_The cruelty of a Kynge of Macedone who forced a gentlewoman called
Theoxena, to persuade hir children to kill and poison themselves:
after which fact, she and hir husband Poris ended their lyfe by
drowninge._
Bvt now we haue beegon to treate of the stoutnesse of certayne
noble Queenes, I wyll not let also to recite the Hystory of a
lyke vnfearfull dame of Thessalian land, called Theoxena, of
right noble Race, the Daughter of Herodicus Prynce of that
Countrey in the tyme that Phillip the Sonne of Demetrius was
kynge of Macedone, tolde also by Titus Liuius, as two of the
former be. Thys Lady Theoxena, first was a notable example of
piety and vertue and afterwardes of rigorous cruelty: for the
sayd kyng Philip, hauinge through his wickednesse first murdred
Herodicus, and by succession of time cruelly done to death also
the husbands of Theoxena and of Archo hir naturall sister, vnto
eyther of them being Wydowes remayninge a Sonne: afterwardes
Archo being maryed agayne to one of the principall of their
Countrey named Poris, of him she had many children. But when she
was dead, the sayd Lady Theoxena hir sister, who was of heart
more constant and stout than the other, still refused the second
mariage, although sued vnto by many great Lordes and Princes: at
length pityinge her nephewes state, for fere they should fall
into the handes of some cruell Stepdame, or that theyr father
would not bryng them vp with sutch diligence, as tyll that tyme
they were, was contented to bee espoused agayne to Poris,
(no lawe that time knowen to defend the same) to the intente she
might trayne vp hir sister's children as her owne. That done she
began (as if they were hir owne) to intreate and vse them
louingly, with great care and industrie: wherby it manifestly
appeared that she was not maried againe to Poris for hir owne
commodity and pleasure, but rather for the wealth and
gouernement of those hir sister's children. Afterwards Philip
king of Macedone, an vnquiet Prince, determininge to make newe
warres vpon the Romanes (then throughout the worlde famous and
renouned for theyr good fortune) exiled not onely the chiefe and
noble men, but almost al the auncient inhabitants of the Cities
along the sea coaste of Thessalia, and theyr whole and entier
families into Pæonia afterwards called Emathia, a Countrey farre
distant from the sea, giuing their voided Cities for the
Thracians to inhabite, as most propre and faithful for the
Romains warres, which he intended to make: and hearinge also the
cursses and maledictions pronounced against him by the banished
people, and vniuersally by al other, thought he was in no good
surety, if he caused not likewyse all the sonnes of them, whom a
litle before he had slayne, to be put to Death. Wherefore he
commaunded them to be taken and holden vnder good gard in
prison, not to do them al to be slain at once, but at times now
one and then an other, as occasion serued. Theoxena
vnderstanding the edicte of this wicked and cruell king, and wel
remembring the death of hir husband, and of him that was husband
to hir sister, knew wel that hir sonne and nephew incontinently
should be demaunded, and greatly fearinge the king's wrath, and
the rigour of his guard, if once they fell into theyr hands, to
defend them from shame and cruelty, sodainly applied hir minde
vnto a straunge deuice: for shee durst to saye vnto hir husband
their father's face, that soner she would kil them with hir owne
handes, if otherwise she coulde not warraunt them, then suffer
them to bee at the will and power of kinge Philip. By reason
wherof Poris abhorring so execrable cruelty, to comfort his wife
and to saue hys Chyldren, promysed hyr secretelye to transporte
them from thence, and caryed them himselfe to certayne of hys
faythfull Fryendes at Athens, whych done wythoute longe delaye,
hee made as thoughe hee woulde goe from Thessalonica to Aenias,
to bee at the Solemnytye of certayne Sacrifices, which yearelye
at an appoynted tyme was done wyth greate ceremonies to the
honour of Ænêas the founder of that Citty, where spendinge the
time amonges other in solemne bankets, the thrirde watch of the
night when euery man was a sleepe, as though he would haue
returned home to his countrey with his wyfe and children,
priuely embarked himselfe and them, in a ship hired of purpose
to passe into Euboea, and not to retourne to Thessalonica. But
his intent was cleane altered and chaunged, for his ship was no
sooner vnder saile, but at that instant a contrary winde and
tempest rose, that brought him back againe, in despite of their
labour, and all the endeuour they were able to doe. And when
daye lighte appeared, the king's garrison descried that shippe,
