of one another with intention to execute our resolutions but our Adieus were so tender and our inclinations so strong that we were no sooner out of one anothers sight but we were contriving how to see one another again In fine after many irresolutions on both sides I at last overcome all Bellasires doubts and she clear'd all mine she promis'd to consent to our Marriage as soon as our Friends had agreed upon all things that was requisite for the consummating thereof Her Father was forc'd to leave the Court before all things were concluded for the King commanded him away to the Frontires to sign a Treaty with the Mores and we were forc'd to wait his coming back I was in the mean time the happiest Man in the World the Love I bore Bellasire took up all my thoughts and she loved me as passionately I esteemed her beyond all the Women in the world and believed my self upon the point of possessing her I enjoyed all the freedom that a Man that was soon to Marry her could take One day it was my Misfortune to pray her to tell me all that her Lovers had done for her I took delight to observe the difference betwixt her manner of proceeding with them and that she used with me She named me all those that Loved her she told me what they had done to please her she said that those that were most constant in their pursuit were those she least cared for and that the Count of Lare who Loved her to his death was never acceptable to her After what she had told me I know not for what reason but I had a greater curiosity to know what concern'd the Count de Lare than all the rest his long perseverance touch'd my imagination I pray'd her once more to repeat what passed betwixt them she did so and though she said nothing that could displease me I was seized with a Jealousie I found that although she had shewed no inclination she had shewed a great deal of esteem for him a suspicion took me in the head that she did not tell me all the sentiments she had for him I would not let her know what I thought but retired home in a worse humour than I used to be I slept little I could not rest untill I saw her again the next day and made her tell over again all she had told me the day before it was not possible for her to tell me in an instant all the circumstances of a Passion that had lasted many years she told me some things that she had not thought on before and I believed she did it out of design of concealing them from me I asked her a thousand questions and I beg'd of her upon my knees to answer me with sincerity but when what she answered was as I would have it I thought she said it only to please me if she said any thing that was advantagious for the Count of Lare I thought she concealed more than she would tell of him In sine Jealousie with all the horrors that accompany it seized upon my understanding I afforded her no rest I could no longer shew her either love or kindness I could speak of nothing to her but of the Count of Lare and yet I was out of my Wits for making her remember him and recall to mind what he had done for her sake I resolved never more to speak to her of him but I alwayes found that I had forgotten to make her explain her self upon some circumstance or other As soon as I had begun this discourse I was as it were in a maze I could never get out of it and my affliction was equally great in speaking of the Count de Lare or not speaking of him I passed whole Nights without sleep Bellasire was no more to me the same person How said I what was the charm of my passion Was it not the belief I had that Bellasire never lov'd any thing nor never had Inclination for any body And yet by what she tells me her self she had no aversion for the Count de Lare she had too much esteem for him and she used him with too much respect If she had not been in Love with him she would have hated him for the long Persecutions that he and his Friends raised against her No Bellasire you have deceived me you were not such as I believed you I adored you as one that had never loved any thing that was the foundation of my Love I find no such thing it is just therefore I recall all the Love I had for you But said I to my self again If she had told me truth what a notorious injustice do I do her And how much I plague my self in robbing my self of all the happiness I enjoyed in her Love While I was in these thoughts I resolved to speak once more to Bellasire I believed I should tell her better what grieved me and should satisfie my self in all doubts more clearly than ever I did what I resolv'd I spoke to her but it was not for the last time and the next day I took up the same discourse with more heat than I had done the day before But Bellasire who thitherto with a most unwearied patience and wonderful sweetness had endured all my suspicions and had endeavoured to clear them begun to be tired with the continuance of a Jealousie so violent and so ill-grounded Alphonso said she one day to me I perceive you have got a Capricio in your head that will destroy the passion you had for me but know at the same time that it will inevitably ruine the Love I had for you Consider I beseech you about what it is that you torment me and your self too about a dead Man whom you cannot fancy that I Lov'd since I did not Marry him for if I had had but the least inclination for him my Parents would have Marryed me to him for there was nothing else that could hinder it It is true Madam that I am Jealous of a dead Man and that is it that breaks my heart If the Count of Lare were yet living I should judge by your manner of usage to him how you did use him formerly and what you do for me would convince me that you did not Love him I should have the pleasure in Marrying you to deprive him of the hopes you have given him notwithstanding all you can tell me but he is dead and dyed perhaps in an opinion that if he had lived you might have loved him Ah Madam I cannot but be unhappy every time I shall think that any other but my self could fancy that you could Love him But Alphonso said she if I had Lov'd why did not I Marry then Because answered I you did not love him enough and that the aversion you had for Marriage could not be overcome by a weak Inclination I know you love me much better than ever you loved the Count of Lare but let your love for
