AFter y ^e warres done and finyshyd in my countrey, beynge in my poore mansion, in a mornyng whan the sonne illuminyd the earthe, in a sha­dowyde darke valey, in the moun­tayne called Serua de Marenꝰ, in the coūtrey of Masedonia: as I walkyd in a strayte way shadowyd w ^t fayer trees Sodenly I mette with a knight fyers and furious, whose presence was fer­full to regarde. Coueryde all in here lyke a sauage creature. In his lyfte hande he bare a bryght schilde of stele, & in his ryght hand a shynynge ymage entaillid in a clere stone, of such plesure & bewtle, that y ^e clerenes troublyd the syghte of myne eyen, out of the whiche there issuyde dyuers Rayes of fier en­bransing & enflaming y ^e body of a man. The which the sayd knight forceably [Page] ledde behynd hym, wh [...]with dolorous playntes and sorowfull passions sayde: By reason of my hope, I suffre all this, and wheir he aprochyd, and that I was nere hym, he sayd with mortall anguysh frende, for the loue of god I pray the folow me and ayde me in this my great be [...]ynes, and I as then had more cause of feare, then reason to aunswere, but I set myne eyen on this strange vision, iudgyng in my hart dyuerce considera­cions [...] as to leue my way, me thought it symplenes, and to accomplysh the desire of the pacient, I thought it dangerous to folow hym was perell, and to leue hym in that turbacion was pite, so that I wiste not whiche was beste to chose, how be it after that feare had left myne alteracion in some ease, and that my spirites began to respyre, then I cōsyderyd well that I was more bounde to the vertue, then to the lyfe. And then determy­nyde for the dought that I was in, to folow y ^e way of hym who desyred myne [Page] ayede, and I hastyde me to go after in suche sorte that shortely I ouertoke them. Do we went all .iii. a longe space, with no lesse anoyance, then to be soly­tary alone fro pleasur or company, and though the desyre of the dolorous, was cause of my folowynge, yet to speke to hym that ledde the pacient, I faylyde audacyte, and to desire hym, me thought nothynge auayleable, nor I hadde not deseruyd it, though in this case I fayled counsayll, yet after I had reuoluyde my thoughtes in the remembrance of many thynges, I thought it beste to put to hym some maner of purpose, to thentent that accordyng to his aunswere I shuld determyne further. And with this dely­beracion I requyrede hym in the moste curtes wyse that to me was possible, to shew me what he was: who aunswered me, & sayd: Frende, certaynly accordyng to my naturall condycion, I oughte to gyue the none aunswere: bycause myne offyce is rather to assure euyll, then to [Page] aunswere well: how be it in that I haue bene alwayes norished among men of good nourture: I shall vse to the of the gentylnes, that I haue lernyd, a [...]d not of the fercenes of my nature. Thou shalt vnderstand sence thou wylt know it, that I ame principall officer in the house of the god of loue: and I ame namyd by my ryght name, desire. And with the force of this chylde / I resyst & defende all hoopes: And with the beau­tie of this Image I cause y ^e affections wher w ^t I broyle and enflame the lyues as thou maist se by this prisoner whom I lede in to the prisone of loue: who all onely by dethe hopeth his delyuerance. Whan this tormentour hadde shewed me all these thynges, we mountyd vp a sharpe & an hygh mountayne, that fur­ther to trauaylle, my for [...]e fayled, and with greate payne, we aryuyd to the heyght. In receyuynge this aunswer, then I studyed, how to thanke hym of the grace that he hadde shewed me: and [Page] therw ^t sodenly he vanyshed fro my pre­sence. This was in the begynnynge of the night, wherfore I coulde not kepe my waye, nor knowe whether I shulde drawe, for the darkenes of the nighte, & the small knowledge that I had of the coūtrey. Howbeit I thought it best not to returne, nor to departe fro the palce, that I was in. Then I began to course [...]yne aduenture, abandonyng my selfe fro all hope, abiding there my p [...]rdiciō. Thus in y ^e myddes of my tribulacyon, I neuer repentyd of that I had done, for I estemyd better to lese my lyfe, ac­complyshynge vertue: then to saue it, doing the contrary. Thus I was all y ^e nyght in heuynes and trauelous con­templacion. And when the light of the day discoueryd y ^e wayes, I sawe before me, on the most highest place of y ^e mountayne, a tower so hygh, that me semyd it atteynyd to the heuyn. Hit was made by suche artifice, that of the strangnes therof, I began to meruayll, & I ioy­ned [Page] my selfe to the foote therof. The tyme offeryd me more to feare, then to regard or note it, beholding the strange ouerage & newelte of the edefice. The fundaciō wheron it was foundyd, was of a stone clere and stronge of nature, wherupō was reysed .iiii. great pillers of violet marble, so fayre, and so hygh, beyonde the comon forme, that it was meruayll how they were systeynyd. A­boue the whiche was fabricate a tower iii. square, the most strongest that could be deuised: on euery square therof, on y ^e height there stode an humayn Image, made of metall, paynted w ^t theyr owne colours, one tawny, a nother blacke, & the thirde gray, eche of them holding a chayne in theyr handes, made of great force. And on the heyght of the tower, ther was a pynacle full of great clere­nes & light, comyng fro a raye of light issuyng out of the tower. I harde .ii. watches who neuer seaced, but still wa­kyd. Of these thynges greatly I mer­nayled, [Page] & could not tell what to thynke or to say. Thus beyng in great dought and confusion [...] I sawe ioynynge to the marbell a stayre mountyng to the gate of the tower, wherof the entre was so darke, that to mount vp, semyd impossible: how be it, I deliberyd, wyllynge rather to go to my perdicyon in moun­tyng, then to saue my self with tarieng. Thus takyng harte, I began to moūte and when I was vp .iii. steppes, I found a dore of Iron, the which satisfi­ed me rather to tast w ^t my handes, then to attayne therto by syghte, by reason of y ^• darknes that I was in, And when I came to the gate, I founde ther a porter, of whome I demaundyd licens to entre. He aunswered, how he was con­tent, so that fyrst I shuld leue behynde me myne armure. I grauntyd hym to leue suche as I bare customably vpon me. Then he sayd: My ffrend, it ape­rith well, that of the vsage & custome of this house thou knowest but lytle [...] The [Page] armoure that I demaunde, and those that it behoueth the to leue, are suche as the harte is wonte to be defendyd withall, fro heuynes & sorowe, as are: hope, rest, & contentacion: for to haue those condicions, ther may none ioy of the demaunde that thou desyrest. And when I knew his entension, withoute any further aduyse, I aunswered & ass [...] ryd hym, that I was come thyther with out any of those armours. Thē he graū tyd the openyng of the gate, & so with greate trauaill and sore trouble, I ary­uyd to the height of the tower, where I found a nother porter, who demaundyd of me as y ^e other dyd. And when I had made hym lyke aunswere, he gaue me place to entre. Then I went all the length of the tower, and enteryd in to a halle, where in y ^e myddes therof stode a chayre brennynge full of fyre: in the whiche satte he who made to me the re­quest, and causer of my perdicion. And myne eyen were so chargyd w ^t regar­ding [Page] of this ouerage, & my tonge was so oppressed, that I could demaund no questiō of all these meruails. And as I regardyd them, I sawe the .iii. chaynes that the Images held on the height on y ^• tower, were fast tyed about this poore captyue prysoner, who alwayes brent, and neuer consumyd. Then I saw two sorowful women, theyr faces ful of we­pynges and dolours. They ordeyned to sette on his hed with greate crueltie [...] a crowne full of sharpe poyntes of stea­le, without pyte, persyng his hed to the brayne. Also ther was a blacke morion, vestured in yelowe, who came often ty­mes w ^t a great fawchon, to strike hym, and euer I saw how the pacient recey­ued the strokes with a shelde, subtilly i [...]suyng out of his hedde: the which co­uered hym to the feete. I saw other .iii. seruaūtes ryght diligent, who brought hym meate on a blacke cloth, and with great fury gaue him mete of bitter tast. And on the one syde of the table I sawe [Page] an olde man syt in a chaire lenynge his hedde in one of his handes, lyke a man solitary in thought & pensyfenes. All these thynges I could scant se for the darkenes of the towre: but by reason of a clere shynynge lyght, that issuyd out of the prisoners harte, which gaue clere lyghte ouer all. And when this priso­ner saw me so astonyd, to se thinges of suche mystery: And that he saw tyme to pay me w ^t his wordes, though he were not in my det yet to gyue me some rest, & solacious comforte, with his discrete reasons, medlyd with piteous wepyn­ges, he began to say in this maner.

