foote to trouble his daughter gaue her a stop for that while So away departed Philoclea with a new field of fancies for her trauayling mind For well she sawe her father was growen her aduerse partie and yet her fortune such as she must fauour her Riuall and the fortune of that fortune such as neither that did hurt her nor any contrarie meane helpe her But she walkt but a little on before she saw Zelmane lying vpon a banke with her face so bent ouer Ladon that her teares falling into the water one might haue thought that she began meltingly to be metamorphosed to the vnder-running riuer But by and by with speech she made knowen as well that she liued as that she sorrowed Faire streames said she that do vouchsafe in your cleerenes to represent vnto me my blubbered face let the tribute-offer of my teares vnto you procure your stay a while with me that I may beginne yet at last to finde some thing that pities me and that all things of comfort and pleasure doo not flie away from me But if the violence of your spring commaund you to haste away to pay your dueties to your great prince the Sea yet carrie with you these few wordes and let the vttermost ends of the world know them A loue more cleere then your selues dedicated to a Loue I feare more cold then your selues with the cleerenes layes a night of sorow vpon me and with the coldnes enflames a world of fire within me With that she tooke a willowe stick and wrote in a sandie banke these fewe verses OVer these brookes trusting to ease mine eyes Mine eyes euen great in labour with their teares I layde my face my face wherein there lyes Clusters of clowdes which no Sunne euer cleares In watry glasse my watrie eyes I see Sorrowes ill easde where sorrowes painted be My thoughts imprisonde in my secret woes With flamie breathes doo issue oft in sound The sound to this strange aier no sooner goes But that it dooth with Echoes force rebound And make me heare the plaints I would refraine Thus outward helps my inward griefe maintaine Now in this sand I would discharge my minde And cast from me part of my burdnous cares But in the sand my tales foretolde I finde And see therein how well the writer fares Since streame aier sand mine eyes and eares conspire What hope to quench where each thing blowes the fire And assoone she had written them a new swarme of thoughts stinging her minde she was ready with her foot to giue the new-borne letters both death and buriall But Philoclea whose delight of hearing and seeing was before a stay from interrupting her gaue her self to be seen vnto her with such a lightning of Beauty vpon Zelmane that neither she could looke on nor would looke off At last Philoclea hauing a little mused how to cut the threede euen betweene her owne hopelesse affection and her fathers vnbrideled hope with eyes cheekes and lips wherof each sang their part to make vp the harmonie of bashfulnesse began to say My Father to whom I owe my self and therfore When Zelmane making a womanish habite to be the Armour of her boldnesse giuing vp her life to the lips of Philoclea and taking it againe by the sweetenesse of those kisses humbly besought her to keepe her speach for a while within the Paradise of her minde For well she knew her fathers errand who should soone receiue a sufficient answere But now she demaunded leaue not to loose this long sought-for commoditie of time to ease her hart thus farre that if in her agonies her destinie was to be condemned by Philocleas mouth at lest Philoclea might know whom she had condemned Philoclea easily yeelded to graunt her owne desire and so making the greene banke the situation and the riuer the prospect of the most beautifull buildings of Nature Zelmane doubting how to beginne though her thoughts already had runne to the ende with a minde fearing the vnworthinesse of euery word that should be presented to her eares at length brought it forth in this manner Most beloued Ladie the incomparable excellencies of your selfe waited-on by the greatnesse of your estate and the importaunce of the thing whereon my life consisteth doth require both many ceremonies before the beginning and many circumstaunces in the vttering my speech both bolde and fearefull But the small opportunitie of enuious occasion by the malicious eie hatefull Loue doth cast vpon me and the extreme bent of my affection which will eyther breake out in words or breake my harte compell me not onely to embrace the smallest time but to passe by the respects due vnto you in respect of your poore caitifes life who is now or neuer to be preserued I doo therefore vowe vnto you hereafter neuer more to omit all dutifull forme doo you onely now vouchsafe to heare the matter of a minde most perplexed If euer the sound of Loue haue come to your eares or if euer you haue vnderstood what force it hath had to conquere the strongest hartes and change the most setled estates receiue here an example of those straunge Tragedies one that in himselfe conteineth the particularities of all those misfortunes and from hencefoorth beleeue that such a thing may be since you shall see it is You shall see I say a liuing image and a present storie of what Loue can doo when he is bent to ruine But alas whether goest thou my tongue or how doth my harte consent to aduenture the reuealing his neerest touching secrete But peace Feare thou commest too late when already the harme is taken Therefore I say againe O onely Princesse attend here a miserable miracle of affection Behold here before your eyes Pyrocles Prince of Macedon whome you onely haue brought to this game of Fortune and vnused Metamorphosis whome you onely haue made neglect his countrie forget his Father and lastly forsake to be Pyrocles the same Pyrocles who you heard was betrayed by being put in a ship which being burned Pyrocles was drowned O most true presage for these traytors my eyes putting me into a shippe of Desire which dayly burneth those eyes I say which betraied me will neuer leaue till they haue drowned me But be not be not most excellent Lady you that Nature hath made to be the Load-starre of comfort be not the Rocke of shipwracke you whome vertue hath made the Princesse of felicitie be not the minister of ruine you whom my choyse hath made the Goddesse of my safetie O let not let not from you be powred vpon me destruction Your faire face hath manie tokens in it of amazement at my words thinke then what his amazement is from whence they come since no words can carry with them the life of the inward feeling I desire that my desire may be waied in the ballances of Honour and let Vertue hold them For if the highest Loue in no base person may aspire to grace then may I hope your beautie
woman for certainly a noble cause dooth ease much a grieuous case But as it stands now nothing vexeth me as that I cannot see wherein I can be seruisable vnto you I desire no greater seruice of you answered Pyrocles thē that you remayn secretly in this country some-times come to this place either late in the night or early in the morning where you shall haue my key to enter bicause as my fortune eyther amends or empaires I may declare it vnto you and haue your counsell and furtheraunce and hereby I will of purpose leade her that is the prayse and yet the staine of all womankinde that you may haue so good a view as to allowe my iudgement and as I can get the most conuenient time I will come vnto you for though by reason of yonder wood you cannot see the Lodge it is harde at hande But now sayd she it is time for me to leaue you and towardes euening we will walke out of purpose hetherward therefore keepe your selfe close in that time But Musidorus bethinking him selfe that his horse might happen to bewray them thought it best to returne for that day to a village not farre of and dispatching his horse in some sort the next day early to come a foote thither and so to keepe that course afterward which Pyrocles very well liked of Now farewell deere cousin said he from me no more Pyrocles nor Daiphantus now but Zelmane Zelmane is my name Zelmane is my title Zelmane is the onely hope of my aduauncement And with that word going out and seeing that the coast was cleare Zelmane dismissed Musidorus who departed as full of care to helpe his friend as before he was to disswade him Zelmane returned to the Lodge where inflamed by Philoclea watched by Gynecia and tired by Basilius she was like a horse desirous to runne and miserablie spurred but so short raind as he cannot stirre forward Zelmane sought occasion to speake with Philoclea Basilius with Zelmane and Gynecia hindered them all If Philoclea hapned to sigh and sigh she did often as if that sigh were to be wayted on Zelmane sighed also whereto Basilius and Gynecia soone made vp foure parts of sorrow Their affection increased their conuersation and their conuersation increased their affection The respect borne bred due ceremonies but the affection shined so through them that the ceremonies seemed not ceremonious Zelmanes eyes were like children before sweet meate eager but fearefull of their ill-pleasing gouernors Time in one instant seeming both short and long vnto them short in the pleasingnes of such presence long in the stay of their desires But Zelmane fayled not to intice them all many times abroad because she was desirous her friend Musidorus neere whom of purpose she led them might haue full sight of them Sometimes angling to a little Riuer neere hand which for the moisture it bestowed vpon rootes of some flourishing Trees was rewarded with their shadowe There would they sit downe and pretie wagers be made betweene Pamela and Philoclea which could soonest beguile silly fishes while Zelmane protested that the fit pray for them was hartes of Princes She also had an angle in her hand but the taker was so taken that she had forgotten taking Basilius in the meane time would be the cooke himselfe of what was so caught and Gynecia sit still but with no still pensifnesse Now she brought them to see a seeled Doue who the blinder she was the higher she straue Another time a Kite which hauing a gut cunningly pulled out of her and so let flie caused all the Kites in that quarter who as oftentimes the world is deceaued thinking her prosperous when indeede she was wounded made the poore Kite find that opinion of riches may well be dangerous But these recreations were interrupted by a delight of more gallant shew for one euening as Basilius returned from hauing forced his thoughts to please themselues in such small conquests there came a shepheard who brought him word that a Gentleman desired leaue to do a message from his Lord vnto him Basilius granted whereupon the Gentleman came and after the dutifull ceremonies obserued in his maisters name tolde him that he was sent from Phalantus of Corinth to craue licence that as he had done in many other courts so he might in his presence defie all Arcadian Knights in the behalfe of his mistres beautie who would besides her selfe in person be present to giue euident proofe what his launce should affirme The conditions of his chalenge were that the defendant should bring his mistresse picture which being set by the image of Artesia so was the mistresse of Phalantus named who in sixe courses should haue better of the other in the iudgement of Basilius with him both the honors and the pictures should remaine Basilius though he had retired himselfe into that solitarie dwelling with intention to auoid rather then to accept any matters of drawing company yet because he would entertaine Zelmane that she might not thinke the time so gainefull to him losse to her graunted him to pitch his tent for three dayes not farre from the lodge and to proclayme his chalenge that what Arcadian Knight for none els but vpon his perill was licensed to come would defende what he honored against Phalantus should haue the like freedome of accesse and returne This obteyned and published Zelmane being desirous to learne what this Phalantus was hauing neuer knowne him further then by report of his good iusting in somuch as he was commonly called The faire man of armes Basilius told her that he had had occasion by one very inward with him to knowe in part the discourse of his life which was that he was bastard-brother to the faire Helen Queene of Corinth and deerly esteemed of her for his exceeding good parts being honorablie courteous and wronglesly valiaunt considerately pleasant in conuersation and an excellent courtier without vnfaithfulnes who finding his sisters vnperswadeable melancholy thorow the loue of Amphialus had for a time left her court and gone into Laconia where in the warre against the Helots he had gotten the reputation of one that both durst and knew But as it was rather choise then nature that led him to matters of armes so as soone as the spur of honor ceased he willingly rested in peaceable delightes being beloued in all companies for his louely qualities and as a man may terme it winning cherefulnes whereby to the Prince and Court of Laconia none was more agreable then Phalantus and he not giuen greatly to struggle with his owne disposition followed the gentle currant of it hauing a fortune sufficient to content and he content with a sufficient fortune But in that court he sawe and was acquainted with this Artesia whose beautie he now defends became her seruant sayd himselfe and perchaunce thought himselfe her louer But certainly said Basilius many times it falles out that these young companions make themselues beleeue they loue
had receiued that naughtie Plexirtus into a streight degree of fauour his goodnesse being as apt to be deceiued as the others craft was to deceiue Till by plaine proofe finding that the vngratefull man went about to poyson him yet would not suffer his kindnesse to be ouercome not by iustice it selfe but calling him to him vsed words to this purpose Plexirtus said he this wickednesse is founde by thee No good deedes of mine haue bene able to keepe it downe in thee All men counsell me to take away thy life likely to bring foorth nothing but as daungerous as wicked effects But I cannot finde it in my harte remembring what fathers sonne thou art But since it is the violence of ambition which perchaunce puls thee from thine owne iudgement I will see whether the satisfying that may quiet the ill working of thy spirites Not farre hence is the great cittie of Trebisonde which with the territorie about it aunciently pertained vnto this crowne now vniustly possessed and as vniustly abused by those who haue neither title to holde it nor vertue to rule it To the conquest of that for thy selfe I will lende thee force and giue thee my right Go therefore and with lesse vnnaturalnesse glut thy ambition there and that done if it be possible learne vertue Plexirtus mingling forsworne excuses with false-meant promises gladly embraced the offer and hastilie sending backe for those two Brothers who at that time were with vs succouring the gratious Queene Erona by their vertue chiefly if not onely obteined the conquest of that goodly dominion Which indeede done by them gaue them such an authoritie that though he raigned they in effect ruled most men honouring them because they onely deserued honour and many thinking therein to please Plexirtus considering how much he was bound vnto them while they likewise with â— certaine sincere boldnesse of selfe-warranting friendship accepted all openly and plainely thinking nothing should euer by Plexirtus be thought too much in them since all they were was his But he who by the rules of his own mind could construe no other end of mens doings but selfe seking sodenly feared what they could doo and as sodainely suspected what they would doo and as sodainly hated them as hauing both might and minde to doo But dreading their power standing so strongly in their owne valour and others affection he durst not take open way against them and as hard it was to take a secrete they being so continually followed by the best and euery way hablest of that region and therefore vsed this diuelish sleight which I will tell you not doubting most wicked man to turne their owne friendship toward him to their owne destruction He knowing that they well knew there was no friendship betweene him and the new King of Pontus neuer since he succoured Leonatus and vs to his ouerthrow gaue them to vnderstand that of late there had passed secrete defiance betweene them to meete priuately at a place apointed Which though not so fit a thing for men of their greatnes yet was his honour so engaged as he could not go backe Yet faining to find himselfe weake by some counterfait infirmitie the day drawing neere he requested each of them to go in his stead making either of theÌ„ sweare to keepe the matter secret euen ech from other deliuering the selfe same particularities to both but that he told Tydeus the King would meet him in a blew armour and Telenor that it was a black armour and with wicked subtiltie as if it had bene so apointed caused Tydeus to take a black armour and Telenor a blew appointing them waies how to go so as he knew they should not meet till they came to the place appointed where each had promised to keepe silence lest the King should discouer it was not Plexirtus and there in a wait had he laied these murtherers that who ouerliued the other should by them be dispatched he not daring trust more then those with that enterprise and yet thinking them too few till themselues by themselues were weakened This we learned chiefly by the chiefe of those way-beaters after the death of those two worthie brothers whose loue was no lesse then their valour but well we might finde much thereof by their pitifull lamentation when they knew their mismeeting and saw each other in despite of the Surgerie we could doo vnto them striuing who should runne fastest to the goale of death each bewailing the other and more dying in the other then in himselfe cursing their owne hands for doing and their breastes for not sooner suffering detesting their vnfortunately-spent time in hauing serued so vngratefull a Tyraunt and accusing their folly in hauing beleeued he could faithfully loue who did not loue faithfulnes wishing vs to take heed how we placed our good will vpon any other ground then proofe of vertue since length of acquaintance mutuall secrecies nor height of benefits could binde a sauage harte no man being good to other that is not good in himselfe Then while any hope was beseeching vs to leaue the care of him that besought and onely looke to the other But when they found by themselues and vs no possibilitie they desired to be ioined and so embracing and crauing that pardon each of other which they denied to themselues they gaue vs a most sorrowfull spectacle of their death leauing â—ew in the world behind them their matches in any thing if they had soone inough knowne the ground and limits of friendship But with wofull hartes we caused those bodies to be conueyed to the next towne of Bythinia where we learning thus much as I haue tolde you caused the wicked Historian to conclude his story with his owne well-deserued death But then I must tell you I found such wofull countenances in Daiphantus that I could not but much maruaile finding them coÌ„tinew beyond the first assault of pittie how the case of strangers for further I did not conceiue could so deepely pearce But the truth indeed is that partly with the shame and sorrow she tooke of her fathers faultinesse partly with the feare that the hate I conceiued against him would vtterly disgrace her in my opinion whensoeuer I should know her so vehemeÌ„tly perplexed her that her fayre colour decaied and dayly hastily grew into the very extreme working of sorowfulnes which oft I sought to learne and helpe But she as fearefull as louing still concealed it and so decaying still more more in the excellencie of her fairenesse but that whatsoeuer weakenesse tooke away pitie seemed to adde yet still she forced her selfe to waite on me with such care and diligence as might well shew had bene taught in no other schoole but Loue. While we returning againe to embarke our selues for Greece vnderstood that the mighty Otanes brother to Barzanes slaine by Musidorus in the battaile of the six Princes had entred vpon the kingdome of Pontus partly vpon the pretences he had to the crowne but principally
harte woulde euer haue yeelded to goe And if so I doe not rightlie tearme you all other wordes are as bootelesse as my deede miserable and I as vnfortunate as you wicked my Prince Musidorus I saye nowe that the vehement shewes of your faithfull Loue towardes mee haue brought my minde to answeare it in so due a proportion that contrarie to all generall rules of reason I haue layde in you my estate my life my honour it is your part to double your former care and make me see your vertue no lesse in preseruing then in obtaining and your faith to bee a faith asmuch in freedome as bondage Tender now your owne workemanshippe and so gouerne your loue towardes me as I may still remaine worthie to bee loued Your promise you Remember which here by the eternall giuers of vertue I coniure you to obserue let me be your owne as I am but by no vniust conquest let not our ioyes which ought euer to last bee stayned in our own consciences let no shadow of repentaunce steale into the sweet consideration of our mutuall happines I haue yeelded to bee your wife staye then till the time that I may rightly bee so let no other defiled name burden my harte What shoulde I more saye If I haue chosen well all doubte is past since your action onely must determine whether I haue done vertuously or shamefully in following you Musidorus that had more aboundaunce of ioye in his hart then Vlisses had what time with his owne industrie he stale the fatall Palladium imagined to bee the only relicke of Troies safetie taking Pamelas hand and many times kissing it What I am said he the Gods I hope will shortly make your owne eyes Iudges and of my minde towards you the meane time shal be my pledge vnto you your contentment is dearer to me then mine owne therfore doubt not of his mind whose thoughts are so thralled vnto you as you are to bend or slack them as it shall sâ—eme best vnto you You do wrong to your selfe to make any doubte that a base estate could euer vndertake so high an enterprise or a spotted minde bee hable to beholde your vertues Thus much onely I must confesse I can neuer doe to make the worlde see you haue chosen worthily since all the world is not worthy of you In such delightfull discourses kept they on their Iournye mayntaining their hartes in that right harmonie of affection which doth enterchangeably deliuer each to other the secret workinges of their soules till with the vnused trauaile the Princesse being weary they lighted downe in a faire thyckwood which did entise them with the pleasantnes of it to take their rest there It was all of Pine trees whose brodeheades meeting togither yeelded a perfit shade to the ground where their bodies gaue a spacious and pleasant roome to walke in they were sett in so perfet an order that euerie waye the eye being full yet no way was stopped And euen in the middest of them were there many sweete springes which did loose themselues vpon the face of the earth Here Musidorus drew out such prouision of fruites other cates as he had brought for that dayes repaste and layde it downe vpon the faire Carpet of the greene grasse But Pamela had much more pleasure to walke vnder those trees making in their barkes prettie knottes which tyed togither the names of Musidorus and Pamela sometimes entermixedly changing there to Pammedorus and Musimela with twentie other flowers of her trauiling fancies which had bounde them selues to a greater restrainte then they could without much painewell endure and to one tree more beholdinge to her then the rest she entrusted the treasure of her thoughtes in these verses DO not disdaine ô streight vp raised Pine That wounding thee my thoughtes in thee I graue Since that my thoughtes as streight as streightnes thine No smaller wound alas farr deeper haue Deeper engrau'd which salue nor time can saue Giu'ne to my harte by my fore wounded eyne Thus cruell to my selfe how canst thou craue My inward hurte should spare thy outward rineâ— Yet still fairetree lifte vp thy stately line Liue long and long witnesse my chosen smarte Which barde desires barde by my selfe imparte And in this growing barke growe verses myne My harte my worde my worde hath giu'ne my harte The giuer giu'n from gifte shall neuer parte Vpon a roote of the tree that the earth had lefte something barer then the rest she wrat this couplet SWeete roote say thou the roote of my desire Was vertue cladde in constant loues attire Musidorus seing her fancies drawne vp to such pleasaunt contemplations accompanied her in them and made the trees aswell beare the badges of his passionsâ— As this songe engraued in them did testifie YOu goodly pines which still with braue assent In natures pride your heads to heau'nwarde heaue Though you besides such graces earth hath lent Of some late grace a greater grace receaue By her who was O blessed you content With her faire hande your tender barkes to cleaue And so by you O blessed you hath sent Such pearcing wordes as no thoughts els conceaue Yet yeeld your graunt a baser hand may leaue His thoughtes in you where so sweete thoughtes were spent For how would you the mistresse thoughts bereaue Of waiting thoughts all to her seruice ment Nay higher thoughtes though thralled thoughtes I call My thoughtes then hers who first your ryne did rente Then hers to whom my thoughts a lonely thrall Rysing from lowe are to the highest bente Where hers whom worth makes highest ouer all Comming from her cannot but downewarde fall While Pamela sitting her downe vnder one of them and making a posie of the fayer vndergrowinge flowers filled Musidorus eares with the heauenly sounde of her musicke which before he had neuer heard so that it seemed vnto him a new assaulte giuen to the castle of his hart alredye conquered which to signifie and with all replie to her sweete noates hee sang in a kinde of still but rauishing tune a fewe verses her song was this and his Replie followes Pamela LIke diuers flowers whose diuers beauties serue To decke the earth with his well-colourde weede Though each of them his priuate forme preserue Yet ioyning formes one sight of beautie breede Right so my thoughts where on my hart I feede Right so my inwarde partes and outward glasse Though each possesse a diuers working kinde Yet all well knit to one faire end do passe That he to whome these sondrie giftes I binde All what I am still one his owne doe finde Musidorus All what you are still one his owne to finde You that are borne to be the worldes eye What were it els but to make each thing blinde And to the sunne with waxen winges to flie No no such force with my small force to trye Is not my skill or reach of mortall minde Call me but yours my title is most hye Holde me most yours
