Friend procure me one Meeting more and you shall see what Esteem I have for her He seem'd more calm at these Words and withdrew promising he would endeavour to persuade her to return I waited Two Hours but instead of either in came the Curtezan who ask'd me in Italian How now Signior Don John what ails you to Day that your Mistress is not so well satisfied with you as she uses to be With this she look'd earnestly at me and seem'd very much surpriz'd I inquir'd into the Reason of it and why she call'd me Don Iohn She would not satisfie me then but told me The next Time I came thither I should know farther This was all I could get from her so I left her My first Care when I came home was to lay up my Mony and Jewels but I found neither The only Person I could tax with stealing them was the Lady I had been with for no Body else had come near enough to me to pick my Pocket and this gave me very ill Thoughts of her I remembred there was one Don Iohn a Spaniard who liv'd then in Venice and I concluded the Curtezan had mistaken me for him and that my Mistress us'd to entertain him in that Place The very next Morning I went to the Curtezan's to be resolv'd who told me more than I was willing to hear For I understood this Lady for whose sake I had so highly disoblig'd my Brother and my self was us'd to this pretty Trade and had for Six Months Time kept a Correspondence with this young Spaniard While I was meditating on my Revenge I received a Letter from my Brother wherein he acquainted me That he had notice what Life I led at Venice and how I had been made a Cully both by the Brother and Sister but he advised me to pass it over and leave that City as speedily as possible Imagining his Friend was the only Person that could have sent this Intelligence I went to him telling him It had been much kinder to have given me Warning of my dangerous Acquaintance than to have informed my Brother He was loath to own it but at last imbracing me What could I have done dear Friend said he You was so bewitch'd that if I had attempted to undeceive you I should not have been credited It was with much difficulty that I forgave him but seeing there was no Remedy I told him That I was resolv'd to have my Mony again or to cut the Villain 's Throat who had thus bubbled me Tho' this Gentleman was exiled from his Native Country for a Duel yet that Misfortune did not deter him from venturing on another but he freely offer'd me his Service So I sent the Rogue a Challenge which he slighted Mad at such Cowardice I resolv'd to provoke him to Fight whether he would or no and having pitch'd on a Day to attack him I put on my former Spanish Disguise and caused my Second and all our Attendance to be equipp'd in the same Fashion Thus we waited for him in a certain Street through which he was to pass When he came I bid him Draw but he refusing it I gave him Two or Three Blows over the Face with the flat side of my Sword by which being oblig'd to defend himself he did it but so faintly that he received a home Thrust and dropp'd down We had the good luck tho' this was done in the open Street to escape to a Gondalo which lay ready for us and carry'd us to a Vessel we had prepar'd To compleat my Revenge I left a Letter for the Lady's Father pretending my self a Friend of Don Iohn's and that on my arrival at Venice I had discover'd an Intriegue between that young Lord and his Daughter which was chiefly promoted by her Brother and gave him a full Narrative of the Proceeding concluding that Don Iohn having been affronted by his Son I was resolved to maintain my Friend's Quarrel so that if any thing happen'd amiss in his Family he need look no farther for the procurer of his Misfortune The Nobleman having received this Advice Informations were prefer'd against Don Iohn for all those who had been Witnesses of the Rencounter agreed the Assaulter was a Spaniard who had immediately made his Escape with several Persons of the same Nation which confirmed the Contents of my Letter We heard at Padua the good Success of our Enterprize for the Lady's Brother dyed without being able to speak Don Iohn affraid of the Informations exhibited against him was fled for it and every one was fully persuaded that he had killed him The Pleasure this News afforded me was some Consolation for the Loss of my Mony and the Tricks which they had put upon me but I now resolved more firmly than ever to avoid Womankind My Brother's Friend who had accompany'd me to Padua not daring to return into France nor thinking it safe for him to go back to Venice ask'd my Advice about a Journey he designed for Poland which I encouraged for my own Advantage in having a Friend there who might inform me of my Children's Condition and the Posture of Affairs in that Kingdom I knew that King Ladislaus was desperately ill It was the current Report That he was dead and that the Queen would espouse Prince Casimir Brother to the deceased King and I doubted not but her Majesty would shew my Friend all possible Favour It being then the latter End of May and the Campaign something advanc'd in Flanders I thought I should get no credit by going there so late and therefore resolv'd to get into Naples in hopes to find Opportunities