?^^lc' — 'H(^-t>ii-jij 
 
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 v./ 
 
 CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME 
 OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT 
 FUND GIVEN IN 1 89 1 BY 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE 
 
3 1924 013 
 
 DATE DUE 
 
 n 
 
THE 
 
 PALACE OF PLEASURE 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
Of this Edition five hundred and fifty copies have been pinted, 
 five hundred of which are for sale. 
 
THE 
 
 
 alace of Isleasiure 
 
 ELIZABETHAN VERSIONS OE ITALIAN AND FRENCH NOVELS 
 
 FROM BOCCACCIO, BANDELLO, CINTHIO, STRAPASOLA, 
 
 QUEEN MARGARET OF NAVARRE, 
 
 AND OTHERS 
 
 DONE INTO ENGLISH 
 
 BY WILLIAM PAINTER 
 
 NOW AGAIN EDITED FOR THE FOURTH TIME 
 
 BY JOSEPH JACOBS 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: PUBLISHED BY DAVID NUTT IN THE STRAND 
 
 MDCCCXC 
 
 ^ 
 
A 9^^oz 
 
 BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND Ca 
 EDINBURGH AND LONDON 
 
TO 
 EDWARD BURNE-JONES 
 
^MRi>m 
 
 ^^1 
 
 Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013122605 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 FAGB 
 
 PREFACE ix 
 
 INTRODUCTION xi 
 
 PRELIMINARY MATTER (FROM HASLEWOOD) . . . XXXvii 
 
 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER . . . liii 
 ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE WORK . . Ixiii 
 INDEX OF NOVELS xcii 
 
 TOME I. 
 
 TITLE (facsimile OF FIRST EDITION) 
 DEDICATION TO EARL OF WARWICK 
 LIST OF AUTHORS 
 TO THE READER 
 
 NOVEL 
 
 I. HORATII AND CURIATII 
 II. RAPE OF LUCRECE 
 
 III. MUCIUS SCjEVOLA 
 
 IV. CORIOLANUS 
 V. APPIUS AND VIRGINIA . 
 
 VI. CANDAULES AND GYGES 
 VII. CROESUS AND SOLON . 
 VIII. RHACON AND CARTOMES 
 IX. ARTAXERXES AND SINETAS 
 X. CHARITON AND MENALIPPUS 
 XI. CYRUS AND PANTHEA . 
 XII. ABDOLOMINUS KING OF SCYTHIA 
 
 XIII. ALEXANDER AND THE SCYTHIAN 
 
 XIV. METELLUS ON MARRIAGE 
 
 XV. LAIS AND DEMOSTHENES 
 
 XVI. FABRICIUS AND PYRRHUS . 
 
 AMBASSADORS 
 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 lo 
 
 IS 
 
 22 
 26 
 29 
 
 35 
 46 
 
 49 
 S3 
 S4 
 S6 
 S8 
 69 
 71 
 74 
 77 
 78 
 
via 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 NOVEL 
 
 XVII. CAMILLUS AND SCHOOLMASTER 
 
 XVIII. PAPYRIUS PR^TEXTATUS 
 
 XIX. PLUTARCH'S ANGER 
 
 XX. ^SOP'S FABLE OF THE LARK 
 
 XXI. HANNIBAL AND ANTIOCHUS 
 
 XXII. ANDRODUS {Androcles) . 
 
 XXIII. FAVORINUS . 
 XXIV. SERTORIUS . 
 XXV. SIBYLLINE LEAVES 
 XXVI. MASTER AND SCHOLAR 
 XXVII. SELEUCUS AND ANTIOCHUS 
 XXVIII. TIMON OF ATHENS 
 XXIX. MARRIAGE OF WIDOW AND WIDOWER 
 XXX. THE THREE RINGS 
 XXXI. BORSIERI AND GRIMALDI 
 XXXII. ALBERTO OF BOLOGNA. 
 
 XXXIII. RINALDO OF ESTE 
 
 XXXIV. KING OF ENGLAND'S DAUGHTER 
 XXXV. RANDOLPHO RUFFOLO . 
 
 XXXVI. ANDRUCCIO 
 XXXVII. EARL OF ANGIERS 
 XXXVIII. GILETTA OF NARBONNE 
 - XXXIX. TANCRED AND GISMONDA 
 XL. MAHOMET AND IRENE. 
 XLI. LADY FALSELY ACCUSED 
 XLII. DIDACO AND VIOLENTA 
 XLIII. LADY OF TURIN . 
 XLIV. ALERAN AND ADELASIA 
 XLV. DUCHESS OF SAVOY 
 XLVI. COUNTESS OF SALISBURY 
 ADVERTISEMENT TO READER 
 
 80 
 83 
 
 85 
 86 
 88 
 89 
 91 
 95 
 98 
 
 99 
 
 102 
 
 112 
 114 
 116 
 119 
 122 
 
 "25 
 
 130 
 138 
 143 
 156 
 171 
 180 
 190 
 198 
 218 
 240 
 249 
 285 
 334 
 364 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THE present edition of Painter's "Palace of Pleasure/' the 
 storehouse of Elizabethan plot, follows page for page and 
 line for line the privately printed and very limited edition made 
 by Joseph Haslewood in 1813. One of the 172 copies then printed 
 by him has been used as " copy " for the printer, but this has been 
 revised in proof from the British Museum examples of the second 
 edition of 1575. The collation has for the most part only served to 
 confirm Haslewood's reputation for careful editing. Though the 
 present edition can claim to come nearer the original in many 
 thousands of passages, it is chiefly in the mint and cummin of 
 capitals and italics that we have been able to improve on Hasle- 
 wood : in all the weightier matters of editing he shows only the 
 minimum of fallibility. We have however divided his two tomes, 
 for greater convenience, into three volumes of as nearly as possible 
 equal size. This arrangement has enabled us to give the title 
 pages of both editions of the two tomes, those of the first edition 
 in facsimile, those of the second (at the beginning of vols. ii. and 
 iii.) with as near an approach to the original as modern founts of 
 type will permit. 
 
 I have also reprinted Haslewood's "Preliminary Matter," 
 which give the Dryasdust details about the biography of Painter 
 and the bibliography of his book in a manner not too Dryasdust. 
 With regard to the literary apparatus of the book, I have 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 perhaps been able to add something to Haslewood's work. 
 From the Record Office and British Museum I have given a 
 number of documents about Painter, and have recovered the only 
 extant letter of our author. I have also gone more thoroughly 
 into the literary history of each of the stories in the " Palace of 
 Pleasure" than Haslewood thought it necessary to do. I have 
 found Oesterley's edition of Kirchhof and Landau's Quellen des 
 Dekameron useful for this purpose. I have to thank Dr. F. J. 
 Furnivall for lending me his copies of Bandello and Belleforest. 
 
 I trust it will be found that the present issue is worthy of a 
 work which, with North's " Plutarch" and Holinshed's " Chro- 
 nicle," was the main source of Shakespeare's Plays. It had also, 
 as early as 1580, been ransacked to furnish plots for the stage, 
 and was used by almost all the great masters of the Elizabethan 
 drama. Quite apart from this source of interest, the " Palace of 
 Pleasure" contains the first English translations from the Deca- 
 meron, the Heptameron, from Bandello, Cinthio and Straparola, 
 and thus forms a link between Italy and England. Indeed as 
 the Italian novelle form part of that continuous stream of literary 
 tradition and influence which is common to all the great nations of 
 Europe, Painter's book may be termed a link connecting England 
 with European literature. Such a book as this is surely one of 
 the landmarks of English literature. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 A YOUNG man, trained in the strictest sect of the Pharisees, 
 is awakened one morning, and told that he has come into 
 the absolute possession of a very great fortune in lands and wealth. 
 The time may come when he may know himself and his powers 
 more thoroughly, but never again, as on that morn, will he feel 
 such an exultant sense of mastery over the world and his fortunes. 
 That image* seems to me to explain better than any other that 
 remarkable outburst of literary activity which makes the Eliza- 
 bethan Period unique in English literature, and only paralleled in 
 the world's literature by the century after Marathon,when Athens 
 first knew herself. With Elizabeth England came of age, and at 
 the same time entered into possession of immense spiritual trea- 
 sures, which were as novel as they were extensive. A New World 
 promised adventures to the adventurous, untold wealth to the 
 enterprising. The Orient had become newly known. The Old 
 World of literature had been born anew. The Bible spoke for 
 the first time in a tongue understanded of the people. Man faced 
 his God and his fate without any intervention of Pope or priest. 
 Even the very earth beneath his feet began to move. Instead 
 of a universe with dimensions known and circumscribed with 
 Dantesque minuteness, the mystic glow of the unknown had set- 
 tled down on the whole face of Nature, who offered her secrets to 
 the first comer. No wonder the Elizabethans were filled with an 
 exulting sense of man's capabilities, when they had all these 
 realms of thought and action suddenly and at once thrown open 
 before them. There is a confidence in the future and all it had 
 
 * It was suggested to me, if I remember right, by my friend Mr. R. G. Moulton. 
 
Xll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 to bring which can never recur, for while man may come into 
 even greater treasures of wealth or thought than the Elizabethans 
 dreamed of, they can never be as new to us as they were to them. 
 The sublime confidence of Bacon in the future of science, of which 
 he knew so little, and that little wrongly, is thus eminently and 
 characteristically Elizabethan.* 
 
 The department of Elizabethan literature in which this exu- 
 berant energy found its most characteristic expression was the 
 Drama, and that for a very simple though strange reason. To 
 be truly great a literature must be addressed to the nation as 
 a whole. The subtle influence of audience on author is shown 
 equally though conversely in works written only for sections of a 
 nation. Now in the sixteenth century any literature that should 
 address the English nation as a whole — not necessarily all 
 Englishmen, but all classes of Englishmen — could not be in any 
 literary form intended to be merely read. For the majority 
 of Englishmen could not read. Hence they could only be 
 approached by literature when read or recited to them in church 
 or theatre. The latter form was already familiar to them in the 
 Miracle Plays and Mysteries, which had been adopted by the 
 Church as the best means of acquainting the populace with 
 Sacred History. The audiences of the Miracle Plays were pre- 
 pared for the representation of human action on the stage. 
 Meanwhile, from translation and imitation, young scholars at 
 the universities had become familiar with some of the master- 
 pieces of Ancient Drama, and with the laws of dramatic form. 
 But where were they to seek for matter to fill out these forms ? 
 Where were they, in short, to get their plots? 
 
 Plot, we know, is pattern as applied to human action. A storv, 
 whether told or acted, must tend in some definite direction if it is 
 to be a story at all. And the directions in which stories can go 
 are singularly few. Somebody in the Athenceum — probably Mr. 
 Theodore Watts, he has the habit of saying such things — has re- 
 marked that during the past century only two novelties in plot, 
 
 " There was something Elizabethan in the tone of men of science in England 
 during the " seventies," when Darwinism was to solve all the problems. The 
 Marlowe of the movement, the late Professor Clifford, found no Shakespeare. 
 
INTRODUCTION. XUl 
 
 Undine and Monte Christ o, have been produced in European 
 literature. Be that as it may, nothing strikes the student of 
 comparative literature so much as the paucity of plots throughout 
 literature and the universal tendency to borrow plots rather than 
 attempt, the almost impossible task of inventing them. That 
 tendency is shown at its highest in the Elizabethan Drama. 
 Even Shakespeare is as much a plagiarist or as wise an artist, call 
 it which you will, as the meanest of his fellows. 
 
 Not alone is it difficult to invent a plot ; it is even difficult to 
 see one in real life. When the denouement comes, indeed — when 
 the wife flees or commits suicide — when bosom friends part, or 
 brothers speak no more — we may know that there has been the 
 conflict of character or the clash of temperaments which go to 
 make the tragedies of life. But to recognise these opposing forces 
 before they come to the critical point requires somewhat rarer 
 qualities. There must be a quasi-scientific interest in life guti 
 life, a dispassionate detachment from the events observed, and at 
 the same time an artistic capacity for selecting the cardinal points 
 in the action. Such an attitude can only be attained in an older 
 civilisation, when individuality has emerged out of nationalism. 
 In Europe of the sixteenth century the only country which had 
 reached this stage was Italy. 
 
 The literary and spiritual development of Italy has always been 
 conditioned by its historic position as the heir of Rome. Great 
 nations, as M. Renan has remarked, work themselves out in 
 effecting their greatness. The reason is that their great products 
 overshadow all later production, and prevent all competition by 
 their very greatness. When once a nation has worked up its 
 mythic element into an epos, it contains in itself no further 
 materials out of which an epos can be elaborated. So Italian 
 literature has always been overshadowed by Latin literature. 
 Italian writers, especially in the Middle Ages and the Renais- 
 sance, were always conscious of their past, and dared not com- 
 pete with the great names of Virgil, Ovid, Horace, and the rest. 
 At the same time, with this consciousness of the past, they had 
 evolved a special interest in the problems and arts of the present. 
 The splitrup of the peninsula into so many small states, many of 
 
XIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 them republics, had developed individual life just as the city- 
 states of Hellas had done in ancient times. The main interest 
 shifted from the state and the nation to the life and develop- 
 ment of the individual.* And with this interest arose in the 
 literary sphere the dramatic narrative of human action — the 
 Novella. 
 
 The genealogy of the Novella is short but curious. The first 
 known collection of tales in modern European literature dealing 
 with the tragic and comic aspects of daily life was that made by 
 Petrus Alphonsi, a baptized Spanish Jew, who knew some Arabic.-f- 
 His book, the Disciplina Clericalis, was originally intended as 
 seasoning for sermons, and very strong seasoning they must have 
 been found. The stories were translated into French, and thus 
 gave rise to the Fabliau, which allowed full expression to the 
 esprit Gaulois. From France the Fabliau passed to Italy, and 
 came ultimately into the hands of Boccaccio, under whose 
 influence it became transformed into the Novella.]. 
 
 It is an elementary mistake to associate Boccaccio's name with 
 the tales of gayer tone traceable to the Fabliaux. He initiated 
 the custom of mixing tragic with the comic tales. Nearly all the 
 novelle of the Fourth Day, for example, deal with tragic topics. 
 And the example he set in this way was followed by the whole 
 school of Novellieri. As Painter's book is so largely due to them 
 a few words on the Novellieri used by him seem desirable, reserv- 
 ing for the present the question of his treatment of their text. 
 
 Of Giovanne Boccaccio himself it is difficult for any one with 
 a love of letters to speak in few or measured words. He may 
 have been a Philistine, as Mr. Symonds calls him, but he was 
 sorely a Philistine of genius. He has the supreme virtue of style. 
 In fact, it may be roughly said that in Europe for nearly two 
 centuries there is no such thing as a prose style but Boccaccio's. 
 
 * See Burckhardt, Cultur der Renaisance in Italien, Buch II., especially Kap. iii. 
 
 + On Peter Alphonsi see my edition of Caxton's ^sop, which contains selec- 
 tions from him in Vol. II. 
 
 t Signer Bartoli has written on / Precursori di Boccaccio, 1874, Landau on his 
 Life and Sources (Leben, 1880, Quellen des Dekameron, 1884), and on his successors 
 (Beiirage zur Geschickte der ital. Novelle, 1874). Mr. Symonds has an admirable 
 chapter on the Novellieri \Xi his Renaissance, vol. v. 
 
INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 Even when dealing with his grosser topics — and these he derived 
 from others — he half disarms disgust by the lightness of his touch. 
 And he could tell a tale, one of the most difficult of literary 
 tasks. When he deals with graver actions, if he does not always 
 rise to the occasion, he never fails to give the due impression 
 of seriousness and dignity. It is not for nothing that the De- 
 camerone has been the storehouse of poetic inspiration for nearly 
 five centuries. In this country alone, Chaucer, Shakespeare, 
 Dryden, Keats, Tennyson, have each in turn gone to Boccaccio 
 for material. 
 
 In his own country he is the fountainhead of a wide stream of 
 literary influences that has ever broadened as it flowed. Between 
 the fifteenth and the eighteenth centuries the Italian presses 
 poured forth some four thousand novelle, all avowedly tracing 
 from Boccaccio.* Many of these, it is true, were imitations of 
 the gayer strains of Boccaccio's genius. But a considerable pro- 
 portion of them have a sterner tone, and deal with the weightier 
 matters of life^ and in this they had none but the master for their 
 model. The gloom of the Black Death settles down over the 
 greater part of all this literature. Every memorable outburst of 
 the fiercer passions of men that occurred in Italy, the land of 
 passion, for all these years, found record in a novella of Boc- 
 caccio's followers. The Novelle answered in some respects to our 
 newspaper reports of trials and the earlier Last Speech and Con- 
 fession. But the example of Boccaccio raised these gruesome 
 topics into the region of art. Often these tragedies are reported 
 of the true actors ; still more often under the disguise of fictitious 
 names, that enabled the narrator to have more of the artist's 
 freedom in dealing with such topics. 
 
 The other Novellieri from whom Painter drew inspiration may 
 be dismissed very shortly. Of Ser Giovanne Fiorentino, who wrote 
 the fifty novels of his Pecorone about 1378, little is known nor need 
 be known ; his merits of style or matter do not raise him above 
 mediocrity. Straparola's Piacevole Notti were composed in Venice 
 in the earlier half of the sixteenth century, and are chiefly interest- 
 
 * Specimens of these in somewhat wooden English were given by Roscoe in liis 
 Italian Novelists. 
 
XVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ing for the fact that some dozen or so of his seventy-four stories 
 are folk-tales taken from the mouth of the people, and were the 
 first thus collected : Straparola was the earliest Grimm. His con- 
 temporary Giraldi, known as Cinthio (or Cinzio), intended his 
 Ecatomithi to include one hundred novelle, but they never reached 
 beyond seventy; he has the grace to cause the ladies to retire 
 when the men relate their smoking-room anecdotes oi feminine 
 impudiche. Owing to Dryden's statement " Shakespeare's plots 
 are in the one hundred novels of Cinthio " (Preface to Astrologer), 
 his name has been generally fixed upon as the representative 
 Italian novelist from whom the Elizabethans drew their plots. 
 As a matter of fact only "Othello" (Ecat. iii. 7), and "Measure 
 for Measure" {ib. viii. 5), can be clearly traced to him, though 
 "Twelfth Night" has some similarity with Cinthio's "Gravina" 
 (v. 8) : both come from a common source, Bandello. 
 
 Bandello is indeed the next greatest name among the Novellieri 
 after that of Boccaccio, and has perhaps had even a greater in- 
 fluence on dramatic literature than his master. Matteo Bandello 
 was born at the end of the fifteenth century at Castelnuovo di 
 Scrivia near Tortona. He lived mainly in Milan, at the Dominican 
 monastery of Sta Maria delle Grazie, where Leonardo painted his 
 " Last Supper." As he belonged to the French party, he had to 
 leave Milan when it was taken by the Spaniards in 1535, and after 
 some wanderings settled in France near Agen. About 1550 he 
 was appointed Bishop of Agen by Henri H., and he died some 
 time after 1561. To do him justice, he only received the revenues 
 of his see, the episcopal functions of which were performed by 
 the Bishop of Grasse. His novelle are nothing less than episcopal 
 in tone and he had the grace to omit his dignity from his title- 
 pages. 
 
 Indeed Bandello's novels * reflect as in a mirror all the worst 
 sides of Italian Renaissance life. The complete collapse of all 
 the older sanctions of right conduct, the execrable example given 
 by the petty courts, the heads of which were reckless because 
 their position was so insecure, the great growth of wealth and 
 
 * The Villon Society is to publish this year a complete translation of Bandello 
 by Mr. John Payne. 
 
INTRODUCTION. XVll 
 
 luxury, all combined to make Italy one huge hot-bed of unblush- 
 ing vice. The very interest in individuality, the spectator- 
 attitude towards life, made men ready to treat life as one large 
 experiment, and for such purposes vice is as important as right 
 living even though it ultimately turns out to be as humdrum 
 as virtue. The Italian nobles treated life in this experimental 
 way and the novels of Bandello and others give us the results 
 of their experiments. The Novellieri were thus the " realists " 
 of their day and of them all Bandello was the most realistic. He 
 claims to give only incidents that really happened and makes this- 
 his excuse for telling many incidents that should never have 
 happened. It is but fair to add that his most vicious tales are 
 his dullest. 
 
 That cannot be said of Queen Margaret of Navarre, who carries 
 on the tradition of the Novellieri, and is represented in Painter 
 by some of her best stories. She intended to give a Decameron 
 of one hundred stories — the number comes from the Cento novelle 
 ajitichi, before Boccaccio — but only got so far as the second novel 
 of the eighth day. As she had finished seven days her collection 
 is known as the Heptameron. How much of it she wrote herself 
 is a point on which the doctors dispute. She had in her court 
 men like Clement Marot, and Bonaventure des P^riers, who 
 probably wrote some of the stories. Bonaventure des Pdriers in 
 particular, had done much in the same line under his own 
 name, notably the collection known as Cymbalum Mundi, 
 Marguerite's other works hardly prepare us for the narrative skill, 
 the easy grace of style and the knowledge of certain aspects of 
 life shown in the Heptameron. On the other hand the frame- 
 work, which is more elaborate than in Boccaccio or any of his 
 school, is certainly from one hand, and the book does not seem 
 one that could have been connected with the Queen's name 
 unless she had really had much to do with it. Much of its 
 piquancy comes from the thought of the association of one whose 
 life was on the whole quite blameless with anecdotes of a most 
 blameworthy style. Unlike the lady in the French novel who 
 liked to play at innocent ganres with persons who were not 
 innocent, Margaret seems to have liked to talk and write of things 
 
XVlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 not innocent while remaining unspotted herself. Her case is 
 not a solitary one. 
 
 The whole literature of the Novella has the attraction of 
 graceful naughtiness in which vice, as Burke put it, loses half 
 its evil by losing all its grossness. At all times, and for all 
 time probably, similar tales, more broad than long, will form 
 favourite talk or reading of adolescent males. They are, so to 
 speak, pimples of the soul which synchronise with similar ex- 
 crescences of the skin. Some men have the art of never grow- 
 ing old in this respect, but I cannot say I envy them their 
 eternal youth. However, we are not much concerned with tales 
 of this class on the present occasion. Very few of the novelle 
 selected by Painter for translation depend for their attraction 
 on mere naughtiness. In matters of sex the sublime and the 
 ridiculous are more than usually close neighbours. It is the 
 tragic side of such relations that attracted Painter, and it was 
 this fact that gave his book its importance for the history of 
 English literature, both in its connection with Italian letters 
 and in its own internal development. 
 
 The relations of Italy and England in matters literary are due 
 to the revivers of the New Learning. Italy was, and still is, the 
 repository of all the chief MSS. of the Greek and Latin classics. 
 Thither, therefore, went all the young Englishmen, whom the 
 influence of Erasmus had bitten with a desire for the New Learn- 
 ing which was the Old Learning born anew. But in Italy itself, 
 the New Learning had even by the early years of the sixteenth 
 century produced its natural result of giving birth to a national 
 literature (Ariosto, Trissino). Thus in their search for the New 
 Learning, Englishmen of culture who went to Italy came back 
 with a tincture of what may be called the Newest Learning, the 
 revival of Italian Literature. 
 
 Sir Thomas Wyatt and the Earl of Surrey "The Dioscuri of 
 the Dawn " as they have been called, are the representatives of 
 this new movement in English thought and literature, which came 
 close on the heels of the New Learning represented by Colet, 
 More, Henry VIII. himself and Roger Ascham. The adherents 
 of the New Learning did not look with too favourable eyes on 
 
INTRODUCTION. XIX 
 
 the favourers of the Newest Learnhig. They took their ground 
 not only on literary lines, but with distinct reference to manners 
 and morals. The corruption of the Papal Court which had 
 been the chief motive cause of the Reformation — men judge 
 creeds by the character they produce, not by the logical con- 
 sistency of their tenets — had spread throughout Italian society. 
 The Englishmen who came to know Italian society could not 
 avoid being contaminated by the contact. The Italians them- 
 selves observed the effect and summed it up in their proverb, 
 Inglese italianato e un diaholo incarnato. What struck the Italians 
 must have been still more noticeable to Englishmen. We have 
 a remarkable proof of this in an interpolation made by Roger 
 Ascham at the end of the first part of his Schoolmaster, which 
 from internal evidence must have been written about 1568, the 
 year after the appearance of Painter's Second Tome.* The whole 
 passage is so significant of the relations of the chief living exponent 
 of the New Learning to the appearance of what I have called the 
 Newest Learning that it deserves to be quoted in full in any 
 introduction to the book in which the Newest Learning found its 
 most characteristic embodiment. I think too I shall be able to 
 prove that there is a distinct and significant reference to Painter 
 in the passage (pp. 77-85 of Arber's edition, slightly abridged). 
 
 But I am affraide, that ouer many of our trauelers into lialte, do not 
 exchewe the way to Circes Court : but go, and ryde, and runne, and file 
 thether, they make great haft, to cum to her : they make great fute to 
 ferue her : yea, I could point out fome with my finger, that neuer had 
 gone out of England, but onelie to ferue Circes, in Jtalie. Vanitie and 
 vice, and any licence to ill liuyng in England was counted flale and 
 rude vnto them. And fo, beyng Mules and Horfes before they went, 
 returned verie Swyne and Affes home agayne ; yet euerie where verie 
 Foxes with as futtle and bufie heades; and where they may, verie 
 Woolues, with cruell malicious hartes. A maruelous mon- 
 
 ^ ,. /•■(•, 1 • A trewe Picture 
 
 fter, which, for filthmes of Imyng, for dulnes to learnmg ofaknightof 
 him felfe, for wilineffe in dealing with others, for malice in 
 hurting without caufe, fhould carie at once in one bodie, the belie of a 
 Swyne, the head of an Affe, the brayne of a Foxe, the wombe of a 
 
 * See Prof. Arber's reprint, p. 8. 
 
XX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 wolfe. If you thinke, we iudge amiffe, and write to fore againft you, 
 heare, what the Italian fayth of the Englifli Man, what the 
 Mgimin t°of mafter reporteth of the fcholer : who vttereth playnlie, what 
 £o?gh'l'^rm is taught by him, and what learned by you, faying Englefe 
 "^"°- Italianato, e vn diabolo tncarnato, that is to say, you re- 
 
 maine men in fliape and facion, but becum deuils in life and condition. 
 This is not, the opinion of one, for fome priuate fpite, but the iudge- 
 ment of all, in a common Prouerbe, which riseth, of that learnyng, and 
 . . thofe maners, which you gather in Italic : a good Schole- 
 fameth thrm' " houfe of wholefome dodlrine, and worthy Mailers of com- 
 th=En°gihhr mendable Scholers, where the Mafler had rather diffame 
 '"'"■ hym felfe for hys teachyng, than not fhame his Scholer for 
 
 his learnyng. A good nature of the maifler, and faire conditions of the 
 fcholers. And now chofe you, you Italian Englilhe men, whether you 
 will be angrie with vs, for calling you monflers, or with the Italianes, 
 for callyng you deuils, or elfe'with your owne felues, that take fo much 
 paines, and go fo farre, to make your felues both. If fome yet do not 
 well vnderltand, what is an Englifli man Italianated, I will 
 man "^ '^ plainlie tell him. He, that by lining, and traueling in Italie^ 
 a lana e . bringeth home into England out of Italic, the Religion, the 
 
 learning, the policie, the experience, the maners of Italic 
 
 Thefe be the inchantements of Circes, brought out of Italic, to marre 
 
 mens maners in England ; much, by example of ill life, but more by 
 
 preceptes of fonde bookes, of late tranllated out of Italian 
 
 liahan bokes . t_^, ._.,,. „ ._, ., 
 
 translated into mto Engufli, fold m eucry fliop m London, commended 
 "^ '^ ' by honefl titles the foner to corrupt honefl maners : dedi- 
 
 cated ouer boldlie to vertuous and honourable perfonages, the eafielier 
 to begile fimple and innocent wittes. It is pitie, that thofe, 
 which haue authoritie and charge, to allow and diffalow bookes 
 to be printed, be no more circumfpedt herein, than they are. Ten Ser- 
 mons at Paules Croffe do not fo moch good for mouyng men to trewe 
 dodtrine, as one of thofe bookes do harme, with inticing men to ill 
 lining. Yea, I fay farder, thofe bookes, tend not fo moch to corrupt 
 honefl, lining, as they do, to fubuert trewe Religion. Mo Papiftes be 
 made, by your mery bookes of Italic, than by your earnell bookes of 
 
 Louain 
 
 Therfore, when the bufie and open Papifl^es abroad, could not, by 
 ^^ their contentious bookes, turne men in England fafl, enough, 
 ^ from troth and right iudgement in dodtrine, than the futle and 
 fecrete Papiftes at home, procured bawdie bookes to be tranflated out 
 of the Italian tonge, whereby ouer many yong willes and wittes 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXI 
 
 allured to wantonnes, do now boldly contemne all feuere bookes that 
 founde to honeftie and godlines. In our forefathers tyme, whan Papis- 
 trie, as a flandyng poole, couered and ouerflowed all England, fewe 
 bookes were read in our tong, fauyng certaine bookes of Cheual- 
 rie, as they fayd, for paftime and pleafure, which, as feme fay, 
 were made in Monafleries, by idle Monkes, or wanton Chanons : as 
 one for example, Morte Arthure: the whole pleafure of Morte Arthur. 
 which booke flandeth in two fpeciall poyntes, in open mans flaughter, 
 and bold bawdrye : In which booke thofe be counted the noblefl 
 Knightes, that do kill mofl men without any quarrell, and commit 
 fowlefl aduoulteres by fubtlefl fhiftes : as Sir Launcelote, with the 
 wife of king Arthure his mafler : Syr Trijlram with the wife of king 
 Marke his vncle : Syr Lamerocke with the wife of king Lote, that was his 
 owne aunte. This is good ftuffe, for wife men to laughe att 
 or honefl men to take pleafure at. Yet I know, when Gods 
 Bible was banifhed the Court, and Morte Arthure receiued into the 
 Princes chamber. What toyes, the dayly readyng of fuch a booke, may 
 worke in the will of a yong ientleman, or a yong mayde, that liueth 
 welthelie and idlelie, wife men can iudge, and honefl men do pitie. 
 And yet ten Morte Arthures do not the tenth part fo much harme, as 
 one of thefe bookes, made in Italie, and tranflated in England. 
 They open, not fond and common ways to vice, but fuch 
 fubtle, cunnyng, new, and diuerfe fhiftes, to cary yong willes to vanitie, 
 and yong wittes to mifchief, to teach old bawdes new fchole poyntes, as 
 the fimple head of an Engliftiman is not hable to inuent, nor neuer was 
 hard of in England before, yea when Papiflrie ouerflowed all. Suffer 
 thefe bookes to be read, and they (hall foone difplace all bookes of godly 
 learnyng. For they, carying the will to vanitie and marryng good man- 
 ers, fhall eafily corrupt the mynde with ill opinions, and falfe 
 iudgement in dodtrine : firfl, to thinke nothyng of God hym 
 felfe, one fpeciall pointe that is to be learned in Italie, and Italian 
 bookes. And that which is mofl to be lamented, and ther- 
 fore more nedefull to be looked to, there be moe of thefe 
 vngratious bookes fet out in Printe within thefe fewe monethes, than 
 haue bene fene in England many fcore yeare before. And bicaufe 
 our Englifh men made Italians can not hurt, but certaine perfons, 
 and in certaine places, therfore thefe Italian bookes are made Eng- 
 lifh, to bryng mifchief enough openly and boldly, to all flates great and 
 meane, yong and old, euery where. 
 
 And thus yow fee, how will intifed to wantonnes, doth eafelie allure 
 jhe mynde to falfe opinions : and how corrupt maners in liuinge, breede 
 
xxii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 falfe iudgement in doarine : how finne and flefhlines, bring forth fefles 
 and herefies : And therefore fuffer not vaine bookes to breede vanitie in 
 mens wills, if yow would haue Goddes trothe take roote in mens 
 myndes 
 
 They geuing themfelues vp to vanitie, fhakinge of the motions of 
 Grace, driuing from them the feare of God, and running headlong into 
 all fmne, firfl, luftelie contemne God, than fcornefullie mocke his worde, 
 and alfo fpitefuUie hate and hurte all well willers thereof. Then they 
 haue in more reuerence the triumphes of Petrarche : than the Genefis 
 of Mofes : They make more account of Tullies offices, than S. Faults 
 epiflles : of a tale in Bocace, than a florie of the Bible. Than they 
 counte as Fables, the holie mifteries of Chriflian Religion. They make 
 Christ and his Gofpell, onelie ferue Ciuill poUicie : Than neyther Reli- 
 gion cummeth amiffe to them 
 
 For where they dare, in cumpanie where they like, they boldlie 
 laughe to fcorne both proteftant and Papift. They care for no fcrip- 
 ture : They make no counte of generall councels : they contemne the 
 confent of the Chirch : They paffe for no Do(flores : They mocke the 
 Pope : They raile on Luther: They allow neyther fide : They like none, 
 but onelie themfelues : The marke they Ihote at, the ende they looke 
 for, the heauen they defire, is onelie, their owne prefent pleafure, and 
 priuate proffit : whereby, they plainlie declare, of whofe fchole, of what 
 Religion they be : that is, Epicures in liuing, and a.6ni in dodtrine : 
 this lafl worde, is no more vnknowne now to plaine Englifhe men, 
 than the Perfon was vnknown fomtyme in England, vntill fom Eng- 
 liflieman tooke peines to fetch that deuelifh opinin out of Italie. .... 
 
 I was once in Italie my felfe : but I thanke God, my abode there, 
 Venice. was but ix. dayes : And yet I fawe in that litle time, in 
 one Citie, more libertie to fmne, than euer I hard tell of in our noble 
 London. Citic of LondoH in ix. yeare. I fawe, it was there, as free 
 to fmne, not onelie without all punifhment, but alfo without any mans 
 marking, as it is free in the Citie of London, to chofe, without all blame, 
 whether a man lull to weare Shoo or Pantocle 
 
 Our Italians bring home with them other faultes from Italie, though 
 not fo great as this of Religion, yet a great deale greater, than many 
 Contempt of ^ood ^en will beare. For commonlie they cum home, 
 mariage. couimon Contemners of mariage and readie perfuaders of all 
 
 other to the fame : not becaufe they loue virginitie, nor yet becaufe 
 they hate prettie yong virgines, but, being free in Italie, to go whither 
 fo euer lufl will cary them, they do not like, that lawe and honeftie 
 fhould be foche a barre to their like libertie at home in England. And 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXUl 
 
 yet they be, the greatefl. makers of loue, the daylie daliers, with fuch 
 pleafant wordes, with fuch ftnilyng and fecret countenances, with fuch 
 fignes, tokens, wagers, purpofed to be loll, before they were purpofed to 
 be made, with bargaines of wearing colours, floures and herbes, to 
 breede occafion of ofter meeting of him and her, and bolder talking of 
 this and that, etc. And although I haue feene fome, innocent of ill, 
 and llayde in all honeflie, that haue vfed thefe thinges without all harme, 
 without all fufpicion of harme, yet thefe knackes were brought firft. into 
 England by them, that learned them before in Italic in Circes Court : 
 and how Courtlie curteffes fo euer they be counted now, yet, if the 
 meaning and maners of fome that do vfe them, were fomewhat amended, 
 
 it were no great hurt, neither to them felues, nor to others 
 
 An other propertie of this our Englifh Italians is, to be meruelous 
 fmgular in all their matters : Singular in knowledge, ignorant in no- 
 thyng : So fmgular in wifedome (in their owne opinion) as fcarfe they 
 counte the bell Counfellor the Prince hath, comparable with them : 
 Common difcourfers of all matters : bufie fearchers of mofl. fecret 
 affaires : open flatterers of great men : priuie miflikers of good men : 
 Faire fpeakers, with fmiling countenances, and much curteffie openlie 
 to all men. Ready bakbiters, fore nippers, and fpitefull reporters 
 priuily of good men. And beyng brought vp in Italie, in fome free 
 Citie, as all Cities be there : where a man may freelie difcourfe againfl 
 what he will, againfl whom he lufl. : againfl any Prince, agaynfl. any 
 gouernement, yea againfl God him felfe, and his whole Religion : where 
 he muft. be, either Guelphe or Gibiline, either French or SpaniQi : and 
 alwayes compelled to be of fome partie, of fome faftion, he fhall neuer 
 be compelled to be of any Religion : And if he medle not ouer much 
 with Chrifles true Religion, he fhall haue free libertie to embrace all Re- 
 ligions, and becum, if he lufl at once, without any let or punilhment, 
 lewifli, Turkilh, Papilh, and Deuililh. 
 
 It is the old quarrel of classicists and Romanticists, of the 
 ancien regime and the new school in literature^ which runs nearly 
 through every age. It might be Victor Cousin reproving Victor 
 Hugo, or, say, M. Renan protesting, if he could protest, against M. 
 Zola. Nor is the diatribe against the evil communication that had 
 corrupted good manners any novelty in the quarrel. Critics have 
 practically recognised that letters are a reflex of life long before 
 Matthew Arnold formulated the relation. And in the disputing 
 between Classicists and Romanticists it has invariably happened 
 
XXIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 that the Classicists were the earlier generation, and therefore 
 more given to convention, while the Romanticists were likely to 
 be experimental in life as in literature. Altogether then, we must 
 discount somewhat Ascham's fierce denunciation, of the Itdiiaiiate 
 Englishman, and of the Englishing of Italian books. 
 
 There can be little doubt, I think, that in the denunciation of 
 the "bawdie stories" introduced from Italy, Ascham was thinking 
 mainly and chiefly of Painter's " Palace of Pleasure." The whole 
 passage is later than the death of Sir Thomas Sackville in 1566, 
 and necessarily before the death of Ascham in December 1568. 
 Painter's First Tome appeared in 1566, and his Second Tome in 
 1567. Of its immediate and striking success there can be no 
 doubt. A second edition of the first Tome appeared in 1569, the 
 year after Ascham's death, and a second edition of the whole 
 work in 1575, the first Tome thus going through three editions 
 in nine years. It is therefore practically certain that Ascham 
 had Painter's book in his mind * in the above passage, which may 
 be taken as a contemporary criticism of Painter, from the point 
 of view of an adherent of the New-Old Learning, who conveniently 
 forgot that scarcely a single one of the Latin classics is free from 
 somewhat similar blemishes to those he found in Painter and his 
 fellow-translators from the Italian. 
 
 But it is time to turn to the book which roused Ascham's ire 
 so greatly, and to learn something of it and its author."!- Wil- 
 liam Painter was probably a Kentishman, born somewhere about 
 1535.1 He seems to have taken his degree at one of the 
 Universities, as we find him head master of Sevenoaks' school 
 about 1560, and the head master had to be a Bachelor of Arts. 
 In the next year, however, he left the paedagogic toga for some 
 connection with arms, for on 9 Feb. 1561, he was appointed 
 
 * Aschafn was shrewd enough not to advertise the book he was denouncing by 
 referring to it by name. I have failed to find in the Stationer's Register of 1566-8 
 any similar book to which his remarks could apply, except Fenton's Tragicall Dis- 
 courses, and that was from the French. 
 
 t See Haslewood's account, reprinted infra, p. xxxvii., to which I have been able 
 to add a few documents in the Appendix. 
 
 t His son, in a document of 1591, speaks of him as his aged father (Appendix 
 infra, p. Ivii. ). 
 
INTRODUCTION, XXV 
 
 Clerk of the Ordnance, with a stipend of eightpence per diem, and 
 it is in that character that he figures on his title page. He soon 
 after married Dorothy Bonham of Dowling (born about 1537, 
 died 1617)^ and had a family of at least five children. He acquired 
 two important manors in Gillingham, co. Kent, East Court and 
 Twidall. Haslewood is somewhat at a loss to account for these 
 possessions. From documents I have discovered and printed in 
 an Appendix, it becomes only too clear, I fear, that Painter's 
 fortune had the same origin as too many private fortunes, in 
 peculation of public funds. 
 
 So far as we can judge from the materials at our disposal, it 
 would seem that Painter obtained his money by a very barefaced 
 procedure. He seems to have moved powder and other materials 
 of war from Windsor to the Tower, charged for them on delivery 
 at the latter place as if they had been freshly bought, and pocketed 
 the proceeds. On the other hand, it is fair to Painter to say that 
 we only have the word of his accusers for the statement, though 
 both he and his son own to certain undefined irregularities. It 
 is, at any rate, something in his favour that he remained in office 
 till his death, unless he was kept there on the principle of setting 
 a peculator to catch a peculator. I fancy, too, that the Earl of 
 Warwick was implicated in his misdeeds, and saved him from 
 their consequences. 
 
 His works are but few. A translation from the Latin account, 
 by Nicholas MofFan, of the death of the Sultan Solyman,* was 
 made by him in 1557. In 1560 an address in prose, prefixed 
 to Dr. W. Fulke's Antiprognosticon, was signed "Your familiar 
 friend, William Paynter," -f- and dated " From Sevenoke xxii. of 
 Octobre;" and the same volume contains Latin verses entitled 
 " Gulielmi Painteri, ludimagistri Seuenochensis Tetrastichon." 
 It is perhaps worth while remarking that this Antiprognosticon 
 was directed against Anthony Ascham, Roger's brother, which 
 may perhaps account for some of the bitterness in the above pas- 
 sage from the Scholemaster. These slight productions, however, 
 
 * Reprinted in the Second Tome of the " Palace,'' infra, vol. iii. p. 395. 
 t In his own book, and in the document signed by him, the name is always 
 " Painter." 
 
XXVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 sink into insignificance in comparison with his chief work, " The 
 Palace of Pleasure," 
 
 He seems to have started work on this before he left Seven 
 Oaks in 1561. For as early as 156a he got a licence for a work 
 to be entitled " The Citye of Cyuelite," as we know from the 
 following entry in the Stationers' Registers : — 
 
 W. Jonnes — Receyued of Wylliam Jonnes for his lycenfe for pryn- 
 linge of a boke intituled Tke Cytie of Cyuelitie tranflated 
 into engliffhe by William Paynter. 
 
 From his own history of the work given in the dedication of the 
 first Tome to his patron, the Earl of Warwick, it is probable that 
 this was originally intended to include only tales from Livy and 
 the Latin historians. He seems later to have determined on add- 
 ing certain of Boccaccio's novels, and the opportune appearance of 
 a French translation of Bandello in 1559 caused him to add half 
 a dozen or so from the Bishop of Agen, Thus a book which 
 was originally intended to be another contribution to the New 
 Learning of classical antiquity turned out to be the most im- 
 portant representative in English of the Newest Learning of Italy. 
 With the change of plan came a change of title, and the "City 
 of Civility," which was to have appeared in 156a, was replaced 
 by the " Palace of Pleasure" in 1566.* 
 
 The success of the book seems to have been immediate. We 
 have seen above Ascham's indignant testimony to this, and 
 the appearance of the Second Tome, half as large again as the 
 other, within about eighteen months of the First, confirms his 
 account. This Second Tome was practically the Bandello volume ; 
 more than half of the tales, and those by far the longest, were 
 taken from him, through the medium of his French trans- 
 lators, Boaistuau and Belleforest. Within a couple of years 
 another edition was called for of the First Tome, which 
 appeared in 1569, with the addition of five more stories from 
 the Heptameron, from which eleven were already in the first 
 edition. Thus the First Tome might be called the Heptameron 
 volume, and the second, that of Bandello. Boccaccio is pretty 
 
 * The Dedication is dated near the Tower of London i January 1566, which 
 must have been new style (introduced into France two years before). 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXVU 
 
 evenly divided between the two, and the remainder is made up 
 of classic tales and anecdotes and a few novelle of Ser Giovanni 
 and Straparola, Both Tomes were reprinted in what may be called 
 the definitive edition of the work in 1575. 
 
 Quite apart from its popularity and its influence on the English 
 stage, on which we shall have more to say shortly, Painter's book 
 deserves a larger place in the history of English Literature than 
 has as yet been given to it. It introduced to England some of 
 the best novels of Boccaccio, Bandello, and Queen Margaret, three 
 of the best raconteurs of short stories the world has ever had. It 
 is besides the largest work in English prose that appeared between 
 the Morte Darthur and North's Plutarch.* Painter's style bears 
 the impress of French models. Though professing to be from 
 Italian novellieri, it is mainly derived from French translations 
 of them. Indeed, but for the presence of translations from Ser 
 Giovanni and Straparola, it might be doubtful whether Painter 
 translated from the Italian at all. He claims however to do this 
 from Boccaccio, and as he owns the aid of a French "crib" in 
 the case of Bandello, the claim may be admitted. His transla- 
 tions from the French are very accurate, and only err in the way 
 of too much literalness.t From a former dominie one would have 
 expected a far larger proportion of Latinisms than we actually find. 
 As a rule, his sentences are relatively short, and he is tolerably free 
 from the vice of the long periods that were brought into vogue 
 by " Ciceronianism." He is naturally free from Euphuism and 
 for a very good reason, since Euphues and his Englande was not 
 published for another dozen years or so. The recent suggestion 
 of Dr. Landmann and others that Euphuism came from the in- 
 fluence of Guevara would seem to be negatived by the fact that the 
 " Letters of Trajan " in the Second Tome of Painter are taken from 
 Guevara and are no more Euphuistic than the rest of the volume. 
 
 Painter's volume is practically the earliest volume of prose trans- 
 
 * Always with the exception of exceptions, the Bishop's Bible. 
 
 + Mr. P. A. Daniel, in his edition of Painter's " Romeo and Juliet, " in the New 
 Shakespere Society's Originals and Analogues, i., 1876, gives the few passages in 
 which Painter has misunderstood Boaistuau. For lexicographical use, however, it 
 would be well to consult Painter's original for any very striking peculiarities of his 
 vocabulary. 
 
XXVlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 lations from a modern language into English in the true Eliza- 
 bethan period after the influence of Caxton in literary importation 
 had died away with Bourchier the translator of Froissart and of 
 Huon of Bordeaux. It set the ball rolling in this direction, and 
 found many followers, some of whom may be referred to as having 
 had an influence only second to that of Painter in providing plots 
 for the Elizabethan Drama. There can be little doubt that it 
 was Painter set the fashion, and one of his chief followers recog- 
 nised thisj as we shall see, on his title page. 
 
 The year in which Painter's Second Tome appeared saw George 
 (afterwards Sir George) Fenton's Certaine Tragicall Discourses 
 writtene oute of Frenche and Latine containing fourteen "histories." 
 As four of these are identical with tales contained in Painter's 
 Second Tome it is probable that Fenton worked independently, 
 though it was doubtless the success of the "Palace of Pleasure" 
 that induced Thomas Marshe, Painter's printer, to undertake a 
 similar volume from Fenton. The Tragicall Discourses ran into 
 a second edition in 1569. T. Fortescue's Foreste or Collection of 
 Histories . . . dooen oute of Frenche appeared in 157 1 and 
 reached a second edition in 1576. In the latter year appeared a 
 a work of G. Pettie that bore on its title page — A Petite Palace 
 of Pettie his Pleasure — a clear reference to Painter's book. Not- 
 withstanding Anthony k Wood's contemptuous judgment of his 
 great-uncle's book it ran through no less than six editions between 
 1576 and 1613.* The year after Pettie's first edition appeared R. 
 Smyth's Stravnge and Tragicall histories Translated out of French. 
 In 1576 was also published the first of George Whetstone's collec- 
 tions of tales, the four parts of The Rocke of Regard, in which he 
 told over again in verse several stories already better told by Painter. 
 In the same year, 1576, appeared G. Turberville's Tragical Tales, 
 tranflated out of fundrie Italians — ten tales in verse, chiefly from 
 Boccaccio. Whetstone's Heptameron of Ciuill Discourses in 158a 
 was however a more important contribution to the English Novella, 
 
 * The tales are ten— i. Sinorix and Camma [= Tennyson's Cup]; 2. Tereus and 
 Progne ; 3. Germanicus and Agrippina ; 4. Julius and Virginia ; 5. Admetus and 
 Alcest ; 6. Silla and Minos ; J. Curiatius and Horatia ; 8. Cephalus and Procris ; 
 9. Pigmalion and his Image ; 10. Alexius. 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXIX 
 
 and it ran through two further editions by 1593.* Thus in the 
 quarter of a century 1565-1590 no less than eight collectionSj 
 most of them running into a second edition^ made their appear- 
 ance in England. Painter's work contains more than all the rest 
 put together, and its success was the cause of the whole move- 
 ment. It clearly answered a want and thus created a demand. 
 It remains to consider the want which was thus satisfied by Painter 
 and his school. 
 
 The quarter of a century from 1565 to 1590 was the seed-time 
 of the Elizabethan Drama, which blossomed out in the latter year 
 in Marlowe's Tamburlaine the Great. The only play which pre- 
 cedes that period, Gordobuc or Ferrex and Porrex, first played in 
 1561, indicates what direction the English Drama would natu- 
 rally have taken if nothing had intervened to take it out of 
 its course. Gor^^oiac is severely classical in its unities; it is of 
 the Senecan species. Now throughout Western Europe this was 
 the type of the modern drama,t and it dominated the more 
 serious side of the French stage down to the time of Victor Hugo. 
 There can be little doubt that the English Drama would have 
 followed the classical models but for one thing. The flood of 
 Italian novelle introduced into England by Painter and his 
 school, imported a new condition into the problem. It is essen- 
 tial to the Classical Drama that the plot should be already known 
 to the audience, that there should be but one main action, and 
 but one tone, tragic or comic. In Painter's work and those 
 of his followers, the would-be dramatists of Elizabeth's time 
 had offered to them a super-abundance of actions quite novel 
 to their audience, and alternating between grave and gay, 
 often within the same story. + The very fact of their foreignness 
 was a further attraction. At a time when all things were new, 
 and intellectual curiosity had become a passion, the opportunity 
 
 * M. Jusserand gives a list of most of these translations of French and Italian novels 
 in his just issued English Novel in the Elizabethan Age, 1890, pp. 80-1. He also 
 refers to works by Rich and Gascoigne in which novels occur. 
 
 t A partial exception is to be made in favour of the Spanish school, which broke 
 loose from the classical tradition with Lope de Vega. 
 
 + It is probable however that the " mixture of tones " came more directly from 
 the Interludes. 
 
XXX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 of studying the varied life of an historic country like Italy lent 
 an additional charm to the translated novelle. In an interesting 
 essay on the "Italy of the Elizabethan Dramatists,"* Vernon Lee 
 remarks that it was the very strangeness and horror of Italian life 
 as compared with the dull decorum of English households that had 
 its attraction for the Elizabethans. She writes as if the dramatists 
 were themselves acquainted with the life they depicted. As a 
 matter of fact, not a single one of the Elizabethan dramatists, 
 as far as I know, was personally acquainted with Italy."!* This 
 knowledge of Italian life and crime was almost entirely derived 
 from the works of Painter and his school. If there had been 
 anything corresponding to them dealing with the tragic aspects 
 of English life, the Elizabethan dramatists would have been 
 equally ready to tell of English vice and criminality. They used 
 Holinshed and Fabyan readily enough for their "Histories." 
 They would have used an English Bandello with equal readiness 
 had he existed. But an English Bandello could not have existed at 
 a time when the English folk had not arrived at self-consciousness, 
 and had besides no regular school of tale-tellers like the Italians. 
 It was then only from the Italians that the Elizabethan dramatists 
 could have got a sufficient stock of plots to allow for that inter- 
 weaving of many actions into one which is the characteristic of 
 the Romantic Drama of Marlowe and his compeers. 
 
 That Painter was the main source of plot for the dramatists be- 
 fore Marlowe, we have explicit evidence. Of the very few extant 
 dramas before Marlowe, Appius and Virginia, Tancred and Gis- 
 munda, and Cyrus and Panthea are derived from Painter, j We have 
 also references in contemporary literature showing the great impres- 
 sion made by Painter's book on the opponents of the stage. In 1 5 7 a 
 E. Dering, in the Epistle prefixed to A brief e Instruction, says: "To 
 this purpose we have gotten our Songs and Sonnets, our Palaces 
 of Pleasure, our unchaste Fables and Tragedies, and such like sor- 
 
 * Euphorim, by Vernon Lee. Second edition, 1885, pp. 55-108. 
 
 t It has, of course, been suggested that Shakespeare visited Venice. But this is 
 only one of the loot mare's nests of the commentators. 
 
 X Altogether in the scanty notices of this period we can trace a dozen derivatives 
 of Painter. See Analytical Table on Tome I. nov. iii., v., xi., xxxvii., xxxix., xl., 
 xlviii., Ivii. ; Tome II. nov. i., iii., xiv., xxxiv. 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXXI 
 
 ceries. . . . O that there were among us some zealous Ephesian, 
 that books of so great vanity might be burned up." As early as 
 1579 Gosson began in his School of Abuse the crusade against stage- 
 plays, which culminated in Prynne's Histriomastix. He was an- 
 swered by Lodge in his Defence of Stage Plays. Gosson demurred 
 to Lodge in 1580 with his Playes Confuted in Five Actions, and 
 in this he expressly mentions Painter's Palace of Pleasure among 
 the " bawdie comedies " that had been " ransacked " to supply the 
 plots of plays. Unfortunately very few even of the titles of these 
 early plays are extant : they probably only existed as prompt- 
 books for stage-managers, and were not of suiBcient literary 
 value to be printed when the marriage of Drama and Literature 
 occurred with Marlowe. 
 
 But we have one convincing proof of the predominating in- 
 fluence of the plots of Painter and his imitators on the Eliza- 
 bethan Drama. Shakespeare's works in the first folio, and the 
 editions derived from it, are, as is well known, divided into 
 three parts — Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. The division is 
 founded on a right instinct, and applies to the whole Elizabethan 
 Drama.* Putting aside the Histories, which derive from Holin- 
 shed. North, and the other historians, the dramatis personee of 
 the Tragedies and Comedies are, in nineteen cases out of twenty, 
 provided with Italian names, and the scene is placed in Italy. 
 It had become a regular convention with the Elizabethans 
 to give an Italian habitation and name to the whole of their 
 dramas. This convention must have arisen in the pre-Marlowe 
 days, and there is no other reason to be given for it but the fact 
 that the majority of plots are taken from the " Palace of Plea- 
 sure" or its followers. A striking instance is mentioned by 
 Charles Lamb of the tyranny of this convention. In the first 
 draught of his Every Man in his Humour Ben Jonson gave Italian 
 names to all his dramatis personcB. Mistress Kitely appeared as 
 Biancha, Master Stephen as Stephano, and even the immortal 
 Captain Bobabil as Bobadilla. Imagine Dame Quickly as Putana, 
 and Sir John as Corporoso, and we can see what a profound 
 
 ' In the Warning for Fair Women there is a scene in which Tragedy, Comedy, 
 and History dispute for precedence. 
 
XXXU INTRODUCTION. 
 
 influence such a seemingly superficial thing as the names of the 
 dramatis personce has had on the Elizabethan Drama through the 
 influence of Painter and his men. 
 
 But the effect of this Italianisation of the Elizabethan Drama 
 due to Painter goes far deeper than mere externalities. It has 
 been said that after Lamb's sign-post criticisms, and we may add, 
 after Mr. Swinburne's dithyrambs, it is easy enough to discover 
 the Elizabethan dramatists over again. But is there not the 
 danger that we may discover too much in them ? However we 
 may explain the fact, it remains true that outside Shakespeare 
 none of the Elizabethans has really reached the heart of the nation. 
 There is not a single Elizabethan drama, always of course with 
 the exception of Shakespeare's, which belongs to English literature 
 in the sense in which Samson ^gonistes, Absalom and Achitophel, 
 Gulliver's Travels, The Rape of the Lock, Tom Jones, She Stoops 
 to Conquer, The School for Scandal, belong to it. The dramas 
 have not that direct appeal to us which the works I have men- 
 tioned have continued to exercise after the generation for whom 
 they were written has passed away. To an inner circle of stu- 
 dents, to the 500 or so who really care for English literature, the 
 Elizabethan dramas may appeal with a power greater than any of 
 these literary products I have mentioned. We recognise in them 
 a wealth of imaginative power, an ease in dealing with the higher 
 issues of life, which is not shown even in those masterpieces. But the 
 fact remains, and remains to be explained, that the Elizabethans 
 do not appeal to the half a million or so among English folk who 
 are capable of being touched at all by literature, who respond to 
 the later masterpieces, and cannot be brought into rapport with 
 the earlier masters. Why is this .■' 
 
 Partly, I think, because owing to the Italianisation of the 
 Elizabethan Drama the figures whom the dramatists drew are 
 unreal, and live in an unreal world. They are neither English- 
 men nor Italians, nor even Italianate Englishmen. I can only 
 think of four tragedies in the whole range of the Elizabethan 
 drama where the characters are English : Wiikins' Miseries of 
 Enforced Marriage, and A Yorkshire Tragedy, both founded on 
 a recent came ceUbre of one Calverly, who was executed 5 August 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXXIU 
 
 1605 ; Arden of Faversham, also founded on a cause ceUhre of the 
 reign of Edward VI. ; and Heywood's JVoman Killed by Kindness. 
 These are, so far as I remember, the only English tragedies out 
 of some hundred and fifty extant dramas deserving that name.* 
 As a result of all this, the impression of English life which we get 
 from the Elizabethan Drama is almost entirely derived from the 
 comedies, or rather five-act farces, which alone appear to hold 
 the mirror up to English nature. Judged by the drama, English 
 men and English women under good Queen Bess would seem 
 incapable of deep emotion and lofty endeavour. We know this 
 to be untrue, but that the fact appears to be so is due to the 
 Italianising of the more serious drama due to Painter and his 
 school. 
 
 In fact the Italian drapery of the Elizabethan Drama disguises 
 from us the significant light it throws upon the social history of 
 the time. Plot can be borrowed from abroad, but characterisation 
 must be drawn from observation of men and women around the 
 dramatist. Whence, then comes the problem, did Webster and 
 the rest derive their portraits of their White Devils, those impe- 
 rious women who had broken free from all the conventional bonds ? 
 At first sight it might seem impossible for the gay roysterers of 
 Alsatia to have come into personal contact with such lofty dames. 
 But the dramatists, though Bohemians, were mostly of gentle 
 birth, or at any rate were from the Universities, and had come in 
 contact with the best blood of England. It is clear too from 
 their dedications that the young noblemen of England admitted 
 them to familiar intercourse with their families, which would in- 
 clude many of the grande dames of Elizabeth's Court. Elizabeth's 
 own character, recent revelations about Mistress Fitton, Shake- 
 peare's relations with his Dark Lady, all prepare for the belief 
 that the Elizabethan dramatists had sufficient material from their 
 own observation to fill up the outlines given by the Italian 
 novelists.-j- The Great Oyer of Poisoning — the case of Sir Thomas 
 
 * Curiously enough, two of the four have been associated with Shakespeare's 
 name. It should be added, perhaps, that one of the Two Tragedies in One of 
 Yarington is English. 
 
 t The frequency of scenes in which ladies of high birth yield theihselves to men 
 of lower station is remarkable in this connection. 
 
 VOL. I. C 
 
XXXIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Overbury and the Somersets— in James the First's reign could vie 
 with any Italian tale of lust and cruelty. 
 
 Thus in some sort the Romantic Drama was an extraneous 
 product in English literature. Even the magnificent medium in 
 which it is composed, the decasyllabic blank verse which the 
 genius of Marlowe adapted to the needs of the drama, is ultimately 
 due to theltalianTrissino, and hasnever kept a firm hold on English 
 poetry. Thus both the formal elements of the Drama, plot and 
 verse, were importations from Italy. But style and characterisa- 
 tion were both English of the English, and after all is said it is in 
 style and characterisation that the greatness of the Elizabethan 
 Drama consists. It must however be repeated that in its highest 
 flights in the tragedies, a sense of unreality is produced by the 
 pouring of English metal into Italian moulds. 
 
 It cannot be said that even Shakespeare escapes altogether from 
 the ill effects of this Italianisation of all the externalities of the 
 drama. It might plausibly be urged that by pushing unreality to 
 its extreme you get idealisation. A still more forcible objection is 
 that the only English play of Shakespeare's, apart from his histories, 
 is the one that leaves the least vivid impression on us. The Merry 
 Wives of Windsor. But one cannot help feeling regret that the 
 great master did not express more directly in his immortal verse 
 the finer issues and deeper passions of the men and women around 
 him. Charles Lamb, who seems to have said all that is worth 
 saying about the dramatists in the dozen pages or so to which 
 his notes extend, has also expressed his regret. " I am sometimes 
 jealous," he says, "that Shakespere laid so few of his scenes at 
 home." But every art has it conventions, and by the time 
 Shakepeare began to write it was a convention of English drama 
 that the scene of its most serious productions should be laid 
 abroad. The convention was indeed a necessary one, for there 
 did not exist in English any other store of plots but that offered 
 by the inexhaustible treasury of the Italian Novellieri. 
 
 Having mentioned Shakespeare, it seems desirable to make an 
 exception in his case,* and discuss briefly the use he made of 
 
 * The other Elizabethan dramatists who used Painter are : Beaumont (I. xlii. ; 
 II. xvii.), Fletcher (I. xlii. ; II. xvii., xxii.), Greene (I. Ivii.), Heywood (I. ii.), Marston 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXXV 
 
 Painter's book and its influence on his work. On the young 
 Shakespeare it seems to have had very great influence indeed. 
 The second heir of his invention, The Rape of Lucrece, is from 
 Painter. So too is Romeo and Juliet,* his earliest tragedy, and 
 ^ll's Well, which under the title Love's Labour Won, was his 
 second comedy, is Painter's Giletia of Narhonne (i. 38) from Ban- 
 dello.-|- I suspect too that there are two plays associated with 
 Shakespeare's name which contain only rough drafts left unfinished 
 in his youthful period, and finished by another writer. At any- 
 rate it is a tolerably easy task to eliminate the Shakespearian 
 parts of Timon of Athens and Edward IIL, by ascertaining those 
 portions which are directly due to Painter.J In this early period 
 indeed it is somewhat remarkable with what closeness he followed 
 his model. Thus some gushing critics have pointed out the subtle 
 significance of making Romeo at first in love with Rosalind be- 
 fore he meets with Juliet. If it is a subtlety, it is Bandello's, not 
 ' Shakespeare's. Again, others have attempted to defend the inde- 
 fensible age of Juliet at fourteen years old, by remarking on the 
 precocity of Italian maidens. As a matter of fact Bandello makes 
 her eighteen years old. It is banalities like these that cause one 
 sometimes to feel tempted to turn and rend the criticasters by some 
 violent outburst against Shakespeare himself. There is indeed a 
 tradition, that Matthew Arnold had things to say about Shake- 
 speare which he dared not utter, because the British public would 
 not stand them. But the British public has stood some very 
 severe things about the Bible, which is even yet reckoned of higher 
 sanctity than Shakespeare. And certainly there is as much cant 
 about Shakespeare to be cleared away as about the Bible. How- 
 ever this is scarcely the place to do it. It is clear enough, how- 
 
 (I. Ixvi. ; II. vii,, xxiv., xxvi.), Massinger (II. xxviii,), Middleton (I. xxxiii.), Peele 
 (I. xl.), Shirley (I. Iviii.), Webster (I. v. ; II. xxlii.). See also I. vii., xxiv., Ixvi. 
 
 * Shakespeare also used Arthur Brook's poem. On the exact relations of the 
 poet to his two sources see Mr. P. A. Daniel in the New Shakespere Society's Ori- 
 ginals and Analogues, i., and Dr. Schulze in Jakrb. d. deutsch, Shakespeare Cesell- 
 schafl xi. 2 1 8-20. 
 
 + Delius has discussed Shakespearis "All Well" und Pdynter's "Giletia von 
 Narhonne " in the Jahrbuch xxii. 27-44, in an article which is also reprinted in his 
 Abhandlungen ii. 
 
 t I hope to publish elsewhere detailed substantiation of this contention. 
 
XXXVl INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ever, from his usage of Painter, that Shakespeare was no more 
 original in plot than any of his fellows, and it is only the un- 
 wise and rash who could ask for originality in plot from a dra- 
 matic artist. 
 
 But if the use of Italian novelle as the basis of plots was an evil 
 that has given an air of unreality and extraneousness to the whole 
 of Elizabethan Tragedy, it was, as we must repeat, a necessary 
 evil. Suppose Painter's work and those that followed it not to 
 have appeared, where would the dramatists have found their 
 plots .? There was nothing in English literature to have given 
 them plot-material, and little signs that such a set of tales could 
 be derived from the tragedies going on in daily life. But for 
 Painter and his school the Elizabethan Drama would have been 
 mainly historical, and its tragedies would have been either 
 vamped-up versions of classical tales or adaptations of contem- 
 porary causes ceUbres. 
 
 And so we have achieved the task set before us in this Intro- 
 duction to Painter's tales. We have given the previous history of 
 the genre of literature to which they belong, and mentioned the 
 chief novellieri who were their original authors. We have given 
 some account of Painter's life and the circumstances under which 
 his book appeared, and the style in which he translates. We 
 have seen how his book was greeted on its first appearance by the 
 adherents of the New Learning and by the opponents of the stage. 
 The many followers in the wake of Painter have been enumerated, 
 and some account given of their works. It has been shown how 
 great was the influence of the whole school on the Elizabethan 
 dramatists, and even on the greatest master among them. And 
 having touched upon all these points, we have perhaps sufficiently 
 introduced reader and author, who may now be left to make 
 further acquaintance with one another. 
 
HASLEWOOD'S 
 
 preliminary JHatter. 
 
 OF THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 William Painter was, probably, descended from some branch 
 of the family of that name which resided in Kent. Except a few 
 official dates there is little else of his personal history known. 
 Neither the time nor place of his birth has been discovered, 
 AH the heralds in their Visitations are uniformly content with 
 making him the root of the pedigree.* His liberal education is, 
 in part, a testimony of the respectability of his family, and, it 
 may be observed, he was enabled to make purchases of landed 
 property in Kent, but whether from an hereditary fortune is 
 uncertain. 
 
 The materials for his life are so scanty, that a chronological 
 notice of his Writings may be admitted, without being deemed 
 to interrupt a narrative, of which it must form the principal 
 contents. 
 
 He himself furnishes us with a circumstance,-]- from whence 
 we may fix a date of some importance in ascertaining both the 
 time of the publication and of his own appearance as an author. 
 He translated from the Latin of Nicholas MofFan, (a soldier serv- 
 ing under Charles the Fifth, and taken prisoner by the Turks) J 
 the relation of the Murder which Sultan Solyman caused to be 
 
 * The Visitation Book of 1619, in the Heralds College, supplied Hasted with 
 his account. There may also be consulted Harl. MSS. 1106, 2230 and 6138. 
 
 t Palace of Pleasure, Vol. II. p. 663. 
 
 J The translation is reprinted in the second volume. Of the original edition there 
 is not any notice in Herbert. 
 
XXXviii PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIOGRAPHICAL. 
 
 perpetrated on his eldest Son Mustapha.* This was first dedicated 
 to Sir William Cobham Knight, afterwards Lord Cobham, War- 
 den of the Cinque Ports ; and it is material to remark, that that 
 nobleman succeeded to the title Sept. the a9th, 1558 ; f and from 
 the author being a prisoner until Sept. 1555, it is not likely that 
 the Translation was finished earlier than circa 1557-8. 
 
 In 1560 the learned William Fulke, D.D. attacked some incon- 
 sistent, though popular, opinions, in a small Latin tract called 
 " Antiprognofticon contra invtiles aftrologorvm praediftiones 
 Noftrodami, &c." and at the back of the title are Verses,J by 
 friends of the author, the first being entitled "Gulielmi Painteri 
 ludimagiftri Seuenochenfis Tetrafticon." This has been considered 
 by Tanner as our author,§ nor does there appear any reason 
 for attempting to controvert that opinion; and a translation of 
 Fulke's Tract also seems to identify our author with the master 
 of Sevenoaks School. The title is " Antiprognofticon, that is 
 to faye, an Inuectiue agaynft the vayne and vnprofitable pre- 
 diftions of the Aftrologians as Noftrodame, &c. Tranflated out 
 of Latine into Engliflie. Wherevnto is added by the author 
 a fhorte Treatife in Englyfhe as well for the vtter fubuerfion of 
 that fained arte, as well for the better vnderftandynge of the com- 
 mon people, vnto whom the fyrft labour femeth not fufficient. 
 Hahet SS mufca fplenem ^ formice fua bills ineji. 1560" i2mo. 
 At the back of the title is a sonnet by Henry Bennet : followed 
 in the next page by Painter's Address. On the reverse of this 
 last page is a prose address " to his louyng frende W. F." dated 
 " From Seuenoke xxii of Octobre," and signed " Your familiar 
 frende William Paynter."|| 
 
 * This happened in 1552, and Moffan remained a captive until Sept. 1553. 
 
 + Brydge's Peerage, Vol. IX. p. 466. Banks's Dormant Peerage, Vol. II. 
 p. lo8. 
 
 % These verses were answered by another Kentish writer. " In c6nuersium Palen- 
 genii Barnabae Gogas carmen E. Deringe Cantiani," prefixed to the firste sixe bokes 
 of the mooste christian poet Marcellus Palingenius, called the Zodiake of Life. Trans- 
 lated by Barnabe Googe, 1561. i2mo. See Cens. Lit. Vol. II. p. 212. Where it 
 appears that Barnaby Googe was connected with several Kentish families. He 
 married a Darell. His grandmother was Lady Hales. 
 
 § Bibliotheca, p. 570. 
 
 II M. S. Ashmole, 302. Mr. H. Ellis has kindly furnished me with the above, 
 
PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIOGRAPHICAL. XXXIX 
 
 Bj' the regulations of the sphool, as grammar-master, he must 
 have been a bachelor of arts, and approved by the Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, and to the appointment was attached a house and 
 salary of ,^50 per annum.* 
 
 Of the appointment to the School I have not been able to 
 obtain any particulars. That situation -[• was probably left for 
 one under government, of less labour, as he was appointed by 
 letters patent of the 9th of Feb. in the ad of Eliz. (1560-1) to 
 succeed John Rogers, deceased, as Clerk of the Ordinance in the 
 Tower, with the official stipend of eightpence per diem, which 
 place he retained during life. 
 
 In 156a there was a license obtained by William Jones to print 
 "The Cytie of Cyvelite, tranflated into Engleffhe by william 
 paynter." Probably this was intended for the present work, and 
 entered in the Stationers Register as soon as the translation was 
 commenced, to secure an undoubted copy-right to the Publisher. 
 Neither of the stories bear such a title, nor contain incidents in 
 character with it. The interlocutory mode of delivery, after the 
 manner of some of the originals, might have been at first in- 
 tended, and of the conversation introducing or ending some of those 
 tiken from the collection of the Queen of Navarre, a part is even 
 now, though incongruously, retained. J By rejecting the gallant 
 speeches of the courtiers and sprightly replies of the ladies, and 
 making them unconnected stories, the idea of civility was no 
 longer appropriate, and therefore gave place to a title equally alli- 
 terative in the adoption of the Palace of Pleasure. 
 
 Under this conjecture Painter was three years perfecting the 
 
 during a late visit to Oxford, and observes that the reference to Tanner is wrongly, 
 stated, the article being in Ashmole's study. 
 
 * Hasted's Hist, of Kent, Vol. III. p. 98. 
 
 t If Painter had laid in this School the foundation of that fortune, which he after- 
 wards appears to have realised in land, he did no more than was done by a celebrated 
 successor, Thomas Farnaby, a well-known annotator on Horace, who settled his 
 male posterity at Keppington, in the parish of Sevenoaks, where they remained in 
 rank and opulence, till the late Sir Charles Farnaby, Bart., who at one time in the 
 present reign represented the County of Kent, sold that seat and estate to Francis 
 Motley Austen, Esq., the present owner. 
 
 X George Whetstone has An Heptarmron of Ciuill Discourses, &c. 1582. 
 
xl PRELIJIINARY MATTER — BIOGRAPHICAL. 
 
 Translation of the first volume of the Palace of Pleasure. He 
 subscribes the dedicatory Epistle " nere the Tower of London the 
 firft of Januarie 1566," using the new style, a fashion recently 
 imported from France.* It must be read as 1565-6 to explain a 
 passage in another Epistle before the second volume, where he 
 speaks of his histories " parte whereof, two yeares paft (almoft) wer 
 made commune in a former boke," concluding " from my poore 
 houfe befides the Toure of London, the fourthe of Nouember, 
 1567." The two volumes were afterwards enlarged with addi- 
 tional novels, as will be described under a future head, and with 
 the completion of this task ends all knowledge of his literary 
 productions. 
 
 It no where appears in the Palace of Pleasure that Painter either 
 travelled for information, or experienced, like many a genius of 
 that age, the inclination to roam expressed by his contemporary. 
 Churchyard, 
 
 " Of running leather were his shues, his feete no where could reste." + 
 
 Had he visited the Continent, it is probable, that in the course of 
 translating so many novels, abounding with foreign manners and 
 scenery, there would have been some observation or allusion to 
 vouch his knowledge of the faithfulness of the representation, as, 
 in a few instances, he has introduced events common in our own 
 history. 
 
 He probably escaped the military fury of the age by being 
 appointed " Clerk to the great Ordinance," contentedly hearing 
 the loud peals upon days of revelry, without wishing to adventure 
 further in "a game," which, "were subjects wise, kings would rot 
 play at." In the possession of some competence he might pru- 
 dently adjust his pursuits, out of office, to the rational and aot 
 unimportant indulgence of literature,! seeking in the retirement 
 
 * In France the style was altered in 1564. Clavis Calendaria. Vol I. p. 64. 
 
 t Bibliographical Miscellanies, 1813. p. 2. 
 
 X This is confirmed by his making the following observation : " When labour 
 refteth him felfe in me, and leifure refrefheth other affairs, nothing delights more 
 that vacant tyme than readinge of Histories in fuch vulgar fpeache, wherein my fmall 
 knowledge taketh repaft." Epistle Dedicatory, Vol. II. p. 4. 
 
PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIOGRAPHICAL. xli 
 
 of the study, of the vales of Kent, and of domestic society, that 
 equanimity of the passions and happiness which must ever flow 
 from rational amusement, from contracted desires, and acts of 
 virtue ; and which the successive demands for his favourite work 
 might serve to cheer and" enliven. 
 
 As the founder of the family* his money must be presumed to 
 have been gained by himself, and not acquired by descent. It would 
 be pleasing to believe some part of it to have been derived from 
 the labours of his pen. But his productions were not of sufficient 
 magnitude to command it, although he must rank as one of the 
 first writers who introduced novels into our language, since so 
 widely lucrative to — printers. Yet less could there accrue a 
 saving from his office to enable him to complete the purchases of 
 land made at Gillingham, co. Kent. 
 
 At what period he married cannot be stated. His wife was 
 Dorothy Bonham of Cowling, born about the year 1537, and 
 their six children were all nearly adults, and one married, at the 
 time of his death in 1 S94. We may therefore conclude that event 
 could not be later than 1555 ; and if he obtained any portion with 
 his wife the same date allows of a disposition of it as now re- 
 quired. 
 
 It is certain that he purchased of Thomas and Christopher Webb 
 the manor of East-Court in the parish of Gillingham, where his 
 son Anthony P. resided during his father's lifetime. He also pur- 
 chased of Christopher Sampson the manor of Twidall in the same 
 parish with its appurtenances, and a fine was levied for that purpose 
 
 * Some of the following notices, probably, relate to branches of the family. — 
 William Paynter "de Vkefielde," possessed lands at Horsemonden, Benynden, and 
 Merden, co. Kent. He left three sons, Alexander, John and Robert. His will 
 dated 2Sth Feb. 24. Hen. 7th. (1509) and proved in November following. — John P. 
 Citizen and Freemason of London, by Will dated 26th Nov. 1532, proved IS37, 
 gave to the children of his late brother Richard P. late of Littleport, co. Kent, 6s. 8d. 
 each. He was to be buried at St. Albans, Wood Street, where on inquiry I am 
 informed the Registers of that period do not exist. — John P. twice mayor of Dover, 
 died 14th July, 1540, buried at Rainham, same co. , See Weever's Funeral Monu- 
 ments. — Edmonde P. Steward to the Bishop of Ely, held a patent place, and by his 
 will dated 7th Sept. 14 Eliz. (1572) gave to his brother's daughter " Johane" forty 
 pounds. Probably the eldest daughter of our Author. 
 
xlii PRELIMINARY MATTER BIOGRAPHICAL. 
 
 in Easter Term i6 Eliz, Both the manors remained in the family, 
 and passed by direct line from the above named Anthony, through 
 William and Allington, his son and grandson, to his great grandson 
 Robert, who resided at Westerham, in the same county, and ob- 
 tained an Act of Parliament, 7 Geo. i. "to enable him to fell 
 the manors of Twydal and Eaft-Court."* 
 
 * Hasted's History of Kent. art. Gillingham. The following pedigree of the 
 family is collected from Hasted and the Harleian MSS. 
 
 William Painter.f: 
 of Twedall, parish of 
 Gillingham, the author. 
 Ob. 1594. 
 
 Dorothy, daughter 
 
 of Bonham, 
 
 of Cowling. Ob. 
 Oct. 19, 1617, 
 ^t. 80. 
 
 Dorothy=John HeIena=John Anthonys 
 Bagenhall Hornby 
 
 Nathaniel=Joanna=John 
 Partrich Orwell 
 
 I. I 
 
 ^Catherine, CatheTine= — Champ, Anna. J 
 coheiress of Co. Suff. 
 
 Robt. Harris, 
 Master in 
 Chancery. 
 
 William of=Elizabeth, daughter 
 
 GilUngham, died 
 about the time ofi 
 the Restoration 
 of Charles II. 
 
 of Walter Hickman, 
 of Kew, Co. Surrey, 
 Esq. relict of George 
 Allington, jun. 
 
 Allington= Elizabeth. § Anna.§ 
 
 Robert, =Eleanora, youngest daughter 
 who obtained an act of Sir Thomas Seyhard, 
 of parUament to ali- Bart, buried at Wester- 
 enate the manors of ham. 
 Twedall and East 
 Court. 
 
 (^ Arms. Gules, u chevron between three griffins' heads erased or, on a chiff 
 of the second an helmet sable between two pellets. Crest. A lizard (as sup- 
 posed) vert, escaping from the trunk of an old tree, proper. 
 
 + Also spelt Paynter and Payneter ; but neither used by the above-named William 
 Pamter, if we may rely upon the repetition of ten printed authorities. 
 
 . , ^,7''^' ^™^^ ""^ *e youngest child, is doubtful, from her father only naming her he 
 sides Helena, as entitled to a portion. She resided with her mother, unmarried, 1617.' 
 
 § One of these married William Wiseman, a civilian. 
 
PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIOGRAPHICAL. xliii 
 
 Not any part of the real Estate was affected by the will of 
 William Painter, who appears, from its being nuncupative, to have 
 deferred making it, until a speedy dissolution was expected. It 
 is as follows : 
 
 " In the name of God, Amen. The nineteenth day of February in the Year of 
 our Lord God one thousand five hundred ninety four, in the seven and thirtieth 
 year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, &c. William Painter then Clerk 
 of her Maj. Great Ordinance of the Tower of London, being of perfect mind and 
 memory, declared and enterred his mind meaning and last Will and Testament 
 noncupative, by word of mouth in effect as • followeth, viz. Being then very sick 
 and asked by his wife who should pay his son in law John Hornbie the portion 
 which was promised him with his wife in marriage, and who should pay to his 
 daughter Anne Painter her portion, and to the others his children which had 
 nothing ; * and whether his said wife should pay them the same, the said William 
 Painter answered. Yea. And being further asked whether he would give and 
 bequeath unto his said wife all his said goods to pay them as he in former times used 
 to say he would, to whom he answered also, yea. In the presence of William 
 Pettila, John Pennington, and Edward Songer. Anon after in the same day con- 
 firming the premises; the said William Painter being very sick, yet of perfect 
 memory, William Raynolds asking the aforesaid Mr. Painter whether he had taken 
 order for the disposing of his Goods to his wife and children, and whether he had put 
 all in his wives hands to deal and dispose of and to pay his son Hornby his portion,t 
 and whether he would make his said wife to be his whole Executrix, or to that effect, 
 to whose demand the said Testator Mr. William Painter then manifesting his will 
 and true meaning therein willingly answered, yea, in the presence of William Ray- 
 nolds, John Hornbie and Edward Songer." f 
 
 He probably died immediately after the date of the will. 
 Among the quarterly payments at the ordinance office at Christmas 
 1594 is entered to "Mr. Painter Gierke of thodiiice xvij""- xv'" 
 and upon Lady Day or New Year's Day 1595. " To Willm 
 Painter and to S'. Stephen Ridleftonj Clarke of Thordiice for the 
 
 * Dorothy P. (the Executrix) by her will, dated 3d July, 1617, gave a specific 
 legacy to her granddaughter Thomasine Hornby, which was to be void if she sued or 
 impleaded her executor, relative to any gift, legacy or bequest, under the above will ; 
 from which it may be concluded the portion of John Hornby's wife was never pro- 
 perly adjusted. 
 
 t Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 3d Feb. 1595. 
 
 t His patent, dated 21st June 1595, gives all emoluments from the day of the 
 death of William Painter. 
 
xliv PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIOGRAPHICAL. 
 
 like quarter alfo warranted xvij'* xv'- " He was buried in London.* 
 After his death the widow retired to Gillingham, where she died 
 Oct. 19th 1617. ^t. 80, and where she was buried. -f- 
 
 * In the will of Dorothy P., already noticed, is the following direction. ' In cafe 
 I dye or departe this life in the Citie of London, to be buryed in the fame parifti 
 in London where my late loving hufband Mr. William Paynter, Gierke of the great 
 Ordinance of the Tower of London, was buryed, and as neere to the place where 
 he was buryed as conuenyentlie may be, with fome memoriall there to be engraven 
 fett vp or placed as fhalbe devifed and appoynted by my executor and overfeers 
 hereafter named ; yf elfewhere then allfo at their like difcretions and with the like me- 
 moriall." Had she set up such a memorial for her husband, the name would pro- 
 bably have been found in Stowe's Survey of London. It does not occur in the 
 Registers of the Tower Chapel ; AUhallows Barking ; St. Catherine's ; or Aldgate. 
 At St. Dunstan's, Tower Street, the register has been destroyed, and also at St. 
 Alban's, Wood Street, where there was probably a family vault, and not being the 
 church frequented when he lived by the Tower, the name might have been forgotten 
 by the widow. 
 
 t Her Will was not proved until July 1620. It is unusually long, and the bequests 
 are trifling. She particularizes all her grand-children, whom, in the language then 
 used, she calls nephews and nieces. There had probably been some difference in the 
 family to occasion the following passage, whereby she bequeaths the only memorial 
 mentioned of our author. " Item, whereas my very welbeloued niephue William 
 Paynter, and I, and all my children, nowe are and I truft in God fo fhall continue 
 loving hartie and inward frends, whereof I receyue great ioye and contentment, vnto 
 the which my faied neiphue, for a gentle remembraunce, I give and bequeethe my 
 tablet [of gould with a pearle to yt which fometymes was his graundfather's, beyng 
 nowe all readie in his owne keeping and poffeflion." The will is subscribed with 
 a cross, which the feebleness of age might render necessary. 
 
 [For some additional points throwing light on the way in which 
 Painter gained his fortune, see Appendix. Collier {Extr. Stat. Reg. ii. 
 107), attributes to Painter A moorning Ditti vpon the Deceas of Henry 
 Earle of Arundel, which appeared in 1579, and was signed ' Guil. P. G.' 
 [ = Gulielmus Painter, Gent.]. — J. J.] 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 
 
 Of the first volumfe of the palace of pleasure there were 
 three editions, but of the second only two are known. Each of 
 these, all uncommonly fair and perfect, through the liberal 
 indulgence of their respective owners, are now before me; a 
 combination which has scarcely been seen by any collector, how- 
 ever distinguished for ardour of pursuit and extensiveness of 
 research, since the age of Q. Elizabeth. Their rarity in a per- 
 fect state may render an accurate description, though lengthened 
 by minuteness, of some value to the bibliographer. The account 
 of them will be given in their chronological order. 
 
 The Palace of Pleafure | Beautified, adorned and | VdcU 
 flinU£iI)eO, toltt) Plea= | faunt mjlories and excellent \ 
 JOOUellS, £iel0Ctet) out of | diuers good and commen- j 
 table auti)Or£i. | t By William Painter Clarke of the \ 
 Ordinaunce and Armarie. \ [Wood-cut of a Bear and 
 ragged Staff, the crest of Ambrose Earl of Warwick, 
 central of a garter, whereon is the usual motto | honi : 
 soit: qvi : mal: y: pense. | 1566. \JMPRINTJED 
 
 ^r— Lontion, bp J^enrp 2Deni)am, | for Richard Tottell 
 
 and William Jones.* — 4to. Extends to sig. Nnnij. besides 
 introduction, and is folded in fours. 
 
 This title is within a narrow fancy metal border, and on the 
 back of the leaf are the Arms of the Earl of Warwick, which fill the 
 page. With signature * a commences the dedication, and at IT 3 
 is " a recapitulacion or briefe reherfal of the Arguments of euery 
 Nouell, with the places noted, in what author euery of the fame or 
 the eflfeft be reade and contayned." These articles occupy four 
 leaues each, and five more occupy the address " to the reader," 
 
 * Herbert has this edition entered as printed by Thomas Marsha, upon the autho- 
 rity of Mr. William White, p. 856. It was licensed to Jones as " certen hiftoryes 
 colledted out of dyuers Ryght good and profitable authours by William Paynter." ib. 
 1319- 
 
xlvi PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIBLIOGRAPHICAL. 
 
 followed by the names of the Authors from whom the " nouels be 
 felefted;" making the whole introduction, with title, 14 leaves. 
 
 The nouels being Ix. in number, conclude with folio 345, but 
 there are only 289 leaves, as a castration appears of ^6* On the 
 reverse of the last folio are " faultes efcaped in the printing ; " and 
 befides thofe corrected, there are " other faultes [that] by fmall 
 aduife and lefle payne may by waying the difcourfe be eafely 
 amended or lightly paffed ouer," A distinct leaf has the following 
 colophon : 
 
 Imprinted at Lon | don, by Henry Denham, | for 
 JatCi)artl COttell anU | Snilltam ^OneS 1 Anno Domini. 
 
 1566 I lanuarij 26. | Cf)tse boofees ate to be solUe at 
 tije long sljoppe | at tl)e CEOeast eiiDe of Paules, 
 
 This volume is rarely discovered perfect. The above was pur- 
 chased at the late sale of Col. Stanley's library for 30I. by Sir 
 Mark Masterman Sykes, Bt. 
 
 The fecond Tome | of the Palace of Pleafure | C0n= 
 
 tepning manifolUe store of gooDlp | Hiiiories, Tragicali 
 
 matters and | Oti)er iHOrall argument, | very requifttefor 
 de- I Itg^t (J profit. I Chofen and /elected out of diuers 
 good and commen- \ dable Authors. \ By William Painter, 
 Clarke of the | Ordinance and Armarie. | anno. 1567. | 
 Imprinted at London, in Pater Nofter Rowe, by Henrie 
 I Bynneman, for Nicholas | England.t 410. Extends, 
 without introduction, to signature P. P. P. P. p. iiij. 
 and is folded in fours. 
 
 A broad metal border, of fancy pattern, adorns the title page. 
 At signature a. ij. begins the Epistle to Sir George Howard, 
 which the author subscribes from his " poore house besides the 
 Toure of London, the fourthe of Nouember 1567 : " and that is 
 
 * There is a lapse of signatures from O o. j. to A a a. j. and of folios from 145, 
 (misprinted 135) to 201. What occasioned the castration it is impossible to con- 
 jecture ; the volume is certainly perfect, as the table of Contents has no article for 
 the omitted leaves. 
 
 t Herbert, 967. Entered in the Stationers' Register (as Mr. G. Chalmers 
 obligingly informs me) in 1566-7, "to Nycholas Englonde." 
 
PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIBLIOGRAPHICAL. xlvii 
 
 followed by a summary of the contents and authorities, making, 
 with the title, lo leaves. There are xxxiiij novels, and they end 
 at fo. 426. Two leaves in continuation have " the conclusion," 
 with " divers faultes efcaped in printyng," and on the reverse of 
 the first is the printer's colophon. 
 
 Imprinted at London | by Henry Bynneman | for 
 Nicholas Englande ] anno m.d.lxvil | Nouembris 8. 
 
 A copy of this volume was lately in the possession of Messrs. 
 Arch, of Cornhill, Booksellers, with a genuine title, though dif- 
 ferently arranged from the above, and varied in the spelling.* 
 When compared, some unimportant alterations were found, as 
 a few inverted commas on the margin of one of the pages in the 
 last sheet, with the correction of a fault in printing more in one 
 copy than the other, though the same edition.f 
 
 C|)e IPallace | of IPleasure ^Seauttfieti, | adorned and 
 
 wel furnijhed with \ Pleafaunt Hifloryes and excellent 
 I Nouelles, felefted out of diuers | gOOti anil COmmen- 
 Dable autl)OUrS. | ir By William Painter Clarke | of the 
 Ordinaunce and | Armarie. | 1569. \ Jmprinted at Lon- 
 don in I Fleteftreate neare to S. Dunftones | CI)Ut:ci) fig 
 Ct)Oma£> iW[ar£iI)f- — 4to. Extends to K k. viij, & is 
 folded in eights, 
 
 * It stands thus : The fecond Tome | of the Palace of Pleafure, | conteyning ftore 
 of goodly Hiftories | Tragicall matters and other mo- | rail argument, very re- | qui- 
 fite for delighte | and profit, | Chofen and felefted out of | divers good and commen- 
 I dable authors. | By William Painter, Gierke of the | Ordinance and Armarie | 
 Anno. 1567. — Imprinted &c." 
 
 Similar differences are found in the earliest stage of the English press. Thus a 
 copy of Caxton's Cato, 1483, in possession of the Duke of Devonshire, has the first 
 
 line 
 
 IT Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid : 
 
 and in the fine copy belonging to the Library of Lee Priory, it stands 
 
 Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the booke callyd. 
 t The second volume is undoubtedly the rarest of the two. The industrious Lang- 
 baine does not appear to have seen it, as in the Account of the English Dramatic 
 Poets, 1691, he refers more than once to the originals for stories contained in that 
 volume. 
 
xlviii PRELIMINARY MATTER — BIBLIOGRAPHICAL. 
 
 The title is in the compartment frequently used by Marsh, 
 having the stationers' arms at the top, his own initials at the 
 bottom, and pedestals of a Satyr and Diana, surmounted with 
 flowers and snakes, on the sides. It is a reprint of the first volume 
 without alteration, except closer types. The introduction con- 
 cludes on the recto of the eleventh leaf, and on the reverse of fo. 
 254 is the colophon. Jmprinted at London in Flete . \ 
 Jlreate neare vnto Sain6l Dunjlones \ Churche by Thomas 
 Marfhe | Anno Domini. 1569.* 
 
 THE PALACE | of Pleafure Beautified | aUometl 
 aniJ tuell furm0|)eti | with pleafaunt Histories and | ty- 
 
 cellent jQouelg, selectcU out | of liiueis gooli anlJ com- 
 menlraljle autUocs. Bp amtlliam painter Clarfee | 
 
 of the Ordinaunce I and Armarie. | Eftfones perufed 
 corredled | and augmented. | 1575. | Imprinted at Lon- 
 don I by Thomas Marjh. — 4to. Extends to fignature O 
 o, iiij. and is folded in eights, t 
 
 Title in same compartment as the last. The introduction is 
 given in nine leaves, and the novels commence the folio, and end 
 at 279. The arguments of every novel, transposed from the 
 beginning, continue for three leaves to reverse of O o iiij, having 
 for colophon. 
 
 Imprinted at London by ] CljOmaS ^arSt)e. 
 
 Seven novels were added to the former number, and the lan- 
 guage improved. 
 
 * Dr. Farmer's copy was Vol. I. 1569, and Vol. II. 1567. Purchased at the sale 
 by Mr. Payne for fifteen guineas. [Bibl. Farm. No. S993.] The opinion Dr. Far- 
 mer entertained of their rarity may be given in his own words ; " The Two Tomes, 
 which Tom Rawlinson would have called justa volumina, are almost annihilated. 
 Mr. Ames, who searched after books of this sort with the utmost avidity, most cer- 
 tainly had not seen them, when he published his Typographical Antiquities, as ap- 
 pears from his blunders about them : and possibly I myself might have remained in 
 the same predicament, had I not been favoured with a copy by my generous friend, 
 Mr. Lort." Essay on the learning of Shakespeare. 
 
 + Hence Tanner and others have been erroneously supposed to describe an edi- 
 tion in Octavo, and I have seen copies where the margin, cropped by the intolerable 
 plough of the binder, might have been shown in proof of the conjecture. 
 
haslewood's preliminary matter. xlix 
 
 THE SECOND | Tome of the Palace of | pleasure 
 
 containing mtt of gootilge | ipi^toneief, Cragical 
 
 mattCCiSf, 5 OtfjCr I Morall argumentes, very requi- | 
 fite for delight and ] profgtC. 1 Chofe and felefted' 
 out I of diuers good and commendable au- \ thors, and now 
 once agayn correc- \ ted and encreafed. | By Wiliam 
 Painter, Gierke of the | Ordinance and Arm-arie. \ Im- 
 printed at Zondon | In Fleatftrete by Thomas | marshe. 
 — 4to. Has signature Z z 4, and is folded in eights. 
 
 Title in the compartment last described. The introduction has 
 seven leaves, and the "conclusion" is at fo. 360.* The summary 
 of nouels, which stand as part of the introduction in the former 
 edition, follows, making four leaves after discontinuing the folio. 
 There is no printer's colophon, and the type throughout is fmaller 
 than any ufed before. The translator added one historic tale, and 
 made material alterations in the text. 
 
 With respect to the date the year 1583 has been several times 
 given, and it is doubtful if I have discovered the fource of the au- 
 thority. Oldys, among the manuscript notes upon Langbaine, 
 registers " W. Painter's Palace of Pleafure, &c. 4to. 1569, and in 
 % vols. 1575, and 158a : " and Mr. Bindley, whofe friendly assist- 
 ance it is always gratifying to record, pointed out to my attention 
 the catalogue of the library of the Honorable Bryan Fairfax,-f- 
 where the volumes are increased in number, and with only a single 
 date. It stands thus. Lot " '^'^6, Painter's Palace of Pleafure, 3 
 vols.J B. L. 1583 : " again in the Osterley catalogue, p. 87, is No. 
 
 * Folios 225 and 6 are repeated, and several others are erroneously numbered. 
 
 + Prepared for sale by auction by Mr. Prestage, of Savile Row, in April, 1 756, 
 and sold by private contract to Mr. Child. It forms the principal part of the library 
 at Osterley Park. 
 
 J It might be expected that the third volume was formed by adding the inferior 
 performance of George Pettie, who imitated our author's title ; but that was the 
 article in the succeeding lot. Pettie's work is called : A petite Pallace | of Pettie 
 his Pleafure : | contayning many pretie Hiftories | by him fat foorth in comely colours 
 I and moft delightfully dis-courfed. | Omne tulit punctum, \ qui miscuitvtile dulci. | 
 Col. Printed at London, by R[ichard] W[atkins]. n. d. but entered in the Stationers' 
 books 1576. Again by Wolfe, n. d. and other editions 1598, 1608, and 1613. The 
 VOL. 1. d 
 
1 haslewood's preliminary matter. 
 
 " 26, Palace of Pleafure, 1583." * To decide positively on such an 
 unexpected repetition of the date made it desirable to obtain a 
 sight of the copy.f That, with some difficulty, has been effected. 
 On visiting Osterley, strange as it may appear, I found the two 
 volumes bound in one, the same editions as those now printed 
 from, and both wanting title pages ! ! 
 
 There is not much temerity in decisively pronouncing that there 
 never was an edition in three volumes ; that the date of 1583 was 
 intended by Oldys to be only applied to the second volume; and 
 that that date was founded on an erroneous conjecture. Two of 
 these points are already disposed of, and the last can require but 
 few words. The translation of the tale of Sultan Soliman, from 
 the circumstance of the dedication to Sir William Cobham, as 
 shewn in a former page, must have been finished about I557"8j 
 and Painter, on the reprinting, mentions that fact as " twenty- 
 two yeares past or thereabouts," which decides that the printing 
 the above volume could not be later than 1580. 
 
 The Palace of Pleasure, as enlarged by the Translator, is now 
 reprinted. The text of the latest edition of each volume has been 
 carefully preserved ; except that, instead of numberless abbrevia- 
 tions, every word is given at length. The character of the work 
 did not require such minuteness, being followed for authority; and 
 the rejecting what might seem a disfigurement of the page, it is 
 hoped, will obtain the sanction of the reader: and it may be 
 observed, that in the later editions many words are contracted 
 which were first printed at length, and others given at length 
 which were before contracted. 
 
 In the punctuation some slight alterations have been made, 
 where the sense or uniformity materially required it. 
 
 contents of the volume are described in an article by Mr. Utterson in the British 
 Bibliographer, Vol. II. p. 392. For an Account of the author see Wood's Ath. Oxon. 
 by Bliss, 1813, Vol. I. col. 552. 
 
 * Class (or rather case, the library not being classed) IX. ; division 2 ; shelf 7 • 
 book 26. This explains the numerals used in the Osterley Cat. 
 
 t To the unequalled store of bibliography, possessed by the Rev. T. F. Dibdin 
 there has lately been added a copy of the Fairfax catalogue, priced according to the 
 private valuation. There may be found Caxton's Prince Arthur rated at only fifty- 
 five shillings, and lot 336 (the P. of Pleasure) at four guijteas : undoubtedly, from 
 the above description in the catalogue, the copy was supposed unique. 
 
haslewood's preliminary matter. li 
 
 From Earl Spencer, with that marked attention which always 
 distinguishes the interest his Lordship takes in every literary 
 undertaking, I received the unsolicited offer of the use of the copy 
 belonging to the library at Althorpe. As there was the first 
 edition of the second volume, it proved a needful and valuable 
 acquisition, and from that source several obscure passages have 
 been corrected, and whole sentences restored, which, in the last 
 edition, appear to have been negligently omitted in the hurry of 
 the press. 
 
 For the purpose of collation. Sir Mark Masterman Sykes, Bart, 
 obligingly assisted me with his copy, purchased at the Roxburghe 
 sale; and has since also favoured me with the first edition, to 
 perfect the Bibliographical Notices. 
 
 Of an hundred and one novels, the whole number, the larger 
 portion have been traced, as supposed, to their respective originals. 
 In attempting this task, I have derived material assistance from 
 the extensive researches made in that class of literature by Mr. 
 Weber, who, though personally unknown, most promptly supplied 
 the wanted information. The ingenious conjecture as to the 
 origin of the story of Gismonde and Guiscardo, is by Mr. Singer. 
 
 It is probable that many of the stories were appropriated as 
 soon as published by the dramatic writers to the purposes of the 
 English Stage.* To the instances discovered by the indefatigable 
 Langbaine I have made some addition. 
 
 From the application of Mr. Freeling to Mr. Crewe, I obtained 
 an inspection of the earliest records preserved in the Ordnance 
 Office; and the research was further facilitated by the assistance 
 of Mr. Banovin. 
 
 Sir Egerton Brydges, with his accustomed ardency to promote 
 literary investigation, aided my endeavours to discover some trace 
 of the translator as master of the school at Sevenoaks. 
 
 * Malone, in a note on the Historical Account of the English Stage, has the fol- 
 lowing extract from Gosson's Plays confuted in five Actions, printed about the year 
 1580. " I may boldly say it (says Gosson) because I have seene it, that The Palace 
 of Pleasure, The Golden Asse, The Ethiopian Historic, Amadis of Fraunce, The 
 Round Table, bawdie comedies in Latin, French, Italian and Spanish, have beene 
 thoroughly ransackt to furnish the playe-houses in London." — Reed's Shakespeare, 
 Vol. III. p. 40. 
 
Hi haslewood's preliminary matter. 
 
 To Mr. George Chalmers and Mr. Utterson, I am indebted for 
 some bibliographical communications, and also to the Rev. T. F, 
 Dibdin for long extracts made from the work by Herbert, prepara- 
 tory to a new edition of the Typographical Antiquities. 
 
 When the present edition was announced, it was intended to 
 consist of only one hundred and fifty copies. In order, however, 
 to meet the common hazard of the press, seven quires of each 
 sheet were printed, making about one hundred and sixty-five 
 saleable copies; seven were also taken off on vellum. 
 
 JOSEPH HASLEWOOD. 
 
 Conduit Street, November ^th 1813. 
 
 [It is only necessary to add that Haslewood's edition was in two volumes, 
 of which the first ran to 34 (Introductory Matter) + xviii. (Dedication and 
 Table of Contents) + 492 pages. The Second Tome, which is mostly 
 found bound in two parts, ran to xv. (Dedication and Table of Contents) 
 + 700 pages. 
 
 The present edition, it will be observed by the above, is really the fourth 
 and a half edition — i.e., it is the fifth of the first Tome, and the fourth 
 of the second. I have however ventured to neglect the reprint of the 
 First Tome in 1569, and taken account only of complete editions. It 
 follows Haslewood's reprint page for page and line for line, except in two 
 points. The Tables of Contents of the two Tomes have been brought to- 
 gether, and their literary history connected directly with the Summary of 
 Contents. In a few cases, where Haslewood inserted passages from the 
 first edition, I have enclosed the interpolations in square brackets. The 
 other point of difference between Haslewood's edition and the present is 
 that we have divided the two Tomes into three volumes of as nearly equal 
 size as possible. While Haslewood has been used as "copy" for the 
 printer, it must be understood that every line has been collated with the 
 British Museum copy of the original, and many thousands of corrections, 
 mostly though not all of a minor kind, made in Haslewood's text. 
 
 JOSEPH JACOBS. 
 4 Haselmere Road, Kilburn, 
 1st Aug. 1890.] 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. 
 
 I. 
 
 Assignments to Painter (Abstract), 
 {Record Office Dom. State Papers, Eliz., xl. No. 36.) 
 
 July 34, 1566. Assignment by Edward Randolph, Esq., to 
 William Painter, Clerk of the Ordinance, Richard Webb, 
 Master-Gunner of England, and Edward PartridgCj Keeper of 
 the Queen's Harquebutts, Dagges, and Curriers, of certain 
 annuities or pensions for a term of years. 
 
 II. 
 
 Petition of Hartnell, Saint Barbe, and Painter (Abst.). 
 
 (Brit. Mus. Lands. MS. 51, No. 35.) 
 
 Petition of Raulph Harknell, William Saintbarbe and William 
 Painter to the Lord High Treasurer, c. 1586. 
 Having lately been called before Sir W. Mildmay, Chanc" 
 of the Exchequer, Mr. Fanshawe & Mr. Dodington for the sum 
 of ,^7,075 and after conference the division was imposed 
 upon Turville Bowland and Painter, and a brief was drawn, it 
 pleased his Honour to will that if they could show cause why the 
 said sums should not be burdened upon them they were to have 
 allowance by petition which they have done and beseech his 
 Honour to have regard to the present state of themselves their 
 
liv DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. 
 
 wives and children & by him to at once decide what sum they 
 have to pay. 
 
 With regard to their estates : — 
 Bowland's goods came to but .^431 ■.6:8. His land is given 
 to three children, the eldest not twelve years old. As the land 
 cannot be sold during their nonage he humbly begs that the land 
 may be extended and prays that some allowance may be made 
 for the education of the children. 
 
 Turville's substance was chiefly in debts, his household stufF 
 was of the value of .^120 : 3 : 4. Of this .^1,441 : 19 : 7 is to 
 go to William Saintbarbe, the most part of which sum remains 
 in the hands of the Earl of Warwick and Sir Philip Sydney. 
 Notwithstanding he is willing to pay as much as His Honour 
 shall think good. 
 
 William Painter craves remembrance of a note of his estate 
 delivered in 1586, expressing the particulars of all he has in the 
 world to live upon in these his aged days, amounting to about ^64 
 a year. He has a wife and five children all marriageable and 
 unprovided for. He begs his Honour's favourable consideration 
 of his case and promises to be the occasion of saving unto Her 
 Majesty of far greater sums than what he owes to her. 
 
 HI. 
 Charge against ^Turville, Bowland, and Painter (Abst.). 
 
 {Brii. Mus. Lansd. MS. 55, No. 3.) 
 
 Charge informed in the Exchequer by John Powell against 
 Geoffrey Turville, Richard Bowland and William Painter. 
 
 s d 
 ^7,077 : 8 : I 
 Of which 
 Upon G. Turville 2,715 : 2 : 8 
 „ R. Bowland 2,413 : 2 :"8 
 „ W. Painter 1,949 : 2 : 8 
 
DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. Iv 
 
 Of this sum of ^1949 : 3 : 8 William Painter confesses in his 
 answer to owe s^io'jg : 17 : 3 which leaves unconfessed the sum 
 of ,^869 : 5 : 5 of which he himself prays to be disburdened for 
 divers good and reasonable considerations : — 
 
 For Iron sold to the amount of ;^i6 18:4 
 
 For Powder sold for ;^ 4 : 8 : 10 
 
 For things conveyed from the ) 
 
 „ , ^ y 4:0:0 
 
 Storehouse at Woolwich j 
 
 For unserviceable shot sent 
 
 into Barbary ^ i73 = ^3 
 
 o 
 
 For Powder Munition &c. 205 : o 
 
 For sale of Sulphur 10 : 10 : o 
 
 Divers allowances 373 : 6 : 8 
 
 Work done at Portsmouth 8:6:8 
 
 He promises to pay what is due from him in reasonable time. 
 
 The value of the Lands in Gillingham, Kent, belonging to 
 William Painter is ^^413 : 10 : o, which brings him in ^€"94 : 10 
 of which he has to pay a^33 : 3 : 4 leaving him ^61 : 6 : 10. 
 
 The said William Painter owes ^1300 for land in mortgage 
 and is indebted to divers persons besides. 
 
 He humbly beseeches Her Majesty to have pitiful regard for 
 his wife and marriageable children 
 
 IV. 
 
 Powell's Charges against Earl of Warwick and 
 Painter (Abstract). 
 
 {Hatfield, Calendar iii., No. 581.) 
 
 September, 1587. John Powell to the Queen, offers to expose 
 frauds in the Ordnance Office, and begs the Queen to grant him 
 a hearing before the Lord Chancellor^ Lord Treasurer, Lord 
 Admiral, and Earl Warwick, which last named he accuses of 
 great oppressions, and one Painter of false recording the office 
 books. 
 
Ivi DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. 
 
 W. Painter's Confession. 
 
 {Record Office State Papers, Domestic, Eliz., vol. 224, No. 102.) 
 
 xxiij"° Junii 1589. Willm PainP confeffeth that all thofe 
 things that ftande nowe charged upon 
 Thearle of Warrewicke by the twoe bookes delivered by M'. 
 Coniers and M^ Bartholme Vodoington were in truthe taken 
 out of the Quenes ftoare in the Towre of London and other 
 places^ and promifeth that before Michaelmas Tearme next he 
 will in writing und''. his hand fhewe difcharge of fo muche of 
 the fame as the faid Earle is to be difcharged of, and will charge 
 his L. w*"" fo muche thereof as in truth he ought to be charged 
 w*** by ihewing of his owne warrant or other good proof that the 
 fame came to his L. hands or to fuche as his Lo. did appoint for 
 the receipt thereof, and the refidue he will charge upon fuche 
 others as of right are to be charged therew*, and for his betf 
 inftruftion he placeth a coppie of the faid twoe bookes delivered 
 by the Audito'^. 
 
 Jigned W. PAINTER. 
 
 endorfed. 
 
 23 Junii, 1589. 
 
 M^ Painters aunfweare for the Charging the E. of 
 Warwick in the 2, books delivered to the Audito" 
 of the Prefle. 
 
 VI. 
 
 {Record Office Dam. Pap. Eliz. ccxxv., No. 38.) 
 
 June 23, 1589. Answer of John Powell, Surveyor of the Ord- 
 nance, to the informations given against him by Mr. Wm. 
 Paynter. Examined in the office of the Ordnance before Sir 
 Robert Constable and the rest of the officers, and noted in the 
 margin accordingly. 
 
DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. Ivii 
 
 VII. 
 
 Application of A. Painter in behalf of his Father (Abst.). 
 
 {Brit. Mus. Lansd. MS,. 6% f. 47.) 
 
 April 6. 1591. He has many times besought his honour to 
 accept of his serviceable endeavours with regard to his duty 
 concerning the indirect government of the office of ordnance, 
 the entries into the books &c. and as he. knows that many 
 irregularities have been committed for which he fears he and 
 his aged father may be blamed he has thought it his duty to 
 crave access to his Honour as well to advertise what has been 
 heretofore done as to declare the manner how this office . is 
 managed, beseeching his honour, in regard his aged father is 
 clerk of that office, whose duty it is to register all things, not 
 to sign any proportion books of debt or monthe's books but by 
 the delivery of the said clerk or his deputy. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Grant in Reversion of Painter's Office (Docquet). 
 
 (Record Off. Dom. State Papers, Eliz. ccxxxiii.) 
 
 1591. Grant in reversion of John Grenewaie of the office of 
 Clerk of the Ordnance, with a fee of 8d. per diem, after 
 the death of Wm. Paynter. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Accounts of the Ordnance (Abstract). 
 
 {Record Off. Dom. State Papers, EUz. ccxliii., No. 96.) 
 
 Accounts by John Powell, Wm. Painter and Thos. Bedcock for 
 provisions and stores delivered unto her Majesty's Ordnance up to 
 31 Dec. 1592. Total of debts ^6,786 os ^^d ; of payments during 
 
Iviii DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. 
 
 the last year .^3^960 ijs 6d; Balance due, ^3,825 2s g^d. Also 
 of debts due for provisions brought into the stores, repairs. Sec, 
 during the year: total .^4055 95 besides Sir Rob. Constable's 
 debt. With note that as the books of the office have been deli- 
 vered to the two auditors, the writers cannot set down every 
 particular debt but have done so as far as they could. 
 
 X. 
 
 Specific Charges against Painter. 
 
 {Brit. Mus. : Lansdown MS. 73, No. 59.) 
 
 Right Honorable whearas I heartofore exhibited Articles vnto 
 yo'' Lo^P therin revealing and Juftlie accufing William Painter 
 clerke of Thordynaunce of notorious Deceiptes and abufes ppe- 
 trated by him in Thexecution of his faide office vnto whiche he 
 hathe made fome Anfweare as is reported./ May it ffurther pleafe 
 yo'' Lo I haue thoughte yt my parte to reveall fuch further and 
 more deceiptes as I haue difcovered of his lyke praftizes and abufes 
 when he tooke vppon him the charge and difcharge of Thoffice as 
 now his fonne feekethe to doe, which I Humblie proftrate heare 
 inclofed. Cravinge of yo'' good Lo for proofe of bothe my 
 Articles I may haue Aufthoritie to examine fuche wittnefles as I 
 can produce by othe before fome Baron of Thexchequer as to 
 Remaine vppon recorde leafte Deceafinge her Ma"^' feruece therbye 
 be hindered and I in fome forte defcredited in (keming to Informe 
 your Lo^P w*" matters I cannot proue./ 
 
 So lyke wife if to yo'' Ho yt fhall feeme good to figne the war- 
 rantate here to fore by me ^fented Aufthoriftinge me and others 
 to pvfe and vewe Thaccomptes of Sir Robert Conftable Knyghte 
 deceafed and m" willm Sugdon for Tower matters. I will bringe 
 to lighte fuche matters agaynfte his fonne whearby yt fhall 
 appeare that he is a mofte unfitt man to execute anie office of 
 charge or trufte vnder her ma"° beinge fo corrupte a man as I will 
 prooue him to be./ Pardon Right Ho my boldnes for Dutiful! 
 zeale did pricke me to difcouer that I and fithence they are 
 
DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. lix 
 
 abroache care of my credite dothe continuallie vrge mee not to 
 be negligent or alowe vntill I haue by good proues confirmed and 
 eftablifhed them. So reftinge Readie to pforme the fame and 
 accordinge to my Bounden dutie to do her hignes anie fervice to 
 my vttermofte./ I Humblie ceafe to trouble yo' Ho any further 
 at this tyme. But never will omitt to pray Thalmightie to in- 
 creafe yo' Honor with all healthe and happines. 
 
 Your Honors moft humble 
 
 G. HOGGE. 
 
 Endorsed November 1793 
 
 George Hogg to my L. 
 Difcouerie of certain abufes committed by W". Paynter clerk 
 of the Ordinance w'in his office. 
 
 Wronges offered by Willm Painter Gierke of Thordenance 
 entered in his Jornall booke ffiar receiptes broughte into her ma''™ 
 Store Anno i^^s a-nd -Ti'/'?' 
 
 Right Honorable, firft ther was a receipte for one Lafte and a 
 half of Serpentine powder broughte into her Ma"''' Store and de- 
 benter made by Painter for the fame as made of forraigne Peeter 
 the xiiij"" of Julie Tjy6, the which I will prooue vnto yo"^ Ho that 
 yt was her Ma*'^' owen powder brought from Windfo' Gaftell the 
 verie fame Soiuer./ Wherein he deceaved her Ma*'% and made 
 her pay for that w* was her owen./ Defyringe that my proofes 
 may be taken bye Othe before one of the Barons of her M*'^' Ex- 
 checquer./ 
 
 Secondlie, their was another Receipte made for xii° wh' of 
 corne powder As made of fforraine provifion and brought into her 
 ma*'''° Store and debenter made for the fame the xxj"' of Julie 
 /57<5 at the Rate of xij* the pownde, the w"*" did amounte to the 
 fome in money of Ix"" the w"'' I will prove to be her ma*"'' Owen 
 Powder as aforfayde./ 
 
 Third, there was another Receipte made for One Lafte of Serpen- 
 tine powder by the fayd Painter at xj''the pownde/ and debenter made 
 for the fame the xxj"' of Julie J^/d as brought into her maties 
 Store beinge made lykwyfe of fTorraigne provifion the w* I will 
 proove no fuch matter receaved into her ma"^' faide ftore and 
 
Ix DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. 
 
 therefore her ma''° flatlie Deceaved by him of the Some of one c 
 and x'" .-././ 
 
 ffbwerthlie there was lykewyfe broughte into her Ma"°' fayde 
 ftore by one Conftantine Watchindroppe the feconde of augufte 
 I5'j6 certaine bowftaves to the number of fower Thoufande after 
 fyxe Score to the Hundrethe at the Rate of xiij'* the Hundrethe 
 the which dothe Amounte to v ° and xx'* and entred by Painter in 
 his Jornall booke and debenter made for the fame I will proove 
 vnto yo'' Ho notwithflandinge his debenter and entrie in his fayde 
 booke that there was xj° of them neuer brought into her ma*'°^ 
 Store / and therfore her Ma"° Apparentlie Deceaved by him of the 
 fome of one '^ xliij"' 
 
 ffiftlie wheras there was a Deliverie made in Thoffice of Thordi- 
 nance the xxvi* of Aprill 15^6 for Se^'pentine Powder Delivered 
 out of her M"°' Store for the fliootinge of Thordinance vppon 
 the wharfe he did enter into his Jornall xx" wh' delivered 
 whearas, I will proove vnto yo'' Ho there was but v'' Di deli- 
 vered but heare he Dothe fliewe his conninge in the difcharginge 
 of the keep of the Store for the overcharge layd vppon the sayd 
 keep by him on his Receipte before fpecified the xxj** of Julie 
 iSjd whearas he did charge the keep w"* a lafte of Powder which 
 was never brought into the Store which he made her Ma"° pay 
 for/ 
 
 Syxtlie he made a Delyuerie of fower hundrethe wh* of Serpen- 
 tine Powder the Lafte of Aprill 15^6 for the fhootinge of Thordy- 
 naunce uppon May 6 vo accordinge to the olde accuftomed 
 manners I will Proove there was but j Two hundredthe wh' De- 
 lyvered whearin he hath abufed her Ma"° as in the Article befor 
 fpecified/. 
 
 XI. 
 
 Application of J. Painter (Abstract). 
 Brit. Mus. Lansd. MS. 75, No. 55.) 
 
 Sept. 36. 1593. — The best experience of faithful and true endea- 
 vours is to be opposed by politic and malicious adversaries whose 
 
DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. Ixi 
 
 slanderous informations have lately been used against him which he 
 has truely answered and has been examined by Sir Geo: Carewe 
 with the copies of the monthe's books and therefore he trusts 
 his Hon: will be satisfied. He hopes his slanderers will be 
 punished, or it will be a precedent to others. He has served 
 H. M. faithfully being encouraged by hopes of preferment. He 
 yearly increases H. M. Store to the value of ^2,000 by taking 
 the returns of such munitions as return from the seas unspent 
 in H. M. ships, which formerly were concealed and converted to 
 private use. He has deciphered so many deceipts as amount to 
 above ^11,000. He is ready to show a number of abuses by which 
 H. M. pays great sums of money which do not benefit her service, 
 and finally by his experience he has been able to do Her Majesty 
 profitable service, the particulars of which he is ready to show 
 when required, and he trusts he deserves more favour and regard 
 than to be utterly discredited and disgraced through the informa- 
 tion of the person who through malice seeks to be revenged of 
 him, because he saves H. M. £aP a year which this person sued 
 for, for taking the aforesaid remains. 
 
 XH. 
 
 Charges against Painter's Son. 
 
 (firit. Mus.: Lansdown MS. 78, No. 39.) 
 
 Right Honourable, I thought it my duty to aduertife yo'' ho : 
 of dyw'fe mifdemeano" comytted against her Ma'" in and about the 
 Tower, when yo'' lo^ fhall pleafe to command me to attend yo" in 
 the meane tyme I hold it mofi: fytt to give yo" to vnderftand 
 that vnderftandinge of Mr. Anthonie Paynter should make his 
 vawnt of his playnes and truth of thencifing of his fathers place 
 being deputye vnto him thus much I am able to averr that in 
 falfe entryes falfe debentes ymbefeling of powder, and other de- 
 ceipte as come XVc" as by informand re°* to be put in against 
 him the laft term begonn by hogg who had miftaking the daye 
 
Ixii DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PAINTER. 
 
 ffor his father I fend yo'' lo^ matter of XXVIj m" Againft him 
 
 It is uery fitt if it may ftand w*"" yo'' ho : good liking all booke 
 
 and recorde apgteying to her Ma° be taken into the coftody of 
 
 fome whom yo fhall think mete to kepe them to her Ma*° vfe 
 
 And fo leaving the fame to yo"^ honourable care I doe humbly 
 
 take my leave the Tower this XXj"" of february 
 yr 
 
 ho : mofi: humbly 
 
 Att Coriimandme* 
 
 N. Raynberd. 
 
 Endorsed ai Feb. 1594 
 
 M"^ Rainberd fteward of y* Tower 
 
 to my 1 : 
 
 Informacbn againft M' Paynter of abufes in his office. 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 [In the following notes, Source refers to the origin whence Painter most probably 
 obtained the tale ; Origin to the earliest appearance of it in literature : these often 
 coincide. I have included all the information given by Haslewood.] 
 
 I. HORATII AND CURIATII. 
 
 The Romaines and the Albanes being at warres, for iniuries mutually 
 inferred, Metius Suffetius, the Albane captaine, deuifed' a waye by a 
 combate to ioygne bothe the cities in one. Vidlorie falling to the 
 Romaines, the Romaine vidlor killed his fifler and was condemned to 
 die. Afterwardes, upon his father's fute, he was deliuered. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Livy, i., 26. 
 
 Parallels. — I. Ancient: Cicero, Pro Mil. 37 ; Dionys. Hal. iii. 21, 22 ; 
 Plutarch, Par. Min. 16 ; Valerius Max. vi. 36 ; Florus, i. 3 ; Zonar, 
 vii. 6. II. Mediceval: Holkot, Moral. 12. III. Modern: Wolge- 
 muth, ii. 74 ; Kirchihof, Wendenmuth, i. 13, vi. 61 ; Albertinus, Lust- 
 hauss, 1 619, 191 ; Comeille, Horace j Acerra Philologica, 1708, 
 ii. 15. 
 
 Painter, Ed. I. (1566) i. I ; II. (i575)* i- i ; HI- i- i ; IV. i. 15.] 
 
 II. The Rape of Lucrece. 
 
 Sextus Tarquinius ravifhed Lucrece. And fhe, bewailing the loffe 
 of her chaflitie, killed herfelfe. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Liv^, i- 57-6o. 
 
 Parallels. — I. Ancient: Dionys. Hal. iv. 64 ; Cicero, De Fin. ii. 20-26 ; 
 Val. Max. 6, i. i ; Ovid, Fasti, ii. 761 ; Aurel. De Vir. III. 9 ; 
 Augustin, De Civit. Dei, i. 19. II. Mediceval: Vincent Bellov. Spec. 
 Doct. iv. 100; Gesta Rom., 135; Violier, 113. III. Modern: Hans 
 Sachs, i. 2, 184 ; 3, 21, Ein schon spil von der geschickt der edlen 
 Romerin Lucretia, Strassburg, 1550, 8vo ; Kirchhof, vi. 67-70; 
 Eutrapelos, i. 92 ; Acerra, ii. 51 ; Histor. Handbiichlein, 247 ; Alber- 
 tinus, 279 ; Abraham k Sta. Clara, EtwasfUr Alle, ii. 623. 
 
 * The reprint of 1569 is not taken into account in giving the pagination. 
 
IxiV ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Painter^'S.A.. L i. 5 ; IL i. 5 ; IIL i. 8 ; IV. i. 22. 
 
 ZJ^rzwa/w.— There can be no doubt Shakspeare derived his Rape of 
 Lucrece from Painter, though he has expanded the four pages of his 
 original into 164 stanzas. Haywood has also a play called The 
 Rape of Lucrece^ 
 
 III. MUCIUS SCiEVOLA. 
 
 The fiege of Rome by Porfenna, and the valiaunt deliuerie thereof 
 by Mutius Scseuola, with his ftoute aunfwere vnto the kinge. 
 
 [Source and origin. — Livy, ii. 12. 13. 
 Parallels.— I. Ancient: Plutarch, Public. 17 ; Valerius Max. 3. 3. 1 ; 
 
 Dionys. 5 27-30; Aurel. Vict. 72; C\ct.xo, pro Sext. 11. 48; Flor. 
 
 i. 105 ; Martial, i. 51 ; Orosius, ii. 5 ; Augustin, De Civil, v. 18; Zonar, 
 
 vii. 12 ; Dio Cass. 45, 31 ; 46, 19 ; 53, 8. II. Modern: H. Sachs, i. 2. 
 
 156 ; 2. 3. 39 ; Kirchhof, i. 15 ; Acerra, i. 19 ; Albertinus, 287. 
 Painter, I. i. 7 ; II. i. 7 ; III. i. 12 ; IV. 26. 
 Derivates. — A play called Mutius Scevola was played at Windsor in 
 
 1577 (Fleay, Hist, of Stage, p. 380)]. 
 
 IV. CoRIOLANUS. 
 
 Martius Coriolanus goinge aboute to repreffe the common people of 
 Rome with dearth of Come was banifhed. For reuengement whereof 
 he perfwaded Accius Tullius king of the Volfcians, to make warres upon 
 the Romaynes, and he himfelfe in their ayde, came in his owne perfon. 
 The Citie brought to greate miferye, the fathers deuifed meanes to 
 deliuer the fame, and fent vnto the Volfcian campe, the mother, the 
 wife and children of Coriolanus. Vpon whofe complaintes Coriolanus 
 withdrewe the Volfcians, and the citie was reduced to quietnes. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Livy, ii. 35 seq. 
 Parallels. — I. Ancient: Dionys. Hal. viii. i; Zonar vii. 16; Plutarch 
 
 Coriolanus; Val. Max. 5. 4. i ; Dio Cass. (Exc. Vat.) 16 p. 148 ; 
 
 Aur. Vict. 19. II. Mediceval: Holkot Narrat. 175 ; Gesta Rom., 
 
 Lat. 137 ; Germ. 89; Violier, 115 ; Rosarium, i. 120. III. Modern: 
 
 Abr. k St. Clara; LaubenhUt, i. 301 ; Acerra, 2. 17; Albertinus, 
 
 291 ; Kirchhof, vi. 73-6, 82. 
 Painter, I. i. 9 ; II. i. 9 ; III. i. 35 ; IV. i. 29. 
 Derivates. — It is possible that Shakespeare first got the idea of the 
 
 dramatic capabilities of the story of Coriolanus from Painter thou<^h 
 
 he filled in the details from North's Plutarch.] 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixv 
 
 V. Appius and Virginia. 
 
 Appius Claudius, one of the Decemuiri of Rome, goeth about to 
 rauifhe Virginia a yonge mayden, which indeuour of Appius, when her 
 father Virginius vnderflode being then in the warres, hee repaired home 
 to refcue his doughter. One that was betrouthed vnto her, clamed her, 
 whereupon rofe great contention. In the ende her owne father, to faue 
 the fliame of his flocke, killed her with a Bocher's knife, and went into 
 the Forum, crying vengeance vpon Appius. Then after much conten- 
 tion and rebellion, the Decemuiri were depofed. 
 
 [^Source. — Giovanni, Pecorone, giorn. xx. nov. 2. 
 
 Origin.— Lxvy, ui. 44, 47-57. 
 
 Parallels. — Mediceval: Gower, 'Conf. Amant. vii.; Chaucer, Cant. Tales.,, 
 Doctour's Tale ; Modern : Macaulay, Lays. 
 
 Painter, I. i. 13 ; II. i. 12 ; III. i. 31 ; IV. i. 35. 
 
 Derivates. — R. B.,.(4 new tragical comedy of Apius and Virginia, 1575. — 
 Webster, Appius and Virginia. Hazlewood also refers to trage- 
 dies on the subject by Betterton, Crisp, Dennis, Moncrieff, Brooke, 
 Bidlake, &c. Vincent Brooke, the actor, made his greatest hit in 
 the part of Virginius.] 
 
 VI. Candaules and Gyges. 
 
 Candaules king of Lidia, fhewing the fecretes of his wyues beautie to 
 Gyges, one of his guarde : was by counfaile of his wife, flaine by the 
 faid Gyges, and depriued of his kingdome. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Herodotus, i. 7-13. 
 Parallels— ]-astm, i. 7. Mod. : Guicciardini, 44 ; Federmann, Erquick- 
 
 stunden, 1574, 65 ; Albertinus, 186; Kirchhof, iv. i. 
 Painter, I. i. 19 j II. i. 18 ; III. i. 32 ; IV. i. 46.] 
 
 VII. Croesus and Solon. 
 
 King Craefus of Lydia reafoneth with the wyfeman Solon, of the 
 happie life of man. Who little efleeming his good aduife, vnderfloode 
 before his death, that no man (but by vertue) can in this life attaine 
 felicitie. 
 
 {Source and Origin. — Herod, i. 50 seq. 
 