WHen I had endyd myne aunsewre to Lereano, then I deptyd fro hym and lernyd the waye to the cytie of Suria where as lay y ^e kyng of Maze­donia, which was halfe a iourney fro y ^• prisone fro whence I deptyd. Thus I came to the courte, & wente to y ^e palays to treat, and to se y ^e maner of the people of that courte, and to regarde the forme and situacion of the palayce, and how I myght resorte, goo, come, or abyde, to entre in to the enterprice, that I had in hand. And this I dyd dyuers dayes, to lerne and to se, what way shulde be best & moste couenable to my purpose, & [Page] the more I studyed the lesse disposycion I found to attayne to that I desyryd & when I had serched al maner of wayes I thought most auayleable to my pur­pose to acquaynte my selfe w ^t the yong courters and with the principall of y ^e courte: for generally among them is found good maner and curtesye, and thus I drew so longe to theyr company with in a breue tyme I was estemydde among them as though I had bene one of theyr ppre nacion, and at last I fell in aquayntance among the ladyes, and lytle and lytle I fell in acquayntance with the ladye Laureola, and dyuerce tymes I recountyd to her of the mer­uayls of spayne and of other places, where as I had bene. The whiche she gretly delyghtyd to here. Then I seyng my selfe in maner with her as a seruant I tho [...]ght then I myght shewe her that thyng that I desyryd, and on a day as I saw her aparte fro other ladyes I knelyd downe and sayd as folowith.

WHen Laureola had endyd her wor­des, I sawe well her reasons were short, but longe was her trouble & displeasour. So I departed fro her, & thought vpō many thynges, the which greuously tormentyd me, I remembred how farre I was out of Spayne, & of my longe taryeng thence. Also I callyd to my mynd y ^• great dolour of Lereano sore mistrutyng his helthe, & I percey­ued well I could not accōplysh that I was purposyd to do, as to bryng Lereano to lyberte w ^tout great perel yet I determyned to folow myne enterpryse, duryng my lyfe, orels to brynge Lereano some hope of relefe. And w ^t this purpo­se, the next day I went to y ^e palays to se what coūtenance Laureola made: and whē she saw me, she entreated me as she [Page] was accustomyd to do before, without changynge of her porte or chere: whose sure demeanour brought me in greate suspecte. I thought she dyd it to proue yf I wolde returne agayne to entre in to my fyrste reasons, I fearyd leste she hadde dissimuled to cause me to take corage to haue spoken agayne for Lerea­no, and then to haue punys [...]hed me for my folyshe enterprice. So I coulde not tell wherto to truste, thus I passed that daye and dyuerce other, and euer me thought by the apparence that I could se by her, that I hadde more cause to be bolde, then reason to feare. And in that byleue, I wayted a tyme conuenient, & spake with her agayne, shewynge, my selfe fearefull, though I was not so indede. For in such besynes, and with su­che persons, it is behouable to fynde some doubtfull turbation: for in suche cases, to moche boldenes is reputyd fo­lye, for therby myghte be thought that the dignyte, nor auctorite of the persone [Page] were not estemed. Therfore to saue me fro that errour, I spake to her with no great audacite, but in a fearefull maner So I shewed her all that I thought cō uenient, for the remedy of Lereano, but her aunswer was accordyng to the fyrst sauyng she was not so force, nor in such displeasour with me, as she was before. How be it, in her wordes, she gaue me knowledge, that I shulde be styll and holde my peace, but yet me thought her continance gaue me lycence to speake. And thus euer when I founde tyme & place, I requyred her to haue pitie vpō Lereano. And so diuers tymes I found her aunswers sharpe in wordes, & meke in countenance. And when I had well aduysed al her demeanour, I hoped vppon some profytte, scynge in her dyuers thynges, wherby an amorous harte myght be knowen: for euer when I saw her alone, she was pensyfe and full of study. And when she was amonge com­pauy, she wolde not be mery, she abhor­red [Page] company, and to be alone was her pleasour, often tymes she wolde fayne her selfe syke, to eschewe other pleasurs and if she were espyed, she wolde fayne some dolour or payne, and often tymes she wolde gyue sore sighes. And if Lereano hadde bene named in her presence, she wolde sodeynly starte, and leue her comynge, and blushe redde as a rose & agayne pale: her voyce wolde change, and her mouth waxe drye, and though she coueryd her thoughtes as moch as was possyble, yet her piteous passyon, surmounted her discrete dissimulation, (I say) pitefulnes, for without doubte, accordyng as she shewed after, she receyued these alterations, more of pytie, thē of loue. Howbeit I thought otherwyse in her, seynge the tokens that I sawe in her, I thoughte my selfe halfe spedde of some good hope, and therwith I spedde me to Lereano, and after that I hadde shewed hym all y ^t was passyd bytwene me and Laureola. Then I counsayled [Page] hym to wryte to her, offerynge my selfe to bere the lettre, and though he was as then more redyer to remēbre what was best for hym to do, to write or not. At last he toke ynke and paper, and wrote suche reasons as foloweth.

ANd where as Lereano accordyng to the grauite of his passyōs wold further haue executed his wrytyng, but [Page] then vsyng prudent discreciō, for all hi [...] payne wrote no larger, for that he had wryten was sufficyēt to cause Laureola to knowe hys euyll and payne, for when letters be wryten at length, that is vsyd when the writer thynketh, that the rede [...] hath as good wyll to rede them, as th [...] sender hath to write them, but Laureola was quyte deliuered fro that p̄sumpciō wherfore he extendyd hys letter no lar­ger. The which when it was endyd, I receyuyd. with greate heuines, to se the sore wepyng that Laureano made, the which I felt more, then I can expresse Then I went fro hym and spedde me to Laureola, & when I came ther as she was, I found a tyme propyse to speke to her, and or I delyuered the letter, I said to her as foloweth.

THe wordes of Laureola dyd bryng me in to great cōfusyon, for when I thought best to vnderstand her then I knew lest of her wyl: whā I had most hope, then I was farthest out of y ^e way. And when I thought my selfe most sure, then I was in most feare for y ^e dyuersyte of her. Iesture & behauour blyndyd myne vnderstandyng. The receyuyng of the letter satisfyed me, but [Page] the ende of her wordes put me in dys­payre, so that I know not what way to folow, nor how I shuld fynd any hope. And thus as a man without counsayll, I departyd fro her, & went to Lereano thynkyng to gyue hym some counsayll and to seke y ^e best meanes that I coulde deuyse to remedy parte of his euell, and when I cam to hym I said as foloweth

THe wordes and letter of Lereano finyshed, In stede of wordes myn [...] [Page] eyen were satysfyed, with greate we­pyng, & so withonte power to speke, I departyd, thynkynge my iudgement y ^t it shuld be the last tyme that I had any hope to se hym agayn alyue. And as I was on my way I wrote a supersc [...]yp­cion vpon the letter, to thentent that Laureola shuld be in doubt fro whence it came. And when I came in to her presence, I delyuered her the letter, who beleuyng that it had come frome some other persone, receyuyd it and began to rede it. And all the season that she was redyng, I regardyd styll her vysage, & when she hadde made an ende, I saw well she was sore troubelyd as though she had sufferyd a great euyll: yet the regardyng of her turbacyon, excusyd not my trouble Then to assure my selfe I demaundyd of her other questyons no thyng concernyng to that purpose. And to delyuer her selfe fro company, y ^t whych in suche case is perelous, lesse that the manyfest mutacions discouer [Page] not the secrete thoughtes of the harte. Therfore she withdrew her selfe a parte and all that nyghte she was without spekyng of any word to me, as tuchyng that purpose. And the next day she sent for me & shewed me many vertuous re­sons to dyscharge her selfe fro any thyng consentyng to release y ^e payne of lereano, howbeit, she sayd y ^t she thought great inhumanite to lese suche a man as Lereano, for so small a pryce, as in wrytyng of a letter, how be it in the re­dyng of his letter I take but smal pleasour. Therfore here I haue wrytten a letter, not w ^t so pleasant and swet wor­des, as be in his reasons: for who so euer here the wordes in this my letter, may well knowe y ^t I haue lytle studyed in the arte of eloquence. So for shame­fastnes sodenly her face was inflamyd, and as sodenly agayne pale, she was so sore alteryd and shorte wyndyd, that in maner she brethed for y ^e deth: her harte & voyce so sore trymbled, that her dyscre­cion [Page] could not enforce her selfe to speke therfore her aunswere was shorte, and also the place requyred no lenger tyme. So she toke me the letter, and kyst her hand, and I receyuyd it. The tenour wherof ensuyth.

