should shortly light on some unexpected good accident Coralbo he comforted more with offers than reasons an argument of an unfained comforter and he knowing it now bootelesse to contrast with the will of Heaven having his minde fortified with generous resolutions stoutly trampled under the feete of his courage both want and fortune Both these Knights being desirous to see by all meanes the great Court of Egypt put them selves on the way to Memphi where the King then resided faring sometimes well and other timesill conformable to the quality of their lodgings Phebus now hastened to bathe his swealtry Steeds in the foaming Ocean when they might descrie a-front of them a Grove of Palme-trees and in it might heare a great rumor of voyces whereupon lacing on their helmets they spurr'd onwards as fast as their horses could gallop where come they might see two knights and no more busied in slaughtering their assaulters at least forty in number who seemed rather to turne tayle than to fight observing though their time of charging and wheeling about altogether in such an orderly disorder that the fight seemed to such as beheld it from a farre off rather a shew than a skirmish Polimero suddenly started as one amazed at the sight of one of them whom he thought he should know by a black Eagle which he wore on his crest and was assured thereof when he saw his Squire by that time beaten off his horse by six of those theeves that presently fell a-stripping of him maugre all his struggling to get out of their mischievous clutches and full ill would he have fared they being already fully bent to butcher him but for the timely arrivall of Polimero who sacrificed their cursed lives as an oblation due to the infernall spirits his well guided sword so conforming to his heroïke spirit that he strooke never a blow without expected successe for doubt of comming in too late to the rescue of the other two who bravely maintained the fight against a strange squadron of these raskals Coralbo seeing them skirmish in severall divisions affronted one of them charging it with so resolute an arme that he disconfited it in a moment and then without lofing any time set upon the second which with as much facility was rowted by the same valour upon this the third fronting to their flanckward spurr'd towards him which one of the two unknowne Knights perceiving he leaving his companion to make good the field against such of their enemy squadron as surviv'd their deaths-right usurping blowes resolutely spurr'd on all alone to encounter it whilst Coralbo seeing his assistance so well imployed turn'd to second him with as brave a resolution Of a great number that the enemies were there remained now but the hardiest of them the rest lying all scatteringly groveling about the palme-trees as the trophey of these foure Knights valour so that the remnant of them knowing they were not able to make long defence dispersed themselves upon their flight into severall wayes which occasioned the separation of the foure Knights also in their pursuite Polimero and the Knight of the Eagle went together and Coralbo with the other followed by the Squire never was chase so obstinately maintained nor hunted Deere so fleetly pursued as either of these couples did these fugitive villaines which was the cause that they lost sight each of other in the confused order of the wood massacring all the while without any remorse those who remorselesse and voyde of pitty or humanity lived on the blood of innocent travellers At length Polimero with the Knight of the Eagle being left though well-nigh tired sole Masters of the field speedily ranne to embrace and take acquaintance each of other the twilight having by that time surrendred his dominion to his elder brother Darknesse whilst the Sunne plunged in the depth of the Ocean left sight-depriving night in her full possession When Polimero lifting up his beaver thus greetes his companion I know not whether or no mine eyes or imagination deceive me but if you be not Eromena my Lady and Princesse Angell of what Hierarchy I beseech you be you then of noble and valiant Cavalier The other instantly knowing him by his voyce impatient of any delay embracing him with his Armes about his neck made him this answer If I then bee her for certaine you are my Lord and Prince Polimero Delightsome it was to see how readily without any more words their amorous affects adapted their nimble hands to unbuckle each others helmes that the wounds of their kisses might have the deeper impression in their love-enflamed faces Nor had they beene so soone weary of this as they were of the other battell had not Eromena's telling him that the Knight her companion was Landadori put him in minde to goe seeke her out whom accordingly they rode a whooping hollowing for overall the wood though in vaine till their horses in the end growne weary neere a homely house that stood in the open field they repaired thither to repose themselves hee freeing by the way thither Eromena from all feare of her daughters miscarriage by the confidence he had of Coralbo's valour seconded with the assistance of Carasio who was the Squire and order before hand taken to meete at Memphi in case they happened to loose one another Come to the lodging after replied embracements the first thing that Polimero desired to know was the occasion that moved her to come through so many dangers into those so remote parts Whereupon shee having told him as much as hee had formerly understood by Coralbo said on That after the Count of Bona's departure the King her father was fullen into another farre different but better frensie upon considering with himselfe That the Count being now good man growne decrepit and of a crasie constitution might fall sick by the way and so finde him either not at all or too late and that upon proposing therefore of sending some other Lindadori offered to the passing content of her Grandfather to undertake her selfe that service and that whilest the businesse esteemed but a jest passed unthought on a great many that were named fearing the girle's humour made their excuse with confessing its occasion but the consultation of dispatching her appearing to her at length to be but in jest shee inwardly fretted thereat and boldly told the Councell that shee was now in yeares to beare Armes as well as any other whatsoever and that in respect shee could not be disswaded neither by hers nor by the King or Councel's perswasion shee was forced out of the tender care shee had of her wellfare to become her selfe her companion and that so leaving the King rather appeased than satisfied they had departed to seeke him out That understanding at Athens what way he had taken they without hearing any newes of the Count crossed over into Egypt where meeting by good fortune Carasio they travelled towards Memphi where they were by the way set upon by those
me that I should never suffer any more such paines my incommodious delivery having so bruised me within and its sorenesse so augmented by my naturall heate as deprived me of all possibility of conceiving any more I made many trialls of my selfe according to my Physitians direction especially of certaine suffumigations of Mirh Incense and Storax which passing from the inferior parts of the body to the mouth and nose denotes a possibility of conceiving but through me to my but too great discontent they passed not though upon experimenting it on one of my Gentlewomen I found a different effect Missing thus of the Direct way I turn'd to the Oblique and to the supplying with cunning the defects of Nature For I caused to be laid waite for in three severall places three women great with childe litle or nothing differing in their time my Physitian serving me faithfully in that employment and making each of those women beleeve that he would reare it up as his sonne in performance of a Vow he had made to Esculapio And my will was that they should be three out of the likelihood that one of them might be a boy and that I might in case one of them died have my choyse of the other two so then I tooke on me to be great with childe to the Kings so great pleasure and joy that hee went neere to grow wilde thereat I wanted you may well imagine no symptoms being therein helped by certaine vomitive pils which by me swallowed downe in the morning wrought on me at so measured a time as they began their operation just at my rising off the table In the night time likewise by taking halfe a glasse-full of certaine water privily laid by one of my women at my beds head I awakened with my vomiting the King who forgetting what he was served me for a servant and waiting-boy That which beguiled him others and well neere my selfe too was the comming no more of my ordinary visits the appearing of milke in my brests within two moneths after insomuch as I beleeved that I was with childe in good earnest but my Physitian soone lopp'd off that pleasing branch from the tree of my conceit by letting me see that the veines being over-stuff'd with blood which should have runne else-where had transmitted it up into my brests where it converted into milke which in case it for my not purging my body continued would occasion mee a dangerous and violent disease Delivered that one of the three women was by night and by good fortune of a goodly male-childe he was brought mee by the Physitian and handsomely conveyed under my coates close to me with all circumstances needfull for keeping the plot undescried my Midwives and nurse-keepers I had ready at hand and one Lady that the Queene put with mee to see mee delivered by me long before so beguiled as shee now no more doubted of my being great with childe For I having lately caused to be taken away from too kitlings newly littered the clawes and tongues and handsomely fitted them under my smocke made them feele thereabouts with their hands whilst they made just such another motion as babes doe in their mothers wombe No sooner was my Physitian departed than that I shriked out such loud cries as waked all the Pallace I hastily roame to my bed where I lay in such a plight as they tooke me for dead so handsomely did I counterfeite my selfe for such by my fast-grasped hands and eyes so rowled up as nothing but the white of them appeared They all-to-be-rubb'd me over and kept such a doe about me as they had kill'd the little creature but for the moistnesse of the blood that discovered it Lifting up the bed-clothes they found nothing wanting in me for manifesting my being delivered The King hearing I was on the point of death came running into my Chamber the same did also the more than me dead Queene it behooving her in spite of her heart to make a shew of gladnesse on this birth which pierced her very heart and of sorrow for that evill which would have proved the supreamest of her joyes if this had beene the last and extreamest disease that ever I should be sick of The babe being wash'd escaped hardly the being smothered by the Kings hugging and kissing it At the newes of this adored