Part 28

THE THIRTY-SECOND NOUELL.

_A Gentlewoman and Wydow called Camiola of hir owne minde Raunsomed Roland the Kyng's Sonne of Sicilia, of purpose to haue him to hir Husband, who when he was redeemed unkindly denied hir, agaynst whom very Eloquently she Inueyed, and although the Law proued him to be hir Husband, yet for his vnkindnes, shee vtterly refused him._

Bvsa a Gentlewoman of Apulia, maynetayned ten Thousande Romayne souldiers within the walles of Cannas, that were the remnaunte of the army after the ouerthrow there: and yet hir State of Rychesse was saulfe and nothynge dimynished, and left therby a worthy Testimony of Lyberality as Valerius Maximus affirmeth. If this worthy woman Busa for Liberality is commended by auncient Authors: if she deserue a Monument amongs famous Wryters for that splendent vertue which so brightly blasoneth the Heroicall natures of Noble dames, then may I bee so bolde amonges these Nouels to bring in (as it were by the hand) a Wyddow of Messina, that was a Gentlewoman borne, adorned with passing beauty and vertues. Amongs the rancke of which hir comely Qualities, the vertue of Liberality glistered lyke the morninge Starre after the Night hath cast of his darke and Cloudy Mantell. This Gentlewoman remayning in Wyddowes state, and hearing tell that one of the Sonnes of Federicke, and Brother to Peter that was then King of the sayd Ilande called Rolande, was caried Prysoner to Naples, and there kept in miserable Captiuity, and not like to bee redeemed by his Brother for a displeasure conceyued, nor by any other, pittying the state of the young Gentleman, and mooued by hir gentle, and couragious disposition, and specially with the vertue of liberality, raunsomed the sayd Rolande, and craued no other interest or vsury for the same, but him to husband, that ought upon his knees to haue made sute to be hir slaue and seruaunte for respect of his miserable state of Imprisonment. An affiaunce betweene them was concluded, and he redeemed, and when hee was returned, hee falsed his former fayth, and cared not for hir: for which vnkinde part, she before his Frends inueyeth agaynst that ingratitude, and vtterly forsaketh him, when (sore ashamed) he would very fayne haue recouered hir good wil. But she like a wise gentlewoman well waying his inconstant mynde before mariage, lusted not to taste or put in proofe the fruicts and successe thereof. The intire Discourse of whom you shall briefly and presently vnderstand. Camiola a widow of the City of Siena, the Daughter of a gentle Knight called Signor Lorenzo Toringo, was a Woman of great renoume and fame for hir beauty liberality and shamefastnesse, and led a life in Massina, (an auncient Citty of Sicile) no lesse commendable than famous, in the company of hir parentes, contenting hirself wyth one only Husbande, while she liued, which was in the tyme when Federick the thirde was Kyng of that Isle: And after their death she was an heyre of very great wealth and ritchesse, which were alwayes by hir conserued and kept in maruellous honest sort. Nowe it chaunced that after the death of Federick, Peter succeedinge by his Commaundement, a great Army by Sea was equipped from Messina, vnder the conduct of Iohn Countee of Chiaramonte, (the most Renoumed in those dayes in Feats of Warre,) for to ayde the people of Lippary, which were so strongly and earnestly besieged, as they were almost all dead and consumed for hunger. In this Army, ouer and besides those that were in pay, many Barons and Gentlemen willingly went vpon their own proper costes, and charges, as well by Sea as Lande, onely for fame, and to be renoumed in armes. This Castell of Lippari was assaulted by Godefrey of Squilatio a valiaunt Man, and at that time Admiral to Robert Kyng of Ierusalem and Sicile: Which Godefrey by long siege and assault, had so famished the people within, as dayly he hoped they would surrender. But hauing aduertisement (by certayne Brigandens which he had sent abroade to scour the Seas) that the Enimies Army (which was farre greater than his) was at hand, after that he had assembled all his Nauy togeather in one sure place, he expected the euent of Fortune. The Enimies so soone as they were seased and possessed of the place, without any resistaunce of the places abandoned by Godefrey, caried into the Citty at their pleasure all their victualles. which they brought wyth them, for which good happe and chaunce the sayde Countee Iohn being very mutch encouraged and puffed vp wyth pryde, offred Battell to Godefrey. Wherefore he not refusing the same, being a man of great corage, in the Night time fortified his Army with Boordes, Timber, and other Rampiers, and hauing put his Nauy in good order, he encouraged his Men to fight, and to doe valiauntly