haue, whereof one receiueth
the pleasure, and as she hath the pleasure, so hath not she the
honor." He which knewe wel by whom those words were spoken, said
vnto her: "Madame, honor hath waited vpon you euen from your
birth, for you be of so good a house, as to be a queene or
Empresse, you cannot augment your nobilitie, but your beautie,
grace, and honestie, hath deserued so much pleasure, as she that
depriueth you of that which is incident to your degree, doth
more wrong to her self then to your person. For she for a glorie
that hath turned her to shame, hath therewithall lost so much
pleasure, as your grace or any Lady in the realme may haue. And
I may saye vnto you (Madame) that if the kinge were no king as
he is, I thincke that he could not excel me in pleasing of a
woman: being sure that to satisfie such a vertuous personage as
you be, he might exchaunge his complexion with mine." The Queene
smiling, answered him: "Although the king be of more delicate
and weaker complexion than you be, yet the loue that he beareth
mee, doth so much content mee, as I esteeme the same aboue all
thinges in the world." The gentleman said vnto her: "Madame, if
it were so, I woulde take no pitie vpon you, for I know wel that
the honest loue of your hart, would yeld vnto you great
contentment, if the like were to be found in the king: but God
hath foreseene and preuented the same, least enioyinge your owne
desire, you would make him your God vppon earth." "I confesse
vnto you (saide the Queene) that the Loue I beare him, is so
great, as the like place he could not find in no woman's hart,
as he doth in mine." "Pardon me, madame (saide the Gentleman) if
I speake more francklye, your grace hath not sounded the depth
of ech man's harte. For I dare be bold to say vnto you, that I
do know one that doth loue you, and whose loue is so great, as
your loue in respecte of his is nothing. And for so much as he
seeth the kinge's loue to faile in you his doth grow and
increase, in such sort, that if your loue were agreable vnto
his, you should be recompensed of all your losses." The Queene
aswel by his words as by his countenaunce, began to perceiue,
that the talke proceded from the bottom of his hart, and called
to her remembraunce that long time he had endeuored to do her
service, with such affection, as for loue he was growen to be
melancolike, which she thought before, to rise through his
wiue's occasion, but now she assuredly beleued that it