I Novella – I Day

Doctor Mossenigo his satisfaction, for praysing women against his will.

In the famous Cittie of Vienna, in Austria, sometimes dwelled a simple Sadler, named Borrihauder, who was married to an olde crabbed shrew, called Ophella: the agréement of this couple was so notable, as the Emperour Charle the First commaunded the Paynter Parmenio to drawe their couterfeits, as a monument of furie. Parmenio comming to doe the Emperours commaundement, found Borrihauder wéeping with the agonie of his wives stripes, and Ophellas chéekes as red as fire with the heate of her tongue: which strange sight, changed his determination into a pleasant conceipt, and in place of their Counterfeits, in a fayre table, he drew an Element troubled with lightening, ad under writ, Ophella, ad in another Table faistened to the same, hée likewise drew an Element darkened with raine, and under writ, Borrihauder.

Parmenio presented this travell unto the Emperour, The Emperour séeing the two names, and not the shape of those he commaundend to be drawne, demaunded the Painters meaning herein, who pleasantly answered, that he could not take the view of Ophellas face, for feare of being fiered with the lightening of her tongue, and that Borrihauder was drawned with teares, which as showers of rain followed the thunderclaps of his wives Fistes: But in good time (had she died) this Demidevil Ophella fel so extremely sik, as in every mans iudgement it was néedfull to give Phlilick to her Soule but bootlesse to bestowe of her Baby: Borrihauder séeing her, as he thought, at a good passe, was so accustomed to sorrow, as he determined to knole her passing bel, with this counterfeit morte.

Ah deare God (quoth he) how unhappy am I to lose my loving wife, my good wife, my swéete wife? O howe happy were I, that as we have lived together, so wee might nowe die together.

This pittiuos sound of her husband so melted the dying heart of Ophella, that like a candle consumed, that leaveth a little smoke in the wéeke, she lay both spéechelesse, and sencelesse, save that the pangs of death sometimes threw a weak breath out of her mouth: but like unto the wilde fire, that burneth in water, the Corsive, that would have killed the divel, in her case, recovered her to health, which was her husband, out of feare of her life, in despight of the iniurie of time past, fell to kisse and call his Maide, which watched his gasping wife, before hée tooke order with the Clarke, to sight was, perceived, and Furie, which was the last motion, that accompanied her in life, like a whirle wind, that with a sodain violence, draweth things into the ayre, so fired her heart with malice, to sée her husband in this iollitie with her mayd, as madnes gave her the strenght to crie. Ah, Ah, traytor, I am not yet Catar, as shortly after, she perfectly received her health: and so canvassed her husband Borrihauder, as by the motions of sorrow, and payne, hée hung himselfe in a Crabtree.