and he in execution of the trust was on a sudden seen at the head of many silent Men attempting and atchieving things which called not only the vulgar but the bravest of the Nation to take notice of him with admiration and which particularly purchased him the good will of Lisantus one of the most Gallant chiefs of the party The heads of the League to give it good colour and to draw strength to it had publisht very specious principles as motives of it and had conjured the Princes Nobles and Commons to stand up for the Antient faith against the Novel which they said the King favoured against them by that Lure decoying into them multitudes of credulous People To impede this the King put abroad a Declaration in which he cleared himself from the several blots wherewith they aspersed him and particularly testified that he bore a sincere and constant love to the settled Religion of China that which disarmed a great number of People and some of them very considerable but not Alcidor who persisted so affectionate to the cause which he had espoused believeing himself bound to venture and if need required to spend his Life in its quarrel that nothing but death seemed of power to discover him from it In proportion to his affection did his courage and Prudence labour for its advantage but notwithstanding all the endeavors both of him and others to hold it up they saw it in a short time so enfeebled and bent to fall that they were constrained to incline to peace and to return it not for always yet at least for a time to the obedience of their King It was indeed no long time before they who had been so forced to lay down their Arms had taken them up again which Polianis seeing put himself in the Field with a very considerable Strength and as first Prince of the Bloud declareing their practises Felonious protested he would as faithfully as necessarily defend against them the prerogative of the King the State of the Queen Mother and the fundamental Laws of the Realm In sequel of this the War becoming open Alcidor got on Horse back and ranged himself in the Army that was led by Lucimon where continually seeking occasions of Action he signalized his vertue and aggrandized his name by deeds which were altogether wonders But he could not by all that he could do protect that Brother of Orastes from being as continually molested so in several Battels notably beaten by the Brother-in-law of Florimen Lucimon after a while advancing to Paquin whose Inhabitants had been diligently chaâ—ed to stir and lookt with jealousie upon the intervier which Polianis and the Queen Mother had lately had and there by the interest of Orastes whom they worshipt as a God making what impression upon them he desired Orastes himself in another quarter with loud and sharp invectives complaining of the King that he had labored against his own work by revoking an authentick Edict of Peace by another which he had made since carried on the War with a very sedulous and potent hand In the end the Indians being called in by him and following his call and the Kingdom being on all sides imbraced with Hostility the Opponent Armies came to a bloody Fight in which Lucoris was slain Polianis remained Victorious and the vanquisht were reduced to such an universal disorder extream confusion and miserable estate that they who escaped from the deluge of blood that was shed had wholly exposed themselves to the mercy of the Conquerors had it not been for Alcidor who as in the Battel so in the rout and Flight did all that it was possible for a Man of heart to do He with a management which can never be too much applauded carried of the said relicks of the shipwrack drew them into a Body and offered fair for the repairing of the loss But the Commanders proved too timerously affected towards the undertaking and the Soldiers more eager of securing than of hazarding themselves and of running a way than of Fighting again The revolt was thus set at Bay but the principal Authors of it determined rather to Abyss themselves in the ruines of the State than change the course which they had begun and presently the King from all parts received Advertisement of the conspiring of his Subjects For the necessary security therefore both of his Person and his head City he put a Garrison in it which Orastes looking upon as intended a curb to his ambitious practises he so powerfully incited the people that they fall to barricading and committed ravages altogether unworthy of Chinoises and which made the King leave Paquin to go seek a shelter against the storm that threatned his life The King and with him the Court gone the Miserable Citizens sensible of the wound which they had thereby received repented of their disobedience and desired the Parliament to beg their Pardon and humbly beseech his Majesty to return to his Palace and by his presence restore to that great Town the abundant Emoluments which his removal had taken from them But this reckoning himself justly incenst he resolvedly denied his denial very much perplext both the People and their leaders and to warrant themselves from the mischeifs which they saw were likely to fall upon their heads they set new Engines on work and made new experiments Florimen on the other side armed both against them and those of the other Religion and against both obtained very important victories All things went to his advantage Which Orastes seeing and that after whatsoever manner he steered his designs they sailed not with an untoward wind he demanded an assemby