Volume Ii Part 5 (2/2)

They be my perticular vertues. And will you Ariobarzanes, being a valiaunt Souldioure, a graue counsayler, and a pollityke personage, goe about to dispossesse me of that which is myne?

Wil you whiche are my seruaunte and Subiecte of whome I make greateste accompt and haue in dearest estimation, vpon whom I did bestow the greatest dignity within the compas of my whole Monarchie, grate benefite at my handes, by abusinge those vertues whiche I aboue other do princ.i.p.ally regard? You do much abuse the credite which I repose in youre greate wisedome. For hee in whome I thought to fynde most graue aduise, and deemed to bee a receptacle of al good counsel, doth seeke to take vppon him the personage of his Prince, and to vsurpe the kinglye qualitie which belongeth only vnto him. Shal I be tyed by your desertes, or bound by curteous deedes, or els be forced to rendre recompence? No, no, so long as this imperiall crowne shal rest on royal head, no subiect by any curteous deede of his, shal straine vnwilling mynde, which mente it not before. Tel me I beseech you what reward and gift, what honour and preferment haue I euer bestowed vpon you, sithens my first arriual to this victorious raigne, that euer you by due desert did bynde me thereunto? Which if you did, then liberal I cannot be termed, but a slauish Prince bound to do the same, by subiects merite.

High and mightie kinges doe rewarde and aduaunce their men, hauing respect that their gift or benefite shal exceede deserte, otherwise that preferment cannot bee termed liberal. The great conquerour Alexander Magnus wan a great and notable Citie for wealth and spoyle. For the princ.i.p.alitie and gouernment wherof diuers of his n.o.ble men made sute, alleaging their paynful seruice and bloudy woundes about the getting of the same. But what did that worthy king? was he moued with the bloudshead of his captaynes? was he styrred with the valiaunce of his men of warre? was he prouoked with their earnest sutes? No trulye: But calling vnto him a poore man, whome by chaunce he found there, to him he gaue that riche and wealthy citie, and the gouernmente thereof, that his magnificence and his liberalitie to a person so pore and base, might receiue greatter fame and estimation: and to declare that the conferred benefyte didde not proceede of deserte or dutie, but of mere liberalitie, very curtesie, true munificence and n.o.ble disposition, deriued from princely heart and kinglye nature. Howbeit I speake not this that a faythful seruaunt should be vnrewarded (a thing very requisite) but to inferre and proue that reward should excell the merite and seruice of the receiuer. Now then I say, that you going about by large desert and manifold curtesie to binde mee to recompence the same, you seeke thy next waye to cut of the meane whereby I should be liberall. Do not you see that through your vnaduysed curtesie I am preuented, and letted from myne accustomed liberalitye, wherewith dayly I was wont to reward my kynde, louing and loyal seruauntes, to whom if they deserued one talent of golde, my manner was to geue them two or three: if a thousand crownes by the yeare, to geue them V. Do you not know that when they loked for most rewarde or preferment, the soner did I honour and aduaunce them? Take heede then from henceforth Ariobarzanes, that you liue with such prouidence and circ.u.mspection as you may bee knowen to be a seruant, and I reputed (as I am) for your souerayne Lord and mayster. All Princes in myne opinion requyre two thinges of theire seruantes, that is to say, fidelity and loue, which being hadd they care for no more. Therefore he that list to contende with me in curtesie, shal fynde in the ende that I make smale accompte of him. And he that is my trusty and faithful seruant, diligente to execute and do my commaundementes, faythful in my secret affayres, and duetyfull in his vocation, shal truely witte and most certaynlye feele that I am both curteous and liberall.

