tooke their leaues of the Queene and the dead reputed Amphyalus and so returned backe to the place from whence they were departed The Queene left alone to accompany her dead Lord sauing that she had onely twentie horsemen and sixe Ladies which had beene her gardiants in that wofull voyage commanded the coffin to bee set downe vpon a faire banke of flowers by the riuers side and then taking her Lute to the delicacie of whose sound she maried a more dilicate voyce sung this funerall Sonnet Strong heart my strong cares vnconsumed throne How bigge thou swellst with euer feeding griefe I hop'd that worne to nothing with my mone Nothing to nothing would haue brought reliefe And you mine eyes that enuie these faire streames Because they flow not ouer like your teares Learne by this riuer to abate extreames Sith coolest woes breede longest liu'd dispaires But O mine Eyes you haue immortall springs Fed by a heart which feedes vpon distresse And thou my heart art wed to sorrowing Sorrow that sorrows-selfe cannot expresse Then heart grieue still and Eies augment your founttaines Till one make Seas the other cloud-hie Mountaines Here casting the Lute from her hands that she might cast her hands with more feeling ardencie about the beloued bodie which with such vnspeakeable adoration she had inshrined in the faire Temple of her spotlesse heart After my vnsympathised imbracements and cold kisses taken from his vnfeeling lips shee thus began to second her well tuned moanes with vntuned lamentations Alas Amphyalus sayd she alas thou that in the infinitenesse of thine vnbounded Disdaine hast had such an immortall soueraigntie as to bee the all onely director both of my thoughts and actions how much mightier had beene the amplified honor of thy royall spirit if the great Godhead of thy diuinitie had proceeded from a gracefull pitty to the gnawing torrent of my miserable distresse But I was vnworthy and woe is me that thy worthinesse did not esteeme me a worthy subiect to be ennobled by thy loues worthinesse yet was I not fatall to the long liued kingdome of thy vertues thou shouldst not haue brought a consuming fire from Corinth nor should my wombe haue deliuered a fire-brand to waste Arcadia O yes I was prodigious to thy birth-right and as a blasing starre at thine vnlooked for funerall For me though not from me came that first knowledge of thy first euill when thy deare Phyloxenus ende became the beginning of thy hate to my desires Tymotheus death a Seale to that reuers-lesse deed of thy disdain which no time or opinion shall euer cancell O vnspeakable miserie O maruellous doome of my fore-doomed persecution O most wonderfull impietie of a haplesse beautie O singular affliction to an euer afflicting memorie and O iust iudgement of my starre-crost destinie O sorrow iust sorrow be thou henceforth the iustnesse of my mediation O fearefull sorrow in the extremitie of my fearfulnes increase my sorrowes augmentation and let me sorrow that euer sorrowing my sorrows are not amplifyed to a sufficient greatnesse But why talke I of sorrow that am not worthy of so gentle a sleepe-killing cōpanion O rest thee thou faire foe to my rest thou weeping eye of a soft heart thou reuenge of weaknesse vnkindnesse satisfaction and the key which vnlockes the closet of a concealed affection O image of sleepe sleepe with my forgetfulnesse and forgotten contentments And come Death vgly Death vntimely Death the rack to a burdned conscience the soules bitternesse the bodies graue and the mindes immortall affliction come thou and accompanie my calamities leade mee to my Lorde that he may beholde in thee his Lordship ouer mee there is no reason I liue being reasonlesse left of the loue I adored And here as if shee woulde haue drowned herselfe in newe teares or prooued that the greatnesse of griefe is euer begotte by the greatest expence of griefe shee wept in such violent abundance that the extremitie of that ouerflowe brought her to a motionlesse dumbnesse in-so-much that one of her Ladies whose eye had taken a full draught from that cup of patheticall griefe taking the falne Lute into her hande awakened her Queene with these mournfull Stanzies Night like a mourner creepes vpon moanes Yet troubles me because it lets me see The blacke fac'd image of my hideous groanes Which still vnstill increase to martyr me O eyelesse night the portrature of death Noise hating mistresse of the hearts calme griefe That charm'st our cares and quiettest our breath O thou that art calamities reliefe In thy downe-footed stealing steale away Woes memorie approching with the day O not thou night the Sunne set follower The generall closer of all mortall eyes O thou art not my sad hearts sucoorer Euen thee I waste and tyre with agonies But thou eternall night Deaths elder borne Thou night of nights more powerfull then the Sunne Throw mountaines on me that am most forlorne Most abiect haplesse wofull and vndone O let