would some way turne to his ill That wheras before time he was pleasant mery and oftentimes would mooue Artesia to myrth by his disporte now that humour was alienated and he became continually melancholly and sad oftentimes when Artesia was from him getting into a sollitary place to bewayle his hard fate Which shée noted and woondred at thinking the same had procéeded from being so long absent from his countrey and friends One day she found her déemed Syluian sollitarie alone and comming vnawares heard her vtter these words Oh how vnhappy am I to loue and not to be beloued Syluian espying her left off to whom Artesia said Why how now Syluian are you in loue can it be that your mind is attainted with that venemous serpent that poysoneth the sences altereth the complexion troubleth the head and heart Shake it off and cast it out of your sight for it neuer did any good but hath brought many to perpetuall miserie Since you haue ouerheard me quoth Syluian I must néeds confesse I am in loue which doth not any way worke any such effect in me as you speake off but I take all comfort therein my sences heart head all my parts take excéeding pleasure therein Why then quoth Artesia sit you thus pensiuely alone as it séemeth to me bewayling your estate to be in loue I do not quoth Syluian sorrow that I am in loue but that I am not beloued againe for being in loue I haue vowed to liue so euer and sooner shall end What hard-harted man said Artesia is he the knowing you loue him wil not loue you againe Such is my harâ— estate sayd Syluian that the partie whom I loue knoweth I loue and yet causelesly doth hate me neither am I farre absent from him but inioy his company without which my life would decay Is he in this house you loue can it bée you are intangled since you came hither No quoth Syluian I loued before I came hither How can that be when you are a stranger and cast in this country by shipwracker eyther you must néedes be some other then we take you for otherwise these things are impossible But if you dare put trust in my secrecie impart your minde to mée and I promise you I will do the best I caÌ„ to further your loue You may do much therein quoth Syluian and none more then your self but I beséech you pardon me for reuealing the same before you assure me of one thing which you may do without any harm to your self and be not offeÌ„ded with me if I ask you Tel me what it is quoth she I will answer you Then said Syluian I wold first know whether you loue Ornatus or no With the she started saying Ay me that name bringeth death to my heart thou woundest my souls with gréefe to heare him named Dost thou thinke I haue cause to loue not rather aboue al men to hate him dost thou not sée my father lately murdred by him or some by his appointment and thinkest thou I can loue so deadly a foe by whom I am brought to this miserie No assure thy selfe Syluian according as I haue iust cause I do hate him as the greatest enemie I haue Whose very name affrighteth mée with terror and if thou hadst loued me as I was perswaded thou didst thou wouldst not haue troubled my heart with that omnious name And yet for all this mischiefe that he hath done me didst thou not see how he sued for my loue and had so much preuailed that my heart beganne to yéeld to his sute With that she pulled out of her pocket the letter saying these lynes the trutes of his dissimulation were actors in his villainie with that she tare them into a thousand péeces Syluian séeing the same was readie to sound with gréefe breathing soorth a hart burning â—igh said O how is poore innocencie suspected And being readie to say more was disappointed by Floretus comming who euen then entred the garden and finding them out vsed many curteous spéeches to theÌ„ both especiallly coÌ„forting Artesia To whom he said Dear coozin since these mishaps caÌ„not be remedied let wisdome now ouersway your passionate sorrow and with patience remit all further gréefe for things past cure are not to be lamented but now commit the care of your safety to my trustines the will as tenderly regard your good as mine owne life Therfore be of comfort whatsoeuer you desire shal be to the vttermost accomplished Artesia yeelded him many thanks and so they went in Artesia being alone by her selfe could by no means forget what spéech she had with Syluian eyther thinking shée did dissemblâ— or was some other then she seemed or else that she was in loue with Floretus Then she remembred her spéeches saying Howe is innocencie suspected Which she knew she spake by her accusing of Ornatus which braue her into many doubtfull cogitotions and troubled her sences excéedingly but by reason of her little suspect of Syluians disguise shée could not iudge any thing thereof Syluian likewise not daring to offend her and louing her so dearely that hee could not indure to sée her disquietted vsed no more spéeches tending to loue but frequenting her company wherein hée tooke his whole felâ—ciâ—ie accounting himselfe most happie to liue and enioy her swéete presence béeing out of hope to attaine her loue refreshing his heart with many sollaces of sweete delight in beholding that which shée little thought he had noted Many daies continued Syluian in this disguise in which time Arbastus death was almost forgotten And Floretus drawn by Syluians manifolde vertues began exceedingly to affect her shewing