triumph who would needs prolong the solemnities already commenced and send Embassadours into Illirium Thrace and Pontus who successefully obtained so much of the offended as not to pretend themselves such and conformable to his expectation Cecronima insteed of Deadora Ladomonte causing to be embarked both his and his brother-in-lawes preparations destined for the festivall solemnities of Faria commanded they should be brought after him to Cyprus where he in a choyce Galley arrived in a few dayes space entirely welcomed and honoured with all affectionate respects conformable to the passing love they bare him Nor waite they for now towards the celebration of the festivalls for ought else save the things embarked so as we shall come time enough to see them being they are to bee kept at Pafo neere the famous Temple of Venus whither they are all of them reduced to thanke the Goddesse for so prosperous an issue of these affaires Polimero had heard talke of Ormondo and his great exploits long before which made him now very glad to heare his disgusts thus terminated by so pleasing an alliance the old passage taking from him all occasion of revenge And right joyfull was Lindadori to light on by the way so solemne jousts hope also shee did that her Father would dispence with his haste to be acquainted with those Princes shee being more especially desirous to see Deadora and to try her selfe at Armes with her But so it befell them that neither Polimero had occasion to displease her nor shee opportunity of working her owne content for the sea swelled into such extraordinary billowes for being over-blowne with the rage of a tearing winde that the Pilot was forced with haling the tack a-boord to strike a hull and lash sure the helme a-lee till gaining the winde a-sterne he was faine to ease the Vessell with a small Trinket saile fastned to her Maine-yard so as shee now carried on with an excessive violence outranne the course and leaving on the right hand Cyprus could not possibly choose but passe to Creete where with much adoe they made a shift to get a-shore Greatly steeded this Tempest Polimero by advancing him much on his way besides the pleasure he tooke at his Daughters anger and her chafing at the sea and windes yet that accident afforded her another way that which fortune had denied her for contenting her martiall humour For that time the kingdome of Creete stood afflicted by a warre litle otherwise than civill divided into factions every one attempting to effect his owne peculiar ends under pretext of the publicke good an ordinary maske wherewith the most seditious are wont to cover the true face of their actions Virate King of Crecte left behinde him three sonnes whereof Cretaneo the eldest inherited the Crowne the other twaine being accommodated with two of the goodliest and richest Dukedomes of the whole Iland Restargo with the faire Dutchy of Cidone and with that of Ritinna Riverargo Now Cretaneo was a good Prince a lover of Philosophy and in it so plunged as hee conceited to make by its direction both himselfe and his kingdome happy yet never philosophiz'd he that Kings may well be capable of Philosophy but not Philosophers of kingdomes For then had he learnt that Kings ought for well ruling to be formed of vertues more reall than philosophicalll and that these without those ruine such as owne them Disposed then for conveniencie's cause to marry and hearing famed for beauty the Princesse of Caria being a neighbouring kingdome he sends thither Restargo beleeving that Carito's King would willingly grant her him for being demanded by so great an Embassadour as his brother whom he allowed a great traine of followers and store of monies to the end he might carry himselfe both like a personage of his ranke and quality and conformable to the greatnesse of him that sent him an ordinary custome in those Countries not to concede men wives till they bee first for some while wooed and served by the pretenders and if they be Princes by Embassadours in their steede This Princesse was over and besides her beauty and comely feature an onely childe and by consequence heire apparant to the Caritan Crowne In which regard Restargo allured by the occasion of gaining himselfe a Crowne forgetting both his allegeance and trust reposed in him did that office for himselfe which hee should have done for his brother whom whilst with false letters he held in hand with more false hopes 't was easie for him malignely procuring to be brought to the King of Caria's eares passing bad relations of Cretanco to get his daughter for himselfe Having wonne all the Courtiers with the prodigall effusion of his brothers treasure Cretanco thus injur'd without making shew of being angry thereat excused it with his wonted facility judging it in respect of its occasions pardonable upon discoursing within himselfe that interesses of preferment make men if they be not profest in the habit of vertue from very good to become exceeding bad yet knew he how to be so much angry for all that as to forbid him for comming ever more in his sight and that become now successor of a kingdome he should keepe him within its limits without venturing to returne into Creete For the rest he neither medled with his patrimoniall Dominions nor came to those termes whereto justly incensed Kings are wont to come to Restargo making no account of words rather confident of his brothers lenity than timorous of his justice forgetting his being forewarned grew desirous three yeares after Cretaneo being by then married to passe over into Creete ambitious it should seeme of being there honoured above the ranke of the first Peere of the blood Royall in the quality of a Soveraigne Prince and in his time King But no sooner was he come than that the prison was his lodging where he remained seven yeares the King and Princesse of Caria proving all the while unprevailing suppliants for his freedome The seventh yeare being