feare of punishment for their faults could worke no remembrance But the Pilgrim was not waked because hee was not asleepe he came out amongst the rest neuerthelesse to giue thankes to the day for hauing passed ouer so miserable a night There began this miserable body to mooue his parts going many leagues in a little space prayers importuned some care wearyed others necessity called out heere hunger sighed there and Liberty was wished for euery where The Lawes called vpon execution Ministers vpon punishment and fauour importuned for delay those who had wherewith went out by the ayre others not hauing wherewith could not finde the Doore the confusion of voyces the vnquietnes of the Iudge the comming in of some the going out of others and the noyse of Fetters made in this discording instrument a fearefull striuing In this time a Knight who for the noblenes of his blood and the antiquity of his Imprisonment was generally respected as the Master cast his eyes vpon the Pilgrim and considering his deepe melancholy his habite his person incited by his good countenance and aspect for there is no letter of fauour which worketh greater effects in all necessities called him to a little alley which answered to the doore of his Chamber and asked his name his Countrey and the cause of his imprisonment The Pilgrim recited vnto him the successe which you haue heard beginning his life from the time that the Sea gaue it him by casting him vpon the shore not farre from the walles of Barcelon The Knight wondred at it and collecting from his reasons and the manner of his speech his vnderstanding and his gentlenes tooke such affection vnto him that hee placed him in his Chamber where hauing restored his weake forces with Conserues which he had hee made him discouer his Arme and he himselfe healed the wound with medicines and wordes which he had learned being a Soldier for if Herbes and stones haue this vertue wherefore should it be wanting to holy words The contented Pilgrim afterwards turning his eyes round about the Chamber hee sawe written vpon the walles with a Coale according to the ancient manner of Prisoners certaine Herogliffique verses at the sight whereof he knew that hee who had written them was not ignorant Ouer the picture of a Young man who had the chiefe place was written this Verse out of Virgill Antes sus oios Hector triste en Suâ—nnos After that was painted a Heart with winges which flewe after Death with the Letter of Eneas sending the body of his friend to his father Euander Muerto Palante Forcado en esta vida me detengo Neere vnto that was figured Prometheus or Titius who being tyed with strong Chaynes to the rockes of Mount Caucasus nourished an Eagle with his intrayles the word was from Ouid and said thus O quanta pena es viuir vida enoiosa y forcada Y quando la muerta agrada Ser impossible mori In a flood betweene two infernall shoares Forgetfulnes was painted being a Young man who carryed a Charger full of remembrances which hee did endeauour to fling into the water with this word of Lucrece Buelue acaer quando al estremo llega The Head and Harp of Orpheus were portrayed vpon a gate amongst the waues of the Riuer Strimo into which hauing been cast by the Bachantes they came vnto Lesbos the word was this Aqui lloraro seluas fieras et Aspides There was also painted a Lady lying dead with a Sword through her body with this word of Scalliger vpon the Death of Polixena Nobasta Griegos que veucais los Hombres In the distance which might bee betweene the window and the flower was painted the Shepheard Argus with his hundred eyes and Mercury charming him asleepe with this line of Strossas Amor sutil al mas Zeloso angana With such and other curiosities which the Knight writ as aptly fitting his aduentures did hee adorne his Chamber and passed away his tedious imprisonment Whilest that the Pilgrim was busie in beholding these conceipts he was called before the Iudges to answere the accusation against him and hee relating simply the truth by the little Art which hee brought with him in his speech he plainely shewed that there was no guilt in him his cause being recommended vnto the Iudges by the Knight who writ his innocency vnto them hee was acquited brought back againe into the Knights chamber where they did eate together Their discourse which at the end of Dinner serued for their last dish amongst other things fell vpon their misfortunes because that there is nothing which more aptly and readily doth ease the minde then relation of our owne misaduentures The master of the Lodging who could willingly haue spared that name being intreated by the Pilgrim to relate the cause of his imprisonment began to speake in this manner The History of Mireno IN a little Towne not farre from this great Citty there was a Gentleman named Telemaquus marryed with a faire Lady not so chast as the Roman Lucrece although shee caryed her name the report was that this Marriage was made against her minde it is likely to be true as by the effects it was afterwards witnessed her melancholy increased her beauty and clothes neglected did shew a languishment like Roses when the radicall moysture of their boughes doe decrease Telemaquus did inforce himselfe to diuert her from this sad kinde of neglect least it might seeme vnto some which should see her that this sadnes proceeded from his default for oftentimes innocent Husbands are accused for their wiues euill conditions He apparelled her richly carried her to solace and recreate her selfe to Sea and to see the choisest Gardens And this being not sufficient hee opened his house to all good company Amongst the young Knights which did ordinarily frequent and conuerse with them there was one called Mireno so much my friend that if Death had not set a difference between vs I could not haue bin perswaded he being aliue to discerne which of vs two had bin my selfe This man cast his eyes vntill this time busied in the consideration of anothers beauty vpon Telemachusses faire wife who looking vpon him more earnestly then vpon any other had it may bee incited him for although it bee said that Loue can pierce as a Spirit into the most close and secret places Yet I doe thinke it impossible that any man should Loue if he bee not at the first obliged thereunto by some little hope He concealed from me the beginning of his thought for loue is alwayes borne discreet and dumbe as a Childe But the same sweetnes of its conuersatioÌ„ doth so quickly teach it to speake that like a Prisoner at the Barre he oftentimes casteth himselfe away by his owne tongue So after hee saw himselfe admitted in Lucrece her eyes an euident index that he was already in her soule not being able to suffer the glory of that whereof hee easily indured the paine hee made vnto me a
so my eyes at the first knowledge which they had in the world that my spirit did not liue so much in my selfe as in her whom I loued nor found more rest out of her sight then thinges doe out of their centure because that as the fire alwayes sendeth the flames thereof to its proper sphaere so my heart adressed his desires to her beauty Now as this Loue was not Platoniqe I will not dispute whether it were honest profitable or delightfull Let it satisfie that it which is the cause of so much euil seemed vnto me the greatest and soueraignest good in the world This subiect of my misfortunes was called Aurelia free in her customes of that kinde of life which Plautus Terence describe in their Fables and of whom Auulus saith excellently well That a Curtezan is a vessell full of holes which can containe nothing She was faire in all perfection of a quicke and hardy spirit and of a reasonable good nature a woman to be short vnto whom experience in the worlde had brought a great deale of knowledge It cost me little to possesse her because that these kinde of women cleane contrary vnto other women who forced by the Loue of a man doe honestly yeild vnto his merits trusting to their charms and vnto the gentlenes of vsage passionate men more when they are inioyed then when they are pretended I was not vexed at the first with the conuersation of young men who at any hower how extraordinary soeuer were neuer wanting in her house because the fauours which she did me and the little which they cost me made me liue much contented especially seeing my selfe preferred before others of better meanes and merits then my selfe when I went to see her they gaue me place and departed curteously leauing me alone with her These my visitations were not agreable vnto her seruants because they thought that thereby this rable of youth was scattered which brought them profit And that if Aurelia should fall in Loue with me my quality being not capable to sustaine her expence shee must spend out of her owne meanes from whence would vneuitably follow a necessity of liuing more regularly which they would by no meanes heare of And of this were they not much deceiued for in a small time Aurelia who had rauished so many others was taken her selfe in my loue and made captiue to my will which made true one part of this feare and shortned the reuenues of her house to lengthen the reynes of her pleasure Not that all the charge of the house fell vpon her for I miserable man tormenting