toke the poysoned cuppe and said vnto the messanger Giue the king thy maister right humble thankes in my behalfe and say vnto him that I receiue and drinke this poyson with a will so good as if he had commaunded me to enter in triumph with Laurell garlande ouer mine ennimies For a better gift a husband can not giue to wife than accomplishment of assured faith the funeralls whereof shall be done with present obsequie And saying nothing else vnto the Messanger she toke the cuppe and myngling well together the poyson within she vnfearfully 〈◊〉 it vp And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had dronke the same she deliuered the messanger his cuppe againe and layed hir selfe vpon hir bed commaūding hir Gentlewomen in comely wise to couer hir with clothes and without lamentation or signe of Feminine minde shée stoutly waighted for approching death The Gentlewomen which waited vpon hir bewaited the rufull state of their 〈◊〉 esse whose plaints and schriches were heard throughout the palace wherof the brute and rumor was great But the good Quéene vanquished with the strong force of the poyson remained not long before she died The Messanger returned these heauie newes vnto Massinissa who sorowfully complained the losse of his beloned wife in such wise as many tymes hée was like to kill him selfe that his soule might haue accompanied the ghost of hir which was beloued of hym aboue all the deerest things of the worlde The valiaunt and wise captaine Scipio vnderstanding hereof to the intent Massinissa shoulde not commit any crueltie against himselfe or perpetrate other vncomely déede called hym before him and comforted him with the swéetest wordes he could deuise and friendly reproued him for the little faith and trust that he had in him The next day in the 〈◊〉 of all the arinie he highly commended him and rewarded him with the Kingdome of Numidia giuing hym many rich iewels and treasures and brought him in great estimation amōgs that Romans which the Senate and people of Rome very well approned and cōfirmed with most ample priuileges attributing vnto him the title of King of Numidia and frend of the Romanes Such was the eude of the vnhappie loue of kyng 〈◊〉 and the faire and unluckie Quéene Sophonisba Poris and Theoxena ¶ The crueltie of a King of 〈◊〉 who forced a Gentlewomā called THEOXENA to persuade hir children to kill and poison them selues after which facte she and hir husband PORIS ended their life by drovvning The. viij Nouell BUt sith wée haue begon to treat of the stoutnesse of certaine noble Quéenes I will not let also to recite the Historie of a like vnfearefull dame of Thessalian lande called Theoxena of right noble race the daughter of Herodicus prince of that cūtrey in the time that Philip the sonne of Demetrius was king of Macedone tolde also by Titus Liuius as two of the former be This lady Theoxena first was a notable exāple of 〈◊〉 vertue afterwardes of rigorous crueltie For the said King Philip hauing through his wickednesse first murdred Herodicus and by succession of time cruelly done to death also the husbands of Theoxena and of Archo hir natural sister vnto either of them being widowes remaining a sonne afterwardes Archo beyng maried againe to one of the principall of their countrey named Poris of him she had many childrē But when she was dead that sayd ladie Theoxena hir sister who was of heart more cōstant and stoute than the other stil refused the second mariage although sued vnto by many great lordes and princes at length pitying hir nephewes state for scare they shold fal into the handes of some cruell stepdame or that their father would not bring them vp with such diligence as till that time they were was contented to be espoused again to Poris no lawe that time knowen to defend the same to the intent she might traine vp hir sisters children as hir owne That done she began as if they wer hir own to intreate and vse them louingly with great care and 〈◊〉 wherby it 〈◊〉 appeared that she was not 〈◊〉 againe to Poris for hir own commoditie and pleasure but 〈◊〉 for the welth and gouernement of those hir sisters children Afterwards Philip king of Macedon an vnquiete Prince determining to make new warres vpon the Romanes then throughout the worlde famous and 〈◊〉 for their 〈◊〉 fortune 〈◊〉 not onely the chief and noble men but almost all the auncient inhabi 〈◊〉 of the Cities along the sea coast of Thessalia and their whole and entier families into Peonia afterwards called Emathia a countrey farre distant from the sea giuing their voided cities for the Thracians to inhabite as most propre and faithfull for the Romains warres which he intended to make and hearing also the 〈◊〉 maledictions pronoūced against him by the banished people and vniuersally by all other thoughte hée was in no good suretie if he caused not likewise all the sonnes of them whome a little before he had 〈◊〉 to be put to death Wherfore he commaunded them to be taken and holden vnder good garde inprison not to do them all to be 〈◊〉 at once but at times now one and then an other as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoxena vnderstanding the 〈◊〉 of this wicked and cruell King and well remembring the death of hir husband and of him that was husband to hir sister knew wel that hir sonne and nephew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be demaunded and greatly 〈◊〉 the Kings wrath and the rigour of his Guarde if once they fell into their handes to defende them from shame and crueltie sodeinly applied hir minde vnto a straunge deuice For shée durst to say vnto hir husband their fathers sace that sooner 〈◊〉 would kill them with hir owne handes if otherwise she coulde not warraunt 〈◊〉 than suffer them to bée at the will and power of King Philip. By reason wherof Poris abhorring 〈◊〉 erecrable crueltie to comforte his wife and to saue his children promised hir secretely to transporte them from thence and caried them himselfe to certain of his faithful friends at Athenes which done without long delay he made as though he would go from Thessalonica to Aenias to be at the 〈◊〉 of certaine sacrifices which yearely at an appointed time was done with great ceremonies to the honour of Aenêas the 〈◊〉 of that citie where spending the time amongs other in solemne bankets the. iij. watch of the night when euery mā was a slepe as though he woulde haue returned home to his countrey with his wife children priuily he embarketh him selfe and them in a shyppe hired of purpose to passe into Euboea and not to 〈◊〉 to Thessalonica But his entent was cleane altered chaunged for his shippe was no sooner vnder saile but at that instant a contrarie winde and tempest rose that brought him backe againe in despite of their labour and all the endeuour they were able to doe And when daye light appeared the Kyngs garrison descried that shippe and manned out a boate to bring in the same
determination spedily was accomplished one posting towards Rome and the rest galloping to the Countrey and Castels of the Duke These newes reported to the Cardinal his brother it may be considered how grieuously they toke that same for that they were not able to digest thē with 〈◊〉 the yōgest of the brethren yelled forth a thousand cursses despites against the simple sere of womākind Ha said that Prince trāsported with choler driuen in to deadly furie what law is able to punish or restrain the foolish indiscretiō of a womā that yeldeth hir self to hir own desires What shame is able to bridle withdrawe hir from hir minde madnesse Or with what seare is it possible to snaffle thē frō execution of their 〈◊〉 There is no beast be he neuer so wilde but man sometime may tame and bring to his lure and order The force and diligence of man is able to make milde the strong and proud and to ouertake the swiftest beast and foule or otherwise to attaine the highest and déepest thing of the world but this incarnate diuelish beast the woman no force can surmount hir no swiftnesse can approche hir mobilitie no good mind can preuent hir sleights and deceites they séeme to be procreated and borne against all order of nature and to liue without law which gouerneth all other things indued wyth some reason and vnderstanding But what a great abhomination is this that a Gentlewoman of such a house as ours is hath forgotten hir estate and the greatnesse of hir aliance besides the nobilitie of hir deceased husband with the hope of the towarde youth of the Duke hir sonne and our Nephew Ah false and vile bitch I sweare by the almightie God and by his blessed wounds that if I can catch thée and that wicked knaue thy chosen mate I will pipe ye both such a galiarde as ye neuer felt the lyke ioy and mirthe I will make ye daunce such a bloudy bargenet as your whorish heate for euer shall be cooled What abuse haue they committed vnder title of mariage which was so secretely done as their Children do witnesse their filthy embracements but their promise of faith was made in open aire and serueth for a cloke and visarde for their most filthy whoredoine And what if mariage was concluded be we of so little respect as the carion beast would not vouchsafe to 〈◊〉 vs of hir entent Or is Bologna a man worthy to be allied or mingled with the royall bloud of Aragon and Castille No no be hée neuer so good a Gentlemā his race agréeth not with kingly state But I make to God a vewe that neuer will I take one sound and restfull sléepe vntill I haue dispatched that infamous fact from our bloud and that the caitife whoremonger be vsed according to his desert The Cardinall also was on t of quiet grinding his téeth togither chattering forthe Jacke an Apes Pater noster promising no better vsage to their Bologna than his yonger brother did And the better to intrap them both without further sturre for that time they sent to that Lord Gismondo Gonsago the Cardinal of Mantua then Legate for Pope Iulius the second at Ancona at whose hands they enioyed such friendship as Bologna and all his familie were commaūded spedily to auoide the Citie But for al the the Legate was able to do of long time he could not preuaile Bologna had so great intelligēce wtin Ancona Neuerthelesse whiles he differed his departure 〈◊〉 caused the most part of his train his children goods to be conueyed to Siena an auncient Citie of Thoscane which for the state and liberties had long time bene at warres with the Florentines in such wise as the very same day that newes came to Bologna that he shold departe the Citie within xv dayes hée was ready and moūted on horseback to take his flight to Siena which brake for sorrow the hearts of the Aragon brethren séeing that they were deceiued and frustrate of their intent bicause they purposed by the way to apprehend Bologna and to cut him in pieces But what the time of his hard luck was not yet expired and so the marche from Ancona serued not for the Theatre of those two infortunate louers ouerthrow who certain moneths liued in peace in Thoscane The Cardinal night nor day did sléepe and his brother stil did wayt to performe his othe of reuenge And séeing their enimie out of feare they dispatched a post to Alfonso Castruccio the Cardinall of Siena that he might entreat the Lord Borgliese chief of the seignorie there that their sister and Bologna should be banished the Countrey and limits of that Citie which with small sute was brought to passe These two infortunate husbād and wife were chased from al places and so vnlucky as whilom Acasta was or Oedipus after his fathers death and incestuous mariage with his mother vncertain to what Saint to vow themselues and to what place to take their flight In the end they determined to goe to Venice and to take their flight to Ramagua there to imbarke themselues for to retire to the sauegarde of the Citie enuironned with the sea Adriaticum the richest in Europa But the poore soules made their reconing there without their hoste failing half the price of their banket For being vpon the territorie of Forly one of the train a farre off did sée a troupe of horsenien galloping towardes their cōpany which by their countenaunce shewed no signe of peace or amitie at all which made them cōsider that it was some ambush of their enimies The 〈◊〉 Gentleman séeing the onset bending vpon them begā to fear death not for that he cared at all for his mishap and ruine but his heart began to cleaue for heauinesse to sée his wife and litle children ready to be murdered and serue for the passetime of the Aragon brethrens eyes for whose sakes he knew himself already predestinate to die and that for despite of him and to accelerate his death by the ouerthrow of his he was assured that they wold kil his childrē before his face 〈◊〉 But what is there to be done where counsell meanes to escape do faile Ful of teares therfore astonishment fear he expected death so cruel as mā could deuise was alredy determined to suffer the same 〈◊〉 good corage for any thing that the Duchesse could say 〈◊〉 him He might well haue saued himself his eldest sonne by flight being both wel moūted vpon two good Turkey horsses which ran so fast as that quarrel discharged forth of a croshow But he loued too much his wife children and wold kéepe them companie both in life and death In the end the good Ladie sayd vnto him or for all the ioyes pleasures which you can doe me for Gods sake saue your self the little infant next you who can wel indure the galloping of the horse For sure I am that you being out of our cōpanie we shal
