beseech you Sir said she since your prowes hath bereft me of my company let it yet so farre heale the woundes it selfe hath giuen as to garde me to the next towne How great so euer my businesse bee fayre Ladie saide hee it shall willingly yeeld to so noble a cause But first euen by the fauour you beare to the Lorde of this noble armour I coniure you to tell mee the storie of your fortune herein lest hereafter when the image of so excellent a Ladie in so straunge a plight come before mine eyes I condemne my selfe of want of consideration in not hauing demaunded thus much Neither aske I it without protestation that wherein my sworde and faith may auaile you they shall binde themselues to your seruice Your coniuration fayre Knight saide she is too strong for my poore spirite to disobey and that shall make me without any other hope my ruine being but by one vnrelieueable to graunt your will herein and to say the truth a straunge nicenesse were it in me to refraine that from the eares of a person representing so much worthinesse which I am glad euen to rockes and woods to vtter Know you then that my name is Helen Queene by birth hetherto possession of the faire citie and territorie of Corinth I can say no more of my selfe but beloued of my people may iustly say beloued since they are content to beare with my abseÌ„ce folly But I being left by my fathers death accepted by my people in the highest degre that couÌ„try could receiue assone or rather before that my age was ripe for it my court quickely swarmed full of suiters some perchance louing my state otherâ— my person but once I know all of them howsoeuer my possessions were in their harts my beautie such as it is was in their mouthes many strangers of princely and noble blood and all of mine owne countrie to whom either birth or vertue gaue courage to avowe so high a desire Among the rest or rather before the rest was the Lorde Philoxenus sonne and heire to the vertuous noble man Timotheus which Timotheus was a man both in power riches parentage and which passed all these goodnes and which followed all these loue of the people beyond any of the great men of my countrie Now this sonne of his I must say truly not vnworthye of such a father bending himselfe by all meanes of seruiseablenes to mee and setting forth of himselfe to win my fauour wan thus farre of mee that in truth I lesâ—e misliked him then any of the rest which in some proportion my countenaunce deliuered vnto him Though I must protest it was a very false embassadour if it deliuered at all any affection whereof my hart was vtterly void I as then esteeming my selfe borne to rule thinking foule scorne willingly to submit my selfe to be ruled But whiles Philoxenus in good sorte pursued my fauour and perchance nourished himselfe with ouer much hope because he found I did in some sorte acknowledge his valew one time among the rest he brought with him a deare friend of his With that she loked vpoÌ„ the picture before her and straight sighed straight teares followed as if the Idol of dutie ought to be honoured with such oblations and then her speach staied the tale hauing brought her to that looke but that looke hauing quite put her out of her tale But Palladius greatly pitying so sweete a sorrow in a Ladie whom by fame he had already knowen honoured besought her for her promise sake to put silence so longe vnto her moning till she had recounted the rest of this story Why saide she this is the picture of Amphialus what neede I say more to you what eare is so barbarous but hath hard of Amphialus who followes deeds of armes but euery where findes monumeÌ„ts of Amphialus who is courteous noble liberall but he that hath the example before his eyes of Amphialus where are al heroical parts but in Amphialus O Amphialus I would thou were not so excellent or I would I thought thee not so excellent and yet would I not that I would soâ— with that she wept againe till he againe solliciting the conclusion of her story Then must you saide shee know the story of Amphialus for his wil is my life his life my history and indeed in what can I better emploie my lippes theÌ„ in speaking of Amphialus This Knight then whose figure you see but whose minde can be painted by nothing but by the true shape of vertue is brothers sonne to Basilius King of Arcadia and in his childhood esteemed his heir till Basilius in his olde yeares marrying a yonge and a faire Lady had of her those two daughters so famous for their perfection in beautie which put by their yong cosin from that expectation Wherevppon his mother a woman of a hautiâ— heart being daughter to the King of Argos either disdaining or fearing that her sonne should liue vnder the power of Basilius sent him to that Lorde Timotheus betweene whome and her dead husband there had passed streight bands of mutuall hospitality to be brought vp in company with his sonne Philoxenus A happie resolution for Amphialus whose excellent nature was by this meanes trained on with as good education as any Princes sonne in the worlde could haue which otherwise it is thought his mother farre vnworthie of such a sonne would not haue giuen him The good Timotheus no lesse louing him then his owne sonne well they grew in yeeres and shortly occasions fell aptly to trie Amphialus and all occasions were but steppes for him to clime fame by Nothing was so harde but his valour ouercame which yet still he so guided with true vertue that although no man was in our parts spoken of but he for his manhood yet as though therin he excelled him selfe he was coÌ„monly called the courteous Amphialus An endlesse thing it were for me to tell how many aduentures terrible to be spoken of he atchieued what monsters what Giants what conquests of countries some times vsing policy some times force but alwaies vertue well folowed and but followed by Philoxenus betweene whom and him so fast a frindship by educatioÌ„ was knit that at last Philoxenus hauing no greater matter to imploye his frindshipp in then to winne me therein desired and had his vttermost furtheraunce to that purpose brought he him to my court where truely I may iustly witnes with him that what his wit coulde conceiue and his wit can conceiue as far as the limits of reason stretch was all directed to the setting forwarde the suite of his friend Philoxenus my eares could heare nothing from him but touching the worthines of Philoxenus and of the great happines it would be vnto mee to haue such a husband with many arguments which God knowes I cannot well remember because I did not much beleue For why should I vse many circumstances to come to that where alreadye I am and euer while
sisters help said she who remembers it better then I I will declare vnto you and first of Erona being the chiefe Subiect of this discourse this storie with more teares and exclamations then I liste to spende about it hee recounted Of late there raigned a King in Lydia who had for the blessing of his mariage this onely daughter of his Erona a Princesse worthie for her beautie as much praise as beautie may be prayse-worthy This princesse Erona being 19. yeeres of age seeing the countrie of Lydia so much deuoted to Cupid as that in euery place his naked pictures and images were superstitiously adored ether moued thereunto by the esteeming that could be no Godhead which coulde breed wickednes or the shamefast consideration of such nakednes procured so much of her father as vtterly to pull downe and deface al those statues pictures Which how terribly he punished for to that the Lydians impute it quickly after appeared For she had not liued a yeare longer whē she was striken with most obstinate Loue to a young man but of meane parentage in her fathers court named Antiphilus so meane as that hee was but the sonne of her Nurse and by that meanes without other desert became knowen of her Now so euill could she conceale her fire and so wilfully perseuered she in it that her father offering her the mariage of the great Tiridates king of Armenia who desired her more then the ioyes of heauen shee for Antiphilus sake refused it Many wayes her father sought to with drawe her from it sometimes perswasions sometimes threatnings once hiding Antiphilus and giuing her to vnderstand that he was fled the countrie Lastly making a solemne execution to be done of another vnder the name of Antiphilus whom he kept in prison