Army did not offer him Battle Three Nights they lay thus in view of each other the first night the Prince sent out his Scouts who brought in intelligence that the Enemy was not so well prepar'd for Battle as they fear'd they might be if they imagined the Prince would engage 'em but he had so often given them the slip that they believed he had no mind to put the Fortune of the Day to the push And they were glad of these delays that new forces might advance when the Scouts returned with this news the Prince was impatient to fall upon the Enemy but Fergusano who was continually taking Council of his Charms and looking into his black Book of Fate for every sally and step they made perswaded his Highness to have yet a little patience positively assuring him his Fortune depended on a Critical Minute which was not yet come and that if he offered to give Battle before the Change of the Moon he was inevitably lost and that the attendance of that fortunate moment would be the beginning of those of his whole Life with such like positive perswasions he gain'd upon the Prince and overcame his impatience of engageing for that Night all which he past in Council without being perswaded to take any rest often blaming the Nicety of their Art and his Stars and often asking if they lost that opportunity that Fortune had now given 'em whether all their Art or Stars or Devils could retrieve it and nothing would that Night appease him or dispossess'd the Sorcerers of this opinion The next day they received certain intelligence that a considerable supply would re-inforce the Royal Army under the Conduct of a Prince of the Blood which were every moment expected This news made the Prince rave and he broke out into all the rage imaginable against the Wizards who defended themselves with all the reasons of their Art but it was all in vain and he vow'd he would that Night engage the Enemy if he could find but one faithful Friend to second him tho he dyed in the attempt that he was worn out with the Toils he had undergone haras'd almost to death and would wait no longer the approach of his lazy Fate but boldly advancing meet it what Face so ' ere it bore They besought him on their Knees he would not overthrow the Glorious Design so long in bringing to perfection just in the very Minute of happy projection but to wait those certain Fates that would bring him Glory and Honour on their Wings and who if slighted would abandon him to distruction it was but some few Hours more and then they were his own to be commanded by him 't was thus they drill'd and delay'd him on till Night when again he sent out his Scouts to discover the Posture of the Enemy and himself in the mean time went to Council Philander fail'd not to be sent for thither who sometimes feign'd Excuses to keep away and when he did come he fate unconcern'd neither giving or receiving any advice This was taken notice of by all but Cesario who look'd upon it as his being overwatch'd and fatigu'd with the Toils of the day his Sullenness did not pass so in the opinion of the rest they saw or at least thought they saw some other marks of discontent in his fine Eyes which Love so much better became One of the Princes Offices and Captain of his Guard who was an old Hereditary Rogue and whose Father had suffer'd in a Rebellion before a Fellow rough and daring comes boldly to the Prince when the Council rose and ask'd him if he were resolved to Engage He told him he was Then said he give me leave to shoot Philander in the Head This blunt proposition given without any manner of reason or Circumstance made the Prince start back a step or two and ask him his meaning of what he said Sir replyed the Captain if you will be safe Philander must Die for however it appear to your Highness to all the Camp he shows the Traytor and 't is more than doubted he and the King of France understand one another but too well Therefore if you would be Victor let him be dispatch'd and I my self will undertake it Hold said the Prince if I could believe what you say to be true I should not take so base a revenge I would Fight like a Souldier and he should be treated like a man of Honour Sir said Vaneur for that was the Captains name do not in the Circumstances we now are in talk of treating with those that would ' betray us like men of Honour we cannot stand upon decency in killing who have so many to dispatch we came not into France to fight Duels and stand on nice Punctillios I say we must make quick work and I have a good Pistol charged with two handsome Bullets that shall as soon as he appears amongst us on Horse-back do his business as gentilely as can be and rid you of one of the most powerful of your Enemies To this the Prince would by no means agree not believing one syllable of the Accusation Vaneur swore then that he would not draw a Sword for his Service while Philander was suffered to live and he was as