unto himself 't is here where the Gods have hidden the Treasure which I seek for And indeed he had not walked far when he saw the fair unknown one accompanied by the same old man and the same woman which he had formerly seen and by three or four others all meanly clothed which seemed to take a by-way which led to a little Temple which lies towards the Sea side and which was built for the accommodation of strangers who traffique in that Island and land on that side The Temple not being above six furlongs from this little rural habitation 't was but a walk to go thither on foot Philoxypes ravisht at this encounter went towards them and addressing his speech to the old man after having saluted and looked on the fair unknown with more admiration then at first Father said he know you who they be that live in that little house which I see yonder amongst the Rocks Sir said he they are people who merit not the honor you do them in speaking to them nor doe I know how my Cabbin should cause curiosity in a man of your condition Whilest the old man spoke Philoxypes had his eyes fixt upon the fair unknown one so attentively as he made her blush and forced her to turn her head aside he willingly would have spoken to her but that as he told me afterward hee was affraid to ruine himself in so pleasing an inchantment and that he should finde as much rudenesse in her conversation as she had sweetnesse in her eyes to boot that he saw her to be so modest as he easily imagined she would not speak long unto him in her parents presence for he perceived she behaved her self as if she were the old mans daughter hee enquired also of the good old man if he went oft to that Temple whether his abode there had been long whether he were of Cyprus or no whether that were his whole family and a hundred other things to continue the conversation To all which though the other answered exactly Philoxypes did hardly hear any thing he said thus they parted after he had tane his leave of them all hardly knowing what he said Not having learnt any thing but that he had once more seen the fair unknown one that she was much more lovely then he had thought her to be that he knew her abode and the Temple whether she sometimes went He pursued her with his eyes as far as he could but at last being ashamed of what he did and seeking a reason for it he returned back the same way and went into his Gallery it being the only place in all his house wherein he pleased himself When he was come thereinto he began to walk with more disquiet then he had wont to be acquainted withall And far from his former design of bringing the fair unknown one to the Court he did as far as in him lay put on a resolution of never seeing her more himself so much was he affected with this second sight To this purpose he went forthwith out of his Gallery got on horse-back and returned to Paphos the King who loved him dearly and who had as much of friendship for him as of love for the Princesse Aretephile complained of his so long abode in the Countrey and made as much of him as could be He immediately entreated him to visit the Princesse Aretephile because there had been some little quarrel between them which he acquainted him withall making the most he could of it Phyloxypes obeys him visits the Princesse and makes them friends but let him do what he pleaseth or go whither he will his thoughts are still busied about the fair unknown one he compares her with all the beauties that he sees and whether he behold Aretephile Thimoclea Agharista or whosoever else he can see none but his sister the fair Princesse of Salamis who comes any way neer her for beauty but he preferred the other a thousand times before her as being a thousand times more beautiful then whatsoever the world hath of beauty Two days after he returned to Claria and the next day he went to the aforesaid little Temple whether those that were of the Island went seldome or never it being only built for strangers And this was the reason wherefore the beauty of the fair unknown one had not been noised abroad neither in Apid which is not far from thence nor in Soly which is very neer it nor in Claria which joyns upon it Phyloxypes then maugre himself went thither whether he was no sooner come but he saw the fair maid still accompanied with the same company who devoutly prayed to the Goddesse that is there adored In fine Sir to keep that no longer from you which Philoxypes had much adoe to acknowledg to himself this last sight fully conquered him for the sacrifice being somewhat long love had time enough to fasten him with his chains not to be untyed You may believe it had been easie for Philoxypes to have spoken to this maid as shee came out of the Temple and to have followed her home if he had pleased but though love had already gotten the upper hand in his heart yet had it not driven out shame from thence And Philoxypes did me the honour to tell mee afterwards that he was so ashamed of his own weaknesse and of the meanness