impossible to hinder the marriage of Valeria with Herminius by acquainting some that were of Tarquins interest how that in policy he ought to prevent this Alliance Spurius then being acquainted with one that was kinsman unto Heslius that was in favour with Tarquin he went to see him and seeming to talk of the marriage of Herminius and Valeria as the news of the Town he began to speak of the good fortune of Herminius For truly said he very subtilly if he had not good fortune the King would never permit this marriage which unites two of the most potent Families that are his enemies and out of whom there are more exiles since Tarquin reigned than any others in Rome Spurius seemed to say this not as if he desired him unto whom he spoke to tell Heslius and that Heslius should tell Tarquin but only as wondring at the good fortune of Herminius For he knew very well that he to whom he spoke would tell Heslius all he heard And indeed as soon as ever Spurius was gone this man went to his Cousin and told him all he knew Heslius conceiving indeed that this alliance between two Families enemies of Tarquin was to be prevented he went unto that Prince to acquaint him with the business and the consequences of it Tarquin who except Horatius and Clelius hated Valerius and Herminius more than all the rest of his enemies he resolved to prevent this marriage by his absolute authority Thus when Herminius and Valeria thought to pass all their lives together in a most happy condition Tarquin sent for Valerius to tell him that for some reasons which related unto the good of his service he charged him not to marry his Daughter unto Herminius Valerius out of his great and noble soul told Tarquin all that his generosity guided by prudence did dictate unto him to oblige him not to constrain him in a thing which ought to be free But Tarquin answered That if Herminius married Valeria he would banish them Rome the next day and that they should never enter the City again Valerius not being able to oppose force he retir'd home where he found Herminius who impatiently expected his return for as a Lover is always fuller of fears than any other so he was more disquieted than Domitia that Tarquin had sent for Valerius But when he was returned the sorrows of Domitia of Valeria and of Herminius were extreme Valerius related unto them word for word all that the Tyrant had said unto him and all that he answered after which Valerius spake unto them with abundance of wisdom For after many other things worthy of his great heart and high spirit To testifie unto you said he unto Herminius how much I esteem your vertue and how happy I think my Daughter would be in being your wife I do declare unto you that were it not I have some secret hopes to be one day profitable unto the liberty of my Country I would exile my self and I would advise you unto the same that you might live with Valeria in some part of the world where vice does not triumph over vertue as it does at Rome But generous Herminius you having so much spirit so much heart and so much vertue as you have you are a Debtor unto your Countrey as well as I am Therefore I exhort you to stay here and to overcome that innocent passion which you have in your soul But to testifie how much I value you I do declare unto you That if your vertue cannot overcome your love and that you cannot live unless miserably I do consent to give you my Daughter to deprive my self of her and you for ever and to permit you to go and dwell in some other part of Italy where the power of Tarquin is not acknowledged provided Valeria consent unto it Oh Sir replied this wise Lady though I do esteem Herminius far above all other men yet I do declare that I am not able to abandon you to follow him and I think him so generous as he will not desire to take me from the best father in the world but I hope he is so reasonable as to be contented with that assurance which by your permission I shall give him of my affection that though we cannot live together yet I will with all the innocence and all the tenderness of a sister preserve it inviolably for him Yes my Daughter said Valerius I do permit you to love Herminius as the only man worthy to be your Husband and I would have Domitia also to love him as if he were her son Oh Sir replied Herminius you do set before me a most happy example of vertue for me to imitate for I must ingenuously confess that if you and Valeria did not give me so great an example of generosity I cannot tell what answer I should have returned But yet I see that I should be the most ungrateful and most unjust man in the world if I did not think my self happy in my misfortunes though through the grandeur of my passion and the Tyranny of Tarquin I am the most unfortunate of men As Herminius said this one came to tell Valerius that Spurius desired to speak with him And indeed that revengeful lover knowing that Tarquin had sent for Valerius and being impatient to know whether his design prospered he took a pretence of some business to speak with Valerius purposely to see in what temper his spirit was So that Valerius seeing tears in the eyes of Valeria and despair painted in the face of Herminius he went into another Chamber to receive the visit of Spurius Valerius was no sooner gone but word was brought Domitia that some Ladies desired to speak with her she seeing Valeria and Herminius in a condition unfit for visits she put them into a Chamber within her own and commanded the woman of Valeria to wait upon her Lady Valeria and Herminius were no sooner at liberty but excess of sorrow taking away their speech they looked upon each other a while and did not speak afterwards they went and sat down in the further part of the Chamber where the servant durst not approach out of respect though she had an itching desire unto it that she might report unto Spurius what she heard But after this silence had lasted a while Herminius was the first that broke it by a great and profound sigh which was a preface unto the saddest words that ever afflicted lover pronounced Alas Madam said he unto her Herminius now must never be happy in fair Valeria it may be I shall live a while after so sad a doom But Madam you that know how to love do also know that this word Never is a most fatal sound if it be applied as I do Yes Madam to think that you must never be mine does cast such a gloomy mist upon my spirit that my reason is confounded and I repent of what I said unto the generous Valerius and you when I commended both
you could not deceive when I did not distrust judge then if you can do it now you have rendred your selves suspected Aronces and Horatius hearing Clelia speak in this manner were strangely surprised for her words agreeing with her writing they knew by this both had written and that both their Themes were love since she used the same terms to them both and not having power to hinder their surprisals and their astonishments they changed colour looked on one another and afterwards looked on Clelia as if they had desired to see her thoughts in her eyes or what they should answer her On the other side Clelia seeing the agitation of their spirits knew she was deceived and blushed by a modest thought mingled with confusion but she did not judge it fit to retract what she had said and she continued to make war to them as she had begun for after Aronces was come from his astonishment For my particular Madam said he to her I protest unto you I had no desire to deceive you and Horatius very well knows I never proposed any deceit to him I confess what you say replyed he but confess likewise I never proposed to you in my life to deceive the fair Clelia to the end that as I shall make yours you may make my justification the path which you tread to justifie your selves will render you more culpable than you imagine replyed she therefore if you will believe me divide the controversie between you concerning the crime I accuse you At least amiable Clelia replyed Aronces with precipitation tell me if Horatius his crime is in the nature of mine I pray you Madam added Horatius yield not to Aronces that he demands of you without doing the like to me and without telling me if the fallacy of which you accuse him is like that you accuse me of If I should consent to your demands replyed Clelia prudently I should give you honour to have deceived me since I should take the pains to tell you a thing I suppose you know but in fine whether your terms be equal or no speak no more of it for in the humour in which I am I cannot tolerate such abuses take then some care to make me forget those you have done me and never propound it more to me if you will not have me fear or flee you as if I had contracted much hatred against you I know not replyed Aronces what Horatius hath done or said which hath angred you but for my part Madam I protest unto you that if I have incurred your displeasure I am disposed to displease you all my life Those which have begun a thing added Horatius do not so easily leave it off therefore Madam you ought not to think it strange if I make use of Aronces his expressions and assure you if I am criminal I shall be so till death I shall suffer the rest of the day replied Clelia seeming to believe that in effect you have deceived me but I declare to you my patience extends no further and that if to morrow you thus speak to me I shall effectually act as if the deceit had succeeded As Clelia had finished these words one of Horatius friends entred and I entred a little after with Fenice with whom I had made my peace since I left Aronces 't is true the better to confirm her I was not very sorry to accompany her to Clelias house to the end she might hear from her mouth that t was Horatius had made the Song which was the occasion of our quarrel she accusing me to have done it and I turned their discourse in such a manner that I finished to Fenice my justification but I was much surprised to see Aronces and Horatius both melancholy that they which used to be very civil had some disposition to contradict one another I assure you Madam this I tell you surprises you for after I had told you that Horatius had a design to discover if Aronces was his Rival to the end to endeavour to vanquish his passion I am assured I say Madam that you are astonished to see this exasperation at first principally in Horatius his Spirit but I may say he is not culpable because it is so natural not to love a Rival that what obligation soever he had to Aronces he would not look upon him as his Rival without feeling in his heart an extreme agitation Aronces on his part not doubting but that Horatius loved Clelia had a most sensible grief and as reasonable as he was he would not hinder himself from telling me afterwards that he was as much incensed against Horatius as if after he had made him the confident of his passion he was become his Rival he therefore endeavoured to overcome the tumultuous resentments of his heart and in effect those two Rivals departed from Sulpitia's house as if they had nothing in their souls which had begun to change their thoughts but the most remarkable thing in this adventure was that Aronces and Horatius both took an equal design for Horatius resolved to acquaint Aronces with his affection and Aronces to precede Horatius resolved to discover first his passion for Clelia to him so that those two Rivals instead of flying one another departed together from Clelia's house as I have told you and having proposed to one another to walk they went into a publick Garden where every one had the liberty to go but they were no sooner there but both being desirous to use one anothers confidence they hindred themselves sometimes by their own impatience and as soon as they were in the Garden Aronces thus said to Horatius As I infinitely esteem you I shall be very glad to acquaint you with the most important affairs which have hapned to me in the whole course of my life I pray said Horatius let me first finish my discourse for there is no reason you should deprive me of that advantage since I first begun to unlock to you the greatest secret in my heart When I have told you I am amorous of Clelia interrupted Aronces then tell me what you please Ah Aronces cryed Horatius you have prevented me and I have nothing now to tell you but that I fear I shall be conscious of ingratitude towards you and shall not have enough power over my self as not to be your Rival What Horatius said Aronces is it true that you love Clelia Yes said he I love her and it was to endeavour to discover if you loved her that I came to your house that day Clelius interrupted us and when I entred into your Chamber I had taken a resolution if I could discover you to be my Rival to vanquish my passion by all means I could possbly use but truly I cannot tell whether my inclination induced me to do it for since I have known you love Clelia I have so terrible an agitation in my heart that I do not know whether I should love Clelia hate you or hate my self
