was so absolute and perfect that he did chuse rather to die than to desire any one thing which might tend to her dishonor and seeing himself in so low a condition in comparison of her he could not entertain the least hope to espouse her Wherefore his love was grounded on no other end but only with all his power to love her as perfectly as possibly he could of which at last she had some Intelligence And seeing the honest affection which he did bear unto her so full of virtue and civility she thought her self happy to be beloved by so worthy a personage and made so much of him that he who could not have wished for more was greatly contented at it But Malice the Enemy to all Quiet could not long suffer the continuance of a life so happy For some Informers whispered in the Mothers ear That they much wondred that this Gentleman was of such power in her house and that they suspected the beauty of her Daughter to be the only occasion of it with whom they oftentimes observed him to hold discourse The Mother who no wayes doubted the honesty of the Gentleman of whom she was as much assured as of any of her own Children was very forry that there was spread abroad such an uncharitable opinion of him but fearing that some scandall might arise by the malice of bad tongues she intreated him at last that for a certain time he would not come so often to her house as he was accustomed to do This was hard of digestion to him knowing that the civil discourse which he held always with her Daughter did not deserve that restraint Neverthelesse to stop the report of all ill tongues he retired for a time untill that report was silenced afterwards returned as he had been accustomed to do His absence had no ways diminished his affection Being in the house he understood that the young Lady was to be married to a Gentleman who in his opinion was not of that great Estate but that his own service might be as well entertained and be as acceptable as his He therefore began to take heart to imploy his friends to speak on his behalf supposing that if the choice were offered to the young Lady that she would prefer him unto the other Neverthelesse the Mother of the Daughter and her Kinred did make choice of the other because he was far more rich whereat the Gentleman was extremely melancholly knowing that his Mistresse would lose thereby as much contentment as himself Whereupon by little and little without any other Sicknesse he did begin to consume away and in a short time was so much changed that it seemed he had covered the beauty of his countenance with the Mask of Death to which day succeeding day and hour following hour he did joyfully repair So it was that he could not sometimes forbear from speaking to her whom he loved so intirely But at last his strength failed him and he was inforced to keep his Bed of which he would not advise her whom he loved because he was unwilling that she should partake in his affliction And suffering himself to sink into despair he at last could neither eat nor drink nor sleep nor take any rest insomuch that it was impossible to know him by reason of his leanenesse and the strange and sharp countenance which he had Some there were who advertised the Mother of his Mistresse of it who was a Woman full of pity and loved the Gentleman so well that if all her Kinred and Confidents had been of the same opinion as her self was and her Daughter they had preferred his Honesty and fair Deportment above all the Fortunes of the other but the Kinred who were on the Fathers side would not understand it Neverthelesse she resorted with her Daughter to visit the poor Gentleman whom they found rather dead than alive And perceiving that the end of his life did approach he sent for the Priest and having made his Confession he received the holy Sacrament thinking to have died without seeing any one But being ready to descend unto the sleep of Death and unexpectedly beholding her who was both his Life and Resurrection he found himself so fortified that he did arise up in his Bed and said unto the old Lady Some occasion hath brought you hithâ—â— Madam to give a visit unto him who hath already one foot in his Grave and of whose Death you are the occasion The Lady made answer How can that be possible that he whom we do love so well can receive his Death by our neglect Tell me I pray you upon what account of Reason do you speak these words Madam said he Although as much as it was possible for me I have dissembled the love which I most faithfully have born unto Madamoiselle your Daughter so it is that my friends speaking of the Marriage betwixt her and me have been more hot upon it than I desired seeing thereby I have received this Misfortune to lose all my hopes neither doth it so much afflict me for my particular but for that I am confident she can never be so well intreated by any other nor will be so well beloved as by me The observation which I make that she shall lose the most best and most affectionate friend and servant that she hath in the world doth more afflict me than the losse of my own life which onely for her alone I would preserve but because I find it cannot be serviceable any wayes unto her it is a gain unto me to lose it The Mother and the Daughter hearing these words did do the best they could to comfort him The Mother said unto him Take courage my Friend and I promise you upon my faith that if God shall restore you unto your health my Daughter shall have no other Husband but your self Behold she stands here before you and I command her upon the obligation of her Duty to make the same promise to you Her Daughter melting into tears did the best that she could to give him an assurance of that which her Mother had promised But he apprehending that if he were recovered he should not enjoy his Mistresse and that the good words that were given him were onely by degrees to restore him unto his lost health did say unto them That if these words had been spoken to him but three Moneths agoe he had been the most healthfull and the most happy Man in all France but this Relief came so late unto him that it could neither be believed nor hoped And when he observed that they did indeavour to inforce a belief into him of what they promised he said unto them Since so faithfully you have promised that great happinesse which can never arrive unto me though now your selves would have it so by reason of the great weaknesse in which I am I shall crave a far lesse favour which as yet I have not had the boldnesse to demand Immediatly they did both
him too late both by his laughter and his voice was strook into an amazement with the shame she had brought upon her self and called him a thousand times wicked Traytor and Impostor and would have thrown her self out of the Bed to look out a knife to have killed her self because she was so unfortunate to have lost her Honour with one whom she loved not and who to be revenged of her might divulge her shame throughout the world But he held her in his arms and by sweet words did assure her That he loved her more than he did whom she loved and that he would conceal that which touched her Honour that she never should receive the least discredit which the poor Lady believed and understanding the Invention which he had contrived to obtain her and the difficulties he went through to accomplish it she did swear unto him That she did love him better than the other who knew not how to conceal a Secret And moreover whereas there was a false report raised on the French she now knew to the contrary and that they were more wise constant and discreet than the Italians wherefore she would now differ from the opinion of her own Nation to comply with them But she did heartily entreat him that for a time he would forbear to appear at any Feast or Meeting where she was unlesse it were a Mask only for she knew well enough that she should have so many blushes upon her cheeks that her Countenance would declare it to all the world This he promised to perform and also entreated her That when his Friend should come about two hours hence that she would make him good cheer and by little and little withdraw her self from him Of which she made a great difficulty but because it was his desire she at last consented to it And taking his Farewel of her he did leave her so satisfied that she could have been well contented to have had him to have stayed longer with her After that he rose and had dressed himself he made hast out of the Chamber and left the door half shut and half open as he found it And because it was almost two a-clock after midnight he entertained a fear that he should find the Gentleman in the way he retired himself a little into a private corner on the top of the stairs where not long afterwards he observed the Gentleman to passe by and to enter into the Ladies Chamber whereupon he himself repaired directly to his own Lodging to take some repose after his nights travels which he did and did not rise untill it was past nine of the clock in the morning at what time the Gentleman came to him who never failed to give him an account of his Fortune which was not now so good as he hoped it would have proved For he told him That when he came into the Chamber of the Lady he found her out of Bed and in her Night-gown having a great Feaver on her her pulse beating very violently her face all on fire and a great sweat running down her face wherefore she did immediatly intreat him to return from whence he came for fear that she should be inforced to call unto her Maids to come to her assistance so violent was her distemper insomuch she said that she had more need to think of Death than Love and to talk rather of God than of Cupid Howsoever she was very sorry for the hazard into which he had put himself for the love of her because she had no power to make him in this world any requital for his true love being ready to be gone into another At this he was so sad and so astonished that his Fire and his Joy were converted into Ice and Sorrow and so immediatly he departed In the morning on the break of Day he sent to be more surely informed of her health and found for certain that she was in an extreme Indisposition and multiplying his complaints for her he wept so abundantly that it seemed his Soul was comming out with his tears Boninet who had as great a desire to laugh as the other to weep did comfort him the best that possibly he could and told him That things of a long continuance did alwayes meet with an untoward beginning and that Love did a little draw back but to come on with the greater force and to make the Delight more gratefull And on these words they departed The Lady for a certain time did keep her Bed and on the recovery of her health she bid Adieu to her first Servant and grounded it on the fear which she had of Death and the Remorse of her Conscience and continued her familiarities with Signior Boninet the continuation of whose Love according to the Custom was as the Beauty of the Flowers of the Fields It seems to me my Ladies that the subtilties of this Gentleman did equal the hypocrisie of the Lady who having so long counterfeited her self a virtuous woman did at the last declare her self a Fool. You may speak what you will of women said Emarsuite but that Gentleman acted a wicked part for suppose the Lady had a Friend must another circumvent him by his policy You may assure your self said Guebron that such Merchandises can never be better sold but to those that offer most and to those Buyers who come last and give the greatest price Never believe that those who in this nature do court Ladies do endure any great pain for the love of them No no it is only for the love of themselves and for their own pleasures On my credit said Longaren I do believe you for to declare the truth unto you all those Gentlemen which ever yet courted me began all their Complements on my behalf pretending to desire my Life my Good my Honor but the end was only for themselves and for their own pleasure and their own glory therefore it is the safest course to take leave of them at the first part of their Sermon for when we come to the second it is not so much honour to refuse them seeing that Vice when it is once known is refusable of it self It behooveth then said Emarsuite that as soon as ever a Man doth begin to open his mouth we must refuse him without knowing what he would say Parlament answered My Companions you must not understand it so for you know well that at the first words a Lady should not seem to understand any thing neither after he hath declared himself should she much lesse believe him but when he comes to swear and adde oath unto oath it seems to me that it is the best course for a Lady to forsake him then at his climbing of the Hill before he hath have to come down unto the Valley Shall we believe 〈◊〉 said Nomerfide that they love all for ill Is it not a sin to judge our Neighbor You may believe as you will said Oysilla but you ought to be in fear
without conscience For you know I know well enough that she whom you do love will not content her self with that which God and Reason do command And although the Laws of Men doe give so great a dishonour to Women who do love other Men besides their Husbands yet the Law of God doth not except the Husbands who love others besides their Wives And if you will put into the ballance your offence and the offence which I have committed You are a Man wise and experienced and of age to know and to be able to eschew Evil I am but young and without any experience of the force and tyranny of Love You have a Wife that doth cherish esteem and love you better than her own life and I have a Husband that doth eschew hate and disdain me more than a Servant You love a Woman that is grown into a great age discomplexioned and nothing so handsom as my self and I love a Gentleman far younger than your self and more lovely and delightfull You love a Woman that pertains to one of the greatest Friends that you have in the world transgressing on the one side the love on the other side the Reverence which you should carry to them both and I love a young Gentleman who is tied in no obligation but only of his love to me Now judge Sir and be impartial in your Judgment which of us two are most to be punished either you or my self I believe there is no man that is either wise or honest but will lay all the blame on you seeing that I am but young and ignorant despised and contemned by you and beloved by the most courteous and the handsomest Gentleman in all France whom I do love by a despair only that I shall never be beloved by you The Gentleman hearing her words full of truth and spoken and pronounced with so assured a grace that she shewed that she neither feared nor deserved any punishment did find himself so surprised with wonder that he knew not what to reply unto her but only that the honour of a Woman and of a Man were not alike but differed in several respects Neverthelesse because she did swear That there was no sin committed betwixt her and the Gentleman whom she loved he was resolved to make much of her upon a condition that she would return no more unto him and that he for his part would abandon her whom he had loved and that neither he nor she for the time to come should call to mind any thing that had passed betwixt them which was promised on both sides and so in good accordance they went to bed together In the morning one of the young Ladies old Maids who had a great fear of the life of her Mistresse did come early to her rising and said unto her And well Madam how goes it with you now She laughing made answer Why my Friend there is not a better Husband in the world than mine for he believed what I did swear In this manner she continued five or six dayes and the Gentleman did keep so close a guard upon her that she was watched both night and day but he could not watch her so narrowly but that she would still in one obscure place or other hold communication with him whom she loved But she carried her affairs so privately that neither Man nor Woman could ever discover the truth and had not one of the Grooms reported that he had seen a Gentleman and a Lady together in a Closet under the Chamber of the Lady that was Guardian to this young Gentlewoman the suspition had ceased the doubt whereof did so torment this Gentleman that he was resolved to be the Death of the yong Gentleman and assembled a great number of his Friends and Confidents together to kill him wheresoever they should find him but the chiefest of his Friends in this confederacy was so much a friend to the young Man whose life was sought after that instead of surprising him he did advertise him of all things that were contrived against him And he was so well beloved at the Court and so well accompanied that he feared not all the force of his Enemies which was the reason that they could never find the opportunity to exercise their vengeance on him But it so fell out not long after that he did meet in a Church with the Guardian of the young Lady whom he loved who knew nothing at all of any thing that had passed for before her self he never durst speak unto her The Gentleman made report unto her of the suspition and the ill will which the Husband did bear unto him and although that he was innocent he was resolved to make a long voyage to take away the Report which began to increase This Lady that was Guardian to his Mistresse was much amazed to hear those words and did protest unto him that the Husband did commit an unpardonable offence to suspect a Lady of Honour in whom she never knew nor saw any thing but Honesty and Virtue Neverthelesse by reason of the Authority in which the Husband was and to stop the current of this false Report the Princesse advised him to absent himself for a time and assured him that she believed not any thing of alâ— these follies and suspitions The young Gentleman was very glad that he continued in the favour and good opinion of the old Lady who advised the Gentleman before his departure to speak unto the Husband of the young Gentlewoman which he did according to her counsel and found him in the gallery hard by the Chamber of the King where with an assured countenance he said unto him Sir I have had all my life a desire to serve you and for a recompence for it I understand that this night you have a design to seek me out to kill me Sir I beseech you to consider that although you have more authority and power than my self yet that I am a Gentleman as well as your self and it would grieve me to fling away my life for nothing I must beseech you also to consider that you have a most virtuous Lady to your Wife and if there be any that will speak to the contrary I will tell him that he lies like a Vilain And for my self I thought I had not done any thing to give you an occasion to wish me evil if you please I will continue your servant if not I am a servant of the Kings for which I have reason enough to content my self The Gentleman to whom he addressed this Discourse made answer That true it was he entertained some suspition of him but he found him so good a Man that he desired rather to have his friendship than his enmity and bidding him Farewel with Hat in hand he embraced him as one of his fastest friends You may think with your selves what those men thought who on the Evening before had received Commission to kill him when they saw
