withall he thrust the rapier into him vp to the hard hiltes and doubling the blow to make him faile of his spéech he gaue him another ouerthwart the throte so fiercely that the pore innocent after he had a litle réeled to and fro fell downe stark dead to the ground When he had put vp his rapier he turned towards the Counsellers and sayde vnto them My friendes this is not the first time that I haue espied the lasciuious and dishonest loue betwene this my locherous Nephewe and the Duchesse whome I haue caused to die to honourably in respect of his desert For by the very rigor of the lawe he deserued to haue bene burnt quicke or else to be torne in pieces with .iiij. horses But my Lady the Duchesse I meane not to punishe or to prouide chastisement for her For you be not ignoraunt that the ancient custome of Lombardie and Sauoie requireth that euery woman taken in adultery shall be burned aliue yf with in a yeare a day she finde not a Champion to fighte the combase for her innocencie But for the bounden duery that I deare to my Lorde the Duke and for respect of the estate which he hath committed to my charge I will to morrowe dyspatche a Poaste to make hym vnderstande the whole accident as it is come to passe And the Duchesse shal remaine in this Chambre with certayue of her maides vnder sure keping and safegard All this time the Duchesse who had both iudgement and spirite so good as any Princesse that raygned in her time suspected straightwayes the treason of the Earle And with a pitiful eye beholding the dead body of her Page fetching a déepe sighe cryed out Oh innocent soule which sometyme gauest lyfe to this bodye that nowe is but earth thou art now in place where thou séest clearely the iniquitie of the murderer that lately did put thée to death And hauing made an end of this exlamation with her armes a crosse she remained as in a sowne without mouing eyther hande or foote And after she had continued a while in that estate she desired the Counsellers to cause the body to be buried and to restore it to the earth whereof it had the first creation For quoth she it hath not deserued to be tied to the gibet and to be fode for birdes of the ayre Which they graunted not without a certaine greuous suspicion betwéene her and the Page For so much as she excused not her self but the innocencie of him without speaking any worde of her owne particular iustification This pitiefull aduenture was out of hande published through all the citie with so great sorrow and murmure of the people that it semed as though the enemies had sacked the towne For there was not one from the very least to the greatest of all but did both loue and reuerence the Duchesse in suche sort that it séemed vnto them that this misfortune was fallen vpon euery one of their children The Earle of Pancalier did nothing al that day but dispatch the Poastes And hauing caused all the whole matter to be registred as it was séene to be done he commaunded the Counsellers and them of the Gard to subscribe his letters And al the matter being put in order he sent away two Currors with diligence the one into Englande to aduertise the King her brother and the other to the Duke Who being arriued eche man in his place presented their charges Wherevnto both the brother and the husband gaue full credite without any maner of difficultie persuaded principally therevnto by the death of the Nephewe Who as it was very likely had not bene put to death by his owne vncle and of whome he was also the very heire without his most grieuous faulte praysing greatly the fidelitie of the Earle that had not pardoned his owne propre bloud to conserue his duetie and honor so his soueraigne Lorde And it was concluded betwene them by deliberate aduise counsayle aswell of those of the King of England as by a gret nūber of lerned men of Fraūce whom the french king made to assemble for that respect in fauour of the Duke that the custome should be inuiolably kepte as if it were for the most simple damsell of all the country to the end that in time to come great Lords and Ladies which be as it were lampes to giue light to others might take example And that from thenceforth they should not suffer their vertues to be obscured by the cloudes of such execrable vices The King of Englande to gratifie the Earle of Pancalier who in his iudgement had shewed himselfe right noble in this acte sent him an excellent harnesse with a sworde of the selfe same trampe by the Currour with letters of aunswere written with his owne hande howe he vnderstode the manner of his procedings And the messanger vsed such diligence that wythin fewe dayes he arriued at Thurin Shortly after that the King of England had sent backe the Currour the Duke of Sauoie retorned his whome he stayed so much the longer bycause the matter touched him more nere And he would that it should be debated by most graue and deliberate counsell And when he had resolued he wrote to the counsellers and other Magistrates of Thurin aboue all things to haue respect that the custome should be inuiolablie kept and that they should not in any case fauour the adultery of his wife vpon payne of death Then in particuler he wrote his letters to the Earle wherby he did greatly allow his fidelity for the which he hoped to make him such recompence as both he and his should taste thereof during their liues The Currour of the Duke arriued and the matter proponed in counsell it was iudged that following the auncient custome a piller of Marble should be placed in the fieldes neere Thurin which is betwene the bridge of the riuer Poo and the citie wherevpon should be written the accusation of the Earle of Pancalier against the Duchesse Which the Duchesse vnderstanding hauing none other companie but Emilia and a yong damsell dispoiled her self of her silken garmēts and did put on mourning wede martired with an infinite numbre of sundrie tormentes seing her selfe abandoned of al worldly succour made her complaints to God beseching him with teares to be protector of her innocencie Emilia who vnderstode by her that she was vniustly accused and seing the iminent perill that was prepared for her determined by her accustomed prudence to prouide therfore And after she had a little comforted her she sayde vnto her Madame the case so requireth nowe that you shoulde not consume tyme in teares and other womanish plaintes which can nothing diminishe your euill It séemes most expedient vnto me that you fortefie your selfe agaynst your enemie and to find some meáne to send Maister Appian in poast to the Duke of Mendozza one of the best renowned in prowesse of al the Knights in Spaine who being aduertised of your misfortune wil