such sort as I tolde you not sticking plainly to confesse that he meanes not while he breathes that his daughters shall haue any husbād but keepe thē thus solitary with him weher he gius no other body leaue to visit him at anytime but a certaine priest who being excellent in poetrie he makes him write out such thinges as he best likes he being no les delightfull in conuersation then needfull for deuotiō about twēty specified shepheards in whō some for exercises some for Eglogs he taketh greater recreation And now you know as much as my selfe wherin if I haue held you ouer long lay hardly the fault vpon my olde age which in the very disposition of it is talkatiue whether it be said he smiling that nature loues to exercise that part most which is least decayed and that is our tongue or that knowledge being the onely thing whereof we poore olde men can brag we cannot make it knowen but by vtterance or that mankinde by all meanes seeking to eternize himselfe so much the more as he is neere his end dooth it not onely by the children that come of him but by speaches and writings recommended to the memorie of hearers and readers And yet thus much I will say for my selfe that I haue not laid these matters either so openly or largely to any as your selfe so much if I much faile not doo I see in you which makes me both loue and trust you Neuer may he be olde answered Palladius that doth not reuerence that age whose heauines if it waie doune the frayl and fleshly ballance it as much lifts vp the noble and spirituall part and well might you haue alledged another reason that their wisedome makes them willing to profite others And that haue I receiued of you neuer to be forgotten but with vngratefulnes But among many strange conceits you told mee which haue shewed effectes in your Prince truly euen the last that he should conceiue such pleasure in shepheards discourses would not seeme the least vnto me sauing that you told me at the first that this countrie is notable in those wits that in deed my selfe hauing beene brought not onely to this place but to my life by Strephon and Claius in their conference found wits as might better become such shepheardes as Homer speakes of that be gouernors of peoples then such senatours who hold their councell in a sheepecoate for them two said Kalander especially Claius they are beeyond the rest by so much as learning commonlie doth adde to nature for hauing neglected their wealth in respect of their knowledge they haue not so much empayred the meaner as they bettered the better Which all notwithstanding it is a sporte to heare howe they impute to loue which hath indewed their thoughtes saie they with such a strength But certainely all the people of this countrie from high to lowe is giuen to those sportes of the vvitte so as you would vvonder to heare hovv soone euen children vvill begin to versifie Once ordinary it is among the meanest sorte to make Songes and Dialogues in meeter either loue vvhetting their braine or longe peace hauing begun it example and emulation amending it Not so much but the Clowne Dametas will stumble sometimes vpon some songes that might become a better braine but no sorte of people so excellent in that kind as the pastors for their liuing standing but vppon the looking to their beastes they haue ease the Nurse of Poetrie Neither are our shepheards such as I heare they be in other countries but they are the verie owners of the sheepe to which either them selues looke or their children giue dayly attendance And then truly it would delight you vnder some tree or by some riuers side when two or three of them meet together to heare their rurall muse how pretily it will deliuer out sometimes ioyes sometimes lamentations sometimes chalenginges one of the other sometimes vnder hidden formes vttering such matters as otherwise they durst not deale with Then haue they most commonly one who iudgeth the Price to the best doer of which they are no lesse glad then great Princes are of triumphes and his parte is to sette downe in writing all that is saide saue that it may be his pen with more leasure doth polish the rudnesse of an vnthought-on songe Nowe the choise of all as you may well thinke either for goodnes of voice or plesantnes of wit the Prince hath among whome also there are two or three strangers whom inwarde melancholies hauing made weery of the worldes eyes haue come to spend their liues among the countrie people of Arcadia their conuersation being wel approued the Prince vouchsafeth them his presence and not onely by looking on but by great curtesie and liberalitie animates the shepheardes the more exquisitely to labour for his good liking So that there is no cause to blame the Prince for sometimes hearing them the blame-worthinesse is that to heare them he rather goes to solitarinesse then makes them come to companie Nether doe I accuse my maister for aduancing a countriman as Dametas is since God forbid but where worthynesse is as truely it is among diuers of that fellowship any outward lownesse should hinder the hiest raysing but that he would needs make election of one the basenesse of whose minde is such that it sinckes a thousand degrees lower then the basest bodie coulde carrie the most base fortune which although it might be answered for the prince that it is rather a trust he hath in his simple plainnesse then any great aduancement being but chiefe heardman yet all honest hartes feele that the trust of their Lord goes beyond al aduancement But I am euer too long vppon him when he crosseth the waye of my speache and by the shadovve of yonder tovver I see it is a fitter time vvith our supper to pay the duties we owe to our stomacks then to break the aire with my idle discourses And more witte I might haue learned of Homer whom euen now you mentioned who neuer entertayned eyther guestes or hostes with long speaches till the mouth of hunger be throughly stopped So withall he rose leading Palladius through the gardeine againe to the parler where they vsed to suppe Palladius assuring him that he had already been more fed to his liking thē he could be by the skillfullest trencher-men of Media But being come to the supping place one of Kalāders seruants roūded in his eare at which his colour chaunging he retired himselfe into his chamber commaunding his men diligently to waite vpon Palladius and to excuse his absence with some necessary busines he had presently to dispatch Which they accordingly did for some fewe daies forcing thēselues to let no change appeare but though they framed their countenaunces neuer so cunningly Palladius perceaued there was some ill-pleasing accident fallen out Wherupon being againe set alone at supper he called to the Steward and desired him to tell him the matter of his
beyond the degree of a man and to looke with a certaine almost bâ—shfull kinde of modestie as if he feared the eyes of men who was vnmooued with sight of the most horrible countenaunces of death and as if nature had mistaken her woorke to haue a Marses heart in a Cupids bodie All that beheld him and all that might behold him did behold him made their eyes quicke messengers to their minds that there they had seene the vttermost that in mankind might be seene The like wonder Palladius had before stirred but that Daiphantus as younger and newer come had gotten now the aduantage in the moyst and â—icle impression of eye-sight But while all men sauing poore Argalus made the ioy of their eyes speake for their harts towardes Daiphantus Fortune that belike was bid to that banket and ment then to playe the good fellow brought a pleasant aduenture among them It was that as they had newly dined there came in to Kalander a messenger that brought him word a yong noble Lady neere kinswoman to the faire Helen Queene of Corinth was come thither and desired to be lodged in his house Kalander most glad of such an occasion-went out and all his other worthie guests with him sauing onely Argalus who remained in his chamber desirous that this company were once broken vp that he might goe in his solitarie quest after Parthenâ—a But when they met this Lady Kalander streight thought hee sawe his neece Parthenea and was about in such familiar sorte to haue spoken vnto her But shee in graue aud honorable manner giuing him to vnderstande that he was mistaken he halfe ashamed excused himselfe with the exceeding likenes was between them though in deede it seemed that this Lady was of the more pure and daintie complexion shee saide it might very well bee hauing beene many times taken one for another But assoon as she was brought into the house before she would rest her she desired to speak with Argalus publickly who she heard was in the house Argalus came hastilie and as hastilie thought as Kalander had done with sodaine chaunges of ioye into sorrow But she when she had staide their thoughts with telling them her name and qualitie in this sorte spake vnto him My Lord Argalus sayd she being of late left in the Court of Queene Helen of Corinth as chiefe in her absence she being vpon some occasion gone thence there came vnto me the Lady Parthenia so disfigured as I think Greece hath nothing so ougly to behold For my part it was many daies before with vehement oathes and some good proofes she could make me think that she was Parthenia Yet at last finding certainlye it was she and greatly pitying her misfortune so much the more as that all men had euer tolde me as now you doo of the great likenes between vs I tooke the best care I could of her and of her vnderstood the whole tragicall historieâ— of her vndeserued aduenture and therewithall of that most noble constancie in you my Lord Argalus which whosoeuer loues not shewes himself to be a hater of vertue and vnworthy to liue in the societie of mankind But no outwarde cherishing could salue the inwarde sore of her minde but a few dayes since she died before her death earnestly desiring and perswading me to thinke of no husbande but of you as of the onely man in the worlde worthie to be loued with-al she gaue me this Ring to deliuer you desiring you by the authoritie of loue commanding you that the affection you bare her you should turne to me assuring you that nothing can please her soule more then to see you and me matched together Nowe my L. though this office be not perchance sutable to my estate nor sex who should rather looke to be desired yet an extraordinarie desert requires an extraordinarie proceeding and therefore I am come with faithfull loue built vppon your worthines to offer my selfe and to beseech you to accept the offer if these noble gentlemen present will say it is great folly let theÌ„ withall say it is great loue And then she staid earnestly attending Argalus his answere who first making most hartie sighes do such obsequies as he could to Parthenia thus answered her Madame said he infinitly am I bound vnto you for this no more rare then noble courtesie but most bound for the goodnes I perceiue you shewed to the lady Parthenia with that the teares ranne downe his eyes but he followed on and as much as so vnfortunate a man fitte to be the spectacle of miserie can doo you seruice determine you haue made a purchase of a slaue while I liue neuer to faile you But this great matter you propose vnto me wherin I am not so blinde as not to se what happines it should be vnto me Excellent Ladie know that if my hart were mine to giue you before all other should haue it but Parthenias it is though dead there I began there I end all matter of affection I hope I shall not longe tarry after her with whose beautie if I had onely beene in loue I should be so with you who haue the same beautie but it was Parthenias selfe Lloued and loue which no likenes can make one no commandemeÌ„t dissolue no foulnes defile nor no death finish And shall I receiue said shee such disgrace as to be refused Noble Ladie saide he let not that harde word be vsed who know your exceeding worthinesse farre beyond my desert but it is onely happines I refufe since of the onely happines I could and can desire I am refused He had scarce spoken those words when shee ranne to him and imbracing him Why then Argalus said she take thy Parthenia and Parthenia it was in deede But because sorow forbad him too soon to beleeue she told him the trueth with all circumstances how being parted alone meaning to die in some solitarie place as she hapned to make her complaint the Queene Helen of Corinth who likewise felt her part of miseries being then walking also alone in that lonely place hearde her and neuer lefte till she had knowen the whole discourse Which the noble Queene greatly pitying she sent her to a Phisition of hers the most excellent man in the world in hope he could helpe her which in such sort as they saw he had perfourmed and shee taking with her of the Queenes seruants thought yet to make this triall whether he would quickly forget his true Parthenia or no. Her speach was confirmed by the Corinthian Gentlemen who before had kept her councell and Argalus easily perswaded to what more then ten thousand yeares of life he desired and Kalander would needes haue the mariage celebrated in his house principallie the longer to holde his deare guestes towardes whom he was now besides his owne habite of hospitallitie carried with loue and dutie therefore omitted no seruice that his wit could inuent and his power minister But no way he sawe he could so
I liue must continue in fewe wordes while he pleaded for another he wanne me for himselfe if at least with that she sighed he would account it a winning for his fame had so framed the way to my mind that his presence so full of beautie sweetnes and noble cōuersation had entred there before he vouchsafed to call for the keyes O Lorde how did my soule hang at his lippes while he spake O when he in feeling maner would describe the loue of his frend how well thought I dooth loue betweene those lippes when he would with daintiest eloquence stirre pittie in me towarde Philoxenus vvhy sure said I to my selfe Helen be not afraid this hart cannot vvant pittie and vvhen he vvould extoll the deeds of Philoxenus vvho indeede had but vvaited of him therin alas thought I good Philoxenus hovv euil doth it become thy name to be subscribed to his letter vvhat should I saie nay vvhat should I not say noble Knight vvho am not ashamed nay am delighted thus to expresse mine ovvne passions Dayes paste his eagernes for his friend neuer decreased my affection to him euer increased At length in vvay of ordinarie curtesie I obteined of him vvho suspected no such matter this his picture the onely Amphialus I feare that I shall euer enioy and grovven bolder or madder or bould vvith madnes I discouered my affection vnto him But Lord I shall neuer forget how anger and curtesie at one instant apeared in his eyes vvhen he harde that motion hovv vvith his blush he taught me shame In summe he left nothing vnassayed vvhich might disgrace himselfe to grace his friēd in svveet termes making me receiue a most resolute refusall of himselfe But when he found that his presence did far more perswade for himselfe then his speeche could doo for his frend hee left my court hoping that forgetfulnesse which commonly waits vpon absence woulde make roome for his friende to whome hee woulde not vtter thus much I thinke for a kinde feare not to grieue him or perchance though he cares litle for me of a certain honorable gratefulnes nor yet to discouer so much of my secrets but as it should seeme meant to trauell into farre countryes vntill his friends affectiō either ceased or preuailed But within a while Philoxenus came to see how onward the fruites were of his friends labour when as in trueth I cared not much how he tooke it he found me sitting beholding this picture I know not with how affectionate countenance but I am sure with a most affectionate mind I straight found ielousie and disdaine tooke holde of him and yet the froward paine of mine owne harte made mee so delight to punish him whom I esteemed the chiefest let in my way that when he with humble gesture and vehement speeches sued for my fauor I told him that I would heare him more willingly if hee woulde speake for Amphialus as well as Amphialus had done for him he neuer answered me but pale quaking went straight away and straight my heart misgaue me some euill successe and yet though I had authoritie inough to haue stayed him as in these fatall thinges it falles out that the hie-working powers make second causes vnwittingly accessarie to their determinations I did no further but sent a foot-man of mine whose faithfulnes to me I will knew from place to place to follow him and bring me word of his proceedings which alas haue brought foorth that which I feare I must euer rewe For hee had trauailed scarsea dayes iorney out of my Countrey but that not farre from this place he ouer-tooke Amphialus who by succouring a distressed Lady had bene here stayed and by and by called him to fight with him protesting that one of them two should die you may easily iudge how straunge it was to Amphialus whose hart could accuse it selfe of no fault but too much affection towarde him which he refusing to fight with him woulde faine haue made Philoxenus vnderstand but as my seruant since tolde me the more Amphialus went back the more he followed calling him Traytor and coward yet neuer telling the cause of this strange alteration Ah Philoxenus saide Amphialus I know I am no Traytor and thou well knowest I am no coward but I pray thee content thy selfe with this much and let this satisfie thee that I loue thee since I beare thus much of thee but hee leauing wordes drew his sworde and gaue Amphialus a great blow or two which but for the goodnes of his armour would haue slaine him and yet so farre did Amphialus containe himselfe stepping aside and saying to him Well Philoxenus and thus much villany am I content to put vp not any longer for thy sake whom I haue no cause to loue since thou dost iniury mee and wilt not tell me the cause but for thy vertuous fathers sake to whom I am so much bound I pray thee goe awaye and conquer thy owne passions and thou shalt make mee soone yeeld to be thy seruant But he would not attend his wordes but still strake so fiercely at Amphialus that in the end nature preuailing aboue determination he was faine to defend him selfe and with-all to offend him that by an vnluckye blow the poore Philoxenus fell dead at his feete hauing had time onely to speake some wordes whereby Amphialus knew it was for my sake which when Amphialus sawe he forthwith gaue such tokens of true felt sorrow that as my seruant said no imagination could conceiue greater woe But that by and by and vnhappye occasion made Amphialus passe himselfe in sorrow for Philoxenus was but newelie dead when there comes to thesame place the aged and vertuous Timotheus who hauing heard of his sonnes sodaine and passionate manner of parting from my Court had followed him as speedily as he coulde but alas not so speedily but that hee founde him dead before hee coulde ouertake him Though my heart bee nothing but a stage for Tragedies yet I must confesse it is euen vnable to beare the miserable representation thereof knowing Amphialus and Timotheus as I haue done Alas what sorrowe what amasement what shame was in Amphialus when hee sawe his deere foster father finde him the killer of his onely sonne In my heart I knowe hee wished mountaines had laine vpon him to keepe him from that meeting As for Timotheus sorrow of his sonne and I thinke principally vnkindenesse of Amphialus so deuoured his vitall spirites that able to say no more but Amphialus Amphialus haue I he sancke to the earth and presently died But not my tongue though daily vsed to complaints no nor if my heart which is nothing but sorrow were turned to tongues durst it vnder-take to shew the vnspeakeablenes of his griefe But because this serues to make you know my fortune he threw away his armour euen this which you haue now vppon you which at the first sight I vainely hoped hee had put on againe and then as ashamed of the light hee ranne
into thickest of the woods lamenting and euen crying out so pitifully that my seruant though of a fortune not vsed to much tendernes could not refraine weeping when he told it me He once ouertooke him but Amphialus drawing his sword which was the onely part of his armes God knowes to what purpose he carried about him threatned to kil him if he followed him and withal bad him deliuer this bitter message that he wel inough found I was the cause of all this mischiefe and that if I were a man he would go ouer the world to kill me but bad me assure myselfe that of all creatures in the world he most hated mee Ah sir Knight whose eares I think by this time are tired with the rugged waies of these misfortunes now weigh my case if at least you know what loue is For this cause haue I left my countrie putting in hazard how my people will in time deale by me aduenturing what perilles or dishonors might ensue onely to follow him who proclaimeth hate against me and to bring my necke vnto him if that may redeeme my trespasse and asswage his fury And now sir saide she you haue your request I pray you take paines to guide me to the next towne that there I may gather such of my company againe as your valor hath left me Palladius willingly condiscended but ere they began to go there came Clitophon who hauing bene something hurt by one of them had pursued him a good way at length ouertaking him and ready to kill him vnderstoode they were seruants to the faire Queene Helen and that the cause of this enterprise was for nothing but to make Amphialus prisoner whō they knew their mistresse sought for she concealed her sorrow nor cause of her sorrow frō no body But Clitophon very sory for this accident came backe to comfort the Queene helping such as were hurt in the best sort that he could and framing friendly constructions of this rashly vnder-taken enmitie when in comes an other till that time vnseene all armed with his beuer downe who first looking round about vpon the cōpany as soone as he spied Palladius he drew his sword making no other prologue let flie at him But Palladius sorie for so much harme as had already happened sought rather to retire and warde thinking he might be some one that belonged to the faire Queene whose case in his heart he pitied Which Clitophon seeing stept betweene them asking the new come knight the cause of his quarrel who answered him that hee woulde kill that theefe who had stollen away his masters armour if he did not restore it With that Palladius lookt vpon him and sawe that hee of the other side had Palladius owne armour vpon him truely saide Palladius if I haue stolne this armour you did not buy that◠but you shall not fight with me vpon such a quarrell you shall haue this armour willingly which I did onely put on to doo honor to the owner But Clitophon straight knewe by his words and voyce that it was Ismenus the faithfull and diligent Page of Amphialus and therefore telling him that he was Clitophon and willing him to acknowledge his error to the other who deserued all honour the yong Gentleman pulled of his head-peece and lighting went to kisse Palladius hands desiring him to pardon his follie caused by extreame griefe which easilie might bring foorth anger Sweete Gentleman saide Palladius you shall onely make me this amendes that you shall cary this your Lords armour from me to him and tell him from an vnknowen knight who admires his worthines that he cannot cast a greater miste ouer his glory then by being vnkind to so excellēt a princesse as this Queene is Ismenus promised he would as soone as he durst find his maister and with that went to doo his duetie to the Queene whom in al these encounters astonishment made hardy but assoone as she saw Ismenus looking to her picture Ismenus saide shee here is my Lord where is yours or come you to bring me some sentence of death from him if it be so welcome be it I pray you speake and speake quickly Alas Madame said Ismenus I haue lost my Lorde with that teares came vnto his eyes for assoone as the vnhappie combate was concluded with the death both of father and sonne my maister casting of his armour went his way forbidding me vpon paine of death to follow him Yet diuers daies I followed his steppes till lastly I found him hauing newly met with an excellent Spaniell belonging to his dead companion Philoxenns The dog straight fawned on my master for old knowledge but neuer was there thinge more pittifull then to heare my maister blame the dog for louing his maisters murtherer renewing a fresh his complaints with the dumbe counceller as if they might comfort one another in their miseries But my Lord hauing spied me rase vp in such rage that in truth I feared he would kill me yet as then he said onely if I would not displease him I should not come neere him till he sent for me too hard a commaundement for me to disobey I yeelded leauing him onely waited on by his dog and as I thinke seeking out the most solitarie places that this or any other country can graunt him and I returning where I had left his armour found an other in steede thereof and disdaining I must confesse that any should beare the armour of the best Knight liuing armed my selfe therein to play the foole as euen now I did Faire Ismenus said the Queene a fitter messenger could hardly be to vnfold my Tragedie I see the end I see my end With that sobbing she desired to be conducted to the next towne where Palladius left her to be waited on by Clitophon at Palladius earnest entreatie who desired alone to take that melancholy course of seeking his friend and therefore changing armours againe with Ismenus who went withall to a castle belonging to his master he continued his quest for his friend Daiphantus So directed he his course to Laconia aswell among the Helots as Spartans There indeede hee found his fame flourishing his monuments engraued in Marble and yet more durably in mens memories but the vniuersall lamenting his absented presence assured him of his present absence Thence into the Elean prouince to see whether at the Olympian games there celebrated he might in such concourse blesse his eyes with so desired an encounter but that huge and sportfull assemblie grewe to him a tedious louelinesse esteeming no bodie founde since Daiphantus was lost Afterward he passed through Achaia and Sicyonia to the Corinthians prowde of their two Seas to learne whether by the streight of that Isthmus it were possible to know of his passage But finding euerie place more dombe then other to his demaundes and remembring that it was late-taken loue which had wrought this new course he returned againe after two moneths trauaile in vaine to make a freshe searche in Arcadia
a certaine Sycionian Knight was lost thorow want rather of valour then iustice her husband the famous Argalus would in a chafe haue gone and redeemed it with a new triall But shee more sporting then sorrowing for her vndeserued champion tolde her husbande shee desired to bee beautifull in no bodies eye but his and that shee would rather marre her face as euill as euer it was then that it should be a cause to make Argalus put on armour Then woulde Basilius haue tolde Zelmane that which she already knew of the rare triall of that coupled affection but the next picture made their mouthes giue place to their eyes It was of a young mayd which sate pulling out a thorne out of a Lambes foote with her looke so attentiue vppon it as if that little foote coulde haue bene the circle of her thoughts her apparell so poore as it had nothing but the inside to adorne it a shephooke lying by her with a bottle vpon it But with all that pouertie beauty plaid the prince and commanded as many harts as the greatest Queene there did Her beautie and her estate made her quicklie to be knowne to be the faire shepheardesse Vrania whom a rich knight called Lacemon farre in loue with her had vnluckely defended The last of all in place because last in the time of her being captiue was Zelmane daughter to the King Plexirtus who at the first sight seemed to haue some resembling of Philoclea but with more marking comparing it to the present Philoclea who indeed had no paragon but her sister they might see it was but such a likenesse as an vnperfect glasse doth giue aunswerable enough in some feitures and colors but erring in others But Zelmane sighing turning to Basilius Alas sir said she here be some pictures which might better become the tombes of their Mistresses thē the triumphe of Artesia It is true sweetest Lady saide Basilius some of them bee dead and some other captiue But that hath happened so late as it may bee the Knightes that defended their beauty knew not so much without we will say as in some harts I know it would fall out that death it selfe could not blot out the image which loue hath engrauen in them But diuers besides these said Basilius hath Phalantus woon but he leaues the rest carying onely such who either for greatnes of estate or of beauty may iustly glorifie the glory of Artesias triumph Thus talked Basilius with Zelmane glad to make any matter subiect to speake of with his mistresse while Phalantus in this pompous maner brought Artesia with her gentlewomen into one Tent by which he had another where they both wayted who would first strike vpon the shielde while Basilius the Iudge appointed sticklers and troumpets to whom the other should obey But non that day appeared nor the next till all ready it had consumed halfe his allowance of light but then there came in a knight protesting himselfe as contrarie to him in minde as he was in apparrell For Phalantus was all in white hauing in his bases and caparison imbroidered a wauing water at each side whereof hee had nettings cast ouer in which were diuers fishes naturally made and so pretily that as the horse stirred the fishes seemed to striue and leape in the nette But the other knight by name Nestor by birth an Arcadian in affection vowed to the faire Shepherdesse was all in black with fire burning both vpō his armour and horse His impresa in his shield was a fire made of Iuniper with this word More easie and more sweete But this hote knight was cooled with a fall which at the third course he receiued of Phalantus leauing his picture to keepe companie with the other of the same stampe hee going away remedilesly chafing at his rebuke The next was Polycetes greatly esteemed in Arcadia for deedes he had done in armes and much spoken of for the honourable loue he had long borne to Gynecia which Basilius himselfe was content not onely to suffer but to be delighted with he carried it in so honorable and open plainnes setting to his loue no other marke then to do her faithfull seruice But neither her faire picture nor his faire running could warrant him from ouerthrow and her from becomming as then the last of Artesias victories a thing Gynecias vertues would little haue recked at another time nor then if Zelmane had not seene it But her champion went away asmuch discomforted as discomfited Then Telamon for Polexena and Eurileon for Elpine and Leon for Zoana all braue Knights all faire Ladies with their going downe lifted vp the ballance of his praise for actiuitie and hers for fairenes Vpon whose losse as the beholders were talking there comes into the place where they ranne a shepheard stripling for his height made him more then a boy and his face would not allow him a man brown of complexion whether by nature or by the Suns familiaritie but very louely with all for the rest so perfectly proportioned that Nature shewed shee dooth not like men◠who slubber vp matters of meane account And well might his proportion be iudged for he had nothing vpon him but a paire of sloppes and vpon his bodie a Gote-skinne which hee cast ouer his shoulder doing all things with so pretie a grace that it seemed ignorance could not make him do a misse because he had a hart to do well holding in his right hand a long staffe so cōming with a looke ful of amiable fiercenes as in whō choller could not take away the sweetnes hee came towards the king and making a reuerence which in him was comely because it was kindly My liege Lord said he I pray you heare a few words for my heart wil break if I say not my mind to you I see here the picture of Vrania which I cannot tell how nor why these men when they fall downe they say is not so faire as yonder gay woman But pray God I may neuer see my olde mother aliue if I think she be any more match to Vrania then a Goate is to a fine Lambe or then the Dog that keepes our flock at home is like your white Greihounde that pulled downe the Stagge last day And therefore I pray you let me be drest as they be and my hart giues me I shall tumble him on the earth for indeede hee might aswell say that a Couslip is as white as a Lillie or els I care not let him come with his great staffe and I with this in my hand and you shall see what I can doo to him Basilius sawe it was the fine shepheard Lalus whom once he had afore him in Pastorall sportes and had greatly delighted in his wit full of prety simplicitie and therefore laughing at his earnestnesse he bad him be content since hee sawe the pictures of so great Queenes were faine to follow their champions fortune But Lalus euen weeping ripe went among the rest longing to
