that he could take no rest but cast into his old head a thousand new deuices at last he fell into these thoughts HOw art thou desired Pandosto with fresh affections and vnfit fancies wishing to possesse with an vnwilling mind and a hot desire troubled with a cold disdaine Shall thy mind yéeld in age to that thou hast resisted in youth Peace Pandosto blab not out that which thou maist be ashamed to reueale to thy selfe Ah Fawnia is beautifull and it is not for thine honour fond foole to name her that is thy captiue and another mans concubine Alas I reach at that with my hand which my heart would faine refuse playing like the bird Ibis in Aegypt which hateth serpents yet féedeth on their egges Tush hot desires turne oftentimes to cold disdaine Loue is brittle where appetite not reason beares the sway Kings thoughts ought not to climbe so high as the heauens but to looke no lower then honour better it is to pecke at the starres with the young Eagles then to prey on dead carcasses with the Vulture it is more honourable for Pandosto to dye by concealing loue then to enioy such vnfit Loue. Doth Pandosto then loue Yea Whom A maid vnknowne yea and perhaps immodest stragled out of her owne Country beautifull but not therefore chaste comely in body but perhaps crooked in minde Cease then Pandosto to looke at Fawnia much lesse to loue her be not ouertaken with a womans beauty whose eyes are framed by Art to euamour whose heart is framed by nature to inchant whose false teares know their due time and whose swéete words pierce déeper then sharpe swords Here ceast Pandosto from his talke but not from his loue for although he sought by reason and wisdome to suppresse this franticke affection yet he could take no rest the beauty of Fawnia had made such a déepe impression in his heart But on a day walking abroad into a Parke which was hard adioyning to his house he sent by one of his seruants for Fawnia vnto whom he vttered these words FAwnia I commend thy beauty and wit and now pitty thy distresse and want but if thou wilt forsake Sir Meleagrus whose pouerty though a Knight is not able to maintaine an estate answerable to thy beauty and yéeld thy consent to Pandosto I will both increase thée with dignities and riches No Sir answered Fawnia Meleagrus is a Knight that hath wonne me by loue and none but he shall weare me this smister mischance shall not diminish my affection but rather increase my good will thinke not though your Grace hath imprisoned him without cause that feare will make me yéeld my consent I had rather be Meleagrus wife and a begger then liue in plenty and be Pandosto's Concubine Pandosto hearing the assured answer of Fawnia would notwithstanding prosecute his suite to the vttermost séeking with faire words and great promises to scale the fort of her chastity swearing that if shee would grant to his desire Meleagrus should not onely be set at liberty but honoured in the Court amongst his Nobles But these alluring baites could not intice her mind from the loue of her new-betrothed mate Meleagrus which Pandosto séeing he let her alone for that time to consider more of the demand Fawnia being alone by herselfe began to fall into these solitary meditations AH infortunate Fawnia thou séest to desire aboue fortune is to striue aboue gods and fortune Who gazeth at the Sun weakeneth his sight They which stare at the skie fall of into déep pits hadst thou rested content to haue béen a shepheardesse thou néedest not to haue feared mischance better had it béen for thée by sitting low to haue had quiet then by climing high to haue falne into misery But alas I feare not mine own danger but Dorastus displeasure Ah swéet Dorastus thou art a Prince but now a prisoner by too much loue procuring thine own losse haddest thou not loued Fawnia thou hadst béen fortunate Shall I then bee false to him that hath forsaken kingdomes for my cause â—o would my death might deliuer him so mine honour might be preserued With that fetching a deepe sigh she ceased from her complaints and went againe to the Palace enioyning a liberty without content and proffered pleasure with small ioy But poore Dorastus lay all this while in close prison being pinched with a hardrestraint and pained with the burthen of cold heauy yrons sorrowed sometimes that his fond affection had procured him this mishappe that by the disobedience of his parent he had wrought his owne despight another while cursing the gods and Fortune that they would crosse him with smister chance vttering at last his passions with these words AH vnfortunate wretch borne to mishap now shyfolly hath his desert art thou not worthy for thy vase mind to haue bad fortune Could the destinies fauour thée which hast forgot thine honour and dignity Will not the gods plague him with despight that paineth his father with disobedience Oh gods if any fauour