Tir'de as a iade in ouerloden carte Yet thoughts do flie though I can scarcely creep All visions seeme at euery bush I start Drowsy am I and yet can rarely slepe Sure I bewitched am it is euen that Late neere a crosse I met an ougly Cat. For but by charms how fall these things on me That from those eies where heau'nly apples bene Those eies which nothing like themselues can see Of faire Vrania fairer then a greene Proudly bedeckt in Aprills liuory A shot vnheard gaue me a wound vnseene He was inuisible that hurt me so And none vnuisible but Spirites can goe When I see her my sinewes shake for feare And yet deare soule I know she hurteth none Amid my flock with woe my voice I teare And but bewitch'd who to his flock would mone Her chery lipps milke hands and golden haire I still do see though I be still alone Now make me thinke that there is not a fende Who hid in Angels shape my lîfe would ende The sportes wherin I wonted to do well Come she and sweet the aire with open brest Then so I faile when most I would do well That at me so amaz'd my fellowes iest Sometimes to her newes of my selfe to tell I go about but then is all my best Wry words and stam'ring or els doltish dombe Say then can this but of enchantment come Nay each thing is bewitcht to know my case The Nightingales for woe their songs refraine In riuer as I look'd my pining face As pin'd a face as mine I saw againe The courteous mountaines grieu'd at my disgrace Their snowy haire teare of in melting paine And now the dropping trees do wepe for me And now faire euenings blush my shame to see But you my pipe whilome my chief delight Till straunge delight delight to nothing ware And you my flock care of my carefull sight While I was I so had cause to care And thou my dogg whose truth valiant might Made wolues not inward wolues my ewes to spare Go you not from your master in his woe Let it suffise that he himselfe forgoe For though like waxe this magique makes me waste Or like a lambe whose dam away is fet Stolne from her yoong by theeues vnchoosing hast He treble beas for helpe but none can get Though thus and worse though now I am at last Of all the games that here ere now I met Do you remember still you once were mine Till my eies had their curse from blessed â—ine Be you with me while I vnheard do cry While I do score my losses on the winde While I in heart my will write ere I die In which by will my will and wits I binde Still to be hers about her aye to flie As this same sprite about my fancies blinde Doth daily haâ—nt but so that mine become As much more louing as lesse combersome Alas a cloud hath ouercast mine eies And yet I see her shine amid the cloud Alas of ghostes I heare the gastly cries Yet there me seemes I heare her singing loud This song she singes in most commaunding wise Come shepheards boy let now thy heart be bowd To make it selfe to my least looke a slaue Leaue sheepe leaue all I will no piecing haue I will I will alas alas I will Wilt thou haue more more haue if more I be Away ragg'd rams care I what murraine kill Out shreaking pipe made of â—ome witched tree Go bawling curre thy hungry maw go fill On yond foule flocke belonging not to me With that his dogge he henst his flocke he curst With that yet kissed first his pipe he burst This said this done he rase euen tir'd with rest With heart as carefull as with carelesse grace With shrinking legges but with a swelling brest With eyes which threatned they would drowne his face Fearing the worst not knowing what were best And giuing to his sight a wandring race He saw behind a bush where Klaius sate His well know'ne friend but yet his vnknowne mate Klaius the wretch who lately yelden was To beare the bondes which Time nor wit could breake With blushing soule at sight of iudgements glasse While guilty thoughts accus'd his Reason weake This morne alone to lonely walke did passe With in himselfe of hir deare selfâ— to speake Till Strephons planing voice him nearer drew Where by his words his self-like cause he knew For hearing him so oft with wordes of woe Vrania name whose force he knew so well He quickly knew what witchcraft gaue the blow Which made his Strephon think himselfe in hell Which when he did in perfect image show To his owne witt thought vpon thought did swell Breeding huge stormes with in his inward parte Which thus breath'd out with earthquake of his hart As Lamon would haue proceded Basilius knowing by the wasting of the torches that the night also was farre wasted and withall remembring Zelmanes hurt asked hir whither she thought it not better to reserue the complaint of Klaius till an other day Which she perceiuing the song had alreadie worne out much time and not knowing when Lamon would ende being euen now stepping ouer to a new matter though much deligâ—ted with what was spoken willingly agreed vnto And so of all sides they went to recommend themselues to the elder brother of death The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKES ARCADIA IN these pastorall pastimes a great number of daies were sent to follow their flying predecessours while the cup of poison which was deepely tasted of this noble companie had left no sinewe of theirs without mortally searching into it yet neuer manifesting his venomous work til once that the night parting away angry that she could distill no more sleepe into the eies of louers had no sooner giuen place to the breaking out of the morning light and the Sunne bestowed his beames vpon the tops of the mountaines but that the woefull Gynecia to whom rest was no ease had left her loathed lodging and gotten her selfe into the solitary places those deserts were full of going vp and downe with such vnquiet motions as a grieued and hopeles minde is wont to bring forth There appeered vnto the eies of her iudgement the euils she was like to run into with ougly infamie waiting vpon them shee felt the terrors of her owne conscience shee was guilty of a long exercised vertue which made this vice the fuller of deformitie The vttermost of the good she could aspire vnto was a mortal wouÌ„d to her vexed spirits and lastly no small part of her euils was that she was wise to see her euils In so much that hauing a great while throwne her countenaunce ghastly about her as if shee had called all the powers of the world to be witnesse of her wretched estate at length casting vp her watrie eyes to heaueÌ„ O Sunne said she whose vnspotted light directs the steps of mortall mankind art thou not ashamed to impart the clearnesse of
THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKES ARCADIA WRITTEN BY SIR Philip Sidney Knight NOW SINCE THE FIRST EDItion augmented and ended LONDON Printed for William Ponsonbie Anno Domini 1593. TO MY DEARE LADY AND SISTER THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKE HEre now haue you most deare and most worthye to bee most deare Lady this idle worke of mine which I feare like the Spiders webbe will be thought fitter to be swept away then worne to any other purpose For my part in very trueth as the cruell fathers among the Greekes were woont to doe to the babes they would not foster I could well finde in my heart to cast out in some desert of forgetfulnesse this childe which I am loath to father But you desired me to doe it and your desire to my heart is an absolute commaundement Now it is done onely for you only to you if you keepe it to your selfe or to such friends who will weigh errors in the ballance of good will I hope for the fathers sake it will be pardoned perchaunce made much of though in it selfe it haue deformities For indeed for seuerer eies it is not being but a trifle and that triflingly handled Your deare selfe can best witnes the manner being done in loose sheetes of paper most of it in your presence the rest by sheetes sent vnto you as fast as they were done In summe a young head not so wel staied as I would it were and shall be when God will hauing many many fancies begotten in it if it had not beene in some way deliuered woulde haue growen a monster and more sorie might I be that they came in then that they gat out But his chiefe safety shall bee the not walking abroade and his chiefe protection the bearing the liuery of your name which if much much good will doe not deceiue me is worthie to be a sanctuarie for a greater offender This say I because I know the vertue so and this say I because it may be euer so or to say better because it will be euer so Reade it then at your idle times and the follies your good iudgement will finde in it blame not but laugh at And so looking for no better stuffe then as in a Haberdashers shoppe glasses or feathers you will continue to loue the writer who doth exceedingly loue you and moste moste heartilie praies you may long liue to be a principall ornament to the family of the Sidneis Your louing brother Philip Sidney To the Reader THE disfigured face gentle Reader wherewith this worke not long since appeared to the common view moued that noble Lady to whose Honour consecrated to whose protection it was committed to take in hand the wiping away those spottes wherewith the beauties therof were vnworthely blemished But as often in repairing a ruinous house the mending of some olde part occasioneth the making of some new so here her honourable labour begonne in correcting the faults ended in supplying the defectes by the view of what was ill done guided to the consideration of what was not done Which part with what aduise entred into with what successe it hath beene passed through most by her doing all by her directing if they may be entreated not to define which are vnfurnisht of meanes to discerne the rest it is hoped will fauourably censure But this they shall for theyr better satisfaction vnderstand that though they finde not here what might be expected they may finde neuerthelesse as much as was intended the conclusion not the perfection of Arcadia and that no further then the Authours own writings or knowen determinations could direct Whereof who sees not the reason must consider there may be reason which hee sees not Albeit I dare affirme hee either sees or from wiser iudgements then his owne may heare that Sir Philip Sidneies writings can no more be perfected without Sir Philip Sidney then Apelles pictures without Apelles There are that thinke the contrary and no wonder Neuer was Arcadia free from the comber of such Cattell To vs say they the pastures are not pleasaunt and as for the flowers such as we light on we take no delight in but the greater part growe not within our reach Poore soules what talke they of flowers They are Roses not flowers must doe them good which if they finde not here they shall doe well to go feed elswhere Any place will better like them For without Arcadia nothing growes in more plenty then Lettuce sutable to their Lippes If it be true that likenes is a great cause of liking and that contraries inferre contrary consequences then is it true that the wortheles Reader can neuer worthely esteeme of so worthye a writing and as true that the noble the wise the vertuous the curteous as many as haue had any acquaintaunce with true learning and knowledge will with all loue and dearenesse entertaine it as well for affinity with themselues as being child to such a father Whom albeit it do not exactly and in euery lineament represent yet considering the fathers vntimely death preuented the timely birth of the childe it may happily seeme a thanke-woorthy labour that the defects being so few so small and in no principall part yet the greatest vnlikenes is rather in defect then in deformity But howsoeuer it is it is now by more then one interest The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia done as it was for her as it is by her Neither shall these pains be the last if no vnexpected accident cut off her determination which the euerlasting loue of her excellent brother will make her consecrate to his memory H. S. THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKES ARCADIA VVRITTEN BY SIR PHILIP SIDNEI THE FIRST BOOKE IT was in the time that the earth begins to put on her new aparrel against the approch of her louer and that the Sun running a most euen course becums an indifferent arbiter betweene the night and the day when the hopelesse shepheard Strephon was come to the sandes which lie against the Island of Cithera where viewing the place with a heauy kinde of delight and sometimes casting his eyes to the Ileward he called his friendly riuall the pastor Claius vnto him setting first down in his darkened countenance a dolefull copie of what he would speake O my Claius saide hee hether we are now come to pay the rent for which we are so called vnto by ouer-busie Remembrance Remembrance restlesse Remembrance which claymes not only this dutie of vs but for it will haue vs forget our selues I pray you when we were amid our flocke and that of other shepheardes some were running after their sheep strayed beyond their boundes some delighting their eyes with seeing them nibble vpon the short and sweete grasse some medicining their sicke ewes some setting a bell for an ensigne of a sheepish squadron some with more leasure inuenting new games of exercising their bodies and sporting their wits did Remembrance graunt vs any holiday eyther for pastime or deuotion nay either for necessary foode or