WHen I hadde receyued this letter of Laureola I departyd to go to Lereano, thynkyng then to haue with me some company to ayde me in the glory of myne ambassade, & to enco­rage therby Lereano, I callyd then to [Page] me, y ^• grettest enemyes y ^t we had before, as cōtentaciō, hope, rest, pleysour myrth and comforte. I toke these with me for feare that y ^e kepers of the prisone wolde resist & defende me the entre. Wherfore I thought to go in ordre of batayl: and when I came to the heyght of an hygh hyll, I had a syghte of the pryson, then I dysplayed my baner all of grene, so that our enemyes toke them to y ^e flyght in suche wyse that he that fledde fastyst thought to be next the ieoperdye. And when Lereano harde this grete rumour not knowyng what it was, he came to a wyndow of the towre, and spake more with wekenes of spirite, then with hope of socour, and when he saw me comyng in batayll w ^t suche a goodly company, then he knew what the mater ment, & what for his feblenes, & for his sodeyn ioye, loste his fealyng, and fell downe in a trance in the howse, where he was. And when I came to y ^e steyres wheron I was wont to mount, Rest, auauncyd [Page] to marche on before, who gaue clerenes & chasyde away all the darkenes of the towre, and when I came to hym & sawe hym in that mortall maner, I feared I came sone inough to wepe, and to late to gyue hym remedy. Then with great dylygence, hope stept to hym, & cast a lytle water of comeforte in his face, and therwith he returnyd agayne to hym selfe, and the better to strength hym, I delyuered hym Laureolas letter. And all the season that he redde it, all suche as I brought with me procured for his helth, Myrth gaue ioy to his harte: rest comfortyd his spyrytes, hope brought hym in to good remembrance. Conten­taciō cleryd his eyen. Comeforte resto­ryd his helthe and strength. Pleasure quyckenyd his vnderstandyng: they treatyd hym in suche wyse, that when he hadde redde ouer the letter, he was all hole, as though he hadde neuer felte passyō, and when he saw that my dyly­gence gaue hym lyberte, he toke me of­ten [Page] tymes in his armes, offeryng hym selfe to be myne, and thought that but a small rewarde, for the deseruyng of my seruyce. His offers were to me in suche maner, that I wyst not how to aunswer hym, as I ought to haue done accordyng to his degre, and after that many thynges were passyd bytwene hym & me, he determy [...]ed to go to the courte and fyrst we went to a towne of his, and taryed there a certayne season, to recouer his strength, and to newe aparell hym agaynst he shuld go to the courte. And when he saw his tyme, he set forth on his iourney. And when his comyng was knowen in the courte, ma­ny great lordes and yong courtyaers went to receyue hym, but he toke more consolacion of his secrete glory, then of all the open honour that was done to hym. Thus he was nobly accompanyd to the palace, and his duetie done to the kyng, he kyst the hand of Laureola, wherein was many thynges to be no­tyd, [Page] and specyally to me who knew the mater bytwene them. The one was ouercome with trybulacion, the other faylyd colour. He wyst not what to say, nor she to aunswere, suche force hathe the passyons of loue, alwayes it dra­weth the wyt & dyscreciō downe vnder his baner, y ^• which I saw there by clere experyence. And though that no man saw ther demanour, nor hadde no sus­pecte bytwene them: yet Persio sonne to the lorde of Gania behelde them, and was as farre in loue, as Lereaon was. And by reasone that all gelous suspecte disordereth all thynges secrete, he regarded ouer ther wordes & cōtenaūces, in so moch y ^t he gaue full credēce to his own suspect, & gaue not alonely fayth to y ^t he saw, y ^• which was nothyng, but also beleuyd it surely in his imagynaciō, & with y ^t euyl thought of ielosy, w ^tout deliberacyō or coūsayll, he fydyng the kyng in a secrete place, sayd to hym (affermyng y ^t Laureola & Lereano louyd to gether) [Page] how that he hadde seen them together, dyuerce nyghtes, when the kynge was a bedde, sayng how he shewyd this for the honour and seruyce, that he bare to the kyng. The kynge then beyng sore troubelyd w ^t those newes was in great doubte, and studyed long or he was de­termynyd to aunswere. And after he had slept on y ^• mater, he bileued Persius sayeng to be true, consyderyng his ver­tue and auctoryte, he wolde shew no thyng, but of trought. Then the kyng determynyd what he wolde doo, and therupō he sent his doughter Laureola in to a towre in to a prysone, and then sent for Persio, & commaundyd hym to accuse Lereano of treason, accordyng to his lawes, of the which cōmaūdemēt he was sore abashyde, but the heate of the busynes enforsyd hym to graūte it. Thē he acceptyd the kynges cōman̄dement and sayde, howe he thankyd god that he was offeryd suche a case, y ^t his han­des myght bere wytnes of his bounte & [Page] vertue: and bycause that in Macedonia suche deades were accustumed to be done, by wrytyng & not in the kynges presence by wordes, therfore Persio sent a wrytyng to Lereona w ^t suche reasons as ensue.

THus euyll fortune, enuyous, of the welth & prosperite of Lereano, vsyng againste hym her naturall chaungeale condycion, she gaue hym a torne, whan she saw hym in his moste prosperite, whose mysfortune to behold, was great passion, and constreyned the heres to payne. Thus leuīg to speke of this trouble. After Lereano had aun­swered Persius letter, the kynge knowyng y ^• couenaut of this batayll, assu­ryd [Page] the feld, assyngned out the place where the batayll shuld be determyned & all thynges necessary was ordeyned, that perteyned to suche deades, accor­dynge to the custome of Macedonia. And on a day y ^e kyng went to his stage, and the knyghtes came in to the felde, eche of them accompanyd as they were fauoured, and as they hadde deserued, sauyng the equalnes of bothe pertyes honours. They were lyke brought in to the felde, so they (after theyr reuerence done to the kyng) ranne eche at other, so that by the force of theyr strookes, they shewed the vertue of theyr hartes. And theyr speres broken at theyr fyrste encoūter: then they drwe ont theyr swordes, and fought so fercely, that it was m [...]ruayll to behold theyr deades and compassyon for that they sufferyd. And to be brefe in this history, Lereano in gyuynge his heuy strokes at a stroke strake of Persyus ryght hande, so that it fell to the erth, sworde and all. When [Page] Lereano saw, how that Persyo had lost y ^• best parte of his defence (sayde) Per­syo to thentent that thy lyfe pay not his duetye, for thy falseyes, reny that thou haste sayd. Then Persyo sayde: do as thou oughtest to do, though myne arme fayle me to defēde, yet my harte faylyth not to dye. Lereano heryng y ^e aunswere preasyd to hym, and gaue hym many sharpe & heuy strokes. And when Per­syus frendes sawe hym in ieoperdy of his lyfe they requyryd the kyng to caste downe his batone, assurynge hym that Persyo shuld be brought forth to abyde suche iugement as it shuld please hym, yf he were found culpable and gyltye. To the which requeste the kyng cōdis­cendyd, & so they were depertyd, wherwith Lereano was sore agreuyd, & not withoute good reasone. For he hadde great meruayll, why the kyng delte so with hym. Then they were conueyede oute of the feld with lyke seremonyes: how be it, they were not lyke in fame & [Page] honour. So they were brought to theyr lodgynges and there taryed all nyght. The next day in the mornyng, Lereano determynyd to go to y ^e palace to desyre the kyng in presence of all his courte to restore his honour, & to do vpon Persio ryghtwyse iustyce. But Persyo, who was malycyous of his condycion, and sharpe wyttyd, to thentent y ^t he myght by some meanes attayn to his purpose, whyls y ^t Lereano spake w ^t the kyng, he callyd to hym .iii. false men lyke to his own condycions, & toke theyr othe that they shuld shew them. To y ^• which they agreyd. Then he gaue to them moche money, so that they shuld say, and swere to the kyng that they had sene Lereano spekyng w ^t Laureola in places suspect, and in tyme dyshonest: which they pro­feryd to afferme, and to swere it, to the lefyng of theyr lyues. I leue to speke of the doloure that Laureola sufferyd, by cause the passyon shuld not trouble so my wytte, but that I myght make an [Page] ende of y ^t I haue begonne, for I haue no lesse payne to remembre her sorowe beyng absent, then as thought I were present, and saw it with myne eyen: but I wyll torne to Lereano, who had more sorow for her prysonement, then glory of his victory. When he knew that the kyng was ryson he went to the palayce, & in the presence of the knyghtes of the courte he sayd to the kyng as folowith

