incite their generous spirits stirred vp the most religious princes to carry the Croisaide esteeming it no lesse glory to raise the tropheys of the crosse on the frontiers of Egipt then did Alexander by erecting two altars in the vtmost confines of the Indyes Hercules two pillars on the bounds of his nauigation It was desired this enterprise might haue a Commander capable for the conduct of a roiall army and to returne victorious Andrew king of Hungary Transiluania by a common consent was chosen out for this charge which he accepted with that content wherewith the heartes of great Princes are euer possessed when they meete with occasions which free them from parity or corriuallship with others It could not fall into better hands although in the pursuites of ambition great honours willingly submitt to those who goe slowest as the Hart many tymes yields himselfe to the man that least chased him Hauing then taken away all affections from his owne will to become obedient to that which God discouered vnto him by this election he mustred all the forces of his kingdome and thereunto added those of his neighbours to ioyne with the Christian Army at Constantinople He left the Princes his sonnes vnder the charge of the Queene his wife indeed all of them together vnder the prudence fidelity of the Count of Bankban whom hee made Lieutenant Generall in high low Hungary His absence caused great griefe in his Court but the arriuall of the prince brother to the Queene sweetned them that so they might be seasoned with a strange bitternesse He was of an age wherein lust begins to warre against vertue where with Hercules was forcibly assailed by attraction of the one to forsake the other His heart was a fortresse which as yet had neuer receiued garrison hee hauing preserued it in the first liberty of its birth-Loue surprised it by gayning the eyes which were the sentinells He sawe among the Ladies of Court attending on the Queene his sister the Countesse of Banckban He iudged her the fairest found her one of the wisest Her beauty was not an vncomly hostesse in an handsome house For she obeyed vertue which held it in propriety neuertheles fell into discord with her honour Loue against her liking with out her consent made vse of her eyes for all manner of artillery They were fires to burne arrowes to wound burning mirrours to turne the vessells of those into cinders who vndertooke to sayle on this sea of the Courte loue Yet neuer durst he attempt this Minerua it being impossible to finde her idle The prince who ever had beene for him selfe was now for her so soone as euer he beheld her This passion forcing with its violence those things which cannot be inforced commaunded its liberty to manifest its seruitude He thought himselfe too couragious not to tell her of it her too courteous not to hearken to it Princes though all things stand faire for them are not free from trouble in these first circumstances for indeede they thinke ceremonies are not made but for such as are on equall termes if they vse them they vould haue them accounted an honour that their intreatyes may commaund that noe fauour be so great which they must not buy at a costly rate The torment of the prince which should be lesse cruell discouered then concealed redoubled the violence there of so soone as his tongue had vnfolded to the Countesse the euill which his eyes had done to his heart For this first view which was but a single desire became all loue by these approaches he tourned into fury an vniust conspiracy against her honour The Countesse in stead of accepting the power which the Prince offered her ouer his heart made it appeare vnto him she neither regarded his suite nor affection though it were the most ardent which true loue might tender to a heart well beloued and that hers could not receiue any impression then of the lawfull loue of her husband The Prince meeting with such soe couragious resistance despayring to ouercome this resolution discouered to his Sister all the woundes of his soule found noe comfort but in her affection who shewed her selfe not insensible of his torment We haue often seene seruants who haue betrayed their Mistresses but it is a prodigious thing when we behould seruants betrayed by their mistresses Shee conspired in fauour of the Prince her Brother against the honour of the Countesse and promised him to gaine her to his desire either by loue or force The next ensueing night the conspiracy was executed the body vanguished the heart inuincible There was but one night betweene this iniury the reuenge which transported the Count of Banckban in to such furie that earlie in the morning he stab'd his dagger into the bosome of the Queene who had beē a bad Mistresse to be a good Sister Heere it is where humane iudgment must strike sayle and cast it selfe into the vast Ocean of those of the liuing God in comparison of which the most cleare seeing eyes are Owles in the rayes of the sunne Of one same mother were borne two Sisters Gertrude who turned away from the feare loue of God Hedwige whose