Iupiter Stator and then spake to them in this wise Be of good chéere good people the King is but amazed with the sodainesse of the stroke the wound is not very depe for euen nowe he is come againe to him selfe and the wounde being opened and dressed there is good hope of life I trust within these fewe days you shall sée him In the meane time I pray you to 〈◊〉 your obedience to Seruius Tullius who is appointed to execute the lawes and to doe all other affaires in the absence of my husbande Seruius occupying the state and Authoritie of the Kyng executed the lawes in some cases in other some made the people beleue that he would consult with the King him self The death of the King was concealed and kept close a certaine space till such tyme as Seruius had gathered his force about him After the death of the King was disclosed Seruius being garded with a strong Garrison toke vpon him to be King not by the consent of the people but by the will of the Fathers The children of Ancus vnderstanding that the King was aliue and that Seruius power and force was greate conueyed them selues in exile to Suessa Pometia And least the children of Tarquinius shold attempt like enterprise against him as the children of Ancus did against Tarquinius hée maried 〈◊〉 of his daughters to Lucius and Aruns the children of Tarquinius But yet the deuise of man could not breake the necessitie of fate and constellation for the hatred conceiued in desire of Ambicious gouernment made all things vnstable and vnfaithfull amongs domestical frends But yet to quiet and pacifie the present time warre was renued with the Veientes and other Cities of Hetruria wherein the fortune and valiāce of Tullius excelled For when he had giuen an ouerthrow to the ennimie least the peoples and fathers good wil should be withdrawne he retourned to Rome who then attempted and brought to passe a notable woorke in the common wealth He instituted a certen yerely taxe reuenew to satisfie and discharge all charges susteined in the time of peace and warre with sundrie other notable lawes and deuises for the defense of the publique state After that he had mustered the whole numbre of the Citizens in the field called Martius the same amounted to lxxx M. And as Fabius Pictor saith there were so many that were able to beare armure Then the hilles of Quirinalis Viminalis and Exquiliae were added to the citie He compassed the town round about with a vamure enuironing the same with a double trench He deuided the Romanes into v. bands called Classes and into Centurias which be bandes of an hundred men He also builded a Temple to Diana with the helpe and assistance of the Latine people Amongs the Sabines there chaunced an Oxe in the house of an husbande man to be brought forth of an huge bignesse and maruellous shape the hornes whereof were placed at the porche of Dianas temple for a monument long time after The Soothsayers prophecied that where the same Oxe shoulde be first sacrificed to Diana there the chief Empire and principall gouernement should remain which prophecie came to the knowledge of the chiefe minister of Diana hir Temple One of that Sabins expecting for a day mete to be employed in that sacrifice brought the sayde Oxe to Rome to the Temple of Diana placing the same before the Altar The chiefe Minister calling to remembrance the oracle and saw that the greatnesse of that sacrifice should be famous spake to the Sabine these words What dost thou meane thou impure Straunger to prepare sacrifice to Diana before thou bée purified and clensed in the liuely Riuer of Tyber Here belowe in thys valley the sayde riuer doth runne Goe get thou hence and wash thée The Sabine attached with a religious feare goeth downe to that Riuer and while he is washing of himselfe a Romane doth offer the Sacrifice which was right acceptable both to the king and his countrie The king although that of long time he had raigned yet vnderstoode that the elder Tarquinius which was maried to one of his daughters did bragge and report 〈◊〉 that his father in law obteined the gouernmēt and kingdom without the consent of the people wherfore the king through his liberalitie by diuiding the conquest atchieued of the ennimy amōgs the common people conciliated their 〈◊〉 and good wils In so much as he affirmed that he would raigne in despite of them all and that there was no King at any time that raigned with a more generall consent All which did nothing diminish the hope and desire of Tarquinius He had a brother whose name was Aruns being of a quiete gentle disposition Both they maried two of the kings daughters which were of maners and conditions verie vnlike The yonger daughter being the wife of Aruns the sharper shrewe and fiercer of nature séeing that hir husband was nothing giuen or pliant to match with hir vngracious deuice or ambicious stomack attempted hir brother whose condicion was correspondent to hirs and sayd vnto him that he was a man in déede and one worthie to be accompted to be borne and procede of the bloud royall Then she began to contemne hir sister for that she hauing such a man to hir husband would suffer him to neglecte so mete and iust occasion for recouerie of the Kingdome Their natures being of one disposition as commonly one 〈◊〉 procureth an other al things began to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the attempt of that vngracious woman To be shorte they two deuised meanes that Aruns his brother and the Elder Tullia hir syster were 〈◊〉 which done they two maried together The wicked woman ceased not dayly to 〈◊〉 and prouoke hir husband from one 〈◊〉 to an other And amōgs all hir wicked talke and cruel 〈◊〉 she vsed these words If thou be that man vnto whom I thinke I am maried then I wil cal 〈◊〉 both husband and King But if thou be not he then the alteration is chaunged to the worse and crueltie is matched with cowardise But why doest thou not put thy selfe in a readinesse Why thou 〈◊〉 not nowe from 〈◊〉 or from the 〈◊〉 Tarquines to atchieue and conquere newe kingdoms as thy father did The 〈◊〉 Gods and the Gods of thy countrey the nobilitie of thy father and thy royal bloud thy stately seate within thine own house and thy name Tarquinius doe create and make thée Kyng But if in all these occasions thou dost wante stomacke why 〈◊〉 thou make the whole Citie conceyue a false opinion of thée Why dost thou not shewe thy selfe to be the sonne of a King Auoide hence I say and goe to the Tarquinians or to Corinth retire again to thy first linage thou dost rather resemble thy brothers effeminate heart than the valiant stomacke of thy father 〈◊〉 these wordes and such like she pricked forward hir husbande and shée hir selfe coulde in no 〈◊〉 bée quiet Then Tarquinius went forth to the fathers of
singuler vertue hauing dispersed and broken the armes and malice of all his enimies if before he were curteous and liberall after these so stout aduentures he became more than Princely in his déedes and if somtimes he had done one curteous act now he doubled the same But such was his Magnanimitie so noble were his indeuours tempred with such measure and equanimitie as the whole worlde clearely might discerne that not to contende with his soueraigne Lorde but to honour him to expresse the Maiestie of his Prince he imployed the goods and liuing which the King and Fortune had boūtifully bestowed vpon him Who vntill his dying day famously mainteined him selfe in the good grace and fauour of his Prince in such wise as the King more clerely than the shining Sunnebeames knew Ariobarzanes to be framed of Nature for a christalline mirrour of curtesie and Liberalitie and that more easie it was to berieue the fire of heate and the Sunne of light than despoile Ariobarzanes of his glorious déedes Wherefore he ceassed not continually to honour exalte and enriche him that he might vse the greater liberalitie And to say the truthe although these two vertues of 〈◊〉 and Liberalitie be commendable in all persons without the which a man truly is not he wherof he bereth the name yet very sitting and mete it is for euery riche and welthie subiect to beware howe he doth compare in those noble vertues with Princes and great men whiche béeing right noble and péerelesse vpon earth can abide no comparisons which according to the Prouerbe be odious and hateful Aristotimus the Tyrant ¶ LVCIVS one of the Garde to ARISTOTIMVS the Tirant of the Citie of 〈◊〉 fell in loue with a faire maiden called MICCA the daughter of one 〈◊〉 and his crueltie done vpon hir The stoutnesse also of a noble Matrone named MEGISTONA in defence of hir husbande and the common wealth from the tyrannie of the sayd ARISTOTIMVS and of other actes done by the subiects vpon that Tyrant The fifth Nouell YOu haue heard or as it were in a manner you haue beholden the right images curteous conditions of two well conditioned persons mutually eche towards other obserued In the one a Princely mind towards a noble Gentleman his subiecte In the other a dutiefull obedience of a louing vassall to his soueraigne Lorde and Maister In both of them the true figure of Liberalitie in liuely orient colours described Now a contrary plotte yll grounded vpon extreme tyrannie is offred to the viewe done by one Aristotimus and his clawbacks against his humble subiects of the