you should hinder them with the losse of one droppe of blood wherefore I pronounce no other Iudgement shall at this tyme be ministred Now was Truculento more mad that he could not haue his hearts desire for that he knewe he must néedes spyll some blood it could not be otherwyse chosen wherefore he desired he might haue his money and so let all other matters alone Nay quoth the Iudge since you would not accept of it when it was offered nor would be contented with so large a promise the money shall serue to make them amendes for the great wrong which you would haue offered Thus in my opinion is Iudgement equally vsed and neyther partie I hope will be miscontented Truculento séeing there was no remedy and that all the people praysed the Iudgement so woorthily accepted Rodolfo for his lawfull sonne and put him in possession of all his lyuinges after his disease Thus were they on all partes verie well pleased and euerie one accoumpted him selfe well contented If now this homely Historie may séeme to suffice you in recompence of my costes I craue nothing but your courtesie You shall haue the rest as possibilitie can permyt me and I remayne your fréend to pleasure you in ought to my power Take this in meane tyme though too short to be swéete and thus I byd Euphues hartily welcome into England Honos alit Artes. FINIS A. Munday Faultes escaped in the printing 1. In the .25 Page in Zelautos spéeche for vnderding reade vnderstanding 2. In the .32 Page in Zelautos spéeche for Timon reade Timantes The Lyon dooth easily conquer his yéelding pray Where as Fortune is so aduerse small hope is to be had Zelauto at last by faire woordes dooth séeke to win fauour After many clowdy showers yet shineth a fayre day Zelauto right glad of his delyuerie yéeldeth thankes Honest talk passeth away the time pleasauntly A fréendlie gratulatioÌ„ for curtesie receyued Ne ob diuitias laudaris virum indignum Cicero in partitionibus Orat. Cato Senior Lucullus Pompey An excellent priuie nyp giuen vnto Lucullus Aesculapius sonne to Apollo Tullie Zelauto dooth returne to giue his fréend thaÌ„kes for his lyberalyty Néede hath no law necessitie breaketh stone Walles A promise made may alwayes be claymed for a due debt Zelauto accordeth to his fréendly request Zelauto telleth his first trauayles Gonzalo Guiciardo Duke of Venice His trauelling to Naples Banditie called Outlawes doo wound Zelauto His hard escaping to Naples His bolde entraunce into an Inne Madonna Vrsula the Mistresse of the house Her fréendly entertainment Magarita la donizela A fréendly and gentle offer Madonna Vrsula her returne to Zelauto An Italian courtesie She commaundeth her maide to depart and beginneth her talke Madonna Vrsula her talke Zelauto his reply A fayned excuse to collour the matter Her encouragement giuen a freshe to Zelauto Signor Giouanni Martino a merchaunt in Naples Madonna Vrsula her courteous promise Astraepho telleth his iudgement on this matter Zelauto procéedeth in his discourse She returneth demaunding if he wil go to supper They goe to supper She proffereth to play with Zelauto A Chirurgion commeth and dresseth his woundes In the morning Madonna Vrsula coÌ„meth to see Zelauto They fall in talke againe Lactantius de vero cultu Chap. 12. Inholders Tauerners for coÌ„moditie Caesar in his Commentaries commeÌ„deth the Germaines Abraham Genesis Sodom and Gomorra Rahab deliuered from death for the same S. Ambrose as touching the entertainmeÌ„t of straungers Zelauto answereth her learned discourse Astraepho vnfoldeth his iudgement agayne Astraepho desireth to heare more of this matter Zelauto now goeth to breake fast She sendeth for her Lute Astraepho desireth to heare her song Zelauto reherseth it Astraepho amased at her singularity knoweth not what to say Zelauto goeth on with his tale The Chirurgion coÌ„meth and dresseth him againe The comming in of Signor Giouanni Martino Zelauto woulde néedes depart from his hostes Her sorow for his departure Zelauto departeth froÌ„ Naples Zelauto coÌ„meth to Valentia in Spaine and trauayleth with GeÌ„tlemen to Ciuill from thence to Lysbone where he happeneth on certaine Enlyshe MerchaÌ„ts with whoÌ„ he talketh as concerning their Countrey Their answer Zelauto goeth with the Merchants to S. Lucas so towards England Astraepho requyreth to know of England Zelauto came into England landeth at Douer He drincketh English Béere and merueyleth at the Language Zelauto traueth of the maister for a guide Roberto a very mery fellow appointed for a guide to Zelauto Zelauto is come to London to the Royall Exchaunge Zelauto is brought to Signor Giulio di Pescara of his Countrey Zelauto lyketh well of the seruyce in England Zelauto commeth acquainted with GeÌ„tlemen of the Englishe Court. He chaunceth to sée the noble Queene of