 Parallels. — I. Ancient: Diod. xvi. 56; Plutarch, Solon. II. Modern: 
 Albertinus, 235 ; Kirchhof, Wendenmuth, i. 4 ; Wanley, Wonders 
 of the Little World, ed. 1774. III. li. 7. 
 VOL. I, e 
 
Ixvi ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Painter, I. i. 21'; IL i. 20; IIL i. 35 ; IV. i. 49. 
 
 Derivates. — A tragedy under'this name was written by Earl Stirling 
 about 1601.] 
 
 VIII. Rhacon and Cartomes. 
 
 Of a father that made fuite, to haue his owne fonne put to death. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — ^lian, i. 34. 
 Parallels. — Wanley, Wonders, IV. iii. Ij 
 Painter, I. i. 24 ; II. i. 22 ; III. i. 39 ; IV. i. 53.] 
 
 IX. Artaxerxes and Sinetas. 
 
 Water offered of good will to Artaxerxes King of Perfia, and the 
 liberall rewarde of the Kinge to the giuer. 
 
 {Source and Origin. — ^lian, i. 32. 
 Painter, I. i. 24 ; II. i. 23 ; III. i. 40 ; IV. i. 54.] 
 
 X. Chariton and Menalippus. 
 
 The loue of Chariton and Menalippus. 1 
 
 \Source and Origin. — jElian, ii. 17 [Melanippus]. 
 Painter, I. i. 25 ; II. i. 24 ; III. i. 42 ; IV. i. 56.] 
 
 XI. Cyrus and Panthea. 
 
 Kinge Cyrus perfwaded by Arafpas, to difpofe himfelfe to loue a 
 ladie called Panthea, entreth into a pretie difputation and talke of loue 
 and beautie. Afterwards Arafpas himfelfe falleth in loue with the faide 
 ladie, but fhe indued with greate chaflitie, auoydeth his earneft fute. 
 And when (hee heard tell that her hufbande was flaine in the feruice 
 of Cyrus, (he killed herfelfe. 
 
 \Source. — Probably Bandello, iii. 9. 
 Origin. — Xenophon (given as source by Painter). 
 
 Parallels.— Anc. : Plutarch, Moraliaj De curiositate. Modern: Belle- 
 forest ; Hist. frag. iv. 265 ; Wanley, Wonders, I. xi. 30. 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixvii 
 
 Painter, L i. 27 ; II. i. 25 ; III. i. 44 ; IV. i. 58.] 
 Derivates — Warres of Cyrus, with the tragical Ende of Panthea, a tra- 
 gedy, was printed in 1594.] 
 
 XII. Abdolominus King of Scythia. 
 
 Abdolominus is from poore eflate, aduaunced by Alexander the 
 Great, through his honefl. life, to be kyng of Sydone. 
 
 \S our ce and Origin. — Quinct. Curtius, IV. i. 19-16. 
 Parallels — Anc. : Diod. Sic. xvii. Mod. : Wanley, Wonders, VI. xiv. 
 Painter, I. i. 33 ; II. i. 31 ; III. i. 45 ; IV. i. 69.] 
 
 XIII. Alexander and the Scythian Ambassadors. 
 
 The oration of the Scythian Ambaffadours to Alexander the great, 
 reprouing his ambicion, and defire of Empire. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Quintus Curtius, ix. 2. 
 Painter, I. i. 34 ; II. i. 32 ; III. i. 57 ; IV. i. 71.] 
 
 XIV. Metellus on Marriage. 
 
 The woordes of Metellus of mariage, and wiuing with the prayfe and 
 difpraife of the fame. 
 
 \Source. — Aulus Gellius, Noct. Att. i. 6. 
 Origin. — Livy, ii. 32. 
 
 Parallels. — I. Ancient: Plut. Coriol. 6. Dio. Halic. vi. 76.. 
 Painter, I. i. 36 ; II. i. 24 ; III. i. 60 ; IV. i. 74.] 
 
 XV. Lais and Demosthenes. 
 
 Of Lais and Demosthenes. 
 
 \Source and Origin, — A. Gellius, Noct. Att. i. 8. 
 Parallels. — Repeated in Painter II. xiii. 
 Painter, I. i. 38 ; II. i. 35 ; III. i. 63 ; IV. i. 77.] 
 
 XVI. Fabricius and Pyrrhus. 
 
 C. Fabritius and Emillius Confuls of Rome, beyng promifed that 
 king Pyrrhus for a fomme of money fhould be flayne (which was a not- 
 
Ixviii ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 able enemie to the Romaine Hate) aduertised Pyrrhus thereof by letters, 
 and of other notable thinges doen by the fame Fabritius. 
 
 [Source. — A. Gellius, JVocf. Att. i. 14. 
 
 Origin. — (?) Livy, E^it. xiii. 
 
 Parallels.— \. Ancient: Plutarch Pyrr. 18, 19 ; An seni sit, &c., 21 ; 
 Cicero, Pro Ccel, 14, 24 ; Brut. 14, 55 ; 16, 61 ; Phil. i. 5, n ; Cato, 
 vi. 16 ; Val. Max., viii. 13, 5 : Sueton. Tib., 2 ; Justin, 18, 2 ; Ovid, 
 Fasti, xvi. 203. 
 
 Painter, I. i. 38 ; IL i. 36 ; IH. i. 64 ; IV. i. 78.] 
 
 XVII. Camillus and Schoolmaster. 
 
 A ScholemaiHer traiteroufly rendring the noble mens fonnes of Faleria 
 to the hands of Camillus, was wel acquited and rewarded for his paines 
 and labour. 
 
 [Source. — A. Gellius, Noct. Att. xvii. 24. 
 Origin. — Livy, v. 26. 
 Parallels.— \. Ancient: Plutarch, Camillus, 10; Dion. Halic. excerp. 
 
 Vatec. 13, I ; Frontinus, Strat. iv. 4, i ; Polyjenus, Strat. viii. 7 ; 
 
 Val. Max. vi. 5, i ; Aur. Victor, De vir. ill. 33 ; Zonar. vii. 32. II. 
 
 Modern: Enxemplos, 187. III. Modern : GaXlensis, Commumilog. 
 
 1489, i. II ; H. Sachs, III. ii. 46 ; Hanmer, Hist. Roseng. 1654,437 ; 
 
 Acerra, i. loo ; Kirch, i. 18. 
 Painter, I. i. 39 ; II. i. 37 ; III. i. 66 ; IV. i. 80.] 
 
 XVIII. Papyrius PrjEtextatus. 
 
 The Hyflorie of Papyrius Prsetextatus [and how he misled his 
 
 mother]. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — A. Gellius, Noct. Att. i. 23. 
 Parallels — Sabell. Exemji. i. 3 ; Bruson, Facet, iv. 4 ; Wanley, Wonders, 
 
 III. xlvii. 4. 
 Painter, I. i. 41 ; II. i. 38 ; III. i. 69; IV. i. 83.] 
 
 XIX. Plutarch's Anger. 
 
 How Plutarche did beate his man, and of pretie talke touching fignes 
 of anger. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — A. Gellius, Noct. Att. i. 26. 
 Painter, I. i. 42 ; II. i. 39 ; III. i. 71 ; IV. i. 85.] 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixix 
 
 XX. .iEsop's Fable of the Lark. 
 
 A pretie tale drawne out of the Larke of ^sope. 
 
 [Source. — A. Gellius, Nod. Att. ii. 29. 
 Origin and Parallels. — Cf. Caxton's Msop, ed. Jacobs, Ro. i. 20 ; vol. i. 
 
 p. 238. 
 Painter, \. i. 42 ; II. i. 40 ; III. i. 72 ; IV. i. 86. 
 Derivates. — A ballad on the subject, entitled A mirror most true, was 
 
 licensed to Richard Jones 1576-7.] 
 
 XXI. Hannibal and Antiochus. 
 
 A merie gefte, uttered by Hanniball to King Antiochus. 
 
 {Source and Origin.— k^ Gellius. 
 Painter, I. i. 44 ; II. i. 41 ; III. i. 74 ; IV. i. 88.] 
 
 XXII. Androdus. 
 
 The maraeilous knowledge of a Lion, being acquainted with a man, 
 called Androdus. 
 
 \Source. — A. Gellius, Noct. Att. v. 14, 10. 
 Origin and Parallels. — Cf. Caxton's jEsop, ed. Jacobs, Ro. iii. i,"vol. ,i. 
 
 P- 243- 
 Painter, I. i. 44 ; II. i. 41 ; III. i. 79); IV. i. 89.] 
 
 XXIII. Favorinus. 
 
 A pretie difputation of the philofopher Phauorinus, to perfwade a 
 woman not to put forth her child to nurffe, but to nouriflie it herfelfe 
 with her owne milke. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — A. Gellius, Noct. Att. xvii. 12. 
 Painter, I. i. 45 ; II. i. 42 ; III. i. •]^ ; IV. i. 91.] 
 
 XXIV. Sertorius. 
 Of Sertorius, a noble Romaine capitaine. 
 
 {Source and Origin. — A Gellius, Noct. Att. 
 Painter, I. i. 48 ; II. i. 45 ; III. i. 81 ; IV. i. 95.] 
 
 Derivates. — A tragedy with this title, by J. Bancroft, appeared in 1679, 
 but it is scarcely likely to have been derived from Painter.] 
 
Ixx ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 XXV. Sibylline Leaves. 
 
 Of the bookes of Sybilla. 
 
 [Source.— K. Gellius, Noct. Att. i. 19. 
 Origin.— YXxay, Hist. Nat. xiii. 28. 
 Painter, I. i. 49 ; IL i. 46 ; HI. i- 84 ; IV. i. 98.] 
 
 XXVI. Master and Scholar. 
 
 A difference and controuerfie betwene a maifter and a fcholler, lo 
 fubtile that the iudges coulde not geue fentence. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — A. Gellius. 
 Painter, I. i. 80 ; IL i. 46 ; III. i. 85 ; IV. i. 99.] 
 
 XXVII. Seleucus and Antiochus. 
 
 Seleucus king of Afia, gaue his wife to his owne fonne in manage, 
 being his mother in lawe ; who fo feruently did loue her, that he was 
 Hke to die, whiche by a difcrete and wyfe inuention, was difcouered to 
 Seleucus by a Phifition. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Plutarch, Demetrius (probably in Amyot's trans- 
 lation). 
 Parallels — Val. Max. v. 7 ; Wanley, Wonders, TIL ix. 4. 
 Painter, I. i. 51 ; II. i. 48 ; IIL i. 88 ; IV. i. 102.] 
 
 XXVIII. TiMON OF Athens. 
 
 Of the flraunge and beafflie nature of Timon of Athens, enemie to 
 mankinde, with his death, buriall, and Epitaphe. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Plutarch, Marc Antonius (probably through 
 
 Amyot's translation). 
 Parallels — Erasmus, Adagio; Sabell. Exemp. ii. 2 ; Reynolds, Treatise 
 
 of Passions, c. 13 ; Wariley, Wonders, II. ix. 8. 
 Painter, I. i. 57 ; II. i. 54 ; III. i. 98 ; IV. i. 112. 
 Derivates. — Shakespeare's Timon of Athens (c. 1608) is founded on this, 
 
 though much expanded. There is a play of Timon anterior to 
 
 Shakespeare's, and printed by Mr. Hazlitt.] 
 
 XXIX. Marriage of Widow and Widower. 
 
 The mariage of a man and woman, hee being the hufband of xx. 
 wiues : and Ihee the wife of xxii. hufbandes. 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixxi 
 
 [Source. — Pedro di Messia, Selva di varie Lszzioni, i. 34. 
 Origin. — St. Jerome.. 
 Painter, L i. 59 ; IL i. 55 ; HI- i- 100 ; IV. i. 114.] 
 
 XXX. The Three Rings. 
 
 How Melchifedech a iewe, by telling a pretie tale of three Ringes, 
 saued his life. 
 
 \Source. — Boccaccio, Decameron, giorn. i., nov. 3. 
 Origin. — Cento novelle antichi, Ti (through Busone), Vavventuroso 
 
 Ciciliano; cf. Landau, /JzV Quellen'^ 183. Probably original source 
 
 was Jewish, Cf. G. Paris in Revue des Hudes juives, t. xvii., and A. 
 
 Wiinsche in Lessing-Mendelssohn Gedenkbuch. 
 Parallels. — Med.: Shebetjehuda (Heb.), Gesta Rom. 89. Lessing, Nathan 
 
 der Weise. 
 Painter. — I. i. 60 ; II. i. 56 ; III. i. lo3 ; IV. i. 116.] 
 
 XXXI. BORSIERI AND GrIMALDI. 
 
 One called Guglielmo Borfiere with certaine wordes well placed, 
 taunted the couetous life of Ermino Grimaldi. 
 
 [Source. — Boccaccjo, Dec, giorn. i., nov. 8. 
 Origin. — Benvenuto Rambaldi. Commentary on Inferno xvi. 
 Painter. — I. i. 61 ; II. i. 57 ; III. i. 105 ; IV. i. 119.] 
 
 XXXII. Alberto of Bologna. 
 
 Maifter Alberto of Bologna, by a pleafaunt aunfweare made a gentle- 
 woman to bluflie, which had thoughte to haue put him out of counte- 
 naunce, in telling him that he was in loue with her. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Boccaccio, Dec. i. 10. 
 Painter.— \. i. 63 ; II. i. 58 ; III. i. 108 ; IV. i. 122.] 
 
 XXXIII. RiNALDO OF ESTE. 
 
 Rinaldo of Elli being robbed, arriued at Caftel Guglielmo, and was 
 fuccoured of a wydowe : and reilored to his losses, retourning faulfe and 
 founde home to his owne houfe. 
 
 [Source. — Boccaccio, Dec. ii. 2. 
 Origin.— Pantschatantra (Fables of Bidpai), II. iv. tr. Benfey, 183. 
 
Ixxii ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Parallels.— MecUcEval : von der Hagen, Gesammtabenteuer, No. 42 ; 
 
 Mod. : Lope de Vega, Llegar en ocasion : Lafontaine, Loraison de 
 
 St. Julien; La Moth, Le Talisman. 
 Painter.— \. i. 64; IL i. 60; IIL i. iii ; IV. i. 125. 
 Derivatives.— The Widow, attributed to Ben Jonson, Fletcher and 
 
 Middleton, seems to have been derived from this.] 
 
 XXXIV. The King of England's Daughter. 
 
 Three yonge men hauing fondlye confumed all that they had, became 
 verie poore, whofe nephewe (as he retourned out of Englande into 
 Italia,) by the wave fell into acquaintaunce with an abbote, whome 
 (vpon further familiaritie) he knewe to be the king of Englande's 
 doughter, whiche toke him to hufbande. Afterwardes fhe reftored 
 his vncles to all their loffes, and fent them home in good Hate and 
 reputation. 
 
 [Source and Origin.* — Boccaccio, Dec, giom. ii., nov. 3. 
 Painter.— I. i. 68 ; IL i. 63 ; III. i. 116 ; IV. i. 130.]' 
 
 XXXV. Landolfo Ruffolo. 
 
 Landolpho Ruffolo being impooerifhed, became a pirate and taken 
 by the Geneuois, was in daunger of drowning, who fauing hirafelfe vpon 
 a litle coafer full of rich iewels, was receiued at Corfu, and beinge 
 cherifhed by a woman, retourned home very riche. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, giom. ii., nov. 4. 
 Painter.— \. i. 73 ; II. i. 68 ; III. i. 124; IV. i. 138.] 
 
 XXXVI. Andruccio. 
 
 Andreuccio of Perugia being come to Naples to buy horfes, was in 
 one night furprifed, with three marueilous accidentes. All which hauinge 
 efcaped with one Ruble he retourned home to his houfe. 
 
 [Source. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, giom. ii., nov. 5. 
 
 Origin. — Fabliau, Boivin de Provins. Barbazan, i. 357. 
 
 Parallels — Mod. . Pitre, iViw. pop. sic. No. 163. Nerucci, Nov. monta- 
 lesi. No. 45. Gianandrea, Trad. Marchigiane {cf. T. F. Crane, 
 Academy, 22 Mar. 1879). Schiefner, Mahdkdtjdjana, 23. 
 
 Painter. — I. 76 ; II. i. 71 ; III. i. 129; IV. i. 143.] 
 
 * Landau, Quellen,"^ p. 331, points out that the tale is related to the "Youngest-best" 
 folk tales, which deal with the successes of the youngest. 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. IxxHi 
 
 XXXVII. The Earl of Angiers. 
 
 The erle of Angiers being falfely accufed,, was baniflied out of Fraunce, 
 and left his two fonnes in fondry places in Englande, and retourning 
 (vnknowen) by Scotlande, founde theim in great authoritie, afterwardes 
 he repayred in the habite of a feruaunte, to the Frenche kinges armie, 
 and being knowen to be innocent, was againe aduaunced to his first 
 eflate. 
 
 [Source. — Boccaccio's, Decamerone, giom. ii., nov. 8. 
 Origin. — Dante, Purg. vi. 22, and frame of Seven Wise Masters. 
 Parallels. — Mediaval : Guillaume de la Barre, ed. P. Meyer; Jacob k 
 
 NQ>xa%Ya&,Legendaaurea,\']b; Gesta Rom. i,Z \ Mod.: Goethe, Ver- 
 
 triebener Graf. 
 Painter.— \. i. 85 ; IL i. 78 ; III. i. 142 ; IV. i. 156. 
 Derivates. — Ayres, the German dramatist (+ 1605), who derived much 
 
 from the English comedians, had a drama called Graf von Angiers^ 
 
 XXXVIII. GiLETTA OF NARBONNE. 
 
 Giletta, a Phifition's doughter of Narbon, healed the French King of 
 a Fiflula, for reward whereof fhe demaunded Eeltramo Counte of 
 Roffiglione to hufband. The Counte being maried againll his will, for 
 defpite fled to Florence and loued another. Giletta his wife, by pollicie 
 founde meanes to lye with her hufbande, in place of his louer, and was 
 begotten with childe of two fonnes : which knowen to her hufband, 
 he receiued her againe, and afterwards he liued in great honour and 
 felicitie. 
 
 \Source. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, giorn. iii., nov. 9. 
 
 Origin. — ? Terence Hecyra. ' 
 
 Parallels. — Mediceval: Somadeva Katha-sarit-sagara, 11^ ; Von der 
 Hagen, Gesammt. No. 32 ; Fauche Tetrade, ii. No. 6 ; Mod. : Gipsy 
 Tale, by,F. Miklosich, Denks. K. Akad,,Wien, xxiii. p. 14. 
 
 Painter.— \ i. 95 ; II. i. 87 ; III. i. 157 ; IV. i. 171. 
 
 Derivates. — The main plot of Shakespeare's AWs Well that Ends 
 Well certainly comes from Painter.] 
 
 XXXIX. Tancred and Gismonda. 
 
 Tancredi Prince of Salerne, caufed his doughter's louer to be flayne, 
 and fente his harte vnto her in a cup of golde : whiche afterwardes fhe 
 put into poyfoned water, and drinking thereof died. 
 
Ixxiv ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 [Origin. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, giorn. iv., nov. i. 
 
 Source. — Romance of Raoul de Cougy. 
 
 Parallels. — Med. : Aretini, De A77iore Guiscardii, F. Beroaldo, Latin 
 verse, Paris, 1599; J. Fleury, L' amour ;parfaite de Giusgardu, 
 Paris, 1493 ; A. Guasco in ottava rima, Venice, 1600 ; W. Walter, 
 Amorous hysterie of Guistard; 1532, Howell, Letters, ed. Jacobs, 
 p. 323 ; Wanley, Wonders, II. xii. 24. 
 
 Painter. — I. i. 100 ; II. i. 92 ; III. i. 166 ; IV. i. 180. 
 
 Derivates. — R. Wilmot, Tancred and Gismund (performed 1568, 
 printed 1591) ; Turberville, Tragicall Tales, iv.] 
 
 XL. Mahomet and Irene. 
 
 Mahomet one of the Turkifh Emperours, executeth curffed crueltie 
 vpon a Greeke maiden, whome hee tooke prifoner, at the wynning of 
 Conflantinople. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 10 (through French trans- 
 lation of Boaistuau, 1559, no. 2). 
 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, Histories tragiques, \. 30 seq.; Knowles, Turk. 
 Hist. 350 seq. J Waxi\e.y, Wonders, IV. x. 6. 
 
 Painter.— I. i. 107 ; II. i. 94 ; III. i. 176 ; IV. i. 190. 
 
 Derivates. — Peele's Famous play of the Turkish Mahomet and Hyren 
 the Fair Greek, played in 1594 and 1601 (not extant). Ayres had 
 also a drama on Mahomet. Also, L. Carlell, Osmond the Great 
 Turk, \b^T ; G. Swinhoe, Unhappy fair Irene, 1658; C. Goring, 
 Irene, 1708 ; Dr. Johnson, Irene, 1749.] 
 
 XLI. Lady Falsely Accused. 
 
 A Ladle faflie accufed of adultrie, was condempned to be deuoured 
 of Lions : the maner of her deliuerie, and how (her innocencie being 
 knowen) her accufer felt the paines for her prepared. 
 
 {Source and Orz^««.— Bandello (through Belleforesfs translation, 1559, 
 
 no. 2). 
 Painter. — I. i. 112 ; II. i. 103 ; III. i. 184 ; IV. i. 198.] 
 
 XLIL Didaco and Violenta. 
 
 \ 
 
 Didaco a Spaniarde, is in loue with a poore maiden of Valencia, and 
 fecretly marieth her, afterwardes lothinge his firft mariage, becaufe (he 
 was of bafe parentage, he marieth an other of noble birth. His firft 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. IxXV 
 
 wyfe, by fecrete meffenger prayeth his company, whofe requeft he 
 accomplilheth. Being a bedde, fliee and her maide killeth him. She 
 throweth him into the ftreate : fliee in defperate wife confeffeth the fade 
 before the Maieftrates, and is put to death. 
 
 [Source. — Boaistuau, 1559, no. 5. 
 Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 42. 
 Pai7iier.—\. i. 125 ; IL i. 114; IIL i. 204 ; IV. i. 218.] 
 Derivates.—T. Achely put the story into verse, 1576. Beaumont and 
 Fletcher's Triutnphof Death, t^itBtconAoixhtir Four Plays in One.] 
 
 XLIII. Lady of Turin. 
 
 Wantones and pleafaunt life being guides of infolencie, doth bring a 
 miferable end to a faire ladie of Thurin, whom a noble man aduaunced 
 to high ellate : as appereth by this hiilorie, wherein he executeth great 
 crueltie vpon his fayde ladie, taken in adulterie. 
 
 [Source. — Boaistuau, 1559, no. 4. 
 Origin. — Bandello, Part ii., nov. 12. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, i. 78 seq. Q. Margaret, Heptameron, nov. 32 
 
 {cf. Painter I. 57, infra and parallels there). 
 Painter. — I. i. 135 ; II. i. 127 ; III. i. 226 ; IV. i. 240.] 
 
 XLIV. Aleran and Adelasia. 
 
 The loue of Alerane of Saxone, and of Andelafia the doughter of the 
 Emperour Otho the thirde of that name. Their flight and departure 
 into Italie, and how they were known againe, and what noble houfes of 
 Italie descended of their race. 
 
 [Source and Origin.— Bandello, Part ii., nov. 27 (Belleforest, 1559, no. i). 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, i. 57 segr. 
 Painter. — I. i. 20 (sic) ; II. i. 130 ; III. i. 245 ; IV. i. 249.] 
 
 XLV. Duchess of Savoy, y 
 
 The Ducheffe of Sauoie, being the kinge of England's filler, was in 
 the Duke her hulbandes absence, vniufllye accufed of adulterie, by a 
 noble man, his Lieutenaunte : and (houlde haue beene put to death, if 
 by the proweife and valiaunt combate of Don lohn di Mendozza, (a 
 gentleman of Spaine) flie had not beene deliuered. With a difcourfe of 
 maruelous accidentes, touchinge the fame, to the fmguler praife and 
 commendation of challe and honed Ladies. 
 
Ixxvi ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 ^Source. — Boaistuau, 1559, no. 6. 
 
 Origin. — Bandello, Part ii., nov. 44 (from Val. Baruchius). 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, i. 107, seq. 
 Painter.— \. i. 226 ; IL i. 153 ; III. i. 271 ; IV. i. 285. 
 Derivates.—V>e. la Peend, History of John Lord Mandozze, 1565 {cf. 
 
 Brit. Bibliographer, ii. 523). De la Peend must have had proof 
 
 sheets of Painter.] 
 
 XLVI. The Countess of Salisbury. 
 
 A King of England loued the daughter of one of his noble men, which 
 was Counteffe of Salefburie, who after great fute to atchieue that he 
 could not winne, for the entire loue he bare her, and her greate con- 
 flancie, hee made her his queene and wife. 
 
 \Source. — Bandello, Part ii., nov. 26 (through Boaistuau, no. i). 
 Origin. — Froissart, i., cc. 77-89. {N.B. — There is a confusion betweeii 
 
 Edward III. and the Black Prince, who was really the Countess' 
 
 lover.) 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, i. § 18. 
 Painter. — I. i. 258 ; II. i. 182 ; III. i. 320 ; IV. 334. 
 Derivates. — The Shakespearian part of Edward III. is derived from 
 
 the work of Painter.] 
 
 XLVII. Galgano and Madonna Minoccia. 
 
 A gentleman called Galgano, long time made fute to Madonna 
 Minoccia : her hufband fir Stricca (not knowing the fame) diuers times 
 praifed and commended Galgano, by reafon whereof, in the abfence of 
 her hufband, fhe fent for him, and yelded herfelf vnto him, tellinge him 
 what wordes her hufband had fpoken of him, and for recompence he 
 refufed to dilhonefl her. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Ser Giovanne Fiorentino, Peccorone, I. i. 
 Parallels. — Masuccio, Novellino, 1450, nov. 21. 
 Painter. — I. i. 279 ; II. i. 199 ; III. i. 351 ; IV. ii. 3.] 
 
 XLVIII. BiNDO and Ricciardo. 
 
 Bindo a notable Architedl, and his fonne Ricciardo, with all his 
 familie, from Florence went to dwell at Venice, where being made Citi- 
 zens for diuers monuments by them done there, throughe inordinate 
 expences were forced to robbe the Treafure houfe. Bindo beinge flaine 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixxvii 
 
 by a pollicie deuifed by the Duke and flate, Ricciardo by fine fubtelties 
 deliuereth himfelfe from foure daungers. Afterwards the Duke (by his 
 owne confeffion) vnderflandinge the fleightes, giueth him his pardon 
 and his doughter in mariage, 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Ser Giovanne, Pecor., giorri. ix., nov. i. 
 Parallels. — Anc: Herod ii. 121, 122; Diod. Sic. i. 62; Pausanius ix. 
 
 37, § 4. J/^^. .■ L. Valla. il/<?i;?..- H. Stephen, Traits preparatif d, 
 
 PApologie ; Bandello, Part I. nov. xxv. 
 Painter. — \. i. 282 ; IL i. 202 ; IIL i. 356 ; IV. ii. 8. 
 Derivates. — Henslowe's Diary, 4 Mar. and 5 June 1 592, has references 
 
 to a tragedy of Bindo and Ricardo,. evidently derived from this.] 
 
 XLIX. FiLENIO SiSTERNO. 
 
 Philenio Siflerno, a SchoUer of Bologna, being mocked of three faire 
 Gentlewomen, at a banket made of fet purpofe he was reuenged on 
 them all. 
 
 {Source and Origin. — Straparola, Piac. Notti, II., nov. 2. 
 Painter.— \. i. 289 ; II. i. 208 ; III. i. 366 ; IV. i. 18.] 
 
 L. Muleteer's Wife. 
 
 The piteous and chafle death of one of the muleters wiues of the 
 Queene of Nauarre. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Heptameron 2. 
 Painter.— \. i. 296 ; II. i. 214 ; III. i. 3^7 ; IV. ii. 29.J 
 
 LI. King of Naples. 
 
 A king of Naples, abufmg a Gentleman's wife, in the end did weare 
 the homes himfelf. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Heptameron, 3. 
 Parallels. — Bandello, Part iv., nov. 10. 
 Painter. — I. i. 298 ; II. i. 216 ; III. i. 380 ; IV. i. 32.] 
 
 LII. Princess of Flanders. 
 
 The rafhe enterprife of a Gentleman againfl a Princeffe of Flaunders, 
 and of the Ihame that he receyued thereof. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Heptameron, 4. 
 Painter.— \. i. 302 ; II. i. 219 ; III. i. 386 ; IV. ii. 38.] 
 
Ixxviii ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 LIII. Amadour and Florinda. 
 
 The loue of Amadour and Florinda: wherein be conteined mani 
 fleightes and diffimulations, together with the renowmed chaftitie of the 
 faid Florinda. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Heptameron, lo. 
 Painter. — L i. 306 ; II. i. 223 ; III. i. 393 ; IV. ii. 45.] 
 
 LIV. Duke of Florence. 
 
 The incontinencie of a duke and of his impudencie to attaine his 
 purpofe, with the iufl punilhment which he receiued for the fame. 
 
 {Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Heptameron, 12. 
 Painter. — I. i. 326 ; II. i. 270 ; III. i. 423 ; IV. ii. 75.] 
 
 LV. Francis I, and Count Guillaume. 
 
 One of the Frenche kinge's called Frauncis the firfle of that name, 
 declared his gentle nature to Counte Guillaume, that would haue killed 
 him. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Heptameron, 17. 
 Painter.— \. i. 330 ; II. i. 243 ; III. i. 429 ; IV. ii. 81.] 
 
 LVI. Gentlewoman of Pampelun^. 
 
 A pleafaunt difcours of a great Lord to enioy a Gentlewoman of 
 Pampelunse. 
 
 [Source and Origin.— Q. Margaret, Heptameron, 26. 
 Painter. — Not in I. ; II. i. 245 ; III. i. 432 ; IV. ii. 84.] 
 
 LVII. A Strange Punishment of Adultery. 
 
 A punifhment more rigorous than death, of a hufband towarde his 
 wife that had committed adulterie. 
 
 [Source.— (^. Margaret, Heptameron, nov. 32. 
 Origin. — ? Bandello, Part ii., nov. 10. 
 Parallels. — Med.: GestajGaw^r ; Conf. Amant.x. Mod.: Bandello, iii., 
 
 nov. 15; Belleforest, i. 297; Whetstone, Heptameron, 3rd day; 
 
 StoUberg, Ballad. 
 Painter.— \. i. 332 ; II. i. 252 ; III. i. 445 ; IV. ii. 97. 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixxix 
 
 Derivates. — Greexit's PlanetomacMo and Davenant's A Idon'ne have simi- 
 lar incidents, but whether derived from Painter it is difficult to say.] 
 
 LVIII. President of Grenoble. 
 
 A Prefident of Grenoble aduertifed of the ill gouernement of his wife, 
 took fuch order, that his honellie was not diminiftied, and yet reuenged 
 the fadte. 
 
 [Sourtre and Origin.— Q. Margaret, Hept, nov. 36. 
 Parallels. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 35. 
 Painter.— I. i. 334 ; H. i. 254 ; IIL i. 449 ; IV. ii. loi. 
 Derivates. — Shirley's Lov^s Cruelty.'] 
 
 LIX. Gentleman of Perche. 
 
 A gentleman of Perche fufpedling iniurie done vnto him by his friend, 
 prouoked him to execute and put in proufe the caufe of his fufpicion. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Hept., nov. 47. 
 Painter.— \. i. 336 ; IL i. 256 ; III. i. 452 j IV. ii. 104.] 
 
 LX. Gentleman that Died of Love. 
 
 The piteous death of an Amorous Gentleman, for the flacke comfort 
 geuen him to late, by his beloued. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Hept., nov. 9. 
 Painter. — Not in I. ; II. i. 258 ; III. i. 455 ; IV. ii. 107.J 
 
 LXI. Lady of the French Court. 
 
 A Gentlewoman of the Courte, very pleafauntly recompenced the 
 feruice of a kinde feruaunte of her's, that pursued her with fervlce of 
 loue. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Hept, nov. 58. 
 Painter. — Not in I. ; II. i. 26; III. i. 461 ; IV. ii. 113.] 
 
 LXII. Rolandine the Chaste. 
 
 The honeft and maruellous loue of a mayden of noble houfe, and of 
 a gentleman that was bafe borne, and howe a Queene did impeche and 
 let their mariage, with the wife aunfwere of the mayde to the Queene. 
 
Ixxx ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Hept, nov. 21. 
 Painter.— '^ot in L ; IL i. 263 ; IIL i. 464 5 IV. ii. 116.] 
 
 LXIII. The Prudent Lady. 
 
 The Wifedome of a woman to withdrawe the foolifhe loue of her 
 hufband, wherewith he was tormented. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Hept., nov. 37. 
 Painter.— ^ot in I. ; II. i. 263 ; III. i. 483 ; IV. ii. 135.] 
 
 LXIV. The Lady of Tours. 
 
 The notable charitie of a woman of Tours towards her hufbande. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Margaret, Hept, nov. 38. 
 Painter.— Not in I. ; II. i. 276 ; III. i. 487 ; IV. ii. 139.] 
 
 LXV. Miracle at Lyons.* 
 
 The fimphcitie of an old woman, that offered a burning candle to 
 S. lohn of Lions. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Hept., nov. 65. 
 
 Painter. — I. i. 338 ; II. i. 277 ; III. i. 489 ; IV. ii. 141.] 
 
 LXVL Doctor of Laws. 
 
 A Doctor of the Lawes boughte a cup, who by the fubtiltie of two 
 falfe varlets, loft both his money and the cuppe. 
 
 [Source. — " Out of a little Frenche booke called ' Comptes du Monde 
 
 Avantureux.' " 
 Origin. — Massanio, Novellino, Part II. nov. 17. 
 Parallels. — Mensa Philosophica. 
 Painter. — I. i. 339 ; II. i. 278 ; III. i. 490; IV. ii. 142. 
 Derivates. — Marston's Dutch Courtesan, 1605 ; and Anon. : The Cuck- 
 
 queanes and Cuckolds Errant, a Comedye, 1601, formerly in 
 
 Haslewood's possession.] 
 
 * By error omitted in Table of Contents to Vol. II. 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixxxi 
 
 THE SECOND TOME. 
 I. The Amazons. 
 
 The hardineffe and conquefls of diuers flout, and aduenturous 
 women, called Amazones, the beginninge, and continuance of their 
 Reigne, and of the great iourney of one of their Queenes called Tha- 
 lellris to vifit Alexander the great : with the caufe of her trauaile. 
 
 [Source and Origen. — Herod, iv. i lo. 
 Parallels. — Acerra, ii. 58; Albertinus, 55; Kirchhof, Wendenmuth, iv. 
 
 182. 
 Painter. — I. ii. I ; IL ii. i ; III. ii. i ; IV. ii. 159.] 
 Derivates. — A Masque of the Amazons was played March 3, 1592 
 
 (Henslowe).] 
 
 II. Alexander and Sisigambis. 
 
 The great pitie and continencie of Alexander the great and his louinge 
 entertaynment of Sifigambis the wife of the great monarch Darivs after 
 he was vanquifhed. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Q. Curtius, x. 5. 
 Parallels. — Justin, xiii. i. 
 Painter.— I. ii. 5 ; II. ii. 4 ; III. ii. 8 ; IV. ii. 166.] 
 
 III. TiMocLiA OF Thebes. 
 
 Timoclia, a gentlewoman of Thebes, vnderflandinge the couetous 
 defire of a Thracian knight, that had abufed hir, and promifed her mar- 
 lage, rather for her goods than loue, well acquited hir felfe from his 
 falflioode. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Plutarch, Alexander (Amyot). 
 Parallels.^Zonax, Ann. i. f. 32 ; Wanley, Wonders, III. xxx. 6. 
 Painter.— \. ii. 9 ; II. ii. 7 ; III. ii. 14 ; IV. ii. 172. 
 Derivates. — A play entitled Timoclia, doubtless derived from Painter, 
 
 is mentioned in the Revel's Account. It was played at Merchant 
 
 Taylors' in 1574. Fleay, History, 381.] 
 VOL, I. 
 
Ixxxii ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 IV. Ariobarzanes. 
 
 Ariobarzanes great fteward to Artaxerxes king of Perfia, goeth about 
 to exceede his foueraigne lord and maifler in curtefie : where in be con- 
 teyned many notable and pleafaunt chaunces, befides the great patience 
 and loyaltie naturally planted in the fayd Ariobarzanes. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Bandello, Pt. i., nov. 2. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, iv. f. 9 seq. 
 Painter.— I. ii. 11 ; IL ii. 9 ; III. ii. 18 ; IV. ii. 176.] 
 
 V. Aristotemus the Tyrant. 
 
 Lucivs one of the garde to Ariftotimvs the Tyrant of the cittye of 
 Elis, fell in loue with a fayre mayden called Micca, the daughter of 
 one Philodemvs, and his cruelty done upon her. The floutneffe alfo of 
 a noble matron named Megillona in defence of hir hulbande and the 
 common wealth from the tyranny of the said Ariftotimvs : and of other 
 a(5tes done by the fubiefts vppon that Tyrant. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part iii. nov. 5. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. iv. f. 234. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 32; II. ii. 26; III ii. 51 ; IV. ii. 209.] 
 
 VI. Tanaquil. 
 
 The maruaylous courage and ambition of a gentlewoman called 
 Tanaquil, the Queene and wife of Tarqvinivs Prifcvs the fift Roman 
 king, with his perfuafions and pollicy to hir hufbande for his aduaunce- 
 ment to the kingdom, her lyke encouragement of Servivs Tvllivs, wherein 
 alfo is defcribed the ambition of one of the 11. daughters of Servivs 
 Tvllivs the fixt Roman king, and her cruelty towards her owne natural 
 father : with other accidents chaunced in the new eredted common 
 welth of Rome, specially of the laft Romane king Tarqvinivs Svperbvs, 
 who with murder atteined the kingdome, with murder maynteined it, 
 and by the murder and infolent lyfe of his fonne was with al his progeny 
 banifhed. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Livy, i. 34-41. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 40 ; II. ii. 33 ; III. ii. 63 ; IV. ii. 221.] 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixxxiii 
 
 VII. SOPHONISBA. 
 
 The vnhappy end and fucceffe of the loue of King Maffiniffa, and 
 Queene Sophonifba his wyfe. 
 
 [Source. — Bandello, Part i. nov. 41. 
 Ori^n. — Petrarch, Trionfi. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, L iii., f. 356; Trissino, Sophonisba (tragedy), 
 
 1524; Raleigh, Hist V. iii. 8 ; Wanley, Wonders, IIL liii. 2.' 
 Painter. — L ii. 49 ; IL ii. 39 ; IIL ii. 78 ; IV. ii. 236. 
 Derivates. — Marston, Wonder of Women, or Sophonisba, her tragedy, 
 
 printed 1606; N. Lee, Sophonisba, or Hannibal's Overthrow, 1676; 
 
 J. Thomson, Sophonisba, acted 28 Feb. 1730.*] 
 
 VIII. Theoxena and Poris. 
 
 The crueltye of a Kynge of Macedone who forced a gentlewoman 
 called Theoxena, to perfuade hir children to kill and poyfon them- 
 felves : after which fad, flie and hir hufband Poris ended their lyfe by 
 drowninge. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Livy, xl. 4. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 39 ; II. ii. 48 ; III. ii. 94 ; IV. ii. 252.] 
 
 IX. Lady of Hidrusa. 
 
 A ftraunge and maruellous vfe, which in old time was obferued in 
 Hidrvfa, where it was lawfuU, with the licence of a magiflrate ordayned 
 for that purpofe, for every man, and woman that lift, to kill them felues. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 56. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. iv., f. 214. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 61 ; II. ii. 50 ; III. ii. 98 ; IV. ii. 256.] 
 
 X. The Empress Faustina. 
 
 The diftioneft Loue of Favftina the Empreffe, and with what remedy 
 the fame loue was remoued and taken away. 
 
 * The celebrated line, " O Sophonisba, Sophonisba O !" has kept its memory alive. 
 
Ixxxiv ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 [^Source and Origin.— BsiaAeWo, Part i, nov. 36. 
 Parallels.— BAlttorest, t. iv., f. 83. 
 Painter.— i. ii. 65 ; H. ii. 52 ; IH. ii. 102 ; IV. ii. 260.] 
 
 XI. Two Maids of Carthage. 
 
 Chera hid a treafure : Elifa going about to hang her felfe, and tying 
 the halter about a beame found that treafure, and in place thereof left 
 the halter. Philene the daughter of Chera going for that treasure, and 
 bufily fearching for the fame, found the halter, wherewithal for difpayre 
 flie would haue hanged hir felfe, but forbidden by Elifa, who by chaunce 
 efpied hir, fhe was reflored to part of hir lofle, leading afterwards a 
 happy and profperous lyfe. 
 
 [^Source and Origin.— Cinthio, Ecatomithi, giorn. ix., nov. 8. - 
 Parallels.—"' Heir of Linne" in Percy ; Guellette, Contes tartares. 
 Painter.— \. ii. 67 ; II. ii. 54; HI. ii. 106 ; IV. ii. 264.] 
 
 XII. Letters of the Emperor Trajan. 
 
 Letters of the Philofopher Plutarch to the noble and vertuous Em- 
 perour Traiane, and from the fayd Emperour to Plutarch: the lyke 
 alfo from the faid Emperour to the Senate of Rome. In all which be 
 conteyned godly rules for gouernment of Princes, obedience of Sub- 
 iedts, and their duties to common wealth. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Guevara. 
 Painter, — I. ii. 76 ; II. ii. 63 ; III. ii. 121 ; IV. ii. 279.] 
 
 XIII. Lamia, Flora and Lais. 
 
 A notable Hiflory of three amorous Gentlewomen called Lamia, 
 Flora, and Lais : conteyning the futes of noble Princes and other great 
 Perfonages made vnto them, with their anfweres to diuers demaundes : 
 and the manner of their death and funerals. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — " Pausanias and Manitius" (text). 
 Parallels. — Painter I. nov. xv. ; for Lais, Fenton, Wonderful Secretes 
 
 1569, ff. 65-7. 
 Painter.— \. ii. 123 [89]; II. ii. 73 ; III. ii. 143 ; IV. ii. 301.] 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. IXXXV 
 
 XIV. Zenobia Queen of Palmyra. 
 
 The lyfe and giftes of the moll Famous Queene Zenobia with the 
 Letters of the Emperour Avrelianvs to the fayde Queene, and her floute 
 aunfwere thereunto. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Tacitus, Ann. xii. 51. 
 Painter. — L ii. 89 [95] ; IL ii. 78; IIL ii. 153 ; IV. 311. 
 Derivates.—Pi. Zenobia was played at the Rose Theatre in 1591.] 
 
 XV. EUPHEMIA AND ACHARISTO. 
 
 Euphimia the Kyng of Corinth's daughter fell in love with Acharifto, 
 the feruaunt of her father, and befides others which required hir in 
 mariage, (he difdayned Philon the King of Peloponefvs, that loued hiri' 
 very feruently. Achariflo confpiring againft the King, was difcouered,- 
 tormented, and put in prifon, and by meanes of Euphimia deliuered. 
 The King promifed his daughter and kingdome to him that prefented 
 the head of Acharifto. Evphimia fo wrought, as hee was prefented to 
 the King. The King gave him his daughter to wyfe and when he died 
 ■ made him his heyre. Achariflo began to hate his wyfe, and condemned 
 hir to death as an adultereffe. Philon deliuered hir : and upon the fute 
 of hir fubiedts, fhe is contented to mary him, and thereby he is made 
 Kynge of Corinth. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Cinthio, Ecaton, viii., nov. 10. 
 Painter. — I. loi ; II. ii. 82 ; III. ii. 162 ; IV. ii. 320.] 
 
 XVI. The Marchioness or Monferrato. 
 
 The Marchioneffe of Monferrato, with a banket of Hennes, and cer- 
 taine pleafant wordes, repreffed the fond loue of Philip the French 
 Kynge. 
 
 \Source. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, glom. i., nov. 5. 
 Origin. — Seven Wise Masters. 
 
 Parallels. — Anc: II. Sam. c. xi. Med.: Sindibad, and plls. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 112 ; II. ii. 91 ; III. ii. 180; IV. ii. 338.] 
 
 XVII. Ansaldo and Dianora 
 
 Miftreffe Dianora demaunded of maifter Anfaldo a garden fo faire in 
 lanuary, as in the moneth of May. Mayfter Anfaldo (by meanes of an 
 
Ixxxvi ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 obligation which he made to a Nicromancer) caufed the fame to bee 
 done. The hufband agreed with the gentlewoman that flie fliould do 
 the pleafure which maifter Anfaldo required, who hearinge the liberality 
 of hir hufband, acquited hir of hir promife, and the Necromancer dis- 
 charged maifler Anfaldo. 
 
 [Source. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, giom. x., nov. 5. 
 Origin. — Cukasaptati, cf. Forty Viziers, c. 14. 
 Parallels.— Med. ^ Chaucer, Cant. Tales. Mod.: Andrae, Chymische 
 
 Hochzeitj cf. Campbell, West Highland Tales, No. 19, and R. 
 
 Kohler's variants in Orient und Decedent, ii, 
 Painter. — I. ii. 114 ; H. ii. 93 ; III. ii. 184 ; IV. ii. 342. 
 iJmfa/^j.— Beaumont and Fletcher, Triumph of Honour (but perhaps 
 
 from Chaucer) ; Two Merry Milkmaidsi\ 
 
 XVIII. MiTHRIDANES AND NaTHAN. 
 
 Mithridanes enuious of the liberality of Nathan, and goinge aboute to 
 kill hym, fpake vnto him vnknowne, & being infourmed by himfelf by 
 what meanes he might do the fame he found him in a little wood 
 accordingly as hee had tolde him, who knowinge him, was afhamed, 
 and became his friende. 
 
 \Source. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, giom. x., nov. 3. 
 Origin. — ? Sadi, Orchard, story of Chatemtai and King of Yemen. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 118 ; II. ii. 96; III. ii. 190 ; IV. ii. 348.] 
 
 XIX. Catherine of Bologna. 
 
 Mayller Gentil of Carifendi being come from Modena, tooke a 
 woman out of hir graue that was buried for dead, who after (he was 
 come agayne, brought forth a fonne, which mayfter Gentil rendred 
 afterwardes with the mother to mayfter Nicholas Chafennemie her 
 hufband. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Boccaccio's Decamerone, giom. x., nov. 4. 
 
 Parallels. — Storia di Ginevra (printed, Pisa, 1863) ; Bandello, Part ii., 
 nov. 41 ; Marie de France, Lai d'Eliduc; Uhland, Todten von 
 Lustnau. See Liebrecht's discussion, Zur Volkskunde, pp. 60-5. 
 
 Painter. — I. ii. 123; II. ii. 100; III. ii. 197; IV. ii. 355.] 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. IxxXvH 
 
 XX. Thorello and Saladine. 
 
 Saladine in the habite of a Marchaunt, was honourably receyued into 
 the houfe of mayller Thorello, who went ouer the Sea, in company of 
 the Chrillians, and affigned a terme of his wyfe when fhe fhould mary 
 agayne. He was taken, and caried to the Sovldan to be his P'aulconer, 
 who knowing him, and fuffering himfelf to be knowen, did him great 
 honour, Mayfter Thorello fell ficke, and by Magique Art, was caried 
 in a night to Pavie, where he found his wyfe about to mary agayne, who 
 knowinge him, returned home with him to his owne houfe. 
 
 [Source. — Boccaccio, Decamerone, giom. x., nov. 9. 
 Origin. — Busone da Gubbio, Uavventuroso Siciliano. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 128 ; H. ii. 104; IIL ii. 205 ; IV. ii. 363.] 
 
 XXI. Anne Queen of Hungary. 
 
 A Gentleman of meane callinge and reputation, doth fall in loue with 
 Anne, the Queene of Hungarie, whom fliee very royally requited. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 45. 
 Painter. — I. i. 140 ; II. ii. 114 ; III. ii. 225 ; IV. ii. 383.] 
 
 XXII. Alexander De Medice and the Miller's Daughter. 
 
 The gentle and iuft. a6t of Alexander de Medices Duke of Florence, 
 vpon a gentleman whom he fauoured, who hauing rauifhed the Daughter 
 of a poore Myller, caufed him to mary hir, for the greater honour and 
 celebration whereof, he appoynted hir a rich and honourable Dowry. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part ii., nov. 15. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 155 ; II. ii. 127 ; III. ii. 248 ; IV. ii. 406. 
 Derivafes. — Fletcher, Maid of the Mill.'] 
 
 XXIII. The Duchess of Malfy. 
 
 The infortunate mariage of a Gentleman, called Antonio Bologna, 
 wyth the Ducheffe of Malfi, and the pitiful death of them both. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 26. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, edit. 1565, nov. 19. 
 Painter. — I. ii., 169 ; II. ii. 139 ; III. ii. 271 ; IV. iii. 3. 
 Derivates. — Webster, Duchess of Malfy ^ 
 
Ixxxviii ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 XXIV. The Countess of Celant. 
 
 The difordered Lyfe of the Counteffe of Celant, and how fliee 
 (caufinge the County of Mafmo to be murdered,) was beheaded at 
 Millan. 
 
 [Source and Origin.— BandtWo, Part i. nov. 4 (Belleforest, 1565, no. 20). 
 Parallels.— Fi^nXon, Tragical Discourses ; Whetstone, Castle of Delight, 
 
 Hepfameron. 
 Painter.— I. ii. 195 ; IL ii. 160; IIL ii. 312 ; IV. iii. 44. 
 Derivates. — Marston, Insatiate Countess.] 
 
 XXV. Romeo and Juliet. 
 
 The goodly Hyftory of the true, and conftant Loue between Rhomeo 
 and Ivlietta, the one of whom died of Poyfon, and the other of forrow, 
 and heuineffe : wherein be compryfed many aduentures of Loue, and 
 other deuifes touchinge the fame. 
 
 [Source. — Bandello, Part ii., nov. 9 (through Boaistuau, 1559, no. 3). 
 Origin. — Luigi da Porto, 1535 (fr. Masuccio, 1476, nov. xxxiii.). 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. i. ; otto novelle rarissime; A Brooke, 1562; 
 
 Lopez de Vega, Los Castelveses y Monteses; F. de Roscas, Los 
 
 Vandos de Verona; L. Groto, Hadriana, 1578. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 118 ; II. ii. 179 ; III. ii. 348 ; IV. iii. 80. 
 Derivates. — Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is partly founded on 
 
 Painter, partly on Brooke's poem. The English comedians played 
 
 it in Germany. Sloane MS., 1775, contains a Latin play on this 
 
 subject.] 
 
 XXVI. Two Ladies of Venice. 
 
 Two gentlemen of Venice were honourably deceiued of their Wyues, 
 whofe notable pradlifes, and fecret conference for atchieuinge their de- 
 fire, occafioned diuers accidentes, and ingendred double benefit : 
 wherein alfo is recited an eloquent oration, made by one of them, 
 pronounced before the Duke and Hate of that Cittye : with other 
 chaunces and adls concerninge the fame. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 15. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. iii. p. 58. 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ixxxix 
 
 Painter. — L ii. 247 ; IL ii. 203 ; IIL ii. 393 ; IV. iii. 125. 
 Derivates. — The underplot of Marston's Insatiate Countess is derived 
 from Painter, cf. supra.'\ 
 
 XXVII. The Lord of Virle. 
 
 The Lorde of Virle, by the commaundement of a fayre younge 
 Wydow called Zilia, for hys promife made, the better to attaine hir loue, 
 was contented to remayne dumbe the fpace of three yeares, and by 
 what meanes he was reuenged, and obtayned hys fuite. 
 
 {Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part iii., nov. 17. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. i. f. 289 ; Fenton, Trag. Disc. hist. xi. 
 Painter.— \. ii. 268 ; II. ii. 22; III. ii. 425 ; IV. iii. 157.] 
 
 XXVIII. Lady of Bohemia. 
 
 Two Barons of Hungarie affuring themfelues to obtayne their fute to 
 a fayre Lady of Boeme, receyued of hir a ftraung and maruelous repulfe, 
 to their great fliame and Infamy, curfmge the tyme that euer they 
 aduentured an enterprife fo foolifh. 
 
 \Source and Origin.^-Baxidello, Part i., nov. 21. 
 Parallels. — Whetstone, Arbour of Vertue. 
 Painter.— I. ii. 292 ; II. ii. 238 ; III. ii. 463 ; IV. iii. 195. 
 ZJifm/a/w.-^Massinger, The Picture^ 
 
 XXIX. Diego and Ginevra. 
 
 Dom Diego a Gentleman of Spayne fell in loue with fayre Gineura, 
 and fhe with him : their loue by meanes of one that enuied Dom Diego 
 his happy choyfe, was by default of light credit on his part interrupted. 
 He conflant of mynde, fell into despayre, and abandoninge all his frends 
 and liuing, repayred to the Pyrene Mountaynes, where he led a fauage 
 lyfe for certayne moneths, and afterwardes knowne by one of hys 
 freendes, was (by marueylous circumflaunce) reconciled to hys froward 
 miftreffe, and maryed. 
 
 \Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 27. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. i., f. 382 ; Fenton, Trag. Disc, hist. xiii. ; 
 
 Whetstone, Garden of Unthriftness. 
 Painter.— \. ii. 309 ; II. ii. 252 ; III. ii. 490 ; IV. iii. 222.] 
 
XC ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 XXX. Salimbene and Angelica. 
 
 A Gentleman of Siena, called Anfelmo Salimbene, curteoufly and 
 gently deliuereth his enemy from death. The condemned party feeing 
 the kinde parte of Salimbene, rendreth into his hands his filler Angelica, 
 with whom he was in loue, which gratitude and curtefie, Salimbene well 
 markinge, moued in confcience, woulde not abufe hir, but for recom- 
 pence tooke hir to his wyfe. 
 
 [Source. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 46. 
 Origin. — G. Sermini. 
 Parallels. — Fenton, Trag. Disc, hist. i. 
 Painter.— I. ii. 350; II. ii. 286; III. ii. 556; IV. iii. 288.] 
 
 XXXI. Helena of Florence. 
 
 A wydow called miflrefle Helena, wyth whom a fcholler was in loue, 
 (fhee louing an other) made the fame fcholler to ftande a whole Wyn- 
 ter's night in the fnow to wayte for hir, who afterwardes by a fleyght 
 and poUicie, caufed hir in luly, to ftand vppon a tower ftarke naked 
 amongs flies and gnats, and in the funne. 
 
 [Source. — Boccaccio, giorn. viii., nov. 8. 
 Origin. — ? Fabliau, Barbazan, i. 296. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 376 ; II. ii. 307 ; III. ii. 597 ; IV. iii. 329.] 
 
 XXXn. Camiola and Roland. 
 
 A gentlewoman and wydow called Camiola of hir own mind raun- 
 fomed Roland the kyng's fonne of Sicilia, of purpofe to haue him to hir 
 hufband, who when he was redeemed vnkindly denied hir, agaynfl whom 
 very eloquently flie inueyed, and although the law proued him to be hir 
 hufband, yet for his vnkindnes, fhee vtterly refufed him. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. xxxv. 
 Painter. — I. ii. 391 ; II. ii. 320 ; III. ii. 622 ; IV. iii. 354.] 
 
 XXXIII. Lords of Nocera. 
 
 Great cruelties chaunced to the Lords of Nocera, for adultry by one 
 of them committed with the captayne's wyfe of the forte of that citty, 
 with an enterprife moued by the captaine to the cittyzens of the same 
 
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. XCl 
 
 for rebellion, and the good and dutyfull aunfwere of them : with other 
 pityfuU euents ryfing of that notable and outragious vyce of whoredom. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i., nov. 55. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. ii. f. 162 (ed. 1565, no. 23). 
 Painter. — \. ii. 217 ; II. ii. 324 ; III. ii. 631 ; IV. iii. 363.] 
 
 XXXIV. Sultan Solyman. 
 
 The horrible and cruell murder of Sultan Selyman, late the emperor 
 of the Turkes and father of Selym that now. raigneth, done vpon his 
 eldefl. fonne Mvflapha, by the procurement, and meanes of Rofa his 
 mother in lawe, and by the fpeciall infligation of one of his noble men 
 called Rvftanvs : where alfo is remembred the wilful death of one of 
 his fons named Giangir, for the griefe he conceiued to fee Mvflapha fo 
 miferably flrangled. 
 
 {Source and Origin. — N. &, Moffa. 
 
 Painter. — Not in I. ; II. ii. 341 ; III. ii. 663 ; IV. iii. 395. 
 Derivates. — Latin Tragedy of same name Solyman et Mustapha was 
 played in 1581 (Fleay, History, 421).] 
 
 XXXV. The King of Morocco. 
 
 The great curtefie of the kyng of Marocco, (a citty in Barbarie) to- 
 ward a poore fifherman, one of his fubiedls, that had lodged the kyng, 
 being ftrayed from his company in hunting. 
 
 [Source and Origin. — Bandello, Part i. nov. 57. 
 Parallels. — Belleforest, t. ii. f. 190 (ed. 1565, no. 24). 
 Painter.— \. ii. 410 ; II. ii. 348 ; III. ii. 684 ; IV. iii. 416.] 
 
INDEX OF NOVELS. 
 
 [Double titles are repeated under both headings, e.g., "Romeo and 
 Juliet " will also be found under " Juliet and Romeo." Roman numbers 
 indicate the Tome of Painter.] 
 
 Abdolominus . . . 
 
 i. 
 
 12 
 
 Acharisto and Euphemia 
 
 ii. 
 
 IS 
 
 Adelasia and Aleran . . 
 
 i. 
 
 44 
 
 Adultery, Punishment of 
 
 i. 
 
 "si 
 
 ^sop's Fable of Lark . 
 
 1, 
 
 20 
 
 Alberto of Bologna . . 
 
 1. 
 
 7,2. 
 
 Aleran and Adelasia . . 
 
 I. 
 
 44 
 
 Alexander and Scythians 
 
 i. 
 
 13 
 
 Alexander and Sisigambis 
 
 11. 
 
 2 
 
 Alexander de Medici . . 
 
 ii. 
 
 22 
 
 Amadour and Florinda . 
 
 i. 
 
 S3 
 
 Amazons 
 
 11. 
 
 I 
 
 Androdus (Androcles) . 
 
 i. 
 
 22 
 
 Andruccio 
 
 1. 
 
 36 
 30 
 
 Angelica and Sahmbene 
 
 ii. 
 
 Angiers, Earl of . . . 
 
 I. 
 
 37 
 
 Anne of Hungary . . . 
 
 11. 
 
 21 
 
 Ansaldo and Dionora . 
 
 11. 
 
 17 
 
 Antiochus and Hannibal 
 
 i. 
 
 21 
 
 Antiochus and Seleucus.. 
 
 i. 
 
 27 
 
 Appius and Virginia . 
 
 1. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Ariobarzanes .... 
 
 11. 
 
 4 
 
 Aristotemus .... 
 
 11. 
 
 ■i 
 
 Artaxerxes and Sinetas . 
 
 1. 
 
 9 
 
 Athens, Timon of. . . 
 
 1. 
 
 28 
 
 Bohemia, Lady of . . 
 
 ii. 
 
 28 
 
 Bologna, Alberto of . 
 
 1. 
 
 32 
 
 Bologna, Katharine of . 
 
 11. 
 
 19 
 
 Borsieri and Grimaldi . 
 
 1. 
 
 31 
 
 Camillus and Schoolmaster i. 17 
 
 . 11. 
 
 32 
 
 I. 
 
 6 
 
 . 11. 
 
 II 
 
 i. 
 
 8 
 
 1. 
 
 10 
 
 1. 
 
 4 
 
 11. 
 
 24 
 
 1. 
 
 46 
 
 1. 
 
 7 
 
 I. 
 
 I 
 
 1. 
 
 II 
 
 Camiola and Roland . 
 Candaules and Gyges . 
 Carthage, Maids of . . 
 Carthomes and Rhacon . 
 Chariton and Menalippus 
 
 Coriolanus 
 
 Countess of Celant . 
 Countess of Salisbury 
 Croesus and Solon 
 Curiatii and Horatii . 
 Cyrus and Panthea . 
 
 Daughter of King of Eng- 
 land i. 34 
 
 Demosthenes and Lais . . i. 15 
 
 Didaco and Violenta. . . i. 42 
 
 Diego and Ginevra . . . .ii. 29 
 
 Dionora and Ansaldo . . ii. 17 
 
 Doctor of Laws .... i. 66 
 
 Duchess of Malfy. . . . ii. 23 
 
 Duchess of Savoy ... i. 45 
 
 Duke of Florence ... i. 54 
 Duke of Venice and Ric- 
 
 ciardo i. 48 
 
 Earl of Anglers .... i. 37 
 
 Este, Rinaldo of ... . i. 33 
 
 Euphemia and Acharisto . ii. 15 
 
 Fabricius and Pyrrhus . i. 16 
 
 Faustina ii. io 
 
 Favorinus i. 23 
 
XCIV 
 
 INDEX TO NOVELS. 
 
 Filenio Sisterno .... J. 49 
 
 Flanders, Princess of . . i. 52 
 
 Flora, Lamia, and Lais . . ii. 13 
 
 Florence, Duke of . . . i. 54 
 
 Florence, Helena of . . . ii. 3 1 
 
 Florinda and Amadour . . i. 53 
 
 Francis L and Guillaume . i. 55 
 
 Galgano and Minoccia . i. 47 
 
 Gentleman of Perche . . i. 59 
 
 Gentleman that died of love i. 60 
 
 Giletta of Narbonne . . . i. 38 
 
 Ginevra and Diego . . . ii. 29 
 
 Gismonda and Tancred . . i. 39 
 
 Grenoble, President of . . i. 58 
 
 Grimaldi and Borsieri . . i. 31 
 
 Gyges and Candaules . . i. 6 
 
 Hannibal and Antiochus . i. 2 1 
 
 Helena of Florence . . . ii. 31 
 
 Hidrusa, Lady of . . . ii. 9 
 
 Horatii and Curiatii ... i. i 
 
 Hungary, Anne of . . . ii. 21 
 
 Irene and Mahomet . . i. 40 
 
 Juliet and Romeo . . . ii. 25 
 
 Katharine of Bologna . ii. 19 
 
 King of England's Daughter i. 34 
 
 King of Naples .... i. 5 1 
 
 King of Morocco . ii. 35 
 
 Ladies of Venice . ii. 26 
 
 Lady falsely accused . i. 41 
 
 Lady of Bohemia . . . . ii. 28 
 
 Lady of French Court . . i. 
 
 Lady of Hidrusa . . . ii. 
 
 Lady of Pampluna . . . i. 
 Lady of Tours . . . 
 Lady of Turin . . 
 Lady, Prudent. . . 
 Lais and Demosthenes 
 Lamia, Flora, and Lais 
 Landolfo Ruffolo . 
 Lark, Fable of. . . 
 Laws, Doctor of . . 
 
 61 
 
 9 
 56 
 i. 64 
 42 
 
 63 
 
 1. 
 
 i, 
 
 »• IS 
 
 II. 13 
 
 '■ 35 
 i. 20 
 
 i. 66 
 
 Letters of Trajan . . 
 
 11. 
 
 12 
 
 Lord of Virle . . . 
 
 11. 
 
 27 
 
 Lords of Nocera . . . 
 
 11. 
 
 33 
 
 Lucrece, Rape of . . . 
 
 I. 
 
 2 
 
 Lyons, Miracle at . . 
 
 1. 
 
 65 
 
 Maids of Carthage . . 
 
 ii. 
 
 II 
 
 Mahomet and Irene . . 
 
 1. 
 
 40 
 
 Malfy, Duchess of . . 
 
 11. 
 
 23 
 
 Master and scholar . . 
 
 1. 
 
 26 
 
 Medici, Alexander of . 
 
 II. 
 
 22 
 
 Menalippus and Chariton 
 
 1. 
 
 10 
 
 Metellus on Marriage . 
 
 1. 
 
 14 
 
 Minoccia and Galgano . 
 
 1. 
 
 47 
 
 Miracle at Lyons . . 
 
 1. 
 
 65 
 
 Mithridanes and Nathan 
 
 u. 
 
 18 
 
 Monteferrato, Marchioness of ii. 
 
 16 
 
 Morocco, King of . 
 
 11. 
 
 35 
 
 Mucius Scaevola . . 
 
 1. 
 
 3 
 
 Muleteer's Wife . . 
 
 i. 
 
 5° 
 
 Naples, King of . . 
 
 i. 
 
 51 
 
 Narbonne, Giletta of 
 
 i. 
 
 ^8 
 
 Nathan and Mithridanes 
 
 ii. 
 
 18 
 
 Nocera, Lords of . . . 
 
 ii. 
 
 33 
 
 Pampluna, Lady of . . . i. 56 
 
 Panthea and Cyrus . . . i. 10 
 
 Papyrius Prsetextatus . . i. 15 
 
 Perche, Gentleman of . . i. 59 
 
 Plutarch's Anger . . . . i. 19 
 
 Poris and Theoxena . . . ii. 8 
 
 President of Grenoble . . i. 58 
 
 Princess of Flanders . . . i. 5 2 
 
 Prudent Lady i. 63 
 
 Pyrrhus and Fabricius . . i. 16 
 
 Rape of Lucrece .... i. 2 
 
 Rhacon and Carthomes . i. 8 
 Ricciardo and Duke of Venice i. 48 
 
 Rinaldo of Este .... i. 33 
 
 Rings, The Three ... i. 30 
 
 Roland and Camiola . . ii. 32 
 
 Rolandine i. 62 
 
 Romeo and Juliet . . . ii. 25 
 
 Ruffolo, Landolfo .... i. 35 
 
INDEX TO NOVELS. 
 
 XCV 
 
 Saladin and Thorello . 
 Salimbene and Angelica 
 Salisbury, Countess of . 
 Savoy, Duchess of . . 
 Scsevola, Mucius . . . 
 Scholar and Master . . 
 Schoolmaster and Camillus 
 Scythians and Alexander 
 Seleucus and Antiochus . 
 
 Sertorius 
 
 Sibylline Leaves . . . 
 Sinetas and Artaxerxes . 
 Sisigambis and Alexander 
 Sisterno, Filenio ... 
 Solon and Croesus 
 Sophonisba . . . 
 
 Sultan Solyman . . . 
 
 Tanaquil 
 
 Tancred and Gisnionda 
 
 11. 20 
 ii. 30 
 i. 46 
 i-4S 
 1- 3 
 26 
 
 17 
 13 
 27 
 24 
 i. 25 
 I. 9 
 ii. 2 
 i. 49 
 
 '• 7 
 
 ii. 7 
 
 "• 34 
 
 ii. 6 
 >• 39 
 
 Theoxena and Poris , 
 Thorello and Saladin 
 Three Rings . . 
 Timoclea of Thebes 
 Timon of Athens . 
 Tours, Lady of 
 Trajan, Letters of 
 Turin, Lady of 
 
 ii. 8 
 
 ii. 20 
 
 i. 30 
 
 "• 3 
 
 i. 28 
 
 i. 64 
 
 ii. 12 
 
 i. 43 
 
 Venice, Duke of and Ric- 
 
 ciardo i. 48 
 
 Venice, Two Ladies of . . ii. 26 
 
 Violenta and Didaco . . i. 42 
 
 Virginia and Appius ... i. 5 
 
 Virle, Lord of ii. 27 
 
 Widow and Widower 
 
 Zenobia 
 
 29 
 
 u. 14 
 

 The Talace ofTleafure^ \ 
 
 Beautified, adorned and 
 
 faunt BiUories and excellent 
 
 H^oucUeiS.feUcteDoutof 
 
 diuers good and commen- 
 oable SltttliOiS, 
 
 ^ Sy V^ill'iam Painter CWkf »ftie 
 Ordiaaunce tindoirmArle, 
 
 for Richard Tottell and William lones. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
To the Right Honouralle, my very good Lord, Amlrofe Earle of 
 Warwike, Baron ofLiJle, of the mojl nolle order of the Garter 
 Knight, Generall of the Queenes Maie/iies Ordinaunce within 
 her Highnes Realmes and Dominions. 
 
 PROUOKED, or rather vehemently incited and moued, I haue 
 been (right honorable my very good Lorde) to imagin and 
 deuife all meanes poffible to auoyde that vglie vice of ingratitude 
 (which as it is abhorred amonge creatures voyde of reafon and 
 deuine knowledge, fo of men indued and full poffeffed with both, 
 fpecially to be detefted.) And that I might not be touched with 
 that vnkind vice, odible to God and man, I haue many timeSj 
 with myfelfe debated how I might by any meanes fhew my felfe 
 thanckfull and beneuolent to your honour, which hath not onely 
 by frequent talke vnto my frendes priuately, but alfo vpon my 
 felfe openly imployed benefits and commendation vndeferued. 
 The one I haue receiued by frendly report of your dere and 
 approued frends, the other I do feele and taft to my great flay 
 and comfort. For when it pleafed your honour of curteous 
 inclination, vpon the firft vew, willingly to confent and agree to 
 the confirmation of that which I do enioy : for that bounty then, 
 euer Athens I haue ftudied by what meanes I might commend my 
 good will and affeftion to the fame. Wherefore incenfed with 
 the generofitie, and naturall inftinft of your noble minde, I pur- 
 pofed many times to imploy indeuor by fome fmall beginninges, 
 to giue your honor to vnderftande outwardly, what the inwarde 
 defire is willinge to do, if abilitie thereunto were correfpondent. 
 And as oportunitie ferued (refpiring as it were from the waighty 
 affaires of that office wherin it hath pleafed our moft drad Soue- 
 raigne Ladye worthely to place you the chiefe and Generall) I 
 perufed fuch volumes of noble Authors as wherwith my poore 
 
4 DEDICATION. 
 
 Armarie is furnifhed: and amonges other chaunced vpon that 
 excellent Hiftoriographer Titus Liuius. In whom is contayned a 
 large campe of noble fafe and exploites atchieued by valiaunt 
 perfonages of the Romaine ftate. By whom alfo is remembred 
 the beginning and continuation of their famous common wealth. 
 And viewing in him great plenty of ftraung Hiftories, I thought 
 good to feleft fuch as were the heft and principal^ wherin trauail- 
 ing not far, I occurred vpon fome which I deemed mofl; worthy 
 the prouulgation in our natiue tongue, reducing them into fuch 
 compendious forme, as I trufte fliall not appeare vnpleafant. 
 Which when I had finifhed, feing them but a handfull in refpeft 
 of the multitude I fully determined to procede in the reft. But 
 when I confidered mine owne weakenes, and the maieftie of the 
 Authour, the cancred infirmitye of a cowardlye rainde, flayed my 
 conceyued purpofe, and yet not fo flayed as vtterlye to fupprefle 
 mine attempt. Wherefore aduauncing againe the Enfigne of 
 courage, I thought good (leauing where I left in that Authour, till 
 I knew better how they would be liked) to aduenture into diuers 
 other, out of whom I decerped and chofe (raptim) fondry proper 
 and commendable Hiftories, which I may boldly fo terme, becaufe 
 the Authors he commendable and well approued. And thereunto 
 haue ioyned many other, gathered oute of Boccatio, Bandello, 
 Ser Giouanni Fiorentino, Straparole, and other Italian and French 
 Authours. All which I haue recueled and bound together in this 
 volume, vnder the title of the Palace of Pleafure, prefuming to 
 confecrate the fame and the refl of my beneuolent minde to your 
 honour. For to whom duly appertayneth mine induftry and 
 dilligence, but to him that is the patrone and imbracer of my wel 
 doinges ? Whereunto alfo I may apply the words of that excel- 
 lent Orator Tullie, in his firfte booke of Offices. De leneuolentia 
 autem, quam quifq' ; haleat erganos, primum illud eft in qfficia, vt ei 
 plurimum trihuamus, h quo plurimum diligimur. Of beneuolence 
 which ech man beareth towards vs, the chiefeft duty is to giue 
 moft to him, of whom wee be moft beloued. But how well the 
 fame is done, or how prayfe worthy the tranflation I referre to the 
 flcilful, crauing no more prayfe, than they fliall attribute and 
 
DEDICATION. 5 
 
 giue. To nothing do I afpyre by this my prefumption (righte 
 honourable) but cherefull acceptation at your handes : defirous 
 hereby to fliew my felfe ftudious of a frend of fo noble vocation. 
 And where greater thinges cannot be done, thefe fmall I trufte 
 fhall not be contempned : which if I doe perceiue, hereafter more 
 ample indeuor ftial be imployed to atchieue greater. In thefe 
 hiftories (which by another terme I call Nouelles) be defcribed the 
 Hues, geftes, conqueftes, and highe enterprifes of great Princes, 
 wherein alfo be not forgotten the cruell aftes and tiranny of fome. 
 In thefe be fet forth the great valiance of noble Gentlemen, the 
 terrible combates of couragious perfonages, the vertuous mindes 
 of noble Dames, the chafte hartes of conflant Ladyes, the wonderful 
 patience of puiffaunt Princes, the mild fufFeraunce of well dif- 
 pofed gentlewomen, and in diuers, the quiet bearing of aduers 
 Fortune, In thefe Hiftories be depainted in liuelye colours, the 
 vglye fhapes of infolencye and pride, the deforme figures of incon- 
 tinencie and rape, the cruell afpeftes of fpoyle, breach of order, 
 treafon, ill lucke and ouerthrow of States and other perfons. 
 Wherein alfo be intermixed, pleafaunte difcourfes, merie talke, 
 fportinge praftifes, deceitfull deuifes, and nipping tauntes, to 
 exhilarate your honor's minde. And although by the firft face 
 and view, fome of thefe may feeme to intreat of vnlawfull Loue, 
 and the foule praftifes of the fame, yet being throughly reade and 
 well confidered, both old and yonge may learne how to auoyde 
 the ruine, ouerthrow, inconuenience and difpleafure, that lafci- 
 uious deiire and wanton wil doth bring to their futers and purfuers. 
 All which maye render good examples, the beft to be followed, 
 and the worft to be auoyded : for which intent and purpofe be all 
 things good and bad recited in hiftories, Chronicles and monu- 
 mentes, by the firft authors and elucubrators of the fame. To 
 whom then may thefe hiftories (wherin be contayned many dif- 
 courfes of nobilitie) be offered with more due defert than to him 
 that in nobilitie and parentage is not inferiour to the beft ? To 
 whom may faftes and exploites of famous perfonages be con- 
 figned, but to him whofe proweffe and valiant aftes be manifeft, 
 and well knowen to Englifhmen, but better to ftraungers, which 
 
6 DEDICATION. 
 
 haue felt the puiffance thereof? To whom may the combats, 
 gefts, and courfes of the vi(9:orious be remembred, but to him 
 whofe frequent vfe of mightye incountrie and terrible fhocke of 
 Shielde and Launce : is familier in Court, and famous in towne 
 and country? In whom may pacient bearing of aduerfitie, and 
 conftante fuffrance of Fortune's threates more duly to the world 
 appeare, than in him that hath conftantly fufteyned and quietly 
 paffed ouer the bruntes thereof? To whom may be giuen a 
 Theatre of the world, and ftage of humaine mifery, more worthely 
 than to him that hath with comely geftures, wife demeanor, and 
 orderly behauiour, been an aftor in the fame ? Who is he that 
 more condignelye doth deferue to be poflefl: in a Palace of 
 Pleafure, than he that is daily refiant in a Palace of renowmed 
 fame, guided by a Queene adorned with mofl: excellent beautie 
 indued and garnifhed with great learning, paffing vertues and rare 
 qualities of the minde. To whom (I fay) may conftancie of 
 Ladies, and vertuous dedes of Dames, more aptly be applied than 
 to him that hath in pofleffion a Lady and Countefle of noble 
 birthe (whofe fire was the old Earle of Bedford, a graue and faith- 
 full councelor to her Maiefhies moft noble progenitors, and 
 father is the fame, in deare eftimation and regard with her high- 
 nefle, vnder whom he truftily and honourably ferueth) whofe 
 curteous and counteffe like behauiour gliftereth in court amongs 
 the troupe of moft honourable dames : and for her toward difpo- 
 fition, firfl: preferred by her Maiefty into her fecret Chamber, and 
 after aduaunced to be Counteffe of your noble Earldome. Befides 
 all which rare giftes, by nature grated in your honor, and by her 
 bountifully befliowed, the perfect piety and brotherly loue be- 
 tweene you and the right noble and vertuous the Earle of Leycefler 
 your honourable brother is had in greateft admiration. Whofe 
 noble courage in deedes of honour and paffing humanity to his 
 inferiours, is very commendable to the worlde. But here I wyll 
 ftaye, lefte whileft I goe about to extolle your fames, I doe (for 
 want of perfit Ikill in due prayfe) feeme to diminifhe that whiche 
 among all men by commune proofe is fufficientlye renowmed. 
 And as your honor doth with great prudence gouerne that 
 
DEDICATION. 7 
 
 office of the Ordinance (whereof I am a member) euen fo, the 
 fame hath with greate care and diligence commended fuche 
 vnto her highneSj to ioyne and ferue, right worthy their voca- 
 tions, fpecially the worfhipfull Edward Randolfe Esquire, Lieu- 
 tenaunt of that office a man for his experience and good 
 aduife rather foftred in the bofome of Bellona, than nourced 
 in kentifh foile (although in the fcholehoufe of curtefie and 
 humanitie he appeareth ful carefully to haue ben trained vp by 
 his vertuous parents) which is famiarly knowne vnto me and 
 other that domeftically (as it were) do frequent his companie. 
 But alas my Lorde, among the mid of my reioyce of thofe 
 before remembred, I cannot pretermit the lamentable lofle of 
 the beft approued Gonner that euer ferued in our time his 
 Prince and countrie, Robert Thomas, the Maifter Gonner, who 
 for fkill and feruice, a title of Prince of Gonners iuftly did 
 deferue : And fee the lucke, when he thought beft to fignifie 
 his good will, by honouring Hymeneus bed, at nuptial night, a 
 clap of that he neuer feared did ende his life. Such is the dread- 
 ful furie of Gonners art, and hellifh rage of Vulcane's worke. And 
 therefore that daungerous feruice by fkilful men is fpecially to be 
 recommended and cherifhed, Whereunto as your honour hitherto 
 hath borne finguler affection, by preferring to her Maieftie fuche 
 as from their infancie haue bene trayned vp in that neceflarie 
 feruice and very painefullye haue imployed their time, euen fo I 
 humbly befeche your honour for continuance of the fame, fpecially 
 in thofe, that be indewed with greateft experience, in whome only 
 refteth the brunte of our defence. A feruice and fcience fo rare and 
 nedefull, as none more. But what neede I to prouoke your willing 
 mynde, whiche is more preft to cheriflie fuch, than I am able by 
 wyfliing heart for to conceiue ? Finallie yet once againe, I humblie 
 befech your honour gratefully to accept this booke, and at your 
 Leifure and con.uenient time to reade and perufe it. By reuoluing 
 whereof your honour I truft fhall be delighted with the rare 
 Hiftories and good examples therin contained, fuch as to my 
 knowledge heretofore haue not bene publifhed. And which with 
 all my good wil and indeuour I dutifully exhibite. Befeching 
 
8 DEDICATION. 
 
 almightie God fauourably to defende and gouerne your honour, 
 profperoufly to maintaine and keepe the fame, godlye to diredle 
 my right honourable Ladie in the fteppes of perfeft vertue, bounti- 
 fully to make you both happye parentes of manie children : 
 and after the expence of Neftor's yeares in this tranfitorie life 
 mercifully to condufte you both to the vnfpeakeable ioyes of his 
 kingdome. 
 
 Nere the Tower of London the firfl; of lanuarie, 1566. 
 
 By your L. moft bounden 
 
 William Painter. 
 
Authours out of whom thefe Nouelles le feleBed, or which be 
 rememlred in diners places of the fame. 
 
 GREEKE AND LATINE AUTHORS. 
 
 Titus Liuius. Cicero. 
 
 Herodotus. Polidorus Virgilius. 
 
 Aelianus. Aeneas Syluius. 
 
 Xenophon. Paludanus. 
 
 Quintus Curtius. Apuleius. 
 
 Aulus Gellius. L. Cselius Rhodoginus. 
 
 S. Hierome. 
 
 ITALIAN, FRENCH, AND ENGLISHE. 
 
 Pietro Meffia di Siuiglia. A booke in French intituled 
 Boccaccio. Comptes du Monde. 
 
 Bandello. , Francois Belleforeft. 
 
 Ser Giouanni Fiorentino. Pierre Boaiftuau, furnamed 
 Straporole, Launay. 
 
 The Queene of Nauarre. Froifarde. 
 
 Fabian. 
 
TO THE READER. 
 
 NOTHING in mine opinion can be more acceptable vnto thee 
 (friendly Reader) then oft reading and perufing of varietie 
 of Hyftories^ which as they be for diuerfitie of matter pleafaunt 
 and plaufible, euen fo for example and imitation good and com- 
 mendable. The one doth reioyce the werie and tedious minde, 
 many times inuolued with ordinarie cares, the other prefcribeth a 
 direfte pathe to treade the trafte of this prefent life. Wherefore 
 if in thefe newes or Nouelles here prefented, there do appeare any 
 thing worthy of regarde, giue thankes to the noble gentleman to 
 whome this booke is dedicated, for whofe fake onely, that paine (if 
 any feme to bee) was wholy imployed. Inioy therefore with him this 
 prefent booke, and curteoufly with frendly talke report the fame, 
 for if otherwife thou do abufe it, the blame fhal light on thee, and 
 not on me, which only of good will did meane it firft. But yet 
 if blaming tongues and vnftayed heades, wil nedes be bufy, they 
 fhal fuftain the fhame, for that they haue not yet fhewen forth 
 any blameleffe dede to like effedt, as this is ment of me, which 
 when they do, no blame but prayfe they can receiue. For prayfe 
 be they well worthy for to haue which in well doing do contende. 
 No vertuous dede or zelous worke can want due prayfe of the 
 honeft, though faulting fooles and youthly heades full ofte do 
 chaunt the faultles checke, that Momus mouth did once finde out 
 in Venus flipper. And yet from faultes I wyll not purge the 
 fame, but whatfoeuer they feme to be, they be in number ne yet 
 in fubftaunce fuch, but that thy curteous dealing may fone 
 amende them or forget them. Wherefore to giue the full aduer- 
 tifement of the whole coUeftion of thefe nouels, vnderflande that 
 fixe of them haue I felefted out of Titus Liuius, two out of Hero- 
 dotus, certaynoutof Aelianus,Xenophon,AulusGellius, Plutarche, 
 and other like approued authors. Other Nouels haue I adioyned, 
 chofen out of diuers Italian and Frenche wryters. Wherein I 
 confefle my felfe not to be fo well trayned, peraduenture as the 
 fine heads of fuche trauailers would defire, and yet I trufl: fuffi- 
 
TO THE READER. I I 
 
 ciently to exprefle the fenfe, of euerye of the fame. Certaine 
 haue I culled out of the Decamerone of Giouan Boccaccio, 
 wherin be contelned one hundred NouelleSj amonges whiche there 
 be fome (in my iudgement) that be worthy to be condempued 
 to perpetual prifon, but of them fuch haue I redemed to the 
 libertie of our vulgar, as may be beft liked, and better suffered. 
 Although the fixt part of the fame hundreth may full well be 
 permitted. And as I my felfe haue already done many other of 
 thefame worke, yet for this prefent I haue thought good to publifh 
 only tenne in number, the reft I haue referred to them that 
 be able with better flile to expreffe the authour's eloquence, or 
 vntil I adioyne to this another tome, if none other in the meane 
 time do preuent me, which with all my heart I wilhe and defire : 
 becaufe the workes of Boccaccio for his ftile, order of writing, 
 grauitie, and fententious difcourfe, is worthy of intire prouulga- 
 tion. Out of Bandello I haue felefted feuen, chofing rather to 
 follow Launay and Belleforeft the French Tranflatours, than the 
 barren foile of his own vain, who being a Lombard, doth frankly 
 confeffe himfelfe to be no fine Florentine, or trimme Thofcane, 
 as eloquent and gentle Boccaccio was. Diuers other alfo be 
 extrafted out of other Italian and French authours. All which 
 (I trufte) be both profitable and pleafaunt, and wil be liked of the 
 indifferent Reader. Profitable they be, in that they difclofe what 
 glorie, honour, and preferment eche man attaineth by good defert, 
 what felicitie, by houeft attempts, what good fucceffe, laudable 
 enterprifes do bring to the coragious, what happy ioy and quiet 
 ftate godly loue doth affefte the imbracers of the fame. Profitable 
 I fay, in that they do reueale the miferies of rapes and fleflily 
 a£tions, the ouerthrow of noble men and Princes by difordered 
 gouernment, the tragical ends of them that vnhappely do attempt 
 pra6lifes vicious and horrible. Wilt thou learne how to behaue 
 thy felfe with modeftie after thou haft atchieued any viftorious 
 conqueft, and not to forget thy profperous fortune amyd thy 
 glorious triumphe, by committing a fafte vnworthy of thy vali- 
 aunce: reade the firft Nouel of the fortunate Romane Horatius ? 
 Wilt thou vnderftande what difhonour and infamie, defire of 
 libidinous luft doth bring, read the rape of Lucrece? Wilt thou 
 
I 2 TO THE READER. 
 
 know what an vnkinde part it is vnnaturally to abufe the ftate of 
 thine own countrie, reade Martins Coriolanus ? Wilt thou learne 
 what fruite is reaped of wicked lufte, to difpoyle virgins and 
 maydens of their greateft vertue fee the hyftorie of Appius 
 Claudius and Sir Didaco the Spanifh knight ? Defireft thou to 
 knowe howe clofely thou oughteft to keepe the fecrets of honor- 
 able mariage, perufe the hiftory of Candaules ? Doft thou covet 
 to be aduertifed what is true felicitie, reade of kyng Craefus 
 and the wyfe man Solon? Hath the Lady, Gentlewoman, or 
 other of the feminine kinde a defire to beholde a mirrour of chaf- 
 titie, let theim reade ouer the nouelles of the lady Panthea, of the 
 Duchefle of Sauoy, of the Counteffe of Salefburie, of Amadour 
 and Florinda ? Is the nobleman affefted to vnderftand what happy 
 end the vertue of loyaltie and fidelitie doth conduce, the Earle of 
 Anglers may be to him a right good example ? Will gentlemen 
 learne howe to profecute vertue, and to profligat from their minde, 
 difordinate Loue, and affeftion, I referre theim to the Hiftorie of 
 Tancredi, and to Galgano of Siena ? Is not the marchaunt con- 
 tented with his goodes already gotten, but will needes go feeke 
 fome other trade, let him note and confider the daungers wherein 
 the Aduenturer Landolpho was. Is he difpofed to fende his fac- 
 tor beyonde the feas, about his affaires, let him firft bidde him 
 to perufe Andreuccio, and then commaunde him to beware of 
 Madame Floredelice ? If the yeoman intendeth to be carefull of 
 his bufineffe, meaning to reape that he hath fowen in due time, 
 let him take hede howe he repofe any truft in friendes and kinf- 
 men, leaft in harueft he be deceiued, which ^fope's larke doth 
 pretely note. If the artificer will not faithfully deale according 
 to the trufle repofed in him, I would not wyfhe him to fuffer that 
 whiche Bindo did, but aduifedly to reade the Hiftorie, and truftelye 
 to accomplifhe that he taketh in hande. If fcornefull fpeache or 
 flouting fport do flowe in ripe wittes and lauifhe tongues of woman- 
 kinde let them beware they do not deale with the learned fort, 
 leafl Maifler Alberto with phificke drougues, or Philenio with 
 Sophift art do flaine their face, or otherwife ofFende them with 
 the innocencie of their great Graundmother Eue when fhe was 
 fomoned from Paradife ioye. If the poore mayden of bafe 
 
TO THE READER. I 3 
 
 birth be aduaunced (by fortune's grace) to highe eftate : let her 
 fixe in mynde the lady of Thurin. Finallye, for all ftates and 
 degrees, in thefe Nouelles be fette forth finguler documentes and 
 examples, right commodious and profitable to them that will 
 vouchfafe to reade them. 
 
 Pleafaunt they be, for that they recreate, and refreflie weried 
 mindes, defatigated either with painefull trauaile, or with con- 
 tinuall care, occafioning them to fhunne and auoid heauinefle of 
 minde, vaine fantafies, and idle cogitations. Pleafaunt fo well 
 abroade as at home, to auoyde the griefe of Winter's night and 
 length of Sommer's day, which the trauailers on foote may vfe for 
 a ftaye to eafe their weried bodye, and the iourneors on horfback 
 for a chariot or leffe painful meane of trauaile, infteade of a merie 
 companion to fhorten the tedious toyle of wearie wayes. Delect- 
 able they be (no doubt) for al fortes of men, for the fad, the angry, 
 the cholericke, the pleafaunt, the whole and ficke, and for al other 
 with whatfoeuer paffion rifing either by nature or vfe they be 
 affefted. 
 
 The fad fhal be difcharged of heauinefle, the angrie and 
 cholericke purged, the pleafaunt mainteined in mirthe, the whole 
 furniflied with difporte, and the ficke appayfed of griefe. Thefe 
 Nouelles then, being profitable and pleafaunt Hiftories, apt and 
 meete for all degrees, I trufte the indiflPerent Reader, of what 
 complexion, nature and difpofition fo euer he bee, will accepte 
 in good parte, althoughe perchaunce not fo fet foorth or decked 
 with eloquent ftile, as this age more braue in tongue then man- 
 ners dothe require, and do praye thee to receiue them into thy 
 curteous hands, with no lefle good wil (though not with like re- 
 gard) then Alphonfus king of Arogon did Q. Curtius, out of 
 whome be fome of thefe felefted, Who vpon a time beinge ficke 
 at Capua, receiuing at the handes of diuers Phifitions manye 
 medicines, in his greatefl: fit called for the hiftorie of Q. Curtius, 
 in whome hauing great delight for his eloquent defcription of 
 geftes and fadtes of king Alexander, when he was reftored to 
 health, fayd : Farewell Auicen, Adieu Hipocrates and other 
 Phifitians, welcome Curtius the reftitutor and recouerie of my 
 health. Whereby he declared what pleafure he had in the exercife 
 
14 TO THE READER. 
 
 and reading of Hiftories, not contempning for all that, the honor- 
 able fcience of Phificke, which in extremities be holfomely vfed. 
 What commoditie and pleafure hiftories doe yelde to the diligent 
 ferchers and trauailers in the fame, Tullie in his fift booke De 
 Jinilus honorum et malorum ad Brutam, doth declare who 
 affirmeth that he is not ignorant, what pleafure and profit the 
 reading of Hiftories doth import. And after hee hath defcribed 
 what difference of commoditie, is betweene fained fables, and 
 liuely difcourfes of true hiftories, concludeth reading of hiftories 
 to be a certain prouacation and allurement to moue men to learne 
 experience. If Tullie then, the Prince of Orators, doth affirme 
 the profite and pleafure to be in perufing of hiftories, then fitlye 
 haue I intituled this volume the Palace of Pleafure. For like as 
 the outwarde fliew of Princeffe Palaces be pleafaunt at the viewe 
 and fight of eche man's eye, bedecked and garniftied with fumptu- 
 ous hanginges and coftlye arras of fplendent fliewe, wherein be 
 wrought and bet with golde and fylke of fondrye hewes, the 
 dedes of noble ftates : Euen fo in this our Palace here, there bee 
 at large recorded the princely partes and glorious geftes of re- 
 nowmed wights reprefented with more liuely grace and gorgeous 
 fight then Tapeftrie or Arras woorke, for that the one with deadlye 
 fhape doth ftiewe, the other with fpeaking voyce declare what in 
 their time they were. Vpon whom do wayte (as meete it is) 
 inferiour perfones, eche one vouchfafing to tell what hee was, in 
 the tranfitorie trade of prefent life. 
 
 Wherefore accepte the fame in gratefull wife, and thinke vpon 
 the mynde of him that did the fame, which fraughted is with no 
 leffe plentie of good will, then the coafers of kyng Craefus were, 
 with ftore of worldlye pelfe. Farewell. 
 
Ct)E palace of pleasure* 
 
 THE FIRST NOUELL. 
 
 The Romaines and the Alhanes being at warres,for iniuries mutually 
 inferred, Metius Stiff'etius the Allane captaine deuifed a waye 
 ly a comitate, to ioygne hothe the cities in one. ViStorie falling 
 to the Romaines, the Romaine viSior killed hisffter and was 
 condemned to die. Afterwardes vpon his fathers fute he was 
 deliuered. 
 
 AS the name of Palace doth carie a port of Maieftie as propre 
 -iA. for princes and greateft eftates, and as a Palace and Court 
 by glorious viewe of loftie Towers, doe fet forth an outwarde fhowe 
 of greate magnificence; and as that glittering fight without im- 
 porteth a brauer pompe and ftate within, whofe worthiefl: furni- 
 ture (befides the golden and curious ornamentes) refteth in the 
 Princely train of courtly perfonages, moft communely indowed 
 with natures comliefl: benefites and rareft giftes incident to earthly 
 Goddes, as well for the mindes qualities, as for the bodies acts. 
 So, here at our firft entrie, I thought to fl:aye as it were at the 
 gate of this palace, to difcouer the incountrie of fixe renowmed 
 Gentlemen, brethren of equal numbre, that, by confent of either 
 ftate, fought and vfed dedes of armes, not for fportes of Ladies, or 
 for precious prifes, but for Countrie quarell and libertie of Natiue 
 foyle. For the vpper hand and vniting two moft mighty Italian 
 cities, that before bare eche other mofte mortall fpite and deadlye 
 foode, whiche in ende after the bloudie fkirmifhe of thofe chofen 
 brethren (for fauing of a bloudier battell) were conioyned in 
 
1 6 A COMBATE BETWENE 
 
 vuited Monarchic. An hiftorie though dreadfull to hearing as 
 fitter for the Campe then Courte, yet, for the worthinefle of the 
 quarell, not to bee fhunned from tendreft eares, for that it fpread- 
 eth foorth a viftorious paterne of valiant Chiualrie. And fo do 
 the reft fucceding, which fpeake of glorious chaftitie, of inuincible 
 mindes, of bold Aduentures for Countries faufetie, of naturall 
 pietie in parentes and children, and the othe of other honorable 
 caufes, fitte to be difplaied to eche degree, and pra6lifed by fuch, 
 whofe funftions, principally do, or ought to afpire femblable 
 valiaunce, for defence of that whiche their Elders by bloudie 
 fwette haue honorably gotten, and moft carefully kept. But not 
 by tedious proeme to holde the defirous minde from what is pro- 
 mifed, thus it beginneth. 
 
 Numa Pompilius the fecond king of the Romaines being dead, 
 Tullus Hoftilius fucceded, which was a luftie and couragious 
 younge Gentleman : And as Numa was giuen to peace, fo was 
 he to warres and valiance. It chaunced in his time that certaine 
 peafauntes of the Romaine dition, and the like of the Albanes, 
 were foraging and driuing of booties the one from the other. 
 At that time raigned in Alba one C. Cluilius, from whence 
 and from Rome, Ambafladours were fent to redemaunde the 
 thinges ftoUen. Tullus commaunded his people that they fliould 
 deliuer nothing till commaundement were giuen in that behalfe : 
 for than he knewe right well that the Alban king would not 
 reftore at all, and therefore might vpon iuft caufe, proclaime 
 warres. Hee receiued the Alban Ambafladours in verie cour- 
 teous manner, and they as courteoufly celebrated his honourable 
 and fumptuous intertaignement. Amitie preceded on either 
 parties, till the Romanes began to demaunde the firfl reftitution 
 which the Albanes denied, and fummoned warres to bee in- 
 ferred vppon them within thirtie daies after. Whereupon the 
 Ambafladours craued licence of Tullus to fpeake, which being 
 graunted, they firft purged themfelues by ignoraunce, that they 
 knewe no harme or iniurie done to the Romaines, adding further, 
 that if any thing were done that fliould not pleafe Tullus, it 
 was againft their willes, hoping he would remember that they 
 
THE ROMANES AND ALBANES. 1 7 
 
 were but Ambafladours, fubieA to the commaundement of their 
 Prince. Their coniming was to demaunde a reftitution, without 
 whiche, they were ftraightlye charged to proclayme defiaunce. 
 Whereunto Tullus aunfwered : "Tell your maifter^ that the king 
 of the Romaines doth call the Gods to witnes, whether of them 
 firfl: maketh the quarel, to thintent all men may expert the 
 reuenge of thofe warres." Which anfwere the Albane Ambaf- 
 fadours retourned to their maifter. Great prouifion for the warres 
 was made on both partes, much like to a ciuile contention, almoft 
 betwene the father and the fonne, for the citie of Lauinium was 
 builded by the Troians, and Alba by the Lauinians, of whofe 
 ftocke the Romaines toke their beginning. The Albanes feing 
 that they were defied of the Romaines, began firft to enter in 
 armes, and with a maine power perced the land of the Romaines, 
 and encamped within fine miles of the citie, enuironing their 
 campe with a trenche, which afterwardes was called Fofla Cluilia, 
 of their capitaine, wherin Cluilius the king died. Then the 
 Albanes appointed one Metius Suffetius, to be their Dictator. 
 Tullus vnderftanding the death of their Prince, with great expedi- 
 tion marched into the countrie about Alba, pffiang by the Albanes 
 campe in the night which by the watche and fcoutes was Ikried. 
 Then he retired to lodge as nere the enemie as hee could, fending 
 an Ambafladour before, to require Tullus that he would come to 
 parle before they fought, and than he had a thing to faye, no lefle 
 profitable to the Romaines, then to the Albanes. Tullus not 
 contempning that condition, agreed. Whereupon both did put 
 them felues in readines, and before they ioyned, both the captaines 
 with certain of their chiefe officers, came forth to talke, where 
 Metius fayde thefe wordes : "The mutuall iniuries that hath been 
 done, and the withholding and keping of thinges caried away, 
 contrary to the truce, and that our king Cluilius, is the authour 
 and beginner of thefe warres, I do heare and afluredly vnderflande 
 for a trothe. And I do not doubte, Tullus, but thou alfo doeft 
 conceiue the fame, to be the only occafion of this hoftilitie. Not- 
 withftandinge, if I may fpeake rather the truthe, then vtter any 
 glofing woordes by waye of flatterie, the ambicious defire of both 
 the Empires, doth mofle of all ftimulate and prouoke both the 
 
 VOL. I. B 
 
1 8 A COMBATE BETWENE 
 
 cities, being of one affinitie, and neighbours, to vfe this force of 
 Armes. But whether this my coniefture bee righte or wrong, 
 they oughte to confider, whiche firfte began the warres. The 
 Albanes haue created me their Captaine of this enterpryfe. I 
 come to geue aduertifement to thee, O Tullus, of this one thing. 
 Which is, that the Thufcans being a great nation, and of power 
 right famous, doth inuirone vs both rounde about, and the nerer 
 they be vnto you, the more knowledge you haue of them. They 
 be mightie vpon lande, and of great power vpon Sea. Call to thy 
 remembraunce and confider, that when thou geueft the figne and 
 watch worde of the battell, our twoo armies fliall bee but a 
 ridiculous fpeftacle to them. So fone as they doe perceiue vs 
 twoo to bee fpent, and weried with fighting, they will bothe 
 afl^ayle the vanquished, and him alfo that doeth ouercome. Where- 
 fore if the Goddes do fauour eyther of vs, let vs not fhewe our 
 felues to bee wearie of our libertie and franchife that is certaine, 
 and hazard the dice to incurre perpetuall feruitude and bondage, 
 Therfore let vs deuife fome other waye, wherby the one of vs may 
 gouerne the other without effufion of cithers bloud." 
 
 This condition nothing difpleafed Tullus, although in courage, 
 and hope of viftorie, he was more fierce and bolder then the other. 
 And being in confultation about the purpofe, fortune miniftred 
 an apt occafion to them both : for in either campes there were 
 thre brethren, of age and valiance femblable. The brethren that 
 were in the Romaine campe were called Horatij, the other Curiatij 
 Whereupon a combate was thought meete betwene thefe fixe 
 perfones. After the Romaines had vfed their folempne maners 
 of confecrating the truces, and other rites concerning the fame, 
 either partes repaired to the combate. Both the armies ftode in 
 readines before their campes, rather voyde of prefent perill then 
 of care : for the fl:ate of either of their Empires, confifted in the 
 valiance and fortune of a fewe. Wherfore theire mindes were 
 wonderfuUye bent and incenfed vpon that vnpleafant fight. The 
 figne of the combat was giuen. The thre yonge men of either 
 fide do ioigne with furious and cruel onfet, reprefenting the 
 courages of two battelles of puifiaunt armies. For the loflfe con- 
 fifted in neither thofe three, but the publique gouernement or 
 
THE ROMANES AND ALBANES. 1 9 
 
 common thraldome of both the cities, and that was the future 
 fortune, whiche they did trie and proue. So fone as the clafliing 
 armoure did found at their firfl: incountrie, and their glittering 
 fwordes did fhine, an incredible horror and feare perced the be- 
 holders, and hope inclining to either partes, their voyce and myndes 
 were whift and iilent. But after they were clofed together, not 
 onely the mouing of their bodies, and doubtfull welding and hand- 
 ling of their weapons, but bloudye woundes appeared, two of the 
 Romaines falling downe ftarke dead one vppon an other: But 
 before the three Albanes were fore hurt. Whereat the Albane 
 hofle fhouted for ioye. The Romaine Legions were voyde of hope, 
 amazed to fee but one remayne againft three : It chaunced that 
 hee that lined whyche as hee was but one alone (an vnmeete 
 matche for the reft) fo he was fierce, and thought himfelfe good 
 enough for them all. Therefore to feparate their fight, he flede 
 backe, meaning thereby to geue euery of them their welcome 
 as they followed. When he was retired a good fpace from the 
 place wher they fought, loking back, he fawe them followe fome 
 diflance one from an other, and as one of them approched, he 
 let driue at him with great violence. And whiles the Albane 
 hofle cried out vpon the Curiatij, to helpe their brother, Horatius 
 had killed his enemie, and demaunded for the seconde battaile. 
 Then the Romaines incouraged their champion with acclamations 
 and fhoutes, as fearefull men be wont to do vpon the fodaine, and 
 Horatius fpedeth himfelfe to the fight. And before the other could 
 ouertake him, which was not farre off, hee had killed an other of 
 the Curiatij. Nowe were they equally matched one to one, but 
 in hope and flrengthe vnlike. For the one was free of wounde or 
 hurte : cruell and fierce by reafon of double viftorie, the other faint 
 for lofTe of bloud, and wearie of running, and who with panting 
 breath, difcomfited for his brethrens flaughter, flaine before him, 
 is now obiefted to fight with his viftorious enemy. A match 
 altogether vnequall. Horatius reioyfing fayd, two of thy brethren 
 I haue difpatched, the thirde, the caufe of this battaill, I will take 
 in hand : that the Romaines maye bee lordes of the Albanes. 
 Curiatius not able to fuftaine his blowe, fell downe, and lying 
 vpon his backe, he thrufl him into the throte with his fworde. 
 
20 A COMBATE BETWENE 
 
 whiche done he difpoyled him of his armure. Then the Romaines 
 in great triumphe and reioyfe intertaigned Horatius, and their 
 ioye was the greater, for that the feare of their ouerthrowe was the 
 nearer. This coinbate being ended, the Albanes became fubiedle 
 to the Romaines, and before Metius departed, he afked Tullus if 
 hee would commaunde him any further feruice. Who willed him 
 to kepe the younge fouldiours ftill in intertaignement, for that hee 
 woulde require their aide againft the Veientes. The armie dif- 
 folued, Horatius like a Conquerour marched home to Rome, the 
 three fpoyles of his ennemies being borne before hyra. 
 
 The faid Horatius had a fifter, which was efpoufed to one of 
 the Curiatij that were flaine, who meeting her brother in the 
 triumphe, at one of the gates called Capena, and knowing the coate 
 armure of her paramour, borne vpon her brothers flioulders, which 
 fhe had wrought and made with her owne handes : She tore and 
 rent the heare of her heade, and moft piteouflye bewayled the 
 death of her beloued. Her brother being in the pride of his vic- 
 torie taking the lamentation of his fifter, in difdainful part, drew 
 cute his fword, and thrufte her through fpeaking thefe reprochfuU 
 woordes: "Auaunt with thy vnreafonable loue, gette thee to thy 
 fpoufe. Haft thou forgotten the deathe of thy two brethren that 
 be flaine, the profperous fucceffe of thy vi£torious brother, and 
 chiefelyethehappyedeliueraunceofthycountrie: Let that Romaine 
 woman whatfoeuer fhe be, take like rewarde, that fliall bewaile 
 the death of the ennemie." Which horrible fafte feemed moft 
 cruell to the fathers and people. For which offence he was 
 brought before the kinge, whom he deliuered to be iudged accord- 
 ing to the lawe. The law condempned him, then he appealed 
 to the people. In which appeale P. Horatius his father fpake 
 thefe wordes: "My doughter is flaine, not without iuft defert, 
 which if it were not fo, I would haue fued for condigne punifli- 
 mente, to be executed vpon my fonne, according to the naturall 
 pietie of a father: Wherfore I befeech you do not fuffer me, whom 
 you haue feene in time paft, beautified with a noble race and 
 progenie of children, nowe to be vtterlye deftitute and voyde of 
 all together." 
 
 Then hee embrafed his fonne amonges them all, and fhewed the 
 
THE ROMANES AND ALBANES. 2 I 
 
 fpoiles of the CuratienSj fayinge : " Can you abide to fee this noble 
 
 Champion (O ye Romaines) whom lately ye behelde to go in 
 
 order of triumphe in viftorious maner, to lye nowe bounde vnder 
 
 the gibet, expefting for tormentes of death : Which cruell and 
 
 deformed fight, the Albanes eyes can not well be able to beholde, 
 
 goe to then thou hangman, and binde the handes of him, who hath 
 
 atchieued to the Romaine people a glorious Empyre : Goe, I 
 
 faye, and couer the face of him that hath deliuered this citie out 
 
 of thraldome and bondage. Hang him vpon fome vnhappie tree, 
 
 and fcourge him in fome place within the Citie, either amongs 
 
 thefe our triumphes, where the fpoiles of our enemies do remaine, 
 
 or els without the walles, amonges the graues of the vanquiflied. 
 
 Whether can yee deuife to carrie him, but that his honourable 
 
 and worthye aftes, flial reueng the villanie of his cruel death." 
 
 The people hearing the lamentable talke of his father, and feinge 
 
 in him an vnmoueable minde, able to fuflaine al aduerfity, 
 
 acquited him rather through the admiration of his vertue and 
 
 valiance, then by iuftice and equity of his caufe. Such was the 
 
 ftraite order of iuftice amonges the Romaines, who although this 
 
 yonge gentleman had vindicated his countrie from feruitude 
 
 and bondage (a noble memorye of perfefte manhode) 
 
 yet by reafon of the murder done vppon his owne 
 
 fifter, were very ftraite and flacke to pardon : 
 
 becaufe they would not incourage the pof- 
 
 teritie to like inconuenience, nor pro- 
 
 uoke wel doers in their glorye and 
 
 triumphe, to perpetrate 
 
 thinges vn- 
 
 lawfuU. 
 
2 2 THE RAPE OF LUCRECE. 
 
 THE SECOND NOUELL. 
 
 Sextus Tarquinius rauijhed Lucrece. AndJIie hewayling the lojfe 
 of her chqftitie, killed her f elf e. 
 
 Great preparation was made by the Romaines^ againft a people 
 called Rutuli, who had a citie named Ardea^ excelling in wealth 
 and riches which was the caufe that the Romaine king, being 
 exhaufted and quite voyde of money, by reafon of his fump- 
 tuous buildinges, made warres vppon that countrie. In the 
 time of the fiege of that citie the yonge Romaine gentlemen 
 banqueted one another, amonges whom there was one called Col- 
 latinus Tarquinius, the fonne of Egerius. And by chaunce they 
 entred in communication of their wiues, euery one prayfing his 
 feueral fpoufe. At length the talke began to grow hot, whereupon 
 Collatinus faid, that words were vaine. For within few houres it 
 might be tried, how much his wife Lucretia did excel the reft, 
 wherefore (quoth he) if there be any liuelihod in you, let us take our 
 horfcj to proue which of oure wiues doth furmount. Wheruppon 
 they roode to Rome in poft. At their comming they found the 
 kinges doughters, fportinge themfelues with fondrye paftimes : From 
 thence they went to the houfe of Collatinus, where they founde 
 Lucrece, not as the other before named, fpending time in idlenes, 
 but late in the night occupied and bufie amonges her maydes in 
 the middes of her houfe fpinning of woll. The victory and prayfe 
 wherof was giuen to Lucretia, who when fhe faw her hufband, 
 gentlie and louinglie intertained him, and curteouflye badde the 
 Tarquinians welcome. Immediately Sextus Tarquinius the fonne 
 of Tarquinius Superbus, (that time the Romaine king) was incenfed 
 wyth a libidious defire, to conftrupate and defloure Lucrece. 
 When the yonge gentlemen had beftowed that night pleafantly 
 with their wiues, they retourned to the Campe. Not long after 
 Sextus Tarquinius with one man retourned to Collatia vnknowen 
 to Collatinus, and ignorant to Lucrece and the reft of her houf- 
 hold, for what purpofe he came. Who being well intertayned, 
 after fupper was conueighed to his chamber. Tarquinius burn- 
 
THE RAPE OF LUCRECE. 23 
 
 inge with the loue of Lucrece, after he perceiued the houfliolde 
 to be at refte, and all thinges in quiet, with his naked fworde in 
 his hande, wente to Lucrece being a fleepe, and keeping her downe 
 with his lefte hande, faide: "Holde thy peace Lucrece, I am 
 Sextus Tarquinius, my fworde is in my hand, if thou crie, I will 
 kill thee." /The gentlewoman fore afrayed, being newely awaked 
 cute of her fleepe, and feeing iminent death, could not tell what to 
 do. Then Tarquinius confefled his loue, and began to intreate 
 her, and therewithal! vfed fundry minacing wordes, by all meanes 
 attempting to make her quiet : when he faw her obftinate, and 
 that fhe woulde not yelde to his requeft, notwithftanding his cruell 
 threates, he added fhameful and villanous fpeach, faying : That he 
 would kill her, and when flie was flaine, he woulde alfo kill his 
 flaue, and place him by her, that it might be reported howe fhe 
 was flaine, being taken in adulterie. She vanquifhed with his ter- 
 rible and infamous threate, his flefhlye and licentious enterprice, 
 ouercame the puritie of her chafte and honefl: hart, which done 
 he departed. Then Lucrece fent a poll to Rome to her father, 
 and an other to Ardea to her hufbande, requiringe them that they 
 would make fpeede to come vnto her, with certaine of their truflie 
 frendes, for that a cruell fafte was chaunced. Then Sp. Lucretius 
 with P. Valerius the fonne of Volefius, and Collatinus with L. 
 lunius Brutus, made haft to Lucrece: where they founde her 
 fitting, very penfife and fadde, in her chamber. So fonfe as fhe 
 fawe them fhe began pitioufly to weepe. Then her hufband 
 afked her, whether all thinges were well, vnto whom fhe fayde 
 thefe wordes. 
 
 "No dere hufbande, for what can be well or fafe vnto a woman, 
 when {he hath lofl: her chaflitie? Alas Collatine, the fteppes of 
 an other man, be now fixed in thy bed. But it is my bodye 
 onely that is violated, my minde God knoweth is giltles, whereof 
 my death fhalbe witneffe. But if you be men giue me your 
 handes and trouth, that the adulterer may not efcape vnreuenged. 
 It is Sextus Tarquinius whoe being an enemie, in fteede of a 
 frende, the other night came vnto mee, armed with his fword 
 in his hand, and by violence caried away from me (the Goddes 
 know) a woful ioy." Then euery one of them gaue her their 
 
24 THE RAPE OF LUCRECE. 
 
 faith, and comforted the penfife and languifliing lady, imputing 
 the offence to the authour and doer of the fame, affirming that 
 her bodye was polluted, and not her minde, and where confent 
 was not, there the crime was abfente. Whereunto fhee added : 
 " I praye you confider with your felues, what punifhmente is due 
 for the malefaftour. As for my part, though I cleare my felfe of 
 the offence, my body Ihall feele the punifliment : for no vnchaft 
 or ill woman, (hall hereafter impute no diftioneft a<9: to Lucrece." 
 Then fhe drewe out a knife, which fhe had hidden fecretely, vnder 
 her kirtle, and ftabbed her felfe to the harte. Which done, fhe 
 fell downe grouelinge vppon her wound and died., Whereupon 
 her father and hufband made great lamentation, and as they were 
 bewayling the death of Lucrece, Brutus plucked the knife oute of 
 the wound, which gufhed out with aboundance of bloude, and 
 holding it vp faid : " I fweare by the chaft bloud of this body here 
 dead, and I take you the immortall Gods to witnes, that I will 
 driue and extirpate oute of this Citie, both L. Tarquinius Superbus, 
 and his wicked wife, with all the race of his children and progenie, 
 fo that none of them, ne yet any others fhall raigne anye longer 
 in Rome." Then hee deliuered the knife to Collatinus. Lucretius 
 and Valerius, who marueyled at the ftrangeneffe of his words : 
 and from whence he fhould conceiue that determination. They 
 all fwore that othe. And followed Brutus, as their captaine, in 
 his conceiued purpofe. The body of Lucrece was brought into 
 the market place, where the people wondred at the vileneiTe of 
 that fade, euery man complayning vppon the mifchiefe of that 
 facinorous rape, committed by Tarquinius. Whervpon Brutus 
 perfwaded the Romaynes, that they fhould ceafe from teares and 
 other childifhe lamentacions, and to take weapons in their handes, 
 to fhew themfelues like men. 
 
 Then the lufliefl and mofl defperate perfons within the citie, 
 made themfelues prefl and readie, to attempte any enter prife : 
 and after a garrifon was placed and beflowed at Collatia, diligent 
 watche and ward was kept at the gates of the Citie, to the intent 
 the kinge fhould haue no aduertifement of that flurre. The refl 
 of the fouldiours followed Brutus to Rome. 
 
 When he was come thither, the armed multitude did beate a 
 
THE RAPE OF LUCRECE. SJ 
 
 marueilous feare throughout the whole Citie : but yet becaufe 
 they fawe the chiefefte perfonages goe before, they thought that the 
 fame enterprife was taken in vaine. Wherefore the people out of 
 all places of the citie, ranne into the market place. Where Brutus 
 complained of the abhominable Rape of Lucrece, committed by 
 Sextus Tarquinius. And thereunto he added the pride and infolent 
 behauiour of the king, the miferie and drudgerie of the people, and 
 howe they, which in time pafle were vifitours and Conquerours, were 
 made of men of warre, Artificers, and Labourers. He remembred 
 alfo the infamous murder of Seruius Tullius t heir late kin p ; e. Thefe 
 and fuch like he called to the peoples remembraunce, whereby they 
 abrogated and depofed Tarquinius, banifhing him, his wife, and 
 children. Then he leuied an armie of chofen and piked men, and 
 marched to the Campe at Ardea, committing the gouernemente of 
 the Citie to Lucretius, wTio before was by the king appointed 
 Lieutenant. Tullia in the time of this hurlie burlie, fledde from 
 her houfe, all the people curfing and crying vengeaunce vpon her. 
 Newes brought into the campe of thefe euentes, the king with 
 great feare retourned to Rome, to reprefle thofe tumultes, and 
 Brutus hearinge of his approche, marched another waye, becaufe 
 hee woulde not meete him. When Tarquinius was come to Rome, 
 the gates were fliutte againft him, and he himfelfe commaunded 
 to auoide into exile. The campe receiued Brutus with great ioye 
 and triumphe, for that he had deliuered the citie of fuch a tyraunte. 
 Then Tarquinius with his children fledde to Caere, a Citie of the 
 Hetrurians. And as Sextus Tarquinius was going, he was flaine 
 by thofe that premeditated reuengemente, of olde murder 
 and iniuries by him done to their predeceflburs. This 
 L. Tarquinius Superbus raigned xxv yeares. The 
 raigne of the kinges from the firfl; foundation of 
 the citie continued CCxliiii. yeares. After 
 which gouernmente two Confuls were 
 appointed, for the order and admi- 
 niftration of the Citie. AndL, - 
 for that yeare L. Juni- 
 us Brutus, and L. 
 Tarquinius, Col- 
 latinus. 
 
26 THE VALIAUNCE OF 
 
 THE THIRD NOUELL. 
 
 The fiege of Rome by Porfenna, and the valiaunt deliuerie thereof 
 ly Mutius Scceuola, with hisfioute awnfwere vnto the kinge. 
 
 When P. Valerius and T. Lucretius were created Confuls, Por- 
 fenna kinge of Hetruria, vppon the inftigation of the banifhed 
 TarquinianSj came before the citie with a huge armie. The brute 
 wherof did wonderfully appall the Senate: for the like occafion 
 of terrour, neuer before that time chaunced to the Romaines, 
 who did not onely feare their enemies, but alfo their owne 
 fubiefts, fufpefting left they fhould be forced to retaine the kinges 
 againe. All which afterwards, were through the wifedome and 
 difcretion of the fathers quietlye appeafed, and the citie reduced to 
 fuch vnitie and courage, as all forts of people defpifed the name of 
 king. When the enemies were approched, the rurall people aban- 
 doning their colonies, fled for refcue into the citie. The citie was 
 diuided into garrifons: feme kept the walles, and fome the waye 
 ouer Tiber, which was thought very fafe and able to be defended. 
 Althoughe the wodden bridge made ouer the Riuer,had almoft been 
 an open way for the enemies entrie, whereof Horacius Codes, as 
 fortune ferued that day, had the charge. Who fo manfully be- 
 haued himfelfe, as after he had broken vp and burned the bridge, 
 and done other notable exploites, he defended that palTage with 
 fuch valiance, that the defence therof feemed miraculous, to the 
 great aftonifhment of the enemies. In fine Porfenna feing that he 
 coulde litle preuaile in the aflault, retourned to the Campe, deter- 
 mining neuerthelefle to continue his fiege. At which time one 
 Caius Mutius, a yonge gentleman of Rome, purpofed to aduenture 
 fome notable enterprife : faying to the Senators thefe wordes : " I 
 determine to paflethe Riuer, and enter if I can, into the campe of 
 the enemies, not to fetch fpoile, or to reuenge mutuall iniuries, but 
 to hazard greater matters, if the Gods be aflSfl:ant vnto me." The 
 fenate vnderftanding the effeft of his indeuour, allowed his deuife. 
 And then hauinge a fword vnder his garment, went forth. When 
 
MUTIUS SC^UOLA. 2/ 
 
 he was come into the throng, he conueighed himfelfe as nere the 
 kinges pauilion as he could. It chaunced that he was paying wages 
 that day to his fouldiours, by whom his Secretarie did fit in fuch 
 apparell, almofl: as the king himfelfe did weare. Mutius being 
 afraide to demaunde which of them was the king, left he fliould 
 bewray himfelfe, fodainly killed the Secretarie in fteede of the 
 king, and as he was making waye with his bloudie fworde to 
 efcape, he was apprehended and brought before the king, and with 
 maruailous ftoutnefle and audacitie, fpake thefe wordes : " I am a 
 citizen of Rome, and my name is Mutius^ and beinge an enemy, 
 I woulde faine haue killed mine enemie. For which attempt I 
 efteeme no more to die, then I cared to commit the murder. It 
 is naturally giuen to the Romaines, both valiantly to do and 
 ftoutly to fuffer. And not I alone haue confpired thy death, but 
 a greate nomber of vs, haue promifed the like, and hope to profe- 
 cute femblable prayfe and glorie : wherfore if this beginninge do 
 not pleafe thee, make thy felfe ready euerye houre to expeft like 
 perill, and to fight for thy felfe. And make accompt, that euery 
 day euen at the dore of thine owne lodging, thy enemye armed 
 doth waite for thee : we alone yong gentlemen of the Citie do 
 ftand at defiance, and pronounce vppon thee this kinde of battaile. 
 Feare no armies or other hoftilitie, for with thee alone, and with 
 euerye one of vs thefe warres fhalbe tryed." The king aftonied 
 with that bold and defperate enterprife, fell into a great rage and 
 furie, commaundinge Mutius prefentlye to be confumed with fyre, 
 vnlefTe he would out of hand tell him the order of the purpofed 
 and deuifed treafon. "Behold O king (quoth hee) how litle 
 they care for theyr bodies, that do afpire and feeke for fame and 
 glorie." And then he thruft his right hand into the fire, and 
 rofted the fame in the flame, like one that had been out of his 
 wits. The king amazed wyth the ftraungnes of the fa6l, ftepped 
 downe from the feate, and caufed him to be taken from the fire, 
 faying: "Away, frend (quoth the king) thou haft killed thy 
 felfe, and aduentured hoftilitie vppon thy felfe rather then againft 
 mee. Surely I would thincke mine eftate happie, if like vali- 
 aunce were to be found wythin the boundes of my countrye. 
 Wherfore by law of Armes I fet the at libertie to go whither thou 
 
2 8 THE VALIAUNCE OF MUTIUS SC^UOLA. 
 
 lift." Whereunto Mutius for acquiting that defert, aunfwered : 
 "For as much as thou haft thus honourably delt with me, I 
 wil for recompence of this benefite, faye thus muche vnto 
 thee, whych by threates thou fliouldeft neuer haue gotten at my 
 handes. Three hundred of vs that be yonge noble men of Rome, 
 haue confpired thy death, euen by the like attempt. It was my 
 lot to come firft, the refte when fortune fhall giue opportunitie, 
 euerye one in his tourne will giue the aduenture." Whereupon 
 he was difmiffed, and afterwards was called Scaeuola, for the lofTe 
 of his right hande. Then peace was offered to the Romaynes, 
 who vpon conditions that the enemies garrifons ftiould be with- 
 drawen from laniculum, and that the country wonne of the Veien- 
 tines, ftiould be reftored againe, gaue hoftages, Amonges whom 
 there was a gentlewoman called Cloelia deliuered into the handes 
 of the Hetrurians, who deceyuinge her keepers, conueighed her- 
 felfe and the other pledges from their enemies, and fwimming ouer 
 the riuer of Tiber, arriued at Rome in fafetye, which being re- 
 demaunded by Porfenna, were fent backe againe. The king 
 driuen into a wonderfuU admiration for the defperate and 
 manly enterprifes, done by the Romaine Nation, re- 
 tourned the maiden home againe to Rome. In 
 whofe honour the Romaines eredted an 
 Image on horfe backe, placed at the 
 vpper ende of the ftreate called 
 Sacra via. And fo peace 
 was concluded be- 
 tweene Porfenna 
 and the Ro- 
 maynes. 
 
MARTIUS CORIOLANUS. 29 
 
 THE FOURTH NOUELL. 
 
 Martins Coriolanus goinge ahoute to reprejfe the common people oj 
 Rome with dearth of Corne was hanijhed. For reuengement 
 whereof he perfwaded Accius Tullius king of the Voljcians, to 
 make warres upon the Romaynes, and he himfelfe in their ayde, 
 came in his owne perfon. The Citie brought to greate miferye, 
 the fathers deuifed meanes to deliuer the fame, andfent vnto the 
 Volfcian campe, the mother, the wife and children of Corio- 
 lanus. Fpon whofe complaintes Coriolanus withdrewe the 
 Volfcians, and the citie was reduced to quietnes. 
 
