Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	adultery_n	commit_v	wife_n	2,548	5	8.1753	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60921	The comical history of Francion wherein the variety of vices that abuse the ages are satyrically limn'd in their native colours, interwoven with many pleasant events, and moral lessons, as well fitted for the entertainment of the gravest head, as the lightest heart / by Monsieur de Moulines, sieur de Parc ...; done into English by a person of honor.; Vraie histoite comque de Francion. English	Sorel, Charles, 1602?-1674.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4702; ESTC R2041	482,307	348

was not so hardy as the others for he had not so clean a Conscience he did blow so softly that he made the flame of the Torch hardly to tremble Francion perceiving by it that he undoubtedly was the guilty person did goe to look out the Master of the House and told him that he had nothing to doe to acquaint him whether his Torch were blown out or not but only did assure him that he who came last to blow was the thief that had stollen away his Pork The Labourer sent to the house where his Servants Wife did lodge and found that she was then putting into the Pot a piece of that Pork which her Husband had stollen He was convinced of the crime and Francion highly commeded for his knowledge and recompensed with some money which at that time was very wellcome to him He afterwards was so believed by every one to be one of the greatest Diviners in the World that being to travell and the way very difficult to find out he very civilly demanded of a Man who knew every turn on the rode thereabout which was his readiest way he could receive no other answer from him but Ha Ha you doe well to mock at such poor Ignorant Men as my self Do you ask the way of me who know the whole World your self and all that is done in it Having spoke those words he left him and Francion meeting with no man else of whom he might learn the right way did wander so far out of it that he was inforced to take up his lodging in a Wood for that Night We have made mention before that when he made Verses he would speak so punctually that those who heard him did believe that he held Discourse with some familiar Spirit His Mistress at the same time had the same belief Oftentimes she would say unto her self This young fellow is of a jovial complexion and inclined to love I do not well know how it comes to passe that he doth refuse the Courtesie which I have offered him If I were one of the foulest Slutts in the world yet such a fellow as he is should be glad me-thinks sometimes to have me to abate the beat of his concupiscence What mystery is there in it that he should so much undervalue me It necessarily must fall out that he hath some other Mistresse on whom he doth discharge the extravagancies of his fourth Concoction which doth trouble the repose of his Spirits and his Bloud Thus did she argue with her self but she could not discover so much as one Nest amongst all those Birds to which he was accustomed to retire himself for he carried his affairs the most privatly in the world One evening she came softly to him as he was lying on the grasse and in a frolick humor making a Sonnet which began thus How laden am I now with bliss My Chloris that I shall thee kiss He oftentimes repeated that couplet aloud being not able to finish the Stanza His Mistresse thinking that he did speak to some Girl whom he had in his Arms shot forth her discontented eye as far as ever she could to find who was that Maid that was so happy but perceiving not any one near unto him and that he stretched forth his armes in the remembrance of some passed pleasures she reflected on a thought which deserves to be recorded in this Story On the Sunday before she had heard the Curat affirm in his Pulpit That there were Magitians who did lie with Devils transformed into Women that were called Succubae She immediately believed that Francion had then with him one of those gallant Mistresses because he pronounced words more amorous than the former and lively expressed all that which can be spoken in the full enjoying of a Beauty After that time she did take no more thought to understand with what Woman he asswaged the desires of his youth and looked not upon him but with a horror onely thinking that he had alwayes a Devill at his tayl And she then believed her self That it was his Succubae that did so last her because she had so great a desire to lye with him To reflect a little on these last gallantries They were contrived on purpole to punish Vice It was well done to whippe this inconstant Countrey Wife who forgot the Faith which she had promised to another and would have her Servant to commit Adultery It is true enough that she was disagreeable and that her Beauties had not attractions enough for the curious eye of Francion but let us not look so ●uch upon the Cause the Effect is always good As for the contrivances which remarkably expresse themselves they may serve to instruct those who have failed to make them acknowledge their errors Such was the transgression of the Maid who forfeited her honour and of the Servant who stole that from his Master the theft whereof Francion did discover In this the greatest Criticks will be inforced to approve his Actions As for the rest which is here contained I doe not much lay to my heart their choler or their complaints for I describe only those Vices which are commonly practised and make mention of no act which hath not been committed and we may see how Ingenious Spirits are deluded and circumvented with fond Inventions when only Ignorants and Ideots are condemned to be surprized by them The End of the Ninth Book THE TENTH BOOK OF THE COMICAL HISTORY OF FRANCION IT is true that the stiles Comical and Satyrical are as profitable as they are delightfull For your Example you may here see all things represented to the life All actions doe appear without dissimulation when in Books more serious there are certain respects which doe hinder the Authors from expressing themselves with so much liberty and this is the Reason that Histories are so imperfect and filled more with Fables than with Truth If we will be curious as in effect we ought to be where can it better be expressed than here I am of opinion that in this Book you may find the French Tongue most intire and that I have not omitted those words which the vulgar doe use which neverthelesse is not to be seen throughout the whole Book for in those passages which are more immodest we are not allowed the liberty to make use of them neverthelesse oftentimes the wantonesse of those humble conceits are more delightfull than those which are more high Nay which is more I have represented to the life as much as possibly may be all the humours and actions of those great personages whom mystically I have here inserted and my adventures can be no lesse agreeable than many others which are highly esteemed I make freely this confession for being supported by many proofs it will passe with the more authority There are many who will read this Book who understand not what it meaneth believing that to make a Book compleat we are only to heap words on words without regarding any

