gave the onely meanes to my revenge: Alas! therein you deceive your
selfe; for I have a thousand crochets working continually in my brain,
whereby to entrap a wiser creature then a woman, yet veiled all
under the cunning cloake of love, but sauced with the bitter Wormewood
of hate. So that, had not this hapned as now it doth, of necessity you
must have falne into another: but, as it hath pleased my happy stars
to favour mee therein, none could proove more to your eternall
scandall and disgrace, then this of your owne devising; which I made
choise of, not in regard of any ease to you, but onely to content my
selfe.
But if all other devises els had failed, my pen was and is my
prevayling Champion, where-with I would have written such and so
many strange matters, concerning you in your very dearest
reputation; that you should have curst the houre of your conception,
and wisht your birth had bin abortive. The powers of the pen are too
many and mighty, wherof such weake wits as have made no experience,
are the lesse able to use any relation. I sweare to you Lady, by my
best hopes, that this revenge which (perhappes) you esteeme great
and dishonourable, is no way compareable to the wounding Lines of a
Penne, which can carracter downe so infinite infamies (yet none but
guilty and true taxations) as will make your owne hands immediate
instruments, to teare the eyes from forth your head, and so bequeath
your after dayes unto perpetuall darkenesse.
Now, concerning your lost lover, for whose sake you suffer this
unexpected pennance; although your choise hath proved but bad, yet
still continue your affection to him: in regard that I have another
Ladie and Mistresse, of higher and greater desert then you, and to
whome I will continue for ever constant. And whereas you thinke, the
warme beames of the Sunne, will be too hot and scorching for your nice
bodie to endure: remember the extreame cold which you caused mee to
feele, and if you can intermixe some part of that cold with the
present heat, I dare assure you, the Sun (in his highest heate) will
be far more temperate for your feeling.
The disconsolate Lady perceiving, that the Schollers wordes savoured
of no mercy, but rather as coveting her desperate ending; with the
teares streaming downe her cheekes, thus she replied. Wel Sir,
seeing there is no matter of worth in me, whereby to derive any
compassion from you: yet for that Ladies sake, whom you have elected
worthy to enjoy your love, and so farre excelleth mee in Wisedome;
vouchsafe to pardon mee, and suffer my garments to be brought me,
wherewith to cover my nakednesse, and so to descend downe from this
Tower, if it may stand with your gentle Nature to admit it.
Now beganne Reniero to laughe very heartily, and perceiving how
swiftly the day ran on in his course, he saide unto her. Beleeve me
Madame Helena, you have so conjured me by mine endeered Ladie and
Mistresse, that I am no longer able to deny you; wherefore, tell me
where your garments are, and I will bring them to you, that you may
come downe from the Turret. She beleeving his promise, tolde him where
she had hid them, and Reniero departing from the Tower, commanded
his servant, not to stirre thence: but to abide still so neere it,
as none might get entrance there till his returning. Which charge
was no sooner given to his man, but hee went to the house of a neere
neighboring friend, where he dined well, and afterward laid him
downe to sleepe.
In the meane while, Madame Helena remaining still on the Tower,
began to comfort her selfe with a little vaine hope, yet sighing and
weeping incessantly, seating her selfe so well as shee could, where
any small shelter might yeelde the least shade, in expectation of
the Schollers returning: one while weeping, then againe hoping, but
most of all despairing, by his so long tarrying away with her
Garments; so that beeing over-wearied with anguish and long
watching, she fell into a little slumbering. But the Sunne was so
extreamly hot, the houre of noone being already past, that it meerly
parched her delicate body, and burnt her bare head so violently: as
not onely it seared all the flesh it touched; but also cleft and
chinkt it strangely, beside blisters and other painfull scorchings
in the flesh which hindred her sleeping, to help her self (by all
possible means) waking. And the Turret being covered with Lead, gave
the greater addition to her torment; for, as she removed from one
place to another, it yeelded no mitigation to the burning heate, but
parched and wrinkled the flesh extraordinarily, even as when a piece
of parchment is throwne into the fire, and recovered out againe, can
never be extended to his former forme.