suddaine alteration who after some trifling excuses in the ende confessed vnto him that his maister had receiued newes that his sonne before the daie of his neere marriage chaunst to bee at a battaile which was to bee fought betweene the Gentlemenne of Lacedaemon and the Helots who winning the victorie he was there made prisoner going to deliuer a friend of his taken prisoner by the Helots that the poore young Gentleman had offered great raunsome for his life but that the hate those paysaunts conceaued agaynst all Gentlemen was such that euerye houre hee was to looke for nothinge but some cruell death which hether-vnto had onelye beene delayed by the Captaines vehement dealing for him who seemed to haue a hart of more manlie pittie then the rest Which losse had stricken the old Gentleman with such sorrowe as if abundance of teares did not seeme sufficiently to witnesse it hee was alone retyred tearing his bearde and hayre and cursing his olde age that had not made his graue to stoppe his eares from such aduertisementes but that his faithfull seruantes had written in his name to all his friendes followers and tennants Philanax the gonernour refusing to deale in it as a priuate cause but yet geuing leaue to seeke their best redresse so as they wronged not the state of Lacedaemon of whom there were nowe gathered vpon the frontiers good forces that he was sure would spende their liues by any way to redeeme or reuenge Clitophon Now sir saide hee this is my maysters nature though his grief be such as to liue is a griefe vnto him that euen his reason is darkned with sorrow yet the lawes of hospitalitie long and holily obserued by him giue still such a sway to his proceeding that he will no waie suffer the straunger lodged vnder his roofe to receyue as it were any infection of his anguish especially you toward whom I know not whether his loue or admiration bee greater But Palladius could scarce heare out his tale with patience so was his heart torne in peeces with compassion of the case liking of Kalanders noble behauiour kindenesse for his respect to him-warde and desire to finde some remedie beesides the image of his deerest friend Daiphantus whom he iudged to suffer eyther alike or a worse fortune Therefore rising from the boorde hee desired the stewarde to tell him particularly the ground and euent of this accident because by knowledge of many circumstances there might perhaps some waie of helpe be opened Whereunto the Steward easilie in this sorte condiscended My Lorde said he when our good king Basilius with better successe then expectation tooke to wife euen in his more then decaing yeares the faire younge Princes Gynccia there came with her a young Lord cousin german to her selfe named Argalus led hether partly with the loue and honour of his noble kinswoman partlie with the humour of youth which euer thinkes that good whose goodnes hee sees not in this court he receiued so good increase of knowledge that after some years speÌ„t he so manifested a most vertuous mind in all his actions that Arcadia gloried such a plant was transported vnto them being a Gentleman in deede most rarely accomplished excellentlie learned but without all vayne glorie friendly without factiousnes valiaunt soe as for my part I thincke the earth hath no manne that hath done more heroicall actes then hee howsoeuer now of late the same flies of the two princes of Thessalia and Macedon and hath long doone of our noble prince Amphialus who indeed in our partes is onely accounted likely to match him but I say for my parte I thinke no man for valour of minde and habilitie of bodie to be preferred if equalled to Argalus and yet so valiant as he neuer durst doe any bodie iniurie in behauiour some will say euer sadde surely sober and somewhat giuen to musing but neuer vncourteous his worde euer ledde by his thought and followed by his deede rather liberall then magnificent though the one wanted not and the other had euer good choise of the receiuer in summe for I perceiue I shall easily take a great draughte of his praises whom both I and all this countrie loue so well such a man was and I hope is Argalus as hardly the nicest eye can finde a spot in if the ouer-vehement constancie of yet spotles affection may not in hard wrested constructions be counted a spot which in this manner began that worke in him which hath made both him and it selfe in him ouer all this countrie famous My maisters sonne Chlitophon whose losse giues the cause to this discourse and yet giues me cause to beginne with Argalus since his losse proceedes from Argalus being a young Gentleman as of great birth being our kings sisters sonne so truely of good nature and one that can see good and loue it haunted more the companie of this worthie Argalus then of any other so as if there were not a friendship which is so rare as it is to bee doubted whether it bee a thing in deede â—or but a worde at least there was such a likeing and friendlines as hath brought foorth the effectes which you shall heare About two years since it so fell out that hee brought him to a great Ladies house sister to my maister who had with her her onely daughter the faire Parthenia faire in deede fame I thinke it selfe daring not to call any fairer if it be not Helena queene of Corinth and the two incomparable sisters of Arcadia and that which made her fairenesse much the fairer was that it was but a faire embassadour of a most faire minde full of wit and a wit which deliteth more to iudge it selfe then to shew it selfe herspeech being as rare as pretious her silence without fullennesle her modestie without affectation her shamefastnes without ignorance in summe one that to praise well one must first set downe with himselfe what it is to be excellent for so shee is I thinke you thinke that these perfections meeting could not choose but find one another and delight in that they found for likenes of manners is likely in reason to drawe liking with affection mens actions doo not alwayes crosse with reason to beshorte it did so in deed They loued though for a while the fire therof hopes wings being cut of were bloweÌ„ by the bellows of dispaire vpoÌ„ this ocasioÌ„ There had beene a good while before and so continued a suter to this same lady a great noble man though of Laconia yet neere nieghbour to Parthenias mother named Demagoras A man mightie in riches power and proude thereof stubbornly stout louing no bodie but him selfe and for his owne delights sake Parthenia and pursuing vehemently his desire his riches had guilded ouer all his other imperfections that the olde Ladie though contrarie to my Lord her brothers minde had giuen her consent and vsing a mothers authoritie vppon her faire daughter had made her yeeld therunto not because shee liked her
sonne and seruauntes with him Palladius brake of all ceremonies by telling him his case stood so that his greatest fauour should be in making lest adoo of his parting Wherewith Kalander knowing it to bee more cumber then curtesie to stâ—iue abstained from further vrging him but not from hartie mourning the losse of so sweete a conuersation Onely Clitophon by vehement importunitie obteyned to go with him to come againe to Daiphantus whom he named and accounted his Lord. And in such priuate guise departed Palladius though hauing a companion to talke withall yet talking much more with vnkindnes And first they went to Mantinaea wherof because Parthenia was he suspected there might be some cause of his abode But finding there no newes of him he went to Tegaea Ripa Enispae Stimpahlus and Pheneus famous for the poisonous Stygian water and through all the rest of Arcadia making their eyes their eares and their tongue serue almost for nothing but that enquirie But they could know nothing but that in none of those places he was knowne And so went they making one place succeed to an other in like vncertaintie to their search many times encountring strange aduentures worthy to be registred in the roulles of fame but this may not be omitted As they past in a pleasant valley of either side of which heigh hills lifted vp their beetle-browes as if they would ouer looke the pleasantnes of their vnder-prospect they were by the daintines of the place the wearienes of themselues inuited to light from their horses pulling of their bits that they might somthing refresh their mouthes vppon the grasse which plentifully grewe brought vp vnder the care of those well shading trees they them selues laid them downe hard by the murmuring musicke of certain waters which spouted out of the side of the hills in the bottome of the vallie made of many springs a pretie brooke like a common-wealth of many famylies but when they had a while harkened to the perswasion of sleepe they rose and walkt onward in that shadie placeâ— till Clitophon espied a peece of armour not far of an other peece and so the sight of one peece teaching him to looke for more he at length found all with headpeece and shield by the deuice whereof which was 〈…〉 he straight knew it to be the armour of his cousin the noble Amphialus WhereupoÌ„ fearing some inconuenience hapned vnto him he told both his doubte and cause of doubte to Palladius who considering thereof thought best to make no longer stay but to follow on least perchaunce some violence were offered to so worthie a Knight whoÌ„ the fame of the world semed to sett in ballance with any Knight liuing Yet with a soddaine coÌ„ceipt hauing long borne great honour to the name of Amphialus Palladius thought best to take that armour thinking thereby to learne by them that should know that armour some newes of Amphialus yet not hinder him in the search of Daiphantus too So he by the helpe of Clitophon quickly put on that armour whereof there was no one piece waÌ„ting though hacked in some places bewraying some fight not long since passed It was some-thing to great but yet serued well enough And so getting on their horses they trauailed but a litle way when in opening of the mouth of the valley into a faire field they met with a coach drawen with foure milke white-horses furnished al in blacke with a blacke a more boye vpon euerie horse they all apparelled in white the coach it selfe very richly furnished in blacke and white But before they coulde come so neere as to discerne what was within there came running vppon them aboue a dosen horsmen who cried to them to yeelde them selues prisoners or els they should die But Palladius not accustomed to graunt ouer the possession of him selfe vppon so vniust titles with sworde drawne gaue them so rude an answer that diuers of them neuer had breath to reply again for being well backt by Clitophon hauing an excellent horse vnder him when he was ouerprest by some he auoided them and ere th' other thought of it punished in him his fellows faults and so either with cunning or with force or rather with a cunning force left none of them either liuing or able to make his life serue to others hurt Which being done he approched the coach assuring the blacke boies they should haue no hurt who were els readie to haue run away and looking into the coach he found in the one end a Lady of great beautie such a beautie as shewed forth the beames both of wisdome good nature but all as much darkned as might be with sorrow In the other two Ladies who by their demeanure shewed well they were but her seruants holding before them a picture in which was a goodly Gentleman whom he knew not painted hauing in their faces a certaine waiting sorrow their eies being infected with their mistres weeping But the cheife Ladie hauing not so much as once heard the noise of this coÌ„flict so had sorrow closed vp all the entries of her mind loue tied her seÌ„ces to that beloued picture now the shadow of him falling vpon the picture made her cast vp her eie and seing the armour which too well knew thinking him to be Amphialus the Lord of her desires bloud comming more freely into her cheekes as though it would be bolde yet there growing new again pale for feare with a pitiful looke like on vniustly condemned My Lord Amphialus saide she you haue enough punished me it is time for crueltie to leaue you and euill fortune me if not I praie you to graunt my praier fitter time nor place you can haue accomplish the one euen now finish the other With that sorrow impatient to be slowly vttered in her ofteÌ„ staying speeches poured it self so fast in teares that Palladius could not hold her longer in errour but pulling of his helmet Madam said he I perceaue you mistake me I am a stranger in these parts set vpon without any cause giueÌ„ by me by some of your seruants whom because I haue in my iust defence euill entreated I came to make my excuse to you whom seing such as I doo I finde greater cause why I should craue pardon of you When she saw his face heard his speech she looked out of the coach seing her men some slaine some lying vnder their dead horses striuing to get from vnder them without making more account of the matter Truly said she they are wel serued that durst lift vp their armes against that armour But Sir Knight said she I pray you tell me how come you by this armour for if it be by the death of him that owed it then haue I more to say vnto you Palladius assured her it was not so telling her the true manner howe hee found it It is like enough said shee for that agrees with the manner he hath lately vsed But I