 In the yeare that Titus Geganius and Publius Minutius were Con- 
 fuls, when all thinges were quiet abrode, and diflention at home 
 appeafed, an other great mifchiefe inuaded the citie. Firfl a 
 dearth of vidtuals, for that the land was vntiliedj by the peoples 
 departure, then a famine, fuch as chaunceth to the befieged : 
 which had brought a great deftruftion of people, had not the Con- 
 fuls forfeene the fame, by prouifion in forren places. They fent 
 purueiors into Scicilia : but the malice of the cities adioyning, 
 flayed the prouifion that was made a farre of. The Corne prouided 
 at Cumas was flayed for the goodes of Tarquinius by Ariftode- 
 mus the tyrant, that was his heire. The next yere followinge, a 
 greate maffe of Corne was tranfported oute of Scicile, in the time 
 of the Confuls, M. Minutius and A. Sempronius. Then the Se- 
 nate confulted, vppon the diftribution of the fame vnto the people. 
 Diuers thought that the time was then come, to bridle and fup- 
 prefle the people, that thereby they mighte the rather recouer 
 thofe priuileges, which were extorted from the fathers. Amonges 
 whom Martins Coriolanus a yonge gentleman was the chiefeft, 
 who being an enemie to the Tribune authoritie, faid thefe woords. 
 " If the people will haue victuals and corne at that price, whereat 
 it was affifed and rated in time pafl, then it is meete and ne- 
 ceflarie, that they render to the fathers, their auncient aufthoritie 
 and priuilege : for to what purpofe be the plebeian Magiflrates 
 
30 MARTIUS CARIOLANUS. 
 
 ordained ? For what confideration fhall I fuffer my felfe to be 
 fubiugate vnder the authoritie of Sicinius, as though I were con- 
 uerfaunte amonges theeues ? Shal I abide thefe iniuries any longer 
 to continue, then is neceflarie ? I that could not fuffer Tarqui- 
 nius the king, fhal I be pacient with Sicinius? Let Sicinius 
 depart if he will^ let him draw the people after him : the way 
 yet is open to the facred hill, and to the other mountaines. 
 Let them rob vs of our come which they toke away from our 
 owne land, as they did three yeares pafte, let them enioy the 
 victuals which in their furie they did gather. I dare be bold 
 to faye thus much, that being warned and tamed, by this pre- 
 fent penurie, they had rather plow and til the land, then they 
 would fuffer the fame to be vncultured, by withdrawing them- 
 felues to armure. It is not fo eafy to be fpoken, as I thincke 
 it may with facilitie be brought to pafTe, that vpon conditions 
 the prices of victuals fhould be abated, the fathers might remoue 
 the auilhoritie of the Tribunes and difanul all thofe lawes, which 
 againft their wills were ratefied and confirmed." This fentence 
 feemed cruel to the fathers, and almoft had fet the people toge- 
 ther by the eares, whoe woulde haue torne him in peeces, had not 
 the Tribunes appointed a day for his appearance. Whervpon 
 their furie for that time was appeafed, Coriolanus feinge the 
 peoples rage to encreafe, and confideringe that they fhould be his 
 ludge, when the day of his apparance was come, he abfented him- 
 felfe, and therfore was condempned. Then he fled to the Volfcians, 
 of whom he was gently interteigned : and lodged in the houfe of 
 Accius Tullius, the chiefe of that citie, and a deadly enemie to the 
 Romaynes. Vpon daily conference and confultation had betwene 
 them, they confulted by what fleight or pollicie, they might com- 
 ence a quarrell againft the'Romaines. And becaufe they doubted, 
 that the Volfcians would not eafely be perfwaded thereunto, be- 
 inge fo oft vanquifhed and ill intreated, they excogitated fome 
 other newe occafion. In the meane time T. Latinius one of the 
 plebeian forte, perceyuing that the Romaynes went about to infti- 
 tute great paflimes, conceiued a dreame, wherein hee fawe lup- 
 piter to fpeake vnto him, and faid that he liked not the towardnes 
 of thofe games, and in cafe the fame were not celebratedj with 
 
MARTIUS CARIOLANUS. 3 I 
 
 great royaltie and magnificens, they would ingender perill to the 
 citie, which dreame he declared to the Confuls. Then the Senate 
 gaue order, that the fame Ihoulde be addreffed with great pompe 
 and triumphe: whereunto through th'inftigacion of Accius, a greate 
 nomber of the Volfcians reforted. But before the plaies begunne, 
 TuUius according to the compa6t agreed v<pon, betwene him and 
 Coriolanus, fecretely repaired to the Confuls, and taking them a 
 fyde, declared that he had to fay vnto them a matter touching the 
 publique wealth of their citie, in thefe words. " I am forced 
 againft my will to fignifie vnto you a matter, that toucheth the 
 condition of mine owne fubiefts and countrie men. I come not 
 to accufe them, as thoughe they had already admitted any thinge, 
 but I come to giue you a premonition, left they fliould perpetrate 
 fome occafion, contrary to the order of your Citie. The difpofi- 
 tion of my countrie men, is more inconftant then I would wifli : 
 which we haue felt, to our great lofle and decaie. The caufe of oure 
 fecurity at this prefent, is rather fufFered by your pacience, then 
 by our defert. Here be at this inflant a great multitude of Vol- 
 fcians : Here be games prepared, and the citie throughlye bent to 
 behold them. I do remember what was done vpon like occafion in 
 this citie by the Romain youth : I tremble to thincke, what may 
 be raftily attempted, wherfore I thought good both for your owne 
 fakes and for auoyding of mutual difpleafure, to foretel you of 
 thefe things. And for mine owne part I purpofe immediatlye 
 to returne home, becaufe I wil auoide the daunger and peril, that 
 maye chaunce by my prefence." When he had fpoken thofe 
 words, he departed. The Confuls immediatly recompted the re- 
 quefl: of Accius to the Senate : who more efteming the perfonage, 
 from whence the fame did precede, then the matter that was fpoken, 
 determined to prouide a remedie for the fame, and immediatlye 
 caufed the Volfcians to auoide the citie, fending officers about, to 
 commaund them to depart that night : vpon which fodain edi6t, at 
 the firft they began to marueile. And afterwards they conceiued 
 great griefe and offence, for that their vnneighbourlye entertaign- 
 ment. and as they were paffing out of the citie in a long traine, 
 Tullius being vpon the top of the hill called Ferrentine, to waite 
 for the people, as they pafled by, called vnto him the chiefe and 
 
' 32 MARTIUS CARIOLANUS. 
 
 principal parfonages, to prouoke them to take that aduauntage, 
 and then aflembled the multitude in the valleie, hard by the high 
 way, to whom he pronounced thefe words. " Forgetting all iniuries 
 and difpleafures paft, done by the Romaine people againft the 
 Volfcians, how can you abide the fhame you fuffer this daye, 
 wherein to oure great reproch, they begin to oftentate and fliew 
 forth their plaies. Do not you beleeue, that euen to day, they 
 triumph ouer you ? Is not your departure (thincke ye) ridiculous 
 to all the Romaines, to ftrangers, and other cities adioyning ? Be 
 not your wiues and children (trow ye) now paffing homewards, 
 laughed to fcorne ? What thincke ye your felues to be, which 
 were warned to depart, at the found of the trumpet ? What (fup- 
 pofe ye) wil all they thinke, which do meete this multitude retiring 
 homewards, to their great reproch and fliame? Truly excepte 
 there be fome fecrete occafion, whereby we fhould be fufpefted to 
 violate the plaies or commit fome other crime, and fo forced to 
 relinquifh the company and fellowfhip of the honeft, I know not 
 what fhould be the caufe of this repulfe ? Were we lyuing, when 
 we made fuch feftination to depart ? If it may be called a depar- 
 ture, and not a running away, or fhamefull retire. I perceiue ye 
 did not accompt this to be a citie of our enemies, wher I thinck 
 if ye had taried but one day longer, ye had all beene flaine. 
 They haue denounced warres vppon you, which if you be men of 
 courage, fhall redounde to the vtter deftruftion of them, which 
 firft gaue the defiaunce." The Volfcians perceyuing themfelues 
 greatly derided, for considerations before remembred, determined 
 by common accord, to inferre warres vppon the Romaines, vnder 
 the conduftion of Adlius Tullius, and Coriolanus. After they had 
 recouered diuers of the Romaine cities, they proceded further, and 
 in fondrie places fpoiled and deftroyed the fame, encamping them- 
 felues fine miles from Rome, befides the trenches called Foflas 
 Cluilias. In the meane time contention rofe betwene the people 
 and the fathers, howbeit the feare of forren partes, linked their 
 mindes together, in the bands of concord. The Confuls and fa- 
 thers repofed their whole confidence in battel, which the common 
 people in no wife could abide. Wherfore they were conftrained 
 to alTemble the Senate, in which confult was determined, that Am- 
 
MARTIUS CARIOLANUS. 33 
 
 bafladours fhould be fent to Coriolanus to demaund peace: who 
 retourned them againe with a froward anfwere, to this efFedt : 
 that firft they fhould reftore to the Volfcians their countrie, which 
 they had conquered, and that done, he willed them to feke for 
 peace. Yet they fent againe Ambafladours, but in no wife they 
 were fufFered to come into their campe. Then the prieftes cladde 
 in their ornamentes, and other diuine furniture, were fent humblye 
 to make peticion for peace : And yet they coulde not perfwade 
 theim. Then the Romaine Dames repayred to Veturia the mo- 
 ther of Coriolanus, and to his wyfe Volumnia. But whether the 
 fame was done by common confent, or by the aduife of the femi- 
 nine kind, it is vncertaine. It was appointed that Veturia, being 
 an auncient gentlewoman, and mother of Coriolanus and Volum- 
 nia his wife, with her two yonge children, fhould repaire to the 
 campe, to the intent that they by their pitiful lamentacion, might 
 defende the citie, which otherwife by force, was not able to be kept. 
 At their arriuall, Veturia was knowen by one of her fonnes familier 
 frends, ftanding betwene her doughter in law, and her two neuies, 
 who caried word immediatlye to Coriolanus, how his mother, his 
 wife and children, were come into the Campe to fpeake with him. 
 Coriolanus hearing him fay fo, defcended from his feate, like one 
 not wel in his wits, and went forth to embrace his mother. The 
 old gentlewoman from fupplications, fell into a great rage, fpeak- 
 inge thefe woordes. "Abide a while before I do receiue thy em- 
 bracementes, let me knowe whether I am comen to mine enemie, 
 or to my fonne, or whether I am a prifoner in thy Campe, or thy 
 mother. Alacke how long haue I prolonged thefe auncient yeares, 
 and hoare heares mofh vnhappie, that nowe firft I do behold thee 
 an exile, and then view thee mine enemie. Canfl; thou finde in 
 thy harte, to depopulate and deflroy this thy country, wherin thou 
 waft begotten and brought vp ? Could not thy rage and furie be 
 appeafed, when thou diddefl firft put foote into the limites of this 
 thy country ? Did not natural zeale pearce thy cruel hart, when 
 thou diddefl firfl cafl thine eyes upon this citie ? Is not the houfe 
 of thy mother, and her domeflicall Goddes, conteyned within the 
 walles of yonder Citie ? Do not thy forrowful mother, thy deare 
 wife and children, inhabite within the compafTe of yonder citie ? 
 VOL. I. c 
 
34 MARTIUS CARIOLANUS. 
 
 (0 Ij curfed creature !) If I had neuer had childe^ Rome had not 
 been now aflailed. If I had neuer brought forth a fonne, I fhould 
 haue laied mine old bones and ended my life in a free countrie. 
 But I coulde neuer haue fufteined, or fufFred more miferie^ then is 
 nowe fallen vnto mee, nor neuer more difhonour, then to beholde 
 thee in pitifull plight, a traytour to thy natife foile. And as I am 
 the mofte wretched wight of all mothers^ fo I trufl: I fhal not long 
 continue in that ftate. If thou procede in this enterprife, either 
 fodaine death, or perpetuall fliame bee thy rewarde." When his 
 mother had ended thefe woordes, the whole traine of gentlewo- 
 men, brake into pitifull teares : bitterly bewayling the ftate of 
 their Countrie, whiche at lengthe did mitigate the ftomacke of Co- 
 riolanus. And when he had imbraced his wife and children, hee 
 difmifled them. Then hee withdrewe the Volfcian campe from 
 the citie, and out of the Romaine Prouince. Vpon the difpleafure 
 of whiche fa£te, he died. It is fayd that when he was an old 
 man, hee vfed many times to fpeake and vtter this fen- 
 tence. " That verie miferable it is, for an olde man 
 to liue in banifliement." The Remains dif- 
 daigned not to attribute to women, their 
 dueprayfe: for in memorie of this de- 
 liuerie of their Countrie, they 
 erefted a Temple, Fortunse 
 Muliebri, to Womens 
 Fortune. 
 
APPIUS CLAUDIUS. 3 5 
 
 THE FIFTE NOUELL. 
 
 Appius Claudius, one of the Decemuiri of Rome, goeth alotit to 
 rauifhe Virginia a yonge mayden, which indeuour of Appius, 
 when her father Virginius vnderftode being then in the warres, hee 
 repaired home to refcue his doughter. One that was letrouthed 
 vnto her, clamed her, whereupon rofe great contention. In the 
 ende her owne father, tofaue the fhame of hisfiocke, killed her 
 with a Bocher's knife, and went into the Forum, crying vengeance 
 vpon Appius. Then after much contention and rebellion, the De- 
 cemuiri were depofed. 
 
 Spurius Pofthumius Albus, Aulus ManliuSj and P. Sulpitius Ca- 
 merinus, were fent Ambafladours to Athenes, and commaunded to 
 wryte out the noble Lawes of Solon, and to learne the Inftitutions, 
 orders, and Lawes of other Greeke cities. Vpon whofe retourne, 
 the Tribunes were verie inftant that at length lawes might be 
 enafted and confirmed. And for that purpofe certaine officers 
 were appointed, called Decemuiri : with foueraigne authoritie and 
 power to reduce the fame into wryting, whiche were thought 
 meete and profitable for the common wealth. The principall and 
 chiefe of which nomber was Appius Claudius, who committed no 
 lefle filthy fafte, then was done by Tarquinius, for the rape of Lu- 
 crece. The fayde Appius conceiued a libidinous defire, to rauifhe 
 a yong virgine, the doughter of one Lucius Virginius, then a cap- 
 tain in the warres at Algidum, a man of honeft and fober life, 
 whofe wife was alfo of right good behauiour, and their children 
 accordingly brought vp, and inftrufted. They had betrouthed 
 their doughter, to one L. Icilius of the order of the Tribunes, a 
 man of great floutnefle and tried valiance in the caufe of the 
 people. This yong maide being of excellent beautie, Appius at 
 the firft began to woe by giftes and faire promifes : but when he 
 fawe that flie was impregnable, he deuifed by wicked and cruell 
 pollicie, to obteine her, committing the charge of that enterprife 
 to one of his frendes, called Marcus Claudius, who went about to 
 
36 APPIUS CLAUDIUS 
 
 proue and maintaine, that the maide was his bondwoman^ and in 
 no wife would giue libertie to her friendes to haue time to anfwere 
 the procefle made in that behalfe, thinking by that meanes, in the 
 abfence of her father, hee might at his pleafure enioye her. As the 
 virgine was going to fchole in the Forum, the faid Claudius, the 
 minifter of mifchief, layd handes vpon her, claimed her to be his 
 bondwoman, for that flie was borne of a feruile woman, and com- 
 maunded her to folow him. The mayde being afraide was amazed, 
 and the Nurfle that wayted vpon her, cried out. Whereupon 
 the people ran out of their doores, to knowethe caufe of the fturre. 
 Claudius feing the maide like to be refcued by the multitude 
 that was aflembled, faid, that there was no neede of that hurlie 
 burlie, for that he attempted nothing by force, but that he was able 
 to proue by lawe. Whereupon he cited the mayde to appere, her 
 frendes promifed that fhe fhould according to the Lawe, make her 
 apperance. Being come before the confiftorie, where Appius fet in 
 iudgement, Claudius began to tell a tale and procefle of the caufe, 
 whereof Appius being the deuifer, vnderftode the efFe£l. The 
 tenor of the tale was, that the maide was borne in his houfe, and 
 was the doughter of his owne bondwoman, who afterwardes being 
 ftolen awaye, was caried to the houfe of Virginius, and fuppofed to 
 be his childe, which thing he faid, he was well able to proue and 
 would referre the iudgement of his caufe to Virginius him felfe : 
 vnto whom the greater part of his iniurie did apertaine. In the 
 meane time, he fayde, that it was meete the maide fhould folowe 
 her maifter : wherunto the Aduocates of the mayde replied, and 
 faid, that Virginius was abfent about the affaires of the common- 
 wealth, but if he were aduertifed of the matter, they knewe wel 
 he would bee at home within twoo dayes after : wherefore, they 
 sayd, that it were againft equitie and iuftice, that procefle and 
 fuite fhould bee made for clayme of chyldren in the abfence of 
 the parentes, requiring them to deferre the matter tyll the retourne 
 of the father. Appius not regarding the iuftice of the cafe, to 
 the intent hee myght fatiffie his owne lufte and pleafure, ordeyned 
 in the meane tyme, that Claudius the Aflertor and playntife, 
 fhoulde haue the keping and placing of the mayde, till the father 
 were returned. Againft whiche wrong, many did grudge, although 
 
AND VIRGINIA. 37 
 
 none durft withftand it. But as fortune chaunced immediatly 
 after that decree and order was fo pronounced : Publlus Numito- 
 rius, the maydes vncle by her mother's fide, and Icilius her be- 
 loued, were comen home : vpon whofe retourne, incontinentlye 
 Icilius approched nere to Appius, and being put backe by the 
 Sergeant, hee cried out a loude in thefe wordes : " Thou oughtefl: 
 to put me back from hence (O Appius) with a fworde that thou 
 mighteft without let, enioye the thing thou wouldeft haue kepte 
 clofe and fecrete. It is I that purpofe to mary this maide, who I 
 doubte not, is very honefl: and chafte : wherefore cal together thy 
 Sergeantes, and caufe the roddes and axes, to be made preft and 
 ready. For I afTure thee, the fpoufe of Icilius fhall not remayne 
 out of her father's houfe. No! although thou haft taken away from 
 the Romaine people their Tribunes aide and appeales, whiche be 
 twoo ftrong fortes and holdes of their common libertie. Is autho- 
 ritie geuen thee, libidinoufly to abufe our wyues and children ? 
 Exercife thy crueltie behinde our backes, and vppon our lives if 
 thou lifte, fo that thou doe not contaminate and defile the vertue 
 of chaftitie. Whereunto if thou inferre any damage or iniurie, I 
 will for mine owne parte, and for the loue of my beloued, crie out 
 for the ayde of the Romaines that be prefent, and Virginius fliall 
 do the like of the fouldiours, in the quarell of his owne doughter. 
 And all wee together, will implore for the fuccour of Goddes and 
 men. And trufte to it, that thou flialt not enioye thy purpofe be- 
 fore fome of vs haue loft our Hues. Wherefore Appius I aduife 
 thee, take hede in time, for when Virginius doth come, hee will 
 feke remedie to defende his doughter, and will knowe in what con- 
 dition and forte fhee is ordred, if fhee be referred to the feruitude 
 of this man. And for my part, my life fhall foner fayle in defend- 
 ing her libertie, then my faithe to her betrouthed." Appius per- 
 ceiuing the conftancie of Icilius, and that the people was in a 
 great mutine and fturre, difFerred the caufe of Virginia til the next 
 daye : whofe frends hoped by that time, that her father would be 
 at home: wherefore with all expedition they addrefl^ed mefl^en- 
 gers vnto him in the campe, bicaufe the faufgarde of his doughter 
 confifted in his prefence. In the meane time the Afl^ertor re- 
 quired the mayde, offering to put in baile ; the like offer made Ici- 
 
38 APPIUS CLAUDIUS 
 
 Hus, of purpofe to contriue and fpende the time, till the ariiiall of 
 Virginius. The multitude of their owne accordes, helde vp their 
 hands promifing to become furetie for Tcilius, vnto whome hee 
 gaue thankes, weping for ioye, to fe their kinde behauiour, and 
 faid : " I thanke you mofte hartely my beloued frendes, to morowe 
 I wil vfe your frendly offer, but at this prefent I haue fureties 
 fufficient." Whereupon Virginia was bailed. Then Appius re- 
 paired home, and wrote to his frendes in the campe, that in no 
 wyfe they fhould giue Virginius leaue to come to Rome, whiche 
 vngracious deuife came to late, and tooke none effefte. Whereupon 
 Virginius retourned home, and in poore and vile apparell, repaired 
 to the Forum, after whom followed a great nomber of matrones 
 and aduocates. Then he began to require them all of fuccour 
 and ayde, alledging that he was a Souldiour, and one that aduen- 
 tured him felfe, for the faufegarde and defence of them al : with 
 fuch like perfwafions to the multitude. Semblable wordes were 
 vttered by Icilius. All which doinges being viewed and marked 
 by Appius, in a greate furie he afcended the confiftorie. Then M. 
 Claudius the plaintife began to renewe his fate : and before the 
 father of the mayden could make anfwere to that plea, Appius 
 gaue fentence that the mayde was bonde : which fentence femed 
 fo cruell, as it appalled the whole multitude. And as Claudius 
 was laying handes vppon the virgine, Virginius ftepped to Appius, 
 and faid : " I haue betrouthed my doughter to Icilius, and not to 
 thee Appius. My care in the bringing of her vp, was to marrie 
 her, and not to fuffer her to be violated and defloured. It is 
 your maner, like fauage and cruell beaftes, indifferentlye thus to 
 vfe your flefhly affeftions : I can not tell whether the multitude 
 here prefent will fupporte this enormitie, but I am fure the armed 
 Souldiours, and men of warre, will not fuffer it." Marcus Claudius 
 being repulfed by the women, and Aduocates that were prefent, 
 filence was proclaymed by the Trumpet. Then Appius began to 
 declare how he vnderftoode, that all the night before, certaine 
 companies were affembled within the citie, to excite and moue 
 fedicion, for whiche caufe hee came with armed men, not to hurte 
 any that was quiet, but according to the authoritie of his office to 
 bridle and repreffe thofe, that were troublers of the publique ftate. 
 
AND VIRGINIA. 39 
 
 " Wherefore goe Seargeant (quod he) make roume emonges the 
 multitude, that the maifter may enioye his feruante." Which wordes 
 he thundered out with great furie, and therewithal! the multitude 
 gaue place, leauing the poore Pufelle to be a praye to the ennemy. 
 Her father feeing that hee was voyde of fuccoure and helpe, to 
 defende the innocencie of his doughter, fpake to Appius in this 
 forte : " I firfte doe befeche thee Appius, if I haue vfed any vn- 
 reafonable woordes againft thee, to pardone mee, and to impute the 
 fame to the Father's griefe and forowe. Suffer mee I praye thee, to 
 examine the Nourfle, in the prefence of the wenche, of the whole 
 circumftance of this matter, to the intent that if I be but a fup- 
 pofed father, I maye departe hence with quiet confcience fatiffied 
 and contented." Virginius hauing licence to talke with his doughter 
 and Nourffe, departed a fide into a place called Cloacina, where 
 the fhoppes be, nowe called Tabernae Nouae, and plucking a 
 fharpe knife from a Bocherthat fl:ode by, he thruft the fame to the 
 harte of his doughter, fayinge : " By this onely meanes (doughter) 
 I can make thee free:" And looking againe to the iudgement feate, 
 he faid : "This bloud Appius I confecrate and beftowe vpon thee." 
 Whiche done, with his fworde he made waye, to paffe through 
 the thronge to conueighe him felfe out of the citie. Then 
 Icilius and Numitorius tooke vp the dead bodie, and fhewed 
 it to the people, who cryed out vpon the wickedneffe of Appius, 
 bewayling the vnhappie beautie of that fayre maiden, and deplored 
 the neceffitie of the father. The women exclaimed in lamenta- 
 ble wyfe, faying : " Is this the condicion and ftate of them that 
 bring foorth children ? Be thefe the rewardes of chafl;itie?" With 
 fuche like pitifull cries, as women are wonte to make vpon fuche 
 heauie and dolorous euentes, Virginius being arriued in the campe, 
 whiche then was at the mount Vicelius, with a traine of fower 
 hundred perfones, that fled out of the Citie, {hewed to the Soul- 
 diours the bloudie knife, that killed his doughter, whiche fighte 
 aftonied the whole Campe : in fo muche as euery man demaund- 
 ed, what was the caufe of that fodain chaunce. Virginius could 
 not fpeake for teares, but at length he difclofed vnto them, the 
 effefte of the whole matter, and holding vp his handes towardes 
 the heauens, fayd : " I befeche you (deare companions) do not 
 
40 APPIUS CLAUDIUS 
 
 impute the wickednefle of Appius Claudius vpon mee, ne yet 
 that I am a paricide and murderer of mine own children : the life 
 of my dear doughter had bene more acceptable to me then mine 
 owne life, if fo be fhee might haue continued a free woman, and an 
 honeft virgine. But when I fawe fhe was ledde to the rape like a 
 bondwoman, I confidered, that better it wer her life to be lofte, 
 then fuffered to Hue in fliame : wherefore my naturall pitie was 
 conuerted to a kynde of crueltie. And for myne owne parte, I 
 doe not pafle to lyue long after her, if I thought I fhould not haue 
 your helpe and fuccour to reuenge her death. Confider that your 
 felues haue doughters, lifters, and wyues, thinke not therefore, 
 that the flelhlye defire of Appius is fatiffied with the death of my 
 doughter. And the longer that he doth continue in this fecuritie, 
 the more vnbrideled is his appetite. Let the calamitie of an other 
 be a fufKcient document for you, to beware like iniuries. My 
 wife is dead, by naturall fate and conftellation, and bicaufe my 
 doughter could continewe no longer in honefte and chafte life, 
 death is befallen vnto her : whiche although it be miferable, yet 
 the fame is honourable. There is nowe no place in my houfe for 
 Appius to fatiffie his filthie lufte : and I will fayle of my purpofe, 
 if I do not reuenge the death of my doughter with fo good will 
 vpon his fleflie, as I did difcharge the dilhonour and feruitude 
 of her from his violent and cruell handes." This fucclamation 
 and pitiful! complainte, fo flirred the multitude, that they pro- 
 mifed all to helpe and relieue his forowe. Whereupon, the whole 
 Campe were in a mutine and marched in order of battayle to the 
 mounte Auentine, where Virginius perfwaded the Souldiours, to 
 chofe ten principal! Captaines, to bee head and chiefe of that en- 
 terprife: whiche with honourable titles of the field, fhould be 
 called Tribuni. And Virginius him felfe being elefted the chiefe 
 Tribune, fayde thefe wordes to the Souldiours : " I praye you re- 
 ferue this eftimation, whiche you conceiue of me, vntill fome 
 better tyme and apter occafion, as well for your commoditie, as for 
 my felfe. The death of my doughter, will fuffer no honour to bee 
 pleafaunt or welcome to me, duringe my life. Moreouer in this 
 troubled ftate of the common wealth, it is not meete for them to 
 be your gouernours, that be fubiefit and occurrant to enuie and re- 
 
AND VIRGINIA. 4 1 
 
 prochj if my feruice fhall bee profitable vnto you when you haue 
 thus created me a Tribune, it fhall be no lefs commodious if I 
 doe ftill remaine a priuate man." When he had fpoken thofe 
 wordes, they chofe tenne Tribunes. And like as the campe at the 
 mounte Auentine, was prouoked and ftirred to this fedition, euen 
 fo by meanes of Icilius and Numitorius before remembred, the 
 Armie then beinge againft the Sabines began to reuolte and made 
 the like nomber of Tribunes, which in array of battaile, marched 
 through the citie, at the gate Colina, with banner difplaied, to 
 ioyne with the campe vpon the mount Auentine. And when both 
 the campes were aflembled, they chofe out two amonges the 
 twenty Tribunes, to be their generalles, called M. Opius and Sextus 
 Manilius. The Senate, careful and penfife for thefe euentes, eft- 
 fons aflembled, but no certaine determinations was agreed vpon. 
 At length they concluded, that Valerius and Horatius, fhould bee 
 fent to the mount Auentine to perfwade the people, but they 
 vtterlye refufed the meflage, vnleffe the Decemuiri were firft de- 
 pofed. The Decemuiri made aunfwere^ that they would not geue 
 ouer their authoritie, til fuch time as thofe lawes were ratified, 
 which were treated vpon, before they wer elected to that office. 
 Of all thefe contentions the people was aduertifed by M. Duillius 
 their Tribune. And when both their armies were ioyned at the 
 mount Auentine, aforefayd, al the multitude of the citie, men, 
 women, and children, repaired thither in forte, that Rome was 
 like a forlorne and abandoned place. The fathers feing the citie 
 thus relinquifhed, Horatius and Valerius, with diuers of the fathers, 
 exclamed in this wife. "What do ye expeft and looke for, ye 
 fathers confcript ? Will ye fuffer al thinges to runne to extreame 
 ruine and decay? Shall the Decemuiri ftill perfifte in their ftub- 
 burneand froward determinacions ? What maner of gouernement 
 is this (O ye Decemuiri) that ye thus lay holde vpon and enioye.' 
 Will ye pronounce and make lawes within your owne houfes, and 
 the limites of the fame ? Is it not a fhame to fe in the Forum a 
 greater nomber of your catchpolles and Sergeantes, then of other 
 fober and wife Citizens ? But what will ye doe, if the enemie vpon 
 the fodaine, dothe approche the walles ? What will ye do if the 
 people vnderftanding that we care not for their departure, do in 
 
42 APPIUS CLAUDIUS 
 
 armes aflaile vs ? Will ye finifhe your gouernement, with the 
 ouerthrowe of the citie: But either wee mufl: expell and abandon 
 the people, or els wee mufl: admitte the Tribunes. We ftiall foner 
 wante our Fathers and Senatours, then they their plebeian officers. 
 They bereued and toke awaye from vs the fathers a newe kinde of 
 authoritie, which was neuer fene before, who now feeling the 
 fweetnefle thereof, will neuer geue it ouer. For we can not fo 
 well temper our authoritie and gouernement, as they be able to 
 feke helpe and fuccour." The Decemuiri perceiuing that they were 
 hated, fo well of the Senate, as of the people, fubmitted them- 
 felues. And therupon Valerius and Horatius were fent to the 
 campe, to reuoke the people vpon fuche conditions as they thought 
 mofl:e meete. Then the Decemuiri were commaunded, to take 
 heede of the peoples furie. So fone as the Commiffioners were 
 come to the campe, they were received with great ioye and glad- 
 nefle of the people, becaufe they were the beginners of that fl:urre, 
 and fuppofed that they would make an ende of the commocion, 
 for whiche caufe they rendred to them their humble thankes. 
 Then Icilius was appointed to fpeake for the people, who required 
 to haue the authoritie of the Tribunes refiored, and their appeale 
 renewed, with reflitution of thofe lawes, which before the ereftion 
 of the Decemuiri, were ratified and confirmed. They demaunded 
 alfo an impunitie and free pardon to thofe that firfl:e encouraged 
 and incited the Souldiers to that enterprife, and the reftoring of 
 their liberties. They required to haue their enemies the Decemuiri, 
 to be deliuered into their handes. Whom they threatened to put 
 to death by fire. Whereunto the Commiffioners aunfwered in this 
 wife : "Your requeftes bee fo reafonable, that they ought willingly 
 to be graunted. All which ye defire to obtaine, as a defence and 
 comfort for your libertie, and not to perfecute and infeflie others. 
 Your furie and anger ought rather to be pardoned, then permitted 
 or graunted. Yee beare a face and feeme to deteft and hate feue- 
 ritie, and ye your felues incurre, and runne headlong into all kinde 
 of crueltie : and before ye be made free your felues, ye defire to 
 bee Lordes ouer your aduerfaries. Shall our citie neuer bee voide 
 of tortures and oppreffions : fometime of the fathers towardes the 
 people, fometime of the people towardes the fathers : you had more 
 
AND VIRGINIA. 43 
 
 neede of a fliilde to defende you, then of a fworde to fight. That 
 man is of a bafe ftate and courage we fuppofe, that liueth in a 
 citie and beareth him felf fo vpright, as neither he inferreth in- 
 iurie to others, ne yet fuffereth wrong him felfe. If ye fhew your 
 felues fo terrible, then it is to be fuppofed, that after ye haue re- 
 couered your lawes and magiftrates, and be placed again in your 
 former authoritie and preeminence : ye will alfo ordeine and ap- 
 pointe lawes ouer vs, that fliall concerne our Hues and goodes, and 
 euery other light matter. But for this prefent I would wifhe you, 
 to be contented with your former freedome." After the commif- 
 fioners had willed theim to confulte vppon fome determinate 
 aunfwere, they retourned to Rome, to make reporte to the Senate, 
 of the peoples requeftes. The Decemuiri perceiuing, that con- 
 trarie to their expectation, no likelihode was of any perfecution, 
 to be done vpon them, condefcended to thofe demaundes. Ap- 
 pius being a man of nature cruell and malicious, meafuring the 
 malice of others, by his owne maligne difpofition, fpake thefe 
 woordes : " I am not ignoraunte what fortune is nowe imminente : 
 for I do plainely fee that whiles weapons be deliuered to our ad- 
 uerfaries, the combate is deferred againfi: vs : with bloude, enuie 
 mufte be rewarded. I will not any longer delaie the time, but de- 
 priue my felfe of the decemuirate." When the Senate was aduer- 
 tifed by the Commiffioners, Valerius and Horatius, of the peoples 
 aunfwere, they decreed that the Decemuiri fhould be depofed, 
 and that Q. Furius the chief bifhop, fhould create that plebeian 
 Tribunes. Wherin alfo was enafted, that the departure of the 
 people, and rautine of the fouldiours fhould be pardoned. 
 
 When thefe lawes were renewed, the Decemuiri went foorth, 
 and openly in the afTemblie depofed them felues, to the great 
 ioye and comforte of them all. All whiche being reported to the 
 people: both the fouldiours, and the refl: of the multitude, were 
 fomoned to appeare before the commifioners, unto whom they 
 fpake thefe wordes. " We now befech you al, to retourne into 
 your countrie, to your domeflicall goddes, your wiues, and children, 
 which we trufle shal be right good, happie and profitable vnto 
 you, and to the common wealth. But your modeflie and fober be- 
 hauiour, for that no mans grounde is violated and deflroyed, con- 
 
44 APPIUS CLAUDIUS 
 
 fidering many thinges, could not fuffice the hugenefle of this 
 multitude, that part of modeftie, I faye, cary with you into the 
 citie, to your immortall fame and glorie. Get ye therfore to the 
 mounte Auentine, from whence ye departed, where, as in a place 
 mofte happie ye renewed the foundacions of yourauncientlibeirtie, 
 and there yee fhall create your Tribunes : the chiefe bifliop fhal 
 be prefent, to kepe the comitialles." Then the Romaine people 
 made Aulus Virginias, Lucius Icilius, and P. Numitorius the Tri- 
 bunes, who with their affiflantes, firft aduanced and confirmed 
 the libertie of the people. Afterward Virginius was appointed to 
 be the accufer, and Appius chofen to be the defendant. At the 
 day appointed, Appius reforted to the Forum, with a great com- 
 panie of yong gentlemen, of the patricial order, where Virginius 
 began to renewe the cruel and abhominable fafte, which Appius 
 committed in the time of his authoritie, and faid : " Oration was 
 firft deuifed and found out, for ambiguous and doubtfull caufes : 
 therefore I will neither confume time, in accufing him before you, 
 from whofe crueltie, ye haue by force defended your felues, nor 
 yet I wyll fuffer hym to coyne to his former wickednefl^e, any im- 
 pudente aunfwere for his defence. Wherefore Appius, all thofe 
 thynges whiche wyckedlye and cruellye one vpon an other, thou 
 hafte done thefe twoo yeares paft, I doe freely forgeue thee : but 
 if thou canft not purge thyfelfe of this one thing, that againft the 
 order and forme of lawe (thou thy felfe being judge) wouldeft not 
 fuffer the freman, to enioye the benefite of his freedome, during 
 the procefle made of feruitude, I will prefently commaunde the 
 to pryfon." Appius Claudius being nowe a pryfoner, and per- 
 ceiuing that the iuft complaintes of Virginius did vehemently 
 incite the people to rage and furie, and that the peticions and 
 prayers of his frendes in no wife could mollifie their hartes, he 
 began to conceiue a defperation, and within a whyle after flewe 
 him felfe. Spurius Oppius, alfo an other of the Decemuiri, was 
 immediatly fent to prifon, who before the daye of his iudgement 
 died. The refte alfo of that order fled into exile, whofe goods 
 were confifcate. M. Claudius alfo the aflertor was condempned : 
 howbeit Virginius was contented he ftiould be banifhed the citie, 
 and then he fled to Tybur. Thus vpon the filthie afleftion of 
 
AND VIRGINIA. 45 
 
 one noble man, ifllied paricide, murder, rebellion, hatred, depriu- 
 
 ing of magiftrates, and great mifchiefes fuccedinge one in an 
 
 others necke ; whereupon the noble and vi£lorious citie, was lyke 
 
 to be a praye to forren nations. A goodlie document to men of like 
 
 calling, to moderate them felues, and their magifterie with 
 
 good and honeft life, thereby to giue in- 
 
 couragement of vertue, to their vaf- 
 
 falles and inferiours : who for the 
 
 mofl: parte doe imitate and fol- 
 
 lowe the liues and conuerfa- 
 
 tion of their fu- 
 
 periours. 
 
46 CANDAULUS AND GYGES. 
 
 THE SIXTH NOUELL. 
 
 Candaules king of Lidia,Jhewing thefecretes of his wyues leautie to 
 Gyges, one of his guarde : was ly counfaile of his wife,flaine 
 ly the f aid Gyges, and depriued of his kingdome. 
 
 Of all follies wherewith vayne men be afFefted, the follie of immo- 
 derate loue is mofte to bee detefted. For that huiband, which is 
 beautified with a comely and honefi: wife^ whofe rare excellencie 
 doth furpafle otherj afwel in lineaments^ proporcioOj and feature 
 of bodie, as with inwarde qualities of minde : if he can not retaine 
 in the fecrecie and filence of his breaft, that excelling gifte and 
 benefite, is worthy to be inaugured with a Laurel crown of follie. 
 Beautie eche man knoweth, is one of natures ornamentes, by her 
 wifedome ordeined, not to enter in triumphe, as viftours vfe vpon 
 gaine of viftorie, with brauerie to oflentate their glorie, by found 
 of Shalme and Dromme, but thankefully for the fame, to proclaime 
 the due praife to the authour of nature. For there is nothing more 
 fraile and fading, then the luring lookes of dame beauties eies, 
 altogether like the flaring Marigold floure, which in the mofte 
 feruent heate of the Sommers day, doth appeare mofl glorious, 
 and upon retire of the nights fliadowe, appeareth as though it 
 had neuer bene the fame. And therfore he that conceiueth, 
 reioyce in her vncertayne ftate, is like to him that in his flom- 
 bring dreame, doth imagine he hath founde a perelefTe iewell, of 
 price ineflimable, befet with the gliftring Diamonde : and perfedlly 
 awaked, knoweth he hath none fuch. If God hath indued a man 
 with a wife that is beautifull and honeft, hee is furnifhed with 
 double pleafure; fuch, as rather thankes to him, then vain often- 
 tation is to be remembred : otherwife, he doateth, either in Jelofie 
 or openeth proude vauntes therof, to fuche as he thinketh to be 
 his moft afliired frendes. What ioye the fequele therof doth 
 bring, let the hiftorie infuing reporte. 
 
 Candaules king of Lydia, had a marueilous beautifull gentle- 
 woman to his Queene and wife, whome hee loued very dearlye. 
 
CANDAULUS AND GYGES. 47 
 
 and for that great loue whiche he bare her^ thought her the fay- 
 reft creature of the worlde. Being in this louing conceptj hee 
 extolled the prayfe of his wife, to one of his guarde called Gyges, 
 the fonne of Dafcylus (whom he loued aboue all the refte of his 
 houfholde, and vfed his counfayle, in all his weightie caufes) 
 within a whyle after he fayde vnto Gyges thefe woordes. " It 
 femeth vnto mee Gyges, that thou doeft not greatlye beleue the 
 woordes whiche I fpeake vnto thee, of the beautie of my wyfe, 
 but becaufe eyes bee better witneffes of thinges then eares, thou 
 fhalt fee her naked." With thefe woordes Gyges being amazed 
 cryed out, faying : " What woordes be thefe (fir king) me thynke 
 you are not well aduifed, to require mee to viewe and beholde the 
 Lady my maiftres in that forte ? For a woman feene naked, doth 
 with her clothes, put of alfo her chaftitie. In olde tyme honeft 
 thinges were deuifed for mannes inftrudtion, emonges which was 
 vfed this one thyng. That euery man ought to beholde, the 
 thinges that were his owne. But fir, I do beleue affuredly that 
 fhe is the faireft woman in the world, wherfore defire me not to 
 thynges that bee vnlawefull," In this forte Gyges replied, and 
 yet feared left fome daunger might happen vnto hym. Whome 
 Candaules encouraged, faying : " Bee of good chere, and be not 
 afrayde, that either I or my wyfe, goe about to deceiue thee, or 
 that thou {halt incurre anye daunger. For I wyll take vpon me fo 
 to vfe the matter, as fhe by no meanes fhall knowe that thou hafte 
 feene her. I wyll place thee behynde the portall of our chamber. 
 When I goe to bedde, my wyfe commonly doth followe. And 
 fhe being in the Chamber, a chayre is fette readye, vppon whiche 
 fliee layeth her clothes, as flie putteth them of Whiche done 
 fliee fheweth her felfe a good tyme naked : and when fhe ryfeth 
 from her chayre to goe to bedde, her backe beyng towarde thee, 
 thou mayeft eafilye conueyghe thy felfe out again, but in any 
 wyfe take heede, fhe doe not fee thee, as thou goeft out. Where- 
 unto I praye thee, to haue a fpeciall regarde." Gyges feyng that 
 by no meanes, hee could auoyde the vayne requefte of the king, 
 was readie at the tyme appoynted. Candaules about the howre 
 of bedde tyme, went into the Chamber, and conueighed Gyges 
 into the fame, and after the kyng the queene followeth, whome 
 
48 CANDAULUS AND GYGES. 
 
 Gyges behelde at her going in, and at the putting of her clothes 
 When her back was towardes him, (as he was going out) fhe per- 
 ceiued him. The queene vnderftanding by her hufbande, the 
 circumftance of the fafte, neyther for fhame did crie out, ne yet 
 made countenaunce as though fhee had feen Gyges ; but in her 
 minde purpofed, to reuenge her hufbandes follie. For emonges 
 the Lydians (as for the mofl: part, with all other nations) it is 
 coumpted a great fliame, to fee a naked man. The gentlewoman 
 counterfaited her grief, and kepte filence. In the morning when 
 fhe was redie, by fuch of her feruaunts, whome fhe befle trufted, 
 fhee fent for Gyges, who thought that fhee had knowen nothing 
 of that whiche chaunced. Being come before her prefence ; fhe 
 fayde vnto hym, " Gyges I offer vnto thee nowe twoo conditions, 
 take whether thou wylte. For eyther thou muft kill Candaules, 
 and take mee to thy wyfe, and the kyngdome alfo, or els thou muft 
 dye thy felfe, that thou maiefl vnderftande, how in all thynges 
 not meete to be knowen, it is not neceffarye to obeye Candaules. 
 For eyther hee mufte needes dye, whiche gaue thee that coun- 
 fayle, or thy felfe, which diddeft fee me naked, and thereby com- 
 mitted a thing vnlawfull." Whiche words for a while, did won- 
 derfully amafe Gyges, then he befought the Queene that flie 
 woulde pardon him from that vnlawfull choife. When he faw 
 that he coulde not perfwade her ; he required her to fhewe him 
 by what meanes he might attempt that enterprife. "Marie 
 (quoth fhe) euen in that place where thou fawefl me naked, when 
 he is a fleepe thou fhalt commit that fafte." After they had 
 deuifed the treafon, night approched. And Gyges with floute 
 courage, bent himfelfe thereunto, for he faw no remedye, but that 
 he mufl kill, or els be killed. Wherefore with a Dagger which 
 the Queene deliuered him, he killed Candaules, when he was a 
 fleepe ; and fo gotte from him both his wife and kingdome. A 
 goodly example to declare, that the fecrets of Marriage, ought not 
 to be difclofed : but with reuerence to be couered, left God do 
 plague fuch offences with death or other fhame, to manifefl 
 to the world, howe dearely hee efteemeth 
 that honourable flate. 
 
OF KING CENSUS AND THE WYSE MAN SOLON. 49 
 
 THE SEUENTH NOUELL. 
 
 King Crcsfus of Lydia reafoneth with the wyfeman Solon, of the 
 happie life of man. Who little ejieeming his good aduife, vnder- 
 fioode lefore his death, that no man [hut by vertue) can in this 
 life attaine felicitie. 
 
 A Noble Gentleman of Athens called Solon, by th' appointement 
 of the Athenians, made lawes for that citie, and becaufe none of 
 the fame lawes fhoulde be abrogated, for the fpace of tenne yeares, 
 hee bounde the Citizens by othe. And that the fame mighte the 
 better be obferued ; he himfelfe traueyled into farre countries, as 
 into Egipt to vifite king Hamafis, and fo to Sardis to kinge 
 Crsefus, where he was liberallie intertayned. This Crsefus was 
 king of Lydia, fonne of Haliattes, that brought to fubie6tion great 
 countries in Afia and Graecia, and gathered together an innume- 
 rable mafle of moneye and riches. Who three or foure dayes 
 after the arriuall of Solon (which was led aboute by his feruauntes, 
 to viewe his notable wealth and fubftaunce) faid vnto Solon thefe 
 wordes, "My frende of Athens, becaufe thy famous wyfedome 
 is well knowen to the worlde, and I haue heard tell of the excel- 
 lencie therof, and of the greatnes of thy trauaile, where thou 
 haft attaigned to the finguler knowledge of Philofophie; I defire 
 to learne of thee (now hauing feene my great treafures) who is the 
 happieft man and moft blefled, that thou knoweft in this world." 
 Thinking he would haue iudged him to be the fame. But Solon 
 made aunfwere, that, "Tellus was the happieft; who was an 
 Athenien, and had vertuous and honeft fonnes, and they likewife 
 had honeft children, all which were that time lining. And when 
 by the fpace of many yeares he had ledde a vertuous and godly 
 life, he died an honourable death in the warres which the Athe- 
 nians had with theyr neighbours, at the battaile of Eleufina. 
 Wher he was indued with fumptuous funerals, to his great honour 
 and prayfe." Then Crsefus aflced him : " Who was happie next 
 Tellus;" thinking hee would haue attributed to him the fecond 
 
 VOL. I. D 
 
so OF KING CR^SUS AND 
 
 place. " Forfoth (quoth he) that is Cleobis and Bito, which were 
 Argiues, and liued a contented life. And in all paftimes to proue 
 force and maifteriej they bare away the prife and viftorie. And 
 of them thefe thinges be remembred ; when the feaftfull day of 
 luppiter was celebrated amonges the Argiues j their mother fliould 
 be caried to the Temple in a Chariot, drawen with a yoke of Oxen, 
 which were not come out of the countrie at the appointed time. 
 The yonge men feinge that the hower was come, entred into the 
 yoke themfelues, and drewe the chariotte the fpace of XLV. ftades 
 to the Temple. After this adte feene of all the people there, th'ende 
 of their life was fuch, as certainly God gaue to vnderftand by them, 
 that better it is to die, then line. For the Argiues that were af- 
 fsmbled about Bito and Cleobis, with flioutes and acclamations, 
 praifed the good willes of thofe children, and the women them- 
 felues faid, 'That happie was the mother, which brought forth 
 fuch lineage.' Their mother then ioyfuU for that ia.€t, and of the 
 reputation of her fonnes, kneeled downe before the Image of luno, 
 humbly befeechinge her to giue her fonnes the thinge that were 
 befl: for a man to attaine vnto. Her prayer ended, flie made her 
 facrifice, which done, the two yonge men prefently died in the 
 temple. In token of whofe noble Hues, the Argiues erefted two 
 Images at Delphos." And to them Solon appointed the fecond 
 place of bliffulnes. Crsefus moued with thefe words, faid 
 vnto Solon. " Thou ftraunger of Athens, is our felicitie in fuch 
 litle reputation with thee that thou doeft preferre before vs thefe 
 priuatemen?" Solon aunfwered : "Sirfhal I aflure youof humaine 
 things, knowing that God enuieth the ftate of men, and troubleth 
 them fo often : in length of time many thinges be feen, which 
 men would not fee, and many thinges be fuffred, that men would 
 not fuffer. Let vs afligne to mans life the terme of lxx. yeres : in 
 which yeares are the nomber of xxv.m.cc. dayes, in which com- 
 putation the leape moneth, which is February, is not comprehend- 
 ed. But if you wil that other yeres be longer, by reafon of that 
 moneth, to th' end the howers may be adioyned to them, that want 
 then the leape monethes, maketh the time to amount (aboue lxx. 
 yeares) to xxv. monethes, and the dayes of thofe monethes amount 
 to M.v.c. But admit that lxx. yeares with their leape monethes, be 
 
THE WYSE MAN SOLON. S I 
 
 the total fumme of man's life, then is produced the fumme of xxv. 
 M. cc, dayes. Truly one day is not like an other in effecSl, euen fo 
 Craefus I conclude, that man is ful of miferie. But althoughe your 
 grace, feeming both in wealth, and alfo in multitude of men, to be 
 a riche and mightie king, yet I cannot aunfwere fullye your 
 demaunde, before I fee howe well you doe ende your life : for the 
 rich man is not more happie, becaufe he hath long life, except to his 
 riches fortune graunt that he lead a good and honeft life. Many 
 men be very rich, and yet for all that be not bleffed and happie : 
 and manye that haue but meane wealth, be fortunate. He that is 
 rich and wealthie, and therewithal not happie, excelleth him 
 that is fortunate and happy onely in two thinges, but th'other fur- 
 mounteth the riche man in many thinges. The two thinges where- 
 in the rich excelleth th'other be thefe. Th'one in fatiffying his 
 luft and affection, th'other in power and abilitie, to fufleine harde 
 fortune and aduerfitie; and as the meane man is inferiour to the 
 rich in thefe two points, which by fortune be denied him, yet he 
 doth excell him, becaufe he neuer hath experience of them ; he 
 liueth in good and profperous health, he neuer feeleth aduerfitie, 
 he doth nothing that, is wicked, he is a father of good children, 
 he is indued with formofity and beautie, who if (befides all thofe 
 thinges) he die well, it is he to aunfwere your demaunde that 
 worthely may be called happie j for before he die he cannot be fo 
 called : and yet fortunate he may be termed. For to obtaine all 
 (whiles you be a lining man) it is impoffible : for as one countrie 
 is not able to ferue it felfe with all commodities, but hauing one 
 it lacketh an other : yet the fame countrie that hath moft com- 
 modities is the befte : and as a man's bodie hauing one perfeftion 
 is not perfeft, becaufe in hauing one he lacketh another : euen fo 
 he that hath moft vertue, and is indued with greateft nomber of 
 the aforefaid commodities, and fo quietly departeth his life, he in 
 mine opinion is worthy to be intitled with the name of a king. A 
 man muft expeft th'ende of euery thinge whereunto it tendeth : 
 for God plucketh vppe by the rootes many men, to whom hee 
 hath giuen abundaunce of wealth and treafure." Craefus mifliking 
 the woordes of Solon fufFred him to depart faying : " He was a 
 foole that meafured prefent pleafures with no better regard." After 
 
52 OF KING CR^SUS AND THE WYSE MAN SOLON. 
 
 whofe departure, the gods began to bende their indignation and 
 difpleafure vpon him, becaufe he thoughte himfelfe the happieft 
 man aliue. Long time after, Craefus receyuing courage and com- 
 fort from Apollo at Delphos, attempted warres againft Cyrus 
 kinge of Perfia, who in thofe warres was ouerthrowen, and taken 
 prifoner after he had raigned xiiii. yeares, and was broughte by the 
 Perfians to Cyrus. Then Cyrus caufed a ftacke of woode to be 
 piled vp, and Craefus fettred with giues, was fet vpon the fame : 
 who then remembring the faying of Solon, that no lining man 
 was blefled, or in all pointes happie, cried out in lamentable wyfe, 
 "O Solon! Solon! Solon!" which Cyrus hearing, caufed his interpre- 
 ters to demaund of him, what the fame Solon was. Craefus with 
 much difficultie toulde what he was, and declared all the talke be- 
 twene him and Solon. Wherof when Cyrus heard the report, he 
 acknowledged himfelfe to be alfo a man, and fore repented that he 
 went about to burne him, which was equal vnto him in honour and 
 riches, confeffing nothing to be fiiable and certaine in the life of 
 man. Wherupon he commaunded the fire to be taken awaye, which 
 then began to flame. And fo with much a doe, he was deliuered. 
 Then Cyrus alked him, who gaue him counfaile to inuade his 
 countrie, to make his frende his foe. " Euen my felfe (faide Crae- 
 fus) through vnhappie fate, by the perfwafion of the Greekifh God 
 which gaue me counfaile, to make warres vpon thee : for there 
 is no man fo madde, that had rather defire warre then peace. 
 For in peace fonnes burie their fathers, but in warres, fa- 
 thers burie their children. But that thefe thinges 
 be come to pafle, I maye thancke the deuil's 
 good grace.'' Afterward Cyrus intertain- 
 ed him very honourablie, and vfed his 
 counfell, which he found 
 very holfome 
 and good. 
 
RHACON AND CARTOMES. S 3 
 
 THE EIGHTH NOUELL. 
 
 Of a father that madefuite, to haue his ownefonne put to death. ■ 
 
 There was a man borne in Mardus (which is a Countrie adioyning 
 vnto Perfia) called Rhacon, that had feuen children. The yong- 
 eft of them (named Cartomes^) afflifted diuers honeft men with 
 greate harmes and mifchiefes. For which caafe the father began 
 to reforme him with words, to proue if he would amend. But he 
 litle waying the good difcipline of his father, it chaunced vpon a 
 time that the luftices of the countrie, repaired to the Seffions in 
 that towne, where the father of the childe did dwell, Who taking 
 his fonne, and binding his handes behinde him, brought him 
 before the ludges. To whom hee remembred by waye of accufa- 
 tion, all the mifchiefes, which his fonne from time to time had 
 committed, and defired the ludges, that he might be condempned 
 to die. The ludges amazed with that requeft, would not them- 
 felues giue fentence againft him, but brought both the father and 
 the fonne, before Artaxerxes the king of Perfia : in whofe pre- 
 fence the father ftill perfifted in the accufation of his fonne. 
 " Why (quoth the king) canft thou finde in thy harte, that thine 
 owne fonne fhould be put to death before thy face ? " " Yea truly 
 (quoth the father,) for at home in my garden, when the yong Lac- 
 tufe begin to growe, I cutte of the bitter and fower ftalkes from 
 them : for pitie it were the mother Laftufe fhould fuftaine forow, 
 for thofe baftard and degenerate fhrubbes : which beinge taken 
 awaye, fhe profpereth and encreafeth to great fweetenefle and 
 bignes. Euen fo (0 kinge) if he be hanged that hurteth my whole 
 familie, and offendeth the honefl: conuerfation of his brethren, both 
 my felfe flialbe increafed, and the refte of my flocke and linage 
 fhall in like fort profper and continue," The king hearing thofe 
 words, did greatly praife the wifedom of Rhacon, and chofe him 
 to be one of his ludges, pronouncing thefe wordes before the mul- 
 titude. " Hee that dare thus feuerely and iuftly pronounce fen- 
 tence vpon his owne child, doubtles he wil fhew himfelfe to be an 
 incorrupt and fincere ludge vpon the offences of other." Then 
 the kinge deliuered the yongman, from that prefente faulte, threat- 
 ninge him with moft cruell death, if after that time, he were ap- 
 prehended with like offence. 
 
54 ARTAXERXES. 
 
 THE NINTH NOUELL. 
 
 Water offered of good will to Artaxerxes King of Perfa, and the 
 liberall rewarde of the Kinge to the giuer. 
 
 There was a certaine Perfian called Sinetas, that farre from his 
 owne houfe mette king Artaxerxes^ and had not wherwith to pre- 
 fent him. For it was an order amonges the Perfians, inftituted 
 by law, that euery man which met the king, Ihould giue him a pre- 
 fent. Wherfore the poore man becaufe he would not neglefte his 
 dutie, ranne to a Riuer called Cyrus, and taking both his hands full 
 of water, fpake to the king in this wife. " I befeech God that your 
 maieftie may euermore raigne amonges vs. As occafion of the 
 place, and mine ability at this inftant ferueth, I am come to honour 
 your maiefty, to the intent you may not pafTe without fome 
 prefent, for which caufe I giue vnto you this water. But if your 
 grace had ones encamped your felfe, I would go home to my 
 houfe, for the befl and deareft thinges I haue to honour your 
 maieftie withall. And peraduenture the fame fhall not be much 
 inferiour to the giftes, which other now do giue you." Artaxerxes 
 delighted with this fa£l, fayde vnto him. "Goode fellowe I thancke 
 thee for this prefente, I affure thee, the fame is fo acceptable vnto 
 me, as the moft precious gift of the worlde. Firft, becaufe water 
 is the beft of all thinges, then becaufe the Riuer, out of the which 
 thou diddeft take it, doth beare the name Cyrus. Wherefore I 
 commaunde thee to come before me when I am at my campe." 
 In fpeakinge thofe wordes, he required his Eunuches to take the 
 prefent, and to put it into a cuppe of gold. The king when he was 
 lodged in his pauilion, fent to the man a Perfian robe, a Cuppe of 
 Golde, and a thoufande Darices, (which was a coigne amonges the 
 Perfians, wherupon was the Image of Darius) willinge the mef- 
 fenger to faye vnto him, thefe wordes. " It hath pleafed the king, 
 that thou fhouldeft delighte thy felfe, and make mery with this 
 gold, becaufe thou diddeft exhilarate his minde, in not fuffering 
 him to pafle, without the honour of a prefent : but as neceflitie 
 
ARTAXERXES. 5 S 
 
 did feme thee, diddeft humblie falute him with water. His plea- 
 sure is alfo, that thou flialt drincke of that water in this Cuppe of 
 gold, of which thou madeft him partaker." 
 
 Artaxerxes hereby expreffed the true Image of a princely minde, 
 
 that would not difdaine cherefully to behold the homelie gifte (in 
 
 our eftimation rude, and nothing worth) at the handes of his poore 
 
 fubieft : and liberally to reward that duetifull zeale, with thinges 
 
 of greate price and valour. To the fame Artaxerxes, riding in pro- 
 
 greffe through Perfia, was prefented by one called Mifes, a very 
 
 great Pomegranate in a Siue. The king marueiling at the bignes 
 
 therof, demaunded of him out of what garden he had gathered the 
 
 fame : he aunfwered, out of his owne. Wherat the king greatlye 
 
 reioyfinge, recompenced him with princelye rewards, faying: 
 
 "By the Sunne (for that was the common oth of the Perfian 
 
 kinges) this man is able with fuch trauaile and diligence 
 
 in my iudgement to make of a litle citie, one that 
 
 fhal be large and great." Which wordes feeme 
 
 to declare, that all thinges by care, fuffici- 
 
 ente paine and continual labour, may 
 
 againft nature, be made more 
 
 excellent and 
 
 better. 
 
5 6 MENAUPPUS AND CHARITON. 
 
 THE TENTH NOUELL. 
 
 The hue of Chariton and Menalippus. 
 
 NowE will I rehearfe afadl of the tyrant Phalaris farre difcrepante 
 from his conditions, becaufe it fauoureth of great kindnes and 
 humanitye, and feemeth not to be done by him. Chariton was 
 an Agrigentine borne, which is a towne in Sicilia, and a great 
 louer of beauty, who with ardent affefilion loued one Menalippus, 
 which was alfo borne in that Citie, of honeft conditions and of ex- 
 cellente forme and comelines. This tyraunt Phalaris hindred 
 Menalippus in a certaine fute : for he contending in iudgement 
 with one of Phalaris frendes, the tyraunt commaunded him 
 to giue ouer his fuite : whervnto, becaufe he was not obedient, he 
 threatned to put him to death, except he would yelde. Notwith- 
 ftanding, Menalippus ouer came him in law, and the noble men 
 which were the frends of Phalaris, would giue no fentence, but 
 brought the matter to a Nonefuite ; which the yong man takinge 
 in ill part, faid he had receiued wrong, and confeffed to his frend 
 Chariton the wrong he had fuftained, requiring his ayde to be 
 reuenged upon the tyrant. He made other yonge men priuie to his 
 confpiracie, fuch as he knewe woulde be ready and apte for that 
 enterprife. Chariton perceyuinge the rage and furie of his frende, 
 knowinge that no man would take his parte for feare of the tyraunt, 
 began to diffwade him, fayinge, that he himfelfe went aboute the 
 like attempte, a litle before, to deliuer his country into llbertie 
 from prefent feruitude, but he Was not able to fort the fame to 
 any effeft, without great daunger : wherefore he praied hym to 
 commit the confideration thereof vnto him, and to fuffer him to 
 efpie a time apt and conuenient. Menalippus was content: Cha- 
 riton reuoluing with himfelfe that deuife, woulde not make his 
 deare frend a partaker of the faft leaft it Ihoulde be perceiued, 
 but he alone took vppon him to do the deede, that onely himfelfe 
 might fuftaine the fmart ; wherefore taking a fword in his hande, 
 as he was feeking way to giue the affault vpon the tyraunt, his 
 enterprife was difclofed, and Chariton apprehended by the Guarde, 
 which for the tyrauntes defence, diligently attended about him. 
 
MENALIPPUS AND CHARITON. S7 
 
 From thence he was fent to the Jaole, and examined vpon interro- 
 gatories to bewraye the reft of the confpiratours ; for which hee 
 fufFered the racke, and the violence of other tormentes. After- 
 wardeSj Menalippus remembring the conftancie of his frende, and 
 the crueltye by him ftoutly fuffered, went to Phalaris and con- 
 feffed vnto him that not onely he was priuy to that treafon, but 
 alfo was the aufthour thereof. Phalaris demaundinge for what 
 caufe he did it, tolde him the confideration before rehearfed, 
 which was the reuokinge of fentence, and other iniuries done vnto 
 him. The tyraunt maruaylinge at the conftant frendfhippe of thofe 
 twaine, acquited them both, but vppon condition that both 
 fhoulde depart oute of the citie and countrie of Sicilia. Neuer- 
 thelefle, he gaue them leaue to receiue the fruites and commodi- 
 ties of their reuenues. In record and remembrance of whofe 
 amitie, Apollo fang thefe Verfes. 
 
 The rayfers vp of heauenly hue, 
 
 amonges the humaine kinde : 
 Were good Chariton and Menalippe, 
 
 whofe like vnneths wefinde. 
 
 This Phalaris was a moft cruell tyraunte of the citie of Agrigen- 
 tine in Scicilia, who befides other inftrumentes of new deuifed 
 tormentes, had a Bull made of Braffe, by the art and inuention of 
 one Perillus : into which Bull, all fuch as were condemned to 
 death were put, and by reafon of extreame heate of fire made 
 vnder the fame, thofe that were executed, yelled foorth terrible 
 foundes and noyfes, like to the lowing of a Bull. For which ingine 
 and deuife, Perillus thinking to obtaine great reward, was for his 
 labour, by commaundement of the tyraunt, throwen into the Bull, 
 being the firft that fhewed the proofe of his deuife. Within a 
 while after, alfo Phalaris himfeife, for his gr^at crueltie, was by a 
 general aflault, made vpon him by the people, haled into the fame 
 Bull and burned : and althoughe this tyraunte farre excelled in 
 beaftlye crueltie, yet there appeared fome fparke of humanitie in 
 him, by his mercye extended vpon Chariton and Menalippus, the 
 two true louers before remembred. The fame Phalaris wrote 
 many proper and Ihort Epiftles, full of vertuous inftruftions, and 
 holfome admonitions. 
 
58 KING CYRUS 
 
 THE ELEUENTH NOUELL. 
 
 Kinge Cyrus perfwaded by Arafpas, to difpofe himfelfe to hue a 
 ladie called Panthea, entretk into apretie difputation and talke 
 of hue and leautie. Afterwards Arafpas himfelfe falleth in 
 hue with the faide ladie, hut Jhe indued with greate chq/iitie, 
 auoydeth his earneji fute. And whenfhee heard tell that her 
 hufbande wasflaine in the feruice of Cyrus, fhe killed herfelfe. 
 
 Before the beginning of this Hiftorie, I thought good by way 
 of Proeme, to introduce the wordes of an excellente writer called 
 Lodouicus Caelius Ehodoginus^ who faith that S. Hierome the 
 moft holy and eloquent father, affirmeth that vertues are not to be 
 pondered by the fexe or kinde^ by whom they be done, but by the 
 chafte and honeft minde; wherewith if euer any woman was 
 aifeiShed, truly it was the fayre Ladie Panthea: for which I would 
 no man fhould blame me of vngodlines, or indifcretion, in that I 
 do remember a woman mentioned in profane authours, becaufe at 
 this prefent I am not minded to make vewe of Chrifte his fecretes 
 which are his deuine Scriptures, wherein be contayned the Ghoftly 
 Hues of facred dames, wherein alfo aboundantly doth fhine and 
 glitter, the celeftiall mercie of our heauenly Father. But let the 
 Reader rememberthat we be now conuerfant in the auncient monu- 
 ments of other profane aufthours, and out of them do feledl 
 moft pleafant places to recreat ech weary minde. This Panthea 
 therfore as Xenophon writeth, and partly as S. Hierome report- 
 eth, was the wyfe of Abradatas a noble perfonage, and in war- 
 licke faftes very Ikilfull, dearely beloued of Cyrus king of Perfia, 
 with whom this Lady Panthea was captiue, at the ouerthrow of the 
 Affyrians. King Cyrus then after his enemyes were vanquifhed, 
 hearinge tell of this gentlewoman, called vnto him one of his 
 deareft frends named Arafpas which was a Median borne, the 
 very minion, playe felow, and companion of Cyrus from his youth : 
 to whom for the great loue that he bare him, he gaue the Median 
 robe of from his owne backe at his departure from Aftiages into 
 
AND THE LADIE PANTHEA. 59 
 
 Perfia. To this gentleman, king Cyrus committed the cuftodie of 
 the ladicj and of her tente. Abradatas her hufbande (when flie 
 was taken prifoner) was before fente in ambaflage to the king of 
 Baftria by the Affirian king, to intreate of peace, becaufe he was 
 his familiar frend. When Arafpas had receiued the keeping of the 
 ladie: he alked Cyrus whether he had feen her, "No truly" faid 
 Cyrus. " Then haue I (faide Arafpas) : and haue chofen her 
 fpecially for your owne perfon. And when we came into her paui- 
 lion, none of us could tell which was fhe, for {he fet vppon the 
 grounde, with all her women about her, and her apparell was like 
 vnto her maides. But we defirous to know which was the maif- 
 tres, beheld them all, and by and by fhee feemed to excell them all, 
 although fhe fatte with her face couered, loking downe vpon the 
 grounde : and when we bad her to rife vp, all the reft rofe up alfo. 
 She did farre furmounte her maides, as well in making and linea- 
 mentes of body, as in good behauiour and comelinefle, although 
 fhe was clad in fimple apparell : the teares manifeftly ranne downe 
 her eyes vppon her garments, diftilling downe euen to her feete; 
 to whom he that was mofl auncient amonges vs faid : 'Be of good 
 chere lady : we heare tell that you haue a very valiaunte man to 
 your hufbande, fuch one whofe practize and experience is well 
 knowen and tryed amongs greateft princes, notwithftanding we 
 haue chofen for you a gentleman, that is not inferiour to him, 
 either in beautie, force, wifedome or valiaunce. And we do verely 
 beleeue, that if there be any man in this world, worthie of admira- 
 tion, it is Cyrus our Prince and Lorde, whofe paragon wee haue 
 chofen you to bee.' When the Lady hearde them faye fo, fhe tare 
 the attirement from her head and body, fhe cried out, and all her 
 maides fkriched with her. At which times the greateft part of her 
 face appeared, and fo did her necke and handes : And afTure your 
 felfe (Cyrus) to vs that viewed her well, it feemed impoffible, 
 that fuch a creature coulde be borne of mortall parentes in Afia. 
 Therefore fir, looke vppon her in any wife." To whom Cyrus faid, 
 " The more praife ye giue her, the lefTe minde I haue to fee her, if 
 fhee be fuch one as you haue faide." " And whye fo ? " (quoth Araf- 
 pas). "Becaufe (fayde Cyrus) if I fhould go to fee her, hearing 
 you make this reporte of her beautie (leafure not feruinge me 
 
6o KING CYRUS 
 
 thereunto) I am afraide, left fhe would fone alure me to go many 
 times to behold her. Whereby I might perchaunce, grow negligent 
 in my matters of greateft importance." The yong gentleman fmil- 
 ing, faid, " Thincke you Cyrus, that the beauty of a woman, can 
 force a man vnwiliing, to attempt a thinge that fhould not be meete 
 for him. If nature haue that force in her, fhe would compel] all 
 men alike. Do you not fee, that fire burneth all men after one 
 fort, becaufe it is his nature? Beautiful 1 thinges be not had in 
 equall eftimation, fome be of great price, fome not fo, fome do 
 regarde this, fome that. For loue is a voluntarie thing, and euery 
 man loueth what he lift. The brother is not in loue with the fifter, 
 but of another flie is loued. The father is not in loue with the 
 doughter, and yet fhe is beloued of another. For feare and law 
 are able enough to reftraine loue. But if there were a law made 
 to commaund men, that they which did not eate, fhould not be 
 hungrie, and they that did not drinke, fhould not be a thirft, and 
 that no man fhould be cold in Winter, and hotte in Sommer, that 
 lawe coulde not compell men to obeye : for men by nature be 
 fubiefl: to thofe infirmities. But to loue, is a thinge free and volun- 
 tarie. Euery man loueth thinges that be his owne, as his apparell 
 and other his necefTaries." Wherunto Cyrus replied : " If loue be 
 voluntary: how can it be that a man may abandon the fame, 
 when he lifte ? But I haue feene men weepe for forowe of loue : I 
 haue knowen them that haue beene flaues to loue, who before 
 they haue loued, haue thoughte thraldome, the greateft euill: 
 geuing awaye man ye thinges, which had beene better for them to 
 haue kept : and haue prayed to God to be exonerated of loue, 
 aboue all other difeafes, and yet coulde not be deliuered, being 
 bound with ftronger imprifonment then if they had beene tied 
 with chaines, yelding themfelues to their louers, feruing them 
 with all obedience. And when they be hampered with fuch mis- 
 chiefes, they feeke not to auoide them." " They do fo in deede 
 as you faye (aunfwered the yong man:) And therefore fuch louers 
 be miferable, wifhing ftill to die and yet ftill continue in their 
 woe and calamitie: And where there be a thoufande wayes to 
 bereue them of life, yet they do not die. Some of them fall to 
 ftealing and robbing of other men. But when they haue robbed 
 
.AND THE LADIE PANTHEA. 6 1 
 
 and ftolen anye thing thou with the firfl: thinkinge theft vnneces- 
 fary, doeft condemne them as theeues^ whom thou dofl: not pardon, 
 but punifh. In like maner the beautifull doe not councell men to 
 loue them, or couet that is not lawful : But miferable men fhewing 
 themfelues inferiour to all luftes and defires, doe in the ende 
 accufe Loue to be the authour of their miferie. Good and honeft 
 men, althoughe they defire golde, beautifull horfes and faire 
 women, yet they can well ynoughe abftaine from them all, as not 
 fubieft to them more then is meete : For I my felfe haue beholden 
 this woman, which feemeth to be a furpaffing faire wight: and 
 yet I am now with you, I ryde and do other thinges accordinge 
 to my dutie." "Peraduenture (faid Cyrus) you went foner 
 awaye, then loue coulde haue time to faften vppon you : For fire 
 touchinge a man, doth not flraite burne him : And woode is not 
 by and by in flame, yet would I not willingly touch fire, nor behold 
 beautiful perfons : and I would giue you counfaile Arafpas, to 
 beware how you fufFer your eyes to rolle, and wander vpon faire 
 women : for the fire burneth them, that touch it : and beautifull 
 folke, do kindle them, that behold them a farre of, in fuch wife as 
 they burne for loue." " I warrant you Cyrus (fayd Arafpas :) for if 
 I do continually loke vpon them, I wil not fo be drowned in loue, 
 as the fame fliall prouoke me to do any thing that doth not 
 become mee." ''You faye well, fayd Cyrus, Therfore keepe this 
 woman as I bid you, and loke wel vnto her : For peraduenture ftie 
 is taken in good time." And fo they departed : The yong gentle- 
 man marking the finguler beautie of the Lady, and perceyuing her 
 great honefly, he hauing cuftodie of her, thoughte he woulde do 
 her pleafure, and by gefture fawe that fhe was not ingrate and vn- 
 thanckfull, but very diligent : She caufed her feruauntes to pre- 
 pare all thinges in readines at his comming in : and if he were by 
 chaunce ficke, fhee toke order that he flioulde lacke nothinge: 
 vpon which occafions, he fell in loue <vith her : and no maruaile, 
 for fhe was (as before is faide) a woman very fayre and amiable. 
 Afterwards king Cyrus defirous to fend a fpie into the countrie of 
 Lydia, to learne what the Aflyrians did : Arafpas which had the 
 keepinge of the fayre Lady, feemed moft mete for that purpofe. 
 But Arafpas chaunced to fall in loue with the Ladie, in fuche wife 
 
62 KING CYRUS 
 
 as he was forced to breake his minde vnto her, for the fatiffying 
 of his pleafure : which requeft, like a faithfull and louing woman 
 to her abfent hulband, Ihe denyed. Howbeit flie would not accufe 
 Arafpas to Cyrus, being a fraide to fet variaunce betweene 
 frendes. Arafpas thinkinge it a great fhame and reproche vnto 
 him, not to obtaine his defire : threatened the Lady, that if fhe 
 would not yeld to his requefi:, he would haue it perforce. Then 
 the woman fearing violencCj kepte the thing no longer fecrete, 
 but fente one of her Eunuches to Cyrus, to difcouer the whole 
 matter: which when he heard, he laughed hartely at Arafpas, 
 that fayde and made his vaunte that he was fuperiour to loue, 
 fending Artabafus with the Eunuch, to commaund him not to force 
 the woman : but if he could by fayre meanes allure her, he would 
 not be againft him. When Artabafus came to Arafpas, he rebuked 
 him, both for his infidelity in the thinge committed vnto his charge, 
 and alfo for his wickednefle, iniurie, and incontinencie. Wher- 
 withall Arafpas wepte for forowe, beinge oppreffed wyth fliame, 
 and confounded with feare, for the difpleafure of Cyrus : whiche 
 thing Cyrus vnderftanding, called him, and priuely fayd thus 
 vnto him. " I fee Arafpas that you be afraied of me, and much 
 afliamed : but be contente, for I knowe that the goddes haue bene 
 vanquifhed with loue, and haue learned what thinges the wifeft 
 men haue fufFered for loue : and I haue accufed my felfe, bicaufe 
 I could not conteine, being in companie with faire perfonages : 
 and of this mifhappe happened to you, I my felfe am the occafion, 
 for I compelled you to that inuincible matter." Arafpas making 
 aunfwere fayd : " You be in this thing, O Cyrus, euen like vnto 
 your felfe, as you be in all other : you be mercifull, and full of 
 clemencie : but the brute that fliall rife hereof is, that whiche 
 maketh me mofte penfife, for fo fone as the rumour of my cala- 
 mitie is difperfed, mine enemies will reioyce, and my frendes 
 will counfaill me to flee, left youre maieftie do hainoufly take 
 reuenge of mine offence." " Well Arafpas, faid Cyrus, by that 
 opinion and brute, you fhall do me . greateft feruice, and pro- 
 file very muche my confederates." " How can that be (faid Araf- 
 pas) ? where in for that refpeft fliall I be able to doe you any 
 feruice.'" "If prefently (quoth Cyrus) you do make as though 
 
AND THE LADIE PANTHEA. 63 
 
 you fledde from me, and by going to myne enemies, you maye 
 Wynne of them great credite," " Verely (fayd Arafpas) I fuppofe 
 that I and my frendes, might raife a rumour indeede, that I am 
 fled from you for feare." " So may you (fayd Cyrus) returne vnto 
 vs againe, when you knowe our enemies fecretes ; for I thinke 
 they will make you priuie to all their counfell and deuifes : and 
 you being in credit, fliall be made priuie to all their appointementes 
 whiche wee defire to knowe." " I will euen nowe depart (fayd 
 Arafpas) for it is very likely, that this my departure, may feme to 
 be an argument of trouth, bicaufe I feme to flie for feare of puniflie- 
 ment." " Can you in that maner forfake faire Panthea " (quoth 
 Cyrus). "Truely (faid he) it euidently nowe appeareth, that I 
 am endewed with two mindes : with the one I haue plaied the 
 philofopher, with loue that vntrue Sophiftre : for ther is no one 
 minde which is good and badde, and at one time is rapt with the 
 loue of good and euil thinges, ne yet at one inftant can wil and 
 will not together. Wherefore it is manifeft, that ther be two 
 mindes ; when the good minde ruleth, it doth things that be honeft, 
 when the euill is fuperiour, it worketh ill : and now the good 
 minde, by making you his frende and confederate, doth puiflantly 
 gouerne." "Well (fayde Cyrus) if you goe, you muft beware, 
 that your credite may increafe amonges them : tell them hardly 
 the fomme of our indeuours, but in fuche wife as our doinges 
 may bee lettes to their pra6tifes. And this fhall hinder their 
 deuifes muche, if you faie that we determine to inuade their coun- 
 trie : for hearing this, they will not aflemble their whole power, 
 euery man fearing his priuate part : and fee that you tary with 
 them a good fpace, and looke which partes they meane foneft to 
 approche, the fame be mofte conuenient for vs to knowe : and 
 bid them to be ready, whenfoeuer they thinke time : for when you 
 fhall depart from them, although they know you to be priuie to 
 their order, yet they mufl: needes kepe the fame, and be afrayd to 
 alter it, left they confounde them felues through their fodaine 
 chaunge." Thus Arafpas departing, telling his mofte truftie fer- 
 uauntes what hee would have done in this matter, went his waye : 
 but Panthea hearing that Arafpas was gone, fent to Cyrus this 
 meflage conteining thefe woordes. 
 
64 KING CYRUS 
 
 "Bee not forie Cyrus, for the departure of Arafpas to your 
 enemies, for if you wyll fufFer mee to fende for my hufbande, 
 I doe promyfe you, that he ftialbe a farre more aflured frende 
 then Arafpas was. And I knowe he wyll come with fo great 
 power (for your ayde) as hee is able to make, for the father of 
 the Affirian kyng, whiche nowe raigneth, was his frende. But 
 this kyng vppon a tyme, went about to make a diuorcement, 
 betweene my hufbande and mee: therefore, knowyng that this 
 kyng, doth difdayne my hufbandes good fortune, by hauing mee 
 to wife, I am fure hee woulde fone be perfwaded to ferue fo 
 noble a Prince as you be." Cyrus hearing her faye fo, commaund- 
 ed her to fende for her hufbande, which flie did. Abradatas know- 
 ing his wiues tokens, and vnderftanding the eifefte of her mes- 
 fage, fpedely came to Cyrus with two thoufand horfemen. They 
 that were the Perfian fpies, fent to Cyrus, declaring what he was. 
 Cyrus commaunded that forthwith he fhould be brought vnto his 
 wife. When the wife and hufbande fawe eche other, they im- 
 braced like twoo that mette after fuche troublefome aduentures. 
 Then Panthea tolde her hufbande the goodnes, temperance, and 
 clemencie of Cyrus towarde her. Who hearing of her interteigne- 
 ment, fayde: "What fhall I doe Panthea, to render thankes to 
 Cyrus,foryouandmee?" "What other thing (faide Panthea) but to 
 indeuour your felfe, to bee fuche a truflie frende to him, as he hath 
 bene to you." Then Abradatas went to Cyrus, and when he fawe 
 hym, he tooke him by the right hande and fayde : " For the plea- 
 fures that you haue done mee, O Cyrus, I haue no more to faye, 
 but that I afTure my felfe vnto you, as your frende, your feruaunt 
 and confederate : and what foeuer I fee you defyre, I fhall im- 
 ploye my felfe, to the vttermofte of my power, to ayde and helpe 
 you in the fame." To whome Cyrus fayde, " I accepte you, and 
 for this tyme difmifTe you, to goe and fuppe with your wife : then 
 you fhall agayne be placed in my Tente about me amonges your 
 frendes and myne." And when Abradatas fawe the preparation of 
 Cyrus, that hee made againft his enemies, he addrelTed to make 
 prouifion of armure, and thinges meete for the fielde for hym 
 felfe. His wyfe Panthea, had made of her treafure, a curate and 
 helmet of golde, and likewyfe his vambraces, and had furnifhed 
 the horfes of the chariot with brafen barbes. 
 
AND THE LADIE PANTHEA. 65 
 
 When Cyrus had fpoken diuerfe oracions, for the incoraging of 
 his armie, and had taken order, howe all thinges might profperous- 
 ly fuccedej diuided his captaines into feuerall battailes, appointing 
 euery of them their charge : Abradatas Ihewed him felfe verie 
 braue, and marciall in his Chariot : who being about to put on a 
 linnen breafl: plate, according to his countrie maner, his wife 
 Panthea brought him an armure of golde, and a purple gowne 
 down to his feete, after robe fafhion, and a crimfen Ikarfe. Thefe 
 thinges had flie priuely wrought for her hulbande, knowing the 
 meafure of his harneffe, whiche when her hufband fawe, he mar- 
 ueiled, and faid to Panthea. "Wife, haue you not defaced your 
 jewels, to make this armure?" "Truelye (faid Panthea) I haue a 
 more precious Jewell then this ; for if you proue a valiant gentle- 
 man to other, as you haue done a louing and truftie hufband to 
 me, you are my deareft Jewell." In faying thus, fhe armed him, 
 and would that no man fhould haue fene her : for the teares trickled 
 downe her chekes. Abradatas being in the fronte of the armie, 
 armed after this maner, appered a gallant and braue captayne, 
 whofe nature and complexion agreed to his comelinefle. And 
 taking the raines of the chariot in his hands, he prepared him 
 felfe to mounte vp. Then Panthea, all other being commaunded to 
 ftande backe, faide: "Truely Abradatas, if there be women, that 
 efteme their hufbandes better then their owne Hues, I thinke you 
 knowe that I am one of them. Therefore what neede I to ex- 
 prefle euery particular thing: my faftes, as I thinke, do perfwade 
 you more then woordes. And thus indeuouring my felfe towardes 
 you, our mutuall loue is fuch, as I had rather be buried quicke 
 with you, being a noble man, then to Hue in fliame. I regarde 
 you with the befte, and my felfe not as the worfte. Great thankes 
 we owe to Cyrus, for his Princely interteignement of me, being a 
 captiue and chofen for him felfe, not like a pryfoner with fliame, 
 but free, without fpot or blemifhe to mine honor : and vfed me, as 
 though I had bene his brothers wyfe. And after Arafpas departed 
 from him, whiche had the cuftodie of me, I promifed him, that if 
 hee would giue mee leue to fende for you, that you fhould become 
 more loiall and aflured to him, then euer Arafpas was." Abradatas 
 delited with her chafte communication, and tenderly laying his 
 
 VOL. I. E 
 
66 KING CYRUS 
 
 hand vpon her head : looking vp to heauen, made this praier. " 
 moft mightie luppiter, graunte that I may Ihewe my felfe an 
 houfbande meete for Panthea, and a frende worthy of Cyrus, who 
 hath fo curteoufly dealt with vs." Thus fpeaking at the entrie of 
 the chariot feate, he went vp, and being fet downe, the gouernour 
 of the chariot made faft the feate. Panthea hauing nowe nothing 
 to embrace, kifled the chariot feate, and fo he went forth. But 
 Panthea followed him priuelie, till he tourned and fpied her, to 
 whome he fayde : "Be of good conforte Panthea, Adieu and 
 farewell." Then her Eunuches and women, conueighed her to her 
 own chariot, couering the fame with curteines. 
 
 Cyrus after the battaile and vi6lorie, had againft Crsefus, called 
 diuerfe of his men vnto him, and demaunded if they fawe Abrada- 
 tas. " For I marueile (fayde hee) that he commeth not vnto me : 
 for before the battell many times he appered in my prefence." 
 Whereunto one of his men anfwered : " The caufe is (fir) that he 
 is not aliue, for hee was flayne in the battaile, as he inuaded the 
 jEgiptians. The reft of his companie, except his owne fouldiours, 
 fled from him, when they fawe him incountre with the ^giptian 
 battaile. And then his wife Panthea tooke him vp, and laid him in 
 her owne wagon ; conueighing him to a certayne place, by the ryuer 
 Paftolus. And (they fay) that her Eunuches doe digge a graue to 
 burie him. His wife fitteth vpon the ground, apparelled with thofe 
 furnitures that he did weare, leaning her head vpon her knees." 
 With whiche wordes, Cyrus was driuen into greate forowe, clap- 
 ping him felfe vppon the thighe, and by and by mounted on his 
 horfe, and taking with him m. horfemen, he went to mourne for 
 his frende Abradatas. Moreouer he commaunded Gadatas and 
 Gobryas, to carrie the faireft apparell they coulde get, to his good 
 and honeft frende that was dead, and to afl!emble his oxen and 
 horfe, and all his beaftes and cattell, wherfoeuer they were, that 
 they might be facrificed to Abradatas. But when he fawe Pan- 
 thea fitting vpon the ground and the dead corps lying by her, he 
 wept for forowe, and faid : " Alake good woman, thou truftie and 
 faithful! wife, doefl: thou thus depart and leaue vs alpne." And 
 with thofe words he tooke her by the right hand, and therewithall 
 was prefented the dead hand of Abradatas, which the ^giptians 
 
AND THE LADIE PANTHEA. ^J 
 
 in the battaile had cut of: whiche when Cyrus fawe^ hee then 
 lamented more then he did before : and Panthea cried out. Who 
 comforted by Cyrus, kifled the dead hand, beftowing the fame 
 againe in place, fo well as flie coulde, and fayde: "Thus it is 
 chaunced Cyrus, but why do you beholde the dead body ? This 
 death I knowe (quoth fhe) hee hath fuffred for my fake, being none 
 of the left aduentures whiche he hath hazarded for me. And 
 perchaunce Cyrus, he would haue done no lefle for you. For I 
 exhorted him (like a foole as I was) to attempte this aduenture, to 
 thintent he might haue fhewed him felfe a frende of worthy re- 
 membraunce ; whiche requeft he accepted, to pleafure you and me : 
 he hath valiantly beftowed his life and is dead, and I vnhappy 
 caitife that gaue him firft counfayle, do fitte here aliue." Cyrus 
 for a certayn fpace holding his peace, powred forth aboundance of 
 teares, and then faid : " This gentleman (lady Panthea) hath a 
 commendable ende, for he died in viftorie ; but take thefe furni- 
 tures, and adorne him there withall : " for Gobryas and Gadatas 
 were come with riche and coftly apparel. Then hee fayde : " Bee 
 fure he fhalbe honoured with greater thinges then thefe. A monu- 
 ment alfo, according to his worthinefle, flialbe erefted vpon his 
 graue. Sacrifice fhalbe offered, meete for a man fo valiant and 
 puiffaunt. Thou likewyfe fhalt not be left comfortles; for in 
 confideration of thy great chaftitie and vertue, I will honour thee 
 and appointe a garrifon to conuey thee into what place thou arte 
 difpofed to goe." To whom Panthea fayd : "Be of good chere 
 Cyrus, I wyll not hide from you the place, wherein I am deter- 
 mined to beftowe my felfe.'' Cyrus hearing her fay fo, went 
 away pitying the woman that was bereued of fuche a hufbande, 
 and lamenting the man that had lefte fuche a wife behinde him, 
 and was like no more to fee her againe. But Panthea commaund- 
 ed her Eunuches to go out of the place, till flie had fatiffied her 
 felfe with teares, and lamentations for her hufbande : for fhe pre- 
 pared to kil her felfe, requiring her nurfTe to tarie by her, and 
 commaunded her, that when fhe was dead, fhe fhould fhroude her 
 and her hufbande in one garment. The nurfTe perfwaded the 
 Ladie, with humble wordes and fupplications, from her determined 
 death, but fhe could not preuaile : and when fhe fawe that her 
 
68 KING CYRUS AND THE LAD IE PANTHEA. 
 
 malftres tooke her woordes in ill parte, flie fatte downe and wepte. 
 
 But Panthea with a fworde, whiche fhe had prepared long time 
 
 for that purpofe, killed her felfe, and laying her head vpon her 
 
 hulbandes breafte, fhe yelded from her chafte bodie, her innocent 
 
 ghoft. The Nurfle feing that, cried out, and couered them both, as 
 
 {he was commaunded. Cyrus vnderftanding the woman's fa£te, 
 
 was amazed, and fpedely went to fee if fhe might be holpen. 
 
 The Eunuches (being three in nomber) feing their maiftres dead, 
 
 they likewyfe drewe out their fwordes, and killed theimfelues in 
 
 the place, where they were commaunded to ftande. In memorie 
 
 of which fafte, Cyrus eredled a noble monument to the per- 
 
 petuall prayfe of chaftitie and honeft loue. Which (as 
 
 Xenophon reporteth) remained to his daies, with 
 
 their names ingrauen in Syrian letters. 
 
OF ABDOLOMINUS. 69 
 
 THE TWELFTH NOUELL. 
 
 Aldolominus is from poore ejlate, aduaunced ly Alexander the 
 Great, through his honeji life, to he kyng of Sydone. 
 
 Alexander the mightie and noble Emperour, after he had 
 fubdued Darius the Perfian kyng: at length came to Sydone, a 
 famous citie, by reafon of the auncient fame of the firft founders. 
 The fame citie was vnder the gouernement of Strato, and main- 
 teined by the puiflaunce of Darius, who yelding more by force of 
 the people, then by free wil, was thought vnworthy to raigne and 
 rule there. Alexander at the requeft of his frende Epheftion, 
 willed him to appointe one to be king, whom the citizens fliould 
 thinke mofte worthy of that ftate. After profers of Epheftion to 
 diuers of the yonge gentlemen of that citie, and refufall made of 
 their partes, they alledged that none ought to enioy the dignitie 
 of their king, but fuch as were defcended of the royall bloud. 
 Thinking none to be more meete for that ftate then one Abdolo- 
 minus, who being of the royall race, for pouertie was inforced to 
 inhabite a litle cotage without the citie. His good life was the 
 caufe of his pouertie, as it is to many other : and labouring in his 
 daily trauell, vnderftoode not the brute of the warre that troubled 
 all Alia. ' Epheftion and the yonge gentlemen repaired vnto him 
 with garmentes to garniflie him like a king, and founde him making 
 cleane his garden, whome they faluted, and faide: " You muft ex- 
 chaunge your homelie clothes with thefe riche robes, wherewith 
 wee here prefent you. Wafhe your bodie that nowe is foule and 
 vncleane, take vppon you the courage of a kyng, and in this 
 ftate (wherof you be worthy) expreffe the fame fobrietie and 
 continencie you doe prefently vfe. And when you fitte in your 
 regall feate, vfing the authoritie of life and death ouer your fub- 
 ieftes, do in no wife forget the fortune, wherin you were before 
 you were made king, ne yet for what purpofe you did receiue it. 
 The matter femed to Abdolominus like a dreame, and demaund- 
 ed of theim, if their wittes were founde, that did deride him in 
 
70 OF ABDOLOMINUS. 
 
 that forte. But when he fawe them bynde by othe their doynges 
 
 to bee of trouthe, he waflied him felf, and taking the garment, 
 
 which was purple and golde, went with them into the place. The 
 
 fame was diuerfly bruted of this fadte : fome fauoured the caufe, 
 
 and fome did froune againft it. But fuche as were riche, did re- 
 
 proue his pouertie and bafe eftate, to thofe that were neare aboute 
 
 Alexander, which made the kynge to fende for him. And when 
 
 he had long beholden his manner and order fayd : " Your per- 
 
 fonage doth not degenerate from the fame of your progenitors, 
 
 but I would fayne knowe, howe pacient you were in the tyme of 
 
 your pouertie." " I would to God (quoth Abdolominus) I could 
 
 beare my profperitie in lyke cafe now I am kyng. Thefe handes 
 
 did get that I defired. And hauing nothing, I lacked nothing." 
 
 Whiche woordes made Alexander conceiue a good opinion 
 
 of hym, to whome he reftored the riches of the kyng 
 
 before, and diuers other thinges, taken 
 
 awaye by the Perfians. 
 
THE SCYTHIANS ORATION TO KING ALEXANDER. 7 I 
 
 THE THIRTEENTH NOUELL. 
 
 The oration of the Scythian Amlqjfadours to Alexander the great, 
 reprouing his amhicion, and dejire of Empire. 
 
 TvLLiE in the firfte booke of his Offices, faieth, that very mifera- 
 ble, is amhicion and defire of honour: and that moftemenj whiche 
 be giuen to cupiditie of gouernement, honor and glorie, bee for- 
 getfull of luftice. The truthe of whiche graue wordes, vttred by 
 a Prince of eloquence, the rude and barbarous Ambafladours of 
 Scythia, in plaine and homelie talke, boldly did pronounce to king 
 Alexander (furnamed Magnus) when heewas about to inuade their 
 countrie. For when he had within three dayes finiflied twelue 
 thoufand boates, to tranfporte his armie ouer the famous ryuer of 
 Tanais, (whiche deuideth Afia from Europa) againft the poore Scy- 
 thians, twenty Ambafladours of the Scythians came to Alexanders 
 campe to fpeake with hym, to proue if they coulde by woordes 
 withdrawe his entended purpofe: Before whome when they were 
 placed, the eldeft of them fpake thefe wordes. 
 
 " If the Goddes had giuen thee a bodie according to the immo- 
 derate defyre of thy mynde, the whole worlde coulde not be able 
 to holde thee. With one of thy handes thou wouldeft touche the 
 Oriente, and with thy other hande the Occidente. And when thou 
 hafte gotten that, thou wylt defyre to knowe,- where the bright- 
 nefle of the Diuine Maieftie is placed. Thus thou coueteft after 
 the thing, thou art not able to receyue. Out of Europa thou 
 marchefl: into Afia, and out of Afia thou paffefl; into Europa. 
 Afterwardes, if thou doefl; vanquiflie all mankynde, thou mufl; make 
 warre with woodes and Snowes, with Ryuers and wylde beaftes. 
 What? doefl: thou not knowe, that great trees growe long, and yet 
 be rooted out of the grounde in a moment ? He is a foole that 
 looketh after the fruite, and doeth not meafure the height of the 
 tree wheron it groweth. Take hede left whyle thou doefl: con- 
 tende to clymme to the toppe, thou falleft downe with the bowes 
 whiche thou doeft imbrace. The lion alfo fometyme is made the 
 foode of the fmaleft byrdes : and ruft confumeth iron. There is 
 
72 THE SCYTHIANS ORATION 
 
 nothing fo firme, that is not in perill of the weake. What haue 
 we to doe with thee ? We neuer touched thy lande. What thou 
 arte, and from whence thou commeft, is it not lawefull for vs to bee 
 ignoraunte, that Hue in the wafte wooddes ? Wee can not be fub- 
 ie&e to any man, and wee defyre not to rule. Wee haue certaine 
 giftes peculiar vnto vs, bicaufe thou fhalt not be ignoraunte of the 
 ftate of our nacion: the yoke of Oxen, the Plough, the Darte, and 
 the Bowl : thofe things we vfe, both with our frends and againft 
 our enemies. Vnto our frendes wee giue the fruiftes, gotten with 
 the labour of our Oxen. And with them in our Bowie, we facri- 
 fice wine to the Goddes, Our enemies we ftrike with the Darte 
 a farre of, and with the Speare nere at hande. After that forte in 
 tyme pafte, wee ouercame the kyng of Scythia, and afterwardes the 
 kyng of Media and Perfia, and the waye was open vnto vs into 
 ^gipt. But thou whiche doeft boafle, that thou art come to 
 perfecute theues, art the common thefe of all nacions, whereunto 
 thou makefl; thy repayre. The countrie of Lidia thou hafte taken. 
 Thou hafte enioyed Syria. Thou doeft polTeffe Perfia, and the 
 Baftrianes bee vnder thy power. Thou doeft goe into India, 
 and nowe thou extendeft thy vnftable and gredie handes vppon 
 our cattell. What neede hafte thou of thofe ryches, whiche doe 
 make thee fo hungrie ? Thou art the firft of all men whiche with 
 facietie haft gotten famine, that the more thou haft, the more gre- 
 dely thou coueteft after thinges thou haft not. Doeft thou not 
 remember how long thou haft fticked about Bailria ? And whiles 
 thou goeft about to bring them in fubieftion, the Sogdians begin 
 to reuolte. Thus warre doth grow vnto thee of thy viftorie. For 
 be thou neuer fo great, and puiffant ouer other, yet there be none 
 that can indure to be gouerned by ftraungers. Pafle nowe Tanais, 
 thou ftialt perceiue what breadth it beareth, and yet thou ftialt 
 neuer ouertake the Scythians, whofe pouertie is fwifter then the 
 armie, which carieth the fpoyle of fo many nacions. For when 
 thou ftialt thinke vs to be farre of, thou ftialt fee vs within thy 
 campe, with like fwiftneffe we folowe and flee awaye. I heare 
 that our defertes and voide places, be mocked by the Greeke pro- 
 uerbes, we couet rather thofe defertes and places vnhabited, then 
 cities and plentifull foyles. Therefore holde faft thy fortune, for 
 
TO KING ALEXANDER. 73 
 
 {he is tickle and can not be holden againfl: her will. Folow thou 
 the counfaile that is goodj fpecially whyles the time doth ferue. 
 Bridle thy felicitie, and thou fhalt rule it the better. Our countrie- 
 men fay, that Fortune is without feete, and that fhe hath onely 
 handes and wynges, but when fhe ftretcheth forth her hand, fhee 
 will not fuffer her winges to be touched. Finally, if thou be a God 
 thou oughteft to geue benefites to mortall men, and not to take 
 away the commodities they haue already : but if thou bee a man, 
 confider that thou art alway the fame that thou arte. It is a fool- 
 ifhe part to remember thofe things, and to forget thy felfe. Thofe 
 people that fele not thy warres, thou maieft ufe as thy frendes. For 
 frendfhip is mofh firme and ftable emonges equall, and thofe feeme 
 to be equall that haue not vfed force and violence emonges them 
 felues. Beware thou take them not for thy frendes whome thou 
 doeft fubdue, and bring in obedience. There is no frendfhip be- 
 twene the maifter and the feruaunt, and in peace the lawe of Armes 
 is obferued. Beleue not that the Scythians doe bynde frendfhip 
 with any othe : for they make their othe by obferuation of faith. 
 The maner of the Greekes is to iuflifie their faftes, by inuocation 
 of their Goddes to witnefTe : but wee know, that Religion coniifl- 
 eth in faith her felf. They which do not reuerence to men, do 
 begile the Goddes. Thou haft no nede of him to be thy frende of 
 whofe frendfhip thou ftandefi: in doubt. Thou haft vs as kepers of 
 Afia and Europa : for we fhould touche the countrie of Ba£tria, 
 were it not for Tanais, whiche deuideth vs. And beyonde Tanais 
 all is ours fo farre as Thracia, and the fame is that Thracia bord- 
 reth vppon Macedonia : wee being neighbours, to bothe thy domi- 
 nions, chofe nowe whether thou wylte haue vs frendes or foes." 
 Thefe were the woordes of the Scythians. Howe be it thefe 
 homelie and plaine aduertifementes, could not diuerte 
 kyng Alexander from his intended enterpryfe, 
 and according to his defired fuccefTe, he 
 ouercame them. 
 
74 METELLUS NUMIDICUS. 
 
 THE FOURTEENTH NOUELL. 
 
 The woordes of Metellus of mariage, and luiuing with the prayfe 
 and difpraife of the fame. 
 
 In the prefence of many learned men of Rome, Metellus fur- 
 named NumidicuSj for his viftories and triumphe ouer lugurtha 
 king of Numidia, a countrie in Africa, in the tyme of his office 
 of Cenfor, made an Oration before the Remain people, of mariage 
 of wyues, vppon Occafion that hee hymfelfe, by diuers of his 
 frendes, was perfwaded to that ftate. Againfl: whiche hee ufed 
 manye vehemente inueftiues and termes, whiche Aulus Gellius 
 omitteth, for that hee was loth to offend (when report therof 
 fhould be bruted) the niceeares, and louingmindesof the matrones, 
 and dames of that citie : knowing well that both they, and their 
 fucceffours, would not forget reprochefullie to combate with his 
 fpirite and fhadowe, when they were not able (being preuented by 
 earthly vermine) by anye meanes to impeche his corps, in tombe 
 faft clofed and buried. But when I do remember, ho we the fame 
 was faid, and alfo noyfed emongs a bande of heathen foules, 
 whofe mindes for want of godly fkill, could not difgeft fuch hai- 
 nous blaftes, as founded in a time prophane, wherin no facred 
 voyce of chriftian lore was breathed vnto redemed flocke : I call 
 to mynde that now I may in time of grace, right frankely 
 write, without offence to humble ftate of matrone kinde, in thefe 
 our dales, infpired with fpirit of humble hart, whofe eares no 
 taunting talke can griue: wherefore with blufhles face, and vn- 
 ftaied penne, I meane the woordes, of that well learned wighte, 
 in open audience to pronounce, and by this booke, to fuche elected 
 fort for to declame : but loth for to offende, as one well bet in 
 mariage fchole, I muft, a pcena & culpa, forgiuenes craue : left 
 fome fhreude heathen dame (for other doubt I not) doe from her 
 graue AV Arme crie out : and then to fight with buried ghoftes : 
 
METELLUS NUMIDICUS. 75 
 
 my manhode will not ferue, but by and by with polling legges, 
 and flying faft I will retire. But doubtes here be brought foorth, 
 where doubting caufe is none. Gellius therfore in perfone of 
 the vnmaried knight, in wordes right fewe, this fentence of the 
 maried ftate, doth vtter and proclayme. 
 
 " O ye Romaines, if we could be without wiues, then all we 
 fhould wante that griefe. But bicaufe nature hath fo prouided, 
 that neither with them we can Hue and pafle our time conue- 
 niently, nor yet by any meanes be without them fatiffied, we ought 
 rather to make preparation, for perpetual! health, then for fhort 
 pleafure." With which wordes, diuers of the Romaines were 
 difpleafed, and founde fault with Metellus who (for that he went 
 about, to exhorte the people to mariage) ought not by any meanes, 
 to confefTe any griefes and incommodities to be in the fame. But 
 in thefe wordes he feemed rather to diflwade and terrefie, then 
 to perfwade and incourage ; but contrarely he ought, rather to 
 haue affirmed no forowes and perplexities, to be in wedlocke, and 
 if perchaunce any chaunced to be, they were but light, and eafie 
 to be borne and fuffered, which for greater commodities and plea- 
 fures, might full well be forgotten, and thofe that were, happed 
 not through natures vice, but by the default and ill behauiour of 
 fome maried folke. Howbeit, Titus Caftritius fuppofed that 
 Metellus fpake well and worthely. "For (faid he) a Cenfor 
 ought to fpeake like a Cenfor, a Rhetorician like one that pro- 
 felled Rhetorike: it is giuen to Rhetoricians, to vfe falfe fen- 
 tences, bolde, fubtile and captious : if fo be, they be likely, and 
 may by any adlion moue the hartes of men." Moreouer he 
 fayde, " that it was a fliame for a Rhetorician, in an euil matter, 
 to leaue out any thing vntouched." "But truely Metellus (quoth 
 he) is a holy man indued with grauitie and fidelitie, and that it 
 was not decent for fo honorable a perfonage, as he was, to fpeake 
 any thing to the Romaine people, but that hee thought to be true, 
 and likely to feme true to all men : fpecially fithe he intreated of 
 fuch a matter, as by daily knowledge, common experience, and 
 frequented vfe of life, might well be comprehended and knowen. 
 Therfore in geuing to vnderftande, a griefe notorious to al men. 
 
76 METELLUS NUMIDICUS. 
 
 he hath deferued by that oration^ a fame of a diligent and faithfull 
 
 man, bicaufe (to be fliort) he eafely and redely perfwaded, that a 
 
 citie can not profper and continue, without the vfe of Matrimonie, 
 
 which of all things is moft affured and true." This Titus Cas- 
 
 tritius was a teacher of Rhetorike in Rome, and in the fame 
 
 citie for declamation and teaching, was in greateft repu- 
 
 tacion : a man of right great grauitie and autho- 
 
 ritie: and of the Emperour Adrian, 
 
 for his vertue and learning 
 
 well eflemed. 
 
OF LAIS AND DEMOSTHENES. 77 
 
 THE FIFTEENTH NOUELL. 
 
 Of Lais and Demq/ihenes. 
 
 Phocion a peripatetique Philofopher, in a booke which he made, 
 intituled Cornucopia, writeth this hiftorie of Demofthenes and 
 Lais the harlot of Corinthe, faying: that Lais by reafon of her 
 excellent beautie, and pleafaunt fauour, demaunded for the vfe 
 of her body, a great fomme of money : vnto whom was reforte 
 of all the ryche men of Grsecia : but flie woulde not admitte 
 them to that fafte, except they would firft giue vnto her, her de- 
 maunde. The quantitie of whiche fomme was exceading greate, 
 whereof rofe the prouerbe. Non cuiuis homini contingit, adire 
 Corinthum. 
 
 Not euery man can well attaine 
 
 To goe to Corinthe towne. 
 
 He that traueiled to Corinthe to Lais, not able to giue and 
 
 beflowe, that fomme vpon her went in vaine. To this 
 
 woman that noble Philofopher Demoflhenes fecretly 
 
 repayred, praying her to giue him leaue : but fhee 
 
 demaunding of him tenne thoufand Denarios 
 
 (amounting very nere to three hundred 
 
 pounde of our money) aftonied at the 
 
 wantonnefle of the woman, and 
 
 difcouraged with the great- 
 
 nefle of thefomme,retourn- 
 
 ed backe again, faying: 
 
 I come not to buye 
 
 repentaunce fo 
 
 dere. 
 
C. FABRITIUS. 
 
 THE SIXTEENTH NOUELL. 
 
 C. Fahritius and Mmillius Confuls of Rome, ieyng promifed that 
 king Pyrrhus for a fomme of money Jhould beflaine (which was a 
 notable enemie to the Romaine flatej aduertifed Pyrrhus thereof 
 ly letters, and of other notable thinges doen ly the fame Fabritius. 
 
 When Pyrrhus king of Epirus inferred warres vpon the Romay- 
 nes and was come into Italie, and there had profperoufly fought, 
 and atchieued the viftory of two or three battailes, wherby the 
 Romanes were brought to great diflrefle and mofl: part of Italia 
 had reuoked : one Timochares Ambracienfis, a frend of king 
 Pyrrhus, fecretely repaired to C. Fabritius then Conful, and told 
 him, if he would giue him a reward, he would poyfon the kinge, 
 which hee faid, he mighte eafely bringe to paffe becaufe his fonnes, 
 at table waited vpon king Pyrrhus cuppe. Hereof Fabritius 
 wrote to the Senate requiring their aduife. The Senate depeached 
 Ambafladours to the king commaunding them to faye nothing of 
 Timochares, but to giue the kinge warning circumfpedlly to loke 
 wel about him, to preuent fuch treafon, as by thofe that were 
 nerefl him might be attempted. Thus much is written in the 
 hiftorie of Valerius Antiates, But Quadrigarius in the third 
 booke, writeth that it was one Nicias and not Timochares, that 
 went to Fabritius, and that thofe Ambafladours were not fente by 
 the Senate, but by the Confuls, and that the kinge rendred praife 
 and thanckes to the Romaines, reftoring to them, all the prifoners, 
 which he had taken. The Confuls that time were C. Fabritius 
 and ^milius. The tenour of which letters then fent to king 
 Pyrrhus, the faid CI. Quadrigarius affirmeth to be this. "The 
 Romaine Confuls fend falutations to king Pyrrhus. We for 
 thine iniuries, difpleafures and wronges iufllie offended, for the 
 valiaunte ftomackes remayninge in vs, do ftudie and indeuour like 
 enemies, to continue warres vpon thee : but it feemeth good vnto 
 vs for the loue we beare to our faith, and for common example, 
 to wifhe thee well to do, whom by armes we be not able to van- 
 quifhe. There came vnto vs one Nicias, thy familiar frende, to 
 
C. FABRITIUS. 79 
 
 demaunde rewarde of vs, if fecretely he did kill thee: whiche we 
 vtterlye denied, and required him for that faft, to loke for no re- 
 ward at our hands. Whereupon wee thought good to giue thee ad- 
 uertifement hereof, left if any fuch thing did chaunce, the cities 
 fhould not thincke that we were priuie to the fa£t : for wee delite 
 not to fight with giftes, rewards and treafon. — Thou in the meane 
 time, except thou take heede, art like to die : Farewel." This was 
 the aunciente order amonges the Romaines, that neuer were plea- 
 fed by the cowardly ouerthrow of other, to winne fame and glorve. 
 And becaufe I rede an other excellente hiftorie of the fame Fabri- 
 tius, I haue thought good to adde the fame to this Nouell. When 
 peace was concluded, betwene the Romaines and the Samnites, 
 the Ambaffadours of the Samnites repaired vppon a time to this 
 Fabritius, who after they had remembred vnto him diuers and 
 fundrie thinges, frendlye done in their behalfe, they offered vnto 
 him for reward, a great fumme of money, intreating him to receiue 
 the fame: which the Samnites did (as the report was) becaufe they 
 fawe, that he wanted many thinges, for the furniture of his houfe 
 and maintenaunce, thinking the fame alfo not to be fufficientlv 
 decente for his eftate and calling: which Fabritius perceyuing, 
 with his bare handes, hee touched his eares and eyes, and then 
 ftrooked his face downeward, his noafe, his mouth and throate, 
 and the reft of his, bodie, to the bottome of his bealie, anfwear- 
 ing the Ambafladours in this wife, " That whiles hee was able to 
 rule and gouerne all thofe members which he touched, he was fure 
 to lacke nothing: wherefore (quoth he) thefe members, 
 which be profitable and necefi&,rye for my vfe, will not 
 fuffer mee to receiue this moneye, whereof they 
 knowe I haue no neede." Hereby reprehending 
 the foolifli indeuour of thefe Samnites, in 
 offring to him a bribe, which hee was 
 neur accuftomed to take for any 
 caufe, what foeuer he accom- 
 pliftied. Who ftil fliewed 
 himfelfe a man fin- 
 cere and incorrupt. 
 
80 FURIUS CAMILLUS. 
 
 THE SEUENTEENTH NOUELL. 
 
 A Scholemaifter traiterously rendring the nolle mens fonnes of 
 Faleria to the hands of Camillus, was wel acquited and rewarded 
 for his paines and labour. 
 
 Warres were addrefled by the Romaines againft the Falifques 
 (a people of Italye, the ruines of the chiefe citie wherof do yet 
 appeare fixe miles from Viterba) and an armye confcribed and 
 fent thether, vnder the conduft of Furius Camillus. The Falifques 
 vppon the approch of the Romalaes, were conftrayned to retire 
 within their citie^ thinking the fame to be their moft aflured re- 
 fuge. And they to continue their fiege, incamped a mile from 
 the citie, and determined throughly to befiege it, which in deede 
 had like to haue beene of verye long continuance except fortune 
 had giuen to the Romaine Captaine, for his tried and well approued 
 valiaunce, viftorie in time, which chaunced after this maner. It 
 was a cuftome amonges the Falifques (obferued alfo in thefe cure 
 dayes) to haue their children inftruited by one Scholemaifter, and 
 him alfo to vfe for their guide and companion in all games and 
 paftimes. Amonges theym there was a Scholemaifter, which 
 taughte noble mennes lonnes, who in the time of peace, teachinge 
 thofe children, and vfinge for theyr exercife to leade them abroade 
 in the fieldes, kepte ftill that order, for all the warres before the 
 gates, fometime wyth fliorte walkes, fometime wyth longer for 
 their difportes : and continuinge varietie of talke wyth his fchol- 
 lers longer then he was wont to do, at length he brought them to 
 the Romaine campe, euen to the tent of Camillus, hoping thereby 
 (by like) to haue beene well welcomed, and liberally rewarded : 
 faying to Camillus, as deteftable woords as the fafte was traiter- 
 ous and wicked : which was in effeft — "That he was come with 
 that prefent vnto him, to yelde thofe children into his hands 
 whofe parents were the principall of that Citie: and therbyknew 
 for certainty that the citie would furrender." Camillus feeing that 
 
FURIUS CAMILLUS. 8 1 
 
 faft, and hearing thofe words, faid vnto him. "Thou arte not 
 come (villane) to a people and Captaine, with this thy trayterous 
 offer, femblable to thy felfe. We haue no aliaunce with the 
 Falifques confirmed by compafte or humaine promife, but amitie 
 wherunto nature doth bind vs, is and (hall be for euermore be- 
 tweene vs. Warre fo well as peace, hath his law and right : which 
 we haue learned to obferue with no leffe Juftice, then conftancie. 
 We make no warre againft boies, whom wee fpare, whenfoeuer we 
 inuade or take any cities : but againft armed men we fight, yea, 
 and againft fuch, as without offence, or prouocation of our partes, 
 affailed the Romaines campe at the fiege of the Veiens. Thou 
 haft vanquifhed them fo much as lyeth in thee, with a new kinde 
 of viftorie atchieued by treafon : but I will fubdue them by 
 pollicie of the Romaines, by vertue, indeuour and armes, euen as I 
 did the Veiens." When he had fpoken thofe wordes, he caufed 
 this trayterous fcholemaifter to be ftriped ftarke naked, and 
 binding his handes behinde him, deliuered him to the children, 
 with roddes in their handes, to whippe him home to the citie. 
 When hee was in this order retourned, the people of the citie flocked 
 together to fee this fight. Then the magiftrates affembled in 
 counfaile, vpon this ftraunge occafion, and where before they 
 were incenfed with maruailous wrath and furie, rather defirous of 
 vtter ouerthrow, then peace. Now their mindes were quite altered, 
 and peace vniuerfally demaunded. The fidelitie of the Romaines, 
 and iuftice of Camillus, both in Forum and Court was celebrated, 
 and by general conformitie, Ambaffadours were fente into the 
 campe to Camillus, and from thence by Camillus fufferance, to the 
 Senate of Rome, of purpofe to yelde themfelues to their gouern- 
 ment, who being brought before the Senate fpake thefe woordes. 
 "Wee (fathers confcripte) vanquiflied by you and your Captaine, 
 (where at neither God nor man oughte to be offended) haue yelded 
 our felues to you, thinking that wee ihall Hue more happie, and 
 better contented vnder your gouernmente, then by our owne lawes 
 and liberties : a thing that maketh the vidlor more glorious and 
 praife worthie, then anye other. By the fucceffe of thefe warres, 
 two holfome examples bee manifefted to mankinde. Ye doe 
 preferre fayth in warres before certaine vidlorie, and we, induced 
 VOL. I. ^ 
 
82 FUKIUS CAMILLUS. 
 
 by that faith, haue of our owne accord, prefented viftorie unto 
 you. We be at your commaundement: fende hither commis- 
 sioners, to receiue our weapons, our pledges and our citie, which 
 ftandeth with the gates wide open. We hope well, that neither ye 
 fhall haue occafion to be mifcontented with oure fidelitie, nor wee 
 offended with your gouernment and Empyre." For which fafte 
 greate thankes were attributed to Camillus, both by the Falifques 
 and Romaynes. 
 
 Here appeared the face and true Image of that greate vertue, 
 Juftice, wherewith this noble man was truly affedted. His noble 
 nature was not able to abide any trayterous faft, done by vnna- 
 turall Citizens, toward their owne countrie. No vngratitude of his 
 owne countrie men, could withdrawe his nature from the zeale 
 and loue he bare to his countrie. His condempnation by vnkinde 
 Apuleius Saturninus the Tribune, for which he fledde to Ardea, 
 could not let or impeach his magnanimitie from giuinge the 
 Galles an ouerthrowe when they had facked Rome, and fharpely 
 befieged the Capitole : who in his abfence (created Diftator,) by 
 gathering together fuch Romaines as were fledde, vriwares fet 
 vpon the couetous Galles, as they were in controuerfie for pai- 
 mente of a golden fumme of money, and thereby reftored his 
 countrie to libertie. Wherefore worthely might he be 
 intitled, with the honourable name of a fecond Ro- 
 mulus. For as Romulus was the firft builder and 
 peopler of that citie, fo was Camillus the 
 vindicator and deliuerer of 
 the fame. 
 
OF PAPYRIUS. 83 
 
 THE EIGHTEENTH NOUELL. 
 
 The Hiftorie of Papyrius Fratextatus. 
 
 The fame hiftorie is written by Cato, in an oration which he made 
 to his fouldiours againft Galba, contayninge in effefte as foloweth. 
 The Senatours of Rome vfed before this time, to enter into the 
 Senate houfe with their fonnes, Praetextatis, that is, in long robes 
 garded about the fkirtes with purple filke. When the Senate 
 debated of graue and waightie matters, they euer deferred the 
 fame till the next day, forbiddinge that thofe caufes fhould not 
 be publifhed, before they were throughly decreed. The mother 
 of this yong gentleman Papyrius, which had been with his father 
 in the Senate houfe, afked of him, what the fathers had done in 
 the Senate houfe that day? Papyrius aunfwered, that in any 
 wife, he ought not to tell the fecretes of the fame. The mother 
 more defirous to know then fhe was before, went about by faire 
 meanes, foule wordes and correftion, to vnderftand the fecretes of 
 the Senate, and the caufe why the fame were kept fo filente. 
 Wherefore fhe more earneftlye endeuoured to learne the fame of 
 her fonne. The yong man by compuliion of his mother, toke oc- 
 cafion to inuent a pleafaunt and mery lie, in this wife. " Mother 
 (quoth he) the Senate doth deliberate and confult, whether it be 
 more commodious and profitable for the common wealthe, that one 
 man fhould haue two wiues, or whether one wife flioulde haue 
 two hufbandes." When the old Ladie heard this fhe was abafhed, 
 and in fearefuU wife goeth to the other Ladies and matrones of 
 Rome, tellinge them, where about their hufbands did confult. 
 The next day the women flocked together in great traines, and in 
 lamentable wife repaired to the Senate, befeching them that one 
 woman might rather be maried to two hufbands, then two wiues 
 to one man. The Senatours entring into the Court, marueyled 
 what toyes were in the womens heads, to make that demaunde. 
 The yong gentleman Papyrius flepped foorth, declaring how im- 
 
84 OF PAPYRIUS. 
 
 portunate his mother was^ to know whereuppon they confulted 
 
 the dav beforej and therefore he deuifed that fained tale^ to pacific 
 
 her defire. The Senatours hearing and perceyuing his good and 
 
 honefte difpofition, greatly commended and extolled his fidelity 
 
 and witte. Howbeit^ they made a lawe that from that time forth, 
 
 none of their fonnes fhould come into the houfe with their 
 
 father, but onely Papyrius. Who afterwardes receiued 
 
 the furname of Praetextatus, to honour and beau- 
 
 tifie his name, for his notable wyfedome in 
 
 keeping fecretes, and holding his peace, 
 
 in the time of that youthly age. 
 
PLUTARCHE AND HIS MAN. 8S 
 
 THE NINETEENTH NOUELL. 
 
 How Plutarche did heate his man, and ofpretie talke touching Jignes 
 
 of anger. 
 
 AvLus Gellius demaunding of the Philosopher Taurus, whether 
 a wife man could be angrie? Taurus after he had difputed much of 
 that affeftion, turned to Gellius and faid : "This is mine opinion 
 of the angrie man : but what the Philofopher Plutarche iudgeth 
 thereof, I thincke it not a miffe to tell thee. Plutarche had a 
 bondman which was an vnthrift and wicked verlet, but geuen to 
 learning and to difputation of Philofophie, whom vppon a time 
 he did beate, making him to put of his coate, and to be whipped, 
 for what offence I know not : he began to beate him : the fellow 
 cryed out, that he had deferued no caufe, why he ought to be fo 
 beaten. At length in continuance of his beating, he gaue ouer 
 his crying complaintes, and began to vtter earnefte and ferious 
 woordes, faying. ' It was not Plutarche the Philofopher, that 
 beate him : (he faid) it was a fliame for Plutarche to be angrie, 
 and how he had heard him many times difpute of that vice of 
 anger, and yet he had written a goodly booke thereof:' with manye 
 fuch words. 'Why, (quoth Plutarche, with gentle and quiet 
 debating of the matter :) thou lubbor, do I feeme to be angry with 
 thee ? Doeft thou either by my countenaunce, by my talke, by my 
 colour, or words, perceyue that I am angrie ? Nether mine eyes 
 be fierce, nor my mouth troubled: I cry not out a loude: I chaufe 
 not in rage or fume: I fpeake no vnfeemely woordes, whereof 
 I take repentaunce: I tremble not. All which be fignes 
 and tokens of anger : which pretie notes of that vn- 
 feemely paffion, ought to minifter to all men, 
 occafion to auoyde that vice.' " 
 
86 ^SOPES LARKE. 
 
 THE TWENTIETH NOUELL. 
 
 A pretie tale drawne out of the Larke of^fope. 
 
 ^SOPE of Phrygia is not vnworthely demed a wife man. For 
 fo much as he admoniflieth and perfwadeth thofe thinges that be 
 profitable, not feuerely or imperioufly as Philofophers doe, but by 
 pretye and pleafaunt fables he indueth the miudes of men with 
 holfome and prouident inftruftions. As by this fable of the 
 birdes nefte, he pretily and aptly doth premonifh that hope and 
 confidence of thinges attempted by man, ought to be fixed 
 and trufted in none other but in him felfe. A litle birde 
 (faith he) called the Larke, builded her nefte in a Wheate field, 
 and when the Wheate was ready to be ripped, her yonge 
 began to fledge. Therefore flyinge abroade to feeke meate for 
 them, Ihee warned them that if there fortuned anye newes to be 
 done or fpoken in her abfence, they fhould giue diligent heede 
 thereunto, and to tell her when fhe retourned. Within a while 
 after, the Owner of the come called a yong man, his fonne, vnto 
 him, (faying) " Doeft thou fee this Wheate now ripe and, ready 
 to be cut, lacking nothing but helpe to reape the fame ? Gette 
 thee therefore to morowe in the morninge (fo foone as the daye 
 doth breake) vnto my frendes and neighbours, and praye them to 
 come and helpe me in with this Come :" and fo departed. When 
 the damme retourned, the yonge Larkes in trembling and fearefull 
 wife, peping and chirping about their mother, prayed her to make 
 haft to feeke fome other place : for the owner of the Wheat had 
 fent for his frends, to be there the next day by times to haue it in. 
 Their damme bad them to be of good cheere: "If the owner 
 (quoth flie) do referre it to his frendes, I am fure the Wheate ftial 
 not be cutte downe to morowe, and therefore wee fliall not neede 
 to feare." The next day the damme flew abrode again for foode, 
 and the owner waited at the houre appointed for his frendes. The 
 Sunne was vp, whofe beames fhone hot, and nothing was done : his 
 frendes came not. Then he faid againe to his fonne : " Me thincke 
 
^SOPES LARKE. 87 
 
 fonne (quoth he) our neighbours be flepers and tarrie long. Goe, 
 call I pray thee, our kinffolke and cofins, that they maye helpe 
 vs to morowe betimes." Which faying the yong Larkes ones againe 
 afraid, tolde their damme when flie returned: the damme flill per- 
 fwaded them to be of good cheere and not to feare : " For kinffolke 
 in thefe dayes, be fo flacke to do good deedes (quoth fhe) and to 
 helpe their owne ftocke and kinred, that they bee loothe to take 
 paines, fpecially at fo fhort and fodaine warning : neuertheleffe, 
 faire byrdes, (quoth fliee) barken what flialbe faid againe and tell 
 mee." The next morning the old Larke went forth againe for food 
 and forage, and the kinffolke and cofins came not, according to 
 the owners requeft. At length the owner faide to his fonne: 
 "Adieu my frendes and kinfemen : to morow in the morning, bring 
 hither two Sickles, the one for mee, and the other for thy felfe, 
 and wee with our owne hands, wil cut downe this Wheate," The 
 mother Larke, hearing her yong ones tel this tale at her retourne : 
 " Ye marie my babes (quoth fhee) now it is time to be gone : for 
 the thing whereof the owner hath fpoken fo long, fhal now be 
 done in deede, fith he purpofeth to do the fame himfelfe, and 
 trufteth to none other." Whereuppon the Larke toke vp her yong 
 oneSj and went to inhabite in fome other place. And the come 
 accordinglye, was cutte downe by the owner. This fable iEfope re- 
 porteth, premonifhing men to beware of lighte hope, and vaine 
 trufte, to be repofed in frends and kinffolke. And the fame 
 Q. Ennius in his Satyres, very elegantlye in trim verfes hath de- 
 fcribed the two lafire, whereof worthie to be had in harte and 
 memorie, I haue thought good to remember. 
 Alwayes fixe fqft in hreqfi, 
 
 in prompt and ready wife : 
 This prouerhe olde and true, 
 
 a fentence of the wife : 
 The thing do not expeSi, 
 
 by frends for to atchieue : 
 Which thou thyfelfe canfi doe, 
 
 thy felfe for to relieue. 
 
88 ANTIOCHUS AND HANNIBALL. 
 
 THE TWENTY-FIRST NOUELL. 
 
 A merie ge/ie, vttered by Hannilall to king Antiochus. 
 
 Antiochus making great preparation and furniture, to inferre 
 warres vpon the Romaines, decked his armie with Siluer and 
 Golden Enfignes and Pendentes, wherein he had plentie of wagons, 
 chariots and Elephantes with towers, his bande of horfemen glit- 
 tered gloriouflie, with golden bridles, trappers, barbes, and fuch 
 like. The king beholdinge, in glorious and reioyfing wife, his 
 gaye and beautifull armie: loked towards Hannibal, and faid : 
 " How faieft thou Hannibal ? thinkeft thou that thefe thinges be 
 not ynough and fufScient to match with the Romaynes?" Hannibal 
 mocking and deluding the cowardnes and weakenes of his foul- 
 diours, clad in thofe precious and coftlie furnitures, faide. " All 
 thefe thinges be ynough and ynough againe for the Romaines, 
 although they were the moft couetous men of the world." 
 The king vnderftoode Hannibal, that he had meant 
 of the nomber of his fouldiours, and of their 
 brauerie. But hee meant of the pray and 
 fpoile, which the Romaines should 
 winne and gette. 
 
ANDRODUS. 89 
 
 THE TWENTY-SECOND NOUELL. 
 
 The marueilous knowledge of a Lion, being acquainted with a man, 
 called Androdus. 
 
 There chaunced to be certaine playes and games at Rome, wher 
 were many monftruous and cruel beaftes : but amonges all thofe 
 beaftes, the hugenefle and cruell afpefites of the Lions were had 
 in greateft wonder, efpecially of one : which Lion was of an huge 
 and greate bigneffe, hauinge a terrible voyce, his clawes flretched 
 forth, his briflles and heare vprighte, beholdinge with his fierce 
 and deadly eyes, all the multitude {landing by. There was 
 brought in to fight with the lion amonges al the refl, one Andro- 
 dus a Dacian borne, the bondman of a great perfonage, of the 
 Confular order, whom the Lion beholding a farre of, fodenly ftoode 
 ftill : and afterwards by litle and litle, in gentle fort he came vnto 
 the man, as though he had knowen him : Wagging his taile like 
 a Spaniel fawning vpon his maifter, and licked the handes and 
 legges of the poore felow, which for feare was almoft dead. 
 This Androdus perceyuing the flatteries of this fierce beaft, re- 
 couered comforte,and earneftly viewed and marked the Lion. Then 
 they began to enter into mutual acquaintaunce, one reioycing at 
 an others meting. Upon which ftraang euent, the people rayfed 
 great fhoutes and acclamations : wherupon Androdus was called 
 before the Emperoure, and demaunded the caufe, why that moft 
 cruell beaft did in that forte, fawne and fauour him aboue all other. 
 Androdus tpuld a maruaylous and ftraunge hiftorye of the caufe 
 thereof, faying : " If it pleafe your Maieftie, when my Lorde and 
 maifter did by the office of ProconfuU gouerne Africa, I throughe 
 his caufelefle ftripes and dailye whippinges, was forced to runne 
 awaye. And when I had gotten pardon of the liefetenaunte of 
 that countrie, to remaine there, I withdrew my felfe into the 
 deferts and voide places : and lacking meate to eafe the paine of 
 hunger, I determined by fome meanes, to feeke mine owne 
 death. It chaunced about the midde of the day, when the Sunne 
 
90 ANDRODUS. 
 
 was feruent hot, I entred into a Caue, which was farre from habita- 
 tion, verye wide and large. Whereunto, within a while after, this 
 Lion reforted, hauing one of his feete bloudie and hurt : for paine 
 whereof, he vttered much mone and forrow, bewayling the griefe, 
 and anguiflie of the fore. When I faw the Lion my hart began 
 to quake for feare, but beinge come in, as it were into his owne 
 habitation (for fo it fhoulde appeare,) perceyuinge me to go aboute 
 to hide myfelfe a farre of, he like a milde and gentle beaft came 
 vnto me, holding vp his foote, reaching the fame to me, as though 
 he defired helpe and reliefe at my handes, Wherewithall I pluck- 
 ed out of his foote a ftubbe, which ftucke betweene the pawes 
 thereof, and taking a litle falue, which I had in my bofome, I 
 thrufl it into the bottome of the wounde, and diligently without 
 any further feare, I dryed vp the wound, and wiped away the 
 bloud thereof: wherewith the lion being eafed, refting his foote 
 in my handes, he laye downe to refreihe him felfe. From that 
 day duringe the fpace of three yeares, the Lion and I continued 
 together, and lined with like fare : the fatteft and belt morfels of 
 thofe beaftes, which he prayed, he did euer bring me into the 
 Caue : which meate becaufe I had no fire, I rolled in the heate of 
 the Sunne, and did eate the fame with good ftomacke. But when 
 I began to waxe weary of that kinde of diet, vpon a time the Lion 
 being abroad, I forfoke the Caue, and trauailing almoft the fpace 
 of three dayes, I was efpied and taken of the fouldiours, and 
 brought home to my maifter out of Africa to Rome : who imme- 
 diatlie condempned mee to be deuoured of beaftes. And now I 
 perceiue that this lion Athens I lefte his companie is taken, and 
 doth acquite that good tourne and cure, which I Ihewed him 
 then." The people hearing the difcourfe of this ftraunge fafli, 
 made fuite that the felow might be pardoned, and fet at libertie: 
 and the Lion by generall voyce was giuen vnto him for reward. 
 Afterwards Androdus caried the Lion abrode the citie in a litle 
 corde, and had muche money giuen him : and the Lion was decked 
 and beautified with flowers, and euery man that met 
 them, did vfe to fay : — " This is the Lion the frend 
 of this man, and this is the man, the 
 Phifition of the Lion." 
 