such kinde behauiour towards her that she suspected that which afterwards she found true for Floretus coÌ„cealing his loue felt the flame to burne the more inwardly and liuing in that scorching pennariâ— thought it better for him to manifest his loue theÌ„ by hyding the same augment his torment Assuring himselfe to obtain his desire for that Syluian was a stranger far froÌ„ friends and without his friendship likelie to come to pouertie which hée thought woulde bée a meanes of importance to drawe her to like of him besides hée thought that hée might do as hée list with Artesia for that shée was onelye in his custodie And on a day finding Syluian alone in the garden comming to her with a submisse behauiour he said as followeth My dearâ— Syluian I would gladlie vtter a matter of an importance if you will vouchsafe me gentle audience So it is fayre Damosell that my heart hath long time béen inthralled to your bewtie which I haue retrained to vtter fearing to be refused but knew you how faithfully my heart is deuoted to your seruice and with what torment I haue concealed the same you would pittie me My estate is sufficient to maintaine you well though not so worthily as you deserue you shall liue with me in contented ease and haue so faithfull and constant a friend
art thou by right but that by tyrannie and vsurpation thou holdest the same I come as Artesias Champion to challenge thée of disloyalty as the outrages thou hast committed by detaining her libertie do manifest I challenge thée for dooing iniustice against Allinus whom thou withholdest from his right by trecherous malice I challenge thée as a partaker of Arbastus death for that thou sufferest and vpholdest his murtherer Floretus that hath deserued death I challenge thée for oppression laid vpon this whole land And lastly for detaining Ornatus liuing who neuer was impeached of treason and therefore if thou darest answere my challenge I am here readie otherwise I here pronounce thée for a coward a miscreant not worthie to beare Armes Lenon made this replie Being accused by a straunger without cause I regarde it not and béeing iudge my selfe will not by thée be adiudged but for thy proude challenge I will answere thée as little regarding what thou canst doo as thou boastingly dost vaunt of thy valor Therefore euen now before I deport I will without delay abate thy haughtinesse though thy accusations are manifestly false for I both loue and esteeme Artesia as deerely as I doe my selfe my title to the Crowne is iust for Allinus hee is both a traitor at home and abroade first in causing his compâ—ices to séeke my fathers life and lastlie for bringing these Armenian bands to destroye the Countrey For Floretus pardon it is mercie not iniustice As for oppression done to Ornatus all knowe I neuer iniuried him but if hée take the Iustice that is done to his traiterous father as done to him I cannot helpe that but reuenge it thou since thou art his Champion Ornatus had much adoo to stay to heare out his speeche which galled him to the very heart that without speaking a word more hee smote at Lenon and Lenon with courage answered his blowes beginning a most flerce and forceable incounter and with like furie continuing the same til both had receiued many wounds and their steeds beganne to be furious and madde with the smart of some strokes that mist their ayme Ornatus calling to remembrance first the iniuries he had receiued and that Lenon none else could dispossesse him of Artesias Loue and many other wrongs he had done him and his parents thought nowe to reuenge them all and dispossesse Thaeon of the Crowne by Lenons death reuiued his spirits with such courage that he began with renewed strength to assaile Lenon who euen then began to fainte would haue yeelded but that shame withheld him Which when Ornatus perceiued hée thought at once to ende the strife that with one forceable blow hée gaue him so deâ—p a wound on the right arme where the Armour was broken away that bee let fall his sworde and fell sencelesse on his horse necke Thaeon perceiuing his sonne in that danger with his guard came rushing in rescued him from Ornatus sword which otherwise had pâ—rted his head from his bodie With this both the Armies ioyned battel againe the Armenians with new courage rushing vpon their enemies whose hearts began to faile seeing Lenon so neer death which made such a confusion among theÌ„ that they were readier to flie or yeeld to Allinus theÌ„ to fight it out that on a sodain the ArmeniaÌ„s had slaine an infinit number of them all the earth was dyed to a purple colour with their blood Oâ—natus heart was vexed to see so much of his Countres blood shead that hee intreated Phylastes to perswade the Souldiers to giue ouer and himselfe rode betwixt the two Armies with a Herault desiring them to staie their furie for a while Long it was before they would giue ouer but at last by the Drums and Trumpet sound hauing called backe the Armenians Ornatus placing himselfe in the midst of his Countrey men that a multitude might heare him said Renowned people of Phrygia heare my spéech that am tormenmented to sée so much of your blood shead the effusion whereof I séeke by all meanes to stop hauing as you sée for the loue I beare to you not lifted my hand against any of you but onely Lenon the causes that vrge me to challenge him is the manifest wrongs he and