ch the King of Cappadocia
asked and pressed him as most he might to fall upon Osbech, whilst
himself made ready to come down upon him from another quarter. Osbech,
hearing this, assembled his army, ere he should be straitened between
two such puissant princes, and marched against Bassano, leaving his
fair lady at Smyrna, in charge of a trusty servant and friend of his.
After some time he encountered the King of Cappadocia and giving him
battle, was slain in the mellay and his army discomfited and
dispersed; whereupon Bassano advanced in triumph towards Smyrna,
unopposed, and all the folk submitted to him by the way, as to a
conqueror.

Meanwhile, Osbech's servant, Antiochus by name, in whose charge the
lady had been left, seeing her so fair, forgot his plighted faith to
his friend and master and became enamoured of her, for all he was a
man in years. Urged by love and knowing her tongue (the which was
mighty agreeable to her, as well as it might be to one whom it had
behoved for some years live as she were deaf and dumb, for that she
understood none neither was understanded of any) he began, in a few
days, to be so familiar with her that, ere long, having no regard to
their lord and master who was absent in the field, they passed from
friendly commerce to amorous privacy, taking marvellous pleasure one
of the other between the sheets. When they heard that Osbech was
defeated and slain and that Bassano came carrying all before him, they
took counsel together not to await him there and laying hands on great
part of the things of most price that were there pertaining to Osbech,
gat them privily to Rhodes, where they had not long abidden ere
Antiochus sickened unto death.

As chance would have it, there was then in lodging with him a merchant
of Cyprus, who was much loved of him and his fast friend, and
Antiochus, feeling himself draw to his end, bethought himself to leave
him both his possessions and his beloved lady; wherefore, being now
nigh upon death, he called them both to him and bespoke them thus, 'I
feel myself, without a doubt, passing away, which grieveth me, for
that never had I such delight in life as I presently have. Of one
thing, indeed, I die most content, in that, since I must e'en die, I
see myself die in the arms of those twain whom I love over all others
that be in the world, to wit, in thine, dearest friend, and in those
of this lady, whom I have loved more than mine own self, since first I
knew her