messenger vnto him to pray his assistaunce with twentie thousand souldiers against his enimie the king of Illeria nowe in armes against him and the warres being once ended then to bestowe his daughter vppon him in mariage and her dowry to assure him after his owne dissease the kingdome of Hungaria which offer hee knewe would well content the prince the whole assembly marueilously well allowed of the kinges determination knowing the prince to be a most magnificent gentleman indued with wonderfull courage and vertue to the end therefore that no delay might be vsed they gaue their spéedy consentes beseeching the king in all possible hast to send awaye a messenger to that purpose which was accordingly performed Miletto minding so much as he might to dally with the king of Illeria to the end to win time hoping shortely to be assisted by Caristo the nexte day calling the Herald sent from Astulpho he willed him to tell his maister for aunswere that although he feared not his forces being able euery way to with-stand it yet the care hee had of his subiectes safetie the loue y e he had to preserue the liues of his commons had such remorse in him thaÌ„ he rather desired to continue them still in peace if it might be had with any resonable conditions then to put his hope in the 〈…〉 of fortune when he desired nothing lesse then to maintaine the quarrell of his 〈…〉 vnlesse it had falne out in an honestes cause the Herald hearing this aunswere crâ—â—ed a safe 〈…〉 for an Ambasadore that should be sent from the king his maister which was immediately deliuered vnto him vnder the kings signet The thirtenth Chapter Dorestus is sent to parle with Milletto he falleth in loue with Leonida Caristo is ariued with twenty thousand Piemountes Dorestus is sent backe with a cold comfort THis messenger returning to Astulpho with this answere Dorestus was the man that was appointed for this imbassage the conditions that were deliuered him from Astulpho to agree vppon were short and sweete the first was that Miletto the king of Hungaria should acknowledge himselfe a vassaill to Astulpho and to hold his kingdome during his owne life from him paying a yearely tribute of sixe hundred thousand duccates the second was that after his owne discease it should be established by the whole estate that the kingdome of Hungaria should remaine to the kings of Illeria and to their successours for euer the third and last was that he should deliner into the handes of Astulpho sixe of his principall noblemen which should remaine as pledges for the performance of the premisses prouided alwaies that if Miletto could within one yeare deliuer his sonne Brusanus either aliue or dead to Astulpho that then the yearely tribute of six hundred thousand duccates should cease but the rest to be performed as in manner afore said these were the demaundes of Astulpho giuen in commission to Dorestus and vppon these conditions either to conclude peace or present warre Dorestus beeing thus dispatched from Astulpho and being accompanied with a traine of braue gentlemen departed on his iourney towards the citie of Larissa where Miletto held his court and beeing there 〈…〉 the king was certified of his comming who beeing in his 〈…〉 of presence caused the Ambassador presently to be sent for and so much the rather knowing him to bee Dorestus the yoong prince of Epirus so much famed for his many perfections who courtiously doing obeisance to y e king bréefely deliuered his ambassage Miletto hearing these proud demaundes deuised so much as hee coulde to delaye the time hoping very spéedily to be assisted by Caristo aunswered that he could not on a sudaine dispatch so weighty a matter but he must first take the aduise both of his counsaile and the rest of his nobility which done within fewe daies he would returne him aunswere in the meane time he appointed that Dorestus with his traine should be sumptuously feasted while they were thus enter tained in the court accompanied with the gallantes and lusty courtiers that peerelesse parragon Leonida daughter to the king attended on by a troupe of braue ladies and gentlewemen passed through the chamber of presence and was espied by Dorestus who sudainely fixing his eies on this sweete aspect was so rapt into a trance with the contemplation of her beauty that his hart was so snared in the beames of her pleasaunt glaunces that there was no remedy he must yéelde to this first assault of fancy but heere it were straung to bee told howe many contrary incounters tossed in his minde sometimes thinking to preferre his sute yet that he thought was follye beeing the daughter of his professed foe neither would time suffer him to prosecute his purpose nor present 〈…〉 him to make triall of his loue and yet to linger still in that estate hee thought was to much miserye then he called to his 〈…〉 how Moderna had dispised him and heere he began with disdainefull immaginations to condemne 〈…〉 of instability of inconstanty of lightnes of intertainly and to accuse them as creatures that were vowed to all manner of vanity our gentleman thus tossed with the tempestes of these contrary cogitations as the vessel that is borne with the tide against the wind féeleth double force and is compelled to yéelde to wind and waue so Dorestus the more hee sought to quench his loue by disdaine the greater increased the same of his desire that faineting vnder the force of his inward tormentes he withdrewe himselfe