feele the comfort of the morning Turnde to the mortall serene of an euening Klaius Me seemes I see a filthy clowdie euening As soone as Sunne begins to clime the mountaines Me seemes I feele a noysome sent the morning When I doo smell the flowers of these vallies Me seemes I heare when I doo heare sweete musique The dreadfull cries of murdred men in forrests Strephon. I wish to fire the trees of all these forrests I giue the Sunne a last farewell each euening I curse the fidling finders out of musicke With enuie I doo hate the loftie mountaines And with dispite despise the humble vallies I doo detest night euening day and morning Klaius Curse to my selfe my praier is the morning My fire is more then can be made with forrests My state more base then are the basest vallies I wish no euenings more to see each euening Shamed I hate my selfe in sight of mountaines And stoppe mine eares lest I grow mad with musicke Strephon. For she whose parts maintainde a perfect musique Whose beautie shin'de more then the blushing morning Who much did passe in state the stately mountaines In streightnes past the Cedars of the forrests Hath cast me wretch into eternall euening By taking her two Sunnes from these darke vallies Klaius For she to whom compar'd the Alpes are vallies She whose lest word brings from the spheares their musique At whose approche the Sunne rose in the euening Who where she went bare in her forhead morning Is gone is gone from these our spoyled forrests Turning to desarts our best pastur'de mountaines Strephon. These mountaines witnesse shall so shall these vallies These forrests eke made wretched by our musique Klaius Our morning hymne is this and song at euening But as though all this had bene but the taking of a taste of their wailings Strephon againe begā this Dizaine which was answered vnto him in that kind of verse which is called the crowne Strephon. Klaius Strephon. I Ioy in griefe and doo detest all ioyes Despise delight am tyr'd with thought of ease I turne my minde to all formes of annoyes And with the chaunge of them my fancie please I studie that which may me most displease And in despite of that displeasures might Embrace that most that most my soule destroyes Blinded with beames fell darkenes is my sight Dwell in my ruines feede with sucking smarte I thinke from me not from my woes to parte Klaius I thinke from me not from my woes to parte And loth this time call'd life nay thinke that life Nature to me for torment did emparte Thinke my harde haps haue blunted deaths sharpe knife Not sparing me in whom his workes be rife And thinking this thinke nature life and death Place Sorrowes triumph on my conquerd harte Whereto I yeeld and seeke none other breath But from the sent of some infectious graue Nor of my fortune ought but mischieue craue Strephon. Nor of my fortune ought but mischieue craue And seeke to nourish that which now containes All what I am if I my selfe will saue Then must I saue what in me chiefely raignes Which is the hatefull web of sorrowes paines Sorrow then cherish me for I am sorrow No being now but sorrowe I can haue Then decke me as thine owne thy helpe I borrowe Since thou my riches art and that thou haste Enough to make a fertill minde lie waste Klaius Enough to make a fertill minde lie waste Is that huge storme which powres it selfe on me Hailestones of teares of sighes a monstrous blast Thunders of cries lightnings my wilde lookes be The darkned heau'n my soule which nought can see The flying sprites which trees by rootes vp teare Be those despaires which haue my hopes quite wast The difference is all folkes those stormes forbeare◠But I cannot who then my selfe should flie So close vnto my selfe my wrackes doo lie Strephon. So close vnto my selfe my wrackes doo lie Both cause effect beginning and the ende Are all in me what helpe then can I trie My ship my selfe whose course to loue doth bende Sore beaten doth her mast of comfort spend Her cable Reason breakes from anchor Hope Fancie her tackling torne away doth flie Ruine the winde hath blowne her from her scope Brused with waues of Cares but broken is On rocke Despaire the buriall of my blisse Klaius On rocke Despaire the buriall of my blisse I long do◠plowe with plough of deepe desire The seed Fast meaning is no truth to misse I harow it with Thoughts which all conspire Fauour to make my chiefe and onely hire But woe is me the yeare is gone about And now I faine would reape I reape but this Hatefully growne Absence new sprongen out So that I see although my sight empaire Vaine is their paine who labour in despaire Strephon. Vaine is their paine who labour in despaire For so did I when with my angle Will I sought to catch the fish Torpedo faire Eu'n then Despaire did Hope already kill◠Yet fancie would perforce employ his skill And this hath got the catcher now is caught Lamde with the angle which it selfe did beare And vnto death quite drownde in dolours brough◠To death as then disguisd in her faire face Thus Thus alas I had my losse in chase Klaius Thus Thus alas I had my losse in chase When first that crowned Basiliske I knewe Wose footesteps I with kisses oft did trace Till by such hap as I must euer rue Mine eyes did light vpon her shining hue And hers on me astonisht with that sight Since then my hart did loose his wonted place Infected so with her sweet poysons might That leauing me for dead to her it went But ah her flight hath my dead reliques spent Strephon. But ah her flight hath my dead reliques spent Her flight from me from me though dead to me Yet liuing still in her while her beames lent Such vitall sparke that her mine eyes might see But now those liuing lights absented be Full dead before I now to dust shall fall But that eternall paines my soule haue hent And keepe it still within this body thrall That thus I must while in this death I dwell In earthly fetters feele a lasting hell Klaius In earthly fetters feele a lasting hell Alas I doo from which to finde release I would the earth I would the heauens sell. But vaine it is to thinke these paines should cease Where life is death and death cannot breed peace O faire ô onely faire from thee alas These foule most foule desastres to me fell Since thou from me o me ô Sunne didst passe Therefore esteeming all good blessings toyes I ioy in griefe and doo detest all ioyes Strephon. I ioy in griefe and doo detest all ioyes But now an ende O Claius now an ende For euen the hearbes our hatefull musique stroyes And from our burning breath the trees do bende So well were these wailefull complaints accorded to the passions of all the princely hearers while euery one
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
possession And how possest he strengthens his invasion Dorus. Sight is his roote in thought is his progression His child hood wonder prentizeship attention His youth delight his age the soules oppression Doubt is his sleepe he waketh in inuention Fancie his foode his clothing is of carefulnes Beautie his booke his play louers dissention His eyes are â—urious search but vailde with warefulnesse His wings desire oft clipt with desperation Largesse his hands could neuer skill of sparefulnesse But how he doth by might or by perswasion To conquere and his conquest how to ratifie Experience doubts and schooles hold disputation Dicus But so thy sheepe may thy good wishes satisfie With large encrease and wooll of fine perfection So she thy loue her eyes thy eyes may gratifie As thou wilt giue our soules a deare refection By telling how she was how now she framed is To helpe or hurt in thee her owne infection Dorus. Blest be the name wherewith my mistres named is Whose wounds are salues whose yokes please more then pleasure doth Her staines are beames vertue the fault she blamed is The hart eye eare here onely find his treasure doth All numbring artes her endlesse graces number not Time place lifeâ— witt scarcely her rare gifts measure doth Is she in rage so is the Sunne in sommer hot Yet haruest brings Doth she alas absent her selfe The Sunne is hid his kindly shadows cumber not But when to giue some grace she doth content herselfe O then it shines then are the heau'ns distributed And Venus seemes to make vp her she spent herselfe Thus then I say my mischiefes haue contributed A greater good by her diuine reflection My harmes to me my blisse to her attributed Thus she is fram'd her eyes are my direction Her loue my life her anger my distruction Lastly what so she is that 's my protection Dicus Thy safetie sure is wrapped in destruction For that construction thine owne wordes do beare A man to feare a womans moodie eye Makes Reason lie a slaue to seruile sense A weake defence where weaknes is thy force So is remorse in follie dearly bought Dorus. If I had thought to heare blasphemous wordes My brest to swords my soule to hell haue solde I rather would then thus mine eares defile With words so vile which viler breath doth breed O heards take heed for I a woolfe haue found Who hunting round the strongest for to kill His breast doth fill with earth of others woe And loden so pulls downe pull'd downe destroyes O sheepheards boyes eschue these tongues of venome Which do enuenome both the soule and senses Our best defenses are to flie these adders O tongues like ladders made to clime dishonour Who iudge that honour which hath scope to slander Dicus Dorus you wander farre in great reproches So Loue encroches on your charmed reason But it is season for to end our singing Such anger bringing as for me my fancie In sicke-mans frenzie rather takes compassion Then rage for rage rather my wish I send to thee Thou soone may haue some helpe or change of passion She oft her lookes the starres her fauour bend to thee Fortune store Nature health Loue grant perswasion A quiet mind none but thy selfe can lend to thee Thus I commend to thee all our former Loue. Dorusâ— Well do I proue errour lies oft in zeale Yet it is seale though errour of true hart Nought could impart such heates to friendly mind But for to find thy words did her disgrace Whose onely face the little heauen is Which who doth misse his eyes are but delusions Barr'd from their chiefest obiect of delightefulnesse Throwne on this earth the Chaos of confusions As for thy wish to my enraged spitefulnesse The louely blow with rare reward my prayer is Thou mayst loue her that I may see thy sightfulnesse The quiet mind whereof my selfe empairer is As thou doest thinke should most of all disquiet me Without her loue then any mind who fairer is Her onely cure from surfet woes can diet me She holdes the ballance of my contentation Hâ—r cleared eyes nought els in stormes can quiet me Nay rather then my ease discontentation Should breed to herâ— let me for aye deiected be From any ioy which might her griefe occasion With so sweet plagues my happie harmes infected be Paine willes me dieâ— yet will of death I mortifie For though life irkes in life my loues protected be Thus for each change my changelesse hart I fortifie When they had ended to the good pleasing of the assistants especiallie of Zelmane who neuer forgat to giue due coÌ„mendatioÌ„s to her friend Dorus Basilius called for Lamon to end his discourse of Strephon Klaius wherwith the other day he marked Zelmane to haue bene exceedingly delighted But him sicknes had staied from that assemblieâ— which gaue occasion to Histor and Damon two yonge shepheards taking vpoÌ„ them the two frendly riualles names to present Basilius with some other of their complaints Ecloge-wise and first with this double Sestine Strephon. Klaius Strephon. Yee Goteheard Gods that loue the grassie mountaines Ye nymphes that haunt the springs in pleasant vallies Ye