Cleanthes would blush as a shamed to be seene by Polidore and Polidore would change colour as loth to have his passion noted by his deare Cleanthes At length solitarinesse to which they had not formerly beene used grew wearisome to them and either desired to make his friend pertaker of his secret thoughts in this Sympathy of affection one day when the Sunne was descending to his westerne habitation they grew more familiar and after some unncessary chat they resolved to walke into the fresh ayre of the fragrent fields to which they had now these two dayes beene strangers a long time for them that had beene brought up abroad in the fields and taught to rouse the savage lyon from his den and to follow deeds of armes and not to spend their time within doores in a private chamber crossing their armes and crying heyho to see the strangenesse of loves labyrinths Not farre from this castle there was a spacious and thicke wood so frequently beset with aged oakes and straight upreared pines as if Lady Nature had entended to make that place as a common arbour for the neighbouring region so indeede it was used for thither resorted the chiefest persons of the land women and lovers to heare the ravisht Philomel lament the cruelty of her false brother in law others that were not lovers came thither to hunt the fearefull stagge or brisling bore the ground of the wood was strowed with the richest of natures tapistery there grew the sweetbrier and the white rose the dazy the yellow cowslip the honisuckle and the lovely violet of which faire Ladies use to make themselves sweet garlands thither it was that Callanthia and Florella were walking when these two friends first hapned to see them and thither they themselves were now going as if love had guided them to that place of purpose to make it more famous by beeing private to the loves of so true a paire With one consent they walked on till they came to a thicket of pine trees whose overgrowne tops were so thickly spread and so interchangably intangled each in other that they made a most solitary shade utterly denying the tell-tale Phaebus any prospect to the place that else would be too familiar in loveâ—s secrets this place they thought the fittest for their purpose and therefore sitting both downe upon the grasse they remained a good while silent as desiring one should know the others secrets and yet either loth to disclose his secrets because they were love Thus long they sate till at the last Cleanthes trusting to the gentlenesse of Polydore thus began If what I speake sound harsh in thine eares or if when I have told thee my greifes thou intendest to reproove my folly as I know thou wilt I pray thee Polidore doe it gently and remember I beseech thee that howsoever faulty yet I am thy friend trust me my Polidore had not fate unevitable fate laid this mischance upon mee I thinke I had beene still as free as thou Soone was Polydore wrought to be kind to Cleanthes because he made no question but that hee should have neede of the same from him and therefore with a forced smile he told him he should finde a kinde tutor of him and so bad him proceede which hee after a volly of sighes thus did I know not Polidore whether ever thou hast heard tell of a Diety unknowne I must confesse to souldiers and therefore I thinke not knowne to thee called Love for mine owne part I have often heard tell of him but never gave credit to the report but alwaies imagined it to be the idle imagination of a franticke braine till of late I thinke himselfe knowing himselfe dispised is come to revenge himselfe on mee for so neglecting him for my Polydore and then he blusht not long since it was my chance leaning out of the castle window to behold two gentlewomen exceeding beautifull both especially one whose eyes me thought shot fiery arrowes at my heart and wounded it so that from that time thy poore Cleanthes hath beene in such an agony of distresse that I hope thy heart deare Polidore will never feele the like whether she were a humaine creature or a celestiall goddesse come of purpose to delude mee I know not for since I never saw her imagine my deare Polidore but alas to what purpose for thou canst never immagine what continuall fires what perpetuall frosts what everlasting tortures harbour in a lovers brest thou canst not Polydore no thou canst not amongst all the legends of afflicting torments find out one to parallell a lovers anguish thou wilt tell me of Ixions wheele alas that is a rest to the perpetuall circumvolutions in a lovers heart thou wilt tell mee of Prometheus vulture alas what vulture can gnaw so fiercely as the griffin care doth on my poore heart for I am now a lover thou wilt tell me of the fifty daughters of false Danaus and their bottomlesse tubs alasse what are they to the bottomlesse pit of my affections which a whole sea of fancies cannot fill I expect now that thou shouldest chide me but thy word is past and thou hast rather cause to pitty me howsoever if thou beest angry with mee as thou hast cause