The second tome of the Palace of pleasure conteyning store of goodly histories, tragicall matters, and other morall argument, very requisite for delighte and profit. Chosen and selected out of diuers good and commendable authors: by William Painter, clerke of the ordinance and armarie. Anno. 1567.

Timoclia of Thebes.

〈◊〉〈◊〉, a Gentlewoman of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, vnderstan∣ding the couetous desire of a Thracian knight, that had a∣bused hir, and promised hir mariage, rather for hir goodes than loue, well acquited hir self from his falshode.

The third Nouel.

QVintus Curtius, that notable historiographer remembring the stoute facte of this Thebane gentlewoman, amongs other the gestes and fac∣tes of Alexander the great, I haue déemed it not altogether vnfit for this place, to reueale the fine and notable pollicie deuised by hir, to rid hir selfe from a couetous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Thracian kinde, who for lucre rather than loue, for gaine than gratitude, promised golden hilles to this distressed poore gentlewoman. But she in the ende paying him his well deserued hire, was liked and prai∣sed of Alexander for hir aduēturous fact, being not one of the least vertues that shined in him, before he grewe to excessiue abuse. But bicause Plutarch in his treatise De claris mulieribus, more at large recounteth this hi∣storie, I haue thought good almost (verbatim) to follow him. Theagenes a gentleman of Thebes, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him∣self

with Epaminondas. and Pelopidas, and with other noble men, for preseruation of their common wealth, in the battaile sought at Cheronaea, for deliuerie of their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Greece? was slain in the chace of his enimies, as he pursued one of the chiefe of his aduersaries, y^t same crying out vnto him: Whether 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thou pursue vs The∣agenes? euen to Macedonia answered he. This gentle∣man thus slaine had a sister, whose vertue & néerenesse of kin by noble déedes, she well witnessed, although she was not well able to manifest hir vertue, for the aduersitie of the time, but by pacient sufferance of the cōmon calami∣ties. For after Alexander had wonne the citie of The∣bes, the souldiers gréedie of spoile running vp and down the citie, euery of them chancing vpon such bootie as for∣tune offred them, it chaunced that a captain of the Thra∣cian horsmen, (a barbarous and wicked wretch,) happe∣ned vpon the house of Timoclia, who somewhat néere the King both in name and kinne, in maners and condi∣tions was greatly different from him. He neither regar∣ding the noble house, ne yet the chastitie of hir forepas∣sed life, vpon a time after supper, glutted & swelled with abundance of wine, caused Timoclia forcibly to be ha∣led to his dronken couch: and not cōtented with the for∣ced wrong, as they were in talke together, diligently de∣maunded of hir, if she had in no place hidden any gold or siluer, and partly by threates, and partely by promise to kepe hir as his wife, endeuoured to get that he desired.

But she being of redy witte, taking that offred occasion of hir aduersarie: I would to God (sayd she) that it had bene my luck to haue died before this night, rather than to liue. For hitherto haue I kept my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pure and vn∣touched from all despite and villanie, vntill vnluckie fate forced me to yeld to thy disordinate lust: but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is such, why should I conceale those thyngs that be

〈◊〉〈◊〉 owne, thou being mine only tutor, lorde, and hus∣band (as thou sayst) when the Gods shal please to bring the same to passe. For by thy will and pleasure muste I vnhappie Thebane wench be ruled and gouerned. Eche vanquished wight must subdue their will and minde to their lord & 〈◊〉〈◊〉: I being thy slaue and prisoner, must nedes by humble meanes, yelde. vp my selfe to the vnsa∣ciate hest of thy puissant heart. What shall let me to dis∣close the pray that thou desirest, that we both, if thy mind be such, may rather ioy the same, than the soilie filth of stinking earth, shoulde deuoure such spoile, which for feare and hope of future fortune, I buried in the bowels of the same. Then marke my wordes, and beare them well in mynde, sith lot hath wrought me this mishap. I hauing plentie of coyned siluer, and of fyned gold no litle store besides such Iewels as belong to the setting forth of the grace of womans beautie, of valure and price 〈◊〉〈◊〉: when I saw this City brought to such distresse as vnpossible to be saued frō taking, al the same I threw away, or more truly to say, I whelmed altogether in a dry ditch void of water, which my fact fewe or none did knowe. The pitte is couered with a litle couer aboue, and thickly round about beset with bushes and thornes. Those goodes will make thée a welthy personage, none in all the campe to bée compared to thée, the riches and value wherof, will witnesse our former fortune, and the state of our gorgeous and stately house. All those doe I bequeath to thée, as on whome I thinke them wel besto∣wed.

This gréedie Lecher, laughing to him self for this sodaine praie, and thinking that his Ladie faste holden within his barbarous armes had tolde him truth, routed in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 couch till the day had discouered y^t morning light, then gaping for his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gaine, he rose & prayed hir to tell the place, that he might recouer the same. She

then brought him into hir garden, the dore whereof she commaunded to be shutte, that none might enter. He in his hose and doublet, went downe to the bottome of the pit. When Timoclia perceiued him downe, she beckned for certain of hir maids, & she rolled downe diuers great stones with hir own hāds, which of purpose she had cau∣sed to be placed there, and commaunded hir maides to tumble downe the like. By which meanes she killed that lecherous and couetous vilaine, that rather 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to satisfie his desire, than coueted to obserue his promysed faith. Which afterwardes being knowen to the Mace∣donians, they haled his bodie out of the pit. For Alex∣ander had made proclamation, that none should dare to kill any Thebane, and therfore apprehēding Timoclia, they brought hir to y^t king, accusing hir for doing of that murder: who by hir countenaunce and stature of bo∣die, and by hir behauiour and grauitie of maners, beheld in hir the verie Image of gentle kinde. And first of al, he asked hir what she was. To whom boldly with constāt chéere, she 〈◊〉〈◊〉 answered: Theagenes was my bro∣ther (sayd she) who béeing a valiant captaine, & fighting against you for the common safegard of the Greekes, was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at Chaeronea, that we might not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and proue y^t miseries, wherwith we be now oppressed. But I rather than to suffer violence vnworthie of oure race & stock, am in your 〈◊〉〈◊〉 presence brought ready to refuse no death: For better it were for me to die, than féele such another night, except thou commaūde the con∣trary. These wordes were vttered in such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 plight, as the standers by coulde not forbeare to wéepe. But A∣lexander saying, that he not onely pitied the woman en∣dewed with so noble witte, but much more wondred at hir vertue and wisedome, commaūded the princes of his armie, to foresée no wrong or violence to be done to the

Gentlewoman. He gaue order also, that Timoclia & all hir kinne, should be garded and defended from slaughter or other wrōgs. What say ye (good Ladies) to the heart of this noble Gentlewomā, that durst be so bold to stone this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wretch to death, & for wrong done to hir bo∣die till that time vntouched, to wrong the corps of him that sauoured of no gentle kinde: who rather for earth∣ly 〈◊〉〈◊〉, than for loue of such a pleasant prisoner, ex∣changed loue for golde? But note hereby what force the puritie of minde vnwilling of beastly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth carie in it self: A simple woman voide of helpe, not backed with defence of husbandes aide, doeth bring a mightie captaine, a strong and loftie lub∣ber, to enter into a caue, and when she sawe hir best aduauntage, thacked him with stones, vntill he groned forth his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Suche is the might and pro∣wesse of chastitie. No charge too burde∣nous or weightie for such a vertue, no enterprise too harde for a mynde so pure and cleane.