good as his word He said in going out that he would obey the Prince but he beg'd his pardon if he did not lift a Hand on his side and in an Hour after sent him his Commission and waited on him and was with him almost till the last in all the danger but would not Fight having made a solemn Vow Several others were of Vaneur's opinion but the Prince believ'd nothing of it Philander being indeed as he said weary of the design and party and regarded them as his Ruiners who with fair pretences drew him into a bad Cause which his Youth had not then considered and from which he could not untangle himself By this time the Scout was come back who inform'd the Prince that now was the best time in the World to Attack the Enemy who all lay supinely in their Tents and did not expect a Surprize that the very out-guards were slender and that it would not be hard to put 'em to a great deal of Confusion The Prince who was enough impatient before now was all Fire and Spirit and 't was not in the Power of Magick to withhold him but hasting immediately to Horse with as much speed as possible he got at the Head of his Men and marching on directy to the Enemy put them into so great a surprize that it may be admired how they got themselves into a condition of defence and to make short of a business that was not long in acting I may avow nothing but the immediate hand of the Almighty who favours the juster side and is always ready for the support of those who approach so near their own Divinity sacred and anointed Heads could have turned the Fortune of the Battle to the Royal side
Councellors his Colour came into his Face and he could not forbear defending us with all the Force of Friendship He told her he knew of no such Seducers no Villains of the Party nor of any trayterous Design that either himself or any Man in France had ever harboured At which she growing to upbraid him in a manner too passionate he thought it decent to end his Visit and left her very abruptly At his going out he met with the Duke of Brother to the Dutchess going to visit her En passant a very indifferent Ceremony pass'd on both sides for this Duke never had entertain'd a Friendship or scarce Respect for Cesario but going into his Sister's the Dutchess her Chamber he found her all in a Rage at the Princes so publick Defence of the Hugonots and their Allies and the Duke entering they told him what had pass'd This was a very great Pleasure to him who had a mortal Hate at this time to the Prince He made his Visit very short hastens to Court and went directly to the King and told him how infinitely he found his Majesty mistaken in the imagined Penitence of the Prince and then told him what he had said at the Dutchess of Lodgings and had disown'd he ever confess'd any treasonable Design against his Majesty and gave 'em the Lye who durst charge him with any such Villainy The King who was unwilling to credit what he wished not true plainly told the Duke he could not believe it but that it was the Malice of his Enemies who had forg'd this the Duke reply'd he would bring those to his Majesty that heard the Words Immediately thereupon dispatched away his Page to begg the Dutchess would come to Court with Madamoisell Mariana The Dutchess suspecting the truth of the Business and unwilling to do the Prince an ill Office excused herself by sending word she was ill of the Colick But Mariana who lov'd the King's Interest and found the Ingratitude as she call'd it of the prime hasted in her Chair to Court and justified all the Duke had said who being a Woman of great Wit and Honour found that Credit which the Duke fail'd of as an open Enemy to the Prince About an hour after the Prince appeared at Court and found the face of Things changed extreamly and those who before had kiss'd his Hand and were proud of every smile from him Now beheld him with coldness and scarce made way as he past However he went on to the Presence and found the King whose looks were also very much changed who taking him into the Bed-Chamber show'd him his whole Confession drawn up ready for him to sign as he had promis'd tho' he never intended any such thing and now resolv'd to die rather than do it He took it in his Hand while the King cry'd Here keep your Word and Sign your Narrative Stay Sir replied the Prince I have the Council of my Friends to ask first in so weighty an Affair The King confirm'd in all he had heard no longer doubted but he had been too cunning for him and going out in a very great discontent he only cry'd Sir if you have any better Friends than my self I leave you to 'em and with this left him The Prince was very glad he had got the Confession-Paper hoping it would never come to light again the King was the only person to whom he had made the Confession and he was but one Accuser and him he thought the Party could at any time be too powerful to oppose all being easily believed on