The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1
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William Painter >> The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1
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[_Source and Origin._--Bandello, Part i. nov. 57.
_Parallels._--Belleforest, t. ii. f. 190 (ed. 1565, no. 24).
_Painter._--I. ii. 410; II. ii. 348; III. ii. 684; IV. iii. 416.]
INDEX OF NOVELS.
[Double titles are repeated under both headings, _e.g._, "Romeo and
Juliet" will also be found under "Juliet and Romeo." Roman numbers
indicate the Tome of Painter.]
Abdolominus i. 12
Acharisto and Euphemia ii. 15
Adelasia and Aleran i. 44
Adultery, Punishment of i. 57
AEsop's Fable of Lark i. 20
Alberto of Bologna i. 32
Aleran and Adelasia i. 44
Alexander and Scythians i. 13
Alexander and Sisigambis ii. 2
Alexander de Medici ii. 22
Amadour and Florinda i. 53
Amazons ii. 1
Androdus (Androcles) i. 22
Andruccio i. 36
Angelica and Salimbene ii. 30
Angiers, Earl of i. 37
Anne of Hungary ii. 21
Ansaldo and Dionora ii. 17
Antiochus and Hannibal i. 21
Antiochus and Seleucus i. 27
Appius and Virginia i. 5
Ariobarzanes ii. 4
Aristotemus ii. 5
Artaxerxes and Sinetas i. 9
Athens, Timon of i. 28
Bohemia, Lady of ii. 28
Bologna, Alberto of i. 32
Bologna, Katharine of ii. 19
Borsieri and Grimaldi i. 31
Camillus and Schoolmaster i. 17
Camiola and Roland ii. 32
Candaules and Gyges i. 6
Carthage, Maids of ii. 11
Carthomes and Rhacon i. 8
Chariton and Menalippus i. 10
Coriolanus i. 4
Countess of Celant ii. 24
Countess of Salisbury i. 46
Cr[oe]sus and Solon i. 7
Curiatii and Horatii i. 1
Cyrus and Panthea i. 11
Daughter of King of England i. 34
Demosthenes and Lais i. 15
Didaco and Violenta i. 42
Diego and Ginevra ii. 29
Dionora and Ansaldo ii. 17
Doctor of Laws i. 66
Duchess of Malfy ii. 23
Duchess of Savoy i. 45
Duke of Florence i. 54
Duke of Venice and Ricciardo i. 48
Earl of Angiers i. 37
Este, Rinaldo of i. 33
Euphemia and Acharisto ii. 15
Fabricius and Pyrrhus i. 16
Faustina ii. 10
Favorinus i. 23
Filenio Sisterno i. 49
Flanders, Princess of i. 52
Flora, Lamia, and Lais ii. 13
Florence, Duke of i. 54
Florence, Helena of ii. 31
Florinda and Amadour i. 53
Francis I. and Guillaume i. 55
Galgano and Minoccia i. 47
Gentleman of Perche i. 59
Gentleman that died of love i. 60
Giletta of Narbonne i. 38
Ginevra and Diego ii. 29
Gismonda and Tancred i. 39
Grenoble, President of i. 58
Grimaldi and Borsieri i. 31
Gyges and Candaules i. 6
Hannibal and Antiochus i. 21
Helena of Florence ii. 31
Hidrusa, Lady of ii. 9
Horatii and Curiatii i. 1
Hungary, Anne of ii. 21
Irene and Mahomet i. 40
Juliet and Romeo ii. 25
Katherine of Bologna ii. 19