hir talke she looked aboute hir and séemed by hir wilde countenaunce as though she had deuised some 〈◊〉 purpose Wherefore Frier Laurence astonned beyond mesure fearing lest she wold haue executed that which she was determined sayd vnto hir Mistresse Iulietta I pray you in the name of God by litle and little to moderate youre conceyued griefe and to content your self whilest you be here vntill I haue prouided what is best for you to do for before you part from hence I wil giue you such consolation and remedie for your afflictiōs as you shall remaine satisfied and contented And resolued vppon this good minde he spéedily wente out of the Churche vnto his chamber where he began to consider of many things his conscience beyng moued to hinder the mariage betwene the Coūte Paris and hir knowing that by his meanes she had espoused an other and callyng to remembrance what a dangerous enterprise he had begonne by committyng hymselfe to the mercie of a symple damosell and that if shée failed to bée wyse and secrete all their doings should be discried he defamed and Rhomeo hir spouse punished Hée then after he had well debated vpon an infinite numbre of deuises was in the ende ouercome wyth pitie and determined rather to hazarde his honour than to suffer the adulterie of Counte Paris with Iulietta And 〈◊〉 determined herevpon opened his closet and takyng a vyoll in hys hande retourned agayne to Iulietta whome hée founde lyke one that was in a traunce waytynge for newes eyther of lyfe or deathe Of whome the good olde father demaunded vppon what day hir mariage was appointed The first day of that appointment quod she is vpon wednesday which is the day ordeined for my 〈◊〉 of mariage accorded betwene my father and Counte Paris but the nuptiall solemnitie is not before the. x. day of September Wel then quod the religious father be of good chéere daughter for our Lord God hath opened a way vnto me both to deliuer you Rhomeo from the prepared thraldom I haue knowne your husband from his cradle and hée hath dayly committed vnto me the greatest secretes of his conscience and I haue so dearely loued him again as if he had ben mine own sonne Wherfore my heart can not abide that any man shold do him wrong in that specially wherin my counsell may stande him in stede And for somuch as you are his wife I ought likewyse to loue you seke meanes to deliuer you frō the martyrdome and anguish wherwith I sée your heart besieged Understande then good daughter of a secrete which I purpose to manifest vnto you and take héede aboue all things that you declare it to no liuing creature for therein consisteth your life and death Ye be not ignorant by the common report of the citizens of this Citie and by the same published of me that I haue trauailed thorough all the Prouinces of the habitable earth wherby during the continuall time of xx yeres I haue sought no rest for my wearied body 〈◊〉 rather haue mani times protruded the same to the mercy of brute beasts in the wildernesse many times also to the mercylesse waues of the seas and to the pitie of cōmon pirates together with a thousande other daungers and shipwracks vpon sea and lande So it is good daughter that all my wandryng voyages haue not bene altogethers vnprofitable For besides the incredible contentation receiued ordinarily in mynde I haue gathered some particular fruit whereof by the grace of God you shall shortly féele some experience I haue proued the secrete properties of stones of plants metals other things hidden within the bowels of the earth wherewith I am able to helpe my selfe against the common law of men when necessitie doth serue specially in things wherein I know mine eternall God to be least offended For as thou knowest I being approched as it were euen to the brimme of my grane that the time draweth neare for yelding of mine accompt before the auditor of all auditors I ought therefore to haue some déepe knowledge and apprehēsion of Gods iudgement more than I had when that heat of inconsidered youth did boyle within my lusty body Know you therefore good daughter that with those graces and fauors which the heauens prodigally haue bestowed vpon me I haue learned and proued of long time the composition of a certaine paaste which I make of diuers soporiferous simples which beaten afterwards to poudre dronke with a quātitie of water within a quarter of an houre after bringeth the receiuer into such a sléepe and burieth so déepely the senses and other sprites of life that the cunningest Phisitian wil iudge the party dead and besides that it hath a more maruellous effect for the person which vseth the same feeleth no kinde of grief and according to the quantitie of the dough the 〈◊〉 remaineth in a swéete slepe but when the operation is perfect done hée returneth into his first estate Now then Iulietta receiue mine instruction and put of all feminine affection by taking vpon you a manly stomake for by the only courage of your minde consisteth the 〈◊〉 or mishap of your affaires Beholde héere I giue you a viole which you shal kéepe as your owne propre heart and the night before your mariage or in the morning before day you shal fil the same vp with water drink so much as is contained therin And then you shall féele a certain kinde of pleasant sléepe which incroching by litle litle all the parts of your body wil constrain thē in such wise as 〈◊〉 they shal remaine and by not doing their accustomed dueties shall loose their natural féelings and you abide in such extasie the space of xl houres at the least without any beating of poulse or other perceptible motion which shall so astōne them that come to sée you as they will iudge you to be dead according to the custome of our Citie you shall be caried to the churchyard hard by our Church where you shall be intombed in the common monument of the 〈◊〉 your ancestors in the meane time we wil send word to the Lord Rhomeo by a speciall messanger of the effect of our deuise who now abideth at Mantua And the night folowing I am sure he will not faile to be héere then he and I togither will open the graue and lift vp your body and after the operatiō of the pouder is past he shall conuey you secretely to Mantua vnknowen to all your Parents and friends Afterwards it may be Time the mother of truthe shall cause concord betwene the offended Citie of Verona and Rhomeo At which time your common cause may be made open to the generall contentation of all your friendes The woords of the good Father ended new ioy surprised the heart of Iulietta who was so attentiue to his talke as she forgate no one poynt of hir 〈◊〉 Then she sayde vnto him Father doubt not at all that my heart
the same the matter most specially therin comprised treting of courtly fashions and maners and of the customes of loues galantise and the good or yll successe thereof bicause you be an auncient Courtier and one of the eldest Traine and suche as hath ben imployed by sundrie our Princes in their affaires of greatest weight and importance and for that your self in your lustiest time euer bred and brought vp in Court haue not bene vnacquainted with those occurrents If I should stande particularly to touch the originall of your noble Ancestrie the succession of that renoumed line their fidelitie for graue aduise and counsell your honourable education the mariage of a mighty King with one of your sisters the valiant exploites of your parentes against the French and Scots the worthie seruice of your self in field whereby you deseruedly wanne the order of Knighthode the trust which hir Maiestie reposeth in you by disposing vnder your charge the Store of hir Armure and your worthie preferment to be Maister of hir Armarie generall If I shoulde make recitall of your carefull industrie and painfull trauell sustained for answering hir Maiesties expectation your noble cherishing of the skilfull in that Science your good aduauncement of the best to supplie the vacant romes your refusall of the vnworthie and finally of your modest and curteous dealings in that office I feare lacke of abilitie and not of matter would want grace and order by further circumstaunce to adde sufficient praise Yea although my self do say nothing but reserue the same in silence to auoide suspect of adulation the very Armure and their furnitures do speake vniuersall testimonie doth wonder and the Readinesse of the same for tyme of seruice doth aduouche Which care of things continually resting in your breast hath atchieued suche a timely diligence and successe as when hir Maiesties aduersarie shall be ready to molest she shal be prest by Gods assistance to defend and marche But not to hold your worship long by length of preamble or to discourse what I might further say eyther in fauour of this Boke or commendation of your selfe I meane for this instant to leaue the one to general iudgement and the other to the particular sentence of eche of your acquaintaunce Humbly making this only sute that my good will may supplie the imperfection of mine abilitie And so with my heartie prayer for your preseruation to him that is the Author of life and health I take my leaue From my poore house besides the Toure of London the fourthe of Nouember 1567. Your moste bounden William Painter ¶ A Summarie of the Nouels ensuing ¶ The Hardinesse and conquestes of diuers stoute and aduenturous Women called Amazones the beginning continuance and end of their raigne and of the great iourney of one of their Quéenes called Thalestris to visit Alexander the great and the cause of hir trauaile Nouel j. Fol. 1. ¶ The great pietie and continencie of Alexander the great and his louing interteinement of Sisigambis the Wife of the great Monarch Darius after he was vanquished Nouel ij Fol. 5. ¶ Thimoclia a Gentlewoman of Thebes vnderstanding the couefous desire of a Thracian Knight that had abused hir and promysed hir mariage rather for hir goodes than Loue well acquited hirselfe from his falsehode Nouel iij. Fol. 9. ¶ Ariobarzanes great Stewarde to Artaxerxes King of Persia goeth about to excéede his soueraigne Lord maister in Curtesie wherein are conteyned many notable and pleasant chaunces besides the great pacience and loyaltie naturally planted in the sayd Ariobarzanes Nouel iiij Fol. 11. ¶ Lucius one of the Garde to Aristotimus the Tyranne of the Citie of Elis fell in loue with a faire Maiden called Micca the daughter of one Philodemus and his crueltie done vpon hir The stoutenesse also of a noble Matrone named Megistona in defense of hir husband and the Common wealth from the tyrannie of the sayd Aristotimus and of other acts done by the subiects vpon that tyrant Nouel v. Fol. 32. ¶ The maruelous courage ambition of a gentlewoman called Tanaquil that Quéene wife of Tarquinus Priscus the fift Romane King with hir persuasions and pollicie to hir husband for his aduauncement to the kingdome hir like encouragement of Seruius Tullius wherin also is described the ambitiō of one of the two daughters of Seruius Tullius the sixt Romane King and hir crueltie towardes hir owne naturall father with other accidents chaunced in the new erected Common wealth of Rome specially of the laste Romane King Tarquinus Superbus who with murder attained the kingdome with murder mainteined it and by the murder and insolent life of his sonne was with all his progenie banished Nouel vj. Fol. 40. ¶ The vnhappy ende and successe of the loue of King Massinissa and of Queene Sophonis ba his Wife Nouel vij Fol. 49. ¶ The crueltie of a King of Macedon who forced a Gentlewomā called Theoxena to persuade hir children to kil poison themselues after which fact she and hir husband Poris ended their life by drowning Nouel viij Fol. 59. ¶ A strange maruellous vse which in olde time was obserued in Hidrusa where it was lawfull with the licence of a Magistrate ordeyned for that purpose for euery man and woman that lyst to kyll them selues Nouel ix Fol. 62. ¶ The dishonest loue of Faustina the Empresse and with what remedie the same was remoued and taken away Nouel x. Fol. 65. ¶ Chera hidde a treasure Elisa going about to hang hir selfe and sying the halter about a 〈◊〉 found that treasure and in place therof lefte the halter Philene the daughter of Chera going for that treasure and busily searching for the same sounde the halter where with all for dispaire shae woulde haue hanged hir selfe but forbidden by Elisa who by chaunce espied hir she was restored to part of hir losse leading afterwards a happie and prosperous life Nouel xj Fol. 67. ¶ Letters of the Philosopher Plutarch to the noble and 〈◊〉 Emperour Traiane and from the sayde Emperour so Plutarch the like also from the sayde Emperour to the Senate of Rome In all whiche bée conteyned Godly rules for gouernement of Princes obedience of Subiects and their dueties to Cōmon wealth Nouel xij Fol. 76. ¶ A notable historie of thrée amorous Gentlewomen called Lamia Flora Lais cōteining the sutes of noble Princes and other greate personages made vnto them with their answeres to diuers demaunds and the maner of their death and funeralls Nouel xiij Fol. 123. ¶ The life and gestes of the most famous Quéene Zenobia with the Letters of the Emperoure Aurchanus to the sayde Quéene and hir stoute aunswere therevnto Nouel xiiij Fol. 89. ¶ Euphimia the King of Corinths daughter fell in loue with Acharisto the seruaunt of hir father and besides others which required hir to mariage she 〈◊〉 Philon the King of Pelponesus that loued hir very feruently Acharisto conspiring against the King was discouered tormented and put in prison and by meanes of
two was péerelesse without comparison older than the other by one yeare The beautie of those fair Ladies was bruted throughout the whole Region of Persia to whome the greatest Lordes and Barons of the countrey wer great and importunate suters He was not in his countrey resiant the space of iiij monethes which for salubritie of aire was most holsome and pleasant full of lordelike liberties and gentlemanlike pastimes as well to be done by the hounde as by the spaniell but one of the Kings Haraulds sent from the Court appeared before him with message to this effect saying My lord Ariobarzanes the King my soueraigne Lorde hath commaunded you to send with me to the Court the fairest of your two daughters for that the report of their famous beautic hath made him hardly to beleue them to be such as common brute would fayn do him to vnderstande Ariobarzanes not wel able to conceiue the meaning of the kings commaundement reuolued in his minde diuers things touching that demaunde and concluding vpon one which fel to his remembrance determined to send his yonger daughter which as we haue sayd before was not in beautie comparable to hir elder sister whereupon he caused the maiden to be sent for and sayd vnto hir these words Daughter the King my maister and thy soueraigne Lorde hath by his Messanger commaunded me to send vnto him the fairest of my daughters but for a certain reasonable respect which at this time I purpose not to disclose my mynde is that thou shalt goe praying thée not to say but that thou thy selfe art of the twaine the fairest the concealing of which mine aduise will bréede vnto thée no doubte thy greate aduauncement besides the profite and promotion that shall accriue by that thy silence and the disclosing of the same may happe to engendre to thy dere father his euerlasting hindrance and perchance the depriuation of his life but 〈◊〉 so be the King doe beget thée with childe in any wise kéepe close the same And when thou 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 begin to swel that no longer it can be closely kept then in conuenient time when thou séest the King most merily disposed thou shalt tell the King that thy sister is farre more beautifull than thy self and that thou art the yonger sister The wise maiden well vnderstanding hir fathers minde and conceiuing the summe of his intent promised to performe his charge so with the Haraulde and honorable traine he caused his daughter to be conueyed to the Courte An easie matter it was to deceiue the King in the beautie of that maiden For although the elder daughter was the fairest yet this Gentlewomā séemed so péerelesse in the Court that without comparison she appeared the most beautifull that was to be 〈◊〉 either in Courte or countrey the behauiour and semblance of which two daughters were so like that hard it was to iudge whether of them was the eldest For their father had so kept them in that seldome they were séene within his house or at no time marked when they walked abroade The wife of the King was deade the space of one yere beforé for which cause he determined to marie the daughter of Ariobarzanes who although shée was not of the royall bloud yet