their side and nothing on that of the Court. After this in the Evening the King going to visit Madam the Dutchess of for whom he had a very great Esteem and whither every Day the whole Court followed him The Prince with all the assurance imaginable made his Court there also but he was no sooner come into the Presence but he perceived Anger in the Eyes of that Monarch who had indeed a peculiar Greatness and Firceness there when Angry A Minute after he sent Monsieur to the Prince with a command to leave the Court and without much Ceremony he accordingly departed and went directly to Hermione who with all the impatience of Love expected him nor was much surprized to find him Banisht the Court For he made her acquainted with his most Secret Designs who having made all his Interests her own Espoused whatever related to him and was capable of retaining all with great Fidelity Nor had he quitted her one Night since his coming to Court and he hath often with rapture told me Hermione was a Friend as well as a Mistress and one with whom when the first Play was ended he could Discourse with of useful things of State as well as Love and improve in both the Noble Mysteries by her Charming Conversation The Night of this second Disgrace I went to Hermione's to visit him where we Discours'd what was next to be done He did not think his Pardon was sufficient to secure him and he was not willing to trust a King who might be convinced that that Tenderness he had for him was absolutely against the Peace and Quiet of all France I was of this Opinion so that upon farther debate we thought it absolutely necessary to quit France till the Courts heat should be a little abated and that the King might imagine himself by his absence in more Tranquillity than he really is In order to this he made me take my Flight into Flanders here to provide all things necessary against his coming and I received his command to seek you out and beg you would attend his coming hither I expect him every Day He told me at parting he long'd to consult with you how next to play this mighty Game on which so many Kingdoms are staked and which he is resolv'd to win or be nothing An imperfect Relation replied Philander we had of this Affair but I never could learn by what Artifice the Prince brought about his good Fortune at Court but of your own Escape I have heard nothing pray oblige me with the Relation of it Sir said Thomaso there is so little worthy the trouble you will take in hearing it that you may spare your self the Curiosity Sir reply'd Philander I alway had too great a share in what concern'd you not to be Curious of the Story In which reply'd Thomaso tho' there be nothing Novel I will satisfie you Be pleas'd to know my Lord that about a Week before our design was fully discovered by some of our own under-Rogues I had taken a great House in Fabour St. Iermins for my Mistress whom you know my Lord I had liv'd with for the space of a Year She was gone to drink the Waters of Bourbon for some indisposition and I had promised her all things should be fitted against her return agreeable to her Humour and Desire and indeed I spared no cost to make her Apartment Magnificent And I believe few Women of
Youth with all the Vanities of Ambition they have made themselves absolutely useful to him This Scot being a most inveterate Enemy to France le ts the Prince rest neither Night nor Day but is still inspiring him with new Hopes of a Crown and laying him down all the false Arguments imaginable to spur the active Spirit My Lord is not of the Opinion yet seems to comply with them in Council he laughs at all the Fopperies of Charms and Incantations insomuch that he many times angers the Prince and is in eternal little Feuds with Hermione The German would often in these Disputes say he found by his Art That the Stop to the Princes Glory would be his Love This so incensed Hermione and consequently the Prince that they had like to have broke with him but durst not for fear he knowing too much to be disobliged On the other side Fergusano is most wonderfully charmed with the Wit and masculine Spirit of Hermione her Courage and the manliness of her Mind and understanding what way she would be served resolved to obey her finding she had an absolute Ascendant over the Prince whom by this means he knew he should get into his sole Management Hermione tho' she seemed to be possess'd so intirely of Cesarrio's Heart found she had great and powerful Opposers who believ'd the Prince lay idling in her Arms and that possibly she might eclipse his Fame by living at that rate with a Woman he had no other Pretensions to but Love and many other Motives were urged daily to him by the Admirers of his great Actions And she feared with reason that some time or other Ambition might get the Ascendant of Love She therefore in her Mid-night Conferences with Fergusano often urg'd him to show her that