to deprive me of my life not thinking her selfe safe whilst there remained a witnesse of her cruelty I was forc'd for my owne safety to write to her not to persist in seeking my life unlesse she would force me to discover her and to rest contented that the child being dead I intended not to discover but only to detest her cruelty and inhumanity I believe those few lines I sent her gave her satisfaction especially when she understood that Palemedon was dead for after that I heard no more from her but remained free from her assasinous attempts Long it was not before I was once more constrained to leave the happy sorte of Content pleasure and quietude being forced thence by the Shaftes of that sworne enemie of my rest Cupid My age nor all my former miseries were bulwarks sufficient to keep off his fires nor free me from those passions which had ever been my ruine Alas as if I had been born onely to love or as if it had been my naturall element wherein I was only to live I could not have had a more propensitie to it I once more found my frozen years melted away with loves ardors and that over youthfull God inspired me with his youthfull flames and with Medean art brought back the spring of my age makeing it finde a repulluation under the heate of his fires The object of this last love was a widow in whom beauty and wit equally strove for mastership her birth was noble but her fortune meane which made her exercise her wit to maintaine her state being also touched with that plague Ambition the mother of all mischief and the wicked Daemon's eldest daughter The Gods thwarted my other loves and made me lose that which I sought to obtain for which I rendered them a thousand reproaches accounting them enemies to my happinesse therefore it was Just that I should acknowledge the plagues of my own acquirements and see that the Gods in denying were friends to my happinesse I obtained what I ardently desired being she whom I Sought desired it no lesse not out of love but ambition and avarice hopeing to make a Son that she had heire of that estate I possest Content cannot last long where mutuall love tyeth not the affections the love I bore her serv'd but to extinguish my reason and blinde my eyes from Seeing her projects and the respect she bore me was but forc'd for her own interest and till she had made her selfe master of what I held The first appearing of her enmity was at my denial of certaine unreasonable demands for her son Wherein she exhibited that her desire was for nothing more then my death and that the advancement of her son was the scope of all her projects however though it was too apparent not to be seen yet could I not use any remedy against it Five yeares having consumed themselves since our marriage her desires being growne too bigg to be contained within its limits and her projects being fully ripned she suddenly effected them for having great friends among the Romans through their aide she possessed her selfe of all I had and by force maintained her selfe in it useing me as her profest foe and would could she have effected it have put a period to my dayes Love that before appeared to me as the most beautifull goddesse and with a luster that begat her adoration now seemed to be converted into a most ugly Erinnrs worthy of all detestation the scales began to fall from my eyes and I began to see my folly and to recount those enormities it had made me run into and finaly recovering my reason I profest my selfe a foe to that passion which before I so much observed Endeavouring to recuperate that which was violently withheld from me I in some time effected it with the aide of my friends where I spent some more years but being subject to the complotting of my wife and her Sonne having a desire to spend the rest of my dayes in contemplation in a place free from the accesse of men I sould my estate and leaving my ungracious persecutresse taking with me the two Sons of Lascaris and very few servants else I repaired to this place being known to me to be a place as full of pleasure as Solitude and where I might be free from the perquisitions of my friends and plotts of my enemies By the way to this place I happily met with Lonoxia and understanding each others fortunes being tyed with a mutual Love and friendship we resolved to spend the remainder of our dayes together This place being designed for our habitation we added art to perfect nature and by the help of both we compleated this domicile as you see in which we have spent some yeares without any evenement or seeing any stranger but your selfe beeing a place so unfrequented and this adjoyning grove being the utmost of our ambulations Here neither the troubles of Love or armes assolt us here neither the envies or plots of our enemies annoy us here quietude and peace accompany us and here being sequestred from the world the knowledge of its affairs doth not deturb us but being naruralized to this solitude we finde a pleasure which all the Empires of the world cannot give us I have now concluded my narration wherein you cannot but perspiciously see if that passion wherewith you are so inbued hath not already exoculated you that Love hath been the cause of my miseries made me the Sport of Fortune and tyraniously triumphed over my Liberty and who lastly with so many vicissitudes hath made me an abject to my self Here Euâ—ipedâ—s absolved his narration and Argelois beholding him some time in silence till having collocated his thoughts he in few words display'd them thus Give me leave to represent in briefe those Speculations which I have observ'd in your narration where you so satyrically inveigh against love which indeed if we retroâ—pect into the often vicissitudes of your fortune and into those Hurricanes of passions and dangers into which you have been driven by love we cannot but in Justice excuse you But as I conceive we are not to increpate a passion for the irregularities of others or of our selves for if virtue be adjoyned to it its effects are glorious if vice abominable So that the passion produceth effects according to the virtuous or vicious disposiof the person it agitates This distinguisheth Lust from Love for Love without virtue is Lust and Lust concatinated to virtue is Love This distinction it may be may be thought too grosse for the stricter and more refined Lovers will not admit of Lust though as I conceive it is the same which they call desire which being involved in the actions of virtue and as it were chain'd to it it cannot be perceiv'd to have a being and therefore so refined Lust is imperceivable and wholly converted to love Love some distinguish thus undetermined is Lust Lust determined to one Love This cannot be to those who as
with what ardency he desired his life It was two dayes before he opened his eyes but then being insensible of those images they received he shut them again The third day he spoke which extremly rejoyced the Prince these were the first words of that revived man Dear Panthea have I satisfied your severity or is there yet any thing more to be done Chiron hath conducted me to the walk of Lovers and I find many as gloriously tragidized as my self amongst these Stygean shades But surely Charon hath not dealt so charitably with me as others they seem to have forgotten their past-miseries and are not tormented as I am Surely I mistook and drunk of Mnemosyne instead of Lethe But 't is no matteâ— I ought not to forget Panthea and though death hath taken me he cannot take the remembrance of that glorious Princess which shall be my comfort in the lower shades as it was my life above We perceived by these speeches that he thought he had been dead but Chiron told Dardanus that it would be very prejudicial and dangerous for him to talke which made the Prince endeavour to make him sensible where he was but he could not effect it Weakness made him leave speaking but in lieu of that he emitted abundance of suspirations The wound of his side began to heal and all things agreeing with the desires of the Prince he began to take that rest which his love and charity had denyed him We were accompanied with what the meaness of that Cottage could afford which although it were but evilly yet it greatly contented the Prince in that he never had tasted the like morsels nor lay so hard but when he was a souldier The Prince remembring that he had not heard how Arizobanes was brought to that exigent sent for Lamedon and telling him his desire he relatee it in these words Sir said he the Prince Arizobanes being called from the Court of the King your father by letters from his which imported that a Prince amongst the Parthians called the stout Pampatius being in that Countrey was faâ—n in love with his daughter the fair Philadelphia and had desired her of him in marriage and that he would not give him any answer till his reture with wonderfull regret and had it not been for so important business all the world could not have withdrawn him from that fair Princess whom he so passionately lov'd her attractions being stronger than all the world besides Panthea blushed at these words and interrupting Epidauro you may said she save your self the labor of relating such circumstances and only tell us the matter Madam replyed Epidauro I hope you will pardon me seeing I do but render the words of another and being I should be both unfaithfull and a Detractor should I leave out such glorious expressions of Lamedons 'T is but reason said Argelois that he should give us the relation entire I I will not contradict you said Panthea turning to Argelois though I little deserve them Their silence inviting Epidauro to proceed he continued his relation thus The squire said he thus went on 'T is impossible for me to represent with what passion the Prince was accompanied and how often he sighed out of the glorious name of Panthea in his jorney He went by the motion of his thoughts and all our speed seem'd like that of a snail to those desires that hastned his return We were not long in getting to Sinope where the Prince was wellcomed home by the joy of his Parents and his sister there he found that stout Prince who rendred him a great deal of civility and was reanswered by Arizobanes with the like The good King Pharmach knowing the wisdome and great discretion of the Prince his son was resolved to be ruled by his Counsel in this match The Princess whom I dare compate to none but your sister having her spirit as full of meekness as her face of beauty found a great antipathy in her against Pampatius and could by no means away with his rough nature being every way more fit for a souldier under Mars than Venus and his looks accompanied with so much fierceness that they were rather a terriculum than an allurement to Ladies There was nothing in him that was amiable or to be regarded but strength and valor Philadelphia being afraid lest she should have been given a prey to this Monster soon discovered her mind to the Prince and assaulted him with so many tears that he assured her no consideration of state whatsoever should make him yield to any thing contrary to her mind This resetled that fair one and expelled the fear that had a long time cruciated her Arizobanes stimulated by the remembrance of Panâ—hea hasted to dispatch this affaire what he could and delivering his opinion to his father accompanied with many reasons made him resolve oâ— give his answer in the negative to Pampatius who having receiv'd the answer and seeing his hopes and vain expectations frustralled left the court with as much brutishnesse and incivilty as might be threatning that they should know whom they had offended The King was something fearfull of the sequele but being comforted by the Prince he was resolved to stand to his determination Philadelpha she receiv'd her name from the City in which she was born rendred her brother abundance of thanks for what he had done for her and thank't the Gods for that delivery moâ—e than she would have done for the preservation of her life Pampatius having heard that Arizobanes was the chief frustrator of his desires intended to wreak all his fury upon him and within two or three dayes after his departure sent him a challenge very secretly The Prince knowing him valiant would have no suspition of treachery and being valiant himself promised to meet him at the place appoynted Arizobanes having called me to him commanded me to bring him his most approved arms as secreetly as I could into the back garden belonging to the pallace Having perform'd his will whilst he fastned his armour I brought a couple of horses and mounting I follow'd him not dareing to ask him his intent When we were a dozen furlongs from the city he told me that he was going to parley with Pampatius about his sisters marriage I understood him presently erected my thoughts to the caelestiall deities for his preservation We were come to the place appointed which was in a valley about two miles from the City compassed about with hills and woods where we found Pampatius with his Squire according to the agreement Their armours were both chosen for the strength and not for gallantry there being no spectators to behold the beauty of their armes 't was no tornement in a theator and the shining steel was not aureated nor enricht with stones The Parthian coming up with much boldnesse told Arizobanes that although he had deny'd him the possession of his sister he should not deny him for recompence of it his life The Prince told him
your incredulity concerning Love for none are able to imagine his power without they feel it nor believe the relation of others unlesse themselves have experimented it But I had rather you had remained in that condition than feel it to your own sorrow You know I have made you the depositary of my secrets and have trusted you with my life and honour I hope my being in your power will not give birth to any dishonourable suggestion for be confident my life which I brought to have sacrificed to love shall be as freely violented to save my honour Were I capable to reanswer your love these speeches might be inoffensive but you must take what I have spoken for a fable if you think I can hear them without disturbance You say you crave nothing but pity but alas alas what good will that pity do which is not accompanied with help If I were capable to help you I should pity you pity you I show I do pity you and desire your good by desireing and councelling you to subvert the structure of this new love before it be too fast setled crop this bud before it pullulate too far Account me as a shadow who am about to pass away I am leaving not only you but the whole world what mean you to love that which is going hence Your courtefie hath obliged my respect but I shall injury you by my stay if my presence augment your flames And doubt not but if my presence have kindled a fire that my departure will leave water enough to quench the same These words said Bruadenor though they were a corasive to my heart yet pronounc'd with so sweet an accent that it mitigated the sharpness of them and were as if vineger and oyl mixt together by love and anger had been given me in a potion to drink I had time but to telâ— her that she might assure her self that my life should a thousand times depart my body before I would harbour the least thought prejudiceable to her honour and not correspondent to the rules of vertue when my mother entring the place where we were put a stop my speeches and her return The next day I presented my self armed in her presence and would not rise off my knees till she permitted me to go my self to find out Subelta and to be her Advocate and that I might do some small service for her as the mark of my growing affection which yet had greater regard to her safety than my own Love I immediately departed and to be the less taken notice of took no company but my Squire and so went straight to the Santons Countrey I travelled without any disturbance till being almost at my jorneyes end very early in the morning I met three men disguised with a woman behind one of them whom I judg'd by her tears and lamentations to beforceably born away by those villanies Though the number were unequal and the danger I should incur to oppose them were enough to deter me yet invited by the lacrymations of the weaker sex especially when espying me she implored my assistance I could do no less than resolve to aid her though it were to the hazard of my life Riding up to them I sought with gentle