worthie of his gouernment This Duke had to wife a gratious Ladie whose goodnes was such in the worlde as made her soone fit for the heauens for such was her delight in diuine contemplations and so little her foie in anie earthlie substance that languishing in the worlde with longing after heauen shee liued not manie yeares with her louing Lord on the earth but the Lorde of all loue tooke her vp into the heauens yet before her departure from this life she had by her Lorde the Duke two blessed children a sonne and a daughter her sonne named Fantiro and her daughter Sinilia The young Lord a man of excellent partes both for bodie and mind whose particular perfections would requre a volume to describe in their true kindes but for that by a little light maiâ—… the whole daie be considered let thus much suffice that both for valour and vertue he might well be called the Souldiers Dictionarie 〈◊〉 the Courtieâ—…s Looking glasse And for his sister if I coulde as briefelie set downe her excellencie I would not thinke it the least point of eloquence but for all those rare perfections that maie dignifie the name of an earthlie creature I maie saie shee was in the honour of reason the wonder of nature But least in my introduction into my historie I 〈◊〉 more tedious then pleasing I will leaue this Duke Ordillo with his blessed children for a while and I will returne to the Duke Firento of the Ilands of Balino and his sonne Penillo one of the most gallant gentlemen in the world This Duke Firento finding his sonne of so noble a spirite aâ—… could not containe his content within the confiâ—…es of his fathers countrey but that as well by his delight in the reading of histories his forwardnesse to the warres his conuersaâ—…on among strangers and especiallie such as professed armes noting I say his disposition 〈◊〉 to the trauailing life that he feared he should not long keepe him at home vpon good â—…ration how best to aduise him either for his staie or trauaile to his liking finding him one daie by chance all alone walking in â—… close arbour in his garden commanding apart all his attendantes tooke occasion in great kindnesse thus to deale with him Penillo what fondnesse it were in mee to flaster thee with thy much worthinesse of my loue I had rather thou shouldest conceiue then I explaine although I reâ—…oice therein more of my knowledge then I would haue thee prowd of my content but my déere sonne let me tell thee that as I thinke my selfe not a little happie in my hope of thy good as well for my priuat comfort as the profit of my whole countrey so if by the indiscretion of thy disposition or by the crueltie of fortune crossing alwaies the course of vertue thou shouldest not onely deceiue my hope but destroie my happines to the sorrow of mine age and cutting off my daies thinke with thy selfe my deare sonne if it may lie in thy power to preuent the worst and performe the best shouldst not thou find thine owne vnkindnes in proouing so vnnaturall as to grieue the soule of him that deerely loueth thee and to be an occasion of his death who vnder heauen was the originall of thy life Be not appauled my son speake freely I giue thee leaue if thou canst imagine the cause of my speech and as thou best likest without the least doubt of my displeasure I praie thee giue me thy answere The young Lorde little expecting this kind of gréeting with his good father and neuer vnprouided to answere the darkest demand that might be made him especiallie from his father in whom he could not haue anie thought of the least dislike of him with a staied humble countenance began thus to frame his replie My gratious Lord as I reioice not a â—…title in the greatnes of your more naturall then deserued loue which looking onelie into your owne goodnesse haue builded your hope of my happines so if I could finde in my selfe the least thought of vnthankfolnesse whereby I might iustly purchase your harde opinion surely I should thinke my selfe worthy of death that shoulde liue to giue offence vnto the fairest comfort of my life But as my conscience doth assure me of no such criminall conceit so do I protest that I doe not a little marueile what should leade you into this manner of question for as I cannot bee vnnaturall so will I not feare you to be vnkinde but humbly beseech you for the better accomplishing of your content in some plainer method to acquaint me with your good meaning The olde man loath to mooue griefe in his sonne whose deserued loue he was fullie assured of and yet willing to be satisfied of his true resolution touching his humour of trauaile with much adoe brake into this spéech with him Penillo I haue of late noted in thee as well by thy studie in the languages as by thy conuersation among strangers and thy loue to souldiers that the aduenture of thy fortune abroad will be more pleasing to thee then thy best contentment at home but if I might by the aduise of my experience perswade thée to the care of my knowledge I should easily make thée finde the sweete of the old prouerbe that home is home be it neuer so homely The rowling stone gatheresh no mosse that prospereth in one ground maie perish in another Aduentures are dangerous the seas boistrous and the warres perilous and great is the difference betweene strange