birth-day the night was turned into day every body stirring abroad and all the City with lights in all their balcons and bonfires in all their streets though not before that my Physitian to whom alone I would needs give the honour thereof had with his counterfeite medicines cured my counterfeite disease Vp risen that I was from childe-bed my first businesse was to hasten the repudiating of the Queene and next my wedding not as yet obtained because wise though potent Kings will not at all times doe what they both can and have a desire to doe They have their owne ends and yet will give the people satisfaction and discreetly waite for the opportunity of time to put in execution such things as they are sure cannot please them Yet well might I upon this occasion have beene married if the Gods had beene pleased to have permitted my wickednesse to have rested perpetually concealed The King had neere his person a great Lord named Gobria his contemporary for age bred up with him from his infancie and his companion in Armes in all enterprizes This Lords integrity was never shaken with those infernall blasts Avarice and Ambition for the King never gave him so much as that his liberality gave him way to enrich himselfe therewithall neither did ever his dignities and favours make him either so proud or discourteous as to neglect to any man any respect due to him He was naturally a mortall enemy to all corruption ill-speaking and ill-speakers but above all things to dissembling and treason never saw hee the King incensed against any man that in an humble and prevailing manner he excused him not so he but thought he deserved it Or if at any time he seemed to accuse any man it then was but to second his Prince's nature which he knew to be more apt to pardon upon confession than excuse of errours so as it is not knowne that ever he did any prejudicing office against any man but upon great and sound reasons hee being in all his deportment more satisfactory and familiar than indeede befitted either his greatnesse or the statelinesse of the Persian customes And yet he that never in his lives time had harmed any body was neverthelesse the instrumentall cause of my utter ruine My Physitian had infore-speaking the women as you have heard made every of them beleeve that because he had no children of his owne he would bestow nursing and breeding on what they should bee delivered of so it were a boy so as the first that was delivered observing how hasty he was to disburthen her of hers and how that without as much as binding up his
upon information received of its cause sent to tell him Hee wondered the fierce Sarmatia could so much degenerate from it selfe as to have insteede of a martiall King a dejected lover who for certaine could not possibly be other than a changeling being those of his Royall Family and blood were never owners of soft effeminate hearts which if otherwise hee were indeed a true branch of so Royall a stocke that hee should then rouze up his spirits and be well since both lay in his power warranting him that the noyse of trumpets would soone awake him from his dump of heavinesse and a contrary imagination as soone restore him to his former health his love being no other than a meere conceit and his sicknesse an effect of the like cause Adding for his more comfort that he himselfe had also sought her to wife but had since with more wholsome counsell withdrawne from her his affection wishing him to doe the like or if affection in him for being the younger man bare somewhat a greater sway yet should its force be weakened by considering that if he could leave and slight her when the effect thereof was possible much rather then should this nephew of his desist from an impossible enterprize necessity teaching him to forget her and amorous disdaine to abhorre her now that shee was enjoyed by another or if all this yet sufficed not yet should he not droopingly abandon himselfe to griefe and heavinesse but like a brave Bull winne her from out the hands of his rivall and deprive him not onely of her but also of his scepter state and life Since Kings have no other law than their wils nor other Iustice than power and Armes the rest being but old-wivestales and fables of weake and heartlesse men Promising if he like himselfe bravely resolved to doe thus that then hee should see how he would shew himselfe to be an uncle unto him they being both of the same family and having now a joynt colour of quarrell against one and the same enemy and withall that he was for his part content to let him have to himselfe and owne together with his Mistresse the booty honour and conquest This embassie delivered up got Durislao off his bed perswasion being a hard Chizell to ding out of his fancie his amorous conceit and a sharpe spurre to prick him on to disdaine and anger that sweete love-commanding countenance that before with its sweet perfections so ravished him seemed loathsome to him now that violent passions were chased away by their opposites extreame ones the faire picture rent off his bed was unrooted from out his heart and the disdaine that succeeded in its place kindled by the remaining sparkles flash'd up with an outragious fury Behold we now Sarmatia resounding all over with the death-menacing clattering of Armes and her vaste Champion-fields covered with swarming troupes of man and horse Fame which saw them mustered carrying the newes thereof from the next adjacent to the remoter Regions caused peace to retire to the heavens at the appearance from out their abisse of the infernall Furies with all the rabble of their haggish traine There was betweene Vlmigaria and the other neighbouring Kings a strong defensive league wherein though the enemy were not expressely named yet their intent levelled at Teuton and Durislao so as at the first notice of the being of so great an army on foote they hudled together a great number of bodies though few hearts and each of these few too governed by its feares and by their inducement rather inclined to truce than fight whence sprung the source of all the ensuing evils for humane prudence teacheth us to embrace peace till it begin to appeare prejudiciall unto us but the dice once cast the true Cavalier cannot without exposing himselfe to dangers manifest his valour since life and fame cannot equally be cared for Durislao appeared on the confines where he found Defendants enough or such at least as seemed to be such who gave him battell lost it and fled or rather indeede fled ere they lost it The extolled prudence of their Generall so many yeares before in estimation incomparable being now tried by a true touch-stone discovered the falsenesse of its mettle the mountaines-promising valour of so many Princes that under their pavillions seemed to be invincible as soone as it now appeared in open field was beaten downe and trampled or at least put to flight choosing to lose rather than hazard their lives both their dominions friends and liberties yet among all these evils there was one good thing that the more base and dastard spirits preventing the time gave by their running away the first time to the Court to save it selfe by flight the City being unable to defend it under the command of so faint hearts their greatest care was to informe themselves whether the enemy had as yet entred into or sacked the Citie the terrour whereof so wrought upon their timerousnesse as many of them forgot their very children in their cradles The sweetly-majesticall Queene seeing things reduced to such a point the Citie and Kingdome lost the women weeping and the men standing staring about them with beteared eyes and so confusedly crowded together as their disorderly swarming might endanger their escaping with safety Shee mounted on horse-back said thus unto them I have no cause to wonder at my women whose weapons are their teares but at you who being Knights by your profession had not the courage to defend them and yet now discover your effeminatenesse so far as to imitate them in weeping I can doe no lesse than be astonished yet now that I consider it you doe well for it may chance to save your lives since the enemy how litle generous soever he be will scorne to embrue his warlike sword in such cowardly blood as yours Here without staying for any answer shee putting onwards her Steede spurr'd away much repenting shee had not made one in the battell her heart giving her that her very presence there had prevented the disaster Durislao having gotten so easie a victory with his Lance in rest marched in brave order towards the City where he found the gates wide open and no man that durst either gainesay or withstand him yet seeing himselfe deprived of his hoped-for spoyles now thought himselfe to bee rather the conquered than conquerour Egg'd on therefore by his old love-fits kindled by the ancient fire that lay raked up in the ashes of his contrary resolution hee spurr'd onwards to overtake the runne-away Court troupe who followed by their King having abandoned their peculiar charges had betaken themselves to the speedy legges of their swift Coursers Discovering the baggage he hoped to finde there Doricrene but found nothing answerable to his expectation there being no other than persons of servile conditions indifferently unworthy of either his love or hatred Here understanding for a certaine that hee could not overtake her for his comming too late and her having farre