speeches to convince them of an error in which they were resolved to persist Bruadenor saith one of these disguished ones who had the deplorable creature behind him thou hadst more need use thy tongue to save thy self than perswade us to leave this prize thou art the only man I desir'd to meet to render this friend into thy bosome drawing out his Rapier that thou mayest acknowledge thy error when it is too late to repent the gods propitious to my designes have put thee into my hands from which thou shalt not so soon escape Whilst he uttered those words with a disagreeing tone I had time to draw my weapon and his fellow-Camrades to disburden his horse of the Subject of our strife We reiterated our blows with forceable verberations and with many endeavours wounded one another at last fortune sending a gentle aura upon my devoirs with a vigorous thrust which struck into his shoulder bone I turned him over the crooper of his horse Whilst his body was precipitating to the earth one of the other whose soul possest not the least spark of generosity with a cowardly blow made me feel the like fortune as my opposer Enraged at this vile usage receiving no wound through the goodness of my armour under an upper coat I soon recovered my leggs and with a thrust passed the other off his horse who had got the damsel behind him and before any of them could assail me with a leap I ascended the horse before her making him show the nimbleness of his heels to my opposers He that had not lost his horse pursued me with the like velocity till we had lost the sight of the other two Not induring to fly before one I let the damsel reside the horse and met my adversary in his carrere where with many thrusts we sought to end the quarrel by unmortallizing one another Whilst we pursued our advantages the last man I had made to kiss the earth reincountred me both using the utmost of their skill to kill me but their fury carrying them without the guide of reason made them disreguard all the rules of Art and gave me many advantages to annoy them In the mean time he that received the first fall though wounded had recovered his horse and overtook us but leaving the other two to decide the quarrel he seased upon the damsel who stood quaking to see the event Her screeks gave me notice of her Ravisher and turning my head aside I saw notwithstanding the strugling that affrighted one maid he had laid her before him upon his horse and to be assured of his prey he made a forward fugacity The desire that possest me to rescue the damsel out of that fugitive's tallents gave me a vigor not ordinary so that passing and repassing my sword through one of my adversaries I laid him on the earth to breath his last and the other fainting sunk from his horse I made no stay but pursued the abacted damsel quickly overtaking the Ravisher being hindred much by her striving and the tardiness of his horse onerated with a double burden Stay base villane said I thou art not so soon escaped the hands of Justice nor shall thy slight be able to hinder the just vengeance the heavens will inflict upon thee by my arm for the wrong done to this damsel I gave him no liberty to reply but adding more wounds to his former I reduc'd him to supply the defect of his vigor with his tears and with a confession of the injury done to the damsel to beg his life at my hands After I had taken off his disguisement I was a little astonisht to find it was Subelta and straight began a combate between passion and reason whether to slay
or save my Antagonist but having before freely given him his life it would have been incompetable with my honour to have required conditions besides my interest stopped my mouth from speaking for Floria yet considering what anger it might suscitate in her breast I left him and coming to the damsel I desired her to make use of me to conduct her to her habitation She told me the eternal obligations with which I had bound her were not to be solved with the services of a thousand lives and seeing that I would do her the honour to conduct her home her condition with the desire she had to see my wounds cured made her accept it with an immense gratitude I repli'd The service I undertook my honour and compassion obliged me to and that I look'd for no other guerdion for my pains than the knowledge how she came into the hands of those Ravishers After she had given me some direction which way I should take I mounted her behind me and whilst we went forward she said Of whom can we expect any worthy and generous actions but of those whose vigor is accompanied with valor whose valor with honour and whose honour with vertue What glory is it to be strong and not valorous what to be valorous and not honourable and honourable and not vertuous therefore he is truly couragious he is truly valiant who is endued with these three I have seen the effects of your strength I am freed by your valour and have tasted the goodness of your vertue which extending to help the distressed is an act worthy of perpetual fame But not to fill your ears with my applause I will give you the account you desired My name is Artesa I was born in this Countrey and am daughter to a Lord of a Castle not far distant our usual abode is at a pleasant place from whence this night I was ravished and where by a loss I doubt I am made perpetually miserable but when I am assured on 't my dayes shall terminate with its knowledge Tears said Bruadenor gushing from two limpid fountains at the remembrance of some past evenements stopped the passage of her words till two or three forceable suspirations had reclear'd the way then proceeding I have been said she so unhappy as to be lov'd by that unworthy one whom your valour last overcame whose name is Subelta Lord of the Redons if Love can be said to harbour in so Tyrannick a breast or in one who hath dealt so cruelly not only by me that hateth him but by a Lady who hath intirely lov'd him as by his own relation I understood This Subelta being entertained at the Castle of the Chief Lord of the Santons his daughter the fair Floria so they call'd her at Rome which name she hath since kept fell in love with him Unworthy wretch dispising her Amoretta's and caresses he put her into an affliction which produced a sickness that almost cost her her life He hath often recounted to me the joy he should conceive at her death that he might be rid of an importunate Suter and hath recited her endeavours her caresses and showen me her letters which though full of passion yet also implete with modesty I have wondred when I saw so evidently her passion for him that he should despise her and accost me who am far inferior in birth and beauty and I ever councell'd him not to let her languish in despair and forsake the substance for the shadow using all the perswasive arguments my weak Genius was capable of But as it is natural for us to despise what 's profer'd and crave what we cannot obtain so he left a beauty that accosted him and sought to acquire me who despis'd him For having before given my heart to another though a stranger yet one whom I accounted worthy of my love his allurements could not incite me to relinquish him nor the illectament of preferment to be perfideous to my pretendant When I perceiv'd if his suit continued it might put me to much trouble and if he intended what he said he might gaining my father force me to marry him I treated him after a vigorous and rough manner which did but suscitate his ardour of obtaining I cannot but think went she on but that his passion was real and impos'd upon him by the just deityes for his cruel disdain to Floria for having recovered her sickness very lately as she was travelling through a large wood she was strangely convey'd away with her maid unknown to any of her company which news so afflicted her father that he scarce could recover strength to live At his command the wood was throughly searcht and in their perquisition they found some part of the body of Floria's maid and clothes which had been the reliques of the feast of some fierce animal Thinking Floria her self had run the like fortune they returned with part of a cacrase miserably laniated which spectacle with the consideration of his daughters loss had almost suffocated his vitals and as yet he remains in a languid condition in consideration of her detriment All that knew her or had but heard of her beauty or vertues could not but resent her disaster and plunge themselves into the waves of a just sorrow this wretch excepted who told me her misfortune with the Symptomes of Joy This caus'd me more than ever to hate him seeing his inhumanity and to shew him a more severer brow His haughty disposition not able to bear my deportments He addressed himself to my father gaining him to make me his wife if I would consent Assoon as I understood by my father how Subelta had delt with him to have me and that he began to perswade me I had no other way but with my tears to supplicate my mother who had a great ascendencie over my father to frustrate the design of Subelta and not to force me by that marriage to end my dayes miserable My mother following my interests obtain'd this boon at the hands of my father The next time he importun'd my father concerning it he told him if he could gain my good will his desires accorded with his request but his indulgence had made him promise not to force me to any marriage Subelta thought himself highly affronted to be denied in that manner yet hiding it what he could he sought to acquire me by the great protestations of his affections But at last his sight being as odious to me as his company was troublesome I let him know in very sharp terms how much I hated him bidding him never imagine or think of obtaining me for he should sooner bring the heavons and earth together than obtain my love commanding him to avoid my sight This sudden mordacity stâ—â—ted my pretendant rebating his love it suscitated his passion and with a truculent countenance he told me that ere long I should repent of my peevishness and be glad to accept of that honour which now I despis'd In
service when you were tri'd Woman said I with an angry tone tell me not of doing her service in so unlawful an action I know it would be the greatest disservice I could do her to blemish her honour eternallie by illicit actions the very thoughts thereof are to me more cruel than death would there were but any occasion offer'd to do her service wherein her nor my honour might be contaminated you should see how willinglie I would embrace a death in the performance I honour Clotuthe and I honour her so much that I will first lose my own life before I will defile hers or I will banish my self this place seeing I have made others criminal After these words I walked a turn or two in a very confused posture and then stopping suddenlie with an action not to be expressed I cannot believe said I looking again on the letter that Clotuthe can be guiltie of this letter the virtuous Clotuthe could never do it this is some plot of my enemies to beguile innocent Euripedes but O my enemies you shall never intrap him in such illicit actions The woman seeing me so transported had not the confidence to interrupt me but hearing me go on in this she at last fell into a thousand protestations adding innumerable oaths calling all the gods to witnesse that it was no design of my enemies and that it was onely Clotuthe who waited but her return to receive her death therefore she desired me to take pity on her and remember how careful she had been of me and that I should not cause the death of the fair and amiable Clotuthe by standing upon a foolish point of honour I was so moved that I heard not many other words that she said Ah would the gods at last cry'd I out had verified my hopes and have given me no cause to complain against Clotuthe by letting it have been a plot of my enemies with how much less trouble could I have bore it and with what shame should I have confounded my enemies Think not by your perswasions said I turning to the woman nor by your implorations to gain me to that which must be a spot of infamy to us both eternallie Have I received so much kindness so much honour so much love from Lilibilis and shall I abuse it with so great deceit so much vileness and so great an abuse as to defile his bed the gods certainly would dart thunders upon my head and the great God of Hospitalitie would Eternally plague me should I be guiltie of such a thought O Clotuth would instead of preserving it you had abandon'd this life to ruin then had I never been guilty of hearing this proposal nor it may be you altogether so criminous O Lilibilis how well indeed should I requite your favours by doing you the greatest of injuries To defile Clotuthe and dishonour my self for ever No no cease to urge me to so great a crime That impudent woman replied thus Sir I did not think you would have been lesse generous in this action for Clotuthe than you have been in all things else if you consider her love and life they will bear down those weak reasons you alledge For what dishonour or infamie can it be to love her whose love is so unparallelable and when none in the world else can discover it and when you receive an affection that any in the world besides your self would account a happinesse to be envied of the Gods themselves That reason of Honour is nothing it being but an outside and can receive no distain but in the eyes of others which cannot be procured by this being unknown Besides in my mind that is the greatest honour whereby we receive proofs of it from others to the advantage of our selves which you do in this the other being but imaginarie this real though secret But if she is willing to forgoe that point for you why should you be so scrupulous as not to do so much for her seeing she lives not but by being yours why then should you refuse to be hers Nevertheless if her love cannot move you let the consideration of her death cause you to pity her if I grant you that it is a crime which can hardly be thought so seeing the Gods themselves have authoriz'd it by their own actions think whether it be not a greater crime to cause her death by so much rigor than to preserve her life with so much ease and pleasure to your self Fear not that the Gods will punish that which themselves are examples of no they are too just to do so and as for Lilibilis it would be far greater indignitie to destroy Clotuthe for all his favours than to save her life with no wrong to him especially being unknown Consider I beseech you her death is inevitable and if you refuse her her shame will not let her live Oh be not so hard-hearted if you cannot do it with complacencie force your self to save a life which else will be lai'd to your charge I admire how I heard her so long but she had proceeded farther if I had not put an end to her speeches my choler being rais'd to the height Woman said I my face shewing my resentment wert thou not of that sex which would be a dishonour to me to hurt I would cruelly chastise thee for these speeches I know Clotuthe never gave you so large a Commission to treat as you do her Letter though it be criminal is not so inverecund I believe she her self would punish thee if she knew it and be ashamed of what thou hast spoken in her behalf being thou belongest to her whom I truly honour I force my self to forget what you have said that you may not appear before me as a Monster Tell Clotuthe that it is impossible for me to be ingratefull but I cannot satisfie her no other wayes than by laying my life at her feet if she looks for other satisfaction I have none however I will be so carefull of her Reputation that even my self will forget that ever I received such a Letter from her that she may not appear criminal in my thoughts Tell her I would come to visit her but that I doubt my Companie would be but a disturbance and suscitate those motions which I desire my absence may banish and make her incur danger of discovering to others what her prudence hitherto hath hid and which rather than it should be known my life should expire at her feet With these words I left the Woman and entring a Closet in the Chamber I gave her leave to depart There I call'd to my remembrance Clotuthe's former kindnesses her speeches and past actions and with what fervency and care she performed many things for me I could then perceive there was a passion in all she did and her ambiguous speeches were now manifested and in fine I wondred that I could not perceive it all that while being openly enough exhibited but I was so far from thinking
you say Love without desire for it must be a sensual desire of pleasure to all or more than one nay or limited to one that we rightly call Lust for indeed we change not the quality in our desire or love to one but the exorbitancy which regulated is called Love Now it remains doubtfull to me whether man as you have inseâ—'d can be capable of loving without passion or desire unless deified It is not barely formosity beauty wit or any other exterior object or quality of the beloved that causeth Love though all these in themselves are lovely and communicate a kind of pleasure in the beholding them were there not desire and hope of fruition also in the Lover for to love without desire is to love without respect either to persons or sex which is the property of the gods and their celestial Ministers alone not to admit of Passion and who without affection love all and yet admit of degrees in their love some feeling the influence of it more than others and yet distributed by the gods without respect or passion This may be explained by the Sun who communicates his heat withour respect to persons or places having no passion or affection to any in his communication yet we know some partake more of his light and heate than others according to the distance and propinquity to the Aequator or Circuit of that bright deity Even so the farther we are from the gods by viâ—e which causeth the distance between them and us Mortals the less we receive of their love which would be freely communicated to us were we near them by vertue which doth as it were initiate us into their natures and so by our vicinity receive a full measure of their Love and all this without either respect or Passion in the gods But now I cannot see how man being composed with such affections and passions can be capable of this Love without either respect passion or desire to love all alike I am a little wide of what I intended which was to shew that this passion was not to be contemned as it was a passion but as it was irregular for I hold not with the Stoicks that all passions and affections are wholly to be mortified wholly slain and extinguished but that they are to be regulated according to the precepts of vertue As wrath and anger without moderation is irregular and therefore to be shunned but when our anger is turned into zeal for the gods and the actions of vertue are used against others with moderation we may make use of it to animate our selves and stimulate our courage against our enemies without peccation and so Love regulated is not to be culpated but only the irregularities and enormities of it To know that is to accommodate it with vertue and observe so long as vertue is predominate and rules it it cannot but be a spur to glorious enterprizes and attchievements leading into all vertuous actions giving no cause of complaint and never as you complain deprives man of his Reason but quickens and enlightens his understanding But now if this swerve any thing from vertue that I call irregular and acknowledge it worthy of detestation for then those persons that follow the enormities of this passion are ruled by it according to the variety of humours of their fancies and acting oft times contrary to reason become notorious in their follies And lastly though men cannot have the power to decuss this passion being innate yet they may have that power if they will as not to swerve from the rules of vertue and then though love cause egritude and disquiets yet it is not vicious so that we must thus distingush the passion from the enormities the passion will lead us into unless restrained by vertue Euripedes would have replyed to this discourse but that Lonoxia playing the Moderator hindred his exaggeration by remembring him how much of the night had already been spent and that the remainder was more fitting to be spent in rest than discourse he having already weaeied himself and his auditors with his long-winded narration Euripedes yielding to his proposition after very many civilities passed betwixt them leaving Argelois to take his repose he and Lonoxia return'd to take theirs The end of the third Book ELIANA BOOK the fourth TItan had no sooner left the embraces of his Thetis following his anteambulatriss the beauteous Aurora but displaying his golden head above the waters he projected his beams into the room where Argelois lay who at that instant breaking the prison of sleep began his cogitations with the early morn The relation of Euripedes had so diverted him the last day that he was forc'd to convocate his thoughts to know where Love had left him and that by renewing his conceptions he might assume his wonted and pleasing contemplation of that Idea which so affected him and to repend the former dayes loss he impos'd on himself a taâ—â— but very pleasing in the continual cogitancy of Eliana Thoughts obtruding themselves set all the wheels of his imaginations on work and revolving to the heart with a pleasurable motion gave him exceeding contentment all excursions being introvocated to that intense contemplation he minded nothing but the Idea which represented it self in his mind and on which he fixt his thoughts without discursion or by letting one object lead him to another and that to a third and so coherently led insensibly into confusion but not letting his thoughts transcurre that object he willingly lost himself in that meditation without denoting the elapsion of the morning Whilst in these Coâ—itâ—ncies he sometimes erected structures of happiness to himself and sometimes diruting what before he had built found a labour equal to that of Hercules when he purg'd the stable of Augeas or when he internecated ' the head-increasing Lernean Hydra one conception begeting another contrary and that being dispersed a third repullulates so that the vanishing of one was still the increasing of another his labour became endless and whilst his thoughts begat stronger desires his thoughts also sought out means to attain to those desires which finding so difficult he was dejected almost to the absolute privation of hope which made him be content rather to adore her than venture to implore her mercy Whilst he continued these musings Euripedes and Lonoxia entered his Chamber which exsuscitated him out of his ponderations and as it were gave him a new being to himself for beholding the great progress the bright lamp had made in his diurnal course he ingenuously confest himself to be lost in the Meanders of his cogitations After they had given him the good morning It may be saith Euripedes very facetiously that you have been endeavouring to decuss those ligaments wherewith you 'r ty'd to your beloved Image but believe me it must not be the resolution of a night nor the endeavours of a few hours but the sooner you resolve and the more you endeavours of a few hours but the
caresses and complements of his friends all of them testifying their resentments for his disguiseing himself and that with so much address and civility that he stood amazed to see it so far from Rome The Queen desirous it should be known caused it privated to be declared so that it was soon known publickly through the whole City every one regarding him as a Prince and worthy of that which he aspir'd to And notwithstanding Araterus's desire to the contrary she caused him to be served with more state and after the manner of the Princes of that Countrey encreasing both the number of his servants and the riches of his pallace so that his train and port was little less then the Queens his quality stifling envy that having a kind of respect to greatness The Queen had now nothing to oppose against Araterus and her joy had been compleat but for that which I had told her concerning him that it was love that troubled him This caused a new Certamen in her thoughts she began to be jealous she feared Marina she thought on the fairest in the Court she watched Araterus to see if she could discover her she hoped it might be her self and yet she feared to have it so lest her severity should increpate his boldness She was loth it should be any other and yet she could not consent that it should be she so that she feared what she desired She found trouble enough in these Capâ—icho's but advising alwayes with Marina they thought it best to discover it if they could though she told the Queen that she was confident none could be so powerfull as to captivate Araterus but her self Marina the first opportunity sought to make me confess who it was that was the object of Araterus's passion I not daring to discover it wond my self out of her intreaties and told her that it would be no hard matter to draw it out of Araterus himself when that he had confes'd that he was in love and that she might see I had rather hazard his displeasure then not to content her she might use her own discretion whether she would tell him that I had intimated so much to enduce him to discover it himself Not long after Marina being alone with Araterus they sell into a discourse concerning the Prince of Sinana Araterus complaining that the gods had not furnisht that Prince with vertues sutable to his other qualities and greatness that he might have been worthy of the happiness he sought for calling it an oversight of the gods to give any one the goods of body and of fortune and not those of the mind to employ them rightly when all three conjoyn'd together makes the Possessor happy the one illustrating the other Marina who hath wit enough told him that it was a kind of impartiality of the gods so to distribute their favours that none might be wanting of their gifts and that it may be according to their own wishes this man hath honour and riches another beauty and wit a third vertue and grace all which in one man would be too much and which is not seen in an age every one contented with his own shews the variety of gifts of the gods and their impartiality But faith she were it in your choice which would you chuse I should quickly chuse those of the mind before those of the body or fortune replyed Araterus for to have the other without the first is to have the ring without the stone and truly without wit will power judgement and the like the goods of fortune cannot be made use of rightly and they are rather fair beasts then men but the most deformed man is more excellent than the loveliest beast so in my judgement those that have the goods of the mind are to be prefer'd to those that have either those of body or fortune You speak not like a Lover saith Marina for he profers the object of his passion above all things which you know is to be accounted amongst the goods of fortune for if he sacrifices his life and I am sure he looses his reason judgement and understanding with all the goods of the mind Fair Marina said he I would not have you count me among these unreasonable men No saith she I have observed of late a great â—adness in your face and I am apt to call all sad and melancholy men Lovers knowing it to be a great symptome of Love Araterus would very fain have avoided this discourse but Marina prest him so far that he could not avoid telling her that he esteemed one more then all the world and that may be it was that which was usually called Love But he told her that it had not made him loose his reason nor understanding for that he did it not so much out of inclination as choice But when Marina would have known who his Mistriss was he told her secrecy was the first and chief rule of Love and that to do so was to shew his disrespect to her he loved by making known the unworthiness of her servant whatever Marina said she could not draw him to a confession she so much desired but contented her self that she knew from his own mouth that he loved which gave the Queen more trouble than she thought she would have gained through her curiosity being crucified betwixt hope and fear Half a year past away Araterus still continuing in his estate and continually burning in those amorous flames which scorched his soul more then the heat of the Countrey his body The Queen was not free from the like cruciations though every dayes conversation with him gave her a clear sight that she was the object of his love Love and her high humour had a long certamen but at last love remained victor and left her contented with the inclinations of her servant The more she considered his vertues the greater her ardencies grew and was almost angry that his love had not forced his respect for in all that height of honour he had not forgot himself nor had the ardency of his affection made him oblivious of the Queen he shewed her as much submission as at the first and as much affection as would stand with respect He was too quick-sighted not to perceive the affection of the Queen and yer he forbore an agitation which he had some perswasions might have been well accepted but he contented himself that he had covertly given her to understand his affection and that he saw she understood him Their Conversation was alwayes free and pleasing to each other I remembred this above the rest because it was remarkable for Araterus's discovery of himself He was in the company of the Queen when his love causing a more then ordinary disquiet in his soul exhibited a kind of sadness in his face the Queen noteing it I perceive said she to him that you have not forgot your Countrey nor your friends their remembrance notwithstandinging our endeavours still exuscitate a melancholy that
acquainted the more grew our friendship and the more I perceived his good disposition I found him to harbour not a seeming but a true and generous amity desiring rather in deeds than in words to express his generosity I found a great relaxation in his conversation and a sweet engagement in his communication so that being familiarly acquainted with him in some short time he gave me an accompt what he was and of the enterprise he was then going about which because it is delightfull and that you have given your self up to hear these stories of loves follies I shall relate as near as I can to the form he gave it me in And that you may not think it strange that I should after so long time remember these eveniments you must know I had since my retirement collected them into a book which thus imprints them in my mind But thus he began his History Fortune that fickle Goddess made me believe she had changed her nature and caus'd me to accuse those who call'd her inconstant for as if in me only she meant to be immutable she ballanc'd all things with a constant hand neither could I accuse her with the least mutability She made me be born a Prince so bred me up and till of late in all the course of my life gave me no cause to complain But when that I assured my self to be her fortunate darling she precipitated me from the top of her moving wheel and conspiring with love to ruine me turned her smiles into frowns But that you may know went he on how she effected my precipitation I must tell you I am named Bruadenor Prince of the Veneti in Gaul where with a prodigious constancie I had remained till Love first arrested me One evening as I was walking by the side of a grove I had cast my eyes suddenly on an Object which as suddenly surprized me it was a Lady of incomparable beauty without any company who with a sad aspect seem'd to rest her self under the tree's umbrage This sight brought at first a kind of shivering but afterwards a burning into my breast so that I being unacquainted with this disturbance thought the Lady to be of the nature of the Basilisk who delates her poison through the eyes But though I felt my self wounded by my sight yet could I not withdraw my eyes from so lovely an object till I had discovered my self I then rendring her the courtesies which belonged to civility made bold to enquire the cause of that sad and solitary encounter in a place so dangerous and subject to rapines with all offering her my self and castle for her protection She answered me that solitude was consonant to her desires and that she had deserted others to be left alone But I still pressed her to accept of my protection and civility giving her the knowledge of whom I was and using all the perswasive Arguments I was capable of giving which at last wrought upon her for an acceptance Whilst with a softly pace we moved towards my Castle I told her that my desires were great to know who she was not so much out of curiosity