of the general Counsel of the Kingdome to the end as he said of re-establishâ—â—d peace and replacing the King's Subjects in a perfect Obedience The King having granted what he demanded and opened that great Court with a speech of which the Eloquence and Conduct made him admired for one of the wisest and most excellent heads that wore a Crown he who had braved his authority confidently presented himself before him and he received him with a gratious aspect but not long after by the advise of his Counsel dispatcht him out of the World Upon notice of which Execution the People of Paquin broke out into extremeties which trampled all their allegiance under foot and in revenge of it Lucimon raised them that were exasperated in plain rebellion and after their example several of their chief Towns of China and having gained a formidable strength advanced towards Florimen with a confidence of making him his Prisoner But upon intiligence of his enterprize Polianis reconciled himself with the King employed his Arms in his succor and forc't the Enemy to fly In this occasion was Alcidor engaged on the side of Lucimon and performed all the parts of a Man of courage but was constrained to give place to Equity and Force A little after having notice that his friend Tyrenas was taken Prisoner and kept at
it out well But he was so sick the ninth that his Physicians began to despiar of his recovery and he afterwards for many dayes laboured under pains which rendred his life a burthen to him and which though Carmelia entirely loved Alcidor infected her with so much trouble that not he whom she loved so much could with all his consolatory endeavours put astop to her tears In this his condition Felisbea took a just and a kind Sister's part but not so much as that uncommon tenderness which she had alwayes for him would have prompted her to have taken had her mind been at liberty but it was called off from sympathizing with Clidantus by being continually taken up in admireing Alcidor After she had admired him a while she grew big with Love of him and then restlesly solicitous that he should have answerable respects for her So much he saw by besides other deports the sighs and languishing regards which upon all his motions she sent after him But his inclinations carrying his heart with too rappid a current to Carmelia to suffer him to think of Felisbea as she desired he dessembled his understanding of what he saw and whatever contrivances she used as she used several to make him know her mind and conform to it he carried himself as if he was wholly ignorant of their meaning This added very much to her anxiety and he who was the occasion of it was enough convinced that he was so but made shew of believeing that it was all upon the account of her Brother When therefore she had sufficiently wearied her self with sighing for him who would not rightly interest himself in it She perswaded her self that it was requisite without any thing of disguise to lay her heart open before him and she had presently made her own mouth her agent and Interpreter of it to him had not that great portion which she had of honor and Sageness restrained her from it It was not with a wanton Eye that she looked upon him the mark at which she aimed was Marriage that which he never yet shot at and full of Vertue as she was she would rather have hugged death than have harbored a thought unworthy of it But yet withall her desires of haveing him for her Husband had too much Fire in them to be kept from venting themselves to him and seeking to have the Fuel of â—his kindness to feed upon Screwed up by their urgencies to a confidence far above her temper she took the first opportunity of being with him and as she was going from him without his percieveing her let drop at his feet a Paper which his Eye quickly lighting upon it and his curiosity prompting him to take it up and peruse it â—he found to have these breif contents Alcidor's qualities are all ravishing and unless one be Marble one cannot consider him without being wounded for him If he is not sensible of this he is not accquainted with himself his only fault is that he hath an aversion to Marriage which the affections of others and his own Merit and Interests demand of him He was at no pains to know whose this note was he was too well accquainted with the mind and hand of Felisbea not to be certain that it was hers He was therefore not a little perplext how he should carry himself towards her but at length he resolved to coverse with her as formerly without taking any notice to her of the writing but shunning all occasions that might bring him into a particular engagement with her Going in this mind to her Brothers Chamber where he knew she was he was no sooner in her Eye but she was all dyed with blushes and lost in shame Observing which Emotion he made no shew that he observed it but after he had askt Clindatus how he did entred into a discourse with him and his Lady She having by that means leisure of recollecting herself after a few minutes came and sat upon the Bed-side by him listning to his words as to harmonious Oracles and considering his person and fashion as something more than humane They had not sat above a quarter of an hour but there entred visiters to the sick Man to let whom come up to him Alcidor and Felisbea drew back and fell into a conversation by themselves At the instant the clouds of Felisbea's homor dispersed and she grew more gay than usually encouraged by an expectation that Alcidor would