Page:The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1 (1890).djvu/141

 VIRGINIA. 39

" Wheresore goe Seargeant (quod he) make roume emonges the multitude, that the maifter may enioye his feruante." Which wordes he thundered out with great furie, and therewithal! the multitude gaue place, leaning the poore Pufelle to be a praye to the ennemy. Her father feeing that hee was voyde of fuccoure and helpe, to defende the innocencie of his doughter, fpake to Appius in this sorte : " I firste doe befeche thee Appius, if I haue vsed any vn- reasonable woordes against thee, to pardone mee, and to impute the fame to the Father's griefe and sorowe. Suffer mee I praye thee, to examine the NourfTe, in the prefence of the wenche, of the whole circumftance of this matter, to the intent that if I be but a supposed father, I maye departe hence with quiet confcience fatiffied and contented." Virginius hauing licence to talke with his doughter and Noiirfle, departed a fide into a place called Cloacina, where the moppes be, nowe called Tabernae Nouae, and plucking a fharpe knife from a Bocherthat ftode by, he thruft the fame to the harte of his doughter, sayinge : "By this onely meanes (doughter) I can make thee free:" And looking againe to the Judgement feate, he said : "This bloud Appius I coniecrate and bestowe vpon thee/ 5 Whiche done, with his sworde he made wave, to paste through the thronge to conueighe him selfe out of the citie. Then Icilius and Numitorius tooke vp the dead bodie, and (hewed it to the people, who cryed out vpon the wickednefle of Appius, bewayling the vnhappie beautie of that fayre maiden, and deplored the neceffitie of the father. The women exclaimed in lamenta ble wyfe, saying : "Is this the condicion and state of them that bring soorth children ? Be these the rewardes of chastitie ?" With suche like pitifull cries, as women are wonte to make vpon suche heauie and dolorous euentes. Virginius being arriued in the campe, whiche then was at the mount Vicelius, with a traine of sower hundred persones, that fled out of the Citie, mewed to the Soul- diours the bloudie knife, that killed his doughter, whiche fighte aftonied the whole Campe: in so muche as euery man demaund- ed, what was the cause of that sodain chaunce. Virginius could not fpeake for teares, but at length he difclofed vnto them, the eflfe&e of the whole matter, and holding vp his handes towardes the heauens, fayd : "I befeche you (deare companions) do not

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