blacke Garments (as Widowes commonly use to wear) was likewise there a
Guest. His eye observing her beauty and gracious demeanour, she seemed
in his judgement, to be a Woman so compleate and perfect, as he had
never seene her equall before: and therefore, he accounted the man
more then fortunate, that was worthy to embrace her in his armes.
Continuing this amorous observation of her from time to time, and
knowing withall, that rare and excellent things are not easily
obtained, but by painefull study, labour, and endeavour: hee
resolved with himselfe constantly, to put in practise all his best
parts of industry, onely to honour and please her, and attaining to
her contentation, it would be the means to winne her love, and
compasse thereby his hearts desire.
The yong Lady, who fixed not her eyes on inferiour subjects (but
esteemed her selfe above ordinary reach or capacity) could moove
them artificially, as curious women well know how to doe, looking on
every side about her, yet not in a gadding or grosse manner: for
she was not ignorant in such darting glaunces, as proceeded from an
enflamed affection, which appearing plainely in Reniero; with a pretty
smile, shee said to her selfe. I am not come hither this day in vaine;
for, if my judgement faile me not, I thinke I have caught a
Woodcocke by the Bill. And lending him a cunning looke or two,
queintly caried with the corner of her eye; she gave him a kinde of
perswading apprehension, that her heart was the guide to her eye.
And in this artificial Schoole-tricke of hers, shee carryed
therewith another consideration, to wit, that the more other eyes
fedde themselves on her perfections, and were (well-neere) lost in
them beyond recovery: so much the greater reason had he to account his
fortune beyond comparison, that was the sole master of her heart,
and had her love at his command.
Our witty Scholler having set aside his Philosophicall
considerations, strove how he might best understand her carriage
toward him, and beleeving that she beheld him with pleasing regards;
hee learned to know the house where shee dwelt, passing daily by the
doore divers times, under colour of some more serious occasions:
wherein the Lady very proudly gloried, in regard of the reasons before
alleadged, and seemed to affoord him lookes of goode liking. Being led
thus with a hopefull perswasion, bee found the meanes to gaine
acquaintance with her waiting-woman, revealing to her his intire
affection, desiring her to worke for him in such sort with her Lady,
that his service might be gracious in her acceptance. The
Gentlewoman made him a very willing promise, and immediately did his
errand to her Lady; who heard her with no small pride and
squemishnesse, and breaking forth into a scornefull laughter, thus she
spake.
Ancilla (for so she was named) dost thou not observe, how this
Scholler is come to lose all the wit heere, which he studyed so long
for in the University of Paris? Let us make him our onely Table
argument, and seeing his folly soareth so high, we will feed him
with such a dyet as hee deserveth. Yet when thou speakest next with
him, tell him, that I affect him more then he can doe me; but it
becommeth me to be carefull of mine honour, and to walke with an
untainted brow, as other Ladies and Gentlewomen doe: which he is not
to mislike, if he be so wise as he maketh shew of, but rather will the
more commend me. Alas good Lady lack-wit, little did she understand
(faire assembly) how dangerous a case it is [to] deale with Schollers.
At his next meeting with the waiting woman, shee delivered the
message, as her Lady had commanded her, whereof poore Reniero was so
joyfull: that hee pursued his love-suite the more earnestly, and began
to write letters, send gifts, and tokens, all which were still
received, yet without any other answere to give hope, but onely in
generall, and thus shee dallied with him a long while. In the end, she
discovered this matter to her secret chosen friend, who fell
suddenly sicke of the head-ake, onely through meere conceit of
jealousie: which she perceiving, and grieving to be suspected
without any cause, especially by him whom shee esteemed above all
other; shee intended to rid him quickely of that Idle disease. And
being more and more solicited by the Scholler, she sent him word by
her maide Ancilla, that (as yet) she could find no convenient
opportunity, to yeeld him such assurance, as hee should not any way be
distrustfull of her love.
But the Feast of Christmas was now neere at hand, which afforded
leisures much more hopefull, then any other formerly passed. And
therefore, the next night after the first Feasting day, if he
pleased to walke in the open Court of her house: she would soone
send for him, into a place much better beseeming, and where they might
freely converse together.
