against them penetrable only by the Armes of innocence and internall purity Againe for me to get me gone without you is altogether impossible You say you are married and yet I know you are not the Embassadours of Pontus and your father had no authority to binde you you onely are shee that makes up the Matrimony and shee that may choose and refuse to make it The parts thereof are yet both in their entire and both free The bonds of the two Lawes Humane and Divine though they be made ready to binde you have not bound you yet though so as they cannot be thereby any way infringed A true and lawfull Matrimony indeede it would be that you accepting mee for your servant and husband would vouchsafe to blesse mee by pronouncing one single voluntary Yea that then I might ascertaine you that the hopes you please to build on me are neither vaine nor ruinous Humane inclinations were ever subject to perswasions The Princesse who meerely for Ormondo's fame was in some sort enamoured of him ere ever shee saw him now after seeing him accompanied with so many vertues so excellently-excelling as onely one of them was able to dignifie and make worthy any Cavalier whatsoever became so enflamed with love of him that the Matrimony contracted seemed a hell to her wherefore doubting whether shee should ever more light on the like occasion her affection being already unvail'd shee deem'd it best to unvaile also her desire fetching then a deepe sigh that intimated the as yet doubtfulnesse of her hopes shee thus bespeakes him Prince of Illirio I render you not thankes for your love as according to the custome of the times I should doe because I like not the being an affectate follower of the common stile I follow mine owne and have as I conceive my reason for it knowing that who so loves loves for his owne affections sake so as the obligations and reciprocall duties so complementally professed amongst friends are words meerely superfluous and tearmes and names unfit to bee used Touching now what you offer me I am perswaded you doe it not without having first examined the difficulty of the enterprize with your dangers and their consequences Let me now then see in case I pronounced your desired Yea what for the lesse dangerous course would you take to have me Whereto Ormondo all-joyfull answered The usuall course Madame in such cases throughout all the world The Prince of Thrace my Couzen will lend mee his Galley which is one of the swiftest that ever furrowed the Ocean Come once but to set footing in Illirico I then feare not all the powers of the world for your Father and Brother they will I perswade my selfe be glad upon comprehending the exchange you have made of a litle King for a great kingdome And for Arbone I conceive no occasion you have to feare him Arnelinda would not resolve of any thing for that present but tooke time to thinke thereon which served for an item for the now halfe-promised bride-groome to prepare himselfe Ormondo was then come from the Easterne parts with an intent to returne homewards but passing from Phenicia to Cyprus hee there chanced to finde Serpidoro Prince of Thrace his Cozen german with whom hee being bred up from a childe and both of them having learnt the exercises of Chivalry together there sprung from this their conversation a friendship which transcended the love of blood the strongest tye of the most part of kinsmen which gave to as many as knew them an example of an illimited love without paragon Now Serpidoro had after having given the chase to some vessels of pirates which he afterwards tooke in the Cilician Sea heard of the neighbouring nuptialls in Cyprus whither he thereupon retired with one sole Galley having sent the rest home with an intention to trie himselfe in Armes at the Tourney where finding beyond his expectation his endeer'd Cozen Ormondo they both resolved to maintaine the lists against all the adventurers of the jousts But this new amorous congresse set their braines a working on new deliberations Serpidoro causing upon Ormondo's scarce opening of his mouth his Galley to bee new-calk'd and rigg'd with giving speciall order that nothing should bee wanting her that might any way make her more usefull and serviceable to steed his friend Senesteo King of Cyprus and more than hee the Prince Ortomano his sonne enamoured of the qualities and faire disposition of Ormondo did him all imaginable honour not without repining though too late that it had not fallen to their lot to have had him insteede of Arbone now that they perceived him somewhat affectionately enclined to Arnelinda Love the fire of the minde being hardly smothered and therefore not unlike the elementall fire which if it flame not must needs smoake The Princesse assoone as Ormondo was parted from her summoned all her thoughts before the tribunall of her judgement the maine subject of her consideration in her case was the sole point of honour the arguments about which were great but all solved by the title of Matrimony For her father she imagined that he being discreete would not be displeased thereat not because children stolne away ease their fathers of their duty of caring or doing for them such being onely a shake-off excuse and advantage of base and servile-minded people but because the affinity with so great a King might steed him very much besides the having of so valorous a Prince for his sonne-in-law of whom hee might promise himselfe more than of the King of Pontus whose foole-hardy rashnesse could not but stirre up suspicion in him and in her feare and terrour A discourse wholly tending to the substance since shee could not light on any opposition touching any outward apparance feature or demeanour shee conceiting that no other man than Ormondo could ever make her happy that no other than he deserved the Epithet of handsome proper and well-carriaged that no face speech or behaviour could be esteeme-worthy or gracefull that either in aspect accent or manners any thing differed from his In briefe shee conceived that in him alone was comprehended all humane good wherein though shee indeed was not much deceived yet concludes that not for all that shee could not bee beguiled as for the most part are deceivable all such Matrimonies whose ends are venery and lust such not eiyng but where they like For pleasure being an enemy to the privation of it selfe abhorres the sight of the unlovely parts for not being constrain'd to loathe them and hath for feeding that its humour perpetually fixed on the lovely parts more eyes than Argos but is to the lothsome ones starke blinde Or if he hood-wink'd see any of them hee may then chafe and fret and perhaps perswade himselfe to bee mistaken but not have the power to disolve any part of his beloved object so as the thought there of either flies away like a bird or vanisheth like a spirit For her brother shee saw no
unable to governe speculations having brought him to be now dotish and good for nothing The seven yeares being past Riverargo thinking to obtaine of Restargo for Cretaneo such liberty as Cretaneo had before granted him for Restargo mov'd him earnestly for it but where two natures are different 't is certaine that their effects cannot but be unlike Which we may heare confirmed by the example of Restargo who judging Riverargo's pitty to be too-too-tender shewed him That in setting him at liberty he should commit a fourth errour whilst the three former one his and Cretanco's two pointed at it so apparantly His when building on his brothers over-good nature hee came and put himselfe like a sheepe into his hands Cretaneo's first when depriving him of his liberty he bereav'd him not also of his life and the other that he restored him to the one without taking away the other yet that having then err'd both of them without a precedent example they were in some sort excuse-worthy but that now a fourth errour would be altogether inexcusable and yet more especially this of his for offending so grossely against the rule of the former three Offend he should against the first in relying againe on that good nature which he had already found passionate in a case of a lesse offence and also expose himselfe against the second and third with danger of life having at both their costs learnt That fierce beasts will not endure the goade's pricking but must be either pierced quite through or not touch'd at all Nay though it so were not yet even common sense taught him that a person injured never pardons unlesse he be either extraordinarily good or irrevocably foolish Now he but too well knew that Cretaneo was no foole though they indeed made of him such nor yet that good natured man they tooke him for having beene so constantly wedded to his anger for seven yeares space And ' though yet he were as good-natur'd as man can be yet were it bad relying on it since a man is chang'd in an instant especially where the Clock of good nature hath for counterpoyses passions and injuries Besides that he should not lose the quality of good Revenge in Kings writing it selfe in great Characters IVSTICE With such reasons he not onely satisfied but terrified Riverargo but more especially by making him comprehend himselfe to be a complice in the fault for having of his owne proper authority entitled himselfe Governour perswading him therefore to governe thenceforwards with the title no more of Governours but of Kings Agreed on 't they consecrated in Mount Ida Priest to Iove Lascaro onely sonne to Cretaneo and causing him to renounce his pretences both to the Crowne and all worldly things else they necessitated him to flie For being for his pusillanimity hated of his fathers friends he not onely wanted the things necessary for his lives sustenance but had also his feares increased in such a manner that suspecting to be one day ill intreated he went his way whither no newes was ever sithence heard of him Meane while the two Kings commanded equally and caused money to be coyned under their stampes images and names writing themselves Kings over all till such time as Restargo desirous to reigne alone told the other That the people could not brooke two Kings a novelty to speake the truth monstrous and examplelesse That he therefore had designed to take for his part the Dukedomes of Cidone and Ritinna united and leave to his brother solely both the Kingdome and Royall Title so to prevent with the disgust the insurrection of the people But Riverargo a lover of ease thinking the both States equalled both the title and kingdome advantaged with the being freed from the weight of government answered him that it was no reason that he being the youngest should remaine solely King the eldest excluded In which respect since an unity was so necessary he was content to accept of the two States and cede him the kingdome Restargo then being proclaimed King there was no more tidings heard of Cretaneo followed a litle after by the new King who left both his life and kingdome Him succeeded Caricreto his onely sonne but being cockred up by his Mother in passing bad customes odious to the Subjects together with the domination of the Carians to them insupportable they banish'd him and chose for their King Riverargo taking the occasion of his then absence as being conducted by his Mother to Caria to be thereof crowned King his Grandfather by then being dead And now he pretends as his patrimony the kingdome of Riverargo and with the favour of his Fathers servants moves warre against him publickely complaining to all of the wrong he did him by him not denied in case Caricreto had beene sonne to Cretaneo and not to Restargo alleadging that Restargo was no King buta Tyrant for depriving Cretaneo of the priviledge first of Nature in taking from him his wife next of the Law in usurping his Crowne and lastly of humanity in causing him to dye in the miserable lothsomnesse of a close nastie prison And that he for his part was freely elected King by the States of the Realm without any sinister practice or corruption And therefore that if he were to lay downe the Crowne it should then be to restore it to Cretaneo's but not to Restargo's sonne In these confusions stood then that goodly kingdome battered by the armes of the Carians supported by many Barons with an intention when they had deposed Riverargo to chase away afterwards the Mother and Sonne and so to carry away from the publick calamities private emoluments making themselves Masters of both the money and Royall authority in those Provinces wherein obedience was denied Riverargo whereas Caricreto was but in a shew obeyed neither Polimero with his companions setting foote on ground without knowing any thing from these confusions leaving the Knight of Cyprus sicke a-boord the ship tooke their way to a hill-wards to see if they might thence descry any habitation Come thither that they were they found on the other side of it an ambush of fifty horse who asking them after the military wont who liv'd and receiving no answer suddenly assail'd them Lindadori that had with impatience long'd for tourneyes jousts and barriers was missing of these beyond all expression joyfull to light so unexpectedly on a battell so as without staying for any other to give her example by leading the way shee furiously forced her passage into the mid'st of that Troupe neither considering nor caring for the advantages of the site but necessitating the others to follow either to free her or dye with her But the valorous effects corresponded to the mayden's undaunted heart These folkes had scowr'd the field all that night got good store of bootyn ruined houses and burnt Villages yet of all their spoyles the noblest was Ermestea daughter to the Baron of Manetusa among the faire ones of Creete the fairest and among
