doing wrong to either sex I may be allowed to speak the truth both of Men and women and to affirm that there is nothing good at all either in the one or the other But this Man said Parlament was marvellously deceitfull for on the one side he cousened his Maid and on the other side his Wife You do not well understand the story I perceive said Hircan for that saith that he did content them both on one morning and not deceive them which I look upon as a great Act of Virtue both of body and of mind as well by deeds as by words to give content unto two divers persons In that said Parlament he is doubly to be blamed in satisfying the simplicity of the one by Dissimulation and and the longings of the other by Lust but I understand well enough that such Sins as these being brought before such a Judge as you will find an easie pardon You may assure your self said Hircan to please two at once is no easie task and for my own part I will never undertake so great and difficult an enterprise I have given you my Account already and think herein I have not ill imployed my days work If a mutual Love said Parlament cannot content the heart I know no other thing in the world that can give content unto it To speak the truth said Simontault I do believe that there is not a greater punishment in the world than to love and not to be beloved again I do believe you said Oysilla and to that purpose I do remember a Story which indeed doth not deserve to be numbred on the file of good ones but because it is for the present purpose I am content to declare it to you Of a Frier whose Custom it was to bring his complaints to several Husbands which was the occasion that they did beat their Wives The sixth Novell IN the City of Angoulesm where Count Charls the Father of King Francis had oftentimes his residence there was a Frier called De Valles a very knowing Man and so great a Preacher that upon all Sundays in the Advents he preached in the City before the Count by means whereof his Reputation was much increased It so fell out that during the Advent a lusty young fellow of the City having married a handsom young Wench did not desist for all that to ramble up and down and to live as dissolutely if not more than those who were unmarried of which the young Woman being advertised could not hold her peace so that following him up and down and exclaiming on him she received such tokens from him as she would not willingly have and neverthelesse for all that she did not forbear to continue her exclamations and oftentimes would speak very high words and most passionately rail against him The young Man being much incited at it did begin to lay about him and to leave on her shoulders the marks of his displeasure whereat she began to cry out far louder than before and her Neighbours also that knew the occasion of it would inveigh against him and making a great noise in the streets would cry out Now fie on all such Husbands Let them go all to the Devil The Frier De Valles passing by that way and understanding the noise and the occasion of it did determine with himself to speak one word of it in his next dayes Sermon which accordingly he did for speaking of marriage and of the love which ought to be betwixt the Husband and the Wife he did highly praise it and blamed those that did go about to violate it and making a comparison betwixt conjugal and paternal Love he said amongst other things That it was a greater danger and a more grievous punishment for a Husband to beat his Wife than to beat his Father or his Mother for said he if you beat your Father or your Mother you are sent to Rome to do penance but if you beat your Wife both she and all her Neighbours will fall a cursing of you and send you immediately to the Devil that is to say to Hell You are to observe now said he what a difference there is betwixt these two penances for from Rome they do ordinarily come back again but from Hell-Oh There is no teturning Nulla est redemptio Not long after that Sermon he was advertised that Women made their boasts of that which he preached and that their Husbands could live in no quiet for them for which in his next Sermon he did resolve to prescribe an Order for the redresse of that inconvenience And in some part of it he compared Women unto Devils and said that they two were the greatest Enemies that Man had for they did always tempt Man without any intermission and he could never get rid of them especially of the Woman for the Devils he said will fly away if they be but shewed the Crosse but Women clean contrary to them will cleave the faster to them being the greatest cross themselves that can be to their Husbands And this doth make them so to run and to go and doth throw them into such an infinity of passions But good people be ruled by me and I will tell you what you shall do When you do find that your Wives do torment you in this manner without cease as I have said they are accustomed to do take off the handle from your crucisix and with that handle drive them as far from you as you can Do as I bid you and vigorously make experience of it three or four times and you shall find the good that will come of it you shall find that in the same manner that you doe chase away the Devil by the virtue of the Crosse you shall also chase away and make your Wives to hold their peace by the Virtue of the handle of the Crosse and they will no more presume to come too near unto you Loe here some part of the Preachments of that venerable de Valles of whose life I will make here no larger a recital but I can tell you whatsoever appearance he made to the contrary for I knew the man very well yet in his heart he took the Womens parts more than the Mens Madem said Parlament he did not shew it in that last Sermon in which he gave instructions unto Men to beat their Wives You do not understand his drift in it said Hircan had you been exercized in the discipline and the Stratagems of War you would have found that one of the greatest policies that is required is to make a Civil sedition in the Camp of the Enemy because it is then most easie to overcomâ— him In the like manner this Monk the Master of his Arts did understand well enough that the Anger and the Hatred betwixt the Husband and the Wife is the Cause oftentimes that makes the Wife to let loose the reigns of her honesty which being governed no more by virtue doth fall into the hands of
