love was wearied with the trouble of being so wooed and foolishly curious to see my selfe a wife made choice of him to verifie that old Proverbe Women ever chuse the worst With him lived I seven yeares without bearing children which seene by my fathers subjects who would by no meanes bee commanded by the Catalonian nation abhorred by them by a naturall antipathy and much lesse by him whom for his bad usage to me-wards they hated more than death it selfe they earnestly besought my father to marry so that at last he won by their importunities but much more by my letters tooke to wife a faire and vertuous Princesse the King of Aquitain's daughter who bare him the very first yeare a male-child which as much contented the people as it madded and discontented my husband who seeing himself deprived both of that kingdome and also of any hope of having by me any children determined to avenge the one and remedy the other by doing away my person It fell out in the meane time that fame extolling abroad the two neighbouring beauties which were yours and that of Eromilia Princesse of Maiorica hee being the vainest man living not knowing which of both to chuse was much tormented in minde for being indifferently enamored as well of the one as of the other but considering yours without possessions and dominions the principal object of his love during the life time of your brother that only mirrour of Princes and withall fearing you for the fame of your valour which would not as he thought willingly brooke ill usage he bent his inclination towards the Princesse of Maiorica from whom he withdrew it againe when he understood of her being promised to your brother which occasioned not the taking away of my misfortunes but the differring of them for my greater evill Now Don Peplasos lov'd a gentle Knight if he may be said to love to whom nature gave no inclination to love other than himself besides the being of his nature disposition and conditions so farre alienated from those of Don Eleimo for so was the Knight named that it seemed impossible to forme thereof a true friendship but as every rule is wont to have so hath this also its exception at least on the behalfe of the Prince who being presumptuous and so farre deceived in himselfe as to repute his owne vices to be vertues easily beleeved that Don Eleimo a vertuous Cavalier tooke them for such indeede to him therefore discovered hee his inhumane designes but he which well knew his nature although he durst not contradict him yet was he so mov'd by the instinct of his owne vertue as he could do no lesse than advertize me thereof And because either to speake or write to me might prove dangerous he onely wrote to me to finde out some one trusty with whom he might conferre without any suspition The husband of my chiefe chamberlaine named Don Elavio was one of the best esteemed and noblest of the Catalonian Knights whose conditons when I had well examined I judged him a man worthy of my secret And he having conforted me went to conferre with Don Eulavio to whom he shewed the letter which he had as I told you written unto me according as we had first agreed on to certifie him that he was sent from me and afterwards burning it in his presence used with him on my behalfe such courteous language as might suite with an affaire of such importance To whom Don Eleimo answered that without the testimonie of the letter himselfe alone was a sufficient letter of assurance and credit And with that he told him how that the Prince having taken me to wife not for affection sake as he made me beleeve ere he married me but for meere covetousnesse of the Arelatan kingdome which not succeeding according to his expectation my father being married and having a sonne and I prov'd a barren woman was resolved to put me to death but considering the good opinion which the people and his father also had of my honestie he determined to worke his ends another way and that was by poison which he intended to put in practise ere long having already so wrought with my Physitian as he had got him to promise to make him some of purpose which for not being violent should in the end of certaine dayes worke their effect without giving any colour of suspition All which when I understood I know not which was greater either the hate I bore my husband for so barbarous a crueltie or the feare I had of not being able to preserve my selfe and having before my marriage beene very curious of simples whereby I knew such as might more easily be used to hurt me I prepared for my selfe such antidotes as I hoped thereby to preserve my life as it came indeede to passe for I in using them so prevented the danger as I could not have poisoned my selfe although I would Yet was I not therein uncircumspect for some of them I tooke being assured by the antidotes others would I not take because I knew they were too strong being forewarned of all of them and of their qualities by the good Don Eleimo whereat the Prince wondering after many fantasies and conjectures most subtle as he was imagined that I was enformed thereof but not thinking of Don Eleimo he began to mistrust that the Physitian moved either by pitty or avarice had made me priuy thereto but when he afterwards saw both by his protestations and proceeding in the practise that he proved as trusty to him as treacherous to me he could not then chuse but suspect who it was indeede And therefore he intending now to kill two birds with one stone forethought how to take Don Eleimo so napping as he might punish him not for the good he did me but for the evill he might lay to his charge to have done with me which he perhaps beleeved so to be as one deeming it impossible that meere pietie and pitty which he being never acquainted withall himselfe beleeved to bee in no other man had moved this Knight to doe me this good office nor could he imagine that any other interesses induced him thereto whom he well knew to be a noble and rich Cavalier and my selfe so poorely entertained as I had ordinarily little more allowed me than a private Lady Confirmed then in this article of beleefe he for many dayes did nothing else but pry into our actions though to no purpose we being so farre from any such intention as imagination it selfe could not fancie us more alienated therefrom One had Don Eliemo among all his servants no lesse deare unto him than himselfe was to the Prince on him fixt Don peplasos his eye judging him a fit instrument for his designes and seeing him ofttimes in his fore-chamber waiting for Don Eleimo tooke occasion to call him under colour of asking of him something or bidding him doe some petty service so as hee puffed up with such like favours and already
aside all fiercenesse drew neere Polimero Who taking him gently by the reines and turning towards the Prince said I beseech your highnesse seeing through the favour of the gods you haue received no hurt to grant life to this faire beast for my sake I will not answered irefully the Prince but will that hee dye Vpon this every man strove who should be formost to come to strike him which Polimero perceiving to be done in scorne of him and not being able to endure it lightly vaulted on the courser and gallopping a maine speede out of the Quirie entred into the Kings stables where finding by chance the chiefe rider he deliuered the horse into his charge as a speciall steed of the Kings denouncing him his Maiesties indignation if he permitted any one not excepting any man breathing to lay hands on him The rider astonished to see one of the Kings sonnes come riding on such a horse imagining that the exception comprehended no ordinary persons answered that he would obey him and besought him to send for those horsemen that were accustomed to governe him whereto the Infante would not consent but caused him to put the horse now grown to be gentle into a good place of standing The Prince in the meane time having understood whither the Infante was gone stood a good while doubtfull whether hee should pursue him or no but pride and disdaine boyling within him he returned to the palace Some there were in that very instant that acquainted the King of these passages who made as though he knew nothing thereof expecting at the houre of dinner the comming of his sonnes according to the accustomed manner but observing Polimero's roome void and inquiring for him of one of his servants come thither expresly for that purpose hee was answered that he was in his withdrawing chamber come newly from abroad somewhat hot and weary but that he was well and desired with his Maiesties good leave to dine alone The King attentively looking on the Prince perceived his colour altered In the meane time Polimero returned from the Kings stables and reasoning with himselfe upon the matter was visited unawares by his governour the Count of Bona who told him how the Prince as hee returned towards the palace had rashly let slip that the death of some body should redeeme the life of the horse and therefore besought him to be circumspect and for a few daies to retire himselfe to a countrey palace of the Queens cald Poggio Because he beleeved that these words aimed at no man but him The Infante seeing the businesse fall out worse than hee imagined making shew of embracing his aduice resolved to depart for good and all and taking leave of him caused to be called unto him Carasio This Carasio was a squire given him by his father who having served him from his cradle besides that he was by nature loyall so deerely loved him as he judged that he could not trust any other more faithfull and more loving Wherefore he said unto him Carasio You see on what tearmes I stand with the Prince my brother I am resolued to give fortune place Only two things grieve me the one is that I must part without the consent of my Soveraigne the King and my Mother the other that I have not as yet received the order of Knighthood But now necessity must excuse me in the one and assist me in the other See that those armes which we over-saw some daies agoe be put in a readinesse