Satyrs ioyde with free and quiet forrests Vouchsafe your silent eares to plaining musique Which to my woes giue still an early morning And drawes the dolor on till weary euening Klaius O Mercurie foregoer to the euening O heauenly huntresse of the sauage mountaines O louelie starre entit'led of the morning While that my voice doth fill these woefull vallies Vouchsafe your silent eares to plaining musique Which oft hath Echo tir'de in secrete forrests Strephon. I that was once free burges of the forrests Where shade from Sunne and sports I sought at euening I that was once esteem'd for pleasant musique Am banisht now among the monstrous mountaines Of huge despaire and foule afflictions vallies Am growne a shrich owle to my selfe each morning Klaius I that was once delighted euery morning Hunting the wilde inhabiters of forrests I that was once the musique of these vallies So darkened am that all my day is euening Hart broken so that molehilles seeme high mountaines And fill the vales with cries in steed of musique Strephon. Long since alas my deadly swannish musique Hath made it selfe a crier of the morning And hath with wailing strength clim'd highest mountaines Long since my thoughts more desert be then â—orrests Long since I see my ioyes come to their euening And state throwne downe to ouertroden vallies Klaius Long since the happie dwellers of these vallies Haue praide me leaue my â—trange exclaming musique Which troubles their dayes worke ioyes of euening Long since I hate the night more hate the morning Long since my thoughts chaâ—e me like beasts in forrests And make me wish my selfe layd vnder mountaines Strephon. Me seemes I see the high and stately mountaines Transforme themselues to lowe deiected vallies Me seemes I heare in these ill changed forrests The Nightingales doo leâ—rne of Owles their musique Me seemes I
owne nature sauing onely Man who while by the pregnancie of his imagination he striues to things supernaturall meane-while hee looseth his owne naturall felicitie Be wise and that wisedome shal be a God vnto thee be contented and that is thy heauen for els to thinke that those powers if there bee any such aboue are moued either by the eloquence of our prayers or in a chafe at the folly of our actions caries asmuch reason as if flies should thinke that men take great care which of them hums sweetest and which of them flies nimblest She woulde haue spoken further to haue enlarged and confirmed her discourse when Pamela whose cheeks were died in the beautifullest graine of vertuous anger with eies which glistered foorth beames of disdaine thus interrupted her Peace wicked womā peace vnworthy to breath that doest not acknowledge the breath-giuer most vnworthy to haue a tongue which speakest against him through whom thou speakest keepe your affection to your selfe which like a bemired dog would defile with fauning You say yesterday was as to day O foolish woman and most miserablely foolish since wit makes you foolish What dooth that argue but that there is a constancie in the euerlasting gouernour Woulde you haue an inconstant God since wee count a man foolish that is inconstant He is not seene you say and woulde you thinke him a God who might bee seene by so wicked eyes as yours which yet might see enough if they were not like such who for sport-sake willingly hood-winke themselues to receaue blowes the easier But though I speake to you without any hope of fruite in so rotten a harte and there bee no bodie else here to iudge of my speeches yet be thou my witnesse O captiuitie that my yeares shal not be willingly guiltie of my Creators blasphemie You saie because we know not the causes of things therfore feare was the mother of superstitiō nay because we know that each effect hath a cause that hath engendred a true liuely deuotion For this goodly work of which we are in which we liue hath not his being by Chaūce on which opiniō it is beyōd meruaile by what chaūce any braine could stumble For if it be eternall as you would seeme to conceiue of it Eternity and Chaunce are things vnsufferable together For that is chaunceable which happeneth and if it happen there was a time before it happned when it might haue not happened or els it did not happen and so if chaunceable not eternall And as absurd it is to thinke that if it had a beginning his beginning was deriued from Chaunce for Chaunce could neuer make all things of nothing and if there were substaunces before which by chaunce shoulde meete to make vp this worke thereon followes another bottomlesse pitt of absurdities For then those substaunces must needs haue bene from euer and so eternall and that eternall causes should bring forth chaunceable effectes is as sensible as that the Sunne shoulde bee the author of darkenesse Againe if it were chaunceable then was it not necessarie whereby you take away all consequents But we see in all thinges in some respect or other necessitie of consequence therefore in reason we must needs know that the causes were necessarie Lastly Chaunce is variable or els it is not to be called Chaunce but wee see this worke is steady and permanent If nothing but Chaunce had glewed those pieces of this All the heauie partes would haue gone infinitely downward the light infinitely vpwarde and so neuer haue mett to haue made vp his goodly bodie For before there was a heauen or a earth there was neyther a heauen to stay the height of the rising nor an earth which in respect of the round walles of heauen should become a centre Lastly perfect order perfect beautie perfect constancie if these be the children of Chaunce let wisedome be counted the roote of wickednesse But you will say it is so by nature as much as if you saide it is so because it is so if you meane of many natures conspiring together as in a popular gouernemēt to establish this faire estate as if the Elementishe and ethereall partes shoulde in their towne-house set downe the bounds of each ones office then consider what followes that there must needes haue bene a wisedome which made them concurre for their natures beyng absolute contrarie in nature rather would haue sought each others ruine then haue serued as well consorted partes to such an vnexpressable harmonie For that contrary things should meete to make vp a perfection without a force and Wisedome aboue their powers is absolutely impossible vnles you will flie to that hissed-out opinion of Chaunce againe But you may perhaps affirme that one vniuersal Nature which hath ben for euer is the knitting together of these many partes to such an excellent vnitie If you meane a Nature of wisdome goodnes prouidence which knowes what it doth then say you that which I seeke of you and cannot conclude those blasphemies whith which you defiled your mouth mine eares But if you meane a Nature as we speake of the fire which goeth vpward it knowes not why and of the nature of the Sea which in ebbing and flowing semes to obserue so iust a daunce and yet vnderstands no musicke it is but still the same absurditie superscribed with another title For this worde one being attributed to that which is All is but one mingling of many and many ones as in a lesse matter when we say one kingdome which conteines many citties or one cittie which conteines many persons wherein the vnder ones if there be not a superiour power and wisedome cannot by nature regarde to any preseruation but of themselues no more wee see they doo since the water willingly quenches the fire and drownes the earth so farre are they from a conspired vnitie but that a right heauenly Nature indeed as it were vnnaturinge them doth so bridle them Againe it is as absurde in nature that from an vnitie many contraries should proceede still kept in a vnitie as that from the number of contrarieties an vnitie should arise I say still if you banish both a singularitie and pluralitie of iudgement from among them then if so earthly a minde can lift it selfe vp so hie doo but conceaue how a thing whereto you giue the highest and most excellent kind of being which is eternitie can be of a base vilest degree of being and next to a not-being which is so to be as not to enioy his owne being I will not here call all your senses to witnes which can heare nor see nothing which yeeldes not most euident euidence of of the vnspeakeablenesse of that Wisedome each thinge being directed to an ende and an ende of preseruation so proper effects of iudgement as speaking and laughing are of mankind But what madd furie can euer so enueagle any conceipte as to see our mortal and corruptible selues to haue a reason and that this
better perswaded when no body was by that had heard her say she would not bee perswaded then began first the eyes to speake and the harts to crie out Sorrow a while would nedees speake his owne language without vsing their tongues to be his interpreters At last Zelmane brake silence but spake with the onely eloquence of amazement for all her long methodized oratione was inherited onely by such kinde of speeches Deare Ladie in extreame necessities we must not But alas vnfortunate wretch that I am that I liue to see this daye And I take heauen and earth to witnesse that nothing and with that her brest swelled so with spite and griefe that her breath had not leasure to turne it selfe into words But the sweet Philoclea that had alredie dyed in Pamela of the other side had the heauines of her hart something quickned in the most beloued sight of Zelmane ghessed somewhat at Zelmanes mind and therefore spake vnto her in this sort My Pyrocles saide shee I knowe this exceeding comfort of your presence is not brought vnto mee for any good-will that is owned vnto mee but as I suppose to make you perswade me to saue my life with the ransome of mine honour although no bodie shoulde bee so vnfit a pleader in that cause as your selfe yet perchance you woulde haue me liue Your honour God forbid saide Zelmane that euer for any cause I should yeeld to any touch of it But a while to pretend some affection til time or my libertie might worke somthing for your seruice this if my astonished senses would giue me leaue I would faine haue perswaded you To what purpose my Pyrocles said Philoclea of a miserable time what gaine is there hath Pamelaes example wrought no more in mee is a captiue life so much worth can euer it goe out of these lips that I loue any other but Pyrocles shall my tongue bee so false a traitor to my hart as to say I loue any other but Pyrocles And why should I do all this to liue O Pamela sister Pamela why shoulde I liue onely for thy sake Pyrocles I would liue but to thee I know too well I shall not liue and if not to thee hath thy loue so base allay my Pyrocles as to wish mee to liue sor dissimulation my Pyrocles my simplicitie is such that I haue hardly bene able to keepe a straight way what shall I doo in a crooked But in this case there is no meane of dissimulation not for the cunningest present answere is required and present performance vpon the answere Art thou so terrible ô Death No my Pyrocles and for that I doo thanke thee and in my soule thanke thee for I confesse the loue of thee is heerein my chiefest vertue Trouble mee not therefore deare Pyrocles nor double not my death by tormenting my resolution since I cannot liue with thee I will dye for thee Onely remember me deare Pyrocles and loue the remembrance of mee if I may craue so much of thee let me be thy last loue for though I be not worthy of thee who indeed art the worthiest creature liuing yet remember that my loue was a worthy loue But Pyrocles was so ouercome with sorrow which wisdome and vertue made iust in so excellent a Ladies case full of so excellent kindnes that words were