England Timon AgameÌ„non Marques Vitelli Ambassador of Spayne Sappho Corinna Eriune Praxillae Telesilla Cleobulinae Pithogareans Diotima and Aspasia Titan. Tantalus The Pageant with all languages before â—e Quéen The Pageant with Apollo and the nine Muses The Ship before her Maâ—â—stie Astraepho falleth into admiration with him selfe The admiration of Astraepho at the passed tale of Zelauto Astraephoâ— earnest request compelleth Zelauto to procéede to déeper matters Zelauto to pleasure his fréend telleth him an excelleÌ„t and braue deuise doone in England The Lady beeing driueÌ„ into a great admiratioÌ„ at the preseÌ„ce of this peereles Princesse vseth her talke in this order The Orcacades the golden America the East and UUest Indias The Lady dooth suppose that no one deserued rightlye such condigne praise as this péerelesse Princesse The Lady doubteth whether this is the Princes or no at last looketh and espyeth the Champion The ChaÌ„pion speaketh to the Lady dysdaining her talk passed yéeldeth her great rebuke therfore He alleadgeth that women are apte to prayse their Sex He vseth threatning woordes thinking thereby to allay the corage of the Lady He séemeth to extol his Lady abooue the Princesse The Lady replietâ— to the ChampioÌ„ because he séemed so much to coÌ„mend his Polinarda The Lady biddeth battell to the Champion in defence of her cause The ChaÌ„pion taketh the offer of the Lady wylling to enter Combat The Lady prayeth for asistance She applieth her gifts equiualent to his kifts Uertulesse Gentillytie is wurse then Beggerie The Lady chargeth him with greater matters then he looked for The Lady héere learneth him a lesson The ChaÌ„pion scorning the Ladies good talke aunswereth The Lady hauing vaÌ„quished the Champion sayth thus The ChaÌ„pion ashamed of his bolde presumption desireth that they woulde heare his sorrowfull discourse He repenteth that he praysed so much his Polinarda The Lady commeth to the Champion pronouncing him pardoÌ„ in hope of his amendment Cicero in Oratione Pro rege Deiotaro Alcander who put out Licurgus eye Eusebius Virgill Euripides Zelauto telleth how much bound he was to a noble Lord in the English Court. Zelauto writ verses in the prayse of the Queen Astraepho merueyleth at this rare report Zelauto writ verses in the prayse of a
desirous you shall wherefore attend it diligently ¶ The Song which misteris Vrsula sung to her Lute to Zelauto AS Loue is cause of ioy So Loue procureth care As Loue dooth end annoy So Loue dooth cause despaire But yet I oft heard say and wise men like did giue That no one at this day without a loue can liue And thinke you I will loue defie No no I loue vntill I die Loue knits the sacred knot Loue hart and hand dooth binde Loue will not shrinke one iot but Loue dooth keepe his kinde Loue maketh freendes of foes loue stayes the common wealth Loue dooth exile all woes that would impaire our health Since loue dooth men and monsters mooue VVhat man so fond will loue disprooue Loue keepes the happy peace Loue dooth all strife alay Loue sendeth rich increase Loue keepeth warres away Loue of it selfe is all Loue hath no fellowe mate Loue causeth me and shall Loue those that loue my state Then loue will I vntill I dye And all fond Loue I will defye FINIS Zelauto How like you now Sir of her Song is it not bothe pithie and excellent dooth it not beare a singuler and great vnderding withall Astraepho If I should speake all I thinke you would hardly beléeue me for surely her song contayneth great and learned poyntes of wisedome and requireth a more expert and learned heade then mine to define thereon And certainely it amazeth me to heare that such excellencie should remayne in a woman But I pray you procéede and let me heare more of this matter Zelauto After she had ended her song Quoth she Gentleman I trust you are not ignoraunt of the meaning of my Song for perhaps you might alleadge some poynts of lewdnes or lightnes that a woman should so much commend Loue but my intent therefore I referre to your good construction And nowe sir since you haue refreshed your selfe let the Chirurgion vse his cunning to your woundes and in the meane while I will send for Signor Giouanni Martino and then we shall sée what he will say to you I thanke you good Misteris Vrsula quoth I and I pray you let him be sent for So after that the Chirurgion had dressed me and was departed in came Signor Giouanni Martino Who séeing mée knéeled downe and kissed my hand the which Madonna Vrsula marueiled at Then quoth I to him in his eare I pray doo not vse any such curtesie whereby I may be knowen for because I would not be knowen to any but if they demaund of you who I am say that I am of Padua Well syr quoth he your minde shal be fulfilled in all thinges Then I gaue him Letters which