Chrisipus is born altogether wedded to his rest wholly given up to Idleness he writes of Vices and Virtues and puts down Mercy for a Vice commanding expresly that no wise man harbour it in his brest because it pays badly for its Lodging and disquiets too much Up starts a Covetous and Severe Law-maker the very Disgrace of Nature it self he finds natural Reason crying out to him that to serve is against his Laws that men were born to command unless they be fools who because they know not how to command were born to obey and being guided by his harsh and covetous nature finds out Arguments that it may be lawful for some men to subject others and to be served by others to kill and to destroy them and without calling to mind so many reasons as stand laying before him the contrary being become a slave to his Affections maintains that there ought to be slaves Yet there will one day appear a man so pure from all Clouds and Darknesses of the understanding as to declare That the greatest good of Mortals is Virtue because it is a certain part of God That the tranquility of the mind consists not in the pampering and delights of the Body That Mercy is a Vertue That Slavery and Servitude Discord and Destruction are unjust unless it be where there is no other remedy and for avoiding of greater evils That Reasons of State for the most part have somewhat in them contrary to the Law of God whereby they are discovered not to be Reasons You need no clearer demonstration that Opinions most commonly are governed by the Affections than the finding it established by Law that he incurs the penalty of Death who shall steal his Neighbours Goods of Fortune and of banishment he that shall wound another And in former times In the ancient Laws a Buffet or Blow on the face was punished in Spain with the value of little more or less than eight Royals That a Buffet the highest of Injuries where it seems the works of God are defaced by the hand of the the Agressor when by Sacriledge the Soul is prophaned which appears with the greatest Glory in the Countenance and that to be chastised with so slight a penalty The Buffet I say which stains the honour and reputation for ever to be souldred up with Money and Money punished with the Gallows or an Axe Money stollen is not contented with less revenge than Honour and Blood and yet Honour Blood are contented with Money and so little as can scarcely be called Money who doubts that the one injury was not greater than the other by how much the good of the Body and Soul is greater than that of Fortune Thus have our Law-makers had such ill and vile Affections as that they have judged quite contrary to Reason and yet thought themselves so wise that they put this for a Law and left it recorded for Justice Which being considered never marvel at this Novelty of Dorotea since it contains a Mystery and perchance Wisdom for it is not of Necessity that that only should be infallible and without all scruple which the Vulgar admits of Believe me for the most part it errs and if all the Vulgarities which this evil Beast hath contrived were laid open thou wouldst see how many ignorances they contain and how ignorant thou art in following them Now if thou thinkest that this is Sophistry or force of Arguments there 's a good remedy Hear this Maiden in whom Reason speaks without Artifice and thou wilt remain well satisfied CHAP. VII The Doctor carries on the Discourse and the History is continued wherein the Fool is made wise IF Wills could be sold said the Singular Damosel as other Goods are mine would run the hazzard of being triumphed over by your Friends But the Laws will not suffer that things sacred should be exposed to sale because he that sells contemnes and slights as declaring that he hath no need of what he sells or at least that he esteems more the price than the Jewel The Will is sacred therefore expect no sale of it It may sometimes suffer it self to be alienated I confess but not into prophane hands only into those of anothers Will against which no priviledges avail by reason of the equality You Sir have no Will nor Love which can stand you in stead towards the promoting what you pretend to I see it in your affections for for you to endanger the loss of my reputation to bring me to the very point of Death and to threaten violence savours more of abhorrency than of Love You know this affection but ill if you call it blind and think to advantage your self by the Pictures which represent it to you with a Scarfe before its eyes amongst your Comrades since that is no Emblem of Blindness but an evidence of its having the very property of a Lynx In regard it acts what it will in despight of its Scarf Hoodwinked as they say it procures its ends This is then the Glory and Excellency of the Eyes to work blindfolded I will never yield up my self to that man who assists himself with power and deceit to conquer good liking and Loyalty Neither would I have you to think but that I esteem more of my self naked of these Goods of which you boast than of you cloathed with them for if at any time they are to be esteemed it is only when they serve to celebrate some pretty Stratagem not when they attempt to call out for Empire and to require