ashamed to come forth knowing how weak they were to expresse his mind and her merit and therefore so stayed in a deadly silence forsaken of hope and forsaking comfort till the appointed gardians came in to see the fruits of Zelmanes labour and then Zelmane warned by their presence fell againe to perswade though scarcely her selfe could tell what but in sum desirous of delayes But Philoclea sweetly continuing constant and in the end punishing her importunity with silence Zelmane was faine to ende Yet crauing an other times conference shee obtained it and diuers others till at the last Cecropia founde it was to no purpose and therefore determined to follow her owne way Zelmane yet still desirous to win by any meanes respit euen wasted with sorrow and vncertaine whether in worse case in her presence or absence being able to doo nothing for Philocleas succour but by submitting the greatest corage of the earth to fall at the feete of Cecropia and craue stay of their sentence til the vttermost was seene what her perswasions might doo Cecropia seemed much to bee moued by her importunitie so as diuers dayes were wonne of painefull life to the excellent Philoclea while Zelmane suffred some hope to cherrish her minde especially trusting vpon the helpe of Musidorus who shee knew woulde not bee idle in this matter till one morning a noise awaked Zelmane from whose ouer-watchfull mind the tired body had stolne a little sleep streight with the first opening of her eyes Care taking his woonted place she ranne to the window which looked into the hall for that way the noise guided her and there might shee see the curtaine being left open euer since the last execution seuen or eight persons in a cluster vpon the scaffold who by and by retiring themselues nothinge was to bee seene thereupon but a basan of golde pittifully enameled with bloud and in the midst of it the head of the most beautifull Philoclea The horriblenes of the mischiefe was such as Pyrocles coulde not at first beleeue his owne senses but bent his woefull eyes to discerne it better where too well hee might see it was Philocleas selfe hauing no veile but beautie ouer the face which still appeared to be aliue so did those eyes shine euen as they were woont and they were woont more then any other and sometimes as they moued it might well make the beholder think that death therein had borowed her beautie and not they any way disgraced by death so sweet and pearsing a grace they caried with them It was not a pitie it was not an amazement it was not a sorrow which then laid hold on Pyrocles but a wilde furie of desperate agonie so that hee cried out O tyraunt heauen traytor earth blinde prouidence no iustice howe is this done how is this suffered hath this worlde a gouernment If it haue let it poure out all his mischiefes vpon mee and see whether it haue power to make mee more wrecthed then I am Did she excell for this haue I prayed for this abhominable hande that did it detestable deuill that commaunded it cursed light that beheld it and if the light be cursed what are then mine eyes that haue seene it And haue I seene Philoclea dead and doo I liue and haue I liued not to helpe her but to talke of her and stande I still talking And with that caried with the madnes of anguish not hauing a redier waye to kill himselfe hee ranne as hard as euer hee coulde with his head against the wall with intention to braine himselfe but the haste to do it made the doing the slower For as hee came to
in colour they excell the Emeralds euerie one striuing to passe his fellow and yet they are all kept of an equall height And see you not the rest of these beautifull flowers each of which would require a mans wit to know and his life to expresse Do not these stately trees seeme to maintaine their florishing olde age with the onely happines of their seat being clothed with a continuall spring because no beautie here should euer fade Doth not the aire breath health which the Birds delightfull both to eare and eye do dayly solemnize with the sweete consent of their voyces Is not euery Eccho thereof a perfect Musicke these fresh and delightfull brookes how slowly they slide away as loth to leaue the company of so many thinges vnited in perfection and with how sweete a murmur they lament their forced departure Certainely certainely cosin it must needs be that som Goddesse enhabiteth this Region who is the soule of this soyle for neither is any lesse then a Goddesse worthie to bee shrined in such a heape of pleasures nor any lesse then a Goddesse coulde haue made it so perfect a plotte of the celestiall dwellings And so ended with a deep sigh rufully casting his eye vpon Musidorus as more desirous of pittie then pleading But Musidorus had all this while helde his looke fixed vpon Pyrocles countenance and with no lesse louing attention marked howe his wordes proceeded from him but in both these he perceiued such strange diuersities that they rather increased new doubtes then gaue him ground to settle anie iudgement for besides his eyes sometimes euen great with teares the oft changing of his colour with a kinde of shaking vnstayednes ouer all his bodie he might see in his countenance some great determination mixed with feare and might perceiue in him store of thoughts rather stirred then digested his wordes interrupted continually with sighes which serued as a burthen to each sentence and the tenor of his speech though of his wonted phrase not knit together to one constant end but rather dissolued in it selfe as the vehemencie of the inwarde passion preuayled which made Musidorus frame his aunswere neerest to that humor which should soonest put out the secret For hauing in the beginning of Pyrocles speech which defended his solitarines framed in his minde a replie against it in the praise of honourable action in shewing that such a kind of contemplatiō is but a glorious title to idlenes that in action a man did not onely better himselfe but benefit others that the gods would not haue deliuered a soule into the bodie which hath armes and legges onely instrumentes of doeing but that it were intended the minde shoulde imploy them and that the minde should best knowe his owne good or euill by practise◠which knowledge was the onely way to increase the one and correct the other besides many other argumentes which the plentifulnesse of the matter yeelded to the sharpnes of his wit When hee found Pyrocles leaue that and fall into such an affected praising of the place he left it likewise and ioyned with him therein because hee found him in that humor vtter more store of passion and euen thus kindely embrasing him he said Your words are such noble cousin so sweetly and strongly handled in the praise of solitarinesse as they would make mee likewise yeeld my selfe vp into it but that the same words make me know it is more pleasant to enioy the companie of him that can speake such wordes then by such wordes to bee perswaded to follow solitarines And euen so doo I geue you leaue sweete Pyrocles euer to defende solitarines so long as to defende it you euer keep companie But I maruell at the excessiue praises you giue to this countrie in truth it is not vnplesant but yet if you would returne into Macedon you should either se many heauens or find this no more then earthlie And euen Tempe in my Thessalia where you and I to my great happynesse were brought vp together is nothing inferiour vnto it But I thinke you will make me see that the vigor of your witte can shew it selfe in any subiect or els you feede sometimes your solitarines with the conceites of the Poets whose liberall pennes can as easilie trauaile ouer mountaines as molehils and so like well disposed men set vp euery thing to the highest note especially when they put such wordes in the mouths of one of these fantasticall mind-infected people that children Musitiās cal Louers This word Louer did no lesse pearce poore Pyrocles then the right tune of musicke toucheth him that is sicke of the Tarantula There was not one parte of his body that did not feele a sodaine motion while his hart with panting seemed to daunce to the sounde of that word yet after some pause lifting vp his eyes a litle from the ground and yet not daring to place them in the eyes of Musidorus armed with the verie conntenance of the poore prisoner at the barr whose aunswere is nothing but guiltie with much a do he brought forth this question And alas saide he deare cosin what if I bee not so much the Poet the freedome of whose penne canne exercise it selfe in any thing as euen that miserable subiect of his conning whereof you speake Now the eternall Gods forbid mainely cryed out Musidorus that euer my care should be poysoned with so euil news of you O let me neuer know that any base affectiō should get any Lordship in your thoughts But as he was speaking more Kalander came and brake of their discourse with inuiting them to the hunting of a goodly stagge which being harbored in a wood thereby he hoped vvould make them good sporte and driue avvay some parte of Daiphantus melancholy They condiscended and so going to their lodgings furnished them selues as liked them Daiphantus writing a fewe words which he left sealed in a letter against their returne Then wēt they together abroad the good Kalāder entertaining thē with pleasaunt discoursing howe well he loued the sporte of hunting when hee was a young man how much in the comparison thereof hee disdained all chamber delights that the Sunne how great a iornie soeuer he had to make could neuer preuent him with earlines nor the Moone with her sober couutenance disswade him from watching till midnight for the deeres feeding O saide he you will neuer liue to my age without you keepe your selues in breath vvith exercise and in hart vvith ioifullnes too much thinking doth consume the spirits and oft it falles out that vvhile one thinkes too much of his doing he leaues to doe the effect of his thinking Then spared he not to remember how much Arcadia was chaunged since his youth actiuitie and good fellowship being nothing in the price it was then held in but according to the nature of the old growing world stil worse and worse Then would he tell them stories of such gallaunts as he had knowē and so with pleasant company
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
