Princely Orenge that it did accelerat his fall which hapned not long after And he being gon the Thorne wisely retired to Bombycina the Soyle whence hee first sprung fearing that fortune who being a Female loves Youth best would frowne and turne her backe towards him now in his declining times There was a strong emulation twixt these two great Martialists And the ORENGE derogating one day from the THORNE because hee was sprung out of a Marchants stocke and consequently was not capable of competition with him who came of a PRINCELIE Extraction He sent him word that it was a more glorious thing for a Marchant to have command over Princes then for a Prince to be commanded by Marchants A brave quarter-giving Enemy the Thorne was but the service of the Olive unlesse you throw into the Scales the high honour and fame hee purchased thereby provd over precious to him for hee spent not onely the vigour of his dayes therein but exhausted much of that great estate he brought with him so farre that his owne plants some of them are forced to subsist meerely by Pensions from Elaiana But that which was worse being before a Towne in Bombycina neare his owne home which he had so blockd up and stormd as that he had her as a Bird in a Cage he was suddenly commanded by inexpected order from Elaiana to raze his workes and raise the siege notwithstanding that the Warre continued longer This they say he resented so deepely that retyring to his owne naturall Soyle he presently after fell But it is no new tricke in policy for diverting the least dishonour that should fall upon the State to destroy some Instruments and make them Sacrifices for the publique This great Captaine had so highly deservd of the Olive and Cedar also by taking in of Baccharia that his services seemd to transcend all reward And by him one may learne this lesson That supererogatory services and too great benefits from Subjects to Kings are of dangerous consequence when they make the mind more capable of merit then duty Those fearefull Fires which were kindled through all parts of poore Rhenufium had now rag'd extreamly to quench which the Royall Oke sent sundry of his Noble Elmes in many costly legations from time to time but good King While he laboured for peace they made themselves ready for battaile And herein the Cedar proved very ingratefull to him considering the fairenesse of his proceedings And touching the Elder what could be expected from him but knotty and crooked hollowhearted dealings Yet by his high credit with the Olive he often asswagd the fury of those conflagrations by suspension of Armes and cessation of all acts of hostility and preservd Baccharia a long time from invading And hee proceeded so far by treaty that he was profferd to have the Imperiall Ban taken off of Altapinus upon his conformity to a submission that so hee might bee rendred capable to treat and travell through Rhenusium to have also an entire surrender made of his possessions to his Eldest Graff which should be affianced to one of the Cedars branches and in the interim to be brought up in Druina's Court. Moreover hee should be restored to his Dignity after that old decayed Elder should fall upon whom the sayd Dignity had beene in a shuffling imperfect manner conferrd yet with this proviso that the next Heire should not be prejudiced These propositions being sent to ALTAPINVS hee replied that whereas the adverse party requird a Personall submission and that this should precede all other things by naturall order usd in like cases the restitution of his Country which was a thing materiall should goe before and then the other which is but a poynt of Ceremony should follow And whereas hee had already complied with the Cedar to signe an Instrument for the conditionall resignation of the Crowne of Homebia and done other acts of Conformity and no performance at all on the Cedars side If these intentions of his were reall the sayd submission might bee done as well by a Deputy PRINCE ROCALINO'S Iourney to ELAIANA WHile matters were thus in hot agitation and no particular assurances yet had and because that commonly Dolus versatus in universalibus the Royall Oke sent a choice confident to Elaiana's Court for there was the mill vvhere these matters were a grinding to know the truth and reality of things who having boldly acquitted himselfe of his charge and brought advise that matters were still involv'd in generalls Behold a most rare adventure Prince Rocalino vvith Villerio and two discreet confidents vvell versd in the Olives Court post away in private disguise to Elaiana traversing the whole diameter of Ampelona where Rocalino came in so favourable a conjuncture of time that he saw the splendor of the Ampelonian Court in a sett stately shevve where among other rarities he beheld one of Natures choicest peeces the Princesse Aretine sparckling like a constellation amongst the rest in moving measures Little thought he then that she was predestined for him by the high hand of heaven where all mariages are made But humane eyes cannot see beyond their horizon they cannot discerne future contingencies and in the conduct of worldly actions what wee desire or dread seldome directly falls out but something intervenes and concludes wee least thought of and if what we expect doe happen they come not many times till after the search which sheweth that there is a supernaturall all-disposing power above Wherefore it is not safe for our mindes to stay at second causes for this may induce a forgetfulnesse of the first but we must passe higher and by a speculative act of the understanding observe the disposition dependency and subordination of causes to the high will of providence and then we will confesse with the Poet that the chiefe linke of natures chaine is tied to the foot of Iupiters chaire From Ampelona's Court Rocalino flew upon the wings of love towards Elaiana and it was in the beginning of that season that the Lady Flora useth to cloath our Grandame Earth