VOL. III.

Ballantyne Press

BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON

Title Page Text

VOLUME II.

Tome II: Title Page Text

The Palace of Pleasure.

THE TWENTY-THIRD NOUELL.

The infortunate mariage of a Gentleman, called Antonio Bologna, wyth the Duchesse of Malfi, and the pitifull death of them both.

The great Honor and authority men haue in thys World, and the greater their estimation is, the more sensible and notorious are the faultes by theim committed, and the greater is their slaunder. In lyke manner more difficult it is for that man to tolerate and sustayne Fortune, which al the dayes of his life hath lyued at his ease, if by chaunce he fall into any great necessity than for hym whych neuer felt but woe, mishap, and aduersity. Dyonisius the Tyraunt of Scicilia, felt greater payne when hee was expelled his Kyngdome, than Milo did, beinge banished from Rome: for so mutch as the one was a Soueraygne Lorde, the sonne of a Kynge, a Iusticiary on Earth, and the other but a simple Citizen of a Citty, wherein the People had Lawes, and the Lawes of Magistrates were had in reuerence. So lykewyse the fall of a high and lofty Tree, maketh greater noyse, than that whych is low and little. Hygh Towers, and stately Palaces of Prynces bee seene further of, than the poore Cabans, and homely Sheepeheardes Sheepecotes: the Walles of lofty Cittyes more a loofe doe

Salute the Viewers of the same, than the simple Caues, which the Poore doe digge belowe the Mountayne Rockes. Wherefore it behooueth the Noble, and sutch as haue charge of Common wealth, to lyue an honest Lyfe, and beare their port vpright, that none haue cause to discourse vppon their wicked deedes and naughty life. And aboue all modesty ought to be kept by Women, 4 whom as their race, Noble birth, aucthority and name, maketh them more famous, euen so their vertue, honesty, chastity, and continencie more prayse worthy. And behoueful it is, that like as they wishe to be honoured aboue all other, so their life do make them worthy of that honour, without disgracing their name by deed or worde, or blemishing that brightnesse which may commend the same. I greatly feare that all the Princely factes, the exploytes and conquests done by the Babylonian Queene Semyramis, neuer was recommended wyth sutch prayse, as hir vice had shame in records by those which left remembrance of auncient acts. Thus I say, because a woman being as it were the Image of

sweetnesse, curtesie and shamefastnesse, so soone as she steppeth out of the right tract, and abandoneth the sweete smel of hir duety and modesty, besides the denigration of hir honour, thrusteth her selfe into infinite Troubles, causeth ruine os sutch whych should bee honoured and praysed, if Womens Allurementes solicited theym not to Folly. I wyll not heere Indeuour my selfe to seeke for examples of Samson, Salomon or other, which suffred themselues fondly to be abused by Women: and who by meane of them be tumbled into great faults, and haue incurred greater perils: contentinge my selfe to recyte a ryght pitifull History done almost in our tyme, when the French vnder leadinge of that notable Capitayne Gaston de Foix, vanquished the force of Spayne and Naples at the Iourney of Rauenna in the time of the French Kynge called Lewes the twelfth, who married the Lady Mary, Daughter to Kynge Henry the seuenth, and Sister to the Victorious Prynce of worthy memory kynge Henry the eyght, Wyfe (after the death of the sayd Lewes) to the puissaunt

Gentleman Charles, late Duke of Suffolke. In the very tyme then lyued a Gentleman of Naples called Antonio Bologna, who hauing bin master of Household to Fredericke of Aragon, somtime king of Naples, after the French had expelled those of Aragon out of that Citty, the sayde Bologna retyred into Fraunce, and thereby recouered the goods, which hee possessed in his countrey. The Gentleman besides that he was valiant of his persone, a good man of Warre, and wel esteemed amongs the best, had a passing numbre of good graces, which made him to be loued and cherished of euery 5 wight: and for riding and managing of greate horse, he had not his fellow in Italy: he could also play exceedynge well and trim vpon the Lute, whose fayning voyce so wel agreed therevnto, that the moste melancholike persons would forget their heauinesse, vpon hearing of his heauenly noyse: and besides these qualyties, he was of personage comely, and of good proportion. To be short: nature hauing trauayled and dispoyled hir Treasure House for inriching of him, he had by Arte gotten

