Ferallo obeies but with much wonder and admiration what this busines might meane or produce betweene them Here De Mora very passionately and cholerickly chargeth Palura for abusing dishonouring of him by committing adul terie with his wife Bellinda the which Palura retorts to him as a foule scandall and false aspersion and as an honourable Gentleman in his speeches and answers to De Mora makes his owne innocencie and his wife the Lady Bellinda's chastity very apparent and probable but these feigned excuses and false oathes and speeches of Palura doe no way satisfie but â—…ather the more incense the jealousie and inflame the malice and revenge of De Mora against him whereupon hee shewes him his owne letter and with much bitternesse and vehemency demands him if that his owne hand writing doe not palpably convince him of adultery with his Lady Palura is amazed at the sight of this his letter so that blushing for shame hee cannot here yet refraine from looking pale with griefe anger thereat neverthelesse he will not be so ingratefull to the beauty and affection of Bellinda to think that shee hath betrayed him by delivering up this his letter to her husband but rather giving a good interpretation and construction to the purity of her intents and affections towards him hee beleeves with confidence that hee had sinisterly and surreptiously betrayed her thereof whereupon to fortifie her reputation to vindicate and cleere his owne innocencie hee with high words and loud crackes protesteth this letter to bee false suborned none of his and that it was written by some witch or devill and sent by some treacherous enemy of his purposely to affront him and to disgrace his vertuous chaste and innocent Lady Bellinda but these feigned paliating excuses of his cannot passe currant with the jealousie and revenge of De Mora who now to reduce contemplation into action tels Palura that nothing but his death can expiate and satisfie this his crime and therefore on horse-backe as hee was drawes his sword and bids Palura doe the like The which Palura hearing and seeing he equaly for the preservation of Bellinda's honour his owne life as a brave and generous Gentleman likewise drawes as highly disdaining to have his youth and courage outbraved by this old cavallier but here before they begin to fight Palura with many strong reasons and patheticall perswasions againe and againe praies De Mora to desist from the combat and to rest satisfied with the truth of his Lady Bellinda's honour and his owne innocency in this their supposed and pretended crime of adultery but hee speakes to the wind for De Mora returnes him blowes for words The event and fortune of this their combat on horse-backe is that in two severall meetings and incounters Palura hath received no wound but given De Mora two the one in his necke and the other in his left arme whereof he bleeds so exceedingly as he begins to dispaire of the victory and with his pistols to provide for his owne safetie and life they by a mutuall consent divide themselves a little distance off to breath When Palura reining his horse a little to straite and his horse being hot and furious and by meere strength and force turning round De Mora with his watchfull and vigilant eye taking the advantage of this favourable â—…ident when Palura never once dreams or thinks of pistols speedily puls his two pistols forth his pocket most basely and treacherously with the first shoots him thorow the head and with the second into the reines of his backe of which mortall wounds hee presently fell off from his horse dead to the ground having neither the power to repent his sinnes nor the grace or happines to pray unto God for the salvation of his owne soule and thus was the untimely end and lamentable death of this valliant young cavallier Palura De Mora seeing Palura dead having more reason outwardly to rejoyce in this his victory than inwardly in the cause manner thereof he waves his handcherchiefe to his man Ferallo to come to him who was an eye witnesse and spectator and Co-mate which he presently doth to whom hee speakes thus first acquaint Palura's servants in his house that I have slaine their master in a duell then ride home and tell my wife the Lady Bellinda that I have sent her Ruffian and adulterer Palura to heaven and within six daies after come a way to mee to Lisbone whether I am now poasâ—…ng when throwing him some gold for his journey hee takes leave of him and away and at the very next Towne dresseth his wounds which prove hopefull and not dangerous Now doth Ferallo according to his Lords commission and order informe Palura's servants of his death and of his said Lord and masters victory but for his honour and reputations sake conceales that he basely and treacherously kild him with his pistols they are extremely sorrowfull for this his misfortunate end so whiles they fetch home his breathlesse body and prepare for his decent buriall Ferallo returnes home and truly punctually relates to his Lady Bellinda the issue of this combat as also of his Lord De Mora's speeches which hee commanded him to tell her who poore Lady is all in teares for the death of her lover Palura and well shee might in regard she loved him a thousand times dearer than her owne life so upon the receit of this sorrowfull newes shee shuts her selfe up in her chamber and for many daies together her griefe and lamentations for his death are so infinite as shee will admit of no company counsell or consolation whatsoever shee considereth how deeply the misfortune of this disaster will scandalously reflect on her honour and fall on her reputation and therefore vowes to requite Palura's death severly and to revenge it sharply on the life of her husband De Mora who was his murtherer at least when shee shall be so happie or rather so miserable to see him returne to her from Lisbone She exceedingly wondereth at his secret malice and suddaine indignation and resolution towards Palura but more at the cause thereof and from what point of the compasse or part of hell this furious wind should proceed when at last having nothing els capable to comfort her or to give truce to her teares but the sight of Palura's aforesaid letter sent to her the which in tender affection to him shee for his sake had so often perused and kissed shee therfore passionately and pensively flies to her closet and with affection and sorrow to her cabinet to feast her eyes with the sight and to delight and comfort her heart with the perusall thereof when contrary to her expectation shee finds the letter taken away her other papers displaced and her jewels reversed in her cabinet and then shee knowes for certaine that it is her husband De Mora who had thus rifled her cabinet and who had bereaved and robbed her of this sweet letter which
prison although she partly believed and knew that she never affected or loved her when ayming to adde consolation to her afflictions as God would have it Laurieta out of her ignorance or folly returnes la 〈◊〉 this unlooked for answer That her selfe was as innocent of Belluile's death as shee was of Poligny's Which words being over-heard by some curious head of the company were instantly carryed and reported to the Criminall Iudges who instantly cause la Palaisiere to bee apprehended and brought before them whom they examine upon Poligny's death which doth no way affâ—…ight or afflict her because her conscience was untainted and her selfe as innocent as innocencie her selfe thereof They deale further with her to understand the passages of former businesses betwixt her selfe Poâ—…gny and Belluile Shee gives them a true and faithfull account thereof yea and relates them as much and no more then this History hath formerly related us and to verifie and confirme her speeches like a discreet young Gentlewoman she gives them the keyes of a Trunke of hers wherein shee sayth is her copy of a Letter shee wrote to Poligny and his answer againe to her which shee prayes them to send for for her better cleering and discharge The Iudges send speedily away for these Letters which are found produced and read directly concurring with the true circumstance of her former deposition whereupon with much applause and commendation they acquit and discharge her But if la