the Vice-Queen whom I then thought to have written in good earnest I saw nothing in this Lady but what pleased me extreamly and to speak the truth it was the sole moment I may be said to have forgot the fair Eleanor since I loved her She was in a loose dress but handsom and rich beyond expression I had not seen the like at Court and knew not what to think the Richness of the furniture as well as her dress declaring her to be a Lady of no ordinary quality but I was very much perplext to guess who she was I made up to her and spoke and the amorous impatience I had to know her not permitting the use of much Ceremony towards the Lady that stay'd for me I put my knee to the Ground and laying hold on one of her fair hands which she allowed me to kiss It was but reason Madam said I I should have languished all this day as I have done who could not expect this happiness without being put to the pain at least of longing for it I looked for an answer in hopes to know the voice but she said not a word I intreated her to ease me of the pain she might believe I was in and that if she resolved not to be seen she would however vouchsafe to speak to me that where I was directed to bring a heart of love I hoped to see a Lady that had Beauty and Wit that as yet she had only moved my curiosity but if she meant to reach my heart I must see her As I spoke thus I perceived her laugh which gave me the boldness to lift up her hood She put back my hand but so weakly I thought it would not displease her to press a little further there were but we two in the Room her Confident having doubtless received Orders to withdraw and I was ready to put her to the squeak when at last she threw off her hood But how was I surpriz d to see 't was the Vice-Queen Well Sir says she blushing will you be content with your good fortune And will it not be presumption in me to fancy my self capable to make you forget all other Beauties I answered her more like a Gallant than a Lover she was satisfi'd however and without ingaging further in the relation of a discourse of which you may guess the consequence I will tell you only that having spent two or three hours in her company I return'd to my lodging the way I came and she to the Palace I saw her on the morrow and our Correspondence held for some time but cur'd not my passion Her Son with whom I had particular as well as general reasons to maintain a fair Correspondence exprest more friendship for me than I could have wisht he was not content to make me the Confident of his affection but imploy'd me to speak for him to the fair Eleanor expecting more benefit from the Intercession of such a Friend than any addresses of his own I did and you have doubtless heard from her she let me understand I should speed better in speaking for my self than for him 't was then I thought my self the most unfortunate of men for believing so easily what the Vice-Queen had said to me whose conduct convinc'd me sufficiently how far she concern'd her self in my business I design'd that moment to abandon her favour and give my self up intirely to my first passion but to prevent the trouble I might expect from the Vice Queen if she knew it I thought fit to dissemble a little and disingage my self by degrees without declaring on the sudden for Eleanor I observed the best I could the measures I had taken but 't is a difficult matter to conceal a passion from a jealous and a witty Woman The Vice-Queen perceived my relapse before I made Eleanor acquainted with it she punished my Apostacy with a thousand reproaches which were seconded with tears and I the better to manage her pretended a firm Re-ingagement to her But what will not a slighted Lady do or what more dangerous than a jealous Woman I was thenceforward more curious of seeing and speaking with the beautiful Eleanor and avoided the occasions of being found in her company while the Vice-Queen was by but all to no purpose the Vice-Queen knew all and so well discern'd what was true from what was feigned that she guessed exactly right of the privatest of my thoughts One day as I walked with her in the Garden she told me we had both lost time to no purpose I inforceing my self against my Inclination to pretend continuance of affection for her and she endeavouring to make me love though against my will That she saw well enough what I now did was but the effect of my civility to a Lady of her quality who had exprest kindness for me But 't was time to put an end to our pain and to satisfie me she intended it she assured me she would no longer oppose my Inclination and that I would believe it upon the Confession she made me that I might expect from Eleanor not only a kind reception but something of love yet I put no great confidence in all these good words as coming from a party too lyable to suspicion But when by an Excess of goodness she added that to convince me she was more my Friend than I could imagine she would contribute more than any other to my satisfaction and procure a Letter from the Viceroy to Eleanor's Father to perswade him to consent I should have his Daughter I was so transported with joy I could not forbear making her very large acknowledgements She told me I should see by the answer to that Letter what good Service she had done me She did as she promised and after the Letter she procured from the Viceroy I doubted not of being compleatly happy in few days The news was confirmed by the beautiful Eleanor and I had the pleasure to see her glad of it as I was nothing troubled me then but the slow pace of time The Viceroy had sent an express to Genes but the Courier was scarce got a Horse-back but I wish'd him return'd every moment seemed a year by my longing and impatience the only pleasure I had was the time I was in Eleanor's company who assur'd on her part of the success of the Viceroy's Recommendation who had great Interest with her Father and sensible of the pain I was in to have the matter confirmed had not the power to deny my passion the favour of a visit which I begged I might make her having engaged my self to her with all the promises and oaths to be expected on such an occasion from a Lover belov'd The assignation was made and her Chamber agreed for the place of Rendezvous Pardon me my dear Assen for fetching a sigh at the remembrance of that day which should have been a time of love and of joy but was the most dismal and unfortunate of my life Night was
more to desire or fear they then throw off their Masks and abandon themselves to all manner of Dissoluteness I could give a great many Examples of this but you will find enough in the Roman History if you will take the Pains to read it Belise You see Dorante that I have reserv'd the difficultest part for you according to my mind seeing it now lies upon you to tell us by what reasons the Salic Law could exclude Women from succeeding their Fathers and deprive them of what Nature allowed them Dorante It troubles me Madam that I am not so sensible of the Honour you do me and to tell you that the Salic Law had an admirable foresight in this third part which you condemn If this Kingdom should fall into the Feminine Line and we saw a presumptive Heiress of the Crown to what Misery should we not be reduced In effect should it happen that the Princess would chuse a Husband among her Subjects those who expect this Honour would make strong Parties and carry things to a greater extremity than in Elective Countries seeing the prize is no less than a Crown which would pass to their Descendants and remain for ever in their Family He that has the good fortune to be preferred will be so unhappy as to be hated of his Rivals the greatest Men at Court and who will never faithfully serve him If on the contrary the Heiress of a Kingdom should cast her eyes on a neighbouring Prince to bestow on him her Heart and her Scepter we should fall under the Domination of a stranger our Monarchy would become a Province of his States Thus Madam you see you have no reason to complain of the injustice done your Sex you must rather think this was ordered for the best seeing hereby is prevented all those dismal Revolutions which I have now denoted to you Belise I must needs acknowledge you have satisfied me with your Reasons although they be not very favourable to Ladies I believe that Cleonice is in the same sentiment and that she is not troubled that I have been so curious Cleonice You shall see that I will not be behind hand with you in another kind You have declared your self an able Politician and I must declare to you that I have particularly applied my self to the study of Morality Moreover I will be no less complaisant than you I consent that Dorante Philemon and Erastus tell us after what manner we should speak of Passions Vices and Virtues and I offer to shew you afterwards whether their Opinions be conformable of contrary to those I maintain The Company having laught at the pleasantry of Cleonice it was granted that there was no matter which oftner fell into Conversation than that she came from proposing so that it was resolved on that some time should be spent in discoursing on that subject ENTERTAINMENT XIX That to speak justly of the Passions of Vices and Virtues we should ordinarily descend from a general Discourse into particular Distinctions Cleonice BEfore we enter on the subject we are to treat of I would willingly know what it is to speak justly Philemon I can boldly say I understand the justness which is found in an expression but I acknowledge I should be puzzled to say wherein it consists Dorante can clear up this point Dorante I am perswaded that what does most contribute to the justness of a discourse is when there happens a real relation or a real opposition between the terms and between the things which are put together Thus I should not speak justly should I say that Lisidor is of Provence and Philemon an Officer of the Kings seeing there is no relation nor opposition between a Country and an Office Neither should I any more speak justly if being willing to testifie my acknowledgment to Cleonice I should explain my self in these terms I return Graces to a Person who has 'em infinitely This is properly what we may call a Galamathias and it is very hard to understand two words which are tyed together without any relation In effect in the first Place the Word Graces signifies only thanks and the other Word which is understood is only taken for some agreableness of the Countenance or of the Person I might moreover give you infinite Examples on this defect of justness but I shall content my self with telling you that it is chiefly in comparisons where it is to be chiefly avoided I should speak ill should I say that the Barbe Isabella of Philemon is as fine as the Diamond which Erastus wears tho' it be permitted me to esteem one as much as the other and to offer an Hundred Lewis's for the Horse as well as for the Ring But we should not compare the Beauty of a Stone with that of an Animal which is to say two things which have neither any relation or opposition between them Erastus I found yesterday Juvenal lying on one of my Friend's Table I opened it and 't was exactly on a passage of his sixth Satyr where he speaks of the manner after which the Women of those times coifed themselves He describes the bucklings and coiffings several Stories high which a wanton Dame wore and says that her Size was so tall with them that she might be taken for another Andromacha in beholding her before but if you viewed her behind she appear'd only to be a little Woman Now let it not displease Juvenal if I say he did not speak justly he had cited Andromacha he should then have opposed a Woman famous for her little Stature Cleonice Whence should he have taken it Perhaps History mentions none People do not usually take notice of a Quality so little recommendable Erastus Juvenal should then have chosen a tour which might furnish him with a just opposition and have said that this Lady might have been taken for a Giant before tho' she appear'd but a Dwarf behind Belise I now undestand what is contrary to the justness of an expression and you imagine well that the rest of the Company comprehends it yet better And therefore we may speak of the matter which Cleonice has giv'n us and acknowledge in the beginning that there is nothing so dangerous as the passions For my part I am perswaded that could our Hearts free themselves from their Tyranny we should enjoy a serene and happy Life Cleonice It 's true that the greatest part of the World regards Ambition Love and Hatred as the Springs of all Evils and it is commonly their violence which leads to the committing of the injustices which we see in the World Dorante We grant you that the impetuosity of the passions hurries but too often to the committing of crimes but can she not likewise be of great use in the leading us to Heroick Virtue Without Ambition we should see no Conqueror hear nothing of Alexander nor Caesar and none of those glorious Actions would be perform'd which procure an immortal Reputation So that instead of condemning
to hear him Commended Had I been desired I should have call'd him home as soon as France was in Peace But I sent him new Orders to joyn Admiral Howard who was going for Spain And I gave him the like Commission for this Expedition as for that of France He did Wonders in Spain His single Valour frightned the Enemies And having taken Calis and pillag'd the Coast of Portugal he put again to Sea for England The Fleet was scattered by a Storm and we had News the Earl of Essex was lost Then it was I knew better than ever the Kindness I had for him I could no longer perswade my self that his indifference for me deserv'd mine for him I accus'd the Sea a Thousand Times for having taken too unreasonable a Revenge for me and was under Sufferings more cruel than Death when News was brought me that by the Assistance of the Admiral of Holland he was arrived at Plymouth from whence in few days he came to Court To shew you how little Reason we have when we are in Love and how fickle are the Resolutions of a tender Heart though provok'd by Slights and Contempts I had lamented the Death of the Earl of Essex and receiv'd the News of his being Alive with a Thousand Transports of Joy I was extreamly pleas'd with the Report of his Arrival at London But when I considered I should see him full of Love for another and that perhaps I should not be able to conceal my Jealousie I was tempted to order him to give the Council an Account of his Conduct and not admit him into my Presence I was sometimes of the Opinion I should be able to do so But this weak Heart of mine so prepossess'd in favour of him revolted against all my Resolutions I must follow my Inclinations and see the most dangerous Enemy of my Repose the Troubler of my Rest He came to Whitehall I admitted him to my Presence I look'd upon him and spight of all my high Spirit he saw nothing but Kindness in all my Actions You may imagine what an agreeable Surprize it was to me to find at our first Conference that Absence had wean'd his Affections from the Countess of Rutland He appear'd no longer in that Languishing Melancholy I observ'd him in before his Departure He had Satifaction in his Looks The Air of his Actions were smooth and calm and I fancy'd as much Joy in his Face tho' the Countess of Rutland was absent as I felt in my self at the Explication he made I see you again return'd with Victory said I But am sorry it is not in my Power to reward your Toil with a Sight of the Countess of Rutland But if any thing I can do can comfort you I am easily comforted for her Absence when I am permitted to see your Majesty answered he I have no passion now but for the Glory of Serving Your Majesty and the Countess of Rutland is now to me no more than other Ladies of the Court. Are you no longer in Love with the Countess of Rutland replyed I between Joy and Distrust You have spoken too fast When you see her again When I see her again says he interrupting me it shall be without those Transports I exprest for her not forgetting the Respects due to Your Majesty What answered I are you not afraid of the Reproaches of a provoked Mistress No Madam said he in a free and unconcern'd manner All I am concern'd for is to do my Duty and approve my self worthy Your Majesties Favour This answer'd I deserves my Acknowledgment and time shall let you see I am not ungrateful Thus did the Earl of Essex assure me he was Cur'd of his first Passion And I was in Hopes it might be in my Power to see him one Day entertain another A Week after he desir'd leave to go into the Country about his private Affairs He was absent a Fortnight and return'd more calm and unconcern'd than ever The Earl of Leicester had doubled his importunities in this Absence of the Earl of Essex in France and Spain and obliged me at last to put him out of Hopes He is naturally Bold and was so blown up with the Opinion of the Glory he had gain'd by some late Atchievments that he proceeded to telling me plainly He was jealous of the Earl of Essex and would have made a Crime of the Discourse I told you of past between them as Essex left my Chamber The Answer I made him was an Absolute Command He should be silent Which was so far obey'd that after some days Murmuring he held his Peace Yet this put me in mind to observe some measures and not to follow openly my Inclinations Things continu'd in this State till the Troubles of Ireland I have often open'd my Mouth to let the Earl of Essex know the Advantges he had over me but Modesty shut it again Yet seeing him under a Necessity of going for Ireland when the Earl of Tyrone had rais'd a General Rebellion I had not the Power to let him take leave without acquainting him The Kingdom was at his Command Upon the first News of the Troubles he threw himself at my Feet begging the Honour of my Command to go Quiet those Disorders You have done enough said I and there 's no need you should by exposing your self to New Dangers oblige me to New Acknowledgments I doubt not Madam answer'd he but the Favour I beg of your Majesty will be envy'd me But I take the Boldness to say Your Majesty cannot refuse it me without doing your self Injury It being an occasion may contribute to meriting the Favour you have already honour'd me with The Ardour you express for undertaking Great Actions Reply'd I is not perhaps so Pleasing as you imagine And all the Good that may Redound to England through your Valour is less considerable than the Trouble is given me who take less Care of my Crown than your Life I am Ambitions Yet Ah! My Lord save me the Confusion of a more particular Explication of what you ought and might easily have long since understood I might perhaps presume too far in my Wishes says the Earl in some Disorder Wish boldly answered I I Love you and if I blush to tell you so 't is not that I am either Asham'd or Repent of it You may believe this Acknowledgment a very hard Task for a Person of my Humour who have seen you sigh for another when I slighted Kings for your Sake and would have Sacrificed more to your Satisfaction What Madam cryes he like a Man astonisht Have You lov'd me and I been so unfortunate to make my self unworthy Your Kindness by those Sighs I now disavow Did my Eyes never tell you what I look'd for in Yours said I. I never had the Boldness answered he to make any such Constructions of your Looks Your Fear was the effect of indifference said I but no more of what is past Tell me now can ye love me Rather ask
