come by them they behoved to make vanity and luxury to bear up the train of these useless honours these disadvantages are swelled to a prodigious excrescensie by another as bulkish as any of the former for by that means trade is every-where almost starved Nobility hindring those who are stocked with money to imploy it in merchandâ—zing and poverty disabling those who now traffick from driving a trade suiting with the exigency of the Nation which makes me entitle my Country to an infinit happinesse seing traffick and trading effaces not their true Nobility whâ—ch two our custom accounteth most compatible whence accresces this great advantage that young venturers being descended of noble families are often recruited by the well-stored Câ—sh of their friends after that a rude storm or some other inevitable accident hath preyed upon their first adventures Whereas if they were destitute of this assistance they behoved to lose their hopes when they lost their stocks and so the Commonwealth would be robbed of their endeavours whose spirits were as great as their misfortunes and on the other hand Noblemen by their means are encouraged to put their native commodities to the best fyne The Kâ—ng vanquished by their obstinate refusal condescended not to accumulate them with these his justly tendered favours telling them that opportunity might ripen for them more satisfying honours But the well-spring of Philarites hard fate ceased never to bubble up fresh misfortunes imploying all the weapons of discontentment to rout his unconquerable vertue hating alwayes spirits of such a noble detramp because they scorn to make her the center of their happiness as if she would perswade men that they could not subsist without her assistance Wherfore seing his quiet could not be disquieted by pride she resolved to imploy jealousie whose subtile hands twisted this curious snare for him A Lady sister to the Prince of Goshan named Pinasa whose beauty suited well with her birth and whose birth furnish'd her respect enough at Court had of a long time looked upon Philarites with loves spectacles but finding that her portracture could never be drawn upon the ground of Philarites heart till ARETINA'S were first defaced studied all means to perpetrat happily what she desired so passionatly yet finding that Philarites love could not be cheated she endeavoured to cheat ARETINA whose modesty she expected might more probably co-opere with her malice not permitting her to trace the crookâ—d path of her sinistrous designs so nimbly as Philarites male passion doubtless either would or could but finding that she alone was not able to draw malices chariot yoaked with her self an old hagg in the same imployment and bribed her venal spirit which because it was venal might easily be bribed who measured every thing yea vertue it self by the yard of money not caring for heaven but because it was said to be paved with gold nor respecting the gods but because their favour was a mine out of which much precious treasure might be digged this wretch did undertake the conduct of that wretched affair promising because of her easie addresse to ARETINA and intimacy with her servants to pousse it to a wished-for period Thus launcing out into the deeps of malice the sails of her diligence were filled with an unexpected gale of success the barrennest earth being fertilest of such poysonous weeds and she who was fit for nothing else was by malice exceedingly fitted for this And now Philarites hard fortune which had decreed the event had likewise marshalled very orderly all the means by which as by sinews this great body of jealousie was to move for one day walking in a meadow whose face was by over-spreading Nylus hid twice a year that it might appear the more beautifull did as unfortunatly as unexpectedly encounter a clew of Ladies whose recâ—eations had trysted them hither Megistus and Philarites had alwayes valued highly such company but never so much as now seing they appeared to them coppies of their Mistrisses original beauty after them followed the Martial Knight and Aristo Pinasa's brother thus the number of the Ladies and that of the Knights was equal salutes being interchanged Philarites fearing lest the conduct of the Ladies might hatch some private disgusts amongst either the Ladies or themselves about their attendance and so that they might ignorantly though innocently relapse into the same danger out of which they were but lately escaped and to determine that indifferencie which might oblige all equally to wait upon all he entreated each Lady to lend him some concealed token which when he had gotten and had hudled up in a hat he desired each Gentleman to draw out one and that each should attend and entertain her whose unseen token should fall to his share for said he incomparable Ladies the hazard is not great where none can chuse what is not excellent so that I may say there was never more of Lottry seen where there was lesse of hazard each of us is happy in the share he hath gotten and yet each of us may be thought unhappy in wanting what share we want So that pleasure and disappointment never met so amicably as in this particular Thus they spent some time in walking Lot having coupled them cunningly together but Pinasa finding that this disappointed the desire she had to banquet her eyes upon Philarites lovely countenance intreated they might pass some time under the shadow of a neighbouring Arbour which all obeying they retired thither where being seated Pinasa broke silence thus Gentlemen as there is nothing lesse taking than a confused look and dejected countenance where the runaway looks represent the sad spectacle of a flying Army so there is nothing that can discompose a countenance more than the fixt eye of a confident Gentleman whose silence alloweth him time for that imployment whereby modesty is twice a sufferer both by the Gentleman who sâ—reweth it a note higher and by the Gentle womens selves who tune it a note lower than is either allowable or seant wherefore I wish we might use some game to sport away time and to prevent our blushes But seing our accustomed recreations are covered almost with the gray hair of loathing I wish Megistus ye would invent some new one that the Court might hereafter hug it as a memorial of your sparkling vivacity of spirit Madam replyed Megistus I have no other sufficiency for the discharge of that duty but what I borrow from your Ladiships commands wherefore Madam it were injustice to refuse you what is your own Since there is no absolute perfection but in heaven nor absolute imperfection but in hell the earth participating of their extreamities as it reconciles both their distances and seing those even who see their dearest objects in the mirrour of love see some blemishes in them which proveth that the most accomplisht of things wantteth some accomplishment for if it could be seen any where it would be seen there I wish every Lady would tell what imperfection she could dispense best with in that person she most loveth What
by the hand of some forreign War his Army is sent to Egypt under the conduct of Sotorus who had been lately ransomed their landing allarmed the Egyptian Court whose fears were fed by Sophanders emissaries The King commanded to rendevouze all the solded Forces who being but eight thousand strong were alwayes upon duty whereby the rebellion of subjects and the invasion of forreigners were easily cohibited a lesson which his predecessour had learned from the late Insurrection He likewise ordered the levying of twelve thousand moe which being all bodyed together were subjected to Misarites command Megistus Philarites and the Martial Knight refusing any imployment All things thus ordered Philarites resolved to go seek a pasport from the lovely ARETINA whom he thus accosted Fair Lady I am come to beg a licence to employ that heart and bloud which is really yours in the service of your Prince and to skreen your Country from its irreconciliable enemies honour invites me to fight for my Prince but love entreats me not to abandon my dear Princess Yet seing loves burning-glasse can inflame at a distance and seing my soul where-ever I go carries alwayes about with it the impressa of ARETINA and seing I can love in the camp but cannot be victorious in a chamber I hope ye will not only pardon my absence but commissionate me to be absent that by my absence I may gather lawrels of peace and triumphing bays to crown the head of my dear Princess If your heart be mine replied ARETINA and seing ye have gotten mine in exchange ye must either go heartless else stay at home and enjoy it for I will not render you yours for seing I live by it I cannot live without it Neither can the King desire you to hazard a womans heart whose sex exempts them from danger if you be lost I lose all And albeit you were absent the King will be loser but in a part Wherefore seing my losse may be greater and my gain cannot equal his and seing your interest in me exceeds your interest in him I hope ye will not rob me of that ye have once bestowed upon me This discourse was continued by a floud of tears whereof the least was able to quench the flames of Philarites courage her sighes like great ordnances made breaches in the walls of his resolutions for her perswasions to enter so that like Mahomets tomb he hovered betwixt the two Loadstones of Love and Courage Yet at last the danger of the State in general and of her father in particular whose safety moved upon the hinges of their loyalty and courage joyned with the reiterated promises of shunning danger prevailed with her to permit him to risk yet that one hazard yet her love combated her resolutions and will and courage fell at variance neither were Philarites honour nor her own interest eloquent enough to perswade her to relinquish without reluctancy her first intention her eyes protested against what her tongue spoke and challenged it for transgressing that commission which her heart had given it The Trumpets sounding a march to the Army did sound a retreat from these amiable caresses and necessitated Philarites to close that dialogue which else he had never closed till