disinherited he without regarding the ordinance of his mother would possesse himselfe of the succession but he was hindred by two of the cosens of the defunct He had with them both words and blowes and in this difference he outraged Gentlewomen his Kinswomen with so many insolencies injuries and intemperances that it was decreed against him that hee should bee put into prison where hee staied a long while because no body regarded him all that hee undertooke issued very ill and in the end seeing himself abandoned by all the world and pressed with extream necessity besides the incommodities of prison he had recourse to me and writ to me conjuring me to assist him in the misery which he endured being abandoned of all his kindred and friends This letter was given me and many others wherein he reiterated the same prayers but I was not much moved to assist him I was insensibly growne into a certaine negligence which many times hindered me from undertaking this voyage I imagine that heaven permitted it to be so to chastise him for the evill he had done in being the cause of the death of her which was the cause of his life after the soveraign author of all things Seeing himselfe reduced to so great misery so far that he was not visited in his chamber by any but the other prisoners he had his heart touched with a very sensible repentance judging that all these miseries were come unto him by divine punition those who brought him his meat found him alwaies sighing and weeping Desiring then to appease the anger of God and do pennance for his fault he made a Vow with a good heart to employ a whole yeare in visiting on foot all the holy Sanctuaries of Spaine if it pleased God to deliver him from the miseries wherein hee was From that houre that he had thus acknowledged himselfe all things came to him according to his wish every one beganne to pitty him I arrived at Cartagene with intent to endeavour to serve him and before J saw any of my kindred J went to visit him in prison where after having embraced him with teares in his eyes he recounted to me from point to point the prodigious extravagancie which he had done which he believed was the originall of his misfortunes I blamed and chid him rudely for suffering himself to be carried away with such a folly and seeing the extreame sorrow which he had for it J became the vigilant solicitour of his affairs By my intermission they whom he had offended pardoned him seeing that they had a sufficient reparation having kept him two years a prisoner for not penetrating into the judgements of God they beleeved that it was onely by their meanes that Garcia had suffered this paine Not being content with having gotten him out of prison J would see the clause of the Testament of his mother and the cause of his dis-inheriting having examined it with counsell we learned that the Law deprived from succession those children who layed violent hands upon their Fathers or mothers or who attempted upon their lives and as the adversaries of Garcia could not prove that he was guilty of any of these cases for although hee was the cause of the death of his mother there was none but she and he that knew it the Judges before the Processe was begunne ordained that the Testament should be broken and that Garcia should be put into possession of the inheritance not onely of his mother but also of his father a few dayes after he was installed in his goods he enterprised to render his vowes beginning with our Lady of Piler of Saragoce one of the most holy places of Spaine where the blessed Virgin appeared to the Apostle St. James We left Cartagene at the same time hee to acquit himself of his vowes towards God and I of my duty towards my wife See Seignieur Fenise the cause of my voyage which you desired to know and the weake curiositie of my foolish Cosen who will be wise hereafter An example which sheweth us the misfortunes which arrive to those that will make such foolish experiences The entertaine of these pleasing divertisements endured untill their last dayes journey In approaching to Toledo Don Antonio and his brother renewed their thankfulnesse to Fenise taking leave of him and Marcell with a thousand civill complements Don Charles carried Don Antonio to the towne where Violante lived with Orambel who had like to have dyed many times with sorrow not knowing what was become of her husband since that hee went for Naples his unexpected presence carryed her from one extremitie to another the excessive joy which she received at his arrivall had like to have made her tender her soul in embracing him Don Antonio staied six daies with them and then he carried them to Madrid Fenise and Marcel arriving at Toledo were received with unspeakable joy the one of his mother the other of his wife the one to stay alwaies with his family and the other onely to regulate his affaires and take possession of an estate which his father had left him with the right of the eldest of his house The respect which every one bore to his merit made him happily proceed in his businesse vvhich being done the Idea features vertues and perfections of Magdelene which kept the most eminent place in his memory obliged him incontinently to take againe the way to Cartagene In few dayes he was with her to the great contentment of her father mother and brother who all expected him with great impatience to put him in possession of a treasure which he more passionately aspired unto then the highest fortune in the world It was his marriage with Magdelene which was celebrated before the ministers of the onely law where he publiquely gave her his hand as secretly he had done his heart under reciprocall promises of a perfect union they reaped the fruites of their loues which had taken encrease and maturitie amongst so many different dangers surmounted by their hardy resolutions and according to the ingenious conduct of our Heros Having passed some monthes amongst his wives friends he would let her know his for this effect by the consentment of their father and mother and her particular approbation he carried her to Madrid there to establish his house and habitation where now he passeth his life with this marvell of beauty and wisedome with all delights which are to be tasted in this world A successe which may serve for a certaine proofe that in case of marriage the union of soules is made in heaven the alliance of bodies upon earth Jn the varietie of rare adventures described in this volume the marvellous effects of love and fortune are seene whereby one may know that the one surmounts all the greatest hazards that can oppose him and the other although she be inconstant and many times maglignant she neverthelesse favoureth generous courages and aydeth them to accomplish their designes when they are
