Page images
PDF
EPUB

Or how stolen from the dead.

Paul.

That she is living,

Were it but told you, should be hooted at
Like an old tale; but it appears she lives,

Though yet she speak not.

Mark a little while..

Please you to interpose, fair madam: kneel,

And pray your mother's blessing.-Turn, good lady; Our Perdita is found.

Her.

[PERDITA kneels to HERMIONE

You gods, look down,

And from your sacred vials pour your graces
Upon my daughter's head!-Tell me, mine own,
Where hast thou been preserved? where lived,
how found

Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear, that I,
Knowing by Paulina that the oracle

Gave hope thou wast in being, have preserved
Myself to see the issue.

Paul.
There's time enough for that,
Lest they desire, upon this push, to trouble
Your joys with like relation.-Go together,
You precious winners all: your exultation
Partake to every one. I, an old turtle,

Vill wine me to some withered bough, and there

Leon.

O, peace, Paulina !

Thou shouldst a husband take by my consent,

As I by thine a wife: this is a match,
And made between 's by vows.

mine;

Thou hast found

But how, is to be questioned: for I saw her,
As I thought, dead, and have in vain said many
A prayer upon her grave: I'll not seek far-
For him, I partly know his mind-to find thee
An honourable husband.-Come, Camillo,

And take her by the hand: whose worth and honesty

Is richly noted, and here justified

By us, a pair of kings.-Let's from this place.—— What! Look upon my brother: - both your pardons,

That e'er I put between your holy looks

My ill suspicion.-This' your son-in-law,

And son unto the king, whom heavens directing Is troth-plight to your daughter.

Good Paulina,

Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely
Each one demand, and answer to his part
Performed in this wide gap of time, since first
We were dissevered: hastily lead away.

[Exeunt.

PANDOSTO;

OR, THE TRIUMPH OF TIME.

BY ROBERT GREENE.

AMONG all the passions wherewith human minds are perplexed there is none that so galleth with restless despite, as the infectious sore of jealousy; for all other griefs are either to be appeased with sensible persuasions, to be cured with wholesome counsel, to be relieved in want, or by tract of time to be worn out, jealousy only excepted, which is so sauced with suspicious doubts and pinching mistrust, that whoso seeks by friendly counsel to rase out this hellish passion, is forthwith suspected that he giveth this advice to cover his own guiltiness. Yea, whoso is pained with this restless torment doubteth all, distrusteth himself, is always frozen with fear, and fired with suspicion, having that wherein consisteth all his joy to be the breeder of his misery. Yea, it is such a heavy enemy to that holy estate of matrimony, sowing between the married couples such deadly seeds of secret hatred, as love being once rased out by spiteful distrust, there oft ensueth bloody revenge, as this ensuing history manifestly proveth: wherein Pandosto, furiously incensed by causeless jealousy, procured the death of his most loving and loyal wife, and his own endless sorrow and misery.

In the country of Bohemia there reigned a king called Pandosto, whose fortunate success in wars against his foes, and bountiful courtesy towards his friends in peace, made him to be greatly feared and loved of all men. This Pandosto had to wife a lady called Bellaria, by birth royal, learned by education, fair by nature, by virtues famous, so that it was hard to judge whether her beauty, fortune, or virtue, won the greatest commendations. These two, linked together in perfect love, led their lives with such fortunate content, that their subjects greatly rejoiced to see their quiet disposition. They had not been married long, but Fortune, willing to increase their happiness, lent them a son, so adorned with the gifts of nature, as the perfection of the child greatly augmented the love of the parents, and the joys of their commons; in 20

much that the Bohemians, to show their inward joys by outward actions, made bonfires and triumphs thoughout all the kingdom, appointing jousts and tourneys for the honour of their young prince; whither resorted not only his nobles, but also divers kings and princes which were his neighbours, willing to show their friendship they ought to Pandosto, and to win fame and glory by their prowess and valour. Pandosto, whose mind was fraught with princely liberality, entertained the kings, princes, and noblemen with such submiss courtesy and magnifical bounty, that they all saw how willing he was to gratify their good wills, making a feast for subjects, which continued by the space of twenty days; all which time the jousts and tourneys were kept to the great content both of the lords and ladies there present. This solemn triumph being once ended, the assembly, taking their leave of Pandosto and Bellaria: the young son (who was called Garinter) was nursed up in the house to the great joy and content of the parents.

Fortune, envious of such happy success, willing to show some sign of her inconstancy, turned her wheel, and darkened their bright sun of prosperity with the misty clouds of mishap and misery. For it so happened that Egistus, King of Sicilia, who in his youth had been brought up with Pandosto, desirous to show that neither tract of time nor distance of place could diminish their former fr.endship, provided a navy of ships, and sailed into Bohemia, to visit his old friend and companion, who, hearing of his arrival, went himself in person, and his wife Bellaria, accompanied with a great train of lords and ladies, to meet Egistus; and espying him, alighted from his horse, embraced him very lovingly, protesting that nothing in the world could have happened more acceptable to him than his coming, wishing his wife to welcome his old friend and acquaintance; who (to show how she liked him whom her husband loved) entertained him with such familiar courtesy, as Egistus perceived himself to be very well welcome. After they had thus salated and embraced each other they mounted again on horseback and rode towards the city, devising and recounting how, being children, they had passed their youth in friendly pastimes; where, by the means of the citizens, gistus was received with triumphs and shows in such sort, that he marvelled how on so small a warning they could make such preparations.

Passing the streets thus with such rare sights, they rode on zatemniner Eistus and his

« PreviousContinue »