her Window where you used to see her You urge the small Acquaintance we have with our Mistresses said the Prince but we acknowledge their Beauty which in Love is the Principal Verb We judge of their Wit first by their Physiognomy and then by their Letters And when we come to see them nearer hand we are charmed with the Delight of discovering what we had not yet found out Every Word that falls from them has the Charm of a Novelty Their manner of Delivery is surprizing unto us and our Surprize awakens and increases Love When those that are acquainted with their Mistresses before they become enamoured of them are so accustomed to their Beauty and their Witt that they are no more sensible when they are beloved again You will never fall into this Misfortune quoth I But Sir you shall have my consent to love all you do not know provided you give me liberty to love a Person that I know so well as to believe she deserves my Esteem and may give me assurance to find in her what may make me Happy when I am beloved again I say more-over that I could wish she were not prepossessed in Favour of any other And I interrupted Don Ramires should take more Delight to conquer a Heart that were defended by a Passion for another than to vanquish one that never before had been ingaged I should count this a double Victory and I should be much more convincingly perswaded of the true Inclination she should have for me if I saw it begin in the greatest Heat and Passion she might have for another In sine It would be an equal satisfaction to my Glory and my Love to Ravish a Mistress from a Rival Gonsalvo is so opposite to your Opinion said the Prince and judges it so bad that he thinks it not fit to Answer you And truly I am of his side against you But I am against his so particular Acquaintance with his Mistress I should never fall in Love with a Person that I had been used to see And if I am not surprized at first sight I can never be sensible I am of Opinion That natural Inclinations do make their Impressions at the very first Moment and that those Passions that grow with time cannot be truly called Passions Why then said I it may be presumed that you will never Love that Object which you have not loved at first sight And Sir added I Laughing I must bring you my Sister before she is come to that Perfection of Beauty to which in all probability she is like to arrive to accustom your self to see her that so you may never be concerned for her You sear then I should have a Kindness for her said Don Garcias Never doubt it Sir said I Nay I should think it the greatest Misfortune that could happen to me if you should What Misfortune can you find in that Replyed Don Ramires That said I of not being able to joyne with the Sentiments of the Prince For if he should desire to Marry my Sister I should never consent to it by reason of the Interest of his Greatness And if he did not intend to Marry her and she should nevertheless Love him as without doubt she would I should have the Displeasure to see my Sister the Mistress of a Master whom I could not hate though I ought to do it Let me see her I pray you interrupted the Prince before she can make me in Love with her For I should be so troubled to have Sentiments that might displease you that I am impatient to see her that I may assure my self that I shall never fall in Love with her I can no longer wonder Replyed Don Ramires addressing himself to Don Garcias that you have not been in Love with all those fair Ladies that are Bred in the Pallace and to whom you have been accustomed from your Infancy But I must confess I have been surprized that none of those Beauties have had any Influence upon you hitherto And above all Nugna Bella the Daughter of Don Diego Porcellos that seems to me to be so likely to do it It is true said Don Garcias that Nugna Bella is very Lovely Her Eyes are infinitly taking She has a pretty Mouth and the Aire of her Face is Noble and Delicate In fine I should have been enamoured of her had I not been used to see her even from the first Moment I begun to see But why added the Prince were not you in Love with her Don Ramires since you beleive her so amiable Because Replyed he she never loved any Body else I should find no Rival to dispossess her Heart of And I have told you that is the only thing that is able to Charm me You must ask Gonsalvo Sir why he was not taken with her For I am sure he thinks her Fair She has no Tye upon her and he has known her now a great while Who told you said I Smiling and Blushing withall that I do not love her I know not Replyed Don Ramires but by your Blushes I perceive those that told me were deceived Can it possible be cryed the Prince to me that you are in Love If you are tell it me quickly I pray for I am extream glad to see you seized with a Passion of which you make so little shew Seriously said I I am not in Love but to satisfie you Sir I own that I might be in Love with Nugna Bella if I were a little better acquainted with her If there be nothing else to obstruct your Love but to be better acquainted with her assure your self that you are already smitten I will never go without you to the Queen my Mother and I will Embroile my self more often with the King that the care which she alwayes takes to make my Peace may oblige her to send for me at particular Hours In fine I will furnish you with Opportunities enough to speak to Nugna Bella that you may be throughly in Love with her You will find her very Lovely and if her Heart be as well accomplished as her Understanding you will have little else to wish for in this World I beseech you Sir said I do not take so much Pains to make me unhappy And above all let your Pretexts to visit the Queen be any other than your embroiling your self with the King You well know how often he accuses me for your Transgressions and believes that my Father and I to make our selves more considerable do inspire that desire of Authority into you which you take upon you sometimes to his Displeasure In the Humour I am in to make Nugna Bella in love with you I shall not be so circumspect as you would have me I will take all opportunities to carry you with me to the Queens Appartment And though I have no particular Business I will go thither immediately and will sacrifice to the pleasure of making you in Love a Night which I intended to
convince me that you could have any I would have you added she looking upon me after having been Jealous of a dead Man whom I never loved to be Jealous of a living Man that does not love me How Madam said I you had no intention to make me Jealous of Don Mauriques you only plainly follow your inclination in doing what you do was it not to give me cause of suspicion your leaving of whispering to him or changing your discourse when I come into the Room Ah Madam if that be so I am more unhappy than I thought my self nay I am the most unfortunate of all Man-kind You are not the most unhappy replyed Bellasire but the most unreasonable of all Man-kind and if I should follow the dictates of reason I should break off with you this very moment and never see you more But is it possible Alphonso added she that you can be Jealous of Don Mauriques How can I be otherwise Madam said I when you keep a correspondence with him which I must not know I conceal it from you said she because you were angry when I spoke to him of your strange imaginations and that I had no mind you should know that I spoke to him still of your ill humours and of the dissatisfaction I receive from them How Madam said I you complain of my humours to my Rival and you think ill of me for being troubled at it I complain to your Friend said she and not to your Rival Don Mauriques is my Rival replyed I and I cannot think that you can avoid acknowledging it and I said she cannot believe you dare tell me he is so knowing as you do that he spends whole dayes in praising you to me It is very true said I that I do not suspect that Don Mauriques does any way endeavour to undermine me but that does not hinder but he