a way to goe out of her own house into a place where privatly she might see him The Gentleman who on that morning had been let blood in the arm finding himself to be better recovered by that Message than he could be by Physick or all the receits that could be given him did teturn word that he would not fail to come at the hour she appointed and that she had wrought an apparent Miracle for by one word she had cured a Man of a Disease for whom all the Physicians could find no Redresse The Evening being come which he so much longed for the Gentleman repaired to the place which was appointed with so great a Contentment that it could not be increased He attended not long but she whom he loved better than his own soul did come to find him He did not study to make any long Oration for the fire which did burn within him did make him hastily to possesse himself of that which he could hardly perswade himself that he had in his own power and being drunk with Love and Pleasure whiles he sought to provide a remedy for his life more than was requisite he found the advancement of his Death for in the love to his Sweet-heart having forgot himself he perceived not his Arm from which the Vein opening again the blood did come forth so abundantly that the poor Gentleman was almost bathed in it But he believing that his faintnesse did proceed from his Excess of pleasure did think with himself to return to his own Lodging But Love who had too much united them together did so dispose of it that in departing from his friend his soul did depart from himself and by the great effusion of blood he had lost he fell down dead at her feet who was so amazd both in the consideration of the loss which she had of so entire a friend of whose Death she was the only Cause as also of the shame that would fall upon her if the dead body were found in her house that not knowing what to do she and one of her Chambermaids in whom she altogether trusted did carry the body into the Street where she would not leave it alone but taking the sword of her dead friend she resolved to partake of his fortune and perish by the effusion of blood also in punishing that heart which was the cause of all this Evil and forcing the sword quite through her she fell down upon the Body of her Friend The Father and the Mother of this young Gentlewoman comming forth out of their house on the next morning did behold this pittiful spectacle And making as great a lamentation as the Case deserved they did bury them both together By this Ladies you may see what mischiefs do attend the extremity of love This is that which doth please me well said Simontault when Love is so equal that the one dying the other cannot live and if God had made me so blest as to have found such a one I do verily perswade my self that no man had ever loved so perfectly as I should have done But I am of opinion said Parlament that love would not have so much blinded you but you would have remembred to have kept your Arm better than that Gentleman did for those days are passed that Men do forget their lives for their Ladies But those days are not passed said Simontault that Ladies for their pleasure do forget the lives of their Servants I am of opinion said Emarsuite that there is no Woman in the World that taketh pleasure in the death of a Man although he were her Enemy Neverthelesse if Men will kill themselves Ladies cannot help their willfulnesse So it is said Saffredant that she who refuseth a piece of bread to a poor men dying for hunger is esteemed to be a Murderesse If your requests said Oysilla were as reasonable as the poor Mans begging for his necessity Ladies should be too cruel to refuse you But God be praised the malady of love doth kill no man but only those who wold die of themselves that year I know not Madam said Saffredant what is the greatest necessity but only that which doth make us to forget all others For when Love is violent we mind neither bread nor any other delicates whatsoever but only the looks and words of those we love They who would suffer you to fest said Oysilla without giving you any other Viands would quickly make you change your thoughts of Love I must confesse said Saffredant that the Body would fail but the Heart and the good will would still remain Then said Parlament God hath given you a great grace that you should addresse your self to one where you find so little Contentment that you must comfort up your self with eating and drinking with which me thinks you may acquit your self so well that you ought to praise God for that friendly cruelty I am so nourished in affliction said Saffredant that I do begin to solace my self in those torments of which others do complain It may be said Longaren that your love doth so withdraw you from all Company that no other contentment can be welcom to you for there is nothing more troublesom than an importunate Lover Nothing said Simontault unlesse it be a cruel Lady I do perceive said Oysilla that if we should attend to hear an end of the Reasons of Simontault that we should bear no Vespers this Evening Wherefore let us rise and praise God that this Days work is so well accomplished She did begin first of all to rise her self and all the rest did follow her but Simontault and Longaren did continue all the way to discusse the Argument and so gently that without drawing of his Sword Simontault did get the better shewing that the strongest passion was the greatest necessity And speaking those words they did enter into the Church where the Monks did attend them Vespers being ended they did go to Supper where they entertained one another with as much discourse as Diet for the Dispute continued all the time of Supper and all the Evening afterwards until Oysilla told them that it was high time to goe to rest and that five days Journeys were adorned with such delightfull Histories that she was afraid that the sixth day would not be like unto it for it was not possible to invent better Accounts than what were here delivered and which were not Fictions but Truths But Guebron said that as long as the world endured there would something fall out every day which would be new and worthy to be remembred for the depravednesse of bad men and their corruptions will be always such as heretofore they have been and in the same way will be the Goodnesse of Good men And as long as Grace and Corruption do reign upon the Earth they will always fill it with one Novelty or another although it be written That there is nothing new under the Sun But we who have not been called to
in the most humble manner exercise your Devotions at the Mass that even in this wilderness you would find that beauty which it may be you cannot in the greatest Cities For he who knoweth God beholde hâ—all things that are beautifull in him and without him all things are deformed Wherefore I beseech you to receive my counseâ— if you will live well and with Comfort Hircan took the word from her and said Madam Those who have read the holy Bible as I believe that all of us have will confess that you speak the truth but you must regard that we are not yet so mortifyed as to deprive our selves of all Pastime and Corporal Recreation For if we are in our own houses we have Dogs to hunt and Hawks for the flight which make us to pass over and to forget a thousand foolish thoughts And the Ladies have their works of Housewifry and sometimes their dancings in which they honestly do delight themselves which causeth me speaking only on the behalf of the men to desire that you who are the most antient amongst us would every Morning read the life unto us which our Saviour Jesus Christ did lead and the great and admirable works which he hath done for us And after dinner untill Vespers that you will make choice of some Pastime which may not be prejudiciall to the Soul and be pleasant to the Body and so with comfort we shall pass over the ten days Madam Oysilla made answer to him That she had so much laboured with her self to forget all the vanities of the world that she was afraid they had made a bad choice of her for such pastimes howsoever she would submit to the plurality of voices desiring