shall not make me beleue at this tyme that ye be marchantes and so I bid you farewell Saladine hauing taken his leaue of all them that were in companie with maister Thorello aunswered him Syr it may come to passe that we may let you sée our marchandise the better to confirme your belefe And fare you also heartily well Saladine then and his companions being departed assuredly determined if he liued and that the warres he looked for did not let him to doe no lesse honor to master Thorello then he had done to him fell into great talke with his companions of him of his wife of his things actes and déedes greatly praising all his entertainment But after he had serched by great trauaile all the West parts imbarking him self and his company he returned to Alexandria and throughly informed of his enimies indeuors prepared for his defence Master Thorello returned to Pauie and mused a long time what these thrée were but he neuer drew nere ne yet arriued to 〈◊〉 truth When the time of the appointed passage made by the Christians was come and that great preparation generally was made master Thorello notwithstanding the 〈◊〉 and prayers of his wife was fully bent to goe thither and hauing set all things in order for that voyage and ready to get on horsbacke he sayd vnto hir whome he perfectlye loued Swéete wife I am going as thou séest this iourney aswell for mine honoure sake as for health of my soule I recommende vnto you our goodes and honoure And bicause I am not so certaine of returne for a thousand accidents that may chaunce as I am sure to goe I pray thée to do me this pleasure that what so euer chaunceth of me if thou haue no certaine newes of my life that yet thou tarie one yeare one moneth and one day before thou marry againe the same terme to begin at the daye of my departure The Gentlewoman which bitterly wept answered I know not deare husbād how I shal be able to beare the sorow wherein you leaue me if you goe away But if my life be more strong and sharpe than sorow it self and whether you liue or die or what so euer come of you I will liue and die the wife of master Thorello and the onely spouse of his remembrance Whereunto master Thorello sayd Swéete wife I am more than assured that touching your selfe it will proue as you doe promise But you be a yong woman faire and well allied and your vertue is great and wel knowne throughout the Countrey by reason wherof I doubt not but that many great personages Gentlemen if any suspition be conceiued of my death wyll make requestes to your brethren and kinred from whose pursute although you be not disposed you can not defend your selfe and it behoueth that of force you please their will which is the onely reason that moueth me to demaund that terme and no longer time The Gentlewoman sayd I will doe what I can for fulfilling of my promise And albeit in end that I shal be constrained to doe otherwise be assured that I will obey you in the charge which now you haue giuen me I humbly thanke almightye God for that he neuer brought vs into these termes before this tyme. Their talke ended the Gentlewoman wéeping embraced master Thorello and drawing a ring from hir finger she gaue it him saying If it chaunce that I die before I sée you remember me when you shall beholde the same He receiuing the ring got vp vpon his horsse and taking his leaue went on his voyage and arriued at Geuoua he shipped him selfe in a Galley and toke his way whereunto winde and weather so fauoured as within fewe dayes he landed at Acres and ioyned with the armye of the Christians wherein began a great mortalitie and Plague during which infection what so euer was the cause eyther by the industrie or fortune of Saladine the rest of the Christians that escaped were almost taken and surprised by hym without any fighte or blowe stricken All which were imprysoned in many Cities and deuided into diuers places amongs which prisoners master Thorello was one who was caried prisoner to Alexandria where being not knowne and fearing to be knowne forced of necessitie gaue himselfe to the kéeping of Hawkes a qualitie wherein he had very good skill whereby in the end he grewe to the acquaintance of the Souldan who for that occasion not knowing him that time tooke him out of prison and retained him for his Fawconer Master Thorello which was called of the Souldan by none other name than Christian whome he neyther knewe ne yet the Souldan hym had none other thing in his minde and remembraunce but Pauie and manye times assayed to escape and run away But he neuer came to the point Wherfore diuers Ambassadoures from Genoua being come to Saladine to raunsome certaine of their prisoners and being ready to returne he thought to wryte vnto his wife to let hir know that he was aliue and that he would come home so soone as he coulde praying hir to tarie his retourne Which was the effect of his letter very earnestly desiring one of the ambassadoures of his acquaintance to doe so much for him as safely to deliuer those letters to that hands of the Abbot of S. Pietro in ciel Doro which was his vncle And master Thorello standing vpon these termes it chaunced vpon a day as Saladine was talking with him of his Hawkes master Thorello began to smile and to make a 〈◊〉 with his mouth which Saladine being at his house at Pauie did very wel note by which act Saladine began to remember master Thorello and earnestly to viewe him and thought that it was he in déede Wherefore leauing his former talke he sayd Tell me Christian of what countrey art thou in the West parts Spy sayd master Thorello I am a Lombarde of a Citie called Pauie a poore man and of meane estate So soone as Saladine heard that as assured wherof he doubted said to him selfe God hath giuen me a time to let thys man know how thankfully I accepted his curtesie that he vsed towardes me and without any more woords hauing caused all his apparell in a chamber to be set in order he brought him into the same sayd behold Christian if amongs al these roabes there be any one which thou hast séene before Master Thorello began to looke vpon them and saw those which his wyfe had giuen to Saladine but he could not beleue that it was possible that they should be the same notwithstanding he answered Sir I know them not albeit my minde giueth me that these twaine do resemble the roabes which sometimes I ware caused them to be giuen to thrée marchaunt men that were lodged at my house Then Saladine not able to forbeare any longer tēderly imbraced him saying you be master Thorello de Istria and I am one of the thrée marchantes to whome your wife gaue those roabes and nowe
tourne but his greatest fame rose of his clemencie and curtesie In such wise as he shewed hym selfe to be gentle and fauourable euen to them whome he knewe not to loue him otherwise than if he had bene their mortal enimie His successors as Augustus Vespasianus Titus Marcus Aurelius Flauius were worthily noted for clemencie Notwithstandyng I sée not one drawe néere to great courage and gentlenesse ioyned with the singular curtesie of Dom Roderigo Viuario the Spaniarde surnamed Cid towarde Kyng Pietro of Aragon that hyndred his expedition againste the Mores at Grenadoe For hauyng vanquished the 〈◊〉 King and taken hym in battell not only remitted the reuenge of his wrong but also suffered hym to goe without raunsome and toke not from him so much as one forte estéeming it to be a better exploite to winne such a king with curtesie than beare the name of cruell in putting hym to death or seazing vpon his lande But bicause acknowledging of the poore and enriching the small is more cōmendable in a Prince than when he sheweth himselfe gentle to his like I haue collected thys discourse and facte of Kyng Mansor of Marocco whose children by subtile and fained religion Cherif succéeded the sonne of whome at this day inioyeth the kingdoms of Su Marocco and the most part of the 〈◊〉 confinyng vpon Aethiopia This historie was told by an Italian called Nicholoso Baciadonne who vpon this accident was in Affrica and in trafike of marchandise in the land of Oran situated vpon the coast of that South seas and where the Geneuois and Spaniards vse great entercourse bicause the countrey is faire wel peopled and where the inhabitaunts although the soile be barbarous lyue indifferent ciuilly vsing greate curtesie to straungers and largely departyng their goodes to the poore towards whome they be so earnestly bente and louing as for their liberalitie and pitifull alinesse they shame vs Christians They mainteyne a greate numbre of Hospitalls to receyue and intertaine the poore and néedie which they doe more charitably than they that be bounde by the lawe of Iesus Christe to vse charitie towardes their brethren wyth that curtesie and humaine myldnesse These Oraniens delight also to recorde in writing the successe of things that chaunce in their tyme and carefully reserue the same in memorie whiche was the cause that hauyng registred in theyr Chronicles which be in the Arabie letters as the moste parte of the Countreys do vse thys present historie they imparted the same to the Geneuois marchauntes of whome the Italian Author confesseth 〈◊〉 haue receyued the Copie The cause why that Geneuois marchaunt was so diligent to make that enquirie was by reason of a citie of that prouince built through the chaunce of this Historie and which was called in theyr tongue Caesar Elcabir so much to say as A great Palace And bycause I am assured that curteous mynds will delight in déedes of curtesie I haue amongs other the Nouells of Bandello chosen by Francois de Belleforest and my selfe discoursed thys albeit the matter be not of great importance and greater thyngs and more notorious curtesies haue bene done by our owne kings and Princes As of Henry the eyght a Prince of notable memorie in his progresse in to the Northe the xxxiij yeare of his raigne when he disdained not a pore Millers house being stragled from his traine busily pursuing the Hart and there vnknown of the Miller was welcomed with homely chere as his mealy house was able for the time to minister and afterwards for acknowledging his willing minde recompenced him with dainties of the Courte and a Princely rewarde Of Edward the thirde whose Royall nature was not displeased pleasauntly to vse a 〈◊〉 Tanner when deuided from his company he mette him by the way not farre from Tomworth in Staffordshire and by cheapening of his welfare stéede for stedinesse sure and able to cary him so farre as the stable dore grewe to a price and for exchaunge the Tanner craued 〈◊〉 shillings to boote betwene the Kings and his And whē the King satisfied with disport desired to shew himself by sounding his warning blast assembled al his train And to the great amaze of the pore Tanner when he was guarded with that 〈◊〉 he well guerdoned his good pastime and familiare dealing with the order of 〈◊〉 and reasonable reuenue for the maintenaunce of the same The like examples our Chronicles memory and report plentifully doe auouche and witnesse But what this History is the more rare and worthy of noting for respect of the people and Countrey where seldome or neuer curtesie haunteth or findeth harboroughe and where Nature doth bring forth greater store of monsters than things worthy of praise This great King Mansor then was not onely the temporall Lord of the Countrey of Oran and Moracco but also as is saide of Prete Iean Bishop of his law and the Mahomet priest as he is at this day that 〈◊〉 in Feze Sus and Marocco Now this Prince aboue all other pleasure 〈◊〉 the game of Hunting And he so muche delighted in that passetime as sometime he would cause his Tentes in the midde of the desertes to be erected to lie there all night to the ende that the next day he might renewe his game and 〈◊〉 his men of idlenesse and the wilde beastes of rest And this manner of life he vsed still after he had done iustice and hearkened the complaintes for which his subiectes came to disclose thereby their griefes Wherin also he toke so great pleasure as some of our Magistrates doe seke their profite whereof they be so squeymishe as they be desirous to satisfie the place whereunto they be called and render all men their right due vnto them For with their bribery and sacred golden hunger Kings and Princes in these dayes be yll serued the people wronged and the wicked out of feare There is none offense almost how villanous so euer it be but is washed in the water of bribery and clensed in the holly drop wherewith the Poetes faine Iupiter to corrupt the daughter of Acrisius faste closed within the brasen Toure And who is able to resist that which hath subdued the highest powers Now returne we from our wanderings This great King Mansor on a day 〈◊〉 his people to hunt in the not marish fenny Countrey which in elder age was farre off from the Citie of Asela which the Portugalles holde at this present to make the way more frée into the Isles of Molncca of the most parte whereof their King is Lord. As he was attentife in folowing a Bear his passe-time at the best the Elementes began to darke and a great tempest rose such as with the storme violent wind scattred the train far of from the King who not knowing what way to take nor into what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retire to auiode the tempest the greatest the he felt in all his life would wyth a good wyl haue ben accōpanied as the Troiane 〈◊〉 was
spirite and boldnesse be thought good in the front of this second volume to be described bicause of diuers womens liues plentifull varietie is offered in the sequele And for that some mencion hath bene made of the greate Alexander and in what wise from vertue he fell to vice the seconde Nouell ensuing shall giue some further aduertisement Alexander the great ¶ The great pitie and cōtinencie of ALEXANDER the great and his louing entertainmēt of SISIGAMBIS the wife of the greate Monarch 〈◊〉 after he was vanquished The second Nouel GReat Monarches and princes be the Gods and onely rulers vpon earthe and as they be placed by Gods only prouidence and disposition to conquere and rule the same euen so in victorious battailes and honorable exploites they ought to rule order their conquests like Gods that is to say to vse moderate behauiour to their captiues and slaues specially to the weaker sorte feminine kinde whome like tyrants and barbarous they ought not to corrupt and abuse but like Christians and vertuous victors to cherish and preserue their honour For what can be safe to a woman sayd Lucrece when she was 〈◊〉 by the Romaine Tarquine hir chastitie being defiled Or what can be safe to a man that giueth him selfe to incontinencie For when he hath despoiled the virgin robbed the wife or abused the widow of their honor and good name they protrude them selues into many miseries they be impudent vnshamefast aduenturous and carelesse how many mischiefes they do And when a Prince or gouerner doth giue him self to licencious life what mischieues what rapes what murders doth he cōmitte No frende no 〈◊〉 no subiecte no enimie doth he spare or defende Contrarywise the mercifull and continent captaine by subduing his affections recouereth immortal fame which this historie of king Alexāder full well declareth And bicause before we spake of that great conquerour in the Nouell of the Amazones and of the repaire of Quene Thalestris for vse of his bodie at what tyme as Curtius sayth he fell from vertue to vice wée purpose in this to declare the greate continencie and mercie that he vsed to Sisigambis the wife of the Persian Prince Darius and briefly to touch the time of his abused life which in this manner doth begin Alexander the great hauing vanquished Darius and his infinite armie and retiring with his hoste from the pursute and slaughter of the Persians entred into their campe to recreate him selfe And being with his familiars in the mids of his