his father hath done to your selues this Countrey and all the Nobilitie for the true testimony whereof let euery one inwardly examime his owne conscience and they will not deny my words but finde themselues exceedingly gréeued with his oppression Doo you not sée what destruction he hath brought vpon this land Are not almost all the Nobilitie slaine and destroyed Are not your liberties goods and friends taken from you Is not the whole land in an vproare and euery one driuen from his quiet at home to venture his life in the fielde and all this for satisfaction of his will and selfe commaund not grounded vpon lawe nor iustice Examine your consciences is he your lawfull King did he not murther your lawfull King onely to make you his vassels Againe doth Allinus séeke to do his Countrey wrong doth hée come to oppresse you doth hée séeke to abuse your libertie No hée onely commeth to claime his possessions by iniustice taken from him he commeth as vrged by griefe not to liue as a banished man being himselfe his wife children and familie driuen to liue in miserie and slauerie for the satisfaction of his Lust. Then I beséech you good souldiers consider well what you do whom you defend a traytor and whom you resist a deare friend that loueth and tendereth your liues as deare as his owne whose estate the Armenians pitie to whome he was neuer gratious but his own Countrey mens harts are hardned against him repaying crueltie for his loue and resistance to withhold his right I could alledge so many reasons to disswade you from following Thaeons will as would aske a tedious recital but I know you are oâ— wisedome to conceiue the right your hearts mercifull to pittie him and your mindes apt to doe Iustice then giue him ouer discharge your mindes of care and disburthen your selues of his oppression I stand héere as an Aduocate to pleade for Allinus right that hath indured too much wrong I stand héere as Aâ—tesias Champion that is imprisoned by Lenon abused by Lenon and withhelde from her libertie by Lenon I stand here to intreat you saue your owne liues to preserue your libertie to execute Iustice and to doe Allinus right Then I beseeche you lay aside your armes taken in defence of wrong and turne your hearts to pittie innocencie whereby you shall saue many of your liues shew your selues men that are ruled by wisedome and not by rage and purchase libertie fréedome and peace for euer Then you that beare the true hearts of Phrygians follow me and giue ouer to follow that vsurper and staye such ruines and destructions as are like to ensue by your refusall and let the rightfull heire possesse the Crowne who will loue you cherish you
if I should shew any signe that hée were liuing or neare shée would presently eschew my company which being as I am I may enioy thus am I voyd of all meanes of attayning her loue yet liuing as I am I shall still enioy her loue Why Ornatus thou hast better meanes to giue her knowldge of thy loue in this disguise then if thou liuedst as Ornatus Suppose thou shuldest make knowne to her what thou art thinkest thou shée would bewray thée considering thou offerest no other behauiour towardes her then that which agreeth with vertue Or what if shée did betray thée wert thou not better to indare the greatest extremitie by her don then pyne away with griefe in her absence Yes Ornatus in being as thou art thou art more happie and therefore maiest thou be in some better hope of comfort What if shée will not loue thée yet for thy good will shée cannot hate thée And though shée know what thou art shee will rather conceale thée then bewray thée then try whether she loueth thée or no but how Make my selfe knowne No. I will write a letter which I will leaue in some place where she may finde it and so by that meanes I shall sée whether shée will loue or no. And taking pen Inke and paper he wrote as foâ—â—oweth To the most vertuous Artesia the forsaken Ornatus sendeth humble greeting WEre you but so mercifull as fayre I woulde not dispaire of pittie Or were you willing to know my truth and loyaltie you woulde though not yeeld to my sute yet pittie mee I cannot vse protestations nor dissemble greefe but be you most assured that what proceedeth out at my lippes commeth from my heart xtremitie maketh mee ouerbolde and dispaire maketh me more desperate in vttering my minde I cannot chuse but say I loue you for that I loue indeed I cannot set foorth my loue with fyled termes but in plaine truth protest that my loue is constant loyall vertuous immoueable and though you hate I must loue and though you for euer denie to loue yet will I persist in constancie for the woorst I can indure is death and that my soule alreadie inwardly feeleth I haue forsaken my parents friends and all to become acceptable to you for whilest I was Allinus sonne you did hate me then I beseech you now that I am not Allinus sonne nor Ornatus pitty mee For without your pitie I die litle can my death profit you but letting me liue you shall for euer enioy a faithfull seruant So most vertuous Artesia I commit my cause to your wise consideration Your inseparablie neyther Ornatus nor himselfe but your poore seruant When hee had written this Letter and sealed the same the next morning he laid it in a place of the garden where he knowe Artesia would walke And from thence comming to her chamber he found her readie to go forth