faith to mee by the indissolvable tyes of a most sacred Hymen Thus did this loving Spouse entertain her troubled mind but Shame opposing her Design if there can bee any shame in the legitimate desires of a chast wife or rather the impossibiity of disengaging her self from under Aretuza's wing and the strict guard of the too severe Perpetua made her seek in Patience the common Remedy of all her discontents How often did shee please her fancy with the imagination of transvesting her self and by the help of a Man ' s disguise deceiving the eyes of those that watched her deportments to convey her self into the Court to her beloved Iphigenes But that Honour whereof shee was so Jealous did choak this Resolution at its birth considering that such an Equipage would not only make her the discourse of inconsiderate Censurers but in stead of rendring her Husband a testimony of her Love might perhaps attract upon her Innocence his Dislike At length not to do any thing unbeseeming her quality shee resolved to hearken to Modesty and let Discretion prevail over all those Surges of Passion Shee comforted her self with her letters from Iphigenes the words in every line whereof were as many protestations of Constancy and new oaths of Fidelity The severall vertues shee had remarked in her dear Husband were as many Proofs and those Proofs as many Assurances of his invariable Purity whereupon shee reposed all her thoughts And these thoughts which often made her sequester her self into sad unfrequented places were her most delicious recreations The shade of woods the coolness of Gardens and the agreeable murmuring of Fountains fomented in her brest that humour which nourished it self with the dear remembrance of her adored Husband's perfections And if such were the resentments of this Turtle being separated from the presence of her mate Think not that Iphigenes felt any less discomfort amongst all his greatnesses which hee would willingly have shared to his dear Friend and Wife or to have rendred the contentment perfect have injoyed in their presence His affection to Modestina and the Love hee bare Liante never suffered him to take any rest notwithstanding the multitude of Felicities wherewith the King's favour had in a manner overwhelmed him Thus in this world wee can have nothing perfect Those whom wee do many times imagine seeing them born up by the wings of the Wind of a Prince's favour to Swim in an Ocean of Delights do find amongst the agreeable flowers of Pleasure some secret prickle of Sorrow which marreth the harmony of their Prosperity Of so many Objects whereunto the Court did invite Iphigenes to affix his affections hee saw as few that hee deemed worthy of the application of his thoughts as Hee who looked for a Man with a candle at mid-day amongst a great Assembly in a publick place Whether the want of Freedome and Vertue which is great amongst Courtiers made him meet with a scarcity of friends in that multitude which environed him or whether which is very probable the first impressions of affection had so seasoned the new Vessell of his Heart that here was no possibility of making it take any other tincture or tast than that which hee had relished in the conversation of Modestina and Liante the sweet Objects of his education and most tender years His Disposition being of an excellent temperature and his Heart no coveter of Wealth Avarice and Vanity which are the two Bonds the two Charms and as I may say the two poisoned Tets of the Court-favour had very little interest in his Soul And Voluptuousness which according to the saying of an antient Orator hath no place of abode in the Kingdom of Vertue could find no access in his Body too Honest not to bee Continent No wonder then if the fetters of the Court though made of Gold and pretious Stones were irksome unto him and the sincere chaste and true affection which hee bore those two absent Objects of his Love made him in the midst of so many pleasures languish with the desire of their presence The passionate resentments of his Soul for this detested Separation He feelingly exprest in severall letters to Modestina and Liante which they interchangeably communicated to each other according to the permission of their Overseers in order to Iphigenes particular injunction who at his departure from them did earnestly intreat Liante to take as intended to him the affectionate letters hee should write to his Sister protesting that the Friendship hee did bear him was no less tender nor less ardent than his Love to Modestina as may easily be believed by one that knows the reason whereof Liante as yet was ignorant One day Modestina and her Brother having been allarmed by letters from the faithfull Iphigenes with the Princess Respicia's design of breaking their Marriage and giving him her Daughter to wife whereunto hee had been Sollicited by Mieslas whom shee had gained But that hee had rejected their propositions choosing rather to lose his life than his Loyalty Hee received letters from them full of complaints and stinging resentments of Jealousie Modestina feining to fear or fearing in effect that the rare Beauties and great Honors whereof the Court is the Element would in time ravish from her the Mind as well as the Body of her Iphigenes And Liante writing that the acquaintance of great Ones would perchance make him not value the friendship of meaner Persons in which rank hee placed himself Whereunto a Reply was speedily dispatcht which conteining large expressions of a holy and reall affection comforted a little those two tender hearts which languished one for her Husband the other for his sincere Friend But why do I say comforted I should rather say that it caused the same effect in the sorrow of their Privation as water in a Smith ' s forge being cast upon burning coals whose heat it doth increase Or as those hot drops of raine extorted by the Sun during the ardors of Summer which rather Scald than Wet Indeed if wee measured their discontents for his absence with the satisfaction they would have received by the presence and possession of Iphigenes wee might judge of its extremity However not to give Iphigenes any occasion to bee afflicted at their suspitions they made him understand by Letters how great a confidence they had in his promise and constancy acknowedging that those honours which are accustomed to change the dispositions of weak and vulgar Souls are below the thoughts of them that place their honour in their Faith and who are not Reeds of the Desart in unconstancy but Pillars of the Temple of Stability By this reciprocall intelligence of Letters these three loving Hearts mainteined the harmony of their concord that served for Oyl to nourish the Lamp of their mutuall affection Mean time Iphigenes blessed with the dew of Heaven and Earth was the true Child of Increase and the Nursling of Fortune Fortune in him seeming to have lost those two qualities of
although that Face and that Speech represent to my Eyes and Ears my dear Iphis yet I am so taken with Serife that if you change not that habit I shall never change my Passion and hence-forwards farewell the thoughts of any Woman For though I would rather that the Earth should open under my Feet to swallow mee than give that Crime admittance into my Brest which cannot bee imagined much less named without horror Yet I may say with much truth that my Soul is so glued as it were to yours and your affection hath so penetrated my Heart that I love you above the love of Women This is to bee understood in the chastest manner conceivable For without Honour and Vertue no Vnion of Hearts can bear the sacred name of Friendship Otherwise the Societies of Theeves and Infamous persons would assume that glorious title which would be too great a Profanation Therefore dear Serife do mee the courtesie to perswade your self that I use no Dissembling in my Protestation of Service to you or in the Declaration which I make that your Idea banisheth out of my Fancy all other Images Insomuch that my Spirits are so taken up with your perfection that there is hardly any room within my self for my self They had continued longer in this discourse Calliante being no less ravished with Serife's agreeable presence than Serife with a secret glory to see that shee had reduced under her obedience a Captive the possession of whom was the greatest happiness her Ambition did pretend But that Boleslaüs who playing the Mirth-marrer at this Triumph put Water into this fuming Wine lest drunk with delight they should bee surprised and their own Felicity render them unfortunate interrupted them shewing the danger they ran of discovering their Stratagem if they were found together by those whom they had left in the Village who Infallibly would leave no place in the Forest unvisited to seek them out Heavens what sweet words did hee stop in their Mouths separating them in that moment wherein they were producing expressions whose rehearsall would have much imbellished these Pages But since Action doth better satisfie the Reader 's curiosity than Discoursing let us see what succeeded this new changing of habits which for an Iphis and Almeria hath brought us forth a Serife and a Calliante Calliante took a way by himself and Boleslaüs accompanyed Serife a contrary unto a Village not far from that where Celian lived where leaving her hee returned to seek Pomeran Argal and Pisides where hee had left them But hee found none but the three Sisters Merinda Belida and Remonda who looked like Pictures that had lost their Colour and Lustre with the light For being deprived of Almeria who was their Ornament and Splendour though the Object of their Envie they were like Fishes upon the dry ground When they saw Beleslaüs who they thought had been gone away with Iphis and Almeria they were in hopes of hearing some news of them from him But hee feigning to have run severall wayes to inquire after them without meeting any one that could informe him seemed to bee much amazed at their so sodain departure and to underfeel their censures hee made very Sinister judgements of their stealing thus away Then asking what was become of his Companions hee learnt that they were gone with the Swains a hunting partly to follow the track of the run-awaies partly to divert by that exercise the discontentment which they suffered by their absence Whereupon the old Man who by the priviledge of his age was more inclined to his repose than so much Coursing which debilitateth Hunts-men and makes them buy a little pleasure with much pain resolved to expect their return passing the time in discourse with Celian and his Daughters and observing carefully the motions of those Souls diversly passionate upon the subject of those Fugitives Celian lamented their absence out of sense of his own Interest having lost the profits which hee hoped to have gained by their presence the rest either moved with Affection or prioked with Jealousie and all floating in uncertainties manifested their Passions the more naturally the less capable their Clownishness did render them of those arts which the more polite Spirits do use to cover their weaknesses Already Titan's panting Sleeds hasting to refresh themselves in the Western Waves extended the shadow of the Mountains when on a sodaine a great noyse and winding of Horns from the thickest part of the Forest peirced their Ears intimating that a great Troop of Hunts-men with a no small pack of Hounds were making that way These were our disguised Courtiers and the perfect Clowns which had met in the Forest with Iphigenes's chief Ranger who to keep his Horses and his Hounds in breath had taken all the Palatines hunting Equipage to harbour a lusty Stag which hee had imprimed there But in regard this meeting was not unpleasant it will not bee impertinent to spend a little time in relating the manner This Stag which bore all his rights and whom Age had taught many wiles made so many doublings or turnings that hee put the subtlest and best-sented Hounds to a loss whilest the nimble footed beast taking advantage of their delayes hastned his Course towards a Pond whose desired Waters hee had no sooner perceived but hee plunged himself into the midst bathing his over-heated tongue in that refreshing Liquor which hee seemed to suck all into his thirsty Throat to quench the Fire that burned in his Stomack ingaging his whole Body covered with Sweat and Foam so far in the Water that nothing appeared but his Head couching his Horns upon his Back in the same manner as when hee used to swim Our Clowns having discovered him made him quickly leave that agreeable refreshment galling him with their Arrows but the Wounds were so slight that they hindred not his Flight which they were not able to follow being not so light-timbred as that swift Animal and hearing on the other side by the retorting of the Eccho's the confused noyle of the Hunts-men and the Cry of the Hounds they resolved to direct their steps that way to inform the Hunts-men of the fearfull Fugitive's retreat And in effect they found them so puzled to finde out the cunning turnings wherewith that subtle Beast had imbroyled his Strain that without their directions the Chase had been at an end But the pleasure was to see the Hunts-men take the Change as well as their Hounds For Pomeran Pisides and Argal being disguised and mingled without distinction with the Swains they were not known by Arcade nor any of his Companions So that passing all for Country-fellows the custome of Prince's and Noble men's Hunts-men especially in that Conntry being to domineer over the Peasants and force them by menaces rather than intreat them to bee assistant to them Pisides and Argal seeming to bee the nimblest and most dextrous of the Gang were commanded by the chief Hunts-man to goe with them to the Pond
the Thicket as it were to inform himself of the way which hee seemed to have lost This was Arcade whom Serife had retained having sent away Armelin and Philaster hee having his Lesson took no notice of them but as Peasants and thus spake to them Friend 's what evill Spirit brought you hither to disturb the Silence and re-double the Horror of this place with your quarrel some debates Yet I am not sorry I have met with you since your arrivall may do an afflicted Lady and mee some service in setting us again into the way which wee have been long seeking without hapning upon any body to direct us Hee had no sooner uttered these words but Pisides knowing him by his Voyce and Cloathes answered Arcade what do you persist in the inchantment which maketh you not know when your Eyes are open those to whom you speak Do not you remember that you saw us not many Dayes since in these Cloaths when the Chase made you put a Stag into our Hands At these words Arcade as if hee had been much surprised Replied Oh my Lord Pisides what good Angell directed you so opportunely into this solitude to the succor of our Palatine's Lady whom a violent though not unjust Jealousie doth inforce to traverse both City and Country Upon further inquiry hee told them as hee had been instructed by Serife that Modestina beeing arrived at Plocens had commanded him to conduct her into that Forest where shee had learnt that the Palatine her Husband beeing taken with the Love of a Shepherdess had relinquished the care of his Charge and contemned the Grandeur of his Dignity and Birth These Gentlemen beeing prepossessed with so many Charms accosted the sorrowfull Lady who seeing them approach seemed to bee much affrighted yet settled her Countenance again as soon as Arcade stepping in before the rest informed her that those whom shee saw in Peasant's Habits were Gentlemen of Quality of the Palatine's Retinue whom they sought as well as shee Hee having eclypsed himself from their sights some Dayes since They having never seen Modestina doubted not but Serife was shee For besides the Dress and Accoutrements of a Lady of note wherewith shee was sumptuously attired shee had so mortified or rather dyed her Face with a certain yellowish Liquor that it seemed Mellancholly had given her the Jaundies Besides by the means of some device which shee held in her Mouth shee feined another voyce so naturally that they were deceived on all sides After they had made their obeisance and tendred all the services due to her Grandeur The onely service said shee that I desire of you is that you would bring mee into my Husband's presence or do mee the last of all Duties put mee into my Sepulcher For to bee separated from him and to die is the same thing to mee Hereupon they swore to use their best indeavours but to make good their Oaths they needed not go out of the place conjuring her to rise and permit them to set her upon her Horse which was feeding close by with Arcade's As shee moved her self shee espied Boleslaüs amongst them on whom casting a stern look And darest thou yet said shee appear before mee thou disloyall servant to a faithless Master After thou hast so misguided him who was committed to thy Government thou comest perchance with thy Companions disguised like thy self to plunge mee into new Miseries and cast mee into another Prison Ah! No I will rather open my bosome with this blade drawing a Dagger from under her Robe than commit my selfe to the Mercy of unknown Persons who may first attempt my Honour and afterwards take my Life Here Boleslaüs putting one Knee to Ground answered Madam Let Heaven never pardon mee if I am culpable of any misdemeanour towards you and when you know the condition of these Gentlemen whereof there is not one that would not lose a thousand lives for the preservation of your Honour you will bee sorry for conceiving such a suspition of them I take the Sun or rather him that give 's it Light to witness that it is no fault of mine if Iphigenes hath not continued his Affections entire as hee ought to you But alas I am no more his Governour but by Name hee is my Master in effect the truth as to all great Persons is become odious to him hee spurn's at Remonstrances instead of taking my advises in good part hee paye's them with injuries his answers are harsh and froward I cannot read his humour hee is grown so extravagant these Gentlemen know it as well as I that I am not able to hold him yet for my part if I have not Power sufficient to stay him I have Patience to let him run but not Constancy enough not to bewail his condition His Disgrace at Court is one step to his fall and if hee continue in his obstinacy that Gossip which hath bewitched him I think will ruine him absolutely both in Body Mind and Reputation Ah! Boleslaus replyed the feined Modestina if by the contagion of that deceitfull Spirit thou art not become impudent as well as hee if thy words are sincere tell mee if I must lose all hope of regaining his Affections to the end I may presently by Death set a period to all my Miscries Madam said Pomeran that remedy were worse than the Disease For it is easier to resuscitate affection in an Heart than recall a Soul into a Body when once it is departed For Heaven's sake banish such desperate Thoughts and cast away that murtherous Weapon which so ill become's your hand And I swear to you by the Faith of a Man of Honour that if I were not seconded by any of these Gentlemen although their Friendship Courtesie promiseth mee otherwise of their Generosity I will employ my Sword with those of my Friends my Industry my Diligence and my own Life to procure your repose reduce Iphigenes to reason These Gentlemen can tell what Disputes I have had with him upon this Account and how often hee hath gone displeasod out of my Company because hee could no more brook the Liberty which I took in speaking to him than I the Libertinage of his Life But that was nothing to what I now desire to say and do beeing no less animated by the sight of your Afflictions than the Romans were moved at the view of Cesar's bloody Shirt There was not one of the Company but ingaged with Pomeran to lay their Lives down upon so just a quarrell especially Boleslaüs as if by that imployment hee desired to efface the suspition which shee had conceived of him Here Arcade who could not perswade himself that those Gentlemen whom hee had seen so frequently and so familiar with Iphigenes could bee so deceived began to laugh upon Boleslaüs saying to him in his Ear That hee could not sufficiently admire the dexterity of the Palatine and him in representing their Personages That whispering cast some jealousie into Pomeran's thoughts
them and shun those that follow them You have reason to say that Amiclea love's mee hee must bee blinde that perceive's it not so do many others whose Passions are very irksome to mee my Ears are dayly storm'd with her Complaints and these importunities which are so unwelcome to mee would be such favours to you as would elevate your thoughts to the Skies But what should I do in this case I can no more hinder her from loving mee than compell her to affect you Affection is not so easily put off as a Garment nothing is more difficult to be done by devoir than to Love Shee knowe's that her desires are without hope for my particular and yet I cannot disabuse her of her Errour nor disswade her from amusing her Fancy after a Subject which cannot lawfully be her's I would for your satisfaction that it were in my power to transplant her Passion and turn it from my self to you if this were possible you should finde that among all the Friends in the World there never was any more faithfull nor more desirous of pleasing you than I am At these words Jealousie resigned the possession of Liante's Heart and hee acknowledging the ingagements hee had to the incomparable Friendship of Iphigenes said to him I think Heaven hath created you to serve as a Spectacle of admiration to all those that see you but much more to those that frequent you It is impossible to hate you and know you But what say I I maintain one cannot know you without loving you no more than see the Sun without light or heat But what can bee the reason that like that glorious Planet you cause such ardours in these feeble Souls without conceiving the least degree of heat in your own For never Man was so beloved of Women as you are and I think never any cared less for them than you What Do you then love none so well but that you could leave her if a faithfull friend should intreat you to be unfaithfull to her Hereunto Iphigenes made answer A perfect Friend will never desire any thing so dishonorable as infidelity but if any Friend of mine should be much inflamed for some one of that Sex who to mee are all indifferent I should make no difficulty to resigne an affection wherein I were no otherwise ingaged than by a Civile respect especially if hee had been the first pretender For I hold it the greatest injury that can be done to a Friend to indeavour to spoil his market in matter of Marriage and that there is nothing more capable of breaking all Friendship than Jealousie proceeding from such a cause in regard it is an offence beyond reparation There is not hee breathing among Mortalls but knowe's that Love and Royalty admit of no Companions and that they are two Torrents which overturn by the impetuosity of their Course all sort of Obstacles Dear Iphigenes replyed Liante I think thou hast undertaken to transport mee quite beyond my self making mee see in thee not the Image but the Essence of the most perfect Friend under the Circumference of the Firmament I deliver up my Arms Dear Brother and in all wayes acknowledge my self conquered by thee But since thou hast given mee so many times my Life now thou givest mee the Courage to desire thee to preserve in mee thy own handy-work and release mee from the trouble that torment 's mee Know then that without the possession of Amiclea I cannot live And to imbrace the Body of one whose Heart is with another is a thing I can as little indure as to be tied to a breathless Carcass It would be a punishment to mee not a pleasure Therefore I beseech thee to further mee in the Conquest of her Affection and favorise this alliance with thy assistance I am but too certain of her Parent 's consent and that they are no less willing to make mee their Son-in-law than I desire to have their Daughter to Wife Then after some other discourse conceiving that nothing hindered him from beeing beloved by Amiclea but the Passion which consumed her for Iphigenes Liante continued his supplication to him to deprive her of all Hope of injoying him that shee might likewise lose the desire flattering his imagination that thereby her Love having no more wings to raise it self would doubtless fall to the ground the onely means of curing that Disease in her Fancy and to pluck the Thorns out of her Heart beeing to put the Rose out of her reach Alleadging that to perswade her to divert her thoughts another way and fix them upon a subject to whom shee might easily and justly pretend hee had a thousand reasons and wanted no inventions to lend him merits that hee possessed not and convey them into the belief of that Lady That if by his mediation hee purchased her Affection hee would esteem that favour above the benefit of his Life for which hee remained his debter in regard Life would be loathsome to him if hee could procure no admittance into Amiclea's Heart Imagine you into what extremities Iphigenes saw himself reduced not beeing able handsomly to refuse serving Liante in an occasion that hee dreaded the most and which was most destructive to his own desires Having remained long time in this perplexity as motionless as if hee had seen a Medusa or been stunn'd with some violent blow at length recollecting his Spirits and like Anteus receiving vigour from his fall hee gave his voyce passage to pronounce these words Liante if you knew the harm and injury you do mee you would have some compassion of my suffering and acknowledge that you condemne mee to a punishment much less supportable than Death by intreating mee to serve you in this occurrence I know you will say that the triall of a Friend is in difficult matters and time of need But if wee ought to love another by the modell of that Love which wee owe to our selves it followe's necessarily that our own interest ought to have the precedence according to the order of the most perfect Charity It is not yet time for you to know the injury I receive thereby nor the extream dammage and hinderance it will bee to your Fortune which I intended to raise above all other Grandeurs in Polonia except the Royall Dignity I see plainly that it is the luster of some pleasures and vain pretensions that make's you precipitate your self from this Pinacle and seek your fall where you thought to raise your self Questionless I shall bee a Cassandra to you and tell you divers truths but you will believe none Well Liante perchance my Death will open your Eyes and then by a remorse too late and out of season you will regret that you had caused it to one who prepared for you the happiest Life that your imagination could fathome Nevertheless I will drink this Cup of bitterness which you present mee and although it bee to mee a poyson beyond remedy I will swallow it to
