what frends she had, and how shee fell into the hands of that Jew? She
answered, that she was a _Magnificoes_ daughter of _Venice_, stolne when
she was yong from her frends, and sold to this Jew for a bondwoman, who
(quoth she) hath vsde me so iewishly and tyrannously, that for euer I
must celebrate the memorie of this day, wherein I am deliuered from his
Jurisdiction. Alas (quoth she deep sighing) why did I enter into anie
mention of my owne misusage? It will be thought that that which I am now
to reueale, proceeds of mallice not truth. Madam, your life is sought by
these Jewes that sue to you. Blush not, nor be troubled in your minde,
for with warning I shall arme you against all their intentions. Thus
and thus (quoth she) said doctor _Zacharie_ vnto me, this poyson he
deliuered me. Before I was cald in to them, such and such consultation
through the creuise of the dore fast lockt did I heare betwixt them.
Denie it if they can, I will iustifie it: onely I beseech you to be
fauorable Ladie vnto me, and let me not fall againe into the hands of
those vipers.
_Iuliana_ said little but thought vnhappely, onely she thankt her for
detecting it, and vowed though she were her bond woman to be a mother
vnto her. The poyson she tooke of her, and set it vp charily on a shelfe
in her closet, thinking to keepe it for some good purposes: as for
example, when I was consumed and worne to the bones through her abuse,
she would giue me but a dram too much, and pop mee into a priuie. So
shee had seru'd some of her paramours ere that, and if God had not sent
_Diamante_ to be my redeemer, vndoubtedly I had drunke of the same cup.
In a leafe or two before was I lockt vp: heere in this page the foresaid
goodwife Countesse comes to me, shee is no longer a iudge but a client.
How she came, in what manner of attyre, with what immodest and vncomely
words shee courted me, if I should take vpon me to enlarge, all modest
eares would abhorre me. Some inconuenience she brought me too by her
harlot-like behauiour, of which inough I can neuer repent me.
Let that bee forgiu'n and forgotten, fleshly delights could not make her
slothfull or slumbring in reuenge against _Zadoch_. Shee set men about
him to incense and egge him on in courses of discontentment, and
other supervising espialls, to plye followe and spurre for-warde those
suborning incensers. Both which playd their parts so, that _Zadoch_ of
his own nature violent, swore by the arke of _Iehoua_ to set the whole
citie on fire ere he went out of it. _Zacharie_ after he had furnisht
the wench with the poyson, and giu'n her instructions to goe to the
diuell, durst not staye one houre for feare of disclosing, but fled to
the Duke of _Burbon_ that after sackt Rome, & there practised with his
bastardship all the mischief against the pope and _Rome_ that enuie
could put into his minde. _Zadoch_ was left behinde for the hangman.
According to his oath, he prouided balls of wilde fire in a readines,
and laid traines of gunpouder in a hundred seuerall places of the citie
to blow it vp, which hee had set fire too, as also bandied his balls
abroad, if his attendant spies had not taken him with ye manner. To the
straightest prison in _Rome_ he was dragged, where from top to toe he
was clogd with fetters and manacles. _Iuliana_ informed the pope of
_Zacharies_ and his practise, _Zachary_ was sought for, but _non est
inuentus_, he was packing long before. Commaundement was giu'n, that
_Zadoch_ whom they had vnder hand and seale of locke and key, should be
executed with all the fiery torments that could be found out.