PHAUORINUS OPINION FOR NOURSING OF CHILDREN. 9 1 
 
 THE TWENTY-THIRD NOUELL. 
 
 A pretie difputation of the philofopher Phauorinus, to perfwade a 
 woman not to put forth her child to nurjfe, hut to nouri/he it her- 
 felfe with her owne milke. 
 
 It was told to the Philofopher Phauorinus^ that the wife of one of 
 his Sectators and fcholers was brought a bedde of a fonne. " Let vs 
 go (quoth Phauorinus) to vifite the childwife, and to gratulate 
 the father for the ioy of his fonne." When they were entred the 
 houfe, aftei- hee had faluted the good man, according to the cus- 
 tome, he afked the wife how {he did, and prayed the Gods to fende 
 her good footing, and then inquired of her trauel, and painfull 
 panges. When he vnderftode that her trauel was greate, and her 
 bodye weake with watchinge, howbeit fomewhat comforted with 
 fleepe which fhe had taken, he determined to enter into further 
 talke. " I doubt not goffip (quoth he) but that you purpofeto nou- 
 rifh your fonne your felfe." The mother of the woman hearing him 
 fay fo, began to pray pardon, and faid, that her doughter might 
 not both fuftaine paine in the birth, and alfo trouble to nourifh it 
 herfelfe. "I pray thee mother, faid Phauorinus, to fuffer thy 
 doughter to be the whole and intire mother of her owne fonne. 
 What kinde of halfe and vnperfefte mothers be they, which fo fone 
 as they be deliuered do, againfl: nature, by and by thrufte the child 
 awaye from them ? Can they nourifhe with their owne bloud, the 
 thing which they fee not, and wil they not vouchfafe to bellow 
 their milke vppon that, which is now a lyuing creature, crying out 
 before their faces for the mothers helpe, and dutie ? thou vnkinde 
 woman, doeft thou thincke that nature hath giuen thee two breaftes 
 for nothinge els, but to beautifie and adorne thy bodie, and not to 
 giue fucke to thy children ? In like fort many prodigious and 
 monftruous women, haue dried vp and extinguiflied that mofte fa- 
 cred fountaine of the body, the educatour of mankinde : not with- 
 out peril of their perfons : as though the fame were a difgracing of 
 their beautie and comlinefle. The like alfo fome do attempt by 
 
92 PHAUORINUS OPINION FOR 
 
 deuifes and fubtile fecretes to extrude theyr conceptions, that the 
 fwelling of their body might not irrigate and wrinckle their faces, 
 and that their paineful labours and great burdens, do not make 
 them looke olde in their youthly dayes. And like as it is generally 
 to be abhorred, that man in his firft beginnings, (when he is fafh- 
 ioned and infpired with life, and in the handes of the cunning and 
 wife woman, dame Nature,) fhould be killed and flaine : euen fo 
 with not much leffe deteftation it is to be had and compted, when 
 he is perfefte and borne and the childe of thine owne blonde, to be 
 depriued from his due fuftenance. But it is no matter (wil fom 
 fay) with whofe milke hee be nourced, fo hee receiue milke and 
 Hue. The like may be faid to that man which is fo dull in per- 
 ceyuing the prouidence of nature, that what matter had it been in 
 whofe bodye, and with whofe bloud, he himfelfe had been formed 
 and brought into light. Hath not fhe which nowe refpireth, and 
 with beauty waxeth white and fayre, the fame bloud now in her 
 breaftes, which was before remayninge in her wombe ? Is not the 
 wyfedome of nature manifeft in this, that after the cunning work- 
 man the bloud, hath framed in the inward parts euery body of man, 
 ftraight way when the time of byrthe approcheth, the fame bloude 
 infudeth himfelfe into the vpper partes, and is readie to nouriflie 
 the rudimentes of lyfe and lighte, offeringe acquaintaunce and 
 familiar fuflinance to the new borne ? Wherefore in vaine is not 
 that report and beliefe, that like as the force and nature of the ge- 
 neration feede is able to fliape the fimilitudes of the mind and 
 body, euen fo the qualities and properties of the Milke, do 
 auayle to like effeft. Which thinge is not onelye marked in 
 men, but alfo in brute beafles. For if Kiddes be fockled vp 
 wyth Ewes Milke, and Lambes wyth Goates, the woU of thone 
 will grow more rough and hard, and the heare of the other 
 more tender and foft. In trees alfo and fruites, there is for 
 the moft part, a greater force and power in the nature of 
 the foile and water where they grow, eyther for the pruning 
 and planting, then there is if ftraunge impes and feedes be 
 grifted and fowen there. And many times you fee, that a fruit- 
 full tree, caried and fet in an other place, decayeth, throughe 
 the nature of the ground more barren. What reafon is this then, 
 
NOURSING OF CHILDREN. 93 
 
 to corrupt the noble nature of this borne childe, whofe body and 
 minde, is well begunne wyth naturall beginninges to infeft the 
 the fame wyth the degenerate food of ftraung Milke. Specially 
 if fhe to whom you fhall put forth this childe to giue fucke, be 
 eyther a bonde and feruile womauj and (as commonly it chaunch- 
 eth) of a forren and barbarous nation, be fhe wicked, ill fauoured, 
 whorifh or drunken. For diners times without difference, children 
 be put foorth to fuche Nourffes, whofe honeftie and conditions, in 
 the tyme of the putting foorth, be vtterly vnknowen. Shall we 
 fuffer therefore, this our infant to be corrupted with pefliferous 
 milke ? Shall we abyde a newe nature and fpirite, to bee renued 
 in his mynde and bodye, deriued from that whiche is mofte vile 
 and wicked ? Muche like to the fame, whiche many tymes wee fee 
 and wonder, howe diuers chyldren borne of chafle and honeft wo- 
 men, haue bodies and qualities farre difcrepant from their honeft 
 parentes. Wherefore very trimlie and cunningly Maro folowing 
 Homeres verfes, doth fay, fpeaking of the cruel nature of Achilles : 
 
 Sir Peleus that gentle knight, 
 was not thy Juther fare, 
 
 Nor yet thy damefaire Thetis was 
 whofe grace the Goddes did lure : 
 
 The raging Sea, andjionie rockes, 
 did bring thee forth to light : 
 
 Thy nature isfo hloudie lent, 
 fo fierce in cruell fight. 
 
 He did not herein reprehende the birth of Achilles, but the na- 
 ture of the cruell and fauage beaflie that broughte him vp ; for 
 he added this of his owne. 
 
 And the Hircan Tigres did giue him facke. 
 
 And truely the condicion of the Nourffe, and nature of the milke, 
 difpofeth almoft the greater part of the childes condition, whiche 
 (notwithftanding the fathers feede, and creation of the bodie and 
 mynde, within the mothers wombe) doth nowe in the beginning of 
 his nouriture, configurate and frame a newe difpofition in him. 
 Moreouer who can faye the contrarie, but that fuch women as put 
 their children from them, deliuering them to bee nourced of other, 
 
94 PHAUORINUS OPINION FOR NOURSING OF CHILDREN, 
 
 doe cut of, naye, rather doe wype awaye and extinguyfhe, that 
 
 bande and increafe of mynde and afFeftion, that doeth confociate 
 
 and ioyne in nature, the parentes towarde their children. For 
 
 when the childe is put forth to an other place and remoued from 
 
 the mothers fighte, the vigor and tenderneffe of her affedtion, is by 
 
 litle and little forgotten, and out of memorie, and the dereft care 
 
 of her tender babe, groweth to vtter filence. The fending awaye 
 
 of the chylde to an other Nourice is not muche inferiour to the 
 
 forgetfulnefle that chaunceth when death dothe take it awaye. 
 
 Agayne, the afFedtion, the loue, and familiaritie of the chylde, is 
 
 prone to her that giueth it fucke. And fo as it is euidently feene 
 
 in them that be put foorth, the chylde taketh no knoweledge, or 
 
 defire of the owne mother, that brought it forth. Therefore, when 
 
 the elementes and beginnings of natural pietie and loue be ones 
 
 abandoned and defaced, howe foeuer fuche children, in that forte 
 
 brought vp, fhall feeme to loue the parentes, yet for the mofte part, 
 
 it is no pure and naturall affeftion, but rather a fupofed and 
 
 Cinile loue." Thus this noble Philofopher giueth coun- 
 
 fayle to euery good mother, not to be afhamed or 
 
 grieued, to bringe vp her childe with her own 
 
 Milke, after her greateft payne paft, 
 
 whom before with her owne 
 
 bloud, fhe difdained not 
 
 to feede in her owne 
 
 bodie. 
 
SERTORIUS. 95 
 
 THE TWENTY-FOURTH NOUELL. 
 
 Of Sertorius a nolle Romaine capitaine. 
 
 Like as in a good captaine, chofen out by any prince and mo- 
 narche, to ferue in his warres and exploytes, manhode and vali- 
 aunce is to be defired and wiflied : euen fo in the fame a politique 
 minde, to forecafte and preuente, as well the faufetie and good 
 gouernement of his owne chargBj as the anoyaunce of the enemie 
 is to be defired. Cicero in his oration Pro lege Manilla, affirmeth 
 fewer thingeSj mete to be in a Generall or Lieutenaunte. That is 
 to faye: Scientia rei militaris, virtus, authoritas, foelicitas, Know- 
 ledge of warfare, Manhode, Authoritie, and good Fortune. Know- 
 ledge and experience, in choyce of his fouldiours, in trayning the 
 ignoraunt, in lodging the campe, in politique order howe to difpofe 
 the Scoutes and watche, in making the approche, and defence of 
 the armie lodged, with other neceffarie orders, incident to the fame. 
 In manhode, boldlie to aduenture, warely to retire, paciently to 
 fuflFer miffortune, hardly to lie, fparely to fare, ftoutlie to abide 
 ftormes and colde weather. In authoritie wifelie to gouerne, gent- 
 ly to fpeake, iuftly to threaten, deferuedly to punifhe, mercifully 
 to forgiue, liberally to deuide, and louingly to be obeied. And in 
 felicitie and good fuccefle, to honour God : to be faithfull to the 
 prince, to preuente the enemy, not to triumphe before the viftorie. 
 To be conftant in froward fortune, and coragious in extremitie. 
 Al which and many other, are very mete and requifite in him, 
 that fhalbe put in truft, by his foueraigne Lorde or Ladie, to aduen- 
 ture the painful charge of a Deputie, General, Lieutenaunt, or 
 Captaine. Whereof, or in the chiefeft of the fame this noble 
 gentleman Sertorius, a captaine of the Romaine citie, in time of 
 Marius and Sylla, when the citie of Rome were at ciuile difcention, 
 had greate skil and knowledge. For befides his experience in the 
 warres (as Plutarche faith in his life) hee was very abftinente from 
 pleafures, and continente in other diforders, a rare thing in men of 
 his calling. But becaufe I purpofe not to ftaye in the full dif- 
 
96 SERTORIUS. 
 
 courfe of his vertues and qualities, I meane but to touche in this 
 Nouell, fo muche as Aulas Gellius (in whom I am now conuer- 
 fant) doth of him make remembraunce. Referring the ftudious 
 reader, defirous to know the ftate of his life and doinges, to the 
 plentifull recorders of fuch memorable and worthie perfonages: 
 Plutarche de vitis illiiftrium, and Appianu's de ciuili Romanorum 
 hello. Which beinge Greeke authours, be very eloquently tranflated 
 in the Latine, thone by Gulielmus Xilander 1561, and thother 
 by Sigifmundus Gelenius 1554. This Sertorius was of a preg- 
 naunt witte, and therewithal! a noble Captaine, very fkilfull in the 
 vfe and gouernement of an armye. In diftrefle and harde aduen- 
 tures hee pra£tifed for pollicie, to make lies to his fouldiours, to 
 proue if they coulde preuaile. He vfed counterfait letters, to 
 imagine dreames, and to conferre falfe religions, to trye if thofe 
 thinges could ferue his tourne, in comforting and couraging his 
 fouldiours. Amonges al the faftes of Sertorius, this infuing was 
 very notable and famous. A white Stagge of exceeding beauty 
 and liuely fweteneffe, was giuen vnto him by a Lufitanian : He 
 perfwaded euery man, that the fame was deliuered vnto him by 
 the Goddes, and how the Goddefle Diana had infpired that beafte 
 to admonifhe and teache what was meeteand profitable: and when 
 he wente about to caufe his fouldiours to aduenture anye hard 
 and difficile exploit: he affirmed, that the Stagge had giuen him 
 warning thereof, which they vniverfally beleued, and willingly 
 obeyed, as though the fame had been fent downe from the Gods 
 in deede. The fame Stagge vpon a time, when newes came that 
 the enemye had made incurfion into his campe, amafed with the 
 hafte and turmoile, ranne awaye and hid him felfe in a marifhe 
 harde adioyning. Afterwardes being fought for, hee was fuppofed 
 to be dead. Within fewe dayes after, tidinges was brought to Ser- 
 torius that the Stagge was founde. The meflenger was commaund- 
 ed by him to holde his peace, and threatened to be punifhed, if 
 he did difclofe it. The next day, the fame meflenger was ap- 
 pointed fodainly, to bring the Stagge into the place, where he and 
 his frendes, did confulte together. When they were aflembled he 
 tolde them howe the daye after that he had loft his Stagge, he 
 dreamed that he was come againe, and according to his cuftome, 
 
SERTORIUS. 97 
 
 tolde him that was needefull to be done. Then Sertorius making 
 a figne, to haue the order fulfilled, whiche he had geuen the daye 
 before, by and by the Stagge brake into the chamber. Where- 
 withal! a great Ihoute was made, and an admiration rayfed of that 
 chaunce. Whiche credulitie of the barbarous countries, serued 
 Sertorius tourne in his weightie affaires. A worthy matter 
 alfo, is to be remembred of him, that no Souldiour that 
 euer ferued him, of thofe vnciuile countries (that 
 tooke his part) did neuer reuolte or forfake 
 him, although thofe kinde of 
 people be mofte 
 inconftant. 
 
 VOL. I. G 
 
98 OF THE BOOKES OF SYBILLA. 
 
 THE TWENTY-FIFTH NOUELL. 
 
 Of the bookes of SyULla. 
 
 In auncient Chronicles, thefe things appere in memorie, touch- 
 inge the bookes of Sybilla. A ftraunge and vnknowen old 
 woman, repaired to the Romaine kyng Tarquinius Superbus, bear- 
 ing in her armes nine bookes, which fhe fayde were deuine Ora- 
 cles, and offered them to be folde. Tarquinius demaunded the 
 price. The woman alked a wonderfull fomme. The king making 
 femblaunce as though the olde woman doted, began to laughe. 
 Then fhee gotte fyre in a chafing difhe, and burned three bookes 
 of the nyne. She afked the kyng again, if he would haue the 
 fixe for that prife, wherat the king laughed in more ample forte, 
 faying : " that the olde woman no doubt did dote in deede." By 
 and by fhe burned other three, humbly demaunding the king the 
 like queftion, if he would buye the refle for that price. Where- 
 vpon the kyng more earneflrlye gaue hede to her requefte, think- 
 ing the confl:ante demaundes of the woman not to be in vain, 
 bought the three bookes that remained for no lefl^e price, then was 
 required for the whole. Therewithall the woman departed from 
 Tarquinius, and was neuer feene after. Thefe bookes were kept 
 in the Capitole at Rome, whereunto the Romaines reforted, when 
 they purpofed to afke counfayle of the Goddes. A good example 
 for wyfe men to beware, howe they defpyfe or neglefte auncient 
 bookes and monumentes. Many the like in this Realme haue bene 
 defaced, founde in Religious houfes, whiche no doubte woulde haue 
 conduced great vtilitie and profite both to the common wealth and 
 countrie, if they had bene referued and kepte, whiche 
 bookes by the ignoraunt, haue ben torne and raifed, to 
 the great griefe of thofe that be learned, and of 
 them that afpire to learning and vertue. 
 
PROTAGORAS AND EUATHLUS. 99 
 
 THE TWENTY-SIXTH NOUELL. 
 
 A difference and controuerjie letwene a maijier and a fckoUer, fo 
 fuhtile that the iudges coulde not geue fentence. 
 
 DiUERS thinges be written, whiche although they feme of litle 
 importaunce, yet they be wittie and comfortable to recreate ho- 
 neft mindes and deferue to be had in remembraunce. Emongs 
 whiche Aulus Gellius (who reporteth tenne of the former Hiftories, 
 felefted out of his booke De noSiihus atticis) remembreth this 
 pretie controuerfie. In Athenes there was a yong man, called 
 Euathlus, who being defirous to be an Orator, and a pleading Ad- 
 uocate, to the intent he might poftulate, according to the accus- 
 tomed maner of Athenes in thofe daies, accorded vpon a price, 
 with a renowned Oratour named Protagoras, that he fhould in- 
 fl:ru£t him that arte, for a price agreed vpon betwene them, vpon 
 condicion that the Scholler fhould pay the one half of the money 
 before hande vnto his maifter, and the refte at fuch time as he 
 fhould proue to be an Aduocate, fo well inftrufted, as the firfl; 
 matter, which he did pleade, he fhould obtaine fentence on his 
 fide, and gayne for his labour and induftrie. But if fentence 
 were pronounced againft hym, he fhould not be bound to paye the 
 fame. Vppon this conclufion, the Maifter taughte hym with 
 greate diligence, the vttermofte of his knowledge in that arte. 
 The Scholler againe learned and receyued his teaching, with greate 
 prompitude and readineffe of witte. When Protagoras hadde 
 taught him the vttermoft'of his knowledge: the Scholler Euath- 
 lus, to defraude hym of the refte of his money, determined neuer 
 to be Aduocate, whofe craft Protagoras perceiuing, cited him by 
 writte, to appeare before the iudge, to aunfwere the refte of the 
 bargaine. When they were both come in the Iudges prefence, 
 Protagoras fpake to his fcholer in this wyfe : " Euathlus, the 
 bargaine betweene vs, thou canft not chofe but confefle and ac- 
 knowledge, whiche in effeft is this. It was agreed that I fhould 
 teache thee, the arte of pleading, and in the firft matter whiche 
 
100 PROTAGORAS AND EUATHLUS. 
 
 thou diddefl: pronounce and fentence giuen on thy parte, thou 
 fliouldeft paye me the other halfe of the money (for the firft moi- 
 tie I receiued before hande) and nowe to auoyde thefatiffaftion 
 thereof (although thou knoweft, that I haue full well deferued it) 
 thou to defraude me of my duetie, refufeft to be an Aduocate. But 
 I wil tell thee, this thy determination is but vayne and fruftrate : 
 for I haue intangled thee in fuche nettes, as thou canft not efcape : 
 but by one meane or other thou fhalt be forced to pay mee. For 
 if the fudge doe condempne thee, then maugre thy head thou fhalt 
 be conflrayned : and if contrariwyfe fentence be giuen on thy 
 fide, thou fhalt be likewyfe bounde to paye me, by thy verie coue- 
 naunt, Athens thou art bounde, when thou pleadefl: firft, and fen- 
 tence fhould be giuen in thy behalfe. Doe nowe then what thou 
 Iifl:e, for in fine thou fhalt be forced to paye me, in defpite of thy 
 teethe." All the affiftantes held with Protagoras, affirming his 
 fuite to be very reafonable. Notwithflanding Euathlus with a 
 bolde fpirite, aunfwered for him felfe in this maner: "Sir Protago- 
 ras, it femeth vnto you that I am conuifted, but fl:aye a whyle and 
 giue me leaue to fpeake : and then you fhall perceiue in what wyfe 
 I will confounde your argument. Here you haue brought your 
 aftion againft me, wherof I trufl:e vpon my reafonable anfwere be- 
 fore the fudges, to be difcharged. For if by this your pleading, 
 by circumftaunces and arte of an Oratour, whiche you haue vfed 
 in all your difcourfe, the matter fhall fall fo out as fentence be 
 giuen on your fide, then the bargayne made betwene vs is voyde 
 and of none effefte, bicaufe I lofing the profile of my firfte plead- 
 ing : wherein by our agrement fentence fhould be geuen on my 
 behalfe, the fame bargaine is not accomplifhed. For you fhould 
 be payde the moitie of the money behinde, with that commoditie, 
 which I did gayne by my firft pleading : for whiche caufe, there is 
 no reafon but I muft bee difcharged of your demaunde." After 
 this debating of the matter, the fudges wayed with argumentes of 
 both parts whiche femed fo doubtfull vnto them, that knowing 
 not howe to giue fentence, they fufpended the procefTe. 
 
 The fame AulusGellius, reciteth an other lyke queftion, whiche 
 bee referreth to Plinie, as the firfte authour thereof. There was a 
 lawe (fayeth bee) in a certayne citle, that what fo euer hee were, 
 
PROTAGORAS AND EUATHLUS. 10 1 
 
 that committed any valiaunte fafte of armes, the thyng that he 
 demaunded, whatfoeuer it were, fhould be graunted vnto him. It 
 chaunced that a certayne perfone did this worthy a£le, and re- 
 quired that a man's wife (whom he derely loued) fliould be giuen 
 vnto him : whiche wyfe by force and vertue of the lawe, was ac- 
 cordingly deHuered. But afterwardes the man, from whome his 
 wyfe was taken, did the lyke fadte, and demaunding his wyfe to 
 be redeliuered vnto him agayn, fayde vnto him that had her : "If 
 thou wilt obferue the lawe, thou muft of force deliuer vnto me, my 
 wyfe, but if thou do not like the lawe, thou oughteft yet to render 
 her vnto me, as mine owne." The other aunfwered him in like 
 forte : " If thou obferue the lawe, this woman is myne, 
 for I haue firft wonne her by the lawe : but if thou 
 do not approue the lawe, thou haft no right 
 to demaunde her, fhee nowe being myne." 
 
102 THE LOUE OF ANTIOCHUS 
 
 THE TWENTY-SEUENTH NOUELL. 
 
 Seleucus king of AJia, gaue his wife to his owne fonne in manage, 
 being his mother in latve : who fo feruently did loue her, that he 
 was like to die, whiche hy a difcrete and wyfe inuention, was dis- 
 couered to Seleucus by a Phifition. 
 
 Although the wyfe Philofopher PI utarche, elegantly and brieflye 
 defcribeth this hiftorie, in the life of Demetrius : yet bicaufe Ban- 
 dello aptlye and more at large doth difcourfe the fame, I thought 
 good to apply my pen to his ftile. Who faith that Seleucus king 
 of Babylon, a man verie viftorious in battaile, was amongs the fuc- 
 ceflbrs of Alexander the great, the mofte happie and fortunate : 
 He had a fonne called by his father's name Antiochus. After 
 the deceafle of his wife, his fonne increafed and gaue great hope 
 of valiaunce in future time, to become a valiant gentleman worthy 
 of fuche a father. And being ariued to xxiiii. yeres of age, it 
 chaunced that his father fell in loue with a very faire yonge gentle 
 woman, difcended of great parentage (called Stratonica) whom he 
 tooke to wife, and made her Queene, and by her had one fonne. 
 Antiochus feing his mother in lawe, to be (befides her great beau- 
 tie) a curteous and gentle Lady, began to be very amerous of her, 
 whofe hart war fo fet on fire (without apparent fhew) that incre- 
 dible it is to expreffe the loue that he bare her. And yet he 
 thought that loue to be vnnaturall becaufe fhe Was his father's wife, 
 and therefore durfl: not difcouer it to any man. And the more fe- 
 crete he kept it the more the heate began to boile and confume 
 him. But bicaufe he fawe that loue had fixed fo deepe footing, 
 that he was not well able to retire, bee determined after long forow 
 and great turmoile, to feke fome quiet hauen to refl:e his wea- 
 ther beaten barke, that had ben toffed with the waues of penfife 
 and forowfull cogitacions. His father had many kingdomes and 
 Prouinces innumerable vnder his Empire. At whofe handes An- 
 tiochus craued licence to vifite fome of them for his difport and 
 recreation, of purpofe to proue if he could auoide that vnfeafon- 
 able loue, wherewith his hart was fuppreffed. But he was no 
 
WITH FAIRE STRATONICA. IO3 
 
 foner out of his father's houfej but his harte was vexed with greater 
 tormentes then before, being depriued from the fight of faire Stra- 
 tonica, whofe prefence did better content him, then all the plea- 
 fures and fportes of the worlde. Neuerthelefle, defirous to van- 
 quifhe his indurate affeftions, he continued abroade for a certaine 
 time, during whiche fpace, vnable to quenche the fire, he led a 
 more defolate and troublefome life, then he did before. In the end 
 victorious loue toke him prifoner and caried him home againe to 
 his father's houfe. Who feing the great loue that his father bare 
 to his wife, and the ioyfull tyme that hee fpent with faire Stratoni- 
 ca, tranfported into many carefuU panges, many times complained 
 to him felfe in this wife. "Am I Antiochus the fonne of Seleucus ? 
 Am I he that my father loueth fo well, honoreth fo much, and 
 eftemeth better then al his realmes and dominions ? Alas if I be 
 Antiochus in deede, the fonne of fo louing a father, where is the 
 duetifull loue, and bounden reuerence that I ought to beare vnto 
 him? Is this the duetie of a fonne towardes his father? Ahwretche 
 and caitife that I am. Whether hath groflfe affeftion, vayne hope, 
 and blynde loue caried me ? Can loue be fo blynde ? Shall I be fo 
 voyde of fence, that I know not my mother in law from an other 
 woman who loueth me no leffe, and entertaigneth me fo wel, as if 
 fhe were mine own mother, that laboured with painful panges, to 
 bring me into light ? Which being true, as it is mofl: true, why 
 then do I loue her ? nay rather more then loue her. Why doe I 
 feke after her ? What meane I to hope for her ? Why doe I preci- 
 pitate fo fondlye into the fnares of blynde and deceiptfuU loue, 
 and into the trappe of deceiptfuU hope ? Can I not percevue that 
 thefe defyres, thefe vnftayed appetites, and vnbrydeled affedtions, 
 doe proceade from that whiche is diflioneft ? I fee well enough 
 that the waye I take leadeth mee into great inconuenience. And 
 what reproche fliould I fuftayne, if this vnreafonable loue were 
 made common to the world? Ought not I rather to fufFer infamous 
 death, then to fee my father depryued of fuche a wyfe, whome hee 
 fo derely loueth ? I wyll giue ouer this vnfemely loue, and reuert- 
 ing my mynde to fome other wyght, I wyll accomplifhe the duetie 
 of a good and louinge fonne towardes his father." Reafoning 
 thus with hym felfe, hee determyned wholly to giue ouer his en- 
 
104 THE LOUE OF ANTIOCHUS 
 
 terpryfe. And hee had no foner purpofed fo to doe, but fodaynly 
 the beautie of the Lady appeared, as it were in a vifion, before the 
 face of his mynde, and felte the flames to growe fo hotte, as hee, 
 vppon his knees, craued a thoufande pardons of the louing God, 
 for the abandoning of his gentle enterpryfe. And therewithal 
 contrarie imaginations began to ryfe, whiche fo contended with 
 mutual) refiftaunce, as they forced hym thus to faye. " Shall not 
 I loue this Ladie, becaufe fhee is my fathers wife ? Shall not I 
 profecute my fuite, for all that Ihee is my mother in lawe ? Ah 
 cowarde,fayntharted, and worthy to bee crowned a Prince of follye, 
 if therefore I fhould giue ouer my former mynde. Loue prefcrib- 
 eth no fuche lawe to her futers as pollicie doth to man. Loue 
 commaundeth the brother to loue the fifter, loue maketh the dough- 
 ter to loue the father, the brother his brothers wife, and many times 
 the mother, her fonne in lawe : whiche being lawfull to other, is 
 it not lawful to me ? If my father being an old man, whofe nature 
 waxeth cold, hath not forgotten the lawes of loue, in louing her 
 whom I loue : fhal I being a yong man, fubiefl; to loue, and in- 
 flamed with his pafllions, be blamed for louing her ? And as I were 
 not blame worthy, if I loued one that were not ray fathers wife, fo 
 mufl: I accufe Fortune, for that flie gaue her not to wyfe to an 
 other man, rather then to my father, bicaufe I loue her, and would 
 haue loued her, whofe wyfe fo euer flie had bene, Whofe beautie 
 (to fay the trouth is fuch) whofe grace and comelineflfe fo excel- 
 lent, that fliee is worthy to be receiued, honoured, and worfhipped 
 of all the worlde, I thinke it then conuenient for me to purfue my 
 purpofe, and to ferue her aboue al other." Thus this miferable 
 louer, trauerfing in feuerall mindes, and deluding his own fanfie, 
 chaunged his mynde a thoufand times in an hower. In thende, 
 after infinite difputations to him felfe, he gaue place to reafon, 
 confidering the great difconuenience that would infue his difor- 
 dinate loue. And yet not able to geue it ouer : And determining 
 rather to die, then to yelde to fuch wicked loue or to difcouer the 
 fame to any man. By litle and litle he confumed, as Acting fnow 
 againft the warme Sone : wherwith he came to fuche feble flate, 
 that he could neither flepe, nor eate, and was compelled to kepe 
 his bedde, in fuche wyfe, that with fuperfluous paine hewas brought 
 
WITH FAIRE STRATONICA. I05 
 
 to marueylous debilitie. Whiche his father perceiuing, that loued 
 him very tenderly, conceiued great griefe and forowe : and fent 
 for Erafiftratus, (which was a very excellent Phifition and of 
 great eflimation) whom very inftantly he praied diligently to 
 loke vnto his fonne, and to prouide for him fuch remedie as was 
 conuenient for the greatneffe of his difeafe. Erafiftratus viewyng 
 and beholding all the partes of the yonge gentlemans body, and 
 perceiuing no figne of fickenes, eyther in his vrine or other ac- 
 cident, whereby hee coulde iudge his body to be difeafed ; after 
 many difcourfes, gaue iudgement, that the fame iiifirmitie pro- 
 ceaded from fome paffion of the mynde, whiche ftiortelye woulde 
 cofte hym his life. 
 
 Whereof he aduertifed Seleucus, Who louing his fonne after a 
 fatherly maner, and fpeciallye, becaufe he was indued with vertue 
 and good condicions, was affli£ted with vnfpeakeable griefe. The 
 yong gentleman was a marueilous towarde youth, so adtiue and 
 valiaunte as anye that liued in his tyme, and therewithall verie 
 beautifull and comely. Whiche made hym to be belouedtof all 
 men. His father was continuall in his chamber, and the Queene 
 her felfe oftentimes vifited him, and with her own handes ferued 
 him with meates and drinkes : whiche bicaufe I am no Phifition, I 
 knowe not whether the fame did the yong man any pleafure, or 
 whether it did him hurt or good. But I fuppofe, that her fight 
 was ioyfull vnto hym, as of her in whom he had placed his com- 
 fort, all his hope, quietnefle, and delight. But beholding before 
 his eyes fo many times the beautie of her whome fo greatly he 
 defired to enioye, hearing her fpeake that was the caufe of his 
 death, and receiuing feruice of meates and drinkes at her handes 
 whome he loued better then the balles of his eyes : vnto whom 
 he durft not make any requeft or praier, whether his grief fur- 
 mounted all other, and therefore continually pined and confumed, 
 I thinke it of reafon to be beleued. And who doubteth but that 
 he feling him felf to be touched with thofe her delicate handes, 
 and feing her to fitte by him, and fo many times for his fake to 
 fetche fo many fyghes, and with fuche fwete woordes to bidde 
 hym be of good chere, and that if he wanted any thing to tell 
 her, and praied him with pleafaunt woordes, to call for that he 
 
I06 THE LOUE OF ANTIOCHUS 
 
 lacked^ and that for his fake fhe would gladly accomplifh what 
 he defired : who douteth I fay, but he was marueiloufly tormented 
 with a thoufande cogitations ? Nowe conceiuing hope, and now 
 difpaire, and ftill concluding with him felfe, rather to dye then to 
 manifefte his loue. And if it bee a griefe to all yonge men, (be 
 they of neuer fo meane and bafe condicion) in theyr youthlye 
 tyme, to lofe their lyfe, what fhall we thynke of Antiochus, beyng 
 a younge man of frefhe and flourifhyng age, the fonne of a ryche 
 and mightie kyng, that looked if hee efcaped after the death of 
 his father to bee heyre of all, did willingly craue death, of that 
 fmall difeafe : I am affured that his forowe was infinite. Antio- 
 chus then beaten with pitie, with loue, with hope, with defyre, 
 with fatherly reuerence, and with a thoufande other thynges (lyke 
 a fhyppe toffed in depeft Seas) by litle and litle beganne to growe 
 extremely ficke. Erafillratus that fawe his bodye whole and 
 founde, but his minde greuoufly weakened, and the fame van- 
 quifhed with fundrie paffions. After hee had with him felfe con- 
 fidered this ftraunge cafe, hee for conclufion founde out that the 
 yonge man was ficke of loue, and of none other caufe. Moreouer 
 he thought that many times, wife and graue men, through ire, 
 hatred, difdaine, melancholic, and other afFeftions, could eafily 
 faine and diffemble their paffions, but loue if it be kept fecrete, 
 doth by the clofe keping therof, greater hurt then if it be made 
 manifeft. And albeit that of Antiochus he coulde not learne the 
 caufe of his loue, yet after that imagination was entred into his 
 head, he purpofed to finde it out by continual aboade with him, 
 and by great diligence to obferue and marke all his aftions : and 
 aboue all to take hede to the mutacion of his poulces, and where- 
 upon their beating did alter. This deliberation purpofed, he fat 
 downe by the bed fide, and tooke Antiochus by the arme, and 
 helde him fafte where the poulfes ordinarily do beate. It chaun- 
 ced at that very inftant, that the Queene Stratonica entred into 
 the chamber, whom fo fone as the yonge man fawe comming to- 
 ward him, fodainly the poulfe which were weake and feble, began 
 to reuiue through mutation of the bloud. Erafiftratus feling the 
 renforcing of the poulce, to proue howe long it would continewe, 
 he remoued not at the comming of the Queene, but ftill helde his 
 
WITH FAIRE STRATONICA. 107 
 
 fingers vpon the beating of the poulces. So longe as the Queene 
 continued in the chamber, the beating was quicke and liuely, but 
 when fhe departed, it ceafed, and the wonted weakenes of the 
 poulces retourned. Not long after the Queene came againe into 
 the chamber, who was no foner efpied by Antiochus, but his poul- 
 ces receiued vigor, and began to leape, and fo ftill continued. 
 When fhe departed the force and vigor of the poulce departed 
 alfo. The noble phifition feing this mutation, and that fiill it 
 chaunced vpon the prefence of the Queene : hee thought that he 
 had founde out the caufe of Antiochus fickenefle : but he deter- 
 mined better to marke the fame the next daye, to be the better 
 aflured. The morowe after, Erafiftratus fatte downe againe by 
 the yonge gentleman and took him again by the arme, but his 
 poulce made no motion at all. The king came to fee his fonne, 
 and yet for all that his poulces were ftill : and beholde the Queene 
 came no foner in, but fodainly they reuiued, and yelded fuche 
 liuely mouing, as if you woulde haue fayde : — " Yonder is fliee 
 that fetteth my harte on fyre. Beholde where {he is that is my life 
 and death." — Then Erafiftratus was wel affured and certaine 
 that Antiochus was feruently inflamed with his mother in lawe, 
 but that fliame conftrained him to conceale the hotte firebrandes 
 that tormented him, and to keepe theim clofe and fecrete. Cer- 
 tified of this opinion, before he would open the matter, he con- 
 fidered what way were beft to geue knowledge therof to king 
 Seleucus. And when hee had \yell debated of this matter, he deuif- 
 ed this waye : hee knew that Seleucus loued his wife beyonde 
 meafure, and alfo that Antiochus was fo deare vnto him as his 
 own life. Whereupon he thus fayde vnto the kyng. " Noble 
 Seleucus, thy fonne is affefted with a greuous maladie, and that 
 (which is worfe) I deme his fickenefife to be incurable." At 
 whiche woordes, the forowefull father began to vtter pitifull lamen- 
 tation, and bitterly to complayne of Fortune. To whome the Phifi- 
 tion fayde. — " If, it pleafe you (my Lorde) to vnderftande the 
 occafion of his difeafe, this it is : The maladie that afFedteth and 
 languifheth your fonne, is Loue : and the loue of fuch a woman, 
 which except he enioy, there is no remedie but death." "Alas 
 (quoth the kinge, weeping with bitter teares) and what woman is 
 
1 08 THE LOUE OF ANTIOCHUS 
 
 fliee, but that I maye procure her for him, which am kinge of all 
 Afia, and am able with intreatie, money, giftes, or other pollicie 
 whatfoeuer, to make her obediente and willinge to my fonnes 
 requefte. Tell me onely the name of the woman, that I maye 
 prouide for my fonnes health, yea, thoughe it cofte me all niy 
 goodes and realme to, if otherwife fhee cannot be gotten : for if 
 he die what fhall I doe with my kingdome." 
 
 Whereunto Erafiftratus aunfwered. "If it like your grace, 
 your fonne is in loue with my wife, but becaufe the loue of another 
 man's wife feemeth vnto him vnreafonable, he dareth not to mani- 
 feft it for fliame, but rather wiflieth to die, then to open his 
 minde. Howbeit, I by certaine euidente fignes, do well perceiue 
 it." When Seleucus hearde thefe words, he faid. " Erafif- 
 tratus ! thou being fo worthie a man, to whom fewe in goodnefle 
 and humilitie be comparable, fo deare and wel beloued of mee, 
 and beareth the bruite to be the very hauen and harborough of 
 wifedome, wilt thou not faue my fonne, which is a yonge man, 
 nowe vppon the floure of his youth, and moft worthy of life : for 
 whom the empyre of all Afia is worthely referued ? Erafif- 
 tratus 1 the fonne of thy frend Seleucus, is thy king, who through 
 loue and filence, is at the pointe of death, thou feefl: that for mo- 
 deftie, and honeftie fake, at this his lafl: and doubtfull paflage, he 
 had rather chofe to die, then by fpeaking to offend thee, and 
 wilte thou not helpe him ? This his filence, this difcretion, that 
 his reuerence which hee flieweth, oughte to moue thee to compaf- 
 fion. Thincke my wel beloued Erafiftratus, that if he loue ardently, 
 that he was forced to loue : for vndoubtedly, if he could not loue, 
 he would doe the beft he could not to loue : yea, and with all his 
 endeauour to refifl: it : but who is able to prefcribe lawes to loue ? 
 Loue I knowe, not onelye forceth men, but also commaundeth the 
 immortal Gods : and when they be not able to refift, what can man's 
 pollicie preuaile ? Wherefore, who knoweth not what pitie mine 
 owne deare Antiochus doth deferue ? who being conftrained, can 
 none otherwife do : but to be filent in loue, is a mofl: euident 
 figne of a noble and rare vertue. Difpofe thy minde therefore, 
 to helpe my fonne : for I affure thee that if thou do not loue 
 the life of Antiochus, Seleucus life muft needes be hated of thee : 
 
WITH FAIRE STRATONICA. 109 
 
 he cannot be hurtj but I likewife mufte be touched with griefe." 
 The wife Phifition, feing that his aduise came to paffe as he 
 thought before^ and that Seleucus was fo inftant vpon him for the 
 health of his fonne : the better to proue his minde and his inten- 
 tion, fpake vnto him in this wife. " It is a common faying, my 
 moft dradde foueraigne Lord, that a man when he is whole, can 
 giue to him that is ficke and weake, very good counfel. You 
 perfwade me to giue my welbeloued wife to another man, and to 
 forgoe her whom I mofte feruently doe loue, and in lackinge her, 
 my life alfo muft faile. If you do take from me my wyfe, you take 
 with her my life. Doubtfull it is my Lord, if Antiochus your fonne 
 were in loue with the queene Stratonica, your graces' wyfe, whether 
 you would be fo liberall vnto him of her, as you woulde that I 
 fhould be of mine." " I would it were the pleafure of the Gods 
 (fodenly aunfwered Seleucus) that he were in loue with my beft 
 beloued Stratonica, I fweare vnto thee, by the reuerence that I 
 haue always borne to the honourable memorie of my father An- 
 tiochus, and my graundfather Seleucus : and I fweare by all the 
 facred Gods, that freelye and forthwith, I would render her into 
 his hands (althoughe fliee be the deareft beloued vnto mee^) in fuche 
 wife as all the worlde fhould know what the dutie of a good and 
 louing father ought to be to fuch a fonne, as is my intirely be- 
 loued Antiochus : whoe (if I bee not deceiued) is Inofte worthie of 
 all helpe and succour. Alas! this is a great vertue, in concealing 
 that notable paffion as an earnefl: afFe£hion of loue : and is it not 
 worthie to be confecrated to eternall memorie ? Is he not worthie 
 of all helpe and comfort ? Doth bee not deferue to be pitied and 
 lamented of all the worlde ? Trulye he is worfe then a cruel 
 enemie, naye he is rather more fierce and vnnatural then a fauage 
 beafl:, that at fuch moderate behauiour as my fonne vfeth, wil 
 not take compaffion." Many other wordes the good father fpake, 
 manifeftly declaring, that he for the health of his fonne, would 
 not onely fticke to beftowe his wife, but alfo willingly his lyfe 
 for his preferuation. Wherefore the Phifition thought it not good 
 any longer to keepe fecrete the caufe, but toke the king afide, 
 and faid vnto him in this wyfe. " The health of your fonne 
 (my deare Lorde and Soueraigne) is not in my handes, but the 
 
I lO THE LOUE OF ANTIOCHUS 
 
 fame refteth in you, and in your wife Stratonica : whom (as I, 
 by certaine fignes doe manifeftly know,) he ardentlie doth loue. 
 Your grace now doth knowe from henceforth what to do, if his 
 life be dere vnto you." And telling the king the maner of his 
 loue, he ioyfully toke his leaue. The king now doubted but of one 
 thing, which was how to perfwade his fonne to take Stratonica 
 to wife : and howe to exhorte his wyfe, to take his fonne to huf- 
 bande. But it chaunced for diuers caufes, that eafelye ynough 
 he perfwaded them both. And perchaunce, Stratonica made a 
 good exchaunge, in taking a yong man, to forfake him that was 
 olde. After Seleucus had made the accord betwene his wife and 
 his fonne, he caufed al his army to affemble, which was very 
 great : to whom he faid in this maner. " My dere and louinge 
 fouldiours, which fith the death of Alexander the great, haue 
 (with mee) atchieued a thoufande glorious enterprifes : I thincke 
 it meete and conueniente that yee be partakers of that which I 
 purpofe to bringe to palTe. Ye doe knowe that vnder mine 
 Empyre, I have lxxii. kingdomes, and that I beinge an olde man, 
 am not able to attende fo greate a charge : wherefore (louinge 
 companions) I purpofe to deliuer and ridde you from griefe of 
 idleneffe, and my felfe from trouble and toyle, referuing to mee 
 onely fo much as lyeth betweene the Sea and the riuer Euphrates, 
 All the reft of my dominions I giue to my fonne Antiochus, 
 vppon whom in marriage, I haue beftowed my wife Stratonica, 
 which thinge ought to contente you, becaufe my will and pleafure 
 is fuch." And when he had tolde them the loue and ficknes of 
 his fonne, and the difcrete deuife of the gentle Phifition, in the 
 prefence of all his armie, the mariage was celebrated betwene 
 Stratonica and Antiochus. Afterwards he crowned them both 
 kinge and Queene of Asia, and with royall pompe and triumphe, 
 the defired mariage was confummate. The armye hearing and 
 feing thefe thinges, very highly commended the pietie of the 
 father towards his fonne. Antiochus then continued with his 
 welbeloued wife in ioy and quietnes, lining together in great 
 felicitie. This was not hee that for matters of ^gipt did make 
 warres with the Romaines: but he that onely inferred warres vpon 
 the Gallatians, which out of Europa pafled into Afia, out of which 
 
WITH FAIRE STRATONICA. 1 1 1 
 
 countrie hee chafed them, and ouercame them. Of this Antiochus 
 came Seleucus, which was father of Antiochus furnamed the 
 great, that attempted very notable warres againft the Romaines, 
 and not his great graundfather, that maried his mother in law. 
 Finally this Seleucus (of whom I recompt this hiftorie) by giuing 
 his wife to his fonne, did accomplifti a miraculous aft, and worthy 
 (in deede) of fempiternall remembraunce, and greatlye to bee 
 commended therefore, who although he had achieued in- 
 finite viftories ouer his enemies, yet there was none of 
 them all fo great as the viftorie of himfelfe, and 
 his paffions. For certainly Seleucus did van- 
 quifh his owne appetites, by depriuing 
 himfelfe of his wife, whom hee loued 
 and efteemed, aboue 
 all worldly 
 thinges. 
 
I 1 2 TIMON OF ATHENS. 
 
 THE TWENTY-EIGHTH NOUELL. 
 
 Of the Jiraunge and leq/ilie nature of Timon of Athens, enemie to 
 mankinde, with his death, luriall, and Epitaphe. 
 
 Al the beaftes of the worlde do applye theimfelues to other 
 beaftes of theyr kindj Timon of Athens onely excepted : of whofe 
 ftraunge nature Plutarche is aftonied^ in the life of Marcus Anto- 
 nius. Plato and Ariftophanes do report his marueylous nature, 
 becaufe hee was a man but by fhape onely, in qualities hee was 
 the capitall enemie of mankinde, which he confeffed franckely 
 vtterly to abhorre and hate. He dwelt alone in a litle cabane in 
 the fieldes not farre from Athenes, feparated from all neighbours 
 and company : he neuer wente to the citie, or to any other habit- 
 able place, except he were conftrayned : he could not abide any 
 mans company and conuerfation : he was neuer feen to goe, to 
 any raannes houfe, ne yet would fuffer them to come to him. At 
 the fame time there was in Athenes another of like qualitie, called 
 Apemantus, of the very fame nature, differente from the naturall 
 kinde of man, and lodged likewife in the middes of the fields. 
 On a day they two being alone together at dinner, Apemantus 
 faid vnto him : " O Timon what a pleafant feaft is this, and what 
 a merie companie are wee, being no more but thou and I." 
 " Naie (quoth Timon) it would be a merie banquet in deede, if 
 there were none here but my felfe." 
 
 Wherein he (hewed how like a beaft (in deede) he was : for 
 he could not abide any other man, beinge not able to fuffer the 
 company of him, which was of like nature. And if by chaunce 
 hee happened to goe to Athenes, it was onelye to fpeake with 
 Alcibiades, who then was an excellente Captaine there, wherat 
 many did marueile : and therefore Apemantus demaunded of 
 him, why he fpake to no man, but to Alcibiades. " I fpeake to 
 him fometimes, faid Timon, becaufe I know that by his occafion, 
 the Atheniens fliall receiue great hurt and trouble." Which 
 wordes many times he told to Alcibiades himfelfe. He had a 
 
TIMON OF ATHENS. 1 1 3 
 
 garden adioyning to his houfe in the fields, wherin was a Figge 
 tree, wheruppon many defperate men ordinarily did hange them- 
 felues: in place whereof, he purpofed to fet vp a houfe, and 
 therefore was forced to cutte it downe, for which caufe hee went 
 to Athenes, and in the markette place, hee called the people about 
 him, faying that hee had newes to tell them : when the people 
 vnderftoode that he was about to make a difcourfe vnto them, 
 which was wont to fpeake to no man, they marueiled, and the 
 citizens on euery parte of the citie, ranne to heare him : to whom 
 he faide, that he purpofed to cutte downe his Figge tree, to builde 
 a houfe vpon the place where it ftoode. " Wherefore (quoth he) 
 if there be any man amonges you all in this company, that is dis- 
 pofed to hange himfelfe, let him come betimes, before it be cutte 
 downe." Hauing thus beftowed his charitie amonges the people, 
 hee retourned to his lodging, wher he liued a certaine time after, 
 without alteration of nature ; and becaufe that nature chaunged 
 not in his life time, he would not fuffer that death fhould alter, or 
 varie the fame. For like as he liued a beaftly and chorlifh life, 
 euen fo he required to haue his funeral! done after that maner. 
 By his laft will, he ordeined himfelfe to be interred vpon the fea 
 fhore, that the waues and furges might beate and vexe his dead 
 carcas. Yea, and that if it were poffible, his defire was to be 
 buried in the depth of the Sea : caufing an Epitaphe to be made, 
 wherin was defcribed the qualities of his brutifhe life. Plutarche 
 alfo reporteth an other to be made by Calimachus, much like to 
 that which Timon made himselfe, whofe owne foundeth to this 
 efFefl; in Englifhe Verfe. 
 
 My wretched catife dayes, 
 
 expired now and pqft : 
 My carren corps intered here, 
 
 isfajl in grounde : 
 In waltring waues offwel- 
 
 ling Sea, ly furges caji. 
 My name if thou defire, 
 
 The Gods thee doe confounde. 
 
 VOL. I. H 
 
114 A PLURALITIE OF HUSBANDS. 
 
 THE TWENTY-NINTH NOUELL. 
 
 The manage of a man and woman, hee being the hujband of xx. 
 wiues : and f hee the wife qfxxii. hufbandes. 
 
 Men commonly do reproue the honour of widowes^ becaufe they 
 being twife or thrife wedded, doe marrie againe : and albeit by 
 outward apparaunce, they which foe blame them feeme to haue 
 reafon, yet no man ought to iudge the fecrecie of the hart. 
 Mariage is holy and ought be permitted, and therfore by any 
 meanes not to be reproued. Although it cannot be denied, but 
 that the chaft life is moft perfefte, notwithftanding, that perfec- 
 tion in nothing doth diminifhe the other. The widowe marying 
 againe doth not ofFende God by mariage, and to the world fhe com- 
 mitteth the left faulte. And becaufe manye olde and aunciente 
 widowes, in thefe dayes, may not after three or fower mariages be 
 difmaiedandterrifiedfrom that ftate, I will recite anHiftorie,auouch- 
 ed by S.Hierome, in anEpiftle^ti Gerontiam viduam de monogamia, 
 whom for his holines and vertue, wee ought to beleue. It is alfo 
 pretely fet forth by Pietro Meffia de Seuiglia, an excellent authour, 
 a gentleman of Spaine, in the 34 Chapter of the firft parte of his 
 worke, called La Selua di varie Lezzioni. S. Hierome fayth, that in 
 the time of Pope Damafus, he fawe and knew in Rome, one woman 
 lawfully maried to xxii. men, and was the widowe of xxii. hus- 
 bands : there was alfo a man which had had xx. wiues, and was then 
 the widower of the xx. Both which being free, and of equall ftate 
 and condition, they made fuite one to other : and that either of 
 them might proue whether fhould be the viftor, in buryinge ech 
 other, they maried together, which mariage was in great admira- 
 tion amonges the Romaines: who mufinge which of them 
 fhould die firft, promifed that at the funerall, they would beautie 
 the corpes, both with their prefence, and alfo with tokens of vic- 
 torie. It chaunced (fore againft her will I dare fay) that the 
 woman died firft. At the celebration of whofe buriall, all the 
 Romaine hufbandes laied their heades together, howe they mighte 
 
A PLURALITIE OF HUSBANDS. I I 5 
 
 exornate and garnifli the funeralles. They concluded, to goe 
 before the corpes with Laurel garlands vppon their heades, finging 
 verfes of praife for the obtaining of fuch a viftorious conqueft. 
 Now where the women went, I cannot tell : for I finde writ- 
 ten, that populus totius vrlis prcecedelat feretrum ; wher popu- 
 lus, as I take it, fignifieth the whole route of men and women. 
 And yet I thincke womens' hartes coulde fkarce aforde to go 
 before : therefore I thincke they came behinde like mourners, 
 bearinge braunches without leaues, their beades in their handes, 
 praying for all chriflen foules. But giuing women leaue to 
 mourne for fuch an ouerthrow, I woulde wifhe all my frendes that 
 be widowes, to folow the noble Romaine matrone and widowe 
 called Annia, who (when her frendes and familiers, exhorted her 
 to marie againe, becaufe She was yong and beautifull) aunfweared 
 that fhe would not. " For, quoth fhe, if it be my fortune to haue a 
 good hufband, as I had before, I fhall ftill be afraied, left death 
 ftiould take him away : but if it be my chaunce to matche with 
 one that is euill, howe can I be able quietly to beare that, 
 hauing had fo good a hulbande before." Declaringe 
 thereby, that being ones well matched, great heede 
 ought to be taken, how to chofe the nexte, 
 leafte in making haftie choife, 
 leafure for repentaunce 
 fhould folow. 
 
I 1 6 A QUESTION OF SALADINE 
 
 THE THIRTYETH NOUELL. 
 
 How Melchifedeck a lewe, by telling a pretie tale of three kinges, 
 
 faued his life. 
 
 Saladine, whofe valiaunce was fo great, that not onely the fame 
 from bafe eftate aduaunced him to be Souldan of Babilon, but 
 alfo thereby hee wanne diuers vifitories ouer the Saracene kinges 
 and chriftians: who throughe his manifolde warres and magnificent 
 triumphes, hauing expended al his treafure, and for th'execution 
 of one exploite, lackinge a great fumme of money, knewe not 
 where to haue the fame fo redily as he had occafion to imploy it. 
 At length he called to remembraunce a rich iewe named Melchife- 
 dech, that lent out money for intereft in Alexandria, whofe greedie 
 and couetous nature was fuch, that with his good will he would 
 not do it, and to force him the Souldan was very loth. Howbeit, 
 compelled by neceffity, he cafl: his wits about him to finde a 
 meanes how the iew might ferue his tourne, and thereuppon founde 
 out a fleight and waye by a colourable force. Who caufing the 
 iew to be called before him, intertayned him familiarly, making 
 him to fit downe befides him, and faid to him thefe words. '' Sir, 
 I do learne by report of diuers, that you are verye wife and 
 well learned in thinges touching God, for which caufe I would 
 gladly know of you which of the three lawes you iudge to be mofl: 
 fincere and true : the lewifhe law, the Saracene law, or the Chrif- 
 tian lawe?" The Iewe which in deede was very wife, perceiued 
 wel that Saladine went about to intrappe him in wordes, thereby 
 to raife fome quarell againft him, and thought that it was not 
 good for him to praife one of thofe lawes more then another, lefte 
 Saladine mighte take adnauntage of him., Wherefore, to make a 
 wife and difcrete aunfwere that he might not be ouer fhotte, he 
 fharpened his wittes, and fodainly came into His remembraunce 
 this aunfwere. " My Lorde, the quefl;ion which you haue pro- 
 poned is excellent, and to declare vnto you that which I knowe, 
 I muflie tell you a tale, the better to open my meaninge, which if 
 
TO MELCHISEDECH A JEW. 1 1 7 
 
 it fhall pleafe you to heare, is this. I doe remember (if I be not 
 deceiued) that many times I haue heard tell, how vppon a time 
 there was a Noble man which was very rich, and had amonges his 
 other treafures, a verye beautifull ringe of great price and eftima- 
 tion : which for the valour and beautie, hee was very defirous 
 perpetually, to leaue vnto his fucceflburs : willing and ordeining 
 that the fame fonne which fliould haue that ring by the gift 
 of his father, after his deceafe, fhould be taken and reputed for 
 his heire, and fhould be honoured and magnified of the refle 
 as the chiefefl:. He to whom the fame ring was left, obferued 
 femblable order in his pofleritie, and did the like that his prede- 
 ceflbr had done before him. In fhort time, this Ryng fucceded 
 from hand to hand to many fucceflburs. And lafl: of al it came 
 to the hand of one that had three goo.dly fonnes, vertuous and 
 very obedient to their father, who loued them all indifferently 
 and in equall maner, which knowing the order for the difpofition 
 of that Ring, curious to be beft efteemed and beloued, euery of 
 them prayed his father fo well as feuerally they could, (which 
 then was aged) that when hee died he would giue him the Ring. 
 The good man which loued one no better then another, knew not 
 which of them to chofe, to whom he might difpofe it, and thought 
 befl to promife the fame to euery of them to fatiffie all three. 
 Secretely he procured an excellente Goldfmith to make two other 
 Rings, which accordinglye were made fo like vnto the firft, as the 
 owner himfelfe vnnethes knew one from the other. And when he 
 was vpon his death bedde, he fecretly gaue to euery of his fonnes 
 a Ring. Who after the death of their father defirous to enter the 
 inheritaunce and honour, one goinge about to difplace another, 
 euery of them to declare what title he had to enioy the fame, 
 brought forth his Ringe : and the ringes were founde fo like, that 
 the true Ring could not be knowen. Therefore the proceflle for 
 the title remained in doubt and yet continueth till this daye. 
 And fo I fay vnto you my Lord of the thre lawes giuen by God 
 the father to thofe three people, whereof you haue made the ques- 
 tion : euery of thofe Nations thinketh to enioy the inheritaunce of 
 God, and to obferue the true lawe and his commaundementes : but 
 which of them hath the truefl; law, that remaineth in doubt like 
 
1 1 8 A QUESTION OF SALADINE TO A JEW. 
 
 the queftion of the Rings," Saladine perceyuing that Melchifedech 
 knew right well how to auoide the fnare which hee had laied for 
 him : determined therefore to open and difclofe vnto him his necef- 
 fitie, to proue if he would do him that pleafure : which hee did, 
 telling him his intent and meaninge, if he had not framed him 
 that wyfe aunfweare. The lewe liberally lent him the 
 fumme of moneye that he demaunded, which Sala- 
 dine wholie repaied vnto him againe, befides 
 other very great rewardes that he gaue 
 him, vfing him ftill for his frende, and 
 afterwards maintayned him next 
 his perfon, in great and 
 honourable ftate. 
 
ERMINO GRIMALDI. II9 
 
 THE THIRTY-FIRST NOUELL. 
 
 One called Guglielmo Borjiere with certaine wordes well placed, 
 taunted the couetous life of Ermino Grimaldi, 
 
 LoNGE Athens there was a gentleman at Genoua called M. 
 Ermino Grimaldi, whoe as all men thoughte, was the richeft of 
 pofleffions and ready money within that citie, and therin farre 
 excelled all other citizens which then were knowen in Italie. And 
 as he did furpafle al other Italians in fubftance and wealth, fo in 
 auarice and wretchednes he furmounted beyond meafure the moft 
 couetous and miferable of the worlde. For he kept his purfe fo 
 clofe that he did not onely neglefte to do good to other, but alfo 
 to himfelfe, by fparinge many things neceflary for his owne per- 
 son: he indured much hardnes in meate and drinke becaufe he 
 would fpend nothinge : contrary to the common cuftome of the 
 Geneuois, who be wonte very nobly and honourably to maintaine 
 themfelues in apparell and fare. For which caufe his furname 
 Grimaldi deferuedly was taken away, and was called of euery man 
 nothing els but M. Ermino the couetous. It chaunced in thofe 
 dayes, that as he by fpending nothing multiplied his goods. 
 There ariued at Genoua an honeft gentleman and well fpoken, a 
 Courtier of good interteignement, named Guglielmo Borfiere, 
 (nothing like the Courtiers in thefe dayes that to their great fhame, 
 for their corrupt and rude maners would be called and reputed gen- 
 tlemen, which in deede maye bee counted Afles, broughte vppe 
 and nofeled rather in the filthye conditions of the vilefl: menne, 
 then in Courtes.) In thofe dayes Courtiers occupied themfelues, in 
 treatinge of peace and endinge of quarelles that bredde flrife and 
 diflention amonges gentlemen, or in makinge of mariages, ami- 
 ties, and attonementes, and with mery woordes and pleafaunt, did 
 recreate troubled mindes, and exhilarated with paftimes other 
 Courtiers, not with fliarpe reprehenfions, but like fathers rebuking 
 the Hues of the wicked, and that for no gaine or reward. Where 
 fome of the Courtiers of oure age do imploye their time, in ill re- 
 
1 20 ERMINO GRIMALDI, 
 
 portes one of another^ and do diffeminate debate and ftrife^ vtter- 
 inge a thoufande vnhappie and vile wordes, yea and that (which 
 is worfl: of all) in common audience. Their maner is to reproue 
 and checke one an other with iniuries, reproches and nipping 
 girdes, with falfe and deceiuable flatteries, villanoufly and diflem- 
 blingly, to begile poore and needle gentlemen. He is alfo the 
 propreft man and befl beloued of fome great men of like condi- 
 tions, and of them is befl: rewarded that can vfe the vilefl: and 
 moft abhominable talke, or can do femblable deeds, which re- 
 doundeth to the great fliame and diflionour, of the chiefe and 
 principall that beare the fwaie in Courte : proofe wherof is eui- 
 dent enough for that the vertues paft, haue forfaken the prefente 
 fort, who Hue in the ordure and filth of all vices. But to precede 
 in that which I haue begon, (although vpon iufl: occafion I haue 
 a litle more digrefl^ed then I thought,) I fay that the forefaid 
 Guglielmo Borfiere, was honoured and vifited of the gentlemen 
 of Genoua, who making his abode for a certaine time in the Citie, 
 and hearing tel of the miferie and couetoufnes of M. Ermino, had 
 great defire to fee him. M. Ermino hearing tell that this Gugli- 
 elmo Borfiere was an excellente man, and therefore (although a 
 couetous man) yet hauing in him fome fparke of gentilitie, he re- 
 ceiued him with friendlye woords and good countenaunce, entringe 
 into communication with him of diuers and fundrie matters, and 
 in talking brought him with certaine other Citizens to one of his 
 houfes which was very faire and newe, where (after hee had fhew- 
 ed him his houfe) he faid vnto him: "M. Guglielmo, you that 
 haue feene and heard many things, can you fhew vnto me any new 
 deuife neuer feene before, that I may caufe the fame to be painted 
 in the hall of this my houfe." To whom M. Guglielmo (hearing 
 his fonde demaunde) aunfweared : " Sir I can fliewe you nothing 
 but that which hath beene knowen before, excepte Nefinges or 
 fuch like. But if it pleafe you fir I wil gladly teach you one, 
 which I thincke you neuer faw." M. Ermino glad to heare of 
 that, faid : " I pray you fir tell mee what it is," (not thinking he 
 would haue made that aunfwere). To whom M. Guglielmo redely 
 faid : " Caufe the figure of Liberality to be painted." At which 
 aunfweare M. Ermino was fo fodenlye afhamed, as he was forced 
 
ERMINO GRIMALDI. 121 
 
 to chaunge his minde in maner cleane contrarye to his accuftom- 
 
 ed vfe, and trade of life, faying: "M. Guglielmo, I will caufe 
 
 the fame to be painted in fuch wife, as neither you nor any man 
 
 els, fliall haue occafion iuftly to obieft the fame againft 
 
 me." And from that time forth (fuch was the force of 
 
 that taunt) hee was the moft liberall and bountefuU 
 
 gentleman that dwelte in Genoua, and one 
 
 that honoured ftraungers and citizens 
 
 more then euer did any in 
 
 his time. 
 
122 MAISTER ALBERTO OF BOLOGNA. 
 
 THE THIRTY-SECOND NOUELL. 
 
 Mai/ier Allerto of Bologna, ly a pleafaunt aunfweare made a gen- 
 tlewoman to llujhe, which had thoughte to haue put him out of 
 countenaunce, in telling him that he was in lone with her. 
 
 Not manye yeares pafte there was at Bologna a notable Phifition, 
 renowmed throughe out the whole worlde, called Maifter Alberto, 
 whoe beinge old, almofi: lx. yeares of age, had fuch an excellent 
 wit, that although naturall heate was expired in his bodie, yet hee 
 difdayned not to conceiue fome amorous flames of loue. Seing 
 at a banket a verye fayre gentlewoman a widowe called (as fome 
 faye) Madonna Margherita de Ghifilieri, fhe pleafed his fanlie fo 
 well, that he fixed her fo fafl: in the fiege of his remembraunce, 
 as if he had been a yonge man of rype and youthlye yeares. In 
 fuch wife as that nighte he coulde take no refte, if the day before 
 hee had not feene the faire and beautifull face of this faire gentle- 
 woman. For which caufe fometimes a foote, and fometimes on 
 horfebacke as he thought befl:, he continually vfed to pafle before 
 her lodginge, which was the caufe that fhee and diuers other gen- 
 tlewomen did marke th'occafion of his ofte pafling to and fro that 
 waye. And many times they iefted and dalied amongefl: them 
 felues to fee a man of fuch yeares and experience to be in loue, 
 thinking that the difpleafaunt paffion of loue, could faften no 
 hold but in the fonde mindes of yonge people and no where els. 
 Wherefore Maifter Alberto daily pafling to and fro the houfe of 
 that gentlewoman, it chaunced vppon an holye daye, that fhee 
 fittinge with other dames before her doore, and fawe Maifter Al- 
 berto a farre ofl^, comming towards them, fhe with the reft deter- 
 mined curteoufly to receiue him, and reuerently to falute him, and 
 ftfterwardes merely to talke and fporte of his loue, which accord- 
 ingly they did. The gentlewoman rifing vp conueyed him into a 
 court, of ayre frefh and pleafaunt, where they caufed to be brought 
 forth excellent wynes and comfites, and in the ende with manye 
 cherefull and pleafaunt woordes, one of them afked him how it 
 
MAISTER ALBERTO OF BOLOGNA. I 23 
 
 was poffible, he could be in loue with that fayre gentlewoman, 
 fpeciallye Athens manye fayre and trimme yonge menne, did loue 
 her. Maifter Alberto perceyuinge himfelfe touched and gefted 
 at, very honeftlye aunfweared with fmyling countenaunce : " Maif- 
 tres, no wyfe man whatfoeuer hee be oughte to marueile whye I 
 am in loue, efpeciallye with you (lookinge vppon her whom hee 
 loued) becaufe your beautye and woorthines dothe well deferue the 
 fame. And althoughe naturally the forces which be incident to 
 exercifes of Loue, do faile and decaie in olde men, good wil ther- 
 fore is not in them depriued, nor the iudgement in knowledge, the 
 which ought to be beloued. But becaufe they haue greater ex- 
 perience then yonge men haue, therefore by nature they better 
 know the qualitie of loue. The hope that moueth mee an olde 
 man to loue you, that is foe well beloued of yong men, is this : 
 I haue many times been conuerfaunte in places where I haue 
 feene gentlewomen for their collation and pleafure after dinner, 
 oftentimes to eate Lupines and Leekes, and albeit that in the Leeke, 
 there is nothing good or holfome, yet the heade thereof is lefs 
 hurtful, and mofl: pleafaunt to the mouth, whereof generally 
 (through a folifli luft) ye women holde the heade in your hands 
 and chawe the leaues, which not onely be euil and nought, but 
 alfo of an ill fauoured fmel and fauour. And what doe I knowe 
 (maiftres) if in the choife of your frendes ye do the like ? which 
 if ye do, no doubt it is I, whom you haue chofen to be your 
 frende, and haue forfaken all other." This gentlewoman fom- 
 what afhamed blufhing with the reft, faid : " Maifter Alberto, 
 you haue ful wel and curteouflye paied vs home, and aunfweared 
 oure prefumptuous obieftion . Notwithftandinge I doe efteeme 
 and accept your amitie and loue, as I oughte to regard the loue of 
 a wife and honeft perfonage. And fo (mine honeftie and honour 
 faued) al that I haue to do you pleafure, is to be affured at your 
 commaundement." Therewithal! M. Alberto rofe vp, thanking 
 the gentlewoman, and with much fportand pleafaunt talke taking 
 his leaue of the company departed. In this maner the gentlewo- 
 man giuing ouer her fcoffes and tauntes, whereby Ihe thoughte to 
 putte Mayfter Alberto out of conceyt, was put to filence her felfe. 
 Whereof I (in the name of Panfilo Filoftrato and Dioneo) by 
 
I 24 MAISTER ALBERTO OF BOLOGNA. 
 
 waye of intreatie do befeech yee Ladies, Pampinea, Fiammetta, 
 Philomena, and other gentlewomen, to beware howe ye doe con- 
 triue your holy day taike, by wafte wordes ifluing forth your de- 
 licate mouthes, in carping, gauding, and iefting at young gentle- 
 men, and fpeciallye olde men, and Maifter Alberto of Bologna, 
 that for loue like the grene ftalkes or graye heades of Lekes, doe 
 defire to fauer your mouthes, and by honeft recreation and plea- 
 fure to gratifie your comlie perfonages, left before the banket be 
 done, and all the comfites fpente, ye departe with blufhing 
 cheekes, hanging downe your heades, not fhaming to looke 
 your mother in the face from whence you came : I meane 
 the earth. Where dame nature hath formed you by 
 your comely grace, and your fayre face, to be- 
 holde eche man, and to vtter pleafaunt talke 
 intermixed with honeflie and vertue. 
 
RINALDO OF ESTI. I 25 
 
 THE THIRTY-THIRD NOUELL. 
 
 Rinaldo of E/ii leing rolled, arriued at Cq/iel Guglielmo, and was 
 fuccoured of a wydowe : and rejiored to his lojfes, retourningfaulfe 
 andfounde home to Ms otvne houfe. 
 
 In the tyme of Azzo Marques of Ferrara, there was a marchaunt 
 named Rinaldo of Efti, come to Bologna to do certaine affaires. 
 Whiche when hee had difpatched, in retourning homewardes, it 
 chaunced as he departed out of Ferrara^ and riding towardes Ve- 
 rona, hee mette certayne men on horfebacke, whiche femed to be 
 Marchauntes, but in verie deede were arrant theues : with whome 
 he kepte companie, and without fufpicion what they were, rode to- 
 gether familiarly talking. Thefe good felowes feing this Mar- 
 chaunt and thinking that he had money about hym, determined to 
 robbe him, when they fawe their aduauntage, and to the intent he 
 fliould not fufpefte them, they rode lyke graue men of honeft 
 conuerfation, debating with him of honeft caufes, and faithfull, 
 fhewing them felues counterfaftely, to be lowly and gentle. Up- 
 pon whiche occafion, he thought him felfe mofte happy that he had 
 mette with fuch companie, becaufe he and his feruaunt rode to- 
 gether alone. And as they were talking of diuers matters (as 
 chaunceth in communication) they fel in talke of prayers, that 
 men do make vnto God. And one of the theues (for they were 
 three in nomber) fayd vnto Rinaldo : '' And you gentleman, what 
 praier bee you accuftomed to faye, when you ryde by the waye ? " 
 To whom Rinaldo anfwered : " To tel you the truth, I am a man 
 very playne, and rude in thofe matters, and I haue a fewe prayers 
 at my fingers endes : fuche as myne aunceftours vfed before me. 
 And I let go currant 11. s. for xxiiii d. But neuerthelefle, I 
 haue alwayes accuftomed, when I ryde by the way, to fay in the 
 morning at my going forth of my lodging, a Pater nqfter and an 
 Aue Maria, for the foule of the father and mother of faindt lulian : 
 and after that, I pray to God and fainft lulian, to fende me good 
 lodging the night folowing. And full oft in my time I haue 
 founde, in trauailing of Countries many great daungers, all whiche 
 
126 RINALDO OF ESTI. 
 
 hauing efcaped, it hath bene my fortune always (when night ap- 
 proched) to chaunce vppon good lodging : whiche maketh me 
 ftedfaftly beleue that fainft lulian (vnto whofe honour I faye the 
 fame) hath obteined this benefite of God for me, and I thought 
 that daye wherein I neglefted, to faye in the morning that prayer, 
 I could neither faulfely trauell, ne yet at night obtain good har- 
 borough." He that demaunded the queftion, alked him: "And 
 hafte thou faid them this morning ? " " Yea verely," anfwered 
 Rinaldo. Then he whiche already knewe howe the matter would 
 go, faid to him felfe, thou flialt haue enough to doe anone, for if 
 thou haue not fayde them this morninge, it may fo happe that 
 thou (halt lodge full ill this night. And afterwardes hee faide, 
 " I haue likewyfe trauayled in my dayes a great waye, and neuer 
 faid thofe praiers, but I haue heard many men greatly prayfe them 
 (although) I could neuer perceiue but that I haue bene well lodg- 
 ed. And peraduenture this night you fhal proue, which of vs two 
 flial haue befl: lodging, you that haue fayd them, or I which haue 
 not faid them. It is mofl: true that I haue accuftomed, in ftede of 
 that praier, to faye that verfe Dirupifti, or the antheme Inteine- 
 rata, or the Deprqfundis, which are (as my graundmother did teach 
 and inftrufte me) of verie great effe£te and vertue." And fpeak- 
 ing thus of diuers thinges, alwayes riding, expecting the place and 
 time, to accomplifti their wicked intent : it chaunced that ap- 
 proching nere to Caftel Guglielmo, when they had pafled ouer a 
 ryuer, thefe three theues, late in the euening in a darke place, did 
 fette vppon him and robbed him, difmounting him from his horfe, 
 and left him there in his fhyrte. And as they were going awaye, 
 they fayde vnto hym : " Goe and feeke if thy fain£t lulian, will 
 helpe thee to good lodging this nighte, for our fainft^ wyll helpe vs 
 to good." And repaffing through the Riuer, they went their waye. 
 The feruaunt of Rinaldo, feyng the theues fette vppon his maifter 
 (like a cowarde) helped him nothing, but tourned his brydle and 
 neuer left galloping vntill he came to Caftell Guglielmo: where 
 becaufe it was nighte, he lodged in an Inne, without any further 
 care for his Maifter. Rinaldo being ftil there in his Ihyrte, bare 
 footed and bare legged, in the great Froft and Snowe, not knowing 
 what to doe, and feing night already approche, quaking, and his 
 
RINALDO OF ESTI. I 27 
 
 teethe clacketing in his head, began to looke about hym, if he 
 coulde fee anye place there for hym to reforte for fuccour, that he 
 might not dye for colde : but (feyng none at allj becaufe a litle 
 before, the warres had with fyre confumed all thynges) being fore 
 afHifiled for colde, he began to make fpede towardes the Caftell 
 Guglielmo, not knowyng that his feruaunt was fledde thither : 
 thynking that if he might come in, God would fende hym fome 
 fuccour, but darke night ouertooke him a good waye of, before hee 
 coulde come to the Caftell, almofte the fpace of a mile, by whiche 
 meanes he arriued there verye late, the gates being fliutte vp and 
 the bridges drawen, that he could not goe in. By reafon whereof 
 hee was verie forowefull and difcomforted, lamentable cafting his 
 eyes about, to efpie if it wer poffible that at the left he might 
 fhroude him felfe free from the fnowe : and by chaunce he fawe 
 a houfe vpon the walles of the Caftell, vnder whiche he deter- 
 mined to refte tyll it was daye, and repairing thether, he found vn- 
 der the houfe a doore, (whiche was locked) vnder which doore 
 gathering a litle ftrawe that he founde thereabout, he fat down 
 very heauie and penfife : making his complaint many tymes vnto 
 fainfte Julian, that the faith which he repofed in him had nowe 
 deceiued him. But fainfte lulian taking pitie vpon him, without 
 any further delaye, prepared him (as it chaunced) a good lodging : 
 for there dwelled in that Caftell a woman whiche was a wydowe 
 fo faire a perfone as might be feene, whom the Marques Azzo 
 lou d as his life, and kepte her there for his owne pleafure. And 
 the fame woman dwelte in the houfe, vnder the porche wherof 
 Rinaldo was gone to refte him felfe, vnto whome the daye be- 
 fore, the Marques reforted to difport him felfe that night, and in 
 her houfe had fecretly caufed a bathe to be made, and a great fup- 
 per to be prepared. All which being readie, and the good wyfe ex- 
 pedling nothing els but the comming of the Marques, it chaun- 
 ced that one of his men called at the gates of the Caftell, with 
 newes to the Marques, that fodainly he muft ryde awaye ; where- 
 fore he fent woorde to the wydowe, that fliee fhould not attende 
 his comming: who, not a litle difpleafed with the meflage, not 
 knowing what to doe, determined to enter the Bathe whiche was 
 prepared for the marques, and when ftie had fupped to goe to 
 
128 RINALDO OF ESTI. 
 
 bedde. This Bathe was harde by the doore whereunto poore Rinal- 
 do was approched. The widowe being in the Bathe, hearing the 
 plaintes and trembling voyce of Rinaldo, thought it had been the 
 noyfe of a Storke. Whereupon fhe called her mayde and faide 
 vnto her : " Goe vp, and looke ouer the walles, to know who is at 
 the doore and what he would haue." The mayde, according to 
 her maiftres commaundement, went to the doore, and the night 
 being fomewhat cleare, fawe Rinaldo fitting in his fhyrte, bare 
 legged, fhaking for colde, as is before faid, and afked him what 
 he was. Rinaldo with his teethe fhyuering in his head, coulde 
 fcarfe well fpeake, or vtter a woorde, but yet fo brieflie as he 
 coulde, he tolde her what he was, howe and for what purpofe he was 
 come thither. Afterwardes he piteoufly began to praye her (if 
 (he could) not to fuffer him that night to fterue for colde. The 
 maide pitying his eftate, returned to her maiftres, and tolde her 
 what fhe fawe: who likewyfe hauiug compaffion vppon him, re- 
 membring that ihe had the keye of the dore (whiche fometimes 
 ferued the turne, when the marques was difpofed fecretly to come 
 in) flie fayde to her mayde : " Go open the doore foftly, for we 
 haue prepared a fupper, and here is no man to eate it : and alfo 
 here is lodging fufficient to harbour him." The mayde greatly 
 prayfing her maiftres for her curtefie, wente forth and opened the 
 doore. And when he was let in, they fawe him to be almofte fro- 
 fen for colde : fayinge vnto him, difpatche good felowe, goe into 
 the Bathe, being yet hotte. Whiche thinge he right willingly did, 
 not looking that he fliould be bidden againe, and being recom- 
 forted with the warmth therof, he felt him felfe reuiued from death 
 to life. The good wyfe caufed certayne apparel- of her late dead 
 hufband, to be fearched out for him, and when he had put them 
 on, they were fo mete, as though they had bene made of purpofe, 
 and waiting what it fhould pleafe the good wife to commaunde 
 him, he began humbly to thanke God and fainfte lulian, that hee 
 was deliuered from that euill nighte (contrarie to his expedtation) 
 to fo good a lodging. After this the fayre wydowe, fomewhat re- 
 pofing her felfe, caufed a great fyre to be made in one of her great 
 chambers, into the whiche fliee came, and demaunded her mayde 
 what maner of man he was. The maid aunfwered : " Maiftres, nowe 
 he is in good apparell, he is a verie handfome felowe, and feemeth 
 
RINALDO OF ESTI. 1 29 
 
 to be of good reputation and honeftie." " Goe thy wayes (quod 
 her maiftres) and call hym hether. Bidde him come to the fyre, 
 and tell hym that he fliall fuppe with me, for perchaunce he hath 
 eaten no meate this nighte." Rinaldo- came into the chamber, and 
 feing the wydowe, he made to her great reuerence : thanking her 
 for her kindnefTe (hewed vnto him. When the wydowe had feene 
 him, and heard him fpeake, perceiuing him to be fuche a one as her 
 mayde reported,flieeintertaignedhim incurteouswyfe, caufinghim 
 familiarly to fittedowne before the fire,and demaundedwhatmifhap 
 brought him to that place. To whome Rinaldo reherfed the whole 
 difcourfe. Forfhe had heard at thecomraing of Rinaldo his feruaunt 
 to the Caftell, a brute of his roberie, whiche made her to beleue him 
 the better : She tolde him alfo, that his man was come to the towne, 
 and howe bee might eafely finde him the next morning. And after 
 meate was ferued to the table, Rinaldo and (he wafhed together, and 
 then fat down to fupper. He was a goodly perfonage, faire and 
 pleafaunt to beholde, yonge and of good behauiour, vpon whom , 
 the woman many times did caft her eyes, and liked him well. To 
 be (horte, this lecherous Lady, burning inwardlye with amourous 
 defyre, abufed her felfe with hym, in fteede of the Marques, But 
 when the morning began to (hewe foorth her light, the wydowe, to 
 the intent no fufpicion might bee hadde, gaue him certayne bafe 
 and courfe apparell, and filled his purfe with money, praying him 
 to kepe her counfell, and firft tolde him whiche way he (hould , 
 take to feeke his man, letting him out at the doore whereat he came 
 in. Who feming as though he had traueiled a great waye that 
 morning, when the gates were opened, went into the Caftell, and 
 founde his feruaunte. And then putting vppon hym fuche apparell 
 as was in his male, and being about to mounte. vpon his man's 
 horfe, it came to pafTe, like as it had bene a diuine miracle, that 
 the three theues, whiche had robbed him the night before, were 
 taken for doing an other robberie a little whyle after, and were 
 brought to the Caftell, and vppon their confefEon, his horfe, ap- 
 parell, and money, were reftored to him againe, lofing nothing but 
 a payre of garters. Wherefore Rinaldo thanking God and faint , 
 lulian, mounted vppon his horfe and retourned whole and faulfe 
 to his owne houfe. And the neXte daye, the three theues were 
 conueied foorth, to hhffe the worlde with their heeles, 
 
 VOL. I. I 
 
1 30 THE KING OF ENGLAND S DOUGHTER. 
 
 THE THIRTY-FOURTH NOUELL. 
 
 Three yonge men hauing fondly e confumed all that they had, became 
 verie poore, whofe nephewe (as he retourned out of Englande into 
 Italie,) liy the way e fell into acguaintaunce with an ahbote, whome 
 [vpon further familiaritie) he knewe to he the king of Englandes 
 daughter, whiche take him to hufbande. Afterwardesfhe rejlored 
 his vncles to all their lofj'es, andfent them home in goodfiate and 
 reputation. 
 
 There was fometyme in the citie of Florence, a knight called Sir 
 Tebaldo, who as feme faie, was of the houfe of Lamberti : and as 
 other affirmCj of Agolanti. But leaning the variaunce of whether 
 houfe he was, true it is, that hee was in that time a notable riche 
 and wealthy knight, and had three fonnes. The firfte called Lam- 
 berto, the feconde Tebaldo, and the thirde Agolante, all faire and 
 goodly yonge men : and the eldeft of whiche was not xviii. yeares 
 of age. When the fayde Sir Tebaldo died, to them (as his lawefull 
 heires) he lefte all his landes and goodes. Who being verie ryche 
 in readie money and poffeflions, continued their life without 
 gouernement at their owne pleafures, and without brydle or ftay 
 they began to confume their goodes. They kepte a greate and 
 franke houfe, and many Horfes of great value, with Dogges and 
 Haukes of fundrie kyndes, giuing liberall giftes, and obferuing di- 
 uerfe geftes at Tilte and Torney : doing alfo that whiche not onely 
 did appertayne and belonge to Gentlemen, but alfo that whiche 
 was incident to the trade and courfe of youthe. They continued 
 not long in this order, but their fubftaunce lefte them by their 
 father, was very muche confumed. And their reuenues (not able 
 to mainteine their expences) began to decreafe, whereupon they 
 were fayne to morgage and fell their inheritaunce, in fuche wyfe 
 as in the ende they grewe to extreme pouertie. And then penurie 
 did open their eyes, in Hke forte as before riches had clofed them 
 vp. For whiche caufe, Lamberto vpon a daye did cal his other 
 twoo brethren vnto him, and tolde them of what honour their 
 father was, to what value his rychefle did amounte, and nowe to 
 
THE KING OF ENGLAND S DOUGHTER. I 3 I 
 
 what pouertie they were come through their difordinate expences : 
 giuing them counfaile (fo well as he could) that before miferie did 
 growe any further vpon them, by felling that whiche was lefte, 
 they fhoulde goe their waye: whiche they did. And without 
 leaue taken of any man, or other folempnitie, they departed from 
 Florence, and taried in no place before they were arriued in 
 Englande. Where taking a litle houfe in the citie of London, they 
 liued with litle expences, and began to lende out their money to 
 vfurie : and Fortune was fo fauourable vnto them by that trade, 
 that in few yeares they had gayned a verie notable fomme of money, 
 whiche made them one after an other, to retire agayne to Florence 
 with their fubftaunce : where they redemed a great part of their 
 inheritaunce, and bought other lande, and fo gaue them felues to 
 mariage : continuing neuertheleffe in Englande, their money at 
 intereft. They fent thither to be their faftour, a yonge man their 
 nephewe, called Alexandre. And they three dwelling ftill at 
 Florence, began agayne to forget to what miferie their inordinate 
 expences hadde brought them before. And albeit they were 
 charged with houfholde, yet they fpent out of order, and without 
 refpeft, and were of great credite with euery Marchaunt : whofe 
 expences, the money that Alexandre many times did fend home, 
 did helpe to fupporte for certaine yeares, which was lent out to 
 diners gentlemen and Barons of the countrey, vpon their Caftelles, 
 Manours, and other reuenues, wherof was receiued an incredible 
 profite. In the meane time the three brethren fpent fo largely, 
 as they borowed money of other, fixing all their hope from Eng- 
 lande. It chaunced that warres happened betwene the king of 
 England, and one of his fonnes, whiche bredde muche diuifion in 
 that lande, fome holding of one parte, and fome of an other. By 
 meanes whereof, all the Manours and morgaged landes, were taken 
 awaye from Alexandre, hauing nothing wher vpon any profite did 
 ryfe. Howebeit he dailye trufted that peace fhoulde bee con- 
 cluded betweene the father and the fonne, and that all thinges 
 fhould be furrendred, as well the principall as the intereft: de- 
 termining vppon that hope not to departe the Countrie. The three 
 brethren whiche were at Florence, not limitting any order to 
 their difordinate expences, grewe daylye worfe and worfe. But 
 
132 THE KING OF ENGLAND S DOUGHTER. 
 
 in procefTe of tyme, when all hope was pafte of their recouerye, 
 they lofte not onely their credite, but the creditours defirous to 
 be payde, were fayne to fende them to pryfon. And becaufe their 
 inheritaunce was not fufficient to paye the whole debte^ they re- 
 mayned in pryfon for the refte^ and their wiues and children wer 
 difperfedj fome into the countrie, and fome hether and thether, out 
 of order^ not knowing how to do, but to abide a poore and mife- 
 rable life for euer. Alexandro which of long time taried for a 
 peace in Englande^ and feing that it came not to paffej confider- 
 ing alfo with him felfe (ouer and befides his vaine abode, for re- 
 couerie of his debtes) that he was in daunger of his life, he pur- 
 pofed to retourne into Italia. And as he trauailed by the waye 
 alone, and departed from Bruges, by fortune he perceiued an abbot 
 clothed in white, in like maner about to take his iourney, accom- 
 panied with many Monkes, and a great traine : hauing much 
 cariage and diuers baggages before. After whome rode twoo olde 
 knightes, the kinfmen of the king, with whom Alexandro entred 
 acquaintance by reafon of former knowledge, and was receiued 
 into their companie. Alexandro then riding with them frendlye, 
 demaunded what Monkes they were that rode before with fo great 
 a trayne, and whether they went. To whome one of the knightes 
 aunfwered, that he which rode before, was a yonge gentleman 
 their kinfman, which was newly chofen Abbot of one of the befl: 
 Abbaies'in England. And becaufe he was verie yonge, and not 
 capable by the decrees, of fuche a dignitie, they went with him to 
 Rome, to obteine of the holy father a difpenfation for his age, 
 and for a confirmation of that office. But they willed him to dis- 
 clofe the fame to no man. And fo this newe Abbot, riding fome- 
 times before and fometimes after, as wee fee ordinarelie that 
 Lordes doe when they trauell in the countrie, it chaunced that 
 the Abbot efpying Alexandro riding befides him, which was a faire 
 yonge man, honeft, curteous, and familier, who at the firft meting 
 did fo marueiloufly delight him, as any thing that euer he fawe 
 in his life, and calling him vnto him, he began familiarly to talke, 
 and aflced what he was, from whence he came, and whether he 
 went. To whom Alexandro declared liberally all his ftate, and 
 fatiffied his demaunde, offering vnto him (although his power was 
 
THE KING OF ENGLAND S DOUGHTER. 1 33 
 
 litle) al the ferulce he was able to do. The Abbot hearing his 
 courteous offer and comely talke, placed in good order, confidering 
 more particulerly the ftate of his affaires, and waying with him 
 felfe, that albeit his traine was fmall yet neuertheleffe he femed 
 to be a gentleman, and then pitying his mifhappes, he recomforted 
 him familiarly, and faide vnto him : That hee ought dailye to Hue 
 in good hope, for if he were an honefl; man, God would aduaunce 
 him againe not only to that place from whence fortune had 
 throwen him downe, but alfo to greater eflimation : praying him 
 that fithens he was going into Thufcane, whether he likewyfe went, 
 that it would pleafe him to remaine in his companie. Alexandro 
 thanked him humblie of his comfort, and faid vnto him that he 
 was redie to imploy him felfe where it fhould pleafe him to com- 
 maunde. The Abbot thus riding, (into whofe minde newe thoughts 
 entred vpon the fight of Alexandro) it chaunced, after manie dales 
 iournies, they arriued at a village that was but meanly furnifhed 
 with lodging. The Abbot defirous to lodge there, Alexandro 
 intreated him to light at the Inne of an hofle which was fami- 
 liarly knowen vnto him, and caufed a chamber to be made redie 
 for him felfe in the worfle place of the houfe. And the Marfhall 
 of the Abbot's lodgings, being alreadie come to the towne, (which 
 was a man very fkilfull in thofe affaires) he lodged al the traine 
 in that village, one here, an other there, fo well as he could. 
 And by that time the Abbot had fupped, night was farre fpente, 
 and euerie man repaired to his lodging. Alexandro demaunded 
 the hofle wher he fhould lie ? To whom the hofle made aunfwere 
 " Of a trouthe Maifler Alexandro I knowe not, for you fee that 
 all my houfe is fo full, as I and my houfholde are faine to lie 
 vpon the benches: howe be it, I haue certaine garrettes, harde 
 adioyning to the lorde Abbottes chamber, where I may place you 
 very well, and I wyll caufe my folkes to beare thither a pallet, where 
 if you pleafe, you may lodge this night." To whome Alexandro 
 faid. " But how fhall I pafTe through the Abbot's chamber, the 
 rowme being fo ftreight as not one of his Monkes is able to lie 
 there. But if I had knowen it before, the Curteins had bene drawen, 
 I would haue caufed his Monkes to haue lien in the Garret, and I 
 my felf would haue lodged where they do." Wherunto the 
 
I 34 THE KING OF ENGLAND'S DOUGHTER. 
 
 hofte faide, " It is doen nowe, but (me thinke) you may if you 
 lifte lie there fo well, as in any place of the houfe. The Abbot 
 being afleepe, and the Courteins drawen, I wyll foftly and without 
 noyfe conueye a pallette thyther." Alexandro perceiuing that the 
 fame might be done, without any anoiaunce to the Abbot, agreed 
 and conueyed him felfe, fo fecretlye as hee coulde, through the 
 chamber. The abbot whiche was not a fleepe (but gaue him felfe 
 to thinke and imagine vpon his newe defires) heard the wordes 
 that were fpoken, betweene the hofte and Alexandro, and likewife 
 vnderftanding where Alexandro lay, was verie well contente in 
 him felfe, and began to faye : " The Lorde hath fent me a tyme 
 fauourable to fatiffie my defyres, whiche if I doe not nowe receiue, 
 peraduenture the like will neuer be ofFred againe.'' Wherfore 
 perfwading with him felfe to take that prefent occafion, and fup- 
 pofing likewyfe, that euery man was a fleepe, he called Alexandro 
 fo foftlie as he could, and willed him to come and lie befide 
 him: who after many excufes, when his clothes were of came vnto 
 him. The Abbot laying his arme ouer him, began to attempte 
 fuche amorous toyes, as be accuftomed betweene twoo louers : 
 whereof Alexandro meruayledmuche, and doubted that the Abbot 
 being furpryfed with diftioneft loue, had called him to his bedde 
 of purpofe to proue him. Whiche doubt the Abbot (either by 
 prefumption, or fome other afte done by Alexandro) vnderftand- 
 ing: incontinently began to fmyle,and to putte of his fliyrte whiche 
 he ware, and toke Alexandro's .hande, and laide it ouer his fto- 
 macke, faying vnto him : "Alexandro, caft out of thy mynde thy 
 vnhoneft thought, and fele here the thing which I haue fecrete." 
 Alexandro laying his hande ouer the Abbottes ftomacke, perceiued 
 that he had twoo breaftes, rounde and Ifarde, the flcinne whereof 
 was verie fine and tender, whereby he perceiued that hee was a 
 woman, whom incontinently hee embraced, and without looking 
 for any other inuitation, he would haue kifled her, but fhe faide 
 vnto him : "Before thou approche any nearer, marke what I fhall 
 faye vnto thee. I am a woman and not a man, as thou maieft 
 perceiue, but being departed a maid from my houfe, I am going 
 to the Pope, to praye him to place me in mariage. But when I 
 firft viewed thee, the other daye, whether it was through thy good 
 
THE KING OF ENGLAND S DOUGHTER. 1 35 
 
 fortune, or my mifhap, loue attached me in fuche wyfe as neuer 
 woman loued man, as I do thee, and therefore I do purpofe to 
 take thee to hufbande before all other : but if thou wilt not take 
 me to wife get the hence and retourne to thyne owne bedde." Alex- 
 andro although hee knewe her not, yet hauing regarde vnto the 
 companie and traine that folowed her, iudged her to be fome noble 
 and riche Ladie: on the other parte, he fawe that fhe was a 
 perfonage right beautifull and faire, therefore without any further 
 confideration, he anfwered. "That for fo muche as her pleafure 
 was fuch, he was verie well contented." Shee then fitting vp in 
 her bedde, hauing a litle table (wherin the picture of Chrifte was 
 painted) indowed him with a ringe, doing the order of efpous- 
 alles, and afterwards embracing one an other, to their great con- 
 tentation and pleafure, they ioyfully continued together that night. 
 And after they had deuifed and concluded the order and meanes 
 to order their affaires from that time foorth, Alexandro, fo fone 
 as it was daye, rofe vp and went out of the chamber that waye 
 he came in, without knowledge to any man where he lay that 
 night. Then right ioyfull and glad, he proceaded in his iourney 
 with the abbot and his companye, and within fewe dales arriued 
 at Rome. And when they had remained there a certain time, 
 the Abbot taking with him but the twoo knightes and Alexan- 
 dro, went to the Pope : where doing to him their due reuerence, 
 the Abbot began to fpeake in this wyfe. " Holie father (as your 
 holinefile doth better knowe then any other) euery man that pur- 
 pofeth to Hue an honeft life, ought to auoyde (fo muche as lieth in 
 him) all occafions that may drawe him to the contrary. Which 
 to th'intent I that am defirous to leade an honefl; life, may fully per- 
 forme, am fecretly fled and arriued here, in the habite wherin you 
 fee, with a good porcion of the king of Englandes treafure, who 
 is my father : that your holines may beftow me in mariage, for fo 
 muche as my father woulde giue me to wife (which am a yonge 
 gentlewoman as you fee) to the Scottifhe king, a very riche and 
 welthy Prince, but yet very olde and decrepite. And his olde age 
 was not fo much the occafion of my departure, as the feare which 
 I conceiued (through the frailtie of my youth to be maried vnto 
 him,) to commit a thing that fliould be contrarie to the lawe of God, 
 
136 THE KING OF ENGLAND'S DOUGHTER. 
 
 and the honour of the bloud roiall of my father. And in coming 
 hitherwardesj being in this deepe deliberation with myfelf, al- 
 mighty God, who only knoweth affuredly, what is nedeful and ne- 
 ceffary for vs al, did place before mine eies (through his gracious 
 mercy as I truft,) him that he thinketh mete to be my hufband, 
 which is this yonge gentleman (pointing to Alexandro) whom you 
 fee ftanding befides me. The honeftie and worthinefle of whome 
 is well able to matche with any great lady, how honorable fo euer 
 fhe be, although per aduenture, the nobilitie of his bloud is not 
 fo excellent as that which procedeth from the roiall and Princely 
 ftock. Him then haue I chofen, to be my hufband, him I will 
 haue and none other, whatfoeuer my father fhall fay, or any other 
 to the contrarie. Wherefore the principall occafion that moued 
 me to come hither, is now difpatched. But I will accomplifhe and 
 performe the reft of my voyage, as well to vifite the holy and 
 reuerent places (wherof this citie is ful) and your holineffe : as alfo 
 that the contraft of mariage (hitherto only made in the prefence 
 of God, betwene Alexandro and me,) may be confumate openly 
 in the prefence of you, and confequently in the fight of all men : 
 Wherfore I humbly befeche your fatherhode, to be agreable vnto 
 that whiche it hath pleafed God and mee to bring to pafTe, and 
 that you would giue vs your benediftion, to the intent we may 
 Hue together in the honour of God, to the perfeftion and ende of 
 our life." Alexandro greatly marueiled, when he vnderftoode that 
 his wife was the doughter of the king of Englande, and was rapte 
 ■with an vnfpeakeable ioye. But much more marueiled the two 
 knightes, which were fo troubled and appalled, that if they had 
 bene in any place els, fauing in the prefence of the Pope, they 
 woulde haue killed Alexandro, and peraduenture the lady herfelf. 
 On the other part the Pope was verie much aftonned, both at the 
 habite and apparell of the Lady, and alfo of her choife. But know- 
 ing that the fame could not be vndone, he was content to fatiffie 
 her requeft. And firft of all he comforted the two knightes, 
 whom he knewe to be moued at the matter, and reduced them in 
 amitie, with the lady and Alexandro : then he gaue order what 
 was befte to be done. And when the mariage daie, by him ap- 
 pointed, was come, hee caufed the Ladie to ifTue forth, clothed in 
 
THE KING OF ENGLAND S DOUGHTER. 1 3 7 
 
 roiall veftures, before al the Cardinalles, and many other great per- 
 fonages that were repayred to the great feafte, of purpofe by hym 
 prepared. Whiche Ladie appeared to be fo fay re and comelie 
 that not without deferte fhee was prayfed and commended of all 
 the affemblie. In like maner Alexandro, gorgeouflie apparelled, 
 both in outwarde apparaunce and condicions, was not like one that 
 had lent monie to Vfurie, but of a more Princelie grace and was 
 greatelye honoured of thofe twoo knightes, where the Pope fo- 
 lempnely celebrated (againe) the efpoufalles. And after that ryche 
 and royall mariage was ended, he gaue them leaue to departe. It 
 feemed good to Alexandro, and likewife to the Lady, to goe from 
 Rome to Florence, in whiche citie, the brute of that accidente was 
 alreadie noyfed, where being receiued of the citizens with great 
 honour, the Ladie deliuered the three brethren out of prifon, and 
 hauing firfte payde euerie man their debte, they with their wiues, 
 were repoffefled in their former inheritaunce. Then Alexandro 
 and his wife, with the good will and ioyfull gratulations of all men 
 departed from Florence, and taking with them Agolante, one of 
 their vncles, arriued at Paris, where they were honourably inter- 
 teigned of the Frenche king. From thence the twoo knightes went 
 Into England, and fo perfwaded the king, that they recouered his 
 good will towardes his doughter: and fending for his fonne in lawe, 
 hee receiued them both with great ioy and triumphe. And within 
 a whyle after, he inuefted his faide fonne with the order of knight 
 hode, and made him Earle of Cornewale, whofe wifedome proued 
 fo great, as hee pacified the father, and the fonne whereof infued, 
 furpaffing profite and commoditie for the whole Realme, whereby 
 alfo he gained and got the loue and good will of all the people ; 
 and Agolante his vncle, fully recouered all debtes, due vnto him 
 in Englande. And the Earle when he had made his vncle knightes 
 fuffered him to retourne in riche eftate to Florence. The Earle 
 afterwardes liued with his wife in great profperitie (and as 
 fome do affirme) both by his own pollicie and valiaunce, 
 and with the aide of his father in lawe, he recouered 
 and ouercame the Realme of Scotlande, and 
 was there crowned Kyng. 
 
138 LANDOLPHO RUFFOLO. 
 
 THE THIRTY-FIFTH NOUELL. 
 
 Landolpho Ruffolo being impooerijhed, lecame a pirate and taken 
 by the Geneuois, was in daunger of drowning, who failing him- 
 felfe vpon a litle coaferfull of rich iewels, was receiued at Corfu, 
 and beinge cherijhed by a woman, retoiirned home very riche. 
 
 It is fuppofed, that the fea coaft of Reggium (in Calabria) in the 
 moft delegable part in all Italy, wherin (hard by Salerno) there is 
 a countrye by the Sea Side, which the inhabitauntes doe terme 
 the coaft of Malfy, fo full of litle cities, gardeines, fountaines, 
 riche men and marchauntes, as any other people and countrie. 
 Among which faid cities, there was one called Rauello, where 
 in time paft (althoughe in thefe dayes there be very rich men), 
 there dvvelte a notable man of fubftaunce, called Landolpho 
 Ruffolo : who being not contented with his riches, but defirous 
 to multiplye them double, was in hazarde to lofe himfelfe, and all 
 that he had. This man, (as all other marchauntes be accuftomed) 
 after he had confidered with himfelfe what to doe, boughte a very 
 greate fliippe, and fraughted the fame with fondrye kindes of 
 marchaundize of his owne aduenture, and made a voyage to the 
 Ifle of Cypri, where he found (befides the commodities which he 
 brought) many other fhippes arriued there, laden with fuch like 
 wares : by which occafion it happened, that hee was forced not 
 onelye to fell the fame good cheape, but alfo was conftrained (if 
 hee woulde difpatch his goodes) to giue them almoft for nought, 
 whereby he thoughte that he was vtterly vndone. And being 
 greatly troubled for that loffe, not knowing what to doe, and 
 feing how in fo litle a time, of a rich man he was come to begger 
 ftate, he thoughte either to die, or els by piracie to recouer his 
 loffes, to the intent he might not returne to the place poore, from 
 whence he was departed riche. And hauing founde a copefeman 
 for his great barque, with the money thereof, and with other 
 which hee receiued for his marchandife, he boughte a fmall 
 pinnas, meete for the vfe of a pirate, which he armed and fur- 
 niflied with al thinges neceflary for that purpofe : and determined 
 
LANDOLPHO RUFFOLO. I 39 
 
 to make himfelfe riche with the goodes of other men, and 
 chiefelye hee ment to fet vppon the Turkes : whereunto fortune 
 was more fauourable then to his former trade : and by chaunce, 
 by the fpace of one yeare, he robbed and toke fo many Foiftes 
 and galleis of the Turkes, as he had recouered not onely that 
 which he lofte by marchaundife, but alfo more then twife fo 
 muche as whereunto thofe lofles did amounte. 
 
 Wherfore, well puniflied with the firft forow of his lofles, 
 knowing his gaines to multiplie, . as he needed not returne the 
 feconde time, he thoughte with himfelfe that the fame which he 
 had gotten was fufficiente: and therefore determined prefently 
 to returne to his owne houfe with his gotten goods. And fearing 
 the hinderance which he fufteined in traffique of Marchaundife, 
 hee purpofed to imploie his money e no longer that wayes, but 
 in that barque wherewith hee had gained the fame, with his ores 
 hee tooke his courfe homeward : and being vppon the maine Sea, 
 in the night the wind rofe at the Southeaft, which was not onely 
 contrary to his courfe, but alfo raifed fuch a tempeft, as his fmal 
 barque was not able to indure the Seas. Wheruppon he toke 
 harborough in a Creke of the Sea, whiche compafled a litle Ilande, 
 there expecting for better wind. Into which creke within a 
 while after, with much a do for auoyding of that tempeft, arriued 
 two great Argofeis of Genoa, that were come from Conftanti- 
 nople : the mariners . of which greate fhippes, when they fawe 
 the litle barque, they clofed vp the waye, that the pinnas could 
 not goe out. And then vnderftanding of whence he was, and 
 knowinge by report, that he was very riche, determined (being 
 men naturally giuen to fpoile and loue of money,) to take her. 
 And fetting a fliore part of their men, well armed and furniflied 
 with crofl^ebowes, they conueied themfelues to keepe and defende 
 that none within the Pinnas (except they woulde be fhot through) 
 was able to efcape : then retiring into their fkiftes, with helpe of 
 the Tide they approched Landolpho his barque, which without 
 any great difficultie, in a fmall fpace they toke with all the com- 
 pany, not loofing fo much as one man. And carying Landolpho 
 aborde one of their cockes, and all within horde his little Pinnas, 
 they foncke the fame and al the Mariners, and kept Landolpho, 
 
140 LANDOLPHO RUFFOLO. 
 
 fuffering him not to haue about him any kind of armure, not fo 
 much as an haberion. The next day the winde chaunged, and 
 the fliippes hoifted vp failes toward Leuant, and all that day 
 profperouflie failed on their voyage. But vpon the clofing 
 of the night, a ftorme rofe againe, and feparated the two 
 fhips, one from another^ and by force of the wind, it chaunced 
 the {hip wherein poore Landolpho was, flrake with great violence 
 vpon a fande, in the Hand of Cephalonia : and as one would 
 throw a glaffe againft a wall, euen fo the fhippe opened, and fell 
 in peeces, whereby the forowfull Mariners that ftoode aboue, 
 (the feas being couered with goodes, coaffers and plancks of the 
 fhip that fwam aboue water, which chaunceth many times in fuch 
 like accidents, the night being darke and the billowes going high 
 and flreinable, fuch as were able to fwim, began to take holde of 
 thofe thinges which Fortune gaue vnto them. Amonges whom 
 wretched Landolpho, feinge death before his face (which he fo 
 greatly deiired, and fo many times craued the day before, rather 
 then to retourne home in that poore eftate) was afraied, and caught 
 hold of a horde amonges the reft, trufting it might chaunce that 
 God woulde pardon him of drowninge, and fende him fome 
 refuge for his efcape. And as hee was a horfeback, and fletinge 
 vpon a plancke, fo wel as he could, (driuen here and there with 
 the Sea and winde) he helde fafte the fame till it was day lighte : 
 which when he perceiued, he looked about him and fa\y nothing 
 but the cloudes, the Seas, and a coafFer, fwimminge aboue water, 
 which was driuen fo nere him, that it made him manye times to 
 feare that it would be his ouerthrow. And the nerer it came, the 
 more hee laboured to put it backe (fo well as he could) with his 
 hande, although his force and power was gone : but how foeuer 
 it chaunced, a gale of winde blew out of the fkies, and ftrake the 
 coaflFer againft the borde whereuppon Landolpho was, who by 
 that meanes driuen backe, was forced to giue ouer the plancke, 
 and with a billow was beaten vnder the water, and afterwardes, 
 remounting aloft againe, hee fwam more through feare then force. 
 And feing the borde caried a farre of from him, fearinge left he 
 fhould not be able to faften the fame againe, he drewe toward 
 the coafer which was nere ynough vnto him, and laying his 
 
LANDOLPHO RUFFOLO. 14 1 
 
 breafte vpon the coiier thereof, he made it go (fo right as he 
 could) with his armes. And in this maner driuen by the Sea, now- 
 here now there, without eating (as hauing not wherwithall) and 
 drinking more then he would, he continued al that day and night 
 following not knowing wher he was, for he fawe nothing but fea. 
 The next morning, eyther by the will of God, or throughe the 
 windes force, Landolpho (which was then tranfformed into a 
 fponge) holding fafte with both his handes the brimme of the 
 coafer, (like as we fee them that feare to be drowned, do take hold 
 of the next thinge that commeth to hande,) arriued at the fhore 
 of the Ifle of Corfu, wher by fortune, a poore woman was fcowring 
 her veffell with Sand and fait water, who feing him draw nere, and 
 perceyuing in him no forme or fafhion of a man, was afraid, and 
 crying out ranne backe. He not able to fpeake, and fee but very 
 litle, could fay nothinge, but as the Sea droue him nere the fhore, 
 the woman difcryed the likenes of a coafer, and beholding the 
 fame more aduifedlye, faw at length his armes vpon the fame 
 and therewithal his face, marueiling with her felfe who it fbould be : 
 wherfore moued with compaffion, fhe wente into the Sea a litle 
 waye, which then was calme, and catching him by the heare, fhe 
 pluckte him and the coafer to lande : and with much a doe vnfold- 
 ed his armes that were about the coafer, caufing her maide that was 
 with her to carrie the coafer vpon her head : and fhe bare him to 
 lande, (like a litle childe,) which done, fhe put him into a hotte 
 houfe, and with warme water, by frotting and robbing him, his 
 naturall heate, and other his fences loft, began to come againe 
 into their former courfe. And when he faw time fhe toke him 
 out, cherifhing and comfortinge him with wynes and brothes, and 
 fo well as fhee could, made him at length to recouer his force in 
 fuch wife as he knew wher he was. Then the woman deliuered 
 him his coafer, which he had faued, and badde him to feeke his 
 aduenture. And thus this good wife delt with Landolpho, who 
 litle efleemed the coafer, but yet he confidered that it coulde 
 not be of fo fmall value, but that it was able to beare his charges 
 for certaine dayes. Howbeit, feelinge it to be Hghte, he was 
 cleare voyde of hope to haue anye fuccour and reliefe thereof. 
 NeuerthelefTe (when the good wyfe was out of the doores) he 
 
142 LANDOLPHO RUFFOLO, 
 
 brake open the fame to fee what was within, where he found 
 
 many precious Jewels, fome bound together and fome loofe, 
 
 wherein he had pretie (kill : and knowing them to be of great 
 
 value, giuing thanckes to God, which had not yet forfaken him, 
 
 was wholy recomforted. Howbeit, for fo much as in a litle fpace 
 
 he had bin twife cruellye diftrefled and tormented by Fortune, 
 
 fearing the third time, he thought that it was needeful for him to 
 
 take heede how to difpofe his things in fafetie till he came home 
 
 to his owne houfe. Wherefore hauing beftowed thofe precious 
 
 Jewels in certaine ragges and cloutes fo well as he could, he faid 
 
 to the good wife that he had no neede of the coafer, but if fhee 
 
 woulde giue him a bagge, he would beftow the fame vppon her: 
 
 which the good wife willingly did. And Landolpho geuing her 
 
 fo great thanckes as he coulde, for the kindnes which he had found 
 
 at her hands, toke his leaue, and imbarking himfelfe, he paffed 
 
 to Branditio, and from thence from place to place till hee came 
 
 to Trani, where findinge diuers of the Citie wherein he dwelt, that 
 
 were Urapers, he was apparelled of them (in a maner for Gods 
 
 fake) to whom he told the difcourfe of all his fortune, except the 
 
 coafer, who lent him a horfe, and fente diuers in his company to 
 
 bring him home to Rauello. And when he was in fafety arriued, 
 
 he thanked God that had brought him thither, where he fearched 
 
 his bouget with more leafure then he did at the firft, and founde 
 
 that he had manye flones of fo greate value, that fellinge them 
 
 at price reafonable, for leffe then they were worth, his fubftaunce 
 
 did amount to fo much more then it was when he departed from 
 
 his houfe. And when he had founde the meanes to difpatch and 
 
 fell his Jewels, he fent to Corfu a good peece of money, to 
 
 the woman that toke him oute of the Sea, to recompence 
 
 the kindnes, that he had found at her handes : and 
 
 the like to them of Trani, that had giuen him 
 
 apparell, the reft he toke to himfelfe and 
 
 would be no more a Marchaunte, 
 
 but lined at home in honeft 
 
 eftate to the ende of 
 
 his life. 
 
ANDREUCCIO. 1 43 
 
 THE THIRTY-SIXTH NOUELL. 
 
 Andreuccio of Perugia being come to Naples to buy horfes, was 
 in one night furprifed, with three marueilous accidentes. All 
 which hauinge efcaped with one Rubie he retourned home to his 
 houfe. 
 
