I run but one by the first I shall alarm the whole Cabal with a jealousie of my discovering and those are persons of too great sense and courage not to take some private way of revenge to secure their own stakes and to make my self uncertainly safe by a discovery indeed were to gain a refuge so ignoble as a Man of Honour wou'd scorn to purchase Life at nor wou'd that baseness secure me But in going on oh Silvia when Three Kingdoms shall ly unpossest and be expos'd as it were amongst the raffling Crowd who knows but the chance may be mine as well as any others who has but the same hazard and throw for'â— if the strongest Sword must do 't as that must do 't why not mine still why may not mine still Why may not mine be that fortunate one Cesario has no more right to it than Philander 't is true a few of the Rabble will pretend he has a better title to it but they are a sort of easy Fools lavish in nothing but noise and nonsense true to change and inconstancy and will abandon him to their own fury for the next that crys Haloo Neither is there one part of fifty of the Fools that cry him up for his Interest though they use him for a Tool to work with he being the only great Man that wants sense enough to find out the cheat which they dare impose upon Can any body of reason believe if they had 〈◊〉 him good they would let him bare fac'd have own'd a party so opposite to all Laws of Nature religion Humanity and Common gratitude when his Interest if design'd might have been carry'd on better if he had still dissembled and stay'd in Court no believe me Silvia the Politicians show him to rendersâ— him odious to all men of tolerable sence of the Party for what reason soever they have who are disoblig'd or at least think themselves so to set up for Liberty the world knows Cesario render himself the worst of Criminals by it and has abandon'd an interest more Glorious and Easy than Empire to side with and aid People that never did or ever can oblige him and he is so dull as to imagine that for his sake who never did us service or good unless Cuckolding us be good we should venture life and fame to pull down a true Monarch to set up his Bastard over us 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 me if I think his Politicks are shallow as his Parts and that his own Interest has undone him for of what advantage soever the design may be to us it really shocks ones nature to find a son engag'd against a Father and to him such a Father Nor when time comes shall I forget the ruine of Mertilla But let him hope on and so will I as do a thousand more for ought I know I set out as fair as they and will start as eagerâ—y if I miss it now I have Youth and Vigor sufficient for another Race and while I stand on Fortunes Wheel as she rouls it round it may be my turn to be o' th top for when 't is set in motion believe me Silvia 't is not easily fixt however let it suffice I 'm now in past a retreat and to urge it now to me is but to put me into inevitable danger at best it can but set me where I was that 's worse than death when every fool is aiming at a Kingdom what man of tollerable Pride and Ambition can be unconcern'd and not put himself into a posture of catching when a Diadem shall be thrown among the Croud 't were Insensibility stupid Dulness not to lift a hand or make an effort to snatch it as it flys though the glorious falling weight should crush me 't is great to attempt and if fortune do not favour Fools I have as fair a Grasp for 't as any other adventurer This my Silvia is my sense of a business you so muâ—h dread I may rise but I cannot fall therefore my Silvia urge it no more Love gave me Ambition and do not divert the Glorious effects of your wonderous Charms but let 'em grow and spread and see what they will produce for my Lovely Silvia the advantages will most certainly be hers But no more how came my Love so Dull to entertain thee so many minutes thus with reasons for an affair which one soft hour with Silviâ— will convince to what she wou'd have it beliâ—ve me it will I will sacrifice all to her repose nay to her least Command even the Life of My Eternal Pleasure Your PHILANDER I 〈◊〉 no longer patiâ—â—ce I must â—e coming towards the Grove though 't will do me no good more than knowing I am so much nearer my Adorable Creature I conjure you burn this for writing in haste I have not counterfeited my hand To Silvia Writ in a pair of Tablets MY Charmer I wait your Commands in the Meadow behind the Grove where I saw Dorinda Dorilus his Daughter entring with a Basket of Cowslips for Silvia unnecessarily offering sweets to the Goddess of the Groves from whence they with all the rest of their gaudy â—ellows of the Spring assume their Ravishing Odours I take every opportunity of telling my Silvia what I have so often repeated and shall be ever repeating with the same joy while I live that I Love my Silvia to Death aâ—d Madness that my soul is on the Wrack till she send me the happy advancing word And yet believe me Lovely Maid I could grow old with waiting here the blessed moment though set at any distance within the compass of Life and impossible to be till than arriv'd to but when I am so near approach't it Love from all parts rallies and hastens to my heart for the mighty incounter till the poor panting overloaded Victim dies with the pressing weight No more You know it for 't is and will be eternally Silvia's POSTSCRIPT Remember my Adorable 't is now seven a Clock I have my Watch in my hand waiting and looking on the slow paâ—'d Minutes Eight will quickly arrive I hope and then 't is dark enough to hide me hinkwhere I am and who I am twaiting near Silvia and her Philaâ—der I think my dear Angel you have the other Key of thesâ— Tablets if not they are easily broke open you have an hour good to write in Sâ—lvia and â— shall wait unimployed by any thing but thought Send me word how you were like to have been surpriz'd it may possibly be of advantage to me in this nights dear adventure I wonder'd at the Superscription of my Letter indeedâ—â—f whâ—ch Doriâ—us could give me no other account than that you were surpriz'd and he receiv'd it with difficulty give me the story now do iâ— in charity my Angel Besides â— would imploy all thy moments for I am jealous of every one that is not dedicated to Silâ—ia's Philander To Philander I Have receiv'd your Tablets of which I have the key and heaven only knows
therefore without Delay assist me to contrive your Escape or I shall die and leave you to the Ravage of his Love who holds thee from me the very Thoughts of that is worse than Death I die alas I die for an intire Possession of thee Oh let me grasp my Treasure let me ingross it all here in my longing Arms. I can no longer languish at this Distance from my eternal Ioy my Life my Soul But oh I Rave and while I should be speaking a thousand useful things I am telling you my Pain a Pain that you may guess and confounding myself between those and their Remedies am able to fix on nothing Help me to think oh my dear charming Creature help me to think how I shall bear thee off Take your own Measures flatter him with Love sooth him to Faith and Confidence and then oh pardon me if there be Baseness in the Action then Cozen him Deceive him any thing for he deserves it all that thinks that lovely Body was form'd for his Imbraces whom Age has rendered fitter for a Grave Form any Plots use every Stratagem to save the Life of Your Octavio He writ this in Hast and Disorder as you may plainly see by the Stile and went to the Window with it where he found Silvia leaning expecting him The Shashes were up and he toss'd it in the Haâ—â—kerchief into her Window She read it and writ an Answer back as soft as Love could form to send him pleased to Bed wherein she commanded him to hope all things form her Wit and industrious Love This had partly the Effects she wished and after kissing his Hand and throwing it up towards Silvia they parted as silent as the Night from Day which was now just dividing so long they stay'd tho' but to look at each other so that all the Morning was pass'd in Bed to make the Day seem shorter which was too tedious to both This Pleasure he had after Noon towards the Evening that when Silvia walked as she alwaies did in the Garden he could see her thorow the Glass of his Window but durst not open it for the old Gentleman was ever with her In this time Octavio fail'd not however to essay the good Nature of the Gardener in order to Silvia's Flight but â—ound there was no dealing with him in this Affair and therefore durst not come right down to the Point The next Night he came under the beloved Window again and found the sacred Object of his Wishes leaning in the Window expecting him To whom as soon as she heard his Tread on the Gravel she threw down a Handkerchief again which he took up and toss'd his own with a soft complaining Letter to entertain her till his Return for he hasted to read hers and swep'd the Garden as he pass'd as swift as Wind so impatient he was to see the Inside which he found thus Silvia to Octavio I Beg my charming Friend you will be assur'd of all I have promised you and to believe that but for the Pleasure of those dear Billets I receive from you I could as little support this cruel Confinement as you my Absence I have but one Game to play and I beseech you not to be surpriz'd at it 't is to promise to marry Sebastian He is eternally at my Feet and either I must give him my Vow to become his Wife or give him hope of other Favours I am so intirely yours that I will be guided by you which I shall Flatter him in to gain my Liberty for if I grant either he has proposed to carry me to his Country-House two Leagues from the Town and there Consummate whatever I design to bless him with and this is it that has wrought my Consent that we being to go alone only my own Servants you may easily take me thence by Force upon the Road or after our Arrival where he will not guard me perhaps so strictly as he does here For that I leave it to your Conduct and expect your Answer to Your Impatient Silvia He immediately sate down and writ this Octavio to Silvia HAVE a Care my Charming Fair how you play with Vows and however you are forc'd for that Religious End of saving your Honour to deceive the poor old Lover whom by Heaven I pity yet rather let me die than know you can be guilty of Vow-Brâ—ach tho' made in jest I am well pleased at the Glimpse of Hope you give me that I shall see you at his Villa and doubt not but to find a way to secure you to myself Say any thing promise to sacrifice all to his Desire but oh do not give away thy dear thy precious self by Vow to any but the Languishing Octavio After he had writ this he hast'd and throws it into her Window and return'd to Bed without seeing her which was no small Affliction to his Soul He had an ill Night of it and fancied a thousand tormenting things That the old Gentleman might thâ—â— be with her and if alone what might he not perswade by force of rich Presents of which his Uncle was well stored And so he guess'd and as he guess'd it proved as by his next Nights Letter he was inform'd that the old Lover no sooner saw Silvia retire but having a mind to try his Fortune in some Critical Minute for such a Minute he had heard there was that favoured Lovers but he goes to his Closet and taking out some Jewels of great Value to make himself the more welcome he goes directly to Silvia's Chamber and entered just as she had taken up Octavio's Letter and clap'd it in her Bosom as she heard some body at the Door but was not in a little Confusion when she saw who it was which she excused by telling him she was surpriz'd to find herself with a Man in her Chamber That there he fell to pleading his cause of Love and offered her again to settle his Estate upon her and implor'd she would be his Wife After a thousand faint Denials she told him she could not possibly receive that Honour but if she could she would have look'd upon it as a great Favour from Heaven at that he was Thunder-struck and look'd as gastly as if his Mothers Ghost had frighten'd him and after much Debate Love and Grief on his side Design and Dissimulation on hers she gave him Hopes that Aton'd for all she had before said insomuch that before they parted an absolute Bargain was struck up and he was to settle part of his Estate upon her as also that Villa to which he had resolved in two days to carry her in earnest to this he presents her a Necklace of Pearl of good Value and other Jewels which was the best Rhetorick he had yet spoke to her and now she appear'd the most Complaisant Lady in the World she suffers him to talk wantonly to her nay even to kiss her and rub his grizly Beard on her divine Face grasp her Hands and
