The Aduentures of BRVSANVS Prince of Hungaria Pleasant for all to read and profitable for some to follow Written by Barnaby Riche seauen or eight yeares sithence and now published by the great intreaty of diuers of his freendes FAMA FIDES 〈…〉 OCCVLVS Imprinted at London for Thomas Adames 1592. To the woorshipfull and vertuous yoong Gentlevvoman mistrisse Iayes Aston daughter to the right woorshipfull Sir Edward Aston knight MY very good cosyn if I should follow the fancies of some writters who are accustomed in their dedycations to glorifie the parties whome they haue chosen to be patrons of their workes with manye strained wordes and far sought for phrases then in seeking to praise your beauty I shoulde borrow colours for your cheekes from lillyes and red roses for your lippes cheryes pearles for your teeth to figure foorth your chastyty witt and many other graces I must seeke out Diana Pallas the Muses and diuers other helpes both deuine and pretious and thus whilst I might be curious in blasing the perfections of your body I should vtterly forget the beauty of your soule Let this then suffice your beauty is not borrowed and therefore without blemish your body comly neither bumbast nor bolstered and therefore not holpen by arte for the giftes and qualities of your mind as they are many so they are such as may wel bee said to bee both vertuous and godly and nowe affyenge my selfe in your courtious acceptaunce I haue made bould to present you with this historye The aduentures of Brusanus reade it at your leasure and what you mislike leaue it and blame me or blame it chide me and you shall see that your gentle rebuke shall be of importaunce either to make me recante and so to aske mercie or otherwise to satisfye for my misse as it shall please you to inioyne me I haue sought to shun vndecent tearmes vnfytting for your modestie and nowe commending alltogether to be censured by your curtesye I can but wish you that happines that your owne vertue doth worthely merite Your louing Cosyn who wisheth you all happines Barnaby Rich The aduentures of Brusanus Prince of Hungaria pleasant for all to read and profitable for some to follow written by Barnaby Riche seuen or eight yeares sithens and now published by the great intreaty of diuers of his friends The first Chapter Myletto King of Hungaria had a sonne and a daughter the sonne called Brusanus the daughter Leonida AT that time when the most renowned Liberius gouerned the empire of Constantinople holding the parts of Cayre Soria Calypha and all Grecia in the most christian catholicke faith at that very instant ther raigned likewise in Hungaria y e noble king Myletto a prince of such iustice as he neuer thought him selfe priuiledged in being a prince nor did measure greatnes by any thing but by goodnes This prince was so fauoured and fostered vp by fortune his estate so established with honour so beautified with wealth so deckt with the diademe of dignitie and so indued with fortunate prosperity that he â—â—med to want nothing which either fortune or the fates might aforde him so that he was honoured with the sacred titles of good iust merciful with many other like vertuous additions But as the vices of children are swords which passe through y e harts of their parents so the happines of Myletto was greatly surcharged with this heauines for hauing to wife a lady called Paulina by byrth royall by nature faire by education learned by vertue mous by this lady Myletto in the prime of his yeares had two children the one a sonne called Brusanus the other a daughter named Leonida so perfect in complextion so pure in constitution so adorned with outward beuty and so indued with inward bounty as her very countenaunce was full of bashfulnesse loue and reuerence Brusanus on the other side was so contrarie to his sister though not in state of body yet in the stay of his minde as it made al men maruell how two so contrary stems could spring of a selfe same stocke yet his parsonage was most comelie euery lineament gallantly proportioned his face and countenance sweet and amiable with an intising louelines to as many as did behold it But in the quality of his minde hee was so spotted with voluptuousnesse so nusled in wantonnes so giuen ouer to licentiousnesse so linked to wilfulnesse and so caried away with all kind of wickednesse that neither the feare of god the displeasure of his parents the sundry admonitions of his carefull and louing friendes nor the regard of his owne honor could make him desiste or driue him from this detestable kind of life the day he consumed in such ryot excesse dronkenesse dicing gaming swearing swashing as whole millions of gold were insufficient to maintaine the expences of so witles prodigality the night he spent in masking muÌ„ming dauncing banqueting and hooring do you thinke then there wanted ruffians roysters flaterers brokers bawdes and such other like to follow him O no be sure there wil be to many counterfaites to imitate the naturall vice of princes but the good king his father hauing many times wasted his wind in fruitles exhortations to his sonne being still gauled with this continuall griefe fearing that after his death his sonnes lascyuious life would be the ouerthrow of his house the consumer of the kingdome the wracke of the common weale and the very man that should bring the state to mischeife and miserie determined eyther to cut of the course of his liuing or of his life thinking it better to want a sonne then neuer to want sorrow hauing soe gratious a daughter to whome he might leaue the inheritance of his crowne in whose issue the kingdome might bee made more happye but firste determined to seeke all other possible meanes He caused his sonne to be sent for to whom he said as foloweth The second Chapter The fatherlie exhortation of Myletto to Brusanus CAlling to mind Brusanus first the royall race froÌ„ whence thou art descended the vertuous education wherein thou hast beene nurtered the sundry holsome preceptes where with thou hast beene instructed with the lewed and shamles demeanure wherein thou art daily nusled as I can but lament thy misfortune so I must more wonder at thy follye and yet the more I thinke the more cause I haue of thinking the lesse hope of thy amendment Haue thy friendes hoped so long for a plentiful haruest now shalbe constrained to gather weedes hast thou from thy youth béene trained vp in learning and after thou hast giuen a good soape to the payle thou shouldest kicke it downe curstly with thy heels O how much better had it beene for thee neuer to haue rypened then so soone to haue rotted thou seest Brusanus my white heaires are blossomes for the graue and thy fresh coulour fruit for time and fortune so that it behoueth me to think how to dy for thée to care how to liue my
example then in the field by sheading of bloud pardon hath euer ben better then reueng the one beeing proper to the spirite of man the other to cruell beastes Neither can any victory bee called true and perfect but that which carrieth with it some clemency for to ouercome is a humaine thing but to pardon is deuine heere of it is said that we esteeme the greatnes of the immortall gods not so much for the punishment as for the mercy that they vse and although mens lawes avouch it to be more iust to reueng an iniury receiued then to offer it to an other yet nature teacheth vs that both the one and the other do proceede of like imbecilyte vnder your gratious correction then it seemeth vnto me to great seuerity to afflict the adged father for the offence of the light headed son or at the least so to limitte your reuenge that it be not rather called a tirany then a punishment Why Dorestus aunswered Astulpho art thou yet to learne that the offence of the children should bee punished in the parentes hast thou not hard of the lawe established by our auncitors called Falcidia by which it was inacted that the child should be admonished for the first offence for the second chastised for the third hanged and the father likewise banished as partaker of his fault for want of good education and instruction of his sonne The Heluetians had an auntient lawe that if a young-man had receiued sentence of death the execution thereof should be done by his father if hee were liuing who was the cause of his euill education that the father might in some sort be punished for the negligence hee shewed in the bringing vp of his child Fathers therefore must qualifie their children by bringing them well vppe in their infancy and letting them haue due correction in their youth which two things being neglected by parentes the faultes of their children are most iustly imputed vnto them and Hely the priest was not punished for anye faulte which himselfe had committed but bicause hee winked at the sinnes of his children wouldst thou then prescribe limittes of reuenge to him that hath fostered vppe an impe that hath practised so much my preiudice no no Dorestus I will so crucifie himselfe his wife and his daughter that they shall al curse the houre that such a brat was borne into the world to worke my displeasure neither shall their cursing anye whit helpe them till I see their flesh rotted from their bones in prison where I purpose to keepe them during life Dorestus whose hart began to pant with paine to heare this cruell conclusion pronounced by Astulpho against his lady immediately aunswered thus If Machiauell and his fellowes fauourers of tirany had well weied what wee read in infinit places of scripture that god will ouer-throwe dissemblers with all their lies and subtilties hardly could we séeke to ouercome by dissimulations deceites trecheryes and suche like prankes then if falshoode procure blame and dishonour to all men it doth much more to kings and princes for where the prince knoweth himselfe to bee the minister of gods iustice with what confidence dare he suffer iniquity to enter into his seate which he vnderstandeth to be the throne of the liuing god with what conscience will he pronounce falshood out of his mouth which he knoweth is appointed to be the truth of god with what bouldnes dare he subscribe to disceite with his hand which hee knoweth is ordained to wright the decrees of god but where we are both iudge party in steed of iustice we seeke after force violence rigore deceite subtilty yea periury rather then faile and what not so we may serue our owne turne Astulpho not longer able to indure his speeches he interrupted him thus Dorestus if you bee minded to preach get you into a palpit and if you meane that I haue vsed so many deceite and subtilties as you speake of you doo me wrong for in the capitulation betweene Miletto and me we concluded a truce for tenne daies but I subuerted him in the night whereof there was no mention made but what and if there had haue you not learned this principle in warre that in conquering of an empire there is required as great policy as prowesse and where the lions skinne will not serue the foxes case must bee put on and for the obtaining of a kingdome as wel mischiefe as mercy is to be practised and better it were to commit an inconuenience in breaking of an oth then to suffer iniury by keeping of promise content thy selfe therefore Dorestus and let this suffice to perswade thee as I haue intrapped mine enimie by practise so I assure thee I will hold him by force but yet aunswered Dorestus if you meane to hold the inocent father Miletto what shall become of the harmelesse daughter Leonida Bicause quoth Astulpho I will bee sure to keepe her harmelesse still she shall remaine my prisoner so long as she liueth for then I knowe shee shall doe mee no harme Dorestus seeing the nature of the tirante thought it not best to vse any further spéeches but presently with-drewe himselfe into his tent to deliberate with more leasure what he were best to do to frée his best beloued from her threatened captiuity intreatye hee sawe would serue to little purpose wherefore hee determined by sodaine assault to rescue the prisoners by force and so to deliuer them from the handes of Astulpho but heere he considered his owne weaknes to performe such an enterprise and thought that if he should faile in his attempt it woulde redounde to the greater perill of those parties whose safety hee especiallye desired wherefore he resolutly determined that if by ioyning himselfe in assistaunce with the cuntry he could not accomplish the performaunce of his desires then presently to retire into Epirus and there to leuie such sufficient numbers wherewith he would set frée the princes altogether from thraldome or to make himselfe a partaker of their misfortunes The seuenteenth Chapter Dorestus resolueth to succour the prisoners Astulpho marcheth backe into his owne kingdome Dorestus vnderstanding of the king his fathers death he hasteth to Epirus he leuieth a mightie armie to followe Astulpho into his owne kingdome DOrestus fully resolued to followe this course and casting many deuises howe to take oportunity he founde in his account that all desert wayes were denaid him and this onely meane left for him to worke by which was either by dinte of sword perforce to effecte his purpose or other wise neuer to hope for that he most desired Heere vpon Dorestus both sodainely and secretely with drew himselfe with his whole retinue of Epirotes vnto a place not far distante which nature had made stronge by meane of a greate riuer that ran about it where fortifieng therest by art he purposed to remaine to sée what assistance the cuntry would afford him for the rescuing of their king and the freeing of themselues from
