fear of disheartning the souldiers but it was quickly known throughout the Camp for all our endeavours to hide it and had so dismay'd them that they already began to fear the successe The chief Officers and my self had work enough all that night to resettle their minds and to perswade them to fight the next day Assoon as it appear'd having had very little time to rest I arm'd my self and being they were wholly left to my dispose I drew them out of the Camp leaving a sufficient Guard within and having divided them into two equal parts I gave the care of one to the best deserver and one whose courage was not seen to fail named Etruscis and the other I intended for to lead my self We were in a very spacious Plaine and where no advantage was to be perceiv'd the Romans seeing our intentions very readily presented themselves and by that time the Sun was up we were ready to joyn I was very sensible that on this battel depended the ruin or renewing of our hopes and therefore I used all the meanes I was capable of to infuse courage into their soules and I spar'd for no paines that I might accomplish my design I rode through every rank armed except my head and seeking to stirre them up to their dutie I uttered words somewhat to this purpose VAliant Asturians methinks I see in your countenances so great a propensity to this battel that I need not use words to animate such resolute men but being I am honoured with the title of your Captain and General there shall not be any thing neglected by me that belongs to the place And though I am perswaded that I cannot infuse more courage than you already have and a more desire of revenge for the death of your valiant Head then you retain yet will I put you in mind that you now sight not so much for glory riches and esteem as you do out of a necessity to defend your lives Liberties and your Rights Your renown lyeth not now alone at the stake but your wives your children your goods your houses your lands and that Liberty so dear to you are all now ready to be offer'd up as a prey to your insulting foe and your selves born a free people to become their slaves if you prevent it not with your own valour for it is the issue of this Encounter that will determine it which will make you glorious and a terrour to your Enemies or else slaves and a scorn to your foes The Romans are neither immortal nor invulnerable but men as you are and though fortune hath hitherto declared on their side you ought not to fear but Justice and your valour will overcome her If the covetous desires of Renown and riches can infuse such animosity into the Romans sure this necessity of saving all that is near and dear to you by your valour should be more powerfull to infuse it into the Astures the Astures that are the redoubted of all Spain and that have so often foyl'd the Romans and that have shewed no lesse valour and prowesse then they in all their actions Let this therefore move you that your enemies are not many more than you that your courage equals theirs that the Justice of your cause will oppose their fortune and that not only by this you will redeem your selves wives children lands and liberties but gain a perpetual renown and hinder the Romans from the like attempt by the powerfull remembrance of your valour Let this I say move you to acquit your selves like men and to declare to all the world that you esteem your liberties more than your lives and that you have as much courage to lose your lives in the midst of your enemies as the Gallicians who effected their own deaths rather than to accept of a servile life I will not go about to encourage your generous soules with the hope of reward or booty because these more necessary considerations ought to move you Besides I know your earth plentifully affords you that which makes the insatiable Romans to endeavour your subversion and to make you their slaves for the fulfilling their greedy desires There is therefore a necessity either you must fight it out valiantly turn your backs cowardly or submit to the yoke basely or as the Gallicians did turn your swords against your selves dâ—sperately and wickedly To turn your backs upon them and to flye will render you infamous to all the world and would not save your lives from the pursuing Romans but that is so contrary to your wonted custome that I fear it not for I know you know not what it meanes to flye before your enemies it is impossible for the renowned Astures to be so cowardly But to yield to the yoke of these insulters will brand you with an Eternal infamy and make you lose that reputation you have acquired throughout the world in that with so much valour hitherto you have maintain'd your liberty No I cannot perswade my self that you can admit such a thought having spent so much blood in the maintainance of it to acquit it so basely and infamously and you cannot think of it being used to liberty without suscitating an anger capable to make you conquer the whole world if they went about to deprive you of it And then if you think of doing as the Gallicians did to run upon your own deaths desperately you had better expose your lives to your enemies with your weapons in your hands and sacrifice theirs with your own and so to die like valiant persons making thousands of them to accompany you in your deaths than to effect it your selves and give them leave to laugh at your dispair There is no other way then you see without cowardize infamy and an unworthy precipitation but that you must acquit your selves like men and offering the lives of these Romans to your just resentments exhibit to all the world that it is impossible for the Asturians to be conquered or to yield to the yoke of the Romans I quickly perceiv'd that my words had wrought the desired effect upon the soules of most that heard me for with chearfull countenances and great shouts they testified how willing they were to sacrifice their lives for the good of their Countrey they cryed to me to lead them on and they would follow me even to death it self At that time observing that the Romans had us'd the same form with us and that one of their bodies began to move I put on my Cask and gave order to Etruscis to joyn That first Encounter was very violent on both sides and many were slain by the impituousnesse of the first storm of Arrowes but being mingled together pell-mell the Ranks grew thin on both sides by the deaths of their Companions our party very valiantly defended themselves and for a long time permitted not the Romans to gain the least advantage over them but at last I perceiv'd them to retire when I advanced and quite
suddenly after the interment however I resolved to follow him and perpetrate my design though in the armes of his beloved With this resolution without discovering my selfe I left Lixus and at last arrived at Tingis Some few dayes I awaited an opportunity to meet with him which at last was given me as happily as I could wish for walking in a little grove hard by the pallace it being almost evening I saw him come forth of a back dore of the pallace garden only with one squire He descended into the grove and musing with himselfe gave me liberty to come very near him before he espied me when I was come up to him my resentments stimulating me to a revenge Traitor said I laying my hand upon my sword at this very instant thou must give satisfaction with thy blood and life for two murthers committed by thee that of thy father and that of thy wife Marcipsius was startled at this sudden encounter steping back and being nothing daunted drew his sword I am lougth reply'd he to take away your life for your temerity but you ought before you encounter any with your tongue to observe them well with your eyes and not let your rashnesse induce you into errors that would with one lesse mercifull than my self before this time have cost you your life No Monster reply'd I am not deceiv'd 't is you that are deceived in thinking so I see you know me not but know I know you to be the most perfidious and patricidicall Marcipsius to be the ravisher and vitiator of divine Atalanta who suffered the stroke of death in bringing into the world the infant form'd of thy most lustfull seed it is to her Ghost that the expiation of thy life in the first place must give satisfaction and in the next place to thy empoysoned father who through thy venefication scelerous wretch hath ended his dayes and this must be by the hand of Lonoxia who hath liv'd hitherto but to give satisfaction to their Umbrae by immolation of thy life He was much amazed in seeing me and seeing me ready to sacrifice his life with the sword of vengance he saw there was no time to delay defending himself for I assaulted him with a free violence His fury and despair assembled in him an unwonted force and had I not with the like agility evaded his first thrust he had stocadoed me and given a period to my Life and fury our duel lasted some time till at length he fell having a thrust through his right arme and another through his body so that I thought him dead and leaving him I departed that night in a vessel for Spain As we were passing the narrow frete that divides Spain from Affrica we were set upon by a vessell of resolute pyrates we were but few in number to them and they thought it a folly to gain death by a resistance but I that sought ardently for that megre champion since I had obey'd the commands of Atalanta resolved to loose it desperately amongst them and at the last extinguishing of my taper to give the greatest blase of my valour Assoon as they had boarded us I alone resisted them and leaping amongst them irritated them by the blowes I gave them at first thinking me mad with folly or rashnesse they did not much regard me but when that they saw how fast I fell'd them they all began to dispute it with me with their swords and to deprive me of the life I was resolved to loose but with their deaths In this encounter fell their captain with nine more that expired through their blood and wounds at last everpowred I was born down and expecting death fortune to spight me gave me life I looked for no generosity amongst those Barbarians nor no pity from such irritated soules But they made it appear that valour had some estimation amongst them and that they were not altogether so Brutuall as I thought them Taken with the small puissance that I had shewed amongst them they preserved my life and proffer'd me my liberty notwithstanding the slaughter I had made And seeing their captain dead they all joyntly prayed me to accept of their vassallage and his place and power I many times deny'd them and proffer'd to be their companion but they told me that my valour which they so much respected deserved the preeminency and that they should account themselves happy under my protection and that they would fear nothing under my conduct but if I would accept of their proffers that they would swear a blind obedience to my commands and would follow me to death it selfe I pondered for some time on their words and believing that to be the readiest way to find the death I sought I yielded to them and accepted of their offer For my sake they spared the vessel they had assaulted and carrying me to a strong fort on the side of Affirica placed between two rocks sufficient to frustrate the efforts of a strong army where when all their pyratick vessels were come in they proclamed me with a generall consent to be their captain and with ceremonies peculiar amongst themselves crowned me with a Diadem made of cable ropes untwin'd in which was placed many precious stones and swore their obedience to me never to forsake me though in the greatest peril never to disobey my commands or thwart my designes or to ransaek the prey but to stand to my division of it amongst them By this means they ever were in obedience amongst themselves and in their common storehouse had treasure enough to defray the charges of an army of an hundred thousand men I led this pyratick life about two years in which time I receiv'd a thousand proofs of the Pirats valour and obedience which was as perfect as the greatest monark could receive from his meanest subjects In it I found a life if I may say so for the consideration of the unlawfullnesse of it that was pleasant and free from the versatilousnesse of Fortune and I seemed now as if I tryumph'd over the power of that deity There was nothing the world could afford or the industry and power of men could gaine so absolute a regency had I acquir'd over the hearts of those that serv'd me that if I desired it they would sacrifice all their lives but they 'd content me All outward blisse attended me and I wanted nothing of the pleasures and deliciousnesse of the greatest princes But yet Atalanta was a spectre that alwayes appear'd before my eyes and seem'd to desire my company in the Elisium Indeed I sought death every where where I hop'd I might finde it I led them to most apparent dangers which yet their valour still conquered and in the greatest atchivements came off victorious and without murmuring at my actions and with a desperatnesse of a man resolv'd for death I fought against all opposers and incurr'd all dangers which rashness they accounted the effects of an extream valour and their love made them