as to know if any way the small power I had could render me any way serviceable to her manifesting by many words the great desire I had to de her service She answered me that all the services that could be rendred her could do her no good nothing but death alone was able to help her but she added that hitherto she had found no opportunity though sought to accomplish her desires and that therefore she expected nothing now but a continuation of her miseries This pressed me to a further enquiry to know the cause of this affliction which thus depressed her and though I uttered my inquisitions with many circumlocutions because I would not seem so boldly to intrude yet she perceived my desires and to satisfie me she said thus Lest you should have any sinister opinion of me whereby you may stain my honour in your thoughts I shall freely declare who I am and the occasion of my being unaccompanied although in so doing I shall discover the frailty and almost impudicity of my actions constrained by a passion which some call Love Before she proceeded I beseecht her not to conceive me guilty of such a crime as to think any thing but vertue harbored in so delicate a vessel protesting that my thoughts had not had the least intimation of any thing but what was agreeable to vertue and honour She replyed how that it could not be termed a crime if that I had conceived any maleopinion of her seeing that a just occasion had sprung from her encounter and seeing that I had rendred so great a testification of the purity of my thoughts by my actions she could not without running the hazard of ingratitude suffer me to remain in ignorance concerning her self and as with confidence she had trusted me with her honour so without fear she might relate the preceeding actions of her life After I had given her an assurance of my fidelity both for the one as the other she proceeded thus Love is a passion which differently possesses souls and with a different fire consumes our vitals if harbored in an immaculate breast and reanswered by the object beloved with as pure flames there is no content joy or pleasure like to the scorching influences proceeding from each other whereby they communicate the very essence of their love with as pure breathings as the sacred Deities the thoughts of so great a happiness hath oft times carried me into an extasie what then would be the fruition My desires have been as chast and flames as pure but that naked and blind deity hath fatally crost me which makes me love with so much anxiety and torment For Love not regarded and not meeting with the desired flames feeds on the life of the Lover and it may be hath caused that Simile which compares love to the continual feeding Eagle on the liver of Tityus which renewing makes him suffer continual unsufferable torment so that the preeminency of pain may be ascribed to it We see that those who feel and suffer extream pains to do and speak that which they would not were they not in that pain-forced frency So often-times Lovers through the great vexation and anxiety which they feel through the opposition of their Loves do most extravagant actions and women sometimes vary beyond the pudicity of their sex This I bring as a Prologue for a favorable construction of those actions in my relation which may seem to pass the bounds of womanly pudicity But briefly proceeded she to give you an account of my life it is this My name is Floria and I am the sole daughter of the great Lord of the Santones on the other side of the river Ligeris where till Love oppressed me I lived with as great content as pleasure but it fortuned that I was touched with its dart since which I
a powerfull and secret Sympathie one with another and that life I have accounted amongst the most happiest of my dayes which I have spent in the company of Amenia whose innocent and pleasing conversation often put my soul into a posture of tranquillity and rapt my soul into a contemplative enjoyment of that which afterwards I received more really but hardly with more delight Thus I had almost passed over the winter in the sweet conversation of Amenia never breaking my imposed silence when Lilibilis had notice given him that the Chief of the Gallicians desired him with the chief of his men to meet them on the borders of the Austures that they might consult for the general good concerning their next Campaign and in what manner they should oppose their enemies They sent him word that Caesar was returned to Rome and had left the Legions with Antistius a valiant Captain and who with all speed was mustering his Forces to assail them and to begin the War though it was so soon Lilibilis soon departed with the chief of his Commanders leaving a great charge on Clotuthe to be carefull of me and desired me to contribute what I could to my health that I might be in a condition to render him that help which he hoped for from me and on which he depended more than on his Army I would have perswaded him to let me accompanie him but he utterly refused it in consideration that my weaknsse was not so well recovered but that so sudden a jorney might have thrown me into a relaps When I saw he would not let me accompany him I told him that I would cherrish my self as much as his absence possible could give me leave and that I only desired my life to loose it in his service to which I had destinated the remainder of my daies He replyed in very civil terms having nothing of Barbarism in him and after our mutual imbraces he departed leaving me to the care of those whose love had made them uncapable of having their care of my health augmented by his commands or entreaties The second day after Lilibilis his departue I was set in my chamber by the fire in a very deep melancholy ruminating on the different tyrannies of the God of Love and considering how deeply I was engaged in a passion that had cost me so many tears and so much trouble and yet had receiv'd nothing but a severe Law from the mouth of my goddess when her Melanthe suddenly entred my Chamber and surprized me in the midst of those tears which my ardent passion had extracted from my eyes That Maid whom affection had tied to my interests excused her so sudden and uncivil entrance as she termed it with very good language and desir'd my pardon for her incivilitie I soon made her understand how glad I was of her company and how much I desired an opportunity of entertaining her alone She told me she came from her Mistriss who had sent her to excuse her in that she had not seen me that day by reason of an indisposition which had made her keep her Chamber I replyed I was unworthy the honour she did me in taking so great a care of my well-fare and that I could entertain the assurance of my own death with less trouble then to understand she was indispos'd in her health The Maid reanswer'd that there was no fear of any danger in her Mistriss indisposition and that she made no question but that she would visit me the next day and pay me interest for that dayes neglect we spent some time in these interlocutions till at last after I had forc'd her to sit down I uttered my self in these terms ' Melanthe you cannot be ignorant of the cause of those tears you have surpriz'd me in which are but a small part to what I dailie and almost hourlie offer to a severitie which hath made me mute You know I have manifested my love and you do not ignore to what a cruel silence I was condem'd I have not hitherto transgressed it though all the world is ignorant with what torment I undergo it I continually sigh languish and spend my time in tears and yet dare not declare my misery which is the only and considerable ease others troubled with the like passion enjoy Was there ever such a Law impos'd on any as is on me which makes me live in the continual languishment of my soul and in the dailie conversation and intuition of the object of all my suspirations and still to lock up my lips by severity not to be parralel'd I know Melanthe though sickness hath not kil'd me that grief will if not mitigated by some relaxation but if I die it will be a happiness in that it is by keeping a Law impos'd upon me by that mouth which I so much adore whereby she shall see Euripedes can never be guiltie of transgressing the severest of her commands I find some ease in declaring this to thee what allevament should I find in disburdening my self to her but since she hath enjoyned the contrarie I must I will undergo it with silence to the death and last expiration of a soul totallie hers and which lives onlie to do her service She did not bid me Melanthe to speak of love to no body else therefore I hope I have not transgressed in speaking to you nevertheless I desire you not to make her acquainted with it lest her severity may impute it as a transgression to me I dare not sue or desire O Melanthe to have this imposition taken off but you may conceive with what joy I should receive the revocation of so strict a Law but I doubt I am faulty in in that I desire to have that taken off which was imposed by Amenia though it be more grievous and less easie to be born than death Sir replyed Melanthe your vertues have made me inseparably yours as far as the duty I owe my Mistriss and the pudicity of my sex give me leave I will not tell you how often I have endeavoured her to revoke that which she had impos'd upon you and which I saw you bore with a patience not to be parralel'd because my andeavours prov'd in vain to cause her revoke what she had once commanded I know the severity of her humour is such that she will endure the greatest afflictions rather than break it and this severity is very strange which she useth towards you strange in that she afflicts you whom she desires not to afflict and strange in that she no less afflicts her self in that she is so severe to you and that her humour is so strictly tyed to the severity of her own Law that she will rather endure what she suffers than break it She her self hath told you Sir therefore I may say it without any infidelity to my Lady that you are not indifferent to her but being tied by the cruel Lawes of duty cruel in that it makes her contradict
of yielding to her that the more I thought upon her the more odious she seem'd to me and in consideration of Amenia I rather began to hate her than love her My thoughts likewise exhibited to me the great trouble and vexation was like to ensue if she persisted in it but if my disdaine should cause her hatred as it was very likelie it should I saw on that hand as great danger and trouble as might be on the other I fear'd nothing but ruining my pretentions for Amenia by stratagems never wanting to inraged women My life I valued not but I fear'd she might procure my banishment which would be far more gâ—ievous than death A thousand thoughts came thronging into my mind all representing some disaster to ensue and methought this evement had already ruined my hopes I complain'd against the gods inveigh'd against Clotuthe spoke against my self and in these transports I spent a good part of the night before I came forth of the closet When I was in bed my imaginations hardly suffered me to take any sleep sometimes me thought I saw Clotuthe like a fury assailing me and endeavouring to tuine me by and by she was represented acting part of her resentment against Amenia using her with violence and rigor this gave me real cruciations though it were but a thought and made me often exclaim against her with the bitterest words I could invent then I saw her in my imaginations acting her own Tragedy this caus'd me no less feare and trouble on the other side in consideration that she was the wife of Lilibilis whom I very much honoured and lov'd these troublesome thoughts took away sleep and rest with some that love injected for Amenia and I hardly gain'd a slumber that night which also was interrupted with dreames of the like nature those Idaea's exhibiting themselves in my sleep The next day I was visited by Amenia and her presence dissipated part of those troubles which continually employed my imaginations and gave me that relaxation which nothing besides her self could do We passed our time as we us'd to do in very ordinary discourse and though she lov'd me well yet had she hardly the confidence to six her eyes upon mine when she spake and when she perceiv'd how intentively I beheld her my eyes taking that libertie which was denied my tongue it made her blush out of the knowledge that she understood those dumb orators yet was she so cruel as not to take off her imposition At last Amenia made me acquainted with her mothers sickness but she knew not the cause she desired me to go along with her to give her a visit I was afraid to discover it to Amenia by denying to go and I knew my presence would do her hurt in consideration that I was the cause of it I was very loth to do Clotuthe so much wrong as to discover her weakness to any which made me go after two or three times invitation wherein I could not deny Amenia I was troubled though least Clotuthe might discover her self by some action that my presence might cause but my chiefest trouble was least that visit might give her any encouragement to persist in her love or cause her to believe I would not be altogether averse from her or might yield to that which was so odious to me With this trouble I accompanied Amenia to Clotuthe's chamber we found none there but that woman who brought me her letter for Clotuthe desired few of her other womens companie being all ignorant of the true cause of her grief After Amenia had rendred her what she thought was required from her and testified what share she bore in her egritude by many words full of sweetnesse and compassion I approached her bed side but with so great fear and trembling that I could not express my self a great while her colour went and came very often at my approach which shew'd an extraordinary motion within her ' Madam said I after I had stood a while silent I cannot yield to any in the world that superiority of having a more sensible affliction of your egritude than my self and I cannot believe I injure truth if I say I feel little lesse dolor than your self How joyful should I be and how happy should I account my self if by the sacrifice of my life the gods would recover you to your pristine estate I should offer it with more content than I ever shall receive while you are in this condition and were your sickness depending upon my life only this moment should be the last of your grief She understood these words and perceiv'd what I meant by them I saw they had rais'd an extraordinary colour in her face and her eyes expressed the great desire she had to speak but Amenia's presence deterr'd her she was not more sorry than I was glad that she was there but that subtle woman who knew her desire found means to draw Amenia to the window and Melanthe who attended her stood at a distance out of respect Clotuthe glad of this opportunitie answered me softlie but so as I could hear her distinctly ' Eurâ—pedes said she without looking me in the face but hers was tinctured with â—eâ—â—â—â—ion all over I cannot reproach you for your virtue nor call you cruel though you slay me I am not ignorant what virtue is though I have not the power to folâ—ow it It shames me to our-live a fault I have committed against Lilibilis my own pudor and your virtue by the over-ruling of that implacable tyrant Love but I am so carefully watched that I cannot gain an opportunitie to expiate the crime of Lilibilis his wife by the victim of Clotuthe I have confessed O Euripedes that I have loved you I cannot deny it and to my shame I must still own it in that love I must die the bonds of dutie were too weak to restrain me from letting you know it and I should not have accounted it acceptable if you had been ignorant of it I die Euripedes and I die for you or rather for the fault of loving you if it can be imputed to me since the gods inspir'd it and forc'd my inclinations to it I know you are too generous to divulge it and if the fault of Clotuthe might give you an occasion to do it yet the love you bear Lilibilis will restrain you After a little respite Your heart cannot be capable of pity continued she no no Euripedos let me die to ease my self of that pain which is insufferable but I do not believe you desire I should live since you alone are the cause of it Her tears stopping the rest of her words she gave me time to answer her O Madam said I I have told you and do again that I never had more affection to do you service than now I have and shall ever retain it so long as my honour may not be blemish'd nor the precepts of vertue broken I value not the expiration of my life