King of England's Daughter i. 34
King of Naples i. 51
King of Morocco ii. 35
Ladies of Venice ii. 26
Lady falsely accused i. 41
Lady of Bohemia ii. 28
Lady of French Court i. 61
Lady of Hidrusa ii. 9
Lady of Pampluna i. 56
Lady of Tours i. 64
Lady of Turin i. 42
Lady, Prudent i. 63
Lais and Demosthenes i. 15
Lamia, Flora, and Lais ii. 13
Landolfo Ruffolo i. 35
Lark, Fable of i. 20
Laws, Doctor of i. 66
Letters of Trajan ii. 12
Lord of Virle ii. 27
Lords of Nocera ii. 33
Lucrece, Rape of i. 2
Lyons, Miracle at i. 65
Maids of Carthage ii. 11
Mahomet and Irene i. 40
Malfy, Duchess of ii. 23
Master and scholar i. 26
Medici, Alexander of ii. 22
Menalippus and Chariton i. 10
Metellus on Marriage i. 14
Minoccia and Galgano i. 47
Miracle at Lyons i. 65
Mithridanes and Nathan ii. 18
Monteferrato, Marchioness of ii. 16
Morocco, King of ii. 35
Mucius Scaevola i. 3
Muleteer's Wife i. 50
Naples, King of i. 51
Narbonne, Giletta of i. 38
Nathan and Mithridanes ii. 18
Nocera, Lords of ii. 33
Pampluna, Lady of i. 56
Panthea and Cyrus i. 10
Papyrius Praetextatus i. 15
Perche, Gentleman of i. 59
Plutarch's Anger i. 19
Poris and Theoxena ii. 8
President of Grenoble i. 58
Princess of Flanders i. 52
Prudent Lady i. 63
Pyrrhus and Fabricius i. 16
Rape of Lucrece i. 2
Rhacon and Carthomes i. 8
Ricciardo and Duke of Venice i. 48
Rinaldo of Este i. 33
Rings, The Three i. 30
Roland and Camiola ii. 32
Rolandine i. 62
Romeo and Juliet ii. 25
Ruffolo, Landolfo i. 35
Saladin and Thorello ii. 20
Salimbene and Angelica ii. 30
Salisbury, Countess of i. 46
Savoy, Duchess of i. 45
Scaevola, Mucius i. 3
Scholar and Master i. 26
Schoolmaster and Camillus i. 17
Scythians and Alexander i. 13
Seleucus and Antiochus i. 27
Sertorius i. 24
Sibylline Leaves i. 25
Sinetas and Artaxerxes i. 9
Sisigambis and Alexander ii. 2
Sisterno, Filenio i. 49
Solon and Cr[oe]sus i. 7
Sophonisba ii. 7
Sultan Solyman ii. 34
Tanaquil ii. 6
Tancred and Gismonda i. 39
Theoxena and Poris ii. 8
Thorello and Saladin ii. 20
Three Rings i. 30
Timoclea of Thebes ii. 3
Timon of Athens i. 28
Tours, Lady of i. 64
Trajan, Letters of ii. 12
Turin, Lady of i. 43
Venice, Duke of and Ricciardo i. 48
Venice, Two Ladies of ii. 26
Violenta and Didaco i. 42
Virginia and Appius i. 5
Virle, Lord of ii. 27
Widow and Widower i. 29
Zenobia ii. 14
* * * * *
_The Palace of Pleasure_
Beautified, adorned and
well furnished, with Pleasaunt
Histories and excellent
Nouelles, selected out of
diuers good and commendable
Authors.
¶ _By William Painter Clarke of the
Ordinaunce and Armarie._
[Illustration:
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE
1566]
_IMPRINTED AT_
London, by Henry Denham,
for Richard Tottell and William Iones.