TO the sayng of Lereano, the kyng gaue good entent, and aunswered that he wold take counsayll what was best to do, and sayde that in suche a case delybercion wold be taken, or any sentence shuld be gyuyn. Of trouth the kynges aunswere, was not so swete, as [Page] it ought to haue ben: for by that I saw, yf the kyng hadde put Laureola at her lybertie, Lereano hadde enduryde no trouble. For he thought to serue her, for all y ^t he was reputyd culpable, though his entent were clere withoute faulte, Thus the kyng to eschewe the rumour and besynes that was lykely to fall by­twene Lereanos frendes & Persius, cō ­maundyd Lereano to go to a towne of his owne, a .ii. leages fro y ^• court cally [...] Susa, and there to tary tyll he had set a dyrection in y ^e mater. The which Lereano dyde with a ioyful hart, thynkyng that [...]aureola was clerely dy [...]chargyd, whiche was y ^e thyng he mooste desiryd [...] But then Persyo who alwayes traue­lyde to offend and to shame his honour and to defende it by malyce, he sente for ii. of his complyses, or Laureola was delyuerede and sayde to them: That eche of them a parte shulde go to the kyng, and of them selfe to shew hym, how that the accusacion of Persio was [Page] trew and to bere wytnes that they had [...]een Lereano dyuerce tymes speke with Laureola aloone suspyciously. The which wytnes and affyrmacion, whe [...] the kyng hard it, he was sore trowbelyd therwith, and examynyd eche of them a parte by subtyle & sharpe perswasions to se yf they any thyng swaruyd in ther sayenges. But they were such persons, that if a man shulde haue wastyde all his lyfe in falsenes, coulde not be lyke them. They were so sure of theyr wor­des, the more they were examynyde the surelyer they fortefyed theyr false lyes. So that therby the kyng gaue to theyr false sayenges, fayth and beleue. And by reasone of theyr informaciō, y ^e kyng reputyd Persyo for trew seruant and beleuyd that it was more by reasone of his fortune, rather then by his vntrw quarell, that he lost the batayll. O Per­syo better it hadde ben for the to haue sufferyd the deth at one tyme, then to deserue so many dethe. So the kyng in [Page] purpose to punysh y ^e innocensy of Lau­reola, by reasone of the treasone of the false wytnes, ordeynyd y ^t his doughter Laureola shuld haue the sentence of iustyce. The whiche when it came to the knowledge of Lereano, he was ther with nere oute of his wytte, and wi [...]h great fury and passion desperate, determynyde to go to the courte to delyuer Laureola, and to slee Persyo, orels to lese his owne lyfe in the quarell. And when I saw hym wyllyng to folow that fantasye, wherin was more perell then hope. Then I desyryd hym to worke sagely, and so by reasone of the altera­syon that he was in, he was in a great perplexite. And when I saw hym stande in suche a dysmayde trance, I thought then to serue hym with my counsayll, to thentent he shuld not do that thyng in haste, wherby to repent hym after. And consyderynge the way that I tho [...]ght moste sure, I sayd to hym thus.

SO Lereano swaruyde no poynt fro myne aduyse, bycause he thought it the moste sure way, for the expedicion of his purpose. How­beit his harte was not sure: for he [Page] dough [...]yd lest the kyng in his ire shuld haue gyuen sentence vpon Laureola or the day came. How be it by the lawes of the lande she shulde haue .ix. dayes re­spyght. Though his harte fearyd this it was no meruaill: for they that be true louers, all y ^t is contrary to them, they lightely beleue it. And that they desyre most, they thinke them selfe therof most vncertayne. How be it he concludyd to write to Laureola with greate dought, that she wold not recyue his letter. The tenour wherof was as folowith.

WHyle Lereano wrote his letter I made me redy to deperte and recey­uyd his letter, and made all the dylygence that I coulde, tyll I came to the courte and dyd my deuour that in me was to haue spoken with Laureola, to haue gyuen her some comeforte: but [Page] I was denyed to se her. Then I was enfourmyde of the chamber wher she laye, wher was a wyndow with a great grate of irone. And at nyghte I came thyther, & wrappyd the letter together, and sette it on a spere poynte, & so with moche trauaill I dyd cast the letter in at the wyndowe in to her chamber, and y ^e next mornyng I came thyder agayne, and saw the wyndow open, and I saw wher Laureola stode, but the latyse was so thycke, y ^t I cowlde haue no perfyght syght of her. Fynally I aprochyd nerer to the wyndowe, and when she saw me marchyng for by y ^e wyndowe. She cast sodenly oute a letter, withoute spekyng of any worde: bycause of the prease that was nere hande. And as I was goyng away, she sayd: Take there the reward of the pite that I haue shewed, and by cause her kepers were nere aboute her I durst make none aunswere: but her wordes dyd put me in to suche passion, that who so hadde folowyd me by the [Page] trace of my wepynge, myght well haue found me out. The tenour of her letter folowith. ¶Laureolas letter to Lerea.

I Cannot tell the Lereano, how to aunswer, and where as euery man lawdith pite and reputith it for a vertue, and in me it is taken for a vice. And accordyng therto I ame chastysed, I do as I ought to do accordynge to pitie: & I haue as I deserue accordyng to my mysfortune. For surely thy fortune nor thy workes is no cause of my presone, nor I complayne not of the nor of none other persone lyuynge, but alonely vpon my selfe, who to kepe the fro the deth, charge my selfe culpable, howbeit, this compassyon that I haue of the is more paynefull, then charge. I do remedy as innocent, and yet I ame punyshed as culpable. How be it, moche more pleasyth me this presone beynge withoute errour, then to be at liberte, & infectyd therw ^t. And though yt be paynefull to suffre, yet I ame [Page] easyd agayne that I haue not deseruyd it. I ame she that amonge all lyuynge creatours, ought leste to lyue, without the kynge saue me. I hope vppon no thinge but deth: for yf thou delyuer me, or any of thyne, in what so euer maner it be, I shalbe dolorous. And yf thou do not remedye me, I ame sure to dye: and yf thou delyuer me and take me a­waye I shalbe condempned as culpa­ble. Therfore I requyre the to trauayll to saue myne honoure and fame, ra­ther then myne lyfe: for the one muste ende, and the other wyll endure. As I haue sayde, serche to apeace the furour of the kynge my father: for otherwyse I can not be saued without the destruction of myne honour. How be it, I re­mytte all to thy good counsayle and adnyse. Thy wysdome can chose the beste waye: thou mayste se the rewarde that I haue for the fauoure, that I haue shewed the. I ame put in prisone where as murderers were wonte to be kepte: [Page] and I ame tyed with cheynes, and with sharpe tormentes, my tendre flesshe is tormented, and with force of armes I ame kepte, as though I hadde the force and power to skape awaye. Thus deli­cate is my sufferynge, and my paynes so cruell, that besyde y ^e sentence of deth, my father myght otherwyse haue takē vengeance vpon me, then to suffre me to dye iu this cruell prisō. I haue great meruayle how of suche a cruell father, shulde issue so pacyente a doughter: yf I shulde be lyke hym in condicion, I shulde not feare his iustice, syn he wyll do it so vniustely. As to that touched Persio I wyll make none aunswer, by­cause I wyll not defyle my tongue, as he hath done my fame and renowne. I had rather he wolde reuoke and denye his wordes that he hath sayde, rather then he shuld dye for them: but what so euer I say, determyne thy selfe as thou lyste, thou mayest not erre in that thou wylte do.