may be in Love with you nay more I do believe he never yet spoke to you of his Love but after the manner you use him he will not be long before he speaks to you of it and the hopes that your proceedings give him will make him without scruple of Conscience pass over all the tyes and obligations of the Friendship that was betwixt us Can any Man be so void of reason as you are answer'd Bellasire Mark well your own words you tell me Don Mauriques speaks for you to me that he is in Love with me and that he does not speak to me for himself where will you find things so contradictory Is it not true that you believe I love you and that you are convinced Don Mauriques does so too It is very true answered I that I believe both the one and the other If you believe it cryed she how can you imagin that I can love you and love Don Mauriques too Or that Don Mauriques can be in love with me and love you still Alphonso I am infinitely troubled to find the disorders of your mind to be so exorbitant I now perceive your disease is incurable and that in resolving to Marry you I must at the same time resolve to be the most miserable Woman of the world Assuredly I love you very much but not so much as to purchase you at so dear a rate the Jealousie of Lovers is troublesome but the Jealousie of Husbands is insupportable you make me so plainly see what I am like to suffer that I believe I shall never be Marryed to you I love you too well not to be sensibly afflicted to see that I shall not as I hoped spend my dayes with you Leave me alone I conjure you your words and your sight do but increase my sorrow At these words she rose without giving me time to answer and went to her Closet and lockt the door which she would not open upon no intreaty I was forced to go home so desperate and so irresolved in my own thoughts that I wonder I did not run out of the little wit I had left me I came next day to see Bellasire whom I found sad and afflicted she spoke to me without any manner of sharpness nay with great sweetness but without saying any thing that might make me apprehend that she would abandon me I thought she studyed whether she should or no as we easily flatter our selves I believed she would not remain long in the mind she was in I asked her pardon for my folly as I had done a hundred times before I prayed her to say nothing to Don Mauriques I Conjured her upon my knees to change her conduct with him and not to treat him for the future so well as to give me disquiet of mind I will not tell Don Mauriques said she any thing of your folly but I will alter nothing of my way of living with him if I thought he Lov'd me I would never see him more though you had never been concerned at it but he has only a Friendship for me nay more you know he loves else-where I esteem him I love him you have consented I should therefore the disquiet you receive upon his score proceeds from your folly and disorder of mind If I should satisfie you you would quickly pick a quarrel with me upon some other Mans account as you do upon his therefore do not vex your self about my conduct with him for assuredly I shall not change it I am willing to believe said I that all you say is true and that you do not believe that Don Mauriques loves you but I believe it Madam and that 's enough I know you have only a Friendship for him but it is a Friendship so tender so full of confidence esteem and liking that although it should never rise to the heighth of a passion yet I have reason to be jealous of it and to apprehend that it may too much affect your heart The refusal you make of altering your way of proceeding with him gives me to understand that I do not fear him without cause To shew you said she that the refusal I make you does not concern Don Mauriques but your Caprice only if you desired me not to see the Man of the world which is most despicable to me I would deny it you as I do to leave off having a Friendship for Don Mauriques I believe you Madam said I but I am not Jealous of the Man of the world you despise most it is of a Man whom you love well enough to prefer him before my quiet I neither suspect you of weakness or change but I must confess I cannot suffer that your heart should entertain any kindness for any man but my self I am grieved also that you do not hate Don Mauriques though you know he loves you and I think it belongs to me alone to have the advantage over all others to love you without being hated so that you must grant my request without being offended at my Jealousie I said all I could think of to induce her to grant what
particular Whisperings of Don Ramires and the Prince might give me some Jealousie because in appearance they ought to keep no secret from me that Don Ramires should come to the Prince by a back Stair at such times as he had none with him and that they should never speak any thing before me of their intreigue Thus was I betrayed and forsaken by all those I loved best without being able to suspect them in the least All I was in pain for was only because I fancied some change in Nugna Bella's heart if I complained to Don Ramires Don Ramires gave her notice of it that she might counterfeit better but when I seemed at ease he was unquiet he feared still I had regained Nugna Bella then he would not have her act her part so well in Cheating me she obeyed him and neglected me more than ever Thus he had his Rival complaining to him of the hard usage he received by his order Sometimes he was very glad when he had desired her to put a constraint upon her self to learn by my complaints that she had not constrained her self as much as he desired her It was such a charm for his glory and his love to have ruined such a Rival as I appeared to him and to see my quiet depend upon the least word of his mouth that were it not for his extream Jealousie he would be the happiest man in the world While I was taken up with my Amour my Father was busied by his Ambition he had made so many Cabals and so many intregues in the time of his Exile that he believed himself in a condition to revolt openly but before all I was to be drawn from Court I was too dear and too considerable a pledge to him to leave me in the Kings hands when he intended to declare War against him He was not so apprehensive of my Sister because her Sex and her Beauty would protect her against all events He sent me a person known in all his designes to inform me how matters stood and to command me to quie the Court in that very instant without taking leave either of the King or Prince This Messenger was strangely surprised to find me quite of another opinion than my Father I told him that I would never give my consent to so unjust a revolt that it was true the King had dealt ill with Nugnes Ferrando in taking away his employments but that this affront was to be endured because he had in some measure deserved it that for my part I was resolved not to leave the Court nor ever to take Arms against my King This Messenger carryed back my Answer to my Father he was outragiously mad to see so many great designes quashed to nothing by my disobedience alone He sent me back word that though he never intended it he