* * * * *
_To the Right Honourable, my very good Lord, Ambrose Earle of Warwike,
Baron of Lisle, of the most noble order of the Garter Knight, Generall
of the Queenes Maiesties Ordinaunce within her Highnes Realmes and
Dominions._
Prouoked, or rather vehemently incited and moued, I haue been (right
honorable my very good Lorde) to imagin and deuise all meanes possible
to auoyde that vglie vice of ingratitude (which as it is abhorred amonge
creatures voyde of reason and deuine knowledge, so of men indued and
full possessed with both, specially to be detested.) And that I might
not be touched with that vnkind vice, odible to God and man, I haue many
times, with myselfe debated how I might by any meanes shew my selfe
thanckfull and beneuolent to your honour, which hath not onely by
frequent talke vnto my frendes priuately, but also vpon my selfe openly
imployed benefits and commendation vndeserued. The one I haue receiued
by frendly report of your dere and approued frends, the other I do feele
and tast to my great stay and comfort. For when it pleased your honour
of curteous inclination, vpon the first vew, willingly to consent and
agree to the confirmation of that which I do enioy: for that bounty
then, euer sithens I haue studied by what meanes I might commend my good
will and affection to the same. Wherefore incensed with the generositie,
and naturall instinct of your noble minde, I purposed many times to
imploy indeuor by some small beginninges, to giue your honor to
vnderstande outwardly, what the inwarde desire is willinge to do, if
abilitie thereunto were correspondent. And as oportunitie serued
(respiring as it were from the waighty affaires of that office wherin it
hath pleased our most drad Soueraigne Ladye worthely to place you the
chiefe and Generall) I perused such volumes of noble Authors as wherwith
my poore Armarie is furnished: and amonges other chaunced vpon that
excellent Historiographer Titus Liuius. In whom is contayned a large
campe of noble facts and exploites atchieued by valiaunt personages of
the Romaine state. By whom also is remembred the beginning and
continuation of their famous common wealth. And viewing in him great
plenty of straung Histories, I thought good to select such as were the
best and principal, wherin trauailing not far, I occurred vpon some
which I deemed most worthy the prouulgation in our natiue tongue,
reducing them into such compendious forme, as I truste shall not appeare
vnpleasant. Which when I had finished, seing them but a handfull in
respect of the multitude I fully determined to procede in the rest. But
when I considered mine owne weakenes, and the maiestie of the Authour,
the cancred infirmitye of a cowardlye minde, stayed my conceyued
purpose, and yet not so stayed as vtterlye to suppresse mine attempt.
Wherefore aduauncing againe the Ensigne of courage, I thought good
(leauing where I left in that Authour, till I knew better how they would
be liked) to aduenture into diuers other, out of whom I decerped and
chose (_raptim_) sondry proper and commendable Histories, which I may
boldly so terme, because the Authors be commendable and well approued.
And thereunto haue ioyned many other, gathered oute of Boccatio,
Bandello, Ser Giouanni Fiorentino, Straparole, and other Italian and
French Authours. All which I haue recueled and bound together in this
volume, vnder the title of the Palace of Pleasure, presuming to
consecrate the same and the rest of my beneuolent minde to your honour.
For to whom duly appertayneth mine industry and dilligence, but to him
that is the patrone and imbracer of my wel doinges? Whereunto also I may
apply the words of that excellent Orator Tullie, in his firste booke of
Offices. _De beneuolentia autem, quam quisq'; habeat erganos, primum
illud est in officia, vt ei plurimum tribuamus, a quo plurimum
diligimur._ Of beneuolence which ech man beareth towards vs, the
chiefest duty is to giue most to him, of whom wee be most beloued. But
how well the same is done, or how prayse worthy the translation I
referre to the skilful, crauing no more prayse, than they shall
attribute and giue. To nothing do I aspyre by this my presumption
(righte honourable) but cherefull acceptation at your handes: desirous
hereby to shew my selfe studious of a frend of so noble vocation. And
where greater thinges cannot be done, these small I truste shall not be
contempned: which if I doe perceiue, hereafter more ample indeuor shal
be imployed to atchieue greater. In these histories (which by another
terme I call Nouelles) be described the liues, gestes, conquestes, and
highe enterprises of great Princes, wherein also be not forgotten the
cruell actes and tiranny of some. In these be set forth the great
valiance of noble Gentlemen, the terrible combates of couragious
personages, the vertuous mindes of noble Dames, the chaste hartes of
constant Ladyes, the wonderful patience of puissaunt Princes, the mild
sufferaunce of well disposed gentlewomen, and in diuers, the quiet
bearing of aduers Fortune. In these Histories be depainted in liuelye
colours, the vglye shapes of insolencye and pride, the deforme figures
of incontinencie and rape, the cruell aspectes of spoyle, breach of
order, treason, ill lucke and ouerthrow of States and other persons.
