his voiage And so leauing him with his father the Duke going into his pallace to perswade the Duchesse patience to his departure I will returne to the Duke Ordillo of the Ilandes of Cotasi of whom when I haue tolde you what happened of his son Fantiro I will returne againe vnto the Duke Firento and the young Prince But touching the Duke Ordillo you shall vnderstand that one daie in the heate of sommer intending to take his pleasure in a forrest neere vnto the sea side and hauing a stately redde déere so long in chase as had almost spent all his whole crie of houndes wearie with following the crie and knowing that the young Prince his sonne was of so strong a bodie though but a childe in years that he would bring him the newes of the death of the Déere with a soft pace breathing his horse with a prettie traine of his attendantes retired himselfe to his pallace in a parke neere vnto the forrest where I will leaue him for a while expecting the returne of his sonne and I will tell you what became of the fruit of his expectation The young Prince sole heire male vnto his father and so little beloued by his vncle brother to the Duke and one of his priuie Counsaile that to aduance his owne children he cared not what became of his brothers sonne was by a villaine that hee had hired for the purpose trained aside from the chase somewhat neere vnto the sea where hauing him alone farre enough from companie either to heare what hee said or to sée what hee did drewe out his sword and with a terrible countenance framed for the purpose after he had made him to lightdowne from his horse vsed this spéech vnto him Howe now young master You dined well but you had no good sauce to your meate but I must make you such a dish of sauce to your supper thâ—…ir all the cookes in your fathers Court neuer sawe the like For to make short worke with you I must see what bloud is about your hart and I must sende it to your vncle to his venison nowe if you can come and beare him companie you shall tell me if it be not worth the tasting The young Prince Fantiro hauing in his heart no little spark of his fathers spirite séeming nothing at all dismaied at his shreates nor as it were making ante fearfull account of death throwing off his cloake and vnbuttoning his doublet with a sâ—…erne countenance made him this answere Thou saucie rascall what art thou a man a dogge or a deuill that darest to thinke so villanous a thought or to vtter so impious a spéech as to murther the innocent or to luie a violent hand vpon the least haire of my head am not I sonne to thy master and master to thy selfe did I euer hurt thee Naie haue I not béen too bountifull in my good will vnto so vngratefull a villaine Looke about thee séest thou not a God in the heauens and knowest thou not there is a deuill in hell that vpon the instant of thy villanie standes not readie to receiue thee Oh worst of all creatures how canst thou looke towards the heauens and dost not hang downe thy head to think of the villany of thy hart Looke thou wretched slaue my brest is open for thee thinke I feare not death for I knowe I shall not liue one minute past the houre that is appointed me and therfore doe thy worst and for mine viscle God forgiue him the vnnaturall villanie that hee hath shewed in this action The intended murtherer not a little amazed at the spirit of so young a bodie vnwilling to returne to the Court without performance of his promise as well for the want of his promised rewarde as for feare of his displeasure that had set him to worke and yet loath to embrue his handes in the bloud of so swéete a creature replied vnto him with these wordes My Lorde the Lorde of lordes knoweth how loath I am to fall into the lapse of the diuell by this hellish action and therfore as wel to saue your life from the murtherous malice of your vncle who will neuer leaue by all deuises to séeke your-bloud as to saue mine owne assured to be lost if I returne without his contentment I beséech you giue eare to what I say and I hope it shall be for both our good In the next hauen néere adioining liesh a shippe readie to put to sea towardes the citie of Dolno in the Ilandes of Balino the Merchant that hath fraight and victualed her is one Mario Duronte a friend of mine to whom I will put you as my sonne entreating him to carrie you shither and there to leaue you either-with some Courtier or Merchant that he is acquainted with for some terme of yeres for that I would haue you to learne the languages Now there if your fortune be to doe well I shall be glad of it if otherwise wo bee to me though vnwillinglie to be the author of it This spéech though it were no little griefe to him to leaue his fathers