desire promised to dispatch his affaires with as great hast as either time or oportunitie would geue him leaue an so resting vpon this point after many imbracings and sweete kisses they departed Dorastus hauing taken his leaue of his best beloued Fawnia went to the Groue where hee had his rich apparel and there vncasting himself as secretly as might be hiding vp his shepheards attire till occasion should serue againe to vse it hee went to the pallace shewing by his merrie countenaunce y t either the state of his body was amended or the case of his minde greatly redressed Fawnia poore soule was no lesse ioyful that being a shepheard fortune had fauoured her so as to reward her with the loue of a Prince hoping in time to be aduaunced from the daughter of a poore farmer to be the wife of a riche King so that she thought euery houre a yeere till by their departure they might preuent danger not ceasing still to goe euery daye to her sheepe not so much for the care of her flock as for the desire she had to see her loue and Lord Dorastus who oftentimes when oportunitie would serue repaired thither to féede his fancy with the sweet content of Fawnias presence and although he neuer went to visit her but in his shepheards ragges yet his ofte repaire made him not onely suspected but knowne to diuers of their neighbours who for the good will they bare to old Porrus tould him secretly of the matter wishing him to keepe his daughter at home least she went so oft to the field that shee brought him home a yong sonne for they feared that Fawnia being so beautifull the yong Prince would allure her to folly Porrus was striken into a dump at these newes so that thanking his neighboures for their good will hee hyed him home to his wife and calling her aside wringing his handes and shedding foorth teares he brake the matter to her in these tearmes I Am afraid wife that my daughter Fawnia hath made her selfe so fine that she will buy repentance too deare I heare newes which if they be true some will wish they had not proued true It is tould me by my neighbours that Dorastus the Kinges sonne begins to looke at our daughter Fawnia which if it be so I will not geue her a halfepenp for her honestiect the yeeres end I tell thee wife now adaies beauty is a great stale to trap yong men and faire wordes and sweete promises are two great enemies to a maydens honestie and thou knowest where poore men intreate and cannot obtaine there Princes may commaund and wil obtaine Though Kings sonnes daunce in nettes they may not be seene but poore mens faultes are spied at a little hole Well◠it is a hard case where Kinges lustes are lawes and that they should binde poore men to that which they themselues wilfully breake Peace husband quoth his wife take héede what you say speake no more then you should least you heare what you would not great streames are to be stopped by sleight not by force and princes to be perswaded by submission not by rigor doe what you can but no more then you may least in sauing Fawnias maydē-head you loose your owne head Take heede I say it is ill iesting with edged tooles and had sporting with Kinges The Wolfe had his skinne puld ouer his eares for but looking into the Lions den Tush wife quoth he thou speakest like a foole if the King should knowe that Dorastus had begotten our daughter with childe as I feare it will fall out little better the Kings furie would be such as no doubt we should both loose our goodes and liues necessitie therefore hath no lawe and I will preuent this mischiefe with a newe deuise that is come in my head which shall neither offend the King nor displease Dorastus I meane to take the chaine and the iewels that I found with Fawnia and carrie them to the King letting him then to vnderstand how she is none of my daughter but that I found her beaten vp with the water alone in a little boate wrapped in a riche Mantle wherein was inclosed this treasure By this meanes I hope the King will take Fawnia into his seruice and we whatsoeuer chaunceth shal be blamelesse This deuice pleased the good wife very well so that they determined assoone as they might know the King at leisure to make him priuie to this case In the meane time Dorastus was not slacke in his affaires but applyed his matters with such diligence that he prouided all thinges fitte for their iourney Treasure and Iewels he had gotten great store thincking there was no better friend then money in a strange countrey rich attire he had prouided for Fawnia and because he could not bring the matter to passe with out the helpe and aduise of some one he made an old seruant of his called Capnio who had serued him from his childhood priuie to his affaires who seeing no perswasions could preuaile to diuert him from his setled determination gaue his consent and dealt so secretly in the cause that within short space