Alexandria and thought he had to serue his tourne whē he would but he was so coueteous that with his good will he would not doe it and to force hym he was verie lothe Howbeit compelled by necessitie he cast his willes about hym to finde a meanes howe the Iewe mighte serue his tourne and founde out a sleight and waie by a colourable force And causyng hym to bee called before hym interteignyng hym familierly he made him to sit doune by hym and saied to hym these woordes Sir I doe learne by reporte of diuers menne that you are verie wise and well learned in thynges touchyug God For whiche cause I would gladly knowe of you whiche of the three lawes you iudge to bee moste true The Iewishe lawe the Saracene lawe or the Christiā lawe The Iewe whiche in deede was verie wise perceiued well that Saladine went about to intrappe him in wordes to raise some quarrell against him thought that it was not good for hym to praise one of those lawes more then an other that Saladine might take no aduantage of hym Wherefore to make a wise and discrete answere that he might not bée taken he sharpened his wittes and sodainlie there came into his remēbraunce this answere My lorde the questiō which you haue proponed vnto me is excellēt and to declare vnto you that whiche I knowe I must tell you a tale which if it shall please you to heare is this I do remember if I be not deceiued that many tymes I haue heard tell how vpon a tyme there was a noble manne whiche was verie riche and had emōges his other treasure a verie beautifull rynge of greate price and estimacion which for the valor and beautie he was verie desirous perpetuallie to leaue vnto his successours who willed and ordeined that the same soonne whiche should haue that rynge by the gifte of his father after his decease should bee taken and reputed for his heire and should be honoured and magnified of the rest as the chiefest He to whom the same ringe was left obserued semblable order in his posteritie and did the like that his predecessor had doen before hym In short tyme this ring succeded frō hande to hande to many successours And last of all it came to the handes of one that had thrée goodly sonnes vertuouse and verie obedient to their father Who for that cause loued them al indifferentlie and in equall maner whiche knowinge the order for the disposicion of that Ringe curiouse to be beste estemed and beloued euery of them praied their Father so well as they coulde which then was aged that when he died he would giue him the Ringe The good man whiche loued one no better then another knewe not which of them to chose to whome be might dispose it and thought best to promisse the same to euerie of them to satisfie all thrée And secretlie he procured an excellent Goldesmith to make two other whiche were so like vnto the first that the owner himselfe vnethes knew one from the other And when he was vppon his deathe bedde he secretlie gaue to euerie of his sonnes a Ring Who after the death of their father desirouse to entre the Inheritance and honour one going about to displace another euery of them to declare what title he had to enioy the same brought forthe his Ringe And the Ringes were founde so like that the true ringe could not be knowen Therefore the processe for the title remained in doubte and yet continueth till this daie And so I saie vnto you my Lorde of the thrée lawes giuen by God the father to those thrée people whereof you haue made the question euerie of those nations thinketh to inioie the inheritance of God and to obserue the true lawe and his commaundementes but whiche of them hath the lawe that remaineth in doubte like the question of the Ringes Saladine perceiuyng that Melchisedech knewe right well how to auoide the snare whiche he hadde laied before his féete Determined therefore to open and disclose vnto him his necessitie to proue if he would doe him that pleasur And so he did tellinge him his intent meaning if he had not made him that wise answer The Iewe liberallie lente him the some of money that he demaunded Whiche Saladine holie repaied vnto him againe besides other verie greate rewardes that he gaue him vsinge him still for his frende and afterwardes mainteined him next his person in great and honorable state One celled Gugllelmo Borsiere with certen woordes well placed taunted the couetouse life of Ermino Crimaldi ¶ The .xxxj. Nouell LOnge sithens there was a gentle man at Genoua called M. Ermino Grimaldi who as all men iudged was the richest of possessions and redy money and therin farre excelled all other citizens whiche then were knowen in all Italie And as he did surpasse all other Italians in substances welth euen so in auarice and wretchednes he surmounted beyonde measure the most couetouse and miserable of the worlde For he kepte his purse so close that he did not onelie neglect to doe good to other but also to himselfe by sparinge in many thinges necessarie for his owne person he indured muche hardnes in meate and drinke bicause he would spende nothinge contrarie to the commen custome of the