Which thou thy selfe shal wel perceiue, and be forced to confesse that I am the same manne in dede, for curtesie and liberalitye whom thou indeuorest to surmount.” Then the king held his peace. Ariobarzanes very reuerentlye made answear in this manner: ”Most n.o.ble and victorious Prince, wel vnderstanding the conceiued grief of your inuincible mind pleaseth youre sacred maiesty to geue mee leaue to answer for my self, not to aggrauate or heap your wrath and displeasure (which the G.o.ds forbid) but to disclose my humble excuse before your maiesty that the same poized with the equall balance of youre rightful mind, my former attempts may nether seme presumptuous, ne yet my wel meaning mind, well measured with iustice, ouerbold or malapert. Most humbly then, prostrate vpon my knees I say that I neuer went about, or else did think in mind to excede or compare with your infinite and incomprehensible bounty, but indeuored by al possible means to let your grace perceiue, and the whole world to know that there is nothing in the world which I regard so much as your good grace and fauour. And mighty Ioue graunt that I do neuer fal into so great errour to presume for to contend with the greatnes of your mynde: which fond desire if my beastly mynd should apprehend, I myghte be lickned to the man that goeth aboute to berieue and take away the clerenesse of the Sun, or brightnesse of the splendant stars. But euer I did thinke it to be my bounden duety not only of those fortunes goods which by your princely meanes I do inioy to bee a distributer and large giuer, but also bound for the profite and aduauncement of your regal crowne and dignitye, and defence of your most n.o.ble person, of mine owne life and bloud to be both liberall and prodigall. And where your maiesty thinketh that I haue laboured to compare in curtious dede or other liberall behauiour, no deede that euer I did, or fact was euer enterprised by me for other respect, but for to get and continue your more ample fauour and daily to encrease your loue for that it is the seruant's part with all his force and might to aspyre the grace and fauoure of his soueraygne lorde. How beit (most n.o.ble prince) before this tyme I did neuer beleue, nor hard youre grace confesse, that magnanimity, gentlenes and curtesie, were vertues worthy of blame and correction, as your maiesty hath very manifestly done me to vnderstande by wordes seuere, and taunting checkes, vnworthye for practise of such rare and n.o.ble vertues. But how so euer it bee, whether lyfe or death shal depend vpon this prayse worthy and honourable purpose, I meane hereafter to yeld my dutye to my souerayne lord, and then it may please him to terme my dedes courteous or liberal or to thinke on my behauiour, what his owne princely mynde shal deme and iudge.” The king vpon those wordes rose vp and sayd: ”Ariobarzanes, now it is no tyme to continue in further disputation of this argument, committing the determination and iudgement herof, to the graue deliberation of my counsel who at conuenient leasure aduisedly shal according to the Persian lawes and customes conclud the same. And for this present time I say vnto thee that I am disposed to accompt the accusation made agaynste thee to be true, and confessed by thy self. In the mean tyme thou shalt repayre into the country and come no more to the court til I commaund thee.” Ariobarzanes receiuinge this answeare of his souerayne lorde departed, and to his great contentation, went home into his countreye merye, for that he should be absent out of the daylye sight of his enemies, yet not wel pleased for that the king had remitted his cause to his Councell. Neuerthelesse minded to abyde and suffer al Fortune, he gaue him selfe to the pastime of huntinge of Deere, runninge of the wylde Bore, and flying of the Hauke. This n.o.ble Gentleman had two onlye daughters of his wife that was deceased, the most beautiful Gentlewomen of the