The next day how my master the gardener sped, I knew not, but the gentle soldier, who was well beaten for his cowardice, led me to his lodging without the contradiction of any man: where he laded me well, and garnished my body (as seemed to me) like an ass of arms. For on the one side I bare an helmet that shined exceedingly: on the other side a target that glistered more a thousandfold. And on the top of my burden he put a long spear, which things he placed thus gallantly, not because he was so expert in war (for the gardener proved the contrary) but to the end he might fear those which passed by, when they saw such a similitude of war. When we had gone a good part of our journey, over the plain and easy fields, we fortuned to come to a little town, where we lodged at a certain captain’s house. And there the soldier took me to one of the servants, while he himself went towards his captain; who had the charge of a thousand men. And when we had remained there a few days, I understood of a wicked and mischievous fact committed there, which I have put in writing to the end you may know the same. The master of the house had a son instructed in good literature, and endued with virtuous manners, such a one as you would desire to have the like. Long time before his mother died, and when his father married a new wife, and had another child of the age of twelve years. The stepdame was more excellent in beauty than honesty: for she loved this young man her son-in-law, either because she was unchaste by nature, or because she was enforced by fate of stepmother, to commit so great a mischief. Gentle reader, thou shalt not read of a fable, but rather a tragedy: this woman when her love began first to kindle in her heart, could easily resist her desire and inordinate appetite by reason of shame and fear, lest her intent should be known: But after it compassed and burned every part of her breast, she was compelled to yield unto the raging flame of Cupid, and under colour of the disease and infirmity of her body, to conceal the wound of her restless mind. Every man knoweth well the signs and tokens of love, and the malady convenient to the same: her countenance was pale, her eyes sorrowful, her knees weak, and there was no comfort in her, but continual weeping and sobbing, insomuch that you would have thought that she had some spice of an ague, saving that she wept unmeasurably: the physicians knew not her disease, when they felt the beating of her veins, the intemperance of her heart, the sobbing sighs, and her often tossing of every side: no, no, the cunning physician knew it not, but a scholar of Venus’ court might easily conjecture the whole. After that she had been long time tormented in her affliction, and was no more able to conceal her ardent desire, she caused her son to be called for, (which word son she would fain put away if it were not for shame): then he nothing disobedient to the commandment of his mother, with a sad and modest countenance, came into the chamber of his stepdame, the mother of his brother, but she speaking never a word was in great doubt what she might do, and could not tell what to say first, by reason of shame. The young man suspecting no ill, with humble courtesy demanded the cause of her present disease. Then she having found an occasion to utter her intent, with weeping eyes and covered face, began boldly to speak unto him in this manner: Thou, thou, art the original cause of all my dolour: thou art my comfort and only health, for those thy comely eyes are so enfastened within my breast, that unless they succor me, I shall certainly die: have pity therefore upon me, be not the occasion of my destruction, neither let my conscience reclaim to offend thy father, when as thou shalt save the life of thy mother. Moreover since thou dost resemble thy father’s shape in every point, it giveth me cause the more to fancy thee: now is ministered unto thee time and place: now hast thou occasion to work thy will, seeing that we are alone. And it is a common saying:

Never known, never done.

