in no wise be merry, nor receive any comfort, but tormented
her selfe day and night before the Image of her husband
which she made like unto Bacchus, and rendred unto
him divine honours and services. In the meane
season Thrasillus not able to refraine any longer,
before Charites had asswaged her dolor, before her
troubled mind had pacified her fury, even in the middle
of all her griefes, while she tare her haire and rent
her garments, demanded her in marriage, and so without
shame, he detected the secrets and unspeakeable deceipts
of his heart. But Charites detested and abhorred
his demand, and as she had beene stroken with some
clap of thunder, with some storme, or with the lightning
of Jupiter, she presently fell downe to the ground
all amazed. Howbeit when her spirits were revived
and that she returned to her selfe, perceiving that
Thrasillus was so importunate, she demanded respite
to deliberate and to take advise on the matter.
In the meane season, the shape of Lepolemus that was
slaine so miserably, appeared to Charites saying, O
my sweet wife (which no other person can say but I)
I pray thee for the love which is betweene us two,
if there he any memorie of me in thy heart, or remembrance
of my pittifull death, marry with any other person,
so that thou marry not with the traitour Thrasillus,
have no conference with him, eate not with him, lie
not with him, avoid the bloudie hand of mine enemie,
couple not thy selfe with a paricide, for those wounds
(the bloud whereof thy teares did wash away) were
not the wounds of the teeth of the Boare, but the
speare of Thrasillus, that deprived me from thee.
Thus spake Lepolemus, unto his loving wife, and declared
the residue of the damnable fact. Then Charites,
awaking from sleepe, began to renew her dolour, to
teare her garments, and to beate her armes with her
comely hands, howbeit she revealed the vision which
she saw to no manner of person, but dissimuling that
she knew no part of the mischiefe, devised with her
selfe how she might be revenged on the traitor, and
finish her owne life to end and knit up all sorrow.
Incontinently came Thrasillus, the detestable demander
of sodaine pleasure, and wearied the closed eares
of Charites with talke of marriage, but she gently
refused his communication, and coloring the matter,
with passing craft in the middest of his earnest desires
gan say, Thrasillus you shall understand that yet
the face of your brother and my husband, is alwayes
before mine eies, I smell yet the Cinamon sent of
his pretious body, I yet feele Lepolemus alive in
my heart: wherefore you shall do well if you grant
to me miserable woman, necessarie time to bewaile
his death, that after the residue of a few months,
the whole yeare may be expired, which thing toucheth
as well my shame as your wholsome profit, lest peradventure
by your speed and quicke marriage we should justly
raise and provoke the spirit of my husband to worke
our destruction. Howbeit, Thrasillus was not
contented with this promise, but more and more came