that lady, was rapt and
surprised, not well able to render thankes vnto her. And
although Florinda maruelled to see him without aunswere, yet she
imputed it rather to bashfulnesse than to any force of loue, and
departed without further talke. Amadour knowing the vertue which
in so tender yeares began to appeare in Florinda, saide vnto her
whome he purposed to marry: "Doe not maruell, though my speache
do fayle before Madame Florinda, for the vertues and discretion,
hidden in that yonge personage, did so amase mee, as I wiste not
what to saye: but I praye you Auenturade (quod he) who knoweth
all her secretes, to tell me, if it be otherwyse possible, but
that she hath the harte of all the Lordes and Gentlemen of the
Court: for they which know her and doe not loue her, be stones,
or beastes." Auenturade whiche then loued Amadour more than all
the men in the worlde, and would conceale nothing from him, said
vnto him: that Madame Florinda was generally beloued: but for
the custome of the countrie, fewe men did speake unto her. "And
(quod she) as yet I se none that make any semblance of loue vnto
her, but two young Princes of Spaine, which desire to marry her,
whereof the one is the sonne of the Infant Fortune, and the
other of the Duke of Cadouce." "I praye you then (quod Amadour)
to tell me which of them as you think, doth loue her best." "She
is so wise" said Auenturade, "that she will confesse or graunt
her loue to none, but to such as her mother pleaseth. But yet so
far as we can iudge she fauoureth muche better the sonne of the
Infant Fortune, than the Duke of Cadouce: and for that I take
you to be a man of good iudgment, this day you shall haue
occasion to consider the truth: for the sonne of the Infant
Fortune is brought vp in Court, and is one of the goodliest and
perfectest yong Gentlemen in al christendome: and if the mariage
do procede, according to our opinion, which be her women, he
shalbe assured to haue Madame Florinda: and then shalbe ioyned
together the goodliest couple in the world. And you must
vnderstand, that although they be both very yong, she of XII.
yeares of age, and he of XV. yet is there three yeares past
since their loue first began: and if you be disposed aboue other
to obtain her fauour, mine aduise is, that ye become friend and
seruaunt vnto him." Amadour was very ioyfull to heare tell that
his Lady loued some man, trusting that in tyme he should wynne
the place, not of husbande, but of ser