Ryghte dowtious I was when I hadde receyued and redde the let­ter sent fro Laureola to Lereano, whether I shulde sende it to Lereano, orels kepe it styll, tyll I weut my selfe. At last I determyned not to sende it for two consyderacyons and inconuenien­ces. The one was, I feared to put our secretes in perell of discoueryng by reason of puttyng truste of any meane messenger. The other was for feare lest the trouble that the letter shulde put hym vnto, shulde cause hym to execute his purpose in hast, before the tyme agreed betwene hym and me: and therby all myghte haue ben lost. So to tourne to my fyrst purpose: The fyrst day I came to the courte, I proued and tempted the wylles of suche, as I thought wolde be of our opinion, and I foūd none of the contrary desyre, sauynge the frendes of Persio, to whom me thoughte it but a foly to speake. And then I went to the [Page] Cardyna [...]l, and desyred hym y ^t it wolde please hym to make supplicacion to the king for the life of his doughter Laureola. The which he grauntyd to do with no lesse loue and compassion, then I desired it. And so incontinent w ^t dyuers other prelates and greate Lordes toge­ther, they wente to the kyng. Then the cardynall in hys owne name, and in all theyrs, sayd to the kinge as folowith

THe desperate aunswere of y ^e kyng, was to the herers great heuynes. And when I saw that this remedy was to me cont [...]ary, then I sought for a nother way, trustyng that shulde be more profitable. And y ^t was I thought to go to the quene that she shuld desyre the kyng for the saluacyō of her doughter Laureola. So I wente to her, who was partaker of her doughters sorow. And I founde her in an hall acōpanyd with many noble ladyes and other. who were suffycyente to haue atteygnyde theyr desyres, other iuste or vniuste, though the mttaer hadde ben neuer so greate, yet theyr desyres ought not to haue ben refused, bycause of y ^e auctorite of the quene, who knelyd downe and spake wordes to the kyng, aswel leyeng charge to hym for his ire, as also wor­des [Page] of pitie to apeace hym. And she shewed hym the moderacyon that a kyng ought to haue, and reprehendyd the perceuerāce of his ire: and shewyng hym how he was a father, and allegyd reasones ryght dyscrete to note and full of sorow: sayng, that if he wolde nedes execute his cruell iudgemente, to do it rather vpō her selfe (seyeng great parte of her yeres were passyd) then vppon Laureola in her yonge age, aprouyng that by her owne deth, the fame of the iudge shulde be sauyde, and the lyfe of her that is iudgyd, and the mynd of the desyrer fulfylled. But the kynge styll was indurate in his fyrst purpose. All the quenes rasones could not serue nor yet her bytter wepynges. And therwith the quene went in to her chamber with small strength sore wepyng, and as redy to dye. And when I sawe that the quene could gette no grace of the kyng, I went to the kyng withoute any feare of his fers [...]es, and sayd: how he ought [Page] to gyue his sentēce with clere iustice, for Lereano shulde fynde a man to fyght agaynst all those .iii. false wytnesses, orelles to do it his owne proper person, and to pay them accordynge to theyr desertes, and then god shall shew where the ryght is. Then the kyng aunswered me, that I shuld leue myne ambassade for Lereano: sayeng how the heryng of his name encresyd his passyon and ire. And when the quene knewe there was no remedy to saue the lyfe of Laureola: She went to the prisone and kyssed her dyuerce tymes, and sayde, as folowith.

WHen the quene hadde endyde her wordes she wolde not abyde the aunswere of y ^e innocent her dough­ter Laureola, bycause she wolde not receyue doble sorow. Thus the quene and suche lordes as were in her cōpany departed, with the grettest lamētacions that euer was made. And when she came in to her chamber, she sent to Lau­reola a messenger, aduysing her to wryte to y ^e kyng her father. Thynkyng that he wolde take more compassion by reasone of her piteous wordes, rather then by the peticious of any other that trauellyde for her liberte. Who at the cōmaundemēt of her dolorous mother [Page] [...]oke penne and inke and wrote with greater turbaciō, then hope of remedy. Her letter specyfyed as folowith.

