French fiction -- Translations into English; Italian fiction -- Translations into English
withdrewe herselfe into her chamber alone, and there began to scratche
and teare her face and heare, like one that was madde and out of her
wittes, saying: “Alas, alas, what payne and trouble, what vnmeasurable
tormentes suffreth nowe my poore afflicted mynde, without comfort or
consolation of any creature liuing? what dure and cruell penaunce doe I
susteine, for none offence at all? Ah! fortune, fortune, the enemy of my
felicitie and blisse, thou haste so depriued me of all remedie, as I
dare not so muche as to make any man know or vnderstand my mishap that
the same might be reuenged, which being doen would render such content
to my minde, that I should departe out of this worlde the beste
satisfied mayden that euer died. Alas, that the Goddes did not graunte
me the benefite, that I might haue come of noble kinde, to the intente I
might haue caused that trayterous ruffien, to feele the grieuous paine
and bitter tormentes, which my poore harte susteineth. Ah wretched
caitife that I am, abandoned and forlorne of all good fortune: nowe I
doe see that with the eies of my minde, which with those of my body
daseled and deceiued I could not see or perceiue. Ah cruell enemy of all
pitie, doest thou not knowe and feele in thy minde, the heauie and
sorowfull sounde of my bitter plaintes? Vnderstandest not thou my voyce
that crieth vengeaunce vpon thee for thy misdede? Can not thy crueltie
in nothing be diminished seing me dismembred with the terrour of a
thousand furious martirdomes? Ah ingrate wretche, is this nowe the
rewarde of my loue, of my faithfull seruice, and mine obedience?” And as
she thus bitterly tormented her selfe, her mother and brethren, and her
maide, whiche was brought vp with her from her tender yeres, went vp to
the chamber to Violenta, where they found her then so deformed with rage
and furie, that almoste she was out of their knowledge. And when they
went about to reduce her by al meanes possible from those furious
panges, and saw that it nothing auailed, they lefte her in the keeping
of the olde maiden, whom she loued aboue any other. And after the maiden
had vttered vnto her particularly many reasons, for the appeasing of her
griefe, she told her that if she would be quiet a litle while, she would
go and speake to the knight Didaco, and make him to vnderstand his
fault. And would with discrete order so deale with him, that he should
come home to her house, and therefore shee prayed her to arme herselfe
against this wickednes, and to dissemble the matter for a time, that
hereafter she might vse vpon him iust reuenge. “No, no Ianique” answered
Violenta, “that offence is very small and lighte, where counsaile is
receiued: and albeit that I cannot chose, but confesse thine aduise to
be very meete, yet there wanteth in me a minde to followe it: that if I
did feele any part in me disposed to obeye the same, I would euen before
thy face, separate that minde from my wretched bodie: for I am so
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