enmitie and talke now of their solemne contrition wherein we must not wey the ruine of their childrens rape but the remorce of their sins remembrance faults that are péeuishly persecuted deserues the pitie of no one but crimes wilfully committed with the remedie of repentance are mightlly amended Which in these two proued most true for there each other confessing to themselues in these peril 's the daungers they did one to another in their peace with womanish woe that ofter in teares more bewayles their vnfortunate ends then they foresec their two forward beginnings and then with many teares tormeÌ„ts themselues too much which they might well haue preuented with a little cursing too late that which is come at last vpon those crimes they committed at the first And here let me shew their vnconstant state not standing alwaies in a stay but wauering like the winde sometimes prosecuting with loathed disdaine them which once they did follow with louing desire then changing their copie as cowards do their countenance that wauer with the wind of euery buzzards blast they againe begin to desire what before so déepely detested sometimes with hastie men too soone bréeding their own sorrowe and then with sloathfull siuggards deferring too long to salue their owne sores oftentimes weauing their owne woe when they suppose they worke anothers wracke For so vnwarie are their wits that they neuer think of that should follow from the force of that which goes before but like the vnfortunate Larke that drawne downe with the dazeling glide of a deceiuing glasse delighting so long in his game till he be catched in the gin so fares it with these fond fooles that God knowes are too gréedie of some siluer deceiuing shewes and yet busie enough to bite off others golden baites Yet not so prouident as the poore Sparrowe that hauing escaped the foulers fetter with her chéerefull chirping giues notice to the rest of her neighbours but where themselues haue seene many fall they yet desperatly follow Here might I extend this Satyricall vaine but that I wil not be accounted as one that loathes what other meÌ„ loues therfore wish they could amend what euen themselues sees plainly amisse and in themselues learn to feare that which by example of their owne sexe they cannot beware And thus pitying them whose hurt rests onely in themselues to helpe I will referre you to wonder at these two wicked women whose déedes had so far diuided theÌ„ till that vnlooked for luck had met them together againe in that desolate place whom deseruing diuorce had parted in their peopled palace there gin they one to another relate the tragicke storie of their forepassed purposes in their diuers imaginations of each others iniurie till at last according in one consent they mutually moue what they had malitiously ment till that lamenting each to other their lewd liues they with instant iutreaties solicites the neuersayling forces of all helping heauens that with fauour they would looke vpon their faults that had indéede deserued their iust frownes For such must I néedes say is the composition of those though often careles yet more vsuall comfortable creatures that if for want oâ— well guiding gouernment they sometimes fade yet seldome doe they for euer fall For such is their flexible nature as like the Philosophers table they willingly impose vpon themselues euery seuerall impression but commonly their nature nourishes but one as when the profit prouing merchant viewes the seuerall sorts of sundrie commodities though there be many that hée well could like of yet is there but some fewe that especially he can loue so is it in the seldome securitie of this sexe that busying themselues with many they binde themselues but to a few Nay shall I compare them to a fitter forme of reason resembling creatures as when the Lapwing houering farre from her nest séemes to descry the daunger of her young néere hand which hée that suffers his patiens to search shall finde farre off so haue I heard it proued true of them whose policie in this I must néedes approue if well performed to bée perfect for that they colour thereby the cunning of their own skill and withdraw the otherwise beholders affections farre off not to looke to that practise they in such secret performe But now leaue we theÌ„ in this inforciue peace y â— end of their selfe-wrought warre learning to liue like the Lion in feare that lightly before regarded the libertie of loue and looke backe againe to our first painfull pilgrime How Perseus came to the Court of Ferdinand the French King and of him got ayde for the recouerie of his countrie CHAP. 5. PErseus seeking some refuge after he had forsaken the companie of his vnsuspected sonne at last directs his course to clime the mightie Alpes and goe renew his acquaintance now in France in his age that he had got there in his youth where his olde father had kept him long at schoole to learne there the rudiments of arte whereof their owne countrie was not then so well stored where comming to the Kings court was at the first lightly receiued of them whom sometimes hée had graced with his companie imitating the example of vnmerciful masters that when a sillie seruant wherein was sometimes their treasure fals by mishap to any sudden mischance theÌ„ presently accounts he not of him so wâ—ll as of a slaue whoÌ„ he was wont to vse familiarly as his friend Yet at the last vncouering the cause of his care and with teares telling them the truth of two true stories Ferdinand for so was then that French kings name pitying the ill happe of his age of whom there was such great hope in his youth answers him againe in teares the ensignes of griefe and comforting on him vp with the presages of more fauourable fortune gins bid him but deuise with himselfe how hée might any wise doe him good and he would willingly not onely imploy his countrie and kingdome but hazzard his owne health to doe it though now death had displayed his colours on his hoarie head and currishly counterchecks his courage Which reply so relieued the dying countenance of this other worse then captiue king as that calling backe his deâ—aying sences whose vigores were now all mustering about the labouring heart euery one expecting a sundrie answere for their seuerall release makes him begin againe to looke for longer life who before desired nothing more then a spéedie death And first with humble thankes rendring to the king he begins to explaine vnto him his intended purpose which was that if hee could by his friendly fauour get but againe together a moytie of those men which before he had missed and by his owne negligence vndone his intent was againe to inuade his countrie and set himselfe once more in his kingdome To whom the old king offered all spéedie ayde he was able to performe whom we leaue a while mustering their souldiers to send ouer the Alps into Italie and
