of Murdering both Hereupon I had notice given me that I must soon come to my Trial and that if I escap'd it was more than any Body expected I knew the home-Proofs they had against me and hop'd only for a Miracle from Heaven to acquit me but at last Despair got the upper-hand and my Hopes consequently vanish'd I resolv'd therefore not caring to trust my deliverance to the course of Justice to join with some Highway-Men my Fellow Prisoners in the execution of a design they had laid to procure it for us all Accordingly we one Night forc'd the Gates of our Prison and by the assistance of our Friends got to the Mountains that were nearest Valencia before the Vice-Roy could possibly be inform'd of our Escapes We here continued a long time Masters of the Roads My Sophy's Infidelity and her Parents merciless Prosecution together with the loss of my Estate and Reputation made me so desperate that I car'd not at what rate I hazarded my Life and therefore in all cases of resistance I behav'd my self with so great Resolution that my Companions thought fit to chuse me for their Captain I continued in this Post so succesful for some time that our Troop became formidable even to the Kingdoms of Arragon and Valencia which Countries we were so bold as to put under Contribution I herein make you acquainted continu'd Carlos to Sophy with a Secret that concerns my Life but the Honour you have done me of your Friendship and the Opinion I have of your Integrity makes me not to doubt in the least of my security At length proceeded he I was weary of this wicked course of Life and forsook my Companions at a time when they least expected it I made my way for Barcelona where I listed a private Trooper in the Recruits that were just then raising for Africa I had hitherto had no grreat reason to be in love with Life and therefore having made so ill use of it as to infest my Country I thought I could not do better than to employ the remainder of my Days in its Service and more especially seeing the kindness I have received at your Hands has been the only Comfort I have had since I have been made the most miserable of Men by the most ungrateful Woman in the World The unknown Sophy hereupon took the part of Sophy unjustly accus'd and omitted nothing to persuade her Lover against passing rash Judgments on his Mistriss before he was thorowly inform'd of her Crime She told the unfortunate Gentleman moreover that she was very sensible of his Misfortunes and would do all that lay in her power to alleviate them and to give him a better Proof of her good Will than what lay in Words she desired of him to come and be with her and that assoon as occasion serv'd she would employ all her own and her Friends Interest with the Emperour to get him deliver'd from the Prosecution of Sophy's Parents as likewise from that of the Vice-Roy of Valencia Don Carlos was not at all mov'd with what the Counterfeit Don Fernando could say to him concerning the justification of Sophy but to accept of the offers of his Table and House he was The same Day this faithful Lover spoke to Don Carlos's Captain to permit him to come and serve under him I should have said her Now was our Lover under the command of his Mistriss whom he took to be either dead or Faithless He was very easy from the begining under this new Commander and would often wonder how he came to be so much in her Favour in so short a time He was at once her Intendant Secretary Gentleman and Confident The other Domesticks paid not a greater respect even to Don Fernando himself than they did to him and he would no doubt have been exceeding happy had not the lost Sophy the treacherous Sophy come so often into his Mind Whatever kindness Sophy had for him she always took a great deal of Pleasure to see him griev'd not doubting but it was upon her account At last she had justified Sophy so often and sometimes with that heat that Don Carlos came to suspect that she had either been formerly her Lover or was so still These Wars in Africa ended as you may read in the History These Emperour afterwards made them in Germany Italy Flanders and other Places Our experienc'd She-Warriour under the name of Fernando still kept up or rather encreas'd her Reputation for Courage and Conduct tho' the last of these qualities be seldom to be met with in a Person so young as this valiant Lady's Sex made her to appear The Emperour was oblig'd to go into Flanders and for that purpose demanded leave of the King of France to pass through his Dominions The great King that then reign'd in that Country had a Mind to excel in Generosity a Mortal Enemy who had always surmounted him in Fortune tho' he had not made the best use of it Charles V. was received in Paris with as great Magnificence as if he had been King himself The brave Don Fernando was one of the small number of Persons of Quality that attended him and 't is more than likely that if he had continued long at that Court this fair Spanish Lady being taken for a Man would have enamour'd all the French Ladies and raised Jealousie in the most accomplish'd of Courtiers While this happen'd the Vice-Roy of Valencia died in Spain Don Fernando through his great Merit and Interest with the Emperour doubted not but he should quickly obtain that charge and as he thought so it soon after fell out for he had no sooner ask'd than he had it given him without the least opposition from any Competitor This his good success he immediately thought fitting to acquaint Don Carlos with and at the same time gave him reason to hope that assoon as he was gotten into possession of his new Employment he would not only reconcile him with Sophy's Relations and procure him Pardon of the Emperour for having been chief of the Vandoleros Highway-men but likewise undertake to restore him to his Lands and Estate Don Carlos might very well have receiv'd comfort from these Promises of his Friend had not his Love made him uncapable of it The Emperour soon after arriv'd in Spain and went directly to Madrid while Don Fernando made what hast he could to his new Government From the very Day after his arrival in Valencia Sophy's Friends continually pester'd him with Petitions against Don Carlos who at the same time was both his Steward and Secretary The Vice-Roy promis'd to do them speedy Justice but at the same time let Carlos privately know that he would not fail to protect his Innocence The Cause was quickly prepar'd for Hearing and in five or six Days time both Parties were ready to go to Tryal The Prosecutor demanded of the Vice-Roy that the supposed Criminal might be sent to Prison but which Don Fernando would not
encrease his speed till at last a Mill presented it self in his way as an Asylum to save him He ran in there with the Executioner close at his Heels and finding the Door of a little Back-yard open he entred in thereat in great haste but which he had no sooner done than he was caught by the Buttocks by a Mastiff Dog He thereupon began to shriek out most dolefully and flying to an adjoining Garden with great precipitation he happen'd to tumble down five or six Hives of Bees that stood just at his entrance This prov'd much the worst of all his Misfortunes for these little wing'd Enemies with their pointed Stings assailing a naked Body that had no Arms to defend it tormented and Blister'd him most cruelly He hereupon bawl'd out so loud that the Dog that had bitten him was scar'd away for fear The same cause drove away the Coachman and Father Gislot which last having given his Revenge too great a loose and kept his Charity too strait lac'd began to repent of his Cruelty and hasten'd immediately to call the Master and his Man to the assistance of the poor Fellow who was thus worried in the Garden The Miller made no great haste but nevertheless came at last when snatching up Ragotin from among his venemous Enemies tho' he might be a little displeased at the overthrow of his Hives yet had he nevertheless more Charity than the Priest and began at first sight to pity him He then proceeded to demand of him What the Devil made him to thrust himself while naked and his Hands tied among his Stocks of Bees But tho' Ragotin was going to answer him yet could he not by reason of the excessive Pains he felt all over his Body A Bears Cub but newly Whelpt and never lick'd into form could not be so shapeless as our Ragotin was in his Humane figure after having been stung by these merciless Creatures being swell'd excessively even from Head to Foot The Millers Wife as pitious as most good Women are got a Bed provided for him and laid him into it Father Giflot the Coachman and Peasant return'd back to the Abbess of Estival who with her Nuns being re-embark'd in their Coach set forwards on their Journey under Convoy of the reverend Father mounted on a Mare It happen'd that the aforesaid Mill belong'd either to du Rignon or his Son-in-Law Bagottiere I cannot say whether This du Rignon it seems was a Relation of Ragotin's which when the Miller and his Wife came to know they took more than ordinary care of him and caus'd a Surgeon of a Neighbouring Town to come and Cure him which he happily perform'd in a short time Assoon as he was well able to Walk he return'd to Mans where his Joy for Rancour and Olive's having found his Mule and brought it home along with them soon made him forget his fall out of the Cart the Coachmans lashes his bitting by the Mastiff and his being stung by the Bees CHAP. XVII Some Passages between the little Ragotin and the great Baguenodiere DEstiny and Star Leander and Angelica two brace of noble and real Lovers arriv'd at the Capital City of Maine without meeting any the least Misfortune by the way Destiny soon reinstated Angelica in her Mothers Favour to whom he had given so plausible an Account and Character of Leander's Amours and Condition that Mrs. Cave began now to approve the young Man's Passion as much as she had before oppos'd it The poor Company of Strollers had had no great reason to brag of theri gettings at Mans had not a Man of Quality that lov'd Plays extremely made them amends for the losses they had sustain'd by the Citizens The greatest part of this Person 's Estate lying in Maine he had taken a House at Mans whither he often invited as well Courtiers as Country Gentry among whom were sometimes the greatest Wits and often times Poets of the first rank to all which he approved himself a kind of Modern Mecaenas His chiefest delight was in Comedy and therefore he not only cherish'd the Composers thereof but likewise invited every Year the best Comedians in the Kingdom to come to Mans. This Nobleman happen'd to come thither much about the same time that these poor Strollers were going thence on account of the thinness of their Audiences but he desired them by all means to continue there a Fortnight longer and the better to incline them to it he presented them with a Hundred Pistols promising to give them as many more at their departure He was glad of this occasion to divert several Persons of Quality of both Sexes that he had brought along with him to Mans and who were to make some short stay there at his Request This Lord whom I will call here the Marquess d'Orse was a great Hunter and had brought all his Hunting Equipage to Mans which in every respect was the finest to be met with in France The Downes and Forests of the Country of Maine made it to be one of the best places for those Sports in the whole Kingdom and that either for Deer or Hares and it being now the Season for such like Divertisements the City of Mans was full of Huntsmen which the approaching Festival had drawn thither most of them with their Wives who were extremely ravish'd at the sight of the Court Gallantry thinking they should now have matter sufficient to furnish them with Chat for the longest Winters Evening It is not the least ambition of the Country People to be able to relate sometimes and brag that at such a time and in such and such a place they have seen such and such Courtiers whom they salute only with their Sir-names and mention without any addition of Title for Example one will tell you he lost his Money to Roquelaure Crequi won so much Coaquin hunted a Stag in Touraine and the like But if you suffer them to enter either upon Politicks or War they will never cease talking till they have drain'd the Subject as dry as they were at first empty But let us here put an end to out Digression Man 's was then filled with Nobility and Gentry of all sorts The Inns were crowded with Guests and the greatest part of the principal Citizens who lodged such Courtiers or Country Gentry as were of their Friends had in a short time their best Linnen foul'd and their Family Provisions exhausted The Strollers quickly open'd their Shop resolving to let their Customers have lumping Penny-worths since they had been so well paid before-hand The Citizens of both Sexes prepar'd for the Diversion and the Town and Country-Ladies were over-joy'd to behold every Day the Court-Madams from whom they learn'd to dress alamode or at least better than they were wont to do which tho' it occasion'd expence to their Husbands yet was it of exceeding benefit to their Taylors who by these means had many an old Gown to alter They had a Ball every Night where several wretched
Towns of Guyenne and Languedoc He nevertheless carryed me along with him and we found his Eminence in the Town of Albi whence we waited on him to the aforesaid rebellious City but which continued not long so after this great States-man's setting down before it During this March we had a great number of Adventures which I don't think fit to bring you acquainted with for fear of proving tiresome having but too just reason to believe that I have been so too much already To this Star reply'd that he would deprive them of a great deal of Pleasure if he did not continue his Adventures to the end He went on then after the following manner I got a great acquaintance in this Illustrious Cardinal's House and that chiefly with the Pages whereof there were eighteen of Normandy who all made extreme much of me as did likewise the rest of his Eminences Servants As soon as the Town was yielded up our Regiment was Disbanded and we return'd to St. Patrick The Lady of the Mannor had a Suit at Law with her eldest Son and was going to Grenoble to Prosecute it As soon as we were got home we were desir'd to accompany her thither but which I had no manner of Mind to do having determin'd to go as I told you before We were however prevail'd upon to comply with her request which I have not since repented of for whilst we were at Grenoble solliciting the Suit the late King of France Lewis XIII hapned to pass by that way into Italy when I had the Honour to meet in his Retinue with all the great Lords of this Country and amongst the rest the Governour of this City who being well acqainted with Monsieur de St. Patrice after having offer'd me what Money I wanted recommended me heartily to him so that I had then no reason to complain I met likewise five young Men of this City three whereof were Gentlemen who had been my intimate Acquaintance I treated them the best that I could both at our House and at the Tavern One Day as we were coming from Breakfast at an Inn in the Suburbs of St. Laurence which is on the other side of the Water we hapned to stop upon the Bridge to see the Boats pass when one of the Five told me seriously that he very much wonderâ—â— why I had not enquir'd of them after du Lys. I told him I durst not for fear of hearing that which would not please me They reply'd I had done well to slight her that had broke her Word to me I thought I should have dyed at this News but however I must know more to the same purpose for they immediately acquainted me farther that my Departure for Italy was no sooner heard of than du Lys was Marry'd by her Parents to a young Man whom they nam'd to me and to whom I had the most aversion of any of her Pretenders Then I began to break out and rail against her in all the ill Language that Jealousie could suggest to me I call'd her Tygress Traitress and the like for that she could suffer herself to be Marry'd when she knew I was so near and would certainly require an account both from him and her I then took a Purse out of my Pocket which she had given me and wherein I kept a Bracelet of hers and a blue Ribbon and putting a Stone into it to make it sink I threw it in a great Passion into the River speaking these Words at the same time So may I blot her out of my Memory as I abandon this Purse to the Pleasure of the Waves These Gentlemen were not a little surpriz'd at my Proceeding and therefore told me that they were extremely sorry that they had let me know so much which nevertheless I would have come to the knowledge of some way or other They added moreover to comfort me that what du Lys had done was wholly by compulsion for they perfectly perceiv'd an aversion in her to the Person and which was demonstrable enough in that she languish'd all the time she was Marry'd to him and died not long after This News encreas'd my Grief and comforted me at the same time I took leave of these Gentlemen and went home but so alter'd that young Madam St. Patrice the good Ladies Daughter observ'd it and ask'd me what I ail'd I gave her no answer but at length upon pressing me farther I told her the Story of my whole Adventures together with the News I had just heard This good Natur'd young thing was extremely concern'd at the Relation which might be perceiv'd by her crying and went immediately and told it to her Mother and Brothers who all assur'd me they commiserated my Misfortunes and would do all that lay in their Power to redress them but that in the mean time I must be comforted and have Patience The Suit betwixt the Mother and the Son ended by an Arbitration and so we return'd I then began to think of settling in the World The House where I was would have been sufficient to have afforded me a Character had I been dispos'd to Marry but tho'several good Matches were offer'd me yet would I accept of none Then I return'd to my former design of being a Capuchine and required the Habit but I met with so many obstacles in this intention which would be but redious for you to hear that I quitted that design likewise About this time the King commanded the Arrierban of the Gentry of Dauphiny to go to Casal Monsieur de St. Patrice desir'd me to go along with him which I could not well refuse We departed and arriv'd there and you know what was the success of it The Siege was rais'd the Town given up and Peace concluded through the Mediation of Mazarine This was the first step he made to the Cardinalship and to that prodigious Grandeur which he arriv'd to afterwards in the Government of France We return'd to St. Patrice where I still persisted in becoming a Recluse but divine Providence order'd it otherwise One Day Monsieur de St. Patrick perceiving my Resolution told me he would advise me to take Orders as a secular Priest I reply'd I had not Capacity he answer'd there was those that had less I resolv'd then upon it and took Orders upon an allowance of a Hundred Livres a Year that Madam St. Patrice gave me I said my first Mass in our Parish Church and upon which occasion my Patroness treated about Thirty Priests and several Gentry of the Neighbourhood I liv'd with too rich People to want Preferment for in six Months time I got a considerable Priory and two other small Benefices Some Years after I had a very large Priory and a very good Curateship given me for I had taken a great deal of pains in my Study and was arriv'd to that perfection in Preaching that I could mount the Pulpit before the best Auditory and even in presence of any Bishop I manag'd my Revenues
