The first part of Parismus, the renovvmed Prince of Bohemia His most famous, delectable, and pleasant historie. Containing his noble battails fought against the Persians. His loue to Laurana, the Kings daughter of Thessalie: and of his strange aduentures in the desolate iland.

CHAP. XXII.

How Andramart finding no hope of Lauranaes fauour, com∣mitted her to the custodie of Adamasia his sister. How Lau∣rana was deliuered of a goodly Boye, and named him Paris∣menos. The miserable life Laurana indured, and how Pa∣rismenos Nurse saued him from death, which was intended by Adamasia.

LAurana all this while remained in the I∣land of Rocks, kindely intreated (as is be∣fore rehearsed) by Andramart, who was surprised with such desire to obtaine her fauour, that it was a griefe to him at any time to sée her sadde, and on a time he came vnto her (being in her Chamber, accom∣panied by Leda her Maide) and hauing obtained her consent, vttered these spéeches. Most beautifull Lady (said hée I beseech you shew some fauour vpon poore An∣dramart, who languisheth with desire of your loue, you sée that now you are in my power, & it were but folly for you to séeme so scornefull, and so slightly to regard my profered loue, wheras I might (if I pleased) inflict some gréeuous punishment vpon you thereby to compell your consent, but you likewise sée that my minde is not bent to any cruelty but I haue euer since your arriuall, humbly sued and intreated your friendship, which I e∣stéeme more déere then my life. Here shal you abide in great qui∣et and pleasure, not subiect vnto any, but shall be chiefe Gouer∣nour of this Castle, my self, and all that is mine. Diuine Lady, if you wil graunt me loue, Ile haue you clad in costly robes and Damask vestures, imbost with diamonds, and the richest bur∣nisht golde, perfumed with Camsire, Bisse, and Syrian swéete perfumes, a hundreth Uirgins clad in purple, shal daily attend thy person, as many swéete recording Instruments shall bring thy sences to their quiet sléepe. Thy foode shall be the precious

delicates of the world, they drinke more costly then Nectar and Ambrosia: my selfe will be, obedient at thy call, and all my ser∣uants shall bow at thy command. If all this will not purchase thy sweet content, I will prepare a sumptuous Chariot made of the purest gold, wherein thou shalt be drawn by kings, along the pleasant fields of this Countrey, whereas the euening aire shall breath a coolenesse, farre more sweeter then Ambergreece, vpon thy crimson cheeks, and make thy splendant beauty shine like the purple Pallace of Hyperion, when hee leaues Aurora blushing in her bedde, whereby all creatures shall admire thy excellency. All this and ten thousand times more, will I per∣forme, to delight your vertuous selfe withall, but if all this wil not suffice, then shall I spend my daies in endlesse sorrow, and your selfe purchase thereby your owne discontent. Therefore sweet Lady let me receiue some comfortable answer to mitti∣gate these my sorrowes. Laurana hauing heard his spéeches, was so surprised with a vertuous disdaine to heare his flatte∣ring, y^t she was resolued not to answer him at all, but at last she replied in this sort. It is in vaine Tyrant (quoth she) for thee to think to purchase any loue at my hands by thy flatteries, there fore desist thy sute, which is as odious to me as thy selfe, which thinkest because by trechery I am brought into thy cruel hāds I will yeeld to thy allurements: no Tyrant, no, inflict what pu∣nishment thou canst vpon me, I wil neuer yéeld to shew thee a∣ny fauour, that deseruest to be hated of all men: besides, thou seest my estate vnfit to listen to y^e allurements of loue, therfore if thou hast any vertue in thee, (as thou she west thy self to haue none) shew that thou louest me, by desisting to trouble me any more with the harsh sound of thy odious instrumēts: wherwith she turned from him, and he in a monstrous rage departed the chamber. Afterward comming vnto a sister which he had with him, named Adamasia, he began to vnfold vnto her the sum of his affection to Laurana, & how disdainfully she had vsed him, requesting her counsel to further him therin: who being an euil disposed creature, and rather ready to intice him to euil then to

