steade of blood and making courage arise against faintnesse like a Candle which a little before it goes out giues then the greatest blaze so did he vnite all his force that casting away the little remnaunt of his shielde and taking his sword in both hands he stroke such a notable blow that he cleft his shield armour and arme almost to the bone But then Amphialus forgat all ceremonies with cruell blowes made more of his best blood succeed the rest til his hand being staied by his eare his eare filled with a pitifull crie the crie guided his sight to an excellent faire Ladie who came running as fast as she could and yet because she could not as fast as she would shee sent her lamentable voyce before her and being come and being knowne to them both to be the beautifull Parthenia who had that night dreamed shee saw her husbande in such estate as shee then found him which made her make such haste thither they both maruailed But Parthenia ranne between them feare of loue making her â—orget the feare of Nature and then fel downe at their feete determining so to part them till shee coulde get breathe to sigh out her dolefull speeches and when her breath which running had spent dismayednesse made slowe to returne had by sobbes gotten into her sorow-closed breast for a while she could say nothing but O wretched eyes of mine O wailefull sight O day of darkenesse at length turning her eyes where in sorrow swamme to Amphialus My Lorde saide she it is saide you loue in the power of that loue I beseech you to leaue of this combate as euer your harte may finde comfort in his affection euen for her sake I craue it or if you be mortally determined be so pitifull vnto me as first to kill me that I may not see the death of Argalus Amphialus was about to haue aunswered when Argalus vexed with his Fortune but most vexed that she shoulde see him in that fortune Ah Parthenia said he neuer till now vnwelcome vnto me do you come to get my life by request And caÌ„not Argalus liue but by request Is that a life With that he went aside for fear of hurting her would haue begun the coÌ„bate afresh But Amphialus not only coÌ„iured by that which held the Monarchie of his mind but euen in his noble hart melting with coÌ„passion at so passionate a sight desired him to withhold his haÌ„ds for that he should strike one who sought his fauour would not make resistauÌ„ce A notable example of the wonderful effectes of Vertue where the conquerour sought for friendship of the conquered the conquered would not pardon the conquerour both indeede being of that minde to loue eche other for accepting but not for giuing mercie neyther afâ—ected to ouer-liue a dishonour so that Argalus not so much striuing with Amphialus for if he had had him in the like sorte in like sorte he woulde haue dealt with him as labouring against his owne power which he chiefly despised set himselfe forward stretching his strength to the vttermost But the fire of that strife blowen with his inward rage boyled out his bloud in such aboundance that hee was driuen to rest him vpon the pommel of his sworde and then each thing beginning to turne round in the daunce of Death before his eyes his sight both dazled dimmed till thinking to sit downe he fel in a sowne Parthenia and Amphialus both hastely went vnto him Amphialus tooke off his helmet and Parthenia laid his head in her lap tearing of her linnen sleues partlet to serue about his wounds to bind which shee tooke of her hair-lace and woulde haue cut of her faire haire herselfe but that the squires and iudges came in with fitter things for the purpose while she bewayled her selfe with so lamentable sweetnes as was inough to haue taught sorrow to the gladdest thoughts and haue engraued it in the mindes of hardest mettall O Parthenia no more Parthenia said she What art thou what seest thou how is thy blisse in a moment fallen how art thou euen-now before all Ladies the example of perfect happines and nowe the gasing-stocke of endles miserie O God what hath bene my desert to be thus punished or if such haue bene my desert why was I not in my selfe punished O wandring life to what wildernes wouldst thou lead me But Sorow I hope thou art sharp inough to saue my labour from other remedies Argalus Argalus I will folow thee I will follow thee But with that Argalus came out of his sowne and lifting vp his languishing eyes which a paineful rest and iron sleep did seeke to lock vp seeing her in whom euen dying he liued and him selfe seated in so beloued a place it seemed a little cheerefull bloud came vp to his cheekes like a burning cole almost dead if some breath a little reuiue it and forcing vp the best he coulde his feeble voice My deare my better halfe saide hee I finde I must now leaue thee and by that sweete hand and faire eyes of thine I sweare that Death bringes nothing with it to grieue me but that I must leaue thee and cannot remaine to answere part of thy infinit deserts with being some comfort vnto thee But since so it pleaseth him whose wisedome and goodnesse guideth all put thy confidence in him and one day wee shall blessedly meet againe neuer to depart meane while liue happily deare Parthenia and I perswade my selfe it will encrease the blessednes of my soule so to see thee Loue well the remembrance of thy louing and truely louing Argalus and let not with that word he sighed this disgrace of mine make thee one day thinke thou hadst an vnwoorthie husband They could scarcely vnderstand the last wordes for Death began to seaze him selfe of his harte neither coulde Parthenia make answere so full was her breast of anguish But while the other sought to stanch his remediles wounds she with her kisses made him happie for his last breath was deliuered into her mouth But when indeede she found his ghost was gone then Sorrowe lost the witte of vtterance and groâ—e ragefull and madde so that shee tare her beautifull face and rent her haire â—â—â—â—oâ—gh they coulde serue for nothing since Argalus was gone till Amphialus so â—â—oued with pittie of that sight as that hee honoured his aduersaries death with â—â—â—es caused her with the helpe of her women that came with her partelie by â—â—rce to be conueyed into the boat with the dead body of Argalus from which she â—ould not depart And being come of the other side there she was receaued by Baâ—â—â—â—us him self with all the funerall pompe of militarie discipline trayling all their â—â—â—ignes vpon the ground making these warlike instrumentes sound dolefull notes and Basilius with comfort in his mouth and woe in his face sought to perswade some ease into Parthenias mind but all was as easefull to her as the handling of sore woundes all
any of you if I haue refused no body to do what good I could if I haue often mitigated my fathers anger euer sought to maintayne his fauour towards you nay if I haue held you all as fathers and brothers vnto me rob me not of more then my life commes vnto Teare not that which is inseparably ioyned to my soule but if he rest misliked of you which ô God how can it be yet geue him to me let me haue him you knowe I pretend no right to your state Therefore is it but a priuate petition I make vnto you Or if you be hard hartedly bent to appoint otherwise which oh sooner let me dye then knowe then to ende as I began let me by you be ordered to the same ende without for more crueltie you meane to force Philoclea to vse her owne hands to kill one of your Kings children Pamelas Letter which she meant to send to the generall assemblie of the Arcadian Nobilitie for so closely they were kept as they were vtterly ignorant of the newe taken orders was thus framed IN such a state my Lords you haue placed me as I can neither write nor be silent for how can I be silent since you haue left me nothing but my solitary words to testifie my miserie and how should I write for as for speech I haue none but my Iaylor that can heare me who neither can resolue what to write nor to whom to write What to write is as hard for me to saye as what I may not write so little hope haue I of any successe and so much hath no iniury bene left vndone to me-wards To whom to write where may I learne since yet I wot not how to entitle you Shall I call you my Souereignes set downe your lawes that I may do you homage Shall I fall lower and name you my fellowes shew me I beseech you the Lord and mayster ouer vs. But shall Basilius heyre name her selfe your Princesse Alas I am your prisoner But whatsoeuer I be or whatsoeuer you be ô all you beholders of these dolefull lines this do I signifye vnto you and signifye it with a hart that shall euer remayne in that opinion The good or euill you do to the excellent Prince was taken with me and after by force from me I will euer impute it as eyther way done to mine owne person He is a Prince and worthie to be my husband and so is he my husband by me worthely chosen Beleeue it beleeue it eyther you shall be traytors for murdering of me or if you let me liue the murderers of him shall smart as traytors For what do you thinke I can thinke Am I so childish as not to see wherein you touch him you condemne me Can his shame be without my reproach no nor shall be since nothing he hath done that I will not auowe Is this the comfort you bring me in my fathers death to make me fuller of shame then sorrowe would you do this if it were not with full intention to preuent my power with slaughter And so do I pray you it is hye time for me to be weary of my life too long ledd since you are weery of me before you haue me I say againe I say it infinitely vnto you I will not liue without him if it be not to reuenge him eyther do iustly in sauing both or wisely in killing both If I be your Princesse I commaund his preseruation if but a priuate person then are we both to suffer I take all truth to witnes he hath done no faulte but in going with me Therefore to conclude in iudging him you iudge me neither conceaue with your selues the matter you treate is the life of a stranger though euen in that name he deserued pittie nor of a shepheard to which estate loue of me made such a Prince descend but determined most assuredly the life that is in question is of Pamela Basilius daughter Many blots had the teares of the sweet Ladyes made in their letters which many times they had altred many times torne and written anewe euer thinking some thing eyther wanted or were too much or would offende or which was worst would breede denyall but at last the day warned them to dispatch which they accordingly did and calling one of their guard for no body else was suffred to come neere them with great entreaty they requested him that hee woulde present them to the principall Noblemen and Gentlemen together For they had more confidence in the numbers fauour then in any one vppon whome they would not laye the liues they helde so precious But the fellowe trustie to Philanax who had placed him there deliuered them both to him what time Pyrocles began to speake which he sodaynly opened and seeing to what they tended by the first wordes was so farre from publishing them whereby he feared in Euarchus iust minde eyther the Princesses might be endaungered or the prisoners preserued of which choyse he knewe not which to thinke the worst that hee would not himselfe reede them ouer doubting his owne hart might be mollified so bent vpon reuenge Therefore vtterly suppressing them he lent a spitefull eare to Pirocles and assoone as he had ended with a very willing hart desired Euarchus he might accept the combat although it woulde haue framed but euill with him Pyrocles hauing neuer founde any match neere him besides Musidorus But Euarchus made aunswere since bodyly strength is but a seruant to the minde it were very barbarous and preposterous that force shoulde bee made iudge ouer reason Then woulde hee also haue replied in wordes vnto him but Euarchus who knewe what they coulde saye was already saide taking their arguments into his minde cammaunded him to proceede against the other prisoner and that then he woulde sentence them both together Philanax nothing the milder for Pyrocles purging himselfe but rather according to the nature of arguing especially when it is bitter so much the more vehement entred thus into his speech against Musidorus being so ouergone with rage that hee forgate in this oration his precise methode of oratory Behold most noble protector to what a state Arcadia is come since such manner of men may challenge in combat the faithfullest of the nobilitie and hauing merited the shamefullest of all deathes dare name in marriage the Princesses of this cuntrie Certainely my masters I must saye you were much out of taste if you had not rather enioy such Ladies then be hangd But the one you haue as much deserued as you haue dishonoured the other But now my speech must be directed to you good master Dorus who with Pallas helpe pardie are lately growne Palladius Too much this sacred seate of iustice grauntes vnto such a fugitiue bondslaue who in steede of these examinations shoulde be made confesse with a whippe that which a halter shoulde punish Are not you he Sir whose sheepehooke was prepared to be our Scepter In whom lay the knot of all this
iudged then rightly I haue iudged myne own children Vnlesse the name of a child should haue force to change the neuer changing iustice No no Pyrocles Musidorus I prefer you much before my life but I prefer Iustice as far before you while you did like your selues my body should willingly haue ben your shield but I cannot keep you from the effects of your own doing Nay I cānot in this case acknowledge you for mine For neuer had I sheapheard to my nephew nor euer had woman to my son your vices haue degraded you frō being princes haue disanulde your birthright Therefore if there be anie thing left in you of Princely vertue shew it in constant suffering that your vnprincely dealing hath purchased vnto you For my part I must tell you you haue forced a father to rob himselfe of his children Do you therefore O Philanax and you my other Lordes of this countrie see the iudgment be rightly performed in time place and maner as before appointed With that though he would haue refrained them a man might perceiue the teares drop downe his long white beard Which moued not onely Kalodulus and Kerxenus to roating lamentations but al the assembly dolefully to record that pittiful spectacle Philanax himselfe could not abstaine from great shewes of pittying sorrow and manifest withdrawing from performing the kinges commaundement But Musidorus hauing the hope of his safety and recouering of the princesse Pamela which made him most desirous to liue so sodainly dashed but especialy moued for hys deare Pyrocles for whom he was euer resolued his last should be and stirred vp with rage of vnkindnesse he thus spake Enioy thy bloudie conquest tyrannicall Euarchus said he for neither is conuenient the title of a king to a murderer nor the remembrance of kindred to a destroyer of his kindred Go home and glorie that it hath been in thy power shamefully to kill Musidorus Let thy flattering Orators dedicate Crownes of Laurell vnto thee that the first of thy race thou hast ouerthrowne a Prince of Thessalia But for me I hope the Thessalians are not so degenerate from their auncestors but that they will reuenge my iniurie and their losse vpon thee I hope my death is no more vniust to me thē it shal be bitter to thee howsoeuer it be my death shall triumph ouer thy crueltie neither as now would I liue to make my life beholding vnto thee But if thy crueltie hath not so blinded thine eyes that thou canst not see thine own heart if thy heart be not so diuelish as thou hast no power but to torment thy self then look vpō this yong Pyrocles with a manlike eie if not with a pittifull Giue not occasion to the whole earth to say see how the gods haue made the Tyrant teare his owne bowels Examine the eies and voices of all this people and what all men see be not blinde in thine owne case Looke I say looke vpon him in whom the most curious searcher is able to finde no fault but that he is thy sonne Beleeue it thy owne subiectes will detest thee for robbing them of such a Prince in whome they haue right as well as thy selfe Some more wordes to that purpose he would haue spoken but Pyrocles who often had cald to him did nowe fully interrupt him desiring him not to do him the wrong to geue his father ill wordes before him willing him to consider it was their owne fault and not his vniustice and withall to remember their resolution of well suffering all accidents which this impaciencie did seeme to varry frō and then kneeling down with all humblenesse hee tooke the speach in this order to Euarchus If my dayly praiers to the Almightie Gods had so farre preuayled as to haue graunted me the end whereto I haue directed my actions I should rather haue beene nowe a comfort to your minde then an example of your iustice rather a preseruer of your memorie by my life then a monument of your iudgement by my death But since it hath pleased their vnsearchable wisedomes to ouerthrow all the desires I had to serue you and make me become a shame vnto you since the last obedience I can shew you is to die vouchsafe yet O father if my fault haue not made me altogether vnworthy so to terme you vouchsafe I say to let the few last words your sonne shall euen speake not be tedious vnto you And if the remembrance of my vertuous mother who once was deare vnto you may beare any sway with you if the name of Pyrocles haue at any time bene pleasant let one request of mine which shall not be for mine owne life be graciously accepted of you What you owe to iustice is performed in my death A father to haue executed his onely sonne wil leaue a sufficient example for a greater crime then this My bloud will satisfie the highest point of equitie my bloud will satisfie the hardest hearted in this countrie O saue the life of this Prince that is the onely all I will with my last breath demaund of you With what face will you looke vpon your sister when in reward of nourishing me in your greatest neede you take away and in such sort take away that which is more deare to her then all the world and is the onely comfort wherewith she nourisheth her olde age O giue not such an occasion to the noble Thessalians for euer to curse the match that their Prince did make with the Macedon bloud By my losse there followes no publique losse for you are to hold the seate and to prouide your selfe perchance of a worthier successor But how can you orall the earth recompence that domage that poore Thessalia shall sustaine who sending out whom otherwise they would no more haue spared then their owne eyes their Prince to you and you requesting to haue him by you hee should thus dishonourably be extinguished Set before you I beseech you the face of that miserable people when no sooner shall the newes come that you haue met your Nephew but withall they shall heare that you haue beheaded him How manie teares they shall spend how many cōplaints they shal make so manie iust execrations will light vpō you And take heede O father for since my death answeres my fault while I liue I wil call vpō that deare name Least seeking too precise a course of iustice you be not thought most vniust in weakning your neighbours mightie estate by taking away their onely piller In me in me this matter beganne in me let it receiue his ending Assure your selfe no man will doubt your seuere obseruing the lawes when it shal be knowne Euarchus hath killed Pyrocles But the time of my euer farewell approcheth if you do thinke my death sufficient for my fault and doe not desire to make my death more miserable then death Let these dying wordes of him that was once your sonne pearce your eares Let Musidorus liue and Pirocles shall liue in
