The Storie at Large: Part 7
For faithfull love, the hate I finde in lue,
My vowe performde, the false of her behest,
The small rewarde I reape for service true,
Her joy to see mee plunged in unrest,
Doth force mee say, to finde an ende of paine,
O, fancie die, thou seedest hope in vaine!
I sue for grace, shee smyles to see my smart,
I pleade for peace, shee seekes to sowe debate,
My sowre her sweete, my griefe doth glad her hart,
I fawne, shee frownes, I love, and shee doth hate:
Sith soe, I say, to finde an ende of paine,
O, fancie die, thou feedest hope in vaine!
Starve thou, desire, which keepeth life in love,
And so my thought from showring woe shall cease,
But love alive, while fancie hope may move,
A lyving death my sorrowes will increase;
Wherefore, I say, to finde an ende of paine,
O, fancie die, thou feedest hope in vaine!
My fancies dead, I end of woes should finde,
My eyes, nay seas (God wot) of brackish teares
Would leave to love, whom love hath made so blinde:
My thorned thoughtes no more should foster feares:
But oh (aye mee!) for to proroge my paine,
My fancies live, and feedeth hope in vaine.
Doe what I can, I pray on plighted troth,
I (simple) thinke, shee will not breake this bonde,
I vowe to love, I will not false my othe;
But, ah! I finde her false, and I too fonde:
Wherefore, good death, at once delay my paine;
My fancies live, and feedeth hope in vaine.
Roberto Rinaldo .
Unto these verses Rinaldo set a very sollem note, and the nighte following, hee bestowed himselfe under Gilettas chamber windowe, where (playing on his lute) hee very mournefully sounge this passionate invention, of purpose (like unto the swanne that sings before her death) to bid his mystresse adieu for ever.
Good Giletta, hearing this sorrowfull farewell, much lamented her servants estate, yet durst shee not at that instant any wayes comfort him. The cause was, Segnior Frizaldo was then in her chamber, who knew very well that it was Rinaldo, that with his sollem musicke, saluted mystresse Giletta; yea, hee knew by the over often chaunging of her couler, how (notwithstanding her dissimulation) she greatly sorrowed Rinaldos distresse: and therefore he thought best, during his discomforture, by some slye policie at once to overthrow him with distrust: and until the execution of this treachery, he thought best to give him this bone to gnaw uppon. First to shew his credite to be admitted into her chamber at that time of the night; next (to prove his authoritie) hee called Giletta by the name of his subject, who duetifully aunswered him with the title of her sovereigne: which done (quoth hee, looking out of the window) It is for your sake (faire lady) wee are presented with this sweete musicke; and although your unknowen welwiller maketh show of the sorrowes hee suffers not, yet courtesie wills you to intercept his paines with thankes. Poor Rinaldo, hearing Frizaldos tongue, made no staye for Gilettas thankes, but returning to his chamber (as one that had foregone his senses) a while in sighes he uttered his plainte. And after his sorrowe was somewhat eased (quoth hee) Alas! good Giletta, thy exchaunge is very hard, to leave to be Rinaldos mystresse to become Frizaldos subject. But, Rinaldo, worse is thy hap that thou must serve her, that is subject to thy mortal enimie: thy thraldome is intollerable, thy torments without end; with violent death dispatch both thy servitude and sorrowes, so shalt thou force them to pittie that now triumphe at thy miseries. In this sort Rinaldo continually raged at his fortunes. Well, however Rinaldo fared, Giletta was not free from sorrowes: for, good soule, shee thought it hie time to acquaint her servaunt with the continuance of her love; and although shee had attempted many wayes, yet shee found no currant opportunitie for discoverie thereof, till in the end shee determined, by letters, to deliver the embassage of her minde, to which effecte shee one day wrote these lines following:
My good servaunte, I cannot but sighe to thinke on thy sorrowes, who, inferring on my straungenesse, hast my faithfull love in suspicion; and yet I cannot blame thee, that knowest not what necessitie inforceth my coynesse: alas! I live in the gaze of jelous distruste , who, with lynxes eyes, watcheth my behaviour, so that of force I am forst to carrie a shew of hatred where in heart I love. But of this assure thy selfe, although Frizaldo (whose familiaritie woorketh thy feare) weareth both my glove and garter, yet Rinaldo hath, and shall have, my heart. So that (sweete friend) from hencefoorth (having my constancie thus warranted) when most I lowre, contrary my lookes with smiling thoughtes. And thus, till more fortunate time do perfect our wished desires, thy loving mystresse wisheth thee well to fare.
