forraine enemies and such moodlesse rigour to his natiue subiectes that it was doubtfull whether hee were more feared of his foes for his cruelty or hated of his friendes for his tyrannie yet as the worst weed springeth vppe more brauelie then the holsomest hearbe and as the crookedst tree is commonly loaden with most fruite so this rigorous king was fostered vp with great fortune his estate established with no lesse worldly honour indued hee was with woonderfull wealth and fortunate againe with the like prosperity but most happiest of all in a sonne and a daughter the sonne called by the name of Antipholus a most gallant young Prince loued for his curtesie reuerenced for his vertue and honoured for both and the heire apparant to the Crowne of Illeria The daughter called by name Moderna in demeanure decent in countenance so sweet in face so amiable in body so comely in all her parts so proportionable that nature might not possibly affoord more beautie in any creature nor art supply any defect in nature Besides all these exquisite perfections she was the inheritrix to the kingdome of Dalmatia by the right of her mother called Persida the onely daughter and heire to Vrbanus the late king of Dalmatia who before his death gaue his laid daughter Persida vnto Astulpho for a second wife assuring for her dowry after his decease the kingdome of Dalmatia to Astulpho during his life and so to the heires of his body begotten of his daughter Persida of whome Astulpho had no other issue but onely Moderna at whose birth Persida died in childe-bed so leauing the inheritaunce of the kingdome to Moderna who although she were but the halfe sister to Antipholus yet nature in respect of the Symphatie of their mindes seemed to haue planted but one and the selfe same heart they so intirelie loued the one of them the other These two Princes beeing thus come vnto the Illerian Courte were verie well welcomed by the King Astulpho but most kindlie entertained by the Prince Antipholus and although the honourable exploites of these two gallant Princes was reported in the court of Illeria longe after their personall ariuall which won the hearers to loue them before euer they saw them yet now such heroycall greatnes shewed in their eies such extraordinary maiesty in all their actions but especially the goodly presence of Brusanus in whome such true valiaunce shined bred a delight full admiration to all beholders and now insinuating themselues into the socrety of the gallant courtiers they proued to bee in sport so pleasaunt in talke so witty in manners so modest in conceytes so cunning in parle so pithy and in all their conuersation so comely that they were generally liked of all and for a time there was no other talke in the court but in the commendation of the two Princes But Brusanus besides the beautie of his body had such a naturall dexterity in all thinges as in feates of armes who more hardy in any excercise of the body who more actiue in communication or any discourse who more pleasant and in all manner of companies who better esteemed so that there was no person time or place wherevnto hee aptly applied not himselfe insomuch that the familiaryty betwéene himselfe and Antipholus did more and more exceed and it fortuned that Moderna casting a glaunce vppon the beautie of Brusanus felt a certaine alteration in her affections and as it were a sudaine assault within her selfe but hauing small practise in the prankes of loue shee could not coniecture the secret cause of these her sudaine passyons thinking it to be but some toy lightly taken and would be againe as sudainly left and vppon this she still rested her selfe conceiuing yet a good likeing towardes Brusanus Dorestus on the other side hauing espied Moderna accompanied with other Ladies walking in the fieldes to take the aire contemplating himselfe in the perfection of her beautie hee was taken prisoner before hee had leisure to arme himselfe but loe how occasion offered it selfe to a further mischiefe Brusanus and Dorestus were inuited amongst many other to a banquet prepared by Moderna there was likewise her brother the Prince Antipholus with many other Lordes and Ladies of the court The second Chapter The perplexity of Dorestus for the loue of Moderna the like of Moderna for the loue of Brusanus DVring the time of this banquet Dorestus being placed right ouer against Moderna and taking a better views of this perfect blossome of beauty this matchlesse parragon for personage perfited by nature and polished by nurture he was so fettered in the snare of fancy his fancy so intangled in the trap of affecting that his onely blesse pleasure ioy and delight was in contemplating his eies on the heauenly face of this Goddesse but alas her beauty bred his bane her lookes his losse her sight his sorrowe her exquisit perfections his extreame passions Brusanus in this meane time now and then enterlarding