He make short worke, for I am sure I haue wearied all my readers. To the
execution place was he brought, where first and formost he was stript,
then on a sharpe yron stake fastened in the ground, had he his fundament
pitcht, which stake ran vp along into his bodie like a spit, vnder his
arme-hoales two of like sort, a great bonfire they made round about him,
wherewith his flesh rosted not burnd: and euer as with the heate his
skinne blistered, the fire was drawne aside, and they basted him with
a mixture of Aqua fortis, allam water, and Mercury sublimatum, which
smarted to the very soule of him, and searcht him to the marrowe. Then
did they scourge hys backe parts so blistered and basted, with burning
whips of red hot wire: his head they noynted ouer with pitch and
tarre, and so enflamed it. To his priuie members they tied streaming
fierworkes, the skinne from the crest of his shoulder, as also from his
elbowes, his huckle bones, his knees, his ankles they pluckt and gnawd
off with sparkling pincers: hys breast and his belly with seale skins
they grated ouer, which as fast as they grated & rawed, one stoode ouer
and lau'd with smithes cindry water and _aqua vito_: his nayles they
halfe raised vp, and then vnderpropt them with Sharpe prickes like a
taylers shop windowe halfe open on a holiday: euerie one of his fingers
they rent vp to the wrist: his toes they brake off by the rootes, and
let them still hang by a little skinne. In conclusion, they had a small
oyle fire, such as men blow light bubbles of glasse with, and beginning
at his feet, they let him lingringly burne vp limme by limme, till his
hart was consumed, and then he died. Triumph women, this was the end
of the whipping Jew, contriued by a woman, in reuenge of two women, her
selfe and her maid.
I haue told you or should tell you in what credit _Diamante_ grew with
her mistres. _Iuliana_ neuer dreamed but she was an authenticall maide:
she made her the chiefe of her bed chamber, she appointed none but her
to looke into me, and serue me of such necessaries as I lacked. You must
suppose when wee met there was no small reioycing on either part, much
like the three Brothers that went three seuerall wayes to seeke their
fortunes, and at the yeres end at those three crosse waies met againe,
and told one another how they sped: so after we had been long asunder
seeking our fortunes, wee commented one to another most kindly, what
crosse haps had encountred vs. Nere a six houres but the Countesse cloyd
mee with her companie. It grew to this passe, that either I must finde
out some miraculous meanes of escape, or drop away in a consumption, as
one pin'd for lacke of meate: I was cleane spent and done, there was no
hope of me.
The yere held on his course to domes day, when Saint _Peters_ day
dawned. That day is a day of supreme solemnitie in _Rome_, when the
Embassador of _Spaine_ comes and presents a milke white iennet to the
pope, that kneeles downe vppon his owne accord in token of obeisaunce
and humilitie before him, and lets him stride on his backe as easie as
one strides ouer a blocke: with this iennet is offered a rich purse of
a yard length, full of Peter-pence. No musique that hath the gift of
vtterance, but sounds all the while: coapes and costly vestments decke
the hoarsest and beggerliest singing man, not a clarke or sexten is
absent, no nor a mule nor a foote-cloth belonging to anie cardinall, but
attends on the taile of the triumph. The pope himselfe is borne in his
pontificalibus thorough the _Burgo_ (which is the cheefe streete in
_Rome_) to the Embassadors house to dinner, and thether resorts all the
assembly: where if a Poet should spend all his life time in describing a
banquet, he could not feast his auditors halfe so wel with words, as he
doth his guests with iunkets.
To this feast _Iuliana_ addressed her selfe like an Angell: in a littour
of greene needle-worke wrought like an arbor, and open on euerie side
was she borne by foure men, hidden vnder cloth rough plushed and wouen
like eglantine and wood-bine. At the foure corners it was topt with
foure round christall cages of Nightingales. For foote men, on either
side of her went foure virgins clad in lawne, with lutes in their hands
playing. Next before her two and two in order, a hundred pages in sutes
of white cipresse, and long horsemens coates of cloth of siluer: who
being all in white, aduanced euery one of them her picture, enclosed
in a white round screene of feathers, such as is carried ouer great
Princesses heads when they ride in summer, to keepe them from the heate
of the sun. Before the went a foure-score bead women she maintaind in
greene gownes, scattring strowing hearbs and floures, After her followed
the blinde, the halt and the lame sumptuously apparailed like Lords: and
thus past she on to Saint _Peters_.