Wherein also be intermixed, pleasaunte discourses, merie talke,
sportinge practises, deceitfull deuises, and nipping tauntes, to
exhilarate your honor's minde. And although by the first face and view,
some of these may seeme to intreat of vnlawfull Loue, and the foule
practises of the same, yet being throughly reade and well considered,
both old and yonge may learne how to auoyde the ruine, ouerthrow,
inconuenience and displeasure, that lasciuious desire and wanton wil
doth bring to their suters and pursuers. All which maye render good
examples, the best to be followed, and the worst to be auoyded: for
which intent and purpose be all things good and bad recited in
histories, Chronicles and monumentes, by the first authors and
elucubrators of the same. To whom then may these histories (wherin be
contayned many discourses of nobilitie) be offered with more due desert
than to him that in nobilitie and parentage is not inferiour to the
best? To whom may factes and exploites of famous personages be
consigned, but to him whose prowesse and valiant actes be manifest, and
well knowen to Englishmen, but better to straungers, which haue felt the
puissance thereof? To whom may the combats, gests, and courses of the
victorious be remembred, but to him whose frequent vse of mightye
incountrie and terrible shocke of Shielde and Launce: is familier in
Court, and famous in towne and country? In whom may pacient bearing of
aduersitie, and constante suffrance of Fortune's threates more duly to
the world appeare, than in him that hath constantly susteyned and
quietly passed ouer the bruntes thereof? To whom may be giuen a Theatre
of the world, and stage of humaine misery, more worthely than to him
that hath with comely gestures, wise demeanor, and orderly behauiour,
been an actor in the same? Who is he that more condignelye doth deserue
to be possest in a Palace of Pleasure, than he that is daily resiant
in a Palace of renowmed fame, guided by a Queene adorned with most
excellent beautie indued and garnished with great learning, passing
vertues and rare qualities of the minde. To whom (I say) may constancie
of Ladies, and vertuous dedes of Dames, more aptly be applied than to
him that hath in possession a Lady and Countesse of noble birthe (whose
sire was the old Earle of Bedford, a graue and faithfull councelor to
her Maiesties most noble progenitors, and father is the same, in deare
estimation and regard with her highnesse, vnder whom he trustily and
honourably serueth) whose curteous and countesse like behauiour
glistereth in court amongs the troupe of most honourable dames: and for
her toward disposition, first preferred by her Maiesty into her secret
Chamber, and after aduaunced to be Countesse of your noble Earldome.
Besides all which rare giftes, by nature grated in your honor, and by
her bountifully bestowed, the perfect piety and brotherly loue betweene
you and the right noble and vertuous the Earle of Leycester your
honourable brother is had in greatest admiration. Whose noble courage in
deedes of honour and passing humanity to his inferiours, is very
commendable to the worlde. But here I wyll staye, leste whilest I goe
about to extolle your fames, I doe (for want of perfit skill in due
prayse) seeme to diminishe that whiche among all men by commune proofe
is sufficientlye renowmed. And as your honor doth with great prudence
gouerne that office of the Ordinance (whereof I am a member) euen so,
the same hath with greate care and diligence commended suche vnto her
highnes, to ioyne and serue, right worthy their vocations, specially the
worshipfull Edward Randolfe Esquire, Lieutenaunt of that office a man
for his experience and good aduise rather fostred in the bosome of
Bellona, than nourced in kentish soile (although in the scholehouse of
curtesie and humanitie he appeareth ful carefully to haue ben trained vp
by his vertuous parents) which is famiarly knowne vnto me and other that
domestically (as it were) do frequent his companie. But alas my Lorde,
among the mid of my reioyce of those before remembred, I cannot
pretermit the lamentable losse of the best approued Gonner that euer
serued in our time his Prince and countrie, Robert Thomas, the Maister
Gonner, who for skill and seruice, a title of Prince of Gonners iustly
did deserue: And see the lucke, when he thought best to signifie his
good will, by honouring Hymeneus bed, at nuptial night, a clap of that
he neuer feared did ende his life. Such is the dreadful furie of Gonners
art, and hellish rage of Vulcane's worke. And therefore that daungerous
seruice by skilful men is specially to be recommended and cherished.