e sea the seueral pebles in a shewer of haile or y e infinite abundaÌ„ce of seueral grains ripe Autumne reapes from the earths fayre face To bee short there was perfection of bodie without the pampering of pride vertue of mind without the varietie of misleading manners a true telling tongue that neuer tasted of a trifling tale so héere was deciphered the difference betwixt the intent of nature in our first creation and the euent of vse in our education for that the one first formes all things to the best the other in the end frames them commonly to the worst Well after these two had with such gréetings saluted one another as beseemed the melancholy dispositioÌ„ of the one and the rude bringing vp of the other they with friendly curtesie companie together where the sanage man first begins earnestly to aske of the others estate which the king fearfully fained to be but meane and that hee hauing trod y e tract of an almost vnworne way had by hard hap hit vpon that place and being ignorant what way to escape had there long lingered as is the common vse of such distressed men carefully considering with himself what way were best to work his owne release from that wast way wanting wildernesse To whom the sauage man gan thus answer I that know not from whence thou camest am farre vnable to direct thee whither thou shouldst backe againe goe and saue myselfe liues there none here like to thée Twentie fayre Summers flowers haue I séene fade in these fields sustained the stubborne brunts of as many winter blasts séene the seuerall shapes of sundrie beasts and marked their manners in their seueral kinds how the stately Lyon proudly commands the other poore crouching creatures and they in their kinde dutifully demeane themselues to his soueraigntie mine eares haue heard the seuerall sounds of their sundrie voyces but could not distinguish them Oft haue I spoke to the cruell beasts thinking they could skill of my words but they all rudely runnes away without answering againe then fearing least that threatning wordes had with feare forced their flight gan I with submisse intreaties to craue their companies but that as did the first perished without hope and left me still to mine ill happe which oft vrged me to consider with my selfe what my selfe might bee differing in making disagréeing in manners and failing of euery meanes that I made for my further instruction No place is here that I haue not often sought to see of whom I might issue for that thus much hath nature taught me that néedes I must come from a like kinde as doe all creatures els Little I remember my selfe as I haue seene the young whelps of these careles creatures that possesse these plaines and by the processe of time am by degrées growne to this state wherein now thou seest I stand And thus with a long discourse gins he debate vnto him how from his infancie to that age he had liued in those vnpeopled lawnes At last wheÌ„ they with much interrogatory talke had passed away a long summers day and that now the shadow of the silent night gan sommon euery creature to their quiet rest the sauage man loath to leaue his new found companion alone to spend the solitarie night in that vncomfortable case perswades him to accompany him downe into the bottome of a declining valley y t a farre off hee shewed him who for that he had marked the trueth-shewing tales of his former talke and being comforted by his well-wishing words not to feare the furious onsets of outragious beasts for that such was his acquaintance amongst the vnreasonable rulers of that foretold forrest as that like the quiet citizen within the peacefull walles of his house is in the stealing silence of the quiet night by the watchfull meanes of a wel meriting Magistrate defended froÌ„ the forcible inuasions of ill meaning enemies so he in his quiet Caue securely sleepes little fearing the furie of these bolde beasts in whose companie hee had alwaies conuersed At last wonne with the words of this faire foretelling friend the king wearie with solitarie sitting there alone and willing also to ease his head of those cruell cares that solitarie discontent had clogged him withall he willingly condescends to the others wish These two trauailing thus together at the last comes downe againe into the bottome of the plaine where for it was now almost night were assembled diuers sortes of sundrie wilde beasts readie addressed to go seeke their pray amongst whom when they came as doth the sillie sheep to their acquainted shepheard gently giue him way to trauaile where euer he will so fares it with these two that at their pleasure trace these deserts vp and down through many daungerous darke shades that ouerspreads the hidden caues of sundrie subtill deuouring beasts At last they came downe into a long valley where out of the side of a rockie cliffe was naturally hewed a déep hollow Caue into which was a conueiance of light through the clift of a rocke that ouer-roofed this house where the wilde man not vsed with curious welcomes to entertaine any such guests gins plainly performe the duetie of a well-meaning man telling him that his good will wished him better then his power was able to performe Not long had these two sitten alone in this loathsome beastly den ere there comes in a bloudie mouthed Lionesse bearing in her tearing teeth the quarter of a new killed Kid. This was that Lionesse that in the former part of this historie wee tolde you of found this young prince desolately forsaken