Father she took him not only for her husband but also for a second Father and esteemed her selfe very happy that she might serve as a recompence to him who had so liberally drawne her Father out of prison she served him with all reverence and entire affection that Venon thought himselfe much bound to him whom he had obliged Who finds a vertuous woman saith the wise man findeth a price inestimable the heart of her husband relyes only upon her and she waiteth on him diligently and faithfully you cannot imagine with what â—ffection this young woman loved this old man and how passionately this old man affected this his young wife Of so amorous an union of these two hearts and bodyes issued Rosana as a creature destined to love honourably and generously shee was but two moneths old when her Grandfather Teudas overcome with sorrow and griefe for the losse of his goods left this life to enjoy a better Her Father Venon who had much weakned his estate in drawing his deare friend out of prison daily felt necessity approaching but God who guardeth the just and seeth no good deed passe unrewarded provides for him beyond all hope or expectation for those that seeke him can never want any thing Venons greatest griefe was much like that which Teudas felt in prison because that seeing himselfe old he feared that he should not leave his wife wherewithall honestly to maintaine her selfe and to bring up and match this daughter Comfort thy selfe O Venon with good Tobias and bee assured that although poverty overtake thee yet thou shalt have meanes sufficient provided that thou feare God hope with Iob that all shall be restored to thee againe double Scarce had Rosana beene a yeer at her Mothers brest but she was pluckt from thence by an apparance of good fortune There are two powerfull houses in Slesia whose owners are reckoned in the ranke of Princes The Duke of Lignits and the Duke of Swednes The wife of one of these great men of which my Author could not assure me being ready to cry out a nurse was sought out for her to give sucke to the child which she expected Ermige was chosen for one of the best that could be found in all Breslaw this came in good time to keepe this poore family from necessity which daily as I have shewed before encreased The Dutches was delivered of a sonne whom we will name Sapor he was delivered up to Ermige to nurse and Rosana was put to another And now Ermige and her husband are made part of the Dukes houshold and are wholly imployed in bringing up the young Prince Sapor when time came that Rosana was weaned and of some stature she was put to rocke the Prince and finde him sport as the manner of children is Thus growes Rosana gently like a Vine by â—'s Eâ—me tree When the Pâ—ince came to age and understanding he loveâ— Rojana as his foster sister with the ordinary fondnesse of children towards them that make much of them and find them sport to passe away the time and Rosana serves and waites upon him as her Lord and Master Sapor was not above three or foure yeeres old when Venon paid nature the tribute which all humane creatures owe leaving both his wife and daughter to the Dutchesse who looked for no other fortune then what proceeded from her bounty The little Prince affected his nurse and foster sister in such a manner that although he was now weaned yet they both tended him and waited on him But here we must observe that as fire elevates the matters whereinto it takes although they are of themselves heavie so likewise love raiseth the hearts wherein it takes an impression and stirres them up to motives and actions farre surmounting both the age and condition of the parties This I say in respect of the love and affection which Rosana bore to Sapor of whom even in her infancy she was so taken that this flame increasing with her yeeres arrived at last to perfection None will deny but that it is an errour condemnable to say that parents beget the soules as well as the bodies knowing that their beginning comes immediately from God but since the disposition of temperature and of the organs through which the spirit exerciseth it's functions hath great effect in regard of the firme union of the soule and the body It is no great wonder if that Rosana being sprung from parents whose inclinations were wholly to friendship that her bloud and heart should be addicted to this passion otherwise might she have beene rather thought a monster in nature if she should not have partaked of the qualities of those that begat her let us neither spare the rehearsing nor let passe the praise due unto her faithfull affection since that both honesty and generosity have beene the wings wherewith it hath mounted thus high Things that are ashamed of sight most commonly seeke darknesse wherin to shroud themselves but those that are vertuous walke in the light of the day why should we blush for being in love there is nothing so much commendable as that which is guided by purity The law of Christians is wholly grounded upon love we are not ashamed to shew our love to a picture to a horse or a hound we thinke nothing to good for them why then should we bee ashamed to cherish a reasonable creature a person well descended well bred who respects nought save honour and vertue which are the most amiablest qualities For beauty is but the weake wind thereof and a thing which ought to be taken but as the badge of goodnes even as the blossomes on a tree are onely praised for the fruits which shall come of them Verily the Elements which give us our being and life are not more necessary then mutuall love and friendship But whither doth this thought carry me against the promise I have made not to let my penne flye out too far nor insist too long upon any particular but the reason is that I have in hand a vertue so heroicall that the singularity thereof hath drawne from me those few words in it's commendation Rosana as you have heard loved Sapor in her infancy with such an extraordinary fervour that assoone as she lost the sight of him she did nothing but weepe and complaine for this Prince was the Adamant of her heart and she was the Marigold whereof he was the Sunne never was there seene in so tender yeeres so strong a passion all the world wondred at it and the Duke and Dutches tooke therein an incomparable pleasure they often passed time in vexing this little creature by threatning to put her away from the Prince to which she would reply in such a manner as could not be expected from so small an age or so little strength and like an Amazon sought to fight with all those who sought to take her joy from her Alas we see many love dogs more for their trustinesse then for any handsomnesse
but through the eyes of Sapor suffered her selfe to be drawne to this match whereof none was more joyfull then Numerian in so much that it is hard to expresse the contentment he tooke being as it were in extasie or transportation of his spirit The first time that the Prince made them talke together Rosana with that manly and generous gesture which was both usuall and naturall in her spake to this Gentleman as followeth Sir here is your Master and mine who hath a desire to joyne us together in the lawes of Hymen But before I embrace his proffer and before I will be made subject to your power I must propound two conditions without the which I cannot nor will not be perswaded to take you for my husband my body shall be thine and so entirely thine that never any but thy selfe shall have part therein I shall come a Virgin to thy bed and if it be so that I must loose the flower of that integrity which I did intend to preserve all my life time yet it shall perish at least with honour in lawfull wedlocke first then thou shalt not need to watch over my fidelity because I shall be more jealous thereof then thou canst and if I should chance to offend therein although I rather wish all the thunders of heaven to fall on my head yea the earth to open and swallow me up my hand should prevent thine in the revenge of so great a wrong and if death permits me to survive thee be sure that even to thine ashes I will keep a body pure and a troth inviolable I will love thee as my husband with all my heart but for to prevent jealousies know thou this that I will love Sapor as my Prince and deere Master but imagine not him to have any part thereby in any thing which shall appertaine to thee nor to be arrivall or shâ—rer in thy bed he hath no such thought and if he had he should finde his expectation frustrate and if thou dost 〈◊〉 that this friendship which is so pure honest just â—â—â— lawfull should be contrary to the loyalty I owe to thee and that it may be a meanes to dâ—vide my heart Then even at this present I renounce thy love and alliance for I am resolved to carry to my grave this first and glorious flame wherewith my heart hath beene fed and my spirit pleased even from my cradle hitherto and if you thinke these things agreeable with the duties I shall owe to thee heere I am ready to obey him whose desires are lawes to me The other condition is that thou take me not as a house Dove to imploy my selfe in spinning sowing and keeping the chimney corner thou knowest that I have beene bred in another manner and according to that I desire that thou permit me to exercise my selfe in armes and hunting and such like recreations and if thy courage doe call thee at any time forth to warre either of thy owne accord or with our Master that thou then make me partaker of thy labours and thy hazards and also of thy laurells and palmes On these conditions I am ready to obey and to follow thee in life or death Numerian no lesse ravished at the spirit and courage of this maide then with her beauty which indeed though meane yet embellished with extraordinary graces agreed unto all she desired joying much in having met with a mate with whom hee might reape as many laurells as myrtles The young Duke honoured this marriage with such pompe and magnificence that he could not have expended more liberally at the marriage of his owne sister he gave also large gifts to the married couple which were but in earnest for greater things that he intended to effect for their advancement Numerian remained still with the Prince and in greater authority in the house and Rosana with the Dutches Dowager who was very glad of this marriage which freed her from the feares she had that her son passionately affecting this maid should have a desire to marry her Not long after Sapor wedded a young Princesse of Bohemia and at this wedding did Rosana among the joyes she had to see her Prince so highly matched make her grace and ability appeare in the Maskes Turnaments and other things which Knights did to honour this feast she bore away many prizes which wonne her great praise yea without envy of her competitors who admired the good carriage and dexterity of this Amazon But the richest Iewell that she then wonne was the heart of the young Princesse who tooke such an affection unto her that she seemed to dispute the preheminence thereof with her husband thus doth vertue purchase estimation wheresoever it comes and in this manner doth it draw hearts unto it She with Numerian had such credit and authority in the Princes house that all passed through their hands and nothing was well thought on but what came from them Thus they passed some yeers rich in wealth and children when the warres of Hungary a kingdome neighbouring unto Slesia came to disturbe this calme The Prince Sapor being call'd by the Emperour had great command in the Army whereunto he went with a traine befitting his greatnesse Numerian who was alwaies at his side intended not to forsake him in this voyage whereunto his owne courage was a sufficient sollicitor beside the loyalty and love he bore to his Master He intended to leave his wife to waite upon the young Dutchesse but she unwilling replied unto him as followeth Numerian said she thou dost ill remember our contract of marriage thou wrongest our love in desiring alone to runne the hazard of warre heaven having made me thy partner and I shall continue so as well in things that tend to profit and also in those that tend to the hazard of your person neither is it thy part to hinder me from entring into the least part of the honour thou art going to purchase I can despise life and defie death chiefly if I see my noble Master and thy selfe witnesses of my valour and fidelity Never had I said Numerian the least distrust either of thy faith or thy courage neither is it that which makes me desire thee to abide with the Princesse but only to be a comfort and an associate in the absence of the Prince besides the events of war are uncertaine and I wish that thou maist survive me to bring up our children and to preserve my memory No no replied Rosana I am dâ—stinated to some other matter then to governe a family others shall have that charge the love I beare to my Master and to thee permits me not to forsake you if you die I will die also if you live I will live whether you go I will follow separation cannot have place in our union Be it than as thou wilt said Numerian I will not envie the glory which thou mayst purchase it shall be common to us both let us goe and hazard our lives in the service of
in them only because they are loving to them and if beaten away yet they will come and creepe at their feet love is not repaâ—ed nor satisfied but with love It was a thing impossible but that Sapor should love this little creature who so much affected him for to love is the powerfullest charme wherby to make our selves beloved of others he could not be without her and if at any time she chanced to be away there was nothing could make him merry Love equalls lovers these were equall whether it were that love abased him so low as her condition or elevated her unto his quality love breeds a resemblance because it 's property is to transforme the lover into the thing beloved This effect appeared in Rosana who framed her selfe unto all the humours of the Prince that she seemed rather to be whaâ— she was not she imitated him in all and forsaking him no more then her shadow she did the same things she saw him doe The Dutches seeing this humour caused her onely for recreation to be cloathed like a little page a habit which pleased her so well that she neveâ— put it of but with teares In their first infancy which unites the tongue they without ceremony called brother and sister and every one wondred at the courage and boldnesse of this little girle when she grew bigger she called the Prince her Master and he called her his Page All the exercises which the Master learned the Page did learne and which is the more to be admired she learned them with such a grace that she seemed afterwards for a mirrour or example to her little Master As Physicke is given to the nurse that so through the milke the child may be cured so was it with Sapor for when they were to give him any lesson either of dancing study or any thing else they first taught it to his Page she learned the faster to please him and he tooke the greater care that he might not be outstript by a girle an emulation of vertue without envie You would not chuse but thinke that nature by a pure instinct taught these children the most grave Philosophy that Plato hath discoursed of the effects of honest love They being now growne up from the innocency of their first age they entred into the limits of civility and the ceremonies of the world and they began to attaine to the knowledge of themselves what shame soever they sought to breed in Rosanna who now was growne pretty tall to draw her from the Princes conversation shee would never give eare thereunto for her conversation being unspâ—tted she feared no reproach she was so much affected to bodily exercises as dancing leaping vaulting riding fencing shooting with bowe and piece running playing at tennis at pell mell and hunting that they had marvellous much adoe to draw her from it and not wholly for it was impossible the Prince incessantly calling for her not onely when he was at any exercise but at all other times when she was absent At last her age permitting her no longer without decency or modesty so freely to frequent with Sapor The Dutchesse placed her among the other Gentlewomen and unto some small exercises whereunto she applyed her selfe but not without much contradiction except it were in such works which might yeeld some service or pleasure to the Prince for unto those she setled her selfe with so much diligence that it sufficiently witnessed the ardour of her affection It hapned sometimes that the other Gentlewomen would blam her for this her extream affection which she shewed towards the Prince seeing the difference of their estates and the modesty which she owed to her sexe but thereunto she answered that she loved him as a sister ought to love a brother and with the same reverence that a slave beares to his Lord. The Prince on his part bore with no lesse impatience the privation of his Pages conversation and it was his greatest contentment when he could slip in amongst the Gentlewomen thereby to entertain her at will who possessed his thoughts Lewd desires being entred into his spirits with knowledge changed his love intosensuality which could not be just being that marriage was not his ayme notwithstanding as he long since knew the honesty of this creature who for a kingdome would not have blemished her integrity he dissembled a long time his pretention but being not able any longer to beare the impetuosity of his appetites he would on a time have passed unto some unseemely and unbefitting action which this generous Amazon would by no meanes endure but told him that she would desire their loves might continue as vertuous as ever they had beene for said she if you spoyle the foundation the edifice cannot but fall to ruine if vertue be wanting then farewell friendship These words comming from the mouth of a servant as from a Princesse bridled for a time the furious appetite of Sapor so much majesty hath vertue in it selfe But not long after temptations gave him new alarums so that being unable any longer to oppose their violence he resolved to speake rather then perish in silence Vnto his lewd suite so little expected by this wise maid he received answer as followeth Remember O Prince that poore as I am and destitute of fortunes favours I am rich in honesty I love Sapor as my life but as I love mine honour more then my life so I love it also more than Sapor If you truly love me as you have given me many pretious testimonies therof then love me honourably otherwise I freely renounce your friendship and all the advantages that I may hope for from you thereby I say not this to the intent to breed more love in you nor to draw you to desire me for your wife such a vaine presumption never yet flattered my spirit I know the basenesse of my descent and that so great an elevation would soone cast me into a most horrible precipice I love you without interest without pretence and without any other desire then to see you great and glorious in the world and in the armes of a Princesse worthy to be the spouse of so great a Prince And both you and she will I waite upon with all the humility and affection of a faithfull slave who will seeke no other reward but the only glory of serving you and of loving you next after God and mine honour above all that is in the world and if fortune so frown that you dye in deeds of armes I will perish at your feet that on my tombe may be mixt the Lillies of my chastity with the palmes of my valour and mirtles of my incomparable loue to my so deerly esteemed Master whom I conjure to banish from his spirit all bad and unjust intentions and to be â—â—ther the protector then the destroyer of the modesty and purity of a creature who saving that is entirely his For helpe herein consider that I am your sister if not by birth
