shape which by mans eye might be perceaued Vertue is dead now set the triumph here Now set thy triumph in this world bereaued Of what was good where now no good doth lie And by the pompe our losse will be conceaued O notes of mine your selues together tie With too much griefe me thinkes you are dissolued Your dolefull tunes sweet Muses now applie Time euer old and yong is still reuolued Within it selfe and neuer tasteth ende But mankind is for aye to nought resolued The filthy snake her aged coate can mende And getting youth againe in youth doth flourish But vnto Man age euer death doth sende The very trees with grafting we can cherish So that we can long time produce their time But Man which helpeth them helplesse must perish Thus thus the mindes which ouer all doo clime When they by yeares experience get best graces Must finish then by deaths detested crime We last short while and build long lasting places Ah let vs all against foule Nature crie We Natures workes doo helpe she vs defaces For how can Nature vnto this reply That she her child I say her best child killeth Your dolefull tunes sweete Muses now apply Alas me thinkes my weakned voice but spilleth The vehement course of this iust lamentation Me thinkes my sound no place with sorrow filleth I know not I but once in detestation I haue my â—elfe and all what life containeth Since Death on Vertues fort hath made inuasion One word of woe another after traineth Ne doo I care how râ—de be my inuention So it be seene what sorrow in me raigneth O Elements by whose men say contention Our bodies be in liuing power maintained Was this mans death the fruite of your dissention O Phisickes power which some say hath restrained Approch of death alas thou helpest meagerly When once one is for Atropos distrained Great be Physitions brags but aid is beggerly When rooted moisture failes or groweth drie They leaue off all and say death commes too eagerlie They are but words therefore that men do buy Of any since God AEsculapius ceased Your dolefull tunes sweete Muses now apply Iustice iustice is now alas oppressed Bountifulnes hath made his last conclusion Goodnes for best attire in dust is dressed Shepheards bewaile your vttermost confusion And see by this picture to you presented Death is our home life is but a delusion For see alas who is from you absented Absented nay I say for euer banished From such as were to dye for him contented Out of our sight in turne of hand is vanished Shepherd of shepherds whose well setled order Priuate with welth publike with quiet garnished While he did liue farre farre was all disorder Example more preuailing then direction Far was homestrife and far was foe from border His life a law his looke a full correction As in his health we healthfull were preserued So in his sicknesse grew our sure infection His death our death But ah my Muse hath swarued From such deepe plaint as should such woes descrie Which he of vs for euer hath deserued The stile of heauie hart can neuer flie So high as should make such a paine notorious Cease Muse therfore thy dart ô Death applie And farewell Prince whom goodnesse hath made glorious Many were readie to haue followed this course but the day was so wasted that onely this riming Sestine deliuered by one of great account among them could obtaine fauour to be heard FArewell ô Sunn Arcadias clâ—arest light Farewell ô pearl the poore man plenteous treasure Farewell ô golden staffe the weake mans might Farewell ô Ioy the ioyfulls onely pleasure Wisdome farewell the skillesse mans direction Farewell with thee farewell all our affection For what place now is lefte for our affection Now that of purest lampe is quench'd the light Which to our darkned mindes was best direction Now that the mine is lost of all our treasure Now death hath swallow'd vp our worldly pleasure We Orphans made void of all publique might Orphans in deede depriu'd of fathers might For he our father was in all affection In our well-doing placing all his pleasure Still studying how to vs to be a ligh As well he was in peace a safest treasure In warr his wit word was our direction Whence whence alas shall we seeke our direction When that we feare our hatefull neighbours might Who long haue gap't to get Arcadians treasure Shall we now finde a guide of such affection Who for our sakes will thinke all trauaile light And make his paine to keepe vs safe his pleasure No no for euer gone is all our pleasure For euer wandring from all good direction For euer blinded of our clearest light For euer lamed of our sured might For euer banish'd from well plac'd affection For euer robd of all our royall treasure Let teares for him therefore be all our treasure And in our wailfull naming him our pleasure Let hating of our selues be our affection And vnto death bend still our thoughts direction Let vs against our selues employ our might And putting out our eyes seeke we our light Farewell our light farewell our spoiled treasure Farewell our might farewell our daunted pleasure Farewell direction farewell all affection The night beganne to cast her darke Canopie ouer them and they euen wearie with their woes bended homewardes hoping by sleepe forgetting them selues to ease their present dolours When they were mett with a troupe of twentie horse the chiefe of which asking them for the Kinge and vnderstanding the hard newes thereupon stayed among them expecting the returne of a messenger whome with speede he dispatched to Philanax The ende of the fourth Booke THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTESSE OF PEMBROKES ARCADIA THE daungerous diuision of mens mindes the ruinous renting of all estates had nowe brought Arcadia to feele the pangs of vttermost perill such convulsions neuer comming but that the life of that gouernment drawes neere his necessarye periode when to the honest and wife Philanax equally distracted betwixt desire of his maisters reuenge and care of the states establishment there came vnlooked for a Macedonian Gentleman who in short but pithye maner deliuered vnto him that the renowmed Euarchus King of Macedon purposing to haue visited his olde friend and confederate the King Basilius was nowe come within halfe a mile of the Lodges where hauing vnderstoode be certayne Shepheards the sodayne death of theyr Prince had sent vnto him of whose authoritye and faith he had good knowledge desiring him to aduertise him in what securitie hee might rest there for that night where willinglye hee woulde if safely hee might helpe to celebrate the funeralls of his auncient companion and alye adding hee neede not doubt since hee had brought but twentye in his companye hee woulde be so vnwise as to enter into any forcible attempte with so small force Philâ—nax hauing entertayned the Gentleman aswell as in the middest of so many tumultes hee coulde pausing awhile with himselfe considering howe
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
other turning my selfe to Mopsa but keeping mine eye where it was faire Mopsa said I well doo I finde by the wise knitting together of your answere that any disputation I can vse is asmuch too weake as I vnworthy I find my loue shal be proued no loue without I leue to loue being too vnfit a vessell in whom so high thoughts should be engraued Yet since the Loue I beare you hath so ioyned it selfe to the best part of my life as the one can not depart but that th' other will follow before I seeke to obey you in making my last passage let me know which is my vnworthines either of mind estate or both Mopsa was about to say in neither for her hart I thinke tumbled with ouermuch kindnesse when Pamela with a more fauourable countenance then before finding how apt I was to fall into despaire told me I might therein haue answered my selfe for besides that it was graunted me that the inward feeling of Mopsaes perfections had greatly beautified my minde there was none could denie but that my minde and bodie deserued great allowance But Dorus sayd she you must be so farre maister of your loue as to consider that since the iudgement of the world stands vpon matter of fortune and that the sexe of womankind of all other is most bound to haue regardfull eie to mens iudgements it is not for vs to play the philosophers in seeking out your hidden vertues since that which in a wise prince would be counted wisdome in vs will be taken for a light-grounded affection so is not one thing one done by diuers persons There is no man in a burning feuer feeles so great contentment in cold water greedily receiued which assoone as the drinke ceaseth the rage reneweth as poore I found my soule refreshed with her sweetly pronounced words and newly and more violently againe enflamed assoone as she had closed vp her delightfull speech with no lesse well graced silence But remembring in my selfe that aswell the Souldier dieth which standeth still as he that giues the brauest onset and seeing that to the making vp of my fortune there wanted nothing so much as the making knowne of mine estate with a face well witnessing how deeply my soule was possessed and with the most submissiue behauior that a thralled hart could expresse euen as my words had bene too thicke for my mouth at length spake to this purpose Alas most worthy Princesse said I and do not then your owne sweet words sufficiently testifie that there was neuer man could haue a iuster action against filthy fortune then I since all other things being granted me her blindnesse is my onely let O heauenly God I would either she had such eyes as were able to discerne my deserts or I were blind not to see the daily cause of my misfortune But yet said I most honoured Lady if my miserable speeches haue not already cloied you and that the verie presence of such a wretch become not hatefull in your eyes let me reply thus much further against my mortall sentence by telling you a storie which happened in this same country long since for woes make the shortest time seeme long whereby you shall see that my estate is not so contemptible but that a Prince hath bene content to take the like vpon him and by that onely hath aspired to enioy a mightie Princesse Pamela gratiously harkened and I told my tale in this sort In the countrie of Thessalia alas why name I that accursed country which brings forth nothing but matters for tragedies but name it I must in Thessalia I say there was well may I say there was a Prince no no Prince whome bondage wholly possessed but yet accounted a Prince and named Musidorus O Musidorus Musidorus but to what serue exclamations where there are no eares to receiue the sound This Musidorus being yet in the tendrest age his worthy father paied to nature with a violent death her last duties leauing his childe to the faith of his friends and the proofe of time death gaue him not such pangs as the foresight-full care he had of his silly successour And yet if in his foresight he could haue seene so much happie was that good Prince in his timely departure which barred him from the knowledge of his sonnes miseries which