hee had gotten a ship ready for their passage the Mariners seeing a fit gale of winde for their purpose wished Capnio to make no delayes least if they pretermitted this good weather they might stay long ere they had such a fayre winde Capnio fearing that his negligence should hinder the iourney in the night time conueyed the trunckes full of treasure into the shippe and by secrette meanes let Fawnia vnderstand that the next morning they meant to depart she vpon this newes slept verie little that night but gotte vp very early and wente to her sheepe looking euery minute when she should see Dorastus who caried not long for feare delay might breede daunger but came as fast as he could gallop and without any great circumstance tooke Fawnia vp behinde him and rode to the hauen where the shippe lay which was not three quarters of a mile distant from that place He no sooner came there but the Marriners were readie with their Cockboate to set them aboard where being coucht together in a Cabben they past away the time in recounting their old loues til their man Capnio should come Porrus who had heard that this morning the King would go abroad to take the ayre called in haste to his wife to bring him his holyday hose and his best Iacket that he might goe like an honest substantiall man to tell his tale His Wife a good cleanly wenche brought him all things fitte and spungd him vp very handsomlie giuing him the chaines and Iewels in a little boxe which Porrus for the more safety put in his bosom Hauing thus all his trinkets in a readines taking his staffe in his hand he had his wife kisse him for good lucke and so hée went towards the Pallace But as he was going fortune who meant to showe him a little false play preuented his purpose in this
God then all should haue cause to thinke his rigour proceeded of due desert if her Grace were found faultlesse then shee should bee cleared before all sith she had bene accused openly This pleased the King so that he appointed the day and assembled al his Lords and Commons and caused the Quéene to be brought in before the Iudgement seate commaunding that the inditement shoulde bee read wherein she was accused of adultery with Egistus and of conspiracy with Franion Bellaria hearing the contentes was no whit astonished but made this chearefull aunswer IF the deuine powers bee priuy to humane actions as no doubt they are I hope my patience shall make fortune blushe and my vnspotted life shall staine spightfully discredit For although lying Report hath sought to appeach mine honor and Suspition hath intended to soyle my credit with infamie yet where Uertue keepeth the Forte Report and suspition may assayle but neuer sack how I haue led my life before Egistus comming I appeale Pandosto to the Gods to thy conscience What hath passed betwixt him and me the Gods onely know and I hope will presently reueale that I loued Egistus I can not denie that I honored him I shame not to confesse to the one I was forced by his vertues to the other for his dignities But as touching lasciâ—â—â—â—s lust I say Egistus is honest and hope my selfe to be found without spot for Franion I can neither accuse him nor excuse him for I was not priuie to his departure and that this is true which I haue heere rehearsed I referre my selfe to the deuine Oracle BEllaria had no sooner sayd but the King commaunded that one of his Dukes should reade the contentes of the scroule which after the commons had heard they gaue a great showt reioysing and clapping their hands that the Quéene was cleare of that false accusation but the King whose conscience was a witnesse against him of his witlesse furie and false suspected Iealousle was so ashamed of his rashe folly that he intreated his nobles to perswade Bellaria to forgiue and forget these iniuries promising not onely to shew himselfe a loyall and louing husband but also to reconcile himselfe to Egistus and Franion reuealing then before them all the cause of their secrete flighte and how treacherously hee thought to haue practised his death if the good minde of his Cupbearer had not preuented his purpose As thus he was relating the whole matter there was worde brought him that his young sonne Garinter was sodainly dead which newes so soone as Bellaria heard surcharged before which extreame ioy and now suppressed with heauie sorrowe her vitall spirites were so stopped that she fell downe presently dead could be neuer reuiued This sodaine sight so appalled the Kinges Sences that he sanck from his seate in a souÌ„d so as he was fayne to be carried by his nobles to his Pallace where hee lay by the space of three dayes without speache his commons were as men in dispaire so diuersly â—â—â—sed there was nothing but mourning and lamentation to be heard throughout al Bohemia their young Prince dead their vertuous Queene bereaued of her life