rest should follow by turns Hortensius having read this Answer did throw it into the fire affirming that he would have nothing to doe with the affections or the Feasts of Fremond and being more wise for the time to come he did swear that he would indear himself no more to any Girles but the Muses who also do allure us because they are of that deceitfull Sex Although the Message his old Mistresse did send unto him was full of flatteries yet he would never endure the frequentation of her Company any more neverthelesse he discontinued not to wear a Sword and hath ever since lived on his Revenues and what he hath gained by translating some Books out of Latin into French or by being a Corrector of the Presse I finished all the course of my studies in the same College paying my pension to the Usher where nothing arrived worthy of recital but what already I have related to you and the Vacations of the year of my Philosophy being come I was commanded by my Father to take my leave of the College and to return to Brittany When I was in my own Country I saw the end of all my happinesse I was perpetually vexed by being demanded in what Calling I would imploy my self my ears were furred with the importunate clamors and counsells of my friends who would have me study Humanity and the tedious Volumes of the Law to be one of the Counsellers in Parlament but opinions do change when age comes on and my Father afterwards hated no men more than those of the long Robe as since he hath made it appear by one who married my Sister And my Mother desirous to comply with him in all things did seem to desire as well as himself to have me a Counsellor of the Law This did rellish so ill with me that it is impossible to represent it to you At that time I declamed within my self against the wickednesse of the Age where the natural Laws are corrupted and the most generous Spirits are constrained to take upon them a great charge to trouble their repose and cannot live in Quiet which is a blessing that is not denyed unto Beasts From day to day I delayed to learn that dangerous knowledge which I have always hated more than the plague it being the cause of the greatest part of our Vexations Being on the point to forsake my Fathers house he did fall extremely sick In vain the Physicians round about him did their endeavour to recover him so it was that he dyed and left his Wife and Children much afflicted for so great a losse After his death my Mother who accorded with me in all things which I desired did leave off the Resolution she had taken to force me to take the long Robe and because I was a stranger in Brittany being accustomed to the Air of Paris I besought her that she would permit me to return thither she demanded of me what I would do there I replyed to her that I would passe away some time in learning honest exercises and that I would indeavour to put my self in the service of some Prince My Brothers in Law did give their advice upon it and represented to me that Fortune reign'd most imperiously at the Court and shewed there the greatest effects of her inconstancy And briefly when I presumed to be in the highest degree of all her favours she would throw me down into the bottom of despair All this did not detere me I had nothing in my head but the greatnesse of the world In the end they gave me leave to put in practice my intention I returned to Paris and lodged in the University which I could not forget I was afterwards acquainted with a Man who had Chambers ready furnished and took Pensioners and I dayly repaired to a Player on the Lute a Fencer and a Dancer to learn their art so that one hour was to exercise my self in one faculty and the other in another I imployed all the remainder of my time to read indifferently all manner of Books and I learned more in three months than I did before in seven years in the College when I heard those Pedantick absurdities which did so corrupt my judgement that I believed all the Fables of the Poets to be true stories and did conceive to my self that there were Sylvans and Dryades in the Forests Nayades in the Fountains and Nereides in the Sea Moreover I believed that whatsoever was spoken of transformations was true and I never saw a Nightin gall but I believed it was the Kings Daughter of Thracia Neither was I alone abused in this conceit for I know a great many more and some Masters themselves who were of the same opinion As these old Errors were chased out of my understanding I filled it with better knowledge and setting my self to review my notes of Philosophy which our Regent had dictated unto me I did confer them with the best Authors I could find so that by my industry I was sufficiently instructed in every Science for a man that would not make a particular profession of them In the midst of these various entertainments I lived about a year in the greatest solitude in the world and very seldom did goe out of doors and walked then no further than on the old Banks which were near unto my lodging I was only visited by two or three young Gentlemen with whom I was acquainted I remember that one day there came with them one of this Country whose name was Raymond who some few days afterwards returned without any one in his company Looking in my Coffer after he was gone I found my little Box empty in which I had put at least threescore Crowns I remembred that I left him alone in my Chamber not suspecting him to be so light finger'd as he was When ever I saw him I spoke openly unto him what I though and we came to very sharp words which I followed with threats In the end I demanded of him if our controversies on the next morning should be decided by the Sword in some place out of the City He answered me that he could not then meet me because he was very early to go out of Town according to his promise to some of his Companions with whom he was to travell into Flanders The next day I sought all over Paris for him but could not find him and since I never saw him and do not know what is become of him O how great was my grief of heart to have lost my money with which I intended to have appareld my self being about to leave off my mourning habit to write unto my Mother for more would be more hurtfull than profitable for she would not be perswaded but that I had lost it at play and would have sent me nothing but Reproofs I received a Letter from her wherein she represented that I was poorer than I thought my self to be and that my Father had left many debts to