of birthe she was right noble When the King saw this Gentlewoman he iudged hir to be the fairest that euer he sawe or heard of by report whom in the presence of his noble mē he 〈◊〉 did marrie seut vnto hir father to appoint the 〈◊〉 of his married daughter out of hande and to returne the same by that messanger When Ariobarzanes herd tell of this vnhoped mariage right ioyefull for that 〈◊〉 cesse sent vnto his daughter that dowrie which he had promised to giue to eyther of his daughters Many of the Courte did maruell that the King béeing in aged yeares would mary so yong a maiden specially the daughter of his subiect whome he had vanished from the Courte Some praised the Kings disposition for taking hir whom he fansied Eche man speakyng his 〈◊〉 minde 〈◊〉 to the diuers customes of men Notwithstanding there were diuers that moued the King to that mariage thereby to force him to confesse that by taking of the goodes of Ariobarzanes he might be called Courtenus and Liberall The mariage being solemnized in very 〈◊〉 and princely guise Ariobarzanes sente to the King the like dowrie which before he had sent him for mariage of his daughter with message to this effect That for so much as hée had assigned to his daughters two certain dowries to marie them to their equal 〈◊〉 and seing that he which was without exception was the husbande of the one his duetie was to bestow vpon his grace a more greater gift than to any other which shold haue bene his sonne in lawe But the King woulde not receiue the increase of his dowrie déeming him self well satisfied with the beautie and good cōdicions of his new spouse whome he entertained honored as Quéene In the meane time she was great with childe with a sonne as afterwardes in the birth it appered which so wel as she coulde she kept close and secrete but afterwards perceiuing hir bellie to ware bigge the greatnesse whereof she was not able to hide being vpon a time with that King and in familiar disporte she like a wise and sobre Lady induced matter of diuers argumēt amongs which as occasion serued she disclosed to the King that she was not the fairest of hir fathers daughters but hir elder sister more beautifull than she The King hearing that was greatly offended with Ariobarzanes for that he had not accomplished his commaundement and albeit he loued well his wife yet to attaine the effect of his desire he called his Haraulde vnto him whome he had firste sent to make request for his wife and with him returned again his new maried spouse vnto hir father cōmaunding him to say these words That for so much as he knewe him self to be vanquished and ouercome by the Kings humanitie his grace did maruell that in place of Curtesie he would vse such contumacie and disobedience by sending vnto him not the fairest of his daughters whiche he required but such as he himselfe liked to sende A matter no doubt worthy to be sharpely punished and 〈◊〉 For which cause the King being not a litle offended 〈◊〉 home his daughter againe and willed him to sende his eldest daughter and that he had returned the dowrie which he gaue with his yonger Ariobarzanes receiued his daughter and the dowrie with willing minde sayd these words to the Harauld Mine other daughter which the King my soueraigne Lord requireth is not able presently to go with thée bicause in hir bed she lieth sick as thou mayst manifestly perceiue if thou com into hir chāber but say vnto the King the vpon my faith allegiance so soone as she is recouered I will sende hir to the court The Haraulde séeing the maiden lie sicke
on hir bedde weake and impotent not able to trauell returned to the King and tolde him of the sicknesse of the eldest daughter of Ariobarzanes wher withall being satiffied he attended the successe of his desired sute The 〈◊〉 man no sooner béeing recouered but the time of the others childbirth was come which brought forth a goodly boy both the mother safely brought to bed and the childe strong and lusty Which greately contented and pleased Ariobarzanes and the greater grew his ioy therof for that he sawe the childe to be like vnto the King his father And by that time the yong Gentlewoman was rysen from hir childbed the sister was perfectly whole had recouered hir former hiewe beautie both which being richely apparelled Ariobarzanes with an honourable traine sent vnto the King instructing them first what they ought to say and do When they 〈◊〉 arriued at the Courte one of the priuie chambre 〈◊〉 the Kyng that Ariobarzanes had not onely sent one of his daughters but bothe of them being so many as hée had The King hearing and séeing the liberalitie of Ariobarzanes accepted the same in gracious part and determined for that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 princely liberalitie as he should be forced to confesse him self ouercom And before the messanger which had broughte the yong Gentlewoman did departe he caused to be called before him his onely sonne called Cyrus vnto whom he sayde Bicause Cyrus the time of thy yeares be suche as mete they be to matche thée in mariage for hope I haue to sée some progenie procede of thée before I die my mynde is that thou shalt marie this goodly Gentlewoman here the sister of my wife To which his fathers hest the yong Gentleman willingly 〈◊〉 Then the King toke againe his owne and ordeined a royall feast for the mariage of his sonne which was celebrated and done with greate triumph and solemnitie continuing the space of viij days Ariobarzanes hearing these good newes wold not yet acknowledge him selfe to be ouercome and séeing that his purpose was now brought to an extremitie determined to sende the little childe a litle before begotten of his daughter to the King which so resembled the Kings face and countenaunce as was possible And therfore caused 〈◊〉 to bée made of the fairest yuorie that was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and garnished with pure golde 〈◊〉 and set with moste precious stokes and Ieinels wherin he caused the childe to be placed and couered with rich clothes of finest gold and silke and together with the nourice 〈◊〉 with a pompous 〈◊〉 of Gentlemen he sente hun to the King the very 〈◊〉 that the solemne mariage should be celebrated And the King being in his great 〈◊〉 which was hanged with maruellous rich and costly Arras attended vpon with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barons and noble men he that had the charge of the conduction of the childe vpon his knées presented the same before him lying in the cradle The King and the noble men maruelling what that did mean expected what the messanger 〈◊〉 say who holding the 〈◊〉 by one of the pomels sayde these wordes Most renoumed and victorious Prince in the behalfe of Ariobarzanes my Lorde and your subiecte moste humbly I present vnto your 〈◊〉 with al submission and reuerence this gift And my sayde Lorde doth rendre infinite thankes vnto your highnesse for the great 〈◊〉 it hath pleased you to vse by 〈◊〉 to entertaine him into your alliance For which not to séeme 〈◊〉 this present and ther withall he opened the cradle by me he hath 〈◊〉 vnto your maiestie When the cradle was discouered there appeared a goodly yong childe smiling and laughing vpon his father the ioyfullest sight that euer his father sawe and so like vnto him as the halfe Moone is lyke the proportion of the reste Then euery of the standers by beganne to say his minde touching the resemblaunce of the childe to his father hardily protestyng the same without doubte to be his owne The King coulde not bée satisfied with the sight of his childe by reason of the greate delight he had to looke vppon 〈◊〉 and of the generall opinion whiche all men 〈◊〉 touching his likenesse The childe againe vpon the common reioyce made vpon hym but specially of his father with preatie motions and swéete laughings representing two smilyng pyttes in his ruddie 〈◊〉 crowed many tymes vpon his father toying 〈◊〉 and downe his tender hands Afterwardes the King behelde the workmanship of that sumptuous cradle and demaunded whereof the substaunce was Unto whome the Messanger described the historie and whole contente of that incomparable Iewell Who 〈◊〉 that discourse caused the Quéene to be called forth and by hir was further certified of hir fathers Noble disposition with excéeding contentation and wonderfull reioyce he receiued the little childe and 〈◊〉 hym selfe in maner vanquished Not withstandyng séemyng to bée thus surmounted hée thoughte if hée dyd not surpasse this Curtesie his Noble and Princely mynde should be disgraced Wherefore hée determined to vse a kynde of Magnanimitie therby eyther to ouercome Ariobarzanes or else hauing apparant occasion altogether to fall out and to conceyue a mortall malice against him The King had a daughter of the age of xxi yeares a very faire and comely Lady according as hir royall education and princely bringing vp required whome as yet he had not matched in mariage meanyng to bestowe hir vpon some King or greate Monarch with a dowrie of ten hundred thousand Crownes bisides the princely and great costlye apparell and Iewells which hir owne mother lying vppon hir death bedde did bequeathe hir The King then purposing to excell Ariobarzanes minded by couplyng hym with his daughter to make hym his sonue in lawe Which to a Ladie of royall Linage appeareth some debacing of hir noble bloud to bée matched with a man of inferiour birth The like to a man howe honorable so euer he bée can not chaunce if he take a wyfe of degrée neuer so base For if he bée borne of noble and gentle kinde hée doth illustrate and aduaunce the woman whome hée taketh all be it she were of the meanest trampe of the popular forto and the chyldren which bée borne of them by the fathers meanes shall be noble and of gentle kynde But a woman although shée bée moste Noble if she bée married to hir inferiour and that hir husbande bée not fo noble the children that shall bée borne of them shall not receyue the honour of the mothers storke but the state of the fathers lotte and so shall be vnnoble Such is the Reuerence and Authoritie of the â—ere of â—aâ— where vppon doeth ryse comparyson of the wyse whiche doth resemble the man vnto the Sunne and the woman to the Moone For we sée that the Moone of hir selfe doth not giue light ne yet can yelde any brightnesse to the darknesse of the night if the did not partake some shining of the Sun who with his liuely flames at
excéeding faire crown of Gold apt and mete for the 〈◊〉 head Afterwards when he saw time conuenient he 〈◊〉 that in the market place of the Citie a pearche should be erected and 〈◊〉 with tapestrie Arras 〈◊〉 other costly furnitures suche as Princes palaces are 〈◊〉 decked withall Thither with sound of 〈◊〉 he caused the Falcon to be conueyed where the King 〈◊〉 ded one of his noble men to place the Crowne vpon his head for prise of the excellent pray atchieued vppon the Egle. Then he caused the hangman or common executioner of the Citie to take the Crowne from the Faucon and with the trenchant sworde to cut of his head Upon these contrary 〈◊〉 the beholders of this sight were amazed and began diuersly to talke thereof The King which at a window stoode to beholde this fact caused silence to be kepte and so loude opened his Princely voice as he was well hearde speaking these wordes There ought good people none of you all to 〈◊〉 and grudge at the present fact executed vpō the Faucon bicause the same is done vpon good reason and iust cause as by processe of my discourse you shall well perceyue I am persuaded that it is the office and duetie of euery magnanimous prince to know the valor and difference betwene vertue and vice that all vertuous actes 〈◊〉 thie attempts may be honoured and the contrary 〈◊〉 punished otherwise he is not worthy of the name of a King and Prince but of a cruell and traiterous tyrant For as the Prince beareth the title by principalitie and chief so ought his life chiefly to excell other whome he gouerneth and ruleth The bare title and dignitie is not sufficient if his condicions and moderation bée not to that supreme state 〈◊〉 Full well I knew and did consider to be in this dead Faucon a certaine generositie and stoutnesse of minde ioyned with a certaine fierce 〈◊〉 and nimblenesse for which I crowned and rewarded hir with this golden garland bicause of the stoute slaughter which she made vpon that mightie Egle worthie for that 〈◊〉 and prowesse to be honoured after that solemne guise But when I considered how boldly and rashely she assailed and killed the Egle which is 〈◊〉 Quéene and maistresse I thought it a part of iustice that for hir bolde and vncomely act she shoulde suffer the paine due to hir 〈◊〉 For vnlaufull it is for the seruaunte and vnduetifull for the subiecte to imbrue his handes in the bloud of his soueraigne Lord. The Faulcon then hauing slaine hir Quéene and of all other birdes the soueraigne who can with reason blame me for cutting of the Falcons head Doubtlesse none that hath respecte to the quiete state betweene the Prince and subiect This example the 〈◊〉 alleaged against Ariobarzanes when they pronoūced sentence And applying the same to him ordeined that first Ariobarzanes for his Magnanimitie and liberall Curtesie should be crowned with a Laurel Garland for the generositie of his minde and excéeding curtesie but for his great emulation earnest endeuour and continuall 〈◊〉 to contende with his prince and in Liberalitie to shew him selfe superior 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spéech vttered against him his hed ought to be striken of Ariobarzanes being aduertised of this seuere 〈◊〉 he purposed to sustain the 〈◊〉 darte of Fortune as he had endured other bruntes of that enuious inconstant Lady and in suche maner behaued and directed his 〈◊〉 and countenance as no signe of choler or dispaire appeared in him onely pronouncing this sentence with ioyful 〈◊〉 in the presence of many Glad I am that at length there resteth in me so much to be liberal as I employ my life and bloud to declare the same to my soueraigne Lorde which right willingly I meane to do that the world may know that I had rather lose my life than to saint and giue ouer in mine 〈◊〉 liberalitie Then calling a Notarie vnto him he made his will for so it was lawful by the Persian lawes and to his wife and daughters he increased the dowries and to his kinsfolk and frends 〈◊〉 bequethed diuers riche bountifull legacies To the King he 〈◊〉 a great numbre of most precious Jewels To Cyrus the Kings sonne and his by mariage bisides a great masse of money he bequeathed all his armure and 〈◊〉 with all his instrumentes for the warres and his whole stable of horsse Last of all he ordeined that if perhaps his wife shoulde be founde with childe and broughte to bed of a Sonne he should be his vniuersall heire But if a woman childe to haue the like dowrie that his other daughters had The rest of his goods and cattell he gaue indifferently to all iii. equally to bée deuided He prouided also that all his 〈◊〉 according to their degrée should be rewarded The day before he shoulde be put to death according to the custome of Persia his praises and valiant factes as well by Epitaphes fixed vpon 〈◊〉 as by 〈◊〉 were generally sounded 〈◊〉 the Realme in suche wise as eche wight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to be the moste liberall and noble personage that was in all the Countrey and in the borders 〈◊〉 vpon the same And if there had not bene some enuious persones néere the King which studied and practised his ouerthrow all other would haue déemed him vnworthy of death Such is the enuie of the maliciously disposed that rather than they would sée their equals to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Prince than them selues studie and deuise all policie either by flatterie or false 〈◊〉 to bring them in discredite or to practise by false accusation their vtter subuersion by death or vanishement But whiles 〈◊〉 was disposing his things in order his wife and daughters with his friends and 〈◊〉 were affected with great sorow day and night complaining for the heauie 〈◊〉 of that noble Gentleman The eight day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the lawe allowed that space to the condemned for disposition of their things a skaffolde was made by commaundement of the King in the middes of the Market place all couered with blacke 〈◊〉 and an other righte ouer against the same with purple and 〈◊〉 where the King if he 〈◊〉 in the mids of the Judges should sitte and the inditement redde iudgement by the Kings owne mouth declared shoulde be executed or if it pleased him discharge and assoile the condemned And the King vnwilling to be present gaue to one of the 〈◊〉 Judges his full power and authoritie But yet sorrowfull that a Gentleman so noble and valiant his father and 〈◊〉 in lawe should finishe his life with a death so horrible would néedes that morning be presente him selfe at that execution as well to sée the continent and stoute ende of Ariobarzanes as also to take order for his deliuerie 〈◊〉 the time was come Ariobarzanes by the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 was brought vnto the Skaffolde and there apparelled in riche 〈◊〉 the Laurell Crowne was set vpon his head and so continuing for a certaine space the
