reately she was bounde to Philon, as duringe life not able
to recompence his louing kindnesse and valyante exployte
performed for hir safegard, yet for al hir vnhappy fortune, shee
was minded styll to remayne a widowe, and well contented that
Philon shoulde possesse hir whole domynion and kingdome, and she
pleased to lyue his subiecte: which state she sayd, did like her
best. Philon, that not for desire of the Kingdome, but for loue
of the Lady had attempted that worthy and honourable enterprise,
sayd vnto hir: "Euphimia, it was onely for youre sake that I
aduentured thys daungerous indeuor, to ridde you from the
slander that might haue ensued your innocent death, and out of
the cruel hands of hym, whom vnworthily you did so dearely loue.
No desyre of kyngdome or worldly glorye induced me herevnto: no
care that I had to enlarge the boundes of my countrey soile
pricked the courage of my mynd (that is altogether empty of
ambytion) but the Passion of carelesse Loue, whych thys long
tyme I haue borne you in your happy father's dayes, to whom I
made incessant sute: and to your selfe I was so long a Suter,
vntyll I receyued extreame repulse: for which I vowed a
perpetuall single Lyfe, vntyll thys occasyon was offred: the
brute whereof when I hearde first, so stirred the mynde of your
most louyng knight, that drousie sleepe or greedy hunger, coulde
not force this restlesse body to tarry at home, vntyl I reuenged
my selfe vpon that villaine borne, which went about wyth
roasting flames to consume the innocente flesh of hir whome I
loued best. And therfore mustred together my men of armes and in
secret sort imbarked our selues and arryued here: where wee haue
accomplished the thyng we came for and haue settled you in quiet
raygne, free from peryl of traiterous mindes, crauing for thys
my fact nought else of you but wylling mynd to be my wife: which
sith you do refuse, I passe not for rule of your kyngdom, ne yet
for abode in Corinth, but meane to leaue you to your choyse. For
satisfied am I, that I haue manifested to the world the
greatnesse of my loue, which was so ample as euer king could
beare to vertuous Queene: and so farewell." At which words he
made a signe to his people, that they shoulde shippe them selues
for return to Peloponesus. But the Senatours and al the people
of Corinth seing the curtesie of Philon, and how greatly their
Queene was bound vnto him, fel downe vpon their knees, and with
ioyned hands besought hir