leauing likewise the place came into his chamber where a little to ease his stomacke he brake into these spéeches Of all euill which either god or nature hath laid vppon man there is none so great but either reason may redresse pleasure asswage mirth mittigate hearbes heale or by some meanes or other may bee cured loue onely excepted whose force is so full of rancour that phisicke can in no respect preuaile to helpe the patient diseruing not the name of a disease but rather the title of an vncureable mischiefe yet importing such a shew of contentation that it so inflameth our desires to purchase it that we care not at what vnreasonable rate we buy it if it be then so stronge why is it not more stedfast if it be so forceible why is it not fixed perhaps so it is in al sauing in me I am y e odd persō on whome Cupide wil showe his cunninge I am he that must chope and chaunge and liue by the losse first forsaken by Moderna now dispised by Leonida howe art thou then perplexed Dorestus thou louest without hope and therefore liuest in ill hap thou hournest in desire but thou art couled with disdaine and her father is thy foe but if hee were thy friend dothe not Leonida dispise thee hath not she denyed thy sute disdayned thy person lightly respecting thy loue as smally regarding thy seruice onelye promissing this while she liues to be thy protested foe And what then fond foole wilt thou shrinke for an april shower knowest thou not that a deniall at the first is a graunt and a gentle aunswere a flattering flowt the more they seeme at the first to loath the more we find at the last they loue hope then the best Dorestus for loue and fortune careth not for cowardes By this time tidinges were brought to the courte that Caristo Prince of Pyemounte was within three daies iourny with a stronge armye of 20000. Pyemounts and that the Prince himselfe would not faile the very next day to be at the courte as well to salute the King and the Quéene as to sée his dearely beloued mistres Leonida for whose sake hee had vndertaken that seruice Great ioy was made through the courte at these happye tidinges and no lesse preperation was made for the receiuing of the Prince This was a colde comfort for Dorestus who no soner vnderstood of the newes but he could easely pronosticate of his owne successe but when hee had certainly learned that Leonida was disposed by her father to Caristo and how vppon that occasion the Prince had vndertaken armes O how were his cares then increased his spirites were troubled with millions of immaginations sorrowe had sealed on all his partes and setteled himselfe in the very bottome of his hart dollor griefe care anguish dispaire languor with all their accomplices had dispersed themselues through all his powers and taken the full possession of him as their owne proper right But Myletto who had lingered this time but of purpose to heare from Caristo and his drift being now dated out to his own desire the next day he sent for Dorestus to whome he deliuered these words Prince Dorestus I haue throughly considered of the proude demaunds sente vnto me from Astulpho and wondering at his presumption what should moue him to sende me any such gréeting as though I were not able to maintaine mine own right that am an absolute King as himselfe and euery waie his equall and as for my crowne and kingdome of Hungaria as I haue hitherto kepte them in dispight of any enimie so I doubt not but to continue them during mine own life and after my decease to leaue the succession to such heires as shalbe as likely to in counter him and his successors in Illeria as for him or any of them by any meanes to oppresse Hungaria for answere therefore take this that by the assistaunce of God within tenne daies I wil meete him in the plaine fielde and will giue him battaill where I doubt not but to chase him from out my borders to his great shame and infamy This is the aunswere Derestus that I haue determined on and now at your pleasure you may departe in safetie hauing according to the lawes of armes a safe condite for your protection The king without anye further wordes lefte Dorestus who finding himselfe to be thus continually crossed was at his wits end what course he might take but calling to his minde howe that was no place for him to abide longer in accompanied therefore with his traine he departed but soe ouer-growne with griefe that he passed no houre minit nor moment without wofull warlinges sorrowfull sobs and sighes bitterly breathed out in soe much that the Gentlemen his companions surmised his perplexitie to proceede of feare hearing of the puisaunte armye conducted by Caristo they began therefore both to comforte and to incourage him and although their perswasions serued to litle purpose for the curing of his care yet seeinge that his sorrowe would not salue his sore but rather increase his sicknes and that mourning would rather augment his miserie then mitigate his maladie he bare out the matter with as good countinance as his passion woulde permit and comming to the campe he declared his message to Astulpho accordingly as Myletto had before deliuered The fourteenth Chapter Myletto ioyning his armye with Caristo doth march towardes Astulpho they incounter in fight howe Dorestus behaueth himselfe Caristo is slaine by Dorestus Myletto is put to a retreat and driuen to saue himselfe by flight AStulpho waxing madde with ire marched presentlye into the borders of Hungaria burning spoyling killing and ransaking all that euer came in his way These lamentable occurrentes comming hourely to the eares of Myletto of the spoyling of his subiectes it caused him to make the more hast and concluded with Caristo promising by the sacred oath of a King both to giue him his daughter in marriage and the kingdome of Hungaria for his inheritaunce and thus ioyning their forces togither they marched towardes Astulpho who was still wasting of the countrie both by fire and sworde and beeing come within a small distaunce where Astulpho lay incamped they likewise intrenched themselues for that night Worde was immediatly brought to Astulpho of their ariuall and how the next day they determined to giue him bettaill these newes were ioyfull to the Captaines and lusty gallantes for euery man hoping to win fame were generally merry through the whole campe Dorestus onely excepted who being tormented with vnspeakeable griefe began to droupe making no showe but of sorrowe in soe much that he was generallye suspected to be a fearefull cowarde and that dread of daunger was it that draue him into those dumpes but as they rashly coniectured cause of his sorrowe so they mist the nature of his sicknes The next day very early in the morning euery man fell to his armes through bothe the armies and Astulpho who knewe very well howe
doe his best to performe as much as hee had said and knowing Valeria to bee a sufficient pledge was content that Antipholus should make present proofe of his owne practise the which Antipholus most willingly vndertooke and making no doubt at all of his good successe he departed towardes his father who was likewise attending an aunswere from Dorestus and more then halfe in dispaire of his sonnes safety fretting and fuming at himselfe that had so rashly sent away Leonida before he vnderstoode what was happened to his son in the midest of these his melancholy fittes Antipholus presented himselfe before his father and humbly casting himselfe vppon his knees Astulpho beholding the safe arriuall of his sonne was not so much before perplexed with exstreame griefe but hee was as sodainely conuerted to a fitte of no lesse excessiue gladnes rising from his seate purposing to imbrace his son being ouercom with a surfet of to much ioy he presently sanck dead to the earth neither could hee euer after be recouered by any artificiall meane what so euer could be imployde I will not stande heere to figure forth the dolorous complaintes of Antipholus whose sorrowes were as excéeding as his fathers death was sodaine but calling to his remembraunce that against death there was neither prescription nor authority who yéeldes no compassion to the teares of men takes no care for their sighes scornes at their complaintes and plaieth with their afflictions Antipholus therefore pacifieng himselfe for the season beganne to bethinke him of his other affaires and hauing nowe the lawe in his owne hand hee caused Myletto with Paulina to bee brought both before him who after hee had most louingly imbraced hee comforted them with chearefull and louing spéeches hee likewise caused them to bee royally robed in rich and sumptious apparell be-fitting their estate and bicause Dorestus shoulde dread no bad measure hee sent a messenger vnto him with the certainty of his fathers death then making the gats of the city on euery side to be set wide open in signe of peace and amity accompanieng himselfe with the king and queene of Hungaria with some fewe noble men to attend their persons hee went to Dorestus to whome hee said behold Dorestus in respecte of former frendship lately begunne betweene vs and to that ende it may be for euer vnfainedly continued I doe heere freely deliuer vnto thée Miletto king of Hungaria with Paulina the queene his wife the parties which thou hast so much desired to set at liberty neither would I deliuer them into thy handes but that I assure my selfe of thy princely meaning towardes them and sith it hath pleased the heauens thus to call away my father I know not now what should hinder but that this frendship betweene vs should bee so surelye knit that no future fortune shall euer bee able to dissolue It would aske heere another volume to set downe at large the comfort the contentment the quiet and the ioy that was nowe made amongst these princes Dorestus triumphed in hope to haue his desired Leonida Miletto reioyced as fast in the vertuous reconcylyation of his sonne Brusanus was no lesse ioyfull for the safe deliuery of his father Antipholus was as much delighted to sée Brusanus pleased but after they had a while spent the time in this manner Dorestus tooke order for the dissoluing of his army and causing a generall pay to be made he sent them away with their captaines and leaders Miletto likewise giuing the Hungarians thankes that had opposed themselues in his rescues sent them also away assuring them vppon his returne both to remember their kindnes and to recompence their duetifull indeuours These matters thus ouer passed Dorestus was at leasure to consider of his owne estate which he thought to be more infortunate then the rest who hauing set all at liberty and onely himselfe to remaine a captiue but it was determined amongst them that they would all remaine for a season with Antipholus who had likewise prepared to entertain them with as great honour as the time woulde afford him yet tempering his mirth with such meane as was necessary for the instant considering the late decease of his father that was yet vnburied beeing not throughly prouided for his funeralls Dorestus in this meane space taking aduauntage of time so solicited Leonida a fresh that she calling to her minde the high seruice hee had performed in her behalfe in requitall wheerof she surrendered herselfe to satisfie his demandes to the great contentment of her father and mother but especially of her dearest brother Brusanus The mariage day was quickly determined and likewise honoured with the presence of all these princes heere began againe feasting and banqueting afresh still enterlarding their dishes with such pleasures as could most aptly be prepared for the present hauing thus for a season spent the time asmuch to their owne contentment as might bee and after they had combined a perpetuall league of frendship betweene themselues they departed Myletto and his queene to Hungaria Dorestus and Leonida to Epirus Brusanus and Moderna to Dalmatia which was her inhiritaunce Antipholus and Valeria continue in Illeria and they seuerally raigned in perfect loue and amity betweene themselues gouerning their people with such equity and iustice as they neither wanted loue to their subiectes nor their subiectes duety and obedience to them all parties thus pleased and euery one remaining in most happy contentment I hold it best euen so to leaue them for in a fitter time it is not possible to end FINIS Barnaby Rich. Malui me diuitem esse quam vocari
crowne I must leaue by death and thou enioy my kingdome by succession it is then requisite for thee so to fortifie thy minde with strong reasons graue sentences and learned preceptes of wisdome that thy weake séedes of vertue be not drowned in the floudes of vaine delights For as the prince being the head of his people and most excelent of all hee muste therfore by his good example be a paterne to al. What honor is it for a prince to go farre beyonde the common sorte in pretious stones beaten gold coulloured silcks and great traines of seruantes when he shall be inferiour to all in vertues and honesty of life For to instructe his people by precepts is a longe and difficult way but to teach them by example is very shorte and of greater efficacy for where they shall sée vertue after a liuelie sorte imprinted in a visible paterne and that the princes life is suche an example they become wise of their one accord then is force constraint or threatning néedlesse to bring them to their dutie O consider my sonne the difference betwéen a vertuous king and a vitious prince the one striueth to inrich his subiectes the other to destroy them the one spareth the honor of good women the other triumpheth in their shame the one taketh pleasure to be freely admonished the other misliketh nothing so much as wise and vertuous councell the one maketh great acompt of the loue of his people the other is better pleased with their feare the one is neuer in doubt of his owne subiectes the other standeth in awe of none more then them the one burdeneth them but as litle as may be vpon publique necessitie the other gnaweth the flesh from their bones to satisfie his vaine pleasures the one in time of warre hath no recourse but to his subiectes the other kéepeth warre but only with his subiects the one is honored in the time of his life and mourned for after his death the other is hated in his life with perpetuall infamie after his deathe A crewell prince will make a slaughter house of his common wealth a hooremaister will make it a stewes a prodigall will sucke the marowe of his subiectes to glut some halfe dosine flattering parrisites that wil be about his parson disguised in the habit of fidelity A good prince must not dedicate the common wealth to him selfe but must addicte him selfe to the common wealth and because no man asketh accompt of him in his life hee ought to be so much the more stirred vp to demand a streighter rekoning of him selfe bee must liue as it were vppon an open Theatre where he is séene on euery side so that his life will be a discipline and instruction of good or ill liuing vnto others therefore let him seeke to excell those whome he ruleth and to surmount them as farre in vertue as hee surpasseth them in riches and honour But what is to be hoped for from that prince that only accompanieth him selfe with curtesans flatterers drunckards diceplaiers dauncers and inuenters of pleasures breiflie in the midst of such caytiffes amongst whome he learneth nothing but pleasure delight pride vanitie and such other Why shouldest thou make such accompt of the beautie of thy bodye which hauing inclosed in it the soule which is defiled with ougly vice monsterous sinne is nothing els but a proud sepulcher vnder which is contained a stinking and putrified carrion Forsake such vaine delightes Brusanus and let vertue be thy guide if thou wilt attaine to happye honour For For honor is the onely reward of vertue and onely vertue must open the gates of honour The Romanes builded two temples ioyned to gether the one being dedicate to vertue the other to honor but yet in such sorte as no man could enter into that of honor except hee first passed through that of vertue which is the onely thing whereof al the greatnes glory and honour of men dependeth and not in the dignitie wherein they are placed A small want to bragge of the scutchyons and armes of our auncestors when to speake trulie there is no righte nobillitie but that which springeth of vertue He boasteth in vaine of his great linage that seeketh to be esteamed for the nobillitie and vertue of his ancestors and hath no goodnes in him selfe for what is it to vaunt of Hercules race and not to follow his workes which made him so famous through y e world Despise not my sonne thy fathers louing admonitions for as the wise man saieth he that honoreth his father shall haue ioy of his owne children and when hee maketh his praier he shall be hard he that feareth the lord honoureth his parents and doth seruice to his parents as to the lord The blessings of the fathers establish the houses of the children and the mothers cursse rooteth out the foundations He that forsaketh his father shall come to shame and he that angreth his mother is cursed of god To conclude there is no praier which god heareth more willingly then that of the father which hee maketh for his child O my sonne while thou hast yet time apply thy selfe to that now in thy youthe which will be profitable for thee in thy olde age namely to the attaining of vertue and knowledge which will procure vnto thée honour praise safetie happines rest and tranquilitie in this life and will in the end guide thee to eternall life Chapter third The demeanure of Brusanns after his fathers exhortations and how he was handeled by Petrona a curtizane THe carefull old father hauing discoursed thus far to his carelesse yoong sonne was here interrupted with the abundance of teares which streamed downe his cheekes but Brusanus who that very morning had appointed with certaine of his companions to meete in the Citie at a curtezans house where great reuell was appointed for was all this while so busyed in the contemplation of his pleasures that hee vnderstood neuer a worde what his father had deliuered and was therfore able to make him no manner of answere but seeking his best oportunity to giue his father y t slip in the end conuaid himselfe away to his appointed place where he found his companions attending his comming The father wounderfully perplexed at his sonnes demeanure had the narrower watch to the rest of his proseedinges and finding his course of life rather to waxe worse then any whit to better resolued himselfe of this last experyment which was to cut him from all manner of meanes whereby to maintaine his lauish expences and not only by shutting vppe his owne purse but also by straight proclamation through his whole kingdome he prohibyted all vnder great penaltie neither to lend him mony nor to render vnto him any manner of reliefe But could there be a greater griefe to Brusanus then so sodainly to be brought to so extreame want his father would affoord him no manner of allowance the rest were restrained by the late proclamation hys companions that hitherto