 There was at Perugia a yong man, called Andreuccio di Pietrci, 
 a horfe corfer, who vnderftanding of a horfe faire at Naples, did 
 put fiue hundred Crownes in his purfle, and neuer traueling before 
 from his owne houfe, went thither with certaine other marchants, 
 who arriued at Naples vpon a Sonday at night. The next 
 morningej accordinge to the inftruftions giuen him by his hoft, 
 he went to the fayre, where he viewed and faw many horfes, 
 whereof diuers did very well like him, and demaunded their prifes : 
 but with none he could agree of price. And to fhew himfelfe a 
 right well able man to paye for that he boughte, many times 
 (like a dolte and foole as he was) bee drew out his purfle ftuffed 
 with crownes, in the prefence of them that pafled to and fro. 
 It chaunced that a yonge woman of Scicilia (which was very fayre, 
 but at euery man's commaundement, and that for little hire) pafled 
 by as he was fhewinge his purfe, not marked or perceiued by 
 Andreuccio, who fodenlye faide to her felfe: "What is fhe in all 
 this towne, that fliould be like vnto me, if all thofe crownes were 
 mine ? " And fo pafled forth. There was with this yong peate, an 
 old woman, a Scicilian alfo, who fo fone as fhe efpied Andreuc- 
 cio, forfoke her companion and ran affectuouflye to imbrace 
 him. Which the yong woman perceyuinge (not fpeaking a word) 
 fhe gaue good heede to that they faid : Andreuccio tourninge 
 himfelfe to the olde woman, immediatlye knew her, and reioyfed 
 muche that he had fo happely met her : whom after greate gratu- 
 lacions and manye welcomes, fhe promifed to vifite at his lodginge, 
 which done, fhe departed from Andreuccio, and bee retourned to 
 buy his horfTe, howbeit that morning he bought none at all. The 
 yonge dame, which had firft feene this purlTe, and marked the 
 acquaintaunce between the old woman and him, to afTaie by 
 
144 ANDREUCCIO. 
 
 what meanes flie might get that moneye, or at leafte fome part 
 thereof, fubtelly afked the old woman what man that was, of 
 whence, what he did there, and how he knew her. To whom the 
 olde woman particularlye recompted her whole acquaintaunce, 
 how ihe dwelt of long time in Scicilia with his father, and after- 
 wards at Perugia. And likewife fhe told her when he retourned, 
 and for what caufe hee was come to Naples. This iollie wenche, 
 wholy informed of Andreuccio his parentes, and of their names, 
 made a plat and foundation, by fubtill and craftie meanes, how to 
 obtaine her purpofe: and when fhe was come home to her houfe, 
 fhe fent the old woman about bufineiTe for that day, becaufe flie 
 might not retourne to Andreuccio. She had dwelling with her a 
 pretie girle, well nofeled and brought vp in doing of arrantes, 
 whom about euening, fhe fent to the lodging of Andreuccio to 
 make inquirie for him : where by fortune fhe chaunced to finde 
 him Handing alone at his hoftes doore, whom the girle did afke 
 if he knew not an honeft man of Perugia called Andreuccio di 
 Pietro, that hofted there: "Yes my girle (quoth he) I am the 
 fame man." Then fhe toke him a fide, and faide vnto him. 
 " Sir, there is a gentlewoman of this towne, that would gladly 
 fpeake with you, if it were your pleafure." Which when An- 
 dreuccio heard, by and by hee called to minde, and feemed to 
 himfelfe that hee was a goodly yonge man of perfon, and that 
 withoute doubte the fame woman was in loue with him, becaufe 
 in all Naples he thought ther was none fo proper a flripling as 
 himfelfe : whom incontinently he aunfweared, that he would 
 waite vpon her, demaunding when he fhould come and to what 
 place. To whom fhe made anfwere. "Euen when it pleafeth 
 you fir, for my maiflrefTe attendeth at home for you. Andreuc- 
 cio vpon that, withoute any word fpoken to his hofte, whither he 
 was gone, faid to the wench. " Go thou before, and I will 
 follow." And the girle did condu£l him to her maiflres houfe, 
 which dwelt in a flreate called Marpertugio, a name fhewing the 
 honeflie of the flreate, wher fhe dwelt. But he knowing and 
 fufpeftiug nothing, thought the place to be right honefi: that he 
 went vnto, and the wife likewife honefi and good, and boldlie 
 entred the houfe, the wenche going before : and mountinge vp 
 
ANDREUCCIO. 1 45 
 
 the ftaiers, this yonge griftle called her maiftres, fayinge viito 
 her that maifter Andreuccio was come. Who redie at the vpper 
 fteppe, feemed as though fhe attended for him. This Ladie was 
 fine and had a good face, well apparelled and trimmed after the 
 befte maner. And feinge maifter Andreuccio at hand, defcended 
 two fteppes of the ftaiers with her armes open to imbrace him, 
 foldinge the fame aboute his necke, and paufed a certaine fpace 
 without fpeaking any word, as thoughe great loue and earnefte 
 afFeftion enforced her fo to doe. Then weeping, fhe kifled his 
 face, and with a voice halfe vttered betwene howling and 
 fpeaking, fhe faid vnto him : " O Andreuccio mine owne deare 
 hart, moft hartely welcome." Andreuccio marueyling at thofe 
 tender words, all amazed aunfweared : " Gentlewoman, and you 
 alfo well found out." Afterwards fhe toke him by the hand and 
 conueied him vp into a parlour, and from thence (without further 
 talke) into a chamber, which was all perfumed with Rofes, with 
 flowers of Orenges, and other fweete fmelles : where he fawe a 
 bedde well furnifhed, and diuers fortes of apparell placed vppon 
 preffes ( accordinge to the maner of that coutitrie ) and many 
 other faire and riche ornaments. By reafon whereof Andreuccio, 
 which was but a frefhe water Souldiour, thought that fliee had 
 been a great ladie. And they two fittinge together vppon ^a 
 chefte, at her bed's feete, fhe began thus to faye vnto him. 
 " Andreuccio, I am afTured you do greatly wonder at thefe 
 faire words, this curteous interteignement, and at the teares 
 which I let fall. And no marueile, although you do not know 
 mee, and,peraduenture neuer heard tel of me before: but I wil 
 declare vnto you a thing more ftraunge and marueilous then 
 that is : and to tell you plaine, I am your owne fifter, and I fay 
 vnto you, that fith it hath pleafed my Lord God, to fhew me fo 
 much grace and fauour, that I doe now fee one of my brethren 
 before I die (althoughe I defire to fee them all) I care not when 
 hee do call mee from this wretched world : I am fo in minde 
 comforted and releued. And where it may chaunce, that you 
 neuer vnderftoode fo much before this time, I will tell you the 
 whole difcourfe. So it is, that Pietro my father and yours, dwelt 
 of long time (whereof it is poffible, that you haue heard report) 
 
 VOL. I. K 
 
146 ANDREUCCIO. 
 
 at Palermo, where through the goodnefle and frendlye behaui- 
 oure of him, there be yet fome remayninge that did beare him 
 Angular good wil and frendfhip. But amonges other which loued 
 him mofte, my mother (which was a gentlewoman, and then a 
 widow) without doubt did loue him beft : in fuch wife, that fhee 
 forgetting the loue of her father, and of her brethren, and the 
 loue of her owne honour and reputation, they dealed fo together 
 as they begat mee, and am here as you fee. Afterwardes when 
 your father and mine had occafion to depart from Palermo, he 
 retourned to Perugia, leauing my mother behinde, and me his 
 yong doughter, neuer after that (fo farre as I knowe) caringe 
 neither for my mother or me : whereof if he were not my father, 
 I coulde blame him very much, confideringe his ingratitude 
 towards my mother. Albeit, he ought to vfe towards mee fo 
 muche afFeftion and fatherlye loue as to his owne doughter, 
 being come of no kitchin maide, ne yet of anye bafe woman : 
 for my mother otherwife not knowinge what he was, did commit 
 into his handes (moued of mere loue) both herfelfe and all that 
 fhe had. But what ? thinges ill done, and fo longe time paft, are 
 more eafie to be reprehended then amended. Thus the matter 
 went, he left mee a litle infante at Palermo, where when I was 
 growen to yeares, my mother which was riche, gaue mee to wife, 
 to one of the houfe of Gergenti, a gentleman of great honefty 
 and reputation, who for the loue of my mother and me, retourned 
 to dwell at Palermo, where greatly fauouringe the faction of the 
 Guelphi, hee began to practife a certaine enterprife with oure 
 king Charles, which being knowen to king Frederick, before the 
 fame enterprife could take efFeft, we were forced to flie out of 
 Scicilia : at what time I had thought to haue been the chiefeft 
 ladie, that euer dwelte in that Ifland. Wherfore taking with vs 
 fuch fewe things as wee were able to carie (fewe I maye well call 
 them, in refpeft of them we poflefled) and leauinge our houfes 
 and Palaces, we came vnto this citie : where we found kinge 
 Charles fo beningne towards vs, that he hath recompenced part of 
 our loffes, which we fuftened in his feruice. For he hath giuen 
 vs poffeffions and houfes, with good prouifion of houfholde to 
 my hufband and your brother in law, as you now fee and per- 
 
ANDREUCCIO. I47 
 
 ceiue: and in this maner I do remaine here, where (fweete brother) 
 I thancke God (and not you) that at this prefent I fee you :" and 
 therwithall fhe toke him about the necke, weeping tenderly, and 
 then kifled his face againe. Andreuccio hearing this tale fpoken in 
 order, and digefted from poinft to poinft with good vtterance, 
 wherof no word ftucke betwene her teeth, or was impeached by de- 
 fault of tongue, and remembring how it was true that his father 
 dwelt at Palermo, knowing alfo by himfelfe the maner of yong men, 
 which in their youth be prompte and willinge to loue, and feinge 
 her tender teares, her imbracinges and honefte kifles, thoughte all 
 that fhee had fpoken to be mofte certaine and true. And after 
 fliee had done her tale, he anfwered in this wife : " Madame you 
 may not thincke vnkindnefle, if I doe marueile at this, for that 
 in verye deede, I haue no acquaintaunce of you, no more then if 
 you had neuer beene borne: but whether my father hath fpoken 
 of you or of your mother at any time, truly I do not now re- 
 member: but fo much the more I do reioyce that I hauefoundea 
 filler here (as I trufte) becaufe 1 am here alone : and certainely 
 I knowe none fo honourable, but you may feeme agreeable vnto 
 him fo well as to mee, which am but a poore marchaunt: how- 
 beit, I do befeeche you to tell me how you did know that I was 
 in the City." To whom fhe aunfweared : " This morning a 
 poore woman which oftentimes repaireth to my houfe, gaue mee 
 knowledge thereof, becaufe of long time (as fhe told me) fhe did 
 dwell with your father at Palermo and at Perugia : and becaufe I 
 thought it more conuenient and meete, to bidde you home to 
 mine owne houfe then to feke you in another man's, I thought 
 good to fend for you." After thefe words, fhe began in order to 
 inquire of the flate of his parents, calling them by their proper 
 names : whereunto Andreuccio made aunfwere, that now he per- 
 ceiued he had better caufe to giue credite vnto her words then 
 before. Their difcourfe and talke of thinges being long and the 
 weather hot, fhee called for Greke wine and comfits, and made 
 Andreuccio to drinke. Who after the banquet, defirous to depart 
 to his lodging (for it was about fupper time) fhee by no meanes 
 woulde fuffer him, but making as though fhe were angrie, faid 
 vnto him : " Oh God ! I fee now mofl euidently, that you do 
 
148 ANDREUCCIO. 
 
 make little accompte of mee, being your owne fifter whom you 
 neuer fawe before, and in her houfe : whereunto you ought to re- 
 forte when fo euer you come to towne : and will you nowe forfake 
 the fame to fuppe in an Inne ? But of trouth you fhall not chofe 
 but take part of my fupper : and althoughe my hufbande be not 
 at home (whereof I am righte forie,) yet you fhall knowe that his 
 wife is able to make you fome good chere." To whom Andreuccio, 
 not knowing wel what to fay els, made this aunfweare : " I do 
 loue you as I oughte to loue a fifter : but if I goe not to mine 
 Inne, I know they will tarie for mee all this night before they go 
 to fupper, to my great reproch and fhame." " Praifed be God 
 (quoth fhe then) I haue feruauntes to aduertife your hoft that 
 you be here with me, to the intente bee fhall not tarrie for you. 
 But pleafeth you fir, to do me this great curtefie, that I may 
 fende for your companions hither to beare you company, that 
 afterwardes, if you will needes depart, ye may goe all together." 
 Andreuccio aunfweared, that he would fend for none of his com- 
 pany that night: but for fo much as fhe was fo importunate, he 
 himfelfe was righte well content to fatiffie her requeft. Then fhe 
 made as thoughe fhee had fent to his Inne to giue word that they 
 fhould not tarie for him : and after much communication fupper 
 was placed vppon the table, ferued in with manye deuifes and 
 fondrie delicates abundantly, and fhe with like fleights continued 
 the fupper till it was darke night. And when they rofe from the 
 table, Andreuccio made haft to departe, but fhee would not fuffer 
 him, tellinge him that Naples was a towne fo ftraight of orders 
 that none might walke abrode in the night, and fpecially ftraungers; 
 and that like as fhe had fent word how they fhould not tary for 
 him at fupper, euen fo fhe had done for his bedde. All which 
 Andreuccio beleeuing, and taking pleafure that he was with his 
 fifter, (deceiued though he were of his falfe beliefe) was wel con- 
 tented to tarie. Their talke and communication after fupper was 
 of purpofe dilated and protracted, and one part of the night 
 being fpent, fhe left Andreuccio in his chamber going to bedde, 
 and a litle boye to waite vpon him to fee that he lacked nothinge, 
 and fhee with her women went into another chamber. The time 
 of the yeare was very hotte, wherefore Andreuccio being alone, 
 
ANDREUCCIO. 149 
 
 ftriped himfelfe and laid his hofe and doublette vnder his beddes 
 headj and defirous to go to the priuie, he afked the boie where it 
 waSj who pointing to the doore in a corner of the chamber, faid 
 vnto him: " Goe in there." Andreuccio fafely wenteinjand chaunc- 
 ed by Fortune to fet his foote vpon a horde, which at both endes 
 was loofe from the ioyft whereuppon it lay, by reafon whereof 
 the bord and he tombled downe into the lakes : and God fo loued 
 him, that in the fall he receiued no hurt although it were of a 
 good height, fauing he was imbroined and arraied with the dunge 
 of the place, wherof the lakes was full. Which place (to the 
 intent you may the better vnderftand what is said, and what fhall 
 follow) euen as it was I wil defcribe vnto you. There was in a 
 litle ftraighte entrie (as manye times we fee betweene two houfes) 
 certaine hordes laied vppon two loiftes, betwene the one houfe 
 and the other : vpon which was placed the feate of the priuie, 
 one of which hordes was the fame that fill downe with Andreuc- 
 cio, who now being in the bottome of the lakes, forowfull for 
 that fodaine chaunce, cried oute to the boie for helpe. But the 
 boie fo foone as hee hearde, that hee was fallen, wente in to tell 
 his maiftres, whoe by and by ranne into his chamber to feeke for 
 his clothes: and when fhe had founde them, and in the fame his 
 money, which Andreuccio like a foole, without miflrufte, ftill 
 caried about him : fhe now pofleffed the thing for which fhe 
 had before laied the fnare, in fayning her felfe to be of Palermo 
 and the doughter of one of Perugia. And caring no longer for 
 him, fhe ftraight way fhut faft the priuy doore whereat he went 
 forth when he fell, Andreuccio feing that the boie would not 
 aunfwere, began to cry out a loude, but all was in vaine : wher- 
 fore fufpefting the caufe, and beginning fomewhat to late to 
 vnderftande the deceipt, he lept ouer a litle wall which clofed 
 the place from the fight of the ftreat. And when he was in the 
 open ftreate he went to the dore of the houfe, which he knew 
 well ynough, makinge a noife, rapping hard and long at the 
 doore, but it was in vaine: for which caufe he began to com- 
 plaine and lamente, like vnto one that manifeftly faw his miffor- 
 tune, faying: "Alas, in howe litle time haue I loft fine hundred 
 crownes and a fifter." And after many other words, he began 
 
ISO ANDREUCCIO. 
 
 againe to bounfe at the doore, and to crie out. He rapped fo 
 long and cryed fo loude, as he waked nianye of the neighbours 
 there aboutes, who not able to fuffer that noyfe, rofe out of their 
 beds, and amonges others one of the maides of the houfe (fayning 
 her felfe to be flepie) looked out at the window and faid in great 
 rage : " What noife is beneath ? " " Oh " faide Andreuccioj " do yee 
 not know me? I am Andreuccio, the brother of madame Flore- 
 delice?" "Thou haft droncke to much me thinketh, (quoth the 
 maide) go fleepe and come againe to morow : I know none called 
 Andreuccio, nor yet do vnderftand what thou meaneft by thofe 
 foolifli words, get thee hence good man and let vs fleepe I pray 
 thee." " Why (quoth Andreuccio) doeft thou not heare me 
 what I fay ? thou knoweft me well ynough if thou wilt, but if the 
 Scicilian kinred be fo fone forgotten, giue me my clothes which 
 I haue left behinde me, and I will go hence with al my hart." 
 Whereat the maide laughed and faide : " I thincke the man is in 
 a dreame : " and with that fhe tourned her felfe and fliut faft the 
 window. Andreuccio now fure and certaine of his lofles, attach- 
 ed with incredible forow, conuerted his anger into rage, thoughte 
 to recouer by anoiaunce that which he could not get with fayre 
 wordes. Wherefore takinge vp a bigge ftone, he began againe 
 with greater blowes to beate at the doore. Which when manye 
 of the neighbours (that before were waked oute of their fleepe and 
 rifen) did heare, thinking that it was fome troublefome felow 
 that counterfeited thofe words to anoye the good wife of the 
 houfe, and all they likewife troubled with the noyfe : loking out 
 of the windowes, began to rate him with one voice (like a forte 
 of Curres of one ftreate, which doe baule and barke at a ftraunge 
 Dogge that pafleth by) fayinge: "This is to much fliame and 
 villanie, to come to the houfes of honeft women at that time of 
 the night, and to fpeake fuch fonde wordes. Wherefore (good 
 man) gette thee hence for God's fake, and let vs fleepe : if thou 
 haue any thing to do with the good wife, come againe to morrow 
 and difquiet vs no more to night." With which woordes, as 
 poore Andreuccio was fomewhat appeafed, one that was within 
 the houfe, a ruffian (that kept the good wife) whom Andreuccio 
 neuer faw, nor heard before: looked out of the windowe, and 
 
ANDREUCCIO. I51 
 
 with a bigge and horrible voice, demaunded who was beneath ? 
 Whereat Andreuccio lifting vp his head, faw one, that fo far as he 
 could perceiue, feemed to be a long lubber and a large, with a 
 blacke beard, and a fterne vifage, looking as though he were 
 newly ryfen from bedde, ful of fleepe, gaping and rubbing his 
 eyes. Whom Andreuccio aunfweared in fearefull wife, faying: 
 " I am the good wine's brother of the houfe." But the Ruffian 
 interrupting his anfweare, fpeaking more fiercely then at the firft, 
 faid : " I know not who thou arte, but if I come downe, I will 
 fo codgel and bombafte thee, as thou fhalte not be able to fturre 
 thy felfe, like an afle and dronken beaft as. thou art, which all 
 this night wilt not fufFer vs to flepe." And with thefe wordes 
 turning himfelfe aboute, he (hutte the windowe. Diuers of the 
 neighbours (which knewe better the conditions of that terrible 
 Ruffian) fpeakinge faire to Andreuccio, faide vnto him : " For 
 God's fake good man, depart hence in time, and fufFer not thy felfe 
 to be flaine : " " Gette thee hence (quoth an other) and faye not 
 but thou haddeft warning." Whereat Andreuccio being appalled, 
 and with the Ruffians woordes and fight amazed, moued likewife 
 by the counfaile of the neighbours that fpake to him as he 
 thoughte, in charitable wyfe, toke his waye to retourne to his Inne, 
 the forowfulles man that euer liued, and in greatefl defpaire, for 
 lofTe of his money. Turninge that way, wherein he was guided 
 by a litle girle the day afore, and anoyed with the flenche that 
 he felt about him : defirous to goe to the fea fide to wafhe him, 
 hee declined to muche on the left hande, taking the waye vp 
 to the flreat called La Ruga Catellana, and as hee was marching 
 vp the higheft parte of the citie, by chaunce he fawe twoo men 
 before him, with a lanthorne light in one of their handes, coming 
 towardes him, for auoyding of whom (becaufe he feared that it 
 was the watche, or fome other ill difpofed perfones) he hidde him 
 felfe in an olde houfe harde by. But they (as of purpofe) went 
 to the very fame place : where one of them difcharging hym 
 felfe of certain inflrumentes of yron, whiche he bare vpon his 
 backe, both of them did vewe and furueie those yrons, debating 
 of diuers thinges touching the fame, and as they were talking 
 togethers, one of them fayde: "What meaneth this? I fmel the 
 
152 , ANDREUCGIO. 
 
 fouleft ftenche, that euer I felte in all my life." And when he had 
 fayd fo, he lifted vp the Lanthorne and efpied miferable Andreuc- 
 cio couching behinde the wall, and being afrayde, afked who it was, 
 Andreuccio helde his peace. But they approching neare him 
 with their lighte, demaunded what hee made there, fo filthely 
 araied. To whom Andreuccio reherfed the whole aduenture as 
 it chaunceth. Who confidering the caufe of that miffortune, fayd 
 one to an other : this no doubt was done in the houfe of Scara- 
 bone Butta Fuoco : and tourning towardes Andreuccio, one of 
 them fayde vnto him. " Good man, although thou haft loft thy 
 money, yet thou haft great caufe to prayfe God that it was thy 
 chaunce to falle, and not to enter againe into the houfe : for if 
 thou haddeft not fallen, affure thy felfe that when thou haddeft 
 bene a flepe, thy throte had bene cutte, and fo with thy money- 
 fhouldeft haue lofte thy life. But what auaileth it, nowe to 
 wepe and lament: for thou flialt fo fone plucke the ftarres 
 out of the Skye, as euer recouer one peny of thy loffe : and with- 
 out doubt he will kill thee, if hee vnderftande that thou make 
 any wordes thereof." When they had fayde fo, and had giuen 
 him that admonition, they comforted him in this wyfe. " Good 
 felowe, we doe lament thy ftate : And therefore, if thou wilt ioyne 
 thy felf with vs, about an enterprife, which we haue in hande : we 
 warraunt thee, thou ftialt get a great dealemorethan thou haft lofte." 
 Andreuccio like one in extreame difpaire, was content. The dale 
 before was buried one Mefler Philippo Minutulo, an Archebifhop 
 of Naples, in riche pontificalles and ornamentes, with a Ruble 
 vpon his finger, that was worth fine hundred Ducates of golde, 
 whome they purpofed to robbe and difpoile, telling Andreuccio 
 the whole order of their intent : who more couetous, then well 
 aduifed, went with them. And going towardes the great church: 
 Andreuccio his perfume began to fente very ftrong, whereupon 
 one of them fayde. " Is it not poflible to deuife a waye, that this 
 shitten beafte may waftie him felfe in fome place, that he ftinke 
 no more thus filthelie ? " " Yes, (quod the other) there is a pitte 
 here harde by, ouer whiche there hangeth a pulley, and a great 
 bucket, where we may prefently waflie him." When they were 
 come to the pitte, they founde the rope hanging ftill vpon the 
 
ANDREUCCIO. 1 5 3 
 
 pulley, but the bucket was taken away : wherefore they thought 
 befte to tie him to the rope, and to let him downe the pitte to 
 wafhe him felfe : and that when he was wafhed, he Ihould wagge 
 the rope, and they woulde hoifte him vp againe. Whiche they did. 
 But it chaunced that whiles he was thus clenfing him felfe in the 
 pitte: the watche of the citie (becaufe they fwette and the night 
 was very hot), being drie and thirftie came to the pitte to drinke. 
 The other twoo perceiuing the watche at hande, left Andreuccio 
 in the pitte and ranne awaye. The watche whiche was come 
 thether to drinke, perceiued not thofe two that were fledde ; 
 and Andreuccio being flill in the bottome, when he had clenfed 
 him felfe, began to wagge the rope. The watche fitting downe 
 by the pittes fyde cafle of their clokes and layde downe their hal- 
 bardes and other weapons, and began to drawe vp the rope, think- 
 ing that the bucket full of water was tied to the fame. When 
 Andreuccio was haled vp, to the brincke of the pitte, bee forfoke 
 the rope, and caft him felfe with one of his handes vpon the 
 fyde of the fame. When the watche fawe that, they for feare 
 ranne away fo fafte as they could without fpeaking any worde. 
 Wherof Andreuccio did marueile very much : and if he had not 
 taken good holde, lie had fallen agayne downe to the bottome, 
 to his great hurt, and peraduenture not without peril of his life. 
 Notwithflanding being out of the pitte, and finding halberdes 
 and other weapons- there, which he knew wel his fellowes brought 
 not with them : he then began muche more to wonder. But 
 betwene feare and ignoraunce of that which happened, com- 
 plaining him felf of his harde fortune, without touching of any 
 thing, he determined to go from thence, and wandred he could 
 not tell whether. But as he was departing from that place, he 
 met his fellowes, retiring backe to drawe him vp. And when 
 they perceiued him alredie haled out of the pitte, they wer won- 
 derfully abafhed, and afked who drewe him out? Andreuccio 
 made aunfwdVe, that he coulde not tell, rehearfing to them in 
 order, what had chaunced, and of the things he founde without. 
 They vnderfl:anding the matter, laughed and tolde him againe 
 the caufe, wherefore they ran awaye, and what they were that 
 drewe him vp. And without further talke (being then about mid- 
 
1 54 ANDREUCCIO. 
 
 night, they repaired to the great churche : into the whiche they 
 eafely entred : and wente to the Tombe, whiche was of Marble, 
 verie huge and weightie : the couer whereof being verye great, 
 with their crowes of yron, and other tooles, they lifted vp fo farre, 
 as one man was able to enter, which doen, one afked an other, 
 who fliould goe in? "Not I" quod one: "And not I " (quod the 
 other) "No, nor I" quod Andreuccio. The other twoo hearing 
 Andreuccio faye fo, ftepped vnto hym, faying : " Wilte thou not 
 goe in ? by the faythe wee owe to God : if thou goe not in, we 
 will fo beate thee, with one of thefe yron barres, as thou fhalt 
 neuer flurre againe out of this place." Andreuccio being made 
 their common riding foole, greately fearing when he heard them 
 faye fo, went in : and when he was in the graue, he fayde vnto 
 him felfe. "Thefe good felowes do make me goe in, becaufe they 
 would deceiue me : for when I haue geuen them all that is here, 
 and I readie to come out, they meane to runne awaie to faue them 
 felues, and to leaue me behinde without any parte thereof." Wher- 
 fore he purpofed firft, to take his owne porcion to him felfe : and 
 remembring the Ring of great valour, whereof they tolde him : fo 
 fone as he was in the graue, he pulled it of from the Archebilhop's 
 finger, and put it vpon his own : and afterwardes taking the Crofle, 
 the Miter and the Gloues, difpoyling him euen to his fhyrt, he 
 gaue them all faying. "That there was nothing els.'' But 
 they preffing vpon him that there was a ring behinde, willed 
 him throughly to make fearche for it : howebeit he ftill aun- 
 fwered that he could not finde it. And becaufe he would make 
 them to tarie a litle longer, he fained as though he had made a 
 further fearche. The other fo fubtile and malicious as he, bad 
 him to feke ftil : and when they faw time, they toke away the 
 proppes that ftaied vp the Tombe, and ran awaye, leaning poore 
 Andreuccio faft fhutte in the graue. Whiche when Andreuccio 
 perceiued, what chaunced to him then, eche man may confider : 
 then he aflaied fome times with his fhoulders, foltnetimes with 
 his head, to remoue the couer, but all was in vaine. Wherefore 
 euen for verie forowe, he fell in a fownde vpon the dead bodie 
 of the Bifhop. And if a man had feene them both at that inftant, 
 it coulde not well haue bene difcerned, whether was the dead 
 
ANDREUCCIO. 1 55 
 
 corps, the Archebifhhope dead, or poore Andreuccio dying : but 
 after he was come to him felf, he began piteoufly to complaine, 
 feing hee was arriued to one of thefe twoo endes, either in the 
 Tombe to die for hunger, and with the ftenche of the dead bodie, 
 putrifying with wormes, if no man came to open it : or els to be 
 hanged as a thiefe, if hee were founde within : and as he was in 
 thefe confiderations tormented with forowe : he heard a noyfe 
 in the church of diuers men, who as he thought came to the like 
 fafte, that he and his felowes had done before^ wherewith his 
 feare began much more to augmente. But after they had opened 
 the graue and flayed it vp, it came in queftion amongs them who 
 fhould go in. And when they had contended a good fpace 
 about the fame, a prieft that was in the companie fayde. 
 " Why are ye afrayde ? doe ye thinke that hee will eate you? the 
 dead neuer eate men : I will go in my felfe." And when he had 
 fayde fo, he laied him downe vpon his brefiie at the fide of the 
 graue, and thrufting his feete in before, he went downe. An- 
 dreuccio feeing that, erefted him felfe vpright and caught the 
 Prieft by one of the legges, making as though he would haue 
 drawen him in : which when the prieft perceiued, he cried out a 
 loude, fpeeding him felf out fo fafl: as he could. Wherewithal 
 the refte difmaied almofte out of their wittes, leauing the graue 
 open, toke their legges and ran, as though a hundred thoufand 
 deuels had bene at their tailes : whiche feing, Andreuccio (more 
 ioyful then he looked for) lepte out of the graue, and ran as fafte 
 as he could out of the Churche, at the place where" he came in. 
 At what time dayelight began to appeare, and he with the ringe 
 on his finger, wandred he wifte not whether, tyll he came to the 
 Seafide, and at length recouered his Inne, where he founde his 
 companie and his hofte al that night, taking greate care for him. 
 To whome recompting that whiche chaunced, his hofte gaue 
 him aduife incontinently, to get him out of Naples, whiche 
 prefently he did : and retourned to Perugia, hauing 
 beftowed his v. C. crownes vpon a rynge, whiche 
 he thought to haue imploied vpon horfes : 
 for whiche caufe he made 
 that iourney. 
 
156 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 THE THIRTY-SEUENTH NOUELL. 
 
 The erle of Angiers being falfely accufed, was hanijhed out of 
 Fraunce, and left his two fonnes in fondry places in Englande, 
 and retourning [vnknowen) hy Scotlande, founde theim in great 
 authoritie, afterwardes he repayred in the halite ofaferuaunte, to 
 the Frenche hinges armie, and being knowen to be innocent, was 
 againe aduaunced to hisjirft eftale. 
 
 The Romaine Empire being tranfferred from the Frenche, vnto the 
 Almanes, there rofe a great difcencion betwene both the nacions, 
 and in the ende a cruell and continuall warre. For whiche caufe, 
 as well for the defence of his kingdome, as to offende his enne- 
 mies, the Frenche king and one of his fonnes, with all the power 
 of their owne Realme and of their frendes and allies, aflembled a 
 great hofte of menne to encountre with their enemies : and be- 
 fore they proceaded, becaufe they would not leaue their realme 
 without a gouernour, knowing Gualtieri, Erie of Angiers, to be a 
 gentle and fage knight, and their mofle trufliie frend, and that he 
 was a man mofte expert in the art of warfare, feming vnto them 
 (notwithftanding) more apt to pleafure, then paine, lefte him Lieu- 
 tenaunt generall in their place, for the gouernement of the whole 
 kingdome of Fraunce : and proceded in their enterprife. The 
 Erie then began with great knowledge, and by good order, to exe- 
 cute his office committed vnto hym, doynge nothinge withoute the 
 confente of the Queene and her fayre daughter in lawe, althoughe 
 they were lefte to be vnder his cuflodie and gouernement, yet 
 neuertheles, he honoured them as his Maiftrefles and fuperlours. 
 The Erie Gaultieri was a beautiful perfonage, about the age of 
 fourtie yeares, fo familiar and well condicioned, as any gentleman 
 could be, and be fides that, hee was the mofle excellent and trim- 
 meft knight that was knowen in thofe dayes, and one mofle comelie 
 in his apparell. It chaunced that the king and his fonne, being 
 at the warres aforefaide, the wife of the Erie died in the meane 
 whyle, leaning him onely twoo litle yong children, a fonne and a 
 doughter, whiche he had by her. He then frequenting the court 
 
THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. I 57 
 
 of the aforefaid ladies, talking many times with theim about the 
 affaires of the Realme : the wife of the kinges fonne, fixed her eyes 
 vpon him, and with great affedtion (for his perfone and vertues) 
 feruently embraced hym with fecrete loue. And knowing her 
 felfe to bee yonge and frefhe, and him to be without a wyfe, 
 thought (fodainly) to bring to pafTe, that whiche fhee defired, and 
 thinking that nothing could lette it but onelye fhame to , difcouer 
 it, fhee purpofed vtterlye to abandone the fame. And vppon a 
 daye beyng alone, fhee fente one to feeke the Erie, as though fhee 
 would haue communicated with him of other matters. The Erie 
 whofe mynde was farre different from the Ladies, incontinently e 
 came vnto her : who beyng fette downe together vppon a bedde 
 (whiche fhe defired) alone in a chamber, he afked her twyfe vpon 
 what occafion fhe fent for hym : and fhe hauing nothing to faye 
 vnto hym, prefTed in the ende, and rapte with loue waxed verie 
 fhamefafte and almofle wepinge, and quaking for feare, with faynte 
 woordes, began to faye as foloweth. "My derely beloued and 
 louing frende, and Lorde, you may eafely knowe (beyng a wyfe 
 man as you bee) the frailtie of men and women : and by diuers 
 confiderations, the weakenefTe to be more in the one, then in the 
 other. Wherefore (before a iufl iudge) one fault of diuerfe quali- 
 ties, ought not of reafon to receiue one like punifhement. More- 
 ouer who is he that will faye, that a poore man or woman, which 
 getteth their liuing with the labour of their bodie, ought not more 
 to be reprehended if they become amourous, and fubieft to their 
 lufles, then the riche Ladye whiche taketh no care for her liuing, 
 or wanteth any thing that fhee defireth. Truely I beleue there is 
 none that will faye fo : for which reafon I fuppofe that the things 
 beforefayd, ought to ferue the greatefl: part of the excufe to the 
 aduauntage of her that doth pofTefTe them : if it happen that fhee 
 geue her felfe fully to the condu6lions of loue : and the fuperflu- 
 fage of her faide excufe ought to confifte, in that fhee hath 
 chofen her a fage and vertuous frende, if fhee that loueth hath 
 done fo in dede, Whiche twoo thinges as they ought to be (in 
 my iudgement) fo they are in me, and many other alfo : whiche 
 ought to induce me to loue, accordingly as my youth requireth, 
 and the great diflaunce that is betweene my hufbande and mee. 
 
158 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 It behoueth nowe then^ that they fhould aduaunce them felues in 
 your prefence, for the defence of my burning loue : and if the 
 fame do raine in you^ whiche haue power in the wife, then I be- 
 feche you to geue me counfayle and aide in the thing which I 
 Ihal demaunde. True it is, that for the long abfence of my huf- 
 bande (not able to refill the prickes of the flelhe, and the force of 
 loue) whiche be of fuche great effect, that they haue many times 
 paft and yet daily do vanquifhe and ouercome, not only feble and 
 weake women, but alfo the ftrongeft men. I lining in eafe and 
 idlenes as you fe, and forced to folowe the pleafures of loue and to 
 become amourous : and as I do knowe well, that fuche thinges (if 
 they were knowen) fhould not be reputed honeft. Neuerthelefle, 
 the fame being kepte fecrete, I trufte fhall not be reprocheful. 
 Notwithftanding dame Loue is fo fauourable vnto mee, that 
 not onely fhee hath geuen me true iudgement in choife of a 
 frende, but hath reueiled vnto me that it is you whiche is worthy 
 to be beloued, of fuch a Ladie as I am. For if I be not greatlye 
 deceiued, I doe make accompte that you be the fayrefl: perfonage, 
 the femelieft, the mofte curteous, and wyfeft gentleman, in all 
 the Realme of Fraunce. And as I maye faye, by reafon of his 
 abfence, that I am without a hufband fo may you affirme that you 
 be without a wife : wherefore I befeche you, for the loue that I 
 beare vnto you, that you will not denye me your loue and frend- 
 Ihip, and that you will haue pitie vpon my young yeares, whiche 
 doubtles do confume for you, as I fee againft the fierie flames." 
 At which worde the teares ran downe in fuch aboundance, as 
 where fhe thought to make further fupplication and praiers, fhe 
 had no more power to fpeake. But holding downe her head, like 
 one that was ouercome, fhe threw her felf downe into the Erles 
 lappe, who like a faithfull knight, began to blame (with fharpe re- 
 bukes) her fonde and foolifhe loue : pufhing her from hym, as 
 fhee was about to clepe him aboute the necke, and fwoore great 
 othes, that rather bee woulde be drawen in peces then confent to 
 fuche a thing, to bee done by him, or any other, againfl the honour 
 of his Lorde and maifter. Whiche woordes the Ladie hearing, 
 fodainly forgat her loue, and in great rage, fayde vnto him : " Shall 
 I then be fruftrate, thou arrent villayne, in this wyfe of my de- 
 
THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. I 59 
 
 fired ioye ? but fithens thou goeft about, to feke my deftructioiij I 
 will caufe thee to be put to death, or els to be banyfhed the worlde." 
 When flie had faydefo, by and by fhe caught her felfe by the heare 
 of the head, and almofte tare it of cleane, and then layde handes 
 vppon her garmentes, renting the fame in peeces, and afterwardes 
 cried out aloude : " Helpe, helpe, the Erie of Anglers wil rauyflie me 
 by force." The Earle feeing that (and farre more doubting of the 
 enuie, and malice of the Courte, then his owne confcience, for any 
 committed fa£le, fearing alfo, that more credite would be geuen to 
 the wickedneffe of the Ladie, then to his innocencie) conueighed 
 him felfe from that place, and fo foone as hee coulde, hee wente 
 out of the palace, and fledde home to his owne houfe, where with- 
 out any further aduife, he placed his children on horfebacke, and 
 fo well as he coulde caried them to Callice. At the brute and 
 noyfe of the ladie^ many people affembled : who feing and 
 hearing the occafion of her crie, not onely beleued her wordes, 
 but alfo affirmed, that the pompoufe fl:ate of the Erie, was vfed by 
 him to bring to pafl!e, th'effeft of his defire. Then they ranne to 
 the houfes of the Erie, in great furie, to arreflie his perfone : but 
 not finding hym there, they firfl:e facked his houfes, and after- 
 wardes ouerthrewe them to the grounde. The newes hereof (fo 
 wicked as might be deuifed) arriued at the king and dolphins 
 Campe, whereof they were fo troubled and offended, as they con- 
 dempned the Earle, and all his progenie to perpetuall exile : pro- 
 mifing great giftes and rewardes, to them that would prefent them 
 quicke or dead. The Erie being offended in his confcience, for 
 that he was fled, innocent of the fafte, made himfelf culpable 
 therof, and arriued at Callice with his children, diffembling what 
 he was, and fodainlye paffed ouer into England, and in poore ap- 
 parell, trauailed vp to London. And before he entred the citie, 
 he gaue his children diuers admonicions, but fpecially of two 
 things : Firfl, that they fhould beare paciently the pouertie, wher- 
 unto fortune (without their offence) had brought theim. After- 
 wardes, that wifely they fhould take hede, at no time to manifefle 
 and declare from whence they came, and whofe children they were, 
 as they loued the price of their owne lyues. The fonne was named 
 Lewes, almofte of the age of nyne yeares, and the dough ter called 
 
I 60 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 Violenta, was about the age of vii. bothe whiche chyldren, as 
 their age could fuffer them, did well obferue their fathers heft, 
 as afterwardes it did right wel appeare. And becaufe that this 
 might the better be brought to paffe, it femed good vnto him, to 
 alter their names, naming the fon Perotto, and the doughter 
 Gianetta. And when they were arriued at London, in maner of 
 beggers, they craued their almofle, and being by fortune for that 
 purpofe, one morning at a church doore, it came to pafle that a 
 great Lady, which was one of the Marfhalles of Englandes wiues, 
 in going out of the church, fawe the Erie and his two litle children 
 begging their almofe, of whom flie demaunded, what countrie 
 man he was, and whether thofe children were his owne, or not. 
 To whom the Erie anfwered, that he was a Picarde, and by reafon 
 of a wicked facJhe, done by his eldeft fonne (that was an vnhappie 
 boye) he was forced to departe his countrie, with thofe his twoo 
 children. The Ladie whiche was pitifull, 'fixed her eyes vpon the 
 girle, who pleafed her verie much, becaufe fhe was beautifull, 
 gentil, and amiable, faying : " Good man, if thou be content to 
 leaue vnto mee, this thy litle doughter, which hath a good face, I 
 will willingly take her, and if flie become a duetiful maiden, when 
 fhee is mariagable, I wil marie her in honeft wise." This de- 
 maunde greatly pleafed the Erie, who redely aunfwered, that hee 
 was contented, and with teares trickeling downe his eyes he de- 
 liuered and commended his pretie doughter vnto her. And when 
 he had thus well beftowed her, he determined to tarrie no longer 
 there, but in begging his almofe, traueiled through the countrie, 
 with his fonne Perotto, and went into Wales, not without great 
 labour and paine, as one neuer accuftomed to trauayle on foote. 
 Where dwelte one other of the kyng of Englandes Marfhalles, 
 that was of great authoritie, and kepte a noble houfe : to whofe 
 courte the Erie and his fonne oftentymes repayred, to praftife 
 and begge their lining : where one of the Marfhalles fonnes, and 
 other Gentlemens chyldren, doyng certayne chyldyfhe fportes and 
 paflymes, as to runne and leape, Perotto began to entermedle hym 
 felfe amonges them (who in thofe games dyd fo excellentlye well, 
 as none was his better) whiche thyng diuers tymes the Marfhall 
 perceiuing, well pleafed with the order of the chylde, afked of 
 
THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. l6l 
 
 whence hee was. It was tolde him that hee was a poore man's 
 fonne, which many tymes came thyther, to begge his almofe. The 
 Marlhall deliring tohaue the childe^ the Erie, whiche prayed vnto 
 God for nothing els, liberallye gaue hym vnto hym, although it 
 greeued hym to departe from him. The Erie then hauing beftowed 
 his fonne and his doughter, determined no longer to tarrie in 
 England, but fo well as he coulde, he pafled ouer into Irelande, 
 and when he was arriued at Stanforde, he placed him felfe in the 
 feruice of a man of armes, belonging to an Erie of that countrie, 
 doing all thinges that did belong vnto a feruing man, or page : 
 and not knowen to any man, hee continued there a long time, with 
 great paine and toile. Violenta named Gianetta, that dwelt with 
 the Ladie at London, grewe fo in yeares, in beautie, in perfonage, 
 and in fuch grace and fauour of her lord and lady, and of all the 
 refte of the houfe, and fo well beloued of al them that knew her, 
 that it was maruailous to fee. All men that fawe her maners and 
 countenaunce, iudged her to be worthy of great honour and pos- 
 fefiions, by reafon wherof, the lady that receiued her of her 
 father, not knowing what fliee was, but by his reporte, purpofed 
 to marrie her honourablie, according to her worthinefTe. But 
 God the rewarder of all mens defertes, knowing her to be a noble 
 woman, and to beare (without caufe) the penaunce.of an other 
 man's offence, difpofed her otherwife, and to the intent, that this 
 noble gentlewoman might not come into the handes of a man of 
 ill condicions, it muft be fuppofed that that whiche came to pafle 
 was by God's own will and pleafure, fufFred to be done. The 
 gentlewoman, with whome Gianetta dwelte, had but one onely 
 fonne by her hulband, whiche both fliee and the father, loued verie 
 dearelye: as well becaufe hee was a fonne, as alfo that in vertue and 
 good merites hee greatlye excelled. For hee furpafled all other in 
 good condicions, valiaunce, goodnes, and beautie of perfonage, 
 being about fixe yeares elder then Gianetta: who feyng the may- 
 den, to be both fayre and comelye, became fo farre in loue with 
 her, as he eflemed her aboue all thinges of the worlde. And 
 becaufe he thought her to be of bafe parentage, he durft not de- 
 maunde her of his father and mother to wyfe. But fearing that 
 he fhould lofe their fauour, he kept his loue fecret, wherby he was 
 
 VOL, I. L 
 
1 62 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 worfe tormented, then if it had bene openly knowen. And thereby 
 it chaunced, through Loue's malice, he fel fore ficke : for whofe 
 preferuation, were many Phifitions fent for, who marking in him 
 all fignes and tokens of fickenes, and not knowing the difeafe, 
 were altogether doubtfuU of his health : wherof the father and 
 mother tookefo great forowe and griefe, as was poffible, and many 
 times with pitifuU praiers, they demaunded of him the occafion of 
 his difeafe. To whome he gaue for aunfwere, nothing els but 
 heauie fighes, and that he was like to confume, and die for weake- 
 nefle. It chaunced vpon a daye there was brought vnto him a 
 Phificion, that was very yonge, but in his faience profoundlie 
 learned, and as he was holding him by the poulces, Gianetta (who 
 for his mother's fake, attended him very carefully, entered vpon 
 occafion into the chamber, where he lay ficke, and fo fone as the 
 yonge gentleman perceiued her, and that fhe fpake neuer a woorde, 
 or made any figne, or demonftration towardes him, he felte in his 
 hart to arife his mofl: amorous defire, wherefore his poulces began 
 to beate aboue their common cuftome: whiche thing the Phificion 
 immediatly perceiued and marueiled, ftanding ftill to fee howe 
 long that fitte would continue. Gianetta was no foner gone out 
 of the Chamber, but the beating of the poulces ceafed : wherefore 
 the Phificion thought, that he had founde out fome part of the 
 gentleman's difeafe, and a litle while after feming to take occafion 
 to fpeake to Gianetta holding him ftill by the armes, he caufed 
 her to bee called in, and fhe incontinently came, but flie was no 
 foner entred the chambre but the poulces began to beate againe : 
 and when flie departed, the beating ceafed. Wherupon the Phi- 
 ficion was throughly perfwaded that he vnderftode the effefte of 
 his fickenes, and therwithall rofe vp and taking the father and 
 mother afide, fayde vnto them : " The health of your fonne doth 
 not confifte in the helpe of Phificions, but remaineth in the 
 handes of Gianetta your maide, as I haue perceiued by mofte 
 manifeft fignes, which maide the yong man feruently doth loue. 
 And yet (fo farre as I perceiue) the maide doth not knowe it: you 
 therfore vnderftand now what to doe, if you loue his life." The 
 gentleman and his wife hearing this, was fomewhat fatiffied : for 
 fo muche as remedy might be founde to faue his life, although it 
 
THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 1 63 
 
 greued theim greatly, that the thing whereof they doubted, fhould 
 come to pafle, whiche was the mariage betwene Gianetta and their 
 fonne. The Phificion departed, and they repaired to their ficke 
 fonne, the mother faying vnto him in this wyfe : " My fonne, I 
 would neuer haue thought, that thou wouldeft haue kept fecret 
 from mee, any parte of thy defire : fpecially, feing that without 
 the fame thou doeft remaine in daunger of death. For thou art, 
 or ought to be aflured, that there is nothing that may be gotten, for 
 thy contentment, whatfoeuer it had bene, but it fhould haue bene 
 prouided for thee, in as ample maner as for my felfe. But fithe 
 thou haft thus done, it chaunceth that our Lord God, hath fhewed 
 more mercy vpon thee, then thou haft done vpon thy felfe. And 
 to the ende thou Ihalt not die of this difeafe, he hath declared vnto 
 me the caufe of the fame : whiche is none other, but the great 
 loue that thou beareft to a yonge maiden, wherefoeuer fhe bee. 
 And in deede thou oughteft not to be afliamed, to manifeft thy 
 loue, becaufe it is meete and requifite for thyne age. For if I wift 
 thou couldeft not loue, I would the leffe efteme thee. Now then 
 my good fonne, be not afraid, franckly to difcouer thine affeftion. 
 Driue away the furie and thought which thou haft taken, and 
 wherof this fickenes commeth, and comfort thy felfe. Being as- 
 fured, that thou fhalt defire nothing at my handes, that may be 
 done, but it fhall be accomplifhed of mee, that loueth thee better 
 then mine owne life: and therefore expell from thee this fhame 
 and feare. And fpare not to tell me, if I be able to doe any 
 thing, in that whiche thou loueft. And if thou perceiue, that I 
 be not carefull to bring it to pafle, repute me for the cruelleft 
 mother that euer bare childe." The yonge gentleman hearing 
 thefe woordes of his mother, was firft afhamed, but after thinking 
 with him felfe, that none was fo well able to pleafure him as fhee 
 (driuing awaye all fhame) fayed to her in this wife : " Madame, 
 there is none other thing that hath made me to kepe my loue fo 
 fecrete, but that, which I fee by commune proofe in many, who 
 after they be growen to yeares of difcretion, doe neuer remembre 
 that they haue bene yonge. But for fo much as herein I doe fee 
 your Ladifhip difcrete and wyfe, I will not onely affirme that to be 
 true, whiche you haue perceiued in me, but alfo I will confefle 
 
164 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 what it is, vpon condicion that the effe£t ftiall folowe your 
 promife, fo farre as lieth in you, and whereby you flialbe able to 
 recouer my life." Whereunto the mother trufting to much in 
 that, which flie ought not to haue accomplifhed, for certaine confi- 
 deracions, which afterwardes came into her minde, anfwered him 
 liberally : " That he might boldly difcouer all his defire, and that 
 forthwith (he would bring the fame to pafle." " Madame (fayde 
 the yonge man then) the great beautie and commendable quali- 
 ties of your maiden Gianetta, whom as yet not only I haue no 
 power to intreate, to take pitie vpon me, but alfo I haue made no 
 wight in the world priuie of this my loue. The not difclofing 
 and fecrecie of whofe loue, hath brought me in cafe you fee : and 
 if fo be the thing, whiche you haue promifed, doe not by one 
 meane or other come to paffe, affure your felfe that my life is but 
 fhorte." The Ladie knowing, that it was more tyme to comforte, 
 then to reprehende, fayd vnto him fmiling : " Alas, my fonne, 
 were you ficke for this ? Bee of good chere and when you are 
 whole let me alone." The yonge gentleman being put in good 
 hope, fhewed in litle time tokens and fignes of great amendement. 
 Wherof the mother was marueilous glad, difpofing her felfe to 
 proue, howe fhe might obferue that which fhe had promifed. And 
 on a day calling Gianetta vnto her, demaunded in gentle wife, by 
 waye of mery talke, " If fhe had not gotten her a louer." Gia- 
 netta with face al blufhing, aunfwered : " Madame, I haue no 
 nede therof, and much more vnfemely for fo poore a damofell as 
 I am, to meditate or thincke vpon louers, which am banifhed 
 from my frendes and kinffolke, remaining in feruice as I doe." 
 To whom the Lady faide: "If you haue none, wee will beftowe 
 one vpon you, whiche (hall content your minde, and make your 
 life more deleftable and pleafaunt : for it is not meete that fo 
 faire a maide as you be, (hould continue without a louer." Where- 
 unto Gianetta anfwered : " Madame, waying with my felfe, that 
 you haue taken me from my poore father, and brought me vp as 
 your doughter, it becommeth me to do that whiche pleafeth you. 
 NotwithftandingjI intende neuer to make any complaint to you for 
 lacke of fuch, but if it pleafe you, to geue me a hufbande, I pur- 
 pofe dutifully to loue and honour him. For my progenitours haue 
 
THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 1 65 
 
 left me none other inheritaunce but honeftie, whiche I meane to 
 kepe, fo long as my life indureth." Thefe woordes to the Ladye, 
 femed contrary to that whiche fhee defired to knowe^ to atchieue 
 her promyfe made to her fonne, although (lyke a wyfe Ladie) to 
 her felfe, fhee greatly prayfed the Damofell, and fayde vnto her. 
 "But Gianetta, what if my Lorde the Kyng (whiche is a younge 
 Prince, and you a fayre mayden) would take pleafure in your loue, 
 woulde you refufe him ? " Whereunto the mayde fodaynlye aun- 
 fwered. "The Kyng maye well force mee, but by confent he 
 fhall neuer obtayne the thing of mee that is diflionefte." The La- 
 dye conceyuyng the courage, and ftoutneffe of the mayden in good 
 parte, fayde no more vnto her, but thinking to put the matter in 
 proofe, fhe tolde her fonne, that when he was whole, (he woulde put 
 them both in a chamber that he mighte haue his pleafure vppon her. 
 For fhe thought it difhoneft to intreate her maide for her fonne, 
 becaufe it was the office of a Ruffian. The yong man was no- 
 thing contented therewith, whereby bee fodainlye waxed ficke 
 againe : which the ladye perceiuinge, opened her whole intent to 
 Gianetta : but finding her more conftant than euer fhe was be- 
 fore, (he told her hufband all that (he had done, whoe agreed 
 (althoughe againft their willes) to giue her to be his wife, think- 
 inge it better (their fonne lyuing) to haue a wife vnagreeable to his 
 eftate, then to fuffer him to die for her fake. Which after great 
 confultation, they concluded, whereof Gianetta was maruelouflye 
 well pleafed, and with deuout harte gaue thankes to God for that 
 he had not forgotten her. And yet for all that, (hee woulde neuer 
 name her felfe otherwife, then the doughter of a Picarde. The 
 yong fonne waxed whole incontinently, and was maried, the beft 
 contented man aliue, and began to difpofe himfelfe, louingly to 
 lead his life with her. Perotto which did remaine in Wales with 
 the other Marfhall of the king of England, femblably increafed, 
 and was welbeloued of his maifter, and was a very comely and va- 
 liaunt perfonage, that the like of him was not to be found in all 
 the Ifland, in fuch wife as at Torneis, luftes, and other faftes of 
 armes, there was none in al the Countrie, comparable vnto him : 
 wherefore by the name of Perotto the Picarde, hee was knowen 
 and renowmed. And like as God had not forgotten his 'fifter, euen 
 
1 66 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 fo he (hewed his mercifull remembraunce of him. For a certaine 
 plague and mortalities happened in that countrie^ which confumed 
 the one halfe of the people there : befides that the moft part of 
 them that lined, were fledde for feare into other countries, wherby 
 the whole prouince, feemed to be abandoned and defolate. Of 
 which plague, the Marfhall his maifter, his wife, and his fonne and 
 many other brothers, neuewes, and kinffolk died, of whom re- 
 mained no more, but his onely daughter, which was mariageable, 
 and fome of his feruauntes, together with Perotto, whom (after the 
 plagues was fomewhat ceafed) the yong gentlewoman toke for 
 her hufband, through the counfaile and confente of certaine of 
 the countrie people that were aliue, becaufe he was a valiaunt and 
 honeft perfonage, and of all that inheritaunce which her father 
 lefte, fhee made him lord. A litle while after, the king of Englande 
 vnderflanding that the Marfhall was dead, and knowing the valour 
 and ftoutnefle of Perotto the Picarde, he made him to fupplye 
 the rowme of the deade Marfhall. In this fort in fhort time, it 
 chaunced to the two innocent children of the Erie of Angiers, which 
 were left by him as loft and quite forlorne. It was then the xviii. 
 yeare fithens the Erie fledde from Paris, hauing in miferable forte 
 fufFred manye aduentures. Who feinge himfelfe to begin to waxe 
 olde, was defirous (being yet in Irelande) to knowe (if hee could) 
 what was become of his children. Wherefore, perceyuinge that 
 he was wholy altred from his wonted forme, and feeling himfelfe 
 more luflie (throughe the longe exercife and labour which he had 
 fufleined in feruice) then he was in the idle time of his youth, he 
 departed from his maifler (verye poore and in ill apparel) with 
 whom hee had continued in feruice a long time, and came into 
 England to that place where he had left Perotto, and founde him to 
 be Marfhall of the countrie, and faw that he was in health, luflie, and 
 a comelye perfonage, which reioyfed him marueloufly, but he 
 would not make himfelfe to be knowen to him, till hee had feene 
 what was become of his doughter Gianetta : wherfore taking his 
 iourney, he refled in no place, till he came to London. And there 
 fecretely inquyring of the Lady, with whom he had left his daugh- 
 ter, and of her flate, he learned that his doughter was her fonnes 
 wife, whereof hee toke exceding great pleafure. And from that 
 
THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 1 67 
 
 time forthj he compted his aduerfities pad as nothing, fith he had 
 found his children lining and in fuch great honour. And defirous 
 to fee her (began like a poore man) to harbour himfelfe neare vnto 
 her houfe^ whereuppon a certaine daye, beinge feene of Giacchetto 
 Lamyens : (for that was the name of the hufbande of Gianetta,) 
 who hauinge pitie vppon him becaufe he was poore and old, 
 commaunded one of his feruaunts, to haue him into the houfe 
 and to giue him meate for God's fake, which the feruaunt willingly 
 did accomplifh. Gianetta had. many children by Giacchetto, 
 of which the eldeft was but eight yeares olde : the fayrefl and 
 befte fauoured children of the worlde. Who when they fawe the 
 Erie eate meate, they all came about him and began to make much 
 of him, as though by nature's inftru£lion they had knowen him to 
 be their Graundfather. And hee knowinge his nephewes, began 
 to fhew them tokens of loue and kindnelTe. By reafon whereof 
 the children would not go from him, although their gouernour did 
 call them away : wherfore the mother beinge tolde the fame, 
 came oute of a chamber vnto the place where the Erie was, and 
 threatned to beate them if they would not do as their maifter bad 
 them. The children began to crie, and faid that they would tary 
 by that good man, that loued them better then their maifler did, 
 wherat the Lady and the Erie began to laugh. The Erie not as a 
 father but like a poore man, rofe vp to doe honour to his daughter 
 becaufe fhee was a noble woman : conceyuing marueilous ioy in his 
 minde to fee her : but flie knewe him not at all, neither at that 
 inftant, nor after, becaufe he was fo wonderfully tranfformed and 
 chaunged from that forme he was wonte to be : Like one that was 
 old and gray headed, hauinge a bearde leane and weather beaten, 
 refembling rather a common perfonne then an Erie. And the Ladye 
 feinge that the children woulde not departe from him, but ftill 
 cryed when they were fetched awaye, fhee willed the maifter to let 
 them alone. The children remayning in this fort with the honeft 
 poore man, the father of Giacchetto came in the meane time, and 
 vnderftode this of their maifter : He that cared not for Gianetta, 
 faid, "Let them alone with a mifchiefe, to keepe companye 
 with beggers, of whom they come : for of the mothers fide, they 
 be but verlettes children, and therfore it is no marueile, though 
 
1 68 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 they loue their company." The Erie hearing thofe words, was very 
 forowfuU, notwithftanding (holding downe his head) he fufFred 
 that iniurie, as well as he had done manye other. Giacchetto which 
 knew the mirth and ioy that the children made to the poore man 
 (althoughe he was offended with thofe words) neuerthelefle, 
 made as much of the poore Erie as he did before. And when hee 
 fawe him to weepe he commaunded that if the honeft poore man 
 would dwel there to do fome feruice, he fhould be reteyned. Who 
 aunfweared, that he would tarrie there with a good will, but he faid 
 that he coulde do nothinge els but keepe horfe, whereunto he was 
 accuftomed all the dayes of his life. To whom a horfe was ap- 
 pointed to keepe, and dailye when he had dreffed his horfe, he 
 gaue himfelfe to play with the children. Whiles that Fortune thus 
 dealt (according to the maner abouefaid with the Erie of Anglers 
 and his children, it chaunced that the French king (after many 
 truces made with the Almaynes) died^ and in his place was crowned 
 his fonne, whofe wife fhee was that caufed the Erie to be banifhed. 
 When the laft truce with the Almaynes was expired, the warres 
 began to grow more fharpe, for whofe aide the king of England 
 fent vnto him ( as to his new kinfeman ) a greate nomber of 
 people vnder the gouernement of Perotto his Marfhall, and of 
 Giacchetto Lamyens, fonne of his other Marfhall, with whom the 
 poore Erie went : and not knowen of any manne, remained a 
 greate while in the Campe as a feruaunt, where notwithflanding, 
 like a valiaunt man, with his aduife and deedes he accomplifhed 
 notable thinges (more then hee was required.) It chaunced that 
 in the time of the warres, the Frenche Queene was very fore ficke, 
 and perceyuing herfelfe at the point of death, repenting her of all 
 her finnes, and was confefTed deuoutly to the Archbifhop of Roane, 
 who of all men was reputed an holye and vertuous man: and 
 amonges all her other finnes fhe tolde him of the great wronge that 
 fhe had done to the Erie of Anglers, and was not onely contented 
 to reueale the fame to him alone, but alfo rehearfed the whole 
 matter before many other perfonages of great honour, defiring 
 them that they would worke fo with the king, that if the Erie 
 were yet liuinge or anye of his children, they might be reflored 
 to their flate againe. Not long after the Queene departed, and 
 
THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 169 
 
 was honourablie buried. Which confeffion reported to the Kinge, 
 (after certaine forowfull fighes, for the iniuries done to the valiaunt 
 man) hee made Proclamation throughout all the Campe and in 
 many other places, that whofoeuer could bring forth the Erie of 
 Angiers, or any of his children, fhoulde for euery of them re- 
 ceiue a great rewarde, becaufe he was innocente of that matter 
 for which he was exiled, by the onely confeffion of the Queene : 
 and that he entended to exalte him to his former eftate, and more 
 higher then euer. hee was. Which thing the Erie hearing 
 (being in the habite of a feruaunt) knowing it to be true, by and 
 by he wente to Giacchetto, and prayed him to repaire to Perotto 
 that they might come together, becaufe he woulde manifefi: vnto 
 them the thinge which the kinge fent to feeke for. And when 
 they were all three aflembled together in a chamber the Erie 
 faide to Perotto, that now he thought to let him vnderftand what 
 he was, faying thefe woordes : " Perotto, Giacchetto whoe thou 
 feeft here hath efpoufed thy fifter and neuer had yet any dowrie. 
 And becaufe flie maye not be deftitute of her Dowrie, I purpofe 
 that he and none other fhall haue the reward, which the king hath 
 promifed to be fo great. Thou fhalt manifeft thy felfe Perotto, 
 to be the fonne of the Erie of Anglers, and Violenta the wife of 
 Giacchetto to be thy fifter, and me to be the Erie of Angiers thy 
 father." Perotto hearing this and fl:edfafl:ly beholding him, began 
 to know him, and weeping, threw himfelfe downe at his feete, 
 and afterwards imbracing him, faid : " My deare father, you are 
 right hartely welcome." Giacchetto hearing firfl: what the Erie 
 had faide, and after feinge what Perotto did, he was incontinently 
 furprifed with fo great marueile and ioye that he knew not what 
 to do : notwithftandinge, geuinge credite to his words, as being 
 afhamed of the opprobrious talke, which he had vfed towards the 
 Erie, as to a feruaunt, weeping, fell downe at his feete and hum- 
 blie afked pardon for all his rafhe behauiours towards him : which 
 was curteoufly graunted vnto him by the Erie, who toke him vp. 
 And after euerye of them had a while debated of their Fortune, 
 and had well bewailed the fame, and reioyfed one with another, 
 Perotto and Giacchetto would haue newly apparrelled the Erie, 
 but he in no wife would fuffer them. And beinge defirous that 
 
I 70 THE ERLE OF ANGIERS. 
 
 Giacchetto mighte haue aflurance of the rewarde promifed, he 
 woulde that he fhoulde firfl: prefent him to the king after that fort 
 in the habite of a feruaunte as he was, that hee mighte make him 
 the more afhamed. Then Giacchetto with the Erie (and Perotto 
 after) came before the king, and ofTred to prefent the Erie and 
 his children if it fhould pleafe him to reward him according to the 
 Proclamation. The king incontinently caufed to be brought 
 forth a reward of marueilous value, (as Giacchetto thoughte) and 
 commaunded him forthwith to prefent the Erie and his children 
 according to his promife. Giacchetto then tourned about, and 
 placed before him the Erie his feruaunt, and Perotto, faying: 
 " Sir, beholde the father and the fonne, the doughter which is my 
 wyfe, is not here. But by God's helpe you flial fee her fliortly." 
 The king hearing this, behelde the Erie : and albeit he was fo 
 greatlye chaunged from his former fauour, after hee had well 
 viewed him, he knew him, and with teares ftandinge in his eyes, 
 hee caufed the Erie to rife vp, that kneeled before him, kiffing and 
 imbrafing him, and very graciouflye receiued Perotto : and com- 
 maunded forthwith that the Erie fhould be reftored to apparell, 
 feruaunt, horfes and furniture, according to his flate and degree, 
 which incontinentlye was done : And moreouer the kinge greatly 
 honoured Giacchetto, and forthwith defired to know all their For- 
 tunes pafled. And when Giacchetto had taken the great reward 
 for bringing forth the Erie and his children, the Erie faid vnto 
 him : "Take thefe royall rewards of the king, my foueraigne Lord, 
 and remember to tel thy father, that thy children, his nephewes 
 and mine, be no beggers borne of their mother's fyde." Giacchetto 
 toke the reward, and caufed his wife and his mother in Lawe to 
 come to Paris : likewife thither came the wife of Perotto, where, 
 with great ioy and triumphe, they taried a certaine fpace wyth the 
 Erie, to whom the kinge had rendred all his goodes, and had 
 placed him in greater aufthoritie, then euer hee was before. Then 
 euery of them toke their leaue and retourned home to their owne 
 houfes : and from that time forth the faid Erie, to thende of his 
 life, lined in Paris, in greater honour and authority, 
 then euer he did before. 
 
GILETTA OF NARBONA. I 7 I 
 
 THE THIRTY-EIGHTH NOUELL. 
 
 Giletta a Pkifition's daughter of Narhon, healed the French King of 
 a Fiftula, for reward whereof fhe demaunded Beltramo Count e 
 of RoJJiglione to hujhand. The Counte being maried againft 
 his will, for defpite fled to Florence and loued another. Giletta 
 his wife, by poUicie founde meanes to lye with her hujlande, in 
 place of his loner, and was begotten with childe of two fonnes : 
 which knowen to her hujland, he receiued her againe, and after- 
 wards he lined in great honour andfelicitie. 
 
 In Fraunce there was a gentleman called Ifnardo, the Counte of 
 Roffiglione, who becaufe he was fickely and difeafed, kepte al- 
 wayes in his houfe a Phifitionj named maifter Gerardo of Narbona. 
 This Counte had one onely fonne called Beltramo^ a very yonge 
 childe, amiable and fayre. With whom there was nourifhed and 
 brought vppe, many other children of his age : amonges whom one 
 of the doughters of the faid Phifition, named Giletta, who fer- 
 uently fill in loue with Beltramo, more then was meete for a maiden 
 of her age. This Beltramo, when his father was deade, and left 
 vnder the royall cuftody of the king, was fente to Paris, for whofe 
 departure the maiden was very penfife. A litle while after, her 
 father being likewife deade, fhee was defirous to, go to Paris, one- 
 lye to fee the yonge Counte, if for that purpofe fhe could get any 
 good occafion. But being diligently loked vnto by her kinffolke 
 (becaufe fhe was riche and fatherlefle) fhe could fee no conuenient 
 waye for her intended iourney : and being now mariageable, the 
 loue fhe bare to the Counte was neuer out of her remembraunce, 
 and refufed manye hufbandes with whom her kinffolke woulde 
 haue matched her, without making them priuie to the caufe of 
 her refufall. Now it chaunced that fhe burned more in loue with 
 Beltramo than euer fhee did before, becaufe fhe hearde tell that 
 hee was growen to the flate of a goodly yong gentleman. She 
 heard by report, that the French king had a fwelling vpon his 
 breafl, which by reafon of ill cure was growen to be a Fiflula, which 
 did put him to marueilous paine and griefe, and that there was no 
 
172 GILETTA OF NARBONA. 
 
 Phifition to be found (although many were proued) that could 
 heale it, but rather did impaire the griefe and made it worfe and 
 worfe. Wherfore the king, like one in difpaire, would take no 
 more counfell or helpe. Wherof the yong mayden was wonder- 
 full glad, thinckinge to haue by this meanes, not onely a lawfuU 
 occafion to go to Paris, but if the difeafe were fuch (as fhe fup- 
 pofed,) eafelye to bringe to paffe that Ihee mighte haue the Counte 
 Beltramo to her hufbande. Whereuppon with fuch knowledge 
 as fhe had learned at her father's hands before time, fhee made a 
 pouder of certaine herbes, which fhe thought meete for that difeafe 
 and rode to Paris. And the firft thing fhe went about when fhe came 
 thither was to fee the Counte Beltramo. And then fhe repayred 
 to the king, praying his grace to vouchfafe to fhew her his griefe. 
 The king perceyuing her to be a fayre yonge maiden and a comelie, 
 would not hide it, but opened the fame, vnto her. So foone as 
 fhee faw it fhee put him in comforte, that fhee was able to heale 
 him, faying : " Sir, if it maye pleafe your grace, I trufle in God 
 without anye greate paine vnto your highnefTe, within eighte 
 dayes to make you whole of this difeafe." The king hearing her 
 fay fo, began to mocke her, faying : " How is it poffible for thee, 
 beinge a yong woman, to do that which the befle renowmed Phi- 
 fitions in the world can not ? " Hee thancked her for her good will 
 and made her a direct aunfweare, that hee was determined no more 
 to followe the counfaile of any Phifition. Whereunto the maiden 
 aunfweared : " Sir, you difpife my knowledge becaufe I am yonge 
 and a woman, but I afTure you that I do not minifter Phificke by 
 profeffion, but by the aide and helpe of God : and with the cun- 
 ninge of maifier Gerardo of Narbona, who was my father, and a 
 Phifition of great fame fo longe as he liued." The king hearing 
 thofe words, fayd to himfelfe : " This woman peraduenture, is fente 
 vnto me of God, and therefore why fhould I difdaine to proue 
 her cunninge? for fo muche as fhe promifeth to heale me within 
 a litle fpac, without any offence or griefe vnto me." And being 
 determined to proue her, he faid : " Damofel, if thou doefl not 
 heale me, but make me to breake my determination, what wilt thou 
 fhal folow therof." " Sir," faid the maiden : Let me be kept in 
 what guard and keeping you lift : and if I do not heale you with- 
 
GILETTA OF NARBONA. 1 73 
 
 in thefe eight dayes, let me be burnt : but if I do heale your grace 
 what recompence fliall I haue then?" To whom the kinge aun- 
 fwered : " Becaufe thou art a maiden and vnmaried, if thou heale 
 me according to thy promife, I wil beftow thee vppon fome gentle- 
 man^ that fhalbe of right good worfhip and eftimation." To 
 whom {he aunfweared : " Sir, I am very well content that you 
 beftow me in mariage : but I befeech your grace let me haue fuch 
 a hufband as myfelfe ftiall demaund, without prefumption to 
 any of your children or other of your bloud." Which requeft 
 the king incontinently graunted. The yong maiden began to 
 minifter her Phificke, and in fhoftfpace, before her appointed time, 
 fhe had throughly cured the king. And when the king perceiued 
 himfelfe whole, faid vnto her: "Thou haft well deferued a hufbande 
 (Giletta) euen fuch a one as thy felfe flialt chofe." " I haue then 
 my Lord (quoth (he) deferued the Countie Beltramo of Roffiglione, 
 whom I haue loued from my youth." The king was very lo^h 
 to graunt him vnto her : but for that he had made a promif^ 
 which he was loth to breake, he caufed him to be called forth, 
 and faid vnto him : " Sir Countie, knowing full well that you are 
 a gentleman of great honour, oure pleafure is, that you returne 
 home to your owne houfe to order your eftate according to your 
 degree : and that you take with you a Damofell which I haue 
 appointed to be your wife." To whom the Countie gaue his humble 
 thanks, and demaunded what fhe was ? " It is fhe (quoth the king) 
 that with her medecines hath healed me." The Counte knew her 
 wel and had already feen her, although fhe was faire, yet knowing 
 her not to be of a ftocke conuenable to his nobility, fkornefully 
 faid vnto the king, " Will you then (fir) giue me a Phifition to wife ? 
 It is not the pleafure of God that euer I fhould in that wife 
 beftow my felfe." To whom the king faid : "Wilt thou then, that 
 wee fhould breake our faith, which wee to recouer health haue 
 giuen to the damofell, who for a reward afked thee to hufband ? " 
 " Sir (quoth Beltramo) you may take from me all that I haue^ and 
 giue my perfon to whom you pleafe becaufe I am your fubieft : 
 but I afTure you I fhal neuer be contented with that mariage." 
 "Wel, you fhall haue her, (faid the king) for the maiden is faire 
 and wife, and loueth you moft intirely : thinking verely you fhal 
 
1 74 GILETTA OF NARBONA. 
 
 leade a more ioyful life with her, then with a Lady of a greater 
 houfe." The Countie therewithal held his peace, and the kinge 
 made great preparation for the mariage. And when the appointed 
 day was come, the counte in the prefence of the king (although it 
 were againft his wil) maried the maiden, who loued him better 
 then her owne felfe. Which done, the Counte determining before 
 what he would do, praied licence to retourne to his countrye to 
 confummat the mariage. And when he was on horfebacke hee 
 went not thither but toke his iourney into Tufcane, where vnder- 
 ftanding that the Florentines and Senois were at warres, he deter- 
 mined to take the Florentines parte, and was willingly receiued 
 and honourablie intertaigned, and was made captaine of a certaine 
 nomber of men, continuing in their feruice a long time. The new 
 maried gentlewoman, fcarce contented with his vnkindnes, hopinge 
 by her well doinge to caufe him to retourne into his countrye, 
 went to Rofliglione, where fhe was receiued of all his fubiefts 
 for their Lady. And perceyuing that through the Countes abfence 
 all thinges were fpoiled and out of order, fliee like a fage Ladye, 
 with greate diligence and care, difpofed his thinges in order againe: 
 whereof the fubiefts reioyfed very much, bearing to her their 
 harty loue and affeftion, greatly blaming the Counte becaufe he 
 coulde not content himfelfe with her. This notable gentlewoman 
 hauing reftored all the countrie againe to their auncient liberties, 
 fent word to the Counte her hufband, by two knights, to fignifie 
 vnto him, that if it were for her fake that hee had abandoned his 
 countrie, vppon retourne of aunfweare, fhe to do him pleafure, 
 would departe from thence. To whom he chorliflily replyed : "Let 
 her do what flie lifte : for I do purpofe to dwell with her, when 
 ihe fhall haue this ring (meaning a ring which he wore) vpon her 
 finger, and a fonne in her armes begotten by mee." He greatly 
 loued that ring, and kepte it very carefully, and neuer toke it from 
 his finger, for a certaine vertue that he knew it had. The knights 
 hearinge the harde condition of two thinges impoffible : and feinge 
 that by them he could not be remoued from his determination, 
 retourned againe to the Lady, tellinge her his aunfweare : who, 
 very forowfull, after fhee had a good while bethoughte her, pur- 
 pofed to finde meanes to attaine the two thinges, that thereby 
 
GILETTA OF NARBONA. I 75 
 
 fhe might recouer her hufbande. And hauinge aduifed her felfe 
 what to doe, fhee affembled the nobleft and chiefefte of her 
 Countrie, declaring vnto them in lamentable wyfe what fhee had 
 alreadye done, to winne the loue of the Counte, fliewinge them 
 alfo what folowed thereof. And in the ende faide vnto theim, 
 that fhee was lothe the Counte for her fake fliould dwell in 
 perpetual! exile : therefore fliee determined to fpende the refte of 
 her time in Pilgrimages and deuotion, for preferuation of her 
 Soule, prayinge theim to take the charge and gouernemente of 
 the Countricj and that they would let the Counte vnderftande, 
 that fhee had forfaken his houfe, and was remoued farre from 
 thence : with purpofe neuer to returne to Roffiglione againe. 
 Many teares were fhed by the people, as fhe was fpeaking thofe 
 wordes, and diuers fupplications were made vnto him to alter his 
 opinion, but all in vaine. Wherefore commending them all 
 vnto God, fhe toke her way with her maide, and one of her kinfe- 
 men, in the habite of a pilgrime, well furnifhed with filuer and 
 precious Jewels : telling no man whither fhee wente, and neuer 
 refted till fhee came to Florence : where arriuinge by Fortune at 
 a poore widowes houfe, fhee contented her felfe with the flate of 
 a poore pilgrime, defirous to heare newes of her Lord, whom by 
 fortune fhe fawe the next day pafEng by the houfe (where fhe 
 lay) on horfebacke with his company. And althoughe fhee 
 knewe him well enoughe, yet fhee demaunded of the good wife 
 of the houfe what hee was : who aunfweared that hee was a 
 flraunge gentleman, called the Counte Beltramo of Roffiglione, a 
 curteous knight, and wel beloued in the City, and that he was 
 marueloufly in loue with a neighbour of her's, that was a gentle- 
 woman, verye poore and of fmall fubflance, neuerthelefTe of right 
 honefl life and good report, and by reafon of her pouerty was yet 
 vnmaried, and dwelte with her mother, that was a wife and honefl: 
 Ladye. The CountefTe well noting thefe wordes, and by litle and 
 litle debating euery particular point thereof, comprehending the 
 effefte of thofe newes, concluded what to do, and when fhe had 
 well vnderflanded which was the houfe, and the name of the Ladye, 
 and of her doughter that was beloued of the Counte : vppon a day 
 repaired to the houfe fecretely in the habite of a pilgrime, where 
 
176 GILETTA OF NARBONA. 
 
 finding the mother and doughter in poore eftate amonges their 
 familie, after flie had faluted them, told the mother that fhee had 
 to faye vnto her. The gentlewoman ryfing vp, curteoufly 
 intertayned her, and being entred alone in a chamber, they fate 
 downe and the Countefle began to fpeake vnto her in this wife. 
 " Madame, me thincke that ye be one vpon whom Fortune doth 
 frowne, fo wel as vpon me : but if you pleafe, you may both com- 
 fort me and your felfe." The lady anfwered, " That there was 
 nothing in the world wherof fhe was more defirous then of honeft 
 comfort." The Counteffe proceeding in her talke, faid vnto her. 
 " I haue neede now of your fidelitie and trufte, whereuppon if I 
 do flaye, and you deceiue mee, you fhall both vndoe me and your 
 felfe." " Tell me then what it is hardlie (faid the gentlewoman :) 
 for you fhall neuer bee deceiued of mee." Then the Countefle 
 beganne to recite her whole eftate of loue : tellinge her what fhe 
 was, and what had chaunced to that prefent daye, in fuch perfite 
 order as the gentlewoman beleeuinge her, becaufe fhee had partly 
 heard report before, began to haue compafllion vppon her, and after 
 that the Countefle had rehearfed the whole circumftaunce, flie 
 continued her purpofe, faying : " Now you haue heard amonges 
 other my troubles, what two things they bee, which behoueth mee 
 to haue, if I doe recouer my hufband, which I know none can 
 heipe me to obtain e, but onelye you, if it be true that I heare, 
 which is, that the Counte my hufband, is farre in loue with your 
 doughter." To whom the gentlewoman fayd : " Madame, if 
 the Counte loue my doughter, I knowe not, albeit the likelyhoode 
 is greate : but what am I able to doe, in that which you defire ? " 
 " Madame, aunfweared the Countefl"e, I will tell you : but firfl: I 
 will declare what I meane to doe for you, if my purpofe be brought 
 to effefte : I fee your faire doughter of good age, readie to marie, 
 but as I vnderftande the caufe, why fhee is vnmaried, is the lacke 
 of fubftance to beflowe her. Wherefore I purpofe, for recompence 
 of the pleafure, which, you fhall doe for mee, to giue fo much 
 readie money to marie her honourablie, as you ftiall thincke 
 fufficient." The Counteflle' offer was very well liked of the Ladie, 
 becaufe fhe was poore : yet hauing a noble hart, flie faid vnto 
 her. "Madame, tell me wherein I may do you feruice : and if 
 
GILETTA OF NARBONA, 177 
 
 it be a thiuge honeft, I will gladlye performe it, and the fame 
 being brought to paffe, do as it fhall pleafe you." Then faid the 
 Counteffe : " I thincke it requifite, that by fome one whom you 
 trufte, you giue knowledge to the Counte my huiband, that your 
 doughter is, and flialbe at his commaundement : and to the 
 intent fhe may be well affured that hee loueth her in deede aboue 
 anye other, fhe mufl: pray him to fende her a ring that hee weareth 
 vppon his finger, which ring as fhe knoweth, he loueth very 
 dearely : and when he fendeth the ringe, you fhal giue it vnto me, 
 and afterwards fende him woorde, that your doughter is readie to 
 accomplifhe his pleafure, and then you fhall caufe him fecretelye 
 to come hither, and place me by him (in fleede of your doughter) 
 peraduenture God will giue me the grace, that I may be with 
 child, and fo hauing this ring on my finger, and the childe in 
 mine armes begotten by him, I maye recouer him, and by your 
 meanes continue with him, as a wife ought to do with her hus- 
 bande." This thinge feemed difficulte vnto the Gentlewoman : 
 fearing that there woulde folowe reproche vnto her doughter. 
 Notwithflandinge, confidering what an honeft part it were, to be 
 a meane that the good Ladie might recouer her hufbande, and that 
 fhee mighte doe it for a good purpofe, hauinge affiaunce in her 
 honefl affedlion, not onely promifed the Counteffe to bring this 
 to paffe, but in fewe dayes with greate fubtiltie, folowing the 
 order wherein fhe was inftrufited, fhe had gotten the ringe, 
 although it was with the Countes ill will, and toke order that the 
 Counteffe in fleede of her doughter did lye with him. And at the 
 firfl meeting, fo effeftuoufly defired by the Counte : God fo dis- 
 pofed the matter that the Counteffe was begotten with child, of 
 two goodly fonnes, and her deliuery chaunced at the due time. 
 Whereuppon the gentlewoman, not onelye contented the Counteffe 
 at that time with the companye of her hufbande, but at manye 
 other times fo fecretly as it was neuer knowen : the Counte not 
 thinkinge that he had lien with his wife, but with her whom he 
 loued. To whom at his vprifing in the morning, he vfed many 
 curteous and amiable woords, and gaue diuers faire and precious 
 Jewels, which the Counteffe kept mofl carefully : and when fhe 
 perceiued herfelfe with child, fhe determined no more to trouble 
 
 VOL. I. M 
 
1 78 GILETTA OF NARBONA. 
 
 the gentlewoman, but faid vnto her. "Madame, thanckes be 
 to God and you, I haue the thing that I defire, and euen fo it is 
 time to recompence your defert, that afterwards I may depart." 
 The gentlewoman faid vnto her, that if fhe had done anye pleafure 
 agreeable to her minde, fhe was right glad thereof which fhe did, 
 not for hope of reward, but becaufe it appertayned to her by 
 well doing fo to doe. Whereunto the Countefle faid : " Your 
 fayinge pleafeth me well, and for my part, I doe not purpofe 
 to giue vnto you the thing you fhal demaunde in reward, but for 
 oonfideration of your well doing, whi6h dutie forceth me to do." 
 The gentlewoman then conftrained with neceflity, demaunded of 
 her with great bafhfulneffe, an hundred poundes to marie her 
 daughter. The countefle perceiuinge the fhamefaftnefle of the 
 gentlewoman, and her curteous demaunde, gaue her fiue hundred 
 poundes, and fo many faire and coflly Jewels, as almoft amounted 
 to like valour. For which the gentlewoman more then contented, 
 gaue moft harty thankes to the Countefle, who departed from the 
 gentlewoman and retourned to her lodging. The gentlewoman 
 to take occafion from the Counte of anye farther repaire, or fend- 
 inge to her houfe, toke her doughter with her, and went into the 
 country to her frends. The Counte Beltramo, within fewe dayes 
 after, being reuoked home to his owne houfe by his fubieftes^ 
 (hearinge that the Countefle was departed from thence) retourned. 
 The Countefl!e knowinge that her huibande was goone from 
 Florence and retourned home, was verye gladde, continuing in 
 Florence till the time of her childbedde, being brought a bedde 
 of twoo fonnes, whiche were very like vnto their father, and 
 caufed them carefully to be nourfed and brought vp, and when 
 fhe fawe time, fhe toke her iourney (vnknowen to anie) and ar- 
 riued at Montpellier, and refl:ing her felfe there for certayne dayes, 
 hearing newes of the Counte, and where he was, and that vpon 
 the daye of Al Sainftes, he purpofed to make a great feafte, and 
 afltmbly of Ladies and Knightes, in her pilgrimes weede fhe re- 
 paired thither. And knowing that they were all afl"embled, at the 
 palace of the Counte, readie to fitte downe at the table, "ihee 
 pafl^ed through the people without chaunge of apparell, with her 
 twoo fonnes in her armes : and when fhee was come vp into the 
 
GILETTA OF NARBONA. I 79 
 
 hall, euen to the place where the Counte fat, falling downe pros- 
 trate at his feete, weeping, faying vnto hym : " My Lorde, I am 
 thy poore infortunate wyfe, who to th'intent thou mighteft re- 
 tourne and dwel in thine owne houfe, haue bene a great whyle 
 begging aboute the worlde. Therefore I nowe befeche thee, for 
 the honoure of God, that thou wilt obferue the conditions, which 
 the twoo (knightes that I fent vnto thee) did commaunde me to 
 doe : for beholde, here in myne armes, not onely one fonne be- 
 gotten by thee, but twayne, and likwyfe thy Ryng. It is nowe time 
 then (if thou kepe promife) that I fliould be receiued as thy wyfe." 
 The Counte hearing this, was greatly aftonned, and knewe the 
 Ryng, and the children alfo, they were fo like hym. ''But tell 
 me (quod he) howe is this come to pafle .' " The Counteffe to the 
 great admiration of the Counte, and of all thofe that were in pre- 
 fence, reherfed vnto them in order all that, whiche had bene done, 
 and the whole difcourfe thereof. For which caufe the Counte 
 knowing the thinges fhe had fpoken to be true (and perceiuing 
 her conftant minde and good witte, and the twoo faire young 
 boyes to kepe his promife made, and to pleafe his fubieftes, and 
 the Ladies that made fute vnto him, to accept her from that tyme 
 foorth as his lawefull wyfe, and to honour her) abiefted his 
 obftinate rigour : caufing her to rife vp, and imbraced and kiffed 
 her, acknowledging her againe for his lawefull wyfe. And after 
 he had apparelled her according to her eftate, to the great 
 pleafure and contentation of thofe that were there, and 
 of al his other frendes not onely that daye, but 
 many others, he kept great chere, and from 
 that time forth, hee loued and honoured 
 her, as his dere fpoufe 
 and wyfe. 
 
l8o TANCREDI. 
 
 THE THIRTY-NINTH NOUELL. 
 
 Tancredi Prince of Salerne, caufed his daughter's louer to lejlayne, 
 andfente his harte vnto her in a cup of golde : whiche after- 
 wardesjhe put into poyfoned water, and drinking thereof died. 
 
 Tancredi Prince of Salerne, (an vniuerfitie in the region of 
 Italie) was a curteous Lorde, and of gentle nature : had he not in 
 his age imbrued his handes with the bloud of his owne doughter. 
 It chaunced that this Prince in al his life time, had but that 
 doughter : but more happie had he ben if fhe had neuer ben 
 borne. That doughter he loued fo well, as a father might loue 
 his childe : and for the tender loue he bare her, he was not able 
 to fuffer her to be out of his fight. And could not finde in his 
 harte to marie her, although flie had many yeres paffed the time 
 that fhe was manageable : notwithfianding, in thende he gaue her 
 to wife to one of the fonnes of the Duke of Capua, with whom 
 fhe continued no long time, but was a widowe, and then retourned 
 vnto her fathers houfe againe. This Ladie was very faire and 
 comely of bodie and face, as any creature could be, yonge, luftie, 
 and more wife peraduenture then a woman ought to be. And 
 thus dwelling with her louing father, fhe lined like a noble Ladie, 
 in great pleafure : and feing that her father for the loue he bare 
 vnto her, had no mynde or care to marie her agayne, and alfo 
 fhe thinking it fkarce honefl to require him thereunto, deuifed 
 fecretly (if it were poffible) to retaine fome valiaunt man to be her 
 louer. And feyng manye gentlemen and others, frequenting her 
 fathers court (as we commonly fee in the courtes of princes) and 
 marking the behauiour and order of many (amonges all) there was 
 a young man, one of her fathers feruauntes that liked her well, 
 whofe name was Guifcardo, of very bafe birth (but in vertue and 
 honefl condicions more noble then the refle) and many times 
 when fhe fawe him, fhe wonderfully delited in him, alwayes 
 prayfing his doinges aboue all others. The younge man, not 
 hauing good confideratlon of him felfe, perceiuing her feruent 
 afFedlion, so fixed his minde that he difpofed the fame vpon 
 
TANCREDI. 1 8 1 
 
 nothing els but to loue her. One louing an other fecretly in this 
 forte, and the Ladie verie ftudious to finde occafion that flie 
 might talke with hinij vnwilling to committe the fecrecie of her 
 loue to any man, fhe imagined a newe deuife to geue him know- 
 ledge thereof. And wrote a letter fignifying vnto him, what he 
 fhould doe the next day, and howe he might vfe himfelfe to come 
 to talke with her : and then putting the letter into the cane of a 
 rede, fhe gaue it vnto Guifcardo in fporting wife, and faid. 
 " Thou flialt this night make a paire of Bellowes for thy feruaunt 
 wherwith fhe may kindle the fire." Guifcardo toke it, and thought 
 that fhee did not geue it vnto him, without fome fpecial purpbfe 
 went to his chamber, and loking vpon the Cane perceiued it to be 
 hollowe, and openyng it founde the letter within whiche fhee 
 had written. And when he had well perufed it, vnderflandyng 
 the tenour thereof, hee thought hym felfe' the happiefl man in 
 the worlde, and began to put hym felfe in readineffe, to mete 
 with his Ladie, by fuche wayes and meanes, as fhee had to him 
 appointed. There was in the corner of the Princes palace a Caue, 
 long time before made vnder the fyde of a hille, whiche Caue 
 receiued light by certayne ventes made of force within the fayd 
 mountaine, and becaufe the fame was not frequented and vfed, 
 it was ouergrowen with busfhes and thornes. Into which Caue 
 was a difcent by a fecrete payre of flayers, into one of the loweft 
 chambers of the Palaice, wherin the Ladie lay, which was out of 
 all men's minde, becaufe it was not occupied many a day before, 
 and fhut vp with a very flrong doore. But Loue (in the eyes 
 wherof nothing is fo fecrete, but will come to knoweledge) had 
 brought the fame againe into the remembraunce of the amorous 
 Lady, The opening of which doore (that no man might knowe 
 it) many dayes did trouble her wittes : afterwarde when fhe had 
 founde the waye, fhe went downe alone into the Caue, and viewing 
 the vente, whereunto fhe had geuen order for Guifcardo to come, 
 fhe tolde him of what height it was from the ground : for the exe- 
 cution whereof, Guifcardo prepared a rope with knots and degrees 
 to goe vp and downe, and putting vpon him a leather coate, to 
 kepe him from the thornes and bufhes, went downe the next 
 night at the faide vente, vnknowen of any man : and faflening 
 
1 82 TANCREDI. 
 
 one of the endes of the rope, to the ftocke of a tree, that grewe 
 at the mouth of the vente, hee flipte downe into the Caue, and 
 taried there for the Ladie, who the next daye faining her felfe to 
 flepe after dinner, fent her maydes out of her chamber, and locked 
 her felfe within alone : and then opened the doore, and went 
 downe into the Caue, where finding _Guifcardo, they marueiloufly 
 reioyfed one with an other. And from thence went vp together 
 into her chamber : where they remained togethers, the mofte 
 parte of that day, to their great delight. And hauing geuen good 
 order for the affaires of their loue, and the fecrete vfe therof, 
 Guifcardo retourned into the Caue, and the Ladie locked the doore, 
 and came out amonges her maides. The next night after, Guis- 
 cardo iflued out of the vente vpon the rope, wherewith he defcended 
 and conueied him felfe into his chamber. And hauing learned 
 the waye, he reforted thither many times after. But Fortune 
 enuious of that pleafure, fo long and great, with dolorous fuccefle, 
 tourned the ioye of thofe twoo louers into heauie and forowefull 
 ende. The Prince accuftomed fometimes to reforte alone into 
 his doughter's chamber, and there for a whyle to tarie and talke 
 with her, and fo to departe. Vpon a daye after dinner, when the 
 Ladie (whofe name was Gifmonda) was in the garden with all her 
 maidens, he repaired vnknowen or feene of any man into her 
 chamber. But being loth to trouble his doughter of her pleafure, 
 and finding the wyndowes of her chamber fliut and the curtens 
 of her bedde drawen, he fatte down vpon a ftoole at the beddes 
 feete, and leaning his head to the bedde the Curteine drawen ouer 
 him (as he had bene hidden of purpofe) he fel a flepe. And the 
 king being thus a flepe, Gifmonda that (in euill time) the fame 
 day had appointed Guifcardo to come, left her maydens in the 
 Gardeine, and entred very fecretly into her chamber, locking fafl; 
 the doore after her, and not knowing any man to be there, fliee 
 opened the doore of the Caue to Guifcardo, who was redie to wayte 
 for her comming. Then they cafte them felues vpon the bedde, 
 as they were wonte to doe, folacing the time together, vntill it 
 chaunced that the Prince awaked, heard and fawe what Guis- 
 cardo and his doughter did. Whereof being verie forowfuU, he 
 would vpon the firft fight haue cried out : but that he thought 
 
TANCREDI. 183 
 
 it better for that time to holde his peace, ftill to kepe him felfe 
 fecrete^ to the intent that he might more priuelie, and with lefle 
 fliame, accompliflie that which he purpofed to do. The twoo 
 louers continued togethers a great time, as they were wont to do, 
 without any knowledge of the Prince his being there, and when 
 they faw time, they went downe from the bedde : and Guifcardo 
 retourning to the Caue, fhee went foorthe of her chamber, from 
 whence Tancredi (as olde as he was) conueyed him felfe into the 
 Gardeine out at a wyndowe of the fame, vnfeen and not percelued 
 of any. Who like a penfife man, and carefuU euen vnto death, 
 repaired to his owne chamber, and the next night, about one of 
 the clocke, he caufed Guifcardo to be apprehended, by an order 
 that he had prefcribed, at his comming forth of the Caue, euen 
 clothed as he was, with his leather coate : and by twoo men 
 was fecretly conueyed to the Prince. Who fo fone as he fawe 
 him, fayd vnto him with teares ftanding in his eies : " Guis- 
 cardo, the beneuolence and goodnes towardes thee, haue not 
 merited this outrage and fhame, that thou haft committed this 
 daye in mine owne houfe, which I fawe with mine owne eyes." 
 To whom Guifcardo gaue no other aunfwere, but that Loue was 
 of greater force, then either any Prince or hym felfe. Then the 
 Prince commaunded him to be kept, in a chamber adioyning. 
 The next day the king (Gifmonda being ignoraunt hereof) reuolued 
 in his minde, diuers and fundrye matters, and after diner as he 
 was accuftomed, he wente into his doughter's chamber, and caufed 
 her to be called vnto him, and fhutting the chamber doore, in 
 lamentable fpeche fayd vnto her. " Gifmonda, I had fo much 
 affiaunce and trufte in thy vertue and honeftie, that it coulde 
 neuer haue entred into my mynde (althoughe it had bene tolde 
 me, if I had not fene it with mine owne propre eyes) but that thou 
 haddeft not onely in deede, but alfo in thought, abandoned the 
 companie of all men, except it had bene thy huibande: whereof 
 I flialbe right penfife and forowefull fo longe as this litle rem- 
 naunt of life (that mine olde age doth preferue) indureth in mee. 
 And fithe thou couldeft 'not conteyne from fuche difhoneft loue, 
 I woulde it had pleafed God, that thou haddeft taken a manne, 
 equall to thyne eftate. But amonges fo many that do frequente 
 
l84 TANCREDI. 
 
 my courtj thou haft chofen this young man Guifcardo, whofe birthe 
 is very vile and bafe, and brought vp (as it were for God's fake) 
 from a childe to this prefent daye, in our Court. For which con- 
 fideration I am verie fore difquieted, not knowing how to take 
 this at thy handes: for with him (whom I haue caufed to be taken 
 this nighte in going out of the Caue, and nowe kepte as prifoner) 
 I have already concluded what to do. But with thee what I flial 
 do, God knoweth : of the one fide, the loue that I ftill beare 
 thee, more then any father euer bare to his doughter, doth drawe 
 me: on the other fide, a iuft difpleafure and indignation, taken for 
 thy great follie, doth moue me. The one mocion would that I 
 ftiould pardon thee, the other forceth me againft my nature, to be 
 cruell vnto thee. Notwithftanding, before I doe make any certaine 
 refolucion, I defire to heare what thou canft faye for thy felfe." 
 When hee had fpoken thofe woordes, he kifled her face, weping 
 verie bitterly like a childe that had ben beaten. Gifmonda 
 hearing her father, and knowing that not only her fecret loue 
 was difcouered, but alfo her louer Guifcardo to be in pryfon, 
 conceiued an inefliimable forowe, vttering the fame many times, 
 with outcries and fchreches, according to the maner of women, 
 howe beit, her great courage furpaffed her weakenefle, and did 
 fette a bolde face on the matter, with marueilous ftoutnefle 
 determining, before fhe made any fute for her felfe, no longer to 
 Hue, feing that her frende Guifcardo was alreadie dead. Wherefore 
 not like a forowefull woman, or one taken in any faulte, but as 
 a defperate perfone, with a drie and ftoute countenaunce, not 
 troubled or vexed, fhe faid thus to her father: "I doe not purpofe, 
 deare father, to ftande in denial!, nor yet by humble fute to 
 make requefl:e: for the one wyll nothyng auayle mee, and the 
 other is to none effedle. Moreouer I doe not intende by any 
 meanes, to befeche your clemencie and loue towardes mee, to be 
 beneuolente and bontifull, but confeflinge the trouthe, I will firfl; 
 with true reafons and argumentes, defende myne honour, and after- 
 wardes profeciite in vertuous wyfe, by effedles, the flioutnefle of my 
 courage. True it is, that I haue loued and do loue Guifcardo, and 
 will loue him fo long as I Hue, which flialbe but a Htle time. And 
 if fo be that a woman may loue a man after death, I will not ceafe 
 
TANCREDI, 185 
 
 to loue him. But womanly frailtie and feminine weakenefTe hath 
 not fo much induced me hereunto, as the litle care you haue had 
 to beftow me in mariage, and the great vertues that daily I haue 
 feene in Guifcardo. You ought deare father to knowe, that your 
 felfe is of fleflie, and of fleflie you haue engendred me your 
 doughter, and not of Stone or Iron. In likewyfe you ought, and 
 mufl: remember (although now you be arriued to olde yeares) what 
 yonge folkes bee, and of what great power the lawe of youth is : 
 and although you were (during the force of your youthlie dayes) 
 trayned and exercifed in faftes of armes, yet nowe you oughte to 
 knowe what great puiffaunce refteth in the idle and delicate life, 
 as well in the aged, as amonges yonge people. I am then as you 
 be, begotten of flefhe, and my yeres fo few, as yet but yonge, 
 and thereby full of lufl: and delight. Wherunto the knowledge 
 which I haue had alredy in mariage, forceth me to accompliflie 
 that defire : and to the fame be added marueilous forces, againft 
 whiche it is impoffible for me to refifte, but rather to folowe, , 
 w hereunto they drawe me. I am become amorous like a yonge 
 woman, and like a woman as I am, and certainly I would haue 
 imploied my whole force that waye, fo farre as I could not to com- 
 mitte any Ihame to you, or to my felfe in that, whereunto my na- 
 tural! offence hath forced me. To which thing, pitiful loue, and 
 gentle fortune haue founde out, and fhewed a waye fecret enough, 
 whereby without knowledge of any man, I am come to the ef- 
 fefte of my defires : which thing I will not denie (who fo euer 
 tolde you of it, or by what meanes fo euer you are come to the 
 knowledge of it) I haue not taken Guifcardo to be my louer by 
 chaunce, as many women haue done, but I haue chofen him by 
 long aduife and deliberation, aboue all others, and haue brought 
 him into me in this wife, inioying with our wife continuance of 
 longe time, the accomplifhment of my defire, wherof me thincke 
 (althoughe I haue not offended but by loue) that you doe purpofe 
 to profecute rather the vulgar opinion, then the truth, purpofinge 
 in this wife mofle bitterly to comptroll me, faying: 'That you 
 had not had fuch an occafion of anger, if I had chofen one that had 
 been a gentleman.' Wherein you do not confider, that the faulte 
 is not mine, but rather to be afcribed to fortune, who ought to be 
 
1 86 TANCREDI. 
 
 blamed becaufe many times fhee exalteth the vnworthie, and 
 treadeth vnder foote thofe that be moft worthie : but nowe let vs 
 leaue of further talke of this matter, and confider the beginninge 
 hereof. Firft of all you fee, that of one mafle of flefhe we haue 
 all receiued flefh, and that one Creatour hath created euery lyuing 
 creature, with force and puiflaunce equally, and wyth equall ver- 
 tue : which vertue was the firft occafion that made the difference 
 and diftinftion of vs ail that were borne, and be borne equal!, 
 and they that obtayned the greateft part of vertue, and did the 
 workes of her, were called noble, the reft continuing vnnoble. 
 And albeit contrary vfe afterwards obfcured this Law, yet there- 
 fore, fhee is not remoued ne abandoned from nature, or good ma- 
 ners. In likewife bee that by vertue performeth all his doinges, 
 doth manifeftlie fhewe himfelfe to be noble : and he that doth 
 otherwife terme him, doth commit the faulte, and not he that 
 is fo called. Behold all your gentlemen, and examine well their 
 vertue, their conditions and maner of doinges. On the other part, 
 behold the qualities and condicions of Guifcardo : then if you 
 pleafe to giue iudgement wythout affeftion, you fliall fay that he 
 is righte noble : and that all your gentlemen be villaines in re- 
 fpefte of him. The vertuous and excellencie of whom, I beleeue 
 cannot be placed in any other wight, as in hym, as well by your 
 owne report as by the choyfe of mine owne eyes. Who euer 
 prayfed man fo, and with fuch ample commendacions praife wor- 
 thie, wherein an honeft man ought to be praifed, as you haue done ? 
 and truly not without caufe : for, if mine eyes be not deceiued, 
 you neuer gaue hym anye praife but that I haue knowen more in 
 him then your wordes were able to exprefTe. Notwithftanding, 
 if I haue bin deceiued herein, it was you by whom I haue bin 
 deceiued : wil you then fay that I couple myfelfe with a man of 
 bafe condlcion? Truly you cannot well fay fo. But if you will 
 faye, perchaunce with a poore man, I confefTe it : and verely it is 
 to your fhame, that you haue not vouchfafed to place in highe 
 eftate a man fo honeft, being your owne feruaunt, NeuerthelefTe, 
 pouertie doth not depriue anye parte of nobilitie, but riches hath. 
 Manye kinges and greate Princes, haue bin poore in olde time, and 
 manye ploughmen and fheepeheardes in times paft, haue bin ad- 
 
TANCREDI. 187 
 
 uaunced to riche eftate. And the laft doubt which troubleth 
 youj isj that you be doubtfull what to doe with me : cafte boldly 
 out of your minde that doubte, and if you do intend in thextre- 
 mity of your age to vfe that which in your youth you neuer did, 
 I purpofe to become cruel alfo. Ufe your cruelty againft me, for 
 the auoyding whereof I haue not determined to make any fuppli- 
 cation to you as giltie of this faulte, if faultes may be rehearfed. 
 Affuring you, that if you do not vnto me, that which you 
 haue done or will doe to Guifcardo, mine owne handes fhall doe 
 it. Wherefore goe to, and let fall your teares with women, and if 
 you purpofe to be cruell, kill him and let me alfo drincke of the 
 fame Cuppe, if you thincke we haue deferued it." The king 
 hearing the ftout words of his doughter, thoughte not that fhee 
 woulde haue done in deede, as her wordes pretended, and as {he 
 faid fhe would doe. Wherefore departing from her, and not will- 
 ing to vfe any maner of crueltie towards her, hee thoughte by the 
 deftruftion and {laughter of Guifcardo, to coole her burning loue. 
 And therefore commaunded two of his feruauntes (that had Guif- 
 cardo in keeping) without any noife, to {Irangle him the next 
 nighte, and aftefwardes plucking his harte out of his bodie, to 
 bringe it vnto him : who did as they were commaunded. And the 
 next day the king caufed a faire Cuppe of gold to be broughte 
 vnto him, wherein he laid the harte of Guifcardo, which he fent 
 (by one of his trufliiefl: feruauntes) vnto his doughter : and com- 
 maunded him, when hee prefented the fame vnto her to fay thefe 
 wordes : " Thy father hath fent thee this prefente, to comforte thy 
 selfe with the thing, which thou doefl chieflie loue, as thou hafte 
 comforted him of that which he loued mo{l:." Gifmonda not 
 amoued from her cruel determination, caufed to be brought vnto 
 her (after her father was gone) venemous herbes and rootes, which 
 {he di{lilled together, and made water thereof to drincke fodenly 
 if that came to paffe which {he doubted. And when the kinges 
 feruaunte was come vnto her, and deliuered his prefente, he 
 faid as he was commaunded. Gifmonda toke the Cuppe with 
 floute countenaunce, and couering it, fo foone as {he fawe the harte, 
 and vnderftoode the woordes, {hee thoughte verelye that it was the 
 hart of Guifcardo, wherefore beholding the feruaunt, {he faide vn- 
 to him : " Truly it behoueth that fuch a hart as this is, flioulde be 
 
1 88 TANCREDI. 
 
 intombed in no worfe graue then in golde, which my father hath 
 moft wifely done." Afterwards lifting the Cuppe to her mouth, 
 fhe kifled it, faying : " I haue in all thinges, euen vnto this time 
 (being the lafl; ende of my life) alwayes found the tender loue of 
 my father towards mee : but nowe I knowe it to be greater, then 
 euer I did before. And therefore in my behalfe, you fhall render 
 vnto him, the laft thanckes that euer I (hall giue him, for fo 
 great a prefente." After thofe wordes, tourning herfelfe towardes 
 the Cuppe, which fhee helde fafte, beholdinge the hart, fhee faid 
 thus : " Oh fweete harboroughe of my pleafures, curfed be the 
 crueltye of him that hath caufed mee at this time to loke vppon 
 thee with the eyes of my face : it was pleafure ynoughe, to fee 
 thee euery hower, amonges people of knowledge and vnderftand- 
 ing. Thou haft finiflied thy courfe, and by that ende, which for- 
 tune vouchfafed to giue thee, thou art difpatched, and arriued to 
 the ende wherunto all men haue recourfe : thou haft forfaken the 
 miferies and traueyles of this world, and hafte had by the enemy 
 himfelfe fuch a fepulture as thy worthineffe deferueth. There 
 needeth nothing els to accompliflie thy funerall, but onely the 
 teares of her whom thou diddeft hartelye loue all the dayes of 
 thy lyfe. For hauing wherof, our Lord did put into the head of 
 my vmercifull father to fend thee vnto me, and truly I will be- 
 ftow fome teares vppon thee, although I was determined to die, 
 without {heading any teares at all, ftoutlie, not fearefull of any 
 thinge. And when I haue powred them out for thee, I will 
 caufe my foule, which thou haft heretofore fo carefully kepte, 
 to be ioyned wyth thine. For, in what company can I trauell, 
 more contented, or in better fafegard in places vnknowen, then 
 with thy foule? Truly I am well aflured, that it is yet here within, 
 that hath refpefte to the place, afwell of his owne pleafures, as of 
 mine, being aflured (as {he who is certaine, that yet he looueth 
 me) that he attendeth for myne, of whom he is greatly beloued." 
 When fhe had thus sayd, fhe beganne to let fall (as thoughe there 
 had been a fountaine in her head) fo many teares, as it was a my- 
 racle to beholde her, oftentimes kiffing the deade harte. Her may- 
 dens that ftoode aboute her, knewe not what hart that was, nor 
 whereunto thofe woords did tende : but being moued with com- 
 paflJion they all wepte : pitifullie demaundinge (althoughe in 
 
TANCREDI. 189 
 
 vayne) the occafion of her forowfull plaintes : and comforted her 
 fo well as they could. Who after {he had powred forth fufficient 
 teares, lifted vppe her heade and when fhe had wiped her eyes, 
 fhe fayd : " Oh louing hart, all my dutie is fulfilled towardes 
 thee, hauinge nowe nothinge to doe but onely to yelde foorth 
 my ghofte, to accompany thyne." And this fayd, fhe caufed the 
 glafle of water, which fhe had made the daye before, to be brought 
 vnto her : and poured it out into the cuppe where the hart laye, 
 all bained with a multitude of teares : whiche fhee putting to her 
 mouthe, without feare, dronke vp all. And that done went into 
 her bedde, with the cuppe in her hand, toffing her bodie as de- 
 cently as flie could vppon the fame, holding the harte of her dead 
 frende, fo nere as fhee coulde, vnto her owne. Her maidens feing 
 this (although they knewe not what water it was, that flie dranke) 
 fent worde to the king, who fearing that whiche happened, 
 incontinentlye wente downe into his doughters chamber : where 
 he arriued euen at that inftante that fhe had caft her felfe vpon 
 the bedde, and being come to late to fuccour her, with fweete 
 woordes he began (feing her in thofe pangues) to wepe bitterly. 
 To whome his doughter fayde : " Father, kepe in thofe vndefired 
 teares and beftowe them not vpon me, for I defire them not : who 
 euer fawe man befide you, to bewayle the wilfulnefle of his owne 
 fafte. Howe be it, if there do yet refte in you any fparke of that 
 loue, which you haue alwayes borne towardes me : graunt me this 
 laft requefle, that although you were not contented that I fhould Hue 
 fecretly and couertly with Guifcardo, yet at lefl:, caufe our bodies 
 to bee openly buried togethers, where it pleafeth you to beftowe 
 them." The anguifhe and forowe would not fuffer the Prince to 
 aunfweare one worde for weping. And the Ladie perceiuing her 
 ende approche, cleped and flrained the dead hart harde to her 
 ftomacke, faying : " Farewell fweete harte in God, for I am going 
 to him." And therewithal! Ihe clofed her eyes, and loft her 
 fenfes, departing out of this dolorous life. In this maner forowe- 
 fully ended the loue of Gifmonda and Guifcardo, as you haue 
 hearde, whome the prince after he had wepte his fill, and taken to 
 late repentaunce for his crueltie : caufed honorablie to be buried, 
 and intombed both in one graue, not without great 
 forowe of all the people of Salerne. 
 
1 90 HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE. 
 
 THE FORTYETH NOUELL. 
 
 Mahomet one of the Turkijhe Emperours, executeth curjfed crueltie 
 vpon a Greeke maiden, whome hee tooke prifoner, at the wynning 
 of Conftantinople. 
 
 If you doe euer make any proofe of trial, to knowe of what 
 trampe the Arrowes of Loue be, and what friiite they brynge to 
 them, that doe vfe and praftife them : I am affared you fhall be 
 touched with fome pitie when ye vnderftande the beaftlie crueltie 
 of an Infidell louer towards his Ladie. He of whome I wyll de- 
 clare the hiftorie, is Mahomet, not the falfe Prophete, but the 
 great graundfather of Soliman Otiman, Emperoure of the Turkes, 
 whiche raigned at that tyme. He it is, that to the fhame and 
 eternall infamie of all Chriftian Princes of his tyme, did wynne 
 Conftantinople, and tooke awaye the Eafte Empire from Conftan- 
 tine, a Chriftian Emperour, the yeare of our Lord 1453. Maho- 
 met then hauing obteined fo great viftorie at Conftantinople, 
 amonges the fpoyle of that riche Citie, there was founde a Greeke 
 mayden, of fuche rare and excellent beautie, as fhe allured the 
 eyes of euery wight, to wonder and beholde her, as a thing mira- 
 culous, whofe name was Hyerenee, of the age of fixtene or feuen- 
 tene yeares : whom a Capitaine to gratifie his Lorde, did prefente, 
 a lewell, (as hee thought) mofte acceptable to him, aboue all thinges 
 of the worlde. The Emperour Mahomet, young and wanton 
 beyonde raeafure, after he had cafte his eye upon the mayden, and 
 had grauen her beautie in his harte, gaue a ftraighte charge that 
 fhee flioulde bee kepte for hym, hopinge after the tumulte of the 
 warre was ended, to beftowe conuenient tyme vpon her. The 
 retrafte founded, and the affaires] of the Empire reduced to fure 
 eftate, remembring him felfe of the beautie of Hyerenee, whiche 
 had made a breache and entrie into his harte, commaunded that 
 fhee fliould be brought foorth vnto him, and hauing viewed her 
 at his pleafure, hee felte him felfe fo furprifed with that newe 
 flame, that hee conceived none other delight but to playe and 
 
HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE. I91 
 
 dallie with her, in fuche forte as his fpirites being in loues full 
 poffeffion, loue dealt with hym fo cruellie, as he coulde take no 
 refte daye nor night. Who yelded him felfe fuche a praie to his 
 darling Hyerenee, that he felte none other contentation in his 
 mynde but that whiche he receiued of her. And this amorous 
 paffion indured the fpace of three continuall yeares, taking fuche 
 vigor and increafe by litle and litle, that he began to forget that 
 whiche appertained to the ornament and honour of his Empire, 
 leaning the whole adminiftration of publique caufes to his Bas- 
 chats, he him felfe being fo negligent, as he repofed in them all 
 matters concerning the ftate of the Empire. During this diforder, 
 the vulgar people began fecretly to grndge, as well for the con- 
 fufion and diforder of the Empire, as for the il gouernment of the 
 fame, (and fpecially, becaufe the Bafchats corrupted with auarice 
 imployed them felues to their particuler profite, and to inriche 
 them felues with the fpoile of the people.) The lanifTaries on 
 the other fide, a warlike people, and brought vp in continuall 
 exercife of Armes, began with open voyce, to detrafte and 
 (launder their lorde, commonlie complaining howe hee confumed 
 his life like an eifeminate perfone, without inferring or doyng 
 anye profite to the Empire. To bee fhorte, the matter came to 
 fuche defolation, as it might rather haue bene called a fedition 
 then a murmure: and yet there was none fo bardie as durfl: 
 attempte to declare the fame to the Emperour, knowing him to be 
 of nature terrible, cruell, and rigorous, that with a woorde woulde 
 put him to death that went about to withdrawe him from his 
 defire, Therewithall he was fo dronke with the beautie of the 
 Greeke, that the lefte matter, wherewith they might geue occaiion 
 to withdrawe him from his negligent life, was enough to driue him 
 into rage and furie. This poore Emperour was fo bewitched, as not 
 onely hee confumed dayes and nightes with her, but he burned 
 with continual ieloufie, whofe beautie was fo liuelie painted in 
 the inward partes of his hart and minde, that he remained thus 
 ouerwhelmed in beaftly pleafure, euery man in particuler and all 
 in generall confpired againft him, with one determinate minde, to 
 yelde no more obedience vnto him in time to come, and purpofed 
 to chofe fome Emperour, that were more marciall and warlike. 
 
I 92 HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE 
 
 through whofe fuccour and counfaile they might not onely con- 
 ferue the thinges gotten, but alfo amplifie the boundes and limites 
 of their Empire. Muftapha which was brought vp with the 
 Emperour, a gentle perfonage, franke of talke, and fo nere to his 
 maieftie that he might go into his chamber, although the Greeke 
 was prefent: when he perceiued conuenient time, fuche as he defired 
 to haue, repaired to the Emperour vpon a daye, who liking well his 
 deuifes, walked with him alone in his Gardeine,to whom after he had 
 made great reuerence, according to their cuftome, he fayde: "My 
 fouereigne lorde and maifter, if I might fpeake freely, without 
 feruile feare, which ftaieth mee, or if the terrour of your difpleafure 
 might not abafh me, I would willingly declare vnto your maieftie 
 that which concerneth not onely your fecuritie and faulfegarde, 
 but (which is more) the faulfetie of your whole Empire." Whom 
 Mahomet aunfwered with merie countenance in thefe wordes. 
 " Caft away fuch colde feare as ftaieth thee, and fpeake hardly thy 
 minde: Shewe me what it is that toucheth me." " I doubt, and it 
 fliall pleafe your maieftie, lefte I fliall feeme ouer prefumptuous 
 and raftie, if I difcouer the fecretes of my hart: but our auncient 
 education, the dutie of my confcience, with the experience that 
 you haue alwayes had of my fidelitie, haue fo much forced mee, 
 as being no longer able to rule my felfe, (I am conftrained, by 
 what vertuous prouocation I know not) to manifeft thinges vnto 
 you, that both time and neceffitye will make you to thincke them 
 good and neceflarie : althoughe (it may fo be) that now your eyes 
 be fo bounde vppe, in the vaile of your difordinate affeftion, that 
 you cannot digefte, or take the fame in good part. The life (my 
 lorde) which you haue ledde, Athens the taking of Conftantinople, 
 and the excefliue pleafures wherin you haue bin plunged thefe 
 three yeares, is occaflion that not onely your Souldiours and the 
 reft of your popular people,~ but the moft faithful Lords of your 
 Empire, do murmure, confpire, and coniure againft you. And 
 pardon me (my lord) if I fpeake fo vnreuerently, in thinges touch- 
 ing your preferuation. For there is no man but doth very much 
 marueile of this great and newe alteration that appeareth in you, 
 which doth fo abafe you, and maketh you to degenerate from your 
 auncient generofitie and valiaunce. Your owne felfe hath giuen 
 
HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE. 1 93 
 
 ouer your felfe to be a fpoile and praye to a fimple woman : that 
 you wholie depend vpon her flatteries and allurementes : reafon or 
 counfaile can take no place in your paflSonate and afflifted hart. 
 But I humblie befeech your maieftie to enter a little into your 
 felfe, and make a furuey of your life, that you haue ledde thefe 
 three yeares pafte. The glory of your aunceflours and predeces- 
 fours, acquired and wonne by {heading of fo much bloud, kepte 
 by fo great prudence, conferued by fo happy counfell, haue they 
 no reprefentation, or fhew before your face ? The remembraunce 
 of theyr memorable victories, doth it not touche the depthe of 
 your confcience ? The magnanimitie and valiaunce whereby they ' 
 be immortalized, and their fame regeflred throughe the whole 
 world, is it extinguifhed in you ? Their Trophees and Monumentes 
 grauen and aduaunced to all the corners of the earth, be they 
 thro wen downe and defaced from the fiege of your remembraunce? 
 But where is now the ardent defire which boiled in you from your 
 infancie, to make Italie tributarie vnto you, and to caufe your 
 felfe to be crowned at Rome, Emperour afwel of Thorient, as of 
 the Occidente? This is not the way to amplifie and inlarge your 
 Empire, but rather to reftraine and diminifh the fame. This is not 
 the meane to preferue it, but to difpoile it and make it leffe. If 
 Ottoman the firfl: tronke or flocke of your gentle familye and 
 kinred, had thus giuen himfelfe to be corrupted in idlenes, you 
 had not now inherited the noble kingdom of Greece, nor gouern- 
 ed the countries of Galatia and Bithinia, and many other pro- 
 uinces, which enuironne the greate fea. Semblablie his fonne 
 Orcan (a liuely Image of his father and a folower of his valiaunt 
 fa£les) had not triumphed ouer Licaonia, Phrigia, Caria,nor dilated 
 the boundes of his Empyre to Hellefponte. What fhall I fpeake 
 of Amurates, the fucceflbur of Orcan, who was the firfl: that in- 
 uaded Europa, conquered Thracia, Syria, Rafia and Bulgaria? And 
 Baiazet likewyfe, did not he cut of the head of the greate Tambur- 
 lain, which called himfelfe the fcourge of God, and brought into 
 the field foure hundred thoufande Scithians a horfebacke, and fixe 
 hundred thoufande footmen? Shall I pafle ouer with filence the 
 vertuous exploites of your grandfather Mahomet, who conquered 
 Macedonia and made the Countries to feele the edge of his fword, 
 
 VOL. I. N 
 
194 HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE. 
 
 euen to the fea lonicum, lettinge paffe many wonderfull expeditions 
 and iourneis by him made againft the Lidians and Scicilians? But 
 nowe I cannot reuiue the memorie of your father Amurate, but 
 to my great forow and griefe, who by the fpace of xl. yeres 
 made the Sea and earth to tremble and quake^ and with the furie of 
 his ftronge hand vfed fuch cruell reuengment ouer the Grekes, that 
 the memorie of the woundes do remaine at this prefent, euen to the 
 mountaines of Thomao and Pindus : he fubiugated the Phocians, 
 made tributarie Athenes^ Beotia, Aetolia, Caramania, and all the 
 barbarous nations, from Morea to the ftraits of Corinthe. What 
 neede I here to bring in the cruel battell that he fought with the 
 Emperour Sigifmunde and Philip Duke of Burgundia wherin he 
 ouerthrew the whole force of the ChriftianSj toke the Emperour 
 prifoner, and the Duke of Burgundie alfoj whom he fent to An- 
 drionopolis? or to remember other fierce armies which he fent 
 into Hungarie, wherof your maiefty is a faithfull witnes, your 
 felfe being ftil there in your owne perfon. fudge, then, my Lord, 
 what diligence and intollerable trauell he vfed in his manifolde 
 glorious enterprifes and famous viftories. Do you thincke that 
 if hee had bin idle in his palace, amonges the Ladyes, you had in- 
 herited your Empyre, or had nowe bin Lord of fo many excellent 
 Prouinces : which he is not fufBcient to rule, that cannot prouide 
 to confirme and eftablifh the fame. There be many of your fub- 
 ieftes and vaflals at this day, which do obey and honour your 
 maieftie (more for feare then good loue they beare you) that woulde 
 rebell againft you, if Fortune would turne her backe. The Chris- 
 tians of longtime (as you know) haue fworne your ruine and 
 deftruftlon. Moreouer they fay that their high biftiop the pope 
 of Rome hath conuocated all his prelates to vnitie, and reconciled 
 the Princes and Monarches of Chriftendome together, to ouer run 
 you, and to take the Scepter out of your hands, and to difpoile 
 you of your Empire. But what know we whither they wil ioyne 
 their force with the power of the Perfian Sophi, your capital 
 enemie, or with the Souldan or Aegipt, your auncient aduerfary : 
 which if they come to pafle (as God forbid) your Empire wilbe 
 confumed. Gather your wits then together from henceforth my 
 Lord,and call againe reafon, which fo many yeres you haue banifhed 
 
HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE. 1 95 
 
 from you. Awake out of the deepe fleepe which hath fealed 
 vp your eyes : imitate and folow the trade of your aunceftors, 
 which euer loued better one day of honour then a hundred liuing 
 yeares of Ihame and reproch. Attend to the gouernment of 
 your Empire : leaue of this effeminate life : receiue againe the 
 fmell of your generofity and vertue: and if you cannot at one 
 time cutte of and remoue all that amorous heate which vnder- 
 mineth fo your hart, moderate the fame by litle and litle, and 
 giue fome hope to your people, which thincke you to be vtterlye 
 lofte and defperate of recouerie. Or if fo be the Greeke do 
 delighte you fo much, who fhall let you to carye her with you in 
 all your iourneis and expeditions? Why cannot you together 
 both enioy her beauty and vfe the praftife of armes ? Mee thincke 
 that your pleafure fhalbe greater after you haue wonne fome 
 viftory, and fubdued fome countrye to inioye her in your armes, 
 then to remaine in a houfe with eternal infamie and continuall 
 grudging of your fubieftes. But proue I pray you, to feparate 
 your felfe certaine dayes from her and you fhall certainly iudge, 
 how farre more paffing the pleafures be fo differred, then thofe 
 that be daily vfed. Yet one thinge more, and it pleafe your 
 Maieftie, there refteth to be faide, which is, that all the viftories 
 of your progenitours, or the conqueflies which your felfe hath 
 made be to fmall purpofe, if you doe not keepe them and increafe 
 them, the keeping of a thing gotten being of no lefTe glory and 
 praife then the conqueft. Be now then a conquerour of your 
 felfe, humblie befeching your Maieftie, that if I haue fpoken any 
 thing difagreable to your minde, according to your wonted 
 clemencie to pardon the fame, and to impute the faulte to my 
 bounden duty and the care that I haue of your honour and fafetye." 
 Mahomet after he had heard the longe difcourfe of his flaue, 
 ftoode as ftill as a blocke, and fixing his eyes vppon the grounde, 
 with fodaine chaunge of colour, declared by outward fignes, the 
 agitations' and vnquietnes of his minde in fuch wife, as the poore 
 flaue Muftapha, feing in him thofe alterations, was in doubt of 
 his life : whofe woords fo pricked the Emperour's harte, that he 
 knew not what to do, or whereupon to be refolued, and feeling his 
 confcience troubled with a furious battel : knowing euidentlye 
 
196 HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE. 
 
 that Muftapha had fpoken the truth, and that he vttered the fame 
 like a truftie feruaunt to his maifter. But on the other fide the 
 beautie of the Greeke, was ftill before his eyes, and the minde he 
 had to abandon her, gaue him fuche alarme, that he feemed at 
 that inftante as though his hart had been torne out of his belly. 
 And thus moued with diuers tempeftes, and difquieted with fundry 
 thoughtes, hauing his eyes inflamed with great rage and furie, 
 he faid vnto him. "Althoughe thou haft fpoken vnreuerently 
 inough, yet our education together^ and the fidelitie that I haue 
 proued in thee in time pafte, flialbe thy pardon for this time. To 
 the purpofe. Before the Sunne doth compafle the Zodiacke, I 
 will let it be knowen to thee and other, what puiffaunce and 
 power I haue ouer my felfe : whether I am able to bridle mine affec- 
 tion or not. Take order in the meane time that all my noble men, 
 the Bafchats and the principall of my men of warre, be affembled 
 together to morowe, in the middes of the greate halle of my 
 palace." This determination finifhed, the Emperour went into 
 the Greeke, with whom he reioyfed all that day and night, and 
 made more of her than euer he did before. And the more to 
 flatter her, he dined with her, and commaunded that after dinner, 
 Ihe fliould adorne herfelfe with her moft precious Jewels, and 
 decke her with the coftlieft apparell fhee had. Whereunto the 
 poore wenche obeied, not knowinge that it was her funeral gar- 
 mentes. On the other fide, Muftapha vncertaine of the Emperour's 
 minde, at the houre appointed caufed all the nobilitie to be as- 
 fembled in the hall, euerye of theym marueilinge what moued the 
 Emperour fo to do, fithens he had fo long time fhut vp himfelfe, 
 without fliewing his perfon abrode. Being thus affembled, and 
 euerye man talking diuerflye of this matter, accordinge as their 
 affeftion ferued : beholde, the Emperour entred the hall, leading 
 the Greeke by the hand, who being adorned otherwife then flie 
 was wont to be, was accompanied and garniflied with beautie, fo 
 rare and excellent as flie refembled rather an heauenly Goddeffe 
 then a humaine creature. The Turke being come into the hall, 
 after that the Lords had made their reuerence, according to their 
 wonted maner, he holding ftill the faire Greeke by the left hande, 
 and ftoode ftill in the middeft of the fame, loking furioufly round 
 
HYERENEE THE FAIRE GREEKE. 197 
 
 about hiirij he faid vnto them. " So farre as I vnderftand, all ye 
 do mutine and grudge, becaufe I (being vanquiflied with Loue) 
 cannot be deuided nor yet content my felfe day nor night, from 
 the prefence of this Greeke. But I do know none of you all fo 
 continente and chafte in Loue, that if hee had in pofTeffion a 
 thing fo rare and precious, fo amiable, indowed with beautie fo 
 excellent, but before he could forget her, and giue her ouer, hee 
 would three times be well aduifed. What fay you to the matter? 
 Euery of you fhall haue free liberty franckly to tel me your minde." 
 But they rapt with fan incredible admiration, to fee fo faire a 
 thing, fayde that he had with greate reafon pafled his time wyth 
 her, Wherunto the barbarous cruel Prince aunfweared. "Well, 
 now then I will make you to vnderftand, that there is no earthlie 
 thing that can bind vp, or captiuate my fences fo much, but that 
 from henceforth I will folow the glorie of mine aunceftours, and 
 immitate the valiaunce of the Ottomans, which is fo fixed in my 
 breafte as nothinge but death is able to blotte it out of my re- 
 membraunce." Thofe wordes finifhed, incontinently with one of 
 his handes, hee catched the Greeke by the heare of the head, and 
 with his other hand he drew out his falchion from his fide, and 
 folding his handes about her golden lockes, at one blow hee ftrake 
 of her head, to the great terrour of them all. When he had fo 
 done, he faid vnto them: "Now ye know, whether your Emperour 
 is able to repreffe and bridle his afFeftions or not ? " Within a 
 while after, meaninge to difcharge the reft of his cholere, he 
 addrefl"ed a Campe of foure fcore, or an hundred thoufand men : 
 with whom percing Boufline, he befieged Belgrade, where Fortune 
 was fo contrary vnto him, that he was put to flight, and 
 lofte there a notable battaile againft the Criftians, 
 vnder the condufit of lohn Huniades, furnamed le 
 Blanck, who was father of the worthie 
 and glorious king Mathie 
 Coruin. 
 
198 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 THE FORTY-FIRST NOUELL. 
 
 A Ladiefal/lie accufed of adultrie, was condempned to he deuoured 
 of Lions : the maner of her deliuerie, and how (her innocencie 
 being knowen) her accuferfelt the paines for her prepared. 
 
