Fortune's Tennis-Ball: OR, The Most Excellent History OF Dorastus and Fawnia.  
Rendered in Delightful English Verse; and worthy the Perusal of all sorts of People  
By S S. Gent. Lucis Anecreon.  
Licenced according to Order.  
Printed by A. M. for I. Deacon at the Angel in Guilt-spur-street, 1688.   

The most Excellent History OF DORASTUS and FAWNIA.  

CANT. I.  

Bohemia' s King is visited  
By Sicil' s Prince (who hath been bred  
In King Pandosto' s Royal Court:)  
Who doubts his Queen and he do sport  
Between the sheets, and (though in vain)  
Contrives a way to have been slain:  
Aegisthus sees the snare, and flies  
By Sea, to escape these Treacheries.   

INspire me gentle Love, and jealousy  
Give me thy passion, and thy ecstasy:  
While to a pleasant Air I strike the strings,  
Singing the Fates of Lovers and of Kings.  
Fertile Bohemia (famed in Germane stories,  
For happy government, and of her glories.)  
Had once a King Pandosto named, by birth  
Exceeding Royal, and for innate worth  
Every way excellent: his royal Mate,  
Bellaria called, a woman blest by Fate,  
With learned Education, fair by nature,  
For Virtue famous, earth's divinest creature:  
This happy pair had not been married long,  
(Scarce had they reached the Key of Hymen's song)  
When generous Lucina gave a boy,  
To their heart's comfort, and the general joy:  
The King to manifest his high content,  
Proclaimed a solemn Just or Tournament;  
Fame bears the Embassy on eagle's wings,  
His Court is now a Parliament of Kings:  
Great feast, masks, mirth, & deeds of arms,  
While Honour sits enthroned with all her charms  
But when this great Assembly takes her leave,  
(And Royal Present from the King receive)  
The Infant Prince (Garinter) doth consort  
With careful Nurses in his Father's Court;  
What can the powers Etherial add to this?  
Can great Pandosto wish for better bliss?  
Or sweet Bellaria covet more than Fate  
Already hath conferred? But what Estate  
Can boast a firm fixed Basis, if the blind,  
False, sickle Goddess hath its fall designed:  
Sicilia's King (Aegisthus) who had found  
His Education on Bohemian ground  
From's Infancy, until the gods had given  
Him power on earth like to the powers in heaven:  
To manifest no tract of time could raze  
His friendship out, nor distancy of place  
Estrange his love, in ships well rig'd & man'd,  
If cause required the pirates to withstand,  
Burdens great Neptune's back, a chosen train  
Of peers attending on their Sovereign:  
The winds were still, no noxious blast has power  
To sally forth from Aeolas brazen tower;  
The seas are calm, the crooked Dolphin's play,  
Doris fair daughter dancing all the way,  
Till great Aegisthus treads that happy earth,  
Had been his Foster-mother from his birth.  
Bellaria in whose breast the Graces rested,  
With all the Glories of her sex invested)  
Imagining her Husband's Kingly heart  
Would be the more her own, did she impart  
All special favours, to his friend, admitted,  
(Perhaps more intimacy than befitted)  
Aegisthus to her private walks, her Eye  
Revealing her mind's (just) captivity:  
His Chamber oftentimes she would frequent,  
Which caused suspicion, tho' no ill was meant:  
For these two Constellations still did move  
Within the Orb of true Platonic love.  
Pandosto marks their meetings, and doth fry  
In the blue flames of baneful jealousy:  
He calls to mind the beauty of his dear,  
And then Aegisthus merits do appear  
Full bloomed; he next gins to scrutinize  
Their private union, and their Coloquys;  
He straightway fancies, and concludes at last,  
Egist. a Villain, and his Wife unchaste:  
These erring fires shall lead him up and down  
Till he grows weary of his Life and Crown.  