Court and to abandon his countrey in so poore a sort and vpon so hard a fortune yet willing of all ils to chuse the least was contented rather to accept this little kindnesse to be put seruant to an vnfit master then to trust anie longer to the courtesie of so wicked a creature therfore with great thankes assuring him that God would regarde his pittie and that himselfe would neuer forget his honestie giuing him a purse of golde that hee had about him kéeping verie fewe crownes for himselfe tooke his waie toward the hauen and by the way meeting with none that knewe him passed vndescried vnto the shippe where being aboord and entertained into seruice with Signor Mario they put to sea the tide seruing fiâ—…lie for their purpose leauing the villaine to returne to his wicked master with the newes of his Nephew whome I will leaue at the Court telling him in secret a deuised lie of the drowning of the young Prince and I will tell you what became of him and his fortune The winde seruing well to their wished shore it was not long till Mario Doronte arriued at the cittie of Dolno where he had not lien many daies but hauing occasion to go to the court tooke with him his young seruant Rantifo for so was the young Prince nowe miscalled by the villaine that had intended his death Now being come to the Court and there well entertained by some not of the meanest sort with whom he had to 〈◊〉 with in his businesse crossing the Court there happened a Noble man of the Dukes chamber to cast his eie vpon this young Prince the Merchantes imagined prentise whome calling to him after a fewe wordes had with him affecting verie much both his person and spirit made such meanes to the Merchant that for a small summe of crownes with promise of a greater friendship he obtained him at his
not liue to dilgeste though perhaps such maie bee the mercifull nature of the glorous height of the heauens highest grace as maie fauour thy disposition prosper thy aduentures and blesse thee in all thy actions But as it is ill to distrust God so is it not good to tempt him answere me therefore truly to that I demand of thee whether thy desire be to trauaile or not what are the reasons that perswade thy resolution howsoeuer it be yâ— shalt find in me that kindnes that the condition of thy loue deserueth The young Prince caried no lesse in obedience to the loue of his father then willing to aduenture his fortune to atchieue the honor of his hope in as good tearmes as he coulde vppon the sodaine made his father this answere If it maie become so vnworthie a son as my selfe to so honourable a father as your maiestie to stand vpon argumentes of controuersie for the direction of his course of life crauing pardon for what soeuer I shall speake that maie perhaps be vnpleasing to your expectation I will not only deliuer you the truth of my intent but the reasons that haue induced me into the determination of my resolution I haue heard your maiestie often saie that nature begetteth no deformitie but rather the true image of it selfe and as in outwarde proportion so do I thinke in the qualitie of the spirit the sonne may participate with the father and although thaâ—… vertue be the gift onelie of God yet in the inclination and disposition of the mind the sonne maie take somewhat of the fathers spirit For proofe whereof I haue often heard you saie that yoâ—… were your fathers sonne such was your desire to see the world for till he was maried he had no desire to siue at home harde fare colde lodging bitter stormes sharpe 〈◊〉 in a forreine soile or in the Ocean sea were more pleasing to him then the most daintie banquet the softest bed the calmest weather and the sweetest peace that either his fathers court his own chamber or the most pleasant Paradise that his whole countrie at home could yeeld him and such were your delightes rather to heare a Trumpet in a fielde then a Lute in â—… chamber and to see the assault of a forte then the dauncing of a maske Your maiestie would euer preferre a trotting courser before an ambling lootecloth a peale of ordinance before a ring of belies and a bloudie sword before a painted looking glasse in somme if in alsuch courses of your conceit you followed the inclination of my Grandfather will you think it strange in me to follow the steps of your affection Haue you not allowed my reading of histories and how many of any account are written onelie of home actions Haue you not wisht me to make much of strangers and shall I not studie languages where with to entertaine them I must confesse there is no friend to a father whose loue cannot be separated from the fruit of his own body Home dwelling is full of ease but not of honour which