The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia
are laid to them, wherein they do not deny the fact, but deny, or at
least diminish the fault: but first I may remember, though it were not
first alleged by them, the services they had before done, truly
honourable, and worthy of great reward, but not worthy to countervail
a following wickedness. Reward is proper to well doing, punishment to
evil doing, which must not be {621} confounded, no more than good and
evil are to be mingled. Therefore hath it been determined in all
wisdoms, that no man because he hath done well before should have his
present evil spared, but rather so much the more punished, as having
showed he knew how to be good, yet would against his knowledge be
naught. The fact is then nakedly without passion or partiality to be
viewed: wherein without all question they are equally culpable. For
though he that terms himself Daiphantus, were sooner disappointed of
his purpose of conveying away the Lady Philoclea, than he that
persuaded the Princess Pamela to fly her country, and accompanied her
in it: yet seeing in causes of this nature, the will by the rules of
justice standeth for the deed, they are both alike to be found guilty,
and guilty of heinous ravishment. For though they ravished them not
from themselves, yet they ravished them from him that owned them,
which was their father. An act punished by all the Grecian laws, by
the loss of the head, as a most execrable theft. For if they must die,
who steal from us our goods, how much more they who steal from us that
for which we gather our goods? And if our laws have it so in private
persons, much more forcibly are they to be in princes’ children, where
one steals as it were the whole state and well-being of that people,
being tied by the secret of a long use, to be governed by none but the
next of that blood. Neither let any man marvel, our ancestors have
been so severe in these cases, since the example of the Phoenician
Europa, but especially of Grecian Helen, hath taught them, what
destroying fires have grown of such sparkles. And although Helen was a
wife, and this but a child, that booteth not, since the principal
cause of marrying wives is that we may have children of our own. But
now let us see how these young men, truly for their persons worthy of
pity, if they had rightly pitied themselves, do go about to mitigate
the vehemency of their errors. Some of their excuses are common to
both, some peculiar only to him that was the shepherd. Both remember
the force of love, and as it were the mending up of the matter by
their marriage. If that unbridled desire, which is entitled love,
might purge such a sickness as this, surely we should have many loving
excuses of hateful mischief. Nay rather, no mischief should be
committed that should not be veiled under the name of love. For as
well he that steals might allege the love of money; he that murders,
the love of revenge; he that rebels, the love of greatness, as the
adulterer the love of a woman. Since they do in all speeches affirm
they love that, which an ill-governed passion maketh them to follow:
but love may have no such privilege. That sweet and heavenly uniting
of the minds, which properly is called love, hath no other knot but
virtue, and therefore if it {622} be a right love, it can never slide
into any action that is not virtuous. The other, and indeed more
effectual reason is, that they may be married unto them, and so
honourably redress the dishonour of them whom this matter seemeth most
to touch. Surely if the question were, what were convenient for the
parties, and not what is just in the never changing justice, there
might be much said in it. But herein we must consider that the laws
look how to prevent by due examples that such things be not done, and
not how to salve such things when they are done. For if the governors
of justice shall take such a scope, as to measure the foot of the law
by the show of conveniency, and measure that conveniency not by the
public society, but by that which is fittest for them which offend:
young men, strong men, and rich men, shall ever find private
conveniences how to palliate such committed disorders, as to the
public shall not only be inconvenient, but pestilent. The marriage
perchance might be fit for them, but very unfit were it to the state,
to allow a pattern of such procurations of marriage. And thus much do
they both allege. Further goes he that went with the princess Pamela,
and requireth the benefit of a counsellor, who hath place of free
persuasion, and the reasonable excuse of a servant, that did but wait
of his mistress. Without all question, as counsellors have great cause
to take heed how they advise anything, directly opposite to the form
of that present government, especially when they do it singly without
public allowance: yet so is the case much more apparent, since neither
she was an effectual princess, her father being then alive, and though
he had been dead, she not come to the years of authority, nor he her
servant in such manner to obey her, but by his own preferment first
belonging to Dametas, and then to the king; and therefore if not by
Arcadian laws, yet by household orders, bound to have done nothing
without his agreement. Thus therefore since the deeds accomplished by
these two are both abominable and inexcusable, I do in the behalf of
justice, and by the force of Arcadian laws pronounce that Daiphantus
should be thrown out of a high tower to receive his death by his fall,
Palladius shall be beheaded; the time before the sun set; the place,
in Mantinea; the executioner, Dametas, which office he shall execute
all the days of his life for his beastly forgetting the careful duty
he owed to his charge.”
This said, he turned himself to Philanax, and two of the other
noblemen, commanding them to see the judgment presently performed.