his knowledge could neither haue preuented nor relieued The young Musidorus being thus as for the first pledge of the destenies good will depriued of his principall stay was yet for some yeares after as if the starres would breath themselues for a greater mischiefe lulled vp in as much good luck as the heedfull loue of his dolefull mother and the fâ—orishing estate of his country could breed vnto him But when the time now came that miserie seemed to be ripe for him because he had age to knowe misery I thinke there was a conspiracy in all heauenly and earthly things to frame fit occasions to leade him vnto it His people to whom all matters in foretime were odious beganne to wish in their beloued Prince experience by trauaile his deare mother whose eyes were held open onely with the ioy of looking vpon him did now dispense with the comfort of her widowhead life desiring the same her subiectes did for the increase of her sonnes worthinesse And hereto did Musidorus owne vertue see how vertue can bee a minister to mischiefe sufficiently prouoke him for indeed thus much I must say for him although the likenesse of our mishaps makes me presume to patterne my selfe vnto him that well-doing was at that time his scope from which no faint pleasure could with-hold him But the present occasion which did knit al this together was his vncle the king of Macedon who hauing lately before gotten such victories as were beyond expectation did at this time send both for the Prince his sonne brought vp together to auoid the warres with Musidorus and for Musidorus himselfe that his ioy might be the more full hauing such partakers of it But alas to what a sea of miseries my plaintfull toong doth lead me thus out of breath rather with that I thought then that I said I stayed my speech til Pamela shewing by countenaÌ„ce that such was her pleasure I thus continued it These two young Princes to satisfie the king tooke their way by sea towards Thrace whether they would needs go with a Nauie to succour him he being at that time before Bizantium with a mighty Army beseeging it wher at that time his court was But wheÌ„ the coÌ„spired heauens had gotten this Subiect of their wrath vpoÌ„ so fit a place as the sea was they streight began to breath out in boystrous winds some part of their malice against him so that with the losse of al his Nauie he only with the Prince his cosin were cast a land farre off from the place whether their desires would haue guided them O cruell winds in your vnconsiderate rages why either began you this furie or
gouernement as to lay before your eyes the picture of his proceedings But in such sorte hee flourished in the sweete comforte of dooing much good when by an accasion of leauing his Countrie he was forced to bring foorth his vertue of magnanimitie as before hee had done of iustice He had onely one sister a Ladie lest I should too easilie fall to partiall prayses of her of whom it may be iustly saide that she was no vnfit branch to the noble stock whereof she was come Her he had giuen in mariage to Dorilaus Prince of Thessalia not so much to make a frendship as to confirm the frendship betweene their posteritie which betweene them by the likenes of vertue had beene long before made for certainly Dorilaus could neede no amplifiers mouth for the highest point of praise Who hath not heard said Pamela of the valiant wise and iust Dorilaus whose vnripe death doth yet so many yeares since draw teares from vertuous eyes And indeede my father is wont to speake of nothing with greater admiration then of the notable friâ—ndship a rare thing in Princes more rare betweene Princes that so holily was obserued to the last of those two excellent men But said she go on I pray you Dorilaus said he hauing married his sister had his marriage in short time blest for so are folke woont to say how vnhappie soeuer the children after grow with a sonne whom they named Musidorus of whom I must needes first speake before I come to Pyrocles because as he was borne first so vpon his occasion grew as I may say accidentally the others birth For scarcely was Musidorus made partaker of this oft-blinding light when there were found numbers of Southsayers who affirmed strange and incredible thinges should be performed by that childe whether the heauens at that time listed to play with ignorant mankinde or that flatterie be so presumptuous as euen at times to borrow the face of Diuinitie But certainly so did the boldnesse of their affirmation accompanie the greatnesse of what they did affirm euen descending to particularities what kingdoms he should ouercome that the king of Phrygia who ouer-superstitiously thought himselfe touched in the matter sought by force to destroy the infant to preuent his after-expectations because a skilfull man hauing compared his natiuity with the child so told him Foolish man either vainly fearing what was not to be feared or not considering that if it were a worke of the superiour powers the heauens at length are neuer children But so he did and by the aid of the Kings of Lydia and Crete ioining together their armies inuaded Thessalia and brought Dorilaus to some behind-hand of fortune when his faithfull friend and brother Euarchus came so mightily to his succour that with some enterchanging changes of fortune they begat of a iust war the best child peace In which time Euarchus made a crosse mariage also with Dorilaus his sister and shortly left her with child of the famous Pyrocles driuen to returne to the defence of his owne countrie which in his absence helped with some of the ill contented nobilitie the mighty King of Thrace and his brother King of Pannonia had inuaded The successe of those warres was too notable to be vnknowne to your eares to which it seemes all worthy fame hath glory to come vnto But there was Dorilaus valiantly requiting his friends helpe in a great battaile depriued of life his obsequies being no more solemnised by the teares of his partakers then the bloud of his enimies with so pearcing a sorrow to the constant hart of Euarchus that the newes of his sons birth could lighten his countenance with no shew of comfort although all the comfort that might be in a child truth it selfe in him forthwith deliuered For what fortune onely southsayers foretold of Musidorus that all men might see prognosticated in Pyrocles both Heauens and Earth giuing tokens of the comming forth of an Heroicall vertue The senate house of the planets was at no time so set for the decreeing of perfection in a man as at that time all folkes skilfull therein did acknowledge onely loue was threatned and promised to him and so to his cousin as both the tempest and hauen of their best yeares But as death may haue preuented Pyrocles so vnworthinesse must be the death of Musidorus But the mother of Pyrocles shortly after her childe-birth dying was cause that Euarchus recommended the care of his only sonne to his sister doing it the rather because the warre continued in cruell heat betwixt him and those euill neighbours of his In which meane time those young Princes the only comforters of that vertuous widow grewe on so that Pyrocles taught admiration to the hardest conceats Musidorus perchaunce because among his subiects exceedingly beloued and by the good order of Euarchus well perfourmed by his sister they were so brought vp that all the sparkes of vertue which nature had kindled in them were so blowne to giue forth their vttermost heate that iustly it may be affirmed they enflamed the affections of all that knew them For almost before they could perfectly speake they began to receaue conceits not vnworthy of the best speakers excellent deuises being vsed to make euen their sports profitable images of battailes and fortifications being then deliuered to their memory which after their stronger iudgements might dispense the delight of tales being conuerted to the knowledge of all the stories of worthy Princes both to moue them to do nobly and teach them how to do nobly the beautie of vertue still being set before their eyes and that taught them with far more diligent care then Grammaticall rules their bodies exercised in all abilities both of doing and suffring and their mindes acquainted by degrees with daungers and in sum all bent to the making vp of princely mindes no seruile feare vsed towards them nor any other violent restraint but still as to Princes so that a habite of commaunding was naturalized in them and therefore the farther from Tyrannie Nature hauing done so much for them in nothing as that it made them Lords of truth whereon all the other goods were builded Among which nothing I so much delight to recount as the memorable friendship that grew betwixt the two Princes such as made them more like then the likenesse of all other vertues and made them more neere one to the other then the neerenes of their bloud could aspire vnto which I think grew the faster and the faster was tied betweene them by reason that Musidorus being elder by three or foure yeares it was neither so great a difference in age as did take away the delight in societie and yet by the difference there was taken away the occasion of childish contentions till they had both past ouer the humour of such contentions For Pyrocles bare reuerence full of loue to Musidorus and Musidorus had a delight full of loue in Pyrocles Musidorus what he had learned either for body or minde
