CAMONIKA gat by the helpe of those sprites and lymmes of the deuill inhabytynge that hellishe ylande certayne flowers gathered in the waine of the moone wyth droagues and other tromperie of witchecrafte requisite for coniurers and suche as occupye the pernicious trade of enchauntynge all whiche legerdemaines and deuises of Sathan were as auaileable to the furthering of thenterprise of Pandora as there is certentie or assuraunce in thopperacion of that darke and hellishe science what inuocation so euer they make of the name of God who beynge the father and author of all troth wyll neuer haue the triumphant glorye of his name polluted wyth the cursed ceremonies of suche ydolatryes neyther wyll he bowe downe his eares to the peticion of such Diabolicall deuynours who practisynge to seduce the simple sorte wyth charmes of sorceries do preferre the absolute destruction of theyr owne soule And trulye thalmightie whose iudgementes are inscrutable is content somtyme to suffer those confurers and enchaunters the veray officers of hel aswel for the scourge of our synnes as to manifeste theyr owne infidelitie to worke many greate and incredible wounders As we reade of the magicians in Egypte before Pharao thenchaunteresse stirrynge vp the sprit of Sâ—muell muell in the presence of Saule kinge of the Hebrues and Simon the coiurer honored as a God of the folishe prince and people of Rome to th ende the faythfull flocke strengthened and confirmed by the grace of the holye sprite maye glorye in theyr assured belyef in the true God by the peremptorye fal of those infedels together wyth all suche as vnhappelye lysten to theyr pernicious doctrine Here PANDORA seynge all her deuises accompanyed with a crooked fortune retourne a successe contrary to her meanynge began to enter into a newe passion of suche rage and dispaire that she had euen nowe dismissed the residue of her dayes by the fatall dome of her owne handes yf she had not bene eftsones interupted by FINEA who for thappeasinge of her present dule preferred vnto her the ayde of a graye frier a greate ghostly father in that Cytie whom she affirmed to haue wroughte meruelous effectes by the healpe of certeine distilled waters tempered wyth the iewice of stronge hearbes growynge secretlye within the intrailles of the earthe the nature of hidden stoanes and mettals pouders and séedas not knowen to manye wyth diuerse other suffumigacions incident to witchecrafte and who in déede was noted to haue bestowed more of hys tyme in the studie of that darke art and philosophie of Sathan then in tourninge ouer the sacred volumes of holye scripture and testament of the Lorde whiche oughte to bée the only exercise of those that are cladâ— in the habite of religion Beholde here an example of greate vertue in oure Abbaye men who beinge appareilled in a simple habite in signe of humilitye doe carie the deuill in the cowle of theyr hoodes And who accordynge to saint Augustin beinge the chiefe pillors that susteine supersticion are also the greatest frendes to ydolatrie dimâ—ynge the puritie of religion which they oughte to honor and professe with sincere ymitacion with a cloude of suche darknes of the deuises of the deuill that thonlye vapour of theyr poysoned infection is hable to corrupte the whole ayre wyth a contagiouse pestilence Howe shoulde the ignoraunt bée guided in the righte waye to saluacion if they whiche oughte to open the lyght of the gospell do giue manifest examples of errours or how can the glorye of God bée renoumed amongest men Yf they whiche standynge in the pulpit of truth and ought sincerelye to preache the lawe of the Lorde do conuerte theyr dutie towardes the true Religion into practises of Nygromancie and tearmes of inuocation of deuils vnprofitable memdres certeinlye deseruinge rather to bée vtterlye weded out of the common welth then norrished in the idle trade of an abbaye lownde to be suffred vnder the vaile of Godlynes and deuocion to practise haynous conspiracies againste God and man But what doe I medle thys parte of my historye wyth thoffice of the preacher to whome it chiefilye belongeth to treate vppon the sondrye abuses committed daylye in Nonries and other lyke tenementes of Babylon To this holye father then commes Pandora with a countenaunce all cladd wyth sorowe declarynge the circumstaunce of her loue passed the cause of her present passion with the whole discourse of her former lyfe hitherunto crauynge wyth greate intercession in the ende thassistance of his arte for moderation in the martiredome which she endured by the feruent affection she bare to the knighte The freare notwitstanding his vowe and straite othe of his order had not his conscience so armed wyth the vertue of charitye nor his handes so cleane washed from the couetous desyer of fylthie gaine but he receyued certeine peces