But yet he knows not which way to compose  
A ruin which may (falsely) crush his Foes:  
He knows Aegisthus is a mighty King,  
And cannot sink without his ruining:  
He knows his Wife has every subject's heart,  
Paying just homage to her high desert:  
Since than there is no force of public force,  
He now resolves to take a private course:  
Aegisthus shall not fall by steel, but die  
By poison, this must Franion's industry  
Accomplish; he that bears his cup must kill  
His gentle friend, and he'll reward thee ill  
With numerous dignities, but Franion's soul  
Dreadly abhors to act a deed so foul:  
He therefore sets before the King what guilt  
He would accrue, what blood must needs he spilt  
What miseries must follow: but in vain  
Does Franion charm his Serpent sovereign:  
He must performed or die; O kill words!  
But Franion, who by millions of swords  
Had rather perish, than (to give consent  
Unto his Prince) to kill the innocent:  
Resolves (what ever haps) to break the thing,  
Though't break his neck) unto Sicilia's King:  
To him he opens all; Aegisthus scarce  
Can credit Franion's tale, though his discourse  
Have secret truth for warrant. Can it be  
Pandosto should be treacherous? (quoth he)  
First i'll believe earth moves, & heaven stands still,  
I never propped his foes, or sought his ill:  
But Franion, to remove all doubts, declares  
If that Aegisthus will forsake these snares,  
And sail into Sicilia, if when there  
(Safe in his fulgent throne, & free from fear.)  
The truth of this Narration were not shown,  
To seize his life by tortures yet unknown.  
Aegisthus now believes, and craves advice  
Of Franion (whom he finds maturely wise)  
He counsels him, if now the winds sat right,  
To weigh his Anchor, and set sail that night.  
Fortune (though blind) favours this righteous cause,  
With busy care: nor doth Aegisthus pause,  
But (by the help of Franion) secretly  
With winged haste (by help of Luna's lunacy)  
He passes through the City Postern-gate  
With all his train, and is so blest by fate,  
To find the Skies serene, the Surgos came  
Within the sight of Syracuse: the shore  
Is thronged with loyal subjects, to adore  
Their lawful Prince; their cheerful echoes ring,  
Heavens bless our Sovereign, GOD preserve the KING.    

CANT. II.  

Pandosto seizes on his Queen,  
What various griefs and woes are seen?  
She brings a Daughter forth, whom he  
Leaves to the mercy of the Sea,  
In a frail boat: Bellaria' s tried  
For looseness and for Parricide:  
But by Apollo' s upright doom,  
She escapes a wished-for Martyrdom.  
The Prince Garinter dies, whose death  
Bereaves the Queen Bellaria' s breath.  
Pandosto' s penitence (too late)  
Who builds a Tomb to humour fate.   

Egistus' thus delivered by the god,  
From eminent ruin, all their Altars loads  
With Sacrifices, for their blessed support,  
When death did want him in Pandosto's Court:  
Whose Citizens are all in uproar, they  
Believe that the Sicilians went away  
Doubting some cursed contrivance, since their flight  
Was shrouded with the sullen mists of night:  
But King Pandosto now will Pawn his life,  
That his Cupbearer (Franion) and his Wife  
Bellaria, had plotted this protection,  
Proved by the fervency of her affection:  
So swollen with rage, he instantly commands  
Thsse's of the Guard, to lay their guity hands  
Upon his guiltless Queen (there's no denial)  
And make her Prisoner till the day of trial:  
The Guard (with much reluctancy) perform  
The King commands, the words of Kings can charm.  
They find her playing with her pretty Son  
Garinter, and declare what must be done  
Bellaria swoons for sorrow, when she hears  
The cruel message (which they tell in tears.)  
But her immaculate, thrice spotless mind.  
Sings her Quietus, though her death's designed  
Away she goes (free from the thought of crime)  
In doleful sighs and tears to pass the time,  
Pandosto then complains (his own disgrace)  
That King Aegisthus had supplied his place.  
Road in his saddle, (though his old companion)  
By the lewd practice of the Traitor Franion  
Who now is fled away with Sicils King,  
He therefore, must be just in punishing  
His Wife's adultery, the people (who  
Do never further than the outside go)  
Easily fancy the report, she stood  
(Say they) one fair in fame, she once was good:  
The injured Queen mean time is tired with woe;  
And now (as Fates conspire her overthrow)  
She finds herself with Child, she wrings her hands,  
For now, quoth she, the King confirmed stands,  
(Who cruelly consents to credit fables)  
That Egist. put a wrong point in his tables:  
O how does Fortune in disaster vary,  
Tho' safely brought to bed, I must miscarry;  
The sailor bears a part in this same Ditty,  
And thinking it would move the King to pity,  
Conveys the story to his Royal Ear,  
Who raves & foams like some incensed Bear,  
Baited by Mastiffs: he shall surely die,  
Qd. he, tho' jove should give my words the lie:  
Her Bastard too shall suffer death, by this,  
The Glory of the Sex delivered is  
Of a fair Daughter, this Pandosto hears,  
And holding up his hand to Heaven, swears  
Both Child & Mother shall be burnt with fire,  
His Nobles strive to mitigate his ire:  
They tell him that his Queen had ever proved  
How much she honoured, & how much she loved  
His sacred Person; say she were defiled  
Nature and Justice yet would spare the child:  
But all these reasons cannot abate his grudge,  
Who is the Queen's Accuser, and her Judge:  
But yet at last he is content to spare  
The child, but find a death more cruel far:  
He lights on this device: the child, quoth he,  
As't came by Fortune, so to Destiny  
I will commit it in a sledgy Boat;  
This Royal infant must on Neptune float;  
Left to the mercy of the winds & seas,  
But Heaven has care of such sweet Babes as these:  
He than commands his Guard to fetch the Brat  
(For so he terms it) who was sucking at  
Its mother's milky tears; what heart can think?  
Had I huge Oaks for Pens, the sea for Ink,  
And Homer's deathless Verse, I could not show  
Half the stern horror of Bellaria's woe.  
Half dead they leave the Queen, and bring the child  
Whose face would make a savage Scythian mild,  
Unto the King, who straight commands his guard  
To put it into the little Boat, prepared  
For this fell purpose, neither Rudder nor  
A Sail to guide it to some happy shore:  
The Infant placed, unto a ship they tie  
The little Bark, and hale it instantly  
Into the Main; this done, they cut the cord,  
And then return to certify their Lord.  
They were no sooner gone, but there arose  
A mighty Tempest, like to potent foes;  
Austes with Boneas fights, the seas swell high,  
The sparkling Surges front the weeping Sky.  
But here the Muse must leave this Theme a while  
And unto King Pandosto turn her stile:  
Who yet not glutted with revenge, conveens  
All his chief Lords, declaring that he means,  
His trothless Queen in open Court to try,  
For Murder (meant) and for Adultery:  
Behold, Bellaria's at the Bar, she throws  
A light about her, though hemmed in with woes.  
Her innocence gives courage above thought.  
And now the Kings hired witnesses are brought  
Who heard the hapless Queen declare her grief,  
That King Pandosto ever had the chief  
Seat in her heart, that she had ever been  
His faithful subject, and his loyal Queen:  
That she no love had to Aegisthus shown,  
But such as strictest Anchorites might own:  
Pandosto tells her, that her surest fence  
(Considering her Crime) was impudence:  
Her guilt emboldens her, but thou shalt die,  
Quoth he, by furious fire, to typify  
Thy fate in Hell: Bellaria kneeling on  
The humble earth (in a distracted tone)  
Besought the King, by the great love he bore,  
To his young son Garinter, his sole heir,  
To grant her one request; 'twas this, to send  
Six of his Nobles, Phoebus to attend  
At Delphos, if that God (who all things knew)  
Should ratify her guilt, all torments due  
To parricide, and vile adulterous sin,  
Practised against the Person of a King,  
Might be inflicted: this most just request  
So reasonable, could not find the least  
Repulse, without Pandosto by his deeds  
Will make it know, his Will all Law exceeds:  
The Queen returns to Prison, he to Court;  
And the six Lords together now consort  
For Cynthia's temple, & three weeks expired,  
Their feet salute that shore so much desired,  
With great Devotion the six Peers pass on,  
Unto the fame of famed Hyperion:  
Where come, they offer liberal sacrifice,  
And gratify his Priests with Gifts of price:  
They had not long chanted the Hymn divine  
Kneeling down before Apollo's shrine,  
But they might hear a voice resembling thunder,  
(To their great joy, but to their greater wonder)  
Crying, Bohemians, what ye apt to find  
Behind the Altar, take up: 'tis the mind  
Of great Apollo, they forthwith obey,  
And find a parchment scroll, which thus did say.   