cast my eye on Amenia and very well perceiv'd by the palenesse of her Countenance what resentment it had upon her soul although I knew not but so sudden an evenement hapning to any other in her presence might have caus'd the same timorouâ—ness and that mov'd me more then his arrogancie with a desire I had to let her see how easily I could free my self from that presumptuous one whose vaunting speeches had suscitated her fear His words had no sooner flown from his mouth but I return'd him this answer ' Sir I know you not nor can I conceive what you mean by those ambitioned hopes you tax me with but as I do not care who you are so I do not care what you mean seeing you are come purposely to deprive me of my life I willingly grant it you if I cannot defend it I wont wrong your impatiencie in deterring your desired Combate but let you see how vainly you had preconceiv'd my death We immediately precipitated our selves one against another with a most violent encounter and had not his armes been good I had undoubtedly slain him at the first shock though I found his puissance not unequal to his boldness we reiterated our blowes so thick that those who Lilibilis had commanded to part us durst not come near us for fear of losing their own lives in seeking to save others Lilibilis seeing so violent an encounter agitated against his will descended from the place where he was and hazarded his own life to part us for casting himself between us with his sword drawn he stroke my Aversaries horse so violently over the head that the pain of the wound made him so curvet that he had like to have trampled him under his feet and do all what the stranger could he bruised Lilibilis's foot and cast my Adversary on his back Lilibilis commanded his Guard to seize on him and to have him to prison for his rash attempt and bold speeches in his presence I straight vaulted from my Horse and casting my self at Lilibilis feet ' I beseech you Sir said I do not expose me to the censure of all present for a debility which I am not guilty of in that I was not able to chastise his insolencie without your interposing I confess he hath deserv'd death for his insolencies in your presence this is all I beg for my Adversary that he may receive it as a man with his armes in his hand and by me who have most interest in it let not the Combate be defer'd any longer nor deter me the glory I was about to reap Lilibilis would not answer me till he had rais'd me up and then he replied I doubt not at all Euripedes of your ability in raming a stronger Adversary but his insolence doth not deserve to be so nobly punish't it would be too much glory for him to receive a death at your hands and will be too much trouble to me to see you deprive him of life with the hazard of one so dear to me let me desire you to let him suffer by the hands of executioners and not expect that honour from your hands I again besought Lilibilis and persisted with so many intreaties that at last he granted the Combat but with great reluctancie Lilibilis being returned to the place where he before sat the Guard left us to prosecute the Combat The stranger coming up to me I doubted not my Liberty said he softly ' When Lilibilis had known me however I cannot but take notice of your generosity which neverâ—heless cannot oblige me to abate any of that enmity which I bear you therefore expect the usage you could look for from your deadliest foe and think not your action hath oblig'd me to spare you I beg'd not the Combate replied I to gain your favour or to oblige you to an action which might not be for your own safety for I intend to prosecute you with the utmost of my vigor and give you that which you expect to render to others We straitwayes renew'd our Combate but with so much impetuositie that the Spectators had never seen the like my Adversary seem'd more furious and violent in his motion then at first and with his blowes seem'd to renew his strength and courage indeed he had the advantage on me in that I had travelled haâ—d all that day in those Justs which had he been to have maintain'd he would not have accounted so childish and by that reason I was something the less able to reanswer those strokes which came thundering upon my head I was abashed to see with what impetuousness he prosecuted me but considering in whose presence I fought and what consequence his fall was to the Complement of all my former performances I gathered all my strength together at that instant and falling upon him with so violent a surcharge I forc'd him to make use of all his skill for the defence of himself his armes were so good that it was a long time before I could draw one drop of blood but at last with a continual batterie I forced my Sword into his flesh upon his shoulder close by his neck the blood which incessantly ran from his wound soon died his armes and the ground with its crimson colour and much debilitated him I had received three wounds but not considerable nor were they any impediment in the heat I was in I found the greatnesse of my Adversaries wound by the weaknesse of his blowes and perceiv'd the Victory my own I thought to oblige him with these words which I directed to him ' I am unwilling Sir to take the advantage I have over you and to make a Valour fall at my feet which is considerable it was your own words made you my Enemy and having no greater cause as I know of to account you my foe your own words may likewise render you my friend go but and confesse your indiscretion at the feet of the renowned Lilibilis and I my self will help to implore your life His anger and dispight made the fire almost proceed from his eyes and thinking it would have oblig'd him I found it otherwise by his words ' Your friend said he no it is not the conservation of this life shall make me admit the least thought of friendship towards you were it in your power to give it me I hope yet and am assured on it too to see thee breath thy last at my feet With this with more fury then strength he lifted up his Sword stretching himself to render it the more violent in the interim irritated as I was through his disobliging speeches with a violent cast I made an entrance with my Sword as his arm was erected under his arm-pit which was the more enlarged through the violent falling of his own upon my head which made my Sword appear at his back he strook too home to do me any harm but clapsing his armes about me with great courage sought to fling me to the earth but having
her own inclinations and cruel because they will require her death rather than the breach of them she must be obedient to him who hath that Soveraign authority over her which were it otherwise Euripedes might not receive so sensible afflictions nor her self such cruciations If my counsel be not too presumptuous I should advise by no means to break that Law she hath impos'd till necessity require it content your self in that she both sees knows and feels your afflictions If I have been too lavish of my tongue I doubt not but you will treasure up in secret what I have told you that I may not be accused of infidelity to her whose severe humour could never pardon me The afflictions I saw you suffer ingaged me to let you know this that from it you might exprome comfort in your greatest distress I could not chuse but embrace Melanthe at the end of these words and give her to understand how extreamly sensible of these obligations I was both by my transports and words We had a great deal of discourse tending to this matter whereby I found great ease in the assurance she gave me that it was not want of affection in Amenia in that I was condemn'd to silence and in that she was so severe but only in obedience to the rules of her duty and dictates of a natural severiety After she had given me new assurances of her service in every thing she was able without being unfaithfull and disloyal to Amenia she left me in some repose betteâ—han she found me She was no sooner departed but I set my self to contemplate on that which I understood from her and giving way to believe what I desired I began to possess my self with most pleasing imaginations but I had not long entertained my self with them when I was diverted by hearing one at my Chamber door I had then no servants with me by reason I had bid them leave me alone that I might with more freedome entertain my thoughts which made me open the door my self where I found one of Clotuthe's women whom I had seen alwaies the most familiar with and who constantly bore her company in her visits to me Being entred my Chamber I began to enquire after the health of Clotuthe she told me she was very much afflicted and that without a speedy relief she was like to perish under a disease which she had hid from the eyes of all the world What said I being startled is Clotuthe sick then yea Sir answered the woman and if it were not for some hope which I have inspired that one who can recover her if he will will be so mercifull to her as to do it she had been by this time past complaining 't is my perswasions alone keeps her alive and a hope which I have inspir'd O gods cried I can that man live who is able to recover Clotuthe and will not believe himself made happy if in doing her the smallest service he receive his death O gods must he be entreated nay and hath she but small hopes he will do it Let me know this Monster that with the point of my sword I may make him more sedulous and desire not only to help her but to lose his life a hundred times were it possible for her preservation Sir replyed this subtle woman I can hardly believe but that he will seek her preservation being the most generous man living and truly Sir it is your self must either kill or cure Clotuthe I was so startled and confounded at these words that I had no time to enter into the meaning of them nor perceive the scope of this womans speeches but stepping back replyed amazedly How I hath she perceived so much ingratitude in me that she hath so little hopes I will not sacrifice a thousand lives if I had them to do her service I beseech you explain which way I am able to do her any service for I am so confounded that 't is past my imaginations to comprehend which way her life depends on me This woman thinking she had sufficientlie prepared me and seeing how eager I was to do her service doubted very little but that she should accomplish her design Clotuthe her self said she shall illuminate your understanding though I cannot believe you can be ignorant which way to serve her and in that service to redeem a life which is about to be sacrificed to your Hallucination With that she drew forth a letter out of her sleeve and presented to me Her last words astonish'd me more than the former but beâ—ieving the letter would dissipate all doubts I greedily open'dit where I read to this purpose Clotuthe to Euripedes THese black lines suitable to the nigritude of my crime cannot blush nor fear those titubations which might accompany a verbal confession so absolutely against the pudicity that should be inseparable to our sex and especially in the condition I am in Let these confess what my pudor could never utter though assisted by time and opportunity I had thought that my actions my looks and ambiguous words might have exhibited my passion without so open agnition but you were either wilfully blind or else very obtuse in your apprehensions not to see that which gave me so terrible cruciations and which I exhibited plain enough to be understood by any lesse wilfull or less blind than your self This is it that hath brought me to that pass that as I have no desire so I have no hope to live without the compassion of Euripedes I have preconsideâ—ed how criminal I am and what inverecundity I use to make known this perturbation but being brought to this exigent I cannot die satisfied without letting you know I die for you and that the grave may witness my affection I desire no longer to retain a life so culpable but till I have heard that cruel sentence which I must expect from one so just as your self to perfect my tragedie Yet O generous Euripedes let this crime after my death be sepeliz'd in the grave of oblivion but if you remember me with regret consider too that I dy'd for the expiation of my fault though death be too small an expiament for the crime of the guilty and unfortunate CLOTVTHE I Read not this Letter without exhibiting by my face those perturbing passions which it suscitated in my breast I a hundred times changed colour and my trouble was so great that I could hardly accomplish the reading of it That gestatrix perceiv'd my perturbation yet I believe she knew not whether it presag'd good or ill she was about to assure her self by words when I cried out The gods have undone me I expressed my affliction by iterating those words often without being capable of uttering more Why have the gods undone you said she composing her countenance as well as she could I rather think they have made you happy were you able to see it I thought what would become of your great protestations to do her