 In the countrie of Aquitane, there was fometime a Lord, whofe 
 lands and lordfhips laye betweene Lifmofine and Poiftou, and 
 for the antiquitye of his houfe was renowmed both for bloude and 
 wealth, amonges the chiefe of all the Countrie. Being allied in 
 kindred wyth the beft, hee had full accefle and fauour as well in 
 the houfes of the auiiciente Dukes of Guienne, and Countes of 
 Poidlou, as in the Royall Courtes of the French kinges. This Lorde 
 (whom Bandello the au6thour of this hiftory affirmeth to be 
 Signor de la Rocca Soarda, but the tranflatour and augmentor of 
 the fame in French called Francois de Belle Foreft, leaueth out 
 his name, for good refpeft as he alleageth) kept a great Court 
 and liberal houfehold, and fingularlie delighted (after the maner 
 of the French nobilitie) in huntinge and hawking. His houfe 
 alfo was had in greater admiracion (the rudenes and ignoraunce 
 of that tyme was fuch) becaufe he had gotten beaftes of ftraunge 
 countries, cheflie Lions, wherein he had great pleafure afwell for 
 the rareneffe of that beaft in Fraunce, as for a certain genero- 
 fitie that he knew to be in the fame, which refembled the mag- 
 nanimitie and courage of noble men, whofe minds and fpirites 
 doe not efteeme thinges that be vaine and cannot be affraide in 
 doing of deedes, whereunto honour is offred for reward. This 
 Lord maried a Ladie, the doughter of one of his neighbours, a 
 woman worthie for fuch a hufbande : whofe beautie was fo rare 
 as there was none comparable vnto her: which the more increafed 
 for that fhee was indued with perfite vertue, and furniflied with 
 fo good behauiour as right good mindes and wittes fhould be 
 occupied, naie rather put to their fhiftes to decide, whether gifte 
 were greateft, either the exquifite workemanfhippe of her excelling 
 beautie, or whether nature had imploied al her cunning, to frame 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 1 99 
 
 a body to appeare before men miraculous^ or els her honeil 
 porte, her good grace, curtefie and graue mildnes, accompanied 
 with vertue, not vulgare or common to many men, which made 
 this Ladie to fhine like the glifteringe Planet of Mars, amonges 
 other the wanderinge ftarres. In fuch wife as the very fauage 
 and brute were forced with fplendent fame, to praife her to be 
 fuch a woman whofe equall they neuer knew to be in all their 
 Countrie, who made the houfe of her hulband glorious and him 
 a contented man, to beholde fuch a ftarre to lie by his fide, 
 which fufficed to illufl:rate and beautifie a whole countrie by her 
 onely prefence, and to nobilitate a race, althoughe the bloud of 
 aunceftours did faile, for the accomplifhmente of their perfection. 
 Such is the great force of vertue which not onely did aduaunce 
 her aboue other creatures, but alfo did conftraine the enuious to 
 haue her in admiration. But thefe admiratours and praifers of 
 vertue, doe not vfe like indeuour for the merites of vertue, rather 
 they imploie their onely induftrie to gather fome profite of vertue 
 and then (followinge the nature of the dogge) they retourne to 
 their vomite, and vomite forth their venime hidden in their 
 ferpent's breaft. As it came to pafle and was euident in a certaine 
 man, that was Stewarde of this nobleman's houfe (truly a very 
 happye houfe, as well for the honeft loue betwene the Lord and the 
 Lady, as for the vertue and clemency wherewith both the one 
 and the other were accompanied) who in the beginninge, as 
 honeflie and dutie did require, was a louer of good maners and 
 commendable demeanour of his Lady and maiftreffe, afterwardes 
 (forgetting the fidelitie which he did owe vnto his Lorde, the 
 nobilitie of his predeceflburs, and the perill of his owne life) 
 began to loue her and ferue her in harte, and to wifhe for the 
 faireft thing which outwardlye did appeare to be in her, where he 
 oughte not fo much as with the loke of his eye, to giue any atteint 
 of liking, for the reuerence of him which was the right owner and 
 iufte poflefTor of the fame. This maifler foole then, not mea- 
 furing his forces, and leffe followinge the inftinfte of reafon, 
 became fo amourous of his Madame, as continually he imagined 
 by what meanes he mighte giue her to underftand the paines and 
 languores wherein he liued for the loue of her. But (alas) thefe 
 
200 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 deuifes vanifhed^ like a litle difperfed cloude at the ryfinge of 
 the Sunne : for thinking vppon the vertue of his maiftrefle, his 
 defires were foner remoued from his hart, then he was able to 
 impreffe them in the feat of his iudgement, therby to take an ye 
 certaine affuraunce. Notwithftandinge his heade ceafed not to 
 builde Caftels in the ayre, and made a promife to himfelfeto enjoye 
 her whom he worfhipped in his hart. For he toke fuch paynes 
 by his humble feruice, that in the ende he acquired fome part of 
 his Laydes good grace and fauour. And for that he durfte not be 
 fo bolde to manifeft vnto her the vehemence of his griefe, he was 
 contented a long time to fhew a counterfaift ioy, which raifed 
 vnto him a liuely fpring of forowes and difpleafures, which ordi- 
 narily did frette and boyle his minde fo muche: as the force of his 
 weping for vaine hope, was able to fuffocate the remnant of life, 
 that refled in his tormented hart, which caufed certaine litle 
 brokes of teares to ftreame downe, aflailing the minde of this 
 foolifhe Louer. This faire and chafte Ladie was fo refolued in 
 the loue of her hufbande, that fhe toke no regarde of the coun- 
 tenaunces and foolifhe fafhiones of this maifler Louer. Who 
 feing his mifhappe to growe to difpaire, and from thence foorthe 
 no remedie, that whether by reioyfe, well hoping of better lucke, 
 or for fodaine and miferable death, he determined to proue For- 
 tune: and to fee if the water of his hope coulde finde any paflage, 
 ftedfaftlye determined that if he were throwen downe hedlong 
 into the bottome of Refufal, and contempned for his feruice, not to 
 retire againe, but rather further to plondge for the accelerating of 
 the ruine of him felf, and his defires : for he thought it impoflible 
 that his harte could indure more intollerable heate of that in- 
 vifible fier, then it had felt alreadie, if he founde no meanes for 
 the fmoke to haue fome vent and iffue. For whiche confidera- 
 tion, cleane befides him felfe, bewitched with foolifh Loue, like a 
 beaft throughly tranfformed into a thing, that had no fenfe of a 
 a reafonable man (fuch as they be accuftomably, that be iurolled in 
 the mufter bookes of Venus' fonne) was purpofed to open to the 
 Ladie (when occafion ferued) both the euill, and alfo the griefe 
 that he fufteined in bearing towarde her, fo great and extreme 
 afFedtion. Behold here one of the efFedts of humane follie : this 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 20I 
 
 was the firfte a£le of the Tragedie, wherein loue maketh this brain- 
 lefle man to playe the firft and principall parte vpon the Stage. 
 This poore gentleman (otherwyfe a good feruaunt, and careful! 
 for the profite and honoure of his maifter) is nowe fo voyde of 
 him felfe and blinde in vnderftanding as hee maketh no con- 
 fcience to aflaile her (to defraude her of her greateft vertue) the 
 fimple name of whom ought to haue- made him tremble for feare, 
 and to blufhe for fliame, rather then for her beautie fake and 
 naturall curtefiej to difpoyle her of her honeftie, and toattempte 
 a thing vncertaine to winne and alfo more daungerous to praftife. 
 Nowe whiles he lined in the attemte of his hoped -occafion, it 
 chaunced that the Lady (thinking no malice at all) began to be- 
 holde the Stewarde with a better eie and looke more familier, 
 then any of the gentlemen and domefticall feruauntes of the 
 houfe, as well for the painted honeftie of this Galant, as to fe him 
 fo prompte and readie to obey her : and therefore vpon a daye as 
 fhe walked in the Gallerie ftie called him vnto her, and verie 
 familierly communicated certaine affaires touching the profite of 
 the houfe. He that marched not but vpon one foote, and burned 
 with Loue, and whofe harte leapte for ioye, and daunced for glad- 
 nefle, thought that he had nowe obteined the toppe of his felicitie, 
 and the whole effeft of his defire : fodainly he caft away the dis- 
 paire of his former conceiptes, obiefting him felfe to the daunger 
 wherin he was to bee ouerwhelmed, if the Ladie accepted not 
 his requeft with good digeftion. In the end, recouering force, he 
 difcourfed in minde this wicked opinion, wherwith foolifh and 
 wilfull flefhly louers doe blafon and difplaye the honour and chas- 
 titie of Ladies, when they make their vaunte that there is no 
 woman, be Ihe neuer fo chafte, continente, or honeft, but in the 
 ende yeldeth, if fhe be throughly purfued. 0, the wordes and 
 opinion of a beaft, rather then of a man knowing vertue. Is the 
 nomber of chafte women fo diminifhed that their renowme at 
 this daye is like a Boate in the middes of fome tempeftious fea, 
 whereunto the mariners do repaire to faue them felues ? It is the 
 only vertue of Ladies which doeth conftraine them to vomite 
 foorthe their poyfon, when they fee them felues deceiued, of their 
 fonde and vncomely demaundes. A man fliall neuer heare thofe 
 
202 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 woordes procede, but from the mouthes of the mofte lafciuiouSj 
 which delight in nothing els^ but to corrupte the good names of 
 Ladies, afterward to make them ridiculous to the worlde. Re- 
 tourne we then to our purpofe, this valiaunt fouldier of loue, 
 willing to geue the firfi: onfet vpon his fwete enemie, began to 
 waxe pale and to tremble like the Reede blowen with the wynde, 
 and knoweth not in what part, or by what meanes, to beftowe the 
 firfte ftrokes of his affault. At length with foltring tongue and 
 trembling voyce, he fpeaketh to his Ladie in this wyfe. "Alas, 
 madame, how happie were the courfe of our tranfitorie life, if the 
 common paffions received no increafe of troubles, by newe and 
 diuers accidents, which feme to take roote in vs, for the very great 
 diminution of that libertie, which euery man doth ftudie fo much to 
 conferue. But truly that ftudie is vain, and the paine thereof vnpro- 
 fitablie beftowed : for he inforceth him felfe to Hue free from paffion, 
 which in the middes of his inforcement, feeleth him felfe to be vio- 
 lently conftrained, and feeth the taking away of his libertie, to be a 
 certaineimpeachemente,whichethereunto bee would geue. Alacke, 
 I haue proued that mifchiefe, and am yet in the greateft excefle 
 and pangues of my difeafe. I fele (alas) a diuerfitie of anguifhes, 
 and a fea of troubles, which tormente my minde, and yet I dare 
 not difcouer the caufe, feing that the thing, which is the foun- 
 taine of my grief, to be of fuche defert as my feruice pafte, and 
 all that is to come, is not able to geue the proofe, if one fpeciall 
 grace and fauour, do not inlarge, the litle power that is in mee, 
 to counteruaile the greatnefle, and perfection of that which thus 
 doth variat and alter bothe my thoughtes and paffions. Pardon 
 mee (madame) if I doe fpeake obfcurelye, for the confufion of 
 my minde maketh my woordes correfpondent to the qualitie of 
 the fame. Notwithftanding I wyll not kepe filente from you 
 that whiche I doe fuffer, and muche lefle diflemble what paffion 
 I indure, beyng affiired for your vertue and gentlenes, that you 
 (moued with compaffion) will fuccour me fo muche as fhall lie in 
 you, for preferuacion of the life of him that is the heft and moft 
 obedient feruaunt amonges them all that do you humble feruice." 
 The Lady which neuer thought of the wickednefle which this in- 
 fenfate man began to imagine, aunfwered him verye curteoufly : 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 203 
 
 " I am forie trulye for your mifhap, and do marueile what fhould 
 be the effeft of that paffion which as you fay, you feele with fuch 
 dimunicion of that which is perfeft and accomplifhed in you : 
 for I do fee no caufe that ought to moue you to fo ftraunge in- 
 firmitie, whereof you told mee, and wherewith I had alreadie 
 found fault although you had faid nothing. I would to God I 
 knew which way to helpe you, afwel for my lord my hufbandes 
 fake, whoe I am fure doth beare you good will, as for the honeftie 
 which hetherto I haue knowen to be in you, wherein I thincke 
 all other refembling you, for vertue and good conditions doe 
 deferue that accompt and confideration." He that thought her 
 already to be taken in his nettes, feing fo faire a waye open and 
 cleare, to difclofe that which he had kept couerte fo long, in the 
 depth of his hart, aunfweared. "Ah, madame, are ye ignoraunte 
 of the forces of Loue, and how much his aflaultes can debilitate 
 the liuelihoode of the bodies and fpirites of men ? Knowe ye not 
 that he is blinde and naked, not caring whither hee goeth, mani- 
 fefling himfelfe there, wher occafion is oiFred ? Alas, madame, if 
 you haue not pitie vppon mee, and doe not regard that, which I 
 do fuffer for the loue of you, I know not how I am able to auoyde 
 death, which will approche fo fone to cutte of, and abridge my 
 yeares, as I fliall vnderftande a refufall of that which the extreme 
 Loue I beare you (madame) forceth mee to require : which is to 
 receiue a new feruice of your auncient and faithfull feruiture : 
 who inflamed by the brighte beames of your diuine face, knoweth 
 not how to chaunge his affedtion, and much lefle to receiue 
 helpe, but of the place where hee receiued the pricke. Excufe 
 ( madame I befeech you ) my rafhnefle, and pardon my follie : 
 accufe rather, either your celeftiall beautie, or els that tyrant Loue 
 who hath wounded me fo luckelie, as I efteme mine euill for- 
 tunate, and my wounde happie : fithe by his meane my thoughtes 
 and cogitations doe onelye tende to do you feruice, and to loue 
 you in mine hart, which is the Phenix of the faireft and mofte 
 curteous Ladies within all our Prouince. Alas, that excellencie, 
 which thus maketh me your feruaunt fhall one daye be my ruine,- 
 if by your good grace (fpeaking it with weaping teares) you doe 
 not fauour him, which liueth not, but to obey you, and which 
 
204 -A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 lefing your good grace, will attempte to depriue him felfe of life, 
 which being depriued through your crueltie, will go to complaine 
 of his bolde attempt, and alfo of your rigor amonges the ghoftes 
 and fliadowes of them that bee alreadie dead for like occaffion." 
 Thechafte Ladie was fo wrapt of wittes for theftraungenes of the 
 cafe, and for the griefe whiche fhe conceiued, to fee the vnfliame- 
 fafl: hardineffe of the varlette, as flie could not tell how to make 
 him aunfwere : but in the ende breaking filence, and fetching a 
 great fighe from the bottome of her harte, her face ftayned with 
 a frefhe Vermilion rudde, which beautified her colour, by reafon 
 of difdaine conceiued againfl: this impudent Orator, fhe aunfwered 
 him verie feuerely. " O God, who would haue thought, that 
 from a hart nobly brought vp, and deriued from an honourable 
 race, a vilanie fo greate could haue taken roote and fpring vp 
 with fuch deteftable fruite ? What maifter Stewarde ? have ye 
 forgotten the dutie of a feruaunt towarde his Lorde and maifter ? 
 Haue ye forgotten I faye, the dutie of a vertuous gentleman, wel 
 nourifhed and trayned vp towarde fuche and fo great a ladie as I 
 am ? Ah,Thefe and Traitourl Is this the venime which thou kepeft 
 fo couert and fecrete, vnder the fweteneffe of thy counterfaifte 
 vertue ? A vaunte varlet, a vaunt : goe vtter thy ftufle to them that 
 be like thy felf, whofe honour and honeftie is fo farre fpent, as 
 thy loialtie is light and vayn. For if I heare thee fpeake any 
 more of thefe follies be aflured that I wil mortifie that raging 
 flame, which burneth thy light beleuing harte, and wil make thee 
 feele by effefte what manner of death that is, wherein thou repofeft 
 the refte of thy trauell." As this deceiued Oratour was framing 
 his excufe, and about to moderate the iuft wrath of his Ladie, 
 difpleafed vpon good occafion, fhe not able to abyde any more 
 talke, fayde further. "And what fignes of diflioneftie hafte thou 
 feen in mee, that moue thee to perfwade a thing fo wicked, and 
 vncomely for mine eftate : yea and fo preiudiciall to me, to my 
 frendes, and the houfe of thy maifter, my Lorde and fpoufe ? I 
 can not tell what it is that letteth me, from caufing thee to be 
 cafte foorthe amonges the Lions ( cruell and capitall enemies of 
 adulterie, amonges themfelues) fithe thy pretence is, by violating 
 my chaftitie to diflionour the houfe, whereunto thou oweft no 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 205 
 
 leflcj then al the aduancements thou haft: from the tafte whereof 
 thou haft abandoned Vertue, the beft thing wherwith thou were 
 affefted. Auoyde nowe, therefore, let me heare no more of this, 
 vppon paine of thy life, otherwyfe thou ftialt feele the rewarde of 
 thy temerite, and vnderftande the bitterneffe of the litle pleafure, 
 whiche I haue conceiued of thy follies." So the good Ladie held 
 her peace, referuing in her harte, that whiche fliould bee her 
 helpe in time and place : howbeit fhe fayde nothing hereof vnto 
 her hufbande, afwell for raifing offence or flaunder, as for 
 prouoking him againft him whiche fufteined the punifliement him 
 felfe, fithe that this refufe, did more ftraungely pinche him, nerer 
 at the harte then euer the Egle of Caucafus (whereof the Poetes 
 haue talked fo muche) did tier the mawe of the fubtile thefe 
 Prometheus. And yet the vnhappie ftewarde not contented, 
 with the mifchiefe committed againft the honour of his maifter, 
 feing that it was but loft time to continue his purfute, and that 
 his gaine would bee no lefle then death, if flie according to her 
 promifed threates did therof aduertife her hufband, being a 
 cholericke man, and lighte of beliefe, and becaufe the faid 
 Steward for fuch an enterprife had receiued a fimple recompence, 
 althoughe correfpondent to his defert, premeditated worfe mis- 
 chiefes, more noifome then the firft. He was in doubte, whether 
 it were better for him to tarie or to departe, fith two thinges in a 
 maner, were intollerable for him to fuffer. For he coulde not 
 forfake the houfe where from his cradle he had been fo finely 
 brought vp, the lord wherof made fo much of him, as of his owne 
 perfon. On the other fide, he knewe that fo long as the Lady was 
 aliue, he could haue no maner of ioy or contentation. For that 
 caufe, conuerting extreeme loue (which once he bare to the lady) 
 into cruel hatred, vnfeemly for a brutal beafte, and into an in- 
 faciable defire of reueng, he determined to addrefle fo ftrong an 
 ambuflie, trained with fo great fubteltie, that fhe was not able to 
 efcape without daunger of her life and honour, whereof fhe de- 
 clared herfelfe to be fo carefull. Alas, what blindnes is that, which 
 captiuateth the wittes and fpirite of him, that feedeth himfelfe 
 of nothing els, but vpon the rage of fantaflical defpite and vpon 
 the furie of difpaire. Do wee not fee, that after Reafon giueth 
 
206 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 place to defired reuenge of wrong thought to be receiued, man 
 difpoyleth himfelfe of that^ which appertayneth to the kinde of 
 mauj to put on the fierce nature of the mofte brute and cruell 
 beafles, to runne headlonge without reafon toward the place wher 
 the difordinate appetite of affeftionSj doth conduft him? whereof I 
 will not aduouche any other example, but of this traitour, who pas- 
 fionated not with Loue, but rather with rage and fury, ceafeth not 
 to efpie all the adtions and behauiour of his Ladie, to the intente he 
 mighte bringe to ende his deuifed treafon againft her, that thoughte 
 (perchaunce) no more of his follies, but honeftlie to pafle the time 
 with her deare and wel beloued hufbande. Truly, if this Lady 
 had been of the difpofition of fome women (that care not to 
 molefte theyr hufbands, for the firfl: Flie that buzzeth before their 
 eyes, conceyuing a friuolous and fodaine opinion of their chaflitie, 
 not fo much aflailed, or to fharpely defended, chaunting glorious 
 Hympnes and high prayfes of their viftorie) certainly {he had not 
 tombled herfelfe into the daunger, wherunto afterwards fhe fell. 
 Not for that I will blame them that do reueale to theyr hufbandes 
 the aflaults which they receiue of importunate futers, that doe 
 aflaie to deflower their Chaftitie. Yet I will faye that Modeftie 
 in the fame (as in euery other humaine action) is greatly to be 
 required, fith that fuch a one, by thincking to extolle her honour 
 and honeftie, and to make proofe of her Chaftitye, rendreth the 
 fame fufpicious, and giueth occafion to talke to the people that is 
 more apt and redie to flaunder and defame, then by good report 
 to prayfe them, which by vertue do deferue commendation, bring- 
 ing the lyfe and fame of her hufband, to fuch extremitie, as it 
 had been better vertuoufly to haue refifled the force of Loue, and 
 the flattering fute of fuch loners, then to manifefl: that which might 
 haue been kept fecrete without preiudice of eyther. And truly 
 that woman deferueth greater glorie, which of herfelfe defendeth 
 her honeftie, and quencheth the flames liuelye kindled in the 
 hartes of other, with the coldnes of continencie, by that mean^s 
 vanquifhing two, then Ihe doth, which manifefting the vice of an 
 other, difclofeth as it were, a certaine apparannce of her frailtie, 
 and the litle reafon wherewith fhe is indewed, to vanquifh him 
 that confeffeth to be her feruaunt, and whofe wil dependeth at 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 207 
 
 her commaundement. And when the whole matter fhalbe rightlye 
 iudged, fhee that reuealeth imperfeftion of a Suter, fheweth 
 her opinion and minde to be more pliant to yelde, then indewed 
 with reafon to abandone pleafure and to reiecttheinfolencie of the 
 fame, fith Reafon's force doth eafely vanquifh light aiFeftions of fen- 
 fuall partes, whofe fancies imprinted wyth ficklenes, do make them 
 fo inconflant, as they perfwade themfelues to be fo puiflaunte 
 and mightie, as all thinges be, and reft at their commaundement. 
 Retourning nowe then to our former difcourfe, the Steward fo 
 laboured with might and malne, till he had found meanes to be 
 reuenged of the receiued refufall, with fuch fubtilty and Diuelifh 
 inuention as was poffible for man to deuife, which was this. 
 Among the feruauntes of this greate Lorde there was one no lefle 
 yonge of witte and vnderftanding, then of age. And albeit that 
 he was fare and comely, yet fo fimple and foolifhe as hee had 
 much a do to tell the nomber of fixe. This foole by reafon of 
 his follye and fimplicitye, was the onelye fporte and paftime of 
 the Lord and Lady, The Lady many times toke pleafure, to talke 
 with this maifter foole, to bring him into a choler and chaufe, 
 thereby to prouoke laughter. And therefore all the houfhold 
 vfed to call him in mockerie, my Ladyes darlinge. In whom the 
 Lorde toke Angular pleafure and delighte, efteeming him fo well as 
 any of his other feruaunts. The malicious Steward, feing the 
 familiaritie of the lady with the foole (like one that had already 
 catched his pray within his fnares) began alfo to make much of 
 that yonge Cockefcome, in fuch wyfe as he had brought him into 
 fuch fooles paradise, as he mighte make him do and faye what 
 he lifte. Who feing him diligent to his defire, one day toke 
 him afide, and after he had whitled him well, he fayd vnto him. 
 "Dicke, I can tell thee a knacke, that thou fhalt make my Lady 
 laugh wel, but thou muft fay nothing, till fhe do perceiue it." 
 The poore idiot glad to pleafe his maiftres, was defirous to knowe 
 what it was, and promifed to doe whatfouer he would bidde him. 
 " Thou muft (fayd the fteward) in the eueninge before fhe go into 
 her chamber, hyde thy felfe vnder her bedde, and tarry there till it 
 be an hower or two before day, and then I wil tell thee what thou 
 muft doe befides." This plat deuifed the foole the fame euening 
 
208 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 executed the deuife of hys diuelifli counfaylour, who feing his 
 defire to take effedte^ went to an olde gentleman, that was of great 
 honeftie and vertue, for which he was of all men fo wel knowen, 
 as they efteemed his word fo true as the Gofpell. To that gentle- 
 man this craftie viliaine, full of poifon and malice, wholy bent 
 to mifchiefe, told and reported the fafte, not as it was in deede, 
 but to the great preiudice and difhonour of the Lady, geuing him 
 to vnderftand how much flie had forgotten herfelfe, how without 
 the feare of God, reuerence of her hufband, and refpeft of her 
 owne honefty, fhe had filthely giuen herfelfe ouer to him which 
 was called her Dareling. The good gentleman hearing this 
 ftraung cafe, was aftonned like one that had been ftroken with a 
 flafhe of lightening, then drawing nere to the accufer, he aunfwer- 
 ed. "Is it poffible that fuche wickednes can lye hidden in the 
 breaft of our Madame ? I fweare vnto thee by God, that if any 
 other had told it me befides you, I would not haue beleued it, and 
 truly yet I am in doubt thereof." " No, no," faid this wicked blas- 
 phemer, "I will make you fee that, which you cannot beleue:" 
 and hauing leffoned his foole, in his conceiued follie, the next 
 day he procured the gentleman thyther, who feing the Ladies 
 minion, going out of her chamber (which many times lay feuerally 
 from her hufband) could not refraine weeping, lamenting the ill 
 fortune of his Lord, who thinkinge that he had had an honefl: wyfe, 
 was abufed with an impudent and ynfhamefaft whore. Then he 
 began to frame a long Oracion, againft the incontinencie of 
 women, moued rather through the good will bee bare to his may- 
 fter, then to the truth of the matter, which vndifcretely he fpake 
 againft the order of women kynd. So ignorant was he of the trea- 
 fon and indeuour of the Steward, who demaunded of him what was 
 to be done in that matter ? " What," fayd the old gentleman, 
 "fuch wickednelTe ought not to be vnpunifhed. My Lorde muft 
 be aduertifed hereof, that the houfe raaye be purged of fuche a 
 plague and infeftion, that he maye euidentlye vnderftande the 
 hypocrifye of her that fo longe time hath kept clofe her incon- 
 tinencie, vnder the vaile of fayned chaftitie. But the righteous 
 God made openly to appeare before mens eyes the fecrete finnes 
 of the wicked, to thintent greater flaunders fhould not increafe. 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 209 
 
 The fteward very ioyful that he had gotten fo honefte a man to 
 be a witnefle of his accufation, approued his aduife^ for that it 
 agreed wel with his intent. So they two tpgether went to the 
 Lordj with countenaunce fad and heauie, correfpondent to their 
 minde, and fpecially the Traitour^ whofe fenfe was fo confounded 
 with gladnefle, that thinking to begin his tale his wordes fo 
 ftucke in his mouth as he was not able to vtter a word. Whereat 
 the Lorde was wonderfully abafhed, marueyling what that timidite 
 did meane, till he had heard the vnfaithfull Stewarde tell his tale^ 
 who fayde to him in this maner. " My Lord, I am fory that it is 
 my lotte to declare vnto you a matter hitherto vnknowen and 
 not marked or taken heede of by any, which wyl fo much offend 
 you, as any pleafure that euer till this day, did pleafe and content 
 you. And God knoweth what griefe it is to me (in your pre- 
 fence) to be an accufer of a perfon in the world, which I haue 
 efteemed nexte vnto you aboue anye other creature that lyueth : 
 but being in that place I am, I might (by good deferte) be accufed 
 of treafon and felonie if concealing fuch a deteftable crime, I 
 ftiould leaue the dutie of fidelitie to an other, leffe defirous to do 
 you feruice then I am. Who beleueth there is no fecond perfon, 
 that defireth better to acquite the goodnes and preferment which 
 I haue receyued of your Lordfhip, then I do. This it is my Lord : 
 my lady mifprifing her duty to your Lordfhip, and the honour of 
 the houfe whereof fhee came, hath not difdayned to receiue into 
 her chamber at inconuenient time, the foole that is called her 
 Darelinge, and in the place into which none but' your honour, 
 ought to haue peaceable entrie : whereof this gentleman prefent 
 (whom you know to be without comparifon) fhalbe witneffe: 
 touching myfelfe the fayth and truft, which alwayes I haue vfed 
 in all your affayres, and the litle affeftion which I haue to things 
 contrary to vertue, flial giue true teftimonie of that which I haue 
 faide." The Lorde hearing thefe pitiful newes,' which pearced his 
 harte more deepe then anye two edged fword, at the firfl: was fo afto- 
 nied, that he could not tell what to fay or do, fauing the ardente 
 furie of Cholere made him diftill a certaine Melancholique hu- 
 mour into his eyes, which receyued the fuperfluous vapours of his 
 braine. At length breakinge that forth, which troubled him with- 
 VOL. I. o 
 
2IO A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 in, and grindinge his teethe for furie, with ftutteringe and vncer- 
 taine voice, fetching fighes betweene, faide : " O God, what newes 
 be thefe that I heare? Is it poffible,that the faireft and chafteft Lady 
 that liueth, hath in this wife defaced her honour: and fo wickedly 
 blemifhed my reputation ? Alas, if it fo be, that fhe hath in this wife 
 difparaged herfelfe, no truft is to be repofed in any other, what 
 foeuer fhe bee. Ah, God 1 vnder what Planet was I borne, that after 
 fo longe pleafure receiued with my beloued fere and companion, 
 I fhould by her feele a difpleafure, an hundred times worfe then 
 death ? Is there no remedie but that my houfe mufte receiue and 
 fee an enterprife fo vilaiious, but her onely meane, which ought ra- 
 ther to haue been the ornamente and beautie of the fame ? " Then he 
 chaufed vp and downe the chamber, without fpeaking any more 
 wordes, with his eyes rolling in his heade, making ftraunge coun- 
 tenaunces, which did well expreffe the griefe that vexed and tor- 
 mented his minde. In the ende halfe pacifyed, he tourned his 
 face toward the accufer, faying : " My frende, if this be true, 
 which thou haft told mee, I fweare by God, that I will make 
 her feele the fmarte, of fuch greeuous punifhmente, as ftialbe 
 fpoken of for euer. But if my wyfe be flaundred, and accufed 
 wrongfully, affure thy felfe that I will be reuenged vppon thee. 
 I know the vertue of this gentleman very well (hauing had good 
 proofe thereof) and of thy fidelitie I am nothing at all in 
 doubt. But, alas I the loue that I beare vnto my wife, and her 
 former vertue, which maketh me to loue and efteeme her fo much, 
 doth throughlye pearce my hart, and much adoe I haue to Hue 
 hearing this reporte : which doth deface and blotte all the hones- 
 tie and vertue that euer remaiued in mee." "And that was it my 
 Lord, (anfweared the traitour) which did deceiue you. For the 
 fhewe of that painted vertue did fo delude you, that you be al- 
 mofte bewitched from vnderftanding the wronge, fo manifeftlye 
 perpetrated againft you, and all your houfe. Now to thend, that 
 you thincke not the accufacion to be falfe, I truft (if it pleafe 
 you to affift me) to let you fee the thing, whereof wee haue giuen 
 you intelligence." " I will do (fayd the Lord) what you will haue 
 me, although it be to my great griefe and forow." " To morow 
 morning then (anfweared the Traitour) one hower before day, I 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 2 1 I 
 
 Will let you fee the varlet goinge out of her chamber with fo 
 great ioy, as I do conceiue heauines and griefe for the fimple 
 remembraunce of fo greate wickednes." When they were agreed 
 hereupon, this knaue mofl deteftable, weauing the toile wher- 
 in he himfelfe was caughte, wente to fuborne the perfonage of his 
 foole, holy made and inftrufted in his trumperie: leauinge the 
 poore Lord with a hamer working in his head, that he was lyke to 
 runne out of his wittes. So great is the furious force of the poi- 
 fon of lalofie, whych ones hauing difperfed the vemine ouer the 
 harte and intrayles of men, the wyfeft forte haue loft the due dis- 
 cretion of their wittes. In the morning about the hower that the 
 amourous foole (ignoraunt wherfore he went in) fhould iflue out 
 of his maiftrefle chamber, the Stewarde rauifhed with inexplicable 
 ioye and gladneffe, like to the pleafure of hym that had attaynde 
 the fumme of his defires, called hys Lorde to fee that heauye and 
 dolourous iighte. The good gentleman, perceyuing the report to 
 be true, and thincking that flie had vfed the foole to be her bed- 
 felowe, was like to haue dyed for forow, or els to haue torne in 
 peeces that vnhappy fotte, innocent of the euill fufpefted by the 
 Lorde, who durft not fo much as thincke to do fuch a wicked fa6t. 
 In the ende geuing place to reafon, he caufed the poore foole to be 
 apprehended, and put in the bottome of a dongeon, and beyonde 
 meafure was offended wyth his wyfe, for that he thought the fim- 
 plicitie of the imprifoned wretche, had not the face to demaund 
 the queftion, and therefore did verely beleeue that it was fhe that 
 had induced him to do the deede to fatiffie her vnbrideled and 
 filthy luft, and therefore caufed her to be fhut vp, within a darke 
 and ftincking prifon, not meaninge to fee her, or to heare her fpeake 
 for her iuftification, ne yet woulde fuffer that any man fhould take 
 vppon hym to ftand in her defence, to bring witnelTe of her in- 
 nocency. " For " (fayd he, replete wyth wrath and anger) : " I do 
 better beleue that which I haue feene, and knowen by myne owne 
 prefence, then your wordes, vayne reafons, and complaintes of no 
 good ground and efTefte as founden vppon her, that hath to muche 
 forgotten herfelfe, and her dutyetowardesmee." Moreouervanquifh- 
 ed with the Cholere (not without caufe truly) of a hufband that 
 thought himfelfe by her onely meanes deceyued and betrayed, fent 
 
212 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 word to the poore captiue, that fhe Ihould then prouide for her foules 
 health, fith he was determined the very fame day to make her play 
 a Tragedy, more cruell then that was pleafant, which fhe had 
 already done wyth her beloued, in extruding her to be deuoured of 
 hys Lions, which were the minifters for the execution of the Jus- 
 tice ordayned againft her, as thoughe fhe had bin the moft lafciui- 
 ous and deteftable woman that euer the earth brought forth. The 
 fayre and innocent lady, knowing the humour and Cholereof her 
 hufband, and likewyfe feing (contrary to right order of all Judge- 
 ment) that fhe could not be heard or fuflFred to make aunfweare, 
 pafled through the rigorous law of hym, that thoughte her to be 
 an Adultrefle : and coulde not tell what to doe but to lamente her 
 ill fortune, gufhing forth teares in fuch abundance, as the moft 
 part of her attyre were wet and bedewed with the fame, then 
 fortefying herfelfe in the hope of the mercifull hande of Almigh- 
 tye God the father of all confolacion, who neuer forgetteth them, 
 which with intire faith do call vppon him, and appeale to the 
 fuccour of the holy and precious name of his fonne lefus 
 Chrifte our fauiour, fhe with compunftion of hart, and fincere 
 deuocion, with ioyned handes and knees vppon the grounde, ad- 
 dreffing her eyes to the heauens, prayed in this wyfe : " Alas, 
 my God, I do knowe and confeffe, that the multitude of my 
 finnes do furpafle the fea fands, and am not ignoraunt, that this 
 vnhappie time is chaunced vnto me, for the punifliment of my 
 forepafled offences. Notwithftandinge (Lord) accordinge to thy 
 greate goodnes, haue no refpefte vnto my demerites and wicked- 
 nes (whereof my life is ful) but rather extende thy fauour and 
 mercy vppon thy poore creature, whofe innocencie thou (which 
 art the fearcher of mennes hartes) doeft well vnderftande and 
 knowe, I do not defire prolongation of miferable lyfe, onely maye 
 it pleafe thee (O God) for thy goodnes and iuftice fake, to faue 
 mine honour, and tograuntthat my hufbande maye fee with what 
 integritie I haue alwayes honoured the holy band of mariage, by 
 thee ordayned, to thintent he may Hue from henceforth quiet of 
 his fufpicion conceyued of mee, and that my parentes may not 
 fuftaine the blot of ignominie, which will make theym blufhe, 
 when they fhall heare reporte of my forepafled life." She beinge 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 2 1 3 
 
 in thefe contemplacions and holye prayers, preparinge herfelfe to 
 receyue death, her hufband caufed her to be conueyed into the 
 Parke of Lions, which being ftraunge and terrible at the firfl: fight, 
 did marueylouflie affray her, but remembring how innocent fhe 
 was, putting her hope in God, flie went thither with fuch con- 
 ftancie and courage, as if fhe had bin ledde to fome ioyous ban- 
 quet, and the people which neuer heard tell before of fuche a 
 kinde of death, was affembled in great multitude, tarying to fee 
 the ende of that execution, and talking diuerfly of that fodaine 
 iudgement, prayed all with one voyce, for the preferuation of the 
 Ladie, of whofe chaftitie they were alredy right well affured. Now 
 as they attended for the time of execution, the Lady was placed in 
 the mid of the Parke, not without teares and fighes of the Affifl- 
 antes who murmured at the remembraunce of the horror of a fight 
 fo furious. The innocent Ladye kneeled downe vpon her knees, 
 and both by gefl:ure and mery countenaunce, fhewed how ioyful 
 ftie went to fuffer that which fhe had neuer deferued : then recom- 
 mending her foule to God, for whofe faluation fhe fledfaflly hoped, 
 fhe pronounced this praier a loude : " O my Lorde God, whiche 
 diddefl ones deliuer Daniell from a daunger like to this, wherunto 
 the falfe accufation of the wicked, haue wrongfully cafl me hed- 
 lond : and diddefl difcharge Sufanna from the flaunder of the 
 peruerfe and adulterous ludges, pleafeth the pitifully to behold 
 thy poore creature. Pardon, O Lorde ! forgiue I humblie be- 
 feche thee, the fimplicitie of my deare hufband, who dealeth thus 
 with mee, rather through the circumuention of deceiptfull cauil- 
 ling flaunderers, then by his owne malice and crueltie. Receiue, 
 O my God, and mercifull father, receiue my foule betwene thy 
 blefl^ed handes, which thou hafi redemed by the bloudfhedding of 
 thy fonne lefus, Vpon the Tree of the Crofl^e! " As fhe had ended 
 thefe wordes, fhe fawe the Lions come forth ramping, and briflling 
 vp their heare, flretching forth their pawes with roaring voice, 
 cruelly looking round about them, of whom the Lady thought to 
 be the prefent pray. But the goodnefTe of God, who is a iufl 
 ludge, and fuffreth his owne elefit to be proued to the extremitie, 
 of purpofe to make their glorie the greater, and the ruine of the 
 wicked more apparaunt, manifefled there an euident miracle. For 
 
214 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 the Lions (being cruell of nature, and that time hungrie and gredie 
 of pray) in lieu of tearing the Ladie in pieces, to gorge their raue- 
 ning paunche, they fill to licking and fawning vppon her, mak- 
 ing fo much of her as if they had familiarly ben nourifhed with 
 her own breaftes. A thing no leffe pleafaunt to the Ladye then 
 merueilous to all the people ftanding round about, who feing a 
 chaunce fo miraculous cried out, incontinently for the deliuerie of 
 the Ladie, and for vengeaunce to be taken of him, which fo wick- 
 edly had protruded her into that daunger : which for her vertue, 
 ought to be extolled and praifed of the whole world. When the 
 noble man was certified of this ftraunge adaenture, hee caufed his 
 Steward to be apprehended and imprifoned, whofe confcience 
 forced great remorfe, yet not knowing the ende of the Tragedie, 
 condempned himfelfe by his countenaunce. During his impri- 
 fonement the depofition of the beloued foole was taken, who 
 faide: "That by the fuggeftion of the malicious Steward, many 
 times (ignoraunt to the Lady) he conueied himfelf in her chamber, 
 not knowing wherunto the intent of him that caufed him fo to 
 do did tende." The other gentleman made excufe (although he 
 was blame worthy) that he was deceiued by the fame falfe prac- 
 tife, that the Lorde himfelfe was. The Steward openly confeffed 
 the treafoUj which he had deuifed againft the Ladie, and the whole 
 occafion thereof, and thinking to be reuenged of the refufall of loue 
 by her denied, he framed this flaunder to make her lofe her life. 
 Which the Lord hearing could not abide that his death fhould any 
 longer be refpefted, but without other forme of Lawe, he was 
 thruft out to the Lions, and was prefently feafed vpon, and torne in 
 peaces by thofe beaftes, which by God's iufte iudgement, did ab- 
 flelne from the good ladie, for the punifhement of the deteftable 
 finne of this varlet. In the meane time the chafte and innocent 
 Ladie, being brought before her hufbande, after he had kifled and 
 imbrafed her, with humble reuerence fhe fayde vnto him: "My 
 Lorde, I render my humble thankes to God, for that through 
 his holy grace, and infcrutable luftice, he hath let you to vnder- 
 ftande, twoo diuers affeftions, in two feuerall perfones of this 
 worlde, which you loue fo well. In one, thetreafon fo pernicious, 
 which prouoked you to foile and imbrue your handes (not without 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 2 I 5 
 
 caufe till this daye proued contrarie ) in the bloud of your faith- 
 full and dere beloued wife. In thother, a will and minde fo good 
 to obey you, and to perfifl: in continuation of that effefte, 
 which maketh her generally to be prayfed, and worthy of your 
 earneft loue, for fo much as {he is your very affeftionate fpoufe. 
 Notwithftanding, iuftly may I make my complaint of you, 
 for that without excufe for my difcharge, or hearing any thing 
 that might ferue for my purgation, you condempned her, for 
 whofe honour and defence you ought to haue imployed both 
 goodes and life. But God fhalbe iudge betwene your litle difcre- 
 tion, and my righteoufnefle, betwene mine obedience and your 
 crueltie, wherewith you haue abufed the nobilitie, of the race 
 whereof I came." The hufbande hearing this wife and iufl com- 
 plaint, on the one fide tranfported with ioye, leapt and rejoyfed, 
 to fee his deare companion in libertie, and declared to be innocent, 
 on the other part he blufhed for fhame, that hee had fo lightly, 
 and without better proofe and triall condempned her, whom God 
 by his grace had preferued from the lions throates, and durfte 
 not lift vp his head, by reafon his harte freated at the remem- 
 braunce of his light credite and furie immoderate. Finallie 
 imbracing his wife, and kiffing her louingly, faid vnto her : 
 " Madame, and deare beloued wife, I can not denye but foolifhely 
 I haue 'attempted to blemifhe the honor of her, that whilome 
 made me to fliine and glifter amongft the beft and chief of al this 
 countrey, but he that doth wel marke and beholde the galle and 
 difdaine of a hufband louing his wyfe, and then vnderftandyng her 
 litle care and greate forgetfulnefle whiche fliee hath, bothe of his 
 honour and glorie of his comforte, will eafely excufe and pardon 
 my fault, whiche I will not by any meanes colour and cloke, but 
 rather craue pardon at your handes, affuring you that I will 
 amende and requite the fame, fo well and in fuche wife as you 
 and yours fhall haue no caufe but to be content and fatiffied." 
 " It fuffifeth me, fir, (quod fhe) that my giltlefTe offence is knowen 
 vnto you, and that I haue recouered place in your fauourable 
 acceptation ; for I doe accompte mine aduerfitie well imployed, 
 fith thereby you and your friendes may glorie, of the feuere iuftice 
 miniftred againft malefadters, and I reioyce in refiftaunce of 
 
2 1 6 A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED. 
 
 the aflaultes of loue^ and of death to guarde and kepe my chaftitie 
 
 pure and inuiolable : and may feme for example to euery honourable 
 
 Ladie^ being aflailed with fuche ftrong and mightie aduerfaries^ to 
 
 kepe them felues honeft. For the croune is not due but to her 
 
 that fhall lawfully combate to the ende." After this the lorde 
 
 by perfwafion of his wife, commaunded that the foole fliould 
 
 be auoided the houfe, that his prefence might not grieue or 
 
 torment her, ne yet renewe the memorie of a thing that neuer 
 
 was thought or doen. And not without caufe : for the Lorde, 
 
 whiche reclined his eare to euery trifling report, and credited the 
 
 woordes of euery whiffling pikethanke, had much a do to efcape 
 
 from doing thinges unworthy his eftate and calling. Of fo great 
 
 force truely is the venime of fuch Serpentes, that feafing by little 
 
 and little, the harte of him difpofed to receiue it in furie, maketh 
 
 it to be in effeft like the nature of poyfon and drogues corrupt : 
 
 whereof men ought to be no leffe, but rather more diligent and 
 
 carefull then of meates, amonges perfones whom they fufpe£t and 
 
 feare, Athens that maladies and infeftions of minde, be farre more 
 
 daungerous then outward paffions which torment the body. 
 
 Whereunto if the faid nobleman was not hedefuU, he felt the 
 
 dammage for penaunce of his inconfideration. Howbeit as thinges, 
 
 both good and ill amonges men, bee not ftill durable and per- 
 
 petuall. Certaine dales after, he began to folace hymfelfe with his 
 
 wife, and rode an huntinge abroade, vifited his neighbours, and at 
 
 home made great feaftes and banquettes, whereunto his kindred 
 
 and frends were inuited, to congratulate this newe alliaunce, 
 
 indeuouring thereby to fatifye the fault committed, and the better 
 
 to gratifie and pleafure his wyfe, to make her know how much 
 
 more hee efteemed and regarded her then before: bee caufed the 
 
 fuccefle of his prefent hiflorie to be ingrauen with great induftrie, 
 
 and marueilous cunning in Marble, which he placed ouer the gate 
 
 of the firft entrie into his Caftell, afwell to immortalizate the great 
 
 chaftitie of this fayre and vertuous wife, as to fet forth a Mirrour 
 
 and example to euerye houfholde feruaunt, and to all other what- 
 
 foeuer they bee, to beware how they attempt any thing againft 
 
 the honour of Ladies. For many times it chaunceth, that he which 
 
 diggeth a ditch, and fetteth vp a Gallowes, is the firft that doth 
 
A LADIE FALSLIE ACCUSED, 2 I "] 
 
 fall, or is ftretched thereuppon. As you may fee by this prefent 
 difcourfe, which fetteth before your eyes what ende the fonde 
 loue of them ordinarily haue, which without reafon, not meafure- 
 ing their owne ability, doe fufFer themfelues to be guided and 
 led into their fenfuall luftes and appetites: for ill fuc- 
 cefle faileth not in a beginning, the grounde where- 
 of abhorring reafon, is planted and layed vppon 
 the fandie foundacion of pleafure, which 
 is fhaken and ouerthrowen, by the 
 leaft winde and tempeft that For- 
 tune can blufter againfl: 
 fuch building. 
 
2l8 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 THE FORTY-SECOND NOUELL, 
 
 Didaco a Spaniarde, is in hue with a poore maiden of Valencia, and 
 fecretly marieth her,afterwardes lothinge hisjirji mariage, hecaufe 
 Jhe was ofbafe parentage, he marieth an other of nolle birth. His 
 firfi wyfe, by fecrete meffenger prayeth his company, whofe requeji 
 he accomplijheth. Beinge a bedde,fhee and her maide killeth him. 
 She throweth him into tkejireate : fhee in defperate wife confejfeth 
 thefaSte before the Maiejlrates, and is put to death. 
 
 There is no man but doth knowe, that Valencia is at this day, 
 the chiefe and onelye Rampar of Spaine, the true feate of Faith, 
 luftice and humanity. And amonges all the rare and excellent 
 ornamentes, that Citie is wel furnifhed with fo trimme Ladies and 
 curteous gentlewomen, as they know how to baite and feede yong 
 men with foolifh daliaunce, and idle paffetime. So that if there 
 be any beetlehead or groffe perfon, the better to allure and pro- 
 uoke him to thofe follies, they tell him by a common Prouerbe : 
 That he muft go to Valencia. In this citie there was in old time 
 as it is at this day, a verye aunciente ftocke and familie called 
 Ventimiglia, oute of which be defcended a great nomber of riche 
 and honourable knightes. Amonges whom, not long time pafte, 
 there was one named Didaco, verye famous and renowmed to be 
 the moft liberall and familiar gentleman of the City, who (for want 
 of better bufinefle) walked vppe and downe the citie, and fo con- 
 fumed his youth in triumphes, mafkes, and other expences, com- 
 mon and apte for fuch pilgrimes, addrefling his loue indifferently 
 to al women, without greater affeftion to one, then to an other, 
 and continued that order, till vppon an holy daye, he efpyed a 
 yonge maide of fimal yeares, but of very exquifite beauty : which 
 maiden fodainlye caftinge her eye vppon him, fo pearced the 
 knighte Didaco with her looke, that from that time forth fhee en- 
 tred more neare his hart than any other. And after he had well 
 marked her dwelling place, he many times paffed and repaffed 
 before the doore, to efpie if he might get fome loke or other fa- 
 uour of her, that began already to gouerne the bridle of his 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 2 1 9 
 
 thoughteSj and if it chaunced that the gentleman beheld her, Ihe 
 fliewed herfelfe curteous and amiable, indued with grace fo good 
 as he neuer departed ill contented out of the ftreate. The gentle- 
 man continuing certaine time in thofe vanities, was defirous to 
 know a far of what fhe was, of what lineage and of what vocation. 
 And after he had curioufly fearched out all her original, he vnder- 
 ftoode by diuers reporte, that flie was a Goldfmithes doughter, 
 whofe father was dead certaine yeares before, hauinge no more 
 but hermotheraliue, and two brethren, both of their father's fcience. 
 Notwithftanding, of life fhe was chafte and honeft, defamed with 
 none, although flie was purfued of many. Her outward beautie 
 did not fo much fet her forth, as her grace an.d order of talke, who 
 although brought vp in a Citizen's houfe, yet no Lady or gentlewo- 
 man in the Citie, was comparable to her in vertiie and behauiour. 
 For from her tender yeares, flie was not onely giuen to her nedle 
 (a meete exercife for mayds of her degre,) but alfo was trayned vp 
 to write and reade, wherein flie toke fo greate pleafure, as ordi- 
 narilie fliee caried a booke in her hande, which flie neuer gaue 
 ouer, till flie had gathered fom fruit thereof. This knight hauing 
 receyued that firfl; impreflion, of the valor and vertue of Violenta 
 (for that was her name) was further in loue then before : and that 
 which added more oile to the matche, was the continuall lookes, 
 wherewith flie knew how to delighte him : and wyth them fliee 
 was fo liberall, that fo oft as he pafled through the ftreate flie fliot 
 them forth fo cruelly, as his poore hart (feeling it felfe fo tormented) 
 could not indure that new onfet. By reafon whereof, thincking 
 to quench the fire, that by litle and litle confumed him, he at- 
 tempted her chaftity, with giftes, letters, and mefl"engers, which he 
 continued the fpace of halfe a yeare or more. Whereunto Vio- 
 lenta geuing no place, in the ende hee was conflrayned to aflayle 
 her with his owne prefence : and one daye finding her alone at 
 the doore, after he had made a verye humble reuerence vnto her, 
 he fayde : "Maiflrefle Violenta, confidering your order and the 
 colde regard that you haue to my letters and mefifages, I do re- 
 member the fubtiltye that is attributed to the Serpente, who with 
 his taile ftoppeth his eares, becaufe he will not heare the words, 
 which hath power to conftraine him to do againft his wil, which 
 
2 20 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA, 
 
 hath made me to leaue to write vnto you, and to defire fpecially 
 to fpeake vnto you, that mine afFe£luous accentes, my forowful 
 words and feruent fighes mighte certifie you better then paper, the 
 reft of my paffion, beleuing verely, that if the heauy found of my 
 greuous complaints, may come to your delicate eares, they will 
 make you to vnderftand a part of that good and euill, which I feele 
 continually in my harte, although the loue which I beare you, be 
 fuch as I cannot giue fuch liuely experience outwardly, being but 
 litle in comparifon of them, which may be feene within." And 
 pronouncing thofe words, there followed fo many teares, fobbes 
 and fighes, as they gaue fufficient teftimony, that his tongue was 
 the true and faithfull meffenger of his hart. Whereof Violenta 
 fome what afhamed, with a conftante grace faid vnto him : "Senior 
 Didaco, if you do yet remember your life paft, and mine honefty 
 (which peraduenture you haue thought either rude or cruell) I 
 doubt not, that you haue any caufeto maruaile of my prefumption 
 and to attribute that to vice, which is familiar with vertue. For 
 although that you haue follicited mee to loue you, by an infinite 
 nomber of letters and meffages, yet it is fo, that following the na- 
 ture of maydes of my degree, I haue neither allowed them, nor 
 yet condempned them, as wherunto accordingly I haue made no 
 aunfwere: not for defpite or contempt, but to let you know more 
 certainly, that by fauouring your enterprifes, I fhould increafe your 
 griefe, which can receiue none ende by the waye you pretende. For 
 although that I haue made the firfte proofe vpon my felfe, and 
 therefore of reafon I ought to lamente them, whiche be in fembla- 
 ble paine, yet I will not let flippe the bridle in fuche wife to my 
 paffion, that mine honeftie fhall remain in an other man's power, 
 and (fo it may be) at the mercie and curtefie of them, who not 
 knowing howe dere it is to me, fhall thinke they haue made a pretie 
 conqueft. And that I maye haue no caufe to repent to late, I haue 
 ftopped mine eares for feare, that I be not arefted and flayed 
 with the violence of your charmes, a thing as you fay proper to 
 Serpentes. But I hauefortefied my harte, and fo armed my inwarde 
 minde, as if God continue that grace in me, which hitherto he 
 hath done, I hope not to be furprifed. Although that I muft 
 needes confeffe (to my fliame) that I haue receiued marueilous 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 221 
 
 aflaultes of loue, not onely for the common renowme of your 
 vertues, and through the curtefie and gentlenefle dayly imparted 
 to me by your letters^ but fpecially by your prefence, whiche hath 
 yelded vnto me experience and afluraunce of that, whiche all the 
 letters of the world could not do, nor all other meflages were not 
 able to conceiue. And to the ende that I may not be vtterly 
 ingrate, and that you doe not departe from me, altogether mis- 
 content, I doe promife you nowe that from henceforth, you fhall 
 inioye the firft place of my harte, whereunto another {hall neuer 
 enter : if fo be you can be content with honeft amitie, wherein 
 you fliall finde me in time to come fo liberall, in all that whiche 
 honeflie fliall permitte, that I am contente to forgoe the name of 
 a prefumptuous or cruell Damofell for your fake. But if you 
 meane to abufe me, or hope for anye thing of me, contrarie to mine 
 honour, you be meruailoufly deceiued. Wherefore if you thinke 
 your worthinefle to great to cary away a recompence fo fmall, you 
 fliall doe very wel both for me and yourfelfe, in forgetting that is 
 paft, to cut of all hope in time to come." And flie thinking to 
 prolonge a further difcourfe, the mother of Violenta which ftil 
 ftode at the wyndowe al the time that Senior Didaco was with 
 her doughter, came downe to the doore, interrupting their talke, 
 faide to Didaco : "Sir, I fuppofe you take great pleafure in the 
 follie of my doughter, becaufe you tarie and abide here, rather to 
 contriueyourtyme,thenforanyother contentacion you can receiue. 
 For flie is fo euill taught, and of fuche rude behauiour, that her 
 demeanour will rather trouble you, than geue you caufe of de- 
 light." "Maiftrefle," faid Didaco, "although in the beginning I 
 purpofed not to tary fo long, yet when I entered in more familiar 
 acquaintaunce and had well experienced her good graces, I con- 
 fefle that I haue ftaied here longer then I thought. And were bee 
 neuer fo great a Lorde, that liueth at this daie, I dare auouche that 
 he might thinke his tyme well fpente, in hearing fuche fober and 
 honeft talke, wherewith I thinke my felfe fo well fatiffied and 
 inftrudled, as all the daies of my life I wyll witnefle, that vertue, 
 curtefie, and fober behauiour is to bee founde, as well in meane 
 degrees and houfes, as in them that be right noble, amonges 
 which meane families, although flie be one (it maye fo be) that 
 
2 22 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 one more illuftre and noble, can not bee more excellente, and 
 accompliftied with better manners, then fhe : whiche is nowe well 
 manifefted to me in this little difcourfe." And after certaine 
 other common talke, Didaco took his leaue, and went home to 
 his houfe, where hee lyued fourtene or [fiftene monethes without 
 any refte, aflaying by all meanes to mortifie his defires, but it 
 auayled not: For although he was ryche, a trymme Courtiar, and 
 an eloquent gentleman, and had opportunitie to fpeake vnto her 
 many times, and fhe gentle enough to heare him, and to vnderftande 
 his errantes, and was aflured by frendes that fhe for her part was 
 alfo in loue, yet he was not able by humane arte and pollicie, to 
 conuerte her to his mynde. Wherewithal! hee was long tyme 
 molefled, and at lengthe prefTed with griefe and annoyance, hee was 
 aduifed to fende fixe hundred ducates to the mother, for a reliefe 
 to the mariage of her doughter, promiling befides, that he would 
 affigne her an honefl; dowrie, when fhe found a man worthy to be 
 her hufbande: vppon condicion that fhe would yelde to him fome 
 comforte, to eafe his afFeftion. But fhee whiche could not be 
 wonne with loue, was not able to be recouered with money: and 
 was offended that Senior Didaco had forgotten himfelfe fo farre 
 as to thinke to gaine that for money, which with fo great paine, 
 teares and fighes, had bene denied him. And to make him vnder- 
 flrande howe fhe was offended, fhee fent woorde by him that brought 
 her the money, that he fhould goe and proue hereafter to deceiue 
 them thatmeafured their honour with the price of profite, and not 
 to fette trappes to deceiue other that would buye nothing hurtfull 
 to vertue. And after Didaco was aduertifed of her minde, and 
 perceiued that he loft time in all his enterprifes, and was able no 
 longer to fufteine his extreme paine and forowe, whiche daily 
 augmented, and when hee had debated in his minde all the fucceffe 
 of his loue, he refolued in the end vpon that which he thought 
 mofle profitable for his quiet, whiche was to marye her. And 
 although fhe was of no fuche houfe, and yet lefTe indowed with 
 fubftaunce, as he deferued, yet her beautie and vertue, and other 
 giftes of grace, wherewith fhe was inriched, made her worthie of 
 a great lorde. And refolued vpon this, hee repaired to Violenta, 
 to whom he faid : " MaiflrefTe Violenta, if the true touch- 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 223 
 
 ftone to knowe them that be perfefte louers (amonges other) is 
 manage, certainly you haue gotten a hufbande of me, if it pleafe 
 you to accepte me for fuche one, whom in time you fhall make to 
 vnderflande the difference betweene goodes and vertue, and be- 
 tweene honeftie and richeffe." Violenta then rauifhed with ioye, 
 and incredible contentation, fomewhat abafhed, fayd vnto him: 
 " Senior Didaco, I knowe not whether you pretende by woordes 
 to proue my conftancie, or els to bring me into fooles paradife: 
 but of one thing I can afflire you, that although I acknowledge my 
 felfe inferiour to you in merites, goodes and vertue, yet if that 
 come to pafTe which you promife, I will not geue place to you in 
 loue, trufting if God fende us life together, you fhall well vnder- 
 flande one daye that you would not exchaunge my perfone for a 
 greater Ladie, what fo euer flie be." For confirmation whereof, 
 Didaco plucked from his finger an Emeralde of great value, which 
 (when he had kiffed her) he gaue vnto her in the waye of mariage, 
 praying her that fhe would not difclofe it for a certainetime, vntiil 
 he him felfe had made all his frendes priuie vnto it. Notwith- 
 ftanding, he willed her to imparte the fame to her twoo brethren, 
 and to her mother, and he would get fome Prieft of the countrie 
 to folempuize the mariage within their houfe: which was doen in 
 a chamber, about fower of the clocke in the morning, being onely 
 prefent the mother, the brethren, the Priefte, and a feruaunt of 
 the houfe, brought vp there from her youthe, and his own man, 
 without making any other preparation of cofte, requifite for fuche 
 a matter. In this forte they fpent the day in great ioye and 
 mirthe (which they can conceiue, that be of bafe birth, and exalted 
 to fome highe degree of honour) till night was come, and then euery 
 man withdrewe them felues, leauing the bride and her hufbande to 
 the mercie of loue, and order of the night. Who being alone re- 
 ceiued equal ioye, and like contentation, which they fele that being 
 preffed with ardent and greuous thirfte, doe in the ende afterwardes 
 with liuely ioye, and all kinde of libertie,quenche that cruell difcom- 
 moditie. And continued in thofe pleafures till morning, that daye 
 began toappeare,to whome Violenta faide: ''My honourable Lorde 
 and dere hufbande, fithe that you be no we in pofleffion of that 
 which you haue fo greatly defired, I humbly befeeche you, to con- 
 
2 24 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 fider for the time to come, howe and what wyfe your gleafure is 
 that I fhall vfe my felfe. For if God graunt me the grace to be 
 fo difcrete in pleafing you, as I fhalbe readie and defirous to obey 
 you, in all that you fhall commaunde mee, there was neuer gentle- 
 man's feruaunt, that did more willingly pleafe his maifter, then I 
 hope to doe you." Whereunto Didaco aunfwered : "My fweete 
 and welbeloued wife, let vs leaue this humblenefle and feruice for 
 this time, to them whiche delight in them : for I promife you of 
 my faith, that I haue you in no lefle reuerence and eftimation, 
 then if you had come of the greateft houfe in Cathalongne : as 
 I will make you vnderftande fome other time, at more leafure. 
 But till I haue giuen order to certaine of mine affaires, I praye 
 you to kepe our mariage fecrete, and bee not offended if many 
 times I do reforte home to mine own houfe, although ther fhall 
 no day pafTe (by my wll) but at night I wil kepe you companie. 
 In the mean time to buye you necefTaries, I will fende you a 
 thoufande, or twelue hundred Ducates, to imploye not vpon 
 apparell, or other things requifite to your degree (for I will prouide 
 the fame my felfe at an other time) but vpon fmall trifles, fuch as 
 be apt and conuenient for houfeholde." And fo departed Senior 
 Didaco from his wiue's houfe : who did fo louingly interteigne 
 him as by the fpace of a yeare, there was no daye wherein he was 
 content without the view and fight of his wife. And vpon his 
 ofte reforte to their houfe, the neighbours began to fufpeft 
 that he kept the mayden, and rebuked her mother and brethren, 
 but fpecially Violenta, for fuffering Didaco to vfe their houfe in 
 fuche fecrete wife : and aboue al they lamented the ill happe of 
 Violenta, who being fo wel brought vp till fhe was twentie yeares 
 of age, and maiden of fuch beautie, that there was none in all 
 the citie of Valencia but greatly did efleme her to be of finguler 
 honeflle and reputation. Notwithfianding, degenerating from 
 her accuflomed vertue, they iudged her to be light of behauiour, 
 giuen to lafciuious loue : and albeit that verie many times, fuch 
 checkes and tauntes were obiected, yet flie made fmal accompte of 
 them, knowing that her confcience by anye meanes was not 
 charged with fuch reproch : hoping therwithall that one daye 
 fhe would make them to give ouer that falfe opinion when her 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 225 
 
 manage fhould be publifhed and knowen. But certaine times 
 feeling her felfe touched, and her honeftie appaired, could not con- 
 teine but when flie fawe time with her hufband, fhe prayed him 
 verie earneftlie to haue her home to his own houfe, to auoyde 
 flaunder and defamacion of neighbours. But fir Didaco knewe fo 
 well howe to vfe his wife by delaies and promifes, as flie agreed 
 vnto him in all thinges, and had rather difpleafe the whole world 
 together then ofFende him alone. Being now fo attached with 
 the loue of the knight as flie cared for nothing els, but to pleafe 
 and content him in al things wherunto flie fawe him difpofed, 
 and like as in the beginning flie was harde and very flacke in 
 loue, nowe flie became fo feruent and earnefi: in her affedtions as 
 flie receiued no pleafure but in the fight of Didaco, or in that 
 which might content and pleafe him heft. Which the knight 
 did eafely perceiue, and feing him felfe in full pofl^eflion of her 
 harte, began by litle and litle to waxe cold, and to be grieued at 
 that which before he compted deare and precious, perfwading 
 himfelf that he fliould do wrong to his reputation, if that mariage 
 vnworthy of his eftate, were difcouered and knowen in the citie: 
 and to prouide for the fame, he more feldome tymes repaired to 
 vifite his wife Violenta : yea and when foeuer he reforted to her, 
 it was more to fatiffie his carnall pleafure, then for any loue he 
 bare her. And thus forgetting both God and his own confcience, 
 he frequented other companies in diuerfe places, to winne the 
 good will of fome other gentlewoman. In the ende by fundrie 
 futes, diflimulations, and hipocrifies, he fo behaued him felf, as he 
 recouered the good wil of the doughter of Senior Ramyrio Vig- 
 liaracuta, one of the chiefeft knightes, and of mofte auncient houfe 
 of Valentia. And (as we haue declared before) becaufe he was 
 ritche and wealthie, and iflTued of a noble race, her parentes did 
 eafely agree to the mariage : and the father hauing affigned an 
 honourable dowrie to his doughter, the Nupcials were celebrated 
 publikely with greate pompe and folemnitie, to the finguler con- 
 tentation of all men. The mariage done and ended. Sir Didaco 
 and his newe wife continued at the houfe of his father in lawe, 
 where he liued a certaine time in fuche pleafure and deleftation 
 as they do that be newly maried. Wherof the mother and 
 
 VOL. I. P 
 
2:: 6 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 brethren of Violenta being aduertifed, conceiued like forowe, as 
 accuftomably they doe, that fee the honor of them that be iffued 
 of their owne bloud vniuftly and without caufe to be difpoiled. 
 And thefe poore miferable creatures, not knowing to whom to 
 make their complainte, liued in ftraunge perplexitie, bicaufe they 
 knew not the prieft which did folempnife their mariage. On the 
 other fide they had no fufficient proofe of the fame. And albeit 
 they were able to verifie in fome poinctes the firft mariage of 
 Didaco, yet they durft not profecute the lawe againft two of the 
 greateft Lordes of their citie: and knowing theftoute hart of Vio- 
 lenta, they thought to conceale the fame from her for a time, but 
 it was in vaine : for not long after fhee was certified thereof, not 
 onely by the next neighbours, but by the common brute of the 
 Citie, which reported that in tenne yeres fpace, there was not feen 
 in Valencia, a Mariage more honourable or royall, nor frequented 
 with a nobler companie of Gentlemen and Ladies, then the fame 
 was of the yong knight Didaco, with the doughter of Senior 
 Ramyrio. Wherewithal! Violenta vexed beyonde meafure prefled 
 with yre and furie, withdrewe herfelfe into her chamber alone, 
 and there began to fcratche and teare her face and heare^ like one 
 that was madde and out of her wittes, faying: "Alas, alas, what 
 payne and trouble, what vnmeafurable tormentes fufFreth nowe 
 my poore afflifted mynde, without comfort or confolation of any 
 creature lining ? what dure and cruell penaunce doe I fufteine, 
 for none offence at all ? Ah ! fortune, fortune, the enemy of my 
 felicitie and bliffe, thou hafte fo depriued me of all remedie, as I 
 dare not fo muche as to make any man know or vnderftand my 
 mifliap that the fame might be reuenged, which being doen would 
 render fuch content to my minde, that I fhould departe out of 
 this worlde the befte fatiffied mayden that euer died. Alas, that 
 the Goddes did not graunte me the benefite, that I might haue 
 come of noble kinde, to the intente I might haue caufed that tray- 
 terous rufKen, to feele the grieuous paine and bitter tormentes, 
 which my poore harte fufteineth. Ah wretched caitife that I am, 
 abandoned and forlorne of all good fortune : nowe I doe fee that 
 with the eies of my minde, which with thofe of my body dafeled 
 and deceiued I could not fee or perceiue. Ah cruell enemy of all 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 227 
 
 piticj doefl; thou not knowe and feele in thy minde, the heauie 
 and forowfull founde of my bitter plaintes ? Vnderftandefl; not 
 thou my voyce that crieth vengeaunce vpon thee for thy mifdede ? 
 Can not thy crueltie in nothing be diminiflied feing me difmem- 
 bred with the terrour of a thoufand furious martirdomes? Ah 
 ingrate wretche, is this nowe the rewarde of my loue, of my faith- 
 full feruice, and mine obedience ? " And as fhe thus bitterly tor- 
 mented her felfe, her mother and brethren, and her maide, whiche 
 was brought vp with her from her tender yeres, went vp to the 
 chamber to Violenta, where they found her then fo deformed with 
 rage and furie, that almofte flie was out of their knowledge. And 
 when they went about to reduce her by al meanes poffible from 
 thofe furious panges, and faw that it nothing auailed, they lefte 
 her in the keeping of the olde maiden, whom fhe loued aboue any 
 other. And after the maiden had vttered vnto her particularly 
 many reafons, for the appeafing of her griefe, fhe told her that 
 if fhe would be quiet a litle while, fhe would go and fpeake to the 
 knight Didaco, and make him to vnderftand his fault. And would 
 with difcrete order fo deale with him, that he fiiould come home 
 to her houfe, and therefore fhee prayed her to arme herfelfe 
 againfl this wickednes, and to difTemble the matter for a time, 
 that hereafter fhe might vfe vpon him iufl reuenge. "No, no 
 lanique " anfwered Violenta, " that offence is very fmall and lighte, 
 where counfaile is receiued : and albeit that I cannot chofe, but 
 confefTe thine aduife to be very meete, yet there wanteth in me 
 a minde to followe it: that if I did feele any part in me dis- 
 pofed to obeye the fame, I would euen before thy face, feparate 
 that minde from my wretched bodie : for I am fo refolued in the 
 mallice and hatred of Didaco, as he cannot fatiffie me without 
 life alone. And I beliue the gods did caufe me to be borne with 
 mine owne hands to execute vengeaunce of their wrath and the 
 lofle of mine honour. Wherefore, lanique, if from my 
 youth thou diddeft euer loue me, fhew now the fame to me by 
 effeft, in a matter whereunto thy helpe is mofle neceffary: for 
 I am fo outraged in my mifchiefe, as I do enuie the miferablefl 
 creatures of the world, remayning no more in me to continue 
 life in wailing and continuall fighes, but the title of a vile and 
 
2 28 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 abhominable whore. Thou art a ftraunger and liueft here a 
 beaftly life, ioyned with continuall labour: I haue twelve hundred 
 crownes with certaine lewelles, which that falfe traitour gaue me, 
 which he predeftinated by the heauens for none other purpofe 
 but to paie them their hire, which fhall do the vengeaunce vpon 
 his difloyall perfone. I doe put the fame money nowe into thy 
 hands, if thou wilte helpe mee to make facrifice with the bodye 
 of poore Didaco : but if thou doeft denie me thy helpe I will 
 execute the fame alone : and in cafe he do not die, as I do intende, 
 he flialbe murdred as I may, for the firft time that I fhal fee 
 him with mine eyes, come of it what will, his life fhalbe difpatched 
 with thefe two trembling hands which thou feeft." lanique feing 
 her maiftrefle in thefe termes, and knowinge her flroute nature, 
 indued with a manly and inuincible ftomacke, after fhee had 
 debated manye thinges in her minde, fhe determined wholie to 
 imploye herfelfe for her maiftres in that fhee was able to doe. 
 Moued partly with pitie to fee her maiflres difhonored with a 
 defamed mariage, and partly prouoked with couetoufnes to gaine 
 fo great a fumme of money, which her maiflres did offer if {he 
 would condifcende to her enterprife (thinking after the fafte com- 
 mitted, to flee into fome other countrie.) And when fhee was 
 throughlye refolued vppon the fame, fhee imbraced Violenta, and 
 faid vnto her : " Maiftres, if you will be ruled by mee, and giue 
 ouer the vehemencie of your wrathe and difpleafure, I haue found 
 a way for you to be reuenged vppon Didaco, who hath fo wickedly 
 deceyued you : and albeit the fame cannot be doen fecretly, but 
 in the end it mufb be knowen, yet I doubte not but the caufe de- 
 clared before the iudges, and they vnderftandinge the wronge bee 
 hath doen you, they wil haue compaflion vpon your miferie: 
 who know right well that alwayes you haue been knowen and 
 efteemed for a very honeft and vertuous maiden : and to the ende 
 that you be informed how this matter may be broughte to pafle, 
 firft you muft learne to diflemble your griefe openlye, and to 
 faine your felfe in anye wife not to bee offended with the new 
 mariage of the knight. Then you fhall write vnto him a letter 
 with your owne hande, letting him therby to vnderftande the paine 
 that you fuffer for the great loue you beare him, and ye ftial 
 
BIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 229 
 
 humblie befeech him, fome times to come and vifite you. And 
 fithe that frowarde fortune will not fufFre you to be his wife, yet 
 that it would pleafe him to vfe you as his louer, that you maye 
 poflefTe the fecond place of his loue, fith by reafon of his new 
 wife you cannot inioy the firft. Thus the deceiuour fhalbe begiled 
 by thinkinge to haue you at his commaundment as he was wont 
 to doe : and being come hither to lie with you, we will handle 
 him in fuch wife, as I haue inuented, that in one nighte he flial 
 lofe his life, his wife, and her whom bee thinketh to haue for his 
 louer : for when he is a bedde with you, and fallen into his firft 
 fleepe, we will fende him into another place where in a more 
 fonder fleepe hee fhall euerlaftinglie continue." Violenta all this 
 time which fed her bloudie and cruell harte with none other 
 repafte but with rage and difdaine, began to bee appeafed, and 
 founde the counfaile of lanique fo good, as fhe wholy purpofed 
 to follow the fame. And to begin her enterprife, fhee prayde 
 lanique for a time to withdrawe her felfe, vntill fhee had written 
 her letter, by the tenor whereof fhee fhould vnderftande with what 
 audacitie fhee would profecute the refte : and being alone in her 
 chamber, takinge penne and paper, fhewroteto Didaco, withfayned 
 hart as followeth. "Senior Didaco I am perfwaded, that if you wil 
 vouchfafe to read and perufe the contentes of thefe my forowful let- 
 ters, you fhalbe moued with fome compafKon and pitie, by behold- 
 inge the true Image of my miferable life, pourtrayed and painted in 
 the fame, which through your difloyaltie and breach of promife 
 is confumed and fpent with fo many teares, fighes, tormentes and 
 griefes, that diuers times I maruaile howe Nature can fo long fup- 
 port and defende the violente afTaultes of fo cruell a martyrdome, 
 and that fhe hath not many times torne my feeble fpirite out of 
 this cruell and mortall prifon : which maketh me to thinke and 
 beleeue by continuinge life, that death himfelfe hath confpired 
 my miferie, and is the companion of my affliftion: confidering 
 that by no torment fhe is able to make diuifion betweene my 
 foule and body. Alas, how many tenne hundred thoufande times 
 in a day haue I called for death, and yet I cannot make her to re- 
 cline her eares vnto my cries. Alas, how many times am I van- 
 quifhed with the fharpe tormentes of forowe, readie to take my 
 
230 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 leaue and laft farewell of you^ being arriued to the extreme panges 
 of death. Behold Didaco mine ordinary delites, behold my plea- 
 fures, behold all my paftime. But yet this is but litle in refpedl 
 of that which chaunceth in the night : for if it happen that my 
 poore eyes doe fall a fleepe^ weary with inceflaunt drawing forth 
 of well fpringes of teares, flombring dreames ceafe not then to 
 vexe and afflift my minde, wyth the cruelleft tormentes that are 
 poffible to be deuifed, reprefenting vnto me by their vglie and 
 horrible vifions, the ioye and contentacion of her, which inioyeth 
 my place : wherby the greateft ioy which I conceiue is not in- 
 ferior to cruell death. Thus my life maintayned with continua- 
 cion of forowes and griefes, is perfecuted in mofl: miferable wife : 
 now (as you know) I dailye pafle my forow, vnder painefull 
 filence, thinkinge that your olde promifles, confirmed with fo 
 many othes, and the affured proof which you ftill haue had of 
 my faith and conftancie, would haue brought you to fome order, 
 but now feing with mine eyes, the hard metall of your harte, 
 and the crueltie of my fate, which wholie hath fubdued mee to 
 your obedience, for refpefl; of mine honour: I am forced to com- 
 plaine of him that beateth mee and thereby defpoileth mee both of 
 mine honour and life, not vouchfafing onely fo much as ones to 
 come vnto mee. And vncertaine to whom I may make recourfe, 
 or where to finde redreffe, I appeale vnto you, to thende that 
 feing in what leane and vglie flate I am, your cruelty maye alto- 
 gether be fatiffied, which beholdinge a fighte fo pitifull, wherein 
 the figure of my tormente is liuely exprefled, it may be moued to 
 fome compaffion. Come hither then thou cruell manne, come 
 hither I faye, to vifite her whom with fome figne of humanitie, 
 thou maieft ftaye or at leafl: wife mollifie and appeafe the ven- 
 geaunce which fhee prepareth for thee : and if euer fparke of 
 pitie did warme thy frofen hart, arme thy felfe with greater 
 crueltie then euer thou was wont to doe, and come hither to make 
 her fobbe her lafte and extreme fighes, whom thou hafte wretchedly 
 deceiued : for in doing otherwife thou maieft peraduenture to late, 
 bewaile my death and thy beaftlye crueltie," And thinking to 
 make a conclufion of her letter, the teares made her woords to 
 die in her mouth, and woulde not fuffer her to write any more : 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 23 1 
 
 wherefore Ihe clofed and fealed the fame, and then calling lanique 
 vnto her fhe faid: "Holde, gentle lanique, carye thefe letters 
 vnto him, and if thou canfte fo well play thy part as I haue doen 
 mine, I hope wee fhall haue fhortly at our commaundemente him 
 that is the occafion of this my painfull life, more greuous vnto me 
 then a thoufand deathes together." lanique hauing the letter, 
 departed with diligence, and went to the houfe of the father in 
 lawe of Didaco, where quietly fliee waited till fhee mightie fpeake 
 with fome of the houfe, which was within a while after : for one 
 of the feruauntes of Didaco whom fhe knew right well, wente 
 about certaine his maifters bufines, and meeting lanique was 
 abafhed. Of whom flie demaunded if the Lord Didaco were within, 
 and faide that fhe would faine fpeake with him : but if it were 
 poffible fhe would talke with him fecretly. Whereof Didaco ad- 
 uertifed, came forth to her into the flreate, to whom fmilingly 
 (hauing made to him a fayned reuerence) fhe faid : " Senior 
 Didaco, I can neither write nor reade, but I dare laie my life, ther 
 is fute made vnto you by thefe letters, which Madame Violenta 
 hath fent vnto you. And in deede to fay the truth, there is great 
 iniurie doen vnto her of your parte, not in refpefte of your new 
 mariage : (for I neuer thought that Violenta was a wife meete 
 for you, confidering the difference of your eftates) but becaufe 
 you wil not vouchfafe to come vnto her, feeming that you make 
 no more accompte of her and fpeciallye for that you prouide no 
 mariage for her in fom other place. And afTure your felfe fhe 
 is fo farre in loue with you, that fhe is redie to die as fhe goeth, in 
 fuch wife that making her complaint vnto me this day weeping, 
 fhe faid vnto me: 'Well, for fo much then as I cannot haue him 
 to be my hufbande, I would to God he would mainteigne me 
 for his frende, and certaine times in the weeke to come to fee mee 
 fpecially in the night, left he fhould be efpied of the neighbours.' 
 And certainly if you would foUowe her minde herein, you fhall do 
 very well: for the cafe flandeth thus, you may make your auaunte 
 that you be prouided of fo faire a wife, and with fo beautifull 
 a frende as any gentleman in Valentia." And then lanique 
 deliuered him the letter, which he receiued and redde, and hauing 
 well confidered the tenor of the fame he was incontinently fur- 
 
232 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 prifed with a fodaine paffion : for hatred and pitie, loue and dis- 
 daine (as within a Cloude be conteined hotte and colde, with many 
 contrary winds) began to combate together, and to vexe his hart 
 with contrary minds, then pawfinge vpon anfwere, he faid vnto 
 her: "lanique, my dere frende recommend e mee to the good grace 
 and fauour of thy maiftres, and fay vnto her, that for this time I 
 will make her no anfwere, but to morow at fewer of the clockein 
 the morning I will be at her houfe, and keepe her companie all 
 the daye and nighte, and then I will tell her what I haue doen 
 Athens I departed laft from her, trufting ihee fliall haue no caufe 
 to be offended with me." And then lanique taking her leaue, 
 retourned towarde Violenta, telling her what fhee had doen. To 
 whom Violenta anfweared: "lanique, if thou haft made a good 
 beginninge to our plotted enterprife, I likewife for my part haue 
 not flept. For I haue deuifed that wee muft prouide for a ftronge 
 roape, which wee will faften to the beddes fide, and when hee 
 fhalbe a fleepe, I will cafte the other ende of the rope to thee, 
 ouerthwart the bedde, that thou maieft plucke the fame with all 
 thy mighte, and before thou beginneft to pull I will with a knife 
 cutte his throate, wherefore thou mufte prepare two great kniues, 
 what foeuer they coft, but I pray thee let me alone with doing of 
 the fafte, that I may difpatche him of his life, which alone did 
 make the firft aflault to the breach of mine honour." lanique 
 knew fo well how to prouide for all that was requifite for the 
 execution of their enterprife, as there refted nothing but opportu- 
 nitie, to fort their cruel purpofe to effeft. The knight fir Didaco, 
 at the houre appointed, tolde his new wife that he muft go into 
 the countrie, to take order for the ftate of his land, and that he 
 could not retourne, til the next day in the morning. Which fhe 
 by and by beleued : and the better to couer his fa£t, he caufed 
 two horfe to be made redie, and rode forth when the clocke ftrake 
 iiii. And when he had riden through a certain ftreat, he faid to 
 his man, which was wonte to ferue his tourne in loue matters : 
 " Carie my horfe to fuch a manour in the countrie, and tarrie there 
 all this day, and to morowe morning come feeke mee in fuche a 
 place, when I am gone from the houfe of Violenta. In the meane 
 time fet my horfe in fome Inne: for in any wife I will haue no 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 233 
 
 man know that I doe lie there." Which doen the maifter and the 
 feruaunte wente two feuerall wayes. The knight being come to 
 the houfe of Violenta, he found lanique tarying for him, with good 
 deuocion to vfe him according to his defert, and conueyed him to 
 the chamber of Violenta, and then flie retourned about her 
 bufines. The knighte kiffed Violenta and bad her good morowe, 
 afking her how fhe did? Whom Violenta aunfweared: "Sir 
 Didaco, you bid me good morrow in words, but in deede you go 
 about to prepare for me a heuie and forowfull life. I beleeue that 
 your minde beareth witnes, of the ftate of my welfare : for you 
 haue broughte me to fuch extremitie, that you fee right wel how 
 nothing els but my voice declareth me to be a woman, and there- 
 withall fo feeble a creature, as I ftill craue and call for death or 
 for pitie, although both of thone and of the other, I am not heard 
 at all : and yet thincke not Didaco, that I am fo farre out of my 
 wittes to beleeue that the caufe of my writing the letter was for 
 hope, that (you remembring my bitter paines, and your owne 
 hainous crime) I coulde euer moue you to pitie : for I am per- 
 fwaded that you wil neuer ceafe to exhaufte and fucke the bloud, 
 honor, and life of them that credite your trumperies and deceiptes, 
 as nowe by experience I know by my felfe, with fuch deadly 
 forow that I ftill attende and loke for the forowful ende of my 
 life." Didaco feing her thus afflifted, fearing that her cholere 
 woulde further inflame, began to cull her, and to take her now 
 into his armes, telling her that his mariage with the doughter of 
 Vigliaracuta, was concluded more by force then his owne will 
 and minde, becaufe they pretended to haue a gift of all the lande 
 and goods he had in fucceflion after his father was dead, which 
 if they did obtain by law he fhould be a begger all the dayes of 
 his life, and that the fame was doen to prouide for the quiet ftate 
 of them both, and notwithftanding bee had maried an other wife, 
 yet hee purpofed to loue none but her, and meant in time to 
 poifon his wife, and to fpend the reft of his life with her. And 
 thus feeming to remedie his former fault, by furmifed reports, 
 chauntinge vppon the cordes of his pleafaunt tongue, hee thought 
 with Courtlike allurements, to appeafe her, which had her wittes 
 to well fharpened to be twife taken in one trap, howbeit for feare 
 
2 34 DIDACO AND VIOLENT A, 
 
 of driuing him awaye, and to loofe the meane to accomplifli that 
 which fhe intended, flie faid vnto him with forced fmiling : " Sir 
 Didaco, although you haue fo ill vfed mee in time pafte, as I 
 haue no greate caufe to beleeue your prefente woordes, yet the loue 
 that I beare you, is fo rooted in my harte, as the faulte mufte be 
 verye greate, which fhoulde remoue the fame : in confideration 
 whereof, I will conftraine myfelfe to beleeue that your woords be 
 true, vpon condicion that you will fweare and promife to lie with 
 me here ones or twyfe a weeke. For me thinke that if I might 
 at times inioye your prefence, I fhould remaine in fome part of 
 your grace and fauour, and Hue the befl contented woman a Hue.'' 
 Whereunto hee willingly agreed, with a great nomber of other like 
 proteftations, prompte and redy in them which meane deceipt. 
 But in the poore miferable woman had perced the fame in the 
 depth of her harte, and had credited all that he fpake, no doubte 
 he woulde haue chaunged his minde. Thus either partes fpente 
 the daye in cold and diffembled flatteries till darke nighte, with 
 his accuflomed filence, did deliuer them the meane to exercife 
 their cruell fafte. So fone as fupper was doen, Didaco and 
 Violenta walked vp and downe together, talking of certaine com- 
 mon matters, till the knight (prefTed with flepe) commaunded his 
 bed to be made redie : it neded not then to inquire with what 
 diligence Violenta and lanique obeyed his requefte : in whome 
 onely as they thought confifted the happe, or mifhappe of their 
 intent: to whom becaufe Violenta might fhewe her felfe more 
 affeftlonate, went firft to bedde, and fo fone as they were layde, 
 lanique drewe the curteines and tooke away Didaco his fwoorde, 
 and making as though fhe had a thing to do vnder the bedde, (he 
 faflened the rope and raked vp the fire which was in the chim- 
 ney, carying a floole to the beddes fide, and layd vpon the fame 
 twoo great kechin knifes, which doen fhe put out the candle, 
 and, fayning to goe out of the chamber, fhe fhut the dore and 
 went in againe. And then the pbore infortunate knight, think- 
 ing that he was alone in the chamber with Violenta, began to 
 clepe and kifTe her, whereunto fhe made no refufal, but defi- 
 rous to renew his old priuate toies, fhe prayed him of al loue that 
 he bare vnto her to kepe truce for twoo or three bowers, for that the 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 235 
 
 night was long inough to fatiffie his defires, affirming that it was 
 impoffible for her to wake, becaufe fiue or fixe dayes before by 
 reafon of her griefes, flie had not flept at all, notwithftanding, (he 
 faid, that after her firft fleepe flie would willingly obey him : 
 wherunto the gentleman was eafely perfwaded, afwell bicaufe he 
 hadde els where fufficiently (launched his thurft, as alfo for that 
 he was loth to difpleafe her : and faining her felfe to (leepe, (he 
 turned her face to the other fide, and in that wyfe continued, till 
 the poore gentleman was fallen into his found flepe. Then la- 
 nique foftly conueyed the rope ouer his bodye, and gaueittoVio- 
 lenta, and after (he had placed it according to her minde, as they 
 together had deuifed before, fhe deliuered thende to lanique, who 
 being at the beddes fide fatte down vpon the grounde, and folding 
 the rope about her armes, hoifled her twoo feete againft the bedde 
 to pull with greater force when nede required. Not long after, Vio- 
 lenta toke one of the great knifes, and lifting her felfe vp foftlye, fhe 
 proued with her hand, to feke a place moft meete for her to ftabbe 
 a hole into her enemies fle(he. And inchaunted with wrath, rage 
 and furie, like another Medea, thrufl: the poincte of the knife with 
 fuche force into his throte as (hee perced it through, and the poore 
 vnhappie man thinking to refifte the fame, by geuing feme re- 
 pulfe againft that aduerfe and heauie fortune, was appalled, who 
 feeling a new charge geuen vpon him againe, fpecially being in- 
 tricated with the roape, was not able to fturre hande nor foote, and 
 through the exceflSue violence of the paine, his fpeache and power 
 to crie, was taken away : in fuch forte that after he had receiued 
 tenne or twelue mortall woundes one after an other, his poore 
 martired foule departed from his forowfull body. Violenta hauing 
 ended her determined enterprife, commaunded lanique to light the 
 candle, and approching nere the knightes face, (hee fawe by and by 
 that he was without life. Then not able to fatiffie her bloudye 
 harte, ne yet to quenche her furious rage which boiled in her fto- 
 macke, (he with the poinct of the knife tare out the eyes from his 
 head, crying out vpon them with hideous voice, as if they had 
 ben aliue: "Ah traiterous eyes, the mefifengers of a minde moft 
 villanous that euer feiorned within the bodie of man : come out 
 of your (hamele(re fiege for euer, for the fpring of your fained 
 
236 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 teares is now exhaufted and dried vp." Then fhee played the 
 Bocher vppon thofe infenfible members^ continuing ftiil her rage, 
 and cruelly feazed vpon the tongue, which with her bloudy handes 
 fhe haled out of his mouth, and beholding the fame with a 
 murderous eie as fhe was cutting it of, fayd : "Oh abhominable 
 and periured tongue, how many lies diddeft thou frame in the 
 fame, before thou couldefl: with the canon {hot of this poyfoned 
 member, make breache into my virginitie : whereof now being 
 depriued by thy meanes, I franckly accelerate my felf to death, 
 wherunto thou prefently haft opened the way." And when ihee 
 had feparated this litle member from the refte of the body (infaci- 
 able of crueltie) with the knife ripped a violent hole into his 
 ftomacke, and launching her cruel handes vpon his harte fhe tare 
 it from the place, and gafhing the fame with many blowes, fhe 
 faid : "Ah, vile hart, harder then the Diamont whofe andeuile 
 forged the infortunate trappes of thefe my cruel deftenies ! oh 
 that I could haue difcoured thy cogitations in time paft, as I doe 
 now thy materiall fubftaunce, that I might haue bene preferued 
 from thine abhominable treafon, and deteftable infidelitie." Then 
 fleafliing her felfe vpon the dead body, as a hungry lion vpon his 
 praye, fhe lefte no parte of him vnwounded : and when fhee had 
 mangled his bodye all ouer, with an infinite number of gafhes, fhe 
 cried out : " O infefted carrion, whilom an organ and inftru- 
 mente of the mofte vnfaithfull and trayterous minde that euer was 
 vnder the coape of heauen. Nowe thou art payed with deferte, 
 worthy of thy merites ! " Then fhee fayed to lanique (whiche 
 with great terrour, had all this whyle viewed her play this pa- 
 geant) " lanique I feele my felfe now fo eafed of payne that 
 come death when he will, he fhal find me ftrong and luftie to in- 
 dure his furious aflault, which of long time I haue afl^aied. Helpe 
 me then to traine this corps out of my father's houfe, wherein I 
 was firft defloured, then will I tell thee what thou fhalt doe : for 
 like as mine honeftie is ftayned and publifhed abrode, euen fo 
 will I the reuenge to be manifefte, crauing that his bodie may be 
 exponed to the viewe of all men." Whofe requeft lanique 
 obeied : and then fhe and Violenta toke the body, and threwe it 
 out at one of the chamber wyndowes down vpon the pauement of 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 237 
 
 the ftreatCj with all the partes which fhe had cut of. That done 
 flie fayd to lanique: "Take this cafket with all the money 
 within the fame, and fhippe thy felfe at the next port thou fhalt 
 come to, and get thee ouer into Africa to faue thy life fo fpedely 
 as thou canft, and neuer come into thefe partes again, nor to any 
 other wher thou art knowen." Which lanique purpofed to doe, 
 although Violenta had not consailed her thereunto : and ready to 
 departe, fliee gaue a forowefuU farewell to her maiftres, and betoke 
 her felfe to her good fortune : and from that time forth, no man 
 could tell whether fhe went, for all the perfute made after her. So 
 fone as daye appeared, the firfte that paffed by the ftreate efpied 
 the dead bodie, whiche by reafon of the noyfe and brute made 
 throughout the towne, caufed many people to come and fee it: but 
 no man knew what he was, being diffiguered as well by reafon of 
 the eyes tome out of his head, as for other partes mutilated and 
 deformed. And about eight of the clocke in the morning, there 
 was fuche a multitude of people aflembled, as it was in maner 
 impoffible to come nere it. The mofte parte thought that fome 
 theues in the nighte had committed that murder: whiche opinion 
 feemed to be true, becaufe he was in his fhurte : other fome were 
 of contrary opinion : and Violenta, whiche was at the wyndowe, 
 hearing their fundrie opinions came downe and with a bolde 
 courage and ftoute voyce, that euery man might heare, faid ; 
 "Sirs, you do contend vpon a thing whereof (if I were demaunded 
 the queflion of the magiftrates of this citie) I am able to render 
 aflured teftimonie: and without great difficultie this murder can 
 not be difcouered by any other but by me." Whiche woordes 
 the people did fone beleue, thinking that diuers gentlemen ielous 
 of Violenta had made a fraye : for fhe had now lofle her auncient 
 reputacion by meanes of Didaco, who (as the fame and common 
 reporte was bruted) did keepe her. When fhe had fpoken thofe 
 wordes, the Judges were incontinently aduertifed as well of the 
 murder as of that whiche Violenta had faid, and went thither with 
 Sergeauntes and Officers, where they founde Violenta, more floute 
 then any of the flanders by : and inquired of her immediatlye 
 howe that murder came to pafle, but fliee without feare or appalle- 
 ment, made this aunfwere: " Hee that you fee here dead, is the 
 
238 DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 
 
 Lorde Didaco : and becaufe it apperteineth to many to vnderftand 
 the trouth of his death (as his father in lawe, his wife and other 
 kinfmen) I would in their prefence, if it pleafe you to caufe them 
 to be called hither declare what I knowe." The Magiftrates 
 amafed to fee fo great a Lorde fo cruelly flayne^ committed her to 
 warde til after dinner^ and commaunded that all the before named 
 fhould bee fummoned to appeare : who affembled in the palace, 
 with fuch a number of the people, as the iudges could fkant haue 
 place : Violenta in the prefence of them all, without any rage or 
 paffion, firft of all recompted vnto them the chaft loue betwene 
 Didaco and her, whiche hee continued the fpace of fourtene or 
 fiftene monethes^ without receiuing any fruifte or commoditie 
 thereof. Within a whyle after (he being vanquifhed with loue) 
 maried her fecretly at her houfe, and folempnized the nuptialles 
 by aPriefte vnknowen: declaring moreouer, how they had liued a 
 yere together in houfeholde, without any occafion of offence, on 
 her part geuen vnto him. Then fhe reherfed before them his 
 feconde mariage with the doughter of fuch a man, being there 
 prefent, adding for conclufion, that fith he had made her to lofe 
 her honeftie, fhee had fought meanes to make him to loofe his life : 
 which fhe executed with the heipe of lanique her mayde : who 
 by her aduife being loth to Hue any longer, had drowned her 
 felfe. And after ihe had declared the true ftate of the matter, 
 paffed betwene them, fhee fayd for conclufion, that all that fhe 
 had reherfed was not to incite or moue them to pitie or compas- 
 fion, thereby to prolong her life, whereof fhee iudged her felf 
 vnworthy: " For if you (quoth fhe) do fuffer me to efcape your 
 handes, thinking to faue my body, you fhalbe the caufe and whole 
 ruine of my foule, for with thefe mine owne handes, which you fee 
 before you, I will defperatly cut of the thred of this my life." 
 And with thofe wordes fhe held her peace : wherat the people 
 amafed, and moued with pitie, let fall the luke warme teares from 
 their dolouroufe eyes and lamented the miffortune of that poore 
 creature: imputing the fault vppon the dead knight, which vnder 
 colour of mariage had deceiued her. The Magiftrates deter- 
 mining further to deliberate vpon the matter, caufed the dead 
 bodie to be buried, and committed Violenta againe to warde, 
 
DIDACO AND VIOLENTA. 239 
 
 taking away from her kniues and other weapons, wherewith they 
 thought Ihee might hurt her felfe. And vfed fuch diligent fearch 
 and inquirie, that the Prieft which maried them was found out, 
 and the feruaunt of Didaco that was prefent at the niariage of 
 Violenta, being examined, depofed how by his maifter's com- 
 maundement he caried his horfe into the countrie, and how he 
 commaunded him to come to him againe the nexte morning to the 
 houfe of Violenta. And all thinges were fo well brought to light, 
 as nothing wanted for further inueftigation of the truthe, but onely 
 the confeflion of him that was dead. And Violenta by the com- 
 mon opinion of the Judges was condempned to be beheaded: not 
 only for that fhe had prefumed to punifhe the knightes tromperie 
 and offence, but for her exceffiue crueltie doen vpon the dead 
 body. Thus infortunate Violenta ended her life, her mother and 
 brethren being acquited : and was executed in the prefence of the 
 duke of Calabria, the fonne of king Frederic of Aragon : which 
 was that time the Viceroy there, and afterwardes died at Torry in 
 Fraunce : who incontinently after caufed this hiftorie to be re- 
 giftred, with other thinges worthy of remembraunce, chaunced in 
 his time at Valencia. Bandell doth wryte, that the mayde lanique 
 was put to death with her maiflres : but Paludanus a 
 Spaniard, a Hue at that time, writeth an excellent 
 hiftorie in Latine, wherin he certainly declareth 
 that fhe was neuer apprehended, which opinion 
 (as moft probable) I haue 
 folowed. 
 
240 OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 
 
 THE FORTY-THIRD NOUELL. 
 
 VFantones and plea/aunt life being guides of infolencie, doth bring 
 a miferable end to a faire ladie of Thurin, whom a noble man 
 aduaunced to high ejiate: as appereth by this hi/iorie, wherein he 
 executeth great crueltie vpon his fay de ladie, taken in adulterie. 
 
 The auncient and generall cuftome of the gentlemen, and gentle- 
 women of Piedmontej was d^ly to abandon famous cities and 
 murmures of common wealthes to retire to their Caftels in the 
 countrie, and other places of pleafure^ of purpofe to beguile the 
 troublefome turmoyles of life, with greatefl; reft and contentation. 
 The troubles and griefes wherof they do feele, that intermedle 
 with bufineffe of common wealth, which was with great care 
 obferued before the warres had prepofterated the order of auncient 
 gouernement, til which time a harde matter it had ben to finde 
 an idle gentleman in a hole citie. Who rather did refort to their 
 countrie houfes with their families, which were fo well gouerned 
 and furnifhed, that you fhould haue departed fo well fatiffied and 
 inftruftedj from a fimple gentleman's houfe as you fhould haue 
 doen from a great citie, were it neuer fo wel ruled by fome wife 
 and prouident Senatour. But Athens the world began to waxe 
 olde, it is come again to very infancie, in fuche forte that the 
 greateft nomber of cities are not peopled in thefe dayes but with 
 a many of Carpet Squiers, that make their refiance and abode 
 there, not to profile, but to continew their delicate life, and they 
 do not onely corrupt themfelues, but (which is worfe) they infefte 
 them that keepe them companie, whiche I will difcourfe fomewhat 
 more at large, for fo much as the gentlewoman, of whome I 
 defcribe this hiftorie, was brought vp al the time of her youth, 
 in one of the fineft and most delicate cities of Piedmonte. And 
 feeling as yet fome fparke of her former bringing vp, flie could 
 not be reformed (being in the countrie with her hufbande) but 
 that in the ende (he fill into great reproche and fliame, as you fliall 
 vnderftande by the content of that whiche foloweth. In the time 
 that Madame Margaret of Auftriche, doughter of Maximilian the 
 
OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 24 1 
 
 Emperour, went in progrefle into Sauoie^ towardes her hufbande: 
 there was a great Lorde, a valiaunt and courteous gentleman^ in a 
 certaine countrie of Piedmontej whofe name I will not difclofe, 
 afwell for the reuerence of his nereft kynne, which doe yet Hue, as 
 for the immoderate cruell punifliemente, that he deuifed towards 
 his wife, when he toke her in the fault. This great Lorde^ although 
 he had goodly reuenues and Caftelles in Piedmonte, yet for the 
 moft parte of his time, he followed the Courte, by commaunde- 
 ment of the Duke, that interteyned him next his owne perfone, 
 vfing commonly his aduife in all his greateft affaires. This Lorde 
 at that tyme maried a mayden in Thurin, of meane beautie, for his 
 pleafure, not efteming the place from whence fhee came. And be- 
 caufe he was well nere fiftie yeares of age when he maried her, 
 fhe attired her felfe with fuch modeftie, as flie was more like a 
 wydow then a maried woman : and knewe fo well how to vfe her 
 hulbande, the fpace of a yere or two, as he thought him felfe the 
 happieft man aliue, that he had founde out fo louing a wyfe. This 
 woman being ferued, and reuerenced with great honour, waxed 
 werie of to muche refte and quiet, and began to be inamoured of 
 a Gentleman her neighbour, whom in a litle tyme fhe knewe fo 
 well to vfe by lookes, and other wanton toies, as he did eafely 
 perceiue it, notwithftanding for the honour of her hulband, he 
 would not feme to knowe it, but a farre of. Nowe this warme 
 loue by litle and litle, afterwardes began to grow hot, for the 
 yong woman wearie of fuch long delay, not able to content her 
 felf with lookes, vpon a day finding this yong gentleman in con- 
 uenient place, as he was walking harde by her houfe, began to 
 reafoh with him of termes, and matters of loue : telling hym that 
 he liued to folitarie, in refpe£t of his yong yeares, and howe fhee 
 had alwayes bene brought vp in Townes, and places of great com- 
 panie and reforte, in fuch wyfe as now being in the Countrie, 
 fhee could not eafely digefte the incommoditie of being a lone, 
 fpecially for the continuall abfence of her hufbande, who fcarce 
 three monethes in a yeare remayned at home in his owne houfe. 
 And fo falling from one matter to another, loue pricked them 
 fo fore, as in fine they opened a waye to that whiche troubled 
 them fo mutch, and fpecially the woman: who forgetting her 
 
 VOL. I. Q 
 
242 OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 
 
 honour, which ordinarily dothe accompanie great Ladies, priuely 
 fhe told hym the loue that flie had borne hym of long tyme, 
 whiche notwithftanding ftiee had diflembled, wayting when hee 
 fliould haue geuen the fyrft onfette, for that Gentlemen ought 
 rather to demaunde, then to be requyred of Ladies. This Gen- 
 tleman vnderftanding (by halfe a woorde) the caufe of her dis- 
 eafe, told her : " That although his loue was extreme, neuerthe- 
 lelTe, deming himfelf vnworthy of fo high degree, he ftil concealed 
 his grief, which becaufe he thought it coulde not come to pafle, 
 feare forced him to kepe it filent. But fithe it pleafed her fo 
 much to abafe her felfe, and was dlfpofed to doe him fo much 
 honour to accepte him for her feruaunte, he would imploye his 
 indeuour, to recompence that with humilitie and humble feruice, 
 whiche fortune had denied hym in other thinges." And hauing 
 framed this foundacion to their loue, for this tyme they vfed no 
 other contentment one of an other but onely deuife. But they fo 
 prouyded for their affaires to come, that they neded not to vfe 
 longer oration. For beyng neyghbours, and the hufbande manye 
 tymes abfent, the hyghe waye was open to bryng their enterpryfes 
 to defired affefite. Which they full well acquieted, and yet vn- 
 able wyfely to maifter and gouerne their paflions, or to moderate 
 theim felues by good difcretion, the feruauntes of the houfe (by 
 reafon of the frequented communication of the Gentleman with 
 the Gentlewoman) began to fufpefte theim, and to conceiue finis- 
 ter opinion of their maiftreffe, although none of theim durfte 
 fpeake of it, or make other femblaunce of knowledge. Loue 
 holding in full poffeffion the hartes of thefe twoo louers, blynded 
 theim fo muche, as leauing the brydle to large for their honour, 
 they vfed theimfelues priuely and apertlye at all tymes one with 
 an other, without anye refpeft. And when vpon a tyme, the 
 Lorde retourned home to his owne houfe (from a certayne voyage, 
 wherein he had bene in the Duke's feruice) he found his wyfe to 
 be more fine and gorgeous then ihe was wont to be, whiche in the 
 beginning dyd wonderfully aftonne him. And perceiuing her 
 fometimes to vtter wanton woordes, and to applie her mynde on 
 other thynges, when he fpake vnto her, he began diligently to ob- 
 ferue her countenaunce and order, and being a man broughte vp 
 
OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 243 
 
 in courtlye trade, and of good experience, hee eafely was per- 
 fwaded that there was feme ele vnder that ftone, and to come to 
 the trouthe of the matter, hee made a better countenaunce, then 
 he was wonte to doe, which flie knewe full well howe to requite 
 and recompence: and liuing in this fimulation, either of them 
 attempted to beguile the other, that the fimpleftand lefte craftie of 
 them both could not be difcouered. The yong gentleman, neigh- 
 bour of the Lord, grieued beyond meafure, for that he was come 
 home, paffed and repafled many tymes before his Caftell gate, 
 thinking to get fome looke of his Ladie's eye : but by any meanes 
 fhe could not for feare of her hufbande, who was not fo foolifhe, 
 that after he fawe him goe before his gate fo many times, with- 
 out fome occafion, but that he eafely iudged there was a fecret 
 amitie betwene them. Certaine dayes after, the gentleman to in- 
 finuate himfelfe into the Lord's fauour, and to haue acceffe to his 
 houfe, fent him a very excellent Tercelet of a Faucon, and at other 
 times he prefented him with Venefon, and vmbles of Dere, which 
 he had killed in hunting. But the Lorde (which well knew that 
 flatterie many times ferued the torne of diuerfe, to beguile foolifh 
 hufbands of their faire wiues) that he might not feme vngrateful, 
 fent him alfo certain flraung things. And thefe curtefies conti- 
 nued fo long, that the Lorde deiirous to lay a baite, fent to praye 
 him to come to dyner : to which requefte the other accorded 
 liberally, for the deuocion he had to the fainct of the Caftell. And 
 when the table was taken vp, they went together to walk abroade 
 in the fieldes. And that more frendly to welcome him, he prayed 
 his wife to goe with them, whereunto fhe made no great deniall. 
 And when they had debated of many thinges, the Lord faid vnto 
 him : " Neighbour and frende, I am an old man and Melancholie, 
 as you know, wherfore I had neede from henceforth to reioyce my 
 felf. I pray you hartely therefore to come hither many times, to 
 vifit vs and therewithal to participate fuch fare as God doth fend. 
 Vfing the thinges of my houfe, as they were your owne." Whiche 
 the other gratefully accepted, humblie praying that his Lordfhyp 
 would commaunde him and that he had, when he pleafed, and to 
 commaunde him as his very humble and obedient feruaunt. This 
 Pantere layed, the yong gentleman ordinarely came ones a daye 
 
244 OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 
 
 to vifite the Lorde and his wife. So long this pilgrimage continued, 
 vntill the Lorde (vpon a time, faining himfelfe to be ficke) com- 
 maunded that no man fhould come into his chamber, becaufe all 
 the night before he was ill at eafe, and could take no refte. Where- 
 of the gentleman was incontinently aduertifed by an old woman 
 hired of purpofe for a common meffenger, of whom a none we 
 purpofe to make remembraunce. Being come to the Caftell, he 
 demaunded how the Lord did, and whether he might go fee him, to 
 whom aunfwer was made, that he could not, for that he was fallen 
 into a flomber, Madame now was in the garden alone, roming 
 vp and down for her pleafure, and was aduertifed that the Gentle- 
 man was come. Who being brought into the gardeine, and cer- 
 tified of the Lordes indifpofition, began to renew his old daliaunce 
 with the Ladie, and to kifle her many times, eftfones putting his 
 hand into her bofome, and vfing other pretie preparatifes of loue, 
 which ought not to be permitted but only to the hufband. In the 
 meane time, while they twoo had ben there a good fpace, the hus- 
 band flept not, but was departed out of his chamber, the fpace of 
 two houres and more, and was gone vp to the higheft place of all 
 his Caftell, wher at a very litle window, he might difcrie al that 
 was done, within the compaffe of his houfe. ' And there feing al 
 their curteous offers and proffers, hee waited but when the gentle- 
 man fhould haue indeuoured himfelf to precede further, that he 
 might haue then difcharged his mortal malice vpon them both. 
 But they fearing that their long abode in the gardein might ingen- 
 der fome difpleafure, retourned into the Caftell, with purpofe in 
 time to content their defires, fo fone as opportunitie ferued. The 
 Lorde noting all the demeanour betwene them, retourned to his 
 chamber, and fo went againe to his bed, faining to be ficke, as he 
 did all the daye before. Supper time come, the lady went to know 
 his pleafure, whether he would fup in his chamber or in the hall : 
 he anfwered (with a difguifed cherefuU face) that he began to 
 feele himfelfe well, and that he had llept quietly fithens diner, 
 and was determined to fuppe beneth, fending that night for the 
 gentleman, to beare him companie at fupper : and could fo well 
 difemble his iuft anger, as neither his wife, nor the Gentleman per- 
 ceiued it by any meanes. And fo the Lorde with his Lady ftill 
 
OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 24 S 
 
 continued, the fpace of fiftene dayes, or three wekes, making fo 
 much of her (as though it had ben the firfte moneth that he maried 
 her) in fuche forte, as when the poore miferable woman thought 
 to haue gotten viftorie ouer her hufband and frend, it was the 
 houre that fortune did weaue the toyle and nette to intrappe her. 
 The Lorde which no longer could abide this mifchief, driuen into 
 an extreame choler, feing that he was able to finde no meanes to 
 take them (himfelfe being at home) deliberated either fone to die 
 or to prouide for the matter: and the better to execute his deter- 
 mination, he counterfaited a letter from the Duke of Sauoie, and 
 bare it fecretly to the poft him felfe alone, and commaunded him 
 next daye to bring it to his Caftell, whereby he fained that the 
 Duke had fent the fame vnto him. Whiche matter the poft did 
 handle fo well, as he brought the letter, when he was at fupper, 
 with botes on his legges all durtie and raied, as though he were 
 newly lighted from his horfe. And the better to maintain his wife 
 in her error, after he had reade the letter, he gaue it to her to 
 reade : which conteined no other thing but that the Duke com- 
 maunded him prefently with all diligence, himfelfe and his traine 
 to come vnto him, to be difpatched vpon ambaffage into Fraunce. 
 That doen he faid vnto her: "Wife, you fee how I am conftrayned 
 to depart with fpede (to my great grief) bid my men therfore 
 to be ready in the morning, that they may go before and wayte 
 for me at Thurin, where my Lord the Duke is at this prefent. I 
 my felf will departe from hence to morow at night after fupper, 
 and will ride in poft in the frelhe of the night." And the better 
 to deceiue this poore vnhappie woman, he went into his Clofet, 
 and took his cafkette, wherin was the mofte parte of his treafure, 
 and deliuering the fame vnto her, fayde : " That fearing lefte hee 
 flioulde tarie long in Fraunce, he would leaue the fame with her 
 to help her when Ihe wanted." And after all this traine was gone, 
 hee caufed one of the yeomen of his chamber to tary behynde, 
 whofe fidelitie he had at other times proued : and all that daye he 
 ceafed not to cheriflie and make much of his wyfe. But the 
 poore foule did not forfee, that they were the flatteries of the 
 Crocodile, which reioyfeth when he feeth one deceiued. When he 
 had fupped, he made a particuler remembraunce to his wife how 
 the affaires of his houfe fhould be difpofed in his abfence ; and 
 
246 OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 
 
 then toke his leaue, giuing her a ludas kiffe. The lordevnethes 
 had ridden twoo or thre mileSj but that his wife had fent the 
 olde woman to carye worde to her louer, of the departure of her 
 hiifband, and that he might faufly come and lie with her in the 
 caftell, for that all the feruauntes were ridden forth with their 
 maifter, fauing one yeoman and her twoo maydes, whiche doe 
 neuer vfe to lie in her chamber. Vpon this glad newes the Gentle- 
 man thought no fcorne to appeare vppon that warning, and the 
 old woman knew the way fo well, as fhe brought him ftraight 
 into the ladies chamber, whom loue inuegled in fuch wife, as they 
 lay together in the bedde where the lord was wont to lye. And 
 the olde woman laye in an other bed in that chamber, and fhut 
 the dore within. But while thefe twoo poore paflionate louers 
 thought they had attayned the toppe of all felicitie, and had 
 inioyed with full faile the fauours of the litle God Cupide, Fortune 
 defirous to departe them, for the laft mefle of the feaft prepared 
 fo bitter Comfettes, as it coft them both their Hues, with fuch cruell 
 death, as if they which make profeffion of femblable things doe 
 take example, wyues will get them better names, and hufbandes 
 fhalbe lefle deceiued. The Lorde that night made no longer 
 trafte of time, but lighted from his horfe, at the keper of one 
 of his Caftles houfes, whom he knewe to be faythfull. To whome 
 in the prefence of the yeoman of his chamber, he difcourfed the 
 loue betwene the gentleman and his wyfe, and commaunded 
 them with all fpede to arme themfelues, and with a cafe of pifto- 
 lets to follow him, whom they obeyed. And beyng come to the 
 Caftell gate he faide to the keper of his caftell : " Knocke at the 
 gate, and fayne thy felfe to be alone, and faye that I pafRng by 
 thy houfe did leaue a remembraunce with thee, to cary to my 
 ladie. And becaufe it is a matter of importaunce, and requireth 
 haft, thou were compelled to bring it this night." Knocking at the 
 gate fomewhat foftely (for feare left they whiche were in the 
 chambers fhould heare) a yeoman rofe whiche laye in the, courte, 
 knowing the voyce of the keper (becaufe he was one, whome his 
 lorde and maifter dyd greatly fauour) opened the gate, and the 
 firfte thyng they did, they lyghted a torche, and wente vp all three 
 to the Lordes chamber, not fufferyng anye man to cary newes to 
 the Ladie, of theyr approche. Being come to the chamber doore. 
 
OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 247 
 
 the keeper knocked, whiche immediatly the olde woman hearde, 
 and without opening the doore, afked who was there. " It is I 
 (quod the keeper,) that haue brought a letter to my ladie, from my 
 Lorde my maifter, who ryding this nyght in poft to Thurin, paffed 
 by my houfe, and very earneftly charged me by no meanes to 
 fayle but to deliuer it this night." The Ladie aduertifed hereof, who 
 could not miftrufte that her owne man (whome fhe tooke to bee 
 fimple, and voyde of guyle) would haue framed a platte for fuche 
 a treafon, fayde to the olde woman : " Receiue the letter at the 
 doore, but in any wyfe let him not come in, and I will accompliflie 
 the contentes." The olde woman, which thought onely but to 
 receiue the letter betwene the doore, was aftoned when the keper 
 who (giuing her a blow with his foote vpon the ftomacke) threwe 
 her backward, where fhe laie more then a quarter of an houre, 
 without fpeaking or mouing. And then they three entring the 
 chamber in great rage, with their piftolets in their handes, found 
 the two miferable louers ftarke naked, who feing them felues fur- 
 pryfed in that ftate, were fo fore afhamed as Eue and Adam were, 
 when their linne was manifefted before God. And not knowing 
 what to doe, repofed their refuge in lamenting and teares, but at 
 the verie fame inftaunt, they bounde the armes and legges together, 
 of the poore gentleman with the chollers of their horfe, which 
 they brought with them of purpofe. And then the Lorde com- 
 maunded that the twoo maydes, which were in the Caftell, and the 
 refte of the feruantes, fhould be called to aflifte them, to take 
 example of that faire fight. And all the meane people being ga- 
 thered in this fort together, the lorde tourning him felf vnto his 
 wife, faied vnto her : " Come hither thou vnfhamefaft, vile, and 
 deteftable whore, like as thou haft had a harte fo traiterous and 
 vnfaithfull, to bring this infamous ruffian in the night into my 
 caflell, not only to robbe and difpoile me of mine honour, which 
 I preferre and efteme more then life : but alfo (whiche is more to 
 be abhorred) to infring and breake for euer, the holie and precious 
 bande of mariage, wherewithall wee be vnited and knit together. 
 So will I forthwith, that with thefe thyne owne handes, with 
 whiche thou gaueft me the firfle teflimonie of thy faith, that he 
 prefently fhalbe hanged and flrangled in the prefence of all menne. 
 
248 OF A LADIE OF THURIN. 
 
 not knowing howe to deuife anye other greater punifhrnente, to 
 fatiffie thyne ofFencej then to force thee to murder hym^ whome 
 thou hafte preferred before thy reputation, aboue myne honour, 
 and eftemed more then thine owne life." And hauing pronoun- 
 ced this fatall iudgement, he fent one to feeke for a greate naile of 
 a Carte, which he caufed to be faftened to the beame of the cham- 
 ber, and a ladder to be fetched, and then made her to tie a Coller of 
 the order belonginge to theeues and malefaftours, about the necke 
 of her forowfull louer. And becaufe fhe alone was not able to do 
 that greuous and waightie charge, bee ordayned that like as the 
 olde woman had bin a faithfull minifter of his wiue's loue, fo fliee 
 fhould put her hand in performing the vttermofl: of that worke. 
 And fo thefe two wretched women, were by that meanes forced 
 to fuche extremitie, as with their owne handes, they ftrangled the 
 infortunate Gentleman : with whofe death the Lord not yet fatif- 
 fyed, caufed the bedde, the clothes, and other furnitures (wherupon 
 they had taken their pleafures paft) to be burned. He com- 
 maunded the other vtenfiles of the chamber to be taken away, not 
 fuffring fo much ftraw, as would ferue the couche of two dogges, 
 to be left vnconfumed. Then he faid to his wife : "Thou wicked 
 woman, amonges al other moft deteftable : for fo much as thou haft 
 had no refpefte to that houourable ftate, whereunto fortune hath 
 aduaunced thee, being made by my meanes of a fimple damofell, 
 a greate Ladie, and becaufe thou haft preferred the lafciuious ac- 
 quaintaunce of one of my fubiefts, before the chaft loue, that thou 
 oughteft to haue borne me : my determination is, that from hence- 
 forth thou flialt kepe continuall company with him, to the vtter- 
 moft day of thy life : becaufe his putrified carcafe hath giuen oc- 
 cafion to ende thy wretched body." And then bee caufed all the 
 windowes and doores to be mured, and clofed vp in fuch wyfe, as 
 it was impoffible for her to go oute, leauing onely a litle hole open, 
 to giue her bread and water : appointing bis Steward to the charge 
 thereof. And fo this poore miferable woman, remained in the 
 mercie of that obfcure and darke prifon, without any other com- 
 pany, then the deade body of her louer. And when ftiee had con- 
 tinued a certaine fpace in that ftinking Dongeon, without 
 aire or comfort, ouercome with forrow and extreme 
 paine, fhe yelded her foule to God. 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 249 
 
 THE FORTY-FOURTH NOUELL. 
 
 The loue of Alerane of Saxone, and of Adelqfia the doughter of the 
 Emperour Otho the thirde of that name. Their flight and de- 
 parture into Italie, and how they were known againe, and what 
 noble houfes of Italie defcended of their race. 
 