so farre from being a fault that hee was not held for a gentle spirit that did not both honour and in a manner adore him Corrianna then casting both her eyes and heart I know not whether more upon the comely and well-featured personage or sweete disposition and other excelling qualities of Lucano grew to be so affectionate both to the one and the other that her becomming blinde thereat so dimm'd his eyes that they stumbled or rather tumbled downe both together over the precipice of inconsiderate resolution into the bottomlesse gulfe of despairing miserie The King her Father had solemnly promised her to the King of Sicily for the Prince his Sonne and shee very readily had assented thereunto for being at that time a free woman shee wholly rendred her selfe obedient to the disposition of her parents But after that love the infringer of wholsome lawes and destroyer of good orders had violated her modesty and corrupted her minde shee then gave liberty to her licentious will which afterwards occasioned his fatall end and her utter ruine The Princes Lords of that Kingdome are for the most part used to resort to the Court but few moneths in the yeare for it being their humour to make a glorious shew the great expences they make therein doe so farre exceede their abilities that for not being able to maintaine themselves there any long time in their accustomed pompe they are constrained for feare of their utter undoing to retire themselves to their owne home and meanes The Father of Lucano by thus over-running his courses left at his death his estate so incumbred as it was judged a happinesse that hee died although for other occasions hee was well worthy of life and his Mother being his guardian assigning an honourable allowance towards her house-keeping and towards the maintenance and nobly breeding up of her sonne who at that time passed not nine yeares of age imployed the residue towards the discharging of debts so that at his going out of his minority hee was so rich that without prejudice to his estate he could liberally spend conformable to the unbounded greathesse of his minde and eminent degree of his nobility This was the reason that Lucano never frequented the Court but in his Fathers time when he was very young making his abode during the residue of his blooming yeares in forraine countries it being discreetly considered of his prudent mother that ones naturall climate and aire how temperate and pure soever is subject to the imperfection of being uncapable of it selfe to make any man compleate studie and instruction being of themselves dead things without Travell and Experience the onely meanes to pollish the rudenesse and imbellish the deformity both of mindes and manners At the publishing of these nuptials the Court was enriched with Princes Lords and Knights and pompously adorned with magnificent and glorious shewes in so much as Parthenope though alwayes gentile seemed now exeedingly to exceed her selfe so as such as beheld her wondred what wit could invent or purse minister and supply the excellencie and abundance of the Artifice and stately curiosities that were there seene The wals seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such 〈…〉 expressible varieties of delightsome objects In the morning the temples refounded with the harmonious noise of care-ravishing Mufick and odoriferously smelled of sense-recreating and fragrant savours In the after-noone their faire large streetes strowed all over with rich Caroches and proud Coursers made a most glorious shew in the distinct medley of such a number of Nobility who towards the setting of the sunne retired themselves under the jetting-out windowes and faire balcones of the Kings Pallace enriched with a comely aspect of most beautifull Ladies a sight which wrought in the Cavaliers an ardent desire to deserve the being eyed and gaz'd upon The Sunne taken with the delightsomnesse of these heroicall exercises was loath to withdraw himselfe to his accustomed rest untill he had seene broken by two hundred lances that there were burst in shivers two hundred of his more resplendent rayes the vapours of the earth at that houre serving for sticklers to devide it equally among the tilters From the lists they betooke themselves to the dancing hall the first place of admittance granted novice-lovers in Cupids Academy and best affected solace of rosiall and love-adoring yeares In this happy time came Lucano to the Court entertained by the King with particular favours his worth speaking him the prime Peere of the Realme but much more his gracefull aspect and Princely presence qualities forwardly recommended by Nature unto other mens favours And having with all ceremonious reverence performed his duty to the Queene hee with a sweetly-respective-humblenesse kiss'd the hand of the Princesse But while they interchangeably beheld one another their eyes were at first sight so constantly fixed on each others countenance as though their objects had beene long before familiar to them and seene else-where for clearing themselves of which ambiguity their rayes as faithfull Heralds by peering while here while there question either the other about it What the particular answers of either side return'd were is unknowne onely most certaine it is that the scope of it was love for to love they concluded Now the daily newes of the future bridegroome began to sound harsh in Corrianna's eare all his rich presents were priz'd but as meere drosse in her esteeme nor could shee endure to give the Embassadours as much as a looke that might any way promise them that shee bare the least good liking to their embassie her thoughts affection and will were in a moment quite altered and if the fayning of her selfe sick had not depriv'd her of the sight of Lucano shee from fayning had become sick in good earnest her body being already disposed to follow the indisposition of its minde which was discovered by the evident signes of the alteration of her countenance were it for the relation that is between it and the minde or through her want of sleepe or rather because from that time her heart began to make an ominous presage of her ensuing disasters The sports and revellings were reduced all into one place where in dancing were by them laid the ruinous foundation of their utter ruine It never came within the reach of my knowledge to discerne which of them both was the first that made the motion of love but I am perswaded that their wounds being equall both at the selfe same time sought for the proper salve to cure them with yet I have heard the Princesse her selfe often say that shee alone was in all the fault and that the unfortunate Duke foreseeing the future misfortunes resolved to goe on rather because he would not have her beleeve that he little esteemed her than because he was either inconsiderate or any way uncapable of performing the office of a prudent and discreete Gentleman Nature having foreripened his bosome because the Destinies had over-forwarded his death But where
Sunnes nor could it have other in respect of us though it were contrary to the spheare in respect of the firmament that same thing representing in the artificiall the convex which indeede is naturally the concave the eclipses likewise might be there seene when any were by a plate of darke-coloured Iron 's covering so much of the Moone as was requisite The figure of the Sunne drawne to a correspondent circumference corresponded to the truth of the Eclipses of the true Sunne covered or rather vailed by his fister according to astronomicall suppositions And being not able to imitate the spheare in setting and rising it shewed instead thereof the eclipses that were out of our sight in the other Hemispheare Vpon the spiry roofe stood a brazen statue of excellent workemanship representing time that in its footestall with the but-end of its cive struck the houres and quarters with so dainty an artifice as the eare could discerne no noyse of counterweights or wheeles nor the imagination conceive that any such could be contained in the streightnesse of so narrow a concave The doores standing one of them towards the East equinoctiall and the other on the opposite side were both of them adorned with seemely pillars the Easterne of snow-white Alablaster with staires threshold and lintell of the same The Westerne with its supplements of a cole-black touch-stone that garnished with a white Eagle being the Hieroglyphick of heaven this with a barking Cerberus sad embleame of hell never opened but when sacrifice was done to the infernall Deities for Gelinda's ghost For the same purpose also stood erected two Altars and on either of them an Image These briefly survaid all of them entred into the Temple where the sacrifices were the hearts of two white doves burnt upon the quick embers that done they retired to the house and were invited to sit at the table where the two guests were strucken with amazement at the servants and order of service they admired at such abundance without excesse and such delicacie without defect and withall to see conform'd to the humility of faire white earthen dishes such a royall personage place and service The Druide entertained them with pleasant discourse apparelling his countenance with an aspect to outward seeming cheerefull and blithsome shewing them withall how that Countrey was the utmost bound of Greece to the sea-ward and then made them a gratefull expression of the great courtesies hee had received at the hands of the Prince of Feacia Lord of that I le and was about to particularize somewhat thereof when altering his conceit upon turning towards the Count hee besought him to impart some occurrences of the Westerne parts it being ten yeares space sithence he had heard any newes from thence The Count willingly embracing the occasion of assaying to perswade him to returne home making no shew of knowing any thing thereof exprest a forwardnesse to satisfie him so as having made some prelueds proper to his ends he spake in this manner Irinico King of Gaula Belgica had besides two sonnes the eldest whereof died one onely daughter whose beauty though singular was yet surpassed with so many vertues that the people thought her the compend of the Kingdomes glory desired shee was of many wooed by few and wonne by one that was litle thought of among her Suitors the principall man was Teuton King of Scandinavia a Prince who though rich both in yeares and posterity was not yet by his yeares brought to any disability of body and now his disgusts which hee received every day more than other from his sonnes made him desirous of new heires since hee was growne resolute to raise wals against wals till he had levelled with the ground those which to his confusion were by them built against him a thing practised by him many yeares before to the cost of the lives of some of them and the brothers too Now hee had already taken many wives and had used them all very ill as indeede hee married them not for love but altogether for meanes nor ever admitted he any one of them to his bed on other than the sole hopes of their patrimoniall Kingdomes which conformable to his expectation failed him not Knowne it is not whether it was pollicie or nature in him to affect not one of them the sole ayme of his love being levelled at the enlarging of his Monarchie and making himselfe great Hee had already by the meanes of some Kings of his alliance gotten a great footing in neighbouring Countries whereupon growne desirous to become one day owner of Irinico's Kingdome hee made suit for his alliance meerely to ground thereupon a foundation for his pretentions and not to enjoy those incomparable beauties the onely white whereat the desire of all other Princes aymed And having gotten an use of letting himselfe to be seene but of a very few by withdrawing himselfe sometimes for many moneths together from the popular sight a fancie tooke him in the head to goe himselfe in person to Irinico and so under the vaile of an Embassadour to prie into the secrets of his Kingdome corrupt his subjects and winne himselfe a wife and by her in time a Kingdome Having then left such order as he thought requisite to such as were to manage the secrecie of his absence hee parted accompanied with very few increasing by the way his retinew with such persons as had never seene him before travelling with all the litle that he went by land so secretly by an invention that he had got to confine himselfe for some retired imaginations within his horse-litter that no man in the whole dominions could come to see him in the face Irinico receiving him with all possible courtesies understanding the summe of his embassie would not suddently dispatch him though he were already resolved of what he meant to doe but referr'd the businesse to his privy Councell not so much to understand their opinions as to know those who some while before were suspected to have beene corrupted Hee in the meane time being admitted to the sight of the Princesse prov'd to be in love indeed a strange effect in him and yet more strange by reason of his so fretting thereat for perswading himselfe that he could not choose but love his owne person the lesse by such a portion of affection as he setled upon any other so as hee could have heartily wished the possiblenesse of distinguishing the person of a Prince from that of an Embassadours had beene within the reach of his power that so in personating either he might exercise his cruelty over the other But love as the case stood domineering over the fury of his furious projects brought his pride to so low an ebbe as from a States-man he would have gladly subjected his stout spirit to any inferiour servile condition had it not shewed it selfe too too apparantly contrary to the issue of his desires No whole day suffered he to passe without visiting Doricrene this sollicitous Embassadour labouring to