Ladyes to imbrace Constancie as to imbolden thē in the refusal of dishonest sutes for which if they doe not acquire semblable honor as this Lady did yet they shall not be frustrate of the due rewarde incident to honor which is fame immortall praise Gentlemen may learne by the successe of this discourse what tormentes be in Loue what trauailes in pursute what passions lyke ague fittes what disconueniences what lost labour what playntes what griefes what vnnaturall attemptes be forced Many other notorious examples be contayned in the same to the great comforte and pleasure as I trust of the well aduised reader And althoughe the aucthor of the same perchaunce hath not rightly touched the propre names of the Aucthors of this tragedie by perfect appellations as Edward the thirde for his eldest sonne Edward the Prince of Wales who as I reade in Fabiā maried the Countesse of Salesburie which before was Countesse of Kent wife vnto sir Thomas Holand whose name as Polidore sayth was Iane daughter to Edmund Earle of Kent of whome the same Prince Edward begat Edward that dyed in his childish yeres Richard that afterwards was King of England the seconde of that name for that she was kinne to him was deuorced whose sayd father maried Phillip daughter to the Earle of Henault had by her .vij. sonnes And AElips for the name of the sayd Countesse being none such amongs our vulgare termes but Frosard remēbreth her name to be Alice which in dede is common amongs vs and the Castle of Salesberic where there is none by that name vpon the Frontiers of Scotland albeit the same Frosard doth make mention of a castle of the Earle of Salesburies giuen vnto him by Edward the thirde when he was Sir William Mountague and maried the sayde Lady Alice for his seruice and prowesse againste the Scottes and Rosamburghe for Roxboroughe and that the sayde Edward when he sawe that he could not by loue and other persuasions attayne the Countesse but by force maried the same Countesse which is altogether vntrue for that Polydore and other aucthors doe remember but one wyfe that he had which was the sayde vertuous Quéene Phillip with other like defaultes yet the grace of the Historie for al those errors is not diminished Wherof I thought good to giue this aduertisement And waying with my selfe that by the publishing hereof no dishonour can redound to the illustre race of our noble Kinges and Princes ne yet to the blemishing of the fame of that noble king eternized for his victories and vertues in the auncient annales Chronicles and monuments forren and domesticall bicause all natures children be thrall and subiect to the infirmities of their first parents I doe with submission humblie referre the same to the iudgement and correction of them to whome it shall appertaine Which being considered the Nouell doth begin in this forme and order THere was a King of Englande named Edward which had to his first wyfe the daughter of the Counte of Henault of whom he had children the eldest wherof was called also Edward the renowmed Prince of Wales who besides Poictiers subdued the french men toke Iohn the French King prisoner and sent him into England This Edward father of the Prince of Wales was not onely a capitall enemie of the French men but also had continuall warres with the Scottes his neighbours and seing himselfe so disquieted on euery side ordayned for his Lieutenant vpon the frontiers of Scotland one of his captaynes named William Lorde Montague To whome bicause he had fortified Roxboroughe and addressed manye enterprises agaynst the enemies he gaue the Earledome of Salesburie and married him honorablie with one of the fairest Ladies of England Certayne dayes after King Edwarde sent him into Flaundres in the companie of the Earle of Suffolke where Fortune was so contrarie that they were both taken prisoners by the French men and sent to the Louure at Paris The Scottes hearing tell of their discomfiture and howe the marches were destitute of a gouernour they spéedely sent thether an armie with intent to take the Countesse prisoner to raise her Castle to make bootie of the riches that was there But the Earle of Salesburie before his departure had giuen so good order that their successe was not suche as they hoped For they were so liuely repelled by them that were within that not able to indure their furie in steade of making their approches they were constrayned to goe further of And hauing intelligence by certayne spies that the King of Englande was departed from London with a great armie to come to succour the Countesse perceyuing that a farre of they were able to doe little good they were fame shortly to retire home agayne to their shame King Edward departed from London trauayling by great iourneyes with his armie towardes Salesberic was aduertized that the Scottes were discamped and fled agayne into Scotland Albeit they had so spoyled the Castle in many places that the markes there gaue sufficient witnesse what their intente and meaning was And althoughe the King had thought to retourne backe agayne vpon their retire yet being aduertized of the great battrie and of the hote assault that they had giuen to the Castle he went forth to visit the place The Countesse whose name was AElips vnderstanding of the kings comming causing al things to be in so good readinesse as the shortnesse of the time could serue furnished her selfe so wel as she could with a certaine numbre of Gentlewomen and souldiers that remained to issue forth to méete the King who besides her naturall beautie for the which she was recommended aboue al the Ladies of her prouince was enriched with the furniture of vertue and curtesie Which made her so incomparable that at one instant she rauished the heartes of al the Princes Lordes that did beheld her in such wise that there was no talke in all the armie but of her graces and vertue and speciallie of her excellent and surpassing beautie The king hauing made reuerence vnto her after he had wel viewed al her gestures and countenaunces thought that he had neuer séene a more goodlier creature Then rapt with an incredible admiration he sayde vnto her Madame Countesse I doe beleue that if in this attire and furniture wherein you now be accompanied with so rare and excellent beautie ye had bene placed vpon one of the rampiers of your Castle you had made more breaches with the lookes beames of your sparkling eyes in the harts of your enemies than they had bene able to haue done in your Castle with their thundering Ordinaunce The Countesse somewhat shamefast and abashed to heare her selfe so greatly praysed of a Prince so great began to blushe and taint with roseall colour the whitenesse of her alablaster face Then lyfting vp her bashefull eyes somewhat towards the king she sayd vnto him My soueraygne Lorde your grace may speake your pleasure But I am well assured that
