owne nature accordinge to the authorytie of the poet affirminge that by loue the rudeman is reduced to a cyuilitie the foole learneth wisedom the cowarde becomes valiaunte and the couetouse nigard settes his purse wyde open to hys frende neyther is there any kinde of curtesye wherwith hee that is in loue doth not participat but who makes an experience of the contrarye I meane without aduise or iudgemente will throwe himselfe hedlonge into the golphe of a folishe and ronning phantasye escapes hardly without the rewarde whiche that frantike passion yeldeth ordenarely to suche as are vnhappelye partakers of suche infection neyther is there any thinge more furthereth the ruyne and dekaie of man then suffriuge the eyes of our vnderstandinge to be seeled with suche ymitate to ymate that as a glott of our gredy desyers whiche nature hathe enioyned to all estates to honour and embrace as a speciall vertue And trulye me thinkes that that folishe and infortunat crewe mighte reserue therrours and destructions of others as speciall pattornes and preceptes to restraine the humor of their owne madnes by the whiche or they be aware they are ledd to the brinke of mortall destruction albeit thindiscretion of that miserable sorte seames nothinge vnlike in comparaison to those that hauinge longe vsed the trade of thefte and robberye and seinge their companions passe by the sentence of a corde lacke grace notwithstandinge to disclaime the wickednes wherin they haue bene nozeled so many yeares neyther is their plage or rather iuste punishmente any thinge inferior for they makinge a chiefe glorye of that whiche is moste imperfecte in loue are eyther so subiecte to dispaire or beastely assotted withe the greedye encownter of the pleasure they fynde that procuring by theyr owne folly and want of order the processe of their fatall sommaunce in the entrey to their felycitye are forced to resigne at one instante their lyfe and loathinge contentmente of lesse contynuance then the paines in loue seame greuous to the mynde that hath y e gift to passe theim ouer by reason And like as a vehement and inwarde greffe of the mynd proceding by the malice of a synister fortune is of such force to close the poares and couduictes of the vitall partes of man that cancellinge the commission of lyfe the soule departes leauinge the body without sence like power I saye hath the vehemencie of semblable gladnes which occupienge all the partes with a generall ioye excedinge the strength of nature makes the mynde insufficent of force to withstande so greate a passion whereby strykinge the saile of lyfe the bodye is seene to vanishe as the candle lackinge waxe or weake or other matter assistinge the flame which giueth light to the beholders wherof we haue diuerse authoryties in the histories of antiquitye as one of the doughters in law to the high priest Helye who hearinge of the death of her husbande the takinge of the arke of the lord ended her lyfe with the dollorous reapport the lyke happeninge vnto her father in law for the ouerthrowe of the children of Israell by the infydelles and vncircumcised in like sorte we haue confirmacion in diuerse prophane discourses of such as haue yelded the ghoste in a traunce of vnreasonable ioye and lawghiuge as Dyagore Rhodiotto the philosopher Chilon who vpon the newes that their children had won the prise at the plaies at Olympus embrased their happye fortune with such exceding gladnes that vpon the place and present they yelded againe their tearme of borowed yeres also a folyshe Romaine woman hearing of the death of her son in a battaile fought against thennemy disgested it with great constancy but seing his safe retorne from the field contrary to her expectacion and former newes she was so assailed with superfluity of gladnes that in place to congratulate his deliuery from the perill of war she dyed in embrasing hym as of a passion of dismeasured contentmeÌ„t which argueth sufficiently the folly of them that in any degre bestowe eyther ioy or sorow so neare their harte that besydes the destruction of the body they become thunnatural morderers of their owne soules wherin w t what enamel so euer they seke to guild colour such vices yet can they not be excused of an humour of madnes proceding of a vaine braine exposing frutes according to y e spirit or guide y e possesseth them neyther is ther any coÌ„mendation at al due vnto such as thorow ympacience giue ende to their lyfe by dispaire with what title or sorname of constancy the fond philosophers of olde time do baptyse those accions of meare fury frenecy wherof as the miserable end of these ii louers yeldes sufficient testymonie dieng both in one hower of diuerse accideÌ„ts the one of a dismeasured ioye the other of a passion of desperatte sorowe so because the discourse is of vndowted troth I wishe it might moue credyt to the reador and councell to al men to eschew the like inconuensence deryued of semblable occasion THE LONG AND LOYall Loue betwene Lyuyo and Camylla together with their lamentable death the one dying of a passion of ioye the first night he embraced his mystres in bedde the other passed also the same way as ouercome wyth present sorow for the deathe of him whom she loued no lesse then her selfe ⧠⸫ AT such tyme as ALEXANDER the sixt surnamed BORGIA supplied the papistical seate at rome dwelt in SYSENNA a yong gentleman called LYVYO with his syster CORNELIA neare vnto whome was the house of a knight bering y e name of RENALDO hauing a son called CLAVVDIO with a daughter CAMYLLA which two yong dame selles by reason of neighborehead and contynuall norryture together duringe their infancye reteyned a league of suche mutuall famylyaritie and conuersacioÌ„ y t their socyetye with often entercourse together seamed no lesse then if nature had made theym the children of one father wherein as Râ—NALDO and his wife reioysed not a litle on the behalfe of their doughter for that CORNELIA was accompted to excede the rest of yonge Ladies in honest behauiour and gyftes of vertue So if it had not bene for a froward disposicion in CLAVVDIO who grudged without cause the companye of LYVYO this conuersacion and haunt of the girles had seamed of easier continuance Albeit as his presence gaue often ympedimente to their metinge so his absence restored their enterviewe in such sorte as he was no soner departed to parforme his fathers affaires at Rome or els where but his syster forgat not to visit her deare CORNELIA passinge theyr pettie follyes and recreacions of honest delyte most coÌ„monly at the lodginge of LYVYO for that there was neither awe of father nor other authoritie to controll their exercise which for the most part was every after none to dresse fyne banquetes striuing to excede one an other in curiositye and conning with a thousande other conceytes and merye chaâ— of huswiferie which seamed of no lesse pleasure to theim
fayre a Ladye then to haue the honor of the greatest victorye that euer happened to Captayne by prowesse or pollicie or dynt of cruell sworde of his valiaunt soldiours wherefore as your authoritie wyth your syster is rather to commaunde then entreat and by the frendshipppe whiche hath remeined indissoluble betwene vs from the begynnynge neuer gyuynge place to any peryll what so euer it were I coniure you and as my last requeste beseche you to ayde me herin so farfurth as your diligence maye seame to woorke my desyer to effecte wherunto the Modonoyse replyed wyth greate thankes for the honor he offred hym and his syster whome he halfe promised alredye to frame accordynge to his expectation promisinge hymselfe a greate good happ not onely in entryng into allyaunce wyth so noble a Gentleman but also that he shoulde be the worker of the same wheruppon embracynge eche other the one glad to sée so happy a successe lyke to folowe his busines the other no lesse ioyfull to haue so fytt a meane to manifest his frendshipp to wardes his frende departed with semblable contentemēt the one to his lodging with a thousand hammors in his heade till he sawe the effect of his dryfte the other with no lesse griefe of minde till he had performed the exspectation of his charge wherein he began immediatlye to practise wyth hys syster whome he founde of a contrary opinion excusyng her selfe wyth the care she had of her doughter whome she sayed she would neyther leaue alone nor cōmit her selfe to the order and gouernemēt of straungers at whose handes there is as great doubte of good entratye as small helpe or hope of amendement beinge once made their vassalt and subiect by lawe of mariage besides syr saith she not without some teares it is not yet a yere synce I lost hym whom if I loued by awe beinge on lyue I oughte with no lesse duety to honor after his death neyther colde I auoyde the iuste murmure and ordinary suspicion of the peopls y◠I should seame more hastye to yelde my affection to other then readye to performe my duetye ceremonies of dule to him that is dead and that with in the yere afore the funerall be fully ended the widowes lyfe is also pure of it selfe bounde to no care nor controlement of any and so acceptable before God that thapostle doubteth not to accompte her amonge the number of the religious yf after she haue once tasted of mariage and restored agayne to her lybertie she content her selfe wyth the fyrste clogge or burden of bondage lyuinge after in ymitacion of true vertue besides the holy man Sainct Augustin diswadeth all wydowes eftesones to marie aduising theim to mortifie suche mociōs as the fleshe is apte to sturre vppe and norrishe by contemplacion and prayer and true sinceritie of lyfe saynge further that they are accompted afore God amongest the nomber of chaste and pure virgins And because it may bee paraduenture thoppinion of some that the burden of widowed is greuous almost intollerable vnto me presuming the same rather by the gréenes of my youth not yet cofirmed in rypenes of yeres and discretion then vpon any good or assured grounde to iustifye theyr opinion I assure you I féele my selfe so plentifully assisted with the spirite of grace that I doubte no more to withstande all temptations vaine assaults which the wicked instigations of the flesh may hereafter minister vnto me then heretofore in tender yeres whē nature denied anye such mocion to stur in me I lyued frée voyde of suck prouocatiō And for end good brother my hart deuining diuersly of the successe of this mariage threatneth a further mischiefe to fall vpon me and to late a repentance for you that is the vnfortunat causer of the same Here her brother knowing it a fault in all women to here them selues well spoken of and yet a chiefe meane to wynne theim to fede their humour with flatterings praies begā to ioine with her in commendacion of her honestie affirmynge her chaste conuersation to bee no lesse meritorious since she was wydowe then her pure virginitie generally allowed and praysed of all men afore she was maried which is the chiefest cause said he that the Captayne desiereth in honeste sorte to possess you but touching any sinister successe that might follow this sacred league of lawfull matrimonye as she seamed to predestinate within her selfe he ministred persuacions to to the contrary alledginge the same to be a superstitious follye attributed to the auncientes of olde tyme to calculat their good or ill successe by the tunes or charme of byrdes or somtime by the sodaine encoūter of beastes or suche men as they loked not for arguing y e same to bée such absolut signes of il lucke y t cōmonly they wolde refraine frō theyr affayres as y e day touching y e murmur suspiciō of the people whose tongs although they be naturally tipte w t the metal of slaūder yet ought you as litell saith he feare their malice as care for their grudge consideringe your acte is no lesse acceptable afore God then tollerable by the positiue lawes of man neither can they but iudge well of your doinges like better of your choyce seinge you are woede with great importunyties and wone by one that is of your owne qualitie and nothinge inferior to you in vertue or noblenes of race but if you sticke of any ceremonies which you haue yet to perform to him that is deade youre errour is greater thenne you maye Iustefye and your wisedome lesse then is necessarye in suche a case neyther is the voice of the multitude in that respecte of suche contynaunce but tyme can take it awaye and a wonder lasteth not for euer and for my parte I hope you wil conferre my presente meaninge in this matter with the longe experienced faythe and affection whiche heretofore you haue noted in me besides I colde not auoyde thimputacion of a monster and enemy to nature If I shold not bée as carefull of your quiet as of my own life praying you for ende and as my laste request to reapose your selfe whollie vppon my faythe and frendshippe and fidelytye of him who honoreth you with no lesse then his lyfe and al that he hath wherwith he so muche preuailed ouer his obedyent syster that she being vnhappely ouercom with his vehemēt importunyties condissended very willingly to his vnfortunat request which after became the perentory destruction of the pore wydow leauing to late myserable a repentance to her brother albeit afore I procede to the ceremonies of her vnfortunat mariage I thoughte good to tel vnto you in this place thoppynion of mine author touchinge the dyuynacion of the spirite of man who saythe hee albeit by a secret instincke and vertue of the mynde is hable some tymes to presage that will fall and the soule beinge deuine of it selfe dothe also prognosticate dyuersly of the future chaunces and chaunges of thinges yet the
which also I wil not faile to put in execution y t is that afore thy traiterous cliaÌ„te Diego quenche his thurste w t the precious Iewste of my virginitie theis haÌ„des are readie to giue me a fatal pasport to visit with bloodie ghoste the loyaltie of him whoÌ„ thou hast slain by traiterous coÌ„spiracie therfore if I maye honestly requeste the whom I hate or if there be exspectacioÌ„ of fauor in a mortal enemie I besech y t either performe the laste facâ—e of thy crueltie vpon me or according to thy dutie dismisse me with my woman and page to go whether our fortune will guide vs. God forbid saieth Roderico that in doinge wrong to the hope of my frend I becoÌ„me thoccasioÌ„ of his vntimely death losse of you waÌ„dring by the vnknowen pathes of this wilde desertes and continuing stil his former earnest to moue her to some pitie vpon y e poore penitencier he seamed to gaine asmuch as if he had assailed to nomber the sand lying vpoÌ„ the brinke of the endles occean albeit with y e supplie of seuerall discourses they arriued at last at the rich hospital of Dom Diego who for wante of curious coÌ„ceites to welcome his cruel mistres presented his loathsome parsonage ouergrowen with haire and for a more showe of humilitie fel prostrate afore her embracings her féete not without great effusion of teares sayinge â–ª Alas good madam the only hope of my life coÌ„pforte of my carefull harte how long shall I hange in the doubteful ballance of my presente death or lyfe what date alas haue you appointed to giue ende to my desperate sorowes yf my pennance not sufficiente for th offence I haue committed Yea What tormente haue you in store whiche I am not readye to endure to yelde you contentement neither hadd I hadd breath at this present to put you in rem em brance of my distresse if I had not with holden my handes from fatal violatioÌ„ to witnes my loayltie on your behalf and much lesse bene in case to preferre mine innocencie yf the onelye foode of secrett contemplation of your beautye hadd not distilled continuall â—orriture to the vitall partes of my consumed corps And as you maye easelye ymagine what pleasure I founde in this longe and paineful absence so I greue not in any thing that is past nor refuce to abide any future punishment yf only I maye receiue at your handes the rewarde of my constancie whiche I maye boldlye compare wyth the moste assured that euer was Geniuera swellynge with disdaine and full of femenine rage appearing in her sparklyng eyes other partes of her face dyd not only refuce to aunswere but also forbarre to behold hym whom she hated she barred him also y e benefit of her face in bestowing her lookes to the contrary side which moued cause of doble sorow to the poure afflicted louer who beynge yet vppon his knées renewinge the sorce of his teares with the viewe of the tyrannye of his mistres seamed to drawe with muche ado a feble voyce from the veray bottom of his stomacke and restored the tearmes of his former complainte in this sorte seyng neyther the sincerity of my faithe approued with so longe and loyall seruice nor the view of my present misery wherof I haue made a painefull experience without intermission thies xxij monethes bee of force to perswade a creditt in my constancie seynge also my dolefull teares deriued of the iniustice of your disdaine are denied to worke effectes of tuste pitie in you and lastelye seyng without the consente of your goodwill I fynde an ympossibilitie to liue I beseche you 〈◊〉 by the vertue and courtesie whyche oughte to appâ—â—◠〈…〉 I coniure you as the laste requeste wherewith 〈◊〉 tuâ—at seruant will troble you in this worlde to morâ—â—◠〈…〉 â—ur owne handes the remembrance of that offenâ—◠〈…〉 you ymagyn I haue done agaynst you with there 〈…〉 presente deathe refuce not oh cruell mistres to do vengaunce vppon hym who is wearye of his life and receiue at laste this willinge offer ymportyng two singler commodities the one a pleasure to me to buye thy conteÌ„tement with y e price of my blod the other an absolute quiet to thy self in being satiffied w c his death whose lif thou abhorrest wherin certeinly for my part I am to accompt y t hower most happie which closyng vp my mortall eyes doth sounde also the fatall retraict of my longe sorowes but the chiefest felicity I accompt in this last acte of my life is that in being so willing to dye by the stroake of thy hande I shall leaue the to ymagin how ready I was to honor the with the vnfained seruice of my life the world to giue iudgement of my loyalty the gods to take vengaunce of thy cruelitie yf there be reason in my requeste why defarre you th executioÌ„ or yf I haue failled in my demande why staye you to aunswere it is nowe alas that I méete the full of my mishapp beinge denied both death and life by her to whom of al the worlde I haue most desiered to make declaratioÌ„ of obedience in any sorte what so euer Alas why staye you to ridd me from tormente your selfe out of care to behold any more this desolat knight who denied to participat other fauor accomptes it a laste felicitie to giue vp the ghoste in your presence wherewith fyndinge no remorce of stubborne disdaine in his mistres who in all this time wold not giue him y e fauor of a simple looke of the eye much lesse dispose her selfe to aunswere in any sorte to his coÌ„plaintes felte suche warr betwene the force of his passion debilitye of his sences beinge voyde of natural strength that in kissing her foote he fell into a deadly sowne pronouncyng only theis wordes with the departure of his breath ah feble rewarde of vnfayned loyaltye Roderico amased no lesse with the tragicall farewell of his frende then moued with iuste anger againste the vnséemely tyranny of Geniuera commaunded certeine of his companie to restore the traunce of Diego and with the reste addressed hym to the mercilesse gentlewoman whome he threatned in this sorte If the contynuance of thy crueltye force me to chaunge affection assure thy selfe detestable woman and enemye to the vertue of all your secte thou shalte not escape without the hier of the wronge wherewith thou abuseste the honor whiche is offred the makes thou suche conscience to yelde compassion or admitt the honeste seruice of so noble a gentleman as this presented with suche humilitie that earste without regarde of honestie or vertue committed thy selfe and honor as a fugitiue to the gouernement of a ronagate straunger what crueltye can be greater or by what reason canst thou challenge other ameÌ„des or consideration of the wronge thou hast vniustly conceiued then an humble prostitutioÌ„ with so many teares in token of repentance And for thy parte what canste thou desyere