dissawaded him fr•…•… y^e same, she promised him, that if she might haue the custodie of Laurana, shée would not doubt but soone to bring her to consent vnto his desire, which Andramart was in som doubt to suffer, for that he was loth any should haue the kéeping of her but himselfe. But at last being intised by hope of obtaining her good will, gaue his consent, and the wicked Ada∣masia had the charge of the most vertuous Laurana, vnto whō shée vnfolded the cause of her comming, vsing manie perswa∣sions to Laurana, to consent to loue Andramart, telling her that shée was vnwise to refuse the good will of him that was so mighty a man. Laurana séeing a worse plague then euer shée before endured, to be now befallen her, by being troubled with such an impudent solliciter, was so ouercome with sorrow and griefe, that this last vexation seemed more gréeuous then all that euer she endured: & would giue no answere vnto her im∣pudent sollicitings: by which meanes Adamasia was frustra∣ted of al hope to obtaine her liking, but many daies she vsed the vertuous Laurana very kindly, and séemed so loth to offend her that she would not long time after motion any thing in the be∣halfe of her brother, which the wicked hag did, only to feele the disposition of the vertuous Laurana: and also perceiuing y^t she was great with child, told Andramart that it was to no effect to deale any further in their suit, vntill she were deliuered. Wher∣fore with all diligence they ministred all things necessarie, and the time of her deliuery being come, she was inriched with a goodly boy, whom she named Parismenos, whom Andramart caused to be nursed, and to be most delicately brought vp many daies in that castle. After a few daies Andramart grew so im∣patient in his loue, that with many intreaties, he requested A∣damasia, either speedily to work his content (by obtaining Lau∣ranaes liking) or else he told her she should soon see his death for without the same it was impossible for him to liue. Wherwith Adamasia beganne to settle her selfe to the taske she had vnder∣taken, and finding (as she thought) a conuenient time when Laurana was alone, she began to féele her minde in this sort.

Uertuous Lady (quoth she) I haue long diligently marked the doleful plaints you secretly vtter, which maketh me muse, that you hauing no cause at al, shuld spend your daies in such heauie sort, wheras you might (if you plesed) inioy such happy delights as many thousand ladies wold wish for. You are here in a hap∣pie place in my opinion, where nothing is wanting that might procure your content, where no iniurie is offered you, that vn∣lesse you indure some secret griefe, I know not what to coniec∣ture of your discontent: and the loue of Andramart in my iudge∣ment faire Lady, should bring you that happie consent, that yet you neuer enioyed the like, who in all respects beareth such an intire affection to your selfe, that whatsoeuer he hath or can cō∣mand, resteth wholly at your dispositiō. But if it be so that you haue som friend already, vnto whom you are any way tyed in the bands of loue, & for him you indure this pensiuenes, that by some mischaunce is perished, then let the famous Andramart possesse the second roome in your gentle heart, and let me be the messenger to carrie these happie tidings, to ease his torment. Laurana hauing heard this cunning insinuation of Adamasia, wel vnderstood her meaning, & therfore told her that her gréefes were best knowne to her selfe, which she determined not to re∣ueale, and as for Andramart, she told her she esteemed his loue worse then his hatred, and that she had rather indure y^e greatest force of his malice, then the loathsome profers of his loue, and therfore willed her not to prosecute any further her vnwelcom∣med sute, which should make her lesse welcome vnto her com∣panie. Adamasia hearing Lauranaes resolute answere, was so kindled into anger with the same, and being of a proude dispo∣sition, could not refraine from vttering her inward rancor, but replyed as followeth. Proude Lady (quoth she) know that An∣dramarts more fauoring thée then thou deseruest, hath appoin∣ted me to intreat thy fauor, but thou disdainfully reiectest his profered courtesie, and makest scorne of my speeches, which I cannot indure, for thou shalt well know that I am the better, and I tell shee that thou shalt yeelde vnto his iust sute, or repen

