did thinke it now too late, to rew her rashe attempt, determined rather to dye with her owne hands, then to suffer her selfe to be abused in such sort, therefore she most humbly desired the captaine so much as he could to saue her credit, and seeing that she must needes be at his will and disposition, that for that present he would depart, and suffer her till night, when in the darke he might take his pleasure, without any maner of suspition to the residue of his companie. The captaine thinking now the goale to be more than halfe wonne, was contented so farre to satisfie her request, and departed out leauing her alone in his cabin.

"Silla, being alone by her selfe, drue out her knife readie to strike her selfe to the heart, and falling upon her knees, desired God to receive her soule, as an acceptable sacrifice for her follies, which she had so wilfully committed, crauing pardon for her sinnes, and so forth continuing a long and pittifull reconciliation to God, in the middest whereof was such, that there was no man but did thinke the seas would presently haue swallowed them, the bilowes so sodainly arose with the rage of the winde, that they were all glad to fall to heauing out of water, for otherwise their feeble gallie had neuer heene able to haue brooked the seas, this storme continued all that day and the next night, and they being driuen to put romer [sic. orig.] before the winde to keepe the gallie a head the billow, were driuen vpon the maine shore, where the gallie brake all to peeces, there was euery man pro. uiding to saue his owne life, some gat vpon hatches, boordes, and casks, and were driuen with the waues too and fro, but the greatest number were drowned, amongst the which Pedro was one, but Silla her selfe being in the cabyn as you have heard, tooke holde of a chest that was the captaines, the which by the onely prouidence of God brought her safe to the shore, the which when she had recouered, not knowing what was become of Pedro her man, shee deemed that both he and all the rest had beene drowned, for that she saw no body vpon the shore but her selfe, wherefore, when she had a while made great lamentations, complaining her mishappes, she beganne in the end to comfort. her selfe with the hope, that she had to see her Apolonius, and found such meanes that she brake open the chest that brought her to land, wherein shee found good store of coine, and sondrie sutes of apparell that were the captaines, and now to preuent a number of iniuries, that might bee proffered to a woman that was left in her case, shee determined to leaue her owne apparell, and to sorte her selfe into some of those sutes, that being taken for a man, shee might passe through the countrie in the better safety, and as shee changed her apparell shee thought it likewise conuenient to change her name, wherefore not readily happening of any other, shee called her selfe Siluio, by the name of her owne brother, whom you have heard spoken of before.

"In this maner she trauailed to Constantinople, where she

Silla

inquired out the pallace of the Duke Apolonius, and thinking her selfe now to bee both fit and able to play the seruingman, she presented her selfe to the duke, crauing his seruice, the duke very willing to giue succour vnto strangers, perceiuing him to be a proper smogue yong man, gaue him entertainment: thought her selfe nowe more than satisfied for all the casualties that had happened vnto her in her iourney, that shee might at her pleasure take but the view of the Duke Apolonius, and aboue the rest of his seruantes was verie diligent and attendaunt vpon him, the which the duke perceiuing, beganne likewise to growe into good liking with the diligence of his man, and therefore made him one of his chamber, who but Siluio then was most neare about him, in helping of him to make him readie in a morning in the setting of his ruffes, in the keeping of his chamber, Siluio pleased his maister so wel, that aboue all the rest of his seruantes about him, he had the greatest credit, and the duke put him most in trust.

"At this verie instaunt, there was remainyng in the Cittie a noble Dame a widdowe, whose husband was but lately deceased, one of the noblest men that were in the partes of Grecia, who left his lady and wife large possessions and great liuings. This ladyes name was called lulina, who besides the aboundance of her wealth, and the greatnesse of her reuenues, had likewise the soveraigntie of all the dames of Constantinople for her beautie. To this lady Iulina, Apolonius became an earnest suter, and according to the manner of loovers, besides faire wordes, sorrowfull sighes, and piteous countenaces, there must be sending of louing letters, chaines, braceletes, brouches, ringes, tablets, gemmes, iuels and presents I know not what so my duke, who in the time that he remained in the Ile of Cypres, had no skill at all in the arte of loue, although it were more then half profferred vnto him, was now become a scholler in loues schoole, and had alreadie learned his first lesson, that is, to speake pittifully, to looke ruthfully, to promise largely, to serue diligently, and to please carefully now he was learning his second lesson, that is to reward liberally, to giue bountifully, to present willingly, and to write louingly. Thus Apolonius was so busied in his new study, that I warrant you there was no man that could chalenge him for plaiyng the truant, he followed his profession with so good a will: and who must bee the messenger to carrie the tokens and loue letters, to the lady Iulina, but Siluio his man, in him the duke reposed his only cofidence, to goe betwene him and his lady.