is rather purchased by aduentures then by nature inherited friends are kind so maie strangers be full of courtesse and he that looketh not into the world wanteth much wherein to glorifie the Lorde God My sisters fortune I had rather leaue to the effect of your wisedome then my weaknes and knowing her discretion wil nothing feare the honor of her affection My mothers tender care of me maie be more kind then commodious for though I will not liue but to bee in all humblenes her childe yet mus I haue a care for my countries good not to be a babie to my 〈◊〉 for to reade of the noble aduentures of diuerse honourable 〈◊〉 rits what perilles they passed what conquests they made 〈◊〉 they inriched their countries enlarged their kingdomes â—…nanced their followers increased their 〈◊〉 and left 〈◊〉 to their houses shall I as one dull of witte not to vnderst 〈◊〉 what I réede or fearefull of spirit to followe the pathes of 〈◊〉 passages not like your sonne lie still at home and blowe 〈◊〉 banquet dance in a chamber or tumble in a bed where 〈◊〉 sléepe maie dull my sences musike maie browne my spirite 〈◊〉 suâ—…feiting maie kill my stomacke farre â—…e it from your 〈◊〉 to shew so little of his fathers nature for dangers they are the â—…als of the valiant for aduentures they are the honor of the resoluto and for labours they are the praises of the patient 〈◊〉 where are these at home No by trauaâ—…le is gotten knowledge and to answeare to some points of your propositions 〈◊〉 the same sunne shineth in one place that shineth in another but not at one and the same time men and women are of the same proportion but not of the same disposition which is a note of great regard the diet apparell deineanour and inclination of euerie countrie is to be deserued and the obseruations well taken maie fall out to be commodious so I haue heard you say my selfe haue read and verely beléeue by trauaile I shall learn who are our friendes or foes and so either to estéeme them or beware of them My friendes that you maie spare will followe me in my course or allowe of my content my seruantes will attend the issue of my fortune and my countrey I hope shall be benefited by my trauaile I intend no long voiage nor anie at all without your liking but if with your leaue I might haue my desire I must confesse I would willinglie a little set foote abroad into the world and for that there are as I am certainlie informed a great number of gallant young gentlemen shortlie intending to attend the Emperour in his warres against the Turke wherein who performeth the true parts of valour shall returne with the badge of deserued honour I humbly beséech you with as little charge as it shall please you to furnish me to this piece of seruice from whence I am assuredly perswaded I shall neuer returne with discontentment Now hauing reuealed vnto your maiestie both the nature of my inclination the grounde from whence it grew and the reasons that haue there to induced me I leaue to your fatherly loue to consider of my dutie and your discréete consideration to thinke of my stay or frauaile The good old Duke finding that the colte of a courser would hardly be brought to the harrow a lapwing would runne as soone as it was out of the shell a bird of his own fether would take after his owne slight though it could not but grieue him to haue him far out of his sight yet knowing the quarrell good that he went to fight in with the Emperour against the Turk and that manie princes had sent their sonnes to gaine honor in that piece of seruice after a few words of some vnwillingnesse to want the comfort of his presence was not only contented to like well of his desire but promised with his blessing to furnish him for
handes and entertaining for his page and finding in him such fine qualities as did much deserue the encrease of his good liking of him he helde him in such account as was not commonlie séene nor by him expected vpon so little knowledge But the Merchant after the dispatch of his businesse returned to his country and the young Prince now a page caried his seruice with such care as was not a little regarded in the Court nor vnrewarded of his master who in few yeares hauing perfected his forwardnesse in many good qualities by maintaining his desires in all good instructions with true commendations of his worthinesse preferred him to the Duke his master who in a little time tooke so due a regard of his seruice that to the viewe of his whole Court hee made shew of his excéeding fauour But I will leaue him for a while in the beginning of his fortune in the Court of his fathers enemie vnknowne to him and himselfe vnknowne to the Duke what he was and I will returne to Pinello the