are like a blank paper or a piece of wax whereon a man may make what impression he desireth At length the Benefice was procured the Gown ready the poor Youth made to put it on by threatnings or by flatteries although with a thousand repugnancies a thousand heavy groans and whole streams of tears Besides his own Tyrannicall authority Mieslas made use of the King's name after the custome of many great Persons who amuse the People with this pretext and cover all their passions under the robe of their Sovereign whose word power they abuse with impunity and insolence Thus the two Wards were bred up with his two youngest Children Iphigenes and Clemencia for the four precedent Daughters like the four monstruous Creatures of Ezechiel he had commanded to be tyed to the Chariot of God's glory that is had thrust them into Monasteries there to draw the Ark where we ill leave them as it were condemned to perpetuall imprisonment to see the successes that arrived upon the theater of the World to the two Wards and Mieslas his two other Children who make the four principall parts in the Musick of this Narration The married Couple such as I have represented them to you loved like Children Liante suffered as well as he could the Yoke which he was forced yet to bear but built a resolution within himself to shake it off and fly our of his Cage as soon as Age had given him wings Clemencia was designed by Mieslas to acquire him a Son in law of some great fortune or at the worst to keep her Sisters company in the Cloyster These four Children being brought up together in one house fed at the same Table playing and spending the time alwaies together lived like Brothers and Sisters with a pretty intelligence correspondent to the innocence of their age and humours Iphigenes by the industry of his Governour Boleslaüs lived untill eleven or twelve years old in such simplicity that he thought really he as a Boy not conceiving that there was any other difference betwixt Male and Female than their manner of cloathing Mieslas fearing that if he should permit his Son too soon to consummate his Marriage that might be prejudiciall to his health seeing him of a complexion and stature more delicate than robust appointed a Governess to overlook Modestina fitly named Perpetua for she was perpetually at her back casting an Argu's eye over all her actions lest Iphigenes at any time should steal those Rights which Husbands have priviledge to challenge But Nature had already provided other obstacles They loved each other however very much whether out of resemblance of their dispositions or whether through that naturall inclination which induceth us to affect those of the same Sex as well as to be passionate for those of the contrary Yet this affection betwixt Iphigenes and Modestina was rather friendship than love But when Nature playing her part which is so difficult a thing to hinder carried Iphigenes fancy to delight in working and such Womanish amusements busying himselfe very eagerly with Modestina and Clemencia then his discreet Governour making him ashamed of such feminine employments reclaimed his thoughts to the practice of Manly actions and conformable to the Sex of which the Innocent Youth yet thought himself whose condition being more free seemed to him far more desirable than that subjection wherein Maids and Women live So that having an excellent wit and a Body very active though not robust in every exercise whereunto he applyed himself he became an admirable proficient It was nothing so in the vocation which Liante was compelled to embrace for it is very difficult to become learned in despight of Minerva and to garnish the Soul with the pretious furniture of knowledge and Sciences if one have not some inclination to study this young Noble-man being wrapped up against his will in an Ecclesiastick's Gown meditated nothing but exercises contrary to that habit Armes Horses Dancing Hunting and Warlike exploits were the onely delicious entertainments of his thoughts all other discourse was irksome to his eares This Constraint under which Hee groaned as if his Soul had been upon the Rack and his Heart under the torture of a press made him so melanchollie and pensive that Hee seemed to traile the houres of his life with regret in an unpleasant Apprentiship During this discontent hee hatched a secret but furious hatred against his inhumane Guardian considering him as the ravisher of his Estate the Tyrant of his liberty and the Oppressor of his free-Birth projecting not onely to escape as soon as hee could but studying notorious revenges for reparation of the injuries hee received As for Clemencia she was yet so young that the innocence of her years exempted her from Care or any passions of the mind but it is with Youth as with a flower It is no sooner budded in a manner but 't is full blown especially in Women and chiefly in the Daughters of great Persons for this Sex being naturally more subtile they sooner do put off their Childishness than Men besides those of high Births are brought up with such care quaintness that their Wits are often ripe before the Season of their years requires it whence it proceeds that they are sooner susceptible of those Touches and Tyes of Affection which make young hearts seem to have past their Childhood In the full ease of this sweet education Modestina modestly longed after the fruition of her beautifull but as yet too young Husband Her flames were so pure and her desires so just that if Aretuza's deceipt had not abused her expâ—ctation me thinks her wishes might without shame appear upon these leaves whose Paper is less white then the Candor of those passions which shall be represented in this Volume Iphigenes in like manner beginning to reflect upon himselfe and who had no other propertie of Marble than the whiteness grew into a pretty kind of indignation that being married hee should be deprived of the possession of his Wife and seeing himselfe passionately beloved of Modestina who gave him all the civill testimonies of affection She could imagine He must not only have renounced all Humanity but have been altogether insensible if hee had not been moved thereat no charm being so powerfull to make one bee beloved as vehemently to love If whiles they were at their innocent childish sports they interchanged any kind embraces or affectionate words their discours was soon broken by the presence of their two Argusses Boleslaüs Perpetua whose thoughts though different arrived both at the same end which was to hinder that which never could be effected the Consummation of their Marriage Perpetua being encharged by Mieslas was very vigilant to oppose it lest his Son's health might be prejudiced thereby and Boleslaüs having received the Command from Aretuza was no less circumspect for feare her deceipt should bee discovered Oh who could imagine any thing but purity in the innocent kisses and tender embracements of these
two lovely Creatures who like the twin kids in the Canticles did feed among the Lillies Hee that would be scandalized to see two hen-doves join their bills the union of the blooming Rose with the Morning dew or the beams of the Sun when he licks the Chrystall of the Waters might knit his brow at this innocent conjunction and exercise the malicious severity of his peevish melancholly like a snaile that sullieth with is slimy train the delightfull enamell of the most curious flowers If the agreeable Iphigenes bare much Love to his no less loving wife Nature by waies as secret as unknown to him bred in him as much affection towards his brother in-law Liante and although his sullen and discontented humor rendred him very unsociable and by consequent less amiable it cannot be said how hee delighted in his conversation how much hee endeavoured to divert him On the other side Liante who looked upon Iphigenes not as his Sister's Husband but as his enemie's Son as the usurper of his Fortunes and one whose greatness was established upon him ruines Notwithstanding all these thoughts whereby hee excited himself to Choller and Hatred like a Lyon that whets his fury by scourging his sides with his own tail could not conceive any aversion against him whether the sweetness of his disposition charmed him whether his kindness his complements and his compliance to his humor won his heart whether his beauty joyned with his gracefull deportment ravished him or whether which is most probable the Sense bent his inclinations naturally towards this Object for reasons which I had rather leave to conjecture than consign to this writing Hee could not choose but love Iphigenes although in appearance hee seemed much remiss and rather sensible of his injuries than susceptible of affection This cold reservedness increased Iphigenes heat according to the disposition of that sex who are commonly most passionate for those who do care least for them insomuch that the more Linate seemed to sight him the more hee redoubled his affection and courtesies as if hee had undertaken by the vigour of an ardent flame to dissolve the Isicles that environed his frozen Heart At first Liante whom Melanchollie had made mistrustfull fancied that those marks of friendship were but feined and proceeded from some artificiall Counsell or Plot to make him consent willingly to the donation of his Estate in favour of his Sister Modestina's marriage But having perceived by the perseverance that pur Inclination not Interest or Pretensions moved Iphigenes to affect him Hee opened his heart more to him complaining of the Rigour and Injustice of Mieslas who forced him to embrace a vocation whereunto hee was no way disposed This just discontent found in the soul of Iphigenes an humour so sweetly compassionate that although in all his discourse hee observed the respect which hee owed his Father yet hee freely condemned his violence protesting to Linate what design soever Mieslas had in marrying him with Modestina that hee would never take of his inheritance any other Portion than what hee would please to give his Sister judging it very unreasonable that a younger Sister should not only make as she listed a Portion for her elder and only Brother but deprive him absolutely of his Patrimony in obedience to a superior Power that would carry all away by main force That if the condition of an Ecclesiastick was not conformable to his humour there was a possibility to satisfie him and content likewise the greedy pretensions of the Palatine by making a double alliance and giving to him in marriage his Sister Clemencia with so much of the Estate as belonged to him by his Father's death being more willing for his own part to live a private Gentleman remitting his Fortune to his personall valour and the point of his Sword reserving to himself only Hope which was Alexander's portion than to possess unjustly another's means with continuall Remorses and internall Reproaches These Reasons so conquered Liante's heart that thence-forwards all his affections hee thought too little for Iphigenes whom hee began to consider as his Redeemer as one who breaking his Iron bonds was to release him out of the hands of Pharaoh and free him from the house of Bondage Covetousness is a disease which reigns but little among young unexperienced People who think as the Proverb goes that the World will never be at an end with them The desire of pleasures liberty and vanity torments them infinitely more All that opposes this Torrent seems to turn the course of their Nature and reduce them to despair This made Liante building an entire confidence on his Brother-in-law Iphigenes declare unto him that the Regret which undermined him and led him insensibly to the grave was not so much for the loss of his Estate which hee esteemed well bestowed seeing it fell into so beloved hands as to see himself bound up in a Cassock and ingaged in a manner of life which denyed him the use of Arms whereunto his inclination called him and whither all his Ambition tended for War was his Element where hee would rather choose to meet an honorable death then lead a sweet plentifull and peaceable life in the most rich and eminent Dignities of the Church to the honors whereof hee never would pretend not perceiving himself called thereunto like Aaron that is by a good and Royall way Brother replyed Iphigenes take courage suffer not Melanchollie to or'e-master or distemper you preserve your self for generous enterprises If you have a mind to take wing and leave this nest of sluggishness I have no less desire than you to seek in Militarie adventures the Laurells that grow in Mars ' s field therefore let 's goe together let 's steale away some favourable Night and enter into the harvest of glorie in those places where Cowards dare not appear These words revived the afflicted Liante who was so overcome by the inevitable charms of Iphigenes's Countenance and Conversation that hee could live no more without him being in his absence like a Marigold when the Sun hath left its Horizon For as that flower doth close its leaves when it is deprived of the aspect of that glorious Planet so Liante when seperated from Iphigenes was overwhelmed with sadness in such sort that Hee seemed to bee rather a fensless Statue than a living Creature Oh how it grieved him to bee divided in his exercises from him to whom his heart was so united by inclination To bee called to his studie was death to him but if for divertisement his Master permitted him to see the riding of the great Horse fencing dancing vaulting and other exercises which Iphigenes learned with as much care on his Parent 's part as dexteritie and aptness on his own hee applyed his Spirits with such attention to them that for a good while after hee could think on nothing else if hee handled a foile hee did it with such a grace if hee Jumped it was with such activeness that
it was easie to judge hee was as much in his Element at those recreations as hee was out of it when his Spirits were tormented with the thorns of the Grammer One time it hapned that complaining to his dear Brother-in-law of the oruell Martyrdome which hee was made to suffer at his Book and how he abhorred that long robe hee was compelled to wear gret drops of tears like so many Pearls ran down his face from the Orient of his Eyes This sight so mollified the tender heart of Iphigenes who was of a Sex that hath tears at command that mingling his with Liante's hee fell on his face and casting his arms about his neck hee gave him manie loving yet innocent embraces which Liante received with such motions of joy and sweet delight as surpass the tearms of any expression then with an incomparable harmlessness they interchanged some kisses wherein the malignitie of Nature put some difference by certain ardours which are not found in those that pass betwixt persons of the same sex both of them feeling themselves transported with a certain pleasure and ravishment whereof the Cause was yet unknown to them but which proceeded from the treachery of Love disguised under the appearance of Brotherly Friendship Boleslaüs Seeing that this intimacie increased more and more betwixt the two Brothers was afraid lest those Caresses and familiaritie should pass to such tearms as might discover to Iphigenes that of which through his industrie and vigilancie Hee was yet ignorant concerning himself Aretuza never saw them together without unspeakable heart-beatings trembling for shee thought her husband would never pardon her if hee should come to the knowledg of the deceipt whereby she had abused and amused him so long time Besides she feared lest Iphigenes honour might bee interessed through Ignorance though not Immodestie Insomuch by this perplexity of thoughts her Mind did feel no less convulsions and pangs than a Woman in travell endureth in her Body Whilest shee was in this trouble the Union of the two Brother's hearts grew to such a perfection that it seemed as if there had been but one Soul in their two Bodies the same No and the same Yea comming at the same instant out of their Mouths You could never see the one without the other if they were separated their parting was never without tears Modestina was already become in a manner nothing with Iphigenes in comparison of Liante and if shee had been of a jealous disposition shee had cause enough to believe that her Brother withdrew the affection of her sweet Husband from her but she imputed that rather to Childishness then any thing else imagining that assoon as Iphigenes was advanced somewhat more towards Man-hood she should easily turn the course of his inclinations Iphigenes in mean time having opened Liante's eyes for his Sister Clemencia was not contented to have put or to have begun to put the fire into his brest if he conveyed not all the flame into his Sister's heart to whom hee gave such a Character of the vertues gracefulness and perfections of his dear Liante that in short time that spark grew to so furious a blaze that it was neer reducing her to ashes Hee had so framed the way to her Mind that she was taken on a suddain according to the Nature of certain subtile fire which takes sooner and more fiercely in green wood than in drie and whose first burning is alwaies the most violent There was no comparison betwixt Clemeneia's passion and Liante's for hee possessed far more attractive qualities to make him bee beloved of her than shee had to captivate his liberty Nevertheless Love being an Appetite which tends to the production of it's like it is no wonder as a Torch that 's burning doth easily communicate it's light to one that 's out if Love first begets another Love in the heart beloved since to wish well doth almost of necessity challenge a reciprocall well-wishing The Paleness which soon took up its seat on Clementia's cheeks The looks messengers of her passions which sent glances as suppliants to Liante's eyes The delight shee seemed to receive in his coversation The regret shee felt for his absence The fear of discontenting him The desire of pleasing him and the exceeding contentment shee expressed in speaking of him All these prettie Lovesymptomes spake her somewhat more than Child and bringing her neer Woman-hood changed the libertie of her Innocence into a Bondage whose chains did seem so golden and so sweet to her that shee thought shee never had tasted anie felicitie but since the time shee had rendred her self a prey to the amiable Liante's charms This Passion passing through her ear into her heart being ingraven by the tongue of Iphigenes as with an instrument of flame in the profoundest of her thoughts devoured or consumed her so that shee was readie to die of the wound if her kind Brother who had kindled the fire had not applyed the remedie by assuring her of the reciprocall affection of him whom hee had perswaded her to love Liante being acquainted herewith by Iphigenes ingenious to hinder his own advantages began by the gate of his Interest to receive some inclinations for Clemencia conceiving that might bee a means for him to recover his Estate and procure Honours Afterwards seeing her so full of affection that her too-much loving cast her into a languishing for him hee answered her desires more out of Compassion than Passion or rather for Pittie than Affection for indeed shee had more sweetness in her dispositions to mollifie than Beautie in her face to attract the heart of the brave Liante But the Conduct of these Amoretta's required more judgement and discretion than the small experience of such tender years could promise They were to deceive so many eyes that pryed incessantly into their actions that it was too hard a task Love like a fire being difficult to be kept hid within the Bosom And yet if any one perceived the least of this inteligence all 's lost all these Designs will vanish into smoak all these Projects flie away with the wind Nevertheless Iphigenes had the dexteritie to manage this business with such circumspection Liante had learnt to counterfeit with such subtilitie and Clemencia assured of her Lover's mutuall flame could dissemble with so much constancie that sex having a great empire over themselves when there is a necessitie of feining that they practiced for a good while this commerce of Love without discovering but very weak sparkles of their fire What cannot this Passion do when it refineth and subtilizeth thus such young Souls Observe but how it brings to School again all the Prudence of hoarie heads Modestina and Clemencia had but one Governess but the two Brothers-in-law had severall Conducters in regard they were applyed to different exercises yet neither Liante's Master nor Perpetua perceived any thing of this secret correspondence betwixt Clemencia and the intended Clergie-Man so attentive was shee to
her both Wife and Mother could not endure to thik of losing the sight of her Angel like husband who was more the life of her Soul then her Soul the life of her Body To register her Sighs her Groans and her Tears were no more easie than to number the puffs of winde in Autumn the parching minutes of Summer and the drops of rain in Winter How Modest soever shee was in heart as well as by name her exceeding Love turning to Folly and that Folly into Rage and Despair made her commit Immodesties which could be excused by nothing but the qualities of Wife and Lover Iphigenes seeing her in this condition so deplorable that it seemed the stroak of Death had been more favourable to her than to see her self deprived of the light of his eyes and plunged in the darkness of the Eclipse of that detested Absence was touched with such tender resentments of sorrow that Hee had much ado by falling in a Traunce to keep himself from discovering that in his body there was a womanish weakness hidden under the habit of a Man But this affection of compassion was nothing in comparison of the torment which shee felt when shee came to think of her Separation from Liante For since shee had the knowledge of her self having put as it were a bar betwixt those familiarities and privacies with him that might have hurt or any way blemished her honour by this restriction her smart was become more painfull and the fire of her brest like that in a narrow fornace was rendred the more ardent the more it was supprest All her fear was that the ignorance of her Sex wherein Shee must leave Liante and the continuall presence of Clemencia in whose affection Shee had ingaged him with the help of her absence would ravish from her that heart which was the aym of all her pretentions the golden Fleece whereunto aspired her most desired Conquests Clemencia who remained at home with no less passion for Liante than Iphigenes carried with her to Court yet covered the Coals of her desire with the ashes of Discretion Silence was in an extream pain for the absence of her Brother in whom Shee lost a faithfull interpreter of her thoughts Yet promising her self to supply that want with the Pen which should serve to convey her conceptions to him and likewise his to her Shee was the less afflicted for his departure But the grief of the disconsolate Liante was not so easily pacified for feeling himself bound to Iphigenes with bonds which hee could not comprehend and such strong ones as could not bee broken hee did like the Cimmerians who cry and groan when the Sun leaves their Countrie as if theywere never to see it any more Hee felt his very bowells rend within him at this Seperation And as Rebecca who had so much desired to be a Mother repented her of her wish when She felt the pains that her two Children strugling together in her womb did make her suffer So Liante could almost have wished that hee had never seen nor loved Iphigenes since that sweet Friendship produced so cruel a torment And as those who are troubled with worms which ingender in the head or th' Entrails endure strange indispositions without knowing the cause that doth afflict them So this young Gentleman feeling that Viper Love which gnawed his heart under the appearance of Friendship did suffer a far more penetrating smart for his being parted from that beloved Object than any one is accustomed to feel for the absence of a friend For Friendship doth kindle in the Soule a fire more sober and moderate than Love whose flames are more fierce and painfull Was it not enough said hee within himselfe that wee were separated in conditions and exercises without dividing by such a distance those whose hearts are so united that they are as the Unitie it self To whom shall I have recourse hence-forwards in my discontents Who shall selace mee in my sadnesses Who shall support and revive my decayed hopes O my dear Brother you are my onely stay my second Soul the light of mine Eyes Absent from you I shall never see the day more without pain and the life if it may be called life that I shall lead will be a continuall punishment to mee Yet if I might bee but suffered to follow you I should esteem my self too happie but I am born under too unfortunate a Planet to be otherwise than persecuted to the extremitie by Disasters Would to God there were no other obstacle than my passlng over all the interest I pretend in my Father's Estate according to the covetous pretensions of Mieslas and that I might injoy the felicity but to wait on you as your servant Indeed I prefer the meanest condition about your person before all the riches of the Earth that sweet servitude before any Liberty O Mieslas why cannot you read my thoughts why can you not see my intentions I doe not think you so void of Humanity as to keep mee any longer in this tortune if you knew my heart These Complaints recall to my remembrance the fable of the contestation betwixt the Sun and Boreas which should first make the Traveller put off his Cloak at last the one did by the gentle heat of his rayes what the other could not accomplish with his impetuous blustering The Poets have reason to feine and their cozen-germans the Painters to picture Love naked since his Power is far more prevalent to make a man strip himself of his Estate than are Cruelty and Rigor But if I should stand to relate all the discourses of these young Lovers I should never get out of this Farewell To conclude they were torn by Violence out of each other's Arms and the streams that ran from all their Eyes did make a little Ocean of Tears yet this deluge could not drown all their Sorrows I could borrow some pensills of the Poets to give the Colours to this Departure were I not unwilling to retard the greedy curiosity of the Reader who desires to be speedily informed of the good and evill adventures of Iphigenes The second Book ARGUMENT The Character of Iphigenes His Reception at the Court His Favour with the King and Queen The Envie and unworthiness of Augustus the Lithuanian His Banishment from the Court The Princess Respicia's affection to Iphigenes Her Policie to obtein her Desires and dissolve the Marriage betwixt Iphigenes and Modestina Modestina's complaints against the Court-Ladie's unjust attempts to bereave her of her beloved Husband Mieslas's indeavours to perswade Iphigenes to repudiate Modestina in favour of the Princess Respicia's propositions Iphigenes's answer and deportment towards Respicia The Jealousie of Stanislas Palatine of Uratislau and his plot against Iphigenes IPHIGENES was no sooner arrived at the Court with an equipage suteable to the humour and quality of his Father but the Eyes of all the Courtiers and Ladies were fixt upon this new Sun which rising upon the Horizon of