when he had read he departed brought me seuen hundred Crownes saying spende these whyles you are héere and at your departure you shall haue more Then spake Madonna Vrsula to him Syr doo you knowe this Gentleman Yea forsoothe quoth he his Parents are of great credit in Padua wherfore I pray you let him want nothing Well syr quoth she he hath wanted nothing yet nor shall not if you had not spoken But nowe dynner is ready and I will desire you to beare him company Yes quoth he that I shall wyllingly Well syr to be short there had I passed ten or twelue dayes was perfect whole and then I would néedes depart Which when she saw she was verie sorie and pensiue But yet quoth she although Syr you doo depart I hope if it be your Fortune to iourney this way againe homewarde you wyll take vp your homely lodging héere And in token that you shall remember mée take héere this Iewell and weare it I desyre you for my sake I yéelded her a thousand thankes recompenced her seruauntes payed my charges So on the morrowe morning I departed accompanied with a Gentleman who was an especiall fréende vnto Signor Giouanni Martino And thus haue you heard the whole discourse of my first trauayle Astraepho Surely héere hath béene a gallant discourse and worthy the memorie you are much bound in curtesie vnto that Gentlewoman And I would it were my fortune once to happen on such an hostes But whether iourneyed you then from Naples Zelauto Sir as I was about to tell you in fewe dayes I ariued at Valentia in Spayne where it was my chaunce to méete with certaine Gentlemen who trauailed vnto Ciuill and with them I went there I remayned my companion thrée dayes From thence I went to Lysbone where as I lodged in the house of one Pedro de Barlamonte There lodged also certayne English Merchauntes whom I béeing very willing to talke with all one night desired them to take part of a Supper with me They spake the Latin tongue very well and so of them I questioned about the vsage of their Countrey that of long time I had heard great commendation thereof Also of a mayden Quéene that swayed the Scepter there I asked them whether it was so or no They answered it was and gaue me to vnderstand so much of their Countrey that I would néeds goe with them into England who in déede were very willing and so they hauing ended their Merchandize we iourneyed â—o S. Lucas and within fewe dayes I tooke shipping into the so famous bruted Realme of England ¶ Heere Zelauto telleth how with certayne English Merchauntes he sayled into England and what happened vnto him Astraepho Why then you stayed but a while in Spayne Zelauto No sure for after I and my Companion had heard of the fame of Englande we could not settle our mindes to staye there but thought euery day a yéere vntill we myght come into England Astraepho And is England so famous I pray you declare vnto mée what you haue seene there that deserued so great commendations Zelauto That I shall wherefore I desire you to giue eare vnto this discourse for it is both straunge and excellent After as we were departed from the coast of Spayne in a thrée wéekes space we ariued vpon the coast of England and landed at a certaine hauen that in their language they call Douer the maister and his mate with two or thrée other of the ship bare vs company into the towne where we came to an Inne as they call them and béeing set downe one of them called for drinke which was such as I did neuer sée the lyke before for they call it Beere and such a language they speake as is bothe straunge wonderfull for I knowe not to what I should best liken it Well sayd I to my companion now we are héere what shall we doo We knowe not what they say nor they can not vnderstande vs I thinke it were best to hyre some of these that are in the ship which speake the Latin tongue to conduct vs vntill we come to some of our Country-men wherof they tolde vs was a great many there he was verye well contented and so I desired
the maister that wée might haue one of his men to guyde vs who in déede verye courteously consented And then he sent to his Shyp for one Roberto a verie merry and pleasaunt fellowe and he spake our language very well he gaue him very great charge that he should vse vs well vntyll we came to their chéefe Cittie which they call London and then as soone as we came thyther to bring vs to some of our countreymen So we contented the Maister got vp on Horsebacke and so rode to London Zelauto and his companion being come to London through the meanes of Roberto their guyde they are brought to the house of one Signor Giulio di Pescara who entertained them very curteously OUr mery Companion hauing brought vs to London shewed vs many fayre and comly syghtes as first he had vs into their Bursse where abooue were so many fine Shops full of braue