that, which made him most happy and worthy of prayse, which was, the knowledge of good letters, wherein he was so well trayned, as by talke and dispute thereof, he made those to blush that were of that state and profession. Antonio Bologna hauing left Fredericke of Aragon in Fraunce, who expulsed out of Naples was retired to king Lewes, went home to his house to lyue at rest and to auoyd trouble, forgetting the delicates of Courtes and houses of great men, to bee the only husband of his owne reueneue. But what? it is impossible to eschue that which the heauens haue determined vpon vs: or to shunne the vnhappe which seemeth to follow vs, as it were naturally proceeding from our mother’s Wombe: in sutch wyse as many times, he which seemeth the wisest man, guided by misfortune, hasteth himself with stouping head to fall headlonge into hys death and ruine. Euen so it chaunced to this Neapolitane Gentleman: for in the very same place where he attained his aduauncement, he receiued also his diminution and decay, and by that house which

preferred hym to what he had, he was depryued, both of his estate and life: the discourse whereof you shall vnderstande. I haue tolde you already, that this Gentleman was Mayster of the kinge of Naples household, and beyng a gentle person, a good Courtier, wel trained vp, and wyse for gouernment of himself in the Courte and in the seruice of Princes, the Duchesse of Malfi thought to intreate him that he would serue hir, in that office which he serued the King. This Duchesse was of the house of Aragon, and sister to the Cardinall of Aragon, which then was a rych and puissant personage. Being resolued, and persuaded, that Bologna was deuoutly affected to the house of Aragon, as one brought vp there from a Chylde: shee sent for him home to his House, and vpon hys repaire vsed vnto him these, 6 or like Woordes: “Mayster Bologna, sith your ill fortune, nay rather the vnhap of our whole House is sutch, as your good Lord and Mayster hath forgon his state and dignity, and that you therwithall haue lost a good Maister, without other recompence but the prayse which euery man giueth

you for your good seruice, I haue thought good to intreat you to doe me the honor, as to take charge of the gouernment of my House, and to vse the same, as you did that of the King your maister. I know well that the office is to vnworthy for your calling; notwithstanding you be not ignorant what I am, and how neare to him in bloud, to whom you haue bene a Seruaunte so faythfull and Louing; and albeit that I am no Queene, endued with greatest reuenue, yet with that little portyon I haue, I beare a Pryncely heart: and sutch as you by experience do knowe what I haue done, and dayly do to those which depart my seruice, recompensing them according to theyr paine and trauaile: magnificence is obserued as well in the Courts of poore Princes, as in the stately Palaces of great Kings and monarches. I do remembre that I haue read of a certain noble gentleman, a Persian borne, called Ariobarzanes, who vsed great examples of curtesie and stoutnesse towards King Artaxerxes, wherewith the king wondred at his magnificence, and confessed himself to be vanquished: you shal take aduise of this

request, and in the meane time do think you will not refuse the same, aswell for that my demaund is iust, as also being assured, that our House and race is so well imprinted in your heart, as it is impossible that the memory thereof can be defaced.” The gentleman hearynge that curteous demaund of the Duchesse, knowing himselfe how deepely bound he was to the name of Aragon, and led by some vnknowen prouocation to his great il luck, answered hir in this wise: “I would to God, Madame, that with so good reason and equity I were able to make denyall of your commaundment, as iustly you maye require the same: wherfore for the bounden duety which I owe to the name and memorie of the house of Aragon, I make promise that I shall not only sustaine the trauell, but also the daunger of my Lyfe, dayly to be offred for your seruice: but I feele in mynde I know not what, which commaundeth me to withdraw my selfe to lyue alone at home within 7 my lyttle house, and to be content with that I haue, forgoing the sumptuous charge of Prynces houses, which Lyfe would be wel liked of my

self, were it not for the feare that you Madame should be discontented with my refusall, and that you should conceiue, that I disdained your offred charge, or contempne your Court for respect of the great Office I bare in the Courte of the Kyng, my Lord and Mayster: for I cannot receiue more honour, than to serue hir, which is the paragon of that stock and royal race. Therfore at all aduentures I am resolued to obey your will, and humbly to satisfy the duety of the charge wherein it pleaseth you to imploy me, more to pleasure you for auoiding of displeasure, then for desire I haue to lyue an honorable lyfe in the greatest Princes house of the world, sith I am discharged from him in whose name resteth my comfort and only stay, thinking to haue liued a solitarye life, and to passe my yeres in rest, except it were in the pore abilitye of my seruice to that house, wherunto I am bound continually to be a faithfull seruaunt. Thus Madame, you see me to be the readiest man of the world, to fulfil the request, and accomplishe

