sicknesse and well might they doe it there concurring in them both love beauty and youth to make them humanely happy This practise continued happily untill such time as Prodotima rewarded by her Mistresse and inriched by the Prince beganne to desire to enjoy in liberty the selfesame pleasures with her Andropodo But knew not what course to take because to run away was a difficult matter and to delay time grieved her not so much because it is a thing ordinary to expect with impatience the fruition of dishonest desires as because she hoording up every day more gifts and coine doubted lest the abundance thereof should redound more to her perill than profit just as it chanced her when she was taken with the Galleyes At length after she had a long time conceited divers projects she ran her head into the most detestable mischiefe that ever was heard of in the world and there without passing any further she staid this alone seeming unto her to be the way to re-have their liberty regaine her sweet-heart and to enjoy happily her ill-gotten riches Wherefore having caused Andropodo to come unto her before she came to the purpose she lessoned him what he should say if by chance any body had observed them talke together and then afterwards she thus began Andropodo I will not make thee any long stories of my love nor of the losses and sufferings I have endured for thy loves sake as well because thou already knowest them as also because I have no spare time at this present to lose in matters so superfluous it shall suffice me onely to remember thee how that I have beene rob'd and that I am now a slave for nothing else but for loving and following thee not making any reckoning of the rest as the losse of honor countrey and friends because I ever have and yet doe prize all as nothing in comparison of thy deare selfe alone What I have to tell thee is that I desirous we might recover againe our liberty among many waies by mee thought of have found out onely one easie and as I beleeve without any danger But that which should cause us to desire it the more although it bee of it selfe desireable is because we now are in case and ability of enjoying it sweetly without being beholding to any my selfe being worth between Iewels and money neere about six thousand crowns by what meanes I came by them thou shalt understand with the rest But first thou should'st not marvaile why I have till now concealed this from thee because it was a matter of exceeding great importance and though I well know that I may assuredly trust thee in any thing yet know I also that if I had made thee privy thereto I could not have refrained from being good unto thee and thou by spending had'st given occasion to others of being inquisitive how thou couldst come by those monies and so our affaires might have beene peradventure indangered Then discovered she unto him the love between the Prince and her mistresse shewing him all the presents bestowed on her by them and taking out of her chest a purse she said unto him What I have thought of to be done is this that thou goe to our Master and tell him that upon condition that he grant us our liberty thou wilt disclose unto him a matter of great importance neerly concerning the principall of his interesses thou must speake of me not as if I knew the secret but as thy fellow-slave and taken in thy company assuring him that to know it he would not stand on granting liberty not onely to two but even to two hundred slaves which if hee promise and that thou ghesse it bee made in such sort as if he meant really to performe it then tell him that I not able to endure to see him so highly injuried have sent thee unto him wherein if he doubt of being deceived beseech him to come secretly and his owne eyes shall see the manifestation thereof But if he chance to deny thee and will needs by all meanes know the matter then set not thy selfe about this enterprise if thou hast not the courage to resolve to die in torments rather than to confesse it The hazard I confesse is great but well recompenced with thy liberty my person and those riches thou here seest wherewithall we will live all our lives time most happily Here take these hundred crownes if thou wilt goe let them serve thee in thy journey But if thou canst not finde in thy heart to goe then enjoy them but with such sobriety as the aire perceive thee not to have them untill fortune offer us some other occasion The slave as rash as malicious having suddenly made a briefe discourse with himselfe and ballanced the danger with the benefit resolved to goe assuring her that no torment in the world should force one word out of his mouth onely it seemed unto him a matter worthy of consideration whether they might trust to the performance of their masters promise seeing it lay not in their power to force him thereto And Prodotima judging the consideration to be of moment after she had awhile stood somewhat doubtfull said unto him We my Andropodo can never aspire to our liberty but by some strange and unexpected accident which the gods alone know when any such may happen as for me I can well stay for it for though I be a slave by name yet am I in effect a free woman my mistresse being my slave upon the matter neither can she deale otherwise than well with me who have in my hands both her heart and life but thou that leadest a painefull life canst no long time prolong it without danger of thy health yea and of thy life it selfe wherefore beleeve me that what I doe that doe I not for my owne sake because I can never have a happier nor better fortune than I already enjoy but it is for thy sake I doe it without whom I can take no joy neither in fortune nor in any goods whatsoever and albeit in an estate so highly raised we ought to governe our selves with all prudencie yet if thou thinkest that it lies in our power to prevent all dangers thou art deceived for fortune will have a share in our actions and for the most part wee should referre our selves to her On these speeches Andropodo resolved to goe The fleete rode then hard by Isoletta Asinara to which the King of Corsica pretended title in the port of Torre distant from Calari a hundred and sixteene miles and the way to goe thither passed through Sassari a place of the Admirals where he then resided for its commodiousnesse who being there in his owne house was not above eight mile distant from the fleete There accompanied him in that instant a high spirited young gentleman his owne cozen the Count of Montevero and with him the Baron of Frisano his kinsman brought thither by him to see the Admirall The slave noting his