humble gesture beare false witnesse for his true meaning that he found not onely souldiery but people weary of his gouernment and all their affections bent vpon Plangus Both he and the Queene concurring in strange dreames and each thing else that in a minde already perplexed might breed astonishment so that within a while all Plangus actions began to be translated into the language of suspition Which though Plâ—ngus found yet could he not auoid euen contraries being driuen to draw one yoke of argument if he were magnificent he spent much with an aspiring intent if he spared hee heaped much with an aspiring intent if hee spake curteously he angled the peoples harts if he were silent he mused vpon some daungerous plot In summe if hee could haue turned himselfe to as many formes as Proteus euery forme should haue bene made hideous But so it fell out that a meere trifle gaue them occasion of further proceeding The King one morning going to a vineyard that lay a long the hill where vpon his castle stood he saw a vine-labourer that finding a bowe broken tooke a branch of the same bowe for want of another thing and tied it about the place broken The King asking the fellow what he did Marry said he I make the sonne binde the father This word finding the King alredy supersticious through suspition amazed him streight as a presage of his owne fortune so that returning and breaking with his wife how much he misdoubted his estate she made such gaine-saying answeres as while they straue straue to be ouercome But euen while the doubtes most boiled she thus nourished them She vnder-hand dealt with the principall men of that country that at the great Parliament which was then to bee held they should in the name of all the estates perswade the King being now stept deeply into old age to make Plangus his associate in gouernment with him assuring them that not onely she would ioine with them but that the father himfelfe would take it kindly charging them not to acquaint Plangus withall for that perhaps it might be harmefull vnto him if the King should finde that he were a party They who thought they might do it not onely willingly because they loued him and truely because such indeed was the mind of the people but safely because she who ruled the King was agreed thereto accomplished her counsell she indeed keeping promise of vehement perswading the same which the more she and they did the more shee knew her husband woulde feare and hate the cause of his feare Plangus found this and humbly protested against such desire or will to accept But the more hee protested the more his father thought he dissembled accounting his integrity to be but a cuÌ„ning face of falshood and therefore delaying the desire of his subiects attended some fit occasion to lay hands vpon his sonne which his wife thus brought to passe She caused that same minister of hers to go vnto Plangus and enabling his words with great shew of faith and endearing them with desire of secresie to tell him that he found his ruine conspired by his stepmother with certaine of the noble men of that country the King himselfe giuing his consent and that few daies shoulde passe before the putting it in practize with all discouering the very truth indeede with what cunning his stepmother had proceeded This agreing with Plangus his owne opinion made him giue him the better credit yet not so far as to flie out of his country according to the naughty fellowes persuasion but to attend and to see further Whereupon the fellow by the direction of his mistresse told him one day that the same night about one of the clocke the King had appointed to haue his wife and those noble men together to deliberate of their manner of proceeding against Plangus and therefore offered him that if himselfe would agree hee woulde bring him into a place where hee should heare all that passed and so haue the more reason both to himselfe and to the world to seeke his safetie The poore Plangus being subiect to that onely disaduantage of honest harts credulitie was perswaded by him and arming himselfe because of his late going was closely conueied into the place appointed In the meane time his stepmother making al her gestures cuÌ„ningly counterfait a miserable affliction she lay almost groueling on the flower of her chaÌ„ber not suffering any body to comfort her vntill they calling for her husband and he held of with long enquiry at length she tolde him euen almost crying out euery word that she was wery of her life since shee was brought to that plunge either to conceale her husbands murther or accuse her sonne who had euer beene more deare then a sonne vnto her Then with many interruptions and exclamations she tolde him that her sonne Plangus solliciting her in the olde affection betweene them had besought her to put her helping hand to the death of the King assuring her that though all the lawes in the world were against it he would marrie her when he were King She had not fully said thus much with many pitifull digressioÌ„s when in comes the same fellow that brought PlaÌ„gus ruÌ„ning himself out of breath fell at the Kings feet beseeching him to saue himself for that there was a man with a sword drawen in the next roome The King affrighted weÌ„t out called his gard who entring the place fouÌ„d indeed Plangus with his sword in his hand but not naked but standing suspiciously inough to one already suspicious The King thinking hee had put vp his sworde because of the noise neuer tooke leasure to heare his answer but made him prisoner meaning the next morning to put him to death in the market place But the day had no sooner opened the eies eares of his friends followers but that there was a little army of them who came by force deliuered him although numbers on the other side abused with the fine framing of their report took armes for the King But Plangus though he might haue vsed the force of his friends to reuenge his wrong and get the crowne yet the naturall loue of his father and hate to make their suspition seeme iust caused him rather to choose a voluntarie exile then to make his fathers death the purchase of his life and therefore went he to Tiridates whose mother was his fathers sister liuing in his Court eleuen or twelue yeares euer hoping by his intercession and his owne desert to recouer his fathers grace At the end of which time the warre of Erona happened which my sister with the cause thereof discoursed vnto you But his father had so deeply engraued the suspition in his hart that he thought his flight rather to proceed of a fearefull guiltines then of an humble faithfulnes and therefore continued his hate with such vehemencie that he did euen hate his Nephew Tiridates and afterwardes his neece Artaxia because in their Court
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
when they were softly layed but that if her sonne would follow her counsell he should take another course with her and so flang away from her Yet knowing the desperate melancholy of Amphialus in like cases framed to him a very thankefull message poudring it with some hope-giuing phrases which were of such ioy to Amphialus that he though against publike respect and importunity of dissuaders presently caused it to be made knowne to the campe that whatsoeuer Knight would trie the like fortune as Phalantus did he should in like sort be answered so as diuers of the valiantest partly of themselues partly at the instigation of Basilius attempted the combat with him and according to euery ones humour so were the causes of the challenge grounded one laying treason to his charge another preferring himselfe in the worthinesse to serue Philoclea a third exalting some Ladies beautie beyonde either of the sisters a fourth laying disgraces to Loue it selfe naming it the bewitcher of the witte the rebell to Reason the betrayer of resolution the defiler of thoughts the vnderminer of magnanimitie the flatterer of vice the slaue to weakenes the infection of youth the madnes of age the curse of life and reproch of death a fifth disdayning to cast at lesse then at all would make the cause of his quarrell the causers of loue and proclayme his blasphemies against womankinde that namely that sex was the ouersight of Nature the disgrace of reasonablenes the obstinate cowards the slaue-borne tyrants the shops of vanities the guilded wethercocks in whome coÌ„science is but peeuishnes chastitie way wardnes and gratefulnes a miracle But all these challenges how well so euer endited were so well answered that some by death taught others though past learning themselues and some by yeelding gaue themselues the lie for hauing blasphemed to the great griefe of Basilius so to see his Rebell preuaile and in his owne sight to crowne himselfe with deserued honour Whereupon thirsting for reuenge and else not hoping to preuaile the best of his campe being already ouerthrowne he sent a messenger to Argalus in whose approued courage and force he had and had cause to haue great considence with a letter requiring him to take this quarrell in hand from which hee had hetherto spared him in respect of his late mariage But now his honour and as he esteemed it felicitie standing vpon it hee coulde no longer forbeare to chalenge of him his faithfull seruice The messenger made speede and found Argalus at a castle of his owne sitting in a parler with the faire Parthenia he reading in a booke the stories of Hercules she by him as to heare him reade but while his eyes looked on the booke shee looked on his eies and sometimes staying him with some prety question not so much to bee resolued of the doubte as to giue him occasion to looke vpon her A happy couple he ioying in her she ioying in her selfe but in her selfe because shee enioyed him both encreasing their riches by giuing to â—ach other each making one life double because they made a double life one where desire neuer wanted satisfaction nor satisfaction euer bred sacietie he ruling because she would obey or rather because she would obey she therein ruling But when the messenger came in with letters in his hand and hast in his countenance though she knew not what to feare yet she feared because she knew not but she rose and went aside while hee deliuered his letters and message yet a far off she looked now at the messenger and then at her husband the same feare which made her loth to haue cause of feare yet making her seeke cause to nourish her feare And well she found there was some serious matter for her husbands countenance figured some resolution betweene lothnesse and necessitie and once his eie cast vpon her and finding hers vpon him he blushed and she blushed because hee blushed and yet streight grew pale because she knew not why he had blushed But when he had read and heard and dispatched away the messenger like a man in whom Honour could not be rocked a sleepe by Affection with promise quickly to follow he came to Parthenia and as sorie as might bee for parting and yet more sorie for her sorrow he gaue her the letter to reade She with fearfull slownes tooke it and with fearefull quicknesse read it and hauing read it Ah my Argalus said she and haue you made such hast to answere and are you so soone resolued to leaue me But hee discoursing vnto her how much it imported his honour which since it was deare to him he knew it would be deare vnto her her reason ouerclowded with sorrow suffered her not presently to replie but left the charge thereof to teares and sighes which he not able to beare left her alone and went to giue order for his present departure But by that time he was armde readie to go she had recouered a little strength of spirite againe and comming out and seing him armed and wanting nothing â—or his departure but her fearewell she ran to him tooke him by the arme and kneeling downe without regard who either heard her speach or sawe her demeanour My Argalus my Argalus said she do not thus forsake me RemeÌ„ber alas RemeÌ„ber that I haue interest in you which I wil neuer yeeld shal be thus adueÌ„tured Your valour is already sufficiently knowne sufficiently haue you already done for your country ennow ennow there are besides you to loose lesse worthie liues Woe is me what shall become of me if you thus abandon mee Then was it time for you to followe these aduentures when you aduentured no body but your self and were no bodies but your owne But now pardon me that now or neuer I claime mine owne mine you are and without me you can vndertake no danger and will you endanger Parthenia Parthenia shal be in the battle of your fight Parthenia shal smart in your paine and your blood must bee bled by Parthenia Deare Parthenia said he this is the first time that euer you resisted my will I thanke you for it but perseuer not in it and let not the teares of those most beloued eies be a presage vnto me of that which you would not should happen I shall liue doubte not for so great a blessing as you are was not giuen vnto me so soone to be depriued of it Looke for me therefore shortly and victorious and prepare a ioyfull welcome and I will wish for no other triumph She answered not but stood as it were thunder-striken with amazement â—or true Loue made obedience stand vp against al other passions But when he tooke her in his armes and sought to printe his harte in her sweete lippes she fell in a sounde so as he was faine to leaue her to her Gentlewomen and caried away by the tyrannie of Honour though with manie a backe-cast looke and hartie grone went to the campe Where vnderstanding the
