saied that her doughter might not bothe sustaine paine in the birthe and also trouble to nourishe it her self I praie thee mother saied Phauorinus to suffer thy doughter to be the hole intire mother of her owne sonne What kind of half and vnperperfect mothers be thei whiche so sone as thei bee deliuered doe against nature by and by thrust the childe a waie from them Can thei nourishe with their owne bloode the thyng whiche thei see not and will thei not vouchsaufe to bestowe their Milke vpon that whiche is now a liuyng creature criyng out before their faces for the mothers help and duetie O thou vnkinde woman dooest thou thinke that Nature hath giuen thee twoo breastes for nothyng els but to beautifie and adorne thy body and not to giue sucke to thy children In like sorte many prodigious and monstruous women haue dried vp and extinguished that moste sacred foūtaine of the bodie the educatour of mākinde not without perill of their persones as though the same were a disgracyng of their beautie and comelinesse The like also some doe attempt by deuises and subtile secrecies to extrude their concepcions that the swellyng of their body might not irrugate and wrinckle their faces and that their painfull labours and greate burdeins dooe not make them looke olde in their youthly daies And like as it is generally to bee abborred that man in his first beginnynges when he is fashioned and inspired with life and in the handes of the cunnyng and wise woman daine Nature should be killed and slaine euē so with not muche lesse detestacion it is to be had cōpted when he is perfect and borne and the child of thine owne blood to be depriued from his due sustenaunce But it is no matter will some saie with whose Milke he bee nourced so he receiue Milke and liue The like maie be saied to that man whiche is so dull in perceiuyng the prouidence of Nature that what matter had it been in whose bodie and with whose blood he hymself had been formed and brought into light Hath not she whiche nowe respireth and with beautie waxeth white and fake the same bloodde now in her breastes which was before remainyng in her wōbe Is not the wisedome of Nature manifest in this thyng that after the cunnyng woorkeman the bloodde hath framed in the inwarde partes euery bodie of man straight waie when the tyme of birthe approcheth the same bloodde infudeth hymself into the vpper partes and is redie to nourishe the rudimentes of life and light offryng acquaintaunce familier sustinance to the newe borne Wherefore in vaine is not that reporte and belief that like as the force and Nature of the generacion séede is able to shape the similitudes of the minde bodie euen so the qualities and properties of the Milke doe auaile to like effecte Whiche thing is not onely marked in men but also in brute beastes For if Kiddes bee sockled vp with Ewes Milke and Lambes with Goates the Wolle of th one will growe more rough and hard and the heare of the other more tēder and soft In trées also and fruictes there is for the moste parte a greater force and power in the nature of the soile and Water where thes growe either for the pruning and planting then there is if straunge impes and séede be grifted and sowen there And many tymes you sée that a fruictfull trée caried and set in an other place decaseth through the nature of the grounde more barren What reason is this then to corrupte the noble Nature of this borne childe whose bodie and minde is well begonne with naturall beginnynges and to infecte the same with the degenerate foode of straunge Milke Specially if she to whom you shalt put forthe this childe to giue sucke be either a bonde and serulte woman and as commonlie it chaunceth of a forrein and barbarous nacion bee she wicked ill fauoured whorishe or dronken For diuers times without difference children be put forth to suche Nursses whose honestitie and condicions in the tyme of the puttyng for the be vtterly vnknowen Shall we suffer therefore this our infaunt to bée corrupted with pestiferous Milke Shall we abide a newe nature and spirit to be renued in his minde and bodie deriued frō that whiche is most vile and wicked Muche like to the same whiche many tymes we see and wonder how diuers children borne of chaste and honest women haue bodies and qualities farre discrepant from their honest parentes Wherefore verie trimlie and cunnynglie Maro folowyng Homeres verses doeth safe speakyng of the cruell nature of Achilles Sir Peleus that gentle kinght was not thy father sure Nor yet thy dame faire Thetis was whose grace the Goddes did lure The raging Sea and stonie rockes did bryng thee forthe to light Thy nature is so bloudie bent so fierce in cruell fight He did not herein reprehende the birthe of Achilles but the nature of the cruel sauage beast that brought hym vp for he added this of