with a nevv livery diapred vvith various flovvers and chequerd with all delightfull objects a season that was usd to bee no lesse proper than propitious to lovers The pretty songsters of the spring with their various notes did seeme to welcome him as he passd the woods put forth their blossomes the earth her Primeroses and daiseyes to behold him the aire blew with gentle Zephires But in the Heavens it was observed there was an inauspicious conjunction betweene Iupiter and Saturne that dull and malevolent planet Rocalino being come with no lesse difficulty then danger to the Oâ—ives royall Court the first thing hee did was to dispatch a post presently to Druina to carry newes of his safe arrivall there That night and next day after there were darke whispers up and down but towards the evening Villerio went privately to the royall palace where he had audience and whence Chenandra the sole ingrosser of the
conveyances le ts in the Sea and sends it back fresh her Bowels serving as it were for a Lymbique So that wee see hereby there is a punctuall retribution and a kind of mutuall compensation betweene them which doubtlesse tends to the propagation and encrease of all compounded Bodies amongst which there is also a perpetuall and restlesse succession of Individuals to keepe the whole from fayling For as a Shippe as one made a very apposite comparison riding at anchor tosseth and tumbleth up and downe perpetually yet cannot goe beyond the length of the Cable to which shee is tyed and so in this turbulent motion sheweth a constancie so is it with the Vniverse wherein all things hang by the Plummets of Providence Therefore I cannot subscribe to their speculation that thinke the World hath beene long since in a Hectique Feaver and so drawing on to a Consumption That neither Vegetable Sensitive nor Rationall Creatures are in that height of perfection as in former times That Vertue shines not with so strong a lustre That Invention is farre shallower and Age shorter That the Moderne World compard with the Ancient is as a Dwarfe upon a Gyants shoulders or as Noone shadowes compard to the Mornings I must confesse Antiquitie is venerable which makes us extenuate things present and extoll things passd and make it still the Burden of our Song VVell fare the old Times implying thereby a palpable decay or dotage in all things Yet we find that the two great Luminaries of Heaven and the rest of the Celestiall Bodies have still the same vertue and operation without the least imaginarie diminution all Elementarie Bodies receive vigour and strength from their influence Therefore I doe not see how the present can be so farre inferiour in point of perfection to them of former Ages considering the virtuall Causes remaine still in the same strength and as for Invention Wisedome and Learning I doe not see but the second thoughts of latter Ages may be as wise as those of elder Times I know the time must come that Heaven and Earth shall passe away and that there will be a finall Dissolution though no Annihilation of the Matter but a destruction of the Old Forme and introduction of a New And of late yeares some would be so foole-hardie as to presume to be more of the Cabinet Counsell of God Almightie then the Angels themselves by whose ministerie some say he created the World as to point at the precise Time of this Dissolution amongst other arguments they fetch downe one from Heaven it selfe which is that the Polar Starre which is in the tayle of the lesser Beare was in Ptolomey's time twelve Degrees from the Pole of the Equator this Starre hath insensibly still crept nearer the Pole so that now 't is but three Degrees off when it comes to touch or make the nearest approach that can be to the Pole which may well come to passe in 500 yeares Nature her selfe they say must expire or some notable Period But I have beene carryed away too farre by this Speculation causd by Adriana which of any Politicall Body may be producd for an instance against a generall decay and impairing of the Moderne World Though some which repine at the Myrtles prosperitie say That those stout and ventrous Trees wherewith she was usd to be fencd are lately degenerated in point of valour to weake Reeds for their Pusillanimitie and too much Caution when they come to any Warlike encounter And now it is high time for me to shake hands with Adriana and Bombycina also whereof I must not forget to tell you that the Olive now occupyeth foure parts of seven if she were so divided And to his Greatnesse and the apprehension of feares and jealousies they have that he would fish in troubled waters may be ascribd the Concord and Calme of Bombycina's Princes who as once the Mice would have hung a Bell at the Cats Neck but after consultation could not agree who should venture first to put it on would plot something still against the Olive Adde hereunto that besides this Peace there is plentie of Treasure that comes to Bombycina by the Olive who makes one of her proudest Cities his Scale for remitting his Moneyes to Leoncia But that Citie in respect of him may be sayd to be as a Partridge under a Faulcons wings who can seize upon her at pleasure but doth not for politique respects Bombycina was usd to be most under the Mulberry the wisest of all Trees for he never puts forth his Buds till all the cold weather be passd And so indeed the Plants Bombycina produceth are accounted the wisest politiquest and most reserved and cautious of all other 'T is a Rule amongst them That he cannot be essentially wise who openeth all the Boxes of his Brest to any They are for the most part of a speculative complexion And he is accounted little lesse then a foole who is not melancholy once a day They are onely bountifull to their betters from whom they hope to receive a greater benefit To others the Purse is closest shut when the Mouth opens widest nor are you like to get a piece of Cake there unlesse yours be knowne to be in the Oven Yet are they the greatest embracers