French fiction -- Translations into English; Italian fiction -- Translations into English
resolued in the mallice and hatred of Didaco, as he cannot satisfie me
without life alone. And I beliue the gods did cause me to be borne with
mine owne hands to execute vengeaunce of their wrath and the losse of
mine honour. Wherefore, Ianique, if from my youth thou diddest euer loue
me, shew now the same to me by effect, in a matter whereunto thy helpe
is moste necessary: for I am so outraged in my mischiefe, as I do enuie
the miserablest creatures of the world, remayning no more in me to
continue life in wailing and continuall sighes, but the title of a vile
and abhominable whore. Thou art a straunger and liuest here a beastly
life, ioyned with continuall labour: I haue twelve hundred crownes with
certaine Iewelles, which that false traitour gaue me, which he
predestinated by the heauens for none other purpose but to paie them
their hire, which shall do the vengeaunce vpon his disloyall persone.
I doe put the same money nowe into thy hands, if thou wilte helpe mee to
make sacrifice with the bodye of poore Didaco: but if thou doest denie
me thy helpe I will execute the same alone: and in case he do not die,
as I do intende, he shalbe murdred as I may, for the first time that I
shal see him with mine eyes, come of it what will, his life shalbe
dispatched with these two trembling hands which thou seest.” Ianique
seing her maistresse in these termes, and knowinge her stoute nature,
indued with a manly and inuincible stomacke, after shee had debated
manye thinges in her minde, she determined wholie to imploye herselfe
for her maistres in that shee was able to doe. Moued partly with pitie
to see her maistres dishonored with a defamed mariage, and partly
prouoked with couetousnes to gaine so great a summe of money, which her
maistres did offer if she would condiscende to her enterprise (thinking
after the facte committed, to flee into some other countrie.) And when
shee was throughlye resolued vppon the same, shee imbraced Violenta, and
said vnto her: “Maistres, if you will be ruled by mee, and giue ouer the
vehemencie of your wrathe and displeasure, I haue found a way for you to
be reuenged vppon Didaco, who hath so wickedly deceyued you: and albeit
the same cannot be doen secretly, but in the end it must be knowen, yet
I doubte not but the cause declared before the iudges, and they
vnderstandinge the wronge hee hath doen you, they wil haue compassion
vpon your miserie: who know right well that alwayes you haue been knowen
and esteemed for a very honest and vertuous maiden: and to the ende that
you be informed how this matter may be broughte to passe, first you must
learne to dissemble your griefe openlye, and to faine your selfe in anye
wise not to bee offended with the new mariage of the knight. Then you
shall write vnto him a letter with your owne hande, letting him therby
to vnderstande the paine that you suffer for the great loue you beare
him, and ye shal humblie beseech him, some times to come and visite you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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