Palaisiers Vertues have cleered her Laurieta's Vices which the Iudges begin to smell out by Poligny's Letter doe the more narrowly and streightly imprison her and yet knowing that la Palasiere neither had nor could any way accuse her for either of these two Murthers she sets a good face on her bad heart and so very bravely frollikes it in prison and to speake truth with farre more joy and lesse feare then heretofore but to checke and overthrow these vaine triumphs of hers in their birth and to niâ—… them in their bâ—…ds newes is brought her that her Wayting mayd Lucilla is secretly fled which her Iudges understanding they now more vehemently then ever heretofore suspect that without doubt Laurieta was the authour and her Mayd Lucilla the accessary of Belluile's Murther and so they set all the city and countrey for her apprehension And this newes indeed makes Laurieta feare that shee will iâ—…allibly be taken which doth afflict and amaâ—…e her and indeed here at shee cannot refraine from biting her lip and hanging downe her head But see the miraculous and just judgement of the Lord upon this wretched and bloudy Lucilla for she for feare flying as it is supposed that night from Avignion to Orenge to her parents was there drowned and the next morne found and taken up dead in one of the Fenny Lakes betwixt the two Cities Which newes being reported to Laurieta she againe converts her feare into hope and sorrowes into joyes as knowing well that dead bodies can tell no tales But the wisedome and integrity of the Iudges by the apparencie of Laurieta's crime in that of her Wayting-mayds flight againe command her to be racked but the devill is yet so strong with her and she with the devill that she againe indures the cruelty of these torments with a wonderfull patience with an admirable constancie and resolution and so couragiously and stoutly denying her crime and peremptorily maintaining her innocencie and justification her Iudges led by the consideration of the sharpnesse and bitternesse of her torments as also that they could finde no direct proof or substantiall evidence against her beginne to conceive and imagine that it might be the Wayting-mayd and not the Mistresse that had sent Belluile into another world and so resolve the weeke following if they heard nothing in the meane time to accuse Laurieta to release and acquit her which Laurieta understanding the torments which her limbes and body feele are nothing in respect of those contentments and joyes her heart and thoughts conceive and already building castles and triumphs in her heaâ—… and contemplations for the hope and joy of her speedy inlargement she in her appareâ—… and behaviour flaunts it out farre braver then before But she hath not yet made heâ—… peace with her Iudges neither have they pronounced her Quieta est And alas how foolishly and ignorantly doth the vanity of her hopes deceive and betray her whenâ—… the foulenesse of her soule and contamination of her conscience every houre and minute prompt her that God the Iudge of Iudges who hath seene will in his good time and pleasure both detect and punish as well her whoredome as her murther in heâ—… death And lo here comes both the cause and the manner thereof wherein Gods providence and justice doe miraculously resplend and shine For Laurieta being indebted to her Land-lord Mounsieur de Riehcourt as well for a whole yeares rent as for three hundred Livres in money which hee had lent her being impatient of her delayes but more of her disgrace le ts out that part of his house which shee held of him to the Deane of Carpentras who for his healths sake came to sojourne that Winter in Avignion and despairing of her inlargement and to satisfie himselfe beginnes to sell away her household-stuffe yea to the very Billets which she had in her Cellar which he retaines for himselfe whereof when his servants came to cleere the Cellar they removing the last Billets finde the earth newly removed and opened in the length and proportion of a Grave wherof wondring they presently informe their Master who viewing the same as God would have it hee instantly apprehended and believed that Laurieta had undoubtedly killed Belluile and there buried him when not permitting his servants to remove the least jot of earth he as a discreet and honest Citizen with all possible celeritie trips away to the Criminall Iudges and acquaints them herewith who concurring with Richcourt in his opinion and belief they dispeed themselves to his house and Cellar where causing the new opened earth to be removed behold they find the miserable dead body of Belluile there inhumanely throwne in and buried in his cloaths which causing to be taken off thereby to search his body they find himshot into the reines with two Pistoll bullets and his body stabd and pâ—…erced with sixe severall wounds of a Rapier or Ponyard they are amazed at this pitifull and lamentable spectacle and so resting confident it could be no other but Laurieta and her Mayd Lucilla that had committed this cruell Murther they very privately and secretly cause Belluiles dead body to bee conveyed to the prison and there when Laurieta least dreamt thereof expose it to her sight and in rough termes charge and crie out upon her for this Murther but this monster of nature and shee-devill of her sexe hath yet her heart so obdurated with revenge and her soule so o're-clouded and benumm'd with impiety as shee is nothing daunted or terrifyed with the sight hereof but
drowne thy thoughts in the hell of concupiscence and adultery when it were farre fitter thou shouldest lift them up to heaven in the sacrifice of prayer and other pious and religious contemplations But all this will not prevaile to stop the current of his voluptuousnesse and the progression of his sensuality for without respect of his God or regard of his soule hee is resolute in his desires to make a strumpet of his Daughter in Law and to make his Sonnes wife his whore but God will deceive his hopes and prevent his villany Now the better and sooner to drawe her to his lascivious desires hee is wonderfull courteous and affable to her still walking and talking with her yea and many times kissing her whereof both her Husband and selfe are infinitely joyfull but espeally Perina because shee findes a great alteration in her fortune in that her Father in Law Castelnovo proves as courteous to her as her owne Father Arconeto is cruell But poore innocent soule and sweet and chast Lady little dost thou either dreame oâ—… thinke on his lascivious intent against thine honour and chastity Old Castelnovo wallowing in the filthinesse and burning in the fire of his new lust and losing himselfe and his thoughts in the Labyrinth of his Daughter in law Perina's beauty hee thinkes on nothing so much nay on nothing else but how to obtaine her to his lascivious will but not daring or rather fearing to acquaint her with his inordinate and beastly purpose whiles his son her husband is at home present with her he forgeth and frames a plot both unnaturall and treacherous to make him imbrace and follow the Wars in wayting on the Duke Charles Emanuel or the Prince Amadee Victor his son and heire who with their warlike troopes were resolute to expell the Duke of Feria Viceroy of Millan with his Spanish Regiments out of Vercele Casall and the other Townes of Piedmont to which end his lustful affection to Perina made him eloquent in perswading and powerfull in drawing her husband to this Martiall action so full of honour and glory adding that his honour and the service of his Prince and Countrey called him to the Field and that he should not wholly drowne himselfe in the beauty of his young Wife and the pleasures of Marriage His sonne Castelnovo not at all suspecting or dreaming what a dangerous Snake lay lurking under the greene leaves of his fathers sugered speeches and perswasions like a noble and generous Knight as he was needes no other advocate but his owne honour and Martiall disposition to imbaâ—…ke him in these Warres and although the beauty requests and teares of his young Lady were vehement sollicitours to divert him yet hee is resolute to leave her for three or foure moneths And so making ready his armes traine horses and preparatives hee giving her many kisses