with that little mony that I have and such jewels as you thinke may best stead and lesse comber me Choose you out for your selfe one of my steeds the best in the stable for me I will have no other than that fatall cause of my exile And as Carasio would haue said something Polimero interrupting him replied I know what you would say It greeves you that I part in respect of the discontent my father will conceive there-from It seems that my resolution is rash and overhasty not having beene advised thereon proceeding as you believe from some childish disposition But know that if I part not my stay will occasion heavier discontents I choose my departure as the lesser evill many moneths 〈◊〉 have I thought thereon my resolution is neither suddaine nor childish 〈◊〉 grounded on manifest tokens of the hate of my brother who will doe me all the 〈◊〉 he may during my fathers life and after his death all the mischiefe he please I therefore being of age to discerne and know my owne danger were very simple if want of yeeres should hinder me to eschew it My father I will satisfie not with my presence because I may not but by my letters and much more with my actions Here is not any patrimony for me we are to many brothers my selfe the yongest of all and not like to enioy o the eportion than my brothers hatred my fathers love should not make me hope for any thing who being aged must by course of nature dye shortly and he once gone who will protect me against such an one as is naturally inclined to tyrannize over me and beleeveth that the deceitfull love of the vulgar should edge me on to cause him leade a life full of misery and suspition Fortune Carasio is a woman and consequently a lover of youth seeing therfore I cannot abide here it behoves me the younger the better to seâ—ke her find her out and retaine her To waite irresolutely for time is but to lose time and to bring ones-selfe to such a passe as he can never amend the error of time And though I were not in such danger as I am yet must I goe get my selfe a patrimony elsewhere since that the spite of fortune made me bee borne last and the rigor of the law makes mee for being borne such poore and miserable Ther 's none can deny but that I doe well aswell to avoid contentions with my brother wherein I cannot choose but loose as also to take away the occasion of many vexations of the King my Father whom I should not grieve I will hence to Ireland to my Aunt and then I will thinke on my journey as occasion shall require See you dispatch all things this day in any wise and prepare this evening a ship the first that sets out of the hauen For I am most resolute that the Sunne shall not eye me to morrow in Birsa Carasio having heard his LORDS irrepliable reasons without any more adoe went to the haven where finding a ship of Sardegna with hoised up sailes and understanding that there blew a faire gale and that she would part about the first watch he having agreed with the mariners for their passage acquainted therewith Polimero who causing Flammauro to be led forth mounted on him and having awhile gently mannaged him without finding him any way disobedient to the great amazement of all those that had formerly seene him very capritious fayning to goe recreate himselfe to Poggio de gli
come visite her his most humble handmaid answered him that shee knew it not otherwise but that she must needs die The Prince in a manner illuminated by this answer but much more by her manner of expressing it suspected what the matter was indeed but desirous to be better cleared of his doub having besought her to comfort and cheere up her selfe hee prayed her to lenâ— him her pulse and there withall lest she night take cold by putting forth her arme he reached in his hand gently to it But she feeling her selfe touched with that hand which shee so much desired not able longer to refraine tooke it betweene her two hands and sweetly kissing it and bathing it with her teares said unto him Behold LORD how that I a dead woman have now more courage than I had when I was lively I beseech your Highnesse to pardon me I presume too much I know it I offend against mine own honesty but much more against your resolution which is by not loving me to compell me to die yet this doth me good that you being the cause of my death doe now know it you neede feele no other pulse than my heart which being in you you may keepe as you please dead or alive and by it give mee either life or death The Prince orecome with supreame tendernesse of affection answered Madam I have and doe love you and if I resolved to strive to conceale my affection yet did I it not with an intent to withdraw it from you I beseech you recover and be well otherwise my life shall end with your death Scarce had he finished the last accent of his speech when the Princesse came unto them Who having asked her how she felt her selfe said unto her Talasia I pray you torment me not by depriving me of you All the world will have your sicknesse to be nothing else but a meere melancholy and therfore the remedy lies in your owne power what want you woman will you be your owne murtheresse If you will not recover for any others sake yet doe it for mine See my LORD and brother the Prince is come to visite you and I am sure that you cannot please him better than in recovering The Lady Admirall who had already chased away all melancholy and who full of content thought the time long that she left not her bed answered The favours Madam you doe me are such as it is impossible for me to die though I would I am not so foolish but that I know that it is better for mee to stay here and serve you than to lie in the grave with my ancestors I will endeavour to obey you and doe already perceive my selfe to have that ability which before I had not I am toomuch obliged to my LORD the Prince by whose gratious visit I acknowledge my selfe revived for at his commâ—ng in I felt my selfe so amend as I now hold my selfe fully recovered The Princesse very gladsome embracing her about the necke kissed her and having together with the Prince accompained her a good while left her being well pleased to see manifest signes of her amendment neither deceived she her selfe therein for in eight daies space shee returned in her former plight both of health and beauty Perosphilo having thus under the pretext of pitty given reines to sense thought the time tedious till he should enjoy her and meeting her at his sisters agreed to speake with her that night being to enter into her house through a secret doore standing towards an alley frequented of few her husband was then executing his charge in the fleete on suspition of the King of Corsica who gave no obscure signes of enmity Because he requiring for wife Eromena the Princesse Arato denied her him seeing his daughter not thereto inclined this King who is called Epicamedo being of a crabbed nature pimple-faced and a creple Whereupon pretending old titles to the Iland of Asinara a naturall member of Sardegna it seemed he would by this pretext molest that kingdome Now the Lady Admirall had in her house many maids and women to whom she would not trust her selfe beleeving she might better commit her life and honour both into the hands of Prodotima her slave with many courtesies obliged unto her who withall was already some time past a servant in the Admirals house and shee seeing her selfe become her mistres treasurer of a secret of such importance was infinitely glad thereof hoping to reape there-from no ordinary profit shee was borne in Orcano and taken on those shores when she running away with her lover endevoured to save her selfe from the fury of her parents that came pursuing her not because they cared either for her or for the honor of their blood she being but basely borne but because at her parting away she had broken up the chest in the warehouse where her father was factor and stolen there-out the money And because matters ill begun end worse her fortune was to escape her parents and perish among strangers for the galleys of Sardegna being by a great tempest wether-beaten and driven to that shore the two Fugitives spied by the Galley-slaves were by them first taken and stript and then presented to the Admirall Andropodo which was the secret lecher was put to serve in the stable and she being an artificiall dissembler knew so well how to worke for her selfe that she was withdrawen from base slavery to services more civill about the person of her Mistresse And now perceiving her selfe imployed in affaires of so great consequence she with well composed words promised her utmost helpe and being rich in invention discoursed upon the manner and means of the comming of the Prince with such circumspection as the poore Talasia thought it impossible to perceive it her selfe much lesse her husband and gave her forthwith in earnest of her liberality two hundred crownes of gold At the appointed houre came Perosfilo armed with a sword a little buckler and a halfe coat of maile so secretly as that not any of his servants were any way privy to his going because some dayes before he had begunne to locke himselfe in his chamber with a devise that lying a bed he could with a little cord open and pull towards him the doore so now also hee caused himselfe to be set a bed but as soone as the Gentlemen that waited on him were gone he put on his cloathes himselfe and getting out by a secret ladder went on to the Admirals house where he needed not to touch the doore so vigilant was the villanous Prodotima who expecting him with the doore under-shut suddenly leade him the way in It 's needlesse to tell you of the joy and pleasure of the two Lovers because the imagination unable to conceive it deprives the tongue of the ability of expressing it let it suffice that they did their best to recompence the two yeares time lost to their loves with the perill of death incurr'd by her in her last
