1301How after the death of Lycorida the Nurse Dyonysa 1302enuying at the beauty of Marina, hired a seruant of hers to 1303haue murderd her, and how she was rescued by certaine Pyrates, 1304and by them carried to the Cittie of Meteline, where among other 1305bondslaues, shee was solde to a common Bawde.

1306Marina hauing thus by Lycoridaes meanes had knowledge of her parentes, 1307and Lycorida hauing beene in her life, her most carefull Nurse, shee (not without 1308iust cause) lamented her death, and caused her body to be solempnely interred, in 1309a field without the walles of the Cittie, raising a monument in remembrance of her, 1310vowing to her selfe a yeares solemne sadnesse, and that her eies also for so long a 1311time should daily pay their dewy offerings, as lamenting the losse of so good a friend.

1312But this decree of hers being accomplished, and all the rites thereof 1313faithfully fulfilled, she dismissed her bodie of her mourning attire, and againe 1314apparrelled her selfe as before, in her most costly habilliment, frequenting the 1315Schooles, and diligently endeuouring the studies of the Liberall Sciences, wherein 1316she so out-went in perfection, the labours of all that were studious with her, 1317that shee was rather vsed amongst them as their Schoolemistris to instruct, 1318than their fellow Scholler to learne, onely for her recreation betwixt the houres 1319of study, dauncing, singing, sowing, or what experience soeuer (for in no action 1320was she vnexpert, as also euery morning, and at noone, before she made her meale) 1321she forgotte not to reuisite her Nurses sepulchre: and entring into the monument, 1322vpon her knees she there offered her funerall teares for the losse of her mother, 1323and desiring the gods in their holy Synode to protect the safety of her father, 1324accusing her selfe as an vnfortunate childe, whose beeing, caused the death of 1325her mother, so good a Queene, and the sorrow of her father, so curteous a Prince: 1326and in very deede, the whole course of her life was so affable and curteous, that 1327she wonne the loue of all and euery man, accompting his tongue (the father of speech) 1328a trewant, which was not liberall in her prayses: so that it fortuned as she passed 1329along the streete, with Dyonysa her daughter, who was her companion and Schoolefellow, 1330and who till then she supposed had beene her sister. The people, as at other times, 1331came running out of their doores with greedy desire to looke vpon her; and beholding 1332the beauty and comelinesse of Marina so farre to out-shine Dyonysaes daughter, who 1333went side by side with her, could not containe themselues from crying out, Happy is 1334that father who hath Marina to his daughter, but her Companion that goeth with her 1335is fowle and ill-fauoured. Which when Dyonysa heard, her enuy of those prayses bred 1336in her a contempt, and that contempt soone transformed it selfe into wrath, all which 1337shee for the instant dissembling, yet at her comming home withdrawing her selfe into 1338a priuate walke, she in this maner with her selfe beganne to discourse; It is now 1339quoth she, foureteene yeers since Pericles this out-shining gerles father departed 1340this our Citty, in all which time we haue not receiued so much as a Letter, to 1341signifie that he remembers her, or any other token, to manifest he hath a desire 1342to acknowledge her, whereby I haue reason to coniecture, that he is either surely 1343dead, or not regardes her, though I must confesse, at his departure from hence, 1344and his committing her to our protection, he left her not vnfurnished of all things 1345fitting the education of his childe, and a princesse of her birth, both of golde, 1346plate, and apparrell, euen competent enough to foster her according to her degree, 1347nay (if neede were) to marry her according to her blood. But what of all this? he 1348is absent, and Lycorida her Nurse is dead: Shee in beauty out-shines my childe, and 1349I haue her fathers treasure in possession, (though giuen for her vse) shall make my 1350daughter out-shine her. What though I knowe her father did releeue our Citty? I 1351agayne doe knowe, that but few in these dayes requite benefites with thankes, longer 1352than while they are in receiuing. In briefe, I enuy her, and she shall perish for it. 1353With the which wordes she had no sooner concluded, but in comes a seruant of hers, 1354and she now intended to make him the diuells. With this Leonine she thus began to 1355interprete her will: Leonine quoth she, thou knowst Marina. And madame, quoth he, 1356for a most vertuous Gentlewoman. Talke not of vertue, quoth Dyonysa, for thats not 1357the businesse which we haue in hand; but I must haue thee learne to know her now, 1358that thou mayest neuer know her after ward, I vnderstand you not quoth Leonine. When 1359she replied, Take this at large then, Thou art my bond-slaue, whom I haue power to 1360enfranchise or captiue, if thou wilt obey me, first then receiue this golde as the 1361earnest which promiseth vnto thee a greater reward: but if thou deny to accomplish 1362my desire, in bondage and imprisonment, I will fetter thee, and by no other