Silla, beyng alone by her self, drue out her knife readie to strike her self to the harrt, and fallyng vpon her knees, desired God to receiue her soule, as an acceptable sacrifice for her follies, which she had so wilfully committed, crauyng pardon for her sinnes, and so forthe continuyng a long and pitifull reconciliation to God, in the middest whereof there sodainly fell a wonder full storme, the terrour whereof was suche, that there was no man but did thinke the seas would presently haue swallowed them, the billowes so sodainly arose with the rage of the winde, that thei were all glad to fall to heauing out of water, for otherwise their feeble gallie had neuer bin able to haue brooked the seas; this storme continued all that daie and the next night, and thei beyng driuen to put romer before the winde to keepe the gallie a hed the billowe, were driuen vppon the maine shore, where the gallie brake all to peeces, there was euery man prouidyng to saue his own life, some gat vpon hatches, boordes, and caskes, and were driuen with the waues to and fro, but the greatest nomber were drouned, amongst the whiche Pedro was one, but Silla her self beyng in the caben as you have heard, tooke holde of a chest that was the captaines, the whiche by the onely prouidence of God brought her safe to the shore, the which when she hed recouered, not knowyng what was become of Pedro her manne, she deemed that bothe he and all the rest had been drouned, for that she sawe no bodie vppon the shore but her self, wherefore, when she had a while made greate lamentations, complainyng her mishappes, she beganne in the ende to comforte herselfe with the hope, that she had to see her Apolonius, and found such meanes that she brake open the chest that brought her to lande, wherin she found good store of coine, and sondrie sutes of apparell that were the captaines, and now to preuent a nomber of iniuries, that might bee proffered to a woman that was lefte in her case, she determined to leaue her own apparell, and to sort her self into some of those sutes, that beyng taken for a man, she might passe through the countrie in the better safetie, & as she changed her apparell, she thought it likewise conuenient to change her name, wherefore not readily happenyng of any other, she called her self Siluio, by the name of her owne brother, whom you haue heard spoken of before.

In this maner she trauailed to Constantinople, where she enquired out the palace of the Duke Apolonius, and thinkyng her self now to be both fitte and able to plaie the seruing-man, she presented her self to the duke crauyng his seruice, the duke verie willyng to giue succour vnto strangers, perceiuyng him to bee a proper smogue young man, gaue hym entertainment: Silla thought her self now more then satisfied for all the casualties that had happened vnto her in her journey, that she might at her pleasure take but the vew of the Duke Apolonius, and aboue the reste of his seruauntes was verie diligent and attendaunt vppon hym, the whiche the duke perceiuyng, beganne likewise to growe into good likyng with the diligence of his man, and therefore made hym one of his chamber, who but Siluio then was moste neate about hym, in helpyng of hym to make hym readie in a mornyng in the settyng of his ruffes, in the keepyng of his chamber, Siluio pleased his maister so well that aboue all the reste of his seruauntes aboute him, he had the greatest credite, and the duke put him moste in trust.

At this verie instaunt, there was remainyng in the cittie a noble dame a widowe, whose houseband was but lately deceased, one of the noblest men that were in the partes of Grecia, who left his lady and wife large possessions and greate liuinges. This ladies name was called Iulina, who besides the aboundance of her wealth, and the greatnesse of her reuenues, had likewise the soueraigntie of all the dames of Constantinople for her beautie. To this Ladie Iulina, Apolonius became an earnest suter, and accordyng to the maner of woers, besides faire woordes, sorrowfull sighes, and piteous countenaunces, there must bee sendyng of louyng letters, chaines, bracelets, brouches, rynges, tablets, gemmes, juels, and presentes I knowe not what: so my duke, who in the tyme that he remained in the Ile of Cypres, had no skill at all in the arte of loue, although it were more then half proffered vnto hym, was now become a scholler in loues schoole, and had alreadie learned his first lesson, that is, to speak pitifully, to looke ruthfully, to promise largely, to serue diligently, and to please carefully: now he was learnyng his seconde lesson, that is to reward liberally, to giue bountifully, to present willyngly, and to write lovyngly. Thus Apolonius was so busied in his newe studie, that I warrant you there was no man that could chalenge hym for plaiyng the truant, he followed his profession with so good a will: and who must bee the messenger to carrie the tokens and loue letters, to the Ladie Iulina, but Siluio his manne, in hym the duke reposed his onely confidence to goe betweene hym and his ladie.


  By PanEris using Melati.

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