the time that euer thou wert so coy, therfore let me haue thy an∣swere to morrow, which is the vttermost respit y^t I will giue thée. Auant foule Hag (quoth Laurana) my answere thou shalt now receiue: that for thy detested sake I will neuer yeeld vnto his sute. Which words so inraged the rude Adamasia, that cō∣ming to Laurana, she strooke her such a blow on the face, that the blood ran aboundantly frō her mouth, wherwith she depar∣ted and left Laurana in y^t sort bléeding, with her bloud mingling her Christall teares, which in abundance ran from her eyes. This hag was so inragde with the sharpe answere of Laurana, that presently she came to Andramart, and told him that there was no dealing with hir in gentle sort, rehearsing how disdain∣fully she refused all the proffers and sutes she could make; vsing such perswasions, that Andramart consented to be wholly orde∣red by her, nothing regarding what she intended, so hée might haue his desire. Adamasia therfore purposing to bring her bu∣sinesse to effect, first caused Leda to be prisoned and restrai∣ned from her mistresses presence, which was an insupportable gréefe to her. Next she caused young Parismenos with his Nurse, to be kept from his Mothers knowledge, and such things as Laurana had before enioyed for her vse, were now quiet kept from her, and her diet scanted, being serued of such as ill agréed with her stomacke. Laurana seeing her selfe thus v∣sed, began to feare some harder measure, which very shortly fell out true: for Adamasia longing to execute her crueltie vpon the vertuous Ladie, came vnto her, and asking whether as yet she would condiscend to yeeld her loue to Andramart: for (said she) it is now no dallying, for I will either purchase his content by thy consent, or work thy sorrow. Laurana would make her no answere at all, but with silence heard her talke, raile, stamp, and rage, in such extreame sort, that she thought she wold with fury at that instant haue run mad: for Lauranas silence inraged her more then the sharpest answere she could haue giuē would haue done, that in an extreame rage she lockt the chāber doore, & depated presently, deuising how to torment her. And choosing

vnto her two olde women, fitte to execute any euill action, ha∣uing instructed them what they should doe, sent them to her, where they were no sooner come, but they behelde her sitting vpon the ground, hauing elected the darkest place in the cham∣ber, as fitting to her mournfull disposition, with her chéekes be∣smeared with old dryed teares, and fresh drops, resembling the purest christall pearles, ready to fal, leaning her arme vpon her knée, and her head vpon her hand, her haire being carelesly at∣tired, and al her ornaments so diffusedly hanging (but yet so de∣lightfull to beholde) that y^e old hagges could not deuise how to find any occasion to execute their intent, but were so abashed at her countenance, that they were oftentimes in minde to re∣turne, without once offering to trouble her. Laurana séeing thē stand gazing vpon her, rose from the place where she sate, and demanded what they would haue, whom they answered not: but shée suspecting that they were sent by Adamasia, for no good intent, beganne to vtter these spéeches. Feare not (quoth shée) to execute the wil of her that sent you, who séeketh for that at my hands, shée shal neuer, obtaine, it is not all the torment shée can deuise, shall cause me alter my vow, for I am resolutely deter∣mined to endure them, & death too, if it be her will to giue it me. Cruell fortune hath wrought my sorrow & inflicted greater pu∣nishment vpon me then she ca•…•… deuise, by the losse of my deere Lord, & husband, whom I know not what fortune keepeth thus long from redéeming his poore Laurana, nor into what place of the world he is wandred in search of mee, that in all this time I can heare no tydings of his happy arriuall. But why doe I wish his comming hither, when there is no meanes to escape death, if he once fall into the hands of these tyrants? Worthy and vertuous Lord, all happinesse attend his royal person, and shield him from harme, & all woe & sorrow belong to me. Come furies, come e•…•…ecute your will, or returne to the cruel Beldam that sent you, and tell her that Laurana scorneth to entreat a∣ny fauour at her hand. Shee had no sooner ended her spéeches but they began to bestrip her delicate body, & disrobed her of all