enough I prithee keepe thy word and chide me gently else thou wilt adde more to a soule that is already prest with two heavie a burthen Glad was Polydore when hee heard him name love yet that joy was not lasting for hee imagined his friend had perceived some thing by him and therefore might use this as a way to sound him but perceiving by the continuance of his speech that what hee spake hee spake hartily a new feare possessed him who this gentlewoman should bee extreamely fearing it should bee his mistresse thinking as every lover doth that she was the onely woman in the world worthy to be loved yet some what glad that his friend Cleanthes was caught as well as himselfe hee made this reply Is it possible that Cleanthes should be intangled in loves net can it bee that hee should bee hit with Cupids bird bolt nay then I see it is no shame for such fooles as I to love when so wise a man as Cleanthes is overtaken thinke not I speake this in derision friend for heaven knowes and my conscience knowes that Polydore feeles as much torture for love as Cleanthes possibly can onely in this I am happie that having so good a president I neede not be ashamed to love nor afraid of rebuke from you that are caught in the same ginne Trust me Cleanthes Cupid was politicke in this for had he smote one only surely your strong perswasions and inforcing arguments would have so much prevailed that I should have shaken off all thoughts of love and rather have smothered my affection though it might have cost me the hazard of my life then have entertained any thing that might have beene distastefull to Cleanthes and by mine owne thoughts I measure thine but
conclusion was of sufficiency to dry them the losse of your sonnes was much the losse of your wife much and indeede I know not which we should esteeme the greater losse but for these two losses the Gods have returned you a large recōpence foure for three two daughters whom I know not whether the earth can paralel for one wife which besides their owne inherent excellencyes bring with them two husbands which though they cannot equal your own children yet may they in some sort bring a comfort to your aged yeares Now since it hath pleased you to nominate us two for your sonnes in law we should be much ingrate in refusing so goodly a profer and much more then vaine to denie that because it is offered for which wee would give whole worlds were they ours for the purchase for beleeve me sir no sooner did our eyes behold your beautious daughters but our hearts loved thē determining for certaine either to have them or to die for them how happie then may you imagine we esteeme our selves when you that are the wakefull dragon to guard these golden apples shut your eyes while wee two Herculesses come to rob your orchard or rather not shut your eyes but looke on us with delight incouraging us on with such perswasions as would make a coward valient in the warres of Love having no enemie to warre against him save a gracious Virgin and knowing besides that she cannot be hard hearted comming of so kinde a father To answer you therefore with what a sympathie our affection meet you cannot be so willing to have us your sonnes as we if your faire daughters be but gratious as I hope they will are desirous to call you father What Cleanthes had uttered in words Polydore failed not to testifie for himselfe by the pleasing gesture of his countenance which the good old man perceiving it did so wrap him in joy that the teares ranne trickling downe his white beard his overgladded heart not being able to containe in it selfe so suddaine an extasy of joy at so great a felicity as he esteemed it to have Cleanthes and Polydore for his sonnes in law which they taking for a sure presage of a fortunate event it made them sympathize with him in delight though their eyes did not testifie it with such teares of joy as his did their youthfull fire being better able to dry up those flouds of overflowing passion then the frost of age wherfore without more a doe they desired him only to aide them thus far as to help them to the speech of the maides and they did not doubt of a happie successe which hee willingly agreeing unto promised to performe accordingly But because it was then to late the sunne being almost gone to hide himselfe in the boosome of Tethis he invited them to a course supper and a hard bed as he termed it and there for that night the lovers tooke up their Inne All supper time did they sit gazing on their mistresses feeding on their eyes more then on the Cates that was before them that it was a meriment to old Clidamas to see them so attentive and to heare them answer so impertinently to every question he askt of them yet would he finde out pleasant discourse to beguile the time and thus supper was passed over after with musicke and dancing and other delightfull pleasures they wore away the howers till bed time then lights being brought they were conducted to their chambers Faine would the youths have beene practising their skill