land with the rushing noise of people wherwith he might also run the hazard of working a jeloufie in his father thought now or never to lay hold on this so fit an occasion to crush him and therwithal to possesse the beauty of the most famous maiden in the world Seteld in this resolution he caused two Galleyes to be put in a readines with such expedition as he was ship'd and at sea ere it was openly known that he had any intention to embarke himselfe steering on because of the length of the voiage night and day till hee came to lie in ambush behinde a little rock without the streights of Collonne where having understood by a frigat which he sent before to Mamora that his brother stood on the point of departure and well knowing that the Pegno della morte could not easily be forced he held it his best course to advertize the Princesse before-hand of Orgilo's intention thereby obliging her to receive him in as a defender being altogether ignorant of the vow she had made◠Whereupon having to that purpose instructed one of his Knights he dispatch'd him away in a frigat with letters of credit who arriving thereby night by the centre hindred to land said he was sent frō a knight who was a speciall servant of the Princesse concerning a businesse much importing her Highnesse whereat Perseno thinking he came from the Prince of Mauritania came down to the sea-shore to welcome him having already understood by Metaneones letters all things that had succeeded him sithence his departure thence as the taking of Don Peplasos and his designes the King of Maiorica's promise of giving him his daughter his arrival in Sardegna finding out of his brother with the historie of Eleina and of the Mauritanian Ambassadors sent frō his father to the King of Maiorica concerning that marriage neither was it twenty dayes sithence there had arrived a Galley sent by the King himselfe with particular newes of the promise he had made of which he wrote not opēly to his daughters thinking it better that the Countesse Perseno should at some convenient opportunitie possesse her thereof charging them by severall letters to perswade her therto So as Perseno thinking now that some one sent from Metaneone brought him the same newes came running downewards when hee soone perceived himselfe beguiled discovering this stranger knight by his speech and habit to be none of his growne by this meanes somewhat suspicious and seeing the other in his answer not fall from generalities but persisting in saying he had letters to the Princesse touching a businesse of much consequence he ushered him up entertaining him with the best coūtenance that could be and then recommending him to the company of some Knights of speciall esteeme he placed him to sup with them wherehe dranke his share of the precious wines of Malaga wherewith they ceased not to ply him till such time as he was knowne to be grownei somewhat altered Perseno in the meane time having made privy hereto the Princesse and acquainted her with his suspicion besought her by all meanes to give him audience which she refusing to doe in respect of her vow Gierosando falling a perswading of her to doe it told her that her vow bound her not from such persons which though it did yet could it but tie her onely from being seene but not from being spoken unto and that therefore she might well speake with him without permitting her selfe to be seene of him much adoe had they to perswade her to it till at length being'egged on with the necessity of knowing the businessei she suffered her selfe to be over-swayed The messenger was therefore brought in and a candle so placed as she could not be seene whereat he being already informed of the occasion of the vow was no whit displeased but sent in before him his letters of credit which when the Princesse had perused and seene whence they were sent she grew to be more curions and desirous to heare him who used not many words and those few ill exprest and worse linkt together whereby was discovered unto her the designe of the Prince of Tingitana and how that Anterasto came purposely to defend her being as he was a Knight obliged so to do but that in regard the other was his brother he would not give the King of Tingitana his father cause to thinke that he thus assailing him by the way was moved so to doe for any other end than for the obligation of Knight-hood in respect whereof he intended to give him leave to come under the rocke and there to punish him which he had done without making her privie to it but that he doubted that she not knowing how the matter stood might feare some sudden assault The Princesse stood hereat some while in a muze without making him any answer till by questioning him how Anterasto came to know of this attempt and what moved him to incurre the hazzard of succouring her against his own brother she gave him occasion to tell more than was either demanded of him or cōmitted to his charge to reveale Insomuch as he affirmed that the desire of enjoying her beauty the affectionate love he bare her made her become his brothers enemie Now Eromilia had formerly understood of their hatred and malice whereby shee knew that the occasion of this service sprung not from any love to her but rather from the hate he bare to his brother and that such like love in subjects that obscured the sweete affection of fraternitie could not prove to her otherwise than dismall and unluckie reviving therefore her memorie with the designes of the Pirats than whom she judged these more dangerous she answered him that she held her selfe obliged to the Infante Anterasto which she would make knowne to the King her father Howbeir she marvailed much that a Prince so noble as his brother was could harbour so theevish a spirit especially considering how she resided in the territories of Tingitana where she expected to be protected rather by him than by any other Howsoever shee bade him seeing he was so minded come and spare not for that she was not so ill provided of men and munition as that she had not thereof both number and store sufficient to defend her selfe And that therefore seeing the comming of his Lord Anterasto was needlesse she praied him to spare himselfe that labour aswell for that she stood in no necessitie thereof as also because she desired not that he gave his father the King of Tingitana any cause of disgust who could not chuse but suspect the worst of these his proceedings and then rewarding the Knight with rich presents she licenced him But to the Countesse who seemed to be sorrie that she accepted not the assistance of Anterasto she said She was loth to give him any occasion or excuse to come being assured that his purpose was no lesse abhominable than his brothers and that God willing shee
aside all fiercenesse drew neere Polimero Who taking him gently by the reines and turning towards the Prince said I beseech your highnesse seeing through the favour of the gods you haue received no hurt to grant life to this faire beast for my sake I will not answered irefully the Prince but will that hee dye Vpon this every man strove who should be formost to come to strike him which Polimero perceiving to be done in scorne of him and not being able to endure it lightly vaulted on the courser and gallopping a maine speede out of the Quirie entred into the Kings stables where finding by chance the chiefe rider he deliuered the horse into his charge as a speciall steed of the Kings denouncing him his Maiesties indignation if he permitted any one not excepting any man breathing to lay hands on him The rider astonished to see one of the Kings sonnes come riding on such a horse imagining that the exception comprehended no ordinary persons answered that he would obey him and besought him to send for those horsemen that were accustomed to governe him whereto the Infante would not consent but caused him to put the horse now grown to be gentle into a good place of standing The Prince in the meane time having understood whither the Infante was gone stood a good while doubtfull whether hee should pursue him or no but pride and disdaine boyling within him he returned to the palace Some there were in that very instant that acquainted the King of these passages who made as though he knew nothing thereof expecting at the houre of dinner the comming of his sonnes according to the accustomed manner but observing Polimero's roome void and inquiring for him of one of his servants come thither expresly for that purpose