past it seeming good to Riverargo to intercede for him he without any difficulty prevailed King Cretaneo being by then weary if not halfe-sorry for having contrary to his nature retain'd his colour for so long a time thinking that justice became now cruelty and that the revenge exceeded the injury especially in a brother not considering as he should have done that his brother had his affects corrupted and that such a man as had beene once wicked should be ever presupposed to be such Restargo insteede of repenting waxen now more wicked than before provides in a few dayes from Caria in small disordered companies a good band of men besides those of his owne State and knew so well how to doe ill that deposing his brother from his Royall Throne he put him in the very same prison that he had kept him seven yeares in and then sending for together with his wife new forces he assumed the title of Governour with his other brother affirming the King to be
manly spirit o're-mastered by his affections after a short pause thus spake on Of the two hundred Gentlemen which accompanied as I told you Cripasso's corps fifty solemnly vowed to spend one yeares time in the search of me and in case they found me out to bring and sacrifice mee on the slaine Cripass's tombe And missing to light on mee in that yeares space though they were thence forwards freed from further seeking after me yet remain'd they in case they ever fortuned to meete me still tied to the same obligation Vnderstood that I had these unhappy newes I would needes part suddenly all perswasions of retaining me any longer proving dissoluble and to no purpose Having then procured of the Knight my hoast and friend the favour of furnishing me with compleate Armes and refused those he would have had me take for being too superfluous contenting me with those I now weare I caused to be pourtrayted on my shield the Impresa of the swan stampt in the internall part of my imagination ever since I was a childe upon the occasion of the old disasters of my poore home whereunto this new one in my conceit came neere enough It was my luck to meete ere I embarked my selfe with eight of the fifty Gentlemen of whom understanding the oath they had taken I had the fortune to absolve them of it by from some taking and to others giving their lives Come to Taranto I met with the ninth without either knowing him or he me Wee embarked both of us in the same shippe where upon his telling me whom he sought after I could have found in my heart to have fought with him then instantly but considering the ships being full of passengers I forbare till we arrived in Feacia and then made my selfe knowne unto him where gone a-shore Mars favoured my cause with the death of the pursuer And then passing over into Creete I came thence to Egypt where you found me and by your valour saved me from my second murtherers My intent now is to crosse over hence to Arabia there either to recover my kingdome or lose my life or if neither this nor that yet shall I at least see with my owne eyes the reasons that exclude me from all further hopes thereof that I may then returne me thence to the Iland my nurse and there spend and end the residue of my dayes The noble Polimero was so taken both with the relation of these passages and with the person that related them that embracing him with an affectionate respect hee thus bespake him Prince Coralbo I crave you humble pardon if in any thing I have failed to tender you the honour due to your quality whereinalthough my not knowing you might in some regard serve me for an excuse yet meane I not to steede mee therewith because my not discovering in you those indelible markes of a Prince stamptin you by nature merits just accusation But sithence it cannot now be otherwise remedied I shall endeavour to make my future service become in part an amends for my past miscarriages and will besides so you but favour me with your courteous leave be a fellow-sharer in your adventures for the being of both of us strangers in Armes and language will secure us from all dangers so that you shall not need to make your selfe knowne to any other than such whom for your affaires sake you shall reveale your selfe unto This courteous proffer Coralbo could not but accept of acknowledging him no small obligation for this his so highly-engaging favour So travelling toward Arsinoe it grew to be twilight ere they were aware that they had straid out of their way yet even then and later too the clime of Egypt is canoped with so bright a skie that there the night though deprived of its greater light is yet very brightsome and cleare the golden splendor of the starres being of themselves for not being clouded with any foggie vapours arising from below sufficiently lightsome to illuminate that portion of the earth the ayre also enjoying there a faire open horison for not being damm'd in by any neere bordering mountaines glories in having no other shade save onely such as are meerely accidentall Thus in darkened light or lighting darkenesse continued these Princes on their intended journey till almost midnight without meeting with any one of whom they could enquire the way so as now imagining they had lost it as indeed they had they were much perplext in minde their Steeds being well nigh quite tired and fainty with extreame thirst when of one side of them they might descrie glimmering a litle light yet not certaine of its being really such the interposing trees not suffering them to judge whether it were indeede such or no Coralbo desirous to be cleered of his doubt and at length through his accurate observing infallibly assured it was no starre told Polimero that for certaine there were houses neere at hand riding then towards the light they saw it vanish them in an instant yet holding on their way directly thitherward they were soone gotten into a faire large greene encircled with a pleasing row of palme-trees orderly planted about the