That although he believed he was innocent of that which was laid to his charge yet he found that he was possessed with a great fear which brought forth a desire to be gone from that Master whose complexion he as yet not understood For my own part Ladies I can find no other thing that could move the heart of the King to hazard himself alone against so brave a Man at Arms and leaving all the Company and the place and Majesty due unto a King to demand the Combat of his Inferiour but only that he would render himself equal to that admirable Prince who doubted of his Enemy and to content himself did give him the Experience of the Noblenesse and Courage of his own heart And without contradiction said Parlament he had reason for it for the praises of all the Men in the world cannot so much satisfie a good heart as the knowledge and the experience that it hath of the Virtues wherewith God hath endued it It is many hundred years since said Guebron that the Poets and others have informed us that to come to the Temple of Renown we must first passe through the Temple of Virtue And for my self who knew very well the two Personages who were the Subjects of this Account I am most assured that the King was absolutely one of the most valiant men that were in his Kingdom Upon my faith said Hircan from the hour that Count William came first from Germany into France I did more stand in fear of his Sword than of all theirs who were esteemed to be the most stout Italians in the Court You know well said Emarsuite that the King was so highly reputed for his valour that our praises cannot reach his Deserts and that this Dayes work will be finished before every one of us shall have given a due character of him Wherefore Madam Give your voice to some one else who hath yet something to say of the Goodnesse of Men if there be any Goodnesse at all in them Oysilla turning to Hircan said unto him you have been so much accustomed to speak ill of Women that it seems to me it will be easie to you to give us some ready account of the praise of Men Wherefore I give you my voice It will be a thing easie to me to do said Hircan for it is not long since that one did give me an account of the praises of a Gentleman whose Love Patience and Perseverance is so commendable that I cannot lose the Memory of it A fair young Lady made trial of the Faith of a young Scholar her Friend before she would permit him to intrench too far upon her Honour The Eighth Novell IN one of the good Cities of France there was a Lord of a great Family who was at the University desiring to attain unto the knowledge by what means virtue and honour ought to be acquired amongst virtuous Men. And although he was so knowing that being but eighteen years of age he seemed to be a Document and an Example unto others yet Love made him to sing after his Lesson And to be the better understood and received Love hid himself under the Damask complexion and in the eyes of the most beautiful young Lady that was in all that Countrey who for the following of a Sute she had in Law was come to that City But before Love had assayed to overcome the Gentleman by the beauties of this Lady he had gained the heart of her by observing the perfections that were in him for in Beauty Grace good Sense and gallant Elocution there was not any of whatsoever condition he was that could surpasse him You who do apprehend the ready and uncontrolled way which this Fire doth make when it hath taken hold of one of the corners of the heart and of the Fancy will easily judge that in two so perfect Subjects Love made no long delay but had them both at his Commandement and filled them both with so clear a light that all their thoughts will and discourse were but the flames of that Love which with their youth which begot a fear in them did make him to purchase and compleat his Affairs with the greatest sweetnesse that possibly could be But she who at first was overcome by Love needed no force Neverthelesse by reason of the shame which accompanieth young Ladies to the uttermost of her power she did stand upon her guard and did forbear to shew her good will untill that at the last the Fortresse of her heart which is the Seat of Honour was so ruined that the poor Lady did agree to that to which she could not be disagreeing Howsoever to make trial of the patience assurance and love of her Servant she did grant him that which he demanded but upon too hard conditions assuring him That if he should observe them she would alwayes love him most intirely and if he failed in the performance he should never enjoy her whilest he lived The Condition was That she was content to Discourse with him in Bed together having nothing on him but the Linen next unto their Bodies but so that he must not demand any thing at all of her but only a Complement and a Kisse He who thought there was no Joy that was worthy to be compared to this did easily accord unto it The Evening being come the promise was accomplished where for all the good entertainment she gave him and his and her striving desires he would not violat his oath And although he conceived that his torment was not lesse than that of Purgatory yet his love was so great and his hope so strong being sure of the perpetual continuance of her love which with so long reluctation he had purchased that his patience overcame and in the morning he did rise from her without doing her the least dishonor The young Lady as I believe being more astonished than contented with it did immediately begin to suspect with her self that his love was not so great as she conceived or that he found not in her so much delight as at first he propounded to himself she had not the least thought of the greatnesse of his honesty nor of his patience or fidelity and his care to keep his oath Wherfore she resolved with herself to make one proof more of his Love and intreated him to Court a Gentlewoman in her company that was younger than her self and almost as handsom that those who observed him so often to come unto her lodgings might conceive that his love was to her Companion and not unto herself The young Lord who assured himself to be beloved by her as long as he was a faithfull Servant to her did obey her command and inforced himself by the love he did vow to her to make love to this young Gentlewoman who seeing him so lovely and so well spoken did believe his pretence as it had been a truth and loved him as if altogether she had been beloved by him When the
is not in such a place or in such a House as is this which is the Kings to procure dishonour unto a Lady and I doe protest unto you upon the faith of a friend that after I have spoken to him if he doth not refrain I will so chastise him that others shall take example by him Having spoke those words he departed and going out of the Chamber it was his fortune to meet with that Gentleman who had been the Subject of their discourse to whom he repeated all the words which had passed betwixt the Lady and himself and assured him that the first time he found him in her Chamber unlesse it were in the prescribed hours when Gentlemen are accustomed to goe to their Ladies Chambers he would put him into such a fear that he should remember it whilst he lived and she her self should repent for playing fast and loose with him The Gentleman assured him that he never came into her Chamber but at the accustomed hours with others and if at any time he should find or hear that he was there at any other hour he would give him leave to doe the worst that he could Some days afterwards when the Gentleman thought that the Princes words and threatnings were forgotten by him he addressed himself one Evening to visite this Lady and stayed with her very late The Prince that Evening said unto his Wife that the Lady whom she knew he loved was fallen sick of a great Rheume wherefore the good Princesse his Wife did intreat him to goe unto her and to visit her for them both and also to excuse her that she could not come her self for she had some businesse of importance to dispatch in her own Chamber The Prince attended until the King his Brother-in-law was in bed and afterwards he repaired to the Chamber of the Lady whom he loved to bid her Good night and thinking to goe up the stairs he found the Groom of the Chamber coming down of whom he demanded how his Mistresse did who did swear unto him that she was in bed and fast asleep Whereupon the Prince did go down the stairs again but suspecting that he told him a lye he looked behind him and observed the Groom to goe back to his Mistresses Chamber with all the speed he could he therefore walked in the Court before the door to see if the Groom did return again About a quarter of and hour afterwards he saw the same Groom to come down the stairs and to look round about him on all sides to desery who were in the Court The Prince then conceived with himself that the Gentleman was in the Ladies Chamber and that he durst not come down for fear of him which made him to walk up and down a good while longer and observing in the Ladies Chamber that there was a Window which was not very high that looked down into a little Garden he remembred the old Proverb which saith He that cannot come out of the Door must leap out of the Window wherefore he said unto the Gentleman that waited on him doe you goe into yonder Garden and if you shall see a Gentleman to come out at the Window when ever he shall set foot on ground draw your Sword and clashing it against the wall cry out Kill him Kill him but be sure you doe not touch him the Gentleman did accordingly as his Master had commanded and the Prince walked in the Court until it was three hours after Midnight When the Gentleman who was in the Ladies Chamber did understand that the Prince was still in the Court he determined with himself to go out of the window and having first of all thrown down his Cloak with the help of his good friends he leaped out of the Window into the Garden As soon as the Gentleman who belonged to the Prince did observe him he failed not to make a great noise with his sword against the Wall and cryed out Kill him Kill him The poor Gentleman thinking it had been the Prince his Master was possessed with so great a fear that without advising to take his cloake he did run away us fast as his Leggs could carry him and met with the Yeomen of the Kings Guard who watched that night who were much amazed to see him make such hast but he said nothing to them but only intreated them to open the Gate for him or give him leave to stay in the lodge with them untill the next morning which they did for on that night they had not the keys Immediatly afterwards the Prince retired to his own lodgings to goe to bed and finding the Princesse his Wife asleep he did wake her and said unto her Doe you sleep Sweet-heart what a clock is it She made answer to him Since I have been in bed I have not heard the clock strike He said unto her It is three a clock in the morning Jesus Sir said she where have you been so long I am much afraid that your Health may be prejudiced by it Sweetheart said the Prince I shall never be sick with waking when I keep those from sleeping who indeavour to deceive me and speaking those words he did begin to laugh heartily The Princesse did earnestly desire him that he would be pleased to acquaint her with the cause of his laughter which he did all along and shewed her the Skin of the Wolf which the Gentleman that waited on him had brought unto him And having passed away a little time in making mirth at what had befallen the Gentleman and the Lady they did fall both asleep and did rest as sweetly as the other two did travel in fear and shame that their loves were discovered Neverthelesse the Gentleman understanding well enough that he could no longer dissemble it before the Prince did come on the next morning very early to attend him at his â—ifing and most humbly besought him that he would be pleased not to reveal him and restore his Cloak unto him The Prince made a semblance to understand nothing at all of it and did hold his countenance so well that the poor Gentleman did not know what was become of it But at the last he had another lesson than he thought to have heard For the Prince assured him that if ever he did come into that Ladies Chamber again he would acquaint the King with it and cause him to be banished the Court. Ladies I do beseech you to judge if it were not better for that poor Lady to have spoken freely to the Prince who did her the honour so much to love her and esteem her than by dissimulation to put him to a proof which reflected so much on her own disgrace She knew well enough said Guebron that if she had confessed the truth she should for ever have lost his favour which she would not lose for any thing Me thinks said Longaren since she had chosen a Husband to her own fancy she ought not to have feared the losse of
did seem to accord to his demand and told him that for that purpose she would goe into a Chamber of hers which was three stories high where she knew well enough there would be none to disturb them and counsolled him as soon as be observed her to go out of the Room where she was not to fail to follow her assuring him that he should find her there alone to satisfie the heat of that Love which he did bear unto her The Gentleman who believed her words was so glad that he began to be frolick with the other Ladies attending the happy minute of her going forth being himself immediately to follow her And she who did excell in the Arts of Subtilty with which all other Women do abound did repair unto two great Princesses with whom she was familiar and said unto them If you please I will shew you the best pastime that you ever saw They who of themselves were not addicted to Melancholy did intreat her to tell them what it was and with whom She made answer It is with one whom you know to be as honest a Gentleman as may be and withall as audacious You are not ignorant of the many evil offices he hath done me and especially that at this time when I loved him best of all he is in love with others for which I do endure more grief than I do make apparent At this time God hath given me the means to revenge my self it is That I am now going up up into my chamber which is above this and if you please but to watch him you shall immediately observe him to follow after me and after he hath gon all along the Gallery when you shall find that he goes up the stairs to my Chamber I must beseech you that you will stand both at the Windows to assist me to cry out A Thief A Thief and you shall perceive how red he will kindle with choler and hear what a noise he will make And although I do believe that he will carry it with confidence and gracefulnesse enough if he doth not make any lowd Complaints I shall believe that he is sensible of the Injuries he hath done me This Agreement was not made without some laughing for there was not a Gentleman in all the Court that did quarrel more with the Ladies than himself and he was so beloved and esteemed by every one of them that they could not well be without him and were glad when they found themselves in the danger and circle of his mockery and now they thought they should all three partake in that Glory and Victory which only one Woman hoped to obtain against him Therefore when ever they did see the Lady to go out of the Room who had undertaken the Enterprise they did begin to observe the Countenance of the Gentleman who shifted himself from one place to another and when he was gone out of the door the two Ladies did follow him into the Gallery because they would not lose the sight of him He who suspected nothing did cast his cloak over his shoulders and muffled himself with it because he would not be seen and first of all he did go down the stairs into the Court and afterwards came up again and descrying one whom he would not have a Witnesse of what he was about to doe he did goe down the Stairs into the Court again and immediately going round about did come up on the other side The two Ladies did observe him all the while and he thought himself to be undiscovered by any When he came to the Stairs on which he was to ascend to the Chamber of the Lady the two Ladies did begin to put their heads out of the Window and immediately they perceived the Lady in her own Chamber who putting her Head out of the Window as far as ever she could stretch it did cry out a Thief a Thief and the two Ladies at the Window below bid repeat her words so shrilly that all the Castle did ring with them I leave unto you to judge in what a choler the Gentleman was who did run down the Stairs into his own Lodging not so much muffled but he was plainly enough discovered by those who knew the Mystery who have since upbraided him with it especially she did by whom the plot was laid who told him that she was now revenged of him but he had his defences and his ananswers so ready that he made them believe that he knew before hand of their enterprise well enough and that he had promised the Lady to give her only a civil visite as for any love he did bear unto her he said that was gone long agoe Howsoever it was the Ladies were unwilling to allow his reasons the truth whereof is yet under doubt But if it were so that he did believe that Lady as it is not probable seeing he was so wise and full of spirit that of his age there was not the like in his time as he hath made apparent to us by his most resolute death you must confesse with me that the love of virtuous Men is such that they are oftentimes deceived in believing the flatteries of Women In good earnest said Emarsuite I do commend that Lady in what she hath done for when a Man is beloved of a Lady and doth forsake her for another she cannot too much revenge the injury Especially said Parlament If she were not beloved for there are some who do love Men without being assured to be beloved again and when they know that they do love others all they can allege is that they are inconstant Wherefore those who are wise are never deceived with their Words for they make no reckoning of them and will not believe any but those only whom by experience they do find to be true because they will not throw themselves away upon Lyers for both the true and the false have both of them one language If all were of your opinion said Simontault Gentlemen may put up their Requests in their Pockets But for all that either you or such as you are can object we will always believe that Women are as incredulous as they are beautiful and this opinion shall make us live as contentedly as you would put us into trouble with your temptations Truly said Longaren knowing well enough who that Lady was who did give that affront unto that Gentleman I cannot find any thing whereof to accuse her for since she spared not her own Husband she ought not to forbear her Friend It seems then said Simontault that you know more of her than my self wherefore I do give you my place to recite unto us the Account of her A Gentleman thinking in secret to kisse one of the Maid-servants of his Wife was taken by her in the manner The ninth Novel THe Lady of whom you made the Account was married to a Husband of a good and an antient Family A rich Gentleman and one who loved both