subjection I shall live happily with him who shall be my Equal you cannot be so because you want as much to equal me as you exceed me in Riches since therefore for them you are such an impudent Clown pine away and die without hopes She had said more the sense of seeing her self thus affronted and mocked had so much transported her had not the Doctor interrupted her If you have thought said he that there can be a durable Love without correspondence you have been deceived Never fear Madam never fear you shall be beloved with excess when you can abhor with excess I confess my obstinate persisting herein hath done me but an ill Office and branded me for a Fool for desiring one who cared not for me but this hath not been without mistakes Whilst I had hopes I engaged my self in all occasions which might assist me towards the obtaining what I hoped for but now that instead of Flowers I gather Thistles Now I say that I discover your deceitful humour and that your Coldness is not Modesty but meer Hatred Never believe that I shall be so Marble-like as not to change and be sensible that from henceforward it is Dissimulation what hitherto has been Love If some Suitor should at any time trouble you with his Courtship after he is repulsed or discarded do not believe that this is Love for it is but a persisting to trouble you Neither accuse him of being
in Rhime and that in a Commission which he had once against a Company of Witches he had attained to much knowledge concerning them and if it had not been the Teniente he would perchance have made him believe he himself had been a Wizard They were in this talk when in a Drawer they espied certain Papers of which Campuzano reading some scraps cried out These are Rhimes As I live we have found out now the Conjurations The Teniente who knew as much of Conjurations as of Rhimes and had a great desire the Rhimes might prove to be Conjurations that he might make a Holiday and day of sport for the rude Rabble in the great Market-place after he had often crossed himself and said some Devout Prayers and renounced the implicite Compact which they might possibly contain in them and declared fully and plainly that it was not his intent to do ill to any one by reading those Papers neither to raise up any Spirit to converse with nor make the Devil take any visible shape He began to read the first Conjuration according to his Mistake which he found said on this manner Look down thou faithless Mother of Love and see The humble Suppliant of thy Majestie And though I with no golden Shrines appear At least I come surcharg'd with grief with fear Take back these flowers scarce wak'd by 'th' morning Sun This hope cut off so soon as 't was begun Since being at highest pitch of bliss attain'd I find thy promise broke thy Colours stain'd Henceforth thy barren Favours thou maist bring And them distribute to some happier Spring For whilst they press so hastily on me My fall's more violent than it would be And if the Crueltie which thou dost send Have not had power enough my life to end It is because the fright hath given me Balm And taught me how to lead a life more calm Does your Worship observe said Campuzano the Sacrifice which this Villain makes to Venus Mind here the Obligation which he presents her with in this Conjuration The Teniente was amazed and having but little skill in Conjurations the simplicity and ignorance of the Licentiate Passed with him for currant so he read on further An Allegory of the Mad-man which Horace painteth out He who by framing in 's distracted mind Pleasing Idea's full content could find And though's Chymera's did succeed in vain Sweet Adulation made all well again Illustrated by light and brought to day He chides his Fortune for her trayterous play That from a place of Glory so sublime Had tempted him to a less happy Clime Lay CINTHIA thy deceitful pencils by Which feign so easie this my misery They'lsweetly draw what 's cruel fierce and wild And make that rude which gentle is and mild Let no false Gloss over my griefs be spread But faithfully let them be coloured For Painting steals when it advantage spies Disguise from Truth only to blind our eyes Here the ill intention of the Reader was more clouded and he said For these occasions it is good to have studied Humane Learning who would have hit upon it besides my self Take notice Señor Teniente of this Conjuration which he makes to the Moon To the Moon replyed the Teniente I see no such thing neither is there a word here whereby it may be conjectured The Word Cynthia replied Campuzano does not your Worship consider that it is an Invocation of the Moon or Diana whom the Gentiles adored by the Name of Cynthia for having been born in the Mountain Cynthus With this respect therefore he invokes her as the ancient Magicians did that she should come down to moisten and give virtue to the Herbs of which they are to compound their Magical poisons The Teniente believed him and I must tell you that I am half afraid lest the Reader should also believe it But not to speak more of the Herbs You are to know friendly Reader that all Heresies of the world have had the same beginnings as these Madnesses of Campuzano Here you see him with a good reputation in