of signalizing my self under the Command of the Duke de Guise who had render'd himself Master of that City which made no little Noise in Italy I wrote to my Brother to acquaint him with my Intentions and keeping my Spanish Habit I set forwards for Naples thinking that Disguise might facilitate my Entrance but I arrived there a Month after the Duke's Imprisonment so ill had I been informed of those Transactions I heard he was confin'd at Gayetta in order to be transported to Spain and thought it my Duty to offer him my Service in consideration of the Interest all our Family had with him especially my Brother It was certainly my ill Genius led me thither for this occasion'd my engaging into a fresh Amour which prov'd as Troublesome and vexatious to me as my last at Venice The Duke took my Visit very kindly and when I told him the occasion of my Journey to Naples he said I might do him a more signal Service there and with less Danger to my self whereupon he shew'd me a Letter from a Neapolitan Lady who had been his Mistress while he remain'd in the City She expressed a great Despair for the Duke's Imprisonment and threat'ned to stab her her self if he would not yield to her following him to Spain She is stark mad said he and will do some extravagant Action or other if
to respect both In a Word she would have made a fine Character in a Novel My Brother who had a great Affection for me kept nothing of all this from my Knowledge and I was informed by him how he had disobliged her My Head being full of Romances I admired his Mistress's Humor and blam'd my Brother for having marry'd against her Will nay I found my self inclin'd to affect so Romantick a Person and would gladly have been in her Favour But the Count my Brother had prevented me having already engaged her I do not know whether she lov'd him or whether it was to spite my eldest Brother that she seemed to admit of his Addresses but I perceiv'd they were pretty familiar when I design'd to make my Applications to her My Brother being a Brute who kept no Measures with any one I thought fit to put off my Courtship to another Time All I did was to tell my eldest Brother of it who foreseeing what might follow and having yet some Respect for the Lady seriously advised my Brother to desist He presently acquainted his Mistress with it who thinking my eldest Brother had done it out of Jealousie and resolving to provoke him as far as she could propos'd his running away with her Which suiting with his Temper he readily embrac'd for he was vain and rash enough to have attempted the stealing of a Princess They put all things in readiness to effect their Purpose but a Person whom the Lady entrusted with it and who dreaded the Event acquainted her Father with it who sent her immediately into a Nunnery forbiding my Brother ever to come near her The Fool sent him a Challenge which the other slighting obtain'd an express Order for his Imprisonment and he remain'd Two Years in the Bastile wherein the Lady's Father caused him to be confin'd We were not sorry for our being rid of him seeing he was always full of Incumbrances which occasioned no small Trouble to us besides I had still a Secret Inclination for the Young Lady and all she had done on that Score did but inhance my Desires I was heartily vexed that she should not have pitch'd upon me sooner than on that giddy Cockscomb My Vanity was offended at it and I wished for an Opportunity of gaining her heart so unaccountable are the means wherby the several Passions creep into our Breast for to speak the Truth the Motive of my Love should rather have been a Reason for my Contempt My Thoughts ran wholly upon that beautiful Person and I long'd to see her in the Convent where she was For which end I represented to my Brother That what she had done being but through a fit of Anger he ought not to desert her this I did so effectually that he resolved to make her a Visit and carry'd me with him He would not appear in it at first but sent me to her in a Footman's Disguise as tho' I had come from her Father She came to me and having known me expressed no little Joy and I forgetting that my Errand was but to give her Notice of my Brother's coming I mention'd not a Word of him but spoke only of my self I upbraided her with her Intriegue with my Brother the Count as an Injustice she had done me who was her most passionate Adorer This Declaration was answered in a very obliging manner for she desir'd me to write to her daily and see her often and assured me she would be wholly at my Devotion Our Conversation lasted so long that my Brother growing impatient came in to see what staid me there all that while and desired me to withdraw I was not over-well satisfied at it but fearing to disoblige him I went out and stood close to the Door list'ning to their Discourse I heard that after the shedding of several Tears she said She was unhappy in having settled her Love on that Brother of the three who had the least Affection for her and thereupon she gave him an account of all I had said to her I could scarce forbear interrupting her in her Treachery however I did not but heard my Brother admonish her not to hearken to young Men who only sought her Ruine