cou'd have found a Painter bold enough to take my Phyz in black and white For want of a Picture therefore I 'le describe my self to thee as near as I can I am past thirty as thou mayst see by the back of my Chair If I live to be forty I shall add the Lord knows how many Misfortunes to those I have already suffer'd for these eight or nine years last past There was a time when my Stature was not to be found fault with tho' now t is of the smallest My Sickness has taken me shorter by a foot My Head is somewhat too bigg considering my height and my Face is full enough in all conscience for one that carries such a Skeleton of a body about him I have hair enough on my Head not to stand in need of a Periwig and 't is gray too in spite of the Proverb My Sight is good enough tho' my Eyes are large they are of a blew colour and one of them is sunk deeper into my head than the other which was occasion'd by my leaning on that side My Nose is well enough mounted My Teeth that in the days of yore looked like a row of square Pearl are now of an ashen colour and in a few years more will have the complexion of a smallcoal Man's Saturday shirt I have lost one Tooth and a half on the left side and two and a half precisely on the right and I have two more that stand somewhat out of their Ranks My Legs and my Thighs in the first place compose an obtuse Angle then an equal Angle and lastly an acute Angle My Thighs and my Body make another and my head leaning perpetually over my Belly I fancy I am not very unlike the letter Z. My Arms are shortned as well as my Legs and my Fingers as well as my Arms. In short I am a living Epitome of humane Misery This as near as I can give it is my shape Since I am got so far I will e'en tell thee something of my Humour Vnder the Rose be it spoken Courteous Reader I do this only to swell the bulk of my Book at the Request of the Bookseller the poor Dog it seems being afraid that he should be a loser by this Impression if he did not give the Courteous Reader enough for his Money Were it not for this 't wou'd be to no purpose this Digression as well as a thousand more But to our comfort be it said ours is not the first Age that People play'd the fools out of Complaisance not to reckon the follies they commit of their own heads I was always a little Cholerick a little given to my Guts and a little Lazy I frequently call my Man Son of a Whore and Fool and a little after call him Sir I hate no Man and could wish all the World did the same by me I am as blithe as a bird when I have Mony and should be much more so were I in health I am merry enough in Company I am content enough when alone I bear all my ills pretty patiently And now as I humbly conceive the Porch is big enough for the House and 't is high time for me to conclude SCARRON's Comical Romance PART I. CHAP. I. Company of Strollers comeâ— to the Town of Mans. Bright Phoebus had already perform'd above half his Career and his Chariot having past the Meridian and got on the Declivity of the Sky roll'd on swifter than he desir'd Had his Horses been willing to make use of the slâ—pingness of their Way they might have finish'd the remainder of the Day in less than half a quarter of an Hour But instead of pulling amain they curvetted about snuâ—â—ing a briny Air which set them a neighing and made them sensible that they were near the Sea where their Father is said to take his Rest every Night To speak more like a Man and in plainer Terms it was betwixt five and six of the Clock when a Cart came into the Market-place of Mans. This Cart was drawn by two Yoke of lean Oxen led by a breeding Mare who had a Colt that skipp'd to and froâ— about the Cart like a silly Creature as he wâ—â— The Cart was loaden with Trunks Portmantles and great Packs of painted Clothes that made a sort of Pyramid on the top of which â—at a Daâ—â—sel in a half-City half-half-Country Dress A young Man as poor in Cloaths as rich in Mâ—en walkâ—d by the side of the Cart He had a great Patch on his Face which covered one of his Eyes and half of one Châ—â—kâ— and carriâ—d a â—ong Birding-piece over his Shoulder 〈…〉 several Magpies Jayes and Crows which made a sort of a 〈◊〉 at the bottom of which hung a Hen and a Goose that look'd as they had been taken from the Enemy by way of Plunder Instead of a Hat he wore a Night-Cap tied about his Head with Garters of several Colours and this Head-dress was without doubt a kind of unfinish'd Turbant His Doublet was a Griset-Coat girt over with a Leather Thong which serv'd likewise to support a Rapier so very long that it could not be us'd dextrously without the help of a Rest. He wore a pair of Breeches tuck'd up to above the middle of his Thighs like those that Players wear when they represent an ancient Hero and instead of Shoes he wore Tragick Buskins which were bespatter'd with Dirt up to the Ancles An old Man something more regular in his Dress tho' in very ordinary Cloaths walk'd by his side He carried a Base-viol over his Shoulders and because he stoop'd a little as he went along one might have taken him at a distance for a great Tortoise walking upon his hind-Feet Some Critick or other will perhaps find fault with the Comparison by reason of the Disproportion between a Tortoise and a Man But I speak of those great Tortoises that are found in the Indies and besides I make bold to use the Simile upon my own Authority Let 's return to our strolling Company They went by the Tennis-Court at the Hind before which were assembled several of the Chief Men of the Town The Novelty of their Equipage and the Noise of the Mob who by this time had gathered about the Cart drew the Eyes of all those Honourable Burgh-Masters upon our unknown Travellers Among the rest a * An Vnder-Sheriff Lieutenant of the Provost La Rappiniere by Name made up to them and with the Authority of a Magistrate ask'd them who they were The young Man whom I describ'd before without offering to pull off his Turbant because with one of his Hands he held his Gun and with the other the Hilt of his Sword lest it should beat against his Legs answer'd him That they were Frenchmen by Birth and Players by Professionâ— That his Stage-Name was Destiny his old Comrades Rancour and the Gentlewomen who sat roosting like a Hen on the top of their Baggage Cave This odd Name set some of the
Rancour was like to be over-turn'd the Horses broke their Traces and they were fain to unharness them and pull them out of the Mire by Neck and Tail They gather'd the broken Remnants of their Wreck and reach'd the next Village as well as they could Now whilst the shatter'd Furniture of the Litter was resitting Rancour Olive and Destiny's Man took a merry Cup at the gate of an Inn that hapned to be in the Village Whereupon there came another Litter led by two Men on foot which likewise stopt before the Inn. This Litter was scarce arriv'd but there appear'd another a hundred steps behind it I believe all the Litters in the Province have agreed to meet here about some business of Importance in order to hold a General Council said Rancour and methinks they ought to begin their Conferences for 't is not probable that any more will come Nay Marry said the Hostess here 's another that will not stick out I warrant you and in truth they espy'd a fourth which came as from Mans. This made them all laugh heartily except Rancour who never laught as I said before The last Litter stopt with the rest and in the memory of Man so many Litters were never seen together If those that look'd for Litters and whom we met a while ago were here they would have their Belly full of them said the Leader of the first Litter I have met with him said the Second So have we said he that conducted the Strollers Litter to which he that came last added that he was like to be thresh'd by ' em Why so ask'd Destiny Because answer'd he they had a design upon a certain Gentlewoman who sprain'd her Foot and whom we carried to Mans I never saw Men so furious and unreasonable for they quarrell'd with me only because they miss'd of what they look'd for This made the Strollers prick up their Ears and by the Answer of the Litter-Man to two or three Questions they put to him they were inform'd that the Lady of the Lord of the Village where Mrs. Star sprain'd her Foot had given her a Visit and taken great care to have her carried safe to Mans. The Conversation continued a little longer between the Litters and they learnt of one another that they were all search'd by the same Men whom the Strollers saw The first Litter carried the Parson of Domfront who came from the Wells of Bellesâ—â— and went to Mans in order to get the Physicians of that Place to consult about his Distemper The second carried a wounded Officer who return'd from the Army At last the Litters parted those of the Parson of Domfront and of the Strollers went together to Mans and the others where they thought fit The sick Parson lighted at the same Inn where the Strollers were quartered being the place where he us'd to lie on that Road. We will leave him to take his rest in his Room and in our next Chapter we shall pay a Visit to the Strollers to see what was doing in theirs CHAP. VIII Wherein are contained many things necessary to be known for the Understanding of this present Book THE Strolling Company consisted of Destiny Olive and Rancour who had each a Servant who expected to be one Day an Actor in chief Of those Servants some began to speak without blushing or being dash'd out of Countenance Among the rest Destiny's Man acted pretty well understood what he spoke and did not want Wit Mrs. Star and Mrs. Cave's Daughter acted the first Parts Cave acted the Queen and the Mother and sometimes Merry-Andrew's Wife in a Farcâ— Besides all this they had a Poet or an Author for all the Grocers Shops in the Kingdom were stor'd with his Works both in Verse and Prose This great Wit follow'd the Company almost against their own Will but because he was no Sharer and that he spent his own Money with the Players they suffer'd him to act Under-parts which he generally murder'd They all perceiv'd well enough that he was in love with one of the two Players but he was so discreet though a little crack-brain'd that 't was not yet discover'd which of them he design'd to wheedle into compliance with the fair Hopes of making her Immortal He threatned the Company with a great many Plays of his own writing but till then he had spar'd them and they only knew by Conjecture that he was about one call'd Marâ—in Luther of which they found the first Act which however he disown'd although it was written with his own Hand When our Strollers arriv'd the Womens Chamber was already fill'd with the most impertinent Fops and Beaus of the Town whose eagerness was almost cool'd by the indifferent Reception they met with They spoke altogether about Plays Poetry Poets and Romances and there could not have been more noise in the Room unless they had been a fighting The Poet among the rest surrounded by three or four who without doubt were the top Wits of the Town labour'd to persuade 'em that he had seen Corneille crack'd many a Bottle with St. Amant and Beys and lost a good Friend when Rotrou died Madam Cave and her Daughter Angelica set their Goods in order with as great a Tranquility as if no Body had been in the Room 'T is true Angelica's fair Hands were now and then squeez'd or kiss'dâ— for these Country Gentlemen are ever pulling and haulling but a kick on the Shins a Box on the Ear or a Biting according as occasion requir'd soon rid her of those hot-spurr'd Lovers Nor was she rude and impudent neither but her free and gay Humour would not let her use much Ceremony As for the rest she had Wit and was very honest Mrs. Star was of a quite different Humour for there never was a more modest gentile and good-natur'd Woman in the World and she strain'd at that time her Complaisance so far that she cou'd not find in her Heart to turn these ogling Fops out of her Chamber altho' she felt a great Pain in her sprain'd Foot and had great occasion for Rest. She lay in her Clothes on a Bed surrounded by four or five of the whining sighing Beaus stunn'd by abundance of Puns and Clenches which pass for good Jests in the Country and often forcing a Smile upon Things that she did not like But this is one of the great Plagues of that Profession which together with the being oblig'd to laugh or weep whether one has a mind to it or no takes very much from the Pleasure which Players have of being sometimes Emperors and Empresses and of being call'd as fine as Angels though they be little handsomer than Devils or address'd to as young Beauties although their Hair and Teeth be part of their Furniture There are a great many more things to be said upon this Subject but we must use them sparingly and place them in several Places in this Book for Variety's sake Let 's return to Madam Star beset with
before she died and so was no sooner Husband than Widower He came two or three days after to our Town with the Parents of his Wife There they began to weep afresh and were like to stifâ—le the Child with Kisses my Father had reason to be thankful to the Scotch Lord for his Generosity and the Parents of the Child did not forget him They return'd to Paris very much satisfied with the Care my Father and Mother took of their Son whom they would not yet take to Paris with them because the Marriage was still kept Secret for some Reasons which never came to my Knowledge As soon as I was able to walk my Father took me home to keep the young Earl of Glaris Company for so he was call'd by his Father's Name The Natural Antipathy which is said to have been between Iacob and Esau in the very Womb of their Mother was never greater than that which was between the young Earl and me My Father and Mother lov'd him tenderly and had an Aversion for me though I was the more hopeful Boy of the two There appear'd nothing but Mean in him As for me I seem'd to be what I was not and rather an Earl's Son than Gariquet's and if I am at last no more than a wretched Player 't is undoubtedly because Fortune had a mind to be reveng'd upon Nature for designing to make me something without her help or if you please because Nature is sometimes willing to favour those whom Fortune is cross to I shall pass over in Silence the Infancy of two young Clowns for Glaris was such by inclination as much as my self since our most Memorable Adventures were nothing but abundance of Fisty-cuffs In all the Quarrels we had together I always got the better of him except when my Father and Mother sided with him which they did so often and with so much Heat that my Godfather Monsieur Saint Sauveur by Name was highly offended at it and demanded me of my Father He made him a present of me with great Joy and my Mother had yet less Regret than he to lose me Thus I was at my Godfathers well Clad well Fed much Caress'd and never beaten He spar'd no Cost to make me learn to Read and Write and as soon as I was fit to learn Latin he obtain'd of the Lord of the Village who was a very civil Gentleman and very Rich that I should study with two of his Sons under a Learned Man he had from Paris and to whom he gave a very good Salary This Gentleman the Baron d'Arques by Name took great care to have his Sons well brought up The eldest call'd Saint Far was a handsom Gentleman but as untractably rough and brutish in his Nature as ever any Man was to make amends the young Brother was both handsomer than Saint Far and had a Vivacity of Mind and a Greatness of Soul equal to the Beauty of his Body In short I do not think there ever was a more hopeful young Gentleman than Vervelle for this was the younger Brother's Name He honour'd me with his Friendship and as for me I lov'd him like a Brother and ever respected him as a Master As for Saint Far he had none but ill Inclinations and I cannot better express the Sentiments he had both for his Brother and me than by telling you that he lov'd not his Brother more than me for whom he had a great indifference and that he hated me no more than he did his Brother whom he lov'd but little His Diversions were