countrey, the eldest of which two was peerelesse and without comparison, older than the other by one yeare. The beauty of those fayre ladies was bruted throughout the whole Region of Persia, to whome the greatest Lordes and Barons of the countrey were great and importunate suters. He was not in his countrey resiant the s.p.a.ce of fower monethes, which for salubritie of ayre was most holsome and pleasaunt, full of lordlike liberties and Gentlemanlike pastimes, aswel to bee done by the hound as folowed by the spaniell, but one of the kinge's Haraulds sente from the Court, appeared before him with message to this effecte, saying vnto him: ”My lord, Ariobarzanes, the kinge my souerayne Lord hath commaunded you to send with me to the Court the fayrest of your two daughters, for that the reporte of their famous beautie hath made him hardlie to beleeue them to be such, as common bruite would fayne doe him to vnderstand.” Ariobarzanes not well able to conceiue the meaning of the king's commaundiment, reuolued in his mynde diuers thinges touching that demaund, and concludinge vpon one which fel to his remembrance, determined to send his younger daughter, which (as we haue sayde before) was not in beautie comparable to her elder sister, whereupon hee caused the mayden to be sent for, and sayde vnto her these wordes: ”Daughter, the king my maister and thy soueraigne Lord, hath by his messanger commaunded me to sende vnto him the fayrest of my daughters, but for a certaine reasonable respect which at thys time I purpose not to disclose, my mynde is that thou shalt goe, praying thee not to say but that thou thyselfe art of the twayne the fayrest, the concealinge of whiche mine aduise wil breede vnto thee (no doubt) thy great aduauncement, besides the profite and promotion that shal accriue by that thy silence: and the disclosing of the same may hap to engendre to thy deere father his euerlasting hindrance, and perchaunce the depriuation of his lyfe: but if so be the Kinge doe beget the with childe, in anye wise keepe close the same: and when thou seest thy belly begin to swell, that no longer it can be closely kept, then in conuenient time, when thou seest the kinge merily disposed, thou shalt tell the king that thy syster is far more beautifull than thyselfe, and that thou art the yonger sister.” The wise maiden well vnderstanding her father's minde, and conceiuing the summe of his intent, promised to performe his charge, and so with the Haraulde and honorable traine, he caused his daughter to be conueyed to the Court. An easie matter it was to deceiue the king in the beauty of that maiden: for although the elder daughter was the fairest, yet this Gentlewoman seemed so peerelesse in the Courte, that without comparison she was the most beautifull that was to be found either in Courte or countrey: the behauiour and semblance of whiche two daughters were so like, that hard it was to iudge whether of them was the eldest: for their father had so kept them in, that seldome they were seene within his house, or at no time marked when they walked abroade. The wife of the king was dead the s.p.a.ce of one yeere before, for which cause he determined to mary the daughter of Ariobarzanes, who although she was not of the royall bloud, yet of birth she was right n.o.ble. When the kinge sawe this Gentlewoman, he iudged hir to be the fairest that euer he saw or heard of by report, whom in the presence of his n.o.blemen he solemnly did marry, and sent vnto her father to appoynct the Dowry of his married Daughter out of hande, and to returne the same by that messenger. When Ariobarzanes hearde tell of thys vnhoped mariage, right ioyfull for that successe, sent vnto his Daughter the Dowry which he had promised to geue to both his Daughters. Many of the Court did maruell, that the kynge beinge in aged yeares woulde mary so yongue a mayden, specially the daughter of his Subiect, whom he had banished from the Courte.