is me my woes renewe Now course doth leade me to her hand Of my first loue the fatall band Where whitenes dooth for euer sitte Nature her selfe enameld it For there with strange compact dooth lie Warme snow moyst pearle softe iuorie There fall those Saphir-coloured brookes Which conduit-like with curious crookes Sweete Ilands make in that sweete land As for the fingers of the hand The bloudy shaftes of Cupids warre With amatists they headed are Thus hath each part his beauties part But how the Graces doo impart To all her limmes a speciall grace Becomming euery time and place Which doth euen beautie beautifie And most bewitch the wretched eye How all this is but a faire Inne Of fairer guests which dwell within Of whose high praise and praisefull blisse Goodnes the penne heauen paper is The inke immortall fame dooth lende As I began so must I ende No tongue can her perfections tell In whose each part all tongues may dwell But as Zelmane was comming to the latter end of her song she might see the same water-spaniell which before had hunted come and fetch away one of Philocleas gloues whose fine proportion shewed well what a daintie guest was wont there to be lodged It was a delight to Zelmane to see that the dogge was therewith delighted and so let him goe a little way withall who quickly caried it out of sight among certaine trees and bushes which were very close together But by and by he came againe and amongst the raiments Miso and Mopsa being preparing sheets against their comming out the dog lighted vpon a little booke of four or fiue leaues of paper and was bearing that away too But then Zelmane not knowing what importance it might be of ran after the dog who going streight to those bushes she might see the dog deliuer it to a Gentleman who secretly lay there But she hastily cōming in the Gentleman rose vp and with a courteous though sad countenāce presented himselfe vnto her Zelmanes eies streight willed her minde to marke him for she thought in her life she had neuer seene a man of a more goodly presence in whom strong making tooke not away delicacie nor beautie fiercenesse being indeed such a right manlike man as Nature often erring yet shewes she would faine make But when she had a while not without admiration vewed him she desired him to deliuer backe the gloue and paper because they were the Ladie Philocleas telling him withall that she would not willingly let them know of his close lying in in that prohibited place while they were bathing themselues because she knew they would be mortally offended withall Faire Ladie answered he the worst of the complaint is already passed since I feele of my fault in my selfe the punishment But for these things I assure you it was my dogs wanton boldnes not my presumption With that he gaue her backe the paper But for the gloue said he since it is my Ladie Philocleas giue me leaue to keepe it since my hart cannot persuade it selfe to part from it And I pray you tell the Lady Lady indeed of all my desires that owes it that I will direct my life to honour this gloue with seruing her O villain cried out Zelmane madded with finding an vnlooked-for Riuall and that he would make her a messenger dispatch said she and deliuer it or by the life of her that owes it I wil make thy soule though too base a price pay for it And with that drew out her sword which Amazon-like she euer ware about her The Gentleman retired himself into an open place frō among the bushes and then drawing out his too he offred to deliuer it vnto her saying withall God forbid I should vse my sword against you since if I be not deceiued you are the same famous Amazon that both defended my Ladies iust title of beautie against the valiant Phalantus and saued her life in killing the Lion therefore I am rather to kisse your hands with acknowledging my selfe bound to obey you But this courtesie was worse then a bastonado to Zelmane so that againe with ragefull eyes she bad him defend himselfe for no lesse then his life should answere it A hard case said he to teach my sword that lesson which hath euer vsed to turne it selfe to a shield in a Ladies presence But Zelmane harkening to no more words began with such wittie furie to pursue him with blowes and thrusts that Nature and Vertue commanded the Gentleman to looke to his safetie Yet still courtesie that seemed incorporate in his hart would not be perswaded by daunger to offer any offence but only to stand vpon the best defensiue gard he could somtimes going backe being content in that respect to take on the figure of cowardise sometime with strong and well-met wards sometime cunning auoidings of his body and somtimes faining some blows which himself puld back before they needed to be withstood And so with play did he a good while fight against the fight of Zelmane who more spited with that curtesie that one that did nothing should be able to resist her burned away with choller any motions which might grow out of her owne sweet dsposition determining to kill him if he fought no better and so redoubling her blowes draue the stranger to no other shift then to warde and go backe at that time seeming the image of innocencie against violence But at length he found that both in publike and priuate respects who stands onely vpon defence stands vpon no defence For Zelmane seeming to strike at his head and he going to warde it withall stept backe as he was accustomed she stopt her blow in the aire and suddenly turning the point ranne full at his breast so as he was driuen with the pommell of his sworde hauing no other weapon of defence to beate it downe but the thrust was so strong that he could not so wholy beate it awaie but that it met with his thigh thorow which it ranne But Zelmane retiring her sworde and seeing his bloud victorious anger was conquered by the before-conquered pittie and hartily sorie and euen ashamed with her selfe she was considering how little he had done who well she found could haue done more In so much that she said truly I am sorie for your hurt but your selfe gaue the cause both in refusing to deliuer the gloue and yet not fighting as I knowe you could haue done But saide shee because I perceaue you disdayne to fight with a woman it may be before a year come about you shall meete with a neere kinsman of mine Pyrocles Prince of Macedon and I giue you my worde he for me shall maintaine this quarell against you I would answered Amphialus I had many more such hurtes to meete and know that worthy Prince whose vertue I loue and admire though my good destiny hath not bene to see his person But as they were so speaking the yong Ladies came to whom Mopsa curious in any thing
for Loue so forceth me Plangus doth liue and shall Erona dye Erona dye O heauen if heauen there be Hath all thy whirling course so small effect Serue all thy starrie eyes this shame to see Let doltes in haste some altars faire erect To those high powers which idly sit aboue And vertue do in greatest need neglect Basilius O man take heed how thou the Gods do moue To causefull wrath which thou canst not resist Blasphemous words the speaker vaine do proue Alas while we are wrapt in foggie mist Of our selfe-loue so passions do deceaue We thinke they hurt when most they do assist To harme vs wormes should that high Iustice leaue His nature nay himselfe for so it is What glorie from our losse can he receaue But still our dazeled eyes their way do misse While that we do at his sweete scourge repine The kindly way to beate vs on to blisse If she must dye then hath she past the line Of lothsome dayes whose losse how canst thou mone That doost so well their miseries define But such we are with inward tempest blowne Of windes quite contrarie in waues of will We mone that lost which had we did bemone Plangus And shall she dye shall cruell fier spill Those beames that set so many harts on fire Hath she not force euen death with loue to kill Nay euen cold Death enflamde with hot desire Her to enioy where ioy it selfe is thrall Will spoile the earth of his most rich attire Thus Death becomes a riuall to vs all And hopes with foule embracements her to get In whose decay Vertues faire shrine must fall O Vertue weake shall death his triumph set Vpon thy spoiles which neuer should lye waste Let Death first dye be thou his worthy let By what eclipse shall that Sonne be defaste What myne hath erst throwne downe so faire a tower What sacriledge hath such a saint disgra'st The world the garden is she is the flower That sweetens all the place she is the guest Of rarest price both heau'n and earth her bower And shall ô me all this in ashes rest Alas if you a Phoenix new will haue Burnt by the Sunne she first must build her nest But well you know the gentle Sunne would saue Such beames so like his owne which might haue might In him the thoughts of Phaëtons damme to graue Therefore alas you vse vile Vulcans spight Which nothing spares to melt that Virgin-waxe Which while it is it is all Asias light O Mars for what doth serue thy armed axe To let that wit-old beast consume in flames Thy Venus child whose beautie Venus lackes O Venus if her praise no enuy frames In thy high minde get her thy husbands grace Sweete speaking oft a currish hart reclaimes O eyes of mine where once she saw her face Her face which was more liuely in my hart O braine where thought of her hath onely place O hand which toucht her hand when we did part O lippes that kist that hand with my teares sprent O toonge then dumbe not daring tell my smart O soule whose loue in her is onely spent What ere you see think touch kisse speake or loue Let all for her and vnto her be bent Basilius Thy wailing words do much my spirits moue They vttred are in such a feeling fashion That sorrowes worke against my will I proue Me-thinkes I am partaker of thy passion And in thy case do glasse mine owne debilitie Selfe-guiltie folke most prone to feele compassion Yet Reason saith Reason should haue abilitie To hold these wordly things in such proportion As let them come or go with euen facilitie But our Desires tyrannicall extortion Doth force vs there to set our chiefe delightfulnes Where but a baiting place is all our portion But still although we faile of perfect rightfulnes Seeke we to tame these childish superfluities Let vs not winke though void of purest sightfulnes For what can breed more peeuish incongruities Then man to yeeld to female lamentations Let vs some grammar learne of more congruities Plangus If through mine eares pearce any consolation By wise discourse sweete tunes or Poets fiction If ought I cease these hideous exclamations While that my soule she she liues in affliction Then let my life long time on earth maintained be To wretched me the last worst malediction Can I that know her sacred parts restrained be From any ioy know fortunes vile displacing her In morall rules let raging woes contained be Can I forget when they in prison placing her With swelling hart in spite and due disdainfulnes She lay for dead till I helpt with vnlasing her Can I forget from how much mourning plainfulnes With Diamond in window-glasse she graued Erona dye and end this ougly painefulnes Can I forget in how straunge phrase she craued That quickly they would her burne drowne or smother As if by death she onely might be saued Then let me eke forget one hand from other Let me forget that Plangus I am called Let me forget I am sonne to my mother But if my memory must thus be thralled To that strange stroke which conquer'd all my senses Can thoughts still thinking so rest vnappalled Basilius Who still doth seeke against him selfe offences What pardon can auaile or who imployes him To hurt himselfe what shields can be desenses Woe to poore man ech outward thing annoyes him In diuers kinds yet as he were not filled He heapes in outward griefe that most destroyes him Thus is our thought with paine for thistles tilled Thus be our noblest parts dryed vp with sorrow Thus is our mind with too much minding spilled One day layes vp stuffe of griefe for the morrow And whose good haps do leaue him vnprouided Condoling cause of friendship he will borrow Betwixt the good and shade of good diuided We pittie deeme that which but weakenes is So are we from our high creation slided But Plangus lest I may your sicknesse misse Or rubbing hurt the sore I here doo end The asse did hurt when he did thinke to kisse When Zelmane had read it ouer marueyling verie much of the speeche of Eronas death and therefore desirous to know further of it but more desirous to heare Philoclea speake Most excellent Ladie saide she one may be little the wiser for reading this Dialogue since it nether sets foorth what this Plangus is nor what Erona is nor what the cause should be which threatens her with death and him with sorow therefore I woulde humbly craue to vnderstand the particular discourse thereof because I must confesse some thing in my trauaile I haue heard of this strange matter which I would be glad to finde by so sweet an authoritie confirmed The trueth is answered Philoclea that after hee knew my father to bee Prince of this countrie while hee hoped to preuaile something with him in a great request hee made vnto him hee was content to open fully the estate both of himselfe and of that Ladie which with my