of golde of Pandora whome he persuaded shoulde buye certeine drogues and other necessaries whiche he thought conuenient for the makynge of hys Diabolicall confection but to be shorte theis charmes and deceitfull perfumes of the freare were of equall operation in this enterprise to the hearbes and other healpes lately gathered in the vale Camonika by the woman of Pandora who seing her selfe vtterly defyed of fortune in receiuyng semblable successe in all her magicall deuises expectynge withall a spedie retourne of her husbande determined to reuenge the desloyaltie of her louer vpon the frute sturryng in her owne wombe beynge nowe vj. monethes since she conceiued thinkyng she sholde neuer be voyde of desyer to sée PARTHONOPE or at least to reuenge his treason vntill she had vtterlye extirped the rootes of that séede whiche he had sowen in the soile of her tender sydes Oh crueltye more then barbarous Is it possible that a Gentelwoman of so tender yeres deriued of honest parentage norrished in ciuilitie and that whyche more is a Christian borne in the harte of EVROPE shold so muche forget the feare of God and regarde to his lawes as in augmentynge the haynous faulte of the wronge alredye don againste her husbande by so many and vnchaste adulteries to committ in the ende an execrable effusion of the blood deriued of the droppes of her owne substance Oh howe cursed and vnhappye is the condicion of them that declinynge for wante of grace from the pathe of reason do suffer theim selues to bée ledd by the lyne of fleshelye appetyt the chiefest meane that makes vs forgett God and all good order For this PANDORA desyrous to couer her faulte albeit not hable to hide her bigge bellye assayed to destroye the creature mouynge within her by crushynge her sydes wyth greate force drynkynge cawdels made for the nonst and swallowinge diuerse other pouders of such strong confection that theyr vehement operation within her had bene able to preuaile aboue the strengthe of the highest complexion of the worlde Albeit seynge her exspected successe of this beastelye pollecye was also denied her she deuised a laste meane for the accomplishment of
ende alas serue my teares or tunes of dolorous exclamacioÌ„ if not in recordyng the circunstaunce of oure mutual grief to restore a freshe remembraunce of thy peculyar desaster oh deare brother whose destinies I see will not dismisse the rigor of their dome till they haue brought vs both to the brinke of extreme subuercion albeit yf the offer of my bodye in sacrifice or other mortall execution wolde serue to redeme thy libertye and preserue thy possession in entier assure thy selfe that thy pore ANGELIQVA wold be no lesse readye to make exchaunge of her life for the raunsom of thy contentement and quiet then theis wyde mowthed Rokes do seke and gape to deuoure thy honour liuing And as the dolorous Lady was thus in tormeÌ„ts of dule with more passioÌ„ on y e behalfe of her brother theÌ„ care any waie for her self y t pore Montanine staÌ„diÌ„g betwen a hard seÌ„teÌ„ce a most vnhappie fortune considered the laste day of fatall respit to draw faste to his date hauing no choise of meanes to mode â—at y e rigour of the law but by satisfying the whole demauÌ„de of the fiske which also he was not hable to leuye by any credit or assistaunce of his frendes reposed his laste assuraunce and refuge of deliuerye in the sale of his lande as the taste of lyfe is pleasaunte to all men and eche degree by nature is carefull to prolonge it to the laste hower so accordinge to the extreme condicion of his present case he resolued to employe the price of his lyuinge in the raunsom of his presente trouble wheruppon he dispatched immediatlye one of the sergeantes or officers of the gaile to the corrupt money maister that was firste and all the cause of his vndeserued mischief with commission to conclude the bargaine for a thousand Duckats accordynge to the rate of his firste offer But the traiterous wretch and pernicious patterne of iniquitie knowinge the extreme pointes of the pore prisonner who stoode nowe in water vp to the chyn with more likelihode to sinke then assuraunce to recouer the fyrme lande thoughte that his death woulde deliuer him frée possession of his lyuinge without thassistaunce of money wherefore triumphyng already in the glorye of so great a fortune with exspectation to haue the lande by speciall awarde of the fiske SENAT retorned the messenger with aunswere that albeit of â—ate he had desier to enlarge his demayne in the subberbe with a pece of his possession adioynynge yet vpon a further viewe consideration of the grounde he was nowe of minde that his price far exceded the vaiewe neither coulde he make so presente a proffit vpon so small a plat of inheritaunce as with the vse and interest of so greate a summe of money as a M. ducats