to resorte thereunto and learne by othermens misdéeds to direct better his owne doinges and not with th' exchange of the worlde to alter also his minde but rather asmuche as lyeth in hym to ymitate the lyfe and conuersation of theym who haue lyued well before wherein seinge in this worlde the nature of man in all ages althoughe the singler personnes bee chaunged remeineth stil one so also the good fortunes felicities calamities and miseries whyche happen both in publike gouernement and to euerye priuate state tourne alwayes to one effect and are lyke those of tymes paste so that by the benefyt of stories presentinge afore oure eyes a true kallender of things of auncient date by the commendacion of vertuous and valyaunt personnes and actes we be drawen by desyer to treade the stepps of their renowme and on thother syde considering the sinister fortune horrible cases which haue happened to certeine miserable soules we behold both th' extreme points wherunto the fraile condicion of man is subiect by infirmitie and also are thereby toughte by the viewe of other mens harmes to eschew the like inconueniences in our selues wherein righte honorable like as I haue rather touched sleightelye then vsed tearmes of commendacion at large according to the worthynes of so precious a Iewell as the knowledg of histories for that now a dayes euery mans mouth is open to commende the frute distilling from so florishynge a vine â—o for my part beyng more forwarde then hable to discharge my zeale in that behalfe haue bestowed some of my voyed howers whilest I was in the other sides the Sea in forcynge certeyne Tragicall Discourses oute of theyr Frenche tearmes into our Englishe phrase presumyng to commende vnto your Ladishypp the frutes and effecte of my trauayle folowynge therein the order of suche as haue spente tyme in the lyke studye who are wounte to declare theyr good wyll by bestowynge theyr labours wherewithe beinge vnhappelye denyed other frendshypp of fortune to make good my desyer in gyuing an vnfayned showe of the dutye and seruice I owe you and the house whereof you tooke youre begynnynge am here vppon tearmes of humilitye for preferment of this rude and simple dedication of theis forrein reapportes to youre honor to whose vertues as I haue chiefelye respected to gyue due renowme by preferrynge a true purtraict of your conuersation and lyfe in the vertues giftes and ornamentes of the noble ANGELIQVA chaste PAROLYNA constant IVLIA and renowned CARMOSYNA wyth others whose integretye of life hath gyuen theim a crowne of immortalitye wyth a glorious remembrance of theyr names for euer after theyr deathe so my seconde indeuor was bent to obserue the necessitie of the tyme chiefly for that vppon the viewe and examples of oure Auncesters lyues the fraile ympes of this age maye fynde cause of shame in theyr owne abuses wyth desyer to exchaunge their badd condicion and order of lyuynge wyth the studye and desyer to ymitate the vertue of their predecessours whose lyfe and renowme after death argueth the vndoubted rewarde at tendynge as a thynge of course the vertuouse and well disposed where of the contrarye appeare wounderfull tormentes and sharpp pennaunce prouided to plage the abhominable and vicious lyuer Besides it is a principle and chiefe rule in our nature and disposition to bee rather instructed by examples of familyar authorityes then reformed by seueritye of lawes for that the one seames to gouerne vs by awe and commaundement and in the other appeares a consent of oure fancie marchinge alwayes accordynge to the direction of our owne willes for whiche cause the Historians of olde tyme in theyr seuerall recordes of the actes conquestes and noble attemptes of Princes and greate men haue lefte oute nothynge seruynge for the ornamente and institution of mannes lyfe not forgettynge to sett oute also in naturall coollers theyr tyrannye and other vices withe contempte of vertue yf theyr lyues were founde guiltye in any suche offence But when they paynte oute a good kynge a magistrate without touche of partiall or couetous mynde a courtyar loyall and withoute dissimulation A minister of the Churche not smellynge of hypocrysye but searchynge purelye the honor of God A Ladye chaste honeste curteouse a louer of charitye vsynge a deuoute reuerence to God and feare to hys lawes yt is then that they allure by traines of familyaritye euerye succession to embrace and beholde as in a glasse the vndoubted meane that is hable and wylt brynge theym to the lyke perfection in vertue whyche also moued me to vse a speciall discrecion in coollynge oute suche examples as beste aggreed wyth the condicion of the tyme and also were of moste freshe and famylyar memorye to the ende that wyth the delyte in readynge my dedication I maye also leaue to all degrees an appetitt and honeste desyere to honor vertue and holde vice in due detestation And albeit at the firste sighte theis discourses maye importe certeyne vanytyes or fonde practises in loue yet I doubte not to bée absolued of suche intente by the iudgement of the indifferent sorte seinge I haue rather noted diuersitie of examples in sondrye younge men and women approuynge sufficientlye the inconuenience happenynge by the pursute of lycenceous desyer then affected in anye sorte suche vncerteine follyes For heare maye bée séene suche patternes of chastetye and maydes so assured and constant in vertue that they haue not doubted rather to reappose a felicitye in the extreme panges of death then to fall by anye violent force into the daunger of the fleshelye ennemye to theyr honour In lyke sorte appeareth here an experience of wounderfull vertues in men who albeit hadd power to vse and commande the thinge they chieflye desyered yet bridlynge wythe maine hande The humour of theyr inordinate luste vanquished all mocions of sensualytye and became maisters of theym selues by abstaynynge from that whereunto they felte prouocation by nature who desyereth to sée the follye of a foolishe lover passionynge hymselfe vppon creditt the impudencie of a maide or other woman renouncynge the vowe of her fayth or honor due to virginitie the sharpp pennance attendynge the rashe choice of greate Ladyes in séekynge to matche in anye sorte wythe degrées of inferior condicion or who wisheth to bée priuie to th'inconueniences in loue howe he frieth in the flame of the fyrste affection and after groweth not onelye colde of hymselfe but is easelye conuerted into a contrarye shapp and disposition of deadlye hate maye bée heare assisted wyth more then double expeperience touchinge all those euills the curtesie of an enemye on the behalfe of hys aduersarye wythe a wounderfull lyberalitye in the other in retournynge the benefytt receyued is heare set furthe in fuche lyuelye coollers that there seames to lacke nothynge for the ornament and decoracion of suche a wooke And who takes pleasure to beholde the fyttes and panges of a frantique man incensed to synister conceites by the suggestion of frettynge Ielouzye forcynge hym to effectes of absolute desperation
By toyling trade the trifling wares which they for money sel Then why should Fenton feare to purchace prayse of men To whom he fraÌ„ckely gyues the gift of this his pleasant pen If he his busye browe haue beate for our auayle And for our pleasure taken paynes why should his guerdon fayle No gredye golden fee no Iem or Iewell braue But of the reader good reporte this writer longes to haue No man of meanest witt no beast of slender brayne That thinckes that such a volume great is wrought with slender pain The thinge it selfe declares what toyle he vndertooke Ere Fentons curious fyle could frame this passing pleasant booke The Frenche to Englishe phrase his mother language hee The darcke to lighte the shade to sonne hath brought as you may see The learned stories erste and sugred tales that laye Remoude from simple common sence this writer doth displaye And what before hee tooke his painfull quyll to write Did lurcke vnknown is playnelie now to be disternd in sight Nowe men of meanest skill what Bandel wrought maye vew And tell the tale in Englishe well that erst they neuer knewe Discourse of sundrye strange and Tragicall affaires Of louynge Ladyes haples haps theyr deathes ad deadly cares And dyuers thinges beside wherby to flee the darte Of vyle deceytefull Cupids bowe that woundes the louers harte Synce this by Fentons meane and trauayle thou doct gayne Good reader yeld hym earned prayse and thanckes for taken paine Then I that made this verse shall thincke as well of the As Fentons worke doth well deserue accompted of to be PETER BEVERLEY IN PRAISE of the translator RYfe is the rule that blames the Idell mynde The ground as great that blaseth trauels gayne Eache tonge can tell a vvorld of vyces kynd And Scacred lynes appoints offences payne But Fenton shovves in svvete and sugred stile What pleasaunt bayte doth eache state beguile What carelesse youth that sees the toylyng Ant But shames to vveare his goulden tyme in vayne VVhose tender lymmes in sommer tyme do haunt The frutfull felds to rest in Borias Rayne VVhen she doth sucke the svvete of heruest toyle And fynds in frost relefe in dryed soyle The slender store that sum do novv possesse VVhose idell boones did loth in youth the lode To those that lyue suffyseth to expresse The loytring child in age knovves no abode But as the shippe tost vvith the byllovv greate So he doth yelde him selfe to fortunes threte VVhat pride deserues vvhat is blacke hatreds hiere VVhat enuye theft vvhat is the mysers mede In fyne vvhat fovvle offence vvhat fact so dire But scripture shovves his rights if thou list rede VVherby each may both shunne the vilest sinne And learne such lyfe as lasting Ioye doth vvinne But Fentons frame hath vvouen an other vvebbe His paynfull penn hath died a straunger hevve He tels vvhen vvitt is in his lovvest ebbe And vvarns the Shunne the bayne that coms by vievve VVhich so doth chaunge the sence of euery vvight That from a man to beast it tournes him quitt As vvhen the mynd through vvant of reasons rayne Vnbridled yelds to fond affections force And feding still the hart vvith amours vayne Conuert each part vnto a sencles cors VVherin he lyues so odde from right and lavve As mountayn beare that prayes deuoyd of avve And subiect thus vnto svvete folyes lore If vvishe he vvinne he shovves vvhat sovver svvete The pacient suckes vvhat bytter blisse in store He heapes vvhen age vvith iudgment iust shall mete VVhen profe shall saye of all vnhappyest vvight That reapest care in lyevv of hopte delight But if disdayne shall quyt him vvith dispyght And yeld him loth for long desired grace Then stabbing glayue the desperat brest must smyte Or frantycke vvyse runne out a sauage race Thus if of gladd or sad he happ the gayne Both haue this end in loue nought is but vayne VVhich reckles race to bring in vvisdoms guyde And for to raine vvith bytt of better skill My paynfull frend did this discours prouide As brake to breake affections lavvles vvill Gyue Fenton then but freuts of his desert And gather thou that best maye please thy hart P. B. The argument I Meane nothere to increase the merueile of menne withe a particular description of the sumptuous buildinges of Princes the magnificall scites and scituations of greate mens houses nor restore to memory the wounderfull pollecies and artificiall deuises of oure Auncestoures in making plats and firme fondacions of Castels and Cities in the bottom of the sea and muche lesse trouble you withe a reaporte of their ingenious trauaill in castinge downe hils and makynge Craggy mountaynes flat with the face of the earthe or forcing stonie Rockes with places here to fore impassible to oppen and make waye to their huge armies but I haue in presente intente to discouer vnto you the meruellous effects of loue which excedinge the opynion of common thynges seames more straunge then the curious construction and frame of any Pallais for necessitie or pleasure threatrie or place of solace buylded by art or industrie of man or other stately Court what sqware quadrante or triangle forme so euer it conteines or other misticall worke yeldinge cause of wonder to the vniuersitie of the earthe seing that a mortal grudge grounded vppon greate spite confirmed withe the continuance of a longe time and pursued extremelye wythe bloddye persecution and vnnaturall crueltie is not onely conuerted vpon a sodaine into perfecte frendeshippe but also by an effecte and operation of loue made so indissoluble that no future accidente or synister deuise of enemyes could once make a breache and muche lesse vtterly dissolue the league of amity so happely begon and sewerly knite together by the vertue of affection whyche wee call commonlye the passion procured by loue wherunto is also added alike effecte of a thankefull mynde arguing vnto vs whythe a famyliar example that as ingratitude is the greatest vice y e raynes in the disposition of man and principall ennemy to the honor of nobilitie soo the contrary deserueth by iustice the tytle of the moste precious vertue y t is wherein as the Thebans were shamefully reproched for the respect of their greate Capttaines Epaimy nondes and Pelopides so the Plateons on the contrarye were worthely renounâ—ed for the large recompence and consideracion they vsed to the benefyte of the Greekes who deliuered them from the seruitude of the Persians like as also the Sycyoniens weare yet the crown of eternal comendacion for the thankefull returne of the curtesye of Aratus by whome they were frankely taken oute of the handes of cruell tyrantes if the acte of Philip Marya late Duke of Myllan deserueth detestacion for the vnnaturall crueltye he committed vppon the person of his wife who albeit was equall in nobilitie exceded him in the giftes of fortune and large possessions of indifferente beaw tye to content a reasonable man nothinge inferior to the beste Ladye of the countrye in