indifferent from ours for he lov'd nothing but Hunting and quoted Books of Morality whereas Vervelle seldom went out a Hunting and took great delight in Reading wherein I agreed wonderfully with him as in every thing else without being put to the trouble of doing any thing out of Complaisance as in Duty I ought The Baron d'Arques had a large Library of Romances Our Tutor who had never read any in his College who at first forbad us the reading of 'em and had condemn'd 'em a hundred times before the Baron d'Arques to render 'em as odious to him as he found 'em Delightful grew at last so much in Love with 'em himself that having devour'd both the old and the new ones he confest that the reading of good Romances was as Instructive as Pleasant and no less proper to inspire young People with Noble Sentiments than the reading of Plutarch He therefore encourag'd us to read 'em as earnestly as he had discourag'd us before and first of all advis'd us to peruse the Modern but these were not yet suitable to our Palate and till we were fifteen we were much more delighted by the reading of Amadis de Gaul than Astrea and other fine Romances that have been made since by which the French have shewn to the World as by a thousand things besides that if they do not invent so much as other Nations yet they bring the Inventions of others to a far greater Persection We therefore bestow'd upon the reading of Romances the greatest part of the time we had allow'd us for Diversion As for Saint Far he call'd us the Ruyters and went abroad every day either to Hunt or to beat the poor Country Fellows which he did with wonderful Succesâ— The Inclination I had to do well gain'd me the Favour of the Baron d'Arques who lov'd me no less than if I had been his near Relation He would not suffer me to leave his Sons when he sent 'em to the Academy but sent me thither along with 'em rather as a Companinon than a Servant There we stay'd about two year to learn our Exercises at the end of which time a Man of Quality Related to the Baron d'Arques raising Soldiers for the Venetians Saint Far and Verville persuaded their Father to let 'em go to Venice with their Kinsman The good Gentleman desir'd that I should accompany 'em still and Monsieur de Saint Sauveur my Godfather who lov'd me extreamly gave me very gener ously Bills of Exchange for a considerable Sum to make use of 〈◊〉 in case those I had the Honour to accompany should be unwilling to bear my Charges We went the longest way about on purpose to see Rome and the other fine Cities of Italy in each of which we staid a considerable time excepting those which are in the Spaniard's Hands I fell sick at Rome and the two Brothers went on their Journey the Gentleman under whose Conduct they were being willing to lay hold on the Opportunity of the Pope's Gallies which were putting out to Sea to joyn the Venetian Army near the Streights of the Dardanells where they waited for the Turks Verville was extraordinary sorry to leave me and I almost mad to part from him at a time when by my Services I might in some measure have deserv'd the Love he had for me As for Saint Far I believe he lest me with as much indifference as if he had never seen me
approving of my Design of leaving the Kingdom furnish'd me with Money for my Journey and Verville who did not forget though now married presented me with a good Horse and a Hundred Pistols I took my Journey towards Lyons to pass into Italy with design to go once more to Rome and after having taken my last Farewel of Leonora to repair with speed to Candy there to put an end to my wretched Life At Nevers I lodg'd at an Inn which stood near the River and coming thither very early and not knowing how to spend my time till Supper were ready I went to take a Walk on a great Stone-Bridge which lies cross the River Loir There were a couple of Women walking there at the same time one of which that look'd as if she were sick lean'd on the others Shoulder and had much ado to crawl along As I past by 'em I pull'd my Hat off to 'em without taking notice of their Faces and continued walking for some time on the said Bridge still keeping my Thoughts employ'd about my Misfortunes and chiefly about my Amours I was well enough clad as all those ought to be whose Quality cannot excuse an indifferent Habit. When I came again near these Women I over-heard one of 'em say For my part I should believe it had we not heard he was dead I cannot tell how I came to look behind me having no Reason to think they spoke of me and yet no Man but my self was the Subject of their Discourse I presently found the first Lady was Madam la Boissiere grown very pale and wan who rested upon her Daughter Leonora's Shoulder Thereupon I made directly towards them with more assurance than I had in Rome having improv'd my self both as to my Person and Wit during my stay in Paris I found 'em so surpriz'd and amaz'd that I verily believe they would have fled from me had Madam la Boissiere been able to run and this surpriz'd me no less I ask'd them what happy Chance brought me to the Presence of two Persons whom I esteem'd above all the World These Words dispell'd their Fears Madam de la Bossiere told me I ought not to wonder to see 'em look upon me with some Astonishment since Signior Stephano had shew'd 'em a Letter from one of those Gentlemen I waited on at Rome by which he was inform'd of my being kill'd in the War of Parma adding she was overjoy'd to find that News false which had been so unwelcome to her I replied That Death was not the greatest Misfortune that could befal me and that I was going to Venice to court it and if possible spread the Report of my Death with more certainty than before They grew sad at my Resolution and the Mother began to express a great deal of Tenderness to me the Cause of which I cou'd not well guess At last I learnt from her self the Ground of her Civility I was now in a Capacity to serve her and her present Condition would not allow her to despise and look coldly on me as she had done in Rome They had met with a Misfortune which had put them to great Streights For having turn'd all their Furniture into ready Money they left Rome with a French Maid that had serv'd 'em a long time and Signior Stephano's Man a Fleming like himself who would needs return to his Native Country This Fellow and the Wench it seems lov'd each other enought to venture a Match and yet they kept their Amour so private that no Body ever discover'd it Madam la Boissiere being come to Rouenne went by Water thence At Nevers she found her self so very ill that she could go no further During her Sickness she was somewhat hard to be pleas'd and her Maid more unwilling to humour her than ever she had been before One Morning the Wench and her Paramour were missing and which was more grievous still the poor Lady's Money was missing also Her Grief encreas'd her Distemper and she was forc'd to stay at Nevers till she receiv'd Letters from Paris from whence she expected a Supply to proceed in her Journey Madam la Boissiere told me this sad Adventure in few Words I led 'em back again to their Inn which was the same where I had taken up my Quarters where after I had brought 'em to their Chamber and stood a while with 'em I retir'd to my own leaving 'em to their Supper For my own part I could not eat a Bit but thought it was at least five or six Hours while I was at Table I waited upon 'em as soon as they had given me notice that I should be welcome I found the Mother in Bed and the Daughter receiv'd me with a Countenance as sad as it appear'd joyful a Moment before The Mother was still more sad than the Daughter and I griev'd for Company We star'd a while upon one another without speaking a Word At last Madam de la Boissiere shew'd me a Letter she had newly receiv'd from Paris which cast both her and her Daughter Leonora into the deepest Affliction in the World She express'd the Reason of her Grief with a Flood of Tears and her Daughter Leonora wept also most bitterly which mov'd me so sensibly that I thought I did not express my Sense of it enough though I proffer'd 'em all I could possibly do for their Assistance with such a Freedom as put my Sincerity out of all douht I am as yet unacquainted with the Cause of your Grief said I But if my Life may any way contribute to your Relief you may set your Mind at rest Tell me therefore Madam what I must do to serve you Money I have if you want any and Courage likewise if you fear any Enemies and the Satisfaction of having serv'd you is the only Recompence I expect for doing you Service My Words and my Countenance gave them so full an Assurance of the reality of my Sentiments that their Affliction was somewhat abated Madam de la Boissiere gave me a Letter to peruse wherein a Gentlewoman of her Acquaintance inform'd her that a certain Person who was nameless but whom I judg'd to be Leonora's Father was commanded to leave the Court and had retir'd himself into Holland Thus this poor Lady found her self in a strange Country without either Money or the least Hopes of getting any I made her a second Proffer of the small Stock I had which might amount to Five Hundred Crowns and told her I would wait upon her into Holland or any other Part of the World she had a mind to go to In short I assur'd her she had found in me a Person that would do her all the Service she could expect from a Valet and serve and honour her like a dutiful Son I blush'd extremely at this Word of Son But I was no more that hateful Man who was denied Admittance to their House in Rome and to whom Leonora was invisible for now Leonora was much
cast upon that unlucky Horse that Day for the Saddle being too loosely girted as before turn'd round with him as it had done with Ragotin and the string of his Breeches being broken the Horse ran a pretty way with him whilst he had but one Foot in the stirrup his other serving the Horse as a fifth Leg and his back-parts expos'd to the view of all the Assistants his Breeches dangling all the way at his Heels None of the Spectators did Laugh at Ragotin's Mishap because they were afraid he would hurt himself but Rocquebrune's Accident was attended with loud shouts and laughter from the Coaches The Coachmen stopt to laugh their Belly-full and all together hollowed at Rocquebrune which drove him into a House for shelter leaving the Horse to his own Discretion who very wisely walk'd back again to the Town Ragotin knowing he was Responsible for the Beast alighted out of the Coach and went after him then the Poet having cas'd up his Posteriors return'd into the Coach much troubled and very troublesom to the rest by Ragotin's Martial Equipage who had undergone this third disgrace in his Mistresses presence with which we shall conclude the twentieth Chapter CHAP XXI Which perhaps will not be found very Entertaining THE Players were very well receiv'd by the Master of the House who was a good honest Man and one of the most considerable in those Parts They had two Chambers allotted them to lay their Cloaths in and make themselves ready for the way which was put off till after Supper They likewise 〈◊〉 in private and after Dinner those that had a mind to walk had the choice of a Grove and a fine Garden A young Counsellor of the Parliament of Rennes and near Kinsman to the Ma ster of the House Accosted our Players having discover'd Destiny to be a Person of more than Vulgar Judgment and the Actresses besides their great Beauty to be such as could say more than just the Parts they had learnt by heart They Discoursed of things agreeable to their Profession as Plays and Dramatick Writers This young Counsellor said amongst other things that there was scarce any Remarkable Subject for the Stage that had not been blown upon that all History was almost exhausted and that Modern Authors would be at last constrain'd to wave those nice Rules of Unity of Times and stretch it beyond four and twenty Hours That the generality did not apprehend what those severe Rules of the Stage are good for being rather pleas'd with Action and Representation than Recitals and therefore such Plots might be contriv'd as would meet with Applause without either falling into the Extravagancies of the Spaniards or being tied up to the strict Precepts of Aristotle From Plays they began to talk of Romances The Counsellor said that nothing could be more Diverting than our Modern Romances that the French alone knew how to write good ones but however that the Spaniards had a peculiar Talent to compose little Stories which they call Novels that are more useful and more probable Patterns for us to follow than those imaginary Heroe's of Antiquity who grow sometimes tedious and troublesom by being overcivil and virtuous In short that those Examples which may be imitated are at least as profitable as such as do exceed all probability and belief from all which he concluded that if a Man could write as good Novels in French as those of Michael de Cervantes they would soon be as much in Vogue as ever Heroick Romances have been Roquebrune was not of the same Opinion He said very positively that there could be no Pleasure in reading of Romances unless they contain'd the Adventures of Princes Nay and of great Princes too and that for that reason Astrea only pleas'd him here and there And in what Histories can one find Kings and Emperors enough to make new Romances said the Counsellor We must feign such replied Roquebrune as they usually do in fabulous Stories which have no Foundation in History I perceiv'd then return'd the Counsellor that Don Quixot is very little in your Favour 'T is the silliest Book that ever I read replied Roquebrune tho' it be cried up by a great many Men of Wit Have a care said Destiny it be not rather for want of Wit in you than any Defect in the Book that makes you entertain so indifferent an Opinion of it Roquebrune would not have fail'd to answer Destiny had he but heard what he spoke But he was so taken up with telling his Feats to some Ladies who were come near the Players that he minded him not and promis'd that fair Sex he would write a Romance in five Parts every Part to contain five Volumes which should eclipse all the Cassandras Cleopatras and Cyrus's tho' this last have the Sir-Name of the Grand as well as the Son of Pepin In the mean time the Counsellor was telling Destiny and the Actresses that he had writ some Novels in imitation of the Spaniards promising he would communicate 'em to them Thereupon Inezella told them in a kind of French that had more of the Gascon than of the Spanish that her first Husband had the Name of a competent Writer in the Court of Spain having compos'd several Novels that were much esteem'd some of which she had in Manuscript which in her Opinion deserv'd to be Translated into French The young Counsellor being very curious of such kind of Compositions told the Spanish Lady she would do him a great favour in letting him have the perusal of 'em which she very civilly granted adding withal that no Body was better stor'd with Novels than her self for as some Women in their Country will sometimes try to write both in Verse and Prose so she had made it her Pastime and could entertain 'em with some of her own making Roquebrune confidently according to his Custom offer'd to turn 'em into French Inezella who was perhaps the sharpest Spaniard that ever came over the Pirenees into France replied that it was not only requisite to understand the French Tongue well but that he must be equally Master of the Spanish also and therefore she could not give him her Novels to Translate till she was so well acquainted with the French Tongue as to be able to judge whether he was qualified for the Undertaking Rancour who had been silent all the while said there was no doubt to be made of his Ability since he had been Corrector of a Printing-House He had no sooner popp'd out these words but he remembred Roquebrune had lent him Money which made him pursue his Jest no farther to which the other dash'd out of Countenance at Rancour's Words reply'd that he could not deny but that he had corrected some few sheets but then 't was nothing but what he had publish'd of his own Madam Star to shift the Discourse told Donna Inezella that since she knew so many stories she would often Importune her to Relate some of ' em The Spanish Lady