notwithstaÌ„ding for a supply of his preseÌ„t nede he was coÌ„tented to giue him vij C. floreÌ„ts that more for the relief of his distresse then any respecte of commoditie by the bargain Here maye be noted the vertue operacion of the couetous mynde infected with the desyer of fylthie gaine whose frutes are to thurste after other mens goods glory in the dekaye of their neighbour with a dispositioÌ„ to conuert y e vngracions spoyles of their brethren into a pleasaunt pray to their rauening appetite without regard notwithstaÌ„ding to thexpress inhibicion of God in diuerse places of the Scripture or respect to the dutie of his conscience or burthen of his soule wherin besides y e peynall threates of our Sauiour in the worlde to come he seames also to hyer a tormentor to molest his quiet during his abode here for the more he is in deuise to encrease his welth the faster decreaseth his quiet himselfe so subiect to declinacion according to the wordes of the Apostle that a couetous man taketh more reuenge of himselfe beinge on lyue then h is enemy when he is deade neyther doth he consume the daye in other deuises then in accumulacion of threasor nor yeldes charitie to any but his golden coffers whome he will not deffraye nor once deminishe of a simple denier if it were to redeme the lyfe of hys naturall father you haue hard his former offer of a thousand ducats with no lesse desier to haue it at that price now you see he doth not only refuse it but in a mockerie makes a disdainfull tender of vij C. Florents attending a further benefyt by the deathe of the vnfortunate MONTANIN who no lesse astonyed at the reaport of this resolucion and refusall not loked for then when the iudge published the sentence of his condemnacion began to dispaire of other refuge chiefly for that the awe respect of authoritie of that villaine preuailed so much ouer the rest of the marchauntes cytizens thear that none other durste vndertake the bargaine seing their maister vsurer made difficultie to aduaunce y e value such wer the dispites of his fortune extreme termes which sinister fate with the malice of the wicked had brought him vnto wherin dismissing thexspectacion of all succours gaue sentence of his owne life committed th execution to the rigour of y e law resoluing rather to quench thinsatiable thrust or gredye appetit of his couetous enemy by thoblacion of his innoceÌ„t life into thandes of such vnrighteous iudges theÌ„ in exchaunging the remeinder of his whole inheritance for sasmal a tribute in sufficient also to satisfie y e demauÌ„d of y e fiske to leaue his sister in extreme penurie without al meanes of necessarie susteÌ„tacioÌ„ wherfore reposing much for himself in thinnocencye of his cause at the handes of the highe iudge chiefly for that the natural course of his dayes stode at point to be abridged by the wickednes of other men after hée had preferred certeine vehement inuectiues against the general malice of the world with special exclamacion on the behalfe of his peculiar myshap he desyred respite to examine his life in secret dispose for the health of his soule which resolucioÌ„ of death was furthwith imparted to the faire ANGILIQVA who besides whole riuers of teares distilling froÌ„ her watery eyes with dollorous cryes in dolefull voyce redoubled with an ECCHO of treble dule entred into a mortall war wythe her garmentes and attyre of her head neither forbearing to descheuel her crispy lockes heare exceding the collor of Am ber nor coÌ„mit cruel execution vpon the tender partes of her body giuing free spoke to y e humor of her fury she spared not to imprint with her nayles vppon the precious complexion of her oriente face a pytifull remembrance of the tragicall troble of her desolate brother whome shee coulde not any way perswade to a chaung or alteracion of purpose althoughe she imployed herselfe and councell of her frendes to thuttermoste but I dare auouch thusmuche on the behalf of the deare zeale shee bare hym that yf by the force and malice of the distresse he had gyuen place to nature and
serue as a secretorye in affaires of suche secret importance whereof you maye conster the meaninge without great studie only ymagyn that fortune is not such a nigarde of her frendship as spitefullyf her offer be refuced time so disdaineful that she 〈◊〉 tarye a moment aboue her stynte Yours without change Plaudgna Yf thies newes were welcome to CORNELIO I leaue yt to the iudgement of that amarus crewe who seame so resolute and simple in their loue that their lyfe is onely prolonged by a desyred daye but when they see an approche of their liberty with licence to quenche their hungry myndes with the fode they chieflye wishe to feede vppon god knoweth the small regarde they haue to honor and lesse respect to the dutie of their conscience and with what slender aduise and lesse time