“ By God (false fiendish woman) if so be that I doe chaunge my mind, I will make thee feele the smarte, no lesse than thou shewest thy selfe dishonourable to them that doe thee honour: Art thou so carelesse of so greate a Lord as this is, that humbleth himselfe so lowe to sutch a strumpet as thou art: who without regarde either to hys renoume, or the honour of his House, is content to bee abandoned from his noble state, to become a fugitiue and straunger? What cruelty is this for thee to mispryse the greatest humility that man can Imagin? ”

“ Ah loue, loue, what so euer he was that clothed thee wyth sutch puissaunce, I dare say he was the cruell ennimy of man’s freedom. It is impossible that thou hadst thy being in heauen, sith the clemency and curteous influence of the same, inuesteth man with better benefits, than to suffer hir nourse children to be intreated with sutch rigor. He lieth which sayth that Venus is thy mother, for the swetenes and good grace that resteth in that pitifull Goddesse, who taketh no pleasure to see louers perced with so egre trauayles as that which afflicteth my heart. ”

“ Why dyd our predecessors minde to stablysh any lyberty at al, to thrust the same into the confused gouernment of the commons of our Countrey? We haue stil the Frenchman at our tayle, or the people of our highest Bishop, or else those crafty Florentines, we be the common pray of al those that list to follow the haunt, and that which is our extreamest misery, we make oure selues the very slaues of them that of right ought to be reputed the vilest amongs us al. Ah deare Brother, that thy wretched tyme is come, the onely hope of our decayed family. ”

“ And to say the truth, what other art thou then a Deuill accept a little beauty in thy Face, which within few yeares will vanishe and consume: for thou tookest no care to kill, and destroy an honest man (as thou euen now diddest terme me) whose Life, may in tyme to come bee more profitable to the Worlde, than an hundred thousand sutch as thyne, so long as the World indureth. ”

“ Life is deare to mee (as naturally it is to all) next which I esteeme myne honor, which is to be preferred before life, bicause without honor life is of no regard. And where man and woman do liue in shame notorious to the world, the same may be termed a liuing death rather than a life. But the loue that I beare to mine onely beloued Aloisio here present, I do esteeme aboue al the Iewels and treasures of the world, whose personage I do regard more than mine owne Lyfe. ”

“ For sith that you be myne, and for sutch yelded and giuen to me, I wyl keepe you, as hir whome I loue and esteme aboue al things of the World, makyng you my Companion and the onely mistresse of my goodes heart, and wyll. Thinke not that I am the Fryend of Fortune, and practise pleasure alone without vertue. It is modesty which commaundeth me, and honesty is the guide of my conceipts. Assure you then, and repose your comfort on mee: for none other than Angelica Montanine shall be the wyfe of Anselmo Salimbene: and during my life, I wyll bee the Fryend, the defender and supporter of your house. ”

“ But it is impossible that any can approche the sincerity that I feele in my heart, determining rather to indure death, than to serue other but fayre and golden Gineura: therefore my loyalty receyuing no comparison, cannot bee matched in man sufficient (for respect of the same) to be called seruaunt of thine excellency. Now come what shal, by meanes of this, I am assured that so long as Dom Diego liueth, his heart shal receyue none other impression or desire, but that which inciteth him to loue, serue, and honor the fairest creature at thys day within the compasse of Spayne. ”

“ Wicked woman thou shalt not dye with my hands, but of thine owne, if thou desire the same, and so mutch water shalt thou haue of me for coolinge of thine heate, as dampned Diues had in hell at Lazarus handes, when he lifted up his cry to Abraham, holdinge that saued wighte within his blessed bosome, or as I had fire of thee for easing of my colde. The greater is my griefe that the vehemence of my colde must be cured with the heate of sutch a stincking carion beast, and thy heate healed with the coldnesse of most Soote and sauerous Water distilled from the orient Rose. ”

“ Then sodaynely reprouing his fonde conceit, he sayd vnto himself: “What folly is that I enterprise, to the preiudice and peril of mine honor and life? Ought the wisedome of a Gentleman to stray and wandre through the assaults of an appetite rising of sensuality, and that reason gieue place to that which doeth participate with brute beasts depriued of all reason by subduinge the minde to the affections of the body? No, no, a vertuous man ought to let shine in him selfe the force of the generosity of his minde. ”