his owne And the Hircan Tigres did giue hym sucke And truely the condicion of the Noursse and nature of the Milke disposeth almoste the greater parte of the childes condicion whiche notwithstādyng the fathers séede and creacion of the bodie and mynde within the mothers wombe dooeth now in the begiunyng of his nouriture configurate and frame a newe dispositiō in him Moreouer who can saie the cōtrary but that suche women as putte their children from them deliueryng thē to be nourced of other doe cutte of naie rather doe wipe a waie and extinguishe that bande and increase of minde and affection that doeth consociate and ioyne in nature the parentes toward their children For whē the childe is put forthe to an other place and remoued from the mothers sighte the vigor and tendernesse of her affection is by litle ant litle forgotten and out of memorie the derest care of her tender babe groweth to vtter silence The sendyng awaie of the childe to an other Nourice is not muche inferiour to the forgetfulnesse that chaunceth when death doeth take it awaie Againe the affection the loue and familiaritie of the childe is prone to her that giueth it sucke And so as it is enidently seen in them that be put forthe the childe taketh no knowledge or desire of the owne mother that brought it forthe Therefore when the elementes and beginnynges of naturall pletie and loue bee ones abandoned and defaced how soeuer suche children in that sort brought vp shall seeme to loue the parentes yet for the moste parte it is no pure and naturall affection but rather a supposed and Ciuile loue Thus this noble Philosopher giueth counsaill to euery good mother not to be ashamed or grieued to bryng vp her childe with her owne Milke after her greatest paine past whom before with her owne bloudde she disdained not to féede in her bodie Of Sertorius a noble Romane capitaine ¶ The .xxiiij. Nouell LIke as in a good Capitaine chosen out
Icilius. All which doynges beeyng viewed and marked by Appius in a greate furie ascended the consistorie Then M. Claudius the plaintife began to renewe his sute and before the father could make aunswere to that plea Appius gaue sentence that the maide was bonde whiche sentence semed so cruell that it appalled the whole multitude And as Claudius was laiyng handes vpon the virgine Virginius stepped to Appius and said I haue betrouthed my doughter to Icilius not to thee Appius My care in the bringyng of her vp was to marrie her and not to suffer her to be violated and defloured Is it your maner like sauage and cruell beastes indifferentlie thus to vse your libidinous affections I cannot tell whether the multitude here present will supporte this enormitie but I am sure the armed souldiors and suche as carrie armure will not suffer it Marcus Claudius beyng repulsed by the womeÌ„ and aduocates that were present silence was proclaimed by the Trumpet Then Appius began to declare how he vnderstoode that all the night before that certaine companies were assembled within the Citie to excite and moue sedicion For whiche cause he came with armed menne not to hurte any man that was quiete but accordyng to the aucthoritie of his office to bridle and represse those that were troublers of the publike state Wherefore goe Sergeant q he make roume emonges the multitude that the maister maie enioy his seruaunt Whiche woordes he thundred out with greate furie and therewithall the multitude gaue place leauing the poore Puselle to be a praie to the enemie Her father seyng that he was voide of succour and helpe to defende the innocencie of his doughter spake to Appius in this sorte I firste dooe beseche thee Appius if I haue vsed any vnreasonable woordes againste thee to pardon me and to impute the same to the fathers grief and sorowe Suffer me I praie thee to examine the Nonrsse in the presence of the wench of the whole circumstance of this matter to the intent that if I bee but a supposed father I maie departe hence with quiet conscience satisfied and contented Virginius hauyng license to talke to his doughter and Noursse departed a side into a place called Cloacina where the shoppes be now called Taberne Nouae and pluckyng a sharpe knife from a Bocher that stoode by he thruste the same to the hart of his doughter saiyng By this only meanes doughter I can make thee free and loking again towardes the Iudgement feate he saied This bloodde Appius I consecrate and bestowe vpon thee Whiche doen with his sworde he made waie to passe through the throng to conueigh hymself out of the citie Then Icilius and Nnmitorius tooke vp the deade bodie and shewed it to the people who cried out vpoÌ„ the wickednesse of Appius bewailyng the vnhappie beautie of that faire maiden and deplored the necessitie of the father The women exclamed in lamentable wise saiing Is this the condicion