Geneuois Who be wont very nobly and honorablely to mainteine themselues in apparell and fare For whiche cause his surname Grimaldi deseruedlie was giuen vnto him and was called of euery man nothing elles but M. Ermino the Couetouse It chaunced in those daies that as he by spendinge nothinge multiplied his goodes There arriued at Genoua an honest gentleman and well spoken a Courtier of good interteigmente named Guglielmo Borsiere nothinge like the Courtiers in these daies that to there greate shame for there corrupt and rude manners would be called and reputed gentlemē whiche in déede maie be counted asses brought vp and noseled rather in the filthie condicions of the vilest men then in courtes In those daies Courtiers occupied themselfes in treatinge of peace and endinge of quarrels that bred strife and dissension amonges gentlemen or in makinge of Mariages amities and attonementes and with merie woordes and pleasant did recreate troubled mindes exhilarated with pastimes other Courtiers with sharpe reprehencions like fathers rebukinge the liues of the wicked and that for litle gaine or rewarde Where the Courtiers of our age doe imploy there time in ill reportes one of another and doe disseminate debate and strife vttering a thousande vnhappie and vile woordes yea and that whiche is woorst of all in common audience There maner is to reproue and checke one another of there iniuries shames and mischiefes true and vntrue and with false and deceiuable flatteries and inuentions to committe against Gentlemen villanouse and vngraciouse factes He is also the proprest man and best beloued of some great men of ill condicions and of them best rewarded that can vse the vilest and most abhominable talke or can doe semblable déedes
enterprise she praied Ianique for a time to withdrawe her self vntill she had written her letter by the tenor whereof she should vnderstande with what audacitie she would prosecute the rest And beyng alone in her chamber takyng peune and paper she wrote to Didaco with fained harte as followeth Senior Didaco I am perswaded that if you will vouchesafe to reade and pervse the contentes of these my sorowfull letters you shal be moued with some cōpassion and pitie by beholdyng the true Image of my miserable life pourtraied and painted in the same whiche through your disloyaltie and breache of promise is consumed and spente with so many teares sighes tormentes and griefes that diuerse tymes I maruaile how Nature can so long supporte and defende the violente assaultes of so cruell a martirdome and that she hath not many tymes torne my feble spirit out of this cruell and mortall prison whiche maketh me to thinke and beleue by continuyng life that death himself hath conspired my miserie and is the companion of my affliction consideryng that by no torment she is able to make diuision betwene my soule and bodie Alas how many tenne hundred thousande tymes in a daie haue I called for Death and yet I can not make her to recline her eares vnto my cries Alas how many tymes am I vanquished with the sharpe tormētes of sorowe redie to take my leaue and last farewell of you beyng arriued to the extreme pangues of death Beholde Didaco myne ordinarie delices beholde my pleasures beholde all my pastime But yet this is but litle in respecte of that whiche chaunceth in the night For if it happē that my poore eyes doe fall a sléepe wearie with incessaunte drawyng forthe of welsprynges of teares slombryng dreames cease not then to vere and afflicte my mynde with the cruellest tormentes that are possible to be deuised representing vnto me by their vglie and horrible visions the ioye and contentacion of her whiche inioyeth my place whereby the greatest ioye whiche I conceiue is not inferior to cruel death Thus my life mainteined with continuacion of sorowes and griefes is persecuted in moste miserable wise Nowe as you knowe I daily passe my sorowe vnder painfull silence thinkyng that your olde promisses confirmed with so many othes and the assured proofe which you still haue had of my faithe and constauncie would haue broughte you to some order but now seyng with myne eyes the hard mettall of your harte and the crueltie of my fate whiche wholie hath subdued me to your obedience for respecte of myne honour I am forced to complaine of hym that beateth me and thereby dispoileth me bothe of myne honor and life not vouchsaufyng onely so muche as ones to come vnto me And vncertaine to whom I maie make recourse or where in fined redress I appeale vnto you to th ende that seyng in what leane and vglie state I am your crueltie maie altogether be satisfied whiche beholdyng a sight so pitifull wherein the figure of my torment is liuelie expressed it maie be moued to some compassion Come hither then thou cruell man come hither I saie to visite her whō with some signe of humanite thou maiest staie or at least wise mollifie and appease the vengeaunce whiche she prepareth for thee And if euer sparks of pitie did warme thy frosen harte Arme thy self with a greater crueltie then euer thou was