my Parents and importuning my friends did runne to the preseruation of this loue which almost alwayes depended of mony The life which wee led wee louing one another tenderly and hauing in our power the liberty of inioying may easily bee iudged by my youth and by Aurelia s who was then about 20. yeares olde The house seemed too straight for our Loue and searching solitary fields we made the sight of open heauen witnes of our folies our life was a blind imitatiō of the nature of Beasts we communicated our secrets to Trees which did not see as if the leaues had not beene so many cleare eyes and a thousand amorous delights to the dumbe Fountaines which might well haue troubled the purity of their waters I cannot thinke how in so little a way as there was between my house hers I remained 5 yeres space before I knew that I was arriued there being certaine that in 3. yeares space of that time the famous English Drake passed the straight of Magellan compassed the world about If in all this time the loyalty which shee swore vnto me were broken or no I am not able to say nor yet forbeare to beleeue because it seemes almost a thing vnpossible for such women from their custome to keepe themselues to an orderly life At the end of these fiue yeares I saw my selfe at the end of my meanes and although I was more amorous then in the beginning yet Aurelia did suffer herselfe to be vanquished by the obligations of another who had more power then my seruices I say obligations because I cannot beleeue that onely Loue can binde one vnto so strange a change One night Aurelia hauing seene me retire my selfe vnto my bed shee had receiued Feliciano into hers so was the Knight called I stirred with a profound Iealousie rise vp out of my bed and went to her house where the doore was shut against me and the seruants answered mee from aboue out at an high windowe feyning that they were gone to bed to make me rather to retire vnto my owne house But my extreame loue which would not at that time haue relyed vpon my eyes and feared to be betrayed by my thoughts made me cry aloude that some body should open the doore so that my voyce came vnto Aurelia's eares And Feliciano making shew of a valiant-Louer began to cloth himself promising to chastice my boldnes with his Sword and by his onely presence to cure my folly But the cunning Circe who knew well what good or bad successe soeuer came vnto mee it would redound vnto her shame hindred him with her armes and diuerted him with her teares although there was no great neede For the brauest doe vnwillingly arme themselues when they are once naked and to come out of a house into the street had beene a manifest and mad rashnes Aurelia so preuailing in that manner wherein others of her kinde are wont to preuaile and making Feliciano beleeue that I should be her husband and that if I did perceiue him shee should loose me perswaded him halfe vnclothed and in the midst of Ianuary that hee would goe into the highest roofe of the house Into which he being gone I was let into the house where I found Aurelia in bed making so many complaints of my liberty and of the scandall which I gaue the neighbors that in stead of being angry it behoued me to appease her where after some time spent she in complaining of me and I in asking pardon for my iealousie and for the desire which I had to surprise her in that infidelity which I did distrust I possest the absent mans place which was still warme seruing for a proofe of my ignorance and blockishnes Morning brought againe the Sunne and the Sun the Day yet neither of them was sufficient to make me see my folly so euill doth a Louer discerne of his owne acts I rise contented and although I entred last yet I went sooner away then Feliciano In the meane time Menander who had for the space of some yeares been Feliciano's Mistris grew extreamly iealous and hearing of this trick which Aurelia had put vpon him could not forbeare speaking of it mocking him with the colde night which he had indured that hee had suffered me who neuer had any intent to marry her to possesse that place by her side which he had lost
the Giants when as the miserable Pilgrim woman imbracing him with prayers begged the Pilgrims life saying vnto Doricles that this man was hee whom she did onely acknowledge for her Master and on the other side assuring her desperate Husband that she had not transgressed against her honour neither in deed word nor thought because his prayers had not vanquished her and his threats should neuer I doe not know if it ought to bee beleeued of a woman the History commendeth her Chastity and I doe religiously beleeue the vertue of this sexe so much esteemed by me and so greatly had in accompt all my life Doricles would willingly that the Pilgrim should haue bin contented with his life which he would leaue him and that hee should haue gone away without the woman But the incensed Castillian defying him to a single combate began to defame him and prouoke him in such manner that he commanded his Soldiers to hang him vp at the next Tree of the mountaine hardly was the word out of the Captaines mouth when the Pilgrim sawe himselfe carryed out of the Village by these barbarious fellowes and vpon his way towards the Wood where hee should be branched vp Seeing himselfe then at the place of execution and in the presence of an vncuitable death hee intreated them with teares that they would let him recommend his soule to him that was the author thereof which being permitted vnto him hee drew out of his bosome an Image of the blessed Virgin which holding vp with his eyes and his hands to heauen he began his prayers deuoutly hauing the match of one of their peeces about his necke neere vnto him who tyed it to a bough of a great Oake onely wayting for the end of his deuotions Neuerthelesse euen as hee fastened the last knot the faire morning reioycing the world with new light cleerly discouered the amiable colour of his face Who will beleeue that in the space of one night so many fortunes should happen to one man if it were not knowne that things are written to bee marked and that euils doe seldome come alone seeing that the euils which happen in one night to one vnfortunate man doe surpasse all the prosperity which can happen to a fortunate man in all his life The Soldiers seeing the honest graue countenance of this Pilgrim his youth and his Innocency and being otherwayes molified with his prayers or hauing their hearts secretly touched by the handes of God for hee who hardned Pharos heart can molisie others they resolued to let him liue not willing to bee more cruell then the Sea which the day before had cast him vpon Land from drowning and thinking it was an infamous cruelty that hee who had been spared by thinges without sence should bee destroyed by them who ought to haue reason The Pilgrim giueth them thankes for their liberality and referring their reward vnto heauen intreateth them that if by chance this Woman which hee had left did perseuer in the firmnes of her speech they should tell her that she should finde him at Barcelon This said he tooke his way towards the Citty and the Soldiers towards the Village But the fained newes of his Death which they were constrained to deliuer vnto Doricles so much depriued the sorowfull Pilgrim woman of sence whom he had before thrust out of his Chamber being vexed with her cryes that shee remained a long time as dead and when as she was come againe vnto her selfe she did and said so many pittifull thinges that these fierce men most accustomed to shed blood did now shed teares So that the Captaine despairing of euer being able to pacifie her and thinking that the beginnings of extreame griefe doe easily passe to a frenzy commanded that she should be caryed vpon the great high way where the miserable woman was left drowning her selfe in teares and murdering her face with her hands she made herselfe looke with great deformity from thence following the way by the Sea side shee went to Valence The Pilgrim in the meane time was at Barcelon where hauing stayed two dayes to view the goodly strong walles of the Citty the third day as he was beholding the Viceroyes Pallace this Fisher whose voyce had so vnhappily drawne him from the Cabens of the other Fishermen and as a deceitfull Hiena had called him to bring his life into such danger knew him and demanded of him if hee were not the Theefe which entertained him the other night with wordes vntill his companions came and entering by force into the houses of the Village had robbed them and pilled them It is true answered the Pilgrim that I am hee who by the sound of thy voyce came out of the Cabens of men of thy profession but not he who came with the robbers which you speake of vpon this they contested one against the other insomuch that the people runne to the â—oyse And as to bee pursued with hue and cry there needs no more cause but to bee a stranger so all the world beleeuing in the naturall Catalonians words the poore Pilgrim was impetuously carryed away by the people and as a robber put into Prison The infamous rable who for crimes great or small are accustomed to possesse these places which are like so many true representations of Hell put him into a dark corner