depth of his offence Thus he continued glasing his sight all the while with the troubled water of his sorrowfull teares untill the youth himselfe with the sadnesse of his contemplation could not chuse but accompanie his passion with a few distilled drops of Cristall from his owne beautifull eyes and withall by way of interruption told him that although he intended his preferment in his suite yet he was not so unmannerly as to procure his vexation thereby but rather if he thought his unworthy service might prove any inconvenience to his more glorious imployments he would most willing notwithstanding his kinswomans kinde recommendation whom he conceived had had some interest in his breast desist from further prosecuting his intention how profitable soever it might prove to his unfortunate condition O uncharitable Phalarius replied Orestes be not so unjust as to misconster my present passion or to entertaine the least sinister opinion in thy yet innocent bosome that any desire from the faire Alciana can be lesse commanding to my grieved soule then as a decree enjoyned mee by the powerfull Heavens which must not be disobeyed no gentle boy said he I doe not onely entertaine thee but constitute thee my deare and onely Companion to talke nothing but Alciana to liken every flower we can find in our soft conversation to the severall perfections of beauteous Alciana and when wee have discours'd whole Summer dayes upon that delightfull theame thou shalt gather them together in a gay nosegay and carry them to my Love as emblemes of her perfections and my constancie informing her of all the sad postures poore Orestes undergoes for the absence of his deare Alciana nay more assure her that the Sun shall sooner lose his light then he the bright remembrance of that beautie which onely captivates his heart for death by the force of spightfull Tyrannie may well separate our mortall bodies but our pure soules shall ever live together united in the heavens triumphing over all humane injuries and violence But Phalarius having obtain'd as he thought what he came for would not expostulate more with him the reasons of his passion onely hee desired to know if he had a desire to entertaine him according to Alciana's request whether it was not necessarie to accoÌ„modate himselfe otherwise for his service since he had some friends not far off that he was assured would assist him to that purpose No already deare Phalarius replyed Orestes the commands of sweet Alciana worke not upon so dull a Subject as to admit of the least protraction besides thou must said he be a speedie active messenger to divert her thoughts from that killing resolution of retirement and by that meanes release Orestes from a world of torments which he should suffer in being perpetually banished from the sweet conversation of his most deare Love With this taking the Boy by the white hand he led him into his owne Lodgings enforming every one that he was a neere Kinsman to the Princesse Alciana his passion not being able to hide that which his discretion should have concealed since his enemies wanted not suspition to keepe over him still watchfull spyes to obserue his actions knowing his determinations to be variable as his nature was violent In conclusion he made the daintie Ganymed not only his daily play-fellow but his night companion which two seasons for the most part were spent ia discourses concerning Alciana But the time approaching for his publick negation of the contract between him and Alciana Dion againe was sent by Philostros to pâ—t him in mind both of the houre and the circumstances whereupon Orestes contrarie to his expectation like an enraged Lion fell upon him with this language Thou wicked man said he dost thou beleeve the Gods will suffer thee to goe unpunished for this attempt must the sacred Lawes by which the two soules of Alciana and my selfe are united in one before the Throne of Heaven be abrogated by humane power as I formerly told thee can that Devill Philostros whose onely spirit thou art retaine in his uncompassionate breast still constant intentions of this impietie or will my unnaturall Brother for ever punish me and protect his malicious favorite without end against right and reason Is all Religion absolutly banished from every humane heart and nothing succeds but unconscionable interest and crueltie cannot the benefits of my dead Father or the sufferings of my dead Mother at all worke thy nature to any pitty and banish from thy pernicious thoughts those malicious treasons thou intendest against love and goodnesse wherefore I say get thee out of my sight or by the Gods I will make thee a quick sacrifice to the infernall furies Dion had no need of any Counsell at the present to avoid these extravagant intemperances however with respect enough he took his leave since his wisdome thought it better to temper his passion the provoke his choler yet instantly he carried the newes to Philostros with the addition also of his opinion that certainly it was the frequent conversation of the newly entertained Kinsman to Alciana that altered the resolution of Orestes Philostros considering this strange