out-strip't him and that in a crosse-way too he stop't his course taking no joy in any thing hee had got sithence he had lost her the sole booty that he made any esteeeme of Whilst hee stood a good while fix't in this imagination love opened unto his apprehension the doore of humanity by laying open to his meditation's-consideration a Queene a great Kings daughter deprived of her dominions forced to flye and wander through woods and uncouth parts without having now that shee had lost her baggage as much as cloathes to shift her withall whereat hee could not refraine from dropping out teares amaine not love now but meere humanity a generous spirit and native nobility ministring him this subject of condoling Causing therefore the cariages to advance under the convoy of a strong troupe of horse hee commanded them to present them her from him offering her there withall his Royall person to be her knight and servant The faire Doricrene gotten out of the Citie never once turn'd back to looke on it so diligent was shee in her speedy course for not falling into the hands of her well-wishing enemy and unbeloved lover Onwards galloped she all-alone foremost of all the company without either dropping a teare or breathing a sigh but yet her fiery eyes kept every one aloofe off her shee being for her disposition generally knowne to owne a generous heart that never made reckoning of any losses how heavy soever so as what now troubled her minde was onely the dasterlinesse of her forces and their misbehaving themselves and now shee fled without knowing or caring whither when at the King 's stopping his horse all the rest made a stand My friends said he our trouping in this manner were good if we were to fight but not to save our selves by flight as we must doe we are yee know unprovided of victuals which if we chance to light on by the way yet will there not be enough for all of us our better course therefore were to separate our selves and take every one of us that way fortune shall direct him in and if the Gods shall ever hereafter behold me with a more propitious eye I will then remember such as have well served mee Here licensing and embracing them one after another he burst forth into such a passionate weeping that the Queene become thereat impatient girked her Palfrey and so followed onely by one Gentle woman in an instant got out of all their sights Away shee rode shee knew not whither onely shee as neere as shee could ghesse directed her course towards that starre which the King at their parting seemed to tend his too till losing the sight thereof at her entring into a Forrest shee committed her selfe to the discretion of her horse who somewhat after mid-night brought her to a litle dwelling where she stopp'd her pace and espying some light there shee threw her selfe off her horse her Gentlewoman not being able to alight without helpe peering then through the key-hole shee might see an old hermit that praysed God with unfained devotion and so attentively as he heard not the trampling of the horses nor had hee but for the neighing of one of them heeded them when he did but then not staying till they knocked he courteously opened the doore without asking who was there No sooner saw hee the guest than that hee used to the splendor of Royall Majesties fail'd litle in ghessing what shee was con-Ceiving in an instant the merits if not the titles of so high a presence Taking then a light in his hand he went out cloathing his countenance with a welcome-speaking charity so gravely-gladsome as the Queene become consolated thereat said unto him Father may it be permitted us to stay here with you till the comming of the new day being wee know not whither to goe we having lost our company and they us Whereunto the good old man with a respective humblenesse made answer Worthy Lady to a person of your quality all things should be permitted except suffering therefore your stay here depends on your own will though the discommodiousnesse of your entertainment in so homely a place cannot be as I could wish it were so as albeit I have for the service of the Gods made choyse of a voluntary poverty yet would I thinke it no sinne to wish for a momentary proportion of riches to serve and accommodate you with that helping downe off her horse the Gentlewoman he lead the Steeds to a neere-adjoyning Cottage where casting his eye on the furniture he saw wrought in gold on the saddle the Armes of that Kingdome whereby he not ignorant of the comming of the enemie conceived rightly who shee was entring then into his cell and observing her to be the very same as had been formerly described unto him he said unto her And what misfortune Royall Madame leades your Majestie so alone at so late an houre into my poore lodging Let me howsoever bewaile the universall miseries since your unparralled constancie teacheth me to suffer your private ones to passe without any teare Is that goodly kingdome lost Madame I beseech you which if it be then are we lost too utterly ruin'd for company with it yet is that losse of our infinitely augmented by the losse of your Majestie which was the richest purchase that ever wee acquired The Queene unwilling to leave unsatisfied so good an inclination I am not honest friend answered shee the first that was nor shall I be the last that shall be oppressed by the tyrannie of fortune though yet its violences have indeede no force against such as esteeme them not as its blowes are weake to a constant minde arm'd for them long before But since I see you know me you shall doe me a speciall piece of service in shewing mee some secure way for I shall not thinke my losses great so I but escape the being made the enemies prey The Hermit drying his beteared eyes assured her he would guide her on such a way as should God willing bring her beyond all danger and then making her a frittado of egges and milke he set it before her whereof shee not having eaten any thing all that day willingly tasted and then being by him pray'd to repose her selfe on his straw-bed shee there laid her downe giving her selfe over for the space of two houres to a sound and sweete sleepe The good man in the meane time looking to the horses carefully attended his time of awaking her which was a good while before day and causing her to ride with her woman hard by her he led them the way having much adoe although he were well acquainted with the Forrest to finde the way out warning them not to speake a word all thereabouts being a dangerous place fortheeves whom hee yet hoped to escape by keeping wide off their dens The journey through the wood endured as long as the night lasted there appearing unto their view by that time it was day the open
their being unacquainted with the roomes marr'd all their designe for they beleeved that my comming in was through the ordinary doore through which they had entred which also made them misse of me many nights before that they had spent in watching my comming not without suspition that Cripasso to revenge himselfe of me had maliciously invented this slander whereupon some dispute fell betweene them till hee causing mee to be search'd for in my chamber understood that I was gone thence though he was yet confident that I must needs have come in the right way through the lodgings which indeede I did never so as he made full account to penne me in since having as he thought but one way to enter they had now left me none at all to goe out through The Dutchesse's withdrawing chamber butted on an arch erected on a backalley through which no man passed it had anciently served for a passage to another house which till it happened to be burnt was a member of the Pallace the arch remaining ever sithence unusefull and its doore shut and so covered with the Arras-hangings as there was none but her selfe and some of her ancientest servants that knew there was any such On the out-side of this Arch stood an old ladder to get downe by which wanted in some places one and in other two rongues the roome was very low full of filth and rubbish and o're-growne with brambles weedes and briars having two other roomes adjoyning to it the foremost whereof was assured with a good lock and key through which I secretly came and return'd without any danger Those that pursued me were foure Cripasso the two brothers and one servant but the foremost of them was Cripasso who came running after me with sword in hand faine as live would I have turn'd to strike at him but doubting to bee overtaken by the brothers whom I had no will to injure I went fairely onwards fortune favouring mee beyond either my expectation or imagination for being slowly pursued because of their conceiting to penne me up in the farther chamber where-hence they saw no way for me to get out I had leisure to descend the ladder without any danger for in drawing onely the Arch-doore together after me I deprived them of the time although it were but shut with a latchet of hindering my descent Cripasso marveiling to see me gotten so low downe unacquainted with the place but much more with the defects of the ladder the torch which the servant carried not sufficiently illuminating all those darkesome by-corners and he withall seeing but very litle for being very weake-sighted tumbled for the extreame haste that he made to pursue mee headlong downe from one end of the ladder to the other whereat I resolved now neither to lose any time nor to faile to kill him as I did the other time before runne him for making the surer worke of him at two thrusts through the neck and brest in the later whereof I ranne my sword up to the hilts conformable to my desire whilest the rest of his company stood immoveable spectators from above for feare of the precipice This done I went my wayes keying fast after me the doore that had the lock on it to hinder them from pursuing me and so hying me to the City walls I got me out without any great adoe and then during all the rest of the night travelled a-foote the speediest pace I could towards that part of the country where its territory was narrowest for I thought my selfe safe enough in any other dominion Continuing this my journey I chanced to meete by good fortune a Knight with whom I had beene acquainted at Parthenope who by occasion of certaine lands was a great enemy to Cripasso to this Knight enquiring the occasion that he saw me so a-foote I unmasked the whole businesse save that in steede of the Dutchesse I made him beleeve that I went to enjoy her woman and was faine to save my selfe with Cripasso's death Whereupon the Knight affectionately embracing mee told me hee was much bound to me inviting me withall to his Castle where he assured me that I should not neede to feare or doubt of any thing I thankfully accepted the invitation but desired for his safegard aswell as mine owne to abide there undiscovered whilest he suddenly dispatch'd away a discreete Gentleman to goe learne if Cripasso were dead indeede and how slaine The Gentleman after a few dayes return'd and told him That fortuning to bee entertained and lodged by a Knight who was an intimate friend of his and a bosome one of the brethren he had not onely beene informed but was also by him favoured to see under the seale of secrecie the whole truth of the fact which was That Cripasso was dead for certaine That the brothers having dragg'd the Dutchesse's Gentlewoman to the top of the ladder had tumbled her downe headlong over it and then slaine her upon Cripasso's corps martyrizing her with so many wounds that her body was seene all over pierced through with stabbes That the Dutchesse could neither with authority nor entreaty obtaine life for her but was oh unnaturall cruelty her selfe the day following by them-themselves cruelly strangled and the Coffin happening to be too short for her one of them stept up on her legges that reached out of the Coffin and with his feete crush'd them to pieces that the Chest might containe them and all because shee was taken with me they having beene before advertized by Cripasso of all the particulars by me related Now though they had not published the case to bee as it was indeede they giving out they had surprized me with the Gentlewoman and that the Dutchesse extreamely affrighted to see her slaine before her face died in the place for meere feare yet had they for all that imprudently communicated the truth to most of their friends so as the people came to know it by having their conjecture in that behalfe confirmed by the coffin's being nail'd up and pitched ere any body was suffered to see it Cripasso's corps were embalmed up and solemnly sent to his owne barony upon a chariot of black velvet drawne by eight horses covered and trapp'd with the same downe to the ground accompanied with two hundred Gentlemen clad they them selves and their Coursers with their head-stalls plumes and trappings all in black with unbraced drummes sordine trumpets trailed standards and mournefull musick On would Coralbo have proceeded in his story but here interrupted with sudden sobbings he was forced to reiterate by the dropping of a few great pearle-like teares his in this manner many times re-solemnized funeralls of his beloved Crisanta Polimero therefrom not diverting him for his conceiving the not giving way to just griefes to be a thing too farre distant from humane putty but soone after the water being soaked away with the drought of reason stopp'd of it selfe and then hee blushing to see himselfe according to the opinion of some contrary to a