worse then the worst sink of Constantinople where it is impossible to recite the blowes they gaue him and the iniuries they said vnto him because hauing no mettall about him but the Bullet which Doricles shot into him the night of his misfortune hee had not wherewith to pay his garnish or entrance nor ability to finde better meanes to appease them Night victorious ouer humane cares imposing rest vnto their labours and their thoughts and reducing their actions to a deepe silence came amongst these barbarous people and the miserable stranger onely not so much as closing his eyes hee felt not the griefe of his wound not the infamy of his imprisonment all that which troubled him and all that which he feared was the Pilgrim womans loosing of her honour which wrought so with him that whilst others slept in this confusion without that the want of beds the importunity of many noysome creatures which runne vp and downe in the Prison the feare of Iudgement to come nor the present misfortune could wake them our Pilgrim onely is awake complaining against Heauen the Sea and his cruel fortune which had preserued his life then when hee had no feeling of death to make him suffer it now in a state so sensible At the length the Sunne with a countenance full of shame and as if he had bin constrained shined through the thicke barres of this Prison windowes shewing in the pale colour of his beames that hee feared he should bee stayed there when the pleasant blowes of the Iaylor and the sweet noyse which his Keyes made in the strong lockes awaked from their forgetfulnes those vnto whom the
Mireno and searching him with mine eyes all about the roome I sawe him lying Dead thou mayst see in the teares which now flowe from my eyes what was then my griefe I doe not know what I did yet seeking for Telemaquus I did excuse him for the care of defending himselfe and from iustifying so bloody an execution For hauing met face to face I thrust at him with which thrust he accompanied their two liues which he had extinguished By this time the house was beset by those whome the Iustice had raised who apprehended as many as they found and me especially for hauing killed Telemaquus without cause although according to the Lawes of the world there was but too much cause and heere they put me where thou now seest me where I haue liued this fiue yeares desiring Death as thou mayst see by this winged Heart of mine flying after this Image of dead Mireno with this word out of Virgill My Palas dead I bide aliue by force My trauels are figured in those of Siciphus and Titius and represented by these wordes out of Ouid O wretched state constrain'd to liue In plaints eternally When Death which onely helpe can giue Affords no power to dye The sorrowe which this great Citty felt by the losse of Mireno is expressed in this figure of the Head and heart of Orpheus with this word There wept the Woods the Beasts and Snakes For I doe not thinke that there was either tree or stone which were not mooued with this so pitifull an accident And here will I end his Story with these teares which I will offer incessantly to his memory and these wordes which I haue made for Lucrece her Tombe Here lyeth Lucrece lesse chaste then the Roman but more faire Tarquin did not force her but loue and although she dyed for her infidelitie Loue who was the cause is of power to excuse her So the faire Lucrece remayned in mortall rest her name in my imagination not worthy of blame for hauing bene ouercome by the excellent parts of her Louer and by that vnchangeable force which Loue euer vseth against great and free courages The Pilgrims imprisonment had not passed at so easie a rate of his pacience had not Euerard so was the Knight called that made this Discourse fauoured his affaires for his innocencie could not gaine him his libertiye nor good opinion which he did deserue so powerfull was his onely habit to worke in the Iudges an euill conceit of his person Yet Doricles Captaine of those Robbers being pardoned and receiued again into the Cities fauour the Pilgrim was also absolued as his Confederates His curiositie to heare the Fisher-mans singing hauing brought him to receiue a hurt in his Arme with a Piece into an extreme danger of hanging vnto the 3. monthes imprisonment which without the help of Euerard had bene insupportable They take their leaues one of an other with a thousand louing imbracings and Euerard hauing further obliged him with some money hee resolued to goe to Mountserrat and I to finish this First Booke The end of the First Booke The Second Booke BY a straight way between thicke Trees and shady did the Pilgrim goe towards Mountserrat who turning his head at a noyse which hee heard behinde at his backe hee sawe two young-men with Palmers staues whose faire faces and white hayre made them shew to bee either Germans or Flemmings He saluted them and ioyfull of so good company he imposed silence vnto a thousand sad thoughts which solitarines had brought into his memory And trauelling together they began to discourse of diuers matters with which they easily and with pleasure passed away the craggy and vneuen way of the mountaine vntill they came vnto a Fountaine which bubling into a valley made a gentle harmony So that as it were inuited by the sweet noyse and the fresh shade they sate downe vpon the rushes which grew by the Brooke side and admiring the sweet complaints of the Nightingale one of the Almans which shewed a good nature imbellished with Learning began to discourse of Filomelas loue saying that now she wold recompence with her infinit notes all the time that she had bin dumbe after Terreus had cut out her tongue The Spaniard replyed that Martiall had vttered the same conceit the Alman reioycing to finde in him more capacity then in common persons for it is an insupportable labour to trauell with an ignorant man rise from the place where he sate and imbracing him with a great deale of contentment after many other discourses Let vs goe said hee adore the blessed Virgin In this Image so much renowned through all the world wee cannot make a more holy voyage nor I in better company then thine let vs goe said the Spaniard by this pathe which seemeth to me to bee much the shorter although a little steeper for the most part of the way This being said they tooke their way towards the Temple which they discouered shortly after built vpon the side of a sharpe Mountaine and vnder a great Rocke which did seeme to threaten it with ruyne When they were entred with deuotion humility casting their eyes into this Tapestry of France Almane and almost all the world they were astonished to see the walls decked with so many excellent Paintings Histories accompanied with a thousand seuerall kinds of offerings which with an admirable correspondency did stirre vp and astonish the sences altogether There did they power forth their prayers and their teares and after they had seene and beene informed of all that was considerable in this Monastery the day hauing lost her beauty by the Sunnes absence they retired altogether vntill the morning shining through the Easterne gates gaue them knowledge of the new dayes approch Then they resolued to visit the diuers habitations of the Hermits which liued in these Mountaines being come vnto the seuenth Hermitage they found a young man of an agreable countenance and a goodly presence whose long and well combed hayre gaue a reuerent maiesty vnto his aspect This man stayed them dinner and after their repast being intreated by the Pilgrims to tell them what deuotion had confined him into these solitary mountaines hee related the history of his life in this manner The History of Aurelia AMongst all the thinges which in the course of my life I haue seene and marked I might peraduenture tell you some one which might better content you But thinking that one cannot better perswade then by the example of himselfe I will therefore tell you a story which is drawen from my youth and from the Twentith yeare of my age written by my misfortune and imprinted in my memory seeing that the renuing can doe me no damage and may bring you profit This short tyrannie the bayte of youth the illusion of the sight the prison of the soule and the darkner of the sence which is called Beauty and which heauen seemeth to giue Women for our mischiefe blinded
