such honour as to her estate required whose obseques finished Barnardine regarding the benefit of the Common-weale and the Princes good of whom their hope was to learne knowledge vsed so kinde persuasions to the whole estate in a parlement holden of purpose that the regiment was deliuered by consent vnto sixe of the chiefest nobles who were solemnely sworne to maintain the dignities of the Crowne in absence of the king his sonne vnto whom being lawfull heires to the same they shuld resigne their titles whensoeuer they should chalenge y e same Now Gentiles leaue we these distressed people lamenting their kings absence the quéenes death to tel you of the Maiden Knight This gallant Prince the hope of Thrace carefull of his honor not vnmindful of his new mistres whose loue was the marke he aimed at hoping by accomplishing this victorie against the Souldane to gaine that place of reputation with her that hée desired for the better accomplishing of which he proclaimed by sound of Trumpet that all such as would in y ◠action aduenture their liues with him should bountifully be considered all estates from the Cauileare to the Mercenary caused many to offer him their sonnes so that in short time he had gathered more able men thē euer in so smal warning were séene such was the loue his bountie had gained among all estates that of their kindnes many repaired more then for of money although the thought therof is able to draw y e coward to fight so highly was this stranger honored The diligence was such of this Prince that in short time he had his companies which were so furnished as he liued not in those territories that euer saw the like Al things furnished for the field he became an earnest sutor to the Princesse his mistresse to procure the king to view his army which with smal sute she obteined for him gracing him with all the fauours she might more delighting in him then in all the men that euer she saw The time appointed for his muster after he had giuen directions to all such Leaders other Officers what course to take with their seuerall charge they were conducted to the place appointed by himself who mounted on a stately Courser passed on through the Citie his Captaines attired in Gascoin coats of watchet veluet hauing on the breast back embossed with goldsmiths work a Mayden head according to his deuise on his armes with the colour of his mistresse scarfe euery vnder officer in like sutes of satten his mercinary men in Iackets hose and hats coloured alike which caused the beholders to admire the stranger more then their princes When the king beheld this mirror of honor least thinking he was sonne to his louing frend the Numedian king and had with great delight viewed each seueral officer and their charge with their order of march and ranging in battell all accomplished in such warlike maner as sildome he had séen and withall noted his person with his brauery in armor his gallant sitting a horse and manuring the same his charging running and other signes of ensuing good giuing him great thanks he caused him to dismisse his companies for that time to attend his pleasure at the Court which he caused suddeinly to be done attending the kings pleasure at the Court as he was commanded the newes of his arriuall being brought to the Princesse who had séen with what cost and rare deuises each thing by her seruant was performed iudging likewise his loue to her was some cause by his cullours and deuises willing to let him know how graciously the same was accepted she came into the Presence where finding her Knight after she had with a kinde and louing Conge saluted him calling him to a baye Windowe with a modest and comely grace shée said Syr how much I finde my selfe indebted vnto you for your preffered seruice and forewardnesse in performing the same I will not say that in time what wants in me to accomplish my kingly father wil recompence who hath séene and well noted your diligence vsed for his safetie with your cost and great charge which he wil not forget In the meane time good seruant for so I will hencefoorth call you so you will vouchsafe to accept of the tytle I will pray for your good successe and happie victory wherby your renowne may passe the farthest parts of the earth and our Country by your prowesse deliuered from heathen thraldome Vertuous Princesse answered the Mayden Knight might it please your exellence to conceiue of my well meaning as my desire is to deserue my fortune might be compared with the happiest that liueth For on the faith of a Souldier and by the Maiestie of that saint my heart most adoreth there is none breathing life vnder the celestiall globe that shall commaund the simple seruice of Pheander but your Maiestie bound thereunto by your Princely fauours Inough my good seruant quoth the Princesse I take your word hauing great cause to beléeue you séeing your forwardnesse But good seruant if I might vnder Benedicitie know the saint vnto whom your deuotions are bent I would be so bolde to offer a virgines prayer at her shrine for your good successe The King ouer hearing their talke brake them off thus How now Madame what haue you that Gentleman at shrift if so and that his confection deserue a sharpe pennance yet be good to him he may in time amend Your grace quoth the Princesse mistakes your selfe your highnesse knoweth I neuer tooke orders therfore my authoritie is not to absolue and if by presumption I offend therein I doubt the Fathers of our Church would reward me thereafter But to let your maiestie know the truth perceiuing the desire he hath to do you seruice I was bold to giue him thankes further recompence I leaue to your exellence who at your pleasure may better reward him Thou hast well said daughter quoth the King putting me in minde what I should do least forgetting my honour to such as well deserue I be reckoned amongst the number of those Princes who with faire words and kind lookes féed their subiects so long as they haue either Patrimony or other to do them seruice to the vtter ouerthrow of their posterities for euer and they so farre in debt they dare not shew their heads then shall they get perhaps some suite worth a hundred pounds a yeare that haue consumed many thousands maintaining a braue port for his Princes honors What said I a hundred pounds a yeare nay not that without the fauour of such as be chéefest in authority and are néere the prince whose good will if they can procure it may be they shall obtaine some small thing scarce able to maintaine the porte of a good yoman for I tel thée such must be pleased or els let the princes mind be forward to reward them and by their bountie reléeue their wantes their good natures by perswasion of such as thinke all too