Giletta de Bologna .
When good Giletta had thus ended her letters, for that shee durst not trust Rosina, her wayting woman, with the deliverie of them, whom she knewe to be too well affected towardes Frizaldo to worke him such an injurie, shee determined to be the embassadour her selfe: to accomplish which devise shee made an apple hollowe, wherein shee bestowed this letter, which shee closed so cunningly, that none by the outward show could perceive the inward charge thereof. But, oh the force of jelosie! Frizaldo, for that he could not alwayes be present to eye Gilettas behaviour, wonne her waytinge woman to watch her so narrowly as shee might bee able to yeeld accompt of all her doinges. This trayterous mayde to her mystresse so trustily performed his request, as, although Giletta practised this devise in her secret closet, yet through the cranell of a wall, shee had notice thereof; so that the night following shee came to the fingering of this apple, and, finding these loving lines in the body thereof, shee forthwith went to Frizaldo, to whom shee delivered both the letter and apple. But he, that foreknew Gilettas love towards Rinaldo, was rather glad then sadde of these newes; for by this meanes he spyde occasion presently to overthrowe Rinaldo with despaire. To further which villanous trechery, as neere as he could he counterfeited Gilettas hand, and then, in steede of her courteous lines (in her name) hee wrote this uncomfortable letter:
Rinaldo, thy dissembling hath wrought my displeasure; and although I will not shew how, nor wherein, thou art unjust, yet know thou I know so well thy villanies, as no excuse shall remove mee from revenge. And if my unpleasaunt lookes any way offende thee, assure thy selfe my heart tenne times more abhorreth thee: thereof let this my hand writing be a witnes, which I my selfe deliver to this ende, that thou mayst at once end both thy hope and unregarded sute: by her that hates the more then shee loves herselfe,
Giletta de Bologna .
When Frizaldo had made an ende of this letter, hee bestowed it in the apple, and wild Rosina to laye the same where shee found it: the next day hee brought Giletta, where of force shee must see her loving Rinaldo, and of purpose seemed carelesse of her behaviour, that she might have opportunitie to salute her sorrowful servaunt. Poore Giletta, unacquainted with this treacherie, simplie delivered Rinaldo the apple, saying, the vertue in the fruite was of force to end his sorrowes. Herewith shee hasted after Frizaldo, without either answere or thankes at her lervauntes hands, who, receyving this courtefie beyond all hope, as one amased at so soudaine a joy, it was longe ere hee tasted this apple, and finding a letter inclosed therein, I can hardly report the one halfe of his delight; but this I am assured, for his faire mystresse sake he a hundred times kist both the seale and superscription, before he adventured to take knowledge of the hidden message therein: but when he ripped it open, and found the forecited newes, alas, poore man! his late sweete motions so increased his sowre passions, that if it were possible for anye to taste more miseries, his fare exceeded the torments of hell.
Ah God! (quoth hee) how maye it so sweete a face should be matcht with so cruel a hart, such heavenly lookes with such hellish thoughts, so faire a creature with so soule conditions, and so modest a countenance with so mercilesse a minde? O Giletta! what meanest thou so to ecclipse thy honour, darken thy vertue, and spoile thy wonted report of pitie, by murthering of thy faithfull friend? Hadst thou no feare of infamie? No thought of former vow? Might not remorse of conscience withdrawe thee from disloyaltie? Madest thou no more accompte of love then like unto a garment, at thy pleasure to put off and on? Couldest thou doe Rinaldo such injurie as to let another devoure the fruites of his toyle? Wouldest thou suffer Frizaldo to reape the crop of love that Rinaldo sowed with sighes, weeded with faith, did nourish with teares, and ripened with continual service? Suppose I admitt the force of thy second love, in excuse of all these wronges, with what face couldst thou triumphe in my miseries? Yea, desire my death, that loved thee so deare? Trust mee, cruell Giletta, if thine owne writing had not been witnesse, I would never have thought thee inconstant, nor had not thine own hands delivered the instrument of my destruction, I would hardly a credited thy letters; but on so certaine a proofe, in vayne it were to hope. Ah, God! how rightly didst thou hit my fortune, when as thou saidst, thy apple would ease my sorrowes: in deed I found it in my death, and only death must cure my grief. And sith so subtily thou prophesiedst my destruction, since it agreeth with thy wil, thy wretched desire shal foorthwith be wrought. In this desperate mynde Rinaldo hasted unto the river of Poo, where, by the shore side, he sawe a simple man, to whome he delivered a scroll wherein was written,
Giletta, false of faith, Rinaldo nipt so nye,
That, lo! he chose, before his time in stremes of Poo to dy.