our benefactor Shee than puts on mans apparell and following her Master and husband they arrive at the Army Every day Sapor gave wonderfull proofes of his valour and Numerian with the faire she warriour never lost siight of him For to have acknowledged their victories with Crowns a Forrest of Laurell would scarce have sufficed Vpon a day a toy took them to give the enemy an assault in one of his quarters but the sentinell having given the watch word they found themselves encompassed in such sort as the Prince was in great danger either of loosing of his life in the place or of being taken by the Turkes Then did love whose fire worketh no lesse effects then the fire of thunder cause Rosana to take such paines as cannot be exprest now thought she or never is it time to make proofes and show of my true affection unto him whom I love more then my selfe with which thought shee immediately cast her selfe where the danger was most eminent even like a furious Tigres who runnes her selfe amongst the weapons of the hunters by seeking to free her young ones she layes at the first she meets and overturnes him strikes another makes a third runne away and gives no stroake but it lights home and is sorely felt she playes her part so well that opening the thickest of the prease she makes way for the Prince to escape Numerian seeing this stooped downe his head and runnes himselfe into the middest of them and labours to doe some good office for that deare halfe of himselfe who had done so much for Sapor and as one more carefull of hers then of his owne life he conjured her affectionately to retire under the safeguard which he yeelded thereto by his resistance What said shee in a kind of anger would you counsell me to forsake the honour wherein I am to purchase shame by flight if you will oblige me then I pray retire your selfe I have yet both an arme and a heart strong enough to uphold your retreate it were pitty that you should cast your selfe away being able enough to pleasure our Master in an occasion of more importance only remember our love and tell him that I die his slave I refuse thy warrant said Numerian for I will rather dye then see thee perish I conjure thee by the obedience thou owest me that thou get thee from hence age and reason yea and sexe will that I precede thee goe serve my Master and cherish my memory as thou hast promised Whilest they thus contested Sapor was in safety and these two lovers found themselves inwrapped by a multitude who furiously summoned them to lay downe their armes whereunto these great courages replied boldly that they were never accustomed to make such dishonourable compositions we will said they die with our weapons in our hands to which words they joyned blowes turning and laying about them on all sides that they made the very stoutest give backe but as they were about to make a glorious retreat and had almost given way to their own souldiers even then a multitude overcomming them again Numerian was thrown to the ground and run through in divers places having but so much time as to say farewell my dearest Rosana thy courage hath undone us These words moved with pitty the very hearts of those barbarous people who invited the valiant she warriour to yeeld desiring her to be willing to live and to comply with the desire they had to save her but this admonition was in vaine for this generous loving woman answering onely with her sword so kindled the wrath of those she hit that one of the wounded desirous to revenge his hurt thrust his sword quite through her body and sent her soule to accompany Numerians The skirmish ended she was found among the dead with her husband and after they knew that she was a woman they that had felt her stroakes did more admire her valour Now the sorrow and griefe of Sapor cannot be exprest which he took in this losse he sent for the two bodies that he might yeeld to their ashes which he watered with his teares some testimony of his friendship he caused them to be carried to Slesia where he spared no cost to make their funeralls and caused a most stately tombe to be erected over them for preserving their memory unto posterity as long as marbles can last In this Event all men may plainely see that vertues strive to enter in ranke into the Elegie of this generous Amazon purity magnanimity constancy valour courtesie resolution courage but above all that makes it most illustrious who can but admire to see love and honour with honesty to bee so straightly conjoyned in her spirits O soule truly heroicall and who mightest have deserved a more eminent birth and higher fortune but what need had she of birth or fortune shewing us in her generous poverty that vertue is not tied in the degree or bloud of persons and that it raiseth those that possesse it even above all humane condition THE PRVDENT MOTHER The Second Event WHen Widdowes are left with children grown to mans estate they commonly are much troubled in governing them for they are like horses as we may say having slipt the collar soon forgetting the respect which they owe unto those that have begotten them and they thinke themselves too wise to be ruled by a womans counsell yea they scorne to submit themselves to a sexe which seemes to be borne for to live in subjection Fathers as being stronger keepe the authority over them better but what they restraine in them by power and feare mothers should doe by prudence and love following his maxime of the mother which I shall represent unto you in this Chapter who turned backe her sonne from a foolish designe preserved the honour and quiet of her house and was after all most dutifully thanked of her child who confessed to have had from her both his being and raising Shee was of that part of Gaule which is commonly held to be the country wherein wisedome doth inhabit where the North wind doth subtilize the aire and causeth it to passe through the spirits of the inhabitants who thereby become wonderfull crafty circumspect and discreet in their affaires you may suppose that I speake of Neustria but I know not whether it were in the higher or the lower that this happened which I am about to relate notwithstanding there are some that conjecture it to have beene in the lower patt and in a City joyning to the sea coast as it will appeare in the sequell of this Event A widdow Lady whom we will call by the name of Fronesse because of her prudence kept her house in a Castle whereof her husband now deceased was Lord who left her divers children whose breeding and bringing up was all her care It is well knowne that in Normandy the eldest sonne carries away all the meanes and estate the youngest he leaves to inherit misery so that this mother
that he meant to cast oyle on the fire of this Ladies inflamed heart he said unto the Messenger that he feared a surprisall and that this hand being easie to be counterfeited it was perhaps a lure to call and a snare to intrap and undoe him Leuffroy was at the point of being angry at this mistrust which seemed to taxe him with treachery but considering with himselfe the just cause that Fleuriall had to suspect and besides that his Ladyes intent was not to vexe him he moderated his choller and turning it into a merriment he said verily faire sir you marvellously feare your skinne and you seeme very nice in an occasion for which a thousand knights would hazard the losse of a thousand lives a piece it is said Fleuriall neither my life nor my skinne that I seeke to put in safety being ready to expose both the one and the other unto all manner of paines and death for the service of so noble a Lady but I feare that her honour which is dearer to me then all that concernes my selfe should become interessed or wronged and then if her children should never so little perceive this businesse what corner of the earth were able to shelter me from their wrath or what power could make me escape the cruelty of their vengeance Discreet Leuffroy having by this discourse understood the motions of this Gentlemans soule who was held backe from seconding the intentions of the Countesse onely by feare of her children made it all knowne unto her whereupon Crisolite resolved not to waste her selfe away in that manner by concealment of her affection from her children being to her as unprofitable as it was troublesome but before them to declare her passions and intentions Having then on a morning caused them all foure to come into her chamber two wit the two sonnes Maximillian and Septimus and the two daughters Anicete and Catherine She said thus unto them my good children for the cares I have had in your bringing up and for the endeavours of a good mother which I have ever yeelded unto you I beleeve none of you but will confesse how tenderly and heartily I have loved you during the time that heaven permitted me to live with your now deceased father I have behaved my selfe toward him with all the submission modesty and fidelity which a wife owes unto her husband but in fine cruell death hath taken him from me and parted us and he hath left me in an age not yet so great that it should freeze the blood in my veines nor interdict me to thinke of a second marriage I have done all that I can to put this idle fantasie out of my head but my nature is so repugnant unto this holy vertue of continency which heaven doth not grant to every one that I beleeve I ought rather to marry then to burne and that is the thing I am determined to doe but because I am not of a common condition matches conformable to my birth and quality are not easily found therefore I have cast mine eyes and fixed my heart on a Gentleman with whom I hope to have more contentment then if he were of greater degree and whose alliance will be lesse prejudiciall unto you then if I tooke another of higher birth I know the lawes of the Nobility of this Countrey very well but I know also that the lawes of nature are more ancient and those of love more strong you know what great revenewes I have brought to this house which if it were transsported into the hands of another husband your inheritance would be much diminished I have found a way with which I shall rest well contented our honour shall be sheltered and your meanes shall not be lessened nor impoverished I will secretly marry this Gentleman whom I shall name unto you he shall dwell in my house as a domesticall servant none shall know that I have mismatcht my selfe and if any children shall issue from him and me they shall be brought up secretly and they may be provided for with indifferent meanes In this manner without any prejudice to you I shall be satisfied I speake freely and roundly to you as to my children from whom I hope for as much love respect and consent as the goodnesse of your nature doth promise me another it may be more haughty and more imperious would have done whatsoever her passion had dictated unto her without your counsell and it may be also that another having lesse feare of God and lesse respect to honour would have remedied her incontinency by meanes as dishonourable as unlawfull but I had rather dye a thousand deaths then to set such a spot on my blood and posterity knowing this that a woman without honesty of what quality soever she be is but as it were a laistall finally I doe intreate you not to speake any thing to disswade me from this my resolution being I have declared unto you that it is absolutely necessary for my contentment only judge whether the way by me proposed be not reasonable and fitting as well to set my conscience at rest and my honour at shelter as to preserve the meanes which I brought into your Fathers house If these foure children were not amazed at this proposition is not a question to be asked but at last seeing they must make use not of consultation but of resolution in a businesse determine they make a vertue of that necessity which is not subject to any lawes and imbracing obedience and discretion inclined themselves to the will of their mother whom they saw to be as carefull of their good as of her owne contentment whereupon the eldest speaking for all the rest answered her with all dutifull respect and modesty that although their common desires could it may be more wish to see her in a glorious widdowhood then in a disadvantagious marriage neverthelesse they were so many wayes obliged to her both for their lives and for the meanes which they held of her and also for the great paines shee had taken in their education that they had rather renounce themselves and their owne judgements then to contradict her in any one point that she was their Mother their Lady and their Mistresse that she might dispose of their bodyes their lives their meanes and their wills according to her good pleasure it belonging not unto them to resiâ—â— any of her intentions and that the only glory of obeying her as their mother was the fairest lot in their heritage and seeing that they had hitherto beene ruled and governed by her without any contradiction in what concerned themselves they could not with reason disapprove what she should doe for her selfe that they would honour and respect him that she should chuse for her husband after what manner soever shee would command and that she might be onely pleased to appoint and she should find in them a perfect obedience Chrisolite saw that these were not so much words of complement as of
sometimes to Rotemberg sometimes to Melsingnam to see our common parents he was at our house as at his owne and I at his as at myne in briefe wee lived in an incomparable union It happened once as we were at Melsingnam that my friend saw in a company a faire maid named Yoland whose graces so woon his heart that hee did nothing but thinke on her and talked to me thereof out of the abundance of his thoughts Presently I judged him to be stung with her love and hee acknowledged so much unto me at my first asking for hee concealed nothing from mee Truly sayd I to him I am very glad that your affections have addressed theÌ„selves in a place where I may yeeld you assistance for besides that it is in my native Countrey I am somthing allyed unto this gentlewoman and although it be a farre off yet this affinity gives me a more particular accesse unto her and by mee you may with more facility and more commodiously introduce your selfe into her company and from this frequentation passe into her favour you have so much merit that to see you know you and love you goe together Then Incmar with tears in his eyes but they were teares of joy sayd Deare friend thou thinkest that every one considers me as thou dost and that thy passion communicates its contagion unto others I have not so much presumption as to thinke to breed affection in this vertuous minde but it shall suffice mee that shee suffer me to honour her and that the torments that I endure for her being acceptable may bee a testimonie of the sacrifice which I make unto her of my heart Thou art already replied I in those tearmes of Idolatrie which grow in the mouthes of lovers and which as I thinke proceed but from the top of the lippes otherwise these complements would offend heaven and would bee so many blasphemies for they speake but of altars of sacrifices of adorations of flames of victimes of godesses of temples of vowes of praises of perfumes and other such idle thinges wherewith they entertaine their craized imaginations thus replied Incmar doe those that are in health laugh at the actions of them that be sicke of hot diseases in stead of having compassion on them but if thou hast any compassion on mine for every lover is wounded I pray thee to lend me thy helpe and to beleeve that the greatest proofes that thou canst give mee of thy incomparable friendship shal be thy assistance in this occasion my love being to me no lesse precious nor considerable then my life then did I promise to yeeld him all sorts of good offices and because I feared that the issue of this designe would not succeed according to his desires after that I have laboured in vain to diswade him this enterprize wherein I beleeved he should unprofitably loose his time seeing that the obstacles which I represented unto him augmented his ardor and that the difficulties animated him the more unto the pursuit I swore unto him to passe over all considerations for his contentment being nothing was so deare unto mee in the world as to please him I then found meanes divers times to make my faire kinswoman be seene by my freind who having declared unto her his affection and discovered that this maide had an inclination to acknowledge it entred into great hops the element of lovers to see his pretentions arrive unto the port which he desired I was every day at Yolandes eares relating unto her the commendable qualities of Inemar and my owne affection making me eloquent it was easie for me to perswade her what I my selfe beleeved for it is requisit that the Orator be moved who will move others to inspire love one must have a feeling of its sweet flame this young bird by little and little suffered her selfe to bee brought on by my pipe and to bee taken by the inevitable baites of Incmars conversations now was he wholy in Yolands favour but yet although the heart were wonne for to arrive unto the possession of this faire body one of the ornaments of nature these were obstacles which appeared invincible but what is there difficult what is there impossible unto those that will and that love Graciana step Mother unto Yoland had married Raoul Father to this Maid on condition that a sonne that shee had by her first husband should marry this gentlewoman when as age had made her capable of marriage Raoul without any consideration but of gold whose dust dasleth the eyes of the clearest sighted obliged himselfe unto this promise not regarding that so to force the will is rather the part of a tyrant than of a Father and then what obedience could have obliged faire Yoland to give herselfe unto a monster and to love him who had all the causes which can give horror he had a back higher then his head capable to ease Atlas of his burthen as well as Hercules if he had beene tall enough and strong enough but hee was so little as one would almost have thought that since the day of his birth hee had not grown in any part but his haire besides that he was so swollen and so round that one might have taken him for a great hand worme or a middle sizd Bowle his complexion a little whiter then an Ethiopians approached unto the coulour of a sicke Spaniard his lips big his cheekes flat his eyes sunk in and a nose enemy unto all other noses to avoid it one should have had a buckler or rather a rampier of perfumes for though it had no smelling it was to be smelt his stature such as I have described it upheld by two legges so small that the eares of corne which totter in the field with the least breath of wind have firmer foundations those were the columnes of this Hercules which forbid mee to passe on further in his description with all these remedies of love what could he breed in the spirit of Yoland but hatred I beleeve that this aversion helped not a little to lodge Incmar in her affection because that comming to compare so many deformities with so many graces wherewith my friend was rightly stored she found him as worthy of her love as the other to be deprived of it whilst these things passe in this manner and that lovely Incmar possesses the affections of Yoland in the same sort as she possessed his Hugolin that is the name of the beautifull fellow which I have painted you out adding unto all these deformities that of jealousie perceived this correspondency and well judging that this new love made a shadow on his perswasions he advertised Raoul thereof who to keep his word and to see his daughter richly matâ—ht unto this only but singularly ill favoured sonne promised him to discard this brave Courtier he meant Incmar that thus put crickets into his head and in effect hee forbad his daughter to see him any more but seeing this forbidding was to no