the faire termes of Knighthood much rather in that he doubted lest the noise and bustling of their blowes might indanger them so as the poore Prince pierced at once with six darts was not any more able either to strike or speake The Baron of Iangue and the Count of Pussinera were from the beginning runne to the bed who lest the Lady Admirall should cry out held close her mouth stopt up with the sheetes her husband having made her rise up and put on a chamber-weede intending because he disdained to kill her himselfe to cause her to be strangled by the slave seeing the Prince not yet quite dead grew desirous for his greater anguish that she should give him his last wound and having therefore made her take a Poyniard in hand he told her his will was that to revenge the death he had given her honour she should resolve to kill him with her owne hands she seeing him wallowing in a lake of bloud and how he though gasping for life yet beheld her laying aside all feare stab'd her husband with the Poyniard in the face thinking to strike him in the throat-pipes for well deemed she him arm'd every where else and had therewithall sped him had he not fallen flat on the ground then turning towards the next unto her which was the Baron of Vellapetres she ranne him in the flanke and kil'd him The Admirall in the meane while gotten up gave her a thrust in the side which pushed her upon the Baron of Lybaraba in whose belly she without losse of time buried the Poyniard up to the hilts aiming her thrust low for doubt of sticking it in his coat of maile and therewith sped him but then shee beaten downe with divers blowes and struggling to set her selfe forwards againe to kill her husband came to fall upon the Prince where faintly kissing him she breathed out her life with him in that very instant as he breathed out his last gaspe The Admirall seeing his plot brought to passe at so deere a rate as to have two of his companions slaine and himselfe wounded knew not what course to take with their bodies and yet needs must he have resolved to get him thence when every one advising him not to lose any time about two inutile carcasses he thought his best and safest course was to be ruled by them Having therefore bound up his wounds hee wished them all to goe out into the Hall to the end that those of the house wakened with their bustling seeing them jest beating one the other with pillowes might beleeve that thence began the first noise The beds being made ready they called for dice commanding the servants to goe sleepe under colour of having no man to over-looke their game and because many of them considering how unfit it was to leave Lords of such a ranke not attended with asmuch as one servant would have waited out of the Hall they constrained them to get them thence and by locking the doores after them had thereby conveniencie a little after to shift themselves away thence without being observed of any The Admirall had fore-thought of all things except the two slaves whom then also he had not remembred had they not presented themselves before him so as they must have taken them up behind them on their horse-croppers had not the death of the two Barons remedied that inconvenience And because Caleri for the suspition it had of Corsica stood then guarded with some watch it behooved the Admirall to make himselfe knowen unto the Porter of the Citie They rode all night having twise changed horse and taking the way of Montevero arrived there the day following There were they inforced to leave behind them Prodotima accompanied with the slave all galled and bruised with riding to embarke themselves suddenly at the mouth of the river Thirsis distant but eight miles from Montevero and thence to get them to Porto Torre themselves without one minutes stay holding on their journey with incredible diligence arrived the night following at Sassari As the Pilate held on his discourse there appeared in sight a small Barke sayling here and there without any order or direct course which being shewed them by Polimero they judged it to be some one that had beene rob'd by Pirates and left as a play-game to the windes desirous to know the truth they bore up to her But because she was yet afarre off the Pilate requested to continue his History thus proceeded It grew to be farre dayes and Talasia's Gentlewomen expected that Prodotima should come to call them up as she was wont to doe but dinnertime being come and no Prodotima as yet appearing and the Serving-men on the other side marvelling they saw not in the strangers lodgings the Knights come thither with their Master the night before went on towards the fore-chamber where Prodotima lay where knocking many times and hearing no body stirre within they began to doubt of I know not what Whereupon bouncing againe many times and often they resolved without any respect to throw downe the doore which when they had done and found not their Prodotima onwards they went into the chamber and there they saw the pittifull spectacle of foure bodies lying weltred in bloud whereof to their great horror they knew at the first sight their Mistresse and the Prince My tongue cannot expresse the effects of griefe and amazement that seazed on these poore people neither beleeve I that they can be imagined unlesse the imagination had experimented a like disaster they could not as much as ghesse how the matter stood because they never were any way privie to the Prince his love but seeing him now in such a plight and knowing that their Master came to the house that night and thence shifted himselfe away privily they beganne to doubt of what was so indeed The Steward having caused the gate to be shut with charge not to open it to any man went to the Kings Councell to whom he related the fact conformable to his conjectures The Councell not knowing by what meanes they might therewith acquaint the King were advised by the Marquesse of Bossa Lord high Chamberlaine not to informe the King of any thing ere they had seene themselves the body of the Prince and with more certainetie informed themselves of the case wishing therefore all or some of them to goe to the Admirals house whilst he rooke care that no man came neere the King His Councell was imbraced The Marquesse retiring to the Kings chamber and the others as soone as their coaches came hurrying to the Admirals house where causing it to be close shut up and the chamber opened they saw the relation prove but too too true there being not any of them present who by the place persons and qualities of the dead comprehend not the case Having afterwards examined the household they understood of the Admirals being there that night accompanied with Reparata and the rest and how that the slaves were
not sithence seene by whom they beleeved the Prince to bee betraied and so by the helpe of the rest murthered by the Admirall They sent suddenly to the gates where they understood that the Admirall with eight Companons all well horsed went out at the gate of Castlemuni They resolved to send after him and having to that end sent for the Count of Montereale Generall of the horse and shewed him the body of the Prince they committed to his charge what he was to doe The Count who adored him living and now being dead could not satisfie himselfe in bemoaning him considering that the present state of the businesse required somewhat else than teares went on his way most resolute to use all possible diligence to revenge his death The Lords of the Councell in the meane time after they had taken such order as was requisite touching the bodies of the Prince and of the guiltie Traitors returned to the Palace But the Citizens having I know not how understood of the accident and telling it one unto another were seene to shut up all their shops in an instant with lamentations so manifest that the King perceiving it asked the Marquesse what was the matter who answered him that he knew not but the King seeing it more and more increase bade him goe call the Prince and learne what the matter was Wherein whilst the Marquesse tooke on him to obey him there appeared in his presence the Privie Counsellors who when the King saw come thronging so many together he imagined that some great disaster had hapned for all of them pitifully lamented insomuch as the President who was to be the Speaker could not utter a word whereat the King impatient turning towards the Marquesse and seeing him make greater moane than any of the rest asked him angerly if the King of Corsica were in Caleri or if the Kingdome were lost My Soveraigne Leige answered then the President would to God I could bring you that newes in exchange of this other a thousand times more wofull for there might be hope to recover againe the Realme whereas the losse that both you and the Kingdome have now sustained is irrecoverable What can it then be replied the King Is Perosfilo dead At which demand all of them kneeling downe and pitifully lamenting him with grieuous sobs and mornefull cries answered that he was The King hereat astonished would have runne towards the Lodgings of the Prince thinking to see him there Whene the Queene comming out thence accompanied with Eromena with their heire hanging disorderly about their eares more like Bacchanals or mad women than themselves met him at a doore full-but The Queene strangely gazing on the standers by with reiterated words cried out Perosfilo Where is hee where is my Sonne Come give him mee withhold him not rom mee for I will have him This incounter was to the King even as a fire which come neere a dry tow-like matter fuming and halfe consumed puffs it up in a flame in an instant for seeing his wife and daughter in so strange a fashion his spirits and courage so failed him as he sunke downe to the ground But the Queene without taking any notice of him running about while here while there continued in calling out for her Sonne till become all hoarse with crying she held her eyes immoveably fixt where once she let fall her sight without shedding a teare Eromena the mirrour of beauty and Prudence stood in that instant with her faire eyes concentrated pale and wan She wept not and yet she wept for her weeping were exclamations and