in Venus warfare but the company of guests then present denied them opportunity therefore awaiting for a fitter houre they betooke them to their lodging for rest I cannot call it their minds being so distracted betweene joy and feare joy for the fathers willingnesse feare for the daughters mislike if it should happen that they debard their eyes from the least slumber yet was the fancy of joy the stronger as having the surer ground which so filled their heads with pleasing immaginations that themselves I thinke had they beene askt the question could not have recounted them The burning hoofes of Apollowes firce-breathing steeds had not as yet attained the lower pavement of the vaulted hemisphere and rosy fingerd Aurora had but newly strewd the way for the King of lights when the two lovers wearie of their restlesse beds perceiving the mornings blush through the chamber window arose and apparrelling themselves went downe to receive the fresh mornings aire in the garden but all their earlinesse could not outstrippe the wakefull Clydamas who was the continuall morning cock to the whole house who seeing the two lovers comming towards him with a merry countenance gave them the bonjour thus So early up nay then I see you will bee sure speeders that are so early risers See how the sunne comes stealing over yon hill dying his cheekes with blushes as ashamd to be outstript by mortalls Rather he teacheth us said Polydore to blush for suffering our selves to be surpast by you that should rather bee at rest then thus abroad so soone before the day young bloods may better indure watching then weake age Indeede said Clydamas yong men that have the same watchbel that you have can worse indure their beds then others that want it and commenly where ther 's a lover in the house there needs no other cock to call up the rest but otherwise youth loves their ease and to nourish themselves with a morning nap when old men rather desire to feede as it were on the fresh aire without doores yet the case goes ill of our sides saith Cleanthes for though we have the watchbell which you talke of yet either it went false or wee minded it not for me thinkes for all our larum you are got up before us With such like pleasing conference they passed on the time till Clydamas perceived his daughters were come into the garden whereupon taking the two friends by the hands he thus incouraged them Yonder is the game and you are skilfull huntsmen upon them then and if you misse them blame not me for negligence but your selves for slothfulnesse that had the game in view and yet lost it and therewith he parted from them Who then had looked on the lovers might have perceived a maidenly blush overspread their cheekes as afraid of themselves having never beene trained in Cupids military discipline yet gathering their spirits together and arming themselves with their greatest resolution they approched nigh and taking them by the hands kindly gave them the good morrow which they with a modest blush returned Whereupon Cleanthes taking his faire Calanthia by the hand whilst Polydore did the like to his deare Florella thus accosted her If what I speake beautious Calanthia be not so powdered with art as may befit the tender tympane of a Ladyes eare impute it to the fault of war that teacheth her schollers no better language yet thus much may my simplenesse in that kinde gaine me that wanting
colour to daube my meaning over with my truth will appeare the more naked and cleare I love thee deare Callanthia nay start not sweet love is not such a bugbeare to affright a Lady with time was when I my selfe would have laught at the name of Cupid as if he had beene as lame as hee is blind but since his piercing shaft hath made so large a wound that I feare it never will be healed unlesse you proove the gracious phisitian and cure me It was the wisedom of the gods divine Calanthia to make man and woman so framing them that it is almost impossible for them to live asunder for if either had beene made alone how should the spacious fabrick of the world have beene supplied with inhabitants or if when both had beene made they might have lived asunder to what end had served mans affibility or those excellencies that are in women they ordained therefore that man and woman should be joyned together that mans naturall harshnesse might bee molified with womans tendernesse and womans weakenesse might bee upheld by mans strength Now since this is the pleasure of the gods my deare be not you displeasing to them by obstinate refusing to submit your selfe to their decree but agree to bee my woman and I more then willingly will consent to bee thy man give mee thy love as freely as I aske it honestly for farre from me be the thought of villany I know it is the fashion of maidens to bee coy and hard to bee wonne at first and some fooles I know there are that esteeme a woman light if she bee wonne at the first onset but trust me Calanthia I am of another opinion for never could a thousand yeares of growth nourish