young Prince sonne to Feronte The Duke of Dolno in the Ilandes of Balino who hauing obtained leaue of his parents for his voiage into the Emperors Court and so to attende him in his warres against the Turke had no sooner set foote aboord but a sudden storme tooke him scarce out of sight of lande and draue him for sauegard of his life and all that were with him to put in at a hauen within the Ilandes of Cotasi where the Duke Ordillo his fathers enemie was chiefe gouernour who though he were in his debt for a summe of mony lent vnto his father and therfore by lacke of paiment had purchased his displeasure yet hauing heard of his sonnes arriuall sent to entertaine him in such good sort as befitted the honour of his person who being met in great solemnitie by diuers of his Lordes was after he had béene feasted by the Gouernours of his chiefe cittie with a great troupe of Nobles attended vnto the Court of the Duke of whome hee quicklte receiued such an vnexpected welcome as in the roialty of his spirit would haue remitted both all debt and displeasure not to stande too long vpon néedlesse discourses let it suffice that the Dukes kindnesse the Nobles attendance the Ladies sweete fauours and the welcome of the whole Court was such as made him manie daies longer then he determined to make aboade in that countrey but aboue all the gratious kind countenance of the Dukes onely daughter not a little affected by this gallant young Prince was not the least cause of his state of whom since a great part of my storie dependeth I will tell you what I reade fell out betwixt them This young Princesse the onlie daughter of Ordillo not a little affecting the outward person inward vertue of this young Prince who was nothing behinde with her in great contentment with her much worthines of his good liking tooke occasion one morning séeing him walking out of his lodging into a garden right against her chamber windowe to take a priuate waie through a gallerie downe into the same garden where in a close walke néere vnto the gréene alley where the Prince was walking vnséene of him a pretie while fell into this talke with a gentlewoman an attendant of hers whom she held in great account and to whom she reuealed the secret of all her hart Oh Delina quoth she for so was her name little doest thou know the cause of my â—…ate melancholie but I dare trust thée with my life and for that I know thou hast past through the Labyrinth that I am nowe in I will hope the better of thy aduise for my comfort Since the comming of the Prince Penillo into my fathers Court thou hast not séene me hartely merrie for though I conceale much of my passion yet will I somwhat ease my hart with telling thée somewhat of my minde Some foure or fiue daies before the newes came to our court of the arriuall of this worthy Prince I had a dreame that held me all the time of my sléepe the most part of a whole night the remembrance whereof in the morning and euer since hath troubled mee verie much which as néere as I can remember I will tell thée Me thought I was going thorough a thick wood where were a number of nettes and snares layde in euerie pathe where I shoulde passe yet me thought I passed thorough them so easily as if they had beene of no strength till at last I came towarde a great water where neere vnto the shore laie a great Boate and from the Boate laie a long line made all of golde pearle within the compasse whereof treading yer I was aware mee thought some thing gaue a snatche wherewith the line whipâ—…e about my middle and caried mee into the Boate with the sodaine fright whereof I awaked Now what saiest thou to this dreame Delina no lesse witty concetted of her dreame then noting the cariage of her humor made her this answere Madame if a blind body may catch a Hare I may happen to come somewhat néere the expasition of this night fansie The wood you went in is the court the nettes the eies and tongues of your sutors that had no power to take sure holde of your affection now the great water maie be the Sea and the golden line the young Prince that may cary you away from your father for if I be not much deceiued he hath you by the heart whatsoeuer it was that helde you by the middle Unhappie wench quoth the Princesse thou rouest too néere that hittest the marke so right but yet maiest thou bee deceiued in one point thoughe not in some other I haue past the nettes that is true and I am caught it is not vntrue but that he either wil or shall carie me awaie that I feare will not fall out But God knoweth all tò whose onelie will I leaue it as farre may come as neere foes maie be friends and loue where he doth light doth more then all the world besides His presence