married and had Children The Mother and the sayd Daughters successiuely were interred at Saint Crepasi the Collegiall Church of Agen built and founded by the sayd house of BEAV-VILLE the Mother hauing made her Tombe in the Church vpon a portall betwixt nine others which she had also caused to bee made for her Daughters in memory thereof I haue seene some of them being at Agen in the yeare 1577. in the said Church The others haue beene ruined during the ciuill warres And this was the History The Lady of BEAV-VILLE had a Chamber-maid that was faire and louely with whom her husband seemed to be in loue so as she to be honestly rid of her married her This Maide at her first lying in had three children which made the Gentlewoman suspect that her husband had a share in them imagining it not possible that one woman could conceiue by one man such a number of children The which increased her iealousie and not-with-standing any perswasions shee began to defame and hate this poore Maide more and more It happened a while after that the Gentlewoman was with child so big as she was deliuered of nine daughters The which they did interpret to bee a punishment sent frō GOD that she might be ashamed of her slander seeing they might obiect vnto her a greater fault as if she had beene familiar with many for shee did alwaies obstinately maintayne that a woman could not conceiue aboue two Children by one man Beeing much ashamed fearing to be diffamed and condemned by her owne sentence she was so tempted by the euill spirit as shee resolued to cause eight of her Daughters to bee drowned and to keepe one keeping the matter secreat betwixt the Mid-wife and her Chamber-maide to whome this cursed Commission was giuen But it was GODS will that the husband comming from hunting met with the Chamber-maide descouering the practise preserued his innocent Daughters from death caused them to bee nursed vnknowne to the Mother and at their Christening called them all BORGVE by one name and so hee did the ninth which the Mother had reserued When they were some-what growne he caused them all to be brought into his house appareled in one liuery hauing also attired that with in the house of the same sort Being altogither in one Chamber hee caused his wife to come in accompained with their Parents and familyar friends and bidde her to call BOVRGVE At this call euery one of the nine answered where at the Mother was much amazed and the more for that they were all of the like stature face countenance and voice and in the like apparell which made her heart to giue that they were her nine Daughters and that GOD had preserued the eight which shee had exposed and held to bee dead whereof her husband did satisfie her reproching vnto her her inhumanity before all the companie and shewing her that this might chance to confound her in the bad opinion which she had alwaies held of him concerning her Chamber-maide M. L. IOVBERT lib. 3. Chap. 2. of his popular errors I haue heard that in the house of ESTOVRNEAV in Perigort there chanced the like Accident about 300. years ago The Lady had 9. Sons at on birth and would haue exposed eight of them the which were happely preserued through the grace of GOD by the Fathers meeting them All nine liued and were aduanced to great places foure were of the Church and fiue of the world Of the Clergie men one was Bishoppe of Perigueux and Abbot of Branlaume The second was Bishoppe of Paniez The third Abbot of Grand-Selue and the fourth of the house of GOD. Of the secular men one was the Kings Lieutenant at Reole against the English The second had a gouernment in Bourgongne and the other three were in great credit about the King All this is to bee seene at this daie painted in a great Hall in the Castell of Estourneue as the Seigneour of Estourneau hath tould mee beeing issued from that famous and verie ancient house and nowe Steward of the King of Nauarres house which is now King of France The same Author liber 4. Chapter 2. That of the Pourcelets of Arles in Prouence is almost like vnto this out of the which is issued the Noble house of the Conuertis who were so called for that the Chamber-maide which carried the eight to drowne beeing met by the husband sayd that they were Pigges which shee went to drowne for that the Sowe could not keepe them Some say it came by the curse of a poore woman who begged an almes of the gentlewoman of the house the sayd poore woman hauing many little Children about her The which the gentlewoman reproched vnto her as proceeding of wantonesse and that shee was too much giuen to men The poore woman who was honest did then praie that the gentlewoman might conceiue with as many Children as a Sowe hath Pigges It so fell out by the will of GOD to let the Ladie vnderstand that wee must not impute that to vice which is a great blessing They report as much of the Noble famelie of Scroua at Padoua which carries a Sowe in their Armes in Italien called SCROFA and in corrupt Langage Scroua which is the surname of that famelie