was enchained His hurt not yet fully well made him a little halt but he straue to giue the best grace he coulde vnto his halting And in that sorte hee went to Philocleas Chamber whome he found because her Chamber was ouer-lightsome sitting of that side of her bedde which was from the windowe which did cast such a shadowe vpon her as a good Painter would bestowe vpon Venus when vnder the trees she bewailed the murther of Adonis her hands and fingers as it were indented one within the other her shoulder leaning to her beds head and ouer her head a scarfe which did eclipse almost halfe her eyes which vnder it fixed their beames vpon the wall by with so steddie a maner as if in that place they might well chaunge but not mende their obiect and so remayned they a good while after his comming in he not daring to trouble her nor she perceiuing him till that a little varying her thoughts something quickening her senses she heard him as he happed to stirre his vpper garment and perceiuing him rose vp with a demeanure where in the booke of Beauty there was nothing to be read but Sorrow for Kindenes was blotted out Anger was neuer there But Amphialus that had entrusted his memorie with long and forcible speeches found it so locked vp in amazement that he could pike nothing out of it but the beseeching her to take what was don in good part and to assure herselfe there was nothing but honour meant vnto her person But she making no other aunswere but letting her handes fall one from the other which before were ioyned with eyes something cast aside and a silent sigh gaue him to vnderstande that considering his dooings she thought his speeche as full of incongruitie as her aunswere would be voyde of purpose whereupon he kneeling downe and kissing her hand which she suffered with a countenance witnessing captiuitie but not kindnesse he besought her to haue pitie of him whose loue went beyond the boundes of conceite much more of vttering that in her hands the ballance of his life or death did stand whereto the least motion of hers would serue to determine she being indeed the mistres of his life and he her eternall slaue and with true vehemencie besought her that he might heare her speak wherevpon she suffered her sweete breath to turne it selfe into these kinde of words Alas cousin saide she what shall my tongue be able to doo which is infourmed by the eares one way and by the eyes another You call for pittie and vse crueltie you say you loue me and yet do the effects of enmitie You affirme your death is in my handes but you haue brought me to so neere a degree to death as when you will you may lay death vpon me so that while you saye I mistresse of your life I am not mistresse of mine owne You entitle your selfe my slaue but I am â—ure I am yours If then violence iniurie terror and depriuing of that which is more deare then life it selfe libertie be fit orators for affection you may expect that I will be easily perswaded But if the nearenesse of our kinred breede any remorse in you or there be any such thing in you which you call loue towarde me then let not my fortune be disgraced with the name of imprisonment let not my hart waste it selfe by being vexed with feeling euill and fearing worse Let not me be a cause of my parents wofull destruction but restore me to my selfe and so doing I shall account I haue receiued my selfe of you And what I say for my selfe I say for my deare sister and my friend Zelmane for I desire no wel-being without they may be partakers With that her teares rayned downe from her heauenly eyes and seemed to water the sweete and beautifull flowers of her face But Amphialus was like the poore woman who louing a tame Doe she had aboue all earthly things hauing long played withall and made it feed at her hand and lappe is constrained at length by famine all her flocke being spent and she fallen into extreeme pouertie to kill the Deare to sustaine her life Many a pitifull looke doth she cast vpon it and many a time doth she drawe backe her hand before she can giue the stroke For euen so Amphialus by a hunger-starued affection was compelled to offer this iniurie and yet the same affection made him with a tormenting griefe thinke vnkindnesse in himselfe that he coulde finde in his hart any way to restraine her freedome But at length neither able to graunt nor denie he thus answered her Deare Lady said he I will not say vnto you how iustly soeuer I may do it that I am nether author nor accessarie vnto this your with holding For since I do not redres it I am as faulty as if I had begun it But this I protest vnto you and this protestation of mine let the heauens heare and if I lye let them answer me with a deadly thunderbolt that in my soule I wish I had neuer seene the light or rather that I had neuer had a father to beget such a child then that by my means those eyes should ouerflow their own beauties then by my means the skie of your vertue should be ouerclowded with sorrow But woe is me most excellent Ladye I finde my selfe most willing to obey you neither truelye doo mine eares receaue the least word you speak with any lesse reuerence then as absolute and vnresistable commaundements But alas that tirant Loue which now possesseth the holde of all my life and reason will no way suffer it It is Loue it is Loue not I which disobey you What then shall I say but that I who am redie to lye vnder your feete to venture nay to loose my life at your least commandement I am not the staye of your freedome but Loue Loue which tyes you in your owne knots It is you your selfe that imprison your selfe it is your beauty which makes these castlewalles embrace you it is your own eyes which reflect vpon themselues this iniurye Then is there no other remedie but that you some way vouchsafe to satisfie this Loues vehemencie which since it grew in your selfe without question you shall finde it far more then I tractable But with these wordes Philoclea fell to so extreame a quaking and her liuelye whitenesse did degenerate to such a deadly palenesse that Amphialus feared some daungerous traunce so that taking her hande and feelinge that it which was woonte to be one of the chiefe firebrands of Cupid had all the sence of it wrapt vp in coldnes he began humblie to beseech her to put away all feare and to assure herselfe vpon the vowe he made thereof vnto God and her selfe that the vttermost forces he would euer employ to conquere her affection should be Desire and Desert That promise brought Philoclea againe to her selfe so that slowly lifting vp her eyes vpon him with a countenaunce euer courteous
againe let fastest concorde make Our yeares doo it require you see we both doo feele The weakning worke of Times for euer-whirling wheele Although we be diuine our grandsire Saturne is With ages force decay'd yet once the heauen was his And now before we seeke by wise Apollos skill Our young yeares to renew for so he saith he will Let vs a perfect peace betweene vs two resolue Which lest the ruinous want of gouernment dissolue Let one the Princesse be to her the other yeeld For vaine equalitie is but contentions field And let her haue the giftes that should in both remaine In her let beautie both and chastnesse fully raigne So as if I preuaile you giue your giftes to me If you on you I lay what in my office be Now resteth onely this which of vs two is she To whom precedence shall of both accorded be For that so that you like hereby doth lie a youth She beckned vnto-me as yet of spotlesse truth Who may this doubt discerne for better witt then lot Becommeth vs in vs fortune determines not This crowne of amber faire an amber crowne she held To worthiest let him giue when both he hath beheld And be it as he saith Venus was glad to heare Such proffer made which she well showd with smiling cheere As though she were the same as when by Paris doome She had chiefe Goddesses in beautie ouercome And smirkly thus gan say I neuer sought debate Diana deare my minde to loue and not to hate Was euer apt but you my pastimes did despise I neuer spited you but thought you ouerwise Now kindnesse profred is none kinder is then I And so most ready am this meane of peace to trie And let him be our iudge the lad doth please me well Thus both did come to me and both began to tell For both togither spake each loth to be behinde That they by solemne oth their Deities would binde To stand vnto my will their will they made me know I that was first agast when first I saw their showe Now bolder waxt waxt prowde that I such sway must beare For neere acquaintance dooth diminish reuerent feare And hauing bound them fast by Styx they should obaye To all what I decreed did thus my verdict saye How ill both you can rule well hath your discord taught Ne yet for ought I see your beauties merit ought To yonder Nymphe therefore to Mira I did point The crowne aboue you both for euer I appoint I would haue spoken out but out they both did crie Fie fie what haue we done vngodly rebell fie But now we needs must yeelde to that our othes require Yet thou shalt not go free quoth Venus such a fire Her beautie kindle shall within thy foolish minde That thou full oft shalt wish thy iudging eyes were blinde Nay then Diana said the chastnesse I will giue In ashes of despaire though burnt shall make thee liue Nay thou said both shalt see such beames shine in her face That thou shalt neuer dare seeke helpe of wretched case And with that cursed curse away to heauen they fled First hauing all their giftes vpon faire Mira spred The rest I cannot tell for therewithall I wak'd And found with deadly feare that all my sinewes shak'd Was it a dreame O dreame how hast thou wrought in me That I things erst vnseene should first in dreaming see And thou ô traytour Sleepe made for to be our rest How hast thou framde the paine wherewith I am opprest O cowarde Cupid thus doost thou thy honour keepe Vnarmde alas vnwarn'd to take a man asleepe Laying not onely the conquests but the hart of the conquerour at her feet *** But she receiuing him after her woonted sorrowfull but otherwise vnmoued māner it made him thinke his good successe was but as a pleasant monumēt of a dolefull buriall Ioy it selfe seeming bitter vnto him since it agreed not to her taste Therefore still crauing his mothers helpe to persuade her he himselfe sent for Philanax vnto him whome he had not onely long hated but now had his hate greatly encreased by the death of his Squire Ismenus Besides he had made him as one of the chiefe causes that mooued him to this rebellion and therefore was enclined to colour the better his action and the more to embrewe the handes of his accomplices by making them guiltie of such a trespasse in some formall sort to cause him to be executed being also greatly egged thereunto by his mother and some other who long had hated Philanax onely because he was more worthy then they to be loued But while that deliberation was handeled according rather to the humour then the reason of ech speaker Philoclea comming to knowledge of the hard plight wherein Philanax stood she desired one of the gentlewomen appoynted to waite vpon her to goe in her name and beseech Amphialus that if the loue of her had any power of perswasion in his minde he would lay no further punishment then imprisonment vppon Philanax This message was deliuered euen as Philanax was entring to the presence of Amphialus comming according to the warning was giuen him to receyue a iudgement of death But when he with manfull resolution attended the fruite of such a tyrannicall sentence thinking it wrong but no harme to him that shoulde die in so good a cause Amphialus turned quite the fourme of his pretended speech yeelded him humble thankes that by his meanes he had come to that happinesse as to receiue a commaundement of his Ladie and therfore he willingly gaue him libertie to returne in safetye whether he would quiting him not onely of all former grudge but assuring him that he would be willing to do him any friendshipp and seruice onely desiring thus much of him that hee would let him know the discourse and intent of Basilius-his proceeding Truely my Lorde answered Philanax if there were any such knowne to mee secrete in my maisters counsaile as that the reuealing thereof might hinder his good successe I should loath the keeping of my blood with the losse of my faith would thinke the iust name of a traitour a hearde purchase of a fewe yeares liuing But since it is so that my maister hath indeede no way of priuie practise but meanes openly forcibly to deale against you I will not sticke in few words to make your required declaration Then told he him in what a maze of a mazemēt both Basilius Gynecia were when they mist their childrē Zelmane Somtimes apt to suspect some practise of Zelmane because she was a straunger somtimes doubting some reliques of the late mutinie which doubt was rather encreased thē any way satisfied by Miso who being foūd almost dead for hunger by certaine Countrey-people brought home word with what cūning they were trayned out with what violence they were caried away But that within a few dayes they came to knowledge wher they were by Amphialus-his own letters sent abroad to procure