Some praysed the kinge's Disposition for taking hir whom he fansied: ech man speakynge his seuerall mynde accordynge to the dyuers customes of men. Notwythstandinge there were diuers that moued the kinge to that mariage, thereby to force him to confesse, that by takinge of the goods of Ariobarzanes, he might be called Courteous and Liberall. The mariage being solemnized in very sumptuous and princely guise, Ariobarzanes sent to the kinge the like Dowry which before he had sent him for mariage of his daughter, with message to this effect: That for so mutch as hee had a.s.signed to his Daughters two certayne Dowries to mary them to their equal feeres, and seeinge that hee which was without exception, was the husbande of the one, his duety was to bestow vpon his grace a more greater gift, than to any other which should haue bene his sonne in law: but the king would not receiue the increase of his dowry, deeming himselfe wel satisfied with the beauty and good condicions of his new spouse, whom he entertayned and honored as Queene. In the meane time she was with childe with a Sonne (as afterwardes in the birth it appeered) which so wel as she coulde she kept close and secret, but afterwardes perceiuinge her Belly to wax bigge, the greatnesse whereof she was not able to hide, beinge vppon a time with the kinge and in familiar disporte, she like a wise and sobre lady induced matter of diuers argument, amonges which as occasion serued, she disclosed to the king, that she was not the fayrest of hir father's daughters, but hir elder sister more beautifull than she. The king hearing that, was greatly offended with Ariobarzanes, for that he had not accomplished his commaundement: and albeit hee loued well his wife, yet to attaine the effect of his desire, he called his Haraulde vnto him, whom he had first sent to make request for his wyfe, and with him returned agayne his new maried spouse vnto her father, commaunding him to say these wordes: ”That for so mutch as he knew himselfe to be vanquished and ouercome by the king's humanity, his grace did maruell, that in place of curtesie, he would use such contumacy and disobedience, by sending vnto him, not the fairest of his daughters, which he required, but sutch as he himselfe liked to sende: a matter no doubt worthy to be sharpely punished and reuenged: for which cause the kinge beinge not a litle offended, had sent home his daughter agayne, and willed hym to sende his eldest daughter, and that he had returned the Dowry which he gaue with his yonger.” Ariobarzanes receyued his daughter and the dowry with willinge minde, and sayd theese words to the Harauld: ”Mine other daughter which the king my Soueraygne Lord requireth, is not able presently to go with thee, bycause in hir bed she lieth sicke, as thou mayst manifestly perceiue if thou come into hir chamber: but say vnto the king, that vppon my fayth and allegiaunce so soone as she is recouered, I will sende hir to the court.” The Haraulde seeing the mayden lye sicke on her bed, weake and Impotent, not able to trauel, returned to the king, and told him of the sicknesse of the eldest Daughter of Ariobarzanes, wherewithall beinge satisfied, he attended the successe of his desired sute: the Gentlewoman no sooner beinge recouered, but the tyme of the other's childbirth was come, which brought forth a goodly Boy: both the Mother safely brought to Bed, and the childe strong and l.u.s.ty. Whych greatly contented and pleased Ariobarzanes, and the greater grew his ioy thereof, for that hee sawe the Childe to be like vnto the kinge his father: and by that time the yong Gentlewoman was rysen from her childbed, the sister was perfectly whole, and had recouered her former hiewe and beauty, both which beinge richely apparelled, Ariobarzanes with an honourable trayne, sent vnto the kinge, instructinge them first what they ought to say and do. When they were arriued at the courte, one of the pryuy chamber aduertised the king that Ariobarzanes had not onely sent one of his daughters, but both of them. The kynge hearinge and seeinge the liberalyty of Ariobarzanes, accepted the same in gracious part, and determined for that curtesie, to vse him with sutch princely liberality, as he should be forced to confesse himselfe ouercome. And before the messanger which had brought the yong gentlewoman did departe, he caused to be called before him his only sonne called Cyrus, vnto whom he sayd: ”Bycause Cyrus the time of thy yeares bee sutch, as meete they be to match the in Mariage, for hope I haue to see some Progeny proceede of thee before I die, my minde is that thou shalt mary this goodly Gentlewoman here, the syster of my Wyfe.{”} To which hys father's hest, the yong gentleman willingly a.s.sented. Then the kyng toke again his owne, and ordayned a royall feast, for the mariage of his Sonne, which was celebrated and done with great triumph and solemnity, continuinge the s.p.a.ce of 8 dayes. Ariobarzanes hearinge these good newes, would not yet acknowledge himselfe to be ouercome, and seeinge that his purpose was nowe brought to an extremity, determined to send the little childe, a little before begotten of hys daughter, to the kinge, which so resembled the kinge's face and Countenaunce as was possible: and therefore caused a cradle to bee made of the fairest Iuory that was to be gotten, embossed and garnished with pure Golde, adorned and set wyth most precious Stones and Iewels, wherein he caused the childe to be placed, and couered wyth