hee was answered that he was in his withdrawing chamber come newly from abroad somewhat hot and weary but that he was well and desired with his Maiesties good leave to dine alone The King attentively looking on the Prince perceived his colour altered In the meane time Polimero returned from the Kings stables and reasoning with himselfe upon the matter was visited unawares by his governour the Count of Bona who told him how the Prince as hee returned towards the palace had rashly let slip that the death of some body should redeeme the life of the horse and therefore besought him to be circumspect and for a few daies to retire himselfe to a countrey palace of the Queens cald Poggio Because he beleeved that these words aimed at no man but him The Infante seeing the businesse fall out worse than hee imagined making shew of embracing his aduice resolved to depart for good and all and taking leave of him caused to be called unto him Carasio This Carasio was a squire given him by his father who having served him from his cradle besides that he was by nature loyall so deerely loved him as he judged that he could not trust any other more faithfull and more loving Wherefore he said unto him Carasio You see on what tearmes I stand with the Prince my brother I am resolued to give fortune place Only two things grieve me the one is that I must part without the consent of my Soveraigne the King and my Mother the other that I have not as yet received the order of Knighthood But now necessity must excuse me in the one and assist me in the other See that those armes which we over-saw some daies agoe be put in a readinesse with that little mony that I have and such jewels as you thinke may best stead and lesse comber me Choose you out for your selfe one of my steeds the best in the stable for me I will have no other than that fatall cause of my exile And as Carasio would haue said something Polimero interrupting him replied I know what you would say It greeves you that I part in respect of the discontent my father will conceive there-from It seems that my resolution is rash and overhasty not having beene advised thereon proceeding as you believe from some childish disposition But know that if I part not my stay will occasion heavier discontents I choose my departure as the lesser evill many moneths 〈◊〉 have I thought thereon my resolution is neither suddaine nor childish 〈◊〉 grounded on manifest tokens of the hate of my brother who will doe me all the 〈◊〉 he may during my fathers life and after his death all the mischiefe he please I therefore being of age to discerne and know my owne danger were very simple if want of yeeres should hinder me to eschew it My father I will satisfie not with my presence because I may not but by my letters and much more with my actions Here is not any patrimony for me we are to many brothers my selfe the yongest of all and not like to enioy o the eportion than my brothers hatred my fathers love should not make me hope for any thing who being aged must by course of nature dye shortly and he once gone who will protect me against such an one as is naturally inclined to tyrannize over me and beleeveth that the deceitfull love of the vulgar should edge me on to cause him leade a life full of misery and suspition Fortune Carasio is a woman and consequently a lover of youth seeing therfore I cannot abide here it behoves me the younger the better to seâ—ke her find her out and retaine her To waite irresolutely for time is but to lose time and to bring ones-selfe to such a passe as he can never amend the error of time And though I were not in such danger as I am yet must I goe get my selfe a patrimony elsewhere since that the spite of fortune made me bee borne last and the rigor of the law makes mee for being borne such poore and miserable Ther 's none can deny but that I doe well aswell to avoid contentions with my brother wherein I cannot choose but loose as also to take away the occasion of many vexations of the King my Father whom I should not grieve I will hence to Ireland to my Aunt and then I will thinke on my journey as occasion shall require See you dispatch all things this day in any wise and prepare this evening a ship the first that sets out of the hauen For I am most resolute that the Sunne shall not eye me to morrow in Birsa Carasio having heard his LORDS irrepliable reasons without any more adoe went to the haven where finding a ship of Sardegna with hoised up sailes and understanding that there blew a faire gale and that she would part about the first watch he having agreed with the mariners for their passage acquainted therewith Polimero who causing Flammauro to be led forth mounted on him and having awhile gently mannaged him without finding him any way disobedient to the great amazement of all those that had formerly seene him very capritious fayning to goe recreate himselfe to Poggio de gli
Prince his servant to whose memorie I am so much indebted as that I shall never more content my selfe in that I can no longer serve him And as soone as by the meanes of the conductors backe of the she-slave the flight of this Villaine was knowne I resolved to goe to sea my heart telling me that I should finde him out having verie well knowen him in the house of the Admirall his master I romed of purpose up and downe this sea almost a moneth without being any thing the neerer of finding what I sought for untill assayled by a great tempest I was constrained to save my selfe in the haven of Birsa Where to avoid the being questioned of the affaires of Sardegna whereof I was doubtfull whether I might without danger relate any thing in neighbouring countries I charged every one to call me by the counterfeite name of Pilot. And when I saw your servant enquiring out for passage in some ship for two persons and two horses I know not what spirit prompt me knowing him to be your servant that he sought them for you putting then his hat off in reverent manner he proceeded which are the Infant Polimero worthy sonne of the puissant King of Mauritania wherein I thought my selfe exceeding fortunate judging that in our tribulations the gods had touched the heart of a youthfull Prince so like both in the vertues of the mind and beautifull proportions of body to our deceased Prince to come to the defence of Sardegna so as it was no difficult matter for us to accord for the passage And now my Lord behold us both unmasked Here as he would have kneeled downe before Polimero he taking him by the hand besought him not to discover him telling him how he would as unknowne make one in those warres moved so to doe for the interest common to all Princes against Traitors for the revenge due to the vertues of Prince Perossilo and for the valour sake of a Princesse so renowned as Eromena And this was indeed the occasion of breaking off his intended voiage into Ireland Within two dayes then after they landed safely in Chia to the great pleasure and content of both parties The end of the First Booke of BIONDI'S EROMENA CAVALIER GIO FRANCESCO BIONDI HIS EROMENA The Second Booke PRINCE Metaneone furrowed the surging waves variously affected with contâ—nt and griefe both tormented with the remembrance of his offence and comforted with the hope of finding out his Brother to amend and recompence past defects with contrary effects The Count of Bona exceeding consolated in seeing him so altered and indeede partially obliged to rejoyce at the love of the Brothers as one who next the King his Father claimed greatest interest in Polimero for