ill Designs have run me upon the desperate Resistance I made You have been pleased to heap Favours upon me and I too proud of what I so little deserved flatter'd my self with Expectation of a thousand Pleasures which you had not absolutely forbid me to hope for This let loose the Envy and Jealousie of others against my good Fortune They abus'd your Majesty with Mis-informations and I had the Misfortunes to be assur'd your Majesty had order'd I should be Arrested though my Innocence would have perswaded me the contrary I confess Madam I was in a Rage to see my Enemies insult over me being abandoned by your Majesty and on the Point of suffering perhaps a shameful Death I thought it neither for my Reputation nor your Majesties Honour I should die as a Criminal This put me upon having Recourse to those Succours and Assistances they reproach me with and the Resolution I took to go out of England in hope to confound my Accusers But I found all the Passages stopt And I must acknowledge in that desperate Condition I vented my Fury by taking Revenge on your Ministers They Madam and only they were the Objects of the Rebellion I am charg'd with My Design was only they who had so industriously labour'd to make me appear guilty should do me Right in declaring my Innocence and permit me to lay it and my Life at your Majesties Feet I never doubted but your Majesty would have done me the Honour to hear me And that by a clear Discovery of the Truth I should have certainly confounded the Envy of my Enemies But their Malice hath had the Success to see me a Prisoner hated by my Soveraign despis'd by the World and made a Sacrifice to their Rage And now what remains but that I receive the Sentence of my Death pronounc'd by them and see Cobham Cecil Rawleigh and their Fellows share the Favours you honoured me with You are well assured I hate you not says the Queen interrupting him But should I believe you Can I give you up to the ill Fate that threatens you I shall never murmur against your Majesties Orders replies the Earl but submit to them readily whatever they be But I confess it would make me mad should my Enemies have the Advantage to condemn me The Earl of Essex knew the weak Side of the Queen and easily reviv'd in her that Tenderness he had formerly inspir'd her with No says she having paus'd a while you shall not die Make use of your Advantages triumph over a Heart whose Inclinations you very well know I will believe your Intentions less criminal than they appear But my Lord I conjure you by that Kindness of which you have such particular Experience that you give me no Cause to repent of it Trouble not your self for your Reputation and Honour I will take care to repair it And before two Days be over I will restore you to the highest Place you ever had under me Essex transported with Joy for the happy Success of this Conference affected the Queen so much with submissive Acknowledgments that he restor'd her Spirits to perfect Tranquility At parting she promis'd to call a Council on the Morrow and in a glorious manner to declare him innocent As soon as it was Day she sent for Cecil And the Countess of Nottingham waited on her Having told them in a few Words of a great Conflict past between her Justice and her Mercy she concluded for the latter and ordered Cecil to summon the Council that she might declare to them the Design she had to set Essex at Liberty assuring him she had invincible Reasons for doing so This was a mortal Blow to the ambitious Cecil and the Countess of Nottingham They presently look'd on one another as if they would have askd each others Advice what Course to be taken Afterwards they spoke to the Queen in hopes to divert her but she was inflexible and Cecil was forc'd to order an extraordinary Call of the Council But while the Earl of Essex's Enemies thought his good Fortune on the Point of being reconcil'd to him Chance labour'd for them with unexpected Success As the Queen was going to Council Word was brought her the Countess of Rutland desir'd to wait on her The Queen blush'd remembring what was pass'd And looking on the Request as unseasonable and unlucky she was minded to have put off the Countess to another time But considering she us'd not to deny any Person Access and that the Countess of Rutland was a Lady of the best Quality she commanded she should be admitted and the Countess immediately came in Though her Eyes languished her Looks were sad her Dress and her Gate very careless yet her Beauty was conspicuous and moving she threw her self at the Queen's Feet and with Extremity of Grief in her Looks Madam says she with a great deal of Pain I come to implore your Majesties Goodness for the unfortunate Earl of Essex For the Earl of Essex Madam Answers the Queen How come you concern'd for him who hath quitted you with so much Indifference after so many Promises of extraordinary Kindness I expected you were rather come to joyn your Resentment with mine and desire me to take a full Revenge for the Injury done to your Beauty No Madam replyed the Countess not the Transports of a forsaken Mistress have brought me now into your Majesties Presence but the tender Affection due from a virtuous Wife to a Husband she loves in begging for the Earl of Essex I beg for mine This Confession may perhaps add to our Guilt but 't is no dallying for those who are on the Brink of Destruction I acknowledge Madam that after a thousand Crosses we had that tender Kindness one for the other we marryed privately contrary to the Respect due to your Majesty This Madam this only and his Fear of your Majesties just Indignation put the Earl of Essex upon seeking Refuge out of your Dominions He thought it fit I should go out of them but never harbour'd a Thought of conspiring against your Majesty However this hath ruin'd us and if you protect not an unfortunate Person whom you have so much honoured he is irrecoverably lost Consider I beseech you Madam that a few Drops of Blood at your Dispose and a poor Life you are Mistress of are not a Revenge suitable to the Grandeur of a Queen ador'd for many Virtues yet chiefly for your Clemency The Queen was so astonisht at the Discourse that the Countess had full Liberty to end without Interruption But this was sad News to a Heart lately full of the Delights of a pleasing Reconciliation What a Torrent of Anger overflowed her Constancy A Queen as she was high spirited haughty and passionately in Love to see her self thus cruelly betray'd and find it out at a time when a blind Credulity had stifled all former Resentments Yet she forced her self to dissemble her Grief and fixing a severe Look on the Countess of Essex
remember of it adds he Did you observe nothing in my Eyes worthy taking notice of And was it possible you should inspire into me so much Love without feeling the Power of it in your self The Friendship I had for the Earl of Rutland and the Progress he had made prevented my speaking of it Yet Time and Absence have but increas'd my Passion And I protest sincerely from the first moment I saw you my Heart was never affected with any but your self A Discourse of this nature may perhaps be thought unsuitable to the Condition I was then in who Mourn'd for a Father and a Husband Yet I had not the Power to be offended with it The Earl of Essex assur'd me I had gain'd his Affection I was willing to gain his and I car'd for no more You will give me leave Madam to pass over my Answers and tell you only the Earl of Essex was very well satisfied with them that we then settled the Correspondence we have so long maintain'd and that we found Occasions and Opportunities to polish and perfect it Thus far you see me ignorant of the Queen's Inclinations I as well as others attributed the Favour we saw the Earl of Essex was in to his Services and his Dexterity in setting them out to advantage But in time I perceived my mistake And as reserv'd as the Queen was found out the Mystery and tremble at the Discovery The Earl of Essex had an elevated Soul and capable of Greatness Ambition might rob me of him and I was willing to fortifie my self against all Misfortunes and to reserve only an Esteem for him But what hopes of doing that now which all my reason and two Years Marriage had not effected At last Jealousie succeeded my Fears and I began to believe the respect the Earl of Essex had for the Queen might proceed from a secret Affection I fretted at this and grieved at the Heart The Earl perceived it and sollicited me long to tell him the Cause I refus'd as long as I was able I am Jealous said I to him at last with a little Heat and afraid I should lose your Affection 'T is not an Unhappiness answers he to see you love me so as to doubt of me But there is no Cause to question my Faithfulness who never lov'd any but you The Queen loves you said I and her Kindness for you with the Advantage of her Grandeur may be dangerous Temptations to your Perseverance The Queen love me Madam Replies he How you interpret her ordinary Bounty which hath perhaps too generously recompenc'd my Services beyond their Merit She is too Haughty and too Great a Mistress of her self to fall into such a Weakness You know what Illustrious Alliances she hath slighted and are to believe she is above the reach of Love There is not a Monarch on Earth but I would prefer you before him answer'd I and measuring the Queen 's Affection by mine I am easily persuaded she may do so too her Eye is always upon you spite of all her Precautions and is never else satisfied and I have observed some Sighs from her which a Heart concern'd as mine cannot hear without Trouble I did not till now know how happy I was says the Earl of Essex but your Jealousie makes me sensible of it Yet Madam give me leave to assure you you have no Cause for it Were the Queen Weak as you Imagine did she offer me her Crown and her Kindness I would by my Refusal let you see though I have Ambition my Love for you infinitely exceeds it To satisfie you of your Mistake allow me to procure her Consent to our Marriage You have mourn'd long enough to avoid all imputations of Indecency It is in your Power to make me the happiest of Men and to clear all the doubts you have of my Faithfulness I was far from opposing the Proposal he made and I was not fully convinc'd the Queen was in Love with him yet I thought if she was he knew it not To let you see adds he I will not conceal from you any Kindness the Queen hath exprest for me I declare I Sacrifice to you one of the handsomest Ladies of the Court who hath a thousand ways invited my Love I prest him to let me know her Name but he conjur'd me to be satisfy'd with what he had said and not to force him to further Indiscretion I gave over Pressing him The Countess of Nottingham Blush'd at this Part of the Discourse having Reason to believe her self the Person intended She Hated him the more for 't but had the Command of her self not to interrupt the Countess of Essex who proceeded in her Story This freedom of the Earl put an end to my suspicions I left him to take his Time for speaking to the Queen When he went to thank her for the Government of Ireland bestow'd on him he return'd to me with a Transport of Joy to tell me The Queen had not only Consented to his Desires but intented to make the Earl of Leicester King of England This quieted my Spirit and made me acknowledge I had no cause to be Jealous We spent some days with a great deal of Pleasure but were Cruelly interrupted by the Order the Earl of Essex received to go into France to command the Forces the Queen sent in aid of that King I had not time to express my Grief to him or to be a Witness of his We parted in haste and then it was I repented I had believ'd him and that the Queen's Coldness towards me convinc'd me of the Truth of my former Suspicions and that her sending away the Earl of Essex was but to remove him from me I left Court as soon as I could with Decency ask the Queen leave to retire into a House of my Fathers about Fifty Miles from London I will not tell you how I was Alarm'd at the News of the Earl of Essex his Death in his Return from Spain nor how we Writ to one another in his absence I was ready to Dye for Grief when he arriv'd at my House more Respectful and more Amorous than he had ever appear'd He would have put me out of my Opinion concerning the Queen But I obstinately maintain'd it True When I had convinc'd him of it he offer'd to leave England if I would name a Place where he might Live quietly I had Affection enough to incline me to Consent to this Proposal But considering it Unjust in me to spoil the Progress of his good Fortune and put an end to his hopes by an Unexcusable Retreat I told him it was impossible And ushering with a Sigh the Advice I was going to give him Forget me Sir said I for I see your Fate will force you to it The Queen will still cross us and never want Pretence to Seperate us 'T is better breaking off an Engagement that suits not with your Affairs Nothing in the World can be a greater Misfortune to me but I
much of her but she passionately lov'd him Yet he was to take heed and believe he had need of abundance of discretion to deal with the Women of that Country whose passion of love is sometimes so violent that they observe no bounds that the Sultaness was indeed the most rational she had known amongst them and had the most wit yet tender and passionate as the rest That she and he would be immutably ruined if the Bassa who had no small experience in Amours should once have the least suspicion of the Intrigue That there was not in the Kingdom a man more tender of his honour than he and that all the kindness he had for him would not save him from his indignation if he once came to know he had seen his Wife As much taken as our young Roman was with the pleasant beginnings of his Amours and for all his rejoycings at those evident kindnesses he had received from the greatest Beauty under Heaven yet he could not forbear reflecting on Laura's good counsels but went musing along the Seragilo what course he should take what means he should use against so dangerous a Passion which would certainly bring him to ruin and confusion When the Bassa going to one of his Mistresses met him by the way and seeing him pass by without so much as saluting him he presently fell a laughing and taking him by the arm Now said he I see that you are in love The Count being confounded at his surprizing him in that case made excuses for his fault The Bassa made answer that if he desir'd to be pardon'd he must freely confess the truth and acknowledge himself extreamly disordered at the Merits and Beauty of Laura More Sir said the Count with a very deep sigh than you can possibly express or imagine But it being late and the Bassa not willing to stay he deferred the more particular inquiry to another opportunity and dismiss'd him to his Lodging This was a great happiness and no less pleasure to the young Lover who was not then in a condition to give the Bassa an account of his Amours Part of that night he pass'd walking in his Chamber as if he had intended to come to a Resolution before he went to bed It was not the fear of death or misfortune that troubled him but the horrour of ingratitude and having received so much kindness from the Bassa thought it inexcusable in him to have any unjust designs on his Wife But then says he should I not be the most ungrateful of men should I slight the affection of so charming a Person to whom if I consider her obligations according to their value I owe more than to the Bassa And is it not possible for me to see and to love her within bounds so as to be blameless on the one side and the other No no if there be ingratitude in that I cannot help it there is nothing in the World can excuse me to the Sultaness and love ought to make my excuse with the Bassa This was the last Combate between gratitude and love in the heart of the Count the last carried the day and going to bed thereupon he rested very well The Bassa who was extreamly desirous to see him so deeply in love that he should not be able to deny it was the first that spoke to him to return again that day to the Sultaness Lodgings he gave him the Key of the Seraglio and laughing told him he need not make such haste to come back if he found as much pleasure as he wisht him there but that he must have a care he did not engross all the love to himself but he should give Laura some part unless he were minded to languish as he had done a long time to no purpose The amorous Italian went straight to the Seraglio and Laura who waited for him told him at his arrival he might pass to the same Chamber he had been in and that she would give her Lady notice of his coming but she not having the patience of waiting so long was got already into the Alcove The Count having an extream curiosity and longing for a sight of that place thought it convenient for the purpose to make use of that time when he believed the Sultaness was absent and coming up to the Ballistre gently took up the Curtain But how was he surprized to see on the sudden that charming Person in a Posture the most capable of any to make one in love I shall not trouble you with a description of the Alcove which being a Room of State for the Wife of so puissant a Lord you may easily believe was very noble and rich It was raised a foot higher than the Chamber the approach to it being by a space cover'd with a fair Turky Carpet checkquer'd with little squares of Damask wrought with Gold The Sultaness lay on a Bed of Damask of like work and having design'd to shew her self that day to the Count she had not forgot to put her self in an equipage and posture capable to charm him at first sight she had turned her face towards the Ballistre leaning her head carelesly on her left arm which you might clearly see in her great Tiffany sleeve after the Turkish mode Her black hair was partly pleated with great ropes of Pearl parting down on her Breast and part on her shoulders and set off the clearness of her delicate Complexion vying with the Snow in whiteness to so much advantage that it wrought wonderful effects in the beholder She had about her body a small Gold Bodice only her bosom being half open and the rest cover'd with a piece of fine Tiffany like an Amazons Scarf all was visible from her Neck to her Breast and so admirable to behold that it had been impossible for an eye having seen it as the Count did to escape being enamour'd of it she had on her head plumes of several colours and in the midst of them a crescent of Silver Her Coat was of a light Stuff Imbroydered with Gold after the fashion of the Country with Diamond Buckles to tuck it up at the knee her Leg was half naked and the rest covered with Buskins all laid over with Diamonds and Pearls in a word she was all so Rich so Gallant so full of Charms that the poor Count was utterly undone at the sight His joy and astonishment were visible to her in that confusion of action and words in which he was so miserably plung'd that he knew not what was become of himself nor what he would say to her But falling into an Extasie and wholly swallowed up with admiration his Eyes and his Sighs were Orators for him The fair Sultaness as soon as she saw him would with a Handkerchief she had in her hand have covered her face and hid from him part of the confusion she was in But the happy Lover recovering courage by degrees passing his arm betwixt the Ballistres hindered her from it Once
Bassa if I supplied his place this Evening that were too great an honour for me replied Laura smiling but the Sultaness expects you and is not very well The Bassa gave her his hand and would have led her into a private Chamber Laura perceiving it and that he was in good earnest prayed him to let her go that her Lady was not well and he knew well enough she could not endure her being a moment out of her sight I I replied the Bassa the Sultaness is sick and cannot be a moment without you but 't is because ' t is desire to pass that moment with you had it been Alexander you could have staid a little longer The Bassa said this with so pleasant a tone she could not forbear laughing You know Sir replied she 't is another case when you are with the Sultaness Besides Sir added she smiling one would venture a little for a Sweet-heart Well well said he pressing her to go along with him 't is love hath brought me hither I Sir answer'd she striving to get away from him and 't is Love obliges me to avoid the occasion of being found alone in your company for though I know you a most accomplished Person you will allow me to tell you you have not too much respect for our Sex and 't is very hard trusting you witness your assaults last night in the Garden The Bassa made her a thousand Oaths he would keep within the bounds of that respect and discretion she might expect from the severest vertue and protested he desired only one quarter of an hours discourse Laura who knew the violence and obstinacy of his humour when denyed any thing he held reasonable to be granted him disposed her self to entertain him that quarter of an hour He reproached her a thousand times for her hardness and cruelty against him and gave her withal the kindest words and the most tender and passionate expressions imaginable Laura to defend her self pleaded her Honour her Religion and her Duty to the Sultaness her Mistress three things she would not betray for the World Had you but a little Love for me said the Bassa with a sigh you would not find so many reasons for defence I have my Religion as you have yours and the Precepts of it perhaps as severe as yours but Love is stronger than all the Precepts the Laws the Religions of the World and those who serve him worship no other God As for the Sultaness how are you concerned that is my business not yours and it shall be your fault if ever she know it But what do you tell me of Honour Surely 't is more for your Honour to love a Man as I am than to love such a one as Alexander You mistake your self Sir answered Laura if you think that in the visits he hath made me there hath any thing pass'd contrary to my duty 'T is not with those of our Nation as with the People of this Country We may be together and no body by yet my Honour secure I swear to you Sir Alexander never received that favour from me which I could not afford the Person for whom I am the least concerned in the World The Bassa interrupted her what not in the Garden Neither in the Garden nor any where else replyed she had he ever any other advantage than a sight of me which with us is accounted for nothing Can you make me believe answered the Bassa what you say Laura told him there was nothing more true and he might rest assured of it But Sir said she for your better satisfaction bring him no more hither and you shall see whether I make my complaint for it 'T were pity replyed the Bassa to destroy so fair a friendship and I do protest to you that were it in my power I would give you no trouble but I am not so much Master of my self to gain this point on my heart to be unconcerned in your Love But since you love Alexander with so much indifference that you can so easily resolve not to see him more I have no cause to afflict my self but rather to hope you may one day love me perhaps as much as you do him After these words the Bassa retired with a heart a little better at ease than when he came in but as deeply in Love as before He gave not an intire and firm credit to what Laura had told him of her indifference and small concernment for Alexander but did believe her passion for the Christian not so great as he had imagined or that their Love had been cooled by some quarrel for he had observed on the one side and the other more indifference than is usually consistent with that passion But then reflecting suddenly on himself may not this be said he resuming his jealousie and diffidence an effect of their policy may they not be agreed to deceive me and being already sufficiently assured of one anothers affections may they not pretend they have no Love for one another that they may Love one another with greater security No no adds he this cannot be there is no hiding of Love it will appear if not smothered to death She loves not Alexander at all or loves him but indifferently thus he the more easily perswaded himself to be so in that he did most passionately desire it might be so and thence-forward his passion increased so fast it became greater than ever Hope being a passion that more than any other foments that of Love easily promises it self happy events and flatters it self with expectation of good fortune and success Laura gave the Sultaness an accompt of all the pleasant discourse and the Sultaness could have wished Laura had not been altogether so severe to the Bassa but a little more kind and complaisant without which she thought they could not see Alexander so often as she desired Laura on the contrary told her that to have been complaisant would have spoyl'd all for that the Bassa would then have entertained some hopes of favour from her and so become more amorous than before and consequently more jealous of his supposed Rival than ever What shall I do then said the poor Sultaness who can do nothing but fear and cannot expect any thing but crosses and misfortunes Laura told her things were not in so desperate a condition that she need trouble her self for it for the Bassa had promised to send Alexander on the morrow and that they would consider with him how to order their business The Count did not know that the Bassa had been with the Sultaness but having not heard from him that day he went on the morrow to wait on him at his rising He found him abed so dejected and melancholly that he might by his countenance easily discover the heaviness of his heart Yet he received him with that air of kindness and friendship might well assure the Count he was not displeased with him The Bassa was silent a while and then looking
Maid brought me word but the Viceroys Lady with whom he was discoursing stay'd him at which I was not a little astonished but much more when soon after I saw him come in in the company of that Lady He looked very pale and his countenance much altered which contributed not a little to allay my bitterness against him though I had small reason to think my self concerned in honour of that change that appeared in his looks You see Madam said I to the Lady at their entrance this Gentleman must be sent for if we desire the pleasure of his Company These are favours continued I not usual with me and such as I would not by any means have done him while it was in my power to have any esteem for him But since he hath told me they have made him renounce my esteem you may believe Madam I am not much disposed to have any esteem for him and that what I now do proceeds not from any such cause 'T is true answered the Lady he does not deserve your esteem but you must pardon his Youth I will pardon him replyed I on condition he will tell me who had the power over his Heart or Wit to make slight of an esteem not altogether unworthy a Gentleman of his Quality and 't is for that purpose I have sent for him hither He stood mute so that turning my Head towards the Lady to ask her the reason of his silence I was again surpriz'd to find the Lady in greater disorder than he I was just speaking to him again when I saw him rise to tell me with trouble in his face I will satisfie you Madam in that particular but intreat you let me take a fitter time A fitter time said I and why not now Is it my Lady that hinders you You know I conceal nothing from her Ah if it be I said the Lady I will withdraw to leave you at liberty and with that she retired towards a Window in far greater disorder than if she had been angry This made me more curious than ever to hear what the Marquess would say to me Yet he declared himself no further but reaching forth his hand towards me he shewed me a Billet which I would not have received on any other occasion but in this Conjuncture I made no scruple of it believing I should find in it the Secret I longed for Hereupon he withdrew without saying a word And the Lady returning towards me Well Madam said she how comes it he is gone without naming to you the Person you have so much cause to hate I must tell you 't is I and that will surprize you It really did so the word she had spoken having astonish'd me I could scarce make her an answer You must know then continued she that having told me he had been obliged on the account of my Son to change his thoughts of you and engage himself to another Beauty I pressed him for your sake to tell me who it was and after a long refusal he had the insolence to tell me 't was I. You may imagine how I used him on such an occasion However I was of Opinion that a little more than ordinary complaisance I had express'd for him had given him that Confidence But finding him sensible of his error I was a little better pacified and let him see he was mistaken on all hands That he should not have quitted the design of serving you being unquestionably the best deserving in this Court of Passion and esteem of a Person of his Quality and that he was very ill advised to make addresses to me who was neither for Gallant nor Gallantry I was no stranger to the Character of this Lady and knew very well what she said was quite contrary to the inclinations of her temper And having had leisure while she spoke to recover my self from the astonishment she had cast me in at the beginning of this Discourse and to observe the alteration of her Countenance I made no doubt of her perfidiousness This Madam said I very seriously was to engage further in my concerns than I deserved and in truth than I desired You had formerly told me this young Gentleman would have pleased you had you been as I and since he preferred you before me it was too much for you to part with him for my sake I did says she but what I ought both for you and my self This Madam replyed I is a piece of more than ordinary Friendship and I question very much whether among the best Friends of our Sex the pleasure of being beloved by a Person whom all the Ladies of the Court own to be the handsomest and best accomplish'd in Naples would not prevail over their Friendship and make it appear that one Woman seldom scruples to be treacherous to another in cases of this Nature But Madam methinks what you now say is somewhat contrary to what you formerly told me of the Passion of the Marquess then wholly for me I thought so then I confess said she but I was mistaken And is it not possible you should be now also mistaken answer'd I for I have some reason to doubt it You do but deceive your self replyed she Well Madam said I with some heat let us try which of us is deceived peradventure it will appear in this Billet I received from him Whereupon I fell to the opening of it The Lady much surpriz'd asked me if it came from the Marquess I told her it did and that nothing but the curiosity I had to clear this Affair could have prevail'd with me to take it from him Alas says she what assurance can that give you of the inclinations of a Man who changes them every moment and will it may be tell you the same he hath told me already I was in such haste to open the Letter that I made her no answer but fell to reading it being to this purpose How great an unhappyness is it Madam in matter of Affection and great trouble of Heart to follow other Counsels than those of our Passion Never was Person so deeply in Love as I was with you from the day I first had the happiness to see you And I may very well affirm I continue so still notwithstanding the many Oaths I have been forced to the contrary But some Persons whom I had not the least cause to suspect of design having taken the pains to represent your humour so haughty and insensible that I almost despair of gaining your esteem I was obliged to address my self to some more indulgent Beauty not out of inconstancy but to cure my self of a Passion the consequence whereof I extreamly apprehend Those who advised me to it were so kind as to condescend to serve me in it And the truth is their Complyance was such being Persons of Quality that had not I desired their Assistance I could not have refused it But Madam there are some evils for which there is no Remedy That which
him very little and the complaisance she had express'd for me secured me on that side I might have been so sagacious and quick-sighted as to see she spoke for her self and advised me to quit the thoughts of Eleanor to gain her self Advantage but I was so opprest with grief at the News that I was utterly incapable of making any reflection she was a Lady the most dexterous and insinuating on Earth and made so good use of the power she had over me that she not only shook the passion I was under but help'd me to take resolution to rid my self of it though with the loss of my life To bring this about I thought it necessary to find another Beauty to amuse my Affections but where ever I cast my eyes in the Court or out of it could discover nothing capable to make me forget one moment the Charms of the beautiful Eleanor The Vice Queen having after that evening said nothing to me of it saw me one morning alone in her Chamber where her Son had newly left me she asked me smiling Whether I had taken her advice and followed her Counsels Madam answered I that cannot be done without my having equal command over my Affections as you have over yours or â—nding at least in another Lady those Excellencies I admire in the fair Eleanor This Discourse had not pleased her could she have thought her self of the number of those I mentioned not comparable to Eleanor But the good opinion she had of her self and the respect due to her quality contributed to the good construction she made of my expressions so that my words gave no offence but on the contrary being extreamly glad no Beauty at Court but Eleanor's pleased me she told me smiling She would find me out a Person that wanted nothing of what might engage the affections of a gallant man and that she was very well assur'd I would not deny it I gave her a thousand thanks not doubting in the least of the good success of her choice but was very unwilling to abuse her great goodness that as to Eleanor she had done her pleasure but that the respect due to her would not permit me to give way she should be at the trouble to find me a Mistress She told me she took delight in 't that she was loth any ones Affections should be lost for want of being engag'd and that knowing my merit she would think it a pleasure to serve me and take care I wanted nothing in her Court All this she said with an air so free so full of goodness it charm d me And I had almost answered She might without further search find in her self what she promised me elsewhere The truth is setting aside her Age she might have pass'd for one of the fairest and best humoured Women of the Kingdom but I was not willing to venture so far for fear of miscarriage and was content to wait for a sight of her she would provide for me I desired her not to make me languish being an impatient Lover and in a condition required present remedy She assur'd me I should hear from her that day and that I had no more to do but prepare my self to be deeply in Love At this we were interrupted by company coming in which oblig d me to withdraw I spent the rest of the morning in musing of what pass'd between us guessing sometimes she meant one Lady sometimes another of those I knew most intimate with her and most proper for the design but could not fix my judgment on any This gave me some disquiet and trouble with an impatient desire to see the Vice-Queen again I made in the afternoon forty journeys to Court to see if she had any thing to say to me she laughed at my haste and at length told me my hour was not yet come nor the day gone that I should go home and have patience and when the time came she would send me news Night came but no news from the Vice-Queen which made me believe she fool'd me so that I could not forbear returning to the Palace where I heard she was gone to visit a Lady her Friend I was so ready to imagine it was the Lady she spoke of that I enquired her name and where she lived but could not learn either The caution she had used in that particular fully convinc'd me she was gone about my business and that she made the visit private that my love might be as secret and the Court kept ignorant how far her complaisance had carried her to serve me I return'd in all haste to my Lodging as assur'd of all this nor was I much mistaken for I was scarce got thither but I received from her a Billet brought me by a Lady attended with two Chairs and express'd as follows I have done what you desired and I think found out the person you wanted you will easily confess I am very much your friend the sole acknowledgment I expect is you would not make me a Lyar having promised the Lady that upon the bare description I made you of her you would bring her a heart full of love See you do it for if you deceive me in this I shall never pardon you the fault You have no more to do but follow her that brings you this Billet without noise or attendance for you are to come into a place of safety Had it come from any other I should not have gone without a Guard at distance but coming from the Vice-Queen I could not suspect danger All I thought of it was that being a jovial and pleasant Lady she had a frollick in her head and resolved to put on me some pleasant trick without more ado I made me ready to laugh with her in good earnest I went into one of the Chairs and followed her who brought the Billet and was got into the other They carried us a great way into a private part of the Town and there set down the Chairs which my Guide sent away and we marchcd a little further till we came to a house which made a fair shew I learnt afterwards it belong'd to a Lady of her Bed-Chamber her Confident who indeed was my Guide and having open'd the door made me go in without noise I saw neither Lacquey nor light This surpriz'd me and made me the more confident some frollick intended I said not a word but prepar'd in case things went not as I could wish to have my share of the mirth with them who came to laugh at my cost At last the Lady took me by the hand to lead me up a pair of stairs in the dark which brought us to a room no lighter than the stairs and thence into a Chamber where were two Flamboys lighted It appeared a good room but what pleased me most was the sight of a fair Lady who carelesy laid on a very rich bed seemed asleep with her hood over her face I began to repent my censure of
other day Having called to him a Chirurgion who was in the Sick Man's Chamber You must not fail says he to Phlebotomise the Gentleman to morrow morning I will never suffer it cried out the Sick Man in a fright and I am not continued he in so bad a condition to have recourse to so dreadful an operation The Chirurgion replying immediately thereupon that he might not lose his little profit Sir said he to the sick Gentleman be not troubled the Doctor only orders a bleeding Ah for bleeding replied he I matter it little but for the rest I will as soon dye as endure it Dorante Do you think it enough to have spoken of words which signifie precisely what we have to say or which are proper to Arts Is it not also fitting to find Terms which may neatly enclose the things which we would have understood and which modesty will not permit us to express openly Should I not do better in saying There is a secret Correspondence between the Marquess of and the Countess of than to explain my self too grossy on the manner of their Commerce It is also fitting in these occasions to heed the tone of the voice and certain smiles which may make us too well understood and transgress those polish'd manners which a well-bred Man should never forget I find likewise that there are expressions which Gentlemen should use when there happens some contest between them If any one should make me repeat some circumstance of a Recital and he should tell me he did not hear me I would not answer him That it is your fault not mine I speak plain enough but I cannot make my self be heard when I am not hearkned to Politeness requires softer terms Perhaps Sir I am mistaken let 's see if you please whether I did not say that c. Civility likewise requires that we make not too vehement reproaches nor too precise whenever one has fail'd of his word given So that instead of complaining against one that has not perform'd his promise I should chuse to say That I hoped he would do it but that I supposed he either forgot his promise or met with more difficulty in the thing than he foresaw Erastus Can you suffer a Man who domineers in Conversation who continually talks or criticises with the tone of a Master whatever others say Dorante I find this more intolerable than People who deign not to speak and who seem to testifie by a slighting silence that it is not in such company as this where they will utter what they know Erastus I know some who are for appearing too knowing I saw one the other day who perplex'd himself with speaking with a Stranger the Language of his Country and having not sufficiently studied it to use it freely he fell into such confusion as gave great trouble to one part of the Company and set the other a laughing according as they were differently inclined Lysidor This is commonly the fault of young people But they commit a far greater when they laugh at a Stranger who does not speak our Language well or run down in his presence the Vices of his Nation Dorante Neither ought one to scoff at certain defects before persons who have the like and likewise a polish'd Man does not directly praise the persons to whom he speaks He does it delicately whereas people that know not the world give praises with so little address and with so great excess that they perplex and put to the blush those they think to oblige Whereunto we may add That a Man who excels in his profession must not presently speak of it and when he does it must be with great modesty and when the Conversation turns on that hinge In fine There are several things requisite to form this Politeness which makes the chief agreeableness of Conversation And there needs no fewer to make a recital which may draw the attention and please and even as it were enchant those who hearken to it Besides what we have said touching the choice and placing of words beauty of expressions and lively descriptions to be inserted it is necessary there should be novelty or something marvellous in what we recount that we should have ready in our Memories not only the main of the story but also the names of persons and places lest we hesitate in searching them There are Authors who find it advantageous to make a relation of a Person known by the defect we reprehend as of a covetous Man known by his Covetousness I acknowledge that those who hearken have more pleasure when we cite a Person of their acquaintance because they represent him such as he is but I should always chuse to be less diverting and more civil and deny my self and others that pleasure than to disoblige any one So that it is better to invent names for the Persons who are to be concerned in a Recital and even to lay the Scene of the adventure in another Town than where we dwell Dorante could not continue his Discourse One came to speak with Erastus and told him that a young Sister of Cleonice was just arrived Erastus Ah Dorante this haps very well Lisidor and Lindamire arrive both of them the same day at Paris There is without doubt an assignation or destiny in this affair However we have reason to rejoyce at it the world already praises the growing charms of my Sister-in-Law and if Lisidor and Lindamire come to be smitten with one another the desire of Pleasing will do more in their hearts than all our Remonstrances can make impressions on their minds We shall soon see a change they will have a better Air more Sweetness and Complaisance and I profess I much wish it for the advantage of Lindamire Dorante You know that which Lisidor will find Erastus Adieu I expect him to morrow at Dinner bring him to me and seeing he must be new Rigg'd as well as Lindamire Cleonice will take care of both She has good Skill in chusing Stuffs as you have in giving good advice Erastus departed in ending these words and Dorante and Lisidor walked till they had notice Supper was serv'd in ENTERTAINMENT IV. Of the Conversation of Ladies and how far the Complaisance we may have for them will permit us to flatter them DOrante and Lisidor had no sooner supt but the first began the discourse in this manner We cannot be excused from going to morrow to Erastus but although I use freedom with him yet we will discourse to night of certain polish'd and respectful manners with which it is fit to appear before Ladies You know without doubt that nothing makes a young Gentleman so much valued as the approbation of a Lady of merit and that nothing more hinders Persons of your Age from falling into irregularities than the visiting Persons whose sentiments incline ordinarily to Virtue In the mean time speak we of the precautions it is necessary you be furnish'd with for this visit and let me begin
at rest it was sufficient that one had nothing to reproach's one 's self withal I made shew as if I believed what she said and I replied coldly to her That I wish'd the World was convinc'd of the truth of what she now told me And thus did Celanire testifie the sincere respects she had for Dorinice and as if it had been a decree of Fate that we should see the end of the Comedy Celanire was no sooner gone from Demarata's but Dorinice entred set forth in the magnificient Gown so much discours'd of Every body set forth the richness of the Stuff some praised it sincerely others added roguishly that what they liked it best for was that Dorinice had not put her hand in her Purse for it At least pursued Dorilas if we may believe what Celanire now told us I know not replied Dorinice colouring what she may be pleas'd to say but I suppose she has said no harm of me But if any spark of Envy has induced her to pour venom in her relations I could utter such Truths as would not be very advantageous to her Dorilas whose humour you know would not let pass this occasion of diverting us and pretending to be in the interests of Dorinice whom he thought fit to edge on I know not said he with a feigned ingenuity whether Celanire has a good way of setting off her Friends however I must say she has no good way of covering their defects Why should she come with her circumstances the relations of which we never call'd for what are we concern'd with her Timocrates that she should bring him into a relation when the discourse was only about a Gown or Petticoat I would willingly know replied Dorinice all in an heat what she could say of Timocrates and whether she has had the malice to empoyson You are to blame in complaining said Dorilas interrupting her coldly she has only fairly related the opinions which the World has when a Man buys a rich piece of Stuff which is afterwards observ'd to be carried to a fair Lady and after all who can say that Celanire will speak of it any where else What she has said here signifies nothing here was not in this room above four or five Men and seven or eight Women We could not forbear laughing at this pleasant passage which Dorinice observing she appear'd moved with it and was ready to fly upon Dorilas However she bethought her self not to disoblige any body in a company which she was glad to make favourable to her and dissembling her resentment she discovered only her passion against Celanire I cannot comprehend said she how this Woman could have the imprudence to speak against me Certainly she must be Mistress of a great stock of Calumny and very fertile invention Besides she should never have used these to offend a Person who has long since learn'd to hold her tongue but who can now break silence in a terrible manner for her However Madam replied Dorilas whatever she said she spake with an assured tone and I am much mistaken if you can dismay her Is it that she is perswaded replied Dorinice that her Knight is redoubtable enough to stop the mouths of the World I would advise her to have less presumption if it be only this which renders her so bold I am no more afraid of Timante than Celanire and I have an hundred times told them both that I was asham'd of their conduct It 's well known that Timante has not above two hundred pound a year to live on and yet keeps his fine Coach and three Lacqueys It 's true he is young and well shaped and is never from Celanire whose old Husband has immense riches I suppose one may draw from these particularities such consequences as will not be much to Celanire's advantage but instead of stopping at conjectures I can find effects which will not tend to the justifying of her conduct It 's not three months since she gave money to a Person of Quality who went into Flanders and entreated him to buy her some of that Countries Horses The Comission was executed the Horses came but not into Celanire's Stable They draw every day Timante in his visits to Court and other Walks The Coach they draw is a very fine one and the Master of it knows no more than I what it cost After this shall a Woman so liberal as she find fault with Timocrates's paying me what he owes me Cleonice This Comedy is pleasant enough although the matter of it be neither new nor rare these are Farces we see every day acted but I would willingly know whether the Divertisement you had hindred you from feeling some Indignation Can you like that the desire of detracting should break off a real Friendship or make one renounce Civility and the Consideration one should have for the appearance of Friendship Philemon Observe all the Particularities which concur in this Detraction It is Indignation which makes Celanire declaim first she disgorges her self against a Person younger and handsomer to whom she sees Lovers run as soon as they are together to the neglect of her self Belise Is not the itch of talking to be at all regarded Dorante The ease which a Woman may expect when she reveals a Secret that lies like a weight on her heart occasions these Disorders Cleonice As well as the pleasure of shewing that she sees to the end of the Intrigue Erastus Let us not forget the Honour which Celanire does her self when she says she always gives good Advice to Dorinice Dorante Pass on farther and confess we that when Detraction has no real Causes she forms imaginary ones she disguises every thing and imposes what Names she pleases she calls the Prudence of a General of an Army that retreats Cowardise she terms Valour Stupidity and speaks of an Heroic Constancy as bruitish Obstinacy She spares least of all Women because they are less in a condition to revenge themselves however great their Desire may be to it Detraction will speak the gallant Air of Arsinoe to be the meer Affectation of a Wanton The easie Temper of Amasie to proceed from cold Temper and want of Spirits And if Partenice who is naturally very handsom should wear a fine Gown Detraction will not fail to accuse her of a Pride capable of ruining her Family You shall hear Praises given only to authorise Detraction It 's said that Timocrates has Wit when it is only to perswade that he is crafty and designing And Dorinice is painted young and handsom only to render her more probable light and wanton Erastus It is true that we see every day Detraction spares nothing but leave we to others what concerns Manners and let 's see whether we cannot draw some strokes of Satyr which may serve to exhilerate Conversation without offending Persons Dorante One may observe from the Air and Behaviour of those who speak whether the Exaggerations they make tend only to divert the Company Then
are and before whom they speak Lisidor I beseech you to shew 'em no favour for my sake for I acknowledge they are for the most part little discreet and greatly conceited they speak with a blustering Air interrupt and interrogate after the same manner they speak what they please without considering whether it may not displease others Erastus We shall not accuse you of these defects for so far are you from interrupting and questioning that you have said little but to the purpose But let 's hear what Lindamire will say in her turn Lindamire That Girls of my Age are less obliged to speak than to hold their Tongues and that it is easie for me to observe a modesty which might be of different use to a Person of Wit Philemon Men have less moderation than those of your Sex and the heat they have ordinarily when they come into the World makes 'em to speak and act only in a blustering way Dorante That which I like worst in most of them is that they never think of correcting themselves and never reflect on what good manners require Lisidor But wherein consists this Decorum you speak so much of Dorante I know not whether we have not already sufficiently explained it However seeing our conduct is so greatly concern'd in it we will further deliver our opinion about it I think that to speak with a due Decorum is to utter only things precisely which are suitable to times places and persons such as are fit for him that speaks and those who hear Cleonice Do you think it easie to know what we are and of what humour the Persons are before whom we speak to know what is proper for us and what may please the rest of the Company Dorante I acknowledge it 's hard to judge of the disposition wherein the Persons are that compose an assembly The greatest part of Mankind makes it a kind of Merit to be always on its Guard and to conceal its intentions Besides Mens Humours change Health is not always the same Ambition Love and different Interests inspire different Inclinations But Madam it is not necessary that our knowledge should reach to the Hearts of Persons and that we sound into the depths of their Souls whether they be such in effect as they appear to be It is sufficient we know what their rank is that we may have the deference for 'em that is due and that we consider what their capacity is that we may not speak too boldly before abler Folks than our selves It 's true that these reflections are not sufficient we are obliged to remember our selves What would you think if a little young Gentleman tho' born in Wales should draw his Chair and sit jig by joul with a Duke or Marquess or interrogate in a familiar tone with a Marshal of France Erastus To pass over what refers to Persons of Quality I say there are things which are truly ingenious and yet which lose their relish in the Mouth of a Man that is not of the profession You have perhaps heard of a neighbouring Prince entertaining one day his chief Minister on the most subtile parts of Natural Philosophy His Favourite heard him with impatience and being desirous his Master would rather apply himself to the Study of the Art of Reigning than Physical Questions Sir said he to him in interrupting him discontentedly are you not ashamed to be so well verst in these matters Philemon If a Man of a moderate capacity not knowing himself should take on him to speak great would he not deserve to be told with an Ancient My Friend you seem to me to strive to speak beyond your Ability Erastus There are People whom another sort of Vanity blinds You knew Clitandre he was the Son of a mean Citizen and an Office which he held under the King was not more considerable than his Extraction Yet he was well enough received by Persons of the greatest Quality and it was his Conversation that procur'd him this admittance I may likeways say that he would have extreamly pleas'd had he but remembred what he was But he shew'd more Vanity than Wit in his discourses and behaviour One day being at a Princesses where there were none but Persons of great Rank he addrest himself to some old Lords who were Governours of Provinces or the King's Lieutenants of Countries and talk'd to them of Versailes as one would speak of Japan to Persons that had never seen the Map You cannot believe said he to them how great the Charms are which fix us to the Court maugre the fatigues and perils we may meet there I profess our Life is a real Navigation that we are tost about behold every Day wracks and are uncertain whether the Waves will drive us into Port or run us on a Rock Judge in what astonishment was the Company They look'd on one another they smiled and fail'd not to demand of Clitandre news from Versailes with as much earnestness as when our Ambassador arriv'd from Siam In fine his presumption so blinded him that the Company grew weary of hearing him and bearing with him any longer Cleonice I have a Neighbour that is no ways inferiour to your Celintandre She is Wife to an Officer under the King whose place is too mean to be known This Neighbour comes often to work with some Work-women whom I have employed to work me a Bed Some four Months past I found her more melancholy than ordinary and I ask'd her the reason How Madam said she with the greatest surprise imaginable do not you know that the King sets out to Morrow for Luxembourg and that my Husband is oblig'd to follow him To speak freely added she sighing the Women of the Court are very unhappy they pay dear in certain occasions for the honour they have in others I saw yesterday enter into your Apartment a Judge's Lady whose Countenance seem'd very Serene I protest sincerely that in my affliction I wish'd to have a Husband of the same profession that I might spend my days with less hurry Philemon There are an infinite number of Clitandre's in the world and we may say every day that a Man who thus forgets himself is the common Laughing-stock of Companies Cleonice But is it so difficult a matter for one to know one's self Do we not feel our selves Can we believe that we should conceal our Sentiments from our selves as we dissemble 'em to others Erastus Yes Madam we take pleasure to deceive our selves It so seldom happens that our opinions be as just as they ought to be that our Hearts are therewith irritated and makes us secret reproaches of it And therefore it is that we dare not mâ—ke too sincere reflections on the things which put us out of humour and if on the contrary we be so satisfied with our selves to set chearfully on this examination we fall into a Vanity which is more intollerable than the Ignorance of our selves can be Cleonice But why so much subtilizing
to know exactly what we are and the Persons before whom we are oblig'd to speak when the matter concerns only the due Decorum we ought to observe to one another If we meet with Persons of a considerable Rank or extraordinary Merit do we not naturally fear to displease them And does not this fear lead us to testifie to 'em the deference we owe them Do we feel any repugnance in yielding them the most Honourable or commodious Place In stopping to let them go in or out in directing our words to them before the rest of the Company in shewing Complaisance for their Sentiments or at leastwise in not directly opposing them if they prove contrary to ours Belise I imagine that it is more easie to keep this Decorum and Character of Discretion with Persons that are our Inferiours than with those to whom we are oblig'd to submit Our Hearts are imperious they suffer not over patiently that any Law should be imposed on them but perhaps they are generous enough to lay only easie ones Cleonice Do you believe all Peoples hearts have the generosity of yours You are very favourable to 'em if you have this opinion of ' em Many Servants who are continually ill used will not consent to what you say That they have only a light Yoak laid on them Dorante It is true most Masters are very unjust and far from that discretion we speak of Those who find themselves constrain'd to serve are they not unfortunate enough without encreasing the Misery of their condition by Injuries and a Tyranny which comes near Inhumanity Erastus That which I cannot comprehend is That in the Army most young Gentlemen flie upon their Servants and misuse them without considering the need they may chance to have of them You know how many occasions there are wherein the Life of a Master may depend on the fidelity of a Servant Philemon Shall we say nothing of our equals And whatever familiarity we may have with them shall we not observe a Character of Respect in our dealings with them That which contributes most to preserve Friendship to speak properly is only the effect of Discretion and the Civility we speak of These two Qualities are so necessary that a Man cannot well pass through the World without them and it is impossible that Pleasure and Politeness should riegn in a Conversation where these are omitted to be practised Cleonice And this Discretion and Decorum which you so much commend do they hinder us from mixing some Railleries in our discourses Philemon No Madam but they hinder our joking in such a manner as may give offence Belise It would not be amiss to examine within what bounds our Raillery should be included but it is late and it is better to defer this discourse till to Morrow when the Company comes to dine at Philemon's who entreats it Cleonice This entreaty savours of Ceremony Have you any Lindamire come whose arrival you would celebrate as Dorante and Erastus have done for that of a Nephew and Sister in Law Belise I find you little equitable in that you would not let me have my part in this joy and profiting so much by this Conversation it is no marvel if I endeavour to renew it The Company consented to Belise's desire and met at her House next Morning where they dined after the same manner as they did at Erastus's and Dorante's They afterwards past into Belise's Chamber and began the discourse after this manner ENTERTAINMENT XI What care must be taken in Raillery Dorante RAillery has been always respected as Salt which seasons Conversation and renders it agreeable by a little sharp rellish that it gives it A Discourse that is not enlivend with it will appear no less flat and insipid than Meat without Salt It 's true we cannot suffer Meat that is too salt and a Raillery too picquant is more intollerable Belise Nothing is more certain than that Ragouts are so far from preserving of Health that they ruine it Yet the ravage they make in our Bodies is less hurtful than the disorder that Raillery causes in a Society It introduces division and breaks those Friendships which appear to be the most solidly establish'd Erastus Why would you have a little Mirth to destroy a Society unless it be composed of ill natured People Supposing an assembly of ingenious Persons do meet their minds being agreeable and well turn'd they will understand Raillery and divert one another instead of falling foul on each other and quarrelling Belise Believe me Erastus the Persons you speak of who seem to take all in good part and understand Raillery yet keep a secret grudge against these Railers They revenge themselves as oft as they meet with an occasion and it is well if they can disguise the Subject of their Revenge Cleonice I acknowledge my humour leads towards Raillery but I resist the inclination when I consider the consequences I find we ordinarily trangress therein the Rules of Civility and Discretion and expose our selves to the danger of offending Persons whom we should not disoblige In a Word if there be less Pleasure in refraining from Raillery yet without doubt there is more safety as I find more in walking in a broad Path than in dancing on Flowers on the brink of a Precipice Erastus For my part I am perswaded that there are Raileries which does no more offend than effectual injuries When we utter injuries it 's anger which transports us against Persons that we hate but it oft happens that we despise so much those whom we jear that we disdain to put our selves into a Passion against them Belise The more I search what Persons one may innocently rally the fewer I find Let 's examine particulars and Dorante will afterwards tell us whether there be Persons that we may lawfully Rally I will begin by Friends I would have them spared and Friendship respected as a Sacred thing Moreover are we not obliged for our Interest to conceal their defects that we may not give occasion to be reproached for having made an ill choice Cleonice For my part I shall think less of rallying my Enemies and if I loved Revenge Raillery would appear to me too weak a means to satisfie me Philemon Persons of Merit should be still more remote from our Raillery when even we can distinguish some defect among their Virtues Do we not consider that there is nothing perfect and that we are bound to take every thing in the most favourable sense we can Belise I find moreover that Persons without Merit are too contemptible to be rallyed and I would not so much as spend one breath about them Cleonice It must be granted too that Raillery is too weak to use to an ill Man Erastus But what will Lisidor and Lindamire tell us They must speak their opinions and intermix in our Conversations Lisidor I would not have young People rallied lest they be discouraged to enter into Company the small Experience
Damage he did him in cutting his Rope Erastus I have a Kinsman who has not hang'd himself yet although his Covetousness is no wise inferiour to your Usurer's My Kinsman is young he has Birth and Courage and yet a base Humour blemishes whatever otherwise is praise worthy in him I perswaded him to serve in the Wars and the better to prevail with him I set before him that if he lived he would be recompensed and that if he hapned to die he would find You believe perhaps I told him that he would find Honour not at all but that he would find an end of his Expences which a Man is obliged to make during the course of his Life Our Miser resolved upon it but when he was to buy Horses and provide the rest of his Equipage he soon renounced War he told me he had rather retire to an Estate he had near Paris and that he could subsist on a hundred things whence Farmers draw a Profit which he pretended not to let them have To turn him from this Design I offered to make a Campaign with him at Sea if he were willing to go and he needed no Horses nor Tents for this and the Captains Table being at his Service he consented thereto and we set out It 's not necessary to relate to you what our Naval Army did I shall only tell you that at our Return we found our selves at Provence in the beginning of Winter We would needs enjoy the fine time of that Countrey and therefore made a Match of walking out with Ladies One day as we walk'd in a Path separated from a Meadow by a Ditch we thought that this Separation was not great enough to hinder us from leaping to the other side and enjoying a nearer Conversation with the Ladies Our Miser being accustomed to sparing was so sparing of his Strength that he leap'd into the Ditch The Ladies burst out into a Fit of Laughter and I made what haste I could to assist my Kinsman I stooped as low as I could to draw him out thence bidding him only give me his Hand This Word affrighted him more than his Fall and looking earnestly upon me What would you answered he immediately have me to give you At these words I observ'd the Fault I had committed and explaining my self in a manner more conformable to his Inclination Cousin replied I shall I give you my Hand With all my Heart answered he dear Cousin and having offered his I drew him out of the Ditch where I believe he would have still lain had I not chang'd the Expression The Company having laugh'd at Erastus his Relation they prosecuted their Discourse Dorante You acknowledge then that one may deride a covetous Man and I suppose you will as easily grant that we may jear those Persons who imagine they are always sick who are continually taking Medicines and who yet sleep well and eat better Belise I know a Woman who has a great deal of Wit and talks well when there is no mention of Sickness or Remedies But she gives very good diversion as soon as the Conversation turns on matters relating to Health I was saying something to her yesterday about her Husband who is a very honest Gentleman and after she had allowed his good qualities she aded that he had one bad one which she could not cure him of which is says she that he is so obstinate that he will take no Remedies But why should he take any replied I if he be well How said she do you think it enough to be in Health without taking Remedies for preventing Distempers which you may fear In fine when this imaginary sick Body takes Medicines she tastes it then and says there is too much Sena in one too much Rhubarb in another just as we find fault with Broths being too hot or too cold Her Physician in ordinary died not long ago and her Friends fixt another on her of a Humour so frank and brisk that instead of prescribing Remedies to her he did her the Displeasure to tell her that she was in good Health She fell into a Passion and answered smartly to this honest Doctor That if he would order her nothing she knew where to find out others that would The next morning she chose one who Regales her every morning with different Medicines to her Content It 's not above three or four days ago that I was at her House and diverted my self with hearing her talk of the several sort of Diseases she fear'd and their particular Remedies Her Friends do never fail to send to know of her Health and a Lacquey of Amasia's being come on the same Errand You may tell your Lady answered she with a languishing Air that I thank her for her mindfulness of me but that my Health is lost there falling a cold humour on my left shoulder which puts me to grievous pain This Lacquey was no sooner gone but we saw the Princess Demarata's Gentleman enter he made such another sort of Compliment but he had a different answer made him I pray you Sir said our fanciful Lady to let the Princess know how sensibly I find my self obliged to her tell her that a grievous pain in my head has hindred me ever since yesterday from taking any rest As soon as ever this Gentleman was gone I look'd on the pretended sick body with amazement Is your distemper gotten up into your head within this minute said I to her briskly or have you forgot that it is not a Moment past that your illness was in the left Shoulder Did I say it was in my Shoulder answered she Nothing more true replied I it 's no matter added our fancyful Lady provided I said I was troubled with some great illness it 's enough I need say no more Dorante When I should leave to the Stage the representing the humours of these imaginary sick Persons yet I may at lest rally Lovers and affirm that they have Capricio's that reach to extravagancy but I shall make me too many Enemies should I declare my self against so universal a Passion Of six Persons who hear me there would be four who would murmur against me But as for Gray-headed Lovers I doubt not but you will deliver them up to me and allow 'em to be ridiculous when they creep to a young Wench who laughs at them and their superannuated sweetnesses Philemon What will you say of those young Hearts who feel the first stroaks of Love with so much the more pleasure as not knowing it yet they think themselves not oblig'd to oppose it Dorante Instead of rallying them for their Innocency I would recount to them little Stories which might open their Eyes Belise You make me remember how you droll'd with Cleonice when her Heart inclined to prefer Erastus before all his Rivals when she did not then know the Sentiments she had for him Dorante To pass by this discourse Is there any thing more pleasant than to see the pains