of Pleasure of any other upon Earth and they esteeme of Pearles as Pebbles so they may satisfie their gust in point of Pleasure or Revenge Here you shall find Love and Hatred Vertue and Vice Atheisme and Religion in their Extremes for the greatest Wits depravd are the most dangerous Corruptio optimi est pessima Yet the Character one lately gave of them seemes to savour too much of the Satyre viz. That the Bombycinian is unnaturall in his Lust irreconcilable in his Hatred and unfoordable in his thoughts That with one breath hee bloweth hot and cold and to compasse his owne ends he will light a Candle to the Devill I know there is no Countrey without her Nick. As Ampelona to be a great Bedlam Bombycina a great Bordell Rhenusium a huge Brew-house Elaiana Natures Sweating-Tub Druina a Stage of Mimiques Lurana a Fripperie of Bankrupts Monticolia a Conventicle of Hills Cardenia the Vrinall of the Planets And Itelia the Suburbs of Hell being situated lowest of any other upon the Earthly Globe For my owne particular were I to associate with a stranger I would single out a Bombycinian before any other for my conversation for of those twelve severall sorts of Forreners I have had occasion to converse withall I never knew any yet symbolizing so much with them of Druina or complying more with their humour OF THE ARRIVALL OF Prince ALTAPINVS in DRVINA BVt it is high time for mee to returne now to my Rhenusian Prince Altapinus newly arrivd in Druina upon a high designe of love and no lesse then to the fairest branch of the Royall Oke that Mirror of all perfections The Itelians and the old Fox of Ardennes with Druinas greatest Arch-Flamin did mainely advance
makes her a terror to her foes a shelter to her friends and security to her neighbours But above all she hath thereby a constant strength to defend her selfe And selfe defence hath beene alwaies held the first maxime of policy Much more might be spoken in honour of Druina which I suspend untill I have made you acquainted with some of her neighbouring Forrests because I am to make often transcursions into them as I passe along And first of her next opposite neighbour Ampelona where the Majesticke Vine doth monarchize in the highest degree of Soveraignty A CHARACTER OF AMPELONA Rode Caper vitem tamen hic cum stabis ad aras In tua quod fundi cornua possit erit ANd now I am upon a peece of the Continent and one of natures best peeces one of her chiefest Granaries and Winecellars a square of 550. miles travers take the diameter where you will thronging with such multitudes of sappy and spritefull plants that the generall calcule which was made in the last perambulation exceeded eight millions a rare soyle that in no larger a circumference can give radicall moisture to such a number without borrowing of any Corne Wine and Salt her three rich staples doe so abound in her that shee seasoneth and keepes from starving very many of her neighbours but specially the Forrest of the South which otherwise would perish for the staffe of life There is no Region on Earth so daintily watered with such great navigable Rivers whereof some are said to bee pav'd with Troutes borderd with crevices and imbroderd with Swannes And upon these multitudes of brave Cities stand and all her great ones stand so but amongst them the midland townes are most flourishing and abounding in wealth which shewes that her riches are interne and domesticke For as it is the marke of a good housewife to be more Vendax then Emax rather a seller then Buyer so is it of a good Countrey And such a one is Ampelona which sends forth far more then she fetcheth in The War-like Vine swayeth here in the most absolute forme of supremacy that may bee for Hee not onely makes Peace and Warre summons and dissolves generall meetings pardoneth naturallizeth ennobleth stamps and layeth value upon coynes but also enacts lawes executes justice and layeth impositions at pleasure and He may thanke Druina for this boundlesse power for when she by the strength of her horned Yew had feld downe a great number of the strongest Trees that were in Ampelona and made such firme invasions into her very bowels that there could be no universall assembly the necessity of the times cast the power of the three estates upon the Vine himselfe that his mandats should stand for lawes whereby he layd what taxes and made what leavies he pleased His successors made vertue of this necessity which though temporary at first continueth ever since For soveraignty where she gets an inch stickes not sometimes to stretch it to an ell But that which made it more passable was that the burden lighted chiefely upon the poore coppices and Vnderwoods so that ever since the Vine himselfe with the taller sorts of Trees specially the holy Yews who ingrosse more than all the rest and are thought by computation to have the third part of the Forrest sucke all the sappe and leave the poore shrubs to dry up fade away and wither and when they have got any moysture they serve but as spunges for others Out of which disproportion ariseth this inconvenience that they become pusillanimous and almost uselesse for military services being so often peeld that they never come to be perfect and firme timber It is alwaies a mixd government twixt Peace and Warre which finds perpetuall employment for many of her stirring spirits having the advantage thereby to bee furnished upon all occasions with experienc'd martiall instruments for Ampelona having open frontires contiguous every where with some Alien She cannot joyne Peace and security together nor fetch a sound sleepe but Hercules-like with clubbe in hand She is the greatest one knot of strength in the Western world and for the situation fittest to disjoyne or unite her neighbours forces and consequently to be Arbitratrix and compoundresse of any quarrell that may intervene And never since she woare the Imperiall diademe was Ampelona so potent nor then so well knit and compacted as now she is so that it is