sake one death may be thought inough for me I haue not liued so many yeares but that one death may be able to conclude them neither haue my faults I hope bene so many but that one death may satisfie them It is no great suite to an enemie when but death is desired I craue but that and as for the graunting your request know for certaine you lose your labours being euery day furtherof-minded from becomming his wife who vseth me like a slaue But that in stead of getting grace renued againe Cecropias fury so that excellent creature she was newly againe tormented by those hellish monsters Cecropia vsing no other words but that she was a proud and vngratefull wench and that she would teach her to know her owne good since of her selfe she would not conceaue it So that with silence and patience like a faire gorgeous armour hammered vppon by an ilfauoured Smith she abode their pittiles dealing with her till rather reseruing her for more then meaning to end they left her to an vncomfortable leysure to consider with her selfe her fortune both helplesse her selfe being a prisoner and hopelesse since Zelmane was a prisoner who therein onely was short of the bottome of miserie that she knew not how vnworthilie her Angell by these deuils was abused but wanted God wot no stings of griefe when those words did but strike vpon her hart that Philoclea was a captiue and she not able to succour her For well she knew the confidence Philoclea had in her and well she knew Philoclea had cause to haue confidence and all troden vnder foot by the wheele of senselesse Fortune Yet if there be that imperious power in the soule as it can deliuer knowledge to another without bodilie organs so vehement were the workings of their spirites as one mette with other though themselues perceaued it not but onely thought it to be the doubling of their owne louing fancies And that was the onely worldly thing whereon Philoclea rested her minde that she knewe she should die beloued of Zelmane and should die rather then be false to Zelmane And so this most daintie Nimphe easing the paine of her minde with thinking of anothers paine and almost forgetting the paine of her bodie through the paine of her minde she wasted euen longing for the conclusion of her tedious tragedie But for a while she was vnuisited Cecropia employing her time in vsing the like crueltie vpon Pamela her harte growing not onely to desire the fruite of punishing them but euen to delight in the punishing them But if euer the beames of perfection shined through the clowdes of affliction if euer Vertue tooke a bodie to shewe his els vnconceaueable beautie it was in Pamela For when Reason taught her there was no resistance for to iust resistance first her harte was enclined then with so heauenly a quietnes and so gracefull a calmenes did she suffer the diuers kindes of torments they vsed to her that while they vexed her faire bodie it seemed that she rather directed then obeyed the vexation And when Cecropia ended and asked whether her harte woulde yeelde she a little smiled but such a smiling as shewed no loue and yet could not but be louelie And then Beastlie woman sayde shee followe on doo what thou wilte and canst vpon me for I know thy power is not vnlimited Thou maist well wracke this sillie bodie but me thou canst neuer ouerthrowe For my part I will not doo theâ— the pleasure to desire death of thee but assure thy selfe both my life and death shall triumph with honour laying shame vpon thy detestable tyranny And so in effect conquering their doing with her suffering while Cecropia tried as many sorts of paines as might rather vexe them then spoyle them for that she would not do while she were in any hope to winne either of them for her sonne Pamela remained almost as much content with triall in her selfe what vertue could doo as grieued with the miserie wherein she found her selfe plunged only sometimes her thoughts softned in her when with open wings they flew to Musidorus For then she would thinke with her selfe how grieuously Musidorus would take this her miserie and she that wept not for herselfe wept yet Musidorus teares which he would weepe for her For gentle Loue did easlier yeeld to lamentation then the constancy of vertue would els admitte Then would she remember the case wherein she had left her poore shepheard and she that wished death for her selfe feared death for him and she that condemned in her selfe the feeblenes of sorrow yet thought it great reason to be sory for his sorow and she that long had prayed for the vertuous ioyning themselues together now thinking to die herselfe hartely prayed that long time their fortunes might be seperated Liue long my Musidorus would she say and let my name liue in thy mouth in thy harte my memorie Liue long that thou mayst loue long the chast loue of thy dead Pamela Then would she wish to her selfe that no other woman might euer possesse his hart and yet scarcely the wish was made a wish when her selfe would finde fault with it as being too vniust that so excellent a man should be banished from the comfort of life Then would she fortifie her resolution with bethinking the worst taking the counsell of vertue and comfort of loue So these diamonds of the world whom Nature had made to be preciously set in the eyes of men to be the chiefe workes of her workemanship the chiefe ornaments of the worlde and Princesses of felicitie by rebellious iniury were brought to the vttermost distres that an enemies hart could wish or a womans spite inuent Cecropia dayly in one or other sorte punishing them still with her euill torments giuing them feare of worse making the feare it selfe the sorest torment of all that in the ende wearie of their bodies they should be content to bestow them at her appointment But as in labour the more one doth exercise it the more by the doing one is enhabled to doo strength growing vpon the worke so as what at first would haue seemed impossible after growes easie so these Princesses second to none and far from any second only to be matched by themselues with the vse of suffering their minds gat the habit of suffring so as all feares and terrors were to them but summons to a battaile whereof they knew before hand they would be victorious and which in the suffering was painfull being suffered was a trophe to it selfe whereby Cecropia found her selfe still farder off for where at first she might perchance haue perswaded them to haue visited her sonne and haue giuen him some comforte in his sicknesse drawing neere to the confines of Deaths kingdome now they protested that they would neuer otherwise speake to him then as to the enemy of most vniust cruelty towards them that any time or place could euer make them knowe This made the poison swell in her
world with the miserable losse of her husband towardes whome nowe the disdaine of her selfe bred more loue with the remembrance of her vision wherewith she resolued assuredly the Gods had appointed that shamefull end to be her resting place had set her mind to no other way but to death vsed such like speeches to Philanax as she had before to the Shepheards willing him not to looke vpon her as a woman but a monster not as a princesse but a traytor to his prince not as Basilius wife but as Basilius murtherer She tolde him howe the worlde required at his handes the iust demonstration of his friendship if hee nowe forgot his Prince hee shoulde shewe hee had neuer loued but hys fortune like those vermine that sucke of the liuing bloud and leaue the body assoone as it is dead poore Princesse needelesly seeking to kindle him who did most deadly detest her which he vttered in this bitter answere Madame saide he you do well to hate your selfe for you cannot hate a worse creature and though we feele enough your hellish disposition yet we neede not doubt you are of counsell to your selfe of much worse then we know But now feare not you shall not long be combred with being guided by so euell a soule therefore prepare your selfe that if it be possible you may deliuer vp your spirit so much purer as you more wash your wickednes with repentaunce Then hauing presently giuen order for the bringing from Mantinea a great number of tents for the receipt of the principall Arcadians the maner of that countrie being that where the Prince died ther should be orders taken for the countries gouernment and in the place any murther was committed the iudgement should be giuen ther before the body was buried both concurring is this matter and alredy great parte of the Nobilitie being ariued he deliuered the Princes to a gentelman of greate trust and as for Damaetas taking from him the keyes of both the lodges calling him the moth of his Princes estate and onely spot of his iudgement he caused him with his wife and daughter to bee fettered vp in as manye chaines and clogges as they coulde beare and euery thirde howre to bee cruelly whipt till the determinate iudgement should be giuen of all these matters That done hauing sent alredy at his comming to all the quarters of the countrie to seeke Pamela although with smal hope of ouertaking them he himself went wel accompanied to the lodge where the two vnfortunate louers were attending a cruell conclusion of their long painefull and late most painefull affection Damaetas clownish eyes hauing ben the onely discouerers of Pyrocles stratagem had no sooner taken a full vewe of them which in some sightes would rather haue bred any thing then an accusing minde and locked the doore vpon these two yong folkes now made prisoners for loue as before they had bene prisoners to loue But that imediatly vpon his going downe whether with noyse Damaetas made or with the creeping in of the light or rather that as extreame griefe had procured his sleepe so extreame care had measured his sleepe giuinge his sences a very early salüe to come to themselues Pyrocles awaked And being vp the first euill hansell he had of the ill case wherein he was was the seeing himselfe depriued of his sworde from which he had neuer seperated himselfe in any occasion and euen that night first by the Kinges bedd and then there had laid it as he thought safe putting great parte of the trust of his well doing