Chapter XXI: Part 21

When Mayster Philippo had written out these verses, immediately he returned to the court, and caused Madona Paolo, to be called vnto him by one of the Gromes of the Chamber, to whom he sayd: "Maystresse Paola, I haue brought you a ditty, that is very trim and prety, which I pray you deliuer to the Queene, and I will do what I can to get other." Maistresse Paola tooke them, and went into the chamber, and findinge the Queene alone, sayd to hir: "Madame, this morninge yee commaunded me to get you some Italian Rithmes, and vpon inquirie I haue receyued these few verses of mayster Philippo, secretary to the Lord Andrea Borgo, who hath promised to bring me other." The Queene hearing hir speake those words, smilinge receiued the Paper, and read the same: the sense whereof she liked very well, thinking that mayster Philippo had bene the compositor of the same, and that of purpose he had made them for hir, whereby shee was out of doubt that it was shee that mayster Philippo so feruently loued, and the better hir opinion was confirmed, bicause some of the words tended to the state of hir personage. And considering the valor of hys minde, she praysed Nature, for that in a man so basely borne shee had sowen the seeds of a gentlemanlike and noble heart, greatly to hir selfe commendynge the yong man. Then she conferred the whole matter wyth hir Coosin Queene Marie: which was a wyse and comely Ladye, and vpon that loue they vsed many discourses, more and more hauing in regard the behauiour of that yong Gentleman. Queene Anne determined, when conueniently shee might, to rendre to mayster Philippo, for his great loue condigne rewarde: and studying still how to requite his curtesie, euer when she saw maister Philippo, shee vsed him with her wonted chere and grateful salutation (which thinge onely euery honest gentleman ought to expect that is indued wyth reason at the hands of a pryncesse so noble and worthy, as a reward sufficient, the inequality of the parties considered.) Whereof mayster Philippo was the best contented man of the world, and durst not hope for greater guerdon, continuing his wonted lyfe fed hym self stil with that beloued sight, in sutch wyse as many Gentlemen enuied the fauor borne vnto him by the Queene, who for none other cause did vse that curtesy, but for that she saw him to be Vertuous and well learned: continually esteemyng sutch as wyth learning or other gyftes of the mynd were indewed: and when occasion chaunced, shee vouchesafed to bestowe vpon them curteous intertaynment and lyberall rewardes. It fortuned about that time that the Emperor Maximilian died, Charles his nephew (which was the Emperor Charles, the fifth,) then beyng in Spayne, by reason of whose death the Lord Andrea Borgo, purposed to send one of hys Gentlemen to kyng Charles, for the confirmation of that lyuing he enioyed, giuen vnto him for his long and faythfull seruyce by the said Maximilian. Amongst al he chose this maister Philippo, for his wisdome and experience in sutch affayres. Which don, he went to the Queenes, and gaue them to vnderstand that shortely he would send his Secretarie into Spayne, and told them the cause, humbly praying them both, that they would write their fauorable letters in his behalf. The Queenes knowing what payne and trauell hee had sustayned in the seruice of Maximilian, and what daungers he had passed, were very willing therunto. Now Queene Anne remembred that she had conuenient time to recompence maister Philippo for hys long loue born vnto hir: and bicause she was the most curteous Lady of the world, and therwithal most bountifull and liberal, and not onely with comely talke and gesture: but also in effecte willing to do them good, whome she honoured in minde, concluded what to do, requiring the Lord Andrea to send his Secretarie vnto hir, when he was ready to depart, for that besides Letters, she woulde by mouth commit certain businesse for hir to do in the Courte of Spayne. When the Lord Andrea was gone, Queene Anne began to deuise with the other Queene what she mighte doe for mayster Philippo, who prayed Queene Anne, after she had commended him in letters, to suffer hir to make the ende and conclusion of the same. Whereupon both the Queenes wrote many letters into Spayne, to king Charles, and to the Lord Chancellour and other Noble men, whome they thought to bee apte and mete ministers to bring the effect of their letters to passe. When the Lord Andrea had put all thinges in order for that dispatch, he sayd to mayster Philippo, (which was now furnished with all thyngs necessary and apertinent for that long voyage:) "Philippo, remembre this day that you goe to Quene Anne, and tell her, that I require you to come vnto hir, to know if she would commaund you any seruice to the Catholike Kynge, where you shall humbly offer your seruice, in what it pleaseth hir to commaunde: you shall also tel hir what things I haue gyuen vnto you in charge by speciall commission." Neuer could more pleasant talke found into the eares of maister Philippo, than this, who for that he should bothe see and speake vnto his Lady before his departure, and for that she would commit vnto him the doing of hir affayres in Spayne, was the gladdest and best contented man of the world. The houre come when he thought good to repayre to the Queene, he went vnto hir, and gaue hir to vnderstand by one of the priuy Chamber, that he was attendant there to know hir pleasure. The Quene certyfied of his readinesse to depart, by and by toke order that he should come into hir chambre, who entring the same with trembling heart, and after he had done hys humble reuerence, with great feare and bashfulnesse, said: "Pleaseth your Maiesty, that my Lorde Borgo, being about to addresse mee hys Secretarie into Spayne, to the