and sudden change could not chuse but be of the same beliefe and therefore called a Councell of his owne private friends wherein after some consultation with the approbation of the King command was given to an Officer of the Court with a strong guard to repaire the next morning to the Princes Lodgings there by force to separate him from his young Favorite and then to convey his person to some place of lesse liberty where again he might be treated withall about his former promise a judgement given as might be thought against all morality and pitty but the support of a Crown will not be regulated by any compassion tears being onely fit for the condition of a penitent no way becoming the dignity of an unthroned King whose dazeling glory must not behold the darke misfortune of any other condition This resolution I say was put in execution with all expedition and vigour for the Captaine of the guard a man of a rough nature having received his commission at the time appointed went up into the chamber of Orestes and finding him a bed though his diligent servant Phalarius was newly risen from the warm sides of his deare Master where he had reposed the night past The Officer in a cold complement shewed him the strict commission of the King his brother desiring him without resistance or delay he would prepare himselfe to an absolute obedience which else might turn to his greater prejudice But Orestes not taken with a dejected sorrow though he too much apprehended the injury presently flew out of his bed like some furious wild beast that feared to be deprived of that prey which his own hunger had lately procuced and so seized upon his naked Sword that lay neere him on the Table vowing to make that weapon the instrument of his just revenge if he
she expected supernaturall assistance and again rested silent with abundance of teares gushing violently from her fair eyes at last broke out into these imprecations that if ever by any accident his being with her in a disguised habit came to be revealed to the knowledge of the world she vowed by some means or other to become her own executioner as a bloody testimony of her absolute chast intentions in the mean time she told him to satisfie his pleasures he was too cruel to exact from her such desperate conditions Narcissus scarce hearing what she said being transported with such a joy as religious men use to possesse in extasies not onely having broken through the discoverie but in being so beyond his hopes accepted began to grow bold in his felicity in so much as he could not forbeare to imprint loves character upon her fair lips untill she in a grave disdaine to be so assaulted by his presumption not onely commanded him in a severe look to keepe at a farther distance but withall told him that he had already so exceedingly provoked her just anger that it was capable to destroy those small sparkles of love which charity had kindled in her compassionate bosome And with that hastily rose from her seat with such another blush as inflamed Diana's bashfull modesty to become cruelly revengefull which presently turned the youth into an immovable posture scarce knowing whether he breathed or no. The sudden comming of Roxana to seek the Princess gave no time at all for expostulation that absolutely left Narcissus to converse onely with his own despaire since she and her Governesse went presently to visite the sicke Queen However the Princess Cloria though she used not those familiarities with her play-fellow Aminta being over jealous of her own honour as she was accustomed yet she forbore not still to command her service upon all occasions and with gentle smiles would often shew she was not unrecoverably displeased with her for her late passionate attempt though shee totally avoided her company in private which was the reason that frequently she and Roxana would walk to a certain cliffe by the Sea side where was a grove of Cypres trees that afforded a convenient shade to protect their conversation from the Sunne or Windes violence whilst in the mean time they might with what liberty they pleased behold the ships that entered the Haven not farre off that place And this delight one day above the rest not onely invited the Princess Cloria in the coole of the day to the accustomed recreation but caused her to desire her Governess that she would heare her play of her Lute to try whether by the occasion of her journey she had not for want of practice lost that little skill she formerly had which being accompanied by her excellent voice that uttered this Ditty in a manner ravished the old woman into a humour of Platonick love since her yeeres were scarce capable of other heate Love to perfection doth aspire When Lovers melt without a fire And purely joyne Their wills in one All grosser actions to refine Such contracts made as these may be Esteem'd a blessed unity Since hearts will kisse In happinesse As by some influence divine Thus may we court with tongue and eyes And enterchange delight in smiles Yet never own Those pleasures known That beasts as well as we may prize For whilst we doe but thus imbrace The beauties of a mind or face We