in his owne cowrage so armed For indeed the confidence in ones self is the chiefe nurse of magnanimitie which confidence notwithstanding doth not leaue the care of necessarie furnitures for it and therefore of all the Grecians Homere doth euer make Achilles the best armed But that as I say was the first ill token but by and by he perceaued he was a prisoner before any arest for the doore which he had lefte open was made â—o fast of the outside that for all the force he could employe vnto it he could not vndo Damaetas doing then went he to the windowes to see if that waye there were any escape for him and his deare Lady but as vaine hee founde all his employment there not hauing might to breake out but onely one barre wherin notwithstanding he strained his sinewes to the vttermost And that he rather took out to vse for other seruice then for any possibilitie he had to escape for euen then it was that Damaetas hauing gathered together the first comming sheepheards did blabber out what hee haâ— founde in the Ladye Philocleas chamber Pyrocles markingly harkned to all that Damaetas said whose voice and minde acquaintance had taught him sufficiently to know But when he assuredly perceaued that his being with the Lady Philoclea was fullie discouered by the follie or malice or rather malicious follie of Damaetas her honour therein touched in the hiest degree remembring withal the crueltie of the Arcadian lawes which without exception did condemn al to death who were fouÌ„d as Damaetas reported of them in acte of mariage without solemnitie of mariage assuring himselfe besides the law the King the Queene woulde vse so much more hate against their daughter as they had found themselues sotted by him in the pursute of their loue Lastly seing they were not only in the way of death but fittly encaged for death looking with a hartie griefe vpon the honour of loue the fellowes Philoclea whose innocent soule now enioying his owne goodnes did little knowe the daunger of his euer faire then sleeping harbour his excellent wit strengthened with vertue but guided by loue had soone described to himselfe a perfect vision of their present condition wherein hauing presently cast a resolute reckoning of his owne parte of the misery not only the chiefe but sole burthen of his anguish consisted in the vnworthy case which was like to fall vpon the best deseruing Philoclea He saw the misfortune not the mismeaning of his worke was like to bring that creature to end in whom the worlde as he thought did begin to receaue honour hee saw the weake iudgement of man woulde condemne that as death deseruing voice in her which had in troth neuer broken the bonds of a true liuing vertue how often his eye turned to his attractiue adamant so often did an vnspeakable horror strike his noble hart to coÌ„sider so vnripe yeares so fautles a beautie the mansion of so pure goodnes should haue her youth so vntimely cut off her naturall perfections vnnaturallie coÌ„sumed her vertue rewarded with shame somtimes he would accuse himselfe of necligence that had not more curiously looked to al the house entries yet coulde hee not imagine the way Damaetas was gotten in to call backe what might haue ben to a maÌ„ of wisdom courage caries but a vaine shadow of discourse somtimes he could not chose but with a dissolutioÌ„ of his inward
might lamentably consider with what face he might looke vpon his till then ioy Philoclea when the next light waking should deliuer vnto her should perchaunce be the last of her hurtles life And that the first time she should bend her excellent eyes vpon him shee should see the accursed aucthor of her dreadfull end euen this consideration more then any other did so set it selfe in his well disposed minde that dispersing his thoughts to all the wayes that might be of her safetie finding a verye small discourse in so narrowe lymits of time and place at length in many difficulties he saw none beare any likelyhood for her life but his death For thē he thought it would fal out that when they foūd his body dead hauing no accuser but Damaetas as by his speach he found there was not it might iustly appeare that either Philoclea in defending her honour or els he himself in dispaire of atchieuing had left his carcase profe of his intent but witnes of her clearenes hauing a small while staied vpon the greatnes of his resolution and loked to the furthest of it be it so said the valiant Pyrocles neuer life for better cause nor to better end was bestowed for if death be to follow this doing which no death of mine could make me leaue vndon who is to die so iustly as my self And if I must die who can be so fit executioners as mine owne hands Which as they were accessaries to the doing so in killing me they shall suffer their owne punishment But then arose ther a new impediment for Damaetas hauing caried away any thing which he thought might hurt as tender a man as himselfe hee coulde finde no fit instrument which might geue him a finall dispatch at length makinge the more haste leaste his Lady should awake taking the Iron barre which being sharper something at the one end then the other he hoped ioynd to his willing strength might breake of the former threed of mortallitie truely said he fortune thou hast well perseuered mine enemie that wilt graunt me no fortune to be vnfortunate nor let me haue an easie passage now I am to troubl thee no more But said he O bar blessed in that thou hast done seruice to the chamber of the paragon of life since thou couldest not help me to make a perfitter escape yet serue my turne I pray thee that I may escape from my selfe there withall yet once looking to fetch the last repast of his eyes and newe againe transported with the pittifull case hee lefte her in kneeling downe he thus prayed O great maker and great ruler of this worlde saide hee to thee do I sacrifice this bloud of mine and suffer Lorde the errors of my youth to passe away therein and let not the soule by thee made and euer bending vnto thee be now reiected of thee neither be offended that I do abandon this body to the gouernment of which thou hadst placed me without thy leaue since how cā I know but that thy vnsearchable minde is I should so doe since thou hast taken from me all meanes longer to abide in it And since the difference stāds but in a short time of dying thou that hast framed my soule enclyned to do good howe can I in this smal space of mine benefit so much all the humane kinde as in preseruing thy perfittest workmanship their chiefest honour O iustice it selfe howsoeuer thou determinest of me let this excellent innocency not bee oppressed Let my life pay her losse O Lord geue me some signe that I may die with this comfort And pawsing a little as if he had hoped for some token and when soeuer to the eternall darknes of the earth she doth followe me let our spirits possesse one place and let them bee more happie in that vniting With that word striking the barre vpon his harte side withall the force he had and falling withall vpon to giue it the thorower passage the barre in troth was to blunt to do theffect although it pearced his skinne and brused his ribbes very sore so that his breath was almost past him But the noyse of his fall draue away sleepe from the quiet sences of the deere Philoclea whose sweete soule had an earely salutation of a deadly spectacle vnto her with so much more astonishment as the falling a sleepe but a litle before she had retired her selfe from the vttermost pointe of wofulnes and sawe now againe before her eyes the most cruell enterprise that humane nature can vndertake without discerning any cause therof But the liuely printe of her affection had soone taught her not to stay long vpon diliberation in so vrgent a necessitie therefore getting with speede her weake though well accorded limmes out of her sweetned bedd as when Iuells are hastely pulled out of some riche coffer she spared not the nakednes of her tender feete but I thincke borne as fast with desire as feare carried Daphne she came running to Pyrocles and finding his spirits somthing troubled with the fall she put by the barre that lay close to him and strayning him in her most beloued embracement my comforte my ioye my life saide shee what haste haue you to kill your Philoclea with the most cruell torment that euer Lady suffred Do you not yet perswade your selfe that any hurte of yours is a death vnto me And that your death shoulde bee my hell Alas if any sodaine mislike of mee for other cause I see none haue caused you to loath your selfe if any fault or defect of mine hath bred this terriblest rage in you rather let mee suffer the bitternes of it for so shal the deseruer be punished mankind preserued from such a ruine I for my part shall haue that comforte that I dye by the noblest hande that euer drew sword Pyrocles greued with his fortune that he had not in one instant cut of all such deliberation thinking his life onely reserued to be bound to bee the vnhappie newes teller Alas said he my onely Starre why doe you this wrong to God your selfe and me to speake of faultes in you no no most faultlesse most perfet Lady it is your excellencie that makes me hasten my desired end it is the right I owe to the generall nature that though against priuate nature makes me seek the preseruation of all that she hath done in this age let me let me dye There is no way to saue your life most worthy to be conserued then that my death be your clearing then did he with farre more paine and backward loathnes then the so neere killing himselfe was but yet driuen with necessitie to make her yeeld to that hee thought was her safetie make her a short but pithie discourse what he had heard by Damaetas speeches confirming the rest with a plaine demonstratiō of their imprisonment And then sought he new meanes of stopping his breath but that by Philocleas labour aboue her force he was stayed to heare her In whom a