death had closed his eyes Megistus and Agapeta had all this while interchanged amorous glances but albeit their imployment was the same the way was most different for Megistus studied nothing more than to acquaint Agapeta with his design and Agapeta studied nothing more than to skreen hers from Megistus thinking it derogatory to a Princesse to love a Subject and albeit that Eudoxa ceased not continually to feed the fire of Agapeta's love with the faggots of Megistus praise yet Agapeta smothered all these flames under the ashes of a prudential silence Megistus finding himself consumed away by this hectick feaver of a languishing love resolved rather to die by hazarding a cure than to languish without it and judging this the fittest time to ventilate his passion resolved to let something of it fall in his discourse to Agapeta So having gone to her chamber as if he had been to bid her farewell before he initiated his journey after he had acquit himself of the ordinary ceremonies customarily used in such addresses and after servants were removed he spake thus Madam since my heart hath been so arrogant as to pretend to your love I have resolved to expiat its crime in hazarding it against those who hate your Country that they may wound it seing it hath wounded it self and that they may revenge your quarrel against me whilst I am revenging against them the quarrel of your Country every drop of my bloud supplicates me to be honoured in your service and forbids me to dispute the lawfulness of the quarrel seing ye interest your self in it Madam albeit I be by birth a King yet my birth cannot entitle me to your love whose worth is a Kingdom preferable to the whole Globe albeit it were all ranged under the subjection of one Scepter Wherefore Madam albeit I be a King yet in this I accuse my self guilty of treason against the majesty of your worth and pannels my self willingly at the bar of your pleasure I know I was guilty even in loving you yet seing all Egypt is complicated with me in the same crime I hope as in other cases so in this the number of the delinquents will procure a pardon for the crime Yet Madam I am singularly guilty in having avowed before you my own guilt which as none but I could be so arrogant as to commit so none but ye can be so clement as to pardon Agapeta hearing that he was a Prince but not noticeing it as if she heard it not resolved not to glut her self with those grapes of love untill the sunshine of time had ripened them more maturely yet lest she should starve altogether his passion she returned him this Answer Sir it is certainly the feaver of courage wherein ye now burn which occasioneth that discomposure of spirit which ye now bewray for else Megistus who is loved by all would never be so mad as to love Agapeta who is loved by none But Sir ye may know that I am one of the Jewels of my fathers Crown and none can dispose of me but they who can dispose of it so that I hope ye will not suffer your self to be so much mistaken as to shoot at that mark But really there is another inconvenience in being Megistus's Mistris seing she who is such will make her self the rival of all those Ladies who have but once conversed with you who doubtlesse place their happiness in the fruition of your favour but Sir seing ye plead guilty and will make me your Judge I shall as in all other crimes so in this make the crime the punishment Wherefore seing love is your guâ—lt let love be your torture As men should shun replyed Megistus to look on you because of your beauty so they should shun to
love And seing force is able to make those who formerly loved thereafter hate how can it make those who once hated therafter love but they who understood as little true love as they practised true modesty did most impertinently importune us to accept them for our husbands swearing when they could not perswade us by threats that we were the maddest women breathing who refused to bewives to such gallant Gentlemen and Mistrisses of so large fortunes recounting to us sometime their valiant acts and sometime questioning their prepared servants anent the state of their thriving affairs not forgetting to number hundreds of Mistrisles whom they had slighted for us and how many sighed for them albeit they sighed for us This discourse albeit unpleasant in it self yet seemed more unpleasant because of the discoursers gestures and antick modes which could have perswaded strangers that they erred purposly to make us laugh at last they led us to a Cave in the bosome of a Rock which seemed to be Deaths chamber of presence paved with mire and tapistred with slime and cobwebs here we were welcomed by an old Hag the Nurse of my Lover whose face I thought at first had been masked with some terrible mask but at last I perceived that Nature had conjoyned swarthy colours with ugly shapes to shew that Art could not outstrip her in making an horrid face her words ecchoed by the hiddeous Rock seemed to be the cryes of the damned spirits when they are punished in Hell for their misdemeanours Our accommodation could only brag of its suitablenesse for ugly things so corresponded with ugly things as ye would have sworn that every thing contended which should be most ugly a sheep was eaten half alive and sent bleating to their bellies and their bread which seemed to be knead gravel was eaten as greedily as if it had been the finest flowre at supper she began to accuse the Courtiers for niceâ—y in imploying knives and napkins and swore by her black kirtle that the reason why Ladies did eat so little at Table was because they did eat so largely in their Chambers Thus having spent the night lying on the ground a Bed never made since the Creation we longed for the morning which came no sooner than we wished it had been past and thought that the Sun by its slow motion intended likewayes to conspire with our other Tormentors Yet after some four dayes stay the immortal Gods who knew our innocency decreed our delivery by a way as unexpected as the delivery it self for the fore-named Mathematician who began now in his solitude to consult the Stars whereas he had formerly in his poverty consulted his Purse did one morning acquaint the Lovers that he did read their ruine in the Face of Heaven if they dismist us not this Diurnal from such a place and such a person did so allarm their already frighted consciences that they resolved to quit us meerly because they found they could not keep us wherefore fearing lest our return to our own Countrey should be a mean to banish them from theirs they resolved to bring us over here to Egypt with our faces covered that our punishment might be the greater and our return the more uncertain after that fashion did they lead us three dayes never considering that Heaven saw us albeit we saw not it till at last like Serpents who carry their sting in their tails they resolved to make the last act of their cruelty the worst making our Tragedy like all other Tragedies whose most deplorable event is represented in the last Scene Wherefore finding this Wood correspond with their desires they committed us to these cruel Tygres who had avenged their masters affronts and ended our miseries if the arrival of those Gentlemen had not prevented both This story and their journey ended both equally and they were as much solaced by the one as wearied by the other and now they began to descry the top of the much longed-for Castle and being entered in a sweet Alley which was guarded on both sides by Walnut Chesnut and Cipress trees which decored extreamly the Avenues to the Castle they were saluted by four Gentlemen cloathed in blue Sattin who were attending Monanthropus's return which was later that night than ordinary the Knights and Ladies finding their respect betrayed formerly by the meannesse of Monanthropus exteriour garb did in a most submissive manner crave him pardon and bestowed upon him now with its interest what respects they had ignorantly detained from him formerly and the younger of the two Knights called Philarites commissionated by the assenting looks of his Companions spoke thus My Lord nature having levelled all men as to what can be seen and strangers knowing nothing more of one another than what instruction nature bestows on them their ignorance deserves pardon if they homologate not their first errours by their after continuance in them and we see Magistrates carry before them the Ensigns of their Offices Gentlemen followed by their Liveries and Knights of Orders carry the Badges of their Honours as beacons to warn strangers not to split upon the rocks of either disrespect or incivility which shews by the rule of contraries that strangers may be pardoned albeit they deny respect to those who wear not Honours Livery and albeit we might have seen in your Honours face and carriage the impression of more than ordinary majesty yet the confusion wherein we were may plead our innocency Monanthropus whose humour and age made him averse from ceremony told them that their generous carriage did oblige him too much and that their Apologie had prevented his for albeit they had cunningly vailed their Births yet their Generosity did somewhat draw aside the curtain and did let the most undiscerning eye see somewhat more of Nobility than their modesty did discover by discourse The Knights and he having skirmished a little thus in complement he intreated the Knights to hand up stairs the weary Ladies for their age and pains had merited better their hand than he had done or could do At the top of the stairs they entered an Antiparlour richly tapestred with hangings representing Paris choice when he bestowed the Apple upon the fairest which seemed to be not only a relation of what was past but also a prophecy of what was to be acted shortly upon that stage there they were welcomed by a Lady rather grave than old followed by a troup of rare Beauties where notwithstanding the rest seemed only to be black patches to set off with the greater advantage the beauty of a young Lady who was Monanthropus his daughter a Lady so accomplished as if Nature in her had like that old Painter borrowed a traâ—te from the greatest Beauties in the world to adorn one Philarites after Megistus and the Ladies had saluted all and after as he himself had saluted the mother coming to salute the daughter and bowing as low as the verge of her garment being deserted by strength and over-powered by