But nether she liked perswasions nor feared threateninges nor changed for absence and when she thought him dead she sought all meanes as well by poyson as knife to send her soule at least to be maried in the eternall church with him This so brake the tender fathers hart that leauing things as he found them hee shortly after died Then foorth with Erona being seazed of the crowne and arming her will with authoritie sought to aduance her affection to the holy title of matrimonie But before she could accomplish all the solemnities she was ouertaken with a war the King Tiridates made vpon her only for her person towards whom for her ruine Loue had kindled his cruel hart indeed cruell and tyrannous for being far too strong in the field he spared not man woman and child but as though there could be found no foile to set foorth the extremitie of his loue but extremity of hatred wrote as it were the sonets of his Loue in the bloud and tuned them in the cries of her subiects although his faire sister Artaxia who would accompany him in the army sought all meanes to appease his fury till lastly he besieged Erona in her best citie vowing to winne her or lose his life And now had he brought her to the point ether of a wofull consent or a ruinous deniall when there came thether following the course which Vertue and Fortune led them two excellent young Princes Pyrocles Musidorus the one Prince of Macedon the other of Thessalia two princes as Plangus said and he witnessed his saying with sighes and teares the most accomplished both in body minde that the Sun euer lookt vpon While Philoclea spake those words O sweete wordes thought Zelmane to herselfe which are not onely a praise to mee but a praise to praise it selfe which out of that mouth issueth These 2. princes said Philoclea aswell to help the weaker especially being a Ladie as ta saue a Greeke people from being ruined by such whom we call and count Barbarous gathering to gether such of the honestest Lycians as would venture their liues to succour their Princesse giuing order by a secret message they sent into the Citie that they should issue with al force at an appointed time they set vpon Tiridates campe with so well-guided a fiercenes that being of both sides assaulted he was like to be ouerthrowen but that this Plangus being Generall of Tiridates hors-men especially ayded by the two mightie men Euardes and Barzanes rescued the footmē euen almost defeated but yet could not barre the Princes with their succoures both of men and victuall to enter the Citie Which when Tiridates found would make the war long which length seemed to him worse then a languishing consumption he made a challenge of three Princes in his retinue against those two Princes and Antiphilus and that thereupon the quarrell should be decided with compact that neither side should helpe his fellow but of whose side the more ouercame with him the victorie should remaine Antiphilus though Erona chose rather to bide the brunt of warre then venture him yet could not for shame refuse the offer especially since the two strangers that had no interest in it did willingly accept it besides that he sawe it like enough that the people werie of the miseries of war would rather giue him vp if they saw him shrinke then for his sake venture their ruine considering that the challengers were farre of greater worthinesse then himselfe So it was agreed vpon and against Pyrocles was Euardes King of Bithinia Barzanes of Hircania against Musidorus two men that thought the world scarse able to resist them and against Antiphilus he placed this same Plangus being his owne cousin germain and sonne to the King of Iberia Now so it fell out that Musidorus slewe Barzanes and Pyrocles Euardes which victory those Princes esteemed aboue all that euer they had but of the other side Plangus tooke Antiphilus prisoner vnder which colour as if the matter had bene equall though indeed it was not the greater part being ouercome of his side Tiridates continued his war and to bring Erona to a compelled yeelding sent her word that he would the third morrow after before the walles of the towne strike off Antiphilus head without his suite in that space were graunted adding withall because he had heard of her desperate affection that if in the meane time she did her selfe any hurt what tortures could be deuised should be layed vpon Antiphilus Then lo if Cupid be a God or that the tyranny of our owne thoughts seeme as a God vnto vs. But whatsoeuer it was then it did set foorth the miserablenes of his effectes she being drawne to two cōtraries by one cause For the loue of him commaunded her to yeeld to no other the loue of him commaunded her to preserue his life which knot might well be cut but vntied it could not be So that Loue in her passions like a right makebate whispered to both sides arguments of quarrell What said he of the one side doost thou loue Antiphilus ô Erona and shall Tiridates enioy thy bodie with what eyes wilt thou looke vpon Antiphilus when he shall know that an other
of shamefastnes and wanton languishing borrowed of her eyes the down-castlooke of modestie But we in the mean time farre from louing her and often assuring her that we would not so recompence her husbandes sauing of our liues to such a ridiculous degree of trusting her she had brought him that she caused him send vs worde that vpon our liues we should doo whatsoeuer she commaunded vs good man not knowing any other but that all her pleasures were directed to the preseruation of his estate But when that made vs rather pittie then obey his folly then fell she to seruile entreating vs as though force could haue bene the schoole of Loue or that an honest courage would not rather striue against then yeeld to iniurie All which yet could not make vs accuse her though it made vs almost pine away for spight to loose any of our time in so troublesome an idlenesse But while we were thus full of wearinesse of what was past and doubt of what was to follow Loue that I thinke in the course of my life hath a spot sometimes to poyson me with roses sometimes to heale me with wormewood brought forth a remedy vnto vs which though it helped me out of that distres alas the cōclusion was such as I must euer while I liue think it worse then a wracke so to haue bene preserued This King by this Queene had a sonne of tender age but of great expectation brought vp in the hope of themselues and already acceptation of the inconstant people as successour of his fathers crowne wherof he was as worthy considering his partes as vnworthie in respect of the wrong was thereby done against the most noble Plangus whose great desertes now either forgotten or vngratefully remembred all men set their sayles with the fauourable winde which blewe on the fortune of this young Prince perchaunce not in their harts but surely not in their mouths now giuing Plangus who some yeares before was their only champion the poore comfort of calamitie pittie This youth therefore accounted Prince of that region by name Palladius did with vehement affection loue a yong Ladye brought vp in his fathers court called Zelmane daughter to that mischieuouslie vnhappie Prince Plexirtus of whom already I haue and sometimes must make but neuer honorable mention left there by her father because of the intricate changeablenes of his estate he by the motherside being halfe brother to this Queene Andromana and therefore the willinger committing her to her care But as Loue alas doth not alwaies reflect it selfe so fell it out that this Zelmane though truely reason there was enough to loue Palladius yet could not euer perswade her harte to yeelde thereunto with that paine to Palladius as they feele that feele an vnloued loue Yet louing indeed and therefore constant hee vsed still the intercession of diligence and faith euer hoping because he would not put him selfe into that hell to be hopelesse vntill the time of our being come and captiued there brought foorth this ende which truely deserues of me a further degree of sorrow then teares Such was therein my ill destinie that this young Ladye Zelmane like some vnwisely liberall that more delight to giue presentes then pay debtes she chose alas for the pittie rather to bestowe her loue so much vndeserued as not desired vpon me then to recompence him whose loue besides many other thinges might seeme