having bred him up from his infancie confirmed him in his good intentions being as he already assured himselfe not counterfeit in that he made choise of him for a companion in his voiage to be a testimonie of his actions The weather was cleare whereat all the world seemed to joy except the Galley-slaves who for being becalmed were forc'd to ply their oares The Galley scowred away amaine course seeming for her riches and curiositie of workemanship to be some rare inchanted piece of excellency She had her poope curiously carved with divers Histories of finest graven worke gilt all over with gold her pavement of Iewels and richest mother of pearle her hulke painted over with sparkling vermilion her oares of the same but done pompously from the midst downewards with golden flames her beake railes and window-linternes proportioned to the devise of her poop her mast and loope-holes gracefully adorned with banners and flags of cloth of gold on her foresaile flag-staffe hung of the same stuffe a goodly streamer of such length as it reach 't downe to touch the very waves her three lanthornes of marvellous invention glittering with gold afforded the greater lustre because of the chrystal cut diamond-wise and artificially in-laid in their footstals cubes and columnes so as she seemed to such as saw her a farre off both in shape and colours a firie Dragon with scales and wings of gold Two dayes sailed the Prince without seeing any kinde of vessell saile before him on the third he descried a galley which espying that of the Prince strove to gaine the shore But doubting to be overtaken she made off towards the West thinking to escape by the benefit of the night The Prince taking her for some Pirats ship as she was indeed commanded the Galley-slaves of his Royall to row amaine and they encouraged with hope of bootie made her scoure little lesse than her full length betweene one stroake and the other Twenty miles off were the Pirats descried by the little top-saile of their top-gallant and the Prince making forward with extraordinary swiftnesse maugre all her force of oares over-tooke her whose Commanders seeing no meanes to escape resolved to defend themselves fearing to lose the great riches they had stolne before and purposing to make head by tacking about they could not doe it so soone but that the Prince his Galley running her full course bore upon theirs at her poope whence passing over her prow she plung'd her up to the mast in the sea but the vessell being good got up a floate againe receiving thereby no other harme than the spoiling of some battlements with the death and bruising of such as were so unfortunate as to be on that side of her In the same encounter were many of the Prince his oares broken a losse not recompenced with the gaine of the Galley which with no great paines and lesse bloudshed fell into his hands Then would he know what they were and whence they came whereto one of them answering for all said That they were of Callo of Mauritania and that going with a Galley of theirs to get some bootie towards the coast of Catalogna they were by an East winde driven to land on the strand of Dragonera a little Iland of Maiorica where having understood how that from Porto Colombo to the West part of the Iland was to set out a Galley sent from the King to his daughter they made the best speed they could to rigge and dresse up theirs which with beating on the shore was almost all over crack't and bruised and that having set themselves in ambush behind the cliffe of Cabrera they had assailed her unawares and not farre off the haven taken her with the death of many for that being constrained to leave behind them their owne Galley which was unfit for any service they had no roome on this other alone to set aboord both all their companie and the slaves too And that yet for all they had kild none but the more unserviceable sparing the Knights Ladies family and servants of the Princesse with an intention to goe thence to the rocke where she was her selfe to them very well knowne and thence to take her prisoner whom they meant not to set free ere they had
with greater I say in that where you now are you are deprived of all safety possessing in your person and qualitie and carrying with you so many silent invitations as might tempt all such to endeavour to have you in their power as shall come to know how that you being beautifull a Princesse and heiresse to the Crowne are retired alone without any guard to a Rocke not defended otherwise than by winds the Sunbeames and the injurie of the weather yet your misfortune would be farre lesse though neverthelesse exceeding great if you hapned to fall into the hands of a Prince but if fortune should make you a prey of theeves and Pirates What would then become of you For such would sell you and make you of a free woman a slave and of a Mistresse a servant all which is you will say nothing to a mind resolutely indifferent But can you find in your heart to rancke among those indifferent things your honour and virginitie Consider how you are invironed with most potent Kings if any one of them had a desire to take you away I see not how you could defend your selfe from them which if they enterprized onely to deprive you of your widdowhood it would pâ—ove 〈◊〉 great ill hap But how are you assured that they will not â—ake you first away and then under the pretence of having you impudently deprive me both of Realme and life There are now warres in Sardegna which by all reason expects aide from vs If Epâ—camedo King of Corsica become Lord thereof as I doubt he will he being a lover of beautie hath courage enough to claime interest in yours seeing he is already wroth at the Princesse Eromena and is a man like enough to aspire with the iâ—corporation of Sardegna to the dominion of all the other Ilands and of ours also together with your person And if you be not here what resolution can I make fearing allwayes that I shall neede reserve for your rescue such souldiers as I should send to succor Sardegna No other perswasions daughter will I use towards you onely I pray you so to strippe your selfe of your passion as being freed therefrom you may partly judge of things as other times you have done I will not thereto compell you although I might but will in some things dispense with your griefe which I pray you endeavour the best you can to shorten In the meane time for the shunning of the imminent dangers of your person I herewithall send you men and money to the end that you might to save your selfe from death blocke your selfe up in your Pledge of death I send you all your household because all of them would needs come serve you notwithstanding all recompence that I without service offered to each of them in particular But above all I pray you honour the Countesse of Palomera and esteeme her as a mother Much was the Princesse astonished at the reasons of this letter especially when she more lively considered the danger wherein she stood wherefore she resolved as soone as her husbands funerall rites were solemnized to wall about the rock on the parts of its ascent being every where else so fortified by nature as it needed not to be doubted of Perseno in the interim joyfull for the commandement he had received went to present the Prince with his embassage who after corresponding of affectionate discourses thus said unto him And must I then my kinde friend depart hence without seeing your Lady the Princesse I much doubt it answered Perseno unlesse you would vouchsafe to abase your selfe to