the lessen'd Love Philander had for her and to have proposed to him the suffering Octavio to share her Embraces for so good an Interest since no Returns could be had from France nor any Signs of an Amendment of their Fortunes any other way But still she fear'd he had too much Honour to permit such a Cheat in Love to be put even upon an Enemy This Fear deferred her speaking of it or offering to sacrifice Octavio as a Cully to their Interest tho' she wished it nor knew she long how to deceive both the Business was to put Philander off handsomly if possible since she fail'd of all other Hopes These were her Thoughts while Philander was dressing and rais'd by his asking for some more Pistols from her Cabinet which she found would quickly be at an end if one Lover deminished daily and the other was hindered from increasing But Philander was no sooner dress'd but he left her to her Repose and Octavio who had a Grison attending the Motions of Philander all that Morning 〈◊〉 had brought him word he was gone from Silvia went to visit her and entered her Chamber all changed from what he was before and Death sate in his Face and Eyes maugre all his Resolves and art of Dissembling She not at first perceiving it as she lay she stretch'd out her Arms to receive him with her wonted Caresses but he gently put her off and sighing cry'd No Silvia I leave those Ioys for happier Lovers She was a little surpriz'd at that but not imagining he had known her Guilt reply'd Then those Caresses were only meant for him for if Silvia could make him happy he was sure of being the Man and by force compell'd him to suffer her Kisses and Imbraces while his Heart was bursting without any sense of the Pleasure of her Touches Ah Silvia says he I can never think myself Secure or Happy while Philander is so near you every absent Moment alarms me with ten thousand Fears in Sleep I dream thou â—art false and gives thy Honour up all my absent Nights and all day thy Vows And that he was sure should she again suffer herself to see Philander he should be abandoned and perhaps she again undone For since I parted with you continued he I heard from Clarinau that he saw Philander yesterday come out of your Lodgings How can I bear this when you have vow'd not to see him with Imprecations that must damn thee Silvia without severe Repentance At this she offered to swear again but he stop'd her and begg'd her not to swear till she had well considered then she confess'd he made her a Visit but that she us'd him with that Pride and Scorn that if he were a Man of Honour he could never bear and she was sure he would trouble her no more In fine she flattered fawn'd and gilted so as no Woman common in the Trade of sinful Love could be so great a Mistriss of the Art He suffered her to go on in all that could confirm him she thought him an errant Coxcomb and all that could render her the most contemptible of her Sex He was pleas'd because it made him dispise her and that was easier than adoring her yet tho' he heard her with Scorn he heard her with too much Love When she was even Breathless with eager Protestation he cry'd Ah Indiscreet and Vnadvised Silvia how I pity thee Ah said she observing him speak this with a scornful Smile is it possible you should indeed be offended for a simple Visit which neither was by my Invitation or Wish Can you be angry if I treat Philander with the Civility of a Brother Or rather that I suffer him to see me to receive my Reproaches Stop here said he thou fair deluding Flatterer or thou art for ever ruin'd Do not charge thy Soul yet farther do not delude me on all yet I can forgive as I am dying but should I live I could not promise thee Add not new Crimes by cozening me anew for I shall find out Truth tho' it lie hid even in the bottom of Philander 's Heart This he spoke with an Air of Fierceness which seeing her grow pale upon he sunk again to Compassion and in a soft Voice cry'd Whatever Injuries thou hast done thy Honour thy Word and Faith to me and my poor Heart I can perhaps forgive when you dare utter Truth There is some Honesty in that She once more embracing him fell a-new to protesting her ill Treatment of Philander how she gave him back his Vows and assur'd him she would never be reconcil'd to him And did you part â—o Silvia reply'd the dying Octavio Vpon my Honour said she just so Did you not kiss at parting said he faintly Iust kiss'd as Friends no more by all thy Love At this he bursts into Tears and cry'd Oh! why when I repos'd my Heart with thee and lavished out my very Soul in Love could I not merit this poor Recompence of being fairly dealt with Behold this Sword I took it from your Toylet view it it is Philander 's myself this Morning took it from your Table No more since you may guess the fatal rest I am undone and I am satisfied I had a thousand Warnings of my Fate but still the Beauty charmed and too good Nature yielded Oft you have cozen'd me and oft I saw it and still Love made me willing to forgive the foolish Passion hung upon my Soul and sooth'd me into Peace Silvia quite confounded not so much with the Knowledge he had of the unlucky Adventure as at her so earnest denying and forswearing any Love had pass'd between 'em lay still to consider how to retrieve this lost Game and gave him leisure to go on Now said he thou art silent would thou had'st still been so Ah hapless Maid who hast this Fate attending thee To ruin all that love thee Be dumb be dumb for ever let the false Charm that dwells upon thy Tongue be ended with my Life Let it no more undo believing Man least amongst the Number some one may conquer thee and deaf to all thy Wit and blind to Beauty in some mad Passion think of all thy Cozenings should fall upon thee and forget thy Sex and by thy Death revenge the lost Octavio At these Words he would have rose from her Arms but she detain'd him and with a pitious Voice implor'd his Pardon but he calmly reply'd Yes Silvia I will pardon thee and wish that Heaven may do so to whom apply thy early Rhetorick and Penitence for it can never never charm me more My Fortune if thou ever want'st Support to keep thee Chast and Vertuous shall still be commanded by thee with that usual Frankness it has hitherto served thee but for Octavio he is resolved to go where he will never more be seen by Woman or hear the name of Love to ought but Heaven Farewel one parting Kiss and then a long Farewel As he bow'd to kiss her she
than death What accident thou dear dear man has hapned to prevent thee from pursuing my directions and staying for me at the gate where have I miss'd thee thou joy of my soul by what dire mistake have I lost thee and where oh where art thou my â—harming Lover I sought thee every where but like the languishing abandon'd Mistress in the Canticles I sought thee but I found thee not no bed of Roses wou'd discover thee I saw no print of thy dear shape nor heard no amorous sigh that cou'd direct me I ask'd the wood and springs complain'd and call'd on thee through all the Groves but they confess'd thee not nothing but Echo's answer'd me and when I cried Philander cried Philander thus search'd I till the coming night and my increasing fears made me resolve for flight which soon we did and soon arriv'd at Paris but whither then to go Heaven knows I cou'd not tell for I was almost naked friendless and â—orlorn at last consulting Brilljard what to do after a thousand revolutions he concluded to trust me with a sister he had who was Married to a 〈◊〉 of the Guard de Core he chang'd my name and made mepass for a â—ortune he had stolâ— but oh no welcomes nor my saâ—e retreat were sufficient to repoâ—e me all the insuing night for I had no news of Philander no not a dream inform'd me a thousand fears and jealousies have kept me waking and Brilljard who has been all night in pursuit of thee is now returnâ—d succesless and distracted as thy Silvia for duty and generosity has almost the same effects in him with love and tenderness and jeâ—lousie in me and since 〈◊〉 affords no news of thee which sure it wou'd if thou wert in it for oh the Sun might hide himself with as 〈◊〉 ease as great Philander he is râ—solv'd to search St. 〈◊〉 Wood and all the adjacent Cottages and Groves he thinks that you not knowing of my escape may yâ—t be waiting thereabouts since quitting the Chaâ—â—ot for fear of being seen you might be so far advanc'd into the Wood as not to â—â—nd the way back to the Thickeâ— where thâ— Charioâ— waited 't is thus 〈…〉 and flatters my poor 〈◊〉 that fain wou'd think 〈…〉 or if thou be'st not but curst be all such thoughts and far from Silvia's Soul no no thou art not false it cannot be thou art a God and art unchâ—ngeable I know by some mistake thou art attending me as wild and impatient as I perhaps thou think'st me false and think'st I have not courage to pursue my love and fly and thou perhaps art waiting for the hour wherein thou think'st I 'll give my self away to Foscâ—rio Oh cruel and unkind to think I lov'd so lightly to think I wou'd attend that fatal hour no Philander no faithless dear inchanter Last night the Eve to my intended Wedding-day having repos'd my Soul by my resolves for flight and only waiting the lucky minute for escape I set a willing hand to every thing that was preparing for the ceremony of the ensuing morning with that pretence I got me early to my Chamber tried on a thousand dresses and ask'd a thousand questions all impertinent which wou'd do best which look'd most gay and rich then drest my Gown with Jewels deck'd my apartment up and left nothing undone that might secure 'em both of my being pleas'd and of my stay nay and to give the less suspiâ—ion I undress'd my self even to my under Peticoat and Night-gown I wou'd not take a Jewel not a Pistol but left my Women finishing my work and carelesly and thus undrest walkâ—d towards the Garden and while every one was