admiration did Fali dead at her feet The wounded Ladies surprized by his fall did shout and by that shout astonished more than formerly the already commiserating by-standers who began already to sacrifice thousands of tears to his departed ghost and were sending their sad cryes to accompany to the Elisian fields his lovely soul mean while his admiration which had intimated to his internal bloud and spirits the admirable beauty of ARETINA so was the young Lady called sent his bloud gushing out at his veins every drop striving with its fellow which should first see that hyerogliphick of comlinesse but he poor Gentleman lay as if his soul and body had been divorced in the Court of Heaven for it refused to return to its old lodging notwithstanding of the many invitations given it both by the skill of the Physician and care of the Ladies at last some blushes began to appear as the avantcurriers of life which did somewhat animate the company whose faces reflected formerly the paleness that appeared in his each being willing even to wear deaths livery for his sake at last he began by groans to vomit up his Melancholy and to stretch his arms which when Megistus perceived he caused carry him to his chamber where they put him in bed not fully yet recovered Thereafter Monanthropus and his Lady waited first upon the unknown Ladies and thereafter upon Megistus to their Chambers where Supper was dressed up for them and two maids were allowed the Ladies for attendants but Megistus fearing that Philarites grief might prove desperate great Spirits producing nothing which is not great and as the greatest fires have the greatest flames resolved by his wit to assist his friends patience wherefore calling for Kalodulus his servant he commanded him to convey himself secretly up to the Seiling of the Chamber and to take a hollow tree with him through which he should after he found Philarites awake and beginning to complain cry with a counterfeit voice Philarites the gods as a reward of thy vertue have allowed thee ARETINA for thy Wife and to confirm thee in this truth have desired thee to send to morrow to that great Oak which is sacred to Iupiter and there thou shalt find a Ring with this inscription Believe the Gods for Megistus had gotten such a Ring from one of his fathers Magicians who had foretold him many fortunat events and at his departure had bestowed this Ring upon him Kalodulus whose love to Philarites made him both willing to undertake and cunning in the accomplishment of this enterprise did secretly climb up where he was desired and where he could not be discovered because of the darkness of the night and after half an hours stay Philarites began to groan and to second his groans thus O unfortunate Philarites hath passion cut the throat of thy reason or hast thou lost thy wit with thy bloud wilt thou willingly enter the lists where stronger spirits have been defeated by weaker enemies than that lovely object thou saw this evening wilt thou render thy self uncapable to be Megistus friend and thy fathers heir for a fancy which is unpracticable Yea which is more Wilt thou derogate from that Ladies worth by daring to stile thy self her Lover Either thou must conceal thy passion and then why lovest thou else thou must vent it and then declare thy self distracted Kalodulus who waited this opportunity spoke as he was taught and that so cunningly as that Kalodulus passed really for Mercury the trunche-man of the Gods in Philarites conceit whereupon falling in an extasie of respect to the Gods and of joy for the message he gave Kalodulus leasure to retire himself to his bed where feigning that he was asleep Philarites called for him asking if he heard any thing who answered No sure for he was asleep but the other pressing an answer Kalodulus said that it was only the effects of his distemper The night being past Philarites entreated Kalodulus to go and dig under the root of the sacred Oak to see what he could find But Kalodulus after some faint disswasion was at last willing to go where having gone he seemed to dig and at last found the Ring which he could not miss seing it was in his pocket with which he returned to his master telling him to aggrage the matter that he found it wrapt up in an Oaken Leaf This trick of Legâ—rdemain was proven by Philarites his hope to be a vision and did so animate him that he was in greater danger to have died for joy now than he was to have died for grief formerly like a Lamp extinguished by too much Oyl the soul in that resembling the body which is soonest surfeted by the best of viands Whilst they were canvassing this strange businesse Megistus who being anxious of the event had risen timously knocked at the door and being entered he began to enquire how he had rested Philarites commanding Kalodulus to retire imbracing Megistus said Dear Comrade since the soul of two friends seems to be but one soul bilocated and lodged in two bodies which is notwithstanding not a whit the lesse one soul no more than the same soul ceaseth to be the same because it is altogether in the arms altogether in the head and in other distinct members seing then we are animated by the same soul whereof yours is the nobler part how can or why should we be strangers to one anothers joyes or griefs My extasie yesternight told you all I can tell you this morning but albeit it had concealed it yet I would not Ye saw how ARETINA'S face disarmed my courage and forced me to render before I could put my self in a posture of defence I am love and hers martyr at which word he trembled Megistus who resolved to solace his friends Melancholy answered It cannot be you love for else loves flames would never suffer you to tremble which is the ordinary effect of cold Alas said Philarites seing none can behold ARETINA and not love her I fear we are Rivals Truly replyed Megistus I love her also but the difference is that it appears ye love her as your Mistris and I love her as a compleat Lady and albeit I loved her as my Mistris yet the love I carried to her would strike sail to the respect I bear to Philarites Alas said Philarites the â—irst part of your discourse makes me think that you have not remarked ARETINA and the second part makes me think that ye who knows every thing else knows not what it is to love No no replyed Megistus as my eyes cannot be so far mistaken as to mistake the Case for the Watch so neither can my judgement be so hallucinated as to love the Body in stead of the Soul it is not beauty that I admire either in her or you albeit both be lovely no it is your vertue which seing I know to be real in you whereas it is but presumptive in her I cannot chuse but love you
sence but meerly as it is the shell wherein such a rare pearl as the soul is keeped and as many love the son because he is son to such a father even so many love these colours and that vivacity whereof it can only brag as they are the effects of the within residing soul and to confirm us in this we may conceive that no man is so distracted as to love that which cannot requite his love nor be sensible of it and consequently seing it is not the body which is sensible or which requites love we may conclude that it is not the body but the soul which men dote so much upon if true vertue may be called dotage and both history and experience tels us that men have continued to love those whose beautie had thereafter been murdered by accidents Philarites was by this discourse so lulled over in an extasie of pleasure as that he became insensible what pleasure was or as it happeneth in all other pleasures the fear of its short continuance made him dissatisfied with the present enjoyment and albeit he called oft to the Coachman to drive slowly alledging that the nimious motion of the Coach troubled the Ladies delicate complexions yet in spight of his wishes and of the bribed Coachmans obedience they arrived at Alexandria sooner than either he wished or expected The Ladies retired to their own Lodgings which were still furnished expecting them but the Knights lodged as near as convenience could suffer them After Supper came Eudoxa masked to wait upon the Ladies for she had been now a fortnight at Court and acquainted them how all things went there The next morning the Knights went to wait upon Sophander and finding his Secretary in the outer Court they entreated him to shew his Eminency that there were two strangers who desired to kiss his hands Sophander concluding that either they had some notable businesse to impart to him or else that they were men of extraordinary extracts or endowments which is the happy lot of all confident persons else they durst not so confidently address themselves to one of his quality and humour desired they might advance Philarites after mutual salutations harrangued him after this manner Eminent Sir Fame who in obedience to the gods decree hath trumpeted your praises in all Nations especially in ours hath invited us to come and serve the Apprentisage of our youth under the eye of such an expert Artist in all humane policy as your Eminency is wherefore Sir seing ye are the tutelary Angel of all other strangers we expect a share in your protection as well as others and our lives shall still be stages whereon we shall act the personages of your humble servants Sophander who had by their equipage perswaded himself of their extraordinary birth and by their discourse did discover the promptnesse of their spirits did caress them as persons capable and worthy of the highest Imployments and proffered not only his protection but even his service to them The Knights intreated that he might path a way for them to the Kings presence and that their first appearance might be under his conduct which he soon accorded to desiring them to accompany him who was then going to salute his Majesty and to go a hunting with him Sophander asked their names and extractions but they craved him pardon for their disobedience in