they make the poore husbande a rampier of hornes to defend his forhead from the shott of thennemie wherein sewer their delite is not so great and glorie of so foule a conquest of suche comendacion as she worthie of treble tormentes who for the glott of her fylthie desyer and satisfyenge their founde ymportunities dothe make no conscience to defile the mariage bedd of her husbande take awaye the renowne of her former estimacioÌ„ deface the glorie of her auncestors and leaue besides a title of villanous reproche vppon her children and posteritie of whose reputacion shee oughte to bee more carefull then myndefull to satisfie the greedye appetit of her owne pleasure or folyshe pursuete of their filthie loue and from this fountaine of execrable abuse distilleth also the sondrie sortes of vnnaturall diuisions happening at this day between noble houses and men of meaner discentes the children detestynge the Father and the father abhorringe theim whom he thinkes to bee none of his and one brother persecutinge an other with no lesse mortality of hate then if they were coÌ„mon enemies of forreine contreys for the bed being once stained the blod mixed and the law of mariage abused yt muste nedes follow that the frute procedynge of suche seedes can neyther degenerate nor bee without corruption neyther can the son yelde honor or dutie to him whom nature denieth to bee his Father wherein albeit I haue somewhat exceded the compasse of my coÌ„mission yet I am so persuaded of thindifferencie of those fewe Ladyes whiche fele theimselues toched with this shorte dygression that they will not grudge with this parable of their falte seinge truthe marcheth vnder oure enseygne readye to aduoche and witnes the circunstance of my allegacions which like as I inferred rather to aduise you to eschew the lyke euil then for any derogacion of your honor so yt maye lyke you al to excuse my reasons by thintegrety of the cause and pardon me by iustice retiringe now with semblable pacience to the sequeile of our CORNELIO who construinge the wordes of the letter accordyng to the meaning of the writer ymagined by and by thimportance of thaffaires she had too communicate with hym wherein albeit loue moued hym on the one side to performe the desier of hys ladye yet reason on the other part required hym to be careful of his owne sauetie and not to buy a taste of his flypper pleasure with the price of his lyfe for saith shee if you go to MYLLAN and he discouered by anye of the frenche race or frendes of theyr faction your daunger wil be to great to escape and you shal come to too late a repentance of your follie wherefore ballacinge indifferently betwene doute and feare with desier to vse this occasion leaste he myghte seame vnthankefull to the good will and requeste of his mistres he imparted the whole circunstance to one DELIO a deare frende of hys of whom beyng pryuye from the begynnynge to his amarus practise he demaunded earnestly a speciall assistance of good councell touchynge thabsolution of his present doute thys DELIO hauing â—rodden alredy the whole laborinth of loue and knewe by experience what an â—lne of suche follies was worthe gaue as ryghte a iudgement of the disease of hys frende as yf he had felte the mouynge of his polses or tried the disposition of his water againste the son in an vrynall wherein he failed not to discharge thoffice of a true frend in assaynge to remoue thoccasion and mortefye the yll with thies perswations Like as sayth he small sâ—ares require slender medecins and great greues are want to try thutter moste of the arte of Phizicke and that the wise and experienced Phizision afore he vndertake to cure the disease of hys patient or giue certeine iudgement of his recouerye doth not only examine thoccasion of his greif but makes also his firste indeuour to take awaye and mortifye the cause afore he disclose the skil and hidden mistories of his arte So the maladie of loue being nothing inferior to the ragyng oppressioÌ„ of the burnyng feuer who desyereth alwayes thinges that be hurtefull and esche weth the necessarie preseruatiues of health is neyther to bée cured nor delte with all in any sorte onlesse the pacient wil suffer the circumstance of his disease to be Syfted to thuttermost and abide an incisyon of the soare euen to the quicke to th ende that by thoperacion of the Cataplame whiche shal be ministred to you you dispayre not of recouerye althoughe there appeare diuerse lykelihodes of daunger nor I brought to aunswer for my frendshipp whiche I proteste to be without spot of dishonest inteÌ„t And as it is no lesse necessarie for hym that is sicke to reapose a speciall crecredit in his Phisicion then the minister of medecins to bee of exquisite skyll for that the opinion and conceite of his connynge importes a greate consolation to the mynde of hym that