but by a sober and modest behaviour to regain her Father's Good Will and then to think of a Husband that might deserve her as for him he would remain her sure and constant Friend She answer'd these wholesome Admonitions by a fresh Shower of Tears and new Reproaches swearing his Inconstancy should not be unpunish'd but that her self would revenge it by his Blood My Brother having endeavour'd in vain to appease her left her and we came back He told me by the way That he was happy not to have marry'd her and that she was of a dangerous violent Temper and one who would not stick at any thing to compass her Ends an Instance of which was That she had pretended to him that I had courted her I cry'd out Oh the Iilt I had not Power to say any more but the Tears came in my Eyes My Brother fell a laughing and by the Exhortations he made me To be very wary in my Addresses and take Care what Women I had to deal withal made me suspect he did believe her I was vexed to the Heart at what had happen'd and charm'd at the same Time with my Brother's Goodness and Moderation who did not express any Dissatisfaction with me but only advised me for my own sake not to concern my self with her I follow'd his Counsel tho' something unwillingly and I think I should have went on my own way had not two things happen'd one that she marry'd a Person of Quality in the Country and the other that my Brother being order'd away to the Army I was oblig'd to accompany him thither We went into Champaigne which was that Year become the Seat of the War and my Brother's Regiment with some other Troops of Reserves were order'd to stay under the Walls of Charleville My Brother who had been made a Brigadier General follow'd the Duke d'Anguin leaving me to look after his Regiment during the Battle at Rocroy I was not a little troubled that I could not be there and tho' I had that Year obtain'd a Company in my Brother's Regiment and that all the Officers paid me a great Respect yet I should have been inconsolable had I not met with a handsom Maid who employ'd my Thoughts another way She was Daughter to a Citizen of that Town but besides her Beauty her Carriage raised her above her Birth and both together kindled a Passion in me which she answer'd with an equal Flame She was going to marry a young Man of that Town when I first grew acquainted with her but her Aversion to a Citizen's Life was so great that she owned She had rather be my Mistress all her Life than to be marry'd to that Man For said she I cannot pretend that you should marry me I weigh too well the Difference
great Detestation But I dissembled my Thoughts and carry'd my self to her as a Woman I was shortly to espouse Imagining she had made sure of me she took no Care to pleasure me treating me rather with an affected Scorn and openly professing a Kindness for others I who desir'd nothing more than to break with her tax'd her with Coquetry she laugh'd at me saying she would not constrain her self for my Humour since I must marry her whether I would or no. I thought if I could surprize her in some Gallantry it would free me from this pretended Obligation which I easily did for she carry'd on her Intrigues so openly that none need be ignorant of them and one Day I was inform'd she was in private with a Palatine Thereupon I made my Complaint to the King saying withal That I now thought my self fairly discharg'd His Majesty reply'd It must first be known whether or no that Lord would marry her because if he refus'd it she still fell to my Lot as having the first Claim to her This Answer I took for a Jest and could not forbear smiling till the King very seriously told me it was the Custom of the Land I did not much trouble my self with consulting the Polish Lawyers about it for from that very Minute I resolv'd for France and took all the necessary Measures for a speedy Departure being weary of living in a strange Country wherein I had met with a Chain of Misfortunes and stood in daily Expectation of worse I acquainted the Queen with my Intentions beseeching her to take my Children under her Care and Protection and having privately sold all the Estate I had there which I might dispose of I stole away with one only Servant The great Fortune I expected to make by my Journey was reduced to poor Twenty thousand Crowns for which I took some Bills of Exchange and went leaving my Children rich enough with their Mother's Estate Then was the latter End of the Year 1647. I had lived Two Years in Poland and was about Twenty Three Years of Age but appear'd as Thirty being naturally tall and grown something corpulent which made me seem older than I really was Once more I thought it impossible for any Woman to deceive me My Journey affording me Leisure enough to reflect on the Disasters they had procur'd me I consider'd it was on their Account that I had left Franee in a Season when I might have made my Fortune there and that they also had occasion'd my coming from Poland when I seem'd to be well settled in that Country On these Reflections I resolv'd to make the best Use of my Experience and to court Mars instead of Venus I had wrote to my Brother to let him know of my Return from Poland who was not well satisfied with