bāket they sodenly heard a pitifull crie with straunge howling and crying out which did verie much astonne them The wife and mother of Darius with the other noble women newly taken prisoners wer the occasiō of that present noise by lamenting of Darius whome they beleued to be slaine which opinion they cōceiued through one of the Eunuches which standing before their tent doore sawe a souldier beare a piece of Darius Diademe For which cause Alexander pitying their miserie sent a noble man called Leonatus to signifie vnto them that they were deceyued for that Darius was liuing Repairing towards the tent where the women were with certaine armed men he sent word before that he was coming to them with message from the king But when such as stode at the tent 〈◊〉 saw armed men they thought they had ben sent to murder the Ladies for whiche cause they ranne in to them crying that their last houre was come for the souldiers were at hande to kill them When Leonatus was entred the pauilion the Mother and wife of Darius fell downe at his féete intreating him that before they were slain he wold suffer them to burie Darius according to the order and maner of his countrey after the performance of which obsequies they were content they sayd willingly to suffer death Leonatus assured them that both Darius was aliue and that there was no harme towardes them but shoulde remaine in the same state they were in before When Sisigambis heard those wordes she suffered hir selfe to bée lifted vp from the grounde and to receyue some comfort The next day Alexander with great diligence buried the bodies of suche of his owne men as coulde be founde and willed the same to be done to the noble men of the Persians giuing licence to Darius mother to burie so many as she liste after the custome of hir countrey She performed the same to a fewe that were next of hir kinne according to the habilitie of their presente fortune for if shée shoulde haue vsed the Persians pompe therin the Macedonians might haue enuied it which being victors vsed no great curiositie in the matter When the due was performed to the dead Alexander signified to the women prisoners that he him selfe would come to visit them and causing such as came with him to tarie without he onely with Ephestion entred in amongs them The same Ephestion of al men was best beloued of Alexander brought vp in his cōpanie from his youth and most priuie with him in al things There was none that had such libertie to speke his mynd plainly to the king as he had which he vsed after such sorte that he semed to do it by no authoritie but by suffrance And as he was of like yeares vnto him so in shape and personage he did somwhat excel him Wherfore the women thinking Ephestion to be the king did fall downe and worship him as their countrey maner was to do to kings till suche time as one of the Eunuches that was taken prisoner shewed which of them was Alexander Then Sisigambis fell downe at his féete requiring pardon of hir ignorance for somuch as she did neuer see him before The King toke hir vp by the hande and sayde Mother you be not deceiued for this is Alexander also Then he behaued him self after such a maner that he erceded in continencie and compassion al the kings that had ben before his time He entertained the two Quéenes with those virgins that were of excellent beautie so reuerently as if they had bene his sisters He not onely absteined from al violation of Darius wife which in beautie excelled all the women of hir time but also toke great care diligence that none other should procure hir any dishonor And to all the women he commaunded their ornaments and apparel to be restored So that they wāted nothing of the magnificence of their former 〈◊〉 sauing only the assured trust that creatures want in miserie which things considered by Sisigambis she sayd vnto the king Sir your goodnesse towards vs doth deserue that we should make the same prayer for you that whilome we did for Darius and we perceiue you worthie to passe so greate a king as he was in felicitie and good fortune that abounde so in iustice and clemencie It pleaseth you to terme me by the name of Mother and Quéene but I confesse my selfe to be your handmaide For both I conceyue the greatnesse of my state past and féele that I can
house Upon this Anniuersarie day of Artaxerxes coronation when all things were disposed in order the King desirous to accomplishe a certaine conceiued determination cōmaunded one of his faithful chamberlains spéedily to seke out Ariobarzanes which the sayde faithfull chamberlaine did and telling him the kings message sayd My lord Ariobarzanes the King hath willed me to say vnto you that his pleasure is that you in your owne person euen forthwith shall cary your white stéede and Courser the mace of gold and other 〈◊〉 due to the office of Senescall vnto Darius youre mortall enimie and in his maiesties behalfe to say vnto him that the king hath giuen him that office and hath clearely dispossessed you thereof Ariobarzanes hearing those heauie newes was like to die for sorowe and the greater was his griefe bicause it was giuen to his greatest enimie Notwithstanding like a Gentleman of noble stomacke woulde not in open apparance signifie the displeasure which he conceiued within but with merrie cheare and louing countenance sayde vnto the chambrelaine Do my right humble cōmendations vnto the kinges maiestie and say vnto him that like as he is the soueraigne lorde of all this lande and I his faithfull subiect euen so myne office my life landes and goods be 〈◊〉 his disposition and that willingly I will performe his 〈◊〉 When he had spoken those wordes he rendred 〈◊〉 his office to Darius who at dinner serued in the same And when the king was set Ariobarzanes with comely countenaunce sat downe amongs the rest of the Lordes Which sodaine deposition and depriuation did 〈◊〉 lously amaze the whole assemblie euery man secretly speking their minde either in praise or dispraise of that fact The king all the dinner time did marke note the countenance of Ariobarzanes which was pleasant and merie as it was wont to be whereat the king did greately maruell And to attaine to the ende of his purpose hée began with sharpe wordes in presence of the nobilitie to disclose his discontented minde and the grudge which he bare to Ariobarzanes On the other side the king suborned diuers persons diligently to espie what he sayde did Ariobarzanes hearing the kings sharpe wordes of rebuke and stimulated by the persuasion of diuers flatterers which were hired for that purpose after he perceiued that his declared pacience preuailed nothing that his modest talke his long and faithful seruice which he had done vnto the king his losse and hinderance sustained the perill of his life which so many times he had suffered at length banquished with disdaine he brake the Bridle of Pacience and sorted out of the boundes of his wonted nature for that in place of honor he receiued rebuke in stede of reward was depriued of his office begā in a rage to cōplain of that king terming him to be an vnkind prince which amongs the Persians was estéemed a worde of great offence to the maiestie wherefore faine he would haue departed the court and retired home to his coūtrey which he coulde not doe without speciall licence from the king and yet to craue the same at his handes his heart would not serue him Althese murmures and complaintes which secretely he made were tolde the king therfore the king commaunded him one day to be called before him vnto whome he sayde Ariobarzanes youre grudging complaints and enuious quarels which you disparcle behinde my backe throughout my Courte and your continuall rages outragiously pronounced through the verie windowes of my Palace haue 〈◊〉 myne eares whereby I vnderstande that thing which hardly I would haue beleued But yet being a Prince as wel inclined to fauour and quiet hearing of al causes as to credite of light reports would faine know of you the cause of your lamentation and what hath moued you thervnto For you be not ignorant that to murmure at the Persian King or to terme him to be vnkinde is no lesse offence than to blaspheme the Gods immortall bicause by auncient Lawes and Decrées they be honored and worshipped as Gods And among all the penalties conteined in our lawes the vice of Ingratitude is moste bitterly corrected But leauing to speake of the threates and dangers of our lawes I pray you to tell me wherin I haue offended you For albeit that I am a king yet reason persuadeth me not to giue offence to any man which if I shoulde doe and the Gods forbid the same I ought rather to be termed a tyrant than a King Ariobarzanes hearing the King speake so reasonably was abashed but yet with stoute countenaunce he feared not particularly to remembre the wordes which he had spoken of the King and the cause wherefore he spake them Well sayd the King I perceiue that you blushe not at the words ne yet fear to reherse the same vnto my face wherby I doe perceiue and note in you a certaine kinde of stoutenesse which naturally 〈◊〉 from the greatnesse of your minde But yet wisedome would that you shoulde consider the reason and cause why I haue depriued you from your office Doe you not knowe that it appertaineth vnto me in all mine affaires and déedes to be liberall curteous magnificent and bounteous Be not those the vertues that make the fame of a Prince to 〈◊〉 amongs his subiects as the Sunne beames do vpon the circuit of the worlde Who ought to rewarde well doers and recompence eche wight which for any seruice and aduantage haue all the dayes of their life or else in some particuler seruice vsed their painful trauaile or aduentured the perill of their life but I alone béeing your soueraigne Lord and Prince To the vertuous and obedient to the Captaine and Souldier to the politike and wise to the lerned and graue finally to eche well 〈◊〉 wight I know how to vse the noble princely vertues of Curtesie and Liberalitie They bée the comely ensignes of a King They be the onely ornaments of a Prince They bée my particuler vertues And will you Ariobarzanes béeing a valiant souldier a graue counsailer and a politike personage goe aboute to dispossesse me of that which is mine Will you which are my seruant and subiect of whom I make greatest accompt and haue in dearest estimation vpon whome I did bestowe the greatest dignitie within the compasse of my whole Monarchie grate benefite at my hands by abusing those vertues which I aboue other do principally regard You do much abuse the credite which I repose in your greate wisedome For hée in whome I thought to finde moste graue aduise and déemed to bée a receptacle of all good counsell doth seke to take vpon him the personage of his Prince and to vsurpe the kingly state which belongeth only vnto him Shall I be tied by your deserts or bound by curteous dedes or else be forced to rendre recompēce No no so long as this imperiall crown shall rest on royall head no subiecte by any curteous déede of his shall straine vnwilling minde which meant it not
euen now began to presage his fall and ruine But yet meaning to 〈◊〉 his best aduantage went vnto the prison where the 〈◊〉 of the banished were fast inclosed and bicause he was of a troublesome and tyrannicall nature he concluded with him self rather to vse intreate those wiues with hun and threates than with humanitie and fayre wordes Being entred the prison he sharpely and with great fiercenesse commaunded them to write vnto their husbandes that besieged him without earnestly to persuade them to giue ouer their attempted warres otherwise said he if ye do not folow the effect of my commaūdement in your owne presence I will first cause cruelly to be slaine al your little children tearing them by piece meale in pieces and afterwardes I will cause you to bée whipped and scoutged and so to die a most cruel shamfull death At which fierce and tyrannicall newes there was no one womā amōgs them that opened their mouthes to answer him The most wicked vile tyrant seing thē to be in such silence charged them vpon their liues to answere what they were disposed to doe But although they 〈◊〉 not speake a word yet with silence one beholding eche other in that face fared as though they cared not for his threates more readie rather to die thā to obey his commaundement Megistona then which was the wife of Timolion a matrone as well for hir husbands 〈◊〉 as hir owne vertue in great regard and estimatiō and the chiefe amongs all the women who at his comming in would not rise but kept hir place nor vouchsasing to do any reuerence or honor vnto him and the like she bad the rest In this wise sitting vpon the ground w e vnlosed tongue and libertie of spéeche stoutly she answered the tyrants demaunde in this maner If there were in thée Aristotimus any manly prudence wisedome or good discretion truly 〈◊〉 woldest not cōmande vs poore imprisoned women to write vnto our husbands but rather suffer vs to goe vnto them and vse more 〈◊〉 wordes and mylde behauiour than wherewith of late thou diddest entertaine vs by scoffing mocking cruelly dealing with vs and oure poore children and if nowe thou béeing voide of all hope dcest séeke to persuade by oure meanes likewise to deceyue oure husbandes that bée come hither to put their liues in perill for our deliuerāce I assure thée thou vainely 〈◊〉 thy self for wée henceforth do purpose neuer to be 〈◊〉 of thée we require thée also to thinke and stedfastly beléeue that our husbands heads be not so much bewitched with follie as despising their wiues and children neglecting their dueties towards them will béeing in this forwardnesse abandon their preseruation and gyue ouer the libertie of their cositrey Think also that they litle esteme or wey that regard of vs their childrē in respect of the great cōtentation they shal attaine by vnyoking the libertie of their countrey from thy pride intollerable bondage which is worst of all from that tyrannie whiche neuer people felt the like For if thou were a King as thou 〈◊〉 a tyrant if thou were a Gentleman borne of noble kinde asthou art a slaue proceding from the deuil thou 〈◊〉 neuer execute thy curssed crueltie against a féeble kinde such as women be werest thou alone ioyned in singular cōbat with my baliant dere beloued husbande thou durst not hande to hande to shew thy face for cōmonly it is séene that the Courtely 〈◊〉 backed on wyth such mates as he is him selfe careth not what attempt he taketh in hande and stareth with haire vpright looking as though he would kill the deuill but when he is preast to seruice of the sielde and in order to encountre with his Princes foe vpon the small sway by shocke or push that thaunceth in the fight he is the first that taketh flight last that standeth to the face of his ennimie Such kinde off man art thou for so long as our husbands were farre of absent from their Countrie not able to ridde vs from thy thrall thou wroughtest thy malice then against their wiues at home doing the greatest crueltie towardes thē and their sucking babes that euer deuill could doe vpon the 〈◊〉 sorte and now thou séest them arriued here vnder our countrie walles thou fliest and séekest helpe at womens hands whose power if it serued them according to their willes would make thée tast the fruit of thy committed smart And as she would haue proceded further in hir liberall talke the Caitife tyrant not able to abide anie further speache troubled beyond measure presently commaunded the little childe of hir to be brought before him as though immediatly he woulde haue killed him as his seruaunts sought him out the mother espied him playing amōgs other children not knowing for his small stature and lesse yeres where he was become and calling him by his name said vnto him My boy come hither that first of all thou maist loose thy life to féele the proufe and haue experience of the cruell tyrannie wherin we be for more grieuous it is to me to sée thée serue against the nobilitie of thy bloud than dismembred and torne in pieces before my face As Megistona stoutly and vnfearfully had spoken those woordes the furious and angrie tyrant drew forth his glistering blade out of his sheathe purposing to haue slaine the gentlewoman had not one Cilon the familiar friend of Aristotimus staid his hand forbidding him to commit an acte so cruell This Cilon was a fained and counterfeit frend of the Tyrant very conuersant with other his familiar friendes but hated him with deadly hatred was one of them that with Hellanicus had conspired against the tirant This Gentleman then seing Aristotimus with so greate furie to ware wood against Megistona imbraced him and said that it was not the parte of a gentleman procéeding from a race right honoble by any meanes to 〈◊〉 his handes in womans bloud but rather the signe token of a cowardly knight wherefore he besought him to stay his hands Aristotimus persuaded by Cilon appeased his rage and forsoke the companie of the women Not long after a great prodige and wonder appeared in this sort before supper the tyrant and his wife withdrue themselues into their chāber and being there an Egle was séene to soare ouer the tyrants palace and being aloft by little and little to descend and letting fall from hir tallands a huge and great stone vppon the toppe of that chamber wyth clapping wings and flying noyse soared vp againe so farre as she was cleane out of sight from them that did behold hir With the rumor and shouts of those that saw this sight Aristotimus was appalled and vnderstanding the circumstance of the chaūce he sent for his diuine to declare the signification of this Augurie which greatly troubled his minde The Southsayer bad him to be of good chere for that it did portend the great fauor and loue which Iupiter bare vnto him
