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By Root 19049 0

yet enuie would heare the Gods, but neuer beleeue the Gods. Ah haplesse wretch, cease these tearmes: desperat thoughts are fit for them that feare shame, not for such as hope for credite. Pandosto hath darkened thy fame, but shall neuer discredit thy vertues. Suspition may enter a false action, but proofe shall neuer put in his plea: care not then for envie, sith report hath a blister on her tongue: and let sorrow bite them which offende, not touch thee that arte faultlesse. But alas poore soule, howe canst thou but sorrow? Thou art with child, and by him that in steed of kind pitie pincheth thee in cold prison. And with that such gasping sighes so stopped her breath, that she could not vtter any mo words, but wringing her hands, and gushing forth streames of teares, shee passed away the time with bitter complaints.

The Jaylor pitying these her heauie passions, thinking that if the king knew she were with childe, he would somwhat appease his furie, and release her from prison, went in all haste, and certified Pandosto what the effect of Bellarias complaint was: who no sooner heard the Jaylour say she was with child, but as one possessed with a phrensie, he rose vp in a rage, swearing that she and the bastard brat she was withall, should die, if the Gods themselues said no: thinking that surely by computation of time, that Egistus and not he, was father to the child. This suspitious thought galled a fresh this halfe healed sore, insomuch as hee could take no rest, vntill he might mitigate his choler with a iust reuenge, which happened presently after. For Bellaria was brought to bed of a faire and beautifull daughter, which no sooner Pandosto heard, but he determined that both Bellaria and the yong infant should be burnt with fire. His Nobles, hearing of the Kings cruell sentence, sought by perswasions to diuert him from this bloody determination: laying before his face the innocency of the child, and vertuous disposition of his wife, how she had continually loued and honoured him so tenderly, that without due proof he could not, nor ought not to appeach her of that crime. And if she had faulted, yet it were more honorable to pardon with mercy, then to punish with extremity, and more Kingly, to be commended of pitie, than accused of rigor. And as for the child, if he should punish it for the mothers offence, it were to striue against nature and iustice: and that vnnaturall actions doe more offend the Gods then men: how causelesse crueltie, nor innocent bloud neuer scapes without reuenge. These and such like reasons could not appease his rage, but he rested resolute in this, that Bellaria being an adulteresse, the child was a bastard, and he would not suffer that such an infamous brat should call him father. Yet at last (seeing his noble men were importunate vpon him) he was content to spare the childs life, and yet to put it to a worser death. For he found out this deuise that seeing (as he thought) it came by Fortune, so he would commit it to the charge of Fortune, and therefore he caused a little cock-boat to be prouided, wherein he meant to put the babe, and then send it to the mercie of the seas, and the destinies. From this his Peeres in no wise could perswade him, but that he sent presently two of his Gard to fetch the child, who being come to the prison, and with weeping teares recounting their maisters message: Bellaria no sooner heard the rigorous resolution of her mercilesse husband, but she fell downe in a sound, so that all thought she had bin dead, yet at last being come to her selfe, she cried and scriched out in this wise.

Alas sweete infortunate babe, scarse borne before enuied by fortune: would the day of thy birth had beene the tearme of thy life, then shouldest thou haue made an ende to care, and preuented thy fathers rigor. Thy faults cannot yet deserve such hatefull reuenge, thy daies are too shorte for so sharpe a doome, but thy vntimely death must pay thy mothers debtes, and her guiltlesse crime must be thy gastly curse. And shalt thou sweete babe be committed to fortune? When thou art already spited