of this maids condition as he sometimes wisht to be dead This little assembly being gone and he being returned home strangely perplext what said he to himself is it possible that Philoxypes that unflexible Philoxypes who could never be wrought upon by all the fair Ladies of Cyprus should be in love with one born in a Cottage bred up amongst Rocks and savage people Ah no no it cannot be I would rather rip out my heart then suffer it any longer to retain so mean and so unworthy an affection But said he presently afterwards there is somewhat of Divinity in Supream beauty which is not to be resisted And if this unknown one be more fair then all the Princes of the world she better deserves the love of the inflexible Philoxypes then all they do Yet I am sure said he when the wise Solon told me That a man might without shame be once in his life time overcome by love he understood it not to be by the love of a shepherdess as doubtlesly she is at these words not having power to end his speech and say Whom I love shame stopt his mouth and for a while he said nothing Then suddenly re-assuming his speech No no said he Solon would not approve the folly which possesseth me For in fine to love a person so beneath ones self a person whose name one is affraid to ask one to whom one hath never spoken and to whom I dare not speak for fear of finding her mind unworthy of her beauty one who peradventure will not understand my language who peradventure hath neither vertue nor goodnesse and whom the Gods
easily gave way thereunto so as getting on horseback the next morning and attended but by a few servants they came to this Temple which is very delightfully seated I know Sir I should not stay to acquaint you with all the Ceremonies of the sacrifice which upon this occasion was offered for Solon and Philoxypes yet it being famous amongst us for what ensued thereupon I will crave leave to do it as also because peradventure you have not seen the like For t is a sacrifice which doth not cost the victims lives but on the contrary makes them recover their liberty This Temple is fairly enough built the Altar is stately at the foot whereof and just in the mid'st is placed a great candlestick of Gold with twelve branches whereon Christal Lamps hung which was all lighted instantly after Fifty maids clothed in silver Tiffany mingled with blew to denote the original of that heavenly Venus whom they served having each of them a Coronet of flowers on their head and sprigs of Myrrh in their hands rank'd themselves on the two sides of the Temple she onely excepted who was to perform the Ceremony who staid in the middle At the foot of this golden Candlestick there was a great Chest or Coffer of the same metal wherein there was fire which they termed sacred because it is onely lighted by the agitation of certain stones consecrated to the Goddess she who offered the sacrifice in the name of Solon and Philoxypes put Amber Frankinsence Benjamin and divers other perfumes into this Pile of wood This being done and having made a little Pile of the dry boughs of Myrh upon the Altar she took a Torch made of perfumed wax wherewith she set it on fire and with the same Torch she lighted fifty others which were placed in sundry parts of the Temple after this one of these maids brought two Turtles tied together with threads of gold and blew silk and before her who carried the Birds went four other maids singing a Hymn after the Lydian manner after these came four others bringing with them two Swans tyed together with a string of blew and gold and followed by four more who sung as did the former These maids who carryed the Victims kneeled down before the Altar which being done she who did the Ceremony to the end that she might not irritate Venus Anadiomena who had been formerly worshipped in that Temple by the honour that was done to Venus Urania took Roses and Cockles which she strowd upon the Altar and taking a great shel of the Mother of pearl full of sea water taken up towards the east she sprinkled the Victims therewith The holy knife adorned with Orientall Agget was likewise prepared as it were to sacrifice them but the maids who sung continually forbad them in the behalf of Venus Urania so as shee who carried the Turtles and the other who carried the Swans drawing near her who performed the Ceremonie she untied them and opening one of the windows of the Temple at the same time when they threw new perfumes into the pile of wood they were lost in that cloud of perfume which arose and flying towards heaven seemed as if they went to carry up the vows of Solon and Philoxypes to the Goddess to whom they were offered up After this all the maids which were in the Temple began a Canticle of joy and one of them taking a little Fagot of Myrh which was bound about with threads of Gold swept together the ashes of the little pile to see whether all were quite consumed or no for this is one of the tokens that the Sacrifice hath been well received In pursuit