or iustice be left plague me but fauour poore Fawnia and shrowd her from the tyrannies of wretched Pandosto but let my death frée her from mishap and then welcome death Dorastus pained with these heauy passions sorrowed and sighed but in vaine for which he vsed more patience But againe to Pandosto who broyling in the heat of vnlawfull lust could take no rest but still felt his minde disquieted with his new loue so that his Nobles and Subiects maruelled greatly at his sodaine alteration not being able to coniecture the cause of this his continued care Pandosto thinking euery houre a yéere till he had talked once againe with Fawnia sent for her secretly into his chamber whither Fawnia though vnwillingly comming Pandosto entertain'd her very courteously vsing these familiar spéeches which Fawnia answered as shortly in this wise Pandosto Fawnia are you become lesse wilfull and more wise to preferre the loue of a King before the liking of a poore Knight I thinke ere this you thinke it is better to be fauoured of a King than of a subiect Fawnia Pandosto the body is subiect to victories but the mindes not to bée subdued with conquest honesty is to be preferred before honour and a dram of faith weigh downe a tunne of gold I haue promised Meleagrus my loue and will performe no lesse Pandosto Fawnia I know thou art not so vnwise in thy choyce as to refuse the offer of a King nor so vngratefull as to despise a good turne thou art now in that place where I may command and yet thou séest I intreat my power is such that I may compell by force and yet I sue by prayers Yéeld Fawnia thy loue to him which burneth in thy loue Meleagrus shall be set frée thy Countrey-men discharged and thou both loued and honoured Fawnia I sée Pandosto where lust ruleth it is a miserable thing to be a virgin but know this that I will alwayes preferre fame before life and rather choose
THE PLEASANT HISTORIE OF Dorastus and Fawnia Wherein is discovered that although by the meanes of sinister Fortune Truth may be concealed yet by Time in spight of Fortune it is manifestly revealed Pleasant for age to avoyd drowsie thoughts Profitable for Youth to avoyd other wanton Pastimes And bringing to both a desired Content Temporis filia Veritas By ROBERT GREENE Master of Arts in Cambridge Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. LONDON Printed for Francis Faulkner and are to be sold at his shop in Southwarke neere Saint Margarets Hill 1636. THE HISTORIE OF DORASTVS AND FAWNIA AMongst all the passions wherewith humane minds are perplexed there is none that sogalleth with restlesse despight as that infectious sore of iealousie For all other griefes are either to be appeased with sensible perswasion to be cured with wholesome counsell to be relieued in wâ—nt or by tract of time to be worne out Iealousie only excepted which is sauced with suspitious doubts and pinching mistrust that who so séekes by friendly counsell to raze out this hellish passion it forthwith suspecteth that he giueth this aduice to couer his owne guiâ—tines Yea who so is pinched with this restlesse torment doubteth all disturbeth himselfe is alwayes frozen with feare fired with suspition hauing that wherein consisteth all his ioy to be the breeder of his misery Yea it is such an heauy enemy to that heauy estate of matrimony sowing betweene the married couples such deadly séeds of secret hatred as loue being once razed oâ—t by spightfull distrust there often ensueth bloody reuenge as this ensuing History manifestly proueth wherein Pandosto furiously incensed by a causeles iealousie procured the death of his most louing and loyall wife and his owne endlesse sorrow and misery IN the Country of Bohemia there raigned a King called Pandosto whose fortunate successe in Warrs against his foes and bountifull courtesie towards his friends in Peace made him to be greatly feared and loued of all men This Pandosto had to wise a Lady called Bellaria by birth Royall learned by education faire by nature by vertues famous so that it was hard to iudge whether her beauty fortune or vertue wâ—n she greatest commendations These two linked together in perfect loue led their liues with such fortunate content that their subiects greatly reioyced to sée their quiet disposition They had not béen married long but fortune willing to increase their happinesse lent them a Sonne so adorned with the gifts of Nature as the perfection of the Child greatly augmented the loue of the Parents and the ioy of their Commons in so much that the Bohemians to shew their inward ioyes by outward actions made Bone-fires and Triumphes thorowout all the Kingdome appoynting Iusts and Turneis for the honour of their young Prince whether resorted not onely his Nobles but also diuers Kings and Princes which were his neighbours willing to shew in their friendship they ought to Pandosto