deuises and euery body sayd a mad term that they had What lack ye vvhat lack ye I merueyled what they meant by it then I asked Roberto what they sayd So he tolde me that they asked me what I would buye if I would haue any of their fine wares And surely in that place were many very proper and comely Women Then he had vs and shewed vs a very fine Uaute vnder the same where there was a great many Shops lykewise So then it began to waxe somthing toward the euening and then he conducted vs to the house of one Signor Giulio a Gentleman of Pescara where we had very gallant entertaynement and so well estéemed of as if we had bene in our owne Coūtrey This Giulio had maried an English Woman who in déede was so gentle of nature so comely in qualities and so proper in personage that sure mée thought she excelled Of her lykewise we were very gently welcommed and a very gallant Chamber prepared with all things so necessary and seruaunts to attend on vs so dilligētly that sure it was not in vaine that England had such excellent commendation My Companion sayd he was neuer so quiet and so well at his hearts ease as he was there béeing but so lyttle tyme there For in déede to say the trueth I wāted nothing but euerie thing was ready at halfe a woordes speaking and with great reuerence also To the house of this aforesayd Signor Giulio resorted diuers Gentlemen which were of y◠Court of England who shewed vs such courtesie as it is vnspeakable But all this whyle I would not be knowen what I was but told them that I was a Gentleman of Naples and my name was Zelauto and that I came for my pleasure to sée the Countrey These Gentlemen some of them dyd pertayne to men of great Honour in the sayd Court whome I lykewise came acquainted with all But to recount the rare and excellent modestie the vertuous lyfe adorned with ciuilytie the hautie courage and Martiall magnaminitie their singuler qualyties in generall though I had the gallantest memorie in the world the pregnanst wit and the rarest eloquence to depaynt them I know my selfe were vnable to doo it It was my chaunce within a whyle after I was acquaynted with those woorthy Lordes of Honour to come in presence where theyr vertuous Mayden Queene was But credit mée her heauenly hew her Princely personage her rare Sobrietie her singuler Wisedome made mee stand as one bereft of his sences For why before mine eyes I sawe one that excelled all the woorthy Dames that euer I haue read of Astraepho But stay Zelauto dyd you sée that péerelesse Paragon and is she so rare and excellent as you make her to be Zelauto Oh Syr neuer can my tongue giue halfe a quarter of the prayse that is due to that rare Arabian Phaenix Were Mars himself alyue he would stand agast at her Heauenly behauior And as Timon when he drew the mournfull portrait of King Agamemnon for the losse of his Daughter could not set foorth his face correspondent to the sorrow that is conteyned left the same couered with a vayle to the iudgement of others So I because I am vnable to paynt foorth her passing prayse according as desert deserueth I remyt her vnder the vayle of Eternall memorie to the graue iudgement of others Astraepho What now Zelauto why the Goddesses the Graces them selues coulde but deserue this commendation and I am sure she is none Zelauto Were it possyble for a Goddesse to remayne on the earth at this day credit mée it were shée For thus much I wyll tell yée It is not to all Countreyes vnknowen how well her Grace dooth vnderstand and speake the languages that of her selfe without any interpretour she is able to aunswer any Ambassadour that commeth to her Maiestie Also it is not vnknowen howe her Princely Maiestie made the minde of the valiant Marques Vitelli Ambassador sent from the King of Spayne to be marueylously mooued This Vitelli hath bene knowen a excellent warriour and yet the rare excellencie of this Queene had almost put him cleane out of conceyt That as he sayde him selfe he was neuer so out of countenaunce before any Prince in all his lyfe It is in vaine of the Grecians to vaunt of their Sappho Corinna Eriune Praxilla Telesilla Cleobulina nor yet the Pithegoreans brag of theyr Diotima and Aspasia for theyr lyues this is she that excelleth them all and therfore will I say O decus Anglorum virgo clarissima viuas Donec terrigenis Praebebit lumina Titan. O Virgin Queene the rarest gem Ioue graunt thy happy race That whyle Dan Titan giues his lyght Thou mayst enioy thy place Let all true English harts pronounce whyle they haue breath God saue and prosper in renown our Queene Elyzabeth Viuat vincat regnat Elyzabetha Astraepho Zelauto these your woordes dooth agrauate an excéeding ioye in my minde and causeth mée to thyrst with Tantalus vntyll it be my Fortune to sée that happy Land that thryse happy