of euill hap then flowers are marred with the timely raynes of Aprill For how can I want comforte that haue the true and liuing comforte of my vnblemished vertue And how can I want honour as long as Musidorus in whom indeed honour is doth honour me Nothing bred from my self can discomfort me fooles opinions I wil not recken as dishonour Musidorus looking vp to the starres O mind of minds said he the liuing power of all things which dost with al these eies behold our euer varying actiōs accept into thy fauorable eares this praier of mine Yf I may any longer hold out this dwelling on the earth which is called a life graunt me abilitie to deserue at this Ladies handes the grace shee hath shewed vnto me graunt me wisdome to know her wisdome and goodnes so to encrease my loue of her goodnes that all mine owne chosen desires be to my selfe but second to her determinations What soeuer I be let it be to her seruice let me herein be satisfied that for such infinite fauours of vertue I haue some way wrought her satisfaction But if my last time aprocheth and that I am no longer to be amongst mortall creatures make yet my death serue her to some purpose that hereafter shee may not haue cause to repent her selfe that she bestowed so excellent a minde vpon Musidorus Pamela coulde not choose but accord the conceite of their fortune to these passionate prayers in so much that her constant eyes yeelded some teares which wiping from her faire face with Musidorus hande speaking softly vnto him as if she had feared more any body should be witnes of her weakenes then of any thing els shee had said you see said she my Prince and onely Lord what you worke in me by your much greuing for me I praye you thinke I haue no ioye but in you and if you fill that with sorrow what do you leaue for mee What is prepared for vs we know not but that with sorrow we cannot preuent it wee knowe Now let vs turne from these things and thinke you how you will haue me behaue my selfe towardes you in this matter Musidorus finding the authoritie of her speach confirmed with direct necessitie the first care came to his minde was of his deare friend and cosin Pyrocles with whome long before hee had concluded what names they shoulde beare if vpon any occasion they were forced to geue them selues out for great men and yet not make them selues fully knowen Now fearing least if the Princes should name him for Musidorus the fame of their two being together would discouer Pyrocles holding her hand betwixt his handes a good while together I did not thinke most excellent Princesse saide hee to haue made any further request vnto you for hauing bene alredie to you so vnfortunate a suiter I knowe not what modestie can beare any further demaūd But the estate of on young man whom next to you far aboue my selfe I loue more then all the world one worthy of all well being for the notable constitution of the mind and most vnworthy to receaue hurt by me whom he doth in all faith and constancie loue the pittie of him onely goes beyond all resolution to the contrarie Then did hee to the Princesse great admiration tell her the whole story as farre as he knew of it and that when they made the greuous disiūction of their long company they had concluded Musidorus should entitle himself Paladius Prince of Iberia and Pyrocles should be Daiphantus of Lycia Now said Musidorus he keeping a womans habit is to vse no other name then Zelmane but I that finde it best of the on side for your honour you went away with a Prince and not with a sheepheard of the other side accompting my death lesse euil then the betraying of that sweete frende of mine will take this meane betwixt both and vsing the name of Paladius if the respect of a Prince will stop your fathers furie that will serue aswell as Musidorus vntil Pyrocles fortune being som way established I may freely geue good proofe that the noble contrie of Thessalia is mine and if that will not mitigate your fathers opinion to me wards nature I hope working in your excellencies wil make him deale well by you for my parte the image of death is nothing fearefull vnto me and this good I shall haue reaped by it that I shall leaue my most esteemed friend in no danger to be disclosed by me And besides since I must confesse I am not without a remorse of his case my vertuous mother shal not know her sonnes violent death hid vnder the fame will goe of Paladius But as long as her yeares now of good number be counted among the liuing shee may ioye her selfe with some possibilitie of my returne Pamela promising him vpon no occasion euer to name him fell into extremytie of weping as if her eyes had beene content to spend all their seing moistnes now that there was speech of the losse of that which they held as their chiefest light So that Musidorus was forced to repaire her good counsailes with sweete consolations which continued betwixt them vntill it was about midnight that sleep hauing stolne into their heauie sences and now absolutely commaunding in their vitall powers lefte them delicately wound on in anothers armes quietly to waite for the comming of the morning Which as soone as shee appeared to play her parte laden as you haue heard with so many well occasioned lamentations Their lobbish garde who all night had kept themselues awake with prating how valiant deedes they had done when they ranne away and how faire a death their felowe had died who at his last gaspe sued to bee a hangman awaked them and set them vpon their horses to whom the very shining force of excellent vertue though in a very harrish subiect had wrought a kinde of reuerence in them Musidorus as he rid among them of whom they had no other holde but of Pamela thinking it want of a well squared iudgement to leaue any meane vnassayed of sauing their liues to this purpose spake to his vnseemly gardians vsing a plaine kind of phrase to make his speach the more credible My maisters said he there is no man that is wise but hath in what soeuer hee doth some purpose whereto hee directes his doinges which so long he followes till he see that either that purpose is not worth the paines or that another doinge caries with it a better purpose That you are wise in what you take in hand I haue to my cost learned that makes me desire you to tell me what is your ende in carying the Princesse and me backe to her father Pardon saide one rewarde cried another well saide he take both although I know you are so wise to remember that hardly they both will goe togeather being of so contrary a making for the ground of pardon is an euill neither any man pardons but remembers an
with a strength strengthened with a true affection thorowe them that encompassed Musidorus he embrased him as fast as hee coulde in his armes And kissing his cheekes O my Palladius saide he let not our vertue now abandon vs let vs proue our mindes are no slaues to fortune but in aduersitie can tryumph ouer aduersitie Deere Daiphantus aunsweared Musidorus seing by his apparell his being a man was reuealed I thanke you for this best care of my best parte But feare not I haue kept too long company with you to want nowe a thorowe determination of these things I well know there is nothing euill but within vs the rest is either naturall or accidentall Philanax finding them of so neare acquaintaunce be ganne presently to examine them a parte but such resolution hee mett within them that by no such meanes hee coulde learne furder then it pleased them to deliuer So that he thought best to put them both in one place with espiall of there wordes and behauiour that waye to sifte out the more of these fore passed mischeifes And for that purpose gaue them both vnto the nobleman whoe before had the custodie of Pyrocles by name Simpathus leauing a trustie seruant of his owne to geue dilligent watch to what might passe betwixte them No man that hath euer passed thorow the schoole of affectioÌ„ needs doubâ— what a tormenting grief it was to the noble Pamela to haue the company of him taken from her to whose vertuous company she had bound her life But waying with her self it was fit for her honour till her doing were clearely manifested that they shoulde remaine seperate kept downe the rising tokens of greefe shewing passion in nothing but her eyes which accompanied Musidorus euen vnto the tent whether he and Pyrocles were ledde Then with a countenaunce more princely then she was woont according to the woont of hiest hartes like the Palme tree striuing most vpwarde when he is most burdened she commaunded Philanax to bring her to her father and mother that she might render them accompte of her doings Philanax shewing a sullaine kinde of reuerence vnto her as a man that honoured her as his Maisters heire but much misliked her for her in his conceite dishonorable proceedings tolde her what was past rather to answere her then that hee thought shee was ignoraunt of it But her good spirite did presently suffer a true compassionate affliction of those hard aduentures which crossing her armes looking a greate while on the grounde with those eyes which let fall many teares she well declared But in the ende remembring howe necessarye it was for her not to loose her selfe in such an extremitye she strengthened her well created hearte and stoutely demaunded Philanax what aucthoritye then they had to laye handes of her person who being the vndoubted heyre was then the lawfull Princesse of that Kingdome Philanax answered her Grace knewe the auncient lawes of Arcadia bare she was to haue no swaye of gouernment till she came to one and twentye yeares of age or were marryed And marryed I am replyed the wise Princesse therefore I demaunde your dewe allegeaunce The gods forbid sayde Philanax Arcâ—dia shoulde be a dowery of such marriages Besides hee toulde her all the States of her Countrye were euill satisfyed touching her Fathers death whiche likewise according to the Statutes of Arcadia was euen that daye to bee iudged of before the bodye were remoued to receyue his princely funeralls After that past she shoulde haue such obedience as by the Lawes was due vnto her desyring God she woulde showe her selfe better in publicke gouernment then she had done in priuate She woulde haue spoken to the Gentlemen and people gathered about her but Philanax fearing least thereby some commotion mighte arise or at least a hinderaunce of executing hys maisters murderers which hee longed after more then any thing hasted her vp to the Lodge where her Sister was and there with a chosen companye of Souldyers to garde the place lefte her with Philoclea Pamela protesting they layde violent handes of her and that they entred into rebellious attemptes agaynst her But hye tyme it was for Philanax so to doo for alreadye was all the whole multitude fallne into confused and daungerous deuisions There was a notable example how great dissipations Monarchall gouernement are subiect vnto For nowe theyr Prince and guide had lefte them they had not experience to rule and had not whome to obaye Publicke matters had euer bene priuately gouerned so that they had no liuely taste what was good for themselues But euery thing was eyther vehemently desirefull or extreamely terrible Neighbours inuasions ciuill dissention crueltye of the comming Prince and whatsoeuer in common sence carries a dreadfull shewe was in all mens heads but in fewe how to preuent harkening on euery rumor suspecting euery thing condemning them whome before they had honoured making strange and impossible tales of the Kings death while they thought themselues in daunger wishing nothing but safetye assoone as perswasion of safetie tooke them desiring further benefitts as amendment of forepassed faultes which faultes notwithstanding none could tell eyther the groundes or effectes of all agreeing in the vniuersall names of liking or misliking but of what in especiall poyntes infinitely disagreeing Altogether like a falling steeple the partes whereof as windowes stones and pinnacles were well but the whole masse ruinous And this was the generall case of all wherein notwithstanding was an extreame medly of diuersified thoughts the great men looking to make themselues strong by factions the gentlemen some bending to them some standing vpon themselues some desirous to ouerthrowe those few which they thought were ouer theÌ„ the souldiers desirous of trouble as the nurse of spoile and not much vnlike to them though in another way were all the needy sorte the riche fearefull the wise carefull This composicion of conceytes brought foorth a daungerous tumulte which yet woulde haue bene more daungerous but that it had so many partes that no body well knewe against whome chiefely to oppose themselues For some there were that cried to haue the state altred and gouerned no more by a Prince marry in the alteration many would haue the Lacedemonian gouernment of fewe chosen Senatours others the Athenian where the peoples voyce helde the chiefe aucthoritye But these were rather the discoursing sorte of men then the actiue being a matter more in imaginacion then practise But they that went neerest to the present case as in a countrie that knewe no gouernment without a Prince were they that stroue whome they should make Whereof a great number there were that would haue the Princesse Pamela presently to enioy it some disdayning that she had as it were abandoned her owne Countrie enclining more to Philoclea and there wanted not of them which wished Gynaecia were deliuered and made Regent till Pamela were worthely marryed But great multitudes there were which hauing bene acquainted with the iust gouernment of Philanax meant to