Artesia welcommed Syluia kindely and forth they went together and walking vp and downe a prittie while Artesia espied the white paper and desirous to sée what it was took it vp reading the superscription maruelled what the contents shuld be and how it should come there and turning to Syluian sée you this letter it is directed to me I maruell how it should come here vnlesse it were laide of purpose well howsoeuer that was I will reade the contents and you shall be partaker of them When she had redde the same and well vnderstood that it was Ornatus at the first shee was so excéedingly vâ—xed that she said I now perceiue that Ornatus was wiser then I tooke him to bée for I sée he hath committed no outrage vpon himselfe but wiselie will trie me first and if I will not yéelde to loue him what will hée doo marrie returne to his father againe This is Adellenaes doing and according as I thought they are agréed shée left this letter here and her may I blame and not him For did not she promise him to do it he would neuer of himselfe attempt it Syluian I pray thée counsaile me what I should do herein for my heart is oppressed with many thoughts that I will not vtter vntill I know thy minde Syluian thus answered since you haue giuen me licence to speake that which my heart thinketh first I say iâ— Ornatus loueth according as he protesteth as no doubt but he doth you haue good reason to pittie him for that by your owne report he is euery way worthy thereof which if you doo you shal be sure of a constant friend preserue his life and make vnitie betwixt your parents As for Adellena if it were her déede she did but the part of a friend but it was very vnlikely for that shée was not here since yesterday Neither can I think any man can dissemble so much as to make these protestations and yet be false For his words in my fancie beare an euident likeliehood of truth Therefore if I may counsaile you yéeld to that which is vertuous and in so dooing you shall purchase your owne good his content and perpetuall quiet to both your families Would you haue mée then quoth shée yéelde to loue mine enemie How is hee your enemie quoth Syluian when hée loueth you Hée is mine enemie because his father hating me how can he loue me Nay rather quoth Syluian his father not louing you how can hee chuse but loue you because he seeth them hate you that are worthy to be beloued besides their haâ—red being vniust it sheweth his vertue the more to loue those his parents hate and it is commonly séene where there is hatred betwixt the parents the children haue loued most dearely as in common experience it is séene haue you not red the Histories of Pryamus and Thysbe Romeo and Iuliet and many other whose loue was the more constant by so much the more their parents hatred was deadly I remember such Histories quoth Artesia but what was the end of their loue was it not most miserable I grant it was quoth Syluian which was procured by their parents crueltie but not their loue wherein notwithstanding they tooke such felicitie that they rather chose to die togither then to be parted which argueth that the enmity twixt parents caÌ„not break off loue twixt the children yet might such tragical euents haue bin preuented by wisedom But how know I said Artesia whether Ornatus loue bée so constant or no Can you haue any greater proofe thereof then his own letters the forsaking of his parents and liuing peraduenture in pennurie but if you doubt of that once againe trie him Well said Artesia I asked but thy counsaile but in stead thereof thou vsest perswasion but séeing thou art so forward to doo me good which I hope is thy intent if thou wilt keep my counsell thou shalt know both my minde and what I intend Assure your selfe quoth Syluian I will rather loose my life then prooue vnfaithfull Then said shée I confesse to thée Syluian that loue
had giuen himselfe many gréeuous wounds enforcing him to yéeld Who taking from him all that was good constraining Aâ—tesia to go with them and hasted to their ships when hauing conueyed her aboord to preuent the worst hoysed saile and launched into the déepe Then was Allinus left in most miserable estate with all spéed hasting to his house Lenons seruants likewise were by that time it was mindnight gotten to the Pallace and called their Lord out of his bedde to cerâ—ifie him what was happened who presently mounted himselfe and with a sufficient company rode to the Fortresse and entring found Flera slaine and all else fled then began he to muse who should do that déed and what they should be that had carried away Artesia by this time it was day-light and Lenon rested in excéeding vâ—xation to be dispossest of his bewâ—ifull Loue yet he commanded his men to poste by companies seueral waies if it were possible to finde those that had done that deed whilst he himselfe remained there bewailing that misforâ—une his seruants had not rode far but by the light of the day which discouereth things done in darknesse they found Allinus two seruants whose dead bodies they carried back to the fortresse Lenon séeing them presently assured himselfe that Allinus was a partie in this action and that hee had taken away Artesia to séeke her death To preuent wihch mischiefe as he thought then or neuer to be done hee presently rode home to the Court and humbly vpon his knée intreated his father to graunt him licence with a