companions and home friendes what canst thou sée abroad that is not here The same earth and little different in nature either for heat or cold the same sunne shining there that shineth here men and women in the same shape that thou séest here in their vniuersities the same kinde of schâ—…lers in their cities marchantes and men of trade and traffique as we haue in ours in their villages such farmers and labourers in their tribunall seates such iudges in their warres such men of armes in their court such Lords and Ladies and in all places such kinde of people as in some places of our dominion thou maiest take notice of if thou be circumspect what shall I saie to perswade thée rather to staie at home then stray abroad Thou hast a father that loues thee more déerely then any friend can doe a sister whose vertue with her beautie deserueth an honorable fortune and which I thinke not thy least charge in conscience to haue a care in as much as maie lie in thee to accomplish thy mother holdes thee so deere as her life thy friends make a iewell of thy kindnesse thy followers in thine honour settle the hope of their fortune and my subiectes in thy wisdome repose the happinesse of their whole state All this and manie more particular causes of content thou hast here at home likelie euery daie to encrease where abroade how bitter wil be thy change I feare to thinke should sorrowe to heare and shall
THE STRANGE FORTVNES OF TWO EXCELLENT PRINCES IN THEIR liues and loues to their equall Ladies in all the titles of true honour Imprinted at London by P. Short for Nicholas Ling. 1600. To the woorshipfull my verie good friend the fauourer of all good actions and nourisher of good spirits Iohn Linewray Esquire Clerke of the deliueries and the deliuerance of all her Maiesties Ordenance and other munition as well within and out of the Tower of London as all other her Highnesse Stores within the Realme of England health happines and heauen SIR vnthankefulnesse is so neare to vnhonestie as to auoid the touch of both I haue been often desirous of some good meane to deserue some one of your many receiued fauours which loath to burie in such oblâ—…ion that I should be thought vnworthie the regard of so good a minde I haue thought good to acquaint your kindnesse with such occurrents as haue lately come to my hands though they bee no matter of this state yet were they such tracts in the fortunes of two Princes as being read with that discretion which in your good leasure can iudge of the labour of wit in the honour of vertue I doubt not but that you will fauourablie patronage this first apparant proofe of my loue till in some better occasion of employment you maie haue a more sufficient triall of my affection The substance of my historie being loue the subiects Princes the nature honorable the aduentures dangerous the fortunes strange and yet the ende happy will suffice I hope to perswade the wittie to reade the wise to fauour the learned to allow the honest to commend and your good mind to accept of which being no more then I desire nor lesse then I hope of leauing my booke to your kind patience with my selfe to your commandement I rest Yours very much in assurance N. BRETON TO THE READER COurteous Reader for so I hope to find you or else shall I bee sorie to haue bestowed so good a tearme vpon you Writers in these dayes haue so manie humors to censure their laboures that it is easier to runne mad with seeking to please euery body then to be wise with displeasing of any but since this is nothing to that which followeth let me tell you that if you will kindlie reade that is friendlie offred you and part with a little mony for a matter of more worth it maie be you shall haue more contentment then you looke for in briefe you shall reade of much varietie of matter the fortunes of Princes the true honour of Ladies the vertue of loue and the life of honor the subtlety of a knaue and the rewarding of a villaine the constancie of affection and the ioie of comfort But I feare if I goe a little further I shall tell my storie without Booke and therefore leauing you through a little Doore to go into a great House hoping of your kind patience to take al wel that is ment no worse and to speake as well of my labours as my good will would be glad to deserue I rest Your friend N. B. The Historie of two Princes Fantiro and Penillo IN the Ilandes of Balino neere vnto the Citie of Dolno there liued a great Duke named Firento Sanelli a great Lord I saie for that he was great both in honor and possessions he was wise and therfore much honored honorable and therefore much beloued with his wealth he was full of charity and therfore enuied of none but the courtous hee was valiant and therefore feared of the wicked but couetous and therfore followed with the kinde and vertuous and therfore blessed by the highest This Lord had to wife a swéete Ladie called Merilla a creature of much worth in the best construction of commendation and if a woman might be like an Angell she might be saincted for her vertues her modestie with his grauity her pittie with his valour her loue with his charity her bountie with his wealth and her zeale with his vertue made such a coniunction in perfections as that vnder the heauens there were hardlie found such creatures