Tenderness which is produced by Inclination hath not need of any conformation Clelia as you see Madam hath not placed any Village along the banks of this River which runs with such a rapid course that there can be no lodging along the shore for to go to new Amity to Tender but for to go to Tender on Esteem it is not so for Clelia hath ingeniously put as many Villages as there are small and great things which contribute to the protection of it by esteem of this Tenderness of which she intends to speak In effect you see that from new Amity we pass to a place called great spirit because it is that which ordinarily begins esteem In pursuit you see those agrecable Villages of pleasing verses amorous and gallant Letters which are the ordinary productions of the greatest spirits in the beginning of Friendship and for to make a greater progress in that way you see Sincerity Great Heart Honesty Generosity Respect Exactness and Goodness which are all against Tender To make it evident that there cannot be true Esteem without Goodness and that we cannot arrive to Tender on that side if we are not endowed with that precious quality After all that Madam be pleased to direct your eyes to new Amity to see by what way we may go from thence to Tender on Recognizance see then I pray you how we must go from new amity to complaisance and from thence to that Village named Submission and which is almost joyned to another called small cares see I say that from thence we must pass by Assiduity to make us understand that it is not sufficient to have that small obliging care which give so much Recognizance if we have them not assiduously From thence you see we must pass to another Village called Empressment and not to do as those slow people which will not hasten a moment what entreaty soever is made them and which are incapable to have this impressment which sometimes so strongly obligeth from thence you see we must pass to great services and for to note there are few men which render such This Village is less than the others from thence we must pass to Sensibility to make us know that we must be lively touched with the least afflictions of those we love afterwards to arrive to Tender we must pass by Tenderness for friendship attracts friendship In pursuit we must go to obey Divine there being nothing which more engageth the heart of those whom it obeys then to do it blindly and for to attain in the end to our desired Port we must pass to constant friendship which is without doubt the surest way to arrive to Tender on Recognizance But Madam as there are no ways which we may not stray from Clelia hath made as you may see that if those which are at new Amity go a little more on the right or left hand they will likewise deviate for if we part from great spirit we go to neglect and we see opposite to that Map that if we continue this deviation we go to inequality from thence to lukewarmness lightness oblivion and instead to find our selves at Tender on esteem we are at the lake of indifferency which you see marked on the way and which by its calm streams without doubt lively presents the thing of which it bears the name in this place On the other side if we go from new amity to take a little more on the left hand we go to indiscretion persidiousness pride mischief or obloquy and instead of finding our selves at Tender on esteem we are at the Sea of enmity where all the vessels are shipwrackt and which by the agitation of its waves fitly agrees with that impetuous passion Clelia would represent she likewise makes us see by these different ways that we must have many noble qualities to oblige her to have a tender friendship and that those which have bad ones can only acquire her hatred and indifferency and she willing to describe to us in this Map that she never had love nor would ever have any thing but tenderness in her heart makes the River of Inclination cast it self into the Sea which is called the dangerous Sea because it is dangerous for a woman to exceed the limits of friendship and she makes in pursuit that beyond this Sea is that we call unknown Lands because in effect we know not what they are and that we believe no person can go further than Hercules his pillars so that in this manner she hath moralized friendship by a pastime of her fancy to make us understand in a peculiar manner that she never yet loved nor could ever receive any Aronces Herminius and I found this Map so exquisite that we perfectly understood it before we departed Clelia instantly prayed him for whom she had made it not to to shew it but to five or six persons whom she desired should see it but as it was not but a simple delight of her spirit she would not have it fall under the censure of those stupid persons which neither know the beginning of it nor are capable to understand the new gallantry but she could not be obeyed because there was a certain constellation which so reigned that though we inttnded to shew this Map but to few persons it made such a noise in the world that there was nothing spoke of but this Map of Tender all the ingenious wits of Capua writ something in praise of this Map either in Verse or Prose for it was an excellent Subject for an ingenious Poem gallant Verses very agreeable Letters and very pleasant Discourses but Clelia said they set too high an esteem on it and there was no person who was not demanded whether he would go to Tender It furnished some such an agreeable subject of entertainment that there was nothing more fit to exhilerate our spirits at first Clelia was angry that there was so much spoken of it for in fine said she one day to Herminius do you think I imagined this spective fancy had any thing pleasant but for our Cabala in particular to become publick and that I made to be seen but by five or six persons which have noble spirits should be seen by two thousand who scarce have any and who hardly understand the best things I know well pursued she that those which know it began a conversation which gain me only time to imagine this Map will not find this Gallantry Chymerical nor extravagant but as there are strange men in the world I extremely fear that they will imagine I seriously considered of it that I have trifled away many days to find it and that I believe to have designed an admirable thing but it is a momentary folly that I look upon as a toy which hath it may be either some gallantry or novelty for those whose Spirits are well tuned to understand it Clelia had therefore no reason to disquiet her self Madam for 't is certain that all in
this malicious woman so negotiated the matter that within three days there were dispersed above a hundred Copies of the letter of Herminius Yet Salonina had not all the pleasure which she expected from this malice For Herminius was so often known to vent such pieces of wit as these without any particular design And Valeria had so great a Reputation of Prudence that few or none believ'd it to be more than only a passage of wit and no particular or applicative aim of any Gallantry in it Herminius found this advantage by it which now I am going to relate unto you The perplexity that he saw in the spirit of Valeria made him fear lest she should take resolution of seeing him no more only to prevent scandal For though Valeria's heart was all innocency yet she knew that scandal seeks only a pretence to calumniate the most vertuous persons So as Herminius who knew that Valerius and Domitia loved him resolved upon two things The First to acquaint Sivelia with his Love and oblige her to consent unto his design and help him The second To ask Valeria's leave to apply himself unto those who had the disposition of her for their approbation of his affection Herminius therefore told his generous Mother of it who commended his design and assured him that she would assist him in all that possibly she could For she found in this alliance all that she could wish for especially Vertue and Nobleness of bloud But when Herminius pressed Valeria to let him speak unto her Father he found greater resistance than he imagined For after he had wooâ—d her unto it with a thousand tender and passionate expressions and prayers he saw she chang'd colour and beginning to speak she would not give him any precise answer So as troubled in mind Oh most Divine Valeria said he unto her do not put my passion unto any further tryal you may know it and to say more do know it And yet you speak unto me as faintly as if you did not know I love you and as if you had not permitted me to hope I should not be hated Indeed answered she I do know that you love me sometimes but how shall I be assured you will love me always How Madam said Herminius and interrupted her can you be so unjust as to say that I love you sometimes I who have not a minutes rest in my passion I who love you more than ever any can I I say who think upon none nothing but you who would not live but for you who cannot live a minute without you Though I should agree that you do love me replied she yet I cannot that you love me as I would be loved But Herminius do not deceive your self but know that if you did love me always equally you could not do as I have seen you There are some minutes some hours and some days wherein you can so well hide your affection even when you are not constrained unto it as I have cause to fear how I do inseparably conjoyn my Fortune with yours Though you are the only man in the world for whom I would without aversion obey my Father if he should command me to marry For I do declare unto you I had rather be the Wife of a man that hates me and always has hated me than of such a man as once zealously loved me and afterwards does not For since the first of these ever hated me I never loved him and by consequence his hatred never troubled me as the indifference of him whom once I loved would But I beseech you Madam replyed Herminius who should you presuppose that I should change my mind Did you ever see me inconstant unto any of my friends Oh Herminius replied she some men may be constant in Amity that are not so in Love And there are some men who never have but one friend who yet have many Mistresses Madam replied he I am none of those For on the contrary I have many friends but you are my only Mistress and I can safely say that I have no other but you For if I did ever think my self in Love with any I now see I was much mistaken when I thought so For I never had such heart-burnings for any as for you Do not fear then I shall ever change when I cannot hope to be better Nor think that though time should offer any injury unto your fair face I should yet alter my mind No no Valeria I do not love you for your beauty only There are other excellencies in your soul and mind which I prefer before the charms of your eyes and all outward Lustre you have a thousand and a thousand beauties over which time and age has no power You have a thousand and a thousand Treasures which are not in the power of Fortune and worth much more than all those she is able to give Fear not then that my Passion will ere diminish as long as it is built upon so sure a foundation and Cause so solid I am nothing of the humor of those men whose Loves are damped as soon as a little sickness has paled the Complexion of their Mistresses I most humbly beseech you Madam think better of Herminius and deny him not that permission which he asketh unless you will have him think you never loved him or that you never will love him and that you would not have him love you any longer Though I should replyed Valeria with a demi-blush you would not believe me For indeed I do not refuse to consent unto what you desire but lest in consenting you should love me no longer or love me less After this Herminius redoubled his prayers and expressed his desires so tenderly and full of passion as she permitted him at last to speak unto Valerius her Father So as Sivelia who knew the vertue of Valeria and much approved of this alliance she moved it unto Valerius who liked the proposition as well as she could desire But though both sides carried the matter very secret that it might not be known untill all was consummated yet the joys of Herminius did betray this important secret and made Spurius partly guess at the truth and fully discovered it by the intelligence of that wench which gave him the Letter of Herminius so as entring into a new despair it caused such a disturbance in his heart as did confirm the opinion of such who say That a violent passion is often stronger than vertue or reason For Spurius who till then had done nothing for which he could blame himself unless loving too long after all hopes of being loved was gone he took a course to hinder Herminius from being happy which he would not have taken if jealousie had not altered the constitution of his soul The truth was he was an enemy unto Tyranny he hated Tarquin and he heartily wished the liberty of Rome yet in transport of passion which then was Mistress of his heart he thought it not
to desire but what I have For Emilius is handsom he has high bloud he has courage and wit and a violent passion to me He prefers me before the richest match in Rome he is of a sweet disposition and I know not what I can wish more in him to make my self happy After this falling into talk of Herminius Valeria with Tears in her eyes took a little Cabiner where she kept all his letters and offered to tear in pieces all the Letters of her former Lover But Flavia was so earnest with her that at last she consented that she should have them upon condition never to shew them unto her So as Flavia taking the Cabinet and all in it she carried it unto the Chamber which was allotted her After which these two Ladies went to walk by the side of a Rivulet which was very pleasant and from whence one might see all the way from Rome thither And Emilius was to come that way As for Valerius and Domitia they thought upon nothing but taking all necessary orders for the next day For though the company was not to be great yet would they have all things in handsom order and decency at this private Feast Emilius for his part his heart was so full of joy that all the care he took was to go be times unto the place where he was to be made happy So as referring unto his servants the care of all things necessary for the marriage day he departed with only one servant to go unto his dear Valeria In his going thither he entertained himself with every thing that might flatter his passion and his spirit thinking upon nothing but delights he fancied the satisfaction Herminius would have to see him so happy if he were alive and also the pleasure he himself should have in seeing his friend When this thought came upon him he was not above two hundred paces from the house of Valerius So as Valeria and Flavia who were walking by the River side might easily see him entertaining himself in this manner at a place where two ways crossed he heard the noise of a horse on his right hand which made him look that way But as soon as ever he had turned his head he espied Herminius yet he never thought him whom he saw to be his friend For his imagination being prepossessed with an opinion of his death and being also at a good distance he thought him only some man that resembled him But Herminius who had nothing in his mind which made him not credit his eyes no sooner espied Emilius but he went immediately unto him Oh my dear Emilius said he unto him how happy am I to meet with you Emilius was much surprised at these words for believing two of his senses he began to think that Herminius was risen from the dead since both his eyes and his ears told him so they meet therefore each other and lighting from their horses which they left with their men they embraced each other with abundance of joy and tenderness for they loved one another most dearly Is it possible said Emilius unto his friend I should have the happiness to embrace you after all hopes of you were lost and at the very same instant when I was thinking of you and desiring your company you should come to partake of my joys For truly my dear Herminius if you still retain the same thoughts of your friend doubtless you will be very glad to see me happy Never doubt on 't replied Herminius And to defer the pleasure of it no longer from me pray tell me what happiness it is You shall know it replied Emilius when you have told me by what miracle you are raised from the dead Herminius who knew not that all Rome thought him dead did think Emilius meant the length of his exile so as making no great matter of what he said he only told him that the relation of his fortune would be too long for that place and