and enrich'st abundantly impudent and shameless Buffoons and permittest learned wise and modest Men to die with hunger Having said this he went to Flanders where in the Company of his good Friend Captain Valdivia he finish'd the eternizing his Name by Arms which he had begun by Letters and died with the Reputation of a wise Man and a valiant Souldier The End of the Sixth Novel Patient Grissel Written by PETRARCH in the Sixty Ninth Year of his Age. NOVEL VII THE Mountain Vesulo now Monte-Viso lies on the Western side of Italy and is a part of the Alps and very high whose summity reaches above the Clouds into the clear Air famous for its height being reputed the highest of the all Alps but more enobled by the rise of the Po or the ancient Eridanus which flowing from a small Spring upon its Eastern side and swelling by a wonderful addition of Waters after a short course becomes one of the greatest Rivers and is deservedly call'd by Virgil their King Fluviorum Rex Eridanus It parts Liguria with its rapid stream afterwards dividing Aemilia and Flaminia from the Venetian Territories and at last by many great Mouths enters into the Adriatic Sea That part consisting of pleasant Mountains green Hills and fruitful Vales is call'd Piedmont or the Countrey at the foot of the Mountains it has some Cities and many fair Towns amongst the rest at the foot of the Vesulo lies Saluzzo a Dominion whereunto belong several Towns and Castles it was govern'd by Noble Men who had the Title of Marquesses of which number there was one who is said to have been the chief and the greatest of all of them whose Name was Gualtero to whom belong'd the government of all that Marquisate he was every way a great Person and could be tax'd but of one Fault that being contented with his present Condition he took no care for the future or to provide Heirs to succeed him He was so much taken up with Hunting and Hawking that he scarce minded any thing else and he seem'd which most troubled his Subjects averse from Matrimony They bore it with silence for some time but at last they went to him in a Body and one of them whose Authority or Elegance or Favour with the Marquess was greatest spoke thus to him Your Humanity and Courtesy Noble Marquess has given us the boldness as often as occasion serves to Address ourselves to your Excellency and now I am intrusted to present to you the humble Petition of all your Subjects the many Favours you have done me creating a belief in them that I am not unacceptable to you Since therefore all your Actions hitherto have been grateful to us there is one thing yet wanting which if your Excellency will be prevail'd upon to do for our sakes we shall esteem ourselves the most happy of all our Neighbours that is That you would consent to marry and submit that Neck which is not only free but commanding to the yoke of lawful Matrimony and that you would do it with all speed for Years pass swiftly and altho now you are in the Flower of your Youth yet Age will come silently creeping on and Death is near at all seasons no Age nor Person is secure from its stroak all must die and altho that is certain yet there is nothing more uncertain than when Death will seize upon us We pray you Sir take this Petition of ours in good part and grant it to us who will never refuse any of your Commands leave the Care of providing you a Wife to us We will get such an one that shall be worthy of you one born of so illustrious Parents that we cannot but hope great and good Things from her We pray free us from all the troublesome fear least perhaps an Accident should happen to you from which no mortal Man is exempted and you should die without an Heir of your own Body and leave us without a Governour of your Loins whose Race we pray Heavens may for ever reign over us These humble and pious Prayers of his Subjects prevail'd upon the Marquess I will not said he refuse what you desire tho I must tell you you force me to do that which I had thoughts very averse from for I was much delighted in Liberty which rarely is to be found in Wedlock However I will comply with my Subjects will trusting to your Prudence and Fidelity but as to the Care you proffer to take upon you to provide me a Wife I will not put you to that trouble but take it upon my self For the Mothers Vertue is not always inherited by the Children who are sometimes unlike their Parents all that is good in Man comes only from God to him therefore I will commit the Care of my Matrimony hoping that he will inspire me to do that which may set your Hearts at ease and conduce most to my Benefit Since then it is your desire I am resolv'd to Marry I promise it you upon the Word of a Prince I will neither frustrate nor delay your Expectation and you must reciprocally promise me one thing that you will Honour and have a great Esteem and Veneration for whomsoever I shall make my Wife and that there shall not be any amongst you who shall complain or find fault with my Choice You have caus'd me to subject my free Neck to the Yoke but I will make a Choice of that Yoke and she whosoever it is that shall be my Wife is to be your Lady as much as if she was the Emperors Daughter and I expect you should shew the same Respect towards her They promis'd unanimously and chearfully there should be nothing wanting on their Parts as those who despair'd and thought that they should never see the wish'd for Day of their Princes Marriage Having obtain'd this Promise they departed not only contented but exceeding joyful So this Conference ended and the Marquess acquainted his Servants of his intended Marriage bidding them take care to provide all things convenient against such a Day which he named Not far from the Place there was a little Village inhabited by a few and poor Cottagers the poorest of them all was call'd Janicola he had one Daughter whose Name was Briseis or Grissel by which Name we shall call her for the future the shape of her Body was admirable and nothing could be imagin'd more beautiful than her Soul she was bred with a sparing Diet unus'd and ignorant of Voluptuousness in extream Poverty she had no soft or tender thoughts but in a young Virgins Breast the Heart of wise experienc'd Man she took care to keep clean and nourish her old Father with exemplary Piety and look'd to his few Sheep and returning at Night wore out her Fingers with spinning she boil'd his Milk and Cabbage and the rest of the poor and unbought Fare lighted him a little Fire made his hard Bed tuck'd him in begging his blessing and wishing him good Night In a