Prudent personage he dissembled his conceyued griefe expecting occasion for remedie of the same Now the time was come that Laelius and Massnissa wer 〈◊〉 for to the campe But to declare the teares lamentable talke the great 〈◊〉 and sighes vttered betwene this newe maried couple time would want and 〈◊〉 nesse wold ensue to the reader of the same He had skarce lyen with his beloued two or thrée nights but that Laelius to their great grief and sorow claimed hir to be his prisoner Wherfore very sorowful and pensiue he departed and retourned to the Campe. Scipio in honourable wise receiued him and openly before his Captaines and men of warre gaue thanks to Laelius him for their prowesse and notable exploites Afterwards sending for him into his Tent he said vnto him I do suppose my dere frend Massinissa that the vertue and beneuolence you saw in me did first of all prouoke you to transfrete the straites to visite me in Spaine wherin the goodwill of my valiant friend Syllanus did not a little anaile to sollicite and procure amitie betwéene vs both which afterwards induced your constant minde to retire into 〈◊〉 to commit both your self and all your goods into my hands and kéeping But I well pondering the qualitie of that vertue which moued you thervnto you being of 〈◊〉 and I of Europa you a Numidian borne and I a Latine and Romane of diuers customes language differēt thought that the temperance and abstinence from veneriall pleasures which you haue séene to be in me and experience therof well tried and proued for the which I render vnto the immortal Gods most hūble thanks wold or ought to haue moued you to follow mine example being these vertues which aboue al other I doe most esteme and cherish which vertues should haue allured you being a man of great prowesse and discretion to haue imitated and folowed the same For he that well marketh the rare giftes and excellent benefits wherwith dame nature hath 〈◊〉 you would thinke that there should be no lacke of diligence and trauell to subdue and ouercome the carnall appetites of temporal beautie which had it 〈◊〉 applied to the rare giftes of nature planted in you had made you a personage to the posteritie very famous and renoumed Consider wel my present time of youth full of courage youthly lust which contrary to that naturall race I stay and prohibite No delicate beautie no voluptuous delectation no seminine flatterie can intice the same to the perils and daungers wherevnto that héedelesse age is most prone and subiect by which prohibition of amorous passions temperatly raigned and gouerned the tamer and subduer of those passions closing his breast from lasciuious imaginations and stopping his eares from the Syrenes Marmaides of that sexe and kinde getteth greater glory and fame than that which we haue gotten by our victory had against Syphax Hannibal the greatest ennimie that euer we Romanes felt the stoutest gentleman captain without péere through the delites and imbracements of women effeminated is no more that mālike and notable Emperor which he was wont to be The great exploits enterprises which valiantly you haue done in Numidia when I was farre from you your care redinesse 〈◊〉 your strength and valor your expedition and bolde attepts with all the rest of your noble vertues worthy of immortall praise I might could perticulerly recite but to commend and extol them my heart and minde shal never be satisfied by renouaciō wherof I shuld rather giue occasion of blushing than my selfe could be contented to let them sléepe in silence Syphax as you know is taken prisoner by the valiaunce of our men of warre by reason wherof him self his wife his kingdom his campe lands cities and inhabitants and briefly all that which was king Syphax is the pray and spoile to the Romane people and the king and his wife albeit she was no Citizen of Carthage and hir father although no captaine of our ennimies yet we must send them to Rome there to leaue them at the pleasure and disposition of the Romane 〈◊〉 nate and people Doe you not know that Sophonisba with hir toyes flatteries did alienat and withdraw king Syphax from our amitie and friendship and made him to enter force of armes against vs Be you ignoraunt that she ful of rancor and malice against the Romane people endeuored to set al 〈◊〉 against vs now by hir faire inticements hath gained and wonne you not I say our 〈◊〉 but an ennimie so farre as she can with hir cruell inchauntmēts What damage and hurt haue lighted vpō diuers Monarches and Princes through sugred lips and venemous woords I will not spend time to recite With what prouocations and cōiured charmes she hath already bewitched your good nature I wil not now imagine but referre the same to the déepe consideration of your wisdome Wherefore Massinissa as you haue bene a Conquerer ouer great nations and prouinces be now a conquerer ouer your owne mind and appetites the victorie whereof deserueth greater praise than the conquest of the whole world Take héede I say that you blot not your good qualities and conditions with the spots of dishonor and pusillanimitie 〈◊〉 not that fame which hitherto is 〈◊〉 aboue the Region of the glittering starres Let not this vice of Feminine flatterie spoile the deserts of Noble chiualrie vtterly deface those 〈◊〉 with greater ignominie than the cause of that offence is worthie of dispraise Massinissa hearing these egre sharp rebukes not only blushed for shame but bitterly werping said that his poore prisoner and wife was at the commaundemēt of Scipio Noiwithstanding so instantly as teares woulde suffer him to speake he besought hym that if it were possible he would giue him leaue to obserue his faith foolishly assured bicause he had made an othe to Sophonisba that with life she should not be deliuered to the handes of the Romanes And after other talke betwene them Massinissa departed to his pauilion where alone with manifold sighes with most bitter teares and plaintes vttered with such houlings and outcries as they were heard by those which stode about the same he rested al the day bewailing his present state the most part of the night also he spent with like heauinesse and debating in his minde vpon diuers thoughts and deuises more confused and amased than before he could by no meanes take any rest sometimes he thought to flée and passe the straights commonly called the pillers of Hercules from thence to saile to the Fortunate Islandes with his wife then again he thought with hir to escape to Carthage in ayde of that Citie to serue against the Romans somtimes he purposed by sword poison halter or som such means to end his life and finish his dolorous days many times he was at point by prepared knife sworde to pierce his heart yet stayed the same not for feare of death but for preseruatiō of his fame
Gods of comforte The affaires be so manifold and businesse so graue and weightie which we haue to doe with diuers countreyes that scarce wée haue time to eate and space to take any rest the Roman Princes hauing still by auncient custome both lacke of tyme and commonly wante of money And bicause that they which haue charge of common wealths to the vttermost of their power ought to be frends to traficke of marchandise and enimies of heaping treasure togethers Princes haue so many people to please and so greate numbre of crauers that if they kepe any thing for them the same shall rather 〈◊〉 a spice of theft than of prouidence To take away an other mans goodes truly is a wicked part but if it bée permitted to accumulate treasure and money together better it were to take it out of the Temples than to defraude the people For the one is consecrated to the immortall Gods and the other to the poore Commons I speake this right honorable Fathers to put you in remembraunce and also to aduise you that you take good héede to the goodes of the Common welthe howe they be dispended howe gathered together howe they be kept and how they be employed For ye ought to vnderstande that the goodes of the Common wealth be committed to you in trust not to the ende ye shoulde enioy them but rather by good gouernement to vse them We do heare that the walles be readie to sall the towers in decay and the temples be come to great ruine wherof we be not a little offended and you ought also to be ashamed for so much as the damages and detrimentes of the Cōmon welth we ought either to remedie or else to lament Ye haue written vnto me to know my pleasure whether the Censors Pretors Ediles shold be 〈◊〉 chosen and not perpetuall as hitherto they haue bene and specially you say that the state of the Dictator which is the greatest and highest dignitie in Rome is onely 〈◊〉 sixe moneths To that I answere that we are well contented with that aduise For not without cause and iust reason our predecessours did 〈◊〉 the firste Kings of Rome and ordeined that the Consuls shoulde yerely bée chosen in the common wealth Which was done in consideration that he whiche had perpetuall gouernement many times became insolent and proude And 〈◊〉 that the charges and offices of the Senate should be yerely to auoide daunger which if they should be perpetuall there might ensue great hurte and damage to the Common wealth For if the Officers being yerely chosen be good they may be continued And if they bée euill they may be chaunged And truely the officer which knoweth that vpon the ende of euery yeare he must be chaunged and examined of his charge he wil take good hede to that which he speaketh and first of all will wel consider what he taketh in hande The good Marcus Portius was the fyrst that caused the Officers of the Romane Common wealthe to thée thus visited and corrected And bycause that these Almayne warres dee still increase by reason that the Kyng Deceball wyll not as yet bée brought to obedience of the Romanes but rather goth about to occupie and winne the Kingdomes of Dacia and Polonia I shall be forced through the businesse of the warrs so long continuing to deuise and consult here vpon the affaires cōcerning the gouernemēt of the cōmon welth of Rome For a lesse euill it is for a Prince to be negligent in matters of warre than in the gouernement of the common wealth A prince also ought to thinke that he is chosen not to make warres but to gouerne not to kill the enimies but to roote out vices not that he go in person to inuade or defend his foes but that he reside and be in the cōmon welth not to take away other mens goodes but to do iustice to euery mā for somuch as the prince in that warres can fight but for one and in the publike wealth he cōmitteth faults against a numbre Truly it liketh me wel that from the degrée of Captains men be aduaūced to be Emperors but I thinke it not good that Emperours do descend to be Captains considering that the realme shal neuer be in quiet whē the Prince is to great a warrior This haue I spokē Fathers cōscript to the intēt ye may beleue that I for my part if these warres of Almayne were to begin I beyng at Rome it were impossible that I should be brought vnto the same for that my principall intent is to be estemed rather a good gouerner of a common wealth than a foreward Captain in the field Now then principally I commend vnto you the veneration of the Temples and honor of the Gods bicause Kings neuer liue in suretie if the Gods be not honored and the Temples serued The last words which my good Lorde Nerua wrote vnto mée were these Honour the Temples feare the Gods maynteine Iustice in thy Common wealth and defende the poore in so doing thou shalte not bee for gotten of thy friende nor vanquished by thy ennimies I do greatly recommende vnto you the vertues of 〈◊〉 and Fraternitie for that you know that in great cōmon wealthes greater hurt and damage do ciuile and neighborly warres bring vnto the same than those attempted by the enimies If parents against parentes and neighbours againste neighbours had not begon their mutuall hatred contencion neuer had Demetrius ouerthrowen the Rhodes neuer had Alexander conquered Thyr Marcellus Syracusa Scipio Nuimantia I recōmende vnto you also the poore people loue the Orphanes and fatherlesse children support and help the widowes beware of quarels and debates amongs you and the causes of the helplesse fée that ye maintaine and defende bicause the gods did neuer wreake more 〈◊〉 vengeance vpon any than vpon those which did ill intreat and vse the poore and nedie And many times I haue heard my lorde Nerua say that the Gods neuer shewed them selues so rigorous as against a mercilesse and vnpitiful people Semblably we pray you to be modest of wordes pacient to suffer ware in your forme of life For a great fault it is and no lesse shame to a gouerner that he praise the people of his cōmon wealthe and gyue them occasion to speake euill of him And therfore they which haue charge of the cōmon welth ought rather to repose trust in their workes than in their words for so much as the citizens or cōmon people do rather fire their iudgement vpon that which they sée than on that which they heare I woulde wishe that touchyng the affaires appertinent to the Senate they might not know in you any sparke of ambicion malice deceipt or enuie to the intent that the iust men might not so much complaine of the commaunding of the common wealth as vpon the entertainement and profite of the same The Empire of the Grekes and that of the Romanes were euer contrary as well in armes and lawes