much which goeth from themselues such as they please to bestow it vpon shall be abused Thus haue I heard gentle Knight and gréeue that honour should so vnkindly bée rewarded or that any subiect should forget his dutie so much as for his owne lucre cause those that spende their bloud in their countries defence their landes and possessions with emptie purses and heauie heartes like men forlorne to walke the streets exclaiming on them that should sée their seruice better rewarded to the dishonor of the state they liue in This my Pheander I often recount least in forgetting it I fall to infamie by committing the like but he that gaue me reason to know good and to follow it wil neuer suffer me to fall into so great folly nor let me liue to forget those maimed braue men that venture for my good and my countries weale for while I may breath the souldier shall be honored in Thrace and shall reape the reward of his merites neither shall these Drones which in such times of perils hide their heads suck the hony off my garland Like mindes I wish all princes with carefull eies to looke into the doinges of such who as the moth deuoureth the fine cloth consumeth their princely reputation drawthe commons who by dutie are bound to loue from their alleageance While the king was in this speach worde was brought him that a Heralde from the campe attended his pleasure at the gate requiring parlie which he suddenlie granted commanding him to be broght to his presence this vnhallowed pagan who neuer feared God nor was endued with any humanity come vnto the kings presence with a shameles countenance vsed this peremptory spéech King of Thrace Mustaffa Cela great commander of the empire general of those royal armies sendeth thée by me thy choyce either of wars or peace peace if thou deliuer thy daughter vnto him whom he hath so oftē required yet wheras his loue vnto her hath bene such to make her his wife his noble mind dispiseth her so much as his highnes wil neuer so much honor her but in despite of thée and to abate the pride of that disdainful dame he wil vse her as his concubine when he shal haue taken the flower of her virginity giue her to the basest villain in his camp Thou knowest my embassage deliuer her liue or by me return thy resolute answere for it shal not be many dayes ere thy citie shal flame with fire about thyne eares The king vexed at this vnexspected message could not answer him so mooued was his choller yet with as much patience as nature would permit he saide Pagan I haue heard with great paine endured thy Lordes peremptorie message and that thou that Cur from whome thou commest shal know the great difference betwéen a Christian him that he vnderstand how honorable we hold the lawe of arms I pardon thée thy life which thy presumption doth require sharply to be punished For answere to thy Lord this briefly say his threates I regarde not for my daughter as God hath giuen her me and for she is the onely ioy of my aged life I wil shield her in despite of the Pagan and his greatest power defend her chastity therfore depart and say to thy Lord from me his threates Iwey no more than the words of a child it is not his multitudes can dant me were they ten times more then they are my daughter I wil hold in despite of his beard proud vsurper that hée is Thou knowest my wil make no stay The Herald noting the stern countenāce of y ◠king and hearing his resolution thought it not good to stay a replie least his tongue swelling in his mouth might not be eased without losse of his head but glad to escape his furie conueyed him from his presence with al speed he could posting to the pauilion of the prince vnto whome he deliuered the kinges resolute answere which hee no sooner heard but like one besides himselfe he vowed in three dayes to be reuenged of y ◠old churle who should fast the bitternes of his youthful furie Litle knoweth this proud enemie the preparation made to bid him welcome or that his own destruction was so néere as after it prooued The Maiden Knight which with no smal grief had endured this proud demaund of the herald whose whole request was for dishonor of her he so much honored awaked from melancholy as out of a sound sléep prostrating himself before the king he saith renowned Soueraigne with what grief I haue endured the presumption of this vsurper my heart denieth my tongue to vtter neither shal I haue ioy of any thing til I reuenge the wrongs offered your M. your princely daughter vpō that dog Wherefore dread Lord grant me licence to issue out of the city with my companies in the silent of y ◠night I hope ere long to returne his proud challenge with my sword in his throte Thanks good knight quoth the King I accept thy offer as much as if thou hadst giuē me the whole world in possession yet would I not so forward a man shuld aduenture himself without my company whose cause it is my selfe will accompany thée in the fight and by my herald bid him battell in which I doubt not of successe The Knight was not a litle mooued to hear his suit take no better successe yet not willing to endure any competitor in the honour he hoped of humblie besought his Maiestie of the honour he bare to Armes in this attempt to giue him leaue the rather for the reputation of the Princesse which had geuen him his first honor The king which saw by his countenance how malecontent he rested at this deniall howe loth so euer he were to graunt the same yet yéelded to his desire and taking him from his knée louingly embracing him he saith Braue man at armes take not in ill part that I haue denyed neither thinke that it was in any sort to disparage you or the hope I haue of your forwardnes but for maintaining my owne honour yet séeing your will is to aduenture for mée goe in Gods name and he be your defence that euer comforteth his distressed and so pulling his signet from his finger he gaue it him willing that it bee deliuered to the Gouernour of the citie let him vnderstand his Highnesse pleasure was that he with his armie passe at his pleasure and so taking his humble leaue of the king and gracious mistresse which affecteth him more then he could conceiue he departeth more ioyful of this honor then to be richlie endowed No sooner parted he the kings presence but slacking as litle time as was possible he summoned his captaines and officers straitly charging thē with al the diligence he could vse to gather their companies to attend him in the market place in which charge no negligence was vsed so that by shutting in of the euening ech captaine