WHen Laureola had endyd her let­ter, she sent it to the kynge by one of her kepers, who loued and fauoured her in suche wyse, y ^t he wolde gladly she had bene at her libertie: for he was asmoche moued te pytie her, as to obey the kinges comaundement. And when the kynge hadde receyued y ^e letter and redde it, he cōmaunded streygthly that the berer therof shulde auoyde his pre­sence. And when I saw that, then newly [Page] agayne I cursed my mysaduenture, & thought that my tormente was so great that it occupied my harte in dolour: yet my mynde forgat not to do y ^t I ought. And though I hadde more space to en­dure payne, rather then to fynde reme­dy: yet then I wente, and spake with the lorde Gawlo her vncle, and shewyd hym how Lereano was determynyd to take Laureola perforce out of presone, wherfore I desyred hym to be redy with a certayne nombre of men, that when Lereano hadde taken her oute of presō, then he wold delyuer her to his power to sette her in sauegarde. Because that if Lereano shulde cary her away with hym, it shulde veryfy the wytnes of the false accusers. And bycause that y ^e deth of Laureola was as dere to hym, as to the quene his suster: he aunswered me & sayde, how he was content therwith. And when his wyll and my desyre were confyrmable together, then I depertyd secretly, bycause that or any brute were [Page] made y ^e dead myght be executyd sodēly. And when I came to Lereano, I she­wyd hym all that I hade done, and of the small effect therof. And then I dely­uered hym Laureolas letter, and what for the compassion of the wordes therin and with the thoughtes that he deter­myned to do, his harte therwith was so oppressyd, y ^t he wist not what aunswere to make me. He wepte for compassion, any coulde not refrayne his ire, and was sore discomefortyd by reasone of his euyll fortune, and yet he hopyde accordyng to iustice. When he thought to reskew Laureala, he was ioyfull. And agayne when he doughtyde to brynge it aboute, his harte changyde. Fynally leueng al doubtes, & knowyng the aunswere of Galleo, then he began to study what waye to accomplishe, his enterprice. And lyke a wyse knyghte, well prouydyde whyle I hadde ben in the courte: he had assemblyd to gether of his own seruātes .v. C. men of armes [Page] without knowledgyng of any of his kynne or frendes. Some peraduenture wolde haue agreyd with hym with dis­crete consideracion, suche as were made priuy. Some of them sayd, y ^e kyng dyd euil. And some sayd it was a ieopdous enterprice and perilous to accomplysh. Therfore to exchew al such incōueniēts he thought to execute his dead alone w ^t his owne men. So the day before that Laureola shuld haue bene iudged, Lereano callyd before hym all his seruantes and sayde to them: how the good vertuous men were more bounde to feare theyr shame, then the perell of theyr lyues. Also sayenge, how yet lyueth the fame of them that be passyd, by reasone of theyr deades that they haue done. And he desired them that for couetyse of worldly goodes y ^e whiche shall haue an ende, that they shulde not for that, lose the glory of them, that liueth per­petually. And he desyred them to haue in theyr memory, the rewarde of well [Page] dyeng, & he shewyd thē what folyshnes it was to feare deth. And in theyr so do­yng, he promysed them great gyftes & rewardes. And when he hadde made to them a long sermon, then he declaryd y ^e cause that he sent for them: and all they with one voice proferyd to lyue and dye with hym. And when Lereano saw theyr good wylles, he thought hym selfe then well accompanyd, and so de­pertyd in the nyght, and came in to a valey nere to the citie, ther he taryed all the nyght, and infourmyd his mē what they shulde do. He apoyntyd one capi­tayne with a. C. men of armes, that they shuld go streyght to the lodging of Persyo, and to slee hym, and asmany as dyd resyst them. Then he apoyntyde other .ii. capitayns with eche of them .l. footemen, to go vp the two principall streates, goyng to the presone where as Laureola was `cōmaundyng them that when they came to the preson, then they to torne theyr faces to the citie warde, & [Page] kepe & defende that no person shulde entre in to the castell vntyll suche tyme as he with other .iii. C. men came to take oute Laureola. And the capitayne that he hadde cōmaundyd to sle Persio he cha [...]gyd hym that when he had done to come and mete with hym at the presō and they to defende the passage, yf any came to entre in to the castell, whyle he were taking oute of Laureola. And all this thus agreyd & cōcluded, when the gates were opened in the [...]ornynge so­denly he and all hys men entered in to the citie and euery capitayne [...] toke hede to his charge. The capitayne that had the charge to sle Persio, executed his cōmaundemente, for he slew Persio, & all other that were in his way to lette hym. Ther Persio endyd his myserable lyfe, and Lereano went to the preson and what with the furour of his ire, & with the vertue of his force fought so fercely with the kepers of the presone, and slew so many that he could not get [Page] for dede bodyes, but with mo [...]he payne. But as i [...] al pe [...]els the bountie encrea seth by force of armes. So by clene force he came in to the preson wher as Laureola was, and there he toke her with as greate seremony and honour as thought hit hadde bene in tyme of peace, he knelyd downe to the yerth, and kyl [...] her hande, lyke the doughter of a kynge, and with that present tur­bacion, she stode without strenght, so that she coulde not moue her selfe, Her harte dismayd, her colour faylyd, litle parte of any lyfe was lefte in her. Then Lereano tooke and caryed her oute of prisone, and then mette with Galleo her vncle accordynge to his promyse, who came thyther with a certayn nomber of men, and there in the presence of euery man Lereano delyueryd, Laureola in to his handes, and still his men fought against them that came againste hym: but he set Laureola vpon an hakeney, that Galleo had ther redy, and agayne [Page] kyste her hande, and then went to ayde his men, that were styll fyghtyng, and still he regardyd after Laureola, till he hadde loste the syght of her. So Galleo her vncle ledde her to a castell of his owne not farre thence, and when y ^e brute of this dead, came to the heryng of the kynge, he callyd for his armure, and sownyd trompettes, and causyd all the men of his courte to be armyd, & many of the citie. And when Lereauo saw that of necessite it was tyme for hym to get oute of the towne in to the feldes, then he comfortyd his men, with swete and hardy woordes. And all wayes in his reculynge, he defendyd the multitude of his enemyes with a valiante harte, and to kepe an honest maner in his re­culynge, he went in good order, and not with so great haste, as the case requiryd Thus lesyng some of his men, and sle­yng of, many of his enemyes, he came thither where he had left al theyr horses So suche order as he had sette before [Page] was well and truely kepte, and so with­out perel he & his lept vpō theyr horses, the which was hard to haue ben done if he had not wysely prouidyd the remedy therof before hand. Then the horsemen put before them theyr foremē, and toke the way to Suria, fro whence they cam And when Lereano saw .iii. bandes of the kynges aproche nere hym, then he wente oute of the waye, and conductyd so wisely his company by wayes of a vauntage, that he scapyd with as great honour in his reculynge, as he hadde wonne in the fightynge: so he enteryde agayne in to the towne of Suria with­oute losse of any of his men, which was greate meruayll: for the kyng was ther in propre person with .v. M. men of ar­mes, who was inflamyd with ire: and so beset the towne about, in purpose not to depert thence till he had taken ven­geance of Lereano. when Lereano saw how he was besegyd, he sette his men lyke a wyse man of warre to the walles, [Page] where as was most feblyst parte, there he sette most defence, and where as he myght best issue out in to the feld, there he sette such men as were mete for that purpose, and there as he fearyd other crafte or treasone, there he sette such as he trustyd best. Thus he vsyd hym selfe lyke a wyse capitayne. The kyng thyn­kyng to bryng his enterprice to an ende cōmaundyd to fortefy his campe, and to prouyde for all thynges necessary perteynynge to a campe royall, as en­gyus, bastides and bulwerkes to beat the citie with artilery, and made greate dykes that none shuld issue oute, when the kynge saw so longe tariynge at this siege his ire encreasyde: for he hadde thought to hade taken Lereano by rea­sone of famyne, and for all that he saw the towne ryght stronge, yet he deter­mynyd to sawte it the whiche he prouyd with suche fercenes, that they within had great nede to put to theyr strength and dilygence to resiste. Then Lereano [Page] went & visytyd his men with a .C. men suche as were deputyd for that purpose, and euery where he saw any fyghtyng, he euer encoragyd them, and where as he saw valiantnes he praysed them, and where he saw any euyll order he founde remedy. Fynally the kynge caused to sowne the retrayte with losse of many of his knyghtes, & specially of the yonge lusty courteers who euer sekyth for pe­rel [...]s, to wynne therby glory. Lereano at the same assaulte was hurte in the face and also loste many of his princpal men. This assaulte past, the kyng gaue other .v. assaultes within the space of iii. monethes, so that in maner men beganne to fayle on bothe parties, so that Lereano was doubteous of that enter­price, how be it in his wordes and countenance, nor in his deades nothynge of feare coulde be aspied, so that y ^e corage of the capitayne, incoragyd all the other capitayns, and then to gyue corage to his men suche as were lefte, he sayde to [Page] them as folowith.

LEreano was aūswerd of his knightes w ^t greate constance and corage of harte, whereof he thought hym selfe ryght happy, that he hadde suche [Page] men in his company, so euery man went to his defence, where as they were apoyntyd and then anone, they hard the trompettes blowe, and wihtin shorte space there came to the walles, a.l. M. men, and began fresly to gyue assaulte. Then Lereano shewed his vertue, and by reasone of theyr defence, the kynge thought they within hade loste neuer a mā. This assaut endured fro y ^• myddes of the day, tyll it was nyght, the which depertyd them: there were slayne & hurt of them withoute a .iii. M. and asmany of them within, so that Lereano hadde lefet no mo with hym but. C.l. persones and yet by his contenance, he semyd as though he had loste neuer a man, how be it he was inwardly sory for them that he had loste. All that nyght he buryed the dede bodyes, and praysed and law­dyde the valiantnes of them that were lefte alyue and gyuing no lesse glory to them that were dede, then to them that wer [...] a lyue. The next day at the relyefe [Page] in the morenynge, Lereano determynyd that .l. of his menne with hym shulde issue oute, and syt vpon a lodgyng that ioynede to the walles perteynynge to a kynnesmans of Persyos. Lereano dyde this bicause the kynge shuld not thy [...]ke that he lacked men. And this he dyde with ferme boldnes and so brente the sayde lodgynge, and sleu many such as made defence. And as god wolde in the same busynes there was taken one of them that hadde accusyde Laureola, he was brought to Lereano, and was put to payne till he was causyd to shewe all the trouth of the hole mater, and so he confessed the hole circūstance of the ma­ter. And when Lereano was enfourmed of the trouth, he sent hym to the kynge, besechynge hym to dyscharge Laureola fro all blame, and to do iustice vpon them, for the payne that they haue cau­sed Laureola to endure. And when the [...]yng knew the certaynte, he was ryght gladde, and thought it was reason that [Page] he requiryd, and to make shorte proces The kinge dyd iustice vpon y ^• .iii. falc [...] wytnesses accodynge to theyr desertes, then incontynent he reised vp the siege and reputyd his doughter Laureola discharged, & Lereano withoute fawte and so went to his citie of Suria, & then sente for Laureola by y ^e grettest lordes of his court, and she was brought with equall houour acordynge to her deser­uynge, and was ioyfully receuyd of the kyng & of the quene, who wepte for ioy and there the kinge discharged her fro blame, and the quene kyst her, and all other seruyd her Thus the payne passed was turned to great ioy present. Then the kyng sent to Lereano cōmaundyng hym not to come to his court till he had apeased y ^e kynnesmen & frendes of Per­sio, the whiche cōmaundement he recey­ued w ^t greate sorow, bycause he mighte not se Laureola. And when he saw none other remedye, he felte hym selfe in a strange maner, and seynge hym selfe depertyd [Page] fro her. He lefte the workes of chyualry, and retourned agayne to his olde amorouse thoughtes and trowbles desyryng to know what case Laureola was in. He desyrede me to fynde some honest maner, how he myght se & speke w ^t her, and yet his desyre was so honest, that he desyryd not to speke with her in suche wyse that any suspecte shulde be layde to her, of the whiche he deseruyde to haue had great thanke. And I who was glade to folowe his desire deperted fro hym, and went to Suria: and when I came there, and had kyste Laureolas hande, then I shewyd her Lereanos de­syre, And she aunswered me and sayde, that in no wyse she wolde speke with hym, for dyuerce causes that she alled­gyde. And though she was not content to graūt me at that tyme, yet euer after as often as I myght speke with her, I made styll my supplycacion, and fynaly at laste she aunswerede me & sayde ons for all, that if I spake any more to her [Page] in that mater, she wolde be vtterly dis­pleasyd with me. And when I harde her aunswere, and saw her displeasure then I went to Lereano with greate heuynes and dolour, and when I had shewyd hym how it was: then he began newly to complayne, and sorowe, for hys mysaduenture: so that with oute doubt he was in the condicion to haue dispayred. And when I saw that yet to entertayne hym I sayde & counsaylyd hym to write agayne to Laureola, recordynge therin what he hadde done for her, and maruaylynge of her change, seynge she had rewardyd hym before with her writynge. Then he aunswered and sayde how he was well content to write but not to recite therin any thyng that he had done for her: the which he sayd was nothynge accordynge to her deseruynge. Nor also he sayd he wolde make no remembrance in his letter of any rewarde y ^t he had receyuyd of her. For he sayd, the lawe of loue defendeth [Page] any suche thynge to be wryten. What satisfacion shulde I receue therby: for the greate perell that myght fall, yf the letter were sene. Thus not tochynge those maters I wyll wryte to Laureola The tenour of his letter folowith.