caused the other dames to bury those two bodies in one graue O how happy famous had these two sisters ben if they had not bene the daughters of so wicked and cruell a father But parentes offence on Childrens trespasse oughte not to deface the vertuous déedes of their posteritie Two Romane Queenes ¶ The maruellous courage and ambition of a Gentlevvoman called TANAQVIL the Quene wife of TARQVINVSPRISCVS the fifth Romane King with hir persuasions and pollicie to hir husbande for his aduauncement to the kingdome hir like encouragement of SIRVIVSTVLLIVS wherin also is described the ambition of one of the. ij daughters of SERVIVSTVLLIVS the sixt Romane King and hir crueltie towards hir ovvne naturall father with other accidents chaunced in the nevv erected common welth of Rome specially of the last Romane Kyng TARQVINVS SVPERBVS who with murder atteined the kingdom with murder mainteined it and by the murder and insolent life of his sonne was with all his progenie banished The sixt Nouell ANcus Marcius being that fourth King after Romulus the first builder of that Citie there came to dwell in Rome one Lucumo a lustie gentleman rich and desirous of honour who determined to continewe his habitation there Thesame Lucumo was the sonne of one Demaratê° a Corinthian who for sedition fled his owne countrie dwelt in 〈◊〉 amongs the stock of the Tarquines and after he was maried he begat two sonnes one of them was this Lucumo and the other was called Arnus Lucumo was heire to his father for that Arnus died before leauing his wife gret with childe The father not knowing that his daughter in lawe was with childe gaue nothing in his will to his Nephewe for which cause the childe was called Arnus Egerius Lucumo being the sole heire of his father maried a noble woman named Tanaquil and bicause the Thuscans could not abide to sée a straunger growe to abundance of welth and authoritie she despised hir owne country rather than she would suffer hir husband in any wise to be dishonoured Wherfore she deuised to forsake the Tarquinians to dwel at Rome where she thought among that honorable sorte and newe rerected state that hir husband being stout and valiant should attaine some place of resiance For she called to remembraunce that Tatius the Sabine Numa borne of the stock of Curetes and Ancus brought forth by a Sabine woman all strangers did raigne and became noble and mightie Thus ambition and desire of honour easily doeth persuade any deuise Wherfore carrying with theÌ„ al their substance they repaired to Rome It chaunced when they came to Ianiculum as he and his wife were sitting in a Wagon an Eagle hoouering hir wings ouer Lucumo sodenly toke away his cappe which done she soared ouer the wagon with great force then she retourned againe as though she had bene commaunded by some celestiall prouidence aptly placed his cappe againe vpon his head and then soared away vp into the element Tanaquil conceiuing this act to be some Augurie or Prophecie being cunning in that knowledge as commonly all the people of Hetruria be imbraced hir husband and willed him to be of good chere and to expect great honour And as they were ymagining and consulting vpon these euents they entred the Citie and when they had gotten a house for him and his familie he was called Tarquinins Priscus His riches and great wealth made him a noble man amongs the Romanes and through his gentle entertainement and curteous behauiour he wanne the good willes of many in so much as his fame and good report was bruted throughout the palace At leÌ„gth he grew in acquaintance with the King him selfe who séeing his liberall demeanor and duetifull seruice estéemed him as one of his familiar and nere srends and both in his warres and also at home he imparted to him the secrets of his counsell and hauing good experience of his wisedom by his last will and testament appointed him to be tutour of his children Ancus raigned xxiiii yeres a man in peace and warre in policie and valiance with any of his predecessours comparable His children were very yong and for that cause Tarquinius was more instant to summon a parliament for creation of a king When the day was come he sente the yong children abroade a hunting and then ambiciously presumed to demaunde the kingdome being the first that euer attempted the like For the better conciation and obteining of the peoples good will he vttered this Oration I doe not presume to require a straunge or newe thyng that was neuer before put in practise nor yet am the first but the third straÌ„ger and foraine borne that affected and aspired to this gouernmeÌ„t For which consideration there is no cause why any man ought to muse or maruell more than behoueth It is euidently knowen that Tatius not onely being a stranger but also an ennimie was made Kyng Numa also was made King being altogether a foraine stranger borne not through his owne request but rather voluntarily accited and called therevnto by the Romanes but for my parte after I was able to gouerne my self I repaired to dwell at Rome with my wyfe my children and all my substance where I haue spent the chiefest porcion of my life specially after it was mature and able to execute ciuile magisterie which I chose rather to bestow at Rome than at home in myne owne countrey I haue lerned the Romane rites and lawes as wel such as be mete to serne abroade in the warres as also necessarie to bée practised at home at the hands of mine olde maister Ancus Martius your late king a maister right worthie and famous in all pointes to bée followed I shewed my selfe an humble and obedient subiecte to the King and in friendeship and familiaritie towarde others I contended with the Kyng him selfe When hée had spoken those wordes which in déede were very true with the whole consent of the people hée was saluted King And as all things succéeded his Noble requeste euen so after hée was settled in his Kyngdome hée gaue hym selfe to 〈◊〉 the common wealth Hée chose an hundred graue persons whiche he called the Fathers of the lesser countries He warred firste with the Latines and 〈◊〉 the Citie of Appiolas who bryngyng from thence a greater spoyle and bootie than was looked for ordeined richer and more gorgeous Playes than any of hys predecessoures Hée builded certayne Galleries and other places of assemblie aboute the Forum hée walled the Citie rounde about with stone And as he was doing these things the Sabines interuented him vpon the 〈◊〉 in so much as they were passed the Kyuer of Anienes before the Romane hoste was in a redinesse Whiche was an occasion of greate feare and stirre at Rome In the 〈◊〉 after the battailes were ioyned betwéene them bothe a cruell and blouddie slaughter was committed the victorie fallyng to neyther parte Then the Romanes sought meanes to renue their force by addyng to their armie a further
bande of horsmen Wherefore Tarquinius sente to the Rammenses Titienses Luceres To the bandes that Romulus had conscribed hée added other new troupes of horsemen purposing that the same should continue in memorie of him after his death And bicause Romulus dyd the same without aduise of the Southsayers one Accius Nauius the notablest Prophecier in those daies withstoode that constitution 〈◊〉 that it was not lawsull for him eyther to appoint a newe order or to alter the olde except the birdes and auguries did assent thervnto Wherwith the king was displeased deluding that science said Go to M. Sothsayer tell me now quod he is it possible to bring that to passe which I haue now conceiued in my minde Yea quod the Southsayer if you tel me what it is Then quod Tarquinius I haue deuised that thou shalt pare thine owne skin with a Raser Therfore take this knife doe as thy birdes doe portend and signifie And as it was reported he pared his own skin in déede In memory wherof an Image of Accius was erected with his head 〈◊〉 After that time there was nothing attempted without those auguries Notwithstanding Tarquinius procéeded in his constitution and added to the Centurias an other number for that 1800. horsemen were conteined in the thrée Centuriae The later addition was called also by the same name which afterward were doubled into vj. Centurias Whē his numbre was thus increased once againe he ioyned battel with the Sabines who by a notable pollicie recouered a great victorie And bicause the Sabines doubled a freshe onset without any order of battell or good aduisement they were ouerthrowen and then constrained to make peticion for peace The citie of Collatia and the Coūtrie confining vpon the same was taken from the Sabines The Sabine warres being in this sortended Tarquinius in triumphant maner 〈◊〉 to Rome At that time a prodige and miraculous 〈◊〉 chaunced to be séene in the Palace The head of a childe whose name was Seruius Tullius lying a sléepe in the palace was séene to burne The king was brought to sée that miracle And as one of his seruants was going to fetch water to quēch the fire he was staid by the Quene who commaunded that the childe should not once be touched vntill he awaked of himselfe And so soone as he rose from sléepe the fire vanished Then she tooke hir husband aside and said doe you sée this childe whom we haue verie basely and negligently brought vp I assure you sir said she he wil be the only safegard and defender of this our doubtfull state and will be the preseruer of our houshold when it is afflicted Wherefore let vs make much of him that is like to be the ornament and a worthie stay to all our familie After that they had accompted him amongs the number of their children traded him vp in those Arts which excite all good dispositions to aspire vnto honoure the pleasure of the Gods appeared in short time For the child grew to a royal behauior in so much as among all the Romane youth there was none more méete to mary the daughter of Tarquinius This Seruius Tullius was the sonne of one Seruius Tullius that was a Captain of a towne called Corniculum at the apprehension whereof it chaunced that the sayd Tullius the father was 〈◊〉 leauing his wife great with child the mother being a captiue and bonde woman was deliuered of hir childe at Rome in the house of Priscus Tarquinius After Tarquinius had raigned xxxviij yeres the yong man began to growe to great honor and estimation aswell with the king himself as also with the Fathers Then the Romanes conceiued a hateful indignation against the king for that he being put in trust to be the Tutor gouernor of Ancus children displaced them from their right inheritance and specially for that he himself was a stranger fearing also that the kingdom should not return againe to the election of themselues but degenerat and grow into seruile bondage They also called to remembrāce that the Citie continewed one hundred yeres after the sublation of Romulus an intier kingdome within one Citie and that it was a shame for them to suffer a bondman borne of seruile kind to possesse the same and would rebound to their perpetual ignominie hauing the progenie of Ancus aliue to suffer the same to be open to straungers and bōdmen Wherfore they determined to defend the griefe of that iniurie and to be reuenged rather vpon Tarquinius than vpon Seruius In fine they committed the execution of that fact to two shepherds chosen out for that purpose Who deuised this pollicie Before the entrie into the Palace they fell togither by the eares vpon which fray all the kings officers assembled and repaired thither to know the cause of their falling out when they were parted they appealed to the king with such exclamation as they were heard to the Palace Being called before the king both of them fell to brawling and one of thē striued of purpose to hinder the tale of the other The kings sergeant rebuked them commaunding them to tel their tales in order Whē they were a litle quieted one of thē beginneth to discourse the tale And as the king was attentife to heare the plaintif the other toke vp a hatchet threw it at the king and leauing the weapon sticking in the wound they conueied themselues out of the dores Those that waited vpon the King made hast to relieue him and the sergeants followed to apprehende the malefactors With that a hurlie burlie rose amōgs the people euery man maruelling what the matter shoulde be Tanaquil commaunded the palace gates to be shut and séeketh remedie to cure hir husbande as though some hope of life had bene remaining When hope failed of his recouerie shée called Seruius before hir which maried hir daughter and shewed vnto him hir dead husbande holding him fast by the right hande shée intreated him that he would not suffer the death of his father in lawe to be vnreuenged to the intent he might not be ridiculous to the traitours saying to him further these words If thou be a man of thy hands O Seruius the kingdom is thine and not theirs which thus cruelly by the hands of other haue committed this abhominable facte Wherefore put forth thy selfe and the Gods be thy guide For they did portende this noble head to be the Gouernour of this citie at such time as they circumfused the same with a fire descendyng from aboue Let that heauenly 〈◊〉 excite thy courage Be throughly awaked We being straungers sometime haue raigned Thinke and consider what thou art not from whence thou camest If the strangenesse of the case doe affray thée my counsel from time to time shall relieue thée The crie and stirre of the people being vnmesurable that one could scarse heare an other Tanaquill opened the windowes that had their prospect to the new way for the King dwelt at the temple of