could it ease you and you should soon see it pour'd out at your feet did I think it would be pleasing to you but I will ah I will leave this place this place so affected by me since I am the cause of your disrepose and it may be my absence may give you that again which my presence hath rob'd you of Madam with this resolution I leave you seeing I can no otherwise ease you I will not be guilty of the expiration of that life which with my own I should account a happiness to preserve With this making a low obeisance I was about to depart when Clotuthe looking upon me with an aire full of affliction ' O Euripedes said she slay me not immediately nor be the cause of a sudden and unavoidable precipitation you say you will obey me in all things wherein virtue gives you leave let me then demand intreat and implore your stay depart not for if you do that moment shall be the last of my life The fault of Clotuthe is alreadie enough to her husband without aggravating it by the banishment of him on whom Lilibilis puts all his considence for the keeping of our liberties and our lives I had but time to tell her that since she commanded my stay I would obey her and that I would sacrifice my life for their general good since she would not receive it as an oblation to satisfie her for the crime I had made her precipitate her self into by my presence when Amenia came to me and to my joy hindred all other communication I was not sorry she had commanded me to stay for I could not have departed without leaving my life behind me and thereby she would have taken a more cruel revenge than if with her own hand she had given me my death We had but little more discourse before we departed leaving her to her afflictions Amenia had sent to Lilibilis to let him understand of the sickness of Clotuthe he bore her a real affection and that was the cause he came before he was lookt for I was extream joycus for his return as well for the love I bore him as that I hoped his presence would deter Clotuthe in the pursuit of her illicit Love Lilibilis expressed a hearty sorrow for her egritude and embracing her with a tender affection expressed his trouble by melting words the exhibiting of so ardent an affection made me in my thoughts extreamly vituperate Clotuthe for the wrong she had done him Lilibilis made me acquainted that the result of their meeting was to oppose the Romans as they had done the last Summer and to assist one another as opportunity should serve Antistius was drawing his forces together and as we heard by our spies that he intended to march against us with all the speed he could This made Lilibilis to take the field that he might not be prevented by his enemie and gave order to his chief Captains to appear at the Rendezvouze with that celerity as their case required I was then strong enough to bear arms found my self as well able as ever to do Lilibilis service and I long'd to be in the field that I might be free from the supplications of Clotuthe's woman who still persecuted me though I am perswaded it was unknown to Clotuthe and that it was either hope of reward or compassion on her who continued in her sickness that made her seek to effect her desires but she still found me inexorable as also that I might render more proofs of my affection to Amenia from whose presence and sweet conversation I received comfortable to make me bear that silence impos'd upon me with much patience especially when I consider'd it was Amenia's command and that it was a character of my affection and would be look'd upon so by her But when I thought of departing it was with a most sensible affliction and insupportable had it not been for the service of Lilibilis and for particular interests in serving Amenia She assured me afterwards that she entertain'd the thought of my separation as the cruelest displeasure that could have happned and had no lesse grief for it than my self Her goodness was pleas'd to â—â—nde something pleasing in my conversation and her love had tyed her to me inseparably and now she saw me ready to be ravisht from her and it may be never like to return but receive a death in her service she could not but almost evaporate her soul through the sighs and tears that she shed What said she shall Euripedes lose a life a life so dear to me since I love him since I have prov'd his and that with the hardest proofs why should I not confess it to him it may be it will make him more careful of it when he knows he cannot lose it without endangering mine it may be it will so animate him that it may be some conducement to make him returne conqueror over out insulting foe deter it no longer scrupulous Amenia let him know thou acceptest of his affection These motions on my behalf were oppos'd by those of her severity they represented her more criminous by that action than by loving me and that she could not do it without offending against her severity and her duty knowing her father had destin'd her for another Theâ—e conflicts wholly agitated her minde she resolving upon neither when the last day was come wherein Lilibilis intended to take his leave A little before this last dayes approach I exhibited the afflictions of my heart by that trouble which appear'd in my face and by it Amenia read the greatnesse of my affection and of my sorrow She saw my life was ready to leave me at this separation and yet I endur'd her imposition with a patience not to be equal'd but by my affection and that I had resolv'd to die rather than to break it this consideration wrought a compassion joyn'd with her love that made her resolve to give me leave to take my leave of her in private but she was not resolv'd to make known any affection to me Melanthe let me know the favour Amenia intended to do me and truly in spight of all my trouble this favour gave me a real consolation Lilibilis intending to depart very early the next morning considering the illnesse of Clotuthe be would not disturbe her repose so early therefore he took his leave of her that night I was resolv'd not to take my leave of her alone least it should have engag'd her into a discourse which I was not willing to hear After Lilibilis had taken his leave of her with words and actions full of affection and not without many teares I â—pproached her bed which she still kept and with my ordinary Civilities took my leave Lilibilis his presence lockt up her mouth but her eyes shewed she resented that action and that she saw I purposely made use of that time to avoid her reproaches Go Euripides said she at last triumph over those enemies
rest I replied that I desired nothing lesse than life and that to accelerate my death I used all the meanes they had left me and which they were not able to deprive me of they dressed my wounds as it were by force and much against my will and they were all fain to beg with teares in their eyes and upon their knees for me to take sustenance and not so wilfully to persist in my death they exhibited their love by an unanimous imploration which made me use violence against my own inclinations to satisfie some part of their love and care by taking what they desired and by letting them endeavour to preserve my life only to avoid those implorations which they daily continued but I would not mittigate the least part of that grief and dolor that I endured through the apprehensions of her death and they were so violent that without doubt I had continued much longer had I not been miraoulously preserv'd One and twenty dayes had now past over sine the last battel wherein I received those wounds which with the augmented grief for Amenia's death had kept me in bed when some of those few men who accompanied me going out aswell for provision as to hear whether there was no hope of recovering their own out of the Romans hands had met with a man who made an earnest enquiry after me he was disguised which made them not think it safe to discover me but being prest very much by him and seeing he was but a single man they at last brought him to me They first certified me how they had met him and his desire to speak with me though I was incapable almost to take notice of any thing yet at last I bid them bring him in So soon as he was entred my Tent I knew him to be a young man that belonged to Amenia the sight of him renewed my grief Ah cri'd I out with vehemency art thou come to confirm that which I already know but too much for my repose or to reproach me in that I retain a Life after the losse of Amenia's speak for thou canst not augment the dolor I have conceiv'd by the confirmation of that which makes me asham'd of my self in that I live so long after the first knowledge of it The young man not knowing my meaning shewed he was something amazed by his silence but at last seeing I expected his answer he replyed Sir I believe you are not ignorant that I have the honour to belong to Amenia 't is in her behalfe I have sought you to give you this Letter Whilst he was a pulling it out I replyed hastily why where is Amenia what is become of her is she alive or no prethy tell me all that thou knowest and hide nothing from me Sir replyed the Lad I know nothing of her destiny nor what is become of her but two dayes after we had heard that you had lost the last Victory against the Romans we understood those that came from Lancia were almost at our walls those souldiers that were in the City being terrified at their approach abandon'd us to their fury and with abundance of the Inhabitants left the City I was in it when I saw the great confusion and tumult of those that fled which made me haste to the Pallace and going up the staires into the outward Hall I met Melanthe descending in very great haste Assoon as she had espied me I never met thee said she more gladly than I do now nor in a time wherein thou mightst expresse thy fidelity to Amenia so much as now thou mayst I was going to seek one whom I might entrust with what I desire and I know none more capable than thy self of doing it with thy wonted fidelity After I had given her all the assurance I could of it and of the Joy I conceiv'd that I should do any service acceptable to Amenia she proceeded thus You are not to take thought what will become of us in this approaching danger only you are desired by me to depart the City immediately with this Letter which she put into my hand and enquire after Euripedes if he be alive deliver it to him if he be dead bring it back again to me but use all your diligence to find him out and with all the speed you can for in doing it you will do Amenia the greatest piece of service you ever did her in all your life and if the Gods preserve her she will requite you for it She had hardly ended these words when three or four men in very great haste came to her saying they all waited for her and conducting her away in great hast left me alone upon the staires I immediately preparing for my Journey departed the City within an hour and for all the diligence I have us'd I could never hear the least word whether you were living or no till this day being almost out of hope after so long search I met with those who have conducted me hither to deliver this Letter with which I was entrusted I heard him with hope that he might give me some knowledge that she liv'd but seeing what he had said neither confirm'd nor contradicted it I remained in my former perplexity but said I as I received the Letter from him dost not thou know that Amenia is dead Sir said he I know nothing of it and I have related faithfully all that I know it may be the Letter may give you more light I then fell to opening it but with mortal apprehensions of what it might contain I dreaded the confirmation of that which had so debilitated me but unclosing it I found it was Amenia's hand which gave me as much Joy I could possibly receive in that condition My teares for some time hindred me the reading of it through those apprehensions that continually assaulted me but at last with some hope I began and with a world of consolation ended the reading of words to this effect Amenia to Euripedes SEeing that the gods after the ruine of our house have imposed a necessity of my being a captive I had rather to be so to Euripedes than any man living and to live under his protection whose fidelity I know and in whom I can confide without distrust Duty which before compel'd me not to think on Euripedes cannot now oppose my inclinations being taken away by the gods to make me more ingrate if not having that excuse I continue in my severity to Euripedes and if I do not consider him according to the justice of his services merits and virtue Euripedes I declare therefore I am a prisoner because I am forc'd against my inclinations to him whom Lilibilis had assign'd for my husband though my inclinations were ever averse and though I believ'd that the gods would some way redeem me from it but now having my will at liberty I am forced by constraint and abreption to leave this Countrey and to abandon you whilest for my sake
of two great armies Their strength could not run parallel with their courage their minds and wills fought though their armes were no longer able to strike a stroke They fainted and were slain being overcome only by their own courages and with the heat of Titan not being accustomed to that ardor which they there felt They died but yet with victory and triumph thousands lying about them whose souls they carried in triumph into the neather world I had almost forgot to tell you Araterus is yet invincible though he cannot wrest his companions out of the arms of death he sees them die with regret oreprest with the number of those melaneous Aethiopians this instigates his fury and causes him to make Structures of their carcases and sable rivers of their blood There was not any surviv'd but Araterus and my self he being my buckler against their number receiving their darts upon his armour that did him no hurt which so amazed those ignorant ones that they believed him to be invulnerable and seeing the prodigious strokes that he gave on their defenceless bodies they did not dare to come within his reach but assaulted him afar off with their darts and slings Araterus at last not longer able to endure the intolerable heat of the Sun under the burthen of his heavy armour fainted They no fooner saw him fall but with a strange howling noise they came all running towards him I was fallen upon my knees to have given him breath being almost distracted at the misery to which we were reduced yet at last recollecting my self I hoped by their ignorance to work our delivery Assoon as they came I strove by pointing up to the heaven and then towards Araterus several times to impress into them that he was some celestial Deity They understood my meaning and with a kind of admiration beheld him touching his armour and striking their javelins ends against it Araterus at last coming to himself seeing them about him began to struggle which made them immediatly deprive him of his sword and holding him made a shift to bind his hands and feet Having serv'd me in the same manner they carried us upon a kind of a Chariot on their shoulders thousands of them following us making most hellish noises In that manner they carried us two dayes to the Pallace of their King which stood in a wood built with mud and timber after a course manner After they had waited some time at the gate of the Pallace we entred a kind of Court in which stood a large Tree under which on a kind of Throne sat their King naked having a kind of Diadem made of Ostridge feathers with a kind of linnen Mantle about his middle Round about