good and wyse, dissembling her griefe, and coueringe the venome hidden in hir mynde, began so well to play the hypocrite before hir husbande, and to counterfayte the simple Dame, as albeit he was right politike, yet he was within hir Snare intrapt, who flattered him wyth so fayre Wordes, as she won him to goe to Casal, to visite the lands of hir Inheritaunce. We see whereunto the intent of this false Woman tended, and what checkmate she ment to geue both to hir husband, and hir honour: whereby we know that when a woman is disposed to giue hir selfe to wickednesse, hir mynde is voyd of no malyce or inuention to sort to ende any daunger or perill offered vnto hir. The factes of one Medea (if credite may be gieuen to Poets) and of Phædra, the Woman of Theseus, wel declare with what beastly zeale they began and finished their attempts: the eagles flight is not so high, as the Foolyshe desires, and Conceiptes of a Woman that trusteth in hir owne opinion, and treadeth out of the tract of duety, and way of Wysedome. Pardon me, good Ladies, if I speake so largely, and yet think not that I mean to display any other but sutch, as forget the degree wherin their Auncestours haue placed them, and whych digresse from the true path of those that haue immortalized the memory of themselues, of their husbands, and of the houses also whereof they came. I am very lothe to take vppon mee the office of a slaunderer, and no lesse do mean to flatter those, whom I see to their great shame, offende openly in the sight of the worlde: but why should I dyssemble that which I know your selues would not conceyle, yf in conscyence yee were requyred? It were extreame follye to decke and clothe vice wyth the holy garment of Vertue, and to call that Curtesie and Ciuylity, whych is manyfest whoredom and Trechery: let vs terme ech thyng by his due Name, and not deface that whych of it selfe is faire and pure: let vs not also staine the renoume of those, whom their own Vertue do recommende. This gentle Countesse beeing at Casal, making mutch of hir husbande, and kissing him with the kisse of treason, and of him being vnfainedly beloued and cherished, not able to forget his sermons, and mutch lesse hir own filthy lyfe, seeyng that with hir Counte it was impossyble for hir to liue and glut her lecherous lust, determined to runne away and seeke hir aduenture: for the brynging to passe wherof she had already taken order for money, the interest wherof growing to hir daily profite at Millan: and hauynge leuied a good summe of Ducates in hande, vntyll hir other rents were ready, she fled away in the night in companye of certayne of hir men which were priuie to her doeings. Hir retire was to Pauie, a City subiecte to the state and Duchy of Millan, where she hired a pryncely pallace, and apparelled the same according to hir estate and Trayne of hir husband, and as her owne reuenue was able to beare. I leaue for you to thinke what buzzings entred the Counte’s head, by the sodayne flight of