rather perswaded my deare brother for that the tearmes of thy laste requeste dependinge vpon yssues of extremeties do argue bothe a iustice to performe thy desyer and an incyuilitie in the in makinge so vnreasonable a demaunde the one chalenginge a consente in me by thympression of nature and bonde of dutifull zeale on my behalfe towards the the other charginge the wyth iniquitie for the respecte of that whiche thou wouldest haue me to do But seinge euerye requeste craueth a retorne of aunswere and the greater qualytie or condition the cause is of the greater delyberacion oughte wee to vse â—â—iefelye where it ymportes eyther thabsolute breache or firme confirmation of the league of lyneall consanguynitye I beseche you graunte no lesse patience to the wordes of my replie then I haue bene contented to fauor your vehement protestacion with a dollorous scilence neyther let me any longer inveighe in myne aunswere then I shall seame to preferre good reason to iustefye my iuste complaint the cause wherof doth marche with more alarams of annoye thorow all the partes in me then if I wer presently pinched with the most greuous tormentes of the worlde seing that my life with therposition of the same is nothing in respecte of that which thy ymportunities do labour to set abroche and put in vent for the onely satisfaction of a prodigall liberalitye for if the price of my life woulde suffice for the raunsom of myne honor and appaisement of thy appetit thou couldest no soner ymagyn thy contentement then the same shoulde be exposed on thy behalfe neyther wolde I take halfe the tyme to performe it which I haue vsed in making y t the promise I thought alas the late delyuery of my brother had brought to vs all an vndowted dispense of further trouble and that he had buryed in the pitt of his ymprysonmente all occasions of further disquiette And who wolde haue iudged but in the laste assalte and vniuste offer of vndeserued deathe fortune had spitt the vttermoste of her poysened malice and that in deuestinge herselfe frome the theatrye or throane of rigorous crueltie she had also broken in peces the bloddye arrowes wherewith of so longe time shee hathe persecuted our desolate howse pronounced trewyce at last to the wearye miferies of the wretched state of the MONTANINS But alas vnhappie creature that I am I fynde nowe our destenie is rather deferred then our miserye at an end seing y t that vniuste goddes of vnworthy reuenge and moste cruell stepmother inuadinge mee wythe more fury then affore doth threaten my yonge and tender yeares with more perentorye plages then euer shee thondred vppon any of my former race for if euer shee pursewed oure fathers graundefathers or anye predecessours with mortall affliction or intente of vtter ruyne it is nowe shee hathe chosen her tyme to put to her laste hande to the extreame extirpacion of the miserable reliques and remeyndor of oure pore house eyther by the wilfull losse and perpetuall exile of y e my deare brother or vntymely death of thy dysolate ANGELIQVA who canne not make prostitucion of her chastetye wythout the sacrafyce and oblation of her miserable life what is destenye if this be not the consent and iudgement of the heauens w t resolutioÌ„ to subplaÌ„t y e stock graâ—tes of our house seing y t I a simple girle w tout force voide of assistance of age or experience is constrained to admytt th one of two euils whereof the choise oughte and is hable to amase the moste wise and experienced creature that this day enioyeth the benefytt of mortall life alas my harte faileth me and reason forsaken and flede from me hath lefte my minde ballauncinge in suche confucion and contraryetie of thoughtes that beinge broughte to thertremetye of two distresses of equall perill and indifferente terror I doubte whether to coÌ„mit my life to shorte and sharppe penaunce or prolonge my dayes in pyninge dollor and secrete care of minde for the sentence which thou haste pronounced of both our estates is eyther to make a seperation by extreme exile of my brother who is no lesse deare in my harte then the ten drest part of myne eye and in whom nexte after GOD I haue reposed the whole assuraunce of my hope and consolacion of life or els in conseruinge him I see my selfe at pointe to bee constrained to make marchandise I can not tell in what sorte nor for what price of that precious treasure whiche once loste is not to be reclaimed by any meanes and for the garde wherof al women of vprighte minde honoring vertue or desierous of reputacion oughte rather to expose theimselues to a thousande mortal perilles and hazardes of deathe if nature and life were hable to abide soo manye encownters then to suffer one spotte of infamie to staine or corrupt this precious ornament and gifte of chastitie which as it is the only support and decoration of y e life of an honest woman so for a contrarye she that loseth the possession of so riche a Iewel or deuesteth her selfe of the title and crown of so great a glorye althoughe she seame to liue and kepe place amonge other creatures yet is she dead in effecte and her life recorded in the booke of blacke defame as a witnes againste herselfe in the latter days and in the meane tyme a continual reproch and obiection of shame to such as she leaueth to succede her in kindred or name How can that Lady or gentlewoman marche amongeste the crewe of vertuous dames whose honor is eyther in doubte or reputacion in dekaye by the losse of her honour but that the blod of shamo appearyng in all parts of her face wil not only discouer her faulte but makes her wearye of her lyfe by the remorce or remembrance of so foule a forfaiture How could the doughters of the Emprour AVGVSTVS seame iustly meritorious of the title of true nobilitie or worthely deserue to be called the children of such a father after their sondry villaines and lasciuious trade of lyuing hadd dispoyled them of the giftes and ornamentes of vertue presentyng theim to the eyes of all the world as creatures not worthy to haue the common ayre to breath vpon them what honor hadd FAVSTINA in wearyng the Imperial crowne vpon her head seyng she had loste the crowne and garlande of chastetie by her disordred and dishonest life Sewer she ought not to enioy the breath of lyfe nor participati with the presence or benefitt of the earth that makes lesse stoare of her honestie then of the deareste part belongynge to her soule or bodye neyther is shée worthie to be admitted amongest the felowshipp of vertues Dames that departeth with so precious an ornament at other priceâ— then the exchange or loasse of her lyfe notwithstandynge the writers of former tyme haue done manifest wronge to diuerse simple women whose vertue in preseruinge their honest name with true title of pudicitie deserueth rather an euerlastynge remembrance
viewe of the wronge and discurtesye of her brother seamed for a tyme to staie the course of sleepe yet in the often repeticion of her sorowes appeared a litle of qui ette whiche closed her eyes and cast her into a slomber wher in she seamed to beholde standing afore her thymage of her LIVIO halfe deade embrasing her with a pale and hydeous regarde which forced her to suche a feare that she brake soddainely oute of her dredefull sleape spendinge the reste of the wearye nighte in pytifull complaintes wherin certeinly she had raison for that in that dreame or rather misticall vision was fygured the desaster whiche not longe after ouerwhelmed theim bothe neyther oughte wée to fynde it strang if thapprehensions appearing in our slepe do geue vs warninge of the good or euill happeninge vnto vs for that wée haue certeine recordes which iustefye the same in the person of one BRVTVS hee whiche was vanquished in the feldes of PHARSALEMO whether he were awake or in the depthe of his sleepe seamed to see in his tente a terrible shappe of a certaine sprite pronouncinge his ouerthrow besides thaushorytie of naturall reason mouethe vs to confesse that as the ympression of a greate feare or longinge desyer of any thinge do presente often tymes affore the eyes of our mynde the bodie beinge in reste the ymage of that whiche we loue or feare So also the sprit that is voyde of passion or at point to fall into some perilous accident encountreth commonly in his sleape the thing which hee wisheth not to happen and abhorreth to remember when his eyes haue dismissed the drowsy humor of slepe for CAMILLA desiered nothing lesse then the death of her LYVIO and yet not longe after the pre sage or forewarninge of her dreadefull vysion she only witnessed the effect assistinge his funeral with her presence in the tombe aswell as she was willynge to admit his companie in the secret bedd of their infortunat mariage LIVIO for his part was not voide of passion on the behalfe of the frowarde successe of his busynes albeit seing he colde no way bribe the goodwill of fortune hee resolued to geue place to her presente malice and in attending the benefytt of a better tyme to practise CLAVDIO by circumstance and mediacion of his neare frendes Albeit felinge in the meane while an intolleracion of loue with contynnall increase of desier to coll the flower of his affection and taste of the pleasant Iewyste of the grape which quencheth the thirste of the loyall louer he ymparted his paine and request to his Ladye in a letter of this substance Seinge there is no iustice good ladye to supporte the consent to your owne disquiet and suffer me to lyue in passion without comparaison methinke you do wronge to thindiffrent contentment of vs both for if you desyer my death you nede vse no other minister for fatall execution then the alarams of dollor which I encounter daily by your meanes but if you haue care of my quiett and greue no lesse with thimposicion of my mortal torment why make you suche conscience to yelde me consideration of the honeste zeale I beare you seing the same dothe also ymporte a speciall contentment to your selfe you knowe what is alredie passed betwene vs neyther are you ignorante of the small respect your parentes vse towardes you wherwyth if the mutuall consente conclude the mariage you ought also to vnderstande that neyther the tyrannye of the one nor wante of corage in the other hath power to wythholde you from that which you are bound to performe nor hinder me to enioye the benefyt of my desert wherin I appeale to the tooch of your consience with request to consider in what sort you will aduise mée to th ende that by thassistance of your councell I maye the better carye ouer the greatnes of my extremetie which as it is deuided into spedie releefe or presente dispaire so seinge I am of force to passe by the one I doubt of which of the two to make my moste proffyt for albeit the firste hath power to performe the full of my felycity yet in attendinge theffect I consume in a flame of burning desyer and the other if it ymporte a present abridgmente of my tormente by vntymely deathe yet in the verye acte consistes a spot of dishonour to my selfe and an euerlastinge surname of crueltie to her in whose ballance waigheth thindyffrent sentence of the lyfe or deathe of the moste desolate and LOIALL LIVIO CAMILLA whyche desired nothing lesse then to delay the desire of her seruant for that her selfe labored of the same disease retorned y e messengier with no other aunswer theÌ„ that at after dinner she would vysitt CORNELIA when also shee wold satisfie his maister by mouth for y t she feared y e subteltie of her brother wolde intercepte her letters where with thinfortunat LIVIO not knowyng the thred of mischiefe which fortune was now spynnynge for him entred into such solace that the chamber wherein he walked seamed to litle to conteine bys present gladnes the rather for that he ymagined y t hys mistresse woulde now dismysse all excuses and impedimentes to theffect of hys longe desyer seynge there wanted nothynge to consommate the mariage but solemne publicacion in whiche passion of ioye he supplied the tyme in attendynge the commynge of his Ladye with singynge and softe musicke accordyng to the nature of the Swan who the nearer she draweth to the ende of her destiny the pleasanter note she synges bathinge and pruninge her selfe in the purest streame she can fynde to th ende to do honor to her funerall â—ate and as he ymagined thus to be at the point to arriue in the subburb of his paradise behold the approch of y e goddesse of his deuocion deare mistres CAMILLA with her Chambriere who as she was alredye priuye to the whole practise So she vsed her companie nowe to auoyde suspicion imparting the same to LIVIO to th ende he nede not distruste her presence yf by chaunce they entred into parley touchynge any secret matche where neded not thassistance of manye wytnesses And being thus in armes together God knoweth if anye sorte of kysses or other follies in loue were forgotten wherin as it is a common experience that neither bytt nor bridle is hable to gouerne the furye of loue when we be at point to enioye the pleasures we desyer so there appered suche an indifferent vehemencie of appetit betwene theiâ— that at thinstant they made a plat or begynnyng of that whiche the same euenynge gaue ende to the pleasure and lyfe of theym both wehrof CAMILLA as more hoate in desyer or lesse hable to beare the burden of her burnyng affection preuented the request of LYVIO and made plaine the first entrey path to both their mishappes saying that forasmuch as our consentes haue concluded a mariage and that in the breache of our promisse appeareth a perentory preiudice to our consciences
howe fyne so euer they were aswell to preferr her dutie to thuttermoste as also to auoyde imputacion or cause of suspicion on her parte wherwith entring into termes of persuacion she added also this kynde of consolacion folowinge More do I greue syr sayth she wyth the small care you seame to take of your selfe then the tearmes of your disease do trouble me consideringe the same procedes of so slender occasioÌ„ that the veray remeÌ„brance of so great an ouersight ought to remoue the force and cause of your accident admit your griefe were greate indéede and your disease of no lesse importance yet ought you so to bridle this wilful rage and desyere to dye that in eschewing to preuent the wyl and set hower of the Lorde you séeke not to further youre fatall ende by vsynge vnnaturall force against your selfe making your beastly will the blodye sacrifize of your bodie whereby you shal be sewer to leaue to the remeinder of youre house a crowne of infamie in the iudgement of the worlde to come and put your soule in hazarde of grace afore the troane of iustice aboue you knowe syr I am sewer that in this transitorye and paineful pilgrimage there is nothing more certeine then death whom albeit wee are forbiddeÌ„ to feare yet oughte wee to make a certeine accompt of his coÌ„ming neyther is it any other thinge according to the scripture then the minister and messenger of God executynge his infallible wil vpon vs wretches sparinge neyther age condicion nor state It is he that geues ende to oure miserie heare and saffe conduyte to passe into the other worlde and assoâ—e as we haue taken possession of the house of reste he shooteth the gates of all annoye againste vs fedinge vs as it were with a swete slomber or pleasant sléepe vntil the last soÌ„moÌ„ce of generall resurrection So that syr methinkes they are of the happie sorte whome the great God vouchesafeth to call to his kyngdome exchangynge the toiles manifolde cares incident to the creatures of this worlde with the pleasures of his paradise place of reapose that neuer hath ende And touchinge your deuocion to him that was dead with vaine desyer to visit his ghoste in the other worlde persuadynge the same to procede of a debte and dutifull desyer you haue to make yet a further declaracioÌ„ of your vnfained minde towardes him I assure you syr â–ª I am more sorye to see you subiect to so great a follie then I feare or exspect the effect of your dreame for as it seames but a ridle procedinge of the vehemencie of your sicknes So I hope you will directe the sequeile by sage aduise conuertinge the circumstance into ayre without further remeÌ„braÌ„ce of so foolish a matter wherin also I hope you wyll suffer the wordes of the scripture to direct you who allowinge smal ceremonies to the dead forbides vs to yelde any debte or dutie at all to suche as be alredie passed out of the worlde and muche lesse to sacrifyze oure selues for their sakes vpon their tombes accordynge to the supersticious order of y e barbarians in olde time remeinyng at this daye in no lesse vse amonge the people of the weste worlde but rather to haue their vertues in due veneracion and treadynge in the steppes of their examples to imytate theyr order with like integretye of lyfe And for my parte saith she dyenge her garmentes with the droppes of her waterye eyes prouynge to late what it is to loase a husbande and to forget hym whome bothe the lawe of God and nature hathe gyuen me as a seconde parte of my selfe to lyue wyth mutuall contentement vntyll the dissolucion of oure sacred bonde by the heauye hande of God am thus farre resolued in my selfe protestynge to performe no lesse by hym that lyueth that yf the furie of your passion prevaile aboue your resistaunce or your disease growe to suche extreame tearmes that death wyll not be otherwayes aunswered but that you muste yelde to hys sommance and dye I wyl not lyue to lament the losse of my second husbande nor vse other dule in the funerall of youre corps then to accompanye it to the graue in a shéete or shroode of lyke attire for youre eyes shall no sooner cloase their liddes or loase the lyght of this worlde then theis haÌ„ds shal be readye to performe the effecte of my promisse and the bell that gyueth warnyng of your last hower shall not ceasse his doleful knil til he haue published with like sound y e semblable ende of your deare and louynge wyfe whose simple and franke offer here openynge a most conuenient occasion for her wylfull husbande to disclose the true cause of hys disease preuailed so muche ouer his doubtefull and waueringe mynde that dismissing euen then his former dissimulacion he embraced her not without suche abundance of teares and vnruly sighes that for the tyme they tooke awaie the vse of his tounge Albeit beinge deliuered of his trauÌ„ce and restored to the benefit of his speche he disclosed vnto her the true cause and circumstaunce of his gréefe in this forte Albeit since the time of my sicknes saith he you haue séene what distresse and desolation haue passed me wyth fyttes of straunge and diuerse disposition marueilynge no lesse I am sewer from what fountaine haue flowed the Symptomes of so race a passion wherein also your continuall presence and â—iewe of my weake state is sufficientlye hable to recorde the whole discourse of my disease yet are you neyther partaker of my payne nor priuye to the principall causes of so straunge an euill neyther haue I bene so hardie to discouer theim vnto you because I haue ben hetherto doubtful of that whereof your laste wordes haue fullye absolued me And nowe being weakened with the wearines of tyme sicknes in suche sort as nature hath ridd her handes of me and gyuen me ouer to the order of death who is to spare me no loÌ„ger but to vtter these laste wordes vnto you I accompte it a special felicitie in my harde fortune that in thoppenyng of the true causes of my greâ—e I may cloase and seale vp the laste and extreame tearme of my lyfe And because I wil cleare in few wordes the misterie which seames to amaze you You shall note that there be iij. onely ministers and occasyons of my disease whereof the firste and of leaste importance is for the death of my late Lorde and maister Don Ihon tryuoulso whereof you are not ignorant the second excedinge the firste in greatnes of grefe and force againste me is to thinke that the rigour of my destinies and violence of sicknes yeldynge me into the handes of death will dissolue and breake by that meanes the league of longe and loyall loue whiche from the beginnynge my harte hath vowed vnto you but the thirde and laste of a more strange qualitie then eyther of the reste is to thinke that when I am dead and by time worne