and manned out a boate, to bring in the same, which secretly
they thoughte was about to escape away, giuing them straight
charge, that by no meanes they should returne without hir. When
the boate drew neare the shippe, Poris bent him self to
encourage the mariners to hoyse vp saile againe, and to make way
with their oares into the Sea, if it were possible, to auoide
the imminent and present daunger, to saue the life of him selfe,
his wife and children: then hee lyfted hys handes vp vnto the
heauens to implore the helpe and succor of the Gods, which the
stoute Gentlewoman Theoxena perceiuing, and manifestly seeing
the Daunger wherein they were, callinge to hir minde hir former
determinate vengeance which she ment to do, and beholding Poris
in his prayers, she prosecuted hir intente, preparing a poysoned
drink in a cuppe, and made readye naked swordes: al which
bringing forth before the Childrens face, she spake these words:
"Death alone must bee the reuenge of your siely liues, wherunto
there be two wayes, poison or the sworde. Euery of you choose
which ye list to haue: or of whether of them your heart shall
make the frankest choice. The king's cruelty and pride you must
auoid. Wherfore deare children be of good chere, raise vp your
noble courage: ye the elder aged boyes, shew now your selues
like men, and take the sword into your handes to pierce your
tender hearts: but if the bloudy smart of that most dreadfull
death shal feare and fright your greene and vnripe age, then
take the venomed cup, and gulpe by sundry draghtes this poisoned
drinke. Be franke and lusty in this your destened Death, sith
the violence of Fortune, by Sea, doeth let the lengthning of
your life. I craue this requeste of choyse, and let not the same
rebound with fearfull refuse of thys my craued hest. Your mother
afterwardes shal pass that strayght, whereof she prayeth hir
babes to bee the poastes: ye the vaunt currours, and shee, with
your louing sire, shall end and finishe Philip's rage bent
agaynst vs." When shee had spoken these woordes and sawe the
enimies at hand, this couragious dame, the deuiser of the death,
egged and prouoked these yong trembling children (not yet wel
resolued what to do) with her encharmed woords in sutch wyse, as
in the ende, some dranke the poyson, and other strake them
selues into the body and by hir commaundement were throwen ouer
boord, not altogether dead, and so she set them at liberty by
death whom tenderly she had brought vp. Then she imbracing hir
husband the companion of hir death, both did voluntarily throw
themselues also into the sea: And when the kinge's espials were
come aborde the ship, they found the same abandoned of theyr
praye. The cruelty of which fact did so moue the common people
to detestatyon and hatred of the kinge, as a generall cursse was
pronounced against him and his children, which heard of the Gods
aboue was afterwardes terribly reuenged vpon his stocke and
posterity. Thys was the end of good Poris and his stout wyfe
Theoxena, who rather then she would fall into the lapse of the
king's furie, as hir father Herodicus, and hir other husbande
did, chose violently to dye with hir own hands, and to cause hir
husband's children and hir owne, to berieue them selues of Lyfe,
whych although agaynst the louinge order of naturall course, and
therefore that kinde of violence to bee abhorred, as horrible in
it self, yet a declaration of a stout mind, if otherwise she had
ben able to reuenge the same. And what coward heart is that,
that dare not vpon such extremity, when it seeth the mercilesse
ennimy at hand, with shining blade ready bent, to stryke the
blowe, that withoute remedye must ridde the same of breath,
specially when it beholdeth the tremblyng babe, naturally
begotten by hys owne kinde and nature, before the face imploryng
father's rescue, what dastarde heart dare not to offer himselfe,
by singular fight (thoughe one to twentye) either by desperate
hardinesse to auoyd the same, or other anoyance, aduenture what
he can? which in Christians is admitted as a comely fight,
rather than wyth that Pagane Dame to do the death it selfe. But
now returne wee to describe a fact that passeth al other forced
deedes. For Theoxena was compelled in a maner thus to do of
meere constraint to eschue the greater torments of a tyrant's
rage and thought it better by chosen death to chaunge hir lyfe,
than by violent hands of bloudy Butchers to be haled to the
slaughter. But thys Hidrusian dame was weary of hir owne life,
not for that she feared losse of lyfe, but desperate to think of
Fortune's fickle staye: whych if fortune's darlings would
regarde in time, they would foresee theyr slippery holde.