citie of Elis standyng in Peloponessus a countrey of Achaia which at this day we call Morea This Aristotimus of nature was fierce and passing cruell who by 〈◊〉 of king Antigonus was made Tyran of that Citie And like a Tyran gouerned his Countrie by abuse of his authoritie with newe wrongs and straunge cruelties vering and afflicting the poore Citizens and all his people Which chaunced not so much for that of himself he was cruel and tyrannous as for that his Counsellours and chief about him were barbarous and vicious men to whom he committed the charge of his kingdom the guarde of his person But amongs al his mischiefes wrongfully done by him which were innumerable one committed against Philodemus the same which afterwardes was the cause of the depriuation of his life and kingdom is speciallie remembred This Philodemus had a daughter called Micca that not onelie for hir right chast and honest qualities and condicions which 〈◊〉 florished in hir but for hir extreame goodlie beautie was in that Citie of passing 〈◊〉 and admiration With this fair maiden one of the Tyrants guard called Lucius fell in loue if it deserue to be called loue and not rather as the end full well declared a most filthie and heastlie lust This Lucius was derelie beloued of Aristotimus for the flendish resemblāce and wicked 〈◊〉 of his vile abhominable condicions and therefore feared and obeyed as the Tyrants owne person For which cause this Lucius sent one of the 〈◊〉 of the kings chambre to 〈◊〉 Philodemus at an appointed houre al excuses set apart to bring his daughter vnto him The parents of the maiden hearing this sodain and fearefull message constrained by Tyrants force and fatall necessitie after many teares and 〈◊〉 sighes began to persuade their daughter to be contented to goe with hym declaring vnto hir the rigour of the magistrate that had sent for hir the 〈◊〉 that would be executed that there was no other remedie but to obey Alas how sore against their willes with what trembling gessure with what 〈◊〉 the good parents of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were affected to consider the purpose of that dreadfull message all dere fathers and naturall mothers can tell But this gētle maiden 〈◊〉 which was of nature stout 〈◊〉 lessoned with sundrie right good and holsome instructions from hir infantes age was determined rather to die than to suffer hir self to be defloured This 〈◊〉 maiden fell downe prostrate at hir fathers féete and clasping him fast about the knées louingly did pray him and pitifully besought him not to suffer hir to be haled to so 〈◊〉 and vile an office but rather with the piercing blade of a two edged sword to kill hir that thereby she might be rid from the violation of those fleshlie and 〈◊〉 varlets saying that if hir virginitie were taken from hir she should liue in eternall reproche and shame As the father and daughter were in these termes Lucius for the long tariance and 〈◊〉 dronke with the wine 〈◊〉 lechery made impacient and furious with 〈◊〉 spéede posted to the house of Philodemus and finding the maiden prostrate at hir fathers féete wéeping hir head in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with taunting voice and threatning woordes commaunded presentlie without longer delaie she should rise and goe with him She refusing his hastie request and crying out for fathers help who God wot durst not resist stoode still and would not goe Lucius séeing hir 〈◊〉 full of furie and proud disdnine began furiously to hale hir by the garments vpon whose struggling he fare hir 〈◊〉 and furnitures off hir head and shoulders that hir alablaster necke and bosome appeared naked without compassion tare and whipt hir flesh on euery side as the bloud ranne downe beating that tendre flesh of hirs with manifold and grenous blowes O 〈◊〉 tirant more 〈◊〉 and sauage than the desert beast or mountaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Could crueltie be so déepelie rooted in the hart of man which by nature is affected with reasons instinct as with out pitie to lay handes and violontly to hurt the tendre bodie of a 〈◊〉 Maiden Can such inhumanitie harbor in any that beareth about him the shape of man But what did this martyred maidē for al this force Did 〈◊〉 yeld to violence or rendre hir self to the disposition of this mercilesse man No surelie But with so great stoutnesse of minde she suffred those impressed woundes
was called Angēlica a name of trouth without offense to other due to hir For in very déede in hir were harbored the vertue of curtesy and gentlenesse and was so wel instructed and nobly brought vp as they which loued not the name or race of hir could not forbeare to commend hir and wish that their daughter were hir like In suche wise as one of hir chiefest foes was so sharpely beset with hir vertue and beautie as he lost his quiet sléepe lust to eate drinke His name was Anselmo Salimbene who wold willingly haue made sute to marry hir but the discord past quite mortified his desire so sone as he had deuised the plot within his braine and fansie Notwithstāding it was impossible that the loue so liuely grauen and 〈◊〉 in his minde could easily be defaced For if once in a day he had not séene hir his heart did fele the tormēts of tosting flames and wished that the Hunting of the Bore had neuer decayed a familie so excellent to the intent he might haue matched himself with hir whome none other coulde displace out of his remembraunce which was one of the richest Gentlemen and of greatest power in Siena Now for that he ourst not discouer his amorous grief to any person was the chiefest cause that martired most his heart for the auncient festred malice of those two families he despaired for euer to gather either floure or fruit of that affection presupposing that Angelica would neuer fire hir loue on him for that his Parents were the cause of the defaite ouerthrow of the Montanine house But what There is nothing durable vnder the heauens Both good and euill 〈◊〉 their reuolution in the gouernement of humane affaires The amities and hatreds of Kings and Princes be they so hardned as commonly in a moment he is not 〈◊〉 to be a hearty friend that lately was a 〈◊〉 foe and spired naught else but the ruine of his aduer farie We sée the varietie of humane chaunces and then 〈◊〉 iudge at eye what great simplicitie it is to stay settle certain and infallible iudgemit vpon 〈◊〉 vnstayed doings He that erst gouerned a king made all things to tremble at his word is sodainly throwne downe dieth a shamefull death In like sort another which loketh for his owne vndoing séeth himselfe aduaunced to his estate againe and vengeaunce taken of his enimies Calir Bassa gouerned whilom that great Mahomet that wan the Empire of Constantinople who attempted nothing without the aduise of that Bassa But vpon the sodain he saw himself reiected the next day strangled by commaundement of him which so greatly honored him without iust cause did him to a death so cruell Contrariwise Argon the T artarian entring armes against his vncle Tangodor Caui when he was vpon the point to lose his life for his rebellion and was conueyed into Armenia to be executed there was rescued by certain T artarians the houshold seruaūtes of his dead vncle and afterwards proclaimed king of T artarie about the yere 1285. The example of the Empresse Adaleda is of no lesse credit than the former who being fallen into the hands of Beranger the vsurper of that Empire escaped his fury and cruelty by flight in the end maried to Otho the first saw hir wrong reuenged vpō Beranger and al his race by hir sonne Otho the second I aduouch these histories to proue the mobility of fortune the chaunge of worldly chaunces to the end you may sée that the very same miserie which followed Charles Montanine hoisted him aloft again when he loked for least succor he saw deliueraunce at hād Now to prosecute our history know ye that while Salimbenc by little litle pined for loue of Angelica wherof she was ignorāt carelesse and albeit she curteously rendred health to him when somtime in his amorous fit he beheld hir at a window yet for al that she neuer gessed the thoughts of hir louing enimy During these haps it chaūced that a rich citizen of Siena hauing a ferme adioyning to the lāds of Montanine desirous to encrease his patrimonie annere the same vnto his owne and knowing that the yong gentleman wanted many things moued him to sel his inheritaunce offring him for it in redy mony a M. Ducates Charles which of all the wealth substaunce left him by his auncester had no more remaining but that countrey ferme a Palace in the Citie so the rich Italians of eche city terme their houses and with that litle liued honestly maintained his sister so wel as he could refused flatly to dispossesse himselfe of that porcion which renewed vnto him that happy memory of those that had ben the chief of al the cōmon wealth The couetous wretch seing himself frustrate of his pray conceiued such rancor against Montanine as he purposed by right or wrōg to make him not only to for fait the same but also to lose his life following the wicked desire of tirannous Iesabel that made Naboth to be stoned to death to extorte and wrongfully get his vineyarde About that time for the quarels cōmon discordes raigning