Hircan to understand what was his opinion first of all For my part said he If I thought the pastime I would choose were as agreeable to any of the Company as to my self my opiniö should quickly be known wherfore for this time I will hold my peace and will believe that which others shall speak Parlament began to blush thinking that â—e spoke of her and half in choler and half in laughter said Hircan It may be that she whom you speak of can find enough to recompense her self if she hath a mind thereunto but let us leave off this pastime wherein two of us only can bear part and let us speak of that which ought to be common to us all whereupon Hircan said to all the Ladies Since my Wife hath so well understood and expounded and glossed upon my sense and allegeth that a particular pastime doth not please her I believe that she will be able better than any other to speak of that in which every one will take pleasure and from this time I shall be of her opinion as being he who hath no other opinion but her own To this all the Company did agree Parlament perceiving that the Lot was fallen upon her did speak in this manner If I knew my self as sufficient as the Antients who found out the Arts I would invent some play or pastime to satisfy the charge which you have imposed on me but being conscious to my self of my knowledge and faculties which with much trouble can hardly remember things well clone I shall esteem my self happy to follow close unto those who have already satisfied your demand Amongst others I do believe that there is not any of you who hath not read over the hundred Novels of John Boccace newly translated out of Italian into French which the most Christian King Francis the first of that Name Monseigneur the Daulphin Madam the Daulphinesse Madam Margaret have and do so highly esteem that if Boccace could but hear them in the place where he is he would be revived at the prayses of such persons I have heard that the two Ladies above-named with many others of the Court have determined with themselves to make the like work and only different from Boccace in one particular which is not to make mention of any Novell which is not a perfect History And first of all the said Ladies and Monseigneur the Daulphin did conclude amongst themselves to make every one of them Ten and to have a List of Ten persons whom they conceived to be most worthy to give an account of them those being to be excepted out of that number who were given to their study and were lettered men for Monsteur the Daulphin would not that their art should be mingled in these Novells and was also afraid that the beauty of their Rhetorick should in some part be prejudiciall to the truth of this History But the great affairs which since have taken up the King and the Peace betwixt him and the King of England and the lying down of Madam the Daulphinesse and many other things worthy to divert the whole Court have made all that enterprise to be forgotten which now by reason of our long leisure may be brought unto a period attending till the Bridge be made And if you please that every day presently after twelve of the clock we shall meet and continue untill four in yonder Meadow by the River of the Gauve where the Trees are so leavie that the Sun can neither prejudice the shade nor grow so hot as to vex the freshnesse of the air being there sat at ease every one maâ— repeat a story which he hath seen or heard from some Man of Reputation at the end of ten days we shall have finished the Century And if God shall please that our labour shall be found worthy of the eyes of the Princes and Ladies above-named we will give it them at our Return and I dare assure you that it will be a present very acceptable to them Neverthelesse whatsoever I have said if any amongst us shall find out a subject that shall be more pleasant I will accord in opinion with them All the Company made answer That it was impossible to have advised better and that the time seemed tedious to them that the next day was not already come to begin the Assembly In this manner they with delight passed away the travell of that day rehearsing to one another that which they had seen in their own times As soon as the Morning was come they resorted to the Chumber of Madam Oysilla whom they found already at her Devotions and when for the space of a full hour they had heard her Lecture and afterward the Masse about ten of the clock they went to Dinner and afterwards every one of them did retire into his own Chamber to do that which was to be done and failed not at twelve of the clock to be in the Meadow according as it was appointed which was so pleasant a place that they had need of a Boccace in earnest to set it forth to the life but you may content your selves that the like unto it was never seen When the Assembly were all sat down upon the green grass so soft and delicate that they needed not
her Husband did give him many wounds with the poynado so that the Frier desired pardon and confessed the Truth of all his wickednesse The Gentleman although he might would not kill him but intreated his Wife to go home to his House and bring some of his servants to him and to bring a little Wagon with them to convey himself to his House with more ease which she did The Frier being despoyled of his habit which he had polluted with so much blood and lust did run in his shirt and his shorn head towards his own Covent But the servants of the Gentleman did overtake him as they were going to their Master to assist him to bring away the Wolf which he had taken and did dragg him to his house who did cause him to be brought before the Justice of the Emperor in Flanders before which Court he confessed his villany and it being found by his Confession and proof made by the Commissaries there present that a great number of Gentlewomen and beautifull Maids had been brought into that Monastery by the same Art as this Frier would have brought this Gentlewoman It was ordered That the said Monastery should be examined and despoyled of those beautiful Larcenies and that in the perpetual memory of this Crime the Monks should be all shut up and be burned with the Monastery By this it may appear that there is nothing more cruel than Love when it is grounded upon Vice as there is nothing again more commen dable than Love when it doth dwell in a virtuous heart Ladies I am very sorry that the truth of these Accounts doth not lead us as much to the commendations of Friers as it doth unto their prejudice for it would be a great pleasure to me in the respect of the love which I do bear unto their Order to know any one of them who would give me a just cause to praise them But we have sworn so much to speak the truth that after the report of Men so worthy to be believed I am constrained not to conceal it assuring you that when the Friers of these times shall do any act worthy of memory I will endeavour to set it forth far better to their Glory than I have given you the account of this Truth unto their Infamy In good carnest Guebron said Oysilla Behold here a Love which ought to be called Cruelty I doe wonder said Simonâ—ault how this Frier had the patience seeing this Gentlewoman in her smock and in a place where he himself was Master that he did not take her by