that Climat filled it with the splendor of his Rayes casting such fiery glances and so penetrating a light that it was hard for any if not blind to avoid the scorching of his presence The Spring is not adorned with so many flowers nor Titan's glorious Orb with so many beams as hee displayed Beauties and attractive Graces All his Actions his looks his words his deportments his exercises were as many Charms that inchanted the hearts of all those that did contemplate him The attribute of Beautifull was presently given him by the common consent of both Gentlemen and Ladies and hee was usually called The beautifull Podolian To see him and to bee in love with him were two things that followed each other as the Lightning and Thunder are observed to do And those that knew him but by reputation only cherished his Memory for besides his dexteritie in those Exercifes which Courtiers hold for vertues as Singing Dancing Vaulting Managing a horse with activitie and a grace handling well his Arms and having a good Garb His Language was so smooth his Disposition so sweet his Compliments so indeering his Conversation so winning especially amongst the Ladies his Modestie so remarkable his Chastitie so extraordinarie in a Courtier his Discretion so exquisite his Courage so undaunted his Tongue so moderate his Gesture so well composed his Generosity so splendid his Liberality so magnificent such Decency in his apparell a Sternness in his Armour so sweetly fierce that it seemed as if Venus having taken possession of his Face and Mars of his Heart and the Ferocity of the one being tempered with the Gentleness of the other had both conspired to give him the Empire over all hearts either by Force or Love It cannot bee imagined what ravage his beautifull face made in the Ladie 's brests every one took him for an Angell descended from Heaven to set on fire all the daughters of Men and what was most of all admired was to see that this glorious Starre like the Sunne ingendred a thousand flames without having in himself or at least without making shew of any degree of heat giving what he had not that is Love There was during the winter which is extremely rigorous in Polonia a new disease so universally catching that hardly any body did escape its malignity it was called there the COKELVCHE And in regard there were very few Ladies at Court that had not particular inclinations for Iphigenes and that spake not of him in tearms of admiration a Wit of the Times called him the COKELVCHE of the Court. To this purpose a certain Lady said That to be in love with him was a thing indispensable Another answered a Gentleman that seemed to wonder at the so generall passions for this young Noble-man saying I believe you are either without Heart or Eyes Hee was the Rock where their minds suffered shipwrack few going with curiosity towards this Angelicall Object but returned with a wound or at least with some distemper How many young Ladies longed hee were their husband how many Fathers and Mothers desired him for their Son-in-law When it was known that Mieslas had already married him to Modestina what sorrow was exprest how many great and more advantageous matches were offred him which made the greedy Father oft repent his hastiness and he grew so proud to see his Son so well beloved and so highly esteemed that he swam in satisfaction And indeed hee that will fancy a most exquisite feminine beauty a delicate white complexion sweetly mixed with a lovely red lively and sparkling Eys hair like Silk and the rest of those attractions that accompany that perfection which an Antient called an agreeable Tyranny and all this at the age of fifteen or sixteen years under a man's habit who cannot have so little beauty but 't is much for that Sex will find nothing strange of all that hath been said Oh! how could I extend this History if I should ingage my Pen to the recitall of the several evenements that befell him upon this Account That specious form which seemed to have been given him expressly to ruinate the pudicity of the most determinate and severe preservers of their honour how many assaults and strange attempts did it make him suffer from those Ladies that thought him of a contrary Sex But I fear in publishing the impudence of those shameless Souls to call the bashfull blood into more modest Faces who cannot endure any thing I will not say of Dishonesty for I should disclaim my Pen if it were tainted with any impure Relation but only tending to wantonness The Wits of the Court whose invention is very pregnant in such occurrences know already more then I am able to imagine others that are more simple shall remain by my consent in the commendable ignorance of such malicious practices Whilest these inconsiderate Lovers try in vain to draw into their Nets him who hath caught their Hearts and who takes pleasure in seeing them burn like Flies at the Fire of his eyes Hee doth like those Engineers who cast their artificiall fires all about without receiving any dammage in their own persons or like those Fountaineers who shewing curious Water-works and Grotta's where a thousand little Pipes cast water on every side set themselves in some known place where they remain dry whilst every one else is wetted to the skin And as the secure Shepheards standing to feed their flocks upon some eminent Hills neer the Sea-side behold from those firm and solid heights the tossing and agitation of Ships beaten with stormy weather So did Hee contemplate in the weakness of those spirits so passionately enamored of him the imbecillity of a Sex which bred in him rather Pity than Envy and Compassion rather than Love It was not on that side that Hee feared being surprised his naturall impotency rendring him most potent to resist all those temptations On the other side the attractive graces display'd in the countenances of so many brave Cavaliers wherewith the Court was as glittering as the Heaven is with Stars in a cleer night moved him as little An honorable desire of glory and the preservation of his chastity being a powerfull bridle against the assaults and surprises of the Sense besides that his heart was so prepossest with love for Liante that there was no room left to place any other Object Moreover his humor was so averse to vice and riotous deboshing which hee saw was the continuall practice of dissolute companions that their excesses made him rather shun than follow them rather abhor the lewdness of their deportments than fancy the handsomness of their persons pitying rather than envying their conditions whereas on the contrary his vertue and handsomness were more envyed than pitied by them Yea for as the Cantharides those stinking and venemous Flies do not settle but upon the most delicate Flowers So those young Courtiers were grown mischievously jealous because this new comer with his eminent beauty accompanied with sweet
notwithstanding Iphigenes employed all the credit hee had to procure his pardon The Sun is never without Shadows nor Vertue free from Envy yet among so many thorns some flowers may bee gathered Iphigenes had so much quaintness and such sources of polite subtilities in his brain was so dexterous and happy in captivating hearts that he was called the Master of that Art It is true that shadows do still accompany the Sun but they are very short when hee is Elevated to his Apogee or the verticall point of the Horizon So Iphigenes being arrived at the highest degree of favour and which is very rare as pretious in the King his Master ' s sight as in the Queen his Mistresse ' s in this Zenith of Honour hee contemned the vaine vapors of Envy seeing as it were from the top of a lofty mountain the rowling Thunder grumble and the stormy clowds burst under his feet There are few that haunt Favourites but either very powerfull or inconsiderable persons For if the Royalty bee for them is it not a Giant-like presumption to offer to approach that Greatness If the Gods of the Earth bee for them who can surmount nay who dares contradict them Yet as wee see although the glory of the World ' s Eye bee never so bright the least Atomes and exhalations like moats do rise to oppose and blemish it but are as soon deprest as raised and no sooner gathered together than dissolved So do presumptuous spirits revolt and combine sometimes against the Eldest Sons of Fortune but their fruitless indeavours immediately do make appear the weakness as well as the baseness of their hearts swollen and pufft up with Vanity rather than filled with Courage Such was Augustus such approved himself another Noble-man named Polignotes of whose vapouring and jealous Bravadoes I shall at this present omit to make any further mention esteeming it more to purpose by mingling sweet with sower to temper the animosities of these envious Antagonists with the delicious amity of the innumerable friends which Iphigenes had purchased by his most perfect Courtesie This admirable knot of Friendship which is the sweetest bond of humane Society in its perfection is an Enemy to Multiplicity A man may be Friendly to all but should be Familiar with few and in this Vertuous Familiarity consists that Communication which giveth life and being to true Friendship To establish an eminent Fortune and high favour a man hath need as of divers Supporters of many Friends But in regard Favour no more than Love can admit of no Corrivalls it was Iphigenes industry sto to manage the good wills of those that expressed any affection towards him that making them participant of his Riches hee reserved the King's favour intire to himself Thus do those that make presents of Fruit keeping the Tree and the Ground still in their own possession Thus may one distribute Water and allow their Neighbours part and yet retain the Spring in its wonted place Among others of lower degree I do not say for matter of quality but affection there were two particularly in favour with Iphigenes One was a young Prince of Polonia named Cassin the other a Noble man of a very antient family known by the name of Pomeran this was the Minion of his heart and as it were the Favorite of the Favorite for Hee loved with much tenderness the person of Iphigenes The former who cherished rather his greatness and quality ardently embracing whatsoever had reference to his Interest and Glory was as the favorite of the Favor like Hephestion and Craterus the two friends of Alexander the Great whereof one loved him as Alexander the other as King Cassin and Pomeran were the two Arms and Eyes of our young Count as those that applyed themselves more particularly to what concerned him Pomeran being more disinteressed considered nothing but the person of Iphigenes for which Hee did feel passions which would have been much more Violent if hee had been as Skilfull to penetrate the secret of darkness as Ignorance made him incurious The Prince who grasped at great Charges and whose ambitious humour aymed at nothing but those Grandeurs whereunto by his extraction hee justly might pretend but could not yet arrive by reason of his too unripe age accosted Iphigenes as a Jacob's ladder that hee might thereby clime to the top of his pretensions His Mother who shall likewise enter upon this stage under the name of Respicia brought him into the World before Shee could fully reckon the third luster of her age her Husband who had bee one of the highest rank in the Kingdome having left her a widdow in her five and twentieth year And although Shee was owner of Beauty enough to make her bee beloved and injoyed an Estate that might invite the greatest in that Countrey to marry her yet the affection Shee did bear to the memory of her deceased Husband and the consideration Shee had of her two Children made her remain almost ten years in a constant Widdowhood breeding with all the splendour and care imaginable those two pretious pledges of her former flames However being one of the most consderable Ladies in the Court and living in the height of delights though then arrived at her five and thirtieth year Shee found at length the death of her Liberty in the inevitable charms of Iphigenes Beauty This COKELVCHE or Court-Vertigo had so turned her brain that Shee forgot both the Idea of her Husband the Affection to her Children and the Care of her self exposing her self to the hazard of being the table-talk through the whole World to the disadvantage of that Honour of whose preservation Shee had always thitherto made so exact a profession Those Creatures that are signalized for the greatest Wiles when they are taken do display all their Shifts so did this subtill-witted Lady when Shee perceived her self tyed by the Heart with such delicious bands that shee preferred this Servitude before her former Liberty For the better to dissemble her wound the more shee felt the smart of all the Ladies in the Court shee was observed to speak the seldomest and the least advantagiously of Iphigenes suppressing all her passion within her brest without suffering it to evaporate at the passage of her mouth but by very slight sparkles But if shee said little shee thought the more and fancied no mean projects to accomplish the design shee had to make her self lawfully his Wife Widdows who have learned in their Matrimoniall observances the secrets of pleasing Men and how to intrap them send glances from their Eyes so much the more attractive the less they are innocent And as the most sparkling fire and hottest embers are those which are cover'd with ashes as the most shining flashes of Lightning are those which proceed from the blackest Clouds So the kidnesses that come from under those great Veils are generally the most attractive those are the Fires that blaze in the midst of Water when from Eyes destined to
Tears are cast such speaking looks Yet all these artificiall affectations were Vainly employed by this Princess to conquer or inveagle Iphigenes whose Heart was no less susceptible of these flames than his Body was capable of those legititimate Embraces to which shee did aspire However Iphigenes did very much esteem her person but it was in that manner as hee could and ought not as shee desired This cautelous Student in Love's Politicks had learned particularly by Mieslas the depth of whose thoughts shee had sounded by her sugred speeches that the marriage of Iphigenes with Modestina was not consummated Whereupon shee contrived a Plot that will make appear the subtilty of a Wit refined by that Passion which puts Invention into the simplest and most blockish brains Shee who had a conceit that Marriage consisted only in the use of the Bodies never considering that the Union of the Hearts and the consentment of the Wills are the materialls whereof if formed the Essence of Matrimony flattered her self that shee should easily disannull or untie that knot betwixt Iphigenes and Modestina and put her self in Modestina's place But fearing lest a repulse should make her the fable of the Court and expose her to the people's scorn shee thought best to bring her Daughter into play and propose her to Mieslas for Iphigenes with such advantages as were neither in the Fortune nor person of Modestina This Daughter of her's named Simphoroza was yet very young but did promise in the Aurora of her age great perfections of Beauty at her Noon The Palatine of Podolia who devoured in his greedy thoughts all those high proffers of the Princess Respicia believing that Rosuald's Estate would however be intirely his own by making Liante imbrace an Ecclesiastick life and giving some slight Dowry to Modestina was easily induced to hearken to her propositions considering besides the great fortune shee promised to make her Daughter the splendor of so Noble an Allaince But this cunning Mother ' s designe was only to substitute her self in her Daughter ' s place who was yet nothing neer Marriageable and to supply with the luster of her Gold and immense Estate what shee wanted in Beauty or was superabundant in Years Thus the Father was gained which seemed no small advancement to our Pretendant ' s intentions every one being apt to believe easily what they do desire But the difficulty ws in obteining the Son's consent who being advertised of this Design by Mieslas and knowing in his Soule that hee was no less unfit to bee Simphoreza's Husband than Modestina's not to multiply his deceipts rejected the propositions feining scruples of Conscience much passion for his wife and giving Mieslas to understand that hee had proceeded further in the terms of Marriage with Modestina then hee imagined The rigorous Podolian who had in a manner ingaged his word to the Princess thinking to finde more obedience in his Son's spirit was ready to burst into a furious fit of Choller at this resistance but considering that Iphigenes by his favour had all the power with the King hee reteined the impetuosity of his passion giving testimony enough however of his displeasure by the alterations of his Countenance Notwithstanding this refusall Respicia gave not over her pursuite feining like a good Mother to bee passionate for the advancement of her Children for whom shee could procure nothing more advantageus than the Alliance with Favour mean time it was her own interest made her act with so much solicitude According to the nature of her Sexe which never ceaseth asking untill they atchieve their end shee prayed pursued pressed in time out of time leaving no means unattempted and it was partly her perswasion that made the Prince Cassin her Son render such devoirs to Iphigenes which made him worthy of his friendship wherein hee succeeded as is already mentioned Thus did this crafty Spider spread her Web to insnare the beautifull Adolescent and make her self wife to him of whom shee might have been the Mother Shee had such a hand over Cassin that this young Prince at her instance used all the arguments his Invention could suggest to induce Iphigenes to marry his Sister to whom for quality Modestina was not comparable But Iphigenes had the skill to divert his discourse with such modesty and dexterity that without giving him any occasion of distast hee amused his expectation and by little and little made him relinquish that thought which hee esteemed unjust It is an opinion that Batteries made Crosse-wise are the most destructive Respicia raised her's in this manner and as if shee had been desirous to sink all her house which was one of the most opulent of Polonia into the family of Mieslas shee offered him to give her Dauther to his Son and her Son to his Daugher Clemencia and so make but one of both their Families which the Palatine dazled at the splendour of so much honour imbraced with both hands not perceiving the hook that was hidden under this bait Mean time Respicia covered so dexterously her Love under the mask of Ambition that whilest shee was called a carefull and loving Mother shee aymed at another Mark. Her importunities together with the oppressing instances of Mieslas did shrewdly tempt the patience of Iphigenes who against all these assaults had no other defence than the rampier of the Fidelity which hee owed which hee had sworn to his wife Modestina to whom being pressed with these agonies Hee wrote such passionate letters that the most affectionate of Lovers could not express his imaginations in a style more Patheticall Which kindled such a fire in the bowels of this Maiden Spouse that the too much sense of Love deprived her of all sense You may add to that Love the Fear which is insepirable from those who fervently do affect and the Apprehension of losing by Change that which is more pretious than Life For shee knew by the mouth of Fame which hath a thousand tongues and by letters from Iphigenes own hand that hee was the common object of the Eyes and Hearts of all the Court Ladies which bred a torment in her Miad inconceivable by any Soul that hath not experimented the just and incomparable affections that possess'd her heart A thousand times shee was in the mind to go to Court to her Husband and say to all her Rivalls What do you hee is intirely mine as I am solely his Your pretensions are too unjust to find any access into his brest who is nothing but Fidelity who feeds amongst the Lillies of Purity and the Roses of Honour Your attractions are too slight to move so constant a Spirit Your Passions bee they fein'd or reall are but weak Vapours before the Sun of his Reason Why then with too licentious a desire do you indeavour to purloin a treasure that belongs peculiarly to mee withdraw your fond affections banish those no less Vain than unanswerable pretensions from your thoughts for Iphigenes hath ingaged his
Sentence of my Death I will write and sign it with my Blood and willingly fulfill your decree with the loss of my Life For preserving it for no other end than to employ it in your Majestie 's service I cannot lose it more honorably nor more advantagiously than to content you But since your Majesties have otherwise determined and that I am reserved to live that my Life may be as a lingring Death to mee I will yeild shamefully to those who procure my Disgrace choosing rather to faile by a faint hearted Obedience than defend my self with a rebellious Generosity Perhaps one day the Light may shine through the Darkness and that Time which maketh evident the most hidden things drawing Truth out of the bottom of the Well may render mee worthy to appear again before your Majesty with so much Advantage that my present Dammage will seem as the seed of my future Prosperity Imagine you if the Queen being a vertuous and mercifull Princess and a Woman of a tender Disposition and susceptible of Compassion could hear this long discourse without being somwhat moved So for his farther satisfaction shee gave him to understand That shee had been informed by the King that this sending him into his Government was not intended through any dislike of theirs but for reasons which regarded the State and the service of their Crown Assuring him that for her part shee had no prejudiciall oinion of him not suffering her self easily to bee carried away by slight suppositions and false reports which like importunate wasps are alwaies buzzing at the ears of Princes that hee might remain assured wherein shee could procure him any advantage or do him any good office to her Husband and Sovereign that shee would indeavour it with a sincere affection To these words which were worth mountains of Gold shee added no presents because those pass away but these remain and being more materiall give more occasion of Suspition from which shee desired to keep her self as fre as shee was from Crime Thus Iphigenes in an unheard-of manner was dismissed from Court with extraordinary Caresses from both their Majesties and which was admirable not dissembled To demand permission to pass through Podolia to take his wife thence with him into his Palatinate and to obtein it was all one The Courtiers those Protheusses who change according to the inclination of their Prince made in imitation of the King a thousand compliments to Iphigenes and large expressions of sorrow when some of their hearts leaped with joy at his departure The false accusers of Socrates Anitus and Melitus seeing the universall mourning of the Athenians for the death of that great Philosopher being haunted with Furies and tortured with the remorse of their own Consciences became their own Executioners The Calumniators of our Favorite were upon the point of giving themselves over to the like rage but they did more wisely to reserve themselves to a better end by repentance Those who thought to have pleased their Majesties in not accompanying Iphigenes found themselves deceived in their opinions receiving as little Countenance from the King as they shewed little Courtesie to him And those who did that civility to him were favourably looked upon at their return But how were they esteemed and applauded that rendring themselves his constant followers became partakers of his adverse as well as of his favorable Fortune They inverted the sense of this common saying The Fortunate are oppressed with Multitudes and Solitariness environeth the Miserable Some Flies now and then a Swallow is seen in winter and their rarity maketh them the more remarkable Those who abandon not their friends when Fortune knits her brows shew they are not led on by interest but that affection to the persons beloved doth attract them This apparent disgrace of Iphigenes did nothing diminish the ardent flames of the passionate Princess Respicia all that troubled her was his ominous Journey into Podolia which seemed to threaten the shipwrack of her pretensions What will not a heart resolve being touched with that fire which breeds the greater torment the more it is concealed To hinder the Consummation of his Marriage with Modestina which Mieslas had already prevented shee determined to follow Iphigenes and Mieslas into Podolia under pretence of affiancing the Prince Cassin with Clemencia and to indeavour to perswade Iphigenes to marry her Daughter Simphoroza though there was nothing more far from her intention than the latter If Modesty had permitted shee would have put her self amongst that troop of Courtiers that accompanyed Iphigenes amongst whom the Prince Cassin was the first in quality and in rank taking this occasion to assist his future Brother-in-law and see his Mistress The brave Pomeran inviolably wedded to the fortune of Iphigenes was likewise of the number As also Argal and Pisides who being a Lord Castellain in the Palatinate of Vratislaü and of an antient family resolved to employ all his own means and use the utmost of his friend's power to serve Iphigenes after his arrivall in his Government Besides a great train of other Noblemen and Gentlemen of Podolia that returned from Court with Mieslas Iphigenes in this pompous retirement was like a certain sort of Tapers which composed of Aromaticall ingredients exhale not so much sweet odor burning as when extinguished or Incense which smoaketh not untill put on the coals and spices that render no sent untill they are beaten This I say because the reputation of Iphigenes was greater in his absence than in his presence Privation making the injoyment of him more valuable And as a Beard grows thicker after shaving so his Renown increased under the Razor of Detraction Mieslas being entred into his Palatinate made his Son bee received with the greatest delights and honours that hee could devise but it was to make him taste Gall after this Honey give him an after course not conformable to this first Service for being arrived at the place of his residence hee neither found his wife Modestina nor his Brother-in-law Liante with Aretuza whereat hee expressed no slight discontent And although by an especiall providence of Heaven Mieslas had inclosed Modestina in a place inaccessible by any force which might serve for a specious pretext to Iphigenes to keep hid the defect which hindred him from acting the husband really yet hee feined to bee very sensible of the injury they did him in debarring him of the possession of Her whom hee could not injoy in that quality hee pretended by reason of the obstacles which Nature had imposed at his Creation His Mother to whom hee communicated all his designes could not enough admire with what grace and industry hee concealed his condition and dazled the Eyes of such quick-sighted overseers Whilest hee fumed and raged to have his Wife released towards whom if they had granted his request hee knew not how to behave himself as a Husband Mieslas opposed the rigor of his Fatherly Authority alleadging That his