bountie and admired for curtesie he he Guenela is the ioy of my heart and my hearts sole delight without whom I cannot liue no I wil not liue I neither may I liue such is the seruice my heart hath vowed in loue vnto him therefore if thou loue me as thou hast profest by thy industrie séeke to â—aue my life which cannot but perish not obteining my desires Guenela listning to her discourse willing to become second in this Comedie had her braines beating alreadie in search of the charge committed vnto her yet would shée not answere any thing sodeinly considering how displeasing spéeches spoken out of time be vnto louers corasiues yet chearing the Princesse shée requested vntill the next morning respite for answer which the Princesse granted affying greatly in her which was wise and wel demeaned many wayes sometime doubtfull sometime pleasing sifted her sences to the proofe whom to her study we leaue The Mayden Knight whose extremes were far more if more might be after his abrupt parting with his mistresse that he grew so melancholy as nothing were it vyandes to relieue his weake corpse neither the daintinesse of pleasing sweete Musicke wherewith his friends presented him might any way delight him so that in outragious maner he exclaimed on his misfortune cursing the tidings bringer of the Kings repaire to the Parke and his tongue for not reuealing his griefe his Phisition so readie to hear that dispairing of his hope to enioy her he was likely to mischiefe himselfe yet reason affirming that the learnedest Phisition could not discouer the disease of his Patient without he shew it how neare soeuer he gesse Entering further in consideration of her fauourable spéeches shaking off feare like a hardie souldier he determined in writing to let her know his loue since he had no hope to méete her againe at the like aduantage Therefore like the condemned hoping of pardon liueth the Knight yet desirous to be resolued either of comfort or dispaire he calleth for Penne and Inke and write thus To willingly vouchsafe him as partner of her best fortunes yet making a kinde deniall she said Sir though I could willingly do you more seruice then modestie will I acquaint you with it is not the part of our Countrey Gentlemen to make peasts of Gentlewomen hauing Pages fit for the purpose if I refuse your request attribute it to no discurtesie in me which am very loath to offende her highnesse not knowing whether the sentence of your paper may discontent her or no. That many messengers haue incurred displeasure yea and losse of life as the cause hath deserued I hope it is not vnknowne vnto you yet hath the harmelesse messenger knowne as litle what he carried as I desirous to know of you Swéete Guenela quoth the Knight that it is wisedom to beware by others harmes I deny not yet is it discurtesie to deny the request of a Gentleman which haue euer shewed my selfe a dutifull seruant to his highnesse and honoring him can I frame my heart to preiudise that Ladie of incomparable vertue No no heauens neuer permit me life to offend her in the least sort Therefore doubt no such matter for on the word of a Gentleman my life shall be offered and fréely giuen to excuse thy friendship wherein I am so greatly pleasured by you Guenela noting by the often changing colour in telling his tale his heart was not his owne but had some more businesse in hand then hée would impart loath to offend his patience by her deniall sayd Sir perswading my selfe of your loyaltie I will for this time become your Embassador although it should impaire my credite with her Exellence whose fauour I hold as deare as my life and that you shall assure your selfe of my trustinesse herein so please it you to méete me in this place to morrow by that time the Suns power shall haue drawne the deawe from off the earth I shall returne you answere as you desire Thankes good Guenela for thy curtesie assure you I will not dye in thy debt if euer Pheander may requite it by any industry In the meane time quoth he fauour me so highly as weare this for my sake and pulling off a Dyamond of great prise gaue it her which she was loth to accept yet giuing thanks for his curtesie she sayd Sir would you did vnderstand I prise not my paines that you shuld reward me with hyre or do you good in hope of benefit or as it is vnfitting a gentle woman to take gifts bestowed in such maner so is it discurtesie and no part of a woman like condition to refuse the gift of a friend therfore accept my thankes till I may better deserue it Thus time passing away Guenela taking her leaue departed towards the Princesse and the Knight to his lodging where how many sundry thoughts assailed him I leaue to them that haue endured the like Guenela come to the Princesse presence by her pleasant iesture was of the Princesse perceiued who was iealous of her being acquainted with her maladie who calling her to her bed side she enquired where she had spent the time so long from her knowing that all her Attendants were combersom vnto her but onely Guenela with whom she might passe the time in discoursing her loue Madame dutie commands me answere your demand yet hauing bene to search some daintie that might yéeld delight to your weak stomake and cause better dâ—gesture by chance prying in y e garde in for such things I was encountred by the best skild in the dominions of Thrace who gaue me a receit which I iudge by my simple skil wil giue your Maiestie great ease yet doth the Phisition doubt whether your stomacke wil disgest it This gracious Ladie quoth Guenela hath bene the cause of my absence and no other Alas good wench how am I beholding to thée that caring to recouer my strength searchest the depth of thy skill but Guenela in vaine sâ—ekest thou her health whom no phisitiaÌ„ with all his hearbs drugs simples balmes emplaisters or what Art may prouide can remedy onely God the great commander must by his grace bring my desires to ende or by death ende my dayes of life What Madam euer in this tune once alter these discords which maketh your musick iar sing y â— beliefe with a chéerful voice so may your mind be a litle eased and the receit I haue to minister worke with the more effect I speak this Madam of experience for euery skilfull Phisitian wil prepare the bodie of his Patient before he minister Therfore Madam if you wil shake off this melancholy you shal haue a taste of what I promise if not your grace must pardoÌ„ me it were great pitie so precious a thing should be cast away Well Guenela quoth the Princesse thou art disposed to crosse me with thy words which doth but increase my disease yéelding small comfort therefore leauing those Iests say me my good wench if thou haue