 The auncient hiftories of Princes (as wel vnder the name of kinge, 
 as of the title of DukCj which in time pafte did gouerne the Coun- 
 trie of Saxone) do reporte that Otho the feconde of that name, 
 which was the firfl: Emperour that lawfullye raigned (after thii'Em- 
 pire ceaffed in the ftock of Charles the great) had of his wife Ma- 
 tilde doughter of the king of Saxone, one fonne which fucceded 
 him in the Imperial crowne, called Otho the third, who for his 
 vertuous education and gentle difpolition, acquired of all men the 
 furname of The loue of the world. The fame Emperour was curte- 
 ous and mercifull, and neuer (to any man's knowledge) gaue occa- 
 fion of griefe to any perfon, he did good to euery man, and hurt none : 
 likewife he thought that kingdome to be well gotten, and gotten to 
 be better kept, where the king, Prince or Ruler therof, did ftudie and 
 feeke meanes to be beloued, rather then feared, fith loue ingen- 
 dreth in it felfe a defire of obedience in the people. And contrary 
 wife, that Prince which by tyrannie maketh himfelf to be feared, 
 liueth not one houre at reft, hauing his confcience tormented in- 
 differently, both with fufpition and feare, thinking ftil that a thou- 
 fand fwords be hanging ouer his head, to kill and deftroye him. 
 Otho then vnder his name of Emperour, couered his clemencie with 
 a certaine fweete granite and Princely behauiour. Who notwith- 
 ftanding declared an outward (hew of curtefie, to make fweete 
 the egrenefs of difpleafure, which they feele and tafte that be fub- 
 ieft to the obeyfaunce of any new Monarchic. Man being of his 
 owne nature fo louing of himfelfe, that an immoderate libertie 
 feemeth vnto him fweeter, more iuft and indurable, than autho- 
 rities rightly ordained, the eftablifhment whereof feemeth to repre- 
 fente the onely gouernment of that firft kinge, which from his 
 high throne, giueth being aud mouing to al thinges. That good 
 
2 50 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 Emperour then knowinge verye well the mallice of men, who al- 
 though he was a good man of warre, hardye of his hands, and de- 
 firous of glorie, yet moderated fo well the happie fucceffe of his 
 enterprifes, as his grace and gentlenes principally appeared, when 
 he had the vpper hand, for that he cherifhed and well vfed thofe 
 whom he had fubdued vnder his obedience : his force and felicitie 
 was declared when he correfted and chaftifed rebells, and obfti- 
 nateperfons, which wilfully would prouethe greate force of a Princes 
 arme iuftly difpleafed, and to others what fauour a king could vfe 
 towards them, whom he knew to be loyal and faithfull : giuing 
 caufe of repentaunce to them which at other times had done him 
 difpleafure. And to fay the truth, he mighte be placed in the 
 ranke of the moft happie princes that euer were, if the priuate 
 affaires of his owne houfe had fo happily fucceeded, as the renowme 
 which hee wanne in the fcience of warfare, and in the adminiftra- 
 tion of the common wealth. But nothing being ftable in the life 
 of man, this emperour had in him, that which diminifhed the 
 glorie of his wifedome, and (refembling an Octauius Augustus) the 
 vnhappie fucceffe of his owne houfe did fomewhat obfcure the 
 fame of his noble faftes, and thofe infolent doinges ferued vnto 
 him as a counterpoyfe to profperous fortune, which may be eafely 
 perceiued, by the progreffe and continuation of this hiftorie. This 
 good Prince had one daughter, in whom nature had diflributed her 
 giftes in fuch wife, as fhe alone might haue vaunted her felf to 
 attaine the perfeftion of all them, which euer had any thing, wor- 
 thy of admiration, were it in the fingularitie of beauty, fauour and 
 courtefie, or in her difpofition and good bringing vp. The name 
 of this fayre Princeffe was Adelafia. And when this Ladie was 
 very yong, one of the children of the Duke of Saxone, came to the 
 Emperour's feruice, whofe kinfman he was. This yonge Prince, 
 befides that he was one of the fayreft and comliefl: gentlemen of 
 Almaigne, had therwithall, together with knowledge of armes, a 
 paffing fkill in good fciences, which mitigated in him the ferocitie 
 both of his warlike knowledge, and of the nature of his countrey. 
 His name was Alerane, who feing himfefe the yongeft of his 
 houfe, and his inheritaunce very fmall, indeuoured to conciliate 
 every man's fauour and good will, to remoue his owne fortune, and 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 2 5 I 
 
 to bring himfelfe in efteemation with the Emperour, wherein all 
 thinges hee imployed fo well his indeuour, as through his worthi- 
 nes he wanne commendation and report, to be the moft valiaunte 
 and ftoiiteft gentleman in all the Emperour's Court, which praife 
 did greatly commend the tendernes of his yong yeares, and was 
 therewithal! fo fober, and of fo gentle fpirite, that although he 
 excelled his companions in all things, yet he auoyded caufe of of- 
 fence (fhewinge himfelfe familiar amonge all the Courtiers.) Euery 
 man (which is a greate matter) praifed him and loued him, and he 
 thought himfelf moft happie, that by any meanes could faftiion 
 himfelf to imitate the vertue that made Alerane's name fo re- 
 nowmed. And that which made him fuller of admiracion, and 
 brought him into fauour with his Lord and maifter was, that vpon 
 a day the Emperour being in hunting alone in the middes of a 
 launde, and in a defert place, it chaunced that a Beare iffuinge 
 out of her caue, was aflayled of Hunters : the fierce beafte, auoyd- 
 ing the toyles and flyinge the purfute of the dogges, came with 
 greate vehemencie and fpeede from a mountaine, and was vpon 
 the Emperour or he was ware, feparated from his companie and 
 without his fword. But Alerane by good fortune was at hand, who 
 more careful for the fafetie of his Prince than for his owne life, 
 encountred the beare, and killed him in the prefence of the Em- 
 perour and many other. All which beholding (to their great afto- 
 nifhmente) the dexteritie and hardines of Alerane at thofe fmall 
 yeares, (for then hee was not aboue the age of xvii.) the Empe- 
 rour imbracing him, did highly commende him, tellinge them that 
 were by, that his life was faued chiefely by God's affiftaunce, and 
 nexte by the prowefle of Alerane. The newes hereof was fo bruted 
 abroade, as there was no talke but of the valiaunce and ftoutenes of 
 this yong man of warre, which caufed fair Adelafia (moued by 
 naturall inftigation, and with the opinion and reporte of the vertue 
 toward in that yonge Prince) to feele a certaine thing (I cannot tell 
 what) in her minde, which inflamed her fenfes and hart. And fhe 
 had no fooner caft her eyes vpon Alerane, but loue, which had 
 prepared the ambufhe, fo pearfed her delicate breaft, as he toke 
 ful pofleflSion of her : in fuch wyfe as the Princeflle was fo ftraunge- 
 lye in loue wyth the yonge Prince, that fhe neuer founde pleafure 
 
252 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 and contentment but in that which was done or faid by her louer, 
 whom (he accompted the chiefe of all the men of his time. In 
 this burning heate, fhe felt the paffions of Loue fo vehement, and 
 his pricks fo fliarpe, that fhe could not euaporate the cloudes which 
 darkened her fpirites and continually tormented her minde. And 
 albeit that the little occafion, which flie faw, for their comminge 
 together in time to come, did diflwade her from purfuing the 
 thing which flie moft defired : yet the tyrant Loue fhewed himfelfe 
 very extreame in that diuerfitie of thoughts, and variety of trou- 
 bles which vexed the fpirite of the Princefle : for fhee could not fo 
 well diffemble that, which honour and age commaunded her to 
 keepe fecrete, but that Alerane which was (as we haue alreadie 
 faid) well expert and fubtiie, perceiued the inwarde difeafe of 
 Adelafia. Moreouer there was betweene them a naturall confor- 
 mitie and likelyhode of conditions, which made them to agree in 
 equall defires, to feede of like meates, their paffionate mindes were 
 martired with equall forowe and paine, departed as wel in the one 
 as in the other. For Alerane by taking careful heede to the lookes 
 which the Princefle continually did ftealingly cafl vpon him, 
 faw the often and fodaine chaunces of colour, wherein fometimes 
 appeared ioye, which by and by did ende with infinite nomber of 
 fighes, and with a countenance agreeable to that, which the hart 
 kept fecrete and couert, whereby he aflured himfelfe vnfainedly 
 to be beloued, which caufed him to do no lefle (for fatiffaftion of 
 fuch like merite and defert done by Adelafia) but to beare vnto 
 her like affeftion, forcinge her by all diligence and feruice to con- 
 tinue flill that good will toward him, yelding himfelfe a pray to 
 the felfe fame Loue. Who ruling thaffeftions of the Princefl"e, 
 (as braue and pleafaunt as fhe was) made her forowfull and penfife, 
 and altered her in fuch wife as fhe thought the com panic wherein 
 {he was did impeach her ioy, which companie fhe imagined to 
 conceiue the like pleafure that fhe did, when at libertie and alone 
 fhee reuolued her troubles, and fanfied hercontentation in her minde. 
 Alerane on the other fide flept not, but as though he had receiued 
 the firfl wound by the handes of the blinde little archer Cupide, 
 ceaflTed not to thincke of her, whofe image ordinarelye appeared 
 before his eyes, as engrauen more liuely in his minde than anye 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 253 
 
 forme may be infculped vppon mettall or marble. And yet nei- 
 ther the one nor the other, durfte difcouer the leaft paffion of a 
 greate nomber which oppreffed their befieged hartes, and which 
 fuffered not to Hue in anye refte this faire couple of loyall louers. 
 The eyes alone did thofBce of the handes and tongue, as truftie 
 fecretaries, and faithful melTengers of the effefts of the minde. 
 That which kindled the fier mofte, was their frequente talke to- 
 gether, which was but of common matters, withoute vtteraunce of 
 that which the hart knewe well enoughe, and whereof the eyes gaue 
 true teftimonie. A paffion truly moft intollerable for a yonge 
 Princefle, as well becaufe fhe neuer had experience of femblable 
 forow, as for her tender age, and yet more for a naturall abafhmente 
 and fhame, which with the vaile of honor doth ferue, or ought to 
 feme for a bridle, to euery Ladie couetous" of fame, or like to be 
 the ornament or beauty of her race. Adelafia then floting in the 
 tempeftuous feas of her appetites, guided by a maifter which de- 
 lighteth in the fhipwracke of them he carieth, vanquifhed with 
 an immoderate rage of loue, tormented with grief vnfpeakeable, 
 offended with her owne defires, beinge alone in her chamber, began 
 to complaine her forowes, and faide: "Ah, what paffion is it that 
 is vnknoweh vnto me, that ingendreth an obliuion of that which 
 was wont to delighte and contente me ? From whence commeth 
 this new alteration, and defire vnaccuftomed, for folitarie being 
 alone, is the refle and argumente of my troubles ? What diuerfities 
 and chaunges be thefe that in this forte do poife and weigh my 
 thought ? Ah, Adelafia, what happie miferie doft thou finde in this 
 free prifon, where pleafure hath no place till the enemies haue 
 difquieted the life, with a Million of painefull aud daungerous tra- 
 uailes ? What is this to fay, but that againfte the nature of maidens 
 of my yeres I will not, or cannot be quiet day nor night, but take 
 my repaft and feeding vpon cares and thoughtes ? Alacke, I thought 
 then to finiflie my forowes and griefes, when (being alone) I 
 began to frame the plot of my tormentes and paines, with fo many 
 formes and deuifes in my fanfie, as I do make wiflies and requeftes 
 vpon the thing I loue and efteeme aboue all, vppon which all 
 mine affeftions do depende and take their beginning. What is 
 this to faye, but that my maydes do offende mee, when with 
 
2 54 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 difcrete wordes they go about to diuert me from my follies and 
 pleafaunt noyfome thoughtes? Wherefore fliould not I take in 
 good part the care which they haue of my healthy and the paine 
 which they take to remember me of my torment ? Alas^ they know 
 not wherein confifteth the force of mine euil, and much lefl'e is it 
 in their power to remedie the fame. Euen fo I would haue none 
 other plaifter but him that hath giuen me the wound, nor none 
 other meate but the hunger that drieth me vp, I craue none other 
 comfort but the fire which burneth mee continuallyej the force 
 wherof pearceth the fucke and marie within my bones. Ah Ale- 
 rane, Alerane, the floure and mirror of all prowefle and beautie : 
 it is thou alone that liuefte in mee, of whom my minde conceyueth 
 his hope, and the hart his nourifhment. Alas : that thy worthi- 
 nes fhould be the ouerthrow of mine honour, and thy perfeftion 
 the imperfeftion of my life. Ah Loue, Loue, how diuerfly thou 
 dealefl: with mee. For feing mine Alerane, I am attached with 
 heate in the middes of ife that is full colde. In thinking of him, I 
 do both reft and trauaile continually. Nowe I flee from him, and 
 fodainly againe I defire him. In hearing him fpeake, the fuger 
 and hony, that diftilleth from his mouth, is the contentmente of 
 my minde, till fuch time as his words appeare to be different from 
 my defire. For then, ah Lord : my reft is conuerted into extreme 
 trauaile, thy honye into gall, and wormewoode more bitter than 
 bitternes it felfe, the hope of my minde is become difpayre fo hor- 
 rible, as the fame onely wil breede vnto me, (if God haue not pittie 
 vpon me) a fhort recourfe of death." After thefe wordes, fliee 
 rafted a longe time without fpeaking, her armes a crofiTe, and her 
 eyes eleuate on highe, which ranne downe like a Ryuer of teares, 
 and feemed to be fo rauifhed, as a man would haue iudged her 
 rather a thing withoute life, than a creature fenfible, and labouring 
 for life, till, recouering her fpirites againe, as comming from an 
 extafie and founde, flie beganne her plaintes againe in this fort: 
 "What? muft fuch a Princefl!e as I am, abafe my felfe to loue her 
 owne fubieft, yea and her kinfeman, and fpecially not knowing yet 
 how his minde is difpofed ? Shall I be fo vnfhamefaft, and voyde of 
 reafon, to furrender my felfe to anye other but to him, whom God 
 and fortune hath promifed to be my efpoufe ? Rather death (hall 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 255 
 
 cut of the threde of my yeres^ than I wil contaminate my chaftitie, 
 or that any other enioy the floure of my virginitie, than he to whom 
 I fhal be tied in mariage. Ah : I fay and promife muche, but 
 there is a tormenter in my minde which dealeth fo rigorouflie with 
 my reafon, as I cannot tel wherupon wel to determine. I dare 
 not thineke (which alfo I ought not to do) that Alerane is fo foolifli 
 to defpife the loue of one, that is the chiefefte of the doughters 
 of the greatefl; Monarches of the world, and much lefle that hee 
 fhould forget himfelfe, in fuch wife to forfake mee, hauing once 
 enioyed the beft and deareft thing that is in mee, and whereof I 
 meane to make him the onelye and peaceable poffeflbr. Truly 
 the vertue, gentlenes, and good nurriture of Alerane, doe not pro- 
 mife fuche treafon in him, and that great beautie of his, cannot tell 
 how to hyde fuch rigor as hee will refufe one that is no deformed 
 and ill fauoured creature, and which loueth him with fuch finceri- 
 tie, as wher flie fhall lofe the meanes to inioy him, there fhee flial 
 feele, euen forthwith, the miferable ende of her forowfull dayes." 
 And then againe flie helde her peace, tofled and turmoiled with 
 diuers thoughtes fleetinge betweene hope and feare : by and by flie 
 purpofed to deface from her hart the memorie of Loue, which al- 
 readie had taken to fafle footinge, and would not be feparated from 
 the thing, which heauen himfelfe feemed to haue prepared, for 
 the perfedlion and glorie of his triumphe. Loue then conftrayned 
 her, to refolue vppon her lafte determination. Then continuinge 
 her talke, fighing without ceafing, flie faid: "Chaunce what 
 may to the vttermoft, I can but wander like a Vagabonde and 
 fugitiue with mine owne Alerane (if hee will fliew me fo much 
 pleafure to accept mee for his own) : for fure I am, the Emperour 
 wil neuer abide the mariage, which I haue promifed : and fooner 
 will I die, than another fhall poflefle that which Alerane alone de- 
 ferueth : hauinge a long time vowed and dedicated the fame vnto 
 him. And afterwards let the vulgar fort blabbe what they lifte of 
 the bolde and fooliflie enterprifes of Adelafia, when my harte is 
 contented and defire fatiffied, and Alerane enioyeth her that 
 loueth him more than her felfe. Loue verily is not liable to the 
 fanfie of the parentes, nor yet to the will euen of them that fub- 
 iungate themfelues to his lawes. And befides that I fliall not 
 
2 5 6 ALERANE AND ADELASIA, 
 
 be alone amongeft Princefles, that haue forfaken parentes and 
 countries, to folow their loue into ftraunge regions. Faire Helena 
 the Greeke, did not flie abandon Menelaus her hulbande and 
 the rich citie of Sparta, to follow the faire Troian, Alexander 
 failing to Troie ? Phedria and Ariadne, defpifed the delicates of 
 Creta, lefte her father a very old man, to go with the Cecropian 
 Thefeus. None forced Medea the wife furious lady (but loue) to 
 departe the ifle of Colchos, her owne natiue countrey, wyth the 
 Argonaute lafon. O good God, who can refift the force of loue, to 
 whom fo many kinges, fo many Monarches, fo many wife men of 
 al ages haue done their homage? Surely the fame is the onely 
 caufe that compelleth me (in makinge my felfe bolde) to forget 
 my dutie towardes my parentes, and fpecially mine honour, which 
 I Ihall leaue to be reafoned vpon by the ignoraunt which confi- 
 dereth nothing but that which is exteriourly offred to the viewe of 
 the fighte. Ah : how much I deceiue my felfe, and make a recken- 
 inge of much without mine hofte : and what know I if Alerane 
 (although hee do loue me) will loofe the good grace of the Empe- 
 rour, and forfake his goods, and (fo it maye bee) to hazard his life, 
 to take fo poore and miferable a woman as I am ? Notwithftanding 
 I wil proue fortune, death is the worft that can chaunce, which I 
 ■wil accelerate rather than my defire fhall loofe his efFefte." Thus 
 the fayre and wife Princeffe concluded her vnhappie flate : and 
 all this time her beft frende Alerane, remained in greate affli6lion, 
 and felt fuch feare as cannot be exprefled with woordes, onely 
 true louers know the force, altogether like to that wherof the yong 
 Prince had experience, and durft not difcouer his euill to her, that 
 was able to giue him her allegeaunce, much leffe to difclofe it to 
 any deare frende of his, into whofe fecrecie he was wont to com- 
 mit the moft parte of his cares, which was the caufe that made 
 him feele his hart to burne like a litle fier in the middes of a cleare 
 riuer, and faw him felfe ouerwhelmed within the waters, hotter 
 than thofe that be intermixed with Sulphure, and do euaporate 
 and fende forth ardente fmokes in an ^thna hill or Vefuue moun- 
 taine. The Princeffe impaciente to endure fo long, could no longer 
 keepe fecrete the flames hidden within her, without telling and 
 vtteringe them to fome, whom her minde liked beft, and there to 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 2 S 7 
 
 render them wher fhe thought they toke their effenfe and beinge, 
 cafting away all fliame and feare, which accuftomablie doth 
 aflbciate Ladies of her eftate and age. One day, fhe toke fecretly 
 afide, one that was her gouernefle named Radegonde, a gentle- 
 woman, fo vertuous, wife and fober, as anye other that was in the 
 Emperour's Courte, who for her approued manners and chafte life, 
 had the charge of the bringing vppe and nourifhing of Adelafia, 
 from her infancie. To this gentlewoman then the amorous prin- 
 cefle deliberated to communicate her fecretes, and to let her vn- 
 derftande her paffion, that (hee might find fome remedie. And 
 for that purpofe they two retired alone within a clofet, the poore 
 louer tremblinge like a leafe (at the blafte of the wefterne winde, 
 when the Sunne beginneth to fpread his beames) fighinge fo 
 ftrangely, as if her bodye and foule would haue departed, faid 
 thus : " The truft which euer I haue found in that naturall good- 
 nes that appeareth to be in you, my mother and welbeloued Ladie, 
 ioyned with difcretion and fidelitie, wherwith all your a<9:es and 
 affayres be recommended, do prefently affure me, and make me 
 bolde in this my trouble, to participate vnto you my fecretes, 
 which be of greater importance without comparifon, than anye 
 that euer I tolde you, perfwading my felfe that the thing which I 
 fhall tell you, whatfoeuer it be (be it good or ill) you will accept 
 it in fuche wyfe, as your wyfedome requireth, and to keepe it fo 
 clofe as the fecrete of fuch a Ladie as I am doth deferue. And that 
 I maye not holde you longe in doubte what it is, know ye, that of 
 late the valor, prowefle, beautye, and curtefie, of Senior Alerane of 
 Saxon, hath founde fuch place in my hart, as (in defpite of my 
 felf) I am fo in loue with him, that my life is not deare vnto me 
 but for his fake, my hart taketh no pleafufe but in his glorie and 
 vertue, hauing chofen him fo vertuous a Prince for my frend, and 
 one day (by God's fufferaunce) for my lawfull fpoufe and hufband. 
 I haue affaied a thoufand meanes, and fo many wayes, to caft him 
 of and to blot him out of my remembraunce : but, alas ! vnhappie 
 caytife, fortune is fo froward and fo vnmercifull to my endeuour, 
 as the more I labour and go aboute to extinguiftie in me, the 
 memorie of his name and commendable vertues, fo much the more 
 I do enlarge and augmente them, the flames of which loue do take 
 VOL. I. R 
 
2 S 8 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 fuch increafe^ as I do litle or nothinge efteeme my life without the 
 enioyinge the effedle of my defire, and the tafte of fuche licour, 
 which nourifhing my hope in pleafure, may quenche the fier that 
 doth confume me : otherwife I fee no meanes poflible but that I 
 am conftrayned, either to lofe my good wittes (whereof already I 
 feele fome alienation) or to ende my dayes with extreme anguifhe, 
 and infupportable hartes forowe. Alas^ I know well that I fliall 
 loofe my time^ if I attempt to pray the Emperour my father to 
 giue me Alerane to hufbande^ fith he doth already prafitife a ma- 
 nage betwene the king of Hungarie and me : and alfo that Alerane 
 (although he be a Prince of fo noble bloud and honourable houfe, 
 as the Saxon is) yet he is to bafe to be fonne in lawe to an Empe- 
 rour. In thefe my diftreffeSj it is of you alone, of whom I looke 
 for ayde and counfaile, beinge certaine of your prudence and good 
 iudgement : and therefore I pray you to haue pitie vpon mee, and 
 haue remorfe vpon this immoderate paffion that doth tormente 
 mee beyonde meafure." Radegonde hearing Adelafia difclofe this 
 talke, wherof Ihe would neuer haue thought, was fo confounded 
 and aftoned, that of long time flie could not fpeake a word, 
 holding her head downe, reuoluing a thoufand diuers matters in 
 her minde, knewe not well what to aunfwere the Princefle, Finally 
 gatheringe her fpirites vnto her, fhee aunfwefed her with teares 
 in her eyes, faying: "Alas, madame, what is that you faye ? Is it 
 poflible that the wifeft, vertuous, and mofl: curteous Princefle of 
 Europa could fuffer herfelfe in this fort (through her onely aduife) 
 to be tranfported to her owne affeftions and fenfuall appetites ? 
 Is it well doen that you feing in me, a difcretion and modeftie, doe 
 not imitate the puritie thereof? Be thefe the godly admonicions 
 which heretofore I haue giuen you, that you will fo lightly defile 
 your father's houfe with the blot of infamie, and your felf with 
 eternal reproch ? Would you, Madame, that vpon the ende of my 
 yeares I fhould begin to betraye my Lord the Emperour, who hath 
 committed to my hands the mofl: precious iewell of his houfe ? 
 Shal I be fo vnconftant in mine old dayes to become an vnfliame- 
 faft minlfter of your fonde and fooliflie loue, a thing which I 
 neuer did in the ardent time of youth ? Alas, madame, forget I 
 befeech you this foolifh order, caft vnder your feete this determi- 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 259 
 
 nation wickedly begonne, fuch as to the blemlfhinge of the 
 honourable brightnes of your fame^ maye caufe the ruine of vs all. 
 Follow the counfell of your deare nourice Radegonde, whoe loueth 
 you better than her owne foule. Quenche thefe noifome andjparch- 
 inge flames which haue kindled, and throwen forth their fparkes 
 into your chafte and tender harte. Take heede, I befeech you, 
 that a vaine hope doe not deceiue you, arid a foolifhe defire abufe 
 you. Alas, thincke that it is the parte of a fage and prudente 
 minde, to reftraine the firft motions of euerye paflSon, and to 
 refifte the rage that rifeth in our willes, and the fame very oft by 
 fucceffion of time, bringeth to it felfe to late and noyfome repen- 
 tance. This your thought procedeth not of loue : for bee that 
 thincketh to fuflain himfelfe with venim fugred with that drogue, 
 in the ende he feeth himfelfe fo defperately impoyfoned, as onely 
 death is the remedie for fuche difeafe: a louer truly may be 
 called the flaue of a tyrant mofl: violent, cruell, and bloudie that 
 may be found, whofe yoke once put on, can not be put of, but 
 with painful forrowe and vnfpeakeable difpleafure. Do you not 
 know Madame, that loue and foUie be two pafEons fo like one an 
 other, that they engender like effeftes in the minds of thofe that 
 do poflefle them : in fuch wife as the afFeftion of the paciente 
 cannot be concealed ? Alas, what fhall become of you and him that 
 you loue fo well, if the Emperour do know and perceiue your light 
 and fond determinations. Shew Madame, for God's fake, what you 
 be. Let the ripe fruits of your prudence fo long time tilled, appeare 
 abrode to the worlde : expell from you this vnruled loue, which 
 if you fuffer frankly to enter into your hart, aflure your felfe he 
 wil take fuch holdfafte of the place, that when you thincke to ex- 
 trude the enemie out, it is he that will driue away that fmall por- 
 tion of force and reafon that refleth in you : and then the comfort 
 of your miferies^ wil be the lamentation of your lofl^es, and a 
 folowing repentaunce for that which cannot be by any meanes re- 
 couered." Adelafia burning in loue and fretting with anger, not 
 able to abide contrarie replie to her minde, began to loke furiouflie 
 vppon the Ladie that gave her fuche holfome admonicion, to 
 whom flie faid with more than womanly flgutnes, thefe words : 
 " And what are you, good gentlewoman, that dare fo hardly pre- 
 
2 6o ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 fcribe lawes to Loue that is not fubieft or tied vnto thefantafie of 
 men ? Who hath giuen you commiflion to take the matter fo hote 
 againft that I haue determined to doe, fay you what you can ? 
 No, nOj I loue Alerane and wil loue him whatfoeuer come of it : 
 and fithe I can haue none other helpe at your handes, or meete 
 counfelle for mine eafe and comfort : be aflured that I will endea- 
 uour to finde it in my felfe: and likewife to prouide fo well as I 
 can for mine affaires, that efchewing the alliaunce which the 
 Emperour prepareth, I will liue at hartes eafe with him, whom (in 
 vaine) you go about to put out of my remembraunce : and if fo 
 be I chaunce to fayle of my purpofe, I haue a medicine for my 
 calamities which is death, the lafte refuge of all miferies : which 
 will be right pleafaunt vnto me, ending my life, in the contempla- 
 tion and memorie of the fincere and perfefte loue that I beare to 
 mine Alerane." Radegonde no lefle abalhed, than furprifed with 
 feare, hearinge the refolution of the PrincefTe, could not at the firfl: 
 make any aunfwere, but to make her recourfe to teares, the moft 
 familiar weapons that women haue. Then feing by the counte- 
 naunces of Adelafia, that the paffion had fet in foote to deepe 
 for any to attempt to plucke oute the rootes, from that time forth 
 fhee wiped her eyes, not without euident demonftration (for all 
 that) of her great griefe conceyued, with infinite fighes, turning 
 her face to the Ladie, fhee faid to her with pleafaunter counte- 
 naunce than before : " Madame, fith your mifliap is fuch as 
 withoute Alerane you cannot bee quiet or pacifyed in minde, 
 appeafe your plaintes, wipe awaye your teares, fhew your counte- 
 naunce ioyful, and fetting afide all care, put on good corage, and 
 repofe in mee all your anguifhe and trouble. For I doe promife 
 you and fweare by the fayth that I do owe you Madame, come 
 whatfoeuer fliall vnto me, I will deuife in praftifing your reft 
 to beginne mine owne forow. And then you Ihall fee how much 
 I am your frend, and that the words which I haue fpoken do not 
 proceede els where, but from the defire that I haue to doe you 
 feruice, feeking al wayes poffible your aduauncement." Adelafia 
 at thefe laft words felt fuch a motion in her minde, as much a 
 doe fhe had for the exceeding great ioy and pleafure (he con- 
 ceiued, to ftaie her foule from leapinge forth of that corporall 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 26 1 
 
 prifon (like the fpirite of that Romaine Ladie which once lefte 
 the bodye to defcende into the Elifien fields, to vfe the perfec- 
 tion of her ioy with the bleffed fonles there, when fhe faw her 
 fonne retorne fafe and founde from the battaile of Thrafimene 
 hefides the lake of Perufe, where the Confull Flaminius was 
 ouercome by Hanniball) : but in the ende, the hope to haue that 
 which Radegonde had promifed, made her to receiue hart againe, 
 and to clepe her counfeler, fayinge : " God forbid, deare mother, 
 that the thing you do for me fliould rebound to your mifhap or 
 difcontentmente, fithe the affeftion which you haue confifteth in 
 the onely pitie and conferuation of a poore afflifted maiden. 
 And your defire tendeth to the deliuerance of the moft paffionate 
 PrincefTe that euer was borne of mother : and beleeue that fortune 
 will bee fo fauourable, that what mifchiefe foeuer chaunce, you 
 remayninge without paine, I ihall be fhee that alone fhal beare 
 the penaunce : wherefore once againe I befeech you, (fayd fhee 
 embracinge Radegonde) to bringe that to pafle whereof you giue 
 aflured hope." " Care not you Madame," fayde Radegonde " I 
 trufte within a while to make you proue the eflfefite of my promife : 
 and will caufe you to fpeake vnto him whom you defire fo muche : 
 onely be meerye and forgette thefe ftraunge fafhions, in torment- 
 inge your felfe fo muche before your maides, to the intente that, 
 which hitherto hath bin kepte fecrete, maye not be reueyled to 
 your great Ihame and hinderaunce, and to the vtter ruine and 
 ouerthrow of me." During all this time, Alerane lined in des- 
 paire, and hardy cowardife, for although he faw the amorous 
 geftes of Adelafia, yet he durfl: fixe no certain iudgement of his 
 owne fatiffa6tion, although his harte tolde him, that he was her 
 onely fauoured friend, and promifed him that, which almofl: he 
 feared to thinke, whiche was to haue her one day for friend, if the 
 name of fpoufe were refufed. Thus tormented with ioye and 
 difpleafure, wandering betwene doubt and afluraunce of that he 
 hoped, the felfe fame daye that Adelafia praftifed with Rade- 
 gonde, for the obtaining of her ioye, and fecrete minifterie of her 
 loue, he entred alone into a garden, into whiche the Princeflfe 
 chamber had profpeft, and after he had walked there a good fpace 
 in an Alley, viewing diligently the order of the fruitful trees of fo 
 
262 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 diuers fortes, as there be varietie of colours, within a faire meade, 
 during the verdure of the fpring time, and of fo good and fauor- 
 ours tafte as the harte of man could wyflie : he repaired vnder a 
 Laurel tree fo well fpred and adorned with leaues, about whiche 
 tree you might haue feene an infinite number of Myrtle trees of 
 fmell odoriferous and fweete, of Oringe trees laden with vnripe 
 fruite, of pliable Maftickes and tender Tamerifkes : and there he 
 fetched his walkes a long the thycke and greene herbes, behold- 
 ing the varietie of floures, whiche decked and beautified the place, 
 with their liuely and naturall colours. He then rauiflied in this 
 contemplation, remembring her which was the pleafure and tor- 
 ment of his minde, in fighing wife began to faye : " O that the 
 heauens be not propitious and fauourable to my indeuours : fithe 
 that in the middes of my iolities, I fele a new pleafaunt difplea- 
 fure, which doth adnihilate all other folace, but that which I re- 
 ceiue through the Image painted in my harte, of that diuine 
 beautie, whiche is more varieted in perfeftion of pleafures, than 
 this paradife and delicious place, in varietie of enamel and paint- 
 ing, although that nature and art of man, haue workemanlye 
 trauailed to declare and fet forth their knowledge and diligence. 
 Ah, Adelafia, the faireft Lady of al faire and mofl: excellent Prin- 
 cefle of the earth : is it not poffible for me to feede fo well of the 
 viewe and contemplation of thy heauenly and angelicall face, as I 
 doe of the fight of thefe faire and fundry coloured floures ? may it 
 not be brought to pafl^e that I may fmell that fweet breath which 
 refpireth through thy delicate mouth, being none other thing 
 thanBaulme, Mufke, and aumbre, yea and that which is more pre- 
 cious, and for the raritie and valour hath no name, euen as I do 
 fmell theRofes, Pincks, and Violets, hanging ouer my head,frankely 
 offering themfelues into my handes? Ah, infortunate Alerane, 
 there is no floure that ought to be fo handled, nor fauor, the 
 fweetnefle whereof ought not to bee fented without defert merited 
 before. Ah ! Loue, Loue, that thou haft fixed my minde vpon fo 
 high thinges : alas I feare an oifence fo daungerous, which in the 
 ende will breede my death : and yet I can not withdrawe my 
 harte from that fincke of Loue, although I would force my felfe to 
 expell it from me : alas, I haue red of him fo many times, and 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 263 
 
 haue heard talke of his force^ as I am afraide to boorde him, and 
 yet feare I fhall not efcape his gulfe. Alas, I knowe well it is he, 
 of whom is engendred a litle mirth and laughing, after whiche 
 doth followe a thoufand teares and weapinges, which for a plea- 
 fure that pafleth away fo fone as the whirlewinde, doth giue vs 
 ouer to great repentaunce, the forowe whereof endureth a long 
 time, and fometimes his bitterneffe accompanieth vs euen to the 
 graue. The pacientes that be tainted with that amorous feuer, 
 although continually they dye, yet they can not wholy fee and 
 perceiue the default and lacke of their life, albeit they do wyflie 
 and defire it ftill. But, alas, what mifhap is this that I doe fee 
 the poyfon whiche caufeth my mifchiefe, and doe knowe the waye 
 to remedye the fame, and yet neuertheleffe I can not or will not 
 recouer the helpe: did euer man heare a thing fo ftraunge as a licke 
 man feking helpe and fynding recouerie, fhould yet reiefte it ? " 
 Saying fo, he wepte and fyghed fo piteoufly as a litle chylde 
 threated by his mother the nourice. Then roming vp and downe 
 vppon the grafle, he feemed rather to be a man ftraught and 
 bounde with chaines, than like one that had his wittes and vnder- 
 flianding. Afterwardes being come againe to himfelfe, hee retourn- 
 ed to his firft talke, faying : " But what ? am I more wyfe, more 
 conftant and perfefte, than fo many Emperours, kynges, Princes, 
 and greate lordes, who notwithftanding their force, wifedome, or 
 riches, haue bene tributarie to loue? The tamer and fubduer of 
 monflers and tyrants, Hercules (vanquifhed by the fnares of loue), 
 did not he handle the diftaffe in flead of his mightie mace ? The 
 ftrong and inuincible Achilles, was not he facrificed to the fhadowe 
 of Heftor vnder the colour of loue, to celebrate holy mariage with 
 Polixena, doughter to king Priamus ? The great dictator lulius 
 Caefar, the Conquerour of fo many people. Armies, Captaines, and 
 Kinges, was ouercome with the beautie and good grace of Cleo- 
 patra, Queene of Egipt. Auguftus his fucceflbur, attired lyke a 
 woman, by a yoeman of his chamber, did he not take away Liuia 
 from him that was firft maried vnto her ? and that common enemy 
 of man and of all curtefie, Claudius Nero, appeafed yet fome of 
 his furie for the loue of his Ladie ? What ftraunge things did the 
 learned, wife, and vertuous Monarche Marcus Aurelius indure of his 
 
264 ALERANE AND ADELASIA, 
 
 well beloued Fauftine? and that greateCaptaine Marcus Antonius 
 the very terror of the Romaine people and the feare of ftraung 
 and barbarous nations did homage to the child Cupido for the 
 beautie of Queene Cleopatra^ which afterwardes was the caufe of 
 his vtter ouerthrow. But what meane I to alledge and remember 
 the number of louers, being fo infinite as they be ? Wherefore haue 
 the poetes in time paft fained in their learned and deuine bookes 
 the loues of lupiter, Apollo, and Mars, but that euery man may 
 knowe the force of loue to be fo puiflaunt as the Gods them- 
 felues have felt his force to be inuincible and ineuitable? Ah : if 
 fometimes a gentleman be excufed for abaffing himfelf to loue a 
 woman of bafe birth and bloud, why fhould I bee accufed or 
 apprehended for louing the daughter of the chiefeft Prince of 
 Europe? Is it for the greatneffe of her houfe and antiquitieof her 
 race ? Why, that is all one betwene vs twoo, and toke his original 
 of the place, whereof at this daye, my father is the chiefe and prin- 
 cipal!. And admitte that Adelafia be the doughter of an empe- 
 rour : ah, loue hath no regarde to perfons, houfes, or riches, rather 
 is he of greater commendation whofe enterpryfes are moft famous 
 and haute geftes extende their flight farre of. Now refteth then 
 to devife meanes how to make her vnderfland my payne : for I 
 am aflured that fhe loueth me, fauing that her honour and yong 
 yeres doe let her to make it appeare more manifeft: but it is my 
 propre dutie to make requefte for the fame, confidering her merites 
 and my fmall defertes in refpeft of her perfeftions. Ah : Alerane, 
 thou muft vnlofe the tongue which fo long time hath ben tied vp, 
 through to much fonde and fearful fhame. Set afide the feare of 
 perill, whatfoeuer it be, for thou canft not employe thy felfe more 
 glorioufly than vpon the purfuit of fuche a treafure that femeth 
 to be referued for the fame of thy mind fo highly placed, which 
 can not attaine greater perfeftions, except the heauens do frame 
 in their impreffions a fecond Adelafia (of whom I think dame 
 nature her felfe hath broken the moulde) who can not (hake of 
 Alerane from the chiefefl place, in whom he hath laid the foun- 
 dation of his ioye that he hopeth to finde in Loue." During thefe 
 complaintes, Radegonde, that fawe him rauifhed in that extafie, 
 conie£turing the caufe of his being alone, caufed him to be called 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 26$ 
 
 by a page : who hearing that, was furprifed with a new feare in- 
 termixt with a fecrete pleafure, knowing very well, that flie being 
 the gouerneffe of his lady, vnderftode the greateft priuities of her 
 harte, hoping alfo that fhe brought him gladfome newes, and 
 fetting a good chere vpon his face all mated and confufed for 
 troubles paft, hee repayred to the lady raeflanger, who was no leffe 
 afhamed, for the tale that fhe muft tell, than he was afeard and 
 dombe, by fight of her whom he thought did bring the arefte 
 and determination, either of ioye or of difpleafure. After curtefie 
 and welcoms done betwene them, the lady preambled a certayne 
 fhort difcourfe touching the matter, to do the Saxone Prince to 
 Tnderftande the good will and harty loue of Adelafia towarde 
 him, praying him that the fame might not be difcouered, fith the 
 honor of his lady did confifte in the fecrecie thereof, afluring 
 him, that he was fo in fauour with the Princefle as any true and 
 faithfull louer could defire to be for his content. I leaue to your 
 confideration, in what fodayne ioye Alerane was, hearing fuche 
 gladfome newes whiche he loked not for, and thought he was not 
 able to render fufficient thankes to the meflanger, and much lefle 
 to extolle the beautie and curtefie of his Lady, who without any 
 of his merites done before, (as he thought) had him in fo good re- 
 membraunce. Befeching moreouer Radegonde, that fhe would 
 in his name do humble commendations to his Lady, and therewith 
 to confirme her in the afTuraunce of his perfeft good will, and im- 
 mutable defire, euerlaflingly at her commaundement, onely praying 
 her that he might faye vnto Adelafia three wordes in fecrete, to 
 thintent fhee might perceiue his harte, and fee the afFeftion where- 
 with he defired to obey her al the dais of his life. The mefl^anger 
 afl!ured him of al that he required, and inflrufted him what he 
 had to doe for the accomplifhement of that he loked for, which 
 was, that the next day at night fhe would caufe him to come into 
 her warderobe, which was adioyning to the Chamber of his Lady, 
 to the ende that when her maydes were a bed, he might repaire to 
 the place where he might eafely vifite his maiflreffe, and fay 
 vnto her what he thought good. The compaft thus made, the 
 Lady returned to the PrincefTe, that wayted with good deuotion for 
 the newes of her beloued. And hearing the reporte of Radegonde, 
 
266 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 fhee was not contente that fhe fliould make repeticion of the fame, 
 twife or thrife but a Million of times and euen till nighte, that fhe 
 flept vpon that thought with the greateft reft, that fhe had receiued 
 in long time before. The morrowe at the houre that Alerane 
 fhould come, Adelafia fayning her felf to be ill at eafe, caufed her 
 maydes to goe to bed, making her alone to tarie with her that was 
 the meflanger of her loue, who a litle while after went to feeke 
 Alerane, whiche was a building of Caflels in the ayre, fantafying 
 a thoufand deuifes in his minde : what might befall of that enter- 
 prife he went about : notwithflanding he was fo blinded in folly, 
 as without meafuring the fault which he committed, he thought 
 vpon nothing but vppon the prefent pleafure, which femed to him 
 fo great as the chambre wherein hee was, feemed not fufficient 
 to comprehend the glory of his good houre. But the Princefle 
 on the other part, felte a maruellous trouble in her minde, and 
 almofte repented that fhe had fo hardely made Alerane to come 
 into a place vndecent for her honour, and at a time fo incon- 
 uenient. Howbeit feing that the flone was throwen, fhee pur- 
 pofed not to pretermitte the occafion, which being balde can not 
 eafely be gotten againe if fhe be once let flip. And whiles fhe 
 traueiled in thefe meditations and difcourfed vppon that fhee had 
 to doe, Radegonde came in, leading Alerane by the hande, whom 
 fhe prefented to the Princefle, faying to her with a verie good 
 grace: "Madame, I deliuer you this pryfoner, whom euen nowe 
 I founde here, betwene your chambre and that wherin your 
 maydes lye : now confider what you haue to doe." Alerane in 
 the meane tyme, was fallen downe vpon his knees before his faindl, 
 wholly bent to contemplate her excellent beautie and good 
 grace, which made him as dumbe as an Image. Shee lykewvfe 
 beholding hym that made her thus to erre in her honeftie, forced 
 through fhame and loue, could not forbeare to beholde him, the 
 power of her mynde wholy tranfferred into her eyes, that then 
 yelded contentation of her harte whiche fhee fo long delired. In 
 the ende Alerane holding the handes of Adelafia many tymes did 
 kiffe them, then receiuing courage, he brake of that long filence 
 and began to faye thus: "I neuer thought (madame) that the 
 fight of a thing fo long defired, had bene of fiich effeft, as it 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. ,267 
 
 would haue rauifhed both the mynde and bodye of their propre 
 duties and naturall aftions, if nowe I had not proued it in behold- 
 ing the diuinitie of your beautie mofte excellent. And truely 
 madame Radegonde dyd rightly terme this place here, my pryfon, 
 confidering that of long tyme I haue partly lofte this my libertiej 
 of the whiche I feele nowe an intire alienation : of one thing fure 
 I am, that being your pryfoner as I am in deede, I may make my 
 vaunt and boaft, that I am lodged in the faireft and pleafaunteft 
 pryfon that a man can wyfhe and defire. For which caufe 
 Madame, be wel aduifed how you do vfe and entreate your cap- 
 tive and flaue, that humbly maketh petition vnto you, to haue 
 pitie vpon his weakenefle, which he will accept as a grace vnfpeake- 
 able, if of your accuftomed goodnefle it may pleafe you to receiue 
 him for your owne, for that henceforth hee voweth and confe- 
 crateth his life, goodes, and honour, to your commaundemente 
 and feruice." And faying fo, his ftomake panted with continuall 
 fighes and from his eyes diftilled a ryuer of teares, the better to 
 expreffe and declare the fecret force, that made hym to vtter thefe 
 woordes. Which was the caufe that Adelafia embrafing hym 
 very louingly made aunfwere thus: "I knowe not (Lorde Alerane) 
 what pryfon that is, where the prifoner is in better cafe, than the 
 pryfon of whom he termeth himfelfe to be the flaue, confidering 
 that I fele in me fuch a lofle of my felfe, as I can not tell whe- 
 ther to go, or where to retire, but euen to • him that craueth the 
 fame fredome, whereof I my felfe doe make requefte. Alas, my 
 welbeloued Alerane, into what extremity am I brought : the very 
 great loue that I beare you, forceth me to forget my dutie, and 
 the ligneage wherof I come, yea and mine honor, which is more 
 to bee eflemed than all the refte. But I repofe in you fuch 
 affiance, as you will not deceiue fo fimple a Ladie as I am, vtterly 
 voyde of guyle and deceit. Who, if you be tormented, liueth not 
 without griefe and forrowe altogether like vnto yours. If you 
 doe fighe, I am wholly fpent and confumed in teares. Do you 
 defire refl;e ? Alas : I wifhe and craue the fame vnto vs both, 
 that be now fundred and deuided, whiche can not be aquired 
 except they be vnited which before were wholly feparated." 
 Radegonde interrupting their talke, fmilingly faid : " And how 
 
268 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 can this reparation be combined^ where the parties them felues 
 do liue in fuch difiunftions ? " " You fay true^ madame," faide 
 AleranCj "for the perfection of vnitie confifteth in the knitting 
 of that which is feparated. Wherfore madame (fayd he to Ade- 
 lafia) I humbly befech you, afwel for your comfort as my reft, not 
 to fuffer this diuifion to be to long, fith the outward bound fhall 
 combine the fame fo inwardly, as very death fhall not bee able 
 hereafter to deface or diminifhe the fame." "If I may aflure 
 my felfe," fayde fhe, "of your fidelitie, it fo may come to pafle, 
 as I wold giue you a very great libertie, but hearing tell fo many 
 times of the inconftancie and fickle truft of men, I will be con- 
 tented with my firft fault, without adding any further aggrauation, 
 to faften and binde that, which I do fpecially efteme." " Alas, 
 madame," fayd Alerane, "doe you thinke that the prouf of my 
 fidelitie may receiue greater perfection, by enioying the pleafure, 
 that I hope for than it doth alredy ? No, no, madame, and there- 
 fore be fure of my harte and ftedfaftnefle : for foner fhall my body 
 fayle, than defaulte in me to feme and honor you, if not according 
 to the worthineflfe of your eftate, yet by al meanes, fo farre as my 
 power fhal ftretch. And can you finde in your hart to conceiue, 
 that your Alerane would play the traitour with her, for whofe fer- 
 uice he feareth not to aduenture a thoufand Hues if God had geuen 
 him fo many ? " Adelafia be fprent all with teares, was in an extafy 
 or traunce. Which Alerane perceiuing and faw that Radegonde 
 was gone into the warderobe, to fuffer them to talke their fill, he 
 began to take pofTeffion of her mouthe, redoubling kifTe vpon kiffe, 
 fometimes wafhed with teares, fometime dried vp, with frequent 
 vfe thereof, leaning neither eye nor cheke vnkifTed : and feing the 
 pacience of hisLadye, he feafed vpon her white, harde, and round 
 breaftes, whofe pappes with fighes moued and remoued, yelding a 
 certaine defire of Alerane to pafTe further. Which Adelafia per- 
 ceiuing, difTembling a fwete anger and fuch a chafe as did rather 
 accende the flames of the amorous Prince, than with moifte licour 
 extinguifhe the fame, and making him to geue ouer the enterprife, 
 fhe fiercely fayd unto him : " How now, (Sir Alerane) how dare 
 you thus malapertly abufe this my fecret frendfhip, in fuffering you 
 to come fo frankely into my chamber. Thinke not that although I 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 269 
 
 haue vfed you thus familiarly, that I can be able to fuffer you to 
 attempt any further : for (if God be fauourable to conlerue me in 
 my right wittes) neuer man flial haue that aduauntage to gather 
 the floure of my virginitie, but he with whom I fhall be ioyned in 
 mariage. Otherwyfe I fhall bee unworthy, bothe of my honour- 
 able ftate, and alfo of that man what foeuer he be, worthy of efti- 
 mation and preferrement." " So I thynke to Madame," aunfwered 
 Alerane : for if it woulde pleafe you to doe me that honour, to 
 receiue me for your faythfull and loyall efpoufe, I fweare vnto you 
 by him that feeth and heareth all thynges, that neuer any other 
 fhall bee maiftreffe of Alerane's harte, but the fayre Princefle Ade- 
 lafia." She that a(ked no better, after mutche talke betwene them, 
 in the ende condefcended that Alerane fhould geue his faith to 
 marrie her, and to conuey her out of the Courte, till the Emperour 
 were appeafed for their committed fault. Thus had the Saxon 
 Prince, the full poffeffion of his defires, and carried away the 
 pray fo long time fought for. Radegonde was fhe, that receiued 
 the othes of their efpoufalles, and capitulated the articles of their 
 fecrete mariage. And after the determination made of their 
 flying awaye, and a daye thereunto appointed, the two louers 
 entred the campe, to make proufe by combate of their hardi- 
 neflTe and aflaye of their trauayle in time to come, wherein they 
 thought for euer to perfeuere and continue. Beyng a bedde then 
 together, they did confumate the bande that ftrayghtly doth 
 bynde the harte of louers together, intiring the vnion diuided, 
 whiche before they thought imperfect and could not be accom- 
 plifhed but by inward affeftions of the minde. And God knoweth 
 howe this new maried couple vfed their mutuall contentation : 
 but fure it is, that they continued together vntil the morning had 
 vncouered from the night her darkenes, euen to the point of day, 
 that Alerane was fomoned by Radegonde to depart, who to con- 
 clude his former ioye, very louingly kifled his newe wife, and fayd 
 vnto her : " Madame, the felicitie that I fele nowe, by enioying 
 that which vniteth me fo nerely being indiflbluble and neuer here- 
 after to be broken, femeth fo great that no perill whatfoeuer doth 
 happen, can make me forget the leaft part of my ioye. So it is 
 that feing the ftate of our prefent affaires, and fearing the daun- 
 ger that may chaunce, I will for this time take my leaue of you. 
 
270 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 and goe about to put the fame in order, that no negligence may 
 flacke your ioye and defired pleafure." "Ah, fir," (faith Ihe) 
 "that my harte forethinketh both the heft and worfte of our in- 
 tended enterprife. But to the intent we may proue our fortune, by 
 whofe conduftion we muft pafTe, I doe fubmitte my felfe to the 
 wifedome of your mynde, and to the good fucceffe that hetherto 
 hath accompaignied all your indeuours." And then they kiffed 
 and embraced again, drinking vp one anothers teares, which dis- 
 tilled from them in fuch aboundaunce. Thus Alerane departed 
 from his Ladies chamber, and went home to his owne houfe, where 
 he folde all his goodes at fmall price, making men to vnderftand, 
 that he would employ the money otherwife in things whereof he 
 hoped to recouer greater gaine. With that money he bought pre- 
 cious ftones, and pretie lewels, that he might not be burdened with 
 cariage of to much gold, or other money, and then he put his males 
 and bougets in readineffe to go with his wife, either of them in the 
 habite and apparell of pilgrimes, faire and foftly a foote, that they 
 might not be difcouered: which was done in the night. The Prin- 
 cefle faining her felfe to be ficke, made her maydes to withdrawe 
 themfelues into their chamber, and then fhe went into the garden 
 where Alerane firfte made his plaintes, as you haue heard before : 
 in whiche place her hufbande taried for her. God knoweth whe- 
 ther they renewed their paftime begon the daye of their mariage, 
 but fearing to be taken, they began to playe the comedie, the aftes 
 whereof were very long, and the fcrolle of their miferies to prolixe 
 to carie, before they came to the cataftrope and ende of their co- 
 micall aftion. For leauing their fumptuous and riche apparell, 
 they clothed themfelves with pilgrims attire, taking the fkallop 
 fliell and Itaife, like to them that make their pilgrimage to S. lames 
 in Gallifia. The Princefle toke the perfonage of a yong wench, 
 ruffling her heare whiche fhe had in time paft fo carefully kempt, 
 curled, and trimmed with gold and lewels of ineftimable value, 
 wherein confifteth the chiefefl: grace of the beautie and ornament of 
 the woman. Who is able to deny, but that this naturall humour 
 and paffion, borne fo fone as we, whiche they call Loue, is not a 
 certayne effence and being, the force and vigor whereof, not able 
 to aiaide comparifon .'' Is it no fmall matter, that by the only 
 inftinftion of loue's force, the doughter of fo great a Prince, as 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 27 I 
 
 the Emperour of the Romaines was, fhoulde wander like a vaga- 
 bonde in diflembled tire, and poorely cladde, to experiment and 
 proue the long trauaile of iourneyes, the intemperature of the 
 ayre, the hazarde to meete with fo many theeues and murderers, 
 which wayte in all places for poore paflengers, and moreouer, to 
 feele the bitternefle of trauayle, neuer tafted before, the rage of 
 hunger, the intollerable alteration of thirft, the heate of hotte 
 Sommer, the coldenefle of wynter's yce, fubie£b to raines, and 
 ftormy blaftes: doth it not plainely demonftrate that loue hath 
 either a greater perfection, than other paffions, or els that they 
 which feele that alteration, be out of the number of reafonable 
 men, endued with the brightneffe of that noble qualitie. This 
 fayre Lady recouering the fields with her hufband, with determina- 
 tion to take their flight into Italic, was more ioyfull, frefhe, and 
 lufty, than when fhe liued at eafe amonges the delicates and plea- 
 fures, which fhe tafled in her father's court. See howe fortune 
 and loue are content to be blinde, clofing vp the eyes of them, 
 that followe their trace, and fubdue themfelues to their ediftes, 
 and vnflable difpofitions. And truely this rage of loue was the 
 only meane to dulcorate and make fwete the bitter gal of griefe 
 whiche thofe twoo louers felte, defatigated almofte with tedious 
 trauaile, iudging their wearinefTe a paftime and pleafure, being 
 guided by that vnconftante captaine, whiche maketh dolts and 
 fooles wyfe men, emboldeneth the weake hearted and cowardes, 
 fortifieth the feeble, and to be fliorte, vntieth the purfles and 
 bagges of couetous Carles and miferable Mifers. Nowe whyles 
 our faire pilgrimes, without any vowed deuocion, were abrode at 
 their pleafures (beyng wery with the waye they had traueyled all 
 nighte) the morrowe after their departure, all the Emperour's houfe 
 was in a great burly burly and ftirre for the abfence of Adelafia. 
 Thewayting maydes cried out, and raged without meafure,yvith fuch 
 flirichinges, that the Emperour moued with pitie, although his griefe 
 and anger was great, yet he caufed euery place there aboutes to be 
 fearched and fought, but all that labour was in vaine. In the ende, 
 perceiuing the abfence of Alerane, fufpe6led that it was he that 
 had flolen away his fayre doughter, whiche brought him into fuch 
 paffion and frenfie, as he was like to runne out of his wyttes and 
 
2/2 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 tranfgrefle the bondes of reafon. "Ah, tray tour/' fayd the good 
 Prince, " is this the guerdon of good turnes, beftowed vpon thee, 
 and of the honour thou haft receiued in my company? Do not 
 thinke to efcape fcot free thus without the rigorous iuftice of a 
 father, deferued by difobedience, and of a Prince, againft whom 
 his fubieft hath committed villany. If God geue me lyfe, I wyll 
 take fuch order, as the pofteritie (hall take example by that iufte 
 vengeaunce whiche I hope to take of thee (arrant theefe, and de- 
 fpoyler of my honor and confolation.) And thou vnkynde doughter 
 fhalte fmartely feele the wrong done to thy kynde, and welbeloued 
 father, who thought to prouide for thee, more honourably than thy 
 difloyaltie and incontinencie, fo farre as I fee, doe merite and de- 
 ferue, fythe that without my leaue, and refpeft of thy vocation, 
 thou haft gotten thee a hufband worthy of thy folly, with whom 
 I hope to make thee vnderftand thy fault, and my difpleafure 
 whiche I receiue through thy fhamefull afte, fo reprochfuU, fpe- 
 cially in her which is the doughter of fuch a father as I am, de- 
 fcended of the mofte royall race within the circuit of Europe." 
 Many other things the Emperour fayd, in great rage and furie : 
 and in thendcommaunded,thatonefliouldgointoSaxone,]to knowe 
 if Alerane had conueied his ftolen doughter thither : but he could 
 bring no newes at all from thence. He aflaied then if he could learne 
 any tidinges of them by other meanes,caufing by found of Trumpet 
 to be cried in all the townes confining that if any perfone could 
 bring him worde, or do him to vnderftande certaine and fure newes 
 of thofe twoo fugitiues, he would geue them that, wherewith they 
 ftiould be contented all the daies of their life. But he wan fo 
 much by this thirde ferche, as he did by the firfte twoo. Whiche 
 thing the Maieftie of God, femed to permit and fuffer as wel for 
 the happie fucceffe that chaunced afterwardes, as for the punifh- 
 ing of the rafhe enterprife of two louers, whiche lined not very 
 long in profperitie and ioy, but that they felte the hande of God, 
 who fometime fuffereth the faithfull to fall, to make him acknow- 
 ledge his imbecillitie, to the ende he may confefle, that all 
 health, fuftenaunce, refte, and comfort, is to be attended and looked 
 for at the handes of God. When Alerane and his Lady were 
 gone out of a citie with in the Emperour's lande called Hifpourge 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 373 
 
 being come into a certaine wilde and defert place^ they fell into 
 the lapfe of certaine theues, whiche ftripped Alerane into his fhirte^ 
 and had done as mutch to the poore princeffe, if certaine Mar- 
 chauntes had not come betwene, which forced the theues to flie. 
 Alerane was fuccoured with some clothes to couer his bodie^ and 
 releued with a litle fumme of money, which being fpent, thofe 
 twoo kinges children were conftrained to begge, and afke for God's 
 fake reliefe to fuftaine their infortunate life. Whiche diftrefle 
 was fo difficulte for Alerane to difgeft, as he was like ({landing 
 vppon his feete) to die for forrowe and want, not fo mutch for the 
 aduerfitie whereunto he was brought through his owue fault, as 
 the pitie that he toke vpon his deare beloued Lady, whome he fawe 
 in fo lamentable flate, and knew that fhe might attaine her aun- 
 cient dignitie and honour againe, if fhe lifted to preferre rewarde 
 or prife before his life, for which fhe fpared not the very lafl; drop 
 of her bloud. She knowing the dolor and anguifhe that her hus^ 
 band endured, comforted him very wifely with ioyfuU counte- 
 naunce, faying : " Howe now, deare hufband, thinke you that for- 
 tune is or ought to be flill fauourable to Princes and greate Lordes ? 
 Do you not knowe that great bulkes and Ihippes do foner periflie 
 and drowne in maine feas and riuers amiddes the raging waues and 
 furges, than in narrow floudes and brookes, where the water is 
 Itill and calme ? Doe you not fee great trees, whofe toppes doe 
 rife aloft, aboue high hilles and flepe mountaines, foner fhaken 
 and tofled with bluftering windie blaftes, than thofe that be plant- 
 ed, in fertile dales and low valleis ? Haue you forgotten fo many 
 hifiories, by you perufed and read with fo great delight, when you 
 were in theEmperour's Court? Doe not they defcribe thechaungeof 
 Monarches, the ruine of houfes, the deflruftion of one realme ac- 
 quired, by the eftablifhing and raigne of an other ? What Prince, 
 Monarch or Captaine was euer fo happy, as hath not felt fome 
 griefe and miffortune?- Alas, fweete heart, thinke that God doth 
 chaftife vs with his roddes of tribulation, to make vs to know 
 him : but in the meane time, he kepeth for vs a better fortune 
 that wee looke not for. Moreouer he neuer forfaketh them 
 which with a good heart do go vnto him, hauing their affiaunce 
 in his great goodnefle and infinite mercie." Alerane hearing the 
 
 VOL. I. S 
 
274 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 wife talke of his wife, could not forbear weeping, and fighing aun- 
 fwered her in this maner : "Ah, Lady, in beautie and wifedom in- 
 comparable, it is not the prefent fortune that caufeth my minde 
 to wander and ftraye from the fiege of conftancie, knowing well 
 the qualities and number of fortune's fnares, and how ielous fhe is 
 of humaine ioye and felicitie. I am not ignorant that fhe layeth 
 her ambufhes, and doeth befet the endeuours, foner of perfonages 
 that bee noble and of highe parentage, than of thofe whofe heartes 
 be bafe and vnnoble, and their viftories not able to attain any iote 
 of honour and fame. But, good God, (faide he, embracing his 
 deare beloued fpoufe) it is for you, madame, that I endure tor- 
 mente, hauing made you to abandon the pompe of your eftate, 
 and bereued from you a king to be your hufband, caufing you 
 thus to feele an horrible and new kinde of puniflimente, hunger and 
 famine (I meane) in the middes of the deferts and wilde places, 
 and therewithal! haue ioyned you in companie with an infortunate 
 felowfhippe, who in ftead of comfort and folace, miniftreth teares 
 and fighes. O God, mofl: high and puiflant, howe profounde and 
 darke are thy iudgementes, and howe righteous is thy iuftice. I 
 acknowledge mine offence to be the caufe of thyne anger, and the 
 originall of our trefpaffe, and that this paine chauncheth to vs for 
 our finnes, which haue fo wickedly betraied the befl Prince of 
 the world, and forfaken the companie of him, at whofe bountifuU 
 handes I haue receiued better entertainement and greater honour, 
 than I deferued. Ah, Emperour Otho, that thou art fo well re- 
 uenged nowe, with cowardly fraude and deceipt committed againfl 
 thee by Alerane of Saxone, taking away her from thee, which was 
 the ftaffe and future ftaye of thy reuerend age." And as he was 
 perfeuering in this talke, Adelafia (feeing him in that contempla- 
 tion) plucked him by the arme, faying : " Sir, it is time to con- 
 fider our own affaires : we haue trauailed I can not tell howe farre 
 without refl, me think (our fortune being no better) that we ought 
 to remaine in fome place attending for the grace and mercy of 
 God, who (I hope) wil not forfake vs. They were then in Ligu- 
 ria in the defarts, betweene Aft and Sauonne, a countrie in 
 that time well peopled, and furnifhed with huge and darke 
 forefles, garnifhed with many trees, great and highe. By the 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 275 
 
 aduife then of Adelafia, the Saxone Prince forced by neceflitie (the 
 maiftrelTe of all artes) retired into thofe foreftes where he praftifed 
 the occupation of a Collier, and fome faid that nature taught him 
 the order howe to cutte his woode, to make readie his pittes, and 
 to knowe the feafon and tyme when his coales were burned enough. 
 Great paines he fufteined about his bufinefle, and went himfelf 
 to fell his coaleSj which he bare vpon his fhoulders, to the next 
 market townes, tyll he had gayned fo mutche as bought him an afle, 
 wherewith he dayly trauailed to vtter his coales, and other deuifes 
 which neede had forced him to learne. In this time Adelafia 
 was deliuered of a goodly child, whom they named William. And 
 afterwards, by fucceflion of time, fhe bare fixe fonnes more. For 
 they dwelt almoft xviii. or xx. yeares in that poore and miferable 
 life, and had drefled vp a litle lodging within a caue, that was 
 faire and brode, wherein verye trimly and well they had bellowed 
 therafelues. When the eldeft of their fonnes was growen to the 
 ftature of a pretie ftripling, the father fent him fometime to Sa- 
 uonne, and fometime to Aft, to fell their litle merchandife, for 
 reliefe of their houfhold. But the boy, whofe bloud could not 
 conceale and hide the nobilitie of his birth, hauing one day fold 
 certaine burdens and loades of woode and coale : bought with that 
 money a faire yong hauke, which he caried vnto his father. 
 The good man gently rebuked his fonne/ and faid, that fuche 
 game belonged not to men of their degree, and that they had muche 
 a do to Hue, without employing their money vppon fuch trifles. 
 Long time after, William being arriued to the age of xvi yeares, 
 went to Sauonne, to sell certaine ware by his father's commaunde- 
 ment, and with the money he bought a very fayre fword, which 
 when his father faw, with teares in his eyes, he went afide and faid 
 to himfelfe : " Ah vnfortunate ladde, that thy hard lucke Ihould 
 do thee this great wrong: truely neither the pouertie of thy pa- 
 rentes, nor the place of thy bringinge vp, can deface in thee the 
 fecrete fhining brightnes of thine aunceftors vertue, nor the pre- 
 diftion of thy courage and manhode in time to come, if God giue 
 the grace to aduaunce thee, to the feruice of fome noble Prince." 
 Notwithftanding for that time he ceaflfed not fharply to rebuke 
 and threaten his fonne, in fuch wyfe as the yong man hauing a 
 
276 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 harte greater than his force, determined fecretly to depart from his 
 parentes. Now fortune chaunced fo wel and apt for his purpofe 
 as then and at the verye fame time, the Hongarians were entred 
 Italye to fpoile and robbe the countrie, againfl: whom the Empe- 
 rour marched in greate expedicion, with an huge and goodly armie, 
 of purpofe to force them to leaue his lande in peace. WilHam 
 hauinge Isnowledge hereof, proceeded towarde the Emperour's 
 campe, where hee fhewed in deede great hope (being of fo fmal 
 yeares) of his future valiaunce and proweffe, by the deedes of armes 
 that hee did, during that warre. Which ended and the enemie put 
 to flighte, the Emperour wente into Prouance, to put in order his 
 affaires in his realme of Aries, which then was fubiefte to the Em- 
 pire. Afterwards he retired into Italy with deliberation to feiorne 
 at Sauonne for a certaine time, which difpleafed William nothing 
 at all, becaufe he fliould remaine harde by his parentes, who were 
 very carefull for his well doing, vtterly ignoraunt where he was 
 become. And notwithftanding a hope (what I knowe not) made 
 them expeft of their fonne fom good fortune in time to come, 
 who was now grown great and of goodly perfeftion, one of the 
 mofl; valiaunt fouldiours that were in the wages and feruice of his 
 Maieftie. Which very brauely he declared in a combate, that he 
 fought man to man with an Almaine fouldiour, that was hardy, big 
 made, and feared of all men, whom neuertheleffe he ouercame in 
 the prefence of the Emperor his graundfather. Who, I know not 
 by what natural inclination, daily fixed his eye vpon that yong 
 champion, and began to bear him more good will than anye other 
 in his courte, which was an occafion, that an auncient gentleman, 
 ferving in the Princes Courte, ftedfaflly beholding the face, beha- 
 uiour and countenaunce of William, feemed to fee a pifture of the 
 Emperour when he was of his age, which was more exaftlye viewed 
 by diners other, that were broughte vp in their youth with Otho. 
 Wherof being aduertifed, he caufed the yong man to be called 
 forth, of whom he demaunded the names of his parentes, and the 
 place where hee was borne. William that was no lefTe curteous, 
 humble and welmanered, than wife, valiant and hardie, kneeled 
 before the Emperour with a floute countenaunce, refemblinge the 
 nobilitie of his aunceftours, anfwered : " Mofl facred and re- 
 
ALERANE 'AND ADELASI A. 277 
 
 nowmed Emperour, I haue nothinge whereof to render thanckes to 
 fortune, but for the honour that your Maieftie hath done vnto me, 
 to receiue meeinto your noble feruice. For the fortune and con- 
 dition of my parentes, be fo bafe, that I blufhe for fliame to de- 
 clare them vnto you. Howbeit being your humble feruaunte, and 
 hauing receiued fauour of your maieftie, not commonly emploied, 
 your commaundement to tell you what I am, I will accomplifli as 
 well for my bounden dutie, wherewith I am tied to your maieftie, 
 and to fatiffie that which it pleafeth you to commaund me. Be 
 it knowen therefore vnto your maieftie, that I am the fonne of two 
 poore Almaines, who flying their owne countrie, withdrew them- 
 felues into the defarts of Sauonne, where (to beguile their hard 
 fortune) they make coals, and fel them, to fuftaine and relieue 
 their niiferable life : In which exercife I fpent all my childhod, 
 although it were to my great forowe. For my hart thought (Sir) 
 that a ftate fo vile, was vnworthy of my coragious minde, which 
 dailye afpired to greater thinges, and leauing my father and mo- 
 ther, I am come to your feruice, to learne chiualry and vfe of armes, 
 and (mine obedience faued to your maieftie) to find a way to il- 
 luftrate the bafe and obfcure education, wherein my parents haue 
 brought me vp." The Emperour feinge the courteous behauiour 
 of the yonge man, by this wife aunfwere, remembring the fimili- 
 tude of his face, which almofte refembled them both, fufpefted 
 that he was the fonne of Alerane and his doughter Adelafia, whoe 
 for feare to be knowen, made themfelues citizens of thofe defertes, 
 albeit that William had told him other names, and not the proper 
 appellations of his father and mother. For which caufe his hart 
 began to throbbe, and felte a defire to fee his doughter, and to 
 cheriftie her with like affeftion, as thoughe he had neuer conceiued 
 offence and difpleafure. He caufed then to be called vnto him a 
 gentleman, the nere kinfmanne of Alerane, to whom he faid with 
 merie countenaunce and ioyful cheere: "You do know as I 
 thincke, the wrong and difpleafure that your cofin Alerane hath 
 done me, by the rape and robberie committed vppon the perfon of 
 my doughter : you are not ignoraunt alfo of the reproch wherwith 
 he hath defiled all your houfe, committed a felonie fo abhominable 
 in my courte, and againfte mine owne perfon, which am his fo- 
 
2/8 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 ueraigne Lorde. Notwithftanding, fith it is the force of Loue^ that 
 made me forget him till this time, rather than defire of difpleafure, 
 I am very defirous to fee him, and to accepte him for my fonne in 
 lawe, and good kinfman, verye willing to aduaunce him to that 
 eftate in my houfe, which his degree and bloud do deferue. I tell 
 you not this without fpeciall purpofe. For this yong fouldiour, 
 which this daye fo valiantly and with fuch dexteritie vanquifhed hys 
 aduerfary, by the confente of all men, which haue knowen me 
 from my youth, doth reprefente fo well my figure and lineamentes 
 of face, which I had when I was of his age, as I am perfuaded, 
 and do ftedfaftly beleeue, that he is my neuew, the fonne of your 
 cofin Alerane and my doughter Adelafia. And therefore I will 
 haue you to goe with this yonge man, into the place where hee 
 fhall bring you, and to fee them that be his parents, becaufe I pur- 
 pofe to do them good, if they be other than thofe whom I take them. 
 But if they be thofe two that I fo greatly defire to fee, doe mee 
 fo much pleafure as I may fatiffie my hart with that contentation, 
 fwearing vnto you by the crowne of my Empire, that I will do no 
 worfe to them, nor otherwife vfe them, than mine own proper 
 perfon." The gentleman hearing the louing and gentle tearmes of 
 the Emperour, faide vnto him : "Ah, fir, I render humble thankes 
 vnto your maieftie, for the pitie that you haue, vpon our difho- 
 nored race and ligneage of Saxone, dedecorated and blemifhed 
 throughe Alerane's trefpafle againft you. I pray to God to re- 
 compence it (we being vnable) and to giue you the ioye 
 that you defire, and to mee the grace that I may do some 
 agreeable feruice both in this and in all other things. I am readie 
 (Sir) not onely to go feeke my cofin (if it be he that you thincke 
 it is) to carie vnto him thofe beneficiall newes which your maieftie 
 hath promifed by word, but rather to render him into your hands, 
 that you may take reuengement vppon him for the iniurie that 
 he hath done to the whole Empire." " No, no," faid the Emperour, 
 " the defired time of reuenge is pafte, and my mallice againfl; Ale- 
 rane hath vomited his gall. If in time paste I haue thrilled to 
 purfue the ruine and ouerthrowe of thofe two offenders, nowe I 
 goe about to forfee and feeke their aduauncement and quiet, con- 
 fidering the longe penaunce they haue taken for their fault, and 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 279 
 
 the fruite that I fee before mine eyes, which is fuch that it maye 
 by the fmell and fragrant odour thereof, fupporte the weakneffe 
 and debilitie of my olde yeares, and conftraineth mee (by the ver- 
 tue thereof) to haue pittie vpon his parents, which (through their 
 owne ouerthrowe) haue almoft vtterly confumed me." Thofe 
 words ended the good Prince gaue euident teftimonie of defire to 
 fee his onely do-ughter, by the liuely colour that rofe in his face, 
 and by certaine teares running downe along his hoare and froftie 
 beard. Then he caufed William to come before him, and com- 
 maunded him to conduft the gentleman to that part of the foreft 
 where his father dwelled. Whereunto the yonge man readily 
 and with all his harte obeyed. Thus the Lorde Gunforde (for fo 
 was Alerane's cofin called) accompanied with his litle cofin, and 
 manye other gentlemen, went toward the place, wher the collier 
 princes remained. And when they were neere the craggie caue, 
 the lodging of Alerane, the whole companie lighted of their horfe, 
 and efpied him bufie about the lading of his coales to fende to 
 Aft. For the arriuall of the Emperour to Sauonne, ftaied Alerane 
 from going thither himfelfe, by reafon his confcience ftill grudged 
 for his fault committed againft him. Alerane feing this goodly 
 companie, was abafhed, as though homes had fodenly ftarted out 
 of his head, and yet the fighte of his fonne richly furniftied, and 
 in the company of Gunfort his cofin, did more aftonne him. For 
 he fufpe£ted incontinentlye that hee was difcouered, and that the 
 Emperour had fente for him to be reuenged of the faulte fo long 
 time pafte committed. And as he had imagined diuers thinges 
 vppon his harde fortune within his fancie, his fonne came to em- 
 brace him vppon his knees, and to kifle his hands, with an honeft 
 and humble reuerence, faying to Gunfort: "Sir, this is he of 
 whom I told the Emperour, and of him I toke my being : This is 
 my father." All this while the good father embraced his fonne 
 very hard, and weeping for extreme ioy, faid vnto him: "Alas, 
 my fonne, if thy comming be fo happie vnto mee as it is ioyfull, 
 if thy newes be good and profperous, which thou bringeft : thou 
 doeft reuiue thy father half deade, and from lamentable defpaire 
 thou doeft repleniflie and fill him with fuche hope, as one day fhall 
 be the ftaie of his age, and the recouery of his greateft lofles." 
 
2 8o ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 The fonne not able to abide the difcourfe of his parents affaires, 
 could not comprehend any thing at that pitiful meting : but ftode 
 ftil fo aftonned, as though he had bin fallen from the clouds. 
 Now during this time, that the father and the fonne thus welcomed 
 one an other : Gunfort toke heede to al the countenaunce and ges- 
 tures of Alerane. There was no part of the collier's bodie that he 
 forgat to view : and yet remembring the voyce of his cofin, and 
 feing a wound that he had in his face, was fure that it was hee. 
 And then with his amies ftretched forth he came to clepe Alerane 
 about the necke, whom he made to loke redde with his warme 
 teares, faying : " Ah : Alerane, the prefent torment now, but in 
 time pafl;, the pleafaunce reft, of oure race. What eclipfe hath fo 
 longe obfcured the fhining funne of thy valiaunt prowefle ? why 
 hafte thou concealed fo longe time, thy place of retire from him, 
 which defired fo much thine aduauncement ? Haft thou the harte 
 to fee the teares of thy cofin Gunfort running downe from his eies 
 vppon thy necke, and his armes embracinge thee with fuch loue 
 and amitie, as he cannot receiue the like, except he be fomething 
 moued by thee, in feing thy louing entertainment? Wilt thou 
 denie that, which I knowe, by a certaine inftinct and natural! 
 agreement, which is, that thou art Alerane the fonne of theDuke of 
 Saxone, and fo renowmed throughout all Germany? Doeft thou 
 pretende (throughe thine owne miffortune fo rooted in thy harte 
 by liuinge in thefe wildernefle) to depriue thy fonne of the honor, 
 which the heauens and his good fortune haue prepared for him ? 
 Ah cruel and pitilefle father, to fuffer thy progenie to be buried in 
 the tombe of obliuion, with eternall reproche. O vnkinde kinfman 
 toward thy kindred, of whom thou makeft fo fmall accompte, that 
 wilt not vouchfafe to fpeake to thy cofin Gunfort, that is com 
 hither for thy comfort, and the aduauncement of thy familie." 
 Alerane fore afhamed, as well for the remembrance of his auncient 
 fault, as to fee himfelfe in fo poore eftate before the eraperour's 
 gallants, anfwered Gunfort, faying: "My Lord and cofin, I be- 
 feech you to beleeue, that want of defire to make my complaint 
 vnto you, and lacke of curtefie to entertaine you, haue not made 
 me to forget my dutie towardes you, being as well my neare kinfe- 
 man, as fuch one to whom I haue done wrong and very great in- 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 28 I 
 
 iurie by offending the Emperour. But you do knowe of what 
 puiffance the prickes of confcience bee, and with what worme 
 ftie gnaweth the harte of them, which feele themfelves culpable of 
 crime. I am (as you faide) the prefent miffehap of our houfe, 
 for the opinion that the Emperour hath conceiued of my folly, and 
 fhal be the reft (if you wil do me fo much pleafure to rid me out 
 of this miferable life) both of you and of the minde of a father 
 iuftly difpleafed againft his doughter, and the quiet of a Prince 
 offended with his fubiefte : for I fweare vnto you by my fayth, 
 that I neuer foe much defired life, as I nowe do couet death, for 
 that I am affured, that I being deade, my poore companion and 
 welbeloued wife, fhall Hue at her eafe, enioyinge the prefence and 
 good grace of her father." "What meane you fo to faye," an- 
 fwered Gunfort, " the Emperour is fo well pleafed and appeafed, 
 as he hath fworne vnto mee to receiue you as his fonne in law, 
 and my Lady your wife as his deare beloued doughter, whom I 
 pray you to caufe to come before vs, or to fignifie vnto vs where 
 fhee is, that I may doe reuerence unto her as to my Princeffe and 
 foueraigne Ladie." William was all amafed, and almoft befides 
 himfelfe, hearing this difcourfe, and thought hee was either in a 
 dreame or els inchaunted, till that Alerane called his wife by her 
 proper name, who was fo appalled to hear the word of Adelafia, 
 that her hart was fodainly attached with terror and feare, when 
 fhe faw fo great a company about her hufband : and then her fonne 
 came to doe his dutie, not as to his mother onely, but as to the 
 doughter of an Emperour, and the wife of a Prince of Saxon. 
 She againe embraced and kiffed him, although fhee was fur- 
 prifed with feare and fhame, and fo moued with that fodaine 
 fighte, as fhe had much a doe to keepe herfelfe from fainting 
 and falling downe betweene the armes of her fonne, and thought 
 that fhe had paffed the place where Gunfort was, who going 
 towarde her, after his reuerence and deutie done, made her vnder- 
 ftand the charge hee had, and the good will of the Emperour, 
 which determined to receiue her againe with fo good order and 
 entertainement as might be deuifed. Which earneft words made 
 them to refolue vppon the proufe of fortune, and to credite the 
 promifes that Gunfort made them in the Emperour's behalfe. 
 
282 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 Thus they forfoke the Caue, their Coales and fornaces, to reenter 
 their former delightes and pleafures. That nighte they lodged at 
 a village not farre from the forefte^ where they tarried certaine 
 dayeSj to make apparell for thefe ftraunge Princes, and so wel as 
 they could to adorne and furnifh Adelafia, (who being of the age 
 almofl: of xxxiv. or xxxv. yeares, yet manifefted some part of the 
 perfedtion of that deuine beautie, and modefl: grauitie, which once 
 made her marueilous and finguler aboue all them that liued in her 
 dayes.) In the time that this royle company had furnifhed and 
 prepared themfelues in readineffe, Gunfort fente a gentleman of 
 that troupe toward the Emperour, to aduertife him of the fuccefle 
 of their iourney, Wherof he was exceeding ioyful, and attended 
 for the comming of his children, with purpofe to entertaine them 
 in louing and honourable wife. When all thinges were in readi- 
 neffe and the traine of Adelafia in good order, according to the 
 worthines of the houfe whereof fhe came, they rode toward Sauonne, 
 which iourney feemed to them but a fport, for the pleafure mixte 
 with compaffion that eche man conceiued, in the difcourfe that 
 Alerane made vpon his miffortunes and chaunces, as well in his 
 iourneis, as of his abode and continuaunce in the defarts. Which 
 William calling to remembraunce, praifed God, and yelded him 
 thanckes for that it had pleafed him to infpire into his minde, the 
 forfaking of his parentes, confidering that the fame onely fault, 
 was the caufe of their reftitution, and of his aduauncement and 
 glorie, being the fonne of fuch a father, and the neuew of fo great 
 a Monarche. The fame of whofe name made all men quake and 
 tremble, and who then had commaunded all the troupe of the Gen- 
 tlemen of his Court, to go and feeke the forlorne louers, fo long 
 time loft and vnknowen. To be fhort, their entrie into Sauonne, 
 was fo royal and triumphant, as if the Emperor himfelf would haue 
 receiued the honour of fuch eftate, and pompe. Which he com- 
 maunded to be done as well for the ioy that he had recouered the 
 thing, which he accompted loft, as to declare and acknowledge to 
 euery wight, that vertue cannot make herfelfe better knowen : than 
 at that time, when the aftions and deedes of great perfonages be 
 femblable in raritie and excellencie to their nobilitie. For a 
 Prince is of greater dignitie and admiration than he commonly 
 
ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 283 
 
 flieweth hitnfelfe, which can neuer enter into the heade of the 
 popular fort, who waie the afFeftions of other with the balance of 
 their owne rude and beaftly fanfies. As the Greeke poet Euri- 
 pides in his tragedie of Medea, doth fay : 
 
 III luck and chaunce thou muft of force endure, 
 Fortune's fickle flay needs thou miift fyflaine : 
 To grudge therat it looteth not at all, 
 Before it come the witty wife lefure: 
 By wifedom's lore, and counfell not in vaine, 
 Tofhun and eke auoyde. The whirling ball. 
 Of fortune's threat es, thefage may well rebound 
 By good for efght, before it light on ground. 
 
 The Emperour then hauing forgotten, or wifely diflembling 
 that which he could not amende, met his doughter and fonne in 
 lawe at the Palace gate, with fo pleafaunt cheere and ioyfull 
 countenance, as the like long time before he did not vfe. Where 
 Alerane and Adelafia being light of from their horfe, came to 
 kifle his handes (and both vppon their knees) began to frame an 
 oration for excufe of their fault, and to pray pardon of his ma- 
 ieftie. The good Prince rauifhed with ioy, and fatiffied with 
 repentaunce, flopped their mouthes with fweete kifles and hard 
 embracings. "O happie ill time (faid he) and forowful ioy, 
 which now bringeth to me a pleafure more great than euer was 
 my heauy difpleafure. From whence commeth this my plea- 
 faunt ioye ? O wel deuifed flight, by the which I gaine that (by 
 preferuinge my lofle once made and committed) which I neuer 
 had : if I may fay fo, confidering the ornament of my houfe, and 
 quietneffe of my life." And faying fo, hee kifled and embraced 
 his litle neuewes, and w'as loth that Adelafia fliould make reherfall 
 of other talke but of mirthe and pleafure. " For (faid he) it fuf- 
 ficeth me that I haue ouerpafled and fpent the greateft part of 
 my life in heauinefle, vtterly vnwilling to renewe olde fores 
 and wounds." Thus the mariage begon, vnknowen and againfte 
 the Emperour's will, was confummate and celebrated with great 
 pompe and magnificence, by his owne commaundement, in the 
 Citie of Sauonne, where he made fir William knight, with his 
 
284 ALERANE AND ADELASIA. 
 
 owne hand. Many goodly faftes at the tourney and tllte were 
 
 done and atchieued, whereat William almofl: euery day bare away 
 
 the prife and viftorie, to the great pleafure of his father and 
 
 contentacion of his graundfather, who then made him marques of 
 
 Monferrat. To the fecond fonne of Alerane, he gaue the Mar- 
 
 quifat of Sauonne, with all the appurtenances and iurisdiftions 
 
 adioyning, of whom be defcended the Marquefes of Caretto. The 
 
 third he made Marques of Saluce, the race of whom is to this 
 
 daye of good fame and nobilitie. Of the fourth fonne fprange 
 
 out the original of the houfe of Cera. The fifte was Marques of 
 
 Incife, whofe name and progeny Hueth to this daye. The fixt 
 
 fonne did gouerne Pouzon. The feuenth was eflablifhed Senior 
 
 of Bofco, vnder the name and title of Marques. And Alerane was 
 
 made and conftituted ouerfeer of the goods and dominions of his 
 
 children, and the Emperor's Lieutenaunt of his poffeffions which 
 
 he had in Liguria. Thus the emperoure by moderatinge his pas- 
 
 fion vanquifhed himfelfe^ and gaue example to the pofteritie to 
 
 purfue the offence before it do take roote : but when the thinge 
 
 cannot be correfted, to vfe modeftie and mercie which maketh 
 
 kinges to Hue in peace, and their Empire in afluraunce. Hauinge 
 
 taken order with all his affayres in Italye, hee tooke leaue of his 
 
 doughter and children, and retired into Almaine. And Alerane 
 
 liued honourably amonges his people, was beloued of his father 
 
 in lawe, and in good reputacion and fame, arriued to old yeares, 
 
 ftill remembring that aduerfitie oughte not to bring us to difpaire, 
 
 nor profperitie to infolencie or ill behauiour, and contempt of 
 
 thinges that feeme fmall and bafe, lithe there is nothing vnder 
 
 the heauens that is flable and fure. For he that of late was great 
 
 and made all men to floupe before him, is become altogether 
 
 fuch a one as though he had never beene, and the poore humble 
 
 man aduaunced to that eftate, from whence the firfle did fall and 
 
 •was depofed, makinge lawes fometimes for him, vnder whom he 
 
 liued a fubieft. And behold of what force the prouidence of God 
 
 is, and what poife his balance doth containe, and how blame 
 
 worthy they be that referre the effe£les of that deuine counfel to 
 
 the inconftant and mutable reuolucion of fortune that 
 
 is blinde and vncertaine. 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 285 
 
 THE FORTY-FIFTH NOUELL. 
 
 The Duchejfe of Sauoie, leing the kinge of England' s^er, was in 
 the Duke her hufhandes abfence, vniuftlye accufed of adulterie, 
 by a nolle man, his Lieutenaunte : and fhoulde haue leene put 
 to death, if ly the prowejfe and valiaunt comhate of Don lohn di 
 Mendozza, {a gentleman of Spaine)fhe had not leene deliuered. 
 With a difcourfe of maruelous accidentes, touchinge the fame, to 
 theflnguler praife and commendation of chafle and honeji Ladies. 
 
 LouE commonly is counted the greateft paffion amongs all the 
 moft greuous, that ordinarily do aflault the fprites of men^ which 
 after it hath once taken hold of anye gentle fubiefte, followeth the 
 nature of the corrupt humour^ in thofe that haue a feauer, which 
 taking his beginning at the harte, defperfeth it felfe incurablye, 
 through all the other fenfible partes of the bodie : whereof this 
 prefent hiftorie giueth vs amplie to vnderftand, being no lefle 
 maruelous than true. Thofe that haue read the aunciente hiftories 
 and chronicles of Spaine, haue fene in diners places the occafion 
 of the cruell ennimitie which raigned by the fpace of xl. yeares, 
 betweene the houfes of Mendozza and Tolledo, families not onely 
 righte noble and aunciente, but alfo moft aboundante in riches, 
 fubie£les and feignories of all the whole realme. It happened 
 one day that their armies being redie to ioyne in battaile, the 
 Lord lohn of Mendozza chief of his armie, a man much commend- 
 ed by al hiftories, had a widow to his fifter, a very deuout Lady, 
 who after fhe vnderftode the heauie newes of that battaile, falling 
 downe vppon her knees, praied God inceffauntly, that it would 
 pleafe him to reconcile the two families together, and to make an 
 ende of fo manye mifchiefes. And as flie vnderftode that they 
 were in the chiefeft of the conflifte, and that there were a greate 
 nomber flaine on both partes, fhe made a vow to God, that if her 
 brother retorned viftorious from that enterprife, fhe would make 
 a voyage to Rome on foote. The ouerthrowe fell (after much 
 bloudfliead vpon them of Tolledo. Mendozza brought away the 
 viftorie, with the lefle lofl!e of his people. Wherof Ifabell ad- 
 uertifed, declared vnto her brother the vow that fhe had made. 
 
286 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 Which feemed very ftraung vnto him, fpecially how fhe durft 
 enterprife fo longe a voyage on foote, and thoughte to turne her 
 purpofe^ howbeit fhe was fo importunate vppon him, as in the 
 ende hee gaue her leaue, with charge that fhe fhould go wel ac- 
 companied and by fmall iourneis, for refpedl of her health. The 
 Ladie Ifabell being departed from Spaine, hauing trauerfed the 
 mountaines Pirenees, pafled by Fraunce, went ouer the Alpes, 
 and came to Thurin, where the Duke of Sauoye had then for wyfe, 
 a lifter of the kinge of Englande, whoe was bruted to be the faireft 
 creature of the wefte partes of the world. For this caufe the Lady 
 Ifabel defired greatly in paffing by to fee her, to know whether 
 truth did aunfwere the great renowne of her beauty. Wherein 
 fhe had fortune fo fauourable, that entring into Thurin, fhe found 
 the Duchefle vpon her Coche, goinge abroade to take the ayre of 
 the fields : which the Lady Ifabell vnderftandinge, ftayde to behold 
 her, being by fortune at that prefent at the doore of her Coche. 
 And then with great admiration, confidering the wonderfull 
 beautie of that princeffej iudging her the chiefeft of beautie of 
 al thofe that fhe had euer feene, fhe fpake fomewhat loude in the 
 Spanifh tongue, to thofe of her companie, in this maner : " If 
 God woulde haue permitted that my brother and this PrincefTe 
 might haue married together, euery man might well haue faid, 
 that there had bin mette the mofte excellente couple for perfeftion 
 of beautie, that were to be found in all Europa." And her wcdes 
 in deede were true : for the Lord Mendozza was euen one of the 
 faireft knightes that in his time was to be found in all Spaine. 
 The Duchefle whoe vnderftoode the Spaniflie tongue very well, 
 pafEng forth, behelde all that companie : and fayninge as thoughe 
 fhee had not vnderftande thofe woordes, thoughte that fhee furely 
 was fome greate Lady. Wherefore when fhee was a litle pafte 
 her, fhe faide to one of her pages : " Marke whether that ladye 
 and her companye go to their lodging, and fay vnto her, that I 
 defire her, (at my returne) to come and fee mee at my Caftell." 
 Which the page did. So the Duchefle walking a long the riuer of 
 Poo, mufed vppon the words fpoken by the Spanifhe Ladye, which 
 made her not longe to tarie there, but toke the waye backe againe 
 to her Caftel, where being arriued, fhe founde the Lady Ifabell, 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 287 
 
 who at theDucheffe requeft^ attended her with her company: and 
 after dutiful reuerencej the DuchefTe with like gratulacionj receiued 
 her very courteoufliej taking her a part, and demaunding her of 
 what prouince of Spaine fliee was, of what houfe, and what 
 fortune had brought her into that place. And then the Lady 
 Ifabell made her to vnderftand, from the beginninge, the occafion 
 of her long voyage, and of what houfe fhe was : the duchefle 
 vnderftanding her nobilitie, excufed her felfe, for that fhee had 
 not done her that honour which fhee deferved, imputinge the 
 faulte vpon the ignorance of her eftate. And after diuers other 
 curteous communications the Ducheffe prefled her to know 
 whereunto the wordes tended that fhee had fpoken of her, and of 
 the beautie of her brother. The Spaniflie lady fomewhat abaflied, 
 faide vnto her : " Madame, if I had knowen fo much of your 
 fkill in our tongue, as now I do, I would haue beene better 
 aduifed before I had foe exalted the beautie of my brother, 
 whofe praife had beene more commendable in the mouth of an- 
 other: yet thus much I dare affirme (without affeftion be it 
 fpoken), as they that know him can report, that hee is one of the 
 comlieft Gentlemen that Spaine hath bredde thefe twenty yeares. 
 But of that which I haue faide touching your beautie, if I haue 
 offended, muche a doe fhall I haue to get the fame pardoned, 
 becaufe I cannot repent mee, nor fay otherwife, except I fhould 
 fpeake contrary to truth. And that durfte I enterprife to be veri- 
 fied by yourfelfe, if it were poffible that nature for one quarter of 
 one houre onelye had tranfported into fome other that which with 
 right great wonder fhe fheweth to be in you." Wherunto the 
 DuchefTe to the ende fhee woulde feeme to excufe her prayfe, aun- 
 fwered with a litle bafhfulnes, which beautified much her liuely 
 colour, faying: "Madame if you continue in thefe termes, you 
 will conflraine me to thincke, that by chaunging of place you haue 
 alfo chaunged your iudgemente : for I am one of the leafie to be 
 commended for beauty of all this lande, or els I will beleeue that 
 you haue the beautie and valour of my Lorde your brother foe 
 printed in your minde, as all that whiche prefenteth it felfe vnto 
 you, hauinge anye apparaunce of beautie, you meafure by the 
 perfection of his." And at that inflante the Ladie Ifabell, whoe 
 
288 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 thoughte that the ducheffe had taken in euill parte the compa- 
 rifon that fhe had made betweene her brother and her, fomwhat 
 in choler and heate, faid vnto her : " Madame, you fliall pardon 
 mee for that I haue fo much forgotten my felfe, to prefume to 
 compare your beautie to his : whereof if he be to be commended, 
 yet I maye well be blamed, being his fifter, to publifhe the fame 
 in an vnknowen place : notwithftanding, I am wel aflured, that 
 when you fliall fpeake, euen with his enemies, that yet befides 
 his beautie, they will well afliire him to be one of the gentlefl: 
 and beft condicioned gentlemen that liueth." The DuchefTe fe- 
 inge her in thefe alterations, and fo aifefted to the praife of her 
 brother, toke great pleafure in her fpeach, and willingly woulde 
 haue had her to pafle further, had it not bin for feare to offende 
 her, and to put her in a choler. And to thintent to turne her 
 from that matter, flie commaunded the table to be couered for 
 flipper, where fhe caufed her to be ferued honourably of all the 
 moft delicate and moft exquifite meates that were poflible to be 
 gotten. Supper done, and the tables vncouered, after they had 
 a little talked together, and that it was time to withdrawe them- 
 felues, the Duchefle the more to honor her, would that flie fhould 
 lodge in her chamber with her, where the pilgrime (wearied with 
 the way) toke very good reft. But the Duchefle pricked with the 
 ftrange talke of the Lady Ifabell, hauing a hammer working in 
 her head, could not fleepe. And had fo wel the beauty of the 
 unknowen knight graued in the bottom of her hart, as thinking 
 to clofe her eyes, flie thought that he flew continuallye before her 
 like a certaine fanfie or fliadowe. In forte, that to know further 
 what he was, flie would gladly haue made greater inquirie. Then 
 fodainlye after a little fliame and feare intermingled with a cer- 
 tain womanhoode longe obferued by her, and therewithall the 
 fidelitie which fliee bare to the Duke her hufbande, prefentinge 
 it felfe before her, fliee buried altogether her firft counfell which 
 died and tooke ende, euen fo fone almofte as it was borne. And 
 fo tofled with an infinite number of diuers thoughtes pafled the 
 night, vntill the daye beginning to lighten the world with his 
 burning lampe, conftrained her to ryfe. And then the Lady Ifabel, 
 ready to departe, went to take leaue of the Duchefle, who willingly 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 289 
 
 would haue wifhed that flie had neuer fene her, for the newe 
 flame that {he felt at her harte. Neuerthelefle, diflembling her 
 euill, not able to holde her any longer, made her to promife by 
 othe, at her retourne from her voyage, to repafle by Thurin, and 
 after fhe had made her a very liberall offer of her goodes, taking 
 her leaue, fhe left her to the tuicion of God. Certaine dayes after 
 the departing of the Spanifh lady, the DuchefTe thinking to 
 quenche this new fier, the fame began further to flame, and the 
 more that hope failed her, the more did defire encreafe in her. 
 And after an infinite number of fundrie cogitacions, Loue got the 
 vidtorie. And fhe refolued with her felfe in the ende, whatfoeuer 
 might come thereof, to communicate her caufe to one of her beloued 
 damfels called Emilia, and to haue her aduife, in whom fhe 
 wonted to repofe her trufl in all her fecrete affaires, and caufing 
 her to be called for fecretely, fhe faid vnto her : " Emilia, I beleue 
 that if thou haft taken any good heede to my auncient maner 
 of behauiour, euer fince I departed from England, thou hafte 
 knowen me to be the very ramper and refuge of all afflifted per- 
 fons. But now my deftenies be turned contrarie. For I haue 
 nowe more neede of counfel than any other lining creature, and 
 hauing no perfon about me worthy to be priuie of my miffortune, 
 but thou, my firft and laft refuge is to thee alone: of whom I 
 hope to receiue confolation in a matter whiche toucheth me no 
 lefTe than my life and honour." And then the DuchefTe declared 
 vnto her priuily, how fince the departing of the Lady Ifabell fhe 
 had had no refte in her minde, and how fhe was enamoured of 
 a knight whome fhe neuer fawe, whofe beautie and good grace 
 had touched her fo nere, as being altogether vnable any longer to 
 refifte her mifhap, fhe knew not to whom to haue recourfe, but 
 to the fidelitie of her counfell : adding thereunto for conclufion, 
 that fhe loued him not difhoneftly, or for hope fhe had to fatiffie 
 any lafciuious appetite, but onely to haue a fight of him : whiche 
 (as fhee thought) would bring unto her fuch contentation,as ther by 
 her grief fhoulde take ende. Emilia who euer loued her maiftrefle 
 as fhe did her owne heart, had great compaffion vpon her, when 
 fhe vnderftode the light foundation of her ftraunge loue : neuer- 
 thelefTe defiring to pleafe her euen to the laft point of her life, 
 
 VOL. I. T 
 
290 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 file faid vnto her: "Madame if it wil pleafe you to recreate your 
 felfe from thefe your forrowes^ and to refpite me onely twoo dayes, 
 I hope to prouide by fome good meanes that you flial fliortly fee 
 him who vndeferuedly doth worke you all this euill." The 
 Duchefle nourifhed with this hope, defired her efFeftually to 
 thinke vppon it : promifing vnto her, that if her woordes came to 
 good effeft, flie would make her fuch recompence as fhe her felf 
 fhould confefTe (he had not done pleafure to an ingrate or vn- 
 thankefull woman. Emilia which had the brute to be one of the 
 mofte fubtile and fharpe witted dames of all Thurin, flept not 
 during the time of her prefcription. But after flie had fearched 
 an infinite number of meanes to come to that which flie defired, 
 there was one that femed mofte expedient for that purpofe, and 
 of leaft perill aboue other. And her time of delaye expired, fliee 
 went to Madame the Duchefle, and fayd : " Madame, God knoweth 
 howe many troubles my minde hath fuftayned, and how much I 
 haue ftriued with mine own confcience to fatiffie your com- 
 maundement, neuerthelefle, after I had debated thinges fo fub- 
 ftantially as was poflSble, I coulde deuife nothing more worthy 
 your contente, than that whiche I wyll nowe declare vnto you, if 
 it wyll pleafe you to heare mee. Whiche to be fliort is, that for 
 the execution of this our enterpryfe, it behoueth you to fayne 
 your felfe to be ficke, and to fuffer your felfe to be trayned into 
 fuche maladies as there fliall rather appeare in you token of death, 
 than hope of lyfe. And being brought into fuch extremitie, you 
 fhall make a vowe (your health recouered) to go within a certayne 
 time to Saint lames on pilgrimage, which thing you may eafely 
 obtayne of the Duke your hufljande. And then may you make your 
 voyage liberally with theLadyeIfabell,who will pafl^ethis waye vpon 
 her retourne, without difcouering your affeftion vnto her, and wyll 
 not fayle by reknowledging the curtefie that you haue vfed towardes 
 her in thefe partes, to condufil you by her brother's houfe, wher 
 you may fee him at your eafe, that maketh you to fuffer this 
 great torment. And I will aduertife you furthermore of one thing, 
 which till this time I haue kept clofe, whiche is : that for as mutch 
 as we two togethers cannot without great difficultie accompliftie 
 our bufinefle, it hath feemed good vnto me to know of you, if 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 29 1 
 
 you would that a third perfone ftialbe called hereunto, who is 
 fo much at my commaundement as I dare comit my truft vnto 
 him. It is maifter Fraunces Appian the Millanorj your phifitian, 
 who (to fay the very truth vnto you) hath bene fo affeftioned to 
 mee this yeare or two, as he hath not ceafled by al meanes pof- 
 fible, to Wynne me (but to honeft loue) for he pretendeth to 
 marry me. And becaufe that hetherto I haue made fmall ac- 
 compt of him, and haue not vfed any fauour towards him, nor 
 hitherto any good entertainement, I aflure my felf feing the 
 great amitie that he beareth me, that if I did but fauorably behold 
 him fiue or fixe times with pleafaunt lookes, adding therunto a 
 few kifl!es, he would hazard a thoufand Hues for my fake if he 
 had them, to content me. And for as much as I know him to be 
 a diligent man, learned, and of great reputation, and one that 
 may ftande vs to great fl:ead in this bufines, I thought good not 
 to conceale or kepe from your knowledge my aduife herein." 
 The Duchefle vnderftanding all this pretie difcourfe, fo apt for 
 her affeftions (rauiftied with great ioye) embraced hard Emilia, 
 and faide vnto her: ''Emilia my deare friend, if thou diddeft 
 knowe in what wife I do efteme thee, and what I meane in time 
 to come, to beftowe vpon thee, I am well affured, albeit thou haft 
 hetherto fufficiently fliewed thy good will, yet thou wilt hereafter 
 doe me greater pleafure promifing thee, by the faithe of a Prince, 
 that if our enterprife doe well fucceede, I will not vfe thee as a 
 feruaunt, but as my kinfwoman and the beft beloued frend I 
 haue. For I holde my felfe fo fatiffied with that thou haft fayd vnto 
 me, as if fortune be on our fide, I fee no maner of impediment 
 that may let our enterprife. Goe thy way then, and entertaine 
 thy Phifitian, as thou thinkeft beft, for it is very expedient that 
 he be a partie, and for the reft let me alone : for neuer was there 
 any Lazar that better coulde diflemble his impotencye, than I 
 knowe how to counterfait to be ficke." The Duchefle being de- 
 parted from Emilia, began to plaine her felfe bitterly, faining 
 fometime to fele a certain paine in her ftomack, fometime to haue 
 a difeafe in her head, in fuch fort, as after diuers womanly plaintes 
 (propre to thofe that feele themfelues ficke) fhe was in the end 
 conftrayned to laye her felf downe, and knew fo well howe to 
 
292 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 diflemble her ficknefle^ as (after fhe had certaine dayes kept her 
 bedde) there was mutch doubt of her health. And during this 
 time Emilia had layed fo many amorous baytes to feede her Phi- 
 fitian, that he whiche knewe very well the mofte happy remedies 
 for the body, could not now finde out any that was able to heale 
 the maladie of his owne minde. Emilia hauing nofeled maifter 
 Appian with amorous toyes, began to make him vnderftande the 
 originall of the Duchefle fickeneffe, the effeftes of her paflion, 
 the order that fhe had vfed during the furious courfe of the fame : 
 adding thereunto for conclufion, that if he would keepe the 
 matter fecrete^ and ayde them with his counfell, fhe would by and 
 by promife hym mariage by woordes, for the prefent tyme, and 
 that from thenceforth fhe would neuer denie him any fauour or 
 priuitie. That onely referued which no man can honeflly de- 
 maunde, till the mariage be folempnized in the face of the church. 
 In witnefle wherof fhe kifled him with great affeftion. The Phi- 
 fitian more eafed there withall, than if he had fene his Hippo- 
 crates or Galen, rayfed againe from death, promifed rather to lofe 
 his life than fhe fhould want his helpe. And for the better be- 
 ginning of this enterprife, they wente prefentlye to vifite the 
 Duchefle : in whom they found her pulfe fo to beate, the tongue 
 fo charged, the flomacke fo weakened by continuall fuffocation 
 of the matrice, that the pacient was in verye great perill of death. 
 Whereunto euery man did eafely geue credite for the reputation 
 and great experience of the Phifitian : and maifter Appian hauing 
 commauuded all the chamber to be voyded, made the Duchefle to 
 vnderftande in fewe wordes, how it behoued her to gouerne her 
 felfe. And the better to cloke her caufe, he brought her at that 
 inftant a little perfume, by receiuing the fauour wherof fhe fhould 
 often times fal into certaine litle foundinges, and by vfing the 
 perfume it woulde diminifhe her colour for a time, and make her 
 looke as though fhe had kepte her bed halfe a yeare before : neuer- 
 thelefle it fhould doe her no other difpleafure, and that in three 
 or foure dayes, with certaine other drugges, bee would reftore her 
 colour fo frefhe as euer it was. Whiche counfell the Duchefl!e 
 liked beft of any thing in the world. And they three together 
 played their partes fo wel, as the common brute throughout all 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 293 
 
 the citie was, that the Duchefle was in great daunger of death. 
 The duke being aduertifed of thefe thinges, caufed all the phifi- 
 tians of Thurin to affemble, to prouide for the health of the 
 Duchefle : who being come together, with the Duke into her bedde 
 chamber, a litle after fhe had receiued maifter Appian's perfumes : 
 and feing her to fowne diuers times before them, were in great 
 difpaire of her health. And after they had fomewhat debated the 
 matter with Maifter Appian, not knowing wherupon to refolue, they 
 faid vnto the Duke, that it behoued him to prouide for her foule, 
 for that they faw in her the ordinarie tokens and meflangers of 
 death. The poore Duke being forowfull beyond meafure, for that 
 he loued the Duchefle entierly, fent for the Suffragane of the Biftiop 
 of Thurin, a man of uery holy life, to thintent he might geue her 
 ghoftly councell. To whom flie confefled her felf with a voyce 
 fo feeble, that it feemed to be more than halfe dead. Her talke 
 was not long, but yet fhe made him beleue that nature failed her, 
 and that by litle and litle flie drewe towardes her ende : defiring 
 him to haue her and her poore foule in remembraunce when he 
 made his orifons and praiers. The Suffragan being gone, the Duke 
 and others, with a great numberofGentlemen and Ladies, went into 
 the chamber. But fhe began then to enter into fo great rauing, 
 as euery body was afeard of her. And after that fhe had tofTed 
 her felfe in her bed like a fenfelefTe creature, her fpeach fayled 
 her. Whereat thofe prefent, ftricken with no smal wonder, think- 
 ing the foule would ftraight wayes haue departed the body, fome 
 of them cried vpon her, Madame remember lefus, fom other 
 S. Barbara. But wilie Emilia more priuie of her counfell than 
 the reft, taking her tenderly by the arme, cried upon her with a 
 loude voice: "Madame call vpon S. lames, who hath fo often 
 fuccoured you in youre aduerfities. And with that the DuchefTe 
 awaked as it wer out of a heauy fleepe, and rowling her eyes to 
 and fro, with a ftraunge trembling of all her members, began to 
 pronounce with an interrupted voyce: "O glorious Apoftle, in 
 whome from my tender youth, I haue euer had my ftedfaft truft 
 and hope, be now mine intercefTor in this cruel afTault of death, to 
 lefus Chrift. And I make a vowe nowe vnto thee, that if I may 
 recouer health, I will my felf in perfon, go honor thy facred body. 
 
294 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 in the proper place where it repofeth." And hauing ended her 
 fayned prayer, flie counterfaited a fleepe, and fo continued the 
 fpaceof twoo or three houres, whiche caufed all the companie to 
 withdrawe themfelues, excepte the poore Duke, who would not 
 depart from her vntil flie waked, and in the meane time ceafled 
 not to praye to God for the health of his loyall fpoufe. After 
 fhee had fo well plaied this pageaunt by the fpace of an houre or 
 twoo, faining then to awake, Ihe began to ftretche forth her armes 
 and legges with fuche force, as whofoeuer had heard the noyfe, 
 would eafely haue iudged that fhe had bene deliuered from fome 
 great torment. And beholding the Duke her huiband, with a 
 pitifull eye (who had leaned his head nere vnto her's in the bed) 
 {he call her ftretched armes negligently vpon his neck, and kifling 
 him fayd : "Now may I fafely kifle you my Lorde, that within 
 thefe three houres was in fuch pitifull plight, as I thought my felf 
 for euer depriued of that benefit. Thankes be geuen to God and 
 that good Saindl to whom I made my vow I am prefently fo wel 
 eafed, as if I fele myfelf no worfe, I will yet deteine you (hufband) 
 a while from an other mariage." But the poore Duke altogether 
 rauifhed with ioye, hauing his white beard all tempered with 
 teares, knew not what anfwere to make, but behelde her with 
 fuch admiration, as he feemed to be befides himfelf. And in the 
 meane time certayn whiche wer at the dore, hearing them fpeake, 
 entred the chamber, who finding the Duchefle fomwhat better 
 then Ihe was, publifhed her recouerie incontinently throw al the 
 citie, whereof the citizens being aduertifed (becaufe they loued 
 her dearly) made proceflions and other thankefgeuing to God, as 
 in cafes like are accuftomed. Within a whyle after, the Duchefle 
 began by litle and litle to tafte her meates, and to vfe fuche diet 
 as fhee recouered her former health. Except the newe plague 
 which pynched her tender harte for the Lorde Mendozza, whiche 
 (he could not cure, but by the prefence of him that bare the 
 oyntment boxe for that fore. And fo long fhe continued in the 
 amorous thoughtes, till the Lady Ifabell retourned from her pil- 
 grimage, who came to the caftell according to her promife. And 
 after friendly gretinges one of an other, the Duchefle made her 
 to vnderftande how fince her departure fhe had neuer almoft 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 29 S 
 
 commen out of her bed, for that (he had been afflifted with a 
 mofte grieuous fickenefle. Neuertheleffe by the helpe of God, and 
 the interceffion of good S. lames (to whom fhe had vowed her 
 felfe) flie had recouered health. And if flie could obtaine leaue 
 of the Duke her hulband, (he would thinke her felfe happy to 
 make a voyage thither in her companie. Which the Spani(he 
 Lady perfuaded by all meanes po((iblej (hewing vnto her many 
 commodities, (he (hould finde in Spayne, and the honorable com- 
 pany of Gentlemen and Ladies, who at her arriuall there (if it 
 would pleafe her to doe them fo muche honor as to vi(ite them in 
 paffing by) would leaue nothing vndone for the beft manner of 
 entertainement that po(fibly might be deuifed. And by this 
 meane the Ladye Ifabell thought to pricke her forward, who was 
 in dede but to quicke of the fpurre already, and thinking euery 
 houre vii. determined one morning thereof to moue the Duke her 
 hufbande, to whom fhe fayd : " My Lorde, I beleue that you doe 
 fuflSciently well remember my trouble pafte, and the extreme 
 martyredome that I fufFred in my late fickene(re, and namely of 
 the vowe whiche I made for recouery of my health. Nowe find- 
 ing my felfe whole and ftrong, my defire is that with your 
 licence I might accompli(he my voyage, fpecially with fo good 
 opportunitie : for the noble woman of Spayne of whome I have 
 heretofore told you, is returned, and it (hould be a great eafe 
 to vs both to go in companie together. And for fo much as 
 it is a matter of nece(ntie, and that early or late, I muft 
 aduenture to paye my vowed debte, it is beft both for my 
 commoditie and alfo for my honour, to goe in her companie." 
 Whereunto the good Duke did willingly accorde : who neuer had 
 any manner of fufpicion that futch a treafon was lodged in 
 the hartfe of fo great a Prince(re. And hauing giuen order for 
 all things requi(ite for her departing, (he tooke a certaine number 
 of Gentlemen and damfels, amongft which, Maifter Appian and 
 Emilia were not forgotten, and being all apparelled in pilgrimes 
 weedes, by long trauaile and weary iourneis, after they had pa(red 
 the cold Alpes, they came into the countie of Ro(filion, and 
 entred into Spayne : and then the Duche(re feling her felfe to 
 approche the place where her harte of long tyme had taken hold. 
 
296 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 defired the Lady Ifabell and her company earneftlyj not to make 
 it knowen to any perfone what flie was. And fo traueiling by 
 small iourneyes, and deulfing of diuerfe matters, they arriued 
 within two litle dayes iourney to the place where the Lorde of 
 Mendozza kept his ordinarie houfholde. For which caufe the 
 Spanifhe lady entreated the Ducheffe not to be ofFended, if fhe 
 feut fome one of her men before to geue aduertifement of their 
 comming, which the Ducheffe graunted. And the meffenger find- 
 ing the Lord of Mendozza readie to receiue them, and hauing done 
 him to vnderftand of the coming of the Ducheffe, of the firft talke 
 betwene her and his fyfter, of the great entertainement that fhe 
 had geuen them, of the finguler beautie with the which Ihe was 
 adorned : he was not fo groffe but that he knewe by and by, that 
 the Ducheffe at thofe yeares, had not bene fo liberall of her la- 
 bour, to make fuch a voiage one foote, without fome other refpeft: 
 and diffembling what he thought, caufed thirty or fortie of his 
 gentlemen incontinently to make them ready. To whome mak- 
 ing as though hee would goe hunte the Hare, he went to meete 
 the Ducheffe: and hauing difcouered them a farre of in a fielde, 
 the Lady Ifabelle did forthwith knowe theim. Who aduertifed the 
 Ducheffe that he which ridde vppon the whyte lenet of Spayne, 
 was the Lorde of Mendozza her brother, and that the other were 
 his fervauntes. The Prince then after he had made his horfe to 
 vaute three or foure times aloft in the ayre,Vithan excellent grace 
 and marueilous dexteritie lighted from his horfe, and kifling her 
 hand, fayd vnto her : " Madame, I beleue that if the wandering 
 knightes of olde tyme, who haue eternized their memorie, by an 
 infinite numbre of renowmed viftories, had had fo muche good 
 lucke, as many tymes in their aduentures to meete with fuch pil- 
 grimes as you be,they wouldewillinglye haue abandoned the Launce 
 and Murrion, to take the Staffe and Scrippe." The Ducheffe 
 then beyng comparable with anye ladye of her tyme, for her edu- 
 cation and comely talke, affayled with ioye, feare, and fhame, that 
 no lacke of dutie might be founde in her, fayde vnto hym : " And 
 in deede my Lorde like as if the knightes of whom you fpeake, 
 had tailed of fome good hap (as you terme it) by meting with 
 fuch pilgrimes : fo alfo we hope that the Saint to whome we be 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 297 
 
 vowed, in the honor of whom we haue enterprifed this perillous 
 voyage, will receiue vs in good parte : otherwyfe our payne were 
 altogether lofte, and our iourney euil imployed." And after they 
 had geuen this firft amorous atteint, the Lord of Mendozza taking 
 her by the arme, conduced her vnto his caftell, deuifing of plea- 
 faunt matters. And he was greatlye aftonned, to fee fo rare a 
 beautie, as appeared in the Princeffe : whiche neither the weari- 
 nefle of the waye, nor the parching beames of the Sunne, coulde 
 in any wyfe fo appaire, but that there refted ynough, to drawe vn- 
 to her the very hartes of the mofle colde and frofen men of the 
 world. And albeit the Lorde of Mendozza tooke great pleafure 
 and admiration in beholding her, yet was it nothing in refpecSl of 
 the Duchefle : who after fhe had aduifed and well marked the 
 beautie, excellency, and other good giftes of grace, in the Lorde of 
 Mendozza, fhe confefled that al that which {he had heard of his 
 lifter, was but a dreame in comparifon of the proufe, which dis- 
 couered it felfe vpon the firft viewe : feeming vnto her by good 
 iudgement, that all the beauties of the worlde were but paintinges, 
 in refpeft of the perfeftion of that whiche fhee fawe with her eyes. 
 Wherin fhe was not deceiued, albeit that her feruent loue might 
 haue bewitched her fenfes. For all the hiflories in Latine, Spa- 
 nifhe, and Italien, the whiche make mention of Mendozza, geue 
 vnto him the firfte place in beautie of all the Princes and Lordes 
 that were in his tyme. The poore DuchefTe, after fhe had mani- 
 fefted by outwarde geflures, and countenaunces, to the Lord of 
 Mendozza, that which was in the inward part of her harte, without 
 receiuing the full fatiffadlion of his fight, whiche fhe defired, de- 
 termined (hauing foiourned three dayes in his caftell) to departe 
 the nexte morning (vnwares to the knight), to performe her voy- 
 age. And fo foorie as the light of the daye began to appeare, 
 fhe went to the chamber of the Lady Ifabell, whom fhe thanked 
 affeftuoufly, afwell for her good companye, as for the great cour- 
 tefie and humanitie, that fhe had receiued in her houfe. And 
 hauing taken leaue of her, departed with her traine. The knight 
 Mendozza, about an houre or two after her departure, aduertifed 
 thereof, was greatly troubled, what the matter might be that fhe 
 was gone without taking leaue of him. And after that he had a 
 
298 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 little thought therupon, he eafely perceiued, that all the fault ther- 
 of was in him felfe : and that this great PrincefTe had abandoned 
 her countrie, of purpofe by all iudgement to vifite him, and that 
 he had fhewed himfelf very flacke for her fatiffaftion, in that he 
 had not offred her his feruice : wherat being iuftly greued, flie did 
 not vouchfafe to geue him a farewell. And fo accufing himfelfe, 
 he determined to followe after her, accompanied onelye with twoo 
 pages. And beyng on horfebacke, it was not long before hee 
 efpied her in the hyghe waye to Saint lames, where lighting, hee 
 walked twoo myles with her, reafonyng the matter without inter- 
 miffion : defiring her amonges other thynges, to let hym vnder- 
 ftand what difpleafure fhee had conceiued in his houfe, that caufed 
 her fo fpedy and fecret a departure : adding thereunto, that if 
 her pleafure were, he would accompanie her to the place whether 
 fhe was vowed, and would alfo recondutt her in his owne perfone 
 to Thurin, in fo honourable forte, as (he fhould finde caufe to be 
 contented. Then paffing further, with fighes fayd vnto her : 
 " Madame, fortune had done me a great benefite, if when my fis- 
 ter made her vowe to go to Rome, I had loft the battaile againft 
 mine enemies, and that her vowe had bene without effeft. For it 
 might haue bene that I fhould haue remained quiet by the loffe 
 of fome of my people. But alas, I fele now, fince your comming 
 into this countrie, a battaile fo cruel, and aflault fo furious in my 
 harte, as not being able any longer to refifte it, I finde my feife 
 vanquifhed, and caught captiue, in fuch forte as I know not to 
 whom to complain, but to you, which is the motion of all my dis- 
 quietnefle : and yet, which grieueth me moft, you diffemble as 
 though you did not vnderftand it. And to bring me to my laft 
 end, you are departed this day out of my houfe, not daining to fee 
 me, or to appeafe me with one farewel, which hath fo further in- 
 flamed my paffion, as I die a thoufand times a day. Befeching 
 you for the time to come, to entreate me more fauourably, or you 
 fliall fee me, in that ftate, wherein you would be loth to fee your 
 enemy : which is, moft cruel death." And in dede, he fhewed 
 fufficiently, how great the grief was that preiTed him, and how 
 well the paflion that he felt, was agreable to the wordes which he 
 fpake : for in pronouncing his wordes he fighed fo in his tale, and 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 299 
 
 changed his colour fo often, and had his face fo befprent with 
 teares, as it femed his foule attached with fuperfluous forrowe, 
 would at that very inftant haue abandoned his bodye. Which the 
 Princefle perceiuingCj touching at the quicke the very fpring of all 
 his euill, fayd vnto him: "Seignior Mendozza, I know not what you 
 wold that I fhould do more for you, nor for what occafion you 
 do pretende, that I fhould be the caufe of your death : for if the 
 occafion thereof fhould happen through my default, my life by 
 flrengthe or abilitie, could not endure one houre after, for the fo- 
 rowe I fhould conceiue therof. Thinke me to be yours, and be 
 not offended, I befech you, if openly I doe no longer talke with 
 you : for I would not to winne al the goodes in the world, 
 that any of this traine which doth accompany me, fhould perceiue 
 any one fparke of the great kindled fire, wherin my harte burneth 
 day and night for you, being afTured that if you had felt one houre 
 of my payne, in place to accufe me of crueltie, your felf complain- 
 ing, wold pitie the griefe whiche I haue fuftained for your long 
 abfence : for without the continual prefence of your perfone, re- 
 prefenting it felfe in the eyes of mine underflanding, with a firme 
 hope once to haue feen you : it had bene impoffible for me, to 
 refifl the long and hard afTaulte, wherwith loue hath euery houre 
 aflailedme. But one thing I mufl nedes confefl^e vnto you, that by 
 reafon of the cold welcome which you made me in the beginning, 
 I thought it proceded of fome euill opinion conceiued of me or 
 peraduenture that you had thought me ouer liberall of mine ho- 
 nour, to haue left the countrie where I commaunde, to render my 
 felfe fubiefl; to your good grace, which caufed me without leaue to 
 depart your houfe. But now that I do know by your counte- 
 naunce and teares, the contrarie, I acknowledge my fault, and de- 
 fire you to forget it. With full promife that vppon my retourne 
 from my voiage of S. lames, I will make you amendes, in the 
 very fame place, wher I committed the fault : and remaining your 
 prifoner for a certaine time, I wil not depart from you, vntill I have 
 fatiffied, by fufficient penance the greatnes of my trefpas. In the 
 meane time you fhal content your felfe with my good will : and 
 without paffing any further retorne againe home to your caflell, 
 for feare leafl fome fufpicious perfone in my company fhould con- 
 
300 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 ceiue that in me, which all the dayes of my life I neuer gaue oc- 
 cafion fo much as once to thinke." To whorae the Lorde of 
 Mendozza obeied, more to content her than otherwife, for hee had 
 the beauties and good behauiours of the Princeffe, fo imprinted 
 in the mofte pleafaunt place of his harte, as he would haue defired 
 neuer to haue departed her companie. But like as they deter- 
 mined iocundlyj to imploy and fatiffie their defire, at her retorne 
 from her voyage, euen fo fortune in the meane while did befet 
 the fame, and fo fully brake the threde of their enterprifes, as the 
 iflue had not fo good fucceffe, as was their prefixed hope. Now 
 leaue we the Duchefle to perfourme her voyage, and the Lord of 
 Mendozza to entertain his amorous paffions, and let vs digreffe to 
 the duke, who about x. or xir. dayes after the Duchefle his wife 
 was departed, began to fele her abfence, which not being able 
 to fufleine for the great loue he bare vnto her, and fpecially 
 knowing the great fault that he had committed (being the fifter 
 of a king and wife of fuch a Prince) fo to let her go like an vn- 
 feathered fhaft, in fo long a voyage : determined with him felfe 
 (for feare leaft if any miffortune happening vnto her, the fame 
 fhould touch his honour) to call together his counfel, and to 
 prouide fome remedie. The counfel afl^embled, and the caufe 
 proponed, euerie of them told the Duke that he had ouer lightly 
 confented to the will of the Duchefle, and that if flie fhould 
 chaunce to incure any inconuenience, all men would impute it to 
 his reproch wherof they would haue aduertifed him at the begin- 
 ning, fauing for feare they had to difpleafe him : adding for 
 conclufion, that it was moft expedient the Duke fhould put 
 himfelfe on the fea to goe feeke her in Galifia. Which he did, 
 and imbarked him felfe with a great companie of gentlemen, 
 to whome the winde was fo fauourable, as he ariued at S. lames 
 before her: and hauing made enquirie for her, vnderfiode fhe 
 was not come. NeuerthelefTe he was aduertifed by certaine pil- 
 grims, that it could not be long before fhe would be there, for 
 that they had left her not pafle three or foure dayes iourney 
 from thence, traueiling with her trayne, by fmall iourneis : wherof 
 the Duke was exceading glad, and fent certaine of his gentlemen 
 to mete her vpon the way, as fhe came, who rode not farre before 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 30I 
 
 they met the Duchefle with her companie, and did her to vnder- 
 ftand of the Duke's arriuall, and of the caufe of his comming from 
 Thurin, Which tidinges was not very ioyfull to her, and by her 
 will would have wifhed that he had not taken fo much paynes : 
 neuertheleffe, preferring honor before affeftion, fhe made the more 
 hafte to fee him, and at her arriuall feemed to bee glad of his 
 commingj and to lament the payne that he had taken by com- 
 mitting himfelfe in fo many daungers for her fake. Afterwardes 
 they entred into the churche with great deuotion, where when the 
 Duchefle had made certaine particuler praiers, fhee began to per- 
 ceiue that God had withftanded her lafciuious wil, and pitying 
 the good Duke her hulband, would not permit him to be deceiued 
 in fuche difloyal fort, repentantly bewayling her forepafled faulte. 
 And feling herfelf prefled euen at the very foule with a certaine 
 remorfe of confcience, fhe was fo victorious over her afFeftions, 
 as fhe determined wholly to forget Mendozza and his beautie : 
 prayfing God neuerthelefle that it had pleafed him to graunt 
 her the grace fo well to difpofe her matters, that her affec- 
 tions had not exceeded the bondes of honor : determining from 
 thenceforth, not onely to put Mendozza in vtter obliuion, but 
 alfo for euer clerely to cut of his amorous praftife, and ther- 
 fore would not fo much as bid him once farewell, nor yet to 
 let him in any wife vnderftand thofe newes. And fo fettled in 
 this deliberation, folicited her hufbande very inftantly to departe, 
 whiche he did, and all thinges prepared to the Sea, they toke againe 
 their courfe to Thurin, and had the wynde fo profperous, as from 
 thence in fewe dayes after, they arriued at Marfellis ; and wearye 
 of the Seas, he caufed horfes to be prepared to ryde from thence 
 to Thurin by land, wher he and his wife lined together in right 
 great ioy and amitie. The Lorde of Mendozza greatly payned 
 with the long abfence of the Duchefl!e, fent a gentleman of pur- 
 pofe to Gaiifia to know the caufe of her long tarying. Who 
 brought certain newes that the Duke was comen in perfone to 
 fetche his wife, and that he caried her awaye with him by Sea; 
 wherewithal he was marueiloufly out of pacience, determining 
 neuerthelefle one daye when his affaires were in good order, 
 to go vifite her at Thurin. During the time that thefe thinges 
 
302 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 remained in this eftate, as well of the one fide^ as of the other : 
 the Almaines prepared a great army, and entred into Fraunce, 
 where they wafted and burned al the countrey as they pafled. 
 The king being aduertifed hereof, fent for the Duke of Savoie, 
 to goe mete them with the men of armes of Fraunce. But before 
 his departure from Thurin, he lefte for his Lieutenant generall, 
 the Earle of Pancalier, by the aduife and counfell of whome he 
 intended that all the affaires of the Duchie fhould be ruled 
 and gouerned in his abfence, and that he fliould in fo ample 
 wyfe be honoured and obeyed, as his owne perfone. This Earle 
 of Pancalier was a nobleman, verie prudent in his doinges, and 
 knewe right well how to gouerne the common wealth, who feing 
 that hee had the whole countrie at his commaundement, and hym 
 felfe many tymes in prefence of the Ducheffe, viewing her fo 
 fayre and comelie, could not fo well rule his affedlions, but that 
 by litle and litle he fell into loue with her, in fuch wyfe as hee for- 
 gat hym felfe, making no confcience to offer his feruice vnto her. 
 But the Princeflejwho was refolued to lyue a good woman, abhorred 
 all his lafciuious orations, requiring hym to bee better aduyfed 
 another tyme, before he prefumed to vtter futche talke, excepte 
 to futch that were his equals. Telling hym that a man ought not 
 to bee fo vnfhamfaft to offer his feruice to anye great Ladie, or to 
 make other fute vnto her, before hee hadde fyrfte knowen by her 
 gefture or woordes, fome lykelyhoode of loue : which he could not 
 deeme in her, for fo much as fhe neither to him or to any other 
 had euer, (til that day in all her life) fhewed fuch fauour, as other 
 fufpicion could be conceiued, but that which was conuenable and 
 meete for her honour. Which when the Countie of Pancalier vn- 
 derftoode, he toke his leaue of her, aftiamed of that he had done. 
 But he folowing the cuftome of loners, not thinking himfelfe caff; 
 of for the firft refufe, eftfones renewed his requeftes : and fram- 
 ing a louing ftile, befought her to haue pitie vppon him, and to 
 refpeft the greatnefle of his paflion : and that he could not pro- 
 longe his life without the fauour of her good grace, who onely 
 was the very remedie of his euill. The Duchefle peflired with fuch 
 like talke, faid vnto him : " Sir Countie, me thinke you ought 
 to haue fatiffyed your felfe with my firft deniall, without further 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 303 
 
 continuance in the purfuing of your rafh enterprife. Haue you 
 forgotten the place that you keepe, and the honour whereunto my 
 Lorde the Duke my hulbande hath exalted you ? Is this nowe the 
 loyall reward that you render vnto him for creating you his Lieute- 
 naunt ouer all his landes and feignories, to demaund the prehemi- 
 nence of his bedde ? Aflure your felfe for final warning, that if 
 euer hereafter you flial againe fall into like error, I fweare vnto you 
 by the faith of a Princefle, that I will make you to be* chaftifed 
 in fuche fort, as al femblable traytors and difloyal feruants fhal 
 take example." The Earle feeing himfelfe refufed, and thus re- 
 buked, and in doubt that the Princeffe woulde make her hufbande 
 to vnderftande his enterprife upon his retourne, chaunging his 
 greate loue into hatred more then mortall, determined whatfoeuer 
 fhould come thereof, to inuente all meanes poffible, vtterly to de- 
 ftroye the Duchefle. And after that he fanfied diuers thinges in 
 minde, he deuifed (by the inftinft of the deuil) to caufe one of his 
 nephewes, being of the age of xviii. or twentie yeares, which 
 was his heire apparant, for that he had no children, and was one of 
 the fayreft and heft condicioned gentlemen of all Thurin, to fort' 
 that deuilifli attempt to purpofe. And finding opportunitie, one 
 daye bee faide to the yonge man (that depended wholly vppon 
 him) thefe words : " Nephew, thou knoweft that all the hope of 
 liuing thou haft in this world refleth in me alone, of whom I make 
 fo good accompte as of my childe. And for that it pleafed God 
 to giue me no children, I haue conftituted and ordeined thee my 
 fole and ouely heyre with ful hope that from henceforth thou wilt 
 dutifully acknowledge thy felfe mod bounde vnto mee, and there- 
 fore obedient in all thinges which I flial commaunde thee, fpecially 
 in that which may be moft for thine aduancemente. The Duke 
 as thou knoweft, is abfent, olde, and crooked, and at all houres in 
 the mercy of death tjiroughe the daungers of the warres. Nowe 
 if he fhould chaunce to die, my defire is to mary thee with fome 
 great Lady: yea and if it were poffible with the DucheflTe her 
 felfe, which God knoweth what profile it would bring both to thee 
 and thy frendes, and in my iudgement an eafie matter to com- 
 paffe, if thou wilt difpofe thy felfe after my counfell, or at leafte 
 wife, if thou canft not come to the title of hufband, thou maieft 
 
304 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 not faile to be receiued as her frend. Thou art a comly gentleman, 
 and in good fauour with the Ducheffe, as I haue oftentimes per- 
 cieued by her communication, albeit that holdinge faft the bridle of 
 her honor, fliee hath been afraid hetherto to open herfelfe vnto thee. 
 Spare not my goods, make thy felfe braue and gallant from hence- 
 forth whatfoeuer it cofte, and be dilligente to pleafe her in all that 
 thou maieft, and time fhall make thee know that which thy tender 
 yeares hath hitherto hidden from thee." The poore yonge man 
 giuihg faith to the vnfaithfull inuentions of his vncle (whom hee 
 counted as his father) began oft to frequent the prefence of the 
 Ducheffe, and fliamefaftlye to folicite her by lookes and other 
 offices of humanitie, as nature had taught him, continuing that 
 order the fpace of a moneth. Which by the Ducheffe wel viewed 
 and marked, fhe was diligent for her part to accept the honeft and 
 affectionate feruice which the yong man dailye did vnto her, and 
 {hewed vnto him likewife a certaine more curteous fauour than to 
 the reft of the pages, as wel for the birth and beautie wherwithal 
 nature had enriched him,' as for that fhe faw him enclined to do her 
 better feruice than the reft, not thinking of any diftioneft appetite in 
 the yong man, nor the malice of his vncle, who conceiued none other 
 felicitie but in reuenge of the DuchefJe,his ennemie,and not able to 
 beare the cruell mallice rooted in his harte, determined to play double 
 or quit. And callinge his nephew before him he faid vnto him : "My 
 childe, I do perceiue and fee that thou art one of the moft happieft 
 gentlemenof alEurope, if thou knewefthowtofolowthineowne good 
 luck. For the Ducheffe not onely is amorous of thee, but alfo 
 confumeth for the earneft loue fliee beareth thee. But as thou 
 knoweft women be ftiamefaft and woulde be fued vnto in fecrete, 
 and do delight to be deceiued of men, to thend it might feeme how 
 with deceit or force they were conftrained to yeld to that which of 
 their own minds they would willingly offer, were it not for a litle 
 fliamefaftnes that doth withdrawe them. And thereof affure thy 
 fefe, for 1 haue oftentimes experimented the fame, to my great 
 good lucke. Wherfore credite my councel, and follow mine ad- 
 uife. And thou thy felfe flialt confeffe vnto me, before to morrow 
 at this time, that thou art the happieft man of the world. I will, 
 then, that this night when thou feeft conuenient time, thou flialt 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 30S 
 
 conueye thy felfe fecretlye into the chamber of the Ducheffe, and 
 there hide thy felfe vnder her bedde, for feare, of being efpied : 
 where thou fhalt remaine vntil an houre after midnight^ when all 
 men be in the depth of their fleepe. And when thou perceiueft 
 euery man at reft, thou fhalte clbfely rife, and approching the Duch- 
 effe bed, thou ihalt tell what thou art, and I am furefor the earneft 
 loue flie beareth thee, and for the long abfence of her hufband, fhe 
 wil curteouflie receiue thee betwene her armes, and feaft thee with 
 fuch delights as amorous folke doe embrace their louers." The fim- 
 ple yong man giuingfaith to the wordsof his vncle that was honoured 
 as a king (thinking perhaps that it proceeded by the perfwafion of 
 the Ducheffe) followed his commaundement, and obeied whoUie his 
 traiterous and abhominable heft. Who (oportunitie found) accom- 
 pliflied from pointe to point, that which his cruel vncle had com- 
 maunded. And a litle before midnight, fearing leaft his treafon 
 fhoulde be difcouered, toke with him three councellors, and certaine 
 other of the guarde of the caftell. Whereurito as Lieutenaunt to the 
 Duke, he might both enter and iflue at al times when he lift, and not 
 opening the caufe of his intent, went ftraight to the portall of the 
 Ducheffe chamber, and knockinge atthe dore,faid that theDuke was 
 come. Which being opened, heeentred in with a nomberof lightes, 
 accompanied with the guarde, hauinge a rapier readye drawen in his 
 hande, like a furious man befides himfelfe, began to looke rounde 
 about,and vnder the bedde of the Ducheffe : from whence he caufed 
 hisownepropernephewtobedrawne. To whom, without geuinghim 
 leifure to fpeake, for feare left his malice fhould be difcouered, he 
 faide : " O deteftable villaine thou fhalt die." And thereiwithall he 
 thrufte the rapier into him, to the hard hiltes, and doubling another 
 blowe to make him faile of his fpeache, hee pearced his throte, fo 
 fiercely, as the poore innocente after he had a little ftaggered, fell 
 downe deade to the grounde. When he had put up his rapier, he 
 turned towards the Counfellers, and faide vnto them : " My frends, 
 this is not the firft time I haue efpied the lafciuious and dis- 
 honeft loue betweene this my lecherous nephew and^the Ducheffe, 
 whom I haue caufed to die to honourably in refpefit of his defert, 
 for by the very rigor of the law, he deferued to haue bin burnt 
 quick, or els to be torne in peeces with foure horfes. But my Ladie 
 VOL. I. u 
 
306 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 the Duchefle I meane not to punifhe, or to prouide chaftifement 
 for her : For you be not ignoraunt, that the auiicient cuftome of 
 Lombardie and Sauoye requireth that euery woman taken in adul- 
 terie, fhal be burned aliue^ if within a yeare and a day flie finde not 
 a Champion to fight the combate for her innocencie. But for the 
 bounden duetie that I beare to my Lord the Duke, and for refpeft 
 of the eftate which he hath committed to my charge, I will to- 
 morrow difpatch a poafte, to make him vnderftande the whole ac- 
 cident as it is come to pafle. And the Duchefle fhall remaine in 
 this chamber, with certaine of her raaids, vnder fure keeping and 
 fafegarde." All this time the Duchefle who had both iudgemente 
 and fpirite fo good as any Princefl!e that raigned in her time, fus- 
 pecSted by and by the treafon of the Earle. And with a pitifull eye 
 beholding the dead body of her page, fetching a deepe fighe, cried 
 out : " Oh, innocent foule : which fometime gaueft life to this bodye 
 that nowe is but earth, thou art nowe in place where thou feefl: 
 clearelye the iniquitie of the murderer, that latelye did put thee to 
 death." And hauing made an ende of this exclamation with her 
 armes a crofl[e, fhee remained as in a fowne with out mouing either 
 hande or foote. And after Ihe had continued a while in that ftate, 
 ihee defired the Counfellers to caufe the bodye to be buried, and 
 to refliore it to the earth whereof it had the firfl: creation. " For 
 (quoth flie) it hath not deferued to be tied to the gibet, and to be 
 foode for birds of the ayre." Which they graunted not without a 
 certaine greuous fufpicion betweene her and the page. For fo 
 muche as flie excufed not herfelfe, but the innocencie of him, with- 
 out fpeaking any worde of her owne particular iuftification. This 
 pitifull aduenture was out of hande publiflied through all the Citie, 
 with fo great forrow and murmure of the people, as it feemed the 
 enemies had facked the towne. For there was not one, from the 
 very leafl: to the greatefte of al, but did both loue and reuerence the 
 DuchefTe, in fuch fort as it feemed vnto them, that this miffortune 
 was fallen vpon euery one of their children. The Earle of Panca- 
 lier did nothing all that day, but difpatch the poaftes. And hau- 
 ing caufed all the whole matter to be regiftred as it was feen to be 
 done, he commaunded the Counfellers, and them of the Garde, to 
 fubfcribe his letters. And all the matter being put in order he 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE, 307 
 
 fent away two currors with diligence, the one into Englande to 
 aduertife the king her brother, and the other to the Duke: who being 
 arriued, ech man in his place, prefented their charges. Whereunto 
 both the brother and the hufband gaue full credite without any ma- 
 ner of difScultie : perfwaded principally thereunto by the death of 
 the nephew : who (as it was very likely) had not been put to death 
 by his owne vncle, and of whom he was alfo the very heire, with- 
 out his moft greueous fault, prayfinge greatly the fidelitie of the 
 Earle, that had not pardoned his owne proper bloud, to conferne 
 his dutie and honour to his foueraigne Lorde. And it was con- 
 cluded betweene them, by deliberate aduife and counfaile, as well 
 of thofe of the king of England, as by a great nomber of learned men 
 of Fraunce, whom the French kinge made to aflemble for that re- 
 fpe6t in fauour of the Duke, that the cuftome fhould be fo inuiola- 
 bly kepte, as if the Duchefle were the moft fimple damfell of all 
 the countrie : to the ende that in time to come, greate Lordes and 
 Ladyes which be as it were lampes to giue lighte to others, might 
 take example. And that from thenceforth they Ihould not fuffer 
 their vertues to be obfcured by the clouds of fuch execrable vices. 
 The king of England to gratifie the Earle of Pancalier : who (in his 
 iudgement) had fliewed himfelf right noble in this adt, fent him 
 an excellent harneffe, with a fword of the felfe fame trampe by the 
 Currour, with letters of aunfweare written with his owne hand,how 
 he vnderftode the maner of his proceedings. And the meflenger 
 vfed fuch diligence, as within fewdaieshearriued at Thurin. Shortly 
 after that the king of England had fent back the Currour, the 
 Duke of Sauoie retorned his, whom he ftaied fo much the longer, 
 becaufe the matter touched him moft neere : for he would that 
 the matter fliould be debated by moft graue and deliberate coun- 
 fell. And when he had refolued what to do, he wrote to the coun- 
 fellers and other Magiftrates of Thurin, aboue al things to haue 
 refpedte that the cuftome Ihould be inuiolably obferued, and that 
 they fliould not in any cafe fauour the adultery of his wife, vpon 
 paine of death. Then in particuler, hee wrote his letters to the 
 Earle, whereby he did greatly allow his fidelitie, for the which he 
 hoped to make him fuche recompence, as both he and his fliould 
 tafte therof during their Hues. The Currour of the duke arriued, 
 
308 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 and the matter proponed in counfell^ it was iudged, that (follow- 
 inge the auncient cuftome) a piller of marble fhould be placed in 
 the fieldes neere Thurin : which is betweene the bridge of the riuer 
 Poo and the Citie, wherupon fhould be written the accufation of 
 the Earle of Pancalier againft the Duchefle, which the Ducheffe 
 vnderftanding (hauing none other com panic but Emilia^ and a yong 
 damfell) difpoiled herfelfe of her filken garmentes, and did put on 
 mourninge weede, martired with an infinite nomber of fondrie tor- 
 mentes, feing herfelfe abandoned of al worldly fuccour^ made her 
 complaints to God : befeeching him with teares to be proteftor of 
 her innocencie. Emilia who vnderftode by her that fhee was vn- 
 iuftlie accufed, and feing the iminent perill that was prepared for 
 her^ determined by her accuftomed prudence to prouide therfore. 
 And after fhe had a litle comforted her flie faide vnto her : " Ma- 
 dame, the cafe fo requireth that now you muft not confume time 
 in teares and other womanifh plaints, which can nothing dimi- 
 nifhe your euill. It feemes mofl: expediente vnto mee, that you 
 fortefie your felfe againfte your enemye, and finde fome meane 
 to fende maifler Appian in poafte to the Duke of Mendozza, one 
 of the heft renowmed in proweffe of all the knightes in Spaine, 
 whoe being aduertifed of your miffortune, wyll prouide fo well 
 for your affaires, (that your honour being recouered) your life 
 fhall remaine afTured. Wherefore if you will follow mine ad- 
 uife, you fhall write him an earneft letter (as you know right 
 wel how to indite) which Appian fhal prefent on your behalfe. 
 For if you follow not this counfel, I know none els (as the world 
 goeth now) that will hazarde his life vnder the condicion of fo 
 flrraunge a lotte as yours is, fpecially hauing refpeft to the re- 
 nowne and magnanimitie of the Earle, who as you know, is in 
 reputation to be one of the mofl valiaunt men and mofl happy in 
 armes that is in all Sauoie or Lombardie." " My deare frende 
 (quoth the Ducheffe) doe what thou wilt : for I 'am fo refolued 
 and confirmed in my forowe, as I haue no care either of death 
 or life, no more than if I had neuer been borne. For neither in 
 the one nor in the other, can I forfee anye remedie for mine ho- 
 nour alreadie lofl. "Madame (quoth Emilia) let us for this 
 time leaue the care of honour in the hands of God, who knoweth 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 309 
 
 both howe to keepe it and reftore it, as fhall feeme good vnto 
 him. And let vs giue order for our parte that there be no v/ant 
 of diligence, for feare of being ouertaken." And hauing made 
 an ende of her tale, fhee gaue her incke and paper, fayinge vnto 
 her : " Now Madame I fhall fee at this pinche, if your harte will 
 ferue you at a neede or no." The Duchefle withdrew her felfe a 
 part, and after fhe had longe difcourfed in her minde of that 
 which was pafte betweene the knight and her, fhe wrote vnto 
 him as followeth: "My Lord Mendozza, I do not write tbefe 
 letters vnto you, vppon any hope to be deliuered by your meane 
 from the poinaunt pricke of fierce death which doth now befiege 
 me, knowing death alwayes to be the true port and fare refuge of 
 all affli6led perfons. For fince that God willeth it, nature per- 
 mitteth it, and my heauie fortune confenteth to it, I will receiue 
 it with righte good will, knowinge that the graue is none other 
 but a ftrong rampier and impregnable caftel, wherein we clofe our 
 felues againfl: the aflaults of life, and the furious ftormes of for- 
 tune. It is farre better (as appeareth manifeftly by me) with eyes 
 fliut to waite in graue, than no longer to experimente life (the eyes 
 beinge open) liuing with fo many troubles vpon earth. But glad- 
 ly woulde I bringe to remembraunce, and fet before your eyes 
 how fometime I abandoned the place which was no leffe deare 
 vnto me than mine owne country where I was borne, and deli- 
 catelye nourifhed in honor and delightes, to extende my felfe into 
 an infinite nomber of perills, contrarye to the deutie of thofe that 
 be of mine eftate, lofinge the name of a Princefle to take the 
 title of a caytife pilgrim, for the onely feruent and vnmeafured 
 loue which I bare you, before I did euer fee you, or by anye 
 meanes bounde thereunto by any your preceding benefites. The 
 remembraunce whereof (as I thinke) ought now to deliuer fuch an 
 harde enterprife, to the port of your confcience, that breaking 
 the vaile of your tender hart, you fhoulde therefore take pitie and 
 compaffion of my ftraunge and cruell fortune. Which is not 
 onely reduced to the mercy of a moft dolorous prifon, and refteth 
 in the power of a bloudie and mercilefle tyrant : but (which is 
 worfe) in the continuall hazarde of a fhamefull death. Which I 
 do not much lament hauing long defired to accelerate the fame 
 