his Brest lest his Heart being prepossessed could not admit of his Affection in that just manner hee desired and you may easily Conjecture As a great Light doth dimm a less and according to the Proverb one Naile drives out another So it is seldome seen that two Violent Passions do reign together in one Heart the Bed is two narrow to receive them both Where Love hath the Empire Vanity must yeild For that Quality which causeth Love hath little Ambition But where that aspiring desire of Honours hath the Ascendant Love must deliver his Arms. And whatsoever the Fable telleth us of the Association of Mars and Venus it is hard to finde them together as Vulcan did without rendring them ridiculous These Planets in their Aspects have never any favourable Conjunction for how can one joyne two things so directly contrary as the Exercises of War and Peace The Judgement of Paris doth sufficiently demonstrate that the Apple could not bee divided but that either Glory which is denoted by Pallas and Juno must give place to Pleasure or that Delights must yeild to the Desire of Honours For as there is no entrance into the Temple of Honour but by the dore of Vertue so there is no admittance into the Temple of Vertue but through the Porch of Labour This I say because Liante who was more Ambitious than Amorous quite contrary to Iphigenes catched with both hands at his Brother's propositions promising him not to think of Clemencia any father than his Commandements or Permission should allow remitting his Fortune solely to his Conduct and esteeming it a great happiness to attend on him in quality of a Servant and depend absolutely upon his Will O Iphigenes how sweetly did these last words flatter thy Imagination since this Shaft hit so directly the Blank of all thy thoughts As Iphigenes had even upon the Brink of his Lips the discovery of his Project to advance Liante in the World which was the point that tickled most his generous Heart therein not unlike Virgins whose Sensuall Temptations are the more pressing because they fancy the Nuptiall pleasures to be far greater than they are Fortune like the Sea which never keep 's its face long Calm thwarted the impatient desire of our disguised Shepherdess to make her know that in this transitory dwelling wee have nothing perfect that the fairest dayes are followed by Nights the sweetest flowers environed with Thorns and no Hony to be gotten without some Stinging For as he had assembled all the faculties of his Soul in his Ears to hear what his Brother had designed for his Promotion the winding of the Hunter's Horns making the Forest resound with a thousand Ecchoes gave them notice that the Game was not far off So that not to bee surprised together they were inforced to part not without promising to meet again with the first conveniencie The Hunts-men who were more in pain for the straying of their Master than their missing of the Stag whose Strain they could not finde all their Hounds being at a loss seemed to ask news with their Horns and Hollowes of the Palatine who rushing through the thickets to the place of the noyse found his Men but no Game With whom hee returned as much contented that hee had seen Liante as little satisfied for having discovered that hee reteined yet so much Passion for his Sister Clemencia The Reader perchance will think strange why these Brothers should use such Circumspection in their Interviews in regard Iphigenes as well as other Palatines being very powerfull and in a manner Sovereign in his Palatinate might have made Liante of his Train and protected him in his own Pallace But what safegard or Protection can shelter a man from Traitors and secure him from the hands of those who Persecute him by waies the more dangerous because least known you are then to take notice that as soon as Liante had made his escape out of Prison by means of his dear Brother-in-law Miestas whose Rigour and Cruelty passed the quality of a Sarmatian and who from the beginning did express an unheard-of malice against this Innocent Youth gave Commission to severall murtherous Villains who bound themselves by Execrable Oaths to bring him back to Prison or if they could not take him alive to bring him his head and in case they could not accomplish this by force that they would make use of Policy and Poison In this Barbarisme the Salvage Podolian had two ends One to hinder Liante from pretending to his Daughter and that being out of the World his consideration should be no hinderance to her Alliance with Cassin which hee exceedingly desired The other to gain his whole Inheritance to himself by muing up in a Monastery with his other Daughters the unfortunate Modestina Iphigenes having got an inkling of this accursed Conspiracy gave notice thereof to Liante which obliged him to conceale and Disguise himself as is said For if hee had been known how could hee have secured himself from the Ambushes of Murtherers who founding their Fortunes upon his Death would alwaies have been Levelling at him and held him in continuall fear Was not this apprehension together with the difficulty hee had to accost Iphigenes who was his only Solace and Refuge enough to afflict this young Spirit but the Fates must persecute him with further Disasters and assail him with unsavory Rustick importunities in his Disguisement The Country-man in whose House hee had retired himself beeing a Widdower committed the managing of all his Husbandry and Houshold to the charge of a Son yet unmarried and two Daughters ready to be Married the Elder whereof named Merinda hee was constreined to acquaint with the secret of Liante telling her that hee was a young Man who having committed a Murther was fled for shelter in his Cottage and that to avoid the hands of Justice hee was advised to disguise himself therefore hee willed her to help him to a Country Wenche's habit and hee would entertain him to keep his Cattell in nature of a Shepherdess Injoyning her to bee silent under pain of his Displeasure and making her understand besides the great profit they should gain thereby hee being a Rich Man's Son and who might bee very beneficiall to them Merinda put this Coal into her bosom I should say this secret but it is all one for a Maid to hold the one or the other yet I spake in some kind more properly than I was aware For Judge you if it was not to put a Coal and of the hottest too in the bosom of a lusty Lass the giving her a handsome young Man for a constant Companion In summe the Face of the feined Almeria insensibly made impression in Merinda's Heart which put her in the like Condition as those that are stung with a certain venimous Creature known in Italy by the Name of TARANTOLA whose pricking because not to bee perceived upon the skin the affected place is never discovered by any swelling untill the
his Sister Merinda apart who hee perceived had some Credit with Almeria conjuring her to bee favourable to him and perswade her Companion to accept of him for her Husband Merinda being ready to burst with laughing had all the pain in the World to keep her Tongue from blabbing and dissemble what shee knew but the fidelity which shee had sworn to Almeria forbad her to undeceive Manile by declaring the truth of the Story only shee advised him to withdraw his thoughts from that Object representing to him how vaine and indiscreet a thing it was for him to seek his Pleasure to the prejudice of his Honour that marrying one who formerly had lived loosely it would be a perpetuall Reproach and Confusion to him if ever it came to bee divulged Besides that Hee could not but bee in a continuall Jealousie and Apprehension lest such a wife should return to her former lightness and that the humours of Maids bred up in Citties were very hard to bee discerned in regard they concealed as many crafty devices in their heads as a Leopard discovereth spots in his skin Yet all these Remonstrances made no Impression in Manile's minde being determined to have Almeria or perish All this was but the beginning of the Labyrinth in which those Country-Spirits did finde themselves involved It hapned one day as Merinda was looking for something in her Trunk that Remonda her younger Sister came unexpectedly into the Chamber where seeing a Man's apparell which seemed to her very costly Curiosity an accident inseparable to the Nature of that Sex egged her to inquire to whom those Cloaths belonged Merinda surprised a little at her demand remained some time without replying at length being urged to an answer her affection which had sharpned her wit suggested her to pay the other's Importunity with this ready Evasion These are the Cloathes said shee which Almeria wore when shee came for refuge hither How Almeria sayd Remonda These are Men's Cloathes That 's granted replyed Merinda for shee disguised her self in this habit to avoid the fury of her Parents who would have Persecuted her to Death Why so answered the inquisitive Remonda what had shee done mee think 's there is nothing more Sweet nor faire conditioned than Shee Then Merinda related to her the same Fiction wherewith Celian had fed the curiosity of Manile with charge not to speak of it for her life which afterwards occasioned a strange confusion For People of that Nature have never a greater itch to bee Tatling than when they are commanded to be Silent and the greater the danger is the more are they tempted to reveal it This was not all Celian had another Son marryed to the Daughter of a rich Husbandman not far off who since his Marriage lived in his Father-in-law's House Lupicin so was this Elder Son called coming sometimes to visite his Father had no sooner Invisaged Almeria but asking who shee was Remonda told him all shee knew and added of her own what her Imagination did dictate Whereupon hee being not very fond of his Wife whose disposition was none of the meekest entertained presently a conceit that hee should render her more carefull to please him if in her presence hee should make shew of some inclination to Almeria but the Event was otherwise for shee grew horn-mad with Jealousie Flâ—urial brother to Belida Lupicin's wife had no sooner observed this new Star on that Horizon but hee was touched with her Influences and became Manile's Rivall Merinda and Remonda before Almeria's coming had both of them Servants that is Young-men of their condition that made Love to them But as in the presence of a Diamond the Loadstone loseth the Naturall Vertue it hath of attracting Iron So since Almeria's Arrivall they lost all their attractions and were as little minded as Stars at Mid-day there were no eyes but to gaze upon the handsome stranger shee was the Rock whereon they all suffred Shipwrack or rather the Altar where they Sacrificed their Vows Merinda who saw all this Maze and laught at the severall passages with Almeria was little troubled for the Inconstancy of Antalcas who was her pretendant having higher thoughts than hee according to the hopes wherewith Almeria fed her Fancy But Jealousie transported Remonda into strange fits of Fury seeing her self robbed of the Eyes Heart and Conversation of her Polemas who before hee had seen Almeria's face expressed so much affection and sealed his Protestations to her with so many Oaths Whereupon this spightfull Female fell into such tearms of Precipitation against Almeria that shee did render her the most Infamous Creature under the Heavens adding to the Story Celian had framed so many other horrid Circumstances that it seemed Heaven had not Thunderbolts enough nor the Earth Punishments sufficient to expiate the Imaginary crimes of Almeria which shee published every where for truths If her Father chid or threatned her that did but irritate her spleenfulll appetite of scandalizing the Innocent stranger Yet for all this her Sweet-heart looked no more after her his Passion for Almeria either stopping his ears against the injurious Reproaches which shee vomited against him and this new Object of his thoughts or else making him believe that it was meerly Calumnie proceeding from the Envie which possessed her for being frustrated of his Services Merinda who gave her the Lie at every turn and who said as much in defence of her Companion effaced by her commendations the malicious detraction of her Sister and in respect wee are apt to believe what wee desire that troop of Rivalls suffered themselves to bee perswaded by her that spake advantageously of the Common Object of their affections rather than by her whose invectives discovered so visible a Passion that had shee spoken truths they would have sounded in their Ears but as fictions But as when blustering Boreas and the South wind are in contention the Air and Sea are filled with Storms and Tempests in such sort that it seem's as if those two Elements would exchange their Centers So when Belida's Jealousie together with Remonda's railing came to joyn or rather to oppose give the shock to Merinda's justifications of Almeria it made as foul an House as can be imagined to bee amongst vulgar Women that quarrell where all Speak and none Heare Reason being banished from their Pratling Who ever saw a Company of Birds gathered together about an Owl some pecking it some admiring as it were it's form and all crying after that Night theef hath seen a shadow of this Medlie of Passions for one poor Subject some of Love some of Envie others of Jealousie and all as foolish as disorderly And indeed what else can be expected from Rusticks Amongst whom Fleurial was one of the most eager who not knowing that his Brother-in-Law Lupicin made shew of love to Almeria for any other end than to reduce his Wife to Reason by some prick of Jealousie casting Oyl upon the Fire of his Sister's Fury set
from us when wee think to grasp them but in short I have onely one question to ask you Are you Man or Woman Then Almeria who took pleasure in this confusion told her That shee was extreamly sorry that shee had so long deceived her in saying shee was a Man for in effect shee was an unfortunate Maid that thinking to tell her Sister a lie shee had told her Truth like a blinde Man that shooting at a Mark doth sometimes hit it by chance Hazard supplying the defect of Address However shee intreated her if shee was thereby deprived of her Affection that shee might not lose her Friendship which shee saw was very necessary for her Preservation not resolving after her fault to cast her self into the precipice of her totall ruine hoping that Heaven taking pity of her repentance would create in the Heart of him that had abused her the desire of repairing her honour by Marriage by which means shee might bee re-established in her Estate and regain her Parent 's Favour To describe the astonishment together with the regret which seized on Merinda at this confession is beyond my ability for this Truth was not a little odious to her and had not Compassion taken the place of the Ashes of Love whose coals were deaded on a sodain shee had made foul Work This Counter-point hurried her into the participation of Remonda's and her Sister-in-law's Jealousies and her Scoffing and Laughing at those young Men who expressed such Passion for this stranger returning to her memory put her into strange distempers I need not repeat the Reproaches shee made against Almeria in regard her Anger was like to a storm which after much Thunder and Rain leave 's nothing but Dirt and Vapors for Almeria had such an Art to pacifie her that shee pardoned her that Deceipt considering that broken Maids would do what they could to hide their Faults there beeing nothing so naturall as to shun shame For the better effecting whereof shee prayed her to spread a rumor under-hand amongst the People of the Village that shee was a Man to the end shee might remain unsollicited and likewise Remonda and Belida bee cured of their Jealousies Whereof Merinda would not have failed though shee had not been intreated there beeing but one point which obligeth a Maid to keep a business secret that is when shee her self is interessed take away that Flood-gate and shee will disgorge like a full Mill-Dam Besides Merinda had reason to foment this supposition to repeal Antalcas to his former observance of her and cure her self of the reall jealousie which shee might conceive if hee continued his Courting of Almeria whom shee had no sooner left but like a person who sodainly shake's off a Coale that flie's upon his cloaths shee ran to acquaint her Father with the Discovery telling him that Almeria was indeed a Maid who under Man's cloathing had escaped from the fury of her Parents who would have washed in her Blood the Honour which shee had stained and ravished from them This startled the old Man at first believing his Daughter might have had some proofs which those of her Sex might gather with more Certainty and Modesty than Men. But when hee perceived that her drift was to perswade him to turn her speedily out of dores otherwise hee would nourish a Viper that would be his Destruction and keep a fatall firebrand which would reduce his whole Family into Ashes besides the Dishonour which he would reap by harboring an idle light Huswife in his House he stopped her Mouth with a Multitude of Arguments in Almeria's Defence feeling the profit sweet which hee got by her his Heart beeing of the Composition of those mercenary Spirits who for an Ounce of Gold would give an hundred weight of Honour Merinda seeing that her Speeches availed nothing with her Father to excite him to dismiss her whom shee feared as much believing her to bee a Maid as shee loved whilest shee thought her to bee a Man besides considering that in stead of apprehending that Manile would Marry her hee seemed to hold the imaginary Ignominy of that Alliance too great an Honour not believing that although shee was a Fugitive shee would condescend to any such Bargain at length shee let him alone and turning her course shee resolved to disperse the uncertainty of her Condition among her Brothers and Sisters not so much to oblige Almeria as shee had promised as to satisfie her own spightfull Humour To her Sister Remonda as if shee had escaped some great danger shee related how shee had thought to have undon her self by frequenting Almeria's company believing that shee had been really a Maid as shee had possessed Celian and her but that shee now had found that Hee was a wicked Man who having committed some Villanous Action to avoid the hands of the Justice was fled to hide himself in those Woods and not thinking himself yet sufficiently concealed unless hee denied his Sex he had covered his Knavery under the Habit of a simple Shepherdess If I should tell my Father or my Brother what violence that Traytour offered to mee continued Shee I believe they would tear him in a thousand pieces unless my Father bee too much blinded with the Gold which hee hath cast into his Eyes for old Folk generally are of that Disposition that Lucre make's them neglect all Honour How do you think was Remonda affected with this Discourse In stead of continuing in her former frenzy which Merinda's intention was to resuscitate shee felt on a sodain all her choler vanish and gently slipping into it's place an agreeable sweetness like unto that delightfull poyson which is called Love The winning Graces of Almeria as a Man represented themselves to her Eyes in a more lovely form than ever and turning her Passion in an instant of a Mortall Enemy shee became a voluntary slave to her whom Jealousie had made her hate Oh how shee than repented that shee had spoken so unworthily of the worthiest Subject in the World How much shee apprehended lest her brawling and invective Speeches might bee an Obstacle to the Conquest which shee projected of that Golden Fleece Shee transplanted all her Rage and Malice into her Sister's Brest and having in exchange imbraced her Affection in stead of blaming Almeria for the violence which shee thought shee had offered to the pudicity of Merinda perchance shee would rather have excused than accused the like attempt upon her self Merinda made the like Relation to Belida who presently felt her self eased of that Head-ache which troubled her by reason of her Husband's shew of affection to Almeria and in stead of seconding Merinda in that choler wherewith shee feined to bee transported against that disguised Ravisher shee told her that to make any further Complaints would bee but a needless trouble and that it was better to turn into laughter the Passions of those Men who were so inamored of that supposed Maid and cast in their Faces the confusion
Harmonious in his Ears thus replyed You may see Brother how far doth transport mee not the Love of an Image as you imagine but the power of my Friendship to you I say to you to your Person to Liante as Liante not as the Portraicture of Modestina Indeed I love her as my duty obligeth mee but do not you know that nothing is so ill performed out of that Respect as Loving since that Passion beeing the Daughter of our Will retaineth something of the Mother's Disposition whose Element or rather Substance is Freedome But besides the constreint of a Matrimonall Bond which how golden soever it be is alwayes a Bond in my mind that Sex in regard of it's frailty is so little capable to sustein that streight and durable Knot of a true Friendship that the greatest inclination a Man can have for Women is nothing in comparison to that pure and cordiall Affection which hee bear 's to a Friend who is his second self For it is betwixt two equall Hearts that is formed that reciprocall correspondence wherein consisteth the Essence of Friendship In that you apprehend to wish your self of another Sex to attract from mee a more ardent Affection you have reason considering that were to wish a mighty inconvenience for a mean advantage For perchance if you were as your Sister is my Affection would bee much less fervent to you for then I should look upon you with more Compassion than Passion as a brittle Vessell more worthy of Pitty than Envy Yet if your Heart invite's you to desire a condition so miserable as that of Women whom God and Nature have Created to bee subject unto Men to augment in mee an Affection which is already infinite Give mee leave to answer your wish who without Dissimulation or Consultation would to the greatest contentment of my Soul relinquish not onely the favour of the Court the dignity of my Palatinate and the benefits I receive by the bounty of the best and most liberall Prince in the World the King my Master but all that I am to purchase mee the power of beeing your Wife It is I who am really jealous of Clemencia and who would gladly have but so much priviledge of your thoughts as my Sister whose inconstant Soul was so shaken with the wind of my Father's fury that shee would have been perswaded to marry Cassin had not the disdain of seeing his Mother desirous of my Bed made him retire out of Podolia sooner than Mieslas expected Oh fickle Girle said I when I saw her so poor-spirited in an incounter where shee needed but to have spoken boldy and carved out a Negative Oh wavering Girle said I and unworthy of so perfect a Lover as Liante had the Heavens put mee in thy place I would surely have shewed more Fidelity and Resolution But what can bee expected from that Sex but infirmities since it is the pure substance of Debility and therefore alwayes shivering and moving like a Leaf Yet what defects soever I do condemn in that Sex I would not greatly care if I my self were of it if I thought thereby to be more your's or that you would love mee as well as my Sister Here Almeria taking the word out of Iphigenes mouth said Believe mee Brother That if you love me as much or more than my Sister whereunto I can hardly be perswaded knowing the little reason you have it is the like with mee and as if our Stars had Embraced at our Births to Express my Resentments naturally and nakedly to you I never had by many degrees so much inclination for Clemencia as for you and thereby I find that Friendship hath a more powerfull ascendent over my Heart than Love which to say the Truth is a Passion too Effeminate to have any regency in a Masculine spirit And to give you assurance that the Resentments are reall which make mee declare my self in these Tearms Hold for most certain that Clemencia shall never be any thing more to mee than what you please and if you conceive that it may be for her advantage to Marry the Prince Cassin and mine to have another Wife I will most freelie renounce all those Pretentions which your Perswasions induced me to have for her my desire subscribing willingly to your command Iphigenes seeing Almeria arrived at that Point whereunto hee most passionately desired to reduce her Resolution was strongly tempted to disclose the secret of his Birth But not having the conveniency to consult his two Oracles his Mother and his Governour hee conteined himself but with such pain as may better bee imagined than discribed So contenting himself to have absolutely withdrawn Almeria's thoughts from Clemencia which was the clog that most oppressed his Mind and to have obtained her consent to his Sister's alliance with Cassin promising to finde another Match that should raise her Fortunes infinitely beyond what shee could have hoped by Clemencia It is requisite said hee to conceal your self from those whom my Father hath incharged to apprehend and carry you to him Alive or Dead that you continue this Life untill wee can finde the means to convey you into the Citty or untill my Relegation beeing repealed I may send for you to the Court where by the King's Authority I doubt not but to secure you from the Tyranny of Mieslas and shall take order for the advancement of your Fortune Mean time for our Recreations let us persist in dazling the Eyes of those that are about us as well your Rusticks as my Attendants Therefore the more ardour I shall express to you the more disdainfully do you treat mee the better to wipe out of their thoughts the sinister Opinion which they have conceived that you are a Maid of an unchast Life And to the end our Conversation may bee more frequent I have an intention to put my self likewise as a Servant to Celian whom I presume wee shall draw to any thing by the powder of Injection wherewith wee will fill both his Hands and his Eyes making him believe that to avoid the rigour of our Parents who would not consent to the terminating of our Legitimate Affections by the sacred tie of Matrimony wee have been constreined to leave our Native Citty and make use of this stratagem to meet and enjoy more freely each other's company but with all the Civilitie that can be expected from persons which make profession of Chastity Almeria who was in the Hand of Iphigenes as clay in the Potter's condescended to whatsoever hee propounded And in effect a Purse full of Chekeens or Crowns of Gold had no sooner made the Preface of Iphigenes Speech to Celian but hee believed the rest as an Oracle and with both hands pressed it to a conclusion And taking this occasion as an occurrence of Treasure hee prayed Iphigenes to dispose of all that was within his small power as his own and under the notion of Servant to command as Master This did not displease the old Man's Daughters
