The foreste or Collection of histories no lesse profitable, then pleasant and necessarie, dooen out of Frenche into Englishe, by Thomas Fortescue.

Of the greate constancie of the Aritafila, with her honest policie, and deliuerie of her Countrie. Chap. 11.

THe constancie of the noble Aritafila, of Cyrena, meriteth to be spoken of in al tymes, and ages. The doughter was she of Eglator, and wife to Fedim, whiche in noblelesse and wealth was reputed for one of the worthiest in that Citie: she also in beautie no lesse excelled, then she did in witte, with a merueilous facili∣tie, and swetnes in talke. It chaunsed nowe that Nico∣crate, * 1.1 cruelly, and tyrannously oppressing the countrie, had doen to death diuers honest Citisens, and among o∣thers his execrable, and intollerable villanies, hee also executed Melnaipus Apollo his préeste, to th' intente him selfe might vsurpe the office sacerdotall. Shortly after

by dishoneste gyle, he did Fedim also to die, the huseband of Aretafila, takyng her to wife by force, and against her will, not leauyng from tyme tyme, to abuse the poore Ci∣tisens, waxing euery daie more fell, and more cruel then other, so that on a time in his rage, and furie, he bloodde∣ly flewe a greate number in one instant, and for that the vsage was to burie theim without the Citie, was aduer∣tised, that diuers liuyng, were noised to haue been of the nūber slaine, to the intent thei might be carted out of the towne among y^e deade, so to eskape his impacable malice, by meanes whereof he sente a greate troope of his Soul∣diars, immediatly & in all haste, to kepe the gates, which with long weapons, and péekes of Iron, redde hoate with the fire, punchte, and pearste all that past theim in moste vnreuerent maner, by that meanes to make proofe, whether any there liued or not. These thinges displeased muche Aretafila his wife, whiche moued to greate com∣passion, through the loue she bare to her countrie, besides that she hated hym, for his tyranny executed against her best beloued Fedim, determined, in fine, to hassarde her life, to bereue the tyranne (if it were possible) of his. And although Nicocrate most ardently loued her, not leauing any paine to please, and contente her, yet coulde hee not for all that alter her honorable determination: so that when all the other Citisens through the greate force of the tyranne, were all in dispaire, of fréedome, or libertie, she alone still continued, in assured hope and confidence, by some meane to dispatche him and to deliuer her coun∣trie. For the more assured performance of this her deter∣mination, she calleth to memorie the noble valiauncie of Ferea that renoumed Thebane, whose courage, & vertue she determined in the accomplishemēt of this so greate, and weaghtie a matter to imitate, and followe, and for that she had none assistantes, as had the other many, she resolued to impoison hym, in cloase and secrette maner, by meanes whereof her selfe, was, in greate daunger of

death, as shall bee here after saide, for that she eftsones failed, with such conuenient oportunitie to minister her potions, as her selfe still desired, and at last suspected and taken with the maner, was not able to excuse her selfe, with manifeste proofes, conuicted of that folly. Whence Caluia the mother of the tyranne, whiche more then fa∣tally hated her, and as a woman of fell, and mearciles courage, perswaded with her soonne to execute her in most shearpe, and cruell maner. But the greate loue that Nicocrate baere her, with her assured constancie, and va∣liant courage on the other side, aunsweryng so wisely to euery her accusers, caused that her death was not haste∣ly pursued: howbeit after long and many examinations, beyng moste plainly, and apertly conuicted, not able to excuse her selfe, but that she had prouided it, in the pre∣sence of the iudges, she boldly saide this much. I confesse my Lorde, and husebande, that this drincke by me was, and by none other prouided, of purpose to haue geuen, or bestowed it on you, but not that I euer thought, or in a∣ny wise knew that it was either noisome, or venemous, but continually I supposed it to be a confection amorous, for seyng that I was enuied of sundrie Ladies, and gent∣lewemen, especially for that it pleased you so well to thincke of me, as also for that they see me aduaunced in honour aboue theim, and doubtyng leaste they might al∣lure you, by some meanes also to fauour theim, I proui∣ded this potion, to increase, and continue your good affe∣ction towardes me. Wherefore if I any thing haue here∣in offended, surely I ought not in trothe to bee punished, for that onely loue, to attempte it, and no thing els hath moued me, and not as some would, or malice or rancour, and yet neuer the lesse if I must be punished, death haue I not deserued as an impoisoner, but as a woman that through to muche loue haue deuised inchauntmentes, or licours amatory, to force her husebande no lesse to loue her, then she bothe hath, and doeth loue hym. Thus she

with a sober countenance, and like grace, in defence of her selfe, semed of parte to haue satisfied, and contented the tyranne, wherefore, he would not that she should in any wise bee doone to death, but commaunded, that she should bee laide on the racke, where through tormente she might aunswere a truthe to eache demaunde. Caluia now prouided with diligence the rancke, doyng her to be tormented in moste cruell maner, besides that her selfe also in person leafte not to plaie her parte therein, vntill at the laste she was as werie, as was possible for her to be. How be it, Aretafilia confeste no thing at all: by mea∣nes whereof she was in the ende deliuered, and receaued as inculpable, by the tyranne Nicocrate, which sorrowed mearueilously, for that he had doone her in suche sorte to betormented, and beyng vanquished with loue, practised with giftes, and iuels, to reconcile her againe vnto hym. But she as a wise, and prudent dame, fained that she could not but loue hym continually, but hauyng laide vp in her bosome the memory of these tormētes, attended y^e time onely, and place, to auenge her, and whilste she of∣ten tymes deuised with her self how she best might accō∣plishe it, beholde this occasion, in happie time offereth it selfe. She had by Fedim a doughter of rare, and excellent beautie, vertuous with the same, and verie well nurte∣red, as also Nicocrate a brother that hight Leander, yong, and dissolute, hauntyng in euerie corner, the companie of women, whom notwithstandyng to acquainte, with this her doughter, in secreate, & cloase meane she labored continually, in suche sorte that by inchauntmentes, and other pretie confections, whiche had been for the more spedie accomplishment hereof taught her, she easely con∣strained him to loue and like her, principallie for that the maide, was by her mother tofore instructed, to shew him what in her was, al notes of loue, and loialtie. After this, she so wrought here in, tha Leander besought his brother to geue him this maide for wife, and companion in ••ead,