wont to do and come hither to make her sobbe her laste and extreme sighes whō thou hast wretchedly deceiued For in doyng otherwise thou maiest peraduenture to late bewaile my death and thy beastly crueltie And thinking to make a conclusion of her letter the teares made her wordes to die in her mouthe and would not suffer her to write any more wherefore she closed and sealed thesame and then callyng Ianique vnto her she saied Holde gentle Ianique cary these letters vnto hym and if thou canst so well plaie thy part as I haue doen myne I hope we shall haue shortly at our commaundemente hym that is the occasion of this my painfull life more greuous vnto me then thousande deathes together Ianique hauyng the letter departed with diligence and went to the house of the father in lawe of Didaco where quietly she waited till she might speak with some of the house whiche was within a while after For one of the seruauntes of Didaco whom she knewe right well went aboute certaine his maisters busines méetyng Ianique was abashed Of whō she demaunded if the Lorde Didaco were within and said that she would faine speake with him but if it wer possible she would talke with hym secretly Whereof Didaco aduertised came forthe to her into the streate to whom smilyngly hauyng made to hym a fained reuerence she saied Senior Didaco I can neither write nor reade but I dare laie my life there is sute made vnto you by these letters whiche Madame Violenta hath sent vnto you And in déede to sale the truthe there is greate iniurie dooen vnto her of your parte not in respecte of your newe Mariage For I neuer thoughte that Violenta was a wife méete for you consideryng the difference of your estates but bicause you will not vouchsauf to come vnto her seming that you make no more accompt of her and specially for that you prouide no mariage for her in some other place And assure your self she is so farre in loue with you that she is redie to die as she goeth in suche wise that makyng her complainte vnto me this daie wepyng she saieth vnto me Well for so muche then as I can not haue hym to bee my husbande I would to God he would mainteigne me for his frende and certaine tymes in the wéeke to come to sée me specially in the night lest he should bée espied of the neighbors And certainly if you would folowe her minde herein you shall dooe very well For the case standeth thus you maie make your a vaunte that you bee prouided of so saire a wife and with so beautifull a frende as any gētleman in Valentia And then Ianique deliuered him the letter whiche he receiued and redde and hauing well considered the tenor of the same he was incontinently surprised with a sodain passion For hatred and pitie loue and disdain as with in a Cloude bée conteined hotte and colde with many contrary windes beganne to combate together and to vexe his harte with contrary mindes then pawsyng vpon answere he saied vnto her Ianique my dere frēde racommende me to the good grace and fauoure of thy maistresse and saie vnto her that for this tyme I will make her no answere but to morowe at fower of the clocke in the morning I will be at her house and kepe her companie all the daie and nighte and then I will tell her all that I haue dooen sithens I departed laste from her trustyng she shall haue no cause to bée offended with me And then Ianique takyng her leaue retourned towarde Violenta tellyng
long time make any aunswere When his passiō was moderated he sayd to his sister But be you well assured that he will receiue you for his wyfe Yea my Lorde quod she I ought well to be assured of it since he himself hath made the request And truely qoud the king God forbidde that I should be the cause to breake so holye an accorde For if the Lord of Mendozza were inferior in qualitie nobility and goodes than he is yet hath he so much done both for you me as we may not honestly refuse him How much more then be we bounde to him being a great Lorde as he is issued of noble and famous families of Spaine riche in goodes and hauing hazarded his lyfe for the conseruation of your honour and there withall seketh mine alliaunce Go your wayes dere sister and friende goe your wayes make muche of him and entreate him as you think best And when I haue walked two or thrée tornes here I will come vnto him to cōmunicate more amplie of these matters Scarce had the Duchesse leysure to aduertise the Lord of Mendozza of that which was concluded betwene the king and her but he came downe into the Hall where the most part of the Spanishe Gentlemen walked and with a very ioyfull countenance went to the knight To whome he sayde My Lorde Mendozza I praye you to embrace mée For so farre as I sée I haue a better interest in you than I thought And the Lorde of Mendozza thinking to embrace him his knée vpon the grounde was immediately desired to stande vp Whome the king cleping about the necke sayde vnto him so loud that euery man might heare Sir knight by the God of heauen since that I might commaund in the realme of England I haue not entertained gentleman nor Prince to