Princes whome if she be as you make report would cause bothe men and monsters to adore But I pray you Syr procéede and let me heare what happened vnto you in that Coūtrey zelauto Syr after I had stayed there a whyle to show this gallant Princes pastime certaine of her woorthy and famous Lordes assembled in a Tournamēt the brauest sight that euer I saw with this gallant troupe there came a Pageant as they call them wherein were men that spake all Languages O syr I am not able to speake sufficient in prayse thereof At an other time there was a braue excellent deuise which went on whéeles without the helpe of any man Therein sate Apollo with his heauenly crew of Musique Beside a nūber of straunge deuises which are out of my remembraunce But yet I remember one thing more which was a braue and comely Shippe brought in before her Maiestie wherin were certaine of her noble Lordes and this
rudenesse if I chaunce to offend you my good will did labour in hope for to please you Againe some will be inquisitiue why I am so willing to welcome Euphues into England he beeyng so excellent and my selfe so simple If Euphues so wisely dooth wish you beware and to preuent the perilles that heedelesse heades may haue wishing youth likewise to frame their fancies so fit that no crooked chaunces doo happen to harme them Then like that Lilly whose sent it so sweete and fauour his freend who wisheth your welfare And although my wit be so weake that I cannot welcome as I would and my skyll to simple to gratifye so gentle a gueast I trust my good will shall plead me a pardon my honest intent be nothing misliked Thus hoping to haue your courteous consentes which is the reward I cheefest require I wishe my woorkes may prooue as profitable to you in the reading as they were delightfull to me in the writing Your freend to commaund A. Munday A delicate Disputation gallantlye discoursed betweene two noble Gentlemen of Italy The Argument NOt longe since ouer the famous and stupendious Citie of Venice gouerned Gonzalo Guicciardo elected Duke by the most worthye Orlando Fiorentino This aforesayde Gonzalo renowmed for his princely gouerment obayed for his singuler wisdom praysed for his pollitique suppressing of prowde vsurpinge enimies and honored for his humilytie to his subiects in generall was not onely accounted as a second Mutio among his freends and familyars but euen amonge his very enemies was also esteemed as a prince worthy of eternall memory And nature the more to agrauate his ioyes in his hoary haires gaue hym a Sonne called Zelauto whose singuler humanitie whose puisance in feates of armes whose dexteritie in witte and whose comelye shape in personage caused hym through all Venice to bee greatly accounted of This gallant youth Zelauto more desirous to aduaunce his fame by traueâ—lyng straunge countries then to leade his lyngring life styll in the court of his famous father one day by chaunce tooke courage to open the hidden thoughts which longe incombred his carefull breast and hauing espied his father at such conuenient leasure as serued best for his auayle yeelding his obeysaunce as dutie beseemed entred into this discourse If Right woorthy and renowmed Father nature had adorned me with such rare and excellent quallities as might procure an hartes ease and ioy vnto your princely estate then would dutie cause me to keepe my minde in silence and feare of displeasing your aged hart byd me restrayne my vowed attempt But sith I am destitute of that which my hart desireth willing to gaine the same by painefull industry I hope I shall purchase no ill will of your person nor displease the mindes of your subiectes in generall First weigh and consider by your gratious aduisement that a youthfull minde more desireth the fragrant fieldes then the hidden house Custome confesseth yea and lawe of Nature alloweth that it is more permanent to a princely courage to seeke the renowmed mansion of the most illustrious and sacred Ladye Fame then to drowne his youthfull dayes in gulfs of gaping greef in sileÌ„t sorrows in vaine thoughts and cogitations and also in trifling and idle exercises which maketh him more prone vnto vice then vertue more apt vnto lewdnes then contented liuing yea maketh him so friuilous and fantasticall that nothing but libidinous thoughtes beastly behauiour is his whole exercise For then euery blasing beame and euery sugred countenaunce of a woman allureth him that floting on the Seas of foolish fansie and hauing abid one lusty gale of winde wherewith the Barke of his body is beaten against the Rockes of his Ladyes lookes then the poore patient falleth into so extreme an extasie that one worde will kill him and an other reuiue him Thus is he inclosed amid these subtill snares while in the warlike feeld he might enioy