lade
killed one of those that wayted vpon the Tirant. Thrasibulus
then and Lampidus assayled Aristotimus, vpon whose sodayne
approche, he fled into the Temple of Iupiter, where hee was
murdred with a thousand wounds vpon his body, accordingly as he
deserued. He beinge thus deseruedly slayne, his body was drawen
vp and down the streetes, and proclamation of liberty sounded
vnto the people: whereunto ech Wyght assembled, amonges whom the
imprisoned Women also brake forth, and reioysed with their
countrey deliuerers of that egregious enterprise, by fires and
bankets outwardly disclosinge their exceedinge great ioy wythin,
and in mid of their mirth the people in great thronges and
companies ranne to the Tyrant's Palace, whose Wyfe hearinge the
people's noyse, and certified of her husband's death, inclosed
her selfe in a chamber with her two daughters, and knowinge how
hatefull she was vnto the Citizens, with a fastned cord vpon a
beame she hong hir selfe. The chamber dores being broke open,
the people viewed the horrible sight of the strangled Lady,
wherewithall not mooued they tooke the two tremblinge Daughters
of the Tyrant, and caryed them away, purposinge to Rauish and
Violate the same, firste to saciate their lust with the spoyle
of theire virginitye, and afterwardes to kyll them (those
gentlewomen were very beautiful and mariageable) and as they
were about to do that shamefull deede, Megistona was told
thereof, who accompanied with other Matrons sharpelye rebuked
theire furye sayinge: that vncomely it were for them which
sought to establishe a ciuill state, to do such a shameles act
as tyrant's rage would scarce permit. Vpon that noble matron's
auctoritye and interception, they ceassed from their filthy
fact: and then the woman tooke the virgins out of the people's
handes, and brought them into the chamber where there strangled
mother was. And vnder standing howe it was decreede that none of
the tyrante's bloude should rest a liue: shee turned her face to
the two yonge gentlewomen and sayde: "The chiefest pleasure
which I can do vnto you, resteth in this choyse, that it shall
be lauful for eyther of you to chose what kind of death you
list, by knyfe or halter, if you wil to dispatch your liues from
the headles peoples greatter fury, vppon whose two whyte and
tender bodyes if they do seaze the goddes do knowe and we do
feare the cruelty and great abuse which they do mean to vse,
I thinke not for despyte of you, but