force He had not so sudden a stomack said Saffredant but was a true Gormandizer for through the desire which he had to be-glut him self with her all day long he would not make any stay â—ow to take a tast of her It is not so said Parlament for you are to understand that every Man who is furious is also timorous and the fear which surprized him that his prey should be taken from him did cause him to take away that Lamb as a Wolf doth a sheep to seed upon it with more appetite at his own leisure I cannot believe said Dagouâ—in that he did bear any love unto her or that Love could ever inhabit in a heart so barbarous However it was said Oysilla I do beseech God that as he was punished so the like enterprizes may alwayes meet with the like chastisement But to whom will you give your voice To you Lady said Guebron for you will be sure to give us some good Account Since it comes to my turn said Oysilla I will give you a memorable account which happened in our times and of which she her self was an ey-witnesse who did acquaint me with it I am sure that you are not ignorant that Death is the end of all our Miseries and therfore putting an end unto our miseries it may be called our Felicity and sure Repose for the greatest misery that a man can have is to desire Death and to be deprived of it and of the means to enjoy it The greatest punishment which can be given to a Malefactor is not Death but to afflict him with a perpetual torment so great it makes him to desire it and so little that he cannot obtain it just as a Husband did deal by his Wife as you shall hear by this following story The punishment more rigorous than Death which a Husband inflicted on his Wife having taken her in Adultery The second Novell KIng Charls the Eighth of that Name did send into Germany a Gentleman called Bernage Lord of Cyure neer unto Ambois whose diligence was so remarkable in his Masters service that he travelled both day and night One evening he arrived very late at the Castle of a Gentleman where he demanded lodging which with great difficulty was at last granted Neverthelesse when the Gentleman understood that he was the Servant of so great a King he did go forth to meet him and did beseech him not to be discontented at the rudenesse of his people for by reason of some kinred of his Wives who intended ill unto him he was enforced to keep his Gate shut Immediately Bernage acquainted him with the occasion of his Legation in which the Gentleman did offer him all service that possibly he could in the behalf of the King his Master and brought him into his House where he did lodge him and gave him honourable entertainment The hour of Supper being come the Gentleman did lead him into a Parlor hung round with very rich tapestry where as soon as the meat was upon the Table he did behold a Lady of a most excellent beauty to come forth from behind the Arras her head was shaven all over and the rest of her body cloathed with Blacks of Almaign After the Gentleman had washed with Monsieur Bernage water was brought to the said Lady who having washed her hands did sit down at the end of the Table and spake not to any one nor any one to her Signior Bernage did often look upon her and she seemed to him to be the most beautiful Lady that ever he beheld but only that she looked pale and withall was very sad After she had eaten a little she demanded Drink which a Servant did bring her in a wonderful vessel for it was the scull of a dead Man the edge whereof was round about tipped with silver The Lady did drink twice or thrice in it and after she had supped and washed her hands she made a low Reverence â—o the Master of the House and returned again from whence she came without speaking any word Bernage was so amazed to see a thing so strange that he became very sad and pensive The Gentleman perceived it and said unto him I observe very well that you are astonished at what you have seen at this Table but because of the civility which I have found in you I will not conceal from you the occasion of it that if in me there be
you an Account of one concerning whom I my self may serve for Witnesse and I have often heard it affirmed that how much the more that Virtue in a weak and seeble subject is assaulâ—ed by a strong and powerful Contrary by so much she is the more admirable and doth shew her self more clearly to be such as indeed she is for it is no wonder at all that the strong Man doth defend himself from the strong but that the feeble hath the Victory is the greatest glory in the world To understand aright the persons of whom I am to speak I shall peradventure do some little wrong to the truth as also that I shall cloath their story in so poor a Dresse that none will regard it Howsoever the Accomplishments of the young Maid by whom such worthy things were done do inforce me to declare them The Continence of a young Maid against the obstinate and amorous Sute of one of the greatest Lords of France and the happy Successe which the Damsell did obtain The second Novel IN one of the greatest Towns of Tourain there did dwell a Lord of a great and honourable house who had there his education from his Infancy I will make no mention in this place of the perfections the grace and beauty and the great virtues of this young Prince I shall only exhibite to you that France had not his equal Being at fifteen years of age he took more pleasure to ride and to hunt than to behold the beauties of Ladies One day when he was at Church he fixed his eyes upon a young Maid who in her Infancy had been brought up in the Castle where he lived and after the death of her Mother her Father did remove to another place whereupon she did goe to Poictou with her Brother This Maid whose name was Frances had a Bastard Sister whom her Father loved very well and married her to the chief Butler of this young Prince who did esteem as well of her as of any in his House The Father died and left unto Frances for her portion all the demeans and houses which he had in this great Town Wherefore after her Fathers death she removed from Poictou unto this place where her Estate was and because she was but 16 years of age unmarried she would not live alone in her own house but agreed for her bord with her Sister who was the Butlers Wife The young Prince observing this Maid to be very lovely being of a brown hair but of a clear complexion and having a carriage that did transcend her Estate for she seemed rather a Princesse than the Daughter of a Citizen he a long time with a stedfast eye did look upon her and being never in love before did find in his heart an unaccustomed heat and retiring into his Chamber he did enquire after her whom he saw in the Church and remembred that it was she who in her infancy was accustomed to come unto the Castle to play with his Sister and acquainted his Sister with it His Sister did send for her and made her very welcom desiring her that she would take the pains to come often to her which she did as often as there were any Marriages or publick Meetings where the young Prince would behold her with such a greedy eye that he did begin to love her intirely and because he knew shew was but of mean parentage he hoped easily to obtain that which he desired but having not the means to speak unto her he sent