the next day, which done, hee caused the Ankers to bee wayed, and gieuing the signe, tourned the prowees of hys Shyppes agaynst the Sicilians Army, but Countee Iohn who thought that Godefrey would not fight, and durst not once looke vpon the great army of the Sicilians, did not put his Fleete in order to fight, but rather in readinesse to pursue the enimies. But seeing the Courage, and the approch of theym that came agaynste him, began to feare, his heart almost fayling him, and repented him that he had required his Enimy to that which he thought neuer to haue obtayned. In sutch wise as mistrusting the Battayle with troubled minde, changing the order giuen, and notwithstanding not to seeme altogither fearefull, incontinently caused his Ships to be put into order after the best maner he could for so little tyme, himselfe gieuing the signe of battell. In the meane while their enimies being approched neere vnto them, and making a very great noyse with Cryes and Shoutes, furiously entred the Sicilians, which came slowly forth, and hauing first throwne their Hookes and Grapples to stay them, they began the fight with Dartes, Crosse-bowes, and other Shot, in sutch sort as the Sicilians being amazed for the sodayne mutation of Councell, and all enuironned with feare, and the Souldiers of Godefrey perceyuing the same, entred their enimies Ships, and comming to blowes, even in a moment all was filled with bloud, by reason whereof the Sicilians, then despayring of themselues, and they that feared turning the prowes fled away: But neuerthelesse the Victorye reclininge towardes Godefrey, many of their Ships were drowned, many taken, and diuers Pinnasses by force of their Oares escaped. In that fight died fewe people, but many were hurt, and Ihon the Captayne Generall taken Prysoner, and with him almost all the Barons, which of their own accordes repayred to those Warres, and besides a great number of Souldiers, many Ensignes as well of the field, as of the Galleyes, and specially the mayne Standerd was taken. And in the ende, the Castell being rendred after long Voyages, and great Fortunes by Sea, they were al chayned, caried to Naples and there imprisoned. Amongs those Prisoners, there was a certayne Gentleman named Rowlande, the Naturall Sonne of King Federick deceased, a yong prince very comely and valyaunt. Who not being redeemed, taried alone in prison very sorrowfull to see all others discharged after they had payd their Raunsome and himselfe not to have wherewith to furnish the same. For king Pietro (to whom the care of him appertayned by reason he was his Brother), for that his warres had no better successe, and done contrary to his commaundement, conceyued displeasure so wel agaynst him, as all others which were at that battell. Nowe hee then being prisoner without hope of any liberty, by meanes of the dampishe prison, and his feete clogged with yrons, grewe to bee sicke and feeble. It chaunced by fortune, that Camiola remembred him, and seeing him forsaken of his brethren, had compassyon vppon his missehappe in sutch wise, as she purposed (if honestly she might doe the same) to set hym at liberty. For the accomplishment whereof without preiudice of hir honour, she sawe none other wayes but take him to husband. Wherefore shee sent diuers vnto him secretely, to conferre if he would come forth vpon that condition, whereunto he wilingly agreed. And performing ech due ceremonie, vnder promised faith, vpon the gift of a ring willingly by a deputy espoused Camiola, who with so mutch diligence as she could, payed two thousand Crownes for his ransome, and by that meanes he was deliuerd. When he was retourned to Messina, he repayred not to his Wyfe, but fared as though there had neuer bene any sutch talke beetwene theym: whereof at the begynninge Camiola very mutch maruelled, and afterwardes knowinge his vnkindenesse was greatly offended in hir heart against him. Notwithstanding to the intent she might not seeme to be grieued without reason, before she proceded any further, caused him louingly to be talked withal, and to be exhorted by folowing his promyse to consummate the mariage: and seeing that he denied euer any sutch Contract to be made, she caused him to be summoned before the Ecclesiastical Iudge, by whome sentence was giuen that hee was hir husband euidence of his owne letters, and by witnesse of certayne other personages of good reputation, which afterwards he himself confessed, his face blushyng for shame, for that he had forgotten sutch a manifest benefit and good turne. When the kynde part of Camiola done vnto him was throughly known, he was by hys Brethren reproued and checked for hys villany, whereupon by their instigation, and the persuasion of his frends, he was contented by