life was so replenished with piety adorned with so many vertues that she hath beene canonized for a Saint Sorrowes violent vnexpected are not for simple discourses Those are not great which can be expressed This accident by some esteemed parricide by others iustice offended scandalized the whole Court layed incurable woundes on the Sowle of the Princesse Elizabeth but she for all that murmured not against God whose wisedome she adored with all humility hauing her eye in this mishap noe more troubled then her heart Time and patience which cure all disturbances nourished gaue increase to hers Shee not so much reflected on the death of the body as she entred into strange apprehensions for the health of the Soule The Count of Banckban hauing sett the affaires of the kingdome in good order his wife Family into safegard went to Constantinople to cast himselfe at the feete of the king making him both iudge auenger of the fact which hee confessed to haue committed by a powerfull instigation for the which he at the least much repented him Teares hastned in ayde of the words which sorrowe stopped in his breast Yet for all this amazement could not seyze on the kings heart If he in middest of armes shedd teares to vapour out his griefe by them the sorrowe to haue lost a good wife his children a good mother would make them to powre them out in aboundance He patiently heard the Count of Banckban and prudently aunswered that at his returne he would vnderstand the trueth of this matter That those who are present neuer want excuses the absent euer suffer wrong That he would heare his brother in lawe the allyes of his wife He sent him
backe againe to continue his seruice Although he were cōuinced by his owne confession that soe straunge an act required some exemplar punishment yet hee would not dishonour the happy beginnings of his voyage by acts of such seuerity nor leaue the army to retourne into Hungary The rendeuous was in Cyprus all the shippes arriued there It was aduised on what side the enemy should be assayled Particulier interest entreth into consultation with the principall of them The king of Cyprus desires it may be vpon on side He of Ierusalem hath designes vpon another The king of Hungary that knewe a Generall of an army ought to haue eyes in his shoulders to leaue nothing behind which might hinder him to proceede any further was of opinion the fortresse of Mount Thabor should bee besieged The Count of Tripoly diuerteth this resolution caused the Army to march before Damiatta hauing first attempted to surprise the Fort of Thabor where blowes were giuen and taken at so small a distance that the Infidells might see not onely flyes but euen the little Crosses which were vpon the Christians Targetts The king of Hungary seeing the enterprises were mannaged without iudgement that priuate passions ouerthrewe the best Counsells intended for the publique good that the most valiant stood more in neede of a Buckler then a sworde grewe into distast and hauing left among the knights of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem great proofes of his bounty as hee from them had receiued of their valour affection hee returned into Europe left the charge of his army to those who resembled the prouince in which they fought exteriourly hott as being one of the nearest to the torrid Zone within extreamely cold After a ten monthes siege the Christian army entred Damiata the first Standard which appeared on the wall was that of Florence which at that tyme was a white lilly in a red field The Conquerors for all their booty found nothing but rivers of bloud heapes of the dead for of seauenty thousand who defended this Citty there were reckoned vp but three thousand meager discomfited Creatures that looked like frightnig Ghostes The Christians kept not this Citty so long tyme as they had spent in taking it For besieging grand Cairo in the season when Nilus ouer floweth they sawe them selues soe assayled by waters that their victuall munition being drowned they could finde no safety but in a happy composition to depart yeild vp Damiata As Nilus tooke from them all meanes to drawe neare to the towne so the Sultan of Egipt cut them of from all passages of retreate Those who heretofore commaunded without condition are inforced to receiue lawe of the enemy who left them noe other fruit of their conquest but the shame not to bee able to keepe what they had gotten The king of Hungary who could not triumph ouer his enemyes in the holy land serued as a Trophey to the Princesse of Ferrara For passing through this Citty to Venice and from thence to Insprucke he sawe in her perfections of beauty so admirable wonders of loue so absolute that hee submitted all his affections to her power His eyes had no other obiect his fantasy no other imagination his minde no other discourse his heart no other conference his mouth no other name then of the Princesse His memory was so replenished with her meritt that it noe longer would admitt any thoughts of the tragicall death of his first wife Hee vnfolded