ease in a convenient chamber The Princesse that from out the poope Roome of the shallop had heard all yet spake never a word till after shee had caused her selfe to be halfe cloath'd shee asked who was there whereupon I acquainted her with our misfortune but yet told her that we were in the hands of a noble fellow that would not suffer her to be any way injured whereunto shee being very sleepy and voyde of apprehension peering out in the darke through the caban window answered that it was no great matter yet changing her disposition in an instant with shaking off her drowsinesse and making a reflection upon my words seeing before her the shippe and those smotty-faces shee concealing her disdainefull anger said shee would sleepe no more because it was day which by then was so indeede the cloudes together with the night vanishing away for feare of the fiery looke of the approaching Sunne Then wee passed over into the shippe where we were with interessed kindnesse conveniently accommodated in the Castle of the poope without being pestred with any of their company and bringing thither our bedding they laid the Princesse's bed in a litle chamber whereon she lay a while in her clothes causing her woman to lye downe by her The pirates searching our shallop and finding nought there save victualls our Armes and the Princesse's Iewels towed her along having first assur'd her with six of their men to secure her from the rowers already disarmed At Sunne-rising there began to breathe a gentle breath of winde so as desirous to spread the sayles one of the saylors came abaft to the misen mast neere us and where the Princesse come out of her chamber with her Gentlewoman to shunne the sweltry hot ayre of her caban was laid her downe upon a quilt This fellow being a lusty young lad as soone as he espied them in beastly manner threw himselfe upon the Gentlewoman that was neerest him straightly embracing her to force a kisse from her The Princesse not accustomed to such sports seising on a whinyard shee spyed hanging at his side stabb'd him with many thrusts not without endangering th Gentlewoman the young fellow escaping out of her hands lept downe shewing of himselfe a miserable spectacle to his companions The Castle of the poope was the standing-place of the archers and therefore well furnished with bowes arrowes speares and javelings to steede them in occasions of boording The Princesse tooke a bow in hand without any further intention than to assay if shee had well learnt that art Whilst the pirates looking for no worse than what was past desirous to chastise our boldnesse and not beleeving that such stabbes were given by a maydens hand would needs come up to us wee fortified by the oddes of our side kept them off with halfe pikes wee there found which for all that had done us but small service if the Princesse had not secured us with her bow whose ascendent being Sagittarius it was no marveile if shee never shot that shee either wounded or kill'd not I seeing the two sides well defended seconded the stout Princesse with another bow the Gentlewoman supplying both of us with arrowes but it was not possible for me to levell one shaft aright for shee triumphing in her hits came to me to rejoyce for them as it our shooting had beene in jest and those living bodyes immoveable markes not to be accounted of Our good-fortune indeede was the indiscretion of the pirates who excepting in the poope and on maine Top had never a bow therefore they went climing along the shrowdes to get to the maine-yard but ere they scarce could proffer to touch a rope they still fell downe dead or wounded yet they having no other save this one though dangerous way to releeve themselves thought to attempt it in so many severall places at once as the obstinate resolution of many might gaine time of our few shaftes so as they endeavoured to get up by clammering by three and three upon divers severall tackles The Princesse glad to have the pleasure of varying her shots ministred her by their so varying of her markes bethought her of a subtiltie fitter indeede to be experimented some other time and that was to try if leaving the men shee could cut in two the shrowdes whereupon making her ayme at the file of the rope shee clove it in twaine which for being well twisted received the blow for them that climb'd it up but being unable to beare their waight burst just in the cloven place letting the three fall downe on the hatches betweene dead and stupified Of this shot the Princesse was so exceeding joy full as shee ranne to embrace me shewing me by pointing at those that tumbled downe with such gladsomnesse as greater shee could not have conceived at any recreative spectacle whatsoever And I busied in shooting did applaude her for it to the end shee might neither give over her selfe nor hinder me The Captaine seeing the bloody slaughter of his men stood crying and lifting up his hand with a desire it should seeme to speake some thing Be there the Princesse deeming that posture of his worthy one of her arrowes shot at him wherewith she nail'd fast his hand to his mouth as if the one had enjoyn'd the other to silence so as in the selfe same time shee paid and he received her ransome In fine shee slew so many of them as I with the two Knights durst though unarm'd descend to make an end of the rest who were crouch't and squatted downe to shelter and hide themselves some behinde the masts and others beneath in the sinke In the shall op were heard these great out-cries though the occasion thereof was unknowne till the accoasting of the six to one of the sides afforded our Knights the commodity to tell our Oare-men that the ship was by us taken and all her men slaine whereupon they suddenly assaulting their guardians slue three of them and had not then staid their hands but for my crying out to them to save the rest alive The Princesse then laying aside her bow return'd all-quiet into her shallop and having given the sack of the ship unto her rowers wee set her a fire and so left her arriving in Caleri the day following The King understanding that shee was arrived at the haven would needs goe in person to meete her followed with such shoutings for joy by the Court Citie and whole kingdome as the like was not seene for many yeares before The old King could never satiate himselfe in making much of her and blaming himselfe for his fault for which he had done sufficient penance by being for so long a time deprived of her all-delighting company Eromen a likewise giving full reines to her extreame affection expressed unto her a mothers unparalleled tendernesse to an only childe Whilst thus shee stood halfe-extasied with joy there were presented her letters from Polimero written from Pelusio wherein he promised to returne
gurled out of this wound both convicts thee and requires at my hands Iustice which I will not deny it Onely I am sorry that thy quality in consideration of my selfe permits thee no other executioner with this snatching out his sword not as yet wiped fully dry from the blood of his Brother hee ranne it in his heart and then causing them to be laid in two coffins he strictly commanded that this tragicall case might dye with his sonnes charging all that knew it to give out that they were sick and three dayes after dead of a pestilentiall fever Well might the feare of offending the King tye mens tongues which are subject to sense but not their judgements which being internall and free enjoy the priviledges of a free exemption from any humane dominion But the best was that the Kingdome made no great reckoning of the losse of either both of them being by their behaviour growne to be as unworthy of bemoaning as of life But now the Sister good soule the innocent occasion of the evill could not be either comforted or quieted till her Father permitted her to retire to the I le of Man where under the discipline of certaine religious persons there residing shee dedicated the rest of her dayes to a contemplative life Onely Feredo now remain'd of the youngest the eldest and his so being the sole sonne had more endeer'd him to his Father if his other worthy qualities had not beene more singular and respect worthy than his being an onely Sonne Gelinda having understood the true tragick story of her Brother mortified her selfe a litle or at leastwise somewhat deprest the growing fire of her affection from suggesting occasion of more disgrace till seeing Feredo increasing together with his yeares in comelinesse of person vertue and the love of all shee deemed it very inconvenient for her to faulter in her affection Banishing therefore from her memory the sufferings and shame of her Royall House which till then taught her to be cautelous if not honest shee began to prosecute her desires anew with such fervent affection and winning-allurements that the Fort of Feredo's constant goodnesse remain'd therewith shaken if not battered But because in him goodnesse prevail'd more than youth and continencie more than the intising baites of an enchanting love he purposed for clipping the wings of her incestuous hope to goe live farre off her praying his Fathers assent thereunto under pretext of going to travell which hee no sooner ask'd than obtain'd for the good old King having noted his Daughters incestuous affection and fearing the arising thence of some new accidents found his absence for some time to bee to purpose hoping that time would in that while dry up in her that ill humour with the medicine of oblivion or some other new affections easie to be exchanged for old especially as hee imagined in the inconstant nature of that amorous sex But Gelinda more constant than the vertue of constancie permitted her obstinate in retaining her first designes and resolved either to die or transmute Feredo from a brother to a lover emboldened with her illegitimate love and raised by her mortiferous resolution within a degree of the height of impudence taking him from the company of some young Gentlemen that entertained him in discourse and conducting him in her hand to the garden shee thus bespake him I hold it my Lord and Prince a thing superfluous to consume the small time I have to stay with you in any other than a free and briefe language sithence neither the growth of yeares have beene sufficient to give you notice of my affection nor the late tragedy of our Brothers serv'd for a president to mollifie you which me thinkes it should if not for my loves sake yet at least for the honour of our Father our House and our selves you are now going to travell for not having mee neere you and conceit perhaps by so doing to shunne me but alas you much deceive your selfe for I am resolved not onely to be neere you but also closely to cleave to you as doth your inseparable Genius or shadow and if by violence you discoast or avoide me I will then so accoast and haunt you as doe what you can you shall not shake me off for if it lye in the power of spirits to doe it mine then perpetually shall doe it since you will not permit my selfe to enjoy so much happinesse Pity mee oh I beseech you pitie me that without you am worse than nothing nor let the deformity of my love serve you for an excuse for I sweare by the immortall Gods that if you quite reject and abandon mee I will when I am so scorn'd or hated transforme me into a Fury will haunt you whithersoever you goe nor will I so it be within the reach of my power suffer ever any other woman to enjoy you more than I. Strucken dumbe remain'd Feredo with this so rash and dishonest proposition about her eyes as kindled embers hee observed a deadly blewish palenesse arguing a mortall rancor and gastly despaire well knew he that neither reproach nor reproofe was able to terrifie one that feared not to dye nor was hee lesse confident of her desperately-bold haste which might easily raise her resolution to such a hight of frantick desperatenesse as shee would not stick to kill her selfe holding it therefore his safer course rather to shunne than hazard a certaine mischiefe hee return'd her this milde answer Deere Lady and Sister the love which I beare you is such that if you knew it you would then know you had no cause to thinke your selfe aggrieved I intend to part 't is true not to elong my selfe from you but to be more worthily neere you when the heavens shall be pleased to favour my returne Love deere Sister mine is not to bee required with hate as you seeme to doubt of especially by me towards you whom I for many speciall reasons am bound both to love and serve all then that I begge of you is that abandoning your passions you unite your selfe to reason which can of it selfe alone give you on my behalfe sufficient satisfaction Doe then but discreetly remember sweete Sister who wee are and what the name of a Brother imports in nature law and use and next call to mind and consider the miserable end of the others which should serve us for an example not of imitation but of detestation and horrour Grant mee I lovingly beseech you your good leave to be gone on my intended journey since I desire it may be with your free assent and good liking And to the end you may rest fully assured of my true affection towards you I here faithfully promise that if it come to my hands to dispose of you my Father not preventing me for manifesting my brotherly affection to you that way I will spend all the Royall treasure yea and my very Crowne besides but I will see you well setled to your owne hearts desire Vpon
this the King calling him hee left her preparing himselfe to begin the morrow following his journey towards the Kingdome of Logria But shee to whom brotherly admonitions were reproaches courteous language abuses and promises of a rich dowry an unappealeable sentence of death putting on a manly courage and laying aside all appearance of griefe could so farre temper nay command her passion as with unbeteared eyes to see him at parting yea to salute him and bid him her last farewell and that in so free a way too as made him thinke her an altogether altered woman whereby he became so consolated as hee could not refraine at his departing to drop some teares for meere unlook'd for joy though gaz'd on by all the Ladies that stood by her and accompanied a good while on his way by the flowre of the Nobility But no sooner lost shee once the sight of him than that shee remained as a statue cold senselesse and immoveable Recovered out of her stupifying fit shee retir'd to her bed-chamber too too delicious God wote for a sceane of so lugubrous an act The returne of such as had sent Feredo on his way was the passing-bell that rang out her knill of death the recommendations sent her from him shee received with disdaine and contempt and then presently not having the patience or power to stay till night shee put off her cloathes and laid her downe where being as shee thought all alone shee burst forth into these termes It is now time Gelinda for thee to free thy selfe from the tyrannie of thy insulting enemy Love 't is high time that thou now revenge thy selfe on this thy neither brother nor lover Come thou must die and that 's no newes to thee death shall not seize on thee at unawares Thou shalt have the oddes of the rest of mortals in being thy selfe thine owne Iudge so freeing thy selfe both from the judgement of others and from the qualities and diversities of deaths being conditions that make unexpected death looke on the dying wretch with an aspect so fearefull and horrid A great spirit as thine is will flight it to be by it cruelly revenged on him that no lesse cruelly than ungratefully hath injured thee This said shee would have kill'd her selfe but thinking it too short a preamble for so dolefull an end her despairing soule roaring from within her with an horrible and gastly noyse shee proceeded Implacable Dieties yee infernall Powers to you have I forlorne wretch recourse to you doe I bequeath and consecrate this