out of a Parlour attended with four or five ill-look'd Fellows in Red-Coats or Cloaks His first Question was Where where are the thieving Gypsies Which put us in a terrible Fright but seeing none but fair Faces among us he then askt my Father who he was and had no sooner heard that we were a wretched Company of Players but with an impetuous Passion at which we all wonder'd and Swearing in as furious a manner as ever I heard a Man Swear he charged with his Sword those who had seised us and caused them to disappear in a Moment some of them Wounded and the rest in a terrible Fright The Mobb being thus dispersed he commanded my Father and his Companions to be untied the Women to be carried into a Room and our Goods to be laid up safe Some Chamber-Maids came to wait upon us and got a Bed ready for my Mother who found her self very ill of her Wound in her Arm. Soon after a Man that looked like a Steward came to express his Masters concern for the rude usage we had received He told us that the Scoundrels who made so unlucky a Mistake sneaked away most of 'em soundly beaten or lame and that a Surgeon was sent for from the next Town â—o dress my Mothers Arm afterwards he asked us very earnestly Whether they had taken any thing from us and advised us to view our Goods and see if there were any thing wanting At Night they brought us our Supper into our Room the Surgeon came my Mothers Wound was drest and she went to Bed in a violent Feavour The next Day the Lord of the Castle sent for the Players enquired of them how my Mother did and told them he would not suffer her to go out of his House before she was perfectly recover'd He was so obliging as to send Men up and down the Country to enquire after my Brother and the young Player with whom he fled away but they could not be found which Misfortune encreased my Mothers Feaver A Phisician and a Surgeon more skillful than he who drest her Wound first were sent for from of a Neighbouring Town and in a short time our good usage in the Castle made us forget the Violence we had suffered The Lord at whose House we were entertain'd was a very rich Man more fear'd than lov'd through all the Country as violent in all his Actions as a Governour of a Frontier Town and one who had the reputation to be as brave as Hercules His Name was the Baron de Sigognac at this present time he could be no less than a Marquiss but in those Days he was only a petty Tyrant of Perigord A Company of Gypsies who had lain in his Lordship stole away some Horses out of a Park where he kept Mares for breed at a Leagues distance from his Castle and the Men that were sent to pursue them mistook us for 'em to our cost My Mother being now perfectly well my Father and his Companions to express their Gratitude for their kind Entertainment as far as poor Strollers were able offer'd to Act in the Castle as long as the Baron de Sigognac would desire it An over-grown Page at least Four and twenty Years of Age who was undoubtedly the Dean of all the Pages in the Kingdom and a sort of Gentleman Waiter studied the parts of my Brother and of the Player with whom he ran away And now busie Fame â—roclaim'd through all the Country that a Company of Strolâ—rs were to act a Play at the Baron de Sigognac's abundance of Perigordine Gentry were invited to the Shew and when the Page was perfect in his Part which he found so difficult to learn that they were fain to cut and reduce it to two Lines we acted Garnier's Roger and Bradamante The Assembly was very fine the Room well lighted the Stage convenient and the Scenes adapted to the Subject We all endeavour'd to do our best and we acted with Applause My Mother in the Habit of an Amazon appeared as beautiful as an Angel and tho' her late Indisposition made her look a little pale yet the brightness of her Complexion obscur'd all the Lights in the Room Tho' I have great Reason to be very Melancholy yet I cannot forbear Laughing whenever I think how ridiculosly the Page acted his Part neither must my ill Humour rob you of this pleasant Passage perhaps you may not find it such but I can assure you that it made all the Company laugh very heartily and that I have laught at it since whether it be really laughable or because I am one of those who laugh at a very small Matter He acted the Page of the Duke of Aymon and had but two Lines to speak in all the Play when the old Man reprimanded his Daughter Bradamante for refusing to marry the Emperours Son because she was in Love with Roger the Page says to his Master Monsieur rentrons dedans je crains que vous tombiez Vous n'ètez pas trop bien assuré sur vos PIEDS This great Oaf of a Page tho' his Part was easie enough to remember yet murder'd the second Verse and said very aukwardly and trembling like a Malefactor Monsieur rentrons dedans je crains que vous tombiez Vous n'ètes pas trop bien assuré sur vos IAMBES This false Rime surpriz'd every Body he that acted Aymon's Part burst out a-laughing and was not able to represent an Angry old Man All the Assistants laugh'd as well as he and I my self who was then peeping through the Hangings to see and be seen laugh'd also to that degree that I was ready to drop down The Master of the House who was one of those Melancholy Persons who laugh but seldom and never at a small Matter found his Page's want of Memory and his aukward way of reciting Verses so laughable a Subject that he was like to burst by endeavouring to preserve his Gravity but at last he was fain to laugh as well as the rest and his Men told us since that they never knew him so well pleas'd in all their Lives Now as he was a Man of great Authority in that Country there was not one Person in the whole Audience that did not laugh as much as he or perhaps more either out of Complaisance or a natural Inclination I am very much afraid added Cave I have now done like those who tell People I 'll tell you a Story that will make you die with Laughing and who seldom or never are as good as their Word For I must confess I rais'd your Expectation too high about the silliness of my Page Not at all answered Star I have found it such as you made me expect it 't is true the thing may have seem'd more ridiculous to those that saw it than it will to those who shall hear it related the aukwardness of the Page contributing much to make it such and besides the Time the Place and the natural Inclination we
have to laugh for Company 's sake are all Advantages it cannot have now Cave made no further Apology and resuming her Story where she had left off After continued she that both the Actors and the Audience had laughed as much as their risible Faculty would let them the Baron de Sigognao order'd his Page to come again on the Stage in order to mend his Fault or rather to make new Sport for the Company But the Page the greatest Looby that ever I saw refus'd to obey the positive Commands of the severest Master in in the World The Baron took his denial as he was prompted by his hasty Temper that is to say very ill and his Resentment which ought to have been small had he been rul'd by Reason prov'd afterwards the fatal Cause of the greatest Misfortune that could befall us Our Tragedy was honour'd with the Applause of the whole Audience and the Farce was still better receiv'd than the Tragedy as it generally happens every where except in Paris The Baron de Sigognac and the rest of the Gentlemen his Neighbours were so well pleased with it that they desired to see us act again All the Gentlemen clubb'd to make a Present to our Company every one according to his Generosity the Baron shew'd them the way and the Play was given out for the next Holy Day We play'd a whole Month before this Perigordine Gentry during which time we were Treated and Caress'd both by Men and Women and besides our Company was presented with some old Cloaths half worn out The Baron entertain'd us at his own Table his Servants were extreme officious in waiting upon us and told us often how much they were oblig'd to us for their Masters good Humour whom they found quite alter'd since Plays had Civiliz'd his rough Manners The Page alone look'd upon us as People who had blasted his Reputation for ever and the Line he had spoiled and which every Body in the House to the very Scullion repeated to him ever and anon was a cruel Stab to him of which he at last resolv'd to be reveng'd upon some body of our Company Upon a certain Day when the Baron de Sigognac had assembled his Neighbours and Tenants to rid his Woods of a great number of Wolves that Harbour'd there and by which the Country was very much annoy'd my Father and his Fellow-Strollers accompanyed him each with his Gun as did also his Servants The unlucky Page went along with them and having found the opportunity he lookt for to put his ill Design against us in Execution he no sooner espyed my Father and his Comrades separated from the rest and giving one another Powder and Shot to load their Guns but he let his Piecefly at them from behind a Tree and Shot my unhappy Father with two Bullets His Comrades were so busie in supporting him that they never thought at first to pursue the Murderer who made the best of his Way and since ran the Country Two Days after my Father dyed of his Wounds My Mother resented her loss to that Degree that it almost broke her Heart she fell Sick again and I was as much afficted as 't was possible for a Girl of my Years My Mother's illness proving a lingring Disease the Men and the Women that belong'd to our Company took their Leaves of the Baron de Sigognac and went to seek their Fortune with some other Strollers My Mother lay sick for above two Months but she recovered at last having during that time receiv'd such Tokens of Generosity and Kindness from the Baron de Sigognac as were little to be expected from a Man who had the Reputation of being the greatest Tyrant that ever made himself fear'd in a Country where every Squire pretends to huff and domineer His Servants who never found any Humanity or Civility in him before wondred ro see him Converse with us in the most kind and obliging manner One might have thought he was in Love with my Mother tho' he seldom spoke to her and never came into our Room where we us'd to take our Meals since my Fathers Death only he often sent to know how she did However the Country did talk as if he was great with her as we have since been inform'd But my Mother considering she could not with Decency stay any longer in the House of a Man of his Quality had already design'd to leave it and retire to her Fathers at Marseilles She therefore acquainted the Baron with it return'd him Thanks for all his kind Usage to us and desired him to add a new Favour to all those we had receiv'd from him which was to lend us Saddle-horses for her self and me till we came to a certain Town and a Cart to carry our little Baggage which she design'd to Sell to the first Man that would give her any thing for it The Baron was much surpriz'd at my Mothers Design Nor was she in a less surprize than he finding he would neither grant nor deny her Request The next Day the Curate of one of the Churches within his Lordship came to Visit us in our Chamber accompanied by his Neice a good-natured and agreeable Girl with whom I was intimately acquainted She and I went out to fetch a Walk in the Garden of the Castle and left her Uncle alone with my Mother The Curate had a long Conversation with her and did not leave her till Supper-time As I came back I found her Melancholy and full of Thoughts and ask'd her three or four times what the matter was but could get no answer from her only she fell a Weeping and so I Wept for Company not knowing why nor wherefore At last she bid me shut her Chamber-door and told me Weeping still more than before that the Curate had inform'd her that the Baron de Sigognac was desperately in Love with her and assur'd her besides that he had so great a Respect for her that he never durst declare by himself or others his Passion to her without offering her Marriage at the same time Here she stopt being almost suffocated with Sighs and Sobs I ask'd her once again What ail'd her What! Daughter said she to me have I not said enough to let you understand that I am the most wretched Woman in the World I told her I did not think it so great a Misfortune for a Player to become a Lady of Quality Alas Dear Child said she you speak like a young Girl that knows nothing of the World What added she if he should deceive the Curate in order to deceive me If he does not design to Marry me as he would perswade me he does have I not Reason to fear all manner of Violence from a Man so much a Slave to his Passions And if he really designs to Marry me and I consent to it What Woman in the World can be more Miserable than my self when his Fancy is over How great is his Hate like to prove if
ever he should repent his Loving me No no my Daughter Fortune is not so favourable to me as thou imaginest Nay rather she designs to aggravate my load of Woe for having depriv'd me of a Husband whom I lov'd and by whom I was beloved she â—ow would force one upon me who perhaps will hate me and oblige me to hate him too Her Grief which I thought unreasonable encreas'd to that degree that she was like to be stifled with it whilst I helpt her to undress her self I comforted her as well as I could and endeavour'd to combate her Affliction with all the Arguments a Girl of my Years was able to frame not forgetting to tell her that the obliging and respectful Behaviour which the roughest of all Men had ever shewn in conversing with us seem'd to be a good Omen and especially his want of Assurance in discovering his Passion to a Woman whose Profession is rather apt to embolden a Man in his Addresses than inspire him with awful Respect My Mother suffer'd me to speak all I thought fit went to Bed very much afflicted and cherish'd her Grief all Night long instead of Sleeping I endeavoured for the sake of good Manners to resist Sleep but at last I was fain to yield and so I Slept for us both she got up early in the Morning and when I awak'd I found her ready Drest and her Mind pretty well compos'd I was in great Pain to know what Resolution she had taken for to tell you Truth I flatter'd my self with my Mothers future Greatness in case the Baron was Sincere and Honourable in his Addresses and my Mother willing to grant his Sute The Thoughts of hearing my Mother call'd My Lady Baroness filled my Mind with Delight and Ambition began to inflame my youthful Breast Cave was thus recounting her Story and Star listning to her with great Attention when they heard something tread in their Chamber which startled them the more because they remembred they had made the Door fast with the Bolt The Noise continued and so they cry'd Who 's there No answer was made but a moment after Cave saw at the Beds-feet the Curtains being open the Figure of a Person whom she heard Sigh and who leaning on the Bed rested on her Feet She sate up to view nearer the thing that began to Fright her and fully resolved to speak to it she reach'd her Head out of the Bed when the thing disappear'd The being in Company with any Body gives often an Assurance but sometimes our Fears are never the less for being shar'd with another Cave was frighted because she had seen nothing and Star because she saw her Companion frighted They both thrust themselves into the Bed cover'd their Heads with the Bed-cloathes and lay close together not daring almost speak to one another for Fear At last Cave said to Star that her poor Daughter must be Dead and that 't was her Ghost that came to sigh by her Star was perhaps going to Reply vvhen they heard the Thing vvalk again in the Room Star thrusts her self deeper into the Bed than she had done before but Cave embolden'd by the thought that it vvas her Daughters Ghost she sat up again in the Bed and seeing the same thing appear sighing as before and leaning on her Feet reach'd her Hand and felt a very rough one which made her give a hideous shriek and struck her down with the fright At the same time they heard a barking in the Room as when a Dog is afraid of any thing that he meets in the Night Cave had once more Courage enough to look what it was and then she saw a great Grey-hound that barked at her She threatned him with a loud Voice at which time he retired barking towards one corner of the Room where he vanished out of fight The Couragious Player rose out of her Bed and by the Moon-shine which came through the Windows she discovered in that corner of the Room where the Phantom and the Grey-Hound had disappear'd a little Door which open'd into a little pair of Back-Stairs By that she easily imagin'd that a Grey-hound belonging to the House was crept through that Door into their Room and that having a Mind to lay himself on their Bed but not daring to do it without the consent of those who were in it he had sighed like a Dog and the Bed being high as are all old Beds he had lean'd his fore-Legs on her Feet and afterwards crept under the Bed when Cave first reached her Head cut of it However the belief of a Ghost being in the Room had so possest Star's frighted Soul that 't was a long time before she could persuade her that 't was but a Grey-Hound As afflicted as Cave was she jeer'd her Companion about her Cowardise and reserved the continuation of her Story to another time when they should not want Sleep so much as they did then 'T was now break of Day they fell asleep and got up about Ten o' th' Clock when Word was brought them that the Coach which was to carry them to Mans was ready to set out assoon as they pleas'd CHAP. IV. Destiny meets with Leander DEstiny in the mean time went from Town to Town still enquiring after those he pursued but could learn no News nor Tidings from ' em Thus he rambled up and down till Two or Three a Clock in the Afternoon when Hunger and his Horses weariness oblig'd him to return to a great Village which he left a little while before Here he found a pretty good Inn because it stood upon the Road and did not forget to ask them whether they had heard of a Company of Horsemen who stole away a young Woman There 's above a Gentleman who can give you an account of 'em said the Surgeon of that Village who happen'd to be there for added he I believe he has been a quarrelling with 'em and has got many a Wound for his Pains I just now applied to him an Anodyne and resolutive Cataplasm on a livid Tumour he has on the Vertebrae of the Neck and drest a great cut he received in the Occiput I would have let him Blood because he is full of Contusions but he would not let me tho' he has great occasion for it He must needs have got a heavy fall or else have been beaten unmercifully This Country Surgeon took such delight in mustering the learned Terms of his Art that though Destiny was gone from him and no Body left to give him the hearing he still went on with his Discourse till he was fetch'd away to let a Woman Blood who was dyiâ—g of an Apoplexy In the mean time Destiny vvent up to the Chamber of the Person of vvhom the Surgeon had spoke to him vvhere he found a young Man vvell clad vvith his Head bound and lying upon a Bed to take his Rest. He vvas meditating a Complement to excuse his Intruding into his Chamber before he knevv
