French fiction -- Translations into English; Italian fiction -- Translations into English
yee that while Salimbene by little and little pined for loue of
Angelica, whereof shee was ignoraunt and carelesse, and albeit
shee curteously rendred health to him, when sometimes in his
amorous fit he beheld hir at a Window, yet for al that shee
neuer so mutch as guessed the thoughts of hir louing enimy.
During these haps it chaunced that a rich Cittizen of Siena,
hauing a ferme adioyning to the Lands of Montanine, desirous to
encrease his Patrimony, and annexe the same vnto his owne, and
knowing that the yong Gentleman wanted many thinges, moued him
to sel his inheritaunce, offring hym for it in ready money,
a M. Ducates, Charles which of al the wealth and substaunce left
him by his auncester, had no more remaynyng but that countrey
Ferme, and a Palace in the City (so the rich Italians of ech
City, terme their houses,) and with that lytle lyued honestly,
and maintained his sister so wel as he could, refused flatly to
dispossesse himselfe of the portion, that renewed vnto him the
happy memory of those that had ben the chiefe of all the Common
Wealth. The couetous wretch seeing himselfe frustrate of his
pray, conceiued sutch rancor against Montanine, as he purposed
by right or wrong to make him not only to forfait the same, but
also to lose his lyfe, following the wicked desire of tirannous
Iesabell, that made Naboth to be stonned to death to extort and
wrongfully get his vineyard. About that time for the quarels and
common dyscordes raigning throughout Italy, the Nobility were
not assured of safety in their Countreis, but rather the common
sort and rascall number, were the chief rulers and gouerners of
the common wealth, whereby the greatest part of the Nobility or
those of beste authority being banished, the villanous band, and
grosest kind of common people made a law (like to the Athenians
in the time of Solon) that all persons of what degree and
condition so euer they were, which practized by himselfe or
other meanes the restablyshing or reuocation of sutch as were
banished out of their Citye, should lose and forfaite the
summe of M. Florens, and hauing not wherewith to pay the
condempnation, their head should remaine for gage. A law no
doubt very iust and righteous, scenting rather of the barbarous
cruelty of the Gothes and Vandales, than of true christians,
stopping the retire of innocents exiled for particular quarels
of Citizens incited one against another, and rigorously
rewarding mercy and curtesy, with execution of cruelty
incomparable. This Citizen then purposed to accuse Montanine
for offending against the law, bicause otherwise he could not
purchase his entent, and the same was easy inough for him to
compasse, by reason of his authority and estimation in the
Citye: for the Endytemente and plea was no sooner red and giuen,
but a number of post knightes appeared to depose against the
poore Gentleman, to beare witnesse that he had trespassed the
Lawes of the Countrey, and had sought meanes to introduce the
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