subiect to ende onely your Philoclea because she is yours should be exempted But indeede you bemone your selfe who haue lost a friende you cannot her who hath in one act both preserued her honour and leste the miseries of this worlde O womans philosophie childish follie said Pyrocles as though if I do bemone my selfe I haue not reason to doo so hauing lost more then any Monarchie nay then my life can be woorth vnto me Alas saide shee comforte your selfe Nature did not forget her skill when she had made them you shall find many their superiours and perchaunce such as when your eyes shall looke abroad your selfe will like better But that the speech put al good manners out of the conceit of Pyrocles in so much that leaping out of his bed he ran to haue striken her but comming neere her the morning then winning the field of darkenesse he saw or hee thought hee sawe indeed the very face of Philoclea the same sweetenesse the same grace the same beautie with which carried into a diuine astonishment he fell downe at her feete Most blessed Angell said he well haste thou done to take that shape since thou wouldest submit thy selfe to mortall sense for a more Angelicall forme coulde not haue bene created for thee Alas euen by that excellent beautie so beloued of me let it be lawfull for me to aske of thee what is the cause that shee that heauenly creature whose forme you haue taken shoulde by the heauens bee destined to so vnripe an ende Why should vniustice so preuaile Why was she seene to the world so soone to be rauished from vs Why was shee not suffered to liue to teach the worlde perfection Doo not deceiue thy selfe answered shee I am no Angell I am Philoclea the same Philoclea so truely louing you so truely beloued of you If it be so said he that you are indeede the soule of Philoclea you haue done well to keepe your owne figure for no heauen could haue giuen you a better Then alas why haue you taken the paines to leaue your blisfull seat to come to this place most wretched to mee who am wretchednes it selfe not rather obtaine for me that I might come where you are there eternally to behold and eternally to loue your beauties you knowe I know that I desire nothing but death which I onely stay to bee iustly reuenged of your vniust murtherers Deare Pyrocles said shee I am thy Philoclea and as yet liuing not murdred as you supposed and therefore bee comforted And with that gaue him her hand But the sweet touch of that hand seemed to his astraied powers so heauenly a thing that it rather for a while confirmed him in his former beliefe till she with vehement protestations and desire that it might be so helping to perswade that it was so brought him to yeeld yet doubtfully to yeelde to this height of all comfort that Philoclea liued which witnessing with teares of ioy Alas saide he how shall I beleeue mine eies any more or doo you yet but appeare thus vnto me to stay me from some desperate end For alas I sawe the excellent Pamela beheaded I sawe your head the head indeede and chiefe parte of all natures workes standing in a dishe of golde too meane a shrine God wote for such a relike How can this be my onely deare and you liue or if this be not so how can I beleeue mine owne senses and if I can not beleeue them why should I now beleeue these blessed tidings they bring me The truth is said she my Pyrocles that neither I as you finde nor yet my deare sister is dead although the mischieuously suttle Cecropia vsed slights to make either of vs thinke so of other For hauing in vaine attempted the fardest of her wicked eloquence to make eyther of vs yeeld to her sonne and seeing that neither it accompanied with great flatteries and riche presents could get any ground of vs nor yet the violent way she fell into of cruelly tormenting our bodies could preuayle with vs at last she made either of vs thinke the other dead and so hoped to haue wrested our mindes to the forgetting of vertue and first she gaue to mine eyes the miserable spectacle of my sisters as I thought death but indeede it was not my sister it was onely Artesia she who so cunningly brought vs to this misery Truly I am sory for the poore Gentlewoman though iustly she be punished for her double falshood but Artesia muffled so as you could not easily discerne her and in my sisters apparell which they had taken from her vnder colour of giuing her other did they execute And when I for thy sake especially deare Pyrocles could by no force nor feare be won they assayed the like with my sister by bringing me downe vnder the scaffolde and making me thrust my head vp through a hole they had made therein they did put about my poore necke a dishe of gold whereout they had beaten the bottome so as hauing set bloud in it you sawe how I played the parte of death God knowes euen willing to haue done it in earnest and so had they set me that I reached but on tiptoes to the grounde so as scarcely I could breathe much lesse speake And truely if they had kept me there any whit longer they had strangled me in steed of beheading me but then they tooke me away and seeking to see their issue of this practise they found my noble sister for the deare loue she vouchsafeth to beare me so grieued withall that she willed them to doo their vttermost crueltie vnto her for she vowed neuer to receiue sustenaunce of them that had bene the causers of my murther and finding both of vs euen giuen ouer not like to liue many houres longer and my sister Pamela rather worse then my selfe the strength of her harte worse bearing those indignities the good woman Cecropia with the same pittie as folkes keepe foule when they are not fatte inough for their eating made vs knowe her deceipt and let vs come one to another with what ioye you can well imagine who I know feele the like sauing that we only thought our selues reserued to miseries and therefore fitter for condoling then congratulating For my part I am fully perswaded it is but with a little respite to haue a more feeling sense of the torments she prepares for vs. True it is that one of my guardians would haue me to beleeue that this proceedes of my gentle cousin Amphialus who hauing heard some inckling that we were euill entreated had called his mother to his bedside from whence he neuer rose since his last combat and besought and charged her vpon all the loue she bare him to vse vs with all kindnesse vowing with all the imprecations he could imagine that if euer he vnderstood for his sake that I receiued further hurt then the want of my libertie hee would not liue an houre longer And the good woman sware
heauens do sende The heauens conspir'd to make my vitall sparke A wreched wracke a glasse of Ruines ende Seeing Alas so mightie powers bende Their ireful shotte against so weake a marke Come caue become my graue come death and lende Receipte to me within thy bosome darke For what is life to dayly dieng minde Where drawing breath I sucke the aire of woe Where too much sight makes all the bodie blinde And highest thoughts downeward most headlong throw Thus then my forme and thus my state I finde Death wrapt in flesh to liuing graue assign'd And pawsing but a little with monefull melodie it continued this octaue Like those sicke folkes in whome strange humors flowe Can taste no sweetes the sower onely please So to my minde while passions daylie growe Whose fyrie chaines vppon his freedome feaze Ioies strangers seeme I cannot bide their showe Nor brooke oughte els but well acquainted woe Bitter griefe tastes me best paine is my ease Sicke to the death still louing my disease O Venus saide Zelmane who is this so well acquainted with mee that can make so liuely a portracture of my miseries It is surely the spirit appointed to haue care of me which doth now in this darke place beare parte with the complaints of his vnhappie charge For if it be so that the heauens haue at all times a measure of their wrathefull harmes surely so many haue come to my blistlesse lot that the rest of the world hath too small a portion to make with cause so wailefull a lamentation But saide she whatsoeuer thou be I will seeke thee out for thy musique well assures me wee are at least-hand fellowe prentises to one vngracious master So raise shee and went guiding her selfe by the still playning voice till she sawe vppon a stone a little waxe light set and vnder it a piece of paper with these verses verie lately as it should seeme written in it HOwe is my Sunn whose beames are shining bright Become the cause of my darke ouglie night Or howe do I captiu'd in this darke plight Bewaile the case and in the cause delight My mangled mind huge horrors still doe fright With sense possest and claim'd by reasons right Betwixt which two in me I haue this fight Wher who so wynns I put my selfe to flight Come clowdie feares close vp my daseled sight Sorrowes suck vp the marowe of my might Due sighes blowe out all sparkes of ioyfull light Tyre on despaier vppon my tyred sprite An ende an ende my dulde penn cannot write Nor mas'de head thinke nor faltring tongerecite And hard vnderneath the sonnet were these wordes written This caue is darke but it had neuer light This waxe doth waste it selfe yet painelesse dyes These wordes are full of woes yet feele they none I darkned am who once had clearest sight I waste my harte which still newe torment tryes I plaine with cause my woes are all myne owne No caue no wasting waxe no wordes of griefe Can holde shew tell my paines without reliefe She did not long stay to reade the wordes for not farre off from the stone shee might discerne in a darke corner a Ladie lieng with her face so prostrate vpon the ground as she could neither know nor be knowen But as the generall nature of man is desirous of knowledge and sorrow especially glad to find fellowes she went as softely as she could conuey her foot neere vnto her where she heard these words come with vehement sobbings from her O darkenes saide shee which doest light somly me thinks make me see the