Madrid and such a one that depending on it he sues for preferment but becoming jealous would revenge himself and this Blindness makes him believe that a Copy of Love-verses are Magical Charms Who would think this of a man so practis'd in Learning Did you not hear him discourse with the Doctor Ceñudo at the visit of the Machines Did you not just now observe him shew his Schoolship with the Teniente Then what can we think should be the reason of this blindness but that his jealous passion carries him on hood-wink'd Discretion Learning and Erudition are with men like Clothes handsom dressing and Gallantry Put me a rich Sute of Clothes on a Crook back'd man or on a tall Lubber whose Soul forgets it feet by reason of the great distance from them let him walk in the street and it shall not seem that he goes but that he is carried Dress him up without sparing Fashion Curiosity or Expence and you will see how ill he sets them forth and that as though the Clothes should carry him and not he the Clothes he marches disorderly indecently slovenly and clownishly discrediting the Nobleness and Gallantry of the Silks with the baseness and unhandsomness of the Motion On the contrary Give me in an ill Equipage a Youth ' all Soul all Air and more than Air only with a Baies Sute and that ragged too that he may set forth his condition turn him into the street let him display himself put his Cloak in order and so dispose himself like a Ship under Sail playing with the Wind and I am confident you will be so much delighted with him that you shall never mind his thred-bare Clothes so are the Wits of the world Many men there are that make themselves sine that learn that watch that study all their life without suffering an hour to pass idly but have so little of air and wit that they soil and darken all and 't is the same thing for Learning to be in them as in a Book we must search them and turn over their Leaves to pump out any thing from them and when it comes pray God it be to be understood There are others with very little Scholarship like your thred-bare Gallants but so ingenious witty pleasant and eloquent that with something which they have learnt at a Play or heard commended in a Discourse or observed in some small Book they set themselves forth become so airy and resplendent that they draw all admiration after him Señor Campuzano to come to our Story had a Wit so ill-contrived that after he had done what he could to procure the furnishing himself with Gallantry he was but a Pack-horse loaded with it not a Gallant Of these the world is full and such is the Ignorant Vulgar that only for hearing say They have a great many Books They take a world of pains They have their Degrees and other Titles which
that I might be imployed in her Service her messages and waiting on her and that the Page which she till then had kept for this might serve him in my stead my Master was glad at the trucque and struck the bargain as one that swops away a horse After a few days service of my new Commandress I was called aside by a Dueña or Governess into a room alone peeping in every corner to see if no body heard us I observing her behaviour concluded that for certain she would give me a Schooling for the passed pimping The reverend Matron with her Pontificial habit a Hermit-like Rosary about her Neck a little book of Devotion in her hand and a pair of large spectacles on her nose took me by the arm and said Although honest men have no need of being admonished that they should be so because their nature stands prompting them to it yet for all this they often slide into many errours by not knowing the way This my Son I will now teach you You are in a very principal and honourable House and till now have served the Master of it but the neglects which are committed with them are not so notable as those which are committed with Ladies you serve my Mistress mind me what I say you must bend to her desires you must accomplish her will for those who serve must not dispute whether that which is commanded be just or not that is more for Church-men then Pages If you would do discreetly and for your own good you need no other Loadstone then Obedience and Secresie Obey friend and be silent if you would be obeyed another day you see many in these Streets that are served well only because they have served well My Mistress knows you to be loyal and secret because you have been so with your Master and although this hath been to her prejudice She esteems you for it as it is reason considering that you also will be faithful with her henceforward being her Page There serves my Mistress you must know a Noble-man of this Court a Person powerful and liberal She is a woman ill matched and owes some gratitude to the Love of this Prince and telling me his title you are to carry him said she this Paper which is the Answer of another of his and the reward which he shall give will advertise you whether it be good to serve with secresie or no and because it is not convenient to be telling you of it always from henceforth I forewarn you that all the errands which shall be given you for my Mistresses Cozen you must carry to the Earl and this is enough for the first lesson I gave her thanks for the