depriued of his kingdome The .vj. Nouell Folio 19. ¶ King Craesus of Lydia reasoneth with the wyseman Solon of the happy life of man Who little esteming his good aduise vnderstode before his death that no man but by vertue can in his lyfe attaine felicitie The .vij. Nouell Folio 21. AElianus ¶ Of a Father that made sute to haue his owne sonne put to death The .viij. Nouell Folio 24. ¶ Water offered of good will to Artaxerxes the king of Persia and the liberall rewarde of the king to the giuer The .ix. Nouell Folio 24. ¶ The loue of Chariton and Menalippus The .x. Nouell Folio 25. Xenophon ¶ King Cyrus persuaded by Araspas to dispose himselfe to loue a Ladie called Panthea entreth into a pretie disputacion and talke of Loue and beauty Afterwardes Araspas himselfe falleth in loue with the sayde Ladie but she indued with great chastitie auoideth his earnest Loue. And when her husbande was slayne in the seruice of Cyrus she killed herself The .xj. Nouell Folio 27. Quintus Curtius ¶ Abdolominus is from poore estate aduauÌ„ced by Alexander the great through his honest lyfe to be king of Sydone The .xij. Nouell Folio 33. ¶ The Oracion of the Scythian Ambassadours to Alexander the great reprouing his ambicion and desire of Empire The .xiij. Nouell Folio 34. Aulus Gellius ¶ The wordes of Metellus of mariage and wyuing with the prayse and disprayse of the same The .xiiij. Nouell Folio 36. ¶ Of Lais and Demosthenes The .v. Nouell Fol. 38. ¶ C. Fabritius and Aemilius Consulls of Rome being promised that king Pyrrhus for a somme of money shoulde be slayne which was a notable enemie to the Romane state aduertised Pyrrhus thereof by letters and of other notable things done by the same Fabritius The .xvj. Nouell Folio 38. ¶ A Scholemaister trayterouslye rendring the noble mennes sonnes of Faleâ—â—a to the handes of Camillus was well acquited and rewarded for his paines and labor The .xvij. Nouell Folio 39. ¶ The Historie of Papyrius Pretextaetus The .xviij. Nouell Folio 41. ¶ How Plutarche did beate his man And of pretie talke touching signes of anger The .xix. Nouell Fol. 42. ¶ A pretie tale of Aesope of the Larke The .xx. Nouell Folio 42. ¶ A merye ieft vttered by Haniball to king Antiochus The .xxj. Nouell Folio 44. ¶ The meruelous knowledge of a Lyon being acquainted with a man called Androctus The .xxij. Nouell Fol. 44. ¶ A pretie disputacion of the Philosopher Phaeuorinus to persuade a woman not to put forthe her childe to nursse but to nourishe it her selfe with her owne milke The .xxiij. Nouell Folio 45. ¶ Of Sertorius a noble Romane Capitaine The .xxiiij. Nouell Folio 48. ¶ Of the bookes of Sybilla The .xxv. Nouel Fol. 49. ¶ A difference and controuersie betweene a Maister and a Scholer so subtill that the Iudges coulde not giue sentence The .xxvj. Nouell Folio 50. Plutarche ¶ Seleueus King of Asia gaue his wife to his owne sonne in mariage being his mother in lawe Who so feruentlye did loue her that he was like to dye Which by a discrete wyse inuencion was discouered to Seleueus by a Phisician The .xxvij. Nouell Folio 51. ¶ Of the straunge and beastlye nature of Timon of Athenes enemie to mankinde with his death buriall and Epitaphe The .xxviij. Nouell Folio 57. S. Hierome and Pietro Messia ¶ The mariage of a man and woman he being the husbande of xx wiues and she the wife of .xxii. husbandes The .xxix. Nouell Folio 59. Bocaccio ¶ How Melchisedech a Iewe by telling a pretie tale of three Kinges saued his lyfe The .xxx. Nouell Folio 60. ¶ One called Guglielmo Borsiere with certen wordes well placed taunted the couetous life of Ermino Grimaldi The .xxxj. Nouell Folio 61. ¶ Maister Alberto of Bologna by a pleasaunt aunswere made a Gentlewoman to blushe which had thought to haue put him out of countenance in telling him that he was in loue with her The .xxxij. Nouell Folio 63. ¶ Rinald. of Esti being robbed arriued at Castel Guglielmo was succoured of a widowe and restored to his losses retourning safe and sounde home to his owne house The .xxxiij. Nouell Fol. 64. ¶ Three yong men hauing fondlye consumed all that they had became verye poore whose nephewe as he retourned out of Englande into Italie by the waye fyll in acquaintaunce with an Abbot whome vpon further familiaritie he knew to be the king of Englandes daughter which tooke him to her husbande Afterwards she restored his vncles to all their losses and sent them home in good state and reputacion The .xxxiiij. Nouell Folio 68. ¶ Landâ—lfo Ruffolo being inpouerished became a Pirate and taken by the Geneuois was in daunger of drowning who sauing himselfe vpon a little Coafer full of riche Iewelles was receiued at Corsu and being cherished by a woman retorned home very riche The .xxxv. Nouell Folio 73. ¶ Andreuccio of Perugia being come to Naples to buy horsse was in one night surprised with three meruelous accidents All which hauing escaped with one Rubie he retorned home to his house The .xxxvj. Nouell Folio 76. ¶ The Earle of Angiers being falslie accused was banished out of Fraunce and left his two sonnes in sundrie places in Englande and retourning vnknowen by Scotlande founde them in great authoritie afterwardes he repayred in the habite of a seruant to the French kings armie and being knowen to be innocent was againe aduaunced to his first estate The .xxxvij. Nouell Folio 85. ¶ Gilettae a Phisitians daughter of Narbona healed the French king of a Fistula for rewarde whereof she demaunded Beleramo Counte of Rossigliont to husbande The Counte being maried against his will for despite fledde to Florence and loued an other Gâ—â—etta his wife by pollicie founde meanes to lye with her husbande in place of his Louer and was begotten with childe of two sonnes Which knowen to her husbande he receiued her againe and afterwardes she liued in great honor and felicitie The .xxxviij. Nouell Folio 95. ¶ â—ancredi prince of Salerne caused his daughters louer to be slayne and sent his heart vnto her in a cuppe of Golde which afterwardes she put into poysoned water and drinking therof dyed The .xxxix. Nouell Folio 100. Bandello ¶ Mahomet one of the Turkishe Emperors executeth cursed crueltie vpon a Greke mayden whome he tooke prisoner at the winning of Constantinople The .xl. Nouell Folio 107. ¶ A Ladie falsely accused of adulterie was condemned to be deuoured of Lions the maner of her deliuerie and how her innocencie being knowen her accuser felt the payne for her prepared The .xl. Nouell Folio 112. ¶ Didaco a Spaniarde is in Loue with a poore Mayden of Valentia and secretely maryeth her afterwards lothing his first mariage because she was of base parentage he maryeth another of noble birth His firste wife by secrete messinger prayeth his companie whose request he accomplisheth Being a bedde she and her mayde killeth him She throweth him into the streate She in desperate wise