to paragon the little one with Artesias length not doubting but euen in that little quantitie the excellencie of that would shine thorowe the weakenesse of the other as the smallest starre doth thorow the whole Element of fire And by the way he had met with this blacke Knight who had as hee saide robbed him of it The iniurie seemed grieuous but when it came fully to be examined it was found that the halting Knight meeting the other asking the cause of his going thetherward and finding it was to defende Pamelas diuine beautie against Artesias with a prowde iollitie commaunded him to leaue that quarrell onely for him who was onely worthy to enter into it But the blacke Knight obeying no such commandements they fell to such a bickering that hee gat a halting and lost his picture This vnderstoode by Basilius he told him hee was now fitter to looke to his owne bodie then an others picture and so vncomforted therein sent him away to learne of AEsculapius that he was not fit for Venus But then the question arising who should be the former against Phalantus of the blacke or the ill apparelled Knight who now had gotten the reputation of some sturdy loute hee had so well defended himselfe of the one side was alleged the hauing a picture which the other wanted of the other side the first striking the shield but the conclusion was that the ill apparelled Knight should haue the precedence if he deliuered the figure of his mistresse to Phalantus who asking him for it Certainely said he her liueliest picture if you could see it is in my hart and the best comparison I could make of her is of the Sunne and of all the other heauenly beauties But because perhappes all eyes cannot taste the Diuinitie of her beautie and would rather be dazeled then taught by the light if it bee not clowded by some meaner thing know you then that I defend that same Ladie whose image Phebilus so feebly lost yesternight and in steede of an other if you ouercome mee you shall haue mee your slaue to carrie that image in your mistresse triumphe Phalantus easilie agreed to the bargaine which alreadie he made his owne But when it came to the triall the ill apparelled Knight choosing out the greatest staues in all the store at the first course gaue his head such a remembraunce that he lost almost his remembraunce he himselfe receyuing the incounter of Phalantus without any extraordinarie motion And at the seconde gaue him such a counterbuffe that because Phalantus was so perfite a horseman as not to bee driuen from the saddle the saddle with broken girthes was driuen from the horse Phalantus remaining angrie and amazed because now being come almost to the last of his promised enterprise that disgrace befell him which he had neuer before knowne But the victorie being by the iudges giuen and the trumpets witnessed to the ill by apparelled Knight Phalantus disgrace was ingrieued in lieu of cōfort of Artesia who telling him she neuer lookt for other bad him seeke some other mistresse He excusing himselfe and turning ouer the fault to Fortune Then let that be your ill Fortune too saide she that you haue lost me Nay truely Madame said Phalantus it shall not be so for I thinke the losse of such a Mistresse will prooue a great gaine and so concluded to the sport of Basilius to see young folkes loue that came in maskt with so great pompe goe out with so little constancie But Phalantus first professing great seruice to Basilius for his curteous intermitting his solitary course for his sake would yet conduct Artesia to the castle of Cecropia whether she desired to goe vowing in himselfe that neither hart nor mouth-loue should euer any more intangle him And with that resolution he left the company Whence all being dismissed among whom the black Knight went away repining at his luck that had kept him from winning the honor as he knew he should haue done to the picture of Pamela the ill apparelled Knight who was only desired to stay because Basilius meant to shew him to Zelmane puld off his Helmet and then was knowen himselfe to be Zelmane who that morning as she told while the others were busie had stolne out to the Princes stable which was a mile off from the Lodge had gotten a horse they knowing it was Basilius pleasure she should be obeyed and borrowing that homely armour for want of a better had come vpon the spur to redeeme Philocleas picture which she said she could not beare being one of that little wildernesse-company should be in captiuitie if the cunning she had learned in her countrye of the noble Amazons could withstand it and vnder that pretext faine she would haue giuen a secret pasport to her affection But this act painted at one instant rednesse in Philocleas face and palenesse in Gynecias but brought forth no other countenances but of admiration no speeches but of commendations all these few besides loue thinking they honoured themselues in honouring so accomplished a person as Zelmane whom dayly they sought with some or other sports to delight for which purpose Basilius had in a house not farre off◠seruants who though they came not vncalled yet at call were redye And so many daies were spent and many waies vsed while Zelmane was like one that stoode in a tree waiting a good occasion to shoot and Gynecia a blauncher which kept the dearest deere from her But the day being come on which according to an apointed course the sheapheards were to assemble and make their pastorall sports afore Basilius Zelmane fearing lest many eyes and comming diuers waies might hap to spy Musidorus went out to warne him thereof But before she could come to the Arbour she sawe walking from her-ward a man in sheapperdish apparrell who being in the sight of the Lodge it might seeme he was allowed there A long cloke he had on but that cast vnder his right arme wherein he held a sheephooke so finely wrought that it gaue a brauery to pouerty and his rayments though they were meane yet receiued they hansomnes by the grace of the wearer though he himselfe went but a kinde of languishing pace with his eies sometimes cast vp to heauen as though his fancies straue to mount higher sometimes throwne downe to the ground as if the earth could not beare the burthen of his sorrowes at length with a lamentable tune he song these fewe verses Come shepheards weedes become your masters minde Yeld outward shew what inward change he tryes Nor be abasht since such a guest you finde Whose strongest hope in your weake comfort lyes Come shepheards weedes attend my woefull cryes Disuse your selues from sweete Menalcas voice For other be those tunes which sorrow tyes From those cleere notes which freely may reioyce Then power out plaint and in oneword say this Helples his plaint who spoyles himselfe of blisse And hauing ended he strake himselfe on the
of Arcadia and if it were possible to be one of them that were allowed the Princes presence Because if the woorst should fall that I were discouered yet hauing gotten the acquaintance of the Prince it might happen to moue his hart to protect me Menalcas being of an honest disposition pittied my case which my face through my inward torment made credible and so I giuing him largely for it let me haue this rayment instructing me in all the particularities touching himselfe or my selfe which I desired to know yet not trusting so much to his constancie as that I would lay my life and life of my life vpon it I hired him to goe into Thessalia to a friend of mine and to deliuer him a letter from me coniuring him to bring me as speedy an answere as he could because it imported me greatly to know whether certaine of my friends did yet possesse any fauour whose intercessions I might vse for my restitution He willingly tooke my letter which being well sealed indeed conteyned other matter For I wrote to my trustie seruant Calodoulus whome you know that assoone as he had deliuered the letter he should keepe him prisoner in his house not suffering him to haue conference with any body till he knew my further pleasure in all other respects that he should vse him as my brother And thus is Menalcas gone and I here a poore shepheard more proud of this estate then of any kingdome so manifest it is that the highest point outward things can bring one vnto is the contentment of the mind with which no estate without which all estates be miserable Now haue I chosen this day because as Menalcas told me the other shepheards are called to make their sports and hope that you will with your credite finde meanes to get me allowed among them You need not doubt answered Zelmane but that I will be your good mistresse marrie the best way of dealing must be by Dametas who since his blunt braine hath perceiued some fauour the Prince dooth beare vnto me as without doubt the most seruile flatterie is lodged most easilie in the grossest capacitie for their ordinarie conceite draweth a yeelding to their greaters and then haue they not wit to discerne the right degrees of duetie is much more seruiceable vnto me then I can finde any cause to wish him And therefore dispaire not to winne him for euery present occasion will catch his senses and his senses are masters of his sillie mind onely reuerence him and reward him and with that bridle and saddle you shall well ride him O heauen and â—arth said Musidorus to what a passe are our mindes brought that from the right line of vertue are wryed to these crooked shifts But ô Loue it is thou that doost it thou changest name vpon name thou disguisest our bodies and disfigurest our mindes But in deed thou hast reason for though the wayes be foule the iourneys end is most faire and honourable No more sweete Musidorus said Zelmane of these philosophies for here comes the very person of Dametas And so he did in deed with a sword by his side a forrest-bill on his neck and a chopping-knife vnder his girdle in which well prouided sort he had euer gone since the feare Zelmane had put him in But he no sooner sawe her but with head and armes he laid his reuerence afore her inough to haue made any man forsweare all courtesie And then in Basilius name he did inuite her to walke downe to the place where that day they were to haue the Pastoralles But when he spied Musidorus to be none of the shepheards allowed in that place he would faine haue perswaded himselfe to vtter some anger but that he durst not yet muttering and champing as though his cudde troubled him he gaue occasion to Musidorus to come neare him and feine this tale of his owne life That he was a younger brother of the shepheard Menalcas by name Dorus sent by his father in his tender age to Athens there to learne some cunning more then ordinarie that he might be the better liked of the Prince and that after his fathers death his brother Mâ—nalcas latelie gone thether to fetch him home was also deceased where vpon his death he had charged him to seeke the seruice of Dametas and to be wholy and euer guyded by him as one in whose iudgement and integritie the Prince had singular confidence For token whereof he gaue to Dametas a good summe of golde in redy coine which Menalcas had bequeathed vnto him vpon condition he should receiue this poore Dorus into his seruice that his mind and manners might grow the better by his dayly example Dametas that of all manners of stile could best conceiue of golden eloquence being withall tickled by Musidorus prayses had his brayne so turned that he became flaue to that which he that sued to be his seruant offered to giue him yet for countenance sake he seemed very squeimish in respect of the charge he had of the Princesse Pamela But such was the secrete operation of the golde helped with the perswasion of the Amazon Zelmane who sayde it was pittie so handsome a young man should be any where els then with so good a master that in the ende he agreed if that day he behaued himselfe so to the lyking of Basilius as he might be contented that then he would receiue him into his seruice And thus went they to the Lodge where they found Gynecia and her daughters ready to go to the field to delight themselues there a while vntill the shepheards comming whether also taking Zelmane with them as they went Dametas told them of Dorus and desired he might be accepted there that day in steed of his brother Menalcas As for Basilius he staied behind to bring the shepherds with whome he meant to confer to breed the better Zelmanes liking which he onely regarded while the other beautifull band came to the faire field appointed for the shepherdish pastimes It was indeed a place of delight for thorow the middest of it there ran a sweete brooke which did both hold the eye open with her azure streames and yet feeke to close the eie with the purling noise it made vpon the pibble stones it ran ouer the field it selfe being set in â—ome places with roses and in all the rest constantly preseruing a florishing greene the Roses added such a ruddy shew vnto it as though the field were bashfull at his owne beautie about it as if it had bene to inclose a Theater grew such sort of trees as eyther excellency of fruit statelines of grouth continuall greennes or poeticall fancies haue made at any time famous In most part of which there had bene framed by art such pleasant arbors that one answering another they became a gallery aloft from tree to tree almost round about which below gaue a perfect shadow a pleasant refuge then from the cholericke looke of Phoebus In this place while Gynecia
