Cap. 32.

ABoute midnight came a yonge man whiche séemed to be one of the fami∣ly* of the good woman Charites, who sometimes endured so muche misery and calamitie with me emongst the théeues, who after that he had taken a stoole and satte downe by the fire side in the company of the seruauntes, beganne to de∣clare many terrible thinges that had happened vnto the house of Charites, saying: O ye horsekepers, shepe∣herdes, and cowheardes, you shall vnderstand that we haue loste our good mistris Charites, miserably and by euill aduenture, and to the ende you may learne and know all the whole matter, I purpose to tell you the circumstance of euery pointe, wherby such as are more learned then I (to whome fortune hath ministred more copious stile) may painte it out in paper in forme of an Historie: there was a yonge gentleman dwellinge in the nexte Citie, borne of good parentage, valiant in prowesse, and riche in substance, but very much geuen and addict to whore huntyng and continuall reueling. Whereby he fell in company with théeues,* and had his hande ready to the effusion of humaine bloudde, his name was Thrasillus.

Page  [unnumbered] The matter was this according to the report of eue∣ry man: He demaunded Charites in marriage, who although he were a man more comely then the residue that wooed her,* and also had richesse abundantly, yet because he was of euill fame, and a man of wicked ma∣ners and conuersation, he had the repulse and was put of by Charites, and so she married with Lepolemus: howbeit this yonge man secretly loued her, yet moued somwhat at her refusal, he busily serched some meanes to woorke his damnable intent: And (hauinge found oc∣casion and opportunitie to accōplish his purpose, which he had longe time concealed) brought to passe, that the same daye that Charites was deliuered by the subtile meane and valiant audacitie of her husbande, from the puissance of the Théeues, he mingled him self emongst the assembly, feigninge that he was gladde of the new marriage and comminge home againe of the mayden, whereby (by reason that he came of so noble parentes) he was receaued & entertained into the house, as one of their chiefe and principall fréendes:* Howbeit vnder cloke of a faithful welwiller, he dissimuled his mischie∣uous minde and intent, in continuāce of time, by much familiaritie, and often conuersation and banketinge together, he fell more and more in fauour, like as we sée it fortuneth to louers, who first doo litle delight thē selues in loue, till as by continuall acquaintaunce they kisse and embrase eche other. Thrasillus perceauinge that it was a harde matter to breake his minde secret∣ly to Charites, whereby he was wholy barred from the accomplishmēt of his luxurious appetite, & on the other side perceauinge that the loue of her and her husbande was so strongly linked together, y^e the bonde betwéene them might in no wise be disseuered, moreouer it was Page  78 a thinge impossible to rauishe her, although he had con∣sented therto, yet was he still prouoked forward by ve∣hement lust when as he sawe him selfe vnable to bring his purpose to passe. Howbeit at lēgth the thinge which séemed so hard and difficil, through hope of his fortified loue, did now appeare easie & facill: but marke I pray you diligently to what ende the furious force of his in∣ordinate desire came. On a day Lepolemus went to the chase with Thrasillus to hunte for Goates, for his wife Charites desired him earnestly to medle with no other beastes, which were of more fierce and wilde na∣ture, when they were come within the chase to a great thicket fortressed about with bryers and thornes, they compassed rounde with their dogges, and besette euery place with nettes, by and by warninge was giuen to lette loose: The dogges rushed in with suche a crie that all the forest range againe with the noyes, but be∣holde there leaped out no Goate, nor déere, nor gentle Hinde, but an horrible and daungerous wilde Boare, harde & thicke skinned, bristeled terribly like thornes, fominge at the mouth, grindinge his téeth and lokinge dyrefully with fitie eyes. The dogges that first set vpō him he tare and rent with his tuskes, and thē he ranne quight thorough the nettes and escaped away: when we sawe the furie of this beast, we were greatly strikē with feare, and because we neuer accustomed to chase suche dreadfull Boares, and further because we were vnarmed and without weapons, we gotte and hidde our selues vnder bushes and trées: then Thrasillus ha∣uinge founde oportunitie to woorke his treason, saide to Lepolemus, what stande we here amased? why show we our selues like dastardes? why léese we so woorthy a pray with our feminiue hartes? let vs mounte vpon Page  [unnumbered] our horses and pursue him incontinentlie: Take you a hunting staffe, & I will take a chasing speare, by and by they leaped vpon their horses and folowed the beaste. But he returning against thē with furious force, pried with his eies, on whome he might first assaile with his tuskes: Lepolemus stroke the beast first on the back w^t his hunting staffe.