doe one thing I have thought of without the which it is impossible that any man in the world come to the sight of her And being demanded what that was he proceeded saying Two things my Mistresse intends to doe the one is the Dedication of her Chappell for the celebrating of sacrifice the other the solemnization of Prince Pirosfilo's funerall when among other ceremonies she will that all aswell her Knights as Squires be cloathed conformable to the custome of our Countrey in the like occasions in a mourning garment with a Cappuccio or hood which covers the face saving the eyes for whose use there is an opening in that part reserved What I have thought of is to give you mine and to take for my selfe one of one of my servants If this device please you the matter is then accomplished for to conduct you in is a thing I can easily performe The Prince embracing him with great joy told him that hee could not have thought on a better meanes desiring to have it by all meanes effected The order they therefore tooke was that the Prince should launch out thence to some place not farre off and that within six dayes then after which was the terme prefixt leaving his Galley behinde him he should come in a Frigat about midnight there shewing him the place with his finger where he with a little Barke would be ready to receive him Which concluded on Perseno returning to the Princesse reported unto her such speeches which even of blinde folkes could not be taken for other than conceits of curtesie by a good eye might easily be discerned to implie conceits of love neither displeased they her for that truly gentle hearts are ever ambitious of other mens good opinions But the Countesse pleased they exceedingly who earnestly desired that some new affection of some effectuall love in her Lady and Princesse might rid the old of it's desperate humor for the better grounding whereof she neglected not the opportunitie of extolling the Prince with such commendations as had beene sufficient to have enamoured any heart not obstinately resolved not to love at all Now the time for reposing the Galley-slaves being expired the Prince caused the March or Levata to be sounded continued with the consort of all his trumpets with such exquisite melodie that the hollow concavitie of the rocke thereat resounding the ecchoes were heard make answer from every part thereof Whereupon every one ran out to see the Galley except the Princesse who was jealous lest her griefe should grow to be displeased with her for adventuring her selfe to the gust of a curious sight yet would she have the Countesse goe thither with the rest to whom refusing to goe and leave her all alone she said Mother the time that was is now no more solitarinesse is now my pastime And albeit you are as you know your selfe to be right deare unto me neverthelesse seeing I hate my owne company the being deprived of anothers cannot grieve me Recreate your selfe then and take no care of me and so shall you best please me for in doing otherwise you will displease me Whereat the Countesse exceedingly sorrie without any more words went out Then stood the Galley beaten upon by the beames of the Sunne in her glittering parts so as she seemed with her splendors to warre against Phaebus and to dart to him-wards as many radiant glimps as she received
the Princesse of Maiorica I pray you assure him that whosoever told him so lied most falsely in that he informed him of an untruth in a matter so far from my thoughts as that Princesse whom I never yet saw is from my knowledge and acquaintance And if my voyage hath given occasion to any ill-minded fellowes to thinke so of me yet cannot any such conjecture accuse me neither am I such as ought to yeeld any man an account where or which way I goe there being in those parts whither I am bound for so many countries and such diversitie of occasions wherein a Knight may honourably imploy himselfe As I hold my selfe greatly injured of such as judge of me rather the worst than the best for the rest I know the Prince for a valiant Knight and have tri'd him but yet armes as well as other things have their both fortunate and fatall dayes so as if I should happen to affront him this my present misfortune should no whit disencourage me Albeit for the occasion he pretends there shall neither be cause for him to chastise me as he saith nor for me to defend my selfe as I would doe for any one that would offer to injure me If he please to leave me to my liberty there being not betweene us any cause of hostility he will then performe what he owes to the amitie of our parents If otherwise and that he will rather credit the malignant conjectures of some villaine than the royall words of a Prince I shall then have just cause to thinke my selfe hardly used by him The Count could doe no lesse than reporte all these speeches punctually to the Prince who not as much as moved thereat sent for the Catalans of whom hee would know againe whither Don Peplasos intended to goe those that had already vnadvisedly spoken the truth could not revoke what they had said the rest who were so fortunate as not to be examined said they knew not their Lords intrinsecall intentions Howbeit the rumor thereof was so published as the more cautelous sort knew better how to conceale than denie it Whereupon Metaneone unwilling by contestation to multiply the ruine of these men resolved with the advice of the Count not to set him at liberty untill such time as Eromilia were thereof advised and had taken a course for the securing of her person But having discoursed of the manner of effecting it they considering of their being but sixtie miles wide from Maiorica concluded to passe that way and thereof to advertize the King her father and so with the merit of two so great services to give him then an inckling of the desire he had to be his Sonne in-law not that he then meant to treate of the marriage but onely to prevent the suit of all such others as might come thither to demand her The Prince glad of this counsell fell off with a contrary wind to Fermentera where he found a Frigat that there rode sequestred by the winds The Knight that came in her presently knowing the Galley Royall ran with much joy to kisse the Prince his hands who suddenly knew him for one of Eromilia's Knights of whom when he understood of his being sent from her with letters to the King her father he told him what had hapned betweene him and the Prince of Catalogna and how that hee continued not in his voyage because it was necessarie for him to goe to Maiorica there to leave him in the Kings custodie till such time as the Princesse had made sufficient provision for the securitie of her person Fidele for such was this Knights name was much astonished at this newes and besought the Prince to grant him some odds of time to get him gon before him as soone as the wind should turne to be a little calmer that the King by reading the letters of the Princesse might come to know the other obligation he ow'd him To which request the Prince was at first loth to consent supposing it was but to give the King of Maiorica time to receive him with greater pompe and honour till afterwards considering the advantage he might come to receive by meanes of the letters of Perseno and the Countesse Palomera he was contented to favour his request and such was the lucke that the winde in that instant as it were quite asswaged occasioned a great calme Wherof Fidele regardlesse having a good Frigat well provided of oares and pressing forwards amaine speed arrived