unto her a Gentleman of his Chamber to sollicite her for him But she who was as wife as she was young and feared God did allege unto him that she could not believe that his Master who was so gallant and so accomplished a Prince would so undervalue himself as to look upon a Creature so imperfect as her self especially seeing in the Castle where he had his residence there were so many great and beautiful Ladies she therefore conceived that what he did speak was from himself and not from the commandment of his Master When the young Prince had understood this answer Love which always doth grow more strong where it finds most resistance did make him more hotly to pursue his enterprise Whereupon he did write a Letter to her desiring her that she would believe that whatsoever this Messenger did say unto her did proceed from himself She who very well could both read write did read the Letter all over to which whatsoever entreaty the Gentleman did make she would return no answer at all affirming that it did not belong to a Person of so base a condition as her self to write unto such a Prince as he was but did beseech him not to suppose her so weak as to believe that he had so good an opinion of her as to bear any love unto her and if he thought by reason of her poor estate to have her at hs pleasure he did much deceive himself for she had as honest a heart as the greatest Princesse in Christendom and esteemed no treasure in the World comparable to her Honour and her Conscience She humbly besought him that he would not hinder her to preserve that treasure for should she die she would never alter her resolution The young Prince did not find this answer to be agreeable unto him neverthelesse he continued passionately to love her and failed not every day to be present at the Masse in that Church to which she repaired and all the while that Masse was saying he perpetually addressed the Devotion of his eyes to that fair image which when she perceived she changed her place and repaired to another Church not to avoid the sight of him for she had not been a reasonable creature if she had not taken pleasure to look upon him but she was afraid to be seen by him for since she conceived her self not worthy to be beloved by him in the way of Honour and Marriage she would not that it should be by the way of folly and of pleasure and whenever she saw any place in the Church where she might seat her self the Prince would fit as close by her as possibly he could which made her to goe from Church to Church to hear Masse dayly and to the furthest Churches that possibly she could and when any great marriages were solemnized at the Castle she did forbear to be present at them and although the Sister of the Prince did invite her she would always excuse her self by some indisposition or other The Prince perceiving that he could not have that accesse nor speak unto her as he desired did aid himself by his Butler and promised him many great rewards if he would assist him in this affair The Butler did promise to doe the utmost of his indeavour as well to please his Master as for the profit which he hoped to receive from him and every day he did give an account unto the Prince of what she both said and did and
be the Cause that she should be unfortunately married to another but with much patience attended the happy hour to espouse her himself in which he is much to be commended To speak the truth said Oysilla they were both of them worthy of blame and the Third also who was their Go-between and an Adjunct in this Violation of Chastity Do you call that a Violation said Saffredant when two parties are so well accorded Can there be a better Marriage than that which is celebrated by Lovers This is the occasion of the Proverb that Marriages are made in Heaven And it is not to be understood of forced Marriages not of those which are made for the lucre of money and which have been approved because the Father and the Mother have given their Consent unto them You may speak what you please said Oysilla but it is necessary that in this we must acknowledge an obedience to our Parents and in the defect of Father and Mother we ought to have Recourse to our next Kinred For otherwise if it were permitted to all to marry themselves according to their own pleasure How many cornuted Marriages would there be Do you believe that a young Man or a Girl of twelve or fifteen years of Age being married together do understand what doth belong unto them He who with a stedfastâ—ey shall look upon the occasion of the Contempt of all Marriages shall find that there are at least as many of those whose Events are unfortunate that have passionately been begun by Lovers as of those which have been carried on by force Wherefore let young people who know not what doth belong unto themselves first examine and prove what without Consideration they have begun and by little and little they will discover those errours which will occasion them to enter into a greater emazement On the other side the most part of those Marriages which are made by compulsion do proceed from the experience of those who have more sight and judgement than those whom most nearly it doth concern insomuch that when they come to the years of discretion to be sensible of the Good which they did not understand they will then both acknowledge it and imbrace it with a more distinct acceptance and with a far greater affection But Madam said Hircan you make no mention at all that the Maid was of a good Age and marriageable and understood well enough the Iniquity of her Father who would not have the Maidenhead of his Daughter to be lost because he would have his Crowns to be saved And do you not know that Nature of her self is the most provident Huswife This Maid loved she was beloved she knew of her self what she had to do and was old enough to remember the Proverb Those who refuse do afterwards repent All these things put together with the prompt execution of the Wooer did not give her the leisure to withstand him You have heard also in this Account that presently afterwards it was to be discovered by her face that there was some remarkable change which peradventure was occasioned by the sorrow which she entertained that she had no more leisure to judge whether the thing that was done was good or evil for she did not with any great unwillingnesse draw back from giving consent to the second Assault For my part said Longaren I cannot excuse her but must approve of the faith of the young Man who governing himself by the Laws of Honesty would not abandon her especially since he had made her such as she was In which he seems to me to be worthy of the highest Commendation especially if we consider the depraved Corruption of Youth in these present times Howsoever for all this I cannot so excuse him for the first fault but if I look upon the Maid I must accuse him of a Rape and if I look upon her Mother I must accuse him of subornation No no said Dagoucin Here is no place at all either for Rape or Subornation It was done on all sides with pure consent as well on the Mothers side who did not hinder it as on the Daughâ—ers who did like so well of it that she did not complain All this proceeded said Parlament out of the great good Nature and Simplicity of