throughout Italy that nobilitie were not assured of safety in their countreis but rather the cōmon sort rascall nūber were that chief rulers and gouerners of the cōmon wealth whereby the greatest part of the nobilitie or those of best authoritie being banished the villanous band and grosest kind of common people made a law like to the Athenians in the time of Solon that all persons of what degrée cōditiō so euer they were which practized by himselfe or other meanes the restablishing or reuocation of such as wer banished out of their Citie shold lose forfaite the sum of M. Florens and hauing not wherewith to pay the condempnation their heade should remaine for gage A law no dout very iust and righteous scenting rather of the barbarous cruelty of the Gothes and 〈◊〉 thā of true christians stopping the retire of innocents exiled for particular quarels of Citizens incited one against another and rigorously rewarding mercy and curtesie with execution of cruelty incomparable This citizen then purposed to accuse Montanine for offending against the lawe bicause otherwise he could not purchase his entent and the same was easy inough for him to compasse by reason of his authority and estimation in the Citie for the enditement and plea was no sooner red and giuen but a number of post knightes appeared to depose against the pore gentleman to beare witnesse that he had trespassed the lawes of the Countrey and had sought meanes to introduce the banished with intent to kill the gouerners and to place in state those 〈◊〉 that were the cause of the Italian troubles The miserable gentleman knew not what to do ne how to defend himself There were against him the Moone the. vy starres the state of the Citie the Proctor and Iudge of the court the witnesses that gaue
spirite and boldnesse be thought good in the front of this second volume to be described bicause of diuers womens liues plentifull varietie is offered in the sequele And for that some mencion hath bene made of the greate Alexander and in what wise from vertue he fell to vice the seconde Nouell ensuing shall giue some further aduertisement Alexander the great ¶ The great pitie and cōtinencie of ALEXANDER the great and his louing entertainmēt of SISIGAMBIS the wife of the greate Monarch 〈◊〉 after he was vanquished The second Nouel GReat Monarches and princes be the Gods and onely rulers vpon earthe and as they be placed by Gods only prouidence and disposition to conquere and rule the same euen so in victorious battailes and honorable exploites they ought to rule order their conquests like Gods that is to say to vse moderate behauiour to their captiues and slaues specially to the weaker sorte feminine kinde whome like tyrants and barbarous they ought not to corrupt and abuse but like Christians and vertuous victors to cherish and preserue their honour For what can be safe to a woman sayd Lucrece when she was 〈◊〉 by the Romaine Tarquine hir chastitie being defiled Or what can be safe to a man that giueth him selfe to incontinencie For when he hath despoiled the virgin robbed the wife or abused the widow of their honor and good name they protrude them selues into many miseries they be impudent vnshamefast aduenturous and carelesse how many mischiefes they do And when a Prince or gouerner doth giue him self to licencious life what mischieues what rapes what murders doth he cōmitte No frende no 〈◊〉 no subiecte no enimie doth he spare or defende Contrarywise the mercifull and continent captaine by subduing his affections recouereth immortal fame which this historie of king Alexāder full well declareth And bicause before we spake of that great conquerour in the Nouell of the Amazones and of the repaire of Quene Thalestris for vse of his bodie at what tyme as Curtius sayth he fell from vertue to vice wée purpose in this to declare the greate continencie and mercie that he vsed to Sisigambis the wife of the Persian Prince Darius and briefly to touch the time of his abused life which in this manner doth begin Alexander the great hauing vanquished Darius and his infinite armie and retiring with his hoste from the pursute and slaughter of the Persians entred into their campe to recreate him selfe And being with his familiars in the mids of his bāket they sodenly heard a pitifull crie with straunge howling and crying out which did verie much astonne them The wife and mother of Darius with the other noble women newly taken prisoners wer the occasiō of that present noise by lamenting of Darius whome they beleued to be slaine which opinion they cōceiued through one of the Eunuches which standing before their tent doore sawe a souldier beare a piece of Darius Diademe For which cause Alexander pitying their miserie sent a noble man called Leonatus to signifie vnto them that they were deceyued for that Darius was liuing Repairing towards the tent where the women were with certaine armed men he sent word before that he was coming to them with message from the king But when such as stode at the tent 〈◊〉 saw armed men they thought they had ben sent to murder the Ladies for whiche cause they ranne in to them crying that their last houre was come for the souldiers were at hande to kill them When Leonatus was entred the pauilion the Mother and wife of Darius fell downe at his féete intreating him that before they were slain he wold suffer them to burie Darius according to the order and maner of his countrey after the performance of which obsequies they were content they sayd willingly to suffer death Leonatus assured them that both Darius was aliue and that there was no harme towardes them but shoulde remaine in the same state they were in before When Sisigambis heard those wordes she suffered hir selfe to bée lifted vp from the grounde and to receyue some comfort The next day Alexander with great diligence buried the bodies of suche of his owne men as coulde be founde and willed the same to be done to the noble men of the Persians giuing licence to Darius mother to burie so many as she liste after the custome of hir countrey She performed the same to a fewe that were next of hir kinne according to the habilitie of their presente fortune for if shée shoulde haue vsed the Persians pompe therin the Macedonians might haue enuied it which being victors vsed no great curiositie in the matter When the due was performed to the dead Alexander signified to the women prisoners that he him selfe would come to visit them and causing such as came with him to tarie without he onely with Ephestion entred in amongs them The same Ephestion of al men was best beloued of Alexander brought vp in his cōpanie from his youth and most priuie with him in al things There was none that had such libertie to speke his mynd plainly to the king as he had which he vsed after such sorte that he semed to do it by no authoritie but by suffrance And as he was of like yeares vnto him so in shape and personage he did somwhat excel him Wherfore the women thinking Ephestion to be the king did fall downe and worship him as their countrey maner was to do to kings till suche time as one of the Eunuches that was taken prisoner shewed which of them was Alexander Then Sisigambis fell downe at his féete requiring pardon of hir ignorance for somuch as she did neuer see him before The King toke hir vp by the hande and sayde Mother you be not deceiued for this is Alexander also Then he behaued him self after such a maner that he erceded in continencie and compassion al the kings that had ben before his time He entertained the two Quéenes with those virgins that were of excellent beautie so reuerently as if they had bene his sisters He not onely absteined from al violation of Darius wife which in beautie excelled all the women of hir time but also toke great care diligence that none other should procure hir any dishonor And to all the women he commaunded their ornaments and apparel to be restored So that they wāted nothing of the magnificence of their former 〈◊〉 sauing only the assured trust that creatures want in miserie which things considered by Sisigambis she sayd vnto the king Sir your goodnesse towards vs doth deserue that we should make the same prayer for you that whilome we did for Darius and we perceiue you worthie to passe so greate a king as he was in felicitie and good fortune that abounde so in iustice and clemencie It pleaseth you to terme me by the name of Mother and Quéene but I confesse my selfe to be your handmaide For both I conceyue the greatnesse of my state past and féele that I can