that particular seing their disobedience might capacitate them the more to do his Eminency service they went thus discoursing till they entered a Garden where the King was seeing his Huntsman prepare all things for his Majesties sport At Sophander's entrance each strove who might appear most submissive and a stranger would scarce have known which of the two was the King and Nature seemed to have given each Courtier two eyes that he might by them observe both their motions and two ears to receive both their commands Sophander presented the two Knights to his Majesty whose noble deportments albeit they had not been presented by Sophander and whose being presented by him albeit they had not been of so majestick a deportment was sufficient to recommend them highly to the Kings eye but both being joyned made him confer double respect upon them Megistus seemed the more martial but Philarites the more courtly yet so as that neither Megistus warlikeness wanted courtiness nor Philarites courtiness somewhat of a martial behaviour and as if Philarites had not been present Megistus would have seemed the most courtly Gentleman that eye could have lookt upon so if Megistus had not been present 〈◊〉 would have thought Philarites the most warlike Gallant that Nature could have framed Megistus was the more learned but Philarites was the more eloquent yet so as Megistus learning supplyed his small want of eloquence and Philarites eloquence made his inequality in learning with Megistus undiscernable Thus Nature seemed to teach mortals that she could cast perfection in severall moulds and that her Grammar did admit two Superlatives Megistus whose vice it was to be Master-speaker for they did all things by vices after he and Philarites both had kist his Majesties hands upon their knees spoke thus Sir it is not to be admired why we come but it is rather to be admired why all the Gallants in the world come not to spend their best years in your Majesties Court which is incomparably the best of places We are come Sir to list our selves amongst your Majesties Servants not that we are so vain as to think that your Majesty needs such servants but because we stand in need of such a Soveraign as your Majesty and of such breeding as your Court can afford us suffer us like young plants to grow under the sunshine of your protection and challenge the fruits when they come to maturity as properly due to none but to your Majesty This discouâ—se delivered so accomplishedly made all the hearers imagine that the speaker was surely Mercury come there to make parade of his eloquence and as their deportment so their personages and equipage made them very conspicuous Megistus was cloathed in black which was a pure scarlet dyed black and seemed to be as if a black curle had been drawn over a cloath of gold richly embroidered he carried on his cloak a crescent of diamonds on his hat he carried a hatband of the same fashion whose beams were reflected by a plummach of black feathers Philarites was cloathed in white his cloak doubled with Mertricks furres and all richly embroidered with gold and scarlet carrying a plummach of white feathers tipped with scarlet That week seemed to post away that it might make way for the next wherein the Nuptials were to be celebrated and albeit all the three days seemed to run in one yet the Bridegroom was sorry that Phebus coachman might not be bribed to drive faster desire like all other bodies moving the faster the nearer it approacheth its center At last came that week and day so much longed-for whose bright morning ominated happinesse
nothing in defence of Courage but what Love commands thee to do whereby thou shewest that Courage is but the arm and Love the head and so Love is as far preferable to Courage as the head is to the arm or the master to the slave before the immortal gods created the world they loved one another but Courage was not then exerced by them neither could it be for where there were no wrongs no miseries there neither could nor can be Courage Courage being bestowed upon mortals either to punish wrongs or endure miseries and since the world was created how should the gods be adored if they were not loved if Love were much imployed there would be no wrongs no miseries and so there should be no need of Courage And the blessed souls shall no wayes stand in need of it and yet shall be perfect which demonstrates that Courage in it self is no perfection But Sir seing ye have no Love ye can have little Reason Wherefore albeit I love extreamly I do not notwithstanding love to blot paper idely in perswading those who are incapable of perswasion but shall to morrow appear at the place appointed and to retort your Epilogue if ye appear not Love shall triumph and if ye appear it is because ye love to defend Courage and so Courage owes its defence to Love This Answer was delivered to the Gentleman who delivered it to his Master and albeit every person at Court longed to see the event yet their love to Megistus made them fear to see even what they so much desired whose generous carriage had bragaded them all on his side The next morning Philarites came to gird on Megistus armour and at the time appointed the Martial Knight who waited his hour appeared in the Lists of Honour which was a large and plain valley a great part whereof was in the middle pallizaded with stoups of Cipres timber all gilded as was the custom of old shewing to the world an emblem of what they were appointed for which was to be a field where Death was gilded with the specious pretext of Honour and Valour within was a Tribunal erected for the Judges upon whose footstool did sit two Heralds holding in their hands two Swords crowned and besides whom stood two Trumpets from whom the signal was to be expected and by whom the Conquerour was to be conducted home in triumph Without were seats for the Ladies under whom were ranged the Noblemen and Knights in the midst of whom sat the King under a Pale of State with a Crown lying upon his cushion wherwith the Conquerour was to be honoured which to differeâ—ce it from the Kings own Crown was surmounted by a Lyon rampant holding in his fist a Sword erected After him entered as the mode was the party challenged who at his entry touched the point sinistre of the Challenger's Sword which hung upon the Pillar telling him in that language of formality that he was to fight on hors-back The Knight of Mars was mounted on a white horse whose flanks were stained with red spots as if they had been dyed with the drops of bloud which seemed to trickle down from the wounds which an exquisite pencile had made upon his armour whereon was represented a wounded Knight crowned with Lawrels The bosses of his bridle were two little Cupids in whose faces his martial horse seemed to spit his frothy foam his shield was decored with this device Cupid throwing a dart at Mars which his hand meeting on the way did break in pieces his Motto was NOT LOVE BVT WEAKNES CONQVERETH Megistus armour was all white spangled here and there with bleeding hearts his shield for its device carried Paris giving the golden Apple to Venus The word was TO THE FAIREST Whilst they waited for the signal the horses did dance to the musick of their own courage and by champing on their own bits seemed angry that their masters would not suffer them to decide the quarrel The Trumpets at last summoning the Riders to begin their carreirs their horses who whilst they stood were damming up their speed opening now the sluce did by a speat of speed carry their Masters to a longed-for rencounter where the Lances pressed forwards by their Masters strength and pressed backwards by their enemies resistance did like weak boats split in this coâ—ntertide of courage and resistance resolving rather to break than to be dyed with the valourous and innocent bloud of such incomparable Combitants The Knights finding themselves deserted by their Lances sought assistance from their Swords which had formerly been graveâ—makers to so many valourous Knights Thus fortune thinking she had done the Martial Knight honour enough in enabling him to resist so long inclined to favour Megistus importuned thereto by the suits of all the bystanders who would have surely have favoured the Martial Knight because of his singular courage if he had been fighting against any else than against Megistus and in any other quarrel than that wherein he was then engaged the Ladies eying him as an enemy to their sex and the Gentlemen hating him as an enemy to the Ladies Whilst they were trying how to conquer the Martiall Knight thinking that not to overcome instantly was to be overcome shamefully lifted up his arm as if he had been sending it to bring fresh assistance from his patron Mars which posture albeit it was against the rules of the Art yet he thought Megistus tottering condition might licentiate him to use hoping to remit himself in his old posture before Megistus regained his saddle intended to separate at one blow Megistus from his saddle and his soul from his body but he was mistaken for Megistus vaulting aside suffered not the Sword to fall upon his but upon disappointments shoulders but that was not the only inconvenience of that artless stroke for the strength imployed being great and the disappointment yet greater he had almost been dragged by it out of his saddle and had almost by his Sword cut the earth seing he could meet with nothing nearer to resist him like a dog who bites the stone because he cannot meet with the caster which Megistus perceiving and unwilling to slight such an opportunity called by some Masters of that Art a Tempo did by a contertemps blow send him posting to the earth to which he formerly enclined but irresolvedly yet albeit he fell his courage fell not with him for in falling he struck off one of Megistus's horse legs who not being accustomed to stand upon three feet fell upon his knees as if he craved him pardon for the afront his master had done him The Martial Knight like a ball rebounding by the same strength that threw it to the earth bolted up immediately Megistus who had rid himself of his stirrups did the like and now they coaped so furiously as that what formerly they had done seemed in respect of what they were now doing to be but like those essay thrusts which learners along in a Fencing-school before