depriv'd of that Pleasure My Fears were only for you and can you believe I could have the least Satisfaction in the Queen 's Favour when her Jealousie should make her banish you Let it break out let her ruine me I will glory in my loving you and telling it to her Face I know the precious Gift she bestow'd on me leaves me some Hopes and I may make use of it but I would do it with Safety and it may prevail for more than my Life I apprehend you says the Countess you would reserve all for me and neglect your own Safety But you cannot incur a Danger wherein I have not a Share and the way to preserve my Life is to secure yours This Dispute had lasted somewhat longer but the Countesses Guards minding her it was time to withdraw she dispos'd her self to bid her Husband Adieu Their Separation was moving accompanied with abundance of Tears to which a Multitude of tormenting Inquietudes succeeded and ushered in a Day that instead of diminishing heightned their Sorrows The End of the First Part. THE EARL of ESSEX OR THE AMOURS OF Q. ELIZABETH PART II. THE Queen though angry gave no Order for comprehending the Countess of Essex in her Husband's Impeachment The Morrow after their Conference the Peers met in Westminster-Hall and the Earl of Essex and Southampton were brought before them by the Constable of the Tower The Particulars of the Trial are set forth at large in the Histories of the Time It shall suffice to insert here That the Prisoners being charg'd to have held criminal Correspondences with the Kings of Scotland and Spain and entered into secret Alliances with Tyrone and Traiterously laid and carry'd on a Plot against the Queen's Authority made a very stout and resolute Defence As politick as Cecil was he could not hide the Malignity of his intentions but it was observ'd he was not only a severe Judge but a dangerous Enemy The Heat and Animosity he discover'd against the Earl of Essex were answer'd by him with a slighty Resolution and undaunted Constancy Yet for all he could say in justification of himself he was Condemn'd with the Formalities usual on such Occasions Sentence was pronounc'd by the Lord High Steward That the Earls of Essex and Southampton were guilty of High-Treason and should be Beheaded The Earl of Essex was not mov'd in the least to hear himself nam'd but appear'd Heartily sorry to find the Earl of Southampton under like Condemnation and conjur'd the Judges to examine with less Severity the Conduct of a Person whose only Crime was the Love he had for him But not able to prevail he melted into expressions of the greatest Tenderness in the World for his Friend The Queen being inform'd of the Condition of things gave secret Orders to delay Execution She was of a High Spirit and highly provok'd yet found it very difficult to raise her Anger to a pitch equal to her Tenderness Cecil trembled to find the Execution of a Sentence deferr'd which he had with so much pleasure heard pronounc'd The Countess of Nottingham was equally alarm'd The Proofs were but slight against the Earl of Southampton and the Queen sensible his long Friendship with the Earl of Essex had chiefly engag'd him in the Matters in Charge pardon'd his Life at the Request of his Friends News was brought of it to the Earl of Essex whose truely brave and generous Soul immediately broke forth into sincere Protestations He should die now with Satisfaction and Content since the Queen had own'd by her Pardon the Innocence of Southampton While the Earl of Essex expected with a Resolute Constancy the Catastrophe of his Tragedy the Countess his Wife was inform'd at Whitehall he was executed Till then she believ'd it uncertain but this News surpriz'd her so terribly she fill'd the whole Court with her Lamentations The Queen heard them but was not concern'd as the rest were for them Let her cry says she to the Countess of Nottingham she must shed many more to wipe out the Score of those Tears she hath cost me The Countess of Nottingham was so far from endeavouring to pacifie the Queen that all her Care was to keep up her Anger And because she was ignorant of many things she thought her self concern'd to know she took advantage of the trouble the Countess of Essex was in and made her frequent Visits not to bemoan her afflictions but to find out something to render her more miserable It must needs have been an unparallel'd Cruelty not to pity the handsomest Lady on Earth appearing to our Eyes in a Condition more deplorable than can be exprest She fell every minute for very Weakness into the Arms of the Women about her and recover'd her self only to lament the more pittifully Which affected all but the Countess of Nottingham who saw all this with an Unconcernedness suitable to the hardness of her Heart Ah Madam says the Countess of Essex as soon as she saw her Will you not use your Interest with the Queen in favour of the Earl of Essex You know my Lord of Southampton hath his Pardon replies she and the Queen perhaps will do as much for your Husband Madam says the Countess of Essex 'T is not the Crimes charg'd on my Husband jointly with the Earl of Southampton nor those common to both that render the Queen inexorable You understand me when I tell you there are others she more deeply resents And she hates the Earl of Essex less for the Attempts attributed to his Ambition than his Engagements with me But Madam replies the Countess of Nottingham willing to find out the Mystery of their Love she was yet ignorant of If you thought the Queen would oppose it or be unsatisfi'd with it why did you not quit a Business wherein you were to expect nothing but Crosses If you were ever in Love says the Countess of Essex you know very well we have not always our Wits about us when we are deeply engag'd in Affection However Madam when I Married my Lord of Essex I did not know the Queen was so much concern'd for him Perhaps answers the Countess of Nottingham I might do you some Service were I throughly acquainted with the particular Passages between my Lord of Essex and You. I am not in a very fit disposition to discourse you Madam says the Countess of Essex But if I could by any Confidence prevail with you to do something for us I would give you an Account of all you desire I will not promise you I shall certainly prevail with the Queen But Madam adds the cunning Countess of Nottingham I will use my Interest and perhaps effect more than we have Reason to hope for Have a good Heart Madam do not despair The Queen is good and I will zealously serve you when I am instructed what course to take The Countess of Essex yielding to the Perswasions of her bitterest Enemy dry'd up her Tears and after a short pause spoke to
will submit to it if it be for your Good You suspect me of indifference said he interrupting me and you have the Cruelty to advise me to it Did you love me more you would know me better And were I capable of doing an unjust thing I believe you would Exhort me to forget you for no other cause but that you might think of me no more But Madam to shorten our Discourse and our Doubts which almost make me Mad Believe it I love you above all things in the World there is a sure and easie way to satisfie you of it You are not willing to go with me out of England and yet you are still afraid of the Queen Let us Marry privately and conceal it till we see a more favourable Time This will frustrate the Queen's design to our Prejudice you will no longer doubt of my Affection And if the business be discover'd 't is but flying out of the Reach of the Resentments we fear I was strangely mov'd at this Discourse Every thing oblig'd me to believe him Yet considering it would reflect upon my Reputation to be privately Married I was afraid to consent The Earl Complained of me I Cry'd Love was our Arbitratour and decided the Controversie in his Favour After long resistance I agreed to a private Marriage on Condition the Earl would go for London on the Morrow and appear dis-engagag'd to the Queen from all the Kindness he had had from me We agreed to be Married at the Earl of Southampton's his particular Friend where I was to stay while he went for London Thus we parted He took London Road I went for Southampton attended by Tracy a Domestick of the Earl of Essex's in whom he repos'd an entire Confidence As the Earl was on the Road he had leisure to consider what Measures to take My Lord Southampton came to receive me at his House where the Earl of Essex arriv'd soon after he had obtain'd leave from the Queen to Absent himself a few Days We are now come to the Instant that usher'd in our Crosses We were Marry'd in the Presence of my Lord Southampton Tracy and some Women of mine and a Kinsman of the Earl of Essex He gave me an Account how the Queen had receiv'd him and began to confess he believ'd she lov'd him He stay'd but six Days at Southampton in which time we agreed what course to take I was too far from London to see the Earl often without discovering our Correspondence Nothing seem'd more proper to Conceal it than a House he had within few Miles of London on the Thames side It stood alone and was strong enough to prevent a Surprise Having settled my Affairs I was conducted thither by my Lord Southampton and Tracy while the Earl of Essex return'd for London Nothing could be more pleasant than the Solitude I was in My Lord of Essex came to see me every Day And I spent there two Years without a moments Trouble At last an Accident happen'd that miserably perplext us The Earl of Essex had an infinite of Enemies who envy'd him and for all his Caution they took notice of his extraordinary Assiduity for the Place I was in They told the Queen of it She was disturb'd at it more perhaps for the Suspicion she had of some Private Gallantry of his there than for those matters they would have possest her with I gave her no Trouble The Earl's Disengagement with my pretended Journey into France had secur'd her as to me Yet she would go see whether the Earl frequented that House only for the Pleasure of the Place or some hidden Cause One Day as the Earl was with her she gave Orders her ordinary Retinue should be ready to wait on her I have long had a mind to see your Country-House says she to the Earl I have had a very pleasant Description of it The Weather is fair and I believe a Walk so far may do me good You may imagine the Fears this put the Earl in He durst not openly oppose her Design but endeavoured to divert her by saying His House deserv'd not the Pains it would cost her to go so far When he saw her resolv'd upon it he begg'd leave to go before to put things in order for her Reception Nay says she you shall be my Guide There 's no need of Preparation The Earl at these Words trembled for me He was depriv'd of all means of Precaution and the Concern he appear'd in made the Queen more curious Imagine what a Trouble he was in by the way and how often he wish'd something might hinder their Arrival But Fortune favour'd the Queen's Designs so far that they came safe to the House and she would presently go see the Lodgings The Earl astonish'd gave her his Hand The Chamber I us'd was the best in the House and the first the Queen staid at The Earl seeing no Remedy steps to the Door which he found open contrary to Custom and was pleasingly surpriz'd to find only Tracy there sleeping or rather pretending to sleep on a Couch He was quickly awak'd and having express'd his Surprize and Respect immediately withdrew The Earl of Essex who thought him at London began to take Heart fancying his good Genius had revealed the Adventure to Tracy But a new Trouble arose My Picture hung in the same Room under a Curtain The Queen ask'd If it was the Earl's He answered with some Trouble It was not The Queen drew the Curtain and saw her self drawn at length where the Earl thought my Picture would appear Then it was he was perswaded the faithful Tracy had had an Intimation of the Journey The Queen express'd much Joy to see her Picture in the Earl's Chamber From the House she went into the Garden took a short Repast during which Tracy found the opportunity to whisper the Earl He need not trouble himself and return'd to London without the least suspicion Thus Matters pass'd on their side As to ours The very instant the Queen told the Earl of Essex she would see his House the Earl of Southampton was at her Chamber-Door You are come in very good time to go along with the Queen to the Earl of Essex 's says the Officer who was going to provide the Equipage The Earl of Southampton by these few Words quickly discover'd the Storm that threatned his Friend And to provide a Remedy I am not very well said he to the Officer Perhaps the Queen may command me to wait on her I will not go into her Presence Pray let her not know you have seen me The Officer promis'd she should not and Southampton hastened to the Earl of Essex's to tell Tracy who immediately took the best Horse his Master had and put him so well to it that he was with me before the Queen left London I was not a little troubled at the News Tracy hid me and my Women in a Quarter where was no likelyhood of our being discover'd and then chang'd the
highly satisfy'd in her but there are some Husbands who think no Women so bad as their own of which Number Don Fernand was The quiet Possession palled him and being disgusted with the continual serving up of the same diet he was resolv'd to divert himself with change when he could at the Expence of others He had for these some Months us'd to Hunt upon the Grounds belonging to the Grand Master of the Artillery whose Wife though not altogether so absolute a Beauty as his own yet shone with so many charms as that few of her sex could stand in competition with her and withall was extreamly pleasant and divertive in her humour and of the most pleasant and gallant Wit in the World In a Word a Woman exactly fram'd to his own Mould and Temper The Grand Master was a Man perfectly cut out for War and so consequently you may guess very unfit for the Court He bent all his mind to the Duty of his charge and left the Affairs of his House to the manage of his Wife of whom he had a good opinion being of a Temper contrary to the Genius of those of his Countrey not at all inclined to the yellows Some Relation between him and the Viceroy together with the Friendship that was contracted between the two Ladies who had been long acquainted served for an inducement to bring the Grand Master to Court where Don Fernand would needs honour him with a particular Apartment Hitherto all went well neither did any one perceive the Viceroy's design upon Donna Angelica so was the Grand Masters Lady called he spoke not to her but with his eyes and by his handkerchief which in that Country serves for a Love-Interpreter as well as the eyes But now since of an outward he had made a domestick Amour the convenience of daily seeing and entertaining the object of his Ardent Affections encreased his Passion to such a Height that it could be no longer kept a reserve from the quick sight of so penetrating a Lady as his was A little Jealousy is sufficient to disunite two Women A bare suspicion will dissolve the strongest Tye of Friendship that can be between them The Viceroy's Lady began to look very indifferently upon Donna Angelica without assigning to her any reason for it For most commonly one Woman does not love to betray the jealousy she possibly may have of another that seems to her to be such a Point of Honour as she will never but in the last extremity and when she is no longer capable of concealing it discover the reproachful signs of this weak passion in her Donna Angelica soon perceived the change and as soon guest the occasion of it yet she behaved her self in her usual manner towards the Viceroy's Lady A Woman takes an extream Pleasure to see her self beloved especially by a Person of Quality and deserving Merit as Don Fernand was But Donna Angelica shewed so much discretion in her conversation with him that his Lady had nothing to ground a Quarrel on But that discretion was wanting in him whose Passion was raised to such a heighth that it was not in his power to restrain it The Viceroy's Lady who would no longer serve them towards the convenience of their interviews seeing that Donna Angelica abated nothing of her free and indifferent carriage he refus'd her the ordinary civility of entring into her Chamber where he us'd frequently to wait on her and which had serv'd the Viceroy as a pretence in his Visits to her Donna Angelica could not dissemble this affront the injustice of it being too great considering the freedom of her conversation wherewith she had hitherto treated Don Fernand and she was now resolv'd to be reveng'd and spare nothing whereby she could be able to make her jealous in good earnest It is something dangerous to provoke an Enemy when it lyes in his power to do us more mischief then yet he has done Donna Angelica had no sooner seen the Viceroy but assuming to her self a more serious countenance than ordinary Sir says she I know not what Pleasure you can take in making dissention betwixt your Lady and me I Madam answered Don Fernand absolutely astonisht at the Reproach she made him Yes you your self replys she you make her by some of your actions imagine that you love me and she by hers would confirm me in my belief of the same I did not think answered the Viceroy smiling that I could ever have been so much oblig'd to my Wives ill humour as that she should make a declaration of love for me but since it is so Madam I wish she may always continue it for I swear to you nothing is so true as what she would perswade you to And Madam I love you to such a degree as no Man yet ever loved before me I perceive replys she that she is already extreamly jealous but she shall be sufficiently punisht for it Yes Madam replyed the Viceroy if you would but love me a little Not so replied she although indeed any other would do it perhaps through revenge if not through inclination but added she laughing I desire not to push on my revenge so far This Discourse was interrupted by some Ladies who came to visit Donna Angelica and the Viceroy being oblig'd for that time to retire writ a Lettter to the Lady the same day to this purpose Revenge your self Madam revenge your self of the Vice-queen who has had the Curiosity to pry into the secrets of my Heart she is perswaded that none can have so tender and ardent a Passion as that I bear you that I think of none but you that I seek nothing but you and that I have no Pleasure but when I see you and am so happy as to be in your Company It seems she has penetrated into the most secret folding of my Soul and you ought to be angry with her in earnest for since this offends you and it is to your resentment I must owe your kindnesses I would wish to see you so incens'd against her as may make me truly Happy at least you cannot choose a fitter revenge all the mischief will fall upon her and we alone shall enjoy the Pleasure Once more Madam let me beg of you to take your revenge for though there were no subject for it you will however but do an Act of justice in bestowing a little Love upon a Man who is not altogether unworthy of some Place in your Heart being Don Fernand. This Letter was deliver'd to Donna Angelica which she read not without a Smile but return'd him no Answer nevertheless the Viceroy from this time saw that his affairs were not attended with any extraordinary ill Circumstances The Vice-queen perceived she had committed an errour and that by refusing Donna Angelica the priveledge of her Chamber she had given her Treacherous Husband a fair occasion to see her in private Her Jealousy daily encreas'd she imagin'd a thousand times more then was indeed
do you find that I have not perform'd my Duty well I am but now come from the Vice-queen I have been two long Hours with her in her Closet where I have sighed talkt of Love and feigned an Excess of Passion What would you desire more I know not what you have done since I saw you answers the Viceroy but a while since you made me conceive so ill an Opinion of you that I began to lay down all Hopes of finding any good Relief from you You were sad dejected and said not a Word is that the way to insinuate into the Hearts of the young Ladies That melancholy Air that I affected Sir answered the Count is none of the worst means to take some Hearts at least it was the means that perswaded your Lady the Vice-queen to lead me into her Closet to ask me what the matter was And there in private I told her what I had to say and I hope added he smiling you will find your desired Repose I wish I may answered the Viceroy not being overfond of entring into the Particulars of that Conversation and after having encouraged him to pursue the Design they each went away to their respective Apartments The Morrow following this new Lover who used always to go extream rich in Cloaths took a particular care to please his Mistress in his Habit. He found her as he had been told with the Viceroy's Lady and as soon as they saw him come into the Chamber they both fell a laughing at the different Thoughts they had of this Visit each looking upon the other as the pretended Mistress of this Gallant It was pleasant to observe the Care they both took to render themselves pleasing to him Do you not see Madam says Donna Angelica softly how delilicately he is shaped what a sweet Air he has how particularly graceful his Person is I observe it all says the Viceroy's Lady being overjoy'd to hear her speak in this manner and I confess if I were one of those Women that would entertain a Gallant I would make choice of Count Henry for Donna Angelica did judge by the gentile Behaviour of the Count and the Disposition of the Lady that if no Amour was yet a foot between them it would soon be begun And the Vice-queen was perswaded that Donna Angelica being perswaded as she was of the Merits of the Count either did already or would quickly be brought to love him The Count acquitted himself as to his part well enough for a young Scholar He sigh'd sometimes to one sometimes to the other to the Satisfaction of both When the Viceroy's Lady made him a Sign he went to Donna Angelica and then returned to her upon the silent Commands of Donna Angelica Never was Man better diverted all was well received from him he had the Privilege to do what he pleas'd and they permitted him each for the others sake all the little Liberty he had a mind to take with them Some Days past in this manner during which time the Viceroy's Lady and Donna Angelica gave themselves this Diversion and where the Viceroy himself had no mind to be seen for fear of spoiling their Mirth The happy Count enjoy'd alone these fair Ladies Company and grew every Day more familiar with them He was very handsome as to his Figure and of so free and airy a Humour that it sparkled through all his Actions and his Company was very pleasant and delightful to them But Don Fernand who besides the little Advantage he had hitherto got by it began to fear that Mischief might happen to his Mistress which he intended only for his Wife grew weary of their Divertisements and gave Donna Angelica notice that she would do him an extream Kindness to forbear being seen there any more since she was unable further to contribute to that Design But she who by no means would permit the Viceroy to concern himself about the Measures of her Conduct and knowing from what Motive his Advice proceeded did but laugh at him and went immediately from dinner to the Vice-queen's Chamber where she was sure the Count would not fail to be What is it to me says she what the Viceroy desires I will not deny my self the Satisfaction of seeing the Count. I never pass'd my Time more pleasantly than since I was acquainted with him The Vice-queen was of the same Opinion They sought not so much now to please one another because possibly they both loved him and it may be already repented they had been so liberal and not endeavour'd to retain him each for her self But as both of them had a good Opinion of their own Power to charm him they flattered themselves with a Conceit that they could retrieve him at their pleasure The Count being with the Viceroy's Lady and the time of going to take the Air drawing on they propos d to walk in the Garden when there came in some Ladies to wait upon the Vice-queen and their Visit growing somewhat tedious Donna Angelica whispers the Viceroy's Lady that she would stay for her in the Garden with the Count in the Arbor near the Labyrinth and so they took their leave of her and went both together This Lady did most extreamly long to know which of them had the geatest Empire o're the Counts Affections though she did not much doubt but it was her self his Eyes and all his ways of Expressions as well as his Mouth had sufficiently confirm'd her in this Belief but to avoid the ordinary Mistake of Women who are willing to flatter themselves in this Particular she was resolv'd to have from him a clear Declaration of the Truth and they were no sooner in the Arbor but beginning to laugh after a very charming manner for a young Lover says she Count Henry you have made a great Progress in a little time You are but newly arrived in this Court and you have got already such an Esteem among all the Ladies that I I should not very much flatter you in saying it is arrived even to the point of Love You are obliging Madam answer'd the Count but I should be too happy were the Progress I have made capable of reaching your Heart My Heart says she with a kind of secret Joy that appear'd in her Eyes you have no Thoughts of it you questionless take me for the Vice-queen No Madam replies the Count I know to whom I speak and if either of us mistake it is you if you imagine my Wishes and Sighs are addressed to the Vice-queen It is you Madam that are their fair Object and they only aspire at your Heart And seeing she answer'd nothing for possibly she was then at a stand what to say to him he made use of her obliging Silence and having put one Knee to the Ground Madam says he most passionately taking one of her fair Hands and giving it a thousand Kisses I have a long while waited for an Opportunity to swear to you by all that is most powerful
and tender in Love that not only I never had any other Design than to love you but also that I never will love any besides your self so long as I live As he was speaking in this manner the Viceroy who was by Accident then walking in Alley that led to this Arbor saw him in this Posture but at the distance he was from them he could not well discern whether it were his own Lady or Donna Angelica that he saw His Reason would fain perswade him it must be the former but there were some Motions of Jealousie that began to torment him having made him apprehend it might be the other he was resolved to be sure and therefore hastes towards them to know the Truth Donna Angelica was the first that perceived him who hastily making the Count rise up from the Ground What have you done Sir says she the Viceroy has seen you and I know not what he will think of it Madam answer'd the Count I know not whether you may have any cause to fear on his side but I am in despair for your sake although not in the least for my own It is upon your account I speak replies she and you know not possibly the interest he will take in it The Viceroy no sooner knew Donna Angelica but changing colour twice or thrice according to the different motions wherewith he was agitated his voice failing as if he had been stabbed to the Heart Certainly Madam says he the Count has either receiv'd or does demand of you some extraordinary favour to be in that supplyant posture I saw him in at your feet One or the other says she being netled at his words may possibly be true but you may better be informed of it from him than me to which purpose I leave ye together The Viceroy would have stopt her but she desired him to let her go with such an air as Don Fernand durst no longer oppose her in it Never was Lover so dissatisfy'd as the Viceroy What he had already seen almost gave him his deaths-wound and for his comfort afterwards she fled from his sight He walkt about there without saying a word his mind being tortur'd with a thousand thoughts each more destracting than other and at last making a stop before the young Neopolitan who was also in as dumb a figure as himself By what I perceive says he to him without looking on him you are one of those who with great difficulty begin to love but when once they are set in none comes amiss to them A few days since you knew not what love meant now one Mistress is too little for you The Count which though young and unexperienc'd in these affairs yet had a piercing wit of his own readily apprehended by the trouble he saw in the Viceroy's countenance as well as by what he had heard him say to Donna Angelica that it was she he was so deeply in love withall and that it was his jealousy only which had made him speak in that manner so that to repair the ill effect of this last adventure he told him that he was utterly ignorant of the ground of this reproach which he made him and that if he were in love it was with the Vice-queen and that too in pure obedience to him and that he had not thrown himself at the feet of Donna Angelica but to render her his Acknowledgments for the many good offices she had done him as to his Lady This reason though plausible enough of it self did not work a perfect cure upon the mind of the jealous Don Fernand but however he was somewhat appeased by it You Italians says he as a small matter obliges you so you carry your acknowledgments to such an excess that one would imagine you had received very high favours and that no less then a perfect surrender of all was made to you when indeed very little or nothing is done for you It was I continued he that desired Donna Angelica to serve you in your love to my Wife and it is to me only you are to owe the Obligation And to leave you nothing more to guess of this business but to repose an absolute confidence in you it is Donna Angelica whom I love and therefore that you might not be any longer deceiv'd and that in leaving the Vice-queen to your dividend let me desire you that you would forget to cast your eyes on the other and to avoid even being seen in her company at least in private If I were in your place I know which of the two would please me best and I must confess there is no Woman I could love better than my Wife were she anothers but she is mine and that title is sufficient to give all Husbands a disgust who are of my humour and constitution Do not think this to be any caprice most marry'd men are of this temper and I know also good store of Wives indeavour to imitate them and so to repay them in the same Coyn. As he was discoursing after this manner the Vice-queen who as soon as she could had got rid of her visitants came hastily into the Garden with a resolution caus'd partly by curiosity partly by Jealousy to over-hear Donna Angelica discourse with the Count and passing through the Labyrinth that she might not be seen she came to the place time enough to over-hear some part of the moral discourse her honest Husband held with the Count she listned with a great deal of patience even with that which exceeded other Women and she heard the Count make her Husband this answer Sir the Vice-queen is certainly one of the most beautiful persons under heaven and a man must be then as you say her husband not to love her but likewise you ought not to fear that a man who is not her husband and to whom you have given the liberty of loving her should not make his advantage of that blessing and should ever dream of engaging himself elsewhere as for my part I will stand firm as a Rock to this inclination as long as you shall think good to permit me This Resolution of the Count 's did a little comfort the Vice-queen for her Husband's contempt who heartily endeavour'd to perswade the young Gallant that he could not make a better choice than that of his Wife nor find a more Agreable Husband than himself provided he came not to one particular point which he kept for a reserve leaving him all the rest They parted thus from the Arbour and being come to the Palace together the Viceroy took his leave to go to Donna Angelica with whom he was to make his peace before he went to bed if he meant to sleep quietly that night As for the Vice-queen she was walking still in the Garden making divers reflexions upon what she had heard What a vexation was it for a person of so many killing charms as she abounded with to think of the rare Dialogue wherein her husband with
his usual eloquence had set forth the esteem and love he had for her Women of what condition or quality soever can never pardon such kind of slights especially those that are handsom She call d him by the most injurious names she could invent Is it possible says she that I can be so little valu'd and that a man for whom I have given my self a thousand torments and whom I have loved hitherto even to the contempt of a thousand that deserv'd it better should himself labour for his own dishonour Oh Heavens pursues she this indifference of his or rather this insupportable injury he does me cannot sufficiently be punished I ought to content a husband that is of this humour I have yet the same charms and winning looks as I had wherewith I might allure a thousand lovers to me without giving him the trouble of seeking them for me he shall not have cause to complain on that score I will see how for his patience will extend and I am a fool my self if I make not him the greatest of all mankind Let me begin with this young Neapolitan I perceive I am not indifferent to him and since he is a Gallant I receive from my husbands hands let me entertain him so kindly as that he may have no cause to be dissatisfyed He will lose more by it then my self With these thoughts she bore her self company to her Chamber and entertain'd her self with them the greatest part of the night during which she confirm'd her self in the resolution she had taken of seconding her disloyal husband's good intentions When a virtuous woman has taken the pains to convince her self and is fully perswaded thto ' the motives of Revenge and Honour that the sin is excusable neither virtue nor honour is of strength sufficient to oppose her The Count was extreamly out of humour that he had met with so unlucky an encounter with the Viceroy's Mistress He foresaw the consequences of it and he was not a little troubled at the Resolution he had taken To think no longer to love Donna Angelica was nonsense because already he was so far engag'd and to continue it was absolutely to ruine himself What in the world to do he knew not as the case then stood if he had been able to believe his interest in this fair one so powerful as to perswade her to agree with him in deceiving the Viceroy they might then keep their love secret but he durst not flatter himself so far as to that point he had a desire notwithstanding to satisfy himself in this particular if he could find ever an opportunity for it without plunging the Viceroy into new suspicions Whilst he was labouring under this inquietude he saw him come into his Chamber The Count altogether surpriz'd at this visit presently judg'd that some great important business had brought him thither The Viceroy observing in his Countenance the trouble that lay upon him to put him out of his pain after he had familiarly seated himself on the bed-side where the Count was laid You see says he smiling what it is to be in love by my being up so early when you are as fast taken in the Amorous lime-twigs as my self you will then sleep as little as I do and passing from this little preamble to the occasion of his visit he told him That Donna Angelica was mightily incens'd against him even almost to the last extremity for what he had said the evening before in the Garden You know pursues he whether I testified any kind of regret or jealousy when I found you alone with her though possibly I might have had very good ground for both But however she has past a thousand severe censures upon that action You must go wait upon her this morning and if she puts you upon that Chapter endeavour what you can to disabuse her but above all be sure to take no Notice that I have spoke to you or that I have in the least made you my confident of my passion for her If she speaks to you of the Vice-queen let her understand that all your inclinations are bent that way for her It is the ordinary frailty of Womenkind to flatter themselves that they are extreamly admired by the men and you having seen them both together she perhaps may think you have made a dividend of your heart betwixt them but let her understand your inclinations let her see your heart is incapable of adoring any more than one Divinity and that having made choice of the Vice-queen you have given up your self absolutely to be subject to her Empire After these and a great many other good Remonstrances the Viceroy went his way and the Count having drest himself to the most advantage he could directed his way to the Palace and found Donna Angelica bright as the Day setting before her Toilet she blusht when she saw him possibly at the remembrance of the last words he had spoke to her and having made him sit down they both remain'd silent perplext I am apt to believe with the multitude of their thoughts rather then want of matter for a Discourse But Donna Angelica unwilling any longer to insult upon the young Lovers disorder took pity on him thereby to retrieve his Courage I thought says she you came here to ask my pardon for the boldness you took yesterday in the Evening but by what I perceive you have forgot it already It is true Madam answers he sighing I am criminal enough to beg your pardon since I have been so unhappy as to displease you but I must confess to you though I were to expiate my fault with the laying down of my life at your Feet I know not whether I could ever repent of what I said to you and if it be a crime to love you I am in danger of being all my life the greatest criminal in the World You do not feat then replies she to offend me Alas Madam says he sighing I dread your least displeasure but love is a God more to be fear'd than you It is high time to explain my self and I am so wretched as not to please you let me then at least understand my misfortune Well Sir says she will you be satisfy'd if I tell you that such a Man as you never sigh'd in vain she could not bring forth these words without blushing but they so strangely possest our young Lover with a joyous transport that flinging himself at her knees he embrac'd them a thousand times She made him rise and told him smiling he should have a care the Viceroy did not find him again in that Posture whom he was to look upon as his most dangerous Enemy I know it Madam says he in a tone wherein there was less assurance and that he is already too well established in your Heart ever for me to hope to displace him it is not on that point replies she you ought to fear him but it is because he will have
and possibly waited only for his coming to make those Dreams out My Traitor of a Husband says she to her self is absent I am alone and if the Count should come at this instant I know not what I should be able to deny him and I am very sure few Women in the World would have had my Patience What Abus'd on all sides by a Man who instead of adoring me as he should do does court another before my Face even to the last Point of Gallantry Nay more just Heavens He seeks me out a Gallant to comfort me for his Disloyalty or rather to amuse me he teaches him Ways to please me nay and complains of him that he does not please me enough Oh! Had the most virtuous Women living such Husbands as mine we should see if their Honour were able to hold out against such cruel Injuries From these Thoughts she passed to others more agreeable She represented the Count to her Mind in a thousand charming Ways and the Ideas whereof fill'd her with an Impatiency of seeing him not to be exprest But all the Desires and languishing Motions of her Soul brought him not Noon-Day came and now she prepar'd her self to make him a thousand Reproaches being no less inraged against him than against the Viceroy though in a very different manner The unfortunate Count was at that time embroyl'd in a very troublesome Business and so could not much think of her She had sent twenty times to his Lodging and as often to Donna Angelica's but could hear no Tydings of him What Misfortune had happened to him what was become of him you shall now hear The jealous Viceroy who had been advertis'd by secret Spies he kept over Donna Angelica that the Count visited her almost every Night had often attempted to surprize them together but whether it was the good Address of the Gallant or whether Love was so kind to favour them I can't tell but so it was that they had always the Happiness to come off safe So that being almost in Despair and being infinitely desirous at what Price soever to bring about his Design he had planted one of his Spies when it just began to be dusky behind the Tapistry at her Chamber Door to see when the Count came in or she went out to find him It is very well if we are but once happy in such an Amour Too much good Fortune oft times makes us negligent and we find our selves very near a Precipice when we think our selves just at the Zany of our Happiness But we ought not to rely too much upon our past good Fortune and in matters of Danger we ought to be as vigilent as our Observers Heavens defend all Lovers from such a jealous Man as this Viceroy of Catalonia who had abandon'd his Wife to anothers Addresses that he might have the Pleasure to make his Applications to a Mistress without being troubled in his Business He had Intelligence brought him about midnight that his Rival was come and slipt into a Closet that was near Donna Angelica's Chamber This News transported him both with Joy and Anger He disguises himself in the Habit of one of his Men comes immediately to the Closet and knocks softly at the Door Count Henry used every Night to come to that happy Place where when the Grand Master was in Bed he past an Hour or two as Affairs would give him leave in most pleasant Conversation with Donna Angelica And now hearing one knock so gently at the Door he doubted not but that it was his fair Mistress He open'd the Door softly and perceived one with a Hat on who endeavour'd to force an Entrance but being young and stronger than the Assailant he pusht him back and clapt the Door so suddenly to that the Viceroy ran a very great Danger of leaving Part of his Nose behind him Just at this time the Grand Master came from the Town and hearing a Noise as he pass'd towards his Lady's Chamber he askt what it was The Viceroy had taken care to put out two Lights which usually stood there and hearing the Grand Master's Voice being seized with a sudden Fear for he would not for the World be seen in that Disguise endeavour'd to make his Escape which he did not however acquit himself so well of but that the Grand Master in the Pursuit regal'd him with his Cane with which he gave him two or three severe Drubs crying out Thieves Thieves But he escaped for all this happily enough if this may be call'd a Happiness Donna Angelica heard this Alarm in her Chamber but felt it more in her Heart They told her there was a Thief that would have broke into her Closet but she doubted it was her dear Count So that trembling all over with Fear she came out of her Chamber to see whether he were taken The Grand Master told her he was not but that he had so maul'd him with his Cane that he did not believe he would come thither any more this good while This News gave the affrighted Lady some Comfort not but that she was much concern'd that her dear Gallant had been so ill treated But after the Danger she thought he had escaped she thank'd her Stars that he had come off so cheap These are the Fruits of Love which many young Lovers have sometimes gathered before the Flowers She made some Complaints within her self which being past she could not but laugh at the Reflection she made upon the Adventures of Lovers and how different their Days are one from the other She knew not that it was the Viceroy that had been paid so handsomely for his Curiosity and undergone the Punishment due to his extravagantly jealous Humour That unfortunate lover came home very much mortifyed as may be imagined cursing after a strange rate the folly of Love but yet more Donna Angelica I beleieve it was a pleasant Soliloque he entertained himself all that night and if he had been with her he had vented his passion in dreadful reproaches He would not go to bed before he had writ to her a letter which he charged one of his servants to deliver her the next morning as soon as she was known to be awake He flourished it over after this manner You are the most ungrateful of all women and least worthy to be beloved by a man of honour It is in my power to ruine you but I have compassion on you A Lusty young Gallant has the happiness to please you and in the night time a closet is a very good place to hide him from your Husbands eyes and to favour your Love He 's a poor Husband that relies upon the honesty of his vertuous Wife you may abuse those that will be blind for my part thanks be to Heaven I have opened my eyes and shall look upon yours with the same indifference as I would look upon the ill conduct of a common woman for you deserve to be no otherwise regarded Don