Philanax more greedy than any hunter of his prey, went straight to lay
hold of the excellent prisoners, who, casting a farewell look one upon
the other, represented in their faces as much unappalled constancy as
the most excellent courage can {623} deliver in outward graces. Yet if
at all there were any show of change in them, it was that Pyrocles was
somewhat nearer to bashfulness, and Musidorus to anger, both
over-ruled by reason and resolution. But as with great number of armed
men, Philanax was descending unto them, and that Musidorus was
beginning to say something in Pyrocles’s behalf, behold Kalander, that
with arms cast abroad, and open mouth, came crying to Euarchus,
holding a stranger in his hand that cried much more than he, desiring
they might be heard speak before the prisoners were removed, even the
noble gentleman Sympathus aided them in it, and taking such as he
could command, stopped Philanax, betwixt entreaty and force, from
carrying away the princes until it were heard what new matters these
men did bring. So again mounting to the tribunal, they hearkened to
the stranger’s vehement speech, or rather a passionate exclaiming. It
was indeed Kalodulus, the faithful servant of Musidorus, to whom his
master, when in despite of his best-grounded determinations he first
became a slave to affection, had sent the shepherd Menalcas to be
arrested, by the help of whose raiment in the meantime he advanced
himself to that estate which he accounted most high, because it might
be serviceable to that fancy which he had placed most high in his
mind. For Menalcas having faithfully performed his errand, was
faithfully imprisoned by Kalodulus. But as Kalodulus performed the
first part of his duty in doing the commandment of his prince, so was
he with abundance of sincere loyalty extremely perplexed, when he
understood of Menalcas the strange disguising of his beloved master.
For as the acts he and his cousin Pyrocles had done in Asia, had
filled all the ears of the Thessalonians and Macedonians with no less
joy than admiration: so was the fear of their loss no less grievous
unto them, when by the noise of report they understood of their lonely
committing themselves to the sea, the issue of which they had no way
learned. But now that by Menalcas he perceived where he was, guessing
the like of Pyrocles, comparing the unusedness of this act with the
unripeness of their age, seeing in general conjecture they could do it
for nothing that might not fall out dangerous, he was somewhile
troubled with himself what to do, betwixt doubt of their hurt, and
doubt of their displeasure. Often he was minded, as his safest and
honestest way, to reveal it to King Euarchus, that both his authority
might prevent any damage to them, and under his wings he himself might
remain safe. But considering a journey to Byzantium, whereas yet he
supposed Euarchus lay, would require more time than he was willing to
remain doubtful of his prince’s estate, he resolved at length to write
the matter to Euarchus, and himself the while to go into Arcadia:
uncertain what to do when he came thither, but determined to do his
best service to his dear master, {624} if by any good fortune he might
find him. And so it happened, that being even this day come to
Mantinea, and as warily and attentively as he could, giving ear to all
reports, in hope to hear something of them he sought, he straight
received a strange rumour of these things, but so uncertainly, as
popular reports carry so rare accidents. But this by all men he was
willed, to seek out Kalander a great gentleman of that country, who
would soonest satisfy him of all occurrents. Thus instructed he came
even about the midst of Euarchus’s judgment to the desert, where
seeing great multitudes, and hearing unknown names of Palladius and
Daiphantus, and not able to press to the place where Euarchus sat, he
enquired for Kalander, and was soon brought unto him, partly because
he was generally known unto all men, and partly because he had
withdrawn himself from the press, when he perceived by Euarchus’s
words whither they tended, being not able to endure his guests’
condemnation. He requireth forthwith of Kalander the cause of the
assembly; and whether the same were true of Euarchus’s presence: who
with many tears made a doleful recital unto him, both of the Amazon
and shepherd, setting forth their natural graces, and lamenting their
pitiful undoing. But this description made Kalodulus immediately know
the shepherd was his duke, and so judging the other to be Pyrocles,
and speedily communicating it to Kalander, who he saw did favour their
case, they break the press with astonishing every man with their
cries. And being come to Euarchus, Kalodulus fell at his feet, telling
him those he had judged, were his own son and nephew, the one the
comfort of Macedon, the other the only stay of Thessalia. With many
such like words; but as from a man that assured himself in that matter
he should need small speech, while Kalander made it known to all men
what the prisoners were to whom he cried they should salute their
father, and joy in the good hap the gods had sent them, who were no
less glad, than all the people amazed at the strange event of these
matters. Even Philanax’s own revengeful heart was mollified when he
saw from divers parts of the world so near kinsmen should meet in such
a necessity. And withal the fame of Pyrocles and Musidorus greatly
drew him to a compassionate conceit, and had already unclothed his
face of all show of malice.
But Euarchus staid a good while upon himself, like a valiant man that
should receive a notable encounter, being vehemently stricken with the
fatherly love of so excellent children, and studying with his best
reason what his office required: at length with such a kind of
gravity, as was near to sorrow, he thus uttered his mind: “I take
witness of the immortal gods,” said he, “O Arcadians that what this