The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia, written by Sir Philippe Sidnei

CHAP. 27.

¹ A verball craftie coward purtrayed in Clinias. ² His first raising, and with the first, relenting in this mutinie, ³ pu∣nished by the farmer. ⁴ The vprore reenforced, & weak∣ned by themselues. ⁵ Clinias-his Sinon-like narration of this drūken rebellions original. ⁶ The kings order in it.

THis Clinias in his youth had bene a [argument key no. 1] scholler so farre, as to learne rather wordes then maners, and of words rather plentie then order; and oft had vsed to be an actor in Tragedies, where he had learned, besides a slidingnesse of language, acquain∣tance

with many passions, and to frame his face to beare the figure of them: long vsed to the eyes and eares of men, and to recken no fault, but shamefastnesse; in na∣ture, a most notable Coward, and yet more strangely then rarely venturous in priuie practises.

[argument key no. 2] This fellowe was become of neere trust to Cecropia, Amphialus-his mother, so that he was priuy to al the mis∣chieuous deuises, wherewith she went about to ruine Basilius, and his children, for the aduauncing of her sonne: and though his education had made him full of tongue, yet his loue to be doing, taught him in any euill to be secret; and had by his mistresse bene vsed (e∣uer since the strange retiring of Basilius) to whisper ru∣mors into the peoples eares: and this time (finding great aptnes in the multitude) was one of the chiefe that set them in the vprore (though quite without the cōsent of Amphialus, who would not for all the Kingdoms of the world so haue aduētured the life of Philoclea.) But now perceiuing the flood of their furie began to ebbe, he thought it policie to take the first of the tide, so that no mā cried lowder then he, vpon Basilius. And som of the lustiest rebels not yet agreeing to the rest, he caused two or three of his mates that were at his cōmandement to lift him vp, & then as if he had had a prologue to vtter, he began with a nice grauitie to demand audience. But few attending what he said, with vehement gesture, as if he would teare the stars from the skies, he fell to cry∣ing out so lowde, that not onely Zelmane, but Basilius might heare him. O vnhappie men, more madde then the Giants that would haue plucked Iupiter out of heauen, how long shal this rage continue? why do you not all throw downe your weapons, and submit your

selues to our good Prince, our good Basilius, the Pelops of wisdom, & Minos of all good gouernmēt? when will you begin to beleue me, and other honest and faithfull subiects, that haue done all we could to stop your surie?

The farmer that loued Zelmane could abide him no [argument key no. 3] longer. For as at the first he was willing to speake of cō∣ditions, hoping to haue gotten great soueramties, & a∣mong the rest Zelmane: so now perceiuing, that the peo∣ple, once any thing downe the hill from their furie, would neuer stop till they came to the bottom of abso∣lute yeelding, and so that he should be nearer feares of punishment, then hopes of such aduancement, he was one of them that stood most against the agreement: and to begin withall, disdaining this fellow should play the preacher, who had bin one of the chiefest make-bates, strake him a great wound vpon the face with his sword. The cowardly wretch fell down, crying for succour, & (scrambling through the legs of them that were about him) gat to the throne, where Zelmane tooke him, and comforted him, bleeding for that was past, and quaking for feare of more.

But as soone as that blow was giuen (as if AEolus had [argument key no. 4] broke open the doore to let all his winds out) no hand was idle, ech one killing him that was next, for feare he should do as much to him. For being diuided in minds & not diuided in cōpanies, they that would yeeld to Ba∣silius were intermingled with thē that would not yeeld. These men thinking their ruine stood vpō it; those men to get fauor of their Prince, conuerted their vngracious motion into their owne bowels, & by a true iudgement grew their owne punishers. None was sooner killed thē those that had bene leaders in the disobedience: who

