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
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
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
his quarel and the reward of his fight semed to redouble his force For euen then when euery mā thought that power must néedes fayle him it was the houre wherein he did best behaue himselfe In such sorte that hys enemie not being able any longer to endure hys puissaunte strokes being wounded in diuers partes of hys body did nowe no more but defende himselfe and beare of the blowes which were bestowed without intermission vpon al the partes of his bodie Which the Spanish knight perceiuing desirous to make an ende of the combat made so full a blowe with all his force vpon the top of his helmet that he wounded his heade very sore Wherwithall the heart of the Earle began very much to faynt and staggering here there like a dronken man or troubled in his senses was constrayned to fall downe from his horse And then the Lorde of Mendozza dismounting himselfe and taking holde vpon the corps of his shield plucked it so rudely to him that he ouerturned him on his other side Then with the pomel of his sword he did so swetely bumbast him that he made his helmet to flie of his head And serting his foote vpon his throte made as though with the point of his sword he wold haue killed him saying Counte the houre is now come that thou must go make an accompt with God of thine vntrouth and treason which thou hast cōmitted against the Duchesse Ah sir knight quod the Earle haue pitie vpon me and kill me not I beseche thée before I haue a little bethought me of my conscience Uillayne quod the Spaniarde if I had any hope of thine amendement I would willingly giue thée delay of lyfe But being a traytor as thou art thou wilt neuer ceasse to afflict innocents Neuerthelesse if thou wilt acknowledge thy fault publikely and require pardon of the Duchesse I will willingly leaue thée to the mercy of the Duke although that if I did obserue the rigour of the lawe I shoulde cause thée presently to receyue the payne prepared for the Duchesse To whome he obeyed for safegarde of his lyfe and knéeling on his knées before the Duchesse in the presence of all the people made a long discourse of his loue towardes her of the repulse that she gaue him and that for reuenge he ayded himselfe with his Nephewe thinking to ouerthrowe her chastitie Finally how he had slayne his Nephew to induce the Duke to iudge her to be culpable of the adulterry And then tourning his face towardes the Duchesse sayde vnto her Madame it behoueth me to confesse that the losse of thys one lyfe is to little to paye the tribute of the curelesse fault that I haue cōmitted against you Yet sith it is so I besech you by preferring pitie and mercy before the rigor of your iustice you will permit that I may liue yet certayne dayes to make a viewe of my lyfe paste and to prouide for the scruple of my conscience Then new ioye approched to garnishe the spirite of the Duchesse and both the soule and the heart began to shewe themselues ioyful in such wyse that she was a long tyme wythout power to speake did nothing else but ioyne her handes lift vp her eyes to Heauen saying O Lorde God praysed be thy holy name for that thou hast caused the bright beames of thy diuinitie to shine vpon the darknesse of my sorrowfull lyfe enforcing so well the minde of thys traytour the murderer of mine honor by the prickes of thy rigorous iustice openly to acknowledge before all men the iniurie that he hath done me And without speaking any more words she torned her face for feare lest she shuld make him any other answere Then all the people began to laude and magnifie God and to sing Psalmes for ioy of the deliueraūce of their Duchesse who was brought backe and reconducted into the citie with so great triumph as if she had made a seconde entrie Whilest these things were a doing the deputies for the suretie of the campe caused the wounded Earle to be borne to prison The knight Mendozza stale secretely away and after that he had in the nexte village dressed certaine smal woūds that he had receiued in the combat he toke his way to Spaine In the meane tyme the Duchesse caused him to be sought for in euery place but it was not possible to knowe any more newes of him than if he had bene neuer sene Wherat being grieued beyonde measure she made her mone to Emilia to know wherfore he should so absent himselfe from her Madame quod Emilia he is sure some French knight or else it may be some kinsman of your owne who is come out of Englande into these partes for certaine other affaires And fearing least he should be stayed here will not be knowen reseruing the manifestacion of himselfe til another tyme more apte for his purpose Let him be what he may be sayde the Duchesse for so long as my soule shall remayne wythin my bodye I will doe him homage during my life For the which I am so duely bound debtour vnto him as neuer subiect was to his soueraigne Lord. In this time whilest these matters went thus at Thurin the Duke of Sauoie who was Lieutenant general for the King agaynst the Almaines encountering with his enemies in a skirmishe by fortune was slayne Whereof the King of Englande being aduertised and specially of the deliuerie of his sister desirous to haue her about him sente for her to marry her agayne and to leaue vnto her the entier gouernement of his houshold And to grateste her at her first arriuall he gaue the rule of his daughter vnto her which was of the age of .xvi. or .xvij. yeares wyth whome by certayne meanes there was a mariage practized for the Prince of Spaine Let vs nowe leaue the Duchesse to liue in honor with her brother and retorne we to the Lord of Mendozza who being arriued néere vnto his citie vnderstode incontinently that they which had besiedged it had leuied their campe For that they of the towne had so well done their endeuour that not onely their enemies were not able to enter But also they had in a certaine skirmish taken the Lord Ladulphe their Chieftaine prisoner who was yet to that presente deteined bicause meanes were made for peace to be concluded on all sides Neuerthelesse they durst doe nothing without him Whereat the Lorde of Mendozza being replenished with great ioye to see hys affaires prosper so well in all partes entred the citie And the articles of the peace communicated vnto him he founde them very profitable for him And being cōcluded approued by him he began to solace himself in his owne house without taking care for any thing saue onely from thenceforth to thinke by what meane he might go to sée the Duchesse and recount vnto her the issue of his affaires But fortune prepared him a more readie occasion than he thought of For the King of