• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By the third vessel of lead, full of golde and precious stones, we ought to understand a simple life and a poore, which the chosen soules choose, that they may be married to our blessed Lord Jesu Christ by humilitie and obeysance, and such men beare with them precious stones; that is, faith and her fruit- full works, pleasing to God; by the which, at the judgement day, they be espoused to our Lord Jesu Christ, and obtaine the heritage of heaven, unto the which bring us our Saviour Jesu Christ, Amen.

TWELFTH NIGHT – Barnabe Rich’s Short Story

The short story The Historie of Apollonius and Silla was the main source of Twelfth Night.

THE HISTORIE OF APOLONIUS AND SILLA;

DURING the time that the famous citty of Constantinople, remained in the handes of the Christians, amongst many other noble men, that kept their abiding in that florishing citty, there was one whose name was Apolonius, a worthy duke, who being but a very yong man, and even then newe come to his possessions which were very great, levied a mighty bande of men, at his owne proper charges, with whom hee served against the Turke, during the space of one whole yeere, in which time although it were very short, this young duke so behaved himselfe, as well by prowesse and valiance shewed with his owne hands, as otherwise, by his wisdome and liberality, used towards his souldiors, that all the world was filled with the fame of this noble duke. When he had thus spent one yeeres service, he caused his trompet to sound a retrait, and gathering his company together, and imbarking themselves he set saile, holding his course towards Constan tinople : but beeing upon the sea, by the extremity of a tempest which sodainely fell, his fleete was severed some one way, and some an other, but hee him selfe recovered the lie of Cypres, where he was worthily received by Pontus duke and governour of the same ile, with whom hee lodged, while his shippes were new repairing.

This Pontus that was lord and governour of this famous ile, was an auncient duke, and had two children, a sonne and a daughter, his son was named Silvio, of whom hereafter we shal have further occasion to speake, but at this instant he was in the parts of Africa, serving in the warres.

The daughter her name was Silla, whose beauty was so pereles, that she had the soveraignty amongst all other dames, as well for her beauty as for the noblenesse of her birth. This Silla having heard of the worthinesse of Apolonius, this yong duke, who besides his beauty and good graces, had a certaine natural allurement, that being now in his company in her fathers court, she was so strangly attached with the love of Apolonius, that there was nothing might content her but his presence and sweet sight, and although she saw no maner of hope, to attaine to that she most desired: knowing Apolonius to be but a guest, and ready to take the benefit of the next wind, and to depart into a straunge countrye, whereby shee was bereaved of all possi bility ever to see him againe, and therefore strived with, her selfe to leave her fondnesse, but al in vaine, it would not bee, but like the fowle which is once limed, the more shee striveth, the faster she tyeth her selfe. So Silla was now constrained perforce her will to yeeld to love, wherefore from time to time, shee used so great familiarity with him, as her honour might well permitte, and fedde him with such amorous baites, as the modestye of a maide, could reasonably afforde, which when shee perceived, did take but small effect, feeling her selfe out raged with the extremity of her passion, by the onely countenance that she bestowed upon Apolonius, it might have bene well perceived, that the very eyes pleaded unto him for pitie and remorse. But Apolonius comming but lately from out the field, from the chasing of his enemies, and his fury not yet throughly desolved, nor purged from his stomacke, gave no regard to those amorous entisements, which by reason of his youth, he had not bin acquainted withall. But his minde ran more to