entertain her about her Paper But this was far from his intentions and he only entertained himself with her about her Brother and the company that was come in in which terms they were when Clidantus called him to him to take part in a discourse of rallery which a Lady of very good Ingenij had begun with design of diverting him Divided from Alcidor and disappointed of her hopes Felisbea withdrew in distraction to her Chamber where having wept a floud she broke out into such Language as this No No Felisbea it is in vain that thou strivest to captivate this heard-hearted insensible Man Canst thou any longer question that he slights thee Comest thou not from having too experimentall a proof of it If he made never so little reckoning of thee would he treat thee with so much cold indifferency If thy Note which thou sawest him take up had pleased him would he have been kept from speaking of it to thee would he have made shew of knowing nothing of it He took it and read it but not liking what he read he would feign himself ignorant of what he too well knows It is a folly for thee think to make him thine he is too much Astasia's and her attractions hold too absolute a Monarchy over him to let him be any other Womans While Felisbea was in such terms with herself Clorangius entred her Chamber with the Message that he came to fetch her to her Mother who it was feared was dying a Message which made the tears trickle down her cheeks afresh but that as much for sorrow that she must leave Alcidor as though she loved Dolinda as she was in duty bound out of a sence that she was in danger of loosing her Alcidor was indeed grown an inseparable requisite to her satisfaction she therefore deferred her journey as long as she could but at last with wet eyes and troubled heart bad adieu to him Clidantus and Carmelia If she was extreamly discontented at her going away Alcidor was as glad of it considering that as long as she had stayed he could never have come near Carmelia without finding her with her and the same day that she went taking the advantage of her absence he and Carmelia while Clidantus slept walkt into a little wood private and thick which joyned to the Garden of their House Here haveing seated themselves as conveniently as they could upon the Mossy root of a well spread Oak and haveing no more dangerous witnesses to fear than the Birds and trees they entred into a mutually
go to see one of his friends By the way I know not what ill fortune would have it so he about the middle of the day took a path which he was never that I know of wont to follow Having followed it some Miles he happened to meet Alcidor whom accosting with a bold roughness he angrily enough demanded of him the reason why he had spoken so unhandsomly of him to Dorame To that you should learn to know me better replied Alcidor than to believe that I am of a humor to offend any Person without reason and the injury that you â—o me in taking up that ill opinion of me is greater than that which it seems you take for granted I have done you But besides this the Lovely Dorame deserves that we should make one thrust with our Swords as I see you have a mind we should and I take mine in my hand continued he to let you know that I will have the glory of serving her alone engaged both by what he had said himself and by Alcidors words and action my Master drew together with him but wholly to his misfortune For though he was well mounted and as is enough known very stout he quickly recieved two wounds one of which being in his belly gave him only leasure to get to a little house hard by where they fought to write the Letter that I have brought you and just as he expired to command me to give you together with that an account of his disaster But I must not forget added Limonides the generousness of Alcidor who when he saw his adversary tumble to the ground at the second thrust that he gave him jumpt from his Horse to his succor Which he who was fallen seeing and getting up of himself trouble not your self brave Alcidor said he to help me I am mortally wounded and though with your Sword Almidon is the cause of it That base man shall dye returned Aclidor to him or I will my self perish by that kind of people who are skilful to make more quarrels than they are able to appease Believe me I never spake a word of you that could give you a disgust I am too certain of your innocence replied Cartagenes to him to make any further question of it and let you plainly see the baseness of Almidon Limonides shall give you an account of the discourse which he yesterday held to me in the mean time that we binde up my wounds and I recover strength to carry me to some place where I may dye more conveniently than here Accordingly while Alcidor served my Master for Chyrurgion I served Alcidor for intilligencer Which done we had only time to conveigh my Master to the nearest comodious place that we could find and there as soon as he had written to you he dyed An adventure Sir said Vindorix to Floris which challenges the tribute of a weeping eye and I fear if ill Fortune be not by some means of prevention made to change her course the same may arrive to Cloriastes To prevent that returned Floris to him we will make hast to him and perswade him to sit down form his hopeless suite and leave the excellent Dorame to her Gallant Alcidor Cartagenes himself when he was dying voting him the most worthy to possess her Dorame was going to speak when a Lacquey of Alcidors was brought into the Chamber and hindred her