Feliciano assured her that Aurelia preferring his Loue before the obligations wherein for so many yeares she was bound vnto me did rather abuse me then him and that whensoeuer shee or any other would afford him the like curtesie hee would willingly suffer one euill night to haue so many good and for proofe of what he said he gaue her a key wherof I was wont to be master which I was made beleeue was lost Menander dissembled her thoughts but so soone as shee met me againe shee tolde me all the circumstances and with all gaue me the Key hauing which I needed no other witnesses of the truth nor other instrument to open the doore I then resolued to reuenge my selfe of Aurelia in leauing her and of Feliciano in seruing Menander from whose Loue I presumed he had not freed himselfe and if hee had bin free yet I knew he must needs be grieued that I should inioy her whom hee loued in euery bodyes opinion I found Menander willingly disposed for our thoughts were alike and our iniury alike and we might well serue to reuenge one the other She then feyned to loue me and I payed her in the like counterfeiting Aurelia was aduertised and grew desperate and Feliciano no lesse intaged sought me to kill me Behold how iealousies and neglects doe discouer the truthes which are in the centure of hearts Aurelia found me sooner then Feliciano did as shee who therein hazerded least and staying me began in fury and in threatnings yet ended in prayers and in teares But vpon so fresh an iniury I was rather confirmed in my neglect seeing her yeeld vnto my loue then any way moued with her passion Finally hauing changed my first affection into hatred alwayes insupportable to a woman who hath beene well beloued Aurelia began to pursue me and although that the Citty of my birth and abode doth not yeeld for greatnes to aboue two or three in all Spaine yet could not I find any lodging wherein she did not clamor me any friend whom she did not reuolt from mee any secret which she did not publish nor any danger whereinto she did not endeauour to throwe me So that oppressed with these pursuits and seeing my selfe reduced to the contenting her after a thousand contrary deliberations I resolued to take vpon me a religious habite and to preuaile by his protection in whose hands and feete God hath imprinted the markes of our reperation But O thesupreme force of a dispised Loue from the holy Quire of the Temple from the middest of the Alters and Images of the Saints the teares of Aurelia drew me againe And then I followed her with more liberty and lesse shame then before leauing the habite whereof I was not worthy and neglecting the spirituall treasure which I did then inioy to follow the infamous life which I had formerly led so much power hath the capitall enemy of our soules Our loue began fresher then euer with the generall scandall of those who knew vs the hatred of our Parents and the detestation of all our friends which within a small time brought mee to such tearmes that I thought sorrow would haue killed me The infamy wherein wee liued and the feare of Iustice did oblige vs to depart the Citty and feiling that small remainder of goods which wee had left laden with a number of euils wee passed into Italy from whence I went for some time to serue the Catholike King in Flaunders and the Duke of Sauoy in Piemont returning alwayes to Naples where I had left her The last time I put to Sea with her in my company intending after the Flaunders warres to returne into Spaine where in a violent tempest which heauen for the quiet of our soules sent vs in the gulph of Narbone in the last point of life and when we were past hope of scaping we vowed our selues to a Religious life with such earnestnes of teares that afterwards the storme ceasing and wee landing shee entred into the Monastery of the Conception and I vnderwent this habite wherein you now see me where after some yeares of approbation this Cell was giuen me Heere Tirsis the Hermit of this happy abode stayd his discourse our Pilgrims iudging that it was too late to passe further being to descend necessarily into the Lodging which within this holy House is giuen freely to strangers they went vnto the Monastery discoursing vpon the Hermits relation determining the next day to goe to the vttermost hermitage which vnder the title of St. Ierome crowneth the head of the Mountaine But the misfortunes of our Pilgrim which had slept for some time began to wake with more violence for in the house where these strangers had lodged there was wanting some Iewels with a Mayd seruant of the house and the Almains amongst others were pursued by the Iustice although innocent because it was affirmed by some that this seruant inamored of their beauties had runne away with them All Nations haue their Epithites which being once receiued by the world can neuer be lost The Scithians are called cruell The Italians religious The French noble The Dutch industrious The Persians faithlesse The Turkes lasciuious The Parthians curious The Burgundians fierce The Britaines hardy The Egiptians valiant The Loraines gentle The Spaniards arrogant and the Almains beautifull And this was the cause for which it was thought the Mayd being seduced by them had run away with them Now the Almains were easily taken but the Pilgrim desperate through his late long imprisonment which hee had suffered in Barcelon and out of the little iustice which he as a stranger could expect seeing them come vnto him stood vpon his defence and florishing his Palmers staffe with which he was very skilfull lest two of them lying vpon the ground wounded and vertuously freed himselfe from the hands of the others who remained astonished at his valour Betweene Tortose and Castillon there stretcheth forth a great hill wherewith the Sea of that cost is bounded alongst the the cost of the vale of Sago and of the Kingdome of Valence where the Moores of Argiere doe land out of their Gallyes when they are not perceiued by the watch and hiding themselues amongst the hollow places of these hilles doe rob not onely the Fishermen but all such as passe that way And sometime when they are many of them together they doe rob away whole Villages together in this vale they being guided by Renegados and those betrayed againe by the Moores There one darke night did the Pilgrim lye weary with his iourney which he had taken out of the way obliged thereunto by the feare which he had of pursuite And being asleepe after many long and grieuous imaginations of his lost happines which he did beleeue to bee still in the hands of Doricles as the roaring of the Sea the waues whereof breaking against the rockes make a horrible noyse awaked him He heard neare vnto him the voyce of some Moores who hauing
my fortune and the rigorous influence of my starres not onely doe not suffer me but maketh it to me almost impossible And although hope sometime promiseth it vnto me yet I find that it is truely as Plato calleth it The waking man his Dreame Loue then said the young man is the cause of this habite which thou wearest of thy pilgrimage It is so said Pamphilus and by that thou mayest know the quality of my euill and the difficulty of my cure Oh said the young man pittifully sighing what a grieuous story dost thou renew in me A history like vnto mine said Pamphilus if not said the other yet at the least of Loue By thy faith then said Pamphilus doest thou loue I not onely Loue said the other but am also more vnhappy then thou thinkest for a stranger and a Pilgrim and no lesse outraged by fortune Tell me then said Pamphilus in looking earnestly vpon him thy name and of what Countrey thou art for in all the yeares of my banishment I could neuer finde any man so miserably persecuted as my selfe and in this I haue more occasion then all men to bewaile my destinies A Christian said the stranger ought neuer to bewaile the destinies nor thinke that good or euill fortune depend of them Although many ancient Philosophers haue beleeued that there is a kinde of Deuils and certaine imaginary women which they call Parquae which giue the spirit vnto the creature at the birth an opinon rather worthy of laughter then beliefe It being most certaine that this name Destiny is onely to be attributed to the decree of God who truly seeth and knoweth all thinges before they be and the ordering of them caÌ„not depend of any thing but of him I know well said Pamphilus that the Poets haue called these Parquaes destiny and the Philosophers especially the Stoyques haue beleeued that it is an order or disposition of second causes as from the Planets vnder the influence of which we are borne which rule and determine all the inferiour good and euill effects which doe happen to man So said Ptolomy Democritus Crisippus and Epicurus who also ascribe to Destiny all the inclinations the vices and the vertues the desires and passions euen vnto the actions and thoughts which some haâ—â— endeuoured to proue by the authority of Boeceus who saith that the order of Destiny mooueth the Heauen and the Starres tempereth the Elements and tyeth humane actions to their causes by a most indissolueable knot But leauing a part a matter of so long a discourse from whence is sprung the error of the Priscillianists who doe beleeue that the soule and the body are necessarily subiect vnto the Starres and many other errors which doe succeed this first I desire thou shoulst know that I speake according vnto custome which willeth that this name Desteny and other Christian Idiomes be taken for misfortune beleeuing that neuerthelesse that God by his Diuine prouidence speaketh by the Destiny as men expresse the conceptions of their minds by their wordes Thy face saith the young man promiseth no lesse then what I haue heard come from thy mouth for thy presence and aspect is an index of thy noblenes as thy tongue is of knowledge which worketh in me a great pleasure and desire to tell thee my Name my Countrey quality and my misfortunes which if thou please to hearken vnto with patience I will as briefely as I can relate The History of Pamphilus and Celio THe Citty of Toledo in the hart of Spaine strong by Scituation noble by Antiquity famous for the preseruatioÌ„ of the Christian Faith euer sithence the time of the Gothes generous both in Learning and Armes hauing a temperate Heauen and a fertile Earth inuironed with the famous Riuer Tagus which is it selfe also begirt with a high but a pleasant Hill Is the place where my now liuing Parents were borne as also my selfe although my Ancestors in former times came from those parts of Austuria which are called Santillana the ancient title of the house of Mendosa there was I brought vp in my more tender yeares But when my Parents thought I was capable of Learning they sent me to the Vniuersity of Salamanqua with such company as was fit for a man of my place to the end that besides the Latine tongue which I knew already I might study the knowledge of the Law Heere I am constrained to make a long digression because that of the history of another dependeth the foundation of mine My Father had other Children Lisard his eldest sonne who was in Flaunders with the Archduke Albert where hee got no small reputation principally in the siege of Ostend and Nisa a Daughter and if I bee not partiall one of most excellent beauty who liued in that honour and good name vnto which shee was bound by the noblenes of her birth and the care of such Parents Vnto these tearmes was the youngman proceeded in his discourse whereat Pamphilus exceedingly troubled couered his face with his hands whereof the other demaunding a reason Pamphilus said vnto him that his griefe which had brought him vnto that estate wherein he found him was returned againe yet hee thought it was with lesse violence then it had formerly done All this Pamphilus feyned because the story which the Toledan tolde him was his owne proper story and this Nisa whom he called his Sister was the Pilgrim whose wits were lost out of the apprehension of Pamphilus his Death So doe acts dissembled many times meete and sometimes doe then appeare most when they are most indeauoured to bee hidden I will not proceed in my story said he if thou finde not thy selfe so well that thou maist hearken vnto me for there is no time worse imployed then that which one looseth in speaking to them which giue no eare to the speaker Thou maist proceed said Pamphilus being desirous to vnderstand the estate of his owne affaires for I finde my griefe begins to leaue me eased by thy presence and thy words I must aduertise thee then said the young man that there was in Madreele a braue Knight and a great friend of my fathers with whome he had great inwardnes of acquaintance euer since the warres of Granado and I thinke they were together in that famous Battell of Lepanto from this friendship it followed that at the end of some yeares they treated of the Marrying of my Sister Nisa with one of this Knights sonnes of whome I now speake and the young mans name was Pamphilus But while these things were a doing the Father of Pamphilus dyed and the proposition of marriage ceased Pamphilus who by the renowne that went of my Sister as also by her Picture was taken in her Loue and grew wonderfull sad and melancholy and falling from one imagination to another in the end hee resolued vpon this which I shall tell thee that thereby thou maist see how innocent those were who without the light of Faith did anciently beleeue it Fortune
execute my intent I went to Madreele I sought Pamphilus in all the houses of his friends and visited his Mother asking newes of him making shew how things had passed The innocent Mother said it was two yeares since hee went into Flaunders and that from the time of his departure she neuer had heard from him from whence she collected he was dead I thought that she knowing what he had done had disguised the truth and while I was in this meditation I casting my eyes vpon a young Gentlewoman who sate sowing by this reuerend matron I found her in my minde so faire that her onely looke had power to temper my sorrow and hardly had I fully viewed her perfections when as I propounded in my selfe to serue her and to steale her away thinking by this meanes to giue satisfaction to our honour and beginning to my reuenge To recount vnto you at this time all the passages and the care which I vsed to speake with her and to bring her to my will would be to trouble you with a long discourse Let it satisfie that I drewe her from her house with the same thred where with Pamphilus had pulled Nisa from ours and in a strange and foolish minde led her into France where her beauty ministred subiect vnto a Knight to serue her and for me to kill him From whence it followed that for safety of my life I was driuen to leaue her Neuerthelesse I am resolued whatsoeuer happen vnto me to goe seeke her because that besides I doe loue her more then my selfe I owe so much vnto her merit and vertue with which shee hath faithfully accompanied me thorough many and variable successes Night had spred his blacke vayle ouer the face of the Earth and the houses were full of Candles as the Heauen of starres men and creatures retired themselues from their common labour when as the miserable Pamphilus gaue ouer hearing the tragedy of his Loue with the last act of his honour and to know that he did then but begin to suffer his euils when he thought he was at an end of them Hee admired the iustice of Heauen which had suffred that his Sister should so lightly haue quited her Mothers house to runne away with a man Yet finding in himselfe the example of his owne misleading of Nisa and that the iniury which hee had done vnto Celio was no lesse then that which hee had receiued he did not hold it iust in himselfe once to thinke of reuenge but rather to perswade him that hee should not nor ought to leaue her which he performed with the best wordes the liueliest reasons he could deuise Remonstrating vnto him that amongst Gentlemen the onely condition of noblenes should binde him to goe seeke for her which Celio allowing for most reasonable gaue him his word to imploy his endeauours to that purpose And being lodged this night together they supped and slept in one house The next morning Pamphilus gaue him a Letter to a French Gentleman with whom he had great acquaintance that he might fauour him in finding out Finia for so was his Sister called But Celio departed not for certain dayes during which time there was a perfect friendship knit betweene those two secret enemies So that Pamphilus knowing the offence which Celio had done vnto him pardoned him in his hart and Celio ignorant that this was Pamphilus was disposed to the pardoning of him The resolution was with great oathes to enquire out one the other and to helpe each other in all accidents as Brothers assigning the rende-vous within sixe monthes in the Citty of Pamphelune So went Celio vpon his enterprise some few dayes after his departure Pamphilus his sorrow increasing out of the opinion that it was impossible for him to recouer Nisa It happened that going one night from his lodging in a vaine desire he had to see the windowes of the Prison where his happines and ioy was inclosed he heard a Knight cry out for helpe against some who would at aduantage haue killed him He sodainly stepped vnto him and drawing out his Sword out of his Palmers staffe with an incredible dexterity accompanied with a valiant braue courage made them loose him whom they would haue killed and saue their own liues by a shamefull though a safe flight The Knight would needs know what hee was who had deliuered him from so great danger and although Pamphilus excused himselfe from telling his name yet the Knights desire and curtesie preuayled more then the humblenes wherewith the Pilgrim did endeauour to perswade him that hee had done him no seruice to conclude he led him to his house where his good and gentle behauiour being obserued the Knight and his Parents bare such affection vnto him that they did oblige him to become their guest There remained Pamphilus some dayes at the end of which Iacinth so was this Knight called tolde him the history of his Loue vnto faire Lucinde and the occasion for which these assassiuators wold haue murther'd him who for this onely cause were come from Ciuill vnto Valence where the subiect of the passion and the sorrow wherein he liued did remaine I doe beleeue that Louers haue some simpathy one with another and that they ioyne and communicate in such manner as you haue seene in this discourse Seeing that our Pilgrim neuer came into any house where there was not some one or other tainted with this euill although it were in craggy Mountaines By this ouerture of Iacinthes secret Pamphilus was bound to discouer his and after hee had made him sweare that he would graunt him his request hee said that in recompence of his life which hee had saued as he himselfe confessed he coniured him to helpe him to a place in that Prison where the mad solkes were shut vp Iacinth astonished at so strange a request would needs know the cause But Pamphilus promising to tell him so soone as he had done him that fauour and casting himselfe at his feete with most earnest and vnheard-of wordes affirming the good hee should doe him to put him in this place made Iacinth suspect that some secret danger did inforce him into that place And willing very generously to satisfie the obligation wherein hee was tyed after some inconueniences and reasons vrged to diuert him hauing agreed with him of the meanes which he should holde This very night Iacinth tooke fiue or sixe men of the Hospitall who entring sodainly into Pamphilus his Chamber put him in a Chayre and carryed him away in their armes miserable condition of this man who after so many strange successes being wise if those who Loue can be so to make himselfe to bee taken and shut vp willingly as a mad-man where all the mad folkes would willingly bee accounted wise All Iacinthes house admire at this nouelty and all his family complaine that this stranger vnto whom Iacinth was redeuable for his life was so vnworthily requited by Iacinth himselfe But shee