and their King and Soueraigne in great hazard this tragicall discourse of fortune so daunted them as they went like shadowes not men yet somewhat to comfort their heauie hearts they heard that Pandosto was come to himselfe and had recouered his speache who as in a fury brayed out these bitter speaches O Miserable Pandosto what surer witnesse then conscience What thoughts more sower then suspition What plague more bad then Iealousie Unnaturall actions offend the Gods more than men and causelesse crueltie neuer scapes without reuenge 〈…〉 recall I cannot 〈…〉 the conscience suppressing reason and inciting rage a worse passion then phrensie a greater plague than madnesse Are the Gods iust Then let them reuenge such brutishe crueltie my innocent Babe I haue drowned in the Seas my louing wife I haue slaine with slaunderous suspition my trusty friend I haue sought to betray and yet the Gods are slacke to plague such offences Oh vniust Apollo Pandosto is the man that hath committed the faulte why should Garinter séely childe abide the paine Well sith the Gods meane to prolong my dayes to increase my dolour I will offer my guiltie bloud a sacrifice to those sackles soules whose liues are lost by my rigorous folly And with that he reached at a Rapier to haue murdered himselfe but his Péeres being present stayed him from such a bloudy acte perswading him to think that the Common-wealth consisted on his safetie and that those shéepe could not but perish that wanted a shéepheard wishing that if hée would not liue for himselfe yet he should haue care of his subiects and to put such fancies out of his minde sith in sores past hâ—lp salues doe not heale but hurtâ—nd in thinges past câ—re care is a â—â—raÌ„siue with these and such like perswasions the Kinge was ouercome and began somewhat to quiet his minde so that assooâ—e as hâ—â— could goe abroad hée caused his wife to bée embalmed and wrapt in lead with her young sonne Garinter erecting a rich anâ— famous Sepulchre wherein hée intombed them both making such sollenme obsequies at her funeral as al Bohemia might perceiue he did greatly repent him of his forepassed folly causing this Epitaph to be ingrauen on her Tombe in letters of Golde ¶ The Epitaph Here lyes entombde Bellaria faire Falsly accused to be vnchaste Cleared by Apollos sacred doome Yet slaine by Iealousie at last What ere thou be that passest by Cursse him that causde this Qâ—eene to die THis Epitaph being ingrâ—uen Pandosto would once a-day repaire to the Tombe and there with watry plaintes bewaile his misfortune coueting no other companion but sorrowe nor no other harmonie but reâ—entance But leauing him to his dolorous passions at last let vs come to shewe the tragicall discourse of the young infant WHo béeing tossed with Winde and Waue floated two whole daies without succour readie at euery puffe to bée drowned in the Sea till at last the Tempest ceassed and the little boate was driuen with the tyde into the Coast of Sycilia where sticking vppon the sandes it rested Fortune minding to be wanton willing to shewe that as she hath wrinckles on her â—â—owes so shée hath dimplés in her chéekes thought after so many sower lookes to lend a fayned smile and after a puffing storme to bring a pretty calme shee began thus to dally It fortuned a poore mercenary Shéepheard that dwelled in Sycilia who got his liuing by other mens flockes missed one of his shéepe and thinking it had straâ—ed into the couâ—rt that was hard by sought very diligently to â—ind that which he could not see fearing either that the Wolues or Eagles had vndone him for hée was so poore as a shéepe was halfe his substaunce wandered downe toward the Sea cliffes to sée if plâ—chaunce the shéepe was browsing on the sea Iuâ— whereon theâ—â—reatly
winde for the space of a day and a night that the maryners lay and slept vpon the hatches but on the next morning about the breake of the day the aire began to ouercast the winds to rise the seas to swel yea presently there arose such a fearfull tempest as the ship was in danger to be swallowed vp with euery sea the maine â—â—ast with the violence of the wind was thrown ouer boord the sayles were torne the tacklings went in sunder the storme raging still so furiously that poore Fawnia was almost dead for feare but that she was greatly comforted with the presence of Dorastus The tempest continued thrée dayes al which time the Mariners euerie minute looked for death and the aire was so darkned with cloudes that the Maister could not tell by his compasse in what Coast they were But vpon the fourth day about ten of the clocke the wind began to cease the sea to wax calme and the sky to be cleare and the Mariners descryed the coast of Bohemia shooting of their ordnance for ioy that they had escaped such a fearefull tempest Dorastus hearing that they were arriued at some