Now must I wander in despair,
I find it is the Fates' decree;
My grief is more than I can bear,
I can love none alive but she:
Farewell, farewell, my native shore!
I'll never trust a woman more.

XLVIII.

THE PLEASANT HISTORY OF DORASTUS AND FAUNIA.

INTO Bohemia dwelt a king,

Pandosto high, to name :
He had a queen, Bellaria call'd,
Fair, beauteous, and of fame.

He had a friend Egestus call'd,

A king of great renown, And for love of Pandosto he

Did leave his land and crown.

And to Bohemia he did sail,

Pandosto for to see:

Who with Bellaria, his queen,
Receiv'd him royally.

Royall Bellaria lov'd her lord

Which her constrain'd and mov'd, To welcome his most noble friend, Whom he most dearly lov'd.

This King and Queen familiar growes, Pandosto he beholds

Bellaria with Egestus walk,

(Array'd in robes of gold.)

Into the garden, hand in hand,
He sees them sporting go,
Pandosto groweth jealous straight,
And turn'd Egestus foe.

One Franion, his cup bearer,
He doth unto him call:

And chargeth him with poyson strong
To make Egestus fall,

Franion refus'd, but yet the king

With threats did him ov'rset:

And with fair words, when he had done, Promised to make him great.

But Franion the cup bearer
This matter did reveal;
And with Egestus secretly

Away by night did steal ;

Thinking it better were for him
Never to see his king,

Than traitorously, without a cause,
To do so vile a thing.

Pandosto's jealousie more burns,
When he saw they were gone;

And for Bellaria he sent,

Who quickly to him came.

And with wilde speeches in his ire,
His noble queen blasphem'd:
And with the wilde name of a whore,
In his fierce wrath her nam'd.

With speed he calls a parliament,
And her in prison cast,
Intending till he took her life,
Therefore to keep her fast.

It is her hap to be with child,

Which when the king doth see,

Then more and more his wrath doth burn In that mad jealousie.

Still swearing his queen's life to have ;
But here begins the strife,

For all the parliament did seek
To save Bellaria's life.

He swears she and her child shall die,

His nobles, all before,

Go fetch, he says, to parliament,
That filthy odious whore.

In vain thus with the King they strive, Yet one brave lord at last

Gives forth his vote to save the Queen, And forth his verdict past.

Send quickly post to Delphus Isle

To Apollo and see,

And at that Oracle enquire

To know the veritie.

And to this lord they all agreed,

And quickly sent away

Men, who till they to Delphus came,
Posted both night and day.

And having their devotions done,

Apollo cry'd at last,

Bohemians that which ye find

Behind the altar cast.

Take up: but do not look thereon,
Nor let no man it see,

Till that ye both before the King
And parliament shall be.

The scrol they took and posted home,
The King doth them require,
To see the scrol, which he did think
Would satiate his desire.

But they him told what charge they got,
When they did it receive :

And also what instructions

Apollo to them gave;

The parliament conveens, the King
From prison brought the Queen:
Which was but newly brought to bed,
And was a woman green;

Whose child the King caus'd 'take her from,
And said to death put straight

That bastard brat, and let it not
Appear into my sight.

The executioners abhor'd
So vile a cruel deed:
And in a boat unto the sea,
They do it send with speed.