was the doughter of the Kyng of Englande and was rapte with an vnspeakable ioye But muche more merueiled the twoo knightes whiche were so troubled and appalled that if thei had béen in any place els sauyng in the presence of the Pope thei would haue killed Alexandro and peraduenture the Ladie her self Of the other parte the Pope was verie muche astonned bothe at the habite and apparell of the Ladie and also of her choise But knowing that the same could not be vndoen he was contente to satisfie her requeste And firste of all he comforted the twoo knightes whom he knewe to bee moued at the matter and reduced them in amitie with the Ladie and Alexandro then he gaue order what was beste to be doen. And when the Mariage daie by him appointed was come he caused the Ladie to issue forthe clothed in roiall vestures before all the Cardinalles and many other greate personages that were repaired to the greate feaste of purpose by hym prepared Whiche ladie appered to bee so faire and comelie that not without deserte she was praised and commended of all the assemblie In like maner Alexandro gorgeouslie apparelled bothe in outwarde apparaunce and condicions was not like one that had lente money to Usurie but of a more princelie grace and was greatelie honoured of those twoo knightes where the Pope solempnelie celebrated again the espousalles And after that riche roial mariage was ended he gaue them leaue to departe It semed good to Alexandro and like wise to the Ladie to goe from Rome to Florence in whiche citie the brute of that accidente was all readie noised where beyng receiued of the citizēs with great honour the Ladie deliuered the three brethren out of prison and hauyng firste paied euery man their debte thei with their wiues were repossessed in their former inheritaunce Then Alexandro and his wife with the good will and ioyfull gratulacions of all men departed from Florence and takyng with them Agolante one of their vncles arriued at Paris where thei were honorablie interteigned of the Frenche kyng From thence the twoo knightes wente into Englande and so perswaded the king that thei recouered his good wil towardes his doughter and sendyng for his soonne in lawe he receiued them bothe with greate ioye and triumphe And within a while after he inuested his saied soone with the order of knighthode and made hym Erle of Cornouale whose wisedome proued so great that he pacified the father and the sonne whereof insued surpassyng profite and commoditie for the whole realme whereby he gained and gotte the loue and good well of all the people And Agolante his vncle fullie recouered all debtes due vnto him in Englande And the Erle when he hadde made his vncle knighte suffred him to retourne in riche estate to Florence The Erle afterwardes liued with his wife in greate prosperitie and as some dooe affirme bothe by his owne pollicie and valiaunce and with the aide of his father in Lawe he recouered and ouercame the realme of Scotlande and was there crouned kyng Landolpho Ruffolo being impouerished became a pirate and taken by the Geneuois was in danger of drownyng who sauyng hymself vpon a title coaferfull of riche Iewels was receiued at Corfu and beyng cherished by a woman retourned home verie riche ¶ The .xxxv. Nouell IT is supposed that the sea coaste of Reggium in Calabria is the moste delectable parte in all Italie wherin harde by Salerno there is a coūtrie by the sea side whiche thinhabitantes doe terme the coaste of Malsy so full of litle Cities gardeins fountaines riche men and marchauntes as any other people and countrie Emong whiche said cities there was one called Rauello where in time paste although in these daies there bée verie riche men there dwelt a notable man of substaūce called Landolpho Ruffolo who beyng not cōtented with his richesse but desirous to multiplie them double was in hazarde to lose hymself and all that he had This manne as all other marchauntes bee accustomed after he had considered with himself what to doe bought a verie greate shippe and fraughted the same with sundrie kindes of marchaundize of his owne aduenture and made a voiage to the Isle of Cypri where he founde besides the commodities whiche he brought many other Shippes arriued there laden with suche like wares by whiche occasion it happened that he was forced not onelie to fell the same good cheape but also was cōstrained if he would dispatche his goodes to giue them almoste for nought whereby he thought that he was vtterlie vndoen And beyng greatlie troubled for that lesse not knowyng what to dooe and seyng how in so litle tyme of a riche man he was come to beggers state he thought either to die or els by piracie to recouer his losses to the intente he mighte not retourne to the place poore from whence he was departed riche And hauyng founde a copesman for his greate barque with the money therof and with other whiche he receiued for his marchandise he bought a small pinnas mete for the vse of a pirate whiche he armed and furnished with all thinges necessarie for that purpose And determined to make hymself riche with the goodes of other men and chieflie he meante to sette vpon the Turkes wherevnto Fortune was more fauourable then to his former trade And by chaunce by the space of one yere he robbed and toke so many Foistes and galleis of the Turkes that he had recouered not onelie that whiche he lost by marchādize but also more then twise so muche as wherevnto those losses did amounte Wherefore well punished with the firste sorowe of his losses knowyng his gaines to multiplie that he neded not to retourne the seconde tyme he thought with himself that the same whiche he had gotten was sufficiēt and therfore determined presētlie to returne to his owne house with his gotten goodes And fearyng the hinderaunce which he susteined in traffique of Marchaūdise he purposed to imploie his money no longer that waies but in that barque wherwith he had gained the same with his ores he tooke his course homeward And beyng vpon the maine Sea in the night the winde rose at the Southeast which was not onelie cōtrary to his course but also caused suche a tempest that his smalle barque was not able to indure the seas Wherevpon he tooke harborough in a Creke of the Sea whiche compassed a litle Islande there expectyng for better winde Into whiche creke within a while after with muche a doe for auoidyng of that tempest arriued twoo greate Argoseis of Genoa that wer come from Constantinople The Mariners of whiche shippes when thei sawe the litle barque had shut vp the way that the same could not goe out vnderstandyng of whence he was knowyng by reporte that he was verie riche determined beyng ikenne naturallie giuen to spoile and loue of money to take her And settyng a shore parte of their meune well armed and furnished with crossebowes thei conueied