¶ The life and gestes of the most famous Queene Zenobia with the letters of the Emperour 〈◊〉 to the sayd Queene and hir stoute answere therunto The. xv Nouel ZENOBIA Quéene of Palmyres was a right famous gentlewoman as diuerse historiographers largely do report write Who although she was a gētle quéene yet a christian princesse so worthie of imitation as she was for hir vertues 〈◊〉 facts of 〈◊〉 praise She by hir wisdome stoutnesse subdued all the empire of the Orient resisted the inuincible 〈◊〉 And for that it is méete and requisite to alleage and aduouche reasones by weight wordes by measure I will orderly beginne to recite the historie of that most famous Quéene Wherefore I say that about the. 284. Olimpiade no long time after the death of the vnhappie Emperour Decius Valerian was chosen Emperour by the Senat and as Trebellius Pollio his historian doth describe hée was a well learned prince indued with manifolde vertues that for his speciall praise these wordes be recorded If all the world had bene assembled to chose a good Prince they would not haue chosen any other but good Valerian It is also written of hym that in liberalitie hée was noble in words true in talke warie in promise constant to his frendes familiar and to his enimies seuere and which is more to bée estemed he could not forgette seruice nor yet reuenge wrong It came to passe that in the. 〈◊〉 yeare of his raigne there rose such cruell warres in Asia that forced hée was to goe thither in his 〈◊〉 persō to resist Sapor king of the Persians a very valiant man of warre and fortunate in his enterprises which happinesse of his not long time after the arriuall of Valerian into Asia hée manifested and shewed For being betwene them such hot cruell warres in a skyrmish throughe the greate faulte of the Generall which had the conduct of the armie the Emperour Valerian was taken and brought into the puissance of King Sapor his enimie which curssed tyrant so wiekedly vsed that victorie as hée would by no meanes put the Emperour to raunsome towardes whom hée vsed such crueltie that so ofte and so many 〈◊〉 as hée was disposed to gette vp on horsebacke hée vsed the bodie of olde Valerian to serue him for aduantage setting his féete vppon the throate of that aged gentleman In that miserable office and vnhappie captiuitie serued and dyed the good Emperour Valerian not without the greate 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 that knew him and the ruefull compassion of those that fawe him which the Romans considering and that neyther by offre of golde siluer or other meanes they were able to redéeme Valerian they determined to choose for Emperour his 〈◊〉 sonne called Galienus which they did more for respect of the father than for any mynde or corage they knewe 〈◊〉 bée in the sonne Who afterwardes shewed him selfe to bée 〈◊〉 different from the conditions of his father Valerian being in his entreprises a cowarde in his promisses a lyer in correction cruell towardes them that serued him vnthanckfull and which is worse hée gaue hymselfe to his desires and yealded place to sensualitie By meanes wherof in his time the Romaine Empire more than in any other raigne lost most prouinces and 〈◊〉 greatest shame In factes of warre hée was a cowarde and in gouernement of common wealth a verie weake and séeble man Galienus not caring for the state of the Empire became so miserable as the Gouernors of the same gaue ouer their obedience and in the time of his raigne there rose vp thirtie tirantes which vsurped the same Whose names doe followe Cyriades Posthumus that yonger Lollius Victorinus Marius Ingenuus Regillianus Aureolus Macrianus Machianus the yonger Quietus Odenatus Herodes Moenius Ballista Valens Piso Emilianus Staturninus Tetricus 〈◊〉 the yonger Trebelianus 〈◊〉 Timolaus Celsus Titus 〈◊〉 Claudius Aurelius and Quintillus of whom eightene were captens and seruiters vnder the good Emperour Valerian Such delighte had the Romanes in that auncient worlde to haue good Capteins as were able to bée preferred to bée 〈◊〉 Nowe in that tyme the Romanes had for their Captein generall a knight called Odenatus the prince of Palmerines a man truelie of greate vertue and of passing industrie hardinesse in factes of warre This Captain Odenatus maried a woman that descended of the auncient linage of the Ptolomes sometimes kings of 〈◊〉 named Zenobia which if the historians doe not deceiue vs was one of the most famous Women of the worlde She hadde the hearte of Alexander the greate she possessed the riches of Croesus the diligence of Pyrrhus the trauell of Haniball the warie foresight of Marcellus the iustice of Traiane When Zenobia was maried to Odenatus she had by hir other husband a sonne called Herodes by Odenatus she had two other wherof the one was called 〈◊〉 and the other Ptolomeus And when the Emperour Valerian was vanquished and taken Odenatus was not then in the Campe. For as all men thought if he had bene ther they had not receued so great an ouerthrow So sone as good Odenatus was aduertized of that defaict of Valerian in great haste he marched to that Roman Campe that then was in great disorder Which with greate diligence hée reassembled and reduced the same to order and holpen by good Fortune 〈◊〉 dayes after he recouered all that which Valerian had loste making the Persian king to 〈◊〉 by meanes wherof and for that Odenatus had taken charge of the armie hée wanne amonges the Romans great reputation truely not without cause For if in that good time hée had not receiued the 〈◊〉 the name and glorie of the Romans had taken ende in Asia During all this time Galienus liued in his delightes at Millan without care or thought of the common wealth consuming in his wilfull vices the money that was 〈◊〉 for the men of warre Which was the cause that the gouernours of the prouinces and Captens generall seing him to be so vicious and negligent 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and armies which they had in charge Galienus voide of all obedience sauing of the Italians Lombards the first that rose vp against him were Posthumus in Fraunce Lollianus in Spaine Victorinus in Africa Marius in 〈◊〉 Ingenuus in Germanie Regillianus in Denmark Aureolus in Hungarie Macrianus in Mesopotamia Odenatus in Syria Before Odenatus rose against Valerian Macrianus enioyed Mesopotamia the greatest part of Syria wherof Odenatus hauing intelligence hée marched with his power against him and killed him and discomfited all his armie The death of the Tyran Macrian being knowen and that Galienus was so vicious the armies in Asia assembled and chose Odenatus Emperour which election although the Sonate publicklie durst not agrée vpon yet secretlie they allowed it bycause they receiued dailie newes of the great exploites and dedes of armes done by 〈◊〉 and sawe on the other syde the great cōtinued follies of Galienus Almost thrée yeares and a halfe was
that you will 〈◊〉 secretely to tary here with my mother vntill I returne from Modena which shall be with so great expedition as I can and the cause why I desire the same is for that I intend to make a faire and acceptable present of you vnto your husband in the presence of that principal of this Citie The gentlewoman knowing hirself to be greatly bound to the Knight and that hys request was honest disposed hir self to doe what he demaunded Albeit she desired earnestly to reioyce hir frendes 〈◊〉 hir recouered life and so promised vpon hir faith And vnnethes had she ended hir talke but she felt the payne of childbirth wherfore with the aide of the mother of master Gentil she taried not long before she was deliuered of a faire sonne which greatly augmēted the 〈◊〉 of master Gentil and hir Maister Gentil commaunded that she should haue all things that were necessary ministred vnto hir and that she should be vsed as though she wer his owne wife Then he 〈◊〉 returned to Modena where when he had a while supplied his office he returned to Bologna and prepared a great feast at his house the same morning that he arriued for diuers gentlemen of the citie amongs 〈◊〉 Nicholas Chasennemie was one When the cōpany of the 〈◊〉 guests 〈◊〉 the gentlewoman in so good helth liking as 〈◊〉 she was and hir childe wel and lusty he sate downe amongs thē doing vnto them incomparable mirthe and pastime and serued them bountifully wyth diuerse fortes of meates When dinner was almost done hauing before tolde the Gentlewoman what be ment to doe and in what manner she shoulde behaue hir selfe he began thus to saye My maisters I do remember that whilom I haue heard tell that in the Countrie of Persia there was a goodly custome as me séemeth that when some one was disposed to doe great honoure vnto his friend he bad hym home to his house and there shewed him the thyng which he loued best were it wyfe woman daughter or what so euer it were affirming that like as he disdained not to shewe the same which outwardly he loued best euen so he wold if it were possible willingly discouer his owne heart which custome I purpose to obserue in this citie Ye of your 〈◊〉 haue 〈◊〉 to doe me so greate honor as to repair vnto this my simple 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 I wil recompēce after the Persian maner by shewing vnto you the thing which I loue most déerely aboue any in this world or hereafter shal be able to loue so long as my life endureth but before I do the same I pray you to tell me your opinion in a doubt which I shall propose There was a certaine person which in hys house had a good faithful seruaunt who became extremely sick that person without attending the end of his diseased seruāt caused him to be caried into the midst of the 〈◊〉 without any further care for him In the meane time there 〈◊〉 a straunger by who moued by compassion of the sicke seruaunt bare him home to his owne house where with great care and diligence sparing no cost or charge made him 〈◊〉 recouer his former helth I wold now fain know of you whither for 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the seruice of that seruaunt his first maister by good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cōplaine vpon the second 〈◊〉 he should demannd him again or by demaunding of him againe the second not disposed to restore him might 〈◊〉 any damage The gentlemen after many opinions and arguments debated too 〈◊〉 amongs them and at lengthe all concluding in one mind gaue charge 〈◊〉 Nicholas Chasennemie bicause he was an eloquent talker to make the answer who first 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 custome sayde that he was with the rest of this opinion that the first maister had no further title in hys seruaunt hauing in such necessitie not only forsaken him but throwen him into the 〈◊〉 and that for the good turnes which the secōd master had done him he oughte by good right to be his wherefore by keping him he did no wrong 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 to the first All the rest at the Table whith were right honest persones sayde all togither that they were of his opinion The Knight content with that answer and specially bicause Nicholas Chasonnemie had pronoūted it affirmed that he was likewise of that minde and afterwardes he sayd Time it is then that I render vnto you the honor which you haue done me in manner accordinglye as I haue promised Then he called vnto him two of his seruauntes and sent them to the Gentlewoman whome he had caused to be apparelled and 〈◊〉 very gorgeously praying hir by hir presence to content and satisfie all the companie And she takyng in hir armes hir little faire sonne came into the hall accompanied wyth the two seruauntes and was placed as it pleased the Knight bisides a very honest Gentleman and then he sayde 〈◊〉 beholde the thing whyth I loue best and purpose to loue aboud all worldly things whither I haue occasion so to doe your eyes may be iudges The 〈◊〉 doing 〈◊〉 reuerence vnto hir greatly praised hir said to the Knight that there was good reason why she ought to be beloued Upon which commendations they began more attentiuely to beholde hir and many of them would haue sayd and sworne that it had bene she in déede if it had not bene thought that she had bene dead But Nicholas behelde hir more than the rest who very desirous to know what she was could not forbeare when he saw that the Knight was a little departed from the place to aske hir whyther she was of Bologna or a straunger When the gentlewoman sawe hir husband to aske hir that question she coulde scarce forbeare frō making answere notwithstanding to atchieue that which was purposed she helde hir peace Another asked hir if that little Boy was hirs and another if she were the wife of master Gentil or any kin vnto him vnto whome she gaue no answer at all But when master Gentil came in one of the straungers sayd vnto him Syr this gentle womā is a very goodly creature but she séemeth to be 〈◊〉 Is it true or not Sirs sayd maister Gentil that is but a litle argument of hir vertue for this time to hold hir peace Tel vs then sayd he what is she That will I doe very gladly sayd the Knight vnder condition that none of you shall remoue out of his place for any thing I speake vntill I haue ended my tale which request being graunted and the table taken vp maister Gentil which was set downe by the gentlewoman said My maisters this gentlewoman is the loyall and faithfull seruant of whome 〈◊〉 I propounded the question whome I haue relieued from amids the strete whither hir kin litle caring for hir threw hir as a vile and vnprofitable thing haue by my greate care brought to passe that I haue discharged hir from death vpon an affection which God knoweth