euen in the court of Honour iustly to claime it of her But so it was alas that so it was whereby it came to passe that as nothing doth more naturally follow his cause then care to preserue and benefite doth follow vnfained affection she felt with me what I felt of my captiuitie and streight laboured to redresse my paine which was her paine which she could do by no better meanes then by vsing the helpe therein of Palladius who true Louer considering what and not why in all her commaundements and indeed she concealing from him her affection which shee intituled compassion immediatly obeyed to imploye his vttermost credite to relieue vs which though has great as a beloued son with a mother faultye otherwise but not hard-harted toward him yet it could not preuaile to procure vs libertie Wherefore he sought to haue that by practise which he could not by praier And so being allowed often to visite vs for indeede our restraints were more or lesse according as the ague of her passion was either in the fit or intermission he vsed the opportunitie of a fit time thus to deliuer vs. The time of the marrying that Queene was euery year by the extreme loue of her husband and the seruiceable loue of the Courtiers made notable by some publike honours which did as it were proclaime to the worlde how deare shee was to that people Among other none was either more grateful to the beholders or more noble in it selfe then iusts both with sword launce mainteined for a seuen-night together wherein that Nation doth so excel both for comelines and hablenes that from neighbour-countries they ordinarilye come some to striue some to learne some to behold This day it happened that diuers famous Knights came thither from the Court of Helen Queene of Corinth a Lady whome fame at that time was so desirous to honor that she borrowed all mens mouthes to ioyne with the sounde of her Trumpet For as her beautie hath wonne the prize from all women that stande in degree of comparison for as for the two sisters of Arcadia they are far beyond all conceipte of comparison so hath her gouernment bene such as hath bene no lesse beautifull to mens iudgementes then her beautie to the eiesight For being brought by right of birth a woman a yong woman a faire woman to gouern a people in nature mutinously proud and alwaies before so vsed to hard gouernours as they knew not how to obey without the sworde were drawne Yet could she for some yeares so carry her selfe among them that they found cause in the delicacie of her sex of admiration not of contempt which was notable euen in the time that many countries about her were full of wars which for old grudges to Corinth were thought stil would conclude there yet so handled she the matter that the threatens euer smarted in the threatners she vsing so strange and yet so well-succeding a temper that she made her people by peace warlike her courtiers by sports learned her Ladies by Loue chast For by cōtinuall martiall exercises without bloud she made them perfect in that bloudy art Her sportes were such as carried riches of Knowledge vpon the stream of Delight and such the behauiour both of her selfe and her Ladies as builded their chastitie not vpon waiwardnes but choice of worthines So as it seemed that court to haue bene the mariage place of Loue Vertue and that herself was a Diana apparrelled in the garmēts of Venus And this which Fame only deliuered vnto me for yet I haue neuer
if he did accept the combat Damaetas would neuer dare to appeare and that then the honour should be his but and then willed him to lie downe vpon the earth as flat as he could Clinias obeyed and Damaetas who neuer could thinke himselfe safe till Clinias were dead began to thinke with himselfe that if he strake at him with his sworde if he did not kill him at the first blowe that then Clinias might happe to arise and reuenge himselfe Therefore he thought best to kneele downe vpon him and with a great whittle he had hauing disarmed his heade to cut his throate which he had vsed so with Calues as he had no small dexteritie in it But while he sought for his Knife which vnder his armour he could not well finde out and that Clinias lay with so sheepish a quietnes as if he would haue beene glad to haue his throate cut for feare of more paine the Iudges came in and tooke Damaetas from off him telling him he did against the lawe of Armes hauing promised life if hee threwe away his sworde Damaetas was loath to consent till they sware they would not suffer him to fight any more when he was vp and then more forced then perswaded he let him rise crowing ouer him and warning him to take heede how he dealt any more with any that came of his fathers kinred But thus this combate of cowardes being finished Damaetas was with much mirth and melodie receiued into the campe as victorious neuer a Page there failing to waite vpon this Triumph But Clinias though he wanted hart to preuent shame yet he wanted not wit to feele shame not so much repining at it for the abhorring of shame as for the discommodities that to them that are shamed ensue For well he deemed it would be a great barre to his practize and a pulling on of iniuries when men needed not care how they vsed him Insomuch that Clinias finding himselfe the scorning-stocke of euery companie fell with repining to hate the cause thereof and hate in a cowards hart could set it selfe no other limites but death Which purpose was well egged on by representing vnto himselfe what daunger he lately was in which still kept no lesse ougly figure in his minde then when it was present and quickly euen in his dissembling countenance might be discerned a concealed grudge For though he forced in himselfe a farre more diligent officiousnesse toward Amphialus then euer before yet a leering eye vpon the one side at him a countenance still framed to smiling before him how little cause soeuer there was of smiling and grombling behind him at any of his commandements with an vncertaine manner of behauiour his words comming out though full of flatterie yet slowly and hoarcely pronounced might well haue blazed what armes his false hart bare But despised because of his cowardlinesse and not marked because despised he had the freer scope of practize Which he did the more desperately enter into because the dayly dangers Amphialus did submit himselfe into made Clinias assuredly looke for his ouerthrow and for his owne consequently if he did not redeme his former treason to Basilius with a more treasonable falshood toward Amphialus His chiefe care therefore was to finde out among all sorts of the Amphialians whom either like feare tediousnes of the siege or discontentment of some vnsatisfied ambition would make apt to dig in the same mine that he did some alredy of welthy weary folks vnconstāt youths who had not found such sudden successe as they had promised thēselues he had made stoupe to his lure But of none he made so good account as of Artesia sister to the late slain Ismenus the chiefe of the six maids who had trained out the Princesses to their banket of miserie so much did the sharpnes of her wit counteruaile as he thought any other defects of her sex for she had vndertaken that dangerous practise by the persuasion of Cecropia who assured her that the two princesses should be made away and then Amphialus wold marry her which she was the apter to beleue by some false persuasiō her glas had giuen her of her own incomparable excellēcies by the great fauor she knew he bare to her brother Ismenus which like a self-flattering womā she cōceiued was done for her sake But when she had atchieued her attempt and that she found the Princesses were so far frō their intended death as that the one of them was like to be her souereigne that neither her seruice had woon of Amphialus much more then ordinary fauor nor her ouer-large offring herselfe to a mind otherwise owed had obteined a loked-for acceptatiō disdain to be disdained spite of a frustrat hope perchance vnquenched lust-growne rage made her vnquiet thoughts find no other rest but malice which was increased by the death of her brother whom she iudged neither succoured against Philanax nor reuenged vpō Philanax But all these coles were wel blowne by the cōpany she especially kept with Zelmane all this time of her imprisonment For finding her presence vncheerfull to the mourning Philoclea and contemned