and state of them that bring foorthe children Bee these the rewardes of chastitie With suche like pitifull cries as women are wont to make vpon suche heauie and dolorous enentes Virginius beeyng arriued in the campe whiche then was at the mounte Vicelius with a traine of fower hundred persones that fledde out of the citie shewed to the souldiours the blooddie knife that killed his doughter whiche sight astonied the whole Campe in so muche as euery man demaunded what was the cause of that sodain chaunce Virginius could not speake for teares but at length he disclosed vnto them the effecte of the whole matter and holdyng vp his handes towardes the heauens saied I beseche you deare companions doe not impute the wickednesse of Appius Claudius vpon me ne yet that I am a parricide and murderer of myne owne childreÌ„ the life of my deare doughter had been more acceptable to me then myne owne life if so bee she might haue continued a free woman and an honest virgine But when I sawe she was ledde to the rape like a bondewoman I considered that better it were her life to be lost then suffered to liue in shame wherfore my naturall pitie was conuerted to a kinde of crueltie And for mine owne part I doe not passe to liue loÌ„g after her if I thought I should not haue your helpe and succour to reuenge her death Consider that your selues haue doughters sisters and wiues think not therefore that the fleshly desire of Appius is satisfied with the death of my doughter And the longer that he dooeth continue in this securite the more vnbridâ—led is his appetite Let the calamitie of an other be a sufficieÌ„t documeÌ„t for you to beware like iniuries My wife is deade by naturall fate and constellacion and bicause my doughter could continewe no longer in honeste and chaste life death is befallen vnto her whiche although it bee miserable yet the same is honourable There is now no place in my house for Appius to satisfie his filthy luste And I will faile of my purpose if I doe not reuenge the death of my doughter with so good will vpon his fleshe as I did discharge the dishonour and seruitude of her from his violente and crnell handes This succlamacion and pitifull complainte so stirred the multitude that thei promised all to helpe and relieue his sorowe Whervpon the whole Campe were in a mutine and marched in order of battaile to the mouÌ„te Auentine where Virginius perswaded the souldiours to chose ten principall capitaines to bee heade and chief of that enterprise whiche with honourable titles of the field should be called Tribuni And Virginius hymself beyng elected the chief Tribune saied these woordes to the souldiours I praie you reserue this estimacion which you conceiue of me vntill some better tyme and apter occasion aswell for your commoditie as for my self The death of my doughter wil suffer no honour to be pleasaunte or welcome to me duryng my life Moreouer in this troubled state of the Common wealthe it is not méete for them to be your gouernours that be subiecte and occurant to enuie and reproche if my seruice shal be profitable vnto you wheÌ„ you haue thus created me a Tribune it shall be no lesse commodious if I doe still remaine a priuate manne When he had spoken those woordes thei chose tenne Tribunes And like as the Campe at the mounte Auentine was prouoked and stirred to this sedicioÌ„ euen so by meanes of Icilius and Nomitorius before remembred the armie then beyng against the Sabines began to reuolt and made the like nomber of Tribunes whiche in arraie of battaile marched through the citée at the gate Collina with banner displaied to ioyne with the caÌ„pe vpoÌ„ the mount Auentine And when bothe the campes were assembled thei those out twoo emonges the twentie Tribunes to bee their generalles called M. Oppius and Sextus Manilius The Senate carefull and pensife for these euentes eftsons assembled but no certaine determinacion was agreed vpon At length thei concluded that Valerius and Horatius
called Beyng come before her presence She saied vnto him Gyges I offer vnto thee now two condicions take whether thou wilte For either thou muste kill Candaules and take me to thy wife and the kyngdome also or els thou must die thy self that thou maiest vnderstande how in all thynges not meete to be knowen it is not necessary to obeie Candaules For either he must needes die whiche gaue thee that counsaile or thy self whiche diddest sée me naked and therby committed a thyng vnlawfull Whiche woordes for a while did wonderfully amase Gyges then he beseched the Quene that she would pardon hym frō that vnlawful choise When he sawe that he could nor perswade her he required her to shewe him by what meanes he might attempte that enterprise Marie q she euen in that place where thou sawest me naked when he is a slepe thou shalte committe that facte