at Maiorica a day sooner than the Prince The King who was even dead of longing to heare newes from his daughter seeing this Knight present himselfe before him was exceeding glad thereof and understanding what had hapned them in their journey as they went and unto the Prince of Mauritania as he came remained thereat strangely amazed afterwards opening his daughters letter he found it thus said My Lord if I had beene capable of content I might say I had received it from your Majesties letters delivered me by the Countesse of Palomero being the greatest joy that an obliged and obedient daughter might possibly receive yet doth not this incapacitie deprive me of that comfort which nature in all children and your particular love towards me might suggest or put me in mind of Insomuch therefore as you strive to surpasse all fathers in loving your daughter most ungratefull were I if I endevoured not to exceed all other daughters in loving so worthy and deserving a father But now me thinkes I heare you say that the last effects manifested the contrary yet My Lord I beseech you in this subject to give credit even to the incredible for my affection which was the source of paradoxes was so repugnant to all humane dispositions as it is no wonder if with it subsist contrarieties Behold then how I pretend not to excuse my fault but doe beseech you to impute it to passion by whose meanes like a raving sicke woman come to the worst point I wanted force to exercise those faculties which the wise make use of so as my offence deserves rather compassion than reproofe in that it brings with it its owne punishment And now that I have acknowledged my duty towards you together with the fault of my absence give me leave I pray you to defend my selfe with the worthy occasion of my errors Represent Oh represent before you My Lord a Perosfilo a Prince of such exceeding rare qualities to whom was dedicated by you my person and by me my soule and then represent him before you dead Alas how could I possibly in so great disorder observe any order I that more than any other loved him whom all loved and which is more with a true and legitimate love If then he were assigned me by you to be the companion of my life why will you not permit me to be the companion of his death And where shall I ever finde out his like Indeede had I aim'd at no other end than solitarinesse I could have retired
and then raised up againe he said Most valourous Prince to reply or repeate things already spoken were super fluous especially considering that of so great a Prince as is your Highnesse all gifts are to be accepted as I also accept all save onely one where of your Highnesse though liberall ought not to be prodigall and that is the honour of this dayes conquest which if it happen that your Highnesse refuse I will erect to fame a Trophee thereof so great as you shall be whether you will or no constrained to accept it And as concerning the rest had you not mentioned particularly the Marquesse of Chia I could not have certainely satisfied your desire in any thing yet now I know that the youth that came with him lives unknowne and hath performed such martiall exploits as it is most necessarie and requisite that Sardegna being alreadie engaged to the one for his land enterprizes rest obliged to the other also for his atchievements by sea he hath kept his bed wounded almost this moneth and lives not farre hence in the Campe with the Princesse If your Highnesse please to goe thither by land your way will be the shorter but more difficult if by sea more commodious sudden and unexpected whither I will waite on your Highnesse together with the whole Fleete for in that the King of Corsica hath but tenne Galleyes now left I intend to seize on them ere they can come to know any thing of the losse of the others Nor can the King Epicamedo escape death or imprisonment when hee shall be thus deprived of his Gallies being that he can hope for no helpe from the Rebels the greatest part whereof are taken prisoners and the remaining three fled The Prince commending this deliberation as prudent and seconded with the approbation of the Count of Bona told him that hee himselfe would partake with him in that enterprise the rather because that way was most commodious for him Returned therfore to Porto di Torre and leaving there the Galleyes they tooke except foure which they caused suddenly to be arm'd and mann'd re-inforcing the others with the Corsan ghing they set out for their determined voiage Polimero kept his bed longer than he made account to doe for getting up one day to goe skirmish his wound then halfe cured bruised by his armour began to ranckle and fester wherefore the Princesse would not suffer him to arme himself any more till such time as that wound were fully cur'd together with two more given him the same day It grieved him to the heart to see the Princesse in all dangers and himselfe not able to succour her the rather because the enemie was so well fortified in his Campe with sundry Forts and redouts over all the field as made him even despaire Such was in the meane time the affection betweene them that it was impossible to beleeve how strongly it was joyned with a passing modest discretion a well knowne enemy to fervent love but too too greene youth in the one and native modestie in the other moderated their affections whence sprung those effects in love unacustomed The Princesse could by no meanes come to know who he was which made her often vex at her selfe for having had so little forecast as not to have forced the Marquesse of Chia to tell it her assuring her selfe that he well knew i although he made shew of the contrary the rather because in his letter to her he wrote that hee was of a high descent And albeit she could beleeve no lesse but that she was beloved for had she but imagined otherwise she had beene dead a thousand times neverthelesse this constant concealing himselfe put her in doubt causing her to syllogize That who so loveth the same obeyeth the thing or subject beloved but he obeyed not because he told her not who hee was and therefore he loved her not Another time she would imagine that he concealed himselfe for not being able to make himselfe knowne to be of such bloud as might be deemed any way worthy of her Or if he were that then he did but professe affection onely to passe away the time during the continuance of his stay there in pleasing his humour with the title of love But when she considered how his royall manners unmasked him repenting her selfe of her censure she accused her judgement of temeritie it grieving her that she had her spirits so offuscared as in not knowing him not to know her selfe Onely shee was certaine that if this torment lasted her life could not long endure growne alreadie impotent with the tedious suffering the violent fits of her amorous feaver wherewith she had euery day such a bickering as caused the corals and roses fade away from her sweetly Majesticall face like one languishing and fainting underthe burthen of some tyrannous disease which gave many cause to conjecture that the delicaete of her sex kept disproportioned companie with the stoutnesse of her courage and that watching weight of armes and other discommodities of the warres diminished the excellencie of her beautie so that if the warre continued it might well revive in her the valour of Perosfilo but quite destroy the beauties of Eromena Polimero on the other side the more his externall wounds healed the more did his internall exasperate and fret Well