excellence to take so great a matter vpon me yet shal I so please it you to heare me deliuer my simple opinion as I would do my selfe in the like action The olde wiues say they that féede with the deuill must haue a long spoone and they that goe about to master Loue had néed of manie good precepts disswade your Grace I will not to forget it for I sée it is vain neither would I wish you to answere by writing for a paper is soone lost and lost to whose finding it shall come tis vncertaine as soone to some enuious enemie as a wel-willer in which some word simplie meant of you or me may be construed by them at their pleasure whereby your name may be brought in question and a slaunder raised is not so easily suppressed writing is a specialtie whereof the subtill Lawyer takes no small aduantage to auoyd all which casualties this may you doe pretend some matter of conference with him and appoint the time when hée shall attende your pleasure at your lodging comming secretely vnto you and at such time as the King your father shall bée employed in serious affaires so may you vse your spéech at your pleasure this would Guenela doe your Grace may vse your discretion I like thy deuise wel good wench and giue thée manie thankes quoth the Princesse therefore faile not to méete him for thy promise what els I refer to thy best indgemeÌ„t Nowe in faith Madame quoth Guenela you haue made a good choyce for a solliciter but take me as I am this is the first suit that euer I was retained for nor I doubt not if I spéed well now of manie elpantes As they were thus pleasant betwéene themselues they heard a trumpet sound to horse which caused the Princesse to sende her Page to enquire the cause who returned her answer that the king with his traine were setting forward to hunt a wilde bore which his Forrester had roused this newes gaue them cause of ioy hoping that Fortune fauoured them with a happy time which they were both loth to omit doubting the like opportunitie the Princesse especially who coulde not be quieted in minde vntill shée heard her Knight aunswere for himselfe wherefore a Page was presently commanded to search for y e Knight willing him with such conuenient spéed as hee could to meet Guenela in the garden the Page vsed such diligence y e soone he was brought vnto the Knightes presence whome he found solitary as a holie father at his Orizons whome the Page awaked with his ioyful message which was welcom vnto him albeit doubtfull whether of weale or woe either to augment his sorrowes or vtterly to extinguish them The sudden hearing of which caused him to pause a while when hauing determined curteously returned answere to the Gentlewoman that he would attend her he rewarded the Page so bountifully as he had cause to boast him of his wel employed seruice Guenela hauing receiued his answere by the Page aduertized the Princesse thereof who commaunded her to haste least she gaue the Knight cause of discontent by her long stay but for al her spéed Pheander was long there before atteÌ„ding her comming who was no sooner of him perceiued to enter the place but his heart prâ—â—aging some good was more delighted thereat theÌ„ all the motions that could be imagined after his curteous salutations done thus said Swéet Guenela I know not what to imagine of thy sudden message yet willing to be resolued as one that by thy answer exspecteth his doome either of life or death I attend thy pleasure say therfore swéet Lady what faith the Princesse to my letters with whom Guenela purposed to be somthing pleasant not to cloy his stomacke with such plesant confections that he should surfet therewith and framing a countenance to her spéech she said Sir Knight of all the Gentlemen in the Courte of Thrace my good opinion was such of you that on your word I durst haue hazarded my greatest credit which expectation thou hast farre deceiued and therefore not worthie to be accounted among such honorable men at Armes which take their principall honor holding their word with Gentlewomen At the deliuery of which spéech he that had tooke regarde to the Knightes countenaunce might haue thought him past phisickes recure And withall standing so mute it verely perswaded Guenela that he was readie to deliuer his interest of life whiche made her alter her rough words and with a smoother methode new file them doubting that her Comedie begun in mirth should prooue a Tragidie to the great grief of the whole Country which generally honored him Wherfore taking him by the hand she sayd Sir Knight I am sorie I haue charged you so far what cause soeuer I had but tis womanlike to be slaine with words and no fit passion for a man of your profession That you may comfort your selfe I first pardon the offence against me committed and enioyne you as you tender your credit with the Princesse Nutania that you faile not to repaire at such conuenient time as you best can to her lodging where if you hold your word you will excuse your messenger Oh Guenela how haue thy spéeches tormented me filling my entrailes with suche a confusion of comfortlesse thoughts as haue ouercome my senees Yet Guenela if thou be curteous or haue any sparke of gentilitie abide in thée Say my good Lady what countenance gaue the Princesse to my bashfull paper Vouchsafed she the reading of them Or how to discomfort you good Knight quoth Guenela it were pittie being alreadie at so low a datum which pitieth me to behold Comfort can I giue none to thy desires but this thy sute is loue as your Letters import in which dispaire not for thy mistresse is a woman though a Princesse and how pitifull our sexe is I will not boast but wish thée not dispaire If thy birth were as great as thy vertues thou mightst boord and bedde as good as the Princesse Nutania vnto whom I wil be a faithfull soliciter Mistake me not Pheander I speake as a friend and so leaue thée vntill thy comming to my Lady which detract not for time lost is such a precious thing as can neuer be recalled Before whom when thou shalt come pleade thine owne cause and discouer thine owne grie And so farewell Pheander which had some greater hope by Guenela her last spéeches was so ouer ioyed that he could not bid her farewell yet after his memento past he saith farewell the faithfullest friend in my distresse that euer I founde Oh Guenela happy maist thou be in thy loues and highly honored amongst men by whom my cares are thus comforted faithfull Guenela the worker of my hearts happie content by whom past all hope I am by thy faithfulnesse and trueth in deliuering my message freed of so heauie a burthen as was likely to haue torne my poore oppressed heart in a million of péeces Thus vplawding Guenela he had almost