her Mother who under the title of good neighbourhood without so much as thinking of it did bring her Daughter to the Butchery Not to the Butchery but to her marriage said Simontault insomuch that this simplicity was profitable to the Maid If you have any Account in readinesse said Nomerfide I do give you my voice to recite it to us I will not fail said Simontault but upon condition that the Ladies shall promise me not to weep And Ladies they who will affirm that your subtility doth exceed that of Men will have enough to do to produce such an Example to prove it as I now am going about to account unto you to prove the contrary in which I intend not only to declare unto you the great cunning and dissimulation of a Husband but withal the greater Simplicity and Goodnesse of his Wife A Husband chastising his Chambermaid did deceive the Simplicity of his Wife The fifth Novel IN the City of Tours there lived a man of a subtle and a sharp understanding who was the maker of the Tapistry for the late Duke of Orleans Son to King Francis the first and although by the injury of sickness he became deaf yet he had nothing at all diminished in his understanding for he was the most experienced man alive in his profession and in other things you shall hear how ready he was to assist himself He was married to a good Woman of good fortunes with whom he lived in great peace and comfort He was afraid to displease her and her endeavour was to obey and please him in all things but for all the good love he did bear unto her he was withall so charitable that oftentimes he gave that unto his neighbours which did belong unto his Wife although he carried it as secretly as possibly he could He had in his house a Chambermaid a Wench of a delicate complexion of whom he was very amorous and neverthelesse fearing that his Wife should take notice of it he often made an apparence to his Wife to rebuke and chide her telling her Mistresse that she was the laziest Slut that ever he saw and that he did much wonder that she did not beat her And speaking one day of whipping and chastising little Children he said unto his Wife it would be a good Almes to give such stripes to your lazy Girl whom you keep but then it must not be with your hand for your hand is too weak and your heart too pittiful I doe believe if she should feel the weight of my hand we should be far better served by her than we are The poor Woman who thought no hurt at all desired him that he would put in execution what he said
Wooâ—â—ss and that almost before she can perceive that she is gone astray Howsoever it is said Parlament I should never love that man who would make so great a separation betwixt my Husband and my self as to make him beat me for blowes make love to sly away Yet neverthelesse as I have heard so cunningly these Impostures do carry themselves when they would have a poor Woman at advantage that I do believe it is more danger to give ear unto them privatly than publickly to receive blowes from their Husband who if it were not for such busie pretenders would be good enough To speak the truth said Dagoucin the trains they have laid are on every side so many that it is not without cause to fear them although in my opinion that Person who is not fearful or suspitious is worthy of praise Neverthelesse said Oysilla we ought to suspect the evil which we would avoid for it is better to suspect the Evil which is not than foolishly by not believing it to fall into the Evil which is For my part I never saw a Woman deceived in being slow to give credence to the words of Men but I have heard of many that have been ruined by giving too ready a belief to their false protestations wherefore I affirm that the Evil which can arrive cannot be too much suspected by those who have the charge both of Men and Women and Cities and Estates for be the watch never so strictly observed and be there never so many eyes imployed yet Forgeries and Treasons will abound The Shepheard that is not vigilant is every way deceived by the subtilty of the Fox and the cruelty of the Wolf And yet so it is said Dagoucin that a person that is suspitious can never entertain any absolute friendship and love hath been oftentimes estranged if not separated by suspition only If you can render us any Example of it said Oysilla I will give you my voice I know one and so true a one said Dagoucin that you will take Delight to hear it Ladies I will tell you what it is that doth most easily break true Love It is when the assurance of Love doth bâ—gin to give place unto suspition for as to believe a friend is the greatest honour can be done unto him so to doubt of him is the greatest dishonour can befall him by that suspition we begin to esteem him otherwise than we would he should be which is the cause that many great friendships are dissolved and Friends made Enemies as you shall find by this Account which I have now in hand to exhibite to you A Gentleman of Percha unjustly suspecting the love of his Friend did provoke him unwillingly to put in practise the Cause of his Suspition The seventh Novell IN the Country of Percha there were two Gentlemen who from the time of their first Infancy did continue in so great and an entire a love that betwixt them there was but one heart one house one bed and one table They along time did live in this perfect Amity enjoying one thought and one will you might see indeed a distinction of persons but they lived together not only as two Brothers but as if that both of them had made but one entire Man The one of them was married yet did not discontinue for all that to maintain his old Love and daily to live with his Companion as he had been accustomed to do And if at any time in their Travels they wanted a second Bed his friend did lie in the same Bed with himself and his Wife It is true enough that at that time he himself did always lie in the middle Their Goods were also in common It was not Marriage that could hinder the establishment of their love Nevertheless in the progress of time the felicity of the world which is subject to mutability could not any longer continue in this House which was indeed too happy and in too permanent a condition for the Husband forgetting the assurance which he had in his Friend without any occasion at all did entertain a great jealousie of his Wife and him He did not dissemble it to his Wife and did acquaint her with the unpleasing tydings whereat she was much astonished for he had commanded her in all things but in one to make as much of his Companion as of himself and now he expresly did forbid her to speak unto him unless she were in some publick Company She took the opportunity to acquaint the Companion of her Husband with it who did not believe it knowing well enough that he never thought nor did any thing whereat his Companion should be afflicted And being accustomed to conceal nothing from him he did acquaint him with what he understood desiring him that he would not conceal the truth from him for he would not either in that or any other thing give him an occasion to break that love with so long they had entertained The Gentleman that was marryed did assure him that he had never any such thought and that they who brought this Information to him were most wicked lyars His Companion