by being so, had taught them, that they did leade dis∣obediēce to the same leaders. And many times it fel out that they killed them that were of their owne faction, anger whetting, and doubt hastening their fingers. But then came downe Zelmane; and Basilius with Dorus is∣sued, and sometimes seeking to draw together those of their party, somtimes laying indifferently among them, made such hauocke (amōg the rest Zel-mane striking the farmer to the hart with her sworde, as before she had done with her eyes) that in a while all they of the con∣trary side were put to flight, and fled to certaine woods vpon the frontiers; where feeding coldly, and drinking onely water, they were disciplined for their dronken ri∣ots; many of them being slaine in that chase, about a score onely escaping. But when these late rebels, nowe souldiers, were returned from the chase, Basilius calling them togither, partly for policy sake, but principally be∣cause Zelmane before had spoken it (which was to him more thē a diuine ordinance) he pronounced their ge∣nerall pardon, willing them to returne to their houses, and therafter be more circūspect in their proceedings: which they did most of them with share-marks of their folly. But imagining Clinias to be one of the chiefe that had bred this good alteration, he gaue him particular thanks, and withall willed him to make him know, how this frenzie had entred into the people.

[argument key no. 5] Clinias purposing indeede to tell him the trueth of al, sauing what did touch himself, or Cecropia, first, dipping his hand in the blood of his woūd, Now by this blood (said he) which is more deare to me, then al the rest that is in my body, since it is spent for your safety: this tōgue (perchance vnfortunate, but neuer false) shall not now begin to lie vnto my Prince, of me most beloued. Then

stretching out his hand, and making vehement counte∣nāces the vshers to his speches, in such maner of tearms recounted this accident. Yesterday (said he) being your birth-day, in the goodly greene two mile hence before the city of Enispus, to do honour to the day, were a four or fiue thousand people (of all conditions, as I thinke) gathered together, spending al the day in dancings and other exercises: and when night came, vndertents and bowes making great cheare, and meaning to obserue a wassaling watch all that night for your sake. Bacchus (the learned say) was begot with thunder : I think, that made him euer since so full of stur & debate. Bacchus indeed it was which soūded the first trūpet to this rude alarū. For that barbarous opinion being generally among¦them, to thinke with vice to do honor, & with actiuitie in beast∣lines to shew abundānce of loue, made most of thē seeke to shew the depth of their affectiō in the depth of their draught. But being once wel chased with wine (hauing spent al the night, & some peece of the morning in such reuelling) & imboldned by your absented maner of li∣uing, there was no matter their eares had euer heard of that grew not to be a subiect of their winie conference. I speake it by proofe: for I take witnes of the gods (who neuer leaue periuries vnpunished) that I oftē cried out against their impudency, & (whē that would not serue) stopt mine eares, because I wold not be partaker of their blasphemies, till with buffets they forced me to haue mine eares & eies defiled. Publike affairs were minlegd with priuate grudges, neither was any man thoughts of wit, that did not pretende some cause of mislike. Ray∣ling was counted the fruite of freedome, and saying nothing had his vttermoste prayse in ignoraunce. At the length, your sacred person (alas why did I

liue to heare it? alas how do I breath to vtter it? But your cōmandement doth not onely enioine obedience, but giue me force: your sacred person (I say) fell to be their table-talke: a proud word swelling in their stomacks, & disdainfull reproches against so great a greatnes, hauing put on the shew of greatnes in their little mindes: till at length the very vnbrideled vse of words hauing increa∣sed fire in their mindes (which God knowes thought their knowledge notable, because they had at all no knowledge to cōdemne their own want of knowledge) they descended (O neuer to be forgotten presumption) to a direct mislike of your liuing from among them. Whereupon it were tedious to remember their far-fet∣ched constructions. But the summe was, you disdained them: and what were the pompes of your estate, if their armes mainteyned you not? Who woulde call you a Prince, if you had not a people? When cer∣taine of them of wretched estates, and worse mindes (whose fortunes, change could not impaire) began to say, that your gouernment was to be looked into; how the great treasures (you had leuied amōg thē) had bene spent; why none but great men & gentlemen could be admitted into counsel, that the cōmons (forsooth) were to plain headed to say their opiniōs: but yet their blood & sweat must maintain all. Who could tell whether you were not betraied in this place, where you liued? nay whether you did liue or no? Therefore that it was time to come & see; and if you were here, to know (if Arca∣dia were growne lothsome in your sight) why you did not ridde your selfe of the trouble? There would not want those that would take so faire a cumber in good part. Since the Countrie was theirs, and the gouerne∣ment