state of things we shall then cleerely see they could not were they ever so willing any whit ayde us nay more that there is indeede none to helpe us Our Arabia environed on all sides with the sea being secured him by Susiana on the one part and that Susiana by the ruine of the Parthian King your Grandsire who this day in his extreame decrepit age lives worse yet than we in extreame poverty and misery statelesse and hopelesse For the others those petty Kings bordering on the two Arabia's stand in feare of him out of the doubt they have of being themselves one day opprest by him which is like enough to be fall them whensoever hee hath but a will to doe it he having in his owne hand the forces and wearing the Crownes of Parthia Susiana and of the three Arabia's that are the happydesert and stony Now for the great Monarches as the Persian and Egyptian they are pieces not to be moved without certaine gaine besides their not residing neere enough these States sithence the seas disunite them but more than all a secret reason of loving both of them to have one Prince betweene them who though inferiour to either of them is yet such a one as can subsist of himselfe for in case he were so weake as he could not then must he of necessity be faine to put himselfe under the protection of the one or the other of them which would cause not onely troublesome warres but also dangers and rebellions in their owne States and Subjects who for being composed of differing lawes and languages and desirous to enjoy their liberty and priviledges under their owne peculiar Kings would not lose the occasion of rising up in Armes it being the pollicie of such whose ends are Monarchies to be ever in warre but yet to be sure that it be but with some one feeble enemy or other since many small forces united in one become apt and able not onely to gaule but in time to subject even the most potent Princes Then for servants I cannot now name you one that depends on us Bramac having but too cunningly wonne them to be all at his devotion besides that he hath not a Governour in any place of importance that is not a Susianian And for the Arabians which is the last of the conditions I spake of he hath so handsomely screw'd himselfe into their good opinions with an outward shew of justice and liberality as there is not one of them that desires any change especially now that they see him blest with a goodly progeny ever present in the eyes of the people and nurst up by those who once lov'd and honoured us more than all the rest This is the contents of all that which with more words reasons and examples might have beene produced against your propositions in generall whereunto I will notwithstanding for your in that behalfe more ample satisfaction answer in particular First you alleadge that all honest and reasonable things that are not done are lest und one meerely by reason of inexpediencie as though inexpediencie were not a reason sufficient enough why I know no reason why all things should not suddenly decay and fall to ruine but that it is not expedient they so should Againe you seeme to beleeve that your being by birth a Prince and by Ordera Knight obligeth you to attempt ought beyond your strength For the first doe Fortune what it doe can you shall dye a Prince howsoever the Title is Natures gift not Fortunes and hee shall ever be a Prince that 's borne of Princely parents And for the other to doe the acts of a Cavalier I both advise and entreate you but would faine know of you first what you conceive them to be and whether a Knight be bound to attempt any enterprize whatsoever wherein is required courage and strength As for example if singly to affront an Army if at a leape to skippe over from the Egyptian to the Arabian shore Likewise if neither to feare Neptune in his tempests nor Iove in his thunder-bolts be a quality befitting a Knight or rather some impious brutall villaine given over to execrable despaire I would gladly know For the rest you heare not me say that you ought to leave any honourable enterprize unattempted for feare of dangers or suffer your selfe to be trampled downe by misfortunes or that vertue cannot doe more than Destiny or that you should in a just and honourable occasion shunne a valiant death God forbid I should give you any such counsell onely my wish and desire is that all your actions bee squared out by the rule of reason But yet admit that I approved of your designes to assault Bramac and take from him the State or dye I would faine know how we shall doe it whether by us foure two women and two Knights or with forces of men if we alone should attempt such an enterprize I then feare me the world will say that none of us either did or died like Knights or discreete personage If with Armies where shall we leavy them In Egypt the King will not permit us nor hath he indeede any reason to professe Bramac enmity without any ground or foundation of quarrell Shall we promise him in recompence all our States save onely Arabia well I am willing wee so doe yet tell me dare you trust him or in case we did where I wonder are the monies to leavy those Armies nay admit we either had or could make shift for them too where will you make up a Fleete to transport them We 'le conduct them you 'le say by land through the deserts content but where are the provisions will they raine downe trow you from heaven on us or will the rocks distill waters for us to drinke in those sands No no the Gods worke not such miracles but when they please nor can wee expect that they 'le doe so for us since they are not ministers but avengers of humane avarice and ambition And though in our case we have indeed justice which they are accustomed to favour yet shall we be never the better for that neither because it is not Iustice that pâ—â—â— you on no 't is Ambition the avidity of a Crowne the desire of revenge and the vanity of making your selfe eminent and famous in the world venue is but onely the shadow for vaine affects are the solide body of your designe This sharpe redarguing of the truth pricked Coralbo neerer the quick than the truth it selfe well could he have found in his heart to have replied though weakely rather than have yeelded the field at the first assault but considering with himselfe that so doing could not any way steede him nor indeede worke other effect than bring him within the censure of an obstinate and indiscreete disputant he answered her with silence When shee bethinking now with her selfe that shee had held them in too long a discourse turning her selfe with a sweet respectivenesse towards Polimero Renowned
not have the boldnesse to returne with danger where he was hated without the security of some secret forces yet should he not at any hand be so gratified were it but for not shaking the foundation of the Lawes an example apt to minister occasion to other Princes to require the like which in effect was to bring under the free dispose of stranger-princes both the liberty and republick Declaiming afterwards against the case he was so loude on it that the very walls seemed to shake thereat particularizing withall the circumstances to make him appeare so much the more unworthy of clemencie But seeing the most part of the Councell rest ambiguous for not knowing how to deny the favour without injury he proposed the Embassie in designed termes To him it was easie to obtaine all yea they would that he himselfe propounded the Embassadour which was even all that he desired he obeyes and after many long and tedious excuses carried with a no lesse artificiall than counterfeined modesty he at length names Rotildo with a faire encomio of his praises saying hee did it not for his Nobility and riches but for the amability of his conditions and carriage and also because he being of an incorruptible goodnesse and already gracious with the Persians would with universall satisfaction obtaine as much as he required or desired Accordingly Rotildo was conformable to the wish'd desires of all of them created Embassadour he harmelesse Gentleman not repugning it for being desirous to doe his Countrey any good service But on the contrary expressing an obligation to Pridale for having done him the honour of making choyce of him among so many an election for the which he came to be declared and not without envy the best and worthiest of all the Citizens Nor failed he to thanke him also apart taking with the publick instructions his counsels by the direction whereof he beleeved he could not erre and with them the company of two young Gentlemen not onely a kinne but also partiall to Pridale Arrived at Susa the King tooke on him to be beyond all measure incensed at the negative so as hee was faine to stay there above three moneths to worke out of his minde the apparant misse-impressions the King suffering himselfe to be in that while gain'd by litle and litle in so much as placing him at length among the number of his freinds he did him all such favours as could procure him to bee envied and ill-spoken of the Courtiers by sending to him oftentimes contrary to his custome the greatest favourites of his Peeres and great ones making them stay and fall into private conference with him as though they had treated of some affaires of exceeding great consequence Timocle on the other side who at the first made a shew of being his enemy by saying and doing against him all the ill offices that such an apparance required shew'd himselfe now in the selfe same time more milde and afterwards honouring him with the favour of his often visits would stile him the light of Greece the honour of Chio and a personage worthy to be for his vertue honoured nay adored even of his very enemies And because all this was true his words were taken to be really and truly spoken and his fained courtesies to be friendly offices to the Embassadour who afterwards parted gratified and honoured to the joy of all his retinue who returned triumphant for bringing to their thinking along with them to the republick both peace and the Kings favour In the meane while of this his stay abroad I was conceived so as my mother doubting lest her husband should take notice of the effects