piece of his Art to make a Philtre to retain fleeting Love and not only keep a Passion alive but even revive it from the dead She tells him of her Contract with him she urges his forced Marriage as she was pleased to call it in his Youth and that he being so young she believed he might find it lawful to marry himself a second time that possibly his Princess was for the Interest of the King and Men of his elivated Fortune ought not to be ty'd to those Strictnesses of common Men but for the good of the Publick sometimes act beyond the musty Rules of Law and Equity those politick Bands to confine the Mobile At this unreasonable rate she plâ—ads her Right to Cesario and he harâ—ens with all Attention and approves so well all she says that he resolves not only to attach the Prince to her by all the force of the black Art but that of necessary Marriage also This pleased her to the last degree and she left him after he had promised her to bring her the Philtre by the Morning for it was that she most urged the other requiring time to argue with him and work him by degrees to it Accordingly the next Morning he brings her a Tooth-pick-case of Gold of rare infernal Workmanship wrought with a thousand Charms of that Force that every time the Prince should touch it and while he but wore it about him his Fondness should not only continue but increase and he should hate all Womankind besides at least in the way of Love and have no power to possess another Woman tho' she had all the Attractions of Nature He tells her the Prince could never suspect so familiar a Present and for the fineness of the Work it was a Present for a Prince For said he no human Art could frame so rare a piece of Workmanship that Nine Nights the most delicate of the Infernals were mixing the Metal with the most powerful of Charms and watch'd the critical Minutes of the Stars in which to form the mystick Figures every one being a Spell upon the Heart of that unerring Magick no mortal Power could ever dissolve undo or conquer The only Art now was in giving it so as to oblige him nâ—ver to part with it and she who had all the Cunning of her Sex undertook for that part She dismissed her infernal Confident and went to her Toilet to dress her knowing well that the Prince would not be long before he came to her She laid the Tooth-pick-Case down so as he could not avoid seeing it The Prince came immediately after in as he ever used to do Night and Morning to see her dress her he saw this gay Thing on her Table and took it in his Hand admiring the Work of it as he was the most curious Person in the World She told him there was not a finer wrought thing in the World and that she had a very great Esteem for it it being made by the Sybils and bade him mind the Antiqueness of the Work The more she commended it the more he liked it and told her she must let him call it his She told him he would give it away to the next Commender He vow'd he would not She told him then he should not only call it his but it should in reality be so and he vow'd it should be the last thing he would part with in the World From that time forward she found or thought she found a more impatient Fondness in him than she had seen before however it was she rul'd and govern'd him as she pleased and indeed never was so great a Slave to Beauty as in my Opinion he was to none at all for she is far from having any natural Charms yet it was not long since it was absolutely believed by all that he had been resolved to give himself wholly up to her Arms to have sought no other Glory than to have retired to a Corner of the World with her and changed all his Crowns of Laurel for those of Roses But some stirring Spirits have roused him anew and awakened Ambition in him and they are on great Designs which possibly ere long may make all France to tremble yet still Hermione is oppressed with Love and the Effects of dayly increasing Passion He has perpetual Correspondence with the Party in Paris and Advice of all things that pass they let him know they are ready to receive him whenever he can bring a Force into France nor needs he any considerable Number he having already there in every place through which he shall pass all or the most part of the Hearts and Hands at his Devotion and they want but Arms and they shall gather as they go They desire he will land himself in some part of the Kingdom and it would be Incouragement enough to all the joyful People who will from all parts flock together In fine he is offered all Assistance and Money and least all the Forces of France should be bent against him he has Friends of great Quality and Interest that are resolved to rise in several places of the Kingdom in Languedoc and Guinny whether the King must be obliged to send his Forces
