The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia, written by Sir Philippe Sidnei

CHAP. 27.

¹ Zelmanes perswasions to temporize, and referre them to Basilius. ² Anaxius-his embassage to treate the mari∣age. ³ Basilius recourse to a newe Oracle, ⁴ and his nega∣tiue thereon. ⁵ The flattering relation of his Mercurie. ⁶ The brothers course to resist force without, and vse force within.

BVt when after their fruitlesse la∣bours [argument key no. 1] they had gone away, cal∣led by their brother, (who be∣gan to be perplexed betweene new conceaued desires, and dis∣daine, to be disdained) Zelmane (who with most assured quiet∣nesse of iudgement looked into their present estate) earnestly perswaded the two si∣sters, that to auoide the mischiefes of prowde outrage, they would onely so farre sute their behauiour to their estates, as they might winne time; which as it could not bring them to worse case then they were, so it might bring forth inexpected relief. And why (said Pa∣mela) shal we any longer flatter aduersity? Why should we delight to make our selues any longer balls to in∣iurious Fortune, since our owne kinne are content traitorously to abuse vs? Certainely, in mishap it may be some comforte to vs, that we are lighted in these fellowes handes, who yet will keepe vs from hauing cause of being miserable by our friends meanes. No∣thing grieues me more, then that you, noble Ladie Zelmane (to whome the worlde might haue made vs able to doo honour) shoulde receaue onely hurte by the contagion of our miserie. As for me,and my si∣ster, vndoubtedly it becomes our birth to thinke of dying nobly, while we haue done,or suffered nothing, which might make our soule ashamed at the parture from these bodies. Hope is the fawning traitour of the minde, while vnder colour of friendship, it robbes it of his chiefe force of resolution. Vertuous and faire

Ladie (said Zelmane) what you say is true; and that truth may well make vp a part in the harmonie of your noble thoughts. But yet the time (which ought al∣waies to be one) is not tuned for it; while that may bring foorth any good, doo not barre your selfe there∣of: for then would be the time to die nobly, when you cā not liue nobly. Then so earnestly she persuaded with them both, to referre themselues to their fathers con∣sent (in obtayning whereof they knewe some while would be spent) and by that meanes to temper the mindes of their prowde woers; that in the ende Pamela yeelded to her, because she spake reason; and Philoclea yeelded to her reason, because she spake it.

[argument key no. 2] And so when they were againe sollicited in that little pleasing petition, Pamela forced her selfe to make answere to Anaxius, that if her father gaue his con∣sent she would make her selfe belieue, that such was the heauenly determination, since she had no meanes to auoide it. Anaxius (who was the most franke pro∣miser to him selfe of successe) nothing doubted of Ba∣silius consent, but rather assured him selfe, he would be his oratour in that matter: And therefore he chose out an officious seruaunt (whome he esteemed very wise, because he neuer found him but iust of his opini∣on) and willed him to be his embassadour to Basilius, and to make him knowe, that if he meant to haue his daughter both safe and happie, and desired him selfe to haue such a sonne in lawe, as would not onely protect him in his quiet course, but (if he listed to accept it) would giue him the monarchy of the worlde, that then he should receaue Anaxius, who neuer before knewe what it was to pray any thing. That if he did

not, he would make him know, that the power of A∣naxius was in euery thing beyonde his will, and yet his will not to be resisted by any other power. His seruaunt with smiling and caste-vp looke, desired God to make his memorie able to containe the trea∣sure of that wise speach: and therefore besought him to repeate it againe, that by the oftener hearing it, his mind might be the better acquainted with the diuine∣nesse therof, and that being gratiously granted, he then doubted not by carying with him in his conceit, the grace wherewith Anaxius spake it, to persuade rocky minds to their owne harme: so little doubted he to win Basilius to that, which he thought would make him thinke the heauens opened, when he harde but the proffer thereof. Anaxius grauely allowed, the probabi∣litie of his coniecture, and therefore sent him away, promising him he should haue the bringing vp of his second sonne by Pamela.