therfore was there redie to sacrifice his life at his maiesties disposition and pleasure Acharisto by nature coulde tell his tale excedyngly well and the more his tongue stode him in seruice the greater appered his eloquence Whiche so pierced the minde of the King and persuaded the Counsellers and other of the Court as he was demed giltlesse of the treason and the matter was so debated and the King intreated to graūt him pardon as he was accompted most worthie of his fauour Then the Kyng by the aduise of his Counsell was persuaded that by force of hys proclamation his daughter should be giuen to Acharisto in mariage and his Kingdome for a dowrie bicause hée had offered his owne head accordyng to the effecte of the same So the King repenting him self that he had offended Acharisto in the ende agréed to the aduise of his counsel and gaue him his daughter to wife Whereof Euphimia was so ioyful as they bée that atteine the summe of their heartes desire The father liued one whole yeare after this mariage and Euphimia so pleasant a life for a certaine time as was possible for any Gentlewoman Hir father was no sooner dead but the vnkind mā nay rather brute beaste had forgotten all the benefites receyued of his kinde and louing wise and hauing by hir only meanes gotten a Kingdom began to hate hir so straungely as he could not abide hir sight Such is the propertie of cancred obliuion which after it crepeth into ambicious heades neuer hath minde of passed amitie ne regardeth former benefite but like a monster and deadly enimie to humane nature ouerwhelmeth in his bottomlesse gulfe all pietie and kindenesse and determined in the ende for recompence of such great good turnes to despoile hir of hir life Howe thinke you faire Ladies was not thys a faire rewarde for the loue the trauailes and sorrowes susteined for this ingrate and villainous man by that royal ladie to saue his life and to take him to husband Here is manifest probatum that in a vile and seruile minde no vertue no duetie no receiued benefites can be harboured Here is a lesson for yong Gentlewomen to beware how they contemne and despise the graue aduise of their auncient fathers Here they maye sée the damage and hurt that vnaduised youth incurreth when neglecting their parentes holeseme admonitions they giue them selues to the loue of suche as bée 〈◊〉 their estate and calling For what should aile the gentle pucell borne of gentle bloud but to match hir self in like affinitie not to care for currish kind or race of 〈◊〉 Bée there no Gentlemen to be founde of personage and beautie woorthie to ioyne in loue with them Bée they so precious in nature or tēder in education as their like can not be vouchsafed to couple in mariage yoke Compare the glistering golde to drossie durte and such is the difference betwéene gentle and vngentle But perhaps bringing vp may alter nature and custome transforme defect of birth As Licurgus the lawemaker dyd trie betwene the Currish whelpe and the Spaniell kinde both by training vp running to their contraries the Spaniel not vsed to hunte eigre vpon the potage dishe the other nouseled in that pastyme pursuing his game But that Metamorphosis is seldome séene amongs humane sort and therfore I aduise the gentle kind to match them selues in equall lotte and not to trust sir Customes curtesie in choise of féere Returne we then to vnkind Acharisto who now in full possession of his desired praio reuerting to his puddle of carlish will and cancred nature after many thousande wrongs done to this moste noble and gentle Quéene accused hir to be an adulteresse and as one in déede although most innocent she was condemned to the mercilesse fire Philon King of Peloponessus which as we haue said before loued Euphimia as did the balles of his owne eyes vnderstanding the crueltie that this wicked mā vsed towards hir to whom both his life kingdome did belong moued with nobilitie of minde determined to declare to Euphimia the inwarde feruent loue which 〈◊〉 bare hir and to chastise Acharisto for his ingratitude with due correction Wherfore depely debatyng with hym selfe of this aduenture thus hée sayde Nowe is the time Euphimia that Philon shewe what faithful loue he hath euer born vnto thée and that he deliuer thée bothe from the present daunger wherein thou art and from the hands of that vnkynde wretche that is farre vnworthie of such a wife For if thou haddest agréed to thy fathers will and yelded to the pursute of him that loued thée best thou haddest no néede of rescue nowe ne yet bene in perill of the wastful flames of fire which be readie to consume thy nesh and tender corps full tenderly sometymes beloued of thy deare father and of thy louing friend Philon. When he had spoken those wordes he earnestly disposed him selfe vpon that enterprise There was in those days a custome in Corinth that they which were condemned to death were caried iii. miles forth of the Citie and there the sentence pronounced against them wer put to execution Philon hauyng intelligence hereof did put in readinesse a good troupe of horsemen and being secretely imbarked arriued at Corinth and closely the nyght before Euphimia shoulde be brought to the fire harde by the place where the miserable Ladie should be burnt into a wood he conueyed his people and so soone as the Sergeants and officers were approched nere the place with the ladie he issued forth and did set vpon the throng not suffering one of them to remaine aliue to carie newes When he had deliuered Euphimia from that prcsent daunger of hir life the companie dispercled he said to the Quene Now thou mayst sée faire Quéene the diuersitie betwene the disloyaltie and vnkindnesse of Acharisto and the faith and loue of Philon. But for that I meane not to leaue hys ingratitude vnreuenged thou shalte stays here vntill thou heare newes of the due 〈◊〉 whiche I shall giue him Those dire and cruell wordes foretolde of hir husbandes death moued hir honest and Princely hearte which by no meanes coulde be altered from the gentle nature which it had first tasted and receiued And although she had suffred mortall solemne iniurie of hir vnkinde husband for manifolde benefites yet she good Gentlewoman woulde permit no duetie of a trustie and faithfull wife vnperformed Wherfore she besoughte Philon vpon hir knées not to procéede to further reuenge of Acharisto telling him that enough it was for hir to haue escaped that presente perill from which he like a Princely Gentleman had deliuered hir and therfore during hir life was most bounde vnto him Philon greately wondred at the goodnesse of this Ladie howbeit the ingratitude of that 〈◊〉 by no meanes he woulde suffer to bée vnpunished And béeing aduertised that Acharisto remained in his Palace without any suspicion of this aduenture banded neither with Guarde or other assurance committed Euphimia to safe
the same with ill digesture that muche a do shall I haue to be agréed with them and to remoue the grief which they shall conceiue against me for this mine enterprise wherefore I would the same should secretely be kept vntil without perill and daunger either of my self or of him whome I pretende to mary I may publish and manifest not my loue but the mariage which I hope in God shall soon be consummate and accomplished with one whome I doe loue better than my self and who as I full well do know doeth loue me better than his owne proper life Maister Bologna which till then harkned to the Dration of the Duchesse without mouing féeling himself touched so néere and hearing that his Ladie had made hir approche for mariage stode stil astonned his tongue not able to frame one word only fantasied a thousand 〈◊〉 in the aire and formed like numbre of imaginations in his minde not able to coniecture what hée was to whome the Duchesse had vowed hir loue the possession of hir beauty He could not thinke that this ioy was prepared for himself for that his Ladie spake no woord of him and he lesse durst opē his mouth and yet was wel assured that she loued him beyōd measure Not withstāding knowing the ficklenesse and vnstable heart of women he sayd vnto himself that she would chaunge hir minde for seing him to be so great a Cowarde as not to offer hys seruice to a Ladie by whome he saw himself so manie times bothe want only looked vpon intertained with some secresie more thā familiar The Duchesse which was a fine and subtile dame séeing hir friend rapt with the passion and standing stil vnmoueable through feare pale amazed as if hée had bene accused and condempned to die knew by that countenaunce astonishment of Bologna that she was perfectly beloued of him and so meaning not to suffer hym any longer to continue in that amaze ne yet to further fear him wyth hir dissembled and fained mariage of any other but with him she toke him by the hand and beholding him with a wāton and luring eye in such sort as the curious Philosophers themselues would awake if such a Lāpe and torch did shine within their studies she sayde thus vnto hym Seignor Anthonio I pray you be of good chéere torment not your self for any thing that I haue said I know well and of long time haue perceyued what good and faithfull loue you beare me with what affection you haue serued me sithens first you vsed my companie Thinke me not to be so ignorant but that I know ful wel by outward signes what secretes be hid in the inner heart and that coniectures many times doe giue me true and certaine knowledge of concealed things And am not so foolish to thinke you to be so vndiscrete but that you haue marked my countenaunce maner and therby haue knowen that I haue bene more affectioned to you than to any other For that cause sayd she straining him by the hād very louingly with cherefull coloure in hir face I sweare vnto you doe promise that if you so thinke méete it shall be none other but your self whom I wil haue desire to take to husband and lawfull spouse assuring my self so much of you as the loue which so long time hath ben hidden couered in our hearts shal appeare by so euident proofe as only death shal end vndoe the same The gentleman hearing such sodain talk the assurāce of that which he most wished for albeit he saw that daunger extréeme wherunto he laūched himself by espousing this great Ladie the enimies he shold get by entring such aliance notwithstanding building vpon vaine hope and thinking at length that the choler of the Aragon brother would passe away if they vnderstoode that mariage determined to pursue that purpose not to refuse that great preferment being so prodigally offred for which cause he answered his Lady in this maner If it were in my power madame to bring to passe that which I desire for your seruice by acknowledging of the benefits fauors which you depart vnto me as my mind presenteth thāks for the same I wold think my self the happiest Gentlemā that lyueth you the best serued Princesse of the world For one better beloued I dare presume to say and so long as I liue wil affirm is not to be found If til this time I delayed to opē that which now I discouer vnto you I beséeche you Madame to impute it to the greatnesse of your estate and to the duetie of my calling office in your house being not séemely for a seruant to talk of such secretes with his Ladie and mistresse And truely that pain which I haue indured to holde my peace and to hide my griefe hath bene more noysome to me than one hundred thousand like sorowes together although it had ben lawfull to haue reuealed thē to some trusty friend I do not deny madame but of long time you did perceiue my follie and presumption by addressing my minde so high as to the Aragon bloud and to such a Princesse as you be And who cā beguile the eye of a Louer specially of hir whose Paragon for good minde wisedom gentlenesse is not And I cōfesse to you bisides that I haue most euidently perceiued how certain loue hath lodged in your gracious heart wherwith you bare me greater affection thā you did to any other within the compasse of your familie But what Great Ladies hearts be fraught with secretes conceits of other effects than the minds of simple womē which caused me to hope for none other guerdon of my loyal faithfull affection than death the same very short Sith that litle hope accompanied with great nay rather extreme passion is not able to giue sufficiēt force both to suffer to stablish my heart with constancie Now for so much as of your motion grace curtesie liberalitie the same is offred that it pleaseth you to accept me for yours I hūbly beseche you to dispose of me not as husband but of one which is shal be your seruaunt for euer such as is more ready to obey thā you to cōmaund It resteth now Madame to consider how in what wise our affairs are to be directed that things being in assurāce you may so liue without peril and brute of slaunderous tongues as your good fame honest port may continue without spot or blemish Beholde the first Acte of the Tragedie and the prouision of the fare which afterwardes sent them bothe to their graue who immediately gaue their mutuall faith and the houre was assigned the next day that the fair Princesse shold be in hir chamber alone attended vpon with one only Gentlewoman which had ben brought vp with the Duchesse frō hir cradle was made priuie to the heauy mariage of those two louers which was consummate in hir presence And
make hir chafe or force hir into rage he promised the execution of hir cursed will thanking hir for hir aduertisement and that he would prouide for his defense surety And to the intent that she might thinke he went about to performe his promise he tooke his leaue of hir to goe to Milan which he did not to folow the abhominable will of that rauenous mastife but to 〈◊〉 the matter to his companion and direct the same as it deserued Being arriued at Milan the 〈◊〉 Citie of Lombardie he imparted to Gaiazzo from point to point the discourse of the Countesse and the 〈◊〉 she made vnto him whē she had done hir tale O God sayd the Lord Sanseuerino who can beware the traps of such whoores if by thy grace our hands be not forbidden and our hearts and thoughts guided by thy goodnesse Is it possible that the earth can bréede a mōster more pernicious than this most Pestilent beast This is truely the grift of hir fathers vsurie and the stench of all hir predecessors villanies It is impossible of a Bite to make a good Sparhauk or Tercel gentle This 〈◊〉 no doubt is the daughter of a vilain sprōg of the basest race amongs the common people whose mother was more fine than chaste more subtile than sober This mynion hath forsaken hir husband to erect bloudy skaffoldes of murder amid the Nobles of Italy And were it not for the dishonor which I should get to soile my 〈◊〉 in the bloud of a beast so corrupt I wold feare hir with my téethe in a hundreth thousand pieces How many times hath she entreated me before in how many sundrie sorts with ioyned hāds hath she besought me to kill the Lord Ardizzino Ah my companion and right well beloued friend shold you think me to be so traiterous and cowarde a knaue as that I dare not tel to thē to whom I beare displeasure what lieth in my heart By the faith of a Gentleman sayd Ardizzino I would be sory my minde should 〈◊〉 on such a follie but I am come to you that the song might sound no more wtin mine eares It behoueth vs then sith God hath kept vs hitherto to auoid the air of that infection that our braines be not putrified and from henceforth to flie those bloudsuckers the schollers of Venus for the goodnesse profit and honor that youth 〈◊〉 of them And truely great honor wold 〈◊〉 to vs to kill one an other for the only pastime and sottish fansie of that mynion I haue repented me an hundred times when she first moued me of the deuise to kill you that I did not giue hir a hundred Poignaladoes with my dagger to stop the way by that example for al other to attempt such but cheries For I am wel assured that the malice which she beareth you procedeth but of the delay you made for satisfaction of hir murderous desire wherof I thank you and yeld my self in al causes to imploy my life and that I haue to do you pleasure Leaue we of that talke sayd Gaiazzo for I haue done but my duety and that which eache Noble heart ought to euery wight doing wrong to none but proue to helpe and doe good to all Which is the true marke and badge of Nobilitie Touching that malignant strumpet hir own life shal reuenge the wrongs which she hath gone about to 〈◊〉 on vs. In meane