this parting will prove satall I cannot but fear I shall never see Euripedes more but let me once more entreat you not to precipitate your self into danger and check the exorbitancy of your courage by your Love and by remembring that I impose it upon you and that I have desir'd to see you return for the encouragement whereof I tell you again my self will endeavour for your happinesse in all things wherein I am not prohibited by the precepts of duty virtue and honour Madam replied I bowing almost to the ground think not but I shall obey your Commands and with more care observe them than those of the Gods themselves and I question not but you can raise me to farre greater happinesses then they can without you You have had so much trial of my obedience that you cannot justly doubt but that I will lose my life a hundred times were it possible sooner than fail in observing them especially when they are so glorious and contribute so much to my own happinesse You need not fear that the power of the Romanâ—s is able to take away this life since you have been pleas'd to conserve it and with it you have given me so great animosity that I need not fear but victory will attend me At the finishing of these words Amenia entring a little Closet faut out a blew Scarse with a very large fair fringe all wrought with Gold and Silver in flowers and other curious work partly wrought by her self and partly by Melanthe bringing it in her hand here Euripedes said she wear this for a remembrance of what you owe me I received it upon my knee with a world of satisfaction Madam said I you are too deeply insculpted on my heart to need any remembrancer and I am too great an observer of your commands to forget them I will receive this as the most glorious of gifts and esteem it above my Life since it comes from the hand of my adored Amenia In receiving it I kissed it and being filled with Raptures I cemented my lips to that fair hand and gave it some most ardent suaviations She permitted it a little but believing I trespassed too much upon her modesty she withdrew it and raising me up Go Euripedes said she and conquer where ever thou comm'st and where it is not lawful for thee with thy Armes use thy Virtue and none can withstand you These words made me blush but I answered Madam I cannot fear to lose the Victory since you have bid me conquer but I shall not glory in all the Victories the Gods can give me or in being a greater Conquerer then Alexander so much as in being your Captive aye there lies my happinesse and there lies my glory After these words I took my leave and I saw some teares drop from Amenia's fair eyes at my deceding which gave me a consolation not to be uttered and that night I spent in the contemplation of my Happinesse where I had spent many in that of my miseries I have been longer than I thought to have been continued Euripedes in the relation of my Amoretta's but the great content I receiv'd in them then hath conserv'd them fresh in my memory to this day though I have pass'd troubles enough since to oblitterate them if I had had no worser successe in the latter than in the former I might not perchance have been so opposite to Love but those Aerumnal Loves far different than the former rectified my reason and made me see with clearer eyes than those of a Lover Love they say is a most noble passion and leads one to most generous actions true if you consider it without that effect of it desire whilst that it interest 's not it self in any thing but solely loveth the obiect because it is lovely truly then it is noble it is free and all actions that it produceth are truly generous but if you take Love as most do though you consider it in those whose Virtues were never blemish't by it yet all those actions they exhibit to the world which may seem most generous and most noble are neverthelesse servile and abject whilst desire as an inseparable accident accompanies their Love and makes those actions of seeming generosity to be but the effects of their own desire and in all they do serve their own ends I do not make mention of those whose Loves carry them to base ends being converted to Lust and to do things odious to them in their right reason you l say that none that are virtuous can be led to such actions whilst that Virtue lasts I confesse they cannot but I believe and know by experience that this passion whereon we treat is able to stifle the motions of Virtue and to insinuate those of Vice and make those persons do that which being clear from this passion they would detest and which could not be attributed to their natures but to the enforcement of their passions Some I know whose Virtues are Eminent do not yield in the least to their passion but overcome it by their Virtue and though they Love they cannot be said to be subjugated by it because it is subordinate to their Virtues I do not speak this without reason and this small digression may be some preparative to what I shall relate for in my first Loves I acted nothing against the precepts of Virtue but afterward whether my passions were more violent or lesse pure they drew me into actions that made me justly hate both my self and that passion which was the cause of them which when you have heard though it may not make you hate a passion so deeply setled in you yet it may excuse my aversion in that it caus'd me to do actions so detestable and unworthy of my self which hath drew thousands of teares from my eyes for some small expiation of my follies But I would not have you think I am an enemie to Love rightly stated for Love is the purest spark of the soul and that which illustrates the whole man and I may truly say that it is the fountain of all good and without it man were not man so the want of it is the chiefest cause of all evil But by this I mean that Love which never introduced any desire but being an emanation of the gods acts it self to that which is most pure and doth most partake of its essence and I cannot call this a passion but a fire taken off from the altar of the Gods communicating nothing but what is most pure and Celestial and making the possessor of it like to the Gods themselves In this our two Geniis find a great matter of Contestation for if the one inspire it or rather the Gods and that seek to preserve it our black Daemon endeavours to subvert it and knowing that it is apt to work upon what is fair and like it self it exhibites beauty and formositie and then stirring up a sensual desire contaminates that lustre and almost
suffocates that which is the very life of all generous actions Since I have retired into this solitude I have had time to Contemplate this and many other things both of the nature of Love and the effects and have learn't to separate the drosse from the Gold I might declare more of it but I read an invitation in your face to the prosecution of what is unfinish't concerning my life and in the end you may perchance perceive that this discourse was not unnecessarie Argelois would willingly have represented his thoughts concerning Love but being more desirous to hear the end of his Love and Adventures he favour'd his prosecution with his silence and heard him proceed thus I shall be very succinct in my following narration therefore I shall not give you the particulars of this Summers War only tell you that which cannot be omitted without impairing my Relation The next morning very early we left Austurica and came to the Randezvous within a short time being hard by the River Astura where we encamped there was a great appearance of the Astures who shewed a great propensity to defend their liberties with their lives and resolved to fight to the last man The Cantabrians and Gallicians were as forward as we and the conquering Romanes were not behind us who were encamped at Sigisama The Romans had had a very sharp and fierce War of it and resolving to finish it this Summer they had filled up their Legions with their valiant men and many stout Commanders Lanium a Roman Captain marched with his Troops towards the Gallicians where they had many fierce Encounters and though they were helped by the Voâ—caeans and spared not for courage to defend themselves yet were they fain to run the fortune of the Conquered and to yield their lives to the invincible Romans Many of those Barbarians being besieged on the Mountain Medullius and seeiing a necessitie that thâ—â— must either yield to their Enemies or die by their swords they unanimouâ—â—â—â—â—rn'd their armes against themselves and by sundry deaths depriv'd 〈◊〉 Conquerors of that glory In the mean time Antistius and Firmius oppress'd the Cantabrians who though they were the most formidable of all Spain â—ell continually under the swords of the conquering Romanes But the ferositie of that people made the Romans to win those Victories with much blood both of themselves and their Enemies who oftentimes despising a profer'd life they shew'd how much they lov'd their liberty by a voluntarie death The Romans had not so easily gain'd that Countrey if they had not oppressed them with a Fleet of Ships which they had transported from Gaule for seeing it otherwise impossible to have subdu'd them they with a very great Fleet oppress'd them by Sea The Cantabrians having lost many Victories and many men and all their chief Townes taken they were fain to stoop to that yoke which the Romanes had impos'd on all the world Whilst these things were a doing on each side of us you must not imagine us idle or that we had not as sharp afflictions as the rest Carisius to whose lot it fell to contest with us was not encamped far from us We had at that time a very great Army composed of very stout and valiant men and at least 5000 Astercones which did great service in their battels whose velocitie much troubled the Roman Legions in all their Encounters for disordering them with a sudden decursion they assoon drew off with little hurt to themselves We had often called the chief of the Armie to Counsel that we might not be wanting of Policie as well as valour to defend our selves and that we might not take in hand any thing rashly and without the advice of the most experienc'd Souldiers For the want of good Councel is oft-times the overthrow of the most valiant when with temeritie they undertake any design Those actions I had perform'd the Summer before were not forgotten by them and they did me the honour to call me to all Councels and to cede very much to what I said Indeed the provocations of my love with a desire that I had to return to Amenia made me extreeamly desirous to expedite this War and therefore my councel was all for battel or some other valorous Stratagem that might soonest put a period to it and in this I did not lack followers among so many valiant and hardy men I at last proposed the attacquing of the Romans in their Camp for that I understood by Spies that they were very secure not being accustomed to meet with so much valour as to dare to undertake such an Enterprize I backed my proposition with many reasons which I now remember not but at last it prevailed with them being all very stout men and desirous of action For this end the Armie was tripartited one part was led by Lilibilis the other by Gurgulinis a very valiant Captain and the third they honour'd me with With great secresie we marched three several wayes that we might surprize them on all sideâ— with the more astonishment and we came so suddenly and were so neare them before we were discovered that we had almost effected our design which shewed our valour that we ventured to undertake so difficult an Enterprize However we put the Romans into great fear and had we not been discovered without doubt we had defeated them but they had so much time as to embattel themselves and to meet us without their Camp Neverthelesse they found us assured in our countenances and they were fain to animate themselves with the remembrance of their former Victories to keep up their spirits We met with an impetuositie that admits of no comparison where hundreds of men found their deaths at the first Encounter Lilibilis and Gurgulinis on each side met with the like resistance and on all sides the Camp was nothing but blood and slaughter I will not go about to describe a battel to you who I know have acted your part in many bloody ones but I am perswaded the Romans never met with a more fierce and stout resistance The earth was soon cruented and spread all over with dead bodies whilst heaps of men lay groaning out their last which could not be heard through the noise of the clattering of their Weapons It was a dismal fight to behold how horror ranged throughout the Field and with what animositie each side receiv'd their deaths The strenuitie of the Astercones was very usefull but neither that nor the generall valour of the Souldiers nor the particular actions of the Commanders amongst which my self may without vanitie boast in having twice unhorsed Carisius could keep the invincible Romans from the Victorie though she had long hung in suspence being accustomed to light on the Roman standards she so well knew her wonted residence that she resided there more out of custom then that the valour of the Astures did not deserve her Alas the Genii of the Barbarians were too weak for those of the
proving too weak to strive with the violence of that impetuous storm they committed it to the mercy of the winds and water and prepared themselves to receive an inevitable death Morning appearing but the storme not ceasing we still rode upon the dangerous waves till at last our barque shattered with the continuall batteries both of Boreas and Neptune gave entrance to that aquatick enemy into its very bowells and running a leak presantly was fill'd with water Every one sought to save himself but there was no meanes to escape perishing some cut the tackle others the masts others cast themselves before hand into the sea at last the ship sanke at which so horrible and lamentable a cry proceeded from those deplorable wretches that I thought it would have relented the Gods of their Cruelty to have sav'd them miraculously The child being laid in the chest which admitted no water was tossed upon the waves and caried out of my sight in a moment The desire I had to see Atalanta made me endeavour to save my life which I cid by gaining the mast of the Ship on which I sat and beheld the rest perish in the sea without being able to afford them help I was driven for Some howers by the waves which many times had allmost made me forgo my hold with their violences and playing with my looser garment had put me to much trouble to keep steady on that dancing pole when at last by the favour of the Gods I was espied by a vessel which yet tryumph'd o're the storme which at that time slackning its violence gave them the liberty of saving me The vessell was bound for Spain so that they were easily induc'd to land me at Olisippo for the rewards I profer'd them all the jewells and things of worth that were about me I bestow'd on them The pilot being very skillfull in his art set me ashore in the Haven of Olissippo in spite of the raging waters I presently repaired to Atalanta's Ile and being admitted I was made acquainted that she had not many minutes to live The greif that then afflicted me its impossible to relate I ran to her bed side and like one distacted ask'd her many foolish and impertinent questions as why she for sake us and why she should not endure any companies in this world and why she would not overcome her grief and sorrow The old lady with her chiefest maids weeping by her made a very sad and dolefull spectacle but she glad that she was departing from this world wherein she had received so much sorrow and greif lay smiling at the frowns of death and embrac'd him with a chearfull countenance Assoon as she saw me she invited me with her dying eyes to draw near in the mean time those that stood by her bed side seeing she desired privacy withdrew a little She first ask'd me concerning the child whose misfortunes I hid from her lest the knowledg of that might have shortned those few moments she had to live I told her that it was safly provided for and that she should not fear but that I would imploy the remainder of my dayes in fullfilling her desire This is all then said she besides what allready I have told you that you let Marcipsius know he was the cause of my death and if he publisheth my dishonour I hope though he be your brother that you will desend me One thing yet grievs me and that is that I must part with Sabane her teares and weaknesse stopp'd her here and I with the excesse of passion could not answer her one word but kneeling down I gave her an assurance by my eyes that I would effect what ever she commanded my teares shew'd her with what resentment I beheld her dyeing and the greatnesse of my grief clearly deprived me of my senses At that time arrived Atalanta's father whom they had sent for and coming where his daughter lay he shewed his love was excessive for beholding her ready to expire he fell by her side and had almost deceived all their hopes of ever fetching him again but at last coming to himself he embraced the dying Atalanta who had the content to expire in his armes When they saw she was dead then began a heavy ejulation all seeking to express their passion by their several gestures and actions The old man toâ—e his hair and beard and calling aloud on his daughter seemed as if he would have made his voice pierce to the centre of the earth and revoked the absent spirit of his daughter every one was copartner with him in his grief so that 't was difficult to know who were most interested in her death A heart of slint must have melted at those lamentâ—ble mournings and bewaisings and it was not a few houres that gave them respite in their passion I had got on the further side of her bed and placeing my self hard by her dead caâ—casse I fell on her pillow with the extremity of my passion and there lay so senslesse that it was hard to judge who was deadest But after a long time my senses returning to exercise their functions I cast my eyes obscured with teares on that face which triumphing over death carried yet weapons enough to have captivated the stoutest hearts The conquering lillies began now to overcome the roses in her cheeks and they as it were yeilding to the hand of fate sunke their blushing heads under the snow of her cheeks which gave a kind of a dying tincture to the white There was nothing to be seen of death but want of heat and motion and had you but seen her you would have said that it was the fairest of the graces that in the kingdome of Morpheus was taking her sweeter repose My griefe permitted me not to read to my self lectures of mortality but by stimulating considerations put me into motions of sury Oh! how often I secretly curst that cruell brother how often I vowed her revenge and how often resolved I to sarcrifice the Life of Marcipsius on the altar of vengance 't was these resolutions that kept me from following that faire one to the Elisian shades and ty'd me to endure those sorrows by living which I was necessitated to undergo since she was dead But the old Lady having fâ—r different considerations fearing as 't was suppos'd the indignation of the Prince since she was the seeming cause that his daughter was remov'd thither where she dyed retiring into a closset pierc'd her ancient breast with a ponyard and so emitted her soule to follow Atalanta's Atalanta's maide with some others whose others whose love to her had transported them had effected the same emission of life had they not bâ—en hindred by others so that the opinion of the Indians seem'd to possesse them that souls want the service of others in the other world and that they out of a sence of love and duty would follow Atalanta to the Elisium When that they had tyred but not satisfied themselves with weeping
or Love proceeding from similitude of qualities or manners or of morall love generall or particular to men or naturall to children or parents all whose causes are indifferent and besides that passion on which I insist and which cannot be without diversity of sex as the other may But the cause of this as generally the chiefe cause of all love is an attractive power which causeth an expansion or emotion of the soule and spirits to an object which she thinks convenient for her and which must be a conception of need or want of the object Now privation it selfe is evill and love being privation and want of an object is therefore evill for the effect of it beeing desire seeks the possession of that object and so makes the love circular to attract that to the soule which she seemes to want Now if we then wanted nothing we should not desire any thing which shewes we are not compleat in our selves and desire being the exhibition of want and the effect of love shews that the foundation it self is evill for that it is grounded on want Then besides if you look upon the outward cause of attraction whether it be beauty or any other exterior quality of the object beloved and the possession of it desired which is alwayes suffulted with hope the very causes themselves being vanity or not worthy objects for the soules egression to or opperation upon that desire and that love cannot be good the causes themselves being not absolutely good but vain and transitory But this by the way the chief thing I proposed was to insist on the effects of this passion which plainly exhibit the evils of it and out of which as from the fountains head all other evill passions have sprung This also we may consider in relation to the body and to the soule First consider this in relation to the body and that must be relatively and as it is joyned with other passions whose motions cause the diversity of motions in the body Through this the body which is as it were the case of the soul is imbued through the conjunction of the soule with the body with pain with languishing with restlesseness and all the senss feel the effects of this passion upon the soul by exposing the body to danger by wounds by torments and oft times by death all which happen through the exuscitation of other passions Now the soule suffers innumerable evills for first all passions as griefe hatred envie wrath malice revenge disdain and divers other particular passions which spring from this love all which falling upon the body agitate it to diversity of motions and without rest causes the soule to a continuall solicitous care of obtaining the object of its desires which if once hope faile then dispair the foretunner of mischiefe carries the soule into wonderful precipitancies and if in its best estate that hope continues it is never without fear jealousie and a soâ—icitrous care of conserving the object of its love so that the soul is under a continuall agitation by those paâ—sions that necessarily accompany love and so cannot enjoy the rest it ought to have But now to leave this kind of Philosphicall discourse let us speake of it morally and let us consider the evill effects it hath produced in the world and then we will define it thus Love is a most fatall plague a most venemous poyson a most ardent and foolish desire and the source and fountaine of all evill Men when once they are entred into this passion quite lose their former natures for this passion contaminates their reaâ—on tyranizeth over their wills makes them subject to the egregious fancies of the object they seek to acquire it deprives them of Jugdment â—â—ills them with all manner of passions which caries them into aâ—l mannâ—â— of preciptation their minds are continually tost to and fro on the wheel of love being stimulated with that Oestrum they are jacted câ—â—â—â—ted agitated versated by this passion and fill'd with exanimation distinction direption and accompanyed with cares feares jealousies false and faint comforts disquiets languishings longings rage and what not that is evill and all but for the acquiring of a little vain pleasure which vanisheth assoon as 't is caught And besides all these folly lust sinne doings turbulent motions and precipitancies wait on lovers And if we should go about to summe up the bad consequences and effects of this passion with the evils it hath caused we should find them innumerable for what disturbances what commotions what hurly burlies what distractions what battalls what slaughtars hath it caused and what rapes what sinnes what polutions what sueds and what murthers hath it committed was it not the cause of the distruction of ancient Troy was it not the cause of the banishing Kings out of Rome Was it not the cause of the abolishing the Decemveri hath it not been the cause of many murders was it not the cause of the wicked and inhumane slaughter of Absyrtus the brother of Medea was it not the losse of Megara when Nisus lost his fatal hair by his daughter Scylla Alas it would be endlesse to recount these things so well known and generall hated and yet this dispicable unprofitable and dangerous passion cannot be shunned but embraced by those who acknowledge the evills of it but yet wilfully maintaine its interests They cannot take example by others nor shun the precipicies they see others fall into before their eyes but that they also must rush into them Neither can I see any good at all that this passion doth produce but on the contrary those that are free from it enjoy all the quiets felicity ease pleasures and freedome which the other are incapable of and which is most miserable of all of free men and unconstrained they become slaves subjects and bound to obey the motions of their owne passion and will of an inconsiderate mistris who it may be is as dispicable in the unblinded eye of another as she is lovely in his Nor let it serve any to excuse it by saying they are forced and cannot decusse it for it is impossible for all men to mastre this passion if they resolve to set their wills to doe it but so long as they account it good and best for them they are not able to overcome it because they doe not seek it truly but cherish and obey every motion that cometh from it But if they were once convinced of the evill of this passion and were resolved to forsake it I make no question of the possibility of their effecting it There may be divers wayes proposed for the decussion or prevention of this evill the chief of which as I suppose is a constant imployment of the mind either in study or armes whereby it may have no time to fall into that which as they say is accquired by a supine and idle life fit to entertaine such a guest and justly sent as a plague from the Gods to such a soule Other
wayes may be taken as they lye convenient to the person but chiefly the diverting of the mind from thoughts which feed the fancie and inflame the soul and a seperation from the object with an intention of the mind on some other thing is the way to acquire a freedome from that slavery I have given you freely my oppinion of this passion I have so well experienced though indeed I enveigh not against it for the detrement I have receiv'd by it but for that it seems to me evill in it selfe and worthy of greater condemnation I know generous Argelios that your generosity will pardon this freedome of speech against that in which you are so interested Argelios seeing he had concluded return'd him an answer thus I will not spake for this passion because I am immerged in it thereby to justifie my self or oppose your gravity but because I think it justifiable therefore I will give you my poor conceptions of it There is scarcely any thing here on the earth that is so pure but that in it there may be found a commixion of drosse nothing so good but in 't there is retained some bad and nothing so convenient but it may have its discommodities We must not be therefore all spiders to extract the poyson and leave the virtue by that means we shall make every thing odious and abhorrible But we must as well denote the good as the evill the benefit as the discomodity of this passion and then you will see the ballance prepond on my side The last night I gave you some touches as I was able on the enormities of this passion which was the only thing that was evill in it But that I may answer so mething to what you have spoken against it since you are pleased to let my weakness exhibit it self I will briefly touch upon what you have said in order and as far as my memory will accommodate me shew that you have only considered the evils and exhorbitancies of this passion against which all those wise men you mention of all ages have declamed but the good it hath and is able to effect you have omitted it is against the irregularities that they have declared and not against the passion it selfe which is neither good nor evill of it selfe yet if it be as you say it effects all evills generally and is therefore to be condemned But I will shew that it is as capable of effecting good as evill and if I grant that evill is most comit monly effected by yet that is the fault of men not of the thing But to answer what you have said I will presuppose that your goodnesse will not be offended at what I shall deliver and that you will think it if I erre to be the weaknesse of my judgement and not the desire of my will and since truth is to be found out by opposition and discussion I hope it will be no peccation to oppose my conceptions to yours First I must deny what you say that this passion is evill of it selfe which is the chiefe and main point For if we conclude so then we must grant that all the passions of the soul are evill of themselves for they were all implanted in man at the same time and they are simply of one nature though different in effect which thing cannot be consentanious with the purity and justice of the Gods who created every thing good for what is evill we acquire it of our selves or have it infused by evill genij so that passions naturally are not evill but are made so by the use or rather the abuse of them Now if you grant as you cannot deny that the Gods created man good and pure what you have said to prove the evilenesse of this passion is to no effect For though this passion be conjoyned with desire which I grant is a token of need or want yet that want is not evill of it selfe for the Gods so created man and made him not alone and of himselfe able to subsist but indigent of some things For if man wanted nothing he were God for not to want is to be a creator therefore that privation you speake of is not evill for to desire which you call the badge of the wanâ— is as natural as to eat and drink and if to want be evill then man is wholly evil for he is made up of indigencies and desires In the next place you say that the objects of our love and desire are not absolutely good so that the causes or foundations being evil or rotten the effects or building cannot be good or found I say as all outward objects or any thing besides the Love and beutitude of the Gods themselves are not absolutely good so are they not absolutely evill but relie on our use or abuse of them For beauty is not evill of it selfe nor any outward accomplishment neither is it evill for us to desire it but the excesse or exorbitancy of desire may make it evill for if we do desire that which we cannot have without detriment to another or wrong to our selves or too much exceed in our desires then it is evill But when we bound them regularly they are not evill but may be used but further desire of it selfe is good for the only scope of it tends to the seeking of good as aversion the eschewing of evill but now if our desires are illuded by our judgements or are guided by our sense and not truly placed by our understandings and will then they are exorbitant and become evill and we oftentimes desire evills not as evils but being illuded in our judgements as good for so they are represented to our understandings and embraced by the will But now to the effects both upon body and soule I believe that I may parallel as much good that they receive by this passion to your evill For as Love and hatred are the Springs from whence all passions slow and receive a mixture of so these evils which you recount stow not soly from them but also those passions or emotions of the soule which we call good such then is joy estimation generosity humility magnanimity hope courage boldnesse pity compassion good-will gratitude lightheartednesse and the like all which serve as much to the comfort of soule and body and those you mention to the discomfort But now to follow you into your morality where you consider the evill effects proceeding from the exorbitancy so I will only ballance and exhibit the good that follows the regularity And first I will give it a contrary definition thus regular Love is a plant sprung from the Gods which sharpens virtue quickens fortitude produceth boldnesse makes smooth the rough makes accute the understanding and opens a passage for all virtues Love in its regularity causes men indeed to forsake their former rough hewen natures and to become humane it is as pollishment to or as a foil to set off the luster of stones to such it makes them