him stood his noble men who with dejected countenances shew'd the reverence they bore to his Majesty At his elbow stood one different in habit from all the rest having a strange kind of fantastick garment compos'd of all sorts of feathers his head was shaven and covered with a cap of the same This man as we afterwards understood was the Oracle of the King and the high Priest of the Countrey and to whose Council all adher'd After the King had with great admiration satisfied himself with the sight of Araterus and with feeling and trying his darts against his armour he made many signs to us which I supposing were to know from whence we came pointed up to the heavens endeavouring to make them think Araterus a god The Priest till then stood mute but seeing the King bow his head to Araterus he fell into a fearfull ejulation and afterwards as if he were possest uttered some speeches which we understood by the signes of the people and their often nominating their great God that he made known we were to be given for food to their great god Arqcebusqez Interest had possest him for surely he believed that Araterus being taken for a God he would have been some detriment to his order By the signs that were made us we understood our doome and wondring what their god might be we expected our expiration with patience We were presently carried into another spacious Court compassed about with high poles stuck fast into the ground and intertexed with smaller sticks At the further end of this place was a kind of Temple it seems the habitation of their God which shone with gold and corruâ—cing stones Right against the entrance of this Temple were we set upon the earth bound the King retiring to a window that look'd into the place and the people beholding us through the Poles that encompassed the place The Priest after a certain ululation called upon his God to come accept the viâ—tim he had prepared By and by we heard a wonderful fibilation and presently came forth a monstrous Serpent at whose sight the people fell flat upon the earth as also the King and all his black Candidates Araterus at the sight of that monster forc'd himself so strongly that he broke the bands about his arms and taking forth a dagger that he had under his Cassock cut those that tied his feet then presently freeing me he met that monstrous serpent and assaying his skin in many places could find no entrance for the point of his dagger The Serpent with his anguinious tail beat him down several times which made me fear that he would have yielded his life between the jaws of that Hydra After a long resistance he found the belly of the Monster passible for plunging his dagger several times into it he let out a stream of veneniserous and stinking blood with the life of that monstrous Serpent and false Deity The King Priest and People all amazed at the puissance of Araterus and the death of their God expressed it by their countenances and posture At last the oraculous Priest seeming to be possest howled forth certain words which we know by the effects were to perswade the King that Araterus was the chiefest Deity in the celestial orb and that I was an under god who had left the heavens to attend him and that he should place us in the Temple and cause us to be worshiped in the place of that ancient Deity which they had worshipped so long The King that never contradicted what he said came into the place to us and falling on his knees before Araterus with erected hands which through our ignorance of their language we could not understand The Priest doing the like whether out of ignorance or subtilty I know not engaged all the people to a profound devotion I perswaded Araterus not to contradict them telling him it was the only way for us to escape them He permitted it with a heart that attributed nothing of it to himself and did but accept it for his own safety After many ceremonies they conducted us to the Temple where having seated us in an high seat placeing me at the seet of Araterus there entred many under-Priests deck'd after the same manner as their High-priest with
to save the ship and our selves were vain we committed our selves wholly to the protection of the Gods and let the ship follow the fortune of the waters being carried along with the impetuous blasts of the enraged wind The night so dark that we could not see our own deaths nor the imminent danger we were in at last vaded the wisht for day appearing but with a troubled skie clouds accumelating with that crassitude as if in despight of the Sun they would transvert the day into night The winde having this day and the ensuing night vented its fury began to diminish its rage of its self or the gods pitying our condition gave a countermand to the encounters of the inferiour windy and watry Deities At last our weather beaten ship and both affrighted and tyred Mareners were driven upon the coasts of a small and unknown Island joyful we had escaped this danger we desired to ease our selves on the Land and there on a sure foundation poure out our prayers to the gods Some of us passed into the Island in a boat which we had for the like occasions whilest the others remained in the ship We wondred we could find no harbour for our ship nor scarce could we attain Land with the boat Araterus and I being desirous to see what place fortune had driven us to and to know of the inhabitants in what Countrey we were after some repast on the shore we left the rest of the ship giving them orders to stay our return Not knowing what dangers might occur we put on our armour and with Meador my servant passed into the Island We intended not to go far because the evening approached but entring a walk beset with green fair-spread trees by the side of a small clear rivulet which with a gentle murmur hasted into a bigger river which carried it as a tribute to the Ocean we had passed farther then we were aware of the pleasantness of the walk stealing away our denotation of the time The end of this walk conveyed us into a most dilectable grove in the which was the most pleasing walks that might be a place as we thought consecrated to Diana and her nimphs But that which made us wonder was that in this pleasant Island we could neither see man nor beast nor the â—ooâ—ing of any living creature for which cause we gave it the name of Dâ—solaâ—â— Curiosity led us into this Grove still filling us with admiration that these pleasant should be uninhabited places and the silence of the place struck an awe upon our spirits that we durst not communicate by the tonâ—ue the cogitations which lay in our breasts for fear of breaking a Law which seem'd to be imposed on those that entred besides a Majesty accompanied the place which made us think it no lesse then sacred We were now about to return finding it already night in that obumbrated place when we found the musings we had entertain'd had made us lose our Judgments for return the path that brought us into this Labyrinth could not be retrod though searched by the memory of us all and the more we thought to extricate our selves the more were we intangled in this Dedalian Grove Seeing necessity caused our stay and that our hopes for departure were abolisht we left retriving the path to seek some convenient repose hoping the next Sun would accommodate us with light to finde that which then we sought in vain I had many times pitcht upon places for our repose and as often through my unsettled thoughts rejected them Thinking to find some better than the last I had pitcht on I made a further search into a place thicker than all the rest entring the place I espied a large Cave the entrance being paved with mosse This place I thought most convenient to shelter us from any annoyance of the heavens The entrance was impleat with a silent darknesse and with a little discent we went but few paces within the mouth least we might precipitate our selves in that obscure place We soon betook our selves to enjoy that rest which nature requires and of which through our danger at sea we had been much deprived Araterus and my servant had soon entred their living death whilest my agetating thoughts had kept open the windows of my senses But endeavouring to suppress the motions of my minde I heard certain emotions within the Cave which gave a check to my thoughts and a stop to my desire of sleep and attending what might ensue I perceived the noise to approach and suddenly felt some blows which I could not see acted because of the obscurity of the place This engaged me to rise and with my sword to defend my self the noise I made in striking which light on nothing but the sides or ground of the Cave awaked Araterus who half amazed and discomposed at being so suddenly awaked had like to have offended me more then my unseen adversaries for hearing our blowes he engaged himself in the dark and with a forcible blow a little wounded my head I made known to him his unseene perpetration and gained him to retire leaving me to defend my selfe from the unseene blowes of my unknown adversaries I wondred when feeling their blows they cut not nor struck as if in the hands of a weaponist and so consusedly both behind and before as if I had dealt with many adversaries that I knew not how to defend my self nor offend them for my blows though struck every way could never be fastned on any besides none answering to my demands made me begin to think them some Phantasmes or some unknown terene Deities which inhabited the Island these thoughts made me retire to the mouth of the Cave and not being pursued I would not enter to disturb the sacred Araterus had for the wound he had given me applied some drogue which he usually carried about him After this disturbance we took up our lodging at the very mouth of the Cave and not trusting to my imagination one of us watcht whilest the other slept and in this sort we spent the night Assoon as the day began fairly to display it self we arose and resolving to see whither my thoughts of those Phantasmes were true conceptions we entred the Cave and the light demonstrated the wounds I had given the earth where I had that strange combat But passing farther we came into a four quare room arched with stone and in the middle of it a Tomb more fair then rich with a certain inscription which we could not understand our perquestions could find no creature that might give us any light into these novils which made us depart altogether unsatisfied It was not without trouble that we found the path which led us to the place where we left our boat but arriving there we found that both the ship and it were departed we could not conjecture why they left us except they thought we were devoured by wild beasts or some other accident had hapned us
which made me that I could not consent to the death of one so considerable whose death would inevitably bring sharp wars upon him and so might be the utter ruine of them all and the making of their common foe without the greatest piece of ingratitude which could be offered These considerations with an ambition I had not to be out-brav'd in vertue made me return him this answer ' The gods forbid that ever I should desire the death of a person whose valour hath made him so remarkable and by whose fall I have gained more glory then could have been expected by his death but especially in that he holds the place of a Son in Lilibili's affections for which only consideration I not only desire his life but his pardon in that I have offended one so near to Lilibilis and shall stifle all resentments whatsoever for his friendship I cannot imagin what hath made him my enemy nor caused in him that violent desire of my death I was sorry his obstinacy made me bring him to that exigent but I am not only glad that he lives but that I live also to do him service for never shall Lilibilis his friends be my foes These speeches were uttered with much reluctancy and contrary to the desires of my heart not but that I could have forgiven the greatest injury that could have been done to my person but considering him as my Rival I could not think on him but as my mortal foe Lilibilis embraced me as stricktly as the tenderness of my wounds would permit and highly praising me for my vertue told me ' He would disown him for a son if he did not acknowledge me as the doner of his life and crave pardon at my feet for the injury he had done me After many speeches to divert him from requiring any such thing of him I besought him to let me know the cause of his enmity The cause was so false said he that since he hath been assured to the contrary he is ashamed of his credulity and repents of what he hath done seeming by his speeches much to desire your friendship but not to hide it from you he had heard and I believe from some of Amenia's servants how you were like to have depriv'd him of the happiness of enjoying my daughter and that you had gain'd much upon her affections and that these Justs were held only for her sake this news so netled him that he never stood to examine the truth but enraged as he was left Juliobriga to put in execution what the gods and your innocency deter'd When I knew the cause my self and all that were near Amenia assured him the contrary and I was fain to make him new assurances of my daughter to asswage those violent motions these considerations had cast him in he would have had the like assurances from Amenia but she answered him as she did ever That she would never disobey the will of her father and whomsoever he should design for her husband she should accept without murmuring and that all inclinations whatsoever should stoop to those of duty We pacified him at last and then I sharply reprov'd him both for his credulity and temerity but his repentance mov'd me to beg his pardon at your hands After some expressions by me of my innocency in the suscitation of Mandone's Jealousie he left me but to those tormenting thoughts that you may imagin his discourse had rais'd I begin to see all my