held a maxime If Ampelona combat not her selfe she is invincible And this shee hath too often done turning the sword of civill broyles into her own bowels so farre that the bell hath often told but never yet rung quite out for her liberty which was thought not long since to be upon point of expiring and no wonder sheabounds so with quicke sets and wildings and a world of boyling volatil spirits impatient of peace any longer then they are recovering the ruines of warre present danger magnanimats them and inflames their courage but expectation makes it languish so that the Forrest of the South which is ever emulous of Ampelona compareth their valour to a squib or fier of flaxe which burnes and crackles for the time but suddenly extinguisheth Indeed fury when the first blast is spent turnes commonly to feare and they that are possessed therewith may be said to be like the moneth of March which entreth like a Lion but goeth out like a Lamb. Ampelona is one of the chiefest climes of complement and courtship under heaven which puts so large a distance twixt the tongue and the heart that they are seldome relatists Most of her Plants have the Heliotropian quality of the Marigold and Tulip who follow the motion of the Sunne opening and shutting with him The fancy predominates more than the judgement but they in whom both these concurre are admirable as there is amongst them at present a notable example which serves for a mighty proppe to the Vine and 't is well knowne no Tree needs props more For friendship love commonly flames there before it burnes and so cannot be long lasting for though first affection maketh deepest impression yet that love is held most permanent which dives into the soule by soft degrees of mutuall society and is matur'd by time very acute they are and cautelous in treating therin have prov'd more than once too hard for plain down right dealing Druina finally some say one shall best discerne an Ampelonian and most to his advantage if one looke upon him as we use to doe upon scarlet his prime colour the dye whereof is better discernd by quicke glances and a passing eye then by a fixd I write not this to derogat from noble Ampelona for I honour her in a most high degree having practically found her better sort of Trees though allowed their fancies and that they participate somewhat with the Corke and are subject to be shaken with incertaine winds to be the most generous daring and ventrous spirits and fullest of resolution and mettall for their Country and honour
would referre to the Cedar his Cozen who as it seemes proving no indifferent Arbiter Leoncia sheltred her selfe though Druina had the first tender made her both of protection and Soveraignty under the branches of the Royall Vine who sending the very next of his owne stemme to governe her he attempted by the praecipitat Counsell of some greene springals about him to ravish her and render himselfe absolute But hee had a foule repulse yet she profferd againe her protection to the Vine who having a most pernicious fire kindled as it was thought after by the Factors of Elaiana within the very bowels of his owne Forrest hee had worke enough cut him out to extinguish that Hereupon shee made her humble recours to DRVINA who as well for her owne securitie as the state of things then stood as movd with much Princely compassion to succour the afflicted gave her shelter In so much that ever since Druina hath servd her as a backe of steele and her forces have beene the very sinewes of her strength against the stroakes of the ragged staffe and the iron rodde of Elaiana who in those Groves shee reserves yet under her protection and obedience continueth to cut and loppe her to close that one shall heare up and down a repining rather against the harshnesse of government then a desire of revenge against the Enemy A CHARACTER OF ITELIA Et jam nos inter opacas Musa vocat salices AMongst others which did Emancipat themselves from their obedience to Elaiana Itelia was the chiefe who by creating her GROVE of WILLOWES to a republicke and drawing after her five and more of the neighbouring Groves into one body politicke in lieu of the Olive tooke the Orenge to governe her yet farre from the degree of Soveraigne power but rather to serve her in a high martiall way And to beare up against the Orenge the Olive did luckily light upon a notable Ligurian Thorne who made the willowes to feele his Prickles in many places and twixt the Orenge and Thorne sundry brave encounters and cunning traverses of warre happened By these meanes Itelia brought one of her Fisher townes to bee the prime Mart of all Leoncia and to a stupendious height of commerce and riches and other strange feates she hath done since to the astonishment and admiration of all that know her And it seemes all things conspird to raise Itelia to this passe First the distance of her great Master the humor of her plants being of a nature patient and industrious and more inclinable to a democraticall government Adde hereunto the quality of the Country every where indented with water and therby fortifi'd and made inaccessible nature her selfe undertaking that way her protection so that she can overwhelme and turn her selfe into one pond when she list Hereunto concurd a further advantage of situation having behind her Elatena and her great king the Fir for her friend and those places which affoord all kind of materials for shipping and for all kind of nutriment and military supplies hard before her Druina and Ampelona both swarming with superfluous Graffes and suspectfull of Elaiana's greatnesse and thereby not unwilling to contribute strength for community of danger and consequently of reciprocall conservation which must needs be the strongest tie of Politicall love But now mee thinkes I spie againe a Sunne burnt wainscot fac'd Satyre rush out of Elaiana swelling with spleene and revenge and bursting out into these vociferations That Itelia is the nearest neighbour to Hell of any