prince to defend them a father to care for them a companyon in their pleasures a frend to reliue their wants what should I say the dolefull memory is generally bewailed some remembring the nobility of his birth some his peaceable gouernment some his liberality some his iustice mixed with such mercie some the greatnes of his authority tempered with such familiar curtesies that they did more feele the fruites of his clemency then the pompes of his greatnesse and all accounting him the father of his people and the life of the country The onely comfort that is left them is the hope they haue receiued of the gratious yong prince Dorestus who immitating his fathers vertues and in whome they allready shine so cleere that it is easy to discerne him to be a blossome of the same braunch a stemme of the same stocke and a sonne of the same sire Tenne daies are ouer passed since as well by the consent of the counsaile as by the requestes of the commons in generall they would haue established him in his fathers seat but Dorestus more surcharged with sorrow then couetous of a kingdome and more fit to furnishe a funerall then to syt in a princes throne would in no wise consent to their requestes vntill hee might heare what was become of his father But they neuer ceasing their sute and hee ouer woried with their importunityes to satisfie their requestes haue adiorned the day of his crownation for fyfueteene daies if in the meane time they can learne no other tidinges hee is then content to receiue the diademe as his proper right and due inheritaunce I will not further inlarge the seuerall coniectures that are gathered of his absence some immagininge him to bee priuily murthered some thinking him secretly vowed to some monestary or other religious house some thinking so manye thinges that some knowes not well what to thinke and yet when they haue all thought the good king cannot be hard of neither will I trouble to tell you what seuerall examinations hath beene taken howe many inquiries hath beene made and what continuall posting there hath beene through the whole realme let this suffice he cannot be found and it is thought necessary and that by generall opinion that there should be a soueraigne gouernour to redresse wronges to punish vice to correct abuse to maintaine iustice and to chearish vertue Dorestus though against his owne wil yet to satisfie their requestes haue assigned the day of his crownation as I told you within fyueteene dayes whereof there are yet fyue to come if in the meane time there come no other newes I haue then breefly told you all the newes The eight Chapter The sorrow Brusanus made to heare this newes and howe Gloriosus vaunted vpon this report COrynus who was neerest toucht with this discourse yet best pleasd to heere the tale wherein both Leonarchus the king and Dorestus his sonne were so vertuously commended made neither semblaunce of ioy nor griefe but listening what other men would answere kept himselfe silent But Brusanus whose heauy countenaunce bewraid his sodaine passion said And is it possible that so renowned a king so vertuous a prince and so louing a soueraigne should be thus consumed in his owne realme nay in his owne court nay more then that in his owne priuy chamber and amongst his owne subiectes and yet cannot be learned how well Brusanus thy hap is the harder thou hast left thy parentes thy kindred and thy country to become a traueller thy hope was to haue bettered thine owne experience by the example of him whose vertues were so famed through euery nation but thou findest thy selfe preuented by vniust fortune and canst thou not draw her freakes to a platforme of thyne owne profit arme thy selfe against all her assaults and beware how thou dost heereafter trust her and esteeme no better of these worldly honours then as slipperie ioyes sliding pleasures and transitory delightes and thus fixing his heauy eies vppon the ground he ceased further speach Gloriosus who was all this while deuising how to speake wisely after that he had a little roused himselfe bending his browes and putting on his terrible countenaunce said Well Leonarchus if thy conspiring enymies haue shortened thy date by vntimely cutting of thy thred of life vnhappy was thy chaunce that Signior Gloriosus was absent whose prouident eie to looke into matters of state is ynough to preuent all trayterous practises conuey they neuer so closly whose very lookes are leueled with such auster aspect that they are able to fray the proudest practiser from al vnlawful attempts and these armes that are the ministers of my displeasure should I but discontentedly stretch them forth oh who were able to abide it neither strong Sampson amongst his philistians nor valiaunt Hercules against his vgely monsters were halfe so terrible as angrie Gloriosus against the troupes of traitors then Leonarchus nay then infortunate Leonarchus and in nothing so much infortunate as thus to be sequestred from such a stay to thy state from such a piller of thy preseruation and from such a castell of thy comforte as might haue preuented all perilles what so euer thou art happined into after the whole company had a little smiled to themselues and had much adoe to forbeare open laughter Corynus said it may bee sir you were vnknown to Leonarchus otherwise he was shrewdly ouer séene so much to neglect a gentleman of your quality My frend answered Gloriosus thou dost presse me to fare I pray thée haue care of thy selfe and seeke not thine owne dismembring by to much vrginge my patience with thy vnseasonable spéeches dost thou thinke Gloriosus could be vnknowne to Leonarchus when his court hath beene beautified with my presence and whose pallaces were adorned with my person No no and therefore I tell thée thou manne of little vnderstandinge thy woordes are to much preiudicial to the prerogatiue of my reputation but it pleaseth me to impute thine erroure to the want of knowledge so that in beareing with the one I am contented to pardon the other and therefore I admonish thée heereafter to take heed how thou dost place thy phrase to a gentleman of the kings court Well sir answered Corynus sith I doe find courtiers to be so captions you shall sée heereafter that I will learne to speake more wiselier when I haue occation to talke with them in the meane time me thinkes heere is a poore man that lookes heauily on the matter then turning himselfe to Castus he said howe nowe my good frend what newes with you in the country it seemeth by thy cheare that all should not be well The ninth Chapter The wofull discourse of Castus what craft in the country amongst Lawyers and what adiorning amongst maiestrates CAstus first breathing forth a pitious sigh as the messenger of some mishappe aunswered Alas sir a comfortles cause requireth a careful countenance and a curelesse griefe a desperate minde and if my newes be haplesse that I haue
world is guided by opinion and many a one hath beene rewarded commended by some noble man for his great seruice that hath but helpe him off with his hose when hee went to bed at night or peraduenture a ruffesetter a bottel carier a newes bringer a parricite a slaterer or som other such like minister of his pleasure and it may be a bribe giuer for a hundred aungelles of gold in such a matter are of greater vertue then all the aungelles that be in heauen yet as I haue saide such a one vpon some noble mans commendations shall receiue greater recompence then the man of good deserte indéede of any condition or qualitie what soeuer so that in the courte pleasinge of humours is found to be most profitable where a foole shal glorie of more sauour then a wise man of acceptance But I pray you sir aunswered Corynus why did you not make your request to the king himselfe who as it shold séem by your owne wordes is forwarde enoughe to recompence wel doing Very true answered Martianus and to the king himselfe I presented my sute who with most gratious promises and comfortable speeches willed mee to commit my cause to some noble man that might commende it to his maiestie and get my disspatche but alas our daintie nobles are soe dangerous to bee spoke with 〈…〉 that it is wel if in a monthes waiting you may attaine to three words speaking for some times if I met them in merry talke with my betters my petitions came then out of season to interrupt their pleasures an other time if I met anye of them solitarie by himselfe my lord was then in some melancolly moode and out of time to be spoken with all thus betwéene mirth and melancolly poore sutors maye longe inough watch their seasons yet neuer finde them in season to do them any good but could I once againe haue come to the presence of the kinge I woulde haue made no doubt of that recompence that now I neuer looke after And why so answered Corynus if Dorestus be the man that he is taken for good deserte canne neuer goe vnrewarded god for bid hee shoulde sit in his fathers seate if he should neglect his fathers vertues The eleuenth Chapter Corynus Martianus and Castus are arrested of treason and brought to the court to the young prince Dorestus there to be tried GLoriosus who had ouer heard all and by their spéeches did thinke himselfe to be well furnished with suffitient matter to picke a thanke when he came to the courte but specially of these last words spoken by Corynus god forbid that Dorestus should sit in his fathers seate went presently to the criminall iudge of the citie charginge him in the behalfe of the younge prince Dorestus to apprehend both Corynus Martianus and Castus and to see them brought to the court as traitors where he himselfe would be ready to auouch against them treson to the king slaunder to his courte and infamie to his whole gouernment this saide without any longer stay he tooke his iorney towardes the prince with greate expedition intending to aggrauate the matter as much as might be the rather to win himselfe reputation in performing soe notable a peece of seruice as he supposed this would fall out to be the maiestrates vnderstanding Gloriosus to be a courtier hearing his words to importe a matter of treson and as it was thought the king being so long missing was brought to some casualtie by the practise of treson accompanied therefore with some conuenient number he came to the Inne where he arested the foresaid three of treason and although the apprehension in this manner was some amasement to their mindes yet it was most strange to Corynus to be thus taken for a traytor to the king but after that he had a while deliberated what mighte be the matter hee requested the Offycer to let him vnderstande whether it were by direction information or what other instruction he had thus to apprehende them the other aunsweared sir you shall finde mine owne authority suffycient to arrest a traytor for the rest what there is farther to charge you withall you shall vnderstand at your comming to the younge Prince Dorestus before whome I mind presently to bring you and hauing a suffycient company to guard them forwards they go the prisoners euery one comforting himself knowing his own cōscience to be clere Brusanus that had giuen good héede to euery accidente and perceiuing by the former circumstances that Corynus Martianus and Castus were méere strangers the one to the other thought it therfore impossible that there should be any compact of treason betweene them and hauinge a speciall likinge to Corynus desirous to see what might fal out against him he followed him who when he had ouertaken he proffered any courtesy wherein a stranger might stéede him whether with his traueil or his purse they were both at his commaundemente Corynus againe in as greate a league of likinge towardes Brusanus and desirous to do him some honor before he should leaue the country requested him to accept of a prisoners thankes and that he woulde not leaue his company till it was determined what should become of him to which request Brusanus very willingly agréed vnto they traueil so long that they come to the courte where Gloriosus was attending and had quickely certified the Prince of their arriuall who commaunded that the prisoners should be safely kept vntill the next morninge when himselfe would be ready to heare their cause The twelfth Chapter Dorestus sitteth in iudgement Gloriosus accuseth Castus THe next day hee beeing accompanied with the nobles that were in the court came into the common place of Iustice vsually called by the name of The house of reformation This house of reformation was a very large roome wher the kings of Epirus in the auncient time were accustomed personally to sit at the least thrée times euery wéeke to heare suters and to dispatch all manner of causes and controuersies that were betwéene their subiectes and to minister Iustice to as many as were to demaund it and in this house of reformation it was euer accustomed that if there wer many suters the complaints of the poore were euer heard before the requestes of the rich The Prince being come to this place after that hee had geuen reuerence to the throne of maiesty wherin his father had bene accustomed to sit then sitting himselfe downe in the next seat the noblemen likewise euery one takinge his place the prisoners were brought to the bar where Gloriosus was likewise ready to informe but before they did procéede to the hearing of the matter the younge Prince deliuered these wordes They make themselues guilty of great iniustice who béeing appointed of God to persecute the wicked with the swoorde drawne will yet keepe their handes cleane from bloude whereas the wicked in the meane time commits all manner of sin and that vncontrouled and it is no lesse cruelty to punishe no