that all he would tell him was that being come to the Court of Italy with an African called Amilcar and two of his friends the one called Artemidorus and the other Zenocrates he left them upon a promise to meet again at the house of Valerius where he was to go to hear how squares went at Rome and where he had much other business of great importance But after this added he pray tell me whither are you going at present and of what nature is the happiness which you are to enjoy and in which I must share with you The place whither I go answered Emilius is the very same to which you go and not to conceal my good fortune any longer from you know my dear Herminius that to morrow I am to marry the fair Valeria with whom I fell desperately in love as soon as I came to Rome after I left you at Capua How Emilius replied Herminius very sternly are you to marry Valeria to morrow Valeria the daughter of Valerius whom Spurius once loved and afterwards Mutius when I went from Rome The very same replied Emilius much surprised to see the astonishment and sorrow of his friend But what 's the reason this news in lieu of rejoycing does trouble you Oh Emilius said Herminius and recoyled apace what News have you told me I have told you the truth replied he and a truth which I thought would have been joy unto you and yet I am so unhappy as to see it trouble you but cannot imagine the cause For I am sure you loved Clelia when we were at Capua and I never saw any appearance of your loving Valeria or of her loving you What then is the cause of this great alteration I find in your face and this trouble which I see in your heart For if my good fortune does any ways afflict you I do declare unto you that I cannot be happy Ah Emilius said Herminius Is it possible you should never hear in Rome that I loved Valeria and that you cannot love her unless you become my Rival my enemy and unless you betray that Amity which you promised I knew not that you loved Valeria replied Emilius And though I had known it yet believing you to be dead as all the rest of your friends did nay Sivelia her self I think I did you no wrong in loving her whom you loved I never knew of your love to Valeria for since I had no thoughts of it at Capua I could not have at Rome so as finding in this sweet and fair Lady all the sweetness and complaisance that vertue would permit her to shew I had no reason to think she intended the happiness of any more than my self Oh Emilius replied Herminius and sighed Valeria is a perfidious woman and may withdraw her affection from you as well as from me But since it is thus added he and that I am so unfortunate as to find a happy Rival in the person of a friend whom honour will not permit me to use as
an enemy and that I am also so miserable as to have a Mistress who does not only cease loving me but can love another my journey is at an end I need know no more I came only for Valeria and since Valeria is to be yours I have nothing to do but to die In saying so Herminius with abundance of sorrow in his eyes would have left Emilius to go and take his horse But Emilius whose heart was divided between Amity and Love between his Friend and his Mistress and who perhaps had some sparks of jealousie which he knew not of he was very desirous to know a little more so as taking Herminius by the arm and speaking unto him with much generosity and tenderness I beseech you said he unto him do not offer to leave me thus cruelly but consider I conjure you my innocency towards you For you know that during all the time of our travails together you never acquainted me with your love to Valeria you never so much as named her unto me as I often told you I thought you in love with Clelia 'T is true you would never confess that unto me yet I had good cause to think you were And I had reason to think that if you had had any Mistress in Rome you would have imployed me with some Letter or service to her when I came thither where I met with the Physician of Capua who shewed me a Letter which imported your death I published the news with incredible grief It was confirmed by Sivelia who also published the particulars of it to all the world the Tyrant grieved you had escaped his cruelty all your friends lamented you I saw Valeria I fell in love with her I found her disposed to obey Valerius who commanded her to entertain my affection and I prepared my self to marry her by consent of all even of your illustrious Mother who knew of it What crime then have I committed and wherein have I wronged you In nothing answered Herminius but your innocence does only make me the more miserable for indeed Emilius if it had been any other but your self either he or I should have died rather than endured he should take Valeria from me who as ungrateful and unfaithful as she is yet is she so dear unto me as without death I cannot suffer another should enjoy her Therefore since I cannot with honour be your enemy and since it does not please my capricious fortune I should have such a Rival whom I may ruine I will even go and die in some place or other where my passion shall not force me to any thing against my duty For let me tell you that considering the humour I am in I dare not answer for my self if I see you long Go therefore happy Emilius and gather the recompence of all my services and if you will never tell the inconstant Valeria that I am living since the term I have to live is so short as I shall quickly confirm the news of my death Did I think the sight of me would afflict that ungrateful person who is going to make you happy and hath so long and so cruelly deluded me I would go and upbraid her with inconstancy But since now she loves you better than ever she loved me she will not startle at the sight of me but rather triumph over my misfortune After this he offered to disengage himself from Emilius who held him by force and gave him most obliging language though his mind was much disquieted for he loved Herminius most tenderly he was infinitely obliged unto him and he understood that Valeria had loved him and he knew not what to think Love on one side tormented him friendship raised a thousand scruples in his heart jealousie did mix it self amongst all these several sentiments and he was no less miserable than Herminius who could not conceive how Sivelia could come to so many particulars of his supposed death nor why Valeria should write unto him as she did nor how she could love Emilius so soon nor how Valerius who was a man of great honour could break his word with him for he could not fully perswade himself that he was thought to be dead though his friend told him so because looking then upon him as a Rival he suspected all he said but during this long contest Valeria and Flavia who were walking by the River side they could not imagine who it should be that was talking with Emilius whom they knew because they knew he was to come that way But as for Herminius they never dreamt of him nor thought him living and therefore knew him not and besides his back was turned towards them they were a little troubled at their long discourse which was with that earnestness as made it evident they talked of something which did not please them so as imagining it might be Spurius or Mutius they feared some disasterous adventure Then spying Valerius who was walking to see whether a Fountain was rightly ordered these two Ladies told him the cause of their inquietude Valerius turning about and seeing them he went unto the place where those two men were in such earnest discourse he was come very near unto them before they perceived him for they were so intent upon their discourse that they minded nothing else But Valerius no sooner saw Herminius than he knew him and was not in any such amaze as Emilius because he knew that he was not dead he therefore stept nearer and embraced Herminius who was much surprised to see himself in the Arms of Valerius but much more when Valerius turned towards Emilius and told him that he must now revoke his word For said he if my daughters heart be not changed towards Herminius and if the heart of Herminius be not changed towards my daughter she cannot be yours since now he is returned Oh Sir replied Emilius do not force me to grieve at the life of a friend who is so dear unto me No no replied Herminius faintly never fear the generosity of Valerius the heart of Valeria is changed and I am not so happy as to render you miserable Valerius finding himself betwixt two men whom he loved so dearly and who found it so difficult to please both he thought upon nothing then but how to carry them both to his house lest they should be exasperated against each other At first their spirits did so boil and they knew so little what to do that they would not go with him For Herminius said he had no mind to see Valeria since she loved him not Emilius on his side said that since Valerius revoked his word in all probability Valeria would revoke her heart and Valerius not knowing well what to answer them he heartily beseeched them to follow him Mean time these two fair ones that were walking seeing Valerius bring those he went unto along with him they went unto the door where Valerius was to enter purposely to see who were with him but in
savouring not of flattery did not perplex those which received them and they both found though they much endeavoured to restrain themselves that they had both some great subject of Inquietude so that imagining their grief might proceed from one cause they had many inducements to desire one anothers friendship and if the Princess of the Leontines departed from Aronces much admiring him he remained with the same admiration for her 't is true that as his Spirit was pre-occupied with many things which strangely distracted him she was no sooner gone but his grief resuming its former place which her presence had a little dispers'd he thought on nothing now but how he might compass a remedy to put a period to his afflictions The Princess whose disturbed thoughts admitted more relaxation than those of Aronces was no sooner return'd to her Chamber but an urgent curiosity incited her to desire Aurelia to impart unto her both the birth and adventures of Aronces That which you demand of me said Aurelia is of so great a consequence that I dare not presume to tell you what I know of them without the permission of Aronces though they much require your knowledge and likewise knowing but part of his Adventures I cannot entirely satisfie your desires but I will promise you to entreat Sycanus to oblige Aronces to permit them to be imparted to you and Aurelia inviolably keeping the promise she had made the Princess did so much urge her Husband to desire this favour of Aronces that he at last easily consented thereto and very well knowing how important it might be to acquaint her with Aronces his Adventures he communicated his Sentiments to Nicius Martia and Celeres who giving them a favourable approbation they went together to Aronces his Chamber to perswade him to license their discovery to her at first he could not resolve to give his consent his nature contradicting him but after Sycanus had alledged many perswasive Arguments and Allegations to prove the necessity of it he at last willingly without the least opposition granted their desires 't is true the mind of this Princess could not be herein so soon satisfied as she desired for the Perusian Prince the more to honour him who had saved his life sent the Princess his wife to visit him with Tiberinus the only Favourite of the Court amorous of the Princess of the Leontines who arrived at this time at the Willow Island after Sycanus had conceal'd Nicius and Martia in an Apartment having given strict order no person should enter there and an express command to all his Domesticks not to declare that there was any Stranger in the Castle besides Aronces and the Numidian Prince their discovery so much importing Aronces he brought to the Castle the Perusian Princess followed by five or six women and conducted by Tiberinus not any of their Attendants knowing Nicius and Martia were there and Sycanus having before advertised the Princess that the Numidian Prince was in the Castle she believed his quality required the first visit but 't was most remarkable that Adherbal who did not know Aronces was his Rival mentioned none but him so long as their conversation lasted exaggerating those Noble Actions he had performed at Carthage where he was first acquainted with him But after many Encomiums of the generous Aronces tell me his birth said the Perusian Princess to him to the end that the Prince whose life he hath saved may esteem him according to his quality Aronces of himself is so illustrious replyed the Numidian Prince that if his condition should not be meritorious he would deserve the treatment of a Kings Son 't is true his birth was so variously reported at Carthage that I cannot give you any assurance of it but what I certainly know is this that he was educated by a Noble Roman who being exiled by Targuin came to seek an Asylum at Carthage where I first had the honour of his acquaintance and I cannot be perswaded but he is of noble blood for his thoughts do so transcend the Capacity of the Vulgar Intellects that it would be a mere Soloecism to imagine he can be less than of a Royal Extraction I believe said the Princess of Perusia to him that I shall hear your Eulogy from the mouth of Aronces as I have heard his from yours in expectation whereof I shall now take my leave after I have offered unto you all those things which are necessary for you The Prince of Numidia answered to this Complement with much Civility entreating her not to believe the Character Aronces gave him for as his thoughts were unknown to him he presupposed that according to his obliging disposition he would have given an higher Encomium of him than he deserv'd so that the Princess having staid a quarter of an hour with the Numidian Prince whom Tiberinus freely offered to assist to the utmost extent of his power she went towards the Apartment of the Princess of the Leontines but having met her by the way some reciprocal Complements having past on both sides she brought her to Aronces his Chamber who received the visit of this Princess with as much civility as if he had not known she would be a grand Obstacle to all his Designs at first her grateful language expressed how much she was obliged to him for saving the Prince her Husbands life assuring him of the grandeur of his acknowledgment for such a signal Service and that he had given express order to make an exact enquiry throughout all his Dominions for the person he so much desired Aronces returned thanks to this Princess with a joyful Emotion which sufficiently demonstrated that the liberty of this person did much tend to his entire satisfaction the Princess of Perusia likewise told him that the Numidian Prince had related many things to his advantage and that necessarily he was the most affectionate of all his friends for in fine said she to him though you deservedly merit all those Praises he hath attributed to you I am of opinion that I may very well draw from them the consequence I have drawn seeing that there are few persons who praise with excess if friendship doth not thereto oblige them I have without doubt replyed he received many Demonstrations of the Amity of the Numidian Prince whilst I resided at Carthage but I am really perswaded he will one day repent of them when he is better acquainted with me neither do I flatter my self with the vanity of those applausive expressions he hath bestowed on me and I am strongly perswaded that he is a Prince whose deserts are incomparable and who is endued with those qualities which as much distinguish him from common men as his birth is superior to them After these words Aronces held his peace for in those Sentiments which lay concealed in the inmocence of his heart if he had been less generous he had not given such an advantageous Character of this new Rival which much augmented his Inquietude