With hear-say pictures or a window looke With one good dawnce or letter finely pend That were in Court a well proportion'd hooke Where piercing witts do quickly apprehend Their sences rude plaine obiects only moue And so must see great cause before they loue Therfore Loue arm'd in hir now takes the fielde Making hir beames his brauery might Hir hands which pierc'd the soules seau'n-double shield Were now his darts leauing his wonted fight Braue crest to him hir scorn-gold haire did yeeld His compleat harneis was hir purest white But fearing lest all white might seeme too good In cheeks lipps the Tyran threatens bloud Besides this force within hir eies he kept A fire to burne the prisoners he gaines Whose boiling heat encreased as she wept For eu'n in forge colde water fire maintaines Thus proud fierce vnto the hearts he stept Of them poore soules cutting Reasons raines Made them his owne before they had it wist But if they had could shephookes this resist Klaius streight felt groned at the blowe And cal'd now wounded purpose to his aide Strephon fond boy delighted did not knowe That it was Loue that shin'de in shining maid But lickrous Poison'd faine to her would goe If him new-learned manners had not stai'd For then Vrania homeward did arise Leauing in paine their wel-fed hungry eies She went they staid or rightly for to say She staid in them they went in thought with hyr Klaius in deede would faine haue puld a way This mote from out his eye this inward burre And now proud Rebell gan for to gainsay The lesson which but late he learn'd too furre Meaning with absence to refresh the thought To which hir presence such a feauer brought Strephon did leape with ioy iolitie Thinking it iust more therein to delight Then in good Dog faire field or shading tree So haue I sene trim bookes in veluet dight With golden leaues painted babery Of seely boies please vnacquainted sight But when the rod began to play his part Faine would but could not fly from golden smart He quickly learn'd Vrania was her name And streight for failing grau'd it in his heart He knew hir haunt haunted in the same And taught his shepe hir shepe in food to thwart Which soone as it did batefull question frame He might on knees confesse his faulty part And yeeld himselfe vnto hir punishment While nought but game the selfe-hurt wanton ment Nay eu'n vnto hir home he oft would go Where bold and hurtles many play he tries Her parents liking well it should be so For simple goodnes shined in his eyes There did he make hir laugh in spite of woe So as good thoughts of him in all arise While into none doubt of his loue did sinke For not himselfe to be in loue did thinke But glad Desire his late embosom'd guest Yet but a babe with milke of Sight he nurst Desire the more he suckt more sought the brest Like dropsy folke still drinke to be a thyrst Till one faire eau'n an howr ere Sun did rest Who then in Lions caue did enter fyrst By neighbors prai'd she went abroad therby At Barly brake hir swete swift foot to trie Neuer the earth on his round shoulders bare A maid train'd vp from high or low degree That in her doings better could compare Mirth with respect few words with curtesy A careles comelines with comely care Self-gard with mildnes Sport with Maiesty Which made hir yeeld to deck this shepheards band And still beleue me Strephon was at hand A field they goe where many lookers be And thou seke-sorow Klaius them among In dede thou said'st it was thy frend to see Strephon whose absence seem'd vnto thee long While most with hir he lesse did kepe with thee No no it was in spite of wisdomes song Which absence wisht loue plai'd a victors part The heau'n-loue lodestone drew thy iron hart Then couples three be streight allotted there They of both ends the middle two doe flie The two that in mid place Hell called were Must striue with waiting foot and watching eye To catch of them and them to hell to beare That they aswell as they Hell may supplie Like some which seeke to salue their blotted name With others blott till all do tast of shame There may you see soone as the middle two Do coupled towards either couple make They false and fearfull do their hands vndoe Brother his brother frend doth frend forsake Heeding himselfe cares not how fellow doe But of a straunger mutuall help doth take As periur'd cowards in aduersity With sight of feare from frends to fremb'd do flie These sports shepheards deuiz'd such faults to show Geron though olde yet gamesome kept one ende With Cosma for whose loue Pas past in woe Faire Nous with Pas the lott to hell did sende Pas thought it hell while he was Cosma fro At other end Vran did Strephon lend Her happy-making hand of whome one looke From Nous and Cosma all their beauty tooke The play began Pas durst not Cosma chace But did entend next bout with her to meete So he with Nous to Geron turn'd their race With whome to ioyne fast ran Vrania sweet But light-legd Pas had gott the middle space Geron straue hard but aged were his feet And therfore finding force now faint to be He thought gray haires afforded subtletie And so when Pas hand-reached him to take The fox on knees and elbowes tombled downe Pas could not stay but ouer him did rake And crown'd the earth with his first touching crowne His heels grow'n proud did seme at heau'n to shake But Nous that slipt from Pas did catch the clowne So laughing all yet Pas to ease some dell Geron with Vran were condemn'd to hell Cosma this while to Strephon safely came And all to second barly-brake are bent The two in hell did toward Cosma frame Who should to Pas but they would her preuent Pas mad with fall and madder with the shame Most mad with beames which he thought Cosma sent With such mad haste he did to Cosma goe That to hir breast he gaue a noysome blowe She quick and proud and who did Pas despise Vp with hir fist and tooke him on the face Another time quoth she become more wise Thus Pas did kisse hir hand with little grace And each way luckles yet in humble guise Did hold hir fast for feare of more disgrace While Strephon might with preatie Nous haue met But all this while another course he fet For as Vrania after Cosma ran He rauished with sight how gracefully She mou'd hir lims and drew the aged man Left Nous to coast the loued beauty ny Nous cri'de and chaf'd but he no other can Till Vran seing Pas to Cosma fly And Strephon single turned after him Strephon so chas'd did seme in milke to swimme He ran but ran with eye ore shoulder cast More marking hir then how himselfe did goe Like Numid Lions by
Giants that would haue plucked Iupiter out of heauen how long shall this rage continue why do you not all throw downe your weapons and submit your selues to our good Prince our good Basilius the Pelops of wisdom and Minos of all good gouernment when will you begin to beleue me and other honest and faithfull subiects that haue done all we could to stop your furie The farmer that loued Zelmane could abide him no longer For as at the first he was willing to speake of conditions hoping to haue gotten great souerainties and among the rest Zelmane so now perceiuing that the people once anything downe the hill from their furie would neuer stay till they came to the bottom of absolute yeelding and so that he should be nearer feares of punishment then hopes of such aduancement he was one of them that stood most against the agreement and to begin withal disdaining this fellow should play the preacher who had bin one of the chiefest make-bates strake him a great wound vpon the face with his sword The cowardly wretch fell downe crying for succour and scrambling through the legs of them that were about him gat to the throne where Zelmane tooke him and comforted him bleeding for that was past and quaking for feare of more But as soone as that blow was giuen as if AEolus had broke open the doore to let all his winds out no hand was idle ech one killing him that was next for feare he should do as much to him For being diuided in minds and not diuided in companies they that would yeeld to Basilius were intermingled with them that would not yeeld These men thinking their ruine stood vpon it those men to get fauour of their Prince conuerted their vngracious motion into their owne bowels and by a true iudgement grew their owne punishers None was sooner killed then those that had bene leaders in the disobedience who by being so had taught them that they did leade disobedieÌ„ce to the same leaders And many times it fell out that they killed them that were of their owne faction anger whetting and doubt hastening their fingers But then came downe Zelmane and Basilius with Dorus issued and somtimes seeking to draw together those of their party somtimes laying indiffereÌ„tly among them made such hauocke among the rest Zelmane striking the farmer to the hart with her sword as before she had done with her eyes that in a while all they of the contrary side were put to flight and fled to certaine woods vpon the frontiers where feeding wildly and drinking onely water they were disciplined for their dronken riots many of them being slaine in the chase about a score onely escaping But when these late rebels now souldiers were returned from the chase Basilius calling them togither partly for policy sake but principally because Zelmane before had spoken it which was to him more then a diuine ordinance he pronounced their generall pardon willing them to returne to their houses and thereafter be more circumspect in their proceedings which they did most of them with sharp marks of their folly But imagining Clinias to be one of the chiefe that had bred this good alteration he gaue him particular thanks and withall willed him to make him know how this frenzie had entred into the people Clinias purposing indeede to tell him the trueth of all sauing what did touch himselfe or Cecropia first dipping his hand in the blood of his wound Now by this blood said he which is more deare to me then al the rest that is in my body since it is spent for your safety this tong perchance vnfortunate but neuer false shall not now begin to lie vnto my Prince of me most beloued Then stretching out his haÌ„d and making vehement countenances the vshers to his speches in such maner of tearms recounted this accident Yesterday said he being your birth-day in the goodly greene two mile hence before the city of Enispus to do honour to the day were a four or fiue thousand people of all conditioÌ„s as I think gathered together spending al the day in dancings other exercises and wheÌ„ night came vnder tents and bowes making great cheare and meaning to obserue a wassaling watch all that night for your sake Bacchus the learned say was begot with thunder I thinke that made him euer since so full of stur debate Bacchus indeed it was which sounded the first truÌ„pet to this rude AlaruÌ„ For that barbarous opinioÌ„ being generally amoÌ„g theÌ„ to think with vice to do honor with actiuitie in beastlines to shew abundaÌ„ce of loue made most of them seeke to shew the depth of their affection in the depth of their draught But being once wel chafed with wine hauing spent al the night and some peece of the morning in such reuelling imboldned by your absented maner of liuing there was no matter their eares had euer heard of that grâ—w not to be a subiect of their winie conference I speake it by proofe for I take witnes of the Gods who neuer leaue periuries vnpunished that I often cried out against their impudency and when that would not serue stopt mine eaâ—es because I woulde not be partaker of their blasphemies till with buffets they forced me to haue mine eares and eies defiled Publike affairs were mingled with priuate grudges neither was any man thought of wit that did not pretende some cause of mislike Rayling was counted the fruite of freedome and saying nothing had his vttermoste prayse in ignoraunce At the length your sacred person alas why did I liue to hâ—are it alas howe do I breath to vtter it But your commandement doth not onely enioine obedience but giue me force your sacred person I say fell to be their table-talke a proud word swelling in their stomacks disdainful reproches against so great a greatnes hauing put on the shew of greatnes in their little mindes till at length the very vnbrideled vse of wordes hauing increased fire in their mindes which God wott thought their knowledge notable because they had at all no knowledge to condemne their owne want of knowledge they descended O neuer to be forgotten presumption to a direct mislike of your liuing from among them Whereupon it were tedious to remember their far-fetched constructions But the summe was you disdained them and what were the pompes of your estate if their armes mainteyned you not Who woulde call you a Prince if you had not a people When certaine of theÌ„ of wretched estates worse minds whose fortunes change could not impaire began to say that your gouernment was to be looked into how the great treasures you had leuied among them had beene spent why none but great men and gentlemen could be admitted into counsel that the coÌ„mons forsooth were too plain headed to say their opinnions but yet their blood and sweat must maintaine all Who could tell whether you were not betraied in this place where you liued nay whether you did liue or
