§. IIII. Agrippina feasted by Nero at Baiae, and put aboord the trap-galley vpon her returne.

BVt such was NERO'S impatience against his mothers life, that he could not stay for an of∣fered opportunity to depriue her of it, but must consult how to hasten it; and his enuie against her cōtentment was so great, that althogh he was wel pleased with her solitary courses, yet because hee foūd it was a solace to her, he must of force entice her to perish by his practises, vnder shew of infinit good affection. His letters therefore, falser then the gally (as hauing a more hollow secretary to endite them, then this had cunning ship-wrights to fa∣shion it) comming quickly to her hands, did not difficultlie allure her out of ANTIVM; glad, poore woman, of fauour, and either crediting his faire words (which seemed to breathe nothing v∣pon her but the flowers of delight and loue) or as thinking it best to pretend credulitie. Withall, in his ordinarie discourses, NERO gaue it out (as if he were turnd good childe) that the displeasure of parents ought to be born, & their minds appeased with obsequious behauiours; to beget, and raise a rumour thereby that all was well againe betweene them, so to quash the contrary fame, of which the world was full. Himselfe, vpon notice of her ap∣proach, mett her in person vpon the shore, and waited vpon her to BAVLI, with all the shewes of honour, and deare regards: and while this face of amitie lasted, went with her (saith DIO) in the deceitfull vessell it selfe, to benumbe Page  32 her all ouer with securitie. Nor did he pause long vpon the execution of his plot: for that very night she was inuited from her repose at BAVLI, to the fatall supper at BAIAE. But she, vnfortunate Lady, hauing secret intelligence that certain destruction lay quoild aboord (as a snake in flowers) in that pompous preparation, resolud not to goe to court by sea, but commanding a chaire to bee mounted, auoided the voyage, and was carried thither so. BAVLI (as PLINIE describes it) was seated betweene BAIAE, and lake LVCRINVS▪ and TACITVS contradicts him not, as placing it betweene cape MISENVM, and the bay of BAIAE, where he saith the sea winding inward doth wash the foot thereof. ORTELIVS, and MERCATOR doe both of them vnderstand it so, and accordingly assigne it in their mapps be∣tweene the inmost poinct of the port of AVGVS∣TVS, where the ROMAN nauie rode at anchor, & the bottome of the BAIAE. Which either TA∣CITVS also saith, or he is not vnderstood of mee where he writes, that AGRIPPINA, in here∣scape from drowning, was carried into lake LV∣CRINVS, & so to her manour. Vpon her cōming to court, she found such exquisite welcomes, such cheare, and che•refulnesse, in refutation of fore∣warnings (which NERO would haue her thinke were malignantly instilled) that all her iealousies were charmd fast a sleepe by degrees, and she re∣ceiued down deepe into her as an infallible truth, that nothing at all was meant towards her but good, and faire. And they verily vvho vvere not vvithin the conscience of the secret, but liued so safe, and happy as to sit spectators only, vvould easily haue svvorne that all vvas gold in those Page  33 shovves of loue vvhich vvere so double-guilded. But her cunning enemies (NERO their chiefe) hauing obserued vvith vvhat distrust of the vva∣ter she came to BAIAE, to make it sure she should returne in the trap-galley, hee commanded the maister of her owne LIBVRNICA, or priuate barge, to bruise, and boulge it (saith SVETONIVS) as by some mischance, that the same being there∣by made vnseruiceable, he might in sted thereof obtrude that vnsound, and false-bottom'd bote at her departure. And hauing foold her into full be∣liefe of his sincerenesse with viler dissimulations then his trecheries were prodigious, he held her a∣mong meates, and cups with varieties of enter∣tainments till somewhat late in the night. When now yet at last there was a kinde of necessitie to part, he most officiously vshered her to her boates side, where ANICETVS (her assured foe) with all humble reuerence, tooke her in vnder his charge, without any other of her people, but onely CREPEREIVS GALLVS, and ACERRO∣NIA POLLA. But neither the sea (saith DIO) was willing to concurre to such an artificial parricide; for the water proued wondrous calme at the time (a circumstance which no wit of man could mai∣ster) nor the heauens to conceale it; for the skie was awake with store of starre-light (saith TACI∣TVS) as to conuince the fact.