without having any beauty and without youth she is considerable above all those which are great in Capua and that she is at all Feasts publick and private but that which is most strange is that she is continually in conversation with all the young persons of quality and with all the fairest Ladies In effect Those men which make such a tumultuous garboyl when they find that a fair woman hath her Nose a little too big too little Eyes the Chin too short or Lips too pale and can hardly suffer those which have passed four Lustres have not their eyes troubled to see always Aricidia though she never had any beauty and though she hath fifteen Lustres to count as the Romans or that she can recount near twenty Olympiads according to the calculation of the Greeks you will demand of me Madam without doubt by what charms a person to whom Nature hath refused all the Graces ordinary to her sex whom time hath deprived of youth and whom fortune hath not endowed with great favours for to render her so considerable and so much desired and I shall answer you 't is by a great goodness and by a natural grandeur of Spirit which being joyned to a long experience of the world and to an agreeable humour that without taking care of her self she divertiseth all those which frequent her for as she is without ambition as she hath a great and noble heart that she knows not how to slatter that she is not interested in any manner that she clearly sees things that she recounts them pleasantly and that she knows all that which passes in Capua there is no person which doth nor desire her and when there happens any remarkable occurrence there is no body which wishes not to see her to know that which she thinks says or knows of it so that if she could be in twenty places at one time she might be there she goes likewise every where without being troublesome because she is never in any place but where she is desired Moreover though she hath something in particular in her Physiognomy and very pleasant in her manner of speaking she hath not any pleasantness of profession In fine she hath a certain jovial sincerity which makes her say things which surprise and which please and the truth is that she hath a solid vertue though it is not savage In effect she says things that she thinks not of she sees the weakness of others without contributing thereto and without being ever the confident of any Love she knows all the Loves of the City she blameth the tatling Gossips she flatters not the Gallants she gives pleasantly her opinion of those that pretend to be fair when they are not she endeavoureth to reconcile the differences of families she is in friendship with all the husbands and wives and without doing that but which she thinks she ought to do she pleaseth men which are opposite in all things she is a good friend and is both officious and free all the greatness of the earth cannot make her change her opinion when she thinks she hath reason and to define her in few words I may say Aricidia is a living mortality but a Moralist without sadness and who believes that the pleasantness of innocent Raillery is not useless to virtue but the most incredible thing is that though she knows all the maliciousness the world is capable of she is nevertheless incapable of it and though she hath an infinite spirit she cannot find any invention to prejudice any though she finds a thousand when she would serve her friends In sine Aricidia hath found the art to please and give divertisements to all the youths without incurring any blame for though she is not young she is sometimes at Balls she sees all the great feasts she is in the most gallant walks and the merriest company and Aricidia is composed of so much delight that I may boldly say she cannot be parallel'd and I even maintain that it would not be advantageous for her to be fair for if she were she goes to an hundred places where she would not go she says things that she would not say and her physiognomy which retains more the andacity of my sex than the timidity of hers addeth a far more force to her words and gives a liking to her discourses as I have said already she is so desired in all places that the days should be longer for her than others if she would content all those that desire her Aricidia being then such as I have represented to you came into a house where Aronces and I entred just as she spoke of Clelia to five or six persons which were there and that she spoke of her with earnestness so that when we entred she changed not her discourse on the contrary she no sooner saw us but knowing we were Clelia's friends she addrest her self to us with that familiarity which is natural to her You come very sitly said she to us to maintain my argument against a man you see with me who says that Clelia would be fairer than she is if she was a little more coy Ah Aricidia cryed that man which is named Genutius tell at least to Aronces and Celeres that which I at first said of the great beauty of Clelia before you tell them what I have wished thereto I shall tell it replied she after I have delivered my advice thereupon for I find it so unreasonable that I cannot endure it The beauty of Clelia is so resplendent and perfect replyed Aronces that I cannot well comprehend of what addition it is capable I think added I that without seeking to deny it you had best demand if of Aricidia I voluntarily consent to it replyed Genutius so that she will not conceal the prailes I have given Clelia For to content you replyed she I shall then say that you are of my opinion that all the lineaments of Clelia's face are admirable that she is of a most rare complection hairs very fair of a courteous behaviour and that she is in sine one of the greatest beauties in the world but after that pursued she raising her voice I shall say I do not believe she can ever cause any love in you because she doth not imitate all fashions or to say better all the ill favoured countenances of these which think themselves fair and which do not one action where there is not an affectation which strangely displeaseth but to the end you many excuse him added she turning her self towards Aronces and me I must tell you that I have seen him heretofore amorous of one of those Ladies who frame all their looks who place their hands with art who turn negligently their heads who have an artificial languor or a borrowed joy who fit their lips to the mirrors when they dress themselves and which laugh in such a manner that they shew all their teeth when they be white Ah Aricidia cryed Genutius you
rather that Tarquin should be eternally branded with my death than I should be suspected to contribute unto his And generous Prince said she and blusnt since my heart tells me that it hath a tender share of friendship for you I ought to be more circumspect then otherwise I should and it is fit I conjure you to be gone lest this long conference should it be known unto our enemies should give them a colour to hasten their wicked designs into execution However I conjure you to take a care of your self for it would grieve my Soul to hear that I should have a Sister who was the cause of your death Oh! Madam replied the Prince I beseech you never think of me but think how to prevent I may never hear the dismal news that a Brother of mine hath been your death After this abundance of tender expressions passed between these two virtuous persons never proceeded so many heroick so many passionate and so many innocent thoughts from any two upon Earth as from them they resolved at parting to communicate unto each other what they discovered After which the Prince of Ameriola went unto the King in such a profound melancholly as it was impossible for him to hide it and it was observed by all the people and the King himself As for the Princess as soon as the Prince of Ameriola was gone she went unto her prayers and prayed both for Tarquin and Tullia and in lieu of praying for their ruine to hinder her own she only prayed they might repent But whilst the Prince of Ameriola had been with the Princess it happened unluckily that Tarquin who was gone to hunt returned sooner than he intended and in lieu of going to his own house he went unto Tullia's who kept her Chamber that day The reason of his so sudden return was that resting himself under a Tree while they were mending his Bridle which was broken by riding through a thick Wood he began to read over Tullia's Letter unto him and in reading of it in the open light he plainly discovered that it had been opened and that there was some small difference between his Seal and that wherewith it was sealed So as being naturally suspicious and violent he made no question but that it was either the Prince of Ameriola or the Princess who had opened it And judging others by himself he feared being prevented if a remedy were not immediately applyed But lest the business he was about should be too much noted he seemed as if he intended to hunt out the day as soon as his Bridle was mended he got on Horseback and upon the first handsome opportunity he stole away and came with all speed to Rome In lieu of going home he went as I told you to Tullia where he heard that the Prince his Brother was with the Princess his Wife So as according to his natural impetuosity his thoughts ran upon nothing else but what poison he should chuse to give them With these thoughts he entred into Tullia's Chamber he told her that his last Letter had been opened and desired her to look whether hers had been so also and indeed this cruel Woman with Tarquin looking upon it they plainly saw that it had been sealed with a counterfeit Seal which no sooner spied but Tullia speaking first well said she had I not good reason to say that you were too slow in your courses and that you must make all hast possible to remove all these obstacles which hinder our happiness Yes my dear Tullia said he unto her you are in the right and I am in the wrong but to make amends I will make the more hast and therefore without any more delay these two persons who hinder our happiness must be poisoned this very day It hath been so long resolved upon and their ruine is so requisite unto our rest and unto the Grandeur of Rome as it it is injustice to deser the execution any longer Make sure work on your side as I will on mine be not so simply weak as to repent and be sure your eyes do not betray the secret of your Soul Look unto your self replied the wicked and violent Tullia be sure the fair eyes of your Wife do not change your heart Never think upon either gods or Men or Laws but think only upon the Crown which you aim at Remember how Romulus got the Crown by the death of his Brother and that by this death the people will rank you among the gods Consider how those who make a long War to get a Crown do sacrifice many more Victims then you shall and above all consider that Tullia will be yours as soon as the enemies of our happiness are dead For generous Artemidorus you must know that though Tullia was not capable of any scruple nor any Religion nor any virtue yet she would never let Tarquin enjoy her until he was in a condition to marry her for her fears were that if he should satisfie his Love he would not be so diligent to satisfie her Ambition And therefore desiring that the passion of this Prince might help on her Ambitious designs she was very reserved in that point though she expressed as much affection to him as he to her Mean time you must know that Tarquin and Tullia having both of them impetuous spirits and shrill voices and their souls being wholly taken up with the grand Crimes which they were to commit they were not so cautious but a Woman over-heard them one who had been brought up with the Princesses and waited upon Tullia in particular only since she was married she heard this dismal discourse and plainly understood how Tarquin told Tullia at parting that he would send her the poison as soon as he came home insomuch as this Woman who loved the Princess and had some goodness in her she had so much horrour against the crime of her Mistress as being desirous to prevent the death of these two innocent persons whose sentence of death she heard pronounced she went unto her Chamber where she writ two notes the one to give the Prince of Ameriola when she saw him and the other to send unto the Princess But since some time was taken up in writing and some in seeking out a slave trusty enough to carry a note of that consequence unto the Princess her good intentions took no good effect for you must know that Tarquin after he had been a while with the King because he heard the Prince of Ameriola was there and after he had observed that melancholly in his eyes which every one saw he went home in all hast to send poison unto Tullia and to give it unto his Wife But as ill fortune was for that virtuous Princess this Tyrant came in before she was acquainted with the conference of Tullia and him and he came in so just in the nick to hinder her as the Slave who had the note which would have saved her Life had she received it