hopes dejected and cast in the dust and that structure which I had built in my Imaginations to be broken all to pieces I saw it was a folly to gain an inclination which her vertue would force to cede to duty I look'd upon my self in a deplorable condition and I saw Mandone already Possessor of Amenia by her fathers promise and hers in obedience to him my only hopes were I did not see she bore him any inclination nor would accept of him did not duty force her On the other side Amenia though unknown to me was no less troubled at this accident than I and falling into her wonted lacrymations put her Melanthe to her usual divertisements duty and love had many a sharp conflict in her soul and neither obtaining the victory gave her unsufferable Cruciations she detested Mandone for what he had done to me and bewail'd me with a great deal of interest my last performances were too greedily intuited to be forgotten and my valor in overcoming so considerable an enemy was preserv'd with much interest in that feminine breast O how often did she wish he had dyed by my hand and how little she thank'd the gods for their assistance in his preservation Melanthe was her only comfort who by a thousand Sophistries mitigated her dolor My Rival passed his time with no less torment for shame and dispight in being overcome by me and his manifest treachery making him odious to many generous souls fill'd him with anxiety And though he dissembled it he could not so satisfie his humour but that he still imagined me his Rival and bore me an implacable grudge The thoughts and inward commotions proceeding from his troubled humour retarded the cure of his wounds and caus'd inflammations that made them in fear of his life For my part that trouble which continually assaulted my soul through those considerations in three dayes space had cast me into a violenr feaver and my wounds bleeding afresh so debilitated me that they thought I could never sustain the loss of so much blood and the Surgions almost despaired of my ever recovering Clotuthe by the special command of Lilibilis visited me every day and with her Amenia we could not entertain one another because the Surgions thought it might conduce to my disrepose but with a dying eye I gave Amenia many sad glances which testified the anxiety of my soul I found a great desire in my self to die so I might but have the happiness as I accounted it to have assured Amenia that I died hers So foolishly vain are the thoughts of those involved in the snares of love to account it the chiefest bliss and greatest happiness next to the enjoyment of the beloved object than can betide them to assure those they love they die for their sakes and precipitateing themselves in an amorous humour find death sweet in such assurances and receiving its cold kisses with ardent desires testifie a content not to be measured in the expiration when such souls whom they expire for account it an idle humour or believing when they saw they could not live thought to oblidge them by telling them they dyed theirs This was hardly liked by Argelois but for the interrupting of his story he would have replyed but considering he might have been accounted by some unmannerly he bit in his words and heard him proceede thus Clotuthe visited me every day sitting sometimes an hour or two upon the side of the bed where she shed so many tears and expressed her self with so many
obliging words that I could not but repeat the gratefullest words I could devise without very great ingratitude it made me sorry to see how oblig'd I was to her and how unlikely I was to repay that officiousness which with great affection she expressed I sought often to recount to her how unworthy I was of those obligations and that she debas'd her self too much to render them to one so unworthy the least favour she always answered me with so much modesty that though her actions testified a great affection her words never betrayed them but in the midst of sadness she often gave a cheerfull look and whilst tears trickled down her cheeks some smiles seem'd to comfort me which exhibited a deploring my condition and rejoycing that she suffered with me at one time all this I took as the effects of her good disposition However to ballance these favours she did me more sensible injuries for desiring as much as she could to entertain me alone she sought with all diligence to avoid Amenia and to see me without her but Amenia's severity would not permit her to see me without her mother in Law so that by this means I lost the sight of her who had preserv'd my life by her visits Amenia at last perceiv'd her mothers spightfulness and was much troubled at it which made her the narrowlyer to vigilate her actions and mistrusted that which at that time I did not perceive Amenia when she fail'd of coming her self sent Melanthe to see how I did and to excuse her absence Lilibilis likewise every day rendred me a thousand testimonies of his goodness and expressed a wonderfull trouble at my weakness I should be too tedious and too long to tell you all the speeches and the several visits they all gave me during this weakness it is enough to tell you the chiefest passages and that every visit Amenia gave me infus'd a life into my soul which her absence took away her presence gave me strength her absence debilitated me whilst she lookt on me I felt no pain when she saw me not I felt no ease when I saw her she suscitated a joy but her departure regave me my grief Thus I passed a week with a sensible declining my thoughts still agitating in a violent motion retarded the healing my wounds and encreased my feaver the Surgions and those who had me in cure look'd upon me as one already dead which begat a great consternation in the minds of all those that bore me any good will till then I could not believe I should die but now I was perswaded to it through my own debility which made me resolve to utter that which my respect till then had made me detain and to let Amenia know the torments I had indured for her sake and with what great respect I serv'd her in the so long concealing of them I hop'd that my life would end with my speeches and if that the one begot an anger the other might suscitate a pity and if I liv'd to hear her sentence me for my temerity yet it would be a happiness in that her self did contribute to my death and that my content would be extraordinary when that she knew I died hers In these thoughts I was when Melanthe sent by her Mistriss came to see if I was yet alive after she had a little undrawing the Curtain beheld me in that weak condition some tears which her commiseration had extracted running down her cheeks she asked me softly how I did Turning my head towards her I asked her if there was any body besides her self in the room after that she had told me no ' Melanthe said I if thou hast any compassion on my deplorable estate as I am apt to think by the testimony of those tears which I see thee shed render me one favour before I depart this world which though it cannot be requited shall yet be preserv'd as the greatest obligation you could ever do me those small moments I have to live Sir said she let me but know what it is my poor power is able to effect and I shall not be more ready to embrace the greatest happiness that could betide me then I shall be to render you that service I am able though it be to the hazard of my life I thank'd her with the obligeingest terms I could devise and then I proceeded thus The thing which I shall desire is so great that I cannot acknowledge a greater obligement it is to dispose your Princess to felicitate that small remainder of my life with her presence and to do me that favour to make this last visit alone except your self because I have something of importance to communicate to her which till I have done I cannot depart with my repose this is the last and greatest favour I may ever require therefore good Melanthe if thou regardest the repose of a man so deplorable let it be quickly least my death prevent this desired happiness Melanthe gave me some assurance that she knew Amenia would not be so ungratefull for all my former services done to her father as to deny me so small a request with this she departed the room Amenia who made me acquainted with every thing afterwards received this not without some alteration but seeing I was near my end she resolved what ever came of it to yield to so just a request and to render me so smal a favour for all my services done her father besides her love to me oblig'd her to comply to so small desires and not without some curiosity to know what I had to tell her Melanthe imagined the truth of what I had to say which she hid from Amenia lest though she desired nothing more following the severity of her humour it might have stopt her comming In less than half an hours space I saw her enter the chamber with none but Melanthe which gave me great joy but accompanied with a fear that caused a general tremour through out my body After she had seated her self as near my bed-side as she could I look'd upon her with a languishing eye which seemed to crave het pity to accompany me to the grave and did not insensibly behold that beauty which as near the grave as I was had power to give me a resurrection though I expected nor hoped for any such thing I beheld her a while with silence and confusion till I saw the consideration of my deplorable condition had drawn some tears from her eyes and then ushering my words with a sigh I spake to her thus ' Madam I have precipitated my self into a boldness altogether inexcusable could I otherwise have left the world with repose This boldness could not be consented to but at the last exigent and yet even now I cannot excuse nor accuse my own temeritie but I am perswaded your compassion is so great and your goodness so far exceeding others that you will account my death a sufficient expiation of my crime Amenia
a powerfull and secret Sympathie one with another and that life I have accounted amongst the most happiest of my dayes which I have spent in the company of Amenia whose innocent and pleasing conversation often put my soul into a posture of tranquillity and rapt my soul into a contemplative enjoyment of that which afterwards I received more really but hardly with more delight Thus I had almost passed over the winter in the sweet conversation of Amenia never breaking my imposed silence when Lilibilis had notice given him that the Chief of the Gallicians desired him with the chief of his men to meet them on the borders of the Austures that they might consult for the general good concerning their next Campaign and in what manner they should oppose their enemies They sent him word that Caesar was returned to Rome and had left the Legions with Antistius a valiant Captain and who with all speed was mustering his Forces to assail them and to begin the War though it was so soon Lilibilis soon departed with the chief of his Commanders leaving a great charge on Clotuthe to be carefull of me and desired me to contribute what I could to my health that I might be in a condition to render him that help which he hoped for from me and on which he depended more than on his Army I would have perswaded him to let me accompanie him but he utterly refused it in consideration that my weaknsse was not so well recovered but that so sudden a jorney might have thrown me into a relaps When I saw he would not let me accompany him I told him that I would cherrish my self as much as his absence possible could give me leave and that I only desired my life to loose it in his service to which I had destinated the remainder of my daies He replyed in very civil terms having nothing of Barbarism in him and after our mutual imbraces he departed leaving me to the care of those whose love had made them uncapable of having their care of my health augmented by his commands or entreaties The second day after Lilibilis his departue I was set in my chamber by the fire in a very deep melancholy ruminating on the different tyrannies of the God of Love and considering how deeply I was engaged in a passion that had cost me so many tears and so much trouble and yet had receiv'd nothing but a severe Law from the mouth of my goddess when her Melanthe suddenly entred my Chamber and surprized me in the midst of those tears which my ardent passion had extracted from my eyes That Maid whom affection had tied to my interests excused her so sudden and uncivil entrance as she termed it with very good language and desir'd my pardon for her incivilitie I soon made her understand how glad I was of her company and how much I desired an opportunity of entertaining her alone She told me she came from her Mistriss who had sent her to excuse her in that she had not seen me that day by reason of an indisposition which had made her keep her Chamber I replyed I was unworthy the honour she did me in taking so great a care of my well-fare and that I could entertain the assurance of my own death with less trouble then to understand she was indispos'd in her health The Maid reanswer'd that there was no fear of any danger in her Mistriss indisposition and that she made no question but that she would visit me the next day and pay me interest for that dayes neglect we spent some time in these interlocutions till at last after I had forc'd her to sit down I uttered my self in these terms ' Melanthe you cannot be ignorant of the cause of those tears you have surpriz'd me in which are but a small part to what I dailie and almost hourlie offer to a severitie which hath made me mute You know I have manifested my love and you do not ignore to what a cruel silence I was condem'd I have not hitherto transgressed it though all the world is ignorant with what torment I undergo it I continually sigh languish and spend my time in tears and yet dare not declare my misery which is the only and considerable ease others troubled with the like passion enjoy Was there