_Interea quid agitur donti_, how ist at home all this while. My curtizan
is left my keeper, the keyes are committed vnto her, she is mistres _fac
totunt_. Against our countesse we conspire, packe vp all her iewels,
plate, money that was extant, and to the water side send them: to
conclude, couragiously rob her, and run away. _Quid non auri sacra
fames_? What defame will not golde salue. Hee mistooke himselfe that
inuented the prouerbe, _Dimicandum est pro aris & fama_: for it should
haue been _pro auro & fama_: not for altares and fires we must contend,
but for gold and fame.
Oares nor winde could not stirre nor blow faster, than we toyld out of
_Tiber_; a number of good fellowes would giue size ace and the dice that
with as little toyle they could leaue Tyburne behinde them. Out of ken
we were ere the Countesse came from the feast When she returned and
found her house not so much pestred as it was wont, her chests her
closets and her cupbords broke open to take aire, and that both I and my
keeper was missing: O then shee fared like a franticke Bacchinall, she
stampt, she star'd, shee beate her head against the walls, scratcht her
face, bit her fingers, and strewd all the chamber with her haire.
None of her seuants durst stay in her sight, but she beate them out
in heapes, and bad them goe seeke search they knew not where, and hang
themselues, and neuer looke her in the face more, if they did not hunt
vs out. After her furie had reasonably spent it selfe, her breast began
to swell with the mother, caused by her former fretting & chafing, and
she grew verie ill at ease. Whereuppon shee knockt for one of her maids,
and had her run into her closet, and fetch her a little glasse that
stood on the vpper shelfe, wherein there was _spiritus vini_. The maid
went, & mistaking tooke the glasse of poyson which _Diamante_ had giu'n
her, and she kept in store for me. Comming with it as fast as her legs
could carrie her, her mistres at her returne was in a swound, and lay
for dead on the floore, wherat she shrikt out, and fel a rubbing &
chafing her very busily. When that would not serue, she tooke a keye and
opened her mouth, and hauing heard that _spiritus vini_ was a thing of
mightie operation, able to call a man from death to life, shee tooke the
poyson, and verely thinking it to be _spiritus vini_ (such as she was
sent for) powrd a large quantitie of it into her throate, and iogd on
her backe to disgest it. It reuiu'd her with a merrie vengeance, for it
kilde her outright: only she awakend and lift vp her hands, but spake
nere a word. Then was the maid in her grandames beanes, and knew not
what should become of her: I heard the Pope tooke pitie on her, and
because her trespasse was not voluntary but chancemedly, he assigned her
no other punishment but this, to drinke out the rest of the poyson in
the glasse that was left, and so goe scot-free. We carelesse of these
mischances, helde on our flight, and saw no man come after vs but we
thought had pursued vs. A theefe they say mistakes euerie bush for a
true man, thewinde ratled not in anie bush by the way as I rode, but I
straight drew my rapier. To _Bolognia_ with a merrie gale wee posted,
where wee lodged our selues in a blinde streete out of the way, and kept
secret manie dayes: but when we perceiued we saild in the hauen, that
the winde was layd, and no alarum made after vs, we boldly came abroad:
& one day hearing of a more desperat murdrer than _Cayn_ that was to
be executed, we followed the multitude, and grutcht not to lend him our
eyes at his last parting.
Who should it bee but one _Cutwolfe_, a wearish dwarfish writhen fac'd
cobler, brother to _Bartoll_ the Italian, that was confederate with
_Esdras_ of _Granado_, and at that time stole away my curtizan, when he
rauisht _Heraclide_.
It is not so naturall for me to epitomize his impietie, as to heare him
in his owne person speake vppon the wheele where he was to suffer.