sighes she called on the beloved name of her brother she sought for him all over his Lodgings and hehind the Tapistrie as if she had hoped to have found him there hidden The King was raised up from the ground and laid in his bed so would the Ladies have likewise disposed of the Queene but she become frantike ran up and downe the Palace and round about the Lodgings complaining of the heavens and cursing men till she brought her selfe to that passe as she was not able any more either to move or crie The numerous companie of Ladies that pittifully wept about her had not beene able to re-conduct her to her Lodgings if Eromena fearing with her brother to lose also her mother had not with her presence and teares importuned and perswaded her to retire her selfe It boots me not to tell you of the revolt of the Citie when the corpes of the Prince were about midnight brought to the Palace The dolefull Eromena considering how her father was by reason of his great griefe fallen sicke of a Feaver and her mother growne distracted of her senses was not therefore willing to let them know any thing but went her selfe with a few others to veiw the body but then although all her vitall powers ran unto her heart although all her force and vertues whereof the heavens were unto her so graciously liberall united themselves together to fortifie her courage yet could not all this save or sustaine her spirits and almost her life from failing her at that instant she grew pale shee swounded she fell dead at least in all likelihood and died she had indeed if a spirit more feeble had given shape and being to a lesse generous heart In the end come to her selfe and sitting by the corps as she watered his breath-losse face with a fountaine of her teares she said Are these then the joyes Brother which we expected of thee Are these the hopes that the world had of thee which with all reason is expected of thy valour Is this the flourishing age by so short a space of life so cruelly cut off to bring therewithall to an end with no lesse crueltie the lives of those that brought thee into the world why did not thy resplendent vertues dazle the eyes of him that slew thee maugre the spectacles of envie O cruell starres To what end served such and so great influences of beautie and exquisite feature in a body peerlesse for prowesse and adorned with so divine a soule seeing a little blemish an error in youth so tender so excusable hath caused and proâ—ured the corruption and ruine of all those excellent perfections to give the whole world cause to lament the losse of them yet are they not lost for what ascends from above must returne to whence it came so as we have no cause to grieve for thy generous soule but yet can we not chuse as we are mortall but lament the dissolution of the perfectest composure that ever nature put together neither can we without death chuse but bewaile thy death depriving us of the life which from thy sweet life we received for in thee were indivisible all those graces which the Graces participate not to others but in such measure as is requisite for the delight of humane kind We cannot chuse but mourne seeing our selves threatned at home and abroad being since we are deprived of thee without
to other mens labours The Princesse astonished at her discourse would faine egge her on a little further for the better discovering among obscurities so palpable the cleerenesse of an elevated capacitie wherefore she said unto her The cause sister mine of our errour in beleeving that evill hath a greater stroke over us than good proceeds from our owne passions as you your selfe have confesessed though in respect of themselves they bee of equall weight The palat is more digested with the bitter than pleased with the sweete though of its proper nature it love and affect the latter the reason is because our senses make us more sensible of ill than good which if wee consider rightly we shall have no reason to complaine of nature which made not contraries with proportion more contrary in the one than in the other The blacke is no more blacke than the white is white albeit the one is discerned better than the other not for any defect of contrarietie but by reason of the qualitie of the eye that is more inclined to receive the impression of the one than of the other the Sunne likewise which for his brightnesse should bee more apt to bee seene is neverthelesse for a like reason lesse seene If then it bee so as most assured it is Why then comfort you not your selfe now that you are certaine of having passed the period of your evils by the escaping of death the extremest point of all misery So as necessarily your misfortune declining it 's malignite in the recesse prepares for you in his change argument of consolation and seeing that changes are no other than mutation of qualities you ought to suppose that it must needs bee from bad to good Alas Madame answered the woman weeping consider I pray you that reason and sense cannot be weighed with equall weights because reason is either so fleeting as she will not suffer us easily to lay hold on her or else light and wavering if shee chance to be formed by use or opinion But the sense being weightie and of certaine consistence remaines active and deceives not unlesse it selfe be beguiled by some alteration well said you that so should I doe for indeede so would I faine doe but first make you these scales even if you can by giving mee either so much reason as sense or else no more sense than reason and then will I both obey you and comfort my selfe But woe is me it is their irreconcileable disparitie that makes my miserable estate inconsolable in that the practise of the Theoricke is in them too too different the one being more easie to an eloquent tongue than the other to the stoutest heart when it shall have occasion to put it in practise Now as touching the excesse and period of my evils know most noble Lady that if men could content themselves with food onely as doe the wilde beasts then might the argument be good for you of your commiseration having freed me frō death which was the period of evill me thinks reason tels me that I am now in its recesse for that the way of life is opened unto me but too too miserable is our condition to bee contented to live onely and to live to our selves alone there is none but knowes that we must live for others also neither say I onely as he who held that we are borne to our Countrey and friends but I hereto adde that we are likewise borne to our owne affections and among them above all to honour which subsisting of an unknowne and delicate element receives its influence from the course of the more delicate spheares which conjoyned to these materials are in the point of their period diverse in qualitie even as mine are so as the recesse of ill in the one is the recesse of honour in the other How then can one live in the recesse of ill with the hope of the accesse of good when the recesse of honor engenders the accesse of infamy that stands in the opposite point But to speak with your own principles you Madame well know that it is not one sole aspect that makes us become miserable but our meeting afterwards with other new aspects in the way of theirprog ressions the being of the maligne stars which the learned call the Infortunate of superior situation and by consequence heavier and slower which being in some sort intricated with the fixed that are slowest of all are never more disinveloped but accompanie our few dayes with infinite evils which being limited by death and deprived of all power of hurting us in a life freed from their fetters pursue us nevertheelesse to our very graves with an abominable and ignominious fame which i say not because I beleeve it to be so indeede but because that who so gives those principles credit will be induced to beleeve no otherwise And I for my part cannot chuse but subscribe to the opinion of such as beleeve that the fates and constellations are no other thing than the providence of the gods whereunto if I now trusted not more than I doe to the celestiall figures I should utterly despaire The Princesse observing her to speake with much paine and great perplexiti of minde thought it not good to trouble her any further albeit she much desired to know both her and the originall of her misfortunes the rather because she well discerned in her ordinary signes of no ordinary person leaving therefore Aretia to accompany her she returned to the Princes to whom she related what discourse she had with her expressing her selfe to be gladder of this prize than of that of both the Fleets They lodged themselves in Terranova as well as they could where the sicke woman was carefully looked unto and lodged as commodiously as the straightnesse of the place would permit who by meanes either of the Physitians or of comfortable repose recovered together with her strength her before exiled beauty Whilst the Princesse continued with the weake woman the two brothers had time to conferre together where Metaneone informed his brother of all that past betweene him and his father and how he was by him sent to finde him out whom therefore he once intended to have conducted homewards but perceiving as he thought in that Princesse probable signes of an excessive love towards him and considering withall how the tie of honour straightly obliged him to deferre his departure thence till the warres were ended he knew not what course he were best to resolve of howbeit he held his owne returne necessarie because he was to intreate his father to demand for him a wife and there related he unto his brother all the story of Eromilia yet knew he not well how he could go home without him And that on the other side in procuring him to returne with him he should doe very ill for that he might thereby marre his fortune and hinder his advancement which hee ought rather by all meanes to further and procure not onely for