againe a new to begin the same paines The cause of Finia's and Nisa's apprehension was that Nisa in regard of his apparell and of his short hayre was thought to bee a man and being alwayes in Finia's company the Iustice tooke holde of them out of a strong suspition that they did liue lewdly and incontinently together a thing which is often couered vnder the cloake of Pilgrimage which makes it more odious and frequent in that Countrey Whatsoeuer might happen of it Nisa would not discouer herselfe notwithstanding any feare of chastisement But defending her cause as a man denyed that euer shee had so much as spoken otherwayes then with great honesty and modesty to Finia Who accounting Nisa for a man and beleeuing certainely that she was the same Felix whom shee fained to bee with whose conuersation and beauty she was charmed confessed simply her desire for the effect was impossible and although the honesty of their conuersation did appeare by both their Confessions yet their beauty was a cruell witnes against their innocency About this time came the afflicted Celio by the mountaines of France the principall Cittyes whereof he had sought for his beloued Finia backe to Barcelon still continuing his quest and onely to informe himselfe if there were any Pilgrims of Casteele and hauing vnderstood that there were two Prisoners but a fewe daies before he went to see them hoping to heare some newes if not of Finia at least of the Countrey His fortune would that hee should first meete with her before he sawe his Sister Nisa and being aduertised that shee had beene taken with a young man and layd vp for the suspition that was had of their dishonest Loue Hee spake vnto her through an Iron-grate which seperateth the mens Prisons from the womens Is this O Finia the confidence which I had of thy vertue so consormable to the noblenes of thy blood Is it heere after hauing searched thee almost all France ouer hauing measured step by step all the teadious plaines and craggy mountaines which did leade vnto any place where there was either hope or likelihood to finde thee vndergoing many notable dangers that I should thinke to finde thee in a publicke Prison with a young man Now are all my suspitions confirmed and my reasons that I had to kill the Frenchman for which I haue suffered so many trauailes Is this the recompence of so many euils which for thy sake I haue endured Doest thou thus requite thy obligations vnto mee At the least this comfort I haue I may returne into my Countrey with full assurance that I shall not incurre any infamy neither in thy friends opinion nor in mine owne for hauing left thee in this danger and in those which will vneuitably follow thee seeing thou hast found another who accompanieth thee honoreth thee and defendeth thee Thinke not O vngratefull person answered Finia in weeping that I haue euer offended thee for thou canst not make mee suffer so much that I would hazard that which thou hast cost me for all the treasure of the world Thy Iealousie made thee kill a man and leaue me alone in such a place the difficulty of getting away from whence considering my weakenes may seeme a miracle In my voyage I haue met with this man who no lesse innocent then chaste Ioseph suffereth this vniust imprisonment for hauing bin the most honest helper that I could haue desired in thy absence as thou mayest plainely see by the modesty of his countenance and his speech if thou pleasest to speake with him To excuse thy selfe answered Celio in so notorious a crime is to moue me to greater anger because thou mayst haue fayled as a Woman but to deny it vnto me and to say that thou hast not done it is a most euident token that thou wilt deceiue mee either heere or in thy owne Countrey if euer thou returne thither therefore I doe forbid thee for euer to dare to name me or to say thou euer knewest me So said Celio and turning his backe to Finia left her in the greatest griefe that a woman could suffer which is in these accidents to loose his presence vnder whose protection she liues especially when it seemeth vnto her that shee cannot hope for any other remedy or succour Celio hiding the teares which hee shed in going away and consulting with the fury of his Iealousie and his rage for the iniury which he did thinke hee had receiued concerning the reuenge which hee should take wayted for Nisa's inlargement that he might kill him The Iudges although that the Prisoners innocency did sufficiently appeare yet would they not giue them liberty to returne together For those doe seeme to permit the euill which doe not forbid the occasion but retired Finia into a house and commanded Nisa whom they called Felix that that day hee should voyde the Citty of Barcelon Nisa went then late in the euening out of the Towne and farre from thinking that her Brother wayted to kill her beleeuing her to bee the man with whom Finca had so irreconciliably offended him And the darkenes of the euening with the disguise of mans Apparell which Nisa wore depriued Celio's eyes already blinded with anger from discerning her to be his Sister Nisa into whose body hee twice thrust his Sword and had absolutely killed her if some passengers vpon the way at that time had not not onely hindred him but also apprehended him and put him in Prison The miserable Nisa who then began to haue a greater feeling of her sufferred miseries was carryed to an honourable Cittizens house of great compassion and charity who hauing giuen order for her Dressing and found that her wounds were not mortall pursued Celio so eagerly in Iustice informing the Iudges of the crime which hee himselfe had seene him commit that the third day after he was condemned to Death Celio alledged in his defence that Finia was his lawfull wife and that hauing found her imprisoned with this young man for suspition of incontinency hee did not thinke that he had done euill if hee had killed them both Whereupon they ordered it that Finia should bee imprisoned againe but shee hauing some notice thereof preuented it by flight On the other side Pamphilus comming to Valence recouered his liberty by Iacinths meanes with an extreame contentment vnto Tiberia vnto whome Pamphilus giuing thankes for the care which shee had of him raised in her a thousand hopes which his absence and misery had killed Hee taketh leaue of her with many fayre and amorous wordes and returning to Barcelon went to seeke for his Deare Nisa in the Prison wherein hee had seene her shut when he went away as a Mad-man But when he found Celio there in her place in such extreame danger of his life from whome informing him of the cause of his misfortune he was tolde all the iniury which Finia had don him with a Pilgrim whom he had wounded whereby he came to knowe that this man whome
went vnto him and wishing health vnto him which hee could not obtaine for himselfe and curteously againe saluted by the Shepheard who hauing nothing that sauoured of rusticknes but his Apparell made him knowe in a fewe reasons his vnderstanding and the other quickly discerned in the Pilgrim that he had more neede of meate then discourse Wherefore getting fire out of two Lawrell stickes which for that purpose hee carryed with him they poorely fed of that which Fabio for so was this Shepheard called had willingly dressed the ground seruing them for a Table the grasse for napkins and bubling Brookes for their drinke and musique They passed away the best part of the day in telling their aduentures and when it grewe night they retired themselues into a little Village whether Fabio led Pamphilus to keepe his masters Oxen who was a Farmer of a Grange which Nisa her Father had in the Mountaines Pamphilus was glad of this condition hoping that by this meanes he might with time haue newes of his Mistres by the way Pamphilus intreated Fabio to relate the cause of his retiring into this place who although that this request brought vnto his mind a great deale of griefe and passion yet after some sighes he shortly tolde him that hee was borne in Biscay and discended of most noble Parents who were carefull to fit him in his youth with quallities answerable vnto his Birth wherein he profited so well that he neither raysed discontentment in his Parents nor shame vnto his Tutors but after growing more ripe in yeares and incited with the couragious heate of youth In those times when the English with their warlike Ships rauaged alongst our Coasts aswell of Spaine as the Ilands and oftentimes with their desperate resolutions