which in an artificiall channell rowled over a bed of snow-white pible a litle christall brooke most pleasantly murmuring from thence they discerned fast by them a house with lights in many of its roomes whereat they no sooner knocked than they were courteously spoken unto but yet the porter would ere hee would open the doore needs first goe know his Ladies pleasure which was not needfull for shee appearing her selfe presently at a window courteously asked them who they were Two stranger-knights of a remote Countrey answered her Polimero who being out of their way pray to be either favoured with a nights lodging or directed where they may get one which hee endeavouring to expresse in that countrey language uttered with such difficulty that seeing the Lady returne him no answer he perswaded himselfe that shee understood him not till upon his returning to repeate his former speech shee told him that shee had already understood him howbeit shee praid him to tell her what countrey-men they were Wee are said Polimero Ausonians how Ausonians replied the Lady your pronunciation me thinkes and accent hath but small affinity with those of that Nation Yea Madame answered her then Coralbo in the pure Etrurian tongue we are indeede of Ausonia and now goe travelling abroad through the world to finde out warres and adventures The Lady now bethinking with her selfe that shee should know that voyce and accent commanded the gates to be presently opened so then the Knights demounting off their Steedes in a faire courtelage were with a paire of torches lighted into the hall where they were courteously received by the Lady accompanied with a most beautifull damosell her daughter the neere resemblance shee had with her confirming her to bee such both of them as well in gesture as countenance discovering an incomparable majesty They entertain'd these
the contrary faining that he did all he could to keepe it in expected but the occasion of telling it making now a shew of being heate with anger and that the fury of his choller had made him thus vomit our his secfet And with that he praised heaven for having changed unto him Greece for Persia pride and the disdainefull Citizen into the gentlenesse and contentsome delights of a great Court and the tyrannie of an inhumane and cruell brother into the favours of the greatest and most courteous King of the Vniverse who missing to restore him by any faire meanes bad given him forces thereby both to restore himselfe to his liberty and also avenge him of his enemies But Chirito with counterfeit charinesse shewing him that the Fleete hee there saw was not enough for his turne Chio being strong of it selfe besides that in respect of the confederate Common-wealthes contributing all of them towards her defence as he might bee assured they would the enterprize would not prove to be so easie especially considering that they would perhaps have sought with him ere his arrivall in Chio To this Timocle in a despising manner answered him That before the Fleetes could joyne together to offer him fight he would have hang'd up without the Walls upon the Gate of Chio that Traytor his brother And for the rest that he was not so foolish to stirre in it without being certaine of the enterprize Chirito with shrinking in his shoulders replied that he conceived not how that could be without secret intelligence To which Timocle smiling answered But admit I had such what would'st thou say of it then I tell thee then I have and such too that litle shall my brothers malice or some others presumption availe them Here he named Rotildo and then taking him by the hand proceeded From hence forwards thou maist know Chirito how much ancient friendship can doe I have now committed to thy trust the greatest secret that is this day in the Court of Persia see therefore I pray thee that it be safely lock'd up in the secret cabinet of thy brest If thou wilt continue my friend I will further thy advancement and doe for thee if otherwise yet shalt thou have no cause to thinke hardly of mee Come along with me in this expedition and I will give thee over and besides the merit and favour thou shalt gaine thee in the Kings eyes a worthy place of command among the chiefe Captaines And that thou maist see that my proceedings are grounded on a sure foundation I 'le tell thee all Know then that Rotildo upon promise of the Principality agreed with the King to sow at my arrivall sedition within the Citie and to bring mee in with his faction which may bee easily done by assaulting Chio both within and without Chirito remained at these newes struck to the heart Rotildo hee knew wonderous well but the treason was so handsomely contrived and the apparances thereof so correspondent that the argument of his goodnesse conceived to be now o'recome by his ambition had no force so to conclude for him as Chirito punctually beleeved not all that hee had heard and then without staying to heare any more commending him for grounding his affaire upon such sure foundations accepting the offer of going along with him and infinitely thanking him for honouring him with such a favour he thought every minute a yeare till he returned to his lodging where writing a letter thereof at full he sent it to Chio by a trusty friend of his forbearing to send it by any of his servants for feare of being discovered The sea was then free for though the suspition of the warre was great yet was there not for all that heard of till then any hostile effect The messengers with most prosperous winde arrived in Chio a litle after that my fathers two kinsmen that had beene with Rotildo in Persia deceived or suborned presented themselves to a certaine Magistrate of supream authority in State-matters An accidentall branch of whose office was to keepe inviolably secret both the accusers testimony of witnesses There they exposed and deposed That they never had since their returne from Persia had the heart to beleeve