presenting her a Letter which she first read privately to herself and then aloud to the company in these words Alcidor to Dorame I had no design when I took leave of you but to accord a difference between two of my Friends but I have experimented that my ill fortune destined me to somithing else Yesterday I by chance met with Cartagenes who aboarded me with so ill a discourse that my honour obliged me to make him little else of answer but that of my Sword in my hand We fought and though he had more valour than I he had worse luck it was my luck to make him fall I reckon my fault very great that I have drawn my Sword and that mortally against one who offered service to you and whom you justly esteemed But by that goodness that is proper to you I beseech you to pardon me and I hope you will considering among other things that without your anger I am sufficiently punisht for what I have done in that I must for a while deprive my self of the happyness of seeing you not thinking â—t fit for the present to make you see him who hath killed Cartagenes Dorame was troubled as much at this Letter as for the death of Cartagenes believing that Alcidor would leave of his pretensions of Love to her out of apprehension of many dangers which he might possibly incurre in prosecuting them Vindorix knowing what pinched her acquainted as you are with the sentiments of Alcidor said he to her by the ill judgement which I see you make of him you unsufferably wrong both his courage and his affection He is none of those whose souls start back at the noise of leaves or whose loves are unhinged by their more predominant fears He is indeed moved when he is prickt in honour and bound to seek satisfaction but it is not that he dreads a new quarrel or a new combate that he tells you he shall be without seeing you it is only that he may not appear before you with his hand dy'd and reeking with the bloud of Cartagenes Write to him to come to you and you will soon see that he knows how to obey you If he stayes not but till he is sent for returned Dorame I shall quickly see him here for I shall quickly give him the summons of a letter It is indeed Couzen said Roliman to her no more than what is handsom on your part and deserved on his and you will as far as can be seen derive from it nothing but what is good I am altogether of that mind added Melian to her and you will soone be convinced that nothing can defer him from presenting himself to you when he knows you desire it Dorame relishing well the reasons of her Kinsmen and the inforcements of them which were made by Floris and Lucidas presently took her Pen and drew these lines Dorame to Aleidor I Write not to you to blame you for what you have done I am sensible of the just occasion which you had of serving your self with your best forces and address to preserve your life against those who woâ—ld have ravisht it from you It is only to oblige you to give me your company as soon as you can your action not being such that it should be punisht with slight or any thing of shame or horror Cartagenes himself hath left sufficient testimonies to justifie you and you will believe that I have recieved them and approved them when you see that the bearer of this Letter is Limonides who hath order to seek you through all the World Limonides very gladly
taking the charge of carrying this Letter as that which he said would be a great contentment to him amidst the displeasures which he had for his Masters death and being gone away with it Dorame who had her mind no more diseased with the frightful fansies of the night rose from her bed and sat down with her company to dinner Risen from Table they went into the Gallery and there sometimes walking sometimes sitting spent two or three hours in discoursing about Alcidor and Cartagenes about the various traverses and effects of Love and at last about Cloriastes reviving their apprehensions concerning him that he might split himself against the same Rock that Cartagenes had After which Floris and Lucidas considering that it was time he was advised rather to be patient in missing than obstinate in attempting that which it was impossible for him ever to obtain and which to seek to obtain would in probability be fatall to his life and also that they had no more of day left than they should need to conveigh them whither they were to go they took congey of Dorame and her relations and went away Their backs being turned Dorame took her Uncle and Cousins into a private Chamber and having made them sit down and seated her self You know Cousin said she directing her speech to Vindorix that the arrival of Floris and Lucidas hindred you yesterday from carrying on the story of Alcidor in that part of it where without your help it will remain defective and that other impediments also have fallen in to day But now we are at leasure to enjoy this divertisement I intreate you therefore to favour us with it I am ready Madame replyed Vindorix to obey you and after a little pause began thus Alcidor having receaved the desires of Lucimon and Lisantus to put himself into Paquin the friendship which he and I had contracted suffered us not to part and though I was alltogether unworthy of that respect he would not enter the citty without my company The day of our entrance the five hundred horse which he brought with him and his presence together raysing and fortifying the fallen courages of those whom the conscience of their crimes had filld with the apprehensions of punishment we were wellcomed