worthie Common-wealth then will wee oppose our selues against their threats and seeke such a mends for this mischiefe as shall with iust iudgement pull downe their puffed vp plumes and turne them out againe into the wide world to become a worser skorne of mischance With this answere the messengers departing and hauing tolde at home their seuerall tales it so displeased the Princes that presently without further delay they would the next morning furiously with both their forces set vpon the gouernours of their countrie and when they had conquered them then be take themselues to striue whether should bee sole conqueror Word whereof being spéedily brought to the Senatours they against y e next morning gins prepare all their power and pitching their battell vpon the bosome of a broad plaine that lay betwixt the enemies leaguers made offer to fight with them both at once Which when the enemies saw they as readie to take the occasion as the other to offer gins furiously to set vpon them where ioyning streight at handie stroakes there followed a long and furious fight the victorie to neither part declining till at last Adrianus that then had the charge of a Cornet of horse breaking into the bowels of the enemies battels wrought such wonderfull atchiuements as made him iustly accounted for the best approued souldier that that countrie did euer containe with whose worth the foes were so discōfited that on a sudden affrighted they betooke themselues to flight whom he eagerly following ouertooke the two Kings that by chance had met in the battel eagerly occupying their seete to escape y ◠scourge of their enemies hands whom hee surprising brought backe againe to their homes and presented them to the Senate as the first fruites of his fortune Where by this time were gathered together the most of those gouernours to gratulate their forward friends that were returned safe from the fight who wondering at his worth could not sufficiently commend his courage but consulting now with themselues what were best to be done in this dangerous busines How after that these two Kings were ouercome Adrianus was chosen king of that countrie and how he came to know his father and mother by which the former falshood was descried CHAP. 9. AT last they thought it best that since these two balefull brethrē did euen in their captiuitie still deny to take vpō them the mutuall gouernment of that kingdome intended for their after quiet to choose some one of these worthies y t had there wrought their release And for that they would not incurre the displeasure of any of those coequall Captaines that had so brauely demeaned themselues a motion was made amongst them that for so much as there was no lineall succession left for the inheritance of their kingdome they then had thus determined to cast lots amongst them all so to choose their King which fell vpon Adrianus of whom they were as glad as his owne hap was good who with euery seuerall ceremonie belonging to the coronation of such a King established in that countrie hée first recals from their banishment all those Outlawes by whom he was brought thither and preferring of his friend and sometimes his Captaine to a place of great authoritie in his kingdome taught him to imploy his wit in the building of that Common-wealth vp againe the which afore he laboured to pull downe This Captaine we tolde you before had by Liuia his wife a fayre daughter named Laryna to whom Adrianus in the time of his abode in her fathers house had oftentimes made loue and shée with like fauour requited him who but for the sudden sound of these new wrought warres had by the consent of their parents before inioyed the pleasure they both so instantly desired who then comming to the Court with her mother the two captiue Quéenes and the rest of their retinue was presently by the consent of the Senate who desired nothing more then some issuing heires that might successiuely follow in the possession of this kingdome coupled in marriage with this new King After which ioyfull day the King and the Quéene with the rest of the Nobles gathered together cals in those captiue brethren to know the cause whence grew their discord and the two women to inquire of them what had béen the manner of their former liues Where when they were all met the old Quéenes séeing their husbands there fast in fetters touched with a remorce of conscionce fals downe before them and there confessed the whole course of their liues and the murthering of their children By the circumstances of whose tale and the time thereof these two lost children there found out their seuerall parents and so faults on both sides forgiuen and iniuries on euery part made euen they spent the rest of their dayes in solemne contrition for their former faults FINIS
