me (good Lady) for laying all feare aside, I will either die or know what is be∣come of my beloued Disteus. It greeues me that I am forced to leaue you in such a traunce and extremitie all alone, & in a time of so great neede, but deere Lady there lies no more in my power to perform. Dardanea with more teares & sighes, then wel ordered reasons said. Time will not giue me leaue to answer to that which thou hast spoken, nor to make thee knowe my minde, and whether the loue which I beare to Disteus my louing husband and almy ioy, be of lesse weight then thine towards him, who was thy nurse childe and all thy comfort. It woulde greeue me thou shouldst haue such an opinion of me, if I knewe not to manifest it by and by. For this thou maist at least beleeue of me, that since for the greatest I had courage enough; for the lesser, I will haue no lesse. Lady, said Palna, heere is but little time, as you saide, to vse many words, & therefore determine what you meane to put in practise, for I will do all that you command me, vpon condition that it be not to forsake my sonne. I will not command thee any such thing (answered Dardanea) but that which I haue determined to do, is that as well for the great loue I owe vnto my louing Lord (for without him I will not liue) as for the feare I haue of my brother, I wil not stay heere. Then if it be so (said Palna) I thinke it best for me to carrie Disteus some garments, & for you to get the best iewels you haue togither, and then for vs both to goe to my Nephewes house: for we being escaped and hidden, we shall not onely preuent this present danger; but time and mature consideration shall discouer to vs what course is best to be taken. Whereupon putting this in practise, they went to Placindus house: To whom disclosing the foresaide loues (for to that time they were knowne to none but Palna) and telling what hapned the same night, they praied him to goe and enquire what was done. Sagastes vnderstanding it was Disteus as I tolde you, went to seeke him at his owne house, where finding the doore open, knewe he was not come, and therefore staied for him there vntill he came. But when he had awai∣ted there a good while in vaine, he suspected he had taken some of his friends hou∣ses, and therefore went home againe to his sisters lodging, vowing to be well re∣uenged of Disteus; though he would faine haue that night satisfied his vnruly an∣ger, which was not a little augmented, when hee founde neither Dardanea nor Palna, maruelling verie much to see howe quiet all his sisters seruants were, and howe strange they made it all, when Sagastes demaunded the matter of them. Disteus that was going home to his house, when hee sawe a farre off a great num∣ber of people before his doore, it made him thinke (as it was true indeed) that Sagastes was waiting for him, whereupon he went to my house; whereby he made me knowe what great affiance he had in my friendship, which I accounted no small credit vnto me. I doubt not Gentlemen, but any (that hath beene attentiue to my tale) will aske me, how Sagastes came first to his enemies house, since Disteus went before out of the mans house, which he was constrayned to take for refuge. Where∣vnto it may be easily answered, that Disteus going (as you know) almost naked, and therefore leauing the open and common streetes to goe about by lanes and secret places, came later then Sagastes. But when Disteus vnlooked for came into my house, without calling, but shutting the doore after him, least any had followed him, he came into my study: And his hap was so good that he found me al alone. I did not a little woonder to see him in such sort, and therefore demaunded the cause of his comming & in such a manner. Who answered me that he had no time for so large a report, but prayed me to giue him some apparell, and a horse, and what else was need∣full for him, which I onely denied him not, but also preparing my selfe to beare him