out of your minde an other shal enioye the swéete and pleasaunt benefit of that deuine beautie of yours whiche oughte to serue but for the dyet of the gods the simple viewe whereof seames hable yf it wer possible to make me suffery e martiredom of ij deaths wherunto she replied w t persuacions to driue hym from his fonde deuise profering her selfe eftesones to dye for companie wherin callynge the maiestie of the highest to witnes she protested againe that if he wolde not be reclaimed from his desyer to dye within a veray shorte moment of tyme she woulde bée as redye to yelde death his tribute as he all whiche she inferred I thinke rather to féede the tyme then of intent to performe the effecte of her offer hauynge the lyke opynion of her husbande whome she thoughte alwayes to haue suche power to represse the euil sprite that possessed hym y the woulde not become the vnnaturall morderer of hymselfe and muche lesse execute the lyke rage on her But alas thinfortunat Ladye brewed heare the brothe of her owne bane and spon the thredâ— of her owne destruction for fallynge nowe vnhappelye into the malice of her destenie thinkynge nothinge lesse then of the secret ambushe of mortall treason her husbande had layed for her went vnhappelye to bed wyth hym the same nighte where for his parte preferringe in his face a shew of fayned contentement consolation to the eye he forced a further quiete of mynde by the ioye he ymagined in the acte he ment to do but chieflye for that he had deuised howe thinnocent Ladye throughe the rage of his villainy sholde bée forced to an effect of her promisse for the spedie execution wherof they had not bene longe in bedd together but he rise from her faynynge a desier to performe the necessitie of nature in the closset or chamber of secretes his erraund in dede being to fetche his dagger which without makynge her priuye he conueyed vnder the bolster of his bed beginnynge euen then to preferre a preamble afore the parte he ment to playe for fallinge from his former complaintes of sicknes he retired into tearmes of extreme â—renâ—zy and madnes brainge out such groanes and sighes of hideus disposicion with owlyng cryeng and foaminge at the mouth like one possessed with an euill sprit that who had séene his often change of coollor and complexion in his face his ghastly regardes arguinge ententes of desperacion and his eyes slaming with furie soÌ„ke into his head with the order of his passion euery waye might easely haue iudged the desyer of his hart to be of no smal importance and the thynge he went about neither common nor coÌ„mendable wherein he was assisted with .iij. enemies of diuerse disposicions loue Ielousie and death the least of the whiche is sufficient of him selfe to make a man chafe in his harneys and take away the courage of his hart in the middest of the combat for the one presented a certaine feare by reason of the horrour of the acte the other sewed as it were for an abstinence or at least amoderacioÌ„ of y e crueltie he had coÌ„menced against his innoceÌ„t wif but y e third being y e beginner of al exceding the rest in power wolde not dismisse him from the stage till he had playd thuttermost acte of his malicious tragedie Marke here good Ladyes the desolation of this vnfortunat Gentlewoman and dispose your selues to teares on the behalfe of her distresse wherin certeinlye you haue no lesse reason to helpe to bewaile her wretched chaunce then iuste occasion to ioyne in generall exclamation againste the detestable acte of her tyrannous husband who disclayminge euen nowe his former state and condition of a man retires into thabite of a monster and cruell enemye to nature and in conuertinge the vertue of his former loue and remembrance of the sondrie pleasures he had heretofore receyued of his deare and louynge wyfe into present rage and vnnaturall furye far exceding the sauage and brutishe maner of the Tiger Lyon or Libards bredd in the desertes of affrike the common Norsse of monsters and creatures cruell without reason whettyng his téeth for the terrible suggestion of the deuill who at thinstant put into his hande the dagger wherewith after he had embraced and kissed her in such sorte as Iudas kissed our Lorde the same night he betraied him he saluted her with ten or .xij. estockados one in the necke of an other in diuerse partes of her bodye renewynge the confilict with no lesse nomber of blowes in her head and armes and because no parte shoulde escape frée froÌ„ the stroke of his malice he visyted her white and tender legges with no lesse rage and furye then the rest wherewith beholdinge in her diuerse vndoubted argumentes of death began the lyke warre wyth hymselfe vsinge the same meane and ministers with his owne handes enbrewed yet with the bloode of his innocent wyfe she wyng notwithstandyng this horrible part and acte of dispaire diuerse and sondrye signes of speciall gladnes and pleasure in his face wherin he contynued till the laste and extreame gaspe of lyfe chieflie for that he sawe him accompanied to death with her whome he was not hable to leaue behinde hym on lyue and who beinge ouercharged as you haue harde with the nomber of woundes the violence whereof preuailinge farr aboue the resistance of lyfe did presse her so muche with the hastie approche of death that the want of breath abridged her secret shryft and coÌ„fession to god with lesse leasure to yeld her innocent soule wyth humble praier into the handes of her redemer and commende the forgeuenes of her synnes to the benefit of his mercie Only she had respyte with great a do to speake to giue order that her bodie might be layde in the tombe of her firste husbande SIGNEVR BARZO But the cursed and execrable ALBANOYS so whollie possessed with the deuill that the gyfte of grace was denied him abhorred to the laste mynute of his lyfe the remembrance of repentance for laughinge as it were at the fowlenes of the facte euen vntill life left him senceles and voyde of breathe he commended his carkes to the gredie Iawes of rauenous wolues seruing also as a fyt praie for y e venemous serpentes and other crepinge wormes of the earthe and his soule to the reprobate socyetie of Iudas and Cayne with other of th infernall crewe The worthie ende of this wicked wretche argueth the iuste rewarde of the euill disposed and suche as are vnhaypelie dropped out of the fauor of god the ordenarye successe of those enterprises that are begâ—n without the consente of wisedom or raison but chiefly theffectes and fortune of such as blinded with the vaile of their owne wil and dymned w t the myst of follye do reapose so muche for theim selues in the opinion of their owne witte that detestinge good councell and thaduise of the wise doo credit onlye the conceite of their owne fancie whiche
so nearely since your comming to Mantua that you haue not spoken or don a thinge of suche councell but fame hath discouered your intent and made your aduersaries partakers of your meaning it behoueth yon to thinke that of late she is not become so wel affected towards you as she can or will conceile this last most perillous resolution besides in what sorte could you disguise your selfe that your sondrie secret markes wold not bewraye you or what waye haue you to passe where you are out of knowledge of al mē admit your owne sleight pollecie were hable to preuayle aboue the malice of your fortune in defending you frō the daunger of the waye diuerse ambushes of your enemyes are you so persuaded of th assurāce of your Plaudina that you wil cōmit your life losse of honor to the fained faith of a deceitefull woman that without a proffe of her cōstancie Yf the miste of fonde affection doth so much dim your eyes and gifte of present vnderstanding that you are not hable to discouer the legerdemaines of lighte womē let my experiēce warne you to beware of the subtill sleightes fyne Allurementes of so venemous a serpent What can you tell whether this traine she hath made be a stale to betraye you and committ you to the mercye of your enemye or peraduenture she hathe sente for you because she séeth an impossibilitie in thenterprice and rather to bringe you in daunger then of intent to yelde satisfaction to your desyer But lett vs conster her meaning to the best with ymaginacion that her faith is without corrupcion and that she is no lesse desyrous to sée you then you assotted vpon her beautie seame readie to run thorow the fyer of a thousande perils only to content her will you by so vaine a pleasure that is of lesse moment or abode then the thoughte of a man at so deare a price as the losse of your honor and lyfe Remember that the end of that enterprise can not be good whose begining is not founded vppon discrecion and sequell gouerned by the rule of raison neyther can you more greatlye deface the auncient renowme of your honor nor leaue a greater spot of reproche to your house and frendes that liue after you then to conclude and ende the course of your life in the purseute of so dishonest a queste and your enemyes can not so lardgelie triumphe in your ouerthrowe and deathe as your frendes haue cause to lament that your owne rashenes and follie were the only furtherours of the fatall bane of your lyfe where of the contrarye parte yf beyng cut in peces in the seruice of some noble prince or yelde to the loare of nature in som valiant exploit or enterprise of warr you shold not only aggrauate the praise of your lyfe passed with the glorie of an honorable death discarge your frendes and succession of al imposicions of villanous infamie but also force your enemies to a conuersion of their malice into a general comendacion of your vertue and vndouted faith towardes your prince Besides if you will wayghe the mortall plages threatened in the gospell to be thondered vpon thadulteror and suche as contaminat the maried mans bedd or rightly measure the penaunce of the falte with the foulnes of the fact you shal not only iudge with me that there is no lyfe more dampnable afore god nor deathe more skandalus to the worlde then to be ouerthrowne in the combat whiche of ryght is due to bee parformed by an other but also that there is more vertue and ease in sufferance then profit or pleasure in hast or comoditie in rashe execution But yf the power of the fleshe preuailynge aboue your resistance hath sturred vp this humor of hoat desier whiche seames to presse you so far that you make no conscience to exchange your former glorie for a title or surname of a fylthie adulteror go not so far to seke your destruction seing MANTVA presentes you with sufficiēt choice and change of releif better cheape and with less peril then the hazarde of reputation or losse of lyfe This charme of DELYO seamed so to enchante and driue reason into the waueringe mynde of the MYLLANOIS that hee tooke respite to replie till the nexte morninge thanking him notwithstanding of his frendlie aduertisementes whiche saith he haue so vnséeled the eyes of my minde that I fynd my selfe now hable to discerne that whych loue wold not suffer me earste to perceiue and muche lesse to feare or doubte wherewith retiringe to his lodginge hee passed the nighte in the onely contemplacion of his fancie wherein appered suche warr and contrarietie of thoughts with figures of hollowe conceites that the desyer and course of slepe was whollie conuerted into an humor of vncerteine ymagynacions And if by chaunce his eyes offred to cloase their liddes and sommon the reste of the partes to the quiet reapposed in sléepe the remembrance and care of his buysynes interuptinge the office of the eyes presented eftfones a new conflict and second supplie of his passion in such sorte as beynge to weake to resiste the alaram he yelded to the stronger parte whiche was the maisterles appetit of sensualtie and holdinge more deare the pleasures of the fleshe then the sauegarde of his life determined to take the forde and trye if fortune wolde performe asmuche as shee seamed to promise by a flatteringe hope whych appeared in his ydle braine to embrace his mistres without daunger ympartinge the nexte daye his resolucion to his deare frende DELYO to whom saith he because perils are commonly made greater by reapport then found daungerous in thaduenture and that all likelehodes seldom or neuer do happen the valyant ought not to feare the thinge that is doubtfull nor dread the simple mouinge of a shadowe neyther is there glorie of the victorie but where thaduenture excedeth thexspectacion of men wherfore I am perswaded to geue a charg of the good will of fortune and take my iorney towardes MILLAN tomorow wher if I bée sommoned wyth the writ of my destynies or malicious dome of vnhappye fortune by death MYLLAN will serue me aswell of a tombe as eyther MANTVA or other santuarie of the worlde neyther can I make a better declaracion of my fayth towardes my mistres then in defyenge the feare of so many perills to appeare more readie to obey her commaundemente then curious or carefull of myne owne life whyche I accompte ymploied with no lesse iustice on her behalfe then honor to my selfe if the same be put to extreme torments and vtterlie executed in the place wher the view of her own eyes may bée thindifferent iudges betwene my firme constancie and small dissymulacion neyther can I leaue her a more precious pawne of myne indissoluble loue then beinge cut in peces in the pursewte of her seruice to leaue the walls and posterns of her pallais painted and all to besprent with the bloode of the most
loyall seruant and frend that euer bare name to do honor or seruice to any of that noble sect Your desperat resolucion saith DELYO excedinge all thexperience I haue harde or redd of any that haue bene possessed with the like infection argueth the vnbridled humor of loue to be a kynde of rage a thousand times more straunge and lesse reasonable then eyther the burning feuer or frantike maladie of suche as are infected with the fury of frenzye for what greater follye or rather desperacion can be noted in the madman then to Ronne headlong in to the middest of the fyer or coÌ„mit himselfe vnarmed to the mercie of the glaues and sharp swords of his enemie How may a maÌ„ tearme this same amarous rage and effect of smal reason and lesse discrecion which accompanie suche as make themselues a praie to their proper sensualitie if not some spirite or lymme of Sathan sent to torment vs in making vs thabhomynable workemen of such miracles of mischiefe and he that sayth that loue procedeth other wayes then of our selues seameth rather to mocke the truth then hable to iustefy his argument by approued authorities seing the mischief is deriued of our selues and norished of the corruption of our nature whose wicked force preuaileth so much ouer the gifte of our vnderstanding and darkeneth the vertue of the spirit that wée are denied to se and muche lesse to treade the pathe of our dutie honestie or conscience But thamarous Crew of fâ—yuolus louers now a dayes eyther to support their dampnable enterprises with a boulster or showe of a newfounde vertue or to set a more brauerie of their doinges then eyther reason or conscience will allow or rather to make their secte fauored with a fame or name of perpetuitie haue deuised to christen their follie by the name of sincere and true loyaltie whiche they also forget not to confirme by the title of constancie as thoughe without the hazarde of the soule and absolute destruction of the bodie suche execrable villenies and abuses of men colde beare the name or be registred in y e boke of vertue wherin albeit I cold bée assisted with infynities of examples both familiar and aunciente yet because such discourse wold rather seame tedious theÌ„ thankful to the guiltie mynds of a nomber of our contreymen I am content to dismisse al antiquities and pursewe my allegacion with thauthorytie of this CORNELIO who rather enchaunted then rauished with the remembrance of his Ladye and suggestion of his own follie tolde DELIO for ende that if all the waies betwen MANTVA and MYLLAN were strewed or pitched with rasors and euerye gate and windowe decked with the doble cannon readie charged to salute hym at his cominge yet making litle or none accompte of these mortal perils in respect of the dutie he seamed to owe to his deare PLAVDINA he failed not to begyn to perform y e soÌ„monce of her letter the next morning when with ij seruants no lesse strange to him then vnknowen to al men and himself attyred in the wede of a marchaÌ„t trauellor he departed Mantua at the opening of the gates marching no lesse spedelie then by secrete vnknoweÌ„ pathes he measured his time according to thim portaÌ„ce daÌ„ger of his enterprise in such sort as he gat w tin y e walls of Myllan at the verie last glymmer and cloasing of the euening wher refusing y e house of his mother because y e prospect opening vpon the pallais of hys chiefeste enemye seamed more apt to discouer