see some bodie that would reuenge Vranias wronge and praying hartely for euery bodie that ran against Phalantus then beginning to feele pouerty that he could not set him selfe to that triall But by and by euen when the Sunne like a noble harte began to shew his greatest countenaunce in his lowest estate there came in a Knight called Phebilus a Gentleman of that country for whom hatefull fortune had borrowed the dart of Loue to make him miserable by the sight of Philoclea For he had euen from her in fancie loued her and was striken by her before shee was able to knowe what quiuer of arrowes her eyes caried but he loued and dispaired and the more hee dispaired the more hee loued He sawe his owne vnworthines and thereby made her excellencie haue more terrible aspect vpon him he was so secrete therein as not daring to be open that to no creature he euer spake of it but his hart made such silent complaintes within it selfe that while all his senses were attentiue thereto cunning iudges might perceaue his minde so that hee was knowne to loue though hee denied or rather was the better knowne because hee denied it His armour and his attire was of a Sea couler his Impresa the fish called Sepia which being in the nette castes a blacke inke about it selfe that in the darkenesse thereof it may escape his worde was Not so Philocleas picture with almost an idolatrous magnificence was borne in by him But straight ielousie was a harbinger for disdaine in Zelmanes harte when shee sawe any but her selfe shoulde bee auowed a champion for Philoclea in somuch that she wisht his shame till shee sawe him shamed for at the second course he was striken quite from out of the saddle so full of griefe and rage withall that he would faine with the sworde haue reuenged it but that being contrary to the order set downe Basilius would not suffer so that wishing him selfe in the bottome of the earth hee went his way leauing Zelmane no lesse angry with his losse then shee would haue bene with his victory For if she thought before a riuals prayse would haue angred her her Ladies disgrace did make her much more forget what she then thought while that passion raigned so much the more as shee sawe a pretie blush in Philocleas cheekes bewray a modest discontentment But the night commaunded truce for those sportes and Phalantus though intreated would not leaue Artesia who in no case would come into the house hauing as it were suckte of Cecropias breath a mortall mislike against Basilius But the night measured by the short ell of sleepe was soone past ouer and the next morning had giuen the watchfull stars leaue to take their rest when a trumpet summoned Basilius to play his iudges parte which he did taking his wife and daughters with him Zelmane hauing lockt her doore so as they would not trouble her for that time for already there was a Knight in the fielde readie to proue Helen of Corinth had receaued great iniury both by the erring iudgement of the challenger and the vnlucky weakenesse of her former defender The newe Knight was quickly knowne to be Clitophon Kalanders sonne of Basilius his sister by his armour which all guilt was so well handled that it shewed like a glittering sande and grauell enterlaced with siluer riuers his deuice hee had put in the picture of Helen which hee defended It was the Ermion with a speach that signified Rather dead then spotted But in that armour since hee had parted from Helen who woulde no longer his companie finding him to enter into termes of affection hee had performed so honourable actions still seeking for his two friends by the names of Palladius and Daiphantus that though his face were couered his being was discouered which yet Basilius which had brought him vp in his court woulde not seeme to do but glad to see triall of him of whom he had heard very well he commaunded the trumpets to sound to which the two braue Knights obeying they performed their courses breaking their six staues with so good both skill in the hitting and grace in the maner that it bred some difficulty in the iudgement But Basilius in the ende gaue sentence against Clitophon because Phalantus had broken more staues vpon the head and that once Clitophon had receiued such a blowe that hee had lost the raines of his horse with his head well nie touching the croper of the horse But Clitophon was so angry with the iudgemēt where in he thought he had receiued wrong that he omitted his duty to his Prince and vncle and sodainly went his way still in the quest of them whom as then he had left by seeking and so yeelded the field to the next commer who comming in about two houres after was no lesse marked then all the rest before because he had nothing worth the marking For he had neither picture nor deuice his armour of as old a fashion besides the rustie poorenesse that it might better seeme a monument of his graundfathers courage about his middle he had in steede of bases a long cloak of silke which as vnhandsomely as it needes must became the wearer so that all that lookt on measured his length on the earth alreadie since hee had to meete one who had beene victorious of so many gallants But hee went on towardes the shielde and with a sober grace strake it but as he let his sworde fall vpon it another Knight all in blacke came rustling in who strake the shielde almost assoone as hee and so strongly that hee brake the shielde in two the ill appointed Knight for so the beholders called him angrie with that as hee accounted insolent iniurie to himselfe hit him such a sound blowe that they that looked on saide it well became a rude arme The other aunswered him againe in the same case so that Launces were put to silence the swords were so busie But Phalantus angry of this defacing his shield came vpon the blacke Knight and with the pommell of his sworde set fire to his eyes which presently was reuenged not onely by the Blacke but the ill apparelled Knight who disdained another should enter into his quarrell so as who euer sawe a matachin daunce to imitate fighting this was a fight that did imitate the matachin for they being but three that fought euerie one had two aduersaries striking him who strooke the third and reuenging perhaps that of him which he had receaued of the other But Basilius rising himselfe came to parte them the sticklers authoritie scarslie able to perswade cholerike hearers and parte them he did But before he could determine comes in a fourth halting on foote who complained to Basilius demaunding iustice on the blacke Knight for hauing by force taken away the picture of Pamela from him whiche in little forme hee ware in a Tablet and couered with silke had fastened it to his Helmet purposing for want of a bigger
folly of the keeper who thinking himselfe able to rule them had caried them abroad and so was deceiued whom yet if Basilius would punish for it she was readie to deliuer Basilius made no other answere but that his Mistres if she had any more such beastes should cause them to be killed and then hee told his wife and Zelmane of it because they should not feare those woods as though they harbored such beasts where the like had neuer bene seene But Gynecia tooke a further conceit of it mistrusting greatly Cecropia because she had heard much of the diuellish wickednesse of her heart and that particularly she did her best to bring vp her sonne Amphialus being brothers sonne to Basilius to aspire to the crowne as next heire male after Basilius and therefore saw no reason but that she might coniecture it proceeded rather of some mischieuous practise than of misfortune Yet did shee onely vtter her doubt to her daughters thinking since the worst was past shee would attend a further occasion least ouer much haste might seeme to proceede of the ordinarie mislike betweene sisters in Lawe onely they maruelled that Basilius looked no further into it who good man thought so much of his late conceiued common wealth that all other matters were but digressions vnto him But the shepheards were ready and with well handling themselues called their senses to attend their pastimes The first Ecloges BAsilius because Zelmane so would haue it vsed the artificiall day of torches to lighten the sportes their inuentions could minister And because many of the shepheardes were but newlie come hee did in a gentle manner chastise their negligence with making them for that night the Torchbearers and the others he willed with all freedome of speech and behauiour to keepe their accustomed method Which while they prepared to do Dametas who much disdayned since his late authority all his old companions brought his seruant Dorus in good acquaintance and allowance of them and himself stood like a directer ouer them with nodding gaping winking or stamping shewing how he did like or mislike those things he did not vnderstand The first sports the shepheards shewed wearful of such leapes and gambols as being accorded to the pipe which they bare in their mouthes euen as they daunced made a right picture of their chiefe God Pan and his companions the Satyres Then would they cast away their Pipes and holding hand in hand daunce as it were in a braule by the only cadence of their voices which they would vse in singing some short coplets whereto the one halfe beginning the other halfe should answere as the one halfe saying We loue and haue our loues rewarded The others would answere We loue and are no whit regarded The first againe We finde moste sweete affections snare With like tune it should be as in a quire sent backe againe That sweete but sower dispairefull care A third time likewise thus Who can dispaire whom hope doth beare The answere And who can hope that feeles despaire Then all ioyning their voyces and dauncing a faster measure they would conclude with some such wordes As without breath no pipe doth mone No musicke kindlye without loue Hauing thus varied both their songs and daunces into diuers sorts of inuentions their last sport was one of them to prouoke an other to a more large expressing of his passions which Thyrsis accounted one of the best singers amongst them hauing marked in Dorus dauncing no lesse good grace hansome behauiour then extreame tokens of a troubled mind began first with his Pipe and then with his voice thus to chalenge Dorus and was by him answered in the vnder-written sorte Thyrsis and Dorus. Thyrsis Come Dorus come let songs thy sorrowes signifie And if for want of vse thy minde ashamed is That very shame with loues high title dignifie No stile is held for base where loue well named is Each eare suckes vp the words a true loue scattereth And plaine speach oft then quaint phrase better framed is Dorus. Nightingales seldome sing the Pie still chattereth The wood cries most before it throughly kindled be◠Deadly wounds inward bleed each sleight sore mattereth Hardly they heard which by good hunters singled be Shallow brookes murmure most deep silent slide away Nor true loue loues his loues with others mingled be Thyrsis If thou wilt not be seene thy face goe hide away Be none of vs or els maintaine our fashion Who frownes at others feastes doth better bide away But if thou hast a loue in that loues passion I challenge thee by shew of her perfection Which of vs two deserueth most compassion Dorus. Thy challenge great but greater my protection Sing then and see for now thou hast inflamed me Thy health too meane a match for my infection No though the heau'ns for high attempts haue blamed me Yet high is my attempt O Muse historifie Her praise whose praise to learne your skill hath framed me Thyrsis Muse holde your peace but thou my God Pan glorifie My Kalas giftes who with all good gifts filled Thy pipe ô Pan shall help though I sing sorilie A heape of sweetes she is where nothing spilled is Who though she be no Bee yet full of honie is A Lillie field with plowe of Rose which tilled is Milde as a Lambe more daintie then a Conie is Her eyes my eyesight is her conuersation More gladde to me then to a miser monie is What coye account she makes of estimation How nice to touch how all her speeches peized be A Nimph thus turnde but mended in translation Dorus. Such Kala is but ah my fancies raised be In one whose name to name were high presumption Since vertues all to make her title pleased be O happie Gods which by inward assumption Enioy her soule in bodies faire possession And keepe it ioynde fearing your seates consumption How oft with rayne of teares skies make confession Their dwellers rapt with sight of her perfection From heau'enly throne to her heau'n vse digression Of best things then what world can yeeld confection To liken her decke yours with your comparison She is her selfe of best things the collection Thyrsis How oft my dolefull Sire cried to me tarrie sonne When first he spied my loue how oft he said to me Thou art no souldier fitt for Cupids garrison My sonne keepe this that my long toyle hath laide to me Loue well thine owne me thinkes woolles whitenes passeth all I neuer found long loue such wealth hath paide to me This wind he spent but when my Kala glasseth all My sight in her faire limmes I then assure my selfe Not rotten sheepe but high crownes she surpasseth all Can I be poore that her golde haire procure my selfe Want I white wooll whose eyes her white skinne garnished Till I get her shall I to keepe enure my selfe Dorus. How oft when reason saw loue of her harnised With armour of my hart he cried O vanitie To set a pearle in steele so meanly
iudgement And yet neither of vs great or blest deemeth his owne selfe For yet weigh this alas great is not great to the greater What iudge you doth a hillocke shew by the lofty Olympus Such my minute greatnes doth seeme compar'd to the greatest When Cedars to the ground fall downe by the weight of an emmott Or when a rich rubies iust price be the worth of a walnut Or to the Sun for wonders seeme small sparks of a candle Then by my high Cedar rich Ruby and only shining Sunne Vertue richesse beawties of mine shall great be reputed Oh no no worthy shepeheard worth can neuer enter a title Where proofes iustly do teach thus matcht such worth to be nought worth Let not a puppet abuse thy sprite Kings Crownes do not helpe them From the cruell headache nor shooes of golde doo the gowt heale And preciouse couches full oft are shak't with a feauer If then a boddily euill in a boddily gloze be not hidden Shall such morning deaws be an ease to the heate of a loues fire Dorus. O glittring miseries of man if this be the fortune Of those fortune lulls so small rest rests in a kingdome What maruaile tho a Prince transforme himselfe to a Pastor Come from marble bowres many times the gay harbor of anguish Vnto a silly caban though weake yet stronger against woes Now by thy words I begin most famous Lady to gather Comfort into my soule I do finde I do find what a blessing Is chaunced to my life that from such muddy abundance Of carking agonies to states which still be adherent Desteny keepes me aloofe for if all this state to thy vertue Ioyn'd by thy beauty adorn'd be no meanes these greefes to abolish If neither by that helpe thou canst clime vp to thy fancie Nor yet fancy so drest do receiue more plausible hearing Then do I thinke in deed that better it is to be priuate In sorrows torments then tyed to the pompes of a pallace Nurse inwarde maladyes which haue not scope to be breath'd outâ— But perforce disgest all bitter ioyces of horror In silence from a mans owne selfe with company robbed Better yet do I liue that though by my thoughts I be plunged Into my liues bondage yet mâ—y disburden a passion Opprest with ruinouse conceites by the helpe of an outcrye Not limited to a whispringe note the Lament of a Courtier But sometimes to the woods somtimes to the heau'n do decyphire With bolde clamor vnheard vnmarckt what I seeke what I suffer And when I meeâ—e these trees in the earths faire liuory clothed Ease I do feele such ease as falls to one wholy diseased For that I finde in them parte of my state represented Lawrell shew's what I seeke by the Mirre is show'd how I seeke it Oliue paintes me the peace that I must aspire to by the conquest Mirtle makes my request my request is crown'd with a willowe Cyprus promiseth helpe but a helpe where comes no recomforte Sweete Iuniper saith this thoh I burne yet I burne in a sweete fire Evve doth make me thinke what kind of bow the boy holdeth Which shootes strongly with out any noyse and deadly without smarteâ— Firr trees great and greene sixt on a hye hill but a barrein Lyke to my noble thoughtes still new well plac'd to me fruteles Figge that yeeldes most pleasante fru'te his shaddow is hurtefull Thus be her giftes most sweet thus more danger to be neere her Now in a palme when I marke how he doth rise vnder a burden And may I not say I then gett vp though griefs be so weightie Pine is a maste to a shippe to my shippe shall hope for a maste serue Pine is hye hope is as hie sharpe leau'd sharpe yet be my hopes buddsâ— Elme embraste by a vine embracing fancy reuiueth Popler changeth his hew from a rising sunne to a setting Thus to my sonne do I yeeld such lookes her beames do aforde me Olde aged oke cutt downe of newe works serues to the building So my desires by my feare cutt downe be the frames of her honour Ashe makes speares which shieldes do resist her force no repulse takes Palmes do reioyce to be ioynd by the match of a male to a female And shall sensiue things be so sencelesse as to resist sence Thus be my thoughts disperst thus thinking nurseth a thinking Thus both trees and each thing ells be the bookes of a fancy But to the Cedar Queene of woods when I lifte my beteard eyes Then do I shape to my selfe that forme which raign 's so withâ— in me And thinke ther she do dwell heare what plants I do vtter When that noble toppe doth nodd I beleeue she salutes me When by the winde it maketh a noyse I do thinke she doth answer Then kneling to the ground oft thus do I speake to that Image Onely Iuell O only Iuell which only deseruest That mens harts be thy seate and endlesse fame be thy seruant O descende for a while from this greate height to behold me But nought els do behold else is nought worth the beholding Saue what a worke by thy selfe is wrought since I am altred Thus by thy worke disdaine not that which is by thy selfe done In meane caues oft treasure abides to an hostry a king comes And so behinde foule clowdes full oft faire starres do ly hidden Zelmane Hardy shephearde such as thy meritts such may be her insight Iustely to graunt thee rewarde such eâ—uie I beare to thy fortune But to my selfe what wish can I make for a salue to my sorrowes Whom both nature seemes to debarr from meanes to be helped And if a meane were found fortune th' whole course of it hinders This plag'de how can I frame to my soare any hope of amendemente Whence may I show to my minde any light of possible escape Bownd bownd by so noble bandes as loth to be vnbownd Iaylor I am to my selfe prison prisoner to myne owne selfe Yet be my hopes thus plast here fix'd liues all my recomforte That that deare Dyamond where wisdome holdeth a sure seate Whose force had such force so to transforme nay to reforme me Will at length perceaue these flames by her beames to be kindled And will pitty the wound festred so strangely within me O be it so graunte such an euent O Gods that euent giue And for a sure sacrifice I do dayly oblation offer Of mine owne harte where thoughts be the temple sighte is a aultar But ceasse worthy shepheard nowe ceasse we to weery the hearers With monefull melodies for enough our greefes be reuealed If by the parties ment our meanings rightly be marked And sorrow's do require some respitt vnto the sences What exclaming praises Basilius gaue to this Ecloge any man may ghesse that knowes loue is better then a paire of spectacles to make euery thing seeme greater which is sene through it and then is neuer tongue tied where fitt commendation whereof womankinde is so
the hunters chas'd Though they do fly yet backwardly do glowe With proud aspect disdaining greater hast What rage in them that loue in him did show But God giues them instinct the man to shun And he by law of Barly-brake must run But as his heate with running did augment Much more his sight encreast his hote desire So is in her the best of Nature spent The aire hir swete race mou'd doth blow the fire Hir feet be Purseuants from Cupid sent With whose fine stepps all loues and ioyes conspire The hidden beauties seem'd in waite to lye To downe proud hearts that would not willing dye Thus fast he fled from her he follow'd sore Still shunning Nous to lengthen pleasing race Till that he spied old Geron could no more Then did he slack his loue-enstructed pace So that Vrán whose arme old Geron bore Laid hold on him with most lay-holding grace So caught him seem'd he caught of ioyes the bel◠And thought it heau'n so to be drawn to hell To hell he goes and Nous with him must dwell Nous sware it was no right for his default Who would be caught that she should go to hell But so she must And now the third assault Of Barly-brake among the six befell Pas Cosma matcht yet angry with his fault The other end Geron with Vrán garde I thinke you thinke Strephon bent thitherward Nous counseld Strephon Geron to pursue For he was olde and easly would be cought But he drew hir as loue his fancy drew And so to take the gemme Vrania sought While Geron olde came safe to Cosma true Though him to meete at all she sturred nought For Pas whither it were for feare or loue Mou'd not himselfe nor suffred hir to moue So they three did togither idly stay While deare Vrán whose course was Pas to meet He staying thus was faine abroad to stray With larger round to shun the folowing feet Strephon whose eies on hir back-parts did play With loue drawne on so fast with pace vnmeet Drew dainty Nous that she not able so To runne brake from his hands and let him goe He single thus hop'd soone with hir to be Who nothing earthly but of fire and aire Though with soft leggs did run as fast as he He thrise reacht thrise deceiu'd when hir to beare He hopes with dainty turns she doth him flee So on the down's we see neere Wilton faire A hast'ned Hare from greedy Grayhound goe And past all hope his chapps to frustrate so But this straunge race more straunge conceits did yeeld Who victor seem'd was to his ruine brought Who seem'd orethrown was mistresse of the field She fled and tooke he folow'd and was cought So haue I heard to pierce pursuing shield By Parents train'd the Tartars wilde are tought With shafts shott out from their back-turned bow But ah hir darts did farre more depely goe As Venus bird the white swift louely Doue O happy Doue that art compar'd to hir Doth on hir wings hir vtmost swiftnes proue Finding the gripe of Falcon fierce not furr So did Vran the narr the swifter moue Yet beauty still as fast as she did sturre Till with long race deare she was breathles brought And then the Phoenix feared to be cought Among the rest that there did take delight To see the sportes of double-shining day And did the tribute of their wondring sight To Natures heir the faire Vrania pay I tolde you Klaius was the haples wight Who earnest found what they accounted play He did not there doe homage of his eies But on his eies his heart did sacrifise With gazing looks short sighs vnsettled feet He stood but turn'd as Girosol to Sun His fancies still did hir in half-way meet His soule did fly as she was seen to run In sum proud Boreas neuer ruled fleet Who Neptunes webb on daungers distaff spun With greater powr then she did make them wend Each way as she that ages praise did bend Till spieng well she welnigh weary was And surely taught by his loue-open eye His eye that eu'n did marke hir troden grasse That she would faine the catch of Strephon flie Giuing his reason pasport for to passe Whither it would so it would let him dy He that before shund hir to shun such harmes Now runnes and takes hir in his clipping armes For with pretence from Strephon hir to garde He met hir full but full of warefulnes With inbow'd bosome well for hir prepar'd When Strephon cursing his owne backwardnes Came to hir back and so with double warde Emprison hir who both them did possesse As heart-bound slaues and happy then embrace Vertues proofe fortunes victor beauties place Hir race did not hir beauties beames augment For they were euer in the best degree But yet a setting foorth it some way lent As rubies lustre when they rubbed be The dainty dew on face and body went As on sweet flowrs when mornings drops we see Her breath then short seem'd loth from home to pas Which more it mou'd the more it sweeter was Happy ô happy if they so might bide To see hir eies with how true humblenes They looked down to triumph ouer pride With how sweet sawes she blam'd their sawcines To feele the panting heart which through hir syde Did beate their hands which durst so neere to presse To see to feele to heare to tast to know More then besides hir all the earth could show But neuer did Medeas golden weed On Creons child his poison sooner throw Then those delights through all their sinews breed A creeping serpentlike of mortall woe Till she brake from their armes although in deed Going from them from them she could not go And fare-welling the flocke did homeward wend And so that euen the barly-brake did end It ended but the others woe began Began at least to be conceiu'd as woe For then wise Klaius found no absence can Help him who can no more hir sight foregoe He found mans vertue is but part of man And part must folowe where whole man doth goe He found that Reasons self now reasons found To fasten knotts which fancy first had bound So doth he yeeld so takes he on his yoke Not knowing who did draw with him therin Strephon poore youth because he saw no smoke Did not conceiue what fire he had within But after this to greater rage it broke Till of his life it did full conquest win First killing mirth then banishing all rest Filling his eies with teares with sighs his brest Then sports grew paines all talking tediouse On thoughts he feeds his lookes their figure chaunge The day seemes long but night is odious No sleeps but dream 's no dream 's but visions straunge Till finding still his euill encreasing thus One day he with his flock abroad did raunge And comming where he hop'd to be alone Thus on a hillock set he made his mone Alas what weights are these that lode my heart I am as dull as winter-sterued sheep
Tir'de as a iade in ouerloden carte Yet thoughts do flie though I can scarcely creep All visions seeme at euery bush I start Drowsy am I and yet can rarely slepe Sure I bewitched am it is euen that Late neere a crosse I met an ougly Cat. For but by charms how fall these things on me That from those eies where heau'nly apples bene Those eies which nothing like themselues can see Of faire Vrania fairer then a greene Proudly bedeckt in Aprills liuory A shot vnheard gaue me a wound vnseene He was inuisible that hurt me so And none vnuisible but Spirites can goe When I see her my sinewes shake for feare And yet deare soule I know she hurteth none Amid my flock with woe my voice I teare And but bewitch'd who to his flock would mone Her chery lipps milke hands and golden haire I still do see though I be still alone Now make me thinke that there is not a fende Who hid in Angels shape my lîfe would ende The sportes wherin I wonted to do well Come she and sweet the aire with open brest Then so I faile when most I would do well That at me so amaz'd my fellowes iest Sometimes to her newes of my selfe to tell I go about but then is all my best Wry words and stam'ring or els doltish dombe Say then can this but of enchantment come Nay each thing is bewitcht to know my case The Nightingales for woe their songs refraine In riuer as I look'd my pining face As pin'd a face as mine I saw againe The courteous mountaines grieu'd at my disgrace Their snowy haire teare of in melting paine And now the dropping trees do wepe for me And now faire euenings blush my shame to see But you my pipe whilome my chief delight Till straunge delight delight to nothing ware And you my flock care of my carefull sight While I was I so had cause to care And thou my dogg whose truth valiant might Made wolues not inward wolues my ewes to spare Go you not from your master in his woe Let it suffise that he himselfe forgoe For though like waxe this magique makes me waste Or like a lambe whose dam away is fet Stolne from her yoong by theeues vnchoosing hast He treble beas for helpe but none can get Though thus and worse though now I am at last Of all the games that here ere now I met Do you remember still you once were mine Till my eies had their curse from blessed â—ine Be you with me while I vnheard do cry While I do score my losses on the winde While I in heart my will write ere I die In which by will my will and wits I binde Still to be hers about her aye to flie As this same sprite about my fancies blinde Doth daily haâ—nt but so that mine become As much more louing as lesse combersome Alas a cloud hath ouercast mine eies And yet I see her shine amid the cloud Alas of ghostes I heare the gastly cries Yet there me seemes I heare her singing loud This song she singes in most commaunding wise Come shepheards boy let now thy heart be bowd To make it selfe to my least looke a slaue Leaue sheepe leaue all I will no piecing haue I will I will alas alas I will Wilt thou haue more more haue if more I be Away ragg'd rams care I what murraine kill Out shreaking pipe made of â—ome witched tree Go bawling curre thy hungry maw go fill On yond foule flocke belonging not to me With that his dogge he henst his flocke he curst With that yet kissed first his pipe he burst This said this done he rase euen tir'd with rest With heart as carefull as with carelesse grace With shrinking legges but with a swelling brest With eyes which threatned they would drowne his face Fearing the worst not knowing what were best And giuing to his sight a wandring race He saw behind a bush where Klaius sate His well know'ne friend but yet his vnknowne mate Klaius the wretch who lately yelden was To beare the bondes which Time nor wit could breake With blushing soule at sight of iudgements glasse While guilty thoughts accus'd his Reason weake This morne alone to lonely walke did passe With in himselfe of hir deare selfâ— to speake Till Strephons planing voice him nearer drew Where by his words his self-like cause he knew For hearing him so oft with wordes of woe Vrania name whose force he knew so well He quickly knew what witchcraft gaue the blow Which made his Strephon think himselfe in hell Which when he did in perfect image show To his owne witt thought vpon thought did swell Breeding huge stormes with in his inward parte Which thus breath'd out with earthquake of his hart As Lamon would haue proceded Basilius knowing by the wasting of the torches that the night also was farre wasted and withall remembring Zelmanes hurt asked hir whither she thought it not better to reserue the complaint of Klaius till an other day Which she perceiuing the song had alreadie worne out much time and not knowing when Lamon would ende being euen now stepping ouer to a new matter though much deligâ—ted with what was spoken willingly agreed vnto And so of all sides they went to recommend themselues to the elder brother of death The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKES ARCADIA IN these pastorall pastimes a great number of daies were sent to follow their flying predecessours while the cup of poison which was deepely tasted of this noble companie had left no sinewe of theirs without mortally searching into it yet neuer manifesting his venomous work til once that the night parting away angry that she could distill no more sleepe into the eies of louers had no sooner giuen place to the breaking out of the morning light and the Sunne bestowed his beames vpon the tops of the mountaines but that the woefull Gynecia to whom rest was no ease had left her loathed lodging and gotten her selfe into the solitary places those deserts were full of going vp and downe with such vnquiet motions as a grieued and hopeles minde is wont to bring forth There appeered vnto the eies of her iudgement the euils she was like to run into with ougly infamie waiting vpon them shee felt the terrors of her owne conscience shee was guilty of a long exercised vertue which made this vice the fuller of deformitie The vttermost of the good she could aspire vnto was a mortal wouÌ„d to her vexed spirits and lastly no small part of her euils was that she was wise to see her euils In so much that hauing a great while throwne her countenaunce ghastly about her as if shee had called all the powers of the world to be witnesse of her wretched estate at length casting vp her watrie eyes to heaueÌ„ O Sunne said she whose vnspotted light directs the steps of mortall mankind art thou not ashamed to impart the clearnesse of