my woes be into darknesse hurld Or plast a burning Comet ore the world This song did so aggrauate the extremitie of her passion which now like an ouer-wittie Sophister whose fluent braine presents him more arguments then his tongue can discharge euer most in loue with that which lies last vnreuealed was conceyted that shee could vtter more wounding lamentations then she yet had vttered began to create new methods of complaining till shee was interrupted by a discrete Gentleman her attendant who perswaded her from that wearinesse of mourning chiefly where no ease-procuring sorrowe made the laboursome day eternall with vaine labour and brought no night of rest to her so long vnrested diliberations arguing that these delayes in her moanes would if shee woulde continue them bring her anguish to a more desperate state of miserie the necessitie of this extremitie crauing no spurres but winges to conuey her hope to the ende of that rare arte wherein all her hope was builded This speech laid such holde vpon her reason that adorning her faire cheekes with the rosie blush of shamefastnesse she rose vp and commaunded the coffin to be put into the litter in which her selfe rode and so followed on her iourney yet at euerie such conuenient houre wherein either the reliefe of Nature or the extremitie of the hot burning Sun commanded a desistance from trauailing she omitted not still to doe the like lest any ouer-curious eye should imagine that the trauell of her mind receyued ease when her body wanted motion obseruing the humour of an absolute couetous person whose desires grow greater when he enioies the greatest part of that he desired After many daies nights all-be dayes and nights were not by her distinguished with any difference thus pitiously consumed she arriued near vnto her owne most goodly and beautifull Citie the Citie of Corinth whither newes of her approaching was some fewe dayes before comed as heauinesse hath euer moe Fames then one running before it insomuch that Phalantus a gallant Knight and base
immediatlye built himselfe a moste curious house euen in the midst thereof where wanting nothing that might breede delight hee found the excesse thereof did breede sometimes a loathing of pleasure neare vnto his owne house and round about the bordering skirts of this Tempe hee built manye prettye and conuenient cottages in which hee placed certaine Shepheardes whose well tempered myndes finding the ambition of better aduaunced people smallye auayle to the attainement of true felicitye are the onelye schooles to teach their forrayne Neighbours that their industrye and prouidence neyther giueth hope of disturbance nor example of generall or priuate quarrell into this place he would seriously retire himselfe in the voide time of his progresse as much to renewe his remembrance with his past knowledges as to better his instant knowledge with newe matter worthye of moste excellent remembrance so exceeding wittye were the Shepheardes by him there placed and so much excellencye did his presence administer to them which were but simplye witted neare vnto his owne house hee buylt a fayre and sumptuous Temple Circular and in forme of the auncient Iewes Sinagogue the outside of marble containing fiftie Arches euerye Arch a dore each dore seauen windowes each window seauen Pyllasters of Iet and porpherye each pillaster seauen images of the Saints Sages and worthies of past ages This Temple hee dedicated to the greate Goddesse Diana and indowing it with a Metropolitan authoritie subiected not onely vnto those lawes which lawes are ingrauen in certaine Pillars of Copper and Marble adioyning to the Temple and other places the Residents home borne and straungers in that prouince but euen himselfe his crowne and succession In this place and in this rurall companye hee tooke a more then most contented delight they seeking by Eglogues pastoralles shepheardly contentions and other sports of witte and courage as running leaping wrastlinge throwing the Darte the Stone and the Massye axel-tree to ingrafte in his setled Iudgement a setled continuance of those harmles commendations This continuing the happy daies of this more happy King death comming to challenge his subiect nature taking from the eye of the world what the worlds eye moste dearely esteemed I meane this renowned Musidorus hee left behinde him as the onely heyre of his Kingdome and perfections the alone incomperable Mellidora natures wonder the Muses subiect and the Booke of Beautye the day of delight the life of loue and the Iewell of eternitye But she to whome the strangenes of griefe made the euill shape thereof by many degrees much more ouglye tooke such an incurable surfait through her impatience that esteeming no commaundemēt the Fates hauing taken away her onely commaunder shee gaue herselfe clerely from the commaundement both of her owne and other passions and by no perswasion would eyther take care for