Catholike King there, hath commaunded me to wayte vpon your hyghnesse, to knowe your pleasure for certain affayres to be don for your maiesty: Wherfore may it please the same to employ mee, your humble seruaunte, I shall thinke my self the happiest man of the world: A thing so blessed and ioyfull vnto me, as no benefite or commoditie can render vnto me greater felicitie." Then he dysclosed vnto her thee rest of his message, which was committed vnto hym by his lord and maister. The Queene beholding hym wyth mery countenaunce gently sayd vnto hym: "And we for the trust we haue in you to do our message and other affayres in Spayne, haue requyred you to come hither: And bycause we knowyng you to be a Gentleman, and assured that you wyll gladly do your endeuour in any thing that may do vs pleasure, haue chosen you aboue any other. Our wyl and commaundement is, that fyrst you delyuer these letters, conteining matters of great importance to the hands of the catholike King, and that you do our humble commendations to his maiesty. Then al the rest accordingly as they be directed, which principally aboue other things we pray you to dispatch vpon your arriuall: And if we bee able to do you any pleasure, eyther for your preferment, or for other commodity, spare not to write vnto vs your mynd, and (we doe assure you) the same shalbe efectually accomplyshed, to the vttermoste of our indeuour, whych we do of our owne motion frankely offre vnto you, in consideration of the fidelitie, worthinesse, and honeste behauiour alwayes knowen to be in you." Mayster Philippo hearynge these wordes was replenyshed with sutch ioy, as he thought hymselfe rapt into the heauens, and his heart felt sutch pleasure, as it semed to flote in some depe sea of delights: and after the best maner he coulde, thanked hir for hir curtesie: and albeit (he sayd) that hee knew hymself vnworthy of that fauor, yet he dedicated the same to hir commaundement, surrendring himselfe as a slaue and faythful seruant to hir maiesty. Then vppon his knees, to his great contentation he kissed hir hands, which of hir selfe she offred vnto him, and then reuerently he toke his leaue. When hee was gone oute of the chamber, he met with the Queene's Coferer, that attended for him, who taking him aside, did put into his hand a purse with 500. crowns, and the maister of the horsse presented vnto him a very goodly and beautifull horse, wherewith maister Philippo was so well pleased, as he was like to leape out of his skin for ioy. Then he toke his iorney and arriued at the Courte in Spayne, where at oportunity, he deliuered his Letters to King Charles, and accomplished other busines and message prescribed vnto him by Quene Anne: And when he had dispatched the Queene's other letters, he attended the businesse of his Lord Andrea Borgo. The king perused the Contentes of the letters sent vnto him by his sister and kynswoman, so did the Lord Chauncellour, (which at that time was the Lord Mercurino Gattinara,) and other, to whom the Queenes had written: whereby the king was solicited to stand good Lord, to the Lorde Andrea Borgo, and likewise exhorted him to be beneficial to mayster Phylippo, whom for his good condicions and experience they had sent vnto him in the ambassage. Vpon a day the king moued by the Lorde Chancellor, caused maister Philippo to come before him, to whom kneling before his maiesty, the king said these words: "The testimony and report so honorably made of you by the two Queenes, from whom you brought vs letters, and the hope which we haue to find you a faithful and profitable seruant, and to be correspondent in effecte to the tenor of those letters, moueth vs to accepte you into the numbre of one of our Secretaries, wherein before our presence you shal sweare vnto vs to be faithfull and true." Maister Philippo that expected for no sutch dignity, maruelled at the Kyng's wordes, and there by oth ministred vnto hym by the Lorde Chauncellour was receyued into his seruice, and exercysed that office, in singular fauor of the King, to the great satysfaction of al men. And after that King Charles was elected Emperor, knowing the experience that maister Philippo had in the affaires of Italy, and specially in Lombardie, he commytted vnto hym all matters touchyng the state of the region, which so happily came to passe to maister Philippo, as besides the ornaments of vertue and wisedom, he acquyred greate riches, and yet he continually serued and worshipped the Queene as his noble patronesse and worthy mystresse. Tel me now ye faire Ladies and Gentlewomen! What shall we say of the princely behauiour and noble disposition of this Queene? Truly in my iudgment, she deserueth that prayse and commendation that may be attributed to the moste excellente Ladye of the Worlde, who neuer gaue ouer her faythful seruant tyl she had bountifully with hir own hands and commendation, rendred vnto hym a most Pryncely rewarde. And as the funne in beautye and bryghtnesse doeth surmounte the other furniture of the Skies, euen so Magnyfycence, and liberality in ech Lady doth excell all other vertues, specially in those personages, that keepe the state of Princes. But to conclude, mete and requisite it is, that yee beautify this most curtuous and liberall Queene wyth due prayses: For surely in my iudgement, if all Women would confer theyr heades and Wittes together, and deuise Hymnes and Sonnets of Liberality, they can neuer sufficiently be able to celebrate the prayse and glory of thys Queene.

THE TWENTY-SECOND NOUELL.

_The gentle and iust act of Alexander de Medices Duke of Florence,
vpon a Gentleman whom he fauoured, who hauing rauished the Daughter
of a poore Myller, caused him to mary hir, for the greater honour
and celebration whereof, he appoynted hir a rich and honourable
Dowry._