harbour sweetly kissed Fawnia and bad her be of good cheare when they tolde him that the port belonged vnto the cheife Cittie of Bohemia where Pandosto kept his Court Dorastus began to be sad knowing that his Father hated no man so much as Pandosto and that the King himself had sought secretly to betray Egistus this considered he was halfe afraid to goe on land but that Capnio counselled him to chaunge his name and his countrey vntil such time as they could get some other Barke to transport them into Italy Dorastus liking this deuise made his case priuy to the Marriners rewarding them bountifully for their paines and charging them to saye that he was a Gentleman of Trapalonia called Meleagrus The shipmen willing to shew what friendship they could to Dorastus promised to be as secret as they could or hee might wish and vppon this they landed in a little village a mile distant from the Citie where after they had rested a day thinking to make prouision for their mariage the fame of Fawnias beauty was spread throughout all the Citie so that it came to the eares of Pandosto who then being about the age of fifty had notwithstanding yong and freshe affections so that he desired greatly to see Fawnia and to bring this matter the better to passe hearing they had but one man and how they rested at a very homely house he caused them to be appreheÌ„ded as spies and sent a dozen of his garde to take them who being come to their lodging tolde them the Kings message Dorastus no whit dismayed accompanied with Fawnia and Capnio went to the court for they left Porrus to keepe the stuffe who being admitted to the Kings presence Dorastus and Fawnia with humble obeysance saluted his maiestie Pandosto amased at the singular perfection of Fawnia stood halfe astonished viewing her beauty so that he had almost forgot himselfe what hee had to doe at last with stearne countenance he demaunded their names and of what countrey they were and what caused them to land in Bohemia Sir quoth Dorastus know that my name Meleagrus is a Knight borne and brought vp in Trapalonia and this Gentlewoman whom I meane to take to my wife is an Italian borne in Padua from whence I haue now brought her The Cause I haue so small a trayne with me is for that her friends vnwilling to consent I intended secretly to conuey her into Trapalonia whither as I was sailing by distresse of weather I was driuen into these coasts thus haue you heard my name my country and the cause of my voiage Pandosto starting from his seat as one in choller made this rough reply Meleagrus I feare this smooth tale hath but small trueth and that thou couerest a foule skin with faire paintings No doubt this Ladie by her grace and beauty is of her degree more meete for a mighty Prince then for a simple knight and thou like a periured traitour hast bereft her of her parents to their present griefe and her insuing sorrow Till therefore I heare more of her parentage and of thy calling I wil stay you both here in Bohemia Dorastus in whome rested nothing but Kingly valor was not able to suffer the reproches of Pandosto but that he made him this answer IT is not meete for a King without due proofe to appeach any man of ill behauiour nor vpon suspition to inferre beléefe straungers ought to bee entertained with courtesie not to bee intreated with crueltie least being forced by want to put vp iniuries the Gods reuenge their cause with rigor Pandosto hearing Dorastus vtter these wordes commanded that he should straight be committed to prison vntill such time as they heard further of his pleasure but as for Fawnia he charged that she should be entertained in the Court with such curtesie as belonged to a straunger and her calling The rest of the shipmen he put into the Dungeon Hauing thus hardly handled the supposed Trapalonians Pandosto contrarie to his aged yeaxes began to be somwhat tickled with the beauty of Fawnia in so much that hee could take no rest but cast in his old head a thousand new deuises at last he fell into these thoughtes HOw art thou pestred Pandosto with fresh affections and vnfitte fancies wishing to possesse with an vnwilling mynde and a hot desire troubled with a could disdaine Shalt thy mynde yeeld in age to that thou hast resisted in youth Peace Pandosto blabbe not out that which thou maiest be ashamed to reueale to thy self Ah Fawnia is beautifull and it is not for thine honour fond foole to name her that is thy Captiue and an other mans Concubine Alas I reach at that with my hand which my hart would faine refuse playing like the bird Ibys in Egipt which hateth Serpents yet feedeth on their egges Tush hot desires turne oftentimes to colde disdaine Loue is brittle where appetite not reason beares the sway Kinges thoughtes ought not to climbe so high as the heauens but to looke no lower then honour better it is to pecke at the starres