will ye propose Philarites continued Piâ—asa for this nights entertainment Truly Madam answered Philarites seing discourse is the best physiognimy of our thoughts the tongue being but Secretary to that skilfull Enditer the heart and seing neither prudence nor respect will suffer us to pry narrowly into one anothers thoughts I wish we might hit at some indirect way whereby our enquiry might be somewhat gratified wherefore I wish one of us might tel her who sits next him in the ear some remark of any person here present at which all the rest might divine according to their fancy every one of us endeavouring to conjecture what was the first speaker observation and he or she who shall be by maniest voices judged to have been most mistake shall forfeit some pawn to be disposed of at the discretion of the Society This last pleased them best and after they had by its help diverted themselves sufficiently the night summoned them to remove and Pinasa willing to bestow something upon Philarites which might terrifie ARETINA'S jealousie did let a Ribbon fall carelesly which she had worn in so remarkable a place at all the last Solemnity as none could but remark it which Philarites in whose hand hers was taking up presented her with but she willing to imploy it as a chain to fetter his passion desired him to keep it as a memorial of her gratefulnesse for that unparalell'd favour she and all the remanent Ladies had received at his hands Whilest times glasse was thus running the old Hagg was by the coals of diligence and treachery kindling the flames of jealousie in ARETINA'S breast whose ardent affection to Philarites had softned her to an easie reception of it contentment being like other delicacies whereof the sweetest becomes soonest putrified and the souls of the delicatest tramp are like the bodies of the poorest complexion whose purity bowes soonest to decays scepter and the fear to be surprized in following the hidden tract of mis-information is the mean whereby they are often mis-informed thus love which perswaded ARETINA that she was unworthy of such a lover as Philarites did likewise peswade her that Philarites would pearch his love more worthily upon some other object and by being inconstant would make inconstancy a vertue But there was more Rhetorick musted up in that dumb Râ—bbon than in all the loquacious Oratory of old Plaâ—eta and jealousie did enter by the same porch that love first entered She impeached now Philarites as guilty of high treason against love and adduced her own eyes as witnesses who seemed to deluge themselves in tears lest they should see the sad effect of his prodigious inconstancy which durst upon his arm brave the sight of afflâ—cted ARETINA yet her jealousie was glutted with a more pregnant argument of his assured change for Placeta who had studied the musick of what enchantment the Tarantula of ARETINA'S melancholy was best pleased with caused a cunning fellow who traded in the adulterating of Writs and resembling every mans character writ a Letter with his greatest cunning giving him a stoln Letter for his pattern wherein Philarites might be made to exchange his Mistris whose tenour was thus The disconsolate PHILARITES to the peerless PINASA MADAM THe torrent of my boundlesse passion hath in fine swelled to such an excrescency that the banks of reason are no longer able to restrain it I find my self guilty if I evaporate my passion and choaked if I evapor it not My reason hath chosen your pleasure as Arbiter to reconcile these else irreconciliable antagonists whoâ—e conflicts harrasse that heart which is only yours If I courted ever any else but you it was only to facilitate to me the great task of your love in regard whereof all my former passions seem but essays Assure your self fair Lady that whilest Philarites lives he must love and whilst he loves any he will love you I shall keep my love in the prison of privacie till ye send it a remission neither shall it ever come abroad but upon the paroll of your permission This Letter was given to Pinasa who being one day at Court watched by the diligent eye of sorrowing ARETINA did carelesly as it seemed let it fall within the command of ARETINA'S reach who stealing it into her pocket retired to her chamber to see what she could pick out of it and having shut the door did read her ruine in these fatal characters O pattern of basenesse how hast thou betrayed my credulity how hast thou stifled my hopes and stained thine own valour Yet alas poor ARETINA thou hast prostitute thy faith to his roguishness and thou appearedst as willing to be entangled as he was willing to entangle thee it was strange thou couldest be so infatuated with a stranger and now it appears more strange that thou shouldest startle at so necessary an event thou who wast the envy of Ladies and the Image adored by Gallants wilt now be the object of both their laughters and seing Philarites's bewitching deportment will bundle up respect for him at all hands the same carriage will surely blunder thee and thou and he will be like two buckets in the Well of fate and fame whereof the one must rise to the same proportion that the other falls and as the ocean of fame ebbs upon the shoar of thy repute it must flow upon his and surely his propitious fortune will make all thy acquaintances conclude that he left off to love thee because he discovered somthing in thee which was not lovely Miserable ARETINA who hast banquerouted that stock of fame which the indulgent gods had once bestowed upon thee and who hast now rendred thy self as despicable as once thou wast lovely misery hath once â—atched thee in its arms and will never dismiss thee fame hath banished thee and will never rehabilitat thee thy parents joys are massacred in thee and in the roll of thy crimes stands likewise the black crime of thy paracide all those additions of honour which served once to adorn the shield of thy repute serve now as diminutions to it and as a punishment of thy crime thy name shall still last in the registers of infamy Thus did ARETINA stand streaming out lakes of tears as if she would have drowned that Letter because Philarites's name was written in it like an implacable Judge ordaining the malefactor to be hanged in effigie because he cannot be found in person and riving out her hair because it afforded him once contentment her passion verged upon destraction and the musick of her sury like the six notes did raise themselves a degree alwayes higher she evited company lest they should upbraid her with her misfortune and her retirements were as racks wherupon her unapeasable grief did torture her and her disease was so much the more dangerous that she durst admit no Physician Thus she lived alwayes dying and thus she dyed whilest she was yet living Yet love
to the longing couple At ten a clock appeared the Bride walking betwixt Agapeta and Aretina who were the two poles of beauty whereon the sphear of love moved after them followed a company of beautifull Virgins all wearing the Brides livery which was white satin enclining as it were to change its colour and which appeared when motion raised its pyle that it hovered whether it should appear white or not As they passed alongst a green Alley to go to Apollo's stately Temple there stood Mount Parnassus beautified with grasse and flowers its top was encircled by nine Ladies each wherof represented one of the nine Muses and who mingling their voices with the notes of their harmonious though different instruments did make the hearers stand motionless the spirits which formerly moved their other members having then run all to their ears to recreat themselves with the sweetnesse of that charming musick the whole Mount lurked a while in the clouds of smoak which the burning myrrhe cinamon and frankincense spred over it which at last evanishing shewed the by-standers Mercury who stood upon the top of the Mount and making a low reverence delivered thus to the Bride his eloquent Commission If any of the gods had been unmatcht No mortal man should sucâ— a prey have catcâ—t As fair Eliza with whom Venus fair Is willing loves soveraignity to share And that in heaven she shall loves scepter sway Whilst earths great globe Eliza doth obey Aâ— her command her scepter here I break Whereof one half your snow-white hand must take The Bride surprized with joy and joying in the surprisal took the one half which Mercury had proffered her and marched to the Temple followed by the Bridegroom walking betwixt Megestus and Philarites whom Sophander had placed there both to gratifie them and to obviate the contests which precedency might have occasioned amongst the native Nobles the Churches were so richly decked as if the gods had lent all heavens furniture to decore their Altars and the magnificence of each thing was such as if Mars and Venus had been the persons to be married After Dinner the Gentlemen whose courage seemed to them rusted whilst they rested invited one another albeit none of them needed any invitation besides what they got from the mouth of honour to ride at a small Ring which was presented by the Bride all rode but all had neither the same skill nor successe for as the address and skill of some made the Ring seem greater to them than it was So the lourdnesse of others represented it to them lesse than really it was But whilst they were thus busied a Gentleman ushered by two Trumpets diverted the Kings eye from being longer the Arbiter of these martial games who presented him with a Paper sent by his Master the Knight of Mars which was read by the Gentleman to whom the King indulged that favour and repeated by an Herald whose tenour was as followeth GEntlemen when I perceived Venus Altars so much frequented and the grasse growing about the Altar of Mars I could not but count this amongst the other fits of the worlds dotage Neither need mortals dispute any longer the preference betwixt Love and Courage seing the gods themselves had determined it for they by chusing a man to be god of Courage