made themselues masters of our Indian Golde I put my selfe to Sea in one of the Kings Armadoes aswell with an intent to gaine honour by my valour as experience in those seruices thereby to bee the abler to serue my Countrey wherein I was so fortunate because I will not say too much that I got commaund my selfe and by taking and executing two or three of those Pirats was in a faire way both of grace with the King and renowne in the world when my eyes were the instruments whereby the most excellent and admirable beauty of Albiana captiuated my heart so powerfully that all other courses set apart I was inforced to giue my selfe wholly to her seruice wherein after some small time I had so happy a progression that shee did confesse she was obliged by my perseuerance and by the opinion which the world held of me to esteeme of mee and of my seruice thus happily in her fauour I spent some time vntill it fortuned some English slaues which I had endeauouring to make an escape but by my Soldiers and Marryners preuented I inflicted a cruell punishment vpon them bound thereunto by that common pollicy which exacteth from Masters a seueere hand ouer their mutinous Slaues especially I vsed it towards one who more eminent then the rest aswell in regard of his person as that hee was a cheefe author of their attempt which Albiana with most earnest prayers vnto me sought to diuert were it out of a pittifull compassion ordinary in most women or that she tooke any speciall liking vnto him But I hauing more care at that time to execute my rage then mindefull of her importunity which I did not thinke would haue turned to that consequence for example sake which as it is powerfull so is it most necessary especially amongst men of our profession who serue our selues with multitudes of them perseuered in hauing him soundly punished Whereat shee discontented though with little shew thereof vnder-hand wrought such meanes by her friends in Court before I imagined any such thing that the Slaue was by messenger from the Duke of Lerma and by warrant vnder the Kings hand fetched from me and the next day shee did let me knowe that any denyall to a Woman effects her hatred For shee sent me a Letter wherein she said I was a cruell Monster and that she was so farre from Louing and esteeming me that she would euer hate my barbarous Nature and she wondred that any valour could bee lodged where cruelty had such a habitation to conclude shee tolde me that I should neuer come in her sight nor be where she might heare of my name How grieuous this was vnto me gentle Sir may easily be gessed if you knewe the extremity of my Loue which was so much that I presently without the knowledge of any of my friends tooke such order as I could with my command and retired my selfe into these Desert places where I am resolued vnder this disguised habite to end my dayes seeing that Albiana will haue it so who whether her complaints were iust or no or whether they but serue to colour her vnconstancy shall bee alwayes loued and truely obayed by me vnto whome onely this comfort is left That though Life hath left me Death will take me Before Fabio had finished this short discourse they had discouered the Village where Alfesibus did keepe Nisa's fathers Cattell in the best house of the Village which for a Countrey house was a faire one Alfesibus receiued Pamphilus and informed by Fabio of his intent he agreed with him for wages and after an euill supper and a worse Lodging hee passed the night miserably And when morning appeared Pamphilus went after his Oxen vnto the solitary Fields where hee liued some time free from the confused noyses of the Citties a good leasure to meditate vpon his aduentures In the meane time Nisa healed of her woundes knew that she had receiued them from her owne Brother out of Iealousie which hee had conceiued against her for Finia And intreating his good Host that hee would haue pitty vpon her blood by both their meanes his pardon and liberty was obtained the one soliciting and the other forbearing the prosecution One of the woundes which Nisa had receiued was in her left side and as in the Dressing it could not be auoyded but that shee was knowne to bee a Woman although she had coniured her Host to keepe it secret from his Family yet it was impossible Because that his Sonne Thesander vnhappily one day was at her dressing and transported so into his minde the woundes which shee had in her body that within a fewe dayes hee fell sicke by force of this continuall thought not being able to receiue into his imagination any thought but the desire of this beauty For all the heauen of Loue moueth vpon these two poles Imagination and Desire And then his body is as full of imaginary and fantasticke figures as the Astrologians Globe Thesander did all that he could to diuert himselfe from this thought and as euils are healed by their contraries hee proposed vnto his eyes other obiects and other cares vnto his imaginations But as Art is made out of many experiences which were wanting
with all kinde of Ioy his desire was that Finia might also be well entertained and kindly vsed telling them in what manner he had found her his Parents receiued her with a great deale of honour and imbracings yet not without some suspitions that shee was some spoyle of the Flanders war Lisard then asked for his Brother Celio and for his Sister Nisa they telling him the cause of their absence Finia thereby knew that the house whereinto shee was come was her husbands Fathers and that he who had brought her thether was his Brother whereat not sufficiently wondring shee then thought that Fortune began to looke vpon her misfortunes with a more cleere countenance The day following Lisard resoluing to goe seeke for his sister Nisa and to kill Pamphilus tolde his Parents that he had some pretentions at the Court vpon which he built the necessity of a new voyage shewing them some attestations in writing of that which he had done in Flanders for which he hoped of good recompence His Father perspicuosly knowing his minde through his reasons wherewith hee endeauoured to colour his Iourney and fearing to loose him with the other propounded a thousand obiections telling that he should now rest after his voyage and from the trauels of War contenting himselfe with the honor which he had gotten because that in this age the reward did flye from the merit Lisard thus perswaded by his Father remained in the house although it grieued him that after he had bought so much renowne with the losse of his blood so farre from his owne Countrey he should now lye still and rust with infamy finally being discontent that he was beheld as he thought with this marke hee went into the Country to shun the first incounter of the peoples sight into the same Village where amongst the other seruants of his Fathers farmer Pamphilus liued who was neuer before knowne of Lisard and as one day hee beheld him more curiously then he did all the others for hardly could the basenes and indignity of his habite disguise his person and beauty he called him vnto him and informing himselfe of the cause why hee liued in this base office The excuses which he made did not seeme currant indeed being fained by Pamphilus who already knewe that Lisard was Nisa's eldest Brother Wherefore Lisard said vnto him that he should doe better if leauing this rusticke life hee would abide in his seruice and take the charge of two Horses which he had for which he would giue him wages and conuenient clothes Pamphilus refused this offer not that hee was not willing to returne into this happy house in which he had first knowne Nisa But fearing that being knowne in her absence hee should run a dangerous fortune of his life Neuertheles being weary of the austere life which he led amongst these Mountaines for there is nothing more true as the Philosophers say then that those which are solitary are either Gods or Deuils hee resolued in the end to accept of this condition wishing rather that he might Dye by Nisa's Parents hands then Liue any longer in these solitary Deserts Now you see how forward we are in bringing back our Pilgrim from his long trauels seeing that from being a Courtier he became a Soldier frō a soldier a Captiue from a captiue a Pilgrim from a Pilgrim a Prisoner frō a Prisoner a Madman frō a Madman a Herdsman frō a Herdsman a miserable Lacky in the same house where all his misfortunes began To the end that you seeing this circle of fortune from one Pole vnto another without one moment of rest or any of good in the beginning middle or end of his aduentures you may learne to know how trauailing abroad brings honour profite and many times the contrary All consisteth in the disposition of Heauen whose influence guide the passages of our life as it pleaseth them because that althogh the empire of free-will bee aboue yet fewe persons be found who doe resist their motions It is therefore a weaknes vnworthy of a gentle heart not to dare hazardously to enterprise any thing seeing it is euident that if those who haue effected great thinges had not begun them they had neuer atchiued them As also hazardous enterprises belong onely to braue courages although Heauen dispose of the successe Aboue all things the election importeth