excéeding faire crown of Gold apt and mete for the 〈◊〉 head Afterwards when he saw time conuenient he 〈◊〉 that in the market place of the Citie a pearche should be erected and 〈◊〉 with tapestrie Arras 〈◊〉 other costly furnitures suche as Princes palaces are 〈◊〉 decked withall Thither with sound of 〈◊〉 he caused the Falcon to be conueyed where the King 〈◊〉 ded one of his noble men to place the Crowne vpon his head for prise of the excellent pray atchieued vppon the Egle. Then he caused the hangman or common executioner of the Citie to take the Crowne from the Faucon and with the trenchant sworde to cut of his head Upon these contrary 〈◊〉 the beholders of this sight were amazed and began diuersly to talke thereof The King which at a window stoode to beholde this fact caused silence to be kepte and so loude opened his Princely voice as he was well hearde speaking these wordes There ought good people none of you all to 〈◊〉 and grudge at the present fact executed vpō the Faucon bicause the same is done vpon good reason and iust cause as by processe of my discourse you shall well perceyue I am persuaded that it is the office and duetie of euery magnanimous prince to know the valor and difference betwene vertue and vice that all vertuous actes 〈◊〉 thie attempts may be honoured and the contrary 〈◊〉 punished otherwise he is not worthy of the name of a King and Prince but of a cruell and traiterous tyrant For as the Prince beareth the title by principalitie and chief so ought his life chiefly to excell other whome he gouerneth and ruleth The bare title and dignitie is not sufficient if his condicions and moderation bée not to that supreme state 〈◊〉 Full well I knew and did consider to be in this dead Faucon a certaine generositie and stoutnesse of minde ioyned with a certaine fierce 〈◊〉 and nimblenesse for which I crowned and rewarded hir with this golden garland bicause of the stoute slaughter which she made vpon that mightie Egle worthie for that 〈◊〉 and prowesse to be honoured after that solemne guise But when I considered how boldly and rashely she assailed and killed the Egle which is 〈◊〉 Quéene and maistresse I thought it a part of iustice that for hir bolde and vncomely act she shoulde suffer the paine due to hir 〈◊〉 For vnlaufull it is for the seruaunte and vnduetifull for the subiecte to imbrue his handes in the bloud of his soueraigne Lord. The Faulcon then hauing slaine hir Quéene and of all other birdes the soueraigne who can with reason blame me for cutting of the Falcons head Doubtlesse none that hath respecte to the quiete state betweene the Prince and subiect This example the 〈◊〉 alleaged against Ariobarzanes when they pronoūced sentence And applying the same to him ordeined that first Ariobarzanes for his Magnanimitie and liberall Curtesie should be crowned with a Laurel Garland for the generositie of his minde and excéeding curtesie but for his great emulation earnest endeuour and continuall 〈◊〉 to contende with his prince and in Liberalitie to shew him selfe superior 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spéech vttered against him his hed ought to be striken of Ariobarzanes being aduertised of this seuere 〈◊〉 he purposed to sustain the 〈◊〉 darte of Fortune as he had endured other bruntes of that enuious inconstant Lady and in suche maner behaued and directed his 〈◊〉 and countenance as no signe of choler or dispaire appeared in him onely pronouncing this sentence with ioyful 〈◊〉 in the presence of many Glad I am that at length there resteth in me so much to be liberal as I employ my life and bloud to declare the same to my soueraigne Lorde which right willingly I meane to do that the world may know that I had rather lose my life than to saint and giue ouer in mine 〈◊〉 liberalitie Then calling a Notarie vnto him he made his will for so it was lawful by the Persian lawes and to his wife and daughters he increased the dowries and to his kinsfolk and frends 〈◊〉 bequethed diuers riche bountifull legacies To the King he 〈◊〉 a great numbre of most precious Jewels To Cyrus the Kings sonne and his by mariage bisides a great masse of money he bequeathed all his armure and 〈◊〉 with all his instrumentes for the warres and his whole stable of horsse Last of all he ordeined that if perhaps his wife shoulde be founde with childe and broughte to bed of a Sonne he should be his vniuersall heire But if a woman childe to haue the like dowrie that his other daughters had The rest of his goods and cattell he gaue indifferently to all iii. equally to bée deuided He prouided also that all his 〈◊〉 according to their degrée should be rewarded The day before he shoulde be put to death according to the custome of Persia his praises and valiant factes as well by Epitaphes fixed vpon 〈◊〉 as by 〈◊〉 were generally sounded 〈◊〉 the Realme in suche wise as eche wight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to be the moste liberall and noble personage that was in all the Countrey and in the borders 〈◊〉 vpon the same And if there had not bene some enuious persones néere the King which studied and practised his ouerthrow all other would haue déemed him vnworthy of death Such is the enuie of the maliciously disposed that rather than they would sée their equals to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Prince than them selues studie and deuise all policie either by flatterie or false 〈◊〉 to bring them in discredite or to practise by false accusation their vtter subuersion by death or vanishement But whiles 〈◊〉 was disposing his things in order his wife and daughters with his friends and 〈◊〉 were affected with great sorow day and night complaining for the heauie 〈◊〉 of that noble Gentleman The eight day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the lawe allowed that space to the condemned for disposition of their things a skaffolde was made by commaundement of the King in the middes of the Market place all couered with blacke 〈◊〉 and an other righte ouer against the same with purple and 〈◊〉 where the King if he 〈◊〉 in the mids of the Judges should sitte and the inditement redde iudgement by the Kings owne mouth declared shoulde be executed or if it pleased him discharge and assoile the condemned And the King vnwilling to be present gaue to one of the 〈◊〉 Judges his full power and authoritie But yet sorrowfull that a Gentleman so noble and valiant his father and 〈◊〉 in lawe should finishe his life with a death so horrible would néedes that morning be presente him selfe at that execution as well to sée the continent and stoute ende of Ariobarzanes as also to take order for his deliuerie 〈◊〉 the time was come Ariobarzanes by the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 was brought vnto the Skaffolde and there apparelled in riche 〈◊〉 the Laurell Crowne was set vpon his head and so continuing for a certaine space the
But the prophet of the Citie whom the Citizens had wel tried and proued to be faithfull and trustie manifested vnto them the great daūger that hong ouer the tyrants head such as the like neuer before The confederats which had conspired with Hellanicus made great spéede to prosecute their enterprise and the nexte night to kill the tyrant The very same night Hellanicus dreamed that he sawe his dead sonne to speake vnto him these woords What meane you father this long time to slepe I am one of your sonnes whom Aristotimus hath slaine know you not that the same day you attempt your enterprise you shal be captaine prince of your coūtrie By this vision Hellanicus confirmed he rose bytimes in the morning and exhorted the conspirators that day to execute the benefit of their Countrie That time Aristotimus was certified how Craterus the tyran of another Citie with a great armie was comming to his aide against the banished people of Elis and that he was arriued at Olympia a Citie betwéene the Mounte Ossa and the mountaine Olympus With which newes Aristotimus being incouraged thought alreadie that he had put to flight and takē the banished persons which made him to aduenture himself abrode without guard or garrison accompanied only with Cilon and one or two of his familiar frends the very same time that the conspiratours were assembled to doe the facte Hellanicus seing the time so cōuenient to deliuer his beloued Countrie by the death of the traiterous Tyrant not attending any signe to be giuen to his companions although the same was concluded vpon the lusty old man lifting vp his handes and eies vnto the heauens with cleare and open voice cried out to his companions and said Whie stay ye O my Citizens and louing country men in the face of your Citie to finishe this good and commendable acte At which woords Cilon was the first which with his brandishing blade killed one of those that waited vpon the Tyrant Thrasibulus thē and Lampidus assayled Aristotimus vpon whose sodaine approch he fled into the Temple of Iupiter where he was murdred with a thousand woundes vpon his body accordingly as he deserued He being thus deseruedly slain his body was drawen vp downe the stréetes and proclamation of libertie sounded vnto the people Where vnto eche wight assembled amongs whome the imprisoned women also brake forth and reioysed with their countrey deliuerers of that egregious enterprise by fires and bankettes outwardly disclosing their excéeding great ioye within and in midde of their mirth the people in great throngs and companies ranne to the Tyrants palace whose wife hearyng the peoples noyse and certified of hir husbands death inclosed hir selfe in a chamber with hir two daughters and knowing how hatefull she was vnto the Citizens with a 〈◊〉 corde vpon a beame she hong hir selfe The chamber dores being broke opē the people viewed the horrible sight of the strangled ladie wherwithall not moued they toke the two trembling daughters of the tyrant and caried them away purposing to rauish violate the same firste to saciate their lust with the spoile of their virginitie and afterwards to kill them those Gentlewomen were very beautifull