and a woman only to be god of Love have in a mystical way shewn us that Courage is as much to be preferred to Love as man in excellency surpasseth woman but if Divinity cannot perswade you consult moral Philosophy and it will tell you That Courage is Captain of Vertues Life-guard for who durst be just without Courage and without Courage what a silly thing were Love which behoved to lye hidden in the womb of a Lovers brain if Courage as a skilfull Midwife helped not to bring it to the world as also all vertues must be voluntary for if they were not voluntary they were not vertues and consequently the more voluntary they be they must be the greater vertues whence it follows that seing nothing is so voluntary as Courage yea Courage cannot be constrained and that Love is oft necessitated either by the irresistiblenesse of the object or the weaknesse of the Lover that Courage is the more preferable vertue And how many miserable creatures are there who would willingly 〈◊〉 Love as a guest who neither carrieth respect nor bringeth advantage to his tortured host So seing they would willingly be rid of it surely it must be in it self an act altogether involuntary Likewise we see that seing every good is diffusive of it self surely the more diffusive a vertue is it must be esteemed so much the more and of all vertues Courage extends it self to the advantage of most nothing being either atchieved or accomplished without it and of all vertues Love extends it self to fewest that being the purest Love which is fixt upon one and the purest Courage which defends all But if Philosophy cannot perswade consult Policy whereof Courage is the darling being the Army of Common-wealths and the Walls of Cities but albeit Love hath been oft their bane yet it was never their protector But if neither of these can perswade then let him who is dissatisfied appear to morrow where my sword shall prove what neither of these can and let him remember that if none appear Courage shall be declared conquerour and if any appear yet Courage must still triumph above Love to whom it must owe its defence After this Cartel was read the Herald affixt Copies of it upon the Palace gates and upon a brazen Pillar purposly fixt in the Royal Barriere or Lists where as the form was amongst the Ancients he hung up the Knight of Mars his shield which those who were to fight on hors-back were to touch on the left side and those who were to fight on foot which was reputed the noblest way as being subject to fewest accidents behoved to touch on the right side whence sprang the fashion of carrying shields pendants so much used in their times he who triumphed after a ridden combat carrying his shield thereafter hung by the left corner and he who triumphed on foot carrying his shield hung by the corner dextre Megistus smiling at the Challenge asked Philarites if ever he heard any thing in Athens proven by a sword No truly replyed the other except by argumentum in Caesare or argumentum ad hominem be meaned that manner of probation Megistus and Philarites who never strove formerly did now strive who should accept the Challenge which controversie was at last by the throw of a dye decided in Megistus favours whereupon he took pen and ink and returned the Gentleman this Answer MArtial Knight Love might have been said never to have erred if it had not contributed to thy birth who now like an ungrateful son spittest in the face of thy peerless parent Why fightest thou in defence of Courage is it not because thou lovest it And if so thou can do
for these favours said Madam Philarites is not unconstant but Pinasa is a cheater so she spun out to her the whole web of their discourse so exactly as that ARETINA by the help of what her memory furnish'd her from the Letter and from Placeta's discourse did easily piece up the whole progresse of their hellish treachery ARETINA who would not unvail her resentments in presence of her maid desired the curtains might be drawn for she intended to sleep and commanded the door should be shut The maid being removed she accused her self thus for her former jealousie O unworthy ARETINA seing thy credulity hath declared thee such Was it not enough that thou mightest be vicious by one of those vices which could reach its poyson only to thy self without harbouring a vice that stained the repute of such a spotless person as Philarites was neither his fame nor thy experience antidotes sufficient against that venome of jealousie How darest thou place his portracture in so polluted a room as thy polluted heart and if fate convoy him to paradise in the chariot of some glorious enterprise there to punish thee for thy crime and reward him for his vertue who shall absolve thee from that guilt which thou hast contracted and if he pardon thee that will evidence his goodness but not thy guiltlesness and his very smiles shall be thy continuall accusers Whilest grief was thus triumphing love replied that she was not so culpable as she alleaged for â—â—alousie was at worst but an excesse in love and excesse is not accounted so heinous a guilt as defects were seing excess had all that was to be found in the vertue which it transgressed and superadded somewhat to it whereas the defect could frame no title to any of the least of vertues perfections Moreover seing the greatness of the temptation was the golden rule whereby Moralists squared the smalness of the viâ—e that in this case the undiscoverablness of their plots minâ—ed exceeding the guilt of her escape Lovâ— in its plea alleageth also that albeit womens breasts be ordinarily Cristal-like transparant yet she had not blazed abroad her passion nor his crime but had chosen rather to sit destitute of comfort than to receive comfort from one whom she behoved to make conscious to her griefs and his escapes and how that Philarites himself had been a builder in this Babylon of mistakes by not saluting her at his departure and in wearing the Livery of another Lady Thus ARETINA loved more now than formerly resembling in that a curious Watch which runneth most soundly when it is first disjoynted and thereafter pieced up by a skilfull Artist or the breaches of a besieged City daubed thereafter with more strength than formerly by the wary indwellers Thus she spent some restless hours till sleep truced up a cessation of arme betwixt these warring passions After two hours sleep which were not able to defray so much wearinesse she was awaked by the deafning acclamations of a great many street-runners whereupon calling her maid she desired to know the origine of these confusions who told her That the Persians were beat by the two Knights and that Philarites had captivated the Persian General This report was seconded by a Letter from Agapeta who to congratulat Philarites success acquainted her with all the passages of the Victory The next morning Philarites the lungs of whose love could breath no air contentedly but what they suckt in ARETINA'S presence sent Kalodulus to learn if he might have accâ—ss to ARETINA'S chamber which being indulged him he came circled in his passage by the joyfull Egyptians and being entered and the servants removed spoke thus with a majestick and yet discomposed air MADAM That arm which hath been so fortunate as to be imployed in your service and which your interest hath strengthened to the extirpation of your enemies comes now by imbracing your feet to do homage to its divine Princesse the veins of my courage were filled with no other bloud than that of love neither was my sword otherwise edged than by the whetstâ—ne of true affection Wherefore Madam it is upon your head that Victories garland should be placed and it is to you that I carry these Bayes of applause which your too civil Compaâ—riots have propined me with SIR said ARETINA if ye had resigned your self over to my disposal as ye long since professed surely ye were too rash in jeoparding a body which was not your own and I should think her much mistaken who would set her heart in a breast which ye expose daily to so many hazards Madam if I knew replyed Philarites that my breast were the residence of such a noble guest doubtless I would be carefull of it yet Madam I am confident that if such a heart as yours were placed in it the gods would imploy their special providence to be a buckler to it ARETINA'S eye travelled alongst all the proportions of his well limb'd body whose proportion his close armour shewed most remarkably But Philarites eyes dwelt upon each trait of ARETINA'S face and upon the most negligent motions of her body as objects proportionated enough to a mans united admiration in whom he perceived all beauties globe mapped up in small bounds The next morning their correspondence was somewhat discontinued by Monanthropus arrivall whom the King had at Megistus's instigation recalled to Court The Knights at his arrival waited upon him assiduously and their attendance re-invited the eyes of the Courtiers to behold him as a person in whom their Nation had great interest only Sophander dreamed that his grandour was much ruffled by his presence and it would be somewhat minced by the respect which all did bear him neither was he much mistaken for he became the standard under which the male contents at Court listed themselves and to whom all true Egyptians made address and all concluded that he was a Comet appearing before Sophanders destruction Yet the King vizarded his real love to Monanthropus and his real aversion from Sophander leâ—t the change should prove as dangerous as it was sudden and Monanthropus imployed his friends to desire his wellwishers to lowe somewhat the sails of their nimious respect till providence should calm the ocean of their misfortunes Prastus finding his hopes stifled and his designs blasted and being informed of Sophanders murmurings treated with him incognito to promove his interest and in requital he should after his conquest of Egypt be promoted to the Government of it and if that project framed not that he should have the same charge in Persia which he enjoyed at that time in Egypt This was a bait at which Sophanders avarice did greedily bite and the rather because he found every accident prognosticated his ruine and that his misery wanted onely time to ripen it Wherefore he did now begin to bend all the force of his malice against the Egyptian Monarchy imploying the experience of State which he gained in their service to do them now