her ornaments sauing her white smocke, which they vnfolded downe to her tender waste, and scourged her with whip•…•… vn∣till the pure purple blood began to trickle downe her precious body, which torment she indured so patiently, as it was a most rare vertue in her so quietly to enduce griefe, in defence of her honour. And hauing executed their crueltie in most extreame sort, left her alone, who couered her bleeding bodie (which was such a lamentable spectacle to beholde, that had Andramart seene her distressed estate, hée would haue runne mad with ex∣treame furie) and gaue her selfe to continuall sorrow, expecting more hard vsage: for she knew, vnlesse she would yeeld her bo∣die to be imbraced by the hatefull Andramart, shée should en∣dure many other torments, which shée would not in any wise yeelde vnto, though shee endured ten thousand deaths. The next day comes to her againe Adamasia, whose countenance bewrayed the guiltinesse of her conscience, & demaunded whe∣ther as yet shee would giue answere to her demaunde. Lau∣rana was so inwardly tormented, to heare any more motions that tended the breach of her loyaltie, that she would not indure the thought thereof, and knowing that this wicked fury would continue a long circumstance of odious perswasions, she inter∣rupted her with this answere Wicked woman (quoth she) thin∣kest thou by thy cruell vsage to purchase my dishonour? No, were I so intended, for thy sake would I reuoke my disposi∣tion, and tell the tyrant Andramart, that he shall sooner see my body torne into a thousand peeces by his detested crueltie, then yeeld to his beastly desire. Execute thy rage, and practise all the diuellish deuises thy hatefull heart can inuent, they shall no whit feare me, for thy tamned, selfe, thy hearse voyce and ab∣hominable sute, are as deadly poysons to my Sences, and the thought of them so odious, that doe what thou canst, I will ne∣uer condiscend to the least thought of graunting thy request: therefore trouble me no more with thy serpentlike hissing forth of Hellish protestations, for my soule hath vowed in despite of all the cruelties, and vttermost deuises of detested tyrannie, to

giue thee no other answer. Proud disdainefull trull (quoth Adamasia) I sée thou art willing to worke thine owne sorrow, being some stragling mate, or base borne huswife, that art not worthy the loue of Andramart, and thinkest to esape my hands, by thy resolute replies, and denials. No: know foolish contem∣ner of thine owne good, that nothing shall satisfie me but thy consent, which thou wilt yeeld I feare me, when it will bee too late. The downefull of thy selfe, thy sonne, and al that is thine, shall not appease my furie, but thy consent to loue Andramart: and since thou wilt by no intreaties bée perswaded, all this and more will I inflict vpon thy proud heart, that so wilfully de∣nyest his request, and therefore either speedily yeelde thy vn∣worthy fancy to attend his liking, or resolue to behold the tra∣gedy of thy infant.

With which words she departed, and left Laurana so ter∣rified with her speeches, that her senses were ouercome with feare, and shee fared like one without sense: but reuiuing her selfe from that heauy dumpe, with aboundance of teares she be∣dewed her Crimson cheekes, and in silent sorrow spent her time, still expecting the heauy newes of Parismenos tragedy, which within few daies, the wicked tyrannous Adamasia ef∣fected in this sort: She caused the nurse that kept Parismenos, to bring him to his mother with this message that vnlesse shee would in all respects fulfill the request that Andramart hadde made, she must presently destroy him before her face: who hea∣ring the nurse vtter that dismall doome of her Sonne, shee fell into a deadly swound, in which sort, she continued a good space, in which time the nurse was departed with yong Parismenos, which when Laurana perceiued, she began to vtter many hea∣uy plaints, that the very walles seemed to pittie her distresse, but being diuersly tormented with feare, to thinke what was become of her yong sonne, she got to the windowe, and there beheld Adamasia with the nurse ready to strangle the Infant before her face: but y^e nurse pittying the infant, who lookt with such a smiling countenance, that the cruell Tigers would haue

spared his life) vpon her knées with aboundance of teares in∣treated the hard hearted Adamasia to spare his life, who was no way guiltie of his mothers offence: but all the intreaties she could vse, nothing auailed: but she taking the infant from the nurse adressed her selfe to execute her cruell intent. Which Laurana espying, beeing therewith terrified, called aloude from the window vnto her, and desired her to heare her speake, before shee spilt the innocent bloud of her yong sonne, which caused Adamasia to stay, but still shee continued like a furious Lionesse, standing ready to deuour her pray, and Laurana from foorth her window vttered these speeches. If thou wert euer borne of a woman, be not so inhumane as so destroy that harmelesse infant which is of no power to worke thy discontent: wherein hath it offended thee, or how hath it any way deserued such an vntimely death? What will it profit thee at all, to see his destruction? It is I that haue of∣fended thee: it is I that may appease thy cruell minde: it is my blood that may suffice thy deuouring appetite: then in∣flict thy wrath on my head, reuenge thy selfe on mee, that héere offer my selfe willingly to destruction. What merci∣lesse creature would be so tyrannous, as to destroy an harme∣lesse innocent, when they haue in their power a fitter subiect to appease their ire? Cruell Adamasia, or let mee call thee gentle cruell woman: let my plaints mooue thy heart from acting that cruell déede: let my humble teares, and remem∣brance of a mothers loue to her childe, reuoke thy cruell doome: let my paines and intreaties so much pricke thy flinty breast, as to cause thy heart relent, and stay thy hand from that mer∣cilesse déede. heere I am that haue offended, why wilt thou not then reuenge thy selfe on mee, that may satisfie thy will? and spare that tender babe, whose death will make thée so odi∣ous, that the very earth will refuse to beare thy hatefull body, the Sun will send noysome vapours to poyson thy soule, the ayre will infect thy intrailes, and the very foules will worke thy downefall. Remember that his life may bee a meanes

