m not I able to sustayne? The stormes of
exile and penury, I haue already suffred: for beinge driuen out
of my kingdome many times, I haue repayred to obscure dens and
caues, where I haue hidden my selfe, and liued in the
Wildernesse among the sauage Beasts. But what meane I thus to
say of my selfe, whom no misaduenture can affray or myslyke? But
thou deare wyfe whych hast ben trayned vp and nourished amongs
the delicacies and bankets of the Court, accompanied wyth
traynes of many fayre and noble ladies, lining lyke a Queene in
al kinde of pleasures and delights: what shall I doe wyth thee?
I know thy heart will not suffer thee to follow me, and yet if
the same would serue thee, from whence shall I procure present
shippinge? Vpon the Sea the Roman fleete beares swinge, vpon the
land Scipio wyth hys Army occupieth euery Coast, and is generall
Lord of the field. What then shall I most miserable and
vnfortunate caitife do? for whilest I am thus makinge my bitter
playnts, the night is past away, day light approcheth, and the
bright shining mornyng begynneth to cleare the earth. And behold
yonder commeth the General's messanger for Sophonisba, whom I
must eyther deliuer into his hands or else commit her to present
slaughter, beinge assured that she had rather make choise to dy,
than fall into the Laps of the cruell Romans." Whereupon he
determined to send hir the poyson, and for very sorrow fell
downe vpon the ground like a man halfe deade. Afterwards being
come agayne to him selfe, he cursed the Earth, the Ayre, the
Fyre, Heauen, Hell, and all the Gods of the same, and exclaming
in lamentable wyse he called vnto him one of his most faithfull
seruants, who according to the custome of those dayes, alwaies
kept poyson in store, and sayde vnto him: "Receyue thys Cuppe of
Golde, and deliuer the same with the poyson, to Queene
Sophonisba now abiding within the City of Cirta, and tel hir
that I with greatest good will would fayne haue kept the mariage
knot, and the firste fayth whych I plighted vnto hir, but the
Lorde of the Fielde, in whose power I am, hath vtterly forbidden
the same. I haue assayed all possible meanes to preserue hir my
Wyfe and Queene at liberty, but he which commaundeth me, hath
pronounced such hard and cruell sentence, as I am forced to
offend my self, and to be the minister of mine own mischief.
Thys poyson I send hir with so dolefull Message, as my poore
hearte (God knoweth) doth only fele the smart, bein