Whiche verses he requested the poore man to deliver at the Lorde de Bolognas castile to maistresse Giletta, and then, without using any other speache, he lept into the river. The poore man, halfe amazed at this wilful acte, foorthwith hasted unto the Lorde de Bolognas castle, where, after he had delivered the writing to Giletta, he shewed for certaintie he saw Rinaldo drowne him self. The newes was unwelcome unto everie hearer (save only to Frizaldo, that trayned him into this mischiefe), but especially to Giletta this tydinges was too too grievous: she weapt, she waylde, she blamed her and his unlucky fortune, Frizaldos jealousie, her friendes untowardnesse, and chiefly her owne nycenesse, as instruments of Rinaldos lamentable destinie: insomuch as neither shew of pleasure, companie of acquaintance, or persuasion of friendes, could move her unto any comfort.
Well, leave we sorrowfull Giletta, continually bemoning the death of her best beloved servaunt, and turne we to Rinaldo, who, after he had a while felt the furie of the floudes, was wearie of dying, so that for life he laboured unto the shoare; which happily recovered, he felt his stomacke at that instant rather overcharged with water then love; yet, for that by sight of his sowre-sweete maistresse he would not renue his sorrowes, nor that he coulde brooke in the court to be frumpt and flouted at, he consented, in a forrest neare adjoyning unto this river, in miserie to consume the residue of his life. And abasing his mind unto the condition of his distresse, he was content to take a hollow cave for his house and herbour, the bare ground both for his bed and bedding, for companions to make choice of wild beastes, to bemoane his fortunes unto the wilde forrests, to make the night raven his clocke, his harmonie of hellishe noise of monsters, and his foode the fruits of the earthe. O, strange effectes of love! that could vaile his mynde to vouchsafe these miseries, that lately held at will, almost what he could wish. But leave I now to write of love his force (whom noman hitherto could either truly define or describe), and turne againe to poore Rinaldos hard estate, who, roming in the wilde forrestes for foode, espied an apple tree, the fruit wherof put him in remembrance of the apple Giletta delivered him, wherein he found a letter that forst him to this penance; the sight wherof with sorrow not only slaked his hunger, but moved him to such impatience that, in despaire and despight of the fruite, upon the tree he carved this invention:
My vowe performde, the false of her behest,
The small rewarde I reape for service true,
Her joy to see mee plunged in unrest,
Doth force mee say, to finde an ende of paine,
O, fancie die, thou seedest hope in vaine!
I sue for grace, shee smyles to see my smart,
I pleade for peace, shee seekes to sowe debate,
My sowre her sweete, my griefe doth glad her hart,
I fawne, shee frownes, I love, and shee doth hate:
Sith soe, I say, to finde an ende of paine,
O, fancie die, thou feedest hope in vaine!
Starve thou, desire, which keepeth life in love,
And so my thought from showring woe shall cease,
But love alive, while fancie hope may move,
A lyving death my sorrowes will increase;
Wherefore, I say, to finde an ende of paine,
O, fancie die, thou feedest hope in vaine!
My fancies dead, I end of woes should finde,
My eyes, nay seas (God wot) of brackish teares
Would leave to love, whom love hath made so blinde:
My thorned thoughtes no more should foster feares:
But oh (aye mee!) for to proroge my paine,
My fancies live, and feedeth hope in vaine.
Doe what I can, I pray on plighted troth,
I (simple) thinke, shee will not breake this bonde,
I vowe to love, I will not false my othe;
But, ah! I finde her false, and I too fonde:
Wherefore, good death, at once delay my paine;
My fancies live, and feedeth hope in vaine.
Roberto Rinaldo .
Unto these verses Rinaldo set a very sollem note, and the nighte following, hee bestowed himselfe under Gilettas chamber windowe, where (playing on his lute) hee very mournefully sounge this passionate invention, of purpose (like unto the swanne that sings before her death) to bid his mystresse adieu for ever.
