Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A80393
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Nissena, an excellent new romance: / written originally in Italian by Francesco Carmeni; and now Englished by an honorable anti-socordist.
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Carmeni, Francesco.
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1652
(1652)
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Wing C599; Thomason E1234_2; ESTC R210434
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67,079
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161
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able to get out of Bed and to dine with his Queen feeding much more greedily with his eys then with his mouth The Court was full of banquetting and contentment Onely Prince Doralbo though he knew it misbecame him not to appeare more joyfulll then usuall among these universall rejoycings could not keep the sad Ensignes of inward melancholy from appearing in his pale face which fretted him even to the heart his extraordinary sadness being perceived by all the Queen not many dayes after was also aware thereof to boot that it was commonly whispered about by the Ladies and Gentlemen She had compassion on him and to give him some comfort and since the cause of so great a melancholy might not for a long time be seen into she began by degrees to be more gracious unto him sometimes cheering him with pleasing smiles sometimes with partiall lookes so as shortly returning to his former vivacity he became not onely cheerfull as before but was the ioy and delight of the whole Court O the fondness of vain Lovers who think themselves made happy by a smile or look which sometimes is but casuall and not willingly confer'd and perhaps sometimes not without fraud and are again made miserable by another look which they interpret as scorn or ingratitude which may peradventure be a cunning invitation to spur them on to be more ardent in their loves Nissena imparted these favours unto him so as they were no ways prejudiciall to the cand or of her faith which she had plighted and vowed to Thoas For from the time she had tane upon her the yoke of marriage though it were not yet consummate not so much as one misbecomming thought sullied the inward purity of that breast which witnessed outwardly immaculate innocency She I know not whether out of favour to him or sollicited by her naturall genius to read bookes of Chevalry desired him to provide her some fitting for her to read that she might pass away the tedious hours of that season which was now hotter then usuall though it was alwayes very hot under the Climate of Cyprus He interpreted the honor of this command as a favour from the prodigall Heavens and his understanding being inlightned by blind love which infuseth subtilty into the most rough hewen minds much more into such as are quick and airy he furnisht her with many books the leaves whereof he had in some places cunningly turn'd down where amorous affections are by ingenious Writers expressed whereby he discovered his passions to her who was their adored occasion Nissena being quick of understanding finding Doralbo's cunning restored back his books unto him folded down in like manner in other leaves whereby he might understand and receive such answers as sometimes excited hope in him sometimes reproved him of boldness The modest Lover was herewithall so fully satisfied as he pretended to no other food or reward of his love The King this mean while would needs have the Queen who was now satiated with Feasts Turnys and Tiltings honour a Theater with her presence whereon the Marquess of Martasses who with great fervency had desired this favour caused an excellent Stage-play to be acted She went thither having on her a vesture given her that day by her husband contrived and woven with Amianto a pretious stone which is spun like threed of which as of other Jewels and Minerals the Mines of Cyprus are very fruitfull so as Beams being cast abroad on every side by the reverberation of lights which inlightned the Theater Nissena semed to be the Sun of Beauty Poor Doralbo How many and how great splendors wer't thou to resist to keep the eyes of thy mind undazeled The Play took all the Auditory exceedingly being represented with stately Sceans and inventions sutable to the Marquess his generous minde but the Prince was chiefly pleased because it made most for his purpose with the fall of an unfortunate Lover who desperatly threw himselfe from the top of a Mountain into the Sea and to all appearance seemed to be therein drowned Nissena was a little moved at this spectacle as she witnessed by saying Poor wretch Since thou wer't onely guilty of too much love thou didst not deserve so miserable a death Doralbo let not this occasion slip without making his use of it being already become so bold as he durst reply unto the Queen Good Gods How is it possible your Majesty should commiserate one drowned in the water and not be any thing at all concern'd in him who is consumed in flames And who is he replied she who is thus consumed I see none hereabouts invironed with fire Ah said the Prince with a trembling voyce you see him too well but will not vouchsafe to look upon him 'T is I that am that wretch who in love with you would a thousand times have breathed forth my Soul had not my life been miraculously preserved by your more then humane Image which is imprinted in my Heart Disdain not O my Goddess that I adore you for I know how to doe it without any blemish to your honour prejudice to your reputation or offence to my Soveraigne Lord Thoas I pretend to nothing else nor doe I ought desire but that I may be permitted to adore you whilst I shall live and that you will suffer it without disdain I will doe what becomes your greatness and my condition be not you therewithall scandalized most mighty Queen if you would have me live And here with a broken sigh he stopped expecting his sentence of life or of death from the mouth of his beloved She somwhat blushing answered That if the love he talked of were of any other temper then what he had sayd he might doe well to leave the vain and rash enterprize of loving her but that if it were true that he knew to love like a true Prince and Gentleman in termes circumscribed within the confines of that integrity and faith which she intended to preserve immaculate to her husband she was pleased with his affection and that he might rest assured of like correspondency in her whilst his thoughts should continue thus modest These were the beginnings of that Love which not knowing how to get entrance into her chast bosom went thus by piecemeal insinuating it self insensibly into her heart Thou shalt shortly see Nissena and be aware that affections enter our souls as it were by stealth that they may afterwards in process of time become Tyrants These discourses might pass freely between them without being observ'd or listn'd unto the Queens chair being placed somewhat high and the Prince standing close by her on foot whose soul was so filled with joy upon this lucky incounter as whereas formerly he perisht through affliction he now was almost kill'd with content which was a little lessen'd in him by hearing how that Thoas who grew daily better in his health would by consummation of his marriage reap Nissena's Virginity and though the knowledge of the unjustness of