its name in the Vistula standeth a very agreeable City named Corcin wherein was the Mansion-house of my deceased Father there exchanging Earth for Heaven hee left my Mother a Widow with a charge of two Male Children and as many Females I was born a Twin with a Sister who hath oftentimes been taken for mee and I for her when the tenderness of our Age rendred us incapable of discerning our Sexes without which our Nurses as I have been told were oftentimes like to have exchanged us being unable to distinguish us by our Faces If you have seen the unfortunate Almirea here I believe you will judge by my Gate my Pitch my Voice and my Countenance that I say nothing that can bee contradicted by your experiences and if the habit which I wear did not make appear what I am you would take mee for a disguised Damsell or a Man transvested And I remember whilest the innocence of our Age permitted us those sports which are agreeable to Children that wee did oftentimes take pleasure in changing our Cloathes to make us bee taken one for the other and so deceive in merriment all those that conversed with us Insomuch that in our neighbourhood it was commonly said that either Calliante was Almirea or Almirea Calliante Here the rude Manile according to the custome of Country-lobs which is to interrupt them that speak without any respect or consideration said In good sooth Gentleman You did well to avise us of that for if you had not there 's none of all this Company but would have tane you for the same Almeria that hath put so many Doubts Jealousies Passions and Proclamations in our Heads It may bee shee bewitched him that follow 's her and who you think hath ravished her for in the few dayes shee was here shee bred I can tell you strange ravages or rages what you will call 'em in our Spirits I marvell why you will take such pains to seek after a Creature whose loss is as advantageous as the possession dammageable The rest of his Gang nodding their Heads approved Manile's reason and not one of them but said in his Heart that it was a faire riddance of her and that the Gentleman was like those that are jealous who are very eager to finde out what were far better let alone After this interruption Calliante continued his relation in this manner Now Gentlemen that you may know mee for other then that idle Run-away the reproach of our Blood and the shame of our Extraction you must understand that being in the Country with my Mother in a Castle of her 's not far from the place of the King's residence in Summer time and neer a Forest where their Majesties use sometimes to recreate themselves with the pleasure of Hunting It hapned one day for our sorrow that one of the greatest men of this Kingdome being strayed in the Forest and overtaken by Night which robb'd him of the knowledg of the way to return to the Citty where the Court was retired himself to our House where holding his arrivall for a great Honour wee received him with the greatest respect and Courtesie wee could imagine little thinking that hee should have been like that Machine of Wood which set on Fire that famous City whose Story hath employed so many Pens But this false Courtier having cast the Eyes of Concupiscence upon the unfortunate Almirea and finding perchance some reciprocall answers in that language of looks which cannot bee understood but by those that love That encouraged him to speak in generall tearms thence to fall into Courtship and expressions of Affection and so by little and little into private Familiarities which seduced the simple Girl into her perdition being overcome with the glory of his Greatness and egged on with that vanity which is so naturall to that Sex to see themselves Sued to and Adored like Goddesses which openeth the dores of their Hearts to that Passion whereof if but one sparkle taketh in such weak Subjects it presently flames like Fire in dry straw or Flax and cannot bee quenched neither by Tears nor Blood His visits following somewhat too frequently iterated were the Match by whose Smoak wee easily discovered the Fire But to oppose great persons and Favorites or like the Gyants in the Fable if by heaping Hills on Hills you offer to wage War against those Gods of the Earth so firmly seated on the top of Fortune's wheel they will but laugh at your contradictions as Hercules did at the ridiculous indeavours of the Pigmies Although wee visibly saw that the design of this Polyphemus was to devour the Honour of our Family in abusing my Sister yet it seemed that our low spiritedness stretched out the neck to this blow and to accept this Yoke thus Servile is the condition of those who suffer their Honour to perish to preserve or advance their Fortunes as if a Fortune were estimable without being Honourable It is no ordinary displeasure to mee to reveal this shame which I should rather study to conceale every one naturally abhorring Infamy but what this is a thing so publickly known already that if you should not learn it from my Mouth the very stones would declare it to you the whole World being full of it by reason of the abuse of my Sister and the greatness of him that hath made the unworthy conquest of her But if I had watched so carefully as I might have done the deportments of my Sister or that my Mother had had her Eyes open upon the golden Apple of her Integrity wee never had felt those sad effects of sorrow which now afflict us For the pudicity of Virgins is like a Glass which may bee preserved a long time if well looked unto but with the least knock is broken all in pieces Yet since faults are personall why should I derive the vices of the Guilty upon the Innocent Especially in regard the Honour of that Sex cannot be garded by any but themselves for the too strict observation of others in this case doth rather irritate than appease their Passions and sharpen rather or Set than take off the edge of their desires No Demonstrations no Admonitions were wanting on our parts to disswade that inconsiderate Girle from the conversation of that no less dangerous than desirable Visitant intimating to her that although his frequent coming were without any evill effect yet shee could not admit of his company without Suspition and Scandall in regard the Actions of great Men especially Favorites were Subject to a thousand interpretations whereof the most Sinister were generally the most Certain Sometimes when my Mother asked her what fruit shee could pretend of that but too evident Affection unless it were the loss of time and perchance of her Honour which is commonly attended by a publick shame and an universall table-talk which hurrieth into the precipice of despair those that expose themselves to such miseries Shee belying her own Heart would answer that shee
respect of his tenderness of Age and Complexion deferred our contentments untill riper years had given both of us more Vigour and Ability to consummate our Marriage Yet to observe the form of like Ceremonies wee were both layed in one Bed but with an old Governess that I had betwixt us who like a Salamander did extinguish all our ardour imprinting in our Spirits so much respect and awe that during the whole Night the motions of Love had no access in our Bodies After that to take away all occasions of our accosting and to deprive us of our ordinary conversation Hee was sent to the Court where his good parts rendring him the common desire of the most accomplished Ladies Hee still made me believe by his Letters which were my only consolation in his absence that among so many Stars which glittered before his Eyes none could attract his sight from his Diana whose Eclypse overwhelmed him with as much Darkness as hee hoped to injoy Light when I should again appear in his presence With a thousand such like fopperies did that deceiver amuse my Simplicity whilest in the midst of his Triumph over so many hearts inthralled by his merits hee became I know not how a Slave to a Fugitive which leads him up and down Captive where shee pleaseth Upon certain advice whereof I have done what I could by Letters to reduce him into the trace of his Duty and Reason But Hee sometimes denyed flatly that report sometimes hee accused mee of Jealousie sometimes disguised his baseness in so many fashions protesting incessantly against my Suspition and making such shew of Innocence that easie foole as I was I belied my own belief to conform my self to his perswasions and to purge him of crime I accused my self of too much credulity Oh how easie a thing it is to circumvent a Soul whose affection disposeth it to take in good part all that proceed's from the Object beloved But at last perceiving by his flight with this new Hellen whom hee hath ravished with her own consent that like a silly Fish I had swallowed the hook under the bait and what I held but for a Fiction was too manifest a Passion alsolutely destructive to my contentment Love armed with Jealousie suggested such reproaches to my Tongue against his barbarous Perfidiousness as you may better conjecture than I repeat I exclaimed against Heaven and Earth I accused the Innocence of the Stars as if their influence had contributed somewhat to his inconstancy and strewing my Chamber with whole handfulls of my hair I bruised my brest with my own Fists punishing my self for the faults which hee had committed against me His Father as cruell as hee is faithless kept me close Prisoner in a Castle where this news which afflicted mee even to Death could enter but I had little hopes of getting out to prevent by my Liberty this ruine of my Affections and Marriage My condition was like a Man's who seeth his House burning before his face and is not able to carry any Water to quench the Fire Yet besides that Necessity is ingenious the Providence of Heaven which watcheth over the afflicted gave mee the invention and means to free my self from that Captivity to seek my Husband indeavour to draw him out of that Mire of Deboistness whereinto he is plunged And being informed in a City not far from hence that my Husband who is but too well known amongst the chief of this Province had retired himself into this Forest where under pretence of Hunting hee made Love to a Shepherdess which is no other than that Almeria disguised in a Country habit without taking any other counsell than that of my Affection I came at a venter hither not knowing which way to direct my Course to meet with him who hath stolen my Heart and robbed mee of his Faith Thus Courteous Shepherdesses you have the summ of my sad adventures and the Subject of my coming amongst you Perchance you will judge this escape an act of rashness and unbeseeming a person of my Sex and Quality But when you consider that those actions which in themselves do appear not only not discreet but very reprehensible are justified by the Cause that produceth them which is a conjugall Love and by the End whereunto they tend which is to reform an Husband from his dissolute courses and reclaim him from the precipice of ruine to the tearms of Reason Obligation and Honesty I believe that the water which cometh from so clear a Spring cannot be troubled with the Mud of any Calumny and that so Legitimate a Cause cannot produce Illegitimate Effects Can any one bee so void of Humane Reason as to censure a chaste Woman for endeavouring to make her Husband relinquish his extravagancies and return to the injoyment of her lawfull embraces since that is to seek her self not another and to re-unite what God hath joyned and which no Mortall power can separate But alas why do I say re-joyn that which ne're was joyned unless in Spirit and the Will Yet the Will of my inconstant Husband may not bee said to have been united with mine otherwise hee would never have forsaken mee for another if it bee true that that Friendship can never cease which hath been once perfectly contracted Whose condition was ever like to mine I am a Virgin and yet I may say I am a Wife without having suffered any detriment in my integrity and being Wife to a Man which shuns mee I remain a miserable Prey to sorrow I am Marryed and yet am a Widdow that is I dye all my life-time being deprived of my Husband by a ravishment more sensible than the stroak of Death Not many dayes since I wandred disguised in Man's cloathes despising for him that despiseth mee the Glory of my Condition and now I run my self out of breath after a wanderer whom I am no more able to catch than hee that follows his Shadow overtake it Bee favourable Judges of my misery and if there is any Humanity remaining in your hearts I am confident you will be so far from interpreting amiss my actions that quite contrary you will not deny mee your assistance in the necessity you see I am at this present Here Serife cut off her Discourse with Sighs and Tears which came so opportunely from her that one would have said shee reserved that Wind and Water in particular places of store to let them out when shee listed The Gentlemen who knew the Fallacie admired the readiness of her wit which could so dexterously mingle Fables with Truths and speak things of such double sence that nothing she said favoured of any improbability were less moved than the Shepherdesses who believing nothing more certain than that which shee had told them felt powerfull resentments of Compassion at her so handsomely feined Sorrow And as the blood in Humane bodies runneth to the part that is wounded as it were to strengthen and cheer it up so it being Naturall
bosom that without divination they would have passed from Conjecture to the certainty of the Truth So shee awaked out of that sweet Sleep as full of Joy in her Heart to see her Deceipt take so handsomly as of Sorrow in her Countenance For all her Blood beeing retired inwards shee looked as pale as Death and watering at the same time her Cheeks with Pearls which shee had prepared in her Eyes with a trembling and as it were a dying voyce she formed these words Who was that which by an indeavour pitifully cruell hath restored the Light to my Eyes to make mee contemplate in my self a Spectacle of nothing but Miseries Oh Death the onely Consolation of those who are remedilesly afflicted why dost thou seise on so many persons that shun thee in the midst of their Delights and leavest mee in this World who invoke thee without cease unless thy meaning bee to make my Head a Butt for all Misfortunes Then the Designe is to rob Iphis of his Life or ravish him alive from mee from mee who Live not but for him and in him and who to save his Life would lose mine own or rather many Lives if I had them to rescue him from Death Oh Destiny if thy Rigour bee yet susceptible of any spark of Pitty close my Eyes with that Sleep out of which one never wake 's before they see so tragicall an Event My dear Friends pray give mee leave to die for it is time that by this last action I testifie to my Faithless Husband how much I cherish his Liberty and that if I have not strength enough to follow and overtake him I have constancy enough to let him please himself This said shee would have drawn out of her sleeve hanging after the Sarmatick fashion the same Dagger wherewith shee feined to kill herself in the Forest had not the disguised Gentlemen held her Arm but there needed no great striving to hinder her from hurting herself who had no such intent and who would have wounded Iphis assoon as herself Mean time this strengthened the Deceipt For as there is no tincture so lively as that of blood so there is no impression so powerfull as that which is mingled with some tragicall effect The Shepherdesses were no lesse moved with the generosity of her courage than mollified with compassion to see to what a point of Despair the unfaithfulness of Iphis had reduced the deplorable Serife Their Eloquence beeing not able to form Consolations powerfull enough to appease such vehement Sorrow all they did was to chide Remonda for her indiscreet babbling By this time the Lamp of the Day beeing drawn neer his Occident and beginning to give place unto the smaller Lights which his absence kindleth in the Firmament arrived Lupicin Antalcas Fleurial and Manile accompaning Calliante who came from the fruitless search of those whom they had before their Eyes without knowing them At this arrivall the Gentlemen renewed their attention to consider this new Comicall Act the best whereof was that Calliante who came with intention to deceive them was himself deceived By the complot betwixt him and Serife at their parting in the Forest hee knew the fallacy wherewith she had prepossessed the spirits of all the Company But his return beeing unexpected Boleslaüs had not the leisure to inform him speedily enough of Arcade's folly who by his laughing had betrayed all the grace of that subtile supposition It was a double delight to see Calliante's Mine countermined But there remained a great mistake in the Gentlemen's Spirits who took him for a Woman in Man's clothing and that hee onely counterfeited a Man-like Countenance on the contrary they believed Serife to bee a Man who was really of the Sex they thought shee counterfeited What worthy Pensill shall I borrow to delineate to the Life the new astonishment of Calliante at his approaching neer Serife For having left her in his Country-weeds and finding her in that glorious attire which shee had put on purposely to compleat the conquest of his thoughts hee could hardly perswade his fancy to believe it was the same Iphis whom hee had left in the Forest. In a word those rich Ornaments gave so much advantage to Serife's Beauty that they did the Office of Wood in augmenting Calliante's Fire which was such that losing the knowledge of himself and the remembrance of the Personage hee was to represent hee remained a good while his Eyes fixed on her Face without motion as if hee had been ravished in a profound Extasie and resigning the Function of his Tongue to his Eyes hee was angry with Nature that shee had given him but two to contemplate so many Marvells On the other side the Country-men his attendants who were not accustomed to see such eminent Beauties every Day much less to bee visited by them in their Cottages were not without admiration Whilest they were in this maze not knowing where to begin their Compliments the Women who were as hasty to cast the secret out of their Mouths as a Spider off their Bosoms put them out of pain For Belida to her Husband and Merinda and Remonda to the rest had quickly related all that had passed since their going abroad and what the dolefull Serife had imparted to them of Her Disasters This bred some compassion in their Hearts and made them imagine that it was not without some particular Providence of Heaven that so many strange Accidents in so short time should bee presented to their sight In mean time Boleslaüs accosting Calliante after some common Discourse intelligible enough told him softly Arcade's fault that hee might understand that the Gentlemen knew him How said hee starting for Liante No replied Boleslaus but for Almeria their discovery hath gone no further If they know no more answered Calliante bid my Brother keep his Countenance and the scene not ending yet the Country-fellowes shall not be the onely deceived To describe the greeting of these two Lovers transvested in Opinion but in Effect cloathed according to their Sexes were a difficult task For Serife beeing deeply in Love with Calliante never had so fair an opportunity of representing her Passions to him with as much reality as hee thought them full of dissimulation And Calliante feeling his Heart so streightly bound by the Charms of Serife's graces knew not what to think nor with what expressions to discover his Resentments At length making use of the priviledge of the Deceipt which occasion then offered him He broke silence saying That if it were a Consolation to those in misery to finde their equalls in infelicity hee might in some wise deem himself happy among his Disasters to have met with her yet if persons that have been bitten by mad Dogs do feele their rage re-doubled by the approach of such as are affected with the same Disease hee feared to exasperate his by Communication or Maladies beeing contagious to multiply his Afflictions by making known to her the just complaints which hee had
loss of mine own but I beseech you to consider that all Passions are Precipitated all Precipitation is Blinde Blindness is incompatible with Reason What we do through the violence of that Motion is not judicious that which is without Judgement is subject to great Failings those Failings to remarkable Repentance You may do what you please it is my Duty to Obey you and move in the Sphear of your Authority You are past Child-hood now the yoak of Paternall power doth no longer press your neck take heed of imitating the Birds whom Love driveth into the Fowlers Nets and thence to Death or at least into Captivity The Servitude whereunto Marriage obligeth Ladies is not small those Devoirs will seem very strange to you and for a Pleasure which you esteem the more the less you know it you will purchase to your self much Pain Besides what will People say nay what will they not say if you discover your self and be Married in this manner You will lose all your Estate and Honours and you shall be sure to make your Father your Enemy who will pursue you with Fire and Sword your Mother will run the hazard of her Life and not beeing advertised of your proceedings shee will be so perplexed that the fear of Death will perchance make her anticipate the Vengeance of the rigorous Mieslas Clandestine Marriages whatsoever can be objected are alwayes suspicious and bear the Mark of Dishonesty in their Faces What will these Gentlemen think that are in your company At first it may be they will conceit that all this was done by Witchcraft but when Time shall have made appear that there is no other Magick than Naturall if they do not blame your Conduct it will be either for want of judgement or through excess of Friendship Consider moreover that if the secret which we have so long concealed should be disclosed in this manner you will render yourself the Fable of the whole World and the most infamous and dishonoured Creature under the Sun Whereas if moderating your Desires a little you will but follow my former Counsels which you were than pleased to relish and your Mother approved and which are conformable to your Affection and Design for Liante Fame will speak you not onely in Polonia but through the whole Universe the most admirable the most Honourable and the most triumphant Virgin that ever Nature framed the Mouths of Mortalls will not have Tongues sufficient nor their Tongues words nor their Words tearmes elegant enough to express the Greatness of your Name and represent the Splendor of that unspeakable Glory wherewith you shall be crowned and which will one day by the Pen of some eminent Historian convey your Esteem into the Memory of succeeding Ages Marriage Madam is a sacred and indissoluble bond which ought to be treated of with Grave and Serious deliberation not amongst these Facetious Recreations Those that contract Matrimony ought to proceed with great Circumspection and think upon the establishment of their Fortunes and the good of their Progeny rather than the satisfying of their Lusts If you do otherwise the Shadow is not so inseparable from the Body as Repentance will be from your Action And it is far more easie to prevent a Mischief than remedy it when it is hapned I am not against your beeing Married to Liante since from your Infancy it seem's that Heaven where Marriages are made hath destined you for him but I would advise you to deferr your Wedding and of blameable render it glorious of private publick hide not with shamefull obscurity that which ought to be illuminated with the clearest Light that ever produced Day What is but prolonged is not lost and my judgement can foresee no Cause what Venim soever envious Fortune spit's in Vertue 's face capable of hindering so just and so Legitimate an Effect which may Crown your Father's Heart with Satisfaction your Mother 's with Gladness the King with Contentment and the whole World with Wonder These words pronounced with a zealous sincerity conformable to the disposition of him that uttered them were as Water cast upon the Fire of that Passion as a Bridle to that Temptation which began to transport the Reason of the vertuous Serife And immediately a Vermillion colour the livery of Modesty over-spread her Cheeks not without some trickling tears which the vehemency of her distemper extorted from her Eyes Hee that hath ever observed the Pearls that Aurora sprinkle's upon red Roses may fancy something neer the countenance of that Lady scorched with Shame and watered with Tears Thence the prudent Boleslaüs gathered that her Heart was in no ill temper and that Honour gaving gained the victory of Love did render Reason triumphant over Passion At length with no less Sweetness and Modesty than hee had Compassion to see her in that Perplexity shee answered Be assured Father that this assault nor any other Heavens permitting shall ever make me forget my duty neither have I hitherto admitted any thing into my thoughts contrary to what a Virgin of Honour oweth to her Reputation and Vertue The End which I pretend is so Glorious that it is sufficient to justifie all the means I use to atchieve it But since your Prudence ripened by the advantage of Years and much experience make's you judge that the fruit of my desire is not yet come to maturity I will deferr the gathering it untill you shall think it time for mee to cast off my veile This said not to press any farther her Heart big with Sighs Boleslaüs having made his obeisance and wished her good rest left her to retire to his other Companions Then Serife seeing herself alone and thinking shee was unheard having opened the Flood gates of her Eyes and given Air to her sighs shee eased the burthen of her overswollen Heart by the utterance of these dolefull words Wretched Serife how long must thou like a miserable Sisyphus rowle this stone which is no sooner brought to the top of thy pretensions but by a fatall weight in spight of all thy Force and Industry it take's the advantage of the steep descent to precipitate thee into the bottom of Despair Shalt thou never see an end of this Labour no less Vnprofitable than Painfull Shall a clear Day dissipating the foggy Vapors which environ thee never shine upon thy Repose Is it then Registred in the Book of Fate that thou must consume in these comfortless Woods the most flourishing season of thy Years in the Presence but not to the knowledge of him who is the innocent and amiable Cause of thy sufferings must thou then spend and perchance end thy Dayes in these obscurities without informing him who thou art and of the true manner of thy Love Oh Liante Oh Calliante if you could read within my Heart the Torments which you make mee feele as you finde in my Face the subject of your own Disturbances I am confident you would bee moved with the same
