woman is at my commaundment, and sutch a
man's wyfe I do keepe, sutch a one is my companion's friende:
whereby they bryng many women, yea and of the best sort, into
slaunder and infamie. Diuerse Gentlewomen also bee so fond, and
of so simple discretion, that although they know and clearely
perceyue thys to be true, yet allured with the personages and
beauty of sutch Roisters, passe not to giue the rayne to these
vnbridled Iades, not foreseeing (lyke ignorant Woodcockes) that
in fewe dayes through their own temeritie, they incur the common
shame of the vulgar people, being pointed at in the streates as
they goe: where sutch as be wyse and discrete, doe dayly feare
the least suspition that may be conceiued. There is no woman
that is wyse, but so neare as she can, wil shunne and auoyde all
occasion whereby slaunder may aryse, and will chose vnto hit
amongs a number, sutch one as can best please hit fansie, and as
with whome for hys vertue and honesty she purposeth to match hir
selfe in maryage, which is the final ende of all honest loue.
Howe be it Nature hath not framed euery creature of one metall,
ne yet Minerua infused lyke brayne into euery head. And truely
this our age dothe breede many fayre and worthie Women, whose
condicions bee good and honest, adorned with comely qualities,
the Generositie, stoutnesse and Valoure of whose myndes doe
deserue syngular prayse and estymatyon. And what is hee,
chauncynge vppon a curteous and Vertuous Dame, that wyll not
gyue ouer the Loue of all other, to honour and loue hir for
euer? But wee haue digressed too long from our Hystorye, and
therefore, retourning to the same agayne, I say, that Fortune
the guide of maister Philippo, was fully determined to bestow
hir fauor vpon him: For besides that the Queene dearely estemed
his loue, it seemed that all thyngs wer vnyted and agreed to
sort his enterpryse to happy successe. The Queene had to her
Gouernesse Madonna Paola dei Cauali, a Gentlewoman of Verona,
very auncient and graue (aduaunced to the callyng, by Madonna
Bianca Maria Sforza the wyfe of the Emperour Maximilian) whom
Queene Anne requyred dylygently to procure for hir, sutch
Rithmes in the Thuscane language and other Italian workes, as
were to be found, bicause hir dysposition was to be conuersant
and familiar in that tongue, and employed great diligence to
learne and exercise the same, wherein shee attained sutch
perfection, as all Italians coulde very well vnderstande her.