An other of the same more at large in prose.
Tancred king of Naples and Prince of
Salerne, gaue his only daughter Gismund
(whom he most dearely loued) in mariage to
a foraine Prince, after whose death she returned
home to her Father, who hauing felt
great griefe of hir absence whilst her husband liued, immesurably
esteeming her, determined neuer to suffer any second
mariage to bereaue him of hir. She on the other side waxing
wearie of that her fathers purpose, bent hir mind to the secret
loue of the County Palurin: to whom (he being likewise
inflamed with loue of her) by a Letter subtilly inclosed in a
clouen cane, she gaue to vnderstand a conuenient waie for
their desired meetings, through an old ruinous vaut, whose
mouth opened directly vnder her chamber floore. Into this
vaut when she was one day descended (for the conuaiance of
hir louer) hir father in the meane season (whose only ioy was
in his daughter) came to hir chamber, and not finding her
there, supposing her to haue bin walked abroad for hir disport,
he threw him downe on hir bed, and couered his head
with a curtain, minding to abide and rest there till hir returne.
She nothing suspecting this hir fathers vnseasonable
comming, brought vp hir louer out of the cane into hir
chamber, where hir father espied their secret loue: and hee
(not espied of them) was vpon this sight striken with meruailous
griefe; but either for that the sodaine despight had
amazed him, & taken from him all vse of speech, or for that
heresolued himself to a more cōueniēt reuenge, he then spake
nothing, but noted their returne into the vaut, and secretly
departed. Afterward bewailing his mishap, he commanded
the Earle to be attached, imprisoned, strangled, vnbowelled,
and his heart in a cup of golde to be presented to his daughter:
she thankefully receiueth the present, filling the cuppe
(wherein the heart was) with her teares, with a venimcus
potion (by her distilled for that purpose) shee dranke to her
Earle. Which her father hearing of, came too late to comfort
his dying daughter, who for her last request besought him,
that her louer and her selfe, might in one tombe be together
buried, for a perpetuall memorie of their faithfull loues,
which request he graunted, adding to the buriall, himselfe
slaine with his owne hands, to his owne reproch, and the terror
of all other hard hearted fathers.