is sicke so you muste neyther denie the vertue of my medecine to worke his force nor doubte of any thing I meane to tell you for the tale can woorke small effects where the reaporter is of slender credit therfore afore I Sifte you any further I requeste you onely of one thing as moste chief and necessarye to preuent the present peril whiche attendes you I meane that in chaungynge your affection you wyll also dismisse and breake the resolucion whyche I knowe youre harte hath alredye determined The disposicion and exterior apparance of youre countenaunce argue a wonderfull deuocion you haue to visitte your oracle and saint at MILLAN whiche also I coulde well admitte if I sawe not in the ende of that vayne pilgrymage a harde pennance accompanied with more perils then euer happened to the son of AVCHISâ—S vndertakynge to visitt th infernall valleyes by the guide of his SYâ—ILLA You knowe well enough your banyshment from MILLAN proceded of rebellion and that your offence is so haynous in the conceite of the maiestie theare that onelye the price of your heade can make the attonement and quenche the rage of his wrath and seinge the sleighte of your enemies and malice of fortune haue dogged you and your doinges
assailed by the other who perswading her to scilence said her brauery was to great for one of her calling and that they came not thither to take pitty of her complaints neither shold she escape so good cheape as she thought she desired theÌ„ to abstein from violation of her body geue her what death they thought good they excused them selfes of any intent to do mordore only saye they we are com hither to bend you by force that will not bow by any entreatye wherefore if you thincke you haue any wronge referr the cause to the longe contynuance of your crueltie which is now at point to be reuenged pytty it was to heare the dolorous tunes of the poore maide with the miserable skrikes which she thrue vpp into the ayre to witnes her innocencye wherein shee contynued wythout any eccho of reschewe til y e detestable pallyard had spoyled the flower of her virginitie and then he begaÌ„ to perswade her to pacyeÌ„ce willing her her eafter not to become so curious of her chastitie nor refuce to admit y e offer of his freÌ„dshipp wherof he promised so largly that if she wold he wold take her from her father and kepe her at his charges presenting at thinstaÌ„t a purse ful of money willing her thensfurth to caste awaye all cause of care and dispose her selfe onlye to cherishe and make much of the rest of her life for the whiche saith he you shal fynde me as careful as you shal thinke conuenieÌ„t and if hereafter you haue a desyre to mary doubt not to repose your selfe therin vpon me for I wil so wel prouide and assiste you wyth so good a porcion that the same shal be plentifull inoughe to susteine you and releue the needfull condicion of your parentes but she no lesse loathing the offer of his filthy promise then detesting the villen that wold not cease yet to corrupt her hauinge by this time recouered her sences defyed him wyth his mynisters of infection saing that although his villeny force hath defiled the chastitie of her body and geuen him theffecte of his lasciuious desier yet shold he neuer be hable eyther wyth his money or other wayes to corrupt the sincerytie of her hart whose innocencye saith she wyl tryumphe ouer thy execrable acte afore him who is to yelde the the due hyer of thy trauaile is it in thy power to satisfie or leue me coÌ„tented y t froÌ„ me which al y t world caÌ„not eftsones restore me No no it is god of whoÌ„ I must claime satisfactioÌ„ in punishing y e two trayterous Borre ans and rauenous spoilers of y e virginitie of me pore wretch who was borne to abyde y e setence of my destinye y e galland thinckyng to appease thextremitie of her passion began to prefer perswacions of coÌ„fort which she defied with such spite and bitter termes of iust reproche against him that lothyng to suffer her eyes to féede vppon him that had infected all the partes of her body tolde him that the only veiwe of his villanous lookes made her forgett all order of pacience which he toke as a comission to depart fearyng withal y t the noyse of her coÌ„plaints might bechauÌ„ce com to y e eares of som that passed y e way who vnderstandyng the discourse of the rape wold make reporte to the bishop whose profession and othe is chefelye to punishe offendours in the like accydentes here the sorowful IVLIA being void of companie sauyng the doleful ecchoes of woodes and ryuers that answered her cryes wyth lyke complaint renewes the warre of her present desaster which tearing her heares without respecte and quarellyng with y e dowery that nature had gyuen her wold gladly haue touched her with ymputacion in makyng her incydent to so wretched a destenye in exclaiming still vppon