THys letter I bare to Laureola, w ^t moche payne she receyued it, and to dispache her fro Lereano honestly she wrote agayne in this maner with full determynacyon neuer to receyue agayne fro hym other letter or message The tenour of her letter folowith.

WHen Laureola had wryten this letter she sayd to me with a determy­nate aunswere that this shulde be the last tyme that I shuld apere before her presence [...] sayeng that her comnyng with me causyd moche suspect, and that in my goyng & comynge, ther was more perell to her, then hope to me of any re­medy. Then I seynge her determynate will, it semyd to me that my trauayle was more paynfull to me, then remedy to Lereano. So I went fro her w ^t more wepyng then wordes. And after I had [Page] kyst her hand, I wente out of the place with sobbynge, and gulpynge in my throte, that I was nere strangeled to kepe in my wepynge, and to thentent to couer my passiō. And when I was oute of the citie alone, then I began to wepe in suche wyse, that I coulde not retayne my voyce fro brayng, so that I thought it was better for me to dye in Masedo­nia, then to returne into Castile, y ^e which desire was resonable, for by the dethe, myne euyll aduenture shulde make an ende: and with lyfe, my sorow shulde en­crease, Thus all the way wepyng and syghyng feylede me not: & when I came to Lereano, I delyueryd hym the letter fro Laureola, and when he hadde redde it, he sayd he wolde nother take strength nor receyue any counsayll, syn it was so good reason that he shulde dye. Then he sayde to me, that alwayes he wolde take me, for more then his frēde, bicause of the good counsayll that I had gyuyn hym. Then w ^t voyce and colour mortal [Page] he began to complayne, not blamynge his wekenes nor dispraysynge his fall, for euery thynge that myght shortē his lyfe, he praysede, he shewyde hym selfe, frende to dolour, and toke recreacion w ^t tormentes, he louyd sorowes, all these he callyd his welthe, to be messengers to Laureola. And bycause they shuld be entreatyde accordynge as fro thence as they came, he fyxyd them in his harte, he ioynyde them to his vnderstandynge and conueied them with his memory, he desiryde them to make a shorte ende of that they hadde to do, to the entent that Laureola myght be seruyde, and thus beynge without hope of any welth, and trobled with mortall paynes, could not susteyne hym selfe no lēger, but perforce cōstreynede to lye downe, vpō his bedde where he wolde nother eate, drynke, nor s [...]epe, nor take any thyng for sustētacion of his lyfe, euer calyng hym selfe happy to come to the case to do some seruice to Laureola, as by his dethe, to brynge her [Page] oute of all trouble, so anone it was pu­blyshed abrode in the realme, and in the courte how Lereano was lyke to dye. Theu his kynne & frendes came to comforte hym, and to torne his purpose, they sayde and dyde asmoche as they coulde Imagyne to preuayle his lyfe, & bycause his infyrmite was to be curyd by holsome reasones, euery mā sharpyd theyr wyttes to do the best they coulde. And there was a knyghte callyd Teseo a greate frende of his, he considerynge that his sekenes was for loue, though he knewe not for whome it was, he sayd and shewyde to Lereano all the euyls of women that he coulde deuise, and to conferme his owne reasones, he alegyd asmany thynges as he coulde, in the defamyng of women, thynkyng therby to haue restoryd Lereano to his helthe [...] when Lereano hadde well harde hym, and consyderyde that Laureola was a woman, he rebukyde greatly Teseo for spekynge of suche wordes, and though [Page] as then his disposicion was not moche to speke, yet he enforcyd his tonge, and with the passion of greate iri: sayde as folowith.

ALl suche as were present had great maruayll of his wordes seynge by his spekynge to be so nere the deth as he was for when he had ended his wordes, his tonge began to fayll, and [Page] his syght nere lost, then his seruauntes began to crye, and wayle, and his frend begane to wepe, and his subiectes cry­ynge oute in the streates so that all ioy was turned to sorow, and the lady his mother beynge absente, for his sekenes was kept fro her knowledge, howbeit she gyuynge more credyte to her feare, then to that was shewyd her with bold­nes of maternall loue, she deperted fro her owne howse and came to Susa, and when she entered the gate euery persone that she saw gaue her euydence of do­lour with wordes of extreme passyon, rather then with wordes well ordered, she herynge how her sone Lereano was in the extremyties of deth, her strenght fayled her so that she fell downe to the erth in a trance, & so longe she laye that euery man thought that y ^• mother and the sonne shulde take theyr sepulture at one tyme: howbeit with harde remedy she came agayne to her selfe, and then went to her sone and when she saw hym [Page] in that astate, with greate wepynge and passyon of deth she sayd as folowith.

[Page]THe wepyng that Lereanos mother made, encreasyde the payne of all them that were presente, and all wayes Lereano had Laureola in his remembrance, of that was past he had but small memory, and cōsyderyng that he shulde ioy but a shorte space with the syght of the .ii. letters that Laureola hadde sente hym, he wiste not how to order them, when he thought to breke them, he thought he shuld offende ther by Laureola, in castynge away suche wordes of so worthy price as was wrytē in them, and when he thought to put in to any of his seruaūtes hādes, he fearyd leste they shulde be se [...]e, wherby perell myght folow, then in all these doubtes he toke the sureste way, he callyd for a cup of water, and then brake the lettres in to small peces, and so sette vp in his bed, and dranke vp the water with the peces of the letters, and so he satisfyde therby his wyll and then drawynge to his ende warde, he cast his syght vpon [Page] me & sayde, frēde now all myne euylles be endyd [...] and therwith gaue vp his lyfe in witnes of his true fayth. Then what sorow I felte, and what I dyd is lyghtly iudged, the wepynges that was there made of his deth, are of suche esteme, that me thynke it cruelty to wryte it: thē his obsequyes and buryals were done most honourably, accordyng to the de­serdes of his vertues, & as for my selfe, with a better wyll I wolde haue deper­tyd this lyfe, then to haue taryed on the yerth alyue: so with sighes I went my way, and depertyd wyth wepyng, and with lamentacion I sore complaynyde, and with suche thoughtes I wente to my lodgynge. And when I saw that the consentynge and desirynge of my deth could not remedy hym that was passyd, nor could be no comforte to my selfe, thē I determyned to deperte, and to go in to myne owne countrey, and yet fyrst I purposed to go to the courte to here and se what was sayd for y ^e deth of Lereano [Page] and to se how Laureola toke the mater: Thus I thought to go thyther, what for this cause, & for other busynes that I had ther to do with some of my frēdes also I purposyd to speke with Laureola if I myght, to know if I myght se in her any repentance, and to se what true lo­uers wolde say of her crueltye vsyde against hym, that deseruyd hygh reward And also I was glad to deperte fro the place wher as Lereano dyed to put par­te of my sorow out of my mynde. So I came to the courte more accompanyed with sorow, then with any desire to lyue remembryng how he that made me begynne this mater, was in his sepulture. At the palayce I was receyuyde with moche heuynes of many that knew the deth of Lereano, then I resyted to suche as were his frende, the secretenes of his deth Then I went in to y ^e hall, where I was acustumed to speke with Laureola to se if I myght se what chere she made. And I who by reasone of sore wepynge [Page] had nere lost my syght, I lokyd all a­boute [...] but I culde not se her, yet when she saw me [...] lyke a dyscrete ladye suspec­tynge that I wolde haue spoken with her wenynge that I hadde not seen her she tur [...]ed towarde her chambre and as she came by me. I spied well it was she, who hadde brought Lereano fro his lyfe & me almoste withoute knowledge then I with sore wepynge and payneful sighes began to speke to her in this maner.