to his person I will not tell you heere into what a pelting chafe Gloriosus was driuen into vpon these speaches I pray you imagin that he was wonderfully angry and kept such a stur vpon the matter that there was no rule with him till in the end the prince himselfe willed him to holde his peace like a foole Wel quoth Gloriosus sith your Grace speakes so gently vnto mee I am contented at your intreatie to bear with the matter otherwise I protest by Iupiter himselfe he goes not vpon two legs if he beare the name of a souldier but I would haue made him to haue repented this presumption nine hundred yeares hence The fifteenth Chapter Gloriosus accuseth Corynus of treason against Dorestus the circumstances wherof are briefly laid open by Brusanus AFter the gentleman had bene in this sort qualified he was willed to infourme what hee had against Corynus and in this wise hee beganne to tell his tale Your Grace hath alreadye heard by that is past howe infamous the first hath beene vnto the Countrey Magistrate The second hath not feared to slander the court but this third in plain tearmes hath presumed to touch your owne person The circumstances are but short and thus followeth the wordes God forbid that Dorestus should sit in his fathers seat the sence is plaine and I will once againe repeat the wordes God forbid that Dorestus should sit in his fathers seat Let mee see now what glose can they set to this text what ifs or ands can they patch to these speaches to alter the sence from high Treason The whole company that stood by beganne altogether to crie treason treason treason but silence being commaunded Corynus was willed to speake for himselfe who in this sort aunswered Prince Dorestus Sophocles the Tragedian being accused before the magistrates of dotage repeated vnto them his Tragedy of Oedipus Coloneus which at that instant he had made so that his accusers confounded in their owne ouerwéening departed with a shameful repulse So I am likewise accused of treason and I am willed to make mine answere see héere worthy Prince this wrinckled face which many yeares hath withered should betoken staidnes beholde these hoarie hairs whose color time hath changed should cary some experience and although by experience I could answer in other circumstances yet I hope this shal aswel find grace to cléer me of treason as the Tragedy of Sophocles to acquite him of dotage This answere séemed confused to the multitude but the prince Dorestus who had marked the graue aspectes of this antient man Corynus gathered a further meaning of his wordes then the rest could wel conceiue and whether it were by som secret instincte of nature or what other motion it was that moued him he fell into a most affection at liking of Corynus but Brusanus that had stand by all this while pressing forth said as followeth Let not a strangers presumption breed offence worthy prince Dorestus that opposseth himselfe vncald for to testifie a truth and although the matter that I pretende might craue long discourse aduised purpose and seemely conueyaunce yet the rare vertues which I see to accompany your calling the singuler iustice that I sée to carry your procéedinges shall make me be the lesse tedious My selfe noble prince being led with delight to behold strange Cities to discouer vnknown places to better mine own experience haue left my natiue country and betaken my selfe to pretenced trauell and bycause I will leaue nothing which the necessity of the cause inforceth me to open though peraduenture in a curtous conceit my wordes might smel of flattery true it is that the renowne I haue hard of this country of Epirus the wisdome of the Prince that gouerned it the wise men that inhabite it the true Iustice that ruleth it though one of them were sufficient to moue admiration yet the most of them haue directed my trauell into this country and bendinge my iourney towardes this place by the way I ouertooke this merchant Corynus After salutations passed betweene vs wee had not rid far but wee were likewise ouertaken by this Gloriosus what speaches past between vs bicause they are neither fitting to our purpose nor necessary for the place I will therefore omit them but on we rid all together to the Citie of Vtica where determining to rest our selues in our lodging we met these other two Martianus and Castus Martianus being new come from the court as himselfe reported was the first that gaue vs to vnderstand of the king your fathers missing Castus on the other side was traueling towardes the court and as it should seeme to seeke for iustice but now discouraged by these late newes Martianus againe relating his cause as euen nowe before this presence concluded likewise his little hope to attaine recompence for longs seruice marke nowe vertuous prince for heere is the point of all this treason Corynus that had ouer hard all comforted the poore man in these speeches It were pitie my frend said Corynus that good desert should goe vnrewarded and god forbid that Dorestus should sit in his fathers seat and neglect his fathers vertues I could farther enlearg touching the premisses but what should I néed when I finde your owne vertue worthy Prince more sufficient to consider of euery necessary circumstance then mine own little skill is able to deliuer it The sixteenth Chapter Brusanus is discouered to be the Prince of Hungaria a combination of freendship betweene Dorestus and him IN this meane time that Brusanus was thus discoursinge a gentleman in the company that sometimes had beene in the courte of Hungaria whisperinge in the Princes eare assured him that the party which presented that spéech was Brusanus the onely sonne of Myletto king of Hungaria the which when Dorestus vnderstood taking the better suruay of the man and listening more attentiuely to his spéeches although hee were wonderfully delighted with his woordes yet hee was a greate deale better pleased with his personage and hauinge finished his tale Dorestus requested Brusanus to tell his name and what countreyman he was Brusanus aunsweared sir I was borne in Hungaria a gentleman by birth and by name Brusanus It is not vnlikely quoth Dorestus that Brusanus the Prince of Hungaria should be any lesse then a gentleman and if there be no other occasion then I can imagine Brusanus can be no lesse then welcome to Dorestus Brusanus séeing himselfe to be thus discouered briefly made aunsweare and Brusanus desireth no greater contentment then to be an assured frend to Dorestus Dorestus then arisinge from his seate and incountring with Brusanus saide and in token of perpetuall amitye with Brusanus Dorestus heere giueth his hande and biddeth Brusanus most hartely welcome the one of them then imbracinge the other with more then ordinary affection the whole company wer delighted to sée the courteous demeanure of these two gallant yong Princes but aboue the rest Corynus especially reioyced at the sighte
for knowinge now that Brusanus was the Prince of Hungaria commended him in his imagination to be the most rare and towardly young Prince that liued The seauenteenth Chapter Dorestus procedeth to iudgement he maketh choyce of Corinus to direct him in his counsayles AFter the two Princes had one the other thus entertained Dorestus willing a seat to be prepared caused Brusanus to sit downe next vnto himselfe and being thus setteled Dorestus mindinge to procéede in iustice deliuered these woordes The Office of a good Prince is to defende the common wealth to helpe the innocent to aide the simple to correct the offender to relieue the poore to honour the vertuous to punishe the vitious to bridell the ambitious and by iustice to geue euery one his owne and common wealthes are not lost for that Princes liue in pleasure but because they haue no care of iustice neither do people murmure when the Prince doth recreate his person but when he is slacke to redresse wrongs O that princes did know what it were to take charge of a kingdome hee should find that to be iust in himselfe were honour to his person but to minister iustice is profite to the whole common-wealth it is not therefore inough for him to be vertuous in his owne person but he is also bound to root al vices from amongst his people But what profite is it for a prince himselfe to bee honest and those that should administer iustice vnder him to be dissolute For a prince to bee true and his officers false for a prince to be gentle and his officers cruell And hath it not ben often knowen that where the prince himselfe hath bene carefull those that he hath put most in trust haue bene negligent I will for a time dissemble some thinge of mine owne knowledge when we shall néede no other president at this time then the complainte of this poore man Castus in redresse of whose cause I do héere decrée that Orlando shall spéedily restore him againe to his house and orchard and for the annuall rente that was concluded on betwéene them he shall restore it him foure fold and that for so many yeares as are behinde I doe further ordaine that the Lawyers which haue taken his money and not ending his cause shall repay it double the magistrate likewise that denied him iustice I doe heere discharge him from bearing office and for the small regarde that hee hath had to the complaint of the poore I doe ceaze him at fiue hundred pound fine to bee distributed to the reliefe of the poore For thee Martianus that hast serued so long a souldier it is not requisite that the vertue of valiancy should goe vnrewarded for good souldiers must be cherished and in respect of thy long seruice and to comfort thee now in thy latter yeares I doe héere bestow vpon thee three hundred crowns that shall presently be paid vnto thee and I doe further giue thee a pension of three hundred crownes by the yeare to bee paid vnto thee during thy naturall life Corynus I doe heere acquite thee of treason thy wordes rather proceeding of honest affection but if thou hast committed a fault it touched but my selfe and good Princes ought not so much to reuenge their own iniuries as to defend those that are iniuried Hee should pardon wrongs that are done to his own person but reuenge the least ill that is committed against the Common-wealth and for mine owne part since I came to the state of discretion I haue euer had two things before mine eies which is not to reuenge with rigour vpon mine enemies nor to bee vnthankfull to my friends and as it becommeth a good Prince to haue more regard to the benefit of his Countrey then to the delights of his person yet for that they are often times negligent in manie things not so much for that they haue no desire to fore-see as because there are none that dare warne them I will that from hence forward thou be attendant about me my selfe allowing thee a sufficient stipend for thy maintenaunce thy office shall be to giue me counsaile in all my affaires and to aduertise me of such faults and imperfections as thou shalt see to appeare in me and if thou shalt see me to neglect my fathers proceedings I will that thou shalt reprooue me and although there be many others by whome I am counsailed by yet amongest them all I reserue my selfe to be familiar with thee hoping by thy graue lookes that thou wilt not aduise mee in any thing that shall not redound aswell to my honour as to my profite The whole company did wonderfully commend this censure of the prince some noting his iustice some his curtesie some his liberality others his clemency but Corynus in this manner addressed his spéech As your Graces authority to commaund is full of vertue wisedome and granity so it belongs to me to obay with diligence trueth and fidelity estéeming it much to my reputation to bee commaunded by your Grace in whose procéedings there is so great a testimony of vertue and because to princes and great Lords wée must minister our reasons by weight and giue our words by mesure yet because your wisdome deemeth it so reasonable to be aduertised I beséech you turne not that to presumption that I shall present by duty and office and if my wordes shall derogate in any thing from your honour let my profession suffer indignity by which I hold the countenance of my reputation and so I will wade no further in protestation because great offers are oftener performed in words than déeds The eighteenth Chapter Dorestus seeketh to deferre his establishmente in the kingdome Corynus aduiseth him not to refuse it THese premises thus concluded euerye man remained satisfied Dorestus himselfe excepted whose minde was still molested with the memorie of his father and whose spirites were dayly troubled with this that now insueth You haue partly heard that when Leonarchus was missing from the court and that after all meanes of inquiry had béene made after him and could not yet be heard of it was desired by a generall requeste that Dorestus according to his right shoulde presently be crowned king and although at that very instant it was deferred by Dorestus yet by their generall importunitie he consented within fiftéene daies to satisfie their desires to the which request he the rather graunted for that hee hoped in the meane time to heare some newes of his father thirtéene of the fiftéene daies are exspired Dorestus to giue a longer time vseth these wordes O what trust may be hoped for in this flattering worlde whose custome is with a little gold to mixe a greate deale of drosse vnder a resemblance of trueth it leades into many deceites and to ouer fewe and short delightes it ioynes infinite griefes and displeasures to whome it showes most fauoure in him is most perril and destruction and the alurements of the world are but baites to beguile such as
bite at them when princes them selues are so farre deceiued for where they are thought to haue open liberty they are kept in secrete prison when it is thoughte they haue al things alas they haue nothing when they ar thought in greatest safetie then are they sonest assaulted with perill so that truly we may bouldly say that he alone that is shut in the graue is in safegarde from the vnconstancy of fortune consider I beseche you my cause of griefe and if you shal find my complaintes to be more then ordinarie you shall see the occasion to be no lesse then extreame but haue your selues forgotten whome you haue lost remember remember Leonarchus your king what he was towardes you how mercifully he gouerned you how fatherly he loued you how carefully he preserued you and how cherely he cherished you and woulde you now with such speede establishe an other in his place till it bee assuredly knowen what is become of himselfe O god forbid that either you should be so vngratfull or that Dorestus should be so vnnaturall and if you should thus forget your Prince it might be thought you were more in loue with his fortune then with himselfe and a small showe of hearty good will whome you séemed so much to honour in his presence that you shoulde so sodainely forget in his absence But if euer you loued your Prince now publishe your gratfulnesse that it may bee séene to the worlde and leaue off to make further request in a matter that so much concerneth your owne reproch my dishonor Corynus who onely adressed himselfe to answere said as followeth Although it might be deemed a signe of little wit and great folly for a man to answere sudainely to euery proposition yet for as much as it hath pleased your grace to admit me to speake and remembring with what deuotion you requested me to doe it I am bound in like affection with all humility to obay you It is not vnknowne vnto vs the cause you haue of griefe but if you may lament the losse of a louing father we haue no lesse reason to sorrowe for the want of a gratious soueraigne yet seeing the chaunces of mortall creatures do shewe that all men are subiect to the lawe of nature and fortune and albeit there is no doubt but that your father might be a worthy prince and there with al replenished with euery condition appertaining to the vertue and condition of a king yet since in his creation he brought with him a subiection to worldly casualtyes I thinke your wisedome is too much to make that greuous to you which nature ordaineth common to all when there is nothing happened to your father otherwise then god hath determined who no sooner had created his body but he both directed the course of his life and ordained the time of his death for god hauing made all mortall things hath authority to dispose them euen with the same power wherewith hee hath created them reseruing onely to himselfe imortality so that we must confesse that all thinges are guided and gourned by the prouidence of god who knoweth and ordereth casuall thinges necessaryly and although in your father there was fully filled the patterne of a good prince you can not in better sort expresse your zeale then to suffer god to haue his will without grudge let my wordes therefore but intimate thus much that as you cannot recall againe those that be absent so you must not bee carelesse of those that be present and as no man is bound to those that are dead yet euery man must giue succours to them that are aliue you are left heere the right inheritour to the crowne of Epirus and by no other meanes then god himselfe hath appointed refuse not then Dorestus that intercession of thy subiectes which is so much desired for their comfortes and thine honour The nineteenth Chapter Dorestus what he replied Corynus the merchant is become Leonarchus the king the ioy that