they had often made their liues triumph ouer most terrible daungers neuer dismaied and euer fortunate and truely no more setled in valure then disposed to goodnes and iustice if either they had lighted on a better friend or could haue learned to make friendship a childe and not the father of Vertue But bringing vp rather then choise hauing first knit their mindes vnto him indeede crafty inough either to hide his faultes or neuer to shewe them but when they might pay home they willingly helde out the course rather to satisfie him then all the worlde and rather to be good friendes then good men so as though they did not like the euill hee did yet they liked him that did the euill and though not councellors of the offence yet protectors of the offender Now they hauing heard of this sodaine going out with so small a company in a countrey full of euill-wishing mindes toward him though they knew not the cause followed him till they founde him in such case as they were to venture their liues or else he to loose his which they did with such force of minde and bodie that truely I may iustly say Pyrocles and Musidorus had neuer till then found any that could make them so well repeate their hardest lesson in the feates of armes And briefly so they did that if they ouercame not yet were they not ouercome but caried away that vngratefull maister of theirs to a place of security howsoeuer the Princes laboured to the contrary But this matter being thus farre begun it became not the constancy of the Princes so to leaue it but in all hast making forces both in Pontus and Phrigia they had in fewe daies lefte him but onely that one strong place where he was For feare hauing beene the onely knot that had fastned his people vnto him that once vntied by a greater force they all scattered from him like so many birdes whose cage had beene broken In which season the blinde King hauing in the chiefe cittie of his Realme set the crown vppon his son Leonatus head with many teares both of ioy and sorrow setting forth to the whole people his owne fault and his sonnes vertue after he had kist him and forst his sonne to accept honour of him as of his new-become subiect euen in a moment died as it should seeme his heart broken with vnkindenes and affliction stretched so farre beyond his limits with this excesse of comfort as it was able no longer to keepe safe his vitall spirites But the new King hauing no lesse louingly performed all dueties to him dead then aliue pursued on the siege of his vnnaturall brother asmuch for the reuenge of his father as for the establishing of his owne quiet In which siege truely I cannot but acknowledge the prowesse of those two brothers then whome the Princes neuer found in all their trauaile two of greater hability to performe nor of habler skil for conduct But Plexirtus finding that if nothing else famine would at last bring him to destruction thought better by humblenes to creepe where by pride he coulde not marche For certainely so had nature formed him and the exercise of craft conâ—ormed him to all turningnes of of sleights that though no man had lesse goodnes in his soule then he no man could better find the places whence arguments might grow of goodnesse to another though no man felt lesse pitie no man could tel better how to stir pitie no man more impudent to deny where proofes were not manifest no man more ready to confesse with a repenting manner of aggrauating his owne euill where denial would but make the fault fowler Now he tooke this way that hauing gotten a pasport for one that pretended he woulde put Plexirtus aliue into his hands to speake with the King his brother he him selfe though much against the minds of the valiant brothers who rather wished to die in braue defence with a rope about his necke barefooted came to offer himselfe to the discretion of Leonatus Where what submission hee vsed how cunningly in making greater the faulte he made the faultines the lesse how artificially he could set out the torments of his owne conscience with the burdensome comber he had found of his ambitious desires how finely seeming to desire nothing but death as ashamed to liue he begd life in the refusing it I am not cunning inough to be able to expresse but so fell out of it that though at first sight Leonatus saw him with no other eie then as the murderer of his father and anger already began to paint reuenge in many colours ere long he had not onely gotten pitie but pardon and if not an excuse of the faulte past yet an opinion of a future amendment while the poore villaines chiefe ministers of his wickednes now betraied by the author thereof were deliuered to many cruell sorts of death he so handling it that it rather seemed hee had more come into the defence of an vnremediable mischiefe already committed then that they had done it at first by his consent In such sort the Princes left these reconciled brothers Plexirtus in all his behauiour carying him in far lower degree of seruice then the euer-noble nature of Leonatus would suffer him and taking likewise their leaues of their good friend the King of Pontus who returned to enioy their benefite both of his wife and kingdome they priuately went thence hauing onely with them the two valiant brothers who would needs accompanie them through diuers places they foure dooing actes more daungerous though lesse famous because they were but priuat chiualries till hearing of the faire and vertuous Queene Erona of Lycia besieged by the puissant King of Armenia they bent themselues to her succour both because the weaker and weaker as being a Ladie and partly because they heard the King of Armenia had in his company three of the most famous men liuing for matters of armes that were knowne to be in the worlde Whereof one was the Prince Plangus whose name was sweetned by your breath peerlesse Ladie when the last daie it pleased you to mention him vnto me the other two were two great Princes though holding of him Barzanes and Euardes men of Giant-like bothe hugenes and force in which two especially the trust the King had of victorie was reposed And of them those brothers Tydeus and Telenor sufficient iudges in warlike matters spake so high commendations that the two Princes had euen a youthfull longing to haue some triall of their vertue And therefore as soone as they were entred into Lycia they ioyned themselues with theÌ„ that faithfully serued the poore Queene at that time besieged ere long animated in such sort their almost ouerthrowne harts that they went by force to relieue the towne though they were depriued of a great part of their streÌ„gth by the parting of the two brothers who were sent for in all hast to returne to their old friend and maister Plexirtus who
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
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
When Zelmane began her speech the excellency of her beautie and grace made him a little content to heare Besides that a new lesson he had read in Pamela had already taught him some regard But when shee entered into brauerie of speech hee thought at first a mad and railing humor possest her till finding the speeches hold well together and at length come to flatte challenge of combat hee stoode leaning backe with his bodie and head sometimes with bent browes looking vpon the one side of her sometimes of the other beyonde maruell maruailing that hee who had neuer heard such speeches from any Knight shoulde be thus rebuffed by a woman and that maruell made him heare out her speech which ended he turned his head to his brother Zoilus and said nothing but onely lifting vp his eyes smiled But Zelmane finding his minde Anaxius said she perchaunce thou disdaynest to answere me because as a woman thou thinkest me not fitte to bee fought with all But I tell thee that I haue beene trayned vp in martiall matters with so good successe that I haue many times ouercome brauer Knightes then thy selfe and am wel knowen to be equall in feates of armes to the famous Pyrocles who slewe thy valiaunt Vncle the Giant Euardes The remembraunce of his Vncles death someâ—hing netled him so as he answered thus Indeed saide he any woman may bee as valiaunt as that coward and traytorly boy who slewe my Vncle trayterously and after ranne from me in the plaine field Fiue thousand such could not haue ouercome Euardes but by falshood But I sought him all ouer Asia following him stil from one of his cony-holes to another till comming into this Countrie I heard of my friends being besieged and so came to blow away the wretches that troubled him But wheresoeuer the miserable boy flie heauen nor hell shall keepe his harte from being torne by these handes Thou lyest in thy throate said Zelmane that boye where euer he went did so noble actes as thy harte as proude as it is dares not think of much lesse perfourme But to please thee the better with my presence I tell thee no creature can be neerer of kinne to him then my selfe and so well we loue that he woulde not be sorrier for his owne death then for mine I being begotten by his father of an Amazon Ladie And therefore thou canst not deuise to reuenge thy self more vpon him then by killing me which if thou darest doo manfullie doo it otherwise if thou harme these incomparable Ladies or my felfe without daring to fight with me I protest before these Knights and before heauen and earth that will reueile thy shame that thou art the beggerliest dastardly villaine that dishonoureth the earth with his steppes and if thou lettest me ouer-liue them so will I blaze thee But all this coulde not moue Anaxius but that he onely said Euill should it become the terror of the world to fight much worse to skolde with thee But said he for the death of these same pointing to the Princesses of my grace I giue them life And withall going to Pamela and offring to take her by the chin And as for you Minion saide hee yeeld but gently to my will and you shall not onely liue but liue so happily Hee would haue said further when Pamela displeased both with wordes matter and maner putting him awaye with her faire hande Proud beast said shee yet thou plaiest worse thy Comedy then thy Tragedy For my part assure thy selfe since my destiny is such that at each moment my life and death stand in equall balance I had rather haue thee and thinke thee far fitter to be my hangman then my husband Pride and anger woulde faine haue cruelly reuenged so bitter an answere but alredy Cupid had begun to make it his sport to pull his plumes so that vnused to a waye of courtesie and put out of his byas of pride hee hastily went away grumbling to himselfe betweene threatning and wishing leauing his brothers with them the elder of whom Lycurgus liked Philoclea and Zoilus would needes loue Zelmane or at lest entertaine themselues with making them beleue so Lycurgus more braggard and neere his brothers humor began with setting foorth their bloud their deedes howe many they had despised of most excellent women how much they were bound to them that woulde seeke that of them In summe in all his speeches more like the bestower then the desirer of felicitie Whom it was an excellent pastime to those that woulde delight in the play of vertue to see with what a wittie ignorance shee woulde not vnderstande and howe acknowledging his perfections shee woulde make that one of his perfections not to be iniurious to Ladies But when he knew not how to replie then would hee fall to touching and toying stil vewing his graces in no glasse but self-liking To which Philocleas shamefastnes and humblenes were as strong resisters as choller and disdaine For though she yeelded not hee thought she was to bee ouercome and that thought a while stayed him from further violence But Zelmane had eye to his behauiour and set in her memorie vpon the score of Reuenge while shee her selfe was no lesse attempted by Zoilus who lesse ful of bragges was forwardest in offering indeede dishonourable violence But when after their fruitlesse labours they had gone awaye called by their brother who began to be perplexed betweene new conceaued desires and disdaine to bee disdained Zelmane who with most assured quietnesse of iudgement looked into their present estate earnestly perswaded the two sisters that to auoide the mischiefes of prowde outrage they would onely so farre sute their behauiour to their estates as they might winne time which as it coulde not bring them to worse case then they were so it might bring forth inexpected reliefe And why said Pamela shall we any longer flatter aduersity Why shoulde wee delight to make our selues any longer balls to iniurious Fortune since our owne parents are content to be tyraunts ouer vs since our own kinne are content traitorously to abuse vs Certainly in mishap it may bee some comforte to vs that wee are lighted in these fellowes handes who yet will keepe vs from hauing cause of being miserable by our friends meanes Nothing grieues me more then that you noble Ladie Zelmane to whome the worlde might haue made vs able to doo honour shoulde receaue onely hurte by the contagion of our miserie As for me and my sister vndoubtedly it becomes our birth to thinke of dying nobly while we haue done or suffered nothing which might make our soule ashamed at the parture from these bodies Hope is the fawning traitour of the mind while vnder colour of friendship it robbes it of his chiefe force of resolution Vertuous and faire Ladie saide Zelmane what you say is true and that truth may wel make vp a part in the harmonie of your noble thoughts But yet the time which ought alwaies to bee one is
happines shall it be sayde the mirrour of mankinde hath bene employed to destroy a hurtlesse gentlewoman O Pirocles Pirocles let me yet call thee before the iudgement of thine owne vertue let me be accepted for a plaintiffe in a cause which concernes my life what need hadst thou to arme thy face with the enchanting mask of thy painted passions wht need hadst thou to fortefy thy excelleÌ„cies with so exquisit a cunning in making our own arts betray vs what needest thou descend so far froÌ„ thy incomparable worthines as to take on the habit of weake womankinde Was all this to winne the vndefended Castle of a friend which being wonne thou wouldest after raze Could so small a cause allure thee or did not so vniust a cause stop thee ô me what say I more this is my case my loue hates me vertue deales wickedly with me and he does me wrong whose doing I can neuer accompt wrong With that the sweet Lady turning her selfe vppon her weary bed she happly sawe a Lute vpon the belly of which Gynecia had written this song what time Basilius imputed her iealous motions to proceed of the doubt she had of his vntimely loues Vnder which vaile she contented to couer her neuer ceassing anguish had made the Lute a monument of her minde which Philoclea had neuer much marked till now the feare of a competitour more sturred her then before the care of a mother The verses were these MY Lute which in thy selfe thy tunes enclose Thy mistresse song is now a sorrow's crie Her hand benumde with fortunes daylie blows Her minde amaz'de can neithers helpe applie Weare these my words as mourning weede of woes Blacke incke becommes the state wherein I dye And though my mones be not in musicke bound Of written greefes yet be the silent ground The world doth yeeld such ill consorted shows With circkled course which no wise stay can trye That childish stuffe which knowes not frendes from foes Better despisde bewondre gasing eye Thus noble golde downe to the bottome goes When worthlesse corke aloft doth floting lye Thus in thy selfe least strings are loudest founde And lowest stops doo yeeld the hyest sounde Philoclea read them and throwing downe the Lute is this the legacie you haue bequeathed me O kinde mother of mine said she did you bestow the light vpon me for this or did you beare me to be the Author of my buriall A trim purchase you haue made of your owne shame robbed your daughter to ruyne your selfe The birds vnreasonable yet vse so much reason as to make nestes for their tender young ones my cruell Mother turnes me out of mine owne harbour Alas plaint bootes not for my case can receaue no helpe for who should geue mee helpe shall I flye to my parents they are my murtherers shall I goe to him who already being woon and lost must needs haue killed all pittie Alas I can bring no new intercessions he knows already what I am is his Shall I come home againe to my self ô me contemned wretch I haue giuen away my self With that the poore soule beate her breast as if that had bene guilty of her faults neither thinking of reuenge nor studying for remedy but sweete creature gaue greefe a free dominion keeping her chamber a few days after not needing to faine her self sick feeling euen in her soule the pangs of extreeme paine But little did Gynecia reck that neyther when she sawe her goe awaye from them neyther when she after found that sicknes made her hide her faire face so much had fancye preuailed against nature But ô you that haue euer knowen how tender to euery motion loue makes the louers hart how he measures all his ioyes vpon her contentment doth with respectful eye hang al his behauiour vpoÌ„ her eyes iudg I praye you now of Zelmanes troubled thoughts when she saw Philoclea with an amazed kinde of sorrow carrie awaye her sweete presence and easely founde so happie a coniecture vnhappie affection hath that her demeanour was guiltie of that trespasse There was neuer foolish softe harted mother that forced to beate her childe did weepe first for his paines and doing that she was loath to do did repent before she began did finde haâ—fe that motion in her weake minde as Zelmane did now that she was forced by reason to giue an outward blowe to her passions and for the lending of a small time to seeke the vsury of all her desires The vnkindnes she conceaued Philoclea might conceaue did wound her soule each teare she doubted she spent drowned all her comforte Her sicknes was a death vnto her Often woulde shee speake to the image of Philoclea which liued and ruled in the highest of her inwarde parte and vse vehement othes and protestations vnto her that nothing shoulde euer falsifie the free chosen vowe she had made Often woulde she desire her that she would looke wel to Pyrocles hart for as for her shee had no more interest in it to bestow it any way Alas woulde shee saye onely Philoclea hast thou not so much feeling of thine owne force as to knowe no new conquerer can preuaile against thy conquestes Was euer any daseled with the moone that had vsed his eyes to the beames of the Sunne Is hee carried awaye with a greedie desire of Akornes that hath had his senses rauished with a garden of most delightfull fruites O Philoclea Philoclea be thou but as mercifull a Princesse to my minde as thou arte a trewe possessour and I shal haue as much cause of gladnes as thou hast no cause of misdoubting O no no when a man 's owne harte is the gage of his debte when a man 's owne thoughts are willing witnesses to his promise lastly when a man is the gaylour ouer himselfe There is little doubte of breaking credit and lesse doubt of such an escape In this combat of Zelmanes doubtfull imaginations in the ende reason well backed with the vehement desire to bring her matters soone to the desired hauen did ouer rule the boyling of her inward kindnes though as I say with such a manifest strife that both Basilius and Gynecias well wayting eyes had marked her muses had laboured in deeper subiecte then ordinarie which she likewise perceauing they had perceaued a waking her selfe out of those thoughtes and principally caring howe to satisfie Gynecia whose iudgement and passion shee stood most in regarde of bowing her head to her attentiue eare Madame saide she with practise of my thoughts I haue found out a way by which your contentment shall draw on my happines Gynecia deliuering in her face as thankfull a ioyfulnes as her harte coulde holde saide it was then time to retire themselues to their rest for what with riding abroade the day before and late sitting vp for Egloges their bodyes had dearely purchased that nightes quiet So went they home to their lodge Zelmane framing of both sides bountifull measures of louing countenaunces to eithers ioye and neythers
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