was he assured of the love of the Princesse which made him not become insolent conformable to the levity of youth nay rather though neither his starres had enclined him nor her beauties and good parts forced him to love her yet had meere gratitude a great mistresse of gentle spirits beene powerfull enough without either influence of starres or attraction of beauties to have compel'd him in a certaine manner even to adore her And how much rather then by inclination or compulsion was hee constrained to doe it for divers other respects When he considered the excellency of her singular endowments by so much the more worthy of all merits by how much the vertues of both sexes being united in her had of the Idea of beauties compartible among all women formed one woman alone and withall to make her more admirable conferr'd on her al manly valour and courage And that therefore his was a fortune fortunate above all fortunes to be belov'd of her who above all other women merited the sacrifice of all hearts And if every great Prince how potent soever had reason to esteeme himselfe happy if he came to receive but the least of those favours which he hourely enjoy'd by how much the more should he being poore without meanes and the meanest of all his brothers thinke himselfe among the happiest most truly happy It grieved him he obey'd her not in a matter so friuolous which she so much desired to know yet he excused it in that he was ashamed to manifest himselfe ere he had given a more ample expression of his merits because the being sprung from bloud Royall was but a qualitie to content the
to other mens labours The Princesse astonished at her discourse would faine egge her on a little further for the better discovering among obscurities so palpable the cleerenesse of an elevated capacitie wherefore she said unto her The cause sister mine of our errour in beleeving that evill hath a greater stroke over us than good proceeds from our owne passions as you your selfe have confesessed though in respect of themselves they bee of equall weight The palat is more digested with the bitter than pleased with the sweete though of its proper nature it love and affect the latter the reason is because our senses make us more sensible of ill than good which if wee consider rightly we shall have no reason to complaine of nature which made not contraries with proportion more contrary in the one than in the other The blacke is no more blacke than the white is white albeit the one is discerned better than the other not for any defect of contrarietie but by reason of the qualitie of the eye that is more inclined to receive the impression of the one than of the other the Sunne likewise which for his brightnesse should bee more apt to bee seene is neverthelesse for a like reason lesse seene If then it bee so as most assured it is Why then comfort you not your selfe now that you are certaine of having passed the period of your evils by the escaping of death the extremest point of all misery So as necessarily your misfortune declining it 's malignite in the recesse prepares for you in his change argument of consolation and seeing that changes are no other than mutation of qualities you ought to suppose that it must needs bee from bad to good Alas Madame answered the woman weeping consider I pray you that reason and sense cannot be weighed with equall weights because reason is either so fleeting as she will not suffer us easily to lay hold on her or else light and wavering if shee chance to be formed by use or opinion But the sense being weightie and of certaine consistence remaines active and deceives not unlesse it selfe be beguiled by some alteration well said you that so should I doe for indeede so would I faine doe but first make you these scales even if you can by giving mee either so much reason as sense or else no more sense than reason and then will I both obey you and comfort my selfe But woe is me it is their irreconcileable disparitie that makes my miserable estate inconsolable in that the practise of the Theoricke is in them too too different the one being more easie to an eloquent tongue than the other to the stoutest heart when it shall have occasion to put it in practise Now as touching the excesse and period of my evils know most noble Lady that if men could content themselves with food onely as doe the wilde beasts then might the argument be good for you of your commiseration having freed me frō death which was the period of evill me thinks reason tels me that I am now in its recesse for that the way of life is opened unto me but too too miserable is our condition to bee contented to live onely and to live to our selves alone there is none but knowes that we must live for others also neither say I onely as he who held that we are borne to our Countrey and friends but I hereto adde that we are likewise borne to our owne affections and among them above all to honour which subsisting of an unknowne and delicate element receives its influence from the course of the more delicate spheares which conjoyned to these materials are in the point of their period diverse in qualitie even as mine are so as the recesse of ill in the one is the recesse of honour in the other How then can one live in the recesse of ill with the hope of the accesse of good when the recesse of honor engenders the accesse of infamy that stands in the opposite point But to speak with your own principles you Madame well know that it is not one sole aspect that makes us become miserable but our meeting afterwards with other new aspects in the way of theirprog ressions the being of the maligne stars which the learned call the Infortunate of superior situation and by consequence heavier and slower which being in some sort intricated with the fixed that are slowest of all are never more disinveloped but accompanie our few dayes with infinite evils which being limited by death and deprived of all power of hurting us in a life freed from their fetters pursue us nevertheelesse to our very graves with an abominable and ignominious fame which i say not because I beleeve it to be so indeede but because that who so gives those principles credit will be induced to beleeve no otherwise And I for my part cannot chuse but subscribe to the opinion of such as beleeve that the fates and constellations are no other thing than the providence of the gods whereunto if I now trusted not more than I doe to the celestiall figures I should utterly despaire The Princesse observing her to speake with much paine and great perplexiti of minde thought it not good to trouble her any further albeit she much desired to know both her and the originall of her misfortunes the rather because she well discerned in her ordinary signes of no ordinary person leaving therefore Aretia to accompany her she returned to the Princes to whom she related what discourse she had with her expressing her selfe to be gladder of this prize than of that of both the Fleets They lodged themselves in Terranova as well as they could where the sicke woman was carefully looked unto and lodged as commodiously as the straightnesse of the place would permit who by meanes either of the Physitians or of comfortable repose recovered together with her strength her before exiled beauty Whilst the Princesse continued with the weake woman the two brothers had time to conferre together where Metaneone informed his brother of all that past betweene him and his father and how he was by him sent to finde him out whom therefore he once intended to have conducted homewards but perceiving as he thought in that Princesse probable signes of an excessive love towards him and considering withall how the tie of honour straightly obliged him to deferre his departure thence till the warres were ended he knew not what course he were best to resolve of howbeit he held his owne returne necessarie because he was to intreate his father to demand for him a wife and there related he unto his brother all the story of Eromilia yet knew he not well how he could go home without him And that on the other side in procuring him to returne with him he should doe very ill for that he might thereby marre his fortune and hinder his advancement which hee ought rather by all meanes to further and procure not onely for