the common wealth to her by her Fathers death so deepely ingaged not comforte in the Crowne without which the great man imagines there can bee no true felicitie for which errour when the Sages of her Kingdome had with an humble chyding shewed her the faults of her wil the office of her calling in the one painting the effects of her weaknesse in the other the seale which must aduaunce her to eternall happinesse she with a sad resolution made them this answere I know my Lords as sound men doe the effects of Physicke but cannot digest taste of the potions I know mine euill but my passion ouer-rules me therefore I beseech you be suffering as my selfe will be patient giue me the name take vpon you the nature of mine office rule you my Kingdome let me only rule my thoughts deale you with reasonable men whilest I deale with vnreasonable passions for I protest I will intermeddle with no subiect but the subiect of my sorrowes To what end faire Prince shall I wade further into the Laborinth of her woes suffice it me thus to say the vertuous Melidora referring the gouernment of her kingdome to a well chosen Senate and betaking her selfe with a conuenient retinue of Ladies and attendants into this delicate Tempe hath euer since her fathers death liued Nymph-like exercising hunting throwing the Dart running and such Goddesse-like pleasures wherin she doth so farre exceede all possible imaginations that if Cephalus him-selfe were yet liuing hee would become a suter for her knowledge Into this Tempe is prohibited by an especiall Edict vppon paine of death the approach or arriuall of any Prince Noble-man or other of Citie qualitie the innocencie of the place desiring no commercement but with innocent creatures except only at that time when the yong Princes of Delphes came to offer to Apollo their nine yeares Sacrifice Into this place not long sithence there is come a yong Shepheard whose name is Thirsis borne as he saith in Pelagonia and recommended thither by especiall Letters from diuers of the ancient Shepheards of Arcadia who hauing Wit the contriuer Money the meanes which onely in this age doth aduance fortunes falling into acquaintance with a silly block-headed swaine called Corridon one who made folly his best wisdome and extreame ignorance the depth of his best knowledge hath purchased from him both his flocke and the priuiledges belonging to his flockes keeping This Coridon becomming now a seruant vnto Thyrsis who to attaine the pleasures of the soyle would not haue disdained to haue called him maister All-be I may iustly say without the feare of reprehension this Thirsis hath shewed himselfe so excellently endewed with all the admirable partes of perfection that he may worthily bee tearmed the miracle of this age he liues in his youth being in the May time of his flourish exceeded with a most exceeding beautie which beautie rauishing all eyes was bettered by vertue that did astonish hearts his iudgements tempered with much knowledge his knowledge coupled to a demure silence what shall I say so excellent were his good parts that hee wanne loue in his companions and admire in strangers euerie one imitating his actions for their prayses and alleaging his words as their best authorities But as we see the Curtaine of the night takes from our eyes the glory of the day yet is the dayes returne no lesse beautifull so a little Melancholie drawne on by a mightie loue distempering his soule brought him to the vse of much solitarinesse which solitarinesse like a slie enemie seeking to steale the minde from the bodie cloathing himselfe in the roabes of vertue and diuine contemplation so imprisoned Thirsis vnder the arrest of his passions that in the ende hee began to forsake all companie sports hee contemned pastoralles he neglected his profites wayned his flock wasted and himselfe consumed which being by all his neighbours with much pittie noted was by many of his best wishers infinitely lamented especially by a famous Forrester thereby named Siluagio whose better profession brought him to a better feeling of the mindes infirmityes and whose best loue being by a strong bonde of not to bee cancelled faith tyed
better to abridge my dayes Then vrge her more to saue my life O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower How crosse hath heauen beene to my fate Since first I got the vse of breath She that me loues alas I hate She that I loue desires my death O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Cruell Loue why didst thou strike me With a Dart so full of woe If both my euer doe dislike thee Nor my life thou wilt let goe O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower What bootes it thee to see me beare This raging fire in which I burne But that to men it may appeare What fortunes thou canst ouerturne O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Yet if thou ru'st on any smart Rue on my woe that wofull is But thou hast an