Moreover, she was so grievously payned with the head-ake, as it
seemed to split in a thousand pieces, whereat there needed no great
the Lead of the Turret being so exceedingly hot, that it affoorded not
the least defence against it, or any repose to qualifie the torment:
but drove her still from one place to another, in hope of ease, but
none was there to be found.
Nor was there any winde at all stirring, whereby to asswage the
Sunnes violent scalding, or keepe away huge swarmes of Waspes,
Hornets, and terrible byting Flyes, which vexed her extreamely,
feeding on those parts of her body, that were rifte and chinkt, like
crannies in a mortered wall, and pained her like so many points of
pricking Needles, labouring still with her hands to beate them away,
but yet they fastned on one place or other, and afflicted her in
grievous manner, causing her to curse her owne life, hir amorous
friend, but (most of all) the Scholler, that promised to bring her
Garments, and as yet returned not. Now began she to gaze upon every
side about her, to espy some labouring Husbandmen in the fields, to
whom she might call or cry out for helpe, not fearing to discover
her desperate condition: but Fortune therein also was adverse to
her, because the heats extreamity, had driven all the village out of
the fields, causing them to feede their Cattle about theyr owne
houses, or in remote and shadie Valleyes: so that shee could see no
other creatures to comfort her, but Swannes swimming in the River of
Arno, and wishing her selfe there a thousand times with them, for to
coole the extreamity of her thirst, which so much the more
encreased, onely by the sight thereof, and utterly disabled of
having any.
She saw beside in many places about her, goodly Woods, fayre coole
shades, and Country houses here and there dispersed; which added the
greater violence to hir affliction, that her desires (in all these)
could no way be accomplished. What shall I say more concerning this
disastrous Lady? The parching beames of the Sunne above her, the
scalding heat of the Lead beneath her, the Hornets and Flyes everie
way stinging her, had made such an alteration of her beautifull bodie:
that, as it checkt and controlled the precedent nights darkenesse,
it was now so metamorphosed with rednesse, yea, and blood issuing
forth in infinite places, as she seemed (almost) loathsome to looke
on, continuing still in this agonie of torment, quite voyde of all
hope, and rather expecting death, then any other comfort.
Reniero, when some three houres of the afternoone were overpast,
awaked from sleeping: and remembring Madame Helena, he went to see
in what estate she was; as also to send his servant unto dinner,
because he had fasted all that day. She perceyving his arrivall, being
altogether weake, faint, and wonderously over-wearied, she crept on
her knees to a corner of the Turret, and calling to him, spake in this
manner. Reniero, thy revenge exceedeth al manhoode and respect: For,
if thou wast almost frozen in my Court, thou hast roasted me all day
long on this Tower, yea, meerly broyled my poore naked bodie, beside
starving mee thorough want of Food and drinke. Be now then so
mercifull (for manhoods sake) as to come uppe hither, and inflict that
on me, which mine owne hands are not strong enough to do, I meane
the ending of my loathed and wearisome life, for I desire it beyond
all comfort else, and I shall honour thee in the performance of it. If
thou deny me this gracious favour; at least send me uppe a glasse of
Water, onely to moisten my mouth, which my teares (being all meerly
dried up) are not able to doe, so extreame is the violence of the
Sunnes burning heate.
Well perceived the Scholler, by the weaknesse of her voyce, and
scorching of her body by the Suns parching beames, that shee was
brought now to great extremity: which sight, as also her humble
intercession, began to touch him with some compassion, nevertheles,
thus he replied. Wicked woman, my hands shal be no means of thy death,
but make use of thine owne, if thou be so desirous to have it: and
as much water shalt thou get of me to asswage thy thirst, as thou
gavest me fire to comfort my freezing, when thou wast in the luxurious
heat of thy immodest desires, and I wel-neere frozen to death with
extremity of cold. Pray that the Evening may raine downe Rosewater
on thee, because that in the River of Arno is not good enough for
thee: for as little pitty doe I take on thee now, as thou didst extend
compassion to me then.