of the evening in Portoficari The End of the Fifth Booke CAVALIER GIO FRANCESCO BIONDI HIS EROMENA The Sixth Booke SOmewhat pensive remained Polimero after his brothers departure not well approving of such resolutions as are built on the slipperie foundation of dreames but seeing that it lay not in his power to remedy it he with the rest of his companie returned to Sassari whilest Eromena growing more and more ardent in her love and buring with its violent flames solicited the Corsan expedition thereby to rid her selfe the sooner of the time interposed betweene her and the conclusion of her desires The King desirous to consolate himselfe with her presence oftentimes importuned her returne but she resolved to bring first the warres to a period comforted him with her letters acquainting him with the Councell necessarily concluded on for the establishing by the conquest of the Corsan kingdome a perpetuall peace in Sardegna assuring him that the war could not long last the enemies wanting a head to guide them now whilest the infeebled body was not able to support it selfe which indeede even just so succeeded for she embarking her forces and crossing the sea brought downe in lesse than foure moneths time the innate pride of the high-soring Corsan spirits which for all Polimero's great exploits she could not have so performed if they had either had a Captaine or not wanted those that remained dead in Sardegna Now Eromena was at Tolmido's arrivall in Sagona accompanied with the Princesse Eleina who could not be disswaded from following her both of them delighting every day more and more each in the others conversation and in Eleina were every day more than other new wonders of alteration discovered for that her studies having given her a perfect knowledge as much as imperfect disciplines can give to true perfection made her capeable of taking delight in everie thing Passing joyfull was Polimero of Tolmido's comming who having reade his letters ran to the Princesse to present her with hers whence they went both together to Eleina who good Lady understanding the miserable case of her husband stood somewhile mute thereat whilest her waterie eyes were not sufficient to retaine her teares for so much as a generous heart cannot chuse but grieve for another's miserie especially for that of such with whom it formerly held any communion of amitie see his body she would not nor the place where it lay but besought Eromena to be pleased for her sake to send it to his father in Catalogna which was accordingly performed in a Galley painted all-over with browne with sailes and tacklings of the same colour But Catascopo would she at any hand retaine for the manifestation of her innocencie before her father in Arelate whom Polimero curious to heare the rest of this story requested also thereto by Eromena and Eleina her selfe caused to be brought in before them where he despairing of being saved now that he understood of his Masters end thus said unto him Most valorous Prince I now see in my selfe what I have a thousand time observed in others that of things not good the end was ever the worst wherein Princes themselves are not priviledged since that mine for falsely accusing his wife the first time reaped nought else from it but shame and for endevouring to make her away the second time was by his owne conscience prick'd on to make away himselfe the gods having miraculously saved her to save together with her life her never blemished honour And I well may I say most wretched I drawne on with the sweetly alluring baite of vaine ambition after having betraied a Master than whom I could not have desired a better see my selfe now likely to end deservedly my dayes with some kinde of unusuall and ignominious death Now touching what your Highnesse commands me concerning the entire Story of the Lady Princesse Eleina I will willingly obey you without either concealing what may serve for the cleering of her innocency or excusing my selfe in any thing that might lighten or extenuate my fault Here related he all that Eleina her selfe had told them before till the instant of her swooning continuing the narration of the rest with these words The Prince before his departure gave me order to goe my wayes before him to spie out a fit place to kill and burie in the Princesse to the end that when her body could not be found by any we might boldly give out she was runne away with Calaplo I went but because the places neere the Temple were indifferently frequented with Priests and Pilgrimes I was faine to goe a good distance wide off it ere I could finde a place for the purpose I had with me two I know not whether I should terme them souldiers or executioners sure cards to the Prince whom he was wont to make use of for the taking away of the lives of many Wherefore he thought he might well trust those who charged with the burthen of a thousand offences had no other stay on earth than his countenance nor could he indeede chuse but make use of them being that hee would not himselfe nor saw me willing to strike that bloudy blow I then and those fellowes with disguised cloathes and false beards followed the Prince a-farre off being by me first informed of the place when shee fell in a swoond whither he cald us and would needes have her slaine in that very place but there being not so much as a handfull of earth to cover her body withall he knew not what to doe yet because it behoved him to resolve of some course hee made us continue to carrie her towards the place appointed looking alwayes round about him to see if he could espie any other fit for that purpose But we going on a slow pace by reason of our burthen and difficultie of the stones he both weary and vext with impatience told us hee was not able to follow us any further and therefore would lest his absence might give cause of suspition returne backe againe leaving to our charge the execution of the businesse Which said I know not whether it was to necessitate us not to let her live or otherwise hee himselfe cut off her cloathes from under her gowne stripping her of them all without leaving her as much as stockings or shooes telling us that he did it lest there remained any token to know her by in case the body were by any means discovered But the very act of seeing so naked a Princesse of so great merit innocently condemned to lose both life and honour stamped such a compassion in the cruell mindes of those two murtherers that as soone as the Prince was gone they so gazed one the other in the face as if their new affect had beene written in their foreheads each of them with halfe-pronounced interrogations expecting when his fellow would speake We held on our way a good while without losing sight of the Prince in that we descended and he ascended making