busie in their office getting my self out of sight I posted o're the Meadow to the Wood as swift as Dapâ—ne from the God of day till I arriv'd most luckily where I found the Chariot waiting attended by Brilljard of whom when I all fainting and breathless with my swift flight demanded his Lord he lifted me into the Chariot and cried a little farther Madam you will find him for he for fear of making a discovery took yonder shaded path towards which we went but no dear vision of my Love appear'd and thus my charming Lover you have my kind adventure send me some tidings back that you are found that you are well and lastly that you are mine or this that shou'd have been my wedding day will see it self that of the death of Silvia Paris Thursday from my Bed for want of Cloaths or rather news from Philander To Silvia MY life my Silvia my eternal joy art thou then safe and art thou reserv'd for Philander am I so blest by Heaven by love and my dear charming Maid then leâ— me dy in peace since I have liv'd to see all that my Soul desires â—n Silvia's being mine perplex not thy soft heart with fears or jealousies nor think so basely so poorly of my love to need more oaths or vows yet to confirm thee I wou'd swear my breath away but oh it needs not here take then no carâ— my lovely dear turn not thy charming eyes or thoughts back on afflicting objects oh think not on what thou hast abandoned but what thou art arriv'd to look forward on the joys of love and Youth for I will dedicate all my remaining life to render thine serene and glad and yet my Silvia thou art so dear to me so wondrous pretious to my Soul that I in my extravagance of love I fear shall grow a troublesome and wearying Coxcomb shall dread every look thou givest away from me a smile will make me rave a sigh 〈◊〉 touch make me commit a murtheâ— on the happy slave or my own jealous heart but all the world besides is Silvia's all but another Lover but I rave and run too fast away ages must pass a tedious term of years before I can be jealous or â—onceive thou canst be weary of Philander I 'll be so fond so doating and so playing thou shalt not have an idle minute to throw away a look in or a thought on any other no no I have thee now and will maintain my right by dint and force of love oh I am wild to see thee but Silvia I am wounded do not be frighted though for 't is not much or dangerous buâ— very troublesome since it permits me not to fly to Silvia but she must come to me in order to it Brilljard has a Bill on my Goldsmith in Paris for a thousand Pistols to buy thee something to put on any thing that 's ready and he will conduct thee to me for I shall rave my self into a â—eaver if I see thee not to day I cannot live without thee now for thou' rt my life my everlasting charmer I have order'd Brilljard to get a Chariot and some unknown Livery for thee and I think the continuance of passing for what he has already rendred thee will do very well till I have taken farther care of thy
he open'd it and read this Octavio to Phillander My Lord I Had rather dy then be the ungrateful messenger of news which I am sensible will prove so fatal to you and which will be best exprest in fewest words 't is decreed that you must retire from the United Provinces in Four and Twenty hours if you will save a life that is dear to me and Silvia there being no other security against your being render'd up to the King of France Support it well and hope all things from the assistance of From the Council Wednesday Your Octavio Phillander Phillander having finisht the reading of this remain'd a while wholly without life or motion when coming to himself he sigh'd and cryd Why farewel trifling life If of the two extreames one must be chosen rather then I 'le abandon Silvia I 'le stay and be deliver'd up a Victim to incensed France 'T is but a life At best I never Vallu'd thee And now I scorn to preserve thee at the Price of Silvias teares Then taking a hasty turn or two about his chamber he pawsing cryd But by my stay I ruine both Silvia and my self her life depends on mine and 't is impossible hers can be preserv'd when mine is in danger by retiring I shall shortly again be blest with her sight in a more safe security by staying I resign my self poorly to be made a publick scorn to France and the cruell Murderer of Silvia now 't was after an hundred turns and pawses intermixt which sighs and raveings that he resolv'd for both their safeties to retire and having a while longer debated within himself how and where and a little time ruminated on his hard persuing fate grown to a calm of grief less easy to be born than rage he hastes to Silvia whom he sound something more cheerful than before but dares not aquaint her with the commands he had to depart But silently he views her while teares of Love and grief glide unperceivably fram his fine eyes his soul grows tenderer at every look and pity and compassion joyning to his Love and his despairs set him on the wrack of Liâ—e and now believing it less pain to dy than to leave Silvia resolves to disobey and dare the worst that shall befall him he yet had some glimmering hope as Lovers have that some kind chance will prevent his going or being deliver'd up he trusts much to the Friendship of Octavio whose power joyn'd with that of his Unkle Who was one of the States also and whom he had an ascendant over as his Nephew and his heir might serve him he therefore ventures to move him to compassion by this following Letter Phillander to Octavio I Know my Lord that the Exercise of Vertue and Justice is so innate to your soul and so fixt to the very Principle of a generous Commonwealths man that where those are in competition 't is neither birth wealth or Glorious merit that can render the unfortunate condemn'd by you worthy of your pity or pardon your very Sons and fathers fall before your justice and 't is crime enough to offend tho innocently the least of your wholsom laws to fall under the extremity of their rigor I am not ignorant neither how flourishing this necessary Tyranny this lawful oppression renders your State howsafe and glorious how secure from Enemies at home those worst of foes and how fear'd by those abroad pursue then Sir your justifiable method and still be high and mighty retain your ancient Roman vertue and still be great as Rome her self in her height of glorious Commonwealths rule your stubborn Natives by her excellent examples and let the height of your ambition be only to be as severely just as rigidly good as you please but like her too be pitiful to Strangers and dispence a Noble Charity to the distress'd compassionate a poor wandring young Man who flies to you for refuge lost to his Native home lost to his fame his fortune and his Friends and has only left him the knowledge of his innocence to support him from falling on his own Sword to end an unfortunate life persu'd every where and safe no where a Life whose only refuge is Octavio's goodness nor is it barely to preserve this life that I have recourse to that only as my Sanctuary and like an humble Slave implore your pity Oh Octavio pity my Youth and interceed for my stay yet a little longer Your self makes one of the illustrious Number of the Grave the Wise and mighty Councel your Unkle and Relations make up another considerable part of it and you are too dear to all to find a refusal of your just and compassionate application Oh! what fault have I committed against you that I shou'd not find a safety here as well as those charg'd with the same Crime with me tho of less quality Many I have incounter'd here of our unlucky party who find a safety among you is my birth a Crime Or does the greatness of that augment my guilt Have I broken any of your Laws committed any outrage Do they suspect me for a spie to France Or do I hold any Corrispondence with that ungrateful Nation Does my Religion Principle or Opinion differ from yours Can I design the subversion of your Glorious State Can I plot cabal or mutiny alone Oh charge me with some offence or your selves of injustice Say why I am deny'd my length of â—arth amongst you if I dy Or why to breath the open Air if I live since I shall neither oppress the one nor infect the other but on the contrary am ready with my sword my youth and Blood to serve you and bring my little aids on all occasions to yours and shou'd be proud of the Glory to dy for you in Battle who wou'd deliver me up a Sacrifice to France Oh! where Octavio is the glory or vertue of this Punctilio for 't is no other There are no Laws that bind you to it no obligatory Article of Nations but an unnecessary complyment made a nemini contradicente of your Senate that argues nothing but ill nature and cannot redound to any one advantage An Ill nature that 's levell'd at me alone for many I found here and many shall leave under the same circumstances with me 't is only me whom you have mark'd out the victime to atone for all Well then my Lord if nothing can move you to a safety for this unfortunate at least be so mercyful to suspend your cruelty a little yet a little and possible I shall render you the body of Phillander tho dead to send into France as the trophy of your fidellity to that Grown Oh yet a little stay your cruel sentence till my lovely Sister who persu'd my hard fortunes declare my Fate by her life or death Oh my Lord if ever the soft passion of Love have touch'd your soul if you have felt the unresistable force of young charms about your heart if ever you have known
and who till then I never wisht to see but now I was impatient for his coming who by degrees told me that you were gone I never ask'd him where or how or why that you where gone was enough to possess me of all I fear'd your being apprehended and sent into France your delivering your self up your abandoning me all all I had an easie faith for without consulting more than That Thou wert gone that very word yet strikes a terrour to my Soul disables my trembling hand and I must wait for reinforcements from some kinder thoughts But Oh! from whence shou'd they arrive from what dear present felicity or prospect of a future tho never so distant and all those past ones serve but to increase my pain they favour me no more they charm and please no more and only present themselves to my memory to compleat the number of my sighs and tears and make me wish that they had never been tho even with Philander Oh say thou Monarch of my panting Soul How hast thou treated Silvia to make her wish that she had never known a tender joy with thee Is 't possible she shou'd repent her loving thee and thou shou'dst give her cause Say dear false Charmer is it But O there is no lasting Faith in sin Ah What have I done How dreadful is the Scene of my first debauch and how glorious that never to be regain'd prospect of my Virgin innocence where I fate inthron'd in awful vertue crown'd with shining honour and adorn'd with unsullied reputation till thou O Tyrant Love with a charming usurpation invaded all my glories and which I resign'd with greater pride and joy than a young Monarch puts 'em on Oh why then do I repent as if the vast the dear expence of pleasures past were not enough to recompence for all the pains of Love to come But why O why do I treat thee as a Lover lost already Thou art not canst not no I le not