my having Marry'd in that Kingdom and was glad I had a Pretence to forsake it The Letters I receiv'd from him obliged me to take Venice in my Way where he wrote I should find a particular Friend of his who having fought a Duel had been forced to fly for it and was then in that City I arriv'd at Venice in December and they were then preparing for the ensuing Carnival I met with my Brother's Friend who prevail'd with me to tarry there for a Time during which I forgot all my fine Resolutions against the Female Sex notwithstanding the fresh Items I had to remember them for I was no sooner at Venice but the first News I heard was that I had been oblig'd to fly out of Poland for having poyson'd my Wife and stabb'd my Mistress I too well knew the occasion of that Report and took no little Pains to undeceive those who seem'd to credit it but I found it difficult and have several Years since met with some Persons who were prepossessed with this Opinion which has done me no small Injury How earnest soever my Friends Instances might be to persuade my tasting the Diversions of the Carnaval I should scarce have comply'd with them had it not been my Misfortune again to fall up to the Ears in Love 'T is true I had felt but weak impressions of that Passion while in Poland which made me the easier engage in a new Amour with a Person who I thought would not be over cruel She was Daughter to a Venetian Nobleman at whose House I on my first arrival grew very well acquainted through the means of my Brother's Friend who having known this Nobleman's Son at Paris had there renew'd his Acquaintance and encreas'd it to a great Intimacy I often saw the Father and Son but it was long before I had a view of the Daughter only in a Picture This Piece seem'd to me so charming that I could not forbear crying out in an Extasie I never had seen such Beauty before The Lady was then in an adjoyning Room where unknown to me she saw and heard me I was no sooner in the Street but a Man follow'd me who without saying one Word put an unseal'd Note in my Hand which was wrote in Italian to this purpose THE Person whose Picture you so much Admir'd has as high an Esteem for you If it be true that the Sight of Painting has afforded you some Pleasure you shall enjoy that of the Original Be discreet and leave the rest to me I read the Note above twenty times over and tho' I could scarce imagin that it really came from the Person whose Picture I had seen yet I thought my safest Way was to use the Discretion which was enjoyn'd me It may easily be guess'd how impatient I was to return to the Venetian Nobleman's Palace The very next Day I made him a Visit and took my Opportunity by way of Discourse to express the great Desire I had to see the Person whom that Picture represented but no Body offer'd to give me that Satisfaction only a Mask was propos'd and the Habits agreed on I was scarce got home but the same Man came into my Chamber who had given me the Note I just mention'd and observing a deep Silence presented me with a Box and immediately withdrew I pressed him to stay and he answer'd me but in dumb Shew and went off Then opening the Box I found it full of rich Jewels and under them this Note which was written in the same Hand as the former YOur Reputation being of a near concern to me I was willing to contribute to your Magnificence Make use of these Iewels to appear like your self in the intended Mask and when you have done with them you may return them to the Bearer whom I shall send for them Then I thought I had no reason to doubt of the Reality of this Adventure which gave me at once a great Pleasure and no little Disquiet I put on the Jewels she sent me which were so rich and fair none made a better Figure than my self Several ask'd me Where I had got them And having answered That I hir'd them the Lady's
to the Reflexions I made on the fatal Consequences which usually attend an unequal Match and on the Misery Women procure themselves by their loose Behaviour I arriv'd at Paris about the latter End of Ianuary having spent near Ten Months in my Journey About a Fortnight after my arrival the Prince was set at Liberty and my Brother and I thought we might express our Gratitude and Respects to him without disobliging the Court But we soon found it otherwise and the very first Time we waited on him perceiv'd he was contrving a a Rebellion He was of too great a Judgment not to discover the Queen design'd to to recal the Cardinal who was then I think at Sedan and openly protested That if he return'd into France he would send him out faster than he came in We well foresaw what would be the Event and waited not long for a Confirmation of our Fears My Brother did not think fit to follow the Prince but because I was more Master of my own Actions he not only consented to my attending him out of the Kingdom but also advis'd me to share in his Fortune whether he saw it impossible for him to advance my Preferment with the Queen or that being desirous to see the Prince in Favour with his Majesty he was glad to have a Friend with his Royal Highness who should give him good Advice Whatever my Brother's Design might be I am sure I would never have comply'd with his Desires had I