comelines of your noble Personage, wil despoyle you of your goods and honour, and then take his Legs into som straung countrey.” The simple Lady, albeit greeuous it was vnto hir to heare sutch speech of hir husband, yet helde hir peace and dissembled what she thought, glad and wel contented with the curtesy done vnto hir, fearinge before that they came to kyll hir and thought hirselfe already discharged, hopinge vppon their courteous Dealinges, that shee, and hir Chyldren from that tyme forth should lyue in good assuraunce. But she was greatly deceyued, and knew within shorte space after, the good will that hir Brethren bare hir: for so soone as these Gallants had conducted hir into the kyngdome of Naples, to one of the Castels of hir sonne, she was committed to pryson wyth hir chyldren, and she also that was the secretary of hir infortunate mariage. Til this time Fortune was contented to proceede with indifferent quiet against those Louers, but henceforth yee shall heare the Issue of theyr little prosperous loue, and how pleasure hauing blinded them, neuer forsooke them vntil it had giuen them the ouerthrow. It booteth not heere to recite any Fables or Hystories, contenting my self that Ladies do reade wythout to many weping teares, the pitifull end of that myserable princesse, who seeing hir selfe a Prisoner in the company of hir litle chyldren and welbeloued Mayden, paciently liued in hope to see hir Brethren appaysed, comforting hir selfe for the escape of hir husband out of the hands of his mortal foes. But hir assurance was changed into an horrible feare and hir hope to no expectation of surety, when certayne dayes after hir imprisonment, hir gaoler came in, and sayde vnto hir: “Madame, I do aduise you henceforth to consider and examine your Conscience, for so mutch as I suppose that euen thys very day your Lyfe shall be taken from you.” I leaue for you to thinke what horrour, and traunce assayled the feeble heart of this poore Lady, and wyth what eares she receyued that cruell message, but hir cryes, and moanes together with hir sighes and lamentations declared with what chere she receyued the aduertisement. “Alas” (sayd she) “is it possible that my brethren should so far forget themselues, as for a fact nothing preiudicial vnto them, cruelly to put to death their innocent Sister, and to imbrue the memory of their fact, in the bloud of one which neuer did offend them? Must I against al right and equity be put to death before the Iudge or Maiestrate haue made triall of my lyfe, and knowne the righteousnesse of my cause? Ah God, most rightfull and bountifull father, beholde the mallice of my Brethren, and the Tyrannous cruelty of those which wrongfully doe seeke my bloud. Is it a sinne to marry? Is it a fault to fly, and auoide the sinne of Whoredome? What Lawes be these, where marriage bed, and ioyned matrimony is pursued wyth lyke seuerity, that Murder, Theft, and Aduoutry are? And what