or troubled wyth other bulynes that she coulde not kepe hym companie not lettynge somtime to shoott her gates against hym all whiche because she sawe lacked force to make hym refraine she retired to thassistance of pollecie desyeryng hym wyth simple and colde termes to do her so muche honor as to forbeare from hensfurth all access to her house for that she was in mynde to retourne to her husbande with whome theffect of attonement was alredye wroughte by certeine her frendes who beinge vpon the waye to fetche her hoame she woulde not by any meanes should finde her in the attire of a Cortisan or woman makynge loue Besides syr saith she not without some dissembled teares I féele a remorce of conscience on the behalfe of the longe abuse I haue vsed towardes hym and that albeit my offence procedynge of follye seames not altogether worthye of frée pardon yet it maye appeare in some sorte excusable so he that confesseth his faulte gyueth greate argument of amendement and restoreth the trespasse to sufficient recompense desyerynge you for ende to haue no lesse consideracion of my present case then heretofore you haue founde no wante of good wyll in me to satisfye the respecte of your pleasure at all tymes where with to prefer a more credit to her suborned discourse she promised hym a contynuacion of fauor wyth assuraunce of vnfayned good wyll so longe as nature was content to lende her the vse of lyfe The erle whether he gaue faythe to her fayned woordes or dissembled a credytt for the nonst yet he seamed to perswade a trothe in the matter for that from the hower of suche conference he checked the humour of hys accustomed desyer vsynge exquisitt medecines to mortifye that blynd affection whiche so longe had kepte hym in captiuitye in the bottomles goolphe of his Pyemount And be cause he woulde aswell remoue the cause as take awaye the disease ferynge leaste eyther the viewe of her presence or some force of newe charme mighte eftesones enchaunte hym and sett abroche the humor of former desyers he retired immediatlye to MYLLAN He feared also the fall of some soddaine mischiefe chieflye for that he had sufficient experience of the cursed disposicion of this Viper whose harte was so infected with the poysoned ayre of euery syn that beinge wearye of the excercise of whordome she would make no conscience to furnishe the stage with vnnaturall morders For what exspectation of other frute is in them whose mindes are cleane dispoiled of vertue if not suche as are allowed by the guyde and wicked spirite that gouerneth their diabolicall disposition or who is ignoraunt of the tyrannye of a woman conuerted whollye into the appetit of rage and reuenge neyther is her crueltye any thyng inferior to the deuouring monster and excedes euerye waye the brutishe inclination of the barbarous sorte of creatures whose rage albeit now and then procureth them to vse force against the natural procreacioÌ„ frutes of their owne wombes yet do they staye to committ any kinde of crueltie to suche as haue traffiqned wyth them in the trade of licencious luste accomptinge no greater sacrilege or profanacion of the lawe and ceremonies due to their goddes then to pollute their handes wyth the blodde of suche as earst haue supplied the luste of their sensual pleasure wherin if they whych had no kuowledge of god nor feared the deuill and voyde altogether of discipline and experience in humanitie reserued a certeine honor and respect to nature why shoulde there be eyther frée dispense or tolleracion of punishment to the wretches of our age who notwythstandynge the dayly vse of the lawe written by the very fynger of god and reueiled vnto vs byhys prophetes and Apostles wyth diuerse threateninge inhibicions noted in thinfallible booke do not feare to offende the maiestie of the high este not only in stayninge theyr sowles wyth the spot of adulterie but also in dyenge the earthe wyth the blodd of their bretherne and fellowes in Christe wherein this historie shal present you with a sufficieÌ„t profe for this time The Lord GAIAZO had no soner lefte PAVYA then this infernall goddesse began to attempte the recouerie of her firste louer VALPERGO wherin notwithstandinge there apeared an equalitie of doubt and difficultie chieflie for that she feared that he that laste left her had diciphered her intent wyth reuelacion of the meane she had deuised to procure hys deathe But what enterprise is it that he dare not attempte whose mynde is the bondeman and slaue of syn wherin albeit the beginninge seame to ymport a certeine difficultie for that the soule preferreth a resistance and the conscience waueringe is moued to a remorse and remembrance of repentance yet whan a man is alreadis become old in syn and the harte enuyroned with the braunches of iniquitie the wycked man hath a more facilitie in th execution of mischiefe then he that is good hable to kepe the renowne of vertue euenso when youth is norished in ympudencie and age deuested of honeste shame there is no perill can make the one affraied nor ymputacion of reproch geue cause to the other to blushe like as this ympudent Pyemountâ—â—se renewinge the traffique of her aunciente wickednes practised so far wyth the familiars and frendes of hym whose deathe as you harde she earste conspired by malice excusinge herselfe so amplie by embassages and letters of vehement perswacion that he was content to heare in what sort she was hable to purge her selfe wherin her iustificacion was the sooner admitted for that the iudge was not only pertiall on her behalfe but rather enclyned to foolishe pytie then disposed to enioyne iuste pennance shee promised by protestacion of fayth and religious othe not only to become hys subiect and slaue so longe as her soule was caried aboute vppon the mortall chariot of her bodie but also gaue hym at thinstant a pawne of her lyfe wyth all that she had for the performaÌ„ce of her laste promise Here was the peace eftsones concluded betwene the wicked countesse and vnhappy earle whose articles were registred and seales put to the night folowinge when the Lorde VALPERGO was restored to the possession of the fortresse whiche earste was reuolted and lyued longe dnder the awe of an other prince wherin as they thus renewed the rounde of their amarous daunce the one fynding a more skoape of libertie vnder her recouered louer then afore the other resolued whollie to obserue thappetite of his Ladie beholde a seconde desyer of blodd and suggestion of morder appearing eftsones in the face of this MEGERA who croppinge altogether the hearbe of reuenge longed nowe for the destruction of hym who as you harde promised to do sacrafice on the bodie whyche presentlie she embrased and helde in moste estimacion wherof if she had béene demaunded the cause I thinke she coulde haue geuen no other reason of her malice then that deliting in bloddie enterprises shee accompted it a pryncipall vertue
of recouerye I was presented with a franke offer of my desyered praye for as it is not vnknowen to you all that sence the departure of viij or ten dayes the Lord MONTANYN here present beinge accused afore the SENATE vppon certeine peinall statutes deuised by our cruell state for the rappeale of banished men was awarded by iudiciall sentence to paye the forfaiture whiche because he coulde on t nottender within the tyme his greadie enemies forced y e law to a more rigour then was necessarie in suche sort as thexecutioner was readie to extende vpon his bodie for want of a supplye of a thosande florents to choake the couetous humour of the magistrates Euen so the view of his extremitie sturred vp such a remorce in my mynde that me thought I was sommoned by dutie to preuent the destruction of him who was brother and thonly comfort of her whom I had alredye proclaimed the soueraigne Ladye and mystres of my hart in whiche good vaine of deuocion I payd the money and procured his delyuerye who for his parte deuinynge I can not tell vpon what occasion that the beautie of his sister did worke theffect of suche a vertue in me hath not onely been thankefull for the benefit but also ouercome me in honeste liberalitie and true noblenes of mynde presenting me in the beginnynge of this eueninge at myne owne howse with a prodigal offer not onely of hymself and al y t he hath but also of his syster whom he lefte with me to vse and dispose at my pleasure wherein for ende I appeale to you all with one requeste that in waighinge rightly the gyfte of the one and offer of the other you will consider of them both and assiste me immediatly wyth your aduise in what sorte I maye yelde a due meede to suche ij precious merites the one a most familiar patterne and precedent of true nobilitie and the other a present of suche price and value that the greatest prince in ITALY coulde do no wronge to his greatnes in yeldynge honor and homage to so rare a thing wherupon he stayed his further discourse gyuinge place to thassistantes for consultacion of the case whiche albeit they knewe imported deliberat aduise afore the resolution of iudgement yet were they in amaze what sentence to gyue because they were neither priuie nor partakers of the determinacion of hym who had sommoned their apparance there rather to witnes the fact then deuide the case or impeshe his resolute intent by a contrarye councell The Ladies his kynswomen were so moued to admiracion wyth the maiestie and other argumentes of vertue in the faire ANGELIQVA that they had passed iudgement on her syde yf they had not feared to be refused of hym who wished their voice that waye and who onely beinge touched aboue the the rest most neare the quicke dismissed their astonishment in reueilyng his owne determination in this sorte Seinge you take so greate a tyme to discusse so small a matter with no lesse doubte to publishe sentence of that whiche is alredye determined let me abridge all arguments of further delaye in decipheryng in playne wordes the thynge whiche hetherunto I haue communicated but by circunstance ou shall vnderstande sayth he in takinge ANGELIQVA by the hande that hauynge the regarde of honor afore myne eyes with desyer to recompense at full the honestye and vertue of the brother I am resolued to take the syster to my deare and lawfull wyfe preferrynge by that meanes a perfect vnitye of that whiche longe tyme hath lyued in separacion and make of twoo bodyes earste and longe disioyned an equall wyll and entyer mynde desyerynge all your consentes in the consommation of this alliance whiche seameth rather the worke of God then an effect of the councell or diligence of man for the lawe of mariage beynge an institution of the highest and the thinge wherin Christ first glorified himself by miracle vpon earth is recorded in thinfallible booke of his foreknowledge to th ende nothynge chaunce whiche is not permitted and forseene by the prouidence of the God of marueils who sewerlye layed his hande vpon the brother MONTANYN in touching the with distresse and perill of lyfe to th ende that my ANGELIQVA being the onely meane of thy delyuerye might also laye an immouable fondacion of a mutuall vnitie betwene our two houses which I hope shall furuiue the length of tyme and not ende but wyth the laste remeinder of eyther of our posterityes This conclusion thus hearde of the parentes and kynsfolkes of SALYMBYNO and canuaised alitle in their seuerall opinions seamed at laste of suche reason and indifferencie to them all that they conuerted their conceites whiche kepte them occupyed for a tyme into a present disposition of wonderfull ioye and gladnes feelynge in theyr intrals and inwarde partes I can not tell by what secret instinct of minde an approche of indissoluble tranquillitie on all partes by the only coniunction of this newe allyance And albeit there was no equalitye of porciō that y e dowere of ANGELIQVA stoode aloff from the reuenues of her newe consort yet the vertue and giftes of grace appearyng in her made her seame hable to counteruaile hym in any respect his frendes with one voice gaue generall commendacion to the goodnes of his fortune for plātyng his affection in so vertuous a soyle wherein sewerly they had good reason for mariage being a law and holye Sacrament giuen vs from God as thonly knott of mutuall tranquillitie betwene man and woman oughte to be embrased for the vertue and sinceritie of the thynge and not abused with a regarde of richesse or other fylthye promocious of the worlde And he that in the choice of his wyfe respectes chieflye her beautie and greatnes of porcion besides a thousand pettie mutynies that fall out in housekeping escapeth seldom without a sprit of grudge or cyuill discension disturbynge hys quiet wyth a continuall humour of frettynge disposition féedynge hys mynde for the glasse of beautie retireth and gyueth place to age whiche also mortifyeth the delite or desyer of further pleasure and on thother syde the woman knowynge her discent more noble and porcion to excede the welthe of her husbande forgetteth not to take hart at grasse and deckynge her garlande wyth all sortes of flowers of pryde and disdayne séekes to gouerne and gett the vpper hande of hym who as he is appointed her heade by the woordes of the scripture and institution of nature So he oughte to kepe a straite hande of the same bridle and Raine of authoritie vsinge it as a chek to restraine the desyer of libertie in her that studieth to haue hym in subiection wherein I wishe all bachilors and younge men vnmaried to be armed againste so greate a mischiefe with the experience of suche theyr frendes as they see touched with the like griefe And for my part I lament the disquiet of them as woulde and can not or rather dare not attempte a simple
helpe in mortall distresse it is tyme nowe good madam to conuerte your Auncient crueltie into an humour of compassion both to defende your self from thymputacion of a tyrant and my lyfe from a wretched ende of miserable dispair ceasse hensfurthe to dissymule thuttermost of your rigour or drop of present grace seinge that both the one and the other hath indiffrent power to releue my distresse eyther by death in denieng me your fauour or contynuance of longer lyfe by impartyng your specialle grace come cruell misters and see thy vnfortunate LIVIO without hart hope or argument of longer breathe yf by a promisse of thy good will thou breathe not an ayre of freshe consolacion and by the sommaunce of thy worde reuoke my dyeng mynde from thys tombe of myserable dispaire where in I feele my self so tormented with thofficers of deathe that nature ceassyng to supplie my weary partes with force I fynd an impossibilitie in my tonge to obey any longer the desyers of my hart wherewith his breath began to drawe short staying the course of further speche yf not that in entryng into hys fatall traunce he exposed certeine dolefull groanes whyche caused bothe the younge Ladies to Ronne in haste to the succour of the patient whome they founde stryuinge with thextremetie of hys laste pange albeit not without some litle perye of breathe whyche he seamed to reserue wyth greate difficultie whereuppon CAMYLLA seynge a prouffe of his constancie euen to the laste moment and hauynge but one meane to releue hys traunce made no conscience to lett fall her rosye and courrall lyppes vppon the mortifyed mouthe of her diynge LIVIO who receyued suche present consolaciō by thys offer of fauour vnloked for that y e force of nature and vitall strengthe ready to depart out of euery vayne of hys bodye retired to theyr auncient places wherewith he vsynge the benefytt of his fortune forgatt not to embrase his Ladye with an infinite of kysses whereof shee restored hym a double interest albeit because he shoulde make no greate proffytt of thys soddayne courtesye and to preuent with all a suspicion of lyghte behauiour in her self she vsed her accustumed wysdome entering into familiar conference in thys sort I hope SEIGNEVR LIVIO you will not conuert thys compassion whych I haue vsed in the rappeale of your mortall farewell into any synister opinion of the diminucion of thintegretie of CAMILLA who as longe as she lyueth will so stande vppon the garde of her honour and honest renowme that no degree shall haue iuste cause to reprehende the leaste fauor shee extendes to any man in whyche conceyte I am also content to impart a credyt to your loyaltie perswadynge the same to bee without fiction whereof I am no lesse glade then I hope the loue whyche youe beare me is chaste and of honest intent respectynge an ende of sinceritie for yf I sawe any lykelyhodd to the contrary and that a dyseordinat wyll did guide your desyer and were the cause of your passion assure your selfe I woulde make lesse conscience to committe me to the mercye of the moste horrible tourmentes in the worlde eye and perill of present deathe then to lease anye parte of that whyche makes me marche without blushynge amongest the beaste of oure contrey in whyche respect wyth full perswacion of a sincere simplicitie in your loue I can not but retourne you a semblable fauour with absolute assuraunce from thys instaunte of such firme affection and zeale as any ladye oughte to impart to hym who seekes her frendshyppe in sorte of honeste and lawfull mariage neyther shall yt dekaye after theffect of desyer be parformed nor dymynishe by any synister accident vntill the fatall sequestracion of our sowle and bodye whereof lette vs vse wisdome in the conueyghe of suche affaires as maye bee taken bothe in good and euyll parte to th ende that the maiestye of the hyghest beyng not offended our honour fall not into the slaunder of the worlde wherein for a first charge to bee comitted to your diligence and with all to prefer an assured effect of the vehemencie of your affection towardes me dispose your self to demaunde me of my Father whose consent you shall fynde me to confirme in such sorte as your selfe shal deuise Arme your selfe then with compfort and retire to healthe at the request of her who takynge no pleasure in solitarie regardes wisheth you to reserue this precious flower of your youth for other exercises then to wast with passions of desperacion no lesse enemies to the strenghte of the bodye then hurtefull to the healthe of the sowle and seynge besides that in the recouery of you consistes the healthe of your syster suspende no longer the consolacion of her and contentement of your selfe and me who in attendynge your expedicion to procure the goodwill of my father will dispose my selfe in the meane while to bee thankefull vnto you any waye wherein myne honour and honestye will iustifie my doynge whiche laste wordes seamed of suche operation in the traunsed mynde of LIVIO that discharged as it were of a perillous vision in a dreame lyfted vp hys eyes and handes towardes heauen yeldyng honour to the goddes for hys happye encounter and kyssynge the white and delycate hande of hys newe mystresse he forgatt not to gyue her suche humble thankes as the greatenes of hys felicitie required whych seamyng to hym to excede the compasse and power of fortune iudged it rather the vertue of a dyuyne miracle then an effect mortall for that in so soddayne amoment he was acquited of so perentory a daunger assuring her that assone as health and strengthe of body woulde assyste the desyer of his mynde he would performe her comaundement in demaundynge her fathers consent wherein he hoped to delay no long time for that he felte a wonderful approche of health by the viewe of her presence in his late last storme of afflictiō I wold do no lesse saith she then yelde you soccours in so great an extremitie both to delyuer my selfe out of payne in seinge you passioned and also to qualifye the greffe of my deare companion your syster to whom you are also bounde in some sorte to be thankeful for my commynge hether For albeit my conscience sommoned me to a compassion of your torment with desier to yelde you the due hyer and consideraciō of the honest loue you beare me yet y e regarde of mine honour deniynge me to visite you seamed an impediment to theffect of that wherunto I was bounde by so many duetifull merites prayinge you for ende to excuse that whiche is past and pardon me for the present in that I can not assiste you with longer companye persuadyng thy selfe my deare LYVIO that althoughe my bodye muste supplye an other place to coullour the trafficque of our loue and preuent suspicion yet thou hasts made suche a stealth of my hart that the same will not fayle to kepe the companye in my absence wherewith takynge her leaue