THE ORACLE.  

Suspicions are no proofs, and jealousy  
A judge that's swag'd by damned partiality:  
Bellaria' s chaste, Aegisthus void of blame,  
Pandosto treacherous, and void of shame:  
Franion' s a Loyal Subject; the sweet Child,  
(That in a paper Cockboat was exiled  
Its native Country) is most innocent:  
Pandosto shall embrace his Monument,  
Without an Heir, unless the Femal's found,  
whom July men conjecture to be drowned.   

No sooner had the Lords this Schedule handled,  
But by Apollo's Priests they were commanded,  
Not to presume to read it till they came  
Unto Pandosto (as they dread the name  
Of sacred Phoebus) home returned, they tell  
The King what happened at the Oracle:  
Showing the scroll, the Nobles of the Land  
Entreat the K. he forthwith would command  
The Queen unto the Bar, and there, before  
The Lords & Commons, if she were a Whore,  
Appoint her such a death as might deter  
Her sex from paths so much irregular;  
But if her grace were faultless found, that then  
She might be loved and honoured once again.  
This counsel pleased Pandosto, and next day  
His Peers they all appear, the people they  
May witness with them; poor Bellaria stands  
Before the Bar, to Heaven her eyes and hands  
She lifts, her soul-Indictment's read, but she  
Puts in a pithy and a noble plea;  
Pandosto then commands a Duke to read  
The scroll, being what Apollo had decreed:  
Which when the people heard, they clapped their hands  
While King Pandosto all amazed stands,  
Ashamed of his rash folly, but at last  
He begs Bellaria to forgive what's past:  
But while he's courting her, that's easily led,  
Black news is brought that Prince Garinter's dead,  
which soon as fair Bellaria hears, she dies,  
Her soul ascending to the Deities.  
The King (affectionate too late) so much  
Laments her death, his inward grief is such,  
For 3 days space he's speechless, but at length  
Recovering his forfeit speech and strength;  
He pours forth seas of tears, and makes such moan,  
Rocks would relent to hear him sigh & groan:  
But time assuages these laments: the King  
Makes preparation for the burying  
Of chaste Bellaria, and his lifeless Heir,  
Whom in one sumptuous tomb he doth inter  
Making such solemn Obsequies, as told  
How dear he did his Queen Bellaria hold:  
Upon whose Tomb (the glory of her kind)  
In golden Letters were these numbers signed,  
Here lies entombed Bohemia' s blessed Queen,  
(Bellaria) whose fame shall flourish green;  
While Sol shall dart a beam, accused to be  
Unchaste and conscious of Adultery:  
But by Apollo' s sacred arbitration,  
Restored with glory to her former station.  
Yet slain with grief at last, grief that had long  
Surchanged her soul, caused by her Husbands wrong:  
Therefore whoever thou art that passeth by  
Curse him that caused this Royal Queen to die.  
Into this Monument once every day  
The King Pandosto would repair, to pay  
A dolorous Tribute, where (lamenting) we  
Will leave him, and review the raging sea,  
Where his young Daughter floats on Neptune's back,  
High Providence protecting her from wrack.    

CANT. III.  