place upon earth because seated lowest and so is thought to conferre sometimes with infernall spirits That she is a double Vsurpresse in detaining not only Elaiana from her right but the very fish of the Sea also from their habitation That she lives upon others idlenesse That her state is patch'd up of depredations That she is the rendevous of all schismatickes that if one wanted a religion he might have his choice there That God and nature never intended her for a mansion to rationall creatures she being destitut of the most necessary things that conduce to maintaine them That she burnes up her earth before the day of judgment That whereas her willowes were usd to bee of a pliable and humble nature they are degenerated lately to Trees of a tougher bulke yea into stubborne poplars so that if occasion were offered the Oke and the Vine would find it a harder taske to suppresse them then ever they had to raise them That in her negotiations with Druina and Ampelona shee hath turnd entreating to treating That she hath beene the Incendiary directly or collaterally of all the combustions that have happened this side the line ever since her revolt from the Olive That she is a forge of false Coynes whereby she hath damnified Elaiana as much as any other way by importing counterfait stampes that shee hath rare inventions to export Gold and Silver to raise or depresse their rates and abase the allay That she hath reaches beyond IEVVE or GENOWAY in new wayes of Vsury in Bankes Lotteries and Lombards in bargaining and bartering for shee will make the Fox tayle pay for the whole skinne That she marr's her neighbours Markets abroad underselling them in their owne commodities That shee is growne extraordinary witty in devising new tortures by fire and water as she made tryall lately upon the Druinians in Baymona In fine that She is a nest of Water Ratts a mount of Pismires the Caterpillar Cankar and Cobwebbs that infects the Olive and hinders his further growth the verminet that corrodes his mines Thus the Elaianian Satyr did rave and rend the very ayre with his loud clamors but in regard they are but the fruits of adusted choler and the evaporations of a vindicative spirit Itelia needs not much care for them besides she must give loosers leave to speak For my own particular I professe to respect and love Itelia for divers regards yea I admire the Itelians for their industry and inventions at shore sea where they swim like Elephants whiles other wade like sheep and indeed they are the only doers of miracles in these moderne times for they force an habitation with infinite expence and paines out of the very jawes of Neptune by checking his impetuous billowes and teaching the world how much art can curbe and controule Nature I love them for their cleanlinesse in their food fabrickes and shipping for their singular parfimony for their perseverance and indefatigable pursute of their designes at home and abroad For that rare unitie and unanimous zeale they have to the common good which is such that so many differing Groves seeme to be but one Tree girt about with the cincture of concord I wonder at them for their prudent and equall distribution of wealth not one amongst them being excessive rich or excessive poore nor upon any part of the earth fewer beggars it being as rare to see one there as it had been to have met with a Poet in
world a greater testimony of his love to the Lady Amira to whom hee had already transmitted his best affections And hee had thought the Soveraigne Agents of his Royall sire had brought matters to that ripenesse that hee needed not to have come thither to treat of a mariage but to fetch home a Wife Now since his Majesty alleadgd that the late holy Archflamin bring goâ—e hee cannot proceed further without the approbation of Melissanus the newly Elect hee desird him to consider that if his Majestie had a spirituall sire to comply withall hee had a naturall sire to obey which was DRUINAS Royall Oke whose toppe being already periwiggd with snowy age was sickly and impotent and subject to many indispositions therefore hee feard that hee being his sole Masculin plant and the staffe and comfort of his age it had already wrought some ill impressions in him that he wanted him so long beyond the proposed time Besides the eyes of all DRUINA were fix'd upon him and hee being their next succeeding hopes this his so long absence might produce ill effects and dangerous consequences of state at home Adde hereunto that there was a Royall fleet already floating on the Seas for his transfretation and the season if hee retarded his voyage any longer would grow rough and dangerous Moreover his Majesty was not ignorant that the Capitulations which his Royall Sire had signd and sworne unto and were confirmd by his Counsell of state were done with this proviso that if hee be not returnd in Druina by such a time all that was passd should be pro non facto The Olive hearing this stood a while at a stand and after said Since his Highnesse had pressd the necessity of his departure with such pregnant reasons if he feard any commotion in Druina by reason of any thing that might reflect upon these proceedings hee would send an army with him of purpose And since matters were so his Highnesse might thinke fit to leave a substitutive power with whom he pleasd to bee contracted to the La Amira which should be precisely done ten dayes after the confirmation should come from Petropolis And if hee pleased to repose that trust in him he would faithfully discharge it and esteeme it a singular favour and then hee might send when and whom hee pleasd for her for ever after she should be at his disposing Prince Rocalino replied That touching his first proposition for an army to goe with him the remedy would be farre worse than the disease though there should bee tumults in Druina For the second he made semblance to bee mightily taken with it saying that of all the Grandezas he had received since his comming to