maie please the purest eie and for his wit I heard my father woonder at it for his bountie our court speaketh of it and for his vertue who doth not see it but for his loue happy is shee that shall enidie it for princesse wisedome with honourable bountie shewes a diuine spirite in an excellent nature and of such a temper I hold him and for such a one I loue him and will euer honour him though I neuer haue him The young Prince hearing this pretty parly betwixt the Ladie of his loue and her handmaid with a voice lowde enoughe to be heard of them that were so neere fell thus to talke to the aire Oh heauens who can withstand the force of the fates was I going to the wars to gaine honor in the fielde and am I driuen to seeke a peace by being vanquished in a chamber Did I go to fight with the great
sonne before him vsed these wordes vnto him Penillo I haue made thee acquainted with my resolution for my reuenge of yâ— wrong that I haue receiued of Ordillo out of whose countrey I will fetch my fond daughter thy vnhappie sister either dead or aliue and therefore prepare thy selfe to put off all conceit of his kindnes and gaine the encrease of my loue by the honour that thou shalt get vpon mine enemie The young Prince sorie to haue such cause to carrie armes against the father of his faire mistris and yet vnwilling to be disobedient to his father though it were the aduenture of his death did humblie frame him this answere My Gratious father I would be loath to disswade you from your setled resolution but yet let me tell you that although loue hath in my sister wrought a follie shall the malice of a wicked spirit so poison your eare that such a furie possesse your heart that no sparke of patience can haue place in your conceit It will bee thought to the greatest part of your Court yea and almost to your whole countrey that Signor Sperto hath béene the kindler of all this fire and the bréeder of all these warres I wonder not a little that your Grace coulde endure to heare of his presumption in making loue to my sister who I thinke bee rather runne into another countrey to trie the fortune of her affection then to liue at home to abide the vnfitting suite of so ilfauoured a creature whom but that he hath the name of a man if I did not the better know him I should surelie take for a monster But if I maie begge so much fauour of your Grace as to grant me my humble suite I beséech you beginne iustice at home and I hope we shall prosper the better abroad Let Sperto in regard of his malicious practise against a stranger and presumption in troubling the patience of your daughter be openlie called before you reprehended for his follie and banished your Court for his offence and I doubt not but your maiestie shall sée the venome of his vile nature droppe out in his right kinde my sister honorablie returned to your good fauour and your warres turne to such a peace as all that loue you shall be glad of I speake not this like the Prince of Pigmeies that should be affraid of Cranes but that I will attend you in your warres where I hope an honourable triumph will be better then a bloudie conquest but fall what will I will not liue but to bee obedient to your loue and therefore will be readie when it shall please you to attende you The Duke not a little noting the good counsaile of his discréet sonne willing his son to be in readines against a daie shortlie after appointed him caused Sig. Sperto forthwith to be brought before him to whome with a sterne countenance he vsed this spéech Sperto I haue long giuen eare to thine vnsuspected subtiltie but of late hauing sounded the reach of thy conceit I will laie open thy cunning in the time of Rantifoes being in our Courte thou couldest neuer cease to ring in mine eares some couse of dislike in him which I tooke well at thy handes in regarde of thy imagined care of my good but nowe I finde the ground of thy vngratious working grewe from the malicious feare in thee of his fauour from my faire daughter whom thy vnworthie selfe wouldst haue bewitched with wicked eloquence let me tell thée for that I haue in some occasions of importaÌ„ce made good vse of thy seruice thou shall not be vnregarded for I will make thee receiuer of my customes but for thy saucines with my swéete daughter driuen out of our countrey by thy dogged meanes I will out of hande haue thee made an â—…unuch and so commanding one of his Surgeons to take him to his charge to dismember him of his implements fell in hande presentlie with his Counsaile to go forwardes with his resolution for his warres while Sperto with the conceit of his miserie crauing leaue of the Surgeon to spare him till the next morning when his griefe