believe it till thou thy self confess it Nor shall the omission of a tender word or two make me believe thou hast forgot thy vows Alas it may be I mistake thy cares thy hard fatigues of Life thy presant ill circumstances and all the melancholy effects of thine and my misfortunes for coldness and declining Love Alas I had forgot my poor my dear Philander is now oblig'd to contrive for Life as well as Love thou perhaps fearing the worst art preparing Eloquence for a Council Table and in thy busie and guilty imaginations haranguing it to the grave Judges defending thy innocence or evading thy guilt Feeing Advocates excepting Juries and confronting Witnesses when thou shou'dst be giving satisfaction to my fainting love-sick heart Sometimes in thy labouring fancy the horrour of a dreadful Sentence for an ignominious death strikes upon thy tender Soul with a force that frights the little God from thence and I am perswaded there are some moments of this melancholy nature wherein your Silvia is even quite forgotten and this too she can think just and reasonable without reproaching thy heart with a declining passion especially when I am not by to call thy fondness up and divert thy more tormenting hours But Oh for those soft minutes thou hast design'd for Love and hast dedicated to Silvia Philander shou'd dismiss the dull formalities of rigid business the pressing cares of dangers and have given a loose to softness Cou'd my Philander imagine this short and unloving Letter sufficient to atone for such an absence And has Philander then forgotten the pain with which I languish'd when but absent from him an hour how then can he imagine I can live when distant from him so many Leagues and so many days while all the scanty comfort I have for life is that one day we might meet again but where or when or how thou hast not love enough so much as to divine but poorly leavest me to be satisfied by Octavio committing the business of thy heart the once great importance of thy Soul the most necessary devoires of thy life to be supply'd by another Oh Philander I have known a blessed time in our reign of Love when thou wou'dst have thought even all thy own power of too little force to satisfie the doubting Soul of Silvia Tell me Philadner hast thou forgot that time I dare not think thou hast and yet O God I find an alteration but Heaven divert the Omen Yet something whispers to my Soul I am undone Oh where art thou my Philander Where 's thy heart And what has it been doing since it begun my Fate How can it justifie thy coldness and thou this cruel absence without accounting with me for every parting hour My Charming Dear was wont to find me business for all my lonely absent ones and writ the softest Letters Loading the Paper with fond Vows and Wishes which e're I had read o're another wou'd arrive to keep Eternal warmth about my Soul nor â—wert thou ever wearied more with writing than I with reading or with sighing after thee but now Oh! there 's some Mystery in 't I dare not understand Be kind at least and satisfie my fears for 't is a wonderous pain to live in doubt if thou still lov'st me swear it o're a new and curse me if I do not credit thee But if thou art declining or shou'dst be sent a shameful Victim into France Oh thou deceiving Charmer yet be just and let me know my Doom By Heaven this last will find a welcome to me for it will end the torment of my doubts and fears of losing thee another way and I shall have the Joy to dye with thee dye belov'd and dye Thy SILVIA Having read over this Letter she fear'd she had said too much of her doubts and apprehensions of a change in him for now she flies to all the little Stratagems and artifices of Lovers she begins to consider the worst and to make her best of that but quite abandon'd she cou'd not believe her self without flying into all the rage that disappointed Women cou'd be possest with she calls Briljard shews him his Lords Letters and told him while he read her doubts and fears he being thus instructed by her self in the way how to deceive her on like Fortunetellers who gather peoples Fortune from themselves and then return it back for their own Divinity tells her he saw indeed a change glad to improve her fear and feigns a sorrow almost equal to hers 'T is evident says he 'T is evident that he 's the most ungrateful of his Sex Pardon Madam continued he bowing If my Zeal for the most Charming Creature on Earth make me forget my duty to the best of Masters and Friends Ah Brilljard cry'd she with an Air of languishment that more inflam'd him have a care least that mistaken Zeal for me shou'd make you prophane a Vertue which has not but on this occasion shew'd that it wanted Angels for its guard Oh Brilljard if he
her heart glow'd in her Cheeks and languisht in her looks told her she was not born for Clarinau or love wou'd do her wrong I sooth'd the thought and urg'd the Laws of Nature the power of Love necessity of Youth And the Wonder that was yet behind that ravishing somthing which not love or kisses cou'd make her guess at so beyond all soft imagination that nothing but a tryal cou'd convince her but she resisted still and still I pleaded with all the subtillest Arguments of Love words mixt with kisses sighing mixt with Vows but all in vain Religion was my Foe and Tyrant Honour guarded all her Charms thus did we pass the Night till the young Morn advancing in the East forc'd us to bid adieu Which oft we did and oft we sigh'd and kist oft parted and return'd and sigh'd again and as she went away she weeping cry ' wringing my hand in hers pray Heav'n Philander this dear interview do not prove fatal to me for oh I find frail Nature weak about me and one dear minute more wou'd forfeit all my Honour At this she started from my trembling hand and swipt the Walk like Wind so swift and suddain and left me panting sighing wishing dying with mighty Love and hope and after a little time I scal'd my Wall and return'd unseen to my new Lodging It was four days after before I cou'd get any other happiness but that of seeing her at her window vvhich vvas just against mine from which I never stirr'd hardly to eat or sleep and that she saw with joy for every Morning I had a Billet from her which we contriv'd that Happy Night shou'd be convey'd me thus It was a Byâ—Street where I lodg'd and the other side was only the dead wall of her Garden where early in the morning she us'd to walk and having the Billet ready she put it with a Stone into a little Leathern purse and tost it over the wall where either my self from the Window or any young friend below waited for it and that way every Morning and every Eveving she receiv'd one from me but 't is impossible to tell you the innocent Passion she exprest in them innocent in that there was no Art no faiâ—'d nicefolly to express a Virtue that was not in the Soul but all she spoke conâ—est her hearts soft wishes At last for I am teadious in a relation of what gave me so much pleasure in the injoyment at last I say I receiv'd the happy invitation to come into the Garden as before and Night advancing for my purpose I need not say that I deliver'd my self upon the place appointed which was by the Fountain side beneath her Chamber Window towards which I cast you may believe many a longing look The Clock struck ten eleven and then twelve but no dear Star appear'd to conduct me to my happiness at last I heard the little Garden door against the Fountain open and saw Calista there wrapt in her Night Gown only I ran like Lightning to her Armes with all the transports of an eager Lover and almost smother'd my self in her warm rising Breast for she taking me in her Arms. Let go her Gown which falling open left nothing but her Shift between me and all her Charming Body But she bid me hear what she had to say before I proceeded farther she told me she was forc'd to wait till Dormina was a sleep who lay in her Chamber and then stealing the Key she came softly down to let me in But said she since I amall undrest and cannot walk in the Garden with you will you promise me on Love and Honour to be obedient to all my Commands if I carry you to my Chamber for Dormina 's sleep are like death it self however least she chance to awake and shou'd take an occasion to speak to me 't were absolutely necessary that I were there for since I serv'd her such a trick the other Night and let her sleep so long she will not let me walk late A very little argument perswaded me to yield to any thing to be with Calista any where so that both returning softly to her Chamber she put her self into Bed and left me kneeling on the Carpet But 't was not long that I remain'd so from the dear touches of her hands and breast we came to kisses and so equally to a forgetfullness of all we had promis'd and agreed on before and broke all Rules and Articles that were not in the Favour of Love so that stripping my self by degrees while she with an unwilling force made some feeble resistance I got into the Arms of the most Charming Woman that ever Nature made she was all over perfection I dare not tell you more let it suffice she was all that luxurious man cou'd wish and all that renders woman fine and ravishing About two hours thus was my Soul in rapture while sometimes she reproacht me but so gently that 't was to bid me still be false and perjur'd if these were the effects of it if disobedience have such wonderous Charms may I said shâ— be still Commanding thee and thou still disobeying While thus we lay with equal ravishment we heard a murmuring noise at distance which we knew not what to make of but it grew still louder and louder but still at distance too this first Alarm'd us and I was no sooner perswaded to rise but I heard a door unlock at the side of the Bed which was not that by which I enter'd for that was at the other end of the Chamber towards the Window Oh Heavens said the fair frighted trembler here is the Count of Clerinau For he always came up that way and those Stairs by which I ascended was the back stairs so that I had just time to grope my way towards the door without so much as taking my Cloaths with me never was any Amorous adventurer in so lamentable a Condition I wou'd fain have turn'd upon him and at once have hinder'd him from entring with my Sword in my hand and secur'd him from ever disturbing my pleasure any more but she implor'd I wou'd not and in this minutes dispute he came so near me that he toucht meâ— as I glâ—ded from him but not being acquainted very well with the Chamber having never seen my way I lighted in my passage on Dormina's pallate Bed and threw my self quite over her to the Chamber door which made a damnable clattering and a waking Dormina with my Catastrophe she set up such a bawl as frighted and Alarm'd the Old Count who was just taking in a Candle from his Footman who had lighted it at his Flamboy So that hearing the noise and knowing it must be some Body in the Chamber he lets fall his Candle in the fright and call'd his Footman in with the Flamboy draws his Tolledo which he had in his hand and wrapt in his Night Gown with three or four woollen Caps one upon the top of another ty'd