of the hie harted Pamela she spent her time most with Zelmane Who though at the first hardly brooking the instrument of their miserie learning cunning in the schoole of aduersitie in time framed her self to yeeld her acceptable intertainment For Zelmane when she had by that vnexpected mischiefe her bodie imprisoned her valure ouermastred her wit beguiled her desires barred her loue eclipsed assured of euill fearing worse able to know Philocleas misfortune and not able to succour her she was a great while before the greatnes of her hart could descend to sorow but rather rose boyling vp in spight and disdain Reason hardly making Courage beleeue that it was distressed but as if the walles would be afraid of her so would her lookes shoote out threatning vpon them But the fetters of seruitude growing heauier with wearing made her feele her case and the little preuailing of repining and then griefe gat a seate in her softned mind making sweetenesse of passed comforts by due title claime teares of present discomforts and since her fortune made her able to helpe as litle as any bodie yet to be able to waile as much as any bodie solitarie Sorrow with a continuall circle in herselfe going out at her owne mouth to come in againe at her owne eares Then was the name of Philoclea graued in the glas windowes and by the foolish idolatrie of affection no sooner written then adored and no sooner adored then pittied all the wonted praises she was wont to giue vnto her being now but figures of rethorick to amplifie the iniuries of misfortune against which being alone she would often make inuectiue declamations methodized only by raging sorow But when Artesia did insinuat herselfe into her acquaintance she gaue the gouernment of her courage to wit was content to familiarize herselfe with her so much the rather
cankred brest perceiuing that as in water the more she grasped the lesse she held but yet now hauing run so long the way of rigour it was too late in reason and too contrary to her passion to returne to a course of meekenesse And therefore taking counsell of one of her olde associates who so far excelled in wickednesse as that she had not onely lost all feeling of conscience but had gotten a very glory in euill in the ende they determined that beating and other such sharp dealing did not so much pull downe a womans hart as it bred anger and that nothing was more enemy to yeelding then anger making their tender harts take on the armour of obstinacy for thus did their wicked mindes blinde to the light of vertue and owly eied in the night of wickednes interpret of it and that therefore that was no more to be tried And for feare of death which no question would doo most with them they had bene so often threatned as they began to be familiarly acquainted with it and learned to esteeme threatning words to be but words Therefore the last but best way now was that the one seeing indeede the others death should perceiue there was no dallying meant and then there was no doubt that a womans soule would do much rather then leaue so beautifull a body This being concluded Cecropia went to Philoclea and tolde her that now she was to come to the last part of the play for her part though she found her hard harted obstinacie such that neither the sweetnesse of louing meanes nor the force of hard meanes could preuaile with her yet before she would passe to a further degree of extremity she had sought to win her sister in hope that her sonne might be with time satisfied with the loue of so faire a Lady but finding her also rather more then lesse wilfull she was now minded that one of their deathes should serue for an example to the other that despising worthy folks was more hurtfull to the despiser then the despised that yet because her sonne especially affected her and that in her owne selfe she was more inclinable to pittie her then she had deserued she would begin with her sister who that afternoone should haue her head cut off before her face if in the meane time one of them did not pull out their il-wrought stiches of vnkindnes she bad her looke for no other nor longer time then she told her There was no assault giuen to the sweet Philocleas minde that entered so far as this for where to all paines and daungers of her selfe foresight with his Lieutenant Resolution had made ready defence now with the loue she bare her sister she was driuen to a stay before she determined but long she staied not before this reason did shine vnto her that since in herselfe she preferred death before such a base seruitude loue did teach her to wish the same to her sister Therefore crossing her armes and looking side-ward vpon the ground Do what you will said she with vs for my part heauen shall melt before I be remoued But if you will follow my counsell for your owne sake for as for praiers for my sake I haue felt how little they preuaile let my death first serue for example to win her who perchaunce is not so resolued against Amphialus and so shall you not onely iustly punish mee who indeede doo hate both you and your sonne but if that may mooue you you shall doo more vertuously in preseruing one most worthy of life and killing an other most desirous of death lastly in winning her in steed of a peeuish vnhappie creature that I am you shall blesse your sonne with the most excellent woman in all praise-worthy things that the world holdeth But Cecropia who had already set downe to her selfe what she would do with bitter both termes and countenaunce told her that she should not neede to woo death ouer-egerly â—or if her sister going before her did not teach her wit her selfe should quickly follow For since they were not to be gotten there was no way for her sonnes quiet but to knowe that they were past getting And so since no intreating nor threatning might preuayle she bad her prepare her eies for a new play which she should see within fewe houres in the hall of that castle A place indeed ouerfit for so vnfit a matter for being so stately made that the bottome of it being euen with the ground the roofe reached as hie as any part of the castle at either ende it had conuenient lodgings In the one ende was one storie from the ground Philocleas abode in the other of euen height Pamelas and Zelmanes in a chamber aboue her but all so vaulted of strong and thickly built stone as one could no way heare the other each of these chambers had a litle windowe to looke into the hall but because the sisters should not haue so much comforte as to looke one to another there was of the outsides curtaynes drawne which they could not reach with their hands so barring the reach of their sight But when the houre came that the Tragedie should beginne the curtaynes were withdrawen from before the windowes of Zelmane and of Philoclea a sufficient challenge to call their eyes to defende themselues in such an incounter And by and by came in at one ende of the hall with about a dozen armed souldiers a Ladie led by a couple with her handes bounde before her from aboue her eyes to her lippes muffled with a faire kerchiefe but from her mouth to the shoulders all bare and so was led on to a scaffold raised a good deale from the floore and all couered with crimsin veluet But neither Zelmane nor Philoclea needed to be tolde who she was for the apparell she ware made them too well assured that it was the admirable Pamela Whereunto the rare whitenesse of her naked necke gaue sufficient testimonie to their astonnished senses But the fayre Ladie being come to the scaffold and then made to kneele downe and so lefte by her vnkinde supporters as it seemed that she was about to speake somewhat whereunto Philoclea poore soule earnestly listned according to her speach euen minding to frame her minde her harte neuer till then almost wauering to saue her sisters life before the vnfortunate Ladie could pronounce three wordes the executioner cut off the ones speech and the others attention with making his sworde doo his cruell office vpon that beautifull necke Yet the pittilesse sworde had such pittie of so pretious an obiect that at first it did but hit flat long But little auailed that since the Ladie falling downe astonnished withall the cruell villayne forced the sworde with another blowe to diuorce the faire marriage of the head and body And this was done so in an instant that the very act did ouerrun Philocleas sorrow sorrow not being able so quickly to thunderbolt her harte thorough her senses but first