promised For as when he was in choler there was no man living that durst assault him so without some great occasion that did provoke him he had rather die himself than commit a murder if his Honour had not constrained him to it In the like manner without an extreme force of Love which begetteth blindnesse in virtuous men he had rather die than defile his marriage bed by a depraved appetite to another which was the cause that his wife did so much respect and love him observing so stayed an honesty to dwell in such a tendernesse of youth And she demanding of him how he could excuse himself seeing that Princes oftentimes are much incensed against those men who do not praise and follow that which they themselves do love he made answer That a wise Man hath always a sicknesse or a Journey in his sleeve to assist himself with at the time of great necessity Wherefore some four or five days before I am to goe I am determined to counterfeit my self to be very sick in which excuse the sadnesse of your countenance will much advantage me Behold said his Wife a good and a holy Hypocrisie I will not fail to put on the saddest and most disconsolate look that possibly I can for they who can avoid the offence of God and the anger of their Prince are said to be happy Creatures Accordingly as they determined they performed and the King was very sad to understand by the Wife the sicknesse of her Husband which lasted but a little for by reason of the intervention of some great affairs the King did forget his pleasure to follow his Duty in the Government of the Kingdom and departed out of Paris And one day afterwards having in his memory the design which was not put in practise did say unto the young Prince What fools were we to go so soon out of Paris without seeing the four Maids who as it was assured me were the fairest in my Kingdom The young Prince being then present made answer I am very glad of it that you did fail for during my sicknesse I had a great fear that I alone should lose my part in the adventure having spoke those words the King did never suspect the dissimulation of the young Signior who afterwards was more beloved by his Wife than he was before Parlament did immediatly begin to laugh and could not forbear from speaking And she might have loved him yet better if he had made this refusal for the love of her alone but in what manner soever it was the Gentleman was commendable enough It seems to me said Hircan it is no great praise for a Man to preserve his Chastity for the love which he doth bear unto his Wife for there are so many reasons for it that in a manner he is constrained to do it First of all God doth command him Secondly his oath doth oblige him And lastly Nature which is satisfied is not so subject either to temptation or desire as is necessity But the free love whish a Man doth bear unto his Mistresse of whom he receiveth no delight at all nor other contentment but to see her and to speak unto her and instead of good words from her doth oftentimes receive a churlish answer when this Love is so loyal and firm that for no adventure whatsoever can arrive it can be changed I say this is Chastity not only praise-worthy but miraculous It is no miracle at all said Oysilla for where the heart doth resolve and devote it self there is nothing impossible to the body Not to the bodies said Hircan which are already angelized I speak not of those said Oysilla who by the Grace of God are altogether transformed into him but of those which we see here on earth amongst Men and if you please but to take notice of them you shall find that those who have devoted all their heart and all their affections to attain unto the perfection of sciences have not only forgotten the pleasure of the flesh but even those things which are most necessary for the sustenance of life as to eat and to drink for so long as the Soul is active within the Body the flesh doth remain as it were insensible And from hence it comes to passe that those who love beautiful and virtuous Ladies do receive such a full contentment of Spirit to behold them and to hear them speak that the flesh is as it were appeased and taken off from all the heat of her desires And those who cannot feel those contentments are sensual and carnal and being overburthened with the weight and frailty of their flesh do not well know whether they have in them a Soul or no. But when the Body is subject to the Spirit it is as it were insensible to the imperfections of the flesh insomuch that the earnest study of the Soul in the strength of contemplation hath rendred Men insensible I have known a Gentleman who to give a demonstration that he hath loved a Lady more than any other hath held his naked fingers in the flame of a Candle his Companions standing by and looking stedfastly on the Lady he not stirring his hand at all did burn his Fingers to the very Bone yet nevertheless affirmed that he was not sensible of any pain In my opinion said Guebron the Devil whose Martyr he was should have made a Saint Laurence of him for there are some in whom the fire of love is so great that they will not fear that which is lesse in violence But if a Lady should have desired me to endure so much for her I should certainly have demanded some great recompense or drawn off my fancy to some other who would have been more merciful to me You would then said Parlament have your own will after that your Mistresse had hers like a Gentleman at Valence in Spain of whom a Commander who was a brave Souldier did not long since give me an account Madam I beseech you said Dagoucin that you will take my place and be pleased to relate it to us for I do presume it is a good story Ladies said Parlaâ— hata according to this Account you ought to look again aâ— again on that which you do refuse and never thnd that time without variation will be always the same but knowing how subject the present time is unto change you would take order for the time to come A Gentleman being disdained for an Husband did take upon him the orders of a Grey Frier by reason whereof his Sweet-heart not long afterwards did undergo the same punishment The fourth Novel IN the City of Valence there was a Gentleman who for the space of five or six years did love a Lady so absolutely that during that time neither the Honour nor the Conscience of either of them was prejudiced for it was his intention to have her to his Wife which seemed to their friends on both sides to be very reasonable for he was very handsome rich
be not of so delicate a complexion as your self so it is that the love which he bears to me doth so much content me that I prefer it above any other thing The Gentleman said unto her Madam If it were so you should not pitty me for I know well that the honest love of your heart would give all contentment if it sound the like love in the heart of the King but God hath so appointed it that not finding in him that which you expected you should not make to your self any God on earth I doe confesse unto you said the Queen that the love I bear him is so great that the like cannot be found in any other heart but my own Pardon me Madam said the Gentleman you have not yet sounded the love of all hearts for I dare professe unto you that such a one doth love you whose affection is so great an insupportable that yours in comparison of his would appear nothing at all And because he finds the love of the King to decrease towards you and his own most infinitely augmented if it be agreable to you you shall be recompensed for all your sufferings The Queen as well by his countenance as by his words did begin to understand that what he spake did proceed from the bottom of his heart and did consider with her self it was long since that he first professed service to her with such affection that he became melancholy therewith which at first she conceived to be occasioned by his wife but now she firmly believed that it was for the love of her And thus the virtue of Love which can make it self to be perceived when it is not counterfit doth also make it self certain of that which is hid from all the world And looking on the Gentleman who was more lovely than her own Husband finding that he was forsaken by his wife as she was by the King being possessed with despite and Jealousie of her Husband and incited by the love of the Gentleman she began to speak with tears and sighes O my God! And can vengeance then force that from me which no Love could ever do The Gentleman who well understood the sense of her words made answer Madam Sweet is his Vengeance who instead of killing an Enemy doth give life to a perfect friend It appears to me that it is now high time that Truth and a just and reasonable love should take from you that sottish love which you bear to him who loves not you Chase from you that sordid fear which cannot have a Mansion in a heart great and noble Let us lay aside Madam the greatnesse of your Estate and regard that you and my self are the most laugh'd at Man and Woman in the world betrayed by those whom most perfectly we have loved Let us revenge our selves Madam not so much to render them their deserts as to satisfie Love which on my part cannot any longer be sustained without Death And I beleeve if you have not a heart more hard than a flint or diamond that it is impossible for you not to feel some sparks of that fire which so much the more increaseth in me as I endeavour to conceal it And if that pity on me who die for the love of you cannot incite you to love me at least let the pity which you ought to have on your self constrain you to it who being so absolutely perfect do deserve to be the Mistresse of the hearts of all the gallant Men in the world and are undervalued and forsaken by him for whom you have disdained all others The Queen hearing these words was so transported that she was afraid to shew by her countenance the trouble of her spirit leaning on the â—rm of the Gentleman did go with him into a garden neer unto her Chamber where a long time she walked without speaking one word to him The Gentleman seeing her half vanquished when they were come to the end of an Alley where none could descry them did by effect declare that love unto her which so long a time he concealed and thus with delight they both fulfill'd their vengeance the passion whereof before was so unsupportable to them They determined there between them both that as often as he repaired to his Country house and the King should come from his Palace into the Town to her that immediately he should come about and return to the Palace to the Queen And thus deceiving the deceivers they were all four partakers in that pleasure which two of them thought to have had alone by themselves The agreement being made they returned the Queen to her Chamber in the Palace and the Gentleman to his house both of them with such content that they had forgot all their former distractions And the fear which before possessed them that the King was with this Gentlemans wife was now turn'd into a desire to have it so which was the cause that the Gentleman more often than he was accustomed did repair unto his Village which was but half a mile from the City and as soon as the King understood of it he did not fail to give a visitation to his Wife and when ever night drew on the Gentleman did constantly come into the Palace to the Queen to perform the Office of the Kings Lieutenant but so privatly that never any did perceive it This course of life continued a long time but the King being a publick person could not so well dissemble his love and many honest men took great pity on the Gentleman for the naughty boyes would make horns at him behind his back in sign of Mockery which he understood well enough but this mockery was so pleasing to him that he as highly esteemed of his Horns as of the Crown of the King who one day his Wife being with him could hardly contain themselves from laughing out-right they both beholding the head of a Stagg which was nailed up in the House of the Gentleman the King said the head was very suitable in that place The Gentleman who had as good a heart as himself presently after the Kings departure did write upon the head To porto le corna chi ascundo vede ma talle porta chi nolo crede The King not long afterwards returning to his house did observe the writing on the head of the Stagg and demanded of the Gentleman the reason of it who made answer unto him If the secret of the King be concealed to the Stagg I see no reason that the secret of the Stagg should be declared to the King But you may content your self he said that those who carry horns do not all show theÌ„ beaming forth from their head for some of theÌ„ are so pleasant that they will not unbonnet any Man and he doth bear them lightest who thinketh that he hath none at all The King understood by these words well enough that he knew something of his own affairs but never suspected the love between the
Queen and himself for the Queen seemed to be the more contented with the life of her Husband wherefore they lived a long time in familiarity both on the one side and on the other untill that old age did put a period to it Ladies Behold here a History which I willingly represent unto you for Examples sake that when your Husbands do give you the Horns of a Goat you may present them with the Horns of a Stagg Emarsuite laughing began to speak I am well assured Saffredant that if you doe love as much now as heretofore you have done you would endure to wear Horns as great as any Oak to give one where you do fancy but now since your hairs grow white it is high time to give a respite to your desires Madam said Saffredant Although that all Hope is taken from me by her whom I did love and the Heat of Love by Age yet my good will continues still but because you have reproved me for so unblamable a desire I give you my voice to speak the fourth Novell that we may see if you can disprove me by any Example True it is that during this discourse one of the Ladies in the Company began to laugh out-right knowing that she who took up Saffredant for these words was not so well beloved by him as that for her sake he would suffer either horns or shame or damage And when Saffredant perceived that she who did so laugh did understand him he did contain himself being very well contented and gave Emarsuite leave to speak who began in this manner Ladies To the end that Saffredant and this fair Company may understand that all Ladies are not like to this Queen of whom he hath spoken and that the rash and unadvised do not always arrive at their own ends as also to conceal the opinion of a Lady who judged the Despite to fail in the Enterprise to be worse than Death I will give you the account of an History in which I will not name the persons because it is so fresh in Memory that I am afraid I shall displease some of her Kinred who are not far from me The rash Enterprise of a Gentleman to incounter a Princess of Flanders and the hurt and shame which he sustained The fourth Novell IN Flanders there was a Lady of so good a House that the could not be of a better she was a Widdow and had had two Husbands but no children by them living During her widdo whood she lived privately in her Brothers House by whom she was very well beloved who was a great Lord and Husband to one of the Daughters of the King This young Prince was much addicted to his pleasures hunting hawking and other pastimes and to the Company of Ladies and such sports as youth is prone unto He had a very perverse Lady to his Wife to whom the Pastimes of her Husband were no way pleasing whereupon he took his Sister to live with him who was of a merry heart and the best Company that could be neverthelesse very wise and provident There was in the house of this Lord a Gentleman whose Greatness Bounty and sweetnesse of Disposition did surpasse all his Companions This Gentleman seeing the Sister of his Master to be alwayes merry and of a lively disposition did resolve with himself that he would try whethor the propositions of an honest Friend would be displeasing to her or no which he did accordingly but received from her an answer quite contrary to her countenance and although her answer was such as became a Princesse and a Lady of unquestionable honour yet seeing him so lovely and in other things so noble she easily pardoned his boldnesse and told him that she would not be displeased as often as he should speak unto her but desired him to make no more words concerning such a purpose which he promised to doe being afraid to lose the happinesse and the honour to converse with her Neverthelesse at last his affection did so encrease that he forgot the promise which he had made unto her not that he intended to court her any more with words for he had too often to his experience found the wise and grave answers which she gave him but he conceived with himself that if he could get her at a place of advantage that she who was a Widdow young lusty and of an excellent complexion might possibly take some pity on him and on her self also To arrive to this end he told his Master that he had neer to his own house a very fair Chace and if he pleased to repair thither to kill three or four Bucks in the month of May he could not see better sport The Lord as well for the love he did bear unto the Gentleman as for the pleasure of the Chace did grant him his request and did go along with him to his house which was a very fair one and in good order he being the richest Gentleman that was in that Country He lodged the Lord and his Lady in one body of the house and over against them her whom he loved better than himself The Chamber was so well hung with Arras and so well matted that it was impossible to perceive the trap-door which he had made betwixt the Bed and the Wall which descended into that Room where his Mother lay who was an antient Lady and troubled with a weaknesse in her eyes and because she had the cough being afraid to disturb the Lady who lay above her she changed her chamber for that of her Sons and every evening that old woma did carry Confects to the Lady for her Collation in which service this Gent did assist her who being much beloved by her Brother and of his most privat counsels was not refused to be present every morning at the Princesses and at her rising up and every night at their lying down where he saw daily an occasion to augment his affection Insomuch that one Evening having kept this Lady up so late that sleep seizing on her eys did force him from her Chamber he retired to his own and when he had taken the most gorgeous and perfumed shirt that he had and a night cap so well accoutred that nothing could be wanting to it looking in his glass he thought unto himself that there was no Lady in the world who could refuse so lovely gallant and so proper a personage Wherefore promising to himself a happy issue of his Enterprise he repaired to his bed where he intended to make but a short stay for the desire and the hope he entertained to possesse a place in one more honourable and pleasant As soon as he had sent forth all his people he did arise to shut the door after them and a long time did listen if in the Chamber of the Lady which was directly above his own he could hear any noise and when he could assure himself that all was quiet he began his sweet travels and by degrees