rich clothes of fynest gold and silke, and together with the Nourice, accompanied with a pompous trayne of Gentlemen, he sent him to the kinge, the very time that the solemne mariage should be celebrated: and the kinge beinge in his great Hall, which was hanged with maruellous rich and costly Arras, attended vpon with a great numbre of his Barons and n.o.ble men, hee that had the charge of the conduction of the child, vpon his knees presented the same before him, lyinge in the Cradle. The king and the n.o.blemen, meruelling what that did meane expected what the Messenger would say, who holding the Cradle by one of the Pomels, sayd these wordes: ”Most renoumed and victorious Prince, in the behalfe of Ariobarzanes, my Lorde and your Subiect, most humbly I present vnto your maiesty, with al Submission and reuerence, this gift: and my sayd Lord doth rendre infinite thankes vnto your highnesse, for the great curtesie it hath pleased you to vse, by vouchsafinge to entertayne him into your alliaunce: for which not to seeme vnmindfull, this present (and therewithall he opened the Cradle) by mee hee hath sent vnto your maiesty.” When the Cradle was discouered, there apeared a goodly yong Chylde, Smilinge and Laughing vpon his father, the ioyfullest sight that euer his father sawe, and so like vnto him, as the halfe Moone is lyke the proportion of the rest. Then euery of the Standers by began to say his minde touchinge the resemblaunce of the Chylde to hys Father, hardily protesting the same without doubt to be his owne. The kyng could not be satisfied with the sight of his child, by reason of the great delight he had to looke vpon him, and of the generall opinion whych all men auouched touchinge his lykenesse. The Chylde agayne vpon the common reioyce made vpon hym, but specially of hys Father, wyth preaty motions and sweete laughinges, representinge two smilinge pyttes in his ruddy Cheekes, crowed many tymes vpon his father, toyinge vp and downe hys tender handes: afterwardes the kynge behelde the workmans.h.i.+p of that sumptuous cradle, and demaunded whereof the substaunce was. Vnto whom the Messenger discribed the Hystory and whole content of that incomparable Iewel: who hearinge that discourse, caused the Queene to be called forth, and by her was further certified of her father's n.o.ble disposition, wyth exceeding contentation, and wonderfull reioyce, he receyued the little Chylde, and confessed hym selfe in maner vanquished: notwythstandinge seeming to be thus surmounted, he thought if he did not surpa.s.se this curtesy, his n.o.ble and princely minde should be disgraced: wherefore he determined to vse a kind of magnanimity, thereby eyther to ouercome Ariobarzanes, or else hauinge apparant occasion altogether to fall out and to conceyue a mortall malice agaynst hym. The Kynge had a Daughter of the age of 21 yeares, a very fayre and comely Lady (accordinge as her Royall education and princely bringinge vp required) whom as yet he had not matched in mariage, meaninge to bestowe her vppon some kynge or great Monarch with a dowry of Ten hundred thousand Crownes, besides the pryncely and great costly Apparell and Iewells whych her owne mother lyinge vppon her death Bed did bequeathe her. The kynge then purposinge to excell Ariobarzanes, mynded by couplynge hym wyth hys Daughter, to make hym his sonne in lawe: whych to a Lady of Royall Linage, appeareth some debacinge of her n.o.ble bloud, to be matched with a man of inferiour byrth: the lyke to a Man how honourable so euer he be cannot chaunce, if he take a Wyfe of Degree neuer so Base: for if hee bee borne of n.o.ble and Gentle kynde, hee doth ill.u.s.trate and aduaunce the Woman whom he taketh, all be it shee were of the meanest trampe of the popular sorte, and the Chyldren whych be borne of them by the Father's meanes, shalbe n.o.ble and of a gentle kynd: but a woman, although shee be most n.o.ble, if shee bee married to hir inferiour, and that hir husbande bee not so n.o.ble, the chyldren that shall be borne of them shall not receiue the honour of the mother's stock, but the state of the father's lotte, and so shall be vnn.o.ble. Sutch is the Reuerence and Authoritie of the s.e.xe of man, wherevpon doeth ryse the comparyson of the wyfe, which doth resemble the man vnto the Sunne, and the Woman to the Moone. For wee see that the Moone of hir selfe doth not giue light, ne yet can yelde any brightnesse to the darknesse of the Night, if she did not pertake some s.h.i.+ning of the Sun, who with his liuely flames at times and places doth brighten the starres, and maketh the moone to s.h.i.+ne: euen so the woman dependeth of the man, and of hym doth take hir n.o.bility. The kyng therefore thought the match not meete for Ariobarzanes to marry his Daughter, and feared he should incurre some blemish of his house: but for all respect and feare of shame, the emulation whyche hee had to be victorious of his forced curtesie did surpa.s.se. Wherefore he sent for Ariobarzanes to come vnto the Court: who vpon that commaundement came: and so soone as hee was entered the palace, he repayred to do his reuerence vnto the kinge, of whom he was welcomed with glad and ioyfull entertaynement: and after they had a whyle debated of diuers matters, the kyng sayd vnto him: ”Ariobarzanes, for so mutch as thou art without a wyfe, we minde to bestowe vpon thee a Gentlewoman, which not onely wee well like and loue, but also is sutch a one, as thou thy selfe shalt be well contented to take.”