good documents and carried the Paper There I perceived how prejudicial a Fool is since by my folly that Gentlewoman came to cease being so by becoming jealous and revengeful to her Husband Foolishness in men is like poyson in poysonous creatures of which the Naturalists write that it never does hurt to themselves but to others I wax'd fat with my follies and others are destroyed by them Here I also observed that the folly and lightness of married women was for the most part learnt of their husbands for as Pliny saies in his Panigerick to Trajane they esteem it an honour to imitate their Husbands Married friend that most nights leavest thy Wife and goest to seek anothers do not confide in that thy Wife is very obedient for even for that reason she may imitate thee with more facility What a pleasant life did I lead in my new Office The first Pages of the World those that took up this occupation by their own choyce and not by use as now adays and that too for want of other imployment they I say were allured by this prosperity of Pages Let us speak plain I mean of Pimping The Page that is not a Pimp is not a Page but a meer pretender to it This is the greatest good fortune to this are all his desires steared The Page that thou shalt see well clad brisk and full of money has already attained to his perfection the other poor tatterde-mallions are still in their Sackcloth How many Playes was I carried to What sport did I see At what splendid feastings was I present How much Gold had I given me What acquaintance did I gain and from whence came all this good fortune to me but only for having the reputation of a Fool My Mistress thought that I had understood nothing of what I saw and therefore confided all in me as though she did not confide in me at all At this time there happened to me a very pleasant accident which was on this manner The Gentleman of the Horse had a spight to a pretty Lady of a certain middle humour betwixt grave and airy He had treated her as a respectful Lover and made her hands sparkle with certain Diamonds in which his foolishness was resplendent And coming a few days before this time with the caution which he thought convenient he catched her napping with a Noble-man another night returning he found her with another at this he was swoln with such honourable Jealousies that he was ready to have burst therefore contrived this revenge He intreated me to put on my Masters richest sute of clothes which was in his custody and that accompanied by the rest of the Pages of the House I should go visit her feigning my self an Earl and that I should rifle from her as much as I could by handsome wayes for she was a woman who not only trusted her Jewels to Genlemen but her self also which without scruple she delivered up to them Now I considered that being so grave she would not be willing that the first visit should be made by night we therefore were of agreement that it should be by day and in my Masters Coach who was then three Leagues from Madrid seeing the Sister which he writ to when I call'd the Post but the Gentleman of the Horse charged me that above all I should feign my self a Fool because this foolish greedy woman would confide the more in me In this Equipage we came to her House I very gallant in the chief end of the Coach and the Pages waiting upon me bad them say that the Earl of Rapina was there they having first given notice we enter in I made my congies little and measured sate me down and without speaking a word stâ—â—d viewing her from top to toe and do you think this was the action of one in Love No such thing I assure you it was a project as you shall presently hear I beheld her and considered How is it possible thought I that so good a Face should have such wicked Ends That so beautiful a head should be so empty What a sottishness it is for us to run mad after beauty I always thought that they had esteemed good faces because they promise perfection in all the rest as well of the Body
as of the Soul For Nature in nothing dealt so kindly with men as in putting in their faces a Superscription which tells the disposition of every one By it is known any whosoever The Frowner like me stands saying with his face Take heed of me for I am discontented and ill conditioned The Cheerful one saith I am all pleasantness and goodness The Swarthy and tawny complexion that he hath a course Soul The high coloured and bright haired that he is desparate From hence then arose her estimation for beauty but well looked upon it should not since we see that a beautiful woman as this who for certain was so in extremity was both false and mad false with my Gentleman of the Horse and mad with me as you shall see She was troubled to see my amazement and I said 'T is she without doubt although she is injured in the Picture She asked me what it was I said I told her That lying idle at my State of Rapina I had sent for the Pictures of the most beautiful women and Ladies of the Court and that hers had so infinitely enamoured me that I left my Lady Mother and my good Gammons of Bacon only to see the Original and that it had appeared to me more perfect than the Picture She laughed at the Lady Mother and the Gammons of Bacon and took me for