Page:Dorastus and Fawnia, or, The life and adventures of a German princess.pdf/22

, a knight of Trapolonia, and that the gentlewoman he intended to marry, was born at Puda in Italy, from which he had just come; and her friends not consenting to the marriage, he was conveying her into Trapolonia, to have been married there, but by stress of weather was driven upon that coast.

Pandosta would not believe any thing of it, but reproached Dorastus with stealing Fawnia from her parents, which Dorastus denying with some heat, was committed to prison, and Fawnia ordered to be kept in the court, and allowed such civilities as became a stranger. Pandosta being greatly smitten with her, sent for her the next day to come to him, which she did accordingly. The king commending her beauty and parts, persuaded her to leave Meleagus, and place her affections on him, and promised to advance her to great dignity and honour: but she refused him with the greatest contempt and scorn; he having tried all ways to allure her, both by promises and threatening, day after day, at last: swore, he would compel her to love him, whether she would or not, but she resolutely replied, He might indeed take away her life, but should never deprive her of her honour and virtue.

But whilst Pandosta was thus courting Fawnia, Egistus understanding, by some Sicilian merchants in Bohemia, that his son was made a prisoner there, he sent an honourable embassage of divers of his noblemen, to entreat Pandosta to send home his son, and put Capino, Porrus, and his daughter Fawnia to death, by whom the Prince bad been deluded. Pandosta was well pleased with this embassy from king Egistus, remembering how he wronged him before, but was much surprised to find, that Meleagus, whom he had imprisoned, was the Prince Dorastus, whom he,