a Monster more pernicious than this most Pestilent Beast? Thys is truely the grift of hir Father’s vsury, and the stench of all hir Predecessours villanyes: it is impossible of a Kyte or Cormerant to make a good Sparhauk, or Tercle gentle. This carion no doubt is the Daughter of a Vilayne, sprong of the basest race amongs the common people, whose mother was more fine than chaste, more subtile than sober: this minion hath forsaken hir husband, to erect bloudy Skaffoldes of murder amid the Nobles of Italy: and were it not for the dishonour which I should get to soyle my hands in the bloude of a Beast so corrupt, I woulde teare hir with my Teeth in a hundreth Thousand peeces: how many times hath she entreated mee before: in how many sundry sortes with ioyned handes hath she besought mee to kill the Lorde Ardizzino? Ah, my Companion, and right well beloued Freende, can you thincke mee to bee so Trayterous, and Cowarde a Knaue, as that I dare not tell to them to whome I beare displeasure what mallice lurketh in my heart?” “By the fayth of a Gentleman,” (sayd Ardizzino,) “I would be sory my mynd should seaze on sutch Folly, but I am come to reueale thys vnto you, that the Song might sound no more wythin myne eares. It behoueth vs then, sith God hath kept vs hytherto, to avoyde the ayre of that infection, that our braynes be not putrified, and from henceforth to fly those Bloudsuckers, the Schollers of Venus: and truely great dishonour would redound to vs, to kill one an other for the onely pastime and sottish fansie of that mynion: I haue repented me an hundred times when she first mooued mee of the deuice to kill you, that I did not geeue a hundred Poignaladoes wyth my Dagger, to stop the way by that example for all other to attempt sutch Butcheries: for I am well assured that the mallyce whych shee beareth you, proceedeth but of the delay you made for satisfaction of hir murderous desire, whereof I thancke you, and yelde my selfe in all causes to imploy my lyfe, and that I haue, to do you seruice.” “Leaue we of that talk” (sayd Gaiazzo) “for I haue done but my duety, and that which ech Noble heart ought to euery wight, doing wrong to none, but prone to help, and doe good to all: whych is the true marke and Badge of Nobility. Touching that malignant Strumpet, hir owne lyfe shall reuenge the wrongs which she hath gone about to venge on vs. In meane while let vs reioyce, and thincke the goods, and richesse shee hath gotten of vs, wil not cause hir Bagges mutch to Strout and Swel. To be short, she hath nothing whereby she may greatly laugh vs to scorne, except our good entertainment of hir night and day do prouoke hir: let other coyne the pence henceforth to fill her Coafers, for of vs (so farre as I see) she is deceyued.” Thus the two Lordes passed forth their tyme, and in all Companies where they came, they spent their Talke, and Communication of the disordered lyfe of the Countesse of Celant.