3IO THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 with mine owne hands, to finde reft in an other worlde : were it 
 not that by death I fhoulde leaue an eternall blot to my good 
 name, and a perpetuall heritage of infamie to my houfe and 
 kindred. Wherefore if it fo be, that frendfliip loketh for no re- 
 warde, or that frendfhip cannot be paid but by the tribute of an 
 other, make me now to tafte the auncient fruite of frendfhip. 
 And if pitie be the fole and onely keye of Paradife, difplaye it 
 now on the behalfe of her, who (forfaken of al humaine fuccour) 
 attendeth but the fatall houre to be throwen into the fier as a 
 poore innocent lambe in facrifice. And for that the bearer fhal 
 make you vnderftand the reft by mouth (whom it may pleafe you 
 to credite as mine owne felfe) I will make an ende of my heauie 
 letter. Befeching God to giue a good life vnto you, and to mee 
 an honorable death." The letter clofed and fealed vp with the 
 feale of the Duchefle, fhee commaunded Emilia to deliuer it to 
 Appian, and to require him to vfe diligence, not ceafing to ride 
 day and night vntil he come to the place where they left the 
 knight Mendozza, giuinge charge to make him vnderftande (at 
 length) her innocencie and falfe accufation. Appian being dif- 
 patched, was fo affefted to pleafe his maiftrefle, and fo defirous 
 to fee her deliuered of her imprifonmente, as hee ceafled not to 
 trauaile day and night, till he came within the frontiers of Spaine. 
 And after that he had ridden yet two or three dayes iourney, ap- 
 proching nere the place wher he thought to find the knight Men- 
 dozza, he began to inquire of the hoft of the inne where he laye 
 that nighte, as well of his good health, as of his other afFayres, whoe 
 made him aunfwere, that it wente euen fo euill with him at that 
 prefent, as with the pooreft gentleman of al Spaine : although 
 that he were in deede a very great Lorde. " For (quoth he) with- 
 in thefe few monethes paft, his ennemies of Tolledo, whom he 
 hath diuers times vanquifhed, have fo wel allied themfelues to- 
 gether out of al partes of Spaine, that they haue brought a great 
 armie to the field. And fortune of the warre hath been fo fauour- 
 able unto them, that they difcomfited Mendozza and all his armie. 
 Who hath retired himfelfe, with thofe few of his people that hee 
 could faue aliue, into a litle towne of his, where yet to this pre- 
 fent he is befieged. And fo it is (as euery man fayth) that he 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 3 I I 
 
 doth his endeuour maruellouflie well, in fuch fort as his ennemies 
 cannot enter the towne." Mafter Appian then demaunded of him, 
 if the towne befieged were farre of. And he anfwered, that 
 it was about vii. or viii. poaftes. Then withoute making any 
 longer inquirie, he toke a guide that accompanied him euen al- 
 mofte to the campe. And when he fawe the towne a farre of, he 
 fent the guide backe againe, and went the fame daye to offer his 
 feruice to. a certaine captaine of lighte horfemen, who receiued 
 him into wages, and then he bought armour to ferue his purpofe. 
 And maifter Appian befides his learning was a wife and polliticke 
 man, and determined fo fone as any fkirmiflie did begin to be for- 
 moft, and in deede he vfed the matter fo well, as hee fuffred him- 
 felfe to be taken prifoner and to be caried into the towne. And 
 being within, he defired thofe that had taken him, to conduct him 
 to the Lorde of Mendozza their chieftaine : whoe knew him by 
 and by, for that in the voyage which the Ducheffe made into 
 Spaine, he faw him euer more neere her then any other of 
 her gentlemen. And after that the Lord of Mendozza had de- 
 maunded of him by what meanes he entred the towne, vpon his 
 aunfwere, he perceyued that he was a man of good experience, 
 and well affefted to the feruice of his maiflres, that durfl hazard 
 his life in fuch wife to obey her delire. Incontinently maifter 
 Appian deliuered vnto him the Ducheffe letter: which when he had 
 read, he retired into his chamber with maifter Appian, hauing his 
 face all bedewed with teares : and becaufe that the letter did import 
 credite, he prayed maifter Appian to declare his charge. Who faid 
 unto him, " My lady the Ducheffe which is at this day the moft af- 
 fli6l;ed Princeffe vnder the coape of Heauen, commendeth herfelfe 
 vnto your honour, and doth humbly befech you not to be offended 
 for that at her laft being in Galifia, fhee departed withoute ac- 
 complifhing her promife made vnto you : prayinge you to impute 
 the fault vpon the importunitie of the Duke her hufband : whom 
 being conftrained to obey, flie could not fatiffye the good will 
 that ftie bare vnto you. Then he began to declare in order howe 
 the Earle of Pancalier fell in loue with her, and not beinge able to 
 obtaine his defire, caufed his nephew to hide him vnder her bedde : 
 and how hee had flaine him with his owne handes. Finallye, the 
 
312 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 imprifonmente of the Duchefle, and the iudgementegiuen againfte 
 her. Wherat the Lord of Mendozza was greatly aftonned : and 
 when hee had heard the whole difcourfe, hee began to conceiue 
 fome euill opinion of the duchefle : thinkinge it to be incredible, 
 that the earle of Pancalier woulde fo forget himfelfe, as to n[iurder 
 his owne proper nephewe and adopted fonne, to be reuenged of a 
 feely woman. Neuertheleflfe, he diflJem'bled that which he 
 thoughte, in the prefence of maifter Appian, and faid vnto him : 
 " Appian my frende, if mine aduerfe fortune did not fpeake fuiBci- 
 ently for me, I could tel thee here a lo'ng tale of my miferies : but 
 thou feeft into what extremitie I am prefently reduced, in forte 
 that I am vtterly-vnable to J'uccour thy maiftrefle, I my felfe ftil 
 attending the houre of death : and all the pleafures which prefent- 
 lye I can doe for thee, is to fet thee at libertie from the perill pre- 
 pared for vs." And without longer taike, hee caufed a hot Ikir- 
 miflie to be giuen to his enemies, to fet Appian at large : who be- 
 ing ifllied forth, rfiade "certaine of his men to conduit him to place 
 of furetie. Appian' feinge no way for Mendozza to abandon his 
 citie for peril of death prepared for him and his, thoughte his 
 excufe reafohable. And to attempt fome other fortune, he vfed 
 fuch diligence, as he in fhort time was retourned to Thurin, wher 
 hauing communicated the whole matter to Emilia, fhe went 
 ftraight to the Duchefle, to whom flie faid : " Madame, God giue 
 you the grace to be fo confliant in your aduerfities, as you haue an 
 occafion to be mifcontented with the heauy newes that Appian 
 hath brought you." And then flie began to recompt vnto her the 
 miffortune of Mendozza, the thraldome wherunto his enemies had 
 brought him, and for conclufion, that there was no hope of helpe 
 to be expefited at his handes. Which when the Duchefle vnder- 
 flroode fhe cryed out : " Oh, poore vnhappy woman, amongfl:e all 
 the mofl defolate and forowfull : thou mayfl: well now fay that 
 the lighte of thy life from henceforth beginneth to extinguifhe and 
 growe to an ende : feing the fuccour of him, vpon whom depended 
 thine afl[uraunce, is denied thee. Ah, ingrate knight: now knowe 
 I righte well (but it is to late) that of the extreme loue which I 
 did beare thee, fprong the firfl; roote of all mine euil, which came 
 not by any accident of fortune, but from celeiliall difpenfation 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 3 I 3 
 
 and deulne prouidence of my God: who now doth perhiit that 
 mine hipocrifie and counterfaite deuotion fliall receiue condigne 
 chaftifemente for my finne." And then Emilia, feing her fo con- 
 founded in teares, faid vnto her: "Madame, it doth euil become 
 a greate and wife Princefle, (as you hitherto haue euer been 
 reputed) to tormente her felfe, fith that you know howe all the 
 affliftions which we receive from h'eauen, be but proues of oure 
 fidelitie : or as your felfe conTeffeth by your complaintes, to bee 
 iuft punifhment for our finnes. Nowe then be it the one or the 
 other, you ought to be fortified againft the hard aflault of your 
 forow : and to remit the whole, to the mercie of God, who of his 
 aboundant grace, will deliuer' you of y'otir trouble, as he hath 
 done many others when they thought themfelues forfaken of all 
 helpe, by caufinge certaine dropps of his pitie to raine down vpon 
 them," "Alas, deare hart," (quoth the.Duchefle,) "how eafie a 
 matter it is for one that that is hole to comforte her that is ficke : 
 but if thou felteft my griefe thou wouldeft helpe me to complaine : 
 fo greuous a matter it is vnto mee, with life to loofe miiie honour. 
 And I mufl: confefle vnto thee, that I fuftaine a very cruel aflault 
 both againfte death and life, and I cannot either with the one or 
 with the other, haue peace or truce in my felfe. Ne yet do know, 
 how to diflemble my forrowe, but that in the ende the fame will 
 be difcouered by the fumes of myne ardente fighes, which think- 
 ing to conflraine or retaine, I do nothinge els but burie my felfe 
 within mine owne bodye: afluringe thee, that greater is one 
 droppe of bloude that fwelteth the harte within, then all the teares 
 that maye be wept in the whole life without. Wherefore I pray 
 thee leaue mee a litle to complaine my dolor, before I go to the 
 place from whence I fhal neuer retorne." Emilia, that willingly 
 would haue facrificed herfelfe to redeeme the Princefle from peril), 
 not beinge able anye longer to endure the hard attempte where- 
 with pitie confl:rayned her hart, was forced to goe forth and to 
 withdraw herfelfe into another chamber, where fhe began to la- 
 ment after fo fliraunge maner, as it feemed that it had been fhee 
 that was defl:ened to death. Whiles thefe ladies continued thus 
 in their forowes, the knight Mendozza toke no refl: by day or 
 night, ne ceaflTed continually to thincke vpon the difl:refle of the 
 
3 14 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 Duchefle. And after that he had well confidered the fame, hee 
 accufed himfelfe for fayling her at that greate neede, faying: 
 ''Now do I well knowe that I am for euer hereafter vtterly vn- 
 worthy to beare armes, or to haue the honourable title of knight, 
 fith the fame order was giuen me, wyth charge to fuccour afflicted 
 perfons, fpecially Ladies, whofe force onely confifleth in teares. 
 And yet neuertheleffe, I (like a caytife) haue fo fhamefullye neg- 
 lected my dutye towards the chiefe perfon of the worlde, to whom 
 I am greatly bounden, as I die a thoufand times that day wherein 
 I thincke vpon the fame. It behoueth mee then from henceforth 
 to eftablifhe new lawes to my deliberation, and that I breake the 
 gate of mine auncient rigor : louing much better to die in honour, 
 poore, and difinherited, than to liue puiflant, vnhappie, and a 
 cowarde. Wherfore let fortune worke her wil: Athens the Duchefle 
 did forfake her countrie, to come to fee me in her profperitie, I 
 may no lefle do now, but vifite her in her aduerfitie." Prefled 
 and folicited inwardlye with this newe defire, determined what- 
 foeuer happened to go to her refcue, and hauinge giuen order to 
 all that was necefTary for the defence of the Citie: putting his 
 confidence in the fidelitie of thofe that were within, caufed all 
 his Captaynes to be called before him : whom hee did to vnder- 
 flande, how he was determined to go feeke fuccour, to leuie the 
 fiege of his enemies. Duringe which time he conftituted his nere 
 kinfman, his Liefetenaunte generall, and the nexte morning before 
 the daye appeared hee gaue a great alarme to his ennemies, 
 wherein hee efcaped vnknowen. Being mounted vppon a lenet 
 of Spaine and out of daunger, he toke poft horfe, and made fuch 
 expedition as hee arriued at Lions, where he prouided the befte 
 armour that he could get for money, and two excellent good horfes, 
 whereof the one was a courfer of Naples. And hauing gotten a 
 certaine unknowen page, toke his waye to Thurin, where beinge 
 arriued, hee lodged in the fuburbs, demaunding of his hoft if 
 there dwelt anye Spaniards in the towne, whoe made aunfweare, 
 that hee knewe but one, which was a good olde religious father, 
 that for the fpace of twentie yeares was neuer out of Thurin, a 
 man of vertuous life, and welbeloued of all the Citizens, and had 
 the charge of a certaine conuente. Neuerthelefle his lodginge 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 3 I 5 
 
 was aparte from his brethren, to folace himfelfe, and to auoide 
 the incommoditie of his age. The knight hauinge learned of his 
 hofte the place Wher this good father dwelled, went with diligence 
 betimes in the morning, to fee him, and faid vnto him in the 
 Spanifh tongue : " Father, God faue you : I am a Spaniarde comen 
 hither into this country for certaine mine affaires, towardes whom 
 you mighte doe a charitable deede, if it woulde pleafe you to fuffer 
 mee to remayne with you foure or fiue dayes onelye, crauinge 
 nothinge els but lodginge: for my feruaunte {hall prouide for 
 other neceflaries." Whiche the good father willingly graunted, 
 muche maruelling at his goodlye perfonage. And whiles the 
 feruante was gone to the towne to bye vifitualls, the good father 
 demaunded of him, of what countrye in Spaine bee was, whiche 
 the knighte francklye confefTed. And the fatherlye man then 
 hauinge his face all be fprent with teares, fayde : " Prayfed be the 
 name of God, that he hath giuen mee the grace before I dye, to 
 fee fo great a Lorde in my poore houfe, of whom I am both the 
 fubie£te and neighbour." And then he began to tell him how for 
 deuocion he had forfaken his natiue countrey and had beftowed 
 himfelfe there, the better to withdrawe him from worldly vanitie. 
 Neuerthelefle he faid : that he knew his father, his mother, and 
 his graundfather. Defiring him to vfe his houfe at commaunde- 
 ment, where he fhould be obeyed as if he were in his owne : and 
 then the lord of Mendozza faid vnto him, that he was departed 
 from Spaine of purpofe to fee Fraunce, and there to make his 
 abode for a time. And that paffing by Lions one aduertifed him 
 of the infortunate chaunce of the Duchefle, whom if he thought 
 to be innocent of the crime whereof fhe was accufed, he would 
 defend her to the {heading of the lafl: drop of his bloude. Neuer- 
 theleffe he would not hazard his life or foule to defend her, if he 
 knew her to be guiltie. Which wordes the good man greatly 
 allowed, faying vnto him : " My Lord, touchinge her innocencie, 
 I beleue there is at this day no man liuing, but herfelfe and the 
 Earle, her accufer, that can iudge. But one thinge I can well af- 
 fure you, that wee heere, do deeme her to be one of the befl;e Prin- 
 cefles, that euer raigned in this countrie, fpecially for that a yeare 
 pafte {he went on foote to S. lames, with fuche deuotion and hu- 
 
3 l6 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 militie, as there was no man but pitied to fee her fo mortified for 
 her foules healthe. And to combate with the Earle of Pancalier, 
 you feeme vnto me very yong: for befides the continual exercife 
 that he hath alwayes had in armes, he is withal efteemed to be 
 one of the ftrongeft, readieft, and moft redoubted knights of all 
 Lombardie : the viftorie notwithftanding is in the hand of God, 
 who can giue it to whom he pleafeth : which hee made manifeft 
 in the yong infante Dauid, againft the monftrous Giante Golias." 
 To whome the knighte aunfwered : " Father, I have deuifed a waye 
 how to prouide againft the fcruple of ray confcience, touchinge 
 the doubte conceyued by mee, whether the combat that I fhall 
 take in hande againft the earle of Pancalier, be iuft or not, which 
 is, that I vnder colour of confeflion, might vnderftand of the 
 ducheffe, the trouth of the matter. And therfore if you thinke 
 good I may caufe my head and beard to be fhauen, and apparelling 
 my felfe in fuch habite as you do weare, we two may eafely (as I 
 thinke) with the leaue of her keepers, go into the Duchefle Cham- 
 ber, to exhort her to pacience : for about this time of the yeare, the 
 day is expired." Wherunto the good father without any great 
 difficultie, confented, afwell for refpefl of his good zeale, as for his 
 reuerent duty to the nobility of the ftock whereof he came. And 
 fo all things prouided, they wente together towards the caftle of the 
 Duchefle. And he that had feen the knight Mendozza in his fryer's 
 apparell, would vnethes haue difcerned him, to be fo great a Lorde 
 as he was : for befides his diflembled geftures and countenaunces, 
 wherwith he knew right wel how to behaue himfelfe, he was fo 
 leane and poore, afwell for the care of the battell he loft, and ouer- 
 throwe of his people, as for the mifliap of the Duchefl"e, and the 
 peril of his life at hand, by reafon of the combate betweene the 
 Earle and him, as he refembled rather a holy S. Hierome, mortified 
 in fome defert, then a Lorde, fo noble and valiaunt as he was. Ar- 
 riued at the caftell, the olde father addrefled himfelf to the guarde 
 and fayd : " Maifters, becaufe the time for the death of the mife- 
 rable ducheflJe doth approche, we be come hither to geue her fuch 
 fpirituall comforte, as wherwith God hath infpired vs, hoping 
 that hee will this daye geue vs the grace to induce her to die pa- 
 ciently, to the intent that by lofle of the bodye, her foule may be 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 317 
 
 faued." Wherunto they accorded willinglye, and caufed the 
 chamber to be opened vnto them. They within the chamber 
 went forth incontinently, thinking that the Gouernour had caufed 
 the good fathers to come to heare the laft confeffion of the 
 poore Duchefle, who was fo forowefull and penfife as flie was 
 forced to kepe her bed : which came very well to paffe, for 
 the knight Mendozza, comming neare vnto her bedde, with his 
 face towardes her, fo counterfayted hym felfe as he coulde not 
 in any manner of wyfe be knowen. And the good olde father 
 fryer taried in a corner of the chamber a farre of, that he might 
 heare none of their talke : and as the Lorde of Mendozza leaned 
 vpon her bedfyde, he fayde vnto her in the Italian tongue, which 
 was fo familiar to him as the Spanifhe : " Madame, the peace of 
 our Lorde be with you." Wherunto the lady aunfwered : " Father 
 why fpeake you of peace, lithe I am in continuall warre, depriued 
 of al contentation, and doe butattende the laft end of my calamitie, 
 whiche is a mofte cruell and fhamefull death, without defert." 
 And then the Lorde of Mendozza, who had confumed the mofte 
 parte of his youthe in good letters, faide vnto her : " I beleue 
 madame you be not ignoraunt howe miferies and tribulations, 
 fall not by accident or fortune, but by the prouidence or difpenfa- 
 tion of God, before whome one litle fparrowe onely is not for- 
 gotten, as the prophete Amos doth manifefte vnto vs when he 
 fayth: ' there is none euil in the Citie that I haue not fent thither : ' 
 whiche is alfo apparaunt in lob, whome the Deuil could not 
 affli£te before he had firft obtayned licence of God. And it is 
 neceflarye for you to knowe, that tribulations and afBiftion bee 
 tokens of the fore chofen and elected people of God, and the true 
 markes of our faluation : fo that if you confider the order of all 
 the Scriptures, from the beginning of the worlde vntyll this tyme, 
 you fhall fynde that they whome God hath alwayes heft loued 
 and cherifhed, he hath commaunded to drinke of the cup of his 
 paffion, and to be more afflifted than others : examples whereof 
 be common in the Scriptures. As when Abell was affli£led by 
 Caine his brother, Ifaac by his brother Ifmaell, lofeph by his 
 brethren, Dauid by Abfolon his fonne, the children of Ifrael (the 
 deSte people of God) by Pharao : whiche thinges beinge pro- 
 
3 l8 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE, 
 
 foundlye confidered by Sainfil; Paule, he fayde : * If we had not 
 an other hope in lefus Chrifte, than in the lyfe prefent, we might 
 well fay that we were the moft miferable of al others. And yet 
 moreouer, faith he, it is litle or nothing that we endure, in refpefl; 
 of that which lefus Chrifte hath fuffered.' Who (although he 
 framed the whole worke of the worlde) was called the Carpenter's 
 fonne, for preaching he was fclaundered, he was caried vp to a 
 mountaine to be throwen down, he was called Glotton, Dronkard, 
 louer of Publicanes and finners, Samaritane, Seducer, Diuell : 
 faying, that in the name of Belzebub he did caft out Diuels. 
 But let vs confider, madam e, a litle further, what thinges were 
 done vnto him, hee was naked to clothe vs, prifoner and bounde 
 to vnbinde vs from the chain of the Diuell, made a facrifice to 
 cleanfe vs of all our inward filth, we doe fee that he fufFred his 
 fide to be opened, to clofe vp hell from vs, we fee his handes 
 whiche in fo comely order made both heauen and earth for the 
 loue of vs, pearced with pricking nailes, his head crowned with 
 three Iharped thornes to crowne vs with heauenly glorie. Let vs 
 way that by his dolour came our ioye, our health grew of his in- 
 firmitie, of his death was deriued our life: and fhould we be 
 afliamed to haue our head touched with a fewe thornes of trouble ? 
 Strengthen your felf then (madame) in the name of God, and make 
 you ready to receiue death in the name of him that was not 
 afliamed to indure it for you. Is his ftrong hande any thing 
 weakened ? Is it not in him to ouerthrow the furie of your enemie, 
 and fo to humble your aduerfarie that he fliall neuer be able to be 
 relieued ? How many poore afflifted perfones haue there bene feene 
 to be abandoned of all fuccour, whom he hath behelde with his 
 pitiful eye, and reftored to greater cafe and contentation, then 
 euer they were in before ? learne then from henceforth, to comforte 
 your felfe in God, and fay as the great doftor holy Ignatius fayd 
 in his Epiftle to the Romaines : ' I defire that the fier, the gallowes, 
 the beaftes, and all the tormentes of the Diuil might exercife their 
 crueltie vpon me, fo as I may haue fruition of my Lorde God.' " 
 And after that the knight had made an ende of his confolation, the 
 Duchefl"e was fo rapte in contentation, as it feemed her foule had 
 already tafted of the celeftiall delightes, and would flie euen vp 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 3 1 9 
 
 into heauen. And then feeling her felfe lightened like one that 
 had efcaped fome furious tempeft of the feas, fhe began to con- 
 feffe her felfe vnto him from point to point, without omitting 
 any thing of that whiche fhe thought might greue her confcience. 
 And when fhe came to the accufation of the Earle^ ihe prayed 
 God not to pardon her iinnes, if fhe had committed in deede or 
 thought, any thing contrarie to the dutie of mariage, except it 
 were one difhoneft afFeftion that fhe had borne to a knight 
 of Spaine, whom vnder pretence of a fained deuotion flie had 
 vifited in Spayne, not committing any thing fauing good will 
 whiche fliee bare vnto him. "Which maketh me thinke (quod 
 flie) that God being moued againfl: myne hypocrifie, hath permit- 
 ted this falfe accufation to be rayfed againft me by the Earle of 
 Pancalier, whiche I will paciently fuffer, fithe his will is fo." 
 Her confeflion finifhed, fhe plucked of a rich diamonde from 
 her finger, faying : " Good father, albeit I haue heretofore bene a 
 riche Princefle, as you knowe, yet nowe myne ennemies haue 
 taken awaye all my goodes from me (this diamond except) 
 which my brother the kyng of Englande gaue me, when I was 
 maried to the Duke of Sauoie. And becaufe I can not otherwife 
 doe you good, I geue it vnto you, praying you to remember 
 me in your prayers, and to kepe it for my fake : for it is of a 
 greater price then you thinke, and may ferue one dale to fup- 
 ply the neceffitie of your conuent." The confeflion ended and 
 the diamond receiued, the twoo friers retourned home to their 
 conuent. And fo fone as they were arriued there, the Lorde 
 of Mendozza fayde vnto hym : " Father, nowe doe I know cer- 
 tainly, that this poore woman is innocent, wherefore I am 
 refolued to defende her fo long as life doth lafl:. And I feele 
 my felfe fo touched and prefled in mynde, as I thinke it 
 long till I be at the combat. Wherefore I praye you if it 
 chaunce that fortune be contrary vnto me, after my death, make 
 it to be openly knowen what I am, and chiefly that the Duchefl!e 
 may vnderftande it, for fpeciall purpofe. And if it fortune that I 
 efcape with life (which can not be but by the death of the Earle) be 
 fecrete vnto me in thefe thinges which I haue declared vnder the 
 vayle of confeflSon." The good father promifed fo to doe. And 
 
320 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE, 
 
 hauing pafled all that day and night in praiers and fupplications, 
 he armed himfelfe, and made ready his courfer. And when the 
 dawning of the daye began to appeare, he went in his armour to 
 the gates of the Citie^ and calling one of the Guarde, he fayd vnto 
 him : " Good fellowe, I pray thee bidde the Counte of Pancalier to 
 prepare him felfe, to mainteine the falfe accufation, which he hath 
 falfely forged againft the Duchefle of Sauoie. And further tell 
 him, that there is a knight here, that will make him to denie his 
 horrible vilany before hee parte the fielde, and will in the prefence 
 of al the people cut out that periured toung, which durft commit 
 fuch treafon againft an innocent PrincefTe." This matter was in a 
 moment published throughout all the citie, in fuch forte, as you 
 might haue fene the churches full of men and women, praying to 
 God for the redemption of their maiftreffe. During the time 
 that the guarde had done his ambaflage, the Lord of Mendozza 
 went towardes the piller where the accufation was written, attend- 
 ing when the accufer fhould come forth. The Earle of Pancalier 
 aduertifed hereof, began incontinently to feele a certaine remorfe 
 of confcience, w;hich inwardly gript hym fo nere, as he endured a 
 torment lyke to very death. And being vnable to difcharge him- 
 felf therof, would willingly haue wiflied that he had neuer attempted 
 the diflionour of the Lady. Neuerthelefle that he might not feeme 
 flacke in that he had begonne, he fent woorde to the knight, that 
 he fhould write his name vppon the Piller, to whome Mendozza 
 made aunfwere, that he might not know his name, but the combat 
 he would make him feele before the daye went downe. The Earle 
 of Pancalier made difficultie of the combat, if firfte he knewe not 
 the name of hym with whom he fhould haue to doe. The matter 
 well aduifed, it was clearely refolued by the fudges, that the fla- 
 tutes made no mention of the name, and therefore he was not 
 bounde thereunto, but that the flatute did expreflye fauour the 
 defendant, geuing vnto him the election of the armour, and fem- 
 blablie it was requifite that the perfone accufed fhould be 
 brought forth in the prefence of the twoo Champions. Which 
 thinges^vnderflanded by the Earle, albeit that he trufled not his 
 quarell, yet making a vertue of neceflitie, and not vnlearned in 
 the order of fuch confli£tes, forthwith armed hymfelfe, and came 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 321 
 
 into the place ordayned for the caitipe, where he founde his 
 enemy armed in a black armour, in token of mourning. Imme- 
 diately after they fent for the Duchefle, who ignoraunt of the 
 matter wondered much when fhe vnderftode that there was a 
 knight in the field all armed in black, feming to be a noble man, 
 that promifed fome great matter by his dexteritie and bolde 
 countenaunce, and would alfo mainteine againfl: the Earle of Pan- 
 calier his accufation to be falfe. The poore Ducheffe then not 
 being able to imagine what he fhould be, greatly troubled in 
 mind, and comming forth of the Caftel was conduced in a litter 
 couered with black cloth, accompanied with more then two hun- 
 dreth ladies and damfels, in femblable attire vnto the place where 
 the Judges, the people and the two knightes were, who did but 
 attend her comming. And after they had wayted her going vp 
 to a litle ftage ordained for that purpofe, the Deputies for the as- 
 fu ranee of the campe, demaunded of her thefe wordes, faying: 
 " Madam, for that you be accufed of adulterie by the Earle of 
 Pancalier here prefent, and the cuftome requireth that you pre- 
 fent a Knight within the yeare and daye, by force of armes to trye 
 your right : are you determined to accepte him that is here pre- 
 fent, and to repofe your felfe vpon him, both for your fault and 
 innocencie?" The Duchefle aunfwered : that (hee committed all 
 her right into the mercie of God, who knew the inwarde thoughtes 
 of her harte, and to the manhode of the knight, albeit fhe thought 
 that fhe had neuer feen him. And when fhe had ended thofe 
 woordes, fhe fell downe vppon her knees, then lifting vp her eyes 
 all blubbered with teares towardes heauen, fhe prayed : " O Lorde 
 God, which art the very veritie it felf, and knowefl the bytternefTe 
 that I fele in my harte, to fee my felf falfely accufed, fhew forth 
 now the treafure of thy grace vpon me wretched PrincefTe : and 
 as thou diddefl deliuer Sufanna from her trouble, and ludith 
 from Holofernes, deliuer me from the hande of a tiraunt: who 
 like a lion hungrie for my bloud, deuoureth both myne honour 
 and life," And hauing made an ende of her prayer, fhee remained 
 vnmoueable as if fhee had bene in a traunce. And nowe the 
 knight Mendozza, offended to fee the Earle to praunce his horfe 
 vp and downe the campe, making him to vaut and leape, with a 
 
 VOL. I. X 
 
322 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 countenaunce very furious fayd vnto him: "Traytour Couiite, 
 becaufe I am certayne that the accufation which thou haft 
 forged againft this Princeflcj is inuented by the greateft villany 
 of the world, I do maintaine here before al the people, that thou 
 haft falfely accufed her, and that thou Heft in thy throte, in all 
 that thou haft contriued againft her, and that thou hafte deferued 
 to bee put into a facke, to bee cafte into the Riuer for the murder 
 that thou hafte committed vppon thy Nephewe, the innocent 
 bloud of whom doth nowe crie for vengeance to be taken for thy 
 fynne before God." And fcarce had he made an ende of his 
 woordes,but the Earle aunfwered him with a marueilous audacitie : 
 " Infamous villain, which hideft thy name for feare left thy 
 vices fliould be knowen, thou arte nowe fouly deceiued by 
 thinking to warrant her, who hath offended againft the Duke her 
 hufbande, by her whoredome and adulterie : and for that thou 
 haft parled fo proudly, and wilt not be knowen, I can not other- 
 wyfe thinke but that thou art fome one of her ruffians : and 
 therefore I doe mainteine, that thou thy felfe doeft lie, and that 
 thou deferueft to be burnt in the fame fire with her, or els to be 
 drawen with foure horfes by the croffe pathes of this towne, 
 to ferue for an example in the worlds to corne, not onely for all 
 lafciuious Ladies and Damfels, but alfo for fuch abhominable 
 whoremongers, as be lyke thy felfe." Incontinently after, the 
 Harraulde of armes began to make the accuftomed crie, and the 
 Knightes to put their launces in their reftes : they let run their 
 horfes with fuch violence, as ioyning together their ftiieldes, their 
 bodies and heads, they brake their ftaues, euen to their Gauntlets, 
 fo roughly, as they fel both down to the ground without lofing, 
 neuertheleffe, the raines of the bridles. But the heate of the 
 harte, and defire to vanquiflie, made them readily to get vp 
 againe, and hauing caft away the troncheons of their ftaues, 
 layd handes on their fwordes, and there began fo ftraunge and 
 cruell a fturre betwene them, as they which were the beholders 
 were affrighted to fee them able to endure fo much : for they 
 were fo flefhed one vppon another, and did fo thicke beftowe 
 their ftrokes without breathing, as the lookers on confeffed neuer 
 to haue feene any combat in Piemonte betwene twoo fingle 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 323 
 
 perfons, fo furious, nor better followed then that of the Earle and of 
 the knight Mendozza. But the Spanifhe knight encouraged 
 with the luftice of his quarell, and the rewarde of his fight, 
 feemed to redouble liis force : for euen when euery man thought 
 that power muft needes fayle him, it was the houre wherin he 
 did beft behaue himfelfe. Tn fuch fort, as his enemy not being 
 able any longer to fufteine his puilTaunt ftrokes, being wounded 
 in diuers partes of his bodye, did nowe no more but defende 
 himfelfe, and beare of the blowes which were bellowed vpon hym 
 without intermiffion : whiche the Spanifhe knight perceiuing, 
 defirous to make an ende of the combat, made fo full a blowe 
 with all his force ypon the top of his helmet, as he wounded his 
 head very fore. Wherewithall the harte of the Earle began very 
 muche to faint, and ftaggering here and there like a dronken man 
 or troubled in his fenfes, was conftrained to fall downe from 
 his horfe: and then the Lorde of Mendozza difmounting him 
 felfe, and takyng holde vpon the corps of his fhield, plucked it fo 
 rudely to him, as he ouerturned him on his other fyde. Then 
 with the pomell of his fworde he did fo fwetely bumbaft him, 
 as he made his helmet to flye of his head : and fetting his foote 
 vpon his throte, made as though with the point of his fwearde 
 he woulde haue killed hym, faying : " Counte, the houre is now 
 come that thou muft goe make an accompt with God of thine 
 vntrouth and treafon which thou haft committed againft the 
 Duchefle." " Ah, fir knight (quoth the Earle) haue pitie vpon me, 
 and kil me not I befeche thee, before I haue a litle bethought 
 me of my confcience." " Villaine (quoth the Spaniard) if I had 
 any hope of thine amendement, I would willingly geue thee 
 dalay of life : but being a traytour as thou art, thou wilt neuer 
 ceafle to afflifte innocentes. Neuertheleflle if thou wilt acknow- 
 ledge thy fault publikely, and require pardon of the Duchefl^e, 
 I wil willingly leaue thee to the mercy of the Duke, although 
 that if I did obferue the rigour of the lawe, I fhould caufe the 
 prefently to receiue the payne prepared for the Duchefle/' To 
 whom he obeied for fafegarde of his life, and kneeling on his 
 knees before the Ducheflfe in the prefence of al the people, made 
 a long difcourfe of his loue towardes her, of the repulfe that 
 
324 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 flie gaue him, and that for reuenge, he ayded him felf with his 
 nephewe, thinking to ouerthrowe her chaftitie. Finally, howe 
 he had flayne his Nephewe, to induce the Duke to iudge her 
 to be culpable of the adulterie. And then tourning his face to- 
 wardes the Duchefle, fayde vnto her: "Madame it behoueth me 
 to confeffe that the lofle of this one life is to litle to paye the 
 tribute of the curelefTe faulte that I haue committed againft you. 
 Yet fithe it is fo, I befeche you by preferring pitie and mercy 
 before the rigor of your iufticCj you will permit that I may Hue 
 yet certayn dayes to make a view of my life paftj and to prouide 
 for the fcruple of my confcience." Then new ioye approched to 
 garnifhe the fpirite of the DuchefTe, and both the foule and the 
 harte began to fhewe theim felues ioyful, in fuch wyfe, as fhe 
 was a long tyme without power to fpeake, and did nothing els 
 but ioyne her handes and lifte vp her eyes to heauen, faying : 
 ''O Lorde God, prayfed be thy holy name, for that thou haft 
 caufed the bright beames of thy diuinitie, to fhyne vpon the 
 darkenefle of my forrowfull life, enforcing fo well the mynde of 
 this tray tour the murderer of mine honour by the prickes of thy 
 rigorous iuftice, openly to acknowledge before all men, the 
 iniurie that he hath done me." And without fpeaking any more 
 wordes, fhe torned her face for feare left flie fliould make him 
 any other aunfwere. Then all the people began to laude and 
 magnifie God, and to fing pfalmes for ioye of the deliueaunce 
 of their Duchefle, who was brought backe and recondu6led into 
 the Citie, with fo great triumphe, as if flie had made a feconde 
 entrie. Whileft thefe things were adoing, the Deputies for the 
 furetie of the campe caufed the wounded Earle to be borne to 
 pryfon. The knight Mendozza ftale fecretly awaye, and after 
 that he had in the next village drefled certaine fmall woundes 
 that he had receiued in the combat, he toke his way into Spain. 
 In the meane time, the Ducheffe caufed him to be fought for in 
 euery place, but it was not poflible to know any more newes of 
 him, than if he had ben neuer feene. Whereat being grieued 
 beyond meafure, flie made her mone to Emilia, to know where- 
 fore he fliould fo abfent himfelf from her. " Madame (quoth 
 Emilia,) he is fure fome French knight, or els it may be fome 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 325 
 
 kinfman of your own, that is come out of England into thefe 
 partes for certayne other affaires : and fearing leaft he fliould bee 
 ftaied here, will not be knowen, referuing the manifeftation of 
 himfelf till an other tynie more apte for his purpofe." " Let him 
 bee what he may bee (fayde the Ducheffe) for fo long as my foule 
 fliall remayne within this bodye, I wyll doe hym homage during 
 life : for the whiche I am fo duelye bounde debtour vnto him, as 
 neuer fubiefte was to his foueraigne Lorde." In this tyme whyleft 
 thefe matters went thus at Thurin, the Duke of Sauoie, the Lieute- 
 nant generall for the king againfl: the Almaines, encountring with 
 his enemies in a (kirmiflie, by fortune was flayne : whereof the 
 king of England being aduertifed, and fpecially of the deliuerie 
 of his fyfter, defirous to haue her about him, fente for her to 
 marrie her agayne, and to leaue vnto her the entier gouernement 
 of his houfeholde : and to gratifie her at her firfte arriuall, he gaue 
 the rule of his daughter vnto her, which was of the age of 
 fixtene or feuentene yeares, with whom by certayne meanes 
 there was a mariage practized for the Prince of Spayne, Let 
 vs now leaue the Ducheffe to Hue in honor with her brother, and 
 retorne we to the Lorde of Mendozza, who being arriued nere 
 vnto his Citie, vnderftode incontinently that they which had 
 befiedged it had leuied their campe. For that they of the towne 
 had fo well done their endeauour as not onely their enemies were 
 not able to enter, but alfo they had in a certain Ikirmifhe taken 
 the Lord Ladolpho their chieftaine prifoner, who was yet to that 
 prefent detained : becaufe meanes were made for peace to be con- 
 cluded on al fides : neuerthelefle they durfl: doe nothing without 
 hym : whereat the Lorde of Mendozza beyng replenyfhed with 
 greate ioye to fee his affaires profper fo well in all partes, entred 
 the Citie : and the articles of the peace communicated vnto him, 
 hee founde them verie profitable for him: and being concluded 
 and approued by him he began to folace himfelfe in his owne 
 houfe, without taking care for any thing faue onely from thence- 
 forth to thinke by what meane he might goe to fee the Ducheffe, 
 and recount vnto her the iffue of his affaires. But fortune pre- 
 pared him a more readie occafion than he thought of: for the 
 kyng of Spaine being aduertifed of certaine talkes that had bene 
 
326 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 bruted of the manage of his fonne with the daughter of the king 
 of Englande, determined with fpeede to fend a great companie 
 of noble men thyther, to demaunde his daughter in mariage: of 
 the which the Lorde of Mendozza, as wel for his nobilitie, as for 
 the knowledge he had in languages and other good difciplines, 
 was elefited chiefe, with fpeciall commiffion to accorde the mariage 
 in cafe it fhould fo pleafe the kyng. The Arabafladours vfed fuche 
 expedition, that they arriued at London, where the kynge for that 
 prefente made his abode : who aduertifed of their comming, gaue 
 commandementto the Princefle his daughter, and to the Ducheffe 
 his fifter, to prepare them felues to receyue a great companye of 
 Lordes of Spayne, whiche that daye would come to his Courte to 
 treate of the aforefayde mariage. And God knoweth if the ladies 
 fpared oughte of that, whiche they thought might augmente their 
 beautie. The king alfo for his part, to doe them more honour, 
 wente to meete them in perfone, and at their arriuall, gaue them a 
 mofte friendly welcome : but fodaynly as they prefented them- 
 felues to doe their reuerence to the ladies, the Ducheffe who in- 
 continently knew the Lord of Mendozza, began fo to detefte him 
 as {he was not able to rule her felfe, but (with a fodayne mutation 
 of colour) fhe abandoned the companie : the Lorde of Mendozza 
 knowyng the originall of her griefe, lefte not his dutie vndone 
 towardes the Princeffe and other ladyes which accompanied her, 
 diffembling to haue taken no regarde to the abfence of the 
 Ducheffe. And Emilia, who had followed her miftreffe into the 
 chambre, fearynge leafte there were fome fodaine mifchaunce 
 happened, demaunded of her, wherfore fhe was retired from a 
 company fo honourable : and fayd that fhe did great wrong to her 
 owne eftimation: to whom the Ducheffe (with extreme choler) 
 made aunfwere : "Why Emilia, thinkeft thou that I haue the 
 harte to fuffer my hand to be kiffed by that mofte trayterous and 
 mofte cowardly knight of the world, who made no confcience to 
 abandone me in the greateft neceffitie of my life? where as I, 
 contrary to the dutie of all the lawes of honour, and contrary to 
 my fexe, did fo muche abafe my felfe as to vifite hym in Spayne. 
 Naye rather my dayes fhall ceaffe their courfe than myne affec- 
 tion fliall euer reuiue in him : he fhall neuer receiue any other 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 327 
 
 fauour of me^ but as of his moft cruell and mortall enemy." And 
 then Emilia fmiling, fayd vnto her : " In good earneft^ madame, 
 I thought that the ftiarpenefle of your imprifonement, with the 
 other tormentes pafte, whiche you indured, might haue put all 
 thefe matters quite in obliuion, and woulde fo haue mortified you, 
 that you had wholly loft all defire of reuenge : but fo farre as I 
 can perceiue, I am deceiued of mine accompte, feying that 
 fodaynly fo foone as you behelde the knight Mendozza, you 
 began to flie, as if your ghoftly enemie had come before you, in 
 his mofte hideous and horrible forme." Yet could not Emilia 
 perfwade her, to Ihewe her felfe abroade before dynner, tyll the 
 king fent for her, with woorde that if fhe came not, he would 
 himfelfe fetche her. And then a little fhamefaft colour began 
 to renew her alablafter cheekes, which rendred her fo ruddye and 
 fayre, as the Spanyards confeffed neuer to haue feene in any 
 parte of the worlde, where they had bene, one fo faire and beauti- 
 full a wydow. The tables couered for dynner, the king tooke his 
 place, and for their more honourable entertaynement, caufed 
 them to be fet at his owne table : and made the Lorde of Men- 
 dozza to be placed right ouer againft the Ducheffe his fifter : who 
 was fo inflamed and moued with choler, as fhee dufte not lift vp 
 her eyes for feare leaft vpon the fodayne fhe fliould bee percey- 
 ued : whiche eyes fparkeling fometymes with greate yre, re- 
 fembled properlye twoo ftarres of the night, that flioote forth 
 their brightnefle vpon the earth, when all thinges be in iilence. 
 And all this tyme the Lorde of Mendozza conceyued fuche pleafure 
 at thefe pretie toyes, as he would not haue chaunged his ioy for 
 the beft Citie in all Englande : and as the Ducheffe in this order 
 did firmely fix her eyes, fhee fawe by fortune a ryche diamonde 
 that Mendozza ware vpon his finger, wherupon hauing oftentymes 
 cafte her eyes, flie fodaynly knew that it was the very fame that 
 fhee had geuen to the good father that confeffed her at Thurin, 
 the daye before fhee was leadde to the Filler, and began then to 
 imagine with her felfe, how it might be that he could come by 
 the fame : and not knowing what to faye, immediatly a.fter fhee 
 had dyned and the tables taken vp, fhe caufed maifter Appian 
 her Phifitian to be called vnto her : whome fhe defyred to know 
 
328 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 of the Lordof Mendozza^by what meanes he cameby theDiamonde 
 that he ware vpon his finger : which Appian did. And after he 
 had talked with the knight of certain common matters, he fayde 
 vnto hym : " My Lorde, you haue a very fayre Diamonde there, 
 whiche as I thinke I haue fene before this tyme, wherefore fir I 
 praye you tel me where you had it." To whome the Lorde of 
 Mendozza anfwered in laughing wife: "Maifter Appian, where 
 I had the ring, is to fecret for you to know, but tell my lady the 
 Duchefli, that the knowledge thereof onely appertayneth vnto 
 her." Whiche aunfwere Appian declared to theDucheflfe: and 
 albeit that flie tooke no great pleafure in the aunfwere, yet 
 neuerthelefle very defyrous to vnderftande the truth, fhe repayred 
 to the Knight whiche the fame time walked alone in aGallerie, who 
 after he had kyffed her handes, began to difcourfe of his fortunes 
 paftj declaring vnto her, that he repented of the refufall that he 
 made to maifler Appian for her fuccour, and howe within a while 
 after he rode to Thurin : adding the deuife whereby he had heard 
 her confeffion, and how the Diamonde came into his handes, 
 putting her in remembraunce from worde to worde, of all his 
 talke with her, during the tyme that he was in frier's weede, then 
 finally his viftorie againft the Earle, his fecret flyght, and all the 
 whole as before hath bene declared. Whereat the Duchefl!e no 
 lefl"e abafhed than rapt with ioy and admiration, fel downe in a 
 fwoune betwene his armes, holding her mouth fo fafte clofed 
 againft his, that it feemed fhe would drawe the foule out of his 
 bodye, to ioyne and vnite with her's : and after fhe had remayned 
 a whyle in this traun.ce, fhee cried out : " O poore harte fo long 
 tyme plagued, whiche hafl for the fpace of a yeare no we pafTed, 
 bene tofTed with fo many tempeftes and diuers afTaultes of for- 
 tune : receiue at this prefent the medicine apt for thy health, 
 Athens thou enioyefl him betwene thine armes, that by the pryce 
 of his blood, valiant force and extreme trauailes, hath raifed thee 
 from death to life : let fortune from henceforth doe her will in that 
 fhe is able to deuife againfl me : and yet wyll I, for this onely 
 benefite, confefTe my felfe this daye to be eternally bounde vnto 
 her." "Madame (quod the knight) I pray you let vs not renewe 
 the memorie of our former griefes : wherein, if by any meane I 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 329 
 
 haue done you good, I was but the organe or inftrumente thereof: 
 for God, who is the righter of all wrong, did neuer fuffer iuftice 
 without his due acquitall, howe long fo euer he taried. So (you 
 not beyng in any wyfe culpable) if I had neuer enterpryfed the 
 combate whereunto I was bounde, our Lorde God would haue 
 rayfed fome other to achieue the fame." "Well then my Lord, 
 (quoth the Duchefle) Athens it pleafeth you not, that I renewe my 
 dolours paft, which have taken ende by your meane, I fliall 
 humbly befeche you to excufe mee, if this daye I haue not geuen 
 you that honour and good entertainement whiche you deferued : 
 affuring you that before you fhall departe this countrey, I wyll 
 make you amendes according vnto your own difcretion." " Ma- 
 dame, (quod the knyght) for all the wronges that euer you did 
 vnto me, (if they may be called wronges) the curtefie, fauour and 
 gentleneffe which alreadie I haue receiued, doth at one inflant 
 requite and recompence. Neuerthelefle if it may pleafe you to 
 receyue me for your feconde hufbande, lithe it hath pleafed God to 
 call your firft out of this lyfe into an other: that is and fhal bee 
 the fulnefle of all the felicitie that I looke for in this worlde." 
 "My Lorde Mendozza,(fayd the Duchefle) the recompence whiche 
 you demaunde of me, is very little in refpeft of the amendes and 
 fatiffaftion whiche I ought to make you. But of one thing I 
 can well afllire you, that if I had the whole world at my com- 
 maundement, and that I were the greateft Princefle of the earth, 
 in all kinde of beauties and giftes of grace, I would willingly fub- 
 mitte my felf vnto you, in confideration of your worthinefle, and 
 benefits beftowed vpon me with fo willing a minde, as prefently I 
 do yelde vnto your requefl: and I mufi: nedes confefle, that I 
 am now greatly bounde to fortune, that hath deliuered me into 
 your handes, from whome I hope never to be feuered fo long as 
 my foule fhall refl:e within my body : being predeflinated as I 
 beleue to no other ende but to ferue and obey you." And as 
 they thought to make a longer difcourfe of their taike, Emilia 
 told them that the king was in counfell, and that the other Lordes 
 of Spaine attended his comming : who with his company being 
 come before the king, and hauing done their reuerence vnto him, 
 he began to declare his charge, and how they were of purpofe 
 
330 THE DUCHESSE or SAUOIE. 
 
 fente to his maleftie in the behalfe of the king of Spaine, to de- 
 maunde the Lady his doughter in mariage, for his fonne the Prince 
 of Spaine : which he had chofen afwel to haue his alliance (a 
 matter by him only defired) as for the beautie and good grace, for 
 the which fhe was fpecially recommended. And if fo bee, he had 
 willed to haue chofen his matche els where, that there was not 
 at that day any Prince in al Europa, that woulde not willingly 
 haue accorded vnto him. To whom the king anfwered : " My 
 frendes, I feele my felfe fo much honored, for that it hath pleafed 
 the king to fend vnto me, as if he had not preuented me, I had 
 thought to haue fent vnto him for the fame purpofe. And albeit 
 that herein he hath vanquifhed me in ciuilitie and courtefie, yet 
 I will not faile if I can to furmount him in amitie. For he hath 
 bound me during life, in fuch wife as he, and my Lord his fonne, 
 may boldly vaunt themfelves to haue a king of England and a 
 realme from henceforth at their commaundement." The mariage 
 concluded, the Ducheffe diligentlye made fute to talke with the 
 king alone, to communicate vnto him the agreement betweene 
 the Lord of Mendozza and her. And perceiuing that the king was 
 gone into his chamber, fhe went vnto him, and being alone with 
 him, hauing her face al bedewed with teares, kneling, fhe faid 
 vnto him: "My Lord, when I confider my miferies pafte, and 
 the cruell affaultes that I haue receiued of fortune, being not 
 onely committed to the mercy of a mofte cruell prifon, but (which 
 is more) at the very laft point of a fliamefull death, I am fo 
 afflifted, that the onely remembraunce of thofe miferies terrifieth 
 me, and caufeth a certaine extreme bitternefle to rife in my hart. 
 And when on the other fide, I thinke of the great goodnefle that 
 Almightie God hath fliewed vnto me, by fl:retching forth his 
 mighty hand to deliuer me out of that perill, chieflie to make mee 
 triumphe ouer the death of mine enemy : I feele fuch comforte 
 of minde as all the delightes of the world be but griefes, in refpedt 
 of the ioye, pleafure and contentacion that I receiue: wherein 
 nothing offendeth me fo much as hetherto that I haue not acknow- 
 ledged the benefit receiued of him, who was elefted of God to be 
 my deliuerer : neuertheleflJe fir, by your onely word, you may both 
 fatiffie him, and content mee, yea and (as it were) prolong the 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 33 I 
 
 dayes of my life." The king, who loued his fifter no lefle than 
 his daughter, feeing her pitifiill complainte and teares, and to 
 fpeake with fuch affeftion, toke her vppe, and holdinge her by the 
 arme, faid vnto her : " Deare fifter and frende, if I have not to 
 this prefent fatiffied him that was the caufe of your deliueraunce, 
 I cannot be accufed of ingratitude, for that hitherto I haue not 
 knowen him, ne yet your felfe doth knowe what he is, (as you haue 
 oftentimes tolde me:) but of one thing you maye be afliired, and 
 I fweare vnto you at this prefent, by my Scepter, that fo fone as I 
 Ihall vnderftande what he is, I will vfe him in fuch wife as he 
 fliall thincke himfelfe fatiffied and contented, thoughe it did 
 cofte me the one halfe of my kingdome : for the pleafure which 
 he hath done vnto you bindeth not you alone, but mee alfo, to be 
 partaker of that band, both our honours being iointly bound 
 thereunto." "Alas, my Lord, (faid the Duchefle) it is the knighte 
 Mendozza, chiefe of this ambafl^ade, to whom, if it pleafe you to 
 giue your confent that we two might marrie, all auncient bands 
 and debtes fhal remain extinft, and fo by a fmal reward you fhal 
 reftore life to two perfons, almoft dead, for the exceflSue loue 
 which one beareth the other." And therewithal flie began to 
 declare to the king, thoriginal and procefle of the whole difcourfe, 
 Firft, the voyage of the fifter of Mendozza into Piemont: her 
 owne peregrination to S. lames, the honeft amitie betweene her 
 and Mendozza, the mefllage of maifter Appian to Mendozza, his 
 refufall of that requeft, his retorne after to Thurin, her confeflSon, 
 the Diamonde knowen againe, finally, how all the whole had pafled 
 betwene them : the counterfaite deuocion to Sainft lames onelye 
 referued, which, for her honour's fake, fhee woulde not tell him. 
 The kinge vnderftanding this ftraunge difcourfe, was fo rapte with 
 ioye and appalled with gladnefl^e, as hee could not for a longe 
 time make any aunfwere. When his paflion was moderated, 
 hee faid to his fifter: "But be you well afliired, that hee will 
 receiue you for his wyfe." "Yea, my Lord, (quoth fliee) I ought 
 well to be afliired of it, fince he himfelfe hath made the requefte." 
 " And truly, (quoth the kinge) God forbidde that I ftiould be the 
 caufe to breake fo holy an accorde : for if the Lorde of Mendozza 
 were inferiour in qualitie, nobility, and goods, than hee is : yet 
 
332 THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 
 
 hath hee fo much done both for you and mee, as we may not 
 honeftlie refufe him. Howe much more then be we bounde to 
 him : being a greate Lorde as hee isj iffued of noble and famous 
 families of Spaine, rich in goodes, and hauinge hazarded his life 
 for the conferuation of your honour: and therewithal! feeketh 
 mine alliaunce. Goe your wayes, (dere jfifter and frend) goe your 
 wayes, make much of him, and entreate him as you thincke befte. 
 And when I haue walked two or three tornes here, I will come 
 vnto him, to communicate more amplie of thefe matters." Scarce 
 had the Duchefle leyfure to aduertife the Lorde of Mendozza of 
 that which was concluded betweene the kinge and her, but he 
 came downe into the hall, where the mofte parte of the Spaniflie 
 gentlemen walked, and with a very ioyfull countenaunce wente 
 to the knight. To whom hee faid : "My Lorde Mendozza, I 
 praye you to embrace mee : for fo farre as I fee, I haue a better 
 interefte in you than I thought." And the Lorde of Mendozza 
 thinking to embrace him, his knee vppon the ground, was im- 
 mediatelye defired to ftand vp, Whom the kinge cleeping aboute 
 the necke, faide vnto him fo loude as euerye man mighte heare : 
 " Sir knighte, by the God of Heauen, fince that I might com- 
 maunde in the realme of Englande, I haue not entertayned Gen- 
 tleman nor Prince, to whom I have bin more endebted than to 
 you : nor neuer was there any dearer vnto mee than you, for the 
 greate gratitude and kindneffe, wherewith you haue bound me, 
 and wherby I fhal not from henceforth be fatiffied, vntil I haue in 
 fome thinge acknowledged the bonde wherein I am bounde vnto 
 you." When hee had fpoken thofe woordes, hee began to declare 
 from point to point, in the prefence of all the aflemblie, the con- 
 tentes of the whole before declared hiftorie. Whereat there was 
 none in all the company, but was greatly aftonned at the prudence 
 of Mendozza, by fo well diflembling, and accomplifhing fo great 
 enterprifes, without making them manifeft. And the king of 
 Englande commaunded that the mariage of him and his lifter 
 fhoulde be publiflied throughe out his realme, that all his nobilitie 
 might be affembled. And for his greater honour, the kinge did 
 from thenceforth conftitute him his high Conftable of England, 
 and repofed himfelfe in him, as vppon a firme piller, for the ad- 
 
THE DUCHESSE OF SAUOIE. 333 
 
 miniftration of the wayghtieft affaires of his realme. The mariage 
 
 folempnized and confummate with the Ducheffe, he retourn- 
 
 ed into Spaine, to accompanye the Prince into England, 
 
 whofe mariage was celebrated at London, with the 
 
 king of England's daughter, in fuch pompe 
 
 and folempnitie, as femblable Princes be 
 
 commonlie accuftomed to do in 
 
 fuch like cafes. 
 
334 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 THE FORTY-SIXTH NOUELL. 
 
 A King of England loued the daughter of one of his nolle men, 
 which was Countejfe of Salejlurie, who after great fute to atchieue 
 that he could not winne,for the entire loue he lare her, and her 
 greate conflancie, hee made her his queene and wife. 
 
 This hiftorie enfuinge, defcribing the perfeft figure of woman- 
 hode, the naturall qualitie of loue incenfinge the hartes indiffe- 
 rentlye of all nature's children, the liuely image of a good condi- 
 cioned Prince, the zealous loue of parentes and the glorious reward 
 that chaftitie conduceth to her imbracers, I deeme worthie to be 
 annexed to the former Nouell, wherein as you haue hearde, bee 
 contayned the ftraunge aduentures of a fayre and innocente 
 Duchefle : whofe life tried like gould in the fornace, glittereth at 
 this daye like a bright ftarry planet, fhining in the firmament 
 with mofte fplendent brightnefle aboue all the reft, to the eternal 
 prayfe of feminine kinde. And as a noble man of Spaine, by 
 heate of Loue's rage, purfued the louinge trace of a king of Eng- 
 land's fifler : euen fo a renowmed and moft viftorious Prince (as 
 the Au£lour of theim both affirmeth) thorow the furie of that 
 paffion, which (as Apuleus fayth) in the firfte heate is but fmall, 
 but aboundinge by increafe, doth fet all men on fier, maketh 
 earneft fute by difcourfe of wordes to a Lady herfelfe, a Countefle, 
 and Earle's doughter, a beautifull and faire wighte, a creature 
 incomparable, the wife of a noble man his own fubiefl: : who 
 feing her conftante forte to be impregnable, after pleafaunte 
 fute and milde requefte, attempteth by vndermining to inuade, 
 and when with fiege prolixe, hee perceiueth no ingenious 
 deuife can atchieue that long and painfull worke, he threateth 
 mighte and maine, dire and cruell affaultes, to winne and gette 
 the fame : and lafte of all furrendred into his hands, and the prifoner 
 cryinge for mercie, he mercifully is contented to mitigate his con- 
 ceyued rigour, and pitifully to releafe the Lady, whom for her 
 womanlye ftoutneffe and coragious conftancie hee imbraceth and 
 entertayneth for his owne. This greate and worthy king, by the 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE, 335 
 
 firfl: viewe of a delicate Ladie, thorowe the fappe of loue foaked 
 into his noble harte, was tranfported into mahye paffions, and 
 rapte with infinite pangues, which afterwards bredde him great 
 difquietnes. This worthie Prince (I fay) who before that time 
 like an Alexander, was able to conquere and gain whole king- 
 domes, and made all Fraunce to quake for feare, at whofe approch 
 the gates of euery Citie did flie open, and fame of him prouoked 
 ech Frenchman's knee to bowe, whofe helmet was made of man- 
 hods trampe, and mace well fteeled with ftoute attemptes, was by 
 the weakeft ftaye of dame Nature's frarne, a womaii (fhaped with 
 no vifage fterne or vglie loke) affrighted and appalled : whofe 
 harte was armed with no lethal fworde or deadly launce, but with 
 a curat of honour and weapon of womanhode, and for all his 
 glorious conquefls, fhe durft by finguler combat to giue refufall to 
 his face : which finguler perffeueiration in defence of her chaflitie 
 inexpugnable, efclarifheth to the whole flocke of womankinde the 
 brighte beames of wifedome, vertue and honeftie. No prayers, 
 intreatie, fuplicition, teares, fobbes, fighes, or other like humaine 
 aftions, poured forth of a PrincefTe hart, could withdrawe her 
 from the boundes of honeflie. No promife, prefent, praftife, 
 deuife, fute, freinde, parent, letter or counfellour, could make her 
 to ftray oute of the limites of vertue. No threate, menace, rigour, 
 feare, punifhmente, exile, terror, or other crueltie, could diuert 
 her from the fiege of conftancie. In her yOuthly time till her 
 mariage day, fhee delighted in virginitie : from her mariage day 
 during her widow flate, fhe reioyfed in chaflity : the one fhe con- 
 ferued like a bardie Cloelia, the other fhe kept like a conflant 
 Panthea, This notable hifl:orie therfore I haue purpofed to make 
 common, afwel for encouragement of Ladies to imbrace con- 
 fl:ancie, as to imbolden them in the refufal of difhonefl futes, for 
 which if they do not acquire femblable honour, as this Lady did, 
 yet they fhall not be fruftrate of the due reward incidente to 
 honour, which is fame and immortall pra'yfe. Gentlemen may 
 learne by the fuccefl^e of this difcourfe, what tormentes be in 
 Loue, what trauailes in purfute, what paffions like ague iittes^ 
 what difconueniences, what lofl:e labour, what plaints, what 
 
336 THE COU'NTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 griefes : what vnnatural attemptes be forced. Many other notori- 
 ous examples be contayned in the fame, to the greate comforte 
 and pleafure as I truft, of the wel aduifed reader : and although 
 the au£tour of the fame, perchaunce hath not rightlye touched 
 the proper names of the aufthours of this tragedie, by perfedle 
 appellations : as Edward the third for his eldeft fonne Edward the 
 Prince of Wales (who as I read in Fabian) maried the Countefle of 
 Salefburie, which before was Counteffe of Kent, and wife vnto fir 
 Thomas Holland: and whofe name, (as Polidore fayth) was lane, 
 daughter to Edmond Earle of Kent, of whom the fame Prince 
 Edward begat Edward that died in his childifh yeres, and Richard 
 that afterwards was king of England the fecond of that name, and 
 for that Ihe was kin to him, was deuorced: whofe fayde father 
 maried Philip, daughter to the earle of Henault, and had by her 
 VII. fonnes: and ^lips for the name of the fayde Counteffe, beinge 
 none fuche amonges our vulgare termes, but Frofard remembreth 
 her name to be Alice, which in deede is common amonges vs : 
 and the Caftell of Salefburie, where there is none by that name, 
 vppon the frontiers of Scotlande, albeit the fame Frofard doth 
 make mention of a caftell of the Earle of Salefburie's, giuen vnto 
 him by Edward the third when he was fir William Montague and 
 maried the faide Lady Alice for his feruice and proweffe againfl the 
 Scottes : and Rofamburghe for Roxboroughe : and that the faid 
 Edwarde when hee faw that hee could not by loue and other per- 
 fwafions attaine the Counteffe but by force, maried the fame Coun- 
 teffe, which is altogether vntrue, for that Polydore and other 
 aufthors do remember but one wife that hee had, which was the 
 fayde vertuous Queene Philip, with other like defaults: yet the grace 
 of the hiftorie for all thofe errours is not diminifhed. Whereof I 
 thoughte good to giue this aduertifemente : and waying with my 
 felfe that by the publifhing hereof no difhonour can dedounde to 
 the illuflre race of our noble kinges and Princes, ne yet to the 
 blemifhinge of the fame of that noble kinge, eternized for his 
 viftories and vertues in the auncient Annales, Chronicles and 
 Monuments, forren and domeflicall, (becaufe all nature's children 
 be thral and fubiefte to the infirmities of their firft parentes,) I do 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 337 
 
 with fubmiffion humblie referre the fame to the iudgement and 
 correftion of thenij to whom it fliall appartaine : which beinge 
 confidered, the Nouell doth begin in this forme and order. 
 
 There was a kinge of Englande named Edwarde, which had to 
 his firft wyfe the doughter of the Counte of Renault of whom hee 
 had children, the eldeft whereof was called alfo Edward, the re- 
 nowmed Prince of Wales, who befides Poiftiers fubdued the French 
 men, toke lohn the French king prifoner, and fent him into Eng- 
 land. This Edwarde father of the Prince of Wales, was not one- 
 ly a capitall eunemie of the Frenchmen, but alfo had continual 
 warres with the Scottes his neighbours, and feing himfelf fo dis- 
 quieted on euery fide, ordayned for his Lieutenant vpon the fron- 
 tiers of Scotland, one of his Captaynes, named William, Lord Mon- 
 tague : to whom becaufe he had fortified Roxborough, and ad- 
 drefled many enterprifes againft the enemies, he gaue the Earle- 
 dome of Sarifburie, and maried him honourablie with one of the 
 fairefl; Ladies of England. Certaine dayes after, kinge Edward 
 fent him into Flaunders, in the companie of the Earle of SufFolke, 
 where fortune was fo contrarie, as they were both taken prifoners, 
 by the Frenchmen, and fente to the Louure at Paris. The Scottes 
 hearing tell of their difcomfiture, and how the marches were defl:i- 
 tute of a gouernour, they fpeedely fente thether an armie, with in- 
 tente to take the CounteflJe prifoner, to rafe her Caftle, and to 
 make bootie of the riches that was there. But the Earle of Saris- 
 burie before his departure, had giuen fo good order, that their fuc- 
 cefl!e was not fuch as they hoped : for they wer fo liuely repelled 
 by them that wer within, as not able to endure their furie, in 
 fl:eede of making their approches, they were confl:rayned to go 
 further of. And hauinge intelligence by certaine fpies, that the 
 king of England was departed from London, with a great armie, 
 to come to fuccour the CounteflTe, perceyuing that a farre of, they 
 were able to do litle good, they were faine fhortly to retire home 
 again to their Ihame. King Edward departed from London, tra- 
 uayling by great iourneyes with his armye towardes Sarifburie, 
 was aduertized, that the Scottes were difcamped, and fled againe 
 into Scotland. Albeit they had fo fpoyled the cafl:le in manye 
 places, as the markes gaue fufficiente witnefl!e, what their intente 
 
 VOL. I. V 
 
33^ THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 and meaning was. And althoughe the kinge had thoughte to re- 
 tourne backe againe vppon their retire, yet being aduertifed of 
 the great battrie, and of the hotte affault they had giuen to the 
 Caftell, he went foorth to vifit the place. The Counteffe whofe 
 name was iEIips, vnderftanding of the kinge's comming, caufing 
 all things to bee in fo good readineffe, as the {hortneffe of the 
 time could feme, furniflied her felfe fo well as fhee could with a 
 certaine nomber of Gentlewomen and Souldiours that remained, to 
 iflue forth to meete the king, who befides her natural beautie, for the 
 which Ihe was recommended aboue all the Ladies of her prouince, 
 was enriched with the furniture of vertue and curtefie, which made 
 her fo incomparable, that at one inftante, fhe rauifhed the hartes 
 of all the Princes and Lordes that did behold her, in fuch wife, as 
 there was no talke in all the armie but of her graces and vertue, and 
 fpecially of her excellent and furpaffing beauty. The kinge hau- 
 ing made reuerence vnto her, after hee had well viewed all her ges- 
 tures and countenaunces, thoughte that hee had neuer feen a more 
 goodlier creature. Then rapte with an incredible admiration he 
 faid vnto her: "Madame Counteffe, I"do beleeue, that if in this 
 attire and furniture wherein you now be, accompanied with fo rare 
 and excellente beautie, ye had beene placed vppon one of the ram- 
 piers of your Caftell, you had made more breaches with the lokes 
 and beames of your fparkling eyes, in the hartes of your ennemyes, 
 than they had beene able to haue done in your caftel, with their 
 thundring ordinaunce." The Counteffe fomewhat fliamefaft and 
 abafhed, to heare herfelfe fo greatly prayfed of a Prince fo greate, 
 began to blnftie and taint with rofeall colour, the whiteneffe of 
 her alablafter face. Then lifting vp her bafhfull eyes, fomewhat to- 
 wards the king, fhe faid vnto him: " My foueraigne Lord, your 
 grace may fpeake your pleafure, but I am well affured, that if 
 you had feen the nomber of fhotte, which by the fpace of xii. 
 houres were beftowed fo thicke as hayle, vpon euery part of the 
 fortj you might haue iudged what good wil the Scots did beare 
 vnto mee and my people. And for my felfe I am affured, that if 
 I had made proufe of that which you faye, and fubmitted myfelfe 
 to their mercie, my bodye nowe had been diffolued into dufte." 
 The king aftonned with fo fage and wife aunfwere, chaunging 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 339 
 
 his mindcj went towarde the caftell : where after interteignement 
 and accuftomed welcome, he began by litle and litle, to feele him- 
 felfe attached wyth a newe fier. Which the more he laboured 
 to refift, the more it inflamed : and feelinge this new mutacion in 
 himfelfe, there came into his mind, an infinite nomber of matters, 
 balancing betwene hope and feare, fomtimes determining to yeld 
 vnto his paffions, and fomtimes thinking clerely to cut them of, 
 for feare leafl: by committinge himfelfe to his affections, the 
 vrgent affayres of the warres, wherewith hee was inuolued, fhould 
 haue ill fucceffe. But in the ende vanquifhed wyth Loue, hee 
 purpofed to proue the hart of the Counteffe, and the better to at- 
 tayne the fame he toke her by the hande, and prayed her to fliewe 
 him the commodities of the fortreffe. Which fliee did fo well, 
 and with fo good grace intertaigne them all the whyle wyth infi- 
 nite talke of diuers matters, that the litle grifts of loue which 
 were fcarcely planted, began to growe fo farre as the rootes re- 
 mayned faft grounded in the depthe of his harte. And the kyng 
 not able any longer to endure fuch a charge in his minde, preffed 
 with griefe, deuifed by what meanes he might enioye her, which 
 was the caufe of his difquiet. But the Counteffe feing him fo pen- 
 fife, without any apparaunt occafion, fayde vnto him : " Sir, I doe 
 not a litle maruell' to fee you reduced into thefe alterations : for 
 (me thincke) your grace is marueloufly chaunged within thefe two 
 or thre houres, that your highnes vouchfaued to enter into this cas- 
 tel for my fuccour and reliefe in fo good time, as al the dayes of 
 my life, both I and mine be greatly bound vnto you, as to him 
 which is not onely content liberally to haue beftowed vpon vs 
 the goods which we poffefle, but alfo by his generofitie, doth 
 conferue and defend vs from the incurfions of the enemie. Where- 
 in your grace doth deferue double prayfe, for a deede fo charit- 
 able : but I cannot tell nor yet deuife, what fhould bee the caufe 
 that your highnefle is fo penfife ana forowful, fith without great 
 loffe on your parte, your enemies vnderftandinge of your ftoute 
 approche, be retired, which ought, as I fuppofe, to driue awaye the 
 Melancholic from your Stomacke, and to revoke your former ioy, 
 for fo much as viftorie acquired withoute effufion of bloud, is al- 
 wayes moft noble and acceptable before God." The king hearing 
 
340 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 this angel's voyce, fo amiably pronouncing thefe words, thinking 
 that of her owne accord fliee came to make him mery, determined 
 to let her vnderftand his griefe, vpon fo conueniente occafion 
 offred. Then with a trembling voice he faid vnto her: "Ah Ma- 
 dame, how farre be my thoughtes farre differente from thofe which 
 you do thincke me to haue : I feele my hart fo oppreft with care, 
 as it is impoffible to tell you what it is, howbeit the fame hath 
 not beene of long continuance, being attached therewithall, fince 
 my comminge hether, which troubleth me fo fore, as I cannot tell 
 whereupon well to determine." The Countefle feing the king thus 
 moued, not knowing the caufe whye, was vncertaine what aunfwere 
 to make. Which the king perceyuing, faid vnto her, fetching 
 a deepe fighe from the bottome of his ftomacke : " And what fay 
 you Madame thereunto, can you giue mee no remedie?" The 
 Countefle, which neuer thoughte that any fuch difcurtefie could 
 take place in the kinge's hart, taking things in good part, faid vnto 
 him : " Syr, I know not what remedie to giue you, if firfl: you do 
 not difcouer vnto me the griefe. But if it trouble you, that the 
 Scottifhe kinge hath fpoyled your countrie, the lofle is not foe 
 greate, as therewith a Prince fo mightie as you be, neede to be 
 offended : Athens by the grace of God, the vengeaunce lieth in 
 your handes, and you may in time chaften him, as at other times 
 you haue done." Whereunto the kinge feinge her fimplicitie, 
 aunfweared : "Madame, the beginninge of my griefe ryfeth not 
 of that, but my wounde refteth in the inwarde parte of my harte, 
 which pricketh mee fo foore, as if I defire from henceforth to 
 prolonge my life, I mufte open the fame vnto you, referuing the 
 caufe thereof fo fecrete, as none but you and I muft be partakers. 
 I muft now then confefle vnto you, that in comminge to your 
 Caftell, and caftinge downe my head to behold your celeftiall face, 
 and the reft of the graces, wherewith the heauens haue prodigally 
 endued you, I haue felt (vnhappie man as I am) fuch a fodaine 
 alteration, in al the moft fenfible partes of my body, as knowing 
 my forces diminifhed, I cannot tel to whom to make complaint of 
 my libertie loft (which of long time I haue fo happily preferued) 
 but onely to you, that like a faithfull keeper and onely treafurer of 
 my hart, you may by fome Ihining beame of pitie bring againe to 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 34 1 
 
 his former mirth and ioye, that which you defire in me : and by 
 the contraricj you may procure to me a life more painefull and 
 greeuous than a thoufand deathes together." When he had ended 
 thefe woordeSj hee helde his peace, to let her fpeake, attendinge 
 none other thing by her aunfwere, but the laft decree either of 
 death or life. But the Countefle with a grauitie conformable to 
 her honeftie and honour, without other mouing, faid vnto him : 
 " If any other befides your grace had been fo forgetful of himfelf 
 to enter in thefe termes, or to vfe fuch talke vnto me, I knowe 
 what fhould be mine aunfwere, and fo it might be, that he Ihoulde 
 haue occafion not to be well contented, but knowing this your 
 attempt to proceede rather from the pleafantnes of your hart, 
 than for other affeftion, I wil beleue from henceforth, and per- 
 fwade my felfe, that a Prince fo renowmed and gentle as you be, 
 doth not thincke, and much lefle meane, to attempt any thing 
 againft mine honour, which is a thoufand times dearer vnto mee 
 than life. And I am perfwaded, that you do not fo litle efteeme 
 my father and my hufband, who is for your feruice prifoner in the 
 hands of the Frenchmen, our mortal enemies, as in their abfence 
 to procure vnto them fuch defamation and flaunder. And by 
 making this requeft your grace doth fwarue from the bounds of 
 honeftie very farre, and you do greate iniury to your fame, if men 
 fhould know what termes you do vfe vnto me. In like maner, I 
 purpofe not to violate the faith, which I haue giuen to my hufband, 
 but I intend to keepe the fame vnfpotted, fo long as my foule 
 flialbe caried in the Chariot of this mortall body. And if I fhould 
 fo far forget my felf, as willingly to commit a thing fo diflioneft, 
 your grace oughte for the loyal feruice of my father and hufband 
 toward you, fharpely to rebuke me, and to punifh me according 
 to my defert. For this caufe (moft dradde foueraigne Lord) you 
 which are accuftomed to vanquifhe and fubdue other, bee nowe 
 a conquerour ouer your felfe, and throughly bridle that concu- 
 pifcence (if there be any) vnder the raynes of reafon, that being 
 quenched and ouercome, they may no more reuiue in you, and 
 hauing liuely refifted the firft aflaultes, the viftorie is but eafie, 
 which fhalbe a thoufande times more glorious and gainefuU for 
 you, than if you had conquered a kingdome. The Countefle 
 
342 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 had fcarce made an ende of her tale, but one came to tell them 
 that the Tables were couered for dinner : the king well fedde with 
 Loue, dined for that time very foberly, and not able to eate but 
 vppon amorous difhes, did cafte his lokes inconftantly here and 
 there, and ftill his eyes threw the laft loke vppon that part of the 
 table where the Counteffe fate, meaninge thereby to extinguifh the 
 boiling flames, which inceflantly did burne him, howbeit by think- 
 ing to coole them, he further plonged himfelfe therein. And 
 wandering thus in diuers cogitacions, the wife aunfweare that the 
 Countefle made, like a vaunt currour, was continually in his re- 
 membraunce, and was well afllired of her inuincible chafl:itie. By 
 reafon whereof, feing that fo hard an enterprife required a longer 
 abode, and that a hart fo chaft, could not fo quickly be remoued 
 from purpofe, carefull on the other fide to giue order to the waightie 
 affayres of his realme, difquieted alfo on euery fide, through the 
 turmoile of warres, determined to depart the next day in the 
 morning, referuing till another time more conuenient the purfute 
 of his loue. Hauing taken order for his departure, in the morn- 
 ing he wente to feeke the Countefle, and taking his leaue of her, 
 praied her to thinke better of the talke made vnto her the daye 
 before, but aboue al, he befought her to haue pitie vpon him. 
 Wherunto the Counteflfe aunfwered, that not onely fhee praied 
 God inceflantly to giue him vi6lory ouer his outward enemies, but 
 alfo grace to tame the carnal paflSon, which did fo torment him. 
 Certaine dayes after that king Edward was arriued at London, 
 which was the place of his ordinarie abode, the Counteflfe of Saris- 
 burie was aduertifed, that theEarle her hufband, being out of pryfon, 
 confumed with griefe and ficknes, died by the way homewards. 
 And becaufe they had no children, the Earledome retourned to the 
 kinge, which firfl; gaue the fame vnto him. And after flie had 
 lamented the death of her hufband the fpace of manye dayes, fhee 
 returned to her father's houfe, which was Earle of Warwike. And 
 for fo much as he was one of the king's priuie Counfel, and the 
 moft part of the affayres of the Realme paflTed by his aduife and 
 counfell, he continued at London, that hee might be more neare 
 vnto the kinge's perfon. The king aduertifed of the comming of 
 the Counteflfe, thoughte that fortune had opened a way to bring his 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 343 
 
 enterprife to defired effeft, fpecially for that the death of her hus- 
 band, and the witnefle of his earnefl: good will, woulde make her 
 more tradlable. The kinge feing all thing (as he thought) to fuc- 
 cede after his defire, began to renue his firfl; afFefitions, feeking by 
 all meanes to praftife the good will of the Countefle, who then 
 was of the age of xxvi. yeares. Afterwards he ordeyned many 
 triumphes at the Tilt and Torney, Mafkes, Momeries, Feaftes, Ban- 
 quettes, and other like paflimes, whereat ladies accuftomablye doe 
 aflemble, who made much of theym all, and fecretely talked wyth 
 them. Notwithftanding he could not fo well difguife and coun- 
 terfaite his paffions, but that he ftill fhewed himfelfe to beare 
 befte good will to the Countefle. Thus the kinge could not vfe 
 fuch difcretion in loue, but that from his fecret fier, fome euident 
 flames did iffue oute : but the Counteflfe which was a wife and 
 curteous Ladye, did eafely perceiue, how the king by chaunging 
 the place, had not altered his afleftion, and that hee fl:ill profe- 
 cuted his talke begon at Sarifburie. She defpifing all his amorous 
 countenaunces, continued her firme and chafle minde : and if it 
 chaunced that fometimes the king made more of her than difcre- 
 tion required, fodainly might haue been difcried a certaine pale- 
 nefTe in her face, which declared the litle pleafure that flie toke 
 in his toyes, with a certaine rigour appearinge, that yelded to the 
 king an afllired tefl:imonie that he laboured in vaine. Neuerthe- 
 lefl^e, fhe, to cut of all meanes of the kinges purfute, kept ftill her 
 father's houfe, fhewinge herfelf in no place where the king mighte 
 fee her. The king oflFended, feing himfelfe depriued and baniftied 
 her prefence, whom he efteemed as the comfort of his life, made 
 his fecretarie priuie to the whole matter, whofe fidelity he had wel 
 proued in matters daungerous, with mind to purfue her by other 
 way, if it chaunced that fhe perfifted in her wonted rigor and re- 
 fufal. Howbeit before he proceded any further, fithe he could not 
 fecretely talke with her, he purpofed to fend her a letter, the tenor 
 whereof infueth : 
 
 " Madame, if you pleafe by good aduife to confider the begin- 
 ning of my Loue, the continuance of the fame, and then the laft iiTue 
 wherunto it tendeth, I am aflfured that laying your hand on your 
 hart, you wil accufe your felfe, not only of your curfl; and froward 
 
344 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 ftomacke hitherto appearing, but alfo of that newe ingratitude, 
 which you fhewe vnt'o me at this houre, whoe not contented to 
 bathe and plondge mee' into the miflehappe of my paines pafte, 
 but by a newe onfet, to abandon your felfe from my prefence, as 
 from the fighte of your mortall eunemie : wherein I finde that 
 heauen and all his influences, doe crie out for myne ouerthrowe, 
 whereunto I doe agree, fince my life taking no vigor and increafe, 
 being onely fuflrained by the fauour of your diuine graces, can 
 not be maintained one onely minute of a daye, without the liberall 
 helpe of your fweetenefle and vertue: befeching you, that if the 
 hartie prayers of any mortal tormented man, may euer haue force 
 and power to moue you to pitie, it may pleafe you miraculoufly to 
 deliuer from henceforth this my poore miferable afflifted mynde, 
 either from death or martyrdome : 
 
 He that is more yours than his ownne, 
 Edward, the defolate king of England." 
 The letter written with his own hande, and fealed with his 
 feale, he commaunded the Secretarie to go to the Countefle, at her 
 father's houfe, and fecretly to deliuer the fame. The CpunteflTe 
 hauing red and perufed it, fayd to the Secretarie : " My frende, 
 you fhall tell the kyng, that I doe befech him mofl: humbly, to 
 fende me no more letters or meflages touching the matters whereof 
 he hath written : for I am in fuch wyfe refolued in the aunfwere, 
 which I made him in my caftle, as I wyll perfifte immutable, to 
 the ende of my life." The Secretaire retorninge the aunfwere 
 of the Countefle, the king rapte with an impacient and extreme 
 choler, defired eftfones to giue another attempt : and confuming 
 by litle and litle in this amorous fier, began to fort out of the 
 limits of reafon. And almoft:e out of his wittes, demaunded of 
 his Secretarie: "Do you thinke it expedient that I make requefl 
 to her father, whofe counfell I want in other thinges ?" To whome 
 the Secretarie boldly aunfwered, that he thought it vnreafonable 
 to feeke ayde at a father's handes to corrupt the doughter : faith- 
 fully telling to the king, the reproche and infamie that would fol- 
 lowe thereof, as well for the olde feruice, that her father hadde done 
 to his aunceftours, as for his great prowefle in armes for which he 
 was fo greatly commended. But loue, the mortall enemie of all 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 34$ 
 
 good counfell, fo blinded the eyes of the kyngj that without anye 
 further deliberation, he commaunded the Secretarie to go feke the 
 father, to deinande his counfell for matters of importance : whiche 
 the Earle vnderftanding, obeyed incontinently, where the king 
 alone in a chamber lying vpon a bed, after hee had commaunded 
 him to fliut the dore and to fit downe by him, fayde thefe wordes : 
 " My lorde, I haue caufed you to come hither for a certaine oc- 
 cafion, whiche toucheth me fo nighe, as the loffe or preferuation 
 of my life. For neuer through any.aflaut of fortune (the fharpe- 
 neffe wherof I haue often felt) haue I bene vanquiflied with fo 
 great difquiet, as nowe. For I am fo vexed with my paffions, as 
 being ouercome by them, I haue none other refuge, but to a moft 
 unhappie death that euer man can fuffer, if prefently I bee not . 
 holpen. Knowe ye therefore, that I deeme him onely to be happy 
 that by Reafon can rule his wyttes, not fuffering hym felfe to be 
 caried into vayne defires : in whiche pointe wee do differ from 
 beaftes, who being lead onely by naturall order, doe indifferently 
 runne headlong, whether their appetite doth guide them : but we 
 with the meafure of Reafon, ought to moderate our doinges with 
 fuche prouidence, as without ftraying we may choofe the right 
 way of equitie and iufl;ice : and if at any time, the weake flefhe 
 doth faint and giue ouer, we haue none to blame but our felues : 
 who deceiued by the fading fhadow and falfe apparaunce of things, 
 fal into the ditche by our felues prepared. And that which I do 
 alleage, is proued, not without manifefl: reafon, wherof I nowe. doe 
 fele experience, hauing let flip the raynes of the bridle to farre 
 ouer my difordinate affeftions, beyng drawen from the right hande„ 
 and traiteroufly deceiued. And neuertheleffe I can not tell howe 
 to retire to take the right waye, or howe to retourne my back from 
 that which doth me hurt. Wherefore nowe (vnfortunate and mife- 
 rable that I am) I acknowledge my felfe to be like vnto him, that 
 followeth his game in the thicket of a woode, rufliing through 
 thicke and thynne at all aduentures, not knowing howe to finde 
 the waye he entred in, but rather the more he defireth to follow 
 the trace, the more in the ende he is wrapped in the buflies. So 
 it is my Lorde, that I can not and may not for all my forefayd 
 allegations, fo colour my fault, or purge myne error, but that 
 
346 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 I muft confefle and acknowledge it to be in me : but I fpeake to 
 this ende, that feeking a farre of the originall of my griefe^ you 
 would helpe me to complayne, and thereby to take pitie vpon me. 
 For to tell you the truthe, I am fo intricated in the labarinthe of 
 my vnbrideled will, as the more I doe afpire to the better (alas) 
 the worfle I am. Haue not Fgood caufe to complaine my Lorde, 
 that after fo manye famous viftories achieued by Sea and Lande, 
 wherewith I haue renowmed the memorie of my name in all 
 places, am now bound and daunted with an appetite fo outragious, 
 as I can not helpe my felfe, whereby myne owne life, or rather 
 death, is confumed in fuche anguiflie and mortall paine, as I am 
 become the very manfion of all mifchiefs, and onely receptacle 
 of all miferies ? What fufficient excufe for my fault may I hence- 
 forth alleage, that in the end will not difplay it to be both vn- 
 profitable and voyde of reafon? But what Ihall be the buckeler 
 of my fhame, if not my youthly age, which pricketh me fore- 
 warde to loue like a fharpe nedle, the force whereof I haue fo 
 ofte repelled, as nowe being vanquifhed, I haue no place for reft, 
 but in thy mercy, who in my father's dayes diddeft liberally fpende 
 thy bloud, in manye notable enterprifes in his feruice, whiche 
 afterwardes thou hafte fo well continued, that in many daunger- 
 ous affaires, I haue diuers times proued the fidelitie of thy coun- 
 fell, whereby I haue brought to paffe thinges of great importaunce, 
 and therein hitherto neuer founde thee flacke and vnfaythfull. 
 Whiche when I remember doe prouoke me to be bolde to declare 
 vnto you mine entent, whiche by youre onely worde you may 
 procure, the fruite whereof being gotten, you fliall winne the 
 heart of a king, to be vfed as you lifte for euer. And the more 
 the thing flial feeme harde, difficult or painefuil, the greater fliall 
 your merite be, and the more firmely fliall he be bounde, whiche 
 doth receive it. Confider then my Lorde, howe profitable it is, 
 to haue a king at your commaundement. You haue alfo foure 
 fonnes, whom you cannot honourably aduaunce with out my 
 fauour : fwearing unto you by my regall Scepter, that if you 
 comfort me in thefe my troubles, I will endue the three yongeft 
 with fo large pofleflions, as they fhall haue no caufe to be 
 offended with their eldeft brother. Remember likewyfe, what 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 347 
 
 rewardes I haue beftowed vpon them that ferue me. And if 
 you haue knowen how liberall I haue bene towardes other, 
 thinke then I praye you, how bountifully you bynde me towardes 
 you, vpon whome my life and deathe dependeth." The king 
 ending his forowfull complainte, (lopped by fobbes and fighes, 
 helde his peace. And the Earle who tenderly loued his Prince, 
 hearing this pitifull difcourfe, (the faithfull witnefle of his inward 
 paffion) and not able to coniefture the occafion, was maruelloufly 
 troubled in him felfe, and without longer aduife, ouercome with 
 pitie, he made a liberall and very fodayne offer to the king of 
 his life, his children, and of all that he was able to doe. " Com- 
 maunde, my foueraigne Lorde (quod he with weaping teares) 
 what it fliall pleafe you to haue me doe, if it be, euen to beftowe 
 my life for your fake. For by the faithe and fealtie that I do 
 owe to God and to your grace, I fweare, that many dayes and 
 yeares pafte, I haue bound my felfe inuiolably, and all mine 
 abilitie without exception, fo long as this tongue is able to fturre, 
 and breathe fhall remaine within this bodye, iaithfully and truely 
 to ferue your maieftie, not onely for that dutie bindeth me, but 
 if it were for your fake, to tranfgreffe and exceede the bondes 
 of mine honour." But the good olde Earle, whiche neuer thought 
 that a requeft fo vniuft and diflioneft would haue proceeded 
 out of the mouth of a king, with franke and open harte made 
 that liberall offer. The king then hauing founded the depth 
 of the Earle's affedlion, chaunging colour, his eyes fixed on the 
 grounde, fayde vnto him : " Your doughter the Counteffe of 
 Sarifburie, (my Lorde) is the onely medicine of my trauayles, 
 whome I doe loue better than mine owne life, and doe feele 
 my felfe fo inflamed with her heauenly beautie, as without her 
 grace and fauour I am not able hereafter to Hue : for this con- 
 fideration, fith you defire to doe me feruice, and to preferue 
 my life, I praye you to deale with her, that flie with compafEon 
 may looke vpon me. Craning this requeft at your handes, not 
 without extreme fhame, confidering as well your honorable ftate, 
 as your auncient merites imploied vpon me and my progenitours : 
 but according to your modeftie and accuftomed goodnefl!e, impute 
 the faulte vpon amorous loue, which in fuch wife hath alienated 
 
348 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 my libertie, and confounded my heart, that now ranging out 
 of the boundes of honour and reafon, I feele my felfe tormented 
 and vexed in mynde. Whereby I am prouoked to make this 
 requeftj and not able to expel the mortall poyfon out of my 
 hart, which hath diminiflied my force, intoxicated my fenfe, 
 and hath depriued my minde from all good counfell, as I can 
 not tell what to doe but to feeke to you for helpe, hauing no 
 kinde of reft but when I fee her, when I fpeake of her, or 
 thinke vppon her. And I am at this prefent reduced into fo 
 pitiful plight as being not able to wynne her by intreaties, offers, 
 prefentes, futes, ambaffages and letters, my onely and laft refuge 
 and aflured port of all my raiferies, refteth in you, either by 
 death to ende my life, or by force to obtayne my defire." The 
 Earle hearing the vnciuile and beaftly demaunde of his foueraigne 
 Lorde, blufhing for fhame, and throughly aftonned, filled alfo 
 with a certaine honeft and vertuous difdayne, was not able to 
 diflblue his tongue to render a worthy aunfwere to the afflifted 
 Prince, Finally, like one awaked from his dead fleepe, he faid 
 vnto him : " Sir, my wittes fayle, my vertue reuolteth, my 
 tongue is mute, at the wordes that proceede from you, whereby 
 I fele my felfe brought into two ftraunge and perillous pointes, 
 as paffing either by one or other, I muft nedes fall into very 
 great daunger. But to refolue vpon that which is moft expedi- 
 ent, hauing geuen vnto you my faithe in pledge, to fuccour and 
 helpe you euen to the abandoning of honor and life, I will not 
 be contrarie to my woordes. And touching my daughter, for 
 whom you make requeft, I will reueale vnto her the effefte of 
 your demaunde : yet of one thing I muft tell you, fir, power I 
 haue to entreate her, but none at all to force her. Inough it 
 is that fhe vnderftand of me, what hart and affeftion you beare 
 vnto her. But I doe maruell, yea and complaine of you, pardon 
 me (moft drad foueraigne) and fuffer me without offence to 
 difcharge my grief before your prefence, rather than to your 
 fhame and mine eternal infamie, it fhould be manifefted and 
 publifhed abrode by other. I fay, that I maruell, fir, what 
 occafion moued you to commit fuch reproch in my ftock and 
 bloud, and by an aft fo fhamefull and lafciuious, to difhonour 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 349 
 
 the fame : whiche neuer difdained to ferue both you and yours, 
 to the vttermoft of their powers. Alas, vnhappy father that I am, 
 is this the guerdon and recompence that I and^my children fliall 
 expeft for our trufty and faithfuU feruice ? O fir, for God's fake, 
 if you lifte not to be liberall of your owne, feke not to difhonour 
 vs, and to inflift vpon our race fuch notable infamie. But who 
 can loke for worfe at the handes of his mortall and cruell enemie ? 
 It is you, euen you it is (mofl: noble Prince) that doth rauifhe my 
 daughter's honor, difpoyle me of my contentation, ye take from 
 my children hardineffe to fliewe their faces, and from all our 
 whole houfe, the auncient fame and glorie. It is you that doth 
 obfeure the clearenelTe of my bloud, with an attempt fo difhoneft 
 and deteftable, as the memorie thereof fhall neuer be forgotten. 
 It is you that doth conftraine me to be the infamous minifter of 
 the totall deftruftion of my progenie, and to be a fliamelefle 
 Pandarus of my daughter's honor. Doe you thinke to helpe and 
 fuccour me, when others fliall attempt to obiect vnto my face this 
 flaunder and reproche? but if your felfe doe hurt me, where 
 fliall I hereafter feke reliefe and fuccour. If the hande which 
 ought to helpe me, be the very fame that doth giue me the 
 wounde, where fliall the hope bee of my recouerie? For this 
 caufe, may it pleafe your maieftie, whether iuftlie I do make my 
 complainte, and whether you geue me caufe to aduaunce my 
 cries vp into the heauens, your felfe fliall be the iudge : for, 
 if like a iudge in deede you doe geue ouer your difordinate affec- 
 tion, I then appeale to the iudgement of your inuincible minde, 
 of late accompliflied with all curtefie and gentlenefle. On the 
 other fide, I doe lament your fortune, when I thinke vpon the 
 reafons which you haue alleaged, and the greater caufe I haue 
 to plaine, becaufe I haue knowen you from your youth, and 
 haue alwayes deemed you at libertie and free from fuch pas- 
 fions, not thral or fubiefl; to the flames of loue, but rather 
 geuen to exercife of armes. And nowe feing you to become 
 a prifoner of an affection vnworthy your eftate, I can not tell 
 what to thinke, the noueltie of this fodain chaunce femeth to be 
 fo ftraunge. Remember fir, that for a litle fufpicion of adul- 
 terie, you caufed Roger Mortimer to be put to death. And 
 
3 50 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 (being (karce able to tell it without teares) you caufed your 
 owne mother miferablie to die in pryfon : and God knoweth 
 howe fimple your accufations were, and vpon ho we light ground 
 your fufpicion was conceived. Do not you knowe howe woun- 
 derfully you be molefted with warres, and that your enemies, 
 trauell day and night to circumuent you, both by Sea and Lande ? 
 Is it nowe tyme then to geue your felfe to delightes, and to 
 captiuate your mynde in the pleafures of Ladies? Where is the 
 auncient generofitie and nobilitie of your bloud ? Wher is mag- 
 nanimitie and valour, wherewith you haue aftonned your eunemies, 
 (hewed your felfe amiable to your frends, and wonderfull to your 
 fubiefts? Touching the laft point, wherin you threaten, that 
 if my doughter doe not agree to your defire, you will forcibly 
 enioye her, I can neuer confeffe that to be the fa£t of a va- 
 liaunt and true king, but of a vile, cowardly, cruell and libidinous 
 Tryaunt. I truft it be not the pleafure of God, that nowe at the 
 age you be of, you wil begin to force Gentlewomen that be your 
 humble fubiefts, which if you do, this iland fhall lofe the name 
 of a Realme, and hereafter fhalbe deemed none other, but a fanc- 
 tuarie of theues and murderers. If then, (to conclude this my 
 forowefuU and heauie complaint) you may, or can by your flatte- 
 ries, promifles and prefentes, allure my doughter to your vnbri- 
 deled appetites, I fhall haue occafion to bewayle her difhoneflie, 
 and to deeme her, as an incontinent daughter, degenerated from 
 the vertues of her progenitors. But touching your owne perfone, 
 I haue nothing to faye, but that herein you doe followe the 
 common fort of men, that be futors to Ladies, willing to pleafe 
 their fanfies. There refleth onely nowe for me to aunfwere the 
 fauour, whiche in time to come you promife to me and my chil- 
 dren : I couet not after any thing reprochfull to me or them, or 
 to any of our pofteritie, that may make vs afhamed, knowing 
 in what contempt and reputation they be, which being borne 
 of bafe parentage, be arriued to goods and honour, by gratifying 
 and obeying Princes and kinges in their difhoneft luftes and 
 appetites. Remember fir, that within thefe fewe dayes, being in 
 campe againfl the Scottes, you vpbrayded a certaine man (which 
 flialbe nameleffe) for being a minifter of your father's loue, who 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 3 S I 
 
 from the ftate of a barber, was aduaunced to the degree of an 
 Earle, and how you fayd, that if in time to come he amended 
 not his manners, you would fende him to the Ihop againe. 
 And for my part, I am of opinion, that honeft pouertie hath 
 euer bene the auncient and greateft inheritaunce amonges the 
 noble Romaines, which if it be condemned by the ignoraunt 
 multitude, and if we therefore fliould geue place, making greater 
 accompt and eftimation of richeffe and treafures, then of vertue : 
 I doe fay for mine own part, that by the grace of God, I am 
 abundantly prouided, for the maintenance of me and mine, not 
 like an ambicious man or couetous, but as one fatiffied with 
 the good wil of fortune. I do moft humbly then befech you 
 (fir) for conclufion, to take in good parte, that which my dutie 
 and honour do conftraine me to fpeake. And fo by your grace's 
 leaue, I will departe towarde my daughter, to let her vnderftande 
 from point to point your maieftie's pleafure." And without 
 tarying for other replie of the kyng, he went his way difcour- 
 fing diuers thinges in his minde, vpon that which had pafled 
 betwene the king and him. The reafons which the Earle had 
 made, fo pearced the affeftions of the paffionate Prince, as 
 vncertaine what to faye, he condemned himfelfe, knowing verie 
 well, that the Earle not only vpon right and iuft caufe, had pro- 
 nounced thefe wordes : but alfo that he had done the office of a 
 faithful! feruaunt and truftie counfeller, in fuch fort, as feling 
 his confcience touched at the quicke, he could not excufe him- 
 felf from committing a difhoneft charge to a father fo commend- 
 able and vertuous in the behalfe of his daughter. Thus he 
 determined to chaunge his opinion. Afterwardes when he had 
 throwen forth many fighes, hee fpake thefe wordes to himfelfe. 
 " O miferable man, cut of this amorous praftife, howe arte thou 
 defrauded of right fenfe to caft thy mynd vpon her, whom thou 
 oughteft to vfe with fuch reuerence as thou wouldeft doe thine 
 own proper fifter, for the feruice which thou and thy progenitors 
 haue receiued of the good Earle her father? Open the eyes of 
 thine vnderftanding and knowe thy felfe, geue place to reafon, 
 and reforme thy vnlhamefull and difordinate appetites. Refift 
 with al thy power this wanton will which doth enuiron thee. 
 
352 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 Suffer not this tyraunt loue to bewitch or deceiue thee." Sodainly 
 after he had fpoken thofe wordes, the beautie of the Counteffe 
 reprefenting it felf before his eyes, made him to alter his minde 
 again, and to reieft that which he before allowed, faying thus : 
 " I feele in minde the caufe of mine offence, and thereby doe 
 acknowledge the wrong, but what fhall I doe? (ithe I am not 
 able any longer to withftande beautie, that cruell murderer, 
 whiche doth force and maifter me fo much ? Let fortune then 
 and loue doe what they lift, the faire Counteffe fhalbe myne, 
 whatfoeuer come of it. Is it a notable vice in a king to loue 
 his fubiefte's daughter ? Am I the firfi: vpon whome fuch incon- 
 uenience hath come ? " This talke ended, he deluded himfelf, and 
 thinking vpon the contrary, he accufed himfelf again, and then 
 from this he altered again to the other. And being in this per- 
 plexitie, he paffed daye and night, with fuch anguifli and dolor, 
 as euery man doubted his health : and floting thus betwene hope 
 and difpaire, he refolued in thend to attend the father's anfwere. 
 The Earle then being gone out of the king's chambre, aggrauated 
 with forowfull thoughtes, full of rage and difcontent, thought 
 good to delay the matter till the next day, before he fpake to his 
 daughter : and then calling her vnto him, and caufing her to 
 fit againfl; him, he reafoned the matter in fuch wife. " I am 
 affured, deare daughter, that you will no leffe maruell than be 
 aftonned to heare what I fhal fay vnto you, and fo much the 
 more, when you doe fee, how farre my tale Ihall exceade the 
 order of Reafon. But for fo much as of twoo euils the leafi: is 
 to be chofen, I doubt not, but like a fage and wife woman, 
 which I haue alwayes knowen you to be, you will ftay vpon that 
 whiche I haue determined. Touching my felf, fith it hath 
 pleafed God to geue me knowledge of good and il, hitherto I 
 haue ftill preferred honour before life, bicaufe (after mine opinion) 
 it is a leffe matter to die innocently, than to Hue in diflionour 
 and fhame of the worlde. But you know what libertie he hath, 
 which is vnder the power of another, being fometime con- 
 ftrayned to make faire weather of thinges not onely cleane con- 
 trarie to his mynde, but alfo (which is worfe) againft his owne 
 confcience, being oftentynaes forced according to the qualitie 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 353 
 
 of the tyme, and pleafure of the ftate, to chaunge his maners, 
 and to put on newe affeftions. Whereof I haue thought good to 
 put you in remembraunce, becaufe it toucheth the matter, whiche 
 I purpofe to tell you. Thus it is (deare daughter) that yefter- 
 day after dynner, the kyng fent for mee, and being come before 
 him^ with a very inftant and pitiful prayer, he required me (his 
 eyes full of teares) to doe a thing for hym that touched his life. 
 I whiche (befides that I am his fubieft and feruaunt) haue 
 alwayes borne a particuler affeftion to his father and him, without 
 deliberation what the matter fhould be, betrothed to him my 
 faith to obey his requeft, if it cofte me the price of mine honour 
 and life. He affuring himfelfe of my liberall promife, after 
 many wordes ioyned with an infinite number of fighes, difcouer- 
 ing vnto me the fecrete of his harte, told me, that the torment 
 which he indured, preceded no where els but of the feruent loue 
 that he bare vnto you. But, O immortall God, what man of any 
 difcretion would haue thought that a king could be fo impudent 
 and vnfhamefafl, as to committe to a father a charge fo difhoneft 
 towardes his own daughter? " The Earle hauing recited in order 
 the hiftorie paft betwene hym and the kyng, fayde thus vnto her : 
 " Confider you, fwete daughter, myne vnaduifed and fimple 
 promifle, and the vnbrideled mynde of an amorous kyng, to 
 whome I made aunfwere, that intreate you thereunto I was able, 
 but force you I coulde not. For this caufe (deare daughter) 
 I doe praye you at this inftant to obeye the kynge's pleafure, 
 and thereby to make a prefent by your father of your honefl: 
 chaftitie, fo dearely eftemed and regarded by you, fpecially, 
 that the thing may fo fecretly be done as the fault be not bruted 
 in the eares of other. Neuertheleffe, the choyfe refteth in you, 
 and the key of your honour is in your own hands, and that which 
 I haue fayde vnto you, is but to kepe promife with the king." 
 The Counteffe all the while that her father thus talked, chaunged 
 her colour with a comly fhamefaftneffe, inflamed with a vertuous 
 difdaine, that he whiche had behold her then, would haue thought 
 her rather fome celeftial goddefle than a humaine creature : and 
 after long filence, with an humble grauitie fhe began thus to make 
 her aunfwere: "Your wordes haue fo confounded me, and 
 VOL. I. z 
 
354 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 brought me into fuch admiration (my Lorde and right honourable 
 father) that if all the partes of my bodle were conuerted into 
 tongues, they could not bee fufficient worthely to expreffe the 
 leafl: part of my forrowe and difquietnefle : and truely very iuftly 
 may I complayne of you, for the litle eftimation you haue of me, 
 which am deriued of your owne flefhe : and for the ranfome of 
 the fraile and tranfitorie life which you haue geuen me vpon 
 earth, you wyll for recompence nowe defraude me of myne honour : 
 whereby I do perceiue that not onely al nature's lawes be can- 
 celled and mortified in you, but which is worfe, you doe exceede 
 therin the cruelties of beaftes, who for all their brutiflienefle 
 be not fo vnnatural to do wrong to their owne yong, or to offer 
 their fruite to the mercie of an other, as you haue done yours 
 to the pleafure of a Kyng: for notwithflandynge the ftraight 
 charge and aufthoritie whiche you haue ouer mee, to commaunde 
 me being your right humble and very obedient daughter, 
 yet you oughte to thinke and remember, that you haue neuer 
 feene in mee any a6te, mocion, figne, or woorde, to incite you to 
 moue futch difhoneft talk. And although the king many times, 
 with infinite number of prayers, prefentes, meflages and other 
 fuch allurementes of perfuafion hath difplayed and vttered all the 
 art of his mynde to feduce and corrupt me, yet he was neuer able 
 to receiue other aunfwere of me, but that honor was a thoufand 
 times derer vnto me then life, which ftiil I meant to kepe fecret 
 from your knowledge euen as I haue done from other of mine 
 aliaunce, for feare leafl: you fhould be induced to commit fome 
 trefpas, or confpire againfl: our king, forefeing the fl:raunge ac- 
 cidentes whiche haue chaunced for like matters, to the ruine of 
 many cities and prouinces. But, good God, my doubt is nothing 
 to purpofe, fithe that your felfe is the fliameleffe pofl: of an aft 
 fo difhoneft: and to conclude in fewe wordes, daily I had good 
 hope, that the king feing me at a point ftill to conferue my 
 chaftitie inuiolable he would give ouer to purfue me any longer, 
 and would haue fuffered me hereafter to Hue in quiet with mine 
 equals, but if fo be he doe continue obftinate in his olde folly, I 
 am determined rather to die, than to doe the thing that fhall hurt 
 me and pleafure him : and for feare that he take from me by force 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 35 5 
 
 that which of mine owne accord I will not graunt, following your 
 counfell, of twoo euilles I will chofe the leaf!:, thinking it more 
 honourable to deftroy and kill my felfe with mine own handes, 
 then to fuffer fuch blot or fhame to obfcure the glorie of my 
 name, being defirous to committe nothing in fecrete, that fome- 
 time hereafter being publiflied, may make me afhamed and 
 chaunge colour. And wher you fay that you haue fworne and 
 gaged your faith to the king, for the afluraunce of your promife, 
 it was very ill done, before you did confider, what power fathers 
 haue ouer their children, whiche is fo well defined by the lawe of 
 God, as they be not bound to their parentes in that which is 
 againfl: his deuine commaundementes : much lefTe may they bynde 
 vs to things inceftuous and difhoneft, which fpecially and ftraight- 
 ly be inioyned vs not to perfourme, if we therunto be required : 
 and it had bene farre more decent, and excufable before God, if 
 when you made that foolyfhe promife to the kyng you had pro- 
 mifed him, rather to ftrangle mee with youre owne handes, than 
 to confent to let me fall into a faulte fo abhominable : and to 
 thend I may tell you the laft determination, and conclufion of 
 that whiche I am determined by good aduife and immutable 
 counfell : thus it is. You fhall tell the king, that I had rather 
 lofe my life after the mofte cruell and fhameful maner that may 
 be deuifed, then to confent to a thing fo difhoneft, hauing long 
 time fixed this faying in mind, ' That honeji death doth honor 
 and leautifie the forepajfed life.' " The father hearing the wife 
 aunfwere of his daughter, gaue her his blefBng, in his hart prayfing 
 her godly minde, befeching God to helpe her and to kepe her 
 vnder his proteftion, and to confirme her in that holy and ver- 
 tuous determination. Then feling him greatly comforted, he re- 
 paired to the king, to whom he faid : " Pleafeth your grace, to 
 thintent I might obferue my promife, I fweare by the faith that 
 I doe owe vnto God and you, that I haue done what I can with 
 my daughter, difcloling vnto her your whole minde and pleafure, 
 and exhorting her to fatiffy your requefl, but for a refolute aun- 
 fwere fhe faith, that rather flie is contented to fuflTer mofl cruel 
 death than to commit a thing fo contrarie to her honour. You 
 know (fir) what I fayd vnto you ftill, that I might entreate her, 
 
3S6 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 but force her I could not : hauing then obeied your commaunde- 
 ment, and accomplifhed my promife, it may pleafe you to geue 
 me leaue to go home to one of my CaftelSj from henceforth to re- 
 cline my felfe to quietnefle, and to eafe my decrepite and feeble 
 age." Which the king willingly graunted. The fame daye hee 
 departed from the Courte with his fonnes and went home to his 
 Countrie, leauing at London his wife and daughter and the refte 
 of his houfholde, thinking therby to difcharge himfelf of thofe 
 thinges with out the kinge's difpleafure. The king on the other 
 fide was no foner aduertifed of the Earle's departure, and that he 
 had left his daughter behinde him at London, but he knew the 
 father's minde and purpofe, and fell in fuche difpaire of his loue, 
 as he was like to haue runne out of his wittes for forrowe. The 
 nightes and dayes were all one to him, for hee could take no reft, 
 he gaue ouer vfe of armes and adminiftration of iuftice, hunting 
 and hauking, wherin before that time he had great delight : 
 and all his ftudy was many times to paffe and repafle before the 
 gate of the Countefle, to proue if he might attaine to haue fome 
 fight of her: and thinges were brought to fo pitifull ftate, that 
 within fewe dayes the citizens and other gentlemen began to per- 
 ceiue the raging loue of their Prince, euery of them with common 
 voice blaming the crueltie of the CounteflJe that was vnmarried, who 
 the more flie proued the king inflamed with her loue, the more 
 fqueymifh flie was of her beautie. The peres and noble men feing 
 their king reduced to fuch extremitie, moued with pitie and com- 
 paflHon, began fecretly to pratife for him, fome with threatninges, 
 fome with flatteries and perfuafions : fome went to the mother, 
 declaring vnto her the eternall reft and quiet prepared for her 
 and all her friendes, if fhe would perfuade her daughter to encline 
 to the kinge's mind, and contrariwyfe the daunger iminent ouer 
 her head. But all thefe deuifes were in vayne, for the Countefl^e 
 moued no more then a harde rocke beaten with diuerfe tempeftes : 
 and at lengthe feing that euery man fpake diuerfly, as their affec- 
 tions ledde them, fiiee was fo troubled and penfife in harte, as 
 fearing to bee taken, and that the kyng vanquiftied with his ftrong 
 paflfion, by fucceflSon of tyme would vfe his force, and violentlye 
 opprefle her, founde meanes to get a great fharpe knife, whiche 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 3S7 
 
 flie caried about her fecretly vnder her gowne, of purpofe, that 
 if fhe fawe perill to be defloured, fhee might kill her felfe. The 
 Courtiers offended with the martyrdome of their mafter, and de- 
 fyrous to gratifie and feeke meanes to doe hym pleafure, confpyred 
 all againfl: the Earle's familie, lettyng the kynge to vnderftande 
 that it were moft expedient, for that thinges were out of hope, to 
 caufe ^lips to be brought to his Palace, that there he might vfe 
 her by force. Wherunto the king (being dronke in his own paffion) 
 did willingly agree : notwithftanding, before hee paffed any 
 further, for that hee faithfully loued the Counteffe, he determined 
 to aduertife her mother of that whiche he intended to doe, and 
 commaunded his Secretarie to go feke her with diligence, and 
 without concealing any thing from her knowledge, to inftrufte 
 her of the whole. The Secretarie finding the mother of the coun- 
 telTe, faid vnto her : " Madame, the king hath willed me to fay 
 vnto you that he hath done what he can, and more then his eftate 
 requireth, to win the grace and loue of your daughter, but for that 
 fhe hath defpifed his long fute, difdained his prefence, and abhor- 
 red his griefes and complaintes, knowing not what to do any more, 
 his laft refuge is in force, doing you to vnderftande hereof, to the 
 intent that you and fhee may confider what is to be done in this 
 behalf: for he hath determined whether you will or no, to fetch 
 her out openly by force, to the great diflionour, flaunder and in- 
 famie of al your kinne. And where in time paft, he hath loued 
 and fauoured the Earle your hufband, he meaneth fhortly to make 
 him vnderftand what is the effeiSt of the iuft indignation of fuch a 
 Prince as he is." The good Lady hearing this fodaine and cruell 
 mefTage, was aftonned in fuch wife, as (he thought how fhe fawe 
 her daughter already trained by the heares of her head, her gar- 
 mentes haled and torne in pieces, with rufull and lamentable 
 voyce crying out to him for mercy : for this caufe with blubbering 
 teares, trembling for feare, fhe fell down at the Secretarie's feete, 
 and flraightlye imbracing his knees, fayde vnto hym : " Maifter 
 Secretarie, my deare louing friend : befeche the king in my name 
 to remember the payne and feruice done by our aunceflours. 
 Intreate him not to difhonoure my houfe in the abfence of the 
 Earle my hufbande : and if you be not able by your perfwafion 
 
3S8 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 to molifie his hard hartj defire him for a while to take pacience, 
 vntill I haue aduertifed my daughter of his will and pleafure, 
 whom I hope to perfwade, that Ihee fhall fatiffie the kinge's re- 
 queft." When fhe had made this aunfwere, the Secretary declared 
 the fame to the kinge, who madde with anger and paffioned with 
 loue, was content, and neuerthelefle commaunded his gentlemen 
 to be in readineffe to feeke the Counteffe. In the meane time 
 the mother of faire ^lips went to her daughter's chamber, and 
 after fhe had commaunded all her maids, which accompanied her, 
 to withdraw themfelues out of the chamber, fhee began in few 
 woordes to recite vnto her the meflage done vnto her by the 
 Secretary : finally with fobbinge fighes (he faid vnto her : " The 
 dayes haue been (deare daughter) that I haue feene thee to keepe 
 thy ftate amonges the- chiefefte of all the Ladies of this Realme: 
 and I haue counted my felf moft happie that euer I did beare the 
 in my wombe, and haue thoughte, by meanes of thy beautie and 
 vertue, one day to fee thee become the ioye and comfort of all 
 thy frendes : but now my cogitacions be turned cleane contrary, 
 through thine vnluckie fate: nowe I thincke thee to be borne 
 not onely for the vniuerfall ruine of all oure familie, but alfo 
 (which greeueth me moft) to be an occafion and inftrument of 
 my death, and defolation of all thy frendes : but if thou wilt fome- 
 what moderate thy rygor all this heauines fhortly may be tourned 
 to ioye : for our king and foueraign Lorde is not onely in loue with 
 thee, but for the ardent affe£tion and amitie that he beareth thee, 
 is out of his wittes, and now doth confpire againfl: vs, as though 
 we were tray tors and murderers of our Prince : in whofe handes 
 (as thou knoweft) doth reft the life, honor and goods both of thy 
 felfe and of vs all : and what glory and triumphe fhall be reported 
 of thee to our pofterity, when they fhal know how by thy obftinate 
 crueltie, thou hafte procured the death of thine old father, the 
 death of thy hooreheaded mother, and the deftruftion of thy 
 valiaunt and coragious brethren, and difpoyled the reft of thy 
 bloud of their pofleffions and abilitie? But what forrowe and 
 griefe will it be, to fee them wander in the world like vagabounds 
 baniflied from their liuings, and remaine in continuall pouertie, 
 without place and refuge of their miferie? who in fteede of bleff- 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 359 
 
 ing or prayfinge the houre of thy birth, will curfle the in their 
 minds a thoufand times, as the caufe of all their ouerthrow and ill 
 fortune. Thinke and confider vpon the fame (deare daughter) for 
 in thee alone refteth the conferuacion of our Hues, and hope of all 
 our frendes." This lamentable difcourfe ended, the affliflied Coun- 
 tefle not able anye longer to refifte that pangue, began to waxe 
 fo faint as wyth her armes a croffe (he fell downe halfe deade vpon 
 her doughter : who feinge her without mouinge and without any 
 apparaunce of life, and all the partes of her bodye to waxe cold, 
 (he quicklye layde her downe, and then with helpe and other 
 thinges apt for fowninges, fhee made her come to herfelfe againe, 
 and thinking wholy to recouer her, fhe earneftly promifed to do 
 what fhe would haue her, faying vnto her : " Do awaye your 
 teares (Madame) moderate your tormentes, reuoke your former 
 ioye, and be of good cheere, for I am difpofed to obey you. God 
 defende that I fhould be the caufe of the paine which I fee you to 
 fuffer : nowe am I ready to goe with you to the kinge, where if 
 it fhall pleafe you, wefe two withoute other company will do our 
 owne errande and attempt the beginning of our enterprife.'^ The 
 mother full of ioye, lifting vp her hands to the heauens, tenderly 
 embraced her daughter, and manye times did kifle her, and after 
 fhee had commaunded her Coche to be made readye, fhe wente 
 forthwith her doughter, accompanied onelyewith two Gentlewomen 
 to the kinge's Palace. Being come thither, they fente worde to 
 the Secretary, that brought her the mefTage, who conducted them 
 to the kinge's chamber, and prefenting them before him, iayde : 
 " Syr, beholde the companye which you haue fo long time defired : 
 who are come to do your grace humble reuerence." The king 
 greatly afbonied, went forth to meete them, and with ioyful coun- 
 tinaunce faide: ''Welcome, Lady Countefle, and your long 
 defired company. But what good fortune hath broughte you 
 hither nowe ? " The Countefle hauing made her obeyfance, yet all 
 frighted with feare, aunfwered him: "Beholde here my Lorde 
 your fayre jElips fo long time wifhed for, who taking repentaunce 
 for her former cruelty and rigor, is come to render herfelfe at your 
 commaundement." Then the king beholding the yong Countefl^e 
 tremblinge for feare, like a leafe fhaken with the winde (with her 
 
360 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 eyes fixed on the grounde) approching neer her, toke her by the 
 hande, and kiffing her, fayd : " Welcome, my life and foule." 
 But fhe no more moued than a fierce lion enuironed with cruell 
 beafteSj flood ftill and helde her peace, her harte fo conftrayned 
 for forrow and defpite, as {he was not able to aunfweare a word. 
 The kinge who thoughte that fuch paffion proceeded of fhame, 
 commaunded the Gentlewomen, that were in her company, to 
 departe the chamber, fauing the mother which broughte her to the 
 entrie of his chamber, who withdrawing herfelfe backe, left her 
 to the mercy of loue and the kinge. So fone as the king was 
 entred the chamber he fhutte the doore after him. Which ^Elips 
 perceiuinge beganne to feele a furious combate betweene her 
 honour and life, fearing to be defloured, and feing her abandoned 
 of al humaine fuccour, falling downe proflrate at his feete, fhe 
 fayd vnto him : " Gracious and redoubted Prince, fithe my 
 heauy fortune hath broughte mee hither, like an innocente Lambe 
 to the facrifice, and that my parents amazed through your furie, 
 are become rauifhers of me againfi: my will, and contrary to the 
 duety of their honor, haue deliuered me into your handes, I 
 humbly befeech your maieftie, if there remaine in your noble 
 perfonage any fparke of vertue and Princely affeftion, before you 
 pafle any further to fatiffy your defire, to let me proue and vn- 
 derftande by effefte, if your loue be fuch, as oftentimes by letters 
 and mouth you haue declared vnto me. The requefte which I 
 will make vnto you fhall be but eafie, and yet fhall fatiffie mee 
 more than all the contentacion of the world. Otherwife (fir) doe 
 not thinke that fo longe as my life doth continue, I am able to 
 do that which can contente your defire. And if my fute fhall 
 feeme reafonable, and grounded vppon equltie, before I doe open 
 and declare the fame more at large, afllire the performaunce 
 thereof vnto me by oth." The king hearing her prayer to be fo rea- 
 fonable, wherunto rather then to refufe it, he fwore by his Scepter, 
 taking God to witnefl"e and all the heauenly powers for confirma- 
 cion of that which he pretended to promife : faide vnto her : 
 " Madame, the onely maifl:refl!e and keper of my louing harte, 
 fith of your grace and curtefie you haue vouchfafed to come vnto 
 my Palace, to make requeft of my onely fauoure and good will. 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 36 1 
 
 which now I irreuocably do confent and graunt, fwearing vnto 
 you by that honourable facramente of Baptifm, whereby I was 
 incorporated to the Church of Godj and for the loue that I beare 
 you (for greater afluraunce I cannot giue) I will not refufe any 
 thingj that is in my power and abilitie, to the intent you may not 
 be in doubt whether I do loue you, and intend hereafter to imploy 
 my felfe to ferue and pleafure you : for otherwyfe I fhould falfify 
 my faith, and more feruently I cannot bind my felfe if I fhoulde 
 fweare by all the othes of the worlde." The fayre Countefle 
 fitting ftill vpon her knees, although the king many times prayed 
 her to rife vp, reuerently toke the king by the hand, faying : 
 ''And I do kiffe this royal hand for loyall teftimonie of the 
 fauour which vour grace doth fhew me." Then plucking out a 
 fharpe knife, which was hidden under her kirtle, all bathed and 
 wafhed in teares, reclining her pitifull eyes towardes the king, that 
 was appalled with that fight, Ihe faid vnto him : " Sir, the gift 
 that I require, and wherfore your faith is bound, is this. I mofl: 
 humblie defire you, that rather then to difpoile me of mine * 
 honour, with the fworde girded by your fide, you do vouchfafe to 
 ende my life, or to fuffer me prefently, with this fliarpe pointed 
 knife in my hand to thruft it to my hart, that mine innocent 
 bloud, doing the funerall honour, may beare witnefle before God 
 of my vndefiled chaftity, as being vtterly refolued honourablie to 
 die. And that rather then to lofe mine honoure, I may murther 
 my felfe before you wyth this blade and knife in prefent hand." 
 The king burning with amorous heate, beholding this pitifull 
 fpectacle, and confideringe the inuincible conftancie and chaftitie 
 of the CounteflTe, vanquifhed by remorfe of confcience, ioyned 
 with like pitie, taking her by the hand, faid : " Rife vp Lady, and 
 Hue from henceforth aflfured : for I will not ne yet pretende all 
 the dayes of my life, to commit any thing in you againft your 
 will." And plucking the knife out of her hand, exclaimed : 
 " This knife hereafter fhall bee the purfiuant before God and men 
 of this thine inexpugnable chafl:itie, the force whereof wanton 
 loue was not able to endure, rather yelding place to vertue, which 
 being not alienated from me, hath made me at one infliant 
 viftorious ouer my felfe, which by and by I will make you to vn- 
 
362 THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 
 
 derftande to your greate contentacion and greater maruel. For afTu- 
 raunce wherof I defire none other thing of you, but a chafte kifle." 
 Which receyued, hee opened the doore and caufed the Countefle 
 to come in with the Secretarie and the gentlewomen, and the fame 
 time hee called alfo the Courtiers and Piers of the Realme, which 
 were then in the bafe Court of the Palace, among whom was the 
 Archbifhop of Yorke, a man of great reputacion and finguler 
 learning, to whom with the knife in his hand he recited particulerly 
 the difcourfe of his loue : and after he toke the Countefle by the 
 hande, and fayde vnto her : " Madame, the houre is come that for 
 recom pence of your honefl: chaflity and vertue, I wil and confent 
 to take you to wife, if you thincke good." The Countefle hearinge 
 thofe wordes began to recoloure her bleake and pale face with a 
 vermilion teinte and rofeal rudde, and accomplifhed with in- 
 credible delight and ioye, falling downe at his feete, faid vnto him 
 "My Lord, for afmuch as I neuer loked to be aduaunced to fo 
 honourabl&ftate as fortune no we doth off'er, for merite of a benefit 
 fo high and great which you prefent vnto me, vouchfauing to 
 abafe your felfe to the efpoufal of fo poore a Lady, your maiefl:i6s 
 pleafure being fuch, behold me ready at your comm^aundement." 
 The king taking her vp from kneeling on the ground, commaund- 
 ed the Bifliop to pronounce with highe voice the vfual words of 
 Matrimonie. Then drawing a riche Diamond from his finger hee 
 gaue it to the Countefl^e, and kifling her, faide : "Madame, you 
 be Queene of England, and prefently I doe giue you thirty thou- 
 fande angells by the yeare for your reuenew. And the Duchie of 
 Lancafter being by confifcation fallen into my hands, I guie alfo 
 vnto you, to befl:owe vppon your felfe and your frends." Al 
 which inrolled according to the maner of the countrie, the king 
 (accomplifhing the mariage) rewarded the Countefl^e for the 
 rigorous interefl:es of his fo long loue, with fuche hap and content 
 as they may iudge which haue made aflay of like pleafure, and 
 recouered the fruite of fo long purfute. And the more magnifi- 
 centlye to folemnize the mariage, the kinge aflembled all the 
 Nobilitie of Englande, and fomoned them to be at London the 
 firfl: day of July then folowinge, to beautifie and aflifl: the Nup- 
 cialles and coronation of the Queene. Then he fente for the 
 
THE COUNTESSE OF SALESBURIE. 363 
 
 father and brethren of the Queene, whom he embraced one after an 
 other, honouring the Earle as his father, and his fonnes as his 
 brethren, wherof the Earle wonderfully reioyfed, feinge the con- 
 ceyued hope of his daughter's honour forted to fo happie effe£le, 
 as well to the perpetual fame of him and his, as to the euerlafting 
 aduauncement of his houfe. At the appointed day the Queene 
 was broughte from her father's houfe apparelled with Royall 
 veftures, euen to the Palace, and conduced with an infinite 
 nomber of Lords and Ladies to the Church, where when 
 feruice was done, the kinge was maried (againe) 
 openly, and the fame celebrated, fhee was con- 
 ueyed vp into a publike place, and pro- 
 clamed Queene of England, to the ex- 
 ceedinge gratulacion and ioye in- 
 credible of all the 
 ' fubieftes. 
 
364 AN ADUERTISEMENT TO THE READER. 
 
 AN ADUERTISEMENT 
 
 To THE Reader. 
 
 After thefe tragical! Nouelles and dolorous Hiftories of Bandello, 
 
 I haue thoughte good for thy recreacion, to refrefh thy mind with 
 
 fome pleafaunt deuifes and difportes : leafl: thy fpirites, and 
 
 fences fhould be apalled and aflonned with the fondrie kindes of 
 
 cruelties remembred in the vij. of the former nouelles. Which 
 
 be fo ftraunge and terrible as they be able to affright the flouteft. 
 
 And yet confidering that they be very good leflbns for auoyding 
 
 like inconuenienceSj and apt examples for continuacion of good 
 
 and honeft life, they are the better to be borne with, and may 
 
 with lefle afironnifhment be read and marked. They that 
 
 follow, be mitigated and fweetened with pleafare, not 
 
 altogether fo fower as the former be. Prayinge 
 
 thee mofte hartely, paciently to beare with 
 
 thofe that fhall occure, either in thefe that 
 
 folow, or in the other that are 
 
 pafl: before. 
 
 END OF VOL I. 
 
 BALLANTYNE PRESS I EDINBURGH AND LONDON. 
 
 /