and shee returning him a world of sighes and teares leaves Nice and so findes out the Duke and his Army in Piedmont where for a little time we will leave him It is a question very disputable and which by my weake capacity and judgemt cannot well bee decided whether this departure of young Custelnovo to the Warres made his father more glad or his wife sorrowfull for as shee was all in teares so was hee in mirth and jollity being so vaine in his lust and sâ—… lustfull in his vanity as 〈◊〉 trimmes up his beard and goes nearer and withall more youthfull in his apparell then accustomed yea his lust had so metamorphosed him as if it had a prophane influence and secret power to renew old age in him But alas alas what perfection of chastity can wee expect or hope for in youth when wee see no better signes and frâ—…s in one of threescore and eight yeares But I will follow the streame of our History though indeed the relation of this old lascivious Lechers Lust and Vanity to his daughter in law Perina equally afflict me with griefe and pitty to publish it I am then constrained to write and averre that although meere shame and unnaturalnesse doe as yet with-hold this wretched fathers tongue from vomiting foorth his adulterated lust to his faire and chast daughter in law Perina yet his lust is so immodestly lascivious as hee cannot keepe himselfe out of her company nor being in it refraine from kissing her but to see the innocencie and observe the purity of her thoughts shee neverthelesse not so much as any way suspects or dreames of his lascivious intent although indeed shee thinkes this courtesie of his somewhat exceeds the priviledge of a Father and the duety of a Daughter but measuring this by the cruelty of her owne Father shee poore silly soule thinkes her selfe in this respect now as happy as heretofore shee was miserable Onely the absence of her deare husband Castelnovo doth both torture and torment her and the more for that hee is in the Field at Warres when God knoweth shee desireth and wisheth hee should bee at home with her in peace But whiles Perina lookes from Savoy to Piedmont from Nice to Vercelli and from her selfe to her Lord and Husband her other selfe wee must not forget because oâ—… History will remember her Mother in law Fidelia which now wee must admit and re-conduct to act her part upon the Theatre hereof who observing her Husbands immodest and unwise familiarity demonstrated to the young Lady Perina her sonneâ—… Wife as also his alteration in humours and apparell but chiefely his unaccustomeâ—… distraction and sighes in his rest and repose shee more out of vertuous wisedome then foolish jealousie ay mes at his vaine lust towards this young Lady her Daughter in law whereat shee both admires with griefe and wonders with the anxiety of affliction and sorrow to see her old Husband in the winter of his age so soâ—…ish and beastly to lust after his owne sonnes young Wife to see that no respect of heaven no regard of conscience nor apprehension of damnation and hell had the grace or power either to kill these lascivious thoughts in their conception or to â—…rangle them in their birth to fee that hee who was ready to goe to his bed of death should now like the Salamander in the fire bee burning with desire to goe to that of Lust and Adultery and to see him fo devoyde of piety as he must needs joyne Incest with Adultery as if one of these beastly sinnes alone were not enough enormous and prodigious to make his life miserable and his death wretched And although she have cause enough of sorrow in her selfe yet when shee thinkes of her Husbands age and Daughters youth of his lust and her chastity and which is more of the most degenerate and unnaturall part of a Father to seeke to pollute and defile his owne Sonnes bed and consequently his owne honour This indeede goes neere her and this and onely this makes her looke on him both with envie and pitty but her age having taught her to love
his wits in Prison he there confesseth his foule and inhumane murther for the which he is hanged IF we did not wilfully make ourselves miserable God is so indulgent and mercifull to us as hee would make us more happy but when with high and presumptuous hands wee violate the Lawes of Nature and Grace of Earth and Heaven in murthering through Envie those whom through Duty and affection wee are bound to obey honour cherish and preserve then it is no marvell because we first forsooke God that he after abandoneth us to our selves and sins and to the fruits thereof Calamity Misery Infamy and Perdition and that we may see humane cruelty to be justly met with and punished by Gods upright and divine Justice Loe here in this ensuing History we shall see a wretched sonne kill his harmlesse and deare mother A very fearefull and lamentable Parracide a most cruell and execrable fact for the which we shall see him rewarded with condigne punishment and with a sharpe and infamous death although not halfe so deplorable as deserved It is a bitter and bloudy History the relation and remembrance whereof in the most barbarous and flinty hearts is capable not only to ingender compassion but compunction yea not onely contrition but teares at least if we have any place left in us for Pitty or roome for Piety the which if we have doubtlesse the end of our reading will not onely blesse but crowne the beginning and the beginning the end thereof VPon the North-east side of the Lake Leman vulgarly knowne and called the Lake of Geneva because it payes its full tribute and makes its chiefest Rendezvous before that City whereof it invironeth at least one third part There stands a pretty small and strong towne distant a little dayes journey from it termed Morges which properly belongs to the jurisdiction of Berne one of the chiefest Cantons of that warlike people and Country of Swisserland wherein of very late yeares and recent memory there dwelt a rich and honest Burger or Burgemaster for of Gentry those parts and people are not because they will not bee capable named Martin Halsenorfe who by his wife Christina Snuytsaren had one only childe a sonne named Maurice Halsenorfe now of some fourteene yeare old whose father although hee were by profession a souldier and enrolled a Lieutenant to one of those Auxiliary Bands of that Countrey which are in pay to the French King yet neverthelesse his chiefest ambition and care was to make this sonne of his a scholler because the Ignorance and illiterature of his owne age made him to repent it in himselfe and therefore to provide a remedy thereof in his sonnes youth sith hee now knew and saw that a man without learning was either as a body without a soule or a soule without knowledge and reason which are her chiefest vertues and most sacred Ornaments and Excellencies So hee brings him up to their owne Grammar Schoole in Morges where in some three or foure yeares his affection and care to study makes him so good a Proficient as hee becomes not onely skilfull but perfect therein and almost as capable to teach his Schoole-master as hee was to instruct him yea and to adde the better Grace to the Grace of that Art hee was of so milde and so modest a carriage and the blossomes of his youth were so sweetly watred with the Heavenly dew of Vertue and Piety as if his manners and himselfe were wholly composed thereof so that for Learning and Goodnesse hee was and was justly reputed not onely the Mirrour but the Phoenix of all the youth of Morges and as he esteemed himselfe happy in his Parents so they reciprocally hold themselves not onely happy but blessed in this their sonne but because the inherent corruption of our Nature and the perversenesse and multiplicity of our sinnes are such as they cannot promise us any true joy much lesse assured and permanent felicity so the Sunne-shine of this their Temporary content equally divided in thirds betwixt the Father Mother and Sonne will shortly receive a great Eclipse and a fatall disaster which will bee to them so much the more bitter and mournfull sith both the cause and effects thereof were of each of them unthought of of them all unexpected For God in his saâ—…red decree and providence seeing Martin Halsenorfe the father his strength arrived at his full Meridian and height and his dayes