purpose because that Yoland replyed that she could not hinder this gentleman from comming into those companies where she chanced to be Raoul talked to Incmar himselfe and advised him to frame no designe on Yoland because shee was promised unto Hugolin and that this ware was no more for sale which was already agreed for and retained This discourse very much angered Incmar who had vomited up his gall against Hugolin and had spoken more harshlie to Raoul if the love of the daughter had not kept him back in respect to him whom he intended should be his Father in law and it had been the way wholy to ruinate his project if hee had vexed this man who was naturally subject to choller and apt to strike he therefore stroke saile as gently as he could yet without obliging himselfe neither to see nor love Yoland not to deprive saide he his eyes his heart of the fairest object and the loveliest in the world but because hee came to know that continuing to see her according as it fell out it caused her to be ill used by her Father and stormed at by her step Mother which was a domesticall fastened unto her coller stirred up thereunto by jealous Hugolin who already tooke upon him the power of a husband over her that was but promised unto him he abstained from seeing her by going to Cassell where the pleasing objects that the court could furnish his eyes with all seemed unto him but as the small starres which night layes out in the sky in absence of the light which makes the day meane while I kept his pâ—ace at Melsingnam neere Yoland who knowing the straight freindship that tied us discovered the feelings of her spirits as sincerely to me as shee would have done to Incmar himselfe I informed him day by day of the invariable fidelitie of this maide in whom since absence nor contradictions changed not affection but as it is hard to be long in the sunne without being tanned and in a perfumers shoppe without drawing from thence good odors it happened unexpected that the conversation of my kinswoman but kinswoman in such a degree as I might have married her without offending the lawes framed I know not what inclination in my soul which became love ere I perceived it I felt not my selfe and her attractions and charmes struck so deepe into my heart that I was a long time in ballance tottering betwixt love and friendship not knowing unto which party to yeeld at last after strange combates friendshippe had the victory honour bearing it away over sense and reason over passion the perfect friendship which I had long before contracted with Incmar represented unto me that if I fastened on Yoland I should commit the most notorious trecherie that can be imagined that I should beheld for aright Chelme which was the cause that making an effort within my selfe I cast of these flatering thoughts wherewith the beauty of Yoland tickled my imagination for to be fathfull to my freind contenting my selfe to love her as a sister whom I wished to see wife to him that I loved as a brother and verely I may well put among the proffes of the greatnesse of my freindship to Incmar this victorie over my selfe and this continuall warre which I made against my selfe being neere Yoland unto whom I did speake of my freind with the same presentment which I had for my selfe Yet did jealous Hugolin penetrate into our proceedings and as none were ignorant that Incmar I were but one he had reason to beleive that I spake for my freind and that under the vaile of kindred I entertained my kinswoman with another alliance then his Now doth he make unto Raoul the same complaints of me as of Incmar the stepmother beholdes me with crosse lookes when I am neer her daughter in law and if Hugoline had had as much courage as Iealousie he might have done me an ill turn what indeavours soever he used he could never cause Yoland to be prohibited seeing me nor make Raoul forbid me to see my kinswoman Blood hath I know not what which ties persons with a straine so strong that it is hard to breake it true it is that Raoul in a more moderate manner then his humor did beare one time represented to me the marriage determined to be betwixt his daughter and Hugolin entreating me not to speake to her of Incmar for feare least the merits of this knight one of the gallantest of the court should make her see cleerer then need was into Hugolins imperfections which were but too apparent and that therein I should doe him a pleasure and the duty of a good kinsman the duty of a good kinsman replied I is to bring backe his kinsman unto reason when hee straies from it now it seemes to me signeur Raoul that you goe from it a little in going about to make a marriage and destroying the foundations thereof which consists in the union of two wills and if you constraine the will of your daughter this constraint being diametrally opposed unto fredom you make the marriage vicious knowing then that shee hath great aversions from this little mishapen creature not to say any thing more cruel against Hugolin theÌ„ what our eies teach us I cannot theÌ„ without breach of the duty of a good kinsman faile to advertise you thereof that as a good Father you may seeke to make your daughter lesse rich and more contented I know said hee how farre paternall power doth extend and my daughter is not ignorant of what obedience she owes me it doth not belong to Maids to meddle in the choyce of their husbands they ought therein to rely on their parents and to have no other will then the will of those that command them and for that matter it is resolved on my word is past the state of mine affaires good of my house requires it whether she will or not it must be so she must not put any other affection into her head but of Hugolin whose mother I should never have had if I had not promised her to make this other marriage of my daughter with her sonne seeing that this man was so setled in this his resolution and that it would bee but labour lost to seeke to remove it out of his mind I left him with good words and complements which satisfied him meane time the beauty of Yoland daily purchast her beholders admirers and new servants which gave many alarums unto Hugolin who seeing himselfe surpassed by all in all manner of things excepting riches feared infinitely to see before his marriage so many enemies on his hands as rivals after his marriage more friends then hee would have at last to make himselfe of a doubtful possessor an absolute Maister and intending to take such order with Yoland that hee should breed him no more suspitions hee resolved to consummate his marriage although hee had not attained unto the twentieth yeare of his age
yet by fostering love me then and preserve me as a brother and I will honour you as my Lord my Prince and the only light of mine eyes Whosoever hath seene a strong North wind sweeping away in short time all the clouds which obscured the face of heaven hath seene the effects that these generous words uttered forth with such a grace and sincere feeling wrought in Sapor If it happen sometimes that a multitude having begun a mutinie excite a furious sedition that fire and sword march in the field and Cities that stones flie and rage makes a weapon of any thing that comes next And in the middest of all this hurliburly a grave man of authority presents himselfe unto this so many headed beast for to appease it's violence and bring it gently back unto it's duty you shall on a sudden see what effect this will worke in their eares and what attention they will yeeld unto his words wherewith he can so well winne their hearts that weapons fall from their hands fury vengeance disperse themselves in place of so furious a tempest succeeds a joyfull calme In the soule of Sapor was risen a tumult of passions revolting against reason and this torrent bore him away into a precipice of dishonesty but being become wise by the generous remonstrance of the Amazon peace returned to his soule with a glorions resolution to vanquish himselfe wherein certainly he deserved more praise then if he had overcome a whole Army For this is the highest degree whereunto vertue can raise a courage seeing that many overcome others who else would never have subdued themselves After that time the Prince purifying his affections and for ever banifhing uncleane intentions from his thoughts never after importuned Rosana with any thing which might in any wayes offend her chastity And so farre was he from being cured of this ardent feaver by despight or contempt that contrariwise his love founded on the estimation of this virgins invincible vertue did much increase if what was arrived at it's extremity could receive an increase true love only aimeth at the good of the object beloved even as Rosana delighted only in the honour and glory of her Prince and to see him daily increase in vertue and reputation which are the true earthly riches that cannot perish so Sapâ—â— had nothing that he so much desired as to raise her whom he truly loved as if she had beene his naturall sister the flame of his love having then no more but a moderate heate without blacknesse or smoake The Duke his Father being dead and he the eldest and next lineall successor in that house being entred into the honours and the ranke whereunto his birth had called him amongst many Gentlemen his followers he had an inclination to favour Numerian a younger brother well descended and of a good house a younger brother which is as much to say as one seeking his fortune in his courage Friendship is not idle where it settles it presently falls to worke that it may make it selfe more knowne by effects then by words Sapor desirous to advance this young Gentleman thought he could not more befriend him then in giving him for his wife her whom he affected as his sister And her whom hee could well have wished for himselfe if the glory of his birth had not obliged him by reason of state to seeke a match conformable to his quality Numerian held for a great favour the motion which the new Duke made him of this marriage considering with himselfe that it was the onely meanes to establish his fortune in this great house The Prince himselfe also moved it to Rosana who answered him with her accustomed generosity as followeth Master said she will it not be a treason to give this body to a man who shall not possesse the heart being so filled with the honest love it beares you that there is no place voyde for any other subject permit me my deare Prince to die a virgin and with the glory of a vestall who hath not let her fire goe out The permission which I have had to love you I hold for so great an honour and the happineffe of your reciprocall friendship is so precious in my memory that I should think my selfe a bastard Eagle that having fastned mine eyes on so great a light should now remove them on some lesser starre permit me to be an Heliotropean the hearb Turnesole and that I may close up the leaves of my affections to all other lights but only to that which gives me day It is not that I pretend any other thing in my love but the contentment I finde in honouring you and you know that I have often protested that the happinesse to waite upon you sufficiently payes the reward of all my services For all the recompence which I looke for from you is to be and so to dye yours Neither doe I disdaine Numerian being a brave and vertuous Gentleman and of whose merit although I had no other proofes save your estimation it would be sufficient to make me respect him For your judgement is my law and your will my rule No unto what degree soever your goodnesse shall raise me yet I shall never forget the meanenesse of my condition But I am of that opinion that I should love that faire image which love for you hath graven in my heart if I should lodge another therein which hath made me desire to live and dye as I am Sister said the Prince ravished in admiration at the courage of this female if I thought the marriage which I propound unto you should never so little diminish the affection you beare me I would never consent thereunto nothing being so pretious to me as to see my self beloved and so fervently by a subject so amiable but because the love that you shall beare to him as your husband shall not bee contrary to that which you beare to me as being your brother I did verily believe that this marriage would bring neither to me to him or to you any manner of prejudice Love is like honour which varies it selfe according to the qualities of the persons or like unto the Pourcontrell or Peake fish who becomes of the same colour the things are whereon it fastens so that a man may love divers persons with all his heart according to divers respects a father as a father a mother as a mother a husband as a husband and a brother as a brother This flame of love extends it self like unto the flame of a torch which lights many others without wasting it selfe and it is thus that I intend to give you unto Numerian you know I love him but with a far inferiour affection to that I bare you my desire is to advance him and likewise you so that when you are joyned together I shall have a double cause to do you good and to gratifie you in what I may By these reasons which were as plausible as true Rosana who saw
by Taddees confession and held for innocent being that only in their owne defence and without any other designe they had committed this murther Androgeo absented himselfe for a time but by change of aire he changed not his evill manners nor the malice he conceived against the two brothers of his Step-mother but on the contrary being doubly animated by the death of his brother and thinking it a dishonour if he revenged it not he resolved to dispatch them to take them both together he had at his owne cost experienced how dangerous it was therefore he determined with his complices to take them asunder and rid them one after the other Returning backe secretly into the City and having divers times watched his adversaries hee at length met with Willerme going alone in the street thinking on nothing lesse then on the misfortune which happened unto him for he lost his life having not so much time as to lay hand on his sword it was by a pistoll shot wherewith Androgeo hit him in the head and dasht his braines about the pavement an infamous act unworthy not onely of a Christian buâ— of any man that hath never so little honour before his eyes upon this he betakes himselfe to flight therby to save himselfe for had he fallen thereby to save himselfe for had he fallen into the hands of justice nothing could have prevailed towards the saving of his life pardons being never granted for such deeds notwithstanding it was presently knowne that he was the man that had done this filthy action whereof Sostene was no lesse sorrowfull than his new wife for the losse of her brother The other brother which was Tibere sweares by all the Starres that Heaven containes hee will bee righted either by way of justice or by force the bloud of his brother calling on him daily to seeke revenge but time the Physitian of all the wounds of the mind moderated a little his fury so that hee slackned the pursuite of justice Sostene deprived of his eldest sonne by death and his other sonne by exile sees now though too late that his indiscreete passion and unseasonable love were the grounds of all these mischiefes yet will he not cast the helve after the hatchet nor let that sparke of his race goe out which only remained in Androgeo and to conjure this tempest hee makes use of his wifes wit who moderated the boyling anger of her brother and in fine for his better satisfaction Sostene gave him his eldest daughter in marriage with such a competent portion that Tibere had no reason to thinke ill of any thing that had past all matters where hereupon accommodated and mercy taking the place of justice Androgeo by an abolishment of his former malice reenters into his estate But what agreement soever was made it was never possible to reunite the devided hartes of these two brothers in law nether the alliance by their two sisters nor the thought of the misery past nether the entreaties of freinds nor the teares of the poore old man could ever recall the fury of Androgeo he lookes awry sowrely and doggedly at Willerme who seeing this could not but do as much for being no lesse haughty minded than he by the like despisalls hee mockt his arrogancy from these lightnings of looks proceeded thunders of threats and from the thunder of wordes tempests ofdeeds For behold in mid-day meeting in open street they quarrell draw and Willerme receiving a hurt in the shoulder repaid Androgeo with two others the second whereof laid him dead on the ground although this was done by incounter in combatâ— and in heate of bloud yet Willerme got away chusing rather to justifie himselfe a farre off then neer Imagine now the poore old mans sorrowes when he beheld his last sonne lye wallowing in bloud and dead before his eyes and moreover kild by him that was his brother in law and son in law Let us leave his teares and despaires as a disease contagious because perhaps his griefe may passe into those who have the reading of these lines more for recreation then to procure pensivenes he now sees himselfe without heires male and his inheritance like to passe into the hands of strangers yea even of those who are imbrued in the bloud of his children O what a heart breaking was this too late did the scales fall from his eyes whereby he saw and felt that his foolish love had beene the spring and originall of all these deplorable Events at length being cast downe with languor and overwhelmed in sorrow and discontent a sicknesse seased on him which in few dayes layd him in his grave whereunto this griefe accompanied him to see all his house turned topsie turvie as we may say his estate disordered his second wife taking what she could get his two younger daughters unprovided his sonnes killd and his eldest daughter married unto a fugitive O old men learne hereby to overcome and moderate your doting passions and endeavour to become so prudent and wary as to avoyd any occasion which may induce such fooleries both dishonouring you shortning your life and hastning your body into the grave trust not too much unto the Snow of your head the Ice of your blood nor the coldnesse of your stomacke The flesh is a domesticall enemy which ceaseth not to molest us untill death The flesh is that enemy who lyeth in ambush for the heele that is to say to the extremities of our life so long as one breath is in our lips so long there is a spark of that fire still in our bones moreover it is a very ridiculous thing and no waies pardonable to see an old man foolishly passionate and who thinketh of a marriage bed when he had more need thinke on his grave THE GOOD FORTVNE OF HONESTIE The Seventh Event THE Romans in times past built two Temples the one they consecrated to Honour the other to Vertue These were so joyned and contrived together that none could enter the former but they must goe through the latter this served as an Embleme to shew that there can be no progresse to honour but by vertue And that glory is a perfume fit to smoake no where but before the Altar of vertue and indeed doe but marke what cleere lustre and bright sparkling you see in a Diamond or what light comes from a great fire the same is honour in vertuous actions which are of themselves so resplendent that they produce rayes of esteeme and praise to reflect on those out of whom they issue The Psalmist goes further and will not only have glory to accompany the just man but also riches to enter into his house and to remaine there from age to age in his posterity so that if the ancients had had any knowledge of this doctrin they would surely have added a third Temple unto the two former which they would have dedicated unto good hap or good fortune which should have beene entred through that of honour for