would pursue his enterprise and that since I had so little obedience for his will he would not change his resolution though the King of Leon were to cut off my head In the mean time Don Ramires his passion for Nugna Bella grew still and he could no longer indure the manner of her conversation with me though he saw it necessary Well Madam says he to her one day after she had entertained me a pretty while you look upon him still with the same kindness that you used to do you speak to him after the same manner you write to him the same kind things who shall assure me that it is no more with the same heart He once pleased you and that 's enough to find the way of doing it again But you know said she I do but what you would have me that is true replyed he and that is it which renders my misfortune insupportable that I must in prudence advise you to do those things which when you do them puts me into despair it is unheard that a Lover ever gave his consent that his Rival should be kindly treated Madam I can no longer endure that you should look upon Gonsalvo there is nothing I would not attempt to ruine him rather than live in the condition I am in for after having rob'd him of your heart I ought not much to scruple cutting his Throat Your Passion answered Nugna Bella is too violent to hold you will first consider how many important secrets you will discover before you fall out with Don Gonsalvo and to what Reproaches you will expose your self I see all that is to be seen Madam said he I see likewise that if I must have but little sense to do what I propose I must have none at all to suffer a man every way lovely that once has pleased you to spake to you every day in private if I knew nothing of it I should have the cruel delight of being deceived But I know it I see you speaking to him it is I that brings you Letters it is I that re-assures him when he doubts of your Affection Ah Madam it is impossible I should hold out any longer using so much violence against my self If you would contribute to my quiet contrive it so that Gonsalvo may leave the Court and the Prince would consent to send him into Castile as his Majesty presses him every day Consider I beseech you replyed Nugna Bella what an action you would have me do Yes Madam returned Don Ramires I have considered it but after all that you have done it is no longer time to stand upon Niceties and if you consent not to the Banishment of Don Gonsalvo I shall believe I have more reason to endeavour his absence from you than I thought Once more Madam by what arguments shall I be convinced that you love him no more you see him you speak to him you know he Loves your heart you say is changed but your proceedings are not In fine Madam nothing can re-assure me but your endeavours to get him Banished and as long as you shall appear averse to it I shall believe you use but little constraint when you tell him you Love him Well then said Nugna Bella I have already committed many Treacheries for the Love of you and I will add this too but give me the means the Prince every day refuses the King to let him be Banished and there is little likelihood that he should grant it to so unreasonable a request as mine I 'le take upon me said Don Ramires to make the Proposition to the Prince and provided you make it appear to him that you are consenting to it I am sure to bring it about Nugna Bella agrees to it and that very night Don Ramires under pretence of their common interest proposes to the Prince to let me be sent away and to make the King believe he did it in obedience to his commands The Prince made no difficulty of assenting he was inwardly so ashamed of what he had done against me that my presence was a continual reproach to him of his weakness Nugna Bella
and so much agreeableness above all other Women I made stricter inquiry after all those that had made their addresses to her with more application than ordinary I learnt that the Count of Lare was desperatly in Love with her and that his passion to her lasted a long time that he was kill'd in the Army that he run headlong into dangers when he had lost all hope of Marrying her I was told moreover that many other persons had endeavoured to win her favour but to no purpose and that all people had given her over because they thought it an impossible thing to thrive in their pursuit I took no small delight in thinking of overcoming this impossibility and for all that I had no design to endeavour it But I saw Bellasire as often as I could possible and as the Court of Navar is not so strict as that of Leon it was not hard for me to find occasions of seeing her and yet there was nothing of seriousness betwixt her and me I spoke to her laughing at the distance that we were at and of the joy I should have if she would change her face and her opinion I imagined that my Conversation was not unpleasant to her and that she was satisfied with my Wit because she found I knew the depth of hers Finding she had a Confidence in me that gave me full liberty to speak to her I prayed her to tell me the reasons why she did so obstinately reject all those that made their addresses to her I will tell you sincerely said she I was born with a natural aversion against Marriage the tyes whereof have alwayes seemed to me very harsh and I believed that nothing but a passion strong enough to blind me could make me tread underfoot all those reasons that seem to oppose that engagement You will not Marry for Love said she and for my part I cannot comprehend how any can resolve to Marry without Love and that a very violent one far from having a passion I never had the least inclination for any Man So that Alphonso if I am not Marryed it is because I never Loved any Man well enough to engage me to it How Madam Answered I no man ever pleased you Your heart has never received any impression it has never been discomposed at the sight or mention of those that adored you No said she I am utterly a Stranger to all the impulses of Love How And of Jealousie too said I I and of Jealousie too replyed she Ah Madam said I if that be I am perswaded that you never had any inclination for any Man It is true said she that no man ever pleased me no I never found any bodyes humour agreeable or any way like my own I know not what effects the words of Bellasire wrought upon me I know not whether I was already in Love without knowing it But the Idea of a heart like hers that never received any impression seemed so wonderful and so new to me that I was in that very instant struck with a desire to please her to gain the glory of touching a heart that all the world believed insensible I was no longer that Man that begun to speak without design I ruminated upon all that she had said and believed that at the same time she told me she never found Man that could please her she excepted me In fine I had hope enough to compleat my intanglement and from that moment I became more in Love with Bellasire than ever I had been with any before I will not repeat to you how I took the freedom to declare my passion to her I began to speak to her by a kind of Rallery for it was hard to talk seriously to her and this Rallery