much lesse relate that which they had with their owne eares heard against the person and faith of Rotildo but that seeing the passe whereunto things were now brought and understanding for a certaine that Timocle was in Ephesus with an Army they mov'd with the love of both their countrey and themselves accorded to be no longer silent now that the said apparances made them beleeve that to bee true which till then they did not This preludium ended they said on That fortuning to be locked up in some of the Royall lodgings of Susa neere the chamber where sate the privy Councell who were wont to shut themselves up when they were come together they heard them serious in discourse about Chio and Rotildo these two names being all they understood the Councell speaking in their owne language till they heard Timocle call'd for and a litle after ask'd in Greeke if Rotildo had power enough to give up Chio to the King and if also having gotten the principality thereof he would prove faithfull and loyall to his Majestie Hee answered yes discoursing with that a long while upon his Nobility riches and traine That for his faith they might well be assured of it because of his being a marveilous upright and honest Gentleman and such a one as would not have accepted of any condition that prejudiced the liberty of his Countrey hee being not naturally ambitious but for the exceeding pride of the Citizens becomming extreamely insupportable This said there was no more Greeke spoken nor Timocle any more heard speake and we being besotted with Rotildo's famed integrity firmely beleeved that Timocle had maliciously caused us to bee locked up there to make us beleeve what he had made us heare Vpon this deposition the good Rotildo was suddenly shut up in close prison so as no man could come to speak with him And whilst upon his examination hee called the Gods to witnesse of his innocence thither came Chirito's letters Whereupon without being any more suffered to speake for himselfe being so accused by two and now convinced by the third he unfortunate Gentleman was miserably and injustly strangled Timocle understanding of Rotildo's death seeming to be then apparently desperate as if by it all his designes had beene frustrated and the neck of all his projects broken made a shew of licensing his troupes for returning to Susa but yet entertained them howsoever having by his former seeming-reall fame dissolved the conjunction of the Greekish forces whilst my Father not without being therefore censured espoused my Mother shee telling such as thereof spake to her that shee would have married not only Pridale a personage so eminent but any base man whatsoever rather than heare her selfe called after the unlucky surname of a wicked Traytor a resolution
me that I should never suffer any more such paines my incommodious delivery having so bruised me within and its sorenesse so augmented by my naturall heate as deprived me of all possibility of conceiving any more I made many trialls of my selfe according to my Physitians direction especially of certaine suffumigations of Mirh Incense and Storax which passing from the inferior parts of the body to the mouth and nose denotes a possibility of conceiving but through me to my but too great discontent they passed not though upon experimenting it on one of my Gentlewomen I found a different effect Missing thus of the Direct way I turn'd to the Oblique and to the supplying with cunning the defects of Nature For I caused to be laid waite for in three severall places three women great with childe litle or nothing differing in their time my Physitian serving me faithfully in that employment and making each of those women beleeve that he would reare it up as his sonne in performance of a Vow he had made to Esculapio And my will was that they should be three out of the likelihood that one of them might be a boy and that I might in case one of them died have my choyse of the other two so then I tooke on me to be great with childe to the Kings so great pleasure and joy that hee went neere to grow wilde thereat I wanted you may well imagine no symptoms being therein helped by certaine vomitive pils which by me swallowed downe in the morning wrought on me at so measured a time as they began their operation just at my rising off the table In the night time likewise by taking halfe a glasse-full of certaine water privily laid by one of my women at my beds head I awakened with my vomiting the King who forgetting what he was served me for a servant and waiting-boy That which beguiled him others and well neere my selfe too was the comming no more of my ordinary visits the appearing of milke in my brests within two moneths after insomuch as I beleeved that I was with childe in good earnest but my Physitian soone lopp'd off that pleasing branch from the tree of my conceit by letting me see that the veines being over-stuff'd with blood which should have runne else-where had transmitted it up into my brests where it converted into milke which in case it for my not purging my body continued would occasion mee a dangerous and violent disease Delivered that one of the three women was by night and by good fortune of a goodly male-childe he was brought mee by the Physitian and handsomely conveyed under my coates close to me with all circumstances needfull for keeping the plot undescried my Midwives and nurse-keepers I had ready at hand and one Lady that the Queene put with mee to see mee delivered by me long before so beguiled as shee now no more doubted of my being great with childe For I having lately caused to be taken away from too kitlings newly littered the clawes and tongues and handsomely fitted them under my smocke made them feele thereabouts with their hands whilst they made just such another motion as babes doe in their mothers wombe No sooner was my Physitian departed than that I shriked out such loud cries as waked all the Pallace I hastily roame