Recovery than she would have done by her Death This notwithstanding Ferdinando came to visit her constantly and at last he supplicated the Queen that he might have her home to his Fathers house saying He did not esteem her so much for the Beauty of her Body as of her Soul which she retained still Ferdinando said the Queen carry her to your house and esteem her as a most precious Jewel in a Case of low value God knows my heart I would have return'd her in the same condition she was delivered me but since that is now impossible you must arm your self with Patience I hope the Punishment which I shall inflict upon the Author of this mischief will make you some satisfaction for the Loss and Displeasure you have received In fine Izabella and her Parents were consigned into Ferdinandos hands who carried them to his Fathers house The Queen added to her former Presents a rich Apparel and many other considerable Gifts as a Mark of her Favour Izabella continued two months in that Deformity without any sign of Recovering her former Beauty after that time the rough Skin began to peel off and her Countenance was a little clearer But Ferdinandos Parents accounting it impossible she should ever be again what she was before resolved without their Sons knowledge to bring on again the Treaty with the Scotch Lady not doubting but that the present Beauty of his new Mistress would make him forget the deformed unfortunate Izabella whom they resolved to send into Spain together with her Father and Mother giving them so much Money and Provision as was more than necessary for such a Voyage Within six weeks Ferdinandos new Mistress arrived at London he knowing nothing of it and was invited to lodge at Captain Manlys house Ferdinando fearing this sudden accident might cause Izabellas Death or at least retard her Recovery to prevent this he went to her Bed-side and in the presence of his Parents spoke thus to her My dear heart Izabella my Parents not being sufficiently inform'd of the infinite Love I bore you have brought into the House a Scotch Gentlewoman with whom before I knew you they had agreed to marry me thinking as I suppose that the present Beauty of this Lady will efface my Love to you From the beginning my Love was not of that sort which designs only to satisfie its sensual Appetite if the Beauty of your Body conquered my Senses your infinite Vertues enslaved my Soul so that if when you were beautiful I lov'd you now you are far from being so I adore you and to confirm this give me I pray you your hand which she did and then he continued his Discourse in this manner By that Faith in which my Parents have educated me I say by the Roman Catholic Faith which I believe and profess by the True God who sees and hears me I promise thee Izabella to be thy Husband and from this moment am so if you consent to exalt me to so great Felicity At these solemn Protestations Izabella was strangely surprized and his Parents astonished and confounded she could not tell what to do or say she only kist his Hands and with a weak Voice interrupted with Sighs she answered that she accepted him for her Husband and gave her self to him for his Slave Then did Ferdinando kiss that homely and deformed Face which he never durst presume to do whilst it was beautiful Izabellas Parents did solemnize this Feast with Tears of Joy Ferdinando told them what way he would take and if in the mean time his Parents would send them all three into Spain they should make no difficulty of going that they should expect him within two years at Cales or Sivil if he came not in that time they might conclude that some great Impediment or Death had retarded him Izabella replied she would expect him not only two years but all her Life Then Ferdinando told his Parents that he could by no means either promise or marry the Scotch Lady before he had made a Journey to Rome and visited the Reliques and Shrines of that holy City he founded the necessity of his Voyage upon such Reasons that his Parents and those of Christiana for so was his Scotch Mistress called being Catholics believed all he said and were forced to consent to what they could not hinder and Christiana was content to remain in her Father-in-laws house the space of one year hoping in that time Ferdinando might return This being agreed upon Captain Manly declared his resolution to send Izabella and her Parents to their own Country if he could obtain the Queens permission alledging that her native Air might perfect the Recovery of her Health which now sensibly began to return Ferdinando not to discover his Intentions answered coldly that he might do as he pleased and few hours after Captain Manly went to the Queen to ask her Majestys leave to marry his Son to Christiana and send back Izabella with her Parents the Queen granted his Petition and the same day without asking the opinion of the Judges or forming any Process against the Countess of Lundy she condemned her to pay ten Thousand Nobles to Izabella for the loss of her Beauty and the danger she put her in of losing her Life besides this she turned her out of her place and forbad her the Court for ever she also banished the Earl of Lundy for six Years in four days time the Countess paid her Fine and the Earl