swear unto him that it should be performed and desired him with confidence to demand it Whereupon he said unto the Mother of the young Lady I do beseech you that you would give her in my arms whom you do promise shall be my Wife and that you do command her to embrace and kisse me The young Lady who was not accustomed to such familiarities did make some difficulty of it but her Mother expresly did command her seeing he had lost both the understanding and the force of a living Man On that Command the Daughter did advance her self upon the bed of the poor sick Gentleman and said unto him My old Friend I pray you to be frolick The poor Gentleman sanguishing in his extreme weaknesse stretched forth his arms despoyled of flesh and blood and with all the force of his body embraced the Cause of his Death and kissing her with his pale and cold lips did hold her close unto him as long as possibly he could and said unto her The love which I have born unto you hath been so great and virtuous that Mariage excepted I never desired of you any other happinesse than what I now enjoy for the event whereof and in this possession of it I with joy shall commend my Spirit unto God who being himself perfect love and charity doth know the greatnesse of my love and the honesty of my desires beseeching him having now my desires in my arms that he would receive my Spirit into his arms And speaking those words he took her again into his arms and with so much vehemence that his weak heart could not endure the strength of his love which was immediately immediately abandoned of all the faculties of life for his Joy was so much dilated that the seat of the Soul failed which did fly to her Creator And although the poor body continued a long time without liâ—e and therefore could no longer possesse the rich prise it so lately gained yet the love which the young Lady had till then concealed did now so violently declare it self that the mother of the living and the servants of the dead had much to do to separate the union and were at last enforced to pull the living almost dead from him who was already dead whom they did honourably interr but the greatest triumph of his obsequies were the tears the sighs and the complaints of the poor young Lady who declaâ—ed her self as much after his death as she concealed her self in his lâ—fe and now as it were satisfied for the injury she had done him And since as I have heard it reported the Husband that was given her to take off from himself thoughts of melancholy could never be entertained with any true joy or comfort of heart You may see here Gentlemen what before you would not believe by my words This Example is sufficient to make you confesse that a true and perfect love being too long concealed or misprised doth bring us as low as death There is none of you who know not the friends and kinred both of the one side and the other wherefore you need not to make any doubt of it and there is no man who hath made experience of it but will believe The Ladies hearing it had every one of them tears in their eyes But Hircan said unto them This is the veryest fool that ever Theaâ—d speak for tell me on your own credit is it likely or reasonable that we should die for women who are made for us and that we should be afraid to ask them what God hath enjoyned them to give unto us I speak not for my self nor for any man here that is married for I have enough of a woman or rather more than will serve my turn but for those only who are in necessity who in my opinion are but fools to be in fear of those whom they ought to make afraid Do you not observe the sorrow which this young Lady suffer'd for her folly for since she imbraced a dead body a thing repugnant to Nature she would not have refused his living body if he had shewed as great boldnesse living as dying be moved pitty Neverthelesse said Oysilla The Gentleman in this made an excellent Remonstrance of the love and civility he did bear her for which he shall be commended throughout the whole world for to find chastity in an amorous heart is a thing more divine than belonging unto man Madam said Saffredant to confirm the opinion of Hircan from whom I differ noâ— I must intreat you to believe me that Fortune doth assist the bold spirit and that there is no man if he be beloved by a Lady but if he can but wisely and affectionately follow his sute will in the end receive all that which he demandeth or at the least in part But Ignorance and a faint heart do cause men to â—ose many brave adventures and then they ground their losse upon the virtue of their Mistresse whom they never did attempt for never was there a place that hath been gallantly assaulted but it hath been taken I do much worder at you two said Parlament that you dare maintain this discourse Surely those whom you have loved have either not held you long or the assault bath been made on so advantagious a place that you think all Women alike Madam said Saffredant As for my self I am so unfortunate that I have no reason to make any boast but I impute not my misfortune to any virtue of the Ladies but to my own defects in having either not wisely begun oâ— too rashly prosecuted my Design and I will allege the old Romant of the Rose instead of many Doctors which saith we are merry Girls and Boys no doubt all alike the Boys for the Girls and the Girls for the Boys Wherefore I do believe that if love be once in the heart of a woman the man may arrive unto his ends if he be not sottishly overseen Parlament said And if I shall tell you of a Lady of a gallant personage that did love and was sollicited and importuned and neverthelesse deported her self most virtuously and was victorious over her own body and her friend will you say that a true thing is impossible Yes said he You are hard of Faith said Parlament if you believe not this example Dagoucin said unto her Madam since I have proved by example the virtuous love of a Gentleman even unto death I must intreat you if you do know any like unto it in the honour of some Lady that you will be pleased to rehearse it for the end of this days journey and you need not fear to be too long for we have yet time enough to speak of many honest Subjects Since the last lot falls to my share said Parlament I will hold you in a long discourse for my History is so good so fair and so true that it seems long unto me until I make you partakers of it and that you know it as well as
City whom in the night he went to court when his Wife was asleep Amongst others there was a most beautifull and virtuous Lady who was Sister to a Gentleman whom the Duke loved as himself and to whom he gave so much authority in his House that his word was obeyed and feared as that of the Dukes and he had no secret in his heart which he declared not unto him Insomuch that he might well be called his second Self The Duke observing his Sister to be so accomplished a Lady and that he had not the means to declare the love which he did bear unto her having sought all wayes that were possible for the effecting of it at last addressed himself to the Gentleman whom so intirely he did affect said unto him If there were any thing in the world my Friend which I would not do for you I should be affraid to declare unto you my thoughts and much more to desire you to be ayding to me in them but I bear you so much good will that if I had Wife Mother or Daughter that might conduce to save your Life I would rather imploy them all in it than to suffer you to die in torment and I believe that the Love which you bear to me is reciprocal to mine And if I who am your Master do bear such an affection to you I presume that you do not bear any lesse to me Wherefore I will declare one secret to you the concealment whereof doth keep me in this estate wherein you see me of which I can look for no amendment but onely by Death or by the service which you may do me The Gentleman observing the Reasons of his Master and that his face in earnest was bathed in tears had so great a compassion of him that he said unto him Sir I am your Creature all the Fortunes and Honours I enjoy do proceed from you you may speak to me as to your friend being assured That all which lies in my power is in your own hands Incontinently the Duke began to declare unto him the love which he did bear unto his Sister which was so great and violent that if by his means he had no redresse he found he could not live long for he knew by experience that neither Letters nor Prayers nor Presents could prevail upon her Wherefore he conjured him If he loved his life as deerly as his life was beloved by him that he would find a means to procure him that benefit which without him he concluded it was impossible to enjoy The Brother who loved his Sister and the honor of his House more than the pleasure of the Duke did endeavour to make him some Remonstrance to the contrary beseeching him in all other ways to imploy him but to excuse him onely in this thing it being too cruel and too unnatural to him to purchase the dishonor of his own bloud that neither his heart nor his Honour could comply with this Command The Duke enflamed with an anger insupportable did bite his nails and made reply unto him in great fury It is no matter seeing I find in you no respects of Friendship to me I know what I have to do The Gentleman understanding the cruelty of his Master was struck into a fear and said unto him Sir Because it is your pleasure I will speak unto her and I will give you an account of her answer to me The Duke answered departing from him As you make much of my life 〈◊〉 will I of yours The Gentleman understood well â—nough what he did mean by those words and absâ—â—ted himself a day or two from the Duke to consider what he had to do On one side there was presented to him the Obligation which he owed to his Master and the benefits and the Honours which he had received from him On the other side his thoughts reflected on the Honour of his House the honesty and chastity of his Sister and the assurance he had that she would never consent to so foul a Motion if she were not surprized by deceit or by force Wherefore having taken these Premises into his consideration he concluded That he would rather die than be the Author of so ill an Office to his Sister who was one of the most virtuous Ladies in all Italy He was rather obliged he did judge to deliver his Countrey from such a Tyrant who by force would stain the Honour of his Family He was assured besides that unlesse the Duke was dead the life of himself and of his Sister were absolutely lost Wherefore without so much as speaking one word unto his Sister he determined with himself to save his own life and by the same way to revenge the shame which was intended to be brought upon her At the end of two dayes he addressed himself to the Duke and told him how he had practised with his Sister who but not without great difficulty did consent unto his pleasure which she hoped should be kept secret seeing none but himself who was her own Brother had any knowledge of it The Duke who desired this News did easily believe it and imbracing the Messenger did promise him whatsoever he would demand and desiring him that it might quickly be put in execution they agreed between themselves upon the day If the Duke were not high with hopes and Joyes I will leave it to you to judge When he saw the night so much desired to approach in which he promised himself to have the Victory over her whom he thought invincible he withdrew himself betimes from his Court having none in his Company but this Gentleman alone and forgot not to take along with him a Night-cap and a shirt perfumed in the best manner as possibly it might be And taking his opportunity in the Evening he did go along with this Gentleman to the Lodging of this Lady where he came into a Chamber very richly prepared The Gentleman assisted him to put off his cloaths and helped him into Bed saying to him Sir I will now go and setch her my self unto you who will not enter into this Chamber without many blushes but I hope before the Morning she will be assured of you In this manner her left the Duke and did go into his own Chamber where he found but one of all his Servants to whom he said Have you the heart to follow me into a place where I will revenge my self on the greatest Enemy I have in the world His Man not knowing what he would do said unto him Yes Sir and it were the Duke himself Immediatly the Gentleman did take him with him who on the sudden had not the leisure to take any other Aâ—ms but a Ponyard only which he had always about him When the Duke did hear him comming conceiving that he had brought her along with him whom he loved so intirely he opened the Curtain and his eyes to behold her and to receive her into his arms whom so long he expected
she deliberated with her self to bring some profit by that Ring to the Conscience of the Captain and immediatly dispatched one of her servants to the disconsolate wife of the Captain pretending her self to be a religious woman of Tarasco and did write unto her in these words Madam Monsieur your Husband passed this way a little before he took shipping and after he had confessed and received the Sacrament as a good Christian ought to do he declared unto me one fault which lay heavy upon his Conscience which was the grief that he had not loved you so much as he ought to have done and prayed and conjured me at his departure to sead you this Letter with this Diamond which he desireth you to keep for the Love you bear him assuring you That if God shall return him in safety there was never any woman better used by a Husband than you shall be by him and this Diamond for the performance of it shall be a firm pledge unto you of the assurance of his faith I beseech you to recommend him to God in your prayers and he shall not want of mine during my life This Letter made up and sealed in the name of one of the Nuns of Tarasco was sent by the Gentlewoman to the Captains Wife when the old woman beheld the Letter and the Ring you need not demand how she wept for joy and grief to be so beloved and esteemed of her Husband of the sight of whom she saw her self deprived And kissing the Ring a thousand times she did bedew it with her tears blessing God that at the end of her Dayes he had restored the love of her Husband to her which she held to be lost for a long time She also much thanked the Nun that was the Cause of her Good To whom she sent the best answer that she could which the Messenger reported to his Mistresse who could neither read nor hear what her servant brought unto her from her without laughing very heartily and was well contented to be rid of the Diamond to procure so great a good as to establish the Love betwixt the Husband and the Wife in doing which she thought to her self she had gained a Kingdom Not long after there arrived the News of the Defeat and Death of the poor Captain and how he was abandoned by those who ought to succour him and that his Enterprise was betrayed by the Rhodians who most of all should have kept it secret insomuch that himself and those who landed with him who were about the number of four and twenty were killed upon the place amongst whom was a Gentleman called John and a Turk whom the Gentleman above-specified had answered for at the Fount both whom she had given to the Captain to attend upon him in his voyage one whereof died with him and the Turk being wounded with five arrows did save himself by swimming to the French ships by whom alone the Truth of this Defeat was understood For a Gentleman whom the poor Captain had taken for a Friend and a Companion and had advanced him into the favour of the King and the greatest of the Nobility of France as soon as ever he saw the Captain landed did retire back with the Ships into the Sea The Captain seeing his Enterprize discovered and above Four thousand Turks comming down upon him would have retreated to the ships as he ought to have done but the Gentleman in whom he did repose his onely Confidence knowing that in his Death the Charge and Command of the whole Army would be devolved upon himself did declare unto the Gentlemen and others that were on ship-board That they ought not to hazard the Vessels of the King nor so many good Souldiers that were in the ships to save a few persons only By this perswasion they who of themselves wanted Courage did agree in opinion with him The Captain observing that the more he called