sutch other seruice wherein it shall please you to imploy me.” The Duchesse thanked him very heartily, and gaue him charge of all hir housholde traine, commaunding ech person to do him sutch reuerence as to hir self, and to obey him as the chief of al hir family. This Lady was a widow, but a passing faire Gentlewoman, fine and very yong, hauing a yong sonne vnder hir guard and keping, left by the deceased Duke hir husband, togither with the Duchy, the inheritaunce of hir child. Now consider hir personage being sutch, her easy life and delycate bringing vp, and hir daily view of the youthly trade and manner of Courtiers lyfe, whether she felt hir self pryckt wyth any desire, which burned hir heart the more incessantly, as the flames were hidden and couert: from the outward shew whereof shee stayed hir self so well as shee coulde. But shee followinge beste aduice, rather esteemed the proofe of Maryage, than to burne wyth so lyttle fire, or to incurre the exchange of louers, as many vnshamefaste strumpets do, which be rather giuen ouer, than

satisfied with pleasure of loue. And to say the truthe, they be not guided by wisedom’s lore, which suffer a maiden ripe for mariage to be long 8 vnwedded, or yong wife long to liue in widowe’s state, what assurance so euer they make of their chaste and stayed lyfe. For bookes be to full of sutch enterpryses, and houses stored with examples of sutch stolne and secrete practises, as there neede no further proofe for assurance of our cause, the daily experience maketh plaine and manifest. And a great folly it is to build the fantasies of chastitye amid the follies of worldly pleasures. I will not goe about to make those matters impossible, ne yet will iudge at large, but that there be som maydens and Wyues, which wiselye can conteine themselues amongs the troupe of amorous suters. But what? the experience is very hard, and the proofe no lesse daungerous, and perchaunce in a moment the mind of some peruerted, which all their lyuyinge dayes haue closed theyr Eares from the Sute of those that haue made offer of louyng seruice. And hereof we neede not

run to forrayne Hystories, ne yet to seeke records that be auncient, sith wee may see the daily effects of the lyke, practised in Noble houses, and Courtes of Kyngs and Prynces. That this is true, example of this fayre Duchesse, who was moued wyth that desyre which pricketh others that be of Flesh and Bone. Thys Lady waxed very weary of lying alone, and gryeued hir Hearte to be wythoute a match, specially in the Nyght, when the secrete silence and darkenesse of the same presented beefore the eyes of hir mind, the Image of the pleasure which she felt in the lyfe tyme of hir deceased Lord and Husband, whereof now feelyng hir selfe despoyled, she felt a contynuall Combat, and durst not attempte that which she desyred most, but eschued the thyng wherof hir Mind lyked best. “Alas (sayd shee) is it possyble after the taste of the Value of honest obedyence whych the Wyfe oweth vnto hir Husband, that I should desyre to suffer the Heat whych burneth and altereth the martyred mynds of those that subdue themselues to loue? Can sutch attempt pierce

the heart of me to become amorous by forgetting and straying from the limmetts of honest life? But what desire is this? I haue a certayne vnacquaynted lust, and yet very well know not what it is that moueth me, and to whom I shall vow the spoyle thereof. I am truely more fond and foolyshe than euer Narcissus was, for there is neyther shadow nor voyce, vpon which I can well stay my sight, nor yet simple Imagination of any worldly 9 man, whereuppon I can arrest the conceypt of my vnstayed heart, and the desires which prouoke my mynde. Pygmalion loued once a Marble Piller, and I haue but one desire, the colour whereof is more pale than death. There is nothyng which can geue the same so mutch as one spot of vermilion rud. If I doe discouer these appetites to any wight, perhaps they will mock me for my labor, and for all the beauty and Noble byrth that is in me, they will make no conscience to deeme me for their iesting stock, and to solace themselues with rehersall of my fond conceits. But sith there is no enemy in the field, and that but simple