on the earth This blessed Lord and Ladie had issue male onelie one sonne named Penillo and female one onlie daughter named Merilla the parents of these two children liued till they sawe them both to followe their course in the best content of their affections Penillo was of the age of foure and twentie yeares of stature tall ruddie of colour well complexioned but not too faire his haire not blacke but somewhat-inclining thereto his countenance milde but not effeminate his proportion in no part imperfect for his minde it was of an excellent temper he was silent but vpon good cause and then not to learne what to speak resolute vpon good aduisement but not rash vpon anie aduenture he was well read in histories and well qualified in manie points but especiallie in the varietie of languages wherin he exceeded maine of his fathers court he was stated for his wit gentle in nature kinde with discretion bountifull in rewards not vaine in affection and constant in friendship in somme he was amiable among Ladies affable among Courtiers sociable among souldiers and honorable among all such a one as was a ioie to his Parents a spectable to his Court a comfort to his friendes and an honour to his country Now for his sister as shee was excéeding faire so was shée admirably wise yet with such modest kindnesse that she was so honored for the one that she could not but bee loued for the other For euerie part of her proportion let it suffice that nature shewed her Arte in leauing nothing imperfect for her stature not tall nor verie low but in a swéete meane her countenance sober with such a swéetnesse as rauished the loue of much discretion her spéech not much but vttered with such gouernment as amazed the hearers that could iudge of the worthinesse of commendation her affection chiefely carried vnto vertue and her loue knowne but vnto one of whome dependeth a great part of my historie as hereafter you shall heare But I will leaue further to talke either of her or her louer in this place and onelie entreat of another Duke who dwelt in the Ilandes of Cotasie confining vpon the aforesaid Ilandes of Balino This Duke had to name Ordillo a man famous for much worth as well in wit as valour who in all his warres against his enemies was neuer knowne to turne his backe but with aduantage vpon retire gaue ouer no assault till he had entred the strengths nor surceased his warres till he had the honour of the field he was at home a Lambe and abroad a Lyon where wisedome with clemencie so gouerned the nature of his disposition that his subiectes no lesse loued him then his enemies did honnor him In particular to laie downe his commendation were but tedious and therfore in somme let it suffice that he was a Prince of that worth that made him held
Turke and am I now afraide of a little Christian Is this the fruit of a storme at Sea to come into this kind of calme at lande Well what shoulde I talke to the trees that heare mee not or to the birdes that vnderstande me 〈◊〉 or to the aire that helpes mee not Oh Bilanta blessed werte thou borne if thy beautie haue beene the beginning of my happines and happie if thy vertue ioine issue with my affection for though our parentes be at iarre we maie be at one and what anger in them cannot yéeld vnto loue maie effect in vs an ende of heartburning in our patentes and a beginning of quiet in our countries But howe shall I hope of thy loue my fathers displeasure maie brééde a doubt of my loue besides she maie be affected otherwise then I know where at the young Princesse in her close walk replied no. What quothe the young Prince is there here such an eccho The Ladie againe replied oh The young Prince amazed at this eccho went on with this speech Oh that I knew Bilanta indeede would regard my loue she answeared loue Loue quoth the Prince but whome doeth she meane I would I knewe his name she answeared name name quoth the Prince but who maie it be If it be one onelie shee answeared onelie Onelie quoshe hee onelie happie in déede would so were Pinello she made answere Pinello With that the Prince putting the wordes of the eccho together made vp this speech Oh loue name onelie Pinello And musing a little vpon his conceit of this sound looking aside espied the young princesse with her attendant walking out of the Arbour into the Garden whome meeting with at the ende of a crosse alley he saluted with this gréeting Sweete Princesse when there bee two Suns shining at one instant it cannot be but faire weather one in the skie and an other on the earth both which meete so sweetelie in this blessed péece of ground that let him die in his bed that will not walke in such a morning The Lady not fully perswaded of his affectioÌ„ for al his playing with ecche and yet hoping wel of his words till his deedes fell out otherwise with a modest smile made him this answeare My Lord if your spéeches were not so high in the cloudes that poore soules on the earth know not how to gesse of your meaning I shoulde bee the better able to frame an answeare to your salutation but howsoeuer the sun shine in the heauens the shadow of your imagination if it were a substance of that worth that might answeare a far lesse figure then your fauour would be loath that anie fowle weather shoulde hinder the happines of your