French fiction -- Translations into English; Italian fiction -- Translations into English
euer, and if it so please vou, your Faythfull, and Loyall
Freende, and Husbande.” The yonge Damosell not wonted for to
heare sutch Songs, did chaunge hir coloure at least three or
foure times, and neuerthelesse fayned a little angre of that
which did content hir most: and yet not so sharpe, but that the
Gentleman perceyued well enough, that shee was touched at the
quicke, and also that he was accepted into hir good Grace and
Fauoure. And therefore hee continued styll hys talke, all that
time after dinner, vntill the Mayden made hym thys aunswere:
“Sir, I will nowe confesse that griefe may couer alteration of
affections proceeding of Loue. For although I had determined to
dissemble that which I thinke, yet there is a thinge in my Mynde
(which I can not name) that gouerneth mee so farre from my
proper Deuises, and Conceyptes, as I am constrayned to doe that
which this second Inspiration leadeth mee vnto, and forceth my
Mynde to receyue an Impression: but what will be the ende
thereof, as yet I knowe not. Notwythstandinge, reposinge mee in
youre Vertue, and Honesty, and acknowledgynge youre merite,
I thincke my selfe happy to haue sutch one for my Freende, that
is so Fayre and comely a knight, and for sutch I doe accept you
vntill you haue obtayned of the Lady, my Mother, the second
poynct, which may accomplish that which is moste desyred of
them, that for vertue’s sake do loue. And but for that you shall
bee none otherwyse fauoured of me, than hytherto you haue ben.”
“Tyll now haue I attended for thys ryght happye day of Ioy and
Blysse (sayd the Knyght) in token whereof, I doe kysse your
whyte and delycate Hands, and for acknowledging the fauour that
presently I do receiue, I make my vaunt to be the seruaunt of
hir that is the fayrest, and most curteous Gentlewoman, on thys
side the Mountaynes.” As hee had fynished those words they came
to couer for Supper, where they were serued so honourably, as yf
they had ben in the Court of the Monarch of Spayne. After Supper
they went to walke abroade alongs the Riuer side, besette wyth
Wyllow Trees, where both the Beauty of the time, the runnyng
Ryuer, the Charme of the Natural musicke of birds, and the
pleasaunt Murmure of the tremblyng Leaues, at the whistelyng of
the swete Westerne Wynd, moued them agayne to renew theyr
Pastyme after Dynner. For some dyd gyue themselues to talke,
and to deuyse of delectable matter: some framed Nosegayes,
Garlandes, and other prety posyes for theyr Fryendes; other some
did leape, runne, and throwe the Barre. In the end a great Lord,
neighbor to Dom Diego, whose name was Dom Roderico, knowyng by
his Fryend’s Countenaunce to what saynt hee was vowed, and
perceyuing for whose loue the feaste was celebrate, tooke by the
hand a Gentlewoman that sate nexte to fayre Gineura, and prayed
hir to daunce after a Song, whereunto shee beeynge pleasaunt and
wyse, made no great refusall. Dom Diego fayled not to ioyne wyth
hys mystresse, after whome folowed the rest of that noble
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