Prepare your eares and your teares, for neuer till this thrust I anie
tragicall matter vpon you. Strange and wonderfull are Gods iudgements,
heere shine they in their glory. Chast _Heraclide_ thy bloud is laid
vp in heauens treasurie, not one drop of it was lost, but lent out to
vsurie: water powred forth sinkes downe quietly into the earth, but
bloud spilt on the ground sprinkles vp to the firmament. Murder is
wide-mouthd, and will not let God rest till he grant reuenge. Not onely
the bloud of the slaughtred innocent but the soule ascendeth to his
throne, and there cries out & exclaimes for iustice and recompence.
Guiltles soules that liue euerie houre subiect to violence, and with
your despairing feares doo much empaire Gods prouidence: fasten your
eyes on this spectacle that will adde to your faith. Referre all your
oppressions afflictions and iniuries to the euen ballanced eye of the
Almightie, hee it is, that when your patience sleepeth, will bee most
exceeding mindfull of you.
This is but a glose vpon the text: thus _Cutwolfe_ begins his insulting
oration.
Men and people that haue made holy-daie to behold my pained flesh toile
on the wheele. Expect not of me a whining penitent slaue, that shal do
nothing but crie and saie his praiers, and so be crusht in peeces. My
bodie is little, but my minde is as great as a Giants: the soule which
is in mee, is the verie soul of _Iulius Cosar_ by reuersion. My name is
_Cutwolfe_, neither better nor worse by occupation, than a poore cobler
of _Verona_, coblers are men and kings are no more. The occasion of my
comming hether at this present, is to haue a fewe of my bones broken
(as we are all borne to die) for being the death of the Emperour of
homicides _Esdras of Granado_. About two yeares since in the streetes
of _Rome_ he slew the onely and eldest brother I had named _Bartoll_, in
quarrelling about a curtizan. The newes brought to me as I was sitting
in my shop vnder a stall knocking in of tackes, I think I raisd vp my
bristles, solde pritchaule, spunge, blacking tub, and punching yron,
bought mee rapier and pistoll, and to goe I went. Twentie months
together I pursued him, from _Rome to Naples, from Naples to Caiete
passing ouer the riuer, from Caiete to Syenna, from Syenna to Florence,
from Florence to Parma, from Parma to Pauia, from Pauia to Syon, from
Syon to Geneua, from Geneua backe againe towards Rome_: where in the way
it was my chance to meet him in the nicke here at _Bolognia_, as I will
tell you how. I saw a great fray in the streetes as I past along, and
manie swords walking, wherevpon drawing neerer, and enquiring who they
were, answer was returned mee it was that notable Bandetto _Esdras of
Granado_. O so I was tickled in the spleene with that word, my heart
hopt & daunst, my elbowes itcht, my fingers friskt, I wist not what
should become of my feete, nor knew what I did for ioy. The fray parted.
I thought it not conuenient to single him out (being a sturdie knaue)
in the street, but to stay till I had got him at more aduantage. To
his lodging I dogd him, lay at the dore all night where hee entred, for
feare hee should giue me the slip anie way. Betimes in the morning I
rung the bell and crau'd to speake with him: vp to his chamber dore I
was brought, where knocking, hee rose in his shirt and let me in, and
when I was entred, bad me lock the dore and declare my arrant, and so he
slipt to bed againe.