faire walke but I perceiue such morning Astronomers can plaie prettilie with their owne humors Prettie Lady quoth the prince the best plaie that I know is at be you pleasde where hee that lightes vppon a good carde were vnwise if he woulde change the princesse rouing vnhappilie at his conceit replied againe and yet my Lord to be afraid of good fortune is sometime cause of much losse yea Madame answered the Prince but fortune is so fantasticall that there is no trust to be had in her and therfore I hold my opinion rather to kéepe a good choise then to aduenture a bad change I am no gamster answered the Princesse and therfore can speake but idlte of the sport but they that are pleasde are happie and they will not hold themselues so are vnwise The Prince playing vpon this word pleasde went forwarde with this speech Good Madam mate it then please you to be pleasde with the seruice of my affection which no further then desart will seeke the houour of your fauour The Ladie with a modest smile somewhat concealing her content 〈◊〉 him this answere My good Lord I am glad it pleaseth your greatnesse to be so merry with your poore friends but such seruice as your fauour must be graced with greater honour then my vnworthinesse can accomplish The Prince not a little contented with her spéech replied againe in these words Madam to make a long haruest about a little corne were but a weake piece of husbandrie and therfore not to hold you with a tedious discourse in plaine tearmes you are the card that I meane my plaie is no iest your loue is the stake that I would be glad if I could to win you are the choise that I haue made and that I would bee loath to change and therfore if a souldiers eloquence maie haue fauour in your audience let my heart and hand in your honour speake for my desart in your affection The Ladie not able to couer the fire that was now past kindling brake sodainlie into this answere My Lorde to reape the corne ere it be ripe maie prooue more haste then good spéede and yet to let it grow till it shedde were great losse to the farmer and therfore the taking of time is profitable to the prouident I will not teach your honour what to doe but if my loue be the prize of your pleasure you cannot loose the hope of your patience assuring my selfe that the reach of your conceit excéedeth not the roialtie of your spirit which in the regard of vertue deserueth nothing but honour and for that the heart of a souldier is frée from the tongue of a dissembler I will rather beleeue the truth of valour then giue eare to the falshood of a weaker spirit But for that manie crosse fortunes maie hinder the happinesse of the most honorable resolutions let me intreat your patience to make triall of 〈◊〉 constanciâ—… ere you make my vnworthinesse mistresse of my contentment The Prince nothing disliking this good motion in her good minde kissing her hande made this kinde conclusion Faire Princesse the discretion of your good motion I exceedingly like of for your credit to my truth I cannot but thanke you for the honour wherewith you entitle me I returne it fully vpon you for the nature of my loue let your vertue discerne it and for the faith of my affection I vow you shall command it but as you know I haue resolutely intended to attende the Emperour in his warres against the Turke where if I gaine honor the garlandd shall bee graced in your wearing if I die let it suffice thy selfe to knowe the honour of my loue with whome howsoeuer be my fortune I vow to leaue the faith of my affection and so thinking to procéede in their further conference spying certaine Ladies and Gentlewomen with their friends and attendants comming into the garden they singled themselues one from another hee retiring himselfe to his lodging and she to her close arbour where I leaue them for a while to meditate vpon their muses and I will returne vnto 〈◊〉 late Page vnto the Duke Feronte Fantiro sonne to the Duke Ordillo preferred by the Merchant before spoken of vnto one of the Duke Ferontes Court and after by his Lord and master vnto the
of his master the Duke Feronte her name was Merilla and she was the likest vnto the Page that she lately had from the Merchant that euer she sawe Well quoth the Lady no longer my Lord embassadour but déere brother I am glad to sée thee heere for thou art my brother and that shall my father knowe ere long thy mistris is more worthie of honour then our whole countrey and thy life can giue her and with that worde Page quoth she to the Ladie Merilla I praie thée take thy lute and play and sing thy wish which she being in the chamber vnséene by meanes of a curtein of Crimsin damaske drawn betwixt them tooke her lute and plaied a note to a dittie which she sung as followeth The song I Would thou wert not faire or I were wise I would thou hadst no face or I no eies I would thou wert not wise or I not fond Or thou not free or I not so in bond But thou art faire and I cannot be wise Thy sunlike face hath blinded both mine eies Thou canst not be but wise nor I but fond Nor thou but free nor I but still in bond Yet am I wise to thinke that thou art faire Mine eies their purenesse in thy face repaire Nor am I fond that doe thy wisedome see Nor yet in bond because that thou art free Then in thy beautie onely make me