in the desert whom she in his infancie carefully brought vp nursing him with that milke wherewith she should haue sustained her young ones till the ripenes of yeares had strengthened his stomacke and made him now able with vse to feede on raw flesh with those rauenous beasts for whose prouision this carefull nurse had prouided that filly supper who comming to her den and finding there vnaccustomed companie gins sternly to stare in his face as though she ment to prosecute her angrie countenance and terribly teare him in péeces with her vnmercifull clawes till when she saw the sauage man that had for his better safegard brought him downe into the depth of that dungeon friendly imbrace him in his armes as though thereby he ment to rescue him froÌ„ all insuing harmes then gins she turne her frowning countenance to fawning coÌ„passion her terrible threats to a tractable truce kindly with her dumbe demeanour such as nature hath furnished these reasonles creatures withall entertaines this trauailer licking kindly his hands which otherwise she could not kisse softly touching him with her hard talens as loath to hurt him â—ow whom before she intended to harme Thus with what curtesie their vnkindly cottage did affoord doe they intertaine this their new com'd companion who not vsed to eate such vndressed dishes as their hungrie stomackes gently digested was content that night to liue onely
worthie Common-wealth then will wee oppose our selues against their threats and seeke such a mends for this mischiefe as shall with iust iudgement pull downe their puffed vp plumes and turne them out againe into the wide world to become a worser skorne of mischance With this answere the messengers departing and hauing tolde at home their seuerall tales it so displeased the Princes that presently without further delay they would the next morning furiously with both their forces set vpon the gouernours of their countrie and when they had conquered them then be take themselues to striue whether should bee sole conqueror Word whereof being spéedily brought to the Senatours they against y e next morning gins prepare all their power and pitching their battell vpon the bosome of a broad plaine that lay betwixt the enemies leaguers made offer to fight with them both at once Which when the enemies saw they as readie to take the occasion as the other to offer gins furiously to set vpon them where ioyning streight at handie stroakes there followed a long and furious fight the victorie to neither part declining till at last Adrianus that then had the charge of a Cornet of horse breaking into the bowels of the enemies battels wrought such wonderfull atchiuements as made him iustly accounted for the best approued souldier that that countrie did euer containe with whose worth the foes were so discōfited that on a sudden affrighted they betooke themselues to flight whom he eagerly following ouertooke the two Kings that by chance had met in the battel eagerly occupying their seete to escape y ◠scourge of their enemies hands whom hee surprising brought backe againe to their homes and presented them to the Senate as the first fruites of his fortune Where by this time were gathered together the most of those gouernours to gratulate their forward friends that were returned safe from the fight who wondering at his worth could not sufficiently commend his courage but consulting now with themselues what were best to be done in this dangerous busines How after that these two Kings were ouercome Adrianus was chosen king of that countrie and how he came to know his father and mother by which the former falshood was descried CHAP. 9. AT last they thought it best that since these two balefull brethrē did euen in their captiuitie still deny to take vpō them the mutuall gouernment of that kingdome intended for their after quiet to choose some one of these worthies y t had there wrought their release And for that they would not incurre the displeasure of any of those coequall Captaines that had so brauely demeaned themselues a motion was made amongst them that for so much as there was no lineall succession left for the inheritance of their kingdome they then had thus determined to cast lots amongst them all so to choose their King which fell vpon Adrianus of whom they were as glad as his owne hap was good who with euery seuerall ceremonie belonging to the coronation of such a King established in that countrie hée first recals from their banishment all those Outlawes by whom he was brought thither and preferring of his friend and sometimes his Captaine to a place of great authoritie in his kingdome taught him to imploy his wit in the building of that Common-wealth vp againe the which afore he laboured to pull downe This Captaine we tolde you before had by Liuia his wife a fayre daughter named Laryna to whom Adrianus in the time of his abode in her fathers house had oftentimes made loue and shée with like fauour requited him who but for the sudden sound of these new wrought warres had by the consent of their parents before inioyed the pleasure they both so instantly desired who then comming to the Court with her mother the two captiue Quéenes and the rest of their retinue was presently by the consent of the Senate who desired nothing more then some issuing heires that might successiuely follow in the possession of this kingdome coupled in marriage with this new King After which ioyfull day the King and the Quéene with the rest of the Nobles gathered together cals in those captiue brethren to know the cause whence grew their discord and the two women to inquire of them what had béen the manner of their former liues Where when they were all met the old Quéenes séeing their husbands there fast in fetters touched with a remorce of conscionce fals downe before them and there confessed the whole course of their liues and the murthering of their children By the circumstances of whose tale and the time thereof these two lost children there found out their seuerall parents and so faults on both sides forgiuen and iniuries on euery part made euen they spent the rest of their dayes in solemne contrition for their former faults FINIS