e,
for pledg whereof the sacred Godheads I cal to witnesse. But if
perchaunce (which the thundring mighty God aboue forbid) that I
shalbe forced to render thee the Romanes prisoner, be well
assured, that on liue they shall not possesse the." For credit
and accomplishment of this promisse, and in signe of his assured
faith, he reached his right hand to Sophonisba, and led hir into
the inner lodging of the king's Palace, wher afterward
Massinissa with himself considering how he might perform hys
promised faith, vexed and troubled with a thousand cogitations,
seing in a maner his manifest ouerthrow and ruine at hand,
prouoked with mad and temerarious loue, the very same day in
open presence he toke hir to wife, solemnizing that mariage,
which afterwardes bred vnto hym great vexation and trouble,
meanynge by the same to haue dyscharged Sophonisba from the
Romanes rule and order. But when Laelius was come and hearde tell
thereof, hee fretted and chafed, and wyth threatnynge Wordes
commaunded Massinissa to send his new maried wife (as the booty
and pray of the Romanes) together wyth Syphax, to their captaine
Scipio. Notwithstanding, vanquished with the supplications and
teares of Massinissa, referring the matter wholy to the
iudgement of Scipio, he dispatched Syphax with the other
prisoners and bootie, to the Romane campe, and he himself
remained with Massinissa for the recouerie of other places of
the kingdome, minding not to returne before the whole prouince
were brought vnder the Romane subiection. In the meane time
Laelius gaue intelligence vnto Scipio, of the successe of
Massinissa his mariage: who knowing the same to be so hastilye
celebrated, was maruellouslye offended and troubled in Minde,
mutche maruellynge that Massinissa woulde make sutch posthast
before the comming of Laelius. Yea and vpon the very first day of
his entrie into Cirta, that hee would consummate that vnaduised
wedding: and the greater was Scipio his displeasure towards
Massinissa, for that the loue which he had conceiued of that
woman, was vnsemely and dishonest, wondering not a little that
he could not find out some Lady within the region of Spain of
semblable beauty and comlinesse, to please and content his
honest and commendable intent: wherfore he iudged Massinissa his
fact to be done out of time, to the preiudice and great decay of
his honor and estimation. Howbeit like a wise and prudent
personage he dissembled his conceiued gryefe, expecti