of such base minde That having got thy love will then reiect Thee though at first he seeme to be most kinde Neither know's thou his revenewes nor state Therefore in time rue rather then too late But now Loves king once toucht her heart againe So that she now reputes herselfe ingrate Who could permit her lover to remaine So long in griefe and might the same abate For which in heart she vowes to make amends And ere she loose her loue shee 'l loose her friends For why shee s sure a knight of so good parts As is her knight must loyall bee in love Deceit ne're dwels in noble martiall hearts This maxime skildest Phylosophs approve His birth likewise is sure equivalent Els her to suite could ne're be his intent Yet she remembers beggar Irus sought The constant love of chaste Penelope Which he mongst Peeres of Ithaca deare bought Endymion lov'd the Huntresse Hecate Thus love both Prince and poore man doth controll The gayners ioy the loosers still condole But what though love a beggar did provoke Or yet a shepheard enterprise such aime And rich and poore bee subiect to loves stroke And Cupid with one dart both heale and maime Like to Achilles lance whom it did wound It selfe againe nought else must make them sound What then Lucilla can there be such thing As ever love such operation had To make a base-borne slave looke like a King Though love hath power to make one glad or sad Love in transformes will not prove so vnright To make a Heard or Beggar seeme a Knight Admetus flocks nine winters Cynthius kept And love made Iove in golden showre descend In Danaes lap whilst she faire Lady slept The heat of love those gods made such intend Love likewise hath made Kings themselves abase Yet Indigence still stops Preferments place Since so it is what then should make thee feare Yet try if that his love to thee be such That he esteems no love as thine so deare If it be so thou oughts reward him much Thus then resolv'd she cald her chiefest maid Sophona nam'd and to her thus she sayd MY sweet Sophona greatly need I ayde And none save thou I thinke can serve the turne For wit and truth with secresie conveyde Must onely helpe me to leave off to mourne Her love-sicke heart now secretly doth bleed Whereat she pausd as one sham'd to proceed Which passion wisely Sophona thought good To stop in time before it should accresse To greater height for now her mistresse blood From face to inward parts had swift regresse Whereby it seem'd that love should be the cause Of her stupiditie and shame-fac't pause Thus therefore spake she to Lucilla sweet How now Madam belike you mee mistrust Else sure you would not spare for to repeate To me your griefes if I prove false heavens thrust Me from their blisse so Madam doe notspare To shew to me the cause of all your care Praise to the heavens I likewise can shut vp A secret in the cabine of my heart Neither can Cresus worth my minde corrupt For to reveale the same in any part Speake what you will to heavens I here protest Till time you please it shall not bee exprest But give me leave Madam what if I gesse Your cause of griefe for I did well remarke While as you spake some passion to suppresse You greatly strove I doubt it is loves sparke For why a tim'rous pause your speech made faile Rose-red first waxt your face then ashy-pale And if Madam love doe your heart possesse Give Cupid place his deitie is supreame Rather then vrge an helplesse businesse It 's folly great to strive against the streame Then be content and prove not times abuse But freely shew how I may serve your vse My deare Sophona quoth Lucilla thou Knowst well that hitherto I ever lov'd Thee more then all my maids and shall I vow For why to me as yet thou ever prov'd Most faithfull constant kinde discreete and wise Thee secrets to divulge none can entyse Therefore to thee I 'le tell the simple truth A tale that scarce my heart dare well commit The pretious secret therof to my mouth Indeed Sophona thou the mark hast hit I loue aye me I loue what shall I doe The paines of loue my heart will rent in two Yet let mee tell thee hee 's a worthy one And this last night I secretly ov'r-heard His plaint which might have mov'd a heart of stone To pittie him then went I afterward Alongst the garden gallerie he below Lay fast asleepe so nought at all did know In this meane time I took from off my hand A pretty ring and dropt it on his cloake The posie whereof if hee vnderstand Of black despaire will quench both fire and smoake But though his plaint at first made me relent Yet that I threw the ring I did repent For why I thought I knew not well his worth And to my friends hee likewise was a stranger Yet loue me told valour though hid breakes forth For mee and mine hee put his life in danger In open field vnarm'd and without feare Couragiously alone he kild the Beare Disdaine sayes Honour pusht him thereunto And what he did was not for my respect Loue sayes againe what had he here adoe But for my sake should I him then reiect Reason suggesteth once he told mee plaine I was his earthly ioy and chiefest gaine For kinde Sophona this same is the knight That came from Epire in our companie And when we landed here took his good night Beleeve me woman faith the same is hee That came with vs last time we view'd the Spring This knight I meane on whom I dropt