meanes of one Syllanus being in Spayne,
priuely entred acquaintance and familiarity with that Scipio
which afterwardes was surnamed Affricanus, and who in those
dayes with the authoritie of Proconsul in that prouince,
victoriously subdued the Carthaginians: the same Massinissa
entred league with the Romanes and inuiolably so long as he
liued obserued amity with the Romane people, and lefte the same
to his children and posteritie as an inheritance. When the
Romanes began warres in Affrica, spedily with that power he was
able to make, he repaired to his old friend Scipio: within a
whyle after Syphax beyng ouerthrowen in battell and taken,
Massinissa and Laelius were sent to surprise the chief city of
that kingdom, which sometimes were king Syphax owne, called
Cirta. In that city remayned Sophonisba, the wyfe of Syphax and
daughter to Hasdrubal of Giscon, who had alyenated hir husband
from the Romanes, being in league with them, and by hir
persuasions went to aide and defend the Carthaginians.
Sophonisba perceiuing that the ennimies were entred the City of
Cirta: and that Massinissa was going towardes the palace,
determined to meete him, to proue his gentlenesse and curtesie,
whereupon in the middes of his Souldiers thronge, whych were
already entred the Palace, she stoutly thrust, and bouldlye
looked round aboute, to proue if she could espye by some signes
and tokens the personage of Massinissa. She amongs that prease
perceeiued one for whose apparel, armure and reuerence don vnto
him, semed vnto hir that without doubt the same was the king:
and therefore incontinently kneeled downe before him, and
pitiously began to speake in this manner: "For so mutch
(O puissante prince) as felicity and good fortune, but specially
the fauour of the Gods immortall haue permitted, that thou
shouldest recouer thine auncient kingdome descended vnto the by
righte and lawfull inheritaunce, and therewithall hast taken and
vanquished thine ennimy, and now hast me at thy wyll and
pleasure to saue or spyll, I poore wretched myserable woman
brought into bondage from Queenelyke state, whilom leading a
delycate life in Princely Courte, accompanyed with a royall
traine of beautifull dames, and nowe at thy mercifull
disposition, doe humbly appeale to thy mercye and goodnesse,
whose Princely maiesty and comfortable aspect, chereth vp my
woefull heart to loke for grace, and therefore am bold thus to
presume with most humble voice to implore and cri