into his chamber where shutting fast the dore he began in this wise to discourse with him selfe Ah Dorestus thou camest hether a captaine and wilt thou nowe returne a captiue thy intent was to conquer not to be vanquished to fight with a launce not to bee foild with loue but how dost thou thinke to subdue Hungaria that canst not vanquish thine owne affections art thou able to quaill a kingdome that canst not quaill thy foolish apetites no it will be hard for thée to triumph ouer others that art not able to maister thy selfe yeelde not then to this fresh alarume of loue be not dasled with the beames of vading beauty nor inamored with desire of euery dilicate damsell for in time such blisse will turne to bale and such delightfull ioy to more dispitfull annoy loue Dorestus will proue an enimie to thine honour a foe to thy person a canker to thy minde a corosiue to thy conscience a weakner to thye wit a mollester of thye mind a besotter of thy sences and finally a deadly poison to all thy body why hast thou not had some triall hath not Moderna taught thee what frutes are to be found in loue I hope thou hast not yet forgot what thou foundest by experience but peace Dorestus dost thou speak of loue or art thou in a dreame why whome dost thou loue is it Leonida what the daughter of thy possessed foe one that wisheth thy mishap partly prayeth to the gods for
her desired friend the sight whereof did so rauish her with ioy that she was likewise stricken mute not able to giue a word the one of them thus gréedely fixing their eies vppon the other séemed bothe as a cupple of dumbe Images but Antipholus desirous to shake them out of these drouste immaginations began in this manner to cheare vp Brusanus Why how now Brusanus what are you inuocating to the Gods or blessing your selfe from diuels fearing I haue presented you with some transformed spirite doubt nothing man but take her by the hand and tell me then if she be not made of flesh and bone Autipholus there taking his sister by the arme he deliuered her to Brusanus who no soner laid hand of her but his spirites began to reuiue and rowling himselfe vppon his pillowe he burst out into these wordes O happy day yea ten times blessed be the houre when I liue to se this comfortable sight Moderna imbracing him fast in her armes mutually mixing their ioyful tears with louing kisses Of which pleasant passions wer also glad copartners both Antipholus himselfe and in like manner the younge Princesse with her mother but after the vehemency of their affections had a little giuen scope to the rest of their sences and that their tongues were set at libertie O how manye swéete hony words were shuffeled out betwéene them but especially by Moderna soe dangerous to be spoken off as I dare not set them hete downe fearing I shoulde infecte wemen with too much kindnes that are of themselues so naturally inclined to pittie I will therefore passe them ouer with silence let this suffyce Brusanus within thrée daies was perfectly recouered so much to the contentation of Antipholus that all thinges were in common betwéene them the like was betwéene Valeria and Moderna and after they had a while pleasantly discoursed of euery accident how it fall out and happened amongst them they concluded their nuptiales which they appointed to be celebrated both in one day for the solemnisâ—â—â—â— whereof great preperation was ordayned as well for Antipholus and Valeria as for Brusanus and Moderna where I thinke it best for a season to leaue them in this contented happines being other-wise called to prosecute a further occasion and thou carefull Clio that hast hitherto guided my muse to figure forth dolorous discourses and to blason out such sorrowfull aduentures assist me yet to display matters of like mishappe and of more accidentall calamitie and helps me thou Bellona to ringe the Larum bell that must now directe my penne to wright of warres and to blase the bloudy broyles of Mars who was now perdominaunte in the midell heauens whose influence prefigured these insuinge troubles The twelfth Chapter Astulpho acompanied with Dorestus leading a great armie betweene them are aryued vppon the confines of Hungaria Myletto sendeth for assystance to Caristo Prince of Piamount IT hath béene before mentioned that vppon the flight of Brusanus and Moderna from the Illerian courte it was determined by Astulpho immediatlye to commence warres against Myletto King of Hungaria in reuenge of his sonnes abuse and that his owne sonne Antipholus shoulde followe the quest of Brusanus into Grecia whose successe you haue nowe harde Astul ho accordingly leuied a huge and puissaunt army and being acompanied with Dorestus with 10000. Epirotes in his assistaunce they marched in braue and warre-like manner towardes the confines of Hungaria The Hungarians that had long inioyed the benifit of swéet and quiet peace were very much amased to heare this sodaine Allarum of warre but as no man can perfectly know y e blessednes of peace that hath had no triall of the burthen of warre see a long peace bringeth with it many discommodities making men insolent commonly through to great prosperitie as also nice lauish effeminate through abundance of wealthe and idlenes and without all doubte they that are to muche affected to peace and quietnes do weaken themselues by little and little before they be aware their example doth likewise molifie the courage of youth whereby they lye open to