FullReads

The ladies came to the Queen, acquainting her Majesty how it was with her, and certifying her how that the lady of her bedchamber who had the charge of Isabella had done her this ill office. There needed not much pressing to induce the Queen to believe that it was true, and therefore went presently to see Isabella, who was almost breathing her last.

The Queen commanded her physicians should be sent for in all haste, and in the meanwhile, before they came, she caused a quantity of the powder of unicorn’s horn to be given her, and some other preservatives against poison, which great princes use always to have ready at hand upon the like cases of necessity. The physicians came and applied their best remedies, and besought the Queen that she would be pleased to cause that lady of her bedchamber to make known unto them what kind of poison that was which she had given her, for it was not to be doubted that any other person but herself had poisoned her. She did discover what she had given her, and having notice of it, the physicians applied so many and such effectual remedies, that by them and God’s helping hand Isabella remained with life, or at least in good hope of having it.

The Queen commanded her bedchamber woman to be apprehended, and to be locked up in a strait and narrow lodging in her Court, with intention to punish her according to the nature and quality of this her foul offence, although that she sought to excuse herself by saying that in killing Isabella she did sacrifice to heaven above by ridding the earth of a Catholic, and together with her, removing the occasion of her son’s further quarrels.

This sad news being brought to Ricaredo made him almost out of his wits; such were the things he did, and such were the complaints he made.

In conclusion, Isabella did not lose her life; yet the poison had gotten that power over her that she lost the hair of her head and of her eyebrows, her face was strangely puffed up, the grain of her skin spoiled, her complexion marred, her whole body mightily swollen, and her eyes distilling watery humours. In a word, she was grown so foul and ill-favoured, that she who till then seemed to be a miracle of beauty did now seem to be a monster of ugliness; and they who knew her before held it the greater misfortune of the two that she remained in this evil plight than if she had died of the poison. Notwithstanding all this, Ricaredo sued anew unto the Queen for her, and besought her Majesty that she would give him leave to carry her home to his house, because the love which he bare her passed from his body to his soul; yet comforted himself with this, that though Isabella had lost her beauty, yet could she not lose her infinite virtues.

“Thou sayest true,” replied the Queen; “go, take her home with thee, Ricaredo, and make account that thou carriest with thee a most rich jewel in a coarse case. I would have given her as fair to thee as thou deliveredst her unto me; but since this is not possible, forgive me that fault; happily the chastisement which I shall give to the committers of this foul offence shall in part satisfy thy desire of revenge.”

Many things did Ricaredo say unto the Queen, seeking to excuse the lady of her bedchamber, beseeching her Majesty to pardon her, since that the reasons she alleged in her excuse were sufficient for to move her to forgive her greater excesses than these.