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How art thou pestred Pandosto with fresh affections, and vnfit fancies, wishing to possesse with an vnwilling minde, and a hote desire troubled with a cold disdaine? Shall thy minde yeelde in age to that thou hast resisted in youth? Peace Pandosto, blabbe not out that which thou mayest bee ashamed to reueale to thy selfe. Ah Fawnia is beautifull, and it is not for thine honour (fond foole) to name her that is thy captive, and another mans concubine. Alas, I reach at that with my hande which my hart would faine refuse: playing like the bird Ibis in Egypt, which hateth Serpents, yet feedeth on her egges.

Tush hote desires turne oftentimes to colde disdaine: Loue is brittle, where appetite, not reason beares the sway: Kings thoughts ought not to climbe so high as the heauens, but to looke no lower then honour: better it is to pecke at the starres with the young Eagles, than to prey on dead carkasses with the Vulture: tis more honourable for Pandosto to die by concealing Loue, then to enioy such vnfit Loue. Doth Pandosto then loue: Yea: Whome: A maid vnknowne, yea and perhappes, immodest, stragled out of her owne country: beautifull, but not therefore chaste: comely in body, but perhappes crooked in minde. Cease then Pandosto to looke at Fawnia, much lesse to loue her: be not overtaken with a womans beautie, whose eies are framed by art to inamour, whose hearte is framed by nature to inchaunt, whose false teares knowe their true times, and whose sweete wordes pearce deeper then sharpe swords. Here Pandosto from his talke, but not from his loue: for although he sought by reason, and wisedome to suppresse this franticke affection: yet he could take no rest, the beauty of Fawnia had made such a deepe impression in his heart. But on a day walking abroad into a Parke which was hard adjoyning to his house, he sent by one of his seruants for Fawnia, vnto whom he vttered these words.

Fawnia, I commend thy beautie and wit, and now pitie thy distresse and want: but if thou wilt forsake Sir Meliagrus, whose pouertie, though a Knight, is not able to maintaine an estate aunswerable to thy beautie, and yeelde thy consent to Pandosto, I will both increase thee with dignities and riches. No sir, answered Fawnia: Meliagrus is a knight that hath wonne me by loue, and none but hee shall weare me: his sinister mischance shall not diminish my affection, but rather increase my good will: thinke not though your Grace hath imprisoned him without cause, that feare shall make me yeeld my consent: I had rather be Meliagrus wife, and a beggar, then liue in plentie, and be Pandostos Concubine.

Pandosto, hearing the assured aunswere of Fawnia, woulde, notwithstanding, prosecute his suit to the vttermost: seeking with faire wordes and great promises to scale the fort of her chastitie, swearing that if she would graunt to his desire, Meleagrus should not only be set at libertie, but honored in his courte amongst his Nobles: but these alluring baytes could not intise her minde from the loue of her new betrothed mate Meleagrus: which Pandosto seeing, he left her alone for that time to consider more of the demaund. Fawnia being alone by her selfe, began to enter into these solitarie meditations.

Ah, infortunate Fawnia, thou seest to desire aboue fortune, is to striue against the Gods and fortune. Who gazeth at the sunne weakeneth his sight: they which stare at the sky, fall oft into deepe pits: haddest thou rested content to beene a shepheard, thou neededst not to haue feared mischance: better had it beene for thee, by sitting low, to haue had quiet, then by climing high to haue fallen into miserie. But alas I feare not mine owne daunger, but Dorastus displeasure. Ah sweete Dorastus, thou art a Prince, but now a prisoner, by too much loue, procuring thine owne losse: haddest thou not loued Fawnia thou haddest bine fortunate, shall I then be false to him that hath forsaken kingdomes for my cause, no, woulde my death might deliuer him, so mine honour might be preserved. With that, fetching a deepe sigh, she