obdurate hart And stonie minds wants Pitties blisse O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Alas why shouldst thy chast faire sight His glorie gaine by killing me And so against all law and right Win an abusiue victorie O Apheliea thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Why didst thou giue life to my flame If hope to kill were thy regard What worser chance can crowne thy name Then still to loue and lacke reward O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deathes hower And shall the showers of teares I show Gaine no remorse for all my smart Alas sterne Loue doth answere No For why he dare not touch her hart O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower It is in vaine I am asham'd That thus I seeke cure for my griefe For hearts that are inhumane fram'd Loue woe so well they hate reliefe O Apheleia thy loues power Is Diatassans dying howers The Princesse attentiuely hearing this song but not seeing the singer after her eares had drunke the sounde of her Shepheards name coupled with another as she thought much vnworthie of so hie preheminence as if all such adoration had beene most damnable blasphemies all-bee the sound did not chalenge anie thing from his voyce yet restlesse Iealousie strake such strange fire into her bosome that not able to containe her selfe she came foorth of the Arbour with a more then vsuall haste Anger making the Lillies of her face couer all the Roses But when shee sawe the deceyte and that it was but onelie the Nymph Ethera newe Gilliflowers springing about the Throne of Roses smiling vpon the Nymph she said I am glad my Ethera that thy pleasant free thoughts stirring vp thy siluer voice will giue vs the comfort of thy song beleeue mee I feard thy last affright would haue robbed both from thee and me all taste of solitarie pleasure But I pray thee fayre Nymph tell me what song was this which thou didst euen now so passionately vtter was it of thine owne or of others composing The Nymph Ethera with a downe-cast looke and an humble reuerence teaching her cheekes so artificiall a blush as might verie well deceiue Nature bowing herselfe before the Princesse and first crauing pardon for her bolde presumption in that shee had come so neare the place of her priuate retiring assuring her with many prettie protestations that she was vtterly ignorant of her there aboade in the ende shee tolde the Princesse that for the song which shee had sung it was none of her owne inuention but made by the famous Shepheard Diatassan in honour of the loue hee bare to the faire Nymph Apheleia which she of late hearing had now newly bequeathed to memorie O God! had the Nymph Ethera out of an implacable anger taken a vow vtterly to haue confounded the Princesse or had the Princesse beene the vtter confusion of all the generation from whence the Nymph was descended had the Princesse beene her riuall in affection the barre to her desires or had the Princesse said what no woman can endure to haue saide that shee had not beene faire shee coulde neither haue founde a more readie poyson nor a more sharpe reuenge then the vtterance of these wordes which shee deliuered they were Daggers in the Princesse heart they were woundes in her soule and liuing deathes of dying liues anguish what passion was there with which shee did not communicate what feare what distrust what iealousie what madnesse what amazement and what else that may take vpon it the name of absolute euill But in the ende Reason that could neuer indure that such euils as these should become maisters of his fairest habitation but like Carniuall masquers to haue onely a moments entertainment and no further summoning his best accomplices as Vertue Constancie Consideration and such like beganne to warre agaynst the former with these arguments First she called to minde the vertue of his former life his innocent thoughts his plaine dealing tongue and his vndisembling actions the seueritie of his gouernment giuing no libertie to inconstancie and his honourable imitations being euen assurances of the best goodnesse insomuch that Passion being accompanied with his onely companion easie beliefe and both they attended on by Anger their seruant casting a threatning cloude ouer the chearefull Firmament of her diuine lookes shee thus spake to the Nymph Ethera Well I perceiue than the vse of sinne brings the Euill both to a delight and easinesse in sinne nothing in them augmenting their ripenesse more then the warmth of their owne wickednesse of this hath thine immodestie giuen mee a double experience thy first vnchast perswasions being now seconded with a most shamefull slaunder lightnesse and impudencie striuing how to create murther O Ethera thou art doublie vnkinde vnkind to vertue the shadow of whose countenance hath brought thee to much honour but most vnkinde to truth whom thou seekest to kill with a false witnesse be thy folly therfore thy scourge and both