No replyed Amilcar but not to hold you in suspence it is the Prince of Numidia who hath performed this grand action What cryed Aronces is it Maharbal which would once more take away Clelia he had no such thought replyed Amilcar for he protests he pretended no other thing then to free her from the cruelty of Tarquin and to remit her into the hands of Clelius and Sulpicia whom he assures me are nigh Rome By your favour Amilcar said Aronces to him tell me all you know of this adventure and how you knew it Since you will be informed in all particulars replyed Amilcar I must tell you that Tullia sent for me that I obeyed her orders and I found such a fury seated on her countenance that it almost struck me into a Palsie at first she accused me to be one of the confederates in the last nights enterprise but I gave her such solid and satisfactory reasons to excuse my self that as she is endowed with all the advantages of a grand Spirit she imagined I was too real to equivocate with her and not knowing what to think she sent me to him who appeared to be the chief conductor of this enterprise but I confess I was astonished when I knew the Prince of Numidia had acted it as he was almost buried in grief and very much hurt he did not so much as cash his eyes upon me when I approached him No sooner did he hear my voice but he turned his head and extending his hand towards me though said he to me you be alwayes my Rivals friend yet I am glad to see you to tell you before I expire that I dye with a strange regret not to have had so much affection to him as to yeild him Clelia without repugnance or hate him so much as to dispute her with him and assure him if you ever see him that I pretend no other advantage in delivering Clelia then to give her liberty and render her to Clelius and Sulpicia who are not far distant from Rome and are at this time As he desired to pronounce the name of the place where they resided his strength failed and though we applyed all remedies to recover him there was a full Hour elapsed before the expiration of this fit but though his fainting spirits were recovered he was yet deprived of reason for since that he knew not what he had told me and I could not demand of him where were Clelius and Sulpicia and seeing he had lost the use of reason I conceived it would be dangerous to acquaint me with it before so many persons and though the Prince of Numidia be your Rival I should incur much blame if I should let him be treated with severity and not disclose his quality both to Tullia and Tarquin to whom they have sent an express to inform him of the precedent accidents and discovering it was the Prince of Numidia which would have delivered Clelia I shall hinder you from being thought conscious of it and clear my self from all suspition I would do the same replied Aronces were I in your condition but I am much afflicted for I fear and not without cause that this accident will confine Clelia to a closer imprisonment and that your design will not take effect As 't is by Tullia's means I hope to procure her liberty answered Amilcar this accident will not destroy our intentions but will as I conceive much conduce to the furtherance of them for Clelia's Keeper having retained her with so much circumspection hath acquired such credit of Tarquin by frustrating this design that if Tullia suborns him as she hath promised it will facilitate her escape but in the mean time we must arm our selves with patience as there appeared some probability of truth in this conjectural opinion of Amilcar and that lovers usually catch at any shadowy glimpse of hope though grounded on incertainties yet a dull melancholy eclipsed the countenance of Aronces Amilcar demanding from whence it proceeded He confessed he would admit of no consolation whilst any of his Rivals pretended affection to Clelia the Gods know said he that I am not capable of envy and that I do not emulate the glory of any one but when it reflects on my Passion I cannot consine my grief especially when I see a Rival endowed with excellent qualities expose his life for the safety of a person I love whom she beheld with her own eyes to contend for her liberty and 't is impossible being as generous as she is she should requite with ingratitude the curtesie of Maharbal Oh Sir replied Amilcar it is not so for I have seen Clelia I have told her his name whom she saw so couragiously defend himself but far from retaliating any affection to him she believes that taking her from the power of Tarquin he had the same thoughts as heretofore when he would have taken her from Horatius when he fought with him on the Thrasimenian Lake and this delacatesse of love which you testifie gives you grief built on no rational foundation What replied Aronces do you believe I have just complaint to deplore the condition to which fortune had reduced me what do you believe I can support a voluntary imprisonment without some regret not to have power to deliver Clelia Ah Amilcar pursued Aronces 't is certainly little less difficult for Brutus to draw a Veil of stupidity over his reason then for me to make use of mine in so strange a manner for in fine if I should continually labour for to deliver Clelia if I should every moment expose my life to effect it I should not suffer less then I do in nothing but reasoning with my friends upon incertain hopes but I am very glad to hear that this enterprise proceeded neither from Tullia's hath nor from Tarquin or Sextus love For Sextus replied Amilear cast away fear for Artemidorus hath told me he is so amorous of Lucretia that he cannot command his Passion nor can he teach his tongue to bury her in silence As this Rival cannot prejudice Brutus replied Aronces I receive extream satisfaction at it for if he where not his I am really perswaded he would be mine which would be dangerous for Clelia in this estate Whilst Aronces thus spoke Brutus arrived and a little after Artemidorus Zenocrates and Celeres to whom they confided the whole secret of the intended enterprise reserving only Brutus his affection for Lucrecia and they being ignorant of it believed there could be nothing more satisfactory to Aronces then to perswade him Sextus had deserted Clelia and that he was caught in the snares of Lucretia's beauty but if this discourse pleased Aronces it afflicted Brutus whose heart was at this instant supplied with a new hatred against Tarquin seeing now as if it were before his eyes the expiration of his father and brother and the total destruction of all his family all the crimes of the Tyrant and Tullia had wholly pressed his thoughts and
Object But said she can I doubt of the condition of this Prisoner His Spirit confirms me that his Birth is Noble and all those groundless suspicions which my imagination suggests to me of the pre-engagement of his heart his civility to me disperses those aery vapours and confirms me that Love hath not yet triumphed over him and that his heart is at my devotion No Berelisa added this amiable Virgin flatter not thy self and believe if he were in love he would acquaint thee with it and perhaps if thou should'st disclose thy affection to him he would not credit it resolve then to repel this dangerous inclination thou feelest ready to force thy heart resist the merit of this Unknown and weave not the web of thine own destruction thou dar'st not commit this secret to the fidelity of any person though it should crack the Organs of thy Vital Faculties This was her last resolution and during some time she believed she had eradicated this affection from her heart there hapning an accident which diverted her self from the contemplation of this object for Telesis her Brother returned from Travel and as they tenderly loved one another their joy swell'd to such an neight by the sight of each other that all former occurrences were now buried in oblivion he related to her all those adventures which hapned in his voyage he acquainted her with all the Atchievements of gallantry he had performed in those places he had passed and desiring to go to the Camp though the Trees now began to be periwigg'd with Snow he lest with her divers Letters and the pourtracture of a person whom he then loved and of whom he made a pleasing relation Berelisa having her spirit thus busied felt not for some days her usual inquietude as her soul was in this tranquillity she one Morning repair'd to the aforesaid Walk where she had hardly taken two turns but she heard one speak very high in Artemidorus his Chamber Berelisa hearing this noise and not being able to comprehend the occasion of it approaching thither and heard the Prisoner earnestly entreat his Guard to redeliver what he had taken from him and he answering in insolent terms he would not but that he would carry it to Afranor to the end he should transmit it to the Agrigentine Prince She had scarce heard this when the Prisoner reiterated his entreaties with so much earnestness that she conceiv'd what had been taken from him was of too great a concernment to be seen so that tenderness engaging her heart and curiosity her spirit she called him by his name who so much contested with Artemidorus This man hearing himself called by his Master's Daughter went to the Window requesting her to inform him what she desired I would have you tell me said she to him why you give such uncivil language to a Prisoner whom you ought to treat with civility and from whence proceeds the grounds of this Contestation Madam replied this man his eyes sparkling with anger this Prisoner hath suborn'd some of my Companies for having taken from him a Letter with intention to carry it to my Master he so much prest me to render it him that I was transported with anger by reason he thought me capable to betray my fidelity I pray Madam said then Artemidorus speaking to Berelisa if you repent not of your excessive goodness towards me do me the favour I conjure you to use your power over this man as that Letter I have written may not be seen by any person You see Madam said he who had spoken to Artemidorus this Letter must consequently be of importance and that I should have injured the Trust reposed in me if I had rendred it to him I protest unto you replied Artemidorus that it neither concerns the Prince of Agrigentine nor Afranor but hath only reference to my self To find a mean to reconcile you replied Berelisa permit me to survey your Letter and relie on my discretion and if I find that neither the Prince nor my Father have any interest in it I will redeliver it to you and oblige him who hath taken it from you not to disclose any thing neither will I ever speak of it without this I am assured your Keeper will not render it to you but on this occasion added she I believe I can easily obtain it sure he imagines I will neither betray the Prince nor my Father This man consenting to Berelisas Proposition Artemidorus was constrained to suffer this Virgin to peruse what he had written imagining after she had perused it she would permit him the favour to write another or to send this to Clidimira for 't was to that fair person to whom this this Letter wâ—â— addressed After he had consented to what 〈◊〉 proposed and when his Keeper had given the Letter to Berelisa she found it contained these words IF I only tell you I am the unhappiest Prince in 〈◊〉 World I should not sufficiently inform you of 〈◊〉 grandeur of my Misfortune At these words Berelisa staid and a joyful 〈◊〉 motion seiz'd her spirits seeing that secret inclination which had taken possession of her Soâ—â— had a more noble foundation than she imagined so that this resentment renewing the tenderness of her heart she often read these three or four lines as if she had there desired to limit her curiosity but at last rebeginning the Letter she found the contents framed after this manner IF I only tell you I am the unhappiest Prince in the World I shall not sufficiently inform you of the grandeur of my Misfortune but assuring you I 〈◊〉 the unhappiest Lover that e'er submitted to the 〈◊〉 of Love my infelicity cannot be paralleld for in 〈◊〉 my Liberty is restrained I know not whether you 〈◊〉 free nor whether till this time you have retained you affection inviolable I am only ascertained that I â—â—â—cy your Idea continually present before my eyes 〈◊〉 all the compassion of two of the most exquisite 〈◊〉 Nature e'er made for wonder cannot sweeten the rigour of those miseries I endure Behold to a Chaning As this Letter was not fully finished Berelisa could know no more but she knew enough to disturb her repose since if the beginning flattered her with joy the conclusion sadded her heart with grief for if she had learned this Prisoner was a Prince she had likewise learned he was a Lover and that he believed he was beloved and as she learned it with some agitation of spirit her Cheeks were planted with a roseate tincture insomuch that she turned her head to conceal her blushing from Artomidorus In this disturbance of her heart grief produced the same effect as joy had done before giving an additional renovation to that esteem she conceived his merits might command for there is nothing fitter to augment a new-born inclination in the hearts of most women than to learn that those they love have already gained the affections of others Berelisa was in a strange perplexity time