the dishes with pleasant discourse was throughlye surueyd by Moderna whoe marking his manners and musing at his modestye notinge his excellent courtesye and wondering at his exquisit beautie was so inflamed with frendly affection towardes this yonge Prince that where before she esteemed her likeing to be but the frutes of her gentle nature she now gaue free scoape to those sweete thoughts which by this had taken the ful possession of her harte The banquete once ended and euery one departed Moderna shutting her selfe into her Chamber discoursed thus alasse poore Moderna how art thou bewitched where is thy wonted vertue hast thou prepared a banquet to intrap thy selfe with a more delicate dish then any thou didst prouide hast thou laid a bait and thy selfe poysoned with the bane hast thou bid him welcome that hath caught thee captiue Blush Moderna at thy Fortune thy thoughts thy choice thy loue cannot be vttered without shame nor thy affections without discredite But ah Brusanus ah swéete Brusanus thy beauty Brusanus but peace Moderna blab not out that which thou maiest bee ashamed to reueale vnto thy selfe but thou doost loue Moderna yea and whome a straunger Prince stragled out of his owne Countrey beautifull enough but yet perhaps not staied in minde and therefore not fit for thée to fancie Cease then Moderna to looke at Brusanus much lesse to loue him be not ouer-taken with these dissembling men whose eies are framed by art to allure Die thē Moderna Moderna die better were it for thée to perish with high desires then to liue in base thoughts thus throwing her selfe vpon her bed drawing the Curtaines shee turned too and fro as if shee would haue hidden her selfe from her owne thoughts Dorestus againe who was departed from the banquet with a new field of fancies traueiling in his mind went directly to his chamber and making fast the dore began in this sort to discourse Ah Dorestus art thou alone O no not alone when thou art accompanied with so many vnacquainted
followed the action and rigor occupied the place of iustice In this desperate moode and as it were more then halfe bereued of his sences he left Moderna for deade betaking himselfe for euer to liue in this solitarie desarte dispising humaine societie acompanied onely with the beastes and birdes of the forrest delighting himselfe in nought but in soure discourses his muse affording nothing but lamentable laies and leauing him here to speake of other matters You must vnderstand that more then thrée yeares before passed Belizarius king of Calipha was deceased leauing to inherit his kingdome his onely daughter Valeria being then not aboue thirtéene yeares of age in whom nature had striued to bestow her brauest perfections and vertue no lesse vouchsafed to furnish forth with presidents This yong Princesse the king at y e tune of his death cōmitted to the gouernment of the quéene his wife and mother to Valeria called by the name of Eriphila a lady a greate deale more vertuous then fortunate for not long after the death of the king she married againe with Brianto duke of Doletta a man of great ambition practised in all mischiefe and most shamelesse in his demeanures It fortuned at this very instante that this young Princes acompanied with the quéene her mother with Brianto the duke many other nobles had béene a huntting in this forrest their sportes beeing ended as they were trauellinge home-wardes towardes the Cittie Sara they found Moderna lyeng by the side of the way dead as they supposed and some of them alighting from their horsses finding her to be wounded and perceiuing it to be newly donne one laieng his hande on her brest to féele if shée had béene colde hee might perceiue her harte softly to beate being then assured that there was life remaining in her craued the helpe of the Ladies to reuiue her who hauing in their companies men well experimented both in Phisicke and Chirurgery they recouered life in her againe though not able to make them vnderstand the manner of her misfortune the quéene Eriphila caused her to be brought into her owne cotche and comming to the courte where she had a most precious balme dressing her with her owne handes within fewe daies she was perfectly hole of her hurt though not altogether eased at the harte not knowing what was become of her dearest friende Brusanus neither durst shée enquire after him and the rather to kéepe her selfe vnknowen she chaunged her name from Moderna to Calinda the which name for the time my selfe will likewise vse Calinda thus remaining in the courte attendant of the quéene Eriphila rested her selfe in this hope that in time she might either heare of Brusanus or Brusanus should heare of her The younge Princesse Valeria being now betwéene 16. and 17. yeares of age was wooed by many great Kinges and Princes but al of them stil cunningly delaied of by this duke Brianto who beeing married to the quéene mother to