parswacions he cold ymagyn with thanks to the yong man equal to the greatnes of the honor whtche he offred in seking to be his son in law Theis newes were no soner ymparted to our ii louers but it is to be thoughte they escaped not without sondrye alarams of mortall grefe whiche had dismissed their passions with the ende of their lynes if it had not bene for the offer of a simple hope wherupon they grounded a new consolaciō for y t they exspected at length a remorce in tholde man by reason of his promisse to iustefye the contract alreadie passed betwene theim two wherof CAMILLA as pinched wyth a grudge of more wronge then thother for that she sawe the vniuste malice of her brother was thonly staie of theffecte of her determynacion entred into a passion of suche frettinge conceites tempered wyth a mortall hate to CLAVDIO an indissoluble zeale to her seruante and a iuste dispite agaynst the debylitie of her father that she was at the point to vse force agaynst her selfe and aduance theffect yf their malice by her vntymely death wherein because she woulde not discouer openly that which was not yet douted of any shee retired to a moderation in her greefe till the firste parte of the eueninge beyng spent the desier of sleepe somoned euery man to wythdraw hymselfe to his lodginge when she in her chamber wyth thonly company of her womā began to burst out into newe termes of complainte cursing the hower of her birthe accusinge the weaknes and wante of corage in her father but chiefely enueihed againste thunhappie arryuall of her brother in thys sorte What iniustice or crueltie is this of the heauens to giue vs a harte to chuse and libertie to loue one of equall desyer and semblable will and then to bar vs the priuiledge of that fredom in not makinge a perfection of that whych nature hath sett abroche in vs by the communyon and coniunction of our thoughtes is it reason the bodye be more respected then the mynde in that the harte and inwarde partes making a choice of affection sholde not haue authorytie to sommon the bodye as their subiecte to obey thinstinctes and suggestions of the spirite nature sewer doth abuse her reputacion in this case to coyfe her creatures with thattyre of loue makynge a mutuall consente in both parties and then to denie the consommacion of the thinge her selfe did fyrst begyn in vs from whence comes thiniquitie of that lawe which alloweth a father for his pleasure only and with out iustice to force an inclynacion of his children to that which is neither necessarye nor conueniente for theim is it not sufficient alas that we yelde theym honoure with the tribute of our dutie and seruice that wee giue soccour to their olde yeres and attempte nothing without their consent but that wee muste be subiect to a further tyrannye in performinge the sentence of their thraldom althoughe it dyffer whallye from our will and choice And if mariage be a free coniunction dependinge vppon an vnytie or conformetie of both partes how can I refuce that wherof is passed alredye a confirmacion or admit other husband thē hee to whom I ham bounde by vowe of consente A H this is one of the frutes of tyrannouse loue to worke the effecte of a consente betwene vs withoute leauinge vs a meane to brynge the same to perfection or suffer vs to consider whether the parties knitt together by vnytie of affection in spirite might also be assisted with a coniunction of the bodies without offence to god or the worlde but what why do I enter into tearmes of iustice wyth hym who is no way partaker of reason and who is so soddaine and vncerteine in his enterprises that he neyther takes aduise afore he strike nor vseth leasure to delyberat or foresee the successe of any thing he beginneth for as he is naked and without eyes so is hee boyde of iudgement and vnconstante in all his doings assailinge commonly the hartes of suche as hee fyndes ydle and leaste occupyed with vertue Ah spiteful disdayne of kynred and vnnaturall malice of a brother in what sorte haue I deserued this harde pennance at thy hande to depryue me of the thinge wherin I tooke moste pleasure wherein hath the curteyse LIVIO offended the if not that his honestie excedes thy rude disposition and vertue giueth cause of shame to thy wicked will or paraduenture thou disdainest his iust merit for that he is better fauored in al companies then thy selfe And is it reason that thy consente confirme my affection why sholde my aduancement depende vppon thy good wyll or the choice of my husbande aske councell of thy consente shall I be subiecte to hym who hathe no authoritye ouer me but by an encrochement of yeres for that he is the eldest son of my father hath he any pryuiledge that waye to gouerne my will or geue lawes to my fancie nothinge lesse for my father hath alreadie paste thaccorde betwene LIVIO and me but you wyll saye paraduenture vnder a condicion a simple article I confesse whiche also is of no force if the partie bee voide of pretence of preiudice And wherin shall it be eyther preiudiciall or proffitable to him if LIVIO be my husbande seinge it belongeth to my father to depart with my dowery and porcion of mariage and my husbande to dispose it without interuption so longe as hee is a member of lyfe what weakenes is this in a father to be gouerned whollye by the breath of his son whose vniuste malice rather then argumēt of reason makes him renownce the worde of his honour in a case touchinge the quiett and consolation of her who ought to be no lesse deare vnto him then her tyrannouse brother who when he hath exposed the vttermoste effecte of his spite that I am to be bestowed in an other place by his appointment it shall appeare whether his commaundemente be as currante ouer mée then as his malice rageth without measure or reason at this present protestinge by the height of the heauens that none other then hee to whom I haue pawned my faieth shall enioye the chaste acquaintance of thinfortunat CAMILLA no LIVIO is myne what wrong soeuer they do to our vertuese loue whiche so longe as I liue shal be in dyssoluble in me beinge readye withall to refuce no thinge that may aduance the consommacion of the mariage betwene me and him without whom I fele an ympossibilytie to liue wherwith her passion grewe to suche a vehemencie that her laste wordes ended with the course of longer breathe in such sorte that shee slyded soddainly from the seat wher she sate and fell grouelinge vppon the grounde resigning with a dollorous skryke the vse of vitall ayre albeit the expedition of diligence in her womā procured with much ado a retorne of life and with such consolacion and offer of hope as shee colde preferre shee won her to go to bedde where albeit the
made her body and other members the mynisters of her wil which God doth oftentymes suffer as wel for the due correction of heynous faults as also for an example and terror to all offenders in the like affayres I am lothe good Ladyes to passe any further in the pursute of this dolorous tragedye because your eyes alredy wearyed with wepinge methinke I see also your eares offer to close themselues against y e report of this PANDORA whose only offence had bene enough to staine your whole secte with per petual iâ—amie if y e pure chastitie of so many of you offred not to confute the slaunder by your vertue only neither caÌ„ y e impudente and wicked liffe of suche double curtalls as shee was impayre thestimacion of them that wyth thintente of pure integritie do rather giue suck to their honor w t y e milke of simplicytie then being Italyonated with all subteltyes trustinge onlye in the humor of their owne braine do fall at laste into the common slaunder of all the worlde for a famylyar profe wherof I leaue you to skanne the order and doinges of this PANDORA who waringe nowe somewhat colde in her former passions of frensye and rage began to be pinched with the panges Incydente comenlye to all women in the paynfull trauell of childe bearinge wherfor goinge to bed she caused certeyn baynes to be prouided wherin washinge her selfe the next daye beinge hallowed and a feaste of great solempnytye she was caryed in a rych coche to vysitt the companie of other Ladyes amongeste whome she was not worthye to kepe place being the shamefull bother of her own blood and wicked ennemy to the life of maÌ„ Herein is to be noted the destructiun of a woman banished the pallays of reason together with the due mede of their merytt who for the respect of a lyttell pleasure of no more contynuance then a moment do put their honour vpon tearmes of Infamye and there soules in hazard of euerlastinge tormente here the adulterers maye see howe iustelye God ponysheth their infydelytie breach of othes towardes their husbands let also the yong ladyes and lyttel girls learne to direct the cours of their youth by y e contrary of this example and beinge once registred in the boke of maryage let theim staÌ„d vpoÌ„ their guard for falling into y e like folies for ther is nothiÌ„g coÌ„mitted in secret but in y e end it bursts out to a coÌ„moÌ„ brute which our sauior Christ affyrmeth by the mouthe of y e prophet sainge y t what so euer is done in the darkest corner of the house shal be published in y e end in open audience And he who sekes most to conceile his faulte is not onlye by the permission of God the first opner of the same but also beares the badge of shame afore the face of y e world and standes in daunger of grace in the presence of him from whom no secret canne bee hydde FINIS The argument IT may seame to some that delighte in the reporte of other mens faltes with respectt rather to take occasion of synister exclamacioÌ„ then be warned by their euils to eschewe the like harmes in theÌ„ selues that I haue bene to prodigall in notinge the doinges and liues of diuerle ladies and gentlewomen declininge by misfortune from the path of vertue and honour only to sturre vp cause of reproche and leaue argument to confirme their fonde opinion Albeit as their errour appereth sufficiently in the integretye of my meaninge so I hope thindifferent sort will geue an other iudgement of my entente the rather for that I haue preferred these discourses both for the proffit of the present glorye of them that bee paste and instruction of suche as bee to come seing w c al they discouer more cause of rebuke and vices more heynous in men then any we finde committed by women and albeit the historye last recyted hath set fourthe in lyuely collours the furye and madd dispocition of a woman forced by disloyaltie yet if a man maye any waie excuse synne it maye in some sorte be dispensed with all or at leaste with more reason then the tyranous execution followinge committed by a man without occacion where a certaine Ielousye sprong of an vniuste myslyke as she thought is readie to couer the falte of Pandora for what is he so ignorante in the passions of loue that will not confesse that Ielosye is an euill excedinge all the tormentes of the worlde supplantinge oftentymes bothe wytt and reason in the moste wise that be specially when appeareth the lyke treason that Pandora perswaded her selfe to receiuely him that forsoke her but for thother how eaÌ„ he be acquited froÌ„ an humor of a frantike maÌ„ who without any cause of effence in the world committes cruel excution vpon his innocente wife no lesse fayre and fournished in al perfections then chast and verteous with oute comparison neyther is Ioylowsye the cause of morder considringe that the opynion is no sooner conceyued then there followeth as it were a distrust of the partye that thinkes to receiue the wronge with an indifferent desyer to theim both to stande vpon their gard in sort lyke ii enemyes workinge the mutuall destruction the one of the other wherof leauing the iudgement to theim that be of good stomake to disgest all kindes of meates or can carye a braine to â—â—kle with the fumes of euerye brothe that is offred theim I haue here to expose vnto you a myserable accident happening in our tyme whiche shall serue as a bloddye skaffolde or theaterye wherin are presented such as play no partes but in mortal and furious tragideies ⧠AN ALBANOYSE Capteine beinge at the poynte to dye kylled his wyfe because no man should enioye her beavvtie after his deathe ⧠˙ Ë™ DUringe the sege and miserable sacke of MODONA a Cytye of the mores confyning vpoÌ„ y e sea PELOPONESE not farr froÌ„ y e straite of YSTHMYON by y e whiche the venetians conueighe theire great traffique and trade of marchandise Baiazeth themperour of the turkes and great grandfather to SVLTAN SOLYMAN who this daye gouerneth the state of thoriente vsed so many sortes of inordinat cruelties in the persecution of those wretches whom fate with extreme forme of his warr had not onlye habandoned from the soyle of their ancient and naturall bode but also as people ful of desolation and voide of succour euery waye forced them to craue harbor of the lymytrophall townes adioyning their countrey to shroude ther weary bodyes bledinge still with the woundes of their late warre and ouercome besides wyth the violence of hungar and cold ii common enemies that neuer faile to followe the campe of miserie And as in a generall calamitie euerie man hath his fortune So amongest the vnhappie crewe of these fugitiues creatures full of care there was one gentleman no les noble by discente then worthelye reuowmed by the glorye of his own actes who accompting it a