owne good would needes striue against the streame exclaiming against Philanax that now he shewed who it was that would betray his country to straungers But well he found that who is too busie in the foundation of an house may pull the building about his eares For the people alreadie tyred with their owne diuisions of which his clampring had bene a principall nurse and beginning now to espye a hauen of rest hated any thing that should hinder them froÌ„ it asked one another whether this were not he whose euill toong no man could escape whether it were not Timantus that made the first mutinous oration to strengthen the troubles whether Timantus without their consent had not gone about to deliuer Gynaecia And thus enflaming one another against him they threwe him out of the assembly and after pursued him with stones and staues so that with losse of one of his eyes sore wounded beaten he was faine to flye to Philanax feete for succour of his life geuing a true lesson that vice it selfe is forced to seeke the sanctuarie of vertue For Philanax who hated his euill but not his person and knewe that a iust punishment might by the maner be vniustly done remembring withall that alâ—hough herein the peoples rage might haue hit rightly yet if it were nourished in this no man knewe to what extremities it might extend it selfe with earnest dealing and employeng the vttermost of his authority he did protect the trembling Timantus And then hauing taken a generall oth that they should in the noneage of the Princesse or till these things were settled yeeld full obedience to Euarchus so farre as were not preiudiciall to the lawes customes and liberties of Arcadia and hauing taken a particular bonde of Sympathus vnder whome he had a seruaunt of his owne that the prisoners should be kept close without conference with any man he himselfe honorablie accompanyed with a great number of torches went to the king Euarchus whose comming in this sort into Arcadia had thus falne out The wofull Prince Plangus receyuing of Basilius no other succours but only certayne to conduct him to Euarchus made all possible speede towards Byzantium where he vnderstood the King hauing concluded all his warres with the winning of that towne had now for some good space made his abode But being farre gone on his way he receyued certayne intelligence that Euarchus was not only some dayes before returned into Macedon but since was gone with some haste to visit that coast of his country that lay towards Italy The occasion geuen by the Latines who hauing already gotten into their hands partly by conquest and partly by confederacie the greatest part of Italie and long gaped to deuoure Greece also obseruing the present oportunitie of Euarchus absence and Basilius solitarines which two Princes they knewe to be in effect the whole strength of Greece were euen readye to lay an vniust gripe vpon it which after they might beawtifie with the noble name of conquest Which purpose though they made not knowne by any solemne denouncing of warre but contrarywise gaue many tokens of continuing still their former amitie yet the stayeng of his subiects shippes traffiquing as Merchants into those partes together with the dayly preparation of shipping and other warlike prouisions in Portes most conuenient for the transporting of souldyers occasioned Euarchus not vnacquainted with such practizes first to suspect then to discerne lastly to seeke to preuent the intended mischiefe Yet thinking warre neuer to be accepted vntill it be offred by the hand of necessitie he determined so long openly to hold them his friends as open hostilitie bewraied them not his enemies not ceasing in the meane time by letters messages to moue the States of Greece by vniting their strength to make timely prouision against this perill by many reasons making them see that though in respect of place some of theÌ„ might seeme further remoued from the first violence of the storme yet being imbarqued in the same ship the finall wrack must needs be common to them all And knowing the mighty force of example with the weake effect of faire discourses not waited on with agreeable actions what he perswaded them himselfe performed leauing in his owne realme nothing either vndone or vnprouided which might be thought necessary for withstanding an inuasion His first care was to put his people in a readinesse for warre and by his experienced souldiers to traine the vnskilfull to martiall exercises For the better effecting whereof as also for meeting with other inconueniences in such doubtful times incident to the most setled states making of the diuers regions of his whole kingdome so many diuisions as he thought conuenient he appointed the charge of them to the greatest and of greatest trust he had about him arming them with sufficient authoritie to leauie forces within their seuerall gouernments both for resisting the inuading enemy and punishing the disordered subiect Hauing thus prepared the body and assured the heart of his countrey against any mischiefe that might attaint it he then tooke into his carefull consideration the externall parts geuing order both for the repairing and encreasing his nauy and for the fortifying of such places especially on the sea coast as either commoditie of landing weakenes of the countrey or any other respect of aduantage was likelyest to drawe the enemy vnto But being none of them who thinke all things done for which they haue once geueÌ„ direction he folowed euery where his coÌ„mandement with his presence which witnes of euery mans slacknes or diligeÌ„ce chastizing the one encouraging the other suffred not the frute of any profitable counsaile for want of timely taking to be lost And thus making one place succede another in the progresse of wisedome vertue he was now come to Aulon a principall porte of his realme wheÌ„ the poore Plangus extremely wearied with his long iourney desire of succouring Erona no more relieuing then feare of not succouring her in time aggrauating his trauaile by a lameÌ„table narratioÌ„ of his childreÌ„s death called home his cares froÌ„ encouÌ„tring foraine enemies to suppresse the insurrection of inward passions The matter so hainous the maner so villanous the losse of such persons in so vnripe yeares in a time so daungerous to the whole state of Greece how vehemeÌ„tly it moued to griefe compassioÌ„ others only not blind to the light of vertue nor deafe to the voice of their country might perchance by a more cunning workman in liuely cullors be deliuered But the face of Euarchus sorow to the one in nature to both in affection a father and iudging the world so much the more vnworthely depriued of those excelleÌ„cies as himselfe was better iudge of so excelleÌ„t worthines caÌ„ no otherwise be shadowed out by the skilfullest pencel theÌ„ by couering it ouer with the vaile of sileÌ„ce And in deed that way himself took with so pacient a quietnes receiuing this pitifull relation that all words of weakenes suppressed
magnanimity seemed to triumph ouer misery Only receiuing of Plangus perfit instruction of all things coÌ„cerning Plexirtus Artaxia with promise not only to aid him in deliuering Erona but also with vehemeÌ„t protestation neuer to returne into Macedon til he had pursued the murtherers to death he dispatched with speed a ship for Byzantium coÌ„manding the gouernor to prouide all necessaries for the war against his owne comming which he purposed should be very shortly In this ship Plangus would needs go impacient of stay for that in many days before he had vnderstood nothing of his Ladies estate Soone after whose departure newes was brought to Euarchus that all the ships detained in Italy were returned For the Latines finding by Euarchus procedings their intent to be frustrate as before by his sodaine returne they doubted it was discouered deeming it no wisdom to shew the will not hauing the abilitie to hurt had not only in free frendly maner dismissed them but for the time wholy omitted their enterprise attending the oportunitie of fitter occasion By meanes wherof Euarchus rid froÌ„ the cumber of that war likely otherwise to haue staied him longer with so great a fleete as haste would suffer him to assemble forthwith imbarqued for Byzantium And now followed with fresh windes he had in short time runne a long course when on a night encountred with an extreme tempest his shippes were so scattered that scarcely any two were lefte together As for the Kings owne shippe depriued of all company sore brused and weather-beateÌ„ able no loÌ„ger to brooke the seas churlish entertainmeÌ„t a litle before day it recouered the shore The first light made theÌ„ see it was the vnhappy coast of Laconia for no other country could haue shown the like euideÌ„ce of vnnatural war Which hauing long endured betwene the nobilitie and the Helotes and once compounded by Pyrocles vnder the name of Daiphantus imediately vpon his departure had broken out more violently then euer before For the King taking the oportunitie of their captaines absence refused to performe the condicions of peace as extorted from him by rebellious violence Whereupon they were againe deepely entred into warre with so notable an hatred towardes the very name of a King that Euarchus though a straunger vnto them thought it not safe there to leaue his person where neither his owne force could be a defence nor the sacred name of Maiestie a protection Therefore calling to him an Arcadian one that comming with Plâ—ngus had remained with Euarchus desirous to see the warres hee demaunded of him for the next place of