ever such a Law impos'd on any as is on me which makes me live in the continual languishment of my soul and in the dailie conversation and intuition of the object of all my suspirations and still to lock up my lips by severity not to be parralel'd I know Melanthe though sickness hath not kil'd me that grief will if not mitigated by some relaxation but if I die it will be a happiness in that it is by keeping a Law impos'd upon me by that mouth which I so much adore whereby she shall see Euripedes can never be guiltie of transgressing the severest of her commands I find some ease in declaring this to thee what allevament should I find in disburdening my self to her but since she hath enjoyned the contrarie I must I will undergo it with silence to the death and last expiration of a soul totallie hers and which lives onlie to do her service She did not bid me Melanthe to speak of love to no body else therefore I hope I have not transgressed in speaking to you nevertheless I desire you not to make her acquainted with it lest her severity may impute it as a transgression to me I dare not sue or desire O Melanthe to have this imposition taken off but you may conceive with what joy I should receive the revocation of so strict a Law but I doubt I am faulty in in that I desire to have that taken off which was imposed by Amenia though it be more grievous and less easie to be born than death Sir replyed Melanthe your vertues have made me inseparably yours as far as the duty I owe my Mistriss and the pudicity of my sex give me leave I will not tell you how often I have endeavoured her to revoke that which she had impos'd upon you and which I saw you bore with a patience not to be parralel'd because my andeavours prov'd in vain to cause her revoke what she had once commanded I know the severity of her humour is such that she will endure the greatest afflictions rather than break it and this severity is very strange which she useth towards you strange in that she afflicts you whom she desires not to afflict and strange in that she no less afflicts her self in that she is so severe to you and that her humour is so strictly tyed to the severity of her own Law that she will rather endure what she suffers than break it She her self hath told you Sir therefore I may say it without any infidelity to my Lady that you are not indifferent to her but being tied by the cruel Lawes of duty cruel in that it makes her contradict
service when you were tri'd Woman said I with an angry tone tell me not of doing her service in so unlawful an action I know it would be the greatest disservice I could do her to blemish her honour eternallie by illicit actions the very thoughts thereof are to me more cruel than death would there were but any occasion offer'd to do her service wherein her nor my honour might be contaminated you should see how willinglie I would embrace a death in the performance I honour Clotuthe and I honour her so much that I will first lose my own life before I will defile hers or I will banish my self this place seeing I have made others criminal After these words I walked a turn or two in a very confused posture and then stopping suddenlie with an action not to be expressed I cannot believe said I looking again on the letter that Clotuthe can be guiltie of this letter the virtuous Clotuthe could never do it this is some plot of my enemies to beguile innocent Euripedes but O my enemies you shall never intrap him in such illicit actions The woman seeing me so transported had not the confidence to interrupt me but hearing me go on in this she at last fell into a thousand protestations adding innumerable oaths calling all the gods to witnesse that it was no design of my enemies and that it was onely Clotuthe who waited but her return to receive her death therefore she desired me to take pity on her and remember how careful she had been of me and that I should not cause the death of the fair and amiable Clotuthe by standing upon a foolish point of honour I was so moved that I heard not many other words that she said Ah would the gods at last cry'd I out had verified my hopes and have given me no cause to complain against Clotuthe by letting it have been a plot of my enemies with how much less trouble could I have bore it and with what shame should I have confounded my enemies Think not by your perswasions said I turning to the woman nor by your implorations to gain me to that which must be a spot of infamy to us both eternallie Have I received so much kindness so much honour so much love from Lilibilis and shall I abuse it with so great deceit so much vileness and so great an abuse as to defile his bed the gods certainly would dart thunders upon my head and the great God of Hospitalitie would Eternally plague me should I be guiltie of such a thought O Clotuth would instead of preserving it you had abandon'd this life to ruin then had I never been guilty of hearing this proposal nor it may be you altogether so criminous O Lilibilis how well indeed should I requite your favours by doing you the greatest of injuries To defile Clotuthe and dishonour my self for ever No no cease to urge me to so great a crime That impudent woman replied thus Sir I did not think you would have been lesse generous in this action for Clotuthe than you have been in all things else if you consider her love and life they will bear down those weak reasons you alledge For what dishonour or infamie can it be to love her whose love is so unparallelable and when none in the world else can discover it and when you receive an affection that any in the world besides your self would account a happinesse to be envied of the Gods themselves That reason of Honour is nothing it being but an outside and can receive no distain but in the eyes of others which cannot be procured by this being unknown Besides in my mind that is the greatest honour whereby we receive proofs of it from others to the advantage of our selves which you do in this the other being but imaginarie this real though secret But if she is willing to forgoe that point for you why should you be so scrupulous as not to do so much for her seeing she lives not but by being yours why then should you refuse to be hers Nevertheless if her love cannot move you let the consideration of her death cause you to pity her if I grant you that it is a crime which can hardly be thought so seeing the Gods themselves have authoriz'd it by their own actions think whether it be not a greater crime to cause her death by so much rigor than to preserve her life with so much ease and pleasure to your self Fear not that the Gods will punish that which themselves are examples of no they are too just to do so and as for Lilibilis it would be far greater indignitie to destroy Clotuthe for all his favours than to save her life with no wrong to him especially being unknown Consider I beseech you her death is inevitable and if you refuse her her shame will not let her live Oh be not so hard-hearted if you cannot do it with complacencie force your self to save a life which else will be lai'd to your charge I admire how I heard her so long but she had proceeded farther if I had not put an end to her speeches my choler being rais'd to the height Woman said I my face shewing my resentment wert thou not of that sex which would be a dishonour to me to hurt I would cruelly chastise thee for these speeches I know Clotuthe never gave you so large a Commission to treat as you do her Letter though it be criminal is not so inverecund I believe she her self would punish thee if she knew it and be ashamed of what thou hast spoken in her behalf being thou belongest to her whom I truly honour I force my self to forget what you have said that you may not appear before me as a Monster Tell Clotuthe that it is impossible for me to be ingratefull but I cannot satisfie her no other wayes than by laying my life at her feet if she looks for other satisfaction I have none however I will be so carefull of her Reputation that even my self will forget that ever I received such a Letter from her that she may not appear criminal in my thoughts Tell her I would come to visit her but that I doubt my Companie would be but a disturbance and suscitate those motions which I desire my absence may banish and make her incur danger of discovering to others what her prudence hitherto hath hid and which rather than it should be known my life should expire at her feet With these words I left the Woman and entring a Closet in the Chamber I gave her leave to depart There I call'd to my remembrance Clotuthe's former kindnesses her speeches and past actions and with what fervency and care she performed many things for me I could then perceive there was a passion in all she did and her ambiguous speeches were now manifested and in fine I wondred that I could not perceive it all that while being openly enough exhibited but I was so far from thinking
and spare them not that would rob Lilibilis of his right it grieves me that I shall not live to have a share in your glory I knew she particulariz'd her self but the answer I return'd her could give her no light that I understood her so I made her a very low obeysance and left her but Lilibilis hearing her speak of death cast himself again into her armes from which embraces I saw he was not likely soon to depart and having heard he had before bid his Daughter farewell my impatiencie made me immediately depart to Amenia's Chamber whether I alwayes had a free access She had disposed her self to receive me kindly and had none but Melanthe with her I entred not without trembling for fear I should break at last what was impos'd upon me Assoon as I saw her I cast my self at her feet and embracing her knees fully transported I was not able to utter one word I remained some time in that posture till my ingeminated sighs had clear'd the passage for some words Madam said I this favour is so glorious and so far beyond the merits of Euripedes that it hath over and above satisfied for all trouble teares and sighs which the most violent of passions and most severest of Commands have afflicted me with Ah how glorious a recompence I find But may I Madam continued I trembling and shewing that fear which possest me by my eyes and faultring of my speech may I have leave to break that I could not go on through the appehension I had of offending her but casting down my eyes I exhibited my shame for going about to transgresse Amenia's silence gave me liberty to lift up my eyes full of teares to hers which I saw fix'd intensively upon mine and to proceed thus Consider Madam ushering them with a sigh I am going whether the Gods only know if I ever may return nay I shall account it no disaster but a glory to die in the service of Amenia If I am troublesome to her or if I have offended her my death will be most welcome in â—hat it will take me from the world wherein I have no life but what I enjoy by her presence rewarding me for my presumption it will deter a farther arrogancy and through her goodnesse may expiate that crime I have committed in aspiring to love her but with so much purity that the Gods themselves could not be capable of more pure affections and if my death content her it will also content me being her Joy and her Grief are inseparably mine But if Amenia will out of her goodnesse not regarding the meannesse of my merits let me not to be so indifferent to her as to desire my death but rather that I should return in safety that also confirm'd by her fair mouth will give me this comfort if I die that Amenia not regarding my presumption in exhibiting my passion had out of her abundant goodnesse pitied me and not seen my death without regret this will be glory enough for Euripides with that of dying in her service and would give him no other cause of trouble but that of leaving her Ah Madam vehemently sighing again have I not observ'd your Commands hitherto though more terrible than death how far easier had it been for me to have died then to have observ'd this silence you have impos'd upon me must I still stopping a little then with a supplicating Air and must I depart without telling you I dar'd not to proceed but stopping with a fear that seis'd me least I had proceeded too far and should abuse the favour she did me I fell into a trembling that made her extreamly pity me My passionate words accompanied with more passionate actions and gestures not to be expressed but by those whose passions inspire them naturally rais'd so great compassion comitated with that great Love she bore me that made her say more than she had intended and forc'd her severity to give place I cannot but admire considering the vehemency of her passion which she protested to me afterwards that she had been so long Mistris of it Observing the trouble I was in and being mollified with compassion she rais'd me from my knees with these words Euripedes I have bid thee already hope that thou maist not be indifferent to me I do not yet forbid thee to hope it and I think I have in some part exhibited it by this reception though I confesse I owe more to the merits and services of Euripedes Euripedes is going to conquer Euripedes is going to expose his life against my foes and to redeem our Liberty with the expence of his own blood and could I do lesse than give Euripedes this favourable reception at his parting I would not have Euripedes think I can take any content at the losse of a Life which I have with all my abilitie endeavoured to save No think not Euripedes that I can part without trouble and do not believe but the sweet conversation of Euripedes hath gain'd too much upon my spirit as not to make me extream sensible of his losse nothing but the hopes of your return with victory and more glory than ever could mittigate a lawfull trouble for your departure therefore by that power you say I have over you I command you not to expose that Life to unnecessary dangers which shall be still priz'd by Amenia I have not disregarded your obedience and you cannot utter more than you have done already I can see that it continues without your declaring it by words what need you tell me you Love me if I believe it These words tincted her cheeks with a new Vermillion but she went on without stop I have bid you hope and were I not prohibited by the Lawes of Duty I would say more what can you desire of me Euripedes is not this sufficient She uttered these words with her wonted sweetnesse which wrought that effect upon my soul as you Argelois being so deeply touch't with this passion may conceive in the like case They had cast me into extraordinary Raptures and I hardly remembred what I did but casting my self at her seet though she sought to hinder it Ah Madam said I I shall find a very different death from what my sorrows would have caus'd If I expire now it will be in the greatest content in the world and will hinder me from seeing any more trouble and were not my Joy mittigated with the consideration of leaving you it would so exceed that it would work the same effects as a killing sorrow Alasse what is Euripedes that you should have thus felicitated him with a more sensible happinesse than if the Gods had plac'd him among themselves I cannot fear my enemies now were I to encounter with the whole world Amenia forc'd me to rise and shedding some teares I know not Euripedes said she what it is that thus afflicts me but I never felt a sadder heart in all my life and I cannot but fear that