his libertie and their win fame which should last eternally These and such like crabbed conceites deere Father vrgeth me to craue your leaue and licence that I may a while visite straunge Countries In which time I doubt not but to atchieue such exploytes that at my returne it will be treble ioy to your Princely eares to heare them recounted Sonne Zelauto aunswered the Duke this your discourse is both commendable and allowable for I lyke well of your intent and with all my hart giue consent that for a limitted time you shal seeke aduentures which time shall amount vnto .vi. yeares and on my blessing I charge thee not to breake that appointed time In the meane while if God call me as my life is vncertaine I frankly freely giue thee all is myne Wherfore looke well to thy selfe that good report may be heard of thee which vnto me will be great contentation But nowe as touching what ayde and assistance thou wilt haue with thee speake and it shall be graunted Good Father answered Zelauto none but onely one to beare me company which I know will be sufficient Well quoth the Duke receiue heere my blessing this portion of money and this knight to beare thee company And I pray God in all thy wayes to guide and protect thee and so you may depart when you please Zelauto accompanied with his knight departed from the Court of his famous Father and tooke shipping to goe vnto Naples from thence he trauailed vnto Valentia in Spayne and chauncing into the company of certayne English Merchauntes who in the Latine tongue told him the happy estate of England how a worthy Princes gouerned their common weale and all suche thinges as could not be more praysed then they deserued The which Zelauto hearing craued of them that he might sayle with them into England and he woulde liberally reward them They beeyng contented and hauing laden their Shippes with such necessaryes as they best desyred within fewe dayes hoysed sayles and away they went This young youth Zelauto beeyng come into England and seene the rare and vertuous vsage of the illustrious and thrise renowmed Princes with the great honour and fauour which he obtayned among her woorthy Lordes purposed to stay still there But yet remembring that although he sawe one place many others were as yet vnseene after a yeere expyred he tooke shipping into Persia and so departed In processe of time he had visited many straunge Countryes sustayned many and wonderfull iniuryes among the Turkes which after shall be declared And returning homeward happened on the borders of Sicile where Fortune was fauourable vnto him that vnawares he happened on the caue of a valiaunt Knight who was a Christian and hauing committed an hainous offence fled out of his owne Countrie and inhabited there in a silent Cell among the woods This Knight beyng named Astraepho and hearing the trampling of one about his denne tooke his weapons and came foorth He beeing greatly abashed at the sight of Zelauto for that in tenne yeeres space he neither sawe man nor woman
I am indebted yet to recompence the greatest part as néere as I can And this by the way to assure your selfe though lothe to spend so much lyp labour in promysing you preferment doubt not but in heart I will remember you and that to your contentment Astraepho Syr Zelauto héere néedeth no such thanks if I could bestow so much of you as my poore heart would wyllingly affoord I doubt not but then you would thanke me In the meane whyle take as you finde welcome your selfe though you be not bidden shut vp the sacke when it is but halfe full giue God thankes for all But procéede I pray you as touching your promise for I greatly desire to heare what after happened you Zelauto I shall satisfie your aspectation wyllingly but giue eare I pray you and marke it attentiuely for you shall heare the tenour of a straunge and tragicall Commedy Zelauto remooueth his Thought to haste out of England Heer Zelauto telleth how he departed from the royall Realme of England and arriued at Zebaia in Persia and of the great courtesy that he found with his Host Manniko Rigustello and also of his wife named Dania BEing departed from my Companion from that thrise renowned Realme of England after many hard and diffyâ—ill passages I arriued at Zebaia a gallant and braue Cittie in Persia. Béeing come thyther alas I wyst not what to say the people so gased vpon me as though they would haue eaten me so at last I entred into the signe of the Gorgons head which is a house of lodging for Straungers When I came in I found my Hoste and his Wife sitting by the fire at supper I saluted them in their owne language as well as I could mary mine Hostesse was a Florentine and she did quickly perceyue what countreyman I was wherefore she rose vp and very courteously bad me welcome so presently I