couer y e blushing of her face as ashamed of what she had to say vnto him in reuealing her owne griefe she said Famous Prince whome the world applaudeth and our Courtiers of Thrace with wonder do admire that I loued thée being Pheander I cannot deny and how many iarres I endured for thée I omit each particuler wringing tears from my heart which how willing so euer it was to haue made the same knowne modestie restrained laying before me many wrongs offred in Ladies loue by such periured knights as haue profest with their toongs what their harts neuer ment wherby diuers Ladies of honor haue bene dishonored sundry lost their liues which considered blame me not if I rather chuse to die then passe the bandes of modestie so farre as seeke thy loue or knowing thy grief to blame mine yéeld before I heard thée auow on thine honor what thy letters imported But gentle Prince that thou maist better beléeue what I report how much soeuer my heart hath denied to reueale perswade thée if I loued thée being Pheander and a counterfeyt merchant assure you I cannot hate thée for that thou art Dionicus the one a Prince the other an inferiour of whose loue were I assured and that his tongue and heart agreed in one Dionicus should be in loue so requited as neuer any should haue interest in Nutanias heart but the péerlesse Prince of Numedia At vttering of which teares restrained her spéech which y e Prince noted and perceiuing that she spake what her heart thought he â—omforted her thus Faint not Madame neither sorrow for those comfortable confections bestowed on a dying creature whose fauors hath haled him from the graue whereunto he was like to haue bene swallowed had not thy comfort reclaimed mée who liuing died for thy loue which grace shall neuer be forgotten And that you shall assure you my faith and loue is firme and honorable I protest by that honor that euer the Numedian Prince hath regarded that my loue to the Princesse Nutania is no other but honourable nor neuer none hath had any interest in Dionicus or euer shall but the onely bewtifull and verteous Princesse Nutania and on that take here my hand and with my hand the heart loue and honor of a Prince Guenela lending an eare to this prattle hearing them so earnest to put them from their melancholy tooke the word at aduantage and comming sodeinly to them said Madame at finishing of bargains they shake hands if there be any exchange betwéene your knight and you you were best to take witnesse least disliking the match he recant his word Guenela quoth the Prince your Lady is beholding to thée for thy care and I your debter challenge it when you please Sir quoth Guenela I thank you but wilt please you remember your promise excuse Guenela quoth the Princesse without my Lord y â— Prince his further intreaty I pardon al faults committed against me for confirmation of which get your Lawyer to draw an acquittance generall from the beginning of the world and I will signe it Nay Madame answered Guenela it were an euil seruant that will not take her mistresse worde for a dozen or two of stripes which I am sure had bene the most and if they should light on my ribbes might well grieue me slay me they could not my heart is of more valour then so But Madame shal Sir Pheander marie the Princesse Nutania that you call him your Lord the Prince if that be the bargaine I feare there is some fire in the strawe And howe then quoth the Princesse Nay Madame quoth Guenela nothing but I pray God giue you much ioy and make you happy in your loue While they were thus pleasant a page brought word that diuers Ladies were come to visite the Princesse which caused them how loth so euer after manie swéet imbracings and louing kisses betwéene them enterchanged to giue each other the farewel parting better content then they came together hauing vnburthened their heartes of much griefes giuing content to both by yéelding to loue which vanquished both whome to their pleasing imaginations I leaue to recount the Kinges of Thrace and Thessalie their pastimes in hunting These Kinges following the chace with great pleasure as pastime they greatly delighted were so wearied with the same and toiled with the extremity of heate which made them choose some place vnder the shadowe of the spreading trées to refresh themselues where they had not long rested but they were espied of an ancient woman the widdow of good yeâ—man and her sonne who hauing workmen not farre from thence were carrying them victuals The poore aged woman hauing séene as she thought vnséene the kings doubting they were some of those robbers that haunted those mountains woulde haue shifted from them another way but were interrupted of the King who suddeinly calling them draue them both into such a shaking feare as they which are ouerburthened with a feauer The King who graciously regarded their timmorousnesse comforted them with all the fauourable spéeches he could vse protesting vnto them that in their company they should receiue no discurtesie by none if the King himselfe were present and therefore willed them to set feare apart and to tell them what they were the cause of their feare and their businesse they had that way These honorable spéeches of the King mildly vttered comforted them wherefore in such blunt manner as her bringing vp required shée sayd Gentlemen for so you séeme if your inward conditions answere your outward habit as many in this age doeth whose garments might become men of great worth if apparell may make a man more worthie yet diuerse times couer those carkases voyd either of worship honestie or other good condition Pardon my harsh behauiour gentle sir and blame me not for auoiding the way experience haâ—â— taught me to eschue harmes who to my cost haue dearly paid for my learning hauing my goods spoiled at home and my self family dangered abroad and without offence may I speak it by such whose countenance and attire might wel haue deceiued them of more iudgement then my selfe The King delighted with her plaine spéeches demanded where she dwelled and whether she had a husband or liued a widow Oh sir if any gentilnesse abide in you quoth she vrge me not to deliuer a tale of such ruth as your questions import The remembrance of my passed pleasant life when I call to minde with the cares I now am combred with many sundry wayes are so displeasing vnto my gréeued heart as I may not without many teares shed recount the same These words spoken in heauinesse noted of the King made him more importunate to heare the rest and therfore willed her all feare set apart to reueale vnto him what estate she liued in and if any wrongs were offred hir he protested by oathes which might haue bene well beléeued to remedie it yea if it were the King himselfe The carefull widow encouraged by
