Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A32873
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Choice novels and amarous tales written by the most refined wits of Italy ; newly translated into English.
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1652
(1652)
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Wing C3917; ESTC R13551
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88,161
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254
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adores you as a Divinity I wish that with last nights garments you may have depos'd some of your coyness which rendred you so adverse to my love Know besides that cruelty is an improper attribute to the Divinity of your beauty and beauty which is not communicable to all opposeth it self directly to the will of Heaven Should Heaven replies the Masker command me to love you perhaps the laws of honesty the danger of my life and the inconstancy of men would not be bridle sufficient to the debility of my affections The beauty of your looks answers Epidoro is a record of Heaven which admonisheth you not to be avaritious of its favours when enriching you with beauty it hath impoverish'd of praise the Fairest conceptions Le ts forbear hiperbolies replys the Masker I as I know I am not fair so I could wish my self so that I might be the more grateful to those that love me but your craft and my simplicity have made me deposite my secrets in the heart of a person who laughing at my folly perhaps meditates how to deceive the felicity of my thoughts I ought not to hazard my reputation to so evident a danger I have spoken too much were my face discover'd my blood should bear witness by my grief and repentance the blushing my heart hath sent thether are the reproofs of my soul which threaten the seerity of those chastisements the thought alone of which terrifies me Saying so she retires amongst the Maskers leaving Epidoro in the hight of his thoughts where a long while he would not have been removed if Love who commonly is not wanting to the necessities of Lovers had not relieved him so that having again taken the Masker by the hand he so much entreated her so much promis'd that at last he gets leave to speak with her the following night which was the beginning of Lent at a little window which lookt on an unfrequented street With this hope he pleasantly passeth the rest of the night expecting the other with a thousand imprecations against the stars for staying so long from celebrating the obsequies of the day Scarce had the light given place to the dark but he comes to the appointed window although he thought he had anticipated the hour he findes himself prevented his beloved expecting him accusing him in her self for want of love that he had not prevented her The complements which past amongst them were many and the amorous conceits numberless They discours'd of constancy fidelity and severity with so great an insatiety that the darkness seem'd weary to hear them which even for the cause invited the light The day comming they part with promise to meet every time when Epidoro should see a cloth hang at the grate which succeeded twice or thrice a week with so great a contentment to Epidoro that in respect of that all other entertainment seem'd but his anoyance and then thinking that felicity full without participating the rest he grew to that impudency to trust the mouth of many with the secret of his loves he bragg'd that he possest Leena's heart who had made the patience and love of a thousand Lovers despair He vaunted himself a possessor of that fair one who had oblig'd to adoration even those minds which were incapable of love unless it were that of themselves This rumor past from the ears of one who fill'd with incredulity and envy would spy Epidoro He hearkens to him one night when he had appointed to get the possession of the fruits of love Having no patience to suffer the felicities of one who was no waies his superiour by the favour of Fortune carried by envy which conspires alwaies against the satisfaction of men he vomits forth in a paper the effects of his madness conveying it afterwards to Leena's husbands hands Opening the Note he saw this written CORDELIO NOT to discover to you treachery is to be a complice in the guilt I who by the excess of your favours and by the obligations of my heart am call'd to the protection of your honour cannot filence it in the hands of dishonesty The night when the infamy of your reputation is to be practised hath not darkness to hide your shame My zeal implores the testimony of your eyes which confess Leena unchast and my self a loyal friend I remit to you the discovery of the truth It troubles me to disquiet the repose of your minde with so unthought of an advise But he deserves praise onely who discovering it leaves you the means to think on the remedy Your faithful Friend This rais'd an infinite many thoughts in the minde of Cordelio and all cruel nothing was in his heart but blood slaughters and murthers yet being perswaded by the love he bore Leena and like a wise man knowing the fruits of malice he condemn'd all other testimony but that of his own eyes He faigns that he was hastily call'd away by his business into the Country and parts not without Leena's tears who regreeted for every moment of his absence Cordelio lay hid all the remainder of the day and at night