onely opprest her with a storme of amazement but when her eies sawe that they did see as condemning themselues to haue seene it they became weary of their owne power of seeing and her soule then drinking vp woe with great draughts she fell downe to deadly traunces but her waiting iaylors with cruell pitty brought lothed life vnto her which yet many times tooke his leaue as though he would indeed depart but when he was staied by force he kept with him deadly Sorrow which thus exercised her mourning speech Pamela my sister my sister Pamela woe is me for thee I would I had died for thee Pamela neuer more shall I see thee neuer more shall I enioy thy sweet companie and wise counsell Alas thou arte gone to beautifie heauen and hast left me here who haue nothing good in me but that I did euer loue thee and euer will lament thee Let this daye be noted of all vertuous folkes for most vnfortunate let it neuer be mentioned but among curses and cursed bee they that did this mischiefe and most accursed bee mine eyes that behelde it Sweete Pamela that head is striken of where onely wisedome might be spoken withall that bodie is destroyed which was the liuing booke of vertue Deare Pamela how haste thou lefte me to all wretchednesse and miserie Yet while thou liuedst in thee I breathed of thee I hoped O Pamela how much did I for thy excellencie honour thee more then my mother and loue thee more then my selfe Neuer more shall I lie with thee neuer more shall we bathe in the pleasant riuer together neuer more shall I see thee in thy shephearde apparell But thou arte gone and where am I Pamela is dead and liue I O my God And with that she fell againe in a soune so as it was a great while before they could bring her to her selfe againe but being come to her-selfe Alas said she vnkind women since you haue giuen me so many deathes torment me not now with life for Gods sake let me goe and excuse your hands of more blood Let me follow my Pamela whom euer I sought to follow Alas Pamela they will not let me come to thee But if they keepe promise I shall treade thine owne steppes after thee For to what am I borne miserable soule but to be most vnhappie in my selfe and yet more vnhappie in others But ô that a thousand more miseries had chanced vnto me so thou haddest not dyed Pamela my sister Pamela And so like lamentable Philomela complained she the horrible wrong done to her sister which if it stird not in the wickedly closed minds of her tormentors a pittie of her sorrow yet bredde it a wearinesse of her sorrow so as onely leauing one to preuent any harme â—he should doo her selfe the rest went away consulting againe with Cecropia how to make profite of this their late bloodie act In the ende that woman that vsed most to keepe company with Zelmane tolde Cecropia that she founde by many most sensible proofes in Zelmane that there was neuer woman so loued another as she loued Philoclea which was the cause that she further then the commandement of Cecropia had caused Zelmanes curtaines to bee also drawne because hauing the same spectacle that Philoclea had shee might stand in the greater feare for her whom she loued so well and that indeed she had hit the needle in that deuise for neuer saw she creature so astonished as Zelmane exceedingly sory for Pamela but exceedingly exceeding that exceedingnes in feare for Philoclea Therefore her aduice was shee â—houlde cause Zelmane to come and speake with Philoclea For there being such vehemencie of friendship between them it was most likely both to moue Zelmane to perswade and Philoclea to be perswaded Cecropia liked well of the counsell and gaue order to the same woman to go deale therin with Zelmane and to assure her with othe that Cecropia was determined Philoclea should passe the same way that Pamela had done without she did yeeld to satisfie the extremitie of her sonnes affection which the woman did adding thereunto many as she thought good reasons to make Zelmane thinke Amphialus a fit match for Philoclea But Zelmane who had from time to time vnderstood the cruell dealing they had vsed to the sisters and now had her own eies wounded with the sight of ones death was so confused withall her courage still rebelling against her wit desiring stil with force to doo impossible matters that as her desire was stopped with power so her conceit was darkned with a mist of desire For blinde Loue and inuincible valure still would cry out that it could not bee Philoclea should bee in so miserable estate and she not relieue her and so while shee haled her wit to her courage shee drew it from his owne limits But nowe Philocleas death a worde able to marshall â—ll his thoughts in order being come to so short a point either with small delay to be suffred or by the giuing her selfe to another to be preuented she was driuen to thinke and to desire some leasure of thinking which the woman granted for that night vnto her A night that was not halfe so blacke as her minde not halfe so silent as was fit for her musing thoughts At last he that would faine haue desperatly lost a thousand liues for her sake could not finde in his harte that she should loose any life for her owne sake and he that despised his owne death in respect of honour yet could well nye dispense with honour it selfe in respect of Philocleas death for once the thought could not enter into his harte nor the breath issue out of his mouth which could consent to Philocleas death for any bargaine Then how to preuent the next degree to death which was her being possest by another was the point of his mindes labour and in that he founde no other way but that Philoclea shoulde pretend a yeelding vnto Cecropias request and so by speaking with Amphialus and making faire but delaying promises procure libertie for Zelmane who only wisht but to come by a sword not doubting then to destroy them all and deliuer Philoclea so little did both the men and their forces seeme in her eyes looking down vpon them from the hye toppe of affections tower With that minde therefore but first well bound shee was brought to Philoclea hauing already plotted out in her conceite how she would deale with her and so came she with hart and eyes which did each sacrifice either to Loue vpon the aultar of Sorrow and there had shee the pleasing displeasing sight of Philoclea Philoclea whoÌ„ alredy the extreame sense of sorrow had brought to a dulnesse therein her face not without tokens that beautie had bene by many miseries cruelly battered and yet shewed it most the perfection of that beautie which coulde remaine vnouerthrowne by such enimies But when Zelmane was set downe by her and the women gone away because she might be the
giue the blow his foot tript so as it came not with the full force yet forcible inough to strike him downe and withall to depriue him of his sense so that he lay a while comforted by the hurt in that hee felte not his discomfort And when he came againe to himselfe he heard or he thought he heard a voice which cried Reuenge Reuenge vnto him whether indeede it were his good Angell which vsed that voice to stay him from vnnaturall murdering of himselfe or that his wandering spirites lighted vpon that conceite and by their weakenes subiect to apprehensions supposed they heard it But that indeed helped with Vertue and her valiant seruant Anger stopped him from present destroying himselfe yeelding in reason and manhoode first to destroy man woman and childe that were any way of kinne to them that were accessarie to this crueltie then to raze the Castle and to builde a sumptuous monument for her sister and a most sumptuous for her selfe and then himselfe to die vpon her tomb This determining in himselfe to do and to seek all meanes how for that purpose to get out of prison he was content a while to beare the thirst of death and yet went he againe to the windowe to kisse the beloued heade with his eies but there saw hee nothing but the scaffold all couered ouer with skarlet nothing but solitarie silence to mourn this mischiefe But then Sorrow hauing disperste it selfe from his harte into all his noble partes it proclaimed his authoritie in cries and teares and with a more gentle dolefulnes coulde poure out his inward euill Alas saide he and is that head taken away too so soone