due to a murtherer and reuēge your kings death by taking my life which had I a million of thousands liues could not make satisfactiō for my euil committed against you Here teares interrupting him denyed his tongue libertie of spéech whose lamentation filled all the nobles with such heauinesse as for teares they could not vtter a word especially the King whose grief being great was encreased by his dolefull lament yet casting of this womanish humor drying his eyes doubting the nobles and those present shuld accuse him of fear dreading to die wherunto we are all born with a soft voice tenderly wringing the Mayden Knight by the hand hée saith Noble Gentleman cease thy heauinesse thy griefe so augments mine that the thought thereof wrings teares from my heart thy vnwilling offence with my heart I forgiue and to shew how deare in life thou wast vnto me my good Pheander accept at my dying hand my kingdom of Thessaly the lawfull inheritance of thy faithfull friend loue those people my kind subiects so gouern them with fauour and lenity as they haue no cause to complain of my dead course for my life which by thy hand through y ◠apointmēt of him that gaue it me I must leaue I heartily forgiue thée and accursed be he or them which shal euer impute i◠vnto thée in dishonour any fault against me committed That thou louedst mée thy tender care of my good hath shewed suche proofes as tyed me in true friendship to be thine for euer Death is not so irkesome vnto me but that I must leaue thée and the swéete content I receiued in thy company grief of my deaths grief my own Pheander compelleth me omit what I would say wherefore briefly thus Forget not thy dying friend and shew that loue to my Lord Cariolus whom for thy sake I haue to this Crowne of Egipt aduanced as I euer found and in extremes comfort him with thy aide as thou hast done me my sister Phedera forget not whom to thy charge I commit leauing her to thée and thée to be in my place a brother who liuing loued her as my hope is thou wilt And so deare friends heauens blessednes befall you all and so prosper you as I loued you And you Pheres of Egipt and Thessaly whose loue I haue found as subiects in all dutifull maner let be continued vnto these your elected Kings who will with honour gouerne you so shall the giuer of all happinesse blesse your lands with the blessing of peace and plenty for they that honor their king doth reuerence the Lord who created him and he wil giue them plenteous rewards Noble Gentlemen griefe cutteth me off flesh must yéeld to earth how loath soeuer the mightiest death hath vanquished Therefore as my Vltenam vale remember my words and pray God to send vs the abundance of his grace that we may through his mercy haue a ioyfull méeting in his kingdome that neuer shall haue end I féele the heauy messenger approaching therefore farwell to thée my deare sister whom I charge as thou louedst mée liuing be louing and kinde to thy husband doing him that honor is due vnto him thy children bring vp in fear of their maker and so God blesse thée with happinesse And thou Pheander vnto me no creature in life more deare remember my parting spéeches loue the Lord Cariolus as I haue loued thée and thou my adopted brother Cariolus honour him during thy life that I am sure faithfully tendered and loued thée so shall God be pleased for no sin in sight of his diuine deitie is more intollerable then that monstrous vice of Ingratitude which for auoyding the heauy wrath of of God I wish thée eschue Nobles and you all my very good friends to exhort you to remember your duties whose wisdomes is more then I will recount were a matter friuolous and perhaps may moue some offence yet take my simple meaning which speake to you that haue ouer-loued me which loue let be continued honor your Kings with reuerence and loue for what you do to them is done to God which are his Vize-Regents on earth and his annoynted Moue no rebelliō nor be mainteiner of euil for such faults how secret so euer God will to your ouerthrowes reueale Remember his word which hath commanded you to be obedient without murmuring and feare him which gouerneth all I can say no more my spéech faileth me therefore generally my Lords farewell and so turning his weak bodie to the wall surrendered his soule to the heauens from whence it had his being to the intollerable griefe of all his subiects who with many brinish tears lamented his death but especially the Knight Pheander and Cariolus whose marriage the louing King honoured with his funerall which in the most honourablest maner Art or honor could deuise was solemnized lamented generally of all his subiects but especially the Egyptians who more dearly loued him for his clemency then their owne naturall King The funerall finished a Parliament was sommoned in which time the Mayden Knight so preuailed with the Nobles of Thessaly and Egipt that by common consent of the whole assembly in both houses temporall and spirituall the regiment of both kingdomes was deliuered vnto the Lord Cariolus and the Mayden Knight resigned his interest for euer vnto him and the Lady who was lawfull inheritrix vnto the same The Parliament proroged according to the custome of the Country great preparation was made for the Coronation which in most solemne and honourable manner was accomplished with so many sundry showes and delightfull pleasures as might weary you to reade Let it suffice to the great ioy of both Realmes all things to so honorable an action was so exquisitely performed as no man but tooke great delight in beholding therof praying with an vniuersall voice for their long liues to be in happinesse amongst them continued Thus all things to the ioy of the noble Pheander accomplish and to the high content of the King Cariolus and his Quéen by the aduise of the Mayden Knight an election was made of a Vizeroy to goe for Thessaly the King making choyce of two euils the least conceiuing this opinion of the naturall subiects of Thessalie that they would liue in their dutifull obeisance when a conquered nation gathering hed vppon many light occasions was easily drawne to reuolt These considerations with great wisdom weyed the Lord Fardinand one of the priuy Councell of Thessaly was elected for that gouernment vnto whome the King after his Commission signed and honorable gifts giuen so wisely exhorted to obedience and care of his loue and dutie that as many of the nobles as were present and noted the same admired him reioysing that God had prouided so for them to leaue them in the gouernment of so toward a Prince of whom so much ensuing happinesse was exspected Order taken for his affaires of waight the Vizeroy imbarqued for Thessaly and his Nobles departed each one to their seuerall mantions