whome I haue bene more endebted than to you nor neuer was there any dearer vnto me than you for the great gratitude and kindenesse wherewith you haue bound me whereby I shal not from henceforth be satisfied vntill I haue in some thing acknowledged the bonde wherein I am bounde vnto you When he had spoken those wordes he began to declare from poynt to poynt in the presence of all the assembly the contentes of the whole before declared historie Wherat ther was none in all the companie but that was greatly astonned at the prudence of Mendozza by so wel dissembling and accomplishing so great enterprises without making them manifest And the King of England commaunded that the mariage of him and his sister shoulde be published through out his realme that all his nobilitie might be assembled And for his greater honour the King did from thenceforth constitute him his highe Cunstable of England and reposed himselfe in him as vpon a firme piller for the administration of the wayghtiest affaires of his realme And the mariage solempnized consummate with the Duchesse he retourned into Spaine to accompanie the Prince into Englande whose mariage was celebrated at London in the King of Englandes daughter with suche pompe and solempnitie as semblable Princes be commonly accustomed to doe in lyke cases The Countesse of Salesburie A King of Englande loued the daughter of one of his noble men which was Countesse of Salesburie who after great sute to achieue that he coulde not winne for the entire loue he bare vnto her and her great constancie made her his Queene and wyfe ¶ The .xlvj. Nouell THys Historie ensuing describing the perfect figure of womāhode the naturall quality of Loue incensing the harts indifferently of all Natures children the liuely ymage of a good condicioned Prince the zealous loue of parents and the glorious reward that chastitie cōduceth to her imbracers I déeme worthy to be annexed to the former Nouell wherin as you haue heard be contained the straūge aduentures of a fayre innocent Duchesse Whose lyfe tryed lyke gold in the furnace glittereth at this day like a bright starry planet shining in the firmament with most splēdent brightnesse aboue all the rest to the eternall prayse of feminine kinde And as a noble Duke of Sauoie by heate of Loues rage pursued the louing trace of a King of Englandes syster married into Spaine euen so a renowmed and moste victorious Prince as the Aucthor of them both affirmeth thorowe the furie of that passion which as Apuleus sayth in the fyrst heate is but smal but abounding by increase doth set all men on fier maketh earnest sute by discourse of wordes to a Ladie her selfe a Countesse and Earles daughter a beautifull and faire wight a creature incomparable the wyfe of a noble man hys owne subiect who seing her constant forte to be impregnable after pleasaunt sute and milde request attempteth by vndermining to inuade and when wyth siege prolixe he perceiueth no ingenious deuise can achieue that long and paynefull worke he threateth might and mayne dire and cruell assaultes to winne and get the same and laste of all surrendred into his handes and the prisoner crying for mercye he mercifully is contented to mitigate his conceyued rigor and pitifully to release the Ladie whom for her womanly stoutnesse and coragious constancie he imbraceth and entertaigneth for his owne This great and worthy king by the first viewe of a delicate Ladie thorow the sappe of Loue soaked into his noble heart was transported into many passions and rapt into infinite pangues which afterwardes bredde him great disquietnesse This worthie Prince I saye who before that time lyke an Alexandre was able to conquere and gayne whole kingdomes made all Fraunce to quake for feare at whose approche the gates of euery Citie did flye open and fame of him prouoked eche Frenchmans knée to bowe whose helmet was made of manhodes trampe and mace well stéeled with stoute attemptes was by the weakest staye of dame Natures frame a woman shaped wyth no visage sterne or vglie looke affrighted and appalled whose heart was armed with no lethall sworde or deadly launce but with a Curat of honour weapon of womanhode and for al his glorious conquests she durst by singuler cōbat to giue refusall to his face Which singuler perseueration in defence of her chastitie inexpugnable esclarisheth to the whole flocke of womankynde the bright beames of wisdome vertue and honestie No prayers intreatie suplication teares sobbes sighes or other lyke humaine actions poured forth of a Princesse heart could withdraw her from the bounds of honestie No promise present practise deuise sute friende parent letter or counsellor could make her to straye out of the limits of vertue No threate menace rigor feare punishment exile terror or other crueltie coulde diuert her from the siedge of constancie In her youthly tyme till her mariage day she delighted in virginitie From her mariage day during her wydow state she reioyced in chastitie The one she conserued like a hardie Cloelia the other she kept like a constant Panthea This notable historie therefore I haue purposed to make common aswell for encouragement of