was made for his recouery DOrestus that was little stirred in the winding vppe of this discourse briefly made this answere dost thou call it honour Corynus to put my father from his crowne he is vnworthy to haue honour that by infamous meanes will seeke after it and the child that will vniustly take his fathers honor ought to loose his life but if thou hadest so great regard to those vaine prehemineces or honorable dignities lookd after by ambitious mindes o how much shouldest thou haue respected mine honesty which is the very first step indeed to win honour and without the which wee can attaine to no better then vaine glory which is but a false shadowe of true vertue the liberty I gaue thée to speake contained things indifferent neither vnmete to be required nor worthy to be denaid perswading altogether to beare more respecte to my frendshipe then remembraunce to my calling the which sith thou hast neglected I doe once againe admonish thee heereafter to be more circumspect and as thou tenderest my good will to be better aduised what thou speakest Corynus immediately answered thus Well Dorestus if Leonarchus hath left thée a sorrowfull sonne thou hast made Leonarchus a most ioyfull father then sitting himselfe downe in the seat of maiestie he further said it were but in vaine longer to conceale that the knowledge whereof I perceiue would turne to so great comfort Sée héere Dorestus the instabilitie of fortune I was euen now a prisoner then a Counsailer nowe a king and all at an instaunt Dorestus who by this time had taken a better surnay of this counterfeit marchaunt and hauing nowe gathered assured knowledge who it was falling down on both his knées before him he cried aloud God saue Leonarchus my most redoubted king and father The rest of the Nobility with the whole assembly there present altogether cried out God saue the king God saue the king Doe you not thinke this sodaine alteration bred as great admiration yes I can assure you and it likewise broght with it no lesse contentation for euery man reioyced in the recouery againe of their good king but Brusanus both wondred and triumphed in his owne imagination to sée the accident how strangly it fell out Gloriosus amongest the rest séeing the marchant whome hee had accused of treason sitting vnder the cloath of estate and remembring otherwise howe hée had handled him in speeches was halfe out of loue with his owne wit but after a conuenient pause that silence was commaunded the king in this wise beganne to discourse The twentith Chapter Leonarchus discourseth what experience he hath gathered in his late traueiles and first of the infections of his owne Court AS it is the nature of vice to put on a vizard to disguise and couer it selfe with those shewes that belong only vnto vertue and being thus clothed with the helpe of corruptible pleasures it yoaketh base minded men whose care is 〈…〉 set vpon the desire of earthly thinges which it presenteth before their
mistris the other of griefe to heare these wordes of Brusanus after he had a while chafed to himselfe he mildly made this answere It is pitie Brusanus that wit should be no better imploied then in the contempt of beautie the dispraise of loue the dispite of women and in the disparagement of their honours but I cannot so lightly bee induced to mislike of that sex of whome I was borne of whome I receiued life by whome I haue bin nursed and charely brought vppe and wemen are framed of nature with as great perfections of the mind for the exercise of vertue as men but what soeuer fall out I am fully resolued in my selfe either to win the spurres or loose the horse to haue the blossome or loose the frute to inioy the beautie of Moderna or to ieoperd my best ioynt and therefore what so euer the learninge willes I will consent to nature what so euer the lawes of philosophy perswades me I will at this time giue the raines of liberty to my amorous passions and what so euer be the chaunce I will cast at all God send you good fortune said Brusanus but I feare me it will neuer be in loue By this time the yoonge Prince Antipholus was come to the chamber dore calling both Brusanus and Dorestus to walke out and to vse some exercise vntill it were supper time to the which Brusanus willingly agreed but Dorestus framing a slight excuse remained still in his chamber being thus alone he recalled to his mind the seuerall spéeches past betweene Brusanus and himselfe and now hauing better leasure to consider of euery circumstaunce resolued not so slightly to let passe the reasons of Brusanus but like a champion in the defence of women takeing pene incke and paper thus he writeth The fifth Chapter Dorestus Prince of Epirus to Brusanus the professed enimy to loue and beauty THe phylosophers Brusanus amongst their preseptes of good counsailes were accustomed very bitterly to reprehend the bouldnes of the tongue this well considered were sufficient to condemne your bitter inuectiues seeking to bereue vs of that comfort without the which the depopulation of the world would followe you dispraise women who at the first were created by the almighty himselfe to be a helper vnto man doth it not then followe that as the creator is more worthy they y e things created thā the helper should in like manner be of greater moment then the matter holpen The better to confirme our argument and to proue women the more perfet creature let vs consider of the substaunce whereof she was created It cannot be denaid but mettal the oftner it is fined the purer it is made then is it not as certaine that man being framed of the dust of the earth was yet made good that woman being drawne from metall thus alreadie purified should be a great deale the better heere is nowe to be considered the goodnes of the creator that hauing framed a paterne of such perfection would cuple her as a companion to vnthankefull man whose proud nature not able to brooke equality hath euen from that time vntill this very instant sought to raigne ouer wemen with an vsurped prerogatiue and to eclips their vertues with slaunderous and false reportes it might haue pleased god euen then to haue cupled man to a lion to a tiger to a serpent or some other such but he linked him to a womā he gaue man a woman to be a comfort vnto him to the intent therefore and the rather that man should bee induced to their imbracementes hath not nature adorned them with perfection of beautie delicacy of bodye excelency of wit and such sweetnes in al their demeanures that men of any iudgement and able to discerne of suche inestimable riches doe they not whet their wittes their willes their tongues and all their whole inuentions howe to comprehend their fauour and to insinuate themselues into their grace yea they doe adde increase of courage to men of little hardines making them to be more valiaunt and venturous in armes to bee briefe they are the very pictures of comelines the vesseles of sobriety the ornaments of beautie and the very images of continency modesty vertue whose natural property in any iniury done them is either to excuse or to pardon and heere making a sparing conclusion of their vnspeakable commendations let me perswade thée Brusanus to leaue thy misdéeming of so pretious a treasure for whom we are borne not for our selues by whome we are againe reuiued in our posterity not of our selues Dorestus hauing finished this discourse sealing it vppe in the manner of a Letter sent it the next day to Brusanus who perusing the contents and hauing with Euripides proclaimed himselfe an open enemy to woman-kinde hee determined to stand fast by his takling and to send Dorestus such an answer as he should not easily be able to auoyd and beeing thus rather fraught with coller then furnished with good matter hee betooke himselfe to his penne where wee will leaue him for a while and speake of other matters The sixt Chapter Dorestus bewraieth his loue to Moderna she vtterly refuseth he vnfoldeth his pretence to the king her father who granteth to giue him Moderna for his wife DOrestus that was now at leasure to cast about to bring his purpose to a desired successe and wading betweene small hopes and huge dispaires yet remembring that nothing could be atchiued that was neuer attempted hee determined to giue the on set and finding Moderna in a place conuenient nesling himselfe so néere her as he might to whome speaking in looks for as yet his tongue was not come to a through boldnes and yet by the many seruices he proffered her she might well perceiue that although he wanted power yet hee wanted no will to please her thus determining to present his sute when hee came to the point feare of offence and dread of deniall disappointed his purpose that hee remained mute but at the last perceiuing delay bred daunger houering betweene hope and feare finding his mistres at so good conuenience hee began in this maner to display to Moderna the store-house of his deadlie desires My extreame affection most worthy Princesse Moderna will either breake out in words or breake my hart with silence but it hath at the last inforced mee to appeale vnto your curtesie as the onely medicine that may cure my intollerable sicknes nay incurable I may well call it for vnlesse the fruitfull shewes of your mercy do mittigate the fire of my fancie the drops of your princely fauor quench y e flame of my affection and the guerdon of your good will giue a soueraigne plaister for my secret sore I am like to continue in endles miserie Sith then my care proceedeth from your beauty let my sore bee cured by your bountie sith the perfection of your person hath wrought my bale let the effect of your curtesie procure my blisse and reiect
him not with rigour that respecteth you with reuerence loath him not with hate that loueth you in heart it is your beauty that hath depriued me of liberty and it is your bountie that must redeeme me from captiuitie and if my rashnes bee a fault in presuming thus to trouble you let your beautie beare the blame which is the spurre to mine enterprize Moderna that had vowed her selfe to another saint hearing a fresh assault giuen to her heart which was already conquered thought it not good for his stomacke to giue him a surfeit of too much fauour answered thus Sir as I can perceiue your sicknes threatneth no danger of death and if it bee but a loue matter the fit wil soone be past but alasse your conueiance was nothing cleanly if you had not the out-side of loue to couer your in-side of lust but bee it loue or bee it lust Dorestus take this for an answere I haue vowed virginity I mean to liue chast cease then to craue that cannot be gotten seek not for vnpossibilities you say my beauty was the spurre to your enterprise let my words then make you desire to leaue of your sute I will not féed you with delaies nor entertaine you with faire wordes and foule deedes but speake as I thinke and so you shall finde it and what soeuer you shall reply my defence shall be to beleeue nothing but yet least you should thinke mée too much vnthankefull though I cannot inwardly mittigate your miserye I will yet teach you an outwarde plaister the which being applied you shall find a great vertue to asswage the heat of that loue which you say is so pesterous and troublesome vnto you and thus followeth the medicine Take two ounces of the sound of a bell when it is roong for a mans soule that died for loue as much of the neighing of a horse that hath brought his Maister from Dunmo with a Flitche of Bacon then take the parings of any mans nailes that is ful foure and twentie yeares olde and neuer flattered woman grinde these to fine pouder in a winde-mill that stands in the bottome of a Fish-poole then take halfe a pinte of the water that is wiped from a mans eies at the buriall of his wife put to a handfull of a Louers protestations made to his Lady without dissimulation boyle all these together vpon a few coales then straine it through the lining of any mans gowne that hath beene married full out a yeare and neuer quarrelled with his wife put to but one dram of good conscience drawne from him that maried his wife more for loue of her vertue then for the lucre of her dowrie vse this plaister wise laid warme to your left héel at night when you go to bed and my life for yours it shal both bring you into quiet sleepe and rid you of this incumbraunce that doth so trouble your head with loue Dorestus to whom euery sillable shee pronounced was a thunder-bolt againe answered Alasse let not certaine immaginatiue rules whose truth standeth but on opinion keep back your pitie and mercy O Moderna for thin own vertues sake let not my miseries be quited with disdaine I plainely lay my death before you yea the death of him that loues you the death of him whose life you may saue O tread not of a soule that submits it selfe at your feete let not your noble heart put a doubt till occasion be offered mistrust not him whome you shall neuer find haulting If there hath bene a trothlesse Iason yet there was found a trusty Troylus and as there hath bene a dissembling Damocles was there not yet a loyall Lelius sith then my safelye onelye consistes in your mercye I humbly beseche you to take pitie vpon him who is either to be made happy or haplesse as it shall please you to awarde Moderna not longer able to tarrye the hearinge of more wordes arose from her seate and gaue him this for a farewell Dorestus to make you happye withe myne owne mishappe I neither canne nor will to loue him whome I cannot like were but to wrest against my selfe to flatter him whome I meane not to fancy is but a tricke of extreame folly no Dorestus it is not possible to perswade me to enter league with fancy that am a foe to affection or to followe Venus that am vowed to Diana I meane not to loue least I liue by the losse and she that is frée and will be fettered is a foole thus Dorestus you know my minde and so farewell and away she goes leauing Dorestus at his meditations who seeing the manner of Moderna was driuen to vse patience perforce thinking her sharpe aunswere very hard to be disgested but after he had a while paused on the matter he burst out into these speeches But by the sweet Dorestus how shouldest thou know the sower but by the blacke how shouldest thou know the white hee neuer acompteth of prosperitie which hath not béene before pinched with aduersitie which perchance Moderna meanes to make me trie by experience thinking to féede me with bitter broathes minding heere-after to giue me a Cullice of better comforte first to daunte me with the ranging stormes of deniall that the calme of her consent may the more contente me to make me taste the bitter pilles of annoy here-after to diet me with confections of swéeter ioy for the chilling colde of winter makes the springe time séeme more pleasante soe the frowning lookes of Moderna will make her smiling countenance séeme more chéerefull then cease not Dorestus to persue thy sute with endlesse paine either to inioy her curtisie or tast of her crewelty to thy great happines or extreame heauines Dorestus being setled in his determination thought it conuenient for his better spéede to breake the matter to the king her father and to craue his consent and furtherance in the cause hoping that if he could win him he should find Moderna the more tractable and thinking it not for the best to make long delay he determined in the morning to put in practise his pretence and going to bed thinking to take his rest for that night he was no soner laide downe but the picture of his beloued presented it selfe to his imagination then calling againe to his remembraunce her crabbed aunsweres and her flat deniall to loue the hight of all ougly sorrowes did soe horribly appeare before his amased minde that he could take no rest then began hee in this manner to complaine O loue doest thou not thinke the day torment sufficient but thou dost enuy me in the nightes quiet wilte thou giue my sorrowes no truce and Moderna is thy beautie vtterly voide of pitie doest thou disdaine to helpe his ague whose Cotidian fit is conuerted to a frenzy alas loue wanting desire maketh the minde desperat and fixed fancy bereaued of loue turneth into furye the loyoll loue I beare to Moderna and the loathsome feare of her ingratitude the depe desire which
