ouerthrow? Who knoweth not the fury of a woman: specially the Noble dame, by seeing hirselfe despised? No, no, she loueth me, and I will be hir seruaunt, and vse the fortune proffred. Shal I be the first simple Gentleman that hath married or loued a Princesse? Is it not more honourable for mee to settle my mind vpon a place so high, than vppon some simple wench by whom I shall neyther attayne profit, or aduancement? Baldouine of Flaunders, did not he a Noble enterprise when he carried away Iudith the daughter of the French kynge, as she was passing vpon the Seas into England, to be married to the kynge of that Countrey? I am neither Pirat nor Aduenturer, for the Lady loueth me. What wrong doe I then to any person by rendringe loue agayne? Is not she at liberty? To whom ought shee to make accoumpt of hir deedes and doinges, but to God alone and to hir owne Conscience? I wyll loue hir, and cary lyke affection for the loue which I know and see that she beareth vnto me, beinge assured that the same is directed to good ende, and that a Woman so wyse as she is, will not hazard the bleamish of hir honor.” Thus Bologna framed the plot for intertaynment of the Duchesse (albeit hir loue already was fully bent vpon him) and fortified hym selfe agaynst all perillous myshap and chaunce that might succeede, as ordinarily you see that Louers conceyue all things for their aduauntage, and fantasie dreames agreeable to their most desire, resemblinge the Mad and Bedlem persons which haue before their eyes, the figured Fansies whych cause the conceipt of their fury, and stay themselues vpon the vision of that which most troubleth their offended Brayne. On the other side, the Duchesse was in no lesse care of hir Louer, the will of whom was hid and secret, whych more did vexe and torment hir, than the fire of loue that burned hir feruently. She could not tell what way to hold, to do him vnderstand hir heart and affection. She feared to discouer the same vnto hym, doubtinge eyther that some fond and rigorous aunswere, or the reueylinge of hir mynde to hym, whose presence pleased hir more than all of the men of the World. “Alas,” sayd shee, “am I happed into so straunge misery, that with mine owne mouth I must make request to him, which with all humility ought to offer mee hys service? Shall a Lady of sutch bloud as I am, be constrayned to sue, where all other be required by importunate instance of their Suters? Ah loue, loue, what so euer he was that clothed thee wyth sutch puissaunce, I dare say he was the cruell ennimy of man’s freedom. It is impossible that thou hadst thy being in heauen, sith the clemency and curteous influence of the same, inuesteth man with better benefits, than to suffer hir nourse children to be intreated with sutch rigor. He lieth which sayth that Venus is thy mother, for the swetenes and good grace that resteth in that pitifull Goddesse, who taketh no pleasure to see louers perced with so egre trauayles as that which afflicteth my heart.