mortall body And if I should so farre forget my selfe as willingly to commit a thing so dishonest your grace ought for the loyall seruice of my father and husbande towarde you sharpely to rebuke me and to punishe me according to my deserte For this cause moste dradde soueraigne Lord you which are accustomed to vanquishe and subdue other be nowe a conquerour ouer your selfe and throughly bridle that concupiscence if there be any vnder the raines of Reason that being quenched and ouercome they may no more reuiue in you and hauing liuely resisted the first assaultes the victorie is but easie which shall be a thousand times more glorious and gainefull for you than if you had conquered a kingdome The Countesse had scarce made an ende of her tale but one came to tell them that the Tables were couered for dinner the King well fedde with Loue dyned for that tyme very soberlye and not able to eate but vpon amorous dishes did caste his lokes inconstantly here and there and still his eyes threwe the last loke vpon that part of the table where the Countesse satte meaning thereby to extinguishe the boyling flames which incessantly did burne him howbeit by thinking to coole them he further plondged himselfe therein And wandering thus in diuers cogitations the wise aunswere that the Countesse made like a vaunte curreur was continually in his remebrance and was well assured of her inuincible chastitie By reason wherof seing that so harde and enterprise required a longer abode and that a heart so chaste could not so quickly be remoued frō purpose careful on the other side to giue order to the waightie affaires of his realme disquieted also on euery side throughe the turmoile of warres determined to depart the next day in the morning reseruing till another tyme more conuenient the pursute of his Loue. Hauing taken order for his departure in the morning he went to seke the Countesse and taking his leaue of her he prayed her to thinke better of the talke made vnto her the day before but aboue all he besought her to haue pitie vpon hym Wherevnto the Countesse answered that not onelye she prayed God incessantly to giue him victorie ouer his outwarde enemies but also grace to tame that carnall passion which did so torment him Certaine dayes after that King Edward was arriued at London which was the place of his ordinarie abode the Countesse of Salesburie was aduertised that the Earle her husbande being out of prison consumed with griefe sicknesse died by the way homewardes And bicause they had no children the Earledome retorned to the King which first gaue the same vnto him And after she had lamented the death of her husbande the space of many dayes she retourned to her fathers house which was Earle of Warwicke And for so muche as he was one of the Kinges priuie Counsell and the most part of the affaires of the realme passed by his aduise and counsell he continued at London that he might be more nere vnto the Kinges person The King aduertized of the comming of the Countesse thought that fortune had opened a way to bring his enterprise to desired effecte specially for that the death of her husbande and the witnesse of his earnest good will would make her more tractable The king seing all thing as he thought to succede after his desire began to renewe his first affections séeking by all meanes to practise the good wil of the Countesse who then was of the age of .xxvi. yeares Afterwardes he ordayned many triumphes at the Tilte and Torney Maskes Momeries feastes banquets and other like pastimes wherat Ladies accustomably doe assemble who made much of them all and secretely talked with them Notwithstanding he could not so well disguise and counterfait his passions but that he still shewed himselfe to beare beste good will to the Countesse Thus the king coulde not vse suche discretion in loue but that from his secret fier some euident flames did issue out But the Countesse which was a wise and curteous Lady did easely perceyue how the king by chaunging the place had not altered his affection and that he still prosecuted his talke begon at Salesberic She despising all his amorous countenaunces continued her firme and chaste minde And if it chaunced that sometimes the king made more of her than discretion required sodainly might haue bene discried a certaine palenesse in her face which declared the little pleasure that she toke in his toyes with a certayne rigor appearing that yelded to the king an assured testimonie that he laboured in vaine Neuerthelesse she to cut of all meanes of the Kings pursute kept still her fathers house shewing her self in no place where the king might sée her The king offended seing himselfe depriued and banished her presence whome he estemed as the comfort of his lyfe made his secretarie priuie to the whole matter whose fidelitie he had wel proued in matters daungerous with minde to pursue her by other way if it chaunced that she persisted in her wonted rigor