meanes 1363conclude my reuenge, but by thy death. Speake on my taske then good Madam, quoth 1364Leonine, For what is it that a bondman will not attempt for liberty, which is deerer 1365to man then life, and what not I then ? Thou knowest, quoth Dyonysa then, that 1366Marina hath a custome,as soone as shee returneth home from schoole, not to eate 1367meate before she haue gone to visite the sepulchre of her nurse. There at her next 1368deuotion, doe thou meete her, stand ready, and with thy weapon drawen, sodainely 1369kill her. How kill her quoth Leonine, why tiz an acte vnconscionable, and deserues 1370damnation but to conspire in thought, since she is a creature so harmlesse, that 1371euen Innocencie it selfe cannot be more pure, nor inwardly be more decently arrayed 1372than is her minde: yet to fulfill your pleasure, for the hope of golde, and the 1373releasement of my bondage, were she as spotlesse as Trueth, heere are two monsters 1374(drawing his sworde into his hand) shall effect it for you, when she rewarding him 1375with more golde, and commending his resolution, he goes forward to attend for her 1376at Lycoridaes Toombe, and Marina being returned from Schoole, is also come thither 1377to offer on the monument her diurnall deuotion, when on the sodaine, while her knees 1378kissed the earth, and her eyes saluted heauen, while prayers were in her mouth, and 1379teares in her eyes, all tributary offerings, giuen vnto the gods for the prosperitie 1380of her father, on the sodaine toward her, out rushed this Leonine, and with a looke 1381as cruell as his heart, and speech as harsh as his intent, he resolued her in blunt 1382wordes, that he was come to kill her, that hee was hired vnto it by Dyonysa her 1383foster mother, that she was too good for men, and therefore he would send her to 1384the gods, that if she would pray, pray, for hee had sworne to kill her, and he would 1385kill her, and a thousand more, ere he would be damned for periury. When she that 1386was on her knees before making her orisons to heauen, was now com-pelled to turne 1387her intreaties to him: and first demaunded of him what offence her ignoraunce had 1388done (for wittingly shee knew shee coulde doe none) eyther to him, that (as himselfe 1389said) came to murther her, or to her that hired him. But the villaine neyther 1390regarding her innocencie or teares, though showred in aboundaunce, but drawing 1391out his sword wherewith to haue shed her blood, and haue damned his own soule, 1392there were certaine pyrates that were newly put to water, in at a Creeke neare 1393adioyning, where the villaine intended this most inhumane murther, and being come 1394vp ashoare to forrage, for what pillage soeuer they could happen vpon, euen as he 1395was about to haue giuen the fatall blow, whom all her intreaties could not perswade 1396him from, beholding so bloudy a villaine, offering violence to so goodly a beauty, 1397they running all at once toward him cried out aloude; Holde monstrous wretch, as thou 1398louest thy life, hold, for that Mayden is our prey, and not thy victory. Which when 1399the villaine heard, and perceiuing his intent to be intercepted, making his heeles 1400his best defence, till hauing fledde some distance from them, and obseruing them 1401not to pursue, he secretly stole backe, to note what the euent would be, which was, 1402that the pyrates who had thus rescued Marina, carried her to their shippes, hoysed 1403sayles, and departed. At which the vilaine returned home to his Mistris, declaring 1404to her that he had doone what she commaunded him to doe, namely murthered Marina, 1405and from the toppe of a high cliffe, throwne her body downe for buriall into the 1406Sea, aduising her withall, that since it was done, the chiefest meanes to auoyde 1407suspition, was, to put on mourning garments, and by counterfeiting a great sorrow, 1408in the sight of the people report, that she was dead of some daungerous disease: 1409and withall, to bleare the eies of the multitude (who with faire shewes are soone 1410flattered) neere to her fathers Statue to erect a monument for her. According 1411whereunto, she attyred her selfe and her daughter in solempne attire, and 1412counterfeiting a fained sorrow, and dissembling teares. And going now to erect 1413her monument (to the view of which, all the Cittizens flocked) She in publike 1414assembly thus spake vnto them. Deere Friends and Cittizens of Tharsus, If you 1415shall happly wonder, why we thus vnwoontedly weep and mourne in your sight, it is 1416because the ioy of our eyes and staffe of our olde age Marina is dead, whose 1417absence hath left vnto vs nothing but salt teares, and sorrowfull harts, as if 1418by her death we were diuided from all comfort, yet haue we here taken order for 1419her funeralls, and buried her (as heere you see) according to her degree, which 1420losse of hers was right grieuous to all the people, nor was there any that was 1421capable of sorrowe, but spent it for her, so that with one voyce and willing 1422handes, they attended Dyonysa to the Market place whereas her fathers Image 1423stoode, made of brasse, and erected also another to her with this Inscription:

1425The fairest, chastest, and most best lies heere,

1426Who wythred in her spring of yeere:

1427In Natures garden, though by growth a Bud,

1428Shee was the chiefest flower, she was good.

1429So with this flattery, (which is like a Skreene before the grauest 1430ludgements) deceiuing the Cittizens, and all doone, vnsuspected she returned 1431home, when Cleon, who not at all consented to this treason, but so soone as he 1432heard therof, being strucke into amazement, he apparelled himselfe in mourning 1433garments, lamenting the vntimely ruine of so goodly a Lady, saying to himselfe, 1434Alas now, what mischiefe am I wrapped in, what might I do or say heerein? The 1435Father of that Virgine deliuered this Citty from the perill of death, for this 1436Citties sake hee suffered shipwracke, lost his goodes, and endured penury, and 1437now he is requited with euill for good, his daughter which hee committed by my 1438care to be brought vp, is now deuoured by the cruelty of my wife, so that I 1439am depriued, as it were, of mine owne eyes, and forced to bewaile the death 1440of that Innocent, she in whose presence, as in the fortune of mine own posterity 1441I should haue had delight. And then demaunding of Dyonysa how she could giue 1442prince Pericles accompt of his childe, hauing robbed him of his childe, how 1443she could appease the fury of his wrath, if her acte were knowne to him? or 1444how alay the displeasure of the gods, from whome nothing can be hid. For 1445Pericles quoth she, if such a pious innocent as your selfe do not reueale 1446it vnto him, how should he come to the knowledge thereof, since that the 1447whole Citty is satisfied by the monument I caused to be erected, and by our 1448dissembling outside, that she died naturally, and for the gods, let them that 1449list be of the minde to thinke they can make stones speake, and raise them vp 1450in euidence, for my parte I haue my wish, I haue my safety, and feare no daunger 1451till it fall vpon me. But Cleon rather cursing then commending this obduracy 1452in her, he continued mourning vnfainedly, but she according to her sinful 1453condition. By this time the pirats (who before rescued Marina, when she 1454should haue beene slaine by trecherous Leonine) are now ariued at Meteline, 1455and in the Market place of the Cittie, according to the custome, amongst 1456other bondslaues, offered her to be solde, whither all sorts of people, 1457comming to supply their purposes, Marina was not without much commendations 1458gazed vpon of the buyers, some commending her beauty, others her sober 1459countenaunce, all pittying her mishap, and praysing her perfections, which 1460prayses of her, were so spread through the Citty, that from all parts they 1461came crowding to see her, amongst the number of which, was a Leno or bawde, 1462yet one who had not set vp shop, and kept trade for himselfe, but was yet 1463but iourney-man to the deuill. This Leno amongst others, staring vpon her, 1464and knowing her face to be a fit faire signe for his maisters house, and 1465with which signe he made no doubt, but to lodge vnder their roofe, all 1466th'intemperate (euen from youth to age) thorow the whole Citty, hee 1467foorthwith demaunded the price, intending to buy her, at what rate soeuer, 1468and in the end, went thorow, and bargained to haue her, paying a hundred 1469Sestercies of golde, and so presently hauing giuen earnest, he takes 1470Marina, and the rest of the Pirates home with him to his Maisters house, 1471Marina was there to be taught how to giue her body vppe a prostitute to 1472sinne, and the Pirates for their new stuffe to receiue their money.