_The piteous death of an Amorouse Gentleman, for the slacke comfort
geuen him to late, by his beloued._
Betwene Daulphine and Prouence, there was a gentleman, more
riche and better furnished with beautie, vertue, and good
condicions, then with the goodes of fortune: who fill in loue
with a gentlewoman that for this time shall want a name, for
respecte of her parentes that are come of honorable houses, and
the Gentleman's name also shalbe vntolde, for like respecte,
although altogether not so honorably allied, as the Gentlewoman
that he loued, and yet the historie very certen and true. And
bicause his degree was not so high as hers, hee durst not
discouer his affection: for the loue which he bare her, was so
good and perfect, as rather would he haue bene tormented with
the panges of death, then couet the least aduauntage that might
redounde to her dishonor. And seing his state to base in
respecte of hers, had no hope to marry her. Wherefore he
grounded his loue vpon none other foundation and intent, but to
loue her with all his power so perfectlye as was possible, which
in the ende came vnto her knowledge. And the Gentlewoman knowing
and seing the honest amitie which he bare her, to be ful of
vertue, ioyned with chast and comly talke, felt her selfe right
happie to be beloued and had in prise, of a personage so well
condicioned, practising dayly cherefull countinaunce towardes
him (whiche was the best rewarde he pretended to haue) whereof
he conceiued great ease and contentment. But malice the cancred
enemy of all reste and quiet, could not long abide this honest
and happie life. For some frowning at his good happe, (as malice
euer accompanieth a well disposed mynde) tolde the mother of the
mayden, howe they marueiled that the Gentleman should bee so
familiar in her house, inferring therewithall that the beautie
of her daughter was the only cause, with whom they sawe him many
times to vse secrete and priuat speach. The mother which by no
meanes doubted the honestie of the Gentleman, no more then shee
did of her own children, was very sorie to vnderstand that some
shold be offended at that their familiarity. She thought
therfore to shunne the cause of their offence. And at length,
(fearing that slaunder might be raised of malice) she required
the Gentleman for a tyme to haunt no more her house, as he was
wont to doe. A thing to him of harde digestion, knowing his own
innocencie, and lesse desert to be estranged from the house, for
respect of the honest talke he vsed to the yonge gentlewoman.
Notwithstanding, to stoppe the rage of malicious tongues, he
withdrew himself, till he thought the brute was ceased, and then
retourned after his wonted maner: whose absence nothing abridged
his auncient good will. And he began no soner to be familiar
there again, but he vnderstode that the mayden should be maried
to a Gentleman, that was not so ritche and noble (as semed to
hym) and therfore he thought he should receiue great wrong, if
she were bestowed vpon that Gentleman, and not on hym, that had
bene so long a sutor. And thereupon conceiued corage to preferre
hym selfe in playne tunes, if choyse were geuen to the maiden.
Howebeit, the mother and other of her kynne, sollicited and
chose the other gentleman because (in dede) he was more welthie.
Whereat the poore gentleman fretted with displeasure, seing that
his Ladie should for worldly mucke be defrauded of her greatest
ioye, by little and little without other maladie, began to
languishe, and in litle tyme was so altered, as in his face
appeared the visage of death. Neuerthelesse he could not
forbeare the house of his beloued, but continually from time to
time made his repaire thether to fede himselfe with the baulme
of that beautie, which he thought would prolong his dayes, but
it was the onely abridgement. In thend the poyson he sucked by
the viewe of that beautie, consumed his strength, and force
failing him, was constrained to kepe his bedde. Whereof he would
not aduertise her whome he loued, for greuing her, knowing well
that she would bee tormented with the newes. And so suffring him
selfe to runne the race of past recourye, lost also his appetite
to eate or drinck, and therewithall his slepe and rest fayled,
in suche plight as within short space he was consumed in visage
and face, as it grewe to be vglie and cleane out of knowledge.