inforceth my hope and the deadly dispaire which infringeth my happe soe trauelleth my minde with contrarie cogitations that death were thrice more welcome then thus to linger in dispairing hope ceassing further speches he lay al the rest of the might tumbling and tossing without any manner of sléepe in the morning very early making him selfe ready and finding the king walking in a pleasant garden which vsually he was wonted to do he vnfoulded to the king the loue that he bare to his daughter Moderna humbly beseching his furtherance in his sute proffering so larg conditions as pleased the king so well that he not onely promised his owne good-will but also assured him to win Moderna to consent The seuenth Chapter Dorestus triumpheth before the victorie the King perswadeth his daughter to take Dorestus for hir husband she cunningly dissembleth with the King her father DOrestus receiuing these ioyfull newes began in this manner to triumphe what greater prosperitie quoth he can happen vnto any earthly wight then if he be crossed with care to finde a medicine to cure his calamitie then if he be pinched with paine to get a plaster for his passion if hee be drenched in distresse to finde a meanes to mittigate his miserie which I sée by proofe performed in my selfe these comfortable speeches hauing now salued my forepassed sorrowes those honye sweete wordes haue now so healed my wounds that where before I was plagued in perplexitie I am now placed in felicity wherbefore I was opressed with car I am now refreshed with comforte O friendly fortune if from henceforth thou furiously frown vpon me if thou daunt me with disaster mishap this thy friendly curtesie shal be sufficient to counteruaill al future enormity In this maner Dorestus reioyced to himselfe I wil not say triumphed before the victorie the sequel will manifest y t to him that he is desirous to vnderstand The king that was especially well pleased to make Dorestus his sonne in law and willing to let slip no time the very same day after dinner sent for his daughter Moderna into his owne chamber to whome he vsed these wordes Moderna as I haue beene carefull to bring thee vp a virgine so I am desirous to make thée a wife for as I know there is nothing more commendable then virginitie so I am not ignorant that there is nothing more honorable then matrimonie for if virginitie be pleasing to one mariage is profitable to many and as I haue vsed these speeches to perswade thee to marriage so I would haue him that should match with thee to be such a one in whose societie thou shouldest not count mariage a bondage but a fréedome not a knot of restraint but a bond of liberty one whome thou shouldest like for his beauty and loue for his vertue To come then from the generall to a perticuler it is Dorestus which I wish to be thy husband and thou to be his wife nay Dorestus is the man that I am determined shall be thy husband a Prince worthy to bee beloued and the gemme which is gallant in colour and perfect in vertue is the more pretious the hearbe which hath a faire barke and a sweet sap is the rather to be estéemed Thus thou knowest my minde Moderna and the onely care that I nowe haue is to sée thée married before I die and thou waxe old Moderna was driuen into such a maze with this sodaine motion of her father as she knew not what aunswere to shape for shee ment nothing lesse thē to yéeld to his request hauing vowed in her conceit as before you haue heard And to make deniall shee thought would either incurre displeasure or mooue superstition but her father listening what she would say she thought in this manner to haue stopt his mouth and thus she answered Most soueraigne Prince and gratious father as I know there is no greater bond then dutie nor no straiter law then nature for disobedience in youth is often galled with dispight in age the commaundement of the father ought to bee a constraint to the child for parents wils are lawes so they passe not al lawes but this dooth especially make me to muse that in my tender yeares my infancy beeing not able to receiue your father lie counsaile your grace then preferred virginitie as the onely ornament wherewith to adorne me and now in my riper yeares would you disswade me from that whereunto your selfe hath already setled my mind pardon me sir I beseech you and giue me leaue to continue this state which I now holde as the onely thing that I account deere and precious vnto mee for although as you say marriage bee honourable yet it is a thing that commeth by course whereas virginitie is no lesse admirable and is a precious iewell giuen vs by grace To loue is the onely thing that I doe hate and I hope the fatherly care you tooke in my youth to bring me vp in vertue shall bee still continued finding mee addicted to the same Moderna answered the king what-soeuer perswasion I vsed in thine infancye I know they were such as fitting for thy yeares but thou art yet yong and I am olde and age hath taught me that which thy youth cannot conceiue thy youth warneth me to preuent the worst and mine age to prouide the best actions measured betime are seldome bitten with repentance I confesse virginitie to be good but marriage is necessary yéelde then to thy fathers perswasions which maye preuent thy perrils I haue chosen thee a husband faire by nature royall by birth famous by vertue learned by education Dorestus by name he I say the Prince of Epirus it is hee and no other that I haue determined shall bee thy husband settle thy selfe therefore to like of thy fathers choyce who knoweth best what is fit for thee thus leauing his daughter for the time who departing into her own chamber where this newe occurant gaue her freshe occasion thus to reuiue her former lamentations O vertue either I haue hither too had but a shadowe of thee or thou thy selfe art but a shadow but seeke Moderna seeke to asswage this flame and to quench this fire which as it commeth without cause so it wil consume without reason if thou wilt thus giue the rains of thy libertie to thy franticke affections medicine will come to late when the disease will grow incurable but can I deny what the destinies haue decreed is it in my power to peruert that which the Planets haue placed or to resist that which the starres haue ordained what need I vse so many words I am not the first neither shall I bee the last that haue beene thus wroong with this fit of frenzie thy father would be contented thou couldest loue and thou therefore discontented because thou doost loue I but thy father would haue thee so to loue Dorestus the Prince of Epirus I but thou art in loue with Brusanus the Prince of Hungaria Why then thou
is further affirmed that the first degree of chastity is pure virginity the second honest matrimony so that marriage hath heere but a second place now by this wee may conclude that marriage was ordained but as a meane or medicine wherewith to allay our fleshly lusts and like as in all other our naturall infirmities when they oppresse vs we by and by seeke the Phisition who to purge the humour ministreth vnto vs but an Apothecaries drugge the which by artificiall meanes may well bee made pleasant in the receipt but in operation and woorking it so distempereth euery part of our body as we shall neuer finde rest nor quiet so long as there is any parcell of it remaining within vs so hee that is infected with the sicknes of loathsome lust he may wel seeke Phisicke that is he may take a wife to allay the rage of his fleshly desires but he shall find her but an Apothecaries drugge for though she seeme pleasant in the first receit yet in the winding vp she prooueth a continuall torment and his hastye attempt is euer rewarded with a gnawing repentance Marriage is tearmed by the name of a yoake by other-some it is called a bondage and mee thinkes that these very names might perswade vs that there is no great felicity to be sought for in his fruite I can most fitly compare louers to hunters that likes better of the sporte then they doe of the game it selfe when they haue it or like him that would needs goe a fishing though hee caught but a frogge and my louer in the time of his wooing thinkes there is no greater blisse but hauing once attained the height of his desire his affections straight begins to decline Thus you may perceiue that in mariages there is not such swéet but it is sauced with too much sowre in loue such gouernment which sauoureth not of follie nor in affection suche fore-sight which is not repented with great heart-breake O foolish therefore that will suffer themselues to bee conquered by a woman whome God at the first created but as an instrument to mans necessity But it is their beauty that be witcheth vs for with a pearce of their ein there is harboured such power that with the nature of the Basilike they so inuenome euerye part of vs that no art will serue to purge it Truely the folly of affection is woonderfull yet are the errours of beauty more admirable when of herselfe shee is but a painted sepulchre and in her actions the diminisher of all naturall and morall reason we praise beautie what more vading we honour beautie what more corrupt wee sorrowe for beauty what more foolishe In greene grasse you shall finde biting serpents in glorious sepulchers rotten bones in paineted pots deadly poyson in faire wemen false hearts Their immodest boldnes many times makes them aduenture of that which is both expresly forbidden them and also is most loathsome and contrary vnto nature as Myrrha to fall in loue with her father Phedra with her sonne Biblis with her brother Pasiphe with a Bul. The matrons of Rome in the time of Papirus pretēding to haue two husbands did manifestly bewray their mordinate lust and is it not as likely that those dames incroching further liberty might haue sought for a third and so for as many as they had list but Dorestus if wemen were so vertuous as you would make them their vanity would be lesse in attire and themselues not so popin-iae-like in their conuersation their golden Calles would bee set a side which are more curious then comely mor precious then necessary vnlesse with the olde superstition wee should decke an artificiall Idoll to draw the world to a vaine worshipping their curling of haire so deuided and laid into lockes that it seemeth to cary precepts and propositions of Art their maskes and vailes for their faces that leads men in imagination of greater beautie then indeede there is yea to what other purpose are their Courtisans fannes their huge Verdingals with infinite other vanities but onely to please men and in pleasing of them to be desired of them but would you know the very misteries of these alluring curiosities they serue indeede for instrumentes to plead for that by shew which they would bee glad to speake for with thier tongue but for sooth they must doe all thinges with modestie They would be seene to haue many seruants to sue vnto them for that in their owne fancy is the cheefest testimonie of their beautye and they haue cunning to imbrace euerye one with a perticuler affection and that with such slight as the wisest shall be lead in hope of their good wils They haue with the Iugler chaunge of entertainement for euery company to perswade one with speach to court an other with lookes to be familiar with a third by signs to allure a fourth by false trains of cloaked honesty feeding them all with vncertaine hope and him shee makes the Asse to beare the burthen that beares her most affection One shall be her seruant and he must weare her colour a second her partner and weare her garter a third her Louer and possesse vnchast bed-pleasures and though the two first bee as lauashe of their expences as the rest yet they must be content to holde the candle while the third is offering to our Lady They loue aboue all things to bee solicited with great importunity accounting him for a meacocke that wil be repulsed with a first deniall affirming that a woman must say nay and take it and yet the more she seeth you plagued in passion for her the lesse careful is she of your countenaunce but the more you grow cold in your loue the greater increaseth y e heat of her affections like a disease whose cure comes by contrarie medicin such is y e violence of their spite that with y e Salimander they seem to haue a felicity in the torment of the pore fools that serues them whose presence they feede with a flattering hope and in his absence they make a scoffe at his honest affections Thus you may perceiue they haue tongues to traine eies to allure teares to excuse lookes to atract smiles to flatter imbracementes to prouoke frownes to delay beckes to recall lippes to inchaunt kisses to inflame bodies to perfume and al these to poyson By their slightes they haue made Emperours idell as Anthony strong men féeble as Sampson valient men effeminate as Hercules wisemen dissolute as Salomon eloquent men lasciuious as Aurelius Wilt thou yet bee maried when thou must beare with all her inormities her railing her scoulding her curssing her banning her enuy her pride her flattering her frowning her crueltie her spite her wilines her wantonesse her nicity her slight her subtilty her quesines her disquietnes her taunts her scoffes her floutes her periury but thou wilt say for increase females are good very true but for decrease there are none soe ill for who soe euer tasteth of their breathing will