Now gentlewomen, doe you thinke there could haue beene a greater torment deuised, wherewith to afflict the heart of Silla, then herself to be made the instrument to worke her owne mishap, and to plaie the atturney in a cavse, that made so much against herself. But Silla altogether desirous to please her

maister, cared nothing at all to offend her selfe, followed his businesse with so good a will as if it had been in her own prefer

ment.

“Iulina nowe hauing many times, taken the gaze of this yong youth Siluio, perceiuyng him to bee of such excellent perfect grace, was so intangeled with the often sight of this sweete temptation, that she fell into as great a liking with the man, as the maister was with her selfe and on a time Siluio beyng sent from his maister, with a message to the lady Iulina, as he beganne very earnestly to solicite in his maisters behalfe, Iulina interrupting him in his tale, saied: Siluio it is enough that you haue saied for your maister, from henceforth either speake for your selfe, or say nothing at all. Silla abashed to heare these words, bega in her mind to accuse the blindnes of loue, that Iulina neglecting the good of so noble a duke, wold preferre her loue vnto such a one, as nature it selfe had denied to recōpence her liking.

"And now for a time, leauing matters depending as you haue heard, it fell out that the right Siluio indeede (whom you haue heard spoken of before, the brother of Silla,) was come to his fathers courte into ye Ile of Cypres, where vnderstāding, that his sister was departed, in maner as you haue heard coniectured, that the very occasion did proceede of some liking had betweene Pedro her man (that was missing with her) and her selfe, but Siluio who loued his sister, as dearly as his owne life, and the rather for that she was his naturall sister, both by father and mother, so the one of them was so like the other, in countenance and fauour, that there was no man able to descerne the one from the other by their faces, sauing by their aparell, the one being a man, the other a woman.

"Siluio therefore vowed to his father, not onely to seeke out his sister Silla, but also to reuenge the villanie, which he conceiued in Pedro, for the carrying away of his sister, and thus departing, hauing trauailed through many citties and townes, without hearing any maner of newes, of those he went to seeke for, at the last he arriued at Constantinople, where as he was walking in an euening for his owne recreation, on a pleasant greene parade, without the valles of the citie, he fortuned to meet with the lady Iulina, who likewise had been abroad to take the aire, and as she sodainly cast her eyes vpon Siluio, thinking him to be her olde acquaintance, by reason they were so like one another. as you haue heard before, said vnto him, I pray you let me haue a little talke with you, seeing I haue so luckely met you in this place.

"Siluio wondering to heare himselfe so rightly named, being but a stranger, not of aboue two dayes continuance in the citie, very courteously came towards her, desirous to heare what she would say.

"Iulina commanding her traine something to stand back, sayd as followeth. Seeing my good will and friendly loue, hath beene the onely cause to make me so prodigall to offer, that I see is so

lightly reiected, it maketh me to thinke, that men be of this condition, rather to desire those things, which they cannot come by, then to esteeme or value of that, which both largely and liberallie is offered vnto them, but if the liberalitie of my proffer, hath made to seeme lesse the value of the thing that I meant to present, it is but in your owne conceipt, considering how many noble men there hath beene here before, and be yet at this present, which hath both serued, sued, and most humbly intreated, to attaine to that, which to you of my selfe, I haue freely offered, and I perceiue is despised, or at the least very lightly regarded.

"Siluio wondering at these wordes, but more amazed that shee could so rightly call him by his name, could not tell what to make of her speeches, assuring himselfe that shee was deceiued, and did mistake him, did thinke notwithstanding, it had bene a point of great simplicity, if he should forsake that, which fortune had so fauourably proffered vnto him, perceiuing by her traine, that she was some lady of great honour, and viewing the perfection of her beauty, and the excellency of her grace and countenance, did thinke it vnpossible that she should be despised, and therefore aunswered thus.