man might perceue what smal difference in the working there is betwixt a simple voidnes of euill a iudiciall habit of vertue For she not with an vnshaked magnanimity wherewith Pyrocles wayed dispised death but with an innocent guiltlessnes not knowing why she should feare to deliuer her vnstayned soule to God helped with the true louing of Pyrocles which made her think no life without him did almost bring her minde to as quiet attending all accidents as the vnmastred vertu of Pyrocles Yet hauing with a pretty palenes which did leaue milken lines vpon her rosie cheekes payd a little dutie to humane feare taking the Prince by the hand and kissing the wound he had giuen himselfe O the only life of my life and if it fall out so the comforte of my death saide shee farre farre from you be the doing me such wronge as to thinke I will receaue my life as a purchase of your death but well may you make my death so much more miserable as it shall any thinge be delayed after my onely felicitie Doe you thincke I can accompte of the moment of death like the vnspeakeable afflictions my soule shoulde suffer so ofte as I call Pyrocles to my minde which should be as ofte as I breathed Should these eyes guide my steppes that had seene your murder should these hands feede me that had not hindred such a mischiefe Should this harte remaine within me at euery pant to count the continuall clock of my miseries O no if die we must let vs thanke death he hath not deuided so true an vnion And truely my Pyrocles I haue heard my father and other wise men say that the killing ones selfe is but a false coulloure of true courage proceeding rather of feare of a further euil either of torment or shame For if it were a not respecting the harme that woulde likewise make him not respect what might be done vnto him and hope being of al other the most contrary thing to feare this being an vtter banishment of hope it seemes to receaue his ground in feare Whatsoeuer would they say comes out of despaire cannot beare the title of valure which should bee lifted vp to such a hight that holding al things vnder it selfe it should be able to maintaine his greatnes euen in the middest of miseries Lastly they would saye God had appointed vs Captaines of these our boddylie fortes which without treason to that Maiestie were neuer to be deliuered ouer till they were redemaunded Pyrocles who had that for a lawe vnto him not to leaue Philoclea in any thing vnsatisfied although hee still remained in his former purpose and knew that time would grow short for it yet hearing no noyse the shepheardes being as then run to Basilius with setled and humbled countenaunce as a man that should haue spoken of a thing that did not concerne himself bearing eueÌ„ in his eyes sufficient showes that it was nothing but Philocleas danger which did any thinge burden his harte farre stronger then fortune hauing with vehement embracinges of her got yet some fruite of his delayed end he thus aunswered the wise innocency of Philoclea Lady most worthy not only of life but to be the verie life of al things the more notable demonstrations you make of the loue so farre beyond my deserte with which it pleaseth you to ouercome fortune in making mee happye the more am I euen in course of humanitie to leaue that loues force which I neither can nor will leaue bound to seeke requitals witnes that I am not vngratefull to do which the infinitnes of your goodnes being such as it caÌ„not reach vnto it yet doing al I can and paying my life which is all I haue though it be farre without measure shorte of your desarte yet shall I not die in debt to mine owne dutie And truly the more excellent arguments you made to keep me from this passage imagined farre more terrible then it is the more plainely it makes mee see what reason I haue to preuent the losse not only of Arcadia but all the face of the earth should receaue iâ— such a tree which euen in his first spring doth not onely beare most beautifull blossomes but most rare fruites should be so vntimely cut off Therefore ô most truely beloued Lady to whom I desire for both our goods that these may bee my last wordes geue me your consent euen out of that wisedome which must needes see that besids your vnmatched betternesse which perchaunce you will not see it is fitter one dietheÌ„ both And since you haue sufficiently showed you loue me let me claime by that loue you wil â—e content rather to let me die contentedly then wretchedly rather with a cleare and ioyfull conscience then with desperate condemnation in my selfe that I accursed villaine shoulde bee the meane of banishing from the sight of men the true example of vertue And because there is nothing lefte me to be imagined which I so much desire as that the memory of Pyrocles may euer haue an allowed place in your wise iudgement I am content to drawe so much breath longer as by aunswearing the sweete obiections you alledged maye bequath as I thinke aright conceate vnto you that this my doinge is out of iudgement and not sprong of passion Your father you say was wont to say that this like action doth more proceed of feare of furder euil or shame then of a true courage Truly first they put a very gessing case speaking of them who can euer after come to tell with what minde they did it And as for my parte I call the immortall truth to witnes that no feare of torment can appall me who know it is but diuerse manners of apparelling death and haue long learned to set bodely paine but in the second fourme of my being And as for shame how can I be ashamed of that for which my well meaning conscience wil answeare for me to God and your vnresistable beautie to the world But to take that argument in his owne force and graunt it done for auoyding of further paine or dishonour for as for the name of feare it is but an odious title of a passion giuen to that which true iudgement performeth graunt I say it is to shun a worse case truly I do not see but that true fortitude loking into al humaine things with a persisting resolutioÌ„ carried away neither with wonder of pleasing things nor astonishment of the vnpleasaunt doth not yet depriue it selfe of the discerning the difference of euill but rather is the onely vertue which with an assured tranquillitye shunnes the greater by the valiant entring into the lesse Thus for his countries safety he wil spend his life for the sauing of a lym he will not niggardly spare his goods for the sauing of all his body hee will not spare the cutting of a lym where indeed the weake harted man will rather dye then see the face of a surgeon who mightwith as
varnished Looke to thy selfe reach not beyond humanitie Her minde beames state farre from thy weake wings banished And loue which louer hurts is in humanitie Thus Reason said but she came Reason vanished Her eyes so maistering me that such obiection Seem'd but to spoyle the foode of thoughts long famished Her peereles height my minde to high erection Drawes vp and if hope fayling end liues pleasure Of fayrer death how can I make election Thyrsis Once my well waiting eyes espied my treasure With sleeues turnde vp loose hair and brest enlarged Her fathers corne mouing her fair limmes measure O cried I of so meane worke be discharged Measure my case how by thy beauties filling With seed of woes my hart brimme full is charged Thy father bids thee saue and chides for spilling Saue then my soule spill not my thoughts well heaped No louely praise was euer got by killing These bolde words she did beare this fruite I reaped That she whose looke alone might make me blessed Did smile on me and then away she leaped Dorus. Once O sweete once I saw with dread oppressed Her whom I dread so that with prostrate lying Her length the earth in Loues chiefe clothing dressed I saw that riches fall and fell a crying Let not dead earth enioy so deare a couer But deck therwith my soule for your sake dying Lay all your feare vpon your fearefull louer Shine eyes on me that both our liues be guarded So I your sight you shall your selues recouer I cried and was with open rayes rewarded But straight they fledd summond by cruell honor Honor the cause desart is not regarded Thyrsis This mayde thus made for ioyes ô Pan bemone her That without loue she spends her yeares of loue So faire a field would well become an owner And if enchantment can a hard hart moue Teach me what circle may acquiant her sprite Affections charmes in my behalfe to proue The circle is my round about her sight The power I will inuoke dwelles in her eyes My charme should be she haunt me day and night Dorus. Farre other case ô Muse my sorrow tries Bent to such one in whome my selfe must say Nothing can mend that point that in her lies What circle then in so rare force beares sway Whose sprite all sprites can foile raise damne or saue No charme holdes hir but well possesse she may Possesse she doth and makes my soule her slaue My eyes the bandes my thoughts the fatall knot No thrall like them that inward bondage haue Thyrsis Kala at length conclude my lingring lotte Disdaine me not although I be not faire Who is an heir of many hundreth sheep Doth beawties keep which neuer sunne can burne Nor stormes doo turne fairnes serues oft to wealth Yet all my health I place in your good will Which if you will ô doo bestow on me Such as you see such still you shall me finde Constant and kind my sheep your foode shall breed Their wooll your weede I will you musique yeeld In flowrie field and as the day begins With twentie ginnes we will the small birds take And pastimes make as nature things hath made But when in shade we meete of mirtle bowes Then loue allowes our pleasures to enrich The thought of which doth passe all worldlie pelfe Dorus. Lady your selfe whome neither name I dare And titles are but spots to such a worth Heare plaints come forth from dungeon of my mind The noblest kinde reiects not others woes I haue no shewes of wealth my wealth is you My beauties hewe your beames my health your deeds My minde for weeds your vertues liuerie weares My foode is teares my tunes wamenting yeeld Dispaire my fielde the flowers spirits warrs My day new cares my ginnes my daily sight In which doe light small birds of thoughts orethrowne My pastimes none time passeth on my fall Nature made all but me of dolours made I find no shade but where my Sunne doth burne No place to turne without within it fries Nor helpe by life or death who liuing dyes Thyrsis But if my Kala thus my sute denyes Which so much reason beares Let crowes pick out mine eyes which too much sawe If shee still hate loues lawe My earthy mould doth melt in watrye teares Dorus. My earthy mould doth melt in watrye teares And they againe resolue To aire of sighes sighes to the hartes fire turne Which doth to ashes burne Thus doth my life within it selfe dissolue Thyrsis Thus doth my life within it selfe dissolue That I growe like the beaste Which beares the bytt a weaker force doth guide Yet patient must abide Such weight it hath which once is full possest Dorus. Such weight it hath which once is full possest That I become a vision Which hath in others head his only being And liues in fancie seing O wretched state of man in selfe diuision Thyrsis O wretched state of man in selfe diuision O well thou saiest a feeling declaration Thy toong hath made of Cupids deepe incision But now hoarse voyce doth faile this occupation And others long to tell their loues condicion Of singing thou hast got the reputation Dorus. Of singing thou hast got the reputation Good Thyrsis mine I yeld to thy abilitie My hart doth seek an other estimation But ah my Muse I would thou hadst facilitie To worke my goddesse so by thy inuention On me to cast those eyes where shine nobilitie Seene and vnknowne hearde but without attention Dorus did so well in answering Thyrsis that euery one desired to heare him sing something alone Seing therfore a Lute lying vnder the Princesse Pamelas feete glad to haue such an errand to approch her he came but came with a dismaied grace all his bloud stirred betwixt feare and desire And playing vpon it with such sweetenes as euery bodie wondered to see such skill in a shepeheard he sang vnto it with a sorrowing voice these Elegiake verses Dorus. Fortune Nature Loue long haue contended about me Which should most miseries cast on a worme that I am Fortune thus gan say misery and misfortune is all one And of misfortune fortune hath only the gift With strong foes on land on seas with contrary tempests Still doo I crosse this wretch what so he taketh in hand Tush tush said nature this is all but a trifle a mans selfe Giues happs or mishapps eu'n as he ordreth his hearte But so his humor I frame in a mould of choller adusted That the delights of life shall be to him dolorouse Loue smiled and thus said Want ioynd to desire is vnhappy But if he nought do desire what can Heraclitus aile None but I workes by desire by desire haue I kindled in his soule Infernall agonies vnto a bewtye diuine Where thou poore nature left'st all thy due glory to fortune Her vertue is soueraine fortune a vassal of hers Nature abasht went back fortune blusht yet she replide thus And eu'n in that loue shall I reserue him a spite Thus thus alas wofull
but her own good behauiour hauing followed and seene Zelmane fighting had cried what she had seene while they were drying themselues and the water with some drops seemed to weepe that it should part from such bodies But they carefull of Zelmane assuring themselues that any Arcadian would beare reuerence to them Pamela with a noble mind and Philoclea with a louing hastily hiding the beauties whereof Nature was prowde and they ashamed they made quicke worke to come to saue Zelmane But already they found them in talke and Zelmane carefull of his wound But whē they saw him they knew it was their cousin germain the famous Amphialus whom yet with a sweete-graced bitternes they blamed for breaking their fathers commaundement especially while themselues were in such sort retired But he craued pardon protesting vnto them that he had onely bene to seeke solitary places by an extreme melancholy that had a good while possest him and guided to that place by his spaniell where while the dog hunted in the riuer he had withdrawne himselfe to pacifie with sleepe his ouerwatched eyes till a dreame waked him and made him see that whereof he had dreamed and withall not obscurely signified that he felt the smart of his owne doings But Philoclea that was euen iealous of her selfe for Zelmane would needs haue her gloue and not without so mighty a loure as that face could yeeld As for Zelmane when she knew it was Amphialus Lord Amphialus said she I haue long desired to know you heretofore I must confesse with more good will but still with honoring your vertue though I loue not your person and at this time I pray you let vs take care of your wound vpon condition you shall hereafter promise that a more knightly combat shal be performed betweene vs. Amphialus answered in honorable sort but with such excusing himselfe that more and more accused his loue to Philoclea and prouoked more hate in Zelmane But Mopsa had already called certaine shepheards not far off who knew and wel obserued their limits to come and helpe to carrie away Amphialus whose wound suffered him not without daunger to straine it and so he leauing himselfe with them departed from them faster bleeding in his hart then at his wound which bound vp by the sheetes wherewith Philoclea had bene wrapped made him thanke the wound and blesse the sword for that fauour He being gone the Ladies with mery anger talking in what naked simplicitie their cousin had seene them returned to the lodge-warde yet thinking it too early as long as they had any day to breake off so pleasing a company with going to performe a cumbersome obedience Zelmane inuited them to the little arbour only reserued for her which they willingly did and there sitting Pamela hauing a while made the lute in his language shew how glad it was to be touched by her fingers Zelmane deliuered vp the paper which Amphialus had at first yeelded vnto her and seeing written vpon the backside of it the complaint of Plangus remembring what Dorus had told her and desiring to know how much Philoclea knew of her estate she tooke occasion in the presenting of it to aske whether it were any secret or no. No truely answered Philoclea it is but euen an exercise of my fathers writing vpon this occasion He was one day somwhile before your comming hether walking abroade hauing vs two with him almost a mile hence and crossing a hie way which comes from the cittie of Megalopolis he saw this Gentleman whose name is there written one of the proprest and best-graced men that euer I sawe being of middle age and of a meane stature Hee lay as then vnder a tree while his seruaunts were getting fresh post-horses for him It might seeme he was tired with the extreme trauaile he had taken and yet not so tyred that hee forced to take any rest so hasty hee was vpon his iourney and withall so sorrowfull that the very face thereof was painted in his face which with pitifull motions euen groanes teares and possionate talking to him self moued my Father to fal in talke with him who at first not knowing him answered him in such a desperate phrase of griefe that my Father afterward tooke a delight to set it downe in such forme as you see which if you read what you doubt of my sister and I are hable to declare vnto you Zelmane willingly opened the leaues and read it being written Dialogue-wise in this manner Plangus Basilius Plangus ALas how long this pilgrimage doth last What greater ills haue now the heauens in store To couple comming harmes with sorrowes past Long since my voice is hoarce and throte is sore With cries to skies and curses to the ground But more I plaine I feele my woes the more Ah where was first that cruell cunning found To frame of Earth a vessell of the minde Where it should be to selfe-destruction bound What needed so high sprites such mansions blind Or wrapt in flesh what do they here obtaine But glorious name of wretched humaine-kind Balles to the starres and thralles to Fortunes raigne Turnd from themselues infected with their cage Where death is feard and life is held with paine Like players pla'st to fill a filthy stage Where chaunge of thoughts one foole to other shewes And all but iests saue onely sorrowes rage The child feeles that the man that feeling knowes With cries first borne the presage of his life Where wit but serues to haue true tast of woes A Shop of shame a Booke where blots be rife This bodie is this bodie so composed As in it selfe to nourish mortall strife So diuers be the Elements disposed In this weake worke that it can neuer be Made vniforme to any state reposed Griefe onely makes his wretched state to see Euen like a toppe which nought but whipping moues This man this talking beast this walking tree Griefe is the stone which finest iudgement proues For who grieues not hath but a blockish braine Since cause of griefe no cause from life remoues Basilius How long wilt thou with monefull musicke staine The cheerefull notes these pleasant places yeeld Where all good haps a perfect state maintaine Plangus Curst be good haps and curst be they that build Their hopes on haps and do not make despaire For all these certaine blowes the surest shield Shall I that saw Eronaes shining haire Torne with her hands and those same hands of snow With losse of purest blood themselues to teare Shall I that saw those brests where beauties flow Swelling with sighes made pale with mindes disease And saw those eyes those Sonnes such shoures to shew Shall I whose eares her mournefull words did seaze Her words in syrup laid of sweetest breath Relent those thoughts which then did so displease No no Despaire my dayly lesson saith And saith although I seeke my life to flie Plangus must liue to see Eronaes death Plangus must liue some helpe for her to trie Though in despaire
