DORASTUS AND FAWNIA. 39
The noble men which sate in judgement, said that Bellaria spake reason, and intreated the king that the accusers might be openly examined, and sworne, and if then the evidence were such, as the Jury might fmde her guilty (for seeing she was a Prince she ought to be tryed by her peeres) then let her have such punishment as the extremitie of the Law will assigne to such malefactors. The king presently made an-swere, that in this case he might, and would dispence with the Law, and that the Jury being once panneld, they should take his word for sufficient evidence, otherwise he would make the proudest of them repent it. The noble men seeing the king in choler were all whist, but Bellaria, whose life then hung in the bal-launce, fearing more perpetuall infamie then moment-arie death, tolde the king, if his furie might stand for a Law that it were vaine to have the Jury yeeld their verdit; and therefore she fell downe upon her knees, and desired the king that for the love he bare to his young sonne Garinter, whome she brought into the world, thathee woulde graunt her a request, which was this, that it would please his majestie to send sixe of his noble men whome he best trusted, to the Isle of Delphos, there to enquire of the Oracle of Apollo, whether she had committed adultery with Egistus, or conspired to poyson with Franion : and if the God Apollo, who by his devine essence knew al secrets, gave answere that she was guiltie, she were content to suffer any torment, were it never so terrible. The request was so reasonable, that Pandosto could not for shame deny it, unlesse he would bee counted of all his subjects more wilfull then wise, he therefore agreed, that with as much speede as might be there should be certaine Embassadores dispatched to the He of Delphos ; and in the meane season he commanded that his wife should be kept in close prison.
Bellaria having obtained this graunt was now more