while let vs reioyce and thinke the goods and richesse she hath gotten of vs will not cause hir bagges much to strout and swell To be shorte she hath nothing whereby she may greatly laughe vs to scorne except our good entertainment of hir both night and day 〈◊〉 peouoke hir Let other coine the pens henceforth to fill the coafers for of vs so farre as I see she is deceyued Thus the two Lordes passed for the their time and in all companies where they came the greatest part of their talke and communication was of the disordered life of the Countesse of Celant the whole 〈◊〉 rang of the sleights and meanes she vsed to trappe the Noble men and of hir pollicies to be rid of them whē hir thirst was stanched or diet grew lothsome for wāt of chaunge And that which griued hir most an Italian 〈◊〉 blased forth hir prowesse to hir great dishonor whereof the copy I cannot get and some say that Ardizzino was the author For it was composed whē he was dispossessed of pacience And if she coulde haue wreaked hir will on the Knights I beleue in hir rage she would haue made an 〈◊〉 of their bones Of which hir two enimies Ardizzino was the worsie against whom hir displeasure was the greater for that he was the first with whome she entred skirmish Nothing was more frequent in Pauie than villanous 〈◊〉 and playes vpon the filthy behauior of the Countesse which made hir ashamed to 〈◊〉 out of hir gates In the end she purposed to chaunge the aire and place hoping by that alteration to stay the infamous brute slaunder So she came to Milan wher first she was 〈◊〉 with state of honor in honest fame of chast life so long as 〈◊〉 Hermes liued and then was not pursued to staunche the thirst of those that did ordinarily draw at hir fountaine About the time that she departed frō Pauie Dom Pietro de Cardone a Scicilian the bastard brother of that Coūte of Colisano whose lieutenant he was their father slaine at that battail of Bicocca with a band of 〈◊〉 arriued at Milan This Scicilian was about the age of one or two twenty yeres somwhat black of face but well made and sterne of countenāce Whiles the Coūtesse soiorned at Milan this gentleman fell in loue with hir and searched al means he could to make hir his friend to enioy hir Who perceiuing him to be yong a nouice in skirmishes of loue like a Pigeon of the first coate determined to lure him and to serue hir turne in that which she purposed to doe on those against whome she was outragiously 〈◊〉 Now that better to entice this yong Lord vnto hir fātasy and to catch him with hir bait if he passed through the streat and saluted hir sighed after the maner of the 〈◊〉 roming before his Ladie she she wed him an indifferent mery countenance and sodainly restrained that cheere to make him 〈◊〉 the pleasure mingled 〈◊〉 the soure of one desire which he could not tel how to accomplish And the more faint was his hardinesse for that hee was neuer practised in daltance and seruice of Ladie of so great house or calling who thinking that Gētlewoman to be one of the principall of Milan was strangely vered tormented for hir loue in such wise as in that night he could not rest for fantasing and thinking vpon hir and in that day pased vp downe before the doore of hir lodging One euening for his disport he went forth to walk in 〈◊〉 of another gentleman which wel could play
be dead in respect of the liuely sparks and violent fire which sorteth from your faire eyes which fire hath so fiercely inflamed all the most sensible parts of my body as if I be not succored by the fauoure of your diuine graces I doe attend the time to be consumed to dust Scarse had he made an end of those last words but the daunce of the Torche was at an end Whereby Iulietta which wholly burnt with loue straightly clasping hir hand with his had no leisure to make other answere but softly thus to say My deare friend I know not what other assured witnesse you desire of Loue but that I let you vnderstand that you be no more your owne than I am yours being ready and disposed to obey you so farre as honoure shall permit beséeching you for the present time to content your selfe with this answere vntill some other season méeter to Communicate more secretely of our affaires Rhomeo séeing himself pressed to part with the companie and for that hée knewe not by what meanes hée might sée hir againe that was his life and death demaunded of one of his friends what she was who made answer that she was the daughter of Capellet the Lord of the house and maister of that dayes feast who wroth beyond measure that fortune had sent him to so daungerous a place thought it impossible to bring to end his enterprise begon Iulietta couetous on the other 〈◊〉 to know what yong Gentleman hée was which had so courteously intertaigned hir that night and of whome she felt the new wounde in hir heart called an olde Gentlewoman of honor which had nurssed hir and brought hir vp vnto whome she sayd leaning vpon hir shoulder Mother what two yong Gentlemen be they which first goe forth with the two torches before them Unto whome the olde Gentlewoman tolde the name of the houses whereof they came Then she asked hir againe what yong Gentleman is that which holdeth the visarde in his hande with the Damaske cloke about him It is quod she Rhomeo Montesche the sonne of your Fathers capitall enimy and deadly 〈◊〉 to all your kinne But the maiden at the only name of Montesche was altogither amazed dispairing for euer to attaine to husband hir great affectioned friend Rhomeo for the auncient hatreds betwene those two families Neuerthelesse she knew so wel 〈◊〉 to dissemble hir grief and discontented minde as the olde Gentlewoman perceiued nothing who then began to persuade hir to retire into hir chamber whome she obeyed and being in hir bed thinking to take hir wonted rest a great 〈◊〉 of diuers thoughts began to enuiron trouble hir minde in such wise as she was not able to close hir eyes but turning here there fātasied diuerse things in hir thought sometimes purposed to cut of the whole attempt of that amorous practise sometimes to continue the same Thus was the poore pucell 〈◊〉 with two contraries the one comforted hir to pursue hir intent the other proposed the imminent perill whervnto vndiscretely she headlong threw hir self And after she had wandred of long time in this amorous Laberinth she knew not wherupon to resolue but wept incessantly and accused hir self saying Ah Caitife and miserable creature from whence doe rise these vnaccustomed trauailes which I 〈◊〉 in minde prouoking me to loose my rest but infortunate wretch what doe I know if that yong Gentleman doe loue me as hée sayeth It may be vnder the vaile of sugred woords hée goeth about to steale away mine honoure to be reuenged of my Parents which haue offended his and by that meanes to my euerlasting reproche to make me the fable of the Verona people Afterwards sodainly as she condempned that which she suspected in the beginning sayd Is it possible that vnder such beautie and rare comelinesse disloyaltie and Treason may haue their siedge and lodging If it be true that the face is the faithfull messanger of the mindes conceit I may be assured that hee doeth loue me for I marked so many chaunged coloures in his face in time of his talke with me and sawe him so transported and bisides himself as I cannot wishe any other more certaine lucke of loue wherin I will persist immutable to the 〈◊〉 gaspe of life to the intent I may haue him to be my husband For it may so come to passe as this newe alliance shall 〈◊〉 a perpetuall peace and amitie betwene his house and mine Aresting then vpon this determination still as she saw Rhomeo passing before hir Fathers gate she shewed hir self with mery countenance and 〈◊〉 him so with looke of eye vntill she had lost his sight And continuing this manner of life for certain dayes Rhomeo not able to content himself with lookes daily did beholde and marke the situation of the house and one day amongs others hée espied Iulietta at hir chamber window bounding vpon a narow lane right ouer against which Chamber he had a gardeine which was the cause that Rhomeo fearing discouery of their loue began then in the day time to passe no more before the gate but so soone as the night with his browne mantell had couered the earth he walked alone vp and downe that little streat And after he had bene there many times missing the chiefest cause of his comming Iulietta impacient of hir euill one night repaired to hir 〈◊〉 and perceiued through the brightnesse of the Moone hir friend Rhomeo hard vnder hir window no lesse attended for than he himself was waighting Then she secretely with teares in hir eyes and with voyce interrupted by sighes sayd Signior Rhomeo me thinke that you hazarde your persone too much and commit the same into great danger at this time of the night to protrude your self to the mercy of thē which meane you little good Who if they had taken you would haue cut you in pieces and mine honor which I estéeme dearer than my life hindred suspected for euer Madame answered Rhomeo my life is in the hād of God who only cā dispose the same 〈◊〉 if any man had sought meanes to berieue me of life I should in the presence of you haue made him known what mine abilitie had 〈◊〉 to defend that 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding life is not so deare and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ̄ vnto me but that I could 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the same for your sake and although my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ben so great as to be dispatched in that place yet 〈◊〉 I no cause to be sory therefore excepte it had bene by loosing of meanes the same to forgoe the way how to make you vnderstand the good will and duety which I beare you desiring not to conserue the same for any commoditie that I hope to haue therby nor for any other respect but only to loue serue and honor you so 〈◊〉 as breath shal remaine in 〈◊〉 So soone as he had made an end of his talke loue and pitie began to sease vpon the heart of Iulictta and leaning hir head vpon hir 〈◊〉
giue To louing man that here on earth doth liue This great good turne which I on hir pretende Of my conceites the full desired ende Proceedes from thee O cruell mystres mine Whose froward heart hath made me to resigne The full effect of all my libertie To please and ease thy fonde fickle fansie My vse of speach in silence to remaine To euery wight a double hellish paine Whose faith hadst thou not wickedly abusde No stresse of paine for thee had bene refusde Who was to thee a trustie seruaunt sure And for thy sake all daungers would endure For which thou hast defaced thy good name And there vnto procurde eternall shame I That roaring tempest huge which thou hast made me felt The raging stormes whereof well nere my heart hath swelt By painefull pangs whose waltering waues by troubled skies And thousand blastes of winde that in those seas do rise Do promise shipwracke sure of that thy sayling Barke When after weather cleare doth rise some tempest darke For eyther I or thou which art of Tygres kinde In that great raging gulfe some daunger sure shalt finde Of that thy nature rude the dest'nies en'mies be And thy great ouerthrow full well they do foresee The heauens vnto my estate no doubt great friendship shoe And do seeke wayes to ende and finish all my woe This penance which I beare by yelding to thy hest Great store of ioyes shall heape and bring my minde to rest And when I am at ease amids my pleasaunt happes Then shall I see thee fall and suarlde in Fortunes trapes Then shall I see thee banne and cursse the wicked time Wherin thou madest me gulpe such draught of poysoned wine By which thy mortall cuppe I am the offred wight A vowed sacrifice to that thy cruell spight Wherefore my hoping heart doth hope to see the daie That thou for silence nowe to me shalt be the praie I O blessed God most iust whose worthy laude and praise With vttered speach in Skies aloft I dare not once to raise And may not wel pronoūce speak what suffrance I sustain Ne yet what death I do indure whiles I in life remaine Take vengeance on that traitresse rude afflict hir corps with woe Thy holy arme redresse hir fault that she no more do soe My reason hath not so farre strayed but I may hope and trust To see hir for hir wickednesse be whipt with plague most iust In the meane while great hauinesse my sense and soule doth bite And shaking feuer vexe my corps for grief of hir despite My mynde now set at libertie from thee O cruell dame Doth giue defiance to thy wrath and to thy cursed name Proclamyng mortall warre on thee vntill my tongue vntide Shall ioy to speake to Zilia fast wepyng by my side The heuēs forbid that causelesse wrōg abrode shold make his vaūt Or that an vndeserued death forget full tombe shoulde haunt But that in written boke and verse their names should euer liue And eke their wicked dedes should die and vertues still reuine So shall the pride and glorie both of hir be punisht right By length of yeares and tract of time And I by vertues might Full recompense therby shall haue and stande still in good fame And she like caitife wretche shall liue to hir long lasting shame Whose fond regarde of beauties grace contemned hath the force Of my true loue full fixt in hir hir heart voide of remorse Esteemed it selfe right foolishely and me abused still Vsurping my good honest faith and credite at hir will Whose loyall faith doth rest in soule and therin still shall bide Vntill in filthie stincking graue the earth my corps shall hide Then shal that soule fraught with that faith to heuēs make his 〈◊〉 And rest amōg the heuenly rout bedeckt with sacred aire paire And thou for thy great crueltie as God aboue doth know With rufull voice shalt weepe and waile for thy great ouerthrow And when thou wouldest fain purge thy self for that thy wretched No kindnesse shal to thee be done extreme shal be thy mede dede And where my tongue doth want his will thy mischief to display My hande and penne supplies the place and shall do so alway For so thou hast constrainde the same by force of thy behest In silence still my tong to kepe t' accomplishe thy request Adieu farewell my tormenter thy friend that is full mute Doth bid thee farewell once againe and so he ends his sute He that liueth only to be reuenged of thy cruelty Philiberto of Virle Zilia like a disdainfull woman made but a iest at the letters and complaints of the infortunat louer saying that she was very well content with his seruice And that when he should performe the time of his probatiou she should sée if he were worthy to be admitted into the felowship of them which had made sufficient proofe of the order and rule of loue In the meane time Philiberto rode by great iourneys as we haue sayd before towards the goodly and pleasant Countrey of Fraunce wherein Charles the seuenth that time did raigne who miraculously but giue the French man leaue to flatter speake vvel of his ovvne Countrey according to the flattering and vaunting nature of that Nation chased the English men out of his lands and auncient Patrimonie in the yeare of our Lord. 1451. This king had his campe then warfaring in Gascoine whose lucke was so fortunate as he expeld his enimies and left no place for thē to fortifie in the sayd Countrey which incouraged the king to folow that good occasion and by prosecuting his victorious fortune to profligat out of Normandie to dispatch himself of that enimy into whose handes and seruitude the Coūtrey of Guiene was rightly deliuered and victoriously wonne and gottē by the Englishmen The king then being in his Campe in Normandie the Piedmont Gentleman the Lord of Virle aforesayd repaired thereunto to serue him in his person where hée was well knowne of some Captaines which had séene him at other times and in place where worthy Gentlemen are wont to frequent and in the Duke of Sauoyes court which the Frenchmen did very much 〈◊〉 bicause the Earle of Piedmont that then was Duke of Sauoy had maried Iolanta the second daughter of Charles the seuenth These Gentlemen of Fraunce were very much sory for the misfortune of the Lord of Virle and knowing him to be one of the brauest and lustiest men of armes that was in his time within the Country of Piedmont presented him before the King commending vnto his grace the vertue gentlenesse and valianee of the man of warre Who after he had done his 〈◊〉 according to his duetie which he knew ful well to doe declared vnto him by signs that he was come for none other intent but in those warres to serue his maiesty whom the king heard and thākfully receiued assuring himself and promising very much of the 〈◊〉 Gitlemā for respect of his personage which was comely