of her adultery sollicited my father to the precipitation of the businesse But he who would save all contented her with assuring her that the time should worke out her safegard without disordering any thing Two moneths were not passed after Rotildo's returne when Timocle passed into Ionia with order from the King to leavy in the neighbouring Provinces such forces of men as he should thinke fit and by faining the order to be secret caused its fame to be spread overall Greece The Governours shipp'd the leavies of men and sent them him from all parts he keeping his rande-voo at Ephesus to make up there a Fleete of Ships whilst all the Iles and Cities of Greece prepared themselves for defence each of them standing in feare this warlike-storme would fall on her onely Chio secured by Rotildo never thought on it In so much as the people astonished that shee thought her selfe so secure shewed her her ruine so palpably as if they had pointed at it with their fingers arguing it from the presence and authority among enemies of an injured and banish'd Citizen who for the deniall given to the Kings Embassie on his behalfe could ruminate no other than affects of anger discontent revenge and despaire There chanced to be then in Ephesus one Chirito of Lisbo who whilst he liv'd a young man at Athens was a very intimate friend of Timocle both of them having not onely liv'd under one roofe and for a long time dieted at the selfe same table but had also in common together with their studies their pleasures commodities and incommodities and was now come to Ephesus to a sister of his who being left a widow had sent for him to take order for her widowe estate and children This Chirito as he was a lover of liberty so was hee an enemy to the tyrannie of the Persians in particular for seeing them on the point of subjecting Greece as was not unknowne to Timocle whom the other wonders to see now side with them but more at the authority he there exercised which was much for such a man as he to attaine unto under so great a King as that of Persia which he imagined could not but be to the prejudice of either Chio or that Countrey The newly-conceived hate therefore more than the old friendship made him desirous to goe see him meerely to espie his actions and get what he could out of him whilest Timocle who desired nothing more than to be espied made as though he tooke no notice of it After reciprocall salutations Chirito tels him how glad hee was to see him neere so great a King in so eminent a degree for which Timocle courteously thanked him with telling him that his fortune should not yeeld a barren returne to his friends obliging favours since the chiefe end of his desire to be advanced to any eminencie was to be able to gratifie and serve them But as concerning his enemies hee would let them see that he knew how to make use of it to their smart and prejudice So afterwards in his further discourse complaining of his Countrey and brother he vowed he would so worke his revenge that the world should have somewhat to talke of Chirito purposely fallen on this proposition stood watching the opportunity to draw out of his mouth his intended designe whereas the other on
the contrary faining that he did all he could to keepe it in expected but the occasion of telling it making now a shew of being heate with anger and that the fury of his choller had made him thus vomit our his secfet And with that he praised heaven for having changed unto him Greece for Persia pride and the disdainefull Citizen into the gentlenesse and contentsome delights of a great Court and the tyrannie of an inhumane and cruell brother into the favours of the greatest and most courteous King of the Vniverse who missing to restore him by any faire meanes bad given him forces thereby both to restore himselfe to his liberty and also avenge him of his enemies But Chirito with counterfeit charinesse shewing him that the Fleete hee there saw was not enough for his turne Chio being strong of it selfe besides that in respect of the confederate Common-wealthes contributing all of them towards her defence as he might bee assured they would the enterprize would not prove to be so easie especially considering that they would perhaps have sought with him ere his arrivall in Chio To this Timocle in a despising manner answered him That before the Fleetes could joyne together to offer him fight he would have hang'd up without the Walls upon the Gate of Chio that Traytor his brother And for the rest that he was not so foolish to stirre in it without being certaine of the enterprize Chirito with shrinking in his shoulders replied that he conceived not how that could be without secret intelligence To which Timocle smiling answered But admit I had such what would'st thou say of it then I tell thee then I have and such too that litle shall my brothers malice or some others presumption availe them Here he named Rotildo and then taking him by the hand proceeded From hence forwards thou maist know Chirito how much ancient friendship can doe I have now committed to thy trust the greatest secret that is this day in the Court of Persia see therefore I pray thee that it be safely lock'd up in the secret cabinet of thy brest If thou wilt continue my friend I will further thy advancement and doe for thee if otherwise yet shalt thou have no cause to thinke hardly of mee Come along with me in this expedition and I will give thee over and besides the merit and favour thou shalt gaine thee in the Kings eyes a worthy place of command among the chiefe Captaines And that thou maist see that my proceedings are grounded on a sure foundation I 'le tell thee all Know then that Rotildo upon promise of the Principality agreed with the King to sow at my arrivall sedition within the Citie and to bring mee in with his faction which may bee easily done by assaulting Chio both within and without Chirito remained at these newes struck to the heart Rotildo hee knew wonderous well but the treason was so handsomely contrived and the apparances thereof so correspondent that the argument of his goodnesse conceived to be now o'recome by his ambition had no force so to conclude for him as Chirito punctually beleeved not all that hee had heard and then without staying to heare any more commending him for grounding his affaire upon such sure foundations accepting the offer of going along with him and infinitely thanking him for honouring him with such a favour he thought every minute a yeare till he returned to his lodging where writing a letter thereof at full he sent it to Chio by a trusty friend of his forbearing to send it by any of his servants for feare of being discovered The sea was then free for though the suspition of the warre was great yet was there not for all that heard of till then any hostile effect The messengers with most prosperous winde arrived in Chio a litle after that my fathers two kinsmen that had beene with Rotildo in Persia deceived or suborned presented themselves to a certaine Magistrate of supream authority in State-matters An accidentall branch of whose office was to keepe inviolably secret both the accusers testimony of witnesses There they exposed and deposed That they never had since their returne from Persia had the heart to beleeve much lesse relate that which they had with their owne eares heard against the person and faith of Rotildo but that seeing the passe whereunto things were now brought and understanding for a certaine that Timocle was in Ephesus with an Army they mov'd with the love of both their countrey and themselves accorded to be no longer silent now that the said apparances made them beleeve that to bee true which till then they did not This preludium ended they said on That fortuning to be locked up in some of the Royall lodgings of Susa neere the chamber where sate the privy Councell who were wont to shut themselves up when they were come together they heard them serious in discourse about Chio and Rotildo these two names being all they understood the Councell speaking in their owne language till they heard Timocle call'd for and a litle after ask'd in Greeke if Rotildo had power enough to give up Chio to the King and if also having gotten the principality thereof he would prove faithfull and loyall to his Majestie Hee answered yes discoursing with that a long while upon his Nobility riches and traine That for his faith they might well be assured of it because of his being a marveilous upright and honest Gentleman and such a one as would not have accepted of any condition that prejudiced the liberty of his Countrey hee being not naturally ambitious but for the exceeding pride of the Citizens becomming extreamely insupportable This said there was no more Greeke spoken nor Timocle any more heard speake and we being besotted with Rotildo's famed integrity firmely beleeved that Timocle had maliciously caused us to bee locked up there to make us beleeve what he had made us heare Vpon this deposition the good Rotildo was suddenly shut up in close prison so as no man could come to speak with him And whilst upon his examination hee called the Gods to witnesse of his innocence thither came Chirito's letters Whereupon without being any more suffered to speake for himselfe being so accused by two and now convinced by the third he unfortunate Gentleman was miserably and injustly strangled Timocle understanding of Rotildo's death seeming to be then apparently desperate as if by it all his designes had beene frustrated and the neck of all his projects broken made a shew of licensing his troupes for returning to Susa but yet entertained them howsoever having by his former seeming-reall fame dissolved the conjunction of the Greekish forces whilst my Father not without being therefore censured espoused my Mother shee telling such as thereof spake to her that shee would have married not only Pridale a personage so eminent but any base man whatsoever rather than heare her selfe called after the unlucky surname of a wicked Traytor a resolution