picture of my inward darknes since I haue chosen thee to be the secret witnesse of my sorows let me receiue a safe receipte in thee and esteeme them not tedious but if it be possible let the vttering them be some discharge to my ouerloaden breast Alas sorrowe nowe thou hast the full sack of my conquered spirits rest thy selfe a while and set not stil new fire to thy owne spoiles O accursed reason how many eyes thou hast to see thy euills and thou dimme nay blinde thou arte in preuenting them Forlorne creature that I am I would I might be freely wicked since wickednesse doth preuaile but the foote steppes of my ouer-troden vertue lie still as bitter accusations vnto me I am deuided in my selfe howe can I stande I am ouerthrowne in my selfe who shall raise mee Vice is but a nurse of new agonies and the vertue I am diuorsed from makes the hatefull comparison the more manyfest No no vertue either I neuer had but a shadow of thee or thou thy selfe art but a shadow For how is my soule abandoned How are all my powers laide waste My desire is payned because it cannot hope and if hope came his best shoulde bee but mischiefe O strange mixture of humaine mindes onely so much good lefte as to make vs languish in our owne euills Yee infernall furies for it is too late for mee to awake my dead vertue or to place my comforte in the angrie Gods yee infernall furies I say aide one that dedicates her selfe vnto you let my rage bee satisfied since the effecte of it is fit for your seruice Neither bee afraide to make me too happie since nothing can come to appease the smart of my guiltie cōscience I desire but to asswage the sweltring of my hellish longing deiected Gynecia Zelmane no sooner heard the name of Gynecia but that with a colde sweate all ouer her as if she had ben ready to treade vpon a deadly stinging Adder she would haue withdrawne her selfe but her owne passion made her yeelde more vnquiet motions then she had done in comming So that she was perceaued Gynecia sodainely risne vp for in deed it was Ginecia gotten into this Caue the same Caue wherein Dametas had safelie kept Pamela in the late vprore to passe her pangs with change of places And as her minde ranne still vpon Zelmane her piercing louers eye had soone found it was she And seeing in her a countenance to flye away she fell downe at her feete and catching fast hold of her Alas sayd she whether or from whome doost thou flye awaye the sauagest beastes are wonne with seruice and there is no flint but may be mollifyed How is Gynecia so vnworthie in thine eyes or whome cannot aboundance of loue make worthie O thinke not that crueltie or vngratefulnes can flowe from a good minde O weigh Alas weigh with thy selfe the newe effectes of this mightie passion that I vnfit for my state vncomely for my sexe must become a suppliant at thy feete By the happie woman that bare thee by all the ioyes of thy hart and successe of thy desire I beseech thee turne thy selfe to some consideration of me and rather shew pittie in now helping me then into late repenting my death which hourely threatens me Zelmane imputing it to one of her continuall mishaps thus to haue met with this Lady with a full weary countenance Without doubt Madame said
and a Princesse aliue But once for them she might haue gone whether she would thinking it a sacriledge to touch her person when she finding she finding she was not a sufficieÌ„t oratour to perswade her own death by their haÌ„ds well said she it is but so much more time of miserie for my part I will not geue my life so much pleasure from hence forward as to yeeld to his desire of his own choise of death since all the rest is taken away yet let me excell in miserie Leade me therfore whether you will only happy because I can not be more wretched But neyther so much would the honest Shepheards do but rather with many teares bemoned this encrease of their former losse till she was faine to leade them with a very strange spectacle either that a Princesse should be in the hands of Shepheards or a prisoner should direct her gardiens lastly before either witnes or accuser a Lady condemne her selfe to death But in such monefull â—arch they went towards the other Shepheards who in the meane time had left nothing vnassaied to reuiue the King but all was bootles and their sorrowes encreased the more they had suffred any hopes vainly to arise Among other trialls they made to know at least the cause of his end hauing espied the vnhappy cup they gaue the little liquor that was left to a dogge of Damaetas in which within a short time it wrought the like effect although Damaetas did so much to recouer him that for very loue of his life he dasht out his braines But now all togither and hauing Gynaecia among them who to make her selfe the more odious did continuallie record to their mindes the excesse of their losse they yelded themselues ouer to all those formes of lamentacion that dolefull images do imprint in the honest but ouer tender hartes especially when they thinke the rebound of the euill falls to their owne smart Therefore after the auncient greeke maner some of them remembring the nobilitie of his birth continued by being like his Auncestors others his shape which though not excellent yet fauour and pittie drew all things now to the highest point others his peaceable gouernment the thing which most pleaseth men resolued to liue of their owne others his liberalitie which though it cannot light vpon all men yet men naturallie hoping it may be they make it a most amiable vertue Some calling in question the greatnes of his power which encreased the compassion to see the present change hauing a dolefull memorie how he had tempered it with such familier curtesie among them that they did more feele the fruites then see the pompes of his greatnes all with one consent geuing him the sacred titles of good iust mercifull the father of the people the life of his Countrie they ranne about his body tearing their beards and garments some sending their cryes to heauen other inuenting perticular howling musicke manie vowing to kill themselues at the day of his funeralls generallie geuing a true testimonye that men are louing creatures when iniuries put them not from their naturall course and howe easily a thing it is for a Prince by succession deeplie to sinke into the soules of his subiects a more liuely monument then Mausolus Tombe But as with such hartie lamentacion they dispersed among those woods their resounding shrikes the Sunne the perfectest marke of time hauing now gotten vp two howres iourney in his dayly changing Circle their voice helped with the only answering Echo came to the eares of the faithfull and worthy Gentleman Philanax who at that time was comming to visite the King accompanyed with diuers of the worthie Arcadian Lords who with him had visited the places adioyning for the more assurance of Basilius solitarines a thing after the late mutinie he had vsually done and since the Princesses returne more diligentlie continued which hauing nowe likewise performed thinking it as well his duty to see the King as of good purpose being so neare to receyue his further direction accompanied as aboue sayd he was this morning comming vnto him when these vnpleasant voices gaue his minde an vncertaine presage of his neere approching sorow For by and by he saw the bodie of his dearely esteemed Prince and heard Gynecias lamenting not such as the turtle-like loue is wont to make for the euer ouer-soone losse of her only loued make but with curfings of her life detesting her owne wickednes seeming only therefore not to desire death because she would not shew a loue of any thing The Shepheards especially Damaetas knowing him to be the second person in Aucthoritie gaue forthwith relacion vnto him what they knewe and had proued of this dolorous spectacle besides the other accidents of his children But he principally touched with his maisters losse lighting from his horse with a heauie cheare came and kneeled downe by him where finding he could do no more then the Shepheards had for his recouerie the constancie of his minde surprised before he might call together his best rules could not refraine such like words Ah deere maister sayd he what change it hath pleased the Almightie Iustice to worke in this place How soone not to your losse who hauing liued long to nature and to time longer by your well deserued glorie but longest of all in the eternall mansion you now possesse But how soone I say to our ruine haue you left the fraile barke of your estate O that the words in most faithfull dutie deliuered vnto you when you first entred this solitarie course might haue wrought as much perswasion in you as they â—prang from truth in me perchaunce your seruaunt Philanax should not nowe haue cause in your losse to bewayle his owne ouerthrowe And therewith taking himselfe and in deede euill fitteth it me sayde he to let goe my harte to womanish complaints since my Prince being vndoubtedly well it rather shewes loue of my selfe which makes me bewaile mine owne losse No the true loue must be proued in the honor of your memorie and that must be shewed with seeking iust reuenge vpon your vniust and vnnaturall enemies and farre more honorable it will be for your Tombe to haue the blood of your murderers sprinkled vpon it then the teares of your friendes And if your soule looke downe vppon this miserable earth I doubt not it had much rather your death were accompanyed with well deserued punishment of the causers of it then with the heaping on it more sorrowes with the ende of them to whome you vouchsafed your affection let them lament that haue wouen the webbe of lamentacion let theyr owne deathes make them crye out for your death that were the authors of it Therewith carying manfull sorowe and vindicatiâ—e resolucion in his face he rose vp so looking on the poore guiltlesse princesse transported with an vniust iustice that his eyes were sufficient herauldes for him to denounce a mortall hatred She whome furies of loue firebrands of her conscience shame of the