reâ—â—â—ed life of mine in recompence where of I desire no more than that I may persue and haunt the ingratefull Feredo whithersoever he goes put me no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implore the heavens or their influences for if mortals subject to the hâ—â—vie clog of a body and by consequence ignorant and feeble can domineere over them what may then the immortall soules doe which being separated from these imperfections must needs be more powerfull in respect of their habits corresponding to that privation I grant too that humane judgement and discretion may perhaps shunne them yet mighty yee whose power hath no paragon are able I am confident either to corrupt or alter them But alas if it prove not so to be how ill then am I advised yet how can I that despairing hope be possibly well advised whilst I beleeve revenge to have place among the infernall miseries which to the damned might prove happinesse and glory if glory and happinesse had any accesse to those dismall horrors Die I will were it but to spite and grieve Feredo But what place I wonder among the disordered confusions there shall the order of my uncouth affections hold Shall it be possible that among those eternall disorders there the soule be not confounded with all its parts especially the intellect and that also the order which I prefix to my revenge be not in danger to be broken But oh that the web I warpe here might be there spunne for then would I thinke hell were blessed and all would then goe thither But who will assure me thereof yet doubtlesse thy death Gelinda will grieve Feredo will it so dye then meerely to vex him But soft too too foolish were such a revenge as but makes an addition to the avengers proper prejudice But said I not that hell observes no order then no reason neither by reason of that disorder If so to what end tend then so many considerations they are needlesse and superfluous 't is true yet let them be dispenced withall in priviledge of being my last farewell Here respiting a while to vent out the anguish of approaching death shee with a heavy groane spake on Happy thee Gelinda had'st thou never beene borne since that being borne thou wast borne for hell whose first torments thou proved'st when first thou fell'st in love Yet if I deserved so much misery had it not beene a greater paine for me not to have beene borne at all if true it be that such had beene greater than to be borne to be damned as I was But ah me if this were true sure then I had never beene borne for if among all the things that I am none of there had beene but one that in privation of being had exceeded the not being of others then surely that same one thing had beene Gelinda Therefore Gelinda to her greater anguish beleeves that such a thing cannot be Besides the Gods were unjust if they punished such as were not any way blemished with as much as originall sinne Enough then let these be my last meditations Dye I must and will Feredo will none of mee no more will I him now and for not having him I must goe else-where The passage is I confesse hard the issue doubtfull but whatmatters all that I 'le even venture and runne with the rest the Furies of hell shall direct mee nay I 'le make one among them they shall adopt mee and I 'le be the fourth of those Eumenidan Sisters which if it cannot otherwise steede me it shall then suffice me that the diseâ—â—â—â—teous Feredo be troubled in his sleepe and in his repose desire death the sole remedy to his heart-wasting miseries and besides that in his loves never woman beloved by him may ever love him that some untimely end betide her not More shee would have said when one of her women that all this while had attentively observed her ranne towards the bed at the first trampling noise of whose feere Gelinda stab'd her selfe under the left pap with a long silver bodkin where with shee used to righten her haire but by her destined for this fatall effect which succeeded her desire so well if a man may say well in so ill a case that slipping betweene her ribs it pierced her heart which prov'd now as tender to the force of hand as it had before done to the dart of love The Gentlewoman that faw no signes of any violence done and by consequence not suspecting any such
judgements are not clouded with our passions hold it convenient the execution of it then depends on you for I not having the power to discontent you in any thing would much more unwillingly displease you in that whereon all my content and joy depends Their kisses confused among their teares were numberlesse their grievings measurelesse all in extreames and endlesse But goe hee needs must howsoever I would have had our departure to have beene about midnight without making any words of it but that the Marquesse would not laying before our eyes the distaste which shee would have conceived threat beside the being unpossible for us to steale away whilst shee lay asleepe for shee as then never clos'd her eyes the last parting-words were Polimero's concerning his daughter which were not well heard of any or at least I was so heart-stucken with their griefes as I heeded them not but I suppose that their purport were to advise her not to take away their daughter from her uncle as long as Arato continued in his madde whimsees Arrived that we were in Greece I would by all meanes passe further on and accompany him whithersoever he went But no sooner came wee to Athens than that he made me returne back to bring tidings of him Accordingly I went and carried first to Mauritania to the King his father the packet I had for him and thence passed over into Sardinia where having with his letters and my relations comforted Eromena I found unexpectedly the King a quite altered man for hee not onely contrary to his wonted custome vouchsafed to admit me to his presence but also with great tendernesse kindly asked me how his sonne-in-law did And I being afterwards desirous to goe to Maurica to see the young Princesse he hearing her but named was suddenly moved with a passionate tendernesse of affection which made him after he had stood a pretty while silent say thus unto me My Lord you shall doe me a speciall courtesie in thanking the King of Majorica and Prince Metaneone his sonne-in-law for the favours I receiv'd from them in my Lindadori and to tell them that I meane shortly to send to fetch her away which friendly office I would have now pray'd you to have done me if I thought that you could passe with her hither in safety But our seas being full of the vessels of the Tingitan I doubt shee cannot safely be conveyed hither without a fleete and I hope that to strengthen the convoy both he and the King of Mauritania will for such an occasion prove so courteous as to lend me their galleyes The Princesse hearing this ranne to kisse his hands and he courteously lifting her up kissed her on the cheeke promising her to performe it the next Spring willing her in the meane time to take the charge of putting all the galleyes in a readinesse and me on his behalfe to write to Mauritania and to further the offices which he would cause to be there done by his Embassadour adding that he would to that end send by me letters to the King and Prince of Majorica And further promising her on his Royall word that when this were done he would for the accomplishment of her content immediately recall Prince Polimero assuring her that he was already well pleased that he came when he thought good Having heard this good newes and sent them in writing to Polimero I went to Majorica where I found the no more now Lindadori but Donzella Desterrada so displeased at her grandfather as that shee openly and plainly said that shee would never see him more which I at first conceiving to be some by-phrase that some Lady had taken pleasure to teach her to say by rote perceived it afterwards to be no such matter sithence her uncle and aunt and all the rest with perswasions and pretty alluring toyes endeavoured to winne her to the contrary though to no purpose for the generous girle by reciting the occasions she had to disaffect him shewed that such conceits were her owne and not infused into her by others Arato by this time fully returned to his senses not onely disliked his former extravagancies but was sorry that hee heard no newes from his sonne-in-law who not making account to returne till after his father-in-lawes death was parted for Greece with a resolution to survey the utmost parts of the earth leaving in Athens his letters which were received of Eromena with that heavinesse which an interrupted hope brings with it Faine would shee have gone in person to seeke him out but Arato using no more now the authority either of a King or father shewed her so many disswasive reasons and so earnestly entreated her to the contrary that she yeelded to his perswasions upon the uncertainety of finding him out For Donzella Desterrada were galleyes a trimming and new ones a building in three severall Arcenalls meane while the Tingitan had his spies every where it being ordinary with him to spend more on them than on his souldiers The South hath for its scourge the Tingitan as the North hath the Scandinavian who for their age nature and ends a man would take for one and the same thing In those parts the one enjoyes all in these the other confounds entangles and devoures all that he can shewing himselfe very liberall to the corruption of States taking example from the corruption of an humane body after which followes sicknesse and after sicknesse death Being fortunate in having an advantage over all other Princes not one of them using such pollitick reaches and cunning wayes in governing as he doth for which sole reason he would by this time have gotten into his subjection all that part of the world if the great body of his dominions and monstrous division of its members which in maintaining themselves contrast with nature had not made the end of his designes almost impossible The three kingdomes of Majorica Sardinia and Mauritania lye so neere and fit for him that he thinkes himselfe no King till hee acquire those so as he hath many complices in every of them brought to bee at his devotion by pensions and hopes which many times prevaile more than even present gifts themselves for when Kings governe after the manner of ancient times when there were not any superior forces without altering upon new occasions their old forme of government they doe in some sort foreshew their downe-fall whereupon the more ambitious aspiring to the raising of their owne particular fortunes cannot choose but desire if not attempt the ruine of their Prince and Countrey The Tingitan then having understood by these his spies the secret preparation of the fleete with the occasion thereof was exceeding glad of it and being rich of invention hatch'd many projects whereof he would be well content if but any one tooke effect First then he sent Embassadors to all three to expresse how sorry he was that the pirates without any feare or danger insolently scoured all the coasts and commanded the sea
two Knights not after the manner of countrey gentry but with a stately grave deportment as the most accomplisht Ladies of the Court presenting them in expression of their welcome with a glasse of faire fountaine water deliciously tempered with Sugar and the juyce of Lemmons to qualifie their internally distempering heate and then commanded supper to be speedily made ready But the Knights already infinitely satisfied both in the way of welcome and sweetely-grave aspect of the noble Lady besought her to forbeare the incommodating her family for them it being so late as they wondred they found them not all a-sleepe telling her that a dry crust with a litle fruite and that most delicate water should suffice them to their exceeding content To this the Lady smilingly replied that shee had not as yet supp'd herselfe but seeing them admire thereat 'T is my custome said shee to satisfie my hunger at the summons not of the clock but of my stomack and therefore I now meane to suppe for I onely eate when my appetite invites mee a custome that I have ever observed and ever found my selfe the healthier for it This the Knights did well approve of instancing the like in a Queene and a great Prince of their countrey But the Lady desirous to be enformed of their occasions with a gravely-limited boldnesse asked them Whitherward could any affaire of theirs leade them that way seeing they could not travell on any farther without first crossing the seas whereunto Polimero endeavouring to make answer but expressing it with much difficulty Sir said the Lady in a most sweetly-respective manner interrupting him I am loath to prove so unmannerly troublesome unto you as to put you to speake a language you cannot readily expresse Bee therefore pleased I beseech you that this other Knight your companion ease you of that trouble by speaking in his owne native tongue wherein I having got a little knowledge out of the curiosity I formerly had in bestowing sometime in the reading of it shall understand him very well and his accent too farre better than I can yours which shee said because beginning now to grow yet more suspicious that he was Coralbo she was desirous to be cleared of that doubt Polimero glad to be easied of that burthen with willingly obeying her assured her that his companion was excellent in that tongue Coralbo thank'd him for his good opinion of his language and then submissively inclining to the Lady told her that he received her commands as especiall favours and that touching their journey they intended to crosse the seas to see the Kingdome and Court of Arabia Foelix which in the last deceased Kings time was famed to be very great The Lady greedily peering him in the face and then suddenly glauncing her eyes on her daughter made no answer at all In this often translocation of her lookes shee so long persisted that shee gave Polimero occasion to take notice thereof who doing by her example the like perceived shee did it not without very good reason considering the affinity of favour shee might observe betweene the Knight and the damosell which later when he had well observed together with Coralbo favoured both of them very much the Lady her Mother who with that espying his left arme hung in a skarfe ask'd him what hurt he had there hee not as yet cured of the wounds lately received of the Arabians answered It was nothing but a slight scratch whereat shee seeming to bee sorry told him shee would then presently