my hate and refusals of thy counsels profes of that detestation wherein I holde thee hencefoorth I charge thee neither to frequent these walkes nor acknowledge my memorie but liuing an eternall exile complaine to the worlde what woes falshoode and shame haue brought vpon thee Alas poore Diatassan the vertue hath begot thee infinite enuie and thine imaginarie happinesse seekes to inrich thee with most cottaine mischiefe but thy goodnesse hath taken such well grounded roote in mine vnderstanding that nothing shall draw from thee the blisse of my good opinion liue but as happie as thou art constant and euen Angels shall finde want in thine vnbounded prospetiue And as she spake these words tears rising in her eyes as it were to make a question in the worlde which were the more purer Diamonds she offered to depart But the Nymph after the custome of disgrast Tragedians whose first act is entertained with a snakie salutation falling vpon her knees and staying her by her garments with all the humilitie that either Art
desperate manner continue the vnspeakable bloudines of the first combat till the length or distance had depriued their eyes of that spectacle The other in the Gallioon with no lesse but rather a more inauspitious hād of death ouer his incoūterers by how much more neer he grew vnto the iudgemēts of the beholders augmented both his owne rage their opinions touching the excellency of his rage distributing such vnresistaable blowes that his sword was seen sildom or neuer fall with his hand but a body deuided from a soule fell dead at his foote so that as it was most likely to be imagined the poore in-habitants of that vessell growne to the desperate willfullnesse of absolute desperatenes which is by death to shunne death willfully ran the ship against the Rocks whose armed brest of too hie proofe for so slender timber split her in one instant into many thousand disioyned peeces the suruiuing remnant more willingly offring vp their liues into the hands of the mercilesse Sea whose mercy they had not tasted then to the subiection of his sword whose vigor in punishing their breathles companions bodies in their floating witnessed But neither did the daring of their dispaires which was the vnexpected entrance to this euill neither the danger it selfe wherein the preciousnes of his deare life was imballanced neither the inacquaintance of the soyle whereon he was ship-wrackt neither his many wounds the losse of Fortune Hope Honour Wealth or other expectation breed in him either amazement feare or desistance from the continuance of that reuenge which from the begīning he with so great vertue pursued for being now left to struggle with the vnruly waues whose imperious billowes many times counter-checking his desires gaue him a feeling remembrance of his mortall constitution he gathered new life by the hazard wherwith the old life stoode indangered and swimming with such beautifull cōlinesse as Triton is feined to do whē he vshers Neptune to Venus banquets with his sworde in his hand which often ensigne-like he flourished about his head as who should say Danger is but the hand-maid to Vertue or as if he would haue chalenged moe perils then those imputing the escape of this no worthie reputation without turning his eie backe vpon his owne safetie he followed on still the ruine of those to whome was left no comfort but in ruinous perishing and made such slaughter that not a breathing soule was left to complaine that so manie by one were become breathlesse But hee had no sooner finished the effect of what hee hoped for And Furie wanting a subiect whereon to worke more fury had giuen place to the feeling of other passions when instantly his ouer-laboured bodie grew weake and ablelesse to deliuer him a liuing soule made free from those perils yet with an vnyeelding vertue that was euer or euer seemed to be strongest in his weakest fortune he many times mounted vp himselfe and sprang vpon the waues ioyning both Arte courage togither as means for his deliuerance But euen at the last pinch when strength had as it were finished the need of strength vnkindly strength forsooke him and he sunke downe vnable any longer to preserue that life which still then had preserued the life and estate of many kingdomes but the guilty waters ashamed to bee guiltie of so execrable a murther opened their bosoms brought him vp again into the aire where by the force of the siege of the Sea he was borne vpon the sands and lay to the iudgement of the Shepheards who till then vpon their knees were adoting him as a coelestial deitie breathlesse and without motion in-so-much that with all their powers they ranne and recouered him ere the siege could come againe which as appeared greedie of another imbracement made more then vsual haste to ouer-take him and when daungerlesse they had laid him vpon a neighbour banke vnto the shore they behelde a person of so rare and vnmarchable proportion