and to win fame glory by their prowesse valour Pandosto whose mind was fraught with Princely liberality entertained the Kings Princes and Noble-men with such submisse courtesie and magnificall bounty that they all saw how willing hée was to gratâ—fie their good wills making a generall feast for all his Subiects which continued by the space of twenty dayes all which time the Iusts and Turneis were kept to the great content both of the Lords and Ladies there present This solemne Triumph being once ended the assembly taking their leaue of Pandosto and Bellaria the young Son who was called Carinter was nâ—rsed vp in the house to the great ioy and content of their Parents Fortune enuious of such happy successe willinâ— to shew some signe of her inconstancy turned her whéele and darkned their bright Sunne of prosperity with the misty clouds of mishap and misery For so it hapned that Egistus King of Sicila who in his youth had béen drought vp with Pandosto desirous to shew that neither tract of time or distance of place could diminish their former friendship prouided a Nauie of ships and sailed into Bohemia to visit his old friend and companion who hearing of his arriuall went himselfe in person and his wife Bellaria accompanied with a great tâ—aine of Lords Ladies to meét Egistus esâ—ying him alighted from his horse embraced him very louingly protesting that nothing in the world could haue hapned more acceptable for him then his comming wishing his wife to welcome his old friend and acquaintance who to shew how she liked him whom her husband loued entertained him with such familiar curtesie as Egistus perceiued himselfe to be very well welcome After they had thus saluted and embraced each other they mounted againe on Horsebacke and rode towardâ— the City deuising and recounting how being children they had passed their youth in friendly pastimes where by the meanes of the Citizens Egistus was receiued with triumphs and shewes in such sort that he maruelled how on so small a warning they rould make such proparation Passing the Stréets thus with such rare sights they rode on to the Palace where Pandosto entertained Egistus and his Sicilians with such bâ—nqueâ—ing and sumptuous chéere so royally as they had all cause to commend his princely liberality yea the very basest flaue that was knowne to come from Sicilia was vsed with much curtesie that Egistus might easily pereiue how both he and his were honoured for his friends sake Bellaria who in her time was the flowre of courtesie willing to shew how vnfainedly she loued her husband by her friends entertainemet vsed him like wise so familiarly that her countenance bewraied how her heart was affected toward him oftentimes comming her selfe into his bed chamber to sée if nothing should be amisse to dislike him This honest familiarity increased daily more and more betwixt them for Bellaria noting in Egistus a Princely and bountifull mind adorned with sundry excellent qualities and Egistus finding in her a vertuous curteous disposition there grew such a secret vniting of their affections that the one could not well be without the company of the other insomuch that when Pandosto was busied with such vrgent affaires that he could not be present with his friend Egistus Bellaria would walk with him into the garden there they two in priuate pleasant deuices would passe away their time to both their contents This custome still continuing betwixt them a certain emelantholy passion entrring the mind of Pondosto droue him into sundry and doubtfull thoughts First he called to mind the beauty of his wife Bellaria the comelines and brauery of his friend Egistus thinking that loue was aboue all Lawes therfore to be staied with no law that it was hard to put â—â—re flax together without burning that their open pleasure might bréed his secret displeasure He considered with himselfe that Egistus was a man and must needs loue that his wife was a woman and therfore subiect to loue and that
as a faithfull seruant that with such care had kept his Masters credit Egistus had not fully heard Franion tell forth his tale but a quaking feare possessed all his limmes thinking that there was some treason wrought and that Franion did but shadow his craft with these false colours wherefore hée began to waxe in choller and said that he doubted not Pandosto sith hée was his friend and there had neuer as yet béene any breach of amity he had not sought to inuade his Lands to conspire with his enemies to disswade his Subiects from their allegians but in word and thought he rested his at all times he knew not therefore any cause that should moue Pandosto to séeke his death but suspected it to be a compacted knauery of the Bohemians to bring the King and him at oddes Franion staying him in the midst of his talke told him That to dally with Princes was with the Swannes