Valeria and therefore chosen protector and gouerner of the kingdome of Calipha till the Princesse should be married pretended so much as in him lay both to kéepe her from marriage and to put her by the kingdome which beeing foresene by others of the nobillity they so wrought in the matter that a day was apointed of a generall Iuste wherein that Prince that coulde most valiently demeane himselfe shoulde haue for his prise the yong Princesse Valeria she for her doury the kingdome of Calipha By this time Antipholus the Prince of Illeria who had vndertaken the persute of Brusanus and his sister Moderna was come into the borders of Calipha who vnderstandinge what preparation was made by so many gallant Princes he determined with himselfe to try his valor amongst them the which he intended rather for his owne exercise then for any desire he had to the prise hauing as yet neuer séene the Princesse hee therefore spéedely repairing to the Citie of Sara prouided himselfe of all thinges best beseeming his honour The third Chapter How Antipholus demeaned himselfe in the Iuste he winneth the Princesse who most willinglye surrendereth herselfe he leaueth her for a season following his pursuite of Brusanus to Constantinople IT woulde aske his héere a very long time if I shoulde discourse at large of euery particuler as first to signifie the seuerall Princes accompanied withe such troupes of armed Knightes that it séemed the mightie host of Alexander when he tooke in hande the conquest of the world then the riches and brauery of their fortunes with their straung and quaint deuices the numbers bothe of lords and ladies that came from diuerse farre and straung countries but to looke on and beholde the manner of these enterprises the beautie and brauerye of the ladies and gentlewemen amongst whome Valeria shewed no lesse maiestie then the moone in perfecte clearnes amongst the dimmest starres and it were ouer-long and nothing to my purpose to set down euerie mans particuler actions to discribe how many speares were crushed howe many hardye knightes were borne to the grownd both man and horsse and how many wonderfull exploites of chiualrie was that day performed sufficeth this that Antipholus entering the listes amongst the rest and casting vp his eies to the scaffold where the Princesse Valeria sat accompanied with many other ladies he was greatly abashed to see her beautie which he iudged to be more heauenly or aungelicall then humaine or earthly this sodaine aspects had as sodainlie kindeled such a flame in his brest that I can deeme no lesse but it both fortified his strength and courage for Antipholus so demeined himselfe against al cōmers that as manye as did beholde him both wondered at his valor and praised his vertue and thus he continued from the first to the very last the heraulds with the hole company of lookers on adiudged him the most worthy of all the rest yet was there no man that knewe what he might be but they all concluded that if his birth calling were answerable to his valiaunce prowesse that there could not be wished a more honorable match for the Princesse Valeria her selfe beating into her head the remembrance of his noble actes and hearing the opinion of the standers by was desirous bothe to see and knowe him that had now so great an interest in her Antipholus againe makeing hast to challenge his dewe came before the Princesse where vnlacing and putting of his helmet he kneled downe humbly kissing her handes proffering his further seruice in any thinge wherein it pleased hir to imploy him and hauing nowe made himselfe knowen to the hole presence hee further added thus much to Valeria and although excelent Princesse I must confesse mine owne merrit to be nothing in comparison of so great a benefit which I hope to attaine vntoo rather by the vertue of a gratious consent then other-wise by any thing of mine owne desert yet being incouraged by your owne conditions openlie proclaimed at the begining of the Iustes and being intituled
by the generall award of the Iudges and heraulds apointed for the purpose I am now accordingly to chalenge that prise of greater estimation in mine owne conceipt then if the signory of the whole world had happened vnto me This Princesse Valeria vnderstanding him now to be so greate a Prince and although loue had already made entrie in the most secret part of her hart by the view of his knight-hoode soe nowe the same breach being made wider by the second assault of his beautiful lookes loue entred with banner openly displaied finding no resistance tooke possession wholy of her hart swearing al her affections to be his true prisoners she being nowe wholy surprised with an incounter of loue and bashfullnes mildly made him answere in these few wordes Worthy Prince Antipholus as I am not to resist the ordinaunce of my frendes that he most carefull for me so I must not gaine say those conditious