why did you not end it in his end But your cruelty was such as you would spare his life for many deathfull tormēts To tell you what pittiful mishaps fel to the young Prince of Macedon his cosē I should too much fill your eares with strange horrors neither will I stay vpō those laborsome aduentures nor loathsome misaduentures to which and through which his fortune courage cōducted him My speach hastneth it selfe to come to the fulpoint of Musidorus infortunes For as wee find the most pestilent diseases do gather into themselues all the infirmities with which the body before was annoyed so did his last misery embrace in the extremitie of it selfe all his former mischiefes Arcadia Arcadia was the place prepared to be the stage of his endlesse ouer-throw Arcadia was alas wel might I say it is the charmed circle wher all his spirits for euer should be enchaūted For here no where els did his infected eyes make his mind know what power heauenly beauty hath to throw it down to hellish agonies Here here did he see the Arcadian Kings eldest daughter in whom he forthwith placed so all his hopes of ioy and ioyfull parts of his heart that he left in himselfe nothing but a maze of longing and a dungeon of sorrow But alas what can saying make them beleue whom seeing cannot perswade Those paines must be felt before they cā be vnderstood no outward vtterance can command a conceipt Such vvas as then the state of the King as it vvas no time by direct meanes to seeke her And such vvas the state of his captiued vvill as he could delay no time of seeking her In this intangled case he cloathed himselfe in a shepheards vveede that vnder the basenesse of that forme he might at lest haue free accesse to feed his eyes vvith that vvhich should at length eate vp his hart In vvhich doing thus much vvithout doubt he hath manifested that this estate is not alvvayes to be reiected since vnder that vaile there may be hidden things to be esteemed And if he might vvith taking on a shepherds looke cast vp his eyes to the fairest Princesse Nature in that time created the like nay the same desire of mine neede no more to be disdained or held for disgracefull But now alas mine eyes waxe dimme my toong beginnes to falter and my hart to want force to helpe either with the feeling remembrance I haue in what heape of miseries the caitife Prince lay at this time buried Pardon therefore most excellent Princesse if I cut off the course of my dolorous tale since if I be vnderstood I haue saide enough for the defence of my basenesse and for that which after might befal to that patterne of ill fortune the matters are too monstrous for my capacitie his hatefull destinies must best declare their owne workemanship Thus hauing deliuered my tale in this perplexed manner to the end the Princesse might iudge that hee ment himselfe who spake so feelingly her aunswere was both strange and in some respect comfortable For would you thinke it shee hath heard heretofore of vs both by meanes of the valiant Prince Plangus and particularly of our casting away which she following my owne stile thus delicately brought foorth You haue told said she Dorus a prettie tale but you are much deceiued in the latter end of it For the prince Musidorus with his cosen Pyrocles did both perish vpon the coast of Laconia as a noble gentleman called Plangus who was well acquainted with the historie did assure my father O how that speach of hers did poure ioyes in my hart ô blessed name thought I of mine since thou hast bene in that toong and passed through those lips though I can neuer hope to approch them As for Pyrocles said I I will not denie it but that he is perished which I said least sooner suspition might arise of your being here then your selfe would haue it and yet affirmed no lye vnto her since I onely said I would not deny it But for Musidorus said I I perceiue indeed you haue either heard or read the story of that vnhappy Prince for this was the verie obiection which that peerelesse Princesse did make vnto him when he sought to appeare such as he was before her wisdome and thus as I haue read it faire written in the certaintie of my knowledge he might answere her that indeed the ship wherein he came by a treason was perished and therefore that Plangus might easily be deceaued but that he himselfe was cast vpon the coast of Laconia where hee was taken vp by a couple of shepheardes who liued in those dayes famous for that both louing one faire maide they yet remained constant frinds one of whose songs not long since was song before you by the shepheard Lamon and brought by them to a noble-mans house neere Mantinea whose sonne had a little before his mariage bene taken prisoner and by the helpe of this Prince Musidorus though naming himselfe by an other name was deliuered Now these circumlocutions I did vse because of the one side I knewe the Princesse would knowe well the parties I ment and of the other if I should haue named Strephon Claius Kalander and Clitophon perhappes it would haue rubd some coniecture into the heauie heade of Mistresse Mopsa And therefore said I most diuine Lady he iustly was thus to argue against such suspitions that the Prince might easily by those parties be satisfied that vpon that wrack such a one was taken vp and therefore that Plangus might well erre who knew not of anies taking vp againe that hee that was so preserued brought good tokens to be one of the two chiefe of that wracked companie which two since Plangus knew to be Musidorus and Pyrocles hee must needes bee one of them although as I saide vpon a foretaken vowe he was otherwise at that time called Besides the Princesse must needes iudge that no lesse then a Prince durst vndertake such an enterprise which though he might gette the fauour of the Princesse he conld neuer defend with lesse then a Princes power against the force of Arcadia Lastly saide he for a certaine demonstration he presumed to shew vnto the Princesse a marke he had on his face as I might said I shew this of my neck to the rare Mopsa and withall shewed my necke to them both where as you know there is a redde spotte bearing figure as they tell me of a Lyons pawe that shee may ascertaine her selfe that I am Menalcas brother And so did he beseeching her to send some one she might trust into Thssalia secretly to bee aduertised whether the age the complexion and particularly that notable signe did not fully agree with their Prince Musidorus Doo you not know further saide she with a setled countenance not accusing any kind of inward motion of that storie Alas no said I for euen here the Historiographer stopped saying The rest belonged to Astrologie And therewith thinking her
famous King Euarchus he was at this time you speake off King of Macedon a kingdom which in elder time had such a soueraintie ouer all the prouinces of Greece that euen the particular kings therein did acknowledge with more or lesse degrees of homage some kinde of fealtie thereunto as among the rest euen this now most noble and by you ennobled kingdome of Arcadia But he when hee came to his crowne finding by his latter ancestors either negligence or misfortune that in some ages many of those dueties had beene intermitted woulde neuer stirre vp olde titles how apparant soeuer whereby the publike peace with the losse of manie not guiltie soules shoulde be broken but contenting himselfâ— to guide that shippe wherin the heauens had placed him shewed no lesse magnanimitie in daungerlesse despising then others in daungerous affecting the multiplying of kingdomes for the earth hath since borne enow bleeding witnesses that it was no want of true courage Who as he was most wise to see what was best and moste iust in the perfourming what he saw and temperate in abstaining from any thing any way contrarie so thinke I no thought can imagine a greater heart to see and contemne daunger where daunger would offer to make anie wrongfull threatning vppon him A Prince that indeede especiallie measured his greatnesse by his goodnes if for any thing he loued greatnes it was because therein he might exercise his goodnes A Prince of a goodly aspect and the more goodly by a graue maiestie wherewith his mind did decke his outward graces strong of bodie and so much the stronger as he by a well disciplined exercise taught it both to do and suffer Of age so as he was about fisty yeares when his Nephew Musidorus tooke on such shepheardish apparell for the loue of the worlds paragon as I now weare This King left Orphan both of father mother whose father and grandfather likewise had died yong he found his estate when he came to the age which allowed his authoritie so disioynted euen in the noblest strongest lims of gouernment that the name of a King was growne euen odious to the people his authorytie hauing bin abused by those great Lords and litle kings who in those betweene times of raigning by vniust fauouring those that were partially theirs and oppressing them that would defende their libertie against them had brought in by a more felt then seene maner of proceeding the worst kind of Oligarchie that is when men are gouerned in deede by a fewe and yet are not taught to know what those fewe be to whom they should obey For they hauing the power of kings but not the nature of kings vsed the authority as men do their farms of which they see within a yeere they shal go out making the Kinges sworde strike whom they hated the Kings purse reward whom they loued and which is worst of all making the Royall countenaunce serue to vndermine the Royall souerainty For the Subiectes could taste no sweeter fruites of hauing a King then grieuous taxations to serue vaine purposes Lawes made rather to finde faultes then to preuent faults the Court of a Prince rather deemed as a priuiledged place of vnbrideled licentiousnes then as the abiding of him who as a father should giue a fatherly example vnto his people Hence grew a very dissolution of all estates while the great men by the nature of ambition neuer satisfied grew factious among themselues and the vnderlinges glad in deede to be vnderlinges to them they hated lest to preserue them from such they hated most Men of vertue suppressed lest their shining shuld discouer the others filthines and at leÌ„gth vertue it selfe almost forgotten when it had no hopefull end whereunto to be directed olde men long â—usled in corruption scorning them that would seeke reformation young men very fault-finding but very faultie and so to new fanglenesse both of manners apparell and each thing els by the custome of selfe-guiltie euill glad to change though oft for a worse marchaundise abused and so townes decaied for want of iust and naturall libertie offices euen of iudging soules solde publique defences neglected and in summe lest too long I trouble you all awrie and which wried it to the most wrie course of all witte abused rather to faine reason why it should be amisse then how it should be amended In this and a much worse plight then it is fitte to trouble your excellent eares withall did the King Euarchus finde his estate when he tooke vppon him the regiment which by reason of the long streame of abuse he was forced to establish by some euen extreme seuerity not so much for the very faultes themselues which hee rather sought to preuent then to punishe as for the faultie ones who strong euen in their faultes scorned his youth and coulde not learne to disgest that the man which they so long had vsed to maske their owne appetites shoulde now be the reducer of them into order But so soone as some fewe but in deede notable examples had thundered a duety into the subiectes hearts hee soone shewed no basenes of suspition nor the basest basenes of enuy coulde any whit rule such a Ruler But then shined foorth indeede all loue among them when an awfull feare ingendred by iustice did make that loue most louely his first and principal care being to appear vnto his people such as he would haue them be to be such as he appeared making his life the example of his lawes and his lawes as it were his axioms arising out of his deedes So that within small time he wanne a singular loue in his people and engraffed singular confidence For how could they chuse but loue him whom they found so truely to loue them He euen in reason disdayning that they that haue charge of beastes shoulde loue their charge and care for them and that he that was to gouerne the most excellent creature should not loue so noble a charge And therefore where most Princes seduced by flatterie to builde vpon false grounds of gouernment make themselues as it were an other thing from the people and so count it gaine what they get from them and as if it were two counter-ballances that their estate goes hiest when the people goes lowest by a fallacie of argument thinking themselues most Kinges when the subiect is most basely subiected He coÌ„trariwise vertuouslie and wisely acknowledging that he with his people made all but one politike bodie whereof himselfe was the head euen so cared for them as he woulde for his owne limmes neuer restrayning their libertie without it stretched to licenciousnes nor pulling from them their goods which they found were not imployed to the purchase of a greater good but in all his actions shewing a delight in their wellfare brought that to passe that while by force he tooke nothing by their loue he had all In summe peerelesse Princesse I might as easily sette downe the whole Arte of
was vpon the scaffold separaâ—ed somewhat from the rest as allowed to say something he stept vnto him and putting the sworde into his hande not bound a point of ciuility the officers vsed towards him because they doubted no such enterprise Musidorus said he die nobly In truth neuer man betweene ioy before knowledge what to be glad of and feare after considering his case had such a confusion of thoughts as I had when I saw Pyrocles so neare me But with that Dorus blushed and Pamela smiled and Dorus the more blushed at her smiling and she the more smiled at his blushing because he had with the remembraunce of that plight he was in forgotten in speaking of him selfe to vse the third person But Musidorus turned againe her thoughts from his cheekes to his tongue in this sort But said he when they were with swordes in handes not turning backs one to the other for there they knew was no place of defence but making it a preseruation in not hoping to be preserued and now acknowledging themselues subiect to death meaning onely to do honour to their princely birth they flew amongst them all for all were enimies and had quickly either with flight or death left none vpon the scaffold to annoy them Wherein Pyrocles the excellent Pyrocles did such wonders beyond beliefe as was hable to leade Musidorus to courage though he had bene borne a coward But indeed iust rage and desperate vertue did such effects that the popular sort of the beholders began to be almost superstitiously amazed as at effects beyond mortall power But the King with angry threatnings from-out a window where he was not ashamed the world should behold him a beholder commaunded his gard and the rest of his souldiers to hasten their death But many of them lost their bodies to loose their soules when the Princes grew almost so weary as they were ready to be conquered with conquering But as they were still fighting with weake armes and strong harts it happened that one of the souldiers commaunded to go vp after his fellowes against the Princes hauing receiued a light hurt more wounded in his hart went backe with as much diligence as he came vp with modestie which another of his fellowes seeing to pike a thanke of the King strake him vpon the face reuiling him that so accompanied he would runne away from so fewe But he as many times it falls out onely valiant when he was angrie in reuenge thrust him through which with his death was streight reuenged by a brother of his and that againe requited by a fellow of the others There began to be a great tumult amongst the souldiers which seene and not vnderstood by the people vsed to feares but not vsed to be bolde in them some began to crie treason and that voice streight multiplying it selfe the King O the cowardise of a guiltie conscience before any man set vpon him fled away Where-with a bruit either by arte of some well meaning men or by such chaunce as such things often fall out by ran from one to the other that the King was slaine wherewith certaine yong men of the brauest mindes cried with lowde voice Libertie and encouraging the other Citizens to follow them set vpon the garde and souldiers as chiefe instruments of Tyrannie and quickly aided by the Princes they had left none of them aliue nor any other in the cittie who they thought had in any sort set his hand to the worke of their seruitude and God knowes by the blindnesse of rage killing many guiltles persons either for affinity to the Tyrant or enmitie to the tyrant-killers But some of the wiser seeing that a popular licence is indeede the many-headed tyranny preuailed with the rest to make Musidorus their chiefe choosing one of them because Princes to defend them and him because elder and most hated of the Tyrant and by him to be ruled whom foorthwith they lifted vp Fortune I thinke smiling at her worke therein that a scaffold of execution should grow a scaffold of coronation But by and by there came newes of more certaine truth that the King was not dead but fled to a strong castle of his neere hand where he was gathering forces in all speed possible to suppresse this mutinie But now they had run themselues too farre out of breath to go backe againe the same career and too well they knew the sharpnesse of his memorie to forget such an iniury therefore learning vertue of necessitie they continued resolute to obey Musidorus Who seing what forces were in the citie with them issued against the Tyrant while they were in this heat before practises might be vsed to disseuer them and with them met the King who likewise hoping little to preuaile by time knowing and finding his peoples hate met him with little delay in the field where him selfe was slaine by Musidorus after he had seene his onely sonne a Prince of great courage beautie but fostred in bloud by his naughty Father slaine by the hand of Pyrocles This victory obteined with great and truly not vndeserued honour to the two Princes the whole estates of the country with one consent gaue the crowne and all other markes of soueraigntie to Musidorus desiring nothing more then to liue vnder such a gouernment as they promised themselues of him But he thinking it a greater greatnes to giue a kingdome then get a kingdome vnderstanding that there was left of the bloud Roiall and next to the succession an aged Gentleman of approued goodnes who had gotten nothing by his cousins power but danger from him and odiousnes for him hauing past his time in modest secrecy and asmuch from entermedling in matters of gouernment as the greatnesse of his bloud would suffer him did after hauing receiued the full power to his owne hands resigne all to the noble-man but with such conditions and cautions of the conditions as might assure the people with asmuch assurance as worldly matters beare that not onely that gouernour of whom indeed they looked for all good but the nature of the gouernment should be no way apt to decline to Tyranny This dooing set foorth no lesse his magnificence then the other act did his magnanimitie so that greatly praysed of all and iustly beloued of the new King who in all both wordes and behauiour protested him selfe their Tenaunt and Liegeman they were drawne thence to reuenge those who seruants of theirs of whose memorable faith I told you most excellent Princesse in willingly giuing themselues to be drowned for their sakes but drowned indeed they were not but gat with painefull swimming vpon a rocke from whence after being come as neere famishing as before drowning the weather breaking vp they were brought to the maine land of Pontus the same country vpon which Musidorus also was fallen but not in so luckie a place For they were brought to the King of that country a Tyrant also not thorow suspition greedines or reuengefulnes as he of
not farre thence in all pointes entertaining vs so as truelye I must euer acknowledge a beholdingnes vnto him although the streame of it fel out not to be so sweet as the spring For after some daies being there curing our selues of such wounds as we had receiued while I causing diligent search to be made of Anaxius could learne thing but that he was goneno out of the countrie boasting in euerye place how he had made me run away we were brought to receaue the fauour of acquaintance with this Queene Andromana whom the Princesse Pamela did in so liuelye colours describe the last day as still me thinkes the figure thereof possesseth mine eyes confirmed by the knowledge my selfe had And therefore I shall neede the lesse to make you know what kinde of woman she was but this onely that first with the raines of affection and after with the very vse of directing she had made her selfe so absolute a maister of her husbands minde that a while he would not and after he could not tell how to gouern without being gouerned by her but finding an ease in not vnderstanding let loose his thoughts wholy to pleasure entrusting to her the entire conduct of all his royall affaires A thing that may luckely fall out to him that hath the blessing to match with some Heroicall minded Lady But in him it was neither guided by wisdome nor followed by Fortune but therby was slipt insensiblie into such an estate that he liued at her vndiscreete discretion all his subiectes hauing by some yeares learned so to hope for good and feare of harm onely from her that it should haue needed a stronger vertue then his to haue vnwound so deeply an entred vice So that either not striuing because he was contented or contented because he would not striue he scarcely knew what was done in his owne chamber but as it pleased her Instruments to frame the relation Now we being brought knowen vnto her the time that we spent in curing some very dangerous wounds after once we were acquainted and acquainted we were sooner then our selues expected she continually almost haunted vs till and it was not long a dooing we discouered a most violent bent of affection and that so strangely that we might well see an euill minde in authoritie dooth not onely follow the sway of the desires already within it but frames to it selfe new desires not before thought of For with equall ardour she affected vs both so did her greatnes disdaine shamefastnes that she was content to acknowledge it to both For hauing many times torne the vaile of modestie it seemed for a last delight that she delighted in infamy which often she had vsed to her husbands shame filling all mens eares but his with his reproch while he hoodwinkt with kindenes lest of all men knew who strake him But her first degree was by setting forth her beauties truely in nature not to be misliked but as much aduanced to the eye as abased to the iudgement by art thereby to bring vs as willingly-caught fishes to bite at her baite And thereto had she that scutchion of her desires supported by certaine badly-diligent ministers who often cloyed our eares with her praises and would needs teach vs a way of felicitie by seeking her fauour But when she found that we were as deafe to thē as dumb to her thē she lifted no lōger stay in the suburbs of her foolish desires but directly entred vpon thē making her self an impudent suter authorizing her selfe very much with making vs see that all fauor and power in that realm so depēded vpon her that now being in her hands we were ether to keep or lose our liberty at her discretion which yet a while she so tempted as that we might rather suspect thē she threaten But when our woundes grew so as that they gaue vs leaue to trauell and that she found we were purposed to vse all meanes we could to depart thence she with more and more importunatenes craued which in all good maners was either of vs to be desired or not granted Truely most faire and euerye way excellēt Lady you would haue wōdred to haue seen how before vs she would confes the contention in her own mind between that louely indeed most louelye broūnes of Musidorus his face this colour of mine which she in the deceiuable stile of affection would intitle beautifull how her eyes wandred like a glutton at a feast from the one to the other and how her words would begin half of the sentēce to Musidorus end the other half to Pyrocles not ashamed seeing the friendship betweene vs to desire either of vs to be a mediator to the other as if we should haue played one request at Tennis between vs and often wishing that she might be the angle where the lines of our friendship might meet and be the knot which might tie our harts together Which proceeding of hers I do the more largely set before you most deare Lady because by the foile therof you may see the noblenes of my desire to you and the warrantablenes of your fauour to me At that Philoclea smiled with a little nod But said Pyrocles when she perceiued no hope by suite to preuaile then perswaded by the rage of affection and encouraged by daring to doo any thing she founde meanes to haue vs accused to the King as though we went about some practise to ouerthrowe him in his owne estate Which because of the straunge successes we had had in the Kingdomes of Phrigia Pontus Galatia seemed not vnlikely to him who but skimming any thing that came before him was disciplined to leaue the through-handling of all to his gentle wife who foorthwith caused vs to be put in prison hauing while we slept depriued vs of our armes a prison indeede iniurious because a prison but els well testifying affection because in all respects as commodious as a prison might be and indeede so placed as she might at all houres not seene by many though she cared not much how many had seen her come vnto vs. Then fell she to sause her desires with threatnings so that we were in a great perplexitie restrained to so vnworthie a bondage and yet restrained by loue which I I cannot tell how in noble mindes by a certain duety claimes an answering And how much that loue might moue vs so much and more that faultines of her minde remoued vs her beauty being balanced by her shamelesnes But that which did as it were tie vs in captiuitie was that to graunt had ben wickedly iniurious to him that had saued our liues and to accuse a Lady that loued vs of her loue vnto vs we esteemed almost as dishonorable and but by one of those waies we sawe no likelyhood of going out of that place where the words would be iniurious to your eares which should expres the manner of her suite while yet many times earnestnes died her cheekes with the colour