a truer love in any lovers brest then a minuts sight hath bred in mine for no sooner did your eyes sparkle on mine but from those eyes of yours Cupid let fly his golden headed arrow at my heart and why then may not a minuts talke breede as true a love as a minuts sight delay not then my deare Calanthia but yeeld thy selfe without any further circumstance for by thy love which is an oath that I would sooner die then breake I shall account thee more wise and constant as wanting those arts which cunning women have by fained refusalls to draw poore besotted youths into a fooles paradise my request is faire and honest thy gracious love to bee consummated by a happy marriage And therewith hee ceased griping her faire hand within his so hard as if he would have her feele his meaning as well as heare it But the excellent Calanthia who was as faire as any that the sunne ere lookt on and yet more gracious then faire and as wise as gracious after a little musing made him an answer thus Worthy Sir if warre teach her Schollers no worse language then shee hath taught you shee neede not bee ashamed of them for beleeve me sir and let these blushes testifie for me I know not how but your words have so wrought with mee that I never felt the like passions in my selfe as I do at this time if you deceive me be it on your owne head I am the silly fish easily caught with a faire bait I must confesse I could have held off longer and would have done though I imagine what torments I should have undergone but your protestations have so farre prevailed with mee that you see how easily I am wonne to yeeld you up the fort of my chast love almost without the least battery which if it be a fault as I know not how you may esteeme it blame your owne tongue for having so much power to overcome me Blest be my tongue said Cleanthes for having so much power and blest bee love for making thy heart so pliable but more then blest bee thy deare selfe excellent Calanthia for inriching me with so excellent and enstimable a treasure as thy love when I am false or once thinke a thought of deceiving thee may all the plagues of love and jealousie light on this heart and never bee removed O happie presage of a most fortunate end in so blest a beginning what man can have more cause of joy then Cleanthes when he shall fold in his armes so delicate a bride as is Callanthia for ever will I consecrate this day to pleasure the sprightly Cupid dul bloody warre when did I ever feele such an extasy of joy in all thy service when I came home laden with the spoyles of foes crowned with tryumphant bayes and all the souldiers crying out Cleanthes the mortall Mars that leades victory bound in an iron chaine that shee dares not but attend on him victory victory to the great Cleanthes yet have I rid one drowsie and dull no more stird with these glorious acclamations then if they had not belonged to me yet here for the glory of one cumbate in the field of Love my heart dances to the musicke of Callanthias voice chaunt on my deere Callanthia and never give over that my poore heart may never give over dauncing Callanthia seeing into what an extremity of joy imagination had led him thought to give him a kind of cooling card and therefore spake to this effect Let not my words Cleanthes make you to loose your selfe for my position was generall in regard of mine owne will yet is it not without a lemitation you know that besides the liberty of my free will I have the obedience of a child imposed on me and beleeve me that howsoever I fare as indeede I thinke I shall not live without you his will shall be the limits of my affection beyond which I will on no termes wander get therefore his good-will and you have mine This was so farre from abating any thing of Celanthes his joy that it augmented it rather which he was about to utter and tell her that he had her fathers good will already but that Clidamas who all this while hard all their talke perceiving already that Polydore had wrought his Lady Florella to the same point stepped out and put them together with these or the like benidictions If my good will be the onely stop here I remove that let gentleman here I give you my daughters and may the Gods blesse this faire conjunction may you live long and happie together may the children which the Gods will bestow on you grow up to a greater perfection of vertue then their parents and when the fates shall cut your threads of life may yee have the fortune of Philemon and Baucis to end all your lives in one period of time To which the lovely couples said Amen The next care was in providing necessarie things for the wedding and appointing the day which for the convenient decency of the celebration was deferred till a moneth after till when let us leave them and in the meane goe a while to sea to heare if we can some tidings of Martuvio and Roderigo the lost sonnes