to my bed where I lay in such a plight as they tooke me for dead so handsomely did I counterfeite my selfe for such by my fast-grasped hands and eyes so rowled up as nothing but the white of them appeared They all-to-be-rubb'd me over and kept such a doe about me as they had kill'd the little creature but for the moistnesse of the blood that discovered it Lifting up the bed-clothes they found nothing wanting in me for manifesting my being delivered The King hearing I was on the point of death came running into my Chamber the same did also the more than me dead Queene it behooving her in spite of her heart to make a shew of gladnesse on this birth which pierced her very heart and of sorrow for that evill which would have proved the supreamest of her joyes if this had beene the last and extreamest disease that ever I should be sick of The babe being wash'd escaped hardly the being smothered by the Kings hugging and kissing it At the newes of this adored birth-day the night was turned into day every body stirring abroad and all the City with lights in all their balcons and bonfires in all their streets though not before that my Physitian to whom alone I would needs give the honour thereof had with his counterfeite medicines cured my counterfeite disease Vp risen that I was from childe-bed my first businesse was to hasten the repudiating of the Queene and next my wedding not as yet obtained because wise though potent Kings will not at all times doe what they both can and have a desire to doe They have their owne ends and yet will give the people satisfaction and discreetly waite for the opportunity of time to put in execution such things as they are sure cannot please them Yet well might I upon this occasion have beene married if the Gods had beene pleased to have permitted my wickednesse to have rested perpetually concealed The King had neere his person a great Lord named Gobria his contemporary for age bred up with him from his infancie and his companion in Armes in all enterprizes This Lords integrity was never shaken with those infernall blasts Avarice and Ambition for the King never gave him so much as that his liberality gave him way to enrich himselfe therewithall neither did ever his dignities and favours make him either so proud or discourteous as to neglect to any man any respect due to him He was naturally a mortall enemy to all corruption ill-speaking and ill-speakers but above all things to dissembling and treason never saw hee the King incensed against any man that in an humble and prevailing manner he excused him not so he but thought he deserved it Or if at any time he seemed to accuse any man it then was but to second his Prince's nature which he knew to be more apt to pardon upon confession than excuse of errours so as it is not knowne that ever he did any prejudicing office against any man but upon great and sound reasons hee being in all his deportment more satisfactory and familiar than indeede befitted either his greatnesse or the statelinesse of the Persian customes And yet he that never in his lives time had harmed any body was neverthelesse the instrumentall cause of my utter ruine My Physitian had infore-speaking the women as you have heard made every of them beleeve that because he had no children of his owne he would bestow nursing and breeding on what they should bee delivered of so it were a boy so as the first that was delivered observing how hasty he was to disburthen her of hers and how that without as much as binding up his
the noblest the flowre of that Countrey The Souldiers stood now a watching her for though shee was exceedingly afflicted yet had now the extreame wearinesse of her body in so long and incommodious a journey given truce to the affliction of her spirit and procur'd her sleepe though interrupted by her waking griefe and hardnesse of the bed easie onely in that part that her teares had softned And now at the sound of Lindadori's thundering blowes she awooke started up broke the truce with griefe and confederated with hope who placing himselfe as her guard in the bulwarke of her brest boldly defended her though with much adoe against the assaults of her cruell enemy Feare yet was shee hurried againe neere the gastly precipice of despaire when she saw her selfe remounted on horse-back by the Souldiers to convey her farther on under the conduct of some fifteene of them but that suspension tormented her not long For Lindadori imagining her by her teares to be a prey of those people ranne thither alone forcing to fight them who in respect of their being so many made an account to exempt themselves from the necessity of sharing of the battell Off cuts shee at first blow the hand of him that held her by the bridle and him that at lifting her into the saddle was suddenly so taken with her as hee could not forgoe his hold of the skirt of her coate shee passed with a thrust through the heart so as one wound was cured by the other A certaine experiment that the weapon's stabbes cure those of love Eromena seeing her daughter inconsiderate in all dangers as resolutely followed her and slaying some of them both shee and her daughter were constrained to retire to the hillock closely pursued by above twenty of the Enemies the whole company leaving the prisoners and baggadge now facing towards the assailers thinking they did no small act if they but defended themselves united together Polimero seeing his wife and daughter in such a plight was raging-mad that he could not come to releeve them for the wall of so many men that stood in his way whilst Don Elcimos had the fortune to open it of his side where was lesse throng with the death of one of them whence he ranne and laid at their backs himselfe being no otherwise strucken at by such as pursued him at the heeles Polimero by this time lesse charged and by the good old Count of Bona valiantly assisted made such havock of the rest as that he gained the passage