“ Man, and Wyfe being as it were one body and one will, wherein Men of good Judgement cannot well like the Opinion of those which say that the honour of a lusty and couragious person dependeth not vpon the fault of a foolish woman: for if that wer true which they so lightly vaunt, I would demaund why they be so animated and angry against them which adorne their head with braunched Hornes, the Ensignes of a Cuckolde: and truely nature hath so well prouided in that behalfe, as the very sauage Beastes doe fight, and suffer death for sutch honest Jealousie. ”

“ Worthy of prayse truly is he, that by some pleasure bindeth another to his curtesie: but when a Noble man acknowledgeth for a benefit, that which a Subiect is bounde to gieue him by duty and seruice, there the proofe of prayse carryeth no Fame at all. For which cause I determined to display the Hystory of the barbarous King Mansor, to the intent that our Gentlemen, noryshed and trained vp in great ciuilytie, may assay by their mildenesse and good education, to surmount the curtesie of that Prynce, of whom for this time wee purpose to take our Farewell. ”

“ Better it were madame, that we approchynge neerer the gallante guise of Fraunce, should live after the lyberty of that Countrey, than bee captiue to an Italian house, whych wyll restrain you with like bondage, as at other tymes you have felt the experience. Moreover ye see what opinion is like to be conceiued of you, when it shalbe bruted that for the Marquize feare, you haue maried the Mantuan Lord. And I know well that you like not to be esteemed as a pupil, your nature cannot abyde compulsion, you be free from hir authority, it were no reason you should be constrained. ”

“ Ah God, most rightfull and bountifull father, beholde the mallice of my Brethren, and the Tyrannous cruelty of those which wrongfully doe seeke my bloud. Is it a sinne to marry? Is it a fault to fly, and auoide the sinne of Whoredome? What Lawes be these, where marriage bed, and ioyned matrimony is pursued wyth lyke seuerity, that Murder, Theft, and Aduoutry are? And what Christianity in a Cardinall, to shed the bloud which hee ought to defend? What profession is thys, to assayle the innocent by the hygh way side, and to reue them of lyfe in place to punish Theeues and Murderers? ”

“ For to loue a man without mariage, God defend my hearte should euer think, and shal rather dye a hundred thousand deathes, than a desire so wicked should soyle my conscience, knowyng well that a woman which setteth hir honor to sale, is lesse than nothing, and deserueth not the common ayre should breathe vpon hir, for all the reuerence that men do beare vnto them. I accuse no person, albeit that many noble women haue their forheds marked, with the blame of dishonest lyfe, and being honored of some, bee neuerthelesse the common Fable of the Worlde. ”

“ Now it is honour, for conseruation whereof, an honest man and one of good Courage feareth not to put hymselfe in all perill and daunger of death and losse of goodes, referring himselfe also to the guarde of that whych toucheth as it were oure owne reputation. In sutch wyse as if a good Captaine do suffer hys souldier to be a wycked man, a Robber, a Murderer, and an exacter, he beareth the note of dyshonor albeit in all his doings he gouerneth his estate after the rule of honesty, and doth nothing that is vnworthy his vocation. ”

“ For so mutch brother as I see fortune to be so froward, that by no meanes thou canst auoide the cruel lot, which launceth me into the bottome of mortall misery, and that I must aduenture to folowe the indeuors of thy minde, and obey thy will, which is more gentle and Noble, than fraught with reason, I am content to satisfy the same and the loue which hitherto thou hast born me. Be of good cheere, and doe wyth mee and my body what thou list, giue and presente the same to whom thou pleasest. ”

“ But if mishap will haue it so, and that some ill lucke doe discouer our dealinges, I haue shift of wayes to coloure it, and power to stop the mouthes of them that dare presume to clatter and haue to do with our priuate conference.” “All that I know wel inough sir” (sayd she) “but it is great simplicity in sutch thinges for a man to trust to his authority, the forced inhibition whereof shall prouoke more babble, than rumor is able to spreade for all his tattling talk of our secret follies. Moreouer I would be very glad to do what pleaseth you, so the same may be without slaunder. ”

“ True it is lady, that amongs other things which I learned at Paris, the arte of Necromancie, (whereof 338 I haue very great skill,) is one: But bycause it is mutch displeasaunt to God, I haue made an othe neuer to vse it, eyther for my selfe, or for any other: howbeit the loue which I beare you, is of sutch force, as I cannot deny you any request, yea and if I should be damned amongs all the deuils in hell, I am ready to performe your pleasure. ”