and mariageable and as they were about to do that shamefull déede Magistona was tolde therof who accompanied with other Matrons sharply rebuked their furie saying that vncomely it were for them which sought to establish a ciuile state to doe such a shamelesse act as tirants rage wold scarce permit Upon that noble matrons authoritie and interception they ceassed from their filthie fact and then the woman tooke the 〈◊〉 oute of the peoples handes and brought them into the chambre where their strangled mother was And vnderstandyng that it was decréed that none of the Tyrants bloud shoulde rest on liue she turned hir face to the two yong Gentlewomen and sayde The chiefest pleasure which I can doe to you resteth in this choise that it shall be lawfull for either of you to choose what kinde of death you list by knife or halter if you will to dispatche your liues from the hedlesse peoples greater furie vpon whose two white and tender bodies if they doe seaze the Gods doe know and we doe feare the crueltie and great abuse which they doe meane to vse I thinke not for despite of you but for the iust reuenge of your most cruell fathers actes for the tyrannous life of whom the Gods do thunder downe the boltes of their displeasure afflicting his nearest bloud and beste beloued wife and children wyth vengeance poured from heauens Upon the sentence of this their fatall ende the elder maiden of the twaine vnlosed a girdle from hir middle and began to tie the same to hang hir selfe exhortyng hir yonger sister to doe the like and in any wise to beware by sparing of hir life to incurre the beastly rage of the monstrous people which cared not to do eche vile and filthie acte vnworthie theyr estate The yonger sister at those wordes layed handes vpon the fastened corde and besought hir right earnestly first of all to suffer hir to die Wherevnto the elder aunswered So long as it was lawfull for me to liue and whiles we led our princely time in our fathers courte both were frée from enimies danger all things betwene vs two were common and indifferente wherefore the Gods forbidth at now the gates of death be opened for vs to enter when with the Ghostes of our dere parents our soules amids the infernall fieldes be predestined to raunge and wander that I shoulde make deniall of thy request Therfore go to good sister mine and shrink not when thou séest the vgly face of hir that must consume vs all But yet déere sister the deadly sight of thée before my selfe will bréede to me the woe and smart of double death When she had so sayd she yelded the coller to hir sister counselled hir to place the same so néere the neck bone as she could that the sooner the halters force might stop hir breath When the vnfearefull yonger sister was dead the trēbling hands of that dredlesse elder maid vntied the girdle from hir neck couering in comly wise hir senslesse corps Then turning hir self to Megistona she hūbly prayed hir not to suffer their two bodies to bée séene naked but so sone as she could to bury them both in one earthly graue referring the frutes of their virginitie to the mould wherof they came When she had spokē those wordes without any staye or feare at all with the selfe same corde the strangled hir self and so finished hir fatall dayes The guiltlesse death of which two tender maids there was none of the citizens of Elis as I suppose so stonie hearted voide of Natures force ne yet so wroth against the tyrant father but did lament as well for the constant stoutnesse and maner of their death as for their maydenlyke behauioure and right honest petitions made to that sobre matrone Megisthona who afterwardes
〈◊〉 and of Queene SOPHONISBA his wife The seuenth Nouell IF men wold haue a fore cōsideration of their own things doings before they doe attempt that same or else premeditate and studie the scope and successe therof I doe verely beleue that a 〈◊〉 wold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselues 〈◊〉 into so many gulfs of miseries 〈◊〉 as they doe specially noble men Princes who oftentimes doe excell in temeritie rashnesse by letting the raines of their owne lusts to farre to 〈◊〉 at large wherin they doe plunge and 〈◊〉 themselues to their great preiudice dishonor as teacheth this goodly History ensuing which affirmeth that there was a prince 〈◊〉 Massinissa the sonne of Gala king of Massezali 〈◊〉 people of Numidia and 〈◊〉 with the Carthaginians in Spaine against the Romanes hauing first 〈◊〉 honorably against king Syphax in Numidia it chaunced that Gala his father died vpon whose death his kingdom was inuaded and occupied by other wherfore susteining 〈◊〉 the surges of aduersitie and diuersly combating with his ennimies sometimes getting parte of his kingdome and sometimes 〈◊〉 and many times molesting both Syphax the Carthaginians was in diuers cōflicts like to be taken or slaine With these his 〈◊〉 impacient of no pain and trouble he became very famous and renowmed that amōgs the people of Affrica he acquired the name and title of a valiant and puissant souldier and of a politique and prouident Capten Afterwards he was generally wel beloued of the Souldiers bicause not like the kings sonne or a prince but as a priuate souldier and companion his conuersation and vsuall trade of life was amongs them calling euery mā by his propre name 〈◊〉 and estéeming them according to their desert obseruing neuerthelesse a certaine comelinesse of a Superiour This Massinissa by means of one Syllanus being in Spayne priuely entred acquaintance 〈◊〉 with that Scipio which afterwardes was surnamed Affricanus and who in those dayes with the authoritie of Proconsul in that prouince victoriously subdued the Carthaginians The same Massinissa entred league with the Romanes and inuiolably so long as he liued obserued 〈◊〉 with the Romane people and left the same to his children and posteritie as an inheritance When the Romanes began warres in Affrica spedily with that power he was able to make he repaired to his old friend Scipio within a while after Syphax being ouerthrown in battel takē Massinissa Laelius was sent to take the chief 〈◊〉 of that kingdom which somtimes wer king Syphax owne called Cirta In that Citie remained Sophonisba that wife of Syphax daughter to Hasdrubal of Giscon who had alienated hir husband from the Romanes with whome he was in league and by hir persuasions he went to aide and defend the Carthaginians Sophonisba perceiuing that the ennimies wire entred the Citie of Cirta and that Massinissa was going towards the Palace 〈◊〉 ned to méete him to proue his gentlenesse and curtesie whereupon in the middes of the souldiers throng which were alredy entred the Palace she stoutly thrust boldly looked round about to proue if she could espy by some signes and tokens the personage of Massinissa She amōgs that prease perceiued one whose apparel and armure and the reuerence done vnto him séemed vnto hir that without doubt the same was the king And therefore incontinently 〈◊〉 dawne before him and pitiously began to speake in this maner For so much O puissant Prince as selicitie and good fortune but specially the fauor of the Gods immortall haue permitted that thou shouldest recouer thine auncient kingdom descended vnto thée by right and lawfull inheritaunce and therwithall hast taken and vanquished thine ennimie and now hast me at thy will 〈◊〉 pleasure to saue or spil I poore wretched miserable womā brought into bōdage from Quéenelike state whilom leading a delicate life in Princely court accompanied with a royall traine of beautifull dames and now at shy mercifull disposition doe humbly appeale to thy mercie goodnesse whose Princely maiestie comfortable aspect chereth vp my woful heart to looke for grace and therfore 〈◊〉 bolde thus to presume with moost hūble voice to implore and crie out beséeching thée to reach me hither thy victorious hāds to kisse and salute This Lady was a passing faire gentlewoman of flourishing age and comely behauiour none 〈◊〉 vnto hir within the whole region of Affrica And so much the more as hir pleasant grace by amiable gesture of complaint did increase so much the heart of Massinissa was delited who being lusty and 〈◊〉 youthly age according to the nature of the Numides was easily intrapped and tangled in the nettes of Loue. Whose glutting eyes were neuer ful nor fiery hart was 〈◊〉 in beholding and wondring at hir most excellent beautie not foreséeing therefore or takyng héede of the daungerous effect of beauties snares his hearte was so fiercely kindled with 〈◊〉 swinging flames of loue that causing hir to rise he exhorted hir to prosecute hir supplication who then began to procede as foloweth If it may be lauful for me thy prisoner and bondwoman O my soneraigne Lord to make request and petition I most hūbly do beséech thée by thy royal maiestie wherin no long time past we were magnificently placed in so Kinglike guise as thou art nowe and by that Numidicall name common vnto thée and my husbande Syphax and by the sauing Gods and patrons of this Citie who with better fortune and more ioyfull successe do receyue thée into the same thā expelled Syphax out frō thence it may please thy sacred state to haue pitie on me I require no hard and difficult thing at thy handes vse thine imperiall gouernement ouer me such as lawe of armes and reason of warre require Cause me if thou wilt to pine in cruel prison or do me to such death with torments as thou list to vse The sharp fierce and cruell death that any wight can 〈◊〉 or Perillus Bull shall not be dreadfull vnto me but more deare and acceptable than 〈◊〉 life in pleasures led For no death shal be refused of me rather than to be rendred into the proud hands of the most cruel Romanes Rather had I 〈◊〉 the trust of a natiue Numide borne with me in Affricke soile than the faith of straungers kinde I know ful well that thou dost know what curtesie a Carthaginian daughter of Hasdrubal shal surely loke for at that Romans hāds whose mind is fearful of nothing more thā of their pride glory intollerable If thou my Lord haddest sisters of 〈◊〉 owne or daughters of thy royal bloud brought forth think that they may chaūce if fortune frown to slide into the pit of aduerse lucke so well as I am now Of that forme Fortunes whéele is made which we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sée to be 〈◊〉 turning and diuers that now peace and now warre it promiseth now good now euill it thretneth now mirth now sorow it 〈◊〉 nowe aduauncing 〈◊〉 now tumbling downe the clymbers vp Lette Syphax be a cleare
