e,
but when he had red it, he was greatly offended, which
incontinently hee made to bee known, by gathering together his
Camp, and besieginge the Citty wherein Zenobia was. And
Aurelianus, wroth and outraged with that aunswere, although his
army was weary and halfe in dispayre (by reason of the longe
Warres,) yet he vsed sutch diligence and expedition in the siege
of that place, as the Queene was taken and the city rased: which
done, the Emperour Aurelianus retourned to Rome, caryinge with
him Zenobia, not to doe hir to death, but to tryumph ouer her.
At what tyme to see that Noble Lady goe on foote, and marche
before the tryumphinge Chariot bare footed, charged with the
burden of heauy chaynes, and hir two children by hir side: truly
it made the Romane Matrons to conceyue great pity, being wel
knowen to al the Romans, that neither in valorous deedes, nor
yet in vertue or chastity, any man or woman of hir time did
excell hir. The dayes of the triumph being done, all the noble
Ladies of Rome assembled and repayred to Zenobia, and vsed vnto
her great and honorable entertaynement, giuing hir many goodly
presentes and rewards. And Zenobia liued in the company of those
noble Matrons the space of .X. yeares before she dyed, in
estimation like a Lucrecia, and in honour like a Cornelia. And
if Fortune had acompanied hir personage, so well as vertue and
magnanimity, Rome had felt the egrenesse of hir displeasure, and
the whole world tasted the sweetnesse of hir Regiment. But nowe
leaue we of, any longer to speak of Zenobia, that wee may direct
our course to the hard fate of a King's daughter, that for loue
maried a simple person bred in hir father's house, who in base
parentage, and churlishe kynde coulde not be altered: but shewed
the fruicts of brutishnesse: tyll Lady Fortune pityinge the
Ladie's case: prouided for her better dayes, and chastized her
vnkinde companion with deserts condigne for sutch a matche.

THE FIFTEENTH NOUELL.

_Evphimia the Kyng of Corinth's daughter fell in love with
Acharisto, the seruaunt of her father, and besides others which
required hir in mariage, she disdayned Philon the King of
Peloponesus, that loued hir very feruently. Acharisto conspiring
against the Kyng, was discouered, tormented, and put in prison, and
by meanes of Evphimia deliuered. The King promised his daughter and
kingdome to him that presented the head of Acharisto, Evphimia so
wrought, as hee was presente