day the Souldan purposing to send him the nyght following he caused to be made redy in a great hall a very fair and rich bed all quilted according to their manner with veluet and clothe of gold and caused to be laide ouer the same a Couerlet wrought ouer with borders of very great pearles rich precious stones which euer afterwardes was déemed to be an infinite treasure and two pillowes sutelike vnto that bed that done he commaunded that they should inuest master Thorello who nowe was 〈◊〉 with a Sarazineroabe the richest and fairest thing that euer any man saw vpon his head one of his longest bands wreathen according to their māner being alredy late in the Euening he and diuers of his Barons went into the chamber wher master Thorello was and being set downe bisides hym in wéeping wise he began to say Master Thorello the time of our separation doth now approche and bicause that I am not able to accompany you ne cause you to be waited vpon for the qualitie of the way which you haue to passe I must take my leaue here in this chāber for which purpose I am come hither Wherefore before I bid you farewel I pray you for the loue and friendship that is betwene vs that you do remēber me if it be possible before our dayes do end after you haue giuen order to your affaires in Lombardie to come againe to sée me before I die to the end that I being reioyced with your second visitation may be satisfied of the pleasure which I loose this day for your vntimely hast trusting that it shall come to passe I pray you let it not be tedious vnto you to visite me with your letters and to require me in things wherein it may like you to commaunde which assuredly I shall accomplishe more frankly for you than for any other liuing man Master Thorello was not able to retaine his teares wherefore to staye the same he answered him in fewe woordes that it was impossible that euer he should forget his benefites and his worthy friendship extended vpon him and that without default he wold accomplish what he had commaūded if God did lend him life and leysure Then Saladine louingly imbracing kissing him pouring forth many teares bad him farewell and so went out of the chamber And all the other Noble men afterwards tooke their leaue likewise of him departed with Saladine into the hall where he had prepared the bed but being already late and the Necromancer attending and hasting his dispatch a Phisitian brought him a drinke made him beleue that it would fortifie strengthen him in his iorney causing him to drinke the same which being done within a while after he fell a sléepe and so sléeping was borne by the commaundement of Saladine and layde vpon the faire bed whereupon he placed a rich and goodly crowne of passing price and valor vpō the which he had ingrauen so plaine an inscription as afterwards it was knowne that the same was sent by Saladine to the wife of master Thorello After that he put a King vpon his finger whych was beset with a Diamonde so shining as it séemed like a flaming torche the value whereof was hard to be estéemed Then he caused to be girte about him a sworde the furniture and garnishing whereof coulde not easily he valued and bisides all this he hong vpon his 〈◊〉 a Tablet or Brooche beset wyth stones and Pearles that the like was neuer séene And afterwards he placed on either of hys sides two excéeding great Golden basens full of double Ducates and many Cordes of Pearles and rings girdles and other things to tedious to reherse wherewith he bedecked the place about him Which done 〈◊〉 kissed him againe and wylled the Necromancer to make hast Wherefore incontinently master Thorello and the bed in the presence of Saladine was caried out of sight and Saladine taried still deuising and talking of him amongs his Barons Master Thorello being now laide in S. Peters Church at Pauie according to his request with all his Jewels and habillimēts aforesaid about him yet fast a slepe the Sexten to ring to Mattens entred the Churche with light in his hand and chauncing sodenly to espie the rich bed did not only maruell thereat but also ran away in great feare And when the Abbot and the Monkes saw that he made suche hast away they were abashed and asked the cause why he ran so fast The Sexten tolde them the matter Why how now sayd the Abbot Thou art not suche a Babe ne yet so newly come vnto the Churche as thou oughtest so lightly to be afraide But let vs goe and sée what bugge hath so terribly frayed thée And then they lighted many Torches And when the Abbot and his Monkes were entred the Church they sawe that wonderfull rich bed and the Gentleman sléeping vpon the same And as they were in this doubt and feare beholding the goodly Jewels and durst not goe néere the bed it chaunced that master Thorello awaked 〈◊〉 a great sighe The Monkes so soone as they saw that and the Abbot with them ran all away crying out God help vs our Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Master Thorello opened his eyes and plainely knew by looking round about him that he was in the place where he demaunded to be of Saladine whereof he was very gladde and rising vp and viewing particularlye what he had about him albeit he knew before the magnificence of Saladine now he thought it greater and better vnderstoode the same than before But séeing the Monkes run away and knowing the cause wherefore he begā to call the Abbot by his name and intreate him not to be afraide For he was master Thorello his Neuewe The Abbot hearing that was dryuen into a greater feare bicause hée was accompted to be deade dyuerse moneths before but afterwards by diuerse arguments assured that he was master Thorello and so often called by hys name making a signe of the Crosse he went vnto him To whome master Thorello sayd Whereof be you afraide good father I am aliue I thanke God and from beyond the Sea returned hither The Abbot although he had a great bearde and apparelled after the guise of Arabie crossed him selfe againe and was well assured that it was he Then he tooke hym by the hand and sayd vnto him as foloweth My sonne thou art welcome home and maruell not that we were afraid for there is none in all this Citie but doth certainly beleue that thou art dead In so much as madame Adalietta thy wife vāquished with the prayers and threates of hir friendes and kin against hir will is betrouthed againe and this day the espousals shall be done For the mariage and all the preparation necessary for the feast is ready Master Thorello rising out of the rich bed and reioysing with the Abbot all his Monks prayed euery of them not to speake one word of his comming home vntill he had done
antiquitie as for the pleasant 〈◊〉 therof All were of hir aduise went to sée that antiquities of Ancona she to renue the pleasures which she had before begon with hir Bologna who was aduertised of all hir determination resting now like a God possessed with the iewels richesse of the Duchesse had taken a faire palace in the great streat of the Citie by that gate wherof the train of his Ladie must passe The Harbinger of the Duchesse posted before to take vp lodging for the traine but Bologna offred vnto him his Palace for the Lady So Bologna which was already welbeloued in Ancona and entred new amitie and great acquaintance with the Gentlemen of the Citie with a goodly troupe of them went forth to 〈◊〉 his wife to whome he 〈◊〉 his house and besought hir that she and hir traine would vouchsafe to lodge with him She receiued the same very thākfully and withdrew hir self vnto his house who conducted 〈◊〉 thither not as a Husband but like hym that was hir humble and affectionate seruaunt But what néedeth much discourse of woordes The Duchesse knowing that it was impossible but eche man must be 〈◊〉 to hir facte and know what secretes hath passed betwéene hir and hir Husband to the ende that no other opinion of hir Childebed should be conceyued but that which was good and honest and done since the accomplishment of the mariage the morrowe after hir arriuall to Ancona assembled all hir traine in the Hall of purpose no longer to kéepe secrete that syr Bologna was hir Husbande and that already she had had two Children by him and againe was great with childe And when they were come together after dinner in that presence of hir husbād she spake vnto thē these 〈◊〉 Gentlemen and al ye my trusty and louing seruants highe time it is to manifest to euery of you the thing which hath ben done before the face and in the presence of him who knoweth the most obscure hyddē secrets of our thoughts And néedefull it is not to kepe silent that which is neither euill done ne hurtfull to aný person If things could be kept secrete and still remaine vnknown except they were declared by the doers of thē yet would not I commit the wrong in cōcealing that which to discouer vnto you doth greatly delite me and deliuereth my mind 〈◊〉 excéeding grief in such wise as if that flames of my desire could breake out with such violence as the fire hath taken heat within my mind ye shold sée the smoke mount vp with greater smoulder than that which the mount Gibel doeth vomit forth at certaine seasons of the yeare And to the intent I may not kéepe you long in this suspect this secrete fire within my heart and that which I will cause to flame in open aire is a certain opinion which I conceiue for a mariage by me made certaine yeares past at what time I chose and wedded a husband to my fantasie and liking desirous no longer to liue in widow state and vnwilling to doe the thing that should 〈◊〉 hurt my conscience The same is done and yet in one thing I haue offended which is by long kéeping secrete the performed mariage for the wicked brute dispearsed through the realme by reason of my childbed one yere past hath displeased some howbeit my conscience 〈◊〉 comfort for that the same is frée from fault or blot Now know ye therfore what he is whome I acknowledge for my Lord and spouse and who it is that lawfully hath me espoused in the presēce of this Gentle woman whom you sée which is the witnesse of our Nuptials accorde of mariage This gentleman here present Antonio Bologna is he to whom I haue sworn and giuen my faith and hée againe to me hath ingaged his owne He it is whom I accompt for my spouse and husband with whome henceforth I meane to rest and continue In consideration wherof if there be any héere amongs you all that shall mislike of my choise is willing to wait vpon my sonne the Duke I meane not to let them of their intent praying them faithfully to serue him and to be carefull of his person and to be vnto him so honest and loyall as they haue bene to me so long as I was their mistresse But if any of you desire stil to make your abode with me and to be partakers of my wealth and woe I wil so entertain him as hée shall haue good cause to be contented if not depart ye hence to Malfi and the steward shall prouide for either of you according to your degrée for touching my self I do minde no more to be termed an infamous Duchesse rather had I be honored with the title of a simple Gentle woman or with that estate which she can haue that hath an honest husband and with whom she holdeth faithfull and loyall companie than reuerēced with the glory of a Princesse subiect to the despite of slaunderous tongues Ye know said she to Bologna what hath passed betwene vs and God is the witnesse of the integritie of my Conscience wherefore I pray you bring forth our children that eche man may beholde the fruites raised of our alliance Hauing spoken those words and the children brought forth into the hall all the companie stode stil so astonned with that new successe and tale as though hornes sodainely had started forth their heads and rested vnmoueable and amazed like the great marble piller of Rome called Pasquile for so much as they neuer thought ne coniectured that Bologna was the successor of the Duke of Malfi in his mariage bed This was the preparatiue of the Catastrophe bloudie end of this Tragedie For of all the Duchesse seruaunts there was not one that was willing to continue with their auncient mistresse who with the faithful maiden of hir chamber remained at Ancona enioying the ioyful embracements of hir husband in al such pleasure delights as they doe which hauing liued in feare be set at liberty out of al suspition plunged in a sea of ioy fleting in the quiet calme of al passetime where Bologna had none other care but how to please his best beloued she studied nothing else but how to loue and obey him as the wife ought to do hir husband But this faire weather lasted not long for although that ioyes of mē do not long endure and wast in litle time yet delights of louers be lesse firme stedfast passe away almost in one moment of an hour Now the seruaunts of the Duchesse which were retired and durst tary no longer with hir fearing the fury of the Cardinal of Aragon brother to the Ladie the very day they departed from Ancona deuised amongs themselues that one of them shold ride in post to Rome to aduertise the Cardinal of the Ladies mariage to the intent that the Aragon brethren shold conceiue no cause to accuse thē of felonie treason That
abandon all that I haue yea therwithall hazard mine honor for his saluation But what Shal I disdaine bountifully to imploy my self al the endeuor of my friends for his deliuery No no my Lords if I had a thousand liues so many honors at my commaundement I wold giue them al for his relief and comfort yea if it were possible for me to recouer a fresh x. C. M. liues I wold so frankly bestow them all as euer I desired to liue that I might enioy mine own Aloisio But I am sory and euer shal be sory for that it is not lawful for me to do more for him thā that which my smal power and possibilitie is able For if he shold die truly my life could not endure if he were depriued of life what plesure should I haue to liue in this world after him wherby most honorable righteous iudge I beleue before the honest not to lose any one iote of mine honor bicause I being as you may sée yong woman a widow desirous to mary againe it is lawful for me to loue and to be beloued for none other intent whereof God is the only iudge but to attaine a husband according to my degrée But if I should lose my reputation and honor why should not I aduenture the same for him that hath not spared his owne for my sake Nowe to come to the effect of the matter I doe say with all duetifull reuerence that it is an accusation altogither false and vntrue that euer master Aloisio came to my house as a Théefe against my will For what nede he to be a thefe or what would he doe with my goodes that is a lorde and owner of xx times so muche as I haue Alas good Gentleman I dare depose and guage my life that he neuer thoughte much lesse dyd any robberie or thing vnlawfull wherewith iustly he may be charged But he repaired to my house with my consent as a louing and affectionate louer the circumstance whereof if it be duely marked must aduouch the same to be of trouthe infallible For if I had not giuen him licence to come how was it possible for him to conuey his ladder so high that was made but of ropes and to fasten the same to the iaume of the window if none within did helpe hym Againe how could the window of the chamber be open at that time of the night which is still kept shut if it had not bene by my consent But I with the helpe of my mayde threwe downe to him a litle rope whervnto he tied his ladder and drew the same vp and making it so fast as it could not vndo and then made a signe for maister Aloisio to come vp But as bothe our ill fortune wold haue it before I could catch any hold of him to mine inestimable grief and hearts sorrowe he fell downe to the ground Wherfore my lordes I beséeche your honours to reuoke the confession wherein he hath made him selfe to be a thefe And you maister Aloisio declare the trouth as it was sith I am not ashamed in this honorable