gave me occasion to tell her things that I should not have durst to tell of a long time so that I was in Love with Bellasire and was happy enough to touch her heart though not so happy as to be able to perswade her that I Lov'd her She was naturally diffident of all Mankind though she considered me far above all those that she had ever seen and by consequence more than I deserved yet she would not give credit to my words but her manner of proceeding with me was different from that of all other Women and I found something so noble and so sincere in her ways that I was altogether surprised at it It was not long e're she confessed to me the inclination she had for me she would tell me from time to time what progress I made in her heart and as she concealed nothing from me that was for my advange so likewise she told me what was against me she would say that she could not believe that I Loved Cordially and that she would never consent to Marry me untill she was better satisfied of my Love I cannot express the pleasure I took in finding that I had made an impression upon a heart that never was sensible of any before and to see the confusion she was in to find her self ingaged in a passion which till then was altogether unknown to her how charming it was to me to know the astonishment Bellasire was in being no longer Mistress of her self nor having any more power over her own thoughts I tasted in these beginnings delights beyond my hope or imagination and he that has not known the delight of making a person violently in Love with him that has never been sensible of Love may say she never knew the true pleasures of Love If I had great transports of pleasure to find out the inclination Bellasire had for me I was also in terrible anxieties for the doubt she was in of my passion for her and the impossibility I saw of perswading her to believe it When these thoughts disturbed me I recall'd to mind the opinion I had of Wedlock I found I was going to precipitate my self into the misfortunes which I so much apprehended I thought I should have the affliction of not being capable of assuring Bellasire of the passion I had for her or that if I did convince her and that she should be truly in Love with me I should be exposed to the Misfortune of being no more beloved passionately I said to my self that Wedlock would diminish the passion she had for me and that she would love me no more than as far as duty required and that perhaps she would Love some body else The horror of being Jealous was so impetuous upon me that notwithstanding the esteem and passion I had for her I had almost resolved to quit the resolution I had taken and I preferr'd the Misfortune of living without Bellasire before that of enjoying her without being beloved of her Bellasire's thoughts were almost as distracted as mine she concealed nothing from me no more than I did from her we debated the reasons we had not to engage one anothers Affections we several times resolved to break off and we took leave
him have been never so little it has destroyed all my happiness since I am no more the only Man that has pleased you nor am not the first that has made you sensible of Love your heart has been fill'd with other thoughts than those I supplyed In a word Madam it is no more what made me the happiest Man in the World neither are you to me of that value I first set upon you Pray tell me Alphonso how you could live at ease with those you formerly were in Love with all I would fain know whether you found in them a heart that never before had felt any passion I never sought for any such Madam said I nor did I ever hope to find any I never looked upon them as Women that could love nothing else but me I was satisfied to believe that they loved me far beyond all others that they had had any Inclination for But for you Madam it is not the same I always looked upon you as one that was above the reach of Love and who would never have known what it was had it not been for me I thought my self not only happy but proud to have been able to make so extraordinary a Conquest For pitty sake leave me not in the uncertainty in which I am if you have concealed any thing from me concerning the Count de Lare confess it the owning it and your sincerity will perhaps lessen the trouble which I may conceive for it Clear my suspicions and do not let me set a higher value upon you than I ought or a less than you deserve Bellasire made answer If you had not lost your senses you would easily judge that since I did not perswade you I would never go about it but if I could add any thing to what I have already told you it would be an infallible sign that I never had any inclination for the Count of Lare being I say I had not If I had loved him nothing should make me deny it I should believe my self guilty of a hainous Crime if I should renounce any kindness I might have for a dead man who had deserved it so that you may be assured Alphonso that I never had any that may displease Convince me then of it Madam cryed I tell it me a thousand times over write it to me In fine restore me again to the pleasure of loving you as I did and above all pardon me the vexation I give you I torment my self more than I do you and if I could redeem my self out of the state I am in I would do it at the hazard of my life These last words made an impression upon Bellasire she clearly saw I was not Master of my senses she promised me to write down all that ever she thought or did for the Count de Lare and though they were things that she had already told me a thousand times yet I felt a certain pleasure to think that I should see them written with her own hand The next day she sent me what she promis'd I found an exact Narrative of all that the Count of Lare had done for her and all she did to cure him of his passion with all the reasons that might perswade me to believe what she alledged to be true This Narrative was made after a manner that ought to have cur'd me of all my Caprichio's but is wrought a contrary effect upon me I begun with being angry with my self for having forced Bellasire to spend so much time in thinking of the Count de Lare Those parts of her Narrative where she particularised his actions were insupportable to me I thought she had too good a memory for the actions of a man that was indifferent to her those which she related cursorily perswaded me that there was something more behind which she durst not own to me In fine I made a bad construction of all and came to see Bellasire more enraged and more desperate than ever She that well knew I ought to be very well satisfied was much offended to see me so unjust which she made me understand with more force than she used to do I on the other side as angry as I was began to excuse my self as well as I could I saw I was in the wrong but it was not in my power to be in a right sense I told her that my extream nicety in what she might have thought of the Count de Lare was a true mark of the great passion and esteem I had for her and that the great value I set upon her heart made me so apprehensive of any body else having a share in it I said all I could think of to make my