped from two Friers who would have forced her and did deport her self so wisely that their sinne was discovered to all the world Nov. 5. f. 30. The subtilty of a woman who shewed her friend a way to escape when her Husband who had but one eye thought to have surprized them Nov. 6. f. 34. A Merchant of Paris deceived the Mother of his Sweet-heart to conceal their fault Nov. 7. f. 37. A certain man having lain with his own Wife instead of his Chambermaid did send his Neighbour to her who made him a Cuckold without his Wives knowledge Nov. 8. f. 40. The sad death of a Gentleman in love having received comfort too late from her whom he loved Nov. 9. f. 47. The Loves of Amadour and Florinda in which are contained many subtilties and Inventions and the most commendable chastity of Florinda Nov. 10. f. 52. The Second Journal The petulant Discourses of a Frier in his Easter-Sermons at Amboise Nov. 1. f. 93. The Incontinence of a Duke and his Impudence to arrive at his Designs with his just punishment Nov. 2. f. 97. A Captain of the Galleys under the shaddow of Devotion did fall in love with a Lady and what insued thereon Nov. 3. f. 106. The subtilty of a Lover who under the pretence of the right Friend did reap from a Lady of Millan the fruits of what so long he had desired Nov. 4. f. 117. A Lady of the Court seeing her self disdained by her Husband who made love elsewhere did revenge her self by the like practice Nov. 5. f. 125. A Lady of Millan approved the Courage and the Resolution of her Friend whereupon she afterwards loved him with all her heart Nov. 6. f. 141. King Francis shewed his generous resolution to Count William who would have killed the King Nov. 7. f. 148. A fair young Lady made tryal of the fidelity of a young Scholar before she would admit him to intrench too farr upon her honour Nov. 8. f. 152. Two Lovers despairing to be marryed did enter themselves into two Religions houses the Man into a Covent of Saint Francis and the Female into the Nunnery of Saint Clare Nov. 9. f. 159. A Gentleman suddenly cured of the malady of Love finding his rigorous Lady in the arms of her Horseman Nov. 10. f. 169. The Third Journal The wonderful and honest love betwixt a Lady of honourable birth and a Bastard and the check which the