commanding Merinda to advertise Serife that shee might stand upon her Guard this Office Merinda would have performed without his injunction For her Heart was so oppressed with that Secret that shee had resolved to disburden it by her Tongue whatsoever befell At this newes Serife counterfeited such amazement that shee seemed for a while as if Fear had been carrying her Soul out of her Body at length having somewhat recollected her Spirits with a trembling voyce shee said To what a degree of Misery doth Fortune reduce mee since shee persecute's mee so cruelly that in the same Port where Hope promised me Security Shee make's mee suffer Shipwrack What must I then follow those I ought to shun and fly from those who promised mee all assistance Those disguised Gentlemen my Husband's Friends will they be my Protectors against him that made mee such solemn protestations to preserve me from all injuries Ah Calliante you will sell at a dear rate the promise you gave mee of your succour since without having the patience to stay till the Fruit be Ripe you will gather it by breaking the branches or rather transplanting the Body of the Tree out of the Ground of it's Duty Have you forgot Soul blinded with Passion that I consented to the admittance of your Service and Affection onely in case Iphis whose yet I am repudiated me to marry your Sister and so to cure at once the Honour of that abused Virgin the Disloyalty of my inconstant Husband your Love and my own Jealousie Believe it Calliante if I finde any Asistance this Precipitation shall cost you dear and if all humane succours fail mee I will borrow from the courage of my own Heart and the vigour of my Arm the last remedy of all miseries which is Death and sheathing a Dagger in my Bosome I will reduce all your Designs into Smoak Madam answered Merinda by Heaven's favour you shall not be put to any such extremity For if my Father expresly forbid's my Brothers and their Companions to act any thing against your Person the contriver of this Plot will reap nothing but the Shame of having attempted it and you shall be free from the Displeasure his unadvisedness would have caused to your Thoughts Serife knowing that it was the powder of injection which made the Rusticks favour that Project to trie their Dispositions and tempt them by feeling their Pulses on both sides having put some small Chains of Gold into the Shepherdesses Hands to make them Bracelets and shewing them severall rich jewells shee promised them that those should bee the meanest Recompences of their fidelity if by their means that storme blew over her Head giving them besides some pieces of Gold to hinder Celian to keep his Sons in order and some to bee distributed among them Hereupon they became like that corrupt Judge who caused a Coach which a Client had given him to pronounce sentence in his favour to bee drawn by Horses of a greater value which the adverse Party had presented him Whilest this was in agitation on one side Pomeran who was as wee have said jealous of the Palatin's Honour and who did not greatly relish his Passion for Almeria entertained in his thoughts the pleasantest imagination that could bee devised Hee fancied that Serife had an intent to marry Calliante under that disguise and it beeing done and past all remedy that hee resuming the habit of Palatine would laugh at their simplicity as well as the Country-People's Therefore out of a desire to oblige Mieslas and Modestina and as hee thought I phigenes himself as those do a courtesie to poor Creatures that are frantick who take the pains to binde them although they raile and exclaim all the while they are tying Hee thought it very requisite that Hee with his two companions and Boleslaüs should oppose in good Earnest that Imaginary Rape and to the end they might the more securely effect their intention it was not held improper to require the Justice of the Place's succour The Evening beeing come every one stood upon his Guard Serife not onely stirred not abroad but refused the entrance of her Chamber to Calliante Celian watched like the Hesperian Dragon over his Treasure His Daughters were set Sentinells to call for help upon the least allarm the Swains beeing overcome by the Commands of Celian and presents which Serife sent them pretended difficulties and stood still with their Arms across and the Gentlemen were resolved to preserve Serife Hereupon Calliante feining to bee in an excessive Rage fell to vaporing with the Country-men thundred out divers threats against their baseness called them treacherous Villains for failing him in the onely time hee had need of their help and vomited all the bitterest tearms that Despair doth use to suggest in like occurrences But the houre of Rest summoning them to retire they all continued for a while in a sad silence every one allowing the more liberty to his Thoughts the less hee gave his Tongue untill Pomeran esteeming it necessary to speak in that extremity thus began Almeria it is now time to quit that Mask we are not Men to be cheated as you imagine content your self with having ravished the Heart of Iphis by the Charms which his Passion make's him finde in that little Beauty which appeareth in your Face and seek not to rob his legitimate Spouse of his Body He cannot be yours untill his first bonds be dissolved which he hath so publickly and solemnly sworn never to violate greater Ladies than you can ever hope to be pretend to his alliance if that first Marriage could be declared void Do not think to inchant us or surprise the Palatine by your artificiall Stratagems For we are resolved with the perill of incurring his dis-favour and losing our own Lives couragiously to hinder your Design of making your self his Wife be satisfied with the part you have in his Affections without aspiring farther unless you have a minde to see a strange disorder and humane Justice as well as the Divine opposed against your Practises Calliante concluded by this Discourse pronounced with a grave and settled Countenance that Pomeran was seriously and really deceived Therefore to intangle him the faster in his Net hee replied My Honour is so deeply ingaged in this business that I must die or bring it to perfection nothing but Marriage can make mee Repararation Iphis hath plighted mee his Faith beeing in full capacity of Vnderstanding Self-disposall whereas that which you pretend was forced and in an Age so tender that he knew not what hee promised therefore I maintain that hee is more Mine than Modestina's and Iphis is able to justifie his ingagement to Mee in despight of all your indeavours and contradictions These expressions were like Oyle cast upon the Fire of that Indignation which was kindled in the Genlemen's Hearts So they grew to high Words then to Threats afterwards to Exclamations Iphis was named aloud Almeria likewise Hereupon the Country-men that were in
of mee would bee acceptable to you It was to convey her out of Prison which I effected very fortunately having covered her with one of my Suits and having provided Horses in a convenient place not far thence I conducted her hither where shee commanded mee to take the habit wherein you see mee whilest shee went abroad to inquire after you And here was confirmed to her the newes which made her resolve to finde you out beeing pricked with Jealousie and the apprehension of losing you by a Passion which shee was informed possessed you for a Shepherdess in these Neighbouring Forests whom you were reported to have been resolved to marry But her ill fortune was at the arrivall of Mieslas to bee observed by some of his followers or yours and to bee taken by them for Liante by reason of her likeness to him in Face and her beeing in Man's cloaths Upon this mistake shee was apprehended by order from Mieslas and I hear that hee hath sent her back into Podolia to the same Castle where Liante was Prisoner But when shee is known I believe shee will bee sent where shee was before with her Governess Perpetua And I My Lord remain here destitute of all relief having no hope but in your Pity no confidence but in your Mercy If I have transgressed in serving her in her desires which proceeded onely from the extream and incomparable affection shee bears you I am ready to receive such punishment as you shall please to ordain If your more favourable censure judge mee not culpable I flie for refuge under your Protection against the fury of Mieslas who will make mee bee torne in pieces if hee come to know that I have contributed any thing to her escape For hee dreaded nothing so much as to see her with you Iphigenes seeing that Menochius ended there his Speech asked him if hee knew no farther news of Modestina No answered hee For fearing to discover my self I durst not inquire after any other particulars By this Discourse Iphigenes presently perceived what gave the rise to that Report which Arcade brought him into the Prison and the veile fell from those Enigma's which held his imagination in suspense But this was to him a falling out of the Frying-pan into the Fire for as his Passion for Liante was great so his Affection to Modestina was not ordinary and if hee would have desired to change his Sex it should have been meerly for her sake and to bee really her Husband none among all the Ladies hee had ever seen deserving more than Modestina to possess his Body as well as his Heart And indeed Iphigenes had lost much of the glory of his sweet Disposition if hee had done less than love Her who besides their long education together the conformity of their humours and the bond of their Souls came to give him so remarkeable an evidence of her Love exposing her person to so many perills to seek him enjoy the felicity of his Presence So Liante being already secured from his Father's rage all his care was bent towards Modestina as the Object which had most need of his succour and having dismissed Menochius after advising him to continue in that Woman's habit and stir little abroad untill Mieslas were returned to Court promising him his Protection and Assistance against whomsoever and in acknowledgement of the service which hee had rendred to Modestina hee filled his hand with a good summe of Gold as an earnest of the favours hee would do him assuring him in mean time to exempt him from Danger and Necessity Which done hee cast himself upon his Bed overwhelmed with such a multitude of thoughts that his Eye-lids were hardly closed all night For his Heart beeing divided betwixt Modestina and Liante and suspended like a piece of Iron between two Load-stones hee knew not which way to incline his resolution This restlesness of Mind denying repose to his Body hee sent very early in the Morning for Boleslaüs to take advice of that faithfull Councellour how hee should shape his course in that tempestuous occurrence Hee repeated in brief what Menochius had told him and the fear lest Modestina beeing discovered by his Father's bloudy instruments they to comply with his severity should murther her put his Heart into an unspeakeable perplexity To post presently to her relief had been to contradict what hee had made the Princess and his Father believe of his slender esteem of that Wife from whom hee seemed to them to desire nothing more than a separation Not to go and not to assist her in so urgent a necessity hee deemed an ingratitude not to bee digested by any generous Spirit On the other side beeing too well acquainted with the cruelty of Mieslas and the design hee had against Liante hee began to think that hee had not provided sufficiently for his safety keeping him so neer that inexorable Sarmatian And although Palatines who are incontrouleable in their own Governments have no authority in another's Dominion yet the quality of Father gave Mieslas I know not what priviledge in that of Plocens which Iphigenes would not have permitted to another Having communicated all these painfull imaginations to Boleslaüs hee answered My Lord it happen's oft-times that recreative sports are the presages and as I may say the Prologues of more serious occurrences It was your pleasure to make your's lately in the Forest and perchance it is the Heaven's Will now to act their part You made Liante bee covered with Woman's cloathes whilest his Sister made her escape in Man's and whilest you courted Him in that feined appearance Shee followed you in her disguise Hee love's you with perplexity because hee think's you are a Man and Shee is jealous of you not imagining that you are a Woman You personated Modestina in the Woods while shee represented Liante at Plocens your Friends were deceived in you and your Father in her Observe how all these passages are linked to each other It was not without the particular providence of Heaven that wee escaped the affronts which those irritated Clowns would have made us suffer and I beseech the Powers above to continue us the same grace and draw us out of the Labyrinths wherein I foresee that wee are likely to bee involved Indeed it would require the thred of a greater Prudence than mine to conduct us safely forth But since you do mee the honour to believe mee my fidelity having been approved by you I can do no less than persevere in assisting you till Death with my Head Hands Advice and Life All the remedies you can now apply to Modestina will bee too late For since her beeing apprehended shee is infallibly either Dead or re-inclosed in her Prison besides by going in Person or sending to rescue her you would discover a Meaning contrary to what you have professed in Words to your Father and the Princess which would bee very prejudiciall to a person of your condition who never ought to
bee surprised in double-dealing The best way therefore in my opinion is to expect the certainty of this Event and take it as from the hand of Providence what e're it bee If shee bee Dead consider that your Sorrow will not recall her to Life and besides shee is a Creature the privation of whom ought to bee the less grievous to you in regard Nature hath forbidden you the injoyment of her Person But for the preservation of Liante whom you cherish above all the rest of Mortalls you ought in time to apply your Care Diligence and Authority Yet as the deepest Waters make the least noise in their course so the solidest Judgements conduct their affaires with more temper and less rumour more Effects and less shew The surest guards you can give Liante are Secrecy and Silence Make as if you knew not where hee is and let Pisides Argal and Pomeran remain in the error which possesseth them that hee is Almeria Close with the Seal of Authority Arcade's lips by a severe prohibition to reveale this Mystery and command Humbertus and his Souldiers under pain of Death not to declare what they know concerning him If notwithstanding all these veiles Mieslas should chance to discover the place of his retreat wee shall easily make him escape out of this Country or by Night convey him into some private Corner which shall bee known but to very few However wee must advertise him of what particulars wee have learn't since our arrivall said Iphigenes and who shall wee appoint to carry him this message Do you think Arcade fit for this purpose I would not advise you answered Boleslaus to commit this secret which toucheth you in the Apple of the Eye neither to Arcade nor to paper For the one may miscarry the other be corrupted If you conceive mee worthy to serve you therein you may freely command mee For you are the onely Master whom I do or will ever serve Father said Iphigenes imbracing the old man's neck and washing his Face with tears you continue obliging mee in things that are more sensible and which I esteem more pretious than my Life do mee then the courtesie to go in my Name to him for whom I preserve my self and tell him that to preserve him there is no force but I will imploy it no respect of Father that I shall stick to violate since choosing him for my Spouse I ought to prefer him before Father and Mother You shall be a living Letter and I am sure you will represent to him the passages here much better then I can write onely in one thing I should surpass you that is in representing him my affections For there is none but that Tongue whose Heart is pierced with Love which is able to express to the Life the resentments of a passionate Soul Boleslaüs to satisfie the impatience of Iphigenes departed presently with this Commission and had hardly delivered his message to Liante when newes was brought to Mieslas his Son beeing then with him of the Discovery of the imaginary Liante the Story whereof was thus THE DISCOVERY OF MODESTINA THose who had taken upon them the charge of conducting Modestina disguised in Man's habit beeing arrived in a place where they thought they might securely execute their damnable design on the person of that innocent Creature having to that effect procured a Chirurgion for a great summe of Mony and masked him lest beeing afterwards known by him to whom they intended to do that horrible affront hee might bee liable to the Law or his Revenge The pitifull Prisoner suffered herself to bee bound like an harmeless sheep whom the rugged Butchers carry to the Slaughter-house without the least Replication And whether Modesty tied her Tongue or the horrour of the affront by a sodain apprehension deprived her of the use of Speech shee remained some time without so much as asking what they intended At length as if her Spirits had returned out of a deep trance and fearing more the loss of her Honour than of her Life shee screaked out like a Virgin calling for aid against the violence of some dissolute Ravisher For shee conceived that they having perceived what shee was would have sated their brutall appetites on her But shee learn't other newes by him that brought the Commission from Mieslas who speaking as if shee had been Liante told her that shee must resolve to imitate the Beaver when hee is chas'd or lose her Life that if shee were wise of those two evills shee should choose the least and save the whole by losing a part In a word hee Made her understand the Will and Command of Mieslas which was to make her an Eunuch against her Will since shee had refused to make herself such by a voluntary embracing of an Ecclesiastick Life Then Modestina seeing herself reduced to this extremity judged it time to declare her condition and disabuse them of their errour But it was after attempting this last means protesting that shee was ready to obey the Will of Mieslas in resigning herself wholly to the service of the Church beseeching to defer their Execution untill they had received his definitive answer For that the lot is already cast replyed the chief of the Band there is no other determination to be expected than your choice It concerns not us to interpret the commands of our Master wee have now no leisure to discourse time require's a speedy Expedition choose the hand of the Chirurgion or that which shall plunge a Poniard in your Brest Hereby Modestina perceiving that her last remedy was in vain and that shee must use other tearms Thou Barbarous Wretch said shee couldst thou have the Heart to sheath that murtherous blade in an innocent Woman's bosome who is capable of receiving Death but not the affront which thou proposest There is as much difference betwixt him to whom thou think'st to speak and mee as between Brother and Sister I am not Liante but Modestina the Daughter-in-Law to thy cruell and impious Master Wife to Iphigenes who will bee able to revenge my Death if thou killest mee or my honour if thou dost mee the least affront See said the inhumane villane what an invention this Gallant hath found upon a sodain to save himself in this storm how the oxtremity of danger doth subtilize men's Wits But wee are not come thus far to stop in so fair way wee must put him in a condition of never pretending to the possession of the Lady Clemencia shee is reserved for a person of more eminent quality than hee This said hee prepared himself to make a search much different from that which the Shepherdesses would have made of Liante in the Prison What resistance should this poor sheep have made in the midst of so many Wolves that chaste Andromeda had recourse to her tears whose tender drops were able to penetrate Marble and mollifie Hearts more rigide then the sensless Rocks Shee conjured them by all that shee thought might have
said Iphigenes so that Liante be free You may well think said Boleslaus in his Ear if Almeria be not taken that Liante is safe enough For they go both one way and under the same Cloaths But when hee advanced towards Mieslas that meeting of the Father and the Son was like to the opposition of the Planets of Mars and Saturn whose Aspects dart none but maligne influences Mieslas taking occasion to speak first said to his Son I think this is an inchanted Castle for the People answer all by contraries I asked for your Diana and they toldmee that Liante was no longer there hath your Bother-in-law been in this place then Sir replied Iphigenes angerly are you come hither to search shew what Commission you have from the King to that purpose otherwise give mee leave to tell you as Palatine of this Country that you have nothing to do to seek either of them here But if I had found either of them said Mieslas I should have made them knew what my Power is and all your strength would have been too weak to have taken them out of my hands As beeing my Father answered Iphigenes you have priviledge to use these tearms But there 's none else breathing upon Earth whom I should not make throughly sensible of the Power I have in the Countries which depend on my authority Therefore Sir you must tell mee if you have taken either of those persons For I will die in the place or I will make him that hath them in keeping release them and whatsoever you are able to do or say nothing shall hinder mee from cutting in pieces all those that accompany you if they are not delivered to my hands For to suffer this breach in my Charge and that before my Face any one should seize upon Persons that are under my Protection is an affront which I can less indure than Death This inflamed the fiery Sarmatian with such Fury that fetching a Career hee had fallen upon Iphigenes like an hasty storm if hee who was no less dexterous than the other fierce had not handsomly slipped aside and let pass the impetuosity of that Torrent Then those that attended him interposing themselves to hinder them from joyning you might have seen Mieslas foaming with rage and brandishing his naked Sword with threats to dip it in his own blood that was in the body of Iphigenes who having not so much as laid his hand upon the Guard of his was resolved rather to die by his Father's hand than draw his Sword against him But as how graceless soever Children are yet there remain's some raye of Paternall reverence in their Souls So in the Heart of a Father what Choler soever animate's him against his Children there is a secret Advocate which plead's their Cause and make's the Weapons fall out of their hands This was verified by that occurrence for what Passion soever transported Mieslas at the present hee was afterwards glad of those Gentlemen's opposing his fury and that they had given his Indignation leisure to appease the impetuosity of it's violent Surges beeing better satisfied to have killed his Son with his Tongue then his hands and run him through with threats then with his Rapier At length Iphigenes beeing assured by the Gentleman of the Castle and the Souldiers that Liante had given them the slip the day before his mind was indifferently well pacified but yet much troubled that hee knew not whither hee was gone So the storm beeing quite blown over the Father and Son accosted each other and Mieslas abating not a little of his rigid haughtiness By said hee swearing desperately I think you will force mee to deliver those whom I have not in my power but if I had you should assoon wrest the Club out of Hercules hands as teare them out of my clutches I bless the Heavens Sir said Iphigenes that things be in the condition they are I must confess I should be much troubled to see persons ill treated in any territories whose preservation is pretious to mee But said Mieslas may not I know if that was Liante Sir answered Iphigenes that equivocall appellation deceive's you it is Almeria who having put on Man's cloaths to go a Hunting and do violent exercises with more Freedom and Activity call's herself Calliante which name I imposed upon her in an humour it signifie's Fair-Flower What Fair-Flower said Mieslas indeed shee did well to vanish before I came For never any Haile did so much spoil in the Vineyards as my Blowes should have done on Her Shoulders if I could have laid hold on Her With some other such like passages which wanted not Quips and Jarring words they re-entred the City of Plocens Iphigenes having alwayes his hand upon his wound that is his thoughts continually returning to his Loss of Liante The Pilot that in the midst of dangerous Rocks is agitated by a raging Tempest and from whose Eyes the horrid shades of Night doe hide the twinkling flames of his directing Star is not in greater perplexity then our Iphigenes not knowing which way to steer his course in pursuit of his dear Liante With what an Eye did hee behold the Princess at his return esteeming her the principall cause of all these troubles Hee carried himself with such indifference towards her abating so much of those Courtesies and Compliments whereof hee was esteemed the onely Master that it was much the despight of seeing her affection so ill recompensed had not cured her of that wound which the Beauty of Iphigenes had made in the Center of her Heart But alas it was incurable since neither Time Absence Cruelty nor Disdain the sovereign remedies of that Desease were able to asswage the torment of her languishing Pain Mieslas very unsatisfied with his Son's deportments resolved to depart next Morning for Podolia as well to give orders concerning the affairs of his Charge and Family as to cause Modestina to be more strictly garded take his Daughter Clemencia with him to Court there to attend the Queen untill the Prince Cassin should marry her And the Princess Respicia settled her resolution to return to the Court more in love than ever with the perfections of Iphigenes but less satisfied with his Courtesie Onely Hope which never leaveth us in the midst of the greatest disasters somewhat appeased the tempest of that Ladie 's thoughts by the assurance which Iphigenes confirmed to her of making himself her 's assoon as his dispensation had restored him to himself The same Night shee went from Plocens Iphigenes found under the Carpet in his Chamber a note the Characters and sense whereof accused the hand and invention of Respicia all the contents were amorous complaints and exclamations against inconstancy but no subscription nor any particular address to him yet hee needed no Oedipus for the expounding of that Riddle hee plainly saw that shee complained of him but hee feared less that despight would cure her Love than to see her flames increase