you be a Prince supreme so to applie your selfe to be a passing ruler For there is no authoritie amongs men so high but that the Gods aboue be iudges of their thoughtes and men beneth beholders of their déedes 〈◊〉 presently you are a mightie Prince your duetie is the greater to be good and 〈◊〉 lesse to be wicked than when you were a priuate man For hauing gotten authoritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your libertie is the lesse to be idle so that if you be not 〈◊〉 a one as the common people haue 〈◊〉 such againe as your maister Plutarch desireth you shall put your selfe in great daunger and mine enimies will séeke meanes to be reuenged on me knowing wel that for the scholers faulte the maister 〈◊〉 suffreth wrong by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imputed vnto hym although wrongfull for the 〈◊〉 And for so much as I haue bene thy maister and thou my scholer thou must 〈◊〉 by well doyng to render me some honour And likewise if thou do euill great infamie shall lyght on me 〈◊〉 as it did to Seneca for Nero his cause whose cruelties done in Rome were 〈◊〉 to his maister Seneca Thelike wrong was done to the Philosopher Chilo by being burdened with the negligent nouriture of his Scholler Leander They truely were famous personages and greate learned men in whome the gouernement of myghtie Princes was reposed Notwithstandyng for not correctyng them in their youth nor teachyng them with carefull diligence they blotted for euermore their renouine as the cause of the destruction of diuers common wealthes And forsomuch as my penne spared none in times passe bee well assured Traiane that the same will pardon neither thée nor me in tyme to come For as we bée confederate in the fault euen so we shall bée heires of the paine Thou knowest well what lessons I haue taught thée in thy youth what counsell I haue 〈◊〉 thée béeyng come to the state of man and what I haue written to thée 〈◊〉 thou hast bene Prince and thou thy selfe art recorde of the words sayde vnto thée in secrete In all whiche I neuer persuaded thyng but tended to the seruice of the Gods profite of the common wealthe and increase of thy renoume Wherfore I am right sure that for any thing whiche I haue written sayd or persuaded I feare not the punishment of the Gods and much lesse the reprochfull shame of men verily beleuing that all that which I coulde saye in secrete might without reproch be openly published in Rome Now before I toke my pen in hand to write this Letter I examined ned my life to know if during the time that I had charge of thée I did or sayde in thy presence any thing that might prouoke thée to euill example And truely 〈◊〉 for me to say it vpon that search of my forepassed life I neuer found my selfe guiltie of fact vnméete a Romane Citizen nor euer spoke 〈◊〉 vnsemely for a Philosopher By meanes wherof I do right heartily wish thou 〈◊〉 remember the good education and instruction which thou diddest learne of me I speake not this that thou shouldest gratific me againe with any benefite but to the ende that thou mightest serue thy selfe estéemyng that no greater pleasure can redounde to me than to heare a good report of thée Be then well assured that if an Empire be bestowed vpon thée it was not for that thou were a Citizen of Rome or a couragious person descended of noble house rich and mightie but only bicause vertues did plentifully abounde in thée I dedicated vnto thée certaine bookes of olde and auncient common welth which if it please thée to vse and as at other times I haue sayd vnto thée thou shalte finde me to be a proclaimer of thy famous works a thronicler of all thy noble faicts of armes but if perchance thou follow thine owne aduise and chaūge thy selfe to be other than hitherto thou hast ben presently I inuocate and crie out vpon the immortall Gods and this Letter shall bée witnesse that if any hurte do chaunce to thée or to thine Empire it is not thorough the counsell or meanes of thy maister Plutarch And so farewell most noble Prince The aunswere of the Emperour Traiane to his maister Plutarch COcceius Traiane Emperour of Rome to thée the Philosopher Plutarch sometymes my maister salutation and consolation in the Gods of comfort In Agrippina was deliuered vnto me a letter frō thée which so soone as I opened knew to be written with thine owne hande and endited with thy wisedome So flowing was the same with góodly words and accompanied with graue sentences an occasion that made mée reade the same twice or thrice thynking that I saw thée write and beard thée speake so welcome was the same to me that at that very instāt I caused it to be red at my table yea and made the same to be fixed at my beds head that thy well meaning vnto me might be generally knowen how much I am bounde vnto thée I estéemed for a good presage the cōgratulation that the Consul Rutulus did vnto me from thée touching my cōming to the Empire I hope through thy merites that I shall be a good Emperoure Thou sayest in thy letter that thou canste by no meanes beléeue that I haue giuen bribes and vsed other endeuors to redeme mine Empire as other haue done For aunswere thervnto I say that as a man I haue dcsired it but neuer by solicitation or other means attempted it For I neuer saw within the Citie of Rome any man to bribe for honour but for the same some notable infamie chaunced vnto hym as for example we may learne of the good olde man Menander my friende thy neighbour who to bée Consul procured the same by vnlawful meanes and therfore in the end was banished and died desperately The great Caius Caesar and Tiberius Caligula Claudius 〈◊〉 Galba Otho Vitellius and Domitian some for gettyng the Empire some for tirannie some for gettyng the same by bribes and some by other meanes procuryng the same loste by the sufferance of the righteous Gods not onely their honor and goodes but also died miserably When thou 〈◊〉 reade in thy schoole and I that time an hearer of thy doctrine many times hearde thée say that we ought to trauell to deserue honour rather than procure the same esteming it vnlawful to get honour by meanes vnlawful He that is without credite ought to assay to procute credite Hée that is without honour ought to séeke honour But the vertuous man hath no nede of noblenesse ne he himself ne yet any other person can berieue hym of due honour Thou knowest wel Plutarch that the yere past the office of Consul was gyuen to Torquatus and the 〈◊〉 to Fabritius who were so vertuous and so little ambitious as not desirous to receyue suche charges absented themselues although that in Rome they might haue ben in great estimation by reason of those offices and yet neuerthelesse without them they be presently estéemed 〈◊〉
