French fiction -- Translations into English; Italian fiction -- Translations into English
What greater amends canst thou wysh to haue, yea though the
offence which thou presupposest had ben true? Now (if thou be
wyse) chaunge thy Opinion, except thou wouldest haue mee doe
into so many pieces, thy cruel corpse and vnfaithful heart, as
once this poore Knight did in parts the vnhappy hauke, which
through thy folly did breede vnto him this distresse, and to thy
self the name of the most cruell and disloyall Woman that euer
lyued. But what greater benefite can happen vnto thee, than to
see thys Gentleman vtterly to forget the fault, to conceiue no
sinister suspition of thy running away, crauing pardon at thy
Hands, and is contented to sacrifice him self vnto thine Anger,
to appease and mytigate thy rage? Now to speake no more hereof,
but to proceede in that which I began to say, I offer vnto thee
then both death and Loue, choose whether thou lyst. For I sweare
againe by hym that seeth and heareth all thinges, that if thou
play the foole, that thou shalt feele and proue me to be the
cruellest Ennimy that euer thou hadst: and sutch a one as shall
not feare to imbrue his hands wyth the bloud of hir that is the
death of the greatest friend I haue, and truest knight that euer
bare armes.” Gineura hearing that resolute aunswere, shewed hir
selfe to be nothing afrayde nor declared any token of feare, but
rather seemed to haue encouraged Roderico, in braue and mannish
sort, farre diuers from the simplicity of a young and tender
Mayden, as a Man would say, sutch a one as had neuer felt the
assaultes and troubles of adverse fortune. Wherefore frouncyng
her Browes, and grating hir Teeth wyth closed fists, and
Countenaunce very bold, she made him answere: “Ah thou Knight,
whych once gauest assault to commit a villany and Treason
thinkest thou now without remorse of conscyence to continue thy
mischyefe: I speak it to thee Villayne, whych hauing shed the
Bloud of an honester Man than thou art, fearest not now to make
me a Companion of hys Death. Which thyng spare not hardily to
accomplysh, to the intent that I liuinge, may not be sutch a one
as thou falsly iudgest me to be: for neuer Man hitherto vaunted,
and never shall, that hath had the spoyle of my dearest Iewell:
from the Fruict whereof, like an arrant Thiefe, thou hast
depryued my loyall Spouse. Now doe what you lyste: for I am
farre better content to suffer death, be it as cruel as thou art
mischieuous, and borne for the disquieting and vexation of
honest Maidens then yelde vnto thy furies: notwithstanding I
humbly beseech Almyghty God, to gyue thee so mutch pleasure,
contentation and ioy in thy loue, as thou hast done to me, by
hastening the death of my deare Husband. O GOD, if thou be a
iust GOD, sutch a one, as from whom we thy poore Creatures do
beleue al iustice to proceede, thou I say which art the Rampire
and refuge of al iustice, poure downe thy vengeance and plague
vpon these pestiferous Thieues and murderers, which prepared a
worldely plague vpon me thine innocent damsel. Ah wycked
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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