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Eftsoone replyde the knight, with friendly face,
With gladsome heart, & trembling tong for ioy:
Faire Nymph (quoth he) thy comming to this place
Delights me much, and quits my great annoy.
The thing, whereto thou saist I shall aspire,
Is that which long Nastagio did desire,
Thy message likes my minde exceeding well,
And sith thy Ladie deales so friendly now
With me her thrall, forget not thou to tell,
That by the Gods I make a solemne vow,
Not to abuse her honour or defile
Her noble name by any wanton wile.
My purpose is, in good and godly sort,
To take her to my lawfull wedded wife,
And so vnto the Lady make report,
I sweare my selfe her husband during life:

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Doe giue my Loue this Amathiste from mee,
As pledge that I ere long with her will bee:
And for thy paines, loe here a slender summe,
But better this, than no reward at all:
I meane to friende thee more in time to come,
Farewell (faire sweete) accept my guerdon small:
The maid had money, thanks, and leaue to part,
Whose answere made her Ladie light of heart.
And thereupon withouten longer stay,
Unto her friendes shee brake her whole intent,
As touching marriage, and with all did pray
With willing mindes that they would giue consent,
Unfolding her effection to the man,
And how in heart that onely course she ran.
The aged parents of this willing wight,
Perceiuing how their daughters minde was set,
And knowing eke the fansie of the knight,
Triumpht for ioy, and thought it sinne to let
Such honest loue, or hinder marriage bande,
The short is this, they wedded out of hand,
A marriage day no sooner gone and paste,
There were not in Rauenna man wife,
If you had fitted all from first to last,
In greater glee that wasted all their life:
She shewde herselfe not halfe so hard before,
But being matcht, she loude him ten times more.
And not alone this one good turne befell
Nastagio, through this sodaine forced feare,

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But diuers moe, that there about did dwell,
Bepitied those that louing hearts did beare:
And such as for good will had rigour showen,
No more for foes, but louers would be knowen.