black coale or rather their memorie raked vp in the dust and cindres of the corpses vnpure But as all histories be full of lessons of vertue and vice as bokes sacred prophane describe the liues of good and bad for example sake 〈◊〉 yelde meanes to the posteritie to ensue the one 〈◊〉 the other so haue I thought to intermingle amongest these Nouels the seuerall sortes of either that eche sexe and kinde may pike out like the Bée of eche floure honie to store furnishe with delightes their well disposed minde I purpose then to vnlace the dissolute liues of thrée amorouse dames that with their graces 〈◊〉 the greatest princes that euer were enticed the noble men and sometimes procured the wisest and best learned to craue their acquaintance as by the sequele hereof shall well appere These thrée famous women as writers doe witnesse were furnished with many goodly graces and giftes of nature that is to say great beautie offace goodly proporcion of bodie large and high forheads their brestes placed in comly order small wasted fayre hands of passing cunning to play vpon Instruments a heauenlie voice to faine and sing 〈◊〉 their qualities and beautie were more famous than euer any the were borne within the coūtries of Asia and Europa They were neuer beloued of Prince which did forsake them nor yet they made request of any thing which was denied them They neuer mocked or flouted man a thing rare in women of their cōdition ne yet were mocked of any But their speciall propreties were to allure men to loue thē Lamia with hir pleasant looke and eye Flora with hir eloquent tongue and Lais with the grace swetenesse of hir singing voyce A straunge thing that he wich once was 〈◊〉 with the loue of any of those thrée eyther too late or neuer was deliuered of the same They were the richest Courtizans that euer liued in the worlde so long as their life did last after their decease great monumentes were erected for their remembraunce in place where they dyed The most auncient of these thrée amorous dames was Lamia who was in the tyme of king Antigonus that warfared in the seruice of Alexander the great a valiant gentleman although not fauored by Fortune This king Antigonus lefte behinde hym a sonne and heire called Deinetrius who was lesse valiant but more fortunate than his father and had bene a 〈◊〉 of greate estimation if in his youth 〈◊〉 had acquired frendes and kept the same and in his age had not bene giuen to so many vices This king Demetrius was in loue with Lamia and presented hir with riche giftes and rewardes and loued hir to affectionatly and in such sort as in the loue of his Lamia he semed rather a 〈◊〉 than a true louer for forgetting the grauitie and authoritie of his person he did not onelie gyue hir all such things as she demaunded but bysides that he vsed no more the companie of his wife Euxonia On a time king Demetrius asking Lamia what was the thing wherewith a woman was sonest wonne Ther is nothing answered she which sooner ouer commeth a woman than whē she séeth a man to loue hir with all his hart to susteine for hir sake great paines and passions with long continuance and entier affection for to loue men by collusion causeth afterwards that they be mocked againe Demetrius asked hir further tell me Lamia why doe diuerse women rather hate than loue men whervnto shée answered The greatest cause why a woman doth hate a man is when the man dothe vaunte boaste himselfe of that which he doth not and performeth not the thing which he promiseth Demetrius demaunded of hir Tell me Lamia what is the thing wherwith men doe content you best when we see him sayde she to be discrete in wordes secrete in his dedes Demetrius asked hir further Tell me Lamia how chanceth it the men be ill matched bicause answered Lamia It is impossible that they be well maried when the wife is in néede the husband vndiscrete Demetrius asked hir what was the cause that amity betwene two louers was 〈◊〉 Ther is nothing answered she that soner maketh colde the loue betwene two louers than when one of them doth straye in loue and the woman louer to importunate to craue He demaunded further Tell me Lamia what is the thing that most 〈◊〉 the louing man Not to attaine the thing which he desireth answered she and thinketh to lose the thing which he hopeth to enioy Demetrius yet once againe asked hir this question What is that Lamia which most troubleth a womans hart Ther is nothing answered Lamia wherwith a woman is more grieued and maketh hir more sad than to be called yll fauored or that she hath no good grace or to vnderstand that she is dissolute of life This ladie Lamia was of iudgement delicate and subtill although yll ymployed in hir therby made all the world in loue with hir and drew all men to hir through hir faire spéech Now before she lost the heart of king Demetrius she haunted of long time the Uniuersities of Athenes where she gained great store of money and brought to destruction many yong men Plutarch in the life of Demetrius saith that the Athenians hauing presented vnto him 〈◊〉 C. talents of money for a subsidie to pay his men of warre he gaue all that 〈◊〉 to his woman Lamia By meanes wherof the Athenians grudged were offended with the king not for the losse of their gift but for that it was so euill employed When the king Demetrius would assure any thing by oth he swore not by his Gods ne yet by his predecessors but in this sort As I may be still in the grace of my lady Lamia and as hir life mine may ende together so true is this which I say doe in this this sort One yere two monethes before the death of king Demetrius his frend Lamia died who sorowed so much hir death as for the absence death of hir he caused the Philosophers of Athenes to entre disputation Whether the teares and sorow which he shed and and toke were more to be estemed than the riches which he spent in hir obsequies funerall pompes This amorous gentlewoman Lamia was borne in Argos a citie of Peloponnesus by 〈◊〉 nes of base parentage who in hir first yeres haunted the countrie of Asia maior of very wild dissolute life in the end came into Phaenicia And when that king Demetrius had caused hir to be buried before a wyndow ioyning to his house his chiefest frendes asked him wherfore he had entombed hir in that place His answere was this I loued hir so well she likewise me so hartily as I knowe not which way to satisfie that loue which she bare me the duetie I haue to loue hir againe if not to put hir in such place as myne eyes may wepe euery daye mine hart still lament Truely
wyth immortall same fame glorie hath in it self these only marks and propertyes to bée knowne by Chastitie toleration of aduersitie For as the mynd is constant in loue not variable or giuen to chaunge so is the bodie continent comely honest and 〈◊〉 of Fortunes plagues A true cōstant mynd is moued with no sugred persuasions of friendes is diuerted with no eloquence terrified with no threates is quiet in all motions The blustering blastes of parents wrath can not remoue the constant mayde from that which she hath peculiarly chosen to hir selfe The rigorous rage of friendes doth not dismay the louing man from the embracement of hir whom he hath amongs the rest selected for his vnchanged féere A goodly exāple of constant noble loue this history ensuing describeth although not like in both yet in both a semblable cōstancie For Euphimia a Kings daughter abandoneth the great loue borne vnto hir by Philon a yong Prince to loue a seruant of hir fathers with whome she perseuered in greate constancie for all his 〈◊〉 and ingrateful dealings towards hir Philon séeyng his loue despised neuer maried vntill hée maried hir whome afterwardes hée deliuered from the false surmised treason of hir cancred and malicious husbande Euphimia fondly maried against hir fathers wil and there fore deseruedly after wards bare the penaunce of hir fault And albeit she declared hir selfe to bée constant yet dutie to louing father ought to haue withdrawen hir rashe and headie loue What daungers doe ensue such like cases examples be 〈◊〉 and experience teacheth A great dishonour it is for the 〈◊〉 and Gentlewomā to disparage hir no 〈◊〉 house with mariage of hir inferior Yea and great grief to the parents to sée their children obstinate wilfull in carelesse loue And albeit the 〈◊〉 Propertius describeth the vehemente loue of those that be noble and haue wherwith in loue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these verses Great is the 〈◊〉 of Loue the constant mynde doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he that is well fraught with wealth in Loue doth much preuaile Yet the tender damosell or louing childe be they neuer so noble or riche ought to attende the fathers time and choise and naturally encline to their 〈◊〉 liking otherwise great harme and detriment ensue For when the parents sée that disobediēce or rather rebellious minde of their childe their conceiued sorowe for the same so gnaweth the rooted plante of naturall loue as either it hastneth their vntimely death or else ingēdreth a heape of melancholie humors which force them to proclaime 〈◊〉 and bitter cursse against their 〈◊〉 fruite vpon whome if by due regarde they had 〈◊〉 ruled they woulde haue pronounced the swéete blessyng that Isaac gaue to Iacob the mothers best beloued boye yea and that displeasure may chaunce to dispossesse them of that which should haue bene the only comfort and stay of the future age So that negligence of parents 〈◊〉 and carelesse héede of youthful head bréedeth double woe but specially in the not aduised childe who tumbleth him selfe first into the breach of diuine lawes to the cursses of the same to parents wrath to orphans state to beggers life and into a sea of manifold miseries In whome had obedience ruled and reason taken place the hearte mighte haue bene 〈◊〉 the parent well pleased the life ioyfully spent and the posteritie successiuely tast the fruits that elders haue prepared What care and sorrow 〈◊〉 what extremitis the foresayde noble Gentlewoman 〈◊〉 for not yelding to hir fathers minde the sequele shal at large declare There was sometimes in Corinth a Citie of 〈◊〉 a King which had a daughter called Euphimia very tenderly beloued of hir father and being arriued to the age of mariage many noble men of Grecia made sute to haue hir to wife But amongs all Philon the yong king of Peloponessus so fiercely fell in loue wyth hir as hée thought he coulde no longer liue if hée were maried to any other For which cause hir father knowing him to be a King and of singular beautie and that he was far in loue with his daughter woulde gladly haue