favour and the esteem of all the Gentlemen of your Company nay Rancour himself did not hate me tho' he has the Reputation amongst you to love no body I shall not waste much time in relating to you all the fine Things which two Persons equally in Love may say to one another as often as they happen to be together you know it well enough by your own Experience I will only tell you that Mistriss Cave suspecting our private Correspondence or rather having certain Proofs of it charg'd her Daughter never to speak to me that her Daughter did not obey her and that having surpriz'd her Writing to me she us'd her so roughly both before People and in private that since that time I found no great difficulty in perswading her to consent to be stollen away I fear not to make this plain Confession to you knowing you to be as Generous as any Man and at least as Amorous as my self Destiny blush'd at these last Words of Leander who went on with his Discourse and told Destiny that he left the Company in order to put his Design in Execution that one of his Fathers Tenants promis'd him to furnish him with a Sum of Money and that he hop'd to receive some at St. Maloes from a Merchants Son his intimate Friend who was lately come to his Estate by the death of his Parents He added that by the assistance of this Friend he hop'd to go easily over into England and from thence to make his Peace with his Father without exposing to his Anger either Mistriss Angelica or her Mother whom in all probability he would prosecute with all the advantage that a Man of Wealth and Quality may take over two poor Players Destinyâ— made Leander sensible that by reason of his Youth and Quality his Father would certainly have Indicted Mrs. Cave for a Rape He did not endeavour to make him forget his Mistriss for he was sensible that Persons in Love are not capable to follow any Counsels but what are suggested by their Passion and are more to be pittied than to be blamed but he highly disapproved his Design of going over into England and represented to him what People might think of two young Strangers in a foreign Country the Hazards and Fatigue of a Sea-voyage the difficulty of being supplied with Money in case he should want and lastly the Attempts to which they would be exposed by Mistriss Angelica's Beauty and the Youth of both Leander did not endeavour to defend a bad Cause He ask'd once more Destiny's Pardon for having conceal'd himself so long from him and Destiny promis'd him to use all the Interest he had with Mistriss Cave to incline her to be favourable to him Moreover he told him that if he was fully resolv'd never to marry any Woman but Mistriss Angelica he ought not to leave their Company adding that in the mean time his Father might die or his Passion abate or perhaps be quite extinguish'd Oh! never never cry'd Leander Well then said Destiny to secure your Mistrisses Heart your best way is never to lose Sight of her Be a Player with us for you are not the only Man that treads the Stage when he could follow a better Employment Write to your Father make him believe you are in the Army and try to get Money from him in the mean time I will converse with you as if you were my own Brother and by that means endeavour to make you forget the indifferent Usage you receiv'd from me whilst I was unacquainted with your Quality and Merit Leander would have thrown himself at his Feet if the violent Pain he felt all over his Body from his Bruises would have let him However he return'd him Thanks in so obliging a manner and made him such hearty Protestations of Friendship that from that moment he had as great an esteem for him as one Gentleman can have for another They Discours'd afterwards which Way they should go in Search of Angelica but a great Noise interrupted their Conversation and caus'd Destiny to go down into the Kitchen where was transacting what you shall hear in the next Chapter CHAP. VI. A bloody Fight at Cuffs The Death of the Inn-keeper and other memorable Occurrences TWO Men one of which was in Black like a Country School-Master and the other in Gray who look'd like a Catch-pole laid hold of one another by the Hair and the Beard and now and then Box'd one another in a most cruel manner Both were indeed what their Habits and their Looks shew'd 'em to be He in Black the School-master of the Town Brother to the Curate and the other in Gray a Bailiff of the same Town and Brother to the Inn-keeper This Inn-keeper was then in a Chamber next to the Kitchen ready to give up the Ghost being Sick of a violent Feaver which so disorder'd his Senses that he broke his Head against the Wall and this Wound join'd to his Distemper brought him so low that when his Frenzy left him he was fain to part with Life which perhaps he regretted less than his ill-gotten Money He had been a long time a Soldier and was at last come home loaden with Years and so light of Honesty that he might be said to have less of it than Money altho' he was extraordinary Poor But because Women are very often catch'd by those very things they ought least to be catch'd by his twisted Hair longer than any Peasants in Town his Cursing and Swearing like a true Son of Mars a bristling Feather which he wore on his Hat upon Holy-days when the Weather was Fair and a rusty long Sword that flap'd against the old Boots he had on altho' he never bestrid a Horse all these I say gain'd him the Heart of an old Woman that kept an Inn. She had been Courted by the richest Tenants in the Country not so much on account of her Beauty as because she got an Estate with her first Husband by exacting upon People and cheating in the Measure both of Wine and Oats yet she couragiously resisted all the Assaults of her Woers but at last an old-beaten Soldier triumph'd over an old Hostess This Tayern-Nymph had the least Face and the biggest Belly of any Woman in Mayne thâ— which Province aboundâ— in Big-bellyed People I leave it to the Naturalists to find out the Reason of it as well as of the Fat of the Capons of that Country To return to this short Big-Woman whom I fancy to see as often asâ— I think on her She married her Warriour without acquainting her Relations with it and having liv'd to a crazy old Age and undergone great Hardships with him she had the Satisfaction to see him Die of a broken Scull which she look'd as a just Judgment upon him for his repeated Attemps of breaking hers When Destiny came into the Kitchen mine Hostess and her Maid helpt the old Curate of the Town to part the Combatants who grappled one another like
arrived at the Tovvn and immediately vvent to the Inn vvhereof there vvas but one in all the Place which they happily found full of Guests and Drunkards Madam Star continued to grunt and feign'd Sickness better by candlelight than she had done before She called for a Bed and lay down thereon in her Cloaths requiring her Guards but to leave her for an Hour only and she did not question but by that time she should be sit to get on Horse-back again They left her and Saldagnes Servants left all other Matters to the management of Vervilles Man who had their Masters Orders For their parts they thought they had no more to do than to make much of themselves and in order thereto struck in with a jolly Company of roaring Boys who were placed round a Table and who pelted one another with Healths as thick as Hail-shot flies from the Mouth of a Demi-Culvetih Vervilles Man would sometimes step in and take his Glass to renew the Fight when there was like to be any Cessation His reason for often slinching was because he had the care of the Lady but the truth on 't was he had a mind to get an opportunity to mount her and Destiny and to send them away which he soon after did by By-roads but therein vaâ—ied from the Stratagem his Master had laid as you may have observ'd before After he had so done he returned to his Drunkards amusing them with flim flam Stories and telling them the Lady was for the present gone to sleep but that she would soon awake and then they would be jogging onwards of their Journey He told them likewise that Destiny was gone into the Stable to look after the Horses but would return presently He then put about the Glass and toasted several Healths all which Saldagnes Men took in Bumpers till at last their Heads grew so heavy that they could not possibly lift them from the Table It was therefore they were fore'd to be carried out and thrown upon a lump of Straw in a Barn for Beds they were not to be suffer'd to lye upon for â—ear they should have spoil'd the Sheets Vervilles Man feign'd himself Drunk likewise but which he really was not by reason he had often baulk'd his Glass In the Morning he waked betimes and going sorrowfully to his Companions in the Barn he told them their Charge was flown but that he had sent his Friend Destiny after her who he hop'd would oâ—ertake and bring her back However he thought it both â—heirs and his Duty to mount immediately and assist in the â—ursuit and therefore bid them to rise instantly and prepare to â—e gone It was at least an Hour before he could make them â—mprehend what he said and I 'll assure you 't was near eight Days after before they were wholly Sober As all the Inn 〈◊〉 Drunk that Night even from the Hostess to the Scullion-Wench no Body took the least notice when Destiny and his dear Star went away and I believe they scarce remembred next Day whether they had seen any such People there or not Whilst Matters passed thus and Vervilles Man pressed his sluggish Companions to be gone Destiny had gained Ground apace with his dear Fellow Traveller not doubting in the least but that his Friend behind had taken care whenever they got out to lead his Pursuers a contrary way The Moon shone out very bright and the Road they had to go was extremely good which led them to a Town whither we will bring them in the following Chapter CHAP. XIII A bad Action committed by the Sieur de la Rappiniere and a farther Account of Madam Star's and Destiny's Travells DEstiny as he rode along had a great desire to know oâ— his dear Star how she came to the Wood where Saldagne seiz'd her but this tho' he would have willingly been satisfied in yet still had he more regard to their safeties and therefore spent all his time in spurring and switching his ownâ— and his Mistresses Beast forwards At length the two Loveâ— had leisure to entertain each other which they did with all the Expressions and Demonstrations of Love and Affection imaginable Then proceeded Madam Star to tell Destiny how many good turns she had done her Mother Mrs. Cave anâ— how extremely she belived she would be Afficted at heâ— Absence As for my part continued she you may well imaginâ— that I had as great need of Consolation as she for assoon as youâ— Valet had brought me a Horse from you and withal acquainted 〈◊〉 that you had found the Ravishers of Angelica but were woundeâ— I I wounded quoth Destiny interrupting her I never we yet no nor in the least danger of being so neither did I ever send 〈◊〉 any Horse There must be some Mystery in this continud 〈◊〉 which I have not comprehended yet I wonder'd indeed what 〈◊〉 you ask me so often how I did and whether the going so fast 〈◊〉 not incomode me but now all 's out You rejoice and 〈◊〉 me at once answer'd Madam Star with this Relation Yâ— Wounds caused me a great deal of disquiet 't is true and now what you tell me enclines me to believe that your Servant has been gain'd over to our Enemies out of some ill design they have projected against us He has rather been debauched reply'd Destiny by some that are too much our Friends I have no profess'd Enemy continued he but Saldagne and it is unlikely that he should have seduced my Servant because I know he beat him at the time that he met with you How came you to know that said Star for I don't remember I ever told it you You shall know reply'd Destiny assoon as ever you have made me acquainted with the manner of your coming from Mans. I can acquaint you with no more quoth Star than what I have told you already The Day after proceeded she that my Mother Mrs. Cave and I came to Mans your Servant brought me a Horse from you and told me with Tears in his Eyes that you had been Wounded by the Ravishers of Angelica and that therefore you desired I would make all the haste I could to you I got on Horseback presently for that purpose altho' it was very late I lay about 5 Leagues from Mans at a place whose name I have forgot and next Day at the entrance of a VVood we were stopt by Persons I did not know I saw your Servant beaten and was extremely concerned at it but could not hinder it I saw likewise a Woman suddenly thrown off from a Horse and whom I afterwards knew to be my Companion but the great fright I was then in joined with the extraordinary concern I had for your safety made me to take little notice of it They mounted me in the place of her they had pulled off We travelled till Night and afterwards having gone a great deal more Ground for the most part cross the Country we arrived at a sort of Gentlemans
hard by which his curiosity enclining him to know the occasion of he spur'd forwards his Horse which if you please shall be 〈◊〉 Barbary Courser and rid to the place whence he thought thâ— Noise came He there discovered a Woman defending her selâ— with all her might against a Man that endeavour'd to binâ— her Hands whilst another Woman at the same time was 〈◊〉 gling with her to stop her Mouth with a piece of Linneâ— The coming of the young Prince prevented all farther 〈◊〉 lence from being offer'd her and occasion'd an in volunâ—â— Truce on the Assualters sides Muley at his first arrival 〈◊〉 manded of the assaulted Woman What made her to 〈…〉 And of the others What they were going to do But 〈◊〉 of an Answer the Man that was the Aggressor stept up to him with his drawn Scymeter and launch'd at him such a terible stroke as would have undoubtedly Wounded him 〈◊〉 dangerously had he not dexterously avoided it by the â—â—â—â—â—ness of his Horse Villain cry'd Muley to him turning 〈◊〉 Horses Head How durst you Assaidt the Prince of Fez I 〈◊〉 not well know you to be he reply'd the Moor but since you happen to be so it is because you are my Prince that I will eithâ— have your Life or loose my own With that he immediately upon him with that fury that the Prince as Valiant as was thought less of Chastizing his Subjects Insolence than defending his own Life The two Women at the same time were at Fisticuffs and she that a Moment before had been almost over-power'd was now become couragious and kept her Adversary from flying hoping that her Champion would get the Victory Despair ever augments Courage and oftentimes gives it to those whose natural Timidity made them uncapable of having it before Altho' the Valour and Conduct of this Prince were incomparably greater than those of his Adversary yet did the self-Conviction of this Moor together with the dread of Punishment so animate his Spirits and direct his Arm that the Combat remained for some time doubtful But at last Heaven that always is ready to protect those it raises above others caused the Princes Attendants to come near that way who being allarum'd at the noise of the Combatants and the cries of the Women immediately rid Post to see what was the matter and arrived just at the time when their Master by a lusty blow had brought his Enemy to the Ground They presently knew their Lord and therefore run with great Fury to have dispatcht his vanquish'd Adversary but the Prince calling out to them bid them to forbear killing him and ordered them only to tie him to a Horses Tail it being his Intentions to have him reserved for a more exemplary Punishment Two of the Horse-men took up the two Women behind them and with this Equipage Muley and his Company return'd to Fez much about Day-break This young Prince commanded in Fez as absolutely as if he had been already King Soon after his arrival he commanded the Moor whose name was Amet and Son to one of the richest Merchants in Fez to be brought before him the two Women were order'd to be brought likewise but they were known to no Body by reason of the Custom of concealing that Sex which is observ'd here stricter than in any other Parts She of the two whom the Prince had reliev'd surpriz'd both him and the Court with her Beauty it being so great that all Africa had not the like to boast of and withall so Majestick that even a Slaves Habit which she wore could not obscure it The other Woman was cloath'd like to those of this Country which are of some Quality and who likewise had Beauty but which could not stand in competition with that of the other and had it been possible the paleness of her Cheeks alone occasion'd by her Fear would have lost her the Victory when the other would have rather received advantage by a guiltless Blush and a fearless Mind The Moor appear'd before Muley with Guilt in his Countenance keeping his Eyes all the while fixt upon the Ground The Prince commanded him to confess his Crime if he would not die in Torments I know those that are prepared for me answered he boldly all which and greater I have deserved yet still had I thought it would have been for my Advantage even the greatest could be inflicted on me would not have been able to have extorted the least Confession from me But since I know that nothing can avail to save my Life seeing I would have been the Instrument of your Death Know great Prince that the qnger I have conceived against my self for not having killed you torments me more than the utmost of Tortures can do As for these two Spanish Women here added he they have both been my Slaves whereof one who knew best how to play her Cards has married my Brother Zaide when the other more obstinate would never yet change her Religion nor except the frequent Proffers of Love which I have made her Here he stopt and would give no farther account either of them or himself notwithstanding the great Meanaces made him This caused Muley to have him immediately thrown into a Dungeon loaded with Irons the Renegado Wife of Zaide was order'd to another Prison But the fair Slave the Prince commanded to be conducted to a Moors House nam'd Zulema a Man of Quality and by birth a Spaniard but who had left that Country because he would not be forced to turn Christian. He was of the illustrious Family of Zegris heretofore so renown'd in Grenada and his Wife Zaraide likewise of the same Lineage was reputed to be the finest Woman whether for Beauty or Wit in all Fez. She was at first charm'd with the Beauty and Conversation of this fair Christian Slave and therefore if she had been capable of being Comforted she might have found sufficient Consolation in her Caresses but on the contrary as if she had forsworn all manner of Comforts she always desired to be alone thereby to give the better vent to her Grief for when she was in Zoraides Company she underwent no small torture by retaining her Sighs and her Tears All this while Prince Muley was very desirous of having an account of her Adventures He had made his Mind already known to Zulema and who being a Person from whom he could conceal nothing he had likewise acquainted him that he had a sort of Love for this fair Christian and which he would before have let her known had not he apprehended from her great Afflictions some unknown Rival in Spain who might be too luckily prepossess'd of her Favour Zulema having receiv'd this hint from his Lord immediately gave Orders to his Wife to get what particulars she could out of this fair Christian concerning her Life but especially how she came to be a Slave to Amet. Zoraide was as desirous as the Prince of knowing these Particulars and therefore was not long before