with the young Eagles then to pray on dead carkasses with the Uulture tis more honourable for Pandosto to dye by concealing Loue their to enioy such vnfitte Loue. Dooth Pandosto then loue Yea whome A maide vnknowne yea and perhapps immodest stragled out of her owne countrie beautifull but not therefore chast comely in bodie but perhappes crooked in minde Cease then Pandosto to looke at Fawnia much lesse to loue her be not ouertaken with a womans beauty whose eyes are framed by arte to inamour whose hearte is framed by nature to inchaunt whose false teares knowe their true timesâ— and whose sweete wordes pearce deeper then sharpe swordes Here Pandosto ceased from his talke but not from his loue for although he sought by reason and wisedome to suppresse this franticke
affection yet he could take no rest y â— beautie of Fawnia had made such a déepe impression in his heart But on a day walking abroad into a Parke which was hard adioyning to his house he sent by one of his seruants for Fawnia vnto whome he vttered these wordes FAwnia I commend thy beauty and wit and now pittie thy distresse and want but if thou wilt forsake Sir Meleagrus whose pouerty though a Knight is not able to maintaine an estate aunswerable to thy beauty and yeld thy consent to Pandosto I wil both increase thee with dignities and riches No sir answered Fawnia Meleagrus is a knight that hath wonne me by loue and none but he shal weare me his sinister mischance shall not diminishe my affection but rather increase my good will thinke not though your Grace hath imprisoned him without cause that feare shall make mee yéeld my consent I had rather be Meleagrus wife and a begger then liue in plenty and be Pandostos Concubine Pandosto hearing the assured aunswere of Fawnia would notwithstanding prosecute his suite to the vttermost séeking with faire words and great promises in scale the fort of her chastitie swearing that if she would graunt to his desire Meleagrus should not only he fet at libertie but honored in his course amongst his Nobles but these alluring baytes could not intise her minde from the loue of her â—â— we betrothed mate Meleagrus which Pandosto séeing he left her alone for that time to consider more of the demaund Fawnia being alone by her selfe began to enter into these solitarie meditations AH infortunate Fawnia thou â—éest to desire aboue fortune is to striue against the Gods and Fortuneâ— Who gazeth at the suâ—â—e we akeneth his sight they which stare at the skie fall oft into déepe piâ—s haddest thou rested content to haue bene a shepheard thou neededst not to haue feared mischaunce better had it bene for thée by sitting lowe to haue had quiet then by climing high to haue fallen into miserie But alas I feare not mine owne daunger but Dorastus displeasure Ah swéete Dorastus thou art a Prince but now a prisoner by too much loue procuring thine owne losse haddest thou not loued Fawnia thou haddest bene fortunate shall I then bée false to him that hath forsaken Kingdomes for my cause no would my death might deliuer him so mine honor might be preserued With that feching a déepe sigh she ceased froÌ„ her complaints and went againe to the Pallace inioying a libertie without content and profered pleasure with smal ioy But poore Dorastus â—â—â— all this while in olose prison being pinchâ—d with a hard restraint and pained with the burden of colde and heauie Irons sorrowing sometimes that his fond affection had prâ—cured him this mishappe that by the disobedience of his parentes he had wrought his owne despight an other while cursing the Gods and fortune that they should crosse him with such sinister chaunce vttering at last his passions in these words Ah vnfortunate wretch borne to mishappe now thy folly hath his desert art thou not worthie for thy base minde to haue bad fortune could the destinies fauour thée which hast forgot thine honor and dignities wil not the Gods plague him w t despight that payneth his father with disobediâ—nce Oh Gods if any fauour or iustice bâ—â—left plague me but fauour poore Fawnia and shrowd her from the tirannies of wretched Pandosto but let my death frée her from mishapâ— and then welcome death Dorastus payned with these heauie passions sorrowed and sighed but in vaine for which he vsed the more patience But againe to Pandosto who broyling at the heat of vnlawfull lust coulde take no rest but still felte his minde disquieted with his new loue so that his nobles and subiectes marueyled greatly at this sudaine alteration not being able to coniecture the cause of this his continued care Pandosto thinking euery hower a yeare til he had talked once againe with Fawnia sent for her secretly into his chamber whither though Fawnia vnwillingly comming Pandosto entertained her very courteously vsing these familiar speaches which Fawnia answered as shortly in this wise Pandosto Fawnia are you become lessâ— wilfull and more wise to preâ—erre the loue of a King before the liking of a poore Knight I thinke ere this you thinke it is better to be fauoured of a King then of a subiect Fawnia Pandosto the body is subiect to victories but the mind not to be subdued by conquest honesty is to be preferred before honour and a dramme of faith weigheth downe a tunne of gold I haue promised Meleagrus to loue and will performe no lesse Pandosto Fawnia I know thou art not so vnwise in thy choice as to refuse the offer of a King nor so ingrateful as to dispise a good turne thou art now in that place where I may commaunde and yet thou séest I intreate my power is such as I may compell by force and yet I suâ—â—y prayers Yéelde Fawnia thy loue to him which burneth in thy loue Meleagrus shall be set frée thy countrymen discharged and thou both loued and honoured Fawnia I sée Pandosto where lust ruleth it is a miserable thing to be a virgin but know this that I will alwaies preferre fame before life and rather choose death then dishonour Pandosto séeing that there was in Fawnia a determinate courage to loue Meleagrus and a resolution without feare to hate him flong away from her in a rage swearing if in shorte time she would not be wonne with reason he would forget all courtesie and compel her to graunt by rigour but these threatning wordes no whit dismayed Fawnia but that she still both dispighted and dispised Pandosto While thus these two louers stroue the one to winne loue the other to liue in hate Egistus heard certaine newes by Merchauntes of Bohemia that his sonne Dorastus was imprisoned by Pandosto which â—â—â— hâ—â—â— feare greatly that his sonne should be but hardly intreated yet considering that Bellaria and hee was cleared by the Oracle of Apollo from that crime wherewith Pandosto had vniustly charged them hee thought best to send with all spéed to Pandosto that he should set free his sonne Dorastus and put to death Fawnia and her father Porrus finding this by the adâ—â—â—e of Counsaile the spéediest remedy to release his sonne he â—aused presently two of his shippes to be rigged and thoroughly furnished with prouision of men and victuals and saâ—ediuers of his nobles Embassadoures into Bohemia who willing to obey their King and receiue their yong Prince made no delayes for feare of danger but with as much speede as might be sailed towards Bohemia the winde and seas fauored them greatly which made them hope of some good happe for within three daies they were landed which Pandosto no soner heard of their arriuall but hee in person went to méete them intreating theÌ„ with such sumptuous and familiâ—â— courtesie that they might well perceiue how sory he was for the formet miâ—ries hee had
offered to their King and how willing if it might be to make amendes As PaÌ„dosto made report to them how one Meleagrus a Knight of Trapolonia was lately ariued with a Lady called Fawnia in his land comming very suspitiously accompanied onely with one seruant and an olde shepheard The Embassadours perceiued by the halfe what the whole tale ment and began to coniecture that it was Dorastus who for feare to bee knowne had chaunged his name but dissembling y e matter they shortly ariued at the Court where after they had bin verie solemnly and sumptuously feasted the noble men of Sicilia being gathered togither they made reporte of their Embassage â— where they certified Pandosto that Meleagtus was sonne and heire to the King Egistus and that his name was Dorastus how contrarie to the Kings minde he had priuily conuaied away that Fawnia intending to marrie her being but daughter to that poore shepheard Porrus wherevpon the Kings request was that Capnio Fawnia and Porrus might bee murthered and put to death and that his sonne Dorastus might be sent home in safetie Pandosto hauing attentiuely and with great meruaile heâ—rd their Embassage willing to reconcile himselfe to Egistus and to shew him how greatlie he estéemed his labour although loue and fancy forbad him to hurt Fawnia yet in despight of loue hee determined to execute Egistus will without mercy and therefore he presently sent for Dorastus out of prison who meruailing at this vnlooked for curtesie found at his comming to the Kings presence that which he least doubted of his fathers Embassadoursâ— who no sooner sawe him but with great reuerence they honored him and Pandosto embracing Dorastus set him by him very louingly in a chaire of estate Dorastus ashamed that his follie was be wraied sate a long time as one in a muse til Pandosto told him the summe of his Fathers embassage which he had no sooner heard but he was toucht at the quicke for the cruell sentence that was pronounced against Fawnia but neither could his sorrow nor perswasions preuaile for Pandosto commaunded that Fawnia Porrus and Capnio should