him and thither retire her selfe and live on her dowry this proffer she accepted and taking her daughter whom she meant to bring up with her away shee went Then Saebinian tooke the husband of Heraclee into his house who from his fathers officer was become his father in law and put in his custody all his affaires he gave also unto Heraclee his mother in law the guide and conduct of all his house reserving no other care unto himselfe but to passe his time in hunting and other pleasures with his faire and vertuous wife Thus did Heraclee see her goe forth of the Castle that had formerly driven her forth thereat and she entred the place of government and managing of all the young Marquesses estate He advanced his father in law and all the children of Heraclee Patacule brought him five children which were the survivers of his name and possessors of his estate O how faire and illustrious is the race of chast and honourable persons the memory whereof shall last for ever Thus you may see how great a good it is to be enrolled under the Standard or Ensigne of vertue for on that side the victory cannot be doubted of Behold unto what height of good fortune she hath elevated the honesty and constancy of Heraclee and then cry out with the Psalmist O Lord thou wilt not deprive them of any good that walke before thee in innocency and righteousnesse but on the contrary thou wilt heape blessings on them aboundantly O God of vertues how happy is that soule that placeth all it's hope and confidence in thee alone THE GENEROVS FRIEND The Eight Event IF that a man spend all that hee have that is to say all the goods that fortune hath lent him in expressing his love to his friend he will esteeme it as nothing providing that his friendship be true but when he comes so farre as to expose himselfe to an assured death for a friend this is the highest point whereunto friendship can reach well do we see dayly the rage of Duells which diminisheth the fairest and noblest bloud of France where friends expose their lives to the hazard of combate in maintaining the quarrells of those they love the hope also to remaine victorious and have a share in the honour of armes makes them the bolder in these enterprises but in cold bloud to present himselfe to an undoubted death for a friend is a thing so rarely seene that antiquity furnisheth us with no example thereof but that of Pillades and Orestes and Poets tell with admiratioÌ„ Castor his sharing of immortality with his brother Pollux And yet one of our French Historians in his description of Polonia relates the memorable example of a generous friendship which preserved the life of both the friends who eagerly contended to die each for other The singularity of this Event hath made me place it here with few ornaments or addition of fine words the splendor of the action setting it selfe out sufficiently with it's owne beauty Octavian and Leobell two young Gentlemen of Lithuania in their tendrest youth had such an inclination each to other that by these beginnings it was judged that if their friendship encreased with their age it would attaine vnto such a degree of perfection which would dimme the lustre of those that ancient historians doe highly commend unto vs. Their parents were good friends and neighbours dwelling in the same City of Vilne the principall of Lithuania but their friendship was common and vulgar in comparison of that of their children whereof they rejoyced leaving them at their owne liberty to improve it by their familiar conversation this ordinary frequentation bred in their minds such a mutuall correspondency that their wills seemed to be one and that both hâ—d but one soule parted into two bodies they had not any the least thought from each other and no sooner had the one any designe just and reasonable but the other would profer him his assistance therein and if he thought it not lawfull he laboured to turne him from it which the other would not refuse to doe as well for the love of vertue which was the cement or gluten of their friendship as for feare of grieving his friend who thus brought him back unto what was honest and convenient They learned together in the Academy all the excercises befitting their birth and condition wherein by a praise worthy emulation they surpassed all theire fellowes the passions which most agitate youth are quarrells and love in both these stormes they vpheld each other with so inviolable fidelity that the interest of the one was the others without suffering the least sprig of jealousy to cast it's thorny rootes of suspition into their hearts At length it hapned that Octavian set his affection on a subject so full of honour that it could not be attained vnto but by the Rites of holy church I meane that he could not without impudency intend any thing thereto but by way of marriage Love is naturally blind and although it be first taken by the eyes yet are they hood-winkt vnto many circumstances which would hinder it's birth and growth if they were iudiciously foreseene it was the faire face of Pauline one of the compleatest Gentlewomen of the City which stole away his heart besides her beauty she was a match very considerable for estate so that this his determination was not with out difficulty to be followed and that which made it yet lesse accessible was that Gelase sonne to one of the principall citizens of Vilne was a suitor to this maide and had obtained the good will both of his and her parents to proceed in his suite so that he was in a good forwardnes on both those sides though not on Paulines who by a naturall Antipathy had a secret aversion from his humour which she could not by any meanes endure he was proud and haughty arrogant both in gesture and words and in liew of winning love by submission he made himselfe odious to Pauline by his vanities and bravadoes and to say thus much by the way it must be granted that vanity is a thing so odious that as Amber will draw unto it any manner of strawes except of the hearb Basill so the heart of a humane creature can apply it selfe to love all sorts of people how miserable soever except they be vaine and proud contrariwise humility mildnesse and modesty are such charming qualities that there is no soule so churlish but will in the end be wonne by them and this was the way by which Octavian insinuated himselfe into the affection of Pauline besides the other gifts of nature which made him commendable a Marchant distasted in selling by his first chapman is halfe agreed with the second the paine Pauline suffered to endure the approach and conversation of Gelase made her to be presently taken with the Gentlenesse and submission of Octavian who with so much grace wrought himselfe into her good will that the offer of his
he is constrained to crave pardon for his suspitions and to cry her mercy for the wrong which she her selfe does to him Whilest she continues in this manner of licentious living after she had as he thought purchast Fusbert for her husband she caught into her nets a new prey with whose good pâ—rts she was extreamly taken and this was a yong Gentleman who was a younger brother and had little else but his sword indeed for beauty and vâ—lour he was inferiour to few bearing the heart of Mars with the face of Adonis hardly had hee attained two the age of two and twenty yeeres but that he had both by sea and land manifested his valour so that he gave hopes of proving a very compleat knight This Circe having by her charmes made him her captive was not her selfe neverthelesse exempt from slavery because she became as it were an Idolater of his perfections insomuch that being as desirous of him as he could be of her she needed not much intreating to yeeld unto his will These unlucky women have this property to breed more passion in men after they have possessed them then whilest they woe them by reason of the cunning allurements wherewith they season familiarity Richard so will we call this young Gallant became so inamoured on this Thais that as she could not live without him no more could he live without her blindnesse a quality inseparable in love drave them unto a commerce so evident that it was perceived even by the dullest sighted much more by Fusbert whose jealousie made him now see the very atomes the smallest things who before let slip much greater presently rage and vengeance enter his spirit sometimes he was minded to kill this rivall and this wicked woman then recalling that he determined to forsake this wicked creature and to breake his word with her who falsified her faith with him Having by the ordinary motions of jealousie spied out all their actions and found that his suspitions were undoubted truths he resolved to breake the bonds in which he was obliged to this disloyall person and endeavouring by all meanes possible to learne particularly what reputation shee had he found in all companies that she was counted for a very lascivious woman whereupon he intended to turne bankerupt in the promise he had made her and to leave her infamous as shee was farre more worthy of his anger and revenge then of his love Having remained some few daies from seeing her during which time he endeauoured to cure those wounds by absence which his heart had receaved by the presence of this deceitfull beauty Demetrie who would faine hold him still in leash mistrusting his inconstancy writ letters to recall him but he returned her answeres so full of reproaches and spitfull termes accompanied with protestations so contrary vnto the promise he had formerly made her that shee presently thought that this horse had slipped his brdle and would scape away After shee long time to no purpose imployed her whole arte and skill to reconquer his minde which contrariwise became more froward by her submission and grew sharper by her entreaties shee fell to threats of constraint protesting to sue him on his promise thereby to make him acknowledgâ— it and to performe the contents thereof This put Fusbert into such a rage that not content to scoffe at her menaces and at the writing which she had he compiled a legend of her life so full of the most filthy and shamefull things accompanied with such beastly and dishonest truths That Demetrie animated by a furious despaire vowed to revenge her selfe thereof or to dye in the attempt but finding her selfe over weake to performe so notable a deed and being not able to recall this fugitive and so to worke him some mischiefe she bethought her self that she could not better bring her bloudy designe to passe then by Richard her new favourite who being desperately intangled in her love would hazard his life in all dangers whatsoever to content her The shamefull reproaches that Fusbert cast forth in all companies of this wicked woman were spread so farre that every one spake thereof and besides he nominated Richard more then any other who being descended of noble bloud and being of a brave couragious mind was not able to indure these invectives which so meerely touched his honour together with the reputation of that woman to whom he was so much devoted and therefore might the more easier bee induced to take the revenge thereof whereunto Demetry imploying her charming teares he vowed by her eyes which hee called his light and which were indeed his soules deadly torches that he would not sleep untill such time as he had presented her with the heart and tongue of Fusbert And in fine after he had often watcht him accompanied with some bravadoes as the manner of Italy is he tooke him at such an advantage that Fusbert being pierced through in divers places remained dead in the place The kindred of this murdered man being the greatest and most eminent of the city caused such a search to be made after Richard that not long after he was found and taken by the Magistrate who cast him into prison and in these obscure dungeons did his eyes open whereby he came to know his fault whereof he could hope for no pardon in that he had such powerfull adversaries assuring himselfe therefore of death he declared the truth of all he confessed and acknowledged that the only counsell and perswasions of Demetry had urged him unto an act so detestable wherof he repented himselfe from the very bottome of his heart Hereupon Demetry is attached and put in hold where she denyed nothing of what Richard had said but confirmed it beleeving verily that she had reason to avenge her selfe on him whom she had found a traitor perfidious and a violater of her chastity this her malice being knowne all the Iudges were of opinion that she deserved death only the youth of Richard suborned by this accursed woman bred compassion in them whereunto adding the glory of his birth and moreover the merit of his valour there were none but lamented his misfortune seeing that by the rigour of justice he was condemned to dye in the prime of his yeeres but his parents and kindred who feared that this execution would be an everlasting reproach unto their generation and not knowing by what meanes to avoyde it they with money corrupted a turne-key of the prison who gave him the meanes of escaping away within few dayes sentence was given against the evill counsellour who was condemned to loose her head on a scaffold which was done accordingly and Richard should also have borne her company if he had not beene gone After this meanes were made to appease the friends of Fusbert and Richards valour which made it selfe famous of in Flanders added unto the consideration of his kindred obtained a pardon and abolition of his fault and license to returne into his country where
heart was inpregnable to these attempts feare and distrust served as a fortresse and buckler against Zotiques letters which were as many promises of marriages to dazle her by this faire hope she opposed therunto the antidotes which were suggested into her by the councell of Anastasius In fine the excesse of Zotiques love grew to that passe that it made him beare himselfe openly a servant unto Castule and he said plainely that he would either have her for his wife or never marry Here now is the father more troubled than ever and resolved to hinder the match by all manner of wayes what naturall severitie soever be in a father it is alwayes indulgent for his child he hath ever a secret advocate in the heart of his father who pleads there his cause and obtains him sentence of absolution Although all the fault be in Zotique whose passion raises reason from his bounds and cannot be excused but by the excesse of his love neverthelesse his father casts it all I know not how upon Castule who indeed is the cause but innocently in the same manner as the Rock is cause of the ships splitting but the tempest or smal skil of the Pilot are causes of the wracke We alwayes excuse the faults of those that appertaine unto us and whatsoever they doe we beleeve it with reason or that they havâ— bin surprised If the Lord of Fleuranval had taken time to see Castule or to talke with her I assure my selfe hee might haue seene even innocency in her face and through the modesty of her words her prudence would have shined but seeing her only by the eies of others and not knowing her but by false reports he takes her for a tatling subtil huswife who makes a trophy of his sonnes affection and by her allurements and charmes keepes him in his dotage And although Anastasius assure the contrary yet his mind pre-occupated by a good forecast since it is not the part of a wise man to say I had not thought he deals with the Magistrates and drawes them to forbid Castule to pretend any thing in the marriage of Zotique nor to suffer his suit unto her No sooner comes this sentence to the knowledge of this maid but she protests to wish for nothing of Zotique but to be delivered from his importunate pursuits entreaing that this act of justice may be signified unto him to the end hee might refraine his insolent â—â—llicitings For the reverence due to the Magistrate she renounceth viva voce and by writing all claim or pretence to this marriage whereof through humility she declares her selfe unworthy Although that if vertue were esteemed according to its worth she deserved a better match Zotique hath likewise his share in this sentence whereat hee scoffes according to the ordinary custom of youth and nobility chiefely of great ones who laugh at the formalities of justice knowing that lawes are but spider-webs which stay but the smallest flies and are rent by the big ones Contrariwise as there is nothing that stingeth the minde like contradiction nor that provoketh desire so much as forbidding this sentence was as oyle on the fire and glorying in his shame I mean his rebellion to the magistrate and disobedience to his father he leaves no meanes unattempted to attaine to the end of his pretensions and still talkes of mariage as being a fair and lawful gate to passe thorow unto his designe The father seeing this madnesse possesse the soul of his sonne casts the cause thereof on the charmes of Castule publishing that she hath inchanted him and indeed if he had taken beauty and vertue for inchantments hee had had the more reason to thinke so seeing there is nothing which so much charmeth soules but hee takes it in an ill way and sayes that she deales in magick so little doth he know the sincerity and simplicity of this maid Meane time as there is no wound so slight but serveth for exercise unto surgeons so there is no pretext so weake but may yeeld great imployment to magistrates and officers The Lord Fleurenvall by right of neighbourhood was very familiarly acquainted with the Lord of the place where Castule made her aboad he makes him become susceptible of his opinion and partaker in his cause Castule is taken and without being heard or any other manner of proceeding is cast into prison Thus must innocency groan under setters whilest the guilty goe free through the world since the providence of heaven doth so ordaine it we ought to adore his government and not murmure thereâ—â— But here is a slippery step If one consider that Zotique commits faults and Castule beares the punishment thereof the wife is shut up and the mad is left in the liberty of his desires the sentence pardons ravens and layes hold on doves how then may it be said that innocency is a wall of brasse and a strong buckler against all the malices of this world since you see the poore afflicted whilest the wicked holds up his head gloriously But iron is never cleaner than when it comes out of the furnace nor brighter than when it hath been under the sharp teeth of the file the sun never shines clearer than when it comes from under a cloud the coale that hath beene covered with ashes is thereby hotter and quicker Although innocency be shaded in the obscurity of prisons yet neverthelesse she comes out in triumph radiating with glory All the fault of Castule was in the false opinion of the Lord of Fleurenval notwithstanding her imprisonment is diversly censured by the judgements of the world every one hath liberty to speake his minde thereof but it touched Zotique and Anastasius to the quicke yet very differently and truely the difference must be drawne out of the varietie or rather contrarietie of their affection and the more that of Anastasius was sincere and honest the more smarting ought to be his paine neverthelesse hee represses it in his heart and veiles it with a modest silence which makes it the sharper in the same manner as fire redoubles its heate beeing restrained within a furnace Whereas Zotique thunders flashes threatens makes a great stirre but in fine he imitates the sea which after much storme and tempest leaves but a little froth in its borders Anastasius makes lesse noise but more fruit for privatly visiting the judge who had caused her to be apprehended he remon strates unto him the injustice of his proceedings having begun â— cause by the execution only to follow the passion of an erroneous opinion rather than equity hee casts feares into his conscience which made him repent himselfe of his decree and seeke â—eanes to blot out his fault without dis-obliging those that had made him commit it It is good reason to disswade those that feare the face of great men and that are subject to be touched with favour not to take upon them any office of judicature lest they should commit scandalous and unjust actions through weakenesse
