ll them that euer I sawe. But now sithens there is no cause,
I do require you that if you perceiue any suspicion, be it neuer
so litle, to tell me of it, because I would so vse myself, as
our frendship which hath indured so long tyme, might not bee
broken for a woman: and if I did loue her aboue any thing in the
worlde, yet surely I would neuer speake worde vnto her, bicause
I doe esteme our frendship better then the greatest treasure."
His companion swore vnto him very great othes that he neuer
thought it, praying him to vse his house as he had done before.
Whereunto he aunswered: "Sithe you will haue me so to doe, I am
content: but I praye you if hereafter you doe conceiue any
sinistre opinion in me, not to dissemble the same, which if you
doe I will neuer continue longer in your companie." In processe
of time, liuing together according to their custome, the maried
Gentleman entred againe into greater Ielousie than euer he did,
commaunding his wife to beare no more that countenaunce towards
him that she was wont to doe. Whiche commaundement she tolde her
husbande's companion, praying him after that time to forbeare to
speake vnto her, for that she was forbidden to doe the like to
him. The gentleman vnderstanding by wordes and certaine
countenaunces, that his companion had not kept promise, he sayd
vnto him in great choler: "To be Ialous (my companion) is a
thing naturall: but bicause thou diddest sweare vnto me by othes
not to dissemble, I can by no meanes forbeare any longer: for I
did euer thinke that betwene thyne harte and mine, there could
be no let and interruption: but to my great griefe and without
anye fault on my part, I doe see the contrarie. For as muche as
thou art not only very Ialous betwene thy wife and mee, but also
thou wouldest dissimulate and couer the same, so that in the
ende thy maladie and disease continuing so long, is altered into
mere malice, and lyke as oure loue hath bene the greateste that
hathe bene seene in oure tyme, euen so our displeasure and
hatred is nowe moste mortall. I haue done so mutche as lyeth in
mee, to auoyde this inconuenience, but sithe thou hast suspected
me to be an ill man, and I haue still shewed my selfe to be the
contrary, I doe sweare, and therwithal assure thee, by my faith,
that I am the same thou thinkest me to be, and therefore from
henceforth take hede of me: for since suspicion hath separated
the from my loue and amitie, despite shall deuide me from
thine.