estate, what plighted promises be these which bee spoken of: altogether ignoraunt vnto me, whiche if it bee otherwise then I haue saied, you sacred goddes consume me straight with flashyng flames of fire. But what woordes might I vse to giue credite to the truthe, and innocencie of my cause? Ah Madame Iulina! I desire no other testimonie then your owne honestie and vertue, thynking that you will not so muche blemishe the brightnesse of your honour, knowyng that a woman is or should be the image of curtesie, continencie, and shamfastnesse, from the whiche so sone as she stoopeth, and leaueth the office of her duetie and modestie, besides the degraduation of her honour, she thrusteth her self into the pitte of perpetuall infamie, and as I can not thinke you would so far forgette your self, by the refusall of a noble duke, to dimme the light of your renowne and glorie, whiche hitherto you haue maintained, emongest the beste and noblest ladies, by suche a one as I knowe my self to bee, too farre vnworthie your degree and callying, so must humbly I beseeche you to confesse a trothe, whereto tendeth those vowes and promises you speake of, which speeches bee so obscure vnto me, as I knowe not for my life how I might vnderstande them.

Iulina somethyng nipped with these speeches, saied, and what is the matter that now you make so little accoumpte of your Iulina, that beeyng my housbande in deede, haue the face to denaie me, to whom thou art contracted by so many solemne othes: what arte thou ashamed to haue me to thy wife? how muche oughtest thou rather to be ashamed to breake thy promised faithe, and to haue despised the holie and dreadfull name of GOD, but that tyme constraineth me to laye open that, whiche shame rather willeth I should dissemble and keepe secret, behold me then here Siluio whom thou haste gotten with childe, who if thou bee of suche honestie, as I trust for all this I shall finde, then the thyng is doen without preiudice, or any hurte to my conscience, consideryng that by the professed faithe, thou diddest accoumpt me for thy wife, and I receiued thee for my spouse and loyall housbande, swearying by the almightie God, that no other then you haue made the conquest and triumphe of my chastitie, whereof I craue no other witnesse then your self, and mine owne conscience.…

But now to returne to our Siluio, who hearyng an othe sworne so deuinely that he had gotten a woman with childe, was like to beleeue that it had bin true in very deede, but remembryng his owne impediment, thought it impossible that he should committe suche an acte, and therefore half in a chafe, he saied, what lawe is able to restraine the foolishe indescretion of a woman, that yeeldeth her self to her owne desires, what shame is able to bridle or withdrawe her from her mynd and madnesse, or with what snaffell is it possible to holde her backe, from the execution of her filthinesse, but what abhomination is this, that a ladie of suche a house should so forget the greatnesse of her estate, the aliaunce whereof she is descended, the nobilitie of her deceased housbande, and maketh no conscience to shame and slaunder her self, with suche a one as I am, beyng so farre vnfit and vnsemely for her degree, but how horrible it is to heare the name of God so defased, that wee make no more acompt, but for the maintenaunce of our mischifes, we fear no whit at all to forsweare his holy name, as though he were not in all his dealinges moste righteous true and juste, and will not onely laie open our leasinges to the worlde, but will likewise punishe the same with moste sharpe and bitter scourges.

Iulina not able to indure hym to proceede any farther in his sermon, was alreadie surprised with a vehement greefe, began bitterly to crie out, vtteryng these speeches followyng:

Alas, is it possible that the soueraigne iustice of God, can abide a mischiefe so greate and cursed, why maie I not now suffer death, rather then the infamie whiche I see to wander before myne eyes. Oh happie and more then right happie had I bin, if inconstant fortune had not deuised this treason, wherein I am surprised and caught, am I thus become to be intangled with snares, and in the handes of hym, who inioiyng the spoyles of my honour, will openly depriue me of my fame, by makyng me a common fable to all posteritie in tyme to come. Ah traitour and discourtious wretche, is this the recompence of the honest and firme amitie which I have borne thee, wherin I haue deserued this discourtesie, by louing thee more then thou art able to deserue? Is it I, arrant theefe is it I, vppon whom thou thinkest to worke thy mischiues, doest thou think me no better worthe, but that thou maiest prodigally waste my honour at thy pleasure, didest thou dare to adventure vppon me, hauing thy conscience wounded with so deadly a treason: ah vnhappie and aboue all other most vnhappie, that haue so charely preserued myne honour,