unto him that which she had said before and made him new protestations of love but of a love tending to Marriage if Anastasius had not beene very prudent doubtlesse letting himselfe goe on the wings of the wind his heart had soared up into some vanity which would have wrought destruction as well as that of Icarus but he imitated wise Pilots who strik halfe their Sayles when the winde is to strong for feare lest the Ship should overturne this love must by all meanes be kept close from the care of the new Guardian till such time as Castule had beene in Touraine and taken possession of what was befaine her by the will of her Mother which done and she stablished therein shee promised to send for Anastasius to give him the possession of her estate and person a reward of her fidelity and honesty and it was so done noe sooner did the new star appeare on the Horizon of Touraine but her rayes strooke into the eyes of divers Astrologers I meane of divers Sutors who would gladly have had her for the ascendant of their fortunes nativity but the horoscop destinated her for Anastasius to whom under hand she conveyed meanes to fitt himselfe of all things like a Gentleman so to become a sutor as the rest and having wrought the mind of her guardian to this point that of all those that sought her good will he would leave her at liberty to take her own choise since nothing ought to be more free from compulsion than marriage she gave her voyce to Anastasius who thus saw himselfe preferd before many Tourengeaux who beheld not without enuy the good fortune of this stranger When the Guardian understood how infinitely his Pupill was obliged unto Anastasius in lieu of growing angry at the unequality of the party hee praysed the prudence and Iustice of this maid who though she could not more worthily reward him that had preserved heramidst so many hazards then in giving herselfe to him now with what eare Zotique heard the tidings of this marriage I leave unto the consideration of him who will represent unto himselfe the rage of his love converted into that of wrâ—th Notwithstanding time the Soveraigne Physitian of the soules diseases will moderate all his paines and his Father having married him else where he lost in this new match the remeÌ„berance of his old flames meane time Anastasius who of a fathfull servant was become a Master might rightly terme himselfe a good Artist who had wrought his owne good fortune and that only by the meanes of vertue whereof he was become so constant a partaker and to say trueth it is good to hold with vertue for although her way bee inclosed with thornes yet it ends in Roses and early or late Fortune is constrained to stoope her ensign before her and acknowledge her selfe vanquished the Sunne may be obscured by clouds but never extinguished disasters may crosse or rather give an exercise to vertue but never stifle it it resembles the Vine which profits by it's cutting and the more it is beaten the lesse it is hurt in my opinion the principall thing remarkable in this History is the honourable Infidelity of Anastasius who was really and truly for Zotique as long as his pretenses were honest but revolted as soone as he perceived that malice had overturn'd the heart of this Gentleman and that his projects were unlawfull for if they be blame worthy who are faithfull in evill enterprises and make themselves guilty of anothers fault this Infidelity or disloyalty must needes bee honourable which playeth Bankrupt to evill designes THE FRVSTRATED INTENTIONS The Second Relation IT shall here suffice mee to name the Province of Champagne and to say that in one of his chiefest Cities there was a widdow Lady who having foure Children two Sonnes and two daughters labored to bring theÌ„â—p in the feare of God and good manners and although she was left yong enough with a Husband even at such an age as would have permitted her to mâ—rry yet she would persevere in her widowhood and remaine â—â—uly a Widow that is to say flying â—â—light and occasions of being wooed or sought â—â—ter for marriage but as it is the common desire of 〈◊〉 to advance their Families and torâ—ise their Children unto honour she having not power to do any thing for hers but preserve that whith they had and by sparing make them feele the fruites of her Wardship be-thought herselfe by a human prudence frequent enough in families to destinate two of them to the Church thereby to make the other two richer and greater and more advancâ—d in the world but even as the ende which is last â—â— in the execution is first in the intention so the intention which is first in the thought is last in the effect and betweene thinking and doing is a great distance the divine disposings agree not alwayes with human purposes forasmuch as the East is not farther distant from the West then the wayes of God are from the wayes of men this good woman Priscilla was led herein by the advice of her kindred and chiefly by a man of justice and authority who was substituted to the Guardianship of her children such are the disignes of a subject whose ballances have a waight but waight and ballances deceiptfull and without equality because they make the elevation and riches of the one by the abasement and poverty of the other the meanes of these younger children was remarkable for each one of their parts amounted to twenty thousand French crownes besides the right of the eldest I speake as knowing the perticulars thereof well then the youngest brother is dâ—stinated to bee a Ward a Knight of Malta and they stay but only untill he be of age to give him eyther the Coâ—vle or the Crosse the younger Dâ—ughter is puâ— into a Monastery there to be brought up among other little girles with intent to make her a Nunne hoping that she will not contradict the will of her Parents therein as for the eldest Daughter a great portion is promised with her whereby she soone becomes the object of desire unto many Suiters as there is no beauty so great whereunto painting may not adde something to prove it so hoâ— noble faire vertuous a Mâ—id be yet the rich Dowry doth ever augment the desire of possessing her among divers Matches profered for this eldest one was very advantagious and forasmuch as the two youngest destinated to the monestary were yet farr from the age not only of profession but of vesture the freinds durst not give in marriage with this more then twenty thousand French Crownes which was her assured part and her Suitor tooke her with that upon the infallible hope they gave him that hee should get another like sonne from the succession of those two creatures which were to be sacrificed for the greatnes of the two eldest they must put the yonger brother into a Monastery but his humor â—uteth not thereunto
truth consumed those mists and brought backe unto light the face of her innocence and shee was served as aforetime for as tempests purifie the sea so did these stormes justifie her reputation Berard whose naturall inclination was to love sailed not long ere he found a new rocke wheron he made shipwrack of his liberty it was at the feet of Ginnesinde that he yeelded himselfe and although his fickle and detracting humour made women doubtfull of him yet his quality and meanes bore such a lustre that they hid these defects unto those who hoped to make a fortune by him and besides it was thought that he might be cured of these imperfections and that if he could once be fastened with the indissoluble bond of marriage he would be constrained by the law of Hymen to be constant and likewise to be mâ—re reserved in speeches for feare least others might speake ill of his wife as he hath spoken ill of others and indeed it must be granted that Hymen is a soveraigne remedy to stay a fickle man and to stop his mouth it is time for him then to be wise or never on this perswasion and by the like permission of Parents Gunnesinde no lesse vertuous then faire received the proffers of his service and gained such great advantages on his spirit that it seemed this chaine could never be undone but who can hold the winde in his hand or stay a minde wherein lightnesse is not so much accident as substance Gunnesinde had neither more merit nor more charms than Stratonice and therefore no wonder if she had lesse power to retaine this man under her lawes pride like unto smoake is alwaies mounting the more this man sees himselfe made of the better opinion he takes of himselfe and this presumption leading him forth of the bounds of duty bore him unto such insolencies as a well-bred Mayd could not suffer without anger and indignation presently he enters into a chafe and as the prick of bloud-letting cureth the heat of a Feaver so the heat of this mans love was alayed by the sting of despight and whereas contrariety sharpeneth the desire in others this mans was extinct by opposition proud imperious spirit who would have all stoop to him and under the name of servant would take the authority not onely of a husband but of a Master and a tyrant Gunnesinde whose noble bloud was accompanied with a great spirit seeing her selfe affected among divers other by one Servulle a yong Gentleman whose humours pleased her well and who honoured her with submissions approaching even unto idolatry could not suffer the haughty humour of Berard who would raigne alone and absolutely as if he should give a law unto her from whom he ought to receive it often did he complaine unto her of the jealousie which Servulles presence bred in his head and would have her not onely to shunne him but to drive him from her by a kinde of affront whereunto Gunnesinde would never condescend unwilling so unworthily to reward the manifold respects and honourable services which she received of this yong man Berard unable to beare this jealousie and seeking but only some faire pretext to passe from the love of Gunnesinde unto that of Macrine whom he had already chosen for the object of his humour made use of this occasion to breake the bands and forsake Gunnesinde from a tongue like to his accustomed to sharpenesse and gaule nothing could be expected but scoffes or murmurings true it is they were but as arrowes shot against a rock for Gunnesinde by a severe manner of proceeding had established such a foundation unto her reputation that all Berards brags were as so many spittings vomited up against heaven which to his shame fell backe upon his owne face notwithstanding Servulle who had a farre more sensible feeling of these words darted against her whoÌ„ so fervently he loved then she her selfe had retorted backe in so many places such biting replyes unto Berard that had he had but as much care of his credit as of his haire hee would have sought to redresse it with an iron Servulle seeing he had to doe with a man who either understood him not or seemed not to understand him was on the point many times to give him the lye to his teeth or to challenge him but hee was kept backe by Gunnesinde who strictly forbad him wisely knowing that calumnies despised vanish away wheras vexing at them seemes to acknowledge them now is our Berard in the third quarter of the wayne of his liberty which if he easily lose he gets againe with as much facility Macrine grown wise at the others cost often twits him with his former ficklenesse thereby to keep him from stumbling at the same stone and the more she wils him to return back to his former suits the stronger hee fastens his affection on her This Mayd was under the power of a brother who watched her like a Dragon and would willingly have seene her settled on Berard because in effect the match was very advantagious but to have her exposed to the tatling of tongues was a thing he feared like death this brothers name was Accurse a man very valiant of his hands but hot brained he had had many quarrels and had issued out of them advantagiously his sword was to be feared Berard before this had beene a Paris before Achilles it may be heaven reserved him to prevent the brags and detractions of Berard who at first stood in more awe of the sisters eye then of the brothers hands but in the end the chance will turne the sword of Accurse shall be more hurtfull to him then the looks of Macryne To take away the blacknesse of a Moore and the spots of a Leopards skin are two things noted for impossible to take from an evill tongue and unconstant man his evill custome is in my opinion the like it seemed unto Berard that having to deale with a Mayd who was not under the subjection of a father nor mother he should have more freedome and power but he found his insolency abated as well by the honesty of Macrine who was not of an humour fit to indure fooleries as by the severity of Accurse who loved honour more than life to speake of marriage to an unconstant man is as much as to threaten a vagabond with imprisonment Accurse one day said roundly and dryly to Berard that if he intended to marry his sister he should make haste and end it if not he might goe elsewhere to divert his fantasie These raw words were of a hard digestion to so weake a minde as Berards that made him presently change countenance for there is nothing so stings a proud heart as a repulse the roughnesse of the brother made the conversation of the sister lesse sweet unto him Macrine who made the will of her brother to be a law unto her selfe being commanded by Accurse to let this man know that she would not be made the fable
accident happened But God who never leaves a wickednes unpunished and who rewards in their season the secret of hearts and things hidden in darke esse brought to light and to the confusion of Tygris all that he had plotted against Nilamon for this man being now growne insolent by reason the sayles of his desires were swelled with the winde of good fortune began to use his wife ill not considering that all the wealth wherein hee gloried proceeded from her and that although he were now a Lord but for her he should be but a simple Captain And as arrogance is never without impudence hee had been so unwise as to declare unto his wife the stratagems whereof he had made use to cause Nilamon to perish in the snares he had set for him This woman provoked by the il usage of her husband could not hold her tongue but one day being overcome with griefe she upbraided him with all his treacheries laying them evidently open And as a mischance never goes alone it happened that one of those who had assisted Appolinaire in the murther of Nilamon being taken for another crime before his execution confessed likewise this which hee did declare to have been done by a plot betweene Tygris and Appolinaire The words of Crispine and of this man joyned to the conscience of Tygris which was to him as a thousand witnesses cast such a terror into his soule that like another Caine he went his way wandring through the world imagining that the bloud of his brother in law cried still to heaven for vengeance against him His place was given to another and he thus voluntarily banishing himselfe from the sweet aire of France and the conversation of his wife and children fled into Germany where at warres he dyed in an incounter this was the miserable successe of his wretched designes and how God would not permit him to enjoy that wealth which to purchase had made him violate the lawes both divine and humane and prophane the most Sacred bonds that are in nature he that by just labours and lawfull industries gathers up any thing shall see his goods prosper like a tree planted neere the current of waters which brings forth fruite in its season but it shall not bee so with him that wrongfully heapes up riches for he shal be set like dust in the face of the wind and all that he hath gathered shall bee scattered and consumed this proverbe proving ever true that ill gotten goods goe away in the same manner THE FORTVNATE Misfortune The Sixt Relation MArcel a gentleman of Touraine comming from Saumur was returning to his house not farre distant from the River of Indre it was in the long dayes of Summer when the greatest heates make the shades to bee more affected his man who caried his male and his two footmen being more thirsty then their Master were stayed at a Taveâ—â—e to drinke and refresh themselves mean while Marcel went on dreaming and arived alone at the River side and as he staid there for his men to passe over with him there came a young man reasonable well clothed with a comely face who proffers to take the bridle off his horse this faire presence stroke into his eies and takeing pitty on his youthes fortune who had as good a countenane as ever he beheld questioned with him what he was the young man with a voice able to inchaunt the Rockes said Sir I am an Orphant having neyther Father nor Mother and of the Countrey of Boulonnis forsaken by all there am going to Chasteleraud to find out an Vnckle of mine Brother to my Mother and see if he will take pitty on me or find me out some place where by serving I my get my living youth said Marcel it is easie to bee seene that you have not beene brought up to serve at least wise in painefull offices it is true said he if it had pleased God to have spared me my Father who was an honest Marchant I should not be reduced to this misery but Merchants are not knowne till they die his shop was faire and his credit great but as soone as he died all fayled and his debts were found to bee farre greater then all that he had so that being destitute of any meanes I must make a vertue of necessity and seeke to eate my bread by the sweat of my brow Marcels heart was mollified at this youths disaster and resolued to retaine him in his service imagining that hee had on his forehead a certaine ray of freenesse and fidelity weary with staying for his men he goes into the boate with this youth who named himselfe Geronce hee had a little Satchell on his backe long Flaxen haire waving on his shoulders a Suite reasonable good but a ravishing grace hee held the Horse raines after such a manner as it was easie to be seene his only courage upheld his weaknesse Marcels Castle was from thence some two little leagues wherein Geronce found himself but a bad footman yet on the way he entertained his new Master with such good discourses that the time seemed not long Being arrived home and saluting his wife he said unto her Madam I bring you a new guest whose good countenance serves for letters of credence I have destinated him to wait on our sonne this was a childe of some nine or ten yeares of age I beleeve he will keep him neat and cleane and if this little boy take after him he shall neither want comelinesse nor good behaviour this Lady looking on Geronce found him to be perfectly acceptable and praysed her husbands judgement for applying him so worthily as to wait on their sonne Sulpice for that was the childes name was in a short time so taken with the conversation of Geronce Geronce be took himself with so much care diligence to tend serve him that father Mother and Sonne were equally satisfied therewith all the Bees run to the hony-comb Geronce was one and both Master Mistresse and Servants strove who should love him most there was nothing so modest so gentle nor so beautifull as this young mans qualities which charme the savagest spirits But alas beauty that acceptable gift of heaven is a dangerous thing this pleasing illusion of the sence this snare of the soule this short tyranny extendeth his power even over the heart of Fursee for so will we call the wife of Marcel Good God with what convulsions was it tormented this poore thing tossed between love and honour at one and the selfe same time the one of them striking it with cold feare and the other with burning desire doe you not pitty the violence of this feaver what indeavours did she not use for the combat the safety of this illusion but they were vaine for she had rooted this poyson so deep into her heart that she was forced to yeeld how unequall is the wraâ—â—ling between reason and passion in a weake spirit and what stedfastnesse soever is imagined to