was prepared to go into Exile The Queen paid the ten Thousand Nobles to a Merchant in London who had very considerable Dealings in France and Italy and by his Correspondents there in Spain and took a Bill for the payment of the Value to Izabellas Father in Sevil or Cales or in what other part of Spain he should reside The Merchant replied He would draw a Bill upon a Correspondent of his at Sevil and order him to write to Paris and get a Bill thence that it might appear to be done in France and not in England because there was then no Commerce betwixt England and Spain and that it should be sufficient for them to carry Letters of Advice without specifying the place to which he would put such Marks and Counter-signs that his Correspondent should not fail to pay it upon sight This satisfi'd the Queen then she sent for a Master of a Flemish Ship to whom she recommended Izabella and her Parents charging him to land them in what part of Spain they should desire and to take care they wanted nothing The Master being very willing to please the Queen answered He took it for a great Honour to serve her Majesty and that he would land them in Lisbon Cales or Sevil or what other Port they pleased Then her Majesty sent to Captain Manly commanding him not to take any thing from Izabella which she had given her Next day Izabella and her Parents took their leave of the Queen who received them with more
Nun. The Nunnery she made choice of was that of Santa Paula wherein her Cousin was The term of two Years was now exspired and the time come when she was to take upon her the Habit which she concluded that now she might securely do not doubting but that she was a Widow This News fled like Lightning all over the City the Monastery and all the way betwixt it and her House were full of People some whereof had only seen her but most having only heard the Fame of her Vertues and Beauty her Parents desired their Friends and they others to accompany their Daughter and take their leave of her as one going out of the World It was one of the most honourable Appearances that ever was seen upon the like Occasion in that City There was the Vicar of the Archbishop the Assistant and the Provedor and all the Principal Persons of both Sexes so much did they all desire to see that radiant Sun which had been so long eclipsed It being the Custom of young Ladies taking the Habit upon them to appear in the richest and most glorious Apparel to evaporate the last Flame of worldly Splendor which blazes most just before its extinction In conformity to this Custom Izabella dress'd herself in her richest Garments and put on the same Cloaths wherein she first appear'd before the Queen of England what they were we have mention'd before these Ornaments together with her Beauty and graceful Deportment drew from the admiring People a Thousand Benedictions She chose to go on Foot because the Monastery was not far off but the throng of the People was so great that she could scarce pass which made her repent she had not taken the convenience of a Coach some bless'd the Parents that begot her some the Heavens that had endow'd her with so admirable Beauty some stood on Tiptoes to see her others having had one view of her ran before that they might have one sight of her more and amongst this great Number there was one whose eagerness and pressing to see her together with his remarkable Dress drew the Eyes of most of the Spectators upon him he was in the Habit of a Slave and upon his Breast was a Badge which shew'd he had been freed from Turkish Captivity by the Fathers of the Redemption Now Izabella had one Foot within the Gate of the Monastery the Abess and the Sisters with a Cross born before them were come to receive her according to Custom when the Slave cried out with a loud Voice Hold Izabella stop proceed not one Inch further for as long as I live you must not you cannot be a Nun Hearing this Voice Izabella and her Parents turn'd their Heads towards it and perceiv'd the Slave making his way through the throng in his striving his Turkish Hat fell of and discover'd a yellow neglected Head of Hair curl'd in Rings and a white and Vermilion Countenance certain Signs that he was a Stranger he sometimes falling then rising again made a Lane through the Press and took Izabella by the Hand and spoke thus Do you know me Izabella Look attentively upon me I am Ferdinando your Husband I know you replied Izabella if thou art not some Fantome that appears to disturb my repose her Parents view'd him wishfully and upon Consideration were convinc'd that it was Ferdinando He then with Tears in his Eyes fell on his Knees before Izabella beseeching her That the lowness of his Fortune nor the meaness of his Habit might not prevail with her to break her Word and render those Vows ineffectual which they had both interchangably made Izabella giving more Credit to what she saw than to what she had heard embraced him and replied You Sir are without doubt the only Person in the World that can make me alter my Resolution you are my better half you are my Husband whose Image I carry deeply engraved in my Soul the News of your Death being against my will not able to procure mine made me resolve to end my Life in this Monastery but since God by this just Impediment declares it is not his will I cannot neither ought I resist his Pleasure Come Sir let 's go to my Fathers House which you may call your own and there with the License of the Holy Church I will give you entire possession of my Person and my Estate At these Words the Vicar the Assistants and the Provedor were wonderfully surpriz'd and desired to know the History of that Slave and of the pretended Marriage To whom Izabellas Father replied That Discovery required another place and time and invited all who had the Curiosity to know it to accompany him to his House which was not far off that there they should be no less