his heart vnto her Saying his affection was such that hee was wholly vnable to stirre any further but to enioy the contentment of her company Kings are neuer refused Hee spake of it to the marquesse of Ferrara and intreated he would giue him the Princesse his daughter to succeede not to the vnhappinesse but to the dignity of Gertrude his first wife Hearts consenting bodyes were quickly vnited the King of Hungary entred into his kingdome with the sole triumph of the loue beauty of a worthy Princesse The first act after his mariage and returne was the processe against the Count of Banckban The opinions of his Counsell being better pondered then resolued hee was freed but in such sort that the rest of his life was to him but a liuing death for those who either through duty affection were obliged to the memory honour of the Queene prosecuted him in his person his fortune and his family as an execrable parricide yea euen they who had promised the king neuer to search any further into the matter redoubled their prosecution thinking oathes might be broken without periury and benefitts forgotten without ingratitude to maynteyne points of honour The king who for the loue of the liuing had allmost blotted out the memorie of the dead disposed his thoughts to congratulations of ioy vpon the Queenes entrance into his capitall Citty of Bude which was at that tyme the theater of Northern magnificence a City faire rich great bearing the surname of Attilaes brother who caused it to be built on the banck of Danubius This ioy which soe puffed vp many hearts shrunck vp with sorrowe the heart of the Princesse Elizabeth who was sent for by the king her father to entertayne the Queene and to augment by her presence the comfort of his returne from the Eastern warres Shee inforced her selfe accommodated the temper of her countenance to the humours contentments of the king her father but in secret she still had in store new teares to bewayle this old griefe for the death of her mother It is not vntruely sayd that one sorrowe ordinarily serues as a medicine for an other she stayed not long in Marpurg but returned thence to meete the Landtsgraue her husband at which tyme her constancy was assayled by a newe affliction Death iealous of the long peace and concord of their mariage conspired with fortune to separate them and not daring to vndertake it without the helpe of vertue they agreed to adde an occasion in the pursuite whereof it was more glorious to dye then to liue in distance All Europe was terrifyed with the happy successe of the Infidell army in Egipt The Emperour Frederick Barbarossa who had maryed the daughter of the king of Hierusalem was humbly besought intreated togeather with all the Christian Princes to succour the Christians He appointed a great part of them to meete at Cremona there to aduise vpon meanes to secure the affaires of Christendome against the attempts of Pagans and to Saue Hierusalem from their tiranny All sayed they must hasten thither but fewe were willing to be present in soe perilous and tedious a voyage The Landtsgraue animated them all to soe holy a warre and offered himselfe to followe the Emperour thither He was reputed able to leade the wholl Armye to be Generall of it The king of Hierusalem pressed so much to haue it sett forward least delay might render it vnprofitable that the Lādtsgraue being inforced to depart had
that they taught even kings themselues to liue Though she were yong she made her selfe deafe indocible to all discourse but of heaven she could not be drawne out of Churches beginning early to purify her heart from all earthly thoughts as gould is cleansed from drosse of the mine Then did her gouernesse tell her the world was not worthy of her that she was not made for the world that her loue not vnlike the supreame elemēt suffered not by Vapours nor those infectiōs which corrupt others When she was of riper yeares she framed vnto her selfe a rule of life wholly pious and deuout nor was it by precedent or imitation as there are many who haue noe other touch of vertue and piety then conformity of example but vpon her owne choyce the mere motion of the grace of God Her exercise was entirely religious so soone as she awaked the first thought her soule admitted which swayed throughout the whole day was the remembrance of death then rysing out of bed she represented vnto her selfe the comfort infinite ioy of those who at the sound of the trumpet shall rise againe to glory As many pieces of attire as she putt on so many vertues wished she for the beauty and ornament of her soule When she was cloathed she prostrated her selfe at the feete of a Crucifixe renewing the homage of her heart to the goodnesse of God giuing thankes for his benefitts imploring his mercy for her sinnes his holy spiritt for her direction protesting rather to dy then to loose his fauour the very life of her life As in the morning she meditated on that she was to doe soe in the euening she required an account of her soule of what she had done she often fed it with the blessed