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Whilst that Ricaredo discoursed thus with her, Isabella stood hearkening unto him with downcast eyes, showing in that her modest and sober look that her honesty did equal her beauty, and her circumspection her great discretion. And seeing that Ricaredo had made an end of speaking and was silent, this honest, fair, and discreet damsel made him this answer:

“Since that the rigour or clemency of Heaven (for I know not to which of these extremes I may attribute it) would, Señor Ricaredo, quit me of my parents and give me unto yours, thankfully acknowledging the infinite favours they have done me, I resolved with myself that my will should never be any other than theirs; and therefore, without it, the inestimable grace and favour which you are willing to do me I should not hold it a happiness but a misery, not a good but a bad fortune. But if, they being made acquainted therewith, I might be so happy as to deserve you, from this day forward I offer unto you that will and consent which they shall give me. And in the meanwhile if this shall be deferred or not effected at all, let your desires entertain themselves with this, that mine shall be eternal and pure in wishing you all that good which Heaven can give you.”

Here did Isabella put a period to her honest and discreet words, and there began Ricaredo’s recovery. And now began to be revived those hopes of his parents which in this his sickness were almost quite dead.

These two modest lovers, with a great deal of courtesy and kindness, took leave each of other; he with tears in his eyes, she with admiration in her soul to see that Ricaredo should render up his love to hers. And being raised from his bed, to his parents’ seeming, by miracle, he would not now any longer conceal his thoughts, and therefore one day he manifested them to his mother, telling her in the end of his discourse that if they did not marry him to Isabella, that to deny him her and give him his death it was one and the same thing. With such words and with such endearings Ricaredo did extol to the heavens the virtues of Isabella, that it seemed to his mother that Isabella had not wrought upon her son to win him to be her husband. She did put her son in good hope so to dispose his father that he might like as well thereof as she did; and it so fell out, that repeating to her husband word by word what her son had said unto her, he was easily moved to give way to that which his son so earnestly desired, framing excuses to hinder that marriage which was in a manner agreed upon for the Scottish damsel.

When this was in agitation Isabella was fourteen years of age and Ricaredo twenty, but in these their so green and flourishing years their great discretion and known prudence made them older.

There were but four days wanting to come, which being accomplished, Ricaredo’s parents were willing that their son should enter into the state of matrimony, holding themselves both wise and happy in having chosen their prisoner to be their daughter, esteeming more the dowry of her virtues than the great store of wealth that was offered with the Scottish damsel.

The wedding-clothes were already made, their kinsfolk and friends invited thereunto; and there was no other thing wanting save making the Queen acquainted with the marriage, because without her goodwill and consent, amongst those of noble blood not any marriage is effected; but they doubted not of her good leave and licence, and therefore had so long deferred the craving of it.