pangs of death by remēbring the glory of my thought sith the recitall bringeth with it a tast of the trauails which you haue suffred for my ioy contentation It is therfore quod she that I think my self happy for by that meanes I haue knowne the perfect qualities that be in you haue proued two extremities of vertue One consisteth in your cōstancie and loyaltie wherby you may vaunt your self aboue him that sacrificed his life vpō the bloudy body of his Lady who for dying so finished his trauails Where you haue chosen a life worse than death no lesse painfull a hundred times a day than very death it self The other cōsisteth in the clemency wherwith you calme and appease the rage of your greatest aduersaries As my self which before hated you to death vanquished by your curtesie do confesse that I am double bound vnto you both for my life and honor and hearty thankes doe I render to the Lord Roderico for that violence he did vnto me by which meanes I was induced to acknowledge my wrong the right which you had to complaine of my folish resistance All is wel sayd Roderico sith without perill of honor we may returne home to our houses I intend therefore sayd he to send woord before to my Ladies your mothers of your returne for I know how so wel to couer and excuse this our enterprise and secrete iorneis as by Gods assistāce no blame or displeasure shal ensue therof And like as sayd he smiling I haue builded the fortresse which shot into your campe and made you flie euen so I hope Gentlewoman that I shall be the occasion of your victory when you combat in close cāpe with your swéete cruel enimy Thus they passed the iorney in pleasant talke recompēsing the. 〈◊〉 louers with al honest vertuous intertainmēt for their 〈◊〉 and troubles past In the meane while they sent one 〈◊〉 their seruants to the two widow ladies which were 〈◊〉 great care for their childrē to aduertise them that Gineura was gone to visite Dom Diego then being in one of the castles of Roderico where they were determined if it were their good pleasure to consūmate their mariage hauing giuen faith affiance one to the other The mother of Gineura could not here tel of more pleasant newes for she had vnderstāded of the folish flight escape of hir daughter with that steward of hir house wherof she was very sorowful for grief was like to die but assured recōforted with those news she 〈◊〉 not to mete the mother of Dom Diego at the apointed place whither the y. louers were arriued two days before There the mariage of that fair couple so long desired was 〈◊〉 with such magnificence as was requisite for the state of those two noble houses Thus the torment 〈◊〉 made the ioy to sauour of some other taste than they do feele which without pain in that exercise of loues pursute attain the top of their desires And truly their pleasure was altogether like to him that nourished in superfluous delicacie of meates can not aptely so well iudge of pleasure as he which sometimes lacketh that abundance And verily Loue without bitternesse is almost a cause without effectes for he that shall take away griefs and troubled fansies from louers depriueth them of the praise of their stedfastnesse and maketh baine the glorie of their perseuerance for he is vnworthie to beare away the price and garlande of triumph in the conflict that behaueth himself like a coward and doth not obserue the lawes of armes and manlike dueties in the combat This historie then is a mirrour for loyall louers and chaste suters and maketh them detest the vnshamefastnesse of those which vpon the first view do folowe with might and maine the Gentlewoman or Ladie that giueth them good face or countenāce wherof any gentle heart or mind noursed in the scholehouse of vertuous education will not bée squeymish to those that shal by chast salutation or other incountrie doe their curteous reuerence This historie also yeldeth contempt of them which in their affection forget them selues abasting the generositie of their courages to be reputed of fooles the true champions of Loue whose like they be that desire such regarde For the perfection of true Loue consisteth not in passions in sorowes griefes martirdomes or cares and much lesse arriueth he to his desire by sighes exclamations wepings and childish playnts for so much as vertue ought to be the bande of that indissoluble amitie which maketh the vnion of the two seuered bodies of that woman man which Plato describeth causeth man to trauell for his whole accomplishment in that true pursute of chast loueIn which labor truly fondly walked Dom Diego thinkyng to finde the same by his dispaire amidde the sharp solitarie deserts of those Pyrene mountains And truly the duetie of his perfect friende did more liuely disclose the same what fault so euer he dyd than all his countenances eloquent letters or amorous messages In like maner a man dothe not know what a treasure a true friend is vntil he hath proued his excellencie specially where necessitie maketh him to tast the swetnesse of such delicate meate For a friend being a second himself agréeth by a certaine natural 〈◊〉 attonement to the affections of him whō he loueth both to participate his ioyes and pleasures and to sorrowe his aduersitie where Fortune shall vse by some misaduentures to shewe hir accustomed moblitie Salimbene and Angelica ¶ A Gentleman of SISNA called ANSELMO SALIMBENE curteously and gently deliuereth his 〈◊〉 from death The condemned partie seing the kinde parte of SALIMBENE rendreth into his hands his sister ANGELICA with whome he was in loue which gratitude and curtesie SALIMBENE well marking moued in conscience woulde not abuse hir but for recompense toke hir to his wife The. xxx Nouel WE do not mean here to discouer the sumptuositie magnificence of Palaces stately won derfull to the viewe of mē ne yet to reduce to memorie that maruellous effects of mās industry to build and lay foúdations in the déepest chanel of the maine sea ne to describe their ingenious industrie in breking the craggy mountaines and hardest rocks to ease the crooked passages of wearie wayes for armies to marche through inaccessible places Onely now do we pretende to shewe the effects of loue whiche surmount all opinion of cōmon things and appere so miraculous as the founding and erecting of the Collisaei Colossaei Theatres Amphitheatres Pyramides and other workes wonderful to the world for that the hard indured path of hatred and displeasure long time begoon and obstinately pursued with straunge crueltie was conuerted into loue by theffect of loue and concorde suche as I know none but is so much astoonned as he may haue good cause to wonder consideryng the stately foundations vpon which kings and great monarches haue employed the chiefest reuenues of their prouinces Nowe like as Ingratitude is a vice of
was called Angēlica a name of trouth without offense to other due to hir For in very déede in hir were harbored the vertue of curtesy and gentlenesse and was so wel instructed and nobly brought vp as they which loued not the name or race of hir could not forbeare to commend hir and wish that their daughter were hir like In suche wise as one of hir chiefest foes was so sharpely beset with hir vertue and beautie as he lost his quiet sléepe lust to eate drinke His name was Anselmo Salimbene who wold willingly haue made sute to marry hir but the discord past quite mortified his desire so sone as he had deuised the plot within his braine and fansie Notwithstāding it was impossible that the loue so liuely grauen and 〈◊〉 in his minde could easily be defaced For if once in a day he had not séene hir his heart did fele the tormēts of tosting flames and wished that the Hunting of the Bore had neuer decayed a familie so excellent to the intent he might haue matched himself with hir whome none other coulde displace out of his remembraunce which was one of the richest Gentlemen and of greatest power in Siena Now for that he ourst not discouer his amorous grief to any person was the chiefest cause that martired most his heart for the auncient festred malice of those two families he despaired for euer to gather either floure or fruit of that affection presupposing that Angelica would neuer fire hir loue on him for that his Parents were the cause of the defaite ouerthrow of the Montanine house But what There is nothing durable vnder the heauens Both good and euill 〈◊〉 their reuolution in the gouernement of humane affaires The amities and hatreds of Kings and Princes be they so hardned as commonly in a moment he is not 〈◊〉 to be a hearty friend that lately was a 〈◊〉 foe and spired naught else but the ruine of his aduer farie We sée the varietie of humane chaunces and then 〈◊〉 iudge at eye what great simplicitie it is to stay settle certain and infallible iudgemit vpon 〈◊〉 vnstayed doings He that erst gouerned a king made all things to tremble at his word is sodainly throwne downe dieth a shamefull death In like sort another which loketh for his owne vndoing séeth himselfe aduaunced to his estate againe and vengeaunce taken of his enimies Calir Bassa gouerned whilom that great Mahomet that wan the Empire of Constantinople who attempted nothing without the aduise of that Bassa But vpon the sodain he saw himself reiected the next day strangled by commaundement of him which so greatly honored him without iust cause did him to a death so cruell Contrariwise Argon the T artarian entring armes against his vncle Tangodor Caui when he was vpon the point to lose his life for his rebellion and was conueyed into Armenia to be executed there was rescued by certain T artarians the houshold seruaūtes of his dead vncle and afterwards proclaimed king of T artarie about the yere 1285. The example of the Empresse Adaleda is of no lesse credit than the former who being fallen into the hands of Beranger the vsurper of that Empire escaped his fury and cruelty by flight in the end maried to Otho the first saw hir wrong reuenged vpō Beranger and al his race by hir sonne Otho the second I aduouch these histories to proue the mobility of fortune the chaunge of worldly chaunces to the end you may sée that the very same miserie which followed Charles Montanine hoisted him aloft again when he loked for least succor he saw deliueraunce at hād Now to prosecute our history know ye that while Salimbenc by little litle pined for loue of Angelica wherof she was ignorāt carelesse and albeit she curteously rendred health to him when somtime in his amorous fit he beheld hir at a window yet for al that she neuer gessed the thoughts of hir louing enimy During these haps it chaūced that a rich citizen of Siena hauing a ferme adioyning to the lāds of Montanine desirous to encrease his patrimonie annere the same vnto his owne and knowing that the yong gentleman wanted many things moued him to sel his inheritaunce offring him for it in redy mony a M. Ducates Charles which of all the wealth substaunce left him by his auncester had no more remaining but that countrey ferme a Palace in the Citie so the rich Italians of eche city terme their houses and with that litle liued honestly maintained his sister so wel as he could refused flatly to dispossesse himselfe of that porcion which renewed vnto him that happy memory of those that had ben the chief of al the cōmon wealth The couetous wretch seing himself frustrate of his pray conceiued such rancor against Montanine as he purposed by right or wrōg to make him not only to for fait the same but also to lose his life following the wicked desire of tirannous Iesabel that made Naboth to be stoned to death to extorte and wrongfully get his vineyarde About that time for the quarels cōmon discordes raigning throughout Italy that nobilitie were not assured of safety in their countreis but rather the cōmon sort rascall nūber were that chief rulers and gouerners of the cōmon wealth whereby the greatest part of the nobilitie or those of best authoritie being banished the villanous band and grosest kind of common people made a law like to the Athenians in the time of Solon that all persons of what degrée cōditiō so euer they were which practized by himselfe or other meanes the restablishing or reuocation of such as wer banished out of their Citie shold lose forfaite the sum of M. Florens and hauing not wherewith to pay the condempnation their heade should remaine for gage A law no dout very iust and righteous scenting rather of the barbarous cruelty of the Gothes and 〈◊〉 thā of true christians stopping the retire of innocents exiled for particular quarels of Citizens incited one against another and rigorously rewarding mercy and curtesie with execution of cruelty incomparable This citizen then purposed to accuse Montanine for offending against the lawe bicause otherwise he could not purchase his entent and the same was easy inough for him to compasse by reason of his authority and estimation in the Citie for the enditement and plea was no sooner red and giuen but a number of post knightes appeared to depose against the pore gentleman to beare witnesse that he had trespassed the lawes of the Countrey and had sought meanes to introduce the banished with intent to kill the gouerners and to place in state those 〈◊〉 that were the cause of the Italian troubles The miserable gentleman knew not what to do ne how to defend himself There were against him the Moone the. vy starres the state of the Citie the Proctor and Iudge of the court the witnesses that gaue