made what he heard of another the ballance of his owne fortune that they stood a long while striken in a sad and silent consideration of them Which the olde Geron no more marking then condemning in them desirous to set foorth what counsailes the wisedome of age had layde vp in store against such fancies as he thought follies of youth yet so as it might not apeare that his wordes respected them bending himselfe to a young shepheard named Philisides who neither had daunced nor song with them and had all this time layne vpon the ground at the foote of a Cypresse tree leaning vpon his elbowe with so deepe a melancoly that his sences caried to his minde no delight from any of their obiects he strake him vpon the shoulder with a right old mans grace that will seeme liuelier then his age will afford him And thus began vnto him his Ecloge Geron. Philisides Geron. VP vp Philisides let sorrowes goe Who yelds to woe doth but encrease his smart Do not thy hart to plaintfull custome bring But let vs sing sweet tunes do passions ease An olde man heare who would thy fancies raise Philisides Who minds to please the minde drownd in annoyes With outward ioyes which inly cannot sincke As well may thincke with oyle to coole the fire Or with desire to make such foe a frend Who doth his soule to endlesse malice bend Geron. Yet sure an end to each thing time doth giue Though woes now liue at length thy woes must dye Then vertue try if she can worke in thee That which we see in many time hath wrought And weakest harts to constant temper brought Philisides Who euer taught a skillesse man to teach Or stop a breach that neuer Cannon sawe Sweet vertues lawe barres not a causefull mone Time shall in one my life and sorrowes end And me perchaunce your constant temper lend Geron. What can amend where physick is refusde The witts abusde with will no counsayle take Yet for my sake discouer vs thy griefe Oft comes reliefe when most we seeme in trappe The starres thy state fortune may change thy happe Philisides If fortunes lappe became my dwelling place And all the starres conspired to my good Still were I one this still should be my case Ruines relique cares web and sorrowes foode Since she faire fierce to such a state me calls Whose wit the starres whose fortune fortune thralls Geron. Alas what falls are falne vnto thy minde That there where thou confest thy mischiefe lyes Thy wit dost vse still still more harmes to finde Whome wit makes vaine or blinded with his eyes What counsell can preuaile or light giue light Since all his force against himselfe he tries Then each conceit that enters in his sight Is made forsooth a Iurate of his woes Earth sea ayre fire heau'n hell and gastly sprite Then cries to sencelesse things which neither knowes What ayleth thee and if they knew thy minde Would scorne in man their king such feeble show's Rebell Rebell in golden fetters binde This tyran Loue or rather do suppresse Those rebell thoughts which are thy slaues by kinde Let not a glittring name thy fancie dresse In painted clothes because they call it loue There is no hate that can thee more oppresse Begin and halfe the worke is done to proue By rising vp vpon thy selfe to stand And thinck she is a she that doth thee moue He water plowes and soweth in the sand And hopes the flickring winde with net to holde Who hath his hopes laid vp in womans hand What man is he that hath his freedome solde Is he a manlike man that doth not know man Hath power that Sex with bridle to withhold A fickle Sex and trew in trust to no man A seruant Sex soone prowde if they be coi'de And to conclude thy mistresse is a woman Philisides O gods how long this old soole hath annoi'd My wearied eares O gods yet graunt me this That soone the world of his false tong be void O noble age who place their only blisse In being heard vntill the hearer dye Vttring a serpents minde with serpents hisse Then who will heare a well autoris'd lye And pacience hath let him goe learne of him What swarmes of vertues did in his youth flye Such hartes of brasse wise heads and garments trim Were in his dayes which heard one nothing heares If from his words the falshood he do skim And herein most their folly vaine appeares That since they still alledge When they were yong It shews they fetch their wit from youthfull yeares Like beast for sacrifice where saue the tong And belly nought is left such sure is he This life-deadman in this old dungeon flong Olde houses are throwne downe for new we see The oldest Rammes are culled from the flocke No man doth wish his horse should aged bee The ancient oke well makes a fired blocke Old men themselues doe loue young wiues to choose Only fond youth admires a rotten stocke Who once a white long beard well handle does As his beard him not he his beard did beare Though cradle witted must not honnor loose Oh when will men leaue off to iudge by haire And thinke them olde that haue the oldest minde With vertue fraught and full of holy feare Geron. If that thy face were hid or I were blinde I yet should know a young man speaketh now Such wandring reason in thy speech I finde He is a beast that beastes vse will allowe For proofe of man who sprong of heau'nly fire Hath strongest soule when most his raynes do boweâ— But fondlings fonde know not your owne desire Loth to dye young and then you must be olde Fondly blame that to which your selues aspire But this light choller that doth make you bolde Rather to wrong then vnto iust defence Is past with me my bloud is waxen colde Thy words though full of malapert offence I way them not but still will thee aduize How thou from foolish loue maist purge thy sense First thinke they erre that thinke them gayly wise Who well can set a passion out to show Such sight haue they that see with goggling eyes Passion beares high when puffing wit doth blowe But is indeed a toy if not a toy True cause of euils and cause of causelesse woe If once thou maist that fancie glosse destroy Within thy selfe thou soone wilt be ashamed To be a player of thine owne annoy Then let thy minde with better bookes be tamed Seeke to espie her faultes as well as praise And let thine eyes to other sports be framed In hunting fearefull beastes do spend some dayes Or catch the birds with pitfalls or with lyme Or trayne the fox that traines so crafty laies Ly but to sleepe and in the earely prime Seeke skill of hearbes in hills haunt brookes neere night And try with bayt how fish will bite sometime Goe graft againe and seeke to graft them right Those pleasant plants those sweete and frutefull trees Which both the pallate
steade of blood and making courage arise against faintnesse like a Candle which a little before it goes out giues then the greatest blaze so did he vnite all his force that casting away the little remnaunt of his shielde and taking his sword in both hands he stroke such a notable blow that he cleft his shield armour and arme almost to the bone But then Amphialus forgat all ceremonies with cruell blowes made more of his best blood succeed the rest til his hand being staied by his eare his eare filled with a pitifull crie the crie guided his sight to an excellent faire Ladie who came running as fast as she could and yet because she could not as fast as she would shee sent her lamentable voyce before her and being come and being knowne to them both to be the beautifull Parthenia who had that night dreamed shee saw her husbande in such estate as shee then found him which made her make such haste thither they both maruailed But Parthenia ranne between them feare of loue making her â—orget the feare of Nature and then fel downe at their feete determining so to part them till shee coulde get breathe to sigh out her dolefull speeches and when her breath which running had spent dismayednesse made slowe to returne had by sobbes gotten into her sorow-closed breast for a while she could say nothing but O wretched eyes of mine O wailefull sight O day of darkenesse at length turning her eyes where in sorrow swamme to Amphialus My Lorde saide she it is saide you loue in the power of that loue I beseech you to leaue of this combate as euer your harte may finde comfort in his affection euen for her sake I craue it or if you be mortally determined be so pitifull vnto me as first to kill me that I may not see the death of Argalus Amphialus was about to haue aunswered when Argalus vexed with his Fortune but most vexed that she shoulde see him in that fortune Ah Parthenia said he neuer till now vnwelcome vnto me do you come to get my life by request And caÌ„not Argalus liue but by request Is that a life With that he went aside for fear of hurting her would haue begun the coÌ„bate afresh But Amphialus not only coÌ„iured by that which held the Monarchie of his mind but euen in his noble hart melting with coÌ„passion at so passionate a sight desired him to withhold his haÌ„ds for that he should strike one who sought his fauour would not make resistauÌ„ce A notable example of the wonderful effectes of Vertue where the conquerour sought for friendship of the conquered the conquered would not pardon the conquerour both indeede being of that minde to loue eche other for accepting but not for giuing mercie neyther afâ—ected to ouer-liue a dishonour so that Argalus not so much striuing with Amphialus for if he had had him in the like sorte in like sorte he woulde haue dealt with him as labouring against his owne power which he chiefly despised set himselfe forward stretching his strength to the vttermost But the fire of that strife blowen with his inward rage boyled out his bloud in such aboundance that hee was driuen to rest him vpon the pommel of his sworde and then each thing beginning to turne round in the daunce of Death before his eyes his sight both dazled dimmed till thinking to sit downe he fel in a sowne Parthenia and Amphialus both hastely went vnto him Amphialus tooke off his helmet and Parthenia laid his head in her lap tearing of her linnen sleues partlet to serue about his wounds to bind which shee tooke of her hair-lace and woulde haue cut of her faire haire herselfe but that the squires and iudges came in with fitter things for the purpose while she bewayled her selfe with so lamentable sweetnes as was inough to haue taught sorrow to the gladdest thoughts and haue engraued it in the mindes of hardest mettall O Parthenia no more Parthenia said she What art thou what seest thou how is thy blisse in a moment fallen how art thou euen-now before all Ladies the example of perfect happines and nowe the gasing-stocke of endles miserie O God what hath bene my desert to be thus punished or if such haue bene my desert why was I not in my selfe punished O wandring life to what wildernes wouldst thou lead me But Sorow I hope thou art sharp inough to saue my labour from other remedies Argalus Argalus I will folow thee I will follow thee But with that Argalus came out of his sowne and lifting vp his languishing eyes which a paineful rest and iron sleep did seeke to lock vp seeing her in whom euen dying he liued and him selfe seated in so beloued a place it seemed a little cheerefull bloud came vp to his cheekes like a burning cole almost dead if some breath a little reuiue it and forcing vp the best he coulde his feeble voice My deare my better halfe saide hee I finde I must now leaue thee and by that sweete hand and faire eyes of thine I sweare that Death bringes nothing with it to grieue me but that I must leaue thee and cannot remaine to answere part of thy infinit deserts with being some comfort vnto thee But since so it pleaseth him whose wisedome and goodnesse guideth all put thy confidence in him and one day wee shall blessedly meet againe neuer to depart meane while liue happily deare Parthenia and I perswade my selfe it will encrease the blessednes of my soule so to see thee Loue well the remembrance of thy louing and truely louing Argalus and let not with that word he sighed this disgrace of mine make thee one day thinke thou hadst an vnwoorthie husband They could scarcely vnderstand the last wordes for Death began to seaze him selfe of his harte neither coulde Parthenia make answere so full was her breast of anguish But while the other sought to stanch his remediles wounds she with her kisses made him happie for his last breath was deliuered into her mouth But when indeede she found his ghost was gone then Sorrowe lost the witte of vtterance and groâ—e ragefull and madde so that shee tare her beautifull face and rent her haire â—â—â—â—oâ—gh they coulde serue for nothing since Argalus was gone till Amphialus so â—â—oued with pittie of that sight as that hee honoured his aduersaries death with â—â—â—es caused her with the helpe of her women that came with her partelie by â—â—rce to be conueyed into the boat with the dead body of Argalus from which she â—ould not depart And being come of the other side there she was receaued by Baâ—â—â—â—us him self with all the funerall pompe of militarie discipline trayling all their â—â—â—ignes vpon the ground making these warlike instrumentes sound dolefull notes and Basilius with comfort in his mouth and woe in his face sought to perswade some ease into Parthenias mind but all was as easefull to her as the handling of sore woundes all
away as well as while you are here take not away your force which bars not the one and bridels the other For as for their shewes and words they are but feare-babes not worthy once to moue a worthy mans conceit which must still consider what in reason they are like to do Their despaire I grant you shall do well to preuent which as it is the last of all resolutions so no man fals into it while so good a way as you may offer is open vnto them In sum you are a Prince and a father of a people who ought with the eye of wisdome the hand of fortitude and the hart of iustice to set downe all priuate conceits in comparison of what for the publike is profitable He would haue proceeded on when Gynecia came running in amazed for her daughter Pamela but mad for Zelmane and falling at Basilius feet besought him to make no delay vsing such gestures of compassion in steed of stopped words that Basilius otherwise enough tender minded easily granted to raise the siege which he saw dangerous to his daughters but indeed more carefull for Zelmane by whose besieged person the poore old man was streightly besieged so as to rid him of the famine of his mind he went in speed away discharging his souldiors only leauing the authority as before in Philanaxis hands he himselfe went with Gynecia to a strong Castle of his where he tooke counsell how first to deliuer Zelmane whom he called the poore stranger as though onely Law of hospitalitie moued him and for that purpose sent diuers messengers to trafficke with Cecropia But she by this meanes rid of the present daunger of the siege desiring Zoilus and Lycurgus to take the care till their brother recouered of reuictualling and furnishing the Citie both with men and what els wanted against any new occasion should vrge them she her selfe disdaining to harken to Basilius without he would grant his daughter in mariage to her son which by no means he would be brought vnto bent all the sharpenesse of her malicious wit how to bring a comfortable graunt to her sonne whereupon she well found no lesse then his life depended Therfore for a while she attēpted all meanes of eloquent praying flattering perswasion mingling sometimes gifts somtimes threatnings as she had cause to hope that either open force or vndermining would best win the castle of their Resolution And euer as much as she did to Philoclea so much did she to Pamela though in manner sometimes differing as she found fit to leuell at the ones noble height and the others sweet lowlinesse For though she knew her sonnes harte had wholly giuen it selfe to Philoclea yet seeing the equall gifts in Pamela she hoped a faire grant would recouer the sorrow of a faire refusall cruelly entending the present impoysoning the one as soone as the others affection were purchased But in vaine was all her vaine oratory employed Pamelaes determination was built vpon so braue a Rock that no shot of hers could reach vnto it and Philoclea though humbly seated was so inuironed with sweete riuers of cleere vertue as could neither be battred nor vndermined her witty perswasiōs had wise answers her eloquence recompenced with sweetnes her threatnings repelled with disdaine in the one and patience in the other her gifts either not accepted or accepted to obey but not to binde So as Cecropia in nature violent cruell because ambitious hatefull for old rooted grudge to their mother and now spitefull because she could not preuaile with girles as she counted them lastly drawne on by her loue to her son and held vp by a tyrannicall authoritie forthwith followed the byas of her own crooked disposition and doubling and redoubling her threatnings fell to confirme some of her threatned effects first withdrawing all comfort both of seruants seruice from them But that those excellent Ladies had bene vsed vnto euen at home and then found in themselues how much good the hardnes of education doth to the resistance of misery Then dishonorably vsing them both in dyet and lodging by a contempt to pull downe their thoughts to yeelding But as before the consideration of a prison had disgraced all ornaments so now the same consideration made them attend al diseasefulnes Then stil as she found those not preuaile would she go forward with giuing them terrors sometimes with noices of horror sometimes with suddaine frightings in the night when the solitary darkenesse thereof might easier astonish the disarmed senses But to all Vertue and Loue resisted strengthned one by the other when each found itselfe ouer-vehemently assaulted Cecropia still sweetning her fiercenesses with faire promises if they would promise faire that feeling euill and seeing a way far better their mindes might the sooner be mollified But they that could not taste her behauiour when it was pleasing indeed could worse now when they had lost all taste by her iniuries She resoluing all extremities rather then faile of conquest pursued on her rugged way letting no day passe without new and new perplexing the poore Ladies minds and troubling their bodies and still swelling the more she was stopped and growing hot with her owne doings at length abhominable rage carried her to absolute tyrannies so that taking with her certaine olde women of wicked dispositions and apt for enuie-sake to be cruell to youth and beautie with a countenance impoisoned with malice flew to the sweet Philoclea as if so many Kites should come about a white Doue and matching violēt gestures with mischieuous threatnings she hauing a rod in her hand like a fury that should carry wood to the burning of Dianas temple fell to scourge that most beautifull body Loue in vaine holding the shield of Beautie against her blind cruelty The Son drew clouds vp to hide his face frō so pitifull a sight and the very stone walls did yeeld drops of sweate for agonie of such a mischiefe each senselesse thing had sense of pittie onely they that had sense were senseles Vertue rarely found her worldly weakenes more then by the oppression of that day and weeping Cupid told his weeping mother that he was sorie he was not deafe as well as blind that he might neuer know so lamentable a worke Philoclea with tearefull eyes and sobbing breast as soone as her wearines rather then compassion gaue her respite kneeled down to Cecropia making pittie in her face honourable and torment delightfull besought her since she hated her for what cause she tooke God to witnesse she knew not that she would at once take away her life and not please her selfe with the tormenting of a poore Gentlewoman If said she the common course of humanitie cannot moue you nor the hauing me in your owne walles cannot claime pittie nor womanlie mercie nor neere alliance nor remembrance how miserable so euer now that I am a Princes daughter yet let the loue you haue often tolde me your sonne beares me so much procure that for his
shall make Basilius willing or vnwilling to knowe his owne happe in graunting you Philoclea then I will cheerefullie goe about this my most desired enterprise and shall thinke the better halfe of it alreadie atchieued beeing begunne in the fortunate houre of my friendes contentment These wordes as they were not knitte together with such a constant course of flowing eloquence as Dorus was woont to vse so was his voice interrupted with sighes and his countenaunce with enterchanging coulour dismayed So much his owne hearte did finde him faultie to vnbende any way the continuall vse of theyr deare friendshippe But Zelmane who had all this while gladlie hearkened to the other tydings of her friends happye successe when this last determination of Dorus strake her attentiue eares she stayed a great while oppressed with a dead amazement Ther came streight before her mind made tender with woes the images of her own fortune Her tedious longings her causes to despaire the combersome follie of Basilius the enraged Iealousie of Gynecia her selfe a Prince without retinewe a man annoyed with the troubles of woman-kinde lothsomely loued and daungerouslie louing And now for the perfecting of all her friend to be taken away by himself to make the losse the greater by the vnkindnes But within a while she resolutely passed ouer all in warde obiections and preferring her friends proffitt to her owne desire with a quiet but hartie looke she thus aunsweared him If I bare thee this Loue vertuous Musidorus for mine owne sake and that our friendshipp grew because I for my parte might reioyce to enioye such a friend I shoulde nowe so thorowly feele mine owne losse that I should call the heauens and earth to witnesse howe cruelly yee robbe mee of my greatest comforte measuring the breach of friendshippe by myne owne passion But because indeede I loue thee for thy selfe and in my iudgement iudge of thy worthines to beloued I am content to builde my pleasure vppon thy comforte And then will I deeme my happe in friendshippe great when I shall see thee whome I loue happie Let me be onely sure thou louest me still the onely price of trew affection goe therefore on worthye Musidorus with the guide of vertue and seruice of fortune Let thy loue be loued thy desires prosperous thy escape safe and thy iornye easie Let euery thing yeeld his helpe to thy deserte for my part absence shall not take thee from mine eyes nor afflictions shall barre mee from gladding in thy good nor a possessed harte shall keepe thee from the place it haâ—h for euer allotted vnto thee Dorus would faine haue replied againe to haue made a liberall confession that Zelmane had of her side the aduantage of well performing friendshippe but partelie his owne griefe of parting from one he loued so dearely partly the kinde care in what state hee shoulde leaue Zelmane bredd such a conflicte in his minde that many times he wished he had either neuer attempted or neuer reuealed this secreat enterprise But Zelmane who had now looked to the vttermoste of it and established her minde vpon an assured determination my onely friend said shee since to so good towardnes your courteous destinies haue conducted you let not a ceremoniall consideration of our mutuall loue be a barre vnto it I ioye in your presence but I ioye more in your good that friendshipp brings foorth the fruites of enmitie which preferres his owne tendernes before his friendes domage For my parte my greatest griefe herein shal be I can bee no further seruiceable vnto you O Zelmane saide Dorus with his eyes euen couered with water I did not think so soone to haue displayed my determination vnto you but to haue made my way first in your louing iudgement But alas as your sweet disposition drew me so farre so doth it now strengthen me in it To you therefore be the due commendation giuen who can conquere me in Loue and Loue in wisedome As for mee then shall goodnes turne to euill and vngratefulnes bee the token of a true harte when Pyrocles shall not possesse a principall seate in my soule when the name of Pyrocles shall not be helde of me in deuout reuerence They would neuer haue come to the cruell instant of parting nor to the il-faring word of farewell had not Zelmane sene a farre off the olde Basilius who hauing perfourmed a sacrifice to Apollo for his daughters but principally for his mistresse happy returne had since bene euery where to seeke her And nowe being come within compasse of discerning her he beganne to frame the loueliest couÌ„tenance he could stroking vp his legges setting his bearde in due order and standing bolte vpright Alas said Zelmane behold an euill fore-token of your sorrowfull departure Yonder see I one of my furies which doth daylie vexe me farewell fare wel my Musidorus the Gods make fortune to waite on thy vertues and make mee wade through this lake of wretchednes Dorus burst out into a floud of teares wringing her fast by the hande No no said he I go blindfold whither the course of my ill happe caries me for now too late my harte giues me this our separating can neuer be prosperous But if I liue attend me here shortly with an army Thus both appalled with the grieuous renting of their long Combination hauing first resolued with theÌ„selues that whatsoeuer fell vnto them they should neuer vpon no occasion vtter their names for the coÌ„seruing the honour of their Royal parentage but keep the names of Daiphantus Palladius as before had ben agreed between theÌ„ they tooke diuerse waies Dorus to the lodg-ward wher his heauy eyes might be somthing refreshed Zelmane towards Basilius saying to her selfe with a skornefull smiling yet hath not my friendly fortune depriued me of a pleasant companion But he hauing with much searche come to her presence Doubt Desire bred a great quarrel in his mind For his former experience had taught him to doubt true feeling of Loue made doubts daungerous but the working of his desire had ere long wonne the fielde And therefore with the most submissiue maner his behauiour could yeeld O Goddesse said hee towardes whom I haue the greatest feeling of Religion be not displeased at some shew of deuotion I haue made to Apollo since he if he know any thing knowes that my harte beares farre more awful reuereÌ„ce to your self then to his or any other the like Deity You wil euer be deceaued in me answered Zelmane I wil make my selfe no competitor with Apollo neither can blasphemies to him be duties to me With that Basilius tooke out of his bosome certaine verses he had written and kneling downe presented them to her They contained this PHaebus farewell a sweeter Saint I serue The high conceits thy heau'nly wisedomes breed My thoughts forget my thoughts which neuer swerue From her in whome is sowne their freedomes seede And in whose eyes my dayly doome I reede Phaebus farewell a sweeter Saint I serue
vpon her with a more relenting grace then euer she had done before pretending a great bashfulnes before she could come to confesse such a fault she thus sayde vnto her Most worthye Ladye I did neuer thinke till now that pittie of another coulde make me betray my selfe nor that the sounde of wordes could ouerthrow any wise bodies determinacion But your words I thinke haue charmed me and your grace bewitched me Your compassion makes me open my hart to you and leaue vnharboured mine owne thoughts For proofe of it I will disclose my greatest secreate which well you might suspect but neuer knowe and so haue your wandring hope in a more painefull wildernesse being neither way able to be lodged in a perfect resolucion I will I say vnwrappe my hidden estate and after make you iudge of it perchance director The truth is I am a man nay I will say further to you I am borne a Prince And to make vp youre minde in a through vnderstanding of mee since I came to this place I may not denye I haue had some sprinkling of I knowe not what good liking to my Lady Philoclea For howe coulde I euer imagine the heauens woulde haue rayned downe so much of your fauour vpon me and of that side there was a shewe of possible hope the most comfortable Counsellor of loue The cause of this my chaunged attyre was a iourney two yeares agoe I made among the Amazons where hauing sought to trye my vnfortunate valure I met not one in all the Countrey but was too harde for me till in the ende in the presence of their Queene Marpesia I hoping to preuayle agaynst her challenged an olde woman of fourescore yeares to fight on horssebacke to the vttermost with me Who hauing ouerthrowne me for the sauing of my life made me sweare I should goe like an vnarmed Amazon till the comming of my beard did with the discharge of my oath deliuer me of that bondage Here Zelmane ended not comming to a full conclusion because she would see what it wrought in Gynecias minde hauing in her speech sought to winne a beliefe of her and if it might be by disgrace of her selfe to diminish Gynecias affection For the first it had much preuailed But Gynecia whose ende of louing her was not her fighting neyther could her loue too deepely grounded receiue diminishment and besides she had seene herselfe sufficient proofes of Zelmanes admirable prowesse Therefore sleightly passing ouer that poynt of her fayned dishonor but taking good hold of the confessing her manly sexe with the shamefaste looke of that suitor who hauing already obtayned much is yet forced by want to demaunde more put foorth her sorrowfull suite in these words The gods sayd she rewarde thee for thy vertuouse pittie of my ouerladen soule who yet hath receyued some breath of comfort by finding thy confession to maintayne some possibilitie of my languishing hope But alas as they who seeke to enrich themselues by minerall industrie the first labour is to finde the myne which to their cheerefull comfort being founde if after any vnlooked for stop or casuall impediment keepe them from getting the desired vre they are so much the more greeued as the late conceaued hope addes torment to their former wante So falles it out with mee happie or happlesse woman as it pleaseth you to ordayne who am now either to receyue some guerdon of my most wofull labours or to returne into a more wretched darkenes hauing had some glimmering of my blisfull Sunne O Zelmane tread not vpon a soule that lyes vnder your foote let not the abasing of my selfe make me more base in your eyes but iudge of me according to that I am and haue bene and let my errors be made excusable by the immortall name of loue With that vnder a fayned rage tearing her clothes she discouered some partes of her fayre body which if Zelmanes harte had not bene so fully possest as there was no place left for any new guest no doubt it would haue yelded to that gallant assault But Zelmane so much the more arming her determination as she sawe such force threatened yet still remembring she must wade betwixt constancie and curtesey embracing Gynecia and once or twise kissing her Deare Ladie sayd she he were a great enemy to himselfe that would refuse such an offer in the purchase of which a mans life were blessedly bestowed Nay how can I euer yeeld due recompence for so excessiue a fauour but hauing nothing to geue you but my selfe take that I must confesse a small but a very free gift what other affection soeuer I haue had shall geue place to as great perfection working besides vppon the bonde of gratefulnes The gods forbid I should be so foolish as not to see or so wicked as not to remember how much my small deserts are ouerballanced by your vnspeakeable goodnes Nay happye may I well accompt my mishap among the Amazons since that dishonor hath bene so true a path to my greatest honor and the chaunging of my outward rayment hath clothed my minde in such inwarde contentacion Take therefore noble Lady as much comfort to youre harte as the full commandement of me can yeeld you wipe your faire eyes and keepe them for nobler seruices And nowe I will presume thus much to saye vnto you that you make of your selfe for my sake that my ioyes of my new obtayned riches may be accomplished in you But let vs leaue this place least you be too long missed and henceforward quiet your minde from any further care for I will now to my too much ioye take the charge vpon me within fewe dayes to worke your satisfaction and my felicitie Thus much she sayde and withall led Gynecia out of the Caue for well she sawe the boyling minde of Gynecia did easily apprehende the fitnesse of that lonely place But in deede this direct promise of a short space ioyned with the cumbersome familiar of womankinde I meane modestie stayed so Gynecias minde that she tooke thus much at that present for good payment remayning with a paynefull ioye and a wearysome kinde of comfort not vnlike to the condemned prisoner whose minde still running vppon the violent arriuall of his cruell death heares that his pardon is promised but not yet signed In this sort they both issued out of that obscure mansion Gynecia already halfe perswaded in her selfe ô weakenes of humane conceite that Zelmanes affection was turned towards her For such alas we are all in such a mould are we cast that with the too much loue we beare our selues beeing first our owne flatterers wee are easily hooked with our owne flattery we are easily perswaded of others loue But Zelmane who had now to playe her prize seeing no waye thinges could long remayne in that state and now finding her promise had tyed her tryall to a small compasse of tyme began to throwe her thoughtes into each corner of her inuention howe shee might atchieue