onely woe As spirits doe In raptures more to sympathise If that two Lutes be tun'd alike As we the strings of either strike Every eare Will quickly heare The other answer to the sound So Lovers should accorded be By such a powerfull mysterie That never they Should doe or say But what reciprocall were found Roxana after the song was ended to shew shee carried about with her certaine remnants of flesh and bloud fell in dispute with the Princess about the idlenesse as shee tearmed it of such a pretended passion that seeme to make conversation solely the period of lovers desires whereas nature requires as well a satisfaction of the body as the minde nor is that lawfull pleasure denied mortals as shee said by the pure heavens that ordained man and woman to enjoy one another to produce againe creatures of the same kinde to people and continue the world which else would quickly perish I said Cloria but that love which you mention which fixeth the pleasure in the body is meerely brutish since the soule seemeth not to have the principall fruition especially when there wants a sympathy in the contemplative part that ought to render it divine divine said Roxana how can it be so termed when it was instituted to procure humane effects for else you might aswell place your affections upon your sister as upon the servant you love who may perhaps equall him in all other respects but in the Sex only and what serveth the diversity of the Sexes but to performe those actions which one of your owne Sexe cannot accomplish nay put case said Roxana that you were fitted with a companion that had all perfections in his soule that might render your minde and conversation satisfied yet if his body were either aged or deformed I pray consider what delight you would take in such society It is true said Cloria because naturally we take pleasure in beauty which would not appeare in a person of that condition and so consequently could not content the eye that is a sense also curious to be satisfied Why then Madam said shee I will onely make this comparison to confute all your forced arguments so much against your conscience put case my Lord Narcissus whom I know you love with all your heart were by some miraculous decree to be turned into a beautifull Maid would not you be sorry in your soule at the conversion although he retained still the same faculties in his minde of wit judgment and goodnesse With that Cloria blâ—sht yet not so much because she found her selfe overcome in that which touch't her to the quicke but because at the instant shee reflected upon the metamorphosis of Aminta who so lively represented the comparison although ignorantly alleadged by the old woman but what answer it would have produced cannot be knowne for they were both interrupted by the sudden appearing contrary to their expectation and to their no small amazement of an unseemly company of Marriners and Sea Souldiers who as quickly with a silent horrour and an unresistible power seised the persons of Cloria and Roxana and after some small circumstance carried them into a little ship-boat lying neere the shoare which as speedily as they could they pâ—t from Land with long Poales untill they had set it free as they conceived from all surprize of the neighbouring Island during which interim Cloria was too much overcome with feare and trembling either to understand what they did or to enquire what they meant untill shee was sufficiently awakened out of her Trance
being a Commander in his brothers Army In this manner these two threatning forces approached each other delay seemed too passive a quality to be practized in either of their intentions which soon brought them together to exercise their enraged spleenes that procured an encounter no lesse horrid then couragious since one side contended revenge shame and valour against oppression pollicy and power however in conclusion poore Austratiuâ— having beheld the slaughter in a manner of all his souldiers in defence of his person himselfe still fighting for his sisters right was taken prisoner by his enemies But notwithstanding this glorious victory that seemed absolutely to cast the faire Orbella into Orestes bosome and he prepared with the open armes of his imagination to embrace her yet as he was at dinner one day in his tent encompassed about with multitudes of Nobility he was suddenly saluted by a dainty damosell about the age of thirteen who with a confident bashfulnesse not onely presented him a letter but told him she had also a commission to wish him to read it aloud which if he refused she would publish the contents thereof to his greater dishonour Whereupon Orestes with a disdainfull smile to be so tutor'd by an innocent girle although he could not but be a little amazed at the adventure in a kind of hasty passion broke open the seale and found the lines speak this language Orestes let it suffice that the hand that wrote this Letter pretends to as high a prerogative in blood as thy selfe though the name of the person be unsubscribed for some reasons however it is sufficient thou art the Injurer and I am ordained to be the revenger unlesse thy valour defend thee