a litle longer he fained as though he had made a further searche The other so subtill and malicious as he badde hym to séeke still and when thei sawe tyme thei toke awaie the proppes that staied vp the Tōbe and ran awaie leauyng poore Andreuccio fast shutte in the Graue Whiche when Andreuccio perceiued what chaunced to hym then eche man maie consider Then he assaied sometymes with his shulders sometyme with his hedde to remoue the couer but all was in vaine Wherefore euen for verie sorowe he fill in a sownde vpon the deade bodie of the Bishoppe And if a man had seen them bothe at that instaunt it could not well haue béen discerned whether was the dead corps the Archebishoppe dedde or poore Andreuccio diyng But after he was come to hymsef he began piteouslie to complaine seeyng he was arriued to one of these twoo endes either in the Tombe to die for hunger and with the stenche of the dedde body putrifiyng with wormes if no manne came to open it or els to be hanged as a Thiefe if he were founde within And as he was in these consideracions tormented with sorowe he heard a noyse in the churche of diuerse menne who as he thoughte came to dooe the like facte that he and his fellowes had doen before wherewith his feare began muche more to augment But after thei had opened the graue and staied it vp it came in question emōges them who should goe in And when thei had contended a good space about the same A Priest that was in the companie saied Why are ye afraied Dooe ye thinke that he will eate you The dedde neuer eate men I will goe in my self And when he had saied so he laied hym downe upon his breaste at the drinke of the graue and thrustyng his feete in before he wente doune Andreuccio seyng that erected himself vpright and caught the Prieste by one of the legges makyng as though he would haue drawen hym in whiche when the Prieste perceiued he cried out a loude spéeding himself out so fast as he could Wherewithall the reste dismaied almoste out of their wittes leauyng the graue open tooke their legges and ranne as though a hundred thousande deuelles had béen at their tailes whiche seyng Andreuccio more ioyfull then he looked for lepte out of the graue and ranne as fast as he could out of the Churche at the place where he came in At what tyme daie light beganne to appere and he with the ryng on his finger wandred he wist not whether till he came to the sea side and at lengthe recouered his Inne where he founde his companie and his hoste all that night takyng greate care for hym To whom recomptyng that whiche chaunced his hoste gaue hym aduise incontinently to gette hym out of Naples whiche presently he did and retourned to Perugia hauyng bestowed his v. C. crounes vpon a Ryng whiche he thought to haue imploied vpon horsses For whiche cause he made that iorney The Erle of Angiers beyng falsly accused was banished out of Fraunce and lefte his twoo soonnes in sundrie places in Englande and retournyng vnknowen by Scotlande founde them in greate aucthoritie afterwardes he repaired in the habite of a seruaunte to the Frenche kynges armie And beyng knowen to be innocent was againe aduaunced to his firste estate ¶ The .xxxvii. Nouell THe Romane Empire beyng transferred frō the Frenche menne vnto the Almanes there rose a great discencion betwene bothe the nacions and in the ende a cruell and continual warre For which cause as well for the defence of his kingdome as to offede his enemies the Frenche king and one of his soonnes with all the power of their owne realme and of their frendes and allies assembled a greate hoste of menne to encountre with their enemies and before thei proceded bicause thei would not leaue their realme with out a gouernor knowyng Gualtieri Erle of Angiers to be a gentle and sage knight and their moste trustie frende and that he was a man moste expert in the arte of warfare semyng vnto thē notwithstandyng more apt to pleasure then paine lefte hym Lieutenaunt generall in their place for the gouernement of the whole kyngdome of Fraunce and proceded in their enterprise The Erle then began with greate knowledge and by good order to execute his office committed vnto hym dooyng nothyng without the consente of the Quene and her faire doughter in lawe although thei were lefte to be vnder his custodie and gouernement yet neuer tholesse he honoured them as his maistresses and superiours This Erle Gualtieri was a beautiful personage about the age of fourtie yeres so familier and well condicioned as any gentleman could be and besides that he was the moste excellent and trimmest knight that was knowen in those daies and one most comelie in his apparell It chaunced that the kyng and his soone beyng at the warres aforesaied the wife of the Erle died in the meane while leauyng hym onely twoo little yonge children a soonne and a doughter whiche he had by her He then frequentyng the courte of the aforesaied Ladies talkyng many tymes with them aboute the affaires of the realme the wife of the kynges sonne fixed her eyes vpon him and with great affection for his persone and vertues feruentlie imbraced hym with secrete loue And knowing herself to be yonge and freshe and hym to bee without a wife thought sodainly to bring to passe that whiche she desired and thinkyng that nothyng could lette the same but onely shame to discouer it she purposed vtterly to abandone the same And vpon a daie beyng a lone she sente one to seeke the Erle as though she would haue communicated with hym of other matters The Erle whose minde was farre different from the Ladies incontinently came vnto her who beyng sette doune together vpon a bedde which she desired alone in a chāber he asked her twise vpon what occasion she sent for hym and she hauyng nothyng to sate vnto him pressed in the ende and rapte with loue waxed verie shamfast and almoste wepyng quakyng for feare with fainte wordes began to saie as foloweth My derely beloued and louyng frende and Lorde you maie easelie knowe beyng a wise manne as you bee the frailtie of menne and women and by diuers consideracions the weakenesse to bee more in the one then in the other Wherefore before a iust iudge one fault of diuerse qualities ought not of reason to receiue one like punishemente Moreouer who is he that will saie that a poore man or woman whiche getteth their liuing with the labor of their bodie ought not more to bee reprehended if thei become amourous and subiect to their lustes then the riche Ladie whiche taketh no care for her liuyng or wanteth any thyng that she desireth Truely I beleue there is none suche that will saie so for whiche reason I suppose that the thinges before saied ought to serue the greatest part of the excuse to the aduauntage of her that doeth possesse thē If