he goes to observe who it was that betray'd his honour Leena in the mean time had given her self in prey to a most sweet sleep not without being disturb'd by her Nurses voice who told her that Cordelio was to return in a short time to the embraces of Cinissa her Chamber-maid and that she her self had told her so that she would not be her hinderance Leena's minde soon gave credit thereto knowing her husbands genius and her servants little honesty and the sooner having been before jealous not without some affliction She quickly clothes her self and would not be followed by the Nurse that with the more liberty she might blame Cordelio's inconstancy She goes neer her servants Chamber and there she meets her husband who with naked sword in hand came against her to kill her He did it not either that she might first see her Lovers death or the pitty of Heaven permitted not that her innocency although suspected guilty should suffer Leena though full of disdain yet thought intreaties fitter then reproofs for her own safety Casting her self at his feet mixing her words with her tears she thus bespake him Sir If the dishonest embraces of a servant please you more then those of your wife I oppose not my self against your pleasure I would offer my self to procure your pleasures would you but do me the honour but to command it me but when with the loss of my own due I see my self in danger of my life I cannot but complain at the rigour of my destiny which hath caused me to be born unhappy The unbeseeming dishonesty of a wench can then do more then the chast delights of a wife who hath no other desires but those which are subject to your beck Alas how hath Cordelio forgot himfelf Alas how hath Heaven to torment me chang'd the temper of the man Cordelio interrupting her telling her The falseness of thy lips and tears O thou impudent woman would have introduc'd some perswasion in my heart had not these eyes been witnesses of thy dishonesty Prepare therfore to dy for 't is unreasonable that she should live who hath prepared the funerals of my reputation But first of all tell me Where hast thou hid that wicked wretch who had the boldness to defile my bed Leena being unable to suffer such words as those which wounded the most sensible part of her soul Sir To excuse your amorous thefts make not my honesty guilty with faign'd pretences 't is unbecoming your prudence and my love I am yours and I am chast Malignity and Envy can finde no colour to criminate my thoughts so far are my actions from wronging your honour I appeal to your self whether the treacherous desire of enjoying a servant or the displeasure of having been interrupted have not now the possession of your minde Cordelio grew the more disturb'd and with violence askes her of what maid or of what love she talk'd Whereto Leena answer'd all what her Nurse had told her and having understood as much from her mouth also he runs without delay to seek the Chamber-maid and findes her in the wrastlings of love fast clasp'd with Epidoro He was going to sacrifice them to his fury but his wives perswasions diverted him So that at last he was content that Epidoro should marry Cinissa who was a servant rather by the injury of Fortune then by the condition of her birth Whereto Epidoro without more to do consents the fear of death making him yield to any agreement Cordelio then embraces Leena excusing himself of what he had done out of zeal to his own honor having heard Epidoro call'd with a whistle from the grate and seeing him afterwards introduc'd his hous Leena's discretion was satisfied with these justifications glad to have escaped the danger which was the greater being hid which at the same time threatned both her life and reputation This may serve to warn husbands not to run precipitously to suspect their wives of unchastity And to teach wives not to allow a treacherous liberty to their maids And finally its an example to all those who voluntarily seek to betray the honesty of other mens wives FINIS
her assured revenge Amongst the encounters and affectionate congratulations of her servants she was advised by their discourses with Niarpe of the information he had taken and the reason of her imprisonment but above all of his anguish and how grievously he took her danger The Lady having heard though unwillingly these expressions contrary to her will which was intoxicated with finister thoughts yet she began to reflect on her thoughts how he by his own election had exchang'd himself to suffer her danger which did no ways confirm a perverse intention but a constant affection She observ'd what was said being oblig'd to beleeve him guiltless of any crime in this accident which before he had had no notice of she could not judge her self desirous of his death who had discovered himself by what was told her in danger for her deliverance Nevertheless this was not sufficient to remove from her minde the remembrance which the first impression made which was rendred indelible if her eyes did not lye which had seen him with his unsheth'd steel arm'd against her brest The words of a Lady with whom she had many contests cooperated to introduce a contrary belief Niarpe's resentment being by Euridea's fury hightned who refus'd to hear his excuses being at that time to give her a visit from her astonishment bred from the confusion of her thoughts she took occasion to insinuate in her discours Niarpe's constancy