refused many times their goodes, being resolued not to care
or esteme the benefites of Fortune. The Countesse of whome I
spake, arriued thus at Saragossa, was very well intertained of
the king, and of his whole Court. The Gouernour of Catalogne,
many times came thither to visite her, whom Amadour neuer failed
to accompany, for the onely pleasure he had to talke with
Florinda: and to make himselfe to be knowen in the company, hee
went to Auenturade, whiche was the daughter of an old knight
that dwelt hard by the house, whiche from her youth was brought
vp with Florinda, in such familiar sorte, as she knewe all the
secrets of her harte. Amadour, as well for the honestie that he
found in her, as for the liuing of III.M. ducates by the yeare
which she should haue with her in mariage, determined to geue
her such intertaignement, as one that was disposed to marry her.
Wherunto the gentlewoman did willingly recline her eare: and
bicause he was poore, and the father of the damosell rich, she
thought that her father would neuer accorde to the mariage,
except it were by meanes of the Countesse of Arande. Wherupon
she went to madame Florinda, and saide vnto her: "Madame, you
see this Castillan gentleman, which so oftentimes talketh with
me, I doe beleue that his pretence is to marry me: you do know
what a father I haue, who will neuer geue his consent, if he be
not persuaded therunto by my Lady your mother and you." Florinda
which loued the damosell as her selfe, assured her that shee
would take vpon her to bring that matter to passe, with so
earnest trauaile as if the case were her own. Then Auenturade
brought Amadour before Florinda, who after he had saluted her,
was like to fall in a sowne for ioy, and although he were
compted the moste eloquent persone of Spaine, yet was he now
become mute and dumb before Florinda, wherat she maruelled much:
for albeit she was but XII. yeares of age, yet she vnderstode
that there was no man in Spaine that had a better tongue, or a
more conuenable grace than he. And seing that he said nothing
vnto her, she spake vnto him in this wise: "The fame which is
bruted of you (sir Amadour) throughout the whole countrie of
Spaine, is such as it maketh you knowen and estemed in this
company, and giueth desire and occasion to those that know you,
to imploy themselues to do you pleasure: wherefore if there be
any thing wherin I may gratifie you, vse me I besech you."
Amadour that gased vpon the beautie of