After thei had deuised the treason nighte approched And Gyges with stoute courage bente hymself therevnto For he sawe no remedie but that he must kill or els be killed Wherefore with a Dagger whiche the Quéene deliuered hym he killed Candaules when he was a slepe And so gotte from him bothe his wife and kyngdome A goodlie example to declare that the secretes of Marriage ought not to be disclosed But with reuerence to bee couered lest God dooe plague suche offences with death or other shame to manifeste to the worlde how derely he estemeth that honourable state Kyng Craesus of Lydia reasoneth with the wiseman Solon of the happie life of manne Who litle esteming his good aduisee Understoode before his death that no mā but by vertue cā in this life attaine felicitie ¶ The .vij. Nouell A Noble gentleman of Athenes called Solon by thappoinctment of the Athenians made lawes for that citie and bicause none of the same lawes should bee abrogated for the space of tenne yeres he bounde the Citizens by othe And that the same might the better bee obserued he hymself trauailed into farre countrees as into Egipte to visite king Hamasis and so to Sardis to kyng Craesus where he was liberallie interteigned This Craesus was kyng of Lydia sonne of Haliattes that brought to subiectiō great Countries in Asia and Graecia and gathered together an innumerable masse of money and richesse Who three or fower daies after the arriuall of Solon whiche was ledde aboute by his seruauntes to viewe his notable wealthe and substaunce saied vnto Solon these woordes My frende of Athens bicause thy famous wisedome is well knowen to the worlde and I haue heard tell of the excellencie thereof and of the greatenesse of thy trauell where thou haste attaigned to the singuler knowledge of Philosophie I desire to learne of thee now hauyng seen my greate treasures who is the happiest man and moste blessed that thou knowest in the worlde Thinkyng he would haue iudged hym to be the same But Solon made answere that Tellus was the happiest Who was an Athenien and had vertuous and honeste soonnes and thei likewise had honest children all whiche were that tyme liuing And when by the space of many yeres he had ledde a vertuous and godlie life he died an honourable death in the warres whiche the Athenians had with their neighbors at the battaill of Eleusina Where he was indued with sumptuous funeralles to his greate honour and praise Then Craesus asked him who was happie next Tellus thinkyng he would haue attributed to him the second place For so the q he that is Cleobis and Bito whiche were Argiues and liued a contented life And in all pastimes to proue force and maisterie thei bare awaie the prise and victorie And of theim these thynges be remembred When the feastfull daie of Iuppiter was celebrated emonges the Argiues Tkeir mother should bee caried to the Temple in a Chariotte drawen with a yoke of Oxen whiche were not come out of the countrie at the appoincted time The yonge men seeyng that the hower was come entred into the yoke theimselues and drewe the chariotte the space of xlv stades to the Temple After this acte seen of all the people there th ende of their life was suche as certainly God gaue to vnderstande by theim that better it is to dye then liue For the Argiues that were assembled about Bito and Cleobis with shoutes and acclamacions praised the good willes of those children and the women themselues saied that happie was the mother whiche brought for the suche lineage Their mother then ioyfull for that facte and of the reputacion of of her sōnes kneled doun before the Image of Iuno hūbly beseching her to giue to her sōns the thing that wer best for a mā to attain vnto Her praier ended she made her sacrifice which doen the .ij. yong men presently died in the temple In tokē of whose noble liues the Argiues erected .ii. images at Delphos And to thē Solō appointed the second place of blisfulnes Craesus moued with these wordes said vnto Solō Thou stranger of Athenes is our felicitie in suche litle reputacion with thee that thou doest preferre before vs these priuate mē Solon answered Sir shall I assure you of humain thynges knowyng that God enuieth the state of men and troubleth thē so often In lēgth of time many thinges be séen whiche mē would not se and many thinges be suffred that men would not suffer Lette vs assigne to mās life the terme of .lxx. yeres In which yeres are the nomber of .xxv. M.cc daies in whiche computaciō the leape moneth whiche is February is not cōprehended But if you will that other yeres be lōger by reason of that moneth to th ende the howers maie be adioined to thē that wāt then the leaps monethes maketh the tyme to amount aboue .lxx. yeres to .xxv. monethes and the daies of those monethes amoūt to M.v. C. But admit that .lxx. yeres with their