six times as many that that other dastardly Prince durst not have in any other manner affronted him knowing his inferiority to him in Armes which hee unknightlike endeavours to supply no lesse injuriously than basely with the oddes of men and Armes yet let him assure himselfe spake shee on that he hath yet one enemy more than hee ever yet made account of and that 's I who ere he shall be his death as he threatneth to be will kill him my selfe with my owne hands which if through fortunes disfavouring it succeede mee not yet shall I not faile howsoever either to take him prisoner or dye in the attempt And you said then the Herald not knowing the Princesse in that habit that make such an answer for Melianto who are you to have authority so to speake I am answered him shee Deadora which sithence thou now know'st and hast heard and spoken enough returne whence thou camest and that quickly too The Herald throwing towards the Galley a bloodied Dart bidding his Oare-men strike amaine returned crying oh Iupiter oh Mars oh Bellona yee Gods all of Heaven Earth and Hell listen and heare Let Melianto an unjust Prince unreasonable a ravisher a violator of quiet and the Law be this day chastised and corrected by you Come to his Lord he relates unto him both the Princesse's answer and the habit he saw her in whereat he was like to swound for griefe conceiving that if shee were as shee professed to be married he had then no reason to pretend right in her any more but examining that such considerations were secret and therefore could not satisfie the world whereas the rape was a publickly declared injury he thought he could not without prejudice to his reputation abstaine from revenge Therefore hee boorded the enemy a-prow causing him to be at the selfe-same time boorded on both the Starbur and Larbur-sides and last of all a-poope by other five with a mighty force The assaulted ship bravely received the shock of the foure that ran at her sides the poope being assured from being endangered by the beake of that Galley which came to offend it with many straw-mats that were hung downe round about it which also served for a parapet to such as defended it The quantity of slaine-men almost equalized the number of the arrowes shot in the first assault for the Thracians having parted from out their Countrey in Vessels fitter for pompous shew than for fight had not wherewithall to shelter them from the showre of shotte imagining that in respect of their number they should not in case they were necessitated to fight encounter other difficulty than boording their Enemies Galley so as there flew not an arrow from out the assayled Galley that either slew or wounded not whereas her men on the contrary were so well covered as they could hardly be any way offended The easiest places of mounting a-boord her was her prow and poope her sides being defended aswell by her owne as her Enemies Battlements and close-fights Besides if any one endeavoured to clime up that way 't weare of the two more likely hee should fall lower than get higher the Prince of Pontus having taken on him the care and charge of keeping the Enemy at distance off that part The Prince of Cyprus standing arm'd on the prow received the Enemies shock with a greater countershock charging him with the full force of all his Oares The stemmes burst both alike but with an unlike effect that alone being all the prejudice he received whereas Erpandro deprived of the plankes that being laide athwart the prow sustained his combatants lost by that wrack forty of his company betweene Knights and Galley-slaves whereof the greater part were by the weight of the timber and suddaine falling of them one a-top of another either maymed or wounded he being thereat runne thither himselfe to defend the entrance or to speake more properly to issue out through it thinking that he had by reason of his great advantages the victory cock sure in his owne hands Deadora hearing the terrible crash of their encounter and knowing the Enemies could not without great difficulty mount up the poope for its being bravely defended by the Count and Don Eleimos seconded by others of their owne company hastily shifted off her gowne and then arming her selfe at all peics ranne to the prore where forcing Melianto to cede her the place shee put herselfe before him up shee gets on the beake head with an halfe pike in her hand the Archers playing the meane while their parts from above thence shee leapes over into the Enemies Galley followed by Melianto who was vexed at the heart for this her over-rash boldnesse 'T was her good luck that the disorderly falling downe of the plankes and timber-workes disordered the Defendants so as they could neither re-unite themselves nor stand to their ground without treading on such as had beene beaten downe who lying senselesse along and athwart the Decks and Hatches became a ruinous impediment otherwise shee had done enough if after making a proffer of her courage shee could have but fairely retired without being wet considering how the Enemies Galley was mann'd with the hardiest and choysest Knights of all Thrace But fortune over furthers a bold resolution for forcing her passage onwards shee was followed by fifty resolute Gentlemen the greater part whereof abandoning their pikes conformable to the necessity of their enterprise laide about them with their swords with such an undaunted resolution for gaining the Vessell as amazed the Thracians Deadora knowing Erpandro first among the foremost furiously flew at him and after many maine active blowes received and given seeing him yet unwounded shee gransh'd her teeth for meere rage of anger Now she had one of the best mettled and tempered blades that ever was forged or wrought Vulcan himselfe never made the like it was formed hookedwise of an edge somewhat thick and neere three fingers broad it would cut an arm'd arme in two but with a blow fetch'd by such an arme as hers which made her wonder that neither her blade nor arme wrought now their wonted effects Erpandro was a stout Knight tutered in a good Schoole of Armes and armed as advantagiously as could be since there was not a juyce-affording herbe whose vertue the Artificer made not use of in tempering the Armour he was clad in onely he was ill-provided of a Sword for in warding of a blow the one halfe thereof burst off and dropp'd at his feete whereby his sword-arme lay open and wounded Vpon this the Princesse was assaulted by such as were neerest her but by wounding three of them in an instant shee freed her selfe from out that streight And now seeing the valiant Melianto fiercely lay about him to guard her shee goes to single out Erpandro who with a new sword made towards her to revenge himselfe of her They aymed both of them at the selfe-same time at each others head their blades fortuning to meete edge
if not a sister of sullennesse pride and subjection The presence of so great a Queene which else-where would have clos'd up all lips with silence and engraven in all hearts a modest mellancholy was here a motive to apparant joy and discourse Benigne Mercury diffusing himselfe in their mouthes and shewing himselfe heere as prodigall as else-where sparing and withall sending where hee was not himselfe some of his false ministers with his winged shooes and rode to bee taken for him and his impes though indeede they were nothing such Returned to their lodging there was no small adoe to imprint the pleasantnesse of their conceits in Lindadori who held it ill to nourish under a counterfeit habit the fiery thoughts of an harmelesse Girle so ignorant and unexperimented in all wylinesse and cunning artifice in her demeanour as to discover her love not onely to the more apprehensive but even to her in that behalfe dimme-sighted eyes whereof shee making her moane to her mother canestly besought her to bring her no more thither whilst her father and Coralbo could not refraine from laughing at both the occasion of her dislike and her manner of expressing it yet at length shee was though with much adoe pacified by being enformed that the Nobility and Gentry of that Countrey were wont though indeede they were farre otherwise enclined to take on them to bee ever in love onely for good manners sake because not knowing how otherwise to entertaine or court Ladies they had recourse to the Articles of Love being assured they could not be better pleased than to see deserving men so deceived as to beleeve and stile them beautifull though they were nothing so The two Princesses that with others had entertain'd in discourse the two Princes whereof the one was of Bernice and the other of Cirene remain'd beyond measure taken with their noble carriage upon considerate observation of their merits and passing liking they had to a certaine cold reservednesse by them judged to be an enemy to presumption and daughter to respect onely to Eromena this complementally-amorous way of courting was nothing pleasing who though happy in a husband worthy of other womens loves was yet unhappy long of that passion of love which by a cold name contrary to its fervide effects the vulgar call Iealousie which shee had long before victoriously fought withall and at length more by the confidence of her owne merits than with any force of her naturall inclination being assured that he might well enjoy but not possibly love other women than her which betweene jest and earnest shee had many times told him And now considering her being past the faire Meridian of her youth and his being not yet come to that of his and his now having not onely a likely but also to her thinking a neere occasion and faire opportunity of enjoying shee could not shut the doore of her minde against imagination which being lubricke and invisible penetrated ere shee was thereof aware into the closet of her heart so as shee could no longer refraine from thus briefely expressing her selfe unto him My indeer'd Lord wee are all of us fortunate in love but in an unequall degree mine cannot but make you pastime nor yours choose but displease and trouble me Lindadori shee frets and grieves and so doe I too shee for overmuch simplicity and I out of overmuch practice let us wend therefore hence I beseech you since we have seene already enough if not too much Which it much behooves us to doe were it for nothing else but to shunne the adventuring her in loves schoole wherein who-so studies in jest may learne in good earnest This Bernice likes me not for you nor this same Queene for mee both which will I doubt mee prove dangerous sports since you cannot but injure me nor I choose but deceive her meane while my father findes the want of us at home where for being aged and solitary he takes small joy of himselfe If we stay lingring here to prosecute our commenced practizes we shall not ridde us thereof a while and then too not without disgust-giving and therefore the sooner the better we end them fastidious and unprofitable creatures are for the most part by nature endowed with short life so our lives for being of the selfe-same quality deserve to be no longer lived than are the wind-flies that live not above a dayes space and could we ere their birth-time be abortively delivered of them for certaine we should be the lesse hurt by them Polimero smiled at these reasons of his beloved wife whom after having affectionately kissed her he thus answered Let us doe deere Lady of my life what please you not because the case with us so is but because you seeme to conceive it so to be why thinke you that your beauty is so slightly imprinted in the memory of my affection that any other womans can raze thereout the obliged respects I beare you you alas you wrong by so conceiting both your selfe and me your selfe because your merits are such that not the Princesse of Bernice but as many Princesses as are in the world cannot merit what you alone deserve and me because this suspition of yours loades mee with infidelity and ignorance There is no choyce without some kinde of equality how then can I make choyce of any other in your presence without notable stupidity and weaknesse of judgement Or admitting you were not present doe you hold me to bee so freed from the obligation of your love as that any other canallure me I know it stands us upon to wend us hence assoone as we conveniently can so as I stand indeede upon thornes as it were all the while I stay heere but alas how can we yet goe for shame shall wee sneake away like fugitives ingratefull to our courteous entertainers and not without being suspected that such our resolution sprung from cowardise and feare of trying our selves in Armes with these Knights For Lindadori your reasons were indeede considerable if the nature whereof shee is composed were like that of other Girles for you know that shee is an inexorable Enemy not onely to such a Schoole but even to all man-kinde so as I pray God that we may ever perswade her to like of any husband all which Eromena knew to be most true Wherefore it was betweene them agreed assoone as the next Tourney was ended which the Knights of that Court used to exercise twice a moneth to goe on their intended journey But among all the actors on this amorous scene Coralbo good Prince was that onely one who in appearance free was yet more than any other muzled and puzled with the occult love that he bare the fierce Desterrada Passe there did many an amorous complement and pleasing discourse betweene him and the Princesse of Cirene whom he well perceived to bee well enclined towards him nor would he have slighted such a fortune but that the finding himselfe under the lee of those three with whom
