The yong Lorde mutch maruelled at this message, were it for that already hee was in loue with hir, and that for loue of his friend Ardizzino, durst not be known therof, or for that he feared she wold be straught of wits, if she were despised, he determined to goe vnto hir, and yet stayed thinking it not to be the part of a faythfull companyon to deceiue his Friend: but in the end pleasure surmounting reason, and the beauty ioyned wyth the good grace of the Lady hauing blinded him, and bewitched his wits so wel as Ardizzino, he toke his way towards hir house, who waited for him wyth good deuotion, whither being arriued, he failed not to vse like spech that Valperga did, either of them (after certain reuerences and other fewe words) minding and desyringe one kinde of intertaynement. This practize dured certayn months, and the Countesse was so farre rapt with her new louer, as she only employed hir self to please him, and he shewed himself so affected as therby she thought to rule and gouerne him in all things: wherof she was afterwards deceiued as you shall vnderstand the maner. Ardizzino seing himself wholly abandoned the presence and loue of his Lady, knowing that she railed vpon him in al places where she came, departed Pauia halfe out of his wittes for Anger, and so strayed from comely ordyr by reason of his rage, as hee displayed the Countesse thre times more liuely in hir colours, than she could be paynted, and reproued hir wyth the termes of the vilest and moste common strumpet that euer ran at rouers, or shot at random. Bianca Maria vnderstode hereof, and was aduertised of the vile report that Ardizzino spread of hir, throughout Lombardie, which chaffed hir in sutch wyse as she fared like the Bedlem fury, ceasing night nor day to playne the vnkindnes and folly of hir reiected louer: somtimes saying, that she had iust cause so to do, then flattering hir selfe, alledged, that men were made of purpose to suffer sutch follyes as were wroughte by hir, and where they termed themselues to bee Women’s Seruauntes, they ought at theyr Mystresse Handes to endure what pleased them. In the end, not able any longer to restrayne hir choler, ne vanquish the appetite of reuenge, purposed at all aduenture to prouide for the death of her auncient Enimy, and that by meanes of him whom she had now tangled in her Nettes. See the vnshamefastnesse of this mastife bitche, and the rage of that Female Tiger, howe shee goeth about to arme one friend against an other, and was not content onely to abuse the Counte Gaiazzo, but deuised how to make him the manqueller. And as one night they were in the middest of their embracements, she began pitifully to weepe and sigh, in sutch wise as a man would haue thought (by the vexation of hir hearte) that the soule and body would haue parted. The younge Lorde louingly enquired the cause of hir heauinesse: and sayd vnto hir, that if any had done hir displeasure, hee would reuenge hir cause to hir contentment.