ill talke should rise: and thereby the hatred and malice betwene theyr husbandes increase to greater fury. And as they were aboute thys deuise, an occasion chaunced vtterly to dissolue theyr accustomed meetynges, but not in that sorte as they woulde haue had it. For the Women determined as merily they had begon so iocundlye to ende: but Fortune the guide of Humane Lyfe, disposeth all enterpryses after hir owne pleasure, who lyke a puissant Lady caryeth with hir the successe of eche attempte. The beginning she offereth freely to him that list, the Ende she calleth for, as a ransome or trybute payable vnto hir. In the same streate, or as they call it Rio, and Canale, not farre from theyr Houses, there dwelled a young Woman very fayre and comely, not fully twenty yeares of age, which then was a Widow, and a lyttle before the wife of M. Niccolo Delphino, and the Daughter of M. Giuoanni Moro, called Gismonda: she besides hir Father’s Dowrye (which was more than a Thousand Pound) had left hir by hir Husband, a great Porcyon of Money, Iewels, Plate, and houshold Furnitures. Wyth hir fell in Loue Aloisio Foscari, the Nephewe of the Duke, who making greate sute to haue hir to Wyfe, consumed the time in beholding his Ladye, and at length had brought the matter to so good passe, as one Nighte she was contented, at one of the Wyndowes of hir House directly ouer agaynste a little lane, to heare him speake. Aloisio maruellous glad of those desired Newes, at the appoynted Nyght, about fyue or sixe of the Clocke, with a Ladder made of Roapes (bicause the Window was very high) went thyther alone. Beyng at the place and making a signe concluded vppon betweene them, attended when the gentlewoman should throw down hir cord to draw vp the Ladder accordingly as was appointed, which not longe after was done. Gismonda when shee had receiued the ende of the Ladder, tied it fast to the iawme of the wyndow, and gaue a token to hir Louer to mount. He by force of loue being very venturous, liuely and lustely scaled the Wyndow: and when he was vppon the Top of the same, desirous to caste himselfe in, to embrace his Lady, and shee not readye to receiue him, or else vppon other occasion, he fel downe backewarde, thinking as he fell to haue saued himselfe twice or thryce by catchyng holde vppon the Ladder, but it would not be. Notwithstanding, as God would haue it, the poise of his Body fell not vppon the pauement of the streate fully, but was stayed by some lets in the fall, whych had it not bene so, no doubt he had bene slayne out of hande, but yet his bones were sore brused and his heade deepely wounded. The infortunate Louer seeing himselfe sore hurt wyth that pityfull fall, albeyt hee thought that hee had receiued his Death’s Wounde, and impossyble to liue any longer, yet the loue that he bare to the Widow, did so far surmount hys payne and the gryefe of hys Body sore crushed and broken, that so well as he could, hee rose vp, and