to sing against their death and that if the Bohemians had intended any such mischiefe it might haue béene better brought to passe than by reuealing the conspiracy therefore his Maiesty did ill to misconstrue of his good meaning sith his intent was to hinder treason not to become a Traytor and to confirme his promises If it pleased his Maiesty to flye into Sycilia for the safegard of his life hee would goe with him add if then hée found not such a practice to be pretended let his imagined treachery be repayed with most monstrous torments Egistus hearing the solemne protestations of Franion beganne to consider that in Loue and Kingdomes neither Faith nor Law is to be respected doubting that Pandosto thought by his death to destroy his men and with spéedie Warre to inuade Sycilia These and such doubts throughly weighed hée gaue great thankes to Franion promising if he might with life returne to Syracusa that he would create him a Duke in Sycilia crauing his counsell how hée might escape out of the Countrey Franion who hauing some small skill in Nauigation was well acquainted with the Ports and Hauens and knew euery danger of the Sea ioyning in counsell with the Master of Egistus Nauy rigged all their ships and setting them afloat let them lie at anchor to be in the more readinesse when time and wind should serue Fortune although blinde yet by chance fauouring this iust cause sent them within six daies a good gale of winde which Franion séeing fit for their purpose to put Pandosto out of suspition the night before they should sayle hée went to him and promised that the next day he would put the deuice in practice for hée had got such a forcible poyson as the very smell thereof would procure sudden death Pandosto was ioyfull to heare this good newes and thought euery houre a day till he might be glutted with bloody reuenge but his suit had but ill successe for Egistus fearing that delay might bréed danger and willing that the grasse should not be cut from vnder his féete taking bag and baggage by the helpe of Franion conueyed himselfe and his men out at the Posterne gate of the City so secretly and spéedily that without any suspition they got to the Sea shore where with many a bitter curse taking their leaue of Bohemia they went aboard weighing their Anchors and hoysting saile they passed as fast as winde and Sea would permit toward Cycilia Egistus being a ioyfull man that he had safely passed such trecherous perills But as they were quietly floating on the sea Pandosto and his Citizens were in an vprore for séeing that the Cycilians without taking their leaue were fled away by night the Bohemians feared some treason and the King thought that without question his suspition was true séeing the Cup bearer had bewrayed the summe of his secret pretence Whereupon he began to imagine that Franion and his wise Bellaria had conspired with Egistus and that the feruent affection she bare him was the only meane of his secret departure insomuch that incensed with rage he commanded that his wife should be carried straight to prison vntill they heard further of his pleasure The Guards vnwilling to lay their hands on such a vertuâ—us Princesse and yet fearing the Kings fury went very sorrowfully to fulfill their charge comming to the Quéenes Lodging they found her playing with her young Sonne Garinter vnto whom with teares doing their message Bellaria astonished at such a hard censure and finding her cleare conscience a sure aduocate to plead in her cause went to the Prison most willingly where with sighes and teares she past away the time till she might come to her tryall But Pandosto whose reason was suppressed with rage and whose vnbridled Folly wks incensed with fury séeing Franion had bewrayed his secrets and that Egistus might well be railed on but not reuenged determined to wreake all his wrath on poore Bellaria Hee therefore caused a generall proclamation to be made through all his Realmè that the Quéene and Egistus had by the helpe of Franion not onely committed most iucestuous adultery but also had conspired the Kings death whereupon the traytor Franion was fled away with Egistus and Bellaria was most iustly imprisoned This Proclamation being once blazed through the countrey although the vertuous disposition of the Quéene did halfe discredit the contents yet so sudden and spéedy message of Egistus and the secret departure of Franion induced them the circumstances throughly considered to thinke that both the Proclamation was true and the King greatly enuied yet they pittied her case as sorrowfull that so good a Lady should be crossed with such aduerse Fortune But the King whose restlesse rage would admit no pitty though that although hee might sufficiently requite his wiues falshood with the bitter plague of pinching penury yet his minde should neuer be glutted with reuenge