for their mischeivous purpose they went to see what this suddaine outcry pretended when presently mounting on the castle walls they might descry a troupe of armed men coming in all hast toward them whereupon presently suspecting who they were they provided for their defence but wee must of necessitie a while looke backe to them that wee left hunting in the wood Every man was so earnest at the sport that no one tooke heed to the two sisters so they were seiz'd on and carried away not being seen of any save a poore shepheard who knew the man best not the woman The fearfull stagge wearied with the continuall motion of so swift a pace began to despaire of any longer safety by his legs and therfore turning his taile to a tree hee laid about him with his faire branch of weapons so that hee made the cruell blood-hounds pause upon the fight and as it were to take counsell whether it were better to rebegin or quite give o're the battell which the hunts-man perceiving and finding by the change of the cry that he was at a bay they came in with their horns incouraged them who therby taking fresh heart never gave over till they had brought the vaunting champion on his knees than would it have mov'd remorse to see the gentle beast lament his death in many a brine salt teare as it were blaming mans crueltie for whetting on his enemies to kill him The sport was done and every one returned homeward when and not before Callanthia and Florella were mist these newes stroke a cold feare to the heart of Clianthis and Polydore presaging the danger that was like to fall unto them present search was made every one taking a severall way and traversing the whole wood yet all returning without any newes of any thing but that they were not to be found Clianthis like a franticke man ranne about calling on Callanthia and Polydore rid as hee had lost his wits crying nothing but Florella yet neither could Clianthis receive any answer from Callanthia nor Polydore from Florella Eccho condoling these true lovers miseries holpe them to call for no sooner could Clianthis call Callanthia but the eccho would take the word and call Callanthia no sooner could Polydore cry out Florella but eccho would second him and cry out Florella as if shee would have summoned all the powers in heaven and earth to the search of Callanthia and Florella Thus long in vaine they sought yet would not be perswaded that they sought in vaine every sound they heard seemed the answeres of their dearest loves flattering their eares with these imaginations so long till at the last they knew that they were onely flattered and therefore plainly perceiving that they were not there to bee found with carefull hearts and sorrowfull thoughts they returned home againe where contrary to their expectation they heard newes of them for Clidamas as the rest wandring up and downe the wood hapned to meete with the Shepheard of whom inquiring if hee saw any such hee made him answer plainely that they were perforce carried away by Hormisda and Polipus glad hee was that hee had heard newes of his daughters yet was he greived extreamely to heare they were in such a place but making necessitie a vertue hee went home and telling these newes to the lovers and others that were present they forthwith consulted to regaine them by force for by intreaty they knew it was in vaine to try to this end they made provision of men and convenient armour with what speed possibly they might All things heing provided they marched forward and coming neere the Castle they were descried by the watch they were no sooner under the walls but they summon'd a parly whereupon they within asked them what they came for answer was made that they came to redeeme the two faire sisters Callanthia and Florella whom Hormisda and Polipus had most villanously stolne away which Hornisda hearing with a countenance threatning death and destruction he made answer thus The girles are mine fairly wonne by the force of armes and I will keepe them maugre the proudest he amongst yee that dares say nay I would I had thee in the openest field in Sicily said Clianthis I would make that boasting tongue of thine give thy self the lye I would make thee confess thy selfe to be a villaine What in wordes said Polipus we have them and will keepe them if we can if not wee 'l loose them let them that sight best take them agreed said Polydore and so the signall being given the assault began the ladders were set up to the walls and the souldiers mounted up to the top of them from whence they were thrust downe headlong by the defendants to receive their deaths kisse at the ground but the two lovers burning in rage and thinking the delay of victory a kinde of overthrow guarding themselves with their broad sheilds and taking their trusty swords in their hands they valiantly got footing on the walls maugre all the resistance that could possibly be made where with their swords they made havocke of all that were nigh them making way for their souldiers to follow them who without delay did so and so became masters of the wall which Hormisda and Polypus perceiving and not daring to encounter them for all their vaunting they fled by