wherevnto I haue voluntarily tied my selfe by publique proclamation neither do I thinke it fit for mine honour to make shew of squemishnes to a Prince of such excelent vertue when the whole multitude are as it were eie witnesses of so great magnanimity and prowesse you may therefore noble Prince accounte of Valeria as your proper right and Valeria heere voweth to Antipholus faith loue and loyallty The Queene Eriphila accompanied with the nobility of Calypha came with cheerefull countenaunce to entertaine Antipholus thanking the heauenlye powers altogether that hade vouchsafed soe greate good fortune to their yoong Princesse Thus were they all filled with exceding ioy Bryanto onely excepted who seeing his deuises would no longer serue to shift Valeria from mariage was nowe debating with him selfe what course he might take to bring her to her end the which he thought to be the ready way for the accomplishment of the rest of his purpose and loe oportunity seemed ready to further his intent for Antipholus as you haue hard before had vndertaken this trauell to finde out Brusanus and his sister Moderna and hauing yet got no intelligence of them hee would needes prosecute his iourney to Constantynople where if he could heare no other newes he would then make his returne when with a more quiet conscience and a better settled mind he might performe their mariage rightes to both their contentacions in the meane time he committed his dearest Lady to the custody of her mother protesting that in what coast or cuntry so euer he should happen into that his hart should remaine dedicated to her deuine beautie and vertue and so commending her health to the Gods he thus tooke his leaue The fourth Chaprer Bryanto falleth in loue with Calynda shee bewrayeth it to Eriphila how he is deluded by them both and of other his vngratious and villianous intents Bryanto had nowe leasure to cast about and debating with himselfe of many holsome attemptes in the end he honestly resolued with all speede to practise the death both of the Queene his wife and of the Princesse her daughter by the death of the Princesse he hoped to compasse the crowne and by the death of the Queene he should set himselfe at liberty to take an newe wife For Calynda remaining in the court as you haue hard attendant on the Queene although shee had so cunningly counterfieted her state that shee was not known what she was yet she could not hide the perfection of her beautie but she had so intangled Bryanto the Duke that he had many times assayed to practise her to his beastly appetite to the which bicause shee refused to consent led by the rage of his inordinate lust he determined to rid away his wife to that end to marry her For the performance of these premisses he tooke this course he appointed a day to ride into the forrest a hunting pretending great sport and done only to shewe the yoong Princesse some pleasure finding her so dumpish for the departure of Antipholus for this purpose he had well fed a cupple of ruffians of his owne training vp the one he appointed to ride before the yoong Princesse Valeria the other should likewise be attendant till oportunity serued it was agreed that these two in the midest of their sportes and when they were most busied in following the chace should sudainely slip into some by way with the Princesse and helping them selues by the benifite of the couertes when they had her alone from the rest of the company without anye remorse they should despatch her of her life then bestowing the body in some secret place that it might neuer more be found they should both of them fly into some other country where besides y e reward which the duke for this purpose had already bestowed vpon thē he promised stil from time to time secretly to relieue them with greater sums This determination thus set downe in this meantime Calynda had made the Queene Eriphila priuie to the whole demeanure of the amarous Duke her husband fearing that hee should haue attempted her by some extraordinary meane of force The Queene nothing doubting of the tale would needes intreat Calynda the next night to appoint the Duke to her lodging where she her selfe would both supplie her place and abite all other aduentures what so euer should befall and with much adoe she won her to graunt to it Calynda the next day accordingly finding opportunity she told the Duke that yet in the end she was moued with compassion of his long sute and that if it pleased him the same night to repayre to her chamber at a conuenient time he should 〈…〉 it no great matter to open the dore desiring his grace yet to vse great circumspection although not for her cause yet for his honour Bryanto hearing this heauenly harmony thought himselfe already to be a sure possessor of his desires and kissing her handes vowing many protested seruices he left her for the present to whome the rest of the day séemed tedious but night