protested the lawes of Arcadia would not allowe any iudgement of her although she her selfe were to determine nothing till age or marriage enabled her Then the Kings body being layde vppon a Table iust before Euarchus and all couered ouer with blacke the prisoners namely the Queene and two young Princes were sent for to appeare in the Protectors name which name was the cause they came not to knowledge how neere a kinseman was to iudge of them but thought him to be some Noble man chosen by the Country in this extremitye So extraordinary course had the order of the heauens produced at this time that both nephewe and sonne were not only prisoners but vnknowen to their vncle and father who of many yeares had not seene them And Pyrocles was to pleade for his life before that throne in which throne lately before he had saued the Kings life But first was Gynecia led foorth in the same weedes that the daye and night before she had worne sauing that in stead of Zelmanes garment in which she was founde she had cast on a long cloake which reached to the ground of russed course cloath with a poore felt hat which almost couered all her face most part of her goodly heare on which her hands had layd many a spitefull holde so lying vpon her shoulders as a man might well see had no artificiall carelesnes Her eyes downe on the ground of purpose not to looke on Pyrocles face which she did not so much shunne for the vnkindnes she conceaued of her owne ouerthrow as for the feare those motions in this short time of her life should be reuiued which she had with the passage of infinite sorrowes mortified Great was the compassion the people felt to see their Princesse state and beawtie so deformed by fortune and her owne desert whome they had euer found a Lady most worthy of all honour But by and by the sight of the other two prisoners drewe most of the eyes to that spectacle Pyrocles came out led by Sympathus cloathed after the Greeke manner in a long coate of white veluet reaching to the small of his legge with great buttons of Diamonds all along vppon it His neck without any coller not so much as hidden with a ruffe did passe the whitenes of his garments which was not much in fashion vnlike to the crimson rayment our Knightes of the order first put on On his feete he had nothing but slippers which after the auncient manner were tyed vp with certayne laces which were fastened vnder his knee hauing wrapped about with many pretty knots his naked legs His fayre auberne heare which he ware in great length and gaue at that time a delightfull shew with being sturd vp and downe with the breath of a gentle winde had nothing vppon it but a white Ribbin in those dayes vsed for a Diademe Which rolled once or twise about the vppermost parte of his forehead fell downe vppon his backe cloased vp at each ende with the richest pearle were to be seene in the world After him followed an other Noble man guiding the noble Musidorus Who had vpon him a long cloake after the fashion of that which we call the Apostles mantle made of purple Satten not that purple which we now haue and is but a counterfet of the Getulian purple which yet was farre the meaner in price and estimacion but of the right Tyrian purple which was neerest to a cullour betwixt our murrey and skarlet On his head which was blacke and curled he ware a Persian Tiara all set downe with rowes of so rich Rubies as they were inough to speake for him that they had to iudge of no meane personage In this sorte with erected countenaunces did these vnfortunate Princes suffer themselues to be ledd shewing aright by the comparison of them and Ginecia how to diuers persons compassion is diuersly to be sturred For as to Ginecia a Ladie knowne of great estate and greatly esteemed the more miserable representation was made of her sodaine ruyne the more mens heartes were forced to bewayle such an euident witnesse of weake humanitie so to these men not regarded because vnknowne but rather besides the detestacion of their facte hated as straungers the more they shoulde haue falne downe in an abiecte semblance the more in steed of compassion they shoulde haue gotten contempt but therefore were to vse as I may tearme it the more violence of magnanimitye and so to conquer the expectation of the lookers with an extraordinarye vertue And such effecte in deede it wrought in the whole assemblye theyr eyes yet standing as it were in ballance to whether of them they should most directe theyr sight Musidorus was in stature so much higher then Pyrocles as commonly is gotten by one yeares growth His face now beginning to haue some tokens of a beard was composed to a kinde of manlike beawtie His cullour was of a well pleasing brownenes the features of it such as they caried both delight and maiestie his countenance seuere and promising a minde much giuen to thinking Pyrocles of a pure complexion and of such a cheerefull fauour as might seeme either a womans face on a boy or an excellent boyes face in a woman His looke gentle and bashfull which bred the more admiracion hauing shewed such notable proofes of courage Lastly though both had both if there were any ods Musidorus was the more goodly and Pyrocles the more louely But assoone as Musidorus saw himselfe so farre forth led among the people that he knew to a great number of them his voyce should be heard misdoubting their intention to the Princesse Pamela of which he was more carefull then of his owne life euen as he went though his leader sought to interrupt him he thus with a lowde voyce spake vnto them And is it possible ô Arcadians sayd he that you can forget the naturall dutie you owe to your Princesse Pamela hath this soyle bene so little beholding to her noble Auncesters hath so long a time rooted no surer loue in your hearts to that line Where is that faith to your Princes blood which hath not only preserued you from all daungers heretofore but hath spred your fame to all the nations in the world Where is the iustice the Arcadians were wont to flourish in whose nature is to render to euery one his owne Will you now keepe the right from your Prince who is the only geuer of iudgement the keye of iustice and life of your lawes Do you hope in a fewe yeares to set vp such another race which nothing but length of time can establish Will you reward Basilius children with vngratefulnes the very poyson of manhood Will you betray your long setled reputation with the fowle name of traytors Is this your mourning for your Kings death to encrease his losse with his daughters misery Imagin your Prince do looke out of the heauens vnto you what do you thinke he could wish more at your hands then
fellowes accusation was double double likewise my aunswere must perforce be to the murder of Basilius and violence offred to the inuiolate Philoclea For the fyrst O heauenly gods who would haue thought any mouth could haue bene founde so mercenary as to haue opened so slight proofes of so horrible matters his fyrst Argument is a question who would imagine that Ginecia would accomplish such an Acte without some accessaries and if any who but I truly I and so farre from imagining any thing that till I sawe these mourning tokens and heard Ginecias confession I neuer imagined the King was dead And for my part so vehemently and more like the manner of passionate then giltie folkes I see the Queene persecute her selfe that I thinke condemnation may goe too hastely ouer her considering the vnlikelyhood if not impossibilitie her wisedome and vertue so long nourished should in one moment throw downe it selfe to the vttermost ende of wickednes But whatsoeuer she hath done which as I say I neuer beleeued yet how vniustly should that aggrauate my fault She founde abroade I within dores for as for the wearing my garment I haue tolde you the cause she seeking as you saye to escape I locking my selfe in a house without perchaunce the conspiracie of one poore straunger might greatly enable her attempt or the fortification of the Lodge as the trimme man alleadged might make me hope to resist all Arcadia And see how treacherously he seekes to drawe from me my chiefest cleering by preuenting the credit of her words wherewith she had wholie taken the fault vpon her selfe A honest and vnpartiall examiner her words may condemne her but may not absolue me Thus voide of all probable allegacion the crauen crowes vppon my affliction not leauing out any euill that euer he hath felt in his owne soule to charge my youth withall But who can looke for a sweeter breath out of such a stomacke or for honny from so filthye a Spyder What should I say more if in so inhumane a matter which he himselfe confesseth sincerest iudgements are lothest to beleeue and in the seuerest lawes proofes clerer then the Sunne are required his reasons are only the skumme of a base malice my answeres most manifest shining in their owne truth there remayne any doubt of it because it stands betwixt his affirming and my denyall I offer nay I desire and humblie desire I may be graunted the tryall by combat wherein let him be armed and me in my shirt I doubt not Iustice will be my shield and his hart will shew it selfe as faint as it is false Now come I to the second part of my offence towards the young Lady which howsoeuer you tearme it so farre forth as I haue tolde you I confesse and for her sake hartely lament But if herein I offred force to her loue offred more force to me Let her beawtie be compared to my yeares and such effectes will be found no miracles But since it is thus as it is and that iustice teacheth vs not to loue punishment but to flye to it for necessitye the salue of her honour I meane as the world will take it for else in truth it is most vntouched must be my marriage and not my death since the one shops all mouthes the other becommes a doubtfull fable This matter requires no more words and your experience I hope in these cases shall neede no more for my selfe me thinkes I haue shewed already too much loue of my life to bestowe so many But certainely it hath bene loue of truth which could not beare so vnworthy falsehood and loue of iustice that would brooke no wrong to my selfe nor other and makes me now euen in that respect to desire you to be moued rather with pittie at a iust cause of teares then with the bloudy teares this Crocodile spends who weepes to procure death and not to lament death It will be no honour to Basilius tombe to haue guiltlesse bloud sprinckled vpon it and much more may a Iudge ouerway himselfe in crueltie then in clemencie It is hard but it is excellent where it is found a right knowledge when correction is necessary when grace doth more auaile For my owne respect if I thought in wisedome I had deserued death I would not desire life for I knowe nature will condemne me to dye though you do not and longer I would not wish to drawe this breath then I may keepe my selfe vnspotted of any horrible crime only I cannot nor euer will denye the loue of Philoclea whose violence wrought violent effects in me with that he finished his speeche casting vp his eyes to the Iudge and crossing his hands which he held in their length before him declaring a resolute pacience in whatsoeuer should be done with him Philanax like a watchfull aduersary curiously marked all that he saide sauing that in the beginning he was interrupted by two Letters were brought him from the Princesse Pamela and the Lady Philoclea who hauing all that night considered and bewayled their estate carefull for their mother likewise of whome they could neuer thinke so much euill but considering with themselues that she assuredly should haue so due tryall by the lawes as eyther she should not neede their helpe or should be past their helpe They looked to that which neerelyest touched them and each wrate in this sort for him in whome their liues ioy consisted The humble harted Philoclea wrate much after this manner MY Lords what you will determine of me is to me vncertayne but what I haue determined of my selfe I am most certaine which is no longer to enioy my life then I may enioy him for my husband whom the heauens for my hyest glory haue bestowed vpon me Those that iudge him let them execute me Let my throate satisfye their hunger of murder For alas what hath he done that had not his originall in me Looke vppon him I beseech you with indifferency and see whether in those eyes all vertue shines not See whether that face could hide a murder Take leasure to knowe him and then your selues will say it hath bene too great an inhumanitie to suspect such excellency Are the gods thinke you deceaued in their workemanship Artificers will not vse marble but to noble vses Should those powers be so ouershot as to frame so precious an Image of their owne but to honorable purposes O speake with him ô heare him ô knowe him and become not the putters out of the worlds light Hope you to ioy my fathers soule with hurting him he loued aboue all the world Shall a wrong suspicion make you forget the certaine knowledge of those benefits this house hath receiued by him Alas alas let not Arcadia for his losse be accurssed of the whole earth and of all posteritie He is a great Prince I speake vnto you that which I knowe for I haue seene most euident testimonies Why should you hinder my aduancement who if I haue past my childhood hurtlesse to