In the Annales of Lombardie it is written that in the time of ALGIMONT the first King of the Lombards there was a strumpet brought in bedde of seauen Sonnes and that the one of them succeeded the sayd ALGIMONT IOHN PICVS Prince of Mirandola writes in his Commentaries vpon the second Psalme that in Italie a Germaine woman was brought in bedde at twise of twentie Children at the first birth shee had twelue and that the burthen was so heauie as shee was faine to keepe it vp with a towell ALBVCACIS a great Physition and an Arrabian Surgion is a witnesse of a woman that had seauen Children and of an other that miscarried of fiueteene well proportioned PLINIE makes mention of one that miscarried of twelue MARTIN CROMER in his Historie of Poland writes that the wife of the Earle VIRBOSLAS in Cracouia was deliuered of sixe and thirtie Children aliue in the yeare 1269. But that which exceedes all other examples and which is extraordynarie supernaturall and miraculous is that which is written of a Countesse of Holland the which LEVVIS GVICHARDIN doth set downe in his description of the Lowe Countries as it is testified in an Abbey neere to the Hage MARGVERITE Daughter to the Noble Lord Plorent Earle of Holland and of Mathilde Daughter to HENRY Duke of Brabant Sister to WILLIAM King of Germany being about two and fortie yeares old was brought in bed on friday before Easter in the yeare 1313. as Histories do write of 365. Children males and females the which in the presence of many Noblemen and Gentlemen beeing layed orderly in a great basin were Baptized by a Bishoppe the males were all called by one name IOHN the females ELIZABETH All died soone after and
Historie of Italie A French Gentleman whome I will not name nor the place where it happened for some good respects beeing married fell in loue with one of his Tennants daughters coming thether oftener then he was accustomed and shewing more familiarity then he ought This maide had a Brother who was a Priest but a man of a good spirit He presently discouered whereto this Gentleman tended yet for a time hee dissembled it In the ende seeing that this Gentleman did not ceasse to court his Sister whom he had corrupted and meeting him one day as hee came forth hee sayde vnto him Sir pardon mee excepting the respect and duty which I owe you I see that your intent of comming hether is neither good nor honest and therefore I intreat you to forbeare to come else I sweare vnto you if I find you there any more I will make you repent it At these words the Gentleman did onely shake his head and laught at the Priest Some fou◅e dayes after he returned according to his custome and hauing satisfied his villanous lust hee went forth The Priest who had almost surprised him in the fact moued with a iust disdaine met him vpon a Bridge in the midd'st of his seruants and stab'd him with a Dagger in despight of them all The Priest was presently slaine by the seruants of this miserable Adulterer who carrying the Dagger in his breast went and dyed in his wiues armes An heroycall and worthy act not of a Priest but of a BRVTVS or of any one more generous and valiant VRB. CHAVETON in his discourses the 19. Chapter of the first Booke of the History of the newe VVorld Whereas BENZO the Author thereof reports that the Spaniards going to seeke Gold neere vnto the gulfe of Vraba their Captaine carried away the daughter of the Ca◅ique or Lord of the place prisoner who soone after came vnto this Captaine accompanied with some of his friends making shew that he came to redeeme her and to giue what ransome he would demand But when he was come into his presence he not only spake proudly vnto him reproching him with iniurious words but also offered him violence shooting a poisoned arrow at him with an intent to kill him but he wounded him only in the thigh whereof he was in some sort cured by the application of a burning iron the which was the reward of his wickednes The Spaniards hearing the noise came in sodenly with their swords drawne and slue the Cacyque his wife and all his company As for this villanous Captaine called HOIEDA BENZO saieth that hauing endured all extremities in his retreate out of the Country in the end he came to Hispaniola where finding himselfe ill of his wound hee died within fewe daies after with extreame paines Hee lost almost all his men vpon the Sea in the voiage And Gomara in the 2. Booke of the generall history of the Indies Ch. 57. saieth that growing desperate for that hee could not continue his Conquests begonne he left all and became a Friat with his thighe ill cured and died in this newe profefesson The rest remayning in Vraba to the number of seuentie only vnder the command of FRANCIS PIZARRE expelled by famine frō the land they did imbarke in two Briāgtines but the windes waues made strange war against thē Being gathered together at Sea by one called ANCISO they returned againe by land where after infinite toiles some were slaine by the Indians the rest died miserably of diuers