possesseth thee But if thou wilt do it canst thou do it canst thou force thy hart Thinke with thy selfe if this man haue thee thou shalt neuer haue more part of Antiphilus then if he were dead But thus much more that the affection shal be still gnawing and the remorse still present Death perhaps will coole the rage of thy affection where thus thou shalt euer loue and euer lacke Thinke this beside if thou marrie Tiridates Antiphilus is so excellent a man that long he cannot be from being in some high place maried canst thou suffer that too If an other kill him he doth him the wrong if thou abuse thy body thou doost him the wrong His death is a worke of nature and either now or at another time he shal die But it shal be thy worke thy shamefull worke which is in thy power to shun to make him liue to see thy faith falsified and his bed defiled But when Loue had well kindled that partie of her thoughts then went he to the other side What said he O Erona and is thy Loue of Antiphilus come to that point as thou doost now make it a question whether he shall die or no O excellent affection which for too much loue will see his head off Marke well the reasons of the other side and thou shalt see it is but loue of thy selfe which so disputeth Thou canst not abide Tiridates this is but loue of thy selfe thou shalt be ashamed to looke vpon him afterward this is but feare of shame and loue of thy selfe thou shalt want him as much then this is but loue of thy selfe he shal be married if he be well why should that grieue thee but for loue of thy selfe No no pronounce these words if thou canst let Antiphilus die Then the images of each side stood before her vnderstanding one time she thought she saw Antiphilus dying an other time she thought Antiphilus sawe her by Tiridates enioyed twenty times calling for a seruaunt to carry message of yeelding but before he came the minde was altered She blusht when she considered the effect of granting she was pale when she remembred the fruits of denying For weeping sighing wringing her hands and tearing her haire were indifferent of both sides Easily she would haue agreed to haue broken all disputations with her owne death but that the feare of Antiphilus furder torments staied her At length euen the euening before the day apointed of his death the determination of yeelding preuailed especially growing vpon a message of Antiphilus who with all the coniuring termes he could deuise besought her to saue his life vpon any conditions But she had no sooner sent her messenger to Tiridates but her mind changed and she went to the two yong Princes Pyrocles and Musidorus falling downe at their feet desired them to try some way for her deliuerance shewing her selfe resolued not to ouer-liue Antiphilus nor yet to yeeld to Tiridates They that knew not what she had done in priuate prepared that night accordingly as sometimes it fals out that what is inconstancy seemes cunning so did this change indeed stand in as good steed as a witty dissimulation For it made the King as reckles as them diligent so that in the dead time of the night the Princes issued out of the towne with whom she would needs go either to die her selfe or reskew Antiphilus hauing no armour nor weapon but affection And I cannot tell you how by what deuise though Plangus at large described it the conclusion was the wonderfull valour of the two Princes so preuailed that Antiphilus was succoured and the King slaine Plangus was then the chiefe man left in the campe and therefore seeing no other remedie conueied in safety into her country Artaxia now Queene of Armenia who with true lamentations made known to the world that her new greatnes did no way comfort her in respect of her brothers losse whom she studied all meanes possible to reuenge vpon euery one of the occasioners hauing as she thought ouerthrowne her brother by a most abhominable treason In somuch that being at home she proclaimed great rewards to any priuate man and her selfe in mariage to any Prince that would destroy Pyrocles and Musidorus But thus was Antiphilus redeemed and though against the consent of all her nobility married to Erona in which case the two Greeke Princes being called away by an other aduenture left them But now me thinkes as I haue read some Poets who when they intend to tell some horrible matter they bid men shun the hearing of it so if I do not desire you to stop your eares from me yet may I wel desire a breathing time before I am to tell the execrable treason of Antiphilus that brought her to this misery and withall wish you all that from all mankind indeed you stop your eares O most happy were we if we did set our loues one vpon another And as she spake that word her cheekes in red letters writ more then her tongue did speake And therefore since I haue named Plangus I pray you sister said she helpe me with the rest for I haue held the stage long inough and if it please you to make his fortune knowne as I haue done Eronas I will after take hart againe to go on with his falshood and so betweene vs both my Ladie Zelmane shall vnderstand both the cause and parties of this Lamentation Nay I beshrow me then said Miso I will none of that I promise you as long as I haue the gouernmēt I wil first haue my tale then my Lady Pamela my Lady Zelmane my daughter Mopsa for Mopsa was then returned from Amphialus may draw cuts the shortest cut speake first For I tell you and this may be suffred when you are married you will haue first and last word of your husbands The Ladies laughed to see with what an eger earnestnesse she looked hauing threatning not onely in her Ferret eies but while she spake her nose seeming to threaten her chin her shaking lims one to threaten another But there was no remedy they must obey and Miso sitting on the ground with her knees vp and her hands vpon her knees tuning her voice with many a quauering cough thus discoursed vnto them I tell you true said she whatsoeuer you thinke of me you will one day be as I am I simple though I sit here thought once my pennie as good siluer as some of you do and if my father had not plaid the hasty foole it is no lie I tell you I might haue had an other-gaines husband then Dametas But let that passe God amend him and yet I speake it not without good cause You are full in your tittle tattlings of Cupid here is Cupid there is Cupid I will tell you now what a good old womā told me what an old wise man told her what a great learned clerke told him and gaue it him in writing and here I
weapons was taken away But in the triall Pallâ—dius especially led by Musidorus and somewhat aided by me himselfe truelye behauing him selfe nothing like a beginner brought the honor to rest it selfe that night on the Iberian side and the next day both morning and after-noone being kept by our party He that sawe the time fitte for the deliuerie he intended called vnto vs to follow him which we both bound by oth and willing by good-will obeyed and so the gard not daring to interrupt vs he commaunding passage we went after him vpon the spur to a little house in a forrest neere by which he thought would be the fittest resting place till wee might goe further from his mothers fury wherat he shas no lesse angry and ashamed then desirous to obay Zelmane But his mother as I learned since vnderstanding by the gard her sonnes conuaying vs away forgetting her greatnes and resining modestye to more quiet thoughts flew out from her place and cried to be accompanied for she her-selfe would follow vs. But what she did being rather with vehemencie of passion then conduct of reason made her stumble while she ran by her own confusion hinder her own desires For so impatiently she commaÌ„ded as a good while no body knew what she coÌ„manded so as we had gotten so far the start as to be alredye past the confines of her kingdome before she ouertook vs and ouertake vs she did in the Kingdome of Bythinia not regarding shame or daÌ„ger of hauing entred into anothers dominions but hauing with her about a threescore hors-men streight coÌ„manded to take vs aliue and not to regard her sonnes threatening therin which they attempted to doo first by speach and then by force But neither liking their eloqueÌ„ce nor fearing their might we esteemed fewe swordes in a iust defence able to resist many vniust assaulters And so Musidorus incredible valour beating downe all lets made both me and Palladius so good way that we had little to doo to ouercome weake wrong And now had the victorie in effect without bloud when Palladius heated with the fight and angrie with his mothers fault so pursued our assaylers that one of them who as I heard since had before our comming bene a speciall minion of Andromanas and hated vs for hauing dispossest him of her hart taking him to be one of vs with a traiterous blow slew his young Prince who falling downe before our eyes whom he specially had deliuered iudge sweetest Lady whether anger might not be called iustice in such a case once so it wrought in vs that many of his subiects bodies we left there dead to wait on him more faithfully to the other world All this while disdaine strengthened by the furie of a furious loue made Andromana stay to the last of the combat and wheÌ„ she saw vs light down to see what help we might doo to the helplesse Palladius she came running madly vnto vs then no lesse threatning when she had no more power to hurt But when she perceiued it was her onely sonne that lay hurt and that his hurt was so deadly as that already his life had lost the vse of the reasonable and almost sensible part then onely did misfortune lay his owne ouglinesse vpon her fault and make her see what she had done and to what she was come especiallye finding in vs rather detestation then pittie considering the losse of that young Prince and resolution presentlye to departe which still she laboured to stay But depriued of all comfort with eyes full of death she ranne to her sonnes dagger and before we were aware of it who else would haue stayed it strake her selfe a mortall wound But then her loue though not her person awaked pittie in vs and I went to her while Musidorus laboured obout Palladius But the wound was past the cure of a better surgeon then my selfe so as I could but receaue some fewe of her dying words which were cursings of her ill set affection and wishing vnto me many crosses and mischaunces in my loue when soeuer I should loue wherein I feare and only feare that her praiers is from aboue granted But the noise of this fight and issue thereof being blazed by the countrye people to some noble-men there-abouts they came thither and finding the wrong offered vs let vs go on our iourney we hauing recoÌ„mended those royall bodies vnto them to be conueied to the King of Iberia With that Philoclea seeing the teares stand in his eyes with remeÌ„brance of Palladius but much more of that which thervpon grew she would needs drink a kisse from those eyes and he sucke another froÌ„ her lippes wherat she blushed and yet kissed him again to hide her blushing Which had almost brought Pyrocles into another discourse but that she with so sweete a rigor forbad him that he durst not rebell though he found it a great warre to keepe that peace but was faine to goe on in his storie for so she absolutely bad him and he durst not know how to disobey So said he parting from that place before the Sunne had much abased himselfe of his greatest height we sawe sitting vpon the drie sandes which yeelded at that time a verie hotte reflection a faire Gentlewoman whose gesture accused her of much sorow and euery way shewed she cared notwhat paine she put her body to since the better parte her minde was laide vnder so much agonie and so was she dulled withall that we could come so neare as to heare her speeches and yet she not perceiue the hearers of her lamentation But wel we might vnderstand her at times say Thou dost kill me with thy vnkinde falshood and It greeues me not to die but it greeues me that thou art the murtherer neither doth mine own paine so much vexe me as thy errour For God knowes it would not trouble me to be slain for thee but much it torments me to be slaine by thee Thou art vntrue Pamphilus thou art vntrue and woe is me therefore How oft didst thou sweare vnto me that the Sunne should loose his light and the rocks runne vp and downe like little kiddes before thou wouldst falsifie thy faith to me Sunne therefore put out thy shining and rockes runne madde for sorrow for Pamphilus is false But alas the Sun keepes his light though thy faith be darckned the rockes stand still though thou change like a wethercocke O foole that I am that thought I could graspe water and binde the winde I might well haue knowen thee by others but I would not and rather wished to learne poison by drinking it my selfe while my loue helped thy words to deceiue me Wel yet I would thou hadst made a better choise when thou didst forsake thy vnfortunate Leucippe But it is no matter Baccha thy new mistres wil reuenge my wrongs But do not Baccha let Pamphilus liue happy though I dye And much more to such like phrase she spake but that I who had occasion to know
because he would reuenge vpon him whom he knew we loued the losse of his brother thincking as indeede he had cause that wheresoeuer we were hearing of his extremitie we would come to relieue him in spite whereof he doubted not to preuaile not onely vpon the confidence of his owne vertue and power but especially because he had in his company two mighty Giants sonnes to a couple whom we slue in the same realme they hauing bene absent at their fathers death and now returned willingly entered into his seruice hating more then he both vs and that King of Pontus We therfore with all speede went thetherward but by the way this fell out which whensoeuer I remember without sorrow I must forget withall all humanitie Poore Daiphantus fell extreme sick yet would needs conquere the delicacie of her constitution and force her selfe to waite on me till one day going towarde Pontus we met one who in great hast went seeking for Tydeus and Telenor whose death as yet was not knowne vnto the messenger who being their seruaunt and knowing how deerely they loued Plexirtus brought them word how since their departing Plexirtus was in present daunger of a cruell death if by the valiantnesse of one of the best Knightes of the world he were not reskewed we enquired no further of the matter being glad he should now to his losse finde what an vnprofitable treason it had bene vnto him to dismember himselfe of two such friends and so let the messenger part not sticking to make him know his masters destruction by the falshood of Plexirtus But the griefe of that finding a bodie alreadie brought to the last degree of weakenesse so ouerwhelmed the little remnant of the spirits left in Daiphantus that she fell sodainely into deadly soundings neuer comming to her selfe but that withall she returned to make most pittifull lamentations most straunge vnto vs because we were farre from ghessing the ground thereof But finding her sicknesse such as began to print death in her eyes we made all hast possible to conuey her to the next towne but before we could lay her on a bed both we and she might find in herselfe that the harbingers of ouer-hastie death had prepared his lodging in that daintie body which she vndoubtedly feeling with a weake chearefulnes shewed comfort therein and then desiring vs both to come neere her and that no bodie els might be present with pale and yet euen in palenes louely lips Now or neuer and neuer indeed but now is it time for me said she to speake and I thanke death which giues me leaue to discouer that the suppressing whereof perchance hath bene the sharpest spur that hath hasted my race to this end Know then my Lords and especially you my Lord and master Pyrocles that your page Daiphantus is the vnfortunat Zelmane who for your sake caused my as vnfortunate louer and cosen Palladius to leaue his fathers court and consequētly both him and my Aunt his mother to loose their liues For your sake my selfe haue become of a Princesse a Page and for your sake haue put off the apparell of a woman and if you iudge not more mercifully the modestie We were amazed at her speach and then had as it were new eies giuē vs to perceiue that which before had bene a present strāger to our minds For indeed we forthwith knew it to be the face of Zelmane whō before we had knowen in the court of Iberia And sorrow pittie laying her paine vpon me I comforted her the best I could by the tendernes of good-will pretending indeed better hope then I had of her recouery But she that had inward ambassadors from the tyrant that shortly would oppresse her No my deere master said she I neither hope nor desire to liue I know you would neuer haue loued me and with that word she wept nor alas had it bene reason you should considering manie wayes my vnworthines It sufficeth me that the strange course I haue taken shall to your remembrance witnesse my loue and yet this breaking of my hart before I would discouer my paine will make you I hope thinke that I was not altogether vnmodest Thinke of me so deare Master and that thought shall be my life and with that languishingly looking vpon me And I pray you said she euen by these dying eies of mine which are onely sorrie to dye because they shall lose your sight and by these pouled lockes of mine which while they were long were the ornament of my sex now in their short curles the testimonie of my seruitude and by the seruice I haue done you which God knowes hath beene full of loue thinke of me after my death with kindnes though ye cannot with loue And whensoeuer ye shall make any other Ladie happie with your well placed affection if you tell her my folly I pray you speake of it not with scorne but with pittie I assure you deare Princesse of my life for how could it be otherwise her words and her manner with the liuely consideration of her loue so pearced me that though I had diuerse griefes before yet me thought I neuer felt till then how much sorow enfeebleth all resolution For I could not chuse but yeeld to the weakenes of abundant weeping in trueth with such griefe that I could willingly at that time haue chaunged liues with her But when she saw my teares O God said she how largely am I recompenced for my losses why then said shee I may take boldnesse to make some requests vnto you I besought her to doo vowing the performance though my life were the price thereof She shewed great ioy The first said she is this that you will pardon my father the displeasure you haue iustly conceiued against him and for this once succour him out of the daunger wherein he is I hope he will amend and I pray you whensoeuer you remember him to be the faultie Plexirtus remember withall that he is Zelmanes father The second is that when you come once into Greece you will take vnto your selfe this name though vnlucky of Daiphantus and vouchsafe to be called by it for so shall I be sure you shall haue cause to remember me and let it please your noble cousin to be called Palladius that I doo that right to that poore Prince that his name yet may liue vpon the earth in so excellent a person and so betwene you I trust sometimes your vnluckie page shall be perhaps with a sigh mencioned Lastly let me be buried here obscurely not suffering my friends to know my fortune till whē you are safely returned to your own countrie you cause my bones to be conueied thither and laid I beseech you in some place where your selfe vouchsafe sometimes to resort Alas small petitiōs for such a suter which yet she so earnestly craued that I was faine to sweare the accomplishment And then kissing me and often desiring me not to condemne her of lightnesse in mine armes she
then waite for mischiefe And so against the Captaine wee went who straight was enuironned with most parte of the Souldiers and Mariners And yet the trueth is there were some whom either the authoritie of the councellour doubt of the Kinges minde or liking of vs made drawe their swords of our side so that quickely it grewe a most confused fight For the narrownesse of the place the darkenesse of the time and the vncertainty in such a tumult how to know friends from foes made the rage of swordes rather guide then be guided by their maisters For my cousin and mee truely I thinke wee neuer perfourmed lesse in any place doing no other hurte then the defence of our selues and succouring them who came for it draue vs too for not discerning perfectly who were for or against vs we thought it lesse euill to spare a foe then spoile a freend But from the highest to the lowest parte of the shippe there was no place lefte without cryes of murdring and murdred persons The Captaine I hapt a while to fight withall but was driuen to parte with him by hearing the crie of the Councellour who receiued a mortall wounde mistaken of one of his owne side Some of the wiser would call to parley and wish peace but while the words of peace were in their mouthes some of their euill auditours gaue them death for their hire So that no man almost could conceiue hope of liuing but by being last aliue and therefore euery one was willing to make him selfe roome by dispatching almost any other so that the great number in the ship was reduced to exceeding few wheÌ„ of those few the most part weary of those troubles leapt into the boate which was fast to the ship but while they that were first were cutting of the rope that tied it others came leaping in so disorderly that they drowned both the boate and themselues But while euen in that little remnant like the children of Cadmus we continued still to slay one an other a fire which whether by the desperate malice of some or intention to separate or accidentally while all thinges were cast vp and downe it should seeme had taken a good while before but neuer heeded of vs who onely thought to preserue or reuenge now violently burst out in many places and began to maister the principall partes of the ship Then necessitie made vs see that a common enimy sets at one a ciuill warre for that little all we were as if wee had bene waged by one man to quench a fire streight went to resist that furious enimie by all art and labour but it was to late for already it did embrace and deuoure from the sterne to the wast of the ship so as labouring in vaine we were driuen to get vp to the prowe of the ship by the worke of nature seeking to preserue life as long as we could while truely it was a straunge and ougly sight to see so huge a fire as it quickly grew to be in the Sea and in the night as if it had come to light vs to death And by and by it had burned off the maste which all this while had prowdly borne the sayle the winde as might seeme delighted to carrie fire bloud in his mouth but now it fell ouerboord and the fire growing neerer vs it was not onely terrible in respect of what we were to attend but insupportable through the heat of it So that we were constrained to bide it no longer but disarming and stripping our selues and laying our selues vpon such things as we thought might help our swimming to the lande too far for our owne strength to beare vs my cousin and I threw ourselues into the Sea But I had swomme a very little way when I felt by reason of a wound I had that I should not be able to bide the trauaile and therefore seeing the maste whose tackling had bene burnt of flote cleare from the ship I swaÌ„me vnto it and getting on it I found mine owne sworde which by chaunce when I threw it away caught by a peece of canuas had honge to the maste I was glad because I loued it well but gladder when I saw at the other end the Captaine of the ship and of all this mischiefe who hauing a long pike belike had borne himselfe vp with that till he had set him selfe vpon the mast But when I perceiued him Villaine said I doost thou thinke to ouerliue so many honest men whom thy falsehood hath brought to destruction with that bestriding the mast I gat by little and little towardes him after such a manner as boies are wont if euer you saw that sport when they ride the wild mare And he perceiuing my intention like a fellow that had much more courage then honestie set him selfe to resist But I had in short space gotten within him and giuing him a sound blowe sent him to feede fishes But there my selfe remainde vntill by pyrates I was taken vp among them againe taken prisoner and brought into Laconia But what said Philoclea became of your cousin Musidorus Lost saide Pyrocles Ah my Pyrocles said Philoclea I am glad I haue taken you I perceiue you loueâ—â— doo not alwaies say truely as though I knew not your cousin Dorus the sheepeheard Life of my desires said Pyrocles what is mine euen to my soule is youâ—â— but the secret of my friend is not mine But if you know so much then I may tâ—â—â—ly say he is lost since he is no more his owne But I perceiue your noble sister and you are great friends and well doth it become you so to be But go forward 〈◊〉 Pyrocles I long to heare out till your meeting me for there to me-ward is the best part of your storie Ah sweet Philoclea said Pyrocles do you thinke I can thinke so precious leysure as this well spent in talking Are your eyes a fit booke thinke you to reade a tale vpon Is my loue quiet inough to be an historian Deare Princesse be gracious vnto me And then he faine would haue remembred to haue forgot himselfe But she with a sweetly disobeying grace desired him that her desire once for euer might serue that no spote might disgrace that loue which shortly she hoped should be to the world warrantable Faine he would not haue heard till shee threatned anger And then the poore louer durst not because he durst not Nay I pray thee deare Pyrocles said she let me haue my story Sweet Princesse said he giue my thoughts a little respite and if it please you since this time must so bee spoiled yet it shall suffer the lesse harme if you vouchsafe to bestow your voice and let mee know how the good Queene Erona was betraied into such danger and why Plangus sought me For indeede I should pitie greatly any mischance fallen to that Princesse I will said Philoclea smiling so you giue me your worde your handes shall be quiet auditours They shall said he
