_The Marchionisse of Monferrato, with a banket of Hennes, and
certaine pleasant wordes, repressed the fond loue of Philip the
French Kynge._
Good Euphimia (as you haue harde) did fondly apply hir loue vpon
a seruile man, who though bred vp in court where trayninge and
vse doth alter the rude conditions of sutch as be intertayned
there, yet voyde of all gentlenesse, and frustrate of Nature's
sweetenesse in that curteous kinde, as not exchaunginge natiue
fiercenesse for noble aduauncement, returned to hys hoggish
soyle, and walowed in the durty filth of Inhumanity, _whose
nature myght wel with fork, or staffe be expelled, but home
againe it would haue come_, as Horace pleadeth in his Epistles.
O noble Gentlewoman, that mildly suffred the displeasure of the
good king hir father, who would fayne haue dissuaded hir from
that vnseemely match, to ioyne with a yong Prince, a king,
a Gentleman of great perfection: and O pestilent Carle, being
beloued of so honourable a pucell, that for treason discharged
thy head from the block, and of a donghill slaue preferred thee
to be a king, wouldest for those deserts in the ende frame
sayned matter to consume hir. With iust hatred then did the
Noble Emperour Claudius Cæsar prosecute those of bond and
seruile kinde that were matched with the free and noble. Right
well knew hee that some taste of egrenesse would rest in sutch
sauage fruite, and therefore made a law, that the issue of them
should not haue like liberty and preheminence, as other had,
which agreeably did couple. What harme sutch mariage hath
deferred to diuers states and persons (t'auoide other examples)
the former Nouell teacheth. Wherfore to ende the same, with
bewailing of Euphimia for hir vnluckie lot, begin we now to glad
our selues with the wise and stoute aunswer of a chaste
Marquesse, a Gentlewoman of singular beauty and discretion, made
to the fond demaund of a mighty Monarch, that fondly fell in
loue with hir, and made a reckening of that, which was doubtfull
to recouer. This king by Louing Hir whome he neuer saw, fared
like the man that in his slepe dreamed that he had in holde the
thynge furthest from him. For the King neuer saw hir, before he
heard hir praised, and when hee hearde hir praised, for purpose
to winne her, he trauailed oute of his way, so sure to enioy
hir, as if he had neuer seene hir. This historie, although
briefe, yet sheweth light to noble dames that be pursued by
Prynces, and teacheth them wyth what regarde they ought to
interteine such suters. The Marquesse then of Monferrato,
a citye in Italy, beynge a Gentleman of great prowesse and
valiance, was appointed to transfrete the Seas in a generall
passage made by the Christians, wyth an huge Armie and great
furniture. And as it chaunced, vpon a day greate talke was had
in the court of king Philip surnamed Luscus (bicause he was
poreblinde) who likewyse was making preparation to depart out of
Fraunce in the said iorney. Report was made by a knight which
knewe the said Marquize, that in all the world there was not the
like maried couple, as the Marquize and his wyfe were, as well
bicause the Marquize was bruted to be an excellent gentleman, as
also for that his wyfe amonges al the troupe of Ladies, that
liued in the world that time, was the fairest and most vertuous.
Which words so entred the French king's head, as sodainely
(neuer seeing hir in all his life) he began to loue hir, and for
that purpose determined to imbarke him selfe at Genoua, that by
trauailyng that way by lande, he myght haue good occasion to see
the Marchionisse, thinking that her husband being absent, hee
might easily obtein that he desired. And as he had deuised, he
began his enterpryse: who sending al his power before, toke his
iorney wyth a meane trayne of Gentlemen: and beynge within one
Daye's iourney of the Ladye's House, hee sent hir worde that the
nexte Daye hee would visite her at Dynner. The sage and discrete
lady ioyfully aunswered the Messanger, that she would accompt
his comming for a great and singuler pleasure, and sayd that hys
grace should be most heartily welcome. Afterwards she maruelled
why sutch a king as he was, would in hir husband's absence, come
to hir house: and in that maruel and consideration she was no
whit deceyued, coniecturinge that the fame of hir beauty was the
cause of hys comminge. Neuerthelesse, like a wise Lady and
honest gentlewoman, she determined to do him honour, and caused
the worshipfull of hir country sutch as remayned behinde, to be
assembled, for aduice in all thinges that were necessary for hys
intertaynement. But the feast and variety of meats that should
be serued, she alone tooke vppon hir to dispose and order:
wherefore speedily sendinge about, and makinge prouision for all
the Hennes that might be gotten throughout the countrey,
commaunded hir cookes, of those Hennes without other thing what
so euer, to prepare diuers seruices. The king fayled not the
next day to come accordingly as he had sent word: and was with
great honour receyued of the Lady, and in beholdinge hir, she
seemed vnto hym (besides hys imagination comprehended by the
former woordes of the Knyght) to be farre more faire, honest and
vertuous, than hee thought, attributyng vnto hir, singular
prayse and commendation. And so much the more his desire was
kindled, as she passed the estimation bruted of hir. And after
that the King had wythdrawen him selfe into the chamber ordeined
and made ready for him, as appertained to a Prynce so greate,
and that dinner time was come, the King and Madame the
Marchionisse sat together at one boorde, and other accordyng to
their degrees were placed at seueral tables. The King serued
with many Dishes and excellent Wynes, beholdinge sometymes the
Lady Marchionesse, conceyued great delight and pleasure. But
vewing the seruice, and meates (although dressed in diuers
sortes) to be but Hennes, he began to wonder, specially knowing
the soyle wherein they were to be so rich and plentifull, as by
little trauayle, great abundance of Foule and Venison might haue
bin prouided, and thought that she had indifferent leysure to
Chase and Hunt, after that he had sent hir woorde of hys
comminge. Notwythstandinge he would not take occasion to enter
into talke of those wants of better Cheare (hir Hennes only
excepted) who lookyng vpon hir, with mery Countenaunce hee sayde
vnto hir: "Madame were all these Hennes bred in thys countrey
wythout a Cock?" The Marchionisse which full well vnderstoode
the cause of his demaunde, thinkinge that God had sent hir an
apt tyme for aunswere as she desired, boldly aunswered the
Kinge: "No and it please your grace, but of Women, albeit in
honour and apparell there is some difference, yet they be al
made in this Countrey as they be else where." The kyng hearing
hir aunswere, right wel did know the occasion of the Banket of
Hennes, and whereunto hir wordes did tend: and considred that to
bestow any further talke to so wyse a Lady, it were in vayne,
and that force there could take no place. Lyke as vnaduisedly he
fell in loue, so it behoued him of necessity wysely to staunch
the fire for his honour sake, and wythout any more taunting
wordes, fearing hir reuenge, he dined without hope to get other
thinge of hir. And when hee had done, to the intent by hys
sodayne departure, he might couer his dishonest comming,
thankinge hir for the honour which he had receyued, and she
recommending him to God, he departed to Genoua. Here may be
proued the great difference betweene Wysedome and Folly,
betweene Vertue and Vice. The King more by Lust, than other
desire, by circumstances endeuoured to sound the deapth of the
Ladie's minde: she by comely answere, payd hym home for his
folly. A liuely representation of a noble creature, so well
bedecked wyth Vertue as wyth Beauty.