ark, and was
once very happy: "I feared not the force of forraigne foes, for I knewe
none but were my faithfull friends," says he, in a style that reminds
one of the King Herod of miracle-plays. Living in such content, he
thought it advisable to invade France, where at that time a king was
reigning, named Pelorus, about whom chroniclers are silent. Arbasto came
straight to Orleans, and after some siege operations, "had so shaken the
walles with cannon shot, that they were forced to strengthen them with
counter mures."

A three months' truce is agreed to on both sides, and the two sovereigns
entertain each other. At the French court, Arbasto meets the two
daughters of the king, Myrania and Doralicia, two wonderful creatures,
especially the latter, who was "so adorned with more then earthlie
perfection as she seemed to be framed by nature to blemishe nature, and
that beautie had skipt beyond her skil in framing a peece of such
curious workemanship." Arbasto cannot cease gazing at her; he addresses
to himself euphuistic speeches several pages long, but they do him no
good. It so happens that while his love is set on Doralicia, the other
princess falls in love with him. But this again does him no good. He
ceases to find anything worth living for; even the possible destruction
of France seems to him tasteless. His nobles observe his changed mood,
and wonder, and his confidant, Duke Egerio, vainly tries on him the
effect of a new series of euphuistic examples and similes. Arbasto
continues loving, and Doralicia perseveres in her coldness; they meet
once, and argue one against the other with the help of salamanders and
scorpions, and empty their whole herbaria over each other's head; but
things remain _in statu_.

King Pelorus, who, for all that, does not lose his head, offers Arbasto
an interview in Orleans to sign the peace. Arbasto comes, the gates are
shut, he is thrown into prison; his army is cut to pieces, and a great
scaffold is erected in a conspicuous place, on which the prisoner is to
be publicly executed in ten days' time.

The royal Dane tries to console himself in his prison with what remains
of his herbarium and zoology. But better help comes in the shape of the
loving princess, Myrania, who is resolved to save him. By her command
her maid entices the gaoler to her room, and causes him to tread "upon a
false bord" that had apparently been there in all times, ready for this
very emergency. The gaoler falls "up