upon them the more they drew back towards the Main and removed themselves from his succour did return towards the Turks being in Sands up to the knees where he made such demonstrations of his Valour and of his knowledge in Arms that it seemed that he alone was able to defeat all the numbers of his Enemies by reason whereof his treacherous Companion entertained a greater fear than a desire of his Victory At the last whatsoever defence he could make he received so many wounds by arrows from those who durst not approach near unto him that he began to lose much bloud and the Turks perceiving the weakness of these poor Christians and scorning their unconsiderable numbers did fall in upon them and charged them with their Scemiters which made deep cuts in their bodies but as long as God gave them strength and life they defended themselves but that failing the Captain called unto him the Gentleman whose Name was John whom the Gentlewoman gave unto him and the Turk and sticking the point of his Sword on the Sands falling on his knees he kissed and kissed again the Crosse upon the hilts thereof saying Lord Take into thy mercy the Soul of him who hath not spared his life to exalt thy name The Gentleman whose name was John perceiving that his life ended with those words embraced him and the Crosse on the hilt of the Sword which he had thinking to have assisted him but a Turk behind him did give him a mortal blow with his Scemiter who crying aloud Let us go Captain Let us go into Paradise to see him for whom we die he was made the Companion of the Death as he had been of the life of the poor Captain The Turk seeing he could neither serve or fave either one or the other of them being hurt himself with five arrows did flie to the ships and demanding to be received although he was the only person that escaped of four and twenty yet it was refused by the traiterous Companion of the Captain But he who could swim well enough did throw himself into the Sea and at last prevailed so far that he was received into a small Vessel and in a few dayes cured of his wounds And by this poor Stranger the truth of this Act was perfectly known to the Honour of the Captain and the Infamy of his Companion whose offence the King and all those who ever heard of him did judge to be so great both against God and Men that there was no death so grievous but they thought he most justly did deserve it Howsoever at his return to Court he made so many pretences and excuses and gave such great Presents that he was not only saved from punishment but had the Command of the Captain conferred on him whose Groom he was not worthy to be When this News was first brought unto the Court Madam the Regent Mother who highly did esteem him did wonderfully lament him so did also the King and all the personages of Honour about the Court And she whom too well he loved
such signs of Honour and of a familiar Love In this manner the Gentleman departed who because he was not so well furnished with Silver as with gallant qualities the young Lady gave him a Ring that was worth three thousand Crowns which he morgaged for fifteen hundred And not long after his departure the Gentleman Husband to the young Lady came unto her Guardian and besought her to give his Wife leave to go for a certain time to a Sister of his to continue with her which the old Lady thought very strange and besought him to acquaint her with the occasion of it part whereof he did impart unto her but not all After that the young marryed Lady had taken leave of her Guardian and of all the Court without any tears at all or the least sign of grief she travelled to that place which her Husband did assign her and was conducted by a Gentleman to whom an expresse charge was given to keep a strict watch over her and above all things that on the way he should not speak unto her who was suspected to love her too familiarly She who understood the Commandment of her Husband did give them alarms every day and laughed at them and at their too officious Care One day amongst the rest just at her departure from the Inne she found a Frier on horseback and she being mounted on an ambling Nagg did hold him in Discourse from Dinner untill Supper and when she was about a mile from the place where she was to lodge she said unto him Good Father for the consolations which you have given me this afternoon behold two Crowns which here I give you and have put them in this Paper because I know that you dare not touch them with a bare hand desiring you that when ever you are gone from me that you will crosse the way with all the speed you can make When he was gone a good way from her the Lady spoke aloud to those that waited on her Do you think that you are good Servants and diligent to guard me since he himself concerning whom you were bid to have such a care hath Discoursed with me all this day and you have permitted him so to do you do well deserve that your good Master who doth repose so much trust in you should reward you with blows of a Cane on your shoulders instead of the wages you expect When the Gentleman who had the charge of her heard this he was so impatient that he could make no answer but immediately did put spurs to his horse calling to two others that were in the Company to follow him they made so great a dispatch that they had almost overtaken the Frier who looking back and seeing them to make up unto him did ride away as fast as ever his horse could carry him they in a full gallop pursued him and because they were better mounted the poor Frier was taken but not knowing wherefore he did cry them mercy and putting off his hood he shewed his bare and shaven crown and began humbly to beseech them Whereupon they knew that he was not the Man they looked for and that the young Lady did but laugh at them which she yet did more at their return saying That such people were fit to be a guard to such Women who suffer them to speak they know not to whom and then adding faith to their words they go to act a mischief on the servants of God and after all these mocks she came to the place where her Husband appointed she should have her residence where her two Sister-in-laws and the Husband of one of them did keep her in great subjection And during that time her Husband understood that his Ring was engaged for fifteen hundred Crowns for which he was sorry But to save the Reputation of his wife and to recover the Ring he sent her word that she should call for it back of the Merchant and that he would pay the fifteen hundred Crowns She who had no care of the Ring because her Friend had the money that was lent upon it did write unto him That her Husband was importunate with her to Redeem the Ring And because he might not think that she did it to diminish the good will that was betwixt them she sent him a Diamond which her Guardian gave her at her departure from her which she loved better than the Ring she had of her Husband The Gentleman that was her friend did willingly send her back the Merchants Obligation and was well content with the 1500 Crowns to have received a Diamond the witnes of the Continuation of the affection of the young Lady to him Howsoever as long as her Husband lived he could never arrive to the opportunity to speak unto her but only by Letters And after the Death of her Husband thinking that she would continue faithful according to her promise he used all his diligence and endeavours to procure her in Marriage but he found that in his long absence she had provided her self with a Companion that was better beloved than himself for which he was possessed with such a sotrow and indignation of spirit that flying the company of Ladies he sought altogether after great adventures and places of as much danger as honour where he was as well beloved as it was possible for a young Man to be and so he finished his days See here my Ladies that without sparing our own Sex I have given an Example unto Husbands to show them that women of a great spirit are sooner overcome with anger and vengeance than with Love and Courtship and although this Lady knew a long time to resist yet at the last she was vanquished by despite which a virtuous woman ought not be or in whatsoever sort it be she ought not to find an Excuse to do evill And by how much the more great the occasions of the offence are given by so much the more virtuous ought they to demonstrate themselves by resisting and overcomming Evil with Good and not by recompencing Evil with Evil And oftentimes the Evil which one thinks to render to another doth fall upon his own head Thrice happy are they in whom the Graces of God do demonstrate themselves by the Examples of Chastity Sweetness Patience and Longammity Hircan said unto her It seems to me Longaren that the Lady who was the subject of your Discourse was led on more by despite than Love for if she had loved the Gentleman as well as she made an apparence she had not abandoned him for another and by the whole tenour of your discourse she shewed her self to be spitefull revengefull obstinate and inconstant You speak at random said Emarsuite to Hircan but you know not what a heart-braking it is to love and not to be beloved again It is true said Hircan I have too lately made experience of it but let her but continue in that sullen humor and I shall quickly leave Love and the
to have suffered us to discourse together and I do assure you that I had rather dye than change my affection into worse having loved you with so honest and so virtuous a love and purchased that of you which during my life I ought to defend And because that in seeing you I cannot endure that hard patience as not to speak unto you and because in not seeing you my heart which never can be empty will be filled with despair which will make my end unfortunate I am resolved and have a long time been to put my self in a religious house not but that I know very well that in all Estates a man may be saved but to have the more leisure to contemplate the divine bounty which I do hope will have pity on the faults of my youth and will work a change in my heart to love spiritual things as well as temporal and if God shall give me the grace to arrive to the knowledge of the Religion my devotions shall incessantly be imployed to pray unto God for you beseeching you by that love so firm and loyal which hath been betwixt us two to remember me in your prayers and to beseech our Lord to give me as much patience in not seeing you as he hath given me content in seeing you And because I hoped all my life to have enjoyed you in marriage which honour and conscience do permit I am contented that I had that hope although I must now lose it and because I cannot receive the entertainment from you which belongs unto a Husband yet at the least in bidding farewell unto you vouchsafe me the entertainment of a Brother and give me leave to kisse you Poor Paulina who had been always too severe unto him understanding the extremity of his grief and the honesty of his request that in so great a despair he would content himself with a thing so reasonable without giving any answer to him did throw her arms about his neck and weeped with so much bitternesse and fainting of heart that her words her understanding and her force failed her and she swouned away between his arms and the pity thereof accompanied with his love and sorrow did cause him to do the like Insomuch that one of her companions seeing her to fall down on the one side and him on the other did call out for help and by force of remedies did revive them Paulina who was desired to dissemble her affection was ashamed that she had shewed her love to be so violent Neverthelesse the pity she had on the poor Gentleman did serve her for an excuse being not able to endure the word that did bid her farewell for ever she did go away presently her teeth as shut up as her heart entring into her chamber as a dead body without a Soul she fell down upon her bed and passed away that night in such complaints and lamentations that her servants believed she at once had lost her parents and all her kinred and friends and whatsoever was of comfort to her upon Earth In the morning she in her prayers recommended to our Saviour the Gentleman that was her friend who after he had distributed amongst his Servants the poor fortunes he was master of and taken with him a certain sum of silver he did forbid any of his people to follow him and repaired all alone to a Religious house to demand the habit being resolved with himself never to put on any other The Warden of the Covent who had seen him before did think at first that it was but a Fable or Mockery for in all the Countrey there was not a Gentleman that shewed lesse respect unto a Grey Frier than himself for he had in him all the knowing virtues and graces that could belong unto a Gentleman But after he had understood his words and observed his tears falling like Rivers from his eyes being not ignorant from whence the source proceeded he courteously did receive him and not long afterwards seeing his perseverance he gave him the habit of a Frier which he did put on with great Content The Marquesse and the Marchionesse being advertised of it did find it so strange that not without great difficulty they could believe it Paulina to shew her self not subject unto the tyranny of Love did dissemble it as well as possibly she could insomuch that every one told her That she quickly had forgot the great affection of her loyal Servant She continued thus five or six moneths without making any other Remonstrance during which time there was shewed unto her a Song by one of the Religious Men which her Servant had composed presently after he had put on his religious habit the Song is in Italian and common enough Which when she had perused and read it all over going into the Chapel by her self she wept so abundantly that she dewed all the paper with her tears and were it not for a fear she entertained that she should shew her self more affectionate than became her she had immediatly gone into some Hermitage with a resolution never to see again any creature in the world but the Discretion which she had did constrain her for a short time to dissemble it And although she had taken a resolution altogether to renounce the world she pretended the contrary and kept her countenance so reserved that being in Company there appeared nothing of that Melancholly to which she had abandoned her self She carried this Resolution covered in her heart five or six moneths shewing her self more joyful than she was accustomed to be But one day waiting upon her Mistresse to hear the High Masse after that the Priest was come out of the Vestry to go unto the great Altar her poor Servant who was yet in the year of his Probationership did serve at the Eucharist and carrying two little bottles covered with white Silk in either hand was the first that presented himself having his eyes fixed on the Ground When Paulina saw him in that habiliment in which his Gracefulnesse and Beauty was rather increased than diminished she was so troubled and astonished that to cover the blushes which took possession of her cheeks she began to cough Her poor Servant who did better understand that sound than the Bel of the Monastery durst not turn aside his head but passing along by her he could not govern his eyes from beholding that Object to which so long they had been accustomed and looking on Paulina he was so inflamed anew with the fire which he thought had been almost extinguished that beyond his ability endeavouring to conceal it he fell down all along before her And the fear which he had that the Cause of his Misfortune should be discovered he made an Excuse that the Pavement of the Church which was broken just in that place was the occasion of his fall When Paulina understood that the change of his habit had not changed his heart and that it was so long since he took