marvaile if his fatherly inclination hindred him to discerne the malice of his sonne he would not beleeve that they went about to poison me because the Physitian denied it for which I having no other testimony than the two Knights that were fled and gone alleaged my distillations and some words carelesly let slippe from mee whereby my women discovered in mee such like suspitions I denied not the gift of the Iewell though for the occasion I told you further alleaging that Don Eulavio being as every one knew a noble Knight it was not a thing credible that either I should use him for a Pander or that he would have beene so base as to suffer himselfe to become such a one but seeing the King for all this sticke firme to the evidence of his sonne which was the gift of the Iewell and flight of the Knights I shewed him how the gift had its occasion and much more the flight of the Knights that had beene verie wilfully sottish to have trusted themselves to the discretion of an unjust and cruell Prince who if he made no conscience to procure my death for being excluded of his hopes of the Arelatan kingdome and for the aspiring to that of Maiorica much lesse would he have made to put them to death to the end he might thereby not onely revenge himselfe and suppresse the discoverie of his mischievous practises but also rid himselfe of me for ever at the price of my life and honour In the end I besought him that my Physitian might be examined by torture wherof he was well contented but hee the very day before he was to be examined was found strangled to make the world beleeve that he hanged himselfe for feare of torments My reasons in summe had availed mee little if in lesse than eight dayes after this accident there had not appeared an Ambassadour from my father come scowring with maine force of oares on a well rigged Galley who having presented the King with a letter of credence and acquainted him with the occasion of his comming delivered him also a letter from Don Eleimo containing the whole story of my case without varying a haites bredth from what I had formerly related And because the Embassadour suddenly upon his arrivall would needs have audience ere he spake with me or any other he praied as soone as the King had reade the letter that he might see me to confront therewith my deposition which could not be denied him and finding me in a plight so deplorable he comforted me with assuring me that my fathers tendernesse of affection to me-wards was no lesse now than when I was his only child and that when he were assured of my honesty he was resolved to defend it though it should cost him his life and kingdome that he was sent thither to be an assistant at my arraignement which he would have prosecuted with all rigor that so my innocency might be the better cleered that the maine proofe consisted of one sole point which was to see if what I said was conformable to what Don Eleimo had told my father and now written to the King of Catalogna there present Much was I comforted in hearing this and after having asked him how my father did I related unto him as formerly I had done to my father-in-law the advertizements many times given me by Don Eleimo with the severall antidotes by mee taken whereof I shewed them the receipts wishing them to aske the Physitians if such were effectuall against poisons I made known unto them in the end how it grieved me that my Physitian was hanged up in prison for feare lest he discovered on the racke both his own and the Prince his treacherie Which when the Embassadour heard he asked the King what he thought of it Whereto hee not knowing what to answer reading againe Don Eleimo's letter with strange mutation of colours said he would goe conferre with his sonne to whom when he had shewed the letter and made with him a great stirre about it he at length resolved to have all things husht up wherewith I not contenting my selfe but requiring the death of the false Catascopo with some publike declaration of the Prince for the manifestation of my innocency could by no meanes possible obtaine either the one or the other for Catascopo disclaimed from having ever named me maintaining all hee averr'd to be true without any prejudice to me and the Prince by alleaging love to be a thing full of doubts and feares not onely excluded himselfe from the obligation of giving me such satisfaction as I looked for but also pretended to have withall obliged me in having so basely defamed me I would faine have returned home to my fathers but entreated by my father-in-law deceived by the false penitencie of my husband and counselled by the Embassadour not to doe it being that my husband could no waies make a more publike declaration of my wronged honestie than to keepe mee with him I was perswaded to stay whereof I soone repented me now that a justly conceived disdaine had taken away from mee all the residue of love and that there appeared to increase in him a desire to free himselfe of the knowne ill opinion that every one conceived of him imagining my life to be unto him a perpetuall upbraiding of his infamie It fortuned that a yeare and somewhat after that these things succeeded the valourous Prince your brother was slaine whereupon a new phrensie being come into his head of getting the Princesse Eromilia a thing which could not be whilest I lived he resolved to make me away but not knowing what colour to have for it now that my honestie was so openly knowne he thought of a thousand wayes whereof no one liked him at last hee lighted on one the most villanous that ever humane wit could imagine Now there stood seated on the Pirenean mountaines a Temple dedicated to the goddesse Iuno whither such married paires as had lived disgusted came from remote parts on pilgrimage to pray the goddesse to grant them reciprocall love and concord Don Peplasos in whom was never before seene any signe either of pietie or religion become now forsooth in an instant devoutly religious invited me to this pilgrimage whereof I that much needed celestiall helpe was God knowes exceeding joyfull Me-thought that my prayers were already heard and that I saw my husband become an altered man for that the desire to be good which he seemed now to have argued in him a beginning of goodnesse Nothing would he resolve of without me touching this journey participating of my advice as well for the manner thereof as for the company we were to take along with us wherein he seeming to be exceedingly mortified and full of contrition we resolved to goe disguised without any manner of pompe taking with us but one servant a-piece but because I thought I could not for modesties cause be so conveniently served in my occasions by a man servant I told him
permitted returned her this answer My ever-onely Lady Nature that was so carefull to create your Highnesse singular above all things else should by its singularities assure you that there is no judgement so clouded as considering your wayes can chuse but knwo your actions to be completely perfect and though it were possible that any such could be yet should it bee constrained to confesse that in you the very errours themselves are perfections which stealiâ— gwife accompanied you and being ambitious of honour and coverous of fame changed both name and nature being not for all that grafted but onely fastned to the boughs of the goodliest and perfectest tree that ever the gods of husbandry for celestiall deliciousnesse planted among the terrene ones of humane Paradise For who could have knowne how to leave father countery and Realme without any blot of errour except your unparalel'd selfe who have even in erring abounded in a singular constancie and incomparable worth of love farre surpassing all the constancies and merits of the world Your Highnesse then should not doubt but rather confidently beleeve that you shall thereby reape the more praise in that so praise-worthy an errour cannot sufficiently be prized which I repute to be more perfect because its sole perfections having invited mee it of it selfe so ravished me as I being really transformed into a sweete error cannot without error call my selfe more mine owne Now for that it pleaseth your Highnesse to make me happie by seconding the Will of the King your father I have not words to expresse my thankfulnesse nor effects to serve you comformable to your merit onely there remaine in me a desire and a will to both And because your Highnesse merits all that is good too too blame were I if after having given what else was mine I detained from you these that are yet left me Accept them then I beseech you to make mee will and desire if it bee your will that I may wish and your desire that I may desire who account my selfe no other than the obedient executor of your commands and in that right happie since fortune hath raised mee to so high a pitch as to be thought worthy to serve you The Princesse who had now converted her widdowly moane into fresh teares of conjugall affection joyfull of having acquired so courteous a Prince would not leave him unreplied unto with a gentle correspondence of courteous thankes-yeelding which ended and the houre of dinner a good while passed they sate them downe with better content and more consolation in the straightnesse of that Rocke than others of their ranke and eminencie would have done among the superfluous varietie of royall Palaces Needs would the Prince as soone as he had dined goe see Perseno whom the Princesse also favoured with the same honour where after some gratefull passages they had no time to discourse of ought else than of their departure which somewhat troubled Eromilia's minde for not knowing how to dispose of the Rock But the Prince who well knew the Tingitanan Kings ambition and how that such a place well fortified might curbe him at any time resolved not to abandon it at any hand so as their departure was deferred for no other cause than for the refabricking of its ruines and hewing the rock in such a contrived maner as no engins might approch it which in few dayes was dispatched by the helping hand of the Galley-slaves who laboured thereabout every one his share The Princesse would have him leave