a Fool already making account that she was Lady of all Rapina She used a world of sugred words and expressions to me she soothed me up and lulled me with much gentleness and tenderness What think you that this wrought upon me No for although I have confessed I am a Fool yet not that I am a Brute Is it possible there are those that can esteem this sort of loose women who only make their aim at the worst and less stable thing that we have Three goods adorn us of the Soul of the Body and of Fortune the two first which are discretion and good deportment are the most worthy the last is not our own this then do women court and lay their allurements and baits to catch it this they make much of and for nothing do they esteem it so highly as for its instability since from thence it is that it cometh to their hands with more facility can any man esteem these their flatteries knowing that they are not for him but against him and that they are saying in plain terms thou art a Fool and ill-favoured thy mony pleaseth me I do not say that it is not reason we should court the Ladies with splendid Liberality for it rather is the promoter of Love than the hinderer what incenses me is that the Interest should be the principal and that there is no remembring of other pledges more divine I assure you upon the faith of an ill-conditioned man that this Creature did not enamour me but rather she troubled me so much that I shortned the Visit letting her with great tenderness know how well I was pleased with some Diamond Rings which she had on her fingers of those which are set in the fashion of Stars with many small Diamonds and without more ado I plucked them from off her fingers saying By the Life of my Mother they shall make you as many more of this same fashion what well made Rings they are and how pretty they shew What hoe where are you Let us away to the Jewellers With this I took leave and she came to the door to wait upon me with many shews of gratitude and pleasure for this Honour professing her self to be much my servant I carried my Rings to the Gentleman of the Horse who staid for us hard by and taking him into my Coach gave him my side and together shared the booty betwixt us so ended his Courtship I then perceived that those who shew an affection to this sort of women do it not so much for Love as for Custome 't is a confusion not a wound they do it as men hair-brained not as those in Love I went reprehending his ill choice and added My Love succeeds better with me for I am enamoured of a young Damsel where there is no danger of these businesses If she does me any favour it is faithful and true for covetousness doth not teach her to counterfeit If she does me none 't is not contempt of me because I suppose that she doth it but to keep the decorum which is due and I have hopes too that she dissembles a love But I have none of these infamous Jealousies for I stand secure on her merits that yield not up themselves on easie terms The Doctor Ceñudo was much pleased at the recital of this his amorous enterprize expecting great applause from Don Felix and looking upon him with attention to see how he commended it perceived he was fallen asleep The Historian being displeased at this neglect pretended not to understand that it was a sleep and knowing he was sometimes troubled with a pain at his heart which was wont to make him faint he took a bason of water saying Bless us Heaven deliver thee threw it all in his face Don Felix awaked and seeing that he had taken it for a swound thought it a great happiness to have found this excuse for his unmannerliness and feeling himself very wet and all the Labyrinth of his Ruff spoyled he gave him thanks saying that he found himself not well and went away promising to return the day following He complyed with his word fully determining not to sleep and after having repeated the account the Doctor went on with his History CHAP. III. He prosecutes his History and relates what hapned to him in the Court being a Page and his various Successes in Salamanca THis manner of Platonick Love these pleasant conceipts and these amorous inclinations confirmed me more in the reputation of a Fool for men generally are so much enamour'd of their own parts that they judg for ill and ridiculous all that which they see not in themselves Now there was none that Loved after this method as I did Of force then they must blame it for ill contrived and foolish The Gentleman of the Horse laughed at what he should have admired I praysed to him the caution and wariness with which my Mistress suffered her self to be seen and I celebrated her disdains being more satisfied with them than if they had been favours telling him that that was a thing extraordinary in a woman of her deportment and quality The Gentleman of the Horse that was a merry fellow said What will Señor Ceñudo lay with me that if he goes this evening to see her in that pomp and state which he now goes in and makes her believe that all these riches came with the Fleet sent by his Father a thing easie to be believed since they knew that I had a Father in the Indies and in no ordinary imployment that she becomes not plyable flatters him and humbly corresponds with his desires I