being put a little ouer he should with the more strength endure his torment rather desirous to go to hell quicklie then to hope for heauen with repentance with a paire of his owne garters hangde himselfe in his owne chamber But leauing thus the wicked wretch to his wofull end and the furious Duke in his inerorable anger procéeding onwards with his warres I will tell you a fewe wordes of the two Ladies Merilla and Bilanta the imagined page that I left togâ—…ther in their chamber within a Castle of the Duke Ordillo The Ladie Bilanta after she had secretlie conferred with the Ladie Merilla touching both their loues minding to make her selfe merrie with a prettie conceit after that they had past a night or two in priuat talke togither how to bring all matters about to their best contentment sent for the embassadour her brother in all kindnesse spéedelie to come to her who no sooner receiued the message but laying all businesse apart came to his sister whom he then called mistris little thinking indeed to haue found his true beloued and louing mistris so neere But being come into her lodging and well entred into her chamber commanding apart all her attendantes shee thus fell into talke with him Seruant though perhaps it maie séeme immodestie in a Uirgin of my sort to giue such entertainment to a stranger of what sort soeuer he maie be as I am perswaded your honourable kindnesse will deserue yet let me entreat you one fauour to tell me without dissembling if I am the first obiect of your déerest affection or whether you neuer haue had anie mistris that you haue helde anie especiall account of and hath worthilie had the promise of your loue Truely Madame answered her brother as hee thought vnknowne to her I must confesse I had a mistris whom I so deerely loued and so duelie serued that had I anie possible hope to enioie the fruit of her fauour I shoulde hate my selfe in the loue of anie other but shee being so farre from the comfort of all such conceit I thinke it no dishonour to my loue to doe seruice to the vertue that I finde in you for if I coulde be so vile as to thinke you a base thought death bee the rewarde of my desire and to presume further in the best nature of honour then maie stande with your good fauour might condemne mee of follie and perhaps ouerthrowe my fortune but in such good termes to doe you seruice as maie please you to accept I thinke it a duetie in Chiualrie but for my mistris I protest had you euer seene and knowne her you would haue thought as much good of her as I do and wish her as much happinesse as I want The Ladie smiling at this answere would néedes know her name and whence she was who tolde her that she was the onlie daughter
for the loue of his son Fantiro so pleased the Duke that he not onelie kindly gaue him thankes but richly rewarded him for his good newes and rosaltie considered all his honest and kinde dealing and presentlie caused his sonne the Ambassadour to be sent for whom he welcomed with such a soie as such a father might such a son Who hauing recounted all his fortune his father the Duke caused his sister the young Princesse to be sent for to whom he not onlie gaue thankes for her carefull and kinde vsage of the young Princesse Merilla but charged her vpon his blessing to continue all kindnesse that might giue her knowledge of the â—…oifull loue that shee should finde both in himselfe his Court and his whole countrey and that for a fewe daies shee should seeme to conceale it from her that he knewe of her being in his Court till he had made preparation euerie waie fit for the entertainment of her presence And thus will I leaue the Ladies passing their time together in priuate conference of their thiefest comfortes and I will returne to the Duke Feronte nowe hauing gotten his forces togither marching with his whole Armie towardes the sea minding to make for Cotasi where nothing should content him but a conquest The Duke resolued vpon his determination either to leaue his bloud or take his reuenge dispatching awaie a post with letters to his embassadour for the defiance of his termed enemie the Duke and proclamation of warre with him and his whole countrey calling his sonne vnto him vpon a rocke on the sea side in the middest of his Armie made this speech vnto his people The long iniurie that I haue borne at the handes of my vnfriendlie neighbour Ordillo besides the debt that hee oweth me and neuer intendeth to paie me togither with my extreme griefe for the losse of my onely daughter that onelie through a fonde affection carried I know not how to a stranger I know not whom coâ—…ueied away by a banbrout or decaied merchant if I maie better terme him into that vngratious