while vnder a bush awaked one espied the other to whom the Scoler sayd Good morow Lady be the damsels yet come The woman séeing and hearing him begā again bitterly to wéepe and prayed him to come vp to the Toure that she might speake with hym The Scholer was therunto very agreable and she lying on hir belly vpō the terrasse of the Toure discouering nothing but hir head ouer that side of the same said vnto him wéeping Rinieri truly if euer I caused thée to endure an il night thou art now well reuenged on me for although it be the moneth of 〈◊〉 I thought because I was naked that I shold haue frosen to death this night for cold besides my great and continual teares for the offense which I haue done thée and of my folly for beleuing thée that maruel it is mine eyes do remaine 〈◊〉 my head therfore I pray thee not for the loue of me whom thou oughtest not to loue but for thine own 〈◊〉 which art a gentleman that the shame paine which I haue sustained may satisfy the offense wrong I haue cōmitted against 〈◊〉 cause mine aparel to 〈◊〉 brought vnto me that I may go towne frō hēce take not that frō me which 〈◊〉 thou art not able to restore which is mine honor for if I haue depriued thée of being with me that night I cā at all times when it shall please thée render many for that 〈◊〉 Let 〈◊〉 suffise thée then with this and like an honest mā content thy self by being a little reuēged on me in making me to know what it is to hurt another Do not I pray thée practise thy power against a woman for the Egle hath no fame for conquering of the Doue Then for the loue of God and for thine honor sake haue pitie and remorse vpon me The Scholer with a cruel heart remembring the iniury that he had receiued and seing hir so to weepe and pray conceiued at one instant both pleasure griefe in his minde pleasure of the reuenge which he aboue all things desired and grief moued his manhode to haue compassion vpon the miserable woman Notwithstanding pitie not able to ouercome the fury of his desire he answered Mistresse Helena if my prayers which in 〈◊〉 I could not moisten 〈◊〉 teares ne yet swéeten them with sugred woordes as you doe yours now might haue obtained that night wherein I thought I should haue died for colde in the Court ful of snowe to haue bene conueyed by you into some couert place an easie matter it had bene for me at this instant to heare your sute But if now more than in times past your honor doe ware warme and be so greuous for you to stande starke naked make your prayers to him betwene whose armes it grieued you not at all to be naked that night wherein you heard me trot vp downe the court my téeth chattering for colde and marching vpon the snow and at his hands séeke reliefe and pray him to bring your clothes and fetche a ladder that you may come downe force your self to set your honoures care on him for whome bothe then and nowe besides many other times you haue not feared to put the same in perill why doe you not cal for him to come and help you and to whome doth your helpe better appertaine than vnto him You are his owne what things will he not prouide in this distresse of yours or else what person will hée séeke to succour if not to helpe and succour you Cal him foolish woman and proue if the loue which thou 〈◊〉 him and thy wit together with his be able to deliuer thée from my folie wherat whē both you were togethers you toke your pleasure And now thou hast experiēce whether my folly or the loue which thou diddest beare vnto him is the greatest And be not now so liberall and curteous of that which I go not about to séeke 〈◊〉 thy good nightes to thy 〈◊〉 friend if thou chaunce to escape from hence aliue for from my selfe I cléerely discharge you both And truely I haue had to much of one and sufficient it is for me to be mocked once Moreouer by thy craftie talke vttered by subtill speache and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praise thou thinkest to force the getting of my good will and thou callest me Gentleman valiant man thinking thereby to withdrawe my valiant minde from punishing of thy wretched body but thy flateries shal not yet blear mine vnderstanding eyes as once with thy vnfaithfull promises thou diddest beguile my ouerwening wit I now too well do know and thereof 〈◊〉 thée well assure that all the time I was a scholer in Paris I neuer learned so much as thou in one night diddest me to vnderstande But put the case that I wer a valiāt man yet thou art none of them vpon whom valiance ought to shewe his effectes for the ende of repentance in such cruel beasts as thou art and the like reuenge oughte to be death alone where amongs men thy pitifull plaintes whiche so lamētably thou speakest ought to suffise But yet as I am no Eagle 〈◊〉 no Doue but a most venomous serpent I intende so well as I am able so persecute thée mine auncient enimie with the greatest malice I can deuise which I can not so proprely call reuenge as I may terme it correction for that the reuēge of a matter ought to surmount the offense yet I wil bestow no reuenge on thée for if I wer disposed to applie my mynde thervnto for respect of thy displeasure done to me thy life shoulde not suffise nor one hundred more like vnto thine which if I tooke away I shold but rid a vile mischeuous wicked woman out of the world And to say the 〈◊〉 what other deuill art thou to 〈◊〉 passe a litle beautie 〈◊〉 thy face which within few yeares will be so riueled as the oldest cribbe of the world but the most vnhappie and wicked woman the dame of the diuell himselfe for thou tookest no care to kill and destroy an honest man as thou euen now diddst terme me whose life may in time to come bée more profitable to the worlde than an hundred thousande suche as thyne so long as the worlde indureth I wil teach thée then by the pain thou suffrest what it is to mock such men as be of skil and what maner of thyng it is to delude and scorne poore Scholers giuyng thée warning hereby that thou neuer fall into such like follie if thou escapest thys But if thou haue so great a wil to come downe as thou sayest thou haste why doest thou not leape and throwe downe thy selfe that by breaking of thy necke if it so please God at one instant thou ridde thy selfe of the payne wherin thou sayest thou art and make me the beste contented man of the worlde For this time I will saye no more to thée but that I haue done inough for thée by making thée
care or more prouident héede ought to be taken in iesting with a Scholer than with any other cōmon person nor wel remembring how they 〈◊〉 know not all I say but the greatest part where the Diuell holdeth his taile and therfore take héede good wiues and widowes how you giue your selues to mockes and daliaunce specially of Scholers But now turne we to another widowe that was no amorous dame but a sober matrone a motherly gentlewoman that by pitie and money redemed raūsomed a Kings sonne out of miserable captiuity being vtterly abandoned of all his friendes The maner and meanes how the Nouel ensuing shall she we Camiola and Rolande ¶ A Gentlewoman 〈◊〉 widowe called CAMIOLA of hir owne minde raunsomed ROLANDE the kings sonne of Sicilia of purpose to haue him to hir husband who when he was redemed vnkindely denied hir against whome very 〈◊〉 she inueyed and although the 〈◊〉 proued him to be hir husband yet for his vnkindenesle she vtterly refused him The. xxxij Nouel BVsa a Gentlewoman of Apulia maintained ten thousand Romaine souldiers within the walles of Cannas that were the remnaunt of the armie after that ouerthrow ther and yet hir state of richesse was safe and nothing deminished and lefte thereby a worthy testimonie of liberalitie as Valerius Maximus affirmeth If this worthy woman Busa for liberalitie is commended by auncient authors if she deserue a monument amonges famous writers for that splendent vertue which so brightly blasoneth the Heroicall natures of Noble dames then may I be so bolde amongs these Nouels to bring in as it were by the hand a widow of Messina that was a gentlewoman borne adorned with passing beautie and vertues Amongs that rank of which hir comely qualities the vertue of liberalitie glistered like the morning starre after the night hath cast of his darke and cloudie mantell This gentlewoman remaining in widowes state and hearing tell that one of the sonnes of Federick and brother to Peter that was then king of the sayd Ilande called Rolande was caried prisoner to Naples and there kept in miserable captiuitie and not like to be redéemed by his brother for a displeasure conceiued nor by any other pitying the state of the yong Gentleman and moued by hir gentle and couragious disposition and specially with the vertue of liberalitie raunsomed the sayd Rolande and 〈◊〉 no interest or vsury for the same but him to husbād that ought vpon his knées to haue made sute to be hir slaue and seruaunt for respect of his miserable state of imprisonment An affiaunce betwéene them was concluded and he redéemed and 〈◊〉 he was returned he falsed his former faith and cared not for hir For which vnkinde part she before his friends inueyeth against that ingratitude and vtterly for saketh him when sore ashamed he would very faine haue recouered hir good will But she like a wise Gentlewoman well waying his inconstant minde before mariage lusted not to tast or put in proofe the fruites successe thereof The intire discourse of whome you shall briefly and presently vnderstand Camiola a widow of the Citie of Siena that daughter of a gentle Knight called Signor Lorenzo 〈◊〉 was a woman of great renoume fame for hir beautie liberalitie shame fastnesse and led a life in Messina an auncient Citie of 〈◊〉 no lesse commendable than famous in the cōpany of hir parents contenting hir self with one only husband while she liued which was in the time when Federick the third was king of that 〈◊〉 and after their death she was an heire of very great wealth and richesse which were alwayes by hir cōserued and kept in maruellous honest sort Now it chaunced that after the death of Federick Peter succeding by his commaundement a great armie by sea was equipped from 〈◊〉 vnder the conduct of Iohn Countie of Chiaramonte the most renewmed in those dayes in feats of warre for to aide the people of Lippari which were so strongly and earnestly besieged as they were almost all dead and cōsumed for hunger In this army ouer and besides those that were in pay many Barons and Gentlemen willingly went vpon their owne proper costes and charges as wel by sea as land onely for fame and to be renowmed in armes This Castell of Lippari was assaulted by Godefrey of Squilatio a valiant man and at that time Admiral to Robert 〈◊〉 of Ierusalem and Sicile which Godefrey by long siege assault had so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people within as daily he hoped they would surrender But hauing aduertisement by certain Brigandens which he had sent abrode to scour the seas that the enimies armie which was farre greater than his was at hand after that he had assembled al his nauie togither in one sure place he expected the euent of fortune The enimies so soone as they were seased possessed of the place without any resistaunce of 〈◊〉 places abandoned by Godefrey caried into the city at their pleasure all their victualles which they brought with them for which good hap and chaunce the saide Counte Iohn being very much encouraged and puffed vp with pride offred battell to Godefrey Wherefore he not refusing the same being a man of great corage in 〈◊〉 night time fortified his army with boordes timber and other rampiers and hauing put his nauie in good order he encoraged his men to fight and to doe valiantly the next day which done he caused the Ankers to be wayed and giuing the signe tourned the prowesse of 〈◊〉 shippes against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armie but Counte Iohn who thought that Godefrey would not fight and durst not once loke vpon 〈◊〉 great army of the Sicilians did not put his fléete in order of fight but rather in readinesse to pursue the ennimies But séeing the courage and the approche of them that came against him began to feare his heart almost failing him and 〈◊〉 him that he had required his enimie to that which he thought neuer to haue obtained In such wise as mistrusting the battel with troubled minde chaunging the order giuen and notwithstanding not to séeme altogither fearefull incontinently caused his ships to be put into order after the best maner he could for so little time himselfe giuing the signe of battell In the meane while their enimies being approched néere vnto them and making a very great noise with cries and shoutes furiously entred with the prowesse of the shippes amongs the Sicilians which came slowly forthe hauing first throwne their 〈◊〉 and grapples to stay them they began the fight with Dartes Crossebowes and other shot in such sort as the Sicilians being amazed for the sodaine mutacion of Councell and all enuironned with feare and the souldiers of Godefrey perceiuing 〈◊〉 same entred their enimies ships and comming to blowes euen in a moment all was filled with bloud by reason whereof the Sicilians then despairing of them selues and they that feared turning the 〈◊〉 fled away but neuerthelesse the victorie reclining towardes Godefrey many of their shippes were drowned
to asswage mine offended minde In the meane time I shall lament the rest of my heauie life with such store of teares as my body dried vp from all humiditie shall shortly search reliefe in earth And hauing made an ende of those hir woords hir heart was so grieuously strained as she could neither wéepe nor speake and stoode so 〈◊〉 as if she had bene in a traunce Then being somewhat come againe vnto hir self with 〈◊〉 voyce she sayde Ah 〈◊〉 tong of other mennes 〈◊〉 howe 〈◊〉 thou so 〈◊〉 to speake of him whome his very enimies doe commend and praise How presumest thou to impute the blame vpon Rhomeo whose vngiltinesse and innocent déede euery man alloweth Where from henceforth shal be his refuge sith she whiche ought to be the only bulwarke and assured rāpire of his distresse doth pursue defame him Receiue receiue then Rhomeo the satisfactiō of mine ingratitude by that sacrifice which I shall make of my proper life and so the fault which I haue committed against thy loyaltie shal be made open to the world thou being reuenged my self punished And thinking to vse some furder talke all the powers of hir body failed hir with signes of present death But the good olde woman which could not imagine that cause of Iulietta hir long absence doubted very much that she suffred some passion and sought hir vp and downe in euery place within hir fathers palace vntill at length she found hir lying a long vpon hir bed al the outward parts of hir body so colde as Marble But the good olde woman which thought hir to be dead began to cry like one out of hir wittes saying Ah deare daughter and 〈◊〉 how much doeth thy deathe now grieue me at the very heart And as she was séeling all the partes of hir body she perceiued some sparke of life to be yet within the same which caused hir to call hir many times by hir name till at length she brought hir out of hir sounde Then she sayd vnto hir Why Iulietta myne own deare dareling what meane you by this turmoiling of your self I can not tel from whēce this your behauior that immoderate heauinesse doe procede but wel I wote that within this houre I thought to haue accompanied you to the graue Alas good mother aunswered wofull Iulietta doe you not most euidently perceiue and sée what iuste cause I haue to sorrow and complaine losing at one instant two persons of the worlde which were vnto me moste deare Me thinke answered the good woman that it is not semely for a Gentlewoman of your degrée to fall into such extremitie For in time of tribulation 〈◊〉 shoulde most preuaile And if the Lord Thibault be dead do you thinke to get hym againe by teares What is he that doth not accuse his ouermuch presumption would you that Rhomeo had done that wrong to him his house to suffer himselfe outraged assailed by one to whome in manhode and prowesse he is not inferiour Suffiseth you that Rhomeo is aliue and his affaires in such estate who in time may be called home again from banishment for he is a great lorde and as you know wel allied and fauored of all men wherfore arme your self from henceforth with pacience For albeit that Fortune doth 〈◊〉 him from you for a time yet sure I am that hereafter shée will restore him vnto you againe with greater ioy and contentation than before And to the end that we be better assured in what state he is if you will promise me to giue ouer your heauinesse I will to day knowe of Frier Laurence whether he is gone To whiche request Iulietta agréed and then the good woman repaired to S. Frauncis where she foūd Frier Laurence who told hir that the same night Rhomeo would not faile at his accustomed houre to visite Iulietta and there to do hir to vnderstand what he purposed to doe in time to come This iorney then fared like the voyages of mariners who after they haue ben tost by great troublous tempest séeing some Sunne 〈◊〉 pierce the heauens to lighten the land assure them selues agayne and thynkyng to haue auoyded shipwracke and sodainly the seas begin to swell the waues do roare with such vehemence and noyse as if they were fallen againe into greater daunger than before The assigned houre come Rhomeo fayled not according to his promise