be in the weaker sex it is but of glasse and breakes at the first stroke I will not stand to describe by particulars the confusions the troubles the shames and the contradictions of this troubled mind nor to represent by what meanes she made Geronce know that which shee had so often tryed to stifle by silence the brevity which I prescribed to my selfe in these relations permits me not to extend my selfe unto these particularities I will onely say that which I cannot omit without blotting out the principall features of this picture to wit that having need of a confident person to guide this businesse unto the end she desired she made choyce of one of her maids named Leobard and having with such shamefacednesse as cannot well be represented made known to her with what disease she was infected and how she was forced to seeke remedy from the Serpent that had bit her she hapned so unluckily that even as the Bird who maketh the Lyme which fowlers use afterwards to catch him withall for this Maid was struck with the same dart then may you imagine if to trust her rivall with her secret were not in a manner as to thrust a knife into her owne bosome Leobarde to weave her treason with more facility promiseth all manner of assistance unto Fursee although her thought were quite contrary to what her mouth uttered and thinking to have found out a meanes so to oblige Geronce that he should no longer continue the disdaine wherewith he had hitherto repayed her love she declared unto him the passion and affection of Fursee towards him Geronce who had divers times shewen unto Leobarde that those discourses were horrid unto him rejected this also Leobarde seeing then that she could not obtaine credence in his minde counselled her Mistresse to speake her selfe if she would be understood this froward youth having no eares for her perswasions what griefe felt Fursee to see that she had in vain declared her selfe unto this Maid whose answer was a sad presage of the small hopes she might have to bend Geronce to her desire what new paines took she to pul this thorn out of her soule but at the first sight of this faire object all these indeavours vanish into smoake and new fires took possession of her heart It is not without reâ—son that those who write of the cure of maladies of the minde say that not to avoyd the occasions is to be still in the disease for so he that is not in the City is in the suburbs and to present a person that loves with the object that sets him on fire is as to approach the flâ—me unto a smoaking Torch this youth was one of Fursees domesticals alas how could she have healed up a wound that opened again as often times as she opened her eyes there is nothing so much inflames the hurts of the body as to apply honey thereunto nor those that any affectionate passion makes in the heart as honeyed words O you Lovers flye both the sight and speech of your beloved if you will recover your former health ah Fursees what doe you the ranckling of your wounds will increase by the remedies which you apply she talkes to Geronce and with troubles and stuttering like unto those of a guilty person before a Iudge she labours to make him susceptible of her torment Leobard had brought them together and to give her Mistresse scope retired her selfe into another chamber which almost amazed faire Geronce to see himself alone without any witnesse by a woman which uttered unto him such language as he could not heare without extreame perplexity the different changes of his colour sufficiently witnessed by his face the alterations of his minde his eyes bending to the ground his silence and his immoveable countenance gave unto Fursee an answer which was not favourable Her presents were spread her promises large her intreaties unseemely her sighes vehement her teares in abundance but these windes and these waters were as stormes against a rocke Geronce appeared insensible like the statue Pigmalion fell in love withall the heat of love pierced by a bloudy contempt commonly turnes into a furious wrath Fursee was upon the point of this change when Geronce to conjure his tempest and cut out the root of this disease at its first breeding resolves to unmaske the counterfeit and cause pitty of himselfe in her who craved it of him Madame said he unbuttoning his doublet behold these Breasts and aske no answer except you will see me dye at your feet with shame men are not better known by the Beard then women by their Breasts this sight left no manner of doubt in the soule of Fursee but that Geronce was a woman and as it is said that thunder falling upon a Serpent in lieu of taking away life doth but take away his venome so this sudden clap rooting out of this womans heart all the poyson of her bad desires tooke not away her love to Geronce but left it there with pitty and this pitty bred a desire to know the fortune of this man Mayd that she might seeke to yeeld her some assistance in her disaster and with this intent said seeing heaven hath made me fortunate by this knowledge and changed the rocke whereon I would have made shipwracke into a Haven of safety for mine honour I doe promise you for your freenesse towards me to conceale your sexe as long as you please and if you desire any helpe you may as freely discover the cause of your being in this state assuring you that you shall finde in me all the assistance which you can expect from a woman desirous of the preservation both of your honour and your person Madame replyed Geronce mischiefes are so contagious that the very recitall of them doth ever breed some alteration even in the calmest spirits Let mee therfore grone under the burthen of my misfortunes and suffer not your felicity to be troubled by the hearing of them rest contented to take pitty on a poore Mayd who puts her honour and her life into your protection this evasion did but whet in Fursee that curiosity so naturall in women and gave her occasion to reply thus as Physitians heale no diseases but those they know so likewise cannot I assist you in your misfortunes if you discover not unto me the cause thereof to the end that knowing who you are and in what manner you came to be in this disguise I may behave my selfe towards you as I ought and fince there is a remedy for all things but death strive to re-establish your selfe in the degree from whence it seemes fortune hath made you fall for you have a ray of Nobility on your brow shâ—nes through the clouds of your present condition and makes it appear even to the weakest understanding that you have not been bred after a common manner Madame replyed Geronce my woes are past recovery since they proceed from a death and therefore being my miseries
ought to be put among incurable maladies let me intreat you to cast away that needlesse care which you take to cure me and let me passe away under your protection my small remainder of life as well I feele that sorrow and grieâ—e for my fault doe undermine it by degrees and will not let me long survive him without whom the fairest dayes are to me as darkest and like a lingring death in saying this Geronce let fall from his eyes teares resembling those drops of raine which the ardent heat of the Sunne doth squeeze out in the fairest dayes of summer but so farre was Fursees curious desire from being quenched that this water resembled that which Smiths put on their cinders whereby the fire is increased and not put out therefore extraordinarily pressing Geronce to disclose unto her his adventures he was constrained to content her but not without extreme striving and having dryed up his eyes and obtained a truce from his sighs began in this manner I am of Austrasiâ— daughter to a Gentleman one of those who are called of the ancient knighthood his name is Gaudence he hath divers children and I am the second of his daughters and the cause of this dishonour and trouble of his house Baptisme named me Saturnine which was the name of my mother who died when I was but sixe yeares of age it must be granted that daughters lose all when they lose their mothers in such tender years they are ships without North-starre Rudder or ancâ—or and what diligence soever widowed fathers use to finde out good governants they never finde aâ—â— whose eyes be so vigilant over their daughters as their mothers and besides their power is so weak that the contempt of their commands is the gate of liberty through which at last maids go astray My sisters and I shooke off the yoake of ours to follow the desires of our own hearts and walke after our owne giddy humours Love assailed us and took us yet there was none but I surprised after the manner that you shall understand My eldest sister loved a yong gentleman whom she wedded not but to obey the will of our father she wedded an old gentleman whom she never affected she made me such strange complaints of being tyed to a man whom she loved not that it seemed she endured the torment which that tyrant inflicted who fastned dead bodies to the living till they died in this cruell languishing manner I mistake for she described unto me her torment to bee equall unto that which is suffered in hell And indeed such may one call a marriage wherein the parties doe neither agree in the wills of the heart nor the delights of the body this misery which I considered in her made me resolve to avoid the like how deare soever it cost me But alas to shunne one gulfe I cast my selfe into another and I may say if my sisters marriage were a hell the â—uries caried the torches at myne and conducted mee to a disâ—ster worse than hell Volusian a young Gentleman but a younger brother of our neighbourhood had my first and shall have my last affection we lived some yeares in so perfect a correspondency that if my father would have matched us together the Elysian fields could never have equalled our felicity But that unlucky temporal respect that cut-throat of so many pure affections was the hangman unto ours For because this young man was not rich enough my father would never yeeld his consent unto our union but I fearing a lot like unto my sisters would needs spin my destinies with my own hands and so have I fashioned the cord which hath drag'd me to the misfortune wherein I am Volusian ever behaved himselfe towards me with an incomparable modesty so that it was not so much by his solicitation as by my owne proper inclination that wee made reciprocall promises of marriage accompanied with so many solemne oathes and such horrible execrations against the party that should violate the same that if I had had but the least thought of breaking I should not have beleeved heaven sufficiently furnished with thunders to strike me according to desert We must confesse that oathes writings promises frequentation liberty and facilitie are strange baits to lead blinded youth to its ruine to lay coles to the fire with a will not to have them kindle is to desire impossibility the body beeing but the accessarie of the heart and in marriage the sensible union beeing but a sollower of the will you may imâ—gine if I easily yeelded unto the desires of him who possest all myne and if I could thinke my selfe to be lost by casting my selfe into my beloveds armes We then consummated our Clandestine marriage and resolved whensoever I should finde my selfe loaden with the fruits of Lucina to take flight with my husband rather than to undergo the thunder of Gaudences anger This happened not but a more terrible tempest overtooke us which brought me to the wrack wherein you see me Minard a Gentleman of Austria who had beene in marriage but three years and was not above thirty five years of age found I know not what in my face that liked him He was a match so advantagious that to see me to desire me to ask me of Gaudence and obtaine me were all such sudden blowes that I had neither time to foresee them nor to shield my selfe from them My father without consulting my will told me he had given me to Minard and that I must dispose my selfe to receive him for my husband within few dayes If a thunder-bolt had fallen at my heeles I should not have been more astonished I made no answer to my father for what could I have said that would have pleased him and oppose cold excuses to his resolutions had been as to make bullets of snow against the Sunne beames I resolved suddenly to make effects speake and that was all that I could in so pressing a necessity Gaudence tooke my silence for a consent Next day my amorous Widower came to see me and after the complements of a first interview he would have offered me his service under the allowance sayd he of my father My father said I hath not willed me to receive your service but your commands obliging me to behold you as a Master this proceeding is to be admired thus to give away free persons without their owne consent I am borne his daughter and not his slave howsoever I declare unto you that I belong to a greater master having made a vow to him that hath made heaven earth never to be any bodies but his If it had pleased you to have seene me before you had spoken to my father I had saved you the labour of asking a thing which you cannot lawfully get nor possesse without sacriledge Never was any man more amazed than Minard when by this free declaration hee saw his hopes undermined to the very foundation He feared God and therefore I could not oppose
who being as full of mildnesse as discretion laboured to quench it by the most prudent and most reasonable remedies she could devise unwitting that prudence and reason cure not a folly which is not capable thereof this mildnesse was oyle in Speusippes fire his hopes which would have been extinct by a rougher usage were inflamed by the swavity of this humour so naturall in fayre Mela he passed unto importunity and insolencies whereupon Mela shewed him the wrong he did unto his friend so impudently to undertake against the honour of his wife he replyed that the advantages of love were so farre above friendship that albeit he cherished Liberat as a brother yet she had beauties which constrained him to be perfidious for to satisfie his passion behold how this blinded man would be victorious by what hee confessed himselfe vanquished and make his triumph of his perfidiousnesse Mela being her selfe reduced unto great extremities by the pressing fooleries of this impudent man threatned him to tell her husband thereof Madame said he you may worke meanes to make me dye but not to leave loving you your husband may take life from me but not love and yet will I give him halfe the feare too if he set upon mee like a man it lyes in you to avoyd this mischiefe by yeelding unto reason so did this bruitish man call his foule desire at length Mela who fearing to bring a bloudy quarrell on her husbands hands having tryed by her patience by her mildnesse by her perswasions by her intreaties and by all manner of honest meanes to put this incurable spirit into his right senses againe constrained by the persecutions of this furious creature whose rage passed into actions so insolent that they were insufferable to an honest woman disclosed unto Liberat Speusippes impudent attempt against the reverence of his marriage and the honour of his bed although Liberat had cause to seeke by armes the revenge of so great a wrong yet giving unto his eminent friendship and the violence of love a pardon which could not have beene wrested from his anger he was contented onely to forbid Speusippe the entrance of his house till absence had put water on his fire and time had made him wiser although this presumptuous man bore this forbidding without much impatience as if he had been banished for ever from his Country neverthelesse he dissembled his discontent resolving to attaine unto the end of his enterpriseat what perill soever his flame must needs have been great being it lasted without having the sight of its object to feed it passing away his sad dayes in obscurities and incomparable disquiets After he had tryed in vaine all manner of meanes to approach Mela he be thought himselfe of an industry wherein the Foxes skinne should precede the Lyons roaming night and day about Liberats house he learned that this Gentleman was on a point to take a journey from home for some dayes he tooke occasion on this absence to play his stratagem which was this he caused his beard to be cut after another fashion than he used to weare it and having blackt himselfe with a certaine compound he had quite changed the countenance and complexion of his face Then disguised like one of those that carry bone lace in boxes about the Country to sel he came to Liberats house Mela having occasion to buy of this ware caused him to come in He unfolds his laces of divers sorts and at cheape rates which invites this Lady to buy a good quantity Speusippe seeing himselfe in the chamber steps to the dore lockes it and discovering himselfe begins againe to presse her according to his former importunities to take pitty on his languishing torment Mela seeing her selfe surprised sought by her accustomed sweet perswasions to appease his mind but this Tyger growing more fierce by this harmony and intending to hazard all draws out a poignard which hee sets to her throat threatning to kill her if she yeelded not Mela affrighted cries out This cry was heard by a maid that was in a Wardrobe neere she comes to the noyse and sees her mistresse calling for helpe and defending her selfe couragiously against this impudent man the maid runnes against the chamber door gets it open and set all the house in an uprore the servants flock thither incompasse Speusippe on all sides hinder him from ravishing Mela. He lays hold on the collar of one and in a desperate rage stabs him through divers times with the poignard he had in his hand and so kills him Meane time Mela got away leaving Speusippe bestirring himselfe among these servants like a wilde Boare among a kennell of hounds hee hurt more of them and was hurt himselfe and in the end taken and put into a chamber which served him for a prison untill the returne of Liberat who to do good unto this perfidious man in stead either of punishing him according to his deserts or causing him to be punished by justice he got him healed of some sleight wounds which hee had received and lest the Magistrates should lay hold on him for the murther of the man and the attempted rape he gave him meanes to escape only admonishing him to be more stayd thenceforward and pardoned him his folly which he attributed to the rage of an excessive love Wherein this good man resembled the Goat in the fable who suckled the young Wolfe which beeing growne great did afterwards devour her This furious and impudent attempt so friendly forgiven could not yet mollifie the wickednesse of his heart but seeing all passages shut and no way left him to approach Mela who shuns him as the sheep doth the wolfe hee sends a challenge to Liberat whereby he lets him understand that his extreame love making him more worthy than he to possesse faire Mela. Hee calls him to combat to see unto whom the fortune of armes will give the conquest Ah Foole who knew not that by the Law a woman cannot marry the murtherer of her husband but she must make her selfe accessary and guilty of his death Liberat pressed as well by this foolish and false rule of honour which passeth for a maxime among the Nobility and Gentry of France as by the desire of punishing at once so many wrongs which he had received by this insolent man goes to the place assigned where after hee had upbraided Speusippe with his perfidiousnesse they began a terrible combat for if Speusippe set on by love and despair two inraged passions bestirres himselfe with might and maine as a man that will overcome or die Liberat pressed by the representment of so many indignities which he had received from this impudent creature was no lesse eager to make him feele the point of his sword Already they had hurt each other in divers places and their bloud served to animate them more on when fortune which is not alwayes on the right side permitted Liberats sword to breake in the middle against the hilt of
