when they saw her, ran unto her with open arms, and with tears in their eyes lovingly received her. Leocadia's heart boiling with passion, and being much troubled in mind, she entreated her parents to withdraw themselves and to go a little aside with her. They did so; and then and there in a few words she gave them an account of that her unfortunate success, with all the circumstances belonging thereunto, and that she could by no means come to the knowledge of him that assaulted her, and robbed her of her honour. She acquainted them with all that she had seen in that theatre, wherein was represented and acted that woful tragedy of her misfortune: the window, the garden, the bars of iron, the cabinets, the bed, the damasks; and last of all she showed them the crucifix which she had brought thence with her: Before which image they renewed their tears, made deprecations, called for vengeance, and begged of God miraculous chastisements. She likewise told them, that although she did not desire to come to have knowledge of her offender, yet if it seemed good unto her parents to have him known by means of that image, they might do it by causing the clerks of all the parishes in the city to publish at divine service in their several churches, that he who had lost such an image, should find it put in the hands of some such person as the party that lost it should nominate and appoint for the receiving of it; and so, by knowing the owner of the image, they might come thereby to know the house, as also the person of their enemy. Hereunto her father replied: What you have said, had been well said, daughter, if that craft and cunning now-a-days did not oppose itself to thy discreet discourse; since that it is clear and manifest that this image may not suddenly be missed; or if missed, no great reck. oning made of it; and the owner therefore will certainly apprehend and imagine that the person who was with him in the lodging had taken it away; and that if it should come to his knowledge that some religious man hath it in his keeping, he will rather serve his turn, and make use of his knowing who it should be that gave it to him that now hath it, than be willing to declare and make known the owner that lost it. And it may likewise happen that another may come for it, to whom the owner thereof hath given some signs and tokens whereby to know and challenge it to be his. And if this should be so, we should be in a worse case than before, and remain rather confounded than informed, though we should use the same artifice and cunning which we suspect them

for, by giving it to a religious man by a third person. That, daughter, which is herein to be done, is to keep it; that as it was a witness of thy disgrace, so it may become an evidence to procure thee justice, and right the great wrong which thou hast received. And withal consider, dear daughter, that one ounce of public dishonour doth die heavier upon us than a pound weight of secret infamy. "True dishonour consists in sin, and true honour in virtue." God is offended with our sayings, our doings, and our desires; and since that thou neither in thought, word, nor deed, hast offended him, account thyself honest; for I shall hold thee so, and shall never look upon thee, but like a kind and loving father.'

With these prudent reasons did this good father comfort Leocadia; and her mother, embracing her again and again, did likewise endeavour to comfort her. Whereupon she fell afresh a-weeping, and a-crying; and hiding her head as, they say, for shame, she betook herself to a private and retired course of life, under the shelter and protection of her parents, being honestly and decently, though but poorly

clad.

Rodolpho in the mean while being come home, and sitting him down in his chamber, casting his eyes aside, he found the image of his crucifix missing, and presently ima gined who might carry it away; but he made slight of it, and, for that he was rich, he did not reckon much of it, neither did his parents question him for it; when as, being within three days after to go for Italy, he did deliver up by tale to one of his mother's chambermaids, all that which he left behind him in the lodging, whereof she took a true inventory.

It was many days since that Rodolpho had resolved to travel into Italy; and his father, who had been there in his younger years, persuaded him thereunto; telling him, that they were not gentlemen who were only so in their own country, but that they must likewise show themselves to be such abroad. For these and other reasons Rodolpho disposed his will to comply with that of his father, who gave him the bills of credit for good round sums of money at Barce. lona, Genoa, Rome, and Naples. And he with two of his comrades presently departed, being much taken with that which he had heard some soldiers repeat of the great store of inns in Italy and France, and of the liberty which Spaniards took in their lodgings. That sounded well in his

ear: Lo, Sir, here be good tender pullets, young pigeons, fine white fat veal, a good gammon of bacon, excellent sausages,' and the like, which the soldiers did magnify in mentioning them unto him; showing what a great deal of difference they found when they came out of those parts into these, laying before him the scarcity of provision, and the discommodities of the inns of Spain. In conclusion, he went away, so little thinking on that which passed betwixt himself and Leocadia, as if there had never been any such

matter.

She in the interim led her life in the house of her parents with all possible retiredness, without suffering herself to be seen of any; as one that was fearful, lest they might read her misfortune in her forehead. But within a few months, she perceived that she was driven to do that by force and constraint, which hitherto she had done willingly and of her own accord. She saw that it was fit and convenient for her to live closely and retired, because she found herself to be with child-an event which occasioned those tears, which in some sort had been forgotten, to break forth anew from the fountains of her eyes; and those sighs and lamentations, which had lain for a while calm and quiet, began to rise, and, like fierce winds, fell a beating, and waging war one against another; her mother's discretion, and gentle persuasions, not being able to allay the violence of her passion, nor afford her any comfort.