it was prodigious to consider the unequal numbers and the advantage all on the Princes part it was miraculous to behold the order on his side and surprize on the other which of it self had been sufficient to have confounded them yet notwithstanding all this unpreparedness on this side and the watchfuluess and care on the other so well the General and Officers of the Royal Army managed their scanted Time so bravely disciplin'd and experienced the Souldiers were so resolute and brave and all so well mounted and armed that as I said to a Miracle they fought and 't was a Miracle they won the Field tho that fatal Night Cesario did in his own Person wonders and when his Horse was kill'd under him he took a Partizan and as a common Souldier at the head of his Foot acted the Hero with as much courage and bravery as ever Caesar himself could Boast Yet all this avail'd him nothing he saw himself abandoned on all sides and then under the Covert of the Night he retired from the Battle with his Sword in his hand with only one Page who fought by his side A thousand times he was about to fall on his own Sword and like Brutus have finish'd a life he could no longer sustain with Glory But Love that coward of the Mind and the Image of Divine Hermione as he esteemed her still gave him Love to life and while he could remember she yet lived to charm him he could even look with contempt on the loss of all his Glory at which if the repin'd it was for her sake who expected to behold him return cover'd o'er with Laurels in these sad thoughts he wandered as long as his wearied Legs would bear him into a low Forest far from the Camp where over-prest with Toil all over pain and a Royal Heart even breaking with Anxiety he laid him down under the shelter of a Tree and found but his length of Earth left to support him now who not many hours before beheld himself the greatest Monarch as he imagined in the World Oh who that had seen him thus which of his most mortal Enemies that had view'd the Royal Youth adorn'd with all the Charms of Beauty Heaven ever distributed to Man Born great and but now ador'd by all the crowding World with Hat and Knee now abandon by all but one kind trembling Boy weeping by his side while the Illustrious Hero lay Gazing with melancholy weeping Eyes at those Stars that had lately been so cruel to him Sighing out his great Soul to the Winds that whistled round his uncovered head breathing his Griefs as silently as the sad fatal Night past away Where nothing in nature seemed to pity him but the poor wretched Youth that kneeled by him and the sighing Air I say who that beheld this would not have scorn'd the World and all its fickle Worshipers have curst the Flatteries of vain Ambition and priz'd a Cottage far above a Throne a Garland wreath'd by some fair innocent hand before the restless Glories of a Crown Some Authors in the Relation of this Battle affirm That Philander quitted his Post as soon as the Charge was given and sheer'd off from that Wing he commanded but all Historians agree in this Point that if he did it was not for want of Courage for in a Thousand Incounters he has given sufficient proofs of as much Bravery as a Man can be capable of But he disliked the Cause disapproved of all their Pretenâ—ions and look'd upon the whole Affair and Proceeding to be most unjust and ungenerous And all the fault his greatest Enemies could charge him with was That he did not deal so gratefully with a Prince that loved him and trusted him and that he ought frankly to have told him he would not serve him in this Design and that it had been more Gallant to have quited him that way than this but there are so many Reasons to be given for this more Politick and safe Deceit than are needful in this place and 't is most certain as it is the most justifiable to Heaven and Man to one born a Subject of France and having Sworn Allegiance to his proper King to abandon any other Interest so let the Enemies of this great Man say what they please if a Man be oblig'd to be false to this or that Interest I think no body of common Honesty Sense and Honour will dispute which he ought to abandon and this is most certain that he did not forsake him because Fortune did so as this one Instance may make appear When Cesario was first Proclaimed King and had all the Reason in the World to believe that Fortune would have been wholly partial to him he offer'd Philander his choice of any Principality and Government in France and to have made him of the Order of Sanct Espréet all which he refused tho' he knew his great Fortune was lost and already distributed to Favourites at Court and himself Proscribed and Convicted as a Traytor to France Yet all these refusals did not open the Eyes of this credulous great young Man who still believed it the sullenness and Generosity of his Temper No sooner did the day discover to the World the horrid Business of the preceding Night but a diligent search was made among the infinite number of dead that covered the Face of the Earth for the Body