were not wanting who when they first saw Nissena fell all upon their knees at a good distance off whereunto she corresponded with such Majesty as she seem'd to be born not assum'd to a Scepter The Prince leading her by the arm she past into his Gallie which being cover'd on the outside from the Poop to the fore deck with gold and Crystall with sails of Purple silk and lin'd within with green Arras intermingled and bordered about with gold appear'd a stupendious spectacle to the eye The lighting of Artillery and the noise of Canon troubling and deafning the air which voluminous smoke and vain glorious noise proved that praises given to human greatness are nothing else in reality but wind and smoke Amongst so many lovely and admirable objects there was none more worthy of sight or which took the eye more then the fair Nissena who was the boundeur of all sight the wonder of all minds and caused agitation in all hearts her decent affability fitting vivacity gratious comportment without affectation and her majestical aspect without severity increased love and reverence towards her in every one They came happily within sight of Cyprus where they were forced to stay at Anchor half a day and a whole night by reason of a Westerly Wind which blew from land a little too briskly at last they entred the Haven early the next morning where all those signes of welcome and both publique and privat demonstrations of duty and rejoycing vvhich are accustomarily used either by vvay of flattery or respect by subjects tovvards their Soveraigns did abound Nothing vvas vvanting but the presence of the King vvho though cured yet opprest by melancholy could not abandon his bed the skilfullest Physitians not knovving vvhether to attribute the cause to any outvvard or invvard disorder He affirm'd he found his heart opprest and overcome by extremity of content it being incapable of so immense a joy and thus taking but little nourishment he rested unquietly in the night season and in the day time vvas troubled vvith strange distractions of mind yet variety of solemn sports and publique feasts were not forgotten wherein it was observed by the vviser sort as a prodigie of future evils that a guilded woodden statue of the Kings was unavoidably burnt to ashes the manner how or cause vvhy being never able to be learnt Nissena considered these inauspicious occurrences and seeing the serenity of her fortune thus troubled at the very first beginning she was highly therewithall afflicted yet did she with all the care she could conceal her inward sorrow from others After five days space the face of affairs altered the King forgoing his bed with a pretty competency of health and perfect chearfulness who visited by his Bride at the first encounter of her brightest countenance was like to die for meer Joy she appear'd handsomer unto him then he could have conceived her to be so as quite alter'd even to his very voice he met her and with open arms imbraced her affectionately saying Welcome my dearest delight in whom I am to be happy Good Gods of whom have the Rhodian Mothers learnt to bring forth daughters so beautifull blessed be the hour my dear Nissena that first brought thee into the world blessed be those swadling clouts wherein thou wer 't bound those breasts that gave thee suck but more blessed be that Fortune which gave thee into my possession I will be King of Cyprus and thou shalt be my Queen Not uttering one word she answered with the tongue of bashfulness which shewed her to be no less fair within then without The King making her afterwards sit down by his side Pressing hard and often kissing her hand asked her divers questions to which she answered with such modesty as he might easily discern the vivacity of her wit and the wisdom of her understanding Had not the many consultations of the learned Doctors who tended his cure denyed him he would that night have celeberated his Marriage with his beloved Great is the misery of great ones who can seldom compass what they most covet it not being in their will to eat or take their delight according to their own pleasure but by the good liking of such as do either flatter them or such as would seem wise and who do sometime hate their contentments The Physitians ordered that Thoas should keep a spare but nourishing diet for a good many days and that he should be kept from hearing of any news or from seeing of any thing which might incumber his mind with any sort of affection or passion He punctually obey'd them desirous to be soon rid of their rigour every hour appearing an age unto him till he should be made happy in the Embraces of his Nissena The Kings recovery of his health together with the approaching celebration of his marriage did so rejoyce his subjects as the whole Kingdome gave publick and privat testimony of their gladsomness Bonfires and Fire-works by night Baales Tilting Turneys Barriers Theaters and Scenes were every where had with much sumptuousness The Queen being present at the greatest part of them was by the judgement of all men still the most praised and most admired object which Doralbo did prove and approve of more then any other who from that fatall minute that he saw her taken with her beauty fell mightily in love with her his flames being the more hot and devouring by how much he kept them the more concealed he burnt and knowing the inconvenience and rashness of his fire he had oft and in sundry wise endeavoured to extinguish at least to appease it His own heart was onely conscious thereof he durst not so much as sigh lest being discovered by the winds they might communicate his ardency to the ambiating air If somtimes his looks did in the presence of the beloved Nissena betray the secret of his thoughts by suffering themselves to feed too greedily upon her reverenced beauty he had a punishment ready prepared for them by making them fall languishing and without life upon the ground he durst neither aspire unto nor hope for correspondency the one and the other of them being unlawfull and dangerous he loved and knew not to what end unlesse it were to suffer under torment Whilst he consumed away amidst these painfull straits it happened that waiting one afternoon upon the Queen on whom by the Kings command he continually attended in the little Court of Statues so called by reason of the abundance of stately Sculptures wherewith it was adorned he stood with her accompanied with some few Ladies beholding the statue of Hercules embracing Anteus cut out in stone when they might hear from the neighbouring parts a noyse of out-cries and weapons at the same time came in a groom of the stable with a face as pale as Death who cried out aloud Fly Fly and save your selves for a fierce Tygre escaped from the usuall inclosed place wherein he was kept roaves hereabouts killing and destroying