that had not been to have acted Octavio to the Life but would have made a Discovery Ay said she that was your Aim to have acted Octavio to the Life I believe and not to discover my Lady's Constancy to your Lord but I suppose you have been sworn at the But of Hedleburgh never to kiss the Maid when you can kiss the Mistress But he renewing his Caresses and Asseverations of Love to her she suffered herself to be convinc'd of all he had a mind to have her believe After this she could not contain any Secret from him but told him she had something to say to him which if he knew would convince him she had all the Passion in the World for him He presses eagerly to know and she pursues to tell him 't is as much as her Life is worth to discover it and that she lies under the Obligation of an Oath not to tell it but Kisses and Rhetorick prevails and she crys What will you say now if my Lady may Marry one of the greatest and most considerable Persons in all this Country I should not wonder at her Conquests reply'd Brilljard but I should wonder if she should Marry Then cease your Wonder reply'd she for she is to morrow to be married to Count Octavio whom she is to meet at nine in the Morning to that end at a little Village a League from this place She spoke and he believes and finds it true by the raging of his Blood which he could not conceal from Antonett and for which he feigns a thousand Excuses to the Amorous Maid and charges his Concern on that for his Lord At last after some more Discourse on that Subject he pretends to grow sleepy and hastens her to her Chamber and locking the Door after her he began to reflect on what she had said and grew to all the Torment of Rage Jealousie and all the Dispairs of a passionate Lover And tho' his Hope was not Exstreme before yet as Lovers do he found or fancy'd a Probability from his Lords Inconstancy and his own right of Marriage that the Necessity she might chance to be in of his Friendship and Assistance in a strange Country might some happy Moment or other render him the Blessing he so long had waited for from Silvia for he ever design'd when either his Lord left her grew cold or should happen to die to put in his Claim of Husband And the soft familiar way with which she eternally liv'd with him incourag'd this Hope and Design nay she had often made him Advances to that happy Expectation But this fatal Blow had driven him from all his fancy'd Joys to the most wretched Estate of a desperate Lover He traverses his Chamber wounded with a thousand different Thoughts mixt with those of preventing this Union the next Morning Sometimes he resolves to fight Octavio for his Birth might pretend to it and he wanted no Courage but he is afraid of being overcome by that gallant Man and either loosing his Hopes with his Life or if he kill Octavio to be forc'd to fly from his Happiness or die an ignominious Death Sometimes he resolves to own Silvia for his Wife but then he fears the Rage of that dear Object of his Soul which he dreads more than Death it self So that tost from one Extream to another from one Resolution to a hundred he was not able to fix upon any thing In this Perplexity he remain'd till Day appear'd that Day that must advance with his undoing while Silvia and Antonett were preparing for the Design concluded on the last Night This he heard and every Minute that approach'd gave him new Torments so that now he would have given himself to the Prince of Darkness for a kind Disappointment He was often ready to go and throw himself at her Feet and plead against her Enterprize in hand and to urge the unlawfulness of a double Marriage ready to make Vows for the Fidelity of Philander tho' before so much against his own Interest and to tell her all those Letters from him were forg'd He thought on all things but nothing remain'd with him but Dispair of every thing At last the Devil and his own Subtilty put him upon a Prevention tho' base yet the most likely to succeed in his Opinion He knew there were many Factions in Holland and that the States themselves were divided in their Interests and a thousand Jealousies and Fears were eternally spread amongst the Rable there were Cabals for every Interest that of the French so prevailing that of the English and that of the Illustrious Orange and others for the States so that it was not a Difficulty to move any Mischief and pass it off among the Crowd for dangerous Consequences Brilljard knew each Division and which way they were inclin'd he knew Octavio was not so well with the States as not to be easily rendred worse for he was so intirely a Creature and Favourite of the Prince that they conceiv'd abundance of Jealousies of him which they durst not own Brilljard besides knew a great Man who having a Pique to Octavio might the sooner be brought to receive any ill Character of him To this sullen Magistrate he applies himself and deluding the Credulous busie old Man with a thousand circumstantial Lies he discovers to him that Octavio held a Correspondence with the French King to betray the State and that he Caball'd to that end with some who were look'd upon as French Rebels but indeed were no other than Spies to France This coming from a Man of that Party and whose Lord was a French Rebel gain'd a perfect Credit with the old Sr. Politiâ— so that immediately hasting to the State-House he lays this weighty Affair before them who soon found it reasonable and if not true at least they fear'd and sent out a Warrant for the speedy apprehending him but coming to his House tho' early they found him gone and being inform'd which way he took thâ— Messenger pursu'd him and found his Coach at the Door of a Caberett too Obscure for his Quality which made them apprehend this was some place of Rendezvouz where he possibly met with his Trayterous Associators They send in and cunningly inquire who he waited for or who was with him and they understood he stay'd for some Gentlemen of the French Nation for he had ordered Silvia to come in mans Cloaths that she might not be known and had given Order below that if two French Gentlemen came they should be brought to him This Information made the Scandal as clear as Day and the Messenger no longer doubted of the Reasonableness of his Warrant tho' he was loath to serve it on a Person whose Father he had serv'd many Years He waits at some distance from the House unseen tho' he could take a View of all he saw Octavio come often out into the Balcony and look with longing Eyes towards the Road that leads to the Town he saw him all
acquainted her with the short History of his Passion for Silvia and order'd her to give her attendance on the treasure of his Life he bid her prepare all things as magnificent as she could in that Apartment he design'd her which was very rich and gay and towards a fine Garden The Hangings and Beds all glorious and fitter for a Monarch than a Subject the finest Pictures the World afforded Flowers in-laid with Silver and Ivory guilded Roofs carved Wainscot Tables of Plate with all the rest of the moveables in the Chambers of the same all of great value and all was perfumed like an Altar or the Marriage-Bed of some young King Here Silvia was design'd to lodge and hither Octavio conducted her and setting her on a Couch while the Supper was getting ready he sits himself down by her and his heart being ready to burst with Grief at the thought of the Claim which was laid to her by Brilljard he silently views her while Tears were ready to break from his fix'd Eyes and Sighs stopt what he would fain have spoke While she wholly confounded with Shame Guilt and Disappointment for she could not imagine that Brilljard could have had the Impudence to have claim'd her for a Wife fix'd her fair Eyes to Earth and durst not behold the languishing Octavio They remain'd thus a long time silent she not daring to defend herself from a Crime of which she knew too well she was guilty nor he daring to ask her a Question to which the Answer might prove so fatal he fears to know what he dies to be satisfied in and she fears to discover too late a Secret which was the only one she had conceal'd from him Octavio runs over in his Mind a thousand Thoughts that perplex'd him of the Probability of her being married he considers how often he had found her with that happy young Man who more freely entertain'd her than Servants use to do He now considers how he has seen 'em once on a Bed together when Silvia was in the Disorder of a yielding Mistress and Brilljard of a ravish'd Lover he considers how he has found 'em alone at Cards and Dice and often entertaining her with Freedoms of a Husband and how he wholly managed her Affairs commanded her Servants like their proper Master and was in full Authority of all These and a thousand more Circumstances confirms Octavio in all his Fears A thousand times she is about to speak but either fears to lose Octavio by a clear Confession or to run herself into farther Error by denying the matter of Fact stops her Words and she only blushes and sighs at what she dares not tell and if by chance their speaking Eyes meet they would both decline 'em hastily again as afraid to find there what their Language could not confess Sometimes he would press her Hand and sigh Ah Silvia you have undone my Quiet to which she would return no Answer but Sigh and now rising from the Couch she walk'd about the Chamber as sad and silent as Death attending when he should have advanced in speaking to her tho' she dreads the Voice she wishes to hear and he waits for her Reply tho' the Mouth that he adores should deliver Poyson and Daggers to his Heart While thus they remained in the most silent and sad Entertainment that ever was between Lovers that had so much to say the Page which Octavio only trusts to wait brought him this Letter Brilljard to Octavio My Lord I am too sensible of my many high Offences to your Lordship and have as much Penitence for my Sin committed towards you as 't is possible to conceive but when I implore a Pardon from a Lover who by his own Passion may guess at the violent Effects of my dispairing Flame I am yet so vain to hope it Antonett gave me the Intelligence of your Design and raised me up to a Madness that hurried me to that Barbarity against your unspotted Honour I own the baseness of the Fact but Lovers are not my Lord always guided by Rules of Iustice and Reason or if I had I should have kill'd the fair Adultress that drew you to your Vndoing and who merits more your Hate than your Regard and who having first violated her marriage Vow to me with Philander would sacrifice us both to you and at the same time betray you to a Marriage that cannot but prove fatal to you as it is most unlawful in her so that my Lord if I have injured you I have at the same time saved you from a Sin and Ruin and humbly implore that you will suffer the Good I have rendered you in the last to atone for the Ill I did you in the first If I have accused you of a Design against the State it was to save you from that of the too subtil and too charming Silvia which none but myself could have snatcht you from 'T is true I might have acted something more worthy of my Birth and Education but my Lord I knew the Power of Silvia and if I should have sent you the Knowledge of this when I sent the Warrant for the Security of your Person the haughty Creature would have prevail'd above all my Truths with the Eloquence of Love and you had yielded and been betray'd worse by her than by the most ungenerous Measures I took to prevent it Suffer this Reason my Lord to plead for me in that Heart where Silvia Reigns and shews how powerful she is every where Pardon all the Faults of a most unfortunate Man undone by Love and by your own guess what his Passion would put him on who aims or wishes at least for the intire Possession of Silvia tho' it was never absolutely hop'd by the most unfortunate Brilljard At the beginning of this Letter Octavio hoped it contained the Confession of his Fault in claiming Silvia he hop'd he would have own'd it done in order to his Service to his Lord or his Love to Silvia or any thing but what it really was but when he read on and found that he yet confirm'd his Claim he yeilded to all the Grief that could sink a Heart over-burthen'd with violent Love he fell down on the Couch were he was sate and only calling Silvia with a dying Groan he held out his Hand in which the Letter remain'd and look'd on her with Eyes that languished with Death Love and Dispair while she who already feared from whom it came received it with Disdain Shame and Confusion And Octavio recovering a little Cry'd in a faint Voice See Charming Cruel Fair see how much my Soul adores you when even this cannot extinguish one spark of that Flame you have kindled in my Soul At this she blush'd and bow'd with a graceful modesty that was like to have given the lie to all the Accusations against her She reads the Letter while he greedily fixes his Eyes upon her Face as she read observing with curious Search every Motion there all killing