"Madame, if before this time, I haue seemed to forget my selfe, in neglecting your courtesie, which so liberally you haue meant vnto me: please it you to pardon what is past, and from this day forewardes, Siluio remaineth ready prest to make such reasonable amendes as his ability may any waies permit, or as it shall please you to commaund.

"Iulina the gladdest woman that might bee, to heare these ioyful newes, said: Then my Siluio see you faile not to morrow at night to sup with me at my owne house, where I will discourse farther with you, what amends you shall make me, to which request Siluio gave his glad consent, and thus they departed very well pleased. And as Iulina did thinke the time very long, till she had reapt the fruite of her desire: so Siluio he wisht for haruest before corne could growe, thinking the time as long, till hee saw how matters would fall out, but not knowing what lady she might bee, he presently (before Iulina was out of sight) demaunded of one that was walking up, what shee was, and how she was called, who satisfied Siluio in euery point, and also in what part of the towne her house did stand, whereby he might enquire it out.

"Siluio thus departing to his lodging, passed the night with verie vnquiet sleepes, and the next morning his mind ran so much of his supper, that he neuer cared, neither for his breakfast, nor dinner, and the day to his seeming passed away so slowely, that hee had thought the stately steedes had bin tired, that drawe the chariot of the sunne, or else some other Josua had commaunded them againe to stande, and wished that Phaeton had beene there with a whippe.

"Iulina on the other side, she had thought the clocke-setter had plaied the knaue, the day came no faster forewards, but sixe

a clocke being once strucken, recouered comfort to both parties; and Siluio hastening himselfe to the pallace of Iulina, where by her he was friendly welcomed, and a sumptuous supper being made readie, furnished with sundrie sorts of delicate dishes, they sate them downe, passing the supper time with amorous lookes, louing countenances, and secret glaunces conueighed from the one to the other, which did better satisfie them, then the feeding of their daintie dishes.

"Supper time being thus spent, Iulina did thinke it very unfitly, if she should turne Siluio to go seeke his lodging in an euening, desired him therefore, that he would take a bed in her house for that night, and bringing vp into a faire chamber, that was very richly furnished, she found such meanes, that when all the rest of her household seruants were a bed and quiet, she came her selfe to beare Siluio companie, where concluding vpon conditions, that were in question betweene them, they passed the night with such ioy and contentation, as might in that convenient time he wished for, but onely that Iulina, feeding too much of some one dish aboue the rest, receiued a surfet, whereof she could not be cured in fortie weekes after, a natural inclination in all women which are subiect to longing, and want the reason to vse a moderation in their diet: but the morning approaching, Iulina tooke her leaue, and conueighed her selfe into her owne chamber, and when it was faire day light, Siluio making himself readie, departed likewise about his affaires in the towne, debating with himselfe how things had happened, being well assured that Iulina had mistaken him, and therefore for feare of further euils, determined to come no more there, but tooke his iourney towards other places in the parts of Grecia, to see if he could learne any tidings of his sister Silla.

66

The Duke Apolonius hauing made a long sute and neuer a whit the neerer of his purpose, came to Iulina to craue her direct answer, either to accept of him, and of such conditions as he proffered vnto her, or els to give him his last farewell.

“Iulina, as you haue heard, had taken an earnest pennie of an other, whom he [she] had thought had beene Siluio the dukes man, was at a controuersie in her selfe, what she might doe: one while she thought, seeing her occasion served so fit, to craue the duke's good will, for the marrying of his man, then againe, she could not tell what displeasure the duke would conceiue, in that she should seeme to preferre his man before him selfe, did thinke it therefore best to conceale the matter, till she might speake with Siluio, to vse his opinion how these matters should be handled, and herevpon resoluing hir selfe, desiring the duke to pardon her speeches, said as followeth.

Sir Duke, for that from this time forwardes I am no longer of my selfe, hauing giuen my full power and authority ouer to an other, whose wife I now remaine by faithfull vowe and promise: