Page:The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1 (1890).djvu/130

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THE VALIAUNCE OF MUTIUS SC^UOLA.

lift." Whereunto Mutius for acquiting that defert, aunswered : "for as much as thou hast thus honourably delt with me, I wil for recompence of this benefite, faye thus muche vnto thee, whych by threates thou mouldest neuer haue gotten at my handes. Three hundred of vs that be yonge noble men of Rome, haue confpired thy death, euen by the like attempt. It was my lot to come first, the reste when fortune fhall giue opportunitie, euerye one in his tourne will giue the aduenture/' Whereupon he was difmiffed, and afterwards was called Scaeuola, for the lofle of his right hande. Then peace was offered to the Romaynes, who vpon conditions that the enemies garrisons mould be with- drawen from laniculum, and that the country wonne of the Veien- tines, mould be restored againe, gaue hoftages. Amonges whom there was a gentlewoman called Cloelia deliuered into the handes of the Hetrurians, who deceyuinge her keepers, conueighed her- selfe and the other pledges from their enemies, and fwimming ouer the riuer of Tiber, arriued at Rome in fafetye, which being re- demaunded by Porfenna, were sent backe againe. The king driuen into a wonderfull admiration for the defperate and manly enterprifes, done by the Romaine Nation, re- tourned the maiden home againe to Rome. In whose honour the Romaines creeled an Image on horfe backe, placed at the vpper ende of the ftreate called Sacra via. And so peace was concluded be- tweene Porfenna and the Ro maynes.


MART1US