against them penetrable only by the Armes of innocence and internall purity Againe for me to get me gone without you is altogether impossible You say you are married and yet I know you are not the Embassadours of Pontus and your father had no authority to binde you you onely are shee that makes up the Matrimony and shee that may choose and refuse to make it The parts thereof are yet both in their entire and both free The bonds of the two Lawes Humane and Divine though they be made ready to binde you have not bound you yet though so as they cannot be thereby any way infringed A true and lawfull Matrimony indeede it would be that you accepting mee for your servant and husband would vouchsafe to blesse mee by pronouncing one single voluntary Yea that then I might ascertaine you that the hopes you please to build on me are neither vaine nor ruinous Humane inclinations were ever subject to perswasions The Princesse who meerely for Ormondo's fame was in some sort enamoured of him ere ever shee saw him now after seeing him accompanied with so many vertues so excellently-excelling as onely one of them was able to dignifie and make worthy any Cavalier whatsoever became so enflamed with love of him that the Matrimony contracted seemed a hell to her wherefore doubting whether shee should ever more light on the like occasion her affection being already unvail'd shee deem'd it best to unvaile also her desire fetching then a deepe sigh that intimated the as yet doubtfulnesse of her hopes shee thus bespeakes him Prince of Illirio I render you not thankes for your love as according to the custome of the times I should doe because I like not the being an affectate follower of the common stile I follow mine owne and have as I conceive my reason for it knowing that who so loves loves for his owne affections sake so as the obligations and reciprocall duties so complementally professed amongst friends are words meerely superfluous and tearmes and names unfit to bee used Touching now what you offer me I am perswaded you doe it not without having first examined the difficulty of the enterprize with your dangers and their consequences Let me now then see in case I pronounced your desired Yea what for the lesse dangerous course would you take to have me Whereto Ormondo all-joyfull answered The usuall course Madame in such cases throughout all the world The Prince of Thrace my Couzen will lend mee his Galley which is one of the swiftest that ever furrowed the Ocean Come once but to set footing in Illirico I then feare not all the powers of the world for your Father and Brother they will I perswade my selfe be glad upon comprehending the exchange you have made of a litle King for a great kingdome And for Arbone I conceive no occasion you have to feare him Arnelinda would not resolve of any thing for that present but tooke time to thinke thereon which served for an item for the now halfe-promised bride-groome to prepare himselfe Ormondo was then come from the Easterne parts with an intent to returne homewards but passing from Phenicia to Cyprus hee there chanced to finde Serpidoro Prince of Thrace his Cozen german with whom hee being bred up from a childe and both of them having learnt the exercises of Chivalry together there sprung from this their conversation a friendship which transcended the love of blood the strongest tye of the most part of kinsmen which gave to as many as knew them an example of an illimited love without paragon Now Serpidoro had after having given the chase to some vessels of pirates which he afterwards tooke in the Cilician Sea heard of the neighbouring nuptialls in Cyprus whither he thereupon retired with one sole Galley having sent the rest home with an intention to trie himselfe in Armes at the Tourney where finding beyond his expectation his endeer'd Cozen Ormondo they both resolved to maintaine the lists against all the adventurers of the jousts But this new amorous congresse set their braines a working on new deliberations Serpidoro causing upon Ormondo's scarce opening of his mouth his Galley to bee new-calk'd and rigg'd with giving speciall order that nothing should bee wanting her that might any way make her more usefull and serviceable to steed his friend Senesteo King of Cyprus and more than hee the Prince Ortomano his sonne enamoured of the qualities and faire disposition of Ormondo did him all imaginable honour not without repining though too late that it had not fallen to their lot to have had him insteede of Arbone now that they perceived him somewhat affectionately enclined to Arnelinda Love the fire of the minde being hardly smothered and therefore not unlike the elementall fire which if it flame not must needs smoake The Princesse assoone as Ormondo was parted from her summoned all her thoughts before the tribunall of her judgement the maine subject of her consideration in her case was the sole point of honour the arguments about which were great but all solved by the title of Matrimony For her father she imagined that he being discreete would not be displeased thereat not because children stolne away ease their fathers of their duty of caring or doing for them such being onely a shake-off excuse and advantage of base and servile-minded people but because the affinity with so great a King might steed him very much besides the having of so valorous a Prince for his sonne-in-law of whom hee might promise himselfe more than of the King of Pontus whose foole-hardy rashnesse could not but stirre up suspicion in him and in her feare and terrour A discourse wholly tending to the substance since shee could not light on any opposition touching any outward apparance feature or demeanour shee conceiting that no other man than Ormondo could ever make her happy that no other than he deserved the Epithet of handsome proper and well-carriaged that no face speech or behaviour could be esteeme-worthy or gracefull that either in aspect accent or manners any thing differed from his In briefe shee conceived that in him alone was comprehended all humane good wherein though shee indeed was not much deceived yet concludes that not for all that shee could not bee beguiled as for the most part are deceivable all such Matrimonies whose ends are venery and lust such not eiyng but where they like For pleasure being an enemy to the privation of it selfe abhorres the sight of the unlovely parts for not being constrain'd to loathe them and hath for feeding that its humour perpetually fixed on the lovely parts more eyes than Argos but is to the lothsome ones starke blinde Or if he hood-wink'd see any of them hee may then chafe and fret and perhaps perswade himselfe to bee mistaken but not have the power to disolve any part of his beloved object so as the thought there of either flies away like a bird or vanisheth like a spirit For her brother shee saw no
probability of his disliking her choyce whom she knew hee tendred deerely as being to Arbone no whit but to Ormondo altogether inclined After all which considerations her resolution was to get her thence so she might but doe it without danger Ormondo that thought that no time to lose time fail'd not to come the day following to visit her and having obtain'd his desired Yea calling unto him the Prince of Thrace who stood apart entertaining the Ladies hee unnoted of any other espoused her in his presence and then instantly proposeth the plot of taking her away that very night which accordingly so happily succeeded that no living soule either perceived or suspected it The carefull Serpidoro having lodg'd the bride-couple a-bed sail'd on with all diligence all the night long so as the following morning hee was got so farre as that they could now no more descrie the beloved Cyprus The faire Arnelinda though exceedingly content with her Bridegroome was yet a litle discontent or at least pensive for what she had done a kinde of repentance if so it may bee call'd counterfeite and fained The consideration of the likelihood of her being talked of and censured for having left her father and unmarried and remarried againe at her pleasure vext her to the very heart For ought else shee was so farre from repenting that if shee had beene yet to doe it shee would have done it againe againe although in doing it shee had hazarded much more than shee did Ormondo joyes her and Serpidoro cheeres her up and does her all loving offices as tenderly-carefull as if shee had beene his owne sister failing all the while with a prosperous gale till they came within kenning of the coasts of Licia where their being becalmed rowsed up the ghing who obeying the boatsonne made the Vessell stir on with maine force of Oares But now that they were got within tenne miles of the Chelidonian Ilands they might see launch out from among the rocks a Fleete of tenne Galleyes which as the Pilote judged had beene kept in by contrary windes and were now in that calme set out At the sight where of the sweete Arnelinda grew pale imagining nor was shee indeede mistaken that they were of Pontus and that aboord them was the King bound for Cyprus to marry her which beleeved so to be by Scrpidoro too he caused for shunning the incountring them the Marriners to take about towards Libecchio The Fleete observing the Galley that before steerd directly towards them begin now to alter her course grew thereupon suspicious of her and taking her to be some pirate gave her speedily a sterne-chase