to their full number and period He as he sate at dinner jocund and merry with his wife and sonne is suddenly taken with a deadly swoone which presently deprives his body of this life and sends his soule to enjoy the sweet felicity and sacred joy and immortality of the life to come A Document which may teach us not to relie upon the rotten privileges and strength of youth but so to prepare our lives that death at all places and in all times maystill finde us armed and ready to encounter it A Document which may teach us with the erected eyes as well of our faith as body so to looke from Earth to Heaven that our soules be not onely ready but willing to forsake this stinking Tabernacle and prison of our mortality to flie and be admitted into Heaven that Heavenly Ierusalem and Celestiall City where they may enjoy the blessed Communion of the Saints and the greatest blessings of all joyes and the most soueraigne joy of all blessings then to see our Creator and Saviour God the Father and Christ Iesus his Sonne face to face wherein indeed all the joyes and blessings of our soules are comprised and included The death of Halsenorfe the father is not onely the Argument but the cause of his widdow Christinâ—…'s griefe of his sonne Maurice his sorrow of her teares and groanes of his sighs and afflictions yea and not to derrogate from the Truth I may step a degree farther and say that this his death is a fatall herauld and mournfull harâ—…inger which pâ—…rtends and prepares both of them many disasterous calamities and wofull miseries the which in a manner are almost ready to surprise and befall them This sorrowfull widdow being thus deprived of her deare Husband who was both her comfort and her joy her stay and her Protector her Head and her glory although hee left her a good Estate sufficient enough to warrant her against the feare of poverty and to secure herselfe against the apprehension of worldly Indigence and wherewithall to maintaine both her and her sonne with somewhat more than an indifferent competency yet she saw her friends forsake her and her Husbands familiar acquaintance abandon her as if their friendship died with him and that their remembrance of him was wholly raked up and buried in the dust of his grave A most ingratefull disease and iniquity of our time rather to be pitied than cured and reproved than reformed so fading inconstant are the unfriendly friendships of the world who for the most part are grounded on profit not on
and loved don Martino farre better then him so his death did not much afflict or grieve her and farre lesse his brother don Martino But for his sister Cecilliana as soone as shee understood and heard hereof shee is so appalled with griefe and daunted with sorrow and despayre that shee sends a world of sighes to heaven and a deluge of teares to earth for the death of this her best and dearest brother Her husband don Monfredo for henceforth so wee must call him likewise infinitely laments don Pedro's death as having lost a constant friend and a deare and incomparable brother in law in him and yet all the meanes which hee can use to comfort this his sorrowfull wife hath will but not power enough to effect it for still shee weepes and sobs and still her heart and soule doe prompt and tell her that it is one brother who hath killd another and that her brother don Martino is infallibly the murtherer of his and her brother don Pedro but she hath onely presumption no proofes for this her suspicion and therefore shee leaves the detection and issue hereof to time and to God Now by this time wee must understand that dona Catherina hath perfect newes that it is Monfredo who hath stolne away her daughter Cecilliana and keepes her at his house of Valdebelle in the Countrey but as yet shee knowes not that hee hath marryed her wherefore being desirous of her returne not for any great affection which shee now bore her but onely to accomplish her former desires in frustrating her marriage with Monfredo and in marrying her to a Nunnery shee againe still provok'd and egg'd on by the advice of her sonne don Martino sends him to Valdebelle to crave her of Monfredo and so to perswade and hasten her returne to her to Burgos but writes to neither of them Don Martino arrives thither and having delivered don Monfredo and his sister Cecilliana his mothers message for her returne to Burgos hee then vainely presumes to speake thus to them from himselfe Hee first sharpely rebukes her of folly and disobedience in flying away from his and her mother and then with more passion then iudgement checkes him of dishonour to harbour and shelter her that this was not the true and right way to make her his wife but his strumpet or at least to give the world just cause to thinke so and if he intended to preserve her prosperity and honor and not to râ—…ine it that hee should restore his mother her daughter and himselfe his sister and no longer retayne her but speakes not a word of his brother don Pedro's death much lesse makes any shadow to mourne or shew to grieve or sorrow for it His sister Cecilliana at his first sight is all in teares for the death of her brother don Pedro and yet extreamly incens'd with him for these his base speeches towards her and her Monfredo she once thought to have given him a hot and chollericke reply but at last considering better with her selfe as also to prevent Monfredo whom she saw had an itching desire to fit him with his answer she then in generall termes returnes him this short reply That shee is now accomptable to none but to God for her actions who best knowes her heart and resolutions and therefore for her returne to her mother at Burgos or her stay here at Valdebelle shee wholly referres it to don Monfredo whose will and pleasure therein shall assuredly bee hers because shee hath and still findes him to bee a worthy and honourable Gentleman when before shee conclude her speech to him shee tells him that shee thought his comming had beene to condole with her for the death of their brother Don Pedro but that with griefe shee is now enforced to see the contrary in regard his speeches and actions tend to afflict not to comfort her and rather to bee the argument of her mourning than the cause of her consolation But Monfredo being touched to the quicke with these ignoble and base speeches of Don Martino both to himselfe and Cecilliana he is too generous long to digest them with silence and therefore preferring his affection to her before any other earthly respect and her reputation and honour dearer than his life hee composing his countenance to discontent and anger returnes him this answere That if any other man but himselfe had given him the least part of those unworthy speeches both against his honour as also against that of his sister Cecilliana his Rapier not his tongue should have answered him That his affection and respects to her are every way vertuous and honourable and that shee is and shall be more safer here in Valdebelle than the life of his noble brother Don Pedro was in his mothers house at Burgos That as the young Ladie his sister is pleased to referre her stay or returne to him so reciprocally to requite her courtesie doth hee to her and for his part hee is fully resolved not to perswade much lesse to advise her to put her selfe either into her Mothers protection or his courtesie for that hee is fearefull iâ—… not confident in this beliefe that the one may proove pernitious and the other fatall and ruinous to her And so with cold entertainment and short ceremonies Don Martino is enforced to returne to Burgos to his Mother without his Sister where assoone as hee is arrived hee tells his Mother of his Sister Cecilliana's constant resolution from whence hee thinkes it impossible to draw or divert her because he finds Monfredo of the same opinion but whether hee have married her or no hee knowes not neither could he informe himselfe thereof And here yet Don Martino is so cautious to his Mother as he speakes not a word or syllable of any speech or mention they had of the death of his brother Don Pedro. But as soone as hee had left his Mother and retyred himselfe to his chamber then hee thinkes the more thereof yea then hee againe and againe remembers what dangerous speeches he publikely received from his Sister Cecilliana and Monfredo concerning that his sudden death whereby they silently meant and tacitely implied no lesse than murther Wherefore hee is so helliâ—…h and bloudy minded that hee resolves shortly to provide a playster for this sore and hee knowes that to make their tongues eternally silent hee cannot better or safer performe it than by murthering them whereof hee sayes the reason is apparantly and pregnantly true for as long as that suspition lives in them hee therefore can never live in safetie but in extreame danger himselfe But because of the two Monfredo seemed to intend and portend him the greatest choller and the most inveterate rage therefore as a limbe of the Devill or rather as a Devill incarnate himselfe hee resolves to begin with Monfredo first and as occasions and accidents shall present then with his sister Cecilliana after without ever having the grace to thinke of his Conscience or Soule or of