touch her Breast a Blessing he had never before arriv'd to with any body above the Quality of his own Servant-Maid To all which she makes the best Resistance she can under the Circumstances of one who was to deceive well and while she loaths she seems well pleas'd while the gay Jewels sparkled in her Eyes and Octavio in her Heart so fond is Youth of Vanities and to purchase an addition of Beauty at any Price Thus with her pretty Flatteries she wrought upon his Soul and smil'd and look'd him into Faith loth to depart she sends him pleas'd away and having her Heart the more inclin'd to Octavio by being Persecuted with his Uncles Love for by Comparison she finds the mighty Difference she sets herself to write him the Account of what I have related this Nights Adventure and Agreement between his Uncle and herself She tells him that to Morrow for now 't was almost Day she had promised him to go to his Villa She tells him at what rate she has purchased the Blessing expected and lastly leaves the management of the rest to him who needs not be instructed This Letter he receiv'd the next Night at the old place and Silvia with it lets down a Velvet Night Bag which contain'd all the Jewels and things of Value she had receiv'd of himself his Uncle or any other After which he retired and was pretty well at ease with the imagination he should ere long be made Happy in the Possession of Silvia In order to it the next Morning he was early up and dressing himself in a great course Campagne-Coat of the Gardeners puting up his Hair as well as he could under a Country-Hat he got on a Horse that suited his Habit and rides to the Villa whither they were to come and which he knew perfectly well every Room of for there our Hero was born He went to a little Caberet in the Village from whence he could survey all the great House and see every Body that pass'd in and out He remain'd fix'd at the Window fill'd with a thousand Agitations this he had resolv'd not to set upon the good old Man as a Thief or Robber nor could he find in this Heart or Nature to injure him tho' but in a little afrighting him who had given him so many anxious Hours and who had been so unjust to desire that Blessing himself he would not allow him and to believe that a Vertue in himself which he exclaim'd against as so great a Vice in his Nephew nevertheless he resolv'd to deceive him to save his own Life And he wanted that nice part of Generosity as to satisfy a little unnecessary Lust in an old Man to ruin the eternal Content of a young one so nearly allied to his Soul as was his own dear proper Person While he was thus considering he saw his Uncle's Coach coming and Silvia with that doting Lover in it who was that day dressed in all the Fopperies of Youth and every thing was young and gay about him but his Person that was Winter it self disguised in artificial Spring and he was altogether a meer Contradiction But who can guess the Disorders and Pantings of Octavio's Heart at the Sight and tho' he had resolved before he would not to save his Life lay violent Hands on his old Parent yet at their Approach at their presenting themselves together before his Eyes as two Lovers going to betray him to all the Miseries Pangs and Confusions of Love going to possess her the dear Object and certain Life of his Soul and she the Parent of him to whom she had disposed of herself so intirely already he was provok'd to break from all his Resolutions and with one of those two Pistols he had in his Pockets to have sent unerring Death to his old amorous Heart But that Thought was no sooner born than stifled in his Soul where it met with all the Sence of Gratitude that ever could present the tender Love and dear Care of a Parent there and the Coach passing into the Gate put him upon new Designs and before they were finished he saw Silvia's Page coming from the House after seeing his Lady to her Apartment and being show'd his own where he laid his Vallice and Riding-things and was now come out to look about a Country where he had never been before Octavio goes down and meets him and ventures to make himself known to him And so infinitely glad was the Youth to have an Opportunity to serve him that he vow'd he would not only do it with his Life on Occasion but believ'd he could do it effectually since the old Gentleman had no sort of Jealousie now especially since they had so prudently manag'd Matters in this time of his Ladies remaining at Sebastian's House So that Sir it will not be difficult says the generous Boy for me to convey you to my Lodging when it is dark He told him his Lady cast many a longing Look out towards the Road as she pass'd for you I am sure my Lord for she had told both myself and Antonett of her Design before least our Surprize or Resistance should prevent any Force you might use on the Road to take her from my Lord Sebastian She sigh'd and look'd on me as she alighted with Eyes my Lord that told me her Grief for your Disappointment You may easily imagine how transported the poor Octavio was he kiss'd and imbrac'd the Amiable Boy a thousand times and taking a Ring from his Finger of considerable Value gave it the dear Reviver of his Hopes Octavio already knew the Strength of the House which consisted but of a Gardener whose Wife was House-keeper and their Son who was his Fathers Servant in the Garden and their Daughter who was a sort of Maid-servant And they had brought only the Coach-man and one Foot-man who were likely to be mirrily imploy'd in the Kitchin at Night when all got to Supper together I say Octavio already knew this and there was now nothing that opposed his Wishes So that dismissing the dear Boy he remained the rest of the tedious Day at the Caberet the most impatient of Night of any Man on Earth And when the Boy appear'd it was like the Approach of an Angel He told him his Lady was the most Melancholy Creature that ever Eyes beheld and that to conceal the Cause she had feigned herself Ill and had not stir'd from her Chamber all the day That the old Lover was perpetually with her and the most concern'd Doatard that ever Cupid inslav'd That he had so wholly taken up his Lady with his disagreeable Entertainment that it was impossible either by a Look or Note to inform her of his being so near her whom she considered as her present Defender and her future Happiness But this Evening continued the Youth as I was waiting on her at Supper she spy'd the Ring on my Finger which my Lord your Bounty made me Master of this Morning She
you injured me to that degree that I with all the mighty stock of Love I had hoarded up together in my Heart must dy reproaching thee to my last Gasp of Life which had'st thou been so merciful to have ended by all the Love that 's breaking off my Heart that yet even yet is soft and charming to me I swear with my last Breath I had bless'd thee Silvia But thus to use me thus to leave my Love distracted raving Love and no one Hope or Prospect of Relief either from Reason Time or faithless Silvia was but to stretch the Wretch upon the Rack and screw him up to all degrees of Pain yet such as do not end in kinder Death Oh thou unhappy Ruiner of my Repose Oh fair Vnfortunate if yet my Agony would give me leave to argue I am so miserably lost to ask thee yet this woful Satisfaction to tell me why thou hast undone me thus Why thou shouldest chuse out me from all the Crowd of fond admiring Fools to make the World's Reproach and turn to redicule How could'st thou use that soft good Nature so that had not one ungrateful sullen Humour in it for thy Revenge and Pride to work upon No Baseness in my Love no dull Severity for Malice to be busie with but all was gay and kind all lavish Fondness and all that Woman vain with Youth and Beauty could wish in her Adorer What could'st thou ask but Empire which I gave not My Love my Soul my Life my very Hâ—nour all was resign'd to thee that Youth that might have gain'd me Fame abroad was dedicated to thy eternal Service laid at thy Feet and idly past in Love Oh charming Maid whom Heaven has form'd for the Punishment of all whose Flames are Criminal why could'st not thou have made some kind distinction between those common Passions and my Flame I gave thee all my Vows my honest Vows before I asked a Recompence for Love I made thee mine before the sacred Powers that witness every secret solemn Vow and fix 'em in the eternal Book of Fate if thou had'st given thy Faith to any other as oh too sure thou hast what Fault was this in me who knew it not why should I bear that sin I took thee to me as a Virgin Treasure sent from the Gods to charm the Ills of Life to make the tedious Iourney short and joyful I came to make atonement for thy Sin and to redeem thy Fame not add to the detested Number I came to guild thy Stains of Honour over and set so high a Price upon thy Name that all Reproaches for thy past Offences should have been lost in future Crowds of Glory I came to lead thee from a world of Shame approaching Ills and future Miseries from noisy Flatterers that would sacrifice thee first to dull Lust and more unthinking Wit possess thee then traduce thee By Heaven I swear it was not for myself alone I took such pains to gain thee and set thee free from all those Circumstances that might perhaps debauch thy worthier Nature and I believed it was with pain you yielded to every buying Lover No 't was for thy Sake in pity to thy Youth Heaven had inspired me with Religious Flame and when I aim'd at Silvia 't was alone I might attain to Heaven the surest way by such a pious Conquest Why hast thou ruin'd a Design so glorious as saving both our Souls Perhaps thou vainly thinkest that while I am pleading thus I am arguing still for Love or think this way to move