of the Prince or New King as they called him But when they could not find him among the dead they sent out Parties all ways to search the Woods the Forests and the Plains nor was it long they sought in vain for he who had laid himself as I said under the shelter of a Tree had not for any consideration removed him but finding himself seiz'd by a common Hand suffered himself without Resistance to be detained by one single Man till more advanced when he could as easily have kill'd the Rustick as speak or move an Action so below the Character of this truly brave Man that there is no reason to be given to excuse this easie submission but this That he was Stupified with long Watching Grief and the Fatigues of his daily Toyl for so many Weeks before For 't is not to be imagin'd it was carelessness or little regard for Life for if it had been so he would doubtless have lost it Nobly with the Victory and never have retreated while there had been one Sword left advanced against him or if he had disdained the Enemy should have had the Advantage and Glory of so great a Conquest at least when his Sword had been yet left him he should have died like a Roman and have scorn'd to have added to the Triumph of the Enemy But Love had unman'd his great Soul and Hermione pleaded within for Life at any Price even that of all his Glory the thought of her alone blacken'd this last Scene of his Life and for which all his past Triumphs could never atone nor excuse Thus taken he
to rescue the Royal Unfortunate from the Hands of Justice while he view'd 'em all around with scorning dying Eyes While he remained in the Bastile he was visited by several of the Ministers of State and Cardinals and Men of the Church who urged him to some Discoveries but could not prevail with him He spoke he thought he dreamt of nothing but Hermione and when they talk'd of Heaven he ran on some Discourse of that Beauty something of her Praise and so continued to his last Moment even on the Scaffold where he was urged to excuse as a good Christian ought his Invasion his Bloodshed and his unnatural War he set himself to justifie his Passion to Hermione endeavouring to render the Life he had lead with her Innocent and Blameless in the sight of Heaven and all the Churchmen could perswade could make him speak of very little else Just before he laid himself down on the Block he called to one of the Gentlemen of his Chamber and taking out the Inchanted Tooth-pick-case he whisper'd him in the Ear and commanded him to bear it from him to Hermione and laying himself down suffer'd the Justice of the Law and died more pitied than lamented so that it became a Proverb If I have an Enemy I wish he may live like and die like Cesario So ended the Race of this glorious Youth who was in his time the greatest Man of a Subject in the World and the greatest Favourite of his Prince happy indeed above a Monarch if Ambition and the Inspiration of Knaves and Fools had not led him to Destruction and from a Glorious Life brought him to a Shameful Death This deplorable News was not long in coming to Hermione who must receive this due That when she heard her Hero was dead and with him all her dearer greatness gone she betook her self to her Bed and made a Vow she would never rise nor eat more and she was as good as her word she lay in that melancholy Estate about Ten Days making the most pitious Moan for her dead Lover that e'er was heard drowning her Pillow in Tears and sighing out her Soul She called on him in vain as long as she could speak at last she fell into a Lethargy and dreamed of him till she could dream no more an everlasting sleep closed her fair Eyes and the last word she sigh'd was Cesario Brillijard had the good Fortune the Night of the Battle to get away under the covert of the Night and posted into Flanders where he found Silvia in the Arms of the young Spaniard and of whom they made so considerable Advantages that in a short time they ruin'd the Fortune of that young Nobleman and became the Talk of the Town insomuch that the Governour not permitting her stay there she was forced to remove for new Prey and daily makes considerable Conquests where e'er she shows the Charmer Fergusano escap'd which was to the last Moment of the Princes Life the greatest Affliction of his Mind and he would often say in great Rage That if that Villain had been brought to Paris and that he could have had the satisfaction of seeing him broken on a Wheel before he had died he should have resign'd his Life with Joy But his time was not yet come Philander lay sometime in the Bastile visited by all the Persons of great Quality about the Court he behaved himself very Gallantly all the way he came after his being taken and to the last Minute of his Imprisonment and was at last pardoned kiss'd the King's Hand and came to Court in as much Splendor as ever being very well understood by all good Men. FINIS