the malice of her Fortune yf thabundaunce of teares accompayned wyth sighs of pytyfull disposicion hadd not so stopped the course of speche that for the time she was dryuen into scilence and beyng by litte and litle restored againe to the libertie of her tounge and the source of her sorrowe somewhat retyred she made a short inuocacion to God in this sorte oh heuenlye father sayeth she I sée that the rigour of thy iustice hath preuailed aboue the benefytt of thy mercie and that thou doste awarde me this harde penaunce for the punyshment of my faltes passed w t what face alas shal I behold my poore father whose compfort as it consisted in my wel doing so his gréefe wil be without comparison hering of the hard termes of my myschaunce in desolacion shal he knitt vpp the remeynder of his olde yeres that commyng into any place the remembrauÌ„ce of my falte drawing the blood of shame into his face will make him blushe and eschewe the companye wher afor he neded not haue douted to haue marched amoÌ„gest the best and shall I dissemble that whyche I entende not to hydd or kepe it secret that toucheth me so nere No no as thinâ—â—cencye of my mynde is recorded afore god so because the world shall also witnes how clere I was from consente I wil vse no other water to washe away so great a spott then the sacryfice of death which I will followe with no lesse expedicion then the treason of the villaine hath bene cruel in takinge from me that whyche made me to lyue wherwithe dismissing her complaint she ceassed also froÌ„ teares and put herselfe in order to go to the house of her father who by euill â—ucke was not then at home there she puts on the beste garment she had and attyring her self in order to go to some great méeting or banquet shittes the doare of her cotage and leading her yonger syster in her haÌ„d went furthwith to an awnt of hers who as one ouercharged with sicknes and yeres was not hable to sturr out of her bedd affore whome as she was in the middest of the repeticion of her chaunce reueiling the whole order and circumstance of the fact which she cold not do without great effusion of teares for that the very remembrance of the deede restored a freshe alaram of her sorowes she fel sodeinly into a qualme or passion of soundyng wherein she remayned traunced wythout all argument of lyfe til by the helpe of the assistaÌ„ce she was eftsones delyuered to thuse and libertie of her senses when quarelling stil w t the horror of the fact desire to be reuenged by death she seamed to rebuke her owne ymbecillitie and faintnes of corage saing what signe of vertu is this to seame to shrink when argumeÌ„ts of constancy ought chiefly tappere who wyll desire to lyue that hath lost the renoume of honor which ought to be the most precious Iewel and badge of the lyfe or what pleasure is it to possesse the presence of the body alredy spotted with infamye when the soule wery of her habytacioÌ„ is redy to resigne her auncyent aboade what felicitie haue they in lyfe that being
t which she was no lesse meritorious then imbrased as you sée for her bewtie And drawing y e blod of seamly shame into her face which set such a glass of natural white red of her coÌ„mplexion y t her coollor seamed to be died in the dew of y e fragraÌ„t morning of May retorned his courtsie w t a salutacioÌ„ of seÌ„blable humilitie wherin he reioysed w t more coÌ„teÌ„tmeÌ„t of mind then if y e Quene of Spaine had yelded him fauor to kysse her haÌ„d But what nede he tickle himself to make himself laugh or why did he not eschew y e preseÌ„ce and place of his enemy rather theÌ„ seame so subiect to y e soÌ„monce of his eye to whoÌ„ loue hath giuen the gift of flatterie to deceiue y e rest of y e partes for if at y e first he had corrected y e flickering reaporte of his eyes his hart had bene fre froÌ„ desier he not at the brinke of passion tormentes if at y e biginning he had abaÌ„doned y e place he had also dismissed the remeÌ„brance of that whiche nowe hathe bounde hym to pursewe the queste of hys owne disquiete neyther dothe hee other thynge in visitynge the place where shee is then throwe water vppon hoate ymbers whyche dobleth the heate and forceth the flame with more expedicion for the more he behelde her and the lesse she regarded hym the greater grew his affection geuing treble increase to his desier And albeit she was neither fyne in attire sett out in robes of riche araye nor deckte with apparell for the more decoracion of her naturall beautye yet appeared she no lesse precious in the eye of this gallande then if she had bene trimmed for the nonste in the same order that the Poetes faine of the browne Egypciane when she was broughte to lye wyth the Romaine Capteine Marcus Anthonius He fayled not to reiterate his haunte with an ordinarie trade to the stréets of â—aniquette resoluynge his coÌ„mon abode