being once approched according to his instructions accompanied onely with a Gentleman of his chamber called by the name of Lucius whome the Duke made still acquainted with all his vngratious actions and many tymes vsed his help as a broker in the like enterprises and groping thus together through many darke roomes they happened in the end to the chamber of Calynda where pushing easely at the dore and finding it open according to promise the Duke entered leauing Lucius to attend his comming out assoone as he was gotten into the chamber hee went to the bed where leaping in on that side which indeed was left of purpose for him and hauing his spirites altogether blinded with this sweet immaginatiō of imbracing his desired Calynda in whos place as before it was couenanted he found Eriphila the quéen his wife who with a determinate patience had taken vppon her for that night to abide all accidentes intended to Calynda But the Duke passing forth the night more happy in contemplating this action
posterity but what standest thou vppon these pointes thou art nowe to sit vppon thy selfe as iudge and against thy selfe to pronounce iudgement dispaire then wretch in thine owne wickednes and let a desperate death finish that cursed life that was so prone to mischiefe and so ready to persist in all deuilesh wickednes without any further spéeches he sudainelye strake him self through the body with his owne dagger where with Lucius crieng for helpe many came rushing into the chamber where the Duke lay weltering in his owne bloud so that in very short space his life vanished and lefte his bodye breathlesse the rumour of the dukes death was subainly spred through the citie and officers were immediately sent to examine the circumstaunces who to finde out the better certainty appehended Lucius whome after they had many wayes apposed he voluntaryly confessed that the onely cause why the duke had so practised the death of the queene his wife was for the loue he bare to Calynda who being many times louingly solicited by the duke in the end an nightes meeting was agreed on between them when they both confirmed their amorous desires and likewise concluded the death of the queen Calynda hoping to succeede for a second bride to the duke vppon thie confession they attached Calynda committing her to close prison assuring her no better fauour then the aspirity of the lawes would alot her Brusanus being still resident in the citie refused sundry rich presents liberall offers and honourable curtesies presented vnto him aswell by the yoong princesse as by the queene her mother languishing now in gréefe with the memory of his former fortunes he knewe no better meane to make satisfaction to Moderna then to suffer himselfe to be sacrifised by the hands of her brother Antipholus whome he knewe had pursued him but to that end to be reuenged resting therefore in this resolution not otherwise knowne then by the name of Aristo it was not long but Antipholus returned who was receiued into the citie with great honour and triumph but what ioy was made by the princesse Valeria I dare not vndertake to discipher and you may well thinke it was much The ninth Chapter Brusanus and Antipholus are brought to meete in a gardin the manner of their incounter Valeria pacifieth Antipholus he protesteth frendeship to Brusanus SOme fewe daies ouer-passed thus in pleasure in which meane space Antipholus was made acquainted with euery stratagem practised both against the princesse and her mother although the narrow escape especially of his most dearest beloued gaue him great cause to reioyce yet failing of that reuenge he intended to Brusanus his mirth was something mitigated with this gaule of discontentment which being espied by Valeria whose eies were still watchfull ouer her beloued by an easte intercesion he confessed vnto her the cause of his gréefe Valeria calling to mind the promise Aristo had before made vnto her in the forrest comforted Antipholes assuring him within very short space so to deliuer Brusanus into his handes as at his owne discretion he might minister such punishment as to himself might seeme sufficient although Antipholus wist not what meanes Valeria had to effecte such a matter so much by himselfe desired yet he rested something satisfied hoping she would bring it to passe according as she had promised Valeria minding to loose no time sent immediatly to Aristo to challeng his promise in the premisses Aristo then setteled in opinion as before you haue heard returned this answere that notwithstanding hee must confesse Brusanus to be a most infortunate creature yet hee likewise knewe him to be a prince and therefore consideration was to be had and that for diuers respectes not to betray him openly but if he might be brought priuily to speake with Antipholus in some secret place betweene themselues he would not then refuse so to satisfie Antipholus in his desires