Sacrament the bread of Angells the Manna of heauen the restoratiue of life the soueraine remedy against death the admirable proofe of the loue of God towards men Who notwithstanding in stead of yeilding him thankes for so great a benefitt receiued do now dispute whether it be true that he gaue it All the day long she stood vpon her guard against the subtile snares of the world from which she sought to disengage her selfe she auerted her eyes aswell as her thoughts from all illusions keeping her selfe very carefullie from tasting the honey of pleasures vanityes of Court more daungerous then that which bewitcheth men If at any tyme she approached it was but as the fly which buzzeth about feares to rest vpon it least he loose his wings The marriage treated in her childhood was confirmed at such tyme as discretion made her capable of choice or refusall but it was done with so much coldnesse that many thought if she had not imagined the dispose of her body was due to her father shee no whit had feared to disobey him to pursue the holy inspirations which she now intertayned of continuing a virgin Of three conditions of the feminine sexe there is not any one whose contentmēt hath not anxiety If marriage haue fruitfullnes it hath also corruption If widowhood enioy liberty it likewise suffers the sadnes of solitude If virginity put on integrity it liueth with the griefe of sterility But Elizabeth better loued to liue a virgin then a mother and hauing dedicated all her thoughts to virginity she held it sacriledge to employ them on marriage well remembring that many of her quality had gone out of the pallaces of kings their fathers not being able to preserue this flower among the thornes bryars of worldlie vanityes the nipping frosts of its impietyes Transported then by two so powerfull lawes the commaundement of God authority of her father she gaue consent to this match The Landtsgraue brought with him as many graces as he acknowledged admired in her she likewise afforded him so much affection that neuer were two hearts scorched with more ardent flames It was thought her marriage might cut of something of the first seuerity of her life and that she would begin to relish the pleasures of youth But her heart like a lampe perpetuallie burning before the face of God shined not at all in the darknes of the brightest splendour of the day Her eyes were wearie in behoulding things specious her eares displeased with harmonious her tast with the most delicious but her heart was neuer satiated with the loue of God This her triangle could neuer bee filled but by this triangle She stole the sweetest houres of the night from repose to ly at the foote of the Crosse tast the bitternes thereof in the security of silence Sophia her mother in lawe Agnes her sister in lawe coniured her to forsake her scrupulosity And will you Madame said they perpetuallie vse your selfe so cruelly Will you alwaies preferre thornes before roses Will you be so sharp an enemy to your selfe as to hasten your death at the tyme when you ought to thinke vpon life Since life is so short that if the world be not seasonablie vnderstood wee dy before wee knowe it Her silence answeared for her and her constant perseuerance gaue them occasiō to iudge what they might hope from such discourse She cōtinued this kinde of life amidst all these impertinences but auoided those deuotions more faigned then holy which seeme to transport into extasy the mindes of those which vse them to please the world to satisfy their owne hipocrisy They are starres neither stable nor fixed in the firmament of true piety rather wandring fires Comets exhalations of the earth which dissolue into the ayre of vanity The Court of this Princesse likewise resembled not those which were at that tyme said to be seas of dissolution and which as the Sea were swolne vp with pride foaming with exorbitance where vertue was perpetuallie in torment Hers was a temple of piety an Academy of honour her example perfumed the most corrupted ayre and breathed into the most wauering affections firme thoughts of virtue with one glaunce of her eye she led the rest along and withdrew them from errour which inticeth heartes to pleasure hath its carreere of Ice in the end a precipice Her ladyes and maides were bred without curiosity vanity or nicenesse Their eyes by a modest disdaine mortifyed euill appetites And because the best borne natures by deprauation become worse then others as the corruption of good things is worst of all she had an infinite care this first integrity might neuer be dissolued For which cause she exhorted them to hold the heart in liberty the body in seruitude and the conscience in repose assuring them of the infinite contentment they should one day haue in seeing their sowles in heauen free from slaunder leauing their bodyes on the earth without infamy She recommended nothing so much vnto them as to stifle wicked thoughts in their birth whilest the bramble is greene it may be eaten but when it becomes bigger it choketh When the spirit is caught in those