and refusall Howbeit before he proceded any further sith he could not secretely talke with her he purposed to sende her a letter the Tenor whereof insueth MAdame if you please by good aduise to consider the beginning of my Loue the continuance of the same then the last issue whervnto it is brought I am assured that laying your hand vpon your heart you will accuse your self not onely of your curst and froward stomacke hitherto appearing but also of that newe ingratitude which you shewe vnto me at this houre not contented to be bathed plondged by you in the missehap of my payne paste but yet by a newe onset you abandon your felfe from my presence as from the sight of your mortall enemie wherin I find that heauen and al his influences doe cry out for mine ouerthrow wherevnto I doe agrée since my lyfe taking no vigor and increase being onely sustained by the fauour of your diuine graces can not be maintained one onely minute of a day without the liberall helpe of your swéetenesse and vertue beseching you that if the heartie prayers of any mortall tormented man may euer haue force and power to moue you to pitie it may please you miraculously to deliuer from henceforth this my poore miserable afflicted mynde eyther from death or martirdome He that is more yours than his owne Edwarde the desolate King of Englande The letter written with his owne hand and sealed with his seale he commaunded the Secretarie to goe to the Countesse at her fathers house and secretly to deliuer the same which he did And the Countesse hauing read and perused it sayde to the Secretarie My frende you shal tell the king that I doe beseche him most humbly to send me no more letters or messages touching the matters wherof he hath written For I am in such wise resolued in the aunswere which I made him in my Castle that I will persist immutable to the ende
loue with her sent him a letter by an olde woman whereby she aduertized him that his beautie and good behauior so puissantlie did gouerne her affections that she coulde take no rest by night nor daye for the earnest loue that she bare him Wherefore she prayed him if it were his pleasure to come and speake with her Philenio receyuing that letter and perusing the contents thereof not considering the deceite prepared for him ne yet any longer remembring the iniuries past was more ioyfull and glad than euer he was before Who taking penne and paper answered her againe that he for his parte suffred no lesse tormentes for her sake yea and in respect of Loue that he loued her farre better than she did him and at al times when she pleased he woulde be at her commaundement to do her seruice The aunswere readde and oportunitie founde Simphorosia caused him to come home to her house and after many false sighes she sayde vnto him My deare frende Philenio I knowe none other in all the worlde that hath brought me into this state and plight wherein presently I am but you bicause your beautie good grace and pleasant talke haue so set my heart on fier that I féele it to kindle and burne lyke drie woode Which talke mayster Scholler hearing thought assuredly that she consumed for loue of him This pore Nodgecock contriuing the time with swéete and pleasant wordes with his dareling Simphorosia the tyme approched that he should goe to bed with his faire Lady who sayd vnto him My swete frend Philenio abide a while and let vs make some banket and collation and taking him by the hande she caried him into her closet adioyning where was a table ready furnished with exquisit conficts and wines of the best This Gentlewoman had made a composition in the wine to cause this yong Gallant to slepe for a certayn time Phileneo thinking no hurt toke the cup and filled it with the wine and dranke it vp at one draught His spirites reuiued with this refreshing after he had bene very wel perfumed and washed in swete waters he went to bed and within a while after this drink began to worke and the minion slepte so soundely that Canon shot or the greatest gonnes of the world were not able to wake him Then Simphorosia perceyuing the drinke beginne to worke called one of her sturdy maides that wel vnderstode the game of this pageant Both whiche carying this pore sléepy Scholler by the féete and armes and opening the dore very softly they faire well bestowed him in the middest of the streate a good stones cast of from the house where he lay all night But when the dawning of the day did appeare or an houre before the drinke lost his vertue and the pore Sot began to wake thinking that he had bene a bed with the Gentlewoman he perceyued himselfe brechlesse and in his shirte more deade than alyue through the colde that he had endured by lying starke naked vpon the earth The pore wretch was not able to helpe him self so much as with his armes legges and could not stand vpō his féete without great paine notwithstanding through creping and sprawling he got home to his house vnsene of any man and prouided so well as he could for recouery of his health And had it not bene for his youth which did helpe