till hée might haue a fit and opportunity to repay the trechery of Egistus with a fatall iniury But a curst Cow hath oftentimes short hornes and a willing minde but a weake arme For Pandosto although he felt that reuenge was a spurre to warre and that enuy alwaies proffereth stéele yet he saw that Egistus was not onely of great puissance and prowesse to withstand him but had also many Kings of his alliance to aid him if néed should serue for hee married the Emperous daughter of Russia These and the like considerations something daunted Pandosto his courage so that he was content rather to put vp a manifest iniury with peace then hunt after reuenge dishonour and losse determining since Egistus had escaped scot-frée that Bellaria should pay for all at an vnreasonable price Remaining thus resolute in his determination Bellaria continuing still in prison and hearing the contents of the Proclamation knowing that her minde was neuer touched with such affection nor that Egistus had euer offered her such discourtesie would gladly haue come to her answer that both she might haue knowne her iust accusers and cléered her selfe of that
death then dishonour Pandosto séeing that there was in Fawnia a determinate courage to loue Meleagrus and a resolution without feare to hate him fléeing away from her in a rage hee sware that if in short time she would not be won by reason he would forget all courtesie and compell her to grant by rigour But these threatning words no whit dismayed Fawnia but that shee still both despighted and despised Pandosto While thus these two Louers stroue the one to winne loue the other to liue in hate Egistus heard certaine newes by Merchants of Bohemia that his sonne Dorastus was imprisoned by Pandosto which made him feare greatly that his sonne should be but hardly intreated yet considering that Bellaria and hée were cleered by the Oracle of Apollo from the crime wherewith Pandosto had vniustly charged them hee thought best to send with all spéede to Pandosto that hée should set frée his sonne Dorastus and put to death Fawnia and her father Porrus Finding this by the aduice of counsell the speediest remedy to release his sonne hée caused presently two of his ships to be rigged and thorowly furnished with prouision of men and victuals and sent diuers of his Nobles Embassadours into Bohemia who willing to obey the King and receiue their young Prince made no delayes for feare of danger but with as much spéed as might be sayled towards Bohemia the wind and seas fauoured them greatly which made them hope of some good hap for within thrée dayes they were landed which Pandosto no sooner heard of their arriuall but hee in person went to méet them intreating them with such sumptuous and familiar courtesie that they might well perceiue how sorry he was for the former iniuries he had offered to their King and how willing if it might be to make amends As Pandosto made report to them how one Meleagrus a Knight of Trapolonia was lately arriued with a Lady called Fawnia in his Land comming very suspitiously accompanied onely with one seruant and an old Shepheard the Ambassadours perceiued by the halfe what the whole tale meant and began to coniecture that was Dorastus who for feare to be knowne had changed his name But dissembling the matter they shortly arriued at the Court where after they had béene very solemnly and sumptuously feasted the Noblemen of Sicilia being gathered together they made report of their Ambassage where they certified Pandosto that Meleagrus was sonne and heire to the King Egistus and that his name was Dorastus and how contrary to the Kings mind he had priuily conueyed away that Fawnia intending to marry her being but daughter to that poore Shepheard Porrus Whereupon the Kings request was that Capnio Fawnia and Porrus might be murthered and put to death and that his sonne Dorastus might be sent home in safety Pandosto hauing attentiuely and with great maruell heard their Ambassage willing to reconcile himselfe to Egistus and to shew him how greatly he estéemed his fauour although loue and fancy forbad him to hurt Fawnia yet in despight of loue he determined to execute Egistus will without mercy and therefore hee presently sent for Dorastus out of prison who maruelling at his vnlooked for courtesie found at his comming to the Kings presence that which hee least doubted of his fathers Ambassadours who no sooner saw him but with great reuerence they honoured him and Pandosto embracing Dorastus set him by him very louingly in a chaire of state Dorastus ashamed that his folly was bewrayed sate a long time as one in a maze till Pandosto told him the summe of his fathers Ambassage which he had no sooner heard but he was touched to the quicke for the cruell sentence that was pronounced against Fawnia but neither could his sorrow nor perswasions preuaile