valure and fore-preparation put all his companie to the sword but such as could flie away As for Antiphilus she caused him and Erona both to be put in irons hasting backe toward her brothers tombe vpon which she ment to sacrifice them making the loue of her brother stand betwene her and all other motions of grace from which by nature she was alienated But great diuersitie in them two quickly discouered it selfe for the bearing of that affliction For Antiphilus that had no greatnesse but outward that taken away was readie to fall faster then calamitie could thrust him with fruitlesse begging of life where reason might well assure him his death was resolued and weake bemoning his fortune to giue his enemies a most pleasing musique with manie promises and protestations to as little purpose as from a little minde But Erona sad indeede yet like one rather vsed then new fallen to sadnesse as who had the ioyes of her hart alreadie broken seemed rather to welcome then to shun that ende of miserie speaking little but what she spake was for Antiphilus remembring his guiltlesnesse being at that time prisoner to Tiridates when the valiant princes slue him to the disgrace of men shewing that there are women both more wise to iudge what is to be expected and more constant to beare it when it is happened But her wit endeared by her youth her affliction by her birth and her sadnesse by her beautie made this noble prince Plangus who neuer almost from his cousin Artaxia was now present at Eronaes taking to perceyue the shape of louelinesse more perfectly in wo then in ioyfulnesse as in a picture which receiues greater life by the darkenesse of shadowes then by more glittering colours and seeing to like and liking to loue and louing straight to feele the most incident effects of loue to serue and preserue So borne by the hastie tide of short leysure he did hastily deliuer together his affection and affectionate care But she as if he had spoken of a small matter when he mencioned her life to which she had not leisure to attend desired him if he loued her to shew it in finding some way to saue Antiphilus For her she found the world but a wearisome stage vnto her where she played a part against her will and therefore besought him not to cast his loue in so vnfruitfull a place as could not loue it selfe but for a testimonie of constancie and a sutablenes to his word to do so much comfort to her minde as that for her sake Antiphilus were saued He tolde me how much he argued against her tendeâ—ing him who had so vngratefully betraied her and foolishly cast away himselfe But perceiuing she did not only bend her very good wits to speake for him against herselfe but when such a cause could be allied to no reason yet loue would needes make it-selfe a cause and barre her rather from hearing then yeeld that she should yeeld to such arguments he likewise in whom the power of Loue as they say of spirits was subiect to the loue in her with griefe consented though backwardly was diligent to labor the help of Antiphilus a man whom he not only hated as a traitour to Erona but enuied as a possessor of Erona Yet Loue sware his hart in spite of his hart should make him become a seruant to his riuall And so did he seeking all the meanes of perswading Artaxia which the authority of so neere and so vertuous a kinsman could giue vnto him But she to whom the eloqueÌ„ce of hatred had giuen reuenge the face of delight reiected all such motions but rather the more closely imprisoning them in her chiefe citie where she kept them with intention at the birth-day of Tiridates which was very nere to execute Antiphilus and at the day of his death which was about halfe a yeere after to vse the same rigor towards Erona Plangus much grieued because much louing attempted the humors of the Lycians to see whether they would come in with forces to succor their Princesse But there the next inheritor to the crowne with the true play that is vsed in the game of kingdoÌ„s had no sooner his mistres in captiuity but he had vsurped her place and making her odious to her people because of the vnfit electioÌ„ she had made had so left no hope there but which is worse had sent to Artaxia perswading the iusticing her because that vniustice might giue his title the name of iustice WaÌ„ting that way Plangus practised with some deere friends of his to saue Antiphilus out of prison whose day because it was much neerer then Eronaes and that he well found she had twisted her life vpoÌ„ the same threed with his he determined first to get him out of prison and to that end hauing prepared all matters as well as in such case he could where Artaxia had set many of Tiridates old seruants to haue well-marking eyes he coÌ„ferred with Antiphilus as by the aucthoritie he had he found meanes to do and agreed with him of the time maner how he should by the death of some of his iaylors escape But all being well ordered and Plangus willinglie putting himselfe into the greatest danger Antiphilus who like a bladder sweld redie to breake while it was full of the winde of prosperitie that being out was so abiected as apt to be trode on by euery bodie wheÌ„ it came to the point that with some hazard he might be in apparant likelihood to auoid the vttermost harme his hart fainted and weake foole neither hoping nor fearing as he should gat a conceit that with bewraying this practise he might obtaine pardon and therefore euen a little before Plangus should haue come vnto him opened the whole practise to him that had the charge with vnpittyed teares idly protesting he had rather die by Artaxias commaundement then against her will escape yet begging life vpon any the hardest and wretchedest conditions that she would lay vpon him His keeper prouided accordingly so that when Plangus came he was like himselfe to haue bene entrapped but that finding with a luckie in-sight that it was discouered he retired and calling his friendes about him stood vpon his guard as he had good cause For Artaxia accounting him most vngratefull considering that her brother and she had not only preserued him against the malice of his father but euer vsed him much liker his birth then his fortune sent forces to apprehend him But he among the martiall men had gotten so great loue that he could not onely keep himselfe from her malice but worke in their mindes a compassion of Eronas aduersitie But for the succour of Antiphilus he could get no bodie to ioyne with him the contempt of him hauing not bene able to qualifie the hatred so that Artaxia might easilie vpon him perfourme her will which was at the humble suite of all the women of that citie to deliuer him to their censure who mortally hating him for
made what he heard of another the ballance of his owne fortune that they stood a long while striken in a sad and silent consideration of them Which the olde Geron no more marking then condemning in them desirous to set foorth what counsailes the wisedome of age had layde vp in store against such fancies as he thought follies of youth yet so as it might not apeare that his wordes respected them bending himselfe to a young shepheard named Philisides who neither had daunced nor song with them and had all this time layne vpon the ground at the foote of a Cypresse tree leaning vpon his elbowe with so deepe a melancoly that his sences caried to his minde no delight from any of their obiects he strake him vpon the shoulder with a right old mans grace that will seeme liuelier then his age will afford him And thus began vnto him his Ecloge Geron. Philisides Geron. VP vp Philisides let sorrowes goe Who yelds to woe doth but encrease his smart Do not thy hart to plaintfull custome bring But let vs sing sweet tunes do passions ease An olde man heare who would thy fancies raise Philisides Who minds to please the minde drownd in annoyes With outward ioyes which inly cannot sincke As well may thincke with oyle to coole the fire Or with desire to make such foe a frend Who doth his soule to endlesse malice bend Geron. Yet sure an end to each thing time doth giue Though woes now liue at length thy woes must dye Then vertue try if she can worke in thee That which we see in many time hath wrought And weakest harts to constant temper brought Philisides Who euer taught a skillesse man to teach Or stop a breach that neuer Cannon sawe Sweet vertues lawe barres not a causefull mone Time shall in one my life and sorrowes end And me perchaunce your constant temper lend Geron. What can amend where physick is refusde The witts abusde with will no counsayle take Yet for my sake discouer vs thy griefe Oft comes reliefe when most we seeme in trappe The starres thy state fortune may change thy happe Philisides If fortunes lappe became my dwelling place And all the starres conspired to my good Still were I one this still should be my case Ruines relique cares web and sorrowes foode Since she faire fierce to such a state me calls Whose wit the starres whose fortune fortune thralls Geron. Alas what falls are falne vnto thy minde That there where thou confest thy mischiefe lyes Thy wit dost vse still still more harmes to finde Whome wit makes vaine or blinded with his eyes What counsell can preuaile or light giue light Since all his force against himselfe he tries Then each conceit that enters in his sight Is made forsooth a Iurate of his woes Earth sea ayre fire heau'n hell and gastly sprite Then cries to sencelesse things which neither knowes What ayleth thee and if they knew thy minde Would scorne in man their king such feeble show's Rebell Rebell in golden fetters binde This tyran Loue or rather do suppresse Those rebell thoughts which are thy slaues by kinde Let not a glittring name thy fancie dresse In painted clothes because they call it loue There is no hate that can thee more oppresse Begin and halfe the worke is done to proue By rising vp vpon thy selfe to stand And thinck she is a she that doth thee moue He water plowes and soweth in the sand And hopes the flickring winde with net to holde Who hath his hopes laid vp in womans hand What man is he that hath his freedome solde Is he a manlike man that doth not know man Hath power that Sex with bridle to withhold A fickle Sex and trew in trust to no man A seruant Sex soone prowde if they be coi'de And to conclude thy mistresse is a woman Philisides O gods how long this old soole hath annoi'd My wearied eares O gods yet graunt me this That soone the world of his false tong be void O noble age who place their only blisse In being heard vntill the hearer dye Vttring a serpents minde with serpents hisse Then who will heare a well autoris'd lye And pacience hath let him goe learne of him What swarmes of vertues did in his youth flye Such hartes of brasse wise heads and garments trim Were in his dayes which heard one nothing heares If from his words the falshood he do skim And herein most their folly vaine appeares That since they still alledge When they were yong It shews they fetch their wit from youthfull yeares Like beast for sacrifice where saue the tong And belly nought is left such sure is he This life-deadman in this old dungeon flong Olde houses are throwne downe for new we see The oldest Rammes are culled from the flocke No man doth wish his horse should aged bee The ancient oke well makes a fired blocke Old men themselues doe loue young wiues to choose Only fond youth admires a rotten stocke Who once a white long beard well handle does As his beard him not he his beard did beare Though cradle witted must not honnor loose Oh when will men leaue off to iudge by haire And thinke them olde that haue the oldest minde With vertue fraught and full of holy feare Geron. If that thy face were hid or I were blinde I yet should know a young man speaketh now Such wandring reason in thy speech I finde He is a beast that beastes vse will allowe For proofe of man who sprong of heau'nly fire Hath strongest soule when most his raynes do boweâ— But fondlings fonde know not your owne desire Loth to dye young and then you must be olde Fondly blame that to which your selues aspire But this light choller that doth make you bolde Rather to wrong then vnto iust defence Is past with me my bloud is waxen colde Thy words though full of malapert offence I way them not but still will thee aduize How thou from foolish loue maist purge thy sense First thinke they erre that thinke them gayly wise Who well can set a passion out to show Such sight haue they that see with goggling eyes Passion beares high when puffing wit doth blowe But is indeed a toy if not a toy True cause of euils and cause of causelesse woe If once thou maist that fancie glosse destroy Within thy selfe thou soone wilt be ashamed To be a player of thine owne annoy Then let thy minde with better bookes be tamed Seeke to espie her faultes as well as praise And let thine eyes to other sports be framed In hunting fearefull beastes do spend some dayes Or catch the birds with pitfalls or with lyme Or trayne the fox that traines so crafty laies Ly but to sleepe and in the earely prime Seeke skill of hearbes in hills haunt brookes neere night And try with bayt how fish will bite sometime Goe graft againe and seeke to graft them right Those pleasant plants those sweete and frutefull trees Which both the pallate