and running to rescue his company made a shift betweene him and the Count to ease them of foure by them slaine ere they were aware of their comming yet too much would they have had to doe though if fortune had not by another meanes favoured them for the souldiers being hardy well armed and resolved either to save their prey or dye never thought of running away their horses being all laden with pillage and although they had lost many of their company yet had they so many left as they hoped to get the best of their Adversaries by worrying if not vanquishing them And so had it by all probability befallen them if the faire Ermestea gotten loose and flying backe the way whence shee was led had not met a Knight who hearing she was taken away was comming with a good troupe of horse to rescue her Vnderstanding how shee was fled away and that too rather to goe finde out some to ayde the five Knights than to save her selfe she hastily return'd to shew him the place whence they might heare the cries and blowes ere they descried the Combatants this assault quite ruined the souldiers first hopes now that they were assail'd by two parties the rescuing Knight having the edge of his valour sharpned with revenge and anger against those men insomuch as he was loath to receive into his mercie such of them as yeelded themselves unto him judging that such deserv'd no faire quarter which warred against women beauty and their merits Ermestea alighting off her Steede ranne to the Knights whom shee could not finde sufficient conceits to expresse her beholdingnesse unto a thing ordinary for a gratefull minde to suffocate it selfe in words by endeavouring to make them serve for erres of the effects it thinkes it selfe tied to performe But to Lindadori above all the rest strove she to acknowledge a greater obligation to whose lot befell the being the more efficacious if not the prime cause of her deliverance Wounded they were all five so as Carasio's hands had wherewithall to employ them but with such felicity that as no one of them had any dangerous wound so was there as few of them that any way bemoaned their paine But Lindadori more shrewdly wounded than the rest and being in respect of both her age and sex more tender and delicate wrought amazement in all that considered how shee being in all things else over-sensitive and impatient was yet in her sufferings even insensible and farre from bemoaning her selfe or troubling any body Very importunate was Ermestea to have them home with her But Polimero considering that the courtesies of such personages had no limits of time and how much it stood him upon to hold on his way his affaires admitting of no delay fairely excus'd himselfe yet with assuring her that to doe her service he would have omitted all businesses of his owne But sithence this was but meerely in consideration of themselves they were necessitated without losse of time to passe further But the owner of the ship not yeelding to any perswasions of passing them any farther his Vessell being fraighted for Cyprus they were forced to accept of the invitation for being constrained to furnish themselves of a new Vessell Satisfying then the Marriners and taking their leave of the sick Knight by whom the Count fail'd not to excuse himselfe by letter to Gradamoro and Deadora they mounted on horse-back Ermestea causing the booty to be brought back to be restored to its owners And then after having released the prisoners setting on a round pace homewards whom might shee meete a litle onwards but the Baron her Father that with two hundred horse came running after the track of those that had stolne her away whose joyes were now by so much the greater by how much they were lesse expected The wounded Knights were accommodated at their ease with Chambers neere one another as they had desired and served with such respective diligence as if they had beene knowne for what they were Polimero not neglecting to sollicite for a new passage wherein for doubt of displeasing him Ermestea fail'd him not Newes came the meane while that the nuptialls were celebrated in Cyprus with great solemnity the flawes in friendship occasioned by new injuries being sodred up by the old affronts and both reduced to a confirm'd friendship by a new realliance And for domestick affaires That King Riverargo by a great defeate given the Carians had totally chased them from Creete that
this dishonest calumny and that not content to injure him alone hee had basely let runne his lying tongue on the honour of his innocent Lady and Mistresse forgetting now all the rules of patience clapt his hand on a skeane that hung at his neck Olmiro doing as much with another such weapon and then either of them redoubling his blowes on the other did his utmost endeavour not to wound but like cruell enemies to speed each other so as one of them had soone beene slaine but for the arrivall of five Knights But I must now crave leave to get me else-where undertaking to deliver them you in in a short time woundlesse and friends We left Polimero and his company parted from Greete with their prow to the Westward who as they sayled with a gentle Loome-gale discovered the second night of their voyage a farre off in the Iland of Cithera a great number of fires which seemed to goe and meet one another an effect not to be judged of in respect of the motion of the Vessell whereupon to satisfie their curiosity they steer'd directly towards it where drawne neere they perceived them to be Torches wherewith some dead man was accompanied to his last home The pompe was considerable both for quantity and variety the men were all hooded with Capuchios and the more principall wore long traines the horses trapp'd with black velvet downe to the hoofe the Funerall contrived into a curious forme of lights and banners the military Musick orderly devided into correspondent spaces whereof those of voyces next about the Biere enforced with their