humble request to desire Camiola to perform the Nuptials. But that gentlewoman which was of great corage in the presence of diuers that were wyth him, when he required hir thereunto, answered him in this maner: "Rowland I haue great cause to render thankes to almyghty God, for that it pleased him to declare vnto me the proofe of thine vnfaythfulnesse, before thou didst by any meanes contaminate (vnder colour of mariage) the purity of my body, and that through his fauour, by whose most holy name thou wentest about to abuse me by false and periured Oth, I haue foreseene thy Trumpery and deceypt, wherein I beleeue that I have gayned more than I shoulde haue done by thee in mariage. I suppose that when thou were in pryson, thou didst meane no lesse, than now, by effect thou shewest, and diddest thinke that I, forgetting of what house I was, presumptuously desired a Husband of the Royal bloud, and therefore wholly inflamed with thy love, did purpose to beguile mee by denying the Trouth, when thou haddest recouered lyberty thorough my Money, and thereby to reserue thy selfe for some other of more famous Aliaunce, being restored to thy former degree. And thereby thou hast gieuen proofe of thy will, and what minde thou haddest so to do if thyne ability had bene correspondent. But God, who from the lofty Skyes doth beholde the humble and low, and who forsaketh none that hopeth in him, knowing the sincerity of my Conscience, hath gieuen mee the grace by little trauayle, to breake the bands of thy deceipts, to discouer thine ingratitude, and make manifest thine infidelity, which I haue not done only to display the wrong towardes me, but that thy Brethren and other thy friends might from henceforth know what thou art, what affiaunce they ought to repose in thy fayth, and thereby what thy frends ought to looke for, and what thine enimies ought to feare. I have lost my Money, thou thy good name: I haue lost the hope which I had of thee, thou the fauour of the Kinge, and of thy brethren: I the expectation of my mariage, thou a true and constant Wife: I the fruits of charity, thou the gayne of amity: I an vnfaythful husband, thou a most pure and loyall Wyfe. Now the Gentlewomen of Sicilia doe maruayle at my Magnificence, and Beauty, and by prayses aduaunce the same vp into the heauens: and contrarywise euery of theym doe mock thee, and deeme thee to be Infamous. The Renoumed Wryters of ech Countrey will place me amongs the ranke of the noblest Dames, where thou shalt be depressed, and throwne downe amonges the Heapes of moste vnkynde. True it is, that I am somewhat deceyued by deliuering out of Pryson, a yong man of Royal, and noble race, in steede of whom I have redeemed a Rascall, a Lier, a Falsifier of his faith, and a cruell Beast: and take heede hardily how thou do greatly esteme thyselfe, and I wish thee not to think that I was moued to draw thee out of Pryson, and take thee to Husbande for the good qualities that were in thee, but for the memory of auncient benefits which my father receyued of thine (if Federick, a king of most sacred remembraunce were thy father, for I can scarsly beleeue, that a sonne so dishonest should proceede from so noble a Gentleman as was that famous Prince.) I know well thou thinkest that it was an vnworthy thing, that a Widow not being of the Royal bloud should have to husband, the sonne of a Kinge, so strong and of so goodly personage, which I willingly confesse: but I would haue thee a little to make me aunswere (at the least wise if thou canst by reason) when I payd so great a sum of money to deliuer thee from bondage and captiuity, where was then the nobility of thy Royall race? Where was thy force of Youth? And where thy Beauty? If not that they were closed up in a terrible Pryson, where thou wast detayned in bitter griefe, and sorrowe, and there with those naturall qualities, couered also in obscure darknesse, that compassed thee round about. The ill fauoured noyse and iangling of thy chaines, the deformity of thy Face forced for lack of light, and the stench of the infected Prison that prouoked sicknesse, and the forsaking of thy Frends, had quite debased al these perfections wherewith now thou seemest to be so lusty. Thou thoughtest me then to be worthy, not onely of a yong man of a royall bloud, but of a God, if it were possible to haue him, and so soon as thou (contrary to all hope) didst once visite thy natural Countrey, like a most pestilent person without any difficulty, haste chaunged thy mynde, and neuer since thou wast deliuered, once did call into thy remembraunce how I was that Camiola, that I was shee (alone) that did remembre thee: that I was shee (alone) that had compassion on thy mishap, and that I was onely shee, who for thy health did imploy all the