converse with you because of your eloquence every thing which is either seen in you or spoken by you being a snare to entrap unworthy mortals who must in spight of prudence like flyes flee about the candle which burns them But Madam my love is no infant passion for it bears as old a date as since my arrival at Court and albeit the persisting so long in my guilt be an aggravation of it every thought being a new crime and every moment forging a new thought yet seing I have avowed my passion I cannot but avow its birth Madam since ye have sentenced me guilty I beg fetters which are the badge of guiltiness Agapeta knowing what he aimed at gave him a bracelet of her hair which she desired him to take not as an approbation of his love to her but as a reward of his loyalty to her father Megistus glad to receive it upon any terms kissing her hand went away telling her that he gloried more in that badge of her favour than he would do in all the trophies which could be raised for him upon the ruines of the Persian Monarchy The Army was marched and had left Megistus Philarites and the Martial Knight behind busied in saluting their numerous friends their visits accomplisht they posted after the marched Troops and in their way the Martial Knight in pursuit of a discourse anent the antipathy betwixt the Egyptian and Persian Nations fell a chiding Astrologues because they attributed it to the variety of celestiall signs these mad fellows said he will needs have all the Watches of National inclinations set by the Sun-dyall of the heavenly Aspects as if the Needle of free-will were obliged to follow the touch of that Adamant and as if the face of the firmament were like those optick chambers on whose chamber walls one may perceive what is acted in the streets to which their backs are turned for the time but seing the humours of Nations varies the heavenly Aspects still continuing the same and seing those influences are corporeal and so cannot affect the will which is meerly spiritual I admire how men can fancy any influence where there is no passibility But why are the neighbouring Countries alwayes most tainted with this natural aversion more than the remote parts of the Nations Is it because the heavens are divided in shires as the earth is surely all these are dreams of capricious fancies and it is to small purpose that men should vex themselves by enquiring for a reason of that in the heavens whereof the reason may with small scrutiny be found upon the earth for we know that bordering Kingdoms do alwayes war one against another and these Wars are fathers and mothers to that Antipathy And who would not hate these who are their successors who have massacred their antcestors and for this reason is it that in these antipathizing Nations the frontier Countries hate most one another seing the occasions of fresh quarrels makes them oft purple their fingers in one anothers bloud And upon the contrary the remoter Nations are ordinarily linked in Confederacies for these Nations that border on the remote frontire of the Nation hated do in odium of the interjacent Nation league with those who border upon the other frontier So that that friendship is cemented with the common hatred of both the averse Nations and here mysterie of State is the heavenly Aspect which causeth this contrariety This discourse being ended before the journey they resolved that each of them should maintain a Paradox which being as weights added to the paices of times clock might make it run more swiftly Philarites being by lot destinat for the precedency undertook thus the defence of Vanity Gentlemen before I begin to wade through this discourse I must rid marches betwixt Pride and Vanity and I call Vanity an high estimation set by man upon his own actions and a confidence he hath of being able to perpetrate undertakings above the ordinary reach of humane power and Pride that whereby one undervalueth all that is done by others quarreling it meerly because it was not done by himself and not only esteeming highly of himself absolutely as is done in Vanity but also over-rating himself when compared with others I affirm then that Vanity is the wheels whereby honour courage and triumph moves for if Vanity suggested not to man the enterprise of something extraordinary and if these suggestions were not welcomed by generous spirits the greatest part of new inventions had been stifled in the cradle of their first conception Commerce had never been entertained through want of shipping and new discoveries both of unknown Countries and usefull Engins had never been atchieved and certainly men should never rise above their own level if they circled their undertakings within the narrow compasse of their own experience and seing in setting a high price upon my own worth I magnifie the workmanship of the immortal gods and believes undoubtedly that I am more obliged to them than really I am I think my self as to them no more culpable than he who acknowledgeth himself my debtor in a greater sum than truly he is should be blamed by me And further seing mans misery if sufficiently known were sufficient to inguâ—fe him in the depths of melancholy and to ingrain it more deeply of a black colour Certainly Vanity is of excellent use seing it confects sweetly those bitter aigrets and skinneth over those deep wounds which are inflicted by the hand of our natural misery The Martial Knight maintained That Prodigality was no wayes to be punished by the Commonwealth and that Prodigals in reason ought not to be interdicted if they sowed not their monies in the furrows of forreign Nations in which case only the Commonwealth was prejudged but that if they spent it within the territories of the Commonwealth they could not be challenged seing they were masters of their own and seing the Common-wealth was not endammaged but rather advantaged seing their money came in the hands of frugal men for such are ordinarily those who fleece these sheep who might improve it more to the publick utility and if persons of vast estates deborded not in such extravagancies they would in fine coffer up all the monies of the Kingdom so that poor Artists and others should be totally impoverished for the superfluities of the rich are the granaries of the poor and these who were once rich might presume knowing that they would not be licentiated to dilapidate and poor though ingenuous and ingenious persons might despair if they had not such crumbs as these to feed on but by Prodigality treasure runs like the Sea to the water-sources of poor Artists and from them by the frugality of others returns back again to the ocean of Noblemens treasuries by which circulatory motions the fabrick of the Universe is maintained in the one and the fabrick of the State is entertained by the other Megistus maintained That there was no Adultery in the case where
another Letter to the divine Agapeta wherein he discoursed thus MADAM MY reason befooled with credulity perswaded me whilst I lived at Court that lapse of time and distance of place might have effaced some of those impressions which the diamond of passion had engraven upon she long resisting cristal of my love-fearing spirit but I find now that I have been abused in this by my credulity for I perceive that the wound is not cured by distancing it from the sword which made it and that love resembles an impetuous river which swelleth the more the farther it runneth from its source and that albeit the weakest wit might wade through it near its fountain yet the strongest reason is not able to ford it when it hath run farther off Madam every beautiful face which I see hath some trait in it which proves a remembrancer to me of those incomparable lines which the Pencil of Nature hath drawn in yours but they are but dull copies of such an original and can represent it in nothing else besides in making me infortunate in beholding that which I can only behold and not enjoy I lye here tortured by the sharp ague of passion sometimes scorched with the flames of love and at other times frozen by the cold chilnesse of despair and as in all poysonings so in this I must seek the antidote from the same body whence came the poyson Fair Lady live happy and dart forth one ray of your happinesse to enlighten the darkned soul of melancholie MEGISTUS Philarites vented his passion to his dear ARâ—TINA in another Letter thus Incomparable Lady IF this paper had not been dampt in the floods of my tears the flames of my zeal had burnt it to ashes neither can I but envie its happinesse in kissing your fair hands a happinesse sufficient to border and limit the most unsatiable of mortals and so being its rival I would certainly destroy it if it did not promise to acquaint you with the ardour of my respects to you Oh that there should be greater distance betwixt this and Alexandria in ground than there is in the Mappe that so I might see that Sun with whose shadow I must now rest satisfied and that I might adore that Deity by which I intend to be saved Madam I have sacrificed all the flesh of my parched body upon the altar of love and were it not that my soul thought that it could be serviceable to you in its present dwelling it would leave that ruinous fabrick wherein it now remains Madam be not so unmindfull of him whose both happinesse and torture it is that he is too mindfull of you and bestow one thought upon him who bestowes so many upon you and who cannot nor will not be happie except in being esteemed fair Lady Your humble Servant PHILARITES Whilst Philarites was dispatching this Envoy a young Gentleman desired access to Megistus which being granted him he did with a chearfull countenance deliver his mind thus Noble Sir ALbeit the desperatnes of my design might make you eye me as either distracted or malecontent and like one who being in fear to drown in the gulf of despair is content to hang by the smallest twig of comfort that he is able to