his Royall Court this surmounted all the rest therefore he would leave a power behind in Sophronio's hands to that end This being done Rocalino without the least ombrage of discontentment prepares for his journey backe leaving behind him Gemmes of invaluable esteeme and such as was confessd never to have beene seene the like in that Court as presents for the Lady Amira which were I cannot deny very honourably returnd by Elaiana after the rupture of the treaty and publike declaration of warre The Olive himselfe with the rest of the royall stemme accompanied him a dayes journey of and never were seene streighter embracements and outward arguments of love and reiterated endearements betweene any then betweene the Olive and Rocalino at their departure But Villerio and Chenandra parted not so lovingly Villerio telling him That hee acknowledged himselfe unmeasurably obligd to the royall Majesty of the Olive and the rest of the Princely branches in an eternall tye of gratitude and that therefore he would mainly endeavour in what in him lay to nourish and strengthen still the peace twixt the dominions and subjects of both Crownes But for your selfe Count Chenandra you have so many wayes disobliged me that I cannot make any profession of future friendship to you without flattery Chenandra answered very short that hâ—e accepted of what hee had said and so they parted Prince Rocalino taking his leave of the Lady Amira was desird by her to see a Vestall Saint in his way as he passd who was then cried up for miracles In some divine exercises she was reported to be often lifted up in the aire and appeare as fresh as a rose though she was so furrowd with age that she lookd like a spirit kept in a bagge by some conjurer But hee comming thither and shee mingling discourse with him a long time the substance whereof was for the most part that he should bee good to the Petropolitans in Druina and to bestow an alme amongst her poore vestall sisters there could no elevations be discernd or any sudden changes at all in her or any other miraculous feates though shee could have never shewd them in better company Prince Rocalino being conveniently attended to the Sea side and with extreame hazard embarkd a private instrument was dispatchd in his name to Elaianas Court with instructions to Sophronio to stay the delivery of the proxy till further directions from him But these instructions were not to bee delivered untill the Ratification had come from Petropolis In the interim great preparations were made against the celebration of the nuptials The Lady Amira applied her selfe daily to learne Druinas language the Soveraigne Ministers which represented the person of Druinas Monarke carried themselves rather like subjects towards her then Ambassadours Many rich accoustrements and presents shee had provided for Prince Rocalino Her family was assignd her her officers distinguishd And which weigheth much with me for the reality of the thing Sophronio had provided a great number of brave liveries for his attendants as rich as any that ever were worn in that Court and matters were cryed up with such a certitude that the mart went twenty to one the businesse would take At last the Ratification came plenary and absolute from Petropolis but a cunning rumor went out it had come some weekes before upon which the private instructions which were sent in Prince Rocalino's name were anticipated by Sophronio who while he remaind anxious and fearefull to preferre a private order to the prejudice of the high Commission of Druina's Monarke under the greatest seale which none can countermaund or suspend but the same power that give 's it hee proceeded still untill new instructions came from the Royall Oke himselfe to stay the delivery of the said proxy And that whereas before he treated singly of a match hee should now joyne the Restitution of Baccharia with it for he would not marry Rocalino in joy and leave Carbasilis in teares Sophronio solliciting the royall Olive upon the new Commission and not receiving a satisfactory positive answer had order to depart that Court and so all was dashd to peeces VVhence I learne that in politicall affaires as well as mechanicall it is farre easier to pull downe then build up for that structure which was above tenne sommers
the priviledge of the subject and prerogative of the Soveraigne by which delayes the reality and reputation of that great Donative was much lessened and the forren actions the Royall Oke was engagd in abroad receivd much prejudice Yet he did formally confirme unto them all their ancient priviledges and gave two most gracious answers to their petitions tending to this end And having complied with them thus to their hearts desire as also in two former Assemblies wherein were delivered them as sacrifices some of the Crowne Officers and done them sundry other Acts of Princely grace yet some extravagant spirits given over to fancy and faction disturbd the calme of these proceedings They fall like thunder upon Villerio alleadging that he was the cause of the incongruity in government at home and of disasters abroad That he was the first that deflourd the Virgin honour making her a kinde of prostitut and meere marchandise salable for white and redde earth which is too base a price for her that should be the prime guerdon of vertue through whose temple only there should be a passage to hers They complaine of his exorbitant power having in his hands the privatst and most reposefull offices of trust by sea and land such as were incompatible and never known in the person of one subject They cry out that none received advancement but his progeny which they termd the tribe of fortune with other high clamours Thus hee who in their former meetings was a great subject of their commendation when for dissolving the two Treaties with Elaiana they said he had done so well that he deservd to have his statue publikely erected in the midst of Thamisond became now the chiefe subject of their