cruell murther and robbery but the Divell is still so strong with them that with much courage and vehemency they continue and stand firme in their negative resolution and deniall But De Laurier being now found and knowne to have layen some seven weekes sicke in Adrians house aswel by the confession of Isabella his wife of Graceta her maid and of Thomas their Ostler as also of the Apothecary La Motte then his body found buried in his Orchard and Adrian and father Iustinian their sudden flight upon the same and now lastly his horse gold and jewels found upon them in Pontarlin by the officers of that Towne and his Sonne Du Pont were evidences as bright and apparant as the Sunne that in honour to justice and in glory to God from whom all true justice is derived these wise and grave Iudges of Salynes doe reject these denials of Adrian and father Iustinian as false prophane and impious and therefore that very instant adjudge them both to the racke at the hearing of which sentence they seeme to be nothing apalled and daunted but they being advertised that Isabella his Wife was likewise imprisoned for this fact she for her part by some friends of hers makes sute to the Iudges that she may be permitted to speake with her Husband and so doth father Iustinian that hee likewise may speake wirh her But the Iudges hold both of these their requests to bee vaine and impertinent and therefore flatly contradict and deny them So Adrian is first brought to the racke who though hee bee weake of constitution yet hee is still so strong in his villany as hee will not bee perswaded or drawne to confesse it but with much courage of body and animosity of minde suffers himselfe to bee fastned thereto whereof the Judges being advertised they in their discretion hold it expedient to delay his torments for a time and so first to make triall of father Iustinian to see if these his torments will make him lesse stout and more flexible in the confession thereof Wherein I write it with joy their judgements nothing deceive them for at the very first wrench of the racke God is so mercifull to his soule and so propitious to his new conversion and repentance that hee then and there confesseth this lamentable murther in all its branches and circumstances as wee have formerly understood Affirmes only himselfe and Adrian to be the Authors and Actors thereof Sweares that Isabella Graceta and Thomas were every way innocent thereof and had no hand or knowledge therein whatsoever Whereupon the Iudges send againe for Adrian and cause him a new to bee brought to the racke but first they hold it fit to confront him with his bloody companion father Iustinian who boldly affirming and constantly confirming all his former deposition to him in his face to bee sincere and true Adrian is amazed and daunted there at as also at the sight of the racke which was againe prepared and brought for him when the devill flying from him and hee casting his heart and soule at the sacred feet of Gods mercy hee there very sorrowfully confirmed all father Iustinians confession to be true and then falling on his knees hee with many bitter sighes and teares said againe and againe aloud that his wife his man and his man were as truly innocent as father Iustinian and himselfe were alone truly guilty of this foole and cruell murther and robbery of De Laurier When their Iudges asmuch rejoycing 〈◊〉 the detection and confession of these their crimes as they lamented and detested their perpetrations thereof They condemne them both to bee hanged the next morning and because father Iustinian had violated his sacred Order and Adrian the humane and Christian Lawes of Hospitalitie their bodies after to bee burnt to ashes So as soone as Father Iustinian was degraded of his Sacerdotall Order and Habit and committed to the secular powers hee together with Adrian were for that night returned to their prison and repentance where two Priests and one Fryer of the order of the Iacobyns prepare their soules for Heaven against the next morning It was a griefe to Isabellas heart to heare that he was guilty of this foule and lamentable murther but a farre greater torment and Hell to her minde to understand that hee must suffer death for the same and that she should neither see nor speake with him any more either in this life or this world Againe looking from him to her selfe as shee could not hope for his life so shee thought shee had some small cause or at least scruple to doubt and feare her owne in regard it lay at the courtesie or cruelty of her Husband and father Iustiniâ—…n for that as we have formerly understood they acquainted her with their intents and desires to murther De Laurier and shee revealed it not But yet neverthelesse in the purity of her heart and the can did innocency of her soule shee commits the successe both of her life or death to God 〈◊〉 not being able to sleepe away any part of that night for sorrow shee as a religious woman and a most vertuous wife passeth out the whole obscurity thereof in the brightnesse of heavenly ejaculations and prayer which from the profundity of her heart shee proffereth up to Heaven both for her Husband and her selfe Very early the next morning before father Iustinian and Adrian went to their execution Du Pont and at his request the Iudge repair to the Prison to them where hee and they enquire of him to what allâ—…w of gold and iewells they had taken from his dead father who tell him that in a letter which his Father had written to him 〈◊〉 â—…jon and the which they had suppressed and burnt hee therein mentioned the vallew of one thousand seven hundred crownes And being againe demanded by him what and where was become of all that great summe in gold and Iewels they freely and ingeniously tell him that one third part thereof was taken from them by him and the Officers of justice in Pontarlin and another third he should finde hidden in such and such secret places of their houses and for the other third part they â—…shed not to confesse and averre that they had since paid some old debts bought some new apparell and spent the rest thereof upon their whores and other oâ—… their voluptuousnesse and prodigalities So the Iudges and Du Pont speed away to Adrian and father Iustinians houses where they finde the gold and jewels according to their confessions the which together with the other former part taken from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which amounted to some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and honest judges deliver up unto Du Pont who received it from them with joy and thankefullnesse but as a good Sonne rejoyces â—…rre more at the now approaching deserved deaths of these two bloody and execrable wretches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Adrian the murtherers of his good old father De Laurier of whom some twenty and five