assemblie to tel the same Behold the letters my lords whiche so many times he wrote vnto me wherein hée made sute to come to my speach and continually in the same doth call me wife Behold the ladder which till nowe did still remaine in my chamber Beholde my maide which in all mine affaires is as it were myne owne hande and helper Master Aloisio being here vppon demaunded of the Lords of the articles which she in hir tale had recited cōfessed them all to be true who at the same instant was discharged The Duke greatly commended them both hir for hir stoute audacitie in defense of an innocent Gentleman and him for his honor and modestie séeking to preserue the fame and good reporte of the Gentlewoman Whiche done the Counsell disassembled and brake vp And the friendes of bothe the parties accompanied them home to the house of mistresse Gismonda where to the greate reioyce and pleasure of al men they were solemnely maried in sumptuous and honorable wise and maister Aloisio with his wyfe liued in greate prosperitie long time after Mistresse Lucia and mistresse Isotta at the expired time were deliuered of two goodly sonnes in whome the fathers toke great ioy and delight Who with their wiues after that tyme lyued very quietly and well one louing an other like naturall brethren many times sporting among them selues discretely at the deceipts of their wiues The wisedom of the Duke also was wonderfully extolled and cōmended of all men the fame whereof was increased and bruted throughout the region of Italy And not without cause For by hys prudence and aduise the dominion of the state and Common wealth was amplified and dilated And yet in the ende béeing olde and impotent they vnkindely deposed hym from his Dukedome The Lorde of Virle ¶ The Lorde of VIRLE by the commaundement of a a faire yong widow called ZILIA and for his promyse made the better to attaine hir loue was contented to remaine dumbe the space of three yeares and by what meanes he was reuenged and obtained his sute The. xxvij Nouel THey that haue passed the most parte of their youth in humain folies and haue rather followed the vanities of fooles insensate louers in matters of loue and that the contemplation of heauenly things or else of those that here on erth may giue some entrie for man to attayne glorie and honor of his name they I say shall serue me for witnesses to confirme the opinion of long time rooted in the fansies of men which is that the beautie and comely fauor of a woman is the very true naturall Adamant that can be found sith the same stone for a certain attractiue power and agreable qualitie therin inclosed doth not better draw the iron than the woman doth by a certain hiddē force which resting vnder the alluremēt of hir eye draweth vnto it that hearts affectiōs of men which hath made many beléene that the same onely essence was sent to vs below to serue both for mens torment and ioy together But yet there is an other thyng of greater wonder it is not to heare tel that Paris for sooke Troy to go visite Helena in Grece that Hercules had giuen ouer his mace to handle the 〈◊〉 at the cōmandement of a woman or that Salomon was sotted in his wisedom to dalie with those that made hym a volūtarie slaue But that a woman of whom a man had receiued no fauour and curtesie at all had forgotten hir owne duetie to hir seruant if it séeme not straunge I can not tell what to call wonderfull or maruellous if defense of speach for loue is not déemed such wherby man is different from brute beastes for reason is altogether refused by louers and notwithstanding oure fathers haue séene the example of that vertue no long time past in the person of a Gentleman very wise and
sight the Ladie brought the seruauntes of these Noble men willing them to marke and beholde the diligence of their maisters and to imitate the industry of their goodly exercise who neuer attained meat before by laboure they had gained the same Which done she made thē take their horse furnitures of their Lords and to depart otherwise if by violence they resisted she wold cause their choler to be calmed with such like seruice as they sawe done before their eyes The seruaunts séeing no remedy but must néedes depart toke their leaue Afterwards she sent one of hir seruauntes in poste to the Court to aduertise hir husbād of all that which chaunced The Boeme Knight receiuing this good newes declared the same vnto the King and Quéene and recited the whole story of the two Hungarian Barons accordingly as the tenor of his wiues letters did purporte The Princes stoode stil in great admiration and highly commended the wisdome of the Lady 〈◊〉 hir for a very sage and politike woman Afterwardes the Knight Vlrico humbly besought the King for execution of his decrée and performance of the bargaine Wherupon the King assembled his counsell and required euery of them to say their mind Upon the deliberation whereof the Lord Chauncelor of the kingdome with two Counsellers were sent to the Castle of the Boeme Knight to enquire and learne the processe and doings of the two Lords who diligently accomplished the Kings commaundemēt And hauing examined the Lady and hir maiden with other of the house the Barons also whome a little before the arriual of these Cōmissioners the Lady had caused to be put together that by spinning réeling they might cōfort one an other Whē the Lord Chaūcelor had framed digested in order the whole discours of this history retourned to the court where the King Quene with the Pieres Noble men of his kingdom caused the actes of the same to be diuulged bruted abrode and after much talke and discourse of the performance of this cōpact pro cōtra the Quéene taking the Ladies parte and fauoring the Knight the King gaue sentēce that sir Vlrico shold wholy possesse the lands and goods of the two Barons to him and to his heirs for euer and that the Barons shold be banished out of the kingdoms of Hungarie Boeme neuer to returne vpon paine of death This sentēce was put in execution the vnfortunat Barōs exiled which specially to those that wer of their consanguinitie and bloud séemed too seuere rigorous Neuerthelesse the couenaunt being most plaine euident to most men the same séemed to be pronounced with great Iustice and equitie for example in time to come to lessō rash wits how they iudge déeme so indifferētly of womēs behauiors amōgs whom no doubt ther be both good bad as there be of men Afterwardes the. y. Princes sent for the Lady to that Court who there was courteously intertained for this hir wise politike fact had in great admiration The Quéene then appointed hir to be one of hir womē of honor estemed hir very déerely The knight also daily grew to great promotion well beloued and fauored of the King who with his Lady lōg time liued in great ioy felicitie not forgetting the cunning mā Pollacco that made him the image and likenesse of his wife whose frendship and labor he rewarded with money and other benefites very liberally Dom Diego and Gineura ¶ DOM DIEGO a Gentleman of Spaine 〈◊〉 in loue with faire GINEVRA and she with him their loue by meanes of one that enuied DOM DIEGO his happie choise was by default of light credite on hir part interrupted He constant of minde fell into despair and abandoning all his 〈◊〉 and liuing repaired to the Pyrene Mountains where he led a sauage life for certain mōths and afterwardes knowne by one of his friendes was by maruellous circumstaunce reconciled to hys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and maried The. xxix Nouel MEnnes mischaunces occurring on the bruntes of diuers Tragicall fortunes albeit vpon their first taste of bitternesse they sauor of a certaine kinde of lothsome relish yet vnder the Kinde of that vnsauerouse sappe doeth lurke a swéeter honie than swéetenesse it selfe for the fruite that the posterity may gather and learne by others hurtes howe they may 〈◊〉 and shunne the like But bicause all things haue their seasons and euery thing is not conuenient for all times and places I purpose now to shewe a Notable example of a vaine and superstitious Louer that abandoned his liuing and friendes to become a Sauage desert man Which Historie resembleth in a manner a Tragical comedie comprehending the very same mater and argument wherewith the greatest part of the 〈◊〉 sortearme them selues to couer and defende their follies It is red and séene too often by common custome and therfore 〈◊〉 héere to display what rage doeth gouerne and headlong hale fonde and licentious youthe conducted by the pangue of loue if the same be not moderated by reason and cooled with sacred lessons euen from the Cradle to more mature and riper age For the Tiranny of loue amongs all the deadly foes that 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 our mindes glorieth of his force vaunting himselfe able to chaunge the proper nature of things be they neuer so sounde and perfect who to make them like his lustes 〈◊〉 himself into a substance qualified diuersly the better to intrap such as be giuen to his vanities But hauing auouched so many examples before I am content for this present to tel the discourse of two persons chaunced not long sithens in Catheloigne Of a Gentleman that for his constancy declared two extremities in him selfe of loue and follie And of a Gentlewoman so fickle and inconstant as loue and they which waited on him be disordered for the trustlesse ground wherupon such foundation of seruice is layed which ye shall easely conceiue by well viewing the difference of these twaine 〈◊〉 I meane to 〈◊〉 to the listes by the blast of this 〈◊〉 trumpe And thus the same beginneth Not long after that the victorious Noble prince yong 〈◊〉 the sonne of Alphonsus King of Aragon was dead Levves the twelfth that time being Frenche King vpon the Marches of Catheloigne betwene Barcelona and the Mountaines there was a good Lady then a widow which had bene the wife of an excellent and Noble knight of the Countrey by whome she had left one only daughter which was so carefully brought 〈◊〉 by the mother as nothing was to deare or heard to be brought to passe for hir desire thinking that a creature so Noble and perfecte could not be trained vp too delicately Now bisides hir incōparable furniture of beautie this yong Gentlewoman was adorned with haire so faire curle and yealow as the new fined gold was not matchable to the shining lockes of this tender infant who therefore commonly was called Gineura la Blonde Halfe a dayes iorney from the house of this widow lay the lands of
for that she was the cause of the losse of so notable and perfecte a Knyght as Dom Diego was Then she redde the Letter vnto hir and as all hir cloquence was not able to moue that cruel damsell more venomous than a serpent against the knight who as she thought had not indured the one halfe of that which his inconstancie and lightnesse well deserued whose obstinate mind the mother perceiuing said vnto hir I pray to God deare daughter that for youre 〈◊〉 you be not blinded in your beautie for the refusal of so great a benefit as is the alliāce of Dom Diego you be not abused with such a one as shal dimme the light of your renoume glory whiche hitherto you haue gained amongs the sobrest and modest maidens Hauing said so the wise and sage widow went toward the seruant of Dom Diego of whō she demaūded what 〈◊〉 his master departed which she knowing not igno rant of the occasion was more wroth than before notwithstānding she dissembled what she thought sending back his seruant she required him to do hir hartie commendations to the lady his mistresse which he did The good lady was ioyful therof for not knowing that cōtents of hir sonnes letters she loked that he had sent word vnto his lady of the iust houre of his returne But when she saw that in xx dayes nor yet within a moneth he came not she could not tell what to thinke so dolorous was she for the absence of hir son The time passing without hering any newes frō him she began to tormēt hir self and be so pensiue as if she had heard certaine newes of his death Alas quod she and wherfore haue the heuēs giuē me the possession of such an exquisite fruite to depriue me thereof before I doe partake the goodnesse and swéetenesse therof and enioy the grifts proceding from so goodly a stocke Ah God I feare that my immoderate loue is the occasion of the losse of my 〈◊〉 and the whole ruine of the mother with the demolition and wast of all our goodes And I woulde that it had pleased God my sonne that hunters game had neuer ben so dere for thinkyng to catche the praie thou thy selfe was taken and thou wandring for thy better disport missing the right way so strangely didst 〈◊〉 that hard it is to reduce thée into the right track again At least wise if I knew the place whervnto thou arte repaired to fynde againe thy losse I woulde trauaile thither to beare 〈◊〉 companie rather than to lyne here voide of a husbande betrayed by them whome I best trusted and 〈◊〉 from the presence of thée my sonne the staffe and onely comforte of myne olde age and the certaine hope of al our house and familie Now if the mother vered hir selfe the sonne was eased with no great reioyse being now a frée citizen with the beastes foules of the forestes dennes and caues leauing not the profunditie of the wooddes the craggednesse of the rocks or beautie of the valey without some signe or token of his grief Sometime with a puncheon well sharpned seruing him in stéede of a penknife he graued the successe of his loue vpon on hard stone Other times the soft barke of some tender and new growen spraye serued him in place of paper or parchement For there he carued in 〈◊〉 proprely combined with a knotte not easily to be knowne the name of his Ladie interlaced so proprely with his owne that the finest 〈◊〉 might be deceiued to disciphre the right interpretatiō Upon a day then as he passed his time according to his custome to muse vpon his myssehaps and to frame his successe of loue in the ayre he ingraued these verses on a stone by a fountaine side adioyning to his sauage and rusticall house If any forrest Pan doth haunt here in this place Or Wandring Nymphe hath heard my wofull plaint The one may well behold and view what drop of grace I haue deseru'de and eke what griefes my heart doth taint The other lend to me some broke or shoure of raine To moist mine heart and eyes the gutters of my braine Somewhat further of many times at the rising of the Sunne he mounted the toppe of an highe and gréene Mountaine to solace himselfe vpon the freshe and gréene grasse where four pillers were erected either naturally done by dame Nature hir self or wrought by the industry of mā which bore a stone in forme foure square wel hewed made and trimmed in maner of an Altare vpon which Altare he dedicated these verses to the posteritie Vpon this holy squared stone which Altare men doe call To some one of the Gods aboue that consecrated is This dolefull verse I consecrate in token of my thrall And deadly griefes that do my silly hearte oppresse And vexe with endlesse paines which neuer quiet is This wofull verse I say as surest gage of my distresse I graue on Altare stone for euer to remaine To shew the heart of truest wight that euer liued in paine And vpon the brims of that table he carued these words This Mason worke erected here shall not so long abide As shall the common name of two that now vncoupled be Who after froward fortune past knit eche in one degre Shall render for right earnest loue reward on either side And before his lodging in that wilde and stony 〈◊〉 vpon the barke of a goodly lofty Béeche trée féeling in himself an vnaccustomed lustinesse thus he wrote Th' increasing beautie of thy shape extending far thy name By like increase I hope to see so stretched forth my fame His man séeing him to begin to be merily disposed one day said vnto him And wherfore sir serueth that lute which I brought amongs our males if you do not assay therby to recreate your self sing thereupon that praises of hir whome you loue so well yea and if I may so say by worshipping hir you doe commit Idolatry in your mind Is it not your pleasure that I fetch the same vnto you that by imitation of Orpheus you may moue the trées rockes and wilde beasts to bewaile your misfortune and witnesse the penaūce that you do for hir sake without cause of so heinous punishmēt I sée wel 〈◊〉 the Knight that thou woldest I should be mery but mirth is so far from me as I am estraunged frō hir that holdeth me in this misery Notwithstāding I wil perform thy request and will awake that instrument in this desert place wherwith sometime I witnessed that greatest part of my passions Then the Knight receiuing the Lute sounded therupon this song ensuing The waues and troubled 〈◊〉 that moues the seas aloft Which runs roares against the rocks threatneth dāgers oft Resembleth loe the fits of loue That daily doe my fansie moue My heart it is the ship that driues on salt sea 〈◊〉 And reason sailes with senselesse wit and neuer loketh home For loue is guide and leades the daunce That