the iniuries of those that wil seeke to inuade them For this cause saith Philopamenus in the time of peace we must practise our selues to be more skilful in war must likewise enter into where but to y e end to establish peace but y e Hungarians neglecting this principle bound theÌ„selues prentises so much to this peaceable desire that they had both forgotten their martiall disciplines vtterly shaken of their militarynes but common necessity inforced them to armes the enimie as they hard was marching and they had no respite now to forethinke them what should haue bin done but speedily to determine what must bee done they presently therefore fel to mustering throughout their whole prouinces and in euery corner of the kingdome of Hungaria great multitudes of men were prouided and armed captaines and leaders were appointed such as had neuer seene ensigne displaied in the fielde vnlesse perhaps at the fetching home of a may pole some that were lately come from the court and had carried pantoffelles some as newly come from schole and had read Vigesius some old souldiers that had bin trained in a noble mans chamber some that was able to marciall whole millions with their penne yet knewe not how to charg their pike some that would haue ouer throwne an armie with their tongues yet knewe not how to set an hundred in good order of ray some rash same hairebraind some wilful some foolish hardy most vnskilfull all appointed by fauour none by desert by this time word was brought to Miletto that a Herald of armes was com from the king of Illeria with some message and the king desirous to heare his newes willed him forthwith to be brought in the Herald without any salutation at all told the king that he was a messenger of very ill newes for in respect of the villany offered by his sonne Brusanus to the king his 〈…〉 by stealing away his daughter he was therefore in the name of Astulpho to â—â— him open defiaunce willing him forthwith to aunswers whether he would abide the hasard of warre or other wise to surrender to such conditions of peace as the king his maister should afterward by an ambassador prescribe vnto him the king willed the Herald to be well entertained for that night the next morning he would returne him with aunswere to his maister the king of Hungaria now vnderstandeing the quarrell to proceed by the lewd demeanuce of his sonne thinking him still to continue his lacsiuious manner of life began vtterly to dispaire of his amendment conferred with his nobility of his intent which was to disinherit his vicious sonne Brusanus from the succession of the kingdoome and to leaue it the inheritaunce of his vertuous daughter Leonida and for that Caristo the prince of Piemount had lately requested his daughter in mariage he could not better bethinke him then with all expedition to send a
thy misfortune no sure I thinks thou art not so fond she is not thy frend whome thou mayest hope to get but thine enimy whome thou art not sure to gaine nor neuer thinke she will requit thy merit with â—eed or repay thy loue with liking ono she hateth thee Dorestus as a vowed enimy to her fathyr thy comming hether is to parte of peace take then a truce with thine owne affections and ende those warres which fancie hath begun in thy selfe but alas beauty hath runge the larum and loue is the chieftaine and leader of the band whoe hath alreadye subdued my sences and taken prisoners all my affections and although wit would gladly fight it out yet will who shoulde take in hand the charge hath surrendered himselfe and is already yéelded and reason not able to abide the assault is likewise driuen to fly the field Alas Dorestus what victory canst thou hope for more then to plead for pittie and to seeke mercy at her handes that may yet haue compassion and saue thy life Dorestus without any further speeches determined resolutly to trie his fortune and watching his best oportunity to bewray his liking to Leonida hee found out her haunt where shee priuately walked euery day in the after none in a pleasant gardin fast adioyning to her owne lodgnig whether hee secretly conueied himselfe and being shrouded amongst the pleasaunte laurelles Leonida accordinge to her custome pacing vp the allie softely by her selfe was incountered by Dorestus humbly saluted her Leonida something amased with this sudaine approch knowing him to bee a stranger demaunded howe he came thither Dorestus answered by chaunce he happened into the place hauing lost his way so doe many quoth Leonida that seeke vnknowne waies and likewise followe their owne wayes but what hath brought you hither or who hath bin your guide my desire aunswered Dorestus to sée and withall to be satisfied no worse guide vnder the sunne said Leonida haue you not séene desire pictured both blind and flyeng aswell to shewe his erroure as his hast besides vnbridled to shewe his rashnes and howe hardly he can be staied Dorestus finding himselfe thus pritiely niped was in a quandare howe hee might prosecute his vndertaken attempt yet in the end he gaue the onset in this manner the choice is hard lady Leonida where partie is compelled either by silence to dye with griefe or by vnfoulding his mind to liue with shame yet so sweete is the desire of life and so soure the passions of loue that I am inforced to preferre an vnseemely sute before an vntimely death loath I am to speake and in dispaire I am to speed in the one shewing my selfe a coward in the