then hable to hyde hys being ther he addressed hym to a deare frende of his called Mesâ—ieur Ambrosio where beyng let in in the darkest of the euenyng he was lodged in a lowe chamber ioyned as a pendle to thuttermost corner of the house moste conuenient to worke his secret misterye His first indeuor after his saffe arryual at MILLAN was to send for an appoticarye whose fidelitie he had earst proued in the enterchaunge and conueighe of diuerse letters betwene his Ladie and hym who not so much amazed to see hym there whom he loked not for as glad of his comminge for the contentement of Plaudina assured hym of the departure of her husbande his second diligence appeared in therpedicion he vsed to aduertise his mistrys of his commynge whom he requested by a letter vnder the conduit of this colcarior to appoint a conuenieÌ„t leasure that he might speake to her in secret for saith he the conference I haue to impart with you is of other importance then to be debated in the hearyng of witnesses and much lesse recorded by anye then the only presence of our selues The Lady althoughe she desired nothyng so muche as the presence of her seruant whose only comyng seamed almoste to make her excede the bondes of reason for ioye yet was she semblablie traunced in a passion of dreedefull conceites and doutefull feare the one for that she feared tho malice of the frenchemen the rather because they extended weekely a priuye searche vppon all the houses and places whyche they iudged frendes to CORNELIO the other chief cause of her dollor was for that by the wronge datyng of her letter she failed of the daye of the departure of her husbande whereby she had not only procured to hym a more daunger theÌ„ neded but also abused his aduenture in beyng not hable to giue so longe a time to their pleasures as he iustelye deserued and they bothe desired notwithstandyng she retorned the messenger with a gentle aunswereâ— wherein aboue all other thinges she gaue singler comendacion to his firme loyaltie andno lesse falte toher owne follie and rashenes whyche because she woulde not onelye excuse but also counteruaile or rather excede wyth a recompence to his contentation she willed hym by y e messenger to passe by the gate in the attire of a masquer where the woulde attende his commynge about x. or xj of the clocke the same euenynge resoluynge vppon a certeine watche worde or other secret instructions whereby she might discerne hym from the reste of his felowshipp Yt is to bée thoughte CORNELIO did neyther mislike the message and muche lesse forgett the hower of appointmente nor yet seame a cowarde in this chiefeste exployte of his aduenture I am rather of opinion that his foolishe rashenes dyd so much excede the vertue of the minde that yf the whole garrison of the frenchemen had bene encamped in the stréete and redie to receyue hym vppon the pointe of their pickes he woulde rather haue accepted the offer of present death then lost so good an occasion to encounter a simple glaunce or glée of his greate frende who no lesse mindefull of her promisse then readie to performe it wyth a double diligence in hope to enioye an interest of suche pleasure as loue yeldes to suche as fortune makes happie and hable to receiue attended hys commynge at the place and hower of accorde And as she was one of the best Courtiars passinge the rest of the traine
or out of the window or in other place which denied him fauor or libertie to speake to her I thinke he forgat not to expose arguments of his grefe by the pitiful regards of his countenance wanton torninge of the eye and other messengers of his passion arguing the torment he endewred for the desier he had to do her seruice he vnderstode at last by secret inquisition what churche her mother haunted for the performing of her prayers and that her doughter was her only companion in these deuocions whither also hée directed his pilgrymage and dissymulinge with GOD hée plaide thypocrite in conuertinge his regardes from thalter or place of leuacion to beholde the bewtie of the goldsmithes daughter the saint to whom his hart yelded most honor making of the house of prayer y e shop or forge to frame iniquitie exceding in this respect the barbarouse abuse of the Etheniques turkes and infidells who geue more reuerence to their Mosques wher God is blasepheimed and his Son abiured then the christians now a dayes to the temples and houses dedicated to the Lord to performe the ministracion of the sacraments with open publicacion of the wil of our sauiour Christ whom wyth saint Paule we ought to pray for the subuercion of babilon and restauracion of the true Church dispersed into diuers corners of the world by the malice of the pope and his wicked disciples wherof this Abbot being not the least in authoritie was nothing inferiour to the most abhominable in al vices wherof he gaue sufficiente proofe in two offences of equall detestacion the one in seking to deflowre a mayde contrarye to the othe of hys religion the other in abusinge the house of GOD as a place of bawdye practise to performe theffecte of hys cursed deuise beinge more deuowte in courtinge the Ladies of NAPLES thenne curious to reforme thabuses of his idle couente But the girle notinge thinconstant order of prayer in our reuerende father GONSALDO to gether wyth hys wanton regardes full of lasciueous desyer ymagined by and by wyth what yron the gentlemanne was shod and to what sainct hée would gladlye offer his candell wherefore thinkinge it noo breache of good manner to playe mockhallyday wyth such a maister foole gaue hym skoape now and thenne to hehold her at large and to beat the hammer more depe into his head would requite his amarous glaunce wyth a semblable glée and sodaynly retire and vanish out of hys sight wyth an angry farewel as thoughe shée disdayned his wanton offer wyth intente notwythstandynge to shonne hys voyce and place of presence no lesse then thincounter of any venemus beaste fearinge to reapose eyther credytt in hys honestie or so muche assurance in her owne pudicitie as to open her eare to the charme of a friuolous louer or who thinkes it no offence to take awaye the puritie of a mayde whom wée may compare to the red rose desiered of enery one so longe as the morning dewe mainteineth hym in odyferous smell and pleasaunt coollor but when the force and heate of the son hath mortyfied hys oryent hew and conuerted hys naturall freshnes into a withered leafe the desier to haue it dekaieth wyth the bewtye of the thynge euenso shée that hathe once morgaged the flower of her virginitie is not only dispised of hym to whom shée hath béene so prodigal of that whych shée oughte to make a moste precious Iewell but also in common contempte wyth all men what showe of dissembled courtesie soeuer they presente vnto her wherof the mistres of GONSALDO was nothing vnmindfull who preferringe the honor and reputacion of chastetie affore all the respecttes of the worlde seing wythall that the blinde Abbot pursewed more and more his amarous quest preuented hys expedicion by making her a straunger to his presence shonnynge all places of hys repaire and to take awaye all occasions that myghte geue increase to his desyer shée forbare to visit the churches onelesse it were at suche howers as they were voyde of other companie and yet wyth suche regarde that shée made as it were a priuy searche in all the corners and quyers of the temple to preuent his subteltie in dressinge some ambushe to inuade her vppon a soddaine and if by chaunce hée saw her and saluted her in the stréetes shee crossed saite on the other side and closed her eyes as agaynst some hurtfull encownter yelding hym no other countenance then she mighte haue auowched to the most infydell in the vttermost Ilandes of Tartaria whych brought the sely freare into suche mortall perplexitie that dispaire beganne to appeare wyth thapproche of sondrye perentorie diseases chiefly for y t the hyer of his earnest loue was retorned with sondry sorts of crueltye and disdainefull repulses occupyinge his brayne with suche contrarietie of thoughtes that he was voide of councell to what saint to vow himselfe or vpon what wood to make his arrowes seinge he was neither hable to mortifye nor vse moderacion in his passion and muche lesse was assisted with any meane to communicate the greatnes of his gréefe to her whose beautie had made hym the slaue of follie wherein albeit he sawe a vanitie to vse the office of a Dariolleta or bawde for that the vertue of the maide argued a detestation of suche Embassadors and to write to her appeared a great difficultie for that she was alwayes in the presence of her mother who vsinge the vertue of her doughter as a solace of her olde yeres was no lesse carefull of her honestie then be longed to so precious a Iewell yet felinge a continuall aggrauation of desyer wyth a flatterynge offer of loue to rewarde hym in the ende with the praye of his purseute he determined to suborne a shameles messenger to bewraye his shameful intente and therefore put his requeste vpon tearmes in a letter of this effecte Yf my destenies had don execution vppon my bodie when firste they brought me to the viewe of your beautie I had not ben a presente experience of your crueltye nor you thoccasion of my vnworthie torment for if death by nature had preuented the begynnynge of my loue I had ben frée from the force of passion discharged of all mortall greefe and you dispensed with al from the imputation cause of a double ill the one to abuse the vertue of your selfe do wronge to the renowme of al women by preferring effectes of rigour the other in disdaynyng the seruice of him whose life and death payseth indifferentlye in the ballaunce of your good will dissemblynge also not to sée the circunstaunce of my loue to driue me to desperacion and at the point to vse vnnaturall force againste my selfe Howe often alas haue I made you priuye to thinwarde affection of my mynde by the outwarde regardes glaunces of my exterior partes Howe often haue you acknowledged the same by argument of semblable glée and immediatly denied the whole by a soddaine showe of angrie complexion eyther disdayning vtterly
wrongefull conceyte of suche a villenie dothe troble you whyche shée forgatt no too accompanye with all sortes of syghes and sygnes of dollour entrermedled with suche regardes of dyssembled pitie in all partes of her face that albeyt he was paste all dowte touchynge the trothe of hys owne conceyte yet the teares of hys deceytefull mother moued hym to admitt her excuses with suche compassion of her sorowe that he seamed also to passe the panges of her present passion with protestacion vnder tearmes of greate humilitie that he greued no lesse in that he hadde sayd then shée hadd greate reason to complaine of the wronge he hadd donne to the renowne of her vertue albeyt saythe he wyth a countenance of repentance yf you measure the force of my affection with the cause of my late plaines your discrecion I hope will conster my woordes accordyng to the honeste intent of my hart with excuse to my rashenes whyche you shall sée hereafter so mortefyed in me that I will neyther bée so hastye to accuse nor suspect without better aduise for the whyche shée seamed thankefull vnto hym with a present appeasement from Anger attendyng the offer of oportunitie when she myghte preferr her sōne to a parte in the tragedye whyche her wickednes hadde alredye begon vppon hys late father for shée was doutefull styll of the youngeman and gaue lesse faythe to his wordes wherein certeinely appeareth an experience of an ordinarie custume in the wicked who payseth thinfydelitie of others in the ballance of their owne iniustice and wante of faithe for the tyrant dowteth to whose creditt to comitt the sauetie of himselfe because his crueltie is hated of all men neyther dothe he good to any yf not for the respect of profit or to performe some malicius attempte wherein as they consider thaffexcions of their people by the passions in theimselues soo in passynge theyr owne lyfe in continuall feare they procure lyke terror to suche as bée conuersant with theim makyng the disquiett of others equall to the miserie of theimselues lyke as thys new Megera or tyrannouse monster of oure tyme who no more satiffied with the blood of her husband then glutted or cloyed with y e continual pleasures in whoredome with her detestable Tolonyo determined to rydde the world of her innocent sonne to thend their villanous trade mighte passe with more assurance and lesse cause of feare or suspicion of any for th executiō wherof her wickednes deuised this spedy and necessarie meane There was within the castel a highe gallery borded vnderfote with certeine plankes fastned to rotten planchers where as y e young gentleman vsed his dailye recreacion in walkinge by reason of the delitefull ayre pleasant prospect vppon dyuerse feldes and gardyns so the Tygresse his mother reserued that place as a most chiefe mortal minister in the death of her son for she and her pernicius proccurer one euenyng knocked oute of either ende of diuerse of the plankes the nayles that kepte theime cloase to the plancher in suche sorte that the nexte that happened too make hys walke there shoulde haue no leasure to discouer the traison and much lesse lyue to bring reapport of the hardnes of the rockes growing in the diches vnder the sayd gallerie which chaunced vnhappelie to the sonne of this she wolffe who no more happie in a mother then his father fortunate in a wife renewed the next day his accustumed walkes in the valte wher he had not spent thre or foure tornes but his destynie brought hym to treade vppon the fatall bourd es who hauinge no holde nor staye to rest vpon disioyned theimselues wyth the wayght of thinfortunat gentleman who falling soddeinly vpon the rockes wyth hys heade forwarde was brused to peces beinge dead in dede almost so sone as he felte thapprehencion of death Who wold haue iudged such trayso in a mother to work such an end to her son or noted such wate of pitie in any of y e sect as to soe the séedes sprong in her owne flankes deformed and he wed in peces vpon the edge of sharppe and piked stoanes what mistortune to the sonne and villanie in a mother seinge the title of a sonne ought to be so deare and name of a mother is so delicate and of such vertue that no hart of what mettal soeuer it be made is not mollefyed and doth homage to that dignitie yea euerye one holdeth his blodde so deare that the beastes theimselues by a prouocacion of nature although other wayes insensible haue such affectioned regarde to their fawnes that they feare not to contend against euery peril of death to defende their youngons from daunger what greater felicity hath mā trauelling in the stormy sea of this worlde then to see as it were a regeneracion of hymselfe in hys children wyth a plentifull and gladsome encrease of his séede for whych cause chiefely god ordeyned the holye institucion of mariage not respecting altogether the mortefyeng of the ticklyshe instinctes of our declayning fleshe but rather of regarde as thappostel affirmeth to kepe the societie of man in order making it appear'e pure and aeceptable to the great monarke and syrst founder of so noble a worke But to retorne now to our historie this ympp of th infernall lake and hellish Lady beinge already dispoyled of all affection and dutie required in a woman towardes her husband detested also euery point of charitie and zeale whych nature chalenged in her to the frute flowered wythin the tender partes of her intralls whose fall and miserable deathe as you sée filled ymediatlie euerie corner of the castel with desolacion and teares some weping in the want of their brother other complayned the lacke and misfortune of ther kynsman the viewe of whose dysmembred bodye sturred vp also a freshe sorowe on the behalfe of their late Lorde but all their dollor was nothing to the howlinge and cries of the detestable mordress who entermedled her greffe wyth such argumentes of desperacion that her sorowe seamed sufficient to make the earth tremble and moue the heauens to teares neyther seamed she to make other accompte of the world then a place of most loathsome abode by which masqued semblance of outwarde heauines she couered an inward ioye at her hart and by this pollecie of painted dule she blaired the eyes of the simple multitude who after y e retire of the heate of theyr lamemtable stormes consulted vppon the buyrial wyth general consent in the ende that thinnocent striplinge should be laiede in the tombe of his infortunate father to thend he might participat with hym in the fatal pitt as he was equal to hym touching the malice of his mother And now as this bloddie Lady had in this sort discharged as she thought euery doubt and feare hereafter chiefly for that she stoode no more in awe of any Censor or spie to kepe a kalender of her faltes wherby she vsed lesse care in the conueigh of her beastly traffique wyth her