Good Giletta, hearing this sorrowfull farewell, much lamented her servants estate, yet durst shee not at that instant any wayes comfort him. The cause was, Segnior Frizaldo was then in her chamber, who knew very well that it was Rinaldo, that with his sollem musicke, saluted mystresse Giletta; yea, hee knew by the over often chaunging of her couler, how (notwithstanding her dissimulation) she greatly sorrowed Rinaldos distresse: and therefore he thought best, during his discomforture, by some slye policie at once to overthrow him with distrust: and until the execution of this treachery, he thought best to give him this bone to gnaw uppon. First to shew his credite to be admitted into her chamber at that time of the night; next (to prove his authoritie) hee called Giletta by the name of his subject, who duetifully aunswered him with the title of her sovereigne: which done (quoth hee, looking out of the window) It is for your sake (faire lady) wee are presented with this sweete musicke; and although your unknowen welwiller maketh show of the sorrowes hee suffers not, yet courtesie wills you to intercept his paines with thankes. Poor Rinaldo, hearing Frizaldos tongue, made no staye for Gilettas thankes, but returning to his chamber (as one that had foregone his senses) a while in sighes he uttered his plainte. And after his sorrowe was somewhat eased (quoth hee) Alas! good Giletta, thy exchaunge is very hard, to leave to be Rinaldos mystresse to become Frizaldos subject. But, Rinaldo, worse is thy hap that thou must serve her, that is subject to thy mortal enimie: thy thraldome is intollerable, thy torments without end; with violent death dispatch both thy servitude and sorrowes, so shalt thou force them to pittie that now triumphe at thy miseries. In this sort Rinaldo continually raged at his fortunes. Well, however Rinaldo fared, Giletta was not free from sorrowes: for, good soule, shee thought it hie time to acquaint her servaunt with the continuance of her love; and although shee had attempted many wayes, yet shee found no currant opportunitie for discoverie thereof, till in the end shee determined, by letters, to deliver the embassage of her minde, to which effecte shee one day wrote these lines following:
My good servaunte, I cannot but sighe to thinke on thy sorrowes, who, inferring on my straungenesse, hast my faithfull love in suspicion; and yet I cannot blame thee, that knowest not what necessitie inforceth my coynesse: alas! I live in the gaze of jelous distruste , who, with lynxes eyes, watcheth my behaviour, so that of force I am forst to carrie a shew of hatred where in heart I love. But of this assure thy selfe, although Frizaldo (whose familiaritie woorketh thy feare) weareth both my glove and garter, yet Rinaldo hath, and shall have, my heart. So that (sweete friend) from hencefoorth (having my constancie thus warranted) when most I lowre, contrary my lookes with smiling thoughtes. And thus, till more fortunate time do perfect our wished desires, thy loving mystresse wisheth thee well to fare.
Giletta de Bologna .
When good Giletta had thus ended her letters, for that shee durst not trust Rosina, her wayting woman, with the deliverie of them, whom she knewe to be too well affected towardes Frizaldo to worke him such an injurie, shee determined to be the embassadour her selfe: to accomplish which devise shee made an apple hollowe, wherein shee bestowed this letter, which shee closed so cunningly, that none by the outward show could perceive the inward charge thereof. But, oh the force of jelosie! Frizaldo, for that he could not alwayes be present to eye Gilettas behaviour, wonne her waytinge woman to watch her so narrowly as shee might bee able to yeeld accompt of all her doinges. This trayterous mayde to her mystresse so trustily performed his request, as, although Giletta practised this devise in her secret closet, yet through the cranell of a wall, shee had notice thereof; so that the night following shee came to the fingering of this apple, and, finding these loving lines in the body thereof, shee forthwith went to Frizaldo, to whom shee delivered both the letter and apple. But he, that foreknew Gilettas love towards Rinaldo, was rather glad then sadde of these newes; for by this meanes he spyde occasion presently to overthrowe Rinaldo with despaire. To further which villanous trechery, as neere as he could he counterfeited Gilettas hand, and then, in steede of her courteous lines (in her name) hee wrote this uncomfortable letter:
Rinaldo, thy dissembling hath wrought my displeasure; and although I will not shew how, nor wherein, thou art unjust, yet know thou I know so well thy villanies, as no excuse shall remove mee from revenge. And if my unpleasaunt lookes any way offende thee, assure thy selfe my heart tenne times more abhorreth thee: thereof let this my hand writing be a witnes, which I my selfe deliver to this ende, that thou mayst at once end both thy hope and unregarded sute: by her that hates the more then shee loves herselfe,
Giletta de Bologna .
When Frizaldo had made an ende of this letter, hee bestowed it in the apple, and wild Rosina to laye the same where shee found it: the next day hee brought Giletta, where of force shee must see her loving Rinaldo, and of purpose seemed carelesse of her behaviour, that she might have opportunitie to salute her sorrowful servaunt. Poore Giletta, unacquainted with this treacherie, simplie delivered Rinaldo the apple, saying, the vertue in the fruite was of force to end his sorrowes. Herewith shee hasted after Frizaldo, without either answere or thankes at her lervauntes hands, who, receyving this courtefie beyond all hope, as one amased at so soudaine a joy, it was longe ere hee tasted this apple, and finding a letter inclosed therein, I can hardly report the one halfe of his delight; but this I am assured, for his faire mystresse sake he a hundred times kist both the seale and superscription, before he adventured to take knowledge of the hidden message therein: but when he ripped it open, and found the forecited newes, alas, poore man! his late sweete motions so increased his sowre passions, that if it were possible for anye to taste more miseries, his fare exceeded the torments of hell.