suspicion doth assayle me, why breake I not the same, and deface the entier remembraunce of the lightnesse of my brayne? It appertayneth vnto mee to shewe my selfe, as issued from the Noble house of Aragon: to me it doeth belonge to take heede how I erre or degenerate from the royall bloud whereof I came.” In this sort that fayre Wydow and young Princesse fantasied in the night vppon the discourse of hir appetites. But when the day was come, seeing the great multitude of the Neapolitan Lords and Gentlemen that marched vp and downe the Citty, eyinge and beholdinge their best beloued, or vsing talke of loue with them whose seruaunts they were, all that which she thought vpon in the night, vanished so sone as the flame of burned Straw, or the Pouder of Cannon shot, and purposed for any respect to liue no longer in that sort, but promised the conquest of some frend that was lusty and discreete. But the difficulty rested in that she knew not vpon whom to fixe hir loue, fearing to bee slaundered, and also that the light disposition and maner

of most part of youth were to be suspected, in sutch wise as giuing ouer al them which vauted vpon their Gennets, Turkey Palfreis, and other Coursers alonge the Citty of Naples, shee purposed to take repast of other Venison, than of that fond and wanton troupe. So hir mishap began already to spin the threede which choked the Ayre and Breath of hir vnhappy life. Yee haue heard before that Mayster Bologna was one of the wisest and most perfect Gentlemen that the land of Naples that tyme brought forth, and for his Beauty, Proportion, Galantnesse, Valiaunce, and good grace, without comparison. His fauour was so sweete and pleasant, as they which kept him company, had somwhat to do to abstayne their affection. 10 Who then could blame thys fayre Princesse, if (pressed wyth desire of match, to remoue the ticklish instigations of her wanton flesh, and hauing in hir presence a man so wise) shee did set hir minde on hym, or fantasy to mary him? Would not that party for calming of his thirst and hunger, being set at a table before sundry sorts of delicate viands,

ease his hunger? Me thinke the person doth greatly forget himselfe, which hauing handfast vpon occasion, suffreth the same to vanish and fly away, sith it is wel known that she being bald behinde, hath no place to sease vpon when desire moueth vs to lay hold vpon hir. Which was the cause that the Duchesse became extremely in loue with the mayster of hir house. In sutch wyse as before al men, she spared not to prayse the great perfections of him whom she desired to be altogether hirs. And so she was inamored, that it was as possible to see the night to be voide of darknesse, as the Duchesse without the presence of hir Bologna, or els by talke of words to set forth his prayse, the continuall remembrance of who (for that shee loued him as hirselfe) was hir onely minde’s repast. The Gentleman that was full wyse, and had at other times felt the great force of the passion which proceedeth from extreeme loue, immediatly did mark the countenaunce of the Duchesse, and perceyued the same so neere, as vnfaynedly hee knew that very ardently the Lady was in

loue with him: and albeit he sawe the inequality and difference betweene them both, she being sorted out of the royall bloud, and himself of meaner calling, yet knowing loue to haue no respect to state or dignity, determined to folow his fortune, and to serue hir which so louingly shewed hir selfe to him. Then sodaynely reprouing his fonde conceit, he sayd vnto himself: “What folly is that I enterprise, to the preiudice and peril of mine honor and life? Ought the wisedome of a Gentleman to stray and wandre through the assaults of an appetite rising of sensuality, and that reason gieue place to that which doeth participate with brute beasts depriued of all reason by subduinge the minde to the affections of the body? No, no, a vertuous man ought to let shine in him selfe the force of the generosity of his minde. This is not to liue according to the spirite, when pleasure shall make vs forget our duty and sauegard of our Conscience. The reputation of a wise Gentleman resteth not only to be valiant, 11 and skilfull in feates of armes, or in seruice of the Noble: but

needefull it is for him by discreation to make himselfe prayse worthy, and by vanquishinge of himselfe to open the gate to fame, whereby he may euerlastingly make himselfe glorious to all posterity. Loue pricketh and prouoketh the spirite to do well, I do confesse, but that affection ought to be addressed to some vertuous end, tending to mariage, for otherwise that vnspotted Image shall be soyled wyth the villany of Beastly pleasure. Alas,” sayd he, “how easie it is to dispute, when the thyng is absent, which can both force and violently assayle the Bulwarks of most constant hearts. I full well doe see the troth, and doe feele the thing that is good, and knowe what behoueth mee to follow: but when I view the pereles beauty of my Lady, hir graces, wisedome, behauiour and curtesie, when I see hir to cast so louinge an eye vpon me, that she vseth so great familiarity, that she forgetteth the greatnesse of hir house to abase hirselfe for my respect: how is it possible that I should be so foolish to dispise a duety so rare and