s prayed him to refraine for a time to speake vnto
her, vntill the brute and rumor were somewhat appaised: which
thing he did at her request. But during this long time, either
of them hauing loste their consolacion, began to feele such
torment within themselues, as shee for her part neuer felte the
like. She ceased not from praying vnto God, from goinge on
pilgrimage, and fasting: for this vnacquainted loue brought her
to such disquiet as she could not rest the space of one houre.
Wherewith the noble bastard was no lesse tormented: but he which
had alreadie minded in hart to loue her and pursue her till
mariage, and hauing respecte (for loue sake) to the honor he
should acquire by the same, thought to finde meanes to declare
his minde vnto her, and aboue al things to get the good wil of
her gouernesse: which he did, declaring vnto her the miserie
wherein her poore maistresse remayned, which was voide of al
comfort and other frendship. Then the poore old Lady Modesta,
gaue him thankes for the honest affection that hee bare to her
maistresse: and deuised meanes how the two louers might impart
their minds together. Rolandine fayned herselfe to be sicke of a
Mygrim and paine in her heade, the brute of whose maladie was
feared to be greater then it was, and so concluded betwene them
that when her companion were gone into the chamber, they two
should remaine together alone to satisfie ech other with mutuall
talke. The bastard gentleman was very glad, and ruled himselfe
holy by the councell of the Gouernesse, in such sort as when he
liste, he spake vnto his louer and vertuous Lady: but this
contencaion did not indure: for the Queene who loued her but a
little, inquired what Rolandine did so long in her Chamber, and
one made aunswere that it was by reason of her sicknes. Albeit
there was another which knewe to well the cause of her absence,
sayde vnto her, that the ioye which Rolandine had to speake vnto
the bastard was able to ease her Mygrim. The Queene which found
out the veniall sinnes of other, by mortall offences in
herselfe, sent for her, and forbad her in any wyse not to speake
vnto the bastard, except it were in the hall or within her owne
Chamber. The Gentlewoman made as though she vnderstode her not,
but mildlie aunswered that, is shee knew any talke betweene them
might offend her maiestie, she would neuer speake vnto him
againe. Notwithstanding she determined to finde out some other
secret meanes that the Queene s