delighted to be interfering sent them the Grand Master who already being fired with a passion for Donna Brigitta could tarry no longer without seeing her He took the pretence of telling them it was Dinner-time and desir'd his Wife to perswade the young stranger to dine with them These two young Lovers who had not had time to make the full advantage of their interview yielded without difficulty to the Grand Master's request Only the Count made some scruple for fashions sake but it was to be the more earnestly entreated which the Lady did with so good a grace that she could not be denied All Dinner-time the Grand Master had his eyes fixt upon the fair Donna Brigitta he carved for her and forgot not to drink her Health The Count and Donna Angelica who observed all his earnestness and care could not forbear laughing at him The new Lover never had been seen in so good a humour in his life and he took a great delight to see them meet with so pleasant a Diversion The Count did as much as the decency of the Sex he had taken upon him would permit to make him really Amorous who never till then had been in Love with any thing but his Sword The Count drank the Grand Master's Health he shewed him all the respect imaginable he took all occasions to oblige him so that the Grand Master believ'd he had already got some place in Donna Brigitta's affection He spoke very highly of her Beauty and said he was forced to confess having made his Excuses to his Wife that he had never seen a more beautiful Creature in his life Donna Angelica managed this Scene extreamly well and play'd the part of a good-natur'd Wife telling him she would serve him as his Confident but gave him warning that he was to expect a Rival A Rival replies he in a fury being heated both with Love and Wine and who is it that will dispute here with me The Viceroy answers she if he sees her but that shall not be here pursued she for as a faithful Confident I will keep her entirely for you The Grand Master was so well pleas'd with his Wife for this Complaisance that he could have given her the Empire of the World if it had been in his power to express to her the sense he had of such an extraordinary kindness Dinner being ended he kept his Wife and Donna Brigitta company a little time but having some important business that indispensably called him away he was oblig'd though with a great deal of regret to take his leave of them Whereupon the Count pretended he must be gone too but the Grand Master oppos'd it and imployed besides his own importunities those of his Wise to oblige him to tarry till his return which should be within as short a time as possible telling them otherwise he would not go how pressing soever his business was Donna Angelica frighted with this last Menace as well as with that of the false Brigitta told him she would take the charge of that Affair upon her and that she would lead the Stranger into her Closet from whence she would not suffer her to stir till he return'd The Grand Master earnestly entreated his Wife to be as good as her word and having waited on them to the Closet for the better security as well as to shew a piece of Gallantry he lockt them in and took the Key with him The Vice-roy who notwithstanding the just ground he might have to complain of this Lady 's imprudent Conduct was now a little reconciled to Donna Angelica being yet uneasie and disquieted spent whole days in her Apartment so that not being satisfied with his Mornings Visit which had lasted three or four hours he came again after Dinner Having met with no body and being there well acquainted he came as far as her Chamber and hearing some laughing in the Closet he put his Ear close to the Key hole and knew it to be the Count's voice which made him hearken more attentively for he was unwilling a word of their Discourse should escape him I leave you to judge whether it could be pleasing to him or no. He resolved at first not to interrupt them but hear them patiently out to the end but it was hard so long to restrain the impetuous motions of his troubled Soul The more he heard the more his grief inlarged upon him But what should he do in this Circumstance he was almost at his wits end and knew not what was his best course to take to knock at the door was a trouble to no purpose he might very well imagine they would not open it without making him speak and much less if he should speak and what measure soever he should use it would but the more advise them to manage their precaution If he had follow'd the motion of his first thoughts he had presently endeavour'd to break open the door but besides that the door was strong enough for the efforts he was able to make against it he had so much reason remaining in him as to see it did by no means become a Person of his Character to use that violence in anothers Apartment and if he made any noise he apprehended that the worst consequences of it might light upon himself He concluded then it was his best way to wait there without making any bustle till they came out or the Grand Master would come in For he was resolv'd this time to undo them and the occasion was too fair to be slipt Those in the Closet continued still their Merriment But the deep sighs the Viceroy fetch'd who sitting on a Chair he had plac'd near the door the better to overhear them bit his Nails to the blood having given them some suspicion of the truth made them speak lower and then it was that the Viceroy being upon Sentinel and enrag'd at the heart not knowing what their secret way of Diversion might be would fain have found some device or other to peep in upon them tho' he could not well have hoped to see any thing there that might be very pleasing to him The Grand Master who was under a violent impatience to see Donna Brigitta could no longer defer his return Those who have never loved are more violent than others when they begin to be fired He left his business half undone and sigh'd all the time of his absence from her He could have wished for a winged Chariot to bring him home so much the sooner But however at last he gets thither and running directly to the Closet he finds not without great surprize the Viceroy in a very sad posture and with a Countenance which sufficiently witness'd the Confusion that possest him at first he made a pleasant judgment of it and reason'd after this natural manner What a Cur of a Hound says he to himself is this no sooner have I any Game here but he is presently nosing after it however he seem'd as if he knew
suspicion Count Henry whom Donna Angelica had not fail'd to acquaint with all that had passed between the Viceroy and Don Gabriel went no more to her apartment but they could not be long without seeing each other They made several assignations of which very few succeeded according to their wish having always found some that follow'd them or gave them some interruption They were observ'd not only by the Viceroy and the Grand Master but by the Vice-queen also who some Days since became more jealous of the Count than ever because she saw him but seldom and caus'd him to be dogged from Morning to Night and follow'd him sometimes her self The Palace Garden had been more favourable to them than any other Place whether for the Convenience Donna Angelica had of going thither without Noise or without being follow'd or that it was not mistrusted being always kept carefully lock't But it is dangerous to go often to one and the same Place and in Case of an Amour the surest way is often to change Stations This Garden was one of the pleasantest of Catalonia the chief Country of delicate Gardens There was in the Middle of it a kind of an inchanted Palace made of Trees artificially rang'd and compos'd into Galleries Halls Chambers and Closets with all their Appurtenances one of the most curious Pieces of Art in the World There was but one way into this Palace of Trees which was by a Drawbridge it being surrounded with a deep Mote full of Water The Thought of passing an Hour or two of the Night in so pleasant a Place no sooner presented it self to our Lovers but they found means to get false Keys to the Garden-door The Viceroy had at length some Notice of it and advis'd the Grand Master the better to surprize them to tell his Wife that he was to make a Journey into the Country for two or three Days Don Gabriel who could not yet believe what he heard consented to what he desired of him The Spies were sent into the Garden early who immediately got up into the Trees to keep sentinel It was scarce Night when they saw a Man of a very good Presence walk towards the green Palace and within a little while after a brisk jolly Lady who took the same way They stole down from the Trees having no more to do and having drawn up the Bridge according to their Orders they ran presently to the Viceroy to acquaint him that they had taken the Quarry What a Joy was this to Don Fernand Don Gabriel was neither merry nor sad He desired to know the Truth and then he knew what Resolution to take if things were so as they reported Now the Truth will appear says the Viceroy but I must beg a Favour of you which is that you would not be transported against your Wife and that you will content your self with putting the Gallant into the Hands of Justice I believe answers the Grand Master that in such Affairs we do not take Counsel of any Persons but tell me what you would do your self should it happen to be your Wife I would shut her up in a Convent reply'd the Viceroy or send her back to her Friends and I beg that Favour at your Hands for Donna Angelica For I protest to you I shall not endure to see a Woman ill us'd for a Misfortune which she should always have reason to accuse me of shew her me Sir says Don Gabriel and then it will be time enough to interceed for her but to tell you the Truth my Heart which uses to give me the first Alarm when any ill Accident threatens me does not yet give me the least Commotion Don Fernand begins to laugh and without any further Reply marches towards the Garden and Don Gabriel follow'd him being each of them attended by five or six Servants well armed to apprehend the Gallant They entred the Garden The Night was so dark they could hardly see each other they advanced towards the Place caused the Bridge to be gently let down where having commanded their Servants to tarry that they might make the less Noise and withall not to have them for Witnesses of this Adventure Only they two went in and softly stole towards the green Palace But it being of a large Extent and having a thousand Places wherein to skulk it was hard in this Obscurity to find those they sought The Viceroy marcht before and he would have been pleas'd that Don Gabriel should hear part of the Discourse between the two Lovers not any longer to doubt of the Title with which his Wife honoured him I believe it would have been a pleasant thing to have seen two Persons of their Character animated each by different Motions marching on Tiptoe in the dark sometimes listning and taking even the Noise themselves made for the Voice of some body particularly the Viceroy who interessed himself so much in this Affair that the moving of the least Leaf gave him an Alarm They held each other by the Hand as the Song is and Don Fernand having the Vandguard was the first who met with one but instead of catching he was caught himself He had scarce entred one of the Rooms where he had heard some Noise but he was seiz'd by the Arm. Most treacherous of all Men says the Person that held him and whom he knew by her Voice to be his own Wife will you now own your Treachery or will you yet tell me you come hither to seek me I leave it to the Reader to judge whether the Viceroy were not sufficiently astonisht he knew not whether she spoke to him in earnest or whether she took him for another But for Don Gabriel 't is hard to express his Joy Ah wretch continu'd she could you after all my Kindness betray me in this manner What Pleasure could you take in abusing me with a Belief that you loved me was it only to comply with the Viceroy who chose you to be my Gallant Why do you not speak to me I should have been content to have given you a Mistress as I did without giving you a Heart which you refuse These Words were too clear to leave the astonished Don Fernand in any Doubt He would have retir'd full of Confusion with what he had heard not so much upon her account as Don Gabriel's who kept close to him behind and would needs see the End of this Scene which could not but be exceeding pleasant but before we pass any farther it will not be amiss for the better understanding of this Adventure to tell you how the Vice-queen happen'd to be there that Night I have already spoke of her Jealousie which for some Days before tormented her and caus'd her to observe all the Motions of the Count and sometimes follow'd him in Person She had notice as well as the Viceroy that he went every Night into the Garden and not doubting but it was to see Donna Angelica there in private she went thither by
ravished to hear his discourse and though she foresaw her concern in the Affair was like to be small yet she was pleas'd with the News she received being willing to sacrifice all Interests of her own to the satisfaction of her Lady But Sir to tell you all said she to the Count having paid my thanks to the Bassa for the favour I was in hopes of from him I went presently to bring the News to the Sultaness who could not sufficiently embrace me being so extreamly transported that nothing in the World could have made her more joyful she hath scarcely been able to sleep ever since She and I have laid a hundred designs and framed to our selves a thousand devices how she may have a sight of you but if the Bassa will not permit you to come alone hither I do not see how it may be effected The Sultaness in the mean time will be ravished with joy that I have seen you and that you know some part of her mind The happy Roman being charmed at the kindness a Lady of that beauty and quality had for him was very urgent with Laura to oblige him on this occasion and press'd her to say to the Sultaness from him all that a heart extreamly sensible of the favour she did him was capable to express That he would have esteem'd himself the happiest of men had it been in his power to have merited this honor and that it should be the business of his Life to deserve it by his Actions Sir reply'd Laura all she desires of you is that you will so manage the Liberty the Bassa doth afford you that she may once have a sight of you I find my self engaged to it by so many reasons said the Count that you may be assured I will not forget any thing that may gain this honour I must intreat you to assure the Sultaness accordingly and that I have at least as much passion as she He had no sooner said this but the Bassa came to them which made them change their discourse and the Bassa having condescended to make himself one of the company and very pleasantly rallied then said he perceived by their Countenances they were obliged to him for the Acquaintance he had procured between them and that they were very well pleased the one with the other The Count and Laura having returned the Complement the Bassa took his leave and he and the Count went out of the Seraglio The Bassa had observed such joy in Alexander's Countenance when he was with Laura it made him believe he was very well pleased with the visit he had given her But he had the curiosity to ask him how he liked her and whether she appeared so beautiful as he had represented her The Count answer'd it was certainly impossible to see a Lady more handsom or more witty And that he was charmed at her Beauty and Conversation The Bassa who desired nothing more than to see him in Love was extreamly glad at the confession he made and told him it should be his fault if he saw her not again and if he desired he might do it on the morrow that he would give him a Key to enter the Seraglio and that he might go alone lest if he brought him in the Sultaness might be jealous it being not his custom to visit her so often the Count failed not to acquaint him how highly that favour would oblige him so that the Bassa bid him go to bed and take his rest and told him he should see Laura on the morrow about the time he had seen her that day Never was a night so restless to any man as this to the Count her inclination like that he had to marriage with the principal and most beautiful Lady of the Kingdom was a thing so rare and so tempting for a man of his temper what Laura had said of those obliging thoughts that charming Person had for him did so ravish him with Pleasure that in the depth of misfortune he could not imagine any man more fortunate than himself But when he considered that she was the Wife of the Bassa a Person to whom he was so strictly obliged he was troubled extreamly and sigh'd for sorrow these second thoughts prevailing at that time over the other he highly reproached himself for entertaining a thought of so base an ingratitude But it is a ticklish business to repent of a thing that extreamly delights us and men seldom charge themselves home for a fault so pleasing and lovely as the pleasure of being beloved Those reproaches of the Count against himself were not altogether the most violent that might be and sometimes he would be angry with himself for making so much ado At last being assaulted by turns on the one side by Reason on the other by Passion by the Glory of that and the tenderness of this he got up in the Morning without having been able to take any other resolution than to yield himself up to be guided by his Destiny to be governed by Fate and be meerly passive in the management of the business that is to say to love in this particular like a Turk and to see the Sultaness if it were so predestinated But to do nothing in order to it though he had promised Laura to contribute on his part all that lay in his power and had told the Bassa he should be extreamly glad to go again to the Seraglio His resolution sometimes was very tottering and weak and to speak truth 't is almost vain to take one against love He wisht a thousand times that day that his Fate to whose conduct he had given himself up would incline to bring him to the Sultaness He waited the Hour with a great deal of impatience however he would fain have perswaded himself to the contrary But a young heart cannot be insensible being so apt to take fire that it scarce requires any help to inflame it As soon as the Bassa saw the Count in the Evening he shew'd him smiling the Key of the Seraglio And he received it with the greatest joy in the World But I give it said the Bassa on condition that you make me your Confident And I think I have done enough to engage you to do me that pleasure The hour was come for his going to the Sultaness and the Count having put on his Eunuchs Habit his Patron every day more obliging than other would needs bear him company as far as the Seraglio Laura having notice of his coming had waited for him above an hour at the Gate and no sooner saw him arrived but ravished with joy she gave him her hand and told him You are either the most dexterous or else the most fortunate Person in the World you bring about things so difficult and in so short a time that all things seem to joyn in your favour I am obliged for it to my fortune answered the Count for as for Addresses I had no occasion to use any but if