sweetely-mournefull consort the stoniest affects to grieve and sorrow Polimero could by the great pompe he there observed judge no lesse than that the dead man was some great Prince for which cause and because also the shee-warriers were desirous to see him he commanded to runne a shore there yet could they not land so soone but that the Biere was before entred into the Temple whilst they stood wondering that there could be in so small an Iland so stately a shew and such a number of Nobility There stood placed in the mid'st a Piramide-wise-built Scaffold with staires to get up on it and so high as it seemed to contend with the hight of a Cube there sustain'd it twelve great Pillars and under it was laid the Biere with the corps whose principall ornament were many Armes the fairest of them which for being enriched with precious stones glittered at the flaming-light of the Torches were on the nethermost of the staires whose corners were adorned with statues even to the uppermost of all the first foure of the foure cardinall vertues the others of the succeeding wrought with such exquisite artifice as they seemed to be of finest Marble the Torches in great quantity orderly ranked from the top to the bottome in great silver Candlesticks and the whole circumference lighted by an infinite number of wax-lights proportionably contrived and moulded The Princes passing by all other curiosities hastened to see the coarse which being a youth of about nineteene yeares of age exposed to the eye though dead a shew of such lively beauties that the privation of life seemed counterfeit onely that he might be gazed on hee lay arm'd all save the head A Mantle of fine purple within lin'd quite through and without down to the waste with white Ermins a Crown which for being set full of precious stones shone on his head manifested him to be undoubtedly some great Prince There sate at his feet two damozels cloath'd in blacke whose habits together with their nethermost border without were lined with faire white vailes They lamented him singing in a tone so mournfull that there was not an unbeteared eye among all the spectators Another such paire was placed one of each side of him with two great rich winde-fannes in their hands busied they were in fanning him ayre till the two first having by then given over their song successively underwent their office But the sweltry heate which for being encreased by the lights and pestering throng of people made them feele it still more and more stifeling enforced them to retire to the ayre into a Cloyster hard by where being by a Priest knowne for strangers they were by him courteously offered the commodity and sight of the house seeming desirous withall to relate unto them its beginning and how there was there nursed the faire Goddesse of Cyprus But they mov'd with the curiosity of that lugubrous spectacle besought him though they had understood the generality of it already to tell them its particulars how that Prince came to dye in that Iland of Cithera the good man willing to obey them following a great Torch that hee caused to be carried before them and walking right on to a long Gallery that led to that part of the house that was called the strangers Lodging thus satisfies their curiosity Some two yeares sithence may there bee saith hee expired since the Queene of Macedon a kingdome not hence farre distant having sent of three sonnes that shee had the two eldest to bee educated and taught else-where holding native homes especially those of Princes unfit and prejudiciall in respect of the authority which they there possesse to the institution of their youth was taken with a longing desire to goe see him disguised but yet in the habit of a noble pilgrim and of them unexpected came to the marveilous City of the Meridian Lake where taken with the rare delightsomnesse of the site and other excellencies there remarkeable shee made for some while her abode the scope of her desire was to goe see Egypt and thence to returne to Macedon but was not so soone launch'd forth into the sea of Creta than that Corideo the eldest of the two sickned whereupon being necessitated to come a-shore here she thereof advertized her husband who hastened good Prince with all possible speede to the beloved sight of his wife and sonne though the joyes of seeing her part of himselfe were corrupted by the likelihood hee faw of losing his son part of them both Wherefore when he had in vaine experimented all the remedies of Art to be bootelesse he then as though his recovery lay in his sonnes owne hands thus bespake him And wilt thou then leave me my Corideo now that I am runne hither unto thee of purpose that thou might'st not aband on me Cheere up thy spirits my sonne for behold mee here ready to accomplish thy wishes and if the wide world can raise up thy drooping courage there is not assure thy selfe any one thing in it that I 'le not procure to give thee content We have here hard by Macedon where thou art wisht for and where thou shalt be cured so thou be but pleased to be merry Wilt thou by dying deceive the expectation which the world hath of thee living as if thou distrusted'st to accomplish with effects what thou promised'st by the hopes conceived of thee No doe not