had been so blind so long The next time she was alone with Dardanus as she was walking she suddenly stopt and speaking to him Brother said she you accused me for causing the trouble of Argelois but I tell you his life lies in your power and none besides your self can recover him Dardanus wondering at his sisters speeches reply'd If it lies in my power this shall be the last moment of his trouble were it with the parting of my Life It may be said Panthea it may be something dearer than your life Pray said Dardanus hold me no longer from the knowledg of that thing that may give ease to the better part of my life Brother reply'd that afflicted one I have hitherto hid nothing from you I have communicated to you all the thoughts of my heart as you may well judge in that I have not hid my insulsities nor been asham'd to confesse to you my Love yet I am affraid to tell you this left you will not be so generous as you think you can be Fear not said Dardanus but my love to Argelois will carry me to impossibilities why then said Panthea Argelois is in Love with Eliana 'T is for her he dayly sighs 't is she that hath made him loose those formosities that were so exceeding in him 't is she alone that hath consumed him and that hath brought him to the sadness that you see Dardanus was startled at these words and standing still he exlubited by his lookes he made some difficulty to beleive them You hardly can credite what I say went on Panthea truly I would not believe my own thoughts till I had satisfied my self by observing what I never denoted before 't is too true and by that time you have considered his lookes and mark'd his actions you will say as I do 'T is very strange what you tell me said Dardanus but I must satisfie my self with those observations you speak of before I can force my self to believe it Dardanus in few dayes satisfyed himself and though none in the world could be moâ—e cautious in that secret of Love than he yet Dardanus gathered enough by the sighes that escaped him unawars and that forced their way through the impetuosity of his passion and by those pity-praying lookes that he cast at Eliana But for that he hop'd to draw it from his own mouth the next time he was alone with Argelois he begun thus Dear Argelois I must accuse thee for breaking those linkes of amity by which we are conjoyn'd and by which of two we are become one This is contrary to the nature of union for you to smother those thoughts in your own breast which by the right of friendship I may claime interest in None can be so blinde as not to see the trouble of your soul by the delineated sadnesse in your face and none can be so ignorant as to think that sadnesse to proceed from no cause Hide not from me my dear friend that which is able to give you such cruciations let it be what it will be the Love I bear you will carry me to do those things that you may account impossibilities my life is the least thing that I esteeme so it may free you from this sadnesse Leave these impieties against your self said Argelois I am too much honored by the least notice you are pleased to take of me Indeed the excesse of Love you have shewn me hath made me forget my own condition and sure you forget what I am when you speak so lavishly Cease dear Argelois said Dardanus I have often told thee that 't is thy virtue that has conjoyned me to thee and thou art not to dispute that now since thou hast granted me that entire and indissoluable Love which is compacted between us Now it is that you begin to rebell and to break those reciprocall Lawes of friendship made between us by withdrawing the knowledg of those things that causes these sad and pityfull looks Do not think I will be put off for I cannot live and see you so grieved certainly you know not my affection that you dare not trust me I have not the least suspicion of your love and constancy reply'd Argelois it is far beyond what ever I have or can deserve though my life were to continue in your service to the end of the world Had I any thoughts worthy your knowledg they should not be hid from you but this sadness that hath lately exhibited it self in my face is a kind of a strange humour which hath stolen upon me by degrees and will suddenly vanish Every thing must have its period and I am conscious to my self this is allmost at an end That is it I fear said Dardanus embraceing him very passionatly thy life and it will end together well I must and will remedy it and you shall see that I will think nothing to dear to give content to Argelois Dardanus with these words lest him but essay'd at many other times to gain the knowledg he desired which was assoon to be done as to gain water out of a slint for Argelois determined to end his life and make that known together He try'd all wayes to gain that from him which he kept so secretly but he could never extract it out of him which made him give over at last to solicite him and to gain the knowledg of it some other way In the mean time what ever ' ere the thoughts of the fair Eliana were she did not much denote those wan lookes of Argelois but when that she beheld that they exhibited the danger oâ— his losse as insensible as she appeared to be she at last let him know that she pitied him those sadnesses As they were walking together one day Eliana observing very narrowly those shaddowes of former beautie in his face was moved with a great deal of pity towards him He answered to most of her discourses so broakenly and confusedly that she saw the agitations of his minde not only to alter the forme of his body but also to disturbe his intellectualls I wonder said Eliana at this great alteration in you surely it cannot be the effect of a small trouble that can have such dominion over your body and minde as to alter the one and disturb the other Argelois startled at these words seeing she took notice of his agitations Madam said he such is the effect of Melancholy that it gives to them that discourse with such persons matter enough to exercise their patience to hear their tautoligâ—s and for their goodnesse to pardon their insulsities This is not reply'd she the effects of melancholy as it is naturally a passion without some extraordinary cause for it is contrary to your constitution 't is some strong passion which you smother with so much art to your own detriment These words raiz'd him quite out of his stupidity and as if he had receiv'd some quickning from that angelicall voyce his cheeks indu'd a faint blush It is
impossible to let you know the palpitations of his heart at that time but Madam said he trembling I know not what it is you call passion but I rather think 't is some growing disease not ordinarily known for if I dare say so I find in the midst of these sadnesses a strange kind of pleasure which yet is afflictive and yet desired So that I cherish my disease and wish for no remedy for what appears so grievous in the eyes of others 'T is very strange reply'd Eliana that you should Love that which is your torment 'T is the part of a resigned soul answered Argelois to be content with what the Gods shall send if their hand hath afflicted me with this strange sicknesse I ought to accept of it as their gift knowing it proceeds from the powerfull hand of an uncontrouling deity The Gods seeme unjust reply'd Eliana to punish so severely the virteous and to let the most vicious go untouched We are not said Argelois to prescribe a way to heaven or to tell him who they are that ought to be punished for we are not able to peirce into the sins of men which are perceivable only to the penetrating eyes of Heaven He that seems most holy in the eyes of men may be most vicious in those of Heaven You know not Madam what I have deserved Truly my aspiring mind in that it hath given me audaciry above those of my quallity to so glorious a converse with your self hath deserved these thunders of dejection Virtue cannot sore to high return'd Eliana and it is but a vanity that possesses rhe great ones of the world to consider great births more than virtue for true honour proceads from virtue and is regulated by it therefore the Gods cannot do so great injustice as to punish you for making others happy by your company I rather thinke it is the meannesse of our deserts that make the Gods to interrupt the felicities we received by your conversation Men cannot be more pitifull than the Gods and I pity your dejection with all my heart That is enough said Argelois to make me happy and to establish me in my pristine condition for your pity is restorative Dardanus coming to them put an end to their discourse but Argelois finding the virtue of her speeches to operat much upon his soul and to relax the continual agitations of his thoughts he often engaged into the like discourse but with a great diligence lest he might discover the cause of his sadnesse and Melancholy Whilst he enjoyed that happiness of conversing with Eliana her words still prov'd a Nepenthe to his soul and gave some relaxation to that sadness that peâ—petually afflicted him But it lasted so short a time that 't was scarce perceiveable and no sooner had he left that Sun but his heart was contracted by the cruel frost of dispair which ushered in those killing thoughts that were most commonly his Companions and which very often had like to have precipitated him to death Dardanus seeing he strove in vain to perswade him out of that mestitude or to gain the knowledge of it from him resolv'd to satisfie his desire being his intent was only for the good of his friend by a secret auscultation of his miseries He often perceiv'd that he stole out to secret places of the woods where he believ'd he play'd the usual part of afflicted people who not having to whom they may commit their secrets blab them to the senseless trees or dumb animals whereby they find some ease but no remedy for their complaints Dardanus watch'd him one day and following him unseen to the wood crope near to the place where he lay amongst the thickest of the bows which intexed their leavy arms in one another and sheltred him from his sight sufficiently It was a long time before a world of ingeminated suspirations would give him leave to speak but at last casting his eyes up to heaven having laid himself upon an oblique bank he began to disburthen those oppressing thoughts by most pitifull complaints O Heaven said He with a pitifull tone will you force me to be my own executioner Will you not yet give leave to Atropos to conclude my destiny and free me from misery It is an act of your mercy to take away a life so unsupportable I beg not to be eas'd of my grief any other wayes than by death since it cannot be but by wronging the best of friends But what say I Do I ask for that death as will be so prejudicial to Dardanus since he loves me No let me live only for his sake O Gods ye are just and 't is sit that I endure these torments for the crimes I commit Ah! dear Dardanus Can you ah can you forgive me the crimes that I dayly commit against you in loving that beauty which is ordained by heaven for you and which is too divine for any other mortal than your self Yes Dardanus that shall be the last thing I will request when I leave this Love consumed carcase and I doubt not but thy goodness will forgive thy Argelois a crime which is forced upon him by the uncontrouling power of love who though he hath made me to love Eliana shall never cause me to injure thee by a thought of obtaining her were my birth answerable to her greatness No Dardanus dear Dardanus I hold that tye of friendship too dear to be broken for all the content of the whole world My life shall be sacrificed to maintain it and it shall be kept inviolable though for it I expire After some time of silence breaking forth with another tone Ah damnable thoughts cryed he what evil Daemon is this that gives these injections that tells me Love considers no friendship that for the consideration of Love we may lawfully break that tye That Rivals in love are unsupportable though friends or brothers That I ought to account him my enemy that is so to my desires and content That I ought to afflict my self when I may take the obstacle out of the way by a noble Combate which will be allowable in a rival O wicked cruel and deadly susurrations avoid all evil thoughts and know that 't is my self that is rival to my self It is Dardanus it is no other that is my rival were it any besides him he could not have lived so long to my torment though I had reaped nothing by his death Love must be satisfied and Rivals must share the prize by their deaths But 't is Dardanus to whom I ow more lives than one and 't is a great comfort to me ah my dear Dardanus that t is for thy sake I endure this torment Yea were it far greater which is impossible it should not be murmured at by Argelois but borne with patience as the most glorious tryall of my ftiendship After some little time of pausing and sighing Ah! more pleasing thoughts said he but yet unjust and unrighteous and that do not throughly consider
the nature of friendship You 'd have me to make my love known to Dardanus you perswade me he will pity me you tell me it is possible he may seek to content me and to leave his interest for me nay seek to gain Eliana to me You mind me that he beggs to know the cause of my saddnesse and that I do ill to deny it him and that it makes him suspect my love you tell me it will ease my miseries and put an end to my trouble Ah! pleasing thoughts true indeed I doubt not of generoâ—â—ty and excesse of friendship all this may be But must I be so selfish to rob my friend of that which is so much estemeed by my self No it is contrary to the nature of friendship to covet that for my self which will be a loss to my fâ—iend No no friends lay down their lives willingly for one another and how easie could I sacrifice many if I had them for to save thine Dardanus but this is far greater to endure a living and continuall death and to deny my self of what I love with so much passion this is the highest act of friendship and didst thou know it Dardanus thy self wouldst say so Yea Dardanus I can be content to deny my self and to see the fair Eliana thine without repining thou alone dost deserve her I will continue my abnegation and persevere in it till I am utterly consummated by my silence No Dardanus were I sure thou wouldest satisfie me and give me what I can wish and what alone will make me happy I mean the possession of Eliana I would not discover it to thee No no 't is far better that Argelois shold dye than that Dardanus should be deprive'd of that happinesse of enjoyning Eliana It is better for to let thee suspect my friendship than to discover this to thy hurt for 't is thy generosity that I fear and thy Love lest it should make thee consider me more than thy self How soon shouldst thou know it were I sure thou wouldst put a period to my life with thy ponyard for the wrong I do thee and for my audacity in loving Eliana How willingly should I receive it from thy hand and how glorious should my death be No no thou wilt be apt to pardon such a wretch as I therefore thou shalt not know my passion 'till death hath seal'd up these eyes nor then neither but to clear my self of the suspition of breach of frindship But ah misserable wretch cryed he out more vehemenâ—ly and looking discontentedly upon himself what unpardonable crimes hast thou committed and dost dayly commit against that divine princesse in whom is seated something more than mortall in takeing her name into thy mouth Oh unpardonable and deserving the worst of torments that thou who art ignobly and it may be spuriously borne thou that knowest not thy self and only raiz'd by the excesse of love in Dardanus that thou shouldest dare to offer to raise thy thoughts and so audaciously sublimely love a Princesse the fairest and divinest of princesses oh horrible thou deservest not one moment of life for sinning against Eliana and abuseing the goodnesse of Dardanus After the sending forth a few sighs and teares Ah divine Eliana went he on pardon me ah pardon me I confesse I love but 't is impossible for me to contradict