that in knowing it you will for ever detest me Oh replyed I suddenly let not such cogitations prove obstacles to my desires for those bonds wherewith my amitie is bound are to be solved by no consideration but death I see you know not the depth of my affection for if you did you would not have Judged so wrongfully of me It is impossible for you Sabane to help me in the least said she again for if you knew it you would not questionlesse stop my teares but say all my dayes will be too too little for my penitency and were my dayes lengthned to years and should every day shed rivers of teares they would be all too little to make satisfaction for my fault Nothing hinders me but the shame I know will acrue thereby and I know not how to confesse my crime and outlive my shame Here giving way to some sighs she went on Ah sister if I should not tell you ere long my crime would be too perspicable and then I must be forced to let you know it when I can no longer hide it I will confesse continued she strictly embraceing me I will confesse all my crimes and not hide any thing from you though I am sure to be worthily condemned by your virtue you shall know that which hath cost me many teares and which you will Judge worthy of more I knew not how to explicate her words but I found that they caused an extreame emotion in me which was a true presage of that which was to happen I still fear'd to finde my owne ruine in what I desired to know which was at last effected by versatilous fortune In beholding Atalanta I perceived the desire she had to expresse her self and her pudicity strove in her breast so that it was a long time before she could master that passion to emit these few words What words shall I adapt or what expressions can I use whereby I may lessen the infailable symbole of my shame How unjustly continued she weeping did you give me the title of Diana at your first meeting alas I have ran the same fortune of Lyâ—â—onian Calisto but here 's the disparity she was gloriously deceived by a God I perfideously betrayed by a man Must I say more can I say more I have lost that which should be the everlasting honour of virginity that Zone which should not have been loosed but in the Thalamus that inestimable jewell which is impossible to be recuperated that honour that can never be regained and now I bear the quick burden of my shame and dishonour within me which lives but to reproach me of my infamy Oh weake spirited woman so long to outlive this action with this plunging her head into my bosome she lay near a quarter of an hower senslesse at the apprehension of her crime My self no lesse astonish'd striken with horror became as an immovable statue or like one striken with thunder Coming to our selves both together Ah! said she lifting up her head her face being imbued with an extraordiry rednesse which made her glideing teares seem like blood can you love one so polluted shall not I contaminate you in beeing so contiguous ah for ever abandon such a wretch and no more count her worthy of your friendship who hath so far forget the precepts of virtue the fear of ignominy and of the Gods As full of trouble as I was I sought to comfort her what I could with so altered a counttenance and incongruity in my speeches that she but could not but take notice of it But at that instant her Goverensse found us out who was never long from her since that last accression of sorrow I left them together and in a marvellous astonishment I betooke me to a place where I might with more freedome vent forth my grievous lamentations and with sighs teares an groans mittigate the torment caused by this sudden and most grievous misfortune It was a long time ev'r I could get out of the benummednesse and torpor I was in but at last falling into a consideration of my losse her beauty her wit her good nature and my deep desire proving exaggerations of my evill I fell into a kind of Syncope out of which returning I beate the aire with such like complaints as these Ah cruel fortune cryed I out vehemently hast thou found out the very worst of plagues to torment me with for what cause for what reason oh all ye Gods do you thus conjoyne for my overthrow Oh great thunder-dart visit me at this instant with thy threeforck't arrowâ— and transpierce that heart which the winged God hath already transfixt with his envenomed shaft which fortune hath pierc'st with an envious stroke which sad Erinyes hath compunged with scorponian stings Oh! sad fate to be brought to the brinke of blisse there to find a precipice to the heaven of Joy and content to find a Hell of torment and woe what could be more great then the Joy I hoped for what can be thought worse than the misery I find Alas by how much the more joy I conceived by so much the more torment I endure Ah Atalanta would thou hadst beâ—n more chast or lesse beautifull or would that the angry Gods had first oâ—bated me of the light of my eyes before I had seen thee Then almost raving with the excesse of trouble what shall I continue my love to that defiled one cry'd I to my selfe shall I languish in flames of love for one already consumed in those of lusts one who yet grownes under the burden of her shame Leave leave this place oh unfortune Lonoxia and abhor a beauty already contaminated Why art thou so slow why do'st not fly this wretched place strive to banish her thy memory think not on her beauty view that egregious imperfection which renders her contemptible in chast eyes canst thou think of Loving her who hath been defiled by the embrac's of another and who will become a mother before she be a wiâ—â— An vâ—w the folly of Love and see into what precipices his illecebraces dâ—aw By and by having placed the Imago of that fair one before the eyes of my mind I was converted to a contrary judgment and enforced out of the depth of my passion to cry out Deare Atalanta I alas augment your misfortune by my wronging conceptions pardon my injurious words pardon my interpretations pardon my exclamations seeing they proceed from the heate of Love Ah insulse Lonoxia do'st thinke thy chaines are so easily excussed is thy heart so little fixt as to be retracted by the knowledge of this thing hath she wronged thee hath she promised ought to thee why accusest thou her Do'st not see her every minute ready to Sacrifice her life as a victim for the expiation of her crimes hast no pity of her life of her teares no compassion on that faire sex that weak sex may not their virtue be o're-powered and mastered by men It may be a violent devirginator hath
happinesse without which he was no longer able to live he invented a figment to deceive you and all this time hath been an impostor and now knowing through a strange providence how nearly you have been engaged to his brother he quits all pretensions of being your servant any further than the laws of civillity and duty bind Atalanta at that instant let goe my hand and looking upon me with an eye in which I saw at once both pity and anger killed and revived my soul at the same time Blushes and palenesse took their turnes in her cheecks and amazed she stay'd in a suspence not knowing how to answer which caused me to speak thus Maddam behold a criminall that implores your goodnesse though I must confesse my crimes of so high a nature that they are almost impardonable with the most mercifull I deserve to be hated if I had been innocent in that I am allied so nearly to hatefull Marcipsius But ah Atalanta forget these resentments and let pity exuscitate your pardon remember that you have promised of what nature soever my crimes were to grant it remember the love you have borne Sabane let it not be converted to hatred to Lonoxia That is it I beg may be continued that your opinion of my goodnesse may not be diminished by this knowledge Alas to forgive my crimes and to hate me is but to kill me through grief I will freely offer my life as an expiament for my imposture so that after my death you will but retain me whole in your memory without remembring my crimes Remember that Sabane though an impostor never did any thing that may make your virtue blush to remember it It was love made me excurre into this crime on that I lay all the fault that you may be the better induced to forgive me since your selfe have been deceived by him Love I say Love hath been of such force as to make me thus disguise my self happy disguise under which I have received so many favours of divine Atalanta under which I have received that content which might have been envied by the Gods under which I have enjoyed the sight of my titular angell But cursed disguise under which I have prov'd an Impostor to innocent Atalanta I have loved you hoping rhat time might have made me worthy through my long services to have attained to that which now is not lawfull to thinke on But by a peculiar providence of the Gods finding that my brother hath made you his though accursed he hath forsaken you my designes which were honest are diverted and I forced at length after my sorrow and sicknesse to confesse it neverthelesse though I desire nothing at your hands my Love is inconvertible but it beares the same stamp that a brothers hath to a sister or is the same that your self divin Atalanta bore to the faigned Sabane after this free agnition let the remembrance of Sabane stir up your pity your pity your pardon and your pardon give life to Lonoxia who else dies to satisfie you for his imposture I ended with these words and my eyes being full of tears I awaited her sentence Remaining thus for somtime I saw that this sudden and unexpected accident had made her immovable What maddam said I cannot you yet determine what sentence to passe on this wretch whether life or death Alas though you 'r lought to emit so severe a sentance from so meak a soul I perceive you 'd have the impostor dye but you 'r lought to passe the sentance from your mouth you are not in a suspence whether he ought to live or no but whether you ought to command it Well! I le satisfie you without bidding the crime is too great to be pardoned yet say dear Atalanta as I have been an impostor so â— have been obsequious and faithfull in the love I bore you consider all the ancidents of Sabane and you will be forc'd to say that although Lonoxia followed the motions of his love passion yet he never transcur'd the bounds of vertue and lastly say I was wlling as far as able to satisfie for all my crimes At that instant trembling and casting my eyes about I espied a knife at the beds feet which I suddenly snatched and plucking open my bosome I will I will Madam cryed I give you satisfaction this shall execute your will As I lifted up my hand to have let her seen that I regarded my life lesse than her love and fear'd the loosing of it lesse than the acquiring her anger she caught hold on my arme Sabane said she so I must yet call you I cannot consent to this rigorous chastizement I confesse you have much amazed me and I should be more difficult to believe what you tell me did I not see the same virtue Sabane hath hitherto exhibited to remain still in Lonoxia But I command if my words may have any power that you forbear to injure your self and give me some time to revolve this accident in my mind Madam said I letting go the knife which she took from me I obey you I have wholly devoted my self to your service and though I may have purchased your hatred and displeasure it shall never be acquired by my disobedience Saying this I kissed her hand and departed I betook my selfe to the solitary walks and found a great relaxtion in my mind in that I had passed over that difficulty that so oppressed me and that I perceiv'd the Love she bore me in the faign'd condition of Sabane had taken too great an impression to be obliterated by the knowledge that I was Lonoxia I had not walked two hours but that the confident of Atalanta came to invite me to her mistris's chamber I followed her with perturbation enough I there found her governesse with her to whom she had related who I was who riseing from her bed side as I came in I know not said she what compellation to give you not how to behave my self towards you since the knowledg of your sudden Metamorphosis We are so accustomed to Sabane that we know not how to call you Lonoxia But since you are no longer what we have taken you for you must not be discontented if we are more severe since modesty commands it You have put Atalanta into no small passion by the knowledg of what you are since she has shewn those favours to Sabane which shames her to think they were given to Lonoxia And indeed it was enough justly to purchace her hatred had not the love she bore to Sabane made her consider the virtuous deportments of Lonoxia and forces her not to follow the dictates of her irritated humour I have at last pacified her and she hath given me leave to tell you that she will equally ballance the vertuous cariage care love and troubles of Sabane against all the crimes of Lonoxia and the Love she bore you under that name against the hatred you might have acquired under this So that she seales