the temper of men which are capable of it To speak truly Friendship being no other thing than an imperfect Love it would be strange if the inseparable concomitant of Love doth not follow it though not with all those torments and punishments it trails often after it in a Lovers heart Therefore I entreat the sage Cleodomas who ought to be our Judge to condemn you to have an eternal Jealousie in all manners imaginable and to execute his arrest I offer my self added she with a malicious smile to solicit all the persons you the most love to give you cause to be jealous Terillus would have answered Berelisa but the last thing she said having framed the company to laughter he had an extreme despite and could not have retained himself if the Princess who noted his grief had not turned towards Cleodamas to tell him he should pronounce his sentence on this question in which so many were interessed As universal as Jealousie should be replied Cleodamas it appears Madam that you are not a little jealous of your authority by commanding me to speak before you but at least added he do me the honour to give me your advice and permit me to take the opinion of all the Company No no replied Philonice I would know your pure resentments in this occasion before I declare mine Since 't is so replied he permit me to render exact justice and to begin by the Elogium of Terillus for he without doubt so ingeniously sustained Jealousie appertains not but to love that if Berelisa had less spirit and eloquence I should have been exposed to have given an injust arrest But to speak sincerely she hath so couragiously defended the part of truth that 't is to no purpose I should declare their jealousie in Friendship as well as jealousie in Love and that if there are found friends without Jealousie when they have cause to have it there are friends without tenderness which unjustly usurp a quality they do not merit since 't is absolute impossible to have a durable love without some stains of jealousie Nevertheless to clear up the spirits of Terillus for asserting a grand error I believe as he hath more love than friendship he knows not but one kind of jealousie and judging others by himself he hath believed there would be no jealous friends On the contrary Berelisa who knows by her own experience that Friendship gives Jealousie and who perhaps hath lovers to whom she hath given it hath been better instructed than Terillus and hath so admirably maintained her part that I am forced to pronounce my arrest and Crown her with the Victory In effect I declare none can better sustain the truth than Berelisa hath defended hers she having acquired the sole advantage of the dispute I therefore entreat her added Cleodamas to moderate her resentment and not to wish that Terillus who knows so ingeniously to defend a bad cause should have at one time so many different jealousies for the jealousie of friendship if there is any replied Terillus I do not fear to have it but for the jealousie of Love if I have it I shall be very much deceived if Berelisa takes it from me She is doubtless more fit to give than to take away replied Philonice rising from her Seat I assure you Madam replied Berelisa that I know not how to do neither the one nor the other but inthe choice of these two I had rather give this evil to whom I would than desire to heal it for the power to give replied Terillus one must have given it another before and for to cure one must take the first one hath given As I know not how to divine Enigma's replied Berelisa I cannot answer to what you say if you desire said Terillus I will more clearly explain it to you It is better replied Philonice beginning to walk for fear Berelisa would give him too severe an answer at this time no farther to insist on it for Berelisa is now in such an humour she will not understand what she desires not to hear After this all the company began to direct their steps towards the house for Artemidorus he was so melancholy that he scarce knew the subject of their disputation and his passion for Berelisa did so much possess his Spirit that his former love for Clidimira seemed almost extinct his soul was likewise so suspended between love and hatred that he would not speak to Clidimira for to complain of her nor to Berelisa for to tell her he feared she had too much cured his love for her Sister Berelisa and Clidimira explained his melancholy in the same manner for Berelisa thought Artemidorus was buried in this anxiety because he yet loved Clidimira and Clidimira imagined that this Prince yet loved her so that maugre her inconstancy she had some slight compassion but for Berelisa she had a strange despite to see Artemidorus should be so little sensible of the outrage he had received that he should yet affect Clidimira though her affection lay not open to the discovery of every person she could not ore-canopy her grief from Lysicoris who perceived it and demanded one night from whence it proceeded as they were leaning over a Balcony at the end of the high Alley When Cynthia with her borrowed light repaired the essence of her Brothers lamp and silence so reigned in this fair solitude not troubled by the agitation of the leaves that Lysicoris and Berelisa cast forth two or three sighs and desiring to know the reason of them I pray said she to her tell me what makes you sigh For I confess I am ignorant of the cause thereof Your fortune is happy the Princess prefers you before her other attendants you are beautiful and in the flower of your age you have naturally both spirit and vertue and you command the affection of all Ah Lysicoris replied she a sigh stealing from her heart you are a flatterer Truly replied she I do not flatter you it is certain I know men whose affections are changed to you but none who desire not your love yet you are melancholy you flee company and sigh not willing to declare the subject of them do not you repent your rigor to Terillus and dare you not through pride publickly confess it No replied Berelisa and I can assure you the more Terillus loves me the more he becomes insupportable to me I know he is magnanimous and is advantaged by a great spirit yet he hath many other things which displease me 'T is true replied Lysicoris his body is not of so perfect a composure as that of Artemidorus but it seems to me love should not solely submit to beauty and if I am not deceived there are other qualities more essential than this 'T is true added she if this Prince was the Rival of Terillus I should think you had reason to prefer him for he hath not only a more graceful deportment but more affability and vertue but as you know
loved Berelisa with an extream passion that which I told him of Clidimira made him change colour for he then remembred divers things which made him imagine this person had a design to recal him anger was solely seated in his breast and if Berelisa had seen that which passed in his heart in this occasion she would have had no subject of jealousie He did not believe he ought to make known to her this adventure because he held that a wise man ought never to tell without an absolute necessity that a woman loves him nor whether he loves her or loves her not he did not testifie to me that he believed he was loved on the contrary he counselled me not to shake off my Love and I followed his directions but I found a strong resistance that ere the Sun had fifteen times run its diurnal course my passion was buried in its own ruines Though Artemidorus had defended me from telling Clidimira I had acquainted him with what she had told me and though he constrained himself as much as possibly he could yet she saw by his eyes he knew it hoping then that in continuance of time there might happen some slight quarrel between Berelisa and him which might tend to her advantage she acted many things to effect her design for when she was with any friends of Artemidorus she would be lavish in his praise she always frequented those places where he went she oppressed Berelisa with visits and testimonies of friendship and when she encountred the eyes of this Prince she made as if she would shun them though she carefully sought them likewise making him see in her a certain emotion accompanyed with confusion and modesty she excited some kind of trouble in the heart of Artemidorus which obliged him to fly her 't is not that he did not feel himself faithful to Berelisa that he should always be so and that the infidelity of Clidimira would yet much anger him but after all Clidimira acted in such a manner which both grieved and perplexed him This fair person therefore to attain her desires contracted a particular friendship with Terillus she told him she was touched with his merit that she would protect him nigh her Sister and she effectually become the confident of his love and his jealousie of Artemidorus she even gained one of the Maids which waited on Berelisa she entertained likewise some commerce with me and in this manner whether by Terillus by the Maid which she gained or by me she knew all which passed between Berelisa and Artemidorus 't is not that I told her any thing in particular only as I well knew Artemidorus desired she should believe he would love her no more and that he desired not her affection I would confess her he was very amorous of Berelisa but to tell you the truth she knew all things both by jealous Terillus and the aforesaid person so that a furious anger possessing her spirit she plotted all her designs to sow division between these two persons As she hath a subtle spirit she judged that 't would not be easie for her at first to put any difference between Artemidorus and Berelisa for 't is a person who hath a tender heart a regulated spirit who thinks not but of that she loves who believes there ought to be as much probity in love as any other thing and who doth not give the least subject of jealousie to Artemidorus but she thought 't would not be so difficult to put distrust in Berelisas spirit therefore after she had been acquainted by the pre-mentioned ways in several particulars reflecting on the affection of Berelisa for Artemidorus she wrote a Letter to her Sister by an unknown hand and another to Artemidorus under the name of one of his friends who was in the Army she put them both in one Pacquet and by a secret way sent it to Artemidorus he knowing not from whence it came and unripping the Seal he found a little Note directed to him which contained these words I Demand your pardon for not writing to you my self but having received a slight hurt in my right hand I have employed another to entreat you to deliver this inclosed Letter to Berelisa I assure you it comes from a Person who hath much interest in her affairs and who so far engaged me to render it safe to her hands that I believe I could not better cancel my Engagements than directing it to you I shall not excuse my self for the trouble I impose upon you since you will be fully recompenced by the sight of that beautiful person Artemidorus having read this Note did not suspect there was any deception in it for he knew the name they had subscribed to this Letter whose name I cannot at this time remember and 't was true that this man had been hurt in the right hand so that Artemidorus being impatient to perform this service to Berelisa went to carry the Letter to her and as Clidimira had a design to be an ocular witness of the effect of this deceit she went to Berelisa's Chamber where Artemidorus came and imagining this Letter was not of much consequence he gave it her before Clidimira telling her in what manner he had received it Though Berelisas curiosity incited her to peruse it principally because she could not imagine who writ it she would have by a resentment of civility put it in her pocket but Clidimira who saw Artemidorus take notice of it said to him Do not you think my Sister renders you a respect which is the most difficult in the World fot my part I know nothing so weighty to carry as a sealed Letter when one dares not open it by reason of Ceremony Artemidorus being now roused from that Lethargick slumber in which he was buryed by Clidimiras sight told her he would dismiss himself from her company if she would not read this Letter so that being constrained to open it she found it poysoned with these dangerous words I Pray Madam receive with a favourable eye the advice I intend to give you and do not think strange if the person subscribes not her name for your Friendship is so dear to her that not knowing how you will receive this advice she dares not expose her self to your hatred Know then Madam he which renders you my Letter doth not possess your affection without the knowledge of divers persons I know not whether 't is his fault or yours but many know you loved him first and may yet love him last for as he hath not been too strongly touched with Clidimiras change he is not perhaps so faithful to you as he ought to be every one knows you love him that you receive his Letters and return him affectionate answers that he wholly sways your soul and that you vouchsafe him many favours which he doth not receive with such transport of love as Terillus would did you please so far to honour him Every one knows Clidimira doth not hate
Collatia where they were no sooner arrived but they met Valerius who having had notice that he was suspected was going to a certain friends house so that Lucretia having desired her Father and Husband to bring some of their friends with them they staid him for though Valerius was not ingaged in the concernments of Tarquin yet was he no enemy either to Lucretius or Collatine Taking him therefore along with them they passed by the house where Aronces Herminius Artemidorus and Celeres were But Brutus did not so much as look that way and for Lucretius and Collatine they almost forgot they were sent to Collatia from Tarquin so much were there minds taken up with the message they had received Having therefore alighted they were going into the house and were hardly gotten to the stone walk which you come into when you have passed through the Court but they spie Lucretia who was on the other side in an Entry at the bottom of the Stairs but they perceived her to be ruffled pale and melancholy and they saw in her looks grief indignation and disorder 'T is true she blushed extremely when intending to lift up her eyes and to speak she met those of Brutus That sight put her into such disturbance that she step'd back turned her head aside and was not able to bring forth that she was about to say But at length having lifted up her eyes to Heaven she turned her self towards her Father and her Husband who seeing in what trouble his Wife was was very earnest with her to know the cause Ah Collatine said she to him lifting up her eyes a second time to Heaven as it were to beg its protection if the misfortune which hath happened to me could be expressed it were not so great as it is but all that modesty permits me to tell you is that the infamous Sextus came into my Chamber that he is both the most criminal and the most insolent of men and I am the most unfortunate person of my Sex though the most innocent This known continued she with tears in her eyes ask me no more but be so generous as to promise I shall be revenged that you will exterminate even the whole Family of the Tarquins that you will die rather than suffer them to live and in a word that none hereafter may know the violence I have received but shall withal know the revenge that followed it As she delivered these words Lucretia certainly not out of any design met again the looks of Brutus 't is true she presently turned aside but not till he could have received certain motions which seemed to demand his particular revenge on Prince Sextus Whereupon her Husband coming near her began to chear up and promised to revenge her while a faithful woman-slave that belonged to this afflicted Beauty gave Lucretius a short account of Sextus's Crime and this terrible accident which all the World hath been acquainted with upon which Lucretius as well as Collatine and Valerius promised Lucretia to revenge her For Brutus he promised no otherwise than by his looks and certain threatning gestures which he could not abstain from for though he was desirous to speak yet could he not possibly do it on this first apprehension such a storm had grief rage indignation love and jealousie raised in him But these four Illustrious Romans having promised Lucretia to revenge her Valerius who loved her extremely for her virtue besides the relation of an ancient friend of his illustrious daughters desired her not to afflict her self so much and that she should live for the pleasure sake of seeing her self revenged No no Valerius replied this generous person it shall never be said that Lucretia hath taught the Romans by her Example that a Woman can