once more being the last time The Count took it ill that she made so shy of shewing her self to a Person to whom she was too much obliged to deny him his request in such a conjuncture what cause soever she might have had of quarrel against him Besides he was particularly concerned to press her to shew her self for the last refuge he had was his hope that the Bassa's tenderness for her would perhaps at the moment of parting take fire afresh and make him change his resolution with these thoughts he went to her and gave her all the reasons he could invent to be reconciled to the Bassa and let him see her a moment but all to no purpose He had not one word of answer which angered him so that having taken her twice or thrice by the arm to make her rise he was just going to force up her Barnus and threatned to do it but the Bassa would not suffer it bidding him force her no further that she had cause enough to complain without doing her new violence for love of him But says he let us make use of the time and since she is brought hither to our hands and you have no more to do but embark let us finish what we have begun and perform what we have undertaken there never can be a fairer opportunity and I cannot think that Laura will be sorry to leave such a Country as this or part with us to go along with you The Sultaness in all probability is yet asleep let us not stay till she awake We must presently carry Laura as she is in the Basket into the Ship you shall bear her company and as soon as you arrive you shall hoise sail and away as for me I will pass the rest of the day at Bardou and give out such orders as may be necessary that in case the Sultaness miss Laura and find she is escaped you may not be staid Having said this he sent a Moor to the Port with order to have a Shallop in readiness to carry Laura and Alexander aboard the Christian Vessel riding at Gouletta This done he sent for the Captain of his Guards and bid him accompany the Count and commend the care of that Basket to the Moors who were to carry it along Having given these orders he had no more to do but bid his dear Alexander adieu and having embraced him with tears in his eyes he bore him company to the Shallop and from thence went to Bardou with a heart full of grief The poor Count was more to be pitied He was not much concerned to express how sorry he was to part with the Bassa but as for the Sultaness whom he could have wished to have seen once more at least his trouble to leave her was so great that he felt not the grief he should have shewed when he bid the Bassa adieu who had so highly obliged him When he saw he must part and no hopes of seeing her his heart was so full he could not speak a word the tears ran down his cheeks which much moved the good Bassa who thought they were shed for him and was not displeased to see himself outdone by a Man who was not ungrateful and cordially loved him At last he saw him embarked and bid him the last adieu The afflicted Count was so oppress'd with grief that from the Haven to Gouletta having given his heart a little more liberty than he durst have done in presence of the Bassa he let fall such lamentable expressions looking towards the Town that the Captain of the Guard and the rest that accompanied him were extreamly astonished and moved to compassion By good luck they understood not Italian but his gestures his tears his looks and the colour of his countenance expressed an unparallel'd trouble and affliction He no sooner got a board the Ship but he threw himself on a Bed and was so much beside himself that he did not as much as think of his Basket but the Captain of the Guard had eased him of that care and caused it to be carried into his Cabbin after which he took leave of him and having commanded the Captain of the Vessel to hoise up his Sails he went into the Shallop and returned to Tunis then was it that Alexander finding himself alone in his Cabbin abandoned himself to the torment of his grief Ah Fate said he unjust Fate what have I done that you use me so cruelly that you force me away from a Person without whom I cannot live Ah my Sultaness dear Sultaness must I leave you must I absent my self from you for ever For ever said he again rising up Ah Heavens let me rather be set ashore I shall find pretence enough with the Bassa let me rather trust Love than Fortune she hath betray'd me Whatever happen I must die and I had rather die at her feet whom I love than at this cruel distance Having said this he went to see if they were still at Anchor but found they were already a great way from Land and sailing with a favourable wind had almost lost sight of Gouletta What despair was he in Ah my heart said he there is no remedy now I must perish Dear Sultaness added he taking his Sword in his hand see whether I am guilty of this absence and receive the Sacrifice I make you of my Life with that he drew his Sword and was going to thrust himself through when on a sudden the Person in the Basket who had thus far hearkned to all he had said threw her self upon him to prevent further mischief Let me alone to finish a life which cannot but be unhappy at this distance from all that I love Ah dear Alexander answered the Lady embracing him with all tenderness her joy not permitting her to say any more The Count finding immediately notwithstanding the trouble and transport he was in some difference between this voice and Laura s looked behind on the Lady who held him in her arms But what an astonishment what a charming surprize was it for a heart like his and in the condition he was in to see that it was the Sultaness her self THE HAPPY SLAVE The Second Part. OH Heavens Is it you Madam cry'd the Fortunate Lover Is it you says he again overwhelmed with a full Tide of Joy flowing so fast it had almost made him speechless may I believe that I see you the moment I thought I had utterly lost you Oh happiness unparallel'd and beyond expectation But Madam direct me I beseech you where to pay my Devotion am I obliged to Love or to Fortune Your thanks are due dear Alexander said the Sultaness for the Design to Love and to Fortune for the Success The Happy Lover extreamly amazed at so surprizing an Adventure found in himself so sudden an alteration from the depth of Grief to the height of Joy that to enjoy more fully the present pleasure of so blessed a change he thought his moments too
But as I hinted before I pay'd dear for that indifference and those slights I gloried so much in Five or six months after our arrival at Naples there appeared at Court a young Gentleman whom Love seems to have raised up for my ruin It was the Marquess Hippolito of the House of Accelyn equally considerable for his good parts as his Birth a Youth whose outside was taking enough to charm at first sight but as traiterous and wicked within as he was outwardly handsome and well accomplished When you have heard out my story you will say I speak with too much moderation It is hard to hate what we have been once truly in Love with In spite of that unpardonable outrage he did me I find that if I saw him and had it in my power to take my revenge of him by death which he hath but too well deserved my resentment would give place to the inclination I had for him He was newly come from France and had got the Court-air so peculiar and natural to those of quality of that Nation I was extreamly pleased to see him and looked upon him with delight the first time he appeared at Court and was sensible of it though with shame and anger at my self From thenceforth he was constantly in my thoughts though very troublesome to me I was displeased with my self for it and would upon any terms have put him out of my mind but the more I endeavoured it the more I found him settled there I saw him several times after and to end the War within me would fain have perswaded my self it was not for my honour to entertain such thoughts of that Gentleman but I found in the end my ingenuity deceived me That which contributed most to my ruin that both by his looks and his actions he seemed to prefer me before all the Ladies of the Court and though he did not declare so much yet I could observe he had more than an ordinary respect for me and would now and then say to my self some things I fancied he might and would have said to me At last I made my self of his Party and blaming my past coyness I thought it very allowable and just to have some esteem for a man who merited it from all the World Having once entertained this thought and convinced of it as reasonable my passion and Love finding my heart already more than half open press'd in and absolutely took it The Viceroy's Lady who often diverted her self in entertaining me with all the Intrigues of the Court having one day told me several Stories asked me if I knew the Marquess Hippolito's Mistress for that for some days past she observed him very solitary and out of humour which she took for an effect of some inclination Had she look'd upon me when she asked me the question she might have read in my countenance how much I was concerned for I chang'd colour three or four times But being upon the Tarrass of the Palace on the Country side she was looking that way and took no notice of me so that having time to recover my self I answered with an affected coldness that he was a dull young fellow and I believed incapable of Love and thereupon out of Jealousie her question had raised in me I made a description of him as really unlike him as contrary to the thoughts I had of him The Viceroy's Lady fell a laughing and having looked upon me so as she believed would have put me out of countenance is it possible says she that you should think so of a man whom all the other Ladies esteem the handsomest of the Court If I were not very well perswaded of your indifference for all men I should believe of you quite contrary to what you say But look to your self for sooner or later you shall be met with and your insensible heart shall have her turn as well as others As for me I confess were I as you that young Gentleman would please me and I would not have you slight him Think of it he is a Person of merit and worth and wants nothing of what may justly deserve Love from a fair Lady as you are Who would not have believed but she spoke in good earnest Who could have mistrusted her after so many kindnesses and favours she daily laid out on me I know not whether I was to blame but must confess I yielded my self to be taken and was ready to unsay in her presence all that I had spoken against the Marquess Hippolito and to acknowledge I had prevented her in the thoughts she had been pleased to inspire into me of him but my modesty restrained me I thought my self concerned in honour to expect an Address from him before I would confess my self taken I could never discover perfectly this Ladies design but as far as I can guess by the consequence she question'd me of pure jealousie endeavouring to discover whether I had any affection for the Marquess She had often seen us talk together judging by her thoughts of him that it it was hard enough for a Lady to be acquainted with a Gentleman of so many charming Qualities without loving him she had doubtless some apprehension I had on his account ceas d to be insensible But finding by what I said that I continued indifferent her jealousie giving place to Love-policy she desired to settle some friendship between him and me to serve her for a pretence to see him as oft as she desired At least I am of opinion these were the reasons obliged her to speak of me as she did and to tell me if ever I meant to love I could not make a better choice I stood out stifly to the end telling her my Liberty was so precious that I would not part with it for any consideration in the World if the keeping depended wholly on me But because those of my condition were not born to enjoy it all their Life whatever I endured I would be guided by my Friends and absolutely obey their pleasure who had the right to dispose of me Hereupon she embraced me and said all the Maids of the World would be wise were they of my humour and followed my example In the mean time since I was resolved not to slight the Counsel of Friends it was her advice I should admit the Marquess Hippolito to see me sometimes But Madam said I interrupting her hath he desired leave to do it and is it at his request you make me the motion She answered saying that I need not trouble my self for that but might believe this overture came not altogether from her and that the Marquess had found me out as well as others You may imagine what a pleasure she did me in telling me this who desired nothing more than the love of that Gentleman This discourse being over we parted extreamly mistaken in our thoughts of one another She imagin'd I was still the same and altogether insensible of love and I thought
affectionately to him The Dey within a week after my arrival made me his Aga You know Assen what a sad life I led but who would have thought says he addressing himself to Eleanor I was so near what I searched for and loved above all the World yet knew nothing of it and that my Fate should make me so happy when I was just upon losing you The Marquess and Eleanor entred into further discourse of their adventures and the Masters of the Vessel coming to consult Assen he left them together to go on with their stories The wind chopped about and threatned a Storm the Vessel being small they thought it inconvenient to venture further to Sea They tack'd about making towards Biserti intending to sail near the Coast of Barbary till they should come over against Sardinia that they might cross over as soon as the weather served into the Isles of St. Peter where they hoped to anchor This was their resolution and 't was well for them they followed it for the Storm was so great they were forced to lye at Anchor three or four days among the Rocks on the Coast of Barbary They were so far from Tunis they had no cause to fear pursuit being at Anchor in a place where a thousand Vessels might have pass'd by without discovering them in the storm The storm at length was pretty well over and thc Brigandine pursu'd her Voyage along the Coast of Barbary meeting by the way several Creeks floating Hogsheads and Planks and other pieces of broken Ships which they doubted not were cast away in the last storm For two days they cruised along that Sea they were frequently entertained with those lamentable spectacles and at last heard the voice of a Man which they fancied must have come from a Rock at least three miles distant from Land they presently concluded it was one escaped out of the late Shipwracks Eleanor was moved to pity at the cry and Assen at her re-request turn'd the prow of his Brigandine towards the Rock The Sea was then calm and when they got within some paces of the Rock they saw a man almost naked without Hat without Stockings without Shoes so maimed and disfigured they knew not whether they should more fear him or pity him Assen having ordered the Sea-men to cease rowing asked him in Moresque how he came upon that Rock and what he would have I am an unfortunate Christian answers he in Italian and not unknown to you and if you will take the pains to get foot on land here you will find what perhaps you are in search of but you must lose no time otherwise your help may come too late Assen amazed to hear him speak so observed something in his Countenance made him think he had seen him elsewhere Eleanor was particularly astonished at his voice and fancied she knew it but the man was so disfigured she could not possibly call to mind who he was Assen asked his name and where he had seen him to know him I tell you answers the man I have here what you perhaps go in search of much further the man you see is Alexander the Bassa's Slave and if he has sent thee for his Wife thou may'st find her on this Rock half dead with her Sufferings these two days we have been here he had scarce done speaking but Eleanor invaded at once with joy and grief cry'd out which made the man turn his face and she knew him to be Alexander Ha Sir says she is it possible it should be you and not know Laura As she spoke thus Assen having commanded the Oars to turn the prow to land ordered a Plank from the Vessel to the Rock and pass'd over it first Hippolito following with Eleanor by the hand and all to embrace poor Alexander who was so transported with joy he could not say a word he pray'd Assen to get him something from aboard to comfort his dear Sultaness who had not eat any thing for three days past They gave order accordingly and instantly ran towards the place where the Sultaness lay under a Bush where they found her half dead a sad sight for Laura yet mixt with joy to see her but what an astonishing surprize was this to the Sultaness who could scarce open her eyes and knew not whether she were awake or in a Dream and whether what appeared to her were Persons or Spirits You may imagine the haste Eleanor made to help her being readily seconded with Hippolito's assistance What are you here Laura says the Sultaness with a feeble and languishing tone and am I not mistaken what good Angel hath sent thee to rescue me from the Jaws of Death Heavens my dear Sultaness answers Laura not able to forbear crying Heavens which hath had pity on us and delivered me also out of the hands of the Bassa The Sultaness began to recover but had not strength to speak long Assen told Alexander she would be better aboard than at land the Sea being still The Count who had not yet had leisure to discourse them asked where they were bound for and having understood they sail'd for Italy he could not sufficiently bless Heaven for so happy an accident The Sultaness was carried aboard and the weather being fair they resolved to put out to Sea and direct their course for Sardinia Laura was so careful of the Sultaness that she began to gather strength Assen and Hippolito did their part with the Count who had no less need of nourishment and rest This took up one day on the morrow the weather continuing fair and the Sultaness finding her self in a condition to discourse they related to her what pass'd at Tunis since her departure and desired Count Alexander to inform them how they came to be wrack'd and by what Fortune they got upon the Rock he answered to this purpose You have heard without doubt how the Sultaness was carried aboard by the Bassa's order who thought as well as I it was Laura You may imagine my surprize great and my joy inexpressible At our putting to Sea we had a good wind but scarce past the Cape of Carthage but we saw the Heavens cloudy on the sudden and had the wind in our Teeth and so strong a Gale that our Vessel being small and the storm increasing we were driven on this Coast and cast Anchor presently a violent and most terrible Hurricane broke out Cables set us a-drift and cast us upon the Rocks I leave it to you to guess what an extremity this was for a Lover having her he loved above the World ready to be lost before his face which heightned to the utmost the terrours of danger and death I stood by the Sultaness who with grief and fear was already half dead and reaching out her hand Dear Alexander says she since the hour is come we must dye let us dye together These words so resolute and kind pierced my very heart and turned me into a Statue leaving me without sence or
motion All I could do was embracing my dear Sultaness for a final Adieu when the Vessel giving a great crack made me turn my eyes towards the Window of my Cabin where I saw a Rock almost touching the Poop this surprized me not a little and taking a sudden resolution I placed the Sultaness on my back got upon the Deck and in spite of the Sea-men who would have diverted me I leaped on the Rock without doing my self or the Sultaness harm A moment after the Sea which cast the Vessel on the Rock carried it off again leaving me and the Sultaness there helpless of help unless our Sea-men would pity us but they could not master the winds and the night was far gone so that no good was to be expected from them till the morrow if the storm would over A sad night it was the poor Sultaness endeavoured to comfort me with hopes the Mariners would not forsake us but what a lamentable spectacle had I at break of day to see some Leagues distance half a Ship a float which by the number of People I saw returning from one end to another to get nearer land was sunk by the greatness of the waves and all the men drown'd What afflicted me most was the sight of the Sultaness though she by I know not what presage would not despair of good Fortune but would tell me still Heaven had not saved us from the Sea to let us perish on that Rock but would send to our aid one of the many Vessels that pass'd by that way It was a piece of good Fortune I did not expect yet I looked constantly about to discover some sail when at last having almost lost hope having for two days seen nothing on the Sea I ken'd on the sudden something floating on the water but being at distance and discovering no sail I knew not whether to think it a Wrack or some small Vessel with Oars yet seeing you draw towards the Coast and the nearness of the objects magnifying them every moment I knew it to be a Brigandine and brought the Sultaness the News who was not much pleased with it fearing the Vessel came from Tunis and being more willing to dye on the Rock then return thither I hollowed and cry'd and had the luck to be heard by you and if I did not presently express that joy which might have been expected upon knowing you you will pardon it as an effect of the miserable condition I was reduced to and will easily believe it could not but be great Count Alexander having ended his discourse every one spoke his thoughts of all these adventures mingling sighs with their joy which increased at the news of one of Assen's Servants that he discerned land and that it could be no other but Sardinia He was in the right but they could not anchor till the morrow and the weather continuing good within eight days they arrived at Genes to the infinite satisfaction of this happy company and all Eleanor's Friends Her Father was dead and those who were intrusted with the tuition and disposal of her if heard of were easily induced to consent she should be married to Marquess Hippolito who found means to make his Peace with the Viceroy of Naples The Sultaness turn'd Christian and Count Alexander married her Assen followed the example of the Sultaness and Count Alexander as well as Marquess Hippolito served him with their Credit and Estates to make his Fortune and live happily the rest of his days Books Printed for R. Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-yard and E. Rumball at the Post-House in Russel-street Covent-Garden THE History of Polybius the Megalopolitan Containing a General Account of the Transactions of the whole World and principally of the Roman People During the first and second Punick Wars Translated by Sir Henry Sheers and Mr. Dryden To which is added a third Vol. never before publish'd Price 10 s. A Treatise of Education Especially of young Gent. in 2 parts By Obadiah Walker D. D. Price 3 s. A Discourse of the Nature and Faculties of Man in several Essays With some Considerations on the occurrences of Humane Life By Tim. Nourse Gent. Price 4 s. Familiar Letters written by John late Earl of Rochester to the Honourable Henry Savile Esq and other Persons of Quality With Love-letters written by the late Ingenious Mr. Tho. Otway Sir Gorge Etheridge and the late Duke of Buckingham In 2 Volums Price 5 s. Tho. Brown's New and Easie method to understand the Roman History by way of Dialogue for the use of the Duke of Burgundy Translated from the French with large Additions Price 2 s. 6 d. Sir Tho. Pope Blount's Remarks upon Poetry with a Character and Censure of the Modern Poets Price 5 s. Sir Tho. Pope Blount's Essays on several Important Subjects Price 3 s. Where you may likewise be furnish'd with Mr. Lee's and Mr. Otway's Works bound up in the Order they were written Mrs. Behn's and Mr. Crown 's and all other Modern Plays Loves a Lottery and a Woman the Prize a new Play FINIS