it happē that she giue her self fully to the conductiōs of loue and the superplusage of her said excuse ought to consist in that she hath chosen her a sage and vertuous frende if she that loueth hath doen so in deede Whiche twoo thinges as thei should be I suppose are in me and many other also whiche ought to induce me to loue accordynglie as my youth requireth and the great space that is betwene my husbande and me It behoueth now then that thei should aduaunce themselfes in your presence for the defence of my burnyng loue and if the same doe raigne in you whiche haue power in the wise then I beseche you to giue me counsaile and aide in the thing whiche I shall demaunde True it is that for the long absence of my husbande not able to resist the prickes of the fleshe and the force of loue whiche be of suche greate effecte that thei haue many times past and yet daily doe vāquishe and ouercome not onely feble and weake women but also the strongest men I liuyng in ease and idlenes as you sée and forced to folowe the pleasures of loue and to become amourous as I doe knowe well that such thynges if thei were knowen should not bee reputes honest Neuerthelesse the same beyng kepte secrete I thinke shall not be muche dishonest Notwithstanding dame Loue is so fauourable vnto me that not onelie she hath giuen me true iudgement in choise of a frende but hath reueiled vnto me that it is you which is worthie to be beloued of suche a ladie as I am For if I bée not greatlie deceiued I do make accompt that you be the fairest personage the semeliest the most curteous and wisest gentleman in all the Realme of Fraunce And as I maie saie by reason of his absence that I am without a husbande so maie you affirme that you bee without a wife wherfore I beseche you for the loue that I beare vnto you that you wil not denie me your loue and frendship that you wil haue pitie vpon my yong yeres whiche doubtles dooe consume for you as Ice against the fierie flames At whiche worde the teares ran doune in suche abundance that where she thought to make further supplicacion and praiers she had no more power to speake But holdyng doune her heade like one that was ouercome she threwe her self doune into the Erles lappe who like a faithfull knighte began to blame with sharpe rebukes her fonde and foolishe loue pushyng her from hym as she was about to clepe hym aboute the necke and swore greate othes that rather he would bee drawen in fower peces then consent to suche a thyng to be doen by hym or any other against the honor of his lorde maister Whiche wordes the Ladie hearyng sodainly forgatte her loue and in greate rage saied vnto hym Shall I then bee frustrate thou arrant villaine in this wise of my desired ioye But sithens thou goest about to seke my distruction I will cause thee to be put to death or els to be banished the worlde When she had saied so by and by she caught her self by the heare of the head and almoste tare it of cleane and then laied handes vpon her garmentes rentyng the same in peces and afterwardes cried out aloude Helpe helpe The Erle of Angiers wil rauishe me by force The Erle seyng that and farre more doubtyng of the enuie and malice of the Courte then his owne conscience for any committed facte fearyng also that more credite would bee giuen to the wickednesse of the Ladie then to his innocencie conueied hymself from that place and so sone as he could he went out of the palace and fledde home to his owne house where without any further aduise he placed his children on horsebacke and so well as he could caried them to Callice At the brute and noyse of the Ladie many people assembled Who seyng and hearyng thoccasion of her crie not onely beleued her wordes but also affirmed that the pompouse state of the Erle was vsed by hym to bryng to passe the effecte of his desire Then thei ranne to the houses of the Erle in greate furie to arreste his persone but not findyng him there thei first sacked his houses and afterwardes ouerthrewe them to the grounde The newes hereof so wicked as might bee deuised arriued at the Kyng and Dolphins Campe whereat thei were so troubled and offended that thei condempned the Erle and all his progenie to perpetuall exile promisyng greate giftes and rewardes to them that would presente them quicke or deade The Erle beyng offended in his conscience for that he was fledde innocente of the facte made hymself culpable thereof and arriued at Callice with his children dissemblyng what he was and sodainly passed ouer into Englande and in poore apparell traueiled vp to London And before he entred the citie he gaue his children diuers admonicions but specially of two thinges First that thei should beare paciently the pouertie whervnto Fortune without their offence had brought them Afterwardes that wisely thei should take héede at no time to manifest declare to any man from whence thei came and whose childrē thei were as thei loued the price of their owne liues The soonne was named Lewes almoste of the age of ix yeres and the doughter called Violēta was about the age of .vij. bothe whiche childrē as their age could suffer them did well obserue their fathers lesson as afterwardes it did right well appere And bicause that this might the better be brought to passe it semed good vnto hym to alter their names namyng the soonne Perotto and the doughter Gianetta And when thei were arriued at Lōdon in maner of beggers thei craued their almose and beyng by Fortune for that purpose one mornyng at a churche doore it came to passe that a greate ladie whiche was one of the Marshalles of Englandes wiues in goyng out of the Churche sawe the Erle and his two litle childrē beggyng their almose of whom she demaunded what countrie man he was and whether those children were his owne or not To whom the Erle answered that he was a Picarde and by reason of a wicked facte dooen by his eldest soonne that was an vnhappie boie he was forced to departe his countrie with those his twoo children The Ladie whiche was pitifull fixed her eyes vpō the girle who pleased her verie muche bicause she was beautifull gentill and pleasaunt saiyng Good man if thou be contēt to leaue vnto me this thy litle doughter whiche hath a good face I will willingly take her and if she become a duetifull maiden when she is mariageable I will marie her in honeste wise This demaunde greatly pleased the Erle who redely answered that he was contented and with teares trickeling doune his eyes he deliuered and commended his pretie doughter vnto her And whē he had thus wel bestowed her he determined to tarrie no lōger there but in beggyng his almose traueiled through the countrie with his