some of his to governe it whereto he would by no meanes condiscend deeming it as yet unbeseeming him so to doe but prayed her to leave there for Commander Perseno the rather because hee being grievously wounded could not chuse but grow to be in worse plight with the motion and rowling of the sea the Prince himselfe sending to Orano a frontier citie of his state for all things requisite for him to assure that hold against a long siege promising him withall in private that in case it pleased him not to stay there he himselfe would procure his father in law to send him a successour gratifying him in the meane time with large rewards of honours and revenewes from Mauritania of his owne things pertaining to his principalitie Things reduced to this head he embarked himselfe with the Princesse and all her family steering on a direct course for Maiorica Now Eromilia had by Metaneone's counsell ere shee parted caused the Brother-Princes to bee fish'd up whose bodies she sent embalmed in two coffers to the Lord of Velez with the two remaining Galleyes together with the full relation of the fact whereof he was before sufficiently informed praying him to send them to the King of Tingitana their father not without expressing her being sensible of the violence done her in their Dominions and in a place purchased of the Governour himselfe whereto he dissemblingly answered That the Princes came to no other end than to defend and rescue her having understood by their spies the designes of the Princes of Andaluzia and Granada And that if one of them endeavoured to force the Rocke it was for the discourteous language given him by the Captaine of her Garrison In the same manner were the bodies of the other two Princes together with their Galleyes consigned to such of their men as remained alive thereby to take away all pretext of grievances advertizing thereof besides the Courts of sundry Princes by particular letter expressing the manner of the fact to the end that the truth might be every where knowne Onely Don Peplasos was reserved to his wives determination being deemed unworthy to enjoy the prerogative of a Prince or honour due to a Knight for being culpable of two faults and in each of them two severall times guiltie after having for his first offence in the one and the other obtained pardon offences of a base minde an impious heart and mischievous affect and against that sex which nature made pious that it might even of crueltie it selfe obtaine pittie yet he more cruell than any cruelty moved with a barbarous avarice of Tyrannicall ambition had twise attempted the death of chaste Eleina to deprive her both of life and honour and to make her twise miserable with the rape of the gentle Eromilia besides his ingratitude towards the King of Maiorica and Prince of Mauritania who albeit they knew his ill intention yet because they thought it impossible for him to fall into relapse of so foule and enormous a fault had both set him at liberty and honoured him In such a fashion was his Inditement framed not by notaries upon the testimony of two or three nor written in fragile papers but in his owne conscience approved by the deede it selfe made notorious by the attestation of all that part of the world and registred in the most tenacious memories to be conserved for a perpetuall tradition to posteritie to the horror not so much of the good as of the mischievous that as
mountaine and comming towards us was without spying us discovered by us When I straight knowing him to be Calaplo was thereof exceeding joyfull deeming it the happiest encounter that could possibly betide me for I knowing the cause of his going away being my selfe the man that hatch'd the invention of sending him packing in that manner hoped to bring the Prince good newes of his being slaine for we having at first concluded to deale so with him did not execute it for not multiplying of too many Ministers in the fact and by consequence of dangers in discovering him the rather in that we hoped that he would for feare have kept himselfe secret Imparting the businesse unto my companions they resolved to murther him not so much to serve and please thereby the Prince as for love of the Iewels and coine which I told them hee had about him Wherefore as soone as we got to the path we dogg'd him without being able to overtake him almost all the day long In the end passing downe a deepe steepy bottome and getting up another mountaine he held not on his way one houres space till he stood still so as we might at our pleasure overtake him and comming stealing-wise upon him for feare of being espied we might perceived him talke with some body afarre off and in his speech heare him say Your Highnesse which gave us cause to imagine it was the Princesse he spake to there we set upon him unawares but found him so valiant that what by retiring and defending himselfe were could never come once to fasten a blow on him the difficulty of the mountaines steepinesse serving him for a great advantange And I in the meane while seeing how he had with a maine downeright blow cloven the head of one of my two companions thought it my best course to leave him hand to hand with the other their death little importing my ends which was the life of the Princesse or rather my owne which without her death could not subsist it grieving me too much to leave in an instant the fortunes of the Court by me only assayed but not fully tasked Thus was I flattered by ambition which prevailes more in an upstart than in one that being borne there hath it hereditarie from his ancestors and from the noblenesse of bloud Being freed then from that pittie which was instill'd in me by my companions I got me to the place where I had before seene Calaplo to assure my selfe whether the same was indeed the Princesse or that I was deceived where I saw it was she indeede and she also might well have seene me if hindred by her weeping shee had not in drying her eyes covered them with the sleeve of her gowne her good husband not having left her any thing else to drie them withall The seeing her then in such a plight bred in me such a compassion as made me quite contrarie to my intended resolution desire to comfort her but remembring how she would never have either beleeved or trusted me and that it was better to goe and finde her out crave her pardon bring her backe to her father in safetie and there leave her I descended the hill but could by no meanes possible for all my rambling about ever finde her out so as at length having also sought her the day following to no purpose I resolved to set my selfe on the way of my returne The Prince in the meane time had in this tragedie plaid his part with exceeding great artifice for returning to the Temple dropping wet with sweat making a shew of being as he was indeede though for a different cause profoundly afflicted sent folkes to search all there about for his wise taking on him to feare that shee losing her way were devoured of some wilde beast he sent first of all to the Inne to know if shee were retired thither But the Knight that was left there with the sicke woman comming thereupon up to the Temple and acquainting him how that Calaplo had bin there to fetch away the waller he began to display and ground on that act of his some token of suspition but when such as were sent aboade returned without any newes of her then told he them openly that he could beleeve no lesse than that she were runne away with Calaplo which he knew how to represent so feelingly with such naturall affects both of griefe and disdaine that the Knight whose imagination never dived to the depth of so foule a treason could not otherwise chuse than be of the same opinion nor could it indeede be otherwise conceived of any except of such as lighted pat on the very truth seeing that neither bloud nor any relique of any limbe of hers could possibly be found any where albeit the mountaine was for three dayes continuance search'd all over with most exquisite diligence Besides that in that part so well frequented was never seene any savage beast much lesse was it ever heard that any one was ever slaine or hur there The Prince with this occasion came to be discovered for so would he have it to the end that the fame of the accident might forerunne his arrivall in Barcelona and so for being afterwards conformably confirmed by him be the better credited whcih indeede succeeded him every way answerable to his expectation The King well deeming that his heavy-hearted sonne had neede of comfort sent of the gravest and wisest of the Realme to meete him when he taking on him to be uncapable of any comfort spake and did things with such an extreme compassion-meriting passion as there was not any that grieved not for his griefe For albeit by the qualities of the Princesse there was no reason to beleeve that any such a resolution could ever be fostered in her yet could he so cunningly dissemble that for some while he blinded the best sighted and most penetrating eyes My returne was neere about the same time as his though a little sooner for so had we before agreed on When I in taking on me at Court to have never heard any thing of these passages in wondring at such an accident in making as though I could not beleeve it and in such other circumstances wanted little of going beyond my Master himselfe yet to him told I that we had buried her a pikes depth under ground satisfying withall the rest of his demands at full I having studied by the way how to make answer to all whatsoever he could aske me but he that now could finde no more in his heart to fix his eyes on me my very presence upbrayding him of the foulenesse of his fault never spake to me more one word thereof Soone went I about preparing my selfe for my flight when hee faining to have heard some inckling of the Princesse went suddenly a-boord a Galley so as I was faine to doe the same where we were scarce setled a-boord her whenamong the Knights and Ghing was spread a rumor that we were bound for Affrique