Whereunto as your honour hitherto hath borne singuler affection, by
preferring to her Maiestie suche as from their infancie haue bene
trayned vp in that necessarie seruice and very painefullye haue imployed
their time, euen so I humbly beseche your honour for continuance of the
same, specially in those, that be indewed with greatest experience, in
whome only resteth the brunte of our defence. A seruice and science so
rare and nedefull, as none more. But what neede I to prouoke your
willing mynde, whiche is more prest to cherishe such, than I am able by
wyshing heart for to conceiue? Finallie yet once againe, I humblie
besech your honour gratefully to accept this booke, and at your Leisure
and conuenient time to reade and peruse it. By reuoluing whereof your
honour I trust shall be delighted with the rare Histories and good
examples therin contained, such as to my knowledge heretofore haue not
bene published. And which with all my good wil and indeuour I dutifully
exhibite. Beseching almightie God fauourably to defende and gouerne your
honour, prosperously to maintaine and keepe the same, godlye to directe
my right honourable Ladie in the steppes of perfect vertue, bountifully
to make you both happye parentes of manie children: and after the
expence of Nestor's yeares in this transitorie life mercifully to
conducte you both to the vnspeakeable ioyes of his kingdome.
Nere the Tower of London the first of Ianuarie, 1566.
By your L. most bounden
WILLIAM PAINTER.
_Authours out of whom these Nouelles be selected, or which be remembred
in diuers places of the same._
GREEKE AND LATINE AUTHORS.
Titus Liuius.
Herodotus.
Aelianus.
Xenophon.
Quintus Curtius.
Aulus Gellius.
S. Hierome.
Cicero.
Polidorus Virgilius.
Aeneas Syluius.
Paludanus.
Apuleius.
L. Caelius Rhodoginus.
ITALIAN, FRENCH, AND ENGLISHE.
Pietro Messia di Siuiglia.
Boccaccio.
Bandello.
Ser Giouanni Fiorentino.
Straporole.
The Queene of Nauarre.
A booke in French intituled Comptes du Monde.
Francois Belleforest.
Pierre Boaistuau, surnamed Launay.
Froisarde.
Fabian.
TO THE READER.
Nothing in mine opinion can be more acceptable vnto thee (friendly
Reader) then oft reading and perusing of varietie of Hystories, which as
they be for diuersitie of matter pleasaunt and plausible, euen so for
example and imitation good and commendable. The one doth reioyce the
werie and tedious minde, many times inuolued with ordinarie cares, the
other prescribeth a directe pathe to treade the tracte of this present
life. Wherefore if in these newes or Nouelles here presented, there do
appeare any thing worthy of regarde, giue thankes to the noble gentleman
to whome this booke is dedicated, for whose sake onely, that paine (if
any seme to bee) was wholy imployed. Inioy therefore with him this
present booke, and curteously with frendly talke report the same, for if
otherwise thou do abuse it, the blame shal light on thee, and not on me,
which only of good will did meane it first. But yet if blaming tongues
and vnstayed heades, wil nedes be busy, they shal sustain the shame, for
that they haue not yet shewen forth any blamelesse dede to like effect,
as this is ment of me, which when they do, no blame but prayse they can
receiue. For prayse be they well worthy for to haue which in well doing
do contende. No vertuous dede or zelous worke can want due prayse of the
honest, though faulting fooles and youthly heades full ofte do chaunt
the faultles checke, that Momus mouth did once finde out in Venus
slipper. And yet from faultes I wyll not purge the same, but whatsoeuer
they seme to be, they be in number ne yet in substaunce such, but that
thy curteous dealing may sone amende them or forget them. Wherefore to
giue the full aduertisement of the whole collection of these nouels,
vnderstande that sixe of them haue I selected out of Titus Liuius, two
out of Herodotus, certayn out of Aelianus, Xenophon, Aulus Gellius,
Plutarche, and other like approued authors. Other Nouels haue I
adioyned, chosen out of diuers Italian and Frenche wryters. Wherein I
confesse my selfe not to be so well trayned, peraduenture as the fine
heads of suche trauailers would desire, and yet I trust sufficiently to
expresse the sense, of euerye of the same. Certaine haue I culled out of
the Decamerone of Giouan Boccaccio, wherin be conteined one hundred
Nouelles, amonges whiche there be some (in my iudgement) that be worthy
to be condempned to perpetual prison, but of them such haue I redemed to
the libertie of our vulgar, as may be best liked, and better suffered.
Although the sixt part of the same hundreth may full well be permitted.