with three of the fleetest the others following them Serpidoro looking Ormondo in the face without speaking a word seemed to expect hee should command him either to abide the fight or flie whereupon the other turning toward him in a smiling manner said And what else shall wee doe noble Cozen but shunne the fight since that if we chance to have the worst of it the vanquisher will then gaine my prize and againe in case wee have the best on 't then shall I bee much blamed for first taking away the wife and then killing the husband too let us therefore a Gods name hold on our way wee shall have good sport in seeing our selves vainely pursued seeing we have I thanke you a Galley able to contend with the Dolphins for fleetnesse This Counsell pleased well Serpidoro so did not the pastime Arnelinda who enlarging her selfe on the reason produced by her husband told them that for her part shee held it not fitting to jeare any offended person for not accumulating against all reason scorne upon injury which shee more efficaciously exprest upon discerning soone after the Admirall who being a very swift one had left the others a poope of her making a signe as the custome is with a bunch of feathers in token of her commanding obeysance The Princes all this while could not betake themselves to a resolute as they had done to a determinate flight but now since that it stood them upon they not despising their enemies fleetnesse scowred on with all the force and speed they could after being vainly pursued full twenty miles The King of Pontus seeing the impossibility of overtaking her return'd to steere his intended course meeting with towards the evening the whole squadron of Cyprus that came tracing the fugitive Galley Hail'd that they had each other the Admirall hies to the Kings Galley whom he acquaints with the rape of the Princesse stolne away by the two Princes of Thrace and Illirium I know not whether he thereat became stone or no so astonished was he at this unexpected accident which if he did 't was then surely a fiery stone for there flash'd from out of it such flames of anger and disdaine as seemed to be able to consume the world He now perceiv'd that the Galley he had given chase to was the thiefe and therefore repented he had not pursued her to the utmost But seeing it could now be no otherwise remedied causing his to tack about and the Galley-slaves to be refreshed he made them plie Iustily their Oares steering all the night long the slaves rowing in their quarters and the Knights Souldiers and himselfe too putting their helping hands to the Oares to releeve them that there might be no minute of time lost The two Princes seeing that the King was for being weary of chasing them retired and that the Princesse now ridde of the feare shee stood in desired to see land went and anchored in Rhodes their ghing being tired and no breath of winde stirring on Sea They tooke port in the Iland shunning the City for their more freedome But scarce was it day when the Scowt from off the Maine-top cried out that there made after them a Fleete of sixteene Galleyes not above twenty miles a sterne of them Vpon this Ormondo starting from out his bed found the vigilant Serpidoro that having already wayed anchor was now launching out of the Bay By when they might see the sixteene Galleyes who before rowing but quarterly with a fourth part of their Oares tugg'd now that they descried her with the utmost and united might all their Oare-men had whilest others abbassed the Decks and put all things in readinesse for the fight Never was there seene a fairer chase nor a fairer triall of good Galleyes Most of the Fleete came lagging on by one and two's for not being able to maintaine so swift a course as the foremost foure of which also three in lesse then fifteene miles course came halting after the Admirall some five some six miles short of her shee alone continuing her maine speed as at first the King doing himselfe the office of Boatsonne ghing-captaine and unjust inflicter of more unjust cruelties on the lives of such whom being litle priviledged in bodily force he would have to Natures shame to have more strength than they had Thus lasted the flight and chase
the noblest the flowre of that Countrey The Souldiers stood now a watching her for though shee was exceedingly afflicted yet had now the extreame wearinesse of her body in so long and incommodious a journey given truce to the affliction of her spirit and procur'd her sleepe though interrupted by her waking griefe and hardnesse of the bed easie onely in that part that her teares had softned And now at the sound of Lindadori's thundering blowes she awooke started up broke the truce with griefe and confederated with hope who placing himselfe as her guard in the bulwarke of her brest boldly defended her though with much adoe against the assaults of her cruell enemy Feare yet was shee hurried againe neere the gastly precipice of despaire when she saw her selfe remounted on horse-back by the Souldiers to convey her farther on under the conduct of some fifteene of them but that suspension tormented her not long For Lindadori imagining her by her teares to be a prey of those people ranne thither alone forcing to fight them who in respect of their being so many made an account to exempt themselves from the necessity of sharing of the battell Off cuts shee at first blow the hand of him that held her by the bridle and him that at lifting her into the saddle was suddenly so taken with her as hee could not forgoe his hold of the skirt of her coate shee passed with a thrust through the heart so as one wound was cured by the other A certaine experiment that the weapon's stabbes cure those of love Eromena seeing her daughter inconsiderate in all dangers as resolutely followed her and slaying some of them both shee and her daughter were constrained to retire to the hillock closely pursued by above twenty of the Enemies the whole company leaving the prisoners and baggadge now facing towards the assailers thinking they did no small act if they but defended themselves united together Polimero seeing his wife and daughter in such a plight was raging-mad that he could not come to releeve them for the wall of so many men that stood in his way whilst Don Elcimos had the fortune to open it of his side where was lesse throng with the death of one of them whence he ranne and laid at their backs himselfe being no otherwise strucken at by such as pursued him at the heeles Polimero by this time lesse charged and by the good old Count of Bona valiantly assisted made such havock of the rest as that he gained the passage and running to rescue his company made a shift betweene him and the Count to ease them of foure by them slaine ere they were aware of their comming yet too much would they have had to doe though if fortune had not by another meanes favoured them for the souldiers being hardy well armed and resolved either to save their prey or dye never thought of running away their horses being all laden with pillage and although they had lost many of their company yet had they so many left as they hoped to get the best of their Adversaries by worrying if not vanquishing them And so had it by all probability befallen them if the faire Ermestea gotten loose and flying backe the way whence shee was led had not met a Knight who hearing she was taken away was comming with a good troupe of horse to rescue her Vnderstanding how shee was fled away and that too rather to goe finde out some to ayde the five Knights than to save her selfe she hastily return'd to shew him the place whence they might heare the cries and blowes ere they descried the Combatants this assault quite ruined the souldiers first hopes now that they were assail'd by two parties the rescuing Knight having the edge of his valour sharpned with revenge and anger against those men insomuch as he was loath to receive into his mercie such of them as yeelded themselves unto him judging that such deserv'd no faire quarter which warred against women beauty and their merits Ermestea alighting off her Steede ranne to the Knights whom shee could not finde sufficient conceits to expresse her beholdingnesse unto a thing ordinary for a gratefull minde to suffocate it selfe in words by endeavouring to make them serve for erres of the effects it thinkes it selfe tied to performe But to Lindadori above all the rest strove she to acknowledge a greater obligation to whose lot befell the being the more efficacious if not the prime cause of her deliverance Wounded they were all five so as Carasio's hands had wherewithall to employ them but with such felicity that as no one of them had any dangerous wound so was there as few of them that any way bemoaned their paine But Lindadori more shrewdly wounded than the rest and being in respect of both her age and sex more tender and delicate wrought amazement in all that considered how shee being in all things else over-sensitive and impatient was yet in her sufferings even insensible and farre from bemoaning her selfe or troubling any body Very importunate was Ermestea to have them home with her But Polimero considering that the courtesies of such personages had no limits of time and how much it stood him upon to hold on his way his affaires admitting of no delay fairely excus'd himselfe yet with assuring her that to doe her service he would have omitted all businesses of his owne But sithence this was but meerely in consideration of themselves they were necessitated without losse of time to passe further But the owner of the ship not yeelding to any perswasions of passing them any farther his Vessell being fraighted for Cyprus they were forced to accept of the invitation for being constrained to furnish themselves of a new Vessell Satisfying then the Marriners and taking their leave of the sick Knight by whom the Count fail'd not to excuse himselfe by letter to Gradamoro and Deadora they mounted on horse-back Ermestea causing the booty to be brought back to be restored to its owners And then after having released the prisoners setting on a round pace homewards whom might shee meete a litle onwards but the Baron her Father that with two hundred horse came running after the track of those that had stolne her away whose joyes were now by so much the greater by how much they were lesse expected The wounded Knights were accommodated at their ease with Chambers neere one another as they had desired and served with such respective diligence as if they had beene knowne for what they were Polimero not neglecting to sollicite for a new passage wherein for doubt of displeasing him Ermestea fail'd him not Newes came the meane while that the nuptialls were celebrated in Cyprus with great solemnity the flawes in friendship occasioned by new injuries being sodred up by the old affronts and both reduced to a confirm'd friendship by a new realliance And for domestick affaires That King Riverargo by a great defeate given the Carians had totally chased them from Creete that