she who thought then to have attained the end of her intentions redoubled her blandishments with so much unseemelinesse that no patience was able any longer to suffer them But when Basian perceived that shee did play these pranks more to spight him then for any evill she committed with this Child hee resolved to punish her by a Faining or Counterfeiting likewise and to scare her so that she should loose the custome of seeing these things which passed not without some kind of scandall Hee buyes one of these Poyniards which Players use to comit fained murthers in their tragedies and to deceive the eyes of the beholders the blade hides it selfe in the handle when the point leanes against the stomacke so that the spectators thinke that it enters into the body he put a little bladder of bloud at the end of the haft and one night as his wife beganne more licenciously then ever to hug kisse and make much of her Adonis hee comes to her with his Dagger in his hand as if he had beene transported with anger strikes this page three or foure blowes therewith and made the blood of the bladder spurt on his wifes sace then throwing by the child comes to her and giues her so many stabs on the brest and on the head that this pore woman believing herselfe to be runne through on all sides though she were not at all conceaved such feare that without any manner of wound or hurt she fell starke dead at his feete presently the report fled all over the Cittie that Basian had stabd his wife having taken her in adultery with her faire Page if Basian were amazed to see his faining bring so unfortunate a conclusion you may judge the Magistrates came to enquire of the fact and he declares the trueth according as I have related it he shewes the poignard and the bloud which he had put to it Ephese is visited and found without any manner of wound and so is the child likewise who being not capable of so much feare had no harme at all notwithstanding the first impression that ranne about the world of this murther was so strong that it was impossible to blot it out every one held Ephese for an infamous adulteresse neither considering the age of the child uncapable of comitting it nor receving the trueth as Basian declared it diuers being of opinion that it was so saide for to save the honor of the children and kindred the world being full of malignity ever takes actions in the worst part and if it gives a bad interpretation to the best what will it give to those that have in them some shew of evill meane time the matter stayed not there for although the Magistrates grounding their judgements upon very probable conjectures left Basian without punishment the Physitians attributing the cause of Epheses death to the force of imagination which had given her the stroke of it whereof they alleadged divers examples Euloge brother unto this Lady a Gentleman of greate courage and who through some secret hatred had formerly opposed this marriage when Basian was a Suiter being not able to suffer that his dead sister should be defamed by detracting tongues nor that Basians Faining should remaine without a true chastisment he challenges him And not withstanding that Basian made shew unto him of much sorrowe and affliction for the death of Ephese and that he published her to have beene an honest woman worthy of honour and prayse yet nothing would satisfie Euloge but Basians blood which he drew out of his body together with his soule cooling in this manner the immoderate heate of his affection to Leonille whom it was thought he should marry it may be these adulterate affections drew on him the hand of God by Euloges sword which verifies this that the unjust deceiptfull man shall be overtaken by an unluckie end THE DOVBLE FRATRICIDE The ninth Relation IT is not thirty yeares since one of the most famous Cities of France was the stage whereon the tragicall accident which I am going to relate was acted If the love of wealth could arm bloud against bloud as we have seene in the relation of the treacherous Brother in law that if sensualitie breeds here a reciprocall fratricide the scandall whereof I will hide under borrowed names without losing the utility of the example Widowes who in the use of mariage have learned wayes to allure men doe doubtlesse cast forth more dangerous attractions than doth the simplicity of maids These neat mourning weeds wherewith they curiously adorne themselves are nothing behind the finest ornaments wherewith those do deck themselves that either have or desire to have husbands Contrariwise even as the Sunne comming from under a cloud casts forth its raies the more ardent and as the coles are quicker and brighter that come from under the ashes so likewise those lookes or rather darts that are cast from under the Cypres or veiles wherewith Widowes cover themselves with more desire to see and be seene than to hide themselves doe make in mens hearts impressions that are not slight I advance all this in regard of Permene a young Widow who having bin but three yeares under the yoke of marriage and having not yet attained but unto the twentieth of her age bred more desire of her new conquest in those who considered her beauty under so many blacke attyres than pitty of her widowhood and to say truth her sparkling eyes her ruddy cheeks her studdied countenance her pleasing speeches and her ordinary conversing among companies sufficiently witnessed that she was not of those right widowes separated from men both in body and heart but that her frequentation was not so much a diverting from soâ—row as a desire to find a rock whereon in the bands of Hymen to make a second wracke of her libertie It is true that as soone as she was a widow going into a monastery to receive some consolation from a kinsman she had therein shee received there as it were a kinde of prediction that she should no more bee married A thing which she scoffed at in her heart when shee had resolved the quite contrary as she testified since by her demeanours This Widow being the North starre of many who in respect of her imbarked themselves on the tempestuous sea of love yet was by none adored with so much submission nor more loved than by Prelidian who was a gentleman of thirty yeares of age having neither father nor mother and beeing in full possession of his estate had both matcht his sister according to her quality and discharged the part of Babilas his younger brother who was in the six and twentieth yeare of his age and according to his boyling courage was gon to seeke occasions to make himselfe knowne in the Armies of Flanders the Theatre of warre for the space of these threescore years Whilst Babilas is in the rough exercises of Mars Prelidian is amongst the tents or rather amongst the attends of Love
them both by receiving neither the one nor the other not the elder because she would not have him nor the yonger because he rejected her in that manner Madam replyed Babilas Iustice requires that the first entred into service should be the first rewarded all the world would blame me if I should play so treacherous a part by my brother as to incroach upon his designe there is no treachery in that said Parmene being you have no intent to supplant him if there be any fault I shall draw it all on me since it is I that make choyce of you being free to chuse whom I please and if it were so I should preferre my suitors by the order of their comming your brother should take place among the last for many were before him but I see you would colour your coldnesse with a false veise and colour your contempt with a kinde of Iustice if it be a contempt that which drawes me from your service replyed Babilas I desire that heaven may never forgive me that offence I have eyes to see your beauty and to see it and to love it would be but one the same thing were it not the obstacle which I haue proposed unto you I have judgement enough to know your wealth and the merits of your person but to drive my brother into despaire is a thing which I cannot doe without horrour use means that he may give over his suit and I am yours These last words cast forth of Babilas mouth without wel weighing caused much mischiefe for Parmene to purchase him betook her self to use Prelidian so cruelly and disdainefully that if his love had not been stronger then all these outragious abuses he would have cured himselfe by a just despight but as windes increase flames his increased by this rough usage and the more shee strove to drive him from her the more hee laboured to approach and to please her in the end the cruelty of this woman wearied the patience of Prelidian who loosing all hope of conquering he resolvcs to turne Capuchin and he kept the designe so secret that even his brother had not so much as a mistrust thereof so that they sooner knew of his vesture then of any intent he had to enter into that order Parmene hearing of the resolution of Prelidian beleeves her selfe to be arrived unto the end of her pretensions for Babilas and the first time shee saw him sayd to him Wel do you now remember your promise What promise Madam sayes he To be myne replies Parmene as soone as your brother should give over his suit Madam sayth Babilas he is indeed entred into the Capuchins yet is hee not there after such a manner but that hee may come forth againe beeing as yet but in the beginning of his Noviceship His inheritance lookes not on me untill such time as a solemne profession hath made him renounce all that he possesses on earth til then I can say nothing for if I should be a suitor to you before that time would it not give him occasion to conjecture that I have beene the cause of all your ill using of him and consequently of the dispair which hath driven him to this flight whereof would ensue a reason to deprive me of the inheritance which now I may expect if he sees my fidelity Parmene seeing him drive time out to such a length accused him of little affection towards her and thinkes him to be ingaged in the love and pursuit of some other Neverthelesse she keepcs her hold with the impatience of a woman more accustomed to be intreated than to intreat to commaÌ„d than to request Mean time Babilas continues his visits at her house and although shee beleeves it to bee but in the way of complement yet so it is that insensibly he ingages himselfe to love this Lady whose passion he sees to be so great for him and building his fortunes on his brothers spoyles and on his great match he already swimmes in hope of being one day well at ease Meane while he makes warre with the eye and not discovering his game hee hath too much prudence for a Lover he will have the one and not lose the other but his fate will give him neither the one nor the other of his pretensions Whilest he goes slowly on Parmene is so disquieted in mind that she caâ—not be at any rest the more shee presses him to resolve the more hee deferres his resolution At last sayd she Let me heare some favourable answer I can make no other sayd Babilas than that which I have already made I cannot speake before my brother be profest But shal I have no other assurance replied Parmene I sell not the skinne of a Hare that 's running sayd he Whereat mistrustfull Parmene imagined that without doubt hee was ingaged elsewhere seeing there was no meanes to heate his ice and that after the profession of Prelidian it would be an easie matter for him to forge some other excuse and so she should remaine mockt and frustrate of both Whereupon despight seizing on her heart to see her selfe despised shee cast off her affection from Babilas when as the young Gentleman found himselfe farre ingaged in love and was resolved to declare unto her that he couâ—d have no affection for any other but she Not without reason did that antient Philosopher say Concord and Discord to be the beginning of the universal world being we see it is all composed of interchanges when the one goes another comes he that is borne thrusts another into the grave the birth of one affection is the overthrow of another The world is of a round forme whose end joynes to its beginning when as Babilas resolves to be a suiter to Parmene making account that shame would bee as strong to retaine his brother in the Capuchins as despair had beene powerfull to drive him thither and behaving himselfe already as a master in Prelidians inheritâ—nce Parmene being sorry to have payd with disdaine the fruitfull and violent love of the elder and to have so much esteemed the ingratitude of the younger beginnes to change battery to what shee had desired and to desire what she had fled from It is an easie matter to plucke up a tree that is new set and to beat downe a wall that is new made A little Letter overthrew all the intents of Prelidian and this sparke ayded by the winde of temptation made him repent the enterprise that he had begun in lieu of stopping his eares against this faire inchantresse this Syren that would call him backe to cast him away by a lamentable wracke the Idea of this beloved face gave him so many alarums in his Cel that his resolution yeelded unto the flattering violence of its assaults and notwithstanding all the remonstrances or admonitions made unto him by the Master of the Novices he resolved to returne Now is Prelidian out of the Monastery and Babilas frustrate of his double expectation of the
inheritance whereon he had fastned his affection and of the beauty which had wounded his heart as for the land he must yeeld it up because the law is stronger than hee and although hee bee very sorry in his heart for his brothers returne yet neverthelesse hee colours his face with a feigned joy and congratulates his comming backe a dissimulation common enough in this age but as for his love which had already taken root in his heart that was a thing that he could not so easily cast off as his coat but contrariwise stickes firmer to it by reason of the double interest of pleasure and profit Foreseeing himself weaned from the succession of his brother he makes account by the possession of Parmene to recompense that losse and thinkes that the establishment of his fortune depends thereon he now betakes himselfe to visit this woman carefully and blames himselfe towards her with extraordinary respects and submissions Parmene imagins all this to bee as at the beginning of their frequentation and that he courts her for his brother but falling into this discourse she heares him sing another note and sees that hee speakes for himselfe This much perplexes the spirit of Parmene and indeed it was able to perplexe a stronger than hers for recalling to her minde the sweet thoughts she had formerly framed on the fine qualities of Babilas she presently falls into a relapse of her first feaver and the heat of love driving out the coldnesse of despight of the loyalty of Prelidian seemed to her but a fantasme How mutable a thing is a woman even so variable that they may bee sayd to build on quicke-sands who lay the foundation of their hopes on the faith of this sexe Now were her eyes in few dayes changed towards Prelidian they are but disdainfull and ominous Comets for this elder brother but for Babilas they are lucky and favourable planets Yet if shee had sought out some pretext to excuse her sicklenesse and colour her change or if shee had discreetly dissembled her designe that Prelidian might not so suddenly have felt the effects thereof it may bee that this stroke foreseene might have given him leasure to prepare himselfe for to suffer it but to see himselfe suddenly fallen from those gratious favours wherin he gloried and at the same instant to behold his brother so cherished so much made off and in possession of that which he thinks to bee due only unto his imcomparable fidelity is a thing hee can neyther digest nor comprehend Parmene so armes her selfe against him with disdaines that she will neyther heare him nor see him and contrariwise she cannot live but in the conversation of Babilas whom shee openly cals her servant and makes of him her Idoll which breakes Prelidians heart a strong jealousie takes possession of his braine and presently drawes thither furies wraths rages and vengeances so that neyther bloud nor the long respect which Babilas had born him nor any other consideration able to satisfie his mind from whence reason was banished the rage of passion turmoiles his judgement hee walkes by no other light but the furies Torches who like unlucky night-going fires lead him to precipitations yet did nature play its last part violently obtayning a truce in his spirit to accoast his brother in a temperate manner but as soone as he was entred into discourse with him the trouble of his soule arising made him vomit out a thousand outragious speaches against the perfidie treason and treachery of Babilas who had so supplanted him in the affection of Parmene this cloud of words burst out into a thunder of threats that if hee did not abstaine from seeing her reason requiring that hee should yeeld him place and forbidding him to incroach upon his Suite Babilas like a winning gamster whose minde is ever more stayed than the others who looseth both money and wit answeres him in a temperate manner that even before he cast himselfe among the Capuchins he had as much accesse in the favour of Parmene as he could have wished for to thrust himselfe into his place but that his respect to him had held him backe That the first affection in Parmene had caused the disdaine which had driven him into a Cloyster that even when he was yet under the Monastique habit he had refused this good fortune only in consideration of him which refusall hadbeen the cause of his repeale that if this be disloyalty he knowes not what loyalty is that if since his returne whether it were that he illhusbanded the mind of Parmene or whether this woman changed it he found himselfe to be more in her favour then before he wonders to see him attribute unto perfidie the love which this Lady shewes unto him as if it were in his power to dispose of this womans Will according to his mind that he takes a wrong course in seeking to force love from this widdow whose inclinations are free and whose election cannot be forced that if shee will not have him hee looses his time in seeking to get her and that iâ— this case he was doubly to blame to interdict him the Suite first because that he too much expresses his envy in forbidding him to purchase a good which himself cannot have secondly undertaking to command him as if hee were his Father or his Master being that majority putting him in possession of his right made him free fâ—om all subjection and set him at liberty to take his good fortune wheresoever he could find it that he is very willing to respect him as his elder but he will not suffer his eldership to transforme it selfe in to a tyrany which is insupportable that for his part he should be very glad Parmene would turne her affections and should no way envy his brother this good match if it befel him and therefore ought he reciprocally not to envy him this good fortune if she made choice of his person and would have him for her husband certainly if there had remayned any sparke of reason in the minde of Prelidian he had lent a more favourable eare unto the speach of Babilas but when once a soule is possest with fury and jealousie noething is capable to satisfie it but vengeance resist a bacchant when shee is in her frantick fit saith that ancient poet and you will make her but more inraged and furious oppose banks unto a great torrent of waters and you will make it to swell and bee more terrible so this answer in lieu of appeasing the boyling wrath of Prelidian made him beleeve that he was supplanted by treachery and that his brother by a secret mine had blowne up all his hopes he once more commands him to retyre from Parmene and to goe to Mars or otherwise if he find him neare her hee threatens to make him feele what an elder brother can doe to a disobedient younger These tearmes could not the Souldier-like humour of Babilas endure he cannot frame himselfe to beleeve that the right