returnes an imagined wrong with an effectuall iniury O foole to make quarell my supplication or to vse hate as the mediator of loue childish Philoclea had thou throwne away the Iewell wherein all thy pride consisted Hast thou with too much hast ouerrun thy selfe Then would she renew her kisses O yet not finding the life retourne redouble her plaintes in this manner O diuine soule saide she whose vertue can possesse no lesse then the highest place in heauen if for mine eternall plague thou haste vtterly lefte this most sweet mansion before I follow thee with Thisbes punishment for my rashe vnwarinesse heare this protestation of mine That as the wrong I haue done thee proceeded of a most sincere but vnresistable affection so led with this pittifull example it shall ende in the mortall hate of my selfe and if it may be I will make my soule a tombe of thy memory At that worde with anguish of minde and weakenes of body encreased one by the other and both augmented by this feareful accident she had falne downe in a sounde but that Pyrocles then first seuering his eye liddes and quickly apprehending her daunger to him more then death beyond all powers striuing to recouer the commaundement of al his powers staied her from falling and then lifting the sweet burthen of her body in his armes laid her againe in her bedd So that she but then the Physition was nowe become the pacient he to whom her weaknesse had bene seruiceable was now enforced to do seruice to her weaknesse which performed by him with that hartie care which the most carefull loue on the best loued subiect in greatest extremitie could employ preuailed so farre that ere long shee was able though in strength exceedingly deiected to call home her wandering senses to yeelde attention to that her beloued Pyrocles had to deliuer But he lying downe on the bed by her holding her hand in his with so kind an accusing her of vnkindnes as in accusing her he condemned himself began from pointe to pointe to discouer vnto her all that had passed betwene his loathed louers him How he had entertained by entertaining deceiued both Basilius Gynecia that with such a kind of deceipt as either might see the cause in the other but neither espie the effect in themselues That al his fauors to theÌ„ had tended only to make them strangers to this his actioÌ„ al his strangnes to her to the final obtaining of her long promised now to be perfourmed fauour Which deuise seing it had so well succeeded to the remouing all other hinderances that only her resolutioÌ„ remained for the taking their happy iournie he coniured her by al the loue she had euer borne him shee would make no longer delay to partake with him whatsoeuer honors the noble kingdoÌ„e of Macedon al other Euarchus dominioÌ„s might yeeld him especially since in this enterprise he had now waded so farr as he could not possibly retire himself back without being ouerwhelmed with dauÌ„ger dishoÌ„our He neded not haue vsed further arguments of perswasioÌ„ for that only coniuratioÌ„ had so forcibly bound all her spirits that could her body haue secoÌ„ded her mind or her mind haue strengthened her body without respect of any worldly thing but only feare to be againe vnkind to Pyrocles she had condiscended to goe with him But raising her selfe a litle in her bed finding her own vnabilitie in any sorte to endure the aire My Pyrocles said she with tearefull eyes a pittifull couÌ„tenance such as well witnessed she had no will to deny any thing she had power to performe if you can conuey me hence in such plight as you see me I am most willing to make my â—xtreamest dauÌ„ger a testimonie that I esteme no dauÌ„ger in regard of your vertuous satisfaction But if shee fainted so faste that she was not able to vtter the rest of her conceiued speech which also turned Pyrocles thoughts from expecting further answere to the necessary care of reuiuing her in whose fainting himself was more theÌ„ ouerthrown And that hauing effected with al the sweet meaÌ„s his wits could deuise though his highest hopes were by this vnexpected downfall sunke deeper theÌ„ any degree of dispaire yet lest the appearaÌ„ce of his inward grief might occasioÌ„ her further discoÌ„fort hauing racked his face to a more coÌ„fortable semblaÌ„ce he sought some shew of reason to shew shee had no reason either for him or for her selfe so to be aflicted Which in the sweete minded Philoclea whose consideration was limited by his wordes and whose conceite pearced no deeper then his outwarde countenaunce wrought within a while such quietnesse of mind and that quietnesse againe such repose of bodie that slepe by his harbingers weakenesse wearines and watchfulnes had quickly taken vp his lodging in all her senses Then indeed had Pyrocles leasure to sit in iudgement on himselfe and to heare his reason accuse his rashnes who without forecaste of doubte without knowledge of his friende without acquainting Philoclea with his purpose or being made acquainted with her present estate had falne headlong into that attempt the successe whereof hee had long since set downe to himselfe as the measure of all his other fortunes But calling to minde howe weakely they do that rather finde faulte with what cannot be amended then seek to amend wherein they haue beene faultie he soone turned him from remembring what might haue beene done to considering what was now to be done and when that consideration fayled what was now to be expected Wherein hauing runne ouer all the thoughts his reason called to the strictest accountes could bring before him at length he lighted on this That as long as Gynecia bewraied not the matter which he thought she woulde not doe aswell for her owne honour and safetie as for the hope she might stil haue of him which is loth to die in a louers hart all the rest might turne to a preatie meryment and enflame his louer Basilius againe to cast aboute for the missed fauour And as naturally the harte stuffed vp with wofulnes is glad greedelie to sucke the thinnest aire of comforte so did hee at the first embrace this conceite as offeringe great hope if not assurance of well doing Till looking more neerely into it and not able to answere the doubts and difficulties he sawe therein more and more arising the night being also farre spent his thoughtes euen wearie of their owne burthens fell to a straying kind of vncertaintie and his minde standing onely vpon the nature of inward intelligences lefte his bodie to giue a sleeping respite to his vitall spirites which he according to the qualitie of Sorrow receiued with greater greedines then euer in his life before According to the nature of sorrow I say which is past cares remedie For care sturring the braines and making thinne the spirites breaketh rest but those griefes wherein one is determined there is no preuenting do brede a dull
word coulde his eloquence procure of Mopsa who indeed was there attending for greater matters This was yet a newe burthen to poore Damaetas who thought all the worlde was conspired against him and therefore with a seely choler he began another tune Thou vile Mopsa saide he now the vengeance of my fatherly curse light ouerthwart thee if thou doe not streight answere me But neither blessing nor cursing coulde preuaile Mopsa who was now great with childe with the expectation of her may-game hopes and did long to be deliuered with the thirde time being named Which by and by followed For Damaetas rubbing his elbowe stamping and whining seing neither of these take place began to throwe stones at her and withall to coniure her by the name of hellish Mopsa But when he had named her the third time no chime can more sodainly follow the striking of a Clocke then shee verily thinking it was the God that vsed her fathers voice throwing our armes abroade and not considering she was muffled vpon so high a tree came fluttering down like a hooded hawke like enough to haue broken her neck but that the tree full of bowes tossed her from one bow to another and lastly well brused brought her to receiue an vnfrindly salutation of the earth Damaetas as soone as she was downe came running to her and finding her so close wrapt pulled of the scarlet cloake in good time for her for with the sorenesse of the fall if she had not had breath giuen her she had deliuered a foolish soule to Pluto But then Damaetas began a fresh to desire his daughter not to forget the paines he had taken for her in her childhoode which he was sure she could not remember and to tell him where Pamela was O good Apollo saide Mopsa if euer thou didest beare loue to Phaethons mother let me haue a King to my husband Alas what speakest thou of Phaethon Saide Damaetas If by thy circumspect meanes I finde not out Pamela thy father will be hanged to morrow It is no matter though he be hanged answered Mopsa doe but thou make Dorus a King and let him bee my husband good Apollo for my courage doth much pricke mee towarde him Ah Mopsa cryed out Damaetas where is thy witt Doest thou not know thy father How hast thou forgotten thy selfe I do not aske witt of thee mine owne God said shee but I see thou wouldest haue me remember my father and indeede forget my selfe No no a good husband thou shalt haue thy fill of husbandes saide Damaetas and doe but answere me my question O I thanke thee saide Mopsa withall my harte hartely but let them bee all Kinges Damaetas seing no other way preuaile fel downe on his knees Mopsa Mopsa saide he doe not thus cruelly torment me I am already wretched enough alas either helpe me or tell me thou canst not She that woulde not bee behinde Apollo in curtesie kneeled downe on thother side I wil neuer leaue tormenting thee said Mopsa vntill thou hast satisfied my longing but I will proclaime thee a promise breaker that euen Iupiter shall heare it Now by the fostring thou hast receaued in this place saue my life saide Damaetas now by the faire Ash aunswered Mopsa where thou didest receaue so great a good turne graunt post haste to my burning fancie O where is Pamela saide Damaetas O a lustie husband saide Mopsa Damaetas that nowe verely assured himselfe his daughter was madd beganne vtterly to dispaire of his life and therefore amazedly catching her in his armes to see whether hee coulde bring her to her selfe hee might feele the weight of of a greate cudgell light vpon his shoulders and for the first greeting hee knew his wife Misos voice by the calling him ribaulde villaine asking him whether she coulde not serue his turne as well as Charita For Miso hauing according to Dorus counsaile gone to Mantinea and there harboured her selfe in an olde acquaintaunce house of hers as soone as tenne of the clocke was striken where shee had remayned closely all that while I thinke with such an amiable cheare as when iealous Iuno sate crosse-legged to hinder the child-birth of her husbands loue with open mouth shee went to the Magistrate appointed ouer such matters and there with the most scolding inuectiue her rage rather then eloquence could bring forth she required his ayde to take Damaetas who had lefte his dutie to the Kinge and his daughter to cōmit adultery in the house of Charitas vncle in the Ondemian streete But neither was the name of Charita remembred nor any such streete knowne Yet such was the generall mislike all men had of Damaetas vnworthy aduancement that euery man was glad to make himselfe a minister of that which might redounde to his shame and therfore with Panike cries and laughters there was no suspected place in all the cittie but was searched for vnder the title of Damaetas Miso euer formost encowraging them withall the shamefull blasings of his demeanoure encreasing the sporte of hunting her husband with her diligent barking till at length hauing already done both him and her selfe as much infamous shame as such a tonge in such an action might performe in the end not being able to find a thing that was not to her mare again she wēt hauing neither suspition nor rage any thing mitigated But leauing behinde her a sufficient comedie of her tragicall fancies away homewarde she came imputing the not finding her husband to any chaunce rather then to his innocencie For her harte being apt to receaue and nourish a bitter thought it had so swallowed vp a determinate condemnation that in the verie anotomie of her spirits one should haue found nothing but diuelish disdaine and hatefull iealousie In this sorte grunting out her mischeuous spite shee came by the tree euen as Damaetas was making that ill vnderstoode intercession to his foolish Mopsa As soone as she harde her husbands voice she verily thought she had her playe and therefore stealing from her mare as softely as she coulde shee came creeping and halting behinde him euen as he thinking his daughters little witts had quite lefte her great nowle beganne to take her in his armes thinking perchaunce her feeling sence might call her mind partes vnto her But Miso who sawe nothing but thorowe the coulloure of reuenge-full anger established vpon the fore-iudgement of his trespasse vndoubtedly resoluing that Mopsa was Charita Dorus had tolde her of mumping out her hoarse chafe she gaue him the wooden salutation you hearde of Damaetas that was not so sensible in any thing as in blows turned vp his blubbred face like a great lowt newe whipte Alas thou woman said hee what hath thy poore husband deserued to haue his owne ill lucke loaden with thy displeasure Pamela is lost Pamela is lost Miso still holding on the course of her former fancie what tellest thou mee naughtie varlet of Pamela doest thou thinke that doth aunswere me for abusing the lawes of
thou hast cōfirmed vnto me by an oath assure thy selfe the first that layes hands vpō her shall leaue his life for a testimony of his sacriledge Philanax with an inward storme thinking it most manifest they were both he at least of counsell with the kings death well said he you speake much to me of the king I do here sweare vnto you by the loue I haue euer borne him she shal haue no worse howsoeuer it fal out then her own parents And vpon that word of yours I yeld said the poore Pyrocles deceiued by him that ment not to deceiue him Then did Philanax deliuer him into the hands of a noble man in the company euery one desirous to haue him in his charge so much did his goodly presence wherin true valure shined breede a delightfull admiration in all the beholders Philanax himselfe stayed with Philoclea to see whether of her he might learne some disclosing of this former conclusion But she sweet Lady whom first a kindly shamefastnes had separated from Pyrocles hauing bene left in a more open view then her modesty would well beare then the attending her fathers comming and studying how to behaue her selfe towards him for both their safeties had called her spirits all within her now that vpon a sodaine Pyrocles was deliuered out of the chamber from her at the first she was so surprized with the extreame stroke of the wofull sight that like those that in their dreames are taken with some ougly vision they would fain cry for help but haue no force so remained she awhile quite depriued not only of speach but almost of any other liuely actiō But whē indeed Pyrocles was quite drawne frō her eys that her vital strēgth begā to return vnto her now not knowing what they did to Pyrocles but according to the nature of loue fearing the worst wringing her hands and letting abundance of teares be the first part of her eloquence bending her Amber-crowned head ouer her bed side to the hard-hearted Philanax O Philanax Philanax sayd she I knowe how much authoritye you haue with my father there is no man whose wisedome he so much esteemes nor whose faith so much he reposeth vpon Remember how oft you haue promised your seruice vnto me how oft you haue geuen me occasion to beleeue that there was no Lady in whose fauor you more desired to remayne and if the remembrance be not vnpleasant to your mind or the rehearsall vnfitting for my fortune remember there was a time when I could deserue it Now my chaunce is turned let not your truth turne I present my selfe vnto you the most humble and miserable suppliant liuing neither shall my desire be great I seeke for no more life then I shall be found worthy of If my bloud may wash away the dishonor of Arcadia spare it not although through me it hath in deede neuer bene dishonored My only sute is you wil be a meane for me that while I am suffered to enioy this life I may not be separated from him to whom the Gods haue ioyned me and that you determine nothing of him more cruelly then you do of me If you rightly iudge of what hath past wherein the Gods that should haue bene of our mariage are witnesses of our innocencies then procure we may liue together But if my father will not so conceiue of vs as the fault if any were was vnited so let the punishmēt be vnited also There was no man that euer loued either his Prince or any thing pertaining to him with a truer zeale then Philanax did This made him euen to the depth of his heart receiue a most vehemēt griefe to see his master made as it were more miserable after death And for himselfe calling to mind in what sort his life had bene preserued by Philoclea what time taken by Amphialus he was like to suffer a cruell death there was nothing could haue kept him from falling to all tender pittie but the perfect perswasion he had that all this was ioyned to the packe of his maisters death which the misconceiued speech of marriage made him the more beleeue Therefore first muttering to himselfe such like words The violence the gentleman spake of is now turned to mariage he alledged Mars but she speakes of Venus O vnfortunate maister This hath bene that faire diuell Gynaecia sent away one of her daughters prostituted the other empoysoned thee to ouerthrowe the diademe of Arcadia But at length thus vnto her selfe he sayde If your father Madame were now to speake vnto truly there should no body be found a more ready aduocate for you then my selfe For I would suffer this fault though very great to be blotted out of my minde by your former led life your benefit towards my selfe and being daughter to such a father But since among your selues you haue taken him away in whome was the only power to haue mercy you must now be clothed in your owne working and looke for none other then that which dead pittilesse lawes may allot vnto you For my part I loued you for your vertue but now where is that I loued you in respect of a priuate benefit what is that in comparison of the publike losse I loued you for your father vnhappy folks you haue robbed the world of him These words of her father were so little vnderstood by the only well vnderstanding Philoclea that she desired him to tell her what he meant to speake in such darke sort vnto her of her lord and father whose displeasure was more dreadfull vnto her then her punishment that she was free in her owne conscience she had neuer deserued euill of him no not in this last fact wherein if it pleased him to proceed with patience he should finde her choise had not bene vnfortunate He that saw her words written in the plaine table of her faire face thought it impossible there should therin be contained deceite and therfore so much the more abashed Why said he Madame would you haue me thinke you are not of conspiracy with the Princesse Pamelas flight and your fathers death with that word the sweet Lady gaue a pittifull cry hauing streight in her face breast abundance of witnesses that her hart was far from any such abhominable consent Ah of all sides vtterly ruined Philoclea said she now in deed I may well suffer all conceite of hope to dye in mee Deare father where was I that might not do you my last seruice before soone after miserably following you Philanax perceiued the demonstracion so liuely true in her that he easily acquited her in his heart of that fact and the more was moued to ioyne with her in most heartie lamentation But remembring him that the burthen of the state and punishment of his masters murderers lay all vpon him Well sayde he Madame I can do nothing without all the states of Arcadia what they will determine of you I know not for my part your speaches would much preuaile
a constant but reuerent behauiour desired them they would not exercise priuate grudges in so common a necessitye Hee acknowledged himselfe a man and a faultye man to the cleering or satisfyeng of which he would at all times submit himselfe since his ende was to bring all things to an vpright iudgement it should euill fitt him to flye the iudgement But sayde he my Lordes let not Timantus rayling speech who whatsoeuer he findes euill in his owne soule can with ease lay it vppon another make me loose your good fauour Consider that all well doing stands so in the middle betwixt his two contrarye euils that it is a readye matter to cast a slaunderous shade vpon the most approued vertues Who hath an euill toong can call seueritie crueltie and faithfull dilligence dilligent ambition But my ende is not to excuse my selfe nor to accuse him for both those hereafter will be time enough There is neyther of vs whose purging or punishing may so much import to Arcadia Now I request you for your owne honours sake and require you by the duety you owe to this estate that you doo presently according to the lawes take in hande the chastizement of our maisters murderers and laying order for the gouernment by whom soeuer it be done so it be done and iustly done I am satisfyed My labour hath bene to frame things so as you might determine now it is in you to determine For my part I call the heauens to witnesse the care of my heart stands to repaye that wherein both I and most of you were tyed to that Prince with whome all my loue of worldly action is dead As Philanax was speaking his last wordes there came one running to him with open mouth and fearefull eyes telling him that there were a great number of the people which were bent to take the young men out of Sympathus hands and as it should seeme by their acclamacions were like inough to proclayme them Princes Nay sayde Philanax speaking alowde and looking with a iust anger vppon the other noble men it is nowe season to heare Timantus idle slanders while strangers become our Lordes and Basilius murderers sit in his throne But who soeuer is a true Arcadian let him followe me With that he went towarde the place he heard of followed by those that had euer loued him and some of the noble men Some other remayning with Timantus who in the meane time was conspiring by strong hand to deliuer Gynaecia of whome the weakest guard was had But Philanax where he went found them all in an vprore which thus was fallne out The greatest multitude of people that were come to the death of Basilius were the Mantineans as being the nearest Citie to the lodges Among these the chiefe man both in authoritye and loue was Kalander he that not long before had bene hoste to the two Princes whome though he knewe not so much as by name yet besides the obligacion he stood bound to them in for preseruing the liues of his sonne or nephewe theyr noble behauiour had bred such loue in his heart towardes them as both with teares he parted from them when they left him vnder promise to returne and did keepe their iewells and apparrell as the relicks of two demy gods Among others he had entred the prison and seene them which forthwith so inuested his soule both with sorrowe and desire to helpe them whome he tendred as his children that calling his neighbours the Mantineans vnto him he tould them all the prayses of those two young men swearing he thought the gods had prouided for them better then they themselues could haue imagined He willed them to consider that when all was done Basilius children must enioy the state who since they had chosen and chosen so as all the world could not mende their choise why should they resist Gods doing and theyr Princesses pleasure This was the only way to purchase quietnes without blood where otherwise they should at one instant crowne Pamela with a Crowne of golde and a dishonoured title Which whether euer she would forget he thought it fit for them to way such said he heroicall greatnes shines in their eyes such an extraordinary maiestie in all their actions as surely either fortune by parentage or nature in creation hath made them Princes And yet a state already we haue we neede but a man who since he is presented vnto you by the heauenly prouidence embraced by your vndoubted Princesse worthy for their youth of compassion for their beawtie of admiracion for their excellent vertue to be monarkes of the world shall we not be content with our owne blisse Shall we put out our eyes because another man cannot see or rather like some men when too much good happens vnto them they thinke themselues in a dreame and haue not spirits to taste their owne goods No no my friends beleeue me I am so vnpartiall that I knowe not their names but so ouercome with their vertue that I shall then thinke the destenyes haue ordayned a perpetuall florishing to Arcadia when they shall allot such a gouernor vnto it This spoken by a man graue in yeares great in authoritie neere allyed to the Prince and knowen honest preuayled so with all the Mantineans that with one voyce they ranne to deliuer the two Princes But Philanax came in time to withstand them both sides yet standing in armes and rather wanting a beginning then mindes to enter into a bloudy conflict Which Philanax foreseeing thought best to remoue the prisoners secretly and if neede were rather without forme of iustice to kill them then against iustice as hee thought to haue them vsurpe the state But there agayne arose a new trouble For Sympathus the noble man that kept them was so stricken in compassion with their excellent presence that as he would not falsifye his promise to Philanax to geue them libertye so yet would he not yeeld them to himselfe fearing he would do them violence Thus tumult vppon tumult arising the Sunne I thinke aweary to see theyr discords had alreadye gone downe to his Westerne lodging But yet to knowe what the poore Shepherds did who were the fyrst descryers of these matters will not to some eares perchance be a tedious digression Heere endes the fourth booke or acte The fourth Eglogues THE Shepheards finding no place for them in these garboyles to which their quiet hearts whose highest ambition was in keeping themselues vp in goodnes had at all no aptnes retired themselues from among the clamorous multitude and as sorowe desires company went vp together to the Westerne side of a hill whose prospect extended it so farre as they might well discerne many of Arcadias beawtyes And there looking vpon the Sunnes as then declining race the poore men sate pensiue of their present miseries as if they founde a wearines of theyr wofull wordes till at last good olde Geron who as he had longest tasted the benefites of Basilius gouernment so seemed to