cōfederates in his attemptes That Basilius his purpose was neuer to leaue the sieg of this town til he had takē it reuēged the iniurie done vnto him That he meant rather to winne it by time famine then by force of assault knowing howe valiant men he had to deale withall in the towne that he had sent order that supplyes of souldiours pioners and all thinges else necessarie should dayly be brought vnto him so as my Lord sayde Philanax let me nowe hauing receyued my life by your grace let me giue you your life and and honour by my counsaile protesting vnto you that I cannot choose but loue you being my maister-his nephewe and that I wish you well in all causes but this You knowe his nature is as apte to forgiue as his power is able to conquere Your fault passed is excusable in that Loue perswaded and youth was perswaded Doo not vrge the effects of angrie victorie but rather seeke to obtaine that constantly by courtesie which you can neuer assuredly enioy by violence One might easily haue seene in the cheare of Amphialus that disdainfull choller would faine haue made the aunswere for him but the remembraunce of Philoclea serued for forcible barriers betweene Anger and angry effects so as he said no more but that he woulde not put him to the trouble to giue him any further counsaile But that hee might returne if hee listed presently Philanax glad to receyue an vncorrupted libertie humbly accepted his fauourable conuoy out of the towne and so departed not visitinge the Princesses thinking it might be offensiue to Amphialus and no way fruitfull to them who were no way but by force to be reskued The poore Ladies indeede not suffered either to meet together or to haue conference with any other but such as Cecropia had alreadie framed to sing al their songs to her tune she herselfe omitting no day and catching holde of euerie occasion to mooue forwarde her sonnes desire and remoue their owne resolutions vsing the same arguments to the one sister as to the other determining that whom she could winne first the other shoulde without her sonnes knowledge by poyson be made away But though the reasons were the same to both yet the handling was diuerse according as she saw their humours to prepare a more or lesse aptnesse of apprehension This day hauing vsed long speech to Philoclea amplifying not a little the great duetifulnesse her sonne had shewed in deliuering Philanax of whom she could get no aunswere but a silence sealed vp in vertue so sweetly graced as that in one instant it caried with it both resistance and humblenes Cecropia threatning in her selfe to rūne a more rugged race with her went to her sister Pamela who that day hauing wearied her self with reading with the height of her hart disdaining to keep companie with any of the Gentlewomē appointed to attend her whome she accounted her iaylours was working vppō a purse certain Roses Lillies as by the finenesse of the worke one might see she had borowed her wittes of the sorow that then owed them lent them wholy to that exercise For the flowers shee had wrought caried such life in thē that the cūningest painter might haue learned of her needle which with so prety a maner made his careers to fro through the cloth as if the needle it self wold haue ben loth to haue gone frōward such a mistres but that it hoped to return thitherward very quickly againe the cloth loking with many eies vpon her louingly embracing the wounds she gaue it the sheares also were at hand to behead the silke that was grown to short And if at any time she put her mouth to bite it off it seemed that where she had beene long in making of a Rose with her hands shee would in an instāt make Roses with her lips as the Lillies semed to haue their whitenesse rather of the hand that made them then of the matter wherof the were made that they grew therby the Sūnes of her eys were refreshed by the most indiscōfort comfortable ayre which an vnwares sigh might bestow vpon them But the colours for the ground were so well chosen neither sullenly darke nor glaringly lightsome so wel proportioned as that though much cunning were in it yet it was but to serue for an ornament of the principall woorke that it was not without maruaile to see how a mind which could cast a carelesse semblant vpon the greatest conflictes of Fortune could commaund it selfe to take care for so small matters Neither had she neglected the daintie dressing of her selfe but as if it had been her mariage time to Affliction she rather semed to remember her owne worthinesse then the vnworthinesse of her husband For wel one might perceyue she had not reiected the counsaile of a glasse that her hands had pleased themselues in paying the tribute of vndeceyuing skill to so high perfections of Nature The sight whereof so diuerse from her sister who rather suffered sorrowe to dresse it selfe in her beautie then that she would bestow any intertainment of so vnwelcome a guest made Cecropia take a suddaine assurednesse of hope that she should obtaine somewhat of Pamela thinking according to the squaring out of her owne good nature that beautie carefully set foorth woulde soone proue a signe of an vnrefusing harborough Animated wherewith shee sate downe by Pamela and taking the purse and with affected curiositie looking vpon the worke Full happie is he saide she at least if hee knew his owne happinesse to whom a purse in this maner and by this hand wrought is dedicated In faith he shall haue cause to account it not as a purse for treasure but as a treasure it selfe worthie to bee pursed vp in the purse of his owne hart And thinke you so indeede saide Pamela halfe smiling I promise you I wrought it but to make some tedious houres beleeue that I thought not of them for else I valued it but euen as a verie purse It is the right nature saide Cecropia of Beauty to worke vnwitting effectes of wonder Truely saide Pamela I neuer thought till now that this outward glasse intitled Beautie which it pleaseth you to lay to my as I thinke vnguiltie charge was but a pleasaunt mixture of naturall colours delightfull to the eye as musicke is to the eare without any further consequence since it is a thing which not onely beastes haue but euen stones and trees many of them doo greatly excell in it That other thinges answered Cecropia haue some portion of it takes not away the excellencie of it where indeede it doth excell since we see that euen those beastes trees stones are in the name of Beauty onely highly praised But that the beautie of humaine persons be beyond al other things there is great likelihood of reason since to them onely is giuen the iudgement to discerne Beautie and among reasonable wightes as it seemes that our sex
vniuersalitie whereof wee are but the lest pieces shoulde bee vtterly deuoide thereof as if one shoulde saie that ones foote might be wise and him selfe foolish This hearde I once alledged against such a godlesse minde as yours who being driuen to acknowledge this beastly absurditie that our bodies should be better then the whole worlde if it had the knowledge whereof the other were voide he sought not able to answere directly to shifte it off in this sorte that if that reason were true then must it followe also that the world must haue in it a spirite that could write and read too and be learned since that was in vs commendable wretched foole not considering that Bookes bee but supplies of defects and so are praysed because they helpe our want and therefore cannot be incident to the eternall intelligence which needes no recording of opinions to confirme his knowledge no more then the Sunne wants waxe to be the fewell of his glorious lightfulnes This world therfore cannot otherwise consist but by a minde of Wisedome which gouernes it which whether you will allow to beâ— the Creator thereof as vndoubtedly he is or the soule and gouernour thereof most certaine it is that whether he gouerne all or make all his power is aboue either his creatures or his gouernement And if his power be aboue all thinges then consequently it must needes be infinite since there is nothing aboue it to limit it For beyond which there is nothing must needes be boundlesse and infinite if his power be infinite then likewise must his knowledge be infinite for else there should be an infinite proportion of power which he should not know how to vse the vnsensiblenesse whereof I thinke euen you can conceaue and if infinite then must nothing no not the estate of flies which you with so vnsauerie skorne did iest at be vnknowne vnto him For if it were then there were his knowledge bounded and so not infinite if knowledge and power be infinite then must needs his goodnesse and iustice march in the same rancke for infinitenes of power and knowledge without like measure of goodnesse must necessarily bring foorth destruction and ruine and not ornament and preseruation Since then there is a God and an all-knowing God so as he sees into the darkest of all naturall secretes which is the hart of Man and sees therein the deepest dissembled thoughts nay sees the thoughts before they be thought since he is iust to exercise his might and mightie to performe his iustice assure thy selfe most wicked woman that hast so plaguily a corrupted minde as thou canst not keepe thy sickenesse to thy selfe but must most wickedly infect others assure thy selfe I say for what I say dependes of euerlasting and vnremooueable causes that the time will come when thou shalt knowe that power by feeling it when thou shalt see his wisedome in the manifesting thy ougly shamefulnes and shalt onely perceiue him to haue bene a Creator in thy destruction Thus she saide thus she ended with so faire maiestie of vnconquered vertue that captiuitie might seeme to haue authoritie ouer tyrannie so fowly was the filthinesse of impietie discouered by the shining of her vnstayned goodnes so farre as either Cecropia saw indeed or else the guilty amazement of a selfe-accusing conscience made her eies vntrue iudges of their naturall obiect that there was a light more then humaine which gaue a lustre to her perfections But Cecropia like a Batte which though it haue eyes to discerne that there is a Sunne yet hath so euill eyes that it cannot delight in the Sunne found a trueth but could not loue it But as great persons are woont to make the wrong they haue done to be a cause to doo the more wrong her knowledge rose to no higher point but to enuâ—e a worthier and her will was no otherwise bent but the more to hate the more she found her enemie prouided against her Yet all the while she spake though with eyes cast like a horse that would strike at the stirrop and with colour which blushed through yellownesse she sate rather still then quiet and after her speech rather muttered then replied for the warre of wickednesse in her selfe brought forth disdainefull pride to resist cunning dissimulation so as saying little more vnto her but that she should haue leysure inough better to bethinke her selfe she went away repining but not repenting condemning greatly as she thought her sonnes ouer-feeble humblenesse and purposing to egge him forward to a course of violence For her selfe determining to deale wiâ—h neither of them both any more in maner of a suter for what maiestie of vertue did in the one that did silent humblenesse in the other But finding her sonne ouer-apt to lay both condemnation and execution of sorrow vpon himselfe she sought to mitigate his minde with feigned delayes of comfort who hauing this inward ouerthrow in himselfe was the more vexed that he could not vtter the rage thereof vpon his outward enemies For Basilius taught by the last dayes triall what daungerous effectes chosen courages can bring forth rather vsed the spade then the sworde or the sworde but to defende the spade girding about the whole towne with trenches which beginning a good way off from the towne with a number of well directed Pioners he still caryed before him till they came to a neere distance where he builded Fortes one answering the other in such sort as it was a pretie consideration in the discipline of warre to see building vsed for the instrument of ruine and the assayler entrenched as if he were besieged But many sallies did Amphialus make to hinder their working But they exercising more melancholie then choller in their resolution made him finde that if by the aduauntage of place fewe are able to defende themselues from manie that manie must needes haue power making themselues strong in seate to repell fewe referring the reuenge rather to the ende then a present requitall Yet oftentimes they dealt some blowes in light skirmishes eche side hauing a strong retyring place and rather fighting with manie alarums to vexe the enemie then for anie hope of great successe Which euerie way was a tedious comber to the impacient courage of Amphialus till the fame of this warre bringing thither diuerse both straungers and subiects as well of princely as noble houses the gallant Phalantus who refrained his sportfull delightes as then to serue Basilius whome he honoured for receyued honours when he had spent some time in considering the Arcadian manner in marching encamping and fighting and had learned in what points of gouernement and obedience their discipline differed from others and so had satisfied his minde in the knowledges both for the cutting off the enemies helpes and furnishing ones selfe which Basilius orders could deliuer vnto him his yong spirits wearie of wanting cause to be wearie desired to keepe his valure in knowledge by some priuate acte since the publique policie restrayned him