in whom all the beauties of the worlde were most liberally dis-iested that prodigall Nature in the worke seemd vtterly to haue beggerd herselfe and becom'd penurious to all succeeding ages It was not long before they had brought him to life and the knowledge of the daunger whereunto his life was ingaged when sodainly he start vpon his feete and gazing like a wounded Deere vpon his concealed persecutor he cried O Thamastus Thamastus liuest thou with men or Angels vnhappie that I am shal I liue to inquire if thou liue I will not I will not my breath is not mine owne if thou be breathlesse nor shall my dayes bee augmented an houre after thy destruction forsaken Pyrophylus deiected Pyrophylus with that he wilfully would haue throwne him-selfe into the Sea againe as in loue with the perill which he hated or the death which with such difficultie hee escaped But the amorous Shepheards hearing him name those two names which kept the world both in awe and admiration ranne hastily vnto him and folding him in their armes with the vttermost of their force which the loue of those names had stretched to the highest scale of their puissance stayed him from the vnnaturall selfe-killing combatte and with the best oratorie that the simplicitie of their bringing vp could then instruct their tongues they perswaded him from impouerishing the world of those excellent hopes which his verie presence promised in most admirable aboundance and coniuring him by those two rarely beloued and praise-worthie names which with such feeling sorrow hee hat vttered and all the Nations of the worlde with vnspeakeable reuerence entertained not to let that day bee registred in misfortunes calender as the day of greatest misfortune by the losse of so diuine an expectation assuring him by those especiall tokens which they had noted during the conflict that if his friend whom he bewailed were that vncōquered spirit which in the gally had done such matchlesse feats of chiualrie that then there was no feare of his perishing inasmuch as they had seene him make himself Lord of the Gally ere the wind or Oares had caried her beyond the cōpasse of their sights Further they humbly vpon their knees besought him that if he were eyther of those two Princes whose sweete names were resweetned by his vtterance that it would please him not to conceale it from their knowledges who all be they were but Shepheards yet had that vertuous feeling of noblenesse which taught them a seruiceable duty to the incōparable greatnes of such dignified states The Prince Pyrophylus for such was his name a little pacified and hoping by this hope in their speeches to kill his hopelesse Dispaire was content to be ouer-ruled though manie times the feruencie of his loue had almost ouercom'd that not certainly grounded resolution in the ende calling to minde that their fight was both begun and occasioned vpon the Hellespont and that this place was altogither beyonde the bounde of his knowledge fearing the Sestian lawe which for the losse of the two
exile but his owne resolution him-selfe that is the God of his Fortune and his Resolution a decree like Fate neuer to he controlled Is it likely that he who most preiudicately sawe his owne ill and eschewed it will seeke to reuiue that euill and anew to returne vnto it It cannot be imagined or if it could the vowes he hath throwne throughout the world are impregnable Bulwarkes to withstande his returning hauing sworne by his princely hand neuer againe to beholde Laconia If he then be valiant that spirit will detaine him if he be wise his wisdome will make his vowes lawfull and if he be iust there can no iniustice shine in his actions And to the first let his conquests speake to the next his gouernment and to the last both the world you that are his people Thus is our amends frustrate and Redresse slaine vtterly dead for euer Is it then in your opinions tollerable to loose him to lacke remedie neither to him nor vs yeeld any satisfaction the gods forbid then our satisfaction must be the abolishing of that euill by which our first euill was ingendred which is the life of Hellen euen Hellen the too-early late-crowned Queene of our Country she that hath ouerthrown the goodly temple of her vertue by an inuertuous communicating of those beauties which to him onely should haue bin for euer most dearly preserued she that in her loue hath beene false to Amphyalus dishonorable to herself and an vtter ruine to vs you this country If then you will haue your King restored restore him by her death for in her ending must cōsist the best of his liuing and in this action doth the world infinitely gaze vppon you to see whether any vaine title of beauty or perfections can rebelliously with-draw your minds frō the execution of iustice restore vnto your selues your auncient honours by banishing out of the land your dishonours which is onely she by whom all our infamies are maintained and that this may