a power so unconquerable Ah I do but conserve those flames in my heart that took their origenall from your eyes I preserve flamâ—s presumptious ones I confesse yet are they pure and châ—st flames and those that make me but adore you as a deity too good to be poluted by our defiling thoughts I confesse my self punishable in the hiâ— heâ—â— deâ—reâ— but yet am I unable to helpe my crimes I am forc'd to sin against you but pardon me ah divine Eliana that shall be one of the last requests I will make Dardanus that he gain your pardon after my death and that you may at last confesse though I was presumptuous and incomperably bold yet withall that I was conscious of my duty in repressing those flames that consum'd me with so much impetuosity and also that I knew that none was worthy of the incomperable Eliana but the matchlesse Dardanus Dardanus who heard this generous and pitifull complaint was oppressed with extreme agitations in his mind Fancy and friendship struggled for the victory and love and desire equally oppos'd each other it was sometime before he could overcome his resentments but at lâ—st that noble and invincible mind to whom both love and generosity were inseparable gave the palme of victory to his friendship and resolv'd to do an act worthy of so Heroic a soul What said he to himselfe after long strugling wilt thou have thy Argelois overcome thee in all things dost not thou hear his immense generosity ah true friend and wilt thou love lesse or lesse generously than he But greater considerations ought to move you than these 't is the love and life of Argelois How often have you said that the beauties nor other considerations of the whole world could be able to rob him of one graine of the love you bear him and shall the love of your self now stand in competition with it shall he dye for you by denying himself and cannot you foregoe that princesse for whom you have no passion to save his life dear Argelois I have commited a crime by expostulating so long that cannot be clear'd but by gaining thee the object of thy passion and full fruition of thy desires 'T is done Argelois be content thou art mine more than all the world and thy interests shall disengage my own And what hitherto I have sought for my selfe I will seek to acquire for thee Whil'st he was in these silent disputations Argelois had renewed his complaints ah heavens said he in what perplexities am I brought I am not able to endure the torments of life and yet I dare not wish my ease by the stroake of death love forbids me to live and love forbids me to dye At these words Dardanus not able to forbear longer ' rose from in the place where he was hid which action causing a rusling amongst the bowes so near to Argelois put him besides his complaints and made him forsake the earth and cast himselfe upon his feet to see what it was Dardanus rushing suddenly from among those close woven trees cast himselfe upon the neck of Argelois No Argelois shall not die said he but shall enjoy what he so passionatly desires Dardanus loves him too well to see him expire when 't is in his power to help it Argelois shew'd by his countenance how amazed and angry he was at this accident for not able to utter one word he cast his eyes about as if he would accuse the trees the birds and the heavens for contributing to this discovery or for having some intelligence with Dardanus I know not how many changes in his countenance were seen in a moment
be ignorant of it and that it was requisite she should know it being best able to remove it for she doubted not but that some of her subjects had given him some cause for discontent unjustly and that I should therefore discover it though my Masters generosity would not permit himself to do it that she might punish the author of it for an example to others After I had heard this I told her that 't was requisite she should be obeyed in all things that I was sorry I could not exactly obey her commands for that I was ignorant that any of her subjects or any other had given him the least cause for discontent that I believed he had so acquired their loves by her favours that none would be so malicious as to do any extraordinary action that might disquiet my master and that I knew it was no small thing could move the tranquillity of his mind This answer nothing satisfying she prest me to tell her if that none oâ— her Subjects had given him any cause for this sadness and whether I were ignorant of the cause of it I knew not what to answer presently to this demand but bethinking my self I told her that certainly that though her favours were so immense as to make any man forget his own nâ—tive Countrey with joy having the happiness to be entertained in her service yet that I believed he could not remember his friends without a just and unblameable regret seeing at what a distance fortune had brought him from them I know not what it was whether she could perceive any thing by my countenance she did not believe me She told me that Araterus had given her the knowledge of the passages of his life and that not being tyed by the bonds of affection she did not believe those of nature could cause so great trouble and that if it were so she knew he would have desired her assistance for the reward of all his pains and good services for to have returned into his Countrey I replyed that it might be he could not be so disrespectfull as yet considering the esteem she had of him and the favours she had done him as to ask a thing which he imagined might be displeasing to her that although he were inferior to no Prince in his own Countrey and that the gods had given him an estate according to the Nobility of his birth where he might injoy all the happinesses there that he now enjoyed except her presence and service yet I believed that he preser'd that to all the rest and made him so back-ward in asking a thing which he could not but desire This I spake for the interest of Araterus and to beget a good opinion of his Nobility and birth in the Queen which took very good effect and much advantaged his love I am sorry said she that Araterus never intimated thus much to me before and I must lay all the blame on my ignorance that I have not respected him as I ought I know Madam replyed I that he esteems your service the greatest honour and happiness in the world That sha'nt excuse him said she for hiding from me his birth and quality But is it so as you tell me added she earnestly I saw that it would be for the interest of Araterus and if he prosecuted his Love I thought it would be impossible otherwise to arrive at a happy end thetefore being imboldened I amplified his birth and gave her such an ingenuous relation of him making him no less than a Prince that I saw a kind of joy sparkling in her eyes before I had finished my relation Many things concerning his Countrey and our adventures on the sea she had heard from him before and finding them to agree exactly with what I speak she made no question of the rest and believed that he hid his birth out of a generous humour having told her never any thing exactly of it Have you told me every thing said she have you omitted no passages But one Madam said I which I am not sure that I may tell without an infidelity to my master This made her the more pressing to know and I at last seeming vanquished by her impoâ—tunities told her how he met with a Prophesie that had fore-told him all had hapned to him since and that there were somethings in it yet remaining to be effected which it might be was the cause of his grief but that he kept them so secret that I doubted I had been unfaithfull for speaking so much I thought said she that you were not ignorant of your Masters sadness and I know not what good genius made me not to believe you but for your fault you must of necessity tell me what it is I seemâ—d extreme unwilling to tell her though I did all this out of a design but after that she had commanded me many times promising me that it should be no prejudice to me I told her I thought it did not become me to captuilate with her highness yet if it would please her Majesty not to ask me any more questions I would answer her I promise thee said she 'T is love then Madam said I that causeth Araterus's trouble I am conscious I have spoke too much but neither entreaties nor torments shall extract any thinâ— more from my mouth and I hope Madam that you will keep this last thing as a seâ—ret that I ought not to have told lest the knowledge of it cause my master â—o reward my infideliâ—y At that instant that I told her the câ—use of Araterus's sadness the Queen changed her countenance and notwithstanding her endeavours she could not hide some alterations in her face But I taking no notice of it made her an obeisance for a chain of Diamonds which she caused to begiven me and so dismist me bidding me not to fear but that she would do as I beg'd of her Returning presently to Araterus I gave him an exact account of what I had done telling him the oppinion of his birth would prove very advantaâ—ious for his Love neverthelesse I could hardly perswade him to acknowledg that for truth which I had spoke of him so far was he from accumulating honors to himself which he was conscious did not belong to him though he were assured that none there could convict him of an untruth I was fain to tell him if he would not acknowledge what I had said of him for a verity I should be accounted an impostor to the Queen which would reflect on him and it may be bring himself into such disesteem as not to be believed That what I had done was for his fidelity that on it depended the good or bad success of his love that 't was impossible otherwise to arrive at the end propos'd That he would both ruin me and undoe himselfe and both he looked upon I not better than impostors with such like reasons I was forc'd to perswade him to a thing which others would have been
he about to defame Araterus and to make all those vertues he is indued with to be the effects of his dissimulation I need not go about to clear him since he is so well known to you all and I verily believe none of you had such thoughts of him as my Lord Maurishia His suppositions are so far from reason that it would be a folly to answer them those vertues which Araterus exhibited are so genuine and natural that those who see not with the eye of malice may know that they are not fain'd or forc'd I know you could not but smile that my Lord should go about to make you believe that Princes could not dissemble as well as other men I wonder what was his reason to say so when in my mind they have most reason of all to dissemble Is it not often seen that the vices of Princes before they have come to the Crown have given cause to others to usurp their places and to repell them from their rights the people never pitying the vicious Had not a vicious Prince then need to cloke and palliate his vices for fear lest they might alienate him from the hearts of the people and make them glad to imbrace any opportunity of depriving him of ruling rather than subject themselves to one who shews himself so vicious before he attains his power Is it not for this very reason that many Princes have dissembled and palliated their evil natures till they have attained their aims and have been able to warrant their enormities My Lord tells us too that many are courteous generous good c. in a meaner condition but that dignities and places change their hearts and dispositions Will he exclude Princes from this change too do not we frequently see that good Princes have become very evil and vicious Kings Why then must we needs expect the Prince to prove the same with a King and have not the like thoughts for Araterus In the next place my Lord mistakes and would fain draw you into an error to insinuate that the Queen limitted us to her sutors or neighbour Princes No she gave us our liberty to elect any whom we pleased and thought most convenient for the good of the Common-wealth whether of the Princes or Nobility My Lord need not speak of the Queens dishonouring her self by so mean conjunction being that it is not so But if 't were that were a thing inconsiderable to the good and benefit of a Kingdom and the Queen shews her excess of love to the people in accepting one though mean if chose by you for the good of the Kingdome and in this she doth most worthy of her self and place regarding the good of her people before any thing else in the world I would not have you think that the Queen is not so weak as not to stand to what you do or if you should nominate Araterus to withdraw the liberty she hath given you No I believe she will stand to your election and rather accept of him than any other whom she hath partly denyed Do you not think the people would be glad of such a Soveraign as Araterus whom they so much affect under whose banner they fought couragiously and came off victoriously one whom they never accounted among themselves but rather for the Majesty he boâ—e the vertues he shewed the wonders he did they accounted descended from the gods and themselves happy in his company you need not fear then that they should malign what they have desired or hate him whom they have so fervently loved As for their ambition I am sure it alwayes ceded to their own good His conclusion I have answered before and if Araterus be chosen by you and accepted by the Queen I hope with my Lords leave it is no usurpation and therefore a happy issue to be expected pray let all things be well weighed and considered and I hope if you elect Araterus that as he hath ended a war happily so may he conserve us in peace continually Meador having finished reading these speeches proceeded thus This business was mightily debated amongst them and Maurishia at last was quite silenced Cleopotulus that he might render some service to Araterus endeavoured all he could for him and speaking after Peomontile he told them that he much wondred that they were so opposite to Araterus being a man that was every way fit and capable of that charge That although he were a stranger by birth yet that they had full tryal and experience of his vertues and that having learnt their language and manners the Queen had made him as one of the Countrey That she had honoured him and stiled him with the Title of Prince so that he would be no dishonour to the Queen That vertue was more to be considered than any other thing yet in him they would find youth beauty courage prudence magnanimity generosity and every thing that should accompany a Prince That they should be mindfull of what he had done for the Countrey and observe the hand of the gods who by things so unusual had brought him from his own Countrey oppos'd him to hazards and dangers and all as it were purposely for their safe-guard so that the gods themselves as it were had elected him and that it would be no part of their wisdomes to resist the hand of Providence That in him they were sure to run no hazard of change either in government or religion which was to be expected in stranger Princes That he was extreamly beloved of the people honoured at Court and respected by the Queen That this fame had spread far into the Neighbour-Countries so that none would dare to oppose or injure them having so valiant a Prince for their leader in fine that 't was the best way to conserve their peace and to enrich the Common-wealth by the election of so good a King This was so closely followed and press'd so much by Pâ—omontile and his party that at last they carried it and causing their consents to be drawn up they sent it to the Queen who the next day gave them notice that she confirmed their Electionâ— being it was for the benefit of the Common-wealth It was then made known to Araterus who accepted it with a great deal of humility and joy more for the possession of the Queen than the Kingdom Things being brought to this issue Maurishia seeing it concluded thought it no policy to gain Araterus's disfavour by not subjecting to him He no sooner crav'd his pardon but it was granted with a great deal of freedome and obligement Araterus and the Queen conspired in their joyes and there was nothing now that could prove any obstacle to the fruition of Embraces But lest fortune might turn her wheel and dash all their joyes with some cross as she usually doth they determined the time for Arateruus's marriage and coronation That time at last came and it was effected in the City of Sinda very celebriously and with much rejoycing The