after this they went to visit the sacred garden wherein the Turtles and Swans destined to the service of the Goddess are bred up to see whether those that were offerd up unto her were returned thither or no for when this falls not out t is an infallible observation that the sacrifice hath not been well accepted of and that the Goddess thinks not those birds pure enough to be presented unto her another time But as for Solon his Sacrifice it had all the marks of a happy Sacrifice the Pile was totally consumed the perfumes mounted streight upright toward the Temples Roof the birds flew East-ward and were found in the sacred Garden In fine these maids assured Philoxypes and Solon that their vows were well accepted of by the Goddess and that they had not of a long time offerd any Sacrifice which had been so well accepted of Having then returned acknowledgements to the Divine Urania these two returned to Paphos Solon did so pleasantly entertain Philoxypes and said such fine things to him as not taking heed he mist the way by which they came Those who followed them thought that Philoxypes who very well knew that way intended to go som whither that they knew not of so as they let him go on Continuing to ride on thus by this by-way they strayed not onely from the way they were to go but came at last to a place where there was no beaten track at all finding themselves at the Sea side amongst wilde and almost inaccessible Rocks the sight hereof recall'd into Philoxypes memory the desart wherein he had found Policrites abode But at the same time he found that he had lost his way and that he knew not where he was yet it appearing delightfull enough unto him though sandy enough he said to Solon that continuing to go along the sea side they should meet with some path which would lead them back into the right way wherefore they did not return back but continued on their way and Philoxypes rode formost that he might be a guide to those that he had led out of the way Being advanced a good way he might see five or six fishers Cottages built upon the sea side and heard the voice of certain women who seemed to bewail some misfortune He then mended his pace not knowing why the voice of those women had had such an operation in him and being come near them he knew Megisto and Dorida and found them sorely weeping and accompanied vvith many other vvomen vvho vvept as vvell as they and vvho not minding him looked all tovvards the sea He then looked the same vvay they did vvhere alas he might see Policrite all alone in a little boat floating vvithout either Oars or Rudder vvho not knovving vvhat to do vvas upon her knees praying to Heaven for though the sea vvent not very high yet vvas it somevvhat moved and moreover the Rocks bearing back the Waves on that side and a breath of air blovving from land the boat vvent still further off Philoxypes seeing Polycrite in so great a danger and not seeing any boat that he might make use of lighted suddenly off Horseback and threvv himself into the Water svvimming streight tovvards Policrite So as vvhen Solon vvho vvas a little behind vvas come to the sea shore you may easily imagine hovv
Brothers curiosity But at last she told him That knowing the love Prince Philoxypes bore to Policrite she had thought it fitting to acquaint Policrite onely that she was more then what she took her self to be to the end she might know how to treat Philoxypes with more indifferency and that she might think her self the less obliged to him for his affection That Cleanthes and she having observed that this had produced a contrary effect in Policrite and Prince Philoxypes having shewed much passion in the last visit which he made them she confest the ones worth and the others youth had caused some apprehension in her that in pursuit hereof knowing that the King was at Claria and fearing least Philoxypes might speak to him of Policrites beauty she had advised Cleanthes to quit his abode which in effect they had done and were come to this little Maretine hamlet where Cleanthes was acquainted with an old Fisherman who had left them his hut being himselfe gone to live with a son of his that they had left a young Slave at their former place of abode with direction That if Solon should come thither he should wish him to come the first day of the next ensuing moon to a Temple which they named unto him where Cleanthes would not fail to be on the same days to meet him when he should come thither That since that time Cleanthes had learnt by the Priest of the little Temple which was near their former abode that this Slave was dead so as knovving that the time of Solons return drevv near Cleanthes resolved to go live himself alone at Paphos knovving that vvhen he should return to Cyprus he vvould not fail to vvait upon the King and so he could not miss of him to vvhich purpose he was gone thither that very morning that Policrite who had no better pastime especially since they had left their former abode then to draw every day