“ Sutch ende had the infortunate mariage of him, whych ought to haue contented himselfe wyth that degree and honor that 43 he had acquired by the deedes and glory of his vertues, so mutch by ech wight recommended: we ought neuer to climb higher than our force permitteth, ne yet surmount the bounds of duty, and lesse suffer our selues to be haled fondly forth with desire of brutal sensuality. Which sinne is of sutch nature, that he neuer giueth ouer the party whom he maystereth, vntil he hath brought him to the shame of some Notable Folly. ”

“ If God doe send vs any Children, tyl they come to lawfull age, we will with our poore liuing bryng them vp so well as wee can and then to prefer them to some Noble mens seruices, with whome by God’s grace they may acquire honoure and lyuing, to keepe them in their aged dayes. And I doe trust that wee two shall vse sutch mutuall loue and reioyce, that so long as our Lyfe doth last in wealth and woe, our contented mindes shall rest satisfied. But I waying the stoutnesse of your minde, doe know that you esteeme more an Ounce of honor, than all the Golde that is in the world. ”

“ For I haue a thousand other wayes and a thousand Trappes haue I layed to tangle thy feete, in makynge thee beleue that I dyd loue thee: in sutch wyse as thou shouldest haue gone no where at any tyme, is thys had not chanced but thou shouldest haue fallen into one of them: and surely thou couldest haue falne into none of them, but would haue bred thee more anoyaunce and shame than this (which I chose not for thyne ease, but for my greater pleasure.) ”

“ It resteth then now for me to know what she is, to whome your deuocions be inclined whose heart and mind I wil so relief with the taste of your good wil, as I dare giue warrant, her appetit shal accept your profred seruice, and truly that woman may count her self happy that shal intertain the offer of a gentleman that is so honest and curteous, who meaneth with al fidelity to aduance and honor, not onely the superficial ornament of hir beauty, but the inward vertues of hir constant mind. ”

“ I was neuer in my Lyfe so desirous to liue, but that I rather choose to dye, than procure a thinge that should turne thee to displeasure and griefe, or to hazarde thine honor and reputation in daunger or peryll of damage, which thou hast euer knowne, and shouldest haue still perceyued by effect, or more properly to speak, touched with thy finger if that incomparable and rare curtesy and Lyberality of Salimbene had not prouoked me to requyre that, which honestly thou canst not gyue, nor I demaunde without wronge to thee, and preiudice to mine owne estimation and honoure. ”

“ For aboue all things I desire to dy, so great and bitter is the torment which I endure. And if thou wilt not shewe me that fauor, yet cause a glasse of Water to be brought vnto me, that I may moysten my mouth, sith my teares bee not able to coole the same, so great is the drouth and heate I haue within.” Wel knew the Scholler by hir voyce, hir weake estate, and sawe besides the most part of hir body all tosted with the Sunne: by the viewe whereof, and humble sute of hir, he conceiued a little pitty. ”

“ I now to well do know, and thereof thee well assure, that all the time I was a Scholler in Paris, I neuer learned so mutch as thou in one night diddest teach mee. But put the Case that I were a valiaunt man, yet thou art none of them vpon whom valiaunce ought to shewe his effects: and for the end of sutch tormenting and passing cruell beasts, as thou art, only death is fittest rewarde: for if a Woman made but halfe these playnts, there is no man, but woulde asswage his reuenge. ”

“ Wel be thou sure, that so sone as I shal bee out of thy hands and power, I wyl be called or esteemed thine no more, and thou shalt haue lesse authority to stay me from doing the deuises of my fantasie, swearing and protesting by the Almighty God, that neuer man shall touch Angelica, except it be in mariage, and that if he assay to passe any further, I haue a heart that shall incourage my hands to sacrifice my Life to the Chastitye of Noble Dames whych had rather dye than liue in slaunder of dyshonesty. ”

“ Is it ignoraunt vnto thee, that it pertayneth vnto a noble and gentle heart, to reuenge receyued Iniuries himselfe, without seeking ayde of other or else to pardon them by vsing clemency and princely curtesie, burying all desire of vengeaunce vnder the Toumbe of eternall obliuion? And what greater glory can man acquire, than by vanquishing himselfe, and chastising his affections and rage, to bynde him which neuer thought to receyue pleasure or benefit at his hand? ”