a posterne to Palermo the men of the Castle seing their Captaines were fled presently threw away their weapons and craved mercy which was as soone granted them Things being thus ovdered Clianthis and Polydore leaving the other businesse to be managed by Clidamas ranne into the Castle from chamber to chamber seeking their loves whom when they found you may imagine what joy what kisses what embraces passed betweene them for so blest a meeting hand in hand they went out of the chamber till they came to the sight of old Clidamas who overcome with excesse of joy ranne and tooke them about the neckes kissing them and welcomming as if hee had not seene them in a long time before but when they had recounting in what danger they had been and how neerly they had escaped ravishing wonder and joy stopt up their speech and they stood like men confounded with excesse of passion out of which they were no sooner awaked but yeelding due praise to the celestiall powers that continually guard the vertuous and setting all things in order they left that lothed place and returned home againe to their owne habitations attending the day of marriage till when we will once againe leave and returne our Sicilians in the court of Scaine Long time they lived there dayly increasing their fame with new deedes of armes yet knowne to be no other than the poore fishermans sonnes of Tarracona Till at the last Fortune offered them a glorious occasion to build an ever dying statue to eternize them to all succeeding generations and thus it was It fortuned besides the generall greifes which were before taken there sprang up a new
This chance so terrified the poore Africans that they knew neither what to say or doe and the cry went in an instant that the king was taken whereupon being infinitely amazed and in this amazement the Spaniards furiously assaulting them they lost all courage and therefore with what speed they could ungrapling themselves in a most confused order they fled and were as fast pursued by the enemie who tooke and kill'd as many as they overtooke in this sort they rested not the one party flying and the other following till they came to the haven of Tunis where the Barbarians presently getting a shore made a fresh resistance to stop al the Spaniards from landing but smally had it advantaged them being already beaten and their enemies the conquerours had not presently a flagge beene put out for the Lordes of the countrey who were left as governours of the place while the king was at the warres hearing of the overthrow and of the captivity of the king and now fearing the surprizall of the towne they chose rather to stand to such conditions of peace as the enemy should propose to them than by their further obstinacies to procure an inevitable destruction to themselves and to their whole countrey Upon these considerations the flagge of truce was put forth which was answered with the like from the enemy whereupon it came to a treaty and conditions were made that the Barbarians should make such satisfaction both for the wrong done to the merchants and for the charges the Spaniard had beene at in these present warres and for the redemption of their king as the king of Spaine should impose and to that end their Ambassadours should forthwith goe with them to Spaine and for security of this they should entertaine into the city till the conditions were performed such a company of souldiers as the Lord admirall should thinke sufficient for the guard of the place this if they would not agree to they should stand to the hazard of the fight necessity so urged them that of force these conditions were excepted only they desired that they might bee no more troubled with their king who was so fell a tyrant that they were not able longer to indure him and therefore they requested the Duke that since it was his fortune to have him in his hands hee would bee pleased to use such meanes with the king as that the tyrant might no more trouble them and if hee would take such an order they would wholy submit themselves to his governement rather choosing to bee commanded by a stranger than such a monster Every thing being ordred in a most convenient maner and a garrison of souldiers put into the towne the Duke of Midnia with the two noble youthes and the prisoner king of Tunis and the Ambassadors of the towne returned homeward where they were received with the loud clamours and shoutes of joy of the overgladded people every where they came shewes and triumphes were presented them and all of them some in one sort and some in another setting forth the honourable actions of the noble Sicilians in this pompous manner they came at last to the court at Sivill where they were entertained by the king in most loving manner especially the two brothers whom with the armes of love hee imbraced calling them his protectours and defenders imputing those things to their honour and fame that they of duty ought to have performed Thus liv'd these two in honour and credit every man highly esteeming