leape monethes be the totall somme of mans life then is producted the sōme of .xxvi M.CC. daies Truelie one daie is not like an other in effecte Euen so Craesus I conclude that man is full of miserie But although your grace seemyng bothe in welth also in multitude of men to be a rich mightie king yet I cannot answere fully your demaūde before I se how wel you do ende your life For the riche mā is not happier bicause he hath lōg life excepte to his riches fortune graunt that he leade a good honest life Many men be verie riche yet for all that be not blessed happie And many that haue but mean wealth be fortunate He that is riche welthie and therwithall not happie excelleth hym that is fortunate happie onely in .ij. thinges but thother surmounteth the riche mā in many thinges The .ij. thinges wherin the riche excelleth thother be these Th one in satisfiyng his lust affectiō thother in power abilitie to sustein ill fortune and aduersitie And as the mean man is inferior to the riche in those .ij. poinctes whiche
pallaice wherein the ladie laie whiche was out of all mennes minde bicause it was not occupied many a daie before and shutte vp with a verie strong doore But Loue in the eyes whereof nothing is so secrete but it will come to knowledge had brought the same again into the remembraunce of the amourous Ladie The openyng of whiche doore that no manne might knowe it many daies did trouble her wittes afterward when she had found the waie she went doune a lone into the Caue and viewyng the vente wherevnto she had giuen order for Guiscardo to come she told him of what height it was from the grounde For the execucion whereof Guiscardo prepared a rope with knottes and degrées to goe vp and doune and puttyng vpon him a leather coate to kepe hym from the thornes and bushes went douns the next night at the saied vent vnknowen of any man and fastenyng one of the endes of the rope to the stocke of a trée that grewe at the mouthe of the vēt he slipte doune into the Caue and taried there for the Ladie who next daie fainyng her self to slepe after diner sente her maides out of her chamber and locked herself within a lone and then opened the doore and went doune into the Caue where findyng Guiscardo thei merueilously reioysed one with an other And frō thence went vp together into her chamber where thei remained togethers the moste parte of that daie to their greate contentacion And hauyng giuen good order for the affaires of their Loue and the secrete vse thereof Guiscardo retourned into the Caue and the ladie locked the dore and came out emonges her maides The next night after Guiscardo issued out of the vent vpon the rope wherewith he descended and conueied hymself into his chamber And hauyng learned the waie he resorted thither many tymes after But Fortune enuious of that pleasure so long and greate with dolorous successe tourned the ioye of those twoo louers into heauie and sorowfull ende The Prince accustomed sometimes to resort alone into his doughters chamber and there for a while to tarie and talke with her so to depart Who vpon a daie after diner when the Ladie whose name was Gismonda was in the garden withall her maidens repaired vnknowen or séen of any man into her chamber But beyng lothe to trouble his doughter of her pleasure and findyng the windowes of her chamber shutte and the curtens of the bedde drawen he satte doune vpon a stoole at the beddes feete and leanyng his hedde to the bedde the Curteine drawen ouer hym as he had béen hidden of purpose he fell a slepe And the Kyng beyng thus a slepe Gismonda that in euill tyme the same daie had appoincted Guiscardo to come left her maidens in the Gardein and entred verie softly into her chamber lockyng faste the doore after her And not knowyng any manne to bée there she opened the dore of the Caue to Guiscardo who was redie to waite for her commyng Then thei cast thē selues vpon the bedde as thei were wont to doe and thus solacing themselfes and passing the tyme together it chaunced that the Prince awaked who heard and sawe what Guiscardo and his doughter did Wherof beyng verie sorowfull he would vpō the firste sighte haue cried out but that he thoughte it better for that tyme to holde his peace and still to kepe hymself secrete to the intent that he might more priuilie and with lesse shame accomplishe that whiche he purposed to doe The twoo louers continued togethers a greate tyme as thei were wont to dooe without any knowledge of the Prince his beyng there when thei sawe tyme thei went doune from the bedde and Guiscardo retournyng to the Caue she went forthe of her chamber fro whence Tancredi as olde as he was conueied hymself into the Gardein out at a windowe of the same vnséen and not perceiued of any man Who like a pensife manne and carefull euen vnto death repaired to his owne