She, upon this news, slept very little that night, but got up very early, and went to her sheep, looking every minute when she should see Dorastus, who carried not long, for fear delay might breed danger, but came as fast as he could gallop, and, without any great circumstance, took Fawnia up behind him. and rode to the haven where the ship lay, which was not three-quarters of a mile distant from that place. He no sooner came there but the mariners were ready with their cock-boat to set them aboard, where, being couched together in a cobin, they passed away the time in recounting their old loves, till their man Capnio should eine. Porrus, who had heard that this morning the king would go abroad to take the air, called in haste to his wife to bring him his holiday hose and his best jacket, that he might go like an honest substantial man to tell his tale. His wife, a good cleanly wench, brought him all things fit, and spunged him up very handsomely, giving him the chains and jewels in a little box, which Porrus, for the mere safety, put in his bosom. Having thus all his trinkets in readiness, taking his staff in his hand, he bade his wife kiss him for good luck, and so he went towards the palace. But as he was going, fortune (who meant to show him a little false play) prevented his purpose in this wise.

He met by chance in his way Capnio, who, trudging as fast as he could, with a little coffer under his arm, to the ship, and spying Porrus, whom he knew to be Fawnia's father, going towards the palace, being a wily fellow, began to doubt the worst, and therefore crossed him the way, and asked him whither he was going so early this morning. Porrus, who knew by his face that he was one of the court, meaning simply, told him that the king's son Dorastus dealt hardly with him; for he had but one daughter, who was a little beautiful, and that his neighbours told him the young prince had allured her to folly: he went, therefore, now to complain to the king how greatly he was abused.

Capnio, who straightway smelt the whole matter, began to soothe him in his talk, and said that Dorastus dealt not like a prince to spoil any poor man's daughter in that sort; he, therefore, would do the best for him he could, because he knew he was an honest man. "But," quoth Capnio, "you lose your labour in going to the palace, for the king means this day to take the air of the sea, and to go aboard of a ship that lies in the haven. I am going before, you see, to provide all things in readiness, and, if you will follow my counsel, turn back with me to the haven, where I will set you in such a fit place as you may speak to the king at your pleasure.

Porrus viving credit to

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thousand thanks for his friendly advice, and went with him to the haven, making all the way his complaints of Dorastus, yet conecaling secretly the chain and the jewels. As soon as they were come to the sea-side, the mariners, secing Capnio, came a-land with their cock-boat, who, still dissembling the matter, demanded of Porrns if he would go and see the ship, who, unwilling and fearing the worst, because he was not well acquainted with Capnio, made his excuse that he could not brook the sea, therefore would not trouble him.

Capnic, seeing that by fair means he could not get him aboard, commanded the mariners that by violence they should carry him into the ship, who, like sturdy knaves, hoisted the poor shepherd on their backs, and, bearing him to the boat, launched from the land.

Porrus, seeing himself so cunningly betrayed, durst not cry out, for he sawit would not prevail, but hegan to entreat Capnio and the mariners to be good to him, and to pity his estate: he was but a poor man that lived by his labour. They, laughPorrus was no sooner in the ship, ing to see the shepherd so afraid, made as much haste as they could, and set him aboard. but he saw Dorastas walking with Fawnia; yet he scarce knew her, for she had attired herself in rich apparel, which so increased her beauty that she resembled rather an angel than a mortal creature.

Porastus and Fawnia were half astonished to see the old shepherd, marvelling ratly what wind had brought him thither, till Capnio told them all the whole discourse-how Porrus was going to make his complaint to the king, if by policy he had not prevented him; and therefore now that he was aboard, for the avoiding of further danger, it were best to carry him into Italy.

Dorastus prais d greatly his man's device, and allowed of his counsel: but Fawnia, who still feared Porrus as her father, began to blush for shame, that by her means he should either incur danger or displeasure.

The old shepherd hearing this hard sentence, that he should on such a sudden be carried from his wife, his country, and kinsfolk, into a foreign land amongst strangers, began with bitter tears to make as complaint, and on his knees to entreat Dorastus that, pardoning his unadvised folly, he would give him leave to go home, swearing that he would keep all things Put these protestations could

ear

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Who, having appointed this day to hunt in one of his forests, called for his son Dorastus to go sport himself, because he saw that of late he began to lour; but his men made answer that he was gone abroad, none knew whither, except he were gone to the grove to walk all alone, as his custom was to do every day. The king, willing to waken him out of his dumps, sent one of his men to go seek him, but in vain, for at last he returned, but find him he could not, so that the king went himself to go see the sport; where passing away the day, returning at night from hunting, he asked for his son, but he could not be heard of; which drove the king into a great choler, whereupon most of his noblemen and other courtiers posted abroad to seek him, but they could not hear of him through all Sicilia, only they missed Capnio his man, which again made the king suspect that he was not gone far.