for Pandosto commanded that Fawnia Porrus and Capnio should be brought to his presence who were no sooner come but Pandosto hauing his former loue turned into disdainefull hate began to rage against Fawnia in these termes THou disdainefull vassall thou currish kite assigned by the Destinies to base fortune and yet with an aspiring minde gazing after honour how durst thou presume being a begger to match with a Prince by thy alluring lookes to inchaunt the sonne of a King to leaue his owne Country to fulfill thy disordinate lusts O despightfull minde A proud heart in a begger is not vnlike a great fire in a small cottage which warmeth not the house but burneth it assure thy selfe thou shalt dye and thou old doting foole what folly hathbeene such as to suffer thy daughter to reach aboue thy fortune looke for no other meede but the like punishment But Capnio thou which hast betrayed the King and hast consented to the vnlawfull lust of thy Lord and Master I know not how iustly I may plague thée death is too easie a punishment for thy falshood and to liue if not in extreame misery were not to shew thée equity I therefore award that thou shalt haue thine eyes put out and continually till thou dyest grind in a mill like a brute beast The feare of death brought a sorrowfull silence vpon Fawnia and Capnio but Porrus séeing no hope of life burst forth in these spéeches PAndosto and ye noble Ambassadours of Sicilia séeing without cause I am condemned to die I am yet glad I haue opportunity to disburden my conscience before my death I will tell you as much as I know and yet no more then is true wheras I am accused that I haue béen a supporter of Fawnia's pride and shée disdained as a vile beggar so it is that I am neither father vnto her nor she daughter vnto me For it so hapned that I being a poore Shepheard in Sicilia liuing by kéeping other mens slocks one of my shéep straying downe to the sea-side as I went to seeke her I saw a little boat driuen vpon the shore wherin I found a babe os sixe dayes old wrapped in a mantle of scarlet hauing about the necke this chaine I pitying the child and desirous of the treasure carryed it home to my wise who with great care nursed it vp and set it to kéepe shéepe Here is the chaine and Iewels and this Fawnia is the child whom I sound in the boat what she is or of what Parentage I know not but this I am assured that she is none of mine Pandosto would scarce suffer him to tell out his tale but that he required the time of the yéere the manner of the boat and other circumstances which when he found agréeing to his count sodainely he lept from his seat and kissed Fawnia wetting her tender chéeks with his teares and crying My daughter Fawnia ah my swéet Fawnia I am thy father Fawnia this sudden passion of the King draue them all into a maze especially Fawnia and Dorastus But when the King had breathed himselfe a while in this new ioy he rehearsed before the Ambassadours the whole matter and how hee had entreated his wife Bellaria for Iealousie and that this was the child whom he sent to float in the seas Fawnia was not more ioyfull that she had found such a father then Dorastus was glad he should get such a wife The Ambassadors reioyced that their young Prince had made such a choice That those Kingdomes which through enmity had long time béene disseuered should now through perpetuall amity be vnited and reconciled The Citizens and subiects of Bohemia hearing that the King had found againe his daughter which was supposed dead ioyfull that there was an heire apparant to the Kingdome made Bone-fires and shewes throughout all the City The Courtiers and Knights appointed Iusts and Turneis to signifie their willing mindes in gratifying the Kings hap Eightéene dayes being past in these Princely sports Pandosto willingto recompence old Porrus of a Shepheard made him a Knight which done prouiding a sufficient Nauy to receiue him and his retinue accompanied with Dorastus and Fawnia and the Sicilian Ambassadours he sailed towards Sicilia where he was most princely entertained by Egistus who hearing this Comicall euent reioyced greatly at his sonnes good hap and without delay to the perpetuall ioy of the two young Louers celebrated the marriage Which was no sooner ended but Pandosto calling to mind how he first betrayed his friend Egistus how his iealousie was the cause of Bellaria's death that contrary to the law of nature he had lusted after his owne daughter moued with these desperate thoughts hee fell in a melancholly fit and to close vp the Comedy with a Tragicall stratagem he slew himselfe whose death being many daies bewayled of Fawnia Dorastus and his deare friend Egistus Dorastus taking leaue of his father went with his wife and the dead corps into Bohemia where after it was sumptuously intombed Dorastus euded his dayes in contented quiet FINIS