enmitie and talke now of their solemne contrition wherein we must not wey the ruine of their childrens rape but the remorce of their sins remembrance faults that are péeuishly persecuted deserues the pitie of no one but crimes wilfully committed with the remedie of repentance are mightlly amended Which in these two proued most true for there each other confessing to themselues in these peril 's the daungers they did one to another in their peace with womanish woe that ofter in teares more bewayles their vnfortunate ends then they foresec their two forward beginnings and then with many teares tormeÌ„ts themselues too much which they might well haue preuented with a little cursing too late that which is come at last vpon those crimes they committed at the first And here let me shew their vnconstant state not standing alwaies in a stay but wauering like the winde sometimes prosecuting with loathed disdaine them which once they did follow with louing desire then changing their copie as cowards do their countenance that wauer with the wind of euery buzzards blast they againe begin to desire what before so déepely detested sometimes with hastie men too soone bréeding their own sorrowe and then with sloathfull siuggards deferring too long to salue their owne sores oftentimes weauing their owne woe when they suppose they worke anothers wracke For so vnwarie are their wits that they neuer think of that should follow from the force of that which goes before but like the vnfortunate Larke that drawne downe with the dazeling glide of a deceiuing glasse delighting so long in his game till he be catched in the gin so fares it with these fond fooles that God knowes are too gréedie of some siluer deceiuing shewes and yet busie enough to bite off others golden baites Yet not so prouident as the poore Sparrowe that hauing escaped the foulers fetter with her chéerefull chirping giues notice to the rest of her neighbours but where themselues haue seene many fall they yet desperatly follow Here might I extend this Satyricall vaine but that I wil not be accounted as one that loathes what other meÌ„ loues therfore wish they could amend what euen themselues sees plainly amisse and in themselues learn to feare that which by example of their owne sexe they cannot beware And thus pitying them whose hurt rests onely in themselues to helpe I will referre you to wonder at these two wicked women whose déedes had so far diuided theÌ„ till that vnlooked for luck had met them together againe in that desolate place whom deseruing diuorce had parted in their peopled palace there gin they one to another relate the tragicke storie of their forepassed purposes in their diuers imaginations of each others iniurie till at last according in one consent they mutually moue what they had malitiously ment till that lamenting each to other their lewd liues they with instant iutreaties solicites the neuersayling forces of all helping heauens that with fauour they would looke vpon their faults that had indéede deserued their iust frownes For such must I néedes say is the composition of those though often careles yet more vsuall comfortable creatures that if for want oâ— well guiding gouernment they sometimes fade yet seldome doe they for euer fall For such is their flexible nature as like the Philosophers table they willingly impose vpon themselues euery seuerall impression but commonly their nature nourishes but one as when the profit prouing merchant viewes the seuerall sorts of sundrie commodities though there be many that hée well could like of yet is there but some fewe that especially he can loue so is it in the seldome securitie of this sexe that busying themselues with many they binde themselues but to a few Nay shall I compare them to a fitter forme of reason resembling creatures as when the Lapwing houering farre from her nest séemes to descry the daunger of her young néere hand which hée that suffers his patiens to search shall finde farre off so haue I heard it proued true of them whose policie in this I must néedes approue if well performed to bée perfect for that they colour thereby the cunning of their own skill and withdraw the otherwise beholders affections farre off not to looke to that practise they in such secret performe But now leaue we theÌ„ in this inforciue peace y â— end of their selfe-wrought warre learning to liue like the Lion in feare that lightly before regarded the libertie of loue and looke backe againe to our first painfull pilgrime How Perseus came to the Court of Ferdinand the French King and of him got ayde for the recouerie of his countrie CHAP. 5. PErseus seeking some refuge after he had forsaken the companie of his vnsuspected sonne at last directs his course to clime the mightie Alpes and goe renew his acquaintance now in France in his age that he had got there in his youth where his olde father had kept him long at schoole to learne there the rudiments of arte whereof their owne countrie was not then so well stored where comming to the Kings court was at the first lightly receiued of them whom sometimes hée had graced with his companie imitating the example of vnmerciful masters that when a sillie seruant wherein was sometimes their treasure fals by mishap to any sudden mischance theÌ„ presently accounts he not of him so wâ—ll as of a slaue whoÌ„ he was wont to vse familiarly as his friend Yet at the last vncouering the