unsweare, that he
marueled much more, why men of good yeres, counted and esteemed
wise and discrete, should haue greater delight in reading of
such trifles, then those that were yong. And to iustifie that
maruel hee told her how her cosin the bastard did spend 4 or 5
houres in a day to read vppon the same. Vpon which words by and
by she conceyued the cause of his deepe studie, and charged him
to hide himselfe in some place to mark what he did. Which
commaundement the yeoman performed, and perceiued that the booke
which the bastard read vpon, was the window out of which
Rolandine talked with him: and therewithal called to remembrance
many wordes of the loue which they thought to keepe very
secreete. The next day he rehersed the same vnto his maistresse,
who sent for her cosin the bastard, and after many tales told
him, she forbad him to resort thither any more, and at night she
gaue like warning to Rolandine, threatninge her that if she
continued in her fond and foolish loue, she woulde tell the
Queene the whole circumstaunce of her lighte demeaner. Rolandine
(nothing astonied with those woords) did sweare that sith the
time she was forbidden by her maistresse the queene's maiesty,
she neuer spake vnto him: the troth whereof shee might learne
aswel of the gentlewomen her companions, as of other seruauntes
of the house: and touching the window whereof she spake, she
boldly aduouched that she neuer talked with the Bastard there.
Who (poore gentleman) fearing that his affayres would be
reuealed, kept himselfe farre out from daunger, and longe time
after did not retourne to the Courte. Howbeit, he wrote many
times to Rolandine by such secret meanes as for all the espiall
that the Queene had put, there passed no weeke but twise at
least shee hearde newes from him: and when one meanes did fayle
hym, hee deuised another, and many tymes sent a litle Page
clothed in colours (so often altered and chaunged as he was
sent) who staying at the gates when the Ladies passed by,
delyuered his letters priuelye in the middest of the prease.
Vpon a time as the Queene for her pleasure walked into the
fieldes, one which knew the Page and had charge to take hede
vnto those doings, ranne after him: but the Page which was a
fine boye, doubtinge leaste hee should be searched, conueyed hym
selfe into a poore woman's house, where spedelie he burnt his
letters in the fier, ouer whiche a potte was boyling with meate
for her poore familie. The gent