from the punishment by protecting thy selfe bravely against thy enemy since I am an ominous messenger sent by the heavens to call thee to an account concerning the injuries of wrong'd Alciana whose dying soule was by accident breathed into my bosome after she had made a large relation of her own sufferings and thy perjuries Whereupon I vow'd thy destruction or my own wherefore prepare thy selfe to meet me the day after to morrow ready armed in the Island between the Town and the Army where there shall be no partiality in our weapons although cowardly thou mayst pretend it in our qualities unlesse thou wilt procure thy certain destruction by some other stratagem I shall invent if thou refuse this equall way of triall prescribed thee to thy eternall infamy Farewell After that Orestes had read this strange and resolute Letter in the presence of all the Company who wondred at the accident some with jeering smiles and others with distracted looks he retired into the innermost part of his Tents with an intention to aske counsell of his troubled thoughts what answer he should make to the challenge and faine hee would have flattered himselfe with reasons in the behalfe of his approaching marriage to have denied or avoided the combat being stung with the sharpnesse of the injury he had done to the faire Alciana but his honour as he believed called him to a more noble resolution especially since the summons was delivered him before the eyes of all the brave spirits of Syria who would have been glad of his least shew of want of courage since their ambitions could not chuse but envie the dignity of his person that so much out-shined theirs wherefore in a little space he came out from his secret chamber with this answer that although the appearing distance of their qualities might serve as a sufficient priviledge to make him deny what was so rashly demanded yet his own eminent courage as he said could not dispence with the reason and therefore was determined to meet his unknown enemy at the time appointed where he made no doubt but to punish him for his bold attempt and so conducting the little Virgin some way out of the bounds of his own lodgings with order she should be safely guarded through the Army returned to make preparation for the appointed combate where long he had not remained but the King came in person to chide his brother for undertaking so desperate an attempt without his licence and withall laying his present commands upon him not to proceed further in the execution But these blasts were too weake to shake the setled resolutions of Orestes who chose rather to die sighting with an unknown enemy then live disgrac'd among his intimate friends so that falling down upon his knees before his brother he desired him either to suffer him to vindicate his own honour since he had undertaken the combat or he himselfe would be the author of his own destruction to let the world see he was no coward which at last forced the King to give way to his passions though Philostros was very sorry to hazzard his Neeces happiness in so doubtfull a contention Although Orestes in heat of blood had consented as I may say rashly to fight with one whose name was not so much as known however he was supposed to be some Prince of Alciana's kindred yet being retired privately into his own secret Cabinet and the dead of the night raising fancies in his fearfull imagination began to expostulate with himselfe after this manner Is it possible the Gods can suffer me to scape unpunished for those injuries I have done to the more then wronged Alciana much lesse can I hope for victory in this unjust combat can her sweet soule look down from the skies with any eye of forgivenesse when she shall behold me shedding more blood of her Noble Family is it not sufficient that she already hath made her selfe an innocent sacrifice to redeem part of my wickednesse but I must with new slaughter disquiet the rest she now deservedly enjoyes in the Heavens O rather let me die by mine own accursed hand wherein I shall perform an act of justice since I am onely he that hath offended then hazzard the death of one who brings with him as little guilt as the dead Alciana No no I will not be a mortall enemy to him that professeth so absolute a friendship to my deare Love but rather confesse my selfe twice overcome both by his goodnesse and valour so shall I appeare to the world more just though lesse fortunate And for Orbella with all her beauties and honours I shall return again to her great Uncle who can give her not onely protection but dignity Whilst I will again wed my selfe to dead Alciana These were the imaginations that entertained the thoughts of Orestes during the solitary season of the night untill the chearfull morning not only gave his mind some courage but brought into his chamber the gallant Commanders of his brothers Army who breathed nothing into his sad soule but inflamed desire and certain victory that again something setled his despairing thoughts so that presently he gave order for his Armes and whilst hee was beholding divers of sundry sorts Philostros accompanied with many Officers of the Court