Translated by help of the divine Roquebrune who had sworn by Apollo and the Nine Muses that in six Months time he would teach her all the Graces and Perfections of the French Tongue Inezilla was so obliging that she did not require much entreaty and therefore while Ragotin was taken up in consulting the Magician Ferdinando she Read the follovving Novel with a most Charming Voice and Judicious Accent CHAP. XIX The Two Rival Brothers a Novel DOrethea and Feliciana de Monsalva were two the most aimable Ladies in all Seville but tho' they had not been such their Fortunes and Quality were so very considerable that those alone had been sufficient to have engag'd any Gentleman to Court them that had Inclinations to be well Married Don Manuel their Father had not yet declar'd himself in favour of any Person and Dorethea who as his eldest Daughter ought to have been first 〈◊〉 had like her Sister so well manag'd her Looks and Actions that the most confident pretenders to her had yet reason sufficient to doubt whether their Addresses would be well or ill received However these fair Sisters never went to Mass without a great crowd of Lovers after them exceeding Sparkishly trick'd up and they never came near the Holy-Water but there were Hands of all sorts and sizes ready to dip with them out of a peculiar kind of Devotion Whenever they happen'd but to lift off their Eyes from their Prayer-Books they immediately became the Center of I know not how many wishful Glances and they could not make the least step in the Church but they had presently abundance of Curtsies to return to the great number of Beaux that bow'd to them on all sides But however troublesom where the Civilities paid to them in Publick the frequent Serenades under their Windows made them considerable amends and rendred that restraint supportable which they were oblig'd to undergo by the Custom of their Country Hardly a Night passed but they were regal'd with some Musick or other and often in the Day time there was running at the Ring and Tilting just under their Windows which look'd towards the Market-place most proper for those Exercises One Day among the rest a Stranger begot the admiration of the Spectators by his wonderful Address beyond the ability of any of the Gentry of the City who was likewise observ'd by the two Sisters to be a very compleat Cavalier Divers Persons of Seville who had been formerly his Acquaintance in Flanders where he commanded a Regiment of Horse invited him to run at the Ring with them which he accoringly perform'd in a Soldiers Habit. Some Days after there happen'd the Consecration of a Bishop at Seville The Stranger who went by the name of Don Sancho de Sylva would needs be at the Ceremony and consequently appeared in the Church together with the greatest Gallants of the City The fair Sisters came thither likewise with many other Ladies disguiz'd after the mode of the Place with Mantles of thick Stuff and Hats with Plumes of Feathers in them Don Sancho by chance had plac'd himself between the two Sisters and another Lady whom he accosted but she desiring him civilly to desist and leave a place next her for a Friend she expected he obey'd her and turned towards Dorothea de Montsalva who sat nearer to him than her Sister and who had observed all that passed betwixt him and the Lady I was in hopes Madam quoth he addressing himself to Dorothea that the Lady here to whom I have just made my Applications would not have refused me her Conversation upon the account of my being a Stranger but she has justly rewarded my presumption in thinking I had any thing tolerable to offer I nevertheless beseech you Madam continued he to shew more Pity and Generosity to a Gentleman who has a mind to experience the Bounty of the Ladies of Seville You give me a much greater cause to treat you ill than you have done this Lady reply'd Dorothea since you offer me only what she had before refus'd but that you may have no real reason to complain of our Ladies of this Country I consent to converse with you as long as this Ceremony lasts to convince you that I have no Assignation to attend That is what does not a little surprize me reply'd Don Sancho being so wonderfully beauteous as you are and which makes me enclinable to believe that either you are very formidable the Gallants of this Town very faint-Hearted or else that the Person whose place I now usurp is absent And do you believe then Sir quoth Dorothea that I am so little skill'd in the Art of Love that I could not refrain from appearing in publick without my Gallant if I had any For the future you would do well not to entertain such unbecoming Opinions of those you are wholly unacquainted with You may be convinc'd Madam reply'd Don Sancho that I have a better Opinion of you than you imagine if you would but allow me to adore you suitable to my Inclinations Our first Motions are always fallacious answered Dorothea and besides there are no small difficulties to be encountered in the performing of what you propound There are none so great reply'd Don Sancho but I would endeavour to surmount them all to gain the Honour of your Esteem That is not the work of a few Days Repartee'd Dorothea you don't consider perhaps Sir that you do but travel through Seville and it may be are ignorant that I should not well like to be belov'd only en passant But grant me Madam what I humbly request reply'd Don Sancho and I will be bound to continue in Seville as long as I live Now you speak like your self Reply'd Dorothea and I cannot but wonder continu'd she that a Person that was able to say so many fine things should not before this have provided himself of a Mistriss to exhaust his Gallantry upon Is it added she that he never yet thought any of them worth his trouble It is rather reply'd Don Sancho our of a distrust he has of his Abilities Answer me precisely Sir continu'd Dorothea to what I shall now demand of you which is this Which among all your Ladies it is that would be soonest able to keep you in Seville were it her request I have told you already Madam reply'd Don Sancho that you might if you so pleased the soonest of any You never saw me before Sir quoth Dovothea therefore pray let some other happy Lady be the Person I must acknowledge then answer'd Don Sancho since you command it of me that had Dorothea de Montsalva as great a stock of Wit as I have discover'd in you I should think that Man happy whose Merit and Services she could Smile upon There are many Ladies in Seville reply'd Dorothea that not only equal but excel her But added she Have you ever yet heard that among all the crowd of her Admirers she ever favour'd one more than another As I
th' unlucky Ragotin lies Who liv'd a Slave to fair Star's Eyes Yet Destiny him of her deprived Which made him strait resolve to float To th' other World without a Boat For needs must where the Devil driv'd For her a Stroller he became And here with Life he ends the same The Actors and Actresses return'd Home to their Lodgings and continu'd their Exercise with their ordinary Applause A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE Third PART Chap. Page I. WHich may serve for an Introduction to the Third Part. 265 II. Where you 'll find Ragotin's Design 268 III. Leander's Project and Harangue together with Ragotin's being admitted among the Strollers 271 IV. Of Leander's departure the Strollers going for Alençon and Ragotin's Misfortune 275 V. What happen'd to the Strollers between Vivain and Alençon together with another Misfortune of Ragotin's 280 VI. Of Saldaigne's Death 286 VII The sequel of Mrs. Caves History 291 VIII The end of Mrs. Caves History 295 IX How Rancour undeceiv'd Ragotin concerning Madam Star together with the arrival of a Coachful of Gentry and some other Comical Adventures of Ragotin's 298 X. The History of the Prior of St. Lewis and the arrival of Monsieur Verville 303 XI Resolutions of Destiny's Marrying with Star and Leander with Angelica 313 XII What happen'd in the Iourney to Fresnaye as likewise another Misfortune of Ragotin's 315 XIII The continuation and conclusion of the Prior of St. Lewis's History 318 XIV Verville's return accompanied by Monsieur de la Garrouffiere The Actors and Actresses Marriages together with an Adventure of Ragotin's 336 XV. The two Iealous Ladies a Novel 341 XVI The Capricious Lady a Novel 346 XVII Ragotin's Despair and Death with the end of the Comical Romance 353 FINIS SCARON's Novels NOVEL I. Avarice Chastis'd OR THE Miser Punished T Is not quite a thousand years ago since a pretty Younker who was full as ambitious as poor and had a greater itch upon him to be thought a Gentleman than a Rational Creature left the Mountains of Navarre and came in company with his Father to find that at Madrid which was not to be got in his own Country I mean wealth and riches that are sooner â—cquired at Court than any other place and indeed are selâ—om acquired there but by importunity and asking He had â—he Credit I cannot inform you how it came about to be â—eceived as a Page by a certain Prince which quality in Spain is not so happy as that of a Lacquey in France and â—ot much more honourable When he first put on his Liveâ—y he was about twelve years old and from that moment might be called the thriftiest Page in the World and the â—east given to spending All his worldly stock not to reckon â—is expectations that were very big consisted in a wretched Bed set up in a Garret which he had hired in that quarâ—er of the Town where his Master lived and there he â—igged every night with his venerable Father who may be said to be rich in Gray hairs because by procuring him the charity of well-disposed persons they helpt to maintain him At last the old Gentleman troop't off at which his unrighteous Son rejoyc'd fancying himself already enriched by that which his Father did not spend From that hour he enjoyn'd himself so severe and strict a sort of life and practis'd so wonderful a frugality that he spent not a farthing of that little money his Master gave him to keep body and soul together It is true he did this at the expence of his Belly which often grumbled at him for it and of all his acquaintance Don Marcos for that was our Hero's name was of a stature below the common pitch and for want of due repairing the decays of his little carcass he became in a short time as slender as a Lath and as dry as a Deal-board When he waited on his Master at Table he never took off a Plate with any Meat in it but he dexterously whipt the best part into his pocket and because it could not so well contain Soops and other liquids he made money of a great number of Torches ends which he had kept together with great industry and bought him a pair of Tin Pockets by the help of which he soon began to perform miracles for the advancement of his fortune Misers are for the most part careful and vigilant and these two good qualities joyn'd to the furious passion which Don Marcos had to become rich made his Master take such a fancy to him that he was resolved never to part with so excellent a Page For this reason he made him wear a Livery till he was thirty years old But at last this Phoenix of a Servant being oblig'd to undergo the Tonsorâ—s hands too often to clear him of his ungodly beard his Master metamorphos'd our Page into a Gentleman and thus made him that which Heaven never design'd him to be And now you must know his revenues were augmented by the addition of several Reals aday but instead of augmenting his expences our Spark shut his purse so much the closer as his new employ one would have thought might have obliged him the more to open it He had heard stories told him of some of his own profession who for want of a Valet would call up your fellows that cry Brandy about the streets in a morning to make their Beds and sweep their Chambers under pretence of buying some of their Liquor and of others who in the winter got themselves undrest at night by your Cryers of gray pease or Link-boys but as this was not to be done without some sort of injustice and our Don Marcos made a conscience of wronging any one but himself he thought it much better to shift as well as he cou'd without a Valet He never burnt an inch of Candle in his Chamber but what he stole and to manage it with more Oeconomy he began to unbutton himself in the Street at the very place where he lighted it put it out as soon as he got to his Lodgings and so tumbled into bed in the dark But still finding that there was a cheaper way of going to bed than this his busie inventing Genius set him upon making a hole in the Wall which divided his Room from that of his neighbour who no sooner lighted his Candle but our Don immediately opened his hole and by that means received light enough to do any thing he had occasion for Being not able to dispense with himself from wearing a Tilter at his Breech by reason of his noble descent which required it of him he clapt a Lath into a Scabboard wore it one day on the right and the next on the left side in order to use his Breeches to some sort of Symmetry and because his trusty Whinyard wou'd wear them out the less being equally divided between the right and the left At break of day he stood at the Street-door begging a Gods name a cup of
fears increased by a great villainous arm which his Companion in bed threw over him drawing nearer 〈◊〉 nearer to him still and pronouncing some inarticulate words as people do when they are asleep and making as if he was going to embrace his Wife Don Pedro was torribly 〈◊〉 and removed this arm that lay heavier on hiâ— thaâ— the greatest burden as gently as he could for fear of awaking him and when he had done this with all theâ— recaution oâ— one in that danger he crept to the Bed-side with 〈◊〉 his body out of the bed so that he had like to have 〈◊〉 upâ—n the floor cursing his Stars and his own folly for exposing himself to such dangers to serve the passion of two indiscreet Lovers He had scarce begun to breathe a little when his troublesome Bed-fellow laid his Leg over his and this last action as well as the former had like to have made him dye with fear In short the one still drawing nearer and the other getting off as far as he cou'd the day appear'd just at the time when the unfortunate Don Pedro was no longer able to keep his ground against a man who still drove him farther He arose as softly as might be and went to open the door which he found lock'd a greater misfortune than any had yet befallen him As he was endeavouring in vain to open it it flew open all on the sudden and had like to have broke his Nose Virginia came boldly into the Chamber and ask'd him aloud Whither he was going in such haste Don Pedro conjur'd her in a low voice not to make such a noise and ask'd her whether she had not lost her sences to venture the waking of her Husband thus and desir'd her to let him go How go says the Lady aloud to him I am resolv'd my Husband shall see whom he has lain with to night that he may know what his jealousâ—e has brought him to and what I am capable of doing When she had said this as bold as a Lyoness she took Don Pedro by the arm who was so confounded that he had not strength enough to get loose from her open'd the Window-Shutters without quitting her hold and pulling him to the Bed-side drew the Curtains and cry'd out aloud See jealâ—us master of mine see whom you have lain with to night Don Pedro turnâ—d his eyes towards the terrible Bed and instead of an ugly fellow with a beard he beheld his charming Violanta who had lain by his side all night and not the jealous Husband of Virginia who had gone into the Country about eight days before The two pretty Cousins pelted him with their raillery never did man of wit make so lame â— defence or say so little for himself Violanta who was naturally gay and rally'd with a grace had like to have made her Cousin dye with laughing when she pleasantly exaggerated to her what bodily fears she put poor Don Pedro in as often as she made as if she were awake and drew nearer to him It was a long time before Don Pedro couâ—d recover out of this confusion and set his countenance in order At last Virginia took compassion of him and left him alone with her Cousin with whom we may suppose he had affairs of great importance to settle because he was shut up with her till noon From this happy hour all the while the Husband stay'd in the Country the two Gentlemen-Cousins and the