Marrie this quoth I is my arrant Thy name is _Esdras of Granado_, is it
not? Most treacherously thou slewst my brother _Bartoll_ about two yeres
agoe in the streetes of _Rome_: his death am I come to reuenge. In quest
of thee euer since aboue three thousand miles haue I trauaild. I haue
begd to maintaine me the better part of the waye, onely because I would
intermit no time from my pursute in going backe for monie. Now haue
I got thee naked in my power, die thou shalt, though my mother and my
grandmother dying did intreate for thee. I haue promist the diuell thy
soule within this houre, breake my word I will not, in thy breast I
intend to burie a bullet. Stirre not, quinch not, make no noyse: for if
thou dost it will be worse for thee. Quoth _Esdras_, what euer thou bee
at whose mercie I lye, spare me, and I wil giue thee as much gold as
thou wilt aske. Put me to anie paines my life reserued, and I willingly
will sustaine them: cut off my armes and legs, and leaue me as a lazer
to some loathsome spittle, where I may but liue a yeare to pray and
repent me. For thy brothers death the despayre of minde that hath euer
since haunted mee, the guiltie gnawing worme of conscience I feele
may bee sufficient penaunce. Thou canst not send me to such a hell, as
alreadie there is in my hart. To dispatch me presently is no reuenge,
it wil soone be forgotten: let me dye a lingring death, it will be
remembred a great deale longer. A lingring death maye auaile my soule,
but it is the illest of ills that can befortune my bodie. For my soules
health I beg my bodies torment: bee not thou a diuell to torment my
soule, and send me to eternall damnation. Thy ouer-hanging sword
hides heauen from my sight, I dare not looke vp, least I embrace my
deaths-wound vnawares: I cannot pray to God, and plead to thee both
at once. Ay mee, alreadie I see my life buried in the wrinckles of thy
browes: say but I shall liue, though thou meanest to kill me. Nothing
confounds like to suddaine terror, it thrusts euerie sense out of
office. Poyson wrapt vp in sugred pills is but halfe a poyson: the feare
of deaths lookes are more terrible than his stroake. The whilest I viewe
death, my faith is deaded: where a mans feare is, there his heart is.
Feare neuer engenders hope: how can I hope that heauens father will saue
mee from the hell euerlasting, when he giues me ouer to the hell of thy
furie.
_Heraclide_, now thinke I on thy teares sowen in the dust (thy teares,
that my bloudie minde made barraine). In reuenge of thee, God hardens
this mans heart against mee: yet I did not slaughter thee, though
hundreds else my hand hath brought to the shambles. Gentle sir, learne
of mee what it is to clog your conscience with murder, to haue your
dreames, your sleepes, your solitarie walkes troubled and disquieted
with murther. Your shaddowe by daye will affright you, you will not see
a weapon vnsheathd, but immediately you will imagine it is predestinate
for your destruction.
This murder is a house diuided within it selfe: it subornes a mans
owne soule to informe against him: his soule (being his accuser) brings
foorth his two eyes as witnesses agaynst him: and the least eye
witnesse is vnrefutable. Plucke out my eyes if thou wilt, and depriue
my trayterous soule of her two best witnesses. Digge out my blasphemous
tongue with thy dagger, both tongue and eyes will I gladly forgoe, to
haue a little more time to thinke on my iourney to heauen.
Deferre a while thy resolution. I am not at peace with the world,
for euen but yesterdaye I fought, and in my furie threatened further
vengeaunce: had I face to face askt forgiuenesse, I should thinke
halfe my sinnes were forgiuen. A hundred Diuells haunt mee daily for my
horrible murders: the diuells when I dye will be loath to goe to hell
with mee, for they desir'd of Christ he would not send them to hell
before their time; if they goe not to hell, into thee they will goe, and
hideously vexe thee for turning them out of their habitation. Wounds I
contemne, life I prize light, it is another worlds tranquilitie which
makes me so timerous: euerlasting damnation, euerlasting howling and
lamentation. It is not from death I request thee to deliuer me, but from
this terror of torments eternitie. Thy brothers bodie onely I pierst
vnaduisedly, his soule meant I no harme too at all: my bodie & soule
both shalt thou cast awaye quite, if thou doost at this instant what
thou maist Spare me, spare me I beseech thee: by thy owne soules
saluation I desire thee, seeke not my soules vtter perdition: in
destroying me, thou destroyest thy selfe and me.