them as the onely mirrours of admirable valour and singular wisedome in that age This honour done to the overthrowers made the Barbarian beyond measure mad and his fortune so contrary to his expectation made him to doubt of his oracle yet did he not absolutely despair of it till the Ambassadours being dismissed and every thing being agreed upon and hee seeing no hope of escape hee began then utterly to taxe the Gods of falshood impiously blaspheming those powers for so deluding him After some time at the request of the brothers hee was brought to the kings presence where to vindicate the Gods of such injury as hee had offered them they told him plainely that they were Sicilians relating to the king and the rest of those that were present their countrey kindred and family and how they were stolne from Sicily by the Pyrats and afterwards with them cast away upon the coast of Spaine where they were found by fisherman of Tarragona this newes as on the one side it amazed the king with such an accident so on the other side it much more madded the Barbarian cursing himselfe for neglect for being overreach't in such manner and therefore what with shame of his overthrow and with new torment of conscience for his old wickednesse hee desperately abstained from food and so dyed by famine nor was his death lamented of any but rather it much joyed the heart of the Tunisians to heare that hee was sure enough for ever troubling them any more In the meane time the two famous youthes burning in desire to see their native countrey their parents and kindred humbly requested the king to grant them his Majesties licence to depart for a time to Sicily to see whether their father and mother were alive or no and afterward they would returne and spend their lives in his graces service This so reasonable request the king soone consented to and therefore willingly hee gave them licence to depart at their pleasure and withall gave them his commendatory letters to the governors of Sicily to receive them as men whom hee highly favoured Humbly therefore taking their leaves after due provision of every thing for their journey they departed to Tarragona where they inquired for old Sancho their foster-father whom having found they rewarded with rich gifts which did not so much glad the good old man as it did joy him to see them whose lives hee had saved in such honour and dignity there they tooke shipping and departed to Sicily in which journey wee will for a while leave them and returne once againe to our wedding which wee left in so good forwardnesse But fortune as it seem'd willing to shew what authority shee had in lovers proceedings once more laid a stumbling blocke to crosse their happinesse Hormisda and Polypus those two brothers in mischeife who as you heard before left the Castle to the conquering lovers never left their flight till they came to Palermo a city not farre off where there dwelt an aunt of theirs named Andriana a woman so well skill'd in ill that shee was the tutresse to her forward nephewes aged shee was about fiftie but of crabbed conditions and testy of nature that the pettish favour of her angry wrinckled face shewed her to bee farre older than indeed shee was Her continuall practise was to entise youth to any evill and when shee failed of her intents shee would sit feeding herselfe with despite and anguish other mens adversity was as a cordiall to
voluble as thine yet shall thee pure sincerity of my hearty innocence out ballance the faire colours of thy slanderous rhetoricke What ere thou art thou art as farre from my knowledge as thy spotted soule is from goodnesse onely I know thee to bee false and wretched hired it may bee for some bribe to accuse innocent men or if thou dost it of thy selfe thou art so farre below mee that I cannot imagine an occasion why thou shouldest doe it nor know I how to answer thee as thou deservest To answer to his accusation with an absolute negation though it were sufficient in respect of the clearnesse of our consciences yet in respect of your satisfaction worthie Lordes it might seeme lame as wanting due proofes to make it goe upright To answer therefore to this false accusation I absolutely deny it to be false for consider reverent Iudges the persons accusing men of no note insomuch that I think there is no man in this whole assembly that hath any knowledge of them so that for ought I or any man else know they may bee men of so wicked conversation that they are not to bee beleeved but of that I am not now to dispute next consider my Lordes the persons accused men that if it may bee lawfull for us to speake in our owne praise have also been reputed vertuous and honest never before tainted with the least crime but esteemed among the best and most vertuous people of this countrey and among them not as the underlings of all but as men of cheife note and reckoning but that is not now to availe us for wee are accused and these are our accusers but of what doe they accuse us of the deathes of Callanthia and Florella