chamber and the next night about one of the clocke he caused Guiscardo to bee apprehended by an order that he had prescribed at his comyng foorthe of the Caue euen clothed as he was with his leather coate and by twoo men was secretly conueied to the Prince Who so sone as he sawe hym saied vnto hym with teares standyng in his eyes Guiscardo my beneuolence and goodnes towardes thée haue not merited this outrage and shame that thou haste committed this daie in myne owne house whiche I sawe with myne owne eyes To whom Guiscardo gaue no other answere but that Loue was of greater force then either the Prince or hymself Then the Prince commaunded hym to be kept in a chamber adioinyng The nexte daie the Kyng Gismonda beeyng ignoraunte hereof reuolued in his minde diuers and sundrie matters and after diner as he was accustomed he wente into his doughters chamber and caused her to bée called vnto hym and shuttynge the Chamber doore in lamentable wise saied vnto her Gismonda I had so muche affiance and trust in thy vertue and honestie that it could neuer haue entred into my minde although it had béen tolde me if I had not séen it with myne owne proper eyes but that thou haddest not onely in déede but also in thought abandoned the companie of all men excepte it had béen thy husbande wherof I shal be right pensife and sorowfull so long as this litle remnaunte of life that myne olde age doeth preserue indureth in me And sith thou couldest not conteine thy self from suche dishonest loue I would it had pleased God that thou haddest taken a manne equall to thine estate But emonges so many that doe frequent my court thou hast chosen this yong manne Guiscardo whose birthe is verie vile and base and brought vp as it were for Gods sake from a child to this present daie in our courte For whiche consideracion I am verie sore disquieted not knowyng how to take this at thy handes For with hym whō I haue caused to be taken this night in going out of the caue and now kepte as prisoner I haue alredie concluded what to doe But with thee what I shall doe God knoweth Of the one side the loue that I still beare thee more then any father euer bare to his doughter doeth drawe me on the other side a iuste displeasure and indignacion taken for thy greate follie doeth moue me The one mocion would that I should pardon thee the other forceth me against my nature to bee cruell vnto thée Notwithstandyng before I dooe make any certaine resolucion I desire to heare what thou canst saie for thy self When he had spoken those wordes he kissed her face wepyng verie bitterly like a child that had béen beaten Gismonda hearyng her father and knowyng that not onely her secrete loue was discouered but also her louer Guiscardo to be in prison conceiued an inestimable sorowe vttering the same many tymes without cries and schreches accordyng to the maner of women how beit her greate courage
passion and that he coulde not long prolong his lyfe without the fauoure of her good grace who onely was the very remedy of his euill The Duchesse pestred with suche like talke sayde vnto him Sir Countie me think you ought to haue satisfied your self with my first refusall wythout further continuance in the pursuing of your rash enterprise Haue you forgotten the place that you kepe and the honor whervnto my Lorde the Duke my husband hath exalted you Is this now the loyall reward that you rendre vnto him for creating you his Lieutenant ouer all his landes and seigniories to demaunde the preheminence of his bed Assure your selfe for finall warning that if euer hereafter you shal againe fal into lyke error I sweare vnto you by the fayth of a Princesse that I will make you to be chastised in suche sorte as all semblable Traytors and disloyall seruaunts shall take example The Earle seing him selfe refused and thus rebuked and in doubt that the Princesse would make her husband to vnderstand his enterprise vpon his retourne chaunging this great loue into an hate more than mortall determined whatsoeuer should come thereof to inuent all meanes possible vtterly to destroy the Duchesse And after that he had fansied diners things in his minde he deuised by the instinct of the diuell to cause one of his Nephewes being of the age onely of xviij or .xx. yeares which was his heire apparant for that he had no children one of the fayrest and best condicioned Gentlemen of all Thurin to sort that deuilish attempt to purpose m And finding opportunity one day he sayde to the yong man that depended wholly vpon him these wordes Nephewe thou knowest that all the hope thou hast in this worlde lyeth in me alone making accompt of thée as of my childe And for that it pleased God to giue me no children I haue constituted and ordeined thée my sole and onely heire with ful hope that from henceforth thou wilt accompt thy self most