ng occasion
for remedye of the same. Now the time was come that Laelius and
Massinissa were sent for to the Campe. But to declare the teares
and lamentable talke, the great mone and sighes vttered betwene
this new maried couple, time would want, and tediousnesse would
ouercome the Reader. He had scarce lyen with his beloued two or
thre Nyghts, but Laelius (to their great grief and sorow) claymed
hir to bee hys prysoner. Wherfore verye sorowfull and pensiue
hee departed, and retourned to the Campe. Scipio in honourable
wyse accepted him, and openly before his Captaines and men of
warre, gaue thanks to Laelius and him, for theyr prowesse and
notable exploites. Afterwards sending for him vnto his Tent, he
said vnto him: "I do suppose (my dere frend Massinissa) that the
vertue and beneuolence which you saw in me did first of all
prouoke you, to transfrete the straits, to visite me in Spaine,
wherein the good will of my valiaunt frend Syllanus did not a
little auaile, to sollicite and procure amity betwene vs. And
the same afterwards inducing your constant minde, to retire into
Affrica, committed both your selfe and all your goods into my
hands and keeping. But I well pondering the quality of that
vertue whych moued you thereunto, you beinge of Affrica, and I
of Europa, you a Numidian borne, and I a Latine and Romane, of
diuers customes and language different, thought that the
temperance and abstinence from venerial pleasures which you haue
sene to bee in me, and experience therof wel tried and proued,
(for the which I render vnto the immortal Gods most humble
thankes) would or ought to haue moued you to follow mine
example, being vertues which aboue all other I doe most esteme
and cherish. For he that well marketh the rare giftes and
excellent benefits wherwith dame Nature hath arraied you, would
thinke that ther should be no lacke of diligence and trauell to
subdue and ouercome the carnall appetytes of temporal beauty:
which had it bene applied to the rare giftes of nature planted
in you, had made you a personage to the posterity very famous
and renoumed. Consider wel my present time of youth, full of
courage and youthly lust, which contrary to that naturall race I
stay and prohibite. No delicate beauty, no voluptuous
delectation, no feminine flattery, can intice my youth and state
to the perils and daungers whereunto that heedelesse age is most
prone and subiect. By which prohibition of amorous passions,
temperatly rai