could neither run
away nor yet defend her selfe: knewe none other remedie, but to
proue if he had yet remaining in him any griftes of the former
loue, that for the honour therof he might forget his crueltie.
Wherefore she sayd vnto him: "Amadour, if now you doe accompt me
for an enemy, I besech you for the honestie of the loue which at
other times I haue found planted in your harte, to geue me leaue
to speake before you doe torment me." And when shee saw him
recline his eare, she pursued her talk in this wyse: "Alas,
Amadour, what cause haue you to seke after the thing wherof you
shall receiue no contentation, inflicting vppon me such
displeasure as there can be no greater? you haue many times
proued my wil and affection in the time of my youthfull dayes,
and of my beautie farre more excellent than it is now, at what
tyme your passion might better be borne with and excused, than
nowe: in such wyse as I am nowe amased to see that you haue the
harte to torment me at that age and great debilitie wherewith I
am affected: I am assured that you doubt not but that my wyl and
mind is such as it was wont to be: wherefore you can not obtayne
your demaunde but by force: and if you sawe howe my face is
arrayed, you would forget the pleasure whiche once you conceiued
in me, and by no meanes would forcibly approche nere vnto me:
and if there be lefte in you yet any remnantes of loue, it is
impossible but that pitie may vanquishe your furie: and to that
pitie and honestie whereof once I had experience in you, I do
make my plaint, and of the same I do demaund grace and pardon,
to thintent that according to theffect of your wonted perswasion
and good aduise you may suffer me to liue in that peace and
honestie, which I haue determined and vowed during life: and if
the loue which you haue borne me be conuerted into hatred, and
that more for reuengement than affection, you doe purpose to
make me the moste unhappy of the world, I assure you, you shall
not be able to bryng your intent to passe, besides that you
shall constrayne me against my determination, to vtter and
reueale your villany and disordinate appetite towardes her which
did repose in you an incredible affiance: by discouering
whereof, thinke verely that your lyfe cannot continue without
perill." Amadour breaking her talke sayde vnto her: "If I die
for it, I will presently be acquieted of my torment: but the
deformitie of your face (whiche I thinke was done by you of set
purpo