them that liued intangled with the cōbresome follies of this world Forsomuch quod he as that sprite distracted withdrawn frō worldly troubles is eleuable to the contēplation of heauenly things soner attendeth to the knowledge reuerēce of his God than those that be conuersāt amongs mē and to conclude the cōplaints that delites ambitions couetousnesse vanities superfluities that aboūd in the cōfused maze of worldly troup do cause a misknowledge of our selues a forgetfulnesse of our creator and many times a negligence of pietie and purenesse of religion Whiles the vnknowne Hermit the Knight Roderico talked of these things the seruaunts of Ro. visiting all the corners of the depe and stony cel of those penitēts by fortune espied two saddles one of thē richly wrought armed with plates of stéele that had bene méete for some goodly Ienet And vpon the plate well wrought grauen enameled the golde for all the rust cankring the plate did yet appear For which purpose one of thē said to that seruaūt of Dom Diego Good father hitherto I see neither Mule nor horsse for whome these saddles cā serue I pray 〈◊〉 to sel them vnto vs for they will doe vs more pleasure than presently they do you Maisters quod the Hermit if they like you they be at your cōmaundement In the meane time Roderico hauing ended his talk with the other Hermite without knowing of any thing that he desired said vnto his mē Now sirs to horsse leaue we these pore people to rest in peace let vs goe seeke for the right way which we so wel as they haue lost Sir quod one of his mē there be y. saddles one of them is so exceding faire so wel garnished wrought as euer you saw The knight feling in himself an vnaccustomed motion caused thē to be brought before him as he viewed marked the rich harnesse and trappings of the same he stayeth to loke vpon the hinder part minonly wrought in the mids of the engrauing he red this deuise in the Spanish tong Que brantare la fe es causa muy fea That is to say To violate or breake faith is a thing detestable That only inscription made him to pause a litle more For it was the Poesie that Dom Diego bore ordinarily about his armes which moued him to think that without doubt one of those Pilgrimes was the very same man to whome that saddle did appertain And therfore he bent himself very attentiuely afterwards to behold first the one then the other of those desert Citizens But they were so altered as he was not able to know thē again Dom Diego seing his friend so neare him the desire that he had to know him chafed very much in 〈◊〉 mind and the more his rage begā to ware when he saw Roderico approche neare vnto hym more aduisedly to looke vpon him for he had not his owne affections so much at commaundement but his bloud moued his entrailes and mounting into the euident place caused outwardly the alteration which he endured to appear Roderico seing him to chaūge colour was assured of that which before he durst not suspect that which made him that 〈◊〉 beleue that he was not deceiued was a little tuft of haire so yelow as golde which Dom Diego had vpon his necke wherof Dont Roderico taking heede gaue ouer al suspition was well assured of that he doubted And therefore displaying himself w e his armes opened vpon the 〈◊〉 of his friend imbracing him very louingly bedewing his face with teares sayd vnto him Alas my Lord 〈◊〉 Diego what euil luck frō heauen hath departed you 〈◊〉 that good cōpany of thē which die for sorow to see thēselues be reued of that beuty light ornamēt of their felowship What be they that haue giuen you occasion thus to eclipse the brightnesse of your name when it ought most clerely to shine both for your present pleasure for the honour of your age Is it from me sir that you oughte thus to hide your selfe Doe you thinke howe I am so blinde that I know not right wel you to be that Dom Diego that is so renoumed for vertue and prowesse I woulde not haue taried here so long but to beare away a power to reioyse two persons you being the one by withdrawing you from this heauie and vnséemely wildernesse and my selfe the other by enioying your companie and by bearing newes to your frendes who sith your departure do bewaile and lament the same Dom Diego seing that he was not able to conceyle the truthe of that which was euidently séene and féeling the louing imbracements of his best friende began to féele a certaine tendernesse of heart like vnto that which the mother conceiueth when she hath recouered hir sonne that was long absent or the chast wife the presence of hir deare husbande when she clepeth him betwene hir armes and frankely culleth and cherisheth him at hir pleasure For which cause not able to refrain any longer for ioy and sorow together weping and sighing began to imbrace hym with so good and heartie affection as with good wil the other had sought for his knowledge And being come againe to him self he sayd to his faithfull and most louing friend Oh God howe vneasie and difficult be thy iudgements to cōprehend I had thought to lyue here miserably vnknown to all the world beholde I am here discouered when I thought lest of it I am 〈◊〉 dede quod he to Roderico that wretched vnfortuante Dom Diego euen that your very great louing friende who werie of his life afflicted with his vnhap and tormēted by fortune is retired into these deserts to accomplishe the ouerplus of the rest of his yll lucke Now sith that I haue satisfied you herein I besech you that being content with my sight ye wil get you hence and leaue me here to performe that litle remnāt which I haue to liue without telling to any person that I am aliue or yet to manifest 〈◊〉 place of my abode What is that you say sir sayd Roderico are you so farre straught out of your right wits to haue a minde to continue this brutal life to depriue al your frends from the ioy which they receiue by inioying your cōpanie Thinke I pray you that God hath caused vs to be borne noble men hauing power and authoritie not to liue in corners and buryed amid the slaue rie of the popular fort or remain idle within great palaces or priuie places but rather to illustrat and giue light with the example of our vertue to them which applie themselues to our maner of good behauior do liue as depending vpon our 〈◊〉 commaūdements I appele to your faith what good shal succede to your subiects who haue both heard also known the benefit bestowed vpō them by god for that he gaue them a lord so modest and vertuous before they haue experimented
many taken and diuers Pinnasses by force of their 〈◊〉 escaped In that fight died fewe people but many were hurt and Iohn the captaine general taken prisoner and with him almost all the Barons which of their owne accordes repaired to those warres and besides a great number of souldiers many Ensignes aswel of the field as of the galleis and specially the maine standerd was taken And in the end the Castell being rendred after long voyages and great fortunes by Sea they were al chained caried to Naples and there imprisoned Amonges those prisonners there was a certaine Gentleman called Roland the naturall Sonne of king Federick deceased a yong Prince very comely and valiant Who not being redéemed taried alone in prison very sorowfull to sée all others discharged after they had paid their raunsome and himselfe not to haue wherewith to furnishe the same For King Pietro to whome the care of him appertained by reason he was his brother for that his warres hadde no better successe and done contrary to his commaundement conceiued displeasure so well against him as all others which were at that battell Nowe he then being prisoner without hope of any libertie by meanes of the dampishe prison and his féete clogged with yrons grewe to be sicke and féeble It chaunced by fortune that Camiola remembred him and séeing him forsaken of his brethren had compassion vpon his missehappe in such wise as she purposed if honestly she might doe the same to set him at libertie For the accomplishment whereof without preiudice of hir honoure she sawe none other wayes but to take him to husbande Wherefore she sent diuers vnto him secretely to conferre if he wold come forth vpon that condition whereunto he willingly agréed And performing eche due ceremonie vnder promised faith vpon the gift of a ring willingly by a deputie he espoused Camiola who with so much diligence as she could payed two thousand Crownes for his raunsome and by that meanes he was deliuered When he was returned to Messina he repaired not to his wife but fared as though there had neuer bene any suche talke betwéene them whereof at the beginning Camiola very much maruelled and afterwardes knowing his vnkindenesse was greately offended in hir heart against him Notwithstanding to the entent she might not séeme to be grieued 〈◊〉 reason before she proceded any further caused him louingly to be talked withal and to be exhorted by folowing his promise to consummate the mariage And séeing that he denyed euer any such contract to be made she caused him to be summoned before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudge by whom sentence was giuen that he was hir husband by 〈◊〉 of his owne letters by witnesse of certain other personages of good reputation which afterwards he himself cōfessed his face blushing for shame for that he had forgotten such a manifest benefit and good turne When 〈◊〉 kinde parte of Camiola done vnto him was throughly known he was by his brethren reproued checked for his villany 〈◊〉 by their instigation the persuasion of his friends he was cōtented by hūble request to desire Camiola to performe the 〈◊〉 But the gentle 〈◊〉 which was of great corage in the presence of diuers 〈◊〉 were with him when he required hir therunto answered him in this manner Roland I haue great cause to render thankes to almighty God for 〈◊〉 it pleased him to declare vnto me the proofe of 〈◊〉 vnfaithfulnesse before thou 〈◊〉 by any meanes contaminate vnder the coloure of mariage the puritie of my body and that through his 〈◊〉 by whose most holy name thou 〈◊〉 about to abuse me by false and periured othe I haue foreséene thy 〈◊〉 and deceite wherin I beleue that I haue gained more than I 〈◊〉 haue done by thée in mariage I suppose that whē thou were in prison thou diddest meane no lesse than nowe by effect thou she west and diddest thinke that I forgetting of what house I was presumptuously desired a husband of the royall bloud and therfore wholly inflamed with thy loue diddest purpose to begile me by denying the trothe when thou haddest recouered libertie through my money and thereby to reserue thy 〈◊〉 for some other of more famous alliance being restored to thy former degrée And hereby thou hast giuen proofe of thy will and what minde thou haddest so to do if thine abilitie had bene correspondent But God who frō the lofty skies doth behold the humble low and who forsaketh none that hopeth in him knowing the sinceritie of my conscience hath giuen me the grace by litle trauaile to breake the bandes of thy deceiptes to discouer thine ingratitude and make manifest thine infidelitie which I haue not done only to display the wrōg towards me but that thy brethren other thy friends might from hēceforth know what thou art what affiāce they ought to repose in thy faith thereby what thy friends ought to loke for what thine enimies ought to feare I haue lost my money thou thy good name I haue lost the hope which I had of thée thou the fauor of the king and of thy brethren I the expectation of my mariage thou a true constant wife I the fruits of charitie thou the gaine of amity I an vnfaithful husbād thou a most pure loyal wife Now the Gētlewomen of Sicilia do maruel at my magnificence and beautie and by praises aduaunce the same vp into the heauēs and contrariwise euery of thē do mock thée déeme thée to be infamous The renoumed wryters of eche coūtrey will place me amōgs the ranke of the noblest dames wher thou shalt be depressed throwne down amongs the heapes of the most vnkind True it is that I am somwhat deceiued by deliuering out of prison a yong man of royall and noble race in stede of whome I haue redéemed a rascall a lier a 〈◊〉 of his faith and a cruell beast and take héede hardily how thou do greatly 〈◊〉 thy selfe I wish thée not to think that I was moued to draw thee out of prison and take thée to husband for the good qualities that were in thée but for the memorie of auncient benefits which my father receiued of thine if Federike a king of most sacred remembraunce were thy father for I can scarsly beleue that a sonne so dishonest should procede from so noble a gentlemā as was that famous prince I knowe well thou thinkest that it was an vnworthie thing that a Widow not being of the royal blood shold haue to husband the sonne of a 〈◊〉 so strong and of so goodly personage which I willyngly confesse but I would haue thée a litle to make me answer at lest wise if thou canst by reason when I paide so great a summe of money to deliuer thée from bondage and captiuitie where was then the nobilitie of thy royal race where was thy force of youth and where thy beautie if not that they were closed vp in a terrible prison where thou wast deteined in bitter