sufficient power to rescue Artesia from Allinus who intended to murder her declaring how he himselfe found her in Adellenas house and how that he had placed her in the gréene Fortresse to defend her from Allinus and others crueltie being left fatherlesse and how that night Allinus had taken her from thence by treason and intended no lesse then her ruine The king hearing his sonnes speeches graunted his request Then presently diuers to the number of tâ—ree hundreth men with as much speed as could possibly be armed themselues and in haste with Lenon went to Allinus Castle into which they violently and vnawares to any within entred Lenon presently laide hands on Allinus whom he â—ounde sore wounded asking him for Artesia who thinking some of his seruants had before bewrayed what he had done presently confest the truth of all both of his intent and howe Artesia was rescued from him but by whom hee knewe not and howe at that time two of his seruants were slaine Lenon giuing no credit to his spéeches neuer left till hée had searched the whole Castle throughout but not finding her accused Allinus that he had murthered her commaunding his men to binde him and carry him as a Traytor to the Court. Who being come before the King confest the truth as before he had done vtterly denying that hee neuer sought Artesias death but her safetie but yet notwithstanding the King was so ouerruled by Lenons accusations and perswasions that he committed him to prison his goods and lands were seized vppon as a Traytor his Ladie wife turned out of doâ—res in poore array and al crueltie and outrage committed against his seruantes and kinâ—folkes and commaundement giuen that none should succour them Allinus being in prison laden with yrons and hardly vsed yet endured that affliction patiently but hearing of his Ladies calamitie and how she was vaiustly constrained to beg that all her liâ—e long had bene tenderly brought vp thought those sorrowes woulde soone bring her to an ende and entered into many bitter lamentations for her and his owne misfortune which were too tedious to recite his seruants were constrained to disguise themselues and trauell into farther places of the Countrey to liue vnknowne otherwise none would haue entertained them His Ladie was compelled to séeke out kinswomen of hers that liued in the countrey of whom she was entertained and there liued a poore life far differing from her former life which she tooke most patiently And thus was Allinus house defaced his goods and lands seized vpon himself imprisoned his wife in poore estate his seruants driuen to wander from place to place readie ofâ—en to perish for want of succour and all his dignitie turnd to miseâ—ie onely by Lenons malice who had no ground for those accusations he vsed against him but onely of a vaine suppose and mad franticke affection that ouerruled his heart which so much preuailed with him that he sought by all meanes he could his death CHAP. XI How Ornatus gatte shipping into Phrygia Howe Allinâ—s was set al libertie and how the Pyrates cast lottes who should possesse Artesia ORnatus all this while remained in the countrey of Natolia with Alprinus and Lucida in great griefe for want of meanes to depart into Phrygia to sée what was become of his deare Loue Artesia but being a long time frustrated by reason none of the ships that were at sea came home he began to dispaire thinking that Artesia supposing him to be dead by reason of his long absence would now marry Lenon which griefe and many other doubtfull thoughts opprest his heart with such passion that he began to waxe sicke and afterwards fel into an excéeding feuer which held him for the space of thrée moneths in great extremitie which surely had abridged his dayes had hee not bene most carefully nourisht by Lucida who had an especiall care of his good During which time of his sicknesse certaine ships of Phrygia arriued on the coast of Natolia some fourtéene miles distant from the Towne where Ornatus was of which he had intelligence by certaine Factors belonging to Lucidas Father which newes reuiued his spirits with ioy before drouping with care that within few dayes he recouered his former health which greatly reioyced Alprinus and Lucida whose hearts were linked vnto him in hands of vnseparable friendship who likewise dealt so effectually for him that they attained warrant for his passage and furnished him with all kinde of necessaries and sufficient store of gold to beare his charges Lucida likewise intreating her father to agrée with the Phrygian Marchants for his conuoy for that himselfe would not be knowne disguising himselfe into the habit of a Pilgrime whicâ— kinde of people might without disturbance passe vnexamined and without molestation And the time of his departure being come he tooke his leaue of Lucida Who tooke his departure with such excéeding sorrow that the abundance of her flowing teares stopt the passage of her spéech Alprinus likewise with many curtesies bad him farewell and wished his prosperous successe Thus departed he the confines of Natolia where he was in so short space so well beloued and so kindly vsed that had not his loue to Artesia and hope to finde her in safety constrained him he could haue bene contented to haue spent the terme of his life in that place The Merchants of Phrygia had not sailed many dayes but they arriued in a hauen some