suretie where hee might make his staye vntill hee might heare somewhat of his fleete or cause his ship to bee repaired The gentleman glad to haue this occasion of doing seruice to Euarchus and honour to Basilius to wâ—om he knew hee shoulde bring a most welcome gueste tolde him that if it pleased him to commit himselfe to Arcadia a parte whereof laie open to their vewe he woulde vndertake ere the next night were farre spent to guide him safely to his master Basilius The present necessitie much preuailed with Euarchus yet more a certaine vertuous desire to trie whether by his authoritie he might withdrawe Basilius from burying himselfe aliue and to imploy the rest of his olde yeares in doing good the onely happie action of mans life For besides the vniuersall case of Greece depriued by this meanes of a principall piller he weighed and pitied the pittyfull state of the Arcadian people who were in worse case then if death had taken away their Prince For so yet their necessitie would haue placed some one to the helme now a Prince being and not doing like a Prince keeping and not exercising the place they were in so much more euill case as they coulde not prouide for their euill These rightly wise vertuous coÌ„sideratioÌ„s especially moued Euarchus to take his iourny towards the desert where arriuing within night and vnderstanding to his great griefe the newes of the Princes death hee wayted for his safe conduct from Philanax in the meane time taking his rest vnder a tree with no more affected pompes then as a man that knew how soeuer he was exalted the beginning and end of his body was earth But Philanax as soone as he was in sight of him lighting from his horse presented himselfe vnto him in all those humble behauiours which not only the great reuerence of the partie but the conceit of ones owne miserie is woont to frame Euarchus rase vp vnto him with so gratious a couÌ„tenaunce as the goodnes of his mind had long exercised him vnto carefull so much more to descend in all curtesies as he sawe him beare a lowe representation of his afflicted state But to Philanax assoone as by neere looking on him he might perfectly behold him the grauitie of his countenaunce and yeares not much vnlike to his late deceassed but euer beloued master brought his forme so liuely vnto his memorie and reuiued so all the thoughtes of his wonted ioyes within him that in steede of speaking to Euarchus hee stoode a while like a man gone a farre iorney from himselfe calling as it were with his minde an account of his losses imagining that this paine needed not if nature had not ben violently stopped of her owne course and casting more louing then wise conceites what a world this woulde haue bene if this sodaine accident had not interrupted it And so farre strayed hee into this rauing melancholy that his eyes nimbler then his tounge let fall a floud of teares his voice being stopped with extremitie of sobbing so much had his friendshippe caried him to Basilius that hee thought no age was timely for his death But at length taking the occasion of his owne weeping he thus did speake to Euarchus Let not my teares most worthely renowmed Prince make my presence vnpleasant or my speach vnmarked of you For the iustnes of the cause takes away the blame of any weakenes in me and the affinitie that the same beareth to your greatnes seemes euen lawfully to clayme pitty in you A Prince of a Princes fall a louer of iustice of a most vniust violence And geue me leaue excellent Euarchus to say I am but the representer of all the late florishing Arcadia which now with mine eyes doth weepe with my toong doth complaine with my knees doth lay it selfe at your feete which neuer haue bene vnreadie to carie you to the vertuous protecting of innocents Imagine vouchsafe to imagine most wise and good King that heere is before your eyes the pittifull spectacle of a most dolorously ending tragedie wherein I do but play the part of all the newe miserable prouince which being spoiled of their guide doth lye like a ship without a Pilot tumbling vp and downe in the vncertaine waues till it either runne it selfe vpon the rockes of selfe-diuision or be ouerthrowne by the stormie winde of forreine force Arcadia finding her selfe in these desolate tearmes doth
into his inuectiue oration Staye staie Philanax saide shee do not defile thy honest mouth with those dishonourable speeches thou arte about to vtter against a woman now most wretched lately thy mistresse Let either the remembraunce how great she was moue thy harte to some reuerence or the seing how lowe she is sturre in thee some pittie It may be truth doth make thee deale vntruely and loue of iustice frames vniustice in thee doe not therefore neither shalt thou neede treade vpon my desolate ruines Thou shalt haue that thou seekest and yet shalt not be oppressoure of her who cannot choose but loue thee for thy singular faith to thy master I doe not speake this to procure mercie or to prolong my life no no I say vnto you I will not liue but I am onely loth my death shoulde bee engreeued with any wronge thou shouldest doe vnto me I haue beene to painefull a iudge ouer my selfe to desire pardon in others iudgement I haue beene to cruell an executioner of mine owne soule to desire that execution of iustice shoulde bee stayed for me Alas they that know how sorrow can rent the spirits they that know what fiery hells are cōtiened in a self condemning mind need not feare that feare can keepe such a one from desiring to be seperated from that which nothing but death can seperate I therefore say to thee O iust iudge that I and only I was the worker of Basilius death They were these handes that gaue vnto him that poysonous potion that hath brought death to him and losse to Arcadia it was I and none but I that hastened his aged yeares to an vnnaturall end and that haue made all his people orphans of their royall father I am the subiect that haue killed my Prince I am the wife that haue murdred my husband I am a degenerate woman an vndoer of this countrie a shame of my children What wouldest thou haue saide more Oh Philanax and all this I graunt there resteth then nothing els to say but that I desire you you will appointe quicklie somme to ridd mee of my life rather then these handes which ells are destenied vnto it and that indeede it maye bee doone with such speede as I may not long dye in this life which I haue in so greate horrour with that shee crossed her armes and sate downe vppon the grounde attending the iudges aunswere But a greate while it was before anye boddye coulde bee heard speake the whole people concurring in a lamentable crye so much had Gynecias wordes and behauiour sturred their hartes to a dolefull compassion neither in troath coulde most of them in their iudgements tell whether they shoulde bee more sorrie for her faulte or her miserie for the losse of her estate or losse of her vertue But most were most moued with that which was vnder there eyes the sense most subiecte to pittie But at length the reuerent awe they stoode in of Euarchus brought them to a silent wayting his determination who hauing well considered the abhomination of the facte attending more the manifest proofe of so horrible a trespasse confessed by her selfe and proued by others then any thing relenting to those tragicall phrases of hers apter to sturre a vulgare pittie then his minde which hated euill in what culloures so euer he founde it hauing considered a while with the principall men of the country and demaunded there allowance he definitiuely gaue this sentence That where as both in priuate and publike respectes this woman had most haynously offēded in priuate because marriage being the most holy coniunction that falls to mankinde out of which all families and so consequently all societies doe proceede which not onely by communitie goods but communitie children is to knit the mindes in a most perfet vnion which who so breakes dissolues al humanitie no man liuing free from the danger of so neere a neighbour she had not onely broken it but broken it with death and the most pretended death that might be In publike respect the Princes persons being in all monarchall gouernmentes the very knot of the peoples welfare and light of all their doinges to which they are not onely in conscience but in necessitie bounde to be loyall she had trayterously empoysoned him neither regarding her contries profit her owne dutie nor the rigor of the lawes That therefore as well for the due satisfaction to eternall iustice and accomplishment of the Arcadian statutes as for the euerlasting example to all wiues and subiectes she should presently be conueyed to cloase prison and there be kept with such foode as might serue to sustaine her aliue vntill the day of her husbands buryall at which time shee shoulde bee buried quicke in the same tombe with hime That so his murder might bee a murder to her selfe and she forced to keepe company with the body from which she had made so detestable a seuerance And lastly death might redresse their disioyned coniunction of marriage His iudgement was receaued of the whole assemblie as not with disliking so with great astonishmēt the greatnes of the matter and person as it were ouerpressing the might of their conceites But when they did set it to the beame with the monstrousnes of her ouglye misdeede they coulde not but yeeld in their hartes there was no ouerbalancing As for Gynecia who had already setled her thoughts not only to look but long for this euent hauing in this time of her vexation found a sweetnes in the rest she hoped by death with a countenaunce witnessing she had before hand so passed thorowe all the degrees of sorrowe that shee had no new looke to figure forth any more rase vp and offred forth her faite handes to bee bounde or led as they would being indeed troubled with no parte of this iudgement but that her death was as she thought long delayed They that were appointed for it conueyed her to the place she was in before where the guarde was relieued and the number encreased to keepe her more sure for the time of her execution None of them all that led her though most of them were such whose harts had beene long hardned with the often exercising such offices being able to barre teares from their eyes and others manifest tokens of compassionate sorrow So goodly a vertue is a resolute constancie that euen in euill deseruers it seemes that partie might haue beene notably well deseruing Thus the excellent Lady Gynecia hauing passed fiue and thirtie yeares of her age euen to admiration of her beautifull minde and body and hauing not in her owne knowledge euer spotted her soule with any wilfull vice but her imoderate loue of Zelmane was brought first by the violence of that ill answered passion and then by the dispayring conceite she took of the iudgement of God in her husbandes death and her owne fortune purposely to ouerthrowe her selfe and confirme by a wronge confession that abhominable shame which with her wisdome ioynde to the truth perhappes