The Child that floated on the Main,  
Is saved by a Sicilian Swain:  
Who fosters her with happy care,  
Till she is almost fit to bear:  
Her glorious beauty is made known,  
To King Aegisthus' s only Son;  
Who comes to gaze, but when they part,  
Fawnia secludes his Princely heart:  
(Doubting his Father's rage) they fly  
With an intent for Italy,  
But by a sullen fate are driven  
Into a fair Bohemian Haven:  
Dorastus is to Prison sent,  
(To Fawnia' s direful discontent)  
Who now is known Paridosto' s Heir;  
All to Sicilia then repair:  
There these two Lovers (crossed by Fate  
Till now) becomes incorporate:  
Pandosto kills himself, and leaves  
His Crown, Dorastus it receives.   

THe Infant Princess by a cruel doom,  
Allowed in bright-haired Thetis angry womb  
(Tossed by the merciless winds and angry seas)  
Avoids the horrid shock for two whole days  
But had not scaped the third, if she that guides  
Saphire-hewed Neptune, and in triumph ride  
Over the surface of the swelling deep,  
Had not commanded Spio safe to keep  
The Royal babe; the pliant Nymph obeys  
Guiding the boat through Neptune's pathless ways  
Till on the Coast of Sicily it stands,  
There Spio leaves it sticking on the sands:  
It fortuned a shepherd that had lost  
One of his Flock, implores about the Coast,  
His sheep he seekt in vain: but in's retreat  
The shepherd hears this pretty Lamb to bleat  
He stands amazed a while being cramped with fear,  
But taking heart of grace, he comes more near:  
Finding the fairest Babe e'er seen with eye,  
Wrapped in a Mantle broidered curiously:  
The shepherd (who's astonished at the thing)  
Resolves to bear the Child unto the King;  
The pretty Bantling in his arms he bears,  
And presently unto his Cot repairs:  
But as the shepherd seized the Royal Child,  
A Purse of Gold he at her feet beheld:  
His mind is altered now, himself will keep  
The Infant (who does writhe his head & weep,  
Wanting the dulcide Dug) but he hasts home,  
And is no sooner to his Mansion come,  
But the Child cries aloud; the shepherdess  
(Amazed) with both her hands herself doth bless.  
Women (tho' excellent) are so much accursed  
By Nature, that they still believe the worst:  
She thinks it is some Bastard, seizeth on  
A Cudgel, vowing Chastigation:  
The good man seeing her, (who wore the Breeches)  
Armed with her Mace, strives with the fairest speeches,  
To pacific her rage, but his sweet Honey  
Cannot be won, until the Purse of Money  
Greet her grey eyes; declaring all the matter,  
How he had found the Infant on the water:  
She than began to simper somewhat sweetly,  
And in her arms she takes the Babe most neatly;  
Be sure (quoth he) you never blab our store,  
Profit (qd. she) is a good Hatch to th' door:  
All things in order fet, he carefully  
Doth keep his sheep, she sings a Lullaby  
At home unto her Babe: the Child grew tall,  
Enriched with all those Graces which we call  
Supremely excellent; she's Fawnia named,  
Fawnia, that shall in future time be famed:  
The honest shepherd and the shepherdess  
Her Father and Mother she doth guests;  
Whom she obeyed in all things, yet her face  
Was so Celestial; and with such a grace  
She bears herself (so young, and yet so sage)  
All men might run and see her Parentage.  
The Swainlings who live near, do wonder sore  
That Porrus, who was once so very poor,  
Should on the sudden have such wondrous store  
Blest with a daughter too, whose wit & feature  
Almost declared she was no mortal creature;  
Who now such favour finds in each man's eye,  
Sicilia's Prince hears of her fulgency;  
Aegisthus Son (Dorastus) whose rare parts  
Won him the people's wonder, with their hearts:  
Now by the gods (qd. he) speaking in laughter,  
I will go see the shepherds handsome daughter:  
Who kept her father's sheep with solemn care.  