Miserable Woman that I am, answered Helena; Why did the heavens
bestow beautie on mee, which others have admired and honoured, and yet
(by thee) is utterly despised? More cruell art thou then any savage
Beast; thus to vexe and torment mee in such mercilesse manner. What
greater extreamity couldst thou inflict on me, if I had bin the
destruction of all thy Kindred, and lefte no one man living of thy
race? I am verily perswaded, that more cruelty cannot be used
against a Traitor, who was the subversion of an whole Cittie, then
this tyranny of thine, roasting me thus in the beames of the Sun,
and suffering my body to be devoured with Flies, without so small a
mercie, as to give mee a little coole water, which murtherers are
permitted to have, being condemned by justice, and led to execution:
yea Wine also, if they request it.
But, seeing thou art so constant in thy pernitious resolve, as
neither thine owne good Nature, nor this lamentable sufferance in
me, are able to alter thee: I will prepare my self for death
patiently, to the end, that Heaven may be mercifull to my soul, and
reward thee justly, according to thy cruelty. Which words being ended,
she withdrew her selfe towards the middest of the Tarras, despairing
of escaping (with life)
from the heates violence; and not once onely, but infinite times
beside (among her other grievous extreamities) she was ready to dye
with drought, bemoaning incessantly her dolorous condition.
By this time the day was well neere spent, and night beganne to
hasten on apace: when the Scholler (immagining that he afflicted her
sufficiently) tooke her Garments, and wrapping them up in his mans
Cloake, went thence to the Ladies house, where he found Ancilla the
Waiting-woman sitting at the doore, sad and disconsolate for her
Ladies long absence, to whom thus he spake. How now Ancilla? Where
is thy Lady and Mistris? Alas Sir (quoth she) I know not. I thought
this morning to have found her in her bed, as usually I was wont to
do, and where I left her yesternight at our parting: but there she was
not, nor in any place else of my knowledge, neyther can I imagine what
is become of her, which is to me no meane discomfort.
But can you (Sir) say any thing of her? Ancilla, said he, I would
thou hadst bin in her company, and at the same place where now she is,
that some punishment for thy fault might have falne uppon thee, as
already it hath done on her. But beleeve it assuredly, that thou shalt
not freely escape from my fingers, till I have justly paide thee for
thy paines, to teach thee to abuse any Gentleman, as thou didst me.
Having thus spoken, hee called to his servant, saying. Give her
the Garments, and bid her go looke her Lady, if she will. The
Servingman fulfilled his Masters command, and Ancilla having
receyved her Ladies cloaths, knowing them perfectly, and remembring
(withall) what had bin said: she waxed very doubtfull, least they
had slaine her, hardly refraining from exclaiming on them, but that
greefe and heavie weeping overcame her; so that uppon the Schollers
departing, she ranne in all hast with the garments towardes the Tower.
Upon this fatall and unfortunate day to Madame Helena, it chanced,
that a Clowne or Countrey Peazant belonging to her Farme or Dairy
house, having two of his young Heyfers wandred astray, and he
labouring in diligent search to finde them: within a while after the
Schollers departure, came to seeke them in Woods about the Tower, and,
notwithstanding all his crying and calling for his beasts, yet he
heard the Ladies greevous moanes and lamentations. Wherefore, he cryed
out so lowd as he could, saying: Who is it that mourneth so aloft on
the Tower? Full well she knew the voyce of her peazant, and
therefore called unto him, and sayd in this maner.
Go (quoth she) I pray thee for my Waiting-woman Ancilla, and bid her
make some meanes to come up hither to me. The Clowne knowing his Lady,
sayde. How now Madame? Who hath carried you up there so high? Your
Woman Ancilla hath sought for you all this day, yet no one could
ever have immagined you to bee there. So looking about him, he
espyed the two sides of the Ladder, which the Scholler had pulled in
sunder; as also the steppes, which he had scattered thereabout;
placing them in due order againe as they should bee, and binding
them fast with Withies and Willowes.
By this time Ancilla was come thither, who so soone as shee was
entred into the Tower, could not refrain from teares and complaints,
beating her hands each against other, and crying out. Madam, deare
Lady and Mistresse! Alas, Wher are you? So soone as she heard the
tongue of Ancilla, she replyed (so well as she could) saying: Ah my
sweet Woman, I am heere aloft uppon the Tarras; weepe not, neyther
make any noyse, but quickely bring me some of my Garments. When shee