â—hee into Pity No by my hopes of Death to ease my Pain Love is a Passion not to be compell'd by any force of Reason's Arguments 'T is an unthinking Motion of the Soul that comes and goes as unaccountably as changing Moons or Ebbs and Floâ—s of Rivers only with far less certainty It is not that my Soul is all over Love that 〈◊〉 beget its Likeness in your Heart Had Heaven and Nature added to that Love all the Perfections that adorn our Sex it had avail'd me nothing in your Soul There is a Chancâ— in Love as well as Life and oft the most unworthy are preferred and from a Lottery I might win the Prize from all the venturing Throng with as much Reason as think my Chance should favour me with Silvia it might perhaps have been but 't was a wonderous Odds against me Beauty is more uncertain than the Dice and tho' I ventured like a forward Gamester I was not yet so vain to hope to win nor had I once complain'd upon my Fate if I had never hop'd but when I had fairly won to have it basely snatch'd from my Possession and like a bafled Cully see it seiz'd by a false Gamester and look tamely on has show'd me such a Picture of myself has given me such Idea's of the Fool I scorn to look into my easy Heart and loath the Figure you have made me there Oh Silvia what an Angel thou had'st been had'st thou not sooth'd me thus to my Vndoing Alass it had been no Crime in thee to hate me it was not thy Fault I was not Aimable if thy soft Eyes could meet no Charms to please 'em those soft those charming Eyes were not in Fault nor that thy Sense too delicate and nice could meet no proper Subject for thy Wit thy Heart thy tender Heart was not in fault because it took not in my tale of Love and sent soft Wishes back Oh! no my Silvia this tho' I had dy'd had caused you no Reproach but first to fan my Fire by all the Arts that ever Subtle Beauty could â—â—vent to give me Hope nay to â—issemble Love yes and so very well â—issemble too that not one tender Sigh was breath'd in vain All that my love-sick Soul was panting for the subtle Charmer gave so well so very well she could dissemble Oh! what more Proofs could I expect from Love what greater Earnest of eternal Victory Oh! thou had'st raised me to the height of Heaven to make my Fall to Hell the more precipitate Like a fallen Angel now I howl and roar and curse that Pride that taught me first Ambition 't is a poor Satisfaction now to know if thou could'st yet tell Truth what Motive first seduced thee to my Ruin Had it been Interest by Heaven I would have bought my wanton Pleasures at as high Rates as I would gratify my real Passions at least when Silvia set a price on Pleasure nay higher yet for Love when 't is repaid with equal Love it saves the Chafferer a great Expence Or were it wantonness of Youth in thee alass you might have made me understood it and I had met you with an equal Ardor and never thought of loving but quench'd the short liv'd Blaze as soon as kindled and hoping for no more had never let my hasty Flame arrive any higher than that powerful Minutes Cure But oh in vain I seek for Reasons from thee perhaps thy own fantastick
dear arts you us'd life remember how you kiss'd and press'd my face remember what dear charming words you spoke and when I did recover how I ask'd you with a feeble doubtfull voice Ah Silvia will you still continue thus thus wondrous soft and fond will you be ever mine and ever true what did you then reply when kneeling on the carpet where I lay what Silvia did you vow how invoke Heaven how call its vengeance down if e're you lov'd another man again if e're you touch'd or smil'd on any other if e're you suffer'd words or acts of love but from Philander both Heaven and Hell thou did'st awaken with thy oaths one was an angry listener to what it knew thou'dst break the other laugh'd to know thou woud'stâ— be perjur'd while only I poor I was all the while a silent fond believer your vows stopt all my language as your kisses did my lips you swore and kiss'd and vow'd and clasp'd my neck oh charming flatterer oh artfull dear beguiler thus into life and peace and fond security you charm'd my willing Soul 'T was then my Silvia certain of your heart and that it never cou'd be giâ—en away to any other I press'd my eager joys but with such tender caution such fear and fondness such an awfull passion as overcame your faint resistance my reasons and my arguments were strong for you were mine by love by sacred vows and who cou'd lay a better claim to Silvia how oft I cried Why this resistance Silvia my charming dear whose are you not Philander's and shall Philander not command his own you must ah cruel then a soft struggle follow'd with half breath'd words with sighs and trembling hearts and now and thâ—n ah cruel and unreasonable was softly said on both sides thus strove thus argued till both lay panting in each others arms not with the toil but rapture I need not say what after follow'd this what tender showers of strange indearing mixtures 'twixt joy and shame 'twixt love and new surprise and ever when dried your eyes with kisses unable to repeat any other language than oh my Silvia oh my charming Angel while sighs of joy and closely grasping thee spoke all the rest while every tender word and every sigh was Echo'd back by thee you press'd me and you vow'd you lov'd me more than ever yet you did then swore anew and in my bosome hid your charming blushing face then with excess of love wou'd call on Heaven be witness oh ye powers a thousand times ye cried if ever Maid e're lov'd like Silvia punish me strangely oh eternal powers if e're I leave Philander if e're I cease to love him no force no art not interest honour wealth convenience duty or what other necessary cause shall never be of force to make me leave thee thus hast thou sworn oh charming faithless flatterer thus 'twixt â—ach ravishing minute thou wou'dst swear and I as fast believ'd and lov'd thee more hast thou forgot it all oh fickle charmer hast thou hast thou forgot between each awfull ceremony of love how you cried out farewell the world and mortal cares give me Philander Heaven I ask no more hast thou forgot all this did all the live-long night hear any other sound but those my mutual vows of invocations broken sighs and soft and trembling whispers say had we any other business for the tender hours oh all ye host of Heaven ye Stars that shone and all ye powers the faithless lovely Maid has sworn by be witness how she 's perjur'd revenge it all ye injur'd powers revenge it since by it she has undone the faithfullest Youth and broke the tenderest heart that ever fell a sacrifice to love and all ye little weeping Gods of love revenge your murther'd victim your Philander To Philander In the Leaves of a Table-Book OH my Philander how dearly welcome and how needless were thy kind reproaches which â—'ll not endeavour to convince by argument but such a deed as shall at once secure thy fears now and for the future I have not a minute to write in place my dear Philander your Chariot in St. Vincent's Wood and since I am not able to six the â—â—our of my flight let it wait there my coming 't is but a little mile from Bâ—llfont Dorillus is suspected there remove thy self to the high-way-gate Cottage there I 'll call on thee 't was lucky that thy fears or love or jealousie brought thee so near me since I 'd resolv'd before upon my flight Parents and honour interest and fame farewell I leave you all to follow my Philâ—nder haste the Chariot to the thickest part of the Wood for I 'm impatient to be gone and shall take the first opportunity to fly to my Philander Oh love me love me love me Vnder pretence of reaching the Iesamin which shades my Window I unperceiv'd let down and receive what Letters you send by the honest Weeder by her send your sense of my flight or rather your direction for 't is resolv'd already To Silvia My lovely Angel So carefull I will be of this dear mighty secret that I will only say Silvia shall be obey'd no more nay I 'll not dare to think of it lest in my rapture I shou'd name my joy aloud and busie winds shou'd bear it to some oâ—ficious listener and undo me no more no more my Silvia extremes of joy as grief are ever dumb Let it suffice this blessing which you proffer I had design'd to ask as soon as you 'd convinc'd me of your faith yes Silvia I had ask'd it though 't was a bounty too great for any Mortal to conceive Heaven shou'd bestow upon him but if it do that very moment I 'll resign the world and barter all for love and charming Silvia Haste haste my life my arms my bosome and my Soul are open to receive the lovely fugitive haste for this moment I am going to plant my self where you directed 〈◊〉 To Philander After her Flight AH Philander how have you undone a harmless poor unfortunate alas where are you why wou'd you thus abandon me is this the soul the bosome these the arms that shou'd receive me I 'll not upbraid thee with my love or charge thee with my undoing 't was all my own and were it yet to do I shou'd again be ruin'd for Philander and never find repentance no not for a thought a word or deed of love to the dear false for sworn but I can dy yes hopeless friendless leâ—t by all even by Philander all but resolution has abandon'd me and that can lay me down whene're I please in safe repose and peace But oh thou art not false or if thou be'st oh let me â—ear it from thy mouth see thy repented love that I may know there 's no such thing on earth as faith as honesty as love or truth however be thou true or be thou false be bold and let me know it for thus to doubt is torture worse
of Octavio for which he was forced to fly the States released him when he came to his Lord How â—ry'd Philander and is the Traytor Octavio fled from Holland and from the reach of my Chastisement Yes reply'd Brilljard and not to hold you longer from the Truth has forced Silvia away with him At this Philander grew into a violent Rage sometimes against Octavio for his Treasons against Friendship sometimes he felt the old Flame revive rais'd and blown by Jealousy and was raving to imagine any other should posses the lovely Silvia He now beholds her with all those Charms that first fired him and thinks if she be Criminal 't was only the Effects of the greatest Love which always hurries Women on to the highest Revenges In vain he seeks to extinguish this returning Flame by the Thought of â—alista yet at that Thought he starts like one awakened from a Dream of Honour to fall asleep again and dream of Love Before 't was Rage and Pride but now it was Tenderness and Grief softer Passions and more insupportable New Wounds smart most but old ones are most dangerous While he was thus rageing walking pausing and loving one knock'd at his Chamber-Door It was Silvia's Page who had waited all the Evening to speak to him and could not till now be admitted Brilljard was just going to tell him he was there before when he arrived now again Philander was all unbutton'd his Stockings down and his Hair under his Cap when the â—age being let in by Brilljard ran to his Lord who knew him and imbraced him And 't was a pretty while they thus caressed each other without the Power of speaking he of asking a Question and the Boy of delivering his Message at last he gave him Silvia's Billet which was thus To Philander FAlse and