Brought to this lowe estate, one of his frends certified the
mother of his mistres, that was a very charitable and kinde
Gentlewoman, and loued so well the man, as if all their parentes
and kinne had bene of her's and the mayden's opinion they would
haue preferred the honestie of him, before the great substance
of the other. But the frendes of the father's side by no meanes
would consent vnto it. Yet the good Gentlewoman and her daughter
(for all the other's frowardnes) vouchsafed to visit the poor
gentleman whom they founde, rather declining towards death, then
in hope of life. And knowing his ende to approche, he was
shriuen and receiued the holy Sacrament, purposing of present
passage by panges of death, neuer to see any of his frendes
againe. Being in this case and yet seing her, whome he counted
to be his life and sauftie, felte suche soudden recouerie, as
hee threwe hym selfe alofte his bedde and spake these wordes
vnto her: "What cause hath drieuen you hither (mistres myne) by
takyng paines to visite him, who hath one of his feet alreadie
within the graue, the other stepping after with conuenient
speede, for execution whereof you bee the onely Instrument."
"Howe so, sir?" sayde the mother. "Is it possible that hee, whom
we so derely loue, can receiue death by our offences? I pray you
sir to tell me, what reason leadeth you to speake these wordes."
"Madame," sayde he, "so long as I could, I dissembled the loue
that I bare to my deare mistres your daughter: so it is that my
parentes and frendes speaking of a mariage betwene her and me,
haue clattred thereof moe nedeles woordes then I desired, by
waying the mishap that might insue, and nowe doth happe past all
hope not for my particular pleasure, but bicause I knowe with
none other she shalbe so well intreated nor beloued as she
should haue bene with me. The benefit which I see she hath lost,
is the most perfect frende the best affected seruaunt that euer
shee had in this worlde, the losse wherof summoneth death to
arrest the carcase, that should haue bene imployed for her
seruice, which intierly was conserued and should haue bene for
her sake: but sithe nowe it can serue her to no purpose, the
simple losse shall redounde to greatest gaine. I meane my selfe
(good Ladies bothe) that lieth bewrapped in death before your
faces, whose withered clammes hath catched the same within her
reach, and hath warned the clocke to tolle the dolefull bell for
his poor lovyng ghoste, nowe stretchynge out for the winding
shete to shrowde his maigre corps, all forworne with the watche
and toile, that such poore men (affected with like care) do
feele. It is my selfe, that erst was rouing amid the troupe of
Courtlie knightes decked with comely face, whose hewe dame
Nature stayned with the colours of her golden art. It is I that
of late was loued of that Nymphe, and earthie Goddesse, who with
courtinge countenaunce imbraced the place where I did stande,
and kissed the steps wherein I trode. It is my selfe I saye,
that whilom in painefull blisse, did bath my selfe, and fedde
mine eyes with the happie viewe of the heauenliest creature that
euer God did make. And by forgoing of those ioyes by to to much
mishap, and sacred famine of cursed mucke, I am thus pined as ye
see, and wrapte in hopeles state." The mother and doughter
hearinge this complainte, did their indeuour to cheere him vp,
and the mother sayde unto him: "Be of good courage sir, and I
promise you my fayth, that if God giue you health, my doughter
shal haue none other husband but you, and behold her here, whom
I commaunde to make you present promise." The mayden weeping
with a virginall shamefastnes, consented to her mother's hest.
But knowing when he was recouered, that he should not haue her,
and that the mother was so liberal of her fayre words, to
recomfort him and assaye if she might restore him: he said vnto
them, that if those words had bin pronounced three monethes
past, he had bin the lustiest and most happie gentleman of
Fraunce: but helpe offred so late, was past beliefe and hope.