two Gentlewomen-Cousins met frequently together and made the best use of their time When the Husband came to Town again Rodrigo was the less happy of the two for Don Pedro by the charitable assistance of the Servants whom his presents had brought over to his side made a shift for two or three months to pass most of the nights with Violanta who was mistress of her own actions and ever since the marriage of her Cousin lodgâ—d in a separate building which had a door into another street He became so passionately in love with her that he earnestly desir'd to marry her but whenever he made any such proposal to her she turn'd off the discourse so dexterously that he cou'd not positively tell whether she did it out of design or because she did not listen to him In short as there is nothing permanent in this transitory world Violanta began to slacken in her passion and grew cold by little and little so that Don Pedro cou'd not forbear to complain of it and not knowing how to account for this alteration otherwise accusâ—d her of infidelity and reproach'd her with having some other Gallant more happy than himself Instead of mending matters by this procedure he utterly ruin'd them and made himself so insupportable to Violanta that she not only refus'd to see him a nights but likewise to admit his visits in the day time This treatment did not in the least discourage him he gain'd by vertue of his Money one of her Maids who was so treacherous as to inform him that her Mistress was passionately in love with her Cousin's Brother-in-law who had just left the Colledge that he was a very handsome youth and no less in love with Violanta than Violanta was with him To compleat her perfidious treachery this ill-condition'd Devil advis'd him to pretend himself sick to acquaint her Mistress with his illness and complain of her for being the cause of it which was likely enough and in short to fâ—ign it so well that her Mistress that had no aversion to pleasure She inform'd herself particularly of the Gallantry of Naples desir'd to know whether the women there were allow'd any â—iberty and whether the Italian Gallants carry'd on their amours as bravely as those of Spain At last Don Pedro confirm'd himself by the questions she put to him that if she did not go to the bottom of an Intrigue 't was not for want of good will She made him dine with her to the mutual satisfaction of both Our Granada Adventurer wou'd have taken his leave of her after dinner but she wou'd not suffer it and told him that since the Duke her Husband wouâ—d not come home that day she desir'd him to be her Guest adding obligingly that persâ—ns of merit were very rare in Catalonia and therefore when she had the happiness to meet them no wonder she coveted to enjoy their conversation as long as she cou'd She led him into a large Closet very cool and refreshing adorn'd with fine Pictures China and other rich furniture It wanted not since we are oblig'd to be particular a noble Alcove embroider'd Cushions and a convenient Couch with a rich Sattin Quilt thrown over it Here our Traveller recounted to her all his adventures â—at Granada Sevil and Madrid together with those of Italy which are not as yet arriv'd to my knowledge The Dutchess listned very attentively to them at last he told her that he was resolv'd to marry if he cou'd find a woman fool enough from whom he should have no
worthy Gentleman spent himself in these vain contemplations or if you please in these Poetical follies which by the by are of greater importance than any other and ought not to be us'd every day in the week his Servants who knew not what was become of him after they had look'd for him a pretty while at last found him and brought him home He return'd to his Brother's House very much concern'd at his late adventure and unless I am mistaken I have heard some people say that he went supperless to bed Some Criticks perhaps will tell me that I have left my Reader too long in suspence who without question is impatient to know by what strange Inchantment Helen and Mendez came to disappear to the amorous Don Sancho But let him have patience and I will soon inform him Montafar was at first pleas'd with that piece of justice he had done upon the two Fugitives but no sooner did the heat of his revenge begin to cool but love inflam'd him and represented Helen to his thoughts infinitely more charming than he had ever seen her He consider'd with himself that the prize he had taken from her would be soon spent whereas her Beauty was a certain revenue to him so long as he kept well with her whose absence was already become insupportable to him So he came back the same way he went and with those individual barbarous hands that had so rigorously bound the two Dames to the Trees and afterwards had so unmercifully lash'd them he broke their Chains that is to say he either cut or unty'd their Cords for Historians differ and set them at liberty at the same time when Don Sancho was employ'd not far off to reconcile his drunken Companions that were in a fair way to cut one anothers throats Montafar Helen and Mendez shook hands upon the road and after they had mutually promis'd to forget all that was pasâ— embrac'd with as much tenderness as if nothing had happen'd doing just as your'great persons do who neither hate nor love but accommodate these two contrary Passions to their Interest and the present state of their affairs They deliberated which way to take and 't was agreed Neminâ— Contradicente that it was by no means adviseable for them to go to Burgos where they would be in danger of having their quarters beaten up by the Toledo Cavalier Therefore they pitch'd upon Sevil to be the place of their retreat and Fortune seem'd to approve their design for coming into the Madrid road they met a Muleteer with three empty Mules who agreed to carry them to Sevil at the very first proposal that Montafar made him He took care to regale our Damsels upon the road to make them forget the ill treatment they had receiv'd from his hands At first they could hardly bring themselves to trust him and had resolv'd to be reveng'd on him the first opportunity that presented it self but at last rather for reasons of State than any principle of charity they became better Friends than ever They consider'd that discord had ruin'd the greatest Empires and believ'd that they were in all probability born for one another They did not think fit to give any specimen of their Profession upon the road to Sevil for as their design in shifting their Country was only to get at a distance from those that might pursue them they were afraid of bringing themselves into new trouble which might hinder them from going to Sevil where they had great designs to put in execution They alighted within a league of the City and having satisfy'd the Muleteer got thither about the dusk of the Evening and took up their Lodging at the first Inn they found Montafar hired a House furnish'd it with very ordinary Furniture and dress'd himself all in black with a Cassock and a long Cloak of the same colour Helen took the Habit of a Religious Sister that had devoted herself to works of Piety Mendez went dress'd like a Saint valuing herself upon her hoary locks and a huge monstrous Chaplet each Bead of which was big enough to load a Demi-culverin The very next day after their arrival Montafar shew'd himself in the Streets apparell'd as I have already describ'd him marching with his Arms across and looking on the ground when he met any Women He cry'd out with a shrill voice that was enough to have rent a Rock blessed be the holy Sacrament of the Altar and the thrice happy Conception of the Immaculate Virgin and utter'd many more devout Exclamations with the same everlasting Lungs of leather He made the Children whom he met in the street repeat the same words and assembl'd them sometimes together to teach them to sing Hymns and Songs of Devotion and instruct them in their Catechism He repair'd to the Goals and preach'd before the Prisoners comforting some and relieving others begging Victuals and other Provisions for them and frequently walking to the Prison with a heavy Basket upon his back O detestable Villain thou wanted'st nothing but to set up for a Hypocrite to be the most profligate accomplish'd Rascal in the Universe These actions of Virtue in a fellow that was the least virtuous of all Mankind gave him in a little time the reputation of a Saint Helen and Mendez likewise did all that in them lay to deserve Cononization The one call'd herself the Mother the other the Sister of the thrice blessed Friar Martin They went every day to the Hospitals and there they assisted the sick made their Beds wash'd their Linnen and did all this at their own expence By these means the most vicious people of all Spain obtain'd the universal admiration of all Sevil. About this time a Gentleman of Madrid happen'd to come thither about some private Affairs He had formerly been one of Helen's Lovers for women of her character have more than one string to their bow He knew Mendez to be a notorious Cheat and Montafar to be no better One day as they came out of the Church together encompass'd by a great number of persons who kiss'd their very garments and conjur'd them to remember them in their prayers they were known by the aforesaid Gentleman who burning with a Christian zeal and not able to suffer three such notorious Impostors to abuse the credulity of a whole City broke through the Crowd and giving a hearty box on the ear to Montafar You wicked Cheats cry'd he to them do you neither fear God nor man He wou'd have said more but his good intention which in truth was somewhat of the rashest had not the success it deserv'd All the people fell upon him whom they believ'd to have committed Sacriledge in offering this violence to their Saint He was beaten down to the ground and had certainly been torn to pieces by the Mob if Montafar by a wonderful presence of mind had not undertaken his protection covering him with his body keeping off those that were most enrag'd against him and exposing
herself against so many noble qualities nor was she willing to be any longer in his debt after she had received so many obligations from him In short she marry'd him Both Court and City approved her choice and that she might not have any reason to repent of it not long after it so happen'd that the King of Spain bestowed a Commandery of St Iago upon Don Garcias And before that happen'd it so happen'd that our Bridegroom convinc'd Eugenia the first night of his bedding her that he was another sort of a man than Don Sancho and she found in him what she had not found in the Portuguese Andrada They had abundance of Children because they took abundance of pains to get them and the people of Spain to this day tell their History which I have given you here for a true one as it was given me NOVEL V. The Generous Lover OR The Man of Deeds and not of Words UNder a King of Naples whose name I cannot tell however I suppose it might be Alphonso Leonard de St Severin Prince of Tarento was one of the greatest Lords of his Kingdom and one of the most celebrated Generals of his time He died and left the Principality of Tarento to his Daughter Mathilda a young Princess about seventeen years old as beautiful as an Angel and as good condition'd as she was beautiful but so extremely good condition'd that those that did not know she had an infinite deal of wit would have been apt to call it in question Her Father long before his death had promis'd her in marriage to Prosper Prince of Salerno This latter was a man of a haughty disagreeable temper and the sweet and gentle Mathilda by virtue of being long accustomed to bear with him was so well prepared to love and fear him that never did Slave depend more upon the imperious will of his Master than this young Princess did upon that of old Prosper I think a man at the age of forty-five may very well be call'd old when he is mention'd with one so young as Mathilda Her affection to this superannuated Lover may be said to proceed rather from custom than inclination and was as sincere as his was interressed Not but that he was as fond of her too as 't was as possible for him to be and this was no more than what any man would have done as well as himself for indeed she was all amiable but 't was not in the nature of the beast I beg his pardon but 't is out to love very much and he rather esteem'd a Mistress for her dirty acres and unrighteous Mammon than for her merit and beauty The truth is he made love but awkwardly however he was so happy or to express my self more properly she was so easy to be pleased that altho he did not pay her half the respect and complaisance which one might expect from a generous Lover yet for all that he was absolute master of her heart and had brought her to such a pass as to submit to all his ill conditions He found fault with all her actions and plagued her incessantly with those musty advices that old men in their great wisdom so often inculcate to the young and the other so little care for In short he would have been a greater thorn in her side than a peevish malicious Governante if he could have found out any faults in her conduct It is true that when he was in a good humour he would tell her stories of the old Court play on his Guitarre and dance a Saraband before her I have already told you his age but to go on with his Character He was spruce in his Person and Cloaths curious in his Pertiwigs an infallible sign that his hair was none of the best he took mighty care of his Teeth tho time began to play tricks with them he valued himself upon his Lilly-white hands and suffer'd the Nail of his left little Finger to grow to a prodigious length by the same token he thought it one of the prettiest sights in the world He was nice to admiration in his Feathers and Ribbonds punctually twisted up his Mustachio's every night was always perfum'd and always carry'd some tid bit in his pocket to eat and some Verses to read As for himself he was an execrable versifyer was a walking Magazine of all the new Songs play'd upon most Instruments perform'd his Exercises with a grace but his chief Talent was Dancing He lov'd the wits that ask'd him nothing had perform'd some actions in his time that were brave and some that were otherwise and as one might say he had two Buzzards to one Hawk or if you please two Blanks to one Benefit In short I may properly apply to him a burlesque Song of my own making the latter part of which is almost worn into a Proverb SONG HEre lies a sine wight That cou'd sing you at sight And dance like a sprite And verses indite And bravely recite What 's more he cou'd fight I swear by this light Like Fury or Knight He knew what was what Cou'd gallop and trot And toss off his Pot And swear at the Shot Yet with all he had got It was the hard lot Of this boaster God wot To be a damn'd sot With all these fine qualities one of the loveliest Princesses in the world was desperately in love with him 'T is true indeed she was but seventeen years old but our Noble Prince of Salermo did not stand much upon that There is no doubt but the Princess Mathilda being so rich and beautiful as she was would have had a hundred Gallants more if it had not been universally believed in Naples that her Marriage with Prosper was as good as concluded in her Father's time or if that Prince's quality had not discouraged other pretenders who tho they wanted his Title were men of fortune and birth good enough to be his Rivals Thus the greatest part of these Lovers either govern'd by a principle of fear or discretion were content to sigh for her in private without daring to speak Hippolito was the only man that had the courage to own himself in publick the Rival of Prosper and the respective Lover of Mathilda He was descended from one of the best Families in Spain and came in a direct line from the great Ruis Lopezâ—dâ— Avalos Constable of Castile who was so remarkable an instance of the inconstancy of fortune since from the richest and most powerful Grandee of his own Country he was turned out of it poor and miserable forced to borrow money of his Friends and fly to the King of Arragon who took him into his own protection and gave him a fortune sufficient at Naples to support him according to his quality This Hippolito was one of the most accomplish'd Cavaliers of his time His valour had gain'd him reputation in several parts of Europe and all the world own'd him to be a man of the nicest honour As I