no other comfort but the divulgation of his own shame The like doth happen unto many who thinking to be too cunning do forget themselves in their own subtilties wherefore it is the only wisdom Not to do that unto any which we would not have done unto our selves I do assure you said Guebron that oftentimes I do see the like things come to passe and those who are accounted to be the fools of the Town do often over-reach the finest wits for there is no man a veryer fool than be who thinks himself to be wise nor any more wise than he who knows that he knows not any thing Howsoever said Parlament he knows somthing who knows that he knows nothing Well said Simontault for fear that time will be wanting to us I give my voice to Nomerfide for I know that her Rhetorick cannot be tedious Let it be so then said Nomerfide I will give you such an Account as shall answer the Discourse we have had And I do not wonder Ladies that Love doth give to Princes and to personages brought up in places of Honor the means how to decline all danger for they have their education amongst so many knowing persons that I should wonder far more if they were ignorant of any thing But the Artifice of Love doth shew it self by so much the more cleerly by how much it finds lesse apprehension and capacity in the Subjects it doth work upon And to manifest this I will account unto you what a Priest did do being only instructed by Love for he was so ignorant in all other things that he could hardly say his Masse An honest Labourer in the Village who did suffer himself to he easily deceived by his Wife who was amorous of the Curat The ninth Novell IN the County of Mayn in a Village called Arcelles there was a rich Man a labourer who in his old Age married a handsom young Woman who had no Children by him but for that losse she did comfort her self with many Friends and when Gentlemen of apparence and her Friends did fail she did go to the last Recourse which was the Church and took him to be the Companion in her Sin who ought to absolve it This was the Curat who good man came very often to visit this tender Lamb. Her Husband being of a heavy and lumpish spirit had not the least suspition of her but because he was of a churlish constitution and very strong she managed the affair as secretly as possibly she could fearing if he should perceive her that he would undoubtedsy kill her One day when he was abroad his Wife not thinking that he would return so soon did send to seek out Monsieur the Curat to confesse her And as they were making good cheer together her Husband did arrive so unexpectedly that he had not the leisure to retire into his own house but looking up and down where to hide himself by the counsel of the Woman he did climb up into the Granary and covered the trap-door with a Bolter The Husband came into the house and she that he might entertain no suspition did feast him so well at Dinner that she spared for no Meat or Wine of which he did drink so great a quantity that with the wearinesse of his labour in the fields he had after Dinner a great desire to sleep being seated in a Chair before the fire The Curate who was impatient to be so long in the Granary hearing no noise in the Chamber did open the trap-door and stretching forth his neck as far as ever he could he observed that the good Man was asleep And looking down upon him he not minding of it did lean so hard upon the Bolter with all his weight that both Bolter and Man did fall down close to the good Man where he was asleep who awaked at the great noise The nimble Curat who had got up upon his leggs before the other had thoroughly opened his eyes did say unto him My good Friend behold your Bolter and many thanks and having said those words he did go away with all the hast he could make The poor Labourer being much amazed demanded of his Wife what was the businesse who made answer to him Sweet-heart It is that Bolter of yours which is made in fashion of a Boat which the Curat having borrowed hath brought it back again unto you Her Husband grumbling at it said unto her He hath returned clownishly enough that which he borrowed for I thought the whole house was falling down upon my head By this means the Curat did save himself and the good Man found nothing amisse at all but onely the rudenesse which he used in bringing back his Bolter Ladies the Master whom he served did save him at that time that he might take the greater possession of him and tormont him afterwards the longer Do not imagin said Guebron that poor people are more exempt from Excuses than our selves nay they have a great deal more For if you look upon Thieves Murderers Sorcerers Coyners of false money and all such kind of people whose spirits are never at rest you shall find them all to be poor people and Mechanicks It is not strange at all to me said Parlament that subtilty should reign more amongst them than others For I have heard that Love doth torment them amongst all their labours neither is there a heart so tough but this gentle passion doth possesse it Madam said Saffredant you are not ignorant what Mr. John De Moon saith That Lovers are as common in the Cottages of Beggers as in the Palaces of Kings And the Love of which this Account speaketh is not that love which makes us to bear arms in the field For although poor Men have not our wealth nor honours yet they have other commodities more for their comfort then we have Their viands are not so dainty but they have a better appetite and they are better nourished with brown bread than we are with Restoratives They have not beds so rich nor so well made as ours but they do rest better in straw and do sleep sounder They have no Ladies painted nor so gorgeously set forth as those whom we do Idolize but they have their pleasures more often than we have and fear no other eyes but the Birds and the Beasts that do behold them Briefly in that which we have they do want and in that which we want they do abound I pray you said Nomerfide let us leave off this discourse of peasants and before that Vespers do begin let Hircan put a period to this third days Journal Truly said Hircan I will deliver to you as sad and as strange a story as ever you have heard and although it is most unpleasing to me to speak evil of any Lady knowing that men are so full of malice that dayly out of the consequence of the fault but of one Womon alone they will lay the blame upon the whole Sex yet this account being so
Castle there lived a great Princesse and of a great Authority who entertained in her Company a young Lady called Camilla a Gentlewoman of a bold spirit by whom her Mistresse was so governed that she did nothing but by her Counsel esteeming her to be one of the wisest and the most virtuous Damosells that lived in that Age. This Camilla did so much inveigh against all fond love that if at any time she knew a Gentleman to be amorous of one of her Companions she would most sharply reprehend them and would be sure to make so bad a report of it unto her Mistresse that severely she would check them for it wherefore she was far more feared than beloved by her Companions and if at any time she did speak to any Man it would be so loud and with so great a confidence that she had the same to be a mortal Enemy to all love although it was altogether contrary to her heart for there was a Gentleman in the Service of her Mistresse with whom she was so much taken that it was impossible to be more But the love she did bear to her Glory and reputation did make her to dissemble her affection And having endured this passion a whole year refusing as others to comfort her self by discourse and looks her heart so violently was inflamed that she was inforced to seek out the last remedy and in the conclusion determined with her self that her only course was to satisfie her Desires and wherein none but God should know her heart without making any Man partaker of it who at one time or other would reveal it This resolution being taken looking one day down upon the Terrasse from the Window in her Mistresses Chamber she observed him to be walking there whom so passionately she loved and having observed him until the setting of the Sun had taken away the full sight of him she called to a little Page whom she had and shewing the Gentleman to him she said unto him Do you see yonder Gentleman in that rich Cloak and Crimson Satten Doublet goe to him and tell him that there is one of his friends who would speak a word with him within in the Garden Gallery and when the Boy was gone she passed by the wardrope belonging to her Mistresses Chamber and came into the Gallery having so muffled herself with her Scarses that she could not be discovered The Gentleman being come where she was she did goe immediately to shut the Doors of the Gallery that no man unexpectedly might enter in upon them and without taking off her Masques and her Scarses she imbraced him with all the strength she had and spake unto him as softly as possibly she could It is a long time my friend since the love which I have born unto you hath made me to seek out both the place and the occasion to enjoy your company but the fear of my Honour hath been so strong upon me that it hath constrained me to dissemble my passion But at last the force of love hath overcome all fear and in the knowledge which I have of your goodnesse if you will promise to love me and never to acquaint any one with it and not to enquire who I am I dare assure you for my part that I will be to you a loyal and a faithfull friend and that I will never love any one but your self but I had rather die than you should know who I am The Gentleman did promise what she demanded which made her the more ready to render him the like which was to refuse nothing which he did desire to take It was about five or six of the clock in the Winter so that it was impossible for him to perceive who she was but touching of her cloaths he did find they were of Velvet which in those times was not worn on every day but only by Ladies of the noblest Families and of great Authority And concerning that which was underneath he without light could make judgement good enough with his hand and he found nothing but what was plump lusty and in good liking If he on his part did his uttermost endeavour to give her the best entertainment he could she did no lesse on hers and the Gentleman perceived well enough that she was a married woman She incontinently would return from whence she came but the Gentleman said unto her I do most highly esteem this favour which without my merit you have conferred on me but I shall more esteem of that which at my request I shall receive of you I hold my self so honoured with this courtesie that I must beseech you to tel me if I ought not to hope to enjoy it again and in what time or place you will please to command me for since I must not know you I know not of my self how to procure it Take no care for that said the Lady but assure your self that every Evening before my Mistresses Supper is served in I will not fail to send for you but be you sure to be upon the Terrasse where you were this afternoon I will send you word only to remember what you promised by that word you may understand that I do attend you in the Gallery But if you hear talk of going immediatly to Supper you may for that Evening either retire home or come into the Chamber of my Mistresse But above all things I must desire you if you will have the continuance of my Love that you will not seek after my name nor endeavour to know who I am This assurance being made the Damosel and the Gentleman did return into their several places and did a long time continue this course of life and he could never perceive who it was whereupon he entred into a great perplexity of mind doubting much within himself what it should be for he was confident there was no Woman in the word who would not be seen and be beloved wherefore he suspected with himself that it was some evil Spirit and the rather because he had heard a foolish Preacher say That if we could but see the Devil in the face we should never be in love with him In this suspition he determined with himself to know who it was who came alwayes so muffled to him And on the next night in which they were to meet he carried with him a piece of chalk and in his imbraces of her he did give her a long mark with it on the shoulder behind which she perceived not and as soon as ever they departed one from the other the Gentleman immediately repaired into the Chamber of her Mistresse and stood so near unto the Door to observe behind the shoulders of all those Ladies who did enter into the Chamber And amongst others he beheld the young Lady Camilla to enter in with so severe a boldnesse that he was almost afraid to look on her as he did upon the others holding himself most assured that it could not be she but
Wooâ—â—ss and that almost before she can perceive that she is gone astray Howsoever it is said Parlament I should never love that man who would make so great a separation betwixt my Husband and my self as to make him beat me for blowes make love to sly away Yet neverthelesse as I have heard so cunningly these Impostures do carry themselves when they would have a poor Woman at advantage that I do believe it is more danger to give ear unto them privatly than publickly to receive blowes from their Husband who if it were not for such busie pretenders would be good enough To speak the truth said Dagoucin the trains they have laid are on every side so many that it is not without cause to fear them although in my opinion that Person who is not fearful or suspitious is worthy of praise Neverthelesse said Oysilla we ought to suspect the evil which we would avoid for it is better to suspect the Evil which is not than foolishly by not believing it to fall into the Evil which is For my part I never saw a Woman deceived in being slow to give credence to the words of Men but I have heard of many that have been ruined by giving too ready a belief to their false protestations wherefore I affirm that the Evil which can arrive cannot be too much suspected by those who have the charge both of Men and Women and Cities and Estates for be the watch never so strictly observed and be there never so many eyes imployed yet Forgeries and Treasons will abound The Shepheard that is not vigilant is every way deceived by the subtilty of the Fox and the cruelty of the Wolf And yet so it is said Dagoucin that a person that is suspitious can never entertain any absolute friendship and love hath been oftentimes estranged if not separated by suspition only If you can render us any Example of it said Oysilla I will give you my voice I know one and so true a one said Dagoucin that you will take Delight to hear it Ladies I will tell you what it is that doth most easily break true Love It is when the assurance of Love doth bâ—gin to give place unto suspition for as to believe a friend is the greatest honour can be done unto him so to doubt of him is the greatest dishonour can befall him by that suspition we begin to esteem him otherwise than we would he should be which is the cause that many great friendships are dissolved and Friends made Enemies as you shall find by this Account which I have now in hand to exhibite to you A Gentleman of Percha unjustly suspecting the love of his Friend did provoke him unwillingly to put in practise the Cause of his Suspition The seventh Novell IN the Country of Percha there were two Gentlemen who from the time of their first Infancy did continue in so great and an entire a love that betwixt them there was but one heart one house one bed and one table They along time did live in this perfect Amity enjoying one thought and one will you might see indeed a distinction of persons but they lived together not only as two Brothers but as if that both of them had made but one entire Man The one of them was married yet did not discontinue for all that to maintain his old Love and daily to live with his Companion as he had been accustomed to do And if at any time in their Travels they wanted a second Bed his friend did lie in the same Bed with himself and his Wife It is true enough that at that time he himself did always lie in the middle Their Goods were also in common It was not Marriage that could hinder the establishment of their love Nevertheless in the progress of time the felicity of the world which is subject to mutability could not any longer continue in this House which was indeed too happy and in too permanent a condition for the Husband forgetting the assurance which he had in his Friend without any occasion at all did entertain a great jealousie of his Wife and him He did not dissemble it to his Wife and did acquaint her with the unpleasing tydings whereat she was much astonished for he had commanded her in all things but in one to make as much of his Companion as of himself and now he expresly did forbid her to speak unto him unless she were in some publick Company She took the opportunity to acquaint the Companion of her Husband with it who did not believe it knowing well enough that he never thought nor did any thing whereat his Companion should be afflicted And being accustomed to conceal nothing from him he did acquaint him with what he understood desiring him that he would not conceal the truth from him for he would not either in that or any other thing give him an occasion to break that love with so long they had entertained The Gentleman that was marryed did assure him that he had never any such thought and that they who brought this Information to him were most wicked lyars His Companion told him I know well enough that Jealousie is a passion as insupportable as Love and if you should be surprized with it yet I would do you no Injury at all for I know it is a passion that grows so upon a Man that he cannot help it But of one thing which lies in your power to help I find I have just reason to complain which is that you conceal this passion from me seeing heretofore there was not that thing which you would conceal from me I will say as much of my self If I were amorous of your Wife you ought not to impute it unto me as any great Iniquity for it is a fire which I hold not in my hand to do with it according to my own pleasure but if I should conceal it from you and endeavour to make your Wife acquainted with it I should be one of the wickedest Companions that ever was For my part I do assure you that albeit she is an honest and a virtuous Gentlewoman yet were she not your Wife I do not know any Woman that I have a less Fancy to But although there be no occasion for it I desire you if you but harbour the least scruple of suspition that possibly may be that you would acquaint me with it to the end I may give such Order that our love which hath so long continued may not be dissolved for a Woman for if I loved her above all Creatures in the World yet I would never speak any more unto hrr because I doe prefer your love above all others His Companion did swear unto him by the greatest Oaths that could possibly be imagined that he never had any such thought and desired him to make use of his house as he was accustomed to doe His Friend made answer to him because it is your desire I will doe it but I must