Time fled away with a swift wing, and the time of her delivery was come; but with that, secrecy, that they durst not trust a midwife therewith; so that her mother usurping this office, brought forth to the light of the world a little young son, one of the prettiest, sweetest, and beautifullest babes that thought itself could imagine. With the like wariness, circumspection, and secrecy wherewith it was born, they conveyed it to a country village, where it continued four years: At the end whereof, with the name of nephew, his grandfather brought him home to his own. house, where he was bred up, though not very richly, yet at least very virtuously. The child (whom they named Luys, that being his grandfather's name) was of a fair complexion, a pleasing countenance, a sweet disposition, a gentle nature, a quick wit; and in all those his actions, which in that tender age he could do, he gave apparent signs, and tokens, that he was begotten by some noble father; and in such sort his wit, beauty, and pretty behaviour, did, make

his grandfather and grandmother so far in love with him, that they came to hold their daughter's unhappiness to be a happiness, in that she had given them such a nephew. When he went through the streets, they did shower down upon him a thousand benedictions; some blessed his beauty, others the mother that bare him, these the father that begat, and those him who had brought him up, and given him such good breeding.

With this applause of those that knew him, and knew him not, the child grew to be seven years of age: In which time he had learned to read Spanish and Latin, and to write a very good hand. For his grandfather's and grandmother's intention was to make him virtuous and wise, since that they could not make him rich; not being ignorant, that virtue and wisdom were the only riches over which neither thieves nor fortune had any power.

It happened one day, that the child was sent by his grandmother on a message to a kinswoman of hers, and it was his chance to pass through a street where some gentlemen were running careers with their horses. He stayed to look on them, and for the getting of a better place he ran athwart from the one side to the other, just in such an ill conjuncture of time, that he could not avoid a horse's running over him, whose rider, with all the strength he had, was not able to keep him back in the fury of his career. He ran over him, and left him stretched on the ground for dead, pouring out much blood from his head.

This sad mischance had scarce happened, when lo, an ancient gentleman, who was beholding the career, with extraordinary dexterity leaped from his horse, and went where the child was; and taking him out of one's arms that held him, took him into his own, and without making any reckoning of his grey hairs, or regarding his authority, which was much, neglecting the grave Spanish pace, with large steps he hied him home to his own house, willing his servants to leave him, and to go and seek out a skilful surgeon for to cure the child. Many gentlemen followed him, grieving and pitying the misfortune that had befallen so sweet and fair a child. For it was presently noised abroad, that he that was thus trodden down, was Lusico, the kinsman of such a gentleman, naming his grandfather. This voice ran from mouth to mouth, till it came at last to the ears of his grandfather and grandmother, and likewise to those of his retired mother; who being fully and truly cer-.

tified of this unlucky and lamentable accident, ran forthwith out of doors, as if they had been mad, to know what was become of their beloved. And because the gentleman that carried him away was so well known, and of such principal rank and quality, many of those whom they met withal told them where his house was, whither, being carried between love and fear, they soon arrived, just at that instant when the child was under the surgeon's hands. The gentleman and his wife, the owners of the house, entreated those whom they thought to be his parents, that they would not weep, nor fill the air with the cry of their complaints, being that it could do the child no good. The surgeon, who was famous for his skill, having dressed him with a gentle hand, and as a master of his faculty, told them that the wound was not so mortal, as at first he feared it had been.

When he was half dressed, Lusico's memory came to him, which until then had left him; and he was very glad and cheery, in seeing his grandfather and grandmother there, who, with tears in their eyes, asked him how he did? He answered, Well, save that he was much pained in his body, and his head. The surgeon advised them, that they should not speak unto him, but that they would give him leave to take his rest. They did so; and then his grandfather began to give the master of the house thanks, for that his great charity which he had extended towards his nephew. Whereunto the gentleman replied, that he needed not to thank him; giving him to understand, that when the child fell, and was overborne by the horse, it seemed unto him that he saw the face of a son of his own, whom he tenderly loved; and that this moved him to take him up in his arms, and bring him home to his own house, where he would that he should continue till he were fully cured; and that he should not want cherishing, nor any thing else that his house could afford, that was needful and necessary for him. His wife, who was a noble lady, said, the phrase a little varied, in effect the very same words, and did somewhat more amplify and endear her promises.

The grandfather and grandmother of the child did much wonder at, and admire this their great Christianity: And the mother much more; for her troubled spirit being somewhat quieted by the surgeon's comfortable words, she diligently observed the lodging where her son lay, and by apparent signs and tokens clearly knew that that was the room where her honour had its end, and her misfortune its begin

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