And as I my selfe haue already done many other of thesame worke, yet for
this present I haue thought good to publish only tenne in number, the
rest I haue referred to them that be able with better stile to expresse
the authour's eloquence, or vntil I adioyne to this another tome, if
none other in the meane time do preuent me, which with all my heart I
wishe and desire: because the workes of Boccaccio for his stile, order
of writing, grauitie, and sententious discourse, is worthy of intire
prouulgation. Out of Bandello I haue selected seuen, chosing rather to
follow Launay and Belleforest the French Translatours, than the barren
soile of his own vain, who being a Lombard, doth frankly confesse
himselfe to be no fine Florentine, or trimme Thoscane, as eloquent and
gentle Boccaccio was. Diuers other also be extracted out of other
Italian and French authours. All which (I truste) be both profitable and
pleasaunt, and wil be liked of the indifferent Reader. Profitable they
be, in that they disclose what glorie, honour, and preferment eche man
attaineth by good desert, what felicitie, by honest attempts, what good
successe, laudable enterprises do bring to the coragious, what happy ioy
and quiet state godly loue doth affecte the imbracers of the same.
Profitable I say, in that they do reueale the miseries of rapes and
fleshly actions, the ouerthrow of noble men and Princes by disordered
gouernment, the tragical ends of them that vnhappely do attempt
practises vicious and horrible. Wilt thou learne how to behaue thy selfe
with modestie after thou hast atchieued any victorious conquest, and not
to forget thy prosperous fortune amyd thy glorious triumphe, by
committing a facte vnworthy of thy valiaunce: reade the first Nouel of
the fortunate Romane Horatius? Wilt thou vnderstande what dishonour and
infamie, desire of libidinous lust doth bring, read the rape of Lucrece?
Wilt thou know what an vnkinde part it is vnnaturally to abuse the state
of thine own countrie, reade Martius Coriolanus? Wilt thou learne what
fruite is reaped of wicked luste, to dispoyle virgins and maydens of
their greatest vertue see the hystorie of Appius Claudius and Sir Didaco
the Spanish knight? Desirest thou to knowe howe closely thou oughtest to
keepe the secrets of honorable mariage, peruse the history of Candaules?
Dost thou covet to be aduertised what is true felicitie, reade of kyng
Craesus and the wyse man Solon? Hath the Lady, Gentlewoman, or other of
the feminine kinde a desire to beholde a mirrour of chastitie, let theim
reade ouer the nouelles of the lady Panthea, of the Duchesse of Sauoy,
of the Countesse of Salesburie, of Amadour and Florinda? Is the nobleman
affected to vnderstand what happy end the vertue of loyaltie and
fidelitie doth conduce, the Earle of Angiers may be to him a right good
example? Will gentlemen learne howe to prosecute vertue, and to
profligat from their minde, disordinate Loue, and affection, I referre
theim to the Historie of Tancredi, and to Galgano of Siena? Is not the
marchaunt contented with his goodes already gotten, but will needes go
seeke some other trade, let him note and consider the daungers wherein
the Aduenturer Landolpho was. Is he disposed to sende his factor beyonde
the seas, about his affaires, let him first bidde him to peruse
Andreuccio, and then commaunde him to beware of Madame Floredelice? If
the yeoman intendeth to be carefull of his businesse, meaning to reape
that he hath sowen in due time, let him take hede howe he repose any
trust in friendes and kinsmen, least in haruest he be deceiued, which
AEsope's larke doth pretely note. If the artificer will not faithfully
deale according to the truste reposed in him, I would not wyshe him to
suffer that whiche Bindo did, but aduisedly to reade the Historie, and
trustelye to accomplishe that he taketh in hande. If scornefull speache
or flouting sport do flowe in ripe wittes and lauishe tongues of
womankinde let them beware they do not deale with the learned sort,
least Maister Alberto with phisicke drougues, or Philenio with Sophist
art do staine their face, or otherwise offende them with the innocencie
of their great Graundmother Eue when she was somoned from Paradise ioye.
If the poore mayden of base birth be aduaunced (by fortune's grace) to
highe estate: let her fixe in mynde the lady of Thurin. Finallye, for
all states and degrees, in these Nouelles be sette forth singuler
documentes and examples, right commodious and profitable to them that
will vouchsafe to reade them.
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23 |
24 |
25 |
26