whom almost his heade otherwise occupied had lâ—ft the wonted remembrance was sodainly striken into a deuout kind of admiration remembring the oracle which according to the fauning humour of false hope hee interpreted now his owne to his owne best and with the willing blindnesse of affection because his minde ran wholly vpon Zelmane he thought the Gods in their oracles did principally minde her But as he was deepely thinking of the matter one of the shepheardes tolde him that Philanax was already come with a hundred horse in his company For hauing by chaunce rid not farre of the little desert he had heard of this vprore and so was come vpon the spurre gathering a company of Gentlemen as fast as he coulde to the succour of his Master Basilius was glad of it but not willing to haue him nor any other of the Noble men see his Mistresse hee himselfe went out of the Lodge and so giuing order vnto him of placing garrisons and examining these matters and Philanax with humble earnestnesse beginning to entreate him to leaue of this solitarie course which already had bene so daungerous vnto him Well saide Basilius it may be ere long I will condiscend vnto your desire In the meane time take you the best order you can to keepe me safe in my solitatinesse But said he doâ— you remember how earnestly you wrote vnto me that I should not bee moued by that Oracles authoritie which brought me to this resolution Full well Sir answered Philanax for though it pleased you not as then to let me knowe what the Oracles words were yet all Oracles holding in my conceipt one degree of reputation it suffised me to knowe it was but an Oracle which led you from your owne course Well said Basilius I will now tell you the wordes which before I thought not good to doo because when all the euents fall out as some already haue done I may charge you with your incredulitie So he repeated them in this sorte THy elder care shall from thy carefull face By princely meane be stolne and yet not lost Thy yonger shall with Natures blisse embrace And vncouth loue which Nature hateth most Both they themselues vnto such two shall wed Who at thy beer as at a barre shall plead Why thee a liuing man they had made dead In thy owne seate a forraine state shall fit And ere that all these blowes thy head doo hit Thou with thy wife adultry shall commit For you forsoth said he whn I told you that some supernaturall cause sent mee strange visions which being confirmed with presagious chaunces I had gon to Delphos there receiued this answere you replied to me that the onely supernaturall causes were the humors of my body which bred such melancholy dreames and that both they framed a mind ful of conceipts apt to make presages of things which in themselues were meerly chaunceable and with all as I say you remember what you wrote vnto me touching authoritie of the Oracle but now I haue some notable triall of the truth thereof which hereafter I will more largly communicate vnto you Only now know that the thing I most feared is alredy performed I mean that a forraine state should possesse my throne For that hath been done by Zelmane but not as I feared to my ruine but to my preseruation But when he had once named Zelmane that name was as good as a pully to make the clocke of his praises run on in such sort that Philanax found was more exquisite then the onely admiration of vertue breedeth which his faithfull hart inwardly repining at made him shrinke away as soone as he could to go about the other matters of importance which Basilius had enioyned vnto him Basilius returned into the Lodge thus by him selfe construing the oracle that in that hee saide his elder care should by Princely meane bee stolne away from him and yet not lost it was now perfourmed since Zelmane had as it were robd from him the care of his first begotten childe yet was it not lost since in his harte the ground of it remained That his younger should with Natures blisse embrace the loue of Zelmane because he had so commaunded her for his sake to doo yet shoulde it be with as much hate of Nature for being so hatefull an opposite to the iealousie hee thought her mother had of him The sitting in his seate hee deemed by her already perfourmed but that which most comforted him was his interpretation of the adulterie which hee thought hee shoulde commit with Zelmane whom afterwards he should haue to his wife The point of his daughters marriage because it threatned his death withall he determined to preuent with keeping them while he liued vnmaried But hauing as hee thought gotten thus much vnderstanding of the Oracle hee determined for three daies after to perfourme certaine rites to Apollo and euen then began with his wife and daughters to singe this Hymne by them yearely vsed APollo great whose beames the greater world do light And in our little world do cleare our inward sight Which euer shine though hid from earth by earthly shade Whose lights do euer liue but in our darkenesse fade Thou God whose youth was deckt with spoile of Phythons skin So humble knowledge can throw downe the snakish sinne Latonas sonne whose birth in paine and trauaile long Doth teach to learne the good what trauailes do belong In trauaile of our life a short but tedious space While brickle houreglas runnes guide thou our panting pace Giue vs foresightfull mindes giue vs minds to obaye What fore sight tels our thoughts vpon thy knowledge staye Let so our fruites grow vp that nature be maintainde But so our hartes keepe downe with vice they be not stainde Let this assured holde our iudgemeuts ouertake That nothing winnes the heauen but what doth earth forsake Assone as he had ended his deuotion all the priuiledged shepheards being now come knowing well inough he might lay all his care vpon Philanax he was willing to sweeten the tast of this passed tumult with some rural pastimes For which while the shepheards prepared themselues in their best manner Basilius tooke his daughter Philoclea aside and with such hast as if his eares hunted for wordes desired to know how she had found Zelmane She humbly answered him according to the agreement betwixt them that thus much for her sake Zelmane was content to descend from her former resolution as to heare him whensoeuer he would speake and further then that she said as Zelmane had not graunted so she nether did nor euer woulde desire Basilius kist her with more then fatherly thankes and straight like a hard-kept warde new come to his lands would faine haue vsed the benefite of that graunt in laying his sicknes before his onely physition But Zelmane that had not yet fully determined with her selfe how to beare her selfe toward him made him in a few words vnderstand that the time in respect of the
hauing made a lawe of Polygamie after many tortures forst him to throw himselfe from a high Pyramis which was built ouer Tiridates tombe and so to end his false-harted life which had planted no strong thought in him but that he could be vnkinde But Plangus well perceiuing that Artaxia staied onely for the appointed day that the faire Eronas bodie consumed to ashes should make a notorious testimonie how deepely her brothers death was engrauen in her brest he assembled good numbers of friends whom his vertue though a stranger had tied vnto him by force to giue her libertie Contrariwise Artaxia to whom Anger gaue more courage then her sexe did feare vsed her regall authoritie the most she could to suppresse that sedition and haue her will which she thought is the most princely thing that may be But Plangus who indeede as all men witnes is one of the best captaines both for policie and valour that are trained in the schoole of Mars in a conflict ouerthrew Artaxias power though of far greater number and there toke prisoner a base sonne of her brothers whom she deerly affected and then sent her word that he should run the same race of fortune whatsoeuer it was that Erona did and happy was that threatning for her for els Artaxia had hastened the day of her death in respect of those tumults But now some principall noble-men of that countrie interposing themselues it was agreed that all persons els fullie pardoned and all prisoners except Erona deliuered she should be put into the hands of a principall nobleman who had a castle of great strength vpon oath that if by the day two yeare from Tiridates death Pyrocles and Musidorus did not in person combat and ouercome two knights whom she appointed to maintain her quarrell against Erona and them of hauing by treason destroyed her brother that then Erona should be that same day burned to ashes but if they came and had the victorie she should be deliuered but vpon no occasion neither freed nor executed till that day And hereto of both sides all toke solemne oath and so the peace was concluded they of Plangus partie forcing him to agree though he himselfe the sooner condiscended knowing the courtesie of those two excellent Princes not to refuse so noble a quarrell and their power such as two more like the other two were not able to resist But Artaxia was more and vpon better ground pleased with this action for she had euen newly receiued newes frō Plexirtus that vpon the sea he had caused them both to perish and therefore she held her selfe sure of the match But poore Plangus knew not so much and therefore seeing his partie as most times it falles out in like case hungry of any conditions of peace accepted them and then obteined leaue of the Lord that indifferently kept her to visite Erona whom he found full of desperate sorow not suffering neither his vnworthinesse nor his wrongs nor his death which is the naturall conclusion of all worldly acts either to couer with forgetfulnes or diminish with consideration the affection she had borne him but euen glorying in affliction and shunning all comfort she seemed to haue no delight but in making herselfe the picture of miserie So that when Plangus came to her she fell in deadlie traunces as if in him she had seene the death of Antiphilus because he had not succoured him and yet her vertue striuing she did at one time acknowledge her selfe bound and professe her selfe iniured in steede of allowing the conclusion they had made or writing to the Princes as he wisht her to doo crauing nothing but some speedie death to follow her in spite of iust hate beloued Antiphilus So that Plangus hauing nothing but a rauisht kisse from her hand at their parting went away toward Greece whetherward he vnderstoode the Princes were embarked But by the way it was his fortune to intercept letters written by Artaxia to Plexirtus wherein she signified her accepting him to her husband whom she had euer fauoured so much the rather as he had perfourmed the conditions of her mariage in bringing to their deserued end her greatest enemies withall thanking the sea in such tearmes as he might well perceiue it was by some treason wrought in Plexirtus shippe Whereupon to make more diligent search he tooke shippe himselfe and came into Laconia enquiring and by his enquirie finding that such a shippe was indeede with fight and fire perished none almost escaping But for Pyrocles and Musidorus it was assuredly determined that they were cast away for the name of such Princes especially in Greece would quickly els haue bene a large witnesse to the contrarie Full of griefe with that for the losse of such who left the world poore of perfection but more sorie for Eronas sake who now by them could not be relieued A new aduertisement from Armenia ouertooke him which multiplied the force of his anguish It was a message from the Noble-man who had Erona in ward giuing him to vnderstand that since his departure Artaxia vsing the benefite of time had besieged him in his castell demaunding present deliuery of her whom yet for his faith giuen he would not before the day appointed if possibly he could resist which he foresaw long he should not do for want of victuall which he had not so wisely prouided because he trusted vpon the generall oth taken for two yeares space and therefore willed him to make hast to his succour and come with no small forces for all they that were of his side in Armenia were consumed and Artaxia had encreased her might by mariage of Plexirtus who now crowned King there stickt not to glory in the murder of Pyrocles and Musidorus as hauing iust cause thereto in respect of the deaths of his sister Andromana her sonne his nephew and his owne daughter Zelmane all whose losse he vniustly charged them withall and now openly stickt not to confesse what a reuenge his wit had brought forth Plangus much astonished herewith bethought himselfe what to doo For to returne to Armenia was vaine since his friends there were vtterly ouerthrowne Then thought he of going to his father but he had already euen since the death of his stepmother and brother attempted the recouering his fauour and all in vaine For they that had before ioined with Andromana to do him the wrong thought now no life for them if he returned and therefore kept him still with new forged suspicions odious to his father So that Plangus reseruing that for a worke of longer time then the sauing of Erona could beare determined to goe to the mighty and good King Euarchus who lately hauing to his eternall fame fully not onely conquered his enemies but established good gouernment in their countries he hoped he might haue present succour of him both for the iustnes of the cause reuenge of his childrens death by so hainous a treason murthered Therefore with diligence he went to him by
the way passing through my country it was my hap to find him the most ouerthrowne man with griefe that euer I hope to see againe For still it seemed he had Erona at a stake before his eies such an apprehension he had taken of her daunger which in despite of all the comfort I could giue him he poured out in such lamentations that I was moued not to let him passe till he had made full declaration which by peeces my daughters and I haue deliuered vnto you Faine he would haue had succour of my selfe but the course of my life being otherwise bent I onely accompanied him with some that might safely guide him to the great Euarchus for my part hauing had some of his speeches so feelingly in my memory that at an idle time as I told you I set them downe Dialogue-wise in such manner as you haue seene And thus excellent Ladie I haue obeyed you in this storie wherein if it well please you to consider what is the straunge power of Loue and what is due to his authoritie you shall exercise therein the true noblenesse of your iudgement and doo the more right to the vnfortunate Historian Zelmane sighing for Eronaes sake yet inwardly comforted in that she assured her selfe Euarchus would not spare to take in hand the iust deliuering of her ioyned with the iust reuenge of his childrens losse hauing now what she desired of Basilius to auoide his further discourses of affection encouraged the shepheards to begin whom she saw allready ready for them The second Eclogues THE rude tumult of the Enispians gaue occasion to the honest shepheards to begin their Pastoralls this day with a daunce which they called the skirmish betwixt Reason and Passion For seuen shepheards which were named the reasonable shepheards ioined themselues foure of them making a square and the other two going a little wide of either side like wings for the maine battell and the seuenth man formost like the forlorne hope to begin the skirmish In like order came out the seuen appassionated shepheards all keeping the pase of their foot by their voice and sundry consorted instruments they held in their armes And first the formost of the Reasonable side began to sing R. Thou Rebell vile come to thy master yeeld And the other that met with him answered P. No Tyrant no mine mine shall be the field Reason Can Reason then a Tyraunt counted bee Passion If Reason will that Passions be not free R. But Reason will that Reason gouerne most P. And Passion will that Passion rule the rost R. Your will is will but Reason reason is P. Will hath his will when Reasons will doth misse R. Whome Passion leades vnto his death is bent P. And let him die so that he die content R. By nature you to Reason faith haue sworne P. Not so but fellow-like togither borne R. Who Passion doth ensue liues in annoy P. Who Passion doth forsake liues void of ioy R. Passion is blinde and treades an vnknowne trace P. Reason hath eyes to see his owne ill case Then as they approched nearer the two of Reasons side as if they shot at the other thus sang R. Dare Passions then abide in Reasons light P. And is not Reason dimme with Passions might R. O foolish thing which glory doth destroy P. O glorious title of a foolish toy R. Weakenes you are dare you with our strength fight P. Because our weaknes weakeneth all your might R. O sacred Reason helpe our vertuous toiles P. O Passion passe on feeble Reasons spoiles R. We with our selues abide a daily strife P. We gladly vse the sweetnesse of our life R. But yet our strife sure peace in end doth breede P. We now haue peace your peace we doo not neede Then did the two square battailes meete and in steed of fighting embrace one another singing thus R. We are too strong but Reason seekes no blood P. Who be too weake do feigne they be too good R. Though we cannot orecome our cause is iust P. Let vs orecome and let vs be vniust R. Yet Passions yeeld at length to Reasons stroke P. What shall we winne by taking Reasons yoke R. The ioyes you haue shall be made permanent P. But so we shall with griefe learne to repent R. Repent in deed but that shall be your blisse P. How know we that since present ioyes we misse R. You know it not of Reason therefore know it P. No Reason yet had euer skill to show it R. Then let vs both to heauenly rules giue place P. Which Passions kill and Reason do deface Then embraced they one another and came to the King who framed his prayses of them according to Zelmanes liking whose vnrestrained parts the mind eie had their free course to the delicate Philoclea whose looke was not short in well requiting it although shee knew it was a hatefull sight to her iealouse mother But Dicus that had in this time taken a great liking of Dorus for the good partes he foūd aboue his age in him had a delight to taste the fruites of his wit though in a subiect which he himselfe most of all other despised so entred to speach with him in the manner of this following Eclogue Dicus Dorus. Dicus Dorus tell me where is thy wonted motion To make these woods resound thy lamentation Thy sainte is dead or dead is thy deuotion For who doth holde his loue in estimation To witnes that he thinkes his thoughts delicious Thinks to make each thing badge of his sweet passion Dorus. But what doth make thee Dicus so suspicious Of my due faith which needs must be immutable Who others vertue doubt themselues are vicious Not so although my mettals were most mutable Her beames haue wrought therein most faire impression To such a force some chaunge were nothing sutable Dicus The harte well set doth neuer shunne confession If noble be thy bandes make them notorious Silence doth seeme the maske of base oppression Who glories in his loue doth make Loue glorious But who doth feare or bideth muet wilfully Shewes guilty harte doth deeme his state opprobrious Thou then that fram'st both wordes and voice most skilfully Yeeld to our eares a sweet and sound relation If Loue tooke thee by force or caught thee guilefully Dorus. If sunnie beames shame heau'nly habitation If three-leau'd grasse seeme to the sheepe vnsauorie Then base and sowre is Loues most high vocation Or if sheepes cries can helpe the Sunnes owne brauerie Then may I hope my pipe may haue abilitie To helpe her praise who decks me in her slauerie No no no words ennoble selfe nobilitie As for your doubts her voice was it deceaued me Her eye the force beyond all possibilitie Dicus Thy words well voyc'd well grac'de had almost heaued me Quite from my selfe to loue Loues contemplation Till of these thoughts thy sodaine ende bereaued me Goe on therefore and tell vs by what fashion In thy owne proofe he gets so straunge