kinde of embassages and lesse wonte to be courted wyth requestes of the like courtesie began here to enter into suche a disposicion of collor that at the fyrste she was readye to wreake her malice vppon the letter committynge it into a thousande peces and retourne the messenger without any aunswere albeit reseruing by chaunce some sparke of modestie which oughte to be incidente to all women she opened and redds the contentes of her clyante not without signes of greate alteracion in her face arguynge lyuelye enoughe the contrarietie of thoughtes which semed to quarel in her mind for within lesse then a moment of tyme she chaunged coolor twize or thrice some tyme pale lyke the crosse of Dyana whiche beinge set againste the sonne loaseth by and by the glorye of his borowed lighte and retourned immediatly to a crymsyne not muche vnlike the florishinge dye of the fragrante rose glisterynge in his orient coolour in the pleasant mournynges of the springe notwithstanding hauyng redd and ouer red with thies alterations the some of his demaunde beinge not hable any longer to conceile or moderate the passion of her yre clawed her neyghbour wyth this crabbed aunswere I woulde neuer haue thoughte that vnder the outwarde showe of your vertuouse conuersacion whereof you haue bene no lesse noted then commended by the mouth of all men hetherunto had lorked suche foule frutes of abhominable substance and specially in a desier to become a celecarier of letters in the fauor of loue wherin as you haue semed to waighe the reputacion of your selfe the renowme of mine honor in thindifferente ballance of your owne lighte iudgemente Euenso if the lawe of frend shippe did not stopp my mouthe and make me dissymule that whych I thinke or yf any other had bene the messenger of thies affaires I assure you the publicacion of the facte shoulde haue made her honour no lesse notorius and subiecte to perpetuall infamye hereafter then I seme to make deare accompte of my chastetie which I woulde you shoulde knowe is armed with more assurance then to bée shaken with any assaltes of thies follies wherefore if you be as carefull to liue in quiett withoute skandall hereafter as I am absolutely resolued not to dimynish the title of my honor by any acte of myne owne lett this first falte diswade you to wade any further in an enterprise of so small commendacions seyng that she that is eyther mynister or messenger in these amarouse trafficques or a furtheror of such practises of loue is no lesse guiltie affore God and her conscience then yf she were eyther pillowe or bolster to the detestable facte And for mine aunswere to Siegneur de Virley whose demaund I deteste no lesse then his follie deserues yf he haue opened his eare to thinchauntment of loue lett hym expulse thennemye with a countercharme by raison or elles make the best of his owne bargaine for seynge hys disease commes of him selfe let hym exspecte no consolacion at my hande for I had rather be a frende to death then fauour the leaste iotte of his demaunde wherein for a confirmacion of my resolucion I intende hensfurthe to barr hym al meanes of accesse to my presence wherewith on my behalfe you maye salute hym The lady messenger seyng her selfe in this sorte clawed where it itched not no lesse ashamed of her sharpe repulse then sory y t her medicine was of no better operacion on the behalfe of her patient semynge notwithstandyng to be litle moued with the angrie complexion of ZYLIA desiered that God wolde reduce the difference and inequalitie of their diseases into a Sympathia and equalitie of passion I meane saieth she madame that you maye be taken oute of this conceite of cruell disdaine whiche makes you incapable of reason and he restored to his libertie which he can not redeme but by thastistance of your goodnes wherewith she toke a shorte leaue and departed and beynge arryued at the lodging of her knighte she founde him all plunged in extreme dollour vpon a felde bedd with more argumentes of death then likelihods of lyfe who whether he felte some sygnes of yll lucke by the secrett instigation of his hart whyche commonly preferres diuers conceites of feare when the minde is occupyed with dowte or whether the sorowefull countenance of the messenger dyd signefie her yll successe in hys sute or what it was I can not tell but as his neyghbour was entringe into the reporte of her aunswere he stopped her mouthe and preuented her meanynge with this exclamacion followyng What state is more wretched then he that lyueth dowtefull of hymselfe with dispaire of dispence from disquiett by any assistaunce of tyme or other mediator on his behalf who is wrapte in suche miserie or hath more cause to complaine then he to whom fortune hathe vowed a contynuaÌ„ce of her malice w tout hope to reclaime her fauor is there any pennance greater then to be punâ—shed w t continual passion or plage of more mortality then to consume by pecemeale in y e flame of languishyng dule Ah infortunat gentleman how vnhappelie art thou falleÌ„ froÌ„ the felicitie of a lyfe ful of pleasant libertie w t exchaung of thine auncient blysse for a tribute of tormentes more supportable then death how happie and thrysblissed was thy estate enioying the sweete maydenhedd of thy affection and vse of fredome without awe or controlement of any where now alas the touche of a contrarye experience yeldes me the effect of a thousande deathes without lycence notwithstandynge to dye whereby I sholde dismisse euerye plage that staieth the fattall desyer of my dyeng hart wherein hathe fortune this cause of displeasure againste me yf not that shée is disdainefull of the quiett whyche wee wretches fynde vppon earthe and suche an ennemye to the common contentement of vs all that only to manifest her power amongeste vs she vppon a soddaynes choake oure pleasant thurste and desyer of free lyfe wyth pilles of passions and annoyes of more bitter taste then any gall tempered with the moste stronge ruberbe that euer came oute of Alaxandria comittinge vs in th ende to a martirdome of more extremetie then the pange appointed by deathe to breake in peces the force and strengthe of the harte whereof who is a more familiar experience then the miserable Philiberto who in exchaunge of his former quiett and contentement of will hath coughte alas a captiuitie more cruell then he that is condemned to end his dayes in the bottom of a dongeon Ah madame how your countenance argueth the small regarde whyche Zylia hathe of my paine full well do I sée alas that she neyther maks accompte of my letters nor vseth pitie to my distresse and muche lesse giues any creditt at all to your honest frendeshipp whyche I confesse I haue greatelye abused in procuring you displeasure for the ease of my disquiett let loue beare the blame and I the iuste pennance of myne owne indiscrecion that so
welth was not euill bestowed vpon this marchant considering he was thankefull in ymparting it to the poore accordinge to thadmonicion of the gospell but howe manye maye a man reckon in england that excedes hym in riches and skarce one of semblable vertue for the peruersatie of our age is comme to that pointe that wheare our fathers and grandfathers delited in workes of charitie with care to supplie the necessitie of suche as did wante our Helloes golphes of riches do not only close their eares against the lamētable cries of the néedie but also make no consciēce to dispoile theim either by awe feare or flattery of that litle which their fortune hath lefte theim in such sorte that Almes and deuocion seames such straungers so litle knowē amongest men now a dayes that of thies fewe that soccour the poore the moste parte do it rather of vayne glorie or to condemne the barbarus disposicion of hys neyghbor thē for compassion on the behalfe of him that standes in nede hospitalitye is also so vnknowen amongeste vs that where oure auncestors buylded houses endowinge theim with sufficiēt reuenues to susteine thimpotent and nedye persons with frée annuities and other meanes of reléefe how many of the members of christe do we sée in our tyme voyde of harbour to shroode their naked bodies full of diseases pinched with extremitie of honger and colde redie to giue vpp the ghost at the gate of the richeman yet not reliued with so muche as the cromes that fall from his table I borowe thusmuche on the office of the preacher not with intent to charge hym any waye with imputacion of negligence in the pulpit touching his admonicion to the people to assiste the distresse of suche as god visiteth with the Rodde of affliction but in presenting our marchantes with a familiar example of the office dutie of a true christian to sturr theym to the ymytacion of the like vertue and in beinge ashamed that suche as haue gone affore vs haue caried with theym to heauen all effectes of charitie to dispose theym selues to seame worthye of that whiche they haue by yeldynge a certeyne tenth or tribute of their goodes to suche as y e scripture tearmeth the deputies of christe askinge it in his name But now to our father Minio who for that by thimpediment of sicknes was not hable to performe his voyage to Thunys in person duringe the yere of ymprisonment of the Napolytans gaue charge to certeine his factors to redeme ten Captiues of his countrey or at least to furnishe the nomber with any that professed the Lawe of Christ which was performed accordingly with such good fortune on the behalfe of Antonio Perillo that he enioyed a perticipacion of the deuocion and benefite of Minio and was sent to Naples amongest the rest that were redemed not beinge knowen notwithstanding of any his coprisoners or other of y e company for that they had not had any great enterview together and muche lesse of his famylyar frendes seinge the penurie of imprisonemente had set a die of hideus compleriō vpon his face and his heare and beard exceding their ordynarie length had ouergrowen certeine speciall markes whiche els had discouered hym more easely But what can beguile the eye of a louer or who is hable to conceile from a womā the face of him whose picture she beareth in the bottom of her hart and whose remembrance death hym selfe is skarce hable to deface Carmosyna which made her thought a loking glasse to beholde euery day thymage of her Perillo had no soner glaunced simplie vpon hym but she knew it was he who for her sake had passed the panges of so manye tormentes wherewith no lesse glad of his retorne then hee doble dowtfull of the contynuance of her good wyll wrought so muche by the sleighte of her gouernesse that she had place of conferrence with hym in secrete where after certeine congratulacions of his delyuerye shee exposed tearmes of compforte in this sorte Albeit sayth she fortune hath bene so incensed agaynste you that she hath neither spite nor malice in store whereof you haue not tasted to thuttermost force and extremitie yet your Carmosyna hathe neyther forgot anye parte of thauncient goodwil she hath borne you nor much lesse entred into the leaste contempte that may be ymagyned but where a nomber of other Ladies would haue dismissed their affection at the firste sommonce of aduersatie I am here to aduouche an vndowted contynuacion of zeale wyth a treble increase of true loue towardes you wherof I am also to yelde you a present proofe in doble sort the one wyth an assurance of reciprocal amytie vntil thextreme date of my dayes the other in consideracion that your pouertie proceded by my meanes I haue prouyded a seconde supplie of monie to renewe eftesones your traffique which being guided by a better fortune wil yelde you I hope a successe of suche commoditie as my father will denye you no more the title of hys sonne in law whereof for my parte I pronownce from thinstante suche confirmacion as is in me to performe These newes vnloked for sturred vpp a traunce of such alteracions in the trobled mynde of Perillo that what with the gredie desyer hys eyes had to féede vpon her bewtie whych he had not regarded of longe tyme but by inwarde contemplacion and the passion of present gladnes in th assurance of her loue wyth a franke offer of spedie assistance to restore hys trade he had neyther the vse of hys tongue to expose tearmes of thanks and much lesse the consent of hys sences to beleue that which he hard but as one Zenopholus attēding the aunswere of hys oracle or soddeinly striken wyth a dome apploplexie stode as immouable as thymage of saint petre in the Capitoll of Rome till she rechargde hym wyth a seconde consolacion and withall presented hym wyth certeine bagges full of duckattes wher of she wylled hym to defraie the value of his raunsome to the factors of her father and dispose the rest in a second venture for marchandise which he performed accordinglie wyth the benefyt of so good tyme and fortune that sailyng with a prosperus wynde to Leuant he made hys markett to such aduantage that in hys reatorne to Naples thincrease and gaine of his trade redemed euery possession which earst he solde and left hym besides sufficiente to furnishe his lackes in euery respecte in suche sorte as the common iudgemente passed that his welthe was nothinge inequall to the richesse of his father and his present state as plentiful of all thinges as the first day he seased vppon the coffers and remaine of olde Perillo amongest the rest of the frendes of Antonio whyche reioysed his happie fortune Carmosyna I am sewer was not leaste glad chiefly for that she sawe her father begin to grow in delite with the doinges of the younge man who for hys part also renewinge a dayly increase of affection towardes
sholde gett in attendynge that whiche his destynies hadd determined againste hym and seinge with all he was voyde of power to withdrawe his affection determined his reapose in the laste refuge of all miserable creatures I meane to giue end to his sorowes by death wherein abhorringe notwithstandynge to defyle his owne handes with the bloude of hym selfe he resolued to attende his fatall dome in performyng the reste of his pynynge dayes in some deserte or solitary soile not inhabited but by the sauage societie of wilde beastes whereunto he added suche expedicion that the nexte daye he caused to be made secretly two habittes or attires of pilgrims for him selfe and one man which he ment take to wyth hym with other necessaries mete to furnishe suche a voyage the same night also he writ at large to his cruell Geniuera deliueryng the letter sealed in moste sewer manner to one of his officers to whome he woulde not imparte the mistery but coloringe his pilgryms voyage with a Iorney he said he hadd to make to one of his frendes willed hym to communicate no lesse to his mother and that within twentye dayes they sholde exspecte his retorne for the reste sayeth he I enioyne the vppon the dutie thou owest me to deliuer this letter the fourthe day after my departure to the Lady Geniuera la blonde who if she seame disdainefull marke onely with what countenance she refuseth it wherwith he dismissed hym and called the other whiche as you haue harde performed alwayes the messages betwene hym and his mistres whom onely he made priuie to his deuise partaker of hys cruell intente which seamed so straung in thopinion of his man that what for the fowlenes of the facte speciall care he had of the wel doinge of his maister he declared frankely his aduise in this sorte xs it not sufficieÌ„te sir saieth he that you giue your selfe in praye to the crueltie of your mistres but also to increase her glorie in sufferynge her crueltie to vanquishe your vertue are you so ignoraÌ„t in the malice of women that you can not discerne the delite they take to pafsion their poore seruantes triuÌ„phing chiefly in the dispaire of such as they haue vnhappely made thrall to their beauty you ought to eschewe the miserie of that incoÌ„uenience by thautoritie of the wisemen in olde tyme who founde suche iuste cause of hate agaynst that secte that they dowted not to tearme theym the common ruyne of men wherein what other thinge moued the Greke Poet to pronounce his opinion in few wordes vppon the state of women but that he knewe the felicitie of man to be greater in shoninge thacquaintance of that furie then in embrasynge the society of so perentory an euill seinge saieth he they differ nothinge in disposicion from the serpente who beyng deliuered from the violence of the frost and preserued from presente perill of deathe by the husband man dyd yeld him for recompence a mortal terror with his venemous hissing and infected his whole house w t a stinking vapour oh how happy is he that is the maister of his affections and enioyenge the benefit of a pleasante libertie hath the gifte to shon this swéete euill which so farre as I sée is the cause of your present dispaire besydes sir why shoulde not you make an assaye to vanquishe thies suggestions of vanitie seynge that as he y t can maister hym self maye easely make hym lorde ouer manye thinges so as the orator affirmeth the moste perfecte victory is to make a conquest of our selues why should you determin so greate an enterprise with thassistance of so slender aduise seyng that vppon rashe resolucions attendes ordinarie rebukes and he that performes his affaires in hast repentes comonly at leasure neyther doth that expedicion showe good successe whose ende is not conferred with the begynnyng and guyded wholly by the gouernement of reason and vertue for as vppon vertuouse entreprises attendes a fame of honour and renowme so the rewarde of wicked deuises is infamye and sometyme shamefull death and for your parte sir lett your auncient wisdome encounter this femenyne miffortune in making as litle accompte of your rebell mistres as she is moste vnworthie to enioye the leaste fauor of your nobilitie whyche deserueth a more honeste consideration then a fare well of such tyranouse disposition where with beholdyng some argumentes of anger in the face of his maister whom he feared to incense to thut termoste he knitt vp with this resolution seyng sayeth he you are determined in your mishap I besech you accept my seruice to accompanie your fatall guide to th ende I maye participate with you in your fortune till the heauens ceassing to wreake their mallice vppon you do seame also contented to dymisse the crueltie of your destynies wherein as he performed the some of his maisters exspectacion who defiered only the companie of his man in the voyage of hys miserye so after certeine thankes for his goodwill he tolde hym that al their furniture was ready and that there rested nothinge but to departe whyche they agreed to performe in the firste hower after midnighte where unto also th execution followed accordynglie for betwene xij and one of the clocke in the nyghte our amarous hermitt with hye man stealeth secretly oute of hys castell takyng the fyrste path whiche his fortune did appointe hym guided only by the lighte of the moone without interruption or noyse of other creatures then the chirpinge brute of the lytle crickettes solacynge theim selues in their kynde within the creuises of the earth and wandringe thus by vnknowen wayes the later remeinder of the fearefull nighte he sawe appeare in the discouery of the mornynge when Aurora auaunced her flagge of white and redde the mornynge starr whiche some Poetes call the candle that lightes the goddesse of loue from the bedd of her secrett louer when â—o the solace of the mornyng resemblinge his auncient delite when he enioyed y e presence of his mystres presented a fresh allaram of sorow in recording eftesons his vnhappie chaÌ„ge of state wherein alas saith he haue I deserued this plage that denieth me participacion in the pleasure and contentement of others who after they haue slepte the course of the nighte vppon the pleasante thoughte of their delite do awake wyth the heauenlye harmonye and charme of lytle birdes with assurance to enioye theffect of that whiche a shadowe or delitefull vision of the sprite presented theym in the night sleping in so greate contentemente where I vnhappie that I am moste cruelly attended vppon with a contrarye destenie and in place to enioye a simple benefytt or priuiledge of that whiche all other haue in common am forced to wander when all creatures are admitted to reste hauing only th aire of deserts and lawnes vninhabitable to recorde thecco of my sorowes and the feloweship of wilde bestes to assiste the tunes of my complaintes Ah Venus whose starre heretofore hath onely