Now was our Scholler the onely jocond man of the world, and failed
not the time assigned him, but went unto the Ladies house, where
Ancilla was ready to give him entertainment, conducting him into the
base Court, where she lockt him up fast, untill her Lady should send
for him. This night shee had privately sent for her friend also, and
sitting merrily at supper with him, told him, what welcome she had
given the Scholler, and how she further meant to use him, saying.
Now Sir, consider with your selfe, what hot affection I beare to
him, of whom you became so fondly jealous. The which words were very
welcome to him, and made him extraordinarily joyful; desiring to see
them as effectually performed, as they appeared to him by her
protestations.
Heere you are to understand (Gracious Ladies) that according to
the season of the yeare, a great snow had falne the day before, so
as the whole Court was covered therewith, and being an extreame
frost upon it, our Scholler could not boast of any warme walking, when
the teeth quivered in his head with cold, as a Dog could not be more
discourteously used: yet hope of enjoying Loves recompence at
length, made him to support all this injury with admirable patience.
Within a while after, Madame Helena said to her friend. Walke with
me (deare sal heart) into my Chamber, and there at a secret little
window, I shall shew thee what he doth, that drove thee to such a
suspition of me, and we shall heare beside, what answere he will
give my maide Ancilla, whom I will send to comfort him in his
coldnesse.
When she had so said, they went to the appointed chamber window,
where they could easily see him, but he not them: and then they
heard Ancilla also, calling to him forth of another windowe, saying.
Signior Reniero, my Lady is the wofullest woman in the world,
because (as yet) she cannot come to you, in regard that one of her
brethren came this evening to visite her, and held her with much
longer discourse then she expected: whereby she was constrained to
invite him to sup with her, and yet he is not gone; but shortly I hope
hee will, and then expect her comming presently; till when, she
entreateth your gentle sufferance.
Poore Renicro, our over-credulous Scholler, whose vehement affection
to Madame Helena, so hood-winkt the sight of his understanding, as
he could not be distrustfull of any guilt; returned this answere to
Ancilla. Say to your Lady that I am bound in duty, to attend the
good houre of her leisure, without so much as the very least
prejudicate conceite in me: Neverthelesse, entreat her, to let it
bee so soone as she possibly may, because here is miserable walking,
and it beginneth againe to snow extreamely. Ancilla making fast the
Casement, went presently to bed; when Helena spake thus to her amorous
friend. What saist thou now? Doest thou thinke that I loved him, as
thou wast afraid of? If I did, he should never walke thus in the frost
and snow. So, away went they likewise from their close gazing
window, and spent wanton dalliances together, laughing, and deriding
(with many bitter taunts and jests) the lamentable condition of
poore Reniero.
About the Court walked hee numberlesse times, finding such exercises
as he could best devise, to compasse warmth in any manner: no seate or
shelter had he any where, either to ease himselfe by sitting downe a
while, or keepe him from the snow, falling continually on him, which
made him bestow many curses on the Ladies Brother, for his so long
tarrying with her, as beleeving him verily to be in the house, or else
she would (long before) have admitted his entrance, but therein his
hope was meerely deceived. It grew now to be about the houre of
midnight, and Helena had delighted her selfe with her friend
extraordinarily, til at last, thus she spake to him. What is thine
opinion of my amourous Scholler? Which dost thou imagine to be the
greatest, either his sense and judgement, or the affection I beare
to him? Is not this cold sufferance of his, able to quench the violent
heat of his loves extremitie, and having so much snow broth to helpe
it? Beleeve me (sweet Lady) quoth her friend, as hee is a man, and a
learned Scholler, I pitty that he should bee thus ungently dealt
withall: but as he is my rivall and loves enemy, I cannot allow him
the least compassion, resting the more confidently assured of your
love to me, which I will alwayes esteeme most precious.