with so much honour he for his part that Lucimon and Lisantus could not have receaved more and I for my part that I never the like The Magistrates and Grandees giving him this reception in the palace of Florisa whom her Uncle Lucimon had left in Paquin after the death of her Father Orastes the remarkes which she shewed of kindenesse toward him were such that together with me many others that were there tooke notice that she was never accustomed to afford the like to any He againe applyed himselfe to her in such a fashion that the Muses seemed to sit upon his lippes and the Graces upon all his parts and not content by that meanes to draw her respects to himselfe he spake to her of me so much to my advantage that she spent complements upon me which I very well knew I had nothing that encouraged me to owne as my due and with which I found myselfe more put to a stand than ever in my life besides The Governour and other Officers having intrusted us with the cheife commands of the Towne wee without any supinenesse used them to the utmost of our power in giving necessary orders for defending it and that late enough for within foure dayes after the passages were all seized by the King the out workes attaqued and the seige formed We lay not still in this occasion Alcidor had more gallantry and his Troopes more ambition of fighting we made a salley and in that first essay of our armes brought backe advantages over our beseigers which caused fires of joy to be lighted through all the City Not satisfied with the triumph unless she saw him who had procured it Florisa sent for Alcidor to come to her and it was then that going along with him to her I percieved by her eyes words and whole carriage not onely that his valour kept her from shaking under the feares which she had of falling into the hands of her fathers enemies but also that his person was a great deal more than indifferent to her When wee were going from her you have not onely Paquin to preserve Alcidor said she to him you have also an unfortunate princesse under your guard take heed therefore how you hazard your life since it is my support In reply to this I therefore make Esteem of Paquin Madam said Alcidor because it holds so rich a treasure as the princesse Florisa Knowing indeed whence and what you are I should goe against my Conscience should I not set an higher value upon you than upon what I hold dearest to me in the world Whatsoever considerations therefore I can have the ambition which I have of serving you will be sure to surmount them all it will I hope not onely supply me with boldness of heart but with prudence also to manage it This reply mooving so violently her inmost veines that there rose a sudden crimson from them and spred it selfe over her face she left us with out saying any more but that she would have us see her often And in this wee obeyed her command for whatsoever imployments we had to remedy the disturbances which the enemy procuredus we forbore not to visit her twice every day and after a while whither she desir'd him so to doe or that it came of his owne motion Alcidor tooke up a custome of going frequently to her without me But on the other side whatsoever intreaties she used to him and she used besides that mentioned before very many and earnest ones not to throw himselfe into danger he forbore not frequently to ingage himselfe in the midst of the enemy doing things which made every body have him in their mouths for a kinde of miracle If we were active our beseigers were not idle making atempts which for some time kept us day and night at worke From which having one afternoone a little release I made use of it to goe visit Alcidor but coming to his lodging I found that he was gone to doe the same to Florisa I neverthelesse went into his chamber where finding a booke upon his table I opened it and turning over the first leafe of it I saw a letter drop which out of a curiosity to know more of my friends particularities than I believed he had imparted to me taking up and unfolding I read in it these words Florisa to Alcidor IF you have but a little consideration of the paine that I endure because I see you not so often as I wish I perswade my selve you will come to see me assoone as you have read this letter wherein I desire it You too well know your owne merit and the influence which it hath upon me to make any question of the advantage
Receive some comfort a midst my miseries by knowing that you are troubled for making me endure them but I cannot lose my sense of the barbarousness with which you have made me endure them It is against that you know that I have been constrained seeing what little respect you bore to the royall mansion to take sanctuary in a religious one Here having consulted spirits to whom my interests are very dear I am advised to pass some months to gain fresh strength with which to serve myself if you shall go about again to make me a sufferer and hence I shall then come and not till then when I shall be well assured that you will have no more designe of making me your slave who am your wife and of destroying me whom you ought to Cherish The prudent trustee of these lines carrying them first to the King then to him to whom they were directed with the scheme in which he represented to him all things concerning his Lady at the same time whetted his desires of recovering her company and workt him without any peevishness to submit to her determination of staying a while from him The King Certafilan carrying the Letter to