unto thee with a strange kind of benefit directed wholly to thy own sole ends which also might have accordingly succeeded thee considering the noble inclinations of so excellent a Princesse But the gods permitted thee not to put that project in practise having destined for her safetie other meanes than thy malicious pittie which because they in thee abhorred they blinded thy eyes and clouded thy understanding for finding her any more nor doth thy last alleaged excuse that the ambition of the Prince his favour was cause of thy offence decline any whit from thy other reasons for if we ought not to doe evill that good may come thereof how can we excuse that evill whence springs another evill by many degrees greater The impossibilitie thou inferrest of the never being of any man that could in such like ambitions containe himselfe is most false whereof though I yet granted thee that there were not any yet will I never concede that there cannot be any such A Prince his favour is acquired either by merits or else by reason of the inclination of the Prince himselfe and where merits are there is seldome any great fortune for they proceeding from vertue those vertues cannot brooke fortune but disdaine her means and she again seeing her selfe so despised scornes and contemns them where inclination is there resides fortune also but diversely for many Princes are good have good inclinations but with them have they also their affects which they will have humored yet should they not be therefore abhorr'd seeing they are but men nor should they be condemned or much blamed for chusing persons to their fancy and liking so that the State suffer not thereby True it is that such as these shall be by so much the neerer a fortune by how much the farther off they are from integrity except when the Prince his meere liberality inricheth them out of his owne without prejudicing any other But such as are cald to favour to be instruments of the wicked to the ruine of the good as thou wast are not of this number but of a third degree as detestable for being in the extremitie of evill as is that of the good desirable that marcheth in the fore-ranke of goodnesse so as I beleeve that among all men in the world thou onely art in that degree and as such an one unworthy of either excuse or pardon Much amazed remained Catascopo at this so rigorous though just judgement of Polimero which ended he was reconducted to prison where along time he continued without any hope of pardon or releasement Eromena having passed over into Corsica and taken Bonifacio march'd on to Sagona which yeelded it selfe to her mercy with the same felicitie tamed she the Talsines acquired Telisano the valley of Vasina Giovellino with whatsoever other places are contained in Capo-Corso Nebbio that was then the citie and seate Royall made her some resistance the Rebels being reduced thither and most resolute to defend themselves till death which they had performed if the inhabitants had thereunto consented which later weying with themselves the losse they sustained by Polimero's valour and considering withall how scant their provision was growne yeelded on reservation of the safegard of their lives and goods whilest the Rebels seeing the people so inclined saved themselves by timely flight in Balagnia In the meane time had Polimero long before sent the Count of Bona to the King his father that he might when he had given an account of his embassage in Maiorica obtaine an other for Sardegna to demand in marriage for him Eromena wherein he was with such expedition dispatched as Nebbio was scarce rendred up when the Princesse received letters from her father with newes of the arrivall of an Embassadour from the King of Mauritania about a businesse of so great importance as it necessarily required her personall presence wishing her therefore to leave good order for the enterprise and to hie her selfe thither with all possible speed Vpon this Eromena well knowing what the businesse was though loth to part from her lover posted away leaving all the troopes in his charge taking along with her the Marquesse with the principall Commanders of the Campe to the end that the whole honour of the conquest of Corsica might rest entirely his alone Nor was she therein deceived for Polimero desirous to bring his enterprise to an end and above all to get into his hands the Rebels came before Balagnia so suddenly and unexpected as they had no time to get out as they made account to have done any tentative of theirs serving them to no purpose for that the citie was walled round about so as it was soone given up and the Rebels consigned him alive This done he tooke Calui wth all its territorie nor remained there now other than Genarca which because of its being seated on the sea had not so easily beene forced if he by bringing thither the Fleet had not constrained it to follow the fortune of the others Afterwards having embarked the Rebels on the Mauritanian Gallies he commanded the Admirall to deliver them from him to the King As soone as Eromena was come the King told her the occasion for which he sent for her was for that the King of Mauritania had sent to demand her in marriage for his sonne Polimero She making as though the matter were strange to her answered that shee would doe what should be by the State thought fitting referring her selfe wholly to the Councell Now those of the Councell come with her from the Campe were fewer than those others of the Court and approved of the marriage acknowledging for chiefe of their side the Marquesse of Oristagnio But the Marquesse of Bossa being uncle to the Count of Montevero endevoured by all meanes to crosse those nuptials making with the kinsmen of the Rebels so strong a voice as that but for the others authoritie he had easily hindred it His reasons were the disparitie of their yeares his being without any patrimonie his having made many principall houses in the kingdome his enemies with the imprisonment and consequently the torture and death of so many Barons which though it were done on a just ground yet was not justice able to give every one satisfaction And though that prudent Princes ought to aime their levell at reason onely when they reape no prejudice therefrom yet if they see any likelihood of the contrary then ought they to second the passions of their subjects who being potent in a state might otherwise trouble it they presupposing the justice done to the faulty to bee a generall injury to their bloud whereof in respect of the number of such as were innocent there should be a speciall care taken not to contaminate the honour of some in the punishing of some others Nor can the governement be supportable of a Prince brought in with the bloud of so many who for for being necessitated to leade a life full of jealous suspitions cannot be
the Princesse of Maiorica I pray you assure him that whosoever told him so lied most falsely in that he informed him of an untruth in a matter so far from my thoughts as that Princesse whom I never yet saw is from my knowledge and acquaintance And if my voyage hath given occasion to any ill-minded fellowes to thinke so of me yet cannot any such conjecture accuse me neither am I such as ought to yeeld any man an account where or which way I goe there being in those parts whither I am bound for so many countries and such diversitie of occasions wherein a Knight may honourably imploy himselfe As I hold my selfe greatly injured of such as judge of me rather the worst than the best for the rest I know the Prince for a valiant Knight and have tri'd him but yet armes as well as other things have their both fortunate and fatall dayes so as if I should happen to affront him this my present misfortune should no whit disencourage me Albeit for the occasion he pretends there shall neither be cause for him to chastise me as he saith nor for me to defend my selfe as I would doe for any one that would offer to injure me If he please to leave me to my liberty there being not betweene us any cause of hostility he will then performe what he owes to the amitie of our parents If otherwise and that he will rather credit the malignant conjectures of some villaine than the royall words of a Prince I shall then have just cause to thinke my selfe hardly used by him The Count could doe no lesse than reporte all these speeches punctually to the Prince who not as much as moved thereat sent for the Catalans of whom hee would know againe whither Don Peplasos intended to goe those that had already vnadvisedly spoken the truth could not revoke what they had said the rest who were so fortunate as not to be examined said they knew not their Lords intrinsecall intentions Howbeit the rumor thereof was so published as the more cautelous sort knew better how to conceale than denie it Whereupon Metaneone unwilling by contestation to multiply the ruine of these men resolved with the advice of the Count not to set him at liberty untill such time as Eromilia were thereof advised and had taken a course for the securing of her person But having discoursed of the manner of effecting it they considering of their being but sixtie miles wide from Maiorica concluded to passe that way and thereof to advertize the King her father and so with the merit of two so great services to give him then an inckling of the desire he had to be his Sonne in-law not that he then meant to treate of the marriage but onely to prevent the suit of all such others as might come thither to demand her The Prince glad of this counsell fell off with a contrary wind to Fermentera where he found a Frigat that there rode sequestred by the winds The Knight that came in her presently knowing the Galley Royall ran with much joy to kisse the Prince his hands who suddenly knew him for one of Eromilia's Knights of whom when he understood of his being sent from her with letters to the King her father he told him what had hapned betweene him and the Prince of Catalogna and how that hee continued not in his voyage because it was necessarie for him to goe to Maiorica there to leave him in the Kings