cure him her self being provided of the best wound-balme that ever Arabia distilled But he replied that he durst not so farre presume to trespasse on her goodnesse as to repute himselfe worthy of so great a favour and that shee needed not trouble her selfe about it since he could very well make a shift to dresse it himselfe as hee went to bed To that shee agreed not but taking in her hand a golden viall that her daughter had by now brought her shee dropt thereout two or three graines weight which yeelded so pleasing an odour that all the senses and spirits were thereby exceedingly comforted and recreated And then it behoved Coralbo to suffer himselfe to be drest the Lady casting the meane while her eye on that hand to see if he had there a litle halfe moone-resembling scarre that hee had once cut with a knife neere the roote of his thumbe which shee espying remained though shee made no shew thereof the joyfullest woman breathing Supper being by this time laid on the table neatly furnished with napery and service surpassing the quality of a private Lady they sate downe to meate shee all supper-while ever-enquiring something of Ausonia Etruria But when shee named Nepa and the Iland of Capraia Coralbo could have bitten his fingers for meere madnesse thereat which observantly perceived by her gave a supplement to her content As soone therefore as the cloth was taken away and the seruants departed the roome shee thus bespake them Gentlemen yee are much bound to fortune for being so favourable to you as to conduct you hither ere your passing over into Arabia sithence when you had beene there knowne to be of that countrey whence you are come you would have incurr'd the danger of being unrecoverably undone especially you Sir Knight being Coralbo or another in his shape indistinguishable whom if you be as I am well assured you are let mee then tell you that you cannot repose trust in any that either more deerely loves him or can perhaps in some respects better advise him in the managing of his affaires than my selfe feare not therefore to discover your selfe to me for howsoever I certainely know you to bethe very same Here seeing them gaze with admiration one upon the other as though they summoned all their wits to counsell how they should best devise an answer for her she proceeded You neede not stand gazing so strangely each on other nor yet feare or any thing doubt of the presence of this my daughter for shee desires more to see in happy state Coralbo than doth any other wight living At which words the damosell wept the Mother after a long restraint accompanying her with her teares By this time Coralbo was so distracted in minde as he knew not what either to say or thinke imagining that being so soone knowne by a woman he must necessarily be sooner sitted out and sounded by any man that he should happen to converse withall and that it could not otherwise be but that some private marke of his was made manifest by some secret spies Considering therefore with himselfe that his intended journey could not but prove dangerous unto him he thought it his safest course to commit the discovery of his person and being to the trust of that noble Lady who by her words and teares could not choose but love him and be of the Queene his mothers faction yet amidd'st all his feares and doubts he had though the worst that betide might
for his pretensions sake it behooved him to comply made him abhorre that congresse for doubt of irrecoverably falling Now Coralbo never loved but in one sole place at once and being oncetyed he could never more loose himselfe yet was he never for all that so overshot as to offer his body to pine away or sympathize with the consumption of a captivated spirit as being no whit ambitious of loyaltie in love a vertue in his conceit mellancholike and beseeming such whyning fellows as take a pleasure in sighing or such Poets whose blunt fancies must bee whetted with griefe ere they can pitch on a well-relishing conceit For his part he enjoyed where he could holding in that behalfe more choyce-worthy the cunningly-carried evill than the foolish-reputed good an opinion though bad yet more practized and it may be more prized than better But the accident that now as you shall heare hapned ridde the rest of their paine and him of his trouble Bramac had corrupted a servant of Coralbo's Mothers by whom hee came to be advertized of all that ever shee did delivering his letters unto a poste that came clad in ragges and patches a-begging to her doore for Gods sake This man discovering him to be Coralbo though somewhat too late by reason of the Queene 's concealing him as long as possibly she could avertized thereof Bramac in a time that hee could no way harme him who now hearing that hee was to part suddenly speeded away instantly certaine choyce men to murther him and with them a Knight with order to goe in case they lighted not on him to Memphi and there demand him in his name of Pisemitide They accordingly came but yet a day after Coralbo's parting so as making yet sure account to surprize him by the way they followed him with all possible diligence But his meeting with the two Princesses the fight and his pursuing the runne-away theeves that led him out of his way was the occasion that they both missed and came to Memphi before him The Knight that had the letters and charge of Embassie thought the delivery thereof bootlesse before he were ascertained of his being there but not finding him whom he was perswaded hee should know both by counter-signes and by his likenesse in favour to his Mother of him very well knowne he imagined that his losing of the way was the cause of his so long tarrying which put him in a conceit of remounting on horse-back to goe meete him assured hee should doe his Master a more acceptable piece of service in so murthering him than in requiring him of Ptsemitide yet this his determination was hindered by two obstacles which were the disserviceablenesse of his owne horses that lay distended in the stable so tired as they were not able to stand on their legges and the doubt of meeting him by the way Whilst then he thus stood irresolved whether course to take sending in the meane while to enquire after him over all the Innes of Memphi a bootlesse diligence for a private man in a City peopled with five millions of men he might two dayes after see him with his companions kisse the Kings hand knowing among them Polimero by the counter-signes given him though none of the rest wherefore at the instant of Ptsemitides returne from the Queene 's to his owne lodgings he with presenting his letter opens him his Embassage whereupon he the most generous Prince of his time enflamed with anger thus bespeakes him I will my friend excuse thee for being but an Embassadour in discharge of whose office thou maist not but obey him that sends thee but for which I would inflict on thee such a chastisement as might serve for a deterring example to all such as dare require of a Prince of my quality things not onely unjust but also unworthy Tell Bramac that I was borne King of Egypt and if I acquired other Crownes the world knowes I usurped them not but both wonne and hold them by the imperiall Law of my victorious blade ever an enemy to guile and treachery which I never else-where read of than in the legend of his life and actions And that therefore Coralbo naturall and true Prince of Arabia shall be by me not only denied him but also so protected as that I will for his sake declare my selfe his enemy both to chastise him for his rash judgement made of me and to restore to the true and rightfull Queene and to her sonne apparant heire thereof the kingdome which he so injuriously and contrary to all Lawes usurped Now for thee get thee from out our presence and that quickly too nor allow I thee any longer time to abide in Memphi than the unexpired piece of this day This said hee turnes his back and goes towards the Queene's lodgings thinking to finde there Coralbo with his company but finding them gone ere he came he caused to be made ready two sumptuous Chariots commanding the Lord of Pelusio to goe fetch them to Court without making any speech of the Embassadour but telling them from him that in respect of their being strangers and of Countries thence farre remote and residing now in a Countrey where the Greeke tongue was not else-where spoken than in Court he would be their hoste himselfe The foure Princes were even a-going to sit them down to supper when the Embassie arrived which they construed to proceede from the Queene and two Princesses of Bernice and Cirene rather than from the King which notwithstanding Polimero yeelded such humble thankes and used such reverent language as befitted so great a Monarch and courteous a Prince with beseeching the Lord of Pelusio to tell him if the command were dispenseable till the following morning but hee protesting hee was sent thither with expresse order to come and conduct them to Court presently they willingly obeyed The Noble man thought to give Coralbo the first place as knowing who he was but seeing the respect which he in his demeanour bare to the other three he imagined that either they were also great Princes or else that they knew him not this conjecture of his being confirmed by his observing the same all the way and withall in the two women-signes that bred in him a doubt whether they were men or not Come that they were to the Pallace and ascended the staires they marveyled at the glorious sight of the number of Nobility they there saw the King having sent to meete them the greatest Lords of the Court and comming himselfe from out his withdrawing Chamber in person to receive them To whom Polimero was about in a respectively-complementall way to expresse their gratefull engagement for so high a favour and great honour done them when hee taking by the hand Coralbo whom by the counter-signes given him he knew thus smilingly bespake him And is it thus indeede that you without any safe conduct come into my Territories my Lord Prince of Arabia and thinke to be here unknowne At these words Coralbo good Prince
remained astonished for not knowing in what sense to interpret them and had but for his mothers having that authenticke protection which shee had made the worst construction thereof although the fame of the Kings generous disposition and noble-mindednesse made him conceive them somewhat neerer their right sense yet stood hee a good while musing what answer to make irresolved whether hee were best confesse himselfe to be such or not which Ptsemitide observing You need not Prince spake he then on conceale your selfe from mee who will be to you not onely a friend but a father too which you shall see by reall effects Coralbo at these words kneeling before him would needs have therefore kissed his hand but he not suffering him to abide in that submissive posture suddenly rais'd him up who having by this time regain'd his breath and courage return'd him this answer Royall Sir I deny me not to be Coralbo but well affirme that your Majesty hath in two words so obliged me that I am so far from denying you my name as I 'le not deny you my life so fortune made me so happy as to spend it in your Majesties service The King upon this after having againe embraced him reaccounted unto him openly Bramac's embassie with his answer and then proceeded I will endeavour to re-acquist you the kingdome or dye in the attempt the deferring whereof shall bee no longer than till the getting together the forces necessary for such an enterprize Coralbo was so confused in minde or rather so transported beyond himselfe at this so unthought of good fortune as he could not hit on language suitable to his beholdingnesse When the King observing that his companions comprehended with no symptome of strangenes this title of Prince withdrawing him aside asked him who they were Coralbo to whom denying the truth seemed a tearme of ingratitude and againe the discovering it he knew could not but disgust them his highly-honoured friends answered I cannot say Sir that I know them not but I well know that they would not bee knowne therefore I referre it to your Majesties discreete consideration to command me what your royall pleasure is I should doe I pray you replied he againe smiling tell it me howsoever and I promise you it shall be from all else kept as secret as if you had never told me of it But then at hearing it his astonishment was such as it almost made him breake his word Willingly would hee have knowne then presently the story and occasion of their comming thither but that doubting of their taking notice thereof he remitted it till after supper And now whilest the Courtiers ran to kisse Coralbo's hand he thence retiring himselfe with the two Princesses and Polimero thus greetes them I doubt me worthy Sir yee have judged me discourteous for having by being so long in presenting my honoured respects to the Prince of Arabia neglected my observance to you for which I beseech you to excuse me and withall to command in this house such entertainment and service as best likes you Polimero who at first upon Coralbo's being discovered was exceedingly confused in minde but afterwards at his hope-surpassing good fortune beyond expression joyfull answered him Mighty Sir your Majesty cannot be moved to say thus to us otherwise than by your royall courtesie whereby you have obliged all that knew you the favours and honours we receive so exceedingly beyond all degrees of exceedingnesse surpasse the meannesse of our merits as they argue that your Majesties benignity after a long contestation with your greatnesse is become in every respect its equall Besides that the favours you doe the Prince of Arabia is so well employed as your Majestie could never conferre them on a more deserving personage The King stedfastly beheld the two shee-warriers with great delight affecting naturally both beauty and valour nor was it now difficult for him by the inkling before given him to discern their sex which taking on him he did not though against his will Your aspects answered hee are such as speake you worthy of my more respective observance I should be loath to one past errour to adde many greater and therefore I pray you tell me who yee are that I may the better know how to suite your entertainment to your quality your endeered friendship and intimate familiarity with the Prince of Arabia and your having knowne him for such before as I am induced to beleeve by your not marveyling at my