cause of his care and with teares telling them the truth of two true stories Ferdinand for so was then that French kings name pitying the ill happe of his age of whom there was such great hope in his youth answers him againe in teares the ensignes of griefe and comforting on him vp with the presages of more fauourable fortune gins bid him but deuise with himselfe how hée might any wise doe him good and he would willingly not onely imploy his countrie and kingdome but hazzard his owne health to doe it though now death had displayed his colours on his hoarie head and currishly counterchecks his courage Which reply so relieued the dying countenance of this other worse then captiue king as that calling backe his deâ—aying sences whose vigores were now all mustering about the labouring heart euery one expecting a sundrie answere for their seuerall release makes him begin againe to looke for longer life who before desired nothing more then a spéedie death And first with humble thankes rendring to the king he begins to explaine vnto him his intended purpose which was that if hee could by his friendly fauour get but againe together a moytie of those men which before he had missed and by his owne negligence vndone his intent was againe to inuade his countrie and set himselfe once more in his kingdome To whom the old king offered all spéedie ayde he was able to performe whom we leaue a while mustering their souldiers to send ouer the Alps into Italie and
now talke of Theseus How Theseus perswading the King of Barbary to the spoyle of his countrie obtained the ayde of the Moores CHAP. 6. THeseus who after by the means of his vnknowne daughter had fréed himselfe from that danger shipping himselfe in a little gallie that was then going ouer into Africa hee committeth himselfe to y ◠mercie of the seas from whom the well wishing windes had soone set him free Where when he came he politikely begins to consort himselfe with a noble man whom the blacke king of that countrie had before whilest these two brethren did together louingly sway the Scepter of their quiet kingdome imployed vpon ambassage vnto them and vnto him delates his drift telling how he by the means of mutinous subiects was wrested out of his countrie and kingdome driuen to seeke reliefe in that strange soyle protesting that if he could by any meanes come by sufficient supply of men and munition that would but in reuenge of these iniuries ouerrun his countries he not looking againe to possesse his Crowne would yéeld vp both the spoyle of his countrie and the possessiō of his kingdome to the conquerour To which pleasing tale the Moore giuing some eare for that in them was rooted an old grudge against the Italians spurs speedily to the King to certifie him of this offered occasion of rigorous reuenge vpon their old enemies To whom he listening desirous both to scourge that countrie that had oft scourged him and also to inlarge the bounds of his kingdome beyond the border of the binding sea that separates those seuerall parts of the world and kéepes the inhabitants within the compasse of their owne countrie offers hastie helpe to the performance of the others request and in the meane time whilest all these things were making readie they contrary to their former sort of ciuilitie gētly entertaine him vnder whose colour they were in such hope of successe in those wished warres Now begins the coale black curres reioyce within themselues in very conceit of conquest diuiding the spoyles before they were about to begin the battell telling of their triumphs before they well knew what it was they should winne here are whole Dukedomes cast away at dice vpon a drummes head before they almost dreamed what it was that should be had where wee will a while leaue them two prouiding their pretended forces for Italy and come againe to the Outlawes where wee left Liuias daughter coupled in marriage with their chiefe Captaine How the Outlawes seeking their pray by chance met with Adrianus the wild man and how they perswaded him to leaue that place and what followed therof CHAP. 7. THey after their custome diuiding themselues into diuers cōpanies searches al y e conueying wayes of their countrie for to finde some fit pray where some of them trauailing further thē their accustomed compasse because fortune had not affoorded them such fauour as at the first to spéede themselues they were therefore inforced to followe the trace of some way in which they hoped at last though it were too long to méete with some or other bootie that would bountiously guerdon their trauaile So long they traced to and fro that they got vp to the top of a high hill whence they might see downe belowe in the dale a man alone whose shew was not such as they wished trimmed vp in gorgeous golden apparell but couered with a beasts skinne on his backe bearing a knottie club such weapons as nature there had framed for him and walking vp and downe in these deserts made the sillie beasts with obeisance crouch to his countenance as did Alcides terrifie the furies in the bosome of burning hell This was Adrianus that