from mine eyes What mine eyes perhappes they enuie the excellencie of your sorrowe Indeede there is nothing now left to become the eyes of all mankinde but teares and woe bee to me if any exceede me in wofulnes I doo coniure you all my senses to accept no obiect but of Sorrow be ashamed nay abhor to thinke of comfort Vnhappie eyes you haue seene too much that euer the light shoulde bee welcome to you vnhappie eares you shall neuer heare the musicke of Musicke in her voice vnhappie hast that haste liued to feele these pangues Thou hast done thy worst World and cursed be thou and cursed art thou since to thine owne selfe thou hast done the worst thou couldest doo Exiled Beautie let onely now thy beautie bee blubbered faces Widowed Musicke let now thy tunes be rorings and lamentations Orphane Vertue get thee winges and flie after her into heauen heere is no dwelling place for thee Why liued I alas Alas why loued I to die wretched and to be the example of the heauens hate And hate and spare not for your worst blow is striken Sweete Philoclea thou art gone and hast carried with thee my loue and hast left thy loue in me and I wretched man do liue I liue to die continually till thy reuenge do giue me leaue to dy thē dy I wil my Philoclea my hart willinglie makes this promise to it selfe Surely hee did not looke vpon thee that gaue the cruell blow for no eye could haue abidden to see such beautie ouerthrowen by such mischiefe Alas why should they diuide such a head from such a bodie no other bodye is worthy of that head no other head is worthie of that body O yet if I had taken my last leaue if I might haue taken a holie kisse from that dying mouth Where art thou Hope which promisest neuer to leaue a man while he liueth Tell me what canst thou hope for nay tel me what is ther which I would willingly hope after Wishing power which is accounted infinite what now is left to wish for She is gone and gone with her all my hope all my wishing Loue be ashamed to be called Loue cruell Hate vnspeakable Hate is victorious ouer thee Who is there nowe left that can iustifie thy tyrannie and giue reason to thy passion O cruell diuorce of thy sweetest mariage that euer was in Nature Philoclea is dead and dead is with her all goodnesse all sweetnes al excellencie Philoclea is dead yet Life is not ashamed to continue vpon the earth Philoclea is dead O deadly word which cōtaineth in it selfe the vttermost of al misfortunes But happie worde when thou shalt be said of me and long it shall not be before it be said Then stopping his wordes with sighes drowning his sighes in teares and drying againe his teares in rage he would sitte a while in a wandring muse which represented nothing but vexations vnto him then throwing himselfe sometime vpon the floore and sometimes vpon the bedde then vp againe till walking was wearisome and rest loathsome and so neither suffering foode nor sleepe to helpe his afflicted nature all that day and night he did nothing but weepe Philoclea sigh Philoclea and crie out Philaclea till as it happened at that time vpon his bed towarde the dawning of the day he heard one stirre in his chamber by the motion of garments and with an angry voice asked Who was there A poore Gentlewoman answered the partie that wish long life vnto you And I soone death to you said he for the horrible curse you haue giuen me Certainely said she an vnkind answere and far vnworthy the excellencie of your minde but not vnsutable to the rest of your behauiour For most parte of this night I haue hearde you being let into your chamber you neuer perceiuing it so was your minde estraunged from your senses and haue hearde nothing of Zelmane in Zelmane nothing but weake waylings fitter for some nurse of a village then so famous a creature as you are O God cried out Pyrocles that thou wert a man that vsest these wordes vnto me I tell thee I am sorry I tell thee I will be sory in despite of thee and all them that woulde haue mee ioyful And yet replied she perchance Philoclea is not dead whom you so much bemone I would we were both dead of that condition said Pyrocles See the folly of your passion said she as though you should be neerer to her you being dead and she aliue then shee being dead and you aliue and if shee be dead was shee not borne to die what then do you crie out for not for her who must haue died one time or other but for some fewe yeares so as it is time and this world that seeme so louely things and not Philoclea vnto you O noble Sisters cried Pyrocles now you be gone who were the onely exalters of all womankind what is left in that sex but babling and businesse And truely said she I will yet a little longer trouble you Nay I praye you doo said Pyrocles for I wishe for nothing in my shorte life but mischiefes and combers and I am content you shall be one of them In truth said she you would thinke your selfe a greatly priuiledged person if since the strongest building and lastingest monarchies are
When Zelmane began her speech the excellency of her beautie and grace made him a little content to heare Besides that a new lesson he had read in Pamela had already taught him some regard But when shee entered into brauerie of speech hee thought at first a mad and railing humor possest her till finding the speeches hold well together and at length come to flatte challenge of combat hee stoode leaning backe with his bodie and head sometimes with bent browes looking vpon the one side of her sometimes of the other beyonde maruell maruailing that hee who had neuer heard such speeches from any Knight shoulde be thus rebuffed by a woman and that maruell made him heare out her speech which ended he turned his head to his brother Zoilus and said nothing but onely lifting vp his eyes smiled But Zelmane finding his minde Anaxius said she perchaunce thou disdaynest to answere me because as a woman thou thinkest me not fitte to bee fought with all But I tell thee that I haue beene trayned vp in martiall matters with so good successe that I haue many times ouercome brauer Knightes then thy selfe and am wel knowen to be equall in feates of armes to the famous Pyrocles who slewe thy valiaunt Vncle the Giant Euardes The remembraunce of his Vncles death someâ—hing netled him so as he answered thus Indeed saide he any woman may bee as valiaunt as that coward and traytorly boy who slewe my Vncle trayterously and after ranne from me in the plaine field Fiue thousand such could not haue ouercome Euardes but by falshood But I sought him all ouer Asia following him stil from one of his cony-holes to another till comming into this Countrie I heard of my friends being besieged and so came to blow away the wretches that troubled him But wheresoeuer the miserable boy flie heauen nor hell shall keepe his harte from being torne by these handes Thou lyest in thy throate said Zelmane that boye where euer he went did so noble actes as thy harte as proude as it is dares not think of much lesse perfourme But to please thee the better with my presence I tell thee no creature can be neerer of kinne to him then my selfe and so well we loue that he woulde not be sorrier for his owne death then for mine I being begotten by his father of an Amazon Ladie And therefore thou canst not deuise to reuenge thy self more vpon him then by killing me which if thou darest doo manfullie doo it otherwise if thou harme these incomparable Ladies or my felfe without daring to fight with me I protest before these Knights and before heauen and earth that will reueile thy shame that thou art the beggerliest dastardly villaine that dishonoureth the earth with his steppes and if thou lettest me ouer-liue them so will I blaze thee But all this coulde not moue Anaxius but that he onely said Euill should it become the terror of the world to fight much worse to skolde with thee But said he for the death of these same pointing to the Princesses of my grace I giue them life And withall going to Pamela and offring to take her by the chin And as for you Minion saide hee yeeld but gently to my will and you shall not onely liue but liue so happily Hee would haue said further when Pamela displeased both with wordes matter and maner putting him awaye with her faire hande Proud beast said shee yet thou plaiest worse thy Comedy then thy Tragedy For my part assure thy selfe since my destiny is such that at each moment my life