Ariobarzanes aunswered: That he was at his commaundement: and that sutch choyse as pleased his maiesty, should very well content and satisefie him. Then the kyng caused his daughter, in riche vestures sumptuously attired to come before him, and there openly in presence of the whole Court commaunded that Ariobarzanes should marry her: which with seemely ceremonies being consummate, Ariobarzanes shewed little ioy of the parentage, and in apparance made as though he cared not for his wyfe. The n.o.bles and Gentlemen of the Courte wondred to see the straunge behauiour of the bridegroome, consideringe the great humanity of their Prince towardes his Subject, by takinge him for his Father, and Sonne in lawe: and greatly murmured to see the obstinacy and rudenesse of Ariobarzanes, towards the kynge and the Fayre newe maried Spouse, mutch blaminge and rebukinge hys vnkinde demeanour. Ariobarzanes that day fared as though hee were besides himselfe, voyde of ioy and mirth, where all the rest of the Courte spent the tyme in sport and Triumph, the Ladies and n.o.ble women together with the kynge and Queene themselues. dauncinge and maskinge, vntil the time of night did force ech Wyghte to Retyre to their Chaumbers. Notwithstandinge the kynge did marke the Gesture and Countenaunce of Ariobarzanes, and after the Banket the Kynge in Solempne guise and great Pompe caused hys Daughter to bee accompanyed wyth a great Trayne to the Lodginge of Ariobarzanes, and to be caried with hir, hir Pryncely Dowry, where Ariobarzanes very Honourably receyued hys Wyfe, and at that Instant, in the presence of all the n.o.blemen and Barons that wayted vpon the Bride, hee doubled the Dowry receyued, and the same wyth the Ten hundred thousand Crownes geuen hym by the kynge, hee sent back agayne. This vnmeasured Liberality seemed pa.s.synge Straunge vnto the kynge, and bredde in him sutch disdayne, as doubtful he was whether to yelde, or to condemne him to perpetuall Banishment. The kynge thought that the greatnesse of Ariobarzanes mynde was Inuincible, and was not able paciently to suffer, that a subiect in matters of curtesie and liberality, should still compare wyth his king and maister: herewithal the king conceiuing malice, could not tell what to say or do. An easy matter it was to perceiue the rage and furie of the king, who was so sore displeased, as he bare good looke and countenaunce to no man: and bicause in those dayes the Persian kings were honored and reuerenced as G.o.ds, there was a lawe that when the king was driuen into a furie, or had conceiued a iust displeasure, he shoulde manifest vnto his Counsellers, the cause of his anger, who afterwardes by mature diligence hauing examined the cause and finding the kinge to be vniustly displeased should seke meanes of his appeasing: but if they found his anger and displeasure to be iustly grounded, the cause of the same, according to the quality of the offence, little or great, they should punish, eyther by banishment or capital death: the sentence of whom should pa.s.se and be p.r.o.nounced without appeale.

