hir gryefe, and
Voluntaryly woulde haue killed her selfe lyke a Lucrece, if the
feare of God, and dreadfull losse of Body and Soule, had not
turned hir mynde, and also hoped in God that the Rauysher should
repayre the fault whych he committed, and beare the penaunce for
his temerity, whereof she was no whit deceyued, as yee shall
perceyue, by that which presently doth follow. Now whilest the
Rauisher tooke his pleasure wyth his Rape, the miserable father
made the Ayre to sound with his complaints, accusinge fortune
for letting the Whorish varlet so to passe, wythout doing him to
feele the lustinesse of hys age, and the force that yet reasted
in his furrowed face, and corpse withered with length of yeares.
In the end knowing that his playnts, curses, and desire were
throwne forth in vayne, perceiuing also his force vnequal to
deale with sutch an Ennimy, and to get agayne by violence hys
stolne Daughter, or to recouer hir by that meanes whereby she
was taken away, he determined the next day to go and complaine
to the Duke: and vpon that determination he layd him downe to
sleepe vnder the trees, which ioyned to the fountayne, where
sometimes the Courtier had communed with his daughter. And
seeing that the Element began to to shewe some splendent hue
Interpaled with coulours of White, Yealow, and Red, Signes
preceedinge the risinge of fresh Aurora, started from his sleepe
and tooke hys way to Florence, whither he came, vpon the
openinge of the Citty Gates. Then going to the Pallace of the
Duke, he tarried vntill he saw the Prynce goe forth to seruice.
The good man seeing him of whom he attended to receyue succour,
fauour, and iustice, began to freat, and rage for remembraunce
of his receyued wronge, and was ashamed to see himself in place
not accustomed: and although it grieued his heart wyth hardy
speach to presume in presence of so many, yet the iust anger and
desire of vengeance emboldned hym so mutch, as kneelinge vpon
his knees before the Maiesty of the Duke, aloud he spake these
woordes: "Alas (my Soueraygne Lord) if euer your grace had pity
vpon a desolate man, full of dispayre, I humbly beseech the same
that now you do regard the misery which on euery side assayleth
me. Haue pity vpon the pouerty of that vnfortunate olde man
agaynst whom one hath done sutch wrong, as I hope by force of
your vertue and accustomed iustice, you wil not leaue a sin so
detestable without deserued punishment, for respect of
mischiefes