were with me and presently after I found my selfe a captive in Algier which you see now Consider in what port you are arrived and whether you had not better to have served for food to sea monsters then to have falne into the hands of these earthly ones I have languished fourteene yeares in this misery where it seemes my life hath taken another nature since that I dye not to avoid so many displeasures I have many times written to Madrid and sent my wife worde of my sad disafter but what ever diligence I have used I could never receive an answer I doe not excuse her of negligence nor ill nature I have too much proofe of her goodnesse and vertue but I thinke my letters never went so far I feare that the King of Algier who will not put my daughter nor me in the number of slaves to be ransomed hath stayed them for these infidells are most faithfull to their soveraigne so that I know not now if I have yet any body for me nor whether my wife be in heaven or earth My daughter I have told you of is called Magdelene but the barbarian that ravished her from me hath taken from her that name and called her Cirife at the end of six yeares of our captivitie the pirate seeing day by day the beauty of this little one increase made her serve him as an instrument to get the favour of Selin King of Algier he gave her to him to dispose of her as he thought good The Prince was much pleased with this present and to testifie the esteeme he had thereof he promised to gratifie him upon all occasions when she was taken out of mine armes her clothes were not so poore but that they rendered her considerable and testifyed that she was issued from christians of great qualitie which obliged the King to esteeme her as much as if she had beene his proper child He hath brought her up like a queene in effect I know he pretends to qualifie her with that greatnesse and marry her I apprehend that that will be executed sooner then is thought of and so there may be a soule lost and a desolation for mine old age The onely good that I have resting amongst so many displeasures is that I see her sometimes by a window of a Towre where by good fortune the King hath lodged her the halfe of the circum ference of this towre comes from the Kings lodgings against the gardens of the Citizens having betwixt them but a little lane of five or six paces over full of briers and bushes With diligent searching some meanes to approach this prison I have found a breach in a wall which seemeth to have beene made for me by some angell by it I goe to the foote of the tower and â—hiding my selfe in the thornes and grasse I speake sometimes to Magdalene whilst she maketh a shew to recreate her selfe in taking the ayre by the window and by the veiw of the gardens In the little time we enjoy this common contentment I speake to her of no other thing but that she remember she is a christian that she take heede of violating her faith whatsoever is offered her or said to her and that she hope that God who never leaveth his will receive our vowes and one day give us the recompence of our travells and constancie See deere country man the subject of my afflictions and miserie which you may helpe me to lament as you told me at your arrivall if peradventure you have not particulars which oblige you to imploy your teares for your selfe and if it was nothing but the losse you have made of your libertie you will not want cause of teares Alas there is so long a death prepared for you amongst chaines and travells that I assure my selfe that you will be sorry you were not buried in the waters as your companions which I esteeme much happier then your self Hitherto Fenise had harkened to the afflictions of others but from that moment he begun to feare those that threatened him but when the courage is firme there is no adversitie that can astonish a man nor danger capable to terrifie him Fenise having a while considered the finistre predictions of Frederick and studied by what industry he might prevent these future disgraces he made him this discourse In harkening to the recitall you have made me of your misfortunes I have conceived in my minde what may remedy you and it may be you will judg so when I have communicated it unto you But to oblige you the more to second my intentions I wil tell you newes of the child you went to search amongst the bushes neere Toledo He was named Louis as his mother desired I have not onely knowne him but that knowledge is passed into an affection he is one of my intimate friends I have left him at Valence at a gentlemans house a friend of mine called Leonard in whose house he hath recounted to me his whole life whose beginning answers to all the particulars you have told me thereof A labourer found him in the place where you went to seek him he had care to bring him up and entertaine him untill his decease and in making him inheritour of all his estate he gave him a little purse wherein was the paper that you saw his mother hung about his neck which he yet carefully keepeth So great a transport of joy seized the heart of Frederick that he wanted not much of falling at the feet of Fenise when when he told this newes But after a little silence it is possible said he that my stars begin to be weary with persecuting me what will heaven give me this contentment in my last dayes and assure me that my child liveth Alas if I could perswade my selfe as you say I should no longer esteeme my selfe unhappy although I be a slave and charged with chaines Yet you give me so many markes thereof and your manner of speaking hath so much appearance of truth that I willingly believe it For that which concerneth the proposition you make to execute a designe which may produce some happy successe doe not doubt my fidelity I ingage to you my faith to expose my selfe to all sortes of hazards to serve you untill the losse of my life if there be neede assuring my selfe that before any thing is undertaken you will judge that it is all that a slave can offer Doe not believe answered Fenise that I make so little esteeme thereof as onely to hazard it on the contrary the industry I have advised my selfe of tends onely to its conservation and safety I can speake the Arabick language in perfection having learned it of a slave of my fathers by a secret providence of heaven who foresaw this present necessitie With that I have some money which is saved with me from the passed shipwrack I put it into my bosome when I entered into the ship at Livorne My designe is to buy by your meanes