to alter my minde, but his death wi•…•…harden my heart so much, that it will be foreuer impossible for thee to attaine the thing thou seekest at my hand. Then bee not so cruell as to spill the blood of that silly Lambe, that is not altogether as yet ready for the slaughter. Adamasia hearing the conclusion of Lauranaes spéeches, perceiuing that they shewed some likelihood that shee would change her inclination (wherein she was deceiued) de∣liuered Parismenos againe to his Nurse, with many oathes protesting, that if Laurana did not the next day grant her re∣quest, he should surely die. Laurana was somewhat comforted, by this short time of Truce, she had gotten for Parismenos li•…•…e, but stil rested in such ca•…•…e and perplexity of griefe, that she was in the most woefullest estate of miserie that euer any Lady was in, her Senses beeing so stuffed with aboundance of sorrow, that shee could neither resolue what to doe, nor once study how to auoide these intollerable mischiefes. The Nurse hauing receiued the young Parismenos, with great ioy departed to the place of her aboad, where she was no sooner come, but she then began presently to deuise how to saue the swéete Babe from death: for although she was a stranger to Laurana, a woman of a rude and barbarous Nation, and altogether voide of Ciui∣litie, yet by the Diuine operation, she was so farre in loue with that most sweet countenance of the yong Infant, and there∣with, she tooke such delight to educate so gallant a Childe, that she determined either to saue him from Adamasias cruelty, or thereby worke her owne destruction: therefore in the middest of the darke night, when all things were at silence, she stole a∣way from the Castle with Parismenos, and by that time it was day, she was trauelled some twenty miles from the same, wher she gate into a woode, and there made such prouision, that she carefully brought vp Parismenos, as conueniently as was pos∣sible for her to doe, in that vnfrequented place, of whom wee will speake more heereafter.

The next morning Adamasia came again to Lauranas chāber,

demanding the accomplishment of her request, who by that time had sufficiently determined what to doe: and weghing the distressed estate she was in, considered that if shee should condiscend to loue Andramart, shee should both disrobe her selfe of chastitie, and doe a most monstrous iniurie to the noble Pa∣rismus, shee resolued rather to sée the destruction of her Sonne, and endure death. And therefore tolde Adamasia, if nothing but her dishonour would content her minde, she might doe all as pleased her, for she was resolued neuer to yeelde to violate her chastity, but yet most humbly intreated the hard hearted hagge, to spare her Sons life, shewing such manifold reasons, that it would haue pierced the heart of the cruellest Tyrant li∣uing: but Adamasia was rather inflamed to furie, then any way mollified with her gentle intreaties, that in an extreame rage she departed, with full intent to excute her vnsatiate re∣uenge on Parismenos: but comming into the nurses Cham∣ber, and not finding him, nor his nurse, she could not tell what to thinke, and making further enquirie (being thereby assured that they were not to bee found) shee was inraged with such madde and Diuellish frenzie, that shee came vnto the two olde hagges, that had executed her commandement before on Lau∣rana, stamping and staring, and discouered vnto them all that had happened, and how that the nurse was fled with the yong Infant: who by her wicked commandement for many daies after, continually tormented the vertuous Laurana, with such extreame tortures, that it was impossible for her long to en∣dure that extreame misery, wherewith shee was brought into a most dangerous estate of death, being voide of all comfort, and continually she spent her time in bemoning the losse of her Lord, and the vntimely slaughter of Parismenos, whom shee thought assuredly to be dead.