more of this gentleman theÌ„ in forgiuing the falte of thy false coÌ„tracte with thy last minion not only to forbeare to enter into suspicioÌ„ touching thy vnsemely ronnyng awaye with an vnknowen villeine but also crauing the guerdoÌ„ of his constancie is at point to sacrafice his life to appaise thy anger and yeld the contentment for end I aduise you to chaunge opinioÌ„ least I coÌ„mitt to as many morsels thy desloial body as this wofull knight not long since made bloddie deuision of his vnhappie hawke the only cause of his preseÌ„t distresse and by your owne folly ready to giue you a title of the most tyrannouse arrogant gentlewoman that is neither haue I begon this enterprise to leaue it vnperfecte or giue it ouer with this successe wherfore seynge you take pleasure in extremities I will fede your delite with the offer of loue or death wherof as I giue you the benefitt of the choice so I sweare vnto you by hym that is not ignorante of my intente that if you refuce the first you shall not faile in thys place to passe vnder the sentence of the last wherin my selfe will not feare to discharge thoffice of the fatall minister in embruyng my handes in the blood of her whose follie only causeth the death of one of my dearest frendes Thies threates dismayed nothing the malicious Geniuera nor abated any parte of her presumptuouse arrogancie for who had sene the fyerie regardes of her eyes the knittynge of her browes whettyng of her teethe closinge her delicate fingars withe other braueries excedynge farre the simplicitie of suche tender yeres vnexperienced asyett in thassaltes and malice of an aduerse fortune wolde haue sayed shée hadd rather procured terrour to Roderico then giuen place to his fearefull offer or somounce of loue or death defyenge also the rigour of his authoritie with thies tearmes Lyke as thowe kaitife knighte sayeth she he that is once thorough bathed in the suddes of ynnocente blodde is so fleshed and hardened in villenie that no acte of detestation seames any synne to hym So it is no merueile if thowe whyche haste committed vnnaturall slaughter of one whose true vertue exceded the flatterynge fame of thy renowne and gaue no place to the integretie of life arte not without feare to committ me to the same guide leaste in sufferynge me to liue thou couldest not auoyce the iustice whyche I am to procure vpon the iniury I haue receiued besides I am here readie to laye my heade vppon the blocke of execution rather then to giue the honour of my virginitie to any seinge the cursed handes haue depriued me of hym to whome bothe the trée and frute dyd only apperteine neyther do I tremble in the remembrance of the stroke of deathe howe cruell so euer it appere for that I shall the rather stande affore the troane from whence is graunted all vengaunce to suche wretches as thou arte ha God seing thou arte righteouse why doste thou not thonder iustice vpon the wronge which thies outlawes haue don thy ynnocente hande mayde Ah traitor Roderico perswade thy selfe that thou canste not offer me so cruell a deathe as I am moste readye to endure the tormente hopynge the same shall serue hereafter as the only cause and meane of thindifferent destructiou of thy selfe and hym for whom thou trauellest thus in vaine here her woman and page began to perswade her to pitie on the behalfe of the knighte that suffred such passion for her sake with consente to the honeste requestes of Roderico solicitynge her so frankelye towchynge thextremities of theym both that she entred into tearmes of reprehencion againste their honeste meanynge will you saieth she be eyther enchaunted with the fayned teares of this deloyall who passioneth hym selfe vppon creditt or stande in awe of the tyrannouse threates of thys morder or whose villanie wyth couered face hathe taken awaye the lyfe of youre mayster Ah vnhappye girle that I am it is nowe alas that I feele the heauie handes of fortune whose malyce hathe not onelye putte me béetwene the handes of hym whome I hate no lesse then I haue already experienced his dyssembled loue but also in doublynge my mishap assaileth me with the sinister perswacions of my seruants coÌ„panioÌ„s of care who ought rather to allowe my resolucion in death then prefer motion in any sort touchinge my consente to requests of no less corruption then theim selues be infected who solicite in so bad a caâ—e Ah loue I proue to late alas thinfydelytie of thy promise fyndinge so bad a recompense for so dutifull obedience to yelde at thy sommonce and so slender defence for suche as commit theim selues faythfullye to the gouernmente of thy lore why sholde nature be more curius to frame vs of a more delicate molde tempered with a mettel of fragilitie then careful to leaue vs armour of resistance agaynste thassaltes of fortune for if I had not had a perle of flattering affection painted in my face I had not tasted y e beginning of a pleasure whose dollorous farewell for euer brings more cause of gréeff then thapprehencion at the first engendred parfecte contentment for beinge alas vppon the point to Sipp of the sugred cup wyth exspectacion to féede of the frute of my pleasant attainte Lo how traiterus loue serueth me with dishes of mortal annoye and in place of the deynties which others finde in the ende of their longe hope it is I that am presented with the banquet of al bitter confections which makes me heare resigne and declare my fatal testament vpon thinconstancye of that pleasante follye whom as I leaue at libertie to make hys gaine of others aswell as he hath dallied with me so I reioyce in thexchaunge of so great an euil for so present a consolacion as deathe in whom I hope to fynd no lesse contentment and quiet then the other hath assailed me with diuersatie of passion Retire oh cursed mishap to th ende that dyenge by thy meanes I may liue without the in thother worlde wherein place of a thousand annoyes which yf I shold consente to longer life thou hast yet to thonder vpon me I shal be sewer of eternall reapose norished with thinuisible foode whych god ympartes to hys Angels and soules assistinge his heaueÌ„ly paradise Come deathe and do thyne office vpon thys wretched girle who attendes the sharpnes of thy darte to preuente the â—earcinge arrowes of myne aduersarye Ah poore harte deuoyde of hope am desperate touching the consommacion of thy desyers ceasse hensfurth to wishe the fruytion of longer tearme seinge destenie loue and lyf are determined to dysmisse me here hence to sewe for peace elswhere and embrase the ghost of hym whose lif was sacrafized to the deloyaltie of thys wretche who also for his parte not satisfyed with the blod of ynnocencye takes no compassion vpon my teares which I wishe to distyll by suche abundance that in ouerflowing the vital paxtes in me he might sée me perishe in his
presence drowned wyth thinundacion of vndeserued sorow proceding by his wickednes wherewith her eyes performed her desier with such plentie of teares that there was not one of the companie voyed of compassion on the hehalfe of the dollor whych tormented her not ceassing notwithstanding to perswade her to pitie towarde that poore Diego who beynge newely recouered by the diligence of thassistance sprinkling fresh water of the fountayne vpon his face dyd no soner lift vp his sorowfull lyddes beholdinge the lamentable passion of hys mistres with certeine likelehodes he espied showing an encrease of her disdayne towardes hym but he retired to his former debilitie fallinge downe dead betwene the armes of suche as suported hym and albeit hée was eftsones restored yet the force of hys passion assailed hym stil wyth thrée or foure mortal panges one in the necke of an other in such sorte as the whole company gaue iudgment of hys death amongest the whych Roderico was not the leaste amased who greuing indifferently with thobstinate crueltie of Geniuera and present perill of hys deare freÌ„d Diego was in long debate what pollecie to vse to qualifie the one and preuent the daunger of the other he perswaded that if he killed the willful Geniuera he shold also giue ende to the dayes of Diego for that vpon the viewe and remembrauce of the one depended the life of the other and so in doinge no good to any he sholde commit doble offence to god and the world both in spottinge his soule with vnciuill morder and also to become the author of his death in whose lyfe he reaposed his most worldly felycitie on thother side y e vntowardnes of the girle argued her intractable in suche sorte as hee desiered which confirmed the continuall martirdom of hys frend whose distresse as it moued hym to suche inwarde remorce that to procure his deliuerye he made no conscience to lighte a candle afore the deuill so he gaue a newe charge vppon the good will of Geniuera with gentle perswacions lainge afore her what vertue ought to appere in suche tender and delicate yeres and how greatly the vice of ingratitude defaced the renowme of a gentlewoman assisted wyth crueltie without reason wherein gaininge no lesse then if he had neuer put the deuise in execution he retired to thextremitie of his former threates and last pollecie swearinge that she shoulde fynde no difference betwene the sommonce and effecte seing that by her death he should giue ende to her disdayne and desolate state of hys frende whom as he doubted not woulde deserne in tyme what commoditie it were to purge the ayre of suche contagiouse filthes of ingratefull arrogancie so he was also of opynion that tyme wold yelde commendacion to his fact chiefly for that in preseruinge y e honour of a familie he thought it more expediente to exterminat the two principall offenders then to reserue the lyfe of eyther of them for an vtter extinction of the glorye of the whole house wherefore regarding the rest of his traine hee commanded to laye handes of the obstinate gentlewoman with her two companions with charge to vse no lesse mercy in their seuerall executions then the chiefeste of the three extended pitie to the amarus knighte whyche he thoughte wold yelde vp the ghost afore her The Ladye hearinge the sentence diffinitiue of her life escrâ—ed the morder with open mouthe as yf she had exspected some succour to defende her from deathe wherein her hope was frustrate for the deserte fostred no other companye but suche as were readye in the place to commit execution The page and poore Chambriere helde vpp their handes for mercie to Roderico who fainyng an ympedimente in hys hearyng made a signe to his men to put effecte to his commandement Geniuera entreating for the liues of her page and woman desiered that their ynnocentie mighte not do pennance for the offence whych she had don crauyng with great humilitie that the punishement myght be performed vppon her froÌ„ whom the falte yf it be a matter meritorious of blame sayeth she for a womaÌ„ to kepe her fayth to her husbande is deriued and yeld iustice to thies infortunat wretches least th execution of their ynnocentiâ— increase your detestable offence oh saieth she with her handes and eyes beholdyng the heauens thou my most deare and lawfull husbande whose soule I see walkyng in the middest of the loyal louers what better proffe canste thou haue of the sinceritie of my loue then to see me laye my body vppon thalter of ymmolation to vntymely death for thy sake neyther shalte thou for thy parte oh boocher and mortall morderour of my carkasse to whose crueltie my destenie hathe consented in quenching thy thurste with the blodd of a pure mayde glorifie hereafter to haue forced the harte of a simple gentlewoman and muche lesse made a breache into her honor eyther by terrible threates or sugred perswations vpoÌ„ which laste wordes notwithstandyng attended suche argumentes of terrour that a man wolde haue thoughte that the veraye remembrance of death hadd somewhat quallified her vehemency and mortified the greatest part of her former furies Dom Diego by this tyme came to hym selfe and seynge the discourse of the tragedye readye to presente hys laste acte with the death of his faire mistres Geniuera la blonde was driuen to force hym selfe to speake for the lyfe of her whose crueltie hadde committed hym allmoste to the panges of extreme daunger wherefore staynge the diligence of suche as had the charge of execution he addressed hym to Roderico with this requeste My lorde and great frende the present experience of your rare frendshypp hath made so lyberall a prooff of youre vndoubted meanyng towardes me that if I sholde liue the age of a whole worlde I shoulde not be hable to discharge the bondes of your desert So considering the cause of this misfortune procedes only of the malice of mine owne destenie and that it is a vanitie to contende with the thynges which the heauens haue determined vpon vs I beseche you by the vertue of your honor for a confirmation of all the good tornes you haue done me to graunte me yet one requeste whiche is that in pardonning the life of this gentlewoman and her companie you will retourne theim to the place from whence you broughte theim with no lesse assuraunce and saffetie then yf you guided your miserable Dom Diego for my parte being fullie resolued not to kepe warre with my destenies I am perswaded to a contentement touchinge my lot assurynge you for the reste that the sorowe whiche I sée she suffreth giueth me more cause of passion then y e gréef which I endure by her meanes troubleth me let her liue in peace and me in exspectation to receiue ende of my tormentes by the deuouring knif which is ordeyned to cut in sonder the fillet whereuppon dependes the fatall course of my cursed yeres till whiche tyme I haue sworne to kepe resideÌ„ce in