an adherent to the countrie, why should they not consider of the one, as well as inhabite the other? Nay rather (said they) let vs beginne that, which all Arcadia will followe. Let vs deliuer our Prince from daunger of practises, and our selues from want of a Prince. Let vs doo that, which all the rest thinke. Let it be said, that we onely are not astonished with vaine titles, which haue their force but in our force. Lastly, to haue saide & heard so much, was as dāgerous, as to haue attēpted: & to attēpt they had the name of glorious liberty with them. These words being spokē (like a furious storme) presently caried away their wel inclined braines. What I, and some other of the honester sort could do, was no more, then if with a puffe of breath, one should goe a∣bout to make a saile goe against a mightie winde: or, with one hand, stay the ruine of a mightie wall. So ge∣nerall grewe this madnes among them, there needed no drumme, where each man cried, each spake to other that spake as fast to him, and the disagreeing sounde of so many voices, was the chiefe token of their vnmeete agreement. Thus was their banquette turned to a bat∣taile, their winie mirthes to bloudie rages, and the hap∣pie prayers for your life, to monstrous threatning of your estate; the solemnizing your birth-day, tended to haue been the cause of your funerals. But as a dronken rage hath (besides his wickednes) that follie, that the more it seekes to hurt, the lesse it considers how to be able to hurt: they neuer weyed how to arme thēselues, but tooke vp euery thing for a weapon, that furie offered to their handes. Many swordes, pikes, and billes there were: others tooke pitchforkes and rakes, conuerting husbandrie to souldierie: some caught hold

of spittes (thinges seruiceable for life) to be the instru∣ments of death. And there was some such one, who held the same pot wherein he drank to your health, to vse it (as he could) to your mischiefe. Thus armed, thus gouerned, forcing the vnwilling, and hartening the willing, adding furie to furie, and encreasing rage with running, they came headlong towarde this lodge: no man (I dare say) resolued in his own hart, what was the vttermost he would doo when he came hether. But as mischief is of such nature, that it cannot stand but with strengthning one euill by an other, and so multiplie in it selfe, till it come to the highest, and then fall with his owne weight: so to their mindes (once passed the bounds of obedience) more and more wickednes ope∣ned it selfe, so that they who first pretended to preserue you, then to reforme you, (I speak it in my conscience, and with a bleeding hart) now thought no safetie for them, without murdering you. So as if the Gods (who preserue you for the preseruation of Arcadia) had not shewed their miraculous power, and that they had not vsed for instruments, both your owne valour (not fit to be spoken of by so meane a mouth as mine) and some (I must confesse) honest minds, (whō alas why should I mention, since what we did, reached not the hundred part of our duetie?) our hands (I tremble to think of it) had destroyed all that, for which we haue cause to re∣ioyce that we are Arcadians.

[argument key no. 6] With that the fellow did wring his hands, & wrang out teares: so as Basilius, that was not the sharpest pear∣cer into masked minds, toke a good liking to him; & so much the more as he had tickled him with praise in the hearing of his mistres. And therfore pitying his woūd,

willed him to get him home, and looke well vnto it, & make the best search he could, to know if there were a∣ny further depth in this matter, for which he should be well rewarded. But before he went away, certain of the shepheards being come (for that day was appointed for their pastorals) he sent one of them to Philanax, and an other to other principal noble-men, and cities there abouts, to make through-inquirie of this vprore, and withall, to place such garrisons in all the townes & vil∣lages neere vnto him, that he might thereafter keep his solitary lodge in more security, vpō the making of a fire, or ringing of a bell, hauing them in a redines for him.