The aged father ouer worne with griefe and long trauell was so much altered in his face as he that had wel known him might very well haue mistaken his feature which made the King who oftentimes had noted his comely person his Pilgrimes attire and other ornaments to religious belonging greatly to affect him litle suspecting it was the aged Barnardine But as time reuealeth greatest secrets and bringeth friends to knowledge so the King taking pleasure beholding this Pilgrime noted him so often that his phisiognemy to his memory presented the feature of his beloued Barnardine which imagined thought began to take such roote in the King as he greatly desired to haue some conference with the Pilgrime euermore perswading himselfe that it was his noble Tutor and carefull Phisition To assure him of that doubt he determined to haue knowledge of the aged man if he might and for that intent caused his Pages to giue diligent héed if they sawe him in the Court to bring him tydings thereof which they did according to his Maiesties commandement attending with such care at that vsuall time he was accustomed to come that he passed not of them vnperceiued whereof they gaue the King intelligence by whose commaund hée was sommoned to his Presence The aged Pilgrime at this first somance of the messenger was in such dread of wrong to be offered him as hée greatly feared some ill to betide him knowing that Princes haue many eyes and strangers are markes how poore so euer their estates are specially frequenting the Court as he did yet he whose conscience could not accuse him of any euill intent against the King had this hope that God whom he serued doth protect the innocent and would deliuer him Thus casting his care on him that commandeth Kings not without many imaginations what should be the cause he came vnto the Kings Presence vnto whom as one that knew his good he prostrated himselfe praying hartily for the Kings prosperitie The King which saw the old man bowing before him kindly tooke him from the ground tendring his age which he honored whom the more he noted the more the louely face of his beloued Barnardine presents it vnto his memory the thought of whom caused his heart to much sorrow yet shaking off griefe of father kingdome and friend he sayd Aged father in whose face appeareth grauitie tel me of that dutifull loue thou owest thy most beloued friend of what Countrey thou art and what fortunes hath brought thée to this region that honoring thée whose age requireth the same I may further thy sutes if thou haue any or wanting wealth I may leléeue thée The wofull Pilgrime reuiued by those honorable spéeches of the King sayd Renowmed Prince the mirror of honor of whose fame the world is filled to satisfie your Exellence know that occasions of importance thereunto mouing me I forsooke my natiue Countrey in search of those whom my fortune was neuer yet to méete yet haue I trauelled many kingdomes and in my trauell haue séene many Princes Courts and noted their seuerall demeanors yet moste gracious soueraigne neuer tooke I pleasure in any as in this Countrey of Thrace the nobles especially giuing me cause to admire them whose minds shew their true Gentilitie as the frute maketh the tree knowne in which taking delight I haue though more then beseemeth a stranger so often frequented thy Court wherewith if your grace take any offence I humbly beséech your pardon which am now readie to depart The King which had heard that tongue so often reade him many Lectures and giuen him instructions of honor was not deceiued him though albeit he forbear to acknowknowledge him whom he desired so hartily to sée vnto whom he was more welcom then any man liuing yet concealing himselfe he said Father thanks for thy loue and honorable report of our realme and people for which I rest thy debter But say me aged man of what Countrey art thou and what account were those friends with thée whom thou with such trauell hast sought whether thyallies or thy friends by adoption At this motion of the King the old man ouercome with the thoughts of those of whom his pittifull tale was to be told could not forbeare teares which with such aboundance of sobbes and heauy sighes were vttered that it moued the King to great ruth séeing those siluer haires which he honored bedeawed with sault droppes the witnesse of his his discontent Wherefore like the carefull Phisitian hauing ministred bitter Pilles to his Pacient seasoneth the same with some swéeter tast he comforteth y e aged Barnardine with words so pleasing that it cheared the old man yet would not pardon his report which caused him say Famous King if pittie of my age may any way mooue you vrge not my faltering tongue to vtter a tale of suche ruth as it importeth the remembrance whereof ouercloyeth me with sorrow and will bring your Exellence small delight Therefore soueraigne Prince pardon me which cannot reueale the truth of so pittifull a tale as yet without the hazard of my life my heart so ouercharged with griefe that to thinke thereon halleth me neare to death then pardon me But how loath so euer the King might not be entreated whom with such pleasing spéech he halled on that comforted by his maiesties kind words whom he would not gainsay he sayd sithence nothing may perswade your Exellence to pittie mée accept in woorth my rudenesse and pardon it Which sayd humbly doing his dutie as one that could his good he thus procéeded Dread Lord know Numedia is my natiue soyle where through the grace of my thrise noble Prince I consumed my youth in that happinesse fauoured by his fauour with the best of account in that Region so graced by the King that he committed y ◠gouernment of his deare sonne more deare to him then his life to be trained vp by me of whom as dutie willed me I had that care as is required of a subiect to his Lord ioying in nothing the world possesseth so much as in the towardnesse of the Prince whose verteous youth might be a loadstarre to all that euer I saw for curtesie matchlesse bountifull as Tymon more valiant then Hector or the best deseruing y ◠liued cunning was he in the liberall Artes what should I say of him whose honourable praise no tongue can with such commendations vtter as his honors and vertues requireth so generally beloued of all men that death is more swéeter to many thousandes of his subiects then the remembrance of that Noble Prince Here teares restrained his spéech that he could not vtter a word standing so astonied that he rather represented the Image of death then a liuing creature whom the King put from his heauy passion thus Father thou hast filled my heart with a worlde of wonders at thy strange talke which I coniure thée of that loue thou owest the Prince whom thou sorrowest so to remember not to leaue in such abrupt maner but