Jealousie more excusable Bellasire would not admit of my reasons she told me that slight doubts might arise from what I had told her but such a long and obstinate Jealousie could be produced from nothing else but from an ill humour insomuch that she began to be apprehensive of living with me and that if I continued in this manner she should be forced to change her opinion These Words made me tremble I threw my self at her feet I assured her I would never more speak to her of my suspicions and I believed within my self that I should be able to be as good as my promise but it was for a few dayes only I quickly begun again to vex her I often ask'd her pardon and as often made her think that I still believed she had loved the Count of Lare and that this thought would render me eternally unhappy I had a long Friendship with a man of quality called Don Mauriques he was a Man of extraordinary merit the tyes that were betwixt us had created a great confidence betwixt Bellasire and him their amity was never displeasing to me nay I took pleasure in making it greater he took notice several times of the ill humour I had been in of late Though I concealed nothing from him I was so much ashamed of my Caprichio that I durst not own it to him He came one day to visit Bellasire where I was more unreasonable than ever and she more weary of my Jealousie than she used Don Mauriques knew by the changing of our Countenances that we had some little quarel I always begged of Bellasire never to tell him of my weakness and pray'd her again as I saw him enter to say nothing of it but she was resolved to put me out of Countenance and without giving me time to oppose her she told Don Mauriques all the cause of my disquiet he seemed to be so astonished at it he found it so ill grouned and he handled me so severely for it that he put me quite besides my self You shall be Judge Sir whether I was not mad and how prone I was to Jealousie for it seemed to me that Don Mauriques after the manner he condemned me was prepossess'd by Bellasire I perceived well enough that I passed the limits of reason but I
I desire but all to no purpose Though I had been a long time Jealous of Don Mauriques yet I had so much power over my passion as to hide it from him and Bellasire was so discreet as to say nothing to him of it but made him believe that my Chagrin was still caused by the Jealousie I had of the Count of Lare notwithstanding she held on in her old way of entertaining Don Mauriques and he being ignorant of my thoughts of him conversed still with her as he used to do so that my Jealousie increased daily and was grown to that height that I persecuted Bellasire without intermission After I had thus persecuted her a long time and that this fair Creature had in vain tryed all wayes to cure me of my Caprice She fell sick and was so ill that for two dayes I could not be admitted to see her the third day she sent for me I found her much alter'd but I thought that was caused by her indisposition She made me sit down near a pallet Bed on which she lay and having been silent for a good while Alponso said she I believe you have perceived easily this good while that I have been endeavouring to resolve absolutely to break off with you yet for all I had many convincing reasons to induce me to it I do not believe I should be able ever to do it if you had not given me strength by the strange extravagancies of your proceedings If this extravagancy were not so great and that I could believe it were possible to cure you of it by a discreet behaviour or the austerest way of living my for you was strong enough to make me embrace it with joy but since I see that this disorder of your understanding is incurable and that although you have no cause of being troubled you fancy things that never were nor ever will be I am forced for your peace and mine to let you know that I absolutely resolved to break off with you and never to Marry you I do tell you moreover this time which shall be the last that we shall have any particular converse together that I never had any inclination for any man but for your self and you alone were capable of making me in Love But since you have confirmed me in the opinion I have that none can be happy that is in Love with any man You whom I thought the only man worthy of Love may be assured that I will never be in Love with any Man more and that those impressions which you have made in my heart have been the only and shall be the last it shall ever receive nor would I have you believe that I have too much Friendship for Don Mauriques I refused to change my conduct with him to see if you would not recover your right senses again and to give my self room to bestow my self upon you once more being once assured that your distemper was capable of being cured but I was not so happy and this was the only reason that kept me from giving you that satisfaction This reason being no more I do sacrifice Don Mauriques to your desire and therefore have prayed him never to see me more I ask you pardon for telling him of your Jealousie for I could not avoid it and he would have found it out himself by the rupture betwixt us My Father arrived last night I acquainted him with my resolution he is gone at my request to inform your Father of it so that Alphonso you must think no more of making me change this resolve I have told Don Mauriques what was requisite to strengthen my resolution before I told you of it I have deferr'd it as much as I could more perhaps for the love of my self than for the love of you and believe it none shall ever be so absolutely nor so faithfully beloved as you have been I know not whether Bellasire continued her discourse but as my surprise was so great from the time she begun that I had not power to interrupt her so all my strength left me at those last words which I told you and swooned away I know not what Bellasire or her Servants did but when I came to my self I found my self in my Bed and Don Mauriques by me as much in despair as I was When all the Servants were with-drawn he omitted nothing that might justifie him against all the suspicions I had of him and that might show me how much he was afflicted for being the innocent cause of my Misfortune As he had a great Love for me so likewise he had a great feeling of my condition I fell desperately ill I then but too late found out the injuries I did my Friend I conjured him to pardon me and to visit Bellasire to beg for pardon for me and to endeavour to pacifie her Don Mauriques went to her House but was told she was not to be seen he went every day while my sickness lasted but to no purpose as soon as I was able I went thither my self but I had the same answer The second time I came one of her Women came and told me from her that I should come no more thither for she would not see me I was in despair when I saw no more hopes of seeing Bellasire yet I alwayes believed that the strong passion which she had for me would make her return again if ever I had but the opportunity to speak to her once more But seeing she would not consent to speak to me I lost all hope I must confess that to hope no more to possess