naming him by his title perswade me that you are his equalls if not superiours At this Eromena blush'd and doubting lest her husband should by importunity bee wrought to tell him what they were shee answered Be your Majesty we beseech you pleased to lay apart so high an opinion of such meane Gentlemen as wee be we are 't is true Knights errant and that is the greatest quality we can assume or ever aspire unto If upon understanding what till then we knew not of the Prince of Arabia we made no present demonstration of our joy and duty it was not because we knew him before but to afford others the more ample commodiousnesse of doing him congratulating offices which wee presum'd wee could not misse of at his more privacie and leisure our travelling together and long conversation having we thanke his benigne goodnesse made us somewhat familiar The King well knew the Princesse's minde and as one that never displeased Lady would not displease her but turned his discourse to another subject And then assoone as Coralbo was ridde of his complementall cumber he led them all to the Queene who already informed of Coralbo's beeing expressed much joy thereat all the other Princesses doing the same but that of Cirene more than all the rest And then after supper where their bodies were not so much refresh'd with foode as their mindes sollaced with mirth pleasing discourses they were accommodated with Lodgings conformable to the quality of the hoast and greatnesse of the Inne And in the night-time their Chambers being neere adjoyning as they desired they should be Eromena perswaded her husband to a suddain departure shewing him that to stay for jousts was but a reason vaine and capable of entangling them in endlesse affaires The day being come Polimero renewes his congratulating joyes with Coralbo that fortune had declared her selfe so favourable unto him for the recovery of his state with expressing how sorry he was that he could not be in his owne person a partaker in that service the affaires of Sardinia and his father-in-lawes infirmity necessarily requiring his speedy returne home Coralbo that had before-hand beene fully enformed of all answered him That on the contrary he was right sorry that he could not serve him in Sardinia according as he had once purposed howbeit hee hoped upon fortune's favouring him with a little vacancie from his affaires to which he was for the present necessitated to attend more for honours satisfaction than for any great list he had thereunto
to finde a time to come in person to make a reall expression of his mindfulnesse of the obligations he stood bound to him in The courtesies were of both sides reciprocall entertwyned by those of Eromena who earnestly besought Coralbo to procure them speedy leave to depart which conformably followed to the amazement of all the Court and passing sorrow of the Queene her daughter and Berenice The King privately enformed by Coralbo of the urgencie of their occasions without making shew that he knew any thing thereof was content to let them goe on their way Onely Coralbo above all others felt extreame griefe at this separation I make no mention of particular affections of the words and offers of the three pretended-she-lovers of the promises of returne and well-carried dissimulations of the two shewarriers accompanied a good part of their way by Coralbo who had past on further too if they had permitted him Stammer out then hee did some service-intimating complements to Lindadori by her rather heard than conceived From Polimero and the rest the period of his parting-farewell was rather silence than any complement Come to the Sea-shore they imbarked themselves for Cyprus a Course though somewhat more giring yet more secure than the shorter cut whereof the Count of Bona was very glad making an account of informing himselfe there of the particular successes of Prince Melianto But there was thereof no neede there fortuning to bee aboord the ship they were in a Gentleman of that Court bound thither who being asked what newes stirr'd in those parts answered that Cyprus was now the joyfullest kingdome in the world sithence that alliance which was thought to prove the occasion of bloody warre was now growne to bee an indissoluble knot of unexpected friendship Whereupon Eromena seeming to be desirous to understand the particularities thereof the Gentleman courteously corresponds her desire in these words Illirium a most warlike kingdome hath for King one call'd Ormando a Prince many degrees above his predecessors both vertuous and excellent The feates of Armes he performed whilest he was a young man afforded rich matter both to poesie and story And now that he is become old his prudence and justice give yet a greater light to States-men who gathering from out this one Prince's life so many cases to judge by and so many examples to governe by apparantly saw that the world had now no more neede of any other exquisite patterne for the well-governing of Common-wealths and Idealty of Princes his kingdome being such a Common-wealth and his person such a really-formed Prince as others endeavour to forme imaginarily Acquired he had before his comming to the Crowne an infinite number of Countries which for being farre remote from our parts have names that never came to our knowledge excepting some of the lesse distant and more famous of them as those of the Misians the Dardans the Triballs the Sarmats the Bohemenians Russians and others in the large-extending Territories of vaste Germany to whom he gave both Princes and liberty content in memory of his Victories onely to tye them to speake for ever the Illirian tongue Hee fortuned whilst hee was a Knight-errant to become enamoured of Arnelinda Princesse of Cyprus who though already promised in marriage to Arbon King of Pontus a fierce young Prince could not yet choose but love him whose gestures disposition and presence were meanes but too potent to force her will But shee being among all the Virgins that ever Minerva nurst the most constant in good actions one day that hee made bold to speake to her of love thus wrothfully checked him Your words Prince Ormondo make me now perceive you are not that good Prince you are taken for seeing you that of mine as being a Virgins honour should be a defender are that only he that attempts its bane and that by undermining it goes about to destroy and ruine it Alas I have not any Knights to defend me Defend you mee then against your selfe I am already a married wife and that you well know too Seeing then you sinne not through ignorance 't is certaine you doe it out of malice What is it I would faine know that you pretend of mee Seeme I wonder either my behaviour or fame such in your prejudicating eyes as might suggest in your undermining heart so outragious a presumption Or though it so were that you loved me unfainedly and that through my ill fortune I lov'd you too yet what comfort nay what hopes of comfort could out desires have that can prove otherwise than treason and shame unto me and treachery and shame unto you It will then be the lesser evill that for not tormenting me you retire your selfe Fortune you see hath bestow'd me upon another sithence then be yours I cannot you must bee content that you cannot be mine neither At these words Ormondo remain'd astonished perceiving himselfe in an instant to be ere he was aware thereof beloved and yet againe in the very same moment of time contrary to loves nature refuted But the property of generous hearts being inclinable rather to hope than feare he returned her this answer Right excellent Madame as my words aymed no way at your prejudice so shall my actions tend ever to your service And though I bee not for the present a crown'd King as is that of Pontus yet am I to be one day such by the order of nature and of such a kingdome too that as I may without any vaunting say Pontus and tenne such cannot equall it Of the persons I meane not to make comparisons But if there be no other worth or good that makes for me than the courteous inclination to me-wards which to my good hap I discover in you yet shall that alone sufficiently serve my turne to merit you in your owne judgement and yet much more in the judgement of others for its depriving them of all merit I want and seeke for a wife my selfe too and marriages are written in heaven the prime Article of whose Law is that the married couple be thereunto voluntarily consenting Therefore although I say not that the King of Pontus is not worthy of you considering his noble conditions yet will I boldly affirme that he cannot be justly your husband in case you thereof are not contented otherwise than in obeysance of others I Madame never entertained a thought of motioning love unto you otherwise than in a lawfull and honourable way And so to doe both your fame and conditions emboldened me yea that fame which to your passing glory sounds a singular note of excellency in the eares of all men and these conditions which serve for a norme and patterne for all the Princesses and women of the earth to forme their lives and actions by for but for your being such I had ne're fixt on you an affectionate eye Moreover although I grant that your beauty and outward feature have force to violent hearts yet may there be for all that a heart arm'd
I passe any farther to the end my actions might in some excusable way be construed by you whose good opinion I esteeme more than all my acquists as I now meane to let you see Bonarea marveiling at such a preamble and longing to understand its sequell return'd him this answer Most valorous and redoubted Prince Fortune hath by your victorious hands so abased me that neither you have occasion to begge ought of me nor I wherewithall to favour you which if I had I would then let you see even in the present estate I yet am in that a mayden of my condition regards more the intention than the effects and though I know that you are the totall ruine of our State and the sole occasion of our disasters yet know I likewise as well that what you tell me is not farre from the truth So as though I seeme to have cause yet neither ought I justly nor can I with reason hate you Next for your person it right noble Prince carrieth with it so many and so great priviledges that to beleeve your selfe to be in its respect disadvantagious with me were rather to accuse me of unjust judgement in your merits than just passion for your faults but the present being of both of us will soone ridde us of any such doubt since that I being your vanquished prisoner am by the practised Law of Armes to receive Lawes from you my vanquisher The generous hearted Ormondo remain'd astonished at so noble a spirit so as established firmer now than ever in his good intention he in this sort replied Princely Madame such generous hearts as yours neither know what disasters meane nor are any way subject to vanquishers nay they losing evermore gaine well may fortune have power over what 's theirs but yet never over them and by her favour shee is now like to disclaime her interest in either But here because they were standing he courteously presenting her a stoole and then seating himselfe on another close by her thus proceeded I have seriously bethought my selfe Madame of finding after so many evils a remedy for such as are yet revokeable as is the Realme and liberty on such conditions as may assure a true and durable peace betweene the kingdome of Thrace and that of Pontus The enmity you know is sprung from an intended marriage broke off by mee in recompence of which one I would now make up three the King your brother can now have no more pretensions since hee hath lost Bride Kingdome liberty sisters and all which not with standing my intention is to restore him all excepting your person Madame not to detaine you prisoner but that being a free woman you may oblige me in bestowing your selfe in an honourable way on my Cozen Scrpidoro who entirely loves and highly honours you The Princesse Arselia I meane so she be therewith pleased to match with Ortomano Prince of Cyprus my brother-in-law And to your brother for Arnelinda that I tooke from him I 'le give my Cozen Eliante and with her for dowry both the kingdome of Pontus and his liberty Now although I know that such conditions make for his advantage yet held I it not fit to propose them to other than you that you might treate thereof with him considering that he 'le not easily bee over-ruled by other than such whom he is well acquainted with Vnexpressible was the consolation that the noble-minded Bonarea received from so beyond-all-hope-generous a proposition whereunto she after having humbly thanked him in the most gratefull and courteous language shee could devise told him that touching Arbano's businesse shee would treate with him of it but for the other that concern 〈…〉 her selfe shee meant not to will other than that which to him to her-so-great obligation seemed good for her to determine of stiling her disasters happinesse and her losses invaluable acquisitions since they had beene the meanes to bring her to such noble acquaintance and such happy friendship Shee usually went to visit her brother almost every day and had by commending the Cavaliers of that Court and their courtesies seconded with adverse fortune which makes men become wise somewhat mollified the hardnesse of his fierce humour and now as a discreete woman falling to discourse first at large of the businesse shee by degrees fell to propose how advantagious it were for him if such things could be effected which indeed were already granted But he thinking they would never be drawne to such conditions which hee for his part would but too willingly assent unto shee with that opens unto him all that Ormondo had treated of with her whereupon expressing with shouts of joy the infinitnesse of his obligations to him and being after set free out of the Castle there was soone in liberty concluded on what in liberty was to be enjoyed Ciriandro first sends a noble Embassie into Cyprus to Senasteo with the six Galleyes that had beene taken from him acquaints him also with all that had happened and offers him with the marriage a perpetuall amity shewes him to how good an end the ill beginning came to and how there was fallen to his lot the most noble and valorous sonne-in-law that the world could boast of Conformable to this writes also Arnelinda and withall craves her Father pardon invites her brother and prayes both of them to accept of both the peace and alliance Arbone too by his particular embassadours assures him of the memory that he would perpetually conserve of his love no otherwise than if he had indeede beene his sonne-in-law and that since he could not have Arnclinda he yet could not chuse but commend her for having so happily transgressed he proffers him Arselia for Ortomano and thankes him for his Galleyes which though by him lost were yet out of the vanquishers noble courtesie resent him Senesteo comprehending such a stinging businesse of difference to be so composed and determined to his honour gave his free assent and leave to Ortomano who conveyed by fifteene Galleyes went flying to Thrace where hee was courteously received and nobly welcomed by his sister brother-in-law and Bride with infinite joy And then with all convenient speede were the treble nuptialls solemnly celebrated Pontus restored and Ormondo with the good leave of his Vncle and Cozen leaving Arnelinda quick with childe issued out with his Illirians to the field not accepting of one Thracian in all his troupes And taking occasion to remember how his men were ill treated in passing through the Countries of the Dardans and Triballs he assayles subdues and then incorporates the later to the Crowne of Thrace in recompence of the kingdome of Pontus by him restored to Arbone the same did he also to the Dardans subjecting them to his Father Return'd to Nicopolis he found Arnelinda freed of her burthen having brought to the world two goodly twins a boy and a girle the first named Ladomonte and the other Deadora yet would he not for all that part from Thrace ere he saw
