[" The Delectable Historie of Forbonius and Prisceria" (1584) is neither
better nor worse than the average romance of the Elizabethan age. In inge-
nuity of plot, and the poetry of its sentiment, it is surpassed by some ; but
the uncouthness and artificiality which characterize it are the common attri-
butes of the sixteenth-century romance, and the "Forbonius and Prisceria"
may be taken as fairly representative of its kind. Lodge's " Rosalynde," to
which reference has been made already (page 29), is a much prettier and
more elaborate work ; but its greater length, and the fact that it is easily
accessible in cheap and conyenient form, led to the selection for insertion
here of the " Historie," which is given entire, except that the eclogue of
Arvalio is omitted as unnecessary. The " Forbonius and Prisceria " has
been edited for the Shakespeare Society, by David Laing, London, 1853 ; the
" Rosalynde " is included in various editions of " As You Like It," and has
been edited by Henry Morley, in Cassell's National Library (10 cents) ; the
Complete Works of Thomas Lodge are edited, in three volumes, for the
Hunterian Club, by Edmund Gosse, Glasgow, 1883.]

In Memphis (the chiefest city of ^Egypt) a place most re-
nowned by reason of the opulency of the princes that have gov-
erned that monarchy : at such time as Sisimithres was head priest
of the same and Hydarpes governor of the province,* a noble
gentleman called Forbonius (highly accounted of for his unre-
provable prowess, and among the best sort allowed of for his
unspeakable virtues) made his abode, whose tender years not
yet subject to the experience of more riper judgment (as the
winding ivy about the stately oak) entangled itself with many
amorous objects, now allowing this choice, now approving that
person, straight admitting a third. But the fates having regis-
tered his last opinion in everlasting and permanent destiny, made
his manifold aspects (as yet not staid) to light upon one seemly
impression, and to allow of but one only paragon : yet so sealed
they his opinion, as (if it be true that the gods ever were las-
civious) I think the chiefest commandei oi \sns$&



FORBONIUS AND PRISCERIA.