descended the downe-hill ever almost running till hee came to the place where the affray was where seeing the Knights that had parted them he courteously saluting them was againe in the same manner re-saluted by them when Carildo said to Olmiro God be praised that thy Master is now come to thee to participate of thy triumphs since that by his owne testimony these Gentlemen may judge whether of us is the Traytor Olmiro having seen Almadero before though he had not in the wood well observed him had now also taken him for Lucano if his healthfull plight and habit had not assured him of the contrary But Carildo noting him yet more now than before turning towards him thus boldly bespake him And is it possible my Lord Duke that crosses and adversity which in others quell rebelling humours and refine their mindes by bringing them to a better temper should worke such a contrary effect in you as you become strangely ungratefull doe not onely take pleasure at the death of your noble Lady and Princesse but that to trample the more on her calamity you upon your reviving must also come hither so contemptuously to wrong her without so much as once voutchsafing her the favour of comming to see how shee languisheth for death Nor yet herewithall content but that you uphold or for ought I know command your servants to accuse me with those treacheries which are meerely yours and theirs in particular Olmiro who growne to be confused in minde at the appearing of this new Lucano and who for knowing what plight he had left the true one in tooke not this for him could not for all that upon more serious surveying him choose but beleeve him to be the very same notwithstanding that reason convinced his fancie stood thereat so amazed as he had not the power to utter a word Almadero on the other side perceiving these new injuries to spring from the old equivocation of her whom hee before had met with Corianna could not refraine from smiling thereat and had made good sport of it too but that hee duely considered the importance of the case as it stood whereupon he used this milde language Honest friend if your adversary hath no greater cause to be offended with you than you have to be angry with him for my sake you will then I am sure be both soone wrought to an accord for I tell you I am not that Duke you say I am neither is hee here my servant as you take him for I never saw him I protest to my knowledge till now nor is it long sithence I was taken for one Lucano whom I know not What is he I pray you Is hee dead or alive Here Carildo felt himselfe struck to the heart upon the conceiving of his mistake whereupon hee crying him mercy would needs runne to embrace Olmiro who more enraged now than before thrust him off him with threatning to be his death if hee but came neere him doubting indeede of some new stratagem for that hee could not beleeve that either Carildo tooke Almadero for Lucano or that Almadero knew not Carildo since he knew him for the very same that was in the wood with the Princesse of Feacia whom hee tooke for Corianna But being entreated to bee either friends with him or to tell them his reason why he would not be so he answered that a friend to him he would never be and that to tell his reason openly he neither could nor needed since the other knew it but too well Every of these replies were so many deaths to Carildo there was never a word of them that pierced not the very center of his heart Beleeve mee Olmiro said hee at length thou wrong'st me to accuse me as thou doest I have not I vow to thee offended other than God and that too by sinnes that concerne no other than my selfe and since thou wilt not talke with mee in the presence of these noble Gentlemen be but pleased by their good permission to retire a-part with me For I assure thee that as I would have sworne that this noble Knight was Lucano and on that mistake without imagining that I lyed would not have stucke to accuse him of treachery as well as thee so likewise shalt thou finde thy selfe every way deceived in me wherein if thou finde me any way faulty or short of my word I now here deliver my selfe into thy hands to bee punished at thy pleasure The Knights perswaded him to content himselfe with this his so reasonable proffer and so left them alone Whereupon Olmiro said to the other Well now how canst thou excuse thy selfe of having beene the instrument that the Princesse is given for a prey under what title I know not to that Knight there whom thou takest on thee to have mistaken for Lucano whereas Lucano and others besides my selfe have seene her with him in the wood Carildo's heart so leap'd for joy to heare Lucano was alive indeed whereof hee was till then uncertaine in respect of his mistake that Olmiro who expected to see him amazed marveiled at a contrary effect when Carildo lifting up his eyes to heaven-wards thus bespake him Alas Olmiro how strangely and dangerously are we reciprocally mistaken 't is but a litle while sithence this Knight came hither as thou shalt shortly know neither saw I him ever till the day that I tooke him for Lucano and yesterday in the wood where he courted the Princesse of this Countrey who for resembling Corianna as you shall see deceived you and he againe favouring very much Lucano beguiled me who beleeved that forgetting and slighting the Princesse he had given himselfe over to this new love Therefore deere brothere mine if the Duke lives in such torment as indeed he hath reason to doe let us goe and free him of it and that quickly too sithence I have left also the Princesse in a case so desperate for the same mistake as it is an even lay whether shee be by this time alive or no Vp̄on this Olmiro beleeving now the case to stand as indeed it did with lovingly embracing him heartily cried him mercy But because the then-dangerous state of the businesse required something else than words they returning speedily to the Knights told them they were now accorded with beseeching them to dispence with the relation thereof till another time not without yeelding them infinite thankes for the courteous office done them but for which they had undoubtedly kild one another By this time Almadero had invited the Princes to come lodge with him wherefore he answered them that he would expect them at his house out of the curiosity he had to know the end of that businesse and more especially to understand how hee was taken for another wherein the Squires promised not to faile him and with that taking their leave return'd to Lucano's lodging where they held it best that Olmiro should first enter so to take from him the occasion of venting his passion on