The messenger with speede perfourmed his Lords [argument key no. 3] commaundement to Basilius, who by nature quiet, and by superstition made doubtfull, was lothe to take any matter of armes in hand, wherin already he had found so slowe successe; though Philanax vehemently vrged him therunto, making him see that his retiring back did encourage iniuries. But Basilius betwixt the feare of A∣naxius might, the passiō of his loue, & iealousie of his e∣state, was so perplexed, that not able to determine, he tooke the cōmon course of mē, to flie only thē to deuo∣tiō, whē they want resolutiō: so detaining the messēger with delaies, he deferred the directing of his course to the coūsell of Apollo, which because himself at that time

could not well go to require, he entrusted the mat∣ter to his best trusted philanax: who (as one in whom obedience was a sufficient reason vnto him) wente with diligence to Delphos, where being entred into the secrete place of the temple, and hauing performed the sacrifices vsuall, the spirite that possest the prohesying woman, with a sacred fury, attended not his demaund, but as if it would argue him of incredulitie, tolde him, not in darke wonted speeches, but plainely to be vn∣derstood, what he came for, and that he should returne to Basilius, and will him to denie his daughter to Anaxius and his brothers, for that they were resrued for such as were better beloued of the gods. That he should not doubte, for they should returne vnto him safely and speedily. And that he should keepe on his solitary course, till bothe Philanax and Basilius fully agreed in the vnderstanding of the former pro∣phecie: withall, commaunding philanax from thence forward to giue tribute, but not oblation, to humane wifedome.

[argument key no. 4] Philanax then finding that reason cannot shewe it self more reasonable, then to leaue reasoning in things aboue reason, returnes to his Lorde, and like one that preferred truth before the maintaining of an opinion, hidde nothing from him, nor from thence foorth durste any more disswade him, from that which he founde by the celestiall prouidence directed; but he him selfe looking to repayre the gouernment as much as in so broken an estate by ciuill dissention he might, and fortifying with notable arte, bothe the lodges, so as they were almost made vnaprochable, he lefte Ba∣silius

to bemone the absence of his daughters, and to bewayle the imprisonment of Zelmane: yet wholy gi∣uen holily to obey the Oracle, he gaue a resolute ne∣gatiue vnto the messenger of Anaxius, who all this while had waited for it, yet in good termes desiring him to shewe him selfe, in respect of his birth and pro∣fession, so Princely a Knight, as without forcing him to seeke the way of force, to deliuer in noble sorte shose Ladies vnto him, and so should the iniurie haue bene in Amphialus, and the benefite in him.

The messenger went backe with this answere, yet [argument key no. 5] hauing euer vsed to sugre any thing which his Mais∣ter was to receaue, he tolde him, that when Basilius first vnderstood his desires, he did ouerreach so farre all his most hopefull expectations, that ho thought it were too great a boldnesse to harken to such a man, in whome the heauens had such interest, without asking the Gods counsell, and therefore had sent his prin∣cipall counsailour to Delphos, who although he kepte the matter neuer so secrete, yet his diligence, inspired by Anaxius his priuiledge ouer all worldly thinges, had founde out the secrete, which was, that he should not presnme to marrie his daughters, to one who al∣ready was enrolled among the demie-Gods, and yet much lesse he should dare the attempting to take them out of his hands.

Anaxius, who till then had made Fortune his crea∣tor, [argument key no. 6] and Force his God, nowe beganne to finde an o∣ther wisedome to be aboue, that iudged so rightly of him: and where in this time of his seruauntes way∣ting for Basilius resolution, he and his brothers had

courted their Ladies, as whome they vouchsased to haue for their wiues, he resolued now to dally no longer in delayes, but to make violence his Oratour, since he had found persuasions had gotten nothing but answeres. Which intention he opened to his bro∣thers, who hauing all this while wanted nothing to take that way, but his authoritie, gaue spurres to his running, and, vnworthy men, neither feeling vertue in themselues, nor tendring it in others, they were head∣long to make that euill consorte of loue and force, when Anaxius had worde, that from the Tower there were descried some companies of armed men, marching towardes the towne; wherefore he gaue presente order to his seruauntes, and souldiers, to goe to the gates and walless, leauing trone within but him∣selfe, and his brothers: his thoughts then so full of their intended pray, that Mars-his lowdest trumpet could scarcely haue awaked him.