the ring And now Sophona I intreate thee trye If that his love to me be so entire As it appeares likewise if thou canst spye Him all alone I pray thee strive to heare His words remark his gesture and his lookes By these thou'le know if he contentment brookes Sophona kinde worke war'ly I exhort For long will I looke for thy wisht returne 'Cause sure I am thou wilt the truth report And helpe to quench the flames my heart doth burne Madam quoth she let me and that alone No more farewell Madam I will begone SInce she is gone it were no misse to show What cogitations companied the knight For when Lucilla him the ring did throw You know he sleeping was for why his spright Whilst he awoke was vext with griefe extreame For which in sleepe he had a golden dreame Hee dream'd he was into a lovely wood Where prettie birds melodiously did sing Hard by a river where they also stood Trees hearbes and flowers which pleasantly did spring All sorts of beasts here walkt most fearlesly Each thing strove here to satiate the eye In this meane time came Venus and her boy As he surmysd betwixt them was a Lasse Whom they conduct without guide or convoy Thus swiftly marcht they where Calanthrop was Venus then cald alowd brave
Surgeon by his balme and vnguents tryes his skill His Teriack nor his Mithridate cannot the venome kill His antipoysons have no force no nor his vipers oyle Doe what he can the venome strong the Lady's like to spoyle Her grievous pain doth stil increase her wound grows worse worse No cordiall nor no cataplasme against the sting have force With sad and wofull hearts her guard doe carie her along Gainst Fates Fortune they exclaime for this opprobrious wrong If poysnous heat made her a thirst or did the heavens ordaine Her present ayd no man can tell but she could not sustaine Such thirst therefore she cald a groome and bids him goe and finde Some colding spring that she might ease her hart with heat was pynd He goes and findes a purling brooke then quickly turnes againe Thereof she drinkes and still she thinkes the lesser growes her paine Now from her coach she doth dismount ô admirable thing The paine and poyson both decrease by drinking of the spring Her knights and guard goe both apart her Ladies bathe her wound Throgh bathing with the helthful spring the Dutches is made sound With humble with thankfull hearts they praise the gods therfore Who did so soone mirac'lously their Ladies health restore Then to a village bording neere she and her comp'nie went But e're they could the same approach the day was nere hand spent For midst the way they find a man whose cloathes were old worn He seem'd to be of poore estate yet by countrey-borne The Dutchesse askd him how they cald this countrey the wood And how they cald the happy spring that yeelded her such good This countrey is Epyrus cald quoth hee where we are plac't Hazardfull forrests of Epyre be those you lately trac't The brook is cald the healthfull spring through Grecia flies its fame Of each of those faire Ladie know this is the proper name Those forrests be cald hazardfull cause many one of old And likewise now strange accidents in them sinde manifold The brooke is cald the healthfull spring as well it may indeed Gainst poyson venom-caâ—kring 〈◊〉 a soveraigne try'd remeede The man takes leave they forward went vnto the village right Next morning on their iourney goe how soone the day was light Then in few dayes to this her home the Dutchesse quickly came This countrey her Calabria it is the very same What then it was so is it now not subiect to decay No forraine force nor homebred iarres its indwellers dismay When that the Dutchesse liv'd here home a while with easeful mind And former sorrowes all were past as loath to prove vnkinde She caused skild Artificers erect to her great charge Of marble black Alabast a fountaine high large Like to a stately Pyramis the healthfull spring above Lest any of ingratitude her iustly might reprove In memorie of benefite she once did there receive Expert Mechanicks shee causd search could rightly cut and grave Through dext'rous cunning these adorn'd the happy healthful fount With Emblemes fram'd of Alabast and marble of the mount Of yeares two lusters scarce were spent after this work was done When she citations had from death so had her brothers sonne The Dutchesse did the gods implore that they the youth would spare And pittie him of tender yeares and expectation rare Thessalia's hope his mothers ioy sole comfort of his Syre For doubtlesly if now he dy'd their lives would then expyre As for her selfe she was resolv'd Deaths message to obey And that ne ' re-yet remitted debt she 's willing to repay It seem'd the gods did grant her suite the boy did convalesse But she sweet Lady found deaths force her vitall spirites distresse Then cald she for her love Lord whose groanes proclaim'd his grieves And for her lasse Lucilla fair in whom true beauty lives Deare Lord loue quoth she I finde that we must parted bee The loyall love I to thee beare doth make me loath to dye Heavens Fates Death doe all decree my glasse of life bee runne And Atropos now cuts the threed which Lachesis once spun So hence I must ô deare sweete love I pray thee doe not weepe For sure my sp'rite midst highest heavens the sacred gods will keepe Lucilla