him at that instant his sinewes had bene benommed for euer In the ende hauing attained his former health and the state wherin he was before he stil remembred the iniuries past and without shewing any signe of anger or ill will made as though he loued them all thrée better than euer he did before and sometime semed to be in loue with the one and sometime with the other They againe for their parte nothing mistrusting the malice of Philenio set a good face on the matter vsing amorous chere and countenaunce towardes him but when his back was tourned with mockes and floutes they toke their pleasure He bearing in his brest secret despite was stil desirous with his hand to marke them in the face but he like a wise man wayed the natures of women and thought it woulde redound to great shame and reproche if he did them any hurt And therfore restraining the heate of his choler did let them alone And yet by deuising and practising how he might be euen with them and reuenged he was in great perplexitie Uery shortly after it chaunced that the scholler had deuised a meane easely to satisfie his desire so sone as he had determined vpon the same Fortune also therevnto was fauorable Who hired in the citie of Bologna a very faire house which had a large hall and commodious chambers and purposed to make a great and sumptuous feast and to inuite many Ladyes and gentlewomen to the same Amongs whome these thrée were the first that should be bidden which accordingly was done And when the feast day was come the thrée Gentlewomen that were not very wise at that instant repaired thither suspecting nothing In the ende a little to recreate the gentlewomen and to get them a stomake attending for supper time the scholler toke these his thrée louers by the hande and led them friendelie into a chamber somewhat to refreshe them When these thrée innocent women were come into the schollers chamber he shut fast the dore and going towardes them he sayde Beholde the time is come for me to be reuenged vpon you wicked and curssed creatures and to make you suffer the penaunce of the torment wherwith ye punished me for my great loue The gentlewomen hearing those cruell wordes rather dead than aliue began to repent that euer they had offended him and besides that they curssed themselues for giuing credit vnto him whome they ought to haue abhorred The scholler with a fierce and angry countenaunce commaunded them vppon paine of their lyues to strippe themselues naked Which sentence when these thrée Goddesses hearde they beganne to looke one vppon another wéeping and praying him although he woulde not doe it for their sakes yet in respect of his owne curtesie and naturall humanitie that he woulde saue their honor aboue all things This Gallant reioysing at their humble pitifull requestes was thus courteous vnto them that he would not suffer them to stande with their garments on in his presence The women casting themselues downe at the Schollers féete wept bitterly beseching him that he woulde haue pitie vpon them and not to be the occasion of a slaunder so great and infamous But he whose heart was hardened as the Diamond sayde vnto them that this fact was not worthy of blame but rather of reuengement The women dispoyled of their apparell and standing before him so frée from couering as euer was Eue before Adam appeared as beautifull in this their innocent state of nakednesse as they did in their brauerie in somuch that the yong Scholler viewing from top to toe those fayre and tender creatures whose
him agayne yet the heart which is not subiect vnto vs would not accord to that crueltie For which consideracion she loued him no lesse than she was wont to doe and knowing that loue was the cause of that faulte she purposed for satisfaccion of Loue to loue him with all her hearte and yet throughe obedience and fealtie due to her honor she thought neuer to make other semblance In the morning Amadour departed in this sorte troubled as you haue heard neuerthelesse his coragious heart entred not in dispaire but renued a fresh hope once againe to sée Florinda and to winne her fauour Then he toke his iourney towards the court of Spaine which was at Tolledo taking his way by the Countesse of Arande where late in an euening he arriued and founde the Countesse very sicke for the absence of her daughter Florinda When she sawe Amadour she kissed and imbraced him as if he had bene her owne childe aswell for the loue she bare vnto him as for the lyke which she doubted that he bare to Florinda of whome very earnestly she inquired for newes who told her the best that he could deuise but not the whole truth and confessed vnto her the loue betwéene Florinda and him which Florinda had stil conceled kept secrete praying her ayde to bring him agayne into her fauour and the next morning he departed And after he had done his businesse with the Quéene he repaired to the warres so sadde and chaunged in all his conditions that the Ladyes Captaines and all they that were wonte to kepe him companie did not know him His apparel was all