This young man troubled in mind at so sudden an ill, although he abhorred to commit so beastly a crime, yet he would not cast her off with a present denial, but warily pacified her mind with delay of promise. Wherefore he promised to do all according to her desire: and in the mean season, he willed his mother to be of good cheer, and comfort herself till as he might find some convenient time to come unto her, when his father was ridden forth: wherewithal he got him away from the pestilent sight of his stepdame. And knowing that this matter touching the ruin of all the whole house needed the counsel of wise and grave persons, he went incontinently to a sage old man and declared the whole circumstance of the matter. The old man after long deliberation, thought there was no better way to avoid the storm of cruel fortune to come, than to run away. In the mean season this wicked woman impatient of her love, and the long delay of her son, egged her husband to ride abroad into far countries. And then she asked the young man the accomplishment of his promise, but he to rid himself entirely from her hands, would find always excuses, till in the end she understood by the messengers that came in and out, that he nothing regarded her. Then she by how much she loved him before, by so much and more she hated him now. And by and by she called one of her servants, ready to all mischiefs: to whom she declared all her secrets. And there it was concluded between them two, that the surest way was to kill the young man: whereupon this varlet went incontinently to buy poison, which he mingled with wine, to the intent he would give it to the young man to drink, and thereby presently to kill him. But while they were in deliberation how they might offer it unto him, behold here happened a strange adventure. For the young son of the woman that came from school at no one (being very thirsty) took the pot wherein the poison was mingled, and ignorant of the venom, drank a good draught thereof, which was prepared to kill his brother: whereby he presently fell down to the ground dead. His schoolmaster seeing his sudden change, called his mother, and all the servants of the house with a loud voice. Incontinently every man declared his opinion, touching the death of the child: but the cruel woman the only example of stepmother’s malice, was nothing moved by the bitter death of her son, or by her own conscience of parricide, or by the misfortune of her house, or by the dolour of her husband, but rather devised the destruction of all her family. For by and by she sent a messenger after her husband to tell him the great misfortune which happened after his departure. And when he came home, the wicked woman declared that his son had empoisoned his brother, because he would not consent to his will, and told him diverse other leasings, adding in the end that he threatened to kill her likewise, because she discovered the fact: then the unhappy father was stricken with double dolour of the death of his two children, for on the one side he saw his younger son slain before his eyes, on the other side, he seemed to see the elder condemned to die for his offence: again, where he beheld his wife lament in such sort, it gave him further occasion to hate his son more deadly; but the funerals of his younger son were scarce finished, when the old man the father with weeping eyes even at the return from the grave, went to the justice and accused his son of the slaughter of his brother, and how he threatened to slay his wife, whereby the rather at his weeping and lamentation, he moved all the magistrates and people to pity, insomuch that without any delay, or further inquisition they cried all that he should be stoned to death, but the justices fearing a farther inconvenience to arise by the particular vengeance, and to the end there might fortune no sedition amongst the people, prayed the decurions and other officers of the city, that they might proceed by examination of witnesses, and with order of justice according to the ancient custom before the judging of any hasty sentence or judgment, without the hearing of the contrary part, like as the barbarous and cruel tyrants accustom to use: otherwise they should give an ill example to their successors. This opinion pleased every man, wherefore the senators and counselors were called, who being placed in order according to their dignity, caused the accuser and defender to be brought forth, and by the example of the Athenian law, and judgment material, their advocates were commanded to plead their causes briefly without preambles or motions of the people to pity, which were too long a process. And if you demand how I understood all this matter, you shall understand that I heard many declare the same, but to recite what words the accuser used in his invective, what answer the defender made, the orations and pleadings of each party, verily I am not able to do: for I was fast bound at the manger. But as I learned and knew by others, I will God willing declare unto you. So it was ordered, that after the pleadings of both sides was ended, they thought best to try and boult out the verity by witnesses, all presumptions and likelihood set apart, and to call in the servant, who only was reported to know all the matter: by and by the servant came in, who nothing abashed, at the fear of so great a judgment, or at the presence of the judges, or at his own guilty conscience, which he so finely feigned, but with a bold countenance presented himself before the justices and confirmed the accusation against the young man, saying: Oh ye judges, on a day when this young man loathed and hated his stepmother, he called me, desiring me to poison his brother, whereby he might revenge himself, and if I would do it and keep the matter secret, he promised to give me a good reward for my pains: but when the young man perceived that I would not accord to his will, he threatened to slay me, whereupon he went himself and bought poison, and after tempered it with wine, and then gave it me to give the child, which when I refused he offered it to his brother with his own hands. When the varlet with a trembling countenance had ended these words which seemed a likelihood of truth, the judgment was ended: neither was there found any judge or counselor, so merciful to the young man accused, as would not judge him culpable, but that he should be put and sewn in a skin, with a dog, a cock, a snake, and an ape, according to the law against parricides: wherefore they wanted nothing but (as the ancient custom was) to put white stones and black into a pot, and to take them out again, to see whether the young man accused should be acquitted by judgment or condemned, which was a thing irrevocable.