before his owne and with all possible speed commands his Chirurgion to bring and hast thither his Coach and to his best power doth assist Betanford in setting him up in ordering and binding up his wounds his Coach being come hee causeth him to bee layd in softly and so hee in one Boote and the two Chirurgions in the other their Pages and Lackeyes attending them they drive away to the very next country house where they hush themselves up privately and here Betanford resembling himselfe conjureth both the Chirurgions to use their best art and chiefest skill upon Grand Pre and before hee would have his owne wounds looked unto hee causeth his to bee opened they doe it and both concurre in opinion that his last wound is mortall he sees them dresse him and vowes hee will not forsake him in this extremity but will bee more carefull of him then of himselfe Reciprocall and singular demonstrations of courtesy and honour in these two Caveliers which will make their memories famous to posterity Betanford seeing Grand Pre committed to sleep causeth his owne wounds to be speedily searched and dressed which are not found dangerous and then takes order in the house that Grand Pre bee furnished with all things necessary as Chamber curious attendance and the like yea he ordereth matters so that all things might be done with great secrecie and silence nor permitting any of his owne or Grand Pre's servants to bee seene forth the house to the end that the newes of these their accidents might not bee bruted or vented About noone Grand Pre's speech by little and little comes to him and likewise his memorie when Betanford absenting all from his Chamber with his Hat in his hand came to his bed side and having courteously saluted and comforted him prayes and conjures him as hee is a Gentleman of Honour to tell him why and wherefore hee fought with him Ah Baron quoth Grand Pre first sweare to mee on thine honour thou wilt deliver me the truth of a question I will demand of thee and then I wil shew thee By my honour and fidelitie replies Betanford and as I hope for heaven I will Then Baron quoth hee diddest thou never wrong me and mine honour in being too familiar with my wife Mermanda The Baron with many solemne protestations and religious oathes cleares both himselfe and Mermanda and vowes that his heart never thought it much lesse his tongue ever attempted it Whereat Grand Pre very humbly intreats him to excuse and pardon him sith he understood and beleeved the contrary which was the onely cause of his discontent and challenge adding withall that hee will till death esteeme him as his most honourable friend and as long as he liues will affect and loue his wife dearer than ever he had before It is as great a happinesse to repaire and reforme errours as a misery to commit them The Baron of Betanford stayes very secretly ten dayes with Grand Pre at the Countrey house when seeing his wounds hopefully cured and recovered they resolve to depart Grand Pre kindly thankes Betanford for his life and all other courtesies hee hath received of him and hee as courteously doth the like to Grand Pre for giving him his sword wherewith he preserved his owne and so like honourable and intimate friends they take leave each of other the Baron taking horse for Paris and freely lending Grand Pre his Coach to returne to Auxone Thus wee see courtesie alwayes returneth with interest Grand Pre at his comming home kisseth fawneth on his wife Mermanda acquaints her with the occasion and event of the combat condemneth his owne folly and extolleth her chastitie prayes her to forgive him againe this once for all and vowes that there lives not a braver Noble man in the world then the Baron of Betanford and to speake truth she deserves this submission and reconciliation and he that praise At the knowledge here of I know not whethet Mermanda like a gracious and curteous wife doe more grieve at her husbands wounds then rejoyce at his recovery and life and now he repenting and detesting his former errour renewes his love affection and friendship to her the which hee confirmeth and uniteth with a perpetuall and indissoluble Gordion knot neverthelesse the variety of her afflictions and the excesse of her griefe and discontent breeds her much weakenesse and sickenesse which withereth the Roses and Lillies of her beauty But come wee from Mermanda's heavenly Vertues to Hautefelia's devillish Vices which cannot be paralleld or compared except by Antithesis for as Mermanda reposeth her selfe under the shaddow of her owne innocencie and lives in perfect love and charity with the whole world so her wretched Sister in law Hautefelia seeing her hopes and purposes prevented will not sleepe in her malice but sets her wits and revenge upon the Tenter-hookes to finde out another expedient to be rid of Mermanda who in her wicked conceit shee thought was enemy to her content and an eye-sore to her ambition and greatnesse We no sooner fly from God but the devil followes us it proves alwaies a miserable folly to be wise in wickednes and sin Hautefelia is resolute in her rage and cannot or rather will not see heaven for hell she be thinks her selfe of another invention to send Mermanda into another world and so strikes a bargaine with La Fresnay an Apothecary for two hundred crowns to poyson her who like a limbe of the devil doth undertake and promise it the which Ah griefe to thinke thereon he in lesse then two months performeth and so this vertuous and harmles young Gentlewoman is most unnaturally and treaherously bereaved of her life and brought to a mournfull and lamentable end Which inhumane murther we shall see God in his due time will miraculously detect and severely revenge and punish Her Husband Grand Pre exceedingly bewayles her death as also all her parents and friends yea so infinite were her Vertues and so sweet her behaviour and carriage as all that knew Mermanda lamented her decease yet no way suspecting or knowing the violent and extraordinary cause thereof Now whiles others mourne Hautefelia exceedingly triumphs and rejoyces hereat but this bloudy victory shal cost her deare In the meane time Mermanda's single death can neither quench her revenge nor satisfy her ambition for as shee liked not the Sister so she as before we have partly understood never loved the Brother her owne husband de Malleray whom she observed very bitterly wept and grieved at his sister Mermanda's death she therefore resolute to adde sinne to sinnne resolves to cast the apple of discord betwixt Grand Pre her brother and de Malleray her husband knowing that if the first were slaine shee were sole heire to her father if the second shee would have a noble Husband a policie whose invention is as diabolicall as the execution thereof dangerous To which effect she informes her husband that her Brother Grand Pre had
searched they at last in their hookes bring up some pieces of wrought blacke Taffeta which by the Lackey was affirmed and knowne to be the same his Master Gasparino wore the last time he saw him whereat they were more eagerly encouraged to search againe most exactly which they doe and at last bring up the dead body of Gasparino when stripping off his cloths they find his body pierced with thirteene severall wonuds at the mournefull sight whereof the whole assembly but especially his Lackey cannot refraine from teares and yet all glorify God for finding of his body as also for the discovery of the Murtherers who now they confidently believe are Bianco and Brindoli But see the farther mercies of God for Bianco and Brindoli are but the hands which executed this Murther and not the head which plotted it therefore the Magistrates being sure of them doe now resolve to hye to Prison and to give them double torment thereby to discover out of what Quiver the first arrow of this Murther came But behold the mercy and justice of God! they are eased of this labour and the name of the malefactour brought them by a most miraculous and unheard of accident for when the Magistrates and whole company had often visited Gasparino's naked body and seene nothing but wounds a little boy standing by of some ten yeares of age espyed a linnen cloth in his mouth which hee shewed the company which the Prefect causing to be pulled out found it to be a Cambricke Handkercher and withall a name in red silke Letters in one corner which was the very true name of Christeneta See see the goodnesse O let us stand amazed and wonder at the mercies of God to see what meanes and instruments hee ordayneth for the discovery of Murthers The Prefect and Provost send away speedily to apprehend her shee is taken in the midst of her pleasures and pastimes yea from the arme of her Mother and feete of her