Bellasire was a most cruel pain to one that was so near it and lov'd her so passionately I sought all wayes to see her she avoided me as carefully and lived so retired that it was altogether impossible for me to see her All the content I had was to go and pass whole Nights under her Window but I could not obtain so much as the satisfaction of seeing them open I believed one night as I came there to hear them open the next Night I fancied the same thing In fine I flattered my self with the thought that Bellasire had a Curiosity to see me without being seen and that she came to her Window when she heard me going away I resolved to feign as if I were going away and to return abruâ—tly again to see if she would not appear I did so I went to the end of the Street as if I were going away and I heard the Window open distinctly I came back again presently I thought I perceived Bellasire but in coming nearer saw a Man creeping close to the Wall under her Window as if he would hide himself I thought I knew not how in spight of the Darkness that it was Don Mauriques this thought put me quite out of frame I presently Imagined that Bellasire lov'd him that he was there to speak to her that she open'd her Windows for him to be short I believed Don
will not speak of them even to Gonsalvo himself I do promise it you said she and you shall find me as secret as you can desire I know that as it is dangerous to conceal some things from our Friends so it is as dangerous never to conceal any thing from them You shall see Madam said he of what Importance it is to conceal what I am going about to tell you Don Garcias has lately given Don Gonsalvo new Assurances of his Friendship and has assured him that he has no more Thoughts of his Sister But I am very much mistaken if he does not love her most passionately Of the Humour this Prince is of he cannot long conceal his Passion and of the Humour Don Gonsalvo is of he will never suffer it should continue He will infallibly anger the Prince and quite lose his Favour I must confess said Nugna that I had the same Suspitions And by what I have seen and by certain things that Hermenesilde has told me which I would not let her acquaint her Brother with I could not induce my Thoughts to believe that what Don Garcias has was but an Affectation and a designe only to fright Don Gonsalvo You did very discreetly said Don Ramires and I believe Madam you will do well for the suture to keep Hermenesilde from telling her Brother any thing of what passes betwixt her and the Prince for it is both dangerous and to no purpose to speak to him of it If the Prince has but a moderate passion for her he will easily hide it and by your conduct Hermenesilde will easily cure him of it Gonsalvo will know nothing and so you will keep out of mortal apprehensions and preserve him in the favour of the Prince But if Don Garcias his passion be violent and strong do you think it impossible for him to Marry Hermenesilde and would you believe that we should do Gonsalvo ill Service if what we keep from his knowledge should be a means to make his Prince his Brother-in-Law Assuredly Madam you must well consider whether Don Garcias his Love to Hermenesilde must be broke off and it concerns you more than any by the interest you may have to see one day a person your Queen which in all appearance will be your Sister-in-Law These last words made Nugna see what she had not till then thought of the hopes of being Sister-in Law to the Queen made her believe there was more weight in Don Ramires his reasons than in truth there was At last be managed her so well that it was agreed betwixt them that I should know nothing of their intreigne that they would make an exact scrutiny into the Prince's Thoughts and that from what they should be able to discover of them they would take their Measures accordingly Don Ramires Transported with Joy to have so well begun his Negotiation gives the Prince an Account of what he had done The Prince was over-joyed at it and gave Don Ramires full power to say what he pleased of his Inclinations Don Ramires now plenipotentiary of the Princes Affections returns immediately to Nugna Bella He makes to her a long Narrative of his manner of bringing the Prince to acknowledge his Passion for my Sister He adds That he never saw Man so transported with Love That he admired the Violence the Prince used to himself for fear of displeasing me That all things might be hoped from a Man so passionately in Love But that it was necessary to give him some Hope that his Love would succeed Nugna gave full Credit to all Don Ramires had said and promised him to serve Don Garcias and employ all her Interest with my Sister for him Don Ramires runs to the Prince with this Newes which he receives with incredible Joy and Embraced him a thousand times over He could not forbear speaking to him and wished he might not be obliged to speak to any Body else But that he saw he could not in Prudence change his Conduct nor his manner of Living with me Don Ramires himself took great care to conceal his new acquired Favour and the Remorse of his Treachery made him still believe that I suspected it Don Garcias soon found Opportunity to speak to Hermenesilde He declared to her his Passion for her with all the Zeal he could And as he was really in Love he found no great difficulty to perswade her that he was so She was disposed to Entertain him kindly But after what I had said to her she was afraid to follow the Dictates of her own Heart She acquaints Nugna with all that passed betwixt the Prince and her Nugna for those very Reasons Don Ramires had alleadged to her advised her to let me know nothing and so to manage the Prince as to inflame him more and preserve his Esteem for her She told her further That what-ever Repugnance I might shew against the Princes Love to her yet she might well believe that I should be very glad of what was like to be so advantagious to me but that for certain reasons I was unwilling to take any Cognisance of things until they were more advanced Hermenesilde who had an entire deferrence to all that Nugna Bella desired was easily drawn to follow her conduct and her inclination for Don Garcias was strongly supported with the hopes of a Crown This intrigue betwixt my Sister and the Prince was carried on with so much art and dexterity that except the first day or two that notice was taken of his commending her Beauty none ever suspected that he had any inclination for her He never entertained her publickly for Nugna gave him opportunities of conversing with her in private I perceived a decay in the Princes Friendship to me but I did attribute it to the inequality and levity which is usual in young people Things were in this posture when Abdala King of Cordona betwixt whom and the King of Leon there had been a long Truce begun the War again The command of the Army belonged to Nugnes Fernando by the right of his place and though the King were unwilling to place him at the head of his Troops yet could he not take the command of them from him without charging him with some great Crime or causing him to be clapt up It 's true he might have given Don Garcias the command over him but the King apprehended him more than he did the Count of Castile and was affraid to see them both together with a great power in their hands On the other side Biscay began to revolt wherefore he resolves to send the Prince against the Rebels and Nugnes Fernando against the Moores I should have been glad to serve under my Father but the Prince would have me along with him into Biscay and the King was more inclined to have me with his Son than with the Count of Castile so that I was fain to submit to what was desired and to see my Father part before us He was