as a blinde guide doth leade them into infynit miseries laborinth of endles annoye where there is no dispense of their follie but losse of libertie perpetual infamie and sometime punishemente by vntimely deathe whyche as they bée worthie rewardes for suche as doat so much in their owne wisedome that they accompte the same hable of it selfe to comprehend the whole globe or compasse the worlde So the wise man affore he entreth into any enterprise of waight beinge carefull for the conueighe of the same dothe not onlye compare the ende wyth the beginning and cast the sequiel and circumstance euerye waye but also entringe as it were into hymselfe he makes a view of that which is in hym and for his better assistance he will not refuce the aduise of his frends by whiche meanes he is sewer to reape the rewarde of his trauell with treble contentmente and seldom is he punished with to late a repentance Herewith also thexample of the wise maryner doth in like sorte aduise vs who comming by fortune or violence of wether vpon an vnknowen coaste doth straight way sounde and trye the depth of the riuer by his plommet and lyne neyther will he let fall his Anker onlesse he be sewer of the fyrmenes of the grounde whiche if it do faile him yet is hee to wythstande the malice of daunger by kepinge the chanell whiche yeldes hym water enoughe So if this wretched ALBANOYS hadde made a view of himselfe his forces afore he became subiect to y e humor of Ialouse suspicion or if he had giuen correction to his falte in tyme and suffred reason to suppresse the rage of his follie afore he was growen to tearmes of madnes he had enioyed his Ladie at pleasure lyued yet in quiet and preuented the fowle note of infamie wherewith the gates and posternes of his house wil be painted till thextreme date of the world and eschewed the peril of dampnable dispair inkilling himselfe with like violacion and bloddie slaughter of his in noceÌ„t lady whose death with y e strauÌ„genes in executioÌ„ being once knoweÌ„ to the multitude it is to be woÌ„dered what generall dule and desolation were in all partes of the citie how al estates and degres of people spared no sortes of teares nor other dollerous tunes bewailinge her misfortune with seueral grudges at the malice of her destinies that in such cruel maner toke froÌ„ amoÌ„gest them y t persoÌ„ of her whose vertues other ornamentes of God nature serued as a special mirror or loking glasse to al ages wherin certeinlie they had great reason for a lady or gentle womaÌ„ equal with her in coÌ„uersacion euexye way I meane chast without argument of dishonestie deuowt and yet hatinge supersticion bowntiful without wasteful prodigalitie wise without vaine vaunting so obediente towardes her husbande as was necessarie and lastlie lackinge the furniture of no good vertue can not be to much honored in her life nor worthely renoumed after her death aswel for y e such rare gifts are no lesse meritorious for the vertues that be in theim then that they serue as special allurementes to prouoke younge ladies and gentlewomen desyrous of like glorye to ymytat thexample and vertues of them whose due fame is hable to excede the length of time and lyue after deathe who hathe no power but ouer our corrupte Soma or masse of fleshe beinge barred to medle wyth the felicitie of the mynde to whome only the title of perpetuity is due wythout exception And as her life and deathe ymporte seuerall vertues and deserue semblable commendation the one for that shee neuer made showe of mislike what wronge soeuer hee wroughte her the other in that shee failed not to honor him til the laste hower of his life So may you also descerne therein .ii. seuerall exaumples the one to warne the lighte and harebrained husbandes not easelie or for smal occasions to enter into suspicion with their wyues whom they ought to loue and honoure no lesse thenne theimselues the other to presente vnto the ladyes of oure tyme the due rewarde of wysedome obedience and chastetie which be the thinges that make this greeke lyue after her deathe beinge worthelye inuested wythe the wreathes of honoure amonge all the ladies of that contreye FINIS The argument BEcause I haue already in diuerse places sufficientlye deciphered the forces of loue and what effectes he exposeth hauing once brued the cuppe of the pleasant poison of our sensual appetyt whereoÌ„ whosoeuer Syppeth swaloweth iustelye the rewarde of suche follies I maye the rather be dispensed wythall eftsones to reitterate in this place that whiche earste hathe bene inferred touchinge the awe whiche that passion hathe ouer the hartes of those whose destenie yeldes theim subiecte to so great an euill Beinge bolde withall to note as a principle or rule of generalitie that that infection procedes rather of the corrupcion of our owne nature then of the perfection of the same Albeit some vaine philosophers are not ashamed to aduowch his beginning of the moste perfect partes that are in the spirite of man wherein I see neyther authoritie to allowe their saing nor reason to confirme their opinion onles they will make it meritorious for thindiscretion and follies whiche appeare in theim that participat with such passion for a familiar testymonie wherof I haue preferred this historie folowing not only affirminge my former protestacion touchinge the disordinat effectes of loue but also to iustefye the opynion of him who makes no difference betwene the deuise of loue and raginge fyttes of frenezy or one posseste with a wicked spirite for here you maye see a gentleman of Myllan to enioye a presence and pleasure of his Laâ—â—â— refuseth not to coÌ„mit himselfe to manifold daungers with diuerse perillous encounters wherof the one seamed no lesse mortal then the other and euerye one threatening the end of his life by present morder albeit his felicitie defended him from harme and the peril passed makes him dread a future plunge SONDRYE PERILLS happeninge to a yonge gentleman of Myllanin the poursewte of his Ladye NOt longe after MAXYMILIANS FORCE by the guide of euill fortune wante of good gouernmente in himselfe hadde lost the state and seigneurye of MILLAN there happened no lesse desolation to the vnhappie faction of the GEBELYNS whoÌ„ the power and pollecie of the great TRIVOLSO did not only abandon their naturall soyle and place of a bode dryuinge theym from the possession of their worldlye porcions but also persecuted their wretched state with suche creweltie that they were readie to yelde to the somonce of dispare if it had not bene for the simple proffer of a certeine hope they reaposed in thassistance of themprour MAXIMILIAN who more willing then hable to restore their desolation pursewed the reuenge of their wronge wyth a puissant armye euen vntill the walls and gates of MILLAN where he receyued suche hoat repulses by the valyaunte encounters of Charles Duke of Burbon
the rest haue made me strike saile of my former lybertie wyth franke resignacion of my harte and dearest parte in me to the disposicion of your mercye neyther haue I any cause at all to mislike the sentence of my fate or grudge wyth the lot of my present choice yf the respecte of my vnfained loue and sincere loyaltye maye moue you to paye the tribute of my seruice with an assuraunce of semblable affection wherein because both daunger and distaunce of our abodes denienge the tongue to do his office barreth vs also to vse the benefytt of mutuall conference I humbly craue good Madam an absolute resolution by your letters of that which the secret signes and messengers of loue do not only put me in hope but importes a warrantie of the conquest of your good wyll wherein yf I maye be assisted with the goodnes of the heauens and consent of fortune so farfurth as the same maye make me meritorious of your fauour and that the meritt of my seruice maye bée measured with a graunte of your good wil there shall no peril withstande the proffer of my lyfe to do you pleasure nor any occasion or chaunce whether it be accidental or proper haue power to breake the vowe which my harte hath alredie sworne to dye and lyue in the seruice and contemplacion of youre beautie neyther shal any Ladye in this corner of the world haue more cause to ioye in the choice of her seruaÌ„t then the Peragon Plaudina whose hande I kysse with greate humilitye and honour the remembrance of her name with no lesse sinceritie being absent then desyerous to yelde my homage with due adoracion to the presence of so faire a creature Yours more then his owne Cornelyo The Ladye being darted afore with the desyer of Cornelio and wold gladly haue entred the listes and gyuen the onset if it had not bene for the respect of her honour was nowe so wounded to the quicke that she fel into tearmes of commeÌ„dacion of her chaunce blissynge the goodnes of her fortune that had not onely planted her affection in so highe a place but yeldynge her rewarde wyth semblable glée hath made her the mystres of hym whom her hart had alredye chosen and admitted into vndoubted fauor whiche she confirmed eftesones with such tearmes of gratulation and arguments of present gladnes that yf the remorce of shame and reputacion of her honor hadde not bene impedimentes to the desyer of her harte cloasinge her mouth againste the present conceytes of ioye in this newe societie she had immediatlye dismissed the messenger with absolute assurance to performe the request of him that sent hym wherof albeit shame seamed to abridge the expedicion and offer causes of staye for the time yet wantynge force to mortifye altogether the humour of ragyng desyer the was driuen to gyue place to the prouocation of loue who deuestinge her of honest shamfastnes whiche oughte to be the chiefe habite and decoracion of the beautie of greate Ladyes willed her to deferre no lenger the thynge she had alredye vowed seynge y e iniurie of present tyme denied her to satisfye hym as she woulde at leaste to yelde hym suche contentement as she maye wherfore takynge pen ynke and paper she replied to his letter wyth this aunswere The circumstaunce of your present letter syr seames to