was had vp into a Chamber a good fire made then I sate down communed with mine Hostes. The talke betweene mystres Dania and Zelauto in his Chamber SYr quoth she as the sight of a Christian in this place is a thing of great lyking vnto me euen so are you welcome although as yet vnacquainted But neyther to stand vpon the nicenesse of Rethoricall gloses nor to trifle the time with long and doubtfull delayes this I am to enforme you we are héere subiect vnder a Law to which Law wyll we nyll we we must obey the Law dooth thus farre stretch in charge that no ChristiaÌ„ must abide in the Cittie abooue ten dayes if longer to their owne peryll in which tyme the Hoste must be sworn for his good vsage and to sée if that he kéepe due and decent behauiour in his house Now Syr you hauing taken vp your lodging héere my Husband is vpon his good lyking to giue his woord for you Thinke not Gentleman that I speake to discourage you for you shall finde your selfe heere as well vsed as in your owne Countrey I am my selfe a Christian borne and wyll stand your fréend in more then I wyll nowe make my vaunt of therefore by the way I giue you first to vnderstand our Lawes of other matters we shall the better discourse afterwardes Gentlewoman quoth I I would that my simple and meane behauiour might once be woorthy to deserue the courtesie of such a fréendly entertaynment surely in the informing me of the Lawes and Customes of your Citie you haue doone me no small pleasure for otherwise I might haue by some one occasion vnwittingly violated them But now since you on méere courtesie hath doone thus much for me I am to yeelde you a thousand thankes Well syr quoth she then if I might be so bolde I would enter into a lyttle talke with you Truly Gentlewoman quoth I you are not so wylling as hartily welcome therefore say what pleaseth you Then syr quoth she since your patience hath pardoned my rash attempt I am the bolder without blushing to craue such courtesie at your handes as to rehearse of whence you are from whence you come what mooued you to visite this place and whether you minde to trauayle Suspect no subtyll Sophistrie in this my demaund good syr but rather impute my boldnesse to countrey behauiour and to one that wisheth your welfare Genlewoman quoth I to dissemble were no part of fréendly familiaritie to lye would impayre my name and credite to tell trueth also may héere perhappes to returne to myne owne endamagement but buylding my assuraunce on your Christian fidelitie and hoping you will not séeke to woorke my harme wilfully but wyll rather adiuuate me in my necessitie to you wyll I vnfolde the sum of my secretes First I am a Venetian borne and my Father if lyuing as I hope he be thereof is Duke my youthfull minde béeing addicted to sée forrayne Countreyes left my Father and tooke my selfe to trauayle So after the view of other Countreyes Fortune hath sent me hether where I must be no long abyder because fowre yéeres and more are fully expyred and my tyme dooth amount but vnto sixe yéeres and to aunswer whether I shall goe from hence I can not because I must craue your good and fréendly directioÌ„ in my voyage that I may escape from mine enimies and safely returne home into my Countrey In déede syr quoth she I can not blame you to kéepe your selfe so secrete if you be discended of so noble a house and for my part you shall be iniured by no way but rather aduaunced and if lyfe goodes or what euer else may pleasure you be holde for they are ready at your commaundement By this tyme it waxed somewhat darke and supper was ready so the meate béeing serued vp into my Chamber the Hoste came and he his wife and I supped altogether The talke which Manniko Rigustello the host Dania his wife and Zelauto had together at Supper MAnniko Rigustello the Hoste sitting at the Table and séeing that I was a Christian he béeing one him selfe that of long tyme endeuoured to become a Christian desired me if I coulde to rehearsâ— some part of the Scripture whereby he might receyne comfort and consolation for the want of which he was long time troubled and vexed in his spyrit Quoth I though not so able as I would I were yet wyll I reueale such things vnto you as I haue no doubt but you shall be comforted thereby and I wyll helpe to mitigate your wounded conscience by the swéet and blessed promises of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christe a soueraigne medicine against all â—railties of the vyle and voluptuous â—â—eshe Heere Zelauto rehearseth to Astraepho the comfortable talke that he vsed to his Hoste Manniko Rigustello and of the conuersion of his Hoste AFter that God of his infinit goodnesse mercy had framed all things according to his heauenly will and pleasure as first the day and night next the trées the earth the sea