bounde vnto me and therefore obedient in all thinges which I shall commaunde thée specially in that which may be moste for thine aduauncement The Duke as thou knowest is absent old and croked and at al houres in the mercy of death through daungers of the warres Nowe if he should chaunce to dye my desire is to mary thée with some great Lady Yea and if it were possible with the Duchesse her selfe which God knoweth what profit it would bring both to thée and thine in my iudgement an easie matter to compasse yf thou wilt despose thy self after my counsell or at least wyse if thou canst not come to the title of husband thou mayst not fayle to be receiued as her friend Thou art a comely Gentleman in good fauor with the Duchesse as I haue oftentimes perceyued by her communication albeit that holding fast the bridle of her honor she hath bene afrayd hitherto to open her selfe vnto thée Spare not my goods make thy selfe braue from henceforth whatsoeuer it cost and be diligent to please her in al that thou mayst and time shall make thée know that which thy tender yeares hath hitherto hidden from thée The poore yong man giuing sayth to the vnfaythfull inuentions of his vncle whom he counted as his Father began ofte to frequent the presence of the Duchesse and shamefastlye to solicite her by lookes and other offices of humanitie as nature had taught him continuing that order by the space of a moneth Which perceyued by the Duchesse she was diligent for her part to accept the honest affectionate seruice that the yong man daylie did vnto her and shewed vnto him likewise a certaine courteous fauor alwayes more than to the reste of the Pages aswell for the birthe and beautie where withall nature had enriched him as for that she fawe him enclined to doe her seruice more than the rest not thinking of anye dishonest appetite in the yong man nor of the malice of his vncle who hauing none other felicitie in the world but in reuenge of the Duchesse his enimie not able to beare the cruel vengeaunce rooted in his heart determined to play double or quitte And calling hys Nephewe before him he sayde vnto him My childe I doe perceiue and sée that thou art one of the most happiest gentlemen of all Europe if thou knewest how to followe thine owne good luck For the Duchesse not onely is amorous of thée but also consumeth for earnest loue which she beareth to thée But as thou knowest women be shamefast and would be sued vnto in secrete and doe delight to be deceyued of men to th ende it might séeme howe with deceit or force they were constrayned to graunt that vnto them which of their owne mindes they woulde willingly offer were it not for a little shame fastnesse that withdraweth thē And thereof assure thy selfe for I haue oftentimes experimented the same to my great contentaciō Wherfore cre dit my Councell and folow mine aduise And thou thy self shalt confesse vnto me before to morrow at this time that thou arte the happyest man of the worlde I will then that this night when thou séest conuenient time thou shalt conuey thy selfe secretely into the chamber of the Duchesse and to hide thy selfe a good way vnder the bedde for feare of being perceyued by any creature where thou shalt remaine vntill an houre after midnight when all men be in the depth of their sléepe And when thou perceiuest euery man at rest thou shalt closely rise and approching the Duchesse bedde thou shalt tell what thou arte and I am sure for the earnest loue which she beareth thée and for the long absence of her husbande she will courteously receyue thée betwene her armes feast thée with such delicate pleasures as amorous folke doe their louers The simple yong man giuing fayth to the wordes of his vncle that was honored as a King thinking perhaps that it procéeded by the persuasion of the Duchesse followed his commaundement and obeyed wholly his trayterous and abhominable request And oportunitie founde accomplished from point to point that which his cruell vncle had commaunded who a little before midnight fearing least his treason should be discouered tooke with him thrée Counsellors and certayne other of the Guarde of the Castle Whervnto as Lieutenant to the Duke he might both enter issue forth at all times when he lift and without declaring hys enterprise went straight to the portal of the Duchesse chambre knocking at the dore sayd that the Duke was come Which being opened he entred in with a number of lightes accompanied with the Guarde hauing a rapier ready drawen in his hande like a furious man besides himselfe began to loke round about and vnder the bed of the Duchesse from whence he caused his owne propre Nephewe to be drawen To whom without giuing him leasure to speake one word for feare lest his mischief should be discouered he sayd O detestable villaine thou shalt dye and there