argue an excepcion against the frendly lookes and glaunces of mine eyes wherin albeit I could note a great simplicitie want of discrecion in him that constreth the regardes of a Ladye cast at vnwares to the commoditye of hymselfe in wynninge the good will of her that meaneth nothing lesse then to make them the Ministers of loue yet beinge more ready to content you therin then curious of mine owne behauiour I am to acquite you of imputacion that waye and coÌ„uert y e note of y e follie to the ouersight of my selfe And albeit the pleasant encounter of mine eys seaming more liberal on your behalf with a familiaritie more theÌ„ ordinarie to al men may persuade a certein differeÌ„ce I haue put betwen the frendship of you respect of any other with desyer to embrace you aboue any one creature Yet was I of opinioÌ„ that your sondrye vertues reputation of honor would not suffer you to chalenge me for the firste faulte or to conuerte theis regardes of simple and colde fauor into suche consequence as to attempte the violation of that which mine honor grudgeth to lose and the vowe of faith to my husbande forbiddes me to depart withall notwithstanding I yelde you no lesse thankes for your curtesye then you seame to gyue commendacion to my beautye and other giftes you note in me accomptinge the same of greater price by the value and estimacion you make of them neither wil I refuse y e proffer of your present frendship which as I hope is voyde of intent to preiudice mine honor so let it suffise you that I am not only contented to admit you into fauor but also determined to hold you no lesse deare then the tendrest part of my selfe And because letters being incident to manye casualties are commonly the fyrst discloasers of the secretes of louers my aduise is that hensfurth you staye not only the diligence of your pen in sealing such great importance within a dissemblyng pece of paper but also be contented to commit the whole conueighe of our busines to the credit of this bringer who is to yelde you salutacion on the behalf of her who ioyeng no lesse in the vnitye of this frendship then hating the thing that maie seame hurteful to the coÌ„sommarioÌ„ of the same doth wishe your constancie of no longer continuance then you shal fynde cause of credit in the loyaltie of your vnfayned Plaudina The report of this letter preferred such a possibilitie likelihode of good lucke to the Myllanoys that dismissing euen now al argumeÌ„ts of former doubte he determined to accepte the offer of his fortune pursue y e benefit of present time wherin he was so furthered by the diligence of the minister and messenger of their loue that theare seamed to want for the fynall complote of theyr busynes but only the consent of conuenient tyme place which had folowed accordingly yf for the more assurance of the bargaine they had bryâ—ed the good wyll of the blinde goddesse whom as the Poetes haue chrtstened by the name of Dame Fortune gyuinge her charge ouer the change and alteracion of things so she is not so inconstant of her selfe as readye to manifest her mutabilitie when the wretches of the worlde seame to reapose mest assurance in her frendship And as the pleasant apple mustering with delicate glée vpoÌ„ the heyght of the highest spraise is blowen down with the least poffe of winde that breathes and so oppressed wyth the violence of the fal that the fruts is quyte taken awaye in the middest of his glory so the case and quiet of man is fauored
time yet shall the only remembrance and inwarde regard of her bewtie and vertue suffice to minister sufficient moderaciō chiefe cōpfort during y e angry dome of my hard exile neyther shal y e force of any enchauntment and much lesse y e charme of any intysing perswacion preuaile so far ouer mée as once to make mée transgresse the leaste point of my confirmed loyaltie wherein as the Salemandre lyues in the flame so wyll I pyne away and consume by péecemeale in the passion of true loue til the angrye fates ceassinge to wreake their malice vpon me do place me in the possession of the due méede of my merit Here this olde enchauntresse vnderstandinge the circumstance and full of his disease and that his harte was so thorowlie lymed with the bewtie of his Ladie at MILLAN that it denied thimpression of her offer wherein albeit there appered an ympossibilitie to wythdrawe or at leaste to procure moderacion to the vehemencie of his affection yet beinge no lesse loath to take a foyle in her enterprise then desyerous to performe her charg to thuttermost wyth intente to retorne the messeger of absolute cōtentmēt or vndowted dispair thoughte not to leaue hym till shee hadde Syfted and tryed euery synowe and vaine of his disposicion and hauinge but one pece of retoricke remayninge shée boolked it out vnder a couertely kinde of reprehending his folie in this forte are you one of that vaine crue saith she archfooles of the world that striuing to bende y e bow of loyal louers do make a glorie of a thing as requisite in loue as cowardnes or wāte of courage in the soldiour meinteining skirmish against the enemie do not you thinke that a woman of indifferent iudgement will not rather laughe at such foyle in her seruant then allowe his fonde constancie begon without reason and kepte with so small discrecion And albeit it is glorye of a Ladye to be onely embraced and dearly beloued that they haue as it were by a speciall instinct of nature a desyer aboue all creatures to be the only possessours of the hartes of their louers do you not thinke for all that that they giue not leaue and libertye to theyr seruantes to make a seconde choyce or chaunge of mistres to th ende they maye be thorowly resolued of the loyaltie of their seruante and he discerne the true difference betwene the affections of bothe his Ladies And sewer that hart is wroughte of strange mettal and the sprite of slender capacitie that being bounde as it were to a taske is subiect only to one simple desyer without power to bestow his regardes in more places then one admit constancie to be as greate a vertue as you make it that the faith in loue is to be kepte withoute violacion I praye you in asking you one question by frendshipp let me be aunswered by the veray touch and reaport of your conscience what assurance haue you of equalitye or semblable affection at the handes of your mistrys of Myllan whome you haue more reason to doubte then cause to beleue Do you thinke that you are only beloued or that beinge punished by exile without greate hope eftesones to recouer you she can continue as faythfull for her parte as you seame foolishe in beinge the slaue and subiect of an ymage or shadowe of a thynge so farre hence no no do awaye theis toyes of small substance and let my experience Seigneur Cornelyo prescribe you one chief and generall rule that no woman beinge once disposed to loue and hauynge the obiect of her fancie taken out of her presence is so hable to represse the humour of desyer or correct thinstigacion of her appetit as it is eyther in her power to disclaime at her pleasure or degenerat from that wherin she hath a facilitie by nature But as one spoiled of all resistance arguments of vertue she ceasseth not to followe the queste of her licencious inclinacion till she haue founde a freshe supplie to enter the lystes and paye tharrerages of hym that first conquered the place Women be neither equall wyth saintes nor like vnto angels neyther are they made of other mettal then suche as is distilled of thimperfections of your selues and in place of priuiledge or frée dispence from the passions of loue I affirme theim to excede all other creatures in the vehemencye of that impression and chieflye where the effect doth not followe th assurance of the worde for as the drawinge glaunces of the eye and pleasaunt platt of the tongue is rather an earnest penny of y e bargaine then a ful consommacion of thaggrement so the hungrye appetit of the hart affected is neuer satisfyed to his contentement till he haue tasted of the delicate frute growynge in the middest of thorcharde and paradise of loue whiche onely concludes and knyttes vp the reste of thimperfect bargain wherein as I must confesse vnto you that both the lawe of loyaltye is to be obserued and faith kepte inuyolable where we fynde an vnitie of affection and full effect of our desyer so to bestowe loue in the ayre and lyue without hope of the thing that is wished I accompte it rather the part of a mad-man then office of one that hath his wittes at cōmaūdemēt nether doth the end of suche pynyng cōceites importe other cōsequence then a loathsom wearines and vnnatural hate of lyf with continuall exspectation to dye and an euerlastinge remembrance of his follye after hys death And for your parte comparynge the SYMPTOMES of your present passion with thunlikelihod I sée to haue spedie ende of youre martirdom you bringe in remembraunce the miserable state of y e simple sparowhake who being hooded to take away her wildnes syttes al y e day longe beckinge vpon her Iesses and whettinge her beake vppon the pearche rather in dispaire then certein of the comming of her keper let me pearce that harde harte of yours with perswacions of reason and seame not so rashe in refusinge the goodnes of fortune who albeit is accompted an enemy to moste menne yet is she also frendlie to some and ymagyn that once in the course of your lyfe she kisseth your cheke and holdeth her lapppe open with an offer of a good torne whiche if you refuce is not to be reclaimed eftesones by any arte or pollecie Conuert your affection founded vpon such slipper substaunce and no lesse incertaine of his due mede into a ballance of equal frendshippe and harte of semblable honor and vertue and exchange at last these languishinge conceites that tormente youre pyninge spirite for a pleasure no lesse precious then of great merite who is no lesse readie thē willing more apte to offer then you hable to receiue cease hensfoorthe to loue vppon credyt and crye out of the shadowe or figure of a thinge that hathe neyther eares to heare your complainte nor meanes to releue your distresse and thinke that the glorye of loue consistes not in the