and death stand in equall balance I had rather haue thee and thinke thee far fitter to be my hangman then my husband Pride and anger woulde faine haue cruelly reuenged so bitter an answere but alredy Cupid had begun to make it his sport to pull his plumes so that vnused to a waye of courtesie and put out of his byas of pride hee hastily went away grumbling to himselfe betweene threatning and wishing leauing his brothers with them the elder of whom Lycurgus liked Philoclea and Zoilus would needes loue Zelmane or at lest entertaine themselues with making them beleue so Lycurgus more braggard and neere his brothers humor began with setting foorth their bloud their deedes howe many they had despised of most excellent women how much they were bound to them that woulde seeke that of them In summe in all his speeches more like the bestower then the desirer of felicitie Whom it was an excellent pastime to those that woulde delight in the play of vertue to see with what a wittie ignorance shee woulde not vnderstande and howe acknowledging his perfections shee woulde make that one of his perfections not to be iniurious to Ladies But when he knew not how to replie then would hee fall to touching and toying stil vewing his graces in no glasse but self-liking To which Philocleas shamefastnes and humblenes were as strong resisters as choller and disdaine For though she yeelded not hee thought she was to bee ouercome and that thought a while stayed him from further violence But Zelmane had eye to his behauiour and set in her memorie vpon the score of Reuenge while shee her selfe was no lesse attempted by Zoilus who lesse ful of bragges was forwardest in offering indeede dishonourable violence But when after their fruitlesse labours they had gone awaye called by their brother who began to be perplexed betweene new conceaued desires and disdaine to bee disdained Zelmane who with most assured quietnesse of iudgement looked into their present estate earnestly perswaded the two sisters that to auoide the mischiefes of prowde outrage they would onely so farre sute their behauiour to their estates as they might winne time which as it coulde not bring them to worse case then they were so it might bring forth inexpected reliefe And why said Pamela shall we any longer flatter aduersity Why shoulde wee delight to make our selues any longer balls to iniurious Fortune since our owne parents are content to be tyraunts ouer vs since our own kinne are content traitorously to abuse vs Certainly in mishap it may bee some comforte to vs that wee are lighted in these fellowes handes who yet will keepe vs from hauing cause of being miserable by our friends meanes Nothing grieues me more then that you noble Ladie Zelmane to whome the worlde might haue made vs able to doo honour shoulde receaue onely hurte by the contagion of our miserie As for me and my sister vndoubtedly it becomes our birth to thinke of dying nobly while we haue done or suffered nothing which might make our soule ashamed at the parture from these bodies Hope is the fawning traitour of the mind while vnder colour of friendship it robbes it of his chiefe force of resolution Vertuous and faire Ladie saide Zelmane what you say is true and that truth may wel make vp a part in the harmonie of your noble thoughts But yet the time which ought alwaies to bee one is
gates and walles leauing none within but himselfe and his brothers his thoughts then so full of their intended pray that Mars-his lowdest trumpet could scarcely haue awaked him But while he was directing what he would haue done his yongest brother Zoilus glad that he had the commission went in the name of Anaxius to tell the sisters that since he had answere from their father that he and his brother Licurgus should haue them in what sort it pleased them that they would now graunt them no longer time but presently to determine whether they thought it more honorable comfort to be compelled or perswaded Pamela made him answere that in a matter whereon the whole state of her life depended and wherein she had euer answered she would not lead but follow her parents pleasure she thought it reason she should either by letter or particular messenger vnderstand somthing from theÌ„selues not haue her beleef bound to the report of their partiall seruant and therfore as to their words she her sister had euer a simple true resolution so against their vniust force God they hoped would either arme their liues or take away their liues Well Ladies said he I will leaue my brothers who by and by will come vnto you to be their owne embassadors for my part I must now do my selfe seruice And with that turning vp his mustachoes and marching as if he would begin a pauen â—e went toward Zelmane But Zelmane hauing had all this while of the messengers being with Basilius much to do to keepe those excellent Ladies from seeking by the pasport of death to escape those base dangers wherevnto they found themselues subiect still hoping that Musidorus would finde some meanes to deliuer theÌ„ and therefore had often both by her owne example and comfortable reasons perswaded them to ouerpasse many insolent indignities of their proud suters who thought it was a sufficient fauour not to do the vttermost iniurie now come againe to the streight she most feared for them either of death or dishonor if heroicall courage would haue let her she had bene beyonde herselfe amazed but that yet held vp her wit to attend the vttermost occasion which euen then brought his hairie forehead vnto her for Zoilus smacking his lippes as for the Prologue of a kisse and something aduancing himselfe Darling said he let thy hart be full of ioy and let thy faire eies be of counsell with it for this day thou shalt haue Zoilus whom many haue loÌ„ged for but none shall haue him but Zelmane And oh how much glory I haue to think what a race wil be betwne vs. The world by the heaueÌ„s the world will be too little for them And with that he would haue put his arme about her necke but she withdrawing her selfe from him My Lord said she much good may your thoughts do you but that I may not dissemble with you my natiuitie being cast by one that neuer failed in any of his prognostications I haue bene assured that I should neuer be apt to beare children But since you will honor me with so hie fauor I must onely desire that I may performe a vow which I made among my countriwomen the famous Amazons that I would neuer marrie none but such one as was able to withstand me in Armes therefore before I make mine owne desire seruiceable to yours you must vouchsafe to lend me armor and weapons that at least with a blow or two of the sword I may not finde my selfe periured to my selfe But Zoilus but laughing with a hartie lowdnes went by force to embrace her making no other answere but since she had a mind to trie his Knighthood she should quickly know what a man of armes he was and so without reuerence to the Ladies began to struggle with her But in Zelmane then Disdaine became wisdome and Anger gaue occasion For abiding no longer aboad in the matter she that had not put off though she had disguised Pyrocles being farre fuller of strong nimblenes tript vp his feete so that he fell downe at hers And withall meaning to pursue what she had begun puld out his sword which he ware about him but before she could strike him withall he gat vp and ranne to a faire chamber where he had left his two brethren preparing themselues to come downe to their mistresses But she followed at his heeles and euen as he came to throw himselfe into their armes for succor she hit him with his owne sword such a blow vpon the waste that she almost cut him asunder once she sundred his soule from his body sending it to Proserpina an angry Goddesse against rauishers But Anaxius seing before his eyes the miserable end of his brother fuller of despite then wrath and yet fuller of wrath then sorow looking with a wofull eye vpon his brother Lycurgus Brother said he chastice this vile creature while I go downe and take order lest further mischiefe arise and so went downe to the Ladies whom he visited doubting there had bene some further practise then yet he conceiued But finding them only strong in pacience he went and lockt a great Iron gate by which onely any body might mount to that part of the Castle rather to conceale the shame of his brother slaine