Than to perform it first/'

The queen proceeds, in the novel, to a more
particular denial of her crime :

" What hath passed between him and me the
gods only know, and I hope will presently re-
veale. That I loved Egisthus, I cannot denie ;
that I honoured him, I shame not to confess.
But as touching lascivious lust, I say Egisthus is
honest, and hope myself to be found without
spot. For Franion, I can neither accuse him
nor excuse him. I was not privie to his depar-
ture. And that this is truth which I have here
rehearsed, I refer myself to the divine oracle.