honor or commendacion at all due to theim whose liues expose more argumentes and proues of infamie then the moste vile and swearinge ruffyan that euer did seruice to thimpudente curtisan of Rome neither is it a seamlye honor or ornamente for the church of GOD to see a prelatte puffed vpp with vanitie iettinge vp and downe the streetes vppon his footeclothe attended vpon as a satrapas with a traine of dashbucklers or squaringe tospottes and hym selfe pinked and razed in thattire of a yonge bridegrome with hys heare curled by art fallinge in lockes as it were by appointment vppon his forheade with more curyositie then an olde ydoll or ymage of venus perfuming the streetes with the smell of muske and amber whiche he hath conyngely inclosed in the seames of his garmentes besides what example of vertue is it to see one of our reuerend religious fathers and gouernous of couentes more geuen to courte the dames with requestes of sensualitie then to torne ouer the leaues of the new testament or other sacred institucions left vnto vs by christe and his disciples and emploie more studie in deuise to seduce and subborne their neighbors wiues and doughters then to visit their diocesse and defende the sely shepe against the malice of the raueninge wolfe seking to deuoure the few that be left Is he worthy to be admitted to feede the flocke or beare the title of christes shepherd that lyues in more adultery fornycation and dronkenes then he that makes an only profession of suche euil all the daies of his life or how is he hable to reclaime such as be out of the waye to saluacion that detesteth the scripture delites in wickednes and preferres absolute examples of the most perentory synne that can bee whereof thytalyan bandell hath drawen a moste true and lyuelye pattorne in the person of a neapolitaine Abbott whyche I haue accompted of necessitie to prefer amongest my volume of discourses as well to the confucion of hym selfe and such as resemble him in condicion as to geue worthie glorie to the vertue of a pure virgyn who had her honor in such reputacion that she sought rather to end her dayes in the defence of her chastetie thenne to commit the vse of her bodie to the fleshly will of an Abbot more full of villanie thenne perticipatinge with thosfice and dutie of a true christian THE VILLENNIE OF an abbot in sekinge to seduce a mayde by force and her vertue in defendyng her honor against him and his companyons of traison ALl men whose experience by trauaile is a wytnes of the singularities of Italye and spaine are of opinion I am sewer that NAPLES is one of y e most riche pleasante and Populus cities in EVROPE bothe for the beautie and fartilitie of the countreye rounde aboute the magnifical plat and scituacion of the towne prospectinge with open casementes vppon the heyghte of the highe sea TyrenuÌ„ and also the warlyke garrison of gentlemen of al contreis lyenge there for the defence of the frontiers with the ciuill disposicion of the people inhabitynge the sayde paradise There maye you see a plaine and pleasante champaine yeldynge a wonderfull solace wyth her delicate aire breathing vppon suche as vse the feildes for wholsome recreacion and noresheth besides all chases of delite necessarie for thexercise of nobilitie And he that wysheth to be priuie to the pleasure of solitarie places maye see there the wonderfull arte and industrie of nature declared in the conueigh of litle hilles or pendells of the earthe hangynge as it were by a frame of Geometrye beawtified on all partes with an infinitie of orenges lemons and other trees odiferous yeldynge a comoditie and pleasure peculiar to the Towne and generall benefitt to the whole countrey and straungers passynge that waye aswell by thintisinge sauour of that trees as sugred taste of the frute The bottoms of which deliteful groues do discouer certeine valleis no lesse ryche in fruteful graftes and plantes of straung kindes then the chaÌ„pion yeldynge a plentiful increase of corne of al sortes where the meadowe also cladd with his grene garmente at all tymes of the yere is honge continuallie with a tapestrie of all coolors of hearbes and flowers w c other liuerie of dame flora who assystes this heauenly glée in the valleys with the ioystes of sondrie cleare springes yeldynge at all tymes of the daye a temperat dewe to take awaie the vehement heate of the son in suche sorte as the straungers passinge by imparting of the ayre and wholsomnes of the place by the breathe of a milde zephir are drawen thether by delite and forced to repose and refreshe their weary bodyes for a tyme with the solace whereof those places yelde an indifferent plentie to al men besides he that is desierus to be pertaker of the merueiles of nature hidden in thintralles of the earthe let hym take a boate and visit the Ylandes where amoÌ„gest the wonders that Pozzollo bringes furthe he shall see the hott poddells from whence distille the baines so necessarie for the health of man with the pubbling troughe or caue of Sibilla by the which as the poetes fayne ENEAS made his entrey in discendyng into hell to speake with his father There apperes also a remembrance of thartificial laborynth of Dedalus with the sumpteous pallays of the Romaine Lucullus whose lodgyngs with so many crooked turnings windinges euery waye windowes chapells and places of solitarie resorte excedyng accordynge to the poetes the coÌ„putation of man were swallowed in a momente in the deuowrynge throate of TyrenuÌ„ by a soddaine trembling or shakyng of the earth coÌ„monly called an earthequake finally he shal be there presented with the secret and most sure lodgings builded by nature in the belly of the harde rockes with other wonders in such infinite nomber that onely that place yeldes pleasure sufficient to fede the eye and mynde of man with more delite then the whole remainder of Europe is hable to furnish wherin I am chiefly moued to note you a particular discriptioÌ„ of this paradise to th end y t as the places of soleÌ„ne solitary regarde do coÌ„monly mortefie in men all occasions of wanton exercise so the planet that gouerneth those plattes of earthly pleasure pricking forward our effeminate dispocition sturreth vp the humor of Lasciuius luste with an inclinacion more readie to performe the fraile suggestion of the flesh then prouide for the health of the deuyne parte of the mynde which is the sowle neyther is our present age so plentiful of vertue or vertuouse effectes but the view of our auncestors liues past giues vs sufficient cause to blushe and be ashamed in that we are founde so weake in thymyâ—acion of their exploites and exercises of vertue wherin besides an infinitie of examples procedyng of the wickednes of our time I maye be bolde to confirme myne opinion with a familiar experience of an Abbot of Naples whose younge discrecion equall to the grenes of his yeres made hym
therle neither ignorant in the sollies of women nor voyde of experience to practise suche kinde of creatures preferred a wounderful pacience as his chiefest remedy against the rage of his wyf laying afore her notwithstaÌ„ding in gentle tearmes the dutie and indeuor of a wyfe towardes her husband how much in what sorte she ought to respect the honor of her self and reputacion of mariage and that as no woman oughte to putt in interest her honor or honest name so the greater she is in degrée the more haynous is her offence and a small faulte of a great Ladie is most mortall in the eye of y e multitude who lookes that the lyfe and vertue of greate Ladies shold serue as it were as a torche of cleare flame to gyue lighte to the lesser companions neither is the chastetie of y e mynde saith he sufficient to confirme the perfect renowme of a gentlewoman if the wordes and outewarde hehauior of the bodye do not followe thinwarde vertue of the hart thordynarye hawnte and exercise giue manifest declaracion of that whiche lieth hyd in the secretes of the stomacke and for my part I wolde be loathe to giue you cause of miscontentement seing that in the reapose of you consistes the rest of my self and you beynge oute of quiett I can not escape without greeff seynge that as the mutuall consent of our wills and affections with the like coniunction of mariage hath made you the one halfe and second part of my selfe so I exspect at your handes only a simple accomplishement of that which your publike othe affore God and man in the churche hath bounde you vnto like as also I am readye to performe vnto you thuttermost of any promisse or priuiledge where of at any tyme I haue made protestacion with full assurance froÌ„ this present of euerye part of the same so that you giue me the due respect of a husbande for as the head beyng the chief and principall part of the reste of the members hath as yt were a speciall authority by nature to gouerne the whole masse and remeynder of the bodye so the woman beynge thinferior part of her husbande is subiect to all dutifull obedience on his behalfe bounde to honor hym with no worse tearmes then by the name of Lord and maister for in omittinge your duty towards him you abuse the vertue of your vowe approued by sollemne othe and in inceÌ„sing his dishonor you are guâ—ltie of the violacion and breache of wedlocke one chief ouersighte I note in you is for that vppon smal causes you fordge great complaintes which argueth the rather the ydlenes of your brayne for the mynde that ys occupyed wyth vanitye is forgettfull of all thynges sauynge suche as thynstygacion of pleasure and folly do preferr to her remembraunce where on the contrarye part the sprite affected to vertue exposeth alwayes â—rutes accordynge to so great a gyfte dissimuling her passions with wordes of wisdome and in knowing-much giueth not withstandynge a showe of an honest and moderate ignorance she that laboreth in a passion of particular coÌ„ceites with detestacion of the due respecte of honor can not studie other workes then such as seame to fauor her follye nor open her eares to any voice if the same agrée not to the coÌ„plot and coÌ„tentement of her fancie wherein as I hope you will eyther pardoÌ„ me by iustice or at least excuse my simplicitie for that as you late tearmes of reproche haue forced me to suche a plaines so for ende if you will renounce your trade of former folly and fromhenâ—â—urth retire to an orderly confirmitie of life you shal not only procure a singler pleasure to me but cause an absolute contentement with continuall quiet to your selfe whereof bée careful as you thinke good Here the erle had great reason and double pollecie in seking to reforme thabuses in his wif without thassistance of crueltie or constraint for that suche disposicions are rather reduced by faire intreaity then reclaimed by feare or force of torments according to the nature of diuerse of thinsensible creatures for the fierce Elephant standes not in awe of his keaper by force of any stripes but is made tractable to bende his lardge bodie whilest he mounte vpon his backe by certeine familiar voices and stroakinges of his keper wherewith he ouercometh the naturall rudenes and crueltie of the beaste The Tygre will take foode at the handes of the wildman norished in the caues and desert habitacions amongest theim where no stripes nor other awe of man can moue any moderacton to his wodnes or cruell nature So likewise some women albeyt they are quite deuested of all honor or honestie yet are they founde to reteine some sparkes of ciuil humanitie beinge more easelye broughte to a reformacion by gentle order then reclaimed by the smart of any torture or crueltie wherein not withstandynge this countesse seamed to vse a more extremety and excede y e doinges of any that euer haue bene noted of disorder that waye for neither gentle perswacions colde allure her nor feare nor force reduce her to reconcilement or amendement of life but