t should follow. Vpon the
second daye he came vnto the duke, and tolde hym in what sorte
he had practised with his sister, and that although the same in
the beginning was harde and difficult, yet in the ende he made
her to consent, vpon condicion that hee would keepe the same so
secrete as none but hymselfe and he myght knowe of it. The duke
desirous and glad of those newes, dyd sone belieue hym, and
imbracing the messanger, promised to geue him whatsoeuer he
would demaunde, praying hym with all speede that hee might
inioye his desyred purpose. Whereupon they appointed a tyme: and
to demaunde whether the duke were glad and ioyfull of the same,
it were superfluous. And when the desired night was come, wherin
he hoped to haue the victorie of her whom he thought inuincible,
he and the gentleman alone withdrewe themselues together, not
forgetting his perfumed coif and swete shirte wrought and
trimmed after the best maner. And when eche wight was gone to
bed, both they repayred to the appointed lodging of his Lady,
where being arriued they founde a chamber in decent and comly
order. The gentleman taking of the Duke's night gowne, placed
hym in the bedde, and sayde vnto hym: "My Lorde, I wil nowe goe
seeke her, which can not enter into this chamber without
blushing, howbeit I truste before to morrowe morning she wyll be
very glad of you." Which done, he left the Duke, and went into
his own chamber, where he founde one of his seruantes alone, to
whome he sayde: "Hast thou the harte to followe me into a place
where I shall be reuenged vpon the greatest enemie that I haue
in the worlde?" "Yea sir," aunswered his man. Whereupon the
Gentleman toke him with him so sodainly, as he had no leasure to
arme him selfe with other weapon but with his onely dagger. And
when the Duke heard him come againe, thinking he had brought her
with hym that he loued so derely, hee drewe the curteine, and
opened his eyes to behold and receiue that ioye which he had so
long loked for, but in place of seeing her which he hoped should
be the conseruation of his life, he sawe the acceleration of his
death, which was a naked sworde that the Gentleman had drawen,
who therwithall did strike the Duke, which was in his shirte
voyde of weapon, although well armed with courage, and sitting
vp in his bedde grasped the Gentleman about the body, and sayde:
"Is this thy promise whiche thou hast kept?" And seeing that he
had no other weapon but his teeth and nayles,