xtreme partes of her body waxed
cold, and those within burnt incessantly. The Phisitions (in the
hands of whom man's life doth not depend) began greatly to
mistrust health by reason of a certaine opilacion which made her
melancholicke: who counceiled the husbande to aduertise his wife
to consider her conscience, and that she was in the handes of
God (as thoughe they which be in health were not in his
protection): the husbande which intirely loued his wyfe, was
wyth their woordes made so heauye and pensife, as for his
confort he wrote to the Lord of Auannes, beseechinge him to take
the paynes to visite them, hoping that his sight would greatly
ease and relieue the disease of his wife. Which request the Lord
of Auannes immediatly vppon the recepte of those letters slacked
not, but by poste arriued at his father's house: at the entrye
whereof hee founde the seruauntes and women makinge great
sorrowe and lamentacion accordinglie as the goodnes of their
maistresse deserued: wherewith the sayde Lorde was so astonned
as he stoode stil at the doore like one in a traunce, vntil he
sawe his good father: who imbracing him beganne so bitterlie to
weepe, that he was not able to speake a worde. And so conueied
the sayd Lorde of Auannes vp into the Chamber of his poore sicke
wyfe: who casting vp her languishing eyes looked vppon him: and
reaching his hand vnto her, she strayned the same with all her
feeble force, and imbracinge and kissinge the same made a
marueylous plainte, and sayd vnto him. "O my Lord, the houre is
come that all dissimulacion must cease, and needes I must
confesse vnto you the troth, which I to my greate paine haue
concealed from you: which is, that if you haue borne vnto me
greate affection, beleeue that mine rendred vnto you, hath bin
no lesse: but my sorrow hath farre surpassed your griefe, the
smarte whereof I do feele now against myne hart and will:
wherefore, my lord, yee shall vnderstand, that GOD and mine
honour would not suffer mee to disclose the same vnto you,
fearing to increase in you that which I desired to be
diminished: but knowe yee, my Lorde, that the woordes which so
many tymes you haue vttered vnto mee, haue bred in me such
griefe, as the same be the Instrumentes and woorkers of my
death, wherewyth I am contente sith GOD did giue mee the grace
not to suffer the violence of my Loue, to blotte the puritye of
my conscience and renowne: for lesse fire then is wythin the
kindled harte of mine, ha