piece of ground where Ordillo hath his gouernment these I safe with manie other iust causes of discontentment conceiued against yâ— proude Prince and his stubborne people haue caused me to put on the resolution either of death or reuenge which shall no waie ende but in conquest or submission as manie therefore as either regarde our loue or haue anie hope of our fauour let them with willing heartes followe the honour of my resolution protesting that whatsoeuer he bee that shall in the least shewe of feare turne his backe vnto the enemie if hee were as déere to me as mine owne sonne he shall die in the place where I finde him but hee that shall with the fortune of his forwardnesse bring me the Duke or his soune either dead or aliue I will so regard and reward him that he shall leaue honour to his posteritie the winde serueth well for our passage and we shall finde them perhaps vnprouided for our comming so the easier will be our victorie and the shorter our warres if not the sharper our fight the greater will be our honor and since feare is the badge of villanie let vs auoide the shame of such condition and as manie as loue either our crowne or countrey holde vp their handes with me who then in the whole campe that had a hand but he would holde it vp Well to grow towardes an ende as the Prince said so said the people the Duke set foote aboord and all the Armie followed him the winde serued the saâ—…les were hoised and the anchors weied and awaie they went where I will leaue them for a while and returne againe to Ordillo the Duke of Cotasi and his sonne Feronte his embassadour The post hauing béen with the embassadour as he thought but now rather an enemie then a friend if this quarrell should go forwarde perceiuing the intent of the Duke his late master rather chusing to be an vnkinde seruant then an vnnaturall sonne wrote vnto him that the case was altered hee had nowe chosen an other master whose loue hee knewe was such vnto him that seruing him faithfullie woulde not vse him vnkindlie his embassage was deliuered and nowe this must bee his answere as in kindnesse hee might command much so by the contrarie as little his comming was more expected then feared and his welcome should be as he deserued and for himselfe if his fortune were to his hope he should find a kinder seruant then he had done a master with these and such like conclusions dispatched awaie The young Prince presentlie went to his father the Duke Ordillo with whom and his Counsaile conferring vpon the seruice speedelie to bee had care of taking order by vertue of his Commission to leuie a great Armie as well to encounter the enemie as in diuerse places of strength to stand for defence if anie occasion should be offered being secure for anie feare or doubt to be ouertaken hearing by a Pinnis that being at sea deseried the fléete so farre as by meanes of crosse windes and ill weather they could not in fiue daies come néere the shore of their countrey after he had a little reposed himselfe after his trauaile considering the great discomfort that his mistris the young Princesse might take vpon the rumour of these warres making all the meanes hee could to haue it kept from her hearing tooke a conuenient time to go to his sister with whome his mistris as yet remained But as such kinde of persons most inquisitiue of newes are not without their intelligencers so fell it out that the post was scarce at the Court but his message was knowne to the young Ladies â—…hose priuate conference vpon the same before Fantiroes comming to them was as followeth Merilla considering the manie sorrowes that were now like to fall vpon her the assurance of her fathers displeasure the doubt of her brothers loue and the feare of the young Prince her seruantes death in the seruice was euen so appauled that following the humours of women first to sigh for a little griefe of disobedience in nature then enfolding her armes as lamenting the doubted losse of her brothers loue and last of all wéeping with feare to loose the comfort of all her worldes hope in her déere beloued and kinde louing Lorde in the misfortune of the warres was by the young Princesse her seruants sister comforted with these wordes Sister so will I nowe terme thee for so doe I holde thee and so doe I hope to haue thee and so will I euer loue shee take not too much griefe at anything that either feare or doubt may put into thy head let this comfort thee that thou art not alone in thy miserie if thou hast left a father thou hast found a friend and if thou hast lost a brother thou hast found a sister choler and melancholie gouernes the spirits of the aged but kindnesse and mirth should be the humours of our