In the mean season he was delivered to the hands of the executioner. But there arose a sage and ancient physician, a man of a good conscience and credit throughout all the city, that stopped the mouth of the pot wherein the stones were cast, saying: I am right glad ye reverend judges, that I am a man of name and estimation amongst you, whereby I am accompted such a one as will not suffer any person to be put to death by false and untrue accusations, considering there hath been no homicide or murder committed by this young man in this case, neither you (being sworn to judge uprightly) to be misinformed and abused by invented lies and tales. For I cannot but declare and open my conscience, least I should be found to bear small honour and faith to the gods, wherefore I pray you give ear, and I will show you the whole truth of the matter. You shall understand that this servant which hath merited to be hanged, came one of these days to speak with me, promising to give me a hundred crowns, if I would give him present poison, which would cause a man to die suddenly, saying, that he would have it for one that was sick of an incurable disease, to the end he might be delivered from all torment, but I smelling his crafty and subtle fetch, and fearing least he would work some mischief withal, gave him a drink; but to the intent I might clear myself from all danger that might happen, I would not presently take the money which he offered. But least any of the crowns should lack weight or be found counterfeit, I willed him to scale the purse wherein they were put, with his manual sign, whereby the next day we might go together to the goldsmith to try them, which he did; wherefore understanding that he was brought present before you this day, I hastily commanded one of my servants to fetch the purse which he had sealed, and here I bring it unto you to see whether he will deny his own sign or no: and you may easily conject that his words are untrue, which he alleged against the young man, touching the buying of the poison, considering he bought the poison himself. When the physician had spoken these words you might perceive how the traitorous knave changed his colour, how he sweat for fear, how he trembled in every part of his body: and how he set one leg upon another, scratching his head and grinding his teeth, whereby there was no person but would judge him culpable. In the end, when he was somewhat returned to his former subtlety, he began to deny all that was said, and stoutly affirmed, that the physician did lie. But the physician perceiving that he was railed at and his words denied, did never cease to confirm his sayings, and to disprove the varlet, till such time as the officers by the commandment of the judges, bound his hands and brought out the seal, wherewith he had sealed the purse which augmented suspicion which was conceived of him first. Howbeit, neither the fear of the wheel or any other torment according to the use of the Grecians, which were ready prepared, no, nor yet the fire could enforce him to confess the matter, so obstinate and grounded was he in his mischievous mind. But the physician perceiving that the menaces of these torments did nothing prevail, gan say: I cannot suffer or abide that this young man who is innocent, should against all law and conscience, be punished and condemned to die, and the other which is culpable, should escape so easily, and after mock and flout at your judgment: for I will give you an evident proof and argument of this present crime. You shall understand, that when this caitiff demanded of me a present and strong poison, considering that it was not my part to give occasion of any other’s death, but rather to cure and save sick persons by mean of medicines: and on the other side, fearing least if I should deny his request, I might minister a further cause of his mischief, either that he would buy poison of some other, or else return and work his wicked intent, with a sword or some dangerous weapon, I gave him no poison, but a doling drink of mandragora, which is of such force, that it will cause any man to sleep as though he were dead. Neither is it any marvel if this most desperate man, who is certainly assured to be put to death, ordained by an ancient custom, can suffer and abide these facill and easy torments, but if it be so that the child hath received the drink as I tempered it with mine own hands, he is yet alive and doth but sleep, and after his sleep he shall return to life again, but if he be dead indeed, then may you further inquire of the causes of his death. The opinion of this ancient physician was found good, and every man had a desire to go to the sepulchre where the child was laid; there was none of the justices, none of any reputation of the town, nor any of the common people, but went to see this strange sight. Amongst them all the father of the child removed with his own hands the stone of the sepulchre, and found his Son rising up after his dead and soporiferous sleep, whom when he beheld, he embraced him in his arms, and presented him before the people, with great joy and consolation, and as he was wrapped and bound in his grave, so he brought him before the judges, whereupon the wickedness of the Servant, and, the treason of the stepdame was plainly discovered, and the verity of the matter revealed, whereby the woman was perpetually exiled, the servant hanged on a gallows, and the physician had the crowns, which was prepared to buy the poison. Behold how the fortune of the old man was changed, who thinking to be deprived of all his race and posterity, was in one moment made the father of two children. But as for me, I was ruled and handled by Fortune, according to her pleasure.