much troubled that I was not permitted to attend him and besides many other considerable reasons that made him desire my being in his Army his paternal Love was none of the least The affection he bore to my Sister and me was infinitely tender he carryed along with him our Pictures that he might have the satisfaction of seeing us always and of shewing the beauty of his Children of which I believe I told you that he was very much enamoured He marched against Abdala with a very considerable Army but much inferiour to that of the Moores and instead of endeavouring only to hinder their passage in a place whereof the very Scituation made his Army inaccessible the desire of doing something extraordinary made him hazard a Battle in open Campagne where he could have no manner of advantage his men was so totally routed that he had much difficulty to save himself all his Army was cut in pieces all his Baggage lost and the Moors perhaps never gained before so signal a Victory against the Christians They received the news of this overthrow with much regret laying all the blame upon my Father and not without reason but as he was glad to humble him he laid hold of this occasion and when my Father desired to come to justifie himself he sent him word he would never see him more and that he deprived him of all his Offices that he might thank God that his head was not taken off he had orders to retire to his own Estate My Father obeyed him and with-drawes into Castilia as full of rage and despair as an ambitious man whose fortune and reputation had received so great a breach could be capable of The Prince by reason of a dangerous fit of Sickness was not yet departed for Biscay the King Marches in person against the Moores with all the force he could bring together I beg'd leave to wait upon him which he granted but unwillingly he would have heaped upon me all my Fathers disgraces but as I had no share in his fault and that the Prince still shewed much kindness for me the King durst not Banish me into Castile therefore I followed him and Don Ramires staid with the Prince Nugna Bella seemed to be neerly concerned for my Misfortune and our separation I parted with the Consolation at least of believing my self beloved of the person of the World I most esteemed and loved The Prince being not in a condition to command his Brother Don Ordogno marched unto Biscay he was as unfortunate in his enterprise as the King was successful Don Ordogno was defeated and escaped narrowly with his Life They overthrew the Moores and forced them to beg Peace It was my good fortune to do some considerable Services but I was never the better used by the King the reputation I had acquired did not free me from the Contagious Ayre with which Disgrace had blasted me When I came to Leon I easily perceived that Glory does not confer the same lustre as Favour does Don Garcias during my absence had the advantage of seeing Hermenesilde very often but with that caution that none perceived or took notice of his addresses he sought all means imaginable to please her he gave her hopes that he would one day place her upon the Throne of Leon he had In fine shewed so much affection towards her that she wholly abandoned her heart to him As Don Ramires and Nugna Bella were obliged to see one another often the better to mannage this intelligence and the Beauty of Nugna was of those kinds that are not often seen without danger so the admiration which Don Ramires had for her augmented every day and she likewise was not a little taken with his Wit which to say the truth was very agreeable The particular commerce that passed betwixt them and the continual occupation which the affairs of the Prince and Hermenesilde gave her made her less sensible of my absence than she could have promis'd her self at our separation As soon as the King was returned he bestowed all the places which Nugna Fernando had upon Don Ramires his Father I did upon that occasion beyond what could be expected from a sincere Friend for although after the Services I had rendered the King in these two last Wars I might have pretended to those employments which were taken from my Father yet I did no way oppose my pretensions to the Kings disposing of them I went to Don Ramires and told him that the only consolation I had after the loss of so many advantagious establishments taken from my Family was the joy I had to see them confer'd upon his House though Don Ramires wanted no wit yet he could make me no answer he was confounded to receive such marks of a Friendship which he knew he did not deserve but I gave so favourable a construction to his Confusion that his words could not be more perswasive to me My Fathers employments being transfer'd to another Family made the Court believe that his disgrace was for ever without remedy and Don Ramires was now almost in my stead by the new Dignities his Father had received and by the Princes favour towards himself This favour appeared very plainly notwithstanding all the care they both took to conceal it and every body insensibly began to follow this new Favourite and by degrees to leave me Nugna Bella's affection was not so firmly setled but that these alterations caused some change in it my Fortune as much as my Person had laid the foundation of her Love for me I was in disgrace and she held for me by the bare tyes of a Love that was too weak long to hold a heart like hers I found soon after a sensible decay in her affection towards me I complained of it to Don Ramires I spoke of it likewise to Nugna Bella she assured me that she was still the same for me as she had been and as I had no precise cause of complaint and that my suspicions took their rise from a certain ayre of neglect which I imagined in all her actions It was not hard for her to justifie her self which she did with so much cunning and address that she re-assured me for some time Don Ramires entertained her upon the subject of my suspicions of her change and spoke to her with design to find out whether she were so or not without doubt with a desire to know that I was not deceived in my opinion I am not changed said she I Love as well as I ever did but if I loved him less it were injustice in him to complain are we Masters of the beginnings or end of our passions She spoke these words with an ayre that assured him that she no longer loved me This assurance which gave Don Ramires some hope made him open his eyes to contemplate the Beauty of this unfaithful Woman of which he was so enamoured that being no longer Master of himself told her she was