other weieng myne owne case for considering what loue is I faint and thinking howe I am counted a foe I feare and so it is that intending to be a victor I am become a vassall comming to conquere I am vanquished seeking to haue brought others into thrall I haue lost mine owne liberty I came to your fathers court a captaine but am like to returne a captiue my charge was to parle of peace but my chance is to discourse of passion your beauty madame ah your heauenly beauty hath brought me into this bondage your exquisit perfection hath snared my fréedome your curtesie onely may frée me from care or your crueltie crosse me with endlesse calamitie Leonida that had all this while listened to his tale was so inflamed with a melancholy kind of heate as shee was not of a long time able to vtter a word yet at the last as it were in a furie she deliuered this aunswere Why Dorestus quoth she art thou become frantique or deemest thou me to be out of my wits if thy spéeches bein iest they are to broad weieng the case if in earnest they are to bad considering the partie to dally with Venus that art vowed to Mars argueth theée to be either a coward or a counterfeit to make shewe of loue that arriued heere in hate sheweth thée to be infected with frensie or folly but it is a blind goose that loues to heare the fox preach and shee a louing foole that stoupes to her enimies lure and therefore if I should loue what must it be Dorestus my fathers foe the bloudy wretch that seekes his life the cursed enimie to my cuntry no no he cannot fauour the stemme that would cut downe the old stocke he little respecteth the twig that tendereth not the roote he lightly loueth the child that deadly hateth the father I may not therefore so far forget mine honour mine honesty my parentes and my cuntrie as to loue nay not deadly to hate him which is a foe to the least of these cease then to seeke for loue where thou shalt finde nothing but hate and assure thy selfe if thou didst loue as faithfully as thou dost flatter falsely yet would I neuer belieue thée requite thée or any wayes pittie thée Alas madame aunswered Dorestus way my case with equity if you hate me as I am a foe to Miletto yet fauour me as I am a frend to Leonida if you loath me as an enimy to your cuntry yet pitty me as I am a captiue to your beautie Tarpeia fauoured Titus though a foe in Rome Scilla respected Minos yet he beseaged Nisus Tereus the prince of Thrace beeing sent by his father to defye Pandyon the king of Athens was inamoured of his daughter Progne whereby in steede of fatall enmitie there insued frendly amity O what greater signe of affection then where in liewe of hate there insueth loue it is to bee immagined either a thing confirmed by the fates or appointed by the gods then where I haue done amise I will not faile to make amendes if I haue committed a fault I am ready to render recompence and as I haue bin your fathers foe no we will I be his faithfull frend if I haue sought his di squiet I will procure his rest yea I will goe against the haire in all thinges so I may please Leonida in any thing Leonida bréefely replied Dorestus your sudaine liking bewrayes the lightnes of your loue and this your fond affection importes the ficklenes of your fancy may hee bee counted a priuie frend that shewes himselfe an open foe for your examples they be necessary caueates for ladies to be warned by for if Progne loued her fathers foe how wretchedly did Tereus requit her loyalty for the other two their gaines were perpetuall shame and endlesse discredit for the one was slaine by the Sabines the other likewise reiected by Minos and therefore sir to conclude you cannot more displease me then in seeking to please me and as for my father be his frend or his foe it is in your own choice but for me if I knowe no other cause to hate thée this shall suffice I wil neuer loue thée without any more spéeches away she flung in a great chafe leauing Dorestus alone by himself who
vnderstand that Antipholus with that company as you haue hearde before trauailing towardes his father and was come within a verye little of the city of Pula without any newes at all of Dorestus who the very night before had beset the Cittie and that very morning sending forth certaine companies of horsmen to scoure the country they lighted on Antipholus his companie who being but fewe in number and al vnarmed and therefore not able to make defence were thus taken prisoners and in this manner were brought to Dorestus who seeing Antipholus whome he so dearely loued that he disired not so much as to drawe one haire of his heade in anye displeasure yet knowing him to be a sufficent pledge for his purpose for policies sake he drewe his sword and comming towardes Antipholus seemed as though he woulde haue sheathed it through his body which being espied by Astulpho who was ready to stucke to earth for sorrowe he cryed out sayeng O Dorestus I beséech thee stay thy hande and commit not so great crueltie and sith that fortune hath fauoured thee with this vnloked for aduantage tryumph thou y e Astulpho hath submitted but imbrew not thy hands in the bloud of the innocent Dorestus who reioyced not a little to heare these spéeches aunswered him Yea marye Astulpho this is another manner of song I am glade you haue taken ouer a 〈…〉 lesson do you begin to preach against crueltie well I hope I shall have you confirmeable to the rest but for this present I will goe to my tent