procéed dyed the King and the Prince so of thée honored and through their deaths gan thy trauaile Say swéete father Though the reporting of this dolefull history more gréeuous vnto me then death should finish my dayes yet such is the penance by your maiesties coniuring spéech enioyned me that what griefe so euer I endure I will satisfie your grace The Prince oh my Lord that it would please you to pardon the rest growing to yeares of discretion I know not through what meanes neither could I for all the diligence I vsed attain vnto it but sicke he was and so opprest with such a straunge agony that no phisicke could minister reléefe vnto him or yéeld him any ease so that there was smal hope of his recouery the strangenesse of each maledy being such as sometime faring lyke a man frantike no perswasions of reason night preuaile with him who in his health was to be ruled in all things This passion so long assayled the Prince and so little hope of his recouerie that the extremitie thereof gan touch the King and Quéen mother whose carefull loue was such as nature could not require more in parence whatsoeuer The continuall griefe of the prince wrought such care in the aged King Quéen that it was not to be founde which of them was most gréeued or whose lot it was to giue his due to death first yet as no care is so great but hath some comfort so the commander of men when all hope of life was past hope of men restored the Prince to health and by his health recouered the King and Quéen for whose weale the Commons more reioyced then of their owne good so that a general ioy was throughout the realme tryumphing at this happy recouery of the Prince the King and Quéene But as the fairest day is ouershadowed with cloudes so was the sunshine of their ioy eclipsed through the great folly of the Prince who vnknowne of all men or acquainting any with his pretence left his father Crowne and subiects and liueth no man knoweth how or where for whom the King felt a million of woes griefe so assailing his aged corpes as he was like to rest with death but reason subduing affection he recouered his sicknesse and leauing his land without a gouernour likewise departed whither no man knoweth The mother Quéene being of nature weake resigned her due to death whom as dutie commands me I entombed with such honor as beséemeth the person of a Quéene and so perswaded with the Commons in a Parliament for the same intent called as the gouernment of the Realme was committed to six of the nobilitie who are bound to resigne their authoritie when the lawful succéeded shall require it which done I forsooke all I enioyed and Pilgrime like as your highnesse sées haue trauelled many Countries in search of my soueraign the Prince but for all the diligence I can vse of them can learne no tydings Thus with teares standing in his eyes he ended his lameÌ„table history which the King was assured to be true but least was the thought of Barnardine that he had deliuered this dolefull tale to the Prince which had likewise some cause of griefe which so neare touched him as he could not for teares vtter what he would yet putting by his passions as he could he said Aged father matter of great ruth hast thou deliuered which to heare is most lamentable and may touche that carelesse Prince neare by whom this chance hath chanced his parence and subiects but tell me father all griefe layd apart in what state liueth the subiects of thy King vnder their gouernment which hath the charge yet is your grace not satisfied quoth the Pilgrime but will exact on mee more to encrease my griefe which séeing you delight in I shall vnfolde that which in recounting will finish all yéelding my breath to him that gaue it mee therefore attend Not long sithence vnknowne I chanced to accompany in my trauaile a Gentleman of Numedia to mée well knowne which for I sawe I was out of knowledge with him I questioned him of many matters as your grace hath done me which amongst other his newes of discontent reported that those elected gouernors whose hearts broyling with ambition and desire of the whole authoritie as the title of King to the ambitious is swéete so these couetous wretches taking part one with the other some enclining one way some to the other part that ciuill discention was raised where the father beare Armes against the sonne the sonne against the father and kinsman against kinsman one imbruing their hands in others blood through which many a woman is left a widow and many a swéete Infant fatherles which makes me greatly feare without his help that sendeth all help to the helplesse the land will be impouerished and our King and Prince returning shall from their proper right be debarred by these vsurping vilaines whose hearts my aged téeth in reuenge of their treachery and wrong done the Commons I could teare The Prince hearing that tale of discoÌ„tent was moued more at y â— wrong offered the Commons then all the former history which made his say Father I haue noted thy long talke which hath moued 〈…〉 th to sorrow and desight gréeuing for the Commons 〈…〉 〈…〉 ioying that any Prince should haue a subiect of such woorth as is rare in these times to befound wherfore father that thou maist liue in my Court to draw others to their 〈…〉 iue to their Prince I will here detaine thée and for thou louest that carelesse Prince Dionicus will honour thée 〈…〉 g my life enduing thée with treasure and what else thou shalt at any time commaunde for all I enioy is â—hâ—â—e â—â—â— if hereafter thou shalt think it conuenient I wil with ◠〈…〉 ng power â—â—â—er their distressed Confines and â—h 〈…〉 ing those Rebels leaue thée Regent in their place vntill further tydings shall bee of thy King or his sonne whom I am â—â—re will not abuse them The aged father hearing thâ—se honorable spéeches from the mouth of the King was astonied knowing well that Princes of estéem honor themselues holding their words yet not minded to giue ouer search for his soueraigne he returned the King humble thankes beséeching his highnesse to pardon him which hath vowed to ende his life in performing his vâ—w to the Prince and either heare tydings of him or neuer sée his Countrey the place of the worlde moste pleasing vnto him The King hearing his wordes hauing great experience of his fidelitie coulde conceale himselfe no longer but imbrasing him in his armes â—â—deawing his aged haires with drops lyke raine he 〈…〉 Faithfull Barnardine the mirror of true friendship whose equall in loue is not to be founde what cause haue I to honor thée whose care is such of me that haue so ill deserued but forgiue me Barnardine my misse against thée committed forgiue me noble father and you subiects of Numedia who by me vnhappy creature haue bene so much wronged and thou Barnardine my carefull Tutor forgiue mee I â—ntreate and continue thy loue to mee vnhappy Prince whom