chosen him to be his sonne in law persuading hir that she shold liue with him a life so happie as was possible for any noble lady matched with Gentleman were he neuer so honorable But the daughter by no meanes woulde consent vnto hir fathers will alleaging vnto him diuers sundry considerations wherby hir nature by no means woulde agrée nor heart consent to ioyne with Philon. The king aboue al worldly things loued his fair daughter and albeit he woulde faine haue broughte to passe that she should haue taken him to husband yet he wold not vse the fathers authoritie but desired that Loue rather than force should match his daughter and therfore for that tyme was contented to agrée vnto hir will There was in the Court a yong mā borne of hir fathers bondman which hight Acharisto and was manumised by the King who made him one of the Esquiers for his bodie and vsed his seruice in sundry enterprises of the warres and bicause he was in those affaires very skilfull of bolde personage in conflictes and 〈◊〉 verie hardie the King did very much fauor him aswell for that hée had defended him from manifold daungers as also bycause he had deliuered hym from the 〈◊〉 pretended against him by the king of the Lacedemonians Whose helpe and valiance the king vsed for the murder and destruction of the sayde Lacedemonian King For which valiant enterprise hée bountifully recompenced him with honorable prefermentes and stately reuenues Upon this yong man Euphimia fired hir amorous eyes and fell so farre in loue as vpon him alone she bent hir thoughtes and all hir louing cogitations Wherof Acharisto béeing certified and well espying and marking hir amorous lookes nourished with like flames the fire wherewith she burned Notwithstandyng his loue was not so 〈◊〉 bent vpon hir personage as his desire was ambicious for that she shoulde be hir fathers onely heire and therfore thought that he shold be a most happie man aboue all other of mortall kynde if hée might possesse that inheritance The king perceuing that loue told his daughter that she had placed hir mynde in place so straunge as hée had thought hir wisdome wold haue more warely forséen and better wayed hir estate birth as come of a princely race and would haue demed such loue farre vnworthie hir degrée requiring hir with fatherly words to withdraw hir settled mynde to ioyne with him in choise of husbande for that he had none other worldly heire but hir and tolde hir howe he meant highly to bestowe hir vpon such a personage as a moste happie life she should leade so long as the destenies were disposed to weaue the webbe of hir predestined life And therefore was resolued to espouse hir vnto that noble Gentleman Philon. Euphimia hearkned to this vnliked tale with vnliked words refused hir fathers hest protesting vnto him such reasons
brings good hap or bredes mischaunce The furious flames of loue that neuer ceaseth sure Are loc the busie sailes and oares that would my rest procure And as in Skies great windes do blo My swift desires runnes fleting so As swete Zephyrus breth in spring time fedes the floures My mistresse voice wold ioy my wits by hir most heauenly powers And wold exchaūge my state I say As Sommer chaungeth Winters day She is the Artique starre the gracious Goddesse to She hath the might to make and marre to helpe or else vnde Both death and life she hath at call My warre my peace my ruine and all She makes me liue in woe and guids my sighs and lokes She holdes my fredome by a lace as fish is held with hokes Thus by despaire in this concaite I swallow vp both hoke and baite And in the deserts loe I liue among the sauage kinde And spend my time in woful sighs raisde vp by care of minde All hopelesse to in paines I pine And ioyes for euer doe resine I dread but Charons boat if she no mercy giue In darknesse then my soule shal dwell in Plutos raigne to liue But I beleue she hath no care On him that caught is in hir snare If she release my woe a thousand thankes therefore I shall hir giue and make the world to honor hir the more The Gods in Skies will praise the same And 〈◊〉 beare of hir good name O happy is that life that after torment 〈◊〉 And earthly sorowes on this mould for better life shal 〈◊〉 And liue amongs the Gods on high Where loue and louers neuer die O life that here I leade I freely giue thee now Vnto the faire where ere she rests and loke thou shew hir 〈◊〉 I linger forth my yeares and dayes To winne of hir a crowne of praise And thou my pleasant lute cease not my songs to sound And shew the tormēts of my mind that I through loue 〈◊〉 found And alwayes tell my Mistresse still Hir worthy vertues rules my will The Foster Louer The Foster louer singing this song sighing 〈◊〉 times betwene the trickling teares ranne downe his face who therby was so disfigured as searse could they haue knowen him which had all the dayes of their life frequented his companie Such was the state of this miserable yong gentleman who dronk with his owne wine balanced himself down to despair rather than 〈◊〉 the hope of that which he durst not loke for Howbeit like as the mischiefs of men be not alwayes durable that all things haue their proper season euē so fortune repenting hir euil intreatie which wrongfully she had caused this pore penetenciarie of Gineura to endure prepared a meanes to readuaunce him aloft vpon hir wheele euen when he thought least of it And certes herein appeared the mercy of God who causeth things difficult almost impossible to be so easie as those that ordinarily be brought to passe How may it héereby be perceiued that they which were plūged in the bottom 〈◊〉 defiance déeming their life vtterly forlorne be sone exalted euen to the top of all glory and felicitie Hath not our age séene that man which was by authoritie of his enimie iudged to die ready to be caried forth to the scaffold miraculously deliuered from that daunger and wherin the works of God are to be maruelled that same man to be called to the dignitie of a prince and preferred aboue all the rest of the people Nowe Dom Diego attending his fieldish Philosophy in the solitary valeis of the rich Mountaine Pyrene was holpen with helpe vnloked for as you shall heare You haue hard how he had a neighbor singuler frēd 〈◊〉 Noble gentleman named Dom Roderico This gētleman amongs al his faithful cōpanions did most lamēt the hard fortune of Dom Diego It came to passe 〈◊〉 months after that the pore wilde penitēt person was gon on his pilgrimage that Dom 〈◊〉 toke his iorney into Gascoine for diuerse his vrgēt affairs which after he had dispatched were it that he was gon out of his way or that God as it is most likely did driue him thither he approched toward that coast of the Pyrene mountains wher that time his good frend Dom Diego did inhabite who daily grew so weake féeble as if God had not sēt him sodain succor he had gained that he most desired which was death that shold haue ben the end of his trauails afflictions The traine of Dom Roderico being thē a bow shot off frō the sauage caben of Dom Diego they espied the tracts of mens féete newly 〈◊〉 and begā to maruel what he shold be that dwelled there cōsidering the solitude 〈◊〉 of the place also that the same was far of 〈◊〉 or house And as they deuised hereupon they saw a man going into a Caue which was Dom Diego comming frō making his cōplaints vpō the rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before From which hauing 〈◊〉 his face towarde that part of the world where he thought the lodging was of that saint wherunto he addressed his deuotiōs Dom Diego hearing the noise of the horsse was retired bicause he wold not be sene The knight which rode that way seing that knowing how far he was out of the way cōmaunded one of his men to gallop towards the Rocke to learne what people they were that dwelled 〈◊〉 to demaund how they might coast to the high way that led to Barcelone The seruaunt approching neare the caue perceiued the same so well empaled fortified 〈◊〉 beastres skins before fearing also that they were theues robbers that dwelled there durst not approche lesse enquire the way therfore returned towards his master to whom he told what he saw The Knight of another maner of metal hardinesse than that rascall and coward seruaunt like a stout couragious valiant mā 〈◊〉 to the caue demaunding who was within he sawe a man come forth so disfigured horrible to loke vpō pale with staring hair vpright that pitifull it was to behold him which was the seruaunt of the foster hermite Of him Roderico demaunded what he was which was that way to Barcelone 〈◊〉 answered that disguised person I know not how to answer your demaund much lesse I know the countrey wher we now presently be But sir said he sighing true it is that we be two pore cōpaniōs whome fortune hath sent hither by what il aduēture I know not to do penance for our trespasses offenses Roderico hearing him say so begā to cal to his remembrāce his friend Dom Diego although he neuer besore that time suspected the place of his above He lighted then frō his horsse desirous to see the singularities of that 〈◊〉 and the magnificence of that cauish lodging where be entred and saw him whome he sought for and yet for all that did not know him he cōmoned with him a long time of the pleasure of that solitary life in respect of