told him I know well enough that Jealousie is a passion as insupportable as Love and if you should be surprized with it yet I would do you no Injury at all for I know it is a passion that grows so upon a Man that he cannot help it But of one thing which lies in your power to help I find I have just reason to complain which is that you conceal this passion from me seeing heretofore there was not that thing which you would conceal from me I will say as much of my self If I were amorous of your Wife you ought not to impute it unto me as any great Iniquity for it is a fire which I hold not in my hand to do with it according to my own pleasure but if I should conceal it from you and endeavour to make your Wife acquainted with it I should be one of the wickedest Companions that ever was For my part I do assure you that albeit she is an honest and a virtuous Gentlewoman yet were she not your Wife I do not know any Woman that I have a less Fancy to But although there be no occasion for it I desire you if you but harbour the least scruple of suspition that possibly may be that you would acquaint me with it to the end I may give such Order that our love which hath so long continued may not be dissolved for a Woman for if I loved her above all Creatures in the World yet I would never speak any more unto hrr because I doe prefer your love above all others His Companion did swear unto him by the greatest Oaths that could possibly be imagined that he never had any such thought and desired him to make use of his house as he was accustomed to doe His Friend made answer to him because it is your desire I will doe it but I must
no lesse wit than beauty did direct him so discreetly that he came into her Chamber on the hour she assigned where he found her lying alone in a very rich Bed and as he made hast to put off his cloaths to go into the Bed to her he heard a great noise at the door of people speaking to one another and of swords clashing against the walls The Lady with a Countenance half dead said unto him At this minute is both your Life and my Honour in the greatest Danger that possibly can be for too well I understand that my Brothers are seeking you out to kill you Wherefore I intreat you to conceal your self under my Bed for when they cannot find you I shall have a just occasion to be angry with them by reason of this alarm which without Cause they have given The Gentleman whose noble heart did always scorn the base effects of Fear replyed unto her And who are your Brothers that they should make me afraid If the whole Generation of them were together I am confident that they would not stand against the point or the edge of my Sword wherefore lie still in your Bed and let me alone to guard your Door Immediatly he clapped his cloak about his arm and took his Sword in his hand and opened the Door to find those Swords more neer him which made so great a noise The Door being opened he beheld two Chambermaids who with two swords in either hand did occasion the Alarm they said unto him Monsieur Pardon us for we have received Commission from our Mistresse to do as we have done but you shall have no other hinderance or disturbance by us The Gentleman seeing they were two Maids did wish all the Devils in Hell take them both and shutting the Door on the faces of them he made all the speed he could to the Ladies Bed whose frights had no ways diminished his love and forgetting to ask her the reason of that skirmish he thought on nothing but to satisfie his desires And perceiving that the Day approached he intreated her to tell him wherefore she had done him so ill an office by holding him so long in delayes and also what was the meaning of the Enterprise of the two Chambermaids the last night She laughing made answeâ— to him My Resolution was never to love again which from my Widdowhood I had a long time observed but your civil Deportment from the first hour wherein you spake unto me at the Banket hath made me to alter my purpose and I began at that instant to love you as much as you could love me It is true that Honour which in all my actions hath been my guide would not permit that Love should cause me to do any thing whereby my Reputation might suffer but as the Hart wounded to Death doth think by changing of place to change the malady he beareth along with him so did I remove from Church to Church thinking to flie from him whom I carried in my heart who hath now proved his love to be so perfect that the Agreement is made and Honour doth accord with Love But to the end that I might be the more assured to commit my heart my love to an absolute Man I was willing to make this last proof by my Chambermaids assuring you that if either for fear of your life or any other regard I had found you so timorous and so tame as to have hid your self under my Bed I was resolved with my self to rise and to withdraw my self into another Chamber without ever seeing you again But because I have found you courteous and lovely and more full of Spirit and courage than it was reported to me that fear cannot enter into your heart nor make cold that love which you bear unto me I am resolved to continue with you untill the end of my dayes being confident that I cannot put my Life and Honour in a surer hand than in his who I believe hath not his equal in all Virtues And as if the Will and Desires of Lovers were immutable they did promise and swear unto one another to perform that which was not in their power to perform which was a perpetual Love which cannot continue in the hearts of Men as those Women know who have made trial of it and how long those Resolutions do endure And therefore Ladies you should take heed of us as the Buck if he had understanding would of the Hunter For our Glory Felicity and Indeavour is to see you surprized and to take that from you which is more dear unto you than life it self How now said Hircan unto Guebron How long ago is it since you have been a Preacher I have known the time that you have maintained another Doctrine It is true said Guebron I do speak now against that which I have practised heretofore all the whole Course of my life but because I have teeth so weak that I cannot eat Venison my self I would advertise the poor Does to beware of the Hunters to make some recompence in my old age for the sins I have committed in my youth We thank you Guebron said Nomerfide for that which you have counselled us to our profit but we do now perceive our selves to be a great deal too young for you for it appears that in your Youth you gave not the same exhortations to her whom you loved which is a sign that now in your age you do neither love us nor your self neither would you willingly suffer us to be loved by any other Howsoever we think our selves to be as wise and virtuous as she whom so long you followed and courted in your Youth But it is alwayes the Glory of the gray beard and those that walk with a staff to think themselves more wise than those who do come after them Nomerfide said Guebron it is very well when the Deceit of some of your Servants shall by experience teach you to understand the subtilty of Men you will then believe what now I have spoken to be truth Oysilla said to Guebron It seems to me that the Gentleman whom you so much commend for Courage ought to be praised more for the violence of his love which is a Power so strong that it will make the greatest Cowards in the world to enterprise that which the most valiant would think and think of again before they would undertake it Saffredant said unto him Madam It seems to me that if this French Gentleman esteemed not the Italians to excell more in their words than in their deeds he might have some great occasion for fear He had so indeed said Oysilla were it not for that fire in his heart which consumed his fear If you find not his Courage commendable enough said Hircan give us an account of some one else who is more worthy of praise To speak the Truth said Oysilla the Gentleman was to be praised but I can give you an instance of One in the