complaints and grievances But the rayes of Royall Majesty reverberated so strongly upon Villerio that they dispell'd all those clouds which did hang over and thus obumbrat him and the rather because Evidence which is the lanterne of of the Law was wanting these accusations having no other proofe but publike fame In these times a warlike fleet was prepar'd against Ampelona in regard the Vine had not performd certaine capitulations that were promised the Royall Oke in favour of the Eusebians there besides one moitie of the Lady Aretines dower was not sent according to Article with other provocations and secret motives The enterprise fayling though the first Invasion and would heaven had pleasd the retreat had beene answerable was made with as brave a resolution as any martiall attempt could possibly be and in managing the Souldier Villerio with the rest shewed undeniable assurances of valour yet the Royall Oke was not a whit daunted hereby but presently commanded a greater number of vessels of warre to bee riggd and made ready in pursute of the same designe upon which Villerio was to goe Generalissimo againe But being upon point of embarking this great Commander having at his becke such a multitude of martiall spirits was suddenly cut off to the consternation and amazement of all the world by a fatall stroake which was given him with a small contemptible instrument and with such an admirable advantage that it was impossible either by slight or art or strength of engine to dispatch one sooner out of this world And which made the act more tragicall his noble Consort then pregnant beheld him thus felld and weltring upon the ground presently after Thus fell that procere goodly faire timberd Elme in the fulnesse of his strength who had so long flourish'd under the gracious branches of two Royall Okes having led halfe his life in that height of fortune and affluence of all earthly pleasure who being thus fallen many inferior Trees grew great out of his boughs In so much that the saying of the Philosopher who being askd what was a doing in heaven answerd Magnae ollae franguntur ex frustis earum minores fiunt mought have beene not improperly applied to what then passd in Druina Out of this sad Catastrophe may bee drawne this lesson That great ones may secure themselves from guilt but not from envie which like the Sunne-beames beates upon rising grounds and towring high Trees when the shrub is safe Cernis ut ventis agitatur ingens Pinus He had a concurrence of all those gracefull parts that might attract Princely love and conduce to the accomplishment of a Courtier and had hee containd himselfe still in that condition hee might happily have lasted untill time had covered him with hoary mosse The Royall Majesty which first tooke him into favour agenid and traind him up for his own turne by certaine degrees in the most pertinent affaires and Mysteries of State observing therein the progresse of nature which suffereth no motion to passe from one extreme to another but by intermediat spaces as she useth to passe from Winter to Summer by the interposition of the spring and so returne to Winter by Autumne so that Platonike Prince servd himselfe of certaine pawses to advance and employ him And hee was no improper peece to worke upon having so pliable and gentle a genius that he grew very pregnant and dextrous in the art of government Among other maximes of policy he proposd to himselfe in the conduct of his affaires one was to neglect apologies whereof he said he saw no other fruit then to multiply discourse and humour the vulgar nor did he ever value any pasquils that were dropd up and downe so farre as to thinke them worthy of his revenge which questionlesse was a well settled Rule for Libels neglected quickly finde their owne graves and dissipat to ayre Hee was none of those Idolaters that worship the beast with many heads that use to burne incense to the vulgar And as herein so in many other things great abilities appeard in him for extraordinary must be the wisdome of him who floateth upon the streame of Soveraigne favour wherein there is seldome any sistence twixt sinking and swimming A sure friend he was and a resenting foe a brave Master to servants and a remembrer of the least good office For his stocke he transplanted most of them to plentifull soyles And doubtlesse hee had a brave soule to actuat that comely composure And an innated valour appeard in him when hee put himselfe upon the Souldiers defense as he receivd the mortall stabbe I will conclude with part of a Character that a judicious Cavalier gave lately of him Hee was a great example of Sobriety and temperance but not of continency The Assassin that feld him found oftentimes strong and strange reluctancies in himselfe nor could hee give any other reason that pushd him forward to this black attempt but that he was blasted by the great Assembly and so thought it an act agreeable to heaven to take away the partition wall betweene the King and his people and make him a sacrifice to the publike though with an unavoydablenesse of his owne destruction confronting thereby death in the face Whereby was verified that saying that he who