accordynge to the stone of Scylicia vppon whom the more you beate to bruse or breake yt in peces the greater hardnes is dryuen into it so the greater indeuor therle vsed to persuade his wyfe eyther by allurement or offer of correction the more peruersatie he founde in ber with lesse hope of amendement and as she vsed a malicious scilence during the discourse of his exhorâ—acion so she forced in her selfe for the present a wounderfull patience to th end that with the consent of a more conuenient time she might spitt oute the poyson whiche she shrowded secretly vnder the wynge of her venemous stomacke wherby for a first proofe of her conninge in the parte she mente to plaie she forgat not to dissimule her passion and conterfet the simple ypocrate in suche sorte as a wiser man then therle mighte easelye haue bene taken in the snare of her deceite whiche notwithstandynge she vsed in such couert manner that within shorte time she had not only remoued al conceites of euill from the head of her husband but also brought him to an opinion of a maruelons honesty and assured confidence in her in whyche good vaine for a more declaracion of his good mynde towardes her he obserued her fancie so farfurth as vpon a soddaine he brake vp house in Scauoye and went to Casaliae where laye her inheritance and chiefe possession Yf you marke wel the fetche of this womaÌ„ in procuring her husband to depart his coÌ„trey what a sodaine checke folowed to him with a false bound to y e honor of her selfe you may easely iudge that a woman once bent resolued to do euill hath a wit to ymagine al malice sorts of mischief to be ministers in therecucion of her wickednes that neither feare of punishement imputacion of shame perill nor daunger how
expedicion for that wythin some xviii or xx dayes after VALPERGO had taken possession and entred the forte of the countesse there arryued at PAVYA SEIGNEVR SANSEVERINO earle of GAIAZO whose promptenes of wit and perfection of bodie and membres with a valyant corage of the harte as they made his name and renowme excede all other betwene that the mountes so thys desloyal Aleyne cruel Medea had no soner takē a simple view on him w t a flickering glance of her vncertein eye but she felt a mociō of vehemēt zeale sturr and kindle within her whiche within shorte tyme grewe to tearmes of suche certeine affection that she which earste had dalyed with all men becomes now to doate vppon this new earle and that in such sorte that yf fortune wold not award present compassion and loue lende her a spedie meane to recouer thobiect of her desier she seamed not only to enter the tormentes of dispair but also to make smal accompte of the vse of longer lyfe iudging by thexterior and outewarde promises of this younge Lorde that it was only he that seamed sufficient to quenche the thurste of her greedie appetit wherfore she began to dispatche her handes of her first frend Valpergo with whom from that instant she did not onlye refuse to speake but also shonninge all places of his presence and repaire wold not sticke sometime to shott her gates against hym whych he colde not disgest without certeine iniurious wordes and tearmes of reproche whereuppon she grounded a grudge of suche mortall enimitie and spite againste him that her mynd reteined a remembrance of the quarrell till her malice had procured his death wherof the discourse followeth in his place desiering as yt seamed thacquaintāce of therle Gainzo aswel for her assistāce in thexcucion of theffect of her presēt spite against Valpergo as for the respect of true affection wherein as she was whoattlye called vppon by ij earnest solicitours loue and reuenge the one sewinge for a consommacion of her wicked deuise the other prickyng her with desier to procure theffect of her newe affection wyth the seconde earle to whom albeyt she displayed suche manyfeste sygnes of good wyll as eyther the arte of loue coulde imagyne or her wanton and idle brayne deuise yet seynge so slender a replye on his parte withe an encrease of her burning appetite she thought it necessarie to put spurs to his dull disposicion makinge no conscience to become the shameles clyent in a cause wherin the most vile and simple woman that is suffreth her selfe to be sewed vnto with no small adoo wherein beinge voyde of meanes to vse mutuall conference she makes this litle letter the messenger of her vnseamelie request The respect of the place and estimacion whiche I holde syr I am sewer will putt you in some amaze at the firste viewe of theis lynes vndoubted messengers of my harte seing that in preferring the lewde suggestiō of my vnrulie fancie afore the due regarde and consideracion of modestie whiche oughte to accompanie all Ladies of honor I make requeste of that whose simple remembrance makes me blushe at so greate an abuse But yf you consider the commission of loue who sommoneth rather by commandement then requeste with suche a generall awe ouer all estates and peculiar authoritie to punishe vs women with vehemencye of affection in desyeringe the thinges whiche nature hath forbidden vs to attempte you will not onelye dispense with my rashe follye but dispose your selfe to take awaye or at leaste diminish the greatnes of my present passion whiche as it was founded at fyrst vppon the generall fame of your vertues so the often viewe of your rare perfection of person since your repaire to Pauya hath forced suche an increase of zeale with aggrauacion of my desyer that if my destenie denye me a spedye supplye of reléefe or fortune forbide you to come and visitt my longyng estate your crueltye shall mortifye my passion and giue ende to my lyfe together wherein seinge loue hath fauored you wyth the victorie and conqueste of her who earste had power to vanquishe all men showe your selfe no lesse willynge to embrace the benefytt then worthie of the glorye and deferr not syr to expose effectes of pitie on the behalfe of her who lyueth onely vnder the mercie of a simple hope whiche yf the retourne of your resolucion do make frustrate and conuerte my desyer into ayre the same shall also pronounce the fatall ende of the vnhappie and your moste loyall Blanche Maria. This embassage with further commission by the mouth of the bringer sturred vp no smal alteracion in the mynde of the younge earle chieflye for that he sawe hymselfe pursued with a franke offer of that whiche yf the affectioned zeale he bare to his deare frende and companion the Lorde Valpergo had not stayed thattempte he had soughts longe since to obteine And albeit he iudged it neyther tollerable by humanitie nor thoffice of a gentleman to supplant the pleasure of his frende and marche in the steppes of his praye yet being charmed as it were with the vehement wordes of the letter with opinion that the discurtesie were to greate to abuse the liberal offer of so faire a Ladye gaue place to the sommonce and wente immediatlye to her house where fyndynge her voyede of all companie in her bedd chamber sawe small occasion to preferr halfe the circumstance and courtlike wooing wiche Seigneur Valpergo vsed for that both the one and the other after certeine intisinge kisses and other drawyng allurements performed on both partes disposed themselues tomake present sacrifyce to the goddesse of loue in putting an effect to the thyng which they both thirsted to accomplish with equalitye of desyer which amarous practise continued betwen them certeine monethes in such sorte that therle was so assotted became so ydolatrous on her behalfe that he performed no deuocion to other saint sauing the vnseamely shryne of his new mynion who also seing him stāde in water to the chin whollie subiect to the yoke of her awe determined to kepe a harde hande of the bridle with intent to make hym the bloddye executioner of her detestable deuise against her former louer Valpergo whose felicitie defended him eyther frō the peril of that imaginacion or els God wold not yet gyue leaue to her wickednes for that her hope was deceiued touching any help or assistance of her newe frend for Valpergo seing himself not onely dispossessed of the loue of his Ladye but dishonored by her mouthe wyth diuerse wordes of reproche in hys absence iudged it no grudge of conscience to mynister semblable reuenge on her behalfe the rather for that she was bothe the authour of the euyll euill first breaker of her faithe without cause and now the begyner of the quarrell of slaunder wherefore departynge from PAVIA he painted her dishonestie vppon euerie poste he passed by blasynge her armes with suche base and vile coollours and in suche
this Ladie distressed on euery side if not to retire into teares dropping with streames of present sorow in the remembrāce of her former crueltie ▪ ah vnhappye and thryswretched Ladye that I am saith she broughte to due desolacion and punishment by shame for an effecte of crueltie excedinge the barbarous disposicion of the Lurke or Moare or other infidell withoute religion or faith in séekinge alas to deceiue an other I am fallen into the daunger appointed to giue ende to my lyfe Was it not sufficient for me to be warned of the reuenge of mine enemye by myne owne rigour vsed towardes hym but that I muste attempte his curtesie and willinglie fal into the malice of hym who triumphinge in the spoiles of mine honor gothe about also to take from me my lyfe mortifye my renowme for euer Why fel I not alas into the Iawes of som wilde beaste in passing the alpes or threw my selfe hedlong from the topp of some craggie mountaine whereby I shold haue preuented the stroake of his malice who séekes to make me a wounder to the multitude for attemptinge a thinge which restes whollie at the wil and pleasure of him whom I had so haynously offended Ah Seigneur Virley howe can you bestowe suche colde consideracion on the pleasures wherein I haue bene so liberall on youre behalfe or what moueth these regardes of disdaine with desyer to haue the lyfe of her who if euer she offended hath alredie performed the pennaunce of her falte and what offence is so greate whiche is not satisfyed with amendes for the trespas which if I haue not alreadye aunswered let my teares make good the reste of your rigorous sentence Imagin Seigneur Virley What a vertue it is to forgiue where the extremetye of reuenge is the fowlest vice that occupieth the harte of man And for your parte as you haue made your selfe knowen to the worlde by your continuall felicitie in all your affaires so sticke not to make an encrease of your glorye by preuentynge the perill of her who lyinge prostrate afore your knées bathinge the same in the sooddes of her sorowfull teares dothe also kysse your feet in signe of repentance of her former follye Ah lett me not dye for my simplicitye nor min honor put to sacrifise as a reuenge of the litle wronge whiche I confesse my chastetie hath don you take not alas so cruell vengeance vppon so small an offence neyther suffer the blodd of my life to quenche the thurst of your malice that haue alredie payed treble