not been glad to leave Paris that I might divert my Melancholy occasion'd by the Affliction I had through the Perfidiousness of a new Mistress I had already engag'd with since my Return from Poland This was a troublesome Intriegue and since that with my Carmelite none had ever prov'd so vexatious to me Indeed it afforded me an Opportunity of discovering new Characters in the Sex which I had not till then been aware of as may be judged from the following Story Near my Lodgings there liv'd a Woman whose Husband was lately dead but who had been separated from him a few Years after her Marriage Every one would have it that her Gallantry had been the only occasion of their Divorce and I was for some Time of the same Opinion but being grown better acquainted with her I perceiv'd there might other Reasons and very substantial ones be given She was the most fantastical Woman in the World and I think that the ill Humour of a Wife is as insupportable as her want of Chastity for tho' she does less expose her Husband in Publick she is a greater Plague to him in private She had a Daughter who shar'd the same Fate with her for they had made it their Bargain at parting That the Father should provide for the Boys and the Daughter should be left to her Mother's Care She was certainly the worst Tutor that young Maid could have not only because of her bad Repute but also for the unaccountable Sentiments she had on her Daughter's account which till then it never had enter'd my Thoughts a Mother could have been guilty of This Woman who was no doubt well inform'd of the Aspersions that were cast upon her Honour was jealous at the Praise her Daughter might have won by not following her Example and her greatest Care was to engage her into some Intriegue which might expose her to a like Censure but through another unaccountable Nicety she was desirous that her Daughter might lye under the Scandal of Folly as well as Debauchery and to that purpose was very diligent in keeping her from the Company of ingenious Men whose Conversation might be a Credit to her and in admitting Blockheads Such was this Gentlewoman's Humour which I did not at first discover thinking her encouraging the Addresses some Fools made to her Daughter might be grounded on the Opinion That they are less dangerous than others The young Lady was very lovely had a brisk flashy Wit but very little Judgment and was of a very violent Temper and a great Indulger of her Passions I was at first wholly unacquainted with either of their Characters and only visited them as being agreeable Neighbours whose Conversation might prove diverting but I had not seen the Daughter twice e're I fell deep in Love She receiv'd my Declaration in such a manner as increas'd my Flame and we presently grew as Intimate as if we had known each other all our Life-Time She told me I must not give any Jealousie to her Mother and that the old Gentlewoman should not suspect me I thus excus'd the frequent Visits I made to her Daughter First That I did it to increase her Knowledge by giving her a Narration of my Travels and then to make a Match between her and a Relation of mine who was very rich and was wholly guided by me But this was just the Counter-part of what I should have done for her Mother was unwilling she should have any Merit or be well match'd and her only wish was That she might be thought to want both Sense and Modesty I soon found I was not welcome and the most disobliging Methods in the World were us'd to make me understand it But while I was so ill treated all possible Favour was shewn to a Man who possessed in a high degree all the ill Qualities requisite to render his Acquaintance scandalous on all accounts and was therefore sovereignly accomplish'd for what the Mother design'd him He was Five and Fifty and had spent his Life under so universal a Contempt that I never heard any one speak well of him The only good Quality he was famous for was that he was a very peaceable and quiet Man an Enemy to Quarrels and willing to put up all manner of Affronts rather than draw his Sword which had not hitherto seen the Light tho' he was an Officer Another valuable Qualification was That he was an eternal Visitant where he once grew acquainted especially if it was a House of good Eating and where it might be thought he had some Intriegue for he unwillingly parted with his Mony and was very ambitous of being thought in Favour with the Ladies Being an old Acquaintance of theirs I wondred not at first to see him so assiduous but the Daughter who seem'd to repose an entire Confidence in me inform'd me That he was vehemently in Love with her I not in the least mistrusting that one I thought so deserving could ever stoop to have a Kindness for such a Fop turn'd his Passion into ridicule and only advised her to avoid being in private with him lest she should thereby encourage the Vanity of that conceited Ass. I question'd not but her own Inclination would have made her hearken to my Advice but was soon soon acquainted with the contrary that she was with him Day and Night and that when the old Woman was gone to Bed they sate up together till Two or Three in the Morning I tax'd her with it which she deny'd in part