by a woman then for doubt of any other anoyance and then went vp to receaue some comfort of the execution he was sure his brother had done of Zelmane But Zelmane no sooner saw those brothers of whom Reason assured her she was to expect reuenge but that she lept to a target as one that well knew the first marke of valure to be defence And then accepting the oportunitie of Anaxius going away she waited not the pleasure of Lycurgus but without any words which she euer thought vaine when resolution tooke the place of perswasion gaue her owne hart the contentment to be the assailer Lycurgus who was in the disposition of his nature hazardouse and by the luckie passing through many dangers growne confident in himselfe went toward her rather as to a spoile then to fight so farre from feare that his assurednesse disdained to hope But when her sword made demonstrations aboue all flattery of arguments and that he found she prest so vpon him as shewed that her courage sprang not from blinde despaire but was garded both with cunning and strength self-loue then first in him diuided it selfe from vain-glory and made him finde that the world of worthines had not this whole globe comprised in his brest but that it was necessarie to haue strong resistance against so strong assailing And so between them for a fewe blowes Mars himselfe might haue bin delighted to looke on But Zelmane who knew that in her case slownesse of victory was little better then ruine with the bellowes of hate blew the fire of courage and he striking a maine blow at her head she warded it with the shield but so warded that the shield was cut in two pieces
while it protected her and withal she ran in to him and thrusting at his brest which he put by with his target as he was lifting vp his sword to strike againe she let fall the piece of her shield and with her left hand catching his sword of the inside of the pommell with nimble and strong sleight she had gotten his sword out of his hand before his sence could conuey to his imagination what was to be doubted And hauing now two swords against one shield meaning not foolishly to be vngratefull to good fortune while he was no more amazed with his being vnweapned then with the suddainnes therof she gaue him such a wound vpon his head in despite of the shields ouer-weake resistāce that withall he fell to the ground astonished with the paine agast with feare But seing Zelmane ready to conclude her victory in his death bowing vp his head to her with a countenance that had forgotten all pride Enough excellent Lady said he the honor is yours Wherof you shal want the best witnes if you kil me As you haue taken from men the glory of manhood returne so now againe to your owne sex for mercy I will redeeme my life of you with no small seruices for I will vndertake to make my brother obey all your commādements Grant life I beseech you for your own honor and for the persons sake that you loue best Zelmane represt a while her great hart either disdaining to be cruell or pitiful therfore not cruel now the image of humane condition begā to be an Orator vnto her of compassiō whē she saw as he lifted vp his armes with a suppliāts grace about one of thē vnhappily tied a garter with a Iewel which giuē to Pyrocles by his aunt of Thessalia greatly esteemed by him he had presented to Philoclea with inward rage promising extreame hatred had seene Lycurgus with a proud force not without some hurt vnto her pull away from Philoclea because at entreatie she would not giue it him But the sight of that was like a cyphar signifying all the iniuries which Philoclea had of him suffred that remēbrāce feeding vpō wrath trod down al cōceits of mercy And therfore saying no more but No villain dye It is Philoclea that sends thee this token for thy loue With that she made her sword drink the blood of his hart though he wresting his body with a countenance prepared to excuse wold faine haue delaied the receiuing of deaths embassadors But neither that staied Zelmanes hand nor yet Anaxius crie vnto her who hauing made fast the iron gate euen then came to the top of the staires when contrarie to all his imaginations he saw his brother lye at Zelmanes mercie Therefore crying promising and threatning to her to hold her hand the last grone of his brother was the onely answere he could get to his vnrespected eloquence But then Pittie would faine haue drawne teares which Furie in their spring dried and Anger would faine haue spoken but that Disdaine sealed vp his lippes but in his heart he blasphemed heauen that it could haue such a power ouer him no lesse ashamed of the victorie he should haue of her then of his brothers ouerthrow and no more spited that it was yet vnreuenged then that the reuenge should be no greater then a womans destruction Therefore with no speach but such a groning crie as often is the language of sorowfull anger he came running at Zelmane vse of fighting then seruing in steed of patient consideration what to do Guided wherewith though he did not with knowledge yet did he according to knowledge pressing vpon Zelmane in such a well defended manner that in all the combats that euer she had fought she had neuer more neede of quicke senses and ready vertue For being one of the greatest men of stature then liuing as he did fully answere that stature in greatnesse of might so did he exceede both in greatnes of courage which with a countenance formed by the nature both of his mind and body to an almost horrible fiercenes was able to haue carried feare to any minde that was not priuie to it selfe of a true and constant worthines But Pyrocles whose soule might well be separated from his body but neuer alienated from the remembring what was comely if at the first he did a little apprehend the dangerousnes of his aduersarie whom once before he had something tried and now perfectly sawe as the very picture of forcible furie yet was that apprehension quickly stayed in him rather strengthning then weakning his vertue by that wrestling like wine growing the stronger by being moued So that they both prepared in harts and able in hands did honor solitarines there with such a combat as might haue demaunded as a right of fortune whole armies of beholders But no beholders needed there where manhood blew the trumpet and satisfaction did whet as much as glorie There was strength against nimblenes rage against resolution fury against vertue confidence against courage pride against noblenesse loue in both breeding mutuall hatred and desire of reuenging the iniurie of his brothers slaughter to Anaxius being like Philocleas captiuity to Pyrocles Who had seene the one would haue thought nothing could haue resisted who had marked the other would haue marueiled that the other had so long resisted But like two contrarie tides either of which are able to carry worlds of shippes and men vpon them with such swiftnes as nothing seemes able to withstand them yet meeting one another with mingling their watrie forces and strugling together it is long to say whether streame gets the victorie So betweene these if Pallas had bene there she could scarcely haue tolde whether she had nurced better in the feates of armes The Irish greyhound against the English mastiffe the sword-fish against the whale the Rhinoceros against the elephant might be models and but models of this combat Anaxius was better armed defensiuely for beside a strong caske brauely couered wherewith he couered his head he had a huge shield such perchance as Achilles shewed to the pale walles of Troy wherewithall that great body was couered But Pyrocles vtterly vnarmed for defence to offend had the aduantage for in either hand he had a sword and with both handes nimbly performed that office And according as they were diuersly furnished so did they differ in the manner of fighting For Anaxius most by warding and Pyrocles oftnest by auoyding resisted the aduersaries assault Both hastie to end yet both often staying for aduantage Time distance and motion custom made them so perfect in that as if they had bene felow Counsellers and not enemies each knew the others minde and knewe how to preuent it So as their strength fayled them sooner then their skill and yet their breath fayled them sooner then their strength And breathles indeed they grew before either could complaine of any losse of bloud So that consenting by the