was there alone walking the wide circute of those melancholie meades to whom they posting apace thinking by surprizing him though of himselfe they should reape small commoditie yet by his meanes they might bee directed to some more profitable place This sauage man looking back and séeing so many suddenly descend from the top of y e hil whose vnorderly approach as he supposed pretended little good he naturally foreséeing what inconueniences might followe addressing himselfe to his defence with his naturall wrought weapon which was a young oken plant and perceiuing them especially to shape their course to him stoutly stands still to see some end of their actions To whom when they came néere his fierce countenance halfe afrighted them that standing all still like the starre gazers at the transforming head of Gorgon durst not once so much as enquire what he was till one hairebraine companion taking the aduantage of his weapon that was not vsed to the cunning sleights of fence got quickly within him and shifting himselfe from the weightie fall of his club supposed with some nimble sleight to ouercome him which when the sauage man perceiued getting hold of him with one of his hands before the other had performed his purpose giues him such gripe as squisies perforce the pithie marrow from most of his strength bearing bones and so leaues him suddenly slaine that intended such vnacquainted iniurie to him Which whē the rest of his fellowes saw being about fortie in number though halfe afrayd all of them to set vpon that sillie one yet loath to leaue their fellowes ruine vnreuenged they begin altogether to assault him who with the weight of his weapon delt such right downe blowes amongst them as whosoeuer it lighted on it quite killed or at the least lamed them Long continued their combat for that they sustained the foile and therefore were loath for their credits to leaue the field yet at y e length being almost halfe of them spoyled or quite spilled the rest dispayring to runne away least he should ouertake their flight in all humilitie suddenly throwes downe themselues at his feete intreating fauour for their rash offence and that their fellowes death might satisfie his desire on whom his gentle nature could not inflict further furie but with a good will accepts their homage as they offer their humilitie And then falling into further conference begins discourse vnto him what they were and to what ende they were come thither whom he handles with all humilitie laying open vnto them his owne estate his manner of life in those peopleles places and what euer had happened vnto him since his first remembrance carrying them home to his Caue and there letting them see the manner of his life where they found sorrowfully sitting these two sad sisters whose fore ill spent liues had brought vpon them this losse to whom he also begins to relate the strange manner of their arriual At last after they had walked with him round about the borders of his bounds they begin to disswade him from that beastly place of abode to goe abroad into the world and there learne to liue like a man shewing what daunger was in the one and what delight in the other perswading him that by y e meanes time would try the trueth of
this his fedious search in be wraying the meanes by which he was brought thither Unto whom a great while he would giue no eare because it should seeme that contented estate wherein he then stoode so fitted his humour as that he little regarded all the gay stories they could tell him of glorie or dignity wealth or whatsoeuer good thing this world doth giue Yet at the last with their incessant perswasions he determined a while to goe trie the trueth of their storie but with this promise that as they profered honestly to vse himselfe so should they also kindly comfort those two distressed women that had vnhappily straied from their homes and rely them only vpon his reliefe Which they with many protestations solemnely promised to doe And so in the end taking away with him those two by whose meanes he was made the subiect of that nuschāce departed altogether from that place and iournied towards their homes againe In which way nothing was done saue that they still were telling one to another the storie of their foreled liues and with that tattle beguiling the time till they came to the place where was their abode and there presenting to their Captaine their pray they begin to relate what happened them in their iourney Thus with many salutations was he intertained and often imployed in their affayres wherein he so prosperously procéeded as that he was not onely beloued of all the companie but déerely estéemed of their chief Captaine and so still imployed abroad In the meane time were the poore Quéenes whom fortune had thus baned to and fro busied at home for by this time were these Outlawes waxen excéeding rich and their Captaine intirely affecting Liuia his wife daughter to one of these vnknowne Quéenes had carefully prouided her of the curiousest conceits that all that countrie did affoord where for that these two women that had