fomented onely by an indiscreet rigour witnessing she had seen him despair at her feet for the loss of her good graces and a supplicant with prayers to regain them she forms a distinct Narration of all his words his sighs and his desires to undeceive the fraud of a simple dream with the continued attestations of an exviscerated passion making the truth appear by reason of the accident which that night happen'd unhappy to their loves which still had been hid under the obscurity of a mistake she remembers the precedent proofs of his singular faith with the following testimonies following it with an extreme grief of heart as with an uninterrupted care to pacifie her anger and then this last action confirm'd the immutability of his extraordinary affection since he hazarded his own innocency and his life to deliver her from an imaginary danger Say no more say no more said Euridea whose heart was already awakn'd with the knowledge which arose from these discourses that she had unjustly ill used her lover yet she persever'd in her contest the obstinacy of her old belief till at last she was cast down by the testimony which Niarpe witnessed even to the hazard of his life by a voluntary accusation made by himself to afford her the means to get out of the labyrinth of her prison the center whereof perhaps was death He said he had sent the poyson with the meat which arriv'd at dinner time Now whether whilst she was pondering in her minde either of the felicities or the despair of her Lover he coms who had brought her that meat to fetch back the dish from this distinct information she got full notice of the fact knowing that the present came from the civility of certain Nuns as he related it and not corrupted by the fidelity of the messenger who carried it The ground of the design fail'd whereupon Niarpe had made himself guilty The building fell which his sinister Fortune had built under the credit of treachery Amongst a thousand troubles his Lady bitterly repented hereof for having unreasonably punish'd him with so much fierceness Doubting to be the cause of his death she saw the despair enterchang'd whereto the necessity of her indiscreet rigours had often reduc'd him but being blinded by the fury of the deceit not discerning his faith so blinde did love make her that she was heedless of her own sufferings She returns to the Tribunal and as carried away with doating she demands the restoration of her Lover that Niarpe should be set at liberty if justice required a victim she alone was fit for the Executioner's hands since she had been sacrilegious having violenc'd the temple of Faith and Love Those who not long before had heard her enrag'd against the same person begging cruelty for his punishments were astonished to see such a change she who had accused him of double treacheries now with so much vehemency endeavoured to cry him up as innocent The Judge had a competent satisfaction for his curiosity in the relation made of the success which might discipher the enigma's of so unlook'd for a change They who admired Euridea related the whole business who from her stupidity being reconcentrated in her self discovered no less her own confusion in her very accent yet from time to time she replicated her instance for the recovery of her Lover They witnessed the countersigns given of the unvariable affection of the one and of the innocency of the others deceiv'd belief so that the cause was suspended with the deliverance of either till the Judge had more apparent motives to satisfie the demands of the Accuser who complain'd as having been poyson'd She was yet kept in her bed by reason of her weakness which followed the violence of the accident more then the necessity of any ill Skilful Physitians were sent who by a diligent disquisition of all what she had eat that day and weighing the effects flowing from thence which she call'd poyson they made a punctual scrutiny in search of the truth and from one head to another they concluded the original of this agitation which they did beleeve came from nothing but the malign quality of the Mushroms which being not wel purged had the force not onely to weaken but even to have kill'd her A particular reflection having denied the first impulses of grief or disdain which inforc'd them to hear that al of the family had cryed out that she had been poyson'd now made the sick Lady of their opinion she perceived that all her suspitions were groundless since neither in Euridea who was accus'd nor in Niarpe who had made himself guilty she could finde any occasion for such a treachery So that from the satisfaction of the one and the sworn testimony of the Physitians a Decree of liberty was granted to our lovers This revolution of Fortune was unexpected by the young man who betwixt the thoughts of death could not promise himself the enjoyment of so much felicity unless by being so neer death he might promise himself a future beatitude He saw himself in his beloved's arms when he thought to go to his execution and receive amorous kisses from her lips when he thought to hear the rigorous sentence of his death He knew not who to thank for such a happiness unless that very hour which had occasion'd all his torments His heart being restor'd into its former sweet ardors softly melts it self away to make an inextinguishable lamp for the light of his joyes The Scaene being thus chang'd in his belov'd there onely appear'd