euen at the verie point when he would haue committed his treason, resolued to be loyall vnto thee, and so haue bound Marcelius as thou seest, with determination to leaue him in this case at the shoare of a little Iland which is neere at hand, and afterwards to returne with thee to the place where we left Alcida: This is the rea∣son that makes me do thus, and therefore consider well what thou meanest to doe. When Clenarda heard this smooth tale, which the wicked Traitour so cunningly had told her, she beleeued it so truely, that presently she bare me mortall hatred, and was well pleased, it seemed, that I was carried to the place, where Sartofano did meane to lande me. For with a frowning countenance she beheld me, and for very anger could not speake a word, vntill she had a pretie while reioyced in her secret hart to thinke of the reuenge and punishment, that should light vpon me, not telling me one word of that braue deceit, wherewith she was so much abused. All which when by her ioyfull countenance I perceiued, & that my bonds did not grieue her, it made me say thus vnto her. What meanes this sister, doest thou esteeme so lightly of both our paines, that so soone thou hast ended thy complaints? Perhaps thou art in good hope to see me by and by at libertie to be reuenged of these villanous Traitours? Then like a fierce Lyonesse she told me, that my imprisonment and bonds where for no other cause, but for the cruell intent I had to leaue Alcida, and to carrie her away, and the rest, whereof the false Pilot had wickedly informed her. When I heard these words, I neuer felt like griefe in my life, and instead of laying violent hands vpon these Traitours, with vile and outragious words I railed vpon them; and with good proofes so well perswaded her of the truth, that she perceiued by and by that it was a manifest peece of treason, sprung vp of Sartofanos vile and filthie loue: Whereupon she made so great lamentation, that she fell foorthwith into the pitifull discourse of their deceite, which was forcible enough to haue mollified the craggie rockes we passed by with ruthe and compassion, though it wrought nothing in the hard harts of those two wicked monsters. Imagine then now how the little sciffe that floted vp and downe the wide seas, was in a small time carried a great way from the Ilande, when vnfortunate Alcida awaking, and seeing her selfe all alone, and forsaken, tur∣ned her sorrowfull eies to the maine sea, and not finding the sciffe, how in euerie part of the shoare thereabout, she went seeking vp and downe and found no crea∣ture at all. Ah thou maist conceiue (faire Shepherdesse) what anguish of minde she felt in these crosses of vniust Fortune! Imagine besides, what plenty of teares she powred forth, in what extremities and wants she was, how sometimes (perhaps) she would haue cast her selfe into the sea, and how often in vaine she called vpon my name. But alas we were gone so far, that we could not heare her pitifull outcries, and might onely perceiue (how by shaking a white scarffe vp and downe in the Aire) she incited vs to turne backe againe, which the wicked Traitour Sartofano would neuer agree to. But making the greatest haste away that he could, he brought vs to the Iland of Yuiça, where disimbarking vs, they left me fast bound to an anchor that was pitched in the ground. That way by chance came certaine Marriners of Sartofanos acquaintance, companions like him selfe, whom though Clenarda neuer so much in∣formed of her estate, innocencie, and misfortune, yet it auailed her nothing to make them take pitie on her, but they rather gaue to the Traitour sufficient prouision, who went to imbarke himselfe againe with Clenarda, whom poore soule (at her pe∣rill) she must needes follow; from which time hitherto I neuer saw nor heard any newes of them. There was I left all alone bound hand and foote, and pinched with intolerable hunger. But that which most of all greeued me, was Alcidas want and