Church she complained to her Servant of some Beggar or some other nasty Fellow who finding her Pue open had loathsomly defiled it and that was the Reason which made her to come out of it but the Cyprian powder with which you were covered did happily hinder you from partaking in so bad a savor This Account did much content me and I had the curiosity to return to the Church to prove whether his excuse was true or not I found there the ordure still in the Pue which was not yet made clean and the sight of that filthinesse did more please me than if I had seen the sweetest and the fairest flowers in the world because it delivered me from the extremity of my passion When Diana understood my suspition you may believe that she did not refrain from laughter neverthelesse it turned all to my advantage because by that she might perceive the passion which I had to preserve my self in her good opinion It is ordinarily spoken That the price of things is valued by the difficulty in the procuring them and that we undervalue those things which are easie to be obtained I never understood that truth better than on this occasion for when I found several obstructions in gaining the familiarity of Diana I most violently did love her And now since her Cosin promised me to bring me into the House when her Father was gon abroad and to help me not only to the Speech of her but also so far to perswade her that I should obtain a good place in her affection I did perceive my passion to languish by degrees The principal Cause was that although her favors were most considerable yet I should never enjoy her unlesse I were married to her and I had too high a Courage to stoop so low as to take to Wife the Daughter of a simple Advocate And knowing moreover that every Man of Iudgement doth affirm That he is most happy who can avoid such heavy chains as those of Marriage they were altogether a horror to me Neverthelesse being unwilling it should be said that I loved a Maid and yet did never speak unto her I did give a visit to the Kinsman of Diana and by that means did find the opportunity to confer with her She gave me so many proofs of her gentle Spirit that I reassumed my former passions and afterwards did seek after and desire nothing else but to see her at her door at the Church and at the place where she was accustomed to walk She used me with all respects knowing from what Family I was descended And as often as I came to wait upon her she abandoned all other Imployments to give entertainment to me But it so fell out that towards the end of Summer her favours did end with it and when I came to her Fathers house to ask for her she was constantly denyed This estrangement of her Company and affections I observed every day more and more to continue and having heard her speak heretofore of a certain Man whom I knew who was called Melibeus I doubted she had taken an Inclination unto him He was a Player on the Lute and had a Pension from the King and was one who putting on his back all that he could get was accounted amongst the bravest fellows about the Court He was alwaies on Horseback and I on foor and it was this which gained him the heart of inconstant Diana I understood a●…wards by one of my Friends who had notice of it of the familiarity 〈◊〉 he had with her I was very sorry for her particular for Melibeus could no● be a Suter to her for any good Intention and if I had been her Father I should never have given way unto it for it is known sufficiently that such libertines as himself do never Court young Gentlewomen to marry them there being nothing more certain than that Court-Humourists Poets and Musicians whom I rank under one Categorical notion do never advance themselves at Court but by playing the Pander It was therefore to be feared that Melibeus did indeavour only to gain Diana to prostitute her to some young Lord who might afterwards be a supporter to him and this suspition did carry with it a great probability of Truth I was amazed at the error of Diana to undervalue me for one who had nothing to commend him but only that he could play on the Lute neither was he one of the Masters in that faculty for I who made no profession of it could play altogether as well as himself That which advanced him was his impudence and hath since found another way that hath much inriched him but the most dishonest one in the world One day he was so bold as to speak unto the King Sir I do acknowledge that I am not worthy to serve you but I have an extreme desire to be found worthy I hope I shall be able to arrive unto it if you will be pleased to assist me May it please your Majesty to command that some moneys may be assigned to me to provide me with Instruments that I may be heard to play in the Consort there will not be a Lord in the Court that will not follow your exapmle The King out of the bounty of his Royal Nature did accord to that which he demanded and he did afterwards Petition to all the Lords of the Court. To one he Petitioned for a Violl to another for a Lute to this Man for an Orfarian and to that Man for a Harp and unto some for a pair of Virginalls And after he had been with two or three who had answered his Petition the rest were all constrained to follow their Examples for it would reflect to their disgrace if they should be found lesse liberal than others Nay there were not so much as any one of their Grooms who did not contribute something to him for if he would be esteemed a Man of ingenuity he must adorn the Cabanet of Melibeus At the last he had not room enough in which to put all those Instruments that were given him he must therefore provide himself with a Magazine For my part if he had demanded any thing of me I should have been so prodigal as to have bestowed upon him a Iews-Tromp He had sent his Lute-maker to a Lord who had promised to pay for a Lute for him The Lord payed a great deal more than it was worth and the profit thereof returned to Melibeus and afterwards the Lute-maker carryed the same Lute to another and it was observed that the same Lute was payed for by eleven several Lords This indeed did tend enough to his advantage and he perswaded Men to be cheated by example but Melibeus is not the first that did undertake to beg with Honour Neverthelesse he did dutifully oblige himself even to the least of those who had bestowed gifts upon him and if they had commanded him to play unto them he did not fail to obey them For all