him after he had read it the second time as if it had been the first seconded what Floras had said to him and by the comment which he made upon Astasia's text absolutely convinced him that for her to absent herself for a while from him was no more than what she owed to her innocence and to her repose and that for him after he had driven her away from him to force her to returne to him before she thought it convenient was to persist in his merciless persecution of her not to repent of it Notwithstanding this his fond appetite of having her again with him growing every houre more and more restlesly eager he was continually soliciting the King Feonice Floras and Alcidor to be the charitable authors of procuring and hastening it and the three former were serious in advancing what he sued for Alcidor also made shews of favouring it as much as any but having liberty where she was of seeing her every day without disturbance he clancularly set all the engines of his wit on work to keep her there and by his elusive arts he retarded her returne to Certafilan for a month without either the King knowing any thing of their amorous converses or Certafilan discovering so much as the scene where they were acted But at length the King making oath to that disconsolate and importunate husband that he would within eight dayes bring her back into his armes and sending her Sister to her to effect it he remonstrated first to himself and then to her that to keep the Kings favor to perserve her honor and happiness and dextrously to conduct the caball of their loves it was necessary she should rejoin herself with him to whom the Laws had tied her and whose remorses called her back to him To this his advise they having ratified their affections to one another with fresh and strong protestations of constancy and to her Sisters perswasions she resigned herself and they went together the next morning to Paquin Here she had not been many hours before word was sent of it to Certafilan but this notice withall that she would never more cohabit with him unless he would swear before the King Feonice Alcidor and Floras that he would never more abuse her To this he returning answer that he had not so wholly lost his reason as to refuse to redeem his happiness upon such easy and honourable tearmes an interveiw was orderd and effected and he before the wittnesses that she desired made Oath to to her that his carriage towards her for the time to come should be a perfect recantation of what was past and an unblotted Coppy of all the offices of love He having by these and other unquestionable testimonies of his reformation obliged her to be reconceiled to him and she having declared that she was willing to be so The King put her into his hands with a most binding exhortation to him to be as good as his word Which done and he having kist her with a kind of adoration before Polianis he carried her to a house which he had prepared for her reception and there the next day banqueted Feonice Alcidor and Floras with a most magnificent kindeness He in the sequcle of this never stirred from her but was continually paying her the respects not only of a fond husband but of a superstitious votary and after a while that he might enjoy her beloved society at quiet he with her consent carried her into the Countrey and there fettled their habitation This change of their abode is beleived to have put an end to the loves between Astasia and Alcidor in her absence another Lady taking possession of his heart but having of this no clear knowledge I choose to speak of it not at all rather than not sufficiently Melian having done reading and resigned the book and the Company having thankt Alcidor for the use of it Alcidor said Dorame would be yet more obliging if he would recount to us those his following loves which the writer sayes he was not well enough acquainted with You will it may be replied Alcidor when you have heard all name me a very inconstant man but there is nothing in the world besides your disaffection which I would not cheerfully undertake or undergo to satisfy you I am therefore ready to do that which you desire To this Dorame making no other answer but by disposing herself to an attention he succinctly related what had past between him and Carmelia what also between him and Felisbea carefully reserving whatsoever might seem to knock against the honor of either of them His narrative concluded you cannot think said Dorame to him that Felisbea died for any thing else but for your neglects and I cannot but wonder that her beauty being very taking her spirit accomplisht and her quality honourable you would not think of marrying her I acknowledge returned Alcidor to her that the birth and perfections of that young Lady were such as challenged for her a husband of a far higher forme than Alcidor but there are certain fatalities which rule the course of our lifes so that we act not but according to their prescriptions What was the cause of Felibea's death I know not but the reason why I was not in love with her without doubt was because my destiny reserved me to be in love with the incomparable Dorame It is for the love and service of you Madam continued he that I was born and that I am to live my passion for you is not of the number of those that are ruined by time and this I reckon I can vow before no persons better than before these your nearest relations and I vow it with so sincere an aâ—dor that I am ready to signe it with whatsoever there is that is dearest to me