one of his frendes by whose helpe he recouered both fauor and mariage of his cruel mistrys Histo 13. Fol. 265. The ende of the Table A vvitnes or cronicler of tymes a caÌ„dle to the trothe the life of the memorie the maister of a mans life and the reaporter of all antiquityes Iucundi acti labores Nescire quid antequam natus sis acciderit est semper esse puerum Lyuye Histories a librarie or store house of knovvledg Executed for religion in Fraunce by the Emperor Seuerus in the yere 178. Hannyball forced a passage for his armi through the Alpes Ingratitude the chiefeste ennemy to the honor of nobilitye Children do commonly rather excede their fathers in vice then resemble them in ver 〈◊〉 â–ª Ytaly a store house for mutinies Thexercise of hunting is both pleasant and profitable The proffit in huntinge The daunger of a prince in Iermanye in hunting A courte of peynall forfeitures or coÌ„demnatioÌ„ for money The frutes which true vertue exposeth All things are subiect to chaunge Deathe the due hyer of vnnaturall conspiracye A kinde of curtesye or amarus gretiÌ„g in Italye Hope is a chiefe comforte in affliction An vngodlie Lavve The taste of life pleasante to all men The couetous minde is neuer in quiet according to the vvordes of thappostle God the highe iudge Salymbyno debateth vvith himself touching the deliuerye of his ennemie Yt is more easye to conquer by clemencie then by crueltie Parentâ—s The noble harte soonest enclined to loue Montanyno seketh to re quit the good torne of his enemye Fortune not to be holden against her vvil and god is bound to no time Height of estate ought not to alter the goodnes of nature The Athenians punished vnthaÌ„kfulnes by death The ansvver of Augelyqua to her brother Loue hathe povver to vvorke a facilitie in that vvhiche all men thinke ympossible Venus Angeliqua falleth into a sound Angeliqua consenteth to her brothers requeste Montanyn to Seigneur Salymbyno Fortune accordinge to the poetes is the change and alteration of the vvorld ly affayres Salymbyn to his frendes so the mariage of Angeliqua Vertue firme and not subiect to chaÌ„ge The noble mynde inuincible agaynst fortune King Cyrunorished and brought vp in the contreye Romulus brought vp amonge shepherdes Of vnlavvfull vvinning of the father coÌ„mes iust losse to the sonne The romains respected more the vertuous pouertie then allovved the rich man conuerted into vice Loue make vs more apte to desier then hable to attaine Mariage the first thing vvherin christ glorified himself by miracle In the choice of our vvife vvee ought to respect the vertue and gyftes of the mind and not the riches or exterior beautye Aduersitie is necessary for that it makes vs parfect The vertues in loue in a noble minde Sondry vertues in loue Loâ—e is an humor of infecâ—â—on deriued of the corrupte partes in our selues Loue. VVords haue force to further the effecte of anye thinge Desert soyles be harbors mete for solitary persons The coÌ„plaint of Lyuyo The Cameleon is norished by the breath of the ayre Cicero Cornelya to her brother The ansvver of Cornelyo to his sister Ho bearethe his misery beste that hideth it most It is necessary to knowe the impersectious of the worlde 〈◊〉 the true messengers of the dollor of the harte The disease of Loue contrary to the disposition of other griues The coÌ„plaint of Camylla Liuio at the poiÌ„t of death speaketh to his misters Quintus Scipio The complainte of Camilla Loue is naked and vvith out eyes Brutus vvarned of his ouerthrovve in his sleepe Lyuyo vvriteth to Câ—mil lâ— The propertie of the svvan beinge neare her deathe Delaies be hurtefull in cases of loue The kinge of the hunes died in the excesse of pleasure vvith his vvife the first night of their mariage Livyo died of the like in the armes of his Camilla Badde argumeÌ„t in a yong vvoman Her parentes Money is hable to batter the strongest fortresse vnder heauen The order of a fearefull louer in disclosing his affection Slaunder Her bevvtie Parthonope vvritteth to Pandora Of true loue Pandora allovveth the requeste of her louer Companion of bed or lieu tenaunt VVhoremonger Marcyano disvvadeth his frende from Pandora Callinge Pandora vvriteth to partho nope Pandora exclaimeth Herselfe and the child vvith in her Nedea and Circe 2 great enchannteresses PaÌ„dora seÌ„des her mayd to practise vvith the vvitches of the vale Net her certaintie nor assuraÌ„ce in the art of enchaÌ„tyng God suffred the magicions of Egypte to vvorke vvonders in the sight of Pharao The studye of scripture ought to bee thexercise of the religions Abbaies the chiefest pillors that men teine superstion and ydolatrye Abbayes and Nonries tenementes of Babylon Freares bee couetous Suggestion of the fleshe makes vs sonest forget God A deuelish of deuise of Pandora The euill is but light vvhere councell takes place Paris Whoremaâ— â–ª mâ—â—ster Ielosye excedes al the tormentes in the vvorlde Hunger and colde 2. coÌ„moÌ„ enemies attendinge the campe of miserie In euery mischiefe fortune beareth the greatest svvaighe No maÌ„ vvith in the daunger of fortune but suche as lake assurance in vertue Vertue yeldes good frutes to such as embrace her vnfaynedly The chiefest vertue in a vvise is to be obedient to her husband Fortune is alvvayes Ialouse of the ease of man The malice of the vvorld rageth moste vpoÌ„ vvidovvs and fatherles children The vse of the nedle a conuenient exercise for any degree of vvomen The Captain to his frend Thoffice of true frendship vvhere in it consistes Touchinge dyuynacion of the mynd The propertie of a she ape in embrasing her younge on s Fiue vertue vvill alvvayes yeldes frutes according to the goodnes of the thing 〈◊〉 the coÌ„mon catyer of tales Albeit death is most certeine yet the hovver and time of his coÌ„ming is not knovven The Ladye comfortes her husbande Death the messenger minister of God The graue is the house of reste A ceremonie amongest the barbarians to sacrifise theÌ„selues vppon the tombes of their deade frâ—ndes The captaine riseth to fetche his dagger to kyll his vvyfe Here he killeth his vvyf A comparisoÌ„ deriued of the pollicie vvhiche the vvise mariner or shipmaister doth vse Giftes vvhich ought to appeare in an honest vvoman Deathe hath no povver but ouer our bodye Loue Procedes of the corrupcion of our ovvne nature Secret solicitors of the invvard affection of the harte Cornelio vvriteth to plaudyna The eyes be the secret signes and mesengers of loue Plaudyna aunsvvereth the letter of her seruant Portune a blind goddes The 〈◊〉 her bodye Plaudina menteth the absence of her freÌ„d vvith complaint 〈◊〉 gainste her ovvne misfortune Loue estemeth no dauÌ„ger The desyerous harte is seldom at rest and doubtefull mindes dreede alvvayes deceite The complaint of Cornelyo beinge in exile His mistres The order of a desolate louer The desier of a desperat louer The firste metinge of the baude vvith Cornelio Men more constant then vvomen Cornelyo aunsvverethe the
t which she was no lesse meritorious then imbrased as you sée for her bewtie And drawing y e blod of seamly shame into her face which set such a glass of natural white red of her coÌ„mplexion y t her coollor seamed to be died in the dew of y e fragraÌ„t morning of May retorned his courtsie w t a salutacioÌ„ of seÌ„blable humilitie wherin he reioysed w t more coÌ„teÌ„tmeÌ„t of mind then if y e Quene of Spaine had yelded him fauor to kysse her haÌ„d But what nede he tickle himself to make himself laugh or why did he not eschew y e preseÌ„ce and place of his enemy rather theÌ„ seame so subiect to y e soÌ„monce of his eye to whoÌ„ loue hath giuen the gift of flatterie to deceiue y e rest of y e partes for if at y e first he had corrected y e flickering reaporte of his eyes his hart had bene fre froÌ„ desier he not at the brinke of passion tormentes if at y e biginning he had abaÌ„doned y e place he had also dismissed the remeÌ„brance of that whiche nowe hathe bounde hym to pursewe the queste of hys owne disquiete neyther dothe hee other thynge in visitynge the place where shee is then throwe water vppon hoate ymbers whyche dobleth the heate and forceth the flame with more expedicion for the more he behelde her and the lesse she regarded hym the greater grew his affection geuing treble increase to his desier And albeit she was neither fyne in attire sett out in robes of riche araye nor deckte with apparell for the more decoracion of her naturall beautye yet appeared she no lesse precious in the eye of this gallande then if she had bene trimmed for the nonste in the same order that the Poetes faine of the browne Egypciane when she was broughte to lye wyth the Romaine Capteine Marcus Anthonius He fayled not to reiterate his haunte with an ordinarie trade to the stréets of â—aniquette resoluynge his coÌ„mon abode or place of staye righte ouer againste her lodginge whiche increased her doubte of that misterye till nature that discusseth the darknes of suche doubtes and bringes the moste rude creatures of the worlde to be capable in the argumentes of loue reuealed vnto her the meanynge of that ridle sayinge y t the roundes and often tornes wyth vaylinge of bonnett whiche the proude pirott made afore the dore of her fortresse was no other thynge then the intisynge harmonie of the Syrenes or other stale to allure or make her plyable to thappetite of his will wherin she was the rather resolued for certeinetie for that within shorte tyme passing that waye he ymagined a staye righte ouer againste her house Where féedinge the tyme for the nonste in deuise with one of his frendes gaue skoape to his eyes to peruse with continuall contemplacion the maiestie of his mistres in suche sorte that one of her compagnions exercisynge also the vse of the nedle encountred by chaunce she gredie regardes he caste to Ianiquette to whom sayth she thou arte litle beholding to y e goodnes of fortune that seames so greate an enemye to the merite of thy beautie for if thy condicion or calling wold admit y e aduancemeÌ„t which the present preferment of nature doth offer the no doubte thou sholdest become in short time y e honor decoration of al thy house for touchinge the resolucion of mine eyes iudgemente of my conceite proceding of the deuouring regardes yonder gentlemaÌ„ casteth towardes the he is not only y e bondman of thy beautye but also so addicted to the seruice of the same y t only thou Ianiquette may dispose of him his honor lyfe al that hehath And trulye thou arte not so happie to be the controller of so noble a chaÌ„pion as of litle discretion if thou make small accompte of his seruice whiche the veraye greatest dames of our prouince woulde reserue as a special relique or Iewel neither oughtest thou to make thy beautye of such price as the respect therof shold preuaile aboue the goodnes of so greate an offer seinge that the walles of this towne do inclose a nomber of younge Ladyes and gentlewomen that excedynge the in beautye and bringyng vp wolde not seame curious in admittyng the benefyt of so good a fortune Whereunto the honeste IaniquetteÌ„ that neither tooke pitie of his paynes nor allowed his endeuor lesse liked the perswacions of her companion who peraduenture boarded her so farr to make a prooffe of her honestie replied no lesse wisely then wyth more discretion then comonly we note now a dayes in one of her yeres Yf I were borne quoth she vnder thinfluence of fortune or bounde to abide the sentence of her doome I were not vnlike to performe thexspectation of thy allurementes but seing I am deriued of a contrary coÌ„stellation moostring alwayes vnder the ensigne collours of vertue I haue my salfe conduite at all times to withstaÌ„de thinuasion of such infections with authoritye to defye the malice of any such accident And touching the coÌ„mendacions which you seme to giue to mon Seigneur Luchin both in the title of honor estimacioÌ„ of his publike authoritie in thaffaires of this citye together with his dexteritie in al giftes incidente to a gentlemaÌ„ I saye â—he more plentifully he is considered at the handes of God with a singularitie in suche ornamentes So much the more ought he to studye to seame worthie of so rare a participacion not conuerting the vertue of his talent giuen him from aboue into a sinister entente disposicion of wickednes to seduce the chastetie of simple maides whose faultes if any be he ought rather to reprehende with seueritie theÌ„ minister corrupcion coÌ„trary to the commission of his honor neyther shall be at anye time I hope preuaile so ouer my beautye as the vse of the same shall giue him other contentement then a frendlye â—oniour of the mouth whiche all honeste maides may do without preiudice thinking the frendship of nature of no greater moment in giuyng me the title of faire then the vertue meritorious in preseruing the same accordyng to the merite without spott of infamye or worthye reproche of the worlde for her offence is double afore God sayeth she and treble skandalous in the mouth of the multitude that exchauÌ„geth her beautye being a chiefe signe and argument of grace which God hath painted in the face of a womaÌ„ as the philosopher saith for any other price how greate so euer it appeare then the honeste pawne gage of lawfull matrimonye accordinge to thinstitucion of oure sauiour who allowing chiefly the oblacion of chastetie dothe condemne the coÌ„trary into perentory destruction and what haue we in this worlde that we ought to make so deare accompte of as our honeste name being the thing that yeldes vs not only an admiracion whilste we enioye the vse of lyfe vpon earth but also makes vs liue after our death with a perpetuall
commendacion of our integritye to the remeinder of our race Doste not thou knowe my deare Maryone that in the swete and dewye mornynges of the spring there apperes certeine flowers no lesse delitefull to the beholders then yeldynge an odiferous smell with an inticynge desyer to be gathered so long as their fragrāt and freshe perfumes indures but when the heate of the son perching the gallāds of Aurora shall pearce thorowe bothe boodd and roote and mortifye the liuelye hewe of suche brickle creatures the flower is not only forgotten and loathed whiche earste was so much embraced but the desyer of all men taken awaye as though there neuer had bene any such like wise y e glistering apple growing vpon the high spraies in the pleasant lādes of Angeau semes a thing of great delectacion to the eye of no lesse pleasante taste so long as he is entyer and without corrupcion but after the worme hath eyther made a breach or his gréenes or pleasante maturitie lost his force and conuerted into a rotten ripenesse his bewtie dekaies wyth desier any longer to kepe hym Euen so a mayde what pouertie soeuer oppresse her so longe as she kepes vnspotted her surname and title of chastetie is not only admitted but also may chaleng place amongest the best of a countrye but when the caterpillor hath once cropped the leaffe and deuow red the boodd the trée doth not only die and perish with infamye but the remembrance of such stocke and frute remeines in the recordes of reproche to the opening of the greate booke of general accompt when al faltes shal be reueiled and punished according to their disposicion and qualitie And sewer it is better for a woman of what degrée soeuer she be to dy w t honor and buyrye the bourdē of honest renowm with her bodie in the graue then enioying the fruicion of life to be marked of the multitude with a note of generall rebuke whych as a moothe in a garment will not ceasse to eate and deuour her present estimacion and make notorious besides euery age of her succession by the desert of her disordred life loasing the only cause that makes me ioye in my selfe wyth so great desier to liue wherin because I may the rather per forme theffect of thys last resolucion I will firste wyth an vnfayned hart make inuocation to y e highest for thassistance of his grace to garde me frome thassaltes and peppered prouocations of the fleshe and then cut of all suche occasions as may eftesones aduance the suggestion of the same or seame any way an ympedimente to the vowe I haue presentlie made whych I doubt not wil be armes sufficient enough to repulse y e alarams of Signeur Luchyn raise y e siege which I sée he hath planted agaynst the fortresse of my chastetie wherin she omitted not th execution for from that instante shee kepte her selfe vnsene of anye but her frendes and kinsefolkes comminge lyttle or nothynge abroade and lesse willing to be spied out of windows or stand at the doore leauinge thereby an example worthye of ymitacion to all estates and sortes of women but specially suche gigges and pratlinge houswiues as can not contente theym selues with the ayre of the house nor giue one pricke with the nedle oneless she sit at the doare as though her exercyse were onelye to menteyne chatt wythe the streete walkers or keepe a standynge and make challenge agaynste all commers whyche is the thynge that you mothers and tutours of lytle girles oughte chyefly to respecte in the direction of youre tender charges I meane to bridle and brynge vpp youre pupilles and ympes that haue follye tyed on their backes in the awe of correction yf they transgress the order of good gouernement you must not forgett to offer theym the racke and tormentes of the rodde which you must minister vnto theim in the greenes of their yer es and affore the tendrenes of youthe with wante of discrection wil suffer theim to discerne their owne inclinacion for as the Philosopher tearmeth theym to bée a kinde of cattell more apte to declyne then any other reasonable creature so saith he yf they get once the bit betwene their téethe and crop of the hearbée of ryotus will it is harder to reclayme theym eyther hy awe feare compulsion or gentle intreatie then the wilde haggard or rammish falcon by any connynge or deuise of their keper besides as a maide is a Iewell of no lesse greate price then rarely to be founde so she is a vessell moste bryckle and easye to be broken and being once eyther crackte or corrupted she liueth in none other accompte then in comon wonder of the people and pointed at of all the worlde Wherefore you mothers that in the bringyng vpp of your doughters will giue ashowe of your owne vertue with no lesse care of the honor of your children must forgett to pamper youre younglines with presentes of their willes or dandle theym vppon the lapp of dame folly but féede theym rather with the discipline of good nouriture not sparing the order of due correction leaste you spill the future hope and expectation of their well doynge and better it is to haue a mayde smell of honest simplicitie vsing a temperate scilēce in her toungue and order of talke then ytalianated in legerdemaines of subteltye and pricked full of the fethers of foolyshe pride to haue the tounge of a popingaie bablinge without order or discrecion for that the one is a vertue of it selfe and the veray lyne to leade her to aduauncement and in practisinge the other she procures a discredit to her parentes for their necligence in her education and her selfe but laughte at in the companie of wise and discrete dames and that which worse is led by such guides into the botome les pit of euerlasting infamye Remember thaduise of Marcus Aurelius who writing of the slipper disposition of some women with instruction to abridge the perentory humour which nature hath giuen theim gyues this generall charge to all gouernours of nourceries tutors of litle girles that they stande so sewerly vppon the garde of thonnour of their charges that they neither be sene out of windowes stande as stales at the dore suffred to visit any place of thordynarie hawnte of men called to secrete conference without cōmission or companie of her keapor but also barde thaccesse and presence of all men for that saith he the ill can not be vtterly preuented onelesse the causes that maye procure it bée cleane taken awaie neither is it possibe for a Lady to kepe the reputacion of her honor that makes her selfe incidente to the hawnte of great companies with desier to be a comō feast maker and visit euery banquet and the more she is innested with honor and high callinge the more care is due to the preseruation of so great a title and lesse libertie or licēce is enioyned her to raunge a broade or séeke to satisfie thappetit of