much as Propertius saith all thinges are not equall vnto all Seneca telleth of an old man who being asked how he could liue vnto those yeares in following the Court answered that it was in doing good turnes not excepting agaiust iniuries But this patience doth not seeme honourable vnto me nor that it is any vertue to serue to Liue. And if Posterity doth render vnto euery body his honor as Tacitus saith what renowne can he leaue behind him who dyeth as it were in the cradle from his swadling cloutes vnto his hearse hath hardly shifted a shirt like vnto the Plant which hath the forme of a liuing Lambe the stocke whereof growing out of the ground vnto the stomack not being able to eate more grasse then that which groweth round about it dyeth for want of nourishment Glorious was Darius when being come vnto the Riuer Tearus which taketh his beginning from two Fountaines wherof the one is hot and the other cold he caused the famous inscription whereof Herodalus speaketh to bee made to this place against the Scitheans came the most famous of all other men Darius the sonne of Hidaspes Who hath euer obtained any thing without rūning for it Who hath euer runne for it if he haue not seene it and what rest can he know who hath neuer proued any storme or aduersity by Sea or Land For there are no dayes so sweet comfortable as those which we spend in the armes of our friends after long trauell and great dangers nor any nights so sweet as those which are spent about the fire with an attentiue Family vnto the discourses of ones former dangers and aduentures As Vlisses within Zacinth vnto his deare Penelope his Son Telemaquus So after many diuers aduentures Pamphilus commeth vnto the happy day of his rest and though he were not at the siege of Troy not at the Conquest of the newe World with Cortes yet it was no small valour in him to defend himselfe from so many different perilous assaults of Fortune and in the end to haue merited by so many labours the rest which shortly hee shall enioy in his owne Countrey Whilest these things thus passed in the Mountains of Toledo Thesander being recouered by Nisa's louing imbracings and she disposed to leaue him as well because his life was assured as because that she desired to assure hers and deliuer herselfe from the care wherewith she was searched after by her Brother Celio One night when sleepe mastered her Louers sences and held a silence ouer the whole Family she went out of the Citty and taketh the way towards Lerida But
night had hardly all hid her blacke head crowned both with sleepe and feare when the deceiued Thesander waked out of the most sorrowfull Dreame that could possesse his fantasie representing to his imagination the absence of fugitiue Nisa together with her deceitfull wordes her sweet disdaines and her faire â—ace a thing which sometime hapneth principally vnto him which loueth or feareth In asmuch as those thinges which threaten vs doe represent vnto vs in sleeping the same cares which wee haue in the day awake Thesander rising in this imagination began to search Nisa guided by the light of his soule and not finding her it little wanted that hee did not dye with griefe for her departure neither his Father nor the rest of his Parents had power enough to keepe him from ruÌ„ning after And so he came to Toledo long time before Nisa For a Louer whofoloweth that which he loueth doth go faster then he who flyeth froÌ„ that which he doth not loue because hee which doth not loue groweth sorrowfull in going and hee which loueth by going puts off his griefe In the meane time Lisard much pleased with Pamphilus his vnderstanding and person had taken him to wayte in his Chamber not suffering him to liue in the basenes of his first office which he had giuen him and in this quality hee liued at Toledo with his Master alwayes taking great care that his masters Parents might not see him because that if they had viewed him with any consideration they must needs haue knowne him But Lisard who with frequent conuersation with Finia whome his Parents did vse as louingly as they could haue done Nisa was fallen in Loue with her discouered one time vnto Pamphilus and making him the minister of his passion gaue him charge to speake vnto her and to dispose her with all his power to be fauourable vnto his desires Pamphilus obeying his Master and taking occasion one Festiuall day when euery body was abroad hee went to finde Finia from Lisard But when in comming vnto her hee knewe her to bee his Sister and shee knewe him to be her Brother they both remayned astonished dumbe and as immouable as stones But shortly after this first confusion Pamphilus began to speake in this manner Sister tell me by what meanes thou camest hither since Celio abandoning thee left thee in Barcelon for I knowe already the whole progresse of thy misfortune as conformable vnto mine as wee are equall in Birth By his meanes whome the Destinies pleased vnto whose disposing my will cannot resist Lisard brother of my Husband Celio hauing found mee vpon the way from Saragossa brought me hither where I thinke I may abide his returne with more honour The same man said Pamphilus sendeth me vnto thee to speake vnto thee about his Loue and hee hauing found me in a Grange which he hath in the Mountaines of Toledo where I had sheltered my selfe from the stroakes of Fortune vnder the basest condition of the world hath brought me now into this place where thou now seest me in the quality of a Groome and because that heretofore in the beginning of my Fortunes I haue beene in this house I kept my selfe from being seene vntill this time as thou mayest well know hauing not beene seene vntill this day by thee Suffer and abide the end of thy Fortune as I haue done and doe not say thou knowest me for I will entertaine Lisard with some Lye from thee vntill such time that wee may see whereunto the reuolution of this coniunction of our misfortunes will tend and when will end the effects of this our honours ecclipse Thus did Pamphilus and Finia meete and in stead of reprehending one the other they remayned there both good friends for it is ordinary with those who are culpable to dissemble the faults of others least they be reprehended for their own In this meane time Thesander went from place to place in Toledo inquiring for Nisa and when these newes came vnto Lisards eares that there was a young man which enquired for his Sister Hee verily thought that it was Pamphilus who by some sinister accident hauing lost her was come thither to finde her And telling vnto Pamphilus the story of Nisa's rauishing which hee knewe much better told him that hee was now in Toledo in her quest and that hauing no man in whose hands hee could better commit the satisfaction of his reuenge then his nor of whose courage and fidelity hee could be better assured of he intreats him and coniures him to kill him A notable winding in a successe so strange and so imbroiled which is so much the more admirable vnto me who knowe it better then they who reads it how true it is Pamphilus astonished to see that hee was ingaged to kill Pamphilus at the least a man who either in searching for Nisa or else one who for the onely disaster of his name deserued to dye endeauoreth to finde him rather to know what he would with Nisa then with any mind to execute Lisards intent vpon the others innocency His master did not accompany him in this action for as Tacitus saith of Nero although hee commaunded Murthers yet he alwayes turned his sight away from them Pamphilus hauing found Thesander priuately would informe himselfe of the cause why he inquired for Nisa Thesander recounted the story from Nisa's being wounded by Celio and healed by his Father shee had left them one night without bidding them adue paying with ingratitude all the good offices which were done her in that house Neither did he forget to relate how shee for the dressing of her wound being constrained to open her brests shee was discouered to bee a Woman from whence proceeded his desire and the cause why hee sought her in this place which shee said was the place of her Birth Ioyfull was Pamphilus to heare of the healing of Nisa's wounds and in stead of killing Thesander hee led him into his Chamber where hauing vsed him with all the curtesie that was possible he tolde him that in this house where hee remayned were Nisa's Parents and Brother Lisard hauing a great opinion of Pamphilus his courage whome he called Maurice did verily beleeue that hee would infallibly kill Nisa's rauisher which hee beleeued to bee Thesander wherefore he demaunded leaue of his Father to goe fearing that if Maurice should happely bee taken Prisoner he might confesse the author of Pamphilus his death The Father afflicted at his departure fearing that in this his age Death might take him in the absence of all his Children would know the cause of his Iourney And Lisard telling him that hee had sent to kill him who had run away with his Sister who was come vnto Toledo and that hee did beleeue that his seruant vnto whome he had giuen this commission had already executed it put the olde man into a greater care then hee was in before much fearing the Damage which might come from so violent a reuenge Pamphilus had perswaded