necessity of armes Preventive Warres have beene practised by the best policied states they rid the Forrest oftentimes of superfluous plants and are as a purge for the body politicke And in all ages it hath beene held a maine part of providence to have an eye That their confining neighbours should neither by too neare an approach or encrease of territory or enfeebling of confederates nor by ingrossing of trade or stopping of passage receive any addition of strength And in point of wealth to beare up still in equall proportion upon the enhancement of the rates of coyne excrescence of demeanes or imposition of tolls This makes the Vine so Salt his subject and the Olive pepper his so much The lawfulnesse of warre in the generall was never questiond so it have a Soveraigne head not otherwise For the Almighty is the God of Hosts and armes as well as of peace And warres well grounded are nought else but sutes of appeale to the consistory of heaven when there is no superior on earth to determine the cause And besides the lawfulnesse hereof there seemes to bee a kinde of inevitablenesse and necessitie in it Some Philosophers were of opinion that the world doth subsist by a perpetuall strife in some part or other I goe not above the concave of the Moone where the celestiall bodies though in relation to us poore mortals they seeme to strange and have their contrary motions eclipses and oppositions yet amongst themselves they are in a most regular and constant sweet course of concord But for the elementary world all things are in a kind of restlesse conflict The Elements themselves which are the primitive ingredients of all bodies are in perpetuall combat they still encroach one upon another and labour to repell each other but amongst the rest the fire is most vigorous and ravenous the earth hath frequent fits of the Palsie the Sea is never still the aire is agitated with winds and new monsters and meteorologicall impressions are hourely engendred so in humane bodies composd of this stuffe there is an incessant warfare amongst the humours for predominancy and while this naturall war lasteth the earth cannot be without civill and politicall preliations the mind following most commonly the temper of the body But a madde tenet it was of the Candian in that divine and high soaring Philosopher that peace is but a naked and empty name a kinde of Chymera and that every state expects but its advantage to set upon the skirts of the other whence hee concludes that there is alwayes a kinde of fermentation of warre and no kinde of reall love and league betweene Princes but only an impuissance or inconveniencie to doe hurt An age there was and t' was the last when Druina Ampelona and Elaiana were so circumspect and Eagle eyed that scarce an acre of ground could bee gotten by either of the three but the other two would bee sure to doe their best to set the scales even again And the like diligence hath beene practised in diverse other Regions and it seemes is now by Ampelona by reason of the late new acquests the Olive and his race in Rhenusium have made which induceth her to sticke more close then ever to Itelia as also to the Bumelians who else I beleeve had gone neere to have quite disbanded long before now The Princely Sycomore which stood as a screene twixt Ampelona and Rhenusium hath smarted for this being fallen just under the same fatall predicament as Altapinus both exulating from their owne patrimoniall Territories But a hard case it seemes to bee that the Princely spray which was of the selfe same ancient stocke with the Sycomore being branches of the same Tree should in the verdantst season of her virginity bee coupled according to the true rites of sacred law with Ampelonas apparant heire and then poore Lady to bee abandoned without the least imaginary fault of hers And more strange it seemes to the world that Ampelona specially that now her prime Minister of state is of a holy function should goe about to preferre a particular temporary custome of hers viz that her Heire apparent should not any wayes dispose of himselfe to marriage without the privity and consent of the State to the prejudice and flat breach of the eternall law of the Almighty And so to attempt the nullifying of that act and loosning of that knot which by divine Ordinance should bee indissoluble And so make a kinde of medlar of that Princely Sycomore shee being every way superior to his first Consort It is true policy is warrantable yet but as a hand-maid to divinity and absurd it is to make the Mistresse stoope and give place to the servant Policy is like the Apocrypha which is allowed to be digested into one volume and read with the sacred Text but when it thwarts any thing that is Canonicall away with it The ravishing of the Sycomore's Country hapned in an unlucky time for young Altapinus for I beleeve it rendred the Treaty for a restitution of Baccharia more knotty and difficult In so much that some think they must be put in Counter-scales hereafter and move both upon one hinge A much famed statist Elaiana had halfe an age since was usd to say that if Ampelona had three things favourable she were eternall viz. Petropolis the Sea and Counsell Touching the first Melissanus who now swayes the great Archflaminship is mightily devoted to her having beene so long rooted in her that it seemes he naturally affects her soyle and plants And oftentimes we finde that nature her selfe yeelds to custome that great Giant who is so prevalent that oftentimes wee shape the discourse of reason and course of nature to the inbred notions and preconceptions it hath imprinted in our minds besides habituall frequency of conversation is one of the greatest loadstones of love For the Sea Itelia serves her for her docke and Arsenall nor was shee ever so improv'd and potent that way And I wish Itelia may never have cause to rue the time she did it For Counsell she hath lighted upon an Instrument of a mervailous contriving and sedulous spirit as solid as hee is subtile which is rare under that Clime In so much that some have termd him the prodigie of prudence others have soard higher and calld him the grand Genius and tutelar Angell of Ampelona others flie yet higher and call him the supreme Intelligence the spirit that moves the heavens and the starres the Phoenix of the earth and such like superlatives and Hyperbole's He is so strongly rooted in the opinion of the Royall Vine that hee post-poseth filiall and fraternall love to his favour towards him Some give other Characters of him and call him the Incendiary of Ampelona that his mind is of the colour of his habit sanguine That he is indued with the same spirit that sometimes a famous Archflamin in Elaiana was who said that Gunpowder in the field gave as sweet a perfume as Incense at the