state to the other end of the beame whereunto the first was tyed who was very glad to have a companion to entertaine himselfe with Whilst they were tying Fenise the other attentively regarded him thinking that hee knew him and when they were alone without light he disguising his voice demanded of our Cavalier the cause of his imprisonment my misfortune is the onely cause answered Fenise for I doe not believe that I have deserved this punishment by the tone of his voice the first prisoner confirmed himselfe in the opinion that he had that he knew Fenise yet he was so amazed with this strange incounter that being night he thought he dreamed when an infortunate person receives any contentment hee thinkes it an illusion Fenise had also the curiositie to enquire the misfortunes of his companion who answered him alwayes in a disguised voice You and I are of different opinions you say your ill fortune hath brought you hither I that my good fortune hath conducted me and rendred my captivitie a thousand times more deare to me then libertie I never heard any but you said Fenise say that paines were pleasant libertie troublesome imprisonment delightfull yet I esteeme my selfe happy answered the unknowne in regard I finde two sorts of contentment the one reall and the other in appearance and although the latter be not he that presumes it so doth not desire it lesse then the first so that I finde my prison lovely my chaines favours and my paines delightfull I am of the nature of those that love their captivitie The pearle conconserves and nourisheth it selfe in a prison of a shel the diamond formes it selfe in congealed dew the gold ingenders and augments by the Sun-beames in the Entrailes of the Earth and the soule which is the most perfect of all creatures next unto the angels doth so well please it selfe in the prison of humane bodies that she cannot quit them without great trouble the same cause have I to love my condition Love makes me finde delight in torments felicitie in misfortunes and pleasure amongst these paynes He answered Fenise hath no great experience of the effects of love that taketh his afflictions for contentments Alas love the world would be at quiet if it could avoid thy reaches and warrant it selfe from thy deceipts For my part I have a thousand times proved that all the evils that our miserie hath cast upon us in nature are found in him and without going about to tell them in particular I demand what tumult is there in the World which he causeth not What sedition which he stirreth not up Noyse which he makes not What feare which proceeds not from him He is the most cruell Enemy of men He betrayeth them under flattering appearances He makes them swallow poyson deliciously prepared in embracing them he kills them In brief he is of such a nature that there are none but those that know him not that esteem him therefore I wish that he may possesse the soule of him that is cause of my misfortunes it is the most rigorous vengeance that I can desire Fenise said this with so much vehemency that he thereby testified the passion which moved him and the force of his apprehensions whereupon his companion answered without doubt you loue in such a place where your affections are little regarded since that you speak so ill of him who hath been the cause of all the good that the Earth now possesseth that the World admireth and that Nature adoreth Love is the originall of our life He provides us nourishment without him the Earth would not bring forth those savoury fruits which serve us for food and without him men would have no communication together He peopleth Cities He governeth Common-wealths He is the Spring of Peace and Joy His effects are Force greatnesse of Courage Liberality and Courtesie He is the Father of boldnesse and Generosity And I could give you examples of all that I have told you in my proper person if I did not feare more to weary you by giving eare unto them then to tire my selfe by relating them In conclusion I maintain that there is nothing without love yea that he is among contrary Elements I doe not deny answered Fenise that Love hath all these properties but as no man is bound to say more then he knoweth of him I that have found in his Garden nothing but thornes and brambles I tell you what I have seen what I have experimented and what I have learned of himselfe I doe avouch that of all humane contentments there is none like the pleasures of a Lover who is beloved with a reciprocall Affection but this happinesse endureth so little that the happiest Lover can scarcely vaunt himselfe to be arrived at the beginning of his pleasure but at the same instant he loseth it Fenise and the unknowne Prisoner passed the rest of the night in this pleasant contestation the the one considering the miserable estate whereunto fortune had reduced him not being able to have newes from Laure the other satisfied with the favours of his destiny desiring alwayes to alledge the affliction of his companions but seeing that opportunity was not yet offered he determined to have patience and not to make himselfe known but to very good purpose As soon as it was day Poleron went to visit his Friend to confirme him in the assurance which he had given him to deliver him from the hands of that insolent and ignorant Judge Fenise thanked him for the care that he had of him and told him that he was happy in his misfortunes to be a prisoner with a man of so excellent a wit whose pleasant conversation had much diminished his sorrowes Poleron turned himselfe for to behold him but the Prisoner having seen him enter had turned his back against the light and lay halfe along upon the beam feigning to be asleep as well not to be in view as for to hearken if amongst their discourses he might finde any thing that might concerne him The two Friends believing that sleep had seized him begun to discourse together and amongst the discourses which they held Fenise did observe so many judicious reasons in Poleron that he found them to exceed the wit of a Shepherd as already he had seen other testimonies thereof Desiring then to content his curiosity he made him this discourse I might believe dear Poleron that you did not love me with a good heart if you should refuse to give me the clearing of an opinion which I have conceived and which doth trouble me Your Countenance your Courage your Actions and your Discourses agreeth so little with the birth of a Shepherd that I have imagined divers times either that you are not descended of the Line of these country Shepherds or that Heaven and Nature have taken a most particular care to forme your Body and Wit to render you worthy of a higher fortune then that of this habitation Truly answered Poleron I should