space Anselmo many times viewing and casting his eyes vpon Madonna Lucia, fell earnestly in loue with hir, and was not that day well at ease, wherein he had not beholden hir excellent beauty. She that was of Spirite, and Wit subtle, marked the lookes and maner of Anselmo, who neyther for loue, ne other cause did render like lookes on him, but to see to what ende his louing cheere and Countenaunce would tend. Notwithstanding she seemed rather desirous to behold him, than elswhere to imploye hir lookes. On the other side the good behauiour, the wise order and pleasaunt beauty of Madonna Isotta was so excellent and plausible in the sight of mayster Girolamo, as no Louer in the World was better pleased with his beloued than he with hir: who not able to liue wythout the sweete sight of Isotta (that was a crafty and wily Wench) was by hir quickly perceiued. She being right honest and wise, and louing hir husband very dearely, did beare that countenaunce to Girolamo, that she generally did to any of the Citty, or to other straunger that she neuer saw before. But hir husband more and more inflamed, hauing lost the liberty of himselfe, wounded and pierced with the amorous arowes of Loue, coulde not conuert his minde to any other but to mistresse Lucia. These two women wonted to heare seruice euery day ordinarily at the church of Sanfantino, bicause they lay long a bed in the mornings, and commonly seruice in that church was sayd somewhat late: their pewes also somwhat distant one from an other. Whether their 2 amorous husbands continually vsed to follow them a loofe of, and to place themselues where eyther of them might best view his beloued: by which custome they seemed to the common people to be iealous ouer their Wyues. But they prosecuted the matter in sutch wyse, as eyther of them without shipping, sought to send other into Cornouale. It came to passe then, that these 2 beloued gentlewomen one knowing nothing of another’s intent, determined to consider better of this loue, because the great good will long time borne, should not be interrupted. Vppon a certayne day when their husbands were abrode, resorting together to talk at their Garden hedge according to theyr wonted manner, they began to be pleasaunte and merry: and after louynge salutations, Mistresse Lucia spake these Woordes vnto hir Companyon: “Isotta my deare beloued sister, I haue a tale to tell you of your husband, that perchaunce will seeme straunger than anye newes that euer you heard.” “And I” (answered mistresse Isotta) “I have a story to tel you that wil make you no lesse to wonder than I at that which you haue to say, and it may be will put you into some choler and chafe.” “What is that?” quod the one and other. In the ende eyther of them told what practizes and loue their husbands went about. Whereat although they were in great rage for theyr husbandes follye, yet for the time they laughed out the matter, and thought that they were sufficient (as in very