day sped no better For Amphialus being well beloued of that people when they saw him not vanquished they esteemed him as victorious his youth setting a flourishing shew vpon his worthinesse and his great nobilitie ennobling his dangers But the first thing Amphialus did being returned was to visite Philoclea and first presuming to cause his dreame to be song vnto her which he had seen the night before he fell in loue with her making a fine boy he had accorde a prettie dolefulnes vnto it The song was this NOw was our heau'nly vaulte depriued of the light With Sunnes depart and now the darkenes of the night Did light those beamy stars which greater light did darke Now each thing that enioy'd that firie quickning sparke Which life is cald were mou'd their spirits to repose And wanting vse of eyes their eyes began to close A silence sweet each where with one consent embraste A musique sweet to one in carefull musing plaste And mother Earth now clad in mourning weeds did breath A dull desire to kisse the image of our death When I disgraced wretch not wretched then did giue My senses such reliefe as they which quiet liue Whose braines broile not in woes nor brests with beatings ake With natures praise are wont in safest home to take Far from my thoughts was ought whereto their minds aspire Who vnder courtly pompes doo hatch a base desire Free all my powers were from those captiuing snares Which heau'nly purest gifts defile in muddy cares Ne could my soule it selfe accuse of such a faulte As tender conscience might with furious pangs assaulte◠But like the feeble flower whose stalke cannot sustaine His weighty top his top downeward doth drooping leane Or as the silly birde in well acquainted nest Doth hide his head with cares but onely how to rest So I in simple course and vnentangled minde Did suffer drousie lids mine eyes then cleare to blinde And laying downe my head did natures rule obserue Which senses vp doth shut the senses to preserue They first their vse forgot then fancies lost their force Till deadly sleepe at length possest my liuing coarse A liuing coarse I lay but ah my wakefull minde Which made of heau'nly stuffe no mortall chaunge doth blind Flew vp with freer wings of fleshly bondage free And hauing plaste my thoughts my thoughts thus placed me Me thought nay sure I was I was in fairest wood Of Samothea lande a lande which whilom stood An honour to the world while Honour was their ende And while their line of yeares they did in vertue spende But there I was and there my calmie thoughts I fedd On Natures sweet repast as healthfull senses ledd Her giftes my study was her beauties were my sporte My worke her workes to know her dwelling my resorte Those lamps of heau'nly fire to fixed motion bound The euer-turning spheares the neuer-mouing ground What essence dest'nie hath if fortune be or no Whence our immortall soules to mortall earth doo flowe What life it is and how that all these liues doo gather With outward makers force or like an inward father Such thoughts me thought I thought and straind my single mind Then void of neerer cares the depth of things to find When lo with hugest noise such noise a tower makes When it blowne downe with winde a fall of ruine takes Or such a noise it was as highest thunders sende Or canons thunder-like all shot togither lende The Moone a sunder rent whereout with sodaine fall More swift then falcons stoope to feeding Falconers call There came a chariot faire by doues and sparrowes guided Whose stormelike course staid not till hard by me it bided I wretch astonisht was and thought the deathfull doome Of heauen of earth of hell of time and place was come But streight there issued forth two Ladies Ladies sure They seemd to me on whom did wait a Virgin pure Straunge were the Ladies weeds yet more vnfit then strange The first with cloth's tuckt vp as Nymphes in woods do range Tuckt vp euen with the knees with bowe and arrowes prest Her right arme naked was discouered was her brest But heauy was her pace and such a meagre cheere As little hunting minde God knowes did there appeere The other had with arte more then our women knowe As stuffe meant for the sale set out to glaring showe A wanton womans face and with curld knots had twinde Her haire which by the helpe of painters cunning shinde When I such guests did see come out of such a house The mountaines great with childe I thought brought foorth a mouse But walking forth the first thus to the second saide Venus come on said she Diane you are obaide Those names abasht me much when those great names I hard Although their fame me seemd from truth had greatly iard As I thus musing stood Diana cald to her The waiting Nymphe a Nymphe that did excell as farr All things that earst I sawe as orient pearles exceed That which their mother hight or els their silly seed Indeed a perfect hewe indeed a sweet consent Of all those Graces giftes the heauens haue euer lent And so she was attirde as one that did not prize Too much her peerles parts nor yet could them despise But cald she came apace a pace wherein did moue The bande of beauties all the little world of Loue. And bending humbled eyes ô eyes the Sunne of sight She waited mistresse will who thus disclosd her spright Sweet Mira mine quoth she the pleasure of my minde In whom of all my rules the perfect proofe I finde To onely thee thou seest we graunt this speciall grace Vs to attend in this most priuate time and place Be silent therefore now and so be silent still Of that thou seest close vp in secrete knot thy will She answer'd was with looke and well perform'd behest And Mira I admirde her shape sonke in my brest But thus with irefull eyes and face that shooke with spite Diana did begin What moude me to inuite Your presence sister deare first to my Moony spheare And hither now vouchsafe to take with willing eare I know full well you know what discord long hath raign'd Betwixt vs two how much that discord foule hath stain'd Both our estates while each the other did depraue Proofe speakes too much to vs that feeling triall haue Our names are quite forgot our temples are defac'd Our offrings spoil'd our priests from priesthood are displac'd Is this the fruite of strife those thousand churches hie Those thousand altars faire now in the dust to lie In mortall mindes our mindes but planets names preserue No knees once bowed forsooth for them they say we serue Are we their seruants growne no doubt a noble staye Celestiall powers to wormes Ioues children serue to claye But such they say we be this praise our discord bred While we for mutuall spight a striuing passion fed But let vs wiser be and what foule discorde brake So much more strong
better perswaded when no body was by that had heard her say she would not bee perswaded then began first the eyes to speake and the harts to crie out Sorrow a while would nedees speake his owne language without vsing their tongues to be his interpreters At last Zelmane brake silence but spake with the onely eloquence of amazement for all her long methodized oratione was inherited onely by such kinde of speeches Deare Ladie in extreame necessities we must not But alas vnfortunate wretch that I am that I liue to see this daye And I take heauen and earth to witnesse that nothing and with that her brest swelled so with spite and griefe that her breath had not leasure to turne it selfe into words But the sweet Philoclea that had alredie dyed in Pamela of the other side had the heauines of her hart something quickned in the most beloued sight of Zelmane ghessed somewhat at Zelmanes mind and therefore spake vnto her in this sort My Pyrocles saide shee I knowe this exceeding comfort of your presence is not brought vnto mee for any good-will that is owned vnto mee but as I suppose to make you perswade me to saue my life with the ransome of mine honour although no bodie shoulde bee so vnfit a pleader in that cause as your selfe yet perchance you woulde haue me liue Your honour God forbid saide Zelmane that euer for any cause I should yeeld to any touch of it But a while to pretend some affection til time or my libertie might worke somthing for your seruice this if my astonished senses would giue me leaue I would faine haue perswaded you To what purpose my Pyrocles said Philoclea of a miserable time what gaine is there hath Pamelaes example wrought no more in mee is a captiue life so much worth can euer it goe out of these lips that I loue any other but Pyrocles shall my tongue bee so false a traitor to my hart as to say I loue any other but Pyrocles And why should I do all this to liue O Pamela sister Pamela why shoulde I liue onely for thy sake Pyrocles I would liue but to thee I know too well I shall not liue and if not to thee hath thy loue so base allay my Pyrocles as to wish mee to liue sor dissimulation my Pyrocles my simplicitie is such that I haue hardly bene able to keepe a straight way what shall I doo in a crooked But in this case there is no meane of dissimulation not for the cunningest present answere is required and present performance vpon the answere Art thou so terrible ô Death No my Pyrocles and for that I doo thanke thee and in my soule thanke thee for I confesse the loue of thee is heerein my chiefest vertue Trouble mee not therefore deare Pyrocles nor double not my death by tormenting my resolution since I cannot liue with thee I will dye for thee Onely remember me deare Pyrocles and loue the remembrance of mee if I may craue so much of thee let me be thy last loue for though I be not worthy of thee who indeed art the worthiest creature liuing yet remember that my loue was a worthy loue But Pyrocles was so ouercome with sorrow which wisdome and vertue made iust in so excellent a Ladies case full of so excellent kindnes that words were ashamed to come forth knowing how weak they were to expresse his mind and her merit and therefore so stayed in a deadly silence forsaken of hope and forsaking comfort till the appointed gardians came in to see the fruits of Zelmanes labour and then Zelmane warned by their presence fell againe to perswade though scarcely her selfe could tell what but in sum desirous of delayes But Philoclea sweetly continuing constant and in the end punishing her importunity with silence Zelmane was faine to ende Yet crauing an other times conference shee obtained it and diuers others till at the last Cecropia founde it was to no purpose and therefore determined to follow her owne way Zelmane yet still desirous to win by any meanes respit euen wasted with sorrow and vncertaine whether in worse case in her presence or absence being able to doo nothing for Philocleas succour but by submitting the greatest corage of the earth to fall at the feete of Cecropia and craue stay of their sentence til the vttermost was seene what her perswasions might doo Cecropia seemed much to bee moued by her importunitie so as diuers dayes were wonne of painefull life to the excellent Philoclea while Zelmane suffred some hope to cherrish her minde especially trusting vpon the helpe of Musidorus who shee knew woulde not bee idle in this matter till one morning a noise awaked Zelmane from whose ouer-watchfull mind the tired body had stolne a little sleep streight with the first opening of her eyes Care taking his woonted place she ranne to the window which looked into the hall for that way the noise guided her and there might shee see the curtaine being left open euer since the last execution seuen or eight persons in a cluster vpon the scaffold who by and by retiring themselues nothinge was to bee seene thereupon but a basan of golde pittifully enameled with bloud and in the midst of it the head of the most beautifull Philoclea The horriblenes of the mischiefe was such as Pyrocles coulde not at first beleeue his owne senses but bent his woefull eyes to discerne it better where too well hee might see it was Philocleas selfe hauing no veile but beautie ouer the face which still appeared to be aliue so did those eyes shine euen as they were woont and they were woont more then any other and sometimes as they moued it might well make the beholder think that death therein had borowed her beautie and not they any way disgraced by death so sweet and pearsing a grace they caried with them It was not a pitie it was not an amazement it was not a sorrow which then laid hold on Pyrocles but a wilde furie of desperate agonie so that hee cried out O tyraunt heauen traytor earth blinde prouidence no iustice howe is this done how is this suffered hath this worlde a gouernment If it haue let it poure out all his mischiefes vpon mee and see whether it haue power to make mee more wrecthed then I am Did she excell for this haue I prayed for this abhominable hande that did it detestable deuill that commaunded it cursed light that beheld it and if the light be cursed what are then mine eyes that haue seene it And haue I seene Philoclea dead and doo I liue and haue I liued not to helpe her but to talke of her and stande I still talking And with that caried with the madnes of anguish not hauing a redier waye to kill himselfe hee ranne as hard as euer hee coulde with his head against the wall with intention to braine himselfe but the haste to do it made the doing the slower For as hee came to
subiect to ende onely your Philoclea because she is yours should be exempted But indeede you bemone your selfe who haue lost a friende you cannot her who hath in one act both preserued her honour and leste the miseries of this worlde O womans philosophie childish follie said Pyrocles as though if I do bemone my selfe I haue not reason to doo so hauing lost more then any Monarchie nay then my life can be woorth vnto me Alas saide shee comforte your selfe Nature did not forget her skill when she had made them you shall find many their superiours and perchaunce such as when your eyes shall looke abroad your selfe will like better But that the speech put al good manners out of the conceit of Pyrocles in so much that leaping out of his bed he ran to haue striken her but comming neere her the morning then winning the field of darkenesse he saw or hee thought hee sawe indeed the very face of Philoclea the same sweetenesse the same grace the same beautie with which carried into a diuine astonishment he fell downe at her feete Most blessed Angell said he well haste thou done to take that shape since thou wouldest submit thy selfe to mortall sense for a more Angelicall forme coulde not haue bene created for thee Alas euen by that excellent beautie so beloued of me let it be lawfull for me to aske of thee what is the cause that shee that heauenly creature whose forme you haue taken shoulde by the heauens bee destined to so vnripe an ende Why should vniustice so preuaile Why was she seene to the world so soone to be rauished from vs Why was shee not suffered to liue to teach the worlde perfection Doo not deceiue thy selfe answered shee I am no Angell I am Philoclea the same Philoclea so truely louing you so truely beloued of you If it be so said he that you are indeede the soule of Philoclea you haue done well to keepe your owne figure for no heauen could haue giuen you a better Then alas why haue you taken the paines to leaue your blisfull seat to come to this place most wretched to mee who am wretchednes it selfe not rather obtaine for me that I might come where you are there eternally to behold and eternally to loue your beauties you knowe I know that I desire nothing but death which I onely stay to bee iustly reuenged of your vniust murtherers Deare Pyrocles said shee I am thy Philoclea and as yet liuing not murdred as you supposed and therefore bee comforted And with that gaue him her hand But the sweet touch of that hand seemed to his astraied powers so heauenly a thing that it rather for a while confirmed him in his former beliefe till she with vehement protestations and desire that it might be so helping to perswade that it was so brought him to yeeld yet doubtfully to yeelde to this height of all comfort that Philoclea liued which witnessing with teares of ioy Alas saide he how shall I beleeue mine eies any more or doo you yet but appeare thus vnto me to stay me from some desperate end For alas I sawe the excellent Pamela beheaded I sawe your head the head indeede and chiefe parte of all natures workes standing in a dishe of golde too meane a shrine God wote for such a relike How can this be my onely deare and you liue or if this be not so how can I beleeue mine owne senses and if I can not beleeue them why should I now beleeue these blessed tidings they bring me The truth is said she my Pyrocles that neither I as you finde nor yet my deare sister is dead although the mischieuously suttle Cecropia vsed slights to make either of vs thinke so of other For hauing in vaine attempted the fardest of her wicked eloquence to make eyther of vs yeeld to her sonne and seeing that neither it accompanied with great flatteries and riche presents could get any ground of vs nor yet the violent way she fell into of cruelly tormenting our bodies could preuayle with vs at last she made either of vs thinke the other dead and so hoped to haue wrested our mindes to the forgetting of vertue and first she gaue to mine eyes the miserable spectacle of my sisters as I thought death but indeede it was not my sister it was onely Artesia she who so cunningly brought vs to this misery Truly I am sory for the poore Gentlewoman though iustly she be punished for her double falshood but Artesia muffled so as you could not easily discerne her and in my sisters apparell which they had taken from her vnder colour of giuing her other did they execute And when I for thy sake especially deare Pyrocles could by no force nor feare be won they assayed the like with my sister by bringing me downe vnder the scaffolde and making me thrust my head vp through a hole they had made therein they did put about my poore necke a dishe of gold whereout they had beaten the bottome so as hauing set bloud in it you sawe how I played the parte of death God knowes euen willing to haue done it in earnest and so had they set me that I reached but on tiptoes to the grounde so as scarcely I could breathe much lesse speake And truely if they had kept me there any whit longer they had strangled me in steed of beheading me but then they tooke me away and seeking to see their issue of this practise they found my noble sister for the deare loue she vouchsafeth to beare me so grieued withall that she willed them to doo their vttermost crueltie vnto her for she vowed neuer to receiue sustenaunce of them that had bene the causers of my murther and finding both of vs euen giuen ouer not like to liue many houres longer and my sister Pamela rather worse then my selfe the strength of her harte worse bearing those indignities the good woman Cecropia with the same pittie as folkes keepe foule when they are not fatte inough for their eating made vs knowe her deceipt and let vs come one to another with what ioye you can well imagine who I know feele the like sauing that we only thought our selues reserued to miseries and therefore fitter for condoling then congratulating For my part I am fully perswaded it is but with a little respite to haue a more feeling sense of the torments she prepares for vs. True it is that one of my guardians would haue me to beleeue that this proceedes of my gentle cousin Amphialus who hauing heard some inckling that we were euill entreated had called his mother to his bedside from whence he neuer rose since his last combat and besought and charged her vpon all the loue she bare him to vse vs with all kindnesse vowing with all the imprecations he could imagine that if euer he vnderstood for his sake that I receiued further hurt then the want of my libertie hee would not liue an houre longer And the good woman sware