black mourning for the death of his wyfe whereby he couered the sorrowe which was hid in his heart In this wise Amadour passed thrée or foure yeares before he returned to the Court. And the Countesse of Arande which heard tell that Florinda was so sore chaunged that it would haue moued any mans heart to beholde her sente for her hoping that she would haue come but her expectatiō was frustrate for when Florinda vnderstode that Amadour had told her mother the good wil betwene them and that her mother being so wise vertuous giuing credit to Amadour did beleue his wordes she was in meruellous perplexitie bicause of the one side she saw that her mother did esteme him so wel that if she declared vnto her the truth Amadour might conceyue some displeasure Which thing she had rather dye than to doe wherefore she thought her selfe strong ynough to chastise him of his folly without helpe of her friends On the other side she perceyued that by dissembling the euill which she knew by him she shoulde be constrayned by her mother and her friendes to speake vnto him and to beare him good countenaunce whereby she feared his euill opinion would be the more encoraged But seing that he was far of she passed the lesse of the matter And when the Countesse her mother did commaund her she wrote letters vnto him but they were suche as he might wel gather that they were written rather vpon obedience than of good will the reading whereof bred sorrow vnto him in place of that ioye he was wont to cōceyue in her former letters Within the terme of two or thre yeares after he had done so many noble enterprises that all the paper of Spaine could not contayne them he deuised a newe inuention not to winne and recouer the hearte of Florinda for he déemed the same quite lost but to haue the victorie ouer his enemye sithens she had vsed him in that sort and reiecting all reason and speciallye feare of death into the hazarde whereof he hasted himselfe he concluded and determined his enterprise in suche sorte that by reason of his behauiour towardes the Gouernor he was deputed sent by him to treate with the king of certayn exploites to be done at Locates sparing not to impart his message to the Countesse of Arande before he tolde the same to the king to vse her good aduise therin And so came in poste strayght into the Countie of Arande where he had intelligence in what place Florinda remayned and secretly sent to the Countesse one of his frends to tel her of his comming to pray her to kepe it close and that he might speake with her that night in such secret wise as no man might haue knowledge thereof The Countesse very ioyful of his coming told it to Florinda sent her into her husbandes chamber to put of her clothes that she might be ready when she should sende for her after euery man was gone to bed Florinda which was not yet well boldened by reasō of her former feare making a good face of the matter to her mother withdrewe her selfe into an orato rieor chappel to recōmend her selfe to God praying him to defend her hart from all wicked affection considered howe often Amadour had praysed her beautie which was not impaired or diminished although she had bene sick of long time Wherfore thinking it better to doe iniurie to her beautie by defacing it than to suffer the heart of so honeste a personage by meanes thereof wickedly to be inflamed she toke vp a stone which was within the Chappell and gaue her selfe suche a great blow on the face that her mouth eyes and nose were altogether deformed And to the intent no man might suspect what she had done when the Countesse sent for her in going out of the Chappell she fell downe vpon her face vpon a great stone and there withall cried out so loud that the Countesse came in and found her in that pitious state who incontinently dressing her face and binding it vp with clothes conueyed her into her chamber and prayed her to goe into her closet to enterteigne Amadour til she were weary of his cōpanie Which she did thinking that there had bene some body with him But finding him alone and the dore shut vpon her Amadour was not so wel pleased as she was discontented Who nowe thought eyther with loue or force to get that which he had so long tyme desired And after he had spoken a fewe wordes vnto her and founde her in that minde he left her and that to die for it she woulde not chaunge her opinion desperately he sayde vnto her By God Madame the fruit of my labour shall not be thus taken from me for scruples and doubtes And sith that Loue pacience and humble desires can not preuaile I will not spare by force to get that which except I haue it will be the cause of my destruction When Florinda sawe his face and eyes so altered that the fayrest die and colour of the worlde was become so red as fyer and his most pleasaunt and amiable loke transformed horrible and furious that very hote burning fyer séemed to sparkle within his heart and face and in that furie with one of his strong fiftes he griped her delicate and tender handes On the other side she séeing all her defences