The cheerful Sun did for the West prepare,  
When Prince Dorastus goes from Court, set on,  
And finds the fairest Fawnia all alone;  
Somnus had seized her senses on the ground,  
Clothed with sweet grass, she slept, her head was crowned  
With a fine flowery Chaplet, Flora she,  
Or arrow-loving Cynthia seemed to be:  
But while the Prince doth feed his greedy eyes  
His noble heart becomes her beauty's prize:  
Who waking, wonders; she conceits some god  
Had left the pleasures of his bright abode,  
To bless Mortality, upon her knee  
She falls; Incomparable Mago, quoth he,  
I am no Deity; though Princes are  
Called gods, like other mortal men they far,  
And travel to the Grave the selfsame way.  
I am thy slave, most beauteous Fawnia,  
Behold Dorastus' King Aegisthus Son,  
Implores thy love, sure Fawnia can be won;  
The shepherdess (whose colour went and came)  
To hear of Love, and Prince Dorastus Name,  
Replies, My gracious Lord, it is your will  
To jest with her who shall adore you still.  
But simple shepherds never aim so high  
As Prince's Courts; the brow of Majesty  
Breaks their frail senses, Odours poison them,  
They dare not gaze upon a Diadem.  
This said, she risen, and reverently bowed,  
While 1000 thoughts about her soul do crowd:  
The Prince repaid her courtesy with a kiss;  
Can Heaven (qd. he) afford a greater bliss?  
Now by the Powers celestial, should my father  
(As sure he will) & all earthly Kings together,  
Conspire to hinder my Resolves, I'd do  
What my unbounded thoughts do prompt me to;  
I'll wed thee Fawnia, we this night will fly  
From hence (my Dear) to fertile Italy:  
Good store of Gold and Jewels we will bear  
Along, the rich find friendship every where:  
Fawnia replies, Your Highness' speech shall be,  
As true and sacred Oracles to me.  
Dispose your humble hand maid as you please,  
Within these few hours we will take the seas;  
(Quoth he) I have a trusty servant, who  
I know will further what I lift to do:  
Him will I send to thee within this hour,  
Him follow; and may the Almighty power  
Prosper our loves: this said, they kiss & part;  
Dorastus soon (aided by Capnia's art)  
Fills three fair casks full of Gold, beside  
Trunks full of rich Attire for his fair Bride:  
A ship lies ready, and (as their intents  
Were owned by Heaven) no rude Northwind rends  
The rolling waves, while things preparing were  
Capnia doth unto Fawnia repair;  
Who welcomes this true servant to her Lord,  
By whom she presently is brought on board:  
The Mariners finding such pleasant gales,  
Prepape for launching, and expand their sails:  
When lo, Dorastus comes and eclipse his Dear,  
And now they on the raging Ocean are;  
Who slatters for a while, but suddenly  
A paleful darkness muffles up the sky:  
The winds are all enlarged, dire thunders heard,  
The Master pores in vain upon the Card:  
All look for death, when lo, a minute's time  
Makes satisfaction for three days crime:  
All's whist, and they are lodged upon the port  
That's not far distant from Pandosto's Court,  
Dorastus droops so to mistake his way,  
Instead of Italy, Bohemia.  
Fawnia laments, for now, behold, there came  
Some of Pandosto's Guard, to know what name  
The Ship did bear, and presently to bring  
All her Inhabitants unto the King:  
There no excuse can serve, along they go,  
Dorastus, Fawnia, and Capnio,  
With lowly homage, humbled on the knee,  
They do salute Bohemia's Majesty;  
Who asked Dorastus what's his name, & whence  
He came, and straightway renders his pretence:  
My name, Sir, is Meleagrus, by my birth  
A Knight, brought up on Trapolonian's earth:  
This Gentlewoman, whom I mean to make  
My wife, is an Italian, for whose sake  
(Doubting her friend's consent) I took my way  
By partial Fate, to Trapolonia;  
But forced by tempest hither ('gainst my mind)  
Where I shall hope hospicious friends to find,  
Pandosto starting from his Throne, replies,  
Now by the everliving Deities,  
Thou art a perjured Traitor, and hast won  
This Lady to her sure destruction;  
By cursed frauds, who for her grace & beauty  
Merits that mighty Kings should do her duty  
And till I hear of her descent, and can  
Prove that thou art a Trapolonian,  
A Prison shall contain thee. No reply  
Dorastus made, being hurried presently  
To prison; Fawnia wrings her Lily palms,  
And swoons away, vexed with uncessant qualms  
Pandosto, who (tho' old and sapless grown)  
Loves the lewd act more than he loved his Crown,  
He deeply dotes on Fawnia, comforts her,  
Promising, if she'll presently confer  
Her love on him, he'll instantly set free  
Her Knight, and raise him unto dignity:  
She scarce refrains to pull the Tyrant's beard,  
Calls him a Dog for Footy Dis prepared.  
