Which neither sail nor ruther had,

Nor company therein,

And to seas fury they commit

It for to sink or swim.

With trees branches an arbor made,

Therein a purse of gold,

And with rich jewels from the Queen, This babe they there uproll'd.

A storm arose, this little boat
Drives to Egestus land,

A shepherd, that was keeping sheep,
Doth find it on the sand.

He looks upon the childs beautie,
Covered with cloath of gold
The like his eyes did never see,
So glorious to behold.

He surely thought it was a god,

And down he kneels to pray : But when the child began to cry, He bore it thence away.

The jewels and the gold he takes,
And calls the child his own:
And Faunia he doth her name,
Who grew a beauteous one.

So that her fame came unto court,
The prince came her to see :
Who having lookt this nymph upon,
Was ravisht presently.

Dorastus was the prince's name.
Who with a full intent,

Most earnestly did sue for love,
With thousand complements.

With modest meekness she refus'd,
Saying she'd love him dear,
If that she equall were with him,
Or he a shepherd were.

At last the prince his father told,
But he right furiously,
Says who's this entysde my son,
I vow that he shall die.

This to prevent, the prince provides
A ship to save their life;

And with one servant and his love,
The shepherd and his wife:

To sea they go, and they arrive
In her own father's land:
But let us of her mother speak,

Which doth in judgment stand.

Apollo's answer to the King,

And all his parliament;

Which to this purpose spake, was read, Which made the King lament.

Suspicion is no proof at all,

Jealousie judgeth wrong: Egestus and the Queen are chaste, True Franion did no wrong.

Treacherously Pandosto's guiltless babe,

Is sent unto the sea,

And if she be not found again,

He without child shall die.

With tears the King seeks to comfort
His royal loving wife.
But before all the parliament,

In his armes ends her life.

For brevitie I do omit,

To show how all did mourn :

To Dorastus and Faunia,

That beauteous couple privately,

Did pass their time away;

The King took of her beauty heed,

For they near court did stay.

224

The King with fair words, and with threats,
Did seek her love to gain:
But constantly she him refus'd,
His sute was all in vain.

In prison all the King them cast,
The shepherd and his wife,
Dorastus, and fair Faunia,
Swearing to take her life.

The shepherd's first examined,

Whom of that knight was come :
Who presently did plain confess,

He's King Egestus son.

From prison then the King him brought,
And doth him honour much :
The shepherd hath to prison sent,
And Faunia forth do fetch.

Fair Faunia is now brought forth,
And doth in judgment stand;
How dost thou whore entyse this prince,
Or in his presence stand?

This spake the King 'twixt ire and lust,
And brought the shepherd syne,

Which, fraught with fear of death, did say,
She is no child of mine.

I found her in a little boat,

Her cloaths I'le let you see;

And chain that was about her neck,
I have all here by me.

Her chains and bracelets he did show,
To the King presently:

Also the mantle with his armes,
Which on his bed did ly.

Which when the King did all behold,
Remembering what was past,

He presently gave them his crown,

And he to cloister past.

Egestus to their wedding came,

And reconciled was

Unto Pandosto, who to him

Did cry full oft, alace!

For my sweet Queen Bellaria fair,

And for this sinful lust,
Which to my daughter I conceiv'd,
And for my thoughts unjust.

To thee, my friend and neighbour true,

And for my sinful life,

To monastrie I now will go,

Till death shall end my strife.

VOL. I.