bee brought to his presence who were no sooner come but Pandosto hauing his former loue turned to a disdainful hate began to rage against Fawnia in these tearmes THou disdainfull vassal thou currish kite assigned by the destinies to base fortune and yet with an aspiring minde gazing after honor how durst thou presume being a beggar to match with a Prince By thy alluring lookes to inchant the sonne of a King to leaue his owne countrie to fulfill thy disordinate lusts O despightfull minde a proud heart in a beggar is not vnlike to a great fire in a smal cottage which warmeth not the house but burneth it assure thy selfe thou shalt die and thou old doating foole whose follie hath bene such as to suffer thy daughter to reach aboue thy fortune looke for no other méede but the like punishment But Capnio thou which hast betrayed the King and hast consented to the vnlawfull lust of thy Lord and maister I know not how iustly I may plague thée death is too easie a punishment for thy falsehood and to liue if not in extreme miserie were not to shew thée equitie I therefore award that thou shall haue thine eyes put out and continually while thou diest grinde in a mil like a brute beast The feare of death â—rought a sorrowfull silence vpon Fawnia and Capnio but Porrus séeing no hope of life burst forth into these spéeches PAndosto and ye noble Emabassadours of Siciliâ—â— séeing without cause I am condemned to die I am yet glad I haue opportunitie to disburdeÌ„ my conscience before my death I will tel you as much as I know and yet no more than is true whereas I am accused that I haue bene a supporter of Fawnias pride and shee disdained as a vilde begger so it is that I am neither Father vnto her nor she daughter vnto me For so it happened that I being a poore shepheard in Sicilia liuing by kéeping others mens flockes one of my shéepe straying downe to the sea side as I went to séeke her I saw a little boat driuen vpon the shoare wherein I found a babe of sixe daies olde wrapped in a mantle of skarlet hauing about the necke this chainâ— I pittying the child and desirous of the treasure carried it home to my wife who with great care nursed it vp and set it to keepe sheepe Heere is the chaine and the Iewels and this Fawnia is the childe whome I found in the boate what shee is or of what parentage I knowe not bâ—â—t this I am assured that shee is none of mine Pandosto would scarce suffer him to tell out his tale but that he enquired the time of the yeere the manner of the boate and other circumstaunces which when he found agreeing to his count he sodainelie leapt from his seate and kissed Fawnia wetting her tender cheeks with his teares and crying my daughter Fawnia ah swtete Fawnia I am thy Father Fawnia This sodaine passion of the King draue them all into a maze especially Fawnia and Dorastus But when the King had breathed himselfe a while in this newe ioy hee rehearsed beefore the Embassadours the whole matter how hee hadde entreated his wife Bellaria for iealousie and that this was the childe whome hee sent to floate in the seas Fawnia was not more ioyfull that she had found such a Father then Dorastus was glad he should get such a wife The Embassadors reioyced that their yong prince had made such a choice that those Kingdomes which through enmitie had long time bin disseuered should now through perpetual amitie be vnited and reconciled The Citizens and subiects of Bohemia hearing that the King had found againe his Daughter which was supposed dead ioyfull that there was an heire aparant to his Kingdome made Bonstres and showes throughout the Cittie The Courtiers and Knights appointed Iusts and Turneis to signifie their willing mindes in gratifying the Kings hap Eighteene daies being past in these princely sports Pandosto willing to recompence old Porrus of a shepheard made him a Knight which done prouiding a sufficient Nauie to receiue him and his retinue accompanied with Dorastus Fawnia and the Sicilian Embassadours he sailed towards Sicilia where he was most princelie entertained by Egistus who hearing this comicall euent reioyced greatly at his sonnes good happe and without delay to the perpetuall ioy of the two yong Louers celebrated the marriage which was no sooner ended but Pandosto calling to mind how first he betraied his friend Egistus how his iealousie was the cause of Bellarias death that contrarie to the law of nature hee had lusted after his owne Daughter moued with these desperate thoughts he fell in a melancholie fit and to close vp the Comedie with a Tragicall stratageme hee slewe himselfe whose death being many daies bewailed of Fawnia Dorastus and his deere friend Egistus Dorastus taking his leaue of his father went with his wife and the dead corps into Bohemia whâ—â— after they were sumptuouslie â—â—â—â—â—â—bed Dorastus ended his daies in contented quiet FINIS