as it should wel apeare that Aristo had well discharged the office of a frende although not to Brusanus yet to Valeria the greatest matter that was nowe to be cared for was how to bring Antipholus and Aristo into some place secretly to conferre which was not long in performing for the very next morning Valeria caused Aristo to be priuily conueyed through her owne pallace into a most delicate orchard very larg and spacyous and shadowed thicke with trees heere his conducter lefte him all alone and accordingly as Valeria had commaunded him presently in like manner to fetch Antipholus Aristo nowe being alone by himselfe and there with all vtterly disfurnished of weapon the which he purposedly had lefte behinde him and thinking now to finde an ende of all his misfortunes hee entered into these spéches O Moderna behold thy sorrowfull Brusanus who disdaining heere his loathsome life hastes on his fatall houre to vewe thy heauenly face and if anye auncieut loue be lefte to consider of thy vnfortunate friend accept of his oblation who offereth for his misse no lesse then the price of his 〈…〉 behold I say his grieffes who se dayly teares are witnesses of his woes and although til this time I haue prolonged my loathed life yet in my thoughtes I euerye day haue dyed but sith the destimes haue now agreed to frée me from fortunes further despight and that my happy houre is thus concluded by the sates graunte me nowe that my deceased ghost may haue accesse vnto thy heauenly presence and that my sorrowing soule maye for euer attende thée in the Elisian fieldes By this time Antipholus was come into the garden and walking by himselfe alone to finde out he wiste not whome he espied Brusanus and being as quickly inraged with 〈…〉 as he did as sodainly know him he hastely drew out his sword running towards him he said Traytor villaine that thou art coulde thy loue towardes my sister make thee disloyall towards her father iniurous to me her brother and both false faithlesse to thy deare friend Dorestus or couldest thou immagine thy villany would escape vnpunished or diddest thou thinke the whole circuit of the earth could haue harboured thee in safetie but tell me spéedely what hast thou done with my sister or where hast thou left her Brusanus answered thus Where thou tearmest me to be a traytor or a villaine thou knowest thou doest me wronge touching my misdemeanure towardes thy father thy selfe or my friend I will not seeke to excuse for that I shoulde not disswade for the punishment wherwith thou threatenest me now in such displeasure Alas it is the thing that I then least feared or nowe stande in doubte off but where thou inquyrest what is become of thy sister that question is it that stingeth my verye conscience but knowe thou she is dead and yet to excuse her deathe by loue were to excuse loue of murther but if the losse of my owne life might haue renewed Moderna mine owne hands should haue hastened my death your weapon shoulde neuer hasarde it if therfore
surrender himselfe to his rage and fury rather then his innocent parents shoulde suffer endlesse miserie through his misdemeanure the new married brides Valeria Moderna hearing of this vndertaken voyage woulde in no wise be left behind in this iourny and it was thought by Antipholus that the feminine perswations of these two Ladies woulde not a little preuaile to moue his father to mercy ther rested nothing nowe to be determined off but with-all possible spéed to prepare themselues forward and their greater hast it was thought conuenient not to accompany themselues with anye other troupes more then their necessarie seruants Antipholus knowing that all things were ready and hauing appointed his deputie assisting him with sundry commissioners for the gouernment of the kingdome of Calypha vntill his returne set forwardes as before I haue saide with a small companye for their better speed and whom we wil here againe leaue in their trauail The nineteenth Chapter Dorestus beseegeth the Citie of Pula Astulpho intendeth to execute Leonida Antipholus Brusanus Moderna Valeria are taken prisoners and brought to Dorestus which causeth Astulpho to stay the death of Leonida DOrestus who after manye daies marching throughe Illeria without any incounter of his enimies was com to the Citie of Pula which he gyrded in with a strong siege howbeit the impregnable situation of the walles without and the aboundance of men victuals and artilerie within might haue discouraged the beseegers to assaill as the same incouraged they beseyged to resist and therefore the barbarous King Astulpho as it were in dispightful ostentation to shew how little he forced or feared his enimies caused Myletto with his wife and daughter loden with Irons to appeare before the walles and hanging out a banner as though he purposed a Parle that calling for Dorestus who being come within his hearing he said Dorestus because Leonida I