moste desired: Knowing Apolonius to be but a geaste, and readie to take the benefite of the next Winde, and to departe into a straunge Countrey, whereby she was bereued of all possibilitie euer to see hym againe, and therefore striued with her self to leaue her fondenesse, but all in vaine, it would not bee, but like the foule whiche is once Limed, the more she striueth, the faster she tieth her self. So Silla was now constrained perforce her will to yeeld to loue, wherefore from tyme to tyme, she vsed so greate familiaritie with hym, as her honour might well permitte, and fedde him with suche amourous baites as the modestie of a maide could reasonably afforde, whiche when she perceiued, did take but small effecte, feelyng her self so muche out raged with the extreamitie of her passion, by the onely countenaunce that she bestowed vpon Apolonius, it might haue been well perceiued, that the verie eyes pleaded vnto hym for pitie and remorse. But Apolonius commyng but lately from out of the feelde, from the chasyng of his enemies. and his furie not yet thoroughly desolved, nor purged from his stomacke, gaue no regarde to these amourous entisementes, whiche by reason of his youth, he had not been acquainted with all. his minde ranne more to heare his Pil

But

newes of a merrie winde, to serue his turne to Constantinople whiche in the ende came very prosperously and giuing Duke Pontus heartie thankes for his greate entertainment, takyng his leaue cf hym self, and the Ladie Silla his daughter, departed with his companie, and with a happie gaale ariued at his desired porte: Gentlewomen accordyng to my promise, I will heare for breuities sake, omit to make repetition of the long and dolorous discourse recorded by Silla, for this sodaine departure of her Apolonius, knowyng you to bee as tenderly harted as Silla her self, whereby you maie the better coniecture the furie of her Feuer.

But Silla the further that she sawe her self bereued of all hope, euer any more to see her beloued Apolonius, so muche the more contagious were her passions, and made the greater speede to execute that she had premeditated in her mynde, whiche was this: Emongest many seruauntes that did attend vppon her, there was one whose name was Pedro, who had a long time waited vpon her in her Chamber, whereby she was well assured of his fidelitie and trust: to that Pedro therefore she bewraied first the feruencie of her loue borne to coniuring him in the name of the

duetie that a Seruante ought to have, that tendereth his Mistresse safetie and good likyng, and desiryng hym with teares tricklyng doune her cheekes, that he would giue his consent to aide and assiste her, in that she had determined, whiche was for that she was fully resolued to goe to Constantinople, where she might againe take the vewe of her beloued Apolonius, that hee accordyng to the trust she had reposed in hym, would not refuse to giue his consent, secretly to conuaye her from out her fathers Courte accordyng as she should giue hym direction, and also to make hym self partaker of her iourney, and to waite vpon her, till she had seen the ende of her determination.

Pedro perceiuyng with what vehemencie his Ladie and Mistresse had made request vnto hym, albeeit he sawe many perilles and doubtes, dependyng in her pretence, notwithstandyng, gaue his consent to be at her disposition, promisyng her to further her with his beste aduice, and to be readie to obeye whatsoeuer she would please to commaunde him. The match beyng thus agreed vpon, and all thynges prepared in a readinesse for their departure: It happened there was a Gallie of Constantinople, readie to departe, whiche Pedro vnderstandyng

come to the Cantaine

for hym self, and for a poore maide that was his sister, whiche were bounde to Constantinople vpon certaine vrgent affaires, to whiche request, the Captaine graunted, willyng hym to prepare aborde with all speede, because the winde serued hym presently to departe.

Pedro now commyng to his Mistres and tellyng her how he had handeled the matter with the Captaine: she likyng verie well of the deuise, disguisyng her self into verie simple atyre, stole awaie from out her fathers Court, and came with Pedro, whom now she calleth brother aboarde the Galleye, where all thynges beyng in readinesse and the winde seruyng verie well, they launched forthe with their Oores, and setsaile. When thei were at the Sea, the Captaine of the Galleye takyng the vewe of Silla, perceiuyng her singular beautie, he was better pleased in beholdyng of her face, then in takyng the height either of the Sunne or Starre, and thinkyng her by the homelinesse of her apparell, to be but some simple maiden, callyng her into his Cabin, he beganne to breake with her after the Sea fashion, desiryng her to vse his owne Cabin for her better ease: and duryng the tyme that she remained at the Silla not Sea, she should not want a bedde.

for shame, but made hym no auns were at all. My Captaine feelyng suche a bickeryng within him self, the like whereof he had never indured vpon the Sea, was like to bee taken prisoner aboard his owne Shippe, and forced to yeeld hym self captiue without any Cannon shot: wherefore to salue all sores, and thinkyng it the readiest waie to speed, he began to breake with Silla in the waie of mariage, tellyng her how happie a voiage she had made, to fall into the likyng of suche a one as himself was, who was able to keepe and maintaine her like a gentilwoman, and for her sake would likewise take her brother into his fellowship, whom he would by some meanes prefarre in suche sorte, that bothe of theim should haue good cause to thinke them selues thrise happie, she to light of suche a housbande, and he to light of suche a brother. But Silla, nothyng pleased with these prefermentes, desired hym to cease his talke, for that she did thinke her self indeede to bee to vnworthie suche a one as he was, neither was she minded yet to marrie, and therefore desired hym to fixe his fancie vppon some that wero better worthie than her self was, and that could better like of his curtesie then she could dooe, the Captaine seeyng hymself thus refused, beyng in a greate chafe, he saied as followeth.