Two or three days being passed, and no news heard of Dorastus, Egistus began to fear that he was devoured with some wild beasts, and upon that made out a great troop of men to go seek him; who coasted through all the country, and searched in every dangerous and secret place, until at last they met with a fisherman that was sitting in a little covert hard by the sea-side, mending his nets, when Dorastus and Fawnia took shipping; who, being examined if he either knew or heard where the king's son was, without any secrecy at all revealed the whole matter-how he was sailed two days past, and had in his company his man Capnio, Porrus, and his fair daughter Fawnia. This heavy news was presently carried to the king, who, half dead for sorrow, commanded Porrus' wife to be sent for. She being come to the palace, after due examination confessed that her neighbours had oft told her that the king's son was too familiar with Fawnia, her daughter; whereupon her husband, fearing the worst, about two days past, hearing the king should go a-hunting, rose early in the morning, and went to make his complaint, but since she neither heard of him nor saw him. Egistus, perceiving the woman's unfeigned simplicity, let her depart without incurring further displeasure, conceiving such secret grief for his son's reckless folly, that he had so forgotten his honour and parentage by so base a choice to dishonour his father and discredit himself, that with very care and thought he fell into a quartan fever, which was so unfit for his aged years and complexion, that he became so weak, as the physicians would grant him no life.

But his son Dorastus little regarded either father, country, or kingdom in respect of his lady Fawnia; for fortune, smiling On this young novice, lent him so lucky a gale of wind for the pace of a day and a night that the mariners lay and slept

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upon the hatches. But on the next morning, about the break of the day, the air began to be overcast, the winds to rise, the seas to swell-yea, presently there arose such a fearful tempest, as the ship was in danger to be swallowed up with The mainmast with the violence of the wind was every sea. thrown overboard, the sails were torn, the tacklings went in sunder, the storm raging still so furiously that poor Fawnia was almost dead for fear, but that she was greatly comforted The tempest continued three with the presence of Dorastus. days, at which time the mariners every minute looked for death; and the air was so darkened with clouds that the master could not tell by his compass in what coast they were. But upon the fourth day, about ten of the clock, the wind began to cease, the sea to wax calm, and the sky to be clear, and the mariners descried the coast of Bohemia, shooting off their When ordnance for joy that they had escaped such a fearful tempest Dorastus, hearing that they were arrived at some harbour, sweetly kissed Fawnia, and bade her be of good cheer. they told him that the port belonged unto the chief city of Bohemia, where Pandosto kept his court, Dorastus began to be sad, knowing that his father hated no man so much as Pandosto, and that the king himself had sought secretly to betray Egistus. This considered, he was half afraid to go on land, but that Capnio counselled him to change his name and his country, until such time as they could get some other bark to transport them into Italy. Dorastus, liking this device, made his case privy to the mariners, rewarding them bountifully for their pains, and charging them to say that he was a gentleman of Trapalonia, called Meleagrus. willing to show what friendship they could to Dorastus, promised to be as secret as they could, or he might wish; and upon this they landed in a little village, a mile distant from the city, where, after they had rested a day, thinking to make provision for their marriage, the fame of Fawnia's beauty was spread throughout all the city, so that it came to the ears of Pandosto; who, then being about the age of fifty, had, notwithstanding, young and fresh affections, so that he desired greatly to see Fawnia; and to bring this matter the better to pass, hearing they had but one man, and how they rested at a very homely house, he caused them to be apprehended as spies, and sent a dozen of his guard to take them, who, being come to their lodging, told them the king's mesAs to keep so whit dismayed, accompanied with Fawnia

The shipmen,

Pandosto, amazed at the singular perfection of Fawnia, stood half astonished, viewing her beauty, so that he had almost forgot himself what he had to do. At last, with stern countenance, he demanded their names, and of what country they were, and what caused them to land in Bohemia. "Sir," quoth Dorastus, "know that my name is Meleagrus, a knight, born and brought up in Trapalonia, and this gentlewoman, whom I mean to take to my wife, is an Italian, born in Padua, from whence I have now brought her. The cause I have so small a train with me is for that her friends, unwilling to consent, I intended secretly to convey her into Trapalonia whither as I was sailing, by distress of weather I was driven into these coasts. Thus have you heard my name, my country, and the cause of my voyage. Pandosto, starting from his seat as one in choler, made this rough reply. [Rough reply omitted.]

Dorastus, in whom rested nothing but kingly valour, was not able to suffer the reproaches of Pandosto, but that he made him this answer: [Which is omitted.]

Pandosto, hearing Dorastus utter these words, commanded that he should straight be committed to prison, until such time as they heard further of his pleasure; but as for Fawnia, he charged that she should be entertained in the court, with such courtesy as belonged to a stranger and her calling. rest of the shipmen he put into the dungeon.

The

Having thus hardly handled the supposed Trapalonians, Pandosto, contrary to his aged years, began to be somewhat tickled with the beauty of Fawnia, insomuch that he could take no rest, but cast in his old head a thousand new devices. At last he fell into these thoughts.

[These thoughts are omitted.]

Here Pandosto ceased from his talk, but not from his love; although he sought by reason and wisdom to suppress this frantic affection, yet he could take no rest, the beauty of Fawnia had made such a deep impression in his heart. on a day, walking abroad into a park which was hard adjoining to his house, he sent by one of his servants for Fawnia, unto whom he uttered these words:

But

[These words are omitted. Fawnia will not quit Meleagrus for Pandosto.] Fawnia, being alone by herself, began to enter into these solitary meditations.

[These also are omitted.] With that, fetching a deep sigh she ceased from her complaints, and went again to the palace, enjoying a liberty without content, and proffered pleasure with small joy. But poor Dorastus lay all this while in close prison, being pinched with a hard restraint. and