a way to goe out of her own house into a place where privatly she might see him The Gentleman who on that morning had been let blood in the arm finding himself to be better recovered by that Message than he could be by Physick or all the receits that could be given him did teturn word that he would not fail to come at the hour she appointed and that she had wrought an apparent Miracle for by one word she had cured a Man of a Disease for whom all the Physicians could find no Redresse The Evening being come which he so much longed for the Gentleman repaired to the place which was appointed with so great a Contentment that it could not be increased He attended not long but she whom he loved better than his own soul did come to find him He did not study to make any long Oration for the fire which did burn within him did make him hastily to possesse himself of that which he could hardly perswade himself that he had in his own power and being drunk with Love and Pleasure whiles he sought to provide a remedy for his life more than was requisite he found the advancement of his Death for in the love to his Sweet-heart having forgot himself he perceived not his Arm from which the Vein opening again the blood did come forth so abundantly that the poor Gentleman was almost bathed in it But he believing that his faintnesse did proceed from his Excess of pleasure did think with himself to return to his own Lodging But Love who had too much united them together did so dispose of it that in departing from his friend his soul did depart from himself and by the great effusion of blood he had lost he fell down dead at her feet who was so amazd both in the consideration of the loss which she had of so entire a friend of whose Death she was the only Cause as also of the shame that would fall upon her if the dead body were found in her house that not knowing what to do she and one of her Chambermaids in whom she altogether trusted did carry the body into the Street where she would not leave it alone but taking the sword of her dead friend she resolved to partake of his fortune and perish by the effusion of blood also in punishing that heart which was the cause of all this Evil and forcing the sword quite through her she fell down upon the Body of her Friend The Father and the Mother of this young Gentlewoman comming forth out of their house on the next morning did behold this pittiful spectacle And making as great a lamentation as the Case deserved they did bury them both together By this Ladies you may see what mischiefs do attend the extremity of love This is that which doth please me well said Simontault when Love is so equal that the one dying the other cannot live and if God had made me so blest as to have found such a one I do verily perswade my self that no man had ever loved so perfectly as I should have done But I am of opinion said Parlament that love would not have so much blinded you but you would have remembred to have kept your Arm better than that Gentleman did for those days are passed that Men do forget their lives for their Ladies But those days are not passed said Simontault that Ladies for their pleasure do forget the lives of their Servants I am of opinion said Emarsuite that there is no Woman in the World that taketh pleasure in the death of a Man although he were her Enemy Neverthelesse if Men will kill themselves Ladies cannot help their willfulnesse So it is said Saffredant that she who refuseth a piece of bread to a poor men dying for hunger is esteemed to be a Murderesse If your requests said Oysilla were as reasonable as the poor Mans begging for his necessity Ladies should be too cruel to refuse you But God be praised the malady of love doth kill no man but only those who wold die of themselves that year I know not Madam said Saffredant what is the greatest necessity but only that which doth make us to forget all others For when Love is violent we mind neither bread nor any other delicates whatsoever but only the looks and words of those we love They who would suffer you to fest said Oysilla without giving you any other Viands would quickly make you change your thoughts of Love I must confesse said Saffredant that the Body would fail but the Heart and the good will would still remain Then said Parlament God hath given you a great grace that you should addresse your self to one where you find so little Contentment that you must comfort up your self with eating and drinking with which me thinks you may acquit your self so well that you ought to praise God for that friendly cruelty I am so nourished in affliction said Saffredant that I do begin to solace my self in those torments of which others do complain It may be said Longaren that your love doth so withdraw you from all Company that no other contentment can be welcom to you for there is nothing more troublesom than an importunate Lover Nothing said Simontault unlesse it be a cruel Lady I do perceive said Oysilla that if we should attend to hear an end of the Reasons of Simontault that we should bear no Vespers this Evening Wherefore let us rise and praise God that this Days work is so well accomplished She did begin first of all to rise her self and all the rest did follow her but Simontault and Longaren did continue all the way to discusse the Argument and so gently that without drawing of his Sword Simontault did get the better shewing that the strongest passion was the greatest necessity And speaking those words they did enter into the Church where the Monks did attend them Vespers being ended they did go to Supper where they entertained one another with as much discourse as Diet for the Dispute continued all the time of Supper and all the Evening afterwards until Oysilla told them that it was high time to goe to rest and that five days Journeys were adorned with such delightfull Histories that she was afraid that the sixth day would not be like unto it for it was not possible to invent better Accounts than what were here delivered and which were not Fictions but Truths But Guebron said that as long as the world endured there would something fall out every day which would be new and worthy to be remembred for the depravednesse of bad men and their corruptions will be always such as heretofore they have been and in the same way will be the Goodnesse of Good men And as long as Grace and Corruption do reign upon the Earth they will always fill it with one Novelty or another although it be written That there is nothing new under the Sun But we who have not been called to
themselves The Gentleman demanded of her wherefore she did laugh so and desired her that she would make him a partaker of her joy She made answer to him Sweet-heart I am such a fool that I laugh at my own shade and for all the intreaties he could make or use he could never get any other answer from her This is that story which you did cause me to remember when you made mention of that great Lady who loved the Sweet-heart of her Husband In good troth said Emarsuite If my Chambermaid should have served me so I would have rose and stung the Candle in her face You speak too terribly said Hircan but what would you think if your Husband and the Chambermaid should have set themselves against you and should have beaten you soundly for you should make no reckoning of a kisse Howsoever his wife might have done better to have made no noise at all but have let them take their recreation together It might peradventure have cured him of his Malady No said Parlament she was afraid that the end of that Recreation would have made him more weak than he was before She was none of those said Oysilla of whom our Saviour speaks We have made our lamentation unto you but you have not weeped We have sung but you have not danced for when her Husband was sick she wept and when he was joyful she laughed And so all women of worth and honour ought to partake both of the Good and of the Evil and the joys and the sorrows of their Husbands and to love obey and serve them as the Church doth Jesus Christ It were requisite then said Parlament that our Husbands were to us as Jesus Christ is towards his Church So we are said Saffredant and if it were possible we would endure as much for Jesus Christ died but once for his Church and we die every day for our Wives Die said Longaren In my opinion you and the other good Husbands who are here do not look as if you were such dying men I can give you a reason for that said Saffredant It is because our Valour is tryed which our shoulders do feel having so often born the Corslet If you were put to it said Emarsuite to wear arms but one moneth and to lie on the cold and the hard Ground you would have a good desire to return to the beds of your own wives and to make much of that of which you do now complain But I have heard it spoken that all things can be endured but ease and we know not what Repose is until we have lost it The good Woman said Oysilla who laughed when her Husband was joyous had much to do I warrant her to go thorough with it I do believe said Longaren that she loved her own ease better than she loved her Husband for it seemeth she took not any thing to heart whatsoever he did No for with a good heart she took that said Parlament which might have been prejudicial to the health and the Conscience of her Husband When you speak in this place of Conscience said Simontault you do make me laugh for he would not have done what he did if he thought his wife would have taken it to heart and I do not see which way the Conscience can be much prejudiced for a kisse It would not be amisse said Nomerfide that you had such a wife as he had who after her Husbands death did manifest that she loved his Money better than her Conscience I do desire you said Saffredant that you would rehearse unto us that Novel for which I do give you my voice I did not determine said Nomerfide to account unto you so short a History but because it hath relation to the subject on which we have discoursed I will recite it to you The Subtilty of a Spanish woman to defraud the Friers of the last Testament of her Husband The fifth Novel IN the City of Saragossa there lived a Merchant who seeing his death to approach and that he could no longer keep the Goods which he had gotten it may be with a bad Conscience he thought to satisfie his sin by giving away all to the poor without any regard that after his decease his Wife and his Children should die with hunger and when he had ordered all things in his House he said it was his last Will that a good Spanish Jennet which he had and was indeed all his goods that were worth any thing should be sold at the greatest rate that could be and that the Money should be distributed unto the begging Friers desiring his Wife that when ever the breath were out of his Body she would not fail to sell the Horse and distribute the Money according to his Will The burial being past and the first tears wept his Wife who was no more a fool than the Spaniards are accustomed to be did repair unto her Servant who as well as her self did understand the last Will of her Husband and said unto him It seems to me that I have lost too much already in losing my Hushand whom so much I loved without losing any more of my goods but so it is that I would not be disobedient to his charge but doe the best I can to satisfie his will according to his intention For the poor Man who in his life as you know well enough would not so much as spare one Crown for the greatest necessity hath after his death given a round sum to the poor Friers thinking it to be a Sacrifice that will be acceptable to God wherefore I am advised to doe that which at his death he did bequeath and which is more than he could give himself if he had lived but fifteen days longer and by so doing I will provide for the necessities of my Children But I must so carry it that none in the World shall know any thing of it And when her Servant had faithfully promised to keep secret what was to be done she said unto him You must go sell his Horse and if any shall ask you what is the price of it you shall say one Ducket but I have a good Cat an excellent Mouser which you shall sell let me see I for ninety nine Duckets and so the Cat and the Horse shall make in all just one hundred Duckets at which price my Husband would have sold the Horse alone The Servant did readily accomplish the commands of his Mistresse and walked the Horse up and down the Market holding the demure Cat under his arms A Gentleman who had seen the Horse before and had a great mind to buy him passing that way demanded of the Servant at one word to give him the price of him The Servant made answer one Ducket Do not mock me honest friend said the Gentleman I assure you Sir said the Servant you shall give me for it one Ducket and no more But Sir I must tell you that you must buy the Cat with it
and descended of honourable parentage and did not rashly thrust himself into her service but first of all did acquaint her with it and did understand her intention which was that she gladly did accord that he should be her Husband And this as I have said was carried on by their friends on both sides who having met together for this effect did think very well of the Marriage and the rather because as they thought the young Gentlewoman her self did seem to have a good desire to it But afterwards whether she thought to find a better Husband or to dissemble the Love which she did bear unto him or whether she conceived that the greatest contentment was in a single life the Marriage day was deferred and the Company that were assembled to see the accomplishment thereof were constrained to depart not without a great grief that they could not put a good conclusion to it knowing that the parties on both sides were before so well agreed But above all the poor Gentleman was extremely discontented who had more patiently carried his affliction if he could have found that the fault proceeded from her kinred and not from her self But understanding the truth the knowledge whereof did cause in him a grief as strong almost as death it self without speaking to his Sweet-heart or any one else he did withdraw himself into his own House and having given order for the management of his affairs he did repair into a solitary place where he endeavoured with himself to forget that unprofitable love and did intirely convert it into the love of our Saviour Jesus Christ to which not long afterwards he did altogether oblige himself During this time of his retirement he received not the least news either from the Gentlewoman whom he had loved or from any of her friends wherefore he resolved with himself since he was disappointed of that life which of all others he conceived to be the most happy to choose and take that life upon him which was the most austere and the most unpleasing to him that he could imagine In this sad resolution which may be truly called a despair he did goe to enter himself into a religious house which was a Monastery of the order of Saint Francis It was not far from the place where many of his friends had their habitations who understanding of his despair did the utmost of their indeavours to divert him from his melancholy resolution but they found it to be so strongly grounded in his heart that it was impossible to disswade him from it Neverthelesse understanding from whence the occasion of his Malady did proceed they concluded to look out some redresse and repaired to her who was the original of his sudden Devotion who was possessed with such a sorrow and an amazement at the news thereof thinking that her refusal for a short time would conduce only to give her a more sure experience of his love and not for ever to lose him of which she saw the danger too apparent that she immediatly did send a Letter to him to give him the assurance of her love and to desire him to return to take possession of her heart which was intirely his own This Letter being delivered by one of her friends with all the remonstrances of affection that could possibly be expressed was received and read by the Gentleman Frier with so sad a Countenance and accompanied with so many sighs and tears that it seems he would have both burned it and drowned it at once He gave no other answer to it but desired the Messenger to acquaint the Gentlewoman that the mortifying of his Passion did cost him â—o deer that it had taken from him both the desire to live and the fear to die Wherfore he desired her who was the occasion of it that she would let him injoy a quiet misery and since she would not content him in the passion of his grand desires that she would not torment him now when he was dispossessed of them but content her self with what already she had done for which he could find no other remedy than to choose so sharp a life and a continual penitence which might cause him to forger his sorrow and her unkindnesse and by so many fasts and disciplines so to humble and chastise his Body that the memory of Death only should be his most Soveraign Consolation wherefore above all things he did beseech her that he might hear no more tidings of her for only the remembrance of her Name was a Purgatory insupportable unto him The Gentleman returned with this sad answer and made a report thereof unto her who could not understand it without a grief incredible But Love who would not suffer her heart to fail until the last extremity did put it into her fancy to make a sudden trial if her sight and her words could prevail more upon him than her Letters Wherefore taking her Father and her nearest friends along with her she repaired to the Monastery where he had his residence having first examined all her Boxes and her Glasses for those things which might make her look most beautiful and perswading her self if she could be but admitted to that happinesse as but to see him once and speak unto him it were impossible but the fire which had so long a residence in his heart should grow into a flame as strong as ever In this confidence she entred into the Monastery at the end of Vespers and sent unto the Gentleman desiring him that he would be pleased to give a friend of his a visit in the Chapel within the Cloyster He who did not know who it was that did send for him did make hast to goe unto the greatest and most dangerous battail in which he ever did fight He did look so pale and spiritlesse that she did hardly know him neverthelesse being accompanied with a grace no lesse amiable than before Love did enforce her to stretch forth her Arms thinking to imbrace him but the compassion which she had to see him in that estate did so surround and invade her heart that swouning away she did fall unto the Ground The poor Gentleman who had taken upon him the habit of Religion observing it and being not destitute of Brotherly Charity did raise her up and did bring her to a seat in the Chappel And he himself having no lesse need of succour did dissemble his passion fortifying his heart in the love of God against all the temptations with which she could assault it insomuch that when he beheld her he did seem not to know who it was or what her desires were She having recovered her self from her dyings away did begin a little to hold up her head and did look upon him with such fair and withall such affecting eyes that they were able to make a rock to relent and having made a little pause she did expresse her self unto him in that studdied language which she conceived most effectual to withdraw him
