efest of all Thuscane) there
was a Duke that maried the Lady Margaret the bastarde daughter
of the Emperour Charles the fift. And bicause shee was very
young, it was not lawfull for him to lye with her, but taryng
till she was of riper yeres, he interteigned an vsed her like a
noble gentleman. And who to spare his wife, was amorous of
certaine other Gentlewomen of the citie. Amonges whom he was in
loue with a very fayre and wyse Gentlewoman, that was sister to
a Gentleman, a seruaunt of his, whome the Duke loued so well as
himselfe, to whome he gaue so muche authoritie in his house, as
his word was so wel obeied and feared as the Duke's him self,
and there was no secrete thing in the Duke's minde, but he
declared the same vnto him, who might ful wel haue bene called a
second himself. The duke seing his sister to be a woman of great
honestie, had no wayes or meanes to vtter vnto her the loue that
he bare her (after he had inuented all occasions possible) at
length he came to this Gentleman which he loued so well, and
said vnto him: "My friend, if there were any thing in all the
world, wherein I were able to pleasure thee, and woulde not doe
it at thy request, I should be afraid to say my fantasie, and
much ashamed to craue your help and assistance: but the loue is
such which I bare thee, as if I had a wife, mother, or daughter,
that were able to saue thy life, I would rather imploy them,
than to suffer thee to die in torment: and if thou doe beare
vnto me that affection which am thy maister, thinke verely that
I doe beare vnto thee the like. Wherefore I will disclose vnto
thee suche a secrete and priuie matter, as the silence thereof
hath brought me into sutche plight as thou seest, whereof I doe
loke for none amendement but by death or by the seruice whiche
thou maiest doe me, in a certayne matter which I purpose to tell
thee." The Gentleman hearing the reasons of his maister, and
seing his face not fayned, but all besprent with teares, tooke
great compassion vpon him and sayd: "My Lorde, I am your humble
seruaunt: all the goodes and worship that I haue doth come from
you. You may saye vnto me as to your moste approued frende.
Assure your self, that all which resteth in my power and
abilitie, is already at your commaundement." Then the Duke began
to tell him of the loue that hee bare vnto his sister, which was
of sutche force, as if by his meanes he did not enioye her, his
life could not long continue. For he saide, t