DOR AST US AND FAWN1A. 43
pressed with heavie sorrowe, her vital spirites were so stopped, that she fell downe presently dead, and could never be revived. This sodaine sight so appalled the Kings Sences, that he sancke from his seat in a sound, so as he was fayne to be carried by his nobles to his Pallace, where hee lay by the space of three dayes without speech : his commons were as men in dispaire, so diversely distressed : there was nothing but mourning and lamentation to be heard throughout al Bohemia: their young Prince dead, their vertuous Queene bereaved of her life, and their King and Soveraigne in great hazard : this tragicall discourse of fortune so daunted them, as they went like shadowes, not men; yet somewhat to comfort their heavie hearts, they heard that Pandosto was come to himselfe, and had recovered his speache, who as in a fury brayed out these bitter speaches:
O miserable Pandosto, what surer witnesse then conscience? what thoughts more sower then suspition ? What plague more bad then lealousie ? Unnaturall actions offend the Gods more than men, and cause-lesse crueltie never scapes without revenge: I have committed such a bloudy fact, as repent I may, but recall I cannot. Ah lealousie, a hell to the minde, and a horror to the conscience, suppressing reason, and inciting rage; a worse passion then phrensie, a greater plague than madnesse. Are the Gods just? Then let them revenge such brutish e crueltie: my innocent Babe I have drowned in the Seas ; my loving wife I have slaine with slaunderous suspition; my trusty friend I have sought to betray, and yet the Gods are slacke to plague such offences. Ah unjust Apollo, Pandosto is the man that hath committed the faulte: why should Garinter, seely childe, abide the paine? Well sith the Gods meane to prolong my dayes, to increase my dolour, I will offer my guiltie