goods I had. I am, I am (I say) that Camiola, who by hir Money raunsomed thee out of the hands of the Capitall enimies of thine Auncesters, from Fetters, from Pryson: and finally deliuered thee from Misery extreme, before thou were altogether settled in dispayre. I reduced thee agayne to hope, I haue reuoked thee into thy Countrey, I haue brought thee into the Royal Pallace, and restored thee into thy former Estate, and of a Prisoner weake, and ill fauoured, haue made the a younge Prynce, strong, and of fayre aspect. But wherefore haue I remembred these things, whereof thou oughtest to bee very mindefull thy selfe, and which thou art not able to deny? Sith that for so great benefits thou hast rendred me sutch thanks, as being my husband in deede, thou haddest the Face to deny me mariage, already contracted by the deposition of honest Witnesses, and approued by Lettres, Signed with thine owne hand. Wherefore diddest thou despise me that hath delyuered thee? Yea and if thou couldest haue stayned the Name of hir with Infamy, that was thine onely Refuge, and Defender, thou wouldest gladly haue giuen cause to the common people, to thinke lesse than Honesty of hir. Art thou ashamed (thou Man of little Iudgement) to haue to Wyfe a Wyddowe, the Daughter of a Knight? O how farre better had it ben for thee to haue bene ashamed to breake thy promised fayth, to haue dispised the holy and dreadfull name of God, and to haue declared by thy curssed vnkindnes, how full fraught thou art with Vice. I doe confesse in deede that I am not of the Royall bloud: notwithstanding from the Cradle, being Trayned, and brought vp in the Company of kinges Wyues, and Daughters, no great maruayle it is, if I haue indued and put on a Royall heart and manners, that is able to get, and purchase royall Nobility: but wherefore doe I multiply so many wordes? No, no, I will be very facile, and easie in that wherein thou haste ben to me so difficult and hard by resisting the same with all thy power. Thou haste refused heretofore to be mine, and hauing vanquished thee, to be sutch, franckly of myne owne accorde, I doe graunt that thou art not. Abide (on God's name) with thy royall Nobility, neuerthelesse defiled with the spot of Infidelity. Make mutch of thy youthly lustinesse, and of thy transitory beauty, and I shal be contented with my Wyddow apparell, and shall leaue the riches which God hath geuen me to Heyres more honest than those that might haue come of thee. Auaunt thou wycked yong man, and sith thou art coumpted to be vnworthy of me, learne with thine own experience, by what subtilty and guiles thou maiest betray other dames, suffiseth it for me to be once deceyued. And I for my parte fully determine neuer to tary longer with thee, but rather chastly to lyue without husband, which lyfe I deeme farre more excellent than with thy match continually to be coupled." After shee had spoken these words, shee departed from him, and from that time forth, it was impossible eyther by prayers, or Admonitions to cause hir chaunge hir holy intent. But Rowland al confused, repenting himself to late of hys Ingratitude, blamed of ech man, his eyes fixed vpon the grounde, auoyding not onely the presence of his brethren, but of all sorts of people, dayly led from that time forth, a most miserable life, and neuer durst by reason to demaunde hir againe to Wife, whom he had by disloyalty refused. The King and the other Barons, marueyling of the noble heart of the Lady, singularly commended hir, and exalted hir prayses vp into the Skyes, vncertayne neuerthelesse wherein shee was most worthy of prayse, eyther for that (contrary to the couetous nature of Women) she had raunsomed a yong man with so great a Summe of Money, or else after she had deliuered him, and sentence gieuen that he was hir Husbande, she so couragiously refused him, as an vnkinde man, vnworthy of hir company. But leaue we for a tyme, to talke of Wydowes, and let vs see what the Captayne, and Lieutenaunt of Nocera can alledge vpon the discourse of his cruelties, which although an ouer cruell Hystory, yet depaynteth the successe of those that apply their myndes to the Sportes of Loue, sutch Loue I meane, as is wantonly placed, and directed to no good purpose, but for glutting of the Bodye's delight, which both corrupteth nature, maketh feeble the body, lewdly spendeth the time, and specially offendeth him who maketh proclamation, that Whooremongers and adultrers shal neuer Inherite his Kyngdome.

THE THIRTY-THIRD NOUELL.

_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 enterprise moued by the Captaine to the Cittyzens of the same for Rebellion, and the good and dutyfull aunswere of them: with other pityfull euents rysing of that notable and outragious vyce of whoredom._