custodie till such time as the Princesse had made sufficient provision for the securitie of her person Fidele for such was this Knights name was much astonished at this newes and besought the Prince to grant him some odds of time to get him gon before him as soone as the wind should turne to be a little calmer that the King by reading the letters of the Princesse might come to know the other obligation he ow'd him To which request the Prince was at first loth to consent supposing it was but to give the King of Maiorica time to receive him with greater pompe and honour till afterwards considering the advantage he might come to receive by meanes of the letters of Perseno and the Countesse Palomera he was contented to favour his request and such was the lucke that the winde in that instant as it were quite asswaged occasioned a great calme Wherof Fidele regardlesse having a good Frigat well provided of oares and pressing forwards amaine speed arrived at Maiorica a day sooner than the Prince The King who was even dead of longing to heare newes from his daughter seeing this Knight present himselfe before him was exceeding glad thereof and understanding what had hapned them in their journey as they went and unto the Prince of Mauritania as he came remained thereat strangely amazed afterwards opening his daughters letter he found it thus said My Lord if I had beene capable of content I might say I had received it from your Majesties letters delivered me by the Countesse of Palomero being the greatest joy that an obliged and obedient daughter might possibly receive yet doth not this incapacitie deprive me of that comfort which nature in all children and your particular love towards me might suggest or put me in mind of Insomuch therefore as you strive to surpasse all fathers in loving your daughter most ungratefull were I if I endevoured not to exceed all other daughters in loving so worthy and deserving a father But now me thinkes I heare you say that the last effects manifested the contrary yet My Lord I beseech you in this subject to give credit even to the incredible for my affection which was the source of paradoxes was so repugnant to all humane dispositions as it is no wonder if with it subsist contrarieties Behold then how I pretend not to excuse my fault but doe beseech you to impute it to passion by whose meanes like a raving sicke woman come to the worst point I wanted force to exercise those faculties which the wise make use of so as my offence deserves rather compassion than reproofe in that it brings with it its owne punishment And now that I have acknowledged my duty towards you together with the fault of my absence give me leave I pray you to defend my selfe with the worthy occasion of my errors Represent Oh represent before you My Lord a Perosfilo a Prince of such exceeding rare qualities to whom was dedicated by you my person and by me my soule and then represent him before you dead Alas how could I possibly in so great disorder observe any order I that more than any other loved him whom all loved and which is more with a true and legitimate love If then he were assigned me by you to be the companion of my life why will you not permit me to be the companion of his death And where shall I ever finde out his like Indeede had I aim'd at no other end than solitarinesse I could have retired
my selfe into solitarie places there at home But what kinde of a solitarie life had that beene where every one would have baited and opposed me Besides how had I beene able to resist authoritie but much more your sweete perswasions wherewith you are able to divert the most constant resolutions Now whereas you afterwards accuse me of small love certainely My Lord if you thinke you have occasion to say so I hope you have no reasion to beleeve so for it is right all one as if you accused me for a dead woman and respectlesse of your griefe and of my mothers love together with the debt I owe your subjects and doe you beleeve that it would grieve me lesse to abandon these respects than it would doe to lose my life No surely but the violence and wrong done me by such a conjecture is at least as great if not greater than death it selfe seeing it is true that love and death are both of equall power I answer not to all the residue of your grave and prudent reasons which although they convict mee not because they are grounded upon common suppositions which in my case void of all rule give no rule at all neverthelesse the reverence I owe you obligeth mee to receive them as if they had already convinced mee My loving family I will love and among them the Countesse above all little thought they once to see mee in the estate of a Mistresse but of a slave for companie with them It pleased God that the Prince of Mauritania freed and conducted them here in safetie as shall bee told you more at large by Fidele the bearer hereof whereto I referre my selfe beseeching you that in respect I could not thanke that Prince by word of mouth you would be pleased to supply my defect by sending to the King of Mauritania his father and to him such personages as are capable of executing such an embassage Touching the particular of my person I know the danger wherein I am and will fortifie my selfe in such a manner as I may be able the place being strong of its owne situation onely with my owne family to defend my selfe and live secure from all the world so I bee but furnished with victuals And in the meane time God will provide for all whom I pray to grant your Majestie the height of felicity and to me that comfort which being absent from your Majestie I cannot receive Eromilia With this letter the King became somewhat consolated in that hee thought he had wrought something on his daughters melancholy Albeit she therein made no mention of returning homewards neverthelesse he could not chuse but be well satisfied with the accidents that had hapned hoping they would prove a meanes to induce her to alter her intention But when afterwards he had seene the letters of the Countesse and Perseno he thought than that the Gods had sent them that Prince to free them from affliction Therefore having given order to receive him with all honour and that notice should be given him when he were descried in the sight of the Iland he went the day following himselfe in person to meete him on the sea-coast The honors wherewith be entertained him were such as might be expected from an inferior and the love such as could bee hoped for from a loving father The Queene who both by the relation of Fidele and also by her owne letters comprehended the Prince his merits received him with such tendernesse of affection as a mother is wont to welcome her endeared Sonne After reciprocall complements the Prince retiring himselfe aside with the King told him that the cause of his comming thither was an accident that chanc'd him with the Prince of Catalogna whose servants had plainely confessed that they went with an intent to steale away the Princesse Eromilia because their Prince had no hope of obtaining her by any other meanes That it seemed not good unto him to take him along with him lest he might thinke himselfe detained prisoner much-lesse would he by any meanes set him at liberty lest he should then effect his designe And that being now wounded his Majestie under the colour of hospitality might detaine him and in the meane time advertize thereof the King of Catalogna his father and send the Princesse provision to assure her from such like dangers The King not knowing how to finde out words correspondent to the qualitie of his beholdingnesse omitted no meanes of letting him see how dearely hee esteemed such notable and so worthy services And concerning Don Peplasos told him that a better course could not be thought of whom he would detaine and have a provident eye to the curing of his wounds till such time as he had effected all that the Prince had counselled him And so passing from businesse to complements and from complements againe to affectionate passions the Prince who according to the custome of lovers had not all this while the boldnesse to open his mouth in his owne desire whereat the King marvelled beleeving that the Countesse and Perseno who had thereof written unto him so confidently were altogether deceived yet now having lighted on so fit an opportunity said unto him Your Majestie is together with the title and dignity of a King endowed by the heavens with inclinations so Royall as they embolden me to supplicate your Majestie for one favour since that you have beene so courteously pleased as to command me to aske you any thing The King all joyfull taking him by the hand made answer that he could not doe him a greater favour than to demand whatsoever hee desired assuring him he would not denie him any thing comprehended within the limits of his power The Prince then kneeling on one knee whence he would not be raised up doe what the King could untill hee had first expressed his desire said unto him The boone I then begge of your Majestie is that your Majestie would vouchsafe to be pleased to accept me for a sonne by giving mee for wise my Lady the Princesse Eromilia Whereunto the King raising him on his feete answered Worthy Prince your Highnesse obligeth me more in disobliging me than I can ever deserve much lesse requite My daughter cannot bee bestowed on either a greater or worthier Prince than your selfe and the demanding her as a boone in so gentle a manner as you have done had beene a sufficient motive to have induced me to give her you if nothing else had tied mee thereto Therefore I tell you that without asking either counsell or advice of any one bee it the Queene or Councell as is usually done betweene Princes of our condition I will that shee bee yours for as much as concernes me Whereat the Prince would have kneeled downe againe to kisse his hands but the King staying him up spake on I told you for as much as lies in my power because for what is in the power of others I must request two things of you the one is that there