into his inuectiue oration Staye staie Philanax saide shee do not defile thy honest mouth with those dishonourable speeches thou arte about to vtter against a woman now most wretched lately thy mistresse Let either the remembraunce how great she was moue thy harte to some reuerence or the seing how lowe she is sturre in thee some pittie It may be truth doth make thee deale vntruely and loue of iustice frames vniustice in thee doe not therefore neither shalt thou neede treade vpon my desolate ruines Thou shalt haue that thou seekest and yet shalt not be oppressoure of her who cannot choose but loue thee for thy singular faith to thy master I doe not speake this to procure mercie or to prolong my life no no I say vnto you I will not liue but I am onely loth my death shoulde bee engreeued with any wronge thou shouldest doe vnto me I haue beene to painefull a iudge ouer my selfe to desire pardon in others iudgement I haue beene to cruell an executioner of mine owne soule to desire that execution of iustice shoulde bee stayed for me Alas they that know how sorrow can rent the spirits they that know what fiery hells are cōtiened in a self condemning mind need not feare that feare can keepe such a one from desiring to be seperated from that which nothing but death can seperate I therefore say to thee O iust iudge that I and only I was the worker of Basilius death They were these handes that gaue vnto him that poysonous potion that hath brought death to him and losse to Arcadia it was I and none but I that hastened his aged yeares to an vnnaturall end and that haue made all his people orphans of their royall father I am the subiect that haue killed my Prince I am the wife that haue murdred my husband I am a degenerate woman an vndoer of this countrie a shame of my children What wouldest thou haue saide more Oh Philanax and all this I graunt there resteth then nothing els to say but that I desire you you will appointe quicklie somme to ridd mee of my life rather then these handes which ells are destenied vnto it and that indeede it maye bee doone with such speede as I may not long dye in this life which I haue in so greate horrour with that shee crossed her armes and sate downe vppon the grounde attending the iudges aunswere But a greate while it was before anye boddye coulde bee heard speake the whole people concurring in a lamentable crye so much had Gynecias wordes and behauiour sturred their hartes to a dolefull compassion neither in troath coulde most of them in their iudgements tell whether they shoulde bee more sorrie for her faulte or her miserie for the losse of her estate or losse of her vertue But most were most moued with that which was vnder there eyes the sense most subiecte to pittie But at length the reuerent awe they stoode in of Euarchus brought them to a silent wayting his determination who hauing well considered the abhomination of the facte attending more the manifest proofe of so horrible a trespasse confessed by her selfe and proued by others then any thing relenting to those tragicall phrases of hers apter to sturre a vulgare pittie then his minde which hated euill in what culloures so euer he founde it hauing considered a while with the principall men of the country and demaunded there allowance he definitiuely gaue this sentence That where as both in priuate and publike respectes this woman had most haynously offēded in priuate because marriage being the most holy coniunction that falls to mankinde out of which all families and so consequently all societies doe proceede which not onely by communitie goods but communitie children is to knit the mindes in a most perfet vnion which who so breakes dissolues al humanitie no man liuing free from the danger of so neere a neighbour she had not onely broken it but broken it with death and the most pretended death that might be In publike respect the Princes persons being in all monarchall gouernmentes the very knot of the peoples welfare and light of all their doinges to which they are not onely in conscience but in necessitie bounde to be loyall she had trayterously empoysoned him neither regarding her contries profit her owne dutie nor the rigor of the lawes That therefore as well for the due satisfaction to eternall iustice and accomplishment of the Arcadian statutes as for the euerlasting example to all wiues and subiectes she should presently be conueyed to cloase prison and there be kept with such foode as might serue to sustaine her aliue vntill the day of her husbands buryall at which time shee shoulde bee buried quicke in the same tombe with hime That so his murder might bee a murder to her selfe and she forced to keepe company with the body from which she had made so detestable a seuerance And lastly death might redresse their disioyned coniunction of marriage His iudgement was receaued of the whole assemblie as not with disliking so with great astonishmēt the greatnes of the matter and person as it were ouerpressing the might of their conceites But when they did set it to the beame with the monstrousnes of her ouglye misdeede they coulde not but yeeld in their hartes there was no ouerbalancing As for Gynecia who had already setled her thoughts not only to look but long for this euent hauing in this time of her vexation found a sweetnes in the rest she hoped by death with a countenaunce witnessing she had before hand so passed thorowe all the degrees of sorrowe that shee had no new looke to figure forth any more rase vp and offred forth her faite handes to bee bounde or led as they would being indeed troubled with no parte of this iudgement but that her death was as she thought long delayed They that were appointed for it conueyed her to the place she was in before where the guarde was relieued and the number encreased to keepe her more sure for the time of her execution None of them all that led her though most of them were such whose harts had beene long hardned with the often exercising such offices being able to barre teares from their eyes and others manifest tokens of compassionate sorrow So goodly a vertue is a resolute constancie that euen in euill deseruers it seemes that partie might haue beene notably well deseruing Thus the excellent Lady Gynecia hauing passed fiue and thirtie yeares of her age euen to admiration of her beautifull minde and body and hauing not in her owne knowledge euer spotted her soule with any wilfull vice but her imoderate loue of Zelmane was brought first by the violence of that ill answered passion and then by the dispayring conceite she took of the iudgement of God in her husbandes death and her owne fortune purposely to ouerthrowe her selfe and confirme by a wronge confession that abhominable shame which with her wisdome ioynde to the truth perhappes
iudged then rightly I haue iudged myne own children Vnlesse the name of a child should haue force to change the neuer changing iustice No no Pyrocles Musidorus I prefer you much before my life but I prefer Iustice as far before you while you did like your selues my body should willingly haue ben your shield but I cannot keep you from the effects of your own doing Nay I cānot in this case acknowledge you for mine For neuer had I sheapheard to my nephew nor euer had woman to my son your vices haue degraded you frō being princes haue disanulde your birthright Therefore if there be anie thing left in you of Princely vertue shew it in constant suffering that your vnprincely dealing hath purchased vnto you For my part I must tell you you haue forced a father to rob himselfe of his children Do you therefore O Philanax and you my other Lordes of this countrie see the iudgment be rightly performed in time place and maner as before appointed With that though he would haue refrained them a man might perceiue the teares drop downe his long white beard Which moued not onely Kalodulus and Kerxenus to roating lamentations but al the assembly dolefully to record that pittiful spectacle Philanax himselfe could not abstaine from great shewes of pittying sorrow and manifest withdrawing from performing the kinges commaundement But Musidorus hauing the hope of his safety and recouering of the princesse Pamela which made him most desirous to liue so sodainly dashed but especialy moued for hys deare Pyrocles for whom he was euer resolued his last should be and stirred vp with rage of vnkindnesse he thus spake Enioy thy bloudie conquest tyrannicall Euarchus said he for neither is conuenient the title of a king to a murderer nor the remembrance of kindred to a destroyer of his kindred Go home and glorie that it hath been in thy power shamefully to kill Musidorus Let thy flattering Orators dedicate Crownes of Laurell vnto thee that the first of thy race thou hast ouerthrowne a Prince of Thessalia But for me I hope the Thessalians are not so degenerate from their auncestors but that they will reuenge my iniurie and their losse vpon thee I hope my death is no more vniust to me thē it shal be bitter to thee howsoeuer it be my death shall triumph ouer thy crueltie neither as now would I liue to make my life beholding vnto thee But if thy crueltie hath not so blinded thine eyes that thou canst not see thine own heart if thy heart be not so diuelish as thou hast no power but to torment thy self then look vpō this yong Pyrocles with a manlike eie if not with a pittifull Giue not occasion to the whole earth to say see how the gods haue made the Tyrant teare his owne bowels Examine the eies and voices of all this people and what all men see be not blinde in thine owne case Looke I say looke vpon him in whom the most curious searcher is able to finde no fault but that he is thy sonne Beleeue it thy owne subiectes will detest thee for robbing them of such a Prince in whome they haue right as well as thy selfe Some more wordes to that purpose he would haue spoken but Pyrocles who often had cald to him did nowe fully interrupt him desiring him not to do him the wrong to geue his father ill wordes before him willing him to consider it was their owne fault and not his vniustice and withall to remember their resolution of well suffering all accidents which this impaciencie did seeme to varry frō and then kneeling down with all humblenesse hee tooke the speach in this order to Euarchus If my dayly praiers to the Almightie Gods had so farre preuayled as to haue graunted me the end whereto I haue directed my actions I should rather haue beene nowe a comfort to your minde then an example of your iustice rather a preseruer of your memorie by my life then a monument of your iudgement by my death But since it hath pleased their vnsearchable wisedomes to ouerthrow all the desires I had to serue you and make me become a shame vnto you since the last obedience I can shew you is to die vouchsafe yet O father if my fault haue not made me altogether vnworthy so to terme you vouchsafe I say to let the few last words your sonne shall euen speake not be tedious vnto you And if the remembrance of my vertuous mother who once was deare vnto you may beare any sway with you if the name of Pyrocles haue at any time bene pleasant let one request of mine which shall not be for mine owne life be graciously accepted of you What you owe to iustice is performed in my death A father to haue executed his onely sonne wil leaue a sufficient example for a greater crime then this My bloud will satisfie the highest point of equitie my bloud will satisfie the hardest hearted in this countrie O saue the life of this Prince that is the onely all I will with my last breath demaund of you With what face will you looke vpon your sister when in reward of nourishing me in your greatest neede you take away and in such sort take away that which is more deare to her then all the world and is the onely comfort wherewith she nourisheth her olde age O giue not such an occasion to the noble Thessalians for euer to curse the match that their Prince did make with the Macedon bloud By my losse there followes no publique losse for you are to hold the seate and to prouide your selfe perchance of a worthier successor But how can you orall the earth recompence that domage that poore Thessalia shall sustaine who sending out whom otherwise they would no more haue spared then their owne eyes their Prince to you and you requesting to haue him by you hee should thus dishonourably be extinguished Set before you I beseech you the face of that miserable people when no sooner shall the newes come that you haue met your Nephew but withall they shall heare that you haue beheaded him How manie teares they shall spend how many cōplaints they shal make so manie iust execrations will light vpō you And take heede O father for since my death answeres my fault while I liue I wil call vpō that deare name Least seeking too precise a course of iustice you be not thought most vniust in weakning your neighbours mightie estate by taking away their onely piller In me in me this matter beganne in me let it receiue his ending Assure your selfe no man will doubt your seuere obseruing the lawes when it shal be knowne Euarchus hath killed Pyrocles But the time of my euer farewell approcheth if you do thinke my death sufficient for my fault and doe not desire to make my death more miserable then death Let these dying wordes of him that was once your sonne pearce your eares Let Musidorus liue and Pirocles shall liue in
at the first liking of a likely beautie louing because they will loue for want of other businesse not because they feele indeed that diuine power which makes the heart finde a reason in passion and so God knowes as inconstantly leaue vpon the next chaunce that beautie castes before them So therefore taking loue vppon him like a fashion he courted this Ladie Artesia who was as fit to paie him in his owne monie as might be For she thinking she did wrong to her beautie if she were not prowde of it called her disdaine of him chastitie and placed her honour in little setting by his honouring her determining neuer to marrie but him whome she thought worthie of her and that was one in whome all worthinesse were harboured And to this conceipt not only nature had bent her but the bringing vp she receaued at my sister in lawe Cecropia had confirmed her who hauing in her widowhood taken this young Artesia into her charge because her Father had bene a deare friend of her dead husbandes had taught her to thinke that there is no wisdome but in including both heauen and earth in ones selfe and that loue courtesie gratefulnesse friendship and all other vertues are rather to be taken on then taken in ones selfe And so good a disciple she found of her that liking the fruits of her owne planting she was content if so her sonne could haue liked of it to haue wished her in mariage to my Nephew Amphialus But I thinke that desire hath lost some of his heate since she hath knowne that such a Queene as Helen is doth offer so great a price as a Kingdome to buie his fauour for if I be not deceaued in my good sister Cecrâ—pia she thinks no face so beautifull as that which lookes vnder a Crowne But Artesia indeede liked well of my Nephew Amphialus for I can neuer deeme that loue which in hauty harts proceeds of a desire onely to please and as it were peacock themselues but yet she hath shewed vehemencie of desire that way I thinke because all her desires be vehement in so much that she hath both placed her only brother a fine youth called Ismenus to be his squire and her selfe is content to waite vpon my sister till she may see the vttermost what she may worke in Amphialus who being of a melancholie though I must say truly courteous and noble mind seemes to loue nothing lesse then Loue and of late hauing through some aduenture or inward miscontentment withdrawne himselfe from any bodies knowledge where he is Artesia the easier condiscended to goe to the court of Laconia whether she was sent for by the Kings wife to whome she is somewhat allied And there after the war of the Helots this Knight Phalantus at least for tongue-delight made him selfe her seruaunt and she so little caring as not to showe mislike thereof was content onely to be noted to haue a notable seruaunt For truely one in my court neerely acquainted with him within these few dayes made me a pleasaunt description of their loue while he with cheerefull lookes would speake sorowfull words vsing the phrase of his affection in so high a stile that Mercurie would not haue wooed Venus with more magnificent Eloquence but els neyther in behauiour nor action accusing in himselfe anie great trouble in minde whether he sped or no. And she of the other side well finding how little it was and not caring for more yet taught him that often it falleth out but a foolish wittinesse to speake more then one thinkes For she made earnest benefite of his iest forcing him in respect of his profession to doo her such seruice as were both cumbersome and costly vnto him while he still thought he went beyond her because his harte did not commit the idolatrie So that lastlie she I thinke hauing in minde to make the fame of her beautie an oratour for her to Amphialus perswading her selfe perhaps that it might fall out in him as it doth in some that haue delightfull meate before them and haue no stomacke to it before other folkes prayse it shee tooke the aduauntage one daye vppon Phalantus vnconscionable praysinges of her and certaine cast-awaie vowes howe much hee would doo for her sake to arrest his woord assoone as it was out of his mouth and by the vertue thereof to charge him to goe with her thorow all the courts of Greece and with the chalenge now made to giue her beauty the principality ouer all other Phalantus was entrapped and saw round about him but could not get out Exceedingly perplexed he was as he confest to him that tolde mee the tale not for doubt hee had of him selfe for indeede he had little cause being accounted with his Launce especially whereupon the challenge is to be tryed as perfect as any that Greece knoweth but because he feared to offend his sister Helen and withall as he said he could not so much beleeue his loue but that he must thinke in his hart whatsoeuer his mouth affirmed that both she my daughters the faire Parthenia wife to a most noble Gentleman my wiues neere kinsman might far better put in their clayme for that prerogatiue But his promise had bound him prentice and therefore it was now better with willingnes to purchase thankes then with a discontented doing to haue the paine and not the reward and therefore went on as his faith rather then loue did lead him And now hath he already passed the courts of Laconia Elis Argos Corinth and as many times it happens that a good pleader maks a bad cause to preuaile so hath his Lawnce brought captiues to the triumph of Artesias beautie such as though Artesia be amoÌ„g the fairest yet in that coÌ„pany were to haue the prehemineÌ„ce for in those courts many knights that had bene in other far countries defended such as they had sene liked in their trauaile but their defeÌ„ce had ben such as they had forfaited the pictures of their Ladies to giue a forced false testimonie to Artesias excellencie And now lastly is he come hether where he hath leaue to trye his fortune But I assure you if I thought it not in dew and true consideration an iniurious seruice and churlish curtesie to put the danger of so noble a title in the deciding of such a dangerles combat I would make yong master Phalantus know that your eyes can sharpen a blunt Launce and that age which my gray haires onely gotten by the louing care of others make seeme more then it is hath not diminished in me the power to protect an vndeniable verity With that hee bustled vp himselfe as though his heart would faine haue walked abroad Zelmane with an inwarde smiling gaue him outward thanks desiring him to reserue his force for worthier causes So passing their time according to their woont they wayted for the comming of Phalantus who the next morning hauing alredy caused his tents to be pitched neere to a
they had often made their liues triumph ouer most terrible daungers neuer dismaied and euer fortunate and truely no more setled in valure then disposed to goodnes and iustice if either they had lighted on a better friend or could haue learned to make friendship a childe and not the father of Vertue But bringing vp rather then choise hauing first knit their mindes vnto him indeede crafty inough either to hide his faultes or neuer to shewe them but when they might pay home they willingly helde out the course rather to satisfie him then all the worlde and rather to be good friendes then good men so as though they did not like the euill hee did yet they liked him that did the euill and though not councellors of the offence yet protectors of the offender Now they hauing heard of this sodaine going out with so small a company in a countrey full of euill-wishing mindes toward him though they knew not the cause followed him till they founde him in such case as they were to venture their liues or else he to loose his which they did with such force of minde and bodie that truely I may iustly say Pyrocles and Musidorus had neuer till then found any that could make them so well repeate their hardest lesson in the feates of armes And briefly so they did that if they ouercame not yet were they not ouercome but caried away that vngratefull maister of theirs to a place of security howsoeuer the Princes laboured to the contrary But this matter being thus farre begun it became not the constancy of the Princes so to leaue it but in all hast making forces both in Pontus and Phrigia they had in fewe daies lefte him but onely that one strong place where he was For feare hauing beene the onely knot that had fastned his people vnto him that once vntied by a greater force they all scattered from him like so many birdes whose cage had beene broken In which season the blinde King hauing in the chiefe cittie of his Realme set the crown vppon his son Leonatus head with many teares both of ioy and sorrow setting forth to the whole people his owne fault and his sonnes vertue after he had kist him and forst his sonne to accept honour of him as of his new-become subiect euen in a moment died as it should seeme his heart broken with vnkindenes and affliction stretched so farre beyond his limits with this excesse of comfort as it was able no longer to keepe safe his vitall spirites But the new King hauing no lesse louingly performed all dueties to him dead then aliue pursued on the siege of his vnnaturall brother asmuch for the reuenge of his father as for the establishing of his owne quiet In which siege truely I cannot but acknowledge the prowesse of those two brothers then whome the Princes neuer found in all their trauaile two of greater hability to performe nor of habler skil for conduct But Plexirtus finding that if nothing else famine would at last bring him to destruction thought better by humblenes to creepe where by pride he coulde not marche For certainely so had nature formed him and the exercise of craft conâ—ormed him to all turningnes of of sleights that though no man had lesse goodnes in his soule then he no man could better find the places whence arguments might grow of goodnesse to another though no man felt lesse pitie no man could tel better how to stir pitie no man more impudent to deny where proofes were not manifest no man more ready to confesse with a repenting manner of aggrauating his owne euill where denial would but make the fault fowler Now he tooke this way that hauing gotten a pasport for one that pretended he woulde put Plexirtus aliue into his hands to speake with the King his brother he him selfe though much against the minds of the valiant brothers who rather wished to die in braue defence with a rope about his necke barefooted came to offer himselfe to the discretion of Leonatus Where what submission hee vsed how cunningly in making greater the faulte he made the faultines the lesse how artificially he could set out the torments of his owne conscience with the burdensome comber he had found of his ambitious desires how finely seeming to desire nothing but death as ashamed to liue he begd life in the refusing it I am not cunning inough to be able to expresse but so fell out of it that though at first sight Leonatus saw him with no other eie then as the murderer of his father and anger already began to paint reuenge in many colours ere long he had not onely gotten pitie but pardon and if not an excuse of the faulte past yet an opinion of a future amendment while the poore villaines chiefe ministers of his wickednes now betraied by the author thereof were deliuered to many cruell sorts of death he so handling it that it rather seemed hee had more come into the defence of an vnremediable mischiefe already committed then that they had done it at first by his consent In such sort the Princes left these reconciled brothers Plexirtus in all his behauiour carying him in far lower degree of seruice then the euer-noble nature of Leonatus would suffer him and taking likewise their leaues of their good friend the King of Pontus who returned to enioy their benefite both of his wife and kingdome they priuately went thence hauing onely with them the two valiant brothers who would needs accompanie them through diuers places they foure dooing actes more daungerous though lesse famous because they were but priuat chiualries till hearing of the faire and vertuous Queene Erona of Lycia besieged by the puissant King of Armenia they bent themselues to her succour both because the weaker and weaker as being a Ladie and partly because they heard the King of Armenia had in his company three of the most famous men liuing for matters of armes that were knowne to be in the worlde Whereof one was the Prince Plangus whose name was sweetned by your breath peerlesse Ladie when the last daie it pleased you to mention him vnto me the other two were two great Princes though holding of him Barzanes and Euardes men of Giant-like bothe hugenes and force in which two especially the trust the King had of victorie was reposed And of them those brothers Tydeus and Telenor sufficient iudges in warlike matters spake so high commendations that the two Princes had euen a youthfull longing to haue some triall of their vertue And therefore as soone as they were entred into Lycia they ioyned themselues with theÌ„ that faithfully serued the poore Queene at that time besieged ere long animated in such sort their almost ouerthrowne harts that they went by force to relieue the towne though they were depriued of a great part of their streÌ„gth by the parting of the two brothers who were sent for in all hast to returne to their old friend and maister Plexirtus who
willingly hood-winking themselues from seeing his faultes and binding themselues to beleeue what he said often abused the vertue of courage to defend his fowle vice of iniustice But now they were sent for to aduaunce a conquest he was about while Pyrocles and Musidorus pursued the deliuerie of the Queene Erona I haue heard saide Pamela that parte of the story of Plangus when hee passed through this country therefore you may if you list passe ouer that warre of Eronaes quarrell lest if you speake too much of warre matters you should wake Mopsa which might happily breed a great broile He looked and saw that Mopsa indeede sat swallowing of sleepe with open mouth making such a noise withall as no bodie could lay the stealing of a nappe to her charge Whereupon willing to vse that occasion he kneeled downe and with humble-hartednesse and hardy earnestnes printed in his graces Alas said he diuine Lady who haue wrought such miracles in me as to make a Prince none of the basest to thinke all principalities base in respect of the sheephooke which may hold him vp in your sight vouchsafe now at last to heare in direct words my humble sute while this dragon sleepes that keeps the golden fruite If in my desire I wish or in my hopes aspire or in my imagination faine to my selfe any thing which may bee the lest spot to that heauenly vertue which shines in all your doings I pray the eternall powers that the words I speake may be deadly poysons while they are in my mouth and that all my hopes all my desires all my imaginations may onely worke their owne confusion But if loue loue of you loue of your vertues seeke onely that fauour of you which becommeth that gratefulnes which cannot misbecome your excellencie O doo not He would haue said further but Pamela calling aloud Mopsa she sodainly start vp staggering and rubbing her eies ran first out of the doore and then backe to them before she knew how she went out or why she came in againe till at length being fully come to her little selfe she asked Pamela why she had called her For nothing said Pamela but that you might heare some tales of your seruants telling and therfore now said she Dorus go on But as he who found no so good sacrifice as obedience was returning to the story of himselfe Philoclea came in and by and by after her Miso so as for that time they were faine to let Dorus departe But Pamela delighted euen to preserue in her memory the words of so well a beloued speaker repeated the whole substance to her sister till their sober dinner being come and gone to recreate themselues something euen tyred with the noysomnes of Misos conuersation they determyned to goe while the heate of the day lasted to bath themselues such being the manner of the Arcadian nymphes often to doo in the riuer of Ladon and take with them a Lute meaning to delight them vnder some shadow But they could not stir but that Miso with her daughter Mopsa was after them and as it lay in their way to passe by the other lodge Zelmane out of her window espied them and so stale down after them which shee might the better doo because that Gynecia was sicke and Basilius that day being his birth-day according to his maner was busie about his deuotions and therefore she went after hoping to finde some time to speake with Philoclea but not a word could shee beginne but that Miso would bee one of the audience so that shee was driuen to recommend thinking speaking and all to her eyes who diligently perfourmed her trust till they came to the riuers side which of all the riuers of Greece had the price for excellent purenesse and sweetenesse in so much as the verie bathing in it was accounted exceeding healthfull It ranne vpon so fine and delicate a ground as one coulde not easely iudge whether the Riuer did more wash the grauell or the grauell did purifie the Riuer the Riuer not running forth right but almost continually winding as if the lower streames would returne to their spring or that the Riuer had a delight to play with it selfe The banckes of either side seeming armes of the louing earth that faine woulde embrace it and the Riuer a wanton nymph which still would slippe from it either side of the bancke being fringed with most beautifull trees which resisted the sunnes dartes from ouer-much pearcing the naturall coldnes of the Riuer There was the 〈…〉 But among the rest a goodly Cypres who bowing her faire head ouer the water it seemed she looked into it dressed her greene lockes by that ruÌ„ning Riuer There the Princesses deteâ—mining to bathe theÌ„selus though it was so priuiledged a place vpoÌ„ pain of death as on bodie durst presume to come thither yet for the more surety they looked round about and could see nothing but a water spaniell who came downe the riuerâ— shâ—wing that he hunted for a duck with a snuffling grace disdaining that his smelling force could not as well preuaile thorow the water as thorow the aire therefore wayting with his eye to see whether he could espie the duckes gâ—tting vp a gaine but then a little below them failing of his purpose he got out of the riuer shaking off the water as great men do their friends now he had no further cause to vse it in-weeded himselfe so as the Ladies lost the further marking his sportfulnesse inuiting Zelmane also to wash her selfe with them she â—xcusing her selfe with hauing takeÌ„ a late cold they begaÌ„ by peece-meale to take away the eclipsing of their apparel Zelmane would haue put to her helping hand but she was taken with such a quiuering that shee thought it more wisedome to leane herselfe to a tree and looke on while Miso and Mopsa like a couple of foreswat melters were getting the pure siluer of their bodies out of the vre of their garments But as the rayments went of to receaue kisses of the ground Zelmane enuied the happinesse of all but of the smocke was euen iealous and when that was taken away too and that Philâ—clea remained for her Zelmane onely marked like a Dyaâ—on taken from out the rocke or rather like the Sun getting from vnder a cloud and shewing his naked beames to the full vew then was the beautie too much for a patient sight the delight too strong for a stayed conceipt so that Zelmane could not choose but runne to touch â—mbrace and kisse her But conscience made her come to her selfe and leaue Philoclea who blushing and withall smiling making shamefastnesâ—e pleasant and pleasure shamefast tenderly moued her feete vnwonted to feele the naked ground till the touch of the cold water made a prettie kinde of shrugging come ouer her bodie like the twinckling of the fairest among the fixed stars But the Riuer it selfe gaue way vnto her so that she was streight brest high which was the deepest that