readye at an inch with fuell to kindell the fire wrought such a sudaine alteration in his mind and such contrary passions so perplexed his doubtful thoughts that after a long controuersie in himselfe hee was driuen perforce to yeeld to fancie and pulling in his former flagge of defiance intreated for truce and began to enter parle with Cupid on this manner Why howe nowe Brusanus what a doubtfull combat dost thou find in thy selfe is thy lawlesse liberty turnd to a slauish captiuity is thy freedome fettered are thy sences besotted wert thou of late at defiance with Venus and wilt thou now shake handes with vanity didest thou ere while renownce beautie as a foe and wilt thou now imbrace her as a frend hast thou so carefully counsailed others to beware the baite and wilt thou now so crabbidly poison thy selfe with the bane but foole that thou arte whye dost thou thus rechlesly rage against reason why dost thou thus fondly exclaime against thine owne wellfare why dost thou condemne thy selfe of that crime where of thou art not guilty thou hast vowed to beware of fickle fancy but this thy liking is firme affection thou hast bin bitten with the sore of lawlesse lust but neuer tasted the sweet of loyall loue bicause thou hast indeuoured to desist from vanity wilt thou therefore exempt thy selfe from vertue wilt thou neglecte a peerelesse Princesse whose birth may be a countenance to thy calling in the attayning of whome thou shalt gaine honour nay more thou shalt inherit a kingdome I marry Brusanus there goes the game away followe that chace it is no small matter to inioy a scepter I but yet remember thy selfe and thou shalt find that thy desire must needes be waited on with daunger Moderna is promised by the king her father to Dorestus he againe is thy vowed frend and wilt thou requit the trust he reposeth in thée with such disloyalty But dost thou stand vppon doubts nowe Brusanus O fie for shame art thou false harted what fearest thou the displeasure of a king if thou by the meanes mayest compasse a kingdome and did not Dorestus tell thée himselfe that loue was without lawe what respect is then to be had of frendship feare not then Brusanus the rest of thy time hath bin but a dreame vnto thée it is nowe onely thou beginnest to liue now onely now thou hast entered into the way of blissefullnes let not then the opinion of I know not what promise bind thée from paying thy duty to nature With this resolution Brusanus determined to watch oportunities to come to the spéech of Moderna and by chaunce finding her walking in a gardin comming to her before shee was aware of him as hee begun to open his lippes to salute her Moderna of a sudaine started away from him withdrawing her selfe into her chamber the which shee did rather fearing to bee farther tempted with so sweete an aspecte then for anye hatred shee bare him whome shee loued against her will Brusanus marking her demeanure was somewhat amased yet not minding so to giue euer he went to his chamber where he wrote these insueing liues vnto her Brusanus to Moderna Madame although the passion which is commonly incident to all wemen I meane misbeliefe hath ouer taken you of late yet thinke not that either my affections are so light as to esteeme your disdaine for iniury or let that loue finishe with a braule which is in me begun and shall be continued for euer vnkindnes may preuaile for a season but not corrupt and your repulse may perhaps perswade me to forbeare yet not to forsake as nature hath made wemen faire thereby to intangle men no reason but some times they shoulde bee frowarde to commaund men but it was a swéete pollicy by a vitter repulse to renew affection other doubtes misdéemings or opinions haue I none but onely this that my mistres was froward to make triall not to forsake that my selfe am by nature to brooke an iniury to be pertaker of so happy a benifit well Moderna all misdéeming set a part grant me your grace and fauour and I shall haue greater cause to reioyce then you to susspecte and wil alwaye remaine your faithfull seruant to commaund who craueth nothing more then to do you seruice Yours if he be Brusanus This letter being sealed vppe he quickly found the meanes to haue it deliuered to the handes of Moderna who noting the contents of these plausible lines by the same messenger returnes him this aunswere Moderna to Brusanus I stood in doubt Brusanus whether I shoulde aunswere with silence or sophistry because where the demaund is but a iest the fittest aunswere were a scoffe for dwelling still in your olde error who will beléeue your newe protestations but to make you to acknowledge your faultes and to morteste that madde humour of yours that made you so much to forget your selfe and to bring you againe into your right sences I wil not let to pray for you nay more then that I would be glad to here a whole trentall of masses besides other charitable actions to redeeme you because I did loue you but séeing your purgatory is not pardonable without sattisfaction from your owne merrites I can but wish you to haue grace to acknowledge it and by penitent wisdome to win againe what your wilfulnes hath lost for the many seruices you proffer me if to morrowe after dinner you will come to me that I may speake wich you if I find your owne words correspondent to your writings it may be I will imploy you till then farewell Yours if she could Moderna The twelfth Chapter Brusanus and Moderna practiseth secret slight BRusanus not able to stand of any ground for ioy mist not I warrant you his appointed time to visit his lady who being as ready to awaite his comming they conuay themselues to an inward chamber where for the time either of them remaines confused with a sodaine astonishment of excéeding ioy Brusanus in the end breaking of their vnnecessarye silence vsed these words Though timerity madame hath caused me to refuse your proffered bounty and the déeming of mine owne vnworthinesse to neclecte your fauorable curtisie yet séeing the fault procéeded rather from a mistrust of mine owne happines then for any mislike or other contempt of your greate worthines I humbly craue pardon for this my fore-passed simplicity promissing heere-after protested faith and loyalty Moderna taking Brusanus by the hand smilingly made this aunswere It is an easie matter Brusanus to purchase credite where the party is al-ready perswaded and to infer beléefe where euery word is acounted an oracle but to cut off other friuilous protestations let this suffice thou hast the victorye vse it with vertue but fearing that my father shoulde suspecte our liking and by that meanes preuente our purpose hauinge as thou knowest promised me to Dorestus I am therefore content to followe thée where-soeuer thou wilt be my conducter and by
making an easie escape from hence we may line for a time as contentedly else where and being lawfully wedded for that is the hondes of my loue it will be no harde matter to winne againe my fathers liking and in shorte space to make ouer returne to the kingdome of Dalmatia where thou shalt receiue the Scepter in the right of me thy married wife this Brusanus is the onely way by which your contentment may drawe on my happines Brusanus who had al-ready taken forth this lesson perfectly to yéeld a willing obedience to al his desires made this aunswere Madame all places are to me both good or bad as it shall please you to blesse or cursse behoulde then noble lady what other seruice it shall please you to command I am ready in your affaires to apply my selfe with al duty and obedience After they had a while concluded of their safety and set downe the course betwéene them howe they might procéede in their enterprises Brusanus departed to prouide himselfe for this secret flight Dorestus al this while who had receaued but colde comfort from Moderna that had still driuen him of with delaies by fortune finding her in a conuenient place he saide vnto her Madame shall my merrit be repaied with no méed shall my good wil be requited with no gaine and my long sute with no comfort O Moderna let mee yet call thee before the iudgment of thine owne vertue and now at the last pittie my estate and do not recompence my desire with despight nor my lingring loue with loathing hate Why Dorestus quoth she doest thou call it hate not to condescend to the request of euery one that woeth or doest thou thinke it cruelty not to yéelde to the assault of euery flattering louer but if this may contente thée as I cannot be so curteous to requite thée as thou desirest so I wil not be so cruel to despite thée for thy good will let this suffice for the season here-after thou shalt know more I haue now other busines in hand thus she departed awaye leauing Dorestus in a browne studdys what hee mighte make off her wordes The thirtenth Chapter Brusanus and Moderna are secretly fled from the court of Illeria the King rageth Dorestus fretteth they both intende warre against Miletto King of Hungaria and father to Brusanus THe very same night Brusanus and she béeing prouided of all thinges necessarily conuaied themselues away from the court imediatly after supper and taking the aduantage of the night directed his iorny towards the cōfines of Grecia leauing his owne country which way be thought there would be great spéede made after him the which indéede fell out according to his expectation for in the morning that they were both missing from the courte and that the manner of their flight was gathered by coniecture the king sent out al the postes he had presently in readines to belay those quarters towards Hungaria by this meanes Brusanus and Moderna escaped the handes of the king of Illeria but yet after that they fell both subiecte to the crewell menaces of mercilesse fortune as in the sequell shall be showne but the king when he perceiued no meane to recouer them he burst out into these spéeches against his daughter O how many incombrances are incident to parents that are vexed with the practises of amorous daughters for when we haue fostred cheerished and brought them vppe to yeares of discretion euen then do they run themselues to their owne distruction when we hope of greatest comfort they do cumber vs most with care and while we are prouiding dowries to bestow them in mariage of such as we like they prouide themselues of parramours and will not be restrained to fancie but whome they list but let vs prouide them of a husband such as we knowe to be fit for them and they will liue virgins with a vengence and seeme to blush at so honest a motion but let a verlet but meet them in a corner alone he shall be entertained without regard of sham or honesty but vnhappy Moderna sith y e traytor that hath thus inueygled thée hath not spared to dishonour thy father I do heere vowe by all the powers of heauen I will make Hungaria to smoke for this his facte his parents shal curse the time of his natiuity and lament y e euer they brought so wretched a impe into the world The king freted not so fast in his melancholy but Dorestus chafed no lesse in his choller blaspheming bitterly both against Brusanus and Moderna but especially against Brusanus and vnderstanding the intent of the king was to make warres with Hungaria he proffered to strengthen his armie with tenne thousand Epirotes and to march himselfe in person with the king to be reuenged of the iniury proffered him by Brusanus the king most louingly accepting of this assistaunce fell in all hast to making ready both men and munitions fit for the warres Dorestus hath taken his leaue and is departed likewise into his country to make preparation according to his promise In this meane time the king had gotten certaine vnderstanding that Brusanus with Moderna had bent their course towardes Calypha and minding notwithstanding himselfe and Dorestus to hold on their determination against Milleto king of Hungaria he appointed to send his sonne Antipholus into all those partes about the borders of Crete to followe Brusanus to take reueng to the which iourney Antipholus most willingly agred vnto and leauing them heere for a time to make all thinges ready we wil shortly followe Brusanus but not to hastily till hee bee cleare out of daunger from the borders of Illeria Thus endeth the second part of the aduentures of Brusanus The third Booke of the aduentures of Brusanus The first Chapter Brusanus by straung misfortune woundeth Moderna his pitious exclamation for his vnlucky facte BRusnaus and Moderna hauing thus passed the boundes of Illeria and being freed from the furie of the king were euen now subiected to the wounderfull munaces of bitter fortune and thinking in their owne conceites they had escaped all daunger were but then entered the very path of succeeding peril but Moderna who al this whil had bin transported with desire troubled with fear had neuer leasure to looke with perfect consideration into her owne enterprise but according to the lawes of loue like alouer had bequeathed the care of her selfe vppon him to whome she had giuen her selfe but now that her hope was something quieted and the most part of her feare already passed she began to looke backe into her owne thoughts and better to consider with her selfe of her vndertaken flight and to remember how she had left her natiue country and had settled so strang a determination but yet being nothing dismaid hauing in her 〈…〉 the partie whome she so deerely loued and therefore casting no doubtes on they rid Brusanus cheering her with many comfortable and louing discourses by this time they were entered
should accuse Eriphila the Queene as accessary to the murthering of her owne daughter the yoong Princesse Valeria and that the matter might carrie the more credit a cause was put downe what might so much inrage the Queene against her daughter and thus it was deuised about ten yeares forepassed in the warres holden betweene Astulpho king of Illeria father to Antipholus and Canace king of Boeria brother to Eriphila Valdus being then generall of the Boetian army vnder his brother Canace incountering in the plaine field with Astulpho was himselfe slaine his armie put to flight and the whole forces of the Boetians so infeebled and discouraged that Canace to purchase a peace was driuen to surrender to the king of Illeria the famous Citie of Auarra besides other great sommes of money in satisfaction of certain demaunds challenged by Astulpho Eriphila being yet gauled with these griefes but especially desirous to reueng the death of her brother Valdus vppon Antipholus practised first with her daughter to poison him who refusing her for the intire loue she bare to Antipholus to whome she rather desired to be linked in mariage then to wish him any misfortune the least that might befall whereat Eriphila beeing wonderfully discontented and fearing her daughter should bewrae her intent she posted ouer the matter to Arcadyus himselfe and hauing first acquainted him with all former circumstaunces shee laboured him so much as in her lay both by curtious intreaties and liberall promises that hee would vndertake priuily to murther the Prince Antipholus but he loathing so detestable an enterprise both vtterly refused it and with all dutie and faithfullnes willed the queene to desist the farther attempt of such odible practises so much vnbeseeming a lady of her estate but her choler so much the more kindeled and the rather for that she was preuented from farther attempts by reason Antipholus so sudainely departed on his pretended iourney she therefore turned the furie of her reueng contrary to nature against her owne daughter and thinking to preuent Antipholus of his greatest felicitie which he especially accounted to be in the loue of Valeria and minding to reueng her conceiued displeasure against her daughter for denieng to poison Antipholus and for the accomplishment of altogether hauing found a cupple of companions fitte for her purpose the stratageme of her owne deuising was accordingly performed while they were hunting in the forrest where the innocent princesse by the appointment of her vnnaturall mother was creuelly murthered and the actors fled into Boetia where the queene her selfe intended to haue met them seeking her saftie by hasty flight fearing that her deuilysh deuises shoulde haue broken out This accusation thus cleanely coined betweene them the duke intended the very next day to make riddaunce of his wife and the rather for the desire he had to his new bride which was a persell of the couenantes agreed on betweene the duke and Arcadyus that Lucina shoulde bee a dutches at the least but they rested in hope to crowne her a queene The next day very early in the morning the duke crauing the assistaunce of diuerse noble men such as hee knewe to bee neerest adicted to his owne disposition consulting with them of many causes touching the state then making semblaunce of great sorrow for the losse of the princesse Valeria and the rather when they knewe not what account they might render to the world what shoulde become of her yet seeming to carry a hope of her recouery beeing fully perswaded in his mind that she was but straied out of the waye hauing loste themselues in the forrest and did therefore thinke it very conuenient to send out great search into euery quarter to sée it they could find her either aliue or dead While these causes were in discoursing Arcadyus presenting himselfe before them crauing their patience in hearing a matter of such remorse as to reueale was grieuous vnto him bycause it touched such persons as he had euer highly reuerenced and to conceall it he durst not for that it would proue a scourg to his own conscience he was willed bréefely to deliuer his doubt if he were by any meanes wronged they were ther ready to render him right Arcadyus here as before it was deuised betwen the duke and him accused Eriphila with the murthering of her owne daughter the manner whereof bicause it is before specified I may therefore heere omit but the circumstaunces were not betweene them so cunningly counterfeited but the matter by Arcadyus was as artificially auowed and although the discourse were smoothed to the purpose yet there was nothing so much confirmed his tale to be true as the quéenes own flight in that she sought so priuily to steal away no man could immagine any cause wherefore But the duke hauing giuen attentiue eare to the whole spéeches of Arcadyus seemed to the beholders to be wonderfully troubled in his mind breathing forth a pitious sighe as if his very soule had bin passionate with anguish and griefe he said Arcadyus dost thou knowe what thou hast said and whome thou hast accused assure thy selfe if thou art not able sufficiently to proue as much as thou hast heere presented that besides the asperity and rigour of the lawes in these causes prouided ther is neither torture nor any torment that may be deuised but they shal fal al to thyshare I craue no fauour aunswered Arcadyus and I am heere ready according to the lawes to maintain my right by way of combat against any man that dare auowe the contrary I take thy word aunswered the duke and for that it shall not be said I will smoother vppe a matter so hatefull to all eares for any loue or fauour to the peruerting of iustice I doe heere award though with a sorrowfull spirite that to morrowe by tenne of the clocke in the morning Eriphila whome till this houre I haue so tenderly loued shall without all remorse be burned as a most vnnaturall woman that would conspire the death of her owne child and if by that houre in her defence she be not prouided of a champion who by triall of battaile shall aquite her of all accusations wherewith thou hast heere charged her The ordinaunce of the duke being thus set downe Arcadyus who altogether presumed of his owne strengeth although he thought no man so hardy to incounter him yet he prouided himselfe against the time the duke on the other side thinking his paine now altogether past was deuising of his mariag day immagining himselfe alredy to be a widower and indeed by generall opinion they all accounted the queene to be but as a dead woman in these cogitations the time runnes on and the nexte morning without the walles of the Citie on a very fair green was the place appointed for y e execution the clock stroke 9 there was no mā hard off that durst appose himselfe in y e queenes defence she was led forth to y e place wher she should suffer