Father to whom shee fled for safety but in vaine for shee is instantly committed close Prisoner from whence wee shall not see her come foorth till she come to her condigne punishment on a shamefull Scaffold for this her horrible offence of Murther And now the Prefect and Provost goe themselves to the prison where Bianco and Brindoli are they accuse them peremptorily for the Murther of Gasparino whose body they informe them they have taken up out of the Well but they againe denye it They give them double torment and conjure them to reveale this their Murther but they are so strong of courage or rather the devill is so strong in them as they denye all and neither accuse themselves nor any other The Prefect and Provost although they saw all circumstances concurre that undoubtedly Christeneta had a deepe hand in this Murther yet they examine her fairely and promise her much favour and their best friendship and assistance if shee will reveale it but she as her two confederates denyes all They adjudge her to the Racke whereunto she very patiently permits her selfe to bee fastened but her dainty body and delicate limbes cannot indure the cruelty of this torment and so shee confesseth all that in revenge of Pisani's death shee had caused Bianco and Brindoli to murther him in the Nunnes garden as we have formerly understood And now comes Gods sentence from heaven pronounced against these Murtherers by the mouth of his Magistrates on earth who for reparation and expiation of their horrible crimes of Murther committed on Gasparino adjudge Bianco and Brindoli to have their right handes cut off then to bee hanged and their bodies throwne into the River Po And Christeneta notwithstanding all the sollicitation which her father and friends made for her to be first hanged then burned and her ashes throwne into the ayre Which to the full satisfaction of Iustice before an infinite number of Spectators who assisted at their mournefull ends was accordingly executed who yet could not refraine from teares but as much approved and applauded Christeneta's affection to Pisani as they detested and abhorred her inhumane and bloody revenge to Gasparino Bianco and Brindoli as they lived unrighteously so they dyed desperately and could not be drawn to repent themselves of this their bloudy fact But as I have understood Christeneta was extreamely sorrowfull for her sinnes but especially for this murther whereof at her last breath shee infinitely and exceedingly repented her selfe yea I have beene informed that shee delivered a godly and religious speech upon the Ladder but I was not so fortunate to recover it May all true Christians reade this History with profit and profit in reading it that so God may receive the glory and their soules the eternall comfort and consolation Amen GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXEcrable sinne of Murther HISTORIE III. Mortaigne under promise of marriage gets Iosselina with child and after converting his love into hatred causeth his Lackey La Verdure and La Palma to murther both her and her young sonne the jealousy of Isabella to her husband La Palma is the cause of the discovery hereof they are all three taken and executed for the same IT is a just reward for the vanity of our thoughts and a true recompence for the errours of our youth that wee buy pleasure with repentance and the sweetnesse of sinne with the bitternesse of affliction but if wee violate the Lawes of Christianity and abandon our selves to lust and fornication then we shall see with shame that men will not pitty us and finde with griefe that God will punish us It is an excellent vertue in Maydens not to listen to the lewd temptations of men and in men not to hearken to the sugered charmes of the devil for commonly that folly gives the one shame and this madnesse brings the other destruction but if we first forget our selves and then our God by adding and heaping sinne upon sinne as first to perpetrate fornication and after Murther then assuredly our estate is so miserably wretched and so wretchedly miserable as we have no hope left for better fortunes nor place for worse And because Example is both pleasing to our memory and profitable to our judgement this mournefull ensuing History shall make good and confirme it to us therefore let us shut the doore of our thoughts against the power of sinne and that of our hearts against the malice of Hell and wee shall not onely make our fortunes immoveable in this World but our felicity eternall in that to come In the South-east part of France within a dayes journey of the famous City of Lyons at the foote of the Mountaine of Tarara upon the border and bosome of that sweet River Lignon so famoused by the Minion of honour and the darling of the Muses the Marquesse of Vrse in his beautifull and divine Astrea neere Durency a certaine small Village there dwelt a poore Country Farmer named Andrew Mollard who of late burying his Wife had one only child left
Iosselina but likewise that of her infant sonne whom hee first strangled and then threw into the River Lignon and this said he he did at the request of his Master Mortaigne of whom for his part and labour he received one hundred Frankes Wee have here found two of these Murtherers and now what resteth there but that the third who is the Authour and as it were the capitall great wheele of these bloody Tragedies bee produced and brought to this Arraignement The Procurer and Lievtennant repaire againe to the Prison and charge Mortaigne with these two bloody Murthers hee knowes it is in vaine to denye it sith hee is sure his two execrable agents have already revealed it therefore he ashamed at the remembrance of his cruell and unnatural crimes doth with many teares very sorrowfully and penitently confesse all It is a happinesse for him to repent these Murthers but it had beene a farre greater if hee had never contrived and committed them yea the Iudges are amazed to heare the cruelty hereof and the people to know it and both send their prayses and thankefulnesse to God that hee hath thus detected and brought them to light on earth And now comes the Catastrophe of their owne Tragedies wherein every one of these Malefactors receives condigne punishment for their severall offences La Palma is condemned to bee hanged and burnt La Verdure to bee broken on the Wheele and his body to bee throwne into the River Lignon and Mortaigne though the last in ranke yet the first in offence to be broken on the Wheele his body burnt and his ashes throwne into the aire which Sentence in the sight of a great multitude of Spectators was on a Market day accordingly executed and performed in La Palisse And this was the bloody end of Mortaigne and his two hellish instruments for murthering innocent Iosselina and her silly and tender infant May all Maydens learne by her example to preserve their chastities and men by La Verdures and La Palma's not to be drawne to shed innocent blood for the lucre of wealth and money and by Mortaignes to bee lesse lascivious inhumane and bloody thereby to prevent so execrable a life and so infamous a death One thing I may not omit La Palma on the Ladder extreamely cursed the malice of his wife Isabella who he said was the author of his death and no lesse did La Verdure on the Wheele by his Master Mortaigne but both of them were so desperately irreligious as neither of them considered that it was their former sinnes and the malice of the Devill to whom they gave too much eare that was the cause thereof And for Mortaigne after he had informed the world that hee extreamely grieved that his Iudges had not given him the death of a Gentleman which was to haue beene beheaded he with many teares bewayled his infinite ingratitude cruelty and unnaturalnesse both towards Iosselina as also his and her young sonne yet he prayed the world in generall to pray that God would forgive it him and likewise requested the Executioner to dispatch him quickely out of this life because hee confessed hee was unworthy to live longer Now let us glorifie our Creatour and Redeemer who continually makes a strict inquisition for blood and a curious and miraculous inquiry for Murther yea let us both feare him with love and love him with feare sith hee is as impartiall in his