* Thrasillus faininge to aide and as∣siste him, came behind, and cut of the hinder legges of Lepulemus horse, in such sorte that he fel downe to the ground with his maister: And sodenly the Boare came vpon Lepolemus, and furiously tare and rēt him with his téeth. Howbeit, Thrasillus was not suffised to sée him thus wounded,* but when he desired his friendlie helpe, he thrust Lepolemus through the right thighe with his speare, the more because he thought the woūd of the speare would be takē for a wound of the Boares téeth: Then he killed the beast likewise. And when he was thus miserably slaine, euery one of vs came out of our holes, and went towardes our slaine master. But although that Thrasillus was ioyfull of the death of Lepolemus,* whome he did greatly hate, yet he cloked the matter with a sorowfull countenaunce, he feigned a dolorous face, he often embrased the body whiche he him selfe slewe, he plaied all the partes of a mourninge person, sauing there fell no teares from his eies. Thus he resembled vs in eche point, who verely, and not without occasion, had cause to lament for our maister, laiyng all the blame of this homicide vnto the Boare. Incontinently after, the soroweful newes of the death of Lepolemus, came to the eares of all the family, but especially to Charites, who after she had hard suche pi∣tifull tidinges, as a madde and raginge woman, ranne vp and downe the streates, criyng and howling lamē∣tably. Page  79 All the citezins gathered together, and suche as they met, bare them companie runninge towardes the chase. When they came to the slaine bodie of Lepole∣mus, Charites threwe her selfe vpon him, weping and lamenting greuouslie for his death, in suche sorte, that she would haue presentlie ended her life, vpon y^• corpse of her slaine husbande, whome she so entierly loued, had it not bene that her parentes and friendes did com∣fort her, and pulled her away. The body was takē vp, and in funerall pompe brought to the citie, and buried. In the meane season, Thrasillus feigned much sorowe for the death of Lepolemus, but in his hart he was well pleased & ioyful. And to coūterfect the matter, he would come to Charites & saie: O what a losse haue I had by y^• death of my friende, my fellowe, my compaignion Le∣polemus: O Charites, cōfort your selfe, pacifie your do∣lor, refraine your wéeping, beat not your brestes: And with such other & like woordes, & diuers exāples he en∣deuored to suppresse her great sorowe, but he spake not this for any other intēt but to win the hart of y^• womā, and to norish his odious loue with filthy delight.* How¦beit, Charites after the buriall of her husbāde, sought y^• meanes to folowe him, and (not susteining the sorowes wherin she was wrapped) gotte her secretly into a chā∣ber & purposed to finish her life there with dolour & tri∣bulation: But Thrasillus was very importunate, & at lēgth brought to passe that at the intercessiō of the pa∣rentes & friendes of Charites, she somewhat refreshed her fallen membres with refectiō of meate and bayne. Howbeit, she did it more at y^• cōmaundement of her pa∣rents, then for any thing els: For she could in no wise be mery, nor receiue any comforte, but tormented her selfe daye and night before the image of her husbande, Page  [unnumbered] which she had made like vnto Bacchus, & rendred vnto him diuine honours and seruices. In the meane season Thrasillus not able to refraine any lēger, before Cha∣rites had asswaged her dolours, before her troubled minde had pacified her fury, euē in the middle of all her griefes, while she wéeped for her husbande, while she tare her garments and rent her heare, demaunded her in marriage, and so without shame he detected the se∣cretes & vnspeakeable deceites of his harte. But Cha∣rites detested and abhorred his demaunde & as she had bene stroken with some clappe of thunder, with some storme, or with the lightning of Iupiter, she presently fell downe to the grounde all amased. Howbeit in the ende when her spirites were reuiued & that she retur∣ned to her selfe, perceauing that Thrasillus was so im∣portunate, she demaunded respite to deliberate and to take aduise on the matter, in the meane season y^• shape of Lepolemus that was slaine so miserably appeared to Charites with a pale and blouddy face, sayinge: O my swéete wife (which no other person cā say but I) I pray thée for the loue which is betwéene vs twoo,* if there be any memory of me in thy hart, or remembraunce of my pitifull death, marry with any other person, so that y^• marry not with the traytour Thrasillus, haue no con∣ference with him, eate not with him, lie not with him, auoide the blouddy hande of mine enemie, couple not thy selfe with a parricide, for those woundes (the bloud wherof thy teares did wash away) were not y^• woūdes of the téeth of the Boare, but the speare of Thrasillus depriued me from thée. Thus spake Lepolemus vnto his louinge wife, and declared the residew of the dam∣nable fact: then Charites awaking from sléepe beganne to renew her dolor, to teare her garments, and to beate Page  80 her armes with her comely hādes, howbeit she reueled the vision whiche she sawe to no manner of person, but dissimulinge that she knew no parte of the mischiefe, deuised with her selfe howe she might be reuenged on the traytor, and finish her owne life to ende and knitte vp all sorrow: Incontinently came Thrasillus the de∣testable demaunder of sodein pleasure, and weried the closed eares of Charites with talke of mariage, but she gentely refusinge his cōmunication, and colouring the matter, with a passing crafte in the middest of his ear∣nest desiers, gan say: Thrasillus, you shall vnderstand that yet the face of your brother and my husband, is al∣waies before mine eies, I smel yet the Cinamome sent of his pretious body, I yet feele Lepolemus aliue in my hart, wherfore you shall doo wel if you