Whilſt theſe things were thus acted, Deidamia's parents were exceeding troubled, even to that degree, that their ſleep departed from them; and thoſe little ſlumbers that they ſometimes got, were interrupted with ſtrange and unaccountable dreams, which were alſo attended with an unuſual melancholy, of which they could give no account. This made them reſolve to enquire after Deidamia, of whom they had heard nothing ſince the permiſſion they gave to Antonio to carry her to a nunnery.
But Fronovius and Antonio had been ſo cunning, to prevent their diſcovery of the villainy, that, for a ſum of money, they engaged a certain abbeſs of Antonio's acquaintance, to acknowledge, (when there ſhould be occaſion,) That Deidamia had been brought thither; but, that ſhe had made her eſcape from thence, ſo that ſhe knew not what was become of her, nor could give any account of the reaſon of it, but only by a note which ſhe left behind her in her chamber; which note Fronovius, who, as we have already ſaid, had a notable faculty at the counterfeiting of hands, had writ in a hand ſo like Deidamia's, that it could not be diſtinguiſhed. They had alſo given the abbeſs a ladder of ropes, by which it was pretended ſhe had made her eſcape. Fronovius and Antonio, having ſo well laid their deſign with the Abbeſs, kept poſſeſſion of Alanſon's houſe, without fear or controul. And, therefore, when Deidamia's parents came thither to enquire after their daughter, they received them with much ſeeming courteſy, and kindneſs; and Fronovius told them, That though it wad unhappily fallen out, that their lady, had heen perverted to hereſy ſince the departure of the Count her huſ-
band;