When they had spent a long while in this or the like conference,
with infinite sweet kisses and embraces intermixed; then she began
againe in this manner. Deare love (quoth she) cast thy Cloake about
thee, as I intend to doe with my night mantle, and let us step to
the little window once more, to see whether the flaming fire, which
burned in the Schollers brest (as daily avouched to me in his love
letters) be as yet extinct or no. So going to the window againe, and
looking downe into the Court; there they saw the Scholler dancing in
the snow, to the cold tune of his teeths quivering and chattering, and
clapping his armes about his body, which was no pleasing melody to
him. How thinkest thou now sweet heart (saide cannot I make a man
daunce without the sound of a Taber, or of a Bagpipe? yes beleeve me
Lady (quoth he) I plaine pereive you can, and would be very lothe,
that at should exercise your cunning on me.
Nay, said shee, we will yet delight our selves a little more; let us
softly descend downe the stayres, even so farre as to the Court doore:
thou shalt not speake a word, but I will talke to him, and heare
some part of his quivering language, which cannot choose but bee
passing pleasing for us to heare.
Out of the Chamber went they, and descended downe the stayres to the
Court doore; where, without opening it, she laide her mouth to a small
cranny, and in a low soft kinde of voyce, called him by his name:
which the Scholler hearing, was exceeding joyful, as beleeving verily,
that the houre of his deliverance was come, and entrance now should be
admitted him. Upon the hearing of her voyce, hee stept close to the
doore, saying. For charities sake, good Lady, let me come in,
because I am almost dead with cold; whereto thus she answered in
mocking manner. I make no doubt (my deare friend Reniero) but the
night is indifferent colde, and yet somewhat the warmer by the
Snowes falling: and I have heard that such weather as this, is
tenne-times more extreame at Paris, then heere in our warmer Countrey.
And trust me, I am exceeding sorrowfull, that I may not (as yet)
open the doore, because mine unhappy brother, who came (unexpected)
yester-night to suppe with mee, is not yet gone, as within a short
while (I hope) he will, and then shall I gladly set open the doore
to you, for I made an excuse to steale a little from him, onely to
cheare you with this small kind of comfort, that his so long
tarrying might be the lesse offensive to you.
Alas sweet Madame, answered quaking and quivering Reniero, bee then
so favourable to me, as to free me from forth this open Court, where
there is no shelter or helpe for me, the snow falling still so
exceedingly, as a man might easily be more then halfe buried in it:
let me but within your doore, and there I will wait your own good
leisure. Alas deare Reniero (answered Helena) I dare not doe it,
because the doore maketh such a noyse in the opening, as it will be
too easily heard by my Brother: but I will goe and use such meanes, as
shortly hee shall get him gone, and then I dare boldly give you
entrance. Doe so good Madame, replyed Reniero, and let there be a
faire fire made ready, that when I am within, I may the sooner warme
my selfe; for I am so strangely benummed with colde, as well-neere I
am past all sence of feeling.
Can it be possible (quoth Helena) that you should be so benummed
with colde? Then I plainely perceive, that men can lye in their love
letters, which I can shew under your own hand, how you fryed in
flames, and all for my love, and so have you written to me in every
letter. Poore credulous women are often thus deluded, in beleeving
what men write and speake out of passion: but I will returne backe
to my Brother, and make no doubt of dispatch, because I would gladly
have your Company.
The amourous Friend to Helena, who stood by all this while, laughing
at the Schollers hard usage, returned up againe with her to her
Chamber, where they could not take a jote of rest, for flouting and
scorning the betrayed Scholler, As for him poore man, hee was become
like the Swanne, coldly chattering his teeth together, in a strange
new kinde of harmony to him. And perceiving himselfe to be meerely
mocked, he attempted to get open the doore, or how he might passe
forth at any other place; but being no way able to compasse it, he
walked up and downe like an angry Lyon, cursing the hard quality of
the time, the discourtesie of the Lady, the over-tedious length of the
night; but (most of all) his owne folly and simplicity, in being so
basely abused and gulde. Now began the heat of his former affection to
Helena, altered into as violent a detestation of her; Yea, extremity
of hatred in the highest degree; beating his braines, and ransacking
every corner of in. vention, by what meanes he might best be