out-live her Reputation With these words the vertuous Lucretia appearing more fair and resolute than before drew a Ponyard which she had hid about her and lifting up her hand and arm and looking up towards Heaven as it were to offer her self a sacrifice to those Gods whom she invoked she thrust it into her breast and fell down with her bosom all bloody at the feet of the unfortunate Brutus who had the fatal advantage to have the last of her looks and to hear the last of her sighs For while Lucretia Collatine and Valerius were making horrid out-cries to express their astonishment and their sorrow this unhappy Lover cast himself on the ground snatches the Ponyard out of Lucretias breast and seeing her resigning up her last breath in a manner as if she yet knew him and begging his revenge his mind was seised by a certain heroick fury which when he saw that this admirable Woman was dead raised him up with the Ponyard all bloody in his hand and enabled him to speak with such Eloquence as the Gods seemed to have inspired into him Insomuch that all those who in an instant were come from all parts of the Town to see so sad a spectacle were strangely surprised to hear Brutus who still held up the bloody Ponyard For he spoke the noblest things in the World to ingage Lucretia Collatine Valerius and all that heard him to revenge the injury done to Lucretia and expel out of Rome the Family of the Tarquins So that prevailing with all those who heard him both by reason of the admiration they had of him and by the sight of so fair and so sad an object as also those great things he said unto them he derived the fury of his own spirit into those who heard him This done he delivered the Ponyard into the hands of Collatine and thence into those of Lucretius and Valerius and afterwards into those of all that were present and made them all swear by the chast blood of Lucrecia to revenge her death to follow and be guided by him Whereupon not to spend time in fruitless tears he sent for Aronces Herminius Artemidorus Zenocrates and Celeres and having given them the same Oath with the same Ceremony he commanded Lucretia's Chariot to be made ready and assisted by Aronces his dear friend Herminius and divers others he puts into it the fair Corps of that vertuous person laid on rich Cushions and causing the Chariot to be covered with a Mourning Cloth he himself gets on Horse-back commands all the people to follow him and riding up and down the City of Collatia with this Ponyard in his hand he presently took his way towards Rome But he was followed thither by all the the people of Collatia that were able to follow him for as the vertue of Lucretia while she lived raised her into the adoration of all so being dead did it ingage them to revenge her death and for more security Valerius set Guards at the Gates of Collatia to hinder any thing to be carried to Tarquin Brutus therefore comes to the Gates of Rome with a considerable number of armed people about him every one having what he could get before any notice
at last she was content only to give him thousands of expressions of esteem and friendship by the grief she discoverd both in her eyes and words The sick Lover seeing himself bemoaned and visited by all and not seeing the Princess Lindamira knew not what to think of her carriage towards him She indeed sent to see how he did but since Demarata had been to visit him he thought she might very well have born her company So that being unwilling to dye till he knew what Lindamira thought of his death he did himself an extream violence to write three or four lines which he trusted to my conveyance He made me seal the Letter which I was to carry to Lindimira whom I found alone She blushed when I told her that Themistus had written it to her whereupon opening the Letter hastily yet with a certain fear she found therein these words THEMISTUS to the Princess LINDAMIRA I Have not been able to obey your command that I should not love you any longer but I shall do it if you command me to die Be pleased then Madam to lay your commands upon me that I may have some satisfaction when I dye and deny not this fatal favor to the most wretched yet the most amorous of men Lindamira read it twice over but not without tears in her eyes Yet did she what lay in her power to hinder me from seeing them and having recovered her self a little she asked me whether it were true that Themistus was so ill as it was reported and he pretended himself Madam said I Themistus is so ill and weak that if you will favor him with any answer you must do it immediately At these words Lindamira going into her Closet left me in her Chamber and a few minutes after brought me her answer desiring me with the tears in her eyes if Themistus at my return were not in a condition to read it to restore her the Letter without ever making the least mention thereof to any one I promised to do what she desired and so returned to my sick friend to whom I delivered Lindamira's Letter and whose spirits I very much rais'd when I told him she had read his with tears in her eyes He thereupon opened the Princesse's and set himself to read it though with much trouble because of the extraordinary weakness he was in But love multiplying his strength he at last made a shift to read these words LINDAMIRA to THEMISTUS I Ive Themistus live and if there needs no more to oblige you thereto than to promise you that I will not forbid you to love me I shall resolve to do so to save that Man's life who of all the world is the dearest to me Themistus was so over-joyed at this Letter that a kind of Lethargy which accompanied the fever he was in and that seemed an inevitable symptom of death to the Physitians began to be dispersed and as if his sickness had proceeded from enchantment he recovered in an instant insomuch that those who had him under cure being come to see him that night were in some hope of his amendment So that sending this news immediately to the Prince Demarata who had visited Themistus that morning and had said so many kind things to him thought that her visit had cur'd him and thereupon loved him much more passionately than ever she had done before For Lindamira she had reason to believe that she had restored Themistus to life but she almost repented her of it when she came to consider the consequences which what she had done might have But after all having a greater love for him than she thought to have had she kindly received another Letter that Themistus writ the next day when he was a little recover'd It was but short and to this effect THEMISTUS to the Princess LINDAMIRA I Shall live Madam since it is your pleasure I should but I beseech you let it never out of your memory what you have promised me unless you would have me to loose the life which you have preserved and which I value not but out of a consideration that you have bestowed it on me to adore you eternally What was most remarkable Madam was that when Themistus was fully recovered Lindamira would not be perswaded to see him Upon that account was it that she went into the Countrey for fifteen days nor could she be brought to speak to him till the very minute of her departure But not able to avoid him at her return Themistus saw her at her own Palace and that alone I shall not give you a punctual account of the entertainment happened between them for I have so many things of greater consequence to acquaint you withall that I shall pass by that But at last Themistus spoke so passionately to Lindamira that that fair Princess whose heart is naturally very tender and who had been enraged in love through friendship confirmed the permission she had given him and so did as good as encourage him to believe that the tenderness she had for him amounted to something beyond ordinary friendship but she withall laid her absolute commands upon him never to require any other demonstrations of it than simple assurances and not by any means pretend to ought but the glory to know that she preferred him before all men in the world Themistus who was much more happy than he expected to be promised to do all she desired and was so well satisfied with the change of his fortune that he soon recovered his perfect health Demarata in the mean time was more and more perswaded that she had prov'd the Doctress and restored him to it for he growing a little better the very day she came to visit him told her at the first visit he made her by way of complement that he came to make his acknowledgments for that the honors she had done him had saved his life So that taking this positively as he said it she was afraid she had told him too much for she had as yet some remainders of modesty in her and her love was not grown too strong for her reason However she behaved her self with so much discretion that Themistus did not so much as imagine what she had within her so that the satisfaction it was to him to be in good terms with Lindamira was not clouded with any thing but the love of the Prince of Messena as also by the small likelihood there was he could ever be absolutely happy For this Princess scattered not so much as a word whence he might gather the least hope that she would ever be perswaded to marry him so that knowing her virtue and the disposition of her soul his happiness was still in some hazard But this hindred him not from believing himself the most fortunate lover in the world because he valued the least favor he received from Lindamira beyond all the kindnesses that others could receive 'T was then he understood the difference there is between
Melanthus's mind I know not what sentiments which I perceive you would intimate to me that you remove them from him if you love his quiet for were I to be eternally his slave I should never have any thing for him but aversion and hatred Hortensius knowing the Princesses resistance would more inflame Melanthus's love imploy'd all his wit to make her change her opinion and even perswaded Cleontine that he had reason on his side I beseech you Madam said he to her consider well the condition in which you are and you will find it concerns you extreamly not to incense the Prince of Messena I do not urge Madam that you should love him more than you did ever any other for it does not belong to me to give you such counsel but I conjure you Madam not to reject disdainfully the tokens of affection which the Prince will express to you For my part answer'd she I believe it a very great secret not to leave any hope at first to those to whom we have firmly resolved to refuse eternally what they desire 'T is a good course Madam reply'd Hortensius for them who have a kind of spirit which is easily repell'd I mean for such people from whom difficulties take away the desire of the most agreeable things who have only calm pleasures and who would not be possess'd of the greatest felicity of the earth at the purchase of one hours sighing But 't is not effectual to an ambitious Soul to whom difficult enterprises seem always more excellent than others and who never have violent desires but for such things as cannot be obtain'd without pains And because Madam added Cleontine it behoveth not to act with a Prince whose prisoner you are in the same manner as if you were free for a greater restraint is to be us'd and since Hortensius seems to me compleatly generous I shall not fear to tell you in his presence that I believe in the like occasion you ought to give neither hope nor despair and there is a certain kind of serious civility which neither causes to hope nor yet dejects into despair which is proper enough to gain time and to hinder many troublesome consequences which disdain might produce Therefore Madam rather use that natural gentleness which the gods have given you you may lay it aside when you please and since Hortensius assures you that four considerable persons shall have the liberty of communication with you during six months and the Prince of Cyparissa also during the Olympick Games comply with the mind of a Prince who is able to use more rude ways with you if he pleases I promise you answer'd Elismonda I will do what I am able to follow your counsels though I dare not answer absolutely for my self Hortensius hearing her speak thus almost repented himself of having been so urgent to perswade her to gentleness but at length considering he could do nothing in his own behalf with innocence but only to hinder Melanthus's love from increasing to a greater ardor he thought he had some ground of satisfaction in leaving Elismonda in the resolution of constraining her self and more in being commended and intreated by her and observing she had some esteem for him All which caus'd him to think he should return less discontented than he came But as soon as he was upon the way and beheld Elismonda no longer he found himself as unhappy as before and rather more For he found his passion was augmented and it came into his mind that perhaps Elismonda lov'd the Prince of Cyparissa So that he perceiv'd himself possess'd as well with jealousie as with love if at least any separation can be made between these two passions Alas said he to himself does it belong to a miserable person that loves without hope to be jealous to an unhappy man who is his Rivals confident and serves him faithfully 'T is true said he but the Rival whom I serve is hated and he that troubles my imagination is perhaps belov'd But what concerns it me answer'd he suddainly whether Elismonda love or not since Fate will never suffer me to make her know I love her After which Hortensius spoke no more to himself but fell into such a profound musing that he arriv'd at Elis when he thought himself yet far from it At his arrival he understood it was not above an hour before that the Princess Andronice entred into the City For whom having a very particular kindness the news gave him much satisfaction He went therefore with speed to give the Prince an account of his journey and found him coming from the Apartment of Andronice Whereby it was necessary for him to discharge his intelligence before he could see her for this Prince was really extream amorous of Elismonda Hortensius was now inconceiveably perplex'd for though Melanthus had perswaded him that difficulty was capable to encrease his love he was so fearful of giving him too much hope that he was troubled to choose words wherewith to express himself and chang'd his order and manner of speaking many times involuntarily For when he told Melanthus he did not find Elismonda had so great hatred against him as he imagin'd he beheld so much joy arising in his eyes that he fear'd hope would augment his passion But then again to weaken the obliging sense of what he had said he told him he knew not whether Policy had not a great share in the civility of the Princess With which Melanthus was so dejected that Hortensius was forc'd to return to his first smooth language for fear lest this passion should become too violent both for the quiet of Melanthus Elismonda and himself But at length when the Prince had fully understood his success he gave him liberty to go see the Princess Andronice who receiv'd him with so great a goodness that had not he been pre-possess'd with love the testimonies of so tender a friendship would have given him almost as much pleasure as the favours of a Mistriss but in the condition his Soulwas he only half gusted whatever was advantageous to him Andromice being of a lively apprehension immediately perceiv'd Hortensius had something in his Breast troubled him And being there was none present saving Eumenes their common friend she demanded the cause of it with such obliging urgency as the sadness of a friend induces a true friend to use What is it Hortensius said she to him which hinders you from having as much joy in seeing me as I have in finding you But beware you tell me not there is nothing troubles you rather pretend some kind of sorrow or other and tell me rather that you are fallen in love at Elis than assign no cause of a kind of sadness which I observe in your eyes for fear least I may suspect you of dissimulation I am altogether oblig'd Madam answer'd he with the manner of your speech but I beseech you do not constrain me to search my heart for every troublesome thing that