to me that he would kill his mother if hee knewe how I had bene dealt with but that Cecropia keepes him from vnderstanding thinges howe they passe onely hauing heard a whispering and my selfe named he had of aboundaunce forsooth of honorable loue giuen this charge for vs. Whereupon this enlargement of mine was growne for my parte I know too well their cunning who leaue no mony vnoffered that may buy mine honour to beleeue any word they say but my deare Pyrocles euen looke for the worste and prepare my selfe for the same Yet I must confesse I was content to robbe from death and borrowe of my misery the sweet comfort of seeing my sweet sister and most sweete comfort of thee my Pyrocles And so hauing leaue I came stealing into your chamber where O Lord what a ioy it was vnto me to heare you solemnise the funerals of the poore Philoclea That I my selfe might liue to heare my death bewailed and by whom by my deere Pyrocles That I saw death was not strong enough to diuide thy loue from me O my Pyrocles I am too well paide for my paines I haue suffred ioyfull is my woe for so noble a cause and welcome be all miseries since to thee I am so welcome Alas how I pittied to heare thy pittie of me and yet a great while I could not finde in my hart to interrupt thee but often had euen pleasure to weepe with thee and so kindly came forth thy lamentations that they inforced me to lament to as if indeed I had beene a looker on to see poore Philoclea dye Till at last I spake with you to try whether I could remoue thee from sorrow till I had almost procured my selfe a beating And with that she pretily smiled which mingled with her teares one could not tell whether it were a mourning pleasure or a delightfull sorrow but like when a few Aprill drops are scattered by a gentle Zephyrus among fine coloured flowers But Pyrocles who had felt with so small distance of time in himselfe the ouerthrow both of hope and despaire knew not to what key he should tune his mind either of ioy or sorrow But finding perfite reason in neither suffred himself to be caried by the tide of his imagination and his imaginations to be raised euen by the sway which hearing or seing might giue vnto them he saw her aliue he was glad to see her aliue he saw her weep he was sory to see her weep he heard her comfortable speches nothing more gladsome he hard her prognosticating her own destruction nothing more dolefull But when he had a little taken breath from the panting motion of such contrarietie in passions he fell to consider with her of her present estate both comforting her that certainely the worst of this storme was past since alreadie they had done the worst which mans wit could imagine and that if they had determined to haue killed her now they would haue done it and also earnestly counselling her and inhabling his counsels with vehement prayers that she would so far second the hopes of Amphialus as that she might but procure him liberty promising then as much to her as the liberalitie of louing corage durst promise to himselfe But who would liuely describe the manner of these speeches should paint out the lightsome coulours of affection shaded with the deepest shadowes of sorrow finding then betweene hope and feare a kind of sweetenes in teares till Philoclea content to receaue a kisse and but a kisse of Pyrocles sealed vp his mouing lips and closed them vp in comfort and her-selfe for the passage was left betweene them open went to her sister with whom she had stayed but a while fortifying one another while Philoclea tempered Pamelas iust disdaine and Pamela ennobled Philocleas sweet humblenesse when Amphialus cam vnto them who neuer since he had heard Philoclea named could bee quiet in himselfe although none of them about him fearing more his mothers violence then his power would discouer what had passed and many messages he sent to know her estate which brought answeres backe according as it pleased Cecropia to indite them till his hart full of vnfortunate affection more and more misgiuing him hauing impatiently borne the delay of the nights vnfitnesse this morning he gat vp and though full of woundes which not without daunger could suffer such exercise he apparelled himselfe and with a countenance that shewed strength in nothing but in griefe he came where the sisters were and weakely kneeling downe he besought them to pardon him if they had not bene vsed in that castle according to their worthines and his duetie beginning to excuse small matters poore Gentleman not knowing in what sort they had bene handled But Pamelaes hye hart hauing conceiued mortall hate for the iniurie offred to her and her sister could scarcely abide his sight much lesse heare out his excuses but interrupted him with these words Traitor said she to thine owne blood and false to the profession of so much loue as thou hast vowed doo not defile our eares with thy excuses but pursue on thy crueltie that thou and thy godly mother haue vsed towards vs for my part assure thy selfe and so do I answere for my sister whose mind I know I do not more desire mine owne safetie then thy destruction Amazed with this speech he turned his eye full of humble sorrowfulnes to Philoclea And is this most excellent Ladie your doome of me also She sweete Ladie sate weeping for as her most noble kinsman she had euer fauoured him and loued his loue though she could not be in loue with his person and now partly vnkindnes of his wrong partly pittie of his case made her sweete mind yeeld some teares before she could answere and her answere was no other but that she had the same cause as her sister had He replyed no further but deliuering from his hart two or three vntaught sighes rose and with most low reuerence went out of their chamber and streight by threatning torture learned of one of the women in what terrible manner those Princesses had bene vsed But when he heard it crying out O God and then not able to say any more for his speech went backe to rebound woe vpon his hart he needed no iudge to goe vpon him for no man could euer thinke any other worthy of greater punishment then he thought himselfe Full therefore of the horriblest despaire which a most guiltie conscience could breed with wild lookes promising some terrible issue vnderstanding his mother was vpon the top of the leades he caught one of his seruants swords from him and none of them daring to stay him he went vp carried by furie in steede of strength where she was at that time musing how to goe thorough with this matter and resoluing to make much of her Neeces in shew and secreatly to impoison them thinking since they were not to be wonne her sonnes loue would no otherwise be mitigated But
vpon her with a more relenting grace then euer she had done before pretending a great bashfulnes before she could come to confesse such a fault she thus sayde vnto her Most worthye Ladye I did neuer thinke till now that pittie of another coulde make me betray my selfe nor that the sounde of wordes could ouerthrow any wise bodies determinacion But your words I thinke haue charmed me and your grace bewitched me Your compassion makes me open my hart to you and leaue vnharboured mine owne thoughts For proofe of it I will disclose my greatest secreate which well you might suspect but neuer knowe and so haue your wandring hope in a more painefull wildernesse being neither way able to be lodged in a perfect resolucion I will I say vnwrappe my hidden estate and after make you iudge of it perchance director The truth is I am a man nay I will say further to you I am borne a Prince And to make vp youre minde in a through vnderstanding of mee since I came to this place I may not denye I haue had some sprinkling of I knowe not what good liking to my Lady Philoclea For howe coulde I euer imagine the heauens woulde haue rayned downe so much of your fauour vpon me and of that side there was a shewe of possible hope the most comfortable Counsellor of loue The cause of this my chaunged attyre was a iourney two yeares agoe I made among the Amazons where hauing sought to trye my vnfortunate valure I met not one in all the Countrey but was too harde for me till in the ende in the presence of their Queene Marpesia I hoping to preuayle agaynst her challenged an olde woman of fourescore yeares to fight on horssebacke to the vttermost with me Who hauing ouerthrowne me for the sauing of my life made me sweare I should goe like an vnarmed Amazon till the comming of my beard did with the discharge of my oath deliuer me of that bondage Here Zelmane ended not comming to a full conclusion because she would see what it wrought in Gynecias minde hauing in her speech sought to winne a beliefe of her and if it might be by disgrace of her selfe to diminish Gynecias affection For the first it had much preuailed But Gynecia whose ende of louing her was not her fighting neyther could her loue too deepely grounded receiue diminishment and besides she had seene herselfe sufficient proofes of Zelmanes admirable prowesse Therefore sleightly passing ouer that poynt of her fayned dishonor but taking good hold of the confessing her manly sexe with the shamefaste looke of that suitor who hauing already obtayned much is yet forced by want to demaunde more put foorth her sorrowfull suite in these words The gods sayd she rewarde thee for thy vertuouse pittie of my ouerladen soule who yet hath receyued some breath of comfort by finding thy confession to maintayne some possibilitie of my languishing hope But alas as they who seeke to enrich themselues by minerall industrie the first labour is to finde the myne which to their cheerefull comfort being founde if after any vnlooked for stop or casuall impediment keepe them from getting the desired vre they are so much the more greeued as the late conceaued hope addes torment to their former wante So falles it out with mee happie or happlesse woman as it pleaseth you to ordayne who am now either to receyue some guerdon of my most wofull labours or to returne into a more wretched darkenes hauing had some glimmering of my blisfull Sunne O Zelmane tread not vpon a soule that lyes vnder your foote let not the abasing of my selfe make me more base in your eyes but iudge of me according to that I am and haue bene and let my errors be made excusable by the immortall name of loue With that vnder a fayned rage tearing her clothes she discouered some partes of her fayre body which if Zelmanes harte had not bene so fully possest as there was no place left for any new guest no doubt it would haue yelded to that gallant assault But Zelmane so much the more arming her determination as she sawe such force threatened yet still remembring she must wade betwixt constancie and curtesey embracing Gynecia and once or twise kissing her Deare Ladie sayd she he were a great enemy to himselfe that would refuse such an offer in the purchase of which a mans life were blessedly bestowed Nay how can I euer yeeld due recompence for so excessiue a fauour but hauing nothing to geue you but my selfe take that I must confesse a small but a very free gift what other affection soeuer I haue had shall geue place to as great perfection working besides vppon the bonde of gratefulnes The gods forbid I should be so foolish as not to see or so wicked as not to remember how much my small deserts are ouerballanced by your vnspeakeable goodnes Nay happye may I well accompt my mishap among the Amazons since that dishonor hath bene so true a path to my greatest honor and the chaunging of my outward rayment hath clothed my minde in such inwarde contentacion Take therefore noble Lady as much comfort to youre harte as the full commandement of me can yeeld you wipe your faire eyes and keepe them for nobler seruices And nowe I will presume thus much to saye vnto you that you make of your selfe for my sake that my ioyes of my new obtayned riches may be accomplished in you But let vs leaue this place least you be too long missed and henceforward quiet your minde from any further care for I will now to my too much ioye take the charge vpon me within fewe dayes to worke your satisfaction and my felicitie Thus much she sayde and withall led Gynecia out of the Caue for well she sawe the boyling minde of Gynecia did easily apprehende the fitnesse of that lonely place But in deede this direct promise of a short space ioyned with the cumbersome familiar of womankinde I meane modestie stayed so Gynecias minde that she tooke thus much at that present for good payment remayning with a paynefull ioye and a wearysome kinde of comfort not vnlike to the condemned prisoner whose minde still running vppon the violent arriuall of his cruell death heares that his pardon is promised but not yet signed In this sort they both issued out of that obscure mansion Gynecia already halfe perswaded in her selfe ô weakenes of humane conceite that Zelmanes affection was turned towards her For such alas we are all in such a mould are we cast that with the too much loue we beare our selues beeing first our owne flatterers wee are easily hooked with our owne flattery we are easily perswaded of others loue But Zelmane who had now to playe her prize seeing no waye thinges could long remayne in that state and now finding her promise had tyed her tryall to a small compasse of tyme began to throwe her thoughtes into each corner of her inuention howe shee might atchieue
marriage Haue I brought thee children haue I bene a true wife vnto thee to bee dispised in mine olde age And euer among shee woulde sawce her speeches with such Bastonados that poore Damaetas beganne now to thinke that either a generall madding was falne or else that all this was but a vision But as for visions the smarte of the cudgell put out of his fancie and therefore againe turning to his wife not knowing in the world what she ment Miso said hee hereafter thou maiest examine me doe but now tell me what is become of Pamela I will first examine this drabbe said she and withall let fall her stafe as hard as she could vpon Mopsa still taking her for Charita But Mopsa that was alredy angry thinking that she had hindred her from Apollo lepte vp and caught her by the throte like to haue strangled her but that Damaetas from a condemned man was faine to become a iudge and part this fayre such a picture of a rude discord where each was out with the other two And then getting the opportunitie of their falling out to holde himselfe in suretie who was indeede the veriest coward of the three he renewed his earnest demaund of them But it was a sporte to see how the former conceites Dorus had printed in their imaginations kept still such dominion in them that Miso though now shee founde and felte it was her daughter Mopsa yet did Charita cōtinually passe through her thoughts which she vttered with such crabbed questions to Damaetas that hee not possiblie conceauing any parte of her doubt remained astonished and the astonishment encreased her doubt And as for Mopsa as first she did assuredly take him to be Apollo and thought her mothers comming did marre the bargaine So now much talkinge to and fro had deliuered so much light into the mistie mould of her capacitie as to know him to be her father Yet remayned there such foote-steppes of the foretaken opinion that shee thought verily her father and mother were hasted thether to gett the first wishe And therefore to whatsoeuer they asked of her she would neuer answere but embracing the tree as if she feared it had bene running awaye nay sayes shee I will haue the first wish for I was here first which they vnderstoode no more then Damaetas did what Miso ment by Charita till at length with much vrging them being indeede better able to perswade both then to meete hande to hand with either he preuailed so much with them as to bring them into the lodge to see what losse their necligence had suffered Then indeed the nere neighborhood they bare to themselues made them leaue other toyes and look into what dangerous plight they were all faln assone as the King should know his daughters escape And as for the wemen they beganne a fresh to enter into their brawling whether were in the faulte But Damaetas who did feare that among his other euills the thunderbolt of that storme would fall vpon his shoulders slipte away from them but with so maigre a cheare as might much sooner engender laughter then pittie O true Arcadia would he say tearinge his haire and bearde somtime for too much woe making vnweldie somerfaults how darest thou beare vpon thee such a felonious traytor as I am And you false harted trees why woulde you make no noyse to make her vngratious departure known Ah Pamela Pamela how often whē I brought thee in fine posies of all coulored flowers wouldest thou clappe me on the cheek and say thou wouldst be on day euen with me Was this thy meaning to bring me to an euē paire of gallows Ah il taught Dorus that camest hither to learne good maners of me Did I euer teach thee to make thy maister sweate out his hart for nothing in the meane time to run away thy mistres O my dun cow I did think sōe euil was towards me euer since the last day thou didst run away from me held vp thy taile so pitifully did not I se an eagle kil a Cuckoe which was plain fore token vnto me Pamela should be my destructiō O wife Miso if I durst say it to thy face why didst thou suspect thy husbād that loueth a peece of chese better then a womā And thou litle Mopsa that shalt inherite the shame of thy fathers death was it time for thee to clime trees which should so shortly be my best buriall ô that I could liue without death or die before I were aware O hart why hast thou no hands at commaundement to dispatch thee O hands why want you a hart to kill this villanie In this sorte did he inuey against euery thing sometimes thinking to haue away while it was yet night but he that had included all the world within his shepecote thought that worse thē any death sometime for dread of hanging hee ment to hange himselfe finding as in deede it is that feare is farre more paynfull to cowardise then death to a true courage But his fingers were nothing nimble in that action any thing was let inough thereto he being a true louer of himselfe without any ryuall But lastly guided by a farre greater constellacion then his owne he remembred to search the other lodge where it might be Pamela that night had retired her selfe So thether with trembling hammes hee carried himselfe but employinge his double keye which the Kinge for speciall credit had vnworthylie bestowed vpon him hee found all the gates so barred that his key could not preuaile sauing onely one trapt doore which went down into a vault by the seller which as it was vnknowen of Pyrocles so had he lefte it vnregarded But Damaetas that euer know the buttery better then any other place got in that way and pasing softly to Philocleas chamber where he thought most likely to finde Pamela the doore being left open hee entred in and by the light of the lampe he might discerne on in bed with her which he although hee tooke to bee Pamela yet thinking no suretie enough in a matter touchinge his necke hee went heard to the bedside of these vnfortunate louers whoe at that time being not much before the breake of day whether it were they were so diuinely surprised to bring this whole matter to be destinied conclusion or that the vnresistable force of their sorrowes had ouerthrowne the wakefull vse of their senses were as then possessed with a mutuall sleep yet not forgetting with viny embracements to giue any eye a perfect modell of affection But Damaetas looking with the lampe in his hande but neither with such a face nor mind vpon these excellent creatures as Psyche did vpon her vnknowen louer and giuing euery way freedome to his fearefull eyes did not onely perceaue it was Zelmane and therefore much different from the Lady hee sought but that this same Zelmane did more differ from the Zelmane hee and others had euer taken her for wherein the chaunge of her apparell chiefely
