I of mine owne mischiefe shal be
the minister. And so (O life most deere) I shall performe the
effecte to kepe the fayth whych last of all before thy face I
did confirme." By this speach and maner of talke, the good
Prince bewayled his case, excogitating by what meanes he myght
doe to death the thing which aboue al the world he loued best:
at length it came vnto his minde to sende hir a draught of
poysoned drink, which deuise he had no sooner founde, but he was
driuen into a new kinde of fury, and kindled with disdayne, his
braynes were on fire with extreme madnesse, and as though
Sophonisba had bene before him, hee talked and raued in
Bedlemwyfe: somtimes with taunts he checked hir to hir teeth,
sometimes lamented hir vnfortunate state, sometymes with pawes
displayed, he seemed to rampe into hir face, and then agayne
into amorous toies his passions droue him forth. When I doe
thinke what kinde of a man Massinissa was, who in deede was a
crowned and most noble king, and who with sutch prudence
gouerned his new conquered and recouered kingdoms, and so
constantly perseuered in amity of the Romane people, I pray to
God to graunt my frendes and myselfe also, not to enter into so
intricat and louesome Labyrinth, wherein this Noble Prince was
tangled, and wyth more temperaunce to gouerne our beloued
things. But{ }retourning agayne to this afflicted gentleman
Massinissa. He sent vnto his beloued wyfe and Queene a pot of
poyson to rid hir of hir life: but yet staying his messenger, he
cried out these words: {"}God forbid that I should commit this
infamous murder vpon hir whom I most deerely loue, I would
rather conuey hir into the extreme partes of the vnknowen sandy
Coaste of Libia, where the countrey is full of venomous beasts
and crawling poysoned Serpents, in which we shalbe safe and sure
from the danger of cruell and inexorable Scipio, by which meanes
he shall neuer see the rare and diuine beauty, which the
serpents once beholding, will mitigate and asswage their bitter
poyson, and for whose sake they will not annoy ne yet hurt me
hir louing husband and companion: wherefore let vs make hast to
flee thither, to auoide the bondage and death prepared for vs:
and if so be we be not able to cary with vs gold and siluer, yet
shal we not want there some reliefe to maintayn our liues: for
better it is to feede on bread and water, then to liue in
perpetual thraldome. And liuing with thee (sweete wyfe) what
pouerty and beggery a