whether if you will send me Leonida as a pledge it maye be I will retourne you such conditions as may proue to your liking without anye further spéeches Dorestus departed leading as prisoners in his companie Antipholus Brusanus and the rest The twentieth Chapter Astulpho sendeth Leonida to Dorestus with conditions of peace Antipholus is sent to his father to intreat for Brusanus Astulpho being ouer-come with a sodaine Ioy seing the safetie of his sonne falleth downe in a traunce and soe dyeth Antipholus setteth free Myletto and Paulina Leonida surrendereth her loue to Dorestus their nuptialles celebrated they combyne in friendship and end with contentment DOrestus beeing entered his pauillion he first in most friendlye manner imbraced Antipholus blessing the houre of his happy aryuall hoping by his meanes bothe to attaine to his desired purpose and likewise to conclude assured peace and concord then turning to Brusanus the loue of whose sister Leonida had vtterlye dissolued all former conceyued displeasures and imbrasing him in his armes he said O Brusanus I can but reioyce to thinke that the enimie to all weman kinde is yet at the length become a sworne soldyor in the bande of Cupide and contented to marche vnder the banner of Venus I hope by this time you haue renounced al your former heresies Brusanus answered yea Dorestus and blessed be that ghostlye father by whose instructions I was first moued to consider of mine owne mistaking and haue euer sithens as a true penitent both acknowledged my ignorance and done penaunce for my error although not able to make full satisfaction for my misse Dorestus then humbly kissing the hand of Moderna said and truelye madame your merrit was much in this matter hauing saued a soule that by his owne confession was in the verye high waye to perdition Then I hope sir aunswered Moderna sith he hath cryed Peccaui his faults be then remissiue both to God and the world Dorestus who knew very well wher-vnto her spéeches had relation would returne her no answere but resting his eies vpon Valeria whome although he knewe not yet he stoode amazed to sée suche perfection of beautye demaunded of the standers by what Lady it might be Antipholus who could best satisfie him tolde him that she was a Princesse the daughter and heire of Belizarius King of Calypha lately deceased and his wife but newly married Dorestus then kissing her hand began to comfort her assuring her that she was lighted into y e hands of such a frendly enimy as was ready to do vnto her both honour seruice As Dorestus intended to haue procéeded in further spéeches word was brought him that Astulpho had sent Leonida who was comming fast by was already entered within their Corps de gwarde Dorestus to testefie how ioyfull these tidinges were vnto him gaue the newes bringer a chaine that he ware aboute his owne necke esteemed to be of great price and desiring Antipholus with the rest to accompany him he met Leonida whome he entertained with great showes of humillity and was neuerthelesse possessed with as much ioy and gladnes and hauing in his minde prepared a longe oration for her his eies were soe filled with her sight that as if they woulde haue robbed their fellowes of their seruices bothe his hart faynted and his tongue fayled Antipholus then kissing the hand of Leonida entertayned her for the present but with a vsuall salutation but Leonida casting her eies vppon Brusanus was not a little comforted in the presence of her brother and he accordingly welcomed his sister with as great showes of brotherly loue as outwardly coulde be expressed Valeria and Moderna had nowe their turnes to entertaine Leonida which both saluted her with no lesse signes of harty affection Leonida being thus welcomed to the company Dorestus caused 4000. crownes to be deliuered to her conductors which were foure Gentlemen sente with her from Astulpho After these Gentlemen altogether had giuen humble thankes to Dorestus for his greate bounty the one of them deliuered this message from Astulpho signifieng to Dorestus that the King his maister to satisfie his request had sent him his so much desired Leonida in requitall whereof if he woulde returne him her brother Brusanus he should then finde him confirmeable to his further demaunds whatsoeuer might be thought conuenient and necessarie for the establishment of peace loue and amitie betwéen them And although Dorestus minded nothing lesse then to satisfie Astulpho in that request yet Antipholus who tendered the safetie of Brusanus as much as his owne life and knowing the displeasure of his father to concerne no lesse then the deathe of his friend hee besought Dorestus with great intercession that he woulde not commit an acte of such impietie for to deliuer a Prince wittinglye to the slaughter were no lesse then himselfe to commit wilful murther Dorestus reioysing in his mind at this vnfained friēdship demaūded of Antipholus if he could deuise the meane to pacifie his fathers fury towardes Brusanus To this Antipholus aunswered that hee had left the kingdome of Calipha and had vndertaken this sodaine iourney but onely to that very end neither dowbted he but if himselfe might come to the spéeche of his father that hee would both mitigate his fathers displeasure towardes Brusanus and otherwise to winne him to be the better confirmeable for the deliuerye of Myletto and Paulina Dorestus who knewe very well that Antipholus would in very déed