to bée in his Garden where he found his furniture prest to mount the chamber of Iulietta who with displayed armes began so straightly to imbrace hym as it séemed that the soule woulde haue abandoned hir body And they two more than a large quarter of an houre were in such agonie as they were not able to pronounce one worde and wettyng eache others face faste closed together the teares trickeled downe in suche abundaunce as they séemed to bée thoroughlye bathed therein Whiche Rhomeo perceyuing and thynkyng to staye those immoderate teares sayde vnto hir Myne owne dearest friende Iulietta I am not nowe determined to recite the particulars of the straunge happes of frayle and inconstaunte Fortune who in a 〈◊〉 hoystethe a man vp to the hyghest degrée of hir whéele and by and by in lesse space than in the twynckelyng of an eye shée throweth hym downe agayne so lowe as more miserie is prepared for him in one day than fauour in one hundred yeares whyche I nowe proue and hauc experience in my selfe whiche haue bene nourished delicately amonges my friendes and mainteyned in suche prosperous state as you doe little knowe hopyng for the full perfection of my felicitie by meanes of oure maryage to haue reconciled oure parentes and friends and to conducte the residue of my lyfe accordyng to the scope and lotte determined by Almyghty GOD and neuerthelesse all myne enterprises bée put backe and my purposes tourned cleane contrarye in suche wyse as from henceforthe I muste wander lyke a vagabonde thorough dyuerse 〈◊〉 and sequestrate my selfe from my friendes withoute assured place of myne abode whiche I desyre to lette you wete to the intente you maye be exhorted in tyme to come pacientely to beare so well myne absence as that which it shall please God to appointe But Iulietta all affrighted with teares and mortall agonies woulds not suffer hym to passe any further but interruptyng hys purpose sayde vnto hym Rhomeo howe canst thou bée so harde hearted and voyde of all pitie to leaue mée héere alone besieged with so many deadly myseries There is neyther houre nor Minute wherein Death dothe not appeare a thousande tymes before mée and yet my missehappe is suche as I can not dye and therefore doe manyfestelye perceyue that the same Deathe preserueth my lyfe of purpose to delyghte in my griefes and triumphe ouer my euyls And thou lyke the mynister and tyrant of hir crueltie doest make no conscience for oughte that I can sée hauynge atchieued the summe of thy desyres and pleasures on me to abandon and forsake me Whereby I well perceyue
that all the lawes of Amitie are deade and vtterly extinguished for so muche as hée in whome I hadde greatest hope and confidence and for whose sake I am become an enimie to my self doth disdaine and contemne me No no Rhomeo thou must fully resolue thy selfe vpon one of these 〈◊〉 points either to sée me incontinently throwen down hedlong from this high window after thée or else to suffer me to accōpanie thée into that coūtrey or place whither Fortune shal guide thée for my heart is so muche transformed into thine that so soone as I shall vnderstande of thy departure presently my lyfe will depart this wofull body the continuance wherof I doe not desire for any other purpose but only to delight my selfe in thy presence and to bée partaker of thy missefortunes And therefore if euer there lodged any pitie in the hearte of Gentleman I beséeche 〈◊〉 Rhomeo with al humilitie that it may now fynd place in thée and that thou wilt vouchsafe to receiue me 〈◊〉 thy seruant and the faithful cōpanion of thy 〈◊〉 And if thou thinke that thou canst not cōueniently receiue me in the estate and habite of a wife who shall let me to chaunge myne apparell Shall I be the first that haue vsed like shiftes to escape the tirannie of parentes Dost thou doubt that my seruice will not bée so good vnto thée as that of Petre thy seruaunt Will my loyaltie and fidelitie be lesse than his My beautie whiche at other tymes thou hast so greately commended is it not estéemed of thée My teares my loue and the auncient pleasures and delights that you haue taken in me shall they be in obliuion Rhomeo séeing 〈◊〉 in these alteratiōs fearing that worsse inconuenience would chaunce tooke hir againe betwéene his armes and kissyng hir amorously sayd Iulietta the onely mistresse of my heart I pray thée in the name of God and for the feruent loue which thou bearest vnto me to 〈◊〉 do away those vaine cogitations except 〈◊〉 meane to séeke hazard the destruction of vs both for if thou perseuer in this determination there is no remedie but we must both perish for so soon as thine 〈◊〉 shal be knowne thy father wil make such ernest pursute after vs that we can not choose but be descried taken and in the ende cruelly punished I as a 〈◊〉 and stealer of thée and thou as a disobedient daughter to hir father and so in stead of pleasant and quiet life our dayes shal be abridged by most shameful death But if thou wilt recline thy self to reason the right rule of humane life and for the time abandon our mutual delights I will take such order in the time of my banishment as within 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 months without any delay I shal be reuoked home againe But if it fall out otherwise as I trust not how so euer it happē I wil come againe vnto thée and with the helpe of my friends wil fetch thée from Verona by strong hand not in counterfeit apparell as a stranger but like my spouse and perpetuall companion In the meane time quiet your self and be sure that nothing else but death shal deuide and put vs asunder The reasons of Rhomeo so much preuailed with Iulietta as she made him this answer My deare friend I will doe nothing contrary to your will and pleasure And to what place so euer you repair my heart shall be your owne in like sorte as you haue giuen yours to be mine In the meane while I pray you not to faile oftentimes to aduertise me by Frier Laurence in what state your affairs be and specially of the place of your abode Thus these two pore louers passed the night togither vntill the day began to appeare which did separate them to their extreame sorow and grief Rhomeo hauing taken leaue of Iulietta went to S. Fraunces and after he hadde aduertised Frier Laurence of his affaires departed from Verona in the habit of a Marchaunt straunger and vsed such expedition as without hurt hée arriued at Mantona accompanied only with Petre his seruaunt whome hée hastely sent backe againe to Verona to serue his Father where he tooke a house and liuing in honorable company assayed certaine months to put away the griefe which so tormented him But during the time of his absence miserable Iulietta could not so cloke hir sorow but that through the euill coloure of hir face hir inwarde passion was discried By reason whereof hir mother who heard hir oftentymes sighing and incessantly complaining coulde not forbeare to say vnto hir Daughter if you continue long after this sorte you will hasten the death of your good Father and me who loue you so dearely as our owne liues wherefore henceforth moderate your heauinesse and endeuor your self to be mery thinke no more vpon the death of your cosin Thibault whome sith it pleasēd God to call away do you thinke to reuoke with teares and to withstand his almighty will But the pore Gentlewoman not able to dissemble hir grief sayd vnto hir Madame long time it is sithens the last teares for Thibault wer poured forth and I beleue that the fountaine is so well soked and dried vp as no more will spring in that place The mother which coulde not tell to what effect those woords were spoken held hir peace for feare she should trouble hir daughter and certaine dayes after séeing hir to continue in heauinesse and continuall griefs assayed by all meanes possible to know aswell of hir as of other the housholde seruaunts the occasion of hir sorow but al in vaine wherwith the pore mother 〈◊〉 beyonde measure purposed to let the Lorde Antonio hir husband to vnderstand the case of hir daughter And vpon a day séeing 〈◊〉 at conuenient leisure she sayd vnto him My Lord if you haue marked the countenāce of our daughter and hir kinde of behauior sithens the death of the Lord Thibault hir cosin you shall perceiue so straunge mutation in hir as it will make you to maruel for she is not only contēted to forgoe meat drinke and sléepe but she spendeth hir time in nothing else but in wéeping lamentation delighting to kepe hir self solitarie within hir chamber where she tormēteth hir self so out ragiously as if we take not héede hir life is to be doubted and not able to know the original of hir paine the more difficult shall be the remedy for albeit that I haue sought meanes by all extremitie yet cannot I learne the cause of hir sicknesse And where I thought in the beginning that it procéeded vpon the death of hir cosin now I doe manifestly perceiue that contrary specially when she hir self did assure me that she had already wept and shed the last teares for him that shée was minded to doe And vncertaine wherupon to resolue I do thinke verily that she mourneth for some despite to sée the most part of hir companions maried she yet vnprouided persuading with hir self it may be that we hir
smoke forced that capten to com forth by like means made him his brother childrē to tread that dāce that his wife before had done Cōrade by by caused those bodies to be thrown forth for fode to the wolues other rauening beasts birds liuing vpon that pray of carriō causing also his brethrē that gētlewomā honorably to be bu ried which gentlewomā had born that penāce worthy for hir fault Such was that end of that most miserable yll gouerned loue that I thinke mā hath euer red in writing which doth clerely witnesse that ther is no plesure so gret but Fortune by changing turning hir whéele maketh a hūdred times more bitter thā desire of such ioy dothe yeld delite And far better it wer besides the offēse done to god neuer to cast eye on womā thā to bord or proue them to raise such sclanders facts which cannot be recoūted but with the horror of the herers nor written but to the great grief of those the muse studie vpō that same not withstāding for instructiō of our life both good bad examples be introduced offred to the view of ech degrée and state To the end that whoordom may be auoided bodily pleasure eschewed as moste mortall and pernicious plagues that doe infect as wel the body and reputation of man as the integritie of the minde Besides that eche man ought to possesse his owne vessel and not to couete that is none of his vnséemely also it is to solicite the neighbors wife to procure therby the disiunction and defaite of the whole bonde of mariage which is a treasure so deare and precious and carieth so great griefe to him that séeth it defaced as our Lorde to declare the grauitie of the fact maketh a comparison of his wrathe against them which runne after straunge Gods and applieth the honour due vnto hym to others that do not deserue the same with the iust disdain and rightfull choler of a iealous husband fraught wyth despite to sée himselfe dispoiled of the seasure and possession onely giuen to him and not subiecte to any other what soeuer he be Lerne here also O ye husbands not to flie with so nimble wing as by your own authoritie to séeke reuenge without fearing the folies sclanders that may insue Your sorow is iust but it behoueth that reason doe guide your fantasies and bridle your ouer sodaine passions to the intent that ye come not after to sing the dolefull song of repentance like vnto this foolish man who hauing done more than he ought and not able to retire without his ouerthrowe threw him self into the bottomlesse gulfe of perdition And let vs all fixe fast in memorie that neuer vnruled rage and wilful choler brought other benefite than the ruine of him that suffered him selfe to runne hedlong into the same and who thinketh that all that which is natural in vs is also reasonable as though Nature were so perfect a worke woman as in mans corruption she could make vs Angels or halfe gods Nature folowing the instincte of that which is naturall in vs doth not greatly straye from perfection but that is gyuen to few and those whome God dothe loue and choose And Uertue is so seldome founde as it is almoste impossible to imitate that perfection And briefly to say I wil conclude with the Author of this present Historie Angre is a 〈◊〉 short To him that can the same excell But it is no laughing sport In whome 〈◊〉 senselesse rage doth dwell That pang confoundeth eche mans wittes And shameth him with open shame His honour fades in frantike fittes And blemisheth his good name The King of Marocco ¶ The great Curtesie of the Kyng of MAROCCO a Citie in BARBARIE 〈◊〉 a poore Fisherman one of hys subiects that had lodged the Kyng beyng strayed from his companie in hunting The. xxxiiij Nouel FOr so much as the more than beastly crueltie recounted in the former Historie doth yeld some sowre tast to the minds of those that bée curteous gentle and wel conditioned by nature and as the stomacke of hym that dayly vseth one kinde of meate be it neuer so delicate daintie dothe at length lothe and disdaine the same and vtterly refuseth it I now chaunge the diet leauing for a certain time the murders slaughters despaires and tragicall accidents chaunced either in the loue or in the ielosie of a louer or of a husband turn my stile to a more plesant thing that may so wel serue for instruction of the noble to folowe vertue as that which I haue alreadie written maye rise to their profite warely to take héede they fall not into such deformed and 〈◊〉 faults as the name and praise of mā be defaced and his reputation decayed if then the contraries be knowne by that which is of diuers natures the villanie of great crueltie shall be couuerted into the gentlenesse of great curtesie and rigor shal be condemned when with swetenesse and generositie the noble shall assay to wynne the heart seruice and affected deuotion of the basest sort so the greatnesse and nobilitie of man placed in dignitie and who hath puissance ouer other consisteth not to shew himselfe hard and terrible for that is the maner of tyrants bicause he that is feared is consequently hated euill beloued and in the ende forsaken of the whole world which hath bene the cause that in times past Princes aspiryng to great 〈◊〉 haue made their way more easie by gentlenesse and Curtesie than by furie of armes stablishing the foundations of their dominions more firme durable by those means than they which by rigor and crueltie haue sacked townes ouerthrowne Cities depopulated prouinces and 〈◊〉 landes with the bodies of those whose liues they haue depriued by dent of sword 〈◊〉 the gouernement and authoritie ouer other carieth greater subiection than puissance Wherefore Antigonus one of the successoures of greate Alexander that made all the earth to tremble vpon the recitall of his name seing that his sonne behaued himself to arrogātly and without modestie to one of his subiectes reproued and checked him and amongs many wordes of 〈◊〉 and admonition sayde vnto him Knowest thou not my sonne that the estate of a Kyng is a noble and honorable seruitude Royall words in dede and méete for a Kyng For albeit that eche man dothe him reuerence and that he be honoured and obeyed of all yet is hée for all that the seruaunt and publike minister who ought no lesse to defende hys subiecte than hée that is the subiecte to doe hym honoure and homage And the more the Prince doth humble himself the greater increase hath his glorie and the more wonderful he is to euery wight What aduanced the glory of that Iulius Caesar who firste depressed the Senatorie state of gouernement at Rome Were his victories atchieued ouer the Galles and Britons and afterwardes ouer Rome it selfe when he had vanquished Pompee Al those serued his