Howbeit Lawfull it was for the Kynge to mitigate the p.r.o.nounced sentence, eyther in al, or in part, and to diminish the payne, or clearely to a.s.soyle the party: whereby it euidently appeared, that the Counsellers Sentence once determined, was very iustice, and the kynge's wyll if he pardoned, was meere grace and mercy.

The kyng was constrayned by the statutes of his kyngdome to disclose vnto his Counsell the cause of his displeasure, which particularly he recited: the Counsellers when they heard the reasons of the kynge, sent for Ariobarzanes, of whom by due examination they gathered, that in diuers causes he had prouoked the kynge's dyspleasure. Afterwards the Lords of the Counsell, vpon the proposed question began to argue, by inuestigation and search whereof, in the ende they iudged Ariobarzanes worthy to loose hys head: for that he would not onely compare, but also go about to ouertoppe him in thinges vndecent, and to shewe himselfe discontented with the mariage of his daughter, and vnthankfull of the benefites so curteously bestowed vpon him.

A custome was obserued amonge the Persians, that in euery acte or enterprise, wherein the seruaunt endeuored to surpa.s.se and vanquish his lord and maister (albeit the attempt were commendable and prayseworthy) for respect of want of duety, or contempt to the royall maiesty, he should lose his best ioynt: and for better confirmation of their iudgement, the Counsellers alleaged a certayne diffinitiue sentence, regestred in their Chronicles, whilom done by the kyngs of Persia. The cause was this: one of the kyngs of that Region disposed to disporte with certayne of his n.o.ble men abrode in the Fields, went a Hauking, and with a Faucon to fly at diuers game. Within a while they sprang a Hearon, and the Kynge commaunded that one of the faulcons which was a notable swift and soaring Hauke, should be cast of to the Hearon: which done, the hearon began to mount and the faucon speedely pursued, and as the Hauke after many batings and intercourses, was about to seaze vpon the hearon, he espied an Egle: the stoute Hauke seeing the Egle, gaue ouer the fearfull Hearon, and with swift flight flewe towardes the hardy Egle, and fiercely attempted to seaze vpon her: but the Egle very stoutly defended her selfe, that the Hauke was forced to let goe hir holde. In the ende the good Hauke, with her sharpe talendes, agayne seazed vpon the Egle's neck, and wyth her beake strake her starke dead, wherewithall she fel downe amid the company that wayted vpon the king. Al the Barons and Gentlemen highly commended and praysed the Hauke, affirminge that a better was not in the worlde, attributing vnto the same sutch prayse, as they thought meete. The king for all the acclamations and shoutes of the troupe, spake not a worde, but stoode musing with himselfe, and did neyther prayse nor blame the Hauke. It was very late in the eueninge, when the Faucon killed the Egle, and therefore the kinge commaunded ech man to depart to the Citty.

The next day the king caused a Goldsmith to make an exceeding fayre crowne of golde, apt and meete for the Falcon's head.

Afterwards when he saw time conuenient, he ordayned that in the market place of the Citty, a Pearche should be erected, and adorned with Tapestry, Arras, and other costly furnitures, sutch as Prynces Palaces are bedecked withall. Thither with sound of Trumpets hee caused the Faucon to be conueyed, where the kinge commaunded one of his n.o.ble men to place the Crowne vpon his head, for price of the excellent pray atchieued vpon the Egle.

Then he caused the hangman or common executioner of the Citty, to take the Crowne from the Faucon's head, and with the trenchant sword to cut it of. Vppon these contrary effectes the beholders of this sight were amazed, and began diuersly to talk thereof. The king which at a window stoode to behold this fact, caused silence to be kept, and so opened his princely voice, as he was wel heard speaking these words: ”There ought (good people) none of you all to Murmur and grudge at the present fact executed upon the Faucon, bycause the same is done vppon good reason and iust cause as by processe of my discourse you shall well perceiue. I am persuaded that it is the office and duety of euery magnanimous prince, to know the valor and difference betweene vertue and vice, that all vertuous actes and worthy attempts may be honoured, and the contrary chastised and punished, otherwise he is not worthy of the name of a Kyng and Prynce, but of a cruel and trayterous Tyrant: for as the prince beareth the t.i.tle by princ.i.p.ality and chiefe, so ought his life chiefly to excell other, whom he gouerneth and ruleth. The bare t.i.tle and dignity is not sufficient, if his conditions and moderation be not to that supreme state equiualent. Full well I knew and did consider to be in this dead Faucon a certayne generosity and stoutnesse of minde, ioyned wyth a certayne fierce actiuity and nimblenesse, for which I Crowned and rewarded hir wyth thys golden Garland, bycause of the stoute slaughter which she made vpon that myghty Egle, worthy for that solemne guise. But when I considered how boldly and rashely she a.s.sayled and killed the Egle, which is hir Queene and Maystresse, I thought it a part of Iustice, that for hir bolde and vncomely act, she shoulde suffer the payne due to hir deserte: for vnlawful it is for the seruaunte, and vnduetiful for the subiect, to imbrue his handes in the bloud of his Soueraygne Lord. The Faulcon then hauinge slayne hir Queene, and of all other Birdes the Soueraygne, who can with reason blame me for cuttinge of the Faucon's head? Doubtlesse none, that hath respect to the quiet state betweene the Prince and Subiect.”

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