deare thy mothers ioy come to thy dying Dame As Heavens Nature thee inricht with beauties bravest frame Heavens grant that thou doe vse it well to thy immortall praise Live chastly yet selfe-loue abhorre pride breeds contempt alwayes This one thing doe I thee intreate in memorie of me Goe thrice a yeare view the spring thy mother did supplie When physicke nor no simples could the venome strong expell The water of the healthfull spring in power did precell Therefore three times a yeare doe view that spring by consuetude And mother-like what beasts detests abhorre ingratitude Thus said her happy sp'rite she yeelds which to eternall ioy Numberles numbers powers divine invisibly convoy Her funerals once solemntz'd then doth Lucilla faire In sable robes of mourning black with maids so clad prepare To goe and view the healthfull spring and there bewaile her losse And mothers death whose memories giues her continuall crosse Since she is thus determined her father likewise send Shadowes of men Eunuches I meane as guardians her t' attend Those likewise serve as mariners to rule her bark by sea Accompanied by those and mayds she doth continually Thrice yearly goe and view that spring a day or two they mourne Their regrates being finished againe they here returne Her father though he haue no sonne for to succeed his place Loves her so well hee will not wed againe in any case Yet though he loue her he ore-lookes her with a prying eye Loue hatcheth care which care begets respectiue Iealousie The iealous Syre of daughters good doth make her liue retyrd For which himselfe of strangers is ridic'lously admyrd Lucilla since her mother dy'd is forc't to liue apart From company of anyman which sure must grieve her heart For saue those Eunuchs those maids who serue her night day And her own Syre the aged Duke none else approach her may Many a Prince and gallant Knight doe her in mariage crave But through her fathers perswasiues she none at all will haue And for to try to speake herselfe it 's folly there 's no meane She is so warelie lookt vnto none can such good attaine This aged Duke and his faire Lasse dwell neere within sixe mile Where they in divers sports delight to posting time beguile A castle situate by a lake in it doe they abide From thence they see both woods meads ships at anchor ride Even from this Castle of the Dukes about a fourthnight since In companie of other knights went the Thessalian Prince Retimes they rise and winde their hotnes not fearing any foe Through desart woods vnknowne paths they all a hunting goe But whilst the rest their horses mount the Prince his horse refuses Him to
before the message came absented Such loue-sick thoughts his minde so ever crost That smothred groanes his hearthad almost rented Yet forc't content he beares most patientlie To Citie went his Hoast his Page and hee Where we must leaue them for a little space To shew you what content the Duke conceiv'd By this dayes sport but yet the great disgrace His Knights had got iustly no pardon crav'd Sham'd to confesse yet reason them constraind An vnknowne Knight not they the honour gain'd Most glad in heart the Duke hastes to his home With many Knights discoursing on this sport They all yeeld praise to one they know not whom The Beare his death did each of them comfort Yet envious sp'rites still secret malice ludge At stout mens successe base mindes oft doe grudge For the good Duke to glad his guests withall When he came home causd his faire lasse be brought To sup with them to minde he then doth call The val'rous act one knight that day had wrought Then to Lucilla told in pleasant words In audience of Knights Princes Earles and Lords How that an vnknowne Knight the Beare did kill For after quoth he we had rouz'd the beast The tim'rous hounds at bay did keepe him still Many were hurt glad to retire at least They seem'd vnwilling any more to try Wherein the Beares defence and strength did lye But while as yet each knight with other strove Who first should dare him to encounter new There came a knight from an adiacent grove His horse lance clothes were of a pale-black hew The Beare in mid-way meets him on the plaines As loath to put a stranger to great paines With an vnformall welcome doth him greet Yet on his breast the lance doth split asunder But e're the knight on ground could fixe his feet The Beare got vp though he was once at vnder Then e're the knight could halfe his sword vnsheath He runnes to him belike to begge his death Which suit the knight seem'd willing to obey For at one stroke he did the Beare so wound The griefe thereof his body did o're-sway Foure-feet thereafter set he ne're on ground One of his legges the knight quite off did cut Then in the sheath his noble sword he put Then on his horse he quickly did returne To that same grove from which of late he came Thither where we thought he did then soiourne I sent three Lords for to enquire his name Desiring him to come where we expected Him who so had our countries weale protected But he was gone before they could attaine The very grove which we had seene him enter Not willing to be knowne he did preveene Their comming yet his life for vs did venter Then since they could not finde him any where We all thought best home to this place repaire Thus daughter haue you heard