tribute in respect of my falte wherewith meanynge yet to continue in tearmes of complaint the sergeaunt Cryminall wyth authoritie from the Kyng arested her to prison whether she wente with small constraint as wearye alredye with the view of her present miserye and loathynge the vse of longer lyfe hauynge loste the chiefe support of the same But the knighte pinched with some remorse touchinge the passion of his deare Zilya thinkynge her sufficiently punished for so small offence wente immediatly to the kynge to whome in the hearing of his Lordes he makes discourse of his loue passed the crueltie of Zilya in bindynge hym to a vowe of scilence for iij. yeres and the present reuenge he hath taken of her discurtesye wyth humble request in the ende to moderat the rigour of his iustice both to her and others that were in prison for his recouerye seing saith he the same depended either vppon her that bounde me to that charge or els vppon thassistance of time which at last woulde haue dissolued my dome fraunce by thaccomplishment of the thinge whiche my fayth bounde me to performe The kynge merueiled not alitle to heare so straunge a historye reioysyng notwithstandynge in the happie retourne of his speche and giuing singler commendacion to the loyaltye of his knighte condemned presentlye the crueltie and couetousnes of the widowe vppon whome hadd folowed execution accordinglye yf it had not béene preuented by the speciall intercession of Seigneur Virley who takynge her out of prison accompanied her certeine dayes iourney aswell to showe her the kynges liberalitye in diuerse townes and holdes whiche he had bestowed vppon hym as also to satisfye his appetitt at the full with the frutes whereof he had fealte earste so pleasant a taste wherewith also she dyd not muche mislike for that the prooff of suche fauor vnlooked for tooke awaye the payne of her late imprisonement iustelye deserued besides her late dispair of life made her doble thankeful to the author of her libertie which she embrased with more cōtentemēt then when she knewe not what it was to loase the pleasant taste of frée lyfe wherein maye be noted an experience of the dealing of fortune who kepes in stoare like punishment for all suche as reaposyng to much for them selues in their owne force do defye that litle which they accompte to consiste in others and in respect of their owne power do condemne the authoritye which other men haue if a vaine glorye and conceite of a chastetye inuincible had not deceiued this Ladye or a desyer of couetous gaine blaired her eyes it had bene harde to haue iudged her incontinencie whiche appeared both in her franke familiaritie towards y e passioned knight and also in gredie desyer to fyll her pursse carye awaye the praise from all other that vndertooke thenterprise and yet as you sée her gaine hath giuen a dishonest title to her name for euer with an occasion to thenemies of women to crie out of the whole secte but there is no reason that the falte or follye of one shoulde impaire in anye sorte the nobilitie of so manye vertues and honest Ladyes whose chastetie and honest conueigh of life defendes them againste the crueltie and couetousnes of this ZYLIA and suche as resemble her in any sorte who after certeine dayes of recreation with her louer retireth into Pyemount where she drewe furth the remeinder of her yeres in continuall grudge and frett of conscience with firme perswacion euer after that the force of man is nothinge where God doth not worke by his grace without whose assistance we can neyther learne that which is good nor defende our selues from the daunger of any euil like as also if we want that guide in our doing our workes smellynge of nothinge but the corrupcion of our owne nature make vs seame not muche vnlike the loathsom swine wallowinge in a dortye or moddie poodle to encrease her fylthynes FINIS The argument A According to the lattyne adage euerie vice how perilous soeuer it appeare hath power to work in some degre thopperacion of a special vertu for albeit the sondrie enormities growing daily amongest vs by the vnbridled humor of oure affection which we commonly cal loue argue the same to bee a passion of moste daungerous and peruerse corrupcion yet we haue experience of wonderfull effectes of vertuous modestie wrought by that common euill as the whoremonger and adulteror reduced to a repentance and
thē dispair to be intreated according to the iustice of my merit Ah Geniuera god forbid that thy bewtie haue power to send so many tormentes and punishmentes to my yelded hart as the tre wherupon thou takest thy name hath prickes to anoye them that touche it and bitter in disgestion to such as make a tast of the Iewse Ah paragon and only praise of bewtie sewerly the fearefull hare whych thy dogges tare in peces afore thy face this eueninge was not more martired by the bloudy Iawes of thy greyhoundes then my harte is tormented and deuided into dyuersatie of opynions vppon the affection whyche I beare the wherein alas as I knowe not whether thou wilt admit me worthy of they seruice or hast already paste a graunte of thy loue to an other more worthye of fauor then the loyal Dom Diego So yet I may be bolde to vaunte vpon thys ympossibilitie that no mā is hable to approche thunfayned sinceritye of my harte determyned rather to geue place to the sentence of my deathe then to dysmysse the leaste part of the dutie I haue vowed to thy bewtie whole outwarde showe promiseth an inwarde vertue that I cannot dispaire to possesse in the ende the due méede of my loyaltie til whych tyme I wyll praye onlye vppon the foode of exspectacion wyth assured intente for my parte not onlye to abandon all other ympressions or desiers but such as shall seame to fauor the honor and seruyce I haue already sworne but also to endeuor by extreme diligence to make my selfe worthye of the goodwill of the fairest Lady that thys daye is shrewded vnder the globe or circuit of heauen wherwyth after he had consumed certeine ho wers in reauyng and raginge vppon hys amarus complot and that he had sufficiently swete at the browes wyth the force and vehemencye of his passion he founde the chiefeste medecyn for moderacion of hys gréefe to communicate vnto her the pointes of hys good wyll wyth desyer he had not only to serue her but also from henseforth to accept in good part such sentence as she shall thinke good to pronounce of hys life or deathe and to do nor say any thyng but suche as shal be awarded him by the dome of the faire Geniuera who for her parte also was not voyde of passion nor dispensed from semblable tormente for offring to performe the ceremonies of the night she was demed to close her eyes yet knewe not the cause that hindred the course of slepe by which meanes making a laborinth of her riche and faire feldbed she was no less assailed with contrariety of conceites then her languishing seruant wherfore finding the burdē of affectiō to excede the grenes of her yeres not yet assisted w t any discrecion or experiēce in loue dytermined to allow the resolucion of the knight if he ymparted the same either by subtil signes or secret conference This was thexercise of that nighte of bothe the louers equall in desier and yet the one ignorant of the others greffe wastinge indifferently in sighes and wishes as apprentises of the thinge wherin those that begyn be alwayes most hoat and such as contynue gaine skill by longe practise and yet the best experienced of al are voyde of resistance against such an euill and lacke gouernement in the conueigh of so hurtfull a case The morninge had no soner discouered her glorious beames and the messēger of the son somoned the loathsom night to retire but the weary knight left his restles bedd with intent to take leaue of his hostesse and chalenge the skoape of the larg feldes to record enterteine hys amarus thoughts in retorning to hys mothers house wherin notwithstanding he founde a staie of his meaning by the honest ymportunitie of tholde lady who with more intreatie then was nedefull to so willyng a gueste won hym easely to determyn hys taryenge till dynner till whyche tyme he founde a supplye of exercise wyth her companie and conference of her daughter in whom he saw contynual cause to aggrauat his affection and doble occasion to encrease hys desier in such sorte as his astonyed countenance and broken aunsweres ymporting most oftē the cōtrary of their demaunds showed sufficiently y e troble war in his mind which albeit y e subtil Geniuera cōstrued according to a troth yet her simple mother imputed it to an honest shame want of audacitie in y e gentlemā for y t he had not much haunted y e cōpany of ladyes wherin as they spente the most part of the morning without notwithstāding that Dom Diego had the hart to discouer the leaste part of his promise of y e night so y t hower of dinner sōmoned them to breake their discourse performe y e due to thappetit of nature wyth suche delicate sumpteouse fare as the good lady had prouided in declaracion of y e hartie zeale she bare to her guest who after dinner failed not in humble sorte to be thankfull to his hostes with assuraunce that albeit he was not hable to requite her curtesse with equall consideracion yet his goodwill at all tymes sholde be nothinge inferior to the greatnes of her merit wherewith he addressed the rest of hys dutie to her daughter whose bewtie as you sée had made so great a wound in hys harte that the remembrance remayned till the last hower of hys lyfe and as he kissed her hande with intente to decipher that whych he had ymagined all the night he became so amazed wyth thympedimente he felte in his tongue with straunge diuersatie in all hys sences that he seamed no lesse ashamed of his present weaknes in that place then afore he was fullie resolued to discharge there solucion and meaninge of hys hart whych albeit gaue some cause of litle astonishment to the younge Lady yet she founde indifferente occasion of pleasure and pitie in hys passion for that as y e one proceded by her meanes so she felt a motion in conscience to expose the other for the relefe of hym who suffred for her sake wherefore with a trobled regarde tempered with sufficiente argumentes of affection on her behalf she brake his dome traunce with these words I wish sir sayth she that you might fynde asmuch pleasure in your passion as the same hath ymparted equall gréefe to others and that your future absence may pinche you with no lesse annoye then your present departure leaueth me desyerus to enioye a longer tyme of your presence whyche philosophye not loked for of the knight did not only dismysse his scilence and vntye the charme of hys tongue but also renforced hym to an audacitie to yelde her thankes for the compassion she vsed to hys distres with addicion that onely he was happie aboue all the worlde to be partaker of so liberal a wishe but chiefly to heare her in tearmes of desier touchinge hys presence whych wyth hys lyfe and al that he had he bound ther by othe to be preste