same nature who is to be admired I pray you if it be so said Guebron will you take my place and give us some agreeable account and worthy of a gallant Man accordingly as you have promised Gentlemen said Oysilla if a Man for the life and honour of his Lady hath shew'd such a confidence amongst the Inhabitants of Milan and hath been esteemd so valiant how ought he to be extolled who without any Necessity at all by the meer Instigation of Valour did perform this Exploit as I shall tell you King Francis shewed his Generosity to Count William who would have been the Author of his Death IN the City of Dijon in the Dutchy of Burgundy there came to the service of King Francis a German Count called William of the House of Saxony to which that of Savoy is so neer allyed that heretofore they were but one Family This Gentleman being esteemed to be as gallant and as brave a Man as any was in Germany was so well entertained by the King that he not only received him into his service but preferred him to a place of Honour neer unto him and made him Gentleman of his Chumber One day the Governour of Burgundy Lord of Tremoville an antient Cavalier and a loyal servant of the Kings being cautious and suspecting the damage of his Master did alwayes keep Spies upon his Enemies to observe what they did do and carried himself so discreetly that few things were concealed from him Amongst other advertisements it was written to him by one of his Friends that Count William had received a certain Sum of Money and a promise to have the Sum doubled to procure the Kings Death upon any attempt whatsoever The Lord of Tremoville who was also Governour of Burgundy did not fail to come in his own person to acquaint the King with it and concealed it not from his Mother Madam de Louise of Savoy who forgat all the Alliance she had to that German Count and besought the King to remove him from his service with what speed he could The King required them to make no more words of it for it was impossible he said that so honest a Gentleman and of so fair a Fame should enterprise so foul a sin At the end of a few Moneths there arrived another advertisement in confirmation of the former whereupon the Governour inflamed with the zeal which he did bear to his Masters safety demanded leave of him either to put him away or to give him order to apprehend him but the King expresly charged him to make not the least appearance of any discontent and assured him that he intended to find out the truth himself some other way One day when he repaired to the Chace he took with him the best Sword that was in all his Armory and desired Count William to go along with him and to be the foremost and the next Man unto him The King having some houres hunted the Buck did observe that all his people were far behind him but Count William only whereupon he turned out of the Road-way and riding with Count William into the bottom of the Forrest he drew his Sword and asked Count William If it were not a good one The Count taking it into his hand told him That he never saw a better You have reason so to say said the King and me-thinks if a Gentleman had resolved to kill me and knew the Goodness of my heart and the force of my hand armed with this sword he should think to assault me twice before he undertook it once howsoever I shall account him but a Coward if he I being alone without any witnesse at all he shall not dare to execute what he hath not been ashamed to undertake Count William with an amazed countenance did answer him Sir The wickednesse of the Enterprise should be great enough and the folly to put it in Execution would be greater The King laughing did put his Sword into the scabbard again and understanding by the noise of the Hounds and the Hollas of the Hunters that the Game was neer him did put spurs to his Horse and galloped up towards them as fast as ever he could Being amongst them he spake not the least word to any of that affair and assured himself that Count William although he was as able in height and Courage and as well disposed in his limbs as any man in his Kingdom yet he was not the Man that would adventure on so bold an enterprise But Count William being vexed to be suspected came one morning very early to Robertet Socretary of the Treasury and told him That he had considered of the benefits and promises that the King had either bestowed or made unto him to continue with him which were not of a competency to maintain him above one half of the year and if the King pleased not to double his allowance he must be constrained to retire into his own Countrey he therefore besought Robertet that as soon as possibly he could he might understand the pleasure of the King who told him that he could advance his Exhibitions no higher and if he would he might depart immediatly which Commission he very willingly accepted for he had seen the advertisements of the Governour of Burgundy And as soon as the King was awake there being present the Governour of Tremoville and Admiral Boninet who were both altogether ignorant what the King had done in the Forrest he said unto them You have a desire to drive away Count William and Count William hath a desire to go away of himself Wherefore you may tell him That if he will not be contented with the Pension which hitherto he hath accepted in my service and which divers Gentlemen of Honourable Families do think themselves happy to receive it is reason that he should seek out better Fortunes in some other place And as for my self I will no ways hinder him but shall be very glad to hear that he hath found a Fortune such as with content he may live upon and suitable to his merits Robertet was as diligent to carry this answer to the Count as he was willing to carry his Request unto the King The Count replyed That with the Kings leave he was then resolved to be gone And as one whom Fear constrained to depart he knew not how to carry it four and twenty hours But as the King was set at the Table at dinner he took his leave of him pretending a great grief that his Necessities were such that they inforced him to lose his presence He also addressed himself to the Mother of the King to take his leave of her who gave him leave to depart as willingly as she received him joyfully being both a Kinsman and a Friend And in this discontent he departed to his Countrey The King observing his Mother and his Servants in Extraordinary to be astonished at his sudden departure did inform them of the Alarm which he had given him saying