wise And in thy face the Graces guide mine eies And in thy wisedome onely see me fond And in thy freedome keepe me still in bond So shalt thou still be faire and I be wise Thy face shine still vpon my cleered eies Thy wisedome onely see how I am fond Thy freedome onely keepe me still in bond So would I thou wert faire and I were wise So would thou hadst thy face and I mine eies So would I thou wert wise and I were fond And thou wert free and I were still in bond The song was no sooner ended but Fantiro for so wil I henceforth giue him his right name oftentimes changing coloure as one in many passions at the hearing both of her voice which was so like his mistris the Ladie Princesse Merilla as might be and remembring the dittie to be of his owne compiling and that in secret he had giuen it vnto her when hee first perceiued her fauour alter he had commended her voice as he was about to speake somewhat of his passion his sister vppon the sodeine caused the curtein to bee drawne when hee might see in a riche suite of her apparrell the imagined page but in deede his mistris standing by a windowe with her face towards him when his sister seeing him stande as one amazed vsed this spéech vnto him Why how now brother doth thy heart faile thee how dost thou like this sight thou hast I knowe often heard that a girle will turne to a man and is it then vnpossible that a boie maie as well turne to a woman What ailest thou dost thou feare thou seest a shadowe and not the true body of thy mistris or hast thou beene false vnto her in thy faith and therefore art feareful of the heauens displeasure to plague thee with some worse spirit then thine own for shame go to her bid her welcome it is thy mistris I do not dissemble be thankfull for her kindnesse and deserue her loue The young Prince ashamed anie longer to stande in his maze séeing his mistris in little better tune to behold her seruant â—… assured louer so strange vnto her as if he either had not or would not haue known her went vnto her with these words Madame thinke it not strange to see me in this perpleritie of minde that I am in so much is my vnworthines of this and manie your honourable fauoures but especiallie this triall of your affection hath so bounde mee to your seruice as if the aduenture of my life maie make proofe of my loue let me die like a villaine if I do not honour your vertue The sweet Lady with modest kindnes as much as she could concealing the greatnes of her ioâ—…e as well in beholding her loue as hearing his vndoubted true protestations made him this sweete replie My deare loue for so dare I heere tearme you when I had no knowledge of that title of honour that now I heare and am glad to vnderstand dulie belongeth to you my loue was in the same nature that now it is your vertue wonne my affection and your kindnesse continued my content your noble cariage assured me of your constancie al togither haue brought mee hither to receiue my comforte not caring to loose the loue of father brother friend honour wealth ease all other worldes happines that Balino could haue procured me to aduenture the Seaes in the poore habite of a Prentise in the seruice of a poore decayed Merchant to come into a strange countrie to abide what fortune soeuer might befall me onelie to acquaint your kindnes with my loue Nowe if your greatnesse haue not altered your goodnesse nor my immodesty haue withdrawne your affection thanke your honourable sister for her kindenes towardes mee and bee your selfe your selfe vnto me The young Prince with as much adoo as could be to abstaine from teares of kindnes to thinke of this seldome seene faythfull affection in so faire a creature made her this comfortable replie Sweet Princesse in whome nature vnder the heauens hath shewed the pride of her perfections how shoulde I liue to counteruaile the least part of this your exceeding honorable fâ—…uour Had I ten such Dukedomes I would lay them al at â—…our feete and were I the greatest Prince on the earth I would 〈◊〉 gladde to bee your seruant but as in regarde of your first affection I am bounde to honour you with my seruice so for 〈◊〉 your last honour my loue I vow shall euer serue you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laie by all thought of strangers this land is youres my father I know will reioyce in you my selfe vnder heauen will haue no â—…oie but you for I protest without dissembling my 〈◊〉 ioie is wholie in you And thus will I leaue these louers with the other Ladie in this their secret hinde conference 〈◊〉 I will tell you what followed of Mario the decayed Merchant This Mario the Merchant hearing newes in the Citty that the Duke Feronte was comming from Balino with a great Armie against the Duke Ordillo and his country thought good no longer to conceale the Embassadoure his sonne from him and therefore comming to the Court and hauing obtained meanes to haue some priuate conference with the Duke in fewe wordes deliuered the discourse of all that I before haue recited both of his escape from the intended murther of his malicious Uncle of his carrying him ouer of his preferment in Court by him and of the cause of his comming thither in Ambassage all which recounted truly as it was with the comming ouer of the Ladie Merilla in the attire of a Prentise