ambitious and would sacrifice all to their own interest that Antiphanes was subtle and Ganetor sufficiently pragmatical he resolved to make use of them to discover really whether Hesiode were amorous of Clymene and Clymene loved him He spoke to them both therefore apart and gave them ground to hope all things from him and intimated as if it were possible he might marry their Sister in case he could be loved by her and so at length disposed them to be faithful Spies for him with her But though he had much recommended the secret to them and told them all he thought concerning the Sonnet yet they communicated it to one who told it several others So that within three days it was noised throughout both Court and City that Hesiode was amorous of Clymene and that he was jealous of her and Hesiode's Sonnet was so generally known that there was scarce any person but sung Alass no jealousie did then my heart possess By which means the news of this adventure flying to Lysicrates's Desart sensibly afflicted him for he conceived that if Clymene loved Hesiode it would be impossible for him ever to regain her heart Wherefore having then no hope either to re-ingratiate with the Prince or recover Clymene's affection he found himself extreamly unhappy and more within a few days after when Clymene's brothers relating to the Prince whatsoever they heard or knew to make themselves look't upon as necessary instruments told him that Lysicrates was again become amorous of their Sister although they had received divers good Offices from him during the time of his being a Favorite The Prince was so incensed with this news that he sent to command Lysicrates to depart his Dominions and it was not without much difficulty that he obtained fifteen days to take order for his affairs In the mean time Antiphanes and Ganetor forgetting nothing in order to discovering the truth having gained that young Slave to their purpose who so unseasonably sung the Sonnet they understood by her that Troilus the faithful Slave of Hesiode brought Letters to Clymene very frequently and that she used to put them in a Cabinet to the sight of which she admitted no person besides her self After they had learnt this they made an appointment for a Walk of recreation in a place a good distance from Locri to the end their Sister might be obliged to be present at the entertainment But at the very moment they were to set forth Ganetor fained himself sick and went not with the Company As soon as they were gone he sent away upon several pretended occasions all those that might oppose his purpose and having none with him but the young slave whom he had corrupted in Clymene's Chamber he sent for a man who was very dextrous at such businesses to cause him to open and shut again Clymene's Cabinet wherein she carefully kept all Hesiode's Letters By this means Ganetor came to know the whole secret of the innocent affection of Clymene and Hesiode But though he found nothing but what attested the virtue of his Sister yet looking upon this Love of hers as an obstacle to the advancement of his fortune he came on a sudden to hate both his Sister and Hesiode However he caused the Cabinet to be made fast again putting into it all the Letters he had seen and the Verses Hesiode had made in secret for her And he did all this so exactly in the same order he found it that Clymene perceived nothing at her return But when Antiphanes spoke with Ganetor he was much surprised to learn what he told him but though they resolved absolutely to serve the Prince even with the loss of their sisters glory if he pleased rather than not promote their Fortune after having well considered the matter they thought it not fit to discover the whole truth to the Prince because in case he should know Clymene preferred Hesiode before himself he might cease to love her Therefore they resolved only to say that they had discovered beyond all doubt that Hesiode loved their Sister but that they could not yet find out whether or no he were beloved by her They also determined to speak to Clymene very mildly at first and afterwards if she would not yield to threaten her and to have recourse to the ways of greatest violence So they told the Prince all they had resolved to acquaint him with who being assured of Hesiode's love began to hate him as much as he had formerly loved him and took up a resolution to banish him as well as Lysicrates Yet he deferred it for some days because he was desirous to know fully whether he were loved by Clymene which could not be discovered but during his abiding there But upon divers occasions he made it sufficiently apparent that he had changed his sentiments towards Hesiode For falling in discourse to speak of Homer and him he laughed and said Homer was the Poet of the Lacedemonians because he taught War but Hesiode only the Poet of the Helotes because he treated very much about agriculture detracting by this raillery from the glory of Hesiode In the mean time Antiphanes and Ganetor took occasion one morning to speak to Clymene At first they flattered her and told her with much sweetness all they desired from her but perceiving that though she answered them with much civility they could not bring her to what they wish't they fell into strange insolence against her What said Ganetor to her have you so pitiful a spirit as to prefer a man that pretends to be a Wit before a Prince to have no consideration of the greatness of your house nor the fortune of your brothers provided you may satisfie a foolish passion that is entered into your head Ah cruel sister that you are you shall repent it and your best course will be to be cruel to Hesiode if you love him Clymene being transported with grief to hear her Brother speak in this sort could not contain from breaking out into these terms Alass said she how cruel are ye who can have the injustice to think of destroying an innocent person who has done you service in a thousand occasions and whose virtue is far above the rank of the greatest Princes in the World how can you be the confidents of the Prince's love and purchase your advancement with the price of my honor for without telling you that I love Hesiode or am loved by him I only intimate to you what you are not ignorant of that Sovereigns never marry for love and therefore according to reason being obliged to look upon the passion your Prince has for me as criminal you ought not to be his agents and confidents in it you ought rather to die with shame for seeking you fortune by so unjust a course for if I were in your place I should rather go seek it at the Wars and owe it to my Sword than to my Sisters eyes Perhaps we will follow part of your
not loose the opportunity of taking Rome which it cannot avoid if you will wait but a small time longer It will not cost you the life of one of your Soldiers famine is ready to destroy three hundred thousand men and force them to yeild without conditions or make a great bonfire of their City to avoid falling into your power Every one has his Maxims and his reasons answered Porsenna and the business is important enough to be consider'd of at leasure In the mean time added the Prince 't is best to cause the Sacrifice which is prepar'd to be offer'd to the Gods in thankfulness to them for my deliverance from the danger intended to me and to ask Counsel of them which they alone can give me Tarquin durst not contradict Porsenna but instead of being present at the Sacrifice he withdrew and went to consult with the cruel Tullia what was fitting to be done Assoon as he was gone Aronces causing all his Friends to be assistant continued the King his Father in the generous sentiments he had possess'd him with but for that this Prince was scrupulous to make an absolute resolution he required two dayes to consider In the mean time by reason of those three hundred Romans Mutius spoke of the Kings guard 's were doubled none were suffer'd to come neer his person without first knowing what they were all that approacht him were searcht for fear they might have Ponyards hidden about them as Mutius had and so great care was taken for the guarding of this Prince that he judg'd this inquietude worse than death In the evening he went to the Castle where Galerita and the Princess of the Leontines were who understanding what had hapn'd and desiring to incline him to peace commended him much for having given Mutius his life and caus'd him to be advis'd by his principal Ministers to send to offer peace to Rome At first he refus'd it alledging that having undertaken the Protection of Tarquin honour would not suffer him to desert him adding also that it might be thought the fear of being assassinated had induc'd him to take this resolution tho it was principally because the action of Mutius recalling into his memory all the great exploits that had been done since the War by Brutus Publicola Herminius Horatius and all the other Romans he began to know that Rome was protected by the Gods and Tarquin abandon'd by them Wherefore having some kind of remorse for having protected a Prince so unjust against People of so eminent vertue he would willingly have granted peace to Rome if he had thought it consistent with his honour His mind being thus dispos'd he understood that Mutius's act render'd the valour of the Romans so formidable to his Soldiers that forgetting the last advantage they obtein'd a pannick fear seiz'd upon their minds in such sort that at the least noise their Sentinels heard they imagin'd they beheld the three hundred companions of Mutius coming to fall upon them Porsenna understood at the same time that Tarquin had drawn all his own Soldiers to his Quarter which was on the other side the River that he had had consultations with the fierce Tullia that he had sent privily to the Cities of Ceres Cumae and Tarquinia and lastly that Tullia was coming towards his Castle Wherefore the proceeding of Tarquin incensing him further he was easily brought to have such sentiments as Aronces desir'd he should But for that Galerita fear'd the subtlety of Tullia she took upon her self to receive her whilst the King going another way return'd to the Camp When that cruel Queen arriv'd she was receiv'd by Galerita with the civility due to her condition She seem'd surpris'd not finding the King there with whom she desir'd to speak but having a bold spirit not easie to be daunted she discours'd with Galerita as a person ingag'd in her interests would have done She conjur'd her to hinder Porsenna from deserting the Siege of Rome for in fine said she to her should Porsenna desire to keep his Conquest I should consent to it and ingage my self to cause Tarquin to consent also there being nothing which I would not rather chuse than to see Rome in liberty But whereas it may be added she that the King of Hetruria desires not to usurp the State of a Prince whose Protection he hath undertaken when Rome shall be taken I offer to take my Daughter from Mamilius and to give her to Aronces and afterwards to bring it about that Sextus shall be contented to Reign in Tarquinia For my part Madam answer'd Galerita I have nothing to say to the proposals you make to me but only that 't is easie for you to judge that the Romans will never suffer Tarquin to be King of Rome that 't is absolutely impossible to establish him by reason of the horrible hatred they bear against him and consequently Porsenna being unable to make war advantageously for Tarquin may make peace honourably for him Nevertheless I know added this wise Princess the King will make what instance he can in favour of your interests but however I am of opinion it is not to cause the destruction of a great City and of a great Army for a thing that is well known can never be brought to pass especially continu'd the Princess when it is attempted in behalf of a Prince who considers only his own grandeur and takes no care for the interests of those that hazard all for his Tullia had much ado to restrain from returning Galerita a sharp answer but for that she would not make an absolute breach to the end she might have more opportunity to prejudice Aronces and Clelia she dissembled her resentment and told the Queen that it was necessary for her to go and satisfie the King of Hetruria that he should not think strange that Tarquin staid at his Quarters till he had made his resolutions for fear lest his Enemies should induce him as well to deliver him up to the Romans as to abandon the siege of Rome And so taking leave of Galerita she went forthwith to the Princess of the Leontines and handsomely intimated to her that if she could bring it so to pass that Porsenna took Rome and re-establisht Tarquin she would cause her to be married to Prince Titus after which she returned to her Chariot Which she had no sooner done but she was informed that the Souldiers that saw her pass along murmur'd openly in the Camp because their courage was imploy'd to replace a Woman upon the Throne who had driven her Chariot over the body of her Father and who ought rather to think of rendring an account to the Gods of all her crimes than Reigning in a City where so many brave people were This plain advice which she receiv'd by the Captain of her Guards caus'd her to change her resolution So that instead of going to find Porsenna she return'd to Tarquin's quarter and endeavour'd to perswade him to surprise the Kings of