Sore troubelyd stode Laureola, yet for all that euery I sayd, her face shewyd no alterasion of her hart, howbeit lyke a discret lady, refreynynge wepynge dissimuled her sorow, and not blamyuge my boldenes with an heuy chere she aunswered me as foloweth.

SHe endyd her wordes with suche heuynes, that she coulde scante make an ende for sorow: then she went fro me subbyng, and sore wepyng wherby her tonge was sore troubelyd, & chaunged colour, and so went in to her chamber with sore inwarde lamen [...]aciō, for feare she shuld haue ben hard. Then I wēt to my lodgyng w ^t so great sorow that often tymes I was desperate of my lyfe, with myne owne deth I wold haue ben reuengyd if I coulde, not puttynge my selfe in dyspayre. And thus beynge alone withoute pleasure aswell as with oute frendes to speke vnto, for werynes I layd me downe, and as though I had sene Lereano before me presente, I sayd to hym as folowith.

WHen Lereano had made an ende of his wordes I thought to haue aunswerd hym, but then in my dreme me thought I saw Laureola entre into my chambre as vysyble, as though I had bene wakyng me thought she was in a strange aparel, and with a new companyon, and in y ^e regardynge of so new a vision I left aunswerynge Lereano, and began to marke the maner of her aparell [...] and I so regarded her [...] that I left lokyng vpon Lereano. She hadde [Page] vpō her hed a fresh atyer frete & enbrowdered with letters sayeng: my cruel condicion gyueth no deth to seruyce, nor yet rewarde. Her smocke wrought with whyte sylke tyed with letters sayeng: thy deth is so fastened to my lyfe that I can not scape without deth. Her kertell of blacke saten with a folyage of tawny w ^t letters sayeng: thy stedfastnes myght haue gyuen me suche payne, that at the ende it myght haue wonne me. Her gyr­dell was wrought with thredes of gold reportynge: More rather shulde haue bene my glory with thy lyfe, then with thy deth. Her mantel was of .ii. colours the one parte red, the other blew, with a wrytynge that sayde: now ioye can not enioye me without great thought. She had a tabard of blew russet with letters sayeng, with thy deth my memory is certayne so that lyuynge my glory is dede. Also on her gloues was wryten thus, with that I began I make an ende though I deserue no deth: her slyppers [Page] were enbrowdered with this word: I haue more payne for thy payne then for myne own, yet more deserueth my sha­me. So when I had well regarded her aparell, and marked well the sygnifica­cions of the wrytynges, I saw how w ^t moche sorow and smal pleasure (by semblant more lykely to dye then to lyue) she turned her face towardes Lereano wher as he stode and began to say in this maner.

WHen Laureola spake these wordes to Lereano I stode in a strange maner ryght sore abasshyde to se her greate pite and ioynynge her wysdome and knowyng her wyll, and heryng of her amorous reasones, these ouer came my strength, though she spake not to me, yet I praysede moche her sayeng, though it auaylyd but lytle, howe be it me thought her reasones were so iust y ^• Lereano coulde make none aunswere, to satisfye them, not for the small cōfy­dence that I hadde in his wis [...]ome, but bycause of the trouble of his spirytes in seynge present before hym the creature [Page] whome he most desiryd, yet me thought he cast vp his eyen to heuyn, and with great curtesye he aunswere her in this maner.

WHen this mater was thus passed betwene them I stode and behelde the curtesy that Lereano made and the small thought that he shewed of his deth for then he knowyng, that she was no lesse sorowfull for his deth then hym [Page] selfe was, therfore to thentent not to trouble her, he sufferyd the payne, and wolde speke no more of his deth, and as­moche as it pleased me to se them to ge­ther, asmoche it greued me the remem­brance of the deth of Lereano, and accordynge to ther reasones, they ioyed me so that I wolde theyr reasons shulde neur haue endyd, for then I knew well that Lereano receyued glory to se her, and Laureola receyued no payne to se hym, though he were dede I desyre that theyr speche shuld neuer haue endyd, nor theyr [...]yght depertyd a sounder, but alwayes the thynges of pleasour, seldome end [...] rith longe. And as I thus lay dremyng at last me thought I harde a heuy voice that said, come away Lereano and tary no longer. And then w ^t adolorous sygh Lereano with his bonet in his hād wēt to Laureola, and kyst her hand, and she to gyue hym some glory sufferyde hym the which in his lyfe tyme she wold ne­uer do, and so kyssyng her hand he sayd [Page] O y ^• deth y ^u hast slayne my memory yet to my deth is giuē glory [...] & therw ^t he vanished away. And whē I saw I could se hym no more, thē I regarded Laureola to se what cōtenāce she made, I saw her stād in greate heuynes, her eyen bathed in water, & her beautie [...]adyd of colour pale and wanne, and had lost her spech, and I seynge her in suche maner of disposicion, hadde compassiō to se her, then Lereano that was dede what with the syght of the one, and of the other, was in suche perell, and so disperate, that to say the truth, I desyred rather to haue folowed Lereano dede, then to haue fo­lowyd Laureola lyuynge, who with great heuynes, asmoche as she myght, dyssimuled her payne that she enduryd for the deth of Lereano, & discretly she dyd refrayne her wepynge and sayd to me as folowith.

[Page]WHen Laureola had endyd her wor­des she was so heuy, and so full of wepyng, y ^t in a maner hre payneful lyfe greuyde me as sore as the dethe of Lereano. And to all this that she hadde sayd I wolde haue aunswerde her, and thankyd her of her great bountie to me shewyd, aswell as for the curtesye of her meke speche. And so me thought as I was mouyd sodēly with a great sighe she depertyde fro me, and with a loude voyce sayd: I can no more sorow y ^e deth which is euer certeyne, then the losse of the lyfe of hym that is dede: thē I lokyd all aboute, and saw how I was left all alone, and therwith awoke out of my dreme, then was I so sorowfull, that I wist not what to do, nor thynke of my dreme, and when I saw no man to speke vnto, I was so pēsyue that oftē tymes with myne owne handes I thought to haue ryde my lyfe [...] therby thynkynge to haue founde that I had lost, and when I remembryd that with my deth I could [Page] not recouer the lyfe of the dede, then I thought it a great errour to lese myne own sowle w ^tout the ioyeng of his body And as it is a sure xeperiēce that musyk encreasith payne to hym y ^t is in sorow, so lyke wyse it encreasith pleasur in the harte of them that be contente and in ioye, then I toke an harpe and songe as folowith. Harte take no payne in this lyfe for it may be ouercome, for it canne not endure longe bicause we be mortall the euyll that shewith her force, is redy to take the deth, synne that lyfe is most euyll, thē I coūsayl the shew no strēgth against y ^e ouercome, for who that sleith the lyfe, with deth is pleasyd, therfore that lyfe is good, that takith deth after the best sorte, he that dyeth lyuyng hath not moche to suffre, but he that lyueth dyenge his euyll & payne is stronge, who can not suffre euyll, when they be satisfyed with euyll, and though they be mortall, yet the sorow is equall, thus I make an ende of my songe, and then [Page] without any more studyng that I had to do. I cōmaunded to sadell my horse for I thought it was tyme for me to deperte to go in to my owne country, And thus I departed fro them that I mette in the streate more acompaned w ^t sorow and wepynge yes then with any other consolasion of pleasoure my he­uynes so encreased, and my helth so payred that I neuer thought to come a lyue in to my countrey, & when I was well entered on my way there came so many thynges to my fantasye, that thynkyng on them I was nere oute of my witte, howbeit at last remembrynge my selfe that it was no profyt to muse on them I traueled my self asmoch as I myght to brynge them out of my remembrance So I traueled my body in this yourney and my sowle in sundry thoughtes, and fynally I arryued at my owne poore mansion, and thus I bydde fare well & adew all true louers. And all y ^e readers an herers of this proces, desyryng them [Page] where they fynd faulte to amend it. and I shall pray to god for theyr prosperyte and at theyr ende to send them the ioyes of paradyce. Amen.