and mummings every day some assemblie was made where Eleusipe with her brightnesse dimmed the lustre of those beauties which were in the City Iule and Adiute left no occasion of seeing her which much vexed Audifax but he could not remedy it because they saw her not in Fabians house but in such placesas where hee could not forbid them to come Some affaires forced Adiute to an absence for some few dayes during which time Iule invented a mask in favour of Eleusipe and caused her to be invited to a friends house of his where being masked hee might entertaine her at will Among those whom he entreated to be maskers with him was one Fluriel young man who danced exceeding well and had formerly beene page to Adiute the Masque goes on it is not for me to relate the invention it sufficeth for my history to say that it was don with the admiration of all the spectators although they were ignorant both who was the principall author and for whom it was made so secret had Iule been in his enterprise Audifax was there present being come in that company where he knew Eleusipe was to be In masques the liberty of Masquers is very great by reason of their disguise they may as long as they please entertain with discourse those whom they chuse out and it were a grosse incivility to interrupt them in their conversation they beeing not bound so much as to answer any one that speaks to them except they please that so they may not bee knowne by their speech The masque being ended Iule made use of the priviledge and having taken Eleusipe aside talked with her in secret so long till jealous Audifax was offended thereat Hee had stil kept both his eies upon the actions of this Masquer who was talking to Eleusipe with the countenance of a passionate man which put Audifax into a fume and for to breake off their discourse he bethinkes himself to pray Eleusipe to dance she excuseth herselfe in that she cannot without the Masquers permission who seemed to be unwilling This provoked Audifax and was the cause that thrusting the Masquer and calling him importunate man would have taken Eleusipe from him the masquer counterfeiting his speech sayd that hee made use of the maskes lawes without any importunity but that he for his part did violate them with as much indiscretion as incivility Audifax stung with these words and more yet by his jealousie presently layd hand on his sword but Iule was not without defence for he made a Pistol ring in his eare which had shot him through the head had he not stopped it The other Masquers bestirred themselves likewise so that there was an horrible confusion Iule was in the house of his friend who helpt him at need Audifax was slightly hurt but evill fortune would that as the Masquers were retyring poore Fleurid got a thrust with a sword in the backe whereby he fell dead on the staires Being unmaskt and knowne Audifax made no doubt but that this maske had been made by Adiute in consideration of Eleusipe The reason of this conjecture was that Fluriel had beene his Page and that commonly he had made use of him when he would make any masque The absence of Adiute since some dayes shewed the contrary but the jealousie of Audifax made him beleeve that it was but feigned and that it was so given out the better to cover the mumming Thereupon Audifax resolved to challenge Adiute who beeing returned to towne saw himselfe saluted by a letter of defiance which marked him out the houre and the place where he should come with a second to make satisfaction for the affront which Audifax pretended to have received from him Adiute who would willingly have payd deare for a good cause of quarrel against Audifax receiveth this challenge with a free courage asking no better than to decide by combat which of them should have Eleusipe Further being netled by the death of his Page he resolves to fight both for his Love and for his revenge two strong spurres to animate a spirit Hee goes into the field with a second where before they went to it he protests by great oathes unto Audifax that hee had not made the masque but that he was two dayes journey from thence when it was made that he knew not what satisfaction Audifax would draw from a wrong that was not done by him that he had courage enough to accoast Eleusipe openly without hiding himselfe under a masque This replied Audifax is the language of a coward who to avoyd strokes frames frivolous excuses wee are not come hither to stand and doe nothing I am but too certaine that it was thee who didst make the Masque entertain my mistres notwithstanding that thou wert forbidden so to do the death of thy page hath been the beginning and thine shall bee the end of my revenge trifle not out time thus wee must fight The wrong thou even now didst mee replied Adiute in giving me the name of coward which belongeth not unto me would make me lose a thousand lives rather than want the washing of its spot in thy bloud the bloud of my page killed treacherously askes this vengeance the love of my mistres commands me to punish thy temerity and my own honour obliges me to make thee lie This said they went to it and it appeared in three bouts that the greatâ—st talkers are not the greatest fencers because that Adiute extraordinarily provoked pressed Audifax so lively and strongly that he never made thrust but hit so that without having the least hurt himselfe he layd him on the ground at the third making his soule passe out at a large wound and presently goes to helpe his second who had reduced his man to bad tearmes They made him yeeld up his weapons and so left him in the field from whence being brought backe he died the next day Adiutes Second having but a flight wound in the arme Audifax was of so great parentage that after this it behooved Adiute to take flight towards the Pyrenean mountaines and to seeke shelter in the territories of Spaine from the justice of France although he went unto this duell being challenged and had been provoked against reason and unmeasurably wronged in the field and that his act was rather a defence of his honour and his life than an assault yet the power of Audifax parents made him feele the rigor of the edicts which oft times falls rather on the least fortunate than on the most culpable he was be headed in efsigie his goods were confiscate and he was constrained to change his native country for a strange land Thus is Iule rid of both his Rivals and might have sayd as the Raven in the Fable who seeing the wolfe and the dog fight on which side soever the victory fals the profit shall be myne hee had a new permission to be a suiter to Eleusipe whome hee had much a doe to comfort on the losse of Audifax and
and that his stature being lesse then little his person weake made him seeme like a child Raoul who desired no better then to continue the mannaging of his estate by his alliance easily consented therunto the fatall day is appointed for this wedding I enformed Incmar thereof who presently came posting to meete Siguen to put by the blow with his best endeavours he sees Yoland secretly and in my presence they renew their vowes of fidelity I for my part promised all my assistance to their desires and vowed to sacrifice my selfe in the service of their common flames in the meane time Incmar left no means unattempted to turne away the storme which menaced the hopes of his love with shipwracks he demands Yoland in marriage of her Father but hee is flatly denyed then he pickes a quarrell with Hugolin but this little dwarfe would not fight with this man who by him appeared a Giant Incmar seeing he would not come to it threatens to beat him into powder whereupon his refuge is to justice for shelter from this tempest and Raoul who was much esteemed by the Lantgrave goes to Cassel to complaine of the violence of Incmar who thus came to trouble the marriage of his daughter Hereupon the Prince calls Incmar and after a harsh reprehension full of sharpe words he forbad him to passe on any further in seeking to get Yoland yea hee ordained that shee should marry Hugolin according to the promise which Raoul had made thereof when hee wedded Gracian This decree from a Soveraignes mouth was without appeale there was Incmar out of Court and out of plea and moreover menaced with the indignation of the Prince his soveraigne Lord and master if he troubled the match It availed not though hee represented unto him the violence of his love the maids affection to him and the horror she had of Hugolin whom hee describes to be like a monster fitter to be smothered betwixt two beds as a reproach of nature than to lie in the armes of Yoland These were words cast into the winde and which in lieu of nullifying the Prince put him into such a chafe that he commaunded him to bee put in prison for to teach him to speak more discreetly but in fine some of Incmars friends which were present obtained his pardon of the Lantgrave who consented to his inlargement upon condition that he should be wiser Incmar assured the Prince that hee would rather voluntarily banish himselfe from his presence and country than to commit any thing therein that might be displeasing to him but he humbly entreated his Highnes to dispense him from swearing that hee should no more love Yoland because he could not so easily cast off this affection as his doublet referring unto the benefit of time the blotting of this Idea out of his memory The Prince contented himselfe herewith attributing all these discourses which he called extravagant unto fooleries which excesse of love puts into those heads which are possessed therewith Raoul returnes to Melsingnam for to end with speed the marriage of his daughter with Hugolin Behold now whereunto despaire carries the soules possest with its turbulent passions there was no more than three dayes to the day appointed for the unluckie wedding Yoland was resolved to die rather than pronounce this sad I which should have tied her to a monster with an indissolveable knot and Incmar resolved to lose his life rather than to leave his Andromede in these bonds thereupon it was easie to perswade Yoland unto a flight being it was the onely gate to get forth of a mis-fortune so inforcing themselves without mee nothing could bee done Iudge now the force of my friendship it hood-wink'd my eyes from all considerations for to serve my friend against the honour of my owne bloud I in an instant renounced my countrey all my means the favour of my prince and all hopes of Fortune for to follow the blinde desire of these lovers both which I loved with incredible passions It was I that in the obscuritie of the night which favoured our enterprise drew Yoland forth of her fathers house through a window and having cloathâ—d her in one of my suits led her to Incmar who stayd for us in the fields With good horses we rid till day with a good speed and did so well that we got out of the Lantgraves territories ere any justice could lay hold on us and because we knew that the hands of Princes are long finding no safety in high Germany where our Prince is of that account as every one knowes we came downe disguised into this inferiour Germany where we remained not long ere that little was consumed which the sudden haste of our departure had permitted us to bring from our countrey Wee could not hope for succour from thence being wee durst not let any there have tydings from us for feare the Lantgraves wrath should yet come and persecute us by his Agent in these united Provinces necessity constrayned us then to inrolle our selves under the States Colours Behold now unto what degree of courage Love doth elevate a soule which is inflamed with it Yoland who had taken mans apparell to follow her Lover found her selfe so well in that habit and tooke such delight in all the exercises of armes that she became an Amazon she learned in short time to shoot with a piece to fence to ride a horse in briefe shee had a dexteritie in all this farre above my reports and there were none but tooke her to bee the compleatest gentleman that was in the troups she makes her selfe Incmars comerade and under the name of Roland a brave ancient Palidin and neere approaching unto that of Yoland she made her selfe famous in many encounters Incmar and I were as we had alwayes beene inseparable Roland being joyned unto us it was an invincible Geriâ—n who medled with one of us had us all three on his hands To tell you that Incmar married Yoland in my presence I thinke it not needfull being that you may imagin it and that gave them a priviledge which is neither honest nor permitted but unto those that are bound with this band When I saw them in the possession of their desires it was then that I did discover unto them those which I had had and with how much labour and pain I had overcome their violence in consideration of the friendship I bore to Incmar They admired this victory which I had gotten over my self and Incmar swore he loved me the better for it if any thing could be added to what was infinite since I had suffocated my love in favour of his friendship and Yoland judging the force of her charmes which had toucht my spirit beheld me as one of her slaves and protested to me that saving her honor after the love due to Incmar she lov'd no man better thaÌ„ my selfe I swore unto her the love of a brother she swore to me the love of a sister and out of
noblenesse of humour both she and Incmar gave me leave to call her my mistresse and she called mee her servant and there was all the favors that ever I had of her besides that of sometimes kissing her no lesse valiant than fair hand She had a beauty of face annexed unto such a majesty that if the one inflamed me with love the other freezed me with feare and I may say that the friendship of my friend and the love of this chast mistresse reigned in my heart with such an equall counterpoise that to die I would not have done any thing to the prejudice of either And that was it that did sweepe away from my spirit all the unjust thoughts that since might have there encreased in revolting it self against reason To tell you something of what passed in our Countrey after our flight wee heard by some secret friends unto our parents that the prince unmeasurably incensed against us ordained that the law should proceed as against ravishers we were condemned to lose our heads but it was in effigie our goods were confiscate in briefe we were there used with all rigor so that having no hope on that side we setled it all on our owne valour and committed our fortune to the hazard of armes Incmar and I had done therein upon occasions all that souldiers can doe which venture all and brave Roland hath in all places shewen that love which gave her courage â—aised her strength beyond the vigour not only of her sex but of men After many encounters we shut our selves up in Bliemberg resolving to shew in this siege the proofes of a couragious valour in extream events where there hath happened what you have seene military command having separated me from them they have been killed on the breach as it may be thought Incmar being first dead Yoland being not willing to survive him hath been killed on his body and expiring embracing him As for me I would have died in the forefront of the combat if the brave but too pittiful Captain who would not suffer me to be made an end of had not caused me to be brought where I am the losse of my bloud having layed mee among the dead Now that I have satisfied both your curiositie and my desire I will no longer live bereaved of the light of myne eyes those twinne starres my Freind and my Mistresse Aleran thus ended his discourse and had like the same time to have ended his life so extremely did greife oppresse his heart but the Marquesse pitying his great courage gave order unto his doctor and his Chyrurgeon to labour in this cure with all the industrie which their science could dictâ—te unto them yet was art and cure overcome for whether through the extremitie of his sorrow or of his wounds poor Aleran died within two dayes after and was by command of the Marquesse interred with honour by Incmar and his wife under a Tombe bearing this inscription the three Lovers inseperable in life and death Many remarkable morrals may bee drawne from this history first how ill Fathers doe in destinating their daughters unto young men which they abhorre next whereunto despaire carries amorous and unhappy soules then whereupon love raiseth the courage of the weakest sex its fire being no lesse admirable in its effects then that of thunder In Aleran is seene the image of a faithfull friend and of a lover imparalelled who makes known the victory of friendship over love this tragicall end discovers an admirable valour and the generositie of the Marquesse honoring of the memory of these whom hee had vanquished serves for a ground which graceth or setteth out the glosse of all the other colours of this picture THE HAPPIE Almes-deed The Seventeenth Relation STudying the law in the Vniversitie of Orleans I learned of a Tourengean scholler this following history which he had from the mouth of the selfe same person unto whom this event had happened A young man of Poictou called Cyran the sonne of a Marchant was by his Father sent to Tours about some negotiation which concerned his commerce this young man by nature pittifull and from his youth prone to give Almes without distinction of persons it is true that the honour of the King of glory which is advanced by good workes ought to bee tryed by judgment for discretioÌ„ is the golden rule of human actions and it is not enough to do good but it must be done fitly Almes being one of the most illustrious acts which can bee done by those unto whom God hath given meanes it must be done also with a judicious distribution Otherwise it were rather a dissipation theÌ„ a distribution unto such might do many give almes who do as it were put a sword into a mad mans hand and give him meanes to commit excesse it is true that vertues are in a middle equally distant from vicious extreamities and as to give blindly is rather a profuse wasting then a liberality so to take heed unto so many circumstances when one gives an Almes is rather niggardlines then judgement wee must not search so narrowly into the quality of those persons unto whom we bestow our charity so we must not wholy shut our eyes theron and among these uncertainties wee must raise up the intention and not looke what the right hand doth give nor unto whom we give but unto God alone for whom we give and who hath said whatsoever you shall doe unto the least of the poore I will keepe a just accompt thereof even unto a glasse of cold water There be hearts so hard and so close fisted that they find some fault with most part of the poore miserable persons which aske Almes of them this one is strong and able to get his living that other is a shifting fellow the other is not so old the other is vicious the other is a rascall all in their opinion are unworthy of an Almes and it is only to save their purses that mettle whereof they make their Idoll without purchasing the blame of avarice there are others whole hands are bored and more for honour then through pity or more for pity then with judgment give indifferently unto all commers without considering that it is the way to maintaine the idlenesse of many beggers who have more needs of a spirituall almes by a good reprehension then of a temporall which they abuse in dissolute courses strange deboisnes but who can have this spirit of so just decerning since there is nothing in he world so deceitfull as appearances as for example about the streets in Cities and up and downe the Countries there goes so many vagabonds who under the name of poore souldiers returning from warres into their owne Countrie aske somthing to carrie them home and somtimes they are theeues who in begging seeke but occasion to commit theft murders and rogueries those people have God in their mouthes and the divell in their harts and yet out of the middest