good Gods how miserable are wee two of a suddaine become not onely to be deprived of the lives of our lifes our dearest spouses but to bee also accused as men so voide of grace and pitty nay of valour and manly constancy as not onely on a suddaine to hate but also so cruelly to murder those our so deare spouses good Gods what should I say if this be beleeved who shall bee free from slanderous accusations whom will not desperate villains for gaine or malice dare to accuse if it bee beleeved that Cleanthes and Polydore were the deaths of Callanthia and Florella who will not feare to love least his love should miscarry and hee bee condemned for the fault for were they not our dearest treasures could wee live one day from their sight were they not our selves and how say you then that Callanthia kneeled at Cleanthes his feete begging for mercy and could not obtaine it as if Cleanthes should have sought for pitty from himselfe and been denied it how say you that Cleanthes preferred the beauty of another before Callanthia's as if Cleanthes should love any ones face more then his owne how will you perswade that Cleanthes should poyson Callanthia as if Cleanthes should bee drawn to poison himselfe and how will you make any one believe that Polydore was of that minde too as if Polydore should bee as madde as Cleanthes to poyson himselfe if you can believe this what will you not believe or if you will not believe this to bee false I can onely foresee what will follow but know not how to avoide for wee can say no more in our defence then this that none loved any better then wee did them and therefore none so unlikely as wee to murder them This speech though it were in it self true and bred a like working in the hearts of many yet weighed with the others vehement asseverations and reproofes it seemed of small force to them that were of indifferent affection to either which the Iudges pondring and overwaighing of the plaintiffes truth hee proceeded to sentence in this manner It is a hard matter in so difficult a cause to give a right sentence it is therefore the duty of the accusers to bring in a true evidence else it will redound to their owne shame and ignominy consider therefore you that are the plaintiffes that if you falsly accuse these gentlemen their blouds will bee required at your hands and you shall dearely pay for it you also that are heere accused if you bee guilty of the crime I would advise you openly to confesse it and disburthen your soules of so cumbersome a trouble as I know the smoothering of such a sinne will bee but if you know your selves innocent you shall bee sure of an unspeakeable joy at your deathes and that is all the comfort I can give for wee have not eyes that can pierce into the bottomes of mens hearts wee are to judge by the outward appearance and â—ccording to the evidence that is brought against you now therefore considering your accusers doe heere accuse you of this murder not by meere probability by plaine demonstration as having themselves seene the deed done which you doe not cleare your selfe off but onely by certaine likelihoods as how unlikely it is for men of your ranke and quality to doe such mischeifes to persons whom you so dearly affected indeed it is something unlikely but not a matter of impossibility and therefore hearing what either side hath or can say I thinke it the safest way to judge according to the great appearance of truth Since therefore you two Cleanthes and Polydore have beene here accused arraigned and convicted of the murder of Callanthia and Florella I then pronounce your sentence that you be had from hence to the great market place and there a scaffold being erected you shall upon it lose your heades and the Gods shew mercy on your soules The sentence was forthwith put in execution for a scaffold being errected in the market place the two condemned gentlemen with a sufficient guard were brought unto it where being mounted up they desired the officer that was appointed to see the execution done that hee would grant them so much respite till they might send to the house of old Clidamas to bring thither the bodies of his dead daughters that they might take their last farewell of them to this the officer willingly consented and one was sent to fetch them Old Clidamas who all this time had kept his house as in suspence what should become of his two friendes now that hee heard of their condemnation and the message they had sent unto him rising up and saying nothing but O justice how are thy blinde eyes abused hee tooke the dead bodies and laid them both upon one beere apparrelled still as they were at first and with them went to the city and coming to the scaffold and taking his friendes about the neckes it was a good while ere teares would let him speake at last speech made an eruption to this purpose How is it O yee Gods that yee have no way to defend the innocent must it needes bee that a guiltlesse life must be lost for a deed that some other blondy villaine hath committed if it