triumph who would needs prolong the solemnities already commenced and send Embassadours into Illirium Thrace and Pontus who successefully obtained so much of the offended as not to pretend themselves such and conformable to his expectation Cecronima insteed of Deadora Ladomonte causing to be embarked both his and his brother-in-lawes preparations destined for the festivall solemnities of Faria commanded they should be brought after him to Cyprus where he in a choyce Galley arrived in a few dayes space entirely welcomed and honoured with all affectionate respects conformable to the passing love they bare him Nor waite they for now towards the celebration of the festivalls for ought else save the things embarked so as we shall come time enough to see them being they are to bee kept at Pafo neere the famous Temple of Venus whither they are all of them reduced to thanke the Goddesse for so prosperous an issue of these affaires Polimero had heard talke of Ormondo and his great exploits long before which made him now very glad to heare his disgusts thus terminated by so pleasing an alliance the old passage taking from him all occasion of revenge And right joyfull was Lindadori to light on by the way so solemne jousts hope also shee did that her Father would dispence with his haste to be acquainted with those Princes shee being more especially desirous to see Deadora and to try her selfe at Armes with her But so it befell them that neither Polimero had occasion to displease her nor shee opportunity of working her owne content for the sea swelled into such extraordinary billowes for being over-blowne with the rage of a tearing winde that the Pilot was forced with haling the tack a-boord to strike a hull and lash sure the helme a-lee till gaining the winde a-sterne he was faine to ease the Vessell with a small Trinket saile fastned to her Maine-yard so as shee now carried on with an excessive violence outranne the course and leaving on the right hand Cyprus could not possibly choose but passe to Creete where with much adoe they made a shift to get a-shore Greatly steeded this Tempest Polimero by advancing him much on his way besides the pleasure he tooke at his Daughters anger and her chafing at the sea and windes yet that accident afforded her another way that which fortune had denied her for contenting her martiall humour For that time the kingdome of Creete stood afflicted by a warre litle otherwise than civill divided into factions every one attempting to effect his owne peculiar ends under pretext of the publicke good an ordinary maske wherewith the most seditious are wont to cover the true face of their actions Virate King of Crecte left behinde him three sonnes whereof Cretaneo the eldest inherited the Crowne the other twaine being accommodated with two of the goodliest and richest Dukedomes of the whole Iland Restargo with the faire Dutchy of Cidone and with that of Ritinna Riverargo Now Cretaneo was a good Prince a lover of Philosophy and in it so plunged as hee conceited to make by its direction both himselfe and his kingdome happy yet never philosophiz'd he that Kings may well be capable of Philosophy but not Philosophers of kingdomes For then had he learnt that Kings ought for well ruling to be formed of vertues more reall than philosophicalll and that these without those ruine such as owne them Disposed then for conveniencie's cause to marry and hearing famed for beauty the Princesse of Caria being a neighbouring kingdome he sends thither Restargo beleeving that Carito's King would willingly grant her him for being demanded by so great an Embassadour as his brother whom he allowed a great traine of followers and store of monies to the end he might carry himselfe both like a personage of his ranke and quality and conformable to the greatnesse of him that sent him an ordinary custome in those Countries not to concede men wives till they bee first for some while wooed and served by the pretenders and if they be Princes by Embassadours in their steede This Princesse was over and besides her beauty and comely feature an onely childe and by consequence heire apparant to the Caritan Crowne In which regard Restargo allured by the occasion of gaining himselfe a Crowne forgetting both his allegeance and trust reposed in him did that office for himselfe which hee should have done for his brother whom whilst with false letters he held in hand with more false hopes 't was easie for him malignely procuring to be brought to the King of Caria's eares passing bad relations of Cretanco to get his daughter for himselfe Having wonne all the Courtiers with the prodigall effusion of his brothers treasure Cretanco thus injur'd without making shew of being angry thereat excused it with his wonted facility judging it in respect of its occasions pardonable upon discoursing within himselfe that interesses of preferment make men if they be not profest in the habit of vertue from very good to become exceeding bad yet knew he how to be so much angry for all that as to forbid him for comming ever more in his sight and that become now successor of a kingdome he should keepe him within its limits without venturing to returne into Creete For the rest he neither medled with his patrimoniall Dominions nor came to those termes whereto justly incensed Kings are wont to come to Restargo making no account of words rather confident of his brothers lenity than timorous of his justice forgetting his being forewarned grew desirous three yeares after Cretaneo being by then married to passe over into Creete ambitious it should seeme of being there honoured above the ranke of the first Peere of the blood Royall in the quality of a Soveraigne Prince and in his time King But no sooner was he come than that the prison was his lodging where he remained seven yeares the King and Princesse of Caria proving all the while unprevailing suppliants for his freedome The seventh yeare being past it seeming good to Riverargo to intercede for him he without any difficulty prevailed King Cretaneo being by then weary if not halfe-sorry for having contrary to his nature retain'd his colour for so long a time thinking that justice became now cruelty and that the revenge exceeded the injury especially in a brother not considering as he should have done that his brother had his affects corrupted and that such a man as had beene once wicked should be ever presupposed to be such Restargo insteede of repenting waxen now more wicked than before provides in a few dayes from Caria in small disordered companies a good band of men besides those of his owne State and knew so well how to doe ill that deposing his brother from his Royall Throne he put him in the very same prison that he had kept him seven yeares in and then sending for together with his wife new forces he assumed the title of Governour with his other brother affirming the King to be
weeke or such a matter cannot but be his best course for being by that time throughly well hee will bee able to performe his voyage without falling into any relapses or new indispositions which would prove to him dangerous and to Corianna and me a subject of augmenting and prolonging our griefes Concluded it was that goe he should as soone as he were fully recovered The Dutchesse thinking every houre an yeare till shee saw him out of the Realme conceiting it impossible that his long sojourne discovered him not being withall very desirous of Corianna's returne for the ending of her so heavy sufferings Litle ambitious God wot in the rest when shee had considerately examined all things that made for her disadvantage for by reason of the Realme's having a Prince though a babe Lucano could not aspire to the Crowne Also that the Princesse should bee there but slenderly esteemed it being not likely that shee should ever get a good looke of her Father and her not elected but forced affinity likely to prove odious and displeasing to both King and kingdome To these were added womanish emulations for respect whereof shee would rather have had a daughter-in-law of a midling condition that were obedient unto her than a royall Princesse whom it behooved her to bee observant of Full litle slept the Duke that night thinking himselfe to be already gone nay arriv'd in Ericusa in the cave and betweene the armes of his more beloved than deere-bought Corianna so as not yet throughly well and abandoned of sleepe the humours stirr'd up with unexpected joy brought on him a new feaver which lasted him many dayes insomuch as it was unpossible for him to part till a moneth after But then cloathed in a course habit and accompanied with no other than Erinnio and Olmiro taking the way of Taranto he embarked himselfe for Feacia and thence to Ericusa But here contentcrossing Fortune thinking shee had not yet afflicted him enough would needs to make it perhaps knowne that she made no reckoning of Princes take her pastime on him by wayes unlawfull with an intention happily according to her custome cruell to kill him with griefe since shee could not kill him with the sword Corianna was by this time up-risen from childe-bed and Carildo being according to his wonted manner sent to see if he could see arrive any ship and in her Olmiro beheld under the house of Feredo inhabited then by Almadero as hath beene told you the then owner of the house himselfe who upon a hunting-nag was then riding to visit the Princesse of Feacia Now he was in all things so like Lucano that Carildo beleeved it was he yet could not imagine how that could possibly be being hee had left him to his thinking dead Besides that being now to his seeming living he had not in his retinew any one of his wonted servants to him very well knowne But that which chiefly induced him to beleeve it was his language and accent when he heard him speake to his servants in the pure language of Parthenope Accoasting therefore one of them hee praid him to tell him who that Knight was and understanding that hee was the Knight of the teares he was not halfe-satisfied with that new by-surname of his though hee were thereby the more confirm'd in his opinion by conceiving that hee had ta'en on him that name for the losse of Corianna but praying the same man againe to informe him of his proper name and countrey he was answered that hee could therein be satisfied by no man save onely his Squire who was now gone before to see if the Princesse of Feacia were at home sithence all of them had beene the Druid's servants and were now his without knowing of him any more than that hee was setled there upon some not-openly-knowne discontent or crosse-fortune befallen him in his owne countrey but that hee for certaine came from parthenope where of his language accused him to bee a native yet howsoever it were hee could be no lesse than a great Prince by his manners carriage and expence Carildo having thanked this servant of his remain'd astonish'd when he observed how the Knight himselfe upon his saluting him had ey'd him as a man he had never seene before thinking it impossible that Lucano could bee so forgetfull as not to have retain'd in his memory some ghesse of having seene or knowne him before Hee therefore would willingly have followed him but that he thought it his better course to goe see if he could espie in the house any thing that might ridde him of his doubt but yet could not discover there any more Led he was through every roome and shewed all his Armes and Armour but yet could not gather any thing from them neither seene that hee had that noble Steed which by his markes and making he well knew to be of Lucano's breed the prime race in all that kingdome he remain'd so confused in minde as hee knew not what to thinke on 't Return'd to the cave with his wonted answers he renewed to the unfortunate Princesse's wonted afflictions which made her accuse Olmiro of negligence and the Fates of cruelty for hindering his returne Carildo would not acquaint her any whit of his suspitions but taking an excuse to returne about some businesse he had to doe abroad hee went out the morning following with an intent to speake himselfe unto the supposed Lucano whom upon his entrance into the wood he might see close by the Princesse of Feacia in amorous practizes Lucano was the night before arrived and by Olmiro conducted towards the cave through the wood when unseene they saw the same that Carildo did there was not any one of them that tooke her not for Corianna and by peering one in anothers face they exprest their amazement at her habit misbeseeming an afflicted person at her countenance that argued content but most of all at her gadding so alone to finde out some one to accompany her for passing-by without seeing them shee jetted on with a pace so indecent as pierced Lucano to the heart a wound for all that supportable till such time as seeing Almadero meet kisse and close with her in amorous embraces His doubt ceded to certaine realty to the eye and sense which as issuing out of some violent machine struck through his heart with the sharpest griefe that ever cold jealousie tempered with its envenomed juyces in the infernall forge assisted by the Furies and spitefullest spirits of the worst of hells Kill him outright it did not the force of his animall spirits supplying the place of his abated courage by conspiring against it increasing for the increasing of his torment and to make him miserable above all those that ever grieved either for perversity of starres or malignity of Destiny and withall to the end nothing might bee wanting him towards the making full of his heart-racking tortures there appear'd for next object to his sight Carildo that whilome honest faithfull and obliging