soonne Perotto went into Wales not without greate labour and paine as one neuer accustomed to traueile on foote Where dwelte one other of the kyng of Englandes Marshalles that was of greate aucthoritie and kept a noble house To whose court the Erle and his sonne oftentymes repaired to practise begge their liuyng where one of the Marshalles sonnes and other gentlemennes children doyng certaine childishe sportes and pastymes as to runne and leape Perotto began to entermedle hymself emonges them who in those games did so excellently well as none was his better whiche thyng diuers tymes the Marshall perceiuing and well pleased with the order of the childe asked of whence he was It was told him that he was a poore mannes soonne whiche many tymes came thither to begge his almose The Marshall desiryng the childe the Erle whiche praied vnto God for nothyng els liberally gaue hym vnto hym although it gréeued hym to departe from hym The Erle then hauyng bestowed his sonne and his doughter determined no lōger to tarry in Englande but so well as he could he passed ouer into Irelande and when he was arriued at Stanford he placed hymself in the seruice of a man of armes belōging to an Erle of that countrie doing all thinges that did belong vnto a seruing man or page not knowen to any mā he cōtinued there a long time with great paine and toile Violenta named Gianetta that dwelte with the Ladie at London grewe so in yeres in beautie in personage and in suche grace and fauour of her lorde and Ladie and of all the rest of the house and so well beloued of all them that knewe her that it was meruailous to sée All men that sawe her maners and countenaunce iudged her to be worthy of greate honour and possessions by reason whereof the Ladie that receiued her of her father not knowyng what she was but by his reporte purposed to marrie her honourablie accordyng to her worthinesse But God the rewarder of all mennes desertes knowyng her to be a noble woman and to beare without cause the penaunce of an other mannes offence disposed her otherwise and to the intente that this noble gentlewoman might not come into the hādes of a man of ill condicion it must be supposed that that whiche came to passe was by Goddes owne will and pleasure suffred to be dooen The gentlewoman with whom Gianetta dwelt had but one onely sonne by her husbande whiche bothe she and the father loued verie dearly as well because he was a soonne as also that in vertue and good merites he greatly excelled For he surpassed all other in good condicions valiaunce goodnesse and beautie of personage beyng about sixe yeres elder then Gianetta who seeyng the maiden to bee bothe faire and comely became so farre in loue with her that he estemed her aboue all thinges of the worlde And bicause he thought her to be of base parentage he durste not demaunde her of his father and mother to wife But fearyng that he should lose their fauour he kepte his loue secrete whereby he was worse tormented then if it hadde been openly knowen And thereby it chaunced through Loues malice he fill sore sicke For whose preseruacion were many Phisians sente for and thei markyng in hym all signes and tokens of sickenes and not knowyng the disease were altogether doubtfull of his health whereof the father and mother tooke so greate sorowe and grief as was possible and many tymes with pitifull praiers thei damaunded of hym the occasion of his disease To whom he gaue for answere nothyng els but heauie sighes and that he was like to consume die for weakenesse It chaunced vpon a daie there was brought vnto hym a Phisicion that was verie younge but in his science profoundlie learned and as he was holdyng hym by the poulces Gianetta who for his mothers sake attended hym verie carefully entred vpon occasion into the chamber where he laie sicke and so sone as the yonge gentleman perceiued her and that she spake neuer a worde or made any signe or demonstracion towardes hym he felt in his harte to arise his moste amourous defire wherefore his poulces beganne to beate aboue their common custome whiche thyng the Phisicion immediatly perceiued and merualled stādyng still to se how long that fitte would continue Gianetta was no soner gone out of the chamber but the beatyng of the poulces ceased wherfore the Phisicion thought that he had founde out some parte of the gentlemannes disease and a litle while after seming to take occasiō to speake to Gianetta holdyng hym still by the armes he caused her to be called in and she incontinently came but she was no soner come but the poulces beganne to beate againe and when she departed the beatyng ceased Whervpon the Phisicion was throughly perswaded that he vnderstode the effecte of his sicknes and therewithall rose vp and takyng the father and mother aside saied vnto them The health of your sonne doeth not consist in the helpe of Phisicions but remaineth in the handes of Gianetta your maide as I haue perceiued by moste manifest signes whom the yonge man feruently dooeth loue And yet so farre as I perceiue the maiden doeth not knowe it you therefore vnderstande now what to doe if you loue his life The gentleman and his wife hearyng this was somewhat satisfied for so muche as remedie mighte bee founde to saue his life athough it greued them greatly if the thing wherof thei doubted should come to passe which was the marriage betwene Gianetta and their soonne The Phisicion departed thei repaired to their sicke soonne the mother saiyng vnto hym in this wise My soonne I would neuer haue thought that thou wouldest haue kept secrete from me any parte of thy desire specially seyng that without the same thou dooest remaine in daūger of death For thou art or ought to bée assured that there is nothyng that maie be gotten for thy contētacion what so euer it had been but it should haue been prouided for thée in as ample maner as for my self But sith thou haste thus doen it chaūceth that our Lorde God hath shewed more mercie vpon thée then thou hasle doen vpō thy self And to th ende thou shalt not die of this disease he hath declared vnto me the cause of the same whiche is none other but the great loue that thou bearest to a yonge maide wherso euer she bee And in deede thou oughtest not to bée ashamed to manifest thy loue bicause it is meete and requisite for thyne age For if I wist thou couldest not loue I would the lesse esteme thee Now then my good sonne be not afraied franckly to discouer all thyne affectiō Driue awaie the furie and thought whiche thou hast taken whereof this sickenes commeth And comfort thy self Beyng assured that thou shalt desire nothyng at my handes that maie be doen for thy contentacion but it shall bee accomplished of me that loueth thee better then myne owne life and