cankred brest perceiuing that as in water the more she grasped the lesse she held but yet now hauing run so long the way of rigour it was too late in reason and too contrary to her passion to returne to a course of meekenesse And therefore taking counsell of one of her olde associates who so far excelled in wickednesse as that she had not onely lost all feeling of conscience but had gotten a very glory in euill in the ende they determined that beating and other such sharp dealing did not so much pull downe a womans hart as it bred anger and that nothing was more enemy to yeelding then anger making their tender harts take on the armour of obstinacy for thus did their wicked mindes blinde to the light of vertue and owly eied in the night of wickednes interpret of it and that therefore that was no more to be tried And for feare of death which no question would doo most with them they had bene so often threatned as they began to be familiarly acquainted with it and learned to esteeme threatning words to be but words Therefore the last but best way now was that the one seeing indeede the others death should perceiue there was no dallying meant and then there was no doubt that a womans soule would do much rather then leaue so beautifull a body This being concluded Cecropia went to Philoclea and tolde her that now she was to come to the last part of the play for her part though she found her hard harted obstinacie such that neither the sweetnesse of louing meanes nor the force of hard meanes could preuaile with her yet before she would passe to a further degree of extremity she had sought to win her sister in hope that her sonne might be with time satisfied with the loue of so faire a Lady but finding her also rather more then lesse wilfull she was now minded that one of their deathes should serue for an example to the other that despising worthy folks was more hurtfull to the despiser then the despised that yet because her sonne especially affected her and that in her owne selfe she was more inclinable to pittie her then she had deserued she would begin with her sister who that afternoone should haue her head cut off before her face if in the meane time one of them did not pull out their il-wrought stiches of vnkindnes she bad her looke for no other nor longer time then she told her There was no assault giuen to the sweet Philocleas minde that entered so far as this for where to all paines and daungers of her selfe foresight with his Lieutenant Resolution had made ready defence now with the loue she bare her sister she was driuen to a stay before she determined but long she staied not before this reason did shine vnto her that since in herselfe she preferred death before such a base seruitude loue did teach her to wish the same to her sister Therefore crossing her armes and looking side-ward vpon the ground Do what you will said she with vs for my part heauen shall melt before I be remoued But if you will follow my counsell for your owne sake for as for praiers for my sake I haue felt how little they preuaile let my death first serue for example to win her who perchaunce is not so resolued against Amphialus and so shall you not onely iustly punish mee who indeede doo hate both you and your sonne but if that may mooue you you shall doo more vertuously in preseruing one most worthy of life and killing an other most desirous of death lastly in winning her in steed of a peeuish vnhappie creature that I am you shall blesse your sonne with the most excellent woman in all praise-worthy things that the world holdeth But Cecropia who had already set downe to her selfe what she would do with bitter both termes and countenaunce told her that she should not neede to woo death ouer-egerly â—or if her sister going before her did not teach her wit her selfe should quickly follow For since they were not to be gotten there was no way for her sonnes quiet but to knowe that they were past getting And so since no intreating nor threatning might preuayle she bad her prepare her eies for a new play which she should see within fewe houres in the hall of that castle A place indeed ouerfit for so vnfit a matter for being so stately made that the bottome of it being euen with the ground the roofe reached as hie as any part of the castle at either ende it had conuenient lodgings In the one ende was one storie from the ground Philocleas abode in the other of euen height Pamelas and Zelmanes in a chamber aboue her but all so vaulted of strong and thickly built stone as one could no way heare the other each of these chambers had a litle windowe to looke into the hall but because the sisters should not haue so much comforte as to looke one to another there was of the outsides curtaynes drawne which they could not reach with their hands so barring the reach of their sight But when the houre came that the Tragedie should beginne the curtaynes were withdrawen from before the windowes of Zelmane and of Philoclea a sufficient challenge to call their eyes to defende themselues in such an incounter And by and by came in at one ende of the hall with about a dozen armed souldiers a Ladie led by a couple with her handes bounde before her from aboue her eyes to her lippes muffled with a faire kerchiefe but from her mouth to the shoulders all bare and so was led on to a scaffold raised a good deale from the floore and all couered with crimsin veluet But neither Zelmane nor Philoclea needed to be tolde who she was for the apparell she ware made them too well assured that it was the admirable Pamela Whereunto the rare whitenesse of her naked necke gaue sufficient testimonie to their astonnished senses But the fayre Ladie being come to the scaffold and then made to kneele downe and so lefte by her vnkinde supporters as it seemed that she was about to speake somewhat whereunto Philoclea poore soule earnestly listned according to her speach euen minding to frame her minde her harte neuer till then almost wauering to saue her sisters life before the vnfortunate Ladie could pronounce three wordes the executioner cut off the ones speech and the others attention with making his sworde doo his cruell office vpon that beautifull necke Yet the pittilesse sworde had such pittie of so pretious an obiect that at first it did but hit flat long But little auailed that since the Ladie falling downe astonnished withall the cruell villayne forced the sworde with another blowe to diuorce the faire marriage of the head and body And this was done so in an instant that the very act did ouerrun Philocleas sorrow sorrow not being able so quickly to thunderbolt her harte thorough her senses but first
onely opprest her with a storme of amazement but when her eies sawe that they did see as condemning themselues to haue seene it they became weary of their owne power of seeing and her soule then drinking vp woe with great draughts she fell downe to deadly traunces but her waiting iaylors with cruell pitty brought lothed life vnto her which yet many times tooke his leaue as though he would indeed depart but when he was staied by force he kept with him deadly Sorrow which thus exercised her mourning speech Pamela my sister my sister Pamela woe is me for thee I would I had died for thee Pamela neuer more shall I see thee neuer more shall I enioy thy sweet companie and wise counsell Alas thou arte gone to beautifie heauen and hast left me here who haue nothing good in me but that I did euer loue thee and euer will lament thee Let this daye be noted of all vertuous folkes for most vnfortunate let it neuer be mentioned but among curses and cursed bee they that did this mischiefe and most accursed bee mine eyes that behelde it Sweete Pamela that head is striken of where onely wisedome might be spoken withall that bodie is destroyed which was the liuing booke of vertue Deare Pamela how haste thou lefte me to all wretchednesse and miserie Yet while thou liuedst in thee I breathed of thee I hoped O Pamela how much did I for thy excellencie honour thee more then my mother and loue thee more then my selfe Neuer more shall I lie with thee neuer more shall we bathe in the pleasant riuer together neuer more shall I see thee in thy shephearde apparell But thou arte gone and where am I Pamela is dead and liue I O my God And with that she fell againe in a soune so as it was a great while before they could bring her to her selfe againe but being come to her-selfe Alas said she vnkind women since you haue giuen me so many deathes torment me not now with life for Gods sake let me goe and excuse your hands of more blood Let me follow my Pamela whom euer I sought to follow Alas Pamela they will not let me come to thee But if they keepe promise I shall treade thine owne steppes after thee For to what am I borne miserable soule but to be most vnhappie in my selfe and yet more vnhappie in others But ô that a thousand more miseries had chanced vnto me so thou haddest not dyed Pamela my sister Pamela And so like lamentable Philomela complained she the horrible wrong done to her sister which if it stird not in the wickedly closed minds of her tormentors a pittie of her sorrow yet bredde it a wearinesse of her sorrow so as onely leauing one to preuent any harme â—he should doo her selfe the rest went away consulting againe with Cecropia how to make profite of this their late bloodie act In the ende that woman that vsed most to keepe company with Zelmane tolde Cecropia that she founde by many most sensible proofes in Zelmane that there was neuer woman so loued another as she loued Philoclea which was the cause that she further then the commandement of Cecropia had caused Zelmanes curtaines to bee also drawne because hauing the same spectacle that Philoclea had shee might stand in the greater feare for her whom she loued so well and that indeed she had hit the needle in that deuise for neuer saw she creature so astonished as Zelmane exceedingly sory for Pamela but exceedingly exceeding that exceedingnes in feare for Philoclea Therefore her aduice was shee â—houlde cause Zelmane to come and speake with Philoclea For there being such vehemencie of friendship between them it was most likely both to moue Zelmane to perswade and Philoclea to be perswaded Cecropia liked well of the counsell and gaue order to the same woman to go deale therin with Zelmane and to assure her with othe that Cecropia was determined Philoclea should passe the same way that Pamela had done without she did yeeld to satisfie the extremitie of her sonnes affection which the woman did adding thereunto many as she thought good reasons to make Zelmane thinke Amphialus a fit match for Philoclea But Zelmane who had from time to time vnderstood the cruell dealing they had vsed to the sisters and now had her own eies wounded with the sight of ones death was so confused withall her courage still rebelling against her wit desiring stil with force to doo impossible matters that as her desire was stopped with power so her conceit was darkned with a mist of desire For blinde Loue and inuincible valure still would cry out that it could not bee Philoclea should bee in so miserable estate and she not relieue her and so while shee haled her wit to her courage shee drew it from his owne limits But nowe Philocleas death a worde able to marshall â—ll his thoughts in order being come to so short a point either with small delay to be suffred or by the giuing her selfe to another to be preuented she was driuen to thinke and to desire some leasure of thinking which the woman granted for that night vnto her A night that was not halfe so blacke as her minde not halfe so silent as was fit for her musing thoughts At last he that would faine haue desperatly lost a thousand liues for her sake could not finde in his harte that she should loose any life for her owne sake and he that despised his owne death in respect of honour yet could well nye dispense with honour it selfe in respect of Philocleas death for once the thought could not enter into his harte nor the breath issue out of his mouth which could consent to Philocleas death for any bargaine Then how to preuent the next degree to death which was her being possest by another was the point of his mindes labour and in that he founde no other way but that Philoclea shoulde pretend a yeelding vnto Cecropias request and so by speaking with Amphialus and making faire but delaying promises procure libertie for Zelmane who only wisht but to come by a sword not doubting then to destroy them all and deliuer Philoclea so little did both the men and their forces seeme in her eyes looking down vpon them from the hye toppe of affections tower With that minde therefore but first well bound shee was brought to Philoclea hauing already plotted out in her conceite how she would deale with her and so came she with hart and eyes which did each sacrifice either to Loue vpon the aultar of Sorrow and there had shee the pleasing displeasing sight of Philoclea Philoclea whoÌ„ alredy the extreame sense of sorrow had brought to a dulnesse therein her face not without tokens that beautie had bene by many miseries cruelly battered and yet shewed it most the perfection of that beautie which coulde remaine vnouerthrowne by such enimies But when Zelmane was set downe by her and the women gone away because she might be the
iealousie to the especiall comforte of Basilius whose weaker bowels were streight full with the least liquour of hope So that still holding her by the hand and sometimes tickling it he went by her with the most gay conceates that euer had entred his braines growing now so harted in his resolucion that hee little respected Gynecias presence But with a lustier note then wonted clearing his voice and chearing his spirits looking still vpon Zelmane whome now the moone did beautifie with her shining almost at the full as if her eyes had beene his songe booke he did the message of his minde in singing these verses VVHen two Sunnes do appeare Some say it doth betoken wonders neare As Princes losse or change Two gleaming Sunnes of splendour like I see And seeing feele in me Of Princes harte quite lost the ruine strange But nowe each where doth range With ouglie cloke the darke enuious night Who full of guiltie spite Such liuing beames should her black seate assaile Too weake for them our weaker sighte doth vaile No saies faire moone my lighte Shall barr that wrong and though it not preuaile Like to my brothers raise yet those I sende Hurte not the face which nothing can amende And by that time being come to the lodge and visited the sweete Philoclea with much lesse then naturall care of the parents and much lesse then wonted kindenes of Zelmane each partie full fraught with diuersly working fancies made their pillowes weake proppes of their ouer loaden heades Yet of all other were Zelmanes braynes most tormoyled troubled with loue both actiue and passiue and lastely and especially with care howe to vse her shorte limitted time to the beste purpose by some wise and happie diuerting her two louers vnwelcome desires Zelmane hauing had the night her onely councellour in the busie enterprise shee was to vndertake and hauing all that time mused and yet not fully resolued howe shee might ioyne preuailing with preuenting was offēded with the daies bould entrie into her chamber as if he had now by custome growne an assured bringer of euill newes Which she taking a Citterne to her did laye to Auroras chardge with these wel songe verses Aurora now thou shewst thy blushing light Which oft to hope laies out a guilefull baite That trusts in time to finde the way aright To ease those paines which on desire do waite Blush on for shame that still with thee do light On pensiue soules in steede of restfull baite Care vpon care in steede of doing right To ouer pressed brestes more greeuous waight As oh my selfe whose woes are neuer lighte Tide to the stake of doubt strange passions baite While thy known course obseruing natures right Sturres me to thinke what dangers lye in waite For mischeefes greate daye after day doth showe Make me still feare thy faire appearing showe Alas said she am not I runne into a strange gulfe that am faine for loue to hurt her I loue And because I detest the others to please them I detest O onely Philoclea whose beautie is matched with nothing but with the vnspeakeable beautie of thy fayrest minde if thou didst see vpon what a racke my tormented soule is set little would you thinke I had any scope now to leape to any new chaunge with that with hastie hands she got her selfe vp turning her sight to euerie thinge as if chaunge of obiecte might helpe her invention So went she againe to the caue where forthwith it came into her head that shoulde bee the fittest place to performe her exploite of which she had now a kinde of confused conceipte although she had not set downe in her fancie the meeting with each particularitie that might fall out But as the painter doth at the first but showe a rude proportion of the thing he imitates which after with more curious hande hee drawes to the representing each lineament So had her thoughts beating about it continually receaued into them a ground plot of her deuise although she had not in each parte shapte it according to a full determination But in this sorte hauing earelie visited the morninges beautie in those pleasant desartes she came to the King and Queene and tolde them that for the performance of certaine her countrie deuotions which onely were to be exercised in solitarines shee did desire their leaue shee might for a fewe daies lodge her selfe in the Caue the fresh sweetnes of which did greately delight her in that hot countrie and that for that smal space they would not otherwise trouble themselues in visiting her but at such times as she would come to waite vpon them which shoulde bee euerie daye at certaine houres neither should it be long shee would desire his priuiledged absence of them They whose mindes had alredie taken out that lesson perfectly to yeelde a willing obedience to all her desires which consenting countenaunce made her soone see her pleasure was a lawe vnto them Both indeede inwardlie glad of it Basilius hoping that her deuiding her selfe from them might yet giue him some freer occasion of comming in secrete vnto her whose fauourable face had lately strengthened his fainting courage But Gynecia of all other most ioyous holding her selfe assured that this was but a prologue to the play she had promised her Thus both flattering them selues with diuersly grounded hopes they rang a bell which serued to call certaine poore women which euer lay in cabins not far off to do the houshould seruices of both lodges and neuer came to either but being called for And commaunded them to carry foorthwith Zelmanes bed and furniture of her chamber into the pleasaunt Caue and to decke it vp as finelie as it was possible for them That their soules rest might rest her body to her best pleasing maner that was with all diligence performed of them and Zelmane alredie in possession of her newe chosen lodging where she like one of Vestaes nunnes entertaind herselfe for a fewe dayes in all showe of streightnes yet once a day comming to doe her dutie to the King and Queene in whom the seldomnes of the sight encreased the more vnquiet longing though somwhat qualified as her countenaunce was decked to either of them with more comforte then wonted Especially to Gynecia who seing her wholy neglecting her daughter Philoclea had now promisd her selfe a full possession of Zelmanes harte still expecting the fruite of the happie hoped for inuention But both she and Basilius kept such a continuall watch about the Precincts of the Caue that either of them was a bar to the other from hauing any secret commoning with Zelmane While in the meane time the sweete Philoclea forgotten of her father despised of her mother and in apparance lefte of Zelmane had yeelded vp her soule to be a pray to sorow and vnkindnes not with raging conceite of reuenge as had passed thorow the stout and wise harte of her mother but with a kindly meeknes taking vpon her the weight of her owne woes and
suffering them to haue so full a course as it did exceedinglie weaken the estate of her bodie aswell for which cause as for that shee could not see Zalmane without expressing more then shee woulde how farr now her loue was imprisoned in extremitie of sorrow she bound her selfe first to the limits of her own chamber and after griefe breeding sicknes of her bed But Zelmane hauing now a full libertie to cast about euery way how to bring her conceaued attempt to a desired successe was ofte so perplexed with the manifould difficultie of it that sometimes she would resolue by force to take her a way though it were with the death of her parents somtimes to go away herself with Musidorus and bring both their forces so to winne her But lastly euen the same day that Musidorus by feeding the humor of his three loathsome gardiens had stolne awaye the Princes Pamela whether it were that loue ment to match them euerie waie or that her friendes example had holpen her inuention or that indeede Zelmane forbare to practise her deuise till she found her friend had passed through his The same daye I saye shee resolued on a way to rid out of the lodge her two combersome louers and in the night to carrie away Philoclea where vnto shee was assured her owne loue no lesse then her sisters woulde easely winne her consent Hoping that although their abrupt parting had not suffered her to demaund of Musidorus which way he ment to direct his iorney yet either they should by some good fortune finde him or if that course fayled yet they might well recouer some towne of the Helotes neere the frontieâ—es of Arcadia who being newly againe vp in armes against the Nobilitie shee knew would bee as glad of her presence as she of their protection Therefore hauing taken order for all thinges requisite for their going and first put on a sleight vndersute of mans apparel which before for such purposes she had prouided she curiously trimmed her self to the beautifâ—ing of her beauties that being now at her last triall she might come vnto it in her brauest armour And so putting on that kinde of milde countenaunce which doth encourage the looker on to hope for a gentle answere according to her late receaued maner she lefte the pleasant darkenes of her melancholy caue to goe take her dinner of the King and Queene and giue vnto them both a pleasant foode of seing the owner of their desires But euen as the Persians were aunciently wont to leaue no rising Sun vnsaluted but as his faire beames appeared clearer vnto theÌ„ wold they more hartely reioyce laying vpoÌ„ them a great fortoken of their following fortunes So was ther no time that Zelmane encouÌ„tred their eies with her beloued presence but that it bred a kind of burning deuotioÌ„ in theÌ„ yet so much the more glading their gredy soules as her couÌ„tenance were cleared with morefauour vnto theÌ„ which now being determinatly framed to the greatest desceÌ„t of kindnesse it took such hold of her infortunate louers that like children aboute a tender father from along voyage returned with louely childishnes hange about him and yet with simple feare measure by his countenance how farr he acceptes their boldnes So were these now throwne into so seruiceable an affection that the turning of Zelmanes eye was a strong sterne enough to all their motions wending no way but as the inchaunting force of it guided them But hauing made a light repaste of the pleasunt fruites of that countrye enterlarding their foode with such manner of generall discourses as louers are woont to couer their passions in when respecte of a thirde person keepes them from plaine particulars at the earnest entreatie of Basilius Zelmane first saluting the muses with a base voyal hong hard by her sent this ambassade in versified musicke to both her ill requited louers BEautie hath force to catche the humane sight Sight doth bewitch the fancie euill awaked Fancie we feele encludes all passions mighte Passion rebelde oft reâ—sons strength hath shaked No wondre then though sighte my sighte did tainte And though thereby my fancie was infected Though yoked so my minde with sicknes fainte Had reasons weight for passions ease reiected But now the fitt is past and time hath giu'ne Leasure to weigh what due deserte requireth All thoughts so spronge are from their dwelling driâ—'n And wisdome to his wonted seate aspireth Crying in me eye hopes deceitefull proue Thinges rightelie prizde loue is the bande of loue And after her songe with an affected modestie shee threwe downe her eye as if the conscience of a secret graunt her inward minde made had sodainely cast a bashfull vaile ouer her Which Basilius finding and thinking now was the time to vrge his painefull petition beseeching his wife with more carefull eye to accompanie his sickly daughter Philoclea being rid for that time of her who was content to graunt him any scope that she might after haue the like freedome with a gesture gouerned by the force of his passions making his knees his best supporters hee thus saide vnto her Yf either said he O Ladie of my life my deadly pangues coulde beare delaye or that this were the first time the same were manifested vnto you I woulde nowe but maintaine still the remembraunce of my misfortune without vrging any further reward then time and pittie might procure for me But alas since my martirdome is no lesse painefull then manifest and that I no more feele the miserable daunger then you know the assured trueth thereof why shoulde my tonge deny his seruice to my harte Why should I feare the breath of my words who daylie feele the flame of your workes Embrace in sweete consideration I beseech you the miserie of my Case acknowledge your selfe to bee the cause and thinke it is reason for you to redresse the effectes Alas let not certaine imaginatife rules whose trueth standes but vpon opinion keepe so wise a mind from gratefulnes and mercie whose neuer fayling laws nature hath planted in vs. I plainly lay my death vnto you the death of him that loues you the death of him whose life you maye saue say your absolute determination for hope it selfe is a paine while it is ouer mastered with feare and if you do resolue to be cruel yet is the speediest condemnation as in euills most welcome Zelmane who had fully set to her selfe the traine she would keepe yet knowing that who soonest meanes to yeelde doth well to make the brauest parley keeping countenaunce alofte Noble prince said she your wordes are to well couched to come out of a restlesse minde and thanked be the Gods your face threatens no daunger of death These are but those swelling speeches which giue the vttermost name to euerie trifle which all were worth nothinge if they were not enammeled with the goodly outside of loue Truely loue were verie vnlouely if it were halfe fo deadly as your louers still liuing tearme it