proving too weak to strive with the violence of that impetuous storm they committed it to the mercy of the winds and water and prepared themselves to receive an inevitable death Morning appearing but the storme not ceasing we still rode upon the dangerous waves till at last our barque shattered with the continuall batteries both of Boreas and Neptune gave entrance to that aquatick enemy into its very bowells and running a leak presantly was fill'd with water Every one sought to save himself but there was no meanes to escape perishing some cut the tackle others the masts others cast themselves before hand into the sea at last the ship sanke at which so horrible and lamentable a cry proceeded from those deplorable wretches that I thought it would have relented the Gods of their Cruelty to have sav'd them miraculously The child being laid in the chest which admitted no water was tossed upon the waves and caried out of my sight in a moment The desire I had to see Atalanta made me endeavour to save my life which I cid by gaining the mast of the Ship on which I sat and beheld the rest perish in the sea without being able to afford them help I was driven for Some howers by the waves which many times had allmost made me forgo my hold with their violences and playing with my looser garment had put me to much trouble to keep steady on that dancing pole when at last by the favour of the Gods I was espied by a vessel which yet tryumph'd o're the storme which at that time slackning its violence gave them the liberty of saving me The vessell was bound for Spain so that they were easily induc'd to land me at Olisippo for the rewards I profer'd them all the jewells and things of worth that were about me I bestow'd on them The pilot being very skillfull in his art set me ashore in the Haven of Olissippo in spite of the raging waters I presently repaired to Atalanta's Ile and being admitted I was made acquainted that she had not many minutes to live The greif that then afflicted me its impossible to relate I ran to her bed side and like one distacted ask'd her many foolish and impertinent questions as why she for sake us and why she should not endure any companies in this world and why she would not overcome her grief and sorrow The old lady with her chiefest maids weeping by her made a very sad and dolefull spectacle but she glad that she was departing from this world wherein she had received so much sorrow and greif lay smiling at the frowns of death and embrac'd him with a chearfull countenance Assoon as she saw me she invited me with her dying eyes to draw near in the mean time those that stood by her bed side seeing she desired privacy withdrew a little She first ask'd me concerning the child whose misfortunes I hid from her lest the knowledg of that might have shortned those few moments she had to live I told her that it was safly provided for and that she should not fear but that I would imploy the remainder of my dayes in fullfilling her desire This is all then said she besides what allready I have told you that you let Marcipsius know he was the cause of my death and if he publisheth my dishonour I hope though he be your brother that you will desend me One thing yet grievs me and that is that I must part with Sabane her teares and weaknesse stopp'd her here and I with the excesse of passion could not answer her one word but kneeling down I gave her an assurance by my eyes that I would effect what ever she commanded my teares shew'd her with what resentment I beheld her dyeing and the greatnesse of my grief clearly deprived me of my senses At that time arrived Atalanta's father whom they had sent for and coming where his daughter lay he shewed his love was excessive for beholding her ready to expire he fell by her side and had almost deceived all their hopes of ever fetching him again but at last coming to himself he embraced the dying Atalanta who had the content to expire in his armes When they saw she was dead then began a heavy ejulation all seeking to express their passion by their several gestures and actions The old man toâ—e his hair and beard and calling aloud on his daughter seemed as if he would have made his voice pierce to the centre of the earth and revoked the absent spirit of his daughter every one was copartner with him in his grief so that 't was difficult to know who were most interested in her death A heart of slint must have melted at those lamentâ—ble mournings and bewaisings and it was not a few houres that gave them respite in their passion I had got on the further side of her bed and placeing my self hard by her dead caâ—casse I fell on her pillow with the extremity of my passion and there lay so senslesse that it was hard to judge who was deadest But after a long time my senses returning to exercise their functions I cast my eyes obscured with teares on that face which triumphing over death carried yet weapons enough to have captivated the stoutest hearts The conquering lillies began now to overcome the roses in her cheeks and they as it were yeilding to the hand of fate sunke their blushing heads under the snow of her cheeks which gave a kind of a dying tincture to the white There was nothing to be seen of death but want of heat and motion and had you but seen her you would have said that it was the fairest of the graces that in the kingdome of Morpheus was taking her sweeter repose My griefe permitted me not to read to my self lectures of mortality but by stimulating considerations put me into motions of sury Oh! how often I secretly curst that cruell brother how often I vowed her revenge and how often resolved I to sarcrifice the Life of Marcipsius on the altar of vengance 't was these resolutions that kept me from following that faire one to the Elisian shades and ty'd me to endure those sorrows by living which I was necessitated to undergo since she was dead But the old Lady having fâ—r different considerations fearing as 't was suppos'd the indignation of the Prince since she was the seeming cause that his daughter was remov'd thither where she dyed retiring into a closset pierc'd her ancient breast with a ponyard and so emitted her soule to follow Atalanta's Atalanta's maide with some others whose others whose love to her had transported them had effected the same emission of life had they not bâ—en hindred by others so that the opinion of the Indians seem'd to possesse them that souls want the service of others in the other world and that they out of a sence of love and duty would follow Atalanta to the Elisium When that they had tyred but not satisfied themselves with weeping
or Love proceeding from similitude of qualities or manners or of morall love generall or particular to men or naturall to children or parents all whose causes are indifferent and besides that passion on which I insist and which cannot be without diversity of sex as the other may But the cause of this as generally the chiefe cause of all love is an attractive power which causeth an expansion or emotion of the soule and spirits to an object which she thinks convenient for her and which must be a conception of need or want of the object Now privation it selfe is evill and love being privation and want of an object is therefore evill for the effect of it beeing desire seeks the possession of that object and so makes the love circular to attract that to the soule which she seemes to want Now if we then wanted nothing we should not desire any thing which shewes we are not compleat in our selves and desire being the exhibition of want and the effect of love shews that the foundation it self is evill for that it is grounded on want Then besides if you look upon the outward cause of attraction whether it be beauty or any other exterior quality of the object beloved and the possession of it desired which is alwayes suffulted with hope the very causes themselves being vanity or not worthy objects for the soules egression to or opperation upon that desire and that love cannot be good the causes themselves being not absolutely good but vain and transitory But this by the way the chief thing I proposed was to insist on the effects of this passion which plainly exhibit the evils of it and out of which as from the fountains head all other evill passions have sprung This also we may consider in relation to the body and to the soule First consider this in relation to the body and that must be relatively and as it is joyned with other passions whose motions cause the diversity of motions in the body Through this the body which is as it were the case of the soul is imbued through the conjunction of the soule with the body with pain with languishing with restlesseness and all the senss feel the effects of this passion upon the soul by exposing the body to danger by wounds by torments and oft times by death all which happen through the exuscitation of other passions Now the soule suffers innumerable evills for first all passions as griefe hatred envie wrath malice revenge disdain and divers other particular passions which spring from this love all which falling upon the body agitate it to diversity of motions and without rest causes the soule to a continuall solicitous care of obtaining the object of its desires which if once hope faile then dispair the foretunner of mischiefe carries the soule into wonderful precipitancies and if in its best estate that hope continues it is never without fear jealousie and a soâ—icitrous care of conserving the object of its love so that the soul is under a continuall agitation by those paâ—sions that necessarily accompany love and so cannot enjoy the rest it ought to have But now to leave this kind of Philosphicall discourse let us speake of it morally and let us consider the evill effects it hath produced in the world and then we will define it thus Love is a most fatall plague a most venemous poyson a most ardent and foolish desire and the source and fountaine of all evill Men when once they are entred into this passion quite lose their former natures for this passion contaminates their reaâ—on tyranizeth over their wills makes them subject to the egregious fancies of the object they seek to acquire it deprives them of Jugdment â—â—ills them with all manner of passions which caries them into aâ—l mannâ—â— of preciptation their minds are continually tost to and fro on the wheel of love being stimulated with that Oestrum they are jacted câ—â—â—â—ted agitated versated by this passion and fill'd with exanimation distinction direption and accompanyed with cares feares jealousies false and faint comforts disquiets languishings longings rage and what not that is evill and all but for the acquiring of a little vain pleasure which vanisheth assoon as 't is caught And besides all these folly lust sinne doings turbulent motions and precipitancies wait on lovers And if we should go about to summe up the bad consequences and effects of this passion with the evils it hath caused we should find them innumerable for what disturbances what commotions what hurly burlies what distractions what battalls what slaughtars hath it caused and what rapes what sinnes what polutions what sueds and what murthers hath it committed was it not the cause of the distruction of ancient Troy was it not the cause of the banishing Kings out of Rome Was it not the cause of the abolishing the Decemveri hath it not been the cause of many murders was it not the cause of the wicked and inhumane slaughter of Absyrtus the brother of Medea was it not the losse of Megara when Nisus lost his fatal hair by his daughter Scylla Alas it would be endlesse to recount these things so well known and generall hated and yet this dispicable unprofitable and dangerous passion cannot be shunned but embraced by those who acknowledge the evills of it but yet wilfully maintaine its interests They cannot take example by others nor shun the precipicies they see others fall into before their eyes but that they also must rush into them Neither can I see any good at all that this passion doth produce but on the contrary those that are free from it enjoy all the quiets felicity ease pleasures and freedome which the other are incapable of and which is most miserable of all of free men and unconstrained they become slaves subjects and bound to obey the motions of their owne passion and will of an inconsiderate mistris who it may be is as dispicable in the unblinded eye of another as she is lovely in his Nor let it serve any to excuse it by saying they are forced and cannot decusse it for it is impossible for all men to mastre this passion if they resolve to set their wills to doe it but so long as they account it good and best for them they are not able to overcome it because they doe not seek it truly but cherish and obey every motion that cometh from it But if they were once convinced of the evill of this passion and were resolved to forsake it I make no question of the possibility of their effecting it There may be divers wayes proposed for the decussion or prevention of this evill the chief of which as I suppose is a constant imployment of the mind either in study or armes whereby it may have no time to fall into that which as they say is accquired by a supine and idle life fit to entertaine such a guest and justly sent as a plague from the Gods to such a soule Other