satisfied of the Truth as then they were astonish'd at the strangeness of what they had seen Then one of the Company cried out aloud Gentlemen this young man is a Famous English Pyrate the same that about two Years since took from the Algerines a great Portuguse Ship no doubt but 't is the same I am sure I have reason to know him for he gave me my liberty and money to bear my Charges hither and not only to me but to all the rest of the Slaves who were more than three hundred Thus he bawl'd but the Company told him he was an ungrateful Rascal and ought rather to thank than accuse him for his generous Action In fine the principal Persons accompanied Izabella to her House leaving the Abbess and Nuns lamenting their loss She desired the Company to seat themselves in the great Hall whereunto she had conducted them Ferdinando who was about to begin his narrative thought it would be more expedient to trust it to the Words and Discretion of Izabella because he did not speak Spanish fluently The Company were silent and attentive exspecting what Izabella should say She began with her being carried Captive and how many years she lived in Ferdinandos Fathers House of the beginning of their Love of the progress and that they mutually engaged to be Man and Wife she told them of her being Poyson'd and of her wonderful recovery of Ferdinandos leaving England and her promise to expect him in two years of his Engagement with the Turks and the Liberality he used towards the Christians then she proceeded to tell them the News she received of his Death upon which she resolved to turn Nun which she was just now as they all knew upon the point of putting in execution she praised the Liberality of the Queen of England and the most Christian Affection of Ferdinandos Parents to her and finally she concluded praying Ferdinando to tell the company what happened to him since he left London till the time of his arrival at Sevil. I will said Ferdinando in few words declare the wonderful History of my many and great Misfortunes As soon as I left London taking with me my Valet de Chambre only I passed through France to Rome
were setting down at the Table the Marquess turning towards her with a loud voice that he might be heard by all as if he had done it on purpose to put an affront upon her Grissel said he What is your Opinion of my Bride is she not handsome has she not a modest ingenious and vertuous Countenance In truth Sir said she I never saw one of a more beautiful and promising aspect you may lead a happy Life with her and if not 't is impossible any body else can please you I wish and hope and am confident she will be a Blessing to you But Sir let me beg of you and in good earnest advise you not to try such rigorous Experiments upon her as you did upon your late Wife for she is young and has been tenderly educated and I believe will not be able to endure so much as I have done such usage will soon either break her Heart or provoke her to break yours The Marquess hearing her speak this admiring the chearfulness and constancy of a Woman whom he had so often and in so cruel a manner offended was mov'd to pity her unworthy Sufferings and was not able to proceed any farther in this cruel way Taking her by the Hand my Grissel said he I have made too much trial of thy Affection and Fidelity I am abundantly convinc'd of the reality and immensity of it neither do I believe that any one under the Canopy of Heaven has experimentally found so much Love Faith Constancy and Obedience in a Wife as I have this said he took her into his Arms embrac'd and kiss'd her with all imaginable Tenderness and Affection Thou art said he my dear and only Wife besides thee I never had nor ever will have any other she that you believe to be my future Wife is thy Daughter and this Youth is thy Son both which thou thought'st to be lost now thou hast them again Let those know who foster'd ill Opinions of me that my Curiosity has caus'd me to make some Experiments but has not made me impious to try my Wife but not cast her off to hide my Children but not murder them She hearing these Words was near dying with Joy and her natural Affection spurring her on she ran to her Children bathing their Faces with Tears which copiously flow'd from her Eyes now seeing again those dear Pledges whose Death she had lamented she tir'd them with Kisses and almost drown'd them with her Tears Upon this the Ladies came in Troops about her felicitating the joyful and happy End of her so many so long and cruel Sufferings they strip'd her of her poor Garments and dress'd her like a Bride with rich Cloaths which the Marquess had order'd to be made for her against that Day She was applauded bless'd congratulated by all the Palace rung with the general Acclamation of the People every ones Heart was fill'd with unspeakable Joy and their Eyes with Tears which it produc'd the Joy and Magnificence of her Wedding-Day was much inferiour to this of her happy Return and her Childrens They liv'd together for many Years after even till their Deaths in perfect Love and Concord the Marquess never trying any more Experiments and the Affections of his Subjects return'd like a rapid Torrent and was greater than before its Ebb. He sent for Janicola of whom till then he had taken no notice least he might hinder his making Experiments he order'd him an Apartment and a bountiful Pension which might enable him to live like the Marquess's Father Not long after he married his Daughter to a Noble Man of Savoy suitable to her Birth and Beauty and the great Portion he gave with her To conclude He dy'd in Peace after having been for many Years the happiest Man upon Earth in his Wife and Children His Son now at Mans Estate and perfectly instructed and accomplished by the care of his Tutors and Parents succeeded him in his mild and just Government and the hearty Love and Affections of his Subjects FINIS