In the morning when she was redie, by such of her seruaunts, whome she beste trusted, shee sent for Gyges, who thought that shee had knowen nothing of that whiche chaunced. Being come before her presence; she sayde vnto hym, “Gyges I offer vnto thee nowe twoo conditions, take whether thou wylte. For eyther thou must kill Candaules, and take mee to thy wyfe, and the kyngdome also, or els thou must dye thy selfe, that thou maiest vnderstande, how in all thynges not meete to be knowen, it is not necessarye to obeye Candaules. For eyther hee muste needes dye, whiche gaue thee that counsayle, or thy selfe, which diddest see me naked, and thereby committed a thing vnlawfull.” Whiche words for a while, did wonderfully amase Gyges, then he besought the Queene that she woulde pardon him from that vnlawfull choise. When he saw that he coulde not perswade her; he required her to shewe him by what meanes he might attempt that enterprise. “Marie (quoth she) euen in that place where thou sawest me naked, when he is a sleepe thou shalt commit that facte.” After they had deuised the treason, night approched. And Gyges with stoute courage, bent himselfe thereunto, for he saw no remedye, but that he must kill, or els be killed. Wherefore with a Dagger which the Queene deliuered him, he killed Candaules, when he was a sleepe; and so gotte from him both his wife and kingdome. A goodly example to declare, that the secrets of Marriage, ought not to be disclosed: but with reuerence to be couered, lest God do plague such offences with death or other shame, to manifest to the world, howe dearely hee esteemeth that honourable state. THE SEUENTH NOUELL. _King Cræsus of Lydia reasoneth with the wyseman Solon, of the happie life of man. Who little esteeming his good aduise, vnderstoode before his death, that no man (but by vertue) can in this life attaine felicitie._