for the defence of your Royall Authority against the Insolence of the Rebells What would those envious persons say whose Calumnies have for so long time deprived mee of the Honour of your presence the onely felicity of my Life or rather what would they not say if in this publick occurrence I should not give some testimony that I am not so desirous of receiving your Liberalities as to deserve them by my indeavours and the effusion of my Blood which are but slender proofs of the boundless affection I have to serve you Permit therefore gracious Sir by whose Munificence I injoy both my Honour and Estate that I may expend this and imploy that for your Majesty to whom I am so far ingaged that although I should sacrifice my Life in your Wars I should not requite the least of those Obligations which render me Eternally your Debter Scarce had hee by this answer waved the inticements of the Court but a Surcharge shall I say of Affliction or importunate Affection opposed his determination it was a tedious but loving Letter from Modestina adorned with the Flowers of so plaintive a Rhethorick that Iphigenes heart was much more moved at those sad Contents than allured with the King's invitations yet having paid her with a like excuse hee continued his preparations for the War The Palatine's power is so absolute in Polonia that when they command the Drums to beat for any Expedition all those in their territories who are obliged to the exercise of Arms must presently bee in a readiness to march Besides this Authority Iphigenes beeing of a very obliging and liberall disposition in short time hee raised a considerable party of as gallant Horse as any were in the whole Army Mieslas used the like diligence in his Palatinate but beeing of a greedy tenacious humour and more ready to take from others than impart any thing of his own his Levies were not comparable to his Son 's who met him at the Rendez-vous And although they were ill satisfied enough of each other yet at that time they trampled under feet all private considerations to apply their united forces to the present service of the Publick and their Prince The revolted Lithuanians not daring to incounter the Royall Army in the Field sheltred themselves under the bulwarks of the strongest Holds then in their possession So that after some slight skirmishes the Loyall Party besieged the Mutiniers in their chief City named Minsce scituate upon the River Nepor which the Antients called Boristhenes Liante amongst others had cast himself into this place with Olavius Palatine of that Province and Bogdales Palatine of Troc his Confederate besides divers Castellains and Gentlemen of note This City was strongly fortified and well stored with Provisions and all necessaries requisite to maintain a Siege And as Despair redouble's the courage of those who know the unjustness of their cause there was not any of those Factious Spirits but resolved to suffer the utmost of extremities rather than surrender Olavius had retired within those Walls his whole Family Wealth and as I may say all his Fortune Whilest the Royall Army were drawing their Lines of Circumvallation the Rebells made Sallies daily and allarmed them with hot skermishes and sometimes sent Challenges for single Combats I should swell this Volume too much if I stood to relate the particulars therefore not to tire the Reader I shall onely mention some persons principally concerned in my History But first I must crave leave to say that the Planets of Mars and Venus who do so frequently interchange their glances in the Heavens have such powerfull influences upon Earth that it seem's the one hath no sooner cast his Aspect upon any Morrall but the other by some agreeable Sympathy take 's possession of the same Object And in effect among those who make profession of handling a Sword it seem's that the wearing thereof would not bee fortunate to them if it were not imployed for the consideration of some Lady as it is commonly seen that Gentlemen expose their Persons to most eminent dangers to give testimony of their Valour in favour of Her whom they serve Liante who till then had lived in exceeding restraint seeing himself in full liberty of his desires was easily induced to the naturall inclination hee had to Love Olavius among divers other Children had two Daughters whose Beauty deserved observation But the younger had a great advantage of Nature above her Elder Sister who was inferiour to her in all things but her age wherein shee surpassed her by many years The one was full-ripe and in a condition that seemed visibly to demand an Husband The other was a Bud not quite blown yet discovered something that promised in her season all the excellences of a perfect Rose but as yet so green that her yeares might have dispensed the hastiest of her Sex to render her selfe under Hymen's pleasing yoak her humour was childishly vain and more apt to give then receive Passion her Judgement beeing yet insusceptible of any It was Liante's Fortune to be caught with this bait betwixt seeing her and beeing taken there was no great intervall His Birth and Estate which hee hoped to recover by Olavius means gave him confidence enough to aspire to that alliance and the merit of the Object contein'd captive but too many attractions to his desire Nevertheless hee hid his Fire under the Ashes of discretion expecting a fit time and opportunity to disclose his intentions Clemencia Sister to Iphigenes possessed no such charms as could oblige him to much Constancy her fidelity onely having moved his Heart to a reciprocall amity but in regard the Despair of possessing her by reason of Mieslas cruelty and the Prince Cassin's research forced him to relinquish that desire hee thought more of beeing revenged of that savage Palatine of Podolia than of seeking her alliance beeing the rather incited thereunto by Despight seeing his Sister Modestina upon the point of beeing repudiated by Iphigenes Upon these considerations hee suffered the inclinations of his Minde to bend under the yoak of this new Captivity suppressing however his flames within his brest allowing nothing to outward appearances but what Modestie and Decency might permit Whilest hee was contriving projects for the conquest of this Rachel Olavius studied how to ingage him in his alliance by giving him the Leah It beeing the custome in these dayes as well as in Laban's time to marry the Elder Daughters before the yonger Age Reason and Decency requiring no less Olavius having formerly been familiarly acquainted with Liante's Father and knowing to how great an estate hee was heir though Mieslas unjustly deteined it from him thought it no small advantage to have him for a Son-in law notwithstanding his disgrace which hee could not have hoped for if Fortune had been more kinde to him Therefore to make him fall into his Nets hee received him as yet all wet with his Shipwrack into his house cherished him as his Son
lose his own In this resolution hee sent him a Challenge to fight with him on Horse-back in the view of both City and Army At first Mieslas scoffed at his Childish indiscretion as hee tearmed it slighting him as much as the grand Apollo in the Metamorphosis did Citherea's little Son But at length feeling his reputation prick'd and his Choller incens'd by some notorious reproaches and braving Language in the Letter of Defiance whereof Liante had dispersed diverse Copies through the Camp hee resolved to dispose himself to chastise that peremptory Boy publickly as a Pedagogue would correct his Scholler These tearms Passion made him utter against his youthfull adversary This Challenge beeing so divulged could not bee unknown to Iphigenes who would not bee diswaded from beeing a Second as well to purge himself of that stain wherewith his Father had indevoured to blemish his fidelity to the King as to preserve the Life of him that gave him his in case Liante should gain the advantage or Liante's on whom his own Life depended in case Mieslas should have the better which was most probable I will not stand to particularize the severall equipages of these Combatants there beeing this difference betwixt Turnaments and Duells that in the former every one studie's what is most magnificent and pompous not what most serviceable in the later the richness or curiosity of the Armour is not so much considered as the excellency of the temper However they were not negligent to shew themselves in good order and upon the best Horses they could purchase Iphigenes having sent back Liante's black Horse obliged him by that action to return him his lest that exchange might breed any suspition of intelligence yet they took others for this second incounter that breathed Fire out of their Mouths threatned Death with their Looks Mieslas appeared in guilded Armour upon a pide Horse of a size bigger then ordinary Iphigenes was mounted upon a Sorrell well maneged and ready armed as before but with a coat after the Sarmatian fashion over his Armour all imbrodered with Gold Liante march'd proudly out of the City upon a stately Bay horse trapped with black in the same Armour hee wore in the former Duell but with some different trimming His Second who was the young Polemander seemed rather dress'd than arm'd Inexperience making him go to this shock as to a Wedding His Armour was Gras-green artificially set out with scales of burnisht Silver a delicate Plume of white and green curiously mixt o're shadowed all his Casket his Horse of a Dapple-gray colour whose Make and Manegement was fitter for a Festivall shew before Ladies than exploits of Warre was harness'd with a Caparison of green velvet inriched with a Silver imbrodery his Deportment spake him rather a spruce Courtier than a resolute Souldier In summe he was a fit Subject to honour the triumph of Iphigenes victory The glory of making his essay of Arms against the King's Favorite a Palatine of so eminent esteem in Polonia heightned his courage and his vanity promised him a success that should make him touch the Firmament with his Crown But Heaven which disposeth the events otherwise than Men propose them to their fancies made this Gallant a prey to him whom hee thought to devour and Iphigenes who was Courtesie it self became to him like the Lion of Samson's emblem For instead of swallowing him hee gave him Life and in the Effects of this Valour hee made him feel the proofs of his Civility For assoon as they were come into the Field and the Judges had assigned the ground every one resolved to do his best except Mieslas who carried himself negligently in that Action as if hee disdained to measure his Sword with a Novice or had been to play at cuffs with a Boy At length having taken the space that was convenient for their Horse's full Career they charged each other with such impetuosity that the banks of Boristhenes returned by frighted Eccho's the sound of their Palfrey's thundering Feet and his Waters hasted away for fear Iphigenes whose dexterity on Horse back was beyond comparison having hit Polemander in the right place to make him quit his Saddle carried him so furiously from his Horse to the Earth that with the force of the fall hee seemed to have digg'd his own Sepulcher in the Sand. The weight of his Arms the violence of the Shock together with the tender Age of that young Astianax cast him into a Trance which depriving him of the ability to rise or move made him appear as if his Soul not daring to withstand so invincible an adversary had left his Carcass as a trophy to the Victor's glory Iphigenes seeing him in no fighting condition turn'd his Eyes whither his Heart was already flown But Heavens what saw hee his Father in the greatest danger that could befall an Enemy For as hee gave his Horse the half-turn to set him in his Career the right stirrop brake which discomposed his Port and rendred him incapable of executing what his Vanity made him believe unquestionable For the heaviness of his Armour weighing him down in the Saddle that inconvenience hindered him from ordering his Lance which glanced without effect under Liante's Arme who having dexterously directed his where the point found entrance the thrust was so violent that had not Mieslas been well fixed in his seat hee had doubtless held Polemander company However it bare his Body so far backwards that his Crest almost kist the Crupper and the Lance flying in pieces a splinter entered into his Horse's shoulder the pain whereof disabling him for such an incounter put his Rider beyond his schoole-play and in no small apprehension Liante without losing time having cast away the truncheon that remained in his hand drew his Sable and his Horse beeing swift of foot and ready at hand hee presently gained the Crupper of his no less arrogant than inhumane Enemy and began to deal blowes so thick upon him that you would have thought you had heard all the Cyclopes beating upon one Anvill Who ever saw a furious Bull tormented with the stinging of a Gad flie or a great wild Boare lugged by the Ears by a young Mastiffe may the better fancy that lusty Sarmatian assaulted by the generous Liante At length the little stone cast down the great Colossus it happened thus Mieslas seeing his Horse useless and one Leg hanging without a stirrop thought to alight judging that hee might better defend himself on Foot than in that incommodious posture but having his Sword in his hand and beeing incumbred with his Armour his other foot remain'd ingaged in the stirrop The Horse who had not yet lost all his fury perceiving this disorder began to kick and drag Mieslas after him some steps which so crushed and bruised him that hee thought hee had been at the last period of his Life Then was it in the brave Liante's power to take a full revenge of all his barbarous dealings by
would please to demand for a Dowry Liante well contented with those triumphs and trophies which they erected to a Victory that cost him so little perceived thereby how vain the judgement of the World is and that as punishments are not alwayes inflicted on the most wicked persons but the least fortunate So Glory was an infamous Courtisan which cast herself not alwayes into the Arms of the most valiant but most successefull And to incite Olavius the more to press him to accept a Present which hee so passionately desired with an artificiall modesty hee pretended that he was unworthy of so much favour beeing at that time a distressed Gentleman banished from his Country and dismantled of all his Estate by an injust Confiscation Whereupon Olavius falling of himself into the Nets replied That the restitution of his inheritance would bee the least part of the brave Prisoner's ransom wherewith hee had inriched their City and that hee ought not to stick upon that consideration in regard hee had alwayes respected him more for his Vertues than his Fortune esteeming it more advantage for his Daughter to have a Man that wanted means than means that wanted a Man But Liante demanding time to deliberate more at leisure upon that business desired him to thinke of treating Iphigenes with such Civility that hee might have just occasion to commend rather than complain of Lithuania Which was performed in such honourable manner that if the gallant Iphigenes had been Governour and Master of that rebellious City hee could not have received greater respect Hee had no other Prison than his own Parolle Liante rendering himself pledge for his fidelity Since the beginning of the Siege the two Palatines of Troc and Minsce had secured their Wives Children and what they had of most considerable value in the Castle as the place of greatest safety there Liante likewise had his Quarters neer which they conducted Iphigenes into a Chamber so richly furnished that in the King's Pallace hee could not have been lodged more splendidly Good Cheer was no more wanting than all sorts of Games and honourable divertisements The company of Ladies was his ordinary attendance For they had no sooner tasted the inevitable charms of his conversation but they became more licourish and greedy of it than Bees are of Flowers or their Hony-combs If that beautifull Face which shewed to Mortalls the image of the Angells had infected with it's pleasing Poyson the Court-Ladie's hearts imagine you how those of Lithuania could be exempted from that delicious contagion you would have said that this new Sinon had been come to bring the Grecian fire to reduce that Ilion to ashes and that beeing a prisoner in Body his design was to inthrall and torture all their Mindes For that agreeable venim which is swallowed by the Eyes according to the variety of Spirits conveyed into their hearts such secret flames and those flames caused such torments that hee seem'd to have the same destiny as Sejanus Horse who put all places in disorder where hee was received Bogdales had a Wife so advanced in years that the blood of her veines which ought by the course of Nature to have been Icie seem'd exempted by the benefite of her Age from those ardours which are onely excusable in youth with her was retired into that Castle a Daughter which Hee had married to a gallant Nobleman of Lithuania who not delighting to bee inclosed within the walls of that besleged City kept a flying Army in the Field accompanied by the Palatine of Trod's Son his Brother-in-law His merit was sufficient to have made all the Affections of his Wife terminate in his Person but the Perfections of the beautifull Prisoner so perverted her Reason that as the Primum Mobile by a violent motion drawe's all the other sphears after it shee could not hinder her Heart from following her Eyes whose too inconsiderate looks betrayed the licentiousness of her thoughts So that the Mother and the Daughter were both taken in the same snare at once Neither could Olavius Wife as wise and reserved as shee was withhold the motions of her Minde from Dancing the same brawle And as if that rare Object had been formed on purpose to ruine the constancy of the most continent few saw him without taking pleasure to behold him and few beheld him without strange allarms and agitations of Spirit That fire must bee very fierce which presently take's in green Wood. Amiclea who never yet felt any resentments for Liante that deserved the mentioning was presently all inflamed with that Feaver whose fits are so agreeable that those who resent their Heats and Colds fear nothing more than to bee cured of that Disease On a sodain of ignorant shee became knowing in the Art of Love judging by the pains which shee indured that which shee had caused to Liante's Heart Oh Liante you will bee henceforwards but a difformed Esau this white Jacob will supplant you and you will see the ruine of your pretensions arise from the same ground whence you expected your establishment Onely the poor Oloria remained constant in her affection to him who despised her For her Soul beeing filled with the Idea of that first Object was insusceptible of any other impression If Iphigenes had been a Man what vanity would he have conceived in his thoughts seeing himself the blank of so many desires But beeing such as Nature had created him those Roses were to him but Thorns and those Adorations Importunities To relate the distemper which these new Passions bred in those weak Brains I dare not undertake much less to express the confusions that imbroyled their thoughts For Love Envy Despair Jealousie Shame Desire were as many Worms or rather Vultures that gnawed continually their Brests Even the Men that were too attentive in the contemplation of that Angelicall Face had not their minds free from disturbance For believing him a Man they wished him of the other Sex that they might in some kinde settle their complacency on his perfections And the Ladies who thought him not a Woman esteemed themselves as happy to have amongst them that beautifull Prisoner to whom they were all slaves as the Trojan youths were to injoy that samous Beauty of Greece within their walls Oh Iphigenes as those who cast artificiall Fire-balls are burn't oft-times themselves So among so many storms which thou excitest thou art not without some agitation With what Pencill shall I delineate the division of those Spirits The old Ladies were ready to die with Despair and Shame to see themselves in an Age which according to the Lawes of Nature protected them from the Tyranny of that little Boutte-feu which inflames Heaven and Earth become Subjects to unjust and infamous Desires whose sweet cruelty was more redoubtable to them than the pangs of Death and bee afflicted with a languishing Pain that could expect no other remedy than the Grave Bogdale's Daughter a Lady full of Honour and who would assoon have cast herself
as deep into that Favorite's brest as they had done in Liante's what great matters would hee have promised to his Ambition But besides that hee knew Iphigenes was Married to Modestina and was not ignorant of the Designes of the Princess Respicia seeing the great indifferency that beloved Captive shewed for all Women as hee lost the Hope of atchieving so high an advantage hee quitted the thought of desiring it Which made him turn all his pretensions towards Liante promising himself to obtain of the King by Iphigenes what hee should demand of Iphigenes by Liante If this Palatine had an ambition to make Liante his Son-in-Law Liante was no less desirous than Hee to contract that alliance But hee was not so simple as to take the Elder for the Younger there was no darkness impenetrable to the sight of such a Lover Since Oloria had turned her Eyes towards Iphigenes beeing transported with the ravishing Garbe of that beautifull Object shee slighted Liante's scorns The same cause made Amiclea disdain the esteem which Liante made of her and nothing was so irksome to her as when hee entertained her with the discourse of his Passion Melindra Daughter to the Palatine of Troc beeing assaulted on one side by the Legitimate Affection and Fidelity which shee owed to her absent Husband and on the other by the Charms which the presence of Iphigenes cast into her thoughts felt Combats of Love and Honour in her Heart whose convulsions approached the torments of a Woman in travell who would but cannot bee delivered The Conflict or violent opposition that Heat and Cold make in the concavity of a Clowd is some resemblance of the Contradictions in her Minde And after many passionate Complaints continuing to aggravate her sore with a thousand various imaginations shee impoisoned the Humour more and sometimes shunned the remedy sometimes desired it with impatience Nevertheless shee remained so firm in the steps of Vertue that although her languishing looks broken sighes and tears discovered plainly enough her distemper to Iphigenes yet shee observed a severe silence never giving her Tongue the liberty to say any thing but what was within the bounds of a modest Civility Wherein shee made appear as much vertue as the two old Palatinesses shewed little For they were grown so jealous of their Daughters having discovered their inclinations that like Furies they were perpetually haunting them and reprehending in them a fault which they authorized in their own deportments I will not stain their memory with the extraordinary means which they used to inveigle this Fish into their Nets Imagine you onely what Women can doe or rather what they cannot do when animated with a violent Passion and in an Age whose weakness redouble's the other's force At length Despair had made them commit a treachery and change their inclination into vengeance if the Publick necessities had not retarded them in their Private animosities So they borrowed of Time and Patience the succour of Hope which is alwayes ready to assist the most miserable But Iphigenes who had been beaten with fiercer and more dangerous storms at Court laughed at those Feminine divisions and looked as from an eminent place upon those fraile Vessels agitated with that violent tempest as a Shittle-cock in the Wind and the subject of his Disdain The assault which I am now going to relate was otherwise resented for it came from the Place that was onely capable of putting Iphigenes beyond his Temper and Art of Dissimulation You may conceive already that it proceeded from Liante whose Spirits beeing settled after the motion which Iphigenes transvestment had caused in his brest relapsed into the vehemence of his Passions for Amiclea whose Scorns befrosted his Pretensions as much as her Graces inflamed his Inclinations At length the Eyes of those that love beeing very quick-sighted hee perceived it was onely the presence of Iphigenes that ruined his Designes and that his Idoll was so possessed with the Idea of that beautifull Palatine that no other could finde admittance into her Soul This presently bred Jealousie in Liante and so much power hath the Tyranny of Love above the ties of Friendship that hee felt the later diminish as fast as the other dilated it self in his thoughts Hee wished hee had some occasion not to love Iphigenes so well but his indearing deportments his vertue and above all that incomparable Modesty which accompanied all his Actions wrested out of his Minde all thoughts of loving him less Afterwards considering to what danger that brave Palatine had exposed himself to save his Fortune and the promises hee made to raise him to the most eminent Dignities of Polonia if hee would follow his advice which hee had alwayes found as advantageous as sincere that expunged all manner of Gall out of his Heart and restreined him from doing or saying any thing that might be prejudiciall to so pure and inviolable a Friendship One of whose principall Effects beeing Confidence hee resolved to open his Heart to Iphigenes and discover to him as well the extremity of his Passion for Amiclea as the pricking torments of his Jealousie But when hee had displayed all his distempers the End of his Discourse was the Beginning of Iphigenes paines for fearing nothing so much as the loss of that Heart which hee desired to keep intire to himself it was an inconceivable torture to his Minde to see him so violently bent upon another Object Whereupon hee thus spake to Liante I marvell not at your beeing in Love for the Subject deserves it But your Jealousie put 's my senses beyond all temper for I pray what occasion have I ever given you to doubt of my Fidelity Observe Liante how far my Friendship extends if you had but said to mee Iphigenes I would not have you look upon such a Lady although her Image were ne're so deeply ingraven in my Soul I would tear it away or pluck the Eyes out of my head if they were so rash as to cast but one glance upon her I am sure if I had brought your's to this test it would not have indured the touch and you would defend your disobedience by the advantages that Love who is but a Child possesseth or'e those Spirits that are subjected to his Empire See Liante how I surpass you in all things and which is as much to your shame as my honour in the Prerogatives of Friendship which is vainly reported to equalize Friends since you are inferiour to me by so many degrees that you dare not think in my favor what I would willingly execute for your Consideration What imagination possesseth your mind do you think to make Amiclea love you against her will Certainly you understand very ill the motions of Love which have no other foundation but the Liberty of choosing and therefore it is called Dilection as if one should say an inclination of Election And you are very ignorant of the humour of Ladies who like shadowes do usually follow those that flie