diseases as BENZO GOMARA confesse In our time a Bourgesse of Vlmes an Imperiall Citty finding that his wife began to grow disordered hee did aduertise her seriously to carrye her selfe in a more ciuill and honest sort but seeing that shee made no accompt of his admonitions on a time he made a shewe to go into the Country and sodainely slipt backe into his house without discouery hiding himselfe in a fit place whereas he perceiued that the seruants were busied in preparing a Feast hee did see the Adulterer enter and his wicked wife imbrace him yet he retayned himselfe vntill that Supper was ended then seeing them to enter the Chamber to go to bed vsing filthy speeches the witnesses of their wickednesse partly executed and that they ment to continue it Hee comes out off his Ambush and first kills the Adulterer and then his wife and hauing iustified his proceeding before the Iustice he obtained pardon for this punishment which proceeded from a iust indignation Whilest that our Kings of France held the Duchie of Milan it happened that a Frenchman came to Milan and being lodged in the house of a Gentleman of respect and reputation he began to looke laciuiously on his Hosts wife to make much of her and to solicit her to adultery The wife discouers this vnworthy attempt vnto her husband and they resolued to punish this vilanous seducer She prepares him a banket seeming to yeeld to his intreties insteed of dain◅y wine she giues him a drinke which casts him presently into a deadly sleepe and the Milanois comes and cuts the throat of this vngratefull guest In the yeare 1506 about Christmas an Aduocate in the Citty of Constance corrupted an Attorneyes Wife Who hauing some notice of their detestable crime feigned that he had some speciall businesse which drew him into the Country for certaine dayes hee parts and returnes at night hearing that they were together in a Whot-house at an old womans that dwelt by him hee goes thither with three of his friends whome hee left in the streete to hinder any that should come to helpe them then hee enters into the house with a strong Curry-combe of iron made for the purpose Hee falls vpon the Aduocate being naked and curries him so rudely as he puls the eies out off his head teares off his stones and almost all the skin of his body hee did the like vnto his Wife although shee was with childe The Aduocate dyed within three dayes in great torment the Attorney transported himselfe to an other place and his Wife spent the remainder of her dayes there confounded with shame and infamy Some yeares before a certaine man making profession to teach chastety to others did wonderfully importune an honest woman to depriue her of her honour made her to wauer the husband discontented at this wrong threatens the other to punish him if hee found him in his house yet he continues his olde course so as one daie passing before the doore the wife hauing giuen a watch word vnto her husband began to looke familiarly on him the which mooued him to followe her euen into her chamber where the husband enters who with a naked dagger in his hand sayd that nowe his time was come for to be gelt the other changing his feare into fury fell vpon the husband takes the dagger from him and forceth him to promise that he shall suffer him depart freely Hauing extorted this promise he leaues his hold and is so
the Iudges did not punish him He was often put in prison but the Iudges durst not exceed the lawe the which did forbid them to condemne any one accused before he had confessed the fact And this MORTAC was so constant in denying the trueth as it was impossible to draw any thing from his owne mouth whether it were that he felt no torments or that hee did contemne them for he apprehended no more to be strained with a corde then to dance If they gaue him a sharpe strapadoe hee seemed to endure much and would crye out Let mee downe and I will tell the trueth Being let downe and vntied he would say vnto the Gouernors what will you haue mee say There-vpon they asked him who hath done this or that and he mocking them would repeate this question saying Doest thou know who hath done this or that and then he would adde in scoffing manner giue me once more the Strappadoe for the loue of the Ladies so as they were forced to let him alone He committed infinite thefts after the manner before mentioned but hee dyed not so shamefully as he deserued yet most cruelly for the plague hauing so seized vpon his throate as he could not speake his Mother who tended him fearing he would scape and be hanged afterwards buried him aliue And so liued and dyed MORTAC Extracted out of the Annales of Geneua Liberalitie THE Emperor MAXIMILIAN the first committed the managing of a great summe of mony to a Gentleman that was exceeding prodigall and a very bad husband whereof being aduertised he called for him and demanded an account of a remainder amounting to 2000. crownes and vpward The other required some respite to make perfect his account which was granted him