Parthenope the Metropolis of those happy Countries where crowned with a counterfeit Diadem it was placed on the principall Gate for a perpetuall example Don Elcimos was courteously visited of all and especially of Feredo who having first heard Catascopo's name and then seene his wicked head knew him for that of the Traytors But because Don Elcimos had need of repose hee thought it unfit to trouble him with any discourse till the day following and then he acquainted him with his being also a personall actor in the Tragyck-comedy of that vertuous Princesse Eleina the other astonished at so strange an accident with humbling himselfe before him more submissively than before told him he was heartily sorry to have had for companion in his miseries so worthy a Prince howbeit hee now beleeved the Gods had so many yeares reserved Catascopo to make him in both their sights an example of his justice to satisfie both of them the debt due to their revenge the Princesse being partly avenged before by his long imprisonment The Prince afterwards falling into discourse of the generall affaires of the then-present times and desirous to know why Polimero lived an exil'd Prince the Count of Bona not knowing how to conceale himselfe tels him what he was relates unto him all Polimero's affaires and what had hapned him from his first parting from Sardinia even to his second where he continuing his discourse proceeded in these words King Arato remain'd so profoundly heart-strucken with the death of Prince Perosphilo that not ceding in his love to him to the Queene his Mother he would needs evidently testifie it though not by being starke frantick as shee was yet by raving in such a manner that as oft as hee hapned to remember it he deprived of his understanding spake and did things unworthy of his Regall quality and if hee chanced to observe in any young Gentleman any extraordinary good parts he would then instantly repine at them as robb'd from his sonne and withall extreamely hate such as owned them But if there was any accomplish'd Gentleman that in bodily feature and excelling qualities exceeded all others and paragonized Perosphilo then surely that same one was the excellent Polimero who returned from Mauritania with his wife and daughter passed three yeares time without any notable disturbance his father-in-lawe's doting humour being not as then growne up to its full ripenesse but increasing proportionably with his age and by his remarking every day more than other in Polimero such qualities as were peculiar in Perosphilo he began first to envy and then by degrees to hate him till at last he grew to that passe that hee could not endure the sight of him In all things else Arato conserved his ancient prudence with other vertues wherewith he was well stored nor were they alwayes obscured with this frantick humour of his which being a motion of the imagination contrary to the ordinary motion of reason prevailed onely then when reason oppressed with this frantick humour remained impedited in its operations free in any other thing where the minde was not obstructed by its malignity onely in this one thing he lost nay went besides himselfe so as there was no man about him that could or durst either shew him his error or appease or divert him from the passion of his no lesse unreasonable than violent desire either to see Polimero dead or never to see him at all Eromena more troubled in minde with this than ought else that ever befell her spake and did good Princesse what shee could the same did also the Kings Councell But alas what good can perswasion worke upon a doting braine that in its fancie formes things diversly from what they really are by reason of the judgement and senses being corrupted and spoyl'd But Arato finding the point of ridding him away to be difficult to be resolved on it treating of a Prince and his supposed successor innocent generally beloved behoovefull to commonweale and countrey thought now to beguile his humour in making the world beleeve 〈…〉 was not he that he disaffected but that the bow of his hatred a strange and unheard-of fantasie was bent against the babe presumed heire to Perosphilo being such a one too as indeed together with the kingdome succeeded him in perfections of body mind those of manly valour though in a woman not excepted on her therefore spent he all the talent of his hatred whilst shee pretty soule that with her sweete lovelinesse and quaint pratling was able to winne the hearts of the cruellest tigers could never for all that any whit mollifie that of her braine-sick Grandfather by whom shee being banished from Sardinia was conveyed by her mothers affectionate care into Majorica whither for some new progressions of the Tingitan Metaneone was runne with his Eromilia of both which shee was received with affections different from those of her Grandfather they compassionately bemoaning in the tendernesse of her yeares the hardnesse of her fortune for which respect no body could ever afterwards endure to call her Lindadori but ever by the nick-name of Donzella Desterrada that is A damosell expelled or banished her countrey Expresse I would if knew how the faire Eromena's griefes in their pure essence especially at her parting from her deerely-tendred girle and the adorations which shee made her father to remove him from that passion if the expression of them were lesse difficult than their imagination yet this beteared privation neither augmented nor diminished onely it aggravated his frensie for not discerning before which of the two it was that he hated but now seeing himselfe ridde of the one which confounded his judgement in distinguishing the hatred he bare to the other hee came to know that he had erred the plummet of his passion falling not on Lindadori but on Polimero it may be he would have thought the same of her if shee had staid because the violence of the humour was come to such a passe as it passed all limits of discretion and judgement the first effects of his infirmity taking up all his minde and staying it from proceeding to any other operation And withall to contradict or disswade him from any of his Capricio's was as dangerous as bootelesse for then he becomming raging mad both commanded as a King and executed as an officer the Court being taught by other mens harmes to shunne him in those fits or at least to stand quiet without contrasting with him who in the rage of his fury would have gone neere to have kill'd Eromena her selfe had shee not prov'd as strong in resisting as discreete in evading his furious passions The noble-hearted Polimero was therefore constrained to give his humour way and to retire into Corsica a kingdome by his prowes acquired and united to the Crowne of Sardinia But because Eromena went often to see him the crasie-brain'd King upon calling to minde the repining hate of the Corses the reason that Polimero had to detest him the greatnesse of
his reputation in both kingdomes together with the neerenesse of his affinity and alliance with the two neighbouring Kings of Majorica and Mauritania resolved not to have him by any meanes abide so neere him And knowing that it was his best course to confirme his banishment with the authority of his Privie Councell a prime article in the art of ruling to make other men the authors of things odious and displeasing to the people he call'd them unto him and told them That hee well knew that his kingdomes and some or perhaps all of them there present disliked his demeanour towards his sonne-in-law a Cavalier in all things else of royall parts and reall worth but yet that the reasons moving him so to doe were of so high a consideration as would astonish them were it but lawfull for him to publish them That now then the same reason that before induced him to banish him from Sardinia constrained him also now to exile him from Corsica hee would have said from Majorica and Minorica too if in those parts hee had had the same jurisdiction over him as King as he had as predecessor and father-in-law but where the one wanted his intention and will was that the other might supply its defects with promising that if as a good sonne hee so made appeare unto him the respects and observance he owed him by this implicite obedience not retiring into Majorica or Mauritania places by him suspected that then his such obsequiousnesse should serve as an instrument to scrue into his favour by and a prevailing Orator for obtaining leave for his more speedy returne telling them plainely therewithall That his sending for them to come to him was not to aske their counsels but to make them the authors of his which he straightly enjoyn'd them to execute in such forme as best suited with the accomplishment of his desire The sweetly-majesticall Princesse that till that instant knew nothing of her fathers designe remain'd blanke at such an Oration what to resolve of shee knew not contrasting with him being as perilous as profitlesse till at last with bending one knee shee thus briefly bespake him My Soveraigne Lord there is no reason for any one to contradict your Royall will and yet lesse for me than any other yet because I know that Prince Polimero is to you both a good sonne and a loyall servant and that though declared for such by your owne mouth you are for all that resolved to banish him it is not fitting that I being his wife be here consenting to any such decree against him much lesse by dissenting to oppose any will or command of yours Which said shee went her wayes out though then neither her warlike ferocity nor native generosity was able in that delicate sex to stop the lubrick channels of her eyes from dropping a few pearlike teares The King let her goe without speaking any word to her but seemed by his actions to expresse that he would not have her know all the decree was hard to be expounded it being unpossible for colours to subsist without any substance But that which made it the more difficult was that the King unwilling to expresse himselfe would yet have his intention effected as if they had understood him which was the occasion that they there spent the whole day about it the Secretaries being puzled in penning each his peculiar draught and the King leaning on the shoulders while of the one and while of the other was ever busied in reading cancelling or interlining all-to-be-blurring and blotting it as black and foule indeede was all that was there done At length a long edict was concluded upon couched in abstruse words with an equivocall sense to make it the more difficult to be understood of any that would conster it in the right and worse sense plainely discovering absolute authority in the whole justice never a whit words enough without any kinde of sense The contents of as much as might be understood thereby was That Prince Polimero was at the request of the Privie Councell banished both kingdomes during his Majesties pleasure for secret reasons concerning the State In this decree were involved particular letters from some of the Councell to Polimero wherein were plainely expressed their unwilling sorrow to be drawne to subscribe to such a resolution beseeching him to retire to some place unsuspected farre distant from the kingdomes of Majorica and Mauritania from which it lying not in their power to banish him they did as good as pray him to banish himselfe otherwise that the punishment of his transgression would be his being deprived of all hope of ever being recalled againe Eromena presently upon her going out as I told you from the Councell gave order that whilst shee arm'd her selfe the fleetest galley that then rode in the bay should be made ready to part suddenly nor knowing how otherwise to evaporate the bitternesse of the anger shee conceived against her father shee wrote him a letter and then accompanied onely with Aretia and a few servants shee went to the port where turning towards those that had attended her thither shee said unto them Countrie-men and friends I goe in expedition of a businesse that much imports both yee and me I leave you in a setled peace and recommend to your care obedience and love the King and Realme and you Count of Toralba I shall enjoyne to deliver the King this letter The people that no lesse loved than honoured her seeing her arm'd at all peies a habit not used to be worne by her save in time of warre or tourneyes remain'd amaz'd thereat kissing with all affectionate reverence some her faire hands and other some the skirt of her bases but she causing the ladder to be hoist a-boord the galley that none might follow her went a-boord the long boate and then without permitting either the Ghing to salute or any Trumpet to be touch'd launch'd out steering a direct course for Sardinia where the second day shee safely arrived and being there landed would not suffer any other messenger than her selfe to bring her husband the newes of her arrivall thither Polimero abode in Corsica adored by all insomuch as even those to whom by occasion of the warres he had beene somewhat prejudiciall seeing now in so many occasions his royall demeanour grew to be so affectionate towards him as that they accounted their losses well imployed for having made so advantageous an exchange of Epicamedo for him And though his domesticall affaires as the privation of his wife and daughter much troubled his minde yet the noble company of the Marquesse of Oristanio other accomplish'd Gentlemen much sollaced him who also discreetly endeavoured to weane his mind from griefe by being alwayes employed in some exercise or other And now it so pleased fortune that he was that day rode forth on hunting that very same way that Eromena came galloping to finde him out who hearing the winding of the hornes and deepe crie of the