times that it is as impossible for mee to lodge Liante in my Heart as displace you you continue deaf to my Complaints yet you would have mee be exorable to his you are too blame to condemn mee for a fault which you authorize in your self and perswade mee by your words what your Example disswade's For if you will not receive mee into your Affection for some weak reasons wherewith you oppose my importunities why should not I defend my self from his alliance for many good and powerfull ones which I have so often inculcated to you I know not with what Antipathy Nature hath imbued my Soul against him but however I strive to compell my humonr I can see nothing in him that pleases mee And what probability is there then that I should render my self to the violence whereby he pretends to force me to a consentment He deceive's himself if he think 's to win me that way For in stead of attracting my affection he will incense my hatred But in dâ—sobliging hee hath obliged me for by letting me understand his jealous dâ—sposition before I was any way ingaged to him he give 's me timely warning not to contraot my self to a Man from whom I can expect nothing but Tyranny What He styles me His Mistris yet he would ah easy treat me like a slive and impose upon me Lawes not according to Reason but his humour If he desire 's that I should participate of that ardour which he saye's he indure's for me Doth he not see by that foolish rule that he will oblige me to cherish all those that shall but seem to Love me Hee would have me Love him but not you indeed a pertinent injunction if hee conceit 's that hee deserve's Love more than you why will he constrain my Liberty Have not I more reason to desire him not to Love me in regard I have no inclination to him and suffer me to Honour you since I Love not my own thoughts but when they entertain Me with the agreeable Representation of your Merits Doth he think thus to inthrall the Liberties of Persons who are nothing inferiour to himself and already take upon him the severe Authority of an imperious Husband in stead of keeping himself in the respects of an observant Lover I know not whence can proceed those thoughts neither if hee should perswade himself that his services ought to oblige me to be his do I know that he hath rendered me any so remarkeable as deserve my Liberty for recompence If his Sighs his Tears and Complaints which are as many importunities to me are taken for current payment it is not at the rate of such slight things and which are but Water and Winde that I will purchase to my self a slavery He hath often told me that his Life depended so upon the possession of me that without it he should die but I do so abhor him since I have discovered his humour that I will rather marry a Grave than ingage my Faith to him But said Iphigenes since hee love's you so excessively you cannot without ingratitude do less than give him your Heart in exchange for his which hee hath remitted into your hands I cannot give an Heart that is not mine answered Amiclea and what Friendship soever there is betwixt you take that from you which is your's by my Free-gift to give it him it is easier for mee to return him his own which I never entertain'd though he offered it often or at least intreate him to take it again and bestow it on some other Subject more fit than I am to support his Tyrannies You know replyed Iphigenes that the Law of Gentlemen permit's not any generous Spirits to play the supplanters to their Friends and that Liante beeing the first pretender to your Service I may not imbrace that Designe untill hee hath quitted it or that you have quite broken with him As for the first said Amiclea it depend's on him and I know not hee is so obstinate in his own mischief whether hee will let go that which hee hold's but by imagination The second is fully resolved on for my part For I have desired him so many times not to importune mee any more with his Tears and Sighs that I know not what pleasure hee take's to Shipwrack his Vowes so often against a Rock that laugh's at his Disasters In a word whatsoever You can say or Hee do I will never bee his in Body nor Minde I have not so little courage but that I know the way to set a period to my Life when I shall perceive it worse than a thousand Deaths After divers other Speeches to the same effect Iphigenes said Madam let mee intreat you to quit that resolution so cruell to him and so unpleasing to mee Unpleasing to mee out of the sorrow I conceive because I cannot answer your Affection as I would And cruell to him because I know if this newes come's to his Ears it will bee the message of Death Imagine you with what perplexities the afflicted Liante heard from the Mouth of his Mortall Goddess the sentence of his condemnation with what reproches did hee not charge her Severity in his Minde yet hee loved her ne're the less on the contrary her Cruelty and Ingratitude like two whet-stones sharpened his Passion and rendered it more fervent At length beeing no longer able to sustein the violence of his distemper contrary to the promise hee had made Iphigenes not to appear hee left his Post in fury and his Eyes overflowed with Teares and his Heart swell'd with Sobb's hee cast himself at Amiclea's feet at the same instant as shee had taken Iphigenes Hand and was raising it to to her Lips This Action with the discourse hee heard had almost transported him beyond the bounds of respect At last having obtained some truce of his Passion hee disburthened his mind in these words Since after so many fruitless Sighs for having been the faithfullest of Lovers I am paid with ingratitude by one whose Heart I never thought capable of such a Vice and for having offended the Heavens by honouring too religiously a Creature I feele the punishment of my Idolatry in her disowning mee Since the Respects and Services which I have rendered her are held Offences Since I am betray'd by him in whom I reposed my greatest confidence and despised by her whom I esteemed most what do I more in this Life unless it bee to prolong the insolences of Fortune who is never weary of persecuting mee Cruell AMICLEA more hard than the Rocks more deaf than the Sea less exorable than Death finish finish thy work pierce with the point of this blade offering her his Poniard this wretched Body which thou so hatest and send away that Soul which is so importunate and irksome to thee I shall esteem this last Office an Act of Pitty and to make appear that thy disdain is less supportable to mee than Death thou shalt see mee honour the Effect of
Here Tears Weakness and Grief stopped the passage of his voyce and hee fell into a Traunce out of which it cost some time to recover him Imagine you how Boleslaüs was afflicted seeing him in so great Extremities and knowing so little whence proceeded this indisposition At length having settled his dear Nursling in a little better temper as well of Bodie as Minde and desiring him to let him understand the ground of his Disease Father said Iphigenes Let mee die in silence and do you onely have a care of that Honour after my Death whereof you have been so jealous during my Life The discreet old Man knowing with whom hee was to deale and that Iphigenes loved not to bee press't feined to resolve to die with him as not having the Heart to behold the Day after the loss of him whose consideration made him love its light Iphigenes moved with Pitty at the old Man's tenderness to hinder him from dying seemed to re-affect the desire of Living and to unload his Heart of that sad burthen which oppress 't it hee took the pains to relate him every particular that had passed since his imprisonment and how hee had voluntarily made himself bee taken as is already mentioned By which Discourse Boleslaüs seeing cleer to the bottom of his Soul and reading there the Cause of his distemper Take courage said hee we shall not die of this sickness if wee will be ruled by good advice Father answered Iphigenes when things are desperate it is no time to consult but to suffer It will be easier and better for mee to die since I am already so neer it than re-enter into a thousand Deaths by recovering my Health Liante's Heart beeing dead to mee I have nothing more to do in this mortall Life After Boleslaüs had used diverse arguments to perswade Iphigenes to banish the ingratefull Liante out of his thoughts as unworthy of the favour of his Affection Hee answered Father do not increase my torment with vilifying him whom my Soul honoureth For notwithstanding all your allegations and his unkinde usage I cannot divert the inclinations of my Heart nor change the resolution of Loving him but by losing my Life Therefore if you love mee as I have no reason to doubt and if you will oblige mee to love you yet more if it bee possible I beseech you go without delay to him and conjure him not to flie from Iphigenes who would seeke and run after him if his Sickness did not fetter him Tell him that if I had contracted with him but a common acquaintance Civility would oblige him to visit mee much more since hee is cause of this extremity whereunto I am reduced Tell him I quit him of the Promise hee made mee to restore mee my Liberty when I committed my self into his hands That I will not constrein him to quit Amiclea That I will rather take upon mee the care of solliciting against my self his Marriage with her And that hee would vouchsafe onely to see mee and close my Eyes that with the favour of Heaven I may likewise die in his Hereunto I pray good Father study no Excuses nor Replyes if you desire that I should Live Boleslaüs who knew the Palatine's humour promised a punctuall performance of his commands adding for his comfort that by the long experience hee had of Liante's Disposition hee doubted not to render him more flexible and sensible of his torment And then having dexterously taken his time Dear Child said hee since you have so changed into Nature this Love that it is become an accident inseparable to your Beeing by undertaking to preserve your Life I will also aym at the preservation of your affection and since I finde you cannot live content without Liante I must use some invention to reduce that Heart into your power At these words you would have thought Iphigenes had been raised again out of the Grave or at least that hee resembled a dainty Flower too much beaten with the Sun's Rayes which re-take's new vigour by the coolness of the Dew In a word Iphigenes was a Woman and among so many Heroick vertues which shee possess 't the Naturall inclination of that Sex to curiosity could not bee extinguished in Her The subtle Senior perceiving it made himself bee intreated a while at length after many circumstances hee said Child it is no time to spare when a Man is come to the last penny of his stock The last thing wee must do in this World is to die to prevent that Check and prolong that fatall hour nothing ought to be left unattempted When you would have discovered your self to Liante in the Forrest of Plocens you were pressed onely with a temptation Now you are constrained by necessity You will say that the remedy is not yet in season and that it will be the ruine of your Fortunes If you die your Fortunes will be otherwise lost after Death Physick is of no use You will alledge this remedy is very hard to digest and I will answer you that pain is cured by pain there is no Medicine but is unpleasant yet to avoid Death you must neither spare searing nor incisions You will reply that the apple is now much less ripe than at that time in regard Liante is filled with Gall not inflamed with Love then I must tell you that to quench a Fire People carry Water and Diseases are cured by their contraries It is now time or never to open Liante's Eyes and make him see how much hee is to be blamed for entertaining any suspicious or jealous thought of you Nature having opposed the obstacles you know of to the pretensions which hee believ's you have for Amiclea In summe I will manage this discovery with such circumspection that there can arrive no dammage to you For in sparing you the shame of telling it the onely Subject of all your Sorrow I will leave you in the power of denying that truth and rendring ridiculous those that should offer to mention it At first I will sound Liante by Enigma's Circumlocutions and Figures and according as I shall find him bite at that bait I shall know how to draw him to the Bank but before I unveile the whole Mystery to him I will oblige him by such horrible Oaths to keep it secret that if hee should have a desire to reveale it hee cannot without fearing a punishment of Thunder from the Hand of the King of Heaven All this Discourse was so many words of Life to the distressed Iphigenes and if an Angell had spoken to him hee could not have heard him with more joy and attention than hee did Boleslaüs Then prick't with curiosity saying But how The old Man stop't his Mouth with this answer A Man must never say I will doe this or I will say that and in such a manner I will conduct my Design by reason of the incertainty of Events and the obscurities wherein the Future is involved But when things have had a
Oyl go out So Fortunes that are too vast commonly come to nothing That queasy stomacks ought not to bee overcharg'd with Meat nor weak-braines with much Wine That the Fabrick ought to bee proportionable to the Foundation lest it should fall to the ground by it's own weight That this were to set a Statue of Gold and Silver upon a Pedestall of Clay and expose him to the fury of all the Grandee's jealousies in stead of sheltering him from their rages And for his last Reason hee reserved his Marriage with Modestina after which hee having concluded with the humblest supplications and the most indearing Conjurations hee could invent to turn away that tempest from him The King answered gravely in these words That all his Reasons were full of Humility Modesty Fidelity and Prudence but yet they ought to submit to his Command That such was his Will which hee could not resist without Crime That it was the Propriety of Kings and the greatest point of their resemblance to God to raise the poor out of the Mud and place them among the Princes and most considerable Persons of their Kingdoms Otherwise the Little ones would never become Great and the wheele of Fortune would remain without motion That Vertues were more desirable and estimable than Birth and since they made the first Nobility and that by them in the beginning of Monarchies were seated upon Thrones those that had most merit it was but reasonable to prefer them before Scepters and Diadems That his Sister's minde was but too well known to him who besides that shee was ready to submit in all things to his Will had a particular inclination to him which made her desire that Marriage That in stead of beeing abased shee would esteem her self exalted and in stead of losing her glory by that alliance shee would communicate her splendour to him That had it been in his Power to have given him a part of his Kingdome hee would have done it as a testimony of his affection and gratitude But having no Crown more illustrious than that of his Blood hee had determined to give him the Infanta Florimunda with means sufficient to maintain so honourable a Consanguinity That this Match in stead of exposing to would exempt him from the Malice of his Enviers by the same reason as the Stars are exempted from Eclipses by their elevation and distance from the Earth That during his Reign hee ought not to fear any retrogradation or Declining of Fortune in regard Hee was a Prince that did not take pleasure in destroying his own Creatures besides the assurance his opinion gave him that Iphigenes by the Prudence of his conduct would give his Sovereign no such occasion That Hee would so establish him that after his decease no power of Polonia should bee able to diminish his Grandeurs As for his Marriage with Modestina hee replied that it was declared void by a Breviat sent from Rome to the Arch bishop of Gnesna to be notified in publick which having been procured by the Princess Respicia should serve for the Infanta Florimunda The King ended his Speech with Such is our absolute WILL and PROPER MOTION which are tearms so sovereign and sacred that the Oath of the fabulous Deities by the River Styx was not more inviolable The Queen added hereunto her perswasions mingled with intreaties such certain testimonies of the Infanta's affection to Iphigenes that it plainly appeared to proceed as much from the Princesse's own solliciting as their Majesties deliberation Insomuch that the fair Palatine was inforced to yeild to so many sweetly imperious violences and receive with acknowledgements full of modest bashfulness what hee could not refuse without highly offending their Majesties and irritating the Infanta beyond hope of Pardon Neither had hee been so indiscreet if Nature had not opposed to that eminent Fortune the obstacles you already know Which hee was even ready to declare to the King and Queen But considering that shee how great soever in Dignity was yet of that Sex to which Prudence forbid's the revealing of any secret without deliberation hee forbore reserving that manifestation to the King only whose authority and advise hee intended to implore for the effecting of his intentions The Queen was no sooner gone forth but shee met the Infanta who was as impatient to know the result of their Mediation as the other was to tell her it whereof Florimunda conceived such joy as cannot bee comprehended but by a full-ripe Virgin who receive's an assurance of marrying him whom shee love's with passion After the Queen's departure lest the rumour of his marriage with the Infanta should bee noised about the Court Iphigenes judged it requisite to squeeze the Scorpion upon the wound and apply speedily the remedy to that growing mischief So having beseeched the King to give him a private Audience wherein hee promised to discover the most marvellous History hee ever yet had heard Hee related him that of his Birth Sex Education Elevation Progress Fortune and unparalel'd affection to Liante in summe hee concealed nothing from his Master of all the remarkable passages expressed in this Narration and at the close of his recitall casting himself at his feet imbracing and kissing them and washing them with his tears hee humbly besought His Majesty to look on him as his poor and unworthy Creature and dispose of his Fortune according to his good pleasure The King's astonishment at this strange Story can less bee described than a flash of Lightning or the Sun shine bee represented in painting His admiration was such that hee remained a long while without beeing able to speak but with his Eyes which were fixt with much amiableness upon Iphigenes This first assault wanted not much of converting his Amitre into Amorousness and making his Favorite become not his Master but his Mistris Yet His Majestic's old Age which invited him to Temperance his singular affection to the Queen who reigned over his Heart by her Vertues as much as hee ovâ—◠〈◊〉 Subjects by his authority the Fear hee had of resuscitating her Jealousie and making her believe as truths her former suspicions together with the long practise and deep rooting his Soul had taken in Piety and Moderation suppressed the impetuosity of his desires But nothing bridled him more powerfully than the extraordinary Modesty hee had alwayes observed in Iphigenes knowing that to bee a Rock against which all unjust pretentions would suffer Shipwrack Besides reading at that same instant in that lovely Face such chaste Characters and so severe a sweetness as stifled in their Birth all licentious imaginations In this occurrence it would bee an injustice to conceale the due praises of that Prince who made a Buckler of vertue against the weapons which Love hidden within Iphigenes Eyes treacherously darted against his Heart But to deny that the affection which rendered Iphigenes his Favorite was much increased by the discovery of his condition cannot bee without taking from so vertuous a
overspread her Cheeks and her attire had such conformity with that which Virgenia wore when shee was brought into the Palace together with the favour of the Time Place and Shadiness of the Chamber that no body could know her on the sodain for Iphigenes there was not one but had his Eyes dazled at the splendour of so rare a Beauty and not one Soul in the whole Company so Envious as not to confess seeing those two Lovers that they were as the happiest so the handsomest Couple in the World Mieslas was the first couzened Insomuch that hee cryed out alowd hee did not think hee had been Father of so beautifull a Daughter What think you Madam said the King turning to the Queen were it not an impiety for a Father to disown so admirable a Daughter Shee seem's to mee an Angell rather answered the Queen and that shee hath more reason to acknowledge the Heaven for her Father than Mieslas Indeed said Florimunda it were great Pitty that such a Jewell should be hidden hence-forwards this Lady will be one of the richest Ornaments of the Court That 's evident replied the King and Liante shall do well to be carefull of her for if so many Ladies were inamoured of her Brother her penetrating glances will ingender no less flames in diverse Courtier 's Hearts The Royall Chamber seemed at that time like a Serene Heaven wherein their Majesties were the greater Lights the others the meaner Planets as the Infanta Florimunda Modestina the Princess Respicia Amiclea Melindra and poore Oloria quite Eclipsed But what Rank can wee give to the fair IPHIGENIA unless it bee that of the Planet that bear 's the Name of the Goddess which causeth Love When Oloria saw that glorious Star shee would have hidden herself from her own Eyes The changing of her Colour shewed sufficiently the distemper of her thoughts but all the Assembly was so attentive in contemplating the incomparable IPHIGENIA that no body took notice of her alterations Shee confess 't her self vanquished by that eminent Beauty therein shee read the cause of Liante's scorns whom in her Heart shee called Traitor for having spoken of Affection to her beeing prepossessed with that Object Shee had nothing left to support her senses in that Despair but this sorry consolation that her Sister Was as much excalled in Beauty as Shee surpassed her in handsomness At length shee excused her unfaithfull Lover as having made a choyce so worthy of his Judgement that shee herself was constain'd to approve it The Queen having for some time held her Eyes attentively fixed on IPHIGENIA'S Face turned to Florimunda saying Sister by the Life of the King my Lord I do not think it is possible to finde through the whole World two Faces more like than those of the Brother and the Sister There is but one Letter's difference in their Names but in their Faces I finde not the least tittle of exception and if Iphigenes were in Women's cloaths I believe we should hardly be able to distinguish them Iphigenes hearing this Discourse notwithstanding the gravity and modest bashfulness wherewith hee had studiously composed his Conntenance could not refrain smiling but with so pleasing a grace as obliged the Infanta to reply Madam There is no difference but in their action For Iphigenes hath I know not what of Martiall in his Face but this Lady hath a certain sofclier look so full of attraction that her sweetness charm's me What Philosophicall severity would not have changed countenance at these Speeches The King had all the pain imaginable to contein himself seeing so universall an Errour Then the Infanta speaking again to the Queen said Madam do's not your Majesty perceive that this Nymph Almeris whom Iphigenes hath chosen for his Wife excepting her complexion which is somewhat tauny by beeing much exposed to the Sun hath some resemblance to Liante I did think so replied the Queen but not to interrupt the King who was speaking I forbore declaring of my sense The King who made a shew of not hearing this Discourse knew that artificiall things like Paint are but of little durance and if hee should differ the discovery of that Secret much longer hee should lose the pleasure of his Stratagem For hee overheard already the Palatine's three friends Pomeran Pisides and Argal saying to each other Would not you say that were Serife I must confess I never saw any Sister so perfectly a Brother Clemencia hearing the high praises every Spectator gave to the perfections of her Naturall Sister would willingly have quitted the quality of Legitimate to have possessed so eminent a Beauty and a secret worm of Envy gnawing her Heart made her conceit that the extolling of Iphigenia's graces was the eclypsing of her's The Prince Cassin who could have wished to himself as many Eyes as the Poëts gave Argus the better to contemplate IPHIGENIA could not forbear saying that Liante was the happiest of Men. As many Heads as many Opinions as many Mouths as many Censures Onely poor Aretuza dreading the success of this adventure was like one that hold's the Porringer whilest the Surgeon is opening his Vein the Cruelty of Mieslas swam in her Fancy his inhumane humour dazled her Eyes with terrour and although shee was in the King's Court a sacred and inviolable Sanctuary and under his protection yet shee trembled like a Pigeon that see 's a Gerfaulcon neer him LIANTE and IPHIGENIA beeing contracted the King promised Mieslas to pay his Daughter's Dowry and gratifie Liante with such pensions and Honours as hee should not grudge to leave him the use of his Estate during Life ordeining that the first Male-Child that should proceed of that Marriage should bear the Name and Arms of the house of Mieslas and the rest Liante's All the Ceremony beeing past the Queen and Florimunda according to the ordinary curiosity of great Ladies would have had Iphigenia come neer them that they might examine her Beauties and make triall of her Wit But the King who knew that Gold would not indure the Touch commanded Boleslaüs to re-conduct the new Contracted Couple into his Closet untill hee should give order for their coming forth together with the former like the four wheeles of a Triumphant Chariot Which done beating the Iron while it was hot and not to give leisure to the assistants of discoursing and communicating their Opinions having prepared their attentions by promising to tell them one of the strangest Evenements any Age had produced upon the Theater of the World hee related summarily the History of the Birth Education and Fortune of Iphigenes with the principall Passages already declared in this Narration And then turning to Mieslas Behold said hee Seigneur Palatine the memorable Marvell your Rigour hath produced are not you happy to have brought into the World a Daughter that surpasseth so many Men in Valour and Generosity and so many Women in Beauty And let mee tell you if for preserving this Miracle of Nature you should