seruitude Astulpho somewhat amased with this matter sent to Dorestus to knowe his intent whoe returned him againe this short aunswere that his purpose was not to assocyate himselfe with a periured and deceitfull prince who by a fraudulent meane and dishonourable conquest had sacked the citie and taken the spoile of the whole to himselfe it rested therefore if he would set free all his prisoners or at the least deliuer vnto his costody the young lady Leonida that then hee would come to other articles of agréement other wise to account him an open enimie for so he had protested to showe himselfe vnto him Astulpho finding out by this request of Dorestus the very drift of all his deuise assuring himselfe it was the loue of this lady that had so altered Dorestus in his former demeanures therefore to preuent all perills what so euer might fall out and knowing that he had sufficient pledges for the accomplishment of the rest of his purposes the very next night gathering his company together hee marched awaye with all expeditoin towardes his owne cuntry of Illeria carrieng the king the queene with their daughter away with him as his prisoners the which when Dorestus vnderstood of he thought it small boote for his purpose to make any longer stay there but intended as conuenience might giue him leaue to supplie himselfe with sufficiente forces to march after him to Illeria and to this purpose he craued aide from the Hungarians who promised by a day to supplie him with sundry regementes the which with all possible spéed they fell to making ready Dorestus concluding with them both of the place and the time of both their armies to méete marched himselfe with his whole troupes towardes Epirus as well to relieue his ouer wearied companyes with conuenient necessaries as to strengthen himselfe with greater forces for his better helpe By the way as he was marching there incountered him a messenger with newes of his fathers death Heere Dorestus began againe to renue his wonted lamentations in such sort that many daies ouer-passed before he would receiue comfort yet in the ende certifieng himselfe considering that to render retribution is a duty of nature and a debt to be paid either in youth in age or at such like season as is not at the discretion of man but at the will and good pleasure of god with whome wee haue no power to contende and againe calling to his remembraunce his vndertaken attempt and to what taske he had tied himselfe found it high time to bestirre him and to shake of those drowsie dumps which rather seeme the testimonies of a dispayring mind then the showes of an noble courage It would aske heere to long discourse to set downe with what signes of ioy Dorestus was welcomed home to Epirus and howe glad his subiectes were of his safe returne but Dorestus at his comming before he would receiue the sword and scepter tooke first order for the intombing of his father whose funeralls was solemnised with such pompe as was both fitte for a famous king and also requisit for a christian prince this done he was crowned king of Epirus to the great comfort of all his subiectes of whome he was generally beloued Nowe he aduaunced his captaines and conductors that had bin his partakers in this former iourney some to places of credit others to titles of honour and dignity and caused a full paie to be made to all his souldiers gratifieng euery man in whome was anye desert with liberall rewardes and this great largnesse of the king was such a generall incouragement that now hauing occasion to leuy new forces to strengthen and supplie his small company with greater numbers such multitudes voluntarily offered themselues out of euery quarter that without pressing by commission hee was quickly prepared of a most huge and puissaunte army and after he had taken order for the due administring of iustice amongst his subiectes while hee was absent hee marched to the place which was before appointed for himselfe and the Hungarian forces to meete who keeping promise accordingly ioyning their armies together they marched towardes the confines of Illeria where they had inteligence that the king was resident with his prisoners in the citie Ioula which was the cheefe citie of the kingdome of Illeria no lesse beautifull then stronge thither warde Dorestus marched with all conuenient speede minding to besiege him before he should be throughly furnished to make resistaunce and thus wee will leaue him marching forward on his way The eighteenth Chapter Brusanus vnderstanding of his parentes captiuity is vehemently grieued Antipholus is likewise perplexed to see his frends heauynes they make a iourney both them selues and their new married brides into Illeria to perswade with Astulpho for the libertye of the prisoners ANtipholus and Brusanus whome we haue a long time forgotten wherein I haue done the ladies to much wrong I meane Valeria and Moderna for wemen when they be once determined of marriage they loue not to haue the wedding day deferred and as you haue hard before their nuptialls were concluded and so soone as thinges could bee prepared married they were Antipholus to Valeria and Brusanus to Moderna all performed in one day but should I heere discribe first the feasting the banqueting the new dishes that were deuised to please dainty apitites the strang fashons that were inuented both for men and wemen to make them gaye the musicke the daunsing the masking the plaies and other showes that were procured for pleasure I am sure it would but grieue you that you were not there either to haue tasted of their dainties to haue brought away some of their new fashons or to haue bin partaker of their sportes I will therefore omit to speake any further of them but sée I say inconstant fortune that can neuer be other wise then like vnto her selfe who dreaming giueth pleasure by little dreame but waking giueth griefe without all measure so in the verye prime of their pastimes and as it were in the midest of their delightes newes was brought that Astulpho had taken prisoners Myletto king of Hungaria Paulina the queene his wife with Leonida their daughter Brusanus hearing of this misfortune happened to his father his mother and his sister was stunge with a vehement griefe that hee beganne immediately to droupe being so much ouer loden with sorrowe as he was not able to indure it Antipholus againe séeing Brusanus whome he loued as his owne life to be so much perplexed with care could not himselfe rest in quiet till hee had framed the plat of his friends contentment comforted therefore with this hope he doubted not but vpon his humble intreatie both to pacifie his fathers displeasure towards Brusanus and to purchase the deliuerie of the captiued Princes and hauing made Brusanus priuie to his pretence there was no remedy but he would beare him companye in this iourny minding indéede if ther were no other meane to mitigate the malice of Astulpho to
surrender himselfe to his rage and fury rather then his innocent parents shoulde suffer endlesse miserie through his misdemeanure the new married brides Valeria Moderna hearing of this vndertaken voyage woulde in no wise be left behind in this iourny and it was thought by Antipholus that the feminine perswations of these two Ladies woulde not a little preuaile to moue his father to mercy ther rested nothing nowe to be determined off but with-all possible spéed to prepare themselues forward and their greater hast it was thought conuenient not to accompany themselues with anye other troupes more then their necessarie seruants Antipholus knowing that all things were ready and hauing appointed his deputie assisting him with sundry commissioners for the gouernment of the kingdome of Calypha vntill his returne set forwardes as before I haue saide with a small companye for their better speed and whom we wil here againe leaue in their trauail The nineteenth Chapter Dorestus beseegeth the Citie of Pula Astulpho intendeth to execute Leonida Antipholus Brusanus Moderna Valeria are taken prisoners and brought to Dorestus which causeth Astulpho to stay the death of Leonida DOrestus who after manye daies marching throughe Illeria without any incounter of his enimies was com to the Citie of Pula which he gyrded in with a strong siege howbeit the impregnable situation of the walles without and the aboundance of men victuals and artilerie within might haue discouraged the beseegers to assaill as the same incouraged they beseyged to resist and therefore the barbarous King Astulpho as it were in dispightful ostentation to shew how little he forced or feared his enimies caused Myletto with his wife and daughter loden with Irons to appeare before the walles and hanging out a banner as though he purposed a Parle that calling for Dorestus who being come within his hearing he said Dorestus because Leonida I knowe is the party for whose inlargment your enemies most especially do now ocupie Illeria if therefore her deliuerie may suffice be not then hopelesse for Leonida thou shalt haue but I wil first take off her head Here withall the executioner whome he had apointed for that but barberie begines to settle himselfe aboute his busines turninge downe the collor of her garment making her necke bare the better to do his office a woful spectacle to Dorestus who was ready to sincke with sorrowe and no lesse gréeuous to the wretched King her father who hearinge and seeing what was determined in this manner breathed out the very sorrowes of his soule And are not my already sustayned wrongs a punishment sufficient to apease thy cruelty but thou wilt also increase my misery by the blody butcherie of my innocent child alas doe not so thy selfe being father shouldest haue some feeling of a parentes affection O consider Astulpho of thy owne following destinie and looke into thy selfe by this my calamitie I was once thou knowest in thy present dignitie but thou seest what the heauens hath now decreed against me and little doest thou knowe what may betide thée but what my aduersitie maketh mée to remember that thy prosperity causeth thee to forget but couldest thou consider of my present miserie and imploy the possibillitie to thy selfe thine I might then find comfort not doubting thy clemency with assured hope of my daughters safetie If therefore the example of my fall the vncertaintie of thine owne fortune the supplication of a King the submission of a foe the intercession of a father the teares of an olde man the regarde of iustice or the innocencie of my poore Leonida if al this may preuail to moue thee to compassion beholde Astulpho with my tonge I protest it with my hart I vow it by the heauens I sweare it and mine acte shall performe it that her ransome shall be the resignation of my whole intrest of the kingdome of Hungaria to thee and thine If all this will not moue thee I coniure thee yet in the name of those Gods that will not faile to punish thy tyranie by the shame of the worlde that will not leaue to speake of thine infamie by the innocent bloud that will cry vengance against thee by thine owne guiltie conscience that at last shal accuse thee When thus much was spoken and all in vaine Leonida more perplexed in beholding her fathers griefe then terrified with the death wher-with her selfe was thretened with a cheerefull voice said as followeth Deare father one of the greatest benifites that can betide vs in this life is to be thankful to Gods prouidence and neuer to be discouraged by any misfortune no not to stand soe much in awe of death that for feare thereof we shoulde commit anye thing vnbeseeming a noble harte hauing then patientlye resolued my selfe where-vnto serueth your bootles lamentations where-by my deathe is rather dubled then deferred for aduersities albeit they haue custome to vere yet haue they no power to chaunge the constancye and courage of a valiante and resolute mynde O seeke not then sweete father by your discouraginge sorrowes seeke not I saye to hinder my swéete hope which hope is death and death is the salue to all my miseries and yéeldeth assured truce to the rest of my troubles and knowing in the end that all things take end it is not the ill death that we haue to account of but it is the ill dying that is most to be respected Enuy not then your daughters good hap by sorrowing her death but comfort your selfe with this assured hope shee dyeth an innocent if I were condempned for some notorious ill perhaps my death shoulde disquiete you the lesse but being as I am innocent from crime me thinks it should quiet you the more Wherefore good father seeing that one and the self same passage is prepared aswell for the coward as the couragious for the yong as for the old being decréed that all must dye if not at one time yet at an other beeinge farre more miserable to deserue it then to suffer it with the reuerence of a daughter therefore I require it and with out the partiall affection of a father I beseeche you to graunt it that you do not more discomfort mee by your impatient demeanure then your dishonourable enemy shall be able to enforce no not with all his butcherly practises this is the last that I may hope to craue and this is the least that in reason you may geue More might she not be suffered to speake but the executioner was willed to dispatch his businesse and as hee was lifting vp the sword to haue taken off the heade of Leonida Astulpho might perceiue a company both of men and women that were led as prisoners and brought to Dorestus and aduisedly taking view of the parties amongst the rest he assuredly knew Antipholus his sonne and Moderna his daughter this sight did so amase him that euery parte of his body quaked for feare whereuppon he commaunded the executioner to hold his hand For you shall
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