the very truth Of our dayes sport directly as it was Acted by that brave magnanimick youth Chastiz'd the monster for his vile trespasse He for our safetie and our publick good Life hazard honour gaind yet spent his blood Sir quoth Lucilla give me leave to speake This act me thinkes precels the labours twell Of that brave worthy martiall minded Greeke Who drag'd three-headed Cerberus from hell He that kild Hector midst the campe of Greece Or hee who gaind Ile Colchis golden fleece When Hercules to fetch his wife did goe Infernal Phasma's made his courage droupe Achilles at advantage strooke his foe Whilst hee to rob dead Patroclus did stoupe Medea's magick gain'd the fleece of gold For Iasons love she fathers thesaure sold. Likewise the Argonauts both last and first Did aid Duke Aesons sonne in his pursute Oeta's foes did bravely him assist Orithia's sonnes to aid them prosecute Wing'd Calais and Zethes thither flew In their returne the Harpyes they subdue Desire of gaine did Iason most intyse Necessitie the other two did move For Herc'les must forgoe his enterpryse Else fight the dogge Achilles too must prove Himselfe a Coward if hee misse the stroke But no such matter did this knight provoke No greed of gaine nor yet necessitie Did move this gallant enterprise this deed True honour did his minde most qualifie He likewise saw this countrey stood in need Of speedie ayd so for our publick weale Vnarmd alone he did the Beare appeale And praise to Iove hee happy victor prov'd Deare father therefore whatsoe're he be Of yong and old he ever should be lov'd Of rich and poore of each sexe and degree To him erect then stately Trophies rare Who for our safeties would his life not spare Though all the min'rals earth containes were swords And all tooke life were men to vse them well If Calanthrop I thinke had heard her words Being so set on top of Fortunes wheele Hee would gain-stand them all in open plaine Though Hydra-like they two-fold liv'd againe But while Lucilla did Calanthrop praise One Philotomp much to her speech adverts His name his naughtie humour still bewrayes This knight in heart the Ladies words inserts For fretting Envie humour monstrous strange Mov'd him was no way wrong'd to seeke revenge For Philotomp that proud ostentive man Made search to know where the knight did remaine Fully resolv'd to kill him if hee can Naughtie designes are bred in basest braine So in dark night he went vnto the Citie With heart bent to revenge and void of pittie Some say that Philotomp right much affected The faire Lucilla and this was the cause He hates the knight doubting to bee reiected His rivall humour could admit no pause Lucilla's speech he though had savour kinde Towards the knight which did molest his minde Now in the Citie at the time of rest Some knave convayd him to the knight his Inne So he and sixe well arm'd with him addrest Them to the house now doth the fight beginne Calanthrop and his boy did well asswage Philotomps choler and his vniust rage Yea Calanthrop alone so farre prevaild His martiall page defending still his backe That in short time those seven who him assaild Through his brave hand were brought to sudaine wracke Foure of them kild he two like Cowards fled Philotomp captive made his bloud not shed The Burgers hearing the vp-rore conveene And both the parties doe incarcerate But yet in Iayle not willing to detaine Such persons long lest they extenuate Their libertie therefore they now intend Vnto the Duke to know his will to send Their Messenger doth to the Duke dilate The very forme of this bad accident And how the vnknowne knight his hard estate Was much bewaild when he to iayle was sent For what he did was in his owne defence But no man knew knight Philotomps pretence How soone the Duke had heard him to an end To horse he went with many gallant Lord Each one to heare their itching eares did lend What the event should be of this discord Wishing the Duke might expiate his ire Each Lord and knight him humbly did desire But now the Maior
chest They welcom'd her then altogether went And with sad hearts inter'd Calanthrops boy When they had done they all with one consent Each other toward Cephalas convoy Where they in silence spent that wearie night Longing to see faire Phoebus come in sight When day appeard and that the night was past They went to finde some village or some towne For 'gainst their will they kept a two-dayes fast The wearie Ladies by the way sate downe To rest themselves Calanthrop found a boy Who said hee would to Tapra them convoy Riding hee was a spare horse in his hand He held whereof Calanthrop was most glad Yet at the boy hee humbly did demand For money leave to ride to which the Lad Gave good attendance telling him for pay He should them horse to Tapra all the way Calanthrop gives him coyne the boy alights And told him likewise that hee had some bread If they were hungry to refresh their sprights Likewise some wine if they thereof had need The bread and wine Calanthrop from him takes Thereof for Ladies noble banquet makes When they had done Calanthrop much admir'd A barbarous boy to them was so discreete To know his name therefore hee much desir'd The which the boy did willingly recite My name quoth hee Sir is Philodespot Likewise by birth I am an Epirot I 'me glad quoth