or place of staye righte ouer againste her lodginge whiche increased her doubte of that misterye till nature that discusseth the darknes of suche doubtes and bringes the moste rude creatures of the worlde to be capable in the argumentes of loue reuealed vnto her the meanynge of that ridle sayinge y t the roundes and often tornes wyth vaylinge of bonnett whiche the proude pirott made afore the dore of her fortresse was no other thynge then the intisynge harmonie of the Syrenes or other stale to allure or make her plyable to thappetite of his will wherin she was the rather resolued for certeinetie for that within shorte tyme passing that waye he ymagined a staye righte ouer againste her house Where féedinge the tyme for the nonste in deuise with one of his frendes gaue skoape to his eyes to peruse with continuall contemplacion the maiestie of his mistres in suche sorte that one of her compagnions exercisynge also the vse of the nedle encountred by chaunce she gredie regardes he caste to Ianiquette to whom sayth she thou arte litle beholding to y e goodnes of fortune that seames so greate an enemye to the merite of thy beautie for if thy condicion or calling wold admit y e aduancemeÌ„t which the present preferment of nature doth offer the no doubte thou sholdest become in short time y e honor decoration of al thy house for touchinge the resolucion of mine eyes iudgemente of my conceite proceding of the deuouring regardes yonder gentlemaÌ„ casteth towardes the he is not only y e bondman of thy beautye but also so addicted to the seruice of the same y t only thou Ianiquette may dispose of him his honor lyfe al that hehath And trulye thou arte not so happie to be the controller of so noble a chaÌ„pion as of litle discretion if thou make small accompte of his seruice whiche the veraye greatest dames of our prouince woulde reserue as a special relique or Iewel neither oughtest thou to make thy beautye of such price as the respect therof shold preuaile aboue the goodnes of so greate an offer seinge that the walles of this towne do inclose a nomber of younge Ladyes and gentlewomen that excedynge the in beautye and bringyng vp wolde not seame curious in admittyng the benefyt of so good a fortune Whereunto the honeste IaniquetteÌ„ that neither tooke pitie of his paynes nor allowed his endeuor lesse liked the perswacions of her companion who peraduenture boarded her so farr to make a prooffe of her honestie replied no lesse wisely then wyth more discretion then comonly we note now a dayes in one of her yeres Yf I were borne quoth she vnder thinfluence of fortune or bounde to abide the sentence of her doome I were not vnlike to performe thexspectation of thy allurementes but seing I am deriued of a contrary coÌ„stellation moostring alwayes vnder the ensigne collours of vertue I haue my salfe conduite at all times to withstaÌ„de thinuasion of such infections with authoritye to defye the malice of any such accident And touching the coÌ„mendacions which you seme to giue to mon Seigneur Luchin both in the title of honor estimacioÌ„ of his publike authoritie in thaffaires of this citye together with his dexteritie in al giftes incidente to a gentlemaÌ„ I saye â—he more plentifully he is considered at the handes of God with a singularitie in suche ornamentes So much the more ought he to studye to seame worthie of so rare a participacion not conuerting the vertue of his talent giuen him from aboue into a sinister entente disposicion of wickednes to seduce the chastetie of simple maides whose faultes if any be he ought rather to reprehende with seueritie theÌ„ minister corrupcion coÌ„trary to the commission of his honor neyther shall be at anye time I hope preuaile so ouer my beautye as the vse of the same shall giue him other contentement then a frendlye â—oniour of the mouth whiche all honeste maides may do without preiudice thinking the frendship of nature of no greater moment in giuyng me the title of faire then the vertue meritorious in preseruing the same accordyng to the merite without spott of infamye or worthye reproche of the worlde for her offence is double afore God sayeth she and treble skandalous in the mouth of the multitude that exchauÌ„geth her beautye being a chiefe signe and argument of grace which God hath painted in the face of a womaÌ„ as the philosopher saith for any other price how greate so euer it appeare then the honeste pawne gage of lawfull matrimonye accordinge to thinstitucion of oure sauiour who allowing chiefly the oblacion of chastetie dothe condemne the coÌ„trary into perentory destruction and what haue we in this worlde that we ought to make so deare accompte of as our honeste name being the thing that yeldes vs not only an admiracion whilste we enioye the vse of lyfe vpon earth but also makes vs liue after our death with a perpetuall