But when he saw, that they went about to force him to beleeue
it, he said vnto them: "Now that I see ye go about to promise
the good tourne which can neuer chaunce vnto mee, yea although
consent ioyned with vnfayned promise desires the effect, for
respect of the feeble state wherein I am: yet let me craue one
thing at your hands, farre lesse then that ye offer, which
hitherto I neuer durst be so bolde to aske." Whereunto they both
assented and swore to performe it, intreating him not to be
ashamed to requyre it. "I humbly beseech ye (quoth hee) to
deliuer her into mine armes whom ye haue promised to be my wife,
and commaunde her to imbrace and kisse me." The mayden not vsed
to such priuie sutes, ne yet acquainted with such secrete facts,
made some difficultie, but her mother gaue her expresse
commaundement to doe it, perceyuing in him no likelihode or
force of a man to liue. The maiden then vpon that commaundement,
aduaunced herselfe uppon the bedde of the poore pacient, saying
vnto him: "Sir, I beseech you to be of good cheere." The
languishing creature, so hard as he could for his extreeme
debilitie, stretched forth his faint consumed armes, and with al
the force of his body imbraced the cause of his death, and
kissinge her with his colde and wanne mouth, held her so long as
he could, and then spake vnto the mayden: "The loue which I haue
borne you hath bin so great, and the good will so honest, as
neuer (mariage excepted) I wished anye other thinge of you, but
that which I presentlye haue, throughe the wante whereof and
with the same I will ioyfully render my spirite to God, who is
the parfaicte Loue, and truest Charitie, whoe knoweth the
greatnes of my loue and the honestie of my desire: humblie
beseeching him, (that nowe I hauing my desire betweene mine
armes,) to interteigne my ghost within his blessed bosome." And
in saying so he caught her againe betweene his armes with such
vehemencie, as the feeble hart not able to abide that assault,
was abandoned of all powers and mouinges: for the instant ioye
so dilated and stretched forth the same, as the siege of the
soule gaue ouer, making his repaire and flighte to his Creator:
and because the senceles bodye rested withoute life, it gaue
ouer his holde. Howbeit the loue, which the Damosell had still
kept secrete, at that time shewed it self so strong and mightie,
as the mother and seruauntes of the dead Gentleman had much a do
to separate that vnion, but by force they haled away the liuing,
almost deade with the deade. After the funerall was done with
honourable exequies: but the greatest triumph was spent in
teares, weepinges and cryes, specially by the gentlewoman, which
so much more were manifeste after his death, as before in his
life time they were dissembled, bestowinge them as an expiacion
or sacrifice, to satisfie the wrong she had done vnto him. And
afterwards (as I haue heard tell) she was maried to one, for
mitigacion of her sorow, that neuer was partaker of the ioye of
her harte. See here good Ladies an Image of perfect loue, that
so muche had seazed vpon thaffections of this amorous Gentleman,
as the pange neuer gaue ouer, till death (the rest of all
troubles) had diuided life from the body. Yet some perchaunce
for the desperate part of this hopeles louer, will terme him to
be a fonde louing foole: and say that it is not meete that they
should neglecte theyr liues for womens sakes, which were not
created but for their helpe and comforte. And that being true as
verifyed and auouched by Scriptures, there is no cause of feare
to demaunde that of them, which God hath enioyned them to giue
vs. In deede a sensuall loue, and such as is grounded to
satisfye beastly luste, is a thinge horrible to Nature, and
abhominable in the sight of him that made both those creatures,
whom he fraughted with reason and knowledge for the refusall of
those vices, which are onely to be applied to beastes voyde of
reason. But loue founded in the soyle of Vertue, for auoyding
carnall lust exercized in the state of Wedlocke, or first
begonne and practized for that ende, is very ciuil and to be
honoured. And if that loue attaine not equall successe, through
parents default or vnkindnes of frendes or other humane
accidents, if that loue so perce the hart, or otherwyse afflict
the pacient with dispaire of helpe, and so occasioneth death, it
is not to be termed follie or dotage, but to be celebrated with
honourable titles. The honest amitie then of this gentleman,
borne long time to this gentlewoman, meriteth euerlasting
praise: for to finde such great chastitie in an amorous hart, is
rather a thing deuine then humaine. A mocion moued aboue amongs
the heauenly route, and not an ac{t} wrought in the grosenes of
man's infirmitie.