Calanthrop for so am I At this Lucilla could not chuse but smile But quoth Calanthrop pray thee tell me why Thou in Barbaria loves to stay this while Sir quoth the boy our ship was run a-ground By this late storme where my sweet master drownd And now since I a master lacke I goe To Tapra for to try if I can finde Some shippe going for Greece that I may so Transported be which much will ease my minde Please thee quoth Calanthrop I 'le give thee wage If thou wilt stay with me and be my page I am content quoth he Sir if you please Yet much I long my native soyle to see But yet it will my minde most greatly ease To serve or be in honest companie So horse those Ladies I shall be their guide Behinde you one the other me shall ride Forwards they iourney'd towards Tapra Citie But by the way misfort'nate accident The vilest tyrant lecherous lacking pittie That breath'd or mov'd beneath the firmament They met with all Anxifer was his name Of Cyrenaica king yet lacking shame This shamelesse tyrant when that hee perceiv'd Such matchlesse beautie have so slender guard He and his comp'nie bea stlily behav'd Themselves not caring what came afterward For many wounds they to Calanthrop gave Thereafter of his Ladies him berave Two great misfortunes Calanthrop did prove For first the Ladies were bereft him there Next was so wounded that he scarce could move But yet the losse of his Lucilla faire More then his wounds did aggravate his griefe Though his kinde Page did yeeld him great reliefe For hee on horse set him when they were gone So through great labour they the Citie gain'd But oh to heare what wofull wailing mone The Ladies made when as they were constrain'd To part with Calanthrop and hee so wound That sight the gladdest heart might have confounded Calanthrop through his wounds was forc't to stay In Tapra Citie for a weeke or two Then towards Epire he without delay And his kinde Page addrest themselves to goe Minding a navie shortly for to bring Towards Corena and besiege the King For in Corena did this king abide This Anxifer who did Calanthrop wrong In Cyrenaica hard by the sea side Corena stands a Citie matchlesse strong The tyrant to this towne the Ladies brought Where many times he villanies had wrought Now must we leave Calanthrop in Epire Levying his forces with what haste he can And speak of those faire Ladies who were here Kept in Corena by this div'lish man This Anxifer that monster for a King Who sought the Ladies to dishonour bring For when he was as pittie were returnd Vnto Corena he made shut each gate Toward Lucilla he in lust so burn'd That he waxt carelesse of his owne estate Save onely that he lov'd to be secure Till time he might his vile content procure Therefore hee to a chamber quickly went Taking Lucilla with him all alone Minding for to effectuate his intent Which he I thinke might easily have done Had not the vertue of the Ladies ring Him disappointed of his curst designe But when he saw that strength could not prevaile Nor that he could not purchase her owne grant Another way he mindes her to assaile And that was this Some Sorcerers did hant Much in that palace for those hath he sent And bids them make that Lady be content To bed with him or else show him a cause Why hee could not doe what hee did intend Or else he sweares that without any pause Their wretched soules to Pluto he shall send They him request some space them to allow To morrow this time quoth he else I vow You all shall hang thus Anxifer dismist Those gracelesse Sorc'rers who in one accord Their master invocate and so insist Continually till he sent them this word Lucilla faire she keepes Calisto's ring On her left hand whose vertue lets your King Vnto the King the morrow went they all And told him that a ring was all his stay On her left hand shee keepes it they it call Calistos ring quoth they therefore assay If you can any way that ring acquire Then are you sure t' accomplish your desire Of this the King was glad gave them reward Charging them that to none they should impart What they had told him then without regard Of honour went he with a merrie heart Vnto Lucilla's chamber whose estate No heart so hard but must the same regrate She and Sophona bitterly did weepe Yet nothing did the tyrants heart relent Why doe you thus quoth he a mourning keepe Faire Ladies doe not so O be content For thou whose beautie gave my heart its wound Vpon thy head quoth he I 'le set my crowne Which if thou wilt not willingly receive Then shall you both be vylie prostitute To each base villaine and each filthy slave Then to the death I shal you persecute Yet e're you dye the hangman shall abuse You both if thou to be my wife refuse Sir quoth Sophona pray let vs advise Some little space which choyce of those to take For who so doth a marriage enterprise Should well advise before the match they make So Sir remove and doe appease your wrath For be you sure each flesh abhorreth death The King went to his Sorcerers and told How that by threats he hoped to attaine The Ladies love and to them doth vnfold That for their magick they should still remaine With him and honour'd bee as men of worth If their advice good successe now brought forth But now Sophona to her mistresse sayd Madame quoth she bewailes doe nought availe You see with tyrants and I am afraid