Ah God! (quoth hee) how maye it so sweete a face should be matcht with so cruel a hart, such heavenly lookes with such hellish thoughts, so faire a creature with so soule conditions, and so modest a countenance with so mercilesse a minde? O Giletta! what meanest thou so to ecclipse thy honour, darken thy vertue, and spoile thy wonted report of pitie, by murthering of thy faithfull friend? Hadst thou no feare of infamie? No thought of former vow? Might not remorse of conscience withdrawe thee from disloyaltie? Madest thou no more accompte of love then like unto a garment, at thy pleasure to put off and on? Couldest thou doe Rinaldo such injurie as to let another devoure the fruites of his toyle? Wouldest thou suffer Frizaldo to reape the crop of love that Rinaldo sowed with sighes, weeded with faith, did nourish with teares, and ripened with continual service? Suppose I admitt the force of thy second love, in excuse of all these wronges, with what face couldst thou triumphe in my miseries? Yea, desire my death, that loved thee so deare? Trust mee, cruell Giletta, if thine owne writing had not been witnesse, I would never have thought thee inconstant, nor had not thine own hands delivered the instrument of my destruction, I would hardly a credited thy letters; but on so certaine a proofe, in vayne it were to hope. Ah, God! how rightly didst thou hit my fortune, when as thou saidst, thy apple would ease my sorrowes: in deed I found it in my death, and only death must cure my grief. And sith so subtily thou prophesiedst my destruction, since it agreeth with thy wil, thy wretched desire shal foorthwith be wrought. In this desperate mynde Rinaldo hasted unto the river of Poo, where, by the shore side, he sawe a simple man, to whome he delivered a scroll wherein was written,
Giletta, false of faith, Rinaldo nipt so nye,
That, lo! he chose, before his time in stremes of Poo to dy.
Whiche verses he requested the poore man to deliver at the Lorde de Bolognas castile to maistresse Giletta, and then, without using any other speache, he lept into the river. The poore man, halfe amazed at this wilful acte, foorthwith hasted unto the Lorde de Bolognas castle, where, after he had delivered the writing to Giletta, he shewed for certaintie he saw Rinaldo drowne him self. The newes was unwelcome unto everie hearer (save only to Frizaldo, that trayned him into this mischiefe), but especially to Giletta this tydinges was too too grievous: she weapt, she waylde, she blamed her and his unlucky fortune, Frizaldos jealousie, her friendes untowardnesse, and chiefly her owne nycenesse, as instruments of Rinaldos lamentable destinie: insomuch as neither shew of pleasure, companie of acquaintance, or persuasion of friendes, could move her unto any comfort.
Well, leave we sorrowfull Giletta, continually bemoning the death of her best beloved servaunt, and turne we to Rinaldo, who, after he had a while felt the furie of the floudes, was wearie of dying, so that for life he laboured unto the shoare; which happily recovered, he felt his stomacke at that instant rather overcharged with water then love; yet, for that by sight of his sowre-sweete maistresse he would not renue his sorrowes, nor that he coulde brooke in the court to be frumpt and flouted at, he consented, in a forrest neare adjoyning unto this river, in miserie to consume the residue of his life. And abasing his mind unto the condition of his distresse, he was content to take a hollow cave for his house and herbour, the bare ground both for his bed and bedding, for companions to make choice of wild beastes, to bemoane his fortunes unto the wilde forrests, to make the night raven his clocke, his harmonie of hellishe noise of monsters, and his foode the fruits of the earthe. O, strange effectes of love! that could vaile his mynde to vouchsafe these miseries, that lately held at will, almost what he could wish. But leave I now to write of love his force (whom noman hitherto could either truly define or describe), and turne againe to poore Rinaldos hard estate, who, roming in the wilde forrestes for foode, espied an apple tree, the fruit wherof put him in remembrance of the apple Giletta delivered him, wherein he found a letter that forst him to this penance; the sight wherof with sorrow not only slaked his hunger, but moved him to such impatience that, in despaire and despight of the fruite, upon the tree he carved this invention:
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