whiche he easely obtained, by the consente of Aretafila. This marriage now solemnised, Leander that loued be∣yonde measure this yong dame, neuer had his fil, or was satisffied in disportyng with her: wherfore on a night by the counsell of her mother, she perswaded with hym to procure the death of his brother, to attempte and take in hande a matter so honorable, as was that by his death, to deliuer his coūtrie from tyranny. And farther she ad∣ded, that he might be assured, that the Citisens in recom∣pence thereof, would chuse hym for their Kinge, besides that, if he did it not, if happely his brother by some other meanes were slaine (which was impossible for him long to eskape) that his life also then coulde not be but in has∣sarde, laiyng euidently before him, by manifest exāples, the execrable, and barbarus crueltie of his brother, which onely depriued not the Citisens of their libertie, but also him that was his naturall brother, and that this is true, saide she, consider that it was not in thy choise, to take to thee a wife, but that thou first must become, a long, and humble sutor. Leander thē at the perswasion of his wife, at that instante resolued to conspire the tirannes death, especially vnderstandyng, that it well pleased Aretafila. Wherefore breakyng, and impartyng with Dannides, his moste trustie, and assured frende, did by his helpe, and aduise therein so muche, that he shortely after had slaine hym, hymselfe crouned king, and Prince of the countrie, whence he streight grewe, to be of suche puissant auctho∣rity, that he by little, and little contemned Aretafila, and her coūsels, so that he rather made it euident vnto all the worlde, that he was an homicide, and murtherer of hys brother, and not a conspirer of the death and fall of the tyranne, for continually he gouerned the people with iniustice, although hee yet againe afterwarde somwhat beganne to reuerence, and honour his mother in lawe. Wherfore preuely by letters, and messengers sent him, she perswaded with Anabe a Lybian borne, a capitaine

couragious, and verie fortunate (seiyng that she had not yet deliuered her countrie from tyranny, mindyng also to dispatche hym as the other) to enter in armes on the territories of Leander, whiche he did, and being entered, with his whole armie, she calleth Leander, and immedi∣atly telleth him, that neither were his capitaines equall either in experience, or prowes to these of the ennimie, and that it should also lesse aduauntage hym, to muche to truste, or affie in his people, not yet so surely planted, as he supposed, in that citie, wherefore her aduise was, that he should by all meanes, labour to pacifie, and appeace the wroth of Anabe, promising that her self would finde some waie for hym, gently, and quietly to conferre at ful with hym. This counsell of his mother in lawe pleased well Leander, by meanes where of she laboured, to bring theim both together: howbeit, before the time of meting appointed, she sente certeine assured, and secreate messen¦gers to Anabe, humbly intreatyng hym, that when Le∣ander came to hym, that he either would kill hym, or at the leaste retaine hym prisoner, promising to requite hym therefore, to his full contentation. Whervnto this Lybian accorded, promising most faithfully to accōplishe her demaund. But Leander of nature feareful (as cōmon∣ly are all, & euerie these tyrauntes) differred, and prolon∣ged from daie to daie this Parle: till at length through the earnest instigatiō of Aretafila, who charged him both with inconstancie, and cowardise, especially for that her selfe woulde goe to the ennimie with hym, wente forth all vnarmed, at last to mete with Anabe, whom when he sawe commyng with a certeine companie with hym, he arrested hym saiyng that he would go no farther, but all amased with feare, woulde then sende for his Garde. Whence she some tymes incouraging hym, some tymes also with rough wordes reprouyng hym, did still her bu∣sie paine to pushe, and thruste him forwardes, and in fine tooke hym her selfe by the arme, as well to harden hym, 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

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as by force also to drawe hym, till in the ende she waS come to Anabe with hym, into whose handes she deliue∣red hym captiue, and prisoner, who curiously then, and safely kepte hym, vntill hee hadde receaued the whole summe of mony promised hym. After this she returned into the Citie againe, where she discloased (as is aboue saide) the whole order of this matter, vttering euery her polices practised for the deliuerie of her countrie. Which knowen, this mony was immediatly gaithered, and sent as was promised, forth with to Anabe, whiche also deli∣uered Leander in chaines to hys mother in lawe, whom she againe committed to the keepyng of the magistrate, by whose commaundement he was cloasde vppe, into a greate sacke of Leather, and cast into the Sea, such was his endyng: Caluia his mother was also burned. Now all the countrie came runnyng to Aretafila, and fallyng on their knees did her the greatest honour that was in anie wise possible, especially for that, with such and so greate hasarde of her person, she had deliuered her countrie out of the handes of two tyrantes: and farther in recōpence of these her demerites, they chose her gouernesse (to bee assisted with certeine others) of their countrie: whiche she courtuously (as was her maner) and thāckfully acce∣cepted, painyng her self in the administration of iu∣stice vntill all thinges were reduced in to per∣fect, and quiet state, and afterwarde ge∣uyng vppe her office in to the han∣des of the Senate, withdrewe her selfe in to a house of religion, a∣mong Noonnes, where she liued in contemplation, and prai∣er the residue of her life.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Some reade Nicocreon.