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By Root 21619 0

sooner saw them, but with a merry countenance hee welcomed them home, asking what newes: they told his maiestie that they had received an answer of the god written in a scroll, but with this charge, that they should not reade the contents before they came in the presence of the king, and with that they deliuered him the parchment: but his noblemen entreated him that sith therein was contained either the safety of his wives life and honesty, or her death and perpetuall infamy, that hee would haue his nobles and commons assembled in the iudgement hall, where the queene brought in as a prisoner should heare the contents: if she were found guilty by the oracle of the god, then al should haue cause to thinke his rigor proceeded of due desert: if her grace were found faultlesse, then she should bee cleered before al, sith she had bin accused openly. This pleased the King so, that he appointed the day, and assembled al his lords and commons, and caused the Queene to be brought in before the iudgement seate, commaunding that the inditement shuld be read, wherein she was accused of adulterie with Egistus, and of conspiracie with Franion: Bellaria hearing the contents, was no whit astonished, but made this cheerefull aunswere.

If the diuine powers be priuy to humane actions (as no doubt they are) I hope my patience shal make fortune blush, and my vnspottedælife shall staine spitefully discredit. For, althogh lying report hath sought to appeach mine honor, and suspition hath intended to soile my credite with infamy: yet where vertue keepeth the fort, report and suspition may assaile, but neuer sacke: how I haue led my life before Egistus comming, I appeale Pandosto to the gods, and to thy conscience. What hath past between him and me, the gods only know, and I hope will presently reueale: that I loued Egistus I can not deny that I honored him I shame not to confesse: to the one I was forced by his vertues, to the other for his dignities. But as touching lasciuious lust, I say Egistus is honest, and hope my selfe to be found without spot: for Franion, I can neyther accuse him, nor excuse him: for I was not priuy to his departure, and that this is true which I haue here rehearsed, I referre my selfe to the diuine oracle.

Bellaria had no sooner sayd, but the King commanded that one of his Dukes should reade the contents of the scroll: which after the commons had heard, they gaue a great shout, rejoicing and clapping their hands that the Queene was cleere of that false accusation: but the king whose conscience was a witnesse against him of his witlesse fury, and false suspected iealousie, was so ashamed of his rash folly, that he intretedæhis nobles to perswade Bellaria to forgive, and forget these iniuries: promising not onely to shew himselfe a loyall and louing husband, but also to reconcile himselfe to Egistus and Franion: reuealing then before them all the cause of their secrete flight, and how trecherously he thought to haue practized his death, if the good mind of his cupbearer had not preuented his purpose. As thus he was relating the whole matter, there was worde brought him that his yong son Garinter was sodainly dead, which newes so soone as Bellaria heard, surcharged before with extreme ioy, and now suppressed with heauy sorrow, her vitall spirites were so stopped, that she fell downe presently dead, and could neuer be reuived. This sodaine sight so appalled the kings sences, that he sunke from his seat in a swounde, so as he was faine to be caried by his nobles to his pallace, where he lay by the space of three dayes without speach: his commons were as men in dispaire, so diuersely distressed: there was nothing but mourning and lamentation to be heard throughout all Bohemia: their young Prince dead, their vertuous Queene bereaued of her life, and their king and soveraigne in great hazard: this tragicall discourse of fortune so daunted them, as they went like shadowes, not men: yet somewhat to comforte their heauy hearts, they heard that Pandosto was come to himselfe, and had recouered his speach, who as in a fury brayed