the rather because his olde mistresse Artesia might see whome she had so lightly forsaken and therefore demaunding and obteyning leaue of Basilius he caused a Heraulde to be furnished with apparell of his office and tokens of a peaceable message and so sent him to the gate of the towne to demaunde audience of Amphialus who vnderstanding thereof caused him both safely and courteously to be brought into his presence who making lowly reuerence vnto him presented his Letters desiring Amphialus that whatsoeuer they conteyned he would consider that he was onely the bearer and not the inditer Amphialus with noble gentlenesse assured him both by honourable speeches and a demeanure which aunswered for him that his reuenge whensoeuer should sort vnto it selfe a higher subiect But opening the Letters he found them to speake in this maner PHalantus of Corinthe to Amphialus of Arcadia sendeth the greeting of a hatelesse enemie The liking of martiall matters without anie mislike of your person hath brought me rather to the companie then to the minde of your besiegers where languishing in idlenesse I desire to refresh my minde with some exercise of armes which might make knowne the dooers with delight of the beholders Therefore if there be any Gentleman in your Towne that eyther for the loue of Honour or honour of his Loue will armed on horsebacke with launce and sworde winne another or loose himselfe to be a prisoner at discretion of the conquerour I will to morrowe morning by Sunne rising with a trumpet and a Squire onely attende him in like order furnished The place I thinke fittest the Iland within the Lake because it standes so well in the view of your Castell as that the Ladies may haue the pleasure of seeing the combate which though it be within the commaundement of your Castell I desire no better securitie then the promise I make to my selfe of your vertue I attende your aunswere and wish you such successe as may be to your honour rather in yeelding to that which is iust then in mainteyning wrong by violence AMphialus read it with cheerefull countenance and thinking but a little with himselfe called for inke and paper and wrote this aunswere AMphialus of Arcadia to Phalantus of Corinthe wisheth all his owne wishes sauing those which may be hurtfull to another The matter of your letters so fit for a worthy minde and the maner so sutable to the noblenesse of the matter giue me cause to thinke how happie I might accounte my selfe if I coulde get such a friende who esteeme it no small happinesse to haue mette with so noble an enemie Your chalenge shall be aunswered and both time place and weapon accepted For your securitie from any treacherie hauing no hostage woorthie to counteruaile you take my woord which I esteeme aboue all respectes Prepare therefore your armes to fight but not your hart to malice since true valure needes no other whetstone then desire of honour HAuing writte and sealed his letter he deliuered it to the Heraulde and withall tooke a faire chaine from off his owne necke and gaue it him And so with safe conuoy sent him away from out his Citie and he being gone Amphialus shewed vnto his mother and some other of his chiefe Counsailours what he had receyued and howe he had aunswered telling them withall that he was determined to aunswere the chalenge in his owne person His mother with prayers authorized by motherly commaundement his olde gouernour with perswasions mingled with reprehensions that he would rather affect the glorie of a priuate fighter then of a wise Generall Clinias with falling downe at his feete and beseeching him to remember that all their liues depended vppon his safetie sought all to dissuade him But Amphialus whose hart was enflamed with courage and courage enflamed with affection made an imperious resolution cutte off the tediousnesse of replyes giuing them in charge what they shoulde doo vppon all occasions and particularly to deliuer the Ladies if otherwise then well happened vnto him onely desiring his mother that she woulde bring Philoclea to a window whence she might with ease perfectly discerne the combat And so as soone as the morning beganne to draw dewe from the fairest greenes to washe her face withall against the approach of the burning Sunne hee went to his stable where himselfe chose out a horse whom though he was neere twentie yeere olde he preferred for a peece of sure seruice before a great number of yonger His colour was of a browne bay dapled thick with black spots his forhead marked with a white starre to which in all his bodie there was no part sutable but the left foote before his mane and taile black and thick of goodly and well proportioned greatnes He caused him to be trimmed with a sumptuous saddle of tawnie and golde ennamell enriched with pretious stones his furniture was made into the fashion of the branches of a tree from which the leaues were falling and so artificiallie were the leaues made that as the horse moued it seemed indeed that the leaues wagged as when the winde plaies with them and being made of a pale cloath of gold they did beare the straw-coloured liuerie of ruine His armour was also of tawnie and golde but formed into the figure of flames darckened as when they newelie brake the prison of a smoakie furnace In his shielde he had painted the Torpedo fish And so appointed he caused himselfe with his trumpet and squire whom he had taken since the death of Ismenus to be ferried ouer into the Iland a place well chosen for such a purpose For it was so plaine as there was scarcely any bush or hillock either to vnleuell or shadow it of length and breadth enough to trie the vttermost both of launce and sword and the one end of it facing the castle the other extending it selfe toward the campe and no accesse to it but by water there could no secret trecherie be wrought and for manifest violence ether side might haue time inough to succour their party But there he found Phalantus alredy waiting for him vpon a horse milke white but that vpon his shoulder and withers he was freckned with red staines as when a few strawberies are scattered into a dish of creame He had caused his mane and taile to be died in carnation his reines were vine branches which ingendring one with the other at the end when it came to the bitte there for the bosse brought foorth a cluster of grapes by the workeman made so liuely that it seemed as the horse champed on his bitte he chopped for them and that it did make his mouth water to see the grapes so neere him His furniture behind was of vines so artificially made as it seemed the horse stood in the shadow of the vine so pretily were clusters of rubie grapes dispersed among the trappers which embraced his sides His armour was blew like the heauen which a Sun did with his rayes proportionately deliuered guild in
armour and deuice streight knowne to be the notable Knight who the first day had giuen Fortune so short a stoppe with his notable deedes and fighting hand to hand the deemed inuincible Amphialus Fonthe very cowardes no sooner saw him but as borrowing some of his spirit they went like yong Eagles to the pray vnder the wing of their damme For the three aduenturers not content on For her exceeding faire eyes hauing with continual weeping gotten a little rednesse about them her roundy sweetly swelling lippes a little trembling as though they kissed their neighbour death in her cheekes the whitenesse striuing by little little to get vpoÌ„ the rosines of theÌ„ her necke a necke indeed of Alablaster displaying the wound which with most daintie blood laboured to drowne his owne beauties so as here was a riuer of purest redde there an Iland of perfittest white each giuing lustre to the other with the sweete countenance God-knowes full of an vnafected languishing though these thinges to a grosly conceauing sense might seeme disgraces yetâ—indeed were they but apparaling beautie in a new fashion which all looked-vpon thorough the spectacles of pittie did euen encrease the lynes of her naturall fairenes so as Amphialus was astonished with griefe compassion and shame detesting his fortune that made him vnfortunate in victory Therefore putting off his headpeece and gauntlet kneeling downe vnto her and with teares testifying his sorow he offred his by himselfe accursed handes to helpe her protesting his life and power to be readie to doo her honour But Parthenia who had inward messingers of the desired deathes approch looking vpon him and streight turning away her feeble sight as from a delightlesse obiect drawing out her words which her breath loath to departe from so sweet a bodie did faintly deliuer Sir said she I pray you if prayers haue place in enemies to let my maides take my body vntouched by you the onely honour I now desire by your meanes is that I haue no honour of you Argalus made no such bargaine with you that the handes which killed him shoulde helpe me I haue of them and I doo not onely pardon you but thanke you for it the seruice which I desired There rests nothing now but that I go liue with him since whose death I haue done nothing but die Then pawsing and a little fainting and againe comming to herselfe O sweete life wel come saide she nowe feele I the bandes vntied of the cruell death which so long hath helde me And O life O death aunswere for mee that my thoughts haue not so much as in a dreame tasted any comfort since they were depriued of Argalus I come my Argalus I come And O God hide my faultes in thy mercies and graunt as I feele thou doost graunt that in thy eternall loue we may loue eche other eternally And this O Lorde But there Atropos cut off her sentence for with that casting vp both eyes and hands to the skies the noble soule departed one might well assure himselfe to heauen which left the bodie in so heauenly a demeanure But Amphialus with a hart oppressed with griefe because of her request withdrewe himselfe but the Iudges as full of pitie had bene al this while disarming her and her gentelwomen with lamentable cries laboring to stanch the remediles wounds and a while she was dead before they perceiued it death being able to diuide the soule but not the beauty from that body But when the infallible tokens of death assured them of their losse one of the women would haue killed her selfe but that the squire of Amphialus perceauing it by force held her Others that had as strong passion though weaker resolution fell to cast dust vppon their heads to teare their garments al falling vpon the earth crying vpon their sweet mistres as if their cries could perswade the soule to leaue the celestiall happines to come againe into the elements of sorrow one time calling to remembrance her vertue chastnes sweetnes goodnes to them another time accursing themselues that they had obeyed her they hauing bene deceaued by her words who asâ—ured theÌ„ that it was reuealed vnto her that she should haue her harts desire in the battaile against Amphialus which they wrongly vnderstood Then kissing her cold hands and feete wearie of the world since she was gone who was their world The very heauens seemed with a cloudie countenance to loure at the losse and Fame it selfe though by nature glad to tell such rare accidents yet could not choose but deliuer it in lamentable accents and in such sort went it quickly all ouer the Campe and as if the aire had bene infected with sorow no hart was so hard but was subiect to that contagion the rarenes of the accideÌ„t matching together the rarely matched together pittie with admiration Basilius himselfe came foorth and brought the faire Gynecia with him who was come into the campe vnder colour of visiting her husband and hearing of her daughters but indeed Zelmane was the Sainct to which her pilgrimage was entended cursing enuying blessing and in her hart kissing the walles which imprisoned her But both they with Philanax and the rest of the principall Nobilitie went out to make Honour triumph ouer Death conueying that excellent body whereto Basilius himselfe would needes lende his shoulder to a Church a mile from the Campe where the valiant Argalus lay intombed recommending to that sepulchre the blessed reliques of faithfull and vertuous Loue giuing order for the making of marble images to represent them and each way enriching the tombe Vpon which Basilius himselfe caused this Epitaph to be written The Epitaph HIs being was in her alone And he not being she was none They ioi'd one ioy one griefe they grieu'd One loue they lou'd one life they liu'd The hand was one one was the sword That did his death hir death afford As all the rest so now the stone That tombes the two is iustly one ARGALVS PARTHENIA Then with eyes full of teares and mouthes full of her prayses returned they to the campe with more and more hate against Amphialus who poore Gentleman had therefore greater portion of woe then any of them For that courteous hearte which would haue grieued but to haue heard the like aduenture was rent with remembring himselfe to be the author so that his wisdome could not so far temper his passion but that he tooke his sword counted the best in the world which with much bloud he had once conquered of a mighty Giant and brake it into many peeces which afterwards he had good cause to repent saying that neither it was worthy to serue the noble exercise of chiualrie nor any other worthy to feele that sword which had stroken so excelleÌ„t a Lady and withall banishing all cheerfulnes of his countenance he returned home Where he gate him to his bed not so much to rest his restles mind as to auoid all company the sight wherof was tedious vnto him