Hauing considered throughly of the matter the next day hee went and presented himselfe vnto the Emperour who wondring at his sodaine returne referred him to the time prefixed the day before Sacred Maiestie then said the Gentleman I will briefly shew you the trueth of the case to the end you may not be troubled long about it You are good to all men I confesse I haue imployed the most part of your money in the entertainment of whores buying of Horses gaming and bankets and without farther excusing of my selfe I haue done ill I haue deserued to bee punished by the lawe But I besecch you to beare with my youth and for my friends sake to pardon me if it may please your Maiestie to vse me I will be wiser here after The Emperor hearing this free and open confession began to smile presently commanded his Barber to be sent for to whom he said cut me this Gentlemans hayre and with thy Rasor make him a faire large crowne on the top of his head for I will presently make an Abbot of him At the same instant the Emperor was aduertised of the vacancie of an Abbey by the death of the Abbot they were deuising in MAXIMILIANS presence vpon whom it should be conferred marry vpon him yonder quoth the Emperor pointing to the Gentleman that was in the Barbars hands Then calling him vnto him he sayd I giue thee such an Abbey If thou continuest as thou hast begun thou wilt consume both Monkes and Couent The Gentleman vnto whom good fortune came sleeping like vnto a Câ—…anoine of LEVVIS the 11. hauing accepted this Collation with great reuerence and thankes hee tooke possession of the Abbey became a good husband and gouerned his Monkes to their content I. le GAST of Frissac Tom. 2. of his Table-talke GEORGE of Amboise Cardinall a chiefe Councellor to the good King LEVVIS the twelfth did enioye Gaillion depending of his Arche-bishopricke of Rouan the which hee did in-large and beautifie all hee could as a house of pleasure to delight him after his serious occupations There was a gentleman a neighbor of his some-what distressed who to free himselfe spake to one of the Cardinalls followers to be a meanes vnto his Maister to buy his land the which laie very conueniently for Gaillion As the disposition of all Courtiars is readie for such negotiations he presently aduertised his Maister perswading him that he might buie this Land good cheape To whom the Cardinall answered with a smyling and cheere-full countenance that he desired nothing more then to conferre with the gentleman about that purchase commanding him to inuite him to dinner This commandement was presently put in practise by the Courtiar Some fewe daies after the gentleman hauing dyned with the Cardinall the table being taken vp and euery one retired to giue them place for their priuate talke The Cardinal began to fall into discourse vpon this Land aduising him as a neighbour a friend not to sell that place which was his ancient inheritance the other insisted to the Contrary alledging for his reasons that hee did hope to reape three commodities by this sale the one was in getting his fauor by this meanes the other was that with a part of the money hee should marry a Daughter of his and the last that he should imploy the rest of his money in rentes which should profit him as much as the reuenewes of his whole Lands And therefore my Lord sayd he for that it lies more conueniently for you then any other I haue addrest my selfe vnto you to make you what price you please But neighbour answered the Cardinall if you might borrowe money to marrie your Daughter well would you not be much better pleased to keepe your Lande whervnto the gentleman replyed that it would bee an other difficultie to pay the money at the prefixed day But if you might haue such a time giuen you sayd the Lord as without strayning of your selfe you might free your debt what would you say O my Lord replyed the other you say well but where are such lenders And so being fallen into a still discourse of selling and lending in the ende this good Legat sayd truelie I wil be the Man and no other that will performe what I haue said The which hee did for hee lent him money for so long a Terme as this gentleman married his Daughter to his owne minde and yet saued his Lande As all Courtiers are carefull of their Maisters profit though it be to an others hurt comming from their secret conference this Mediator comes who demandes in priuate of his Maister if hee had agreed vpon the price I sayd hee and I thinke I haue gayned more then you will beleeue For insteede of the Lordshippe whereof you did speake I haue purchased a friend desiring rather to haue a good neighbour then all the Lands in the world The poore Courtier being confounded did no more dreame of any such bargaines I would to GOD that all Noblemen would consider well of this Historie And yet this Cardinall dying did Lament with teares the time which hee had spent rather in following of a Kings Court then in teaching of his flock M. E. PASQVIER liber 5. de ses recerches Chapter 5.