bee performed by such a direct mean of wel intending that no seuere iudgemēt may attach vs of crueltie thus haue the Senat Lords of Laconia decreed that Hellen shall bee conuaid into a Caruill mastlesse sailelesse vnmand vnuittaild of all munition vnfurnished which being toaed forty leagues into the maine Ocean there be left to the mercy of the gods the seas and her own furtune if she be blameles her preseruation will be doublesse if faulty her end will be swift and without pittie how euer in vs will be nothing but the discharge of a most loyall dutie wherefore as many as loue Amphyalus wish for Amphyalus or hope for the benefite of his blessed sight throw vp their hats as a signe of consent to the execution of this noble iustice The whole assembly whose minds were variously caried vp and and downe with a desire and feare or a fearfull desire to wish nothing that might put them in feare of ensuing good fortune And euen those betwixt whose lippes yet stucke the worde of safetie to the neuer-ill deseruing Queene Hellen were so inchaunted with the plaine Rhetoricke of this honest-seeming Oration that as if all their seuerall bodies had had but one mind that mind one head that head but one tongue to vtter their cogitations cast vp their caps and cried the iudgement was excellent and not to be reuersed all be euen at the beginning of the speech scarce any two agreed one in opinion some consenting more for feare then cōscience some dissenting as much vpon will as loyaltie some to bee reputed strickt performers of Iustice some to bee thought charitable in pittying the innocent some to seeme to vnderstand deeper misteries then were hid in plaine dealing and some to picke a thankes-giuing of such as might pursue like hard fortune All in such mutinie of censures that it was impossible either to discerne Pitie Mercy or Iustice vntill the colours of this speech as alwayes the eyes of common multitude are bleared with showfull reportinges had brought them to concurre and agree in one Opinion and consent of her destruction the fearefull fearing the scourge of disobedience the wilfull willing to haue their willes performed the seuere as delighting in crueltie the charitable for a counterfaite loue to their Country the wise to be renowned for their deepnesse and the flatterers to draw to them a good opinion of well meaning which no sooner was perceiued by the most politike Queene Euronusa whose heart enkindled her braine with a fierie wisedome to see the desperate estate where-unto the ayre of wordes drewe her dearest beloued but breaking through the multitude and opposing face to face with the Nobilitie of Laconia lifting vp a well tuned voyce guarded with so reuerent a countenance of glorious Maiestie as did not onely intice but astonish the beholders drawing their attentions to a silent dumbnes she thus made answere to the former Oration You Princes Lords and Commons of Laconia let neither my presence how greatly so euer at this time inexpected nor my wordes though farre vnsutable to this voluntarie consent you haue giuen for the killing of a worthe innocent breede in you so much wonder as your inconsideracie neuer till this time knowne or attached stirreth in me an admiration beyond the compasse of common admiring the rather when I behold your grauities directed and led by the blinde eye of no reason why whither are your Noble iudgements fled till nowe the Schooles of other Nations where are your faiths where are your loues and where are your wisedomes Are all slaine with insubstantiall wordes with broken arguments and vngrounded supposes O that it were as lawfull for me to chide you as it is most necessarie for your selues in your selues to condemne your selues as blame-worthy you haue this day by your consents hurt onely Amphyalus dishonoured onely Amphyalus and adiudged to death not Hellen but in Hellen the liuing soule of Amphyalus in-so-much that if the backe-looking eye of your vnderstanding doe not recall that vnaduised euill of your too-suddaine verdite it will be too manifestly true as this Gentleman hath ouer-wel deliuered with an ill intention that your losse will bee vnspeakable your redresse vnrecouerable and no satisfaction though the sacrifices of your owne wiues and children will in the eye of the world be esteemed auailable for it is most certaine that in loosing her you loose that Prince that vertue that power that strength that wisdome that honour that Lion that Lambe and that goodnesse he hath spoke of nay that King that hade that ornament that maintenance and colombe of your safeties and more then this and more then hee or I can or haue spoken the diuine father of your kingdome sith the Sacramentall misterie of two moste intirely louing hearts co-vnited and inseparably ioyned together hath made them one flesh one spirit and one bodie so that they are not two but one creature not he Amphyalus but Hellen nor she Hellen but him you seeke to