away as well as while you are here take not away your force which bars not the one and bridels the other For as for their shewes and words they are but feare-babes not worthy once to moue a worthy mans conceit which must still consider what in reason they are like to do Their despaire I grant you shall do well to preuent which as it is the last of all resolutions so no man fals into it while so good a way as you may offer is open vnto them In sum you are a Prince and a father of a people who ought with the eye of wisdome the hand of fortitude and the hart of iustice to set downe all priuate conceits in comparison of what for the publike is profitable He would haue proceeded on when Gynecia came running in amazed for her daughter Pamela but mad for Zelmane and falling at Basilius feet besought him to make no delay vsing such gestures of compassion in steed of stopped words that Basilius otherwise enough tender minded easily granted to raise the siege which he saw dangerous to his daughters but indeed more carefull for Zelmane by whose besieged person the poore old man was streightly besieged so as to rid him of the famine of his mind he went in speed away discharging his souldiors only leauing the authority as before in Philanaxis hands he himselfe went with Gynecia to a strong Castle of his where he tooke counsell how first to deliuer Zelmane whom he called the poore stranger as though onely Law of hospitalitie moued him and for that purpose sent diuers messengers to trafficke with Cecropia But she by this meanes rid of the present daunger of the siege desiring Zoilus and Lycurgus to take the care till their brother recouered of reuictualling and furnishing the Citie both with men and what els wanted against any new occasion should vrge them she her selfe disdaining to harken to Basilius without he would grant his daughter in mariage to her son which by no means he would be brought vnto bent all the sharpenesse of her malicious wit how to bring a comfortable graunt to her sonne whereupon she well found no lesse then his life depended Therfore for a while she attēpted all meanes of eloquent praying flattering perswasion mingling sometimes gifts somtimes threatnings as she had cause to hope that either open force or vndermining would best win the castle of their Resolution And euer as much as she did to Philoclea so much did she to Pamela though in manner sometimes differing as she found fit to leuell at the ones noble height and the others sweet lowlinesse For though she knew her sonnes harte had wholly giuen it selfe to Philoclea yet seeing the equall gifts in Pamela she hoped a faire grant would recouer the sorrow of a faire refusall cruelly entending the present impoysoning the one as soone as the others affection were purchased But in vaine was all her vaine oratory employed Pamelaes determination was built vpon so braue a Rock that no shot of hers could reach vnto it and Philoclea though humbly seated was so inuironed with sweete riuers of cleere vertue as could neither be battred nor vndermined her witty perswasiōs had wise answers her eloquence recompenced with sweetnes her threatnings repelled with disdaine in the one and patience in the other her gifts either not accepted or accepted to obey but not to binde So as Cecropia in nature violent cruell because ambitious hatefull for old rooted grudge to their mother and now spitefull because she could not preuaile with girles as she counted them lastly drawne on by her loue to her son and held vp by a tyrannicall authoritie forthwith followed the byas of her own crooked disposition and doubling and redoubling her threatnings fell to confirme some of her threatned effects first withdrawing all comfort both of seruants seruice from them But that those excellent Ladies had bene vsed vnto euen at home and then found in themselues how much good the hardnes of education doth to the resistance of misery Then dishonorably vsing them both in dyet and lodging by a contempt to pull downe their thoughts to yeelding But as before the consideration of a prison had disgraced all ornaments so now the same consideration made them attend al diseasefulnes Then stil as she found those not preuaile would she go forward with giuing them terrors sometimes with noices of horror sometimes with suddaine frightings in the night when the solitary darkenesse thereof might easier astonish the disarmed senses But to all Vertue and Loue resisted strengthned one by the other when each found itselfe ouer-vehemently assaulted Cecropia still sweetning her fiercenesses with faire promises if they would promise faire that feeling euill and seeing a way far better their mindes might the sooner be mollified But they that could not taste her behauiour when it was pleasing indeed could worse now when they had lost all taste by her iniuries She resoluing all extremities rather then faile of conquest pursued on her rugged way letting no day passe without new and new perplexing the poore Ladies minds and troubling their bodies and still swelling the more she was stopped and growing hot with her owne doings at length abhominable rage carried her to absolute tyrannies so that taking with her certaine olde women of wicked dispositions and apt for enuie-sake to be cruell to youth and beautie with a countenance impoisoned with malice flew to the sweet Philoclea as if so many Kites should come about a white Doue and matching violēt gestures with mischieuous threatnings she hauing a rod in her hand like a fury that should carry wood to the burning of Dianas temple fell to scourge that most beautifull body Loue in vaine holding the shield of Beautie against her blind cruelty The Son drew clouds vp to hide his face frō so pitifull a sight and the very stone walls did yeeld drops of sweate for agonie of such a mischiefe each senselesse thing had sense of pittie onely they that had sense were senseles Vertue rarely found her worldly weakenes more then by the oppression of that day and weeping Cupid told his weeping mother that he was sorie he was not deafe as well as blind that he might neuer know so lamentable a worke Philoclea with tearefull eyes and sobbing breast as soone as her wearines rather then compassion gaue her respite kneeled down to Cecropia making pittie in her face honourable and torment delightfull besought her since she hated her for what cause she tooke God to witnesse she knew not that she would at once take away her life and not please her selfe with the tormenting of a poore Gentlewoman If said she the common course of humanitie cannot moue you nor the hauing me in your owne walles cannot claime pittie nor womanlie mercie nor neere alliance nor remembrance how miserable so euer now that I am a Princes daughter yet let the loue you haue often tolde me your sonne beares me so much procure that for his
that mankind is not growen monstrous being vndoubtedly lesse euill a guiltie man shoulde escape then a guiltlesse perish so if in the rest they be spotlesse then is no farther to be remembred But if they haue aggrauated these suspitions with newe euills then are those suspitions so farre to showe themselues as to cause the other pointes to be thorowly examined and with lesse fauour wayed since this no man can deny they haue beene accidentall if not principall causes of the Kinges death Now then we are to determine of the other matters which are laide to them wherein they doe not deny the facte but deny or at leaste diminish the faulte but first I may remember though it were not first alleaged by them the seruices they had before done truely honourable and worthy of greate rewarde but not worthy to counteruaile with a following wickednes Rewarde is proper to well doing punishment to euill doing which must bee confounded no more then good and euill are to be mingled Therefore hath bene determined in all wisedomes that no man because he hath done well before should haue his present euils spared but rather so much the more punished as hauing shewed he knew how to be good woulde against his knowledge bee naught The facte then is nakedly without passion or partialitie to bee viewed wherein without all question they are equallie culpable For though he that termes himselfe Daiphantus were sooner disapointed of his purpose of conueying away the Lady Philoclea then he that perswaded the Princesse Pamela to flie her countrie and accompanied her in it yet seing in causes of this nature the wil by the rules of iustice standeth for the deed they are both alike to bee founde guiltie and guiltie of hainous rauishment For though they rauished them not from themselues yet they rauished them from him that owed them which was their father An acte punished by all the Graecian lawes by the losse of the head as a most execrable thefte For if they must dye who steale from vs our goodes how much more they who steale from vs that for which we gather our goodes and if our lawes haue it so in the priuate persons much more forcible are they to bee in Princes children where one steales as it were the whole state and well being of that people being tyed by the secret of a long vse to be gouerned by none but the next of that bloud Neither let any man maruaile our ancestours haue bene so seuere in these cases since the example of the Phenician Europa but especially of the Grecian Helene hath taught them what destroying fires haue growen of such sparckles And although Helene was a wife and this but a child that booteth not since the principall cause of marrying wiues is that we may haue children of our owne But now let vs see how these yong men truely for their persons worthy of pittie if they haue rightly pittied themselues do goe about to mittigate the vehemencie of their errors Some of their excuses are common to both some peculiar onely to him that was the sheepeheard Both remember the force of loue and as it were the mending vp of the matter by their marriage if that vnbrideled desire which is intituled loue might purge such a sickenes as this surely wee shoulde haue many louing excuses of hatefull mischiefe Nay rather no mischiefe shoulde be committed that should not be vailed vnder the name of loue For as well he that steales might alleage the loue of mony he that murders the loue of reuenge he that rebells the loue of greatnesse as the adulterer the loue of a woman Since they do in all speeches affirme they loue that which an ill gouerned passion maketh them to follow But loue may haue no such priuiledge That sweete and heauenly vniting of the mindes which properly is called loue hath no other knot but vertue and therefore if it be a right loue it can neuer slide into any action that is not vertuous The other and indeed more effectuall reason is that they may be married vnto them and so honourably redresse the dishonour of them whom this matter seemeth most to touch Surely if the question were what were conuenient for the parties and not what is iuste in the neuer changing iustice there might much bee saide in it But herein we must consider that the lawes look how to preuent by due examples that such thinges be not done and not how to salue such things when they are doone For if the gouernors of iustice shall take such a scope as to measure the foote of the lawe by a show of conueniencie and measure that conueniencie not by the publike societie but by that which is fittest for them which offende young men stronge men and rich men shall euer finde priuate conueniences howe to palliate such committed disorders as to the publike shall not onely bee inconuenient but pestilent The marriage perchaunce might be fit for them but verie vnfit were it to the state to allowe a patterne of such procurations of marriage And thus much doe they both alleage Further goes he that went with the Princesse Pamela requireth the benefit of a councellor who hath place of free perswasion and the reasonable excuse of a seruant that did but waite of his mistres Without all question as councellors haue great cause to take heede how they aduise any thing directly opposite to the forme of that present gouernement especially when they doe it singly without publike alowaunce so yet is the case much more apparant since neither she was an effectuall Princesse her father being then aliue though he had bene deade she not come to the yeares of aucthoritie nor hee her seruant in such manner to obey her but by his owne preferment first belonging to Dametas and then to the Kinge and therefore if not by Arcadia lawes yet by housholde orders bounde to haue done nothing without his agreement Thus therefore since the deedes accomplished by these two are both abhominable and inexcuseable I doe in the behalfe of iustice by the force of Arcadia lawes pronounce that Daiphantus shal be throwne out of a hie tower to receaue his death by his fall Palladius shall bee behedded the time before the sunne set the place in Mantinea the executioner Dametas which office he shall execute all the dayes of his life for his beastly forgetting the carefull dutie he owed to his charge This saide he turned himselfe to Philanax and two of the other noble men commaunding them to see the iudgement presently performed Philâ—nax more greedie then any hunter of his praye went straite to laye holde of the excellent prisoners who casting a farewell looke one vpon the other represented in their faces asmuch vnappalled constancie as the most excellent courage can deliuer in outward graces Yet if at all there were any shewe of change in them it was that Pyrocles was somthing neerer to bashfulnes and Musidorus to anger both ouer ruled by