knowe is the party for whose inlargment your enemies most especially do now ocupie Illeria if therefore her deliuerie may suffice be not then hopelesse for Leonida thou shalt haue but I wil first take off her head Here withall the executioner whome he had apointed for that but barberie begines to settle himselfe aboute his busines turninge downe the collor of her garment making her necke bare the better to do his office a woful spectacle to Dorestus who was ready to sincke with sorrowe and no lesse gréeuous to the wretched King her father who hearinge and seeing what was determined in this manner breathed out the very sorrowes of his soule And are not my already sustayned wrongs a punishment sufficient to apease thy cruelty but thou wilt also increase my misery by the blody butcherie of my innocent child alas doe not so thy selfe being father shouldest haue some feeling of a parentes affection O consider Astulpho of thy owne following destinie and looke into thy selfe by this my calamitie I was once thou knowest in thy present dignitie but thou seest what the heauens hath now decreed against me and little doest thou knowe what may betide thée but what my aduersitie maketh mée to remember that thy prosperity causeth thee to forget but couldest thou consider of my present miserie and imploy the possibillitie to thy selfe thine I might then find comfort not doubting thy clemency with assured hope of my daughters safetie If therefore the example of my fall the vncertaintie of thine owne fortune the supplication of a King the submission of a foe the intercession of a father the teares of an olde man the regarde of iustice or the innocencie of my poore Leonida if al this may preuail to moue thee to compassion beholde Astulpho with my tonge I protest it with my hart I vow it by the heauens I sweare it and mine acte shall performe it that her ransome shall be the resignation of my whole intrest of the kingdome of Hungaria to thee and thine If all this will not moue thee I coniure thee yet in the name of those Gods that will not faile to punish thy tyranie by the shame of the worlde that will not leaue to speake of thine infamie by the innocent bloud that will cry vengance against thee by thine owne guiltie conscience that at last shal accuse thee When thus much was spoken and all in vaine Leonida more perplexed in beholding her fathers griefe then terrified with the death wher-with her selfe was thretened with a cheerefull voice said as followeth Deare father one of the greatest benifites that can betide vs in this life is to be thankful to Gods prouidence and neuer to be discouraged by any misfortune no not to stand soe much in awe of death that for feare thereof we shoulde commit anye thing vnbeseeming a noble harte hauing then patientlye resolued my selfe where-vnto serueth your bootles lamentations where-by my deathe is rather dubled then deferred for aduersities albeit they haue custome to vere yet haue they no power to chaunge the constancye and courage of a valiante and resolute mynde O seeke not then sweete father by your discouraginge sorrowes seeke not I saye to hinder my swéete hope which hope is death and death is the salue to all my miseries and yéeldeth assured truce to the rest of my troubles and knowing in the end that all things take end it is not the ill death that we haue to account of but it is the ill dying that is most to be respected Enuy not then your daughters good hap by sorrowing her death but comfort your selfe with this assured hope shee dyeth an innocent if I were condempned for some notorious ill perhaps my death shoulde disquiete you the lesse but being as I am innocent from crime me thinks it should quiet you the more Wherefore good father seeing that one and the self same passage is prepared aswell for the coward as the couragious for the yong as for the old being decréed that all must dye if not at one time yet at an other beeinge farre more miserable to deserue it then to suffer it with the reuerence of a daughter therefore I require it and with out the partiall affection of a father I beseeche you to graunt it that you do not more discomfort mee by your impatient demeanure then your dishonourable enemy shall be able to enforce no not with all his butcherly practises this is the last that I may hope to craue and this is the least that in reason you may geue More might she not be suffered to speake but the executioner was willed to dispatch his businesse and as hee was lifting vp the sword to haue taken off the heade of Leonida Astulpho might perceiue a company both of men and women that were led as prisoners and brought to Dorestus and aduisedly taking view of the parties amongst the rest he assuredly knew Antipholus his sonne and Moderna his daughter this sight did so amase him that euery parte of his body quaked for feare whereuppon he commaunded the executioner to hold his hand For you shall