perjured as you are I languish for a Sight of you and conjure you to give it me as soon as this comes to your Hands Imagine not that I have prepared those Instruments of Revenge that are so justly due to your Perfidy but rather that I have yet too tender Sentiments for you in spight of the Outrages you have done my Heart and that for all the Ruine you have made I still adore you And tho' I know you now anothers Slave yet I beg you would vouchsafe to behold the Spoils you have made and allow me this Recompence for all to say Here was the Beauty I once esteem'd tho' now she is no more Philander's Silvia How cry'd he out No more Philander ' s Silvia By Heaven I had rather be no more Philander And at that word without considering whether he were in order for a Visit or not he advancing his joyful Voice cry'd out to the Page Lead on my faithful Boy lead on to Silvia In vain Brilljard beseeches him to put himself into a better Equipage in vain he urges to him the indecency of making a Visit in that Posture he thought of nothing but Silvia however he ran after him with his Hat Cloak and Comb and as he was in the Chair dress'd his Hair and suffered the Page to conduct him where he pleas'd Which being to Silvia's Lodgings he ran up Stairs and into her Chamber as by Instinct of Love and found her laid on her Bed to which he made but one step from the Door and catching her in his Arms as he kneeled upon the Carpet they both remain'd unable to utter any thing but Sighs And surely Silvia never appear'd more charming she had for a Month or two liv'd at her Ease and had besides all the Advantage of fine Dressing which she had purposly put on in the most tempting Fashion on purpose to ingage him or rather to make him see how fine a Creature his Perfidy had lost him She first broke Silence and with a thousand violent Reproaches seem'd as if she would fain break from those Arms which she wish'd might be too strong for her Force while he endeavours to appease her by swearing and lying as Lovers do protesting a thousand times that there was nothing in that History of his Amour with Calista but Revenge on Octavio who he knew was making an Interest in her Heart contrary to all the Laws of Honour and Friendship for he had learn'd by the Reproaches of the Lady Abbess that Calista was Sister to Octavio he has had the daring to confess to me his Passion said he for you and could I do less in Revenge than tell him I had one for his Sister I knew by the violent Reproaches I ever met with in your Letters tho' they were not plainly confess'd that he had play'd me foul and discover'd my â—eign'd Intrigue to you and even this I suffered to see how far you could be prevail'd with against me I knew Octavio had Charms of Youth and Wit and that you had too much the Ascendant over him to be deny'd any Secret you had a mind to draw from him I knew your Nature too curious and your Love too inquisitive not to press him to a sight of my Letters which seen must incense you and this Tryal I designedly made oâ— your Faith and as a Return to Octavio Thus he flatters and she believes because she has a mind to believe and thus by degrees he softens the listening Silvia Swears his Faith with Sighs and confirms 〈◊〉 with his Tears which bedew'd her fair Bosom as they fell from his bright dissembling Eyes and yet so well he dissembled that he scarce knew himself that he did so And such Effects it wrought on Silvia that in spight of all her Honour and Vows engaged to Octavio and horrid Protestations never to receive again the Fugitive to her Arms she suffers all he ask's gives herself up again to Love and is a second time undone She regards him as one to whom she had a peculiar Right as the first Lover She was married to his Love to his Heart and Octavio appeared the intruding Gallant that would and ought to be content with the Gleanings of the Harvest Philander should give him the opportunity to take up And tho' if she had at this very time been put to her sober Choice which she would have abandoned it would have been Philander as not in so good Circumstances at that time to gratify all her Extravagancies of Expence but she could not indure to think of loosing either She was for two Reasons covetous of both and swore Fidelity to both protesting each the only Man and she was now contriving in her Thoughts how to play the Jilt most Artificially a Help meet tho' natural enough to her Sex she had not yet much essay'd and never to this purpose She knew well she should have need of all her Cunning in this Affair for she had to do with Men of Quality and Honour and too much Wit to be grosly imposed upon She knew Octavio lov'd so well it would either make her loâ—e him by Death or resenting Pride if she should ever be
discovered to him to be untrue and she knew she should lose Philander to some new Mistriss if he once perceived her false He asked her a thousand Questions concerning Octavio and she seem'd to lavish every Secret of her Soul to her Lover but like a right Woman so ordered her Discourse as all that made for her Advantage she declared and all the rest she conceal'd She told him that those Hopes which her Revenge had made her give Octavio had obliged him to present her with such and such fine Jewels such Plate such Summs and in fine made him understand that all her Trophies from the believing Lover should be laid at his Feet who had conquered her Heart And that now having inriched herself she would abandon him wholly to Dispair This did not so well satisfy Philander but that he needed some greater Proofs of her Fidelity fearing all these rich Presents were not for a little Hope alone and she fail'd not giving what Protestations he desired Thus the Night pass'd away and in the Morning she knowing he was not very well furnished with Money gave him the Key of her Cabinet where she bid him furnish himself with all he wanted which he did and left her to go take Orders about his Horses and other Affairs not so absolutely satisfied of her Vertue but he fear'd himself put upon which the Advantage he was likely to reap by the Deceit made him less consider than he would perhaps otherwise have done He had all the Night a full Possession of Silvia and found in the Morning he was not so violently concern'd as he was over-night It was but a Repetition of what he had been feasted with before 't was no new Treat but like Matrimony went dully down And now he found his Heart warm a little more for Calista with which little Impatience he left Silvia That Morning a Lady having sent to Octavio to give her an Assignation in the Park tho' he were not curious after Beauty yet believing there might be something more in it than meerly a Lady he dress'd himself and went which was the reason he made not his Visit that Morning as he used to do to Silvia and so was yet ignorant of her Ingratitude while she on the other side finding herself more possess'd with Vanity than Love for having gain'd her end as imagined and got a second Victory over his Heart in spight of all Calista's Charms she did not so much consider him as before nor was he so dear to her as before she believed it possible to get him any more to her Arms and she found it was Pride and Revenge to Calista that made her so fond of indearing him and that she should â—hereby triumph over that haughty Rival who pretended to be so sure of the Heart of her Hero And having satisfied her Ambition in that Point she was more pleased than she imagined she should be and could now return her Thoughts again to Octavio whose Charms whose Indearments and lavish Obligations came anew to her Memory and made him appear the most agreeable to her Genius and Humour which now lean'd to Interest more than Love and now she fancies she found Philander duller in her Arms than Octavio that he tasted of Calista while Octavio was all her own intirely adoring and ever presenting two Excellencies of which Philander now had but part of one She found Philander now in a Condition to be ever taking from her while Octavio's was still to be giving which was a great Weight in the Scale of Love when a fair vain Woman guides the Balance And now she begins to distrust all that Philander had said of his Innocence from what she now remembers she heard from Calista herself and reproaches her own Weakness for believing While her penitent Thoughts were thus wandering in favour of Octavio that Lover arriv'd and approach'd her with all the Joy in his Soul and Eyes that either could express 'T is now my fair Charmer said he that I am come to offer you what alone can make me more worthy of you And pulling from his Pocket the Writings and Inventories of all his own and his Uncles Estate See here said he what those mighty Powers that favour Love have done for Silvia It is not continued he the Trifle of a Million of Money which these amount to that has pleased me but because I am now able to lay it without Controul at your Feet If she were before inclined to receive him well what was she now when a million of Money rendered him so charming She imbrac'd his Neck with her snowy Arms lays her Cheek to his ravish'd Face and kiss'd him a thousand Welcomes so well she knew how to make herself Mistriss of all this vast Fortune And I suppose he never appear'd so fine as at this Moment While she thus caressed him he could not forbear sighing as if there were yet something behind to compleat his Happiness For tho' Octavio were extreamly blinded with Love he had abundance of Wit and a great many Doubts which were augmented by the Arrival of Philander and he was too wise and too haughty to be imposed upon at least as he believed And yet he had so very good an Opinion of Silvia's Honour and Vows which she had engaged to him that he durst hardly name his Fears when by his Sighs she found them And willing to leave no Obstacle unremov'd that might hinder her possessing this Fortune she told him My dear Octavio I am sensible these Sighs proceed from some Fears you have of Philander 's being in Bruxells and consequently that I will see him as heretofore but be assured that that false Man shall no more dare to pretend to me but on the contrary I will behold him as my mortal Enemy the Murderer of my Fame and Innocence and as the most ungrateful and perfidious Man that ever liv'd This she confirm'd with Oaths and Tears and a thousand indearing Expressions So that establishing his Heart in a perfect Tranquillity and he leaving his Writings and Accounts with her he told her he was obliged to dine with the Advocates who had acted for him in Holland and could not stay to dine with her You must know that as soon as the Noise of old Sebastian Octavio's Uncle's Death was noised about and that he was thereupon fled they seized all the Estates both that of the Uncle and that of Octavio as belonging to him by right of Law but looking upon him as his Uncle's Murderer they were forfeited to the States This part of ill News Octavio kept from Silvia but took order that there should be such a Process began in his Name with the States that might retrieve it and sent word if it could not be carried on by Attornies for he was not he said in Health that nevertheless he would come into Holland himself But they being not able to prove by the Witness of any of Octavio's or Sebastian's Servants that Octavio had