something or other upon her Tablebooks seeing all the fisher men were gone from their little hamlet leaving no boat behinde them save that wherein they had seen her and wherein there was neither Rudder nor Oare sate down in it and not minding whether it were well fastened to the shore or no was designing forth that little rural float of boats which went still further from her that she was so attentive to her work in hand that as she her self had told them she did not perceive the boat wherein she was was loosened from the land and went floating as the winds blew it so as said Megisto coming forth to look after Polycrite I saw her in the posture I have told you and skreek'd out so loud as I made her perceiv the danger she was in not being able to help her there not being one man left it the whole Ham let and all the fisher boa having already doubled a Cape of land whereby we lost sight of them Megisto having ended her relation Solon gan admire the Providence of the Gods in the guidance of worldly things and considering that unless Philoxipes and he had lost their way Policrite in all appearance had been lost he could not sufficiently praise the Goddess who had so well receiv'd his sacrifice in effect this Temple of Venus Urania hath got much renown by this adventure But Sir to abuse your patience no longer I will only tell you that instead of going to Paphos Philoxypes and Solon went the next day to Claria whether they brought Megisto Policrite Dorida and all the women that attended them after that Philoxypes had largely rewarded all the fishermens wives for their Hospitality and curtesie shewed to Policrite To tell you how great Philoxypes and Policrites joy was would be no easie matter and to relate unto you in what terms this happie Lover exprest his satisfaction to Policrite and with what an obliging modesty she received the testimony of his affection and gave him some marks of hers would be to undertake to difficult a task For to learn in one and the same day that she was daughter to the so Illustrious Solon and that she was to be wife to Philoxypes were two things wherewith her soul was divided Philoxypes failed not to shew Policrite her pictures in his Gallery which though rarely handsome came much short of her The next day Solon sent to enquire out Cleanthes at Paphos where he was found and brought to Claria Necessary order being taken for it Cleanthes Megisto Policrite and Dorida had cloathes made answerable to their condition The next morning the princess of Salamis and the Princess Agherista being advertised by their brother Philoxypes of the truth of his adventure these two fair Princesses I say who loved him dearly who had learned Policrytes illustrious birth by this advertisement and who did reverence Solon as a God went to Claria to conduct this beautiful creature to Paphos But good Gods how they were surprized with her extream beauty comparing which with her Pictures they found her to exceed them far but if she appeared fair unto them she seemed yet more spiritual She had somwhat in her of admirable modesty which having nothing in it of Rustick rendred her yet more pleasing she had a soul doubtlesly fraught with all that innocency which shee had preserved amidst those Rocks but withall a minde and humour wherein were all the Charms which the Court could afford For Megisto being rightly Solons sister knew as wel as any one what was requisit in and did necessarily become those of her Sex and had perfectly instructed Policrite therein Young Dorida appeared also to be very fair and lovely at the Court where the King received Solon Cleanthes Megisto Philoxypes and Policrite with unexpressable joy and honor And this so much the more as that being at last resolved to content Princess Aretaphiles Ambition that so he might satisfie his own Love had made her be told the day before that it should be her fault if she were not Queen But if Aretaphile were Queen of Cyprus Policrite was the Queen of Beauty none but the Princess of Salamis could any ways dispute that glorious Empire with her In fine Sir there was nothing heard of now but feasts and rejoycing Solon being of necessity to be gon they hasted the cōsummation of these famous marriages The King would have one Ceremony serve for them both nor did Cyprus ever see any thing of more glorious though it were done with precipitation Solon called then to minde Epimenides his predictions and confest there was somewhat of Divine in that holy man But his Countries interest prevailing more with him then vvhatsoever other interests he departed for Athens so as some tears of sorrovv did for a vvhile a little allay Policrite's Joy but to comfort her young Dorida vvas left vvith her vvhen Cleanthes and Megisto imbarkt themselves with Solon This was the condition Sir wherein this great man left the Court of Cyprus to vvit the King highly content Queen Aretaphile as highly satisfied and Philoxypes and Policrite so happie as vvishes could not add thereunto FINIS