sometimes béen Princes ouer many people could well skill of that kind of pāpering pride which women are wonted to vse grew in such great request with their Ladie that aboue all her attendants they especially were honoured Here hence grew they again into a new mutinie which of them should best deserue to bee desired one priuilie seeking to spoile what another had curiously conceited the other practizing means to hinder her sisters work that it might proue of little worth Long in this sort gan they disagrée till at last with their enuious emulation they stirred vp all the assemblie to such strife as had not the care of the charie Captaine in time reformed it had brought selfe-working harme vpon their owne heads Such was the grounded malice of these two cruell creatures as that though feare in extremitie made them agrée as friends yet in the least shew of péeping prosperitie they begin again the fierce assaults of deadly foes Who for the better agréement of their whole house they were glad to separate in twaine to sée if that bred friendship being asunder that brought out nothing but hatred betwixt them whilest they were together How both the Kings brought their borrowed armies both together into the countrie and how the citizens leuied armes against them and what was the end of that warre CHAP. 8. IN the meane time whilest these things had thus happened the two disseuered Kings of whō before wee tolde you had brought in both their seuerall supplies of men and munition for the conquering of their lost kingdomes and pitching their tents vpon the territories of that carefull kingdome begins with intermissiue messages to sommon the inhabitants to render ouer againe that rule which so long they had retained Where in the Senat house at one time méetes both these messengers crauing the kingdome for their seuerall masters yet till that time those cursed Kings had not heard what was become one of another To whom the Senatours wisely with curteous countenances gaue this answer That for so much as they were there met to challenge the kingdome seuerally to themselues which should bee ioyntly inioyed of them both pleased but their Lordships to giue them leisure for these fewe dayes to consider of this case and then they would answere them both to their owne contents With which answere the messengers departed back againe to their seuerall masters After whose absence these carefull pillers of that crafte Common-wealth begins to consider with themselues what were best to doe in these daungerous dayes At length they thought good themselues that to auoyde the inconueniences which was likely to light vpon them by this purpose it were best for them as they did at the first to gather forces together for by other meanes they would not bée appeased and by that deuise assay to driue them backe againe Which the better to effect for that countrie was scarse able of it selfe to affoord sufficient force for that fight they presently dispatch assurance of pardon and promise of rich rewarde and great dignities to the Captaines of all those Outlawes that were incamped in seuerall places of that countrie if but by such a day they would bring in their seuerall powers to the ende they might augment their armie against these home-borne enemies Which proclamations was so effectually performed as that within a short time there were gathered together an infinit number of such people as liued in the mountains and other remote places of that countrie vpon the spoyle of other people amongst whom was the band of Outlawes wherein Adrianus was intertained who being gathered altogether began to addresse themselues to the seuerall functions in furnishing themselues to the field In the meane time came the day wherin they were to giue answer to their seuerall demaunds At what time comes back both the Harolds to knowe their determinations To whom the Senatours foreappoynted for that purpose begins thus mildly to resolue them in their requests Since quoth he the state of these times wherein wee now liue requireth such suretie of safegard as may withstand the enuious force of any froward fortune wée to preuent the purpose your ill meaning masters intende which is no lesse then the ruine and decay of our whole Common-wealth as strongly as wee may haue here furnished our selues with such forces as this time and place could affoord But for that once which we must euer confesse they were our happie Kings though now they be vnhappie people and that of right to them doth belong this gouernment that wee now guide if they setting aside all sinister hate will come and friendly againe repossesse this Crowne and kingdome and with mutuall loue striue to maintaine that which with their enuious emulation they now massacre and maime then on our shoulders will we beare their burthens and with according strength helpe them to stay this tottering state which their déedes haue almost brought to decay but if incensed with the fire of furious flaming enuie they wil not worke their thoughts conformable to this thing but with fire and sworde will néedes lay waste this sometimes