Eagerly I replide after his long suppliant oration; Though I knewe God
would neuer haue mercie on mee except I had mercie on thee, yet of thee
no mercie would I haue. Reuenge in our tragedies continually is raised
from hell: of hell doo I esteeme better than heauen, if it affoord me
reuenge. There is no heauen but reuenge. I tell thee, I would not haue
vndertooke so much toyle to gaine heauen, as I haue done in pursuing
thee for reuenge. Diuine reuenge, of which (as of the ioyes aboue)
there is no fulnes or satietie. Looke how my feete are blistered
with following thee from place to place. I haue riuen my throat
withouerstraining it to curse thee. I haue grownd my teeth to pouder
with grating and grinding them together for anger, when anie hath nam'd
thee. My tongue with vaine threates is bolne, and waxen too big for
my mouth. My eies haue broken their strings with staring and looking
ghastly, as I stood deuising how to frame or set my countenance when I
met thee. I haue nere spent my strength in imaginarie acting on stone
wals, what I determined to execute on thee. Entreate not, a miracle maye
not repriue thee: villaine, thus march I with my blade into thy bowels.
Stay, stay exclaimed _Esdras_, and heare mee but one word further.
Though neither for God nor man thou carest, but placeth thy whole
felicitie in murder, yet of thy felicitie learne how to make a greater
felicitie. Respite me a little from thy swords poynt, and set mee
about some execrable enterprise, that may subuert the whole state of
Christendome, and make all mens eares tingle that heare of it. Commaund
me to cut all my kindreds throates, to burne men women and children in
their beds in millions, by firing their Cities at midnight. Be it Pope,
Emperour or Turke that displeaseth thee, he shal not breath on the
earth. For thy sake will I sweare and forsweare, renounce my baptisme,
and all the interest I haue in any other sacrament. Onely let me liue
how miserable soeuer, be it in a dungeon amongst toades, serpents and
adders, or set vp to the necke in dung. No paines I will refuse how euer
proroged, to haue a little respite to purifie my spirit: oh heare me,
heare me, and thou canst not be hardned against me.
At this his importunitie paused a little, not as retyring from my
wreakful resolution, but going back to gather more forces of vengeance.
With my selfe I deuised how to plague him double for his base minde.
My thoughts traueld in quest of some notable newe Italionisme, whose
murdrous platforme might not onely extend on his bodie, but his soule
also. The ground worke of it was this. That whereas he had promised for
my sake to sweare and forsweare, and commit _Iulian_-like violence on
the highest seales of religion: if he would but thus farre satisfie
me he should bee dismist from my furie. First and formost he should
renounce God and his lawes, and vtterly disclaime the whole title or
interest he had in anie couenaunt of saluation. Next he should curse
him to his face, as _Iob_ was willed by his wife, and write an absolute
firme obligation of his soule to the diuell, without condition or
exception. Thirdly and lastly (hauing done this), hee should praye to
God feruently neuer to haue mercie vppon him, or pardon him. Scarce
had I propounded these articles vnto him, but he was beginning his
blasphemous abiurations. I wonder the earth opened not and swallowed
vs both hearing the bold tearmes he blasted forth in contempt of
Christianitie: Heauen hath thundred when halfe lesse contumelies against
it haue been vttered. Able they were to raise Saints and Martirs from
their graues, and plucke Christ himselfe from the right hand of his
father. My ioints trembled & quakt with attending them, my haire stood
vpright, & my hart was turned wholly to fire. So affectionately and
zealously did hee giue himselfe ouer to infidelitie, as if sathan had
gotten the vpper hand of our high Maker. The veyne in his left hand that
is deriued from his heart with no faint blow he pierst, & with the bloud
that flowd from it, writ a ful obligation of his soule to the diuell:
yea, more earnestly he praid vnto God neuer to forgiue it his soule,
than manie Christians doo to saue theyr soules. These fearfull
ceremonies brought to an end, I bad him ope his mouth and gape wide. He
did so (as what wil not slaues doo for feare). Therwith made I no more
adoo, but shot him ful into the throat with my pistol: no more spake he
after, so did I shoote him that hee might neuer speak after, or repent
him.