good reason saye that the constant man abides the painefull surgery for feare of a further euill but he is content to waite for death it selfe but neither is true for neither hath the one any feare but a well choosing iudgement nor the other hath any contentment but onely feare and not hauing a harte actiuely to performe a matter of paine is forced passiuely to abide a greater damage For to doe requires a whole harte to suffer falleth easeliest in the broken minds And if in bodely torment thus much more in shame wherein since vallure is a vertue and vertue is euer limited we must not runne so infinitely as to thinke the valiant man is willinglie to suffer any thing since the very suffering of some things is a certaine proofe of want of courage And if any thing vnwillinglie among the chiefest may shame goe for if honour be to be held deere his contrarye is to be abhorred and that not for feare but of a true election For which is the lesse inconuenient either the losse of some yeares more or lesse for once we knowe our liues be not immortall or the submitting our selues to each vnworthy misery which the foolish world may lay vpon vs As for their reason that feare is contrary to hope neither do I defend feare nor much yeeld to the aucthoritye of hope to eyther of which great enclining shewes but a feeble reason which must be guided by his seruaunts and who builds not vppon hope shall feare no earthquake of despaire Their last alleadging of the heauenly powers as it beares the greatest name so it is the only thing that at all bred any combate in my minde And yet I do not see but that if God hath made vs maisters of any thing it is of our owne liues out of which without doing wrong to any body we are to issue at our owne pleasure And the same Argument would asmuch preuayle to say we should for no necessitie lay away from vs any of our ioyntes since they being made of him without his warrant we should not depart from them or if that may be for a greater cause we may passe to a greater degree And if we be Lieutenants of God in this little Castle do you not thinke we must take warning of him to geue ouer our charge when he leaues vs vnprouided of good meanes to tarrye in it No certainelie do I not answered the sorrowfull Philoclea since it is not for vs to appoint that mightie Maiestie what time he will helpe vs the vttermost instant is scope enough for him to reuoke euery thing to ones owne desire And therefore to preiudicate his determinacion is but a doubt of goodnes in him who is nothing but goodnes But when in deede he doth either by sicknes or outward force lay death vpon vs then are we to take knowledge that such is his pleasure and to knowe that all is well that he doth That we should be maisters of our selues we can shewe at all no title nor clayme since neyther we made our selues nor bought our selues we can stand vpon no other right but his guift which he must limit as it pleaseth him Neyther is there any proporcion betwixt the losse of any other limme and that since the one bends to the preseruing all the other to the destruction of all the one takes not away the minde from the actions for which it is placed in the world the other cuts off all possibilitie of his working And truly my most deere Pyrocles I must needes protest vnto you that I can not thinke your defence euen in rules of vertue sufficient Sufficient and excellent it were if the question were of two outward things wherein a man might by natures freedome determine whether he would preferre shame to payne present smaller torment to greater following or no. But to this besides the comparison of the matters vallewes there is added of the one part a direct euill doing which maketh the ballance of that side too much vnequall Since a vertuous man without any respect whether the griefe be lesse or more is neuer to do that which he can not assure himselfe is allowable before the euerliuing rightfulnes But rather is to thinke honoures or shames which stande in other mens true or false iudgements paynes or not paynes which yet neuer approach our soules to be nothing in regarde of an vnspotted conscience And these reasons do I remember I haue heard good men bring in that since it hath not his ground in an assured vertue it proceedes rather of some other disguised passion Pyrocles was not so much perswaded as delighted by her well conceaued and sweetely pronounced speaches but when she had cloased her pittiful discourse and as it were sealed vp her delightfull lippes with the moistnes of her teares which followed still one another like a precious rope of pearle now thinking it hye time Be it as you saye sayde hee most vertuous beawtye in all the rest but neuer can God himselfe perswade me that Pyrocles life is not well lost for to preserue the most admirable Philoclea Let that be if it be possible written on my Tombe and I will not enuye Codrus honour With that he would agayne haue vsed the barre meaning if that failde to leaue his braynes vppon the wall When Philoclea now brought to that she most feared kneeled downe vnto him and embracing so his legges that without hurting her which for nothing he would haue done he could not ridde himselfe from her she did with all the coniuring wordes which the authoritye of loue may laye beseeche him he would not nowe so cruelly abandon her he woulde not leaue her comfortlesse in that miserye to which he had brought her That then in deede she woulde euen in her soule accuse him to haue most fouly betrayed her that then she should haue cause to curse the time that euer the name of Pyrocles came to her eares which otherwise no death could make her do Will you leaue me sayde she not onely dishonoured as supposed vnchaste with you but as a murderer of you Will you geue mine eyes such a picture of hell before my neere approaching death as to see the murdred bodie of him I loue more then all the liues that nature can geue With that she sware by the hyest cause of all deuocions that if he did perseuer in that cruell resolucion she would though vntruly not onely confesse to her father that with her cōsent this acte had bene committed but if that would not serue after she had puld out her owne eyes made accursed by such a sight she would geue her selfe so terrible a death as she might think the paine of it would counteruaile the neuer dying paine of her minde Now therefore kill your selfe to crowne this vertuous action with infamy kill your selfe to make me whome you say you loue as long as I after liue change my louing admiracion of you to a detestable abhorring your name And so
haue a speciall feeling of the present losse wiping his eyes and long white bearde bedeawed with greate dropps of teares began in this sorte to complayne Alas poore sheepe sayde hee which hitherto haue enioyed your fruitefull pasture in such quietnes as your wooll amongst other things hath made this Countrie famous your best dayes are now past now you must become the vittaile of an armye and perchaunce an armye of foraine enemyes you are now not onely to feare home Wolues but alien Lions now I say now that our right Basilius is deceased Alas sweete pastures Shall souldiours that knowe not how to vse you possesse you Shall they that can not speake Arcadian language be Lordes ouer your Shepheards For alas with good cause may we looke for any euill since Basilius our only strength is taken from vs. To that all the other Shepheards present vttered pittifull voyces especially the very borne Arcadians For as for the other though humanitie moued them to pittie humane cases especially in a Prince vnder whome they had founde a refuge of their miseries and iustice equally administred yet could they not so naturally feele the liuely touch of sorrowe Neuerthelesse of that number one Agelastus notably noted among them aswell for his skill in Poetry as for an austerely mayntayned sorrowfulnes wherewith hee seemed to despise the workes of nature framing an vniuersall complaint in that vniuersall mischiefe vttered it in this sestine SInce wayling is a bud of causefull sorowe Since sorow is the follower of euill fortune Since no euill fortune equalls publique damage Now Princes losse hath made our damage publique Sorow pay we to thee the rights of Nature And inward griefe seale vp with outward wailing Why should we spare our voice from endlesse wailing Who iustly make our hearts the seate of sorow In such a case where it appeares that nature Doth add her force vnto the sting of fortune Choosing alas this our theatre publique Where they woâ—ld leaue trophees of cruell damage Then since such pow'rs conspir'd vnto our damage Which may be know'n but neuer help't with wailing Yet let vs leaue a monument in publique Of willing teares torne haires cries of sorrow For lost lost is by blowe of cruell fortune Arcadias gemme the noblest childe of nature O nature doting olde ô blinded nature How hast thou torne thy selfe sought thine owne damage In graunting such a scope to filthy fortune By thy impes losse to fill the world with wai'ling Cast thy stepmother eyes vpon our sorowe Publique our losse so see thy shame is publique O that we had to make our woes more publique Seas in our eyes brasen tongues by nature A yelling voice heartes compos'd of sorow Breath made of flames wits knowing nought but damage Our sports murdering our selues our musiques wailing Our studies fixt vpon the falâ—es of fortune No no our mischiefe growes in this vile fortune That priuate paines can not breath out in publique The furious inward griefes with hellish wailing But forced are to burthen feeble nature With secret sense of our eternall damage And sorow feede feeding our soules with sorow Since sorow then concludeth all our fortune With all our deathes shew we this damage publique His nature feares to die who liues still wailing It seemed that this complaint of Agelastus had awaked the spirits of the Arcadians astonished before with exceedingnes of sorow For hee had scarcely ended when diuerse of them offred to follow his example in be wayling the generall losse of that countrie which had bene aswell a nurse to straungers as a mother to Arcadians Among the rest one accounted good in that kinde and made the better by the true feeling of sorowe roared out a song of lamentation which as well as might bee was gathered vp in this forme SInce that to death is gone the shepheard hie Who most the silly shepheards pipe did pryse Your dolefull tunes sweete Muses now applie And you ô trees if any life there lies In trees now through your porous barkes receaue The straunge resounde of these my causefull cries And let my breath vpon your braunches cleaue My breath distinguish'd into wordes of woe That so I may signes of my sorrowe leaue But if among your selues some one tree growe That aptest is to figure miserie Let it embassage beare your grieues to showe The weeping Mirrhe I thinke will not denie Her helpe to this this iustest cause of plaint Your dolefull tunes sweet Muses now applie And thou poore Earth whom fortune doth attaint In Natures name to suffer such a harme As for to loose thy gemme and such a Sainct Vpon thy face let coaly Rauens swarme Let all the Sea thy teares accounted be Thy bowels with all killing mettals arme Let golde now râ—st let Diamonds waste in thee Let pearls be wan with woe their damme doth beare Thy selfe henceforth the light doo neuer see And you ô flowers which sometimes Princes were Till these straunge altrings you did hap to trie Of Princes losse your selues for tokens reare Lilly in mourning blacke thy whitenes die O Hyacinthe let Ai be on thee still Your dolefull tunes sweet Muses now applie O Echo all these woods with roaring fill And doo not onely marke the accents last But all for all reach out my wailefull will One Echo to another Echo cast Sounde of my griefes and let it neuer ende Till that it hath all woods and waters past Nay to the heau'ns your iust complaining sende And stay the starrs inconstant constant race Till that they doo vnto our dolours bende And aske the reason of that speciall grace That they which haue no liues should liue so long And vertuous soules so soone should loose their plaâ—e Aske if in great men good men doo so thronge That he for want of elbowe roome must die Or if that they be skante if this be wronge Dâ—â— Wisedome this our wretched time espie In one true chest to rob all Vertues treasure Your dolefull tunes sweete Muses now applie And if that any counsell you to measure Your dolefull tunes to them still playning say To well felte griefe plainte is the onely pleasure O light of Sunne which is entit'led day O well thou doost that thou no longer bidest For mourning light her blackeweedes may display O Phoebus with good cause thy face thou hidest Rather then haue thy all-beholding eye Fould with this sight while thou thy chariot guidest And well me thinks becomes this vaultie skie And stately tombe to couer him deceased Your dolefull tunes sweet Muses now applie O Philomela with thy brest oppressed By shame and griefe helpe helpe me to lament Such cursed harmes as cannot be redressed Or if thy mourning notes be fully spent Then giue a quiet eare vnto my playning For I to teach the world complainte am bent You dimmy clowdes which well employ your stayning This cheerefull aire with your obscured cheere Witnesse your wofull teares with dayly rayning And if ô Sinne thou euer didst appeare In
shal be well to knowe how the poore and princely prisoners passed this tedious night There was neuer tyrante exercised his rage with more grieuous torments vpon any he most hated then afflicted Gynecia did crusifie her owne soule after the guiltines of her harte was surcharged with the sodainenes of her husbāds death for although that effect came not frō her minde yet her mind being euil the effect euill she thought the iustice of God had for the beginning of her paines copled thē together This incessantly boyled in her brest but most of al whē Philanax hauing cloasely imprisoned her she was lefte more freely to suffer the fierbrands of her owne thoughts especially when it grewe darke and had nothing left by her but a little lampe whose small light to a perplexed mind might rather yeld feareful shadowes then any assured sight Then beganne the heapes of her miseries to waye downe the platforme of her iudgement then beganne despaire to laye his ougly clawes vpon her shee beganne then to feare the heauenly powers shee was woont to reuerence not like a childe but like an enemie neither kept she herselfe from blasphemous repyning against her creation O Gods would she crye out why did you make me to destruction If you loue goodnes why did you not geue me a good minde Or if I cannot haue it without your gifte why doe you plague mee Is it in me to resist the mightines of your power Then would she imagine she sawe strange sights and that she heard the cries of hellish ghostes then would she skritch out for succour but no man comming vnto her shee woulde faine haue killed her helfe but knewe not how At sometimes againe the very heauines of her imaginations would cloase vp her senses to a little sleepe but then did her dreames become her tormentors One time it would seeme vnto her Philanax was haling her by the heare of the head and hauing put out her eyes was redy to throw her into a burning fornace Another time she would thinke she sawe her husband making the complainte of his death to Pluto and the magistrates of that infernall region contending in great debate to what eternal punishment they should allot her But long her dreaming would not hold but that it woulde fall vpon Zelmane to whom shee would think she was crying for mercy and that she did passe away by her in silence without any shew of pittying her mischief Then waking out of a broken sleep and yet wishing she might euer haue slept new formes but of the same miseries would seaze her minde shee feared death and yet desired death shee had passed the vttermost of shame and yet shame was one of her cruellest assaulters she hated Pyrocles as the originall of her mortall ouerthrowe and yet the loue shee had conceaued to him had still a hie authoritie of her passions O Zelmane would she say not knowing how neere he himselfe was to as great a daunger now shalt thou glut thy eyes with the dishonoured death of thy enemie Enemie alas enemie since so thou haste wel shewed thou wilt haue me accompt thee couldest thou not aswel haue giuē me a determinate deniall as to disguise thy first diguising with a doble dissembling Perchaunce if I had bene vtterly hopelesse the vertue was once in me might haue called together his forces and not haue beene led captiue to this monstrous thraldome of punished wickednes Then would her owne knowing of good enflame a new the rage of despaire which becomming an vnresisted Lorde in her brest shee had no other comforte but in death which yet she had in horror when she thought of But the wearisome detesting of her selfe made her long for the dayes approach at which time shee determined to continue her former course in acknowledginge any thing which might hasten her ende Wherein although shee did not hope for the end of her torments feeling alreadye the beginning of hell agonies yet according to the nature of paine the presente being most intollerable shee desired to change that and put to aduenture the ensuing And thus rested the restlesse Gynecia no lesse sorrowfull though lesse ragefull were the mindes of the Princesse Pamela and the Lady Philoclea whose only aduantages were that they had not consented to so much euill and so were at greater peace with themselues and that they were not lefte alone but might mutually beare parte of each others woes For when Philanax not regarding Pamelas princely protestations had by force left her vnder garde with her sister and that the two sisters were matched aswell in the disgraces of fortune as they had beene in the best beauties of nature those thinges that till then bashfullnes and mistrust had made them holde reserued one from the other now feare the vnderminer of all determinations and necessitie the victorious rebell of all lawes forced them enterchaungeably to lay open There passions then so swelling in them as they woulde haue made Auditors of stones rather then haue swallowed vp in silence the choking aduentures were falne vnto them Truely the hardest hartes which haue at any time thought womans teares to be a matter of sleight compassion imagining that faire weather will quickly after followe would now haue beene mollyfied and bene compelled to confesse that the fayrer a diamond is the more pittie it is it shoulde receaue a bleamish Although no doubte their faces did rather beautifie sorrow then sorrow coulde darken that which euen in darkenes did shine But after they had so long as their other afflictions would suffer them with doleful ceremonies bemoned their fathers death they sate downe together apparrelled as their misaduentures had founde them Pamela in her iournying weedes nowe conuerted to another vse Philoclea onely in her night gowne which she thought should bee the rayment of her funeralls But when the excellent creatures had after much panting with their inwarde trauell gotten so much breathing power as to make a pittifull discourse one to the other what had befallne them and that by the plaine comparing the case they were in they thorowlye founde that their greiues were not more like in regarde of themselues then like in respecte of the subiecte the two Princes as Pamela had learned of Musidorus being so minded as they woulde euer make both their fortunes one it did more vnite and so strengthen their lamentation seing the one coulde not bee miserable but that it must necessarilie make the other miserable also That therfore was the first matter their sweet mouths deliuered the declaring the passionate beginning troblesome proceeding and daungerous ending their neuer ending loues had passed And when at any time they entred into the prayses of the young Princes to long it woulde haue exercised their tonges but that their memory foorthwith warned them the more prayse worthy they were the more at that time they were worthy of lamentation Then againe to crying and wringing of handes and then a newe as vnquiet greefe sought