s minde and delight incessantly remained:
after he was maried, he became well acquainted and familiar in
the house of the Countesse, so that he was so conuersaunt
amonges the Ladies, as if he had bene a woman: and although hee
was then but XXII. yeares of age, he was so wise and graue, as
the Countesse imparted vnto him all her affaires, commaunding
her sonne and daughter to intertayne him, and to credite all
thinges wherein hee gaue counsell. Hauing wonne this great
estimation, he behaued him selfe so wyse and politike, that euen
the partie whiche he loued knewe no parte of his affection: but
by reason of the loue that Florinda bare to the wife of Amadour,
whome shee loued more than any other woman, she was so familiar
with him, as shee dissembled no part of her thought, declaring
vnto him all the loue that she bare the sonne of the Infant
Fortune: and he that desired nothing more than throughly to
winne her, ceassed not from continuance of talke, not caring
whereof he spake, so that he might hold her with long discourse:
Amadour had not after his mariage continued a moneth in that
companie, but was constrained to retire to the warres, where hee
continued more than twoo yeares, without retourne to see his
wife, who still abode in the place where she was brought vp.
During the time, Amadour wrote many letters vnto his wife, but
the chiefest substance therof consisted in commendations to
Florinda, who for her part failed not to render like vnto him,
many times writing some pretie worde or posie with her own hand,
in the letter of Auenturade. Which made her husband Amadour
diligent many times to write again vnto her, but in al this
doing Florinda conceiued nothing, but that he loued her with
such like loue as the brother oweth to the sister. Many times
Amadour went and came, but in the space of fiue yeares he neuer
sawe Florinda twoo monethes together: notwithstanding, Loue in
despite of their distaunce and long absence, ceassed not to
increase: and it chaunced that hee made a voyage home to see his
wyfe, and founde the Countesse farre from the court, bicause the
kyng of Spain was done to Vandelousie, and had taken with him
the yong Earle of Arande, whiche then began to bere armes. The
Countesse was retired to a house of pleasure, which shee had
vpon the frontiers of Arragon and Nauarre, and was right ioyfull
when shee see Amadour, who almoste three yeares had bene absent.
He was very well recieued of euery man, and the