grasp to yet the publick advancement of my Nations interest makes me over-look all such difficulties and willing to exchange my own losse with their gain for I think it most reasonable that one member should rather be cut off than that the whole body should be endangered and especially such a member as is already in apparent danger of being lost wherfore Sir seing the Enemy is to passe this night alongst a wooden Bridge over the Nile hoping to attaque unexpectedly your Camp I entreat ye may suffer me to inclose my self in an Arch of it with some barrels of Powder that when such a number of them as your Army is able to encounter hath past alongst it I may blow up the Bridge and so stop both the passage of those who are not already past and the return of those who are gone over Sir lest my intruding my self in this danger and the horrour of the danger it self should make you think it is rather treachery than affection which hounds me out to this enterprize ye shall be pleased to know that these ravenous Physicians who have these two years preyed upon my fat purse and practised all their cheats upon my wasted body have at last told me that my cancer shall at last irrecoverably period my dayes Wherefore Sir finding that I could not by Art prolong my dayes I resolved to do it by fame and to sweeten the harshness of death by the generous manner of it that so my parents might have the breath of my praises to dry up the tears of their compassion and that by destroying one subject to my Prince I might preserve him two thousand having thus satisfied my reason I resolved to satisfie my Conscience which is that great Controller of all our actions whereupon I addressed me to a Priest my intimate acquaintance who perswaded me that it was as lawfull for the Civil Magistrate whose command he desired me to ask to dispose of me for the publick utility as it was lawfull for a private person to ransom his life by the losse of a member and that such a generous resolution was a key able to open the gates of Paradise and if it was lawful for a man to hazard his life in battel where he could kill but two or three how much more lawful was it to buy the safety of many friends and the destruction of so many enemies with so worthlesse a farthing as my single life was Megistus having deliberated with Philarites the expediency of this Overture resolved to accept the offer whereupon having both thanked and encouraged the young man having heard that the Enemy was to passe alongst the Bridge the next day he went under silence of night to the Bridge and opening an Arch thereof he inclosed in it the Gentleman together with some barrels of Powder and some Match and guarded the Bridge with some Souldiers lest any should carry intelligence to the Enemy of their intention The next morning the Enemy according to expectation appeared in view which made the two Knights make a shew as if they would fight for they were now four thousand strong and having after some resistance abandoned the Bridge they suffered the Persians to passe alongst it three thousand of them being on this side already Megistus caused shoot some Peeces of great Ordnance which was the signal condescended upon betwixt the Gentleman and him and which was instantly obeyed for he having fired the Powder did to the terrour of the spectators and ruine of the passers blow up both himself them and the Bridge and sent them all to heaven in a fiery chariot their bodies convoying their souls half way and would have entered the upper spheares with them if heaven had not shewed its
out and so evited lest else honest men should be cheated upon all occasions by soulless knaves Your sex is much obliged to this poor fellow said Agapeta for he hath vindicated you of that aspersion wherewith generally all men are tainted which is That all their passion is but simulate wherefore Sir I could wish to hear from you whether men can be really enamoured of such ugly faces at all and whether they can be so deeply taken with the best as to become distracted through missing them Madam replyed Megistus providence seems for ornament to have filled the gallery of this world with faces strangely different yet on the other hand when we consider how the most exquisit pencile is not able to draw two faces in nothing unlike we may judge that this variety hath been rather the effect of chance than pains and if we consider what a great variety of thoughts are to be found in the world there being some dependance betwixt thoughts and faces we need not admire the difference of faces for mans face being patched up of so many traits and colours and the eye which influenceth hugely upon the looks the face changing according to the difference of the eye as a picture doth by the several positions of an optick glasse being so varying in it self it is rather a wonder to see how two faces should be found any-wayes like than that two faces should be so dislike wherefore Nature having produced all men and women to be coupled together and nothing being so able to couple them as affection it hath given several inclinations to men and women whereby they are in a manner constrained to love those different faces for man being naturally incompleat needs a fellow-helper to accomplish him and as every piece will not serve to accomplish and fill up the vacant room of what is wanting neither is it enough that it be either greater or of better stuff So it is not sufficient to make a man love a woman that she is of nobler extraction richer or wittier than her whom he loves no that is not sufficient for it is likewise requisit that she be exactly adapted to his fancy for if all men loved only those who were wise rich or noble there being many women who can pretend to neither there should be many who behoved for ever to live unmarried and albeit a man may think that he could marry any of many hundreds whom he sees yet he is in that mistaken Not unlike an Artisan who takes up several pieces thinking them fit enough to fill a void which when he applies he finds most unfit And the difference of the eyes which look makes the difference oft of what is looked upon for as in a plain glasse that object seems great which is lessened much by a concave mirrour so some eyes judge that beautifull which others account ugly and if reason were imployed as the only proxenet yet we should see as much of this variety in the love of faces as we see there is in the love of opinions and as there is no opinion so absurd but it will still find a patron so there should be no face so ugly but it should find a lover And seing there would be such different choices even albeit reason were umpire what may we expect from fancy whose acts being but simple apprehensions must be more different than the acts of the judgment which never traces in any path except where reason is its guide And as to the other question which your Ladyship proposed Whether loves storms may blow so furiously as to shatter our reason and may appear so terrible as to fright us out of our wits I believe certainly Madam that it may for as a person may over-reach himself so to the effect that he may grasp that which is placed in a high place above him that he may disjoynt his body thereby so the soul of man may endeavour so to reach up the hand of desire that it may disjoynt it self by its nimious attempt and a mans reason may flie for shame to see it self so disappointed as that what it desired most to enjoy should be enjoyed by another And as the body may weary it self so in hunting and traversing to and fro as that it may by that immoderat travel fall in some uncurable disease so the soul may by too anxious cares run it self in some insuperable distemper Neither can I blame altogether such a generous wit as scorns to out-live its own felicity and who desires to understand nothing after he understands that his Mistris disaffections him for then the wit which formerly served him as an ornamenâ— will then serve him only as a torturer And such a lover may appositly be compared to one who draws a cord or any thing else to him with such vehemency that if it break he must undoubtedly fall and his wits may be said to leave their old residence that they may by roaving up and down try if they can find her whom they so much admire and adore so intensly Yet Madam albeit I revere passionatly that divine vertue Love I cannot notwithstanding but hate that species of it which being nursed by avarice languishes thereafter in discontentment and no wonder that such foul milk should occasion an ill tempered complexion neither can I comprehend how true lovers can be soldered together by gold a mettal which the gods seems to have hid in the bowels of the earth lest our avarice should have taken notice of it must that dross which carries only the impressa of some Monarch be preferred to the rich mettal of true love which bears the effigies of the immortal gods and which is only forged in heavens mint-house whence nothing that is impure proceeds and where nothing that is pure is lacking And must the Suns bastard be preferred to that celestial off-spring Are Venus chains become weaker than formerly through too much usage or hath the Suns continued influence refined gold to a greater excellency than it was of in the dayes of our predecessors Can avarice which ingendreth murders rapines thefts and rebellion be the parent of so divine and heroick vertues or can that which cannot incite a man to the acts of generation be the basis of that whereby all true generation is warranted as also there is much imprudence in this choice for gold having made a man dispense with the tenderness lameness or uncomliness of a wife she brings him forth such children as that their ugly shapes and crabbed humours makes him ashamed to term himself their father and who needs more money to patch up those imperfections in each of them when they are to be matched than he received by his match with their mother beside what treasure he must squander daily amongst Physicians and Apothecaries from whom they must buy a lease of their life to maintain that ruinous fabrick which totters from the first day it was founded neither need I swell up this sum of