Muskets against them some cry'd out Who goes there Others Who are you for Others Knock them down and lastly some more Conscientious Who are ye Hippolito could not answer so many Questions at once and these ill-bred Clowns made such a confounded noise that there was no hearing of him At last an old Man of a tolerable good aspect who afterwards discover'd that he commanded these formidable Hero's for then every Man set up for himself partly by speaking out a loud to them which set him a coughing like an Alderman at Church and partly by the Rhetorick of a good Oaken â—â—dgel made a shift to compose the mutiny He asked Hippolito peaceably and civilly who he was and what business he had in so Solitary a place so remote from the great Road. Hippolito told him that he was a Cavalier of Naples and that he had lost his way to Ancona He then asked the old Spark what business brought so many People together who inform'd him that some Corsairs of Barbary had â—anded a great number of Soldiers that had pillaged some places near the Sea and finding none to oppose them and â—â—ovetous of a greater Booty were so Foolhardy as to March higher into the Country He added that most of these Men whom he saw Arm'd were Robb'd and that they resolv'd under his Conduct to wait the coming of the Enemy and fight them as they came back with their Slaves and the Plunder of a Neighbouring Village which in all probability they were gone to Attack that 't was impossible for the Moors to escape them there being no other way for them to get back to the Sea again but this and that it was not so much the loss of their Goods that had encouraged these Peasants to attempt so bold a design as that of their Wives and Children Hippolito offer'd to venture his Life in their Quarrel and they took him at his Word The old Man gave him the Command of them which he accepted to the great Satisfaction and Joy of our Boors who promis'd themselves mighty matters from Hippolito's Military Phiz Four of the likeliest among them of which the old Fellow was one were mounted upon the four Horses which the provident Fulvio had brought with him from the Inn. Hippolito divided his Men into three Parties He posted one among the Rocks where they cou'd not be seen by the Enemy with orders not to fight them before they came up to them He posted the second in a narrow Passage that led towards the Sea to hinder the Infidels from getting back to their Ships and he placed himself with his Men on Horseback at the Head of the third encouraging them to behave themselves bravely and fall in with the Enemy to make their Arrows uneffectual He had scarce given these Orders and Posted his Men when the Enemy appear'd to the number of a Hundred and Fifty Men. They drove several Horses before their Main-Body laden with Booty and the Women and Children they had made their Slaves Being old experienc'd Soldiers they were not at all discourag'd to see Hippolito and his Troop march towards them or perhaps they despised so small a number I will not trouble my self to set down the particulars of this noble Battle between the Moorish Corsairs and our Peasants altho' Hippolito did abundance of Gallant Actions there which deserve to be remembred I will only tell you that his Orders were well Executed that the Arrows of the Moors did them little or no harm because they fell in with them so Gallantâ—y that he began their overthrow with the Death of their Captain and concluded it by that of their stouâ—est Men. Our Peasants when they were once blooded put all the Moors to the Sword whether they cry'd out Quarter or no notwithstanding all the endeavours Hippolito used to prevent this Massacre The Dead were lamenâ—ed as much as the common Joy would give them leave and the Wounded bound up their Wounds Hippolito received a thousand Commendations and as many Thanks from these poor People who believed they should not have got the better if it had not been for him They offered him the best part of the Booty they recover'd from the Enemy which be refus'd as likewise to go and make Merry with them after the Victory when Fulvio brought two Women before him in the Habit of Pilgrims one of whom had no sooner taken off a great Hat which hid her Face but he knew her to be Mathilda He alighted or rather he leapt from his Horse to throw himself at the Feet of this Princess who embrac'd him with all the marks of Tenderness that shew'd nothing of that disobliging Treatment which the Tyranny of the Prince of Salerno had oblig'd her formerly to shew to Hippolito This faithful Lover wanted Expressions to tell Mathilda how glad he was to see her never did his Eloquence leave him so in the lurch never did he so strain to declare his Thoughts and at the same time Murder them In short he did not know what he did so great was the disorder of his Mind He was uncertain for some time whether he should inform Mathilda of the pains he had been at to find her so much did his excessive Modesty keep him from valuing himself upon his Services However he gave her at last a true recital of his Adventures ever since he had left Naples for her sake and forgot not to acquaint her with what happened to him â—n the Inn where as he fancied he had heard her Voice Mathilda gave him abundance of Thanks for these last Obligations she had to him adding that she looked upon herself to owe both her Life and Honour to him since the defeat of the Moors was entirely owing to his Bravery and Conduct She own'd to him that it was she who was in the next Chamber to him at the Inn promised to inform him by what accident she was carried thither and in short to give him her whole History when she had a convenient time and place The other Pilgrim that accompanied Mathilda was one of her Chamber-Maids called Iulia who was the only Servant that had Fidelity enough to follow the same Fortune with her Mistriss and bear a part in all her Afflictions 'T is very probable that Fulvio and she were â—â—lad to see one another and for my part I am apt to believe that they said abundance of fine things and displayed their Subaltern Eloquence if I may so express my self very plentifully upon this occasion Our Victorious Peasants that observ'd with what concern Hippolito and Mathilda received one another redoubled their courteous offers to Hippolito who made no difficulty to accept them for the Princess's sake Among the rest the old Man who as I have already taken notice led the Peasants on to Battel before Hippolito came to them begg'd of him and Mathilda that they would do him the Honour to take a sorry Lodging at his House which they accepted He sent one of his
Hearts of Stone And cannot hope to find Repose Till Death my wearied Eyes do's close Why should my barb'rous Stars delight On me to shed their restless Spight 'T is plain I suffer for the Crime Of trespassing in wicked Rhime To make you amends for this Melancholy Letter wherein I was forced in spight of my Teeth to unbosom my self to you I send you six new Stanza's which I have added to my Baroncide The Novel call'd the Spanish Paralitic which was trump'd up against me to out-do what I had done of that Nature as far as I can find has done me no Harm but made the Author ridiculous Spanish Grammars did not sell for 50000 Livres as you sent me word but they did not come much short of it However that Tongue was never so corrupted in this World as it has been of late years in Paris I am exceedingly obliged to you for the Trouble you gave your self to procure me the Spanish Plays and remain c. LETTER XX. To the same Aug. 1. Sir IT vexes me that at the very time when you tell me I might divert his Highness I cannot write to you with that Gayety as I would and that my Hand rebells against my Inclinations for to my sorrow I have been plagu'd with a cruel Fit of the Gout for this Month last past as well as his Highness as if I had not had Miseries enough before to torment me All I can do under this new Indisposition and those other Calamities my ill Fortune persecutes me with tho' I say it without Boasting is that I swear as heroically and with as good a Grace as any Man in France and I humbly conceive that if his Highness wou'd now and then condescend like other frail Mortals to swear a little he wou'd find some Relief and Benefit by it I wou'd by no means advise him to lay it on so plentifully as I do but if his Highness would sometimes stumble upon an Oath or so without any Wicked Intention but only to expectorate himself I fansie it would not be amiss For my part I am sometimes so very mad that if all the Furies in Hell came to fetch me away I believe in my Conscience I should almost go and meet them half-way This is the second Melancholy Letter I have plagu'd you with If his Highness were as well acquainted with the nonsensical Stuff of our witty Coxcombs as he is with Military Affairs and every thing else that happens in the World it would be some Diversion to him to read this Letter Madamoiselle de l' Enclos who supt last Night with d'Elbene and my self told me she wou'd write to his Highness to Day◠I sent to compliment Monsieur de Rochefort at the Hostel d'Estrée but he took no notice of it but 't is ten to one I shall be even with the Gentleman e're long and quit Scores with him at Paris My Letter is of the shortest as well as yours was but next Friday I will take care to make you amends Adieu LETTER XXI To the same May 8th Sir YOU oblige me in the most sensible Part when you write to me I have no other Comfort in this World but my generous Friends and when you are pleased to assure me that you are still one of that Number you rejoice me infiniteély more than the General Peace will do This Comparison at first Sight I suppose will appear weak to you and indeed I must needs own that the Affairs of Europe may change a hundred times and still for the better whereas mine are in no likelihood of mending But I have a wonderful Desire to see your Prince once more in France if it were for no other Reason but because France has had a very ill hand at Princes this year altho' she has more of them than ever and perhaps the succeeding years will be no better than the former as likewise to embrace my fat my plump my jolly M for I make no question but that the Flemish Double Beer has improv'd his Shape to a Miracle But is it possible that the Great Conde should know I am still in the World My Friend Guenault told me that he saw the Second Part of my Comical Romance lie upon his Table which has made me as proud as Lucifer These Furious Devils call'd Hero's wou'd be worth their weight in Gold wou'd they but stoop so low as to have a little Love for us poor Mortals who love them exceedingly As for yours one would swear that a Hundred Hero's at least went to the making of him since he has put our invincible Troops so often to the scamper It may truly be said of him that if he was a great Prophet in his own Country which the Scripture tells us no Man ever was he was a greater in a Foreign Country If he takes the Trouble to cast his Eye upon the Five Letters I have sent you pray let me know what he says of them The Melancholy Letter comes just now from me piping hot the rest were written last year I will shortly send you a Sketch or Essay that has something of the Spirit of Satyr in it 't is my Misfortune that 't is writ upon a Rascal who is not known enough in the World In short 't is a Son of a Whore of an Extortioner that owes me Six hundred Pistols and refuses to pay me But to drop this Villain I will tell you after what Manner the Third Volume of my Comical Romance begins There were not as yet any Iilting Females in the World and these Jansenists of Love had not as yet began to despise Mankind Our Ears were not as yet persecuted with Life of Life Angelick Fair and Charming Goddess when the little Ragotin c. Well Old Tost and how dost thou pass thy time Tell me Bully Rock art thou still strong and Iusty Are the Bona Roba's kind and will they venture a Broad-side with one Adieu thou everlasting Devourer of Tarts thou Ocean of Custards and Walking Quagmire of Butter When the gallant Persan comes to Paris 't will be his Fault if we don't drink t'other Pot of Tea in my little Room Pray give my humble Service to him and make a Compliment in my Name to those worthy Gentlemen Bouteville and Rochefort Take care in good time to inform the pretty Lady who you say is fall'n in love with me that for the Punishment of my Sins my Person is become so hideous and terrible that here in Paris they forbid Big-bellied Women to come near me To conclude I must conjure you still to love me by your Long and Strong I will not say but such as Providence has given it you Lazarillo de Tormes LETTER XXII To the Mareschal d'Albret Aug. 20. My Lord YOU may conclude we have little News stirring here when I am reduced to so low an ebb as to tell you that Boncaur and Charleval are in Normandy and that Madam de Martel and her Daughter came yesterday to
me that to Paint yet the Portraits which her Highness has made would wholly discourage me from attempting any thing of this nature They are as far as I am able to judge the finest that were ever drawn and our Wits would have reason to complain of this Princess for robbing them of the Glory of Writing well if she did not make them sufficient amends by the Honour she does them to be of their Profession A good Character is a much harder Performance than one would imagine A Man ought to be very well acquainted with his Subject before he presumes to describe it but as far as I can see we scarce know any thing well but our selves and some of our intimate Friends Now I will appeal to you whether a Man of Breeding can commend himself without a great deal of Vanity and on the other hand is he oblig'd to lay open his blind-side to others as he would to his Confessor In like manner Can a Man praise his Friends without tiring them or expose their Defects without offending them There are no less inconveniences in praising those Persons that are indifferent to us For as a Portrait ought to be of a known Subjectâ— and a Man has no other way of making himself known but by his Quality and Merit we run the risk of Disobliging those whom we ought to Respect and Esteem if we don't give them the Praises they deserve We are taken for impertinent Fools if we bestow false Commendations upon them and let us manage the Panegyrick as nicely as we can yet nothing in my Opinion is more fulsome and tedious either for him that receives it or for him that gives it or for those that hear it Besides these general Reasons which have made me take up a Resolution not to draw any Characters I have some peculiar to my self which I don't doubt but you 'll allow An unhappy Wretch as I am that never stirs out of his Chamber can have no Knowledge either of Men or Things but by second hand from others and you 'll agree with me that this is a great disadvantage to a Painter who ought to have his Imagiâ—tion full of a great number of Idea's that are only to be had in Conversation and seeing the World For my part I find to my great Mortification that a Man grows rusty at long-run in a Chamber as well as in the Country and I am no less satisfy'd that he ought to have as great a stock of Wit and Judgmentâ— as the Princess has to be able to draw a Character well and to be of the same Quality with her to be able to Praise and Blame without incurring Censure I am Sir Your most humble c. Scarron LET. XLVII To the Duke of Elboeuf I Know well enough what I owe to one of your Grace's Dignity and will never abuse it but 't is almost impossible for me to write to you without trembling and to preserve my cheerful Temper in a Letter which is to begin with a May it please your Grace written in huge Gigantick Letters and the rest following it at half a Yard distance at least Be not displeas'd that I take this opportunity to send you a thousand Thanks for doing me the Honour to think of me now and then for all the Pies you have presented me with and particularly for the last which I just now receiv'd We shall open it to Morrow with more Pomp and Solemnity than Lawyers do the Term there will be the Messieurs de Vivonne de Mata d'Elbene de Chastillon and my self We will drink your Health most magnificently and the Honour of your Remembrance shall fully comfort me for the absence of Madam Scaron whom Madam de Montâ— chevreuil has carried away from me I am mightily afraid lest that Debauch'd Lady should make the Wife of my Bosom take a fancy to Wine and Women and perfectly spoil her before she sends me her home again As for you my Lord let me advise you not to squander away all your Radical Moisture among the Nymphs of Picardy but keep a little to comfort the poor Damsels of Paris on questo I am of all your most humble and most obedient Servants the most dutiful and most zealous Scarron LET. XLVIII To Mons. de Villette Nov. 12. 1659. Sir I Was not in a condition to send you an Answer sooner by reason of a great Defluxion in one of my Eyes Since that time you have written to Madam Scarron and likewise to Mons. de Nossac Your two Letters are admirable in their kind and deserve to be learnt by heart A Person of very good Sense to whom you are no Stranger told me when he read them that he was confident you were in very good Health and that your Affairs went well in the World since you were able to write two such diverting Letters As for me if I did not know that you writ both of them with all the ease imaginable I would say of your fine Compositions in Prose wherein you carry the Prize what the aforesaid Mons. d'Elbene said very pleasantly some time ago of those People that are always aiming to speak witty things in Company That in truth a Man got a great deal of Credit by always speaking fine things but that by straining to do so he put himself to a great Expence and that he had made it his observation that such Gentlemen did not live long May Heaven of its infinite Goodness still preserve you in this secundity of Wit and indefatigability of Hand and may I Fifty years hence be entertain'd with your happy Productions But this only by the by Madam Scarron is very unhappy that she has not a Coach and Six and a fine Equipage to go up and down where she pleases when so great a Happiness is offer'd her as that of being invited to Brouage by Mademoiselle de Manchini Tyber's rich Present and the Pride of France I hope she 'll make her self amends for so great a Loss so soon as the Court returns to Paris and that then she 'll have the Honour of being known to that incomparable Roman Lady and have some share in her Friendship As for me I would offer her my Incense for you know that we Poets must always have some Divinity to bestow it upon but I no less distrust the Merit of my Present than I am persuaded that no Person in the World deserves the richest Figures of our Poets better than she and you know well enough that our Merchandize is slighted when 't is given before 't is call'd for Paris is as empty as your Brouage is full tho' I am scarce sensible of it in my little Habitation here for Company so crowds upon us that I have order'd my Servants to tell all the Princes Dukes and Officers of the Crown that enquire for me daily that I receive no Visits This makes People very ambitious to be admitted into our little Society and there is furious canvasing for it