perceiving the Gentleman to continue still in the service of the Duke as he was accustomed to do could not endure it with patience but said unto her Husband It would be no great matter Sir if you were poysoned because you have more confidence in your mortal Enemies than in your friends He replyed Sweet-heart Torment not your self concerning that affair for if I can find that to be true which you have spoken I do assure you that he shall not be alive four and twenty hours but he hath sworn so much unto me to the contrary and I my self besides could never perceive any thing by him that without great proof I cannot believe any thing unto the contrary In good truth Sir said she the goodnesse of your Nature doth render his Iniquity the greater Would you have a greater proof than to see a Man of his Condition to professe love and to make no noise thereof You may believe Sir that amongst so many Ladies in my Court so young a Fellow as he is would have found out a Mistresse for himself were it not for the high Enterprize that doth altogether take up his fancy to be a servant unto me for there was never any young Man that lived in such a Court as yours so solitary as this young Man neither would he be so if he had not his heart fixed in so high a place that he did content himself only with some vain hope and because you do entertain a belief that he doth conceal nothing from you I must beseech you to put him to his Oath to know if he be in love with any one or no. For if he be in love with any other I am content that you doe believe him if not you may assure your self that I do speak the Truth The Duke did much approve the reasons of his Lady and walking into the fields did take the Gentleman along with him to whom he said My Wife doth still continue in her opinion and doth allege unto me such reason for it that it doth cause in me a great suspition against you which is she wonders much that you being so young and affable were never yet in love as much as can be known which makes me to conceive that you nourish that ambitious love of which she doth accuse you the hope whereof doth render you so contented and doth fill you with so vain a joy that you cannot think of any other woman wherfore I do intreat you as a Friend and command you as your Master to tell me plainly if you are or ever have been in love or no. The poor Gentleman although he would have delayed to give an answer to this unexpected Interrogatory and would have excused his affection which that no other might find it out he had laid up in the very center of his heart was now constrained to satisfie the great Jealousie of the Duke his Master to swear unto him That it is true enough that he was in love with a Lady whose perfection was such that the beauty of the Dutchesse and of all the Ladies in her Court was but foulnesse and deformity unto her but he did beseech him that he may not be inforced to give unto him her Name for the obligation betwixt him and his Sweet-heart was such that who first of them did declare their love should absolutely dissolve it The Duke did promise that he would presse him no more unto it and was as much contented with the satisfaction which he had given him that he did countenance and advance him more than before which the Dutchesse did very well observe and finding there was more than an accustomed privacy betwixt the Duke her Husband and the Gentleman she did use her utmost indeavour to understand the occasion of it which the Duke could not be perswaded to reveal unto her whereupon her fruitful vengeance did beget another jealousie and she besought the Duke to command the Gentleman to impart unto him the name of that Sweet-heart of his assuring him that it was a meer invention and the best way he could contrive to gain credit to his words but if he would not name who it was whom he esteemed to be so beautiful he was the most foolish Prince in the World if he did believe what he professed The poor Duke whose opinion his Wife turned now on this side and now on that as she her self pleased did take the poor Gentleman to walk the other turn with him in the Fields again where he told him that he was in a far greater perplexity than before for he much doubted that he made him but an excuse to keep him off from finding out the truth which did torment him more than ever Therefore like a Prince he mingled his Authorities with his intreaties and did desire command him to declare unto him who it was whom so much he loved The poor Gentleman did beseech him that he would be mindful of his promise and not inforce him to commit so great fault against her whom so intirely he affected as now to break his promise which for a long time he had so faithfully observed and to lose in one minute that secrecy which for seven years and more he had kept locked up in a religious safety affirming that he had rather suffer death than do such a wrong to her who was so faithful unto him The Duke perceiving he would not acquaint him who it was did enter into so strong a jealousie that with a furious countenance he did say unto him Take your choice of two things either plainly to tell me who it is whom you doe love above all the World or to depart presently into banishment out of the lands of my Authority upon this penalty that if I find you here eight days after this I will undoubtedly put you to some cruel death If ever grief did possesse the heart of a loyal Servant it now did seize upon the heart of this Gentleman who might well say Angustiae sunt mihi Vndique for finding on the one side that if he should speak the truth he should lose his Mistresse if it should come unto her knowledge because he had failed in his promise and on the other side if he should not confesse it he should be banished from the Country in which he was brought up and where his Mistresse lived and never should have the means to see her again he was so oppressed with sorrow that a cold sweat did seize upon him as it doth on one who overcome by the extremity of grief doth find the last minute of his life approaching The Duke looking upon him and perceiving how much his countenance did change did Judge whatsoever he pretended to the contrary that he had no other Mistresse but only his Wife which was the reason because on the sudden he could not think on the name of any other he did endure that passion Wherefore he did speak very churlishly unto him If that which you have represented
who brought you to this place The poor Nun who did not know her did make answer Woe is me my friend my misfortune is so great that I have no recourse but unto God only whom I doe beseech to vouchsafe unto me the means that I may speak to Madam the Dutchesse of Alençon for to her alone will I declare my business being confident that if there be any redress for such a miserable Creature as my self she will grant it to me Friend said the Dutchess to her you may speak as confidently unto me as unto her I am one of her gratest friends Pardon me said the Nun none but her self only shall understand my secret Whereupon the Dutchesse said unto her that she might speak freely for she had found her whom she demanded The poor Nun did prostrate her self at her feet and having wept a long time she gave her the whole account of what already I have expressed unto you whereupon the Dutchesse did comfort her so well that exhorting her to repentance for her misdeed she took from her quite the resolution of going to Rome and sent her back to the Prioresse with a strict charge to entertain her and with Letters to the Bishop of that place to take order for the expulsion of that scandalous Monk who having abused the Body of the Nun did afterwards most petulantly upbraid her and caused her to depart the Covent I received this Acount from the Dutchesse her self by which Ladies you may understand that the Rule of Nomerfide is not proper to all sorts of Persons for these two both touching aed burying the dead were neverthelesse at the same time touched and overcome with infirmities This was an invention said Hircan which I believe was never practised before to speak of death and at the same instant to do the works of life It is not said Oysilla any work of life to sin for we all know well enough that sin produceth death You may believe said Sassredant that at that time neither the Monk nor the Nun had the least thought of that Divinity but as the Daughters of Lot having made their Father drunk did think by that means to preserve human Nature so this Monk and the Nun would repair that which death had destroyed by making of a new Body Therefore I cannot but reflect again upon the tears of tho Nun who always wept and always returned to the cause of her weeping I have seen too many of those said Hircan who at the same time bewailed their sins and yet kept their pleasures I do much doubt said Parlament by whom you do speak those words wherefore it seems to me that their laughter hath lasted long enough it would be now time that weeping should begin Hold your peace said Hircan The Tragedy is not yet finished which doth begin with laughter But to change the Subject of our discourse said Parlament it seems to me that Dagoucin hath wandred from our first determination which was that the Accounts of this day should be all pleasant and this hath been a sad one You made a motion said Dagoucin that we should not forget to give an Account of the greatest follies and in that I am sure I have not failed but to hear one that is more pleasant I do give my voice to Nomerfide hoping that she will mend my fault She made answer I have an Account ready for you and one which is worthy to follow yours for it speaks of Religious persons and of death also Give ear unto it if you please The End of the Accounts of the Novels of the late Queen of Navarr which are all that can be recovered of them A Table of the Summary of the Novells of the Queen of Navarre The first Journal AN Advocats Wife of Alençon had two Friends one of them for pleasure and the other for profit she caused that man of her two Lovers to be slain who first discovered her wanton life for which murder she begged pardon both for her self and for her sagitive Husband who afterwards to save a sum of money did repair to a Negromancer and their Enterprize was discovered and punished Novel 1. Fol. 1. The chast and lamentable Death of the Wife of one of the Mule-keepers of the Queen of Navarre Nov. 2. f. 11. A King of Naples abusing the Wife of a young Gentlewoman did at last wear the horn himself Nov. 3. f. 15. The rash Enterprise of a Gentleman to incounter with a Princess and the shame and disgrace which he received Nov. 4. f. 22. A Ferry-woman escaped from two Friers who would have forced her and did deport her self so wisely that their sinne was discovered to all the world Nov. 5. f. 30. The subtilty of a woman who shewed her friend a way to escape when her Husband who had but one eye thought to have surprized them Nov. 6. f. 34. A Merchant of Paris deceived the Mother of his Sweet-heart to conceal their fault Nov. 7. f. 37. A certain man having lain with his own Wife instead of his Chambermaid did send his Neighbour to her who made him a Cuckold without his Wives knowledge Nov. 8. f. 40. The sad death of a Gentleman in love having received comfort too late from her whom he loved Nov. 9. f. 47. The Loves of Amadour and Florinda in which are contained many subtilties and Inventions and the most commendable chastity of Florinda Nov. 10. f. 52. The Second Journal The petulant Discourses of a Frier in his Easter-Sermons at Amboise Nov. 1. f. 93. The Incontinence of a Duke and his Impudence to arrive at his Designs with his just punishment Nov. 2. f. 97. A Captain of the Galleys under the shaddow of Devotion did fall in love with a Lady and what insued thereon Nov. 3. f. 106. The subtilty of a Lover who under the pretence of the right Friend did reap from a Lady of Millan the fruits of what so long he had desired Nov. 4. f. 117. A Lady of the Court seeing her self disdained by her Husband who made love elsewhere did revenge her self by the like practice Nov. 5. f. 125. A Lady of Millan approved the Courage and the Resolution of her Friend whereupon she afterwards loved him with all her heart Nov. 6. f. 141. King Francis shewed his generous resolution to Count William who would have killed the King Nov. 7. f. 148. A fair young Lady made tryal of the fidelity of a young Scholar before she would admit him to intrench too farr upon her honour Nov. 8. f. 152. Two Lovers despairing to be marryed did enter themselves into two Religions houses the Man into a Covent of Saint Francis and the Female into the Nunnery of Saint Clare Nov. 9. f. 159. A Gentleman suddenly cured of the malady of Love finding his rigorous Lady in the arms of her Horseman Nov. 10. f. 169. The Third Journal The wonderful and honest love betwixt a Lady of honourable birth and a Bastard and the check which the
Queen gave unto their Marriage with the wise answer of the young Lady to the Queen Nov. 1. f. 174. A Frier a great Reformer of the times under the shaddow of Religion did use all temptations and endeavours to seduce a fair Nun and his deceits at last were discovered Nov. 2. f. 198. Three Murders committed in one house on the persons of the Lord the Lady and their Child by the wickednesse of a Frier Nov. 3. f. 212. The gentile Invention of a Gentleman to manifest his love to the Queen of Spain and what insued thereupon Nov. 4. f. 221. The subtile Invention of a great Prince to delight himself with the fair Wife of 〈…〉 vocate of Paris Nov. 5. f. 230. The pleasant discourse of a great Lord to play the wanton with a Lady of Pampelona Nov. 6. f. 236. The rashness of a foolish Secretary who sollicited to Lust the Wife of his Companion by which he received great Disgrace Nov. 7. f. 254. A Secretary thought to cozâ—en one who cozened him and what was the event thereof Nov. 8. f. 257. A Labourer of the Village whose Wife was too familiar with the Curate did permit himself to be easily deceived Nov. 9. f. 261. The wonderfull Example of humane Frailty in a Lady who to conceal her honour did fall from one Evil into a greater Nov. 10. f. 264. The Fourth Journal The Execrable cruelty of a Frier to enjoy his detestable Lust and the punishment which he justly suffered Nov. 1. f. 272. The punishment more cruel than Death commanded by a Husband to be inflicted on his Wife whom he had taken in adultery Nov. 2. f. 279. The abomination of an Incestuous Priest who under the pretence of a holy life did impregnat his own Sister and the blasphemies that were contrived to conceal their sin and the punishment which ensued thereupon Nov. 3. f. 285. Two Friers too curious to listen to what did not belong unto them were struck into so great a fear that they thought they should have dyed Nov. 4. f. 290. The happy Industry which a wise Husband used to divert the love which his Wife did bear unto a Frier Nov. 5. f. 295. A President of Grenoble being advertised of the dissolute Inclinations of his Wife did provide such a remedy that his honor was not interested and he himself revenged Nov. 6. f. 305. The wisdom of a Wife to withdraw her Husband from a fond Love which did torment him Nov. 7. f. 311. The memorable Charity of a Woman of Tours to her Husband taken in Incontinence Nov. 8. f. 316. A good Invention to drive away an Evil Spirit Nov. 9. f. 318. A Lord caused his Brother-in-law to be killed not knowing the allyance Nov. 10. f. 322. The Fifth Journal The strange and new penance given by a Frier Confessor to a young Lady N. 1. f. 331. The Continence of a young Gentlewoman against the obstinate and amorous sute of one of the greatest Lords in France and the happy success which the young Gentlewoman obtained Nov. 2. f. 335. The Hypocrisie of a Lady at Court was discovered by the ill Carriage of her Love which she thought to have concealed Nov. 3. f. 346. Two Lovers who closely did enjoy their loves and the happy issue that did attend them Nov. 4. f. 357. A Husband pretending to chastise his Chambermaid deceived the simplicity of his Wife Nov. 5. f. 365. A Frier who in his Sermon made it a great crime for Men to beat their Wives Nov. 6. f. 371. A Gentleman of Percha wrongfully suspecting the love of his Friend to his Wife did provoke him to put in practise the Cause of his suspition Nov. 7. f. 373. Two Friers on the first night of a marriage did one after another usurp the place of the Bridegoom for which they were soundly punished Nov. 8. f. 360. The subtilty and incontinence of a Countesse to have secretly her pleasure from several Gentlemen and how she was discovered Nov. 9. f. 383. A Gentleman being newly let blood did too familiarly and excessively enjoy his Mistress which was the occasion of his death and of hers also Nov. 10. f. 390. The Sixth days Journal The persidiousnesse and great cruelty of an Italian Duke Nov. 1. f. 395. The nasty Breakfast prepared by an Apothecaries Boy for an Advocate and a Gentleman Nov. 2. f. 400 The personal diligence of a Prince to divert the affections of an importunate Lover Nov. 3. f. 405. A Gentlewoman of so good a disposition that seeing her Husband to kisse her Chambermaid did nothing else but laugh and would never give any other reason but that only she laughed at his shadow Nov. 4. f. 414. The Cunning of a Spanish Woman to defraud the Friers of the last Testament of her Husband Nov. 5. f. 417. A Frier Fraudulently married another Frier who was his Companion to a young Gentlewoman for which they were both punished Nov. 6. f. 420. A ridiculous Account of my Lord who did wear a Ladies Glove on his Habiliments Nov. 7. f. 427. A Lady of the Court did pleasantly revenge her self of a Gentleman who did bear love unto her Nov. 8. f. 431. A Gentleman thinking in private to kisse one of the Chamhermaids of his Wife was discovered and surprized by her Nov. 9. f. 435. A Citizens Wife of Paris did forsake her Husband a rich Merchant to follow a Chanter and â—â—unterfeiting her self dead she caused herself to be buried Nov. 10. f. 442. The Seventh Journal The wonderful and most uncontroul'd affection of a bold but beautiful Burgundian Gentlewoman to a Canon of Autun Nov. 1. f. 449. A Gentlewoman repeating an Account of her own loves speaking in the third person did by misregard declare her self Nov. 2. f. 458. The notable Chastity of a great Lord in France Nov. 3. f. 461. A Gentleman being disdained by a Gentlewoman to be her Husband did turn Frier and put on the habit of Religion for which she afterwards repenting did put on the Habit of a Nun Nov. 4. f. 466. The simplicity of an old Woman who presented a burning Candle of Wax to Saint John of Lyons and did stick it on the brow of a Souldier as he was sleeping at the Sepulcher and what was the issue that did attend it Nov. 5. f. 472. A ridiculous Account that happened to the King and Queen of Navarr Nov. 6. f. 474. The extreme love and severity of life of a French woman in a Forein land Nov. 7. f. 477. A Woman made her Husband to eat Cantharides to receive from him due and desired benevolence by which he thought he should have dyed Nov. 8. f. 482. An Italian suffered himself to be cozened by his Chambermaid who caused his Wife to find him bolting in a Womans habit instead of a Maid Nov. 9. f. 486. The excellent History and the relation of the Incontinence of a Dutchesse which was the cause of her death and of the death of two most absolute Lovers Nov. 10. f. 489. The eighth Journal A Woman at the point of death seeing her Husband to kisse ber Chambermaid did grow so extremely passionate that it was the sudden cause of her recovery Nov. 1. f. 520. The continual repentance of a Nun for having lost her virginity without Force or Love Nov. 2. f. 523. The End of the Table FINIS