graūt to me, mi∣serable woman, necessarie time to bewayle his death, that after the residue of a few moneths, the whole yere may be expired, which thing toucheth aswell my shame as your holsome profite, least peraduēture by our spée∣die and quicke marriage we should iustely raise & pro∣uoke the spirit of my husband to woorke our destructiō. Howbeit Thrasillus was not contented with this pro∣mise,* but more and more was earnest vpon her: In so much y^• she was enforced to speake to him in this man∣ner: My fréende Thrasillus, if thou be so contented vn∣till the whole yéere be complete and finished, beholde here is my body, take thy pleasure, but in such sort and so secrete, that no seruaūt of the house may perceaue it. Then Thrasillus trustinge the false promisses of the woman, & preferring his inordinate pleasure aboue all thinges in the worlde, was ioyfull in his harte & looked for night, when as he might haue his purpose. But come y^• about midnight ({quod} Charites) desguised without Page  [unnumbered] company. And doo but hisse at my chamber doore, & my noucce shall attende and let thée in: this counsell plea∣sed Thrasillus meruelously, who (suspecting no harme) did alwaies looke for night, and the houre assigned by Charites: the time was skarse come, whē as (according to her commaundement) he desguised him selfe, & went streight to the chamber, where he foūde the nource at∣tendinge for him, who (by the apointment of her mi∣stris) fedde him with slatteringe talke, and gaue him mingled & doled drinke in a cuppe, excusing the absence of her mistris Charites by reason that she attended on her father being sicke, vntil such time, that with swéete talke and operation of the wine, he fell in a sounde sléepe: now when he lay prostrate on the grounde rea∣die to all aduenture, Charites (beinge called for) came in, and with manly courage and bolde force, stoode ouer this sleepinge murderer, saying: Beholde the faithfull compaignion of my husbande, beholde this valiaunt hunter:* behold my déere spouse, this is the hande which shedde my bloudde, this is the harte whiche hath de∣uised so many subtill meanes to worke my destruction, these be the eyes whome I haue ill pleased, behold now they forshowe their owne destinie, sléepe carelesse, dreame that thou arte in the handes of the mercifull, for I will not hurte thée with thy swoorde or with any other weapon, God forbidde that I shoulde slea thée as thou slewest my husband, but thy eies shall fayle thée, and thou shalte sée no more, then that whereof thou dreamest: thou shalte thinke the death of thine enemie more swéete then thy life: thou shalte sée no light, thou shalte lacke the ayde of a leader, thou shalte not haue me as thou hopest, thou shalte haue no delight of my marriage, thou shalte not die, and yet liuinge thou Page  81 shalte haue no ioye, but wander betwéene light and darkenesse as an vnsure image: thou shalte séeke for the hande that pricked out thy eies, yet shalte thou not knowe of whome thou shouldest complaine: I will make sacrafice with the bloudde of thine eyes vpon the graue of my husband, but what gainest thou thorough my delay? Perhaps thou dreamest that thou embra∣cest me in thine armes, leaue of the darkenes of sléepe, and awake thou to receaue a penall depriuation of thy sight, lifte vp thy face, regarde thy vengeance and e∣uill fortune, recken thy miserie so pleaseth thine eies to a chaste woman, that thou shalte haue blindnesse to thy compaignion, and an euerlastinge remorse of thy miserable conscience. When she had spoken these woordes, she toke a great nedle from her head and pric∣ked out both his eies: which done, she by and by caught the naked swoorde whiche her husbande Lepolemus accustomed to were, and ranne thorough out all the Citie like a madde woman, towarde the Sepulchre of her husbande: Then all we of the house withall the Ci∣tizins, rāne incontinently after her, to take the swoord out of her handes, but she claspinge aboute the tombe of Lepolemus, kept vs of with her naked weapon, and when she perceaued that euery one of vs wepte and la∣mented, she spake in this sorte: I pray you my fréendes wéepe not, nor lament for me, for I haue reuenged the death of my husbande, I haue punished deseruedly the wicked breaker of our marriage, nowe is it time to séeke out my swéete Lepolemus, and presently with this swoorde to finishe my lyfe. And therewithall after she had made relation of the whole matter, declared the vision which she sawe, and tolde by what meane she deceaued Thrasillus, thrustinge the swoorde vnder her Page  [unnumbered] right brest & wallowinge in her owne bloudde, at lēgth with manly courage yéelded vp the ghost.* Then imme∣diatly the fréendes of miserable Charites, did burie her body within the same sepulchre. Thrasillus hearyng al the matter, & knowinge not by what meanes he might ende his life, for he thought his swoorde was not suffi∣cient to reuēge so great a crime, at length went to the same sepulchre and cried with a loude voice, sayinge: O ye dead spirites whom I haue so highly offended re∣ceaue me, beholde I make sacrifice vnto you with my bodie: whiche saide, he closed y^• sepulchre, purposing to famish him selfe, and to finishe his life there in sorrow. These thinges the yonge man with pitifull sighes and teares declared vnto the cowheardes & shéepeherdes, whiche caused them all to wéepe: but they fearinge to become subiect vnto new maisters, prepared thē selues to departe away.