A month is passed since King Aegisthus lost  
His son, who sends about to every coast.  
At last his willy Messengers resort,  
With hasty motion, to Pandosto's Court;  
Who kindly welcomes them, their charge is thus,  
Where e'er they find his son, with courteous  
And winged language to convene him home,  
But if they find he will yet further room,  
To bring him into Sicily by force:  
But for poor Fawnia, her doom is worse,  
She must be murdered instantly, and so  
The Prince's servant, faithful Capnio;  
They had no sooner told the Embassy,  
But King Pandosto sendeth presently  
For Meleagrus; he's Sicilia's Heir  
He knows, and he is glad he has him there:  
Dorastus wonders at this great mutation,  
But more to see some Lords of his own nation.  
There is no boggling now, Pandosto's glad  
That he shall manifest the hate he had  
Conceived 'gainst Fawnia for her great disdain  
Commanding she and Capnio should be slain.  
Fawnia (no doubt, inspired by Heaven) cries,  
O why did the cruel Destinies  
Cause Prince Dorastus to affect a Maid  
So far beneath him, now to death betrayed?  
But since I must forsake the World, take here  
Brave Prince, this chain, which still for my sake wear,  
Which from my Infancy has ever been,  
About my neck, but till now never seen.  
Pandosto starts, he knew the chain of old,  
It was his wives: he than began to hold  
His thoughts in strict suspense, compares the time  
Since (mad with rage) he acted that black crime  
He finds she is his Daughter; straight he rears  
Himself from's throne, watering his cheeks with tears  
Ah Fawnia! my sweet Fawnia, he doth cry,  
All there admire at this strange Colloquy:  
Fawnia is not more glad that she has found  
So great a Father; then Dorastus crowned  
With glorious hope, to gain so brave a wife,  
The Lords on both sides joy, that now the strife  
'Twixt the Sicilians and Bohemia's State,  
Shall cease and nought remain of ancient hate  
The King great Feasts & justings doth prepare  
For joy he now hath found a Female Heir:  
Which done, he does embark himself and his,  
With Prince Dorastus, and his only bliss  
Divinest Fawnia: the Sicilian Peers  
He takes along, and Neptune's brow appears  
So smooth, in six days they see Syracuse,  
Aegisthus marvels when he hears the news  
And having heard Pandosto's story, sends  
For Porrus, who was in the Jailor's hands,  
Who tells the truth of all, how Fawnia scaped,  
Showing the Mantle wherein she was wrapped:  
Pandosto Knights him, and the Lovers are  
The next day married, Hymen every where  
Is chanted: Lo Hymen each man sings,  
And an eternal League 'twixt the two Kings  
Concluded, every Commoner is feasted.  
For forty days, so long the triumph lasted;  
Which was no sooner ended, but his soul  
Vexed for his former facts, so black and foul  
Having betrayed his Friend, and slain his Wife,  
Pandosto's own hands takes Pandosto's life:  
Whose death for many days they do bewail,  
And then Dorastus and his Queen set sail  
For fair Bohemia, where he sumptuously  
Inters his Father, Governs graciously  
For many years, till Death (with little pain)  
Did put a period to his Life and Reign.    
FINIS.