aduentures Who seyng hymself to begin to ware olde was desirous being yet in Ireland to knowe if he could what was become of his childrē Wherefore perceiuyng that he was wholy altred frō his wanted forme and féelyng hymself more lustie through the long excercise and labour whiche he had susteined in seruice then he was in the idle tyme of his youthe he departed from his maister verie poore and in ill apparell with whom he had continued in seruice a longe tyme and came into Englande to that place where he had left Perotto and founde him to be Marshall of the countrie and sawe that he was in healthe lustie and a comely personage whiche reioysed hym merueilously but he would not make hymself be knowen to hym till he had séen what was become of his doughter Gianetta wherefore takyng his iourney he rested in no place till he came to London And there secretly inquiryng of the ladie with whom he had left his doughter of her state he learned that his doughter was her soonnes wife whereof he tooke excedyng greate pleasure And from that tyme forthe he compted his aduersities past as nothing sith he had founde his children liuyng and in suche greate honor And desirous to sée her began like a poore manne to harbour hymself harde by her house wherevpon a certain daie beyng séen of Giachetto Lamyens for that was the name of the husbāde of Gianetta hauing pitie vpō him bicause he sawe hym poore and olde commaunded one of his seruauntes to haue hym into the house and to giue hym meate for Goddes sake whiche the seruaunt willingly did accomplish Gianetta had many children by Giachetto of whiche the eldest was but eight yeres olde and thei were the fairest and beste fauoured children in the worlde who when thei sawe the Erle eate meate thei all came aboute hym and began to make muche of hym as thoughe by natures instruction thei had knowen him to be their Grandfather And he knowyng his nephewes began to shewe them tokens of loue and kindnesse By reason whereof the children would not goe from hym although their gouernour did call them awaie Wherefore the mother knowing the same came out of a chamber vnto the place where the Erle was threatened to beare them if thei would not doe as their maister hadde them The children began to crie and saied that thei would tary by that good manne that loued them better then their maister did whereat the Ladie and the Erle began to laugh The Erle not as a father but like a poore man rose vp to dooe honour to his doughter bicause she was a noble woman Conceiuyng merueilous ioye in his minde to see her but she knewe hym not at all neither at that instant nor after bicause he was so wonderfully transformed and chaunged from that forme he was wonte to bée of Like one that was olde and graie hedded hauyng a bearde leane and weather beaten resemblyng rather a common persone then an Erle And the Ladie seyng that the children would not departe from him but still cried when thei were fetched awaie willed the maister to lette them alone The children remainyng in this sorte with the honest poore manne the father of Giacchetto came in the meane time and vnderstoode this of their maister Wherefore he that cared not for Gianetta saied Lette them alone with a mischief to kéepe companie with beggers of whō thei came For of the mothers side thei bée but verlettes children and therefore it is no meruaile though thei loue their companie The Erle hearing those wordes was verie sorowfull notwithstādyng holdyng doune his hedde he suffred that iniurie as well as he hadde doen many other Giacchetto which knewe the mirth and ioye that the children made to the poore man although he was offended with those woordes neuerthelesse made as muche of the poore Erle as he did before And when he sawe him to wepe he commaunded that if he honest poore man would dwell there to doe some seruice he should bee reteined Who answered that he would carie there with a good will but he said that he could doe nothyng els but kepe horsse wherevnto he was accustomed all the daies of his life To whom a horsse was appoincted to kéepe and daily whē he had dressed his horsse he gaue hymself to plaie with the children Whiles that Fortune thus dealt accordyng to the maner aboue saied with the Erle of Angiers and his children it chaunced that the Frenche kyng after many truces made with the Almaignes died and in his place was crouned his sonne whose wife she was that caused the Erle to bee banished When the last truce with the Almaignes was expired the warres beganne to growe more sharpe for whose aide the kyng of Englande sente vnto hym as to his newe kinsman a greate number of people vnder the gouernemente of Perotto his Marshall and of Giacchetto Lamyens soonne of his other Marshall with whom the poore Erle wente and not knowen of any man remained a greate while in the Campe as a seruaunt where notwithstandyng like a valiaunt man with his aduise and déedes he accomplished notable thinges more then he was required It chaunced that in the time of the warres the Frenche Quene was verie sore sicke and perceiuyng her self at the poincte of death repented her of all her synnes and was confessed deuoutly to the Archebishop of Roane who of all men was reputed an holie and vertuous manne and amōges all her other sinnes she tolde him of the great wrong doen by her to the erle of Angiers and was not onely contented to reueale the same to hym alone but also rehearsed the whole matter before many other personages of greate honour desiryng them that thei would woorke so with the kyng that if the Erle were yet liuyng or any of his children thei might bée restored to their state againe Not longe after the Quene departed and was honourablie buried Whiche confession reported to the Kyng after certaine sorowfull sighes for the iniuries dooen to the valiaunte man he made Proclamacion throughout all the Campe and in many other places that who so euer could bryng forthe the Erle of Angiers or any of his childrē should for euery of them receiue a greate rewarde bicause he was innocent of that matter for whiche he was exiled by the onely confession of the Quene and that he entended to exalte hym to his former estate and more higher then euer he was Whiche thing the Erle hearyng beyng in the habite of a seruaunte knowyng it to be true by and by he wēt to Giacchetto and praied hym to repaire to Perotto that thei might come together bicause he would manifest vnto them the thyng whiche the kyng sent to seeke for And when thei were all thrée assembled together in a chāber the Erle saied to Perotto that now he thought to lette hym vnderstande what he was saiyng these wordes Perotto Giacchetto whom thou séest here hath espoused thy sister and neuer had yet any