justice as in distributing his mercies GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXEcrable sinne of Murther HISTORIE IV. Beatrice-Ioana to marry Alsemero causeth de Flores to murther Alonso Piracquo who was a sutter to her Alsemero marries her and finding de Flores and her in adultery kills them both Tomaso Piracquo Challengeth Alsemero for his Brothers death Alsemero kills him treacherously in the field and is beheaded for the same and his body throwne into the Sea At his execution hee confesseth that his wife and de Flores Murthered Alonso Piracquo their bodies are taken up out of their graves then burnt and their ashes throwne into the ayre SIth in the day of Iudgement we shall answer at Gods great Tribunall for every lewd thought our hearts conceive and idle words our tongues utter how then shall we dare appeare much lesse thinke to scape when we defile our bodies with the pollution of adultery and taint our soules with the innocent bloud of our Christian brethren when I say with beastly lust and adultery we unsanctifie our sanctified bodies who are the receptacles and Temples of the holy Ghost and with high and presumptuous hands stabbe at the Majesty of God by Murthering of man who is his Image This is not the Ladder to scale heaven but the shortest way to ride poast to hell for how can we give our selves to God when in the heat of lust and fume of Revenge we sell our hearts to the Devill But did we ever love God for his Mercy or feare him for his Iustice we would then not onely hate these sinnes in our selves but detest them in others for these are crying and capitall offences seene in heaven and by the Sword of his Magistrates brought forth and punished here on earth A lamentable and mournefull example whereof I here produce to your view but not to your imitation may wee all read it to the reformation of our lives to the comfort of our soules and to the eternall glory of the most Sacred and Individuall Trinity IN Valentia an ancient and famous City of Spaine there dwelt one Don Pedro de Alsemero a Noble young Cavallier whose father Don Ivan Alsemero being slaine by the Hollanders in the Sea fight at Gibralter hee resolved to addict himselfe to Navall and sea actions thereby to make himselfe capeable to revenge his fathers death a brave resolution worthy the affection of a sonne and the Generosity of a Gentleman To which end hee makes two voyages to the West-Indies from whence he returnes flourishing and rich which so spread the sayles of his Ambition and hoysted his fame from top to top gallant that his courage growing with his yeares he thought no attempt dangerous enough if honourable nor no honour enough glorious except atchieved and purchased by danger In the actions of Alarache and Mamora he shewed many noble proofes and testimonies of his valour and prowesse the which he confirmed and made good by the receit of eleven severall wounds which as markes and Trophees of Honour made him famous in Castile Boyling thus in the heate of his youthfull bloud and contemplating often on the death of his father he resolves to goe to Validolyd and to imply some Grando either to the King or to the Duke of Lerma his great favorite to procure him a Captaines place and a company under the Arch-Duke Albertus who at that time made bloudy warres against the Netherlanders thereby to draw them to obedience But as hee beganne this sute a generall truce of both sides laid aside Armes which by the mediation of England
hee seemed to have the art of perswasion in his speeches yet by the way using his best oratory and charity to draw Alibius from denyall to confession and from that to contrition and repentance his heart was still so perverse and obdurate as hee notwithstanding persevered in his willfull obstinacy and peremptorily continued and stood upon the points of his innocency and justification So strong was the Divell yet with him But whiles an infinite number of spectators gaze on Alibius as hee is in the Castle and hee cheerefully and carelesly conversed with some of his acquaintance as if the innocency of his conscience were such as his heart felt no griefe nor preturbation Lo he is called to his arraignement whereunto that World of people who were then in the Castle flocke and concurre His thoughts are so vaine and his vanity so ambitious as hee comes to the barre in a blacke beaten Satin sute with a faire Gowne and a spruce set Ruffe having both the haire of his head and his long gray beard neately kombed and cut yea with so pleasant a look and so confident a demeanour as if he were to receive not the sentence of his guiltinesse and death but that of his innocency and inlargement These honourable Iudges cause his Inditement to bee read wherein his poysoning and Murthering of his wife is branched and depainted out in all its circumstances whereat his courage and confidence is yet notwithstanding so great as by his lookes hee seemes no way moved much lesse astonished or afflicted the witnesses are produced first his owne daughter Emelia who with teares in her eyes stands firme to her former disposition that hee had often beaten her Mother almost to death and now had killed and poysoned her agreeing in every point with her disposition given to the Podestate and Prefect of Brescia which to refell her father Alibius with many plausible and sugred speeches tells his Iudges that his daughter is incensed or lunatike or else that shee purposely seekes his life to enjoy that small meanes hee hath after his death and so runnes on in a most extravagant and impertinent apologie for himselfe with many invective and scandalous speeches against her and concludes that hee was never owner of any poyson His Iudges out of their honourable inclination and zeale to sacred justice permit him to speake without interruption when having ended they beginne to shew him the foulenesse of his fact yea like heavenly Orators they paint him out the devillish nature monstrous crime of Murther the which they say he redoubleth by denying it not withstanding that they have evidence as cleere as the Sun to convince him thereof and so they call for two Apothecaries boyes who severally affirme they sold him Rattes-bane at two severall times But the divell is still so strong with Alibius as though his conscience doth hereat afflict and torment him yet there is no change nor signe thereof either seene in his countenance or discerned in his speeches but still hee persevers in his obstinacy and in a bravery pretends to wipe off the Apothecaries boyes evidence with this poore evasion that hee bought and used it onely to poyson Rattes And so againe with many smooth words humble crouches and hypocriticall complements hee useth the prime of his subtilty and invention to make it appeare to his Iudges that he had no way imbrued his hands in the bloud of his wife But this will not availe him for hee is before Lynce-eyed Iudges whose integrity and wisedome can pierce thorow the foggy mists of excuses and the obscure Clouds of his far-fetched shifts and cunninglycompacted evasions And now to close and winde up this History after the Iury impannelled had amply heard aswell the witnesses against Alibius as his defence for himselfe and that all the world could testifie that his Iudges gave him a faire triall they return and report him guilty of Murthering his wife Merilla whereat hee is put off the barre and so for that time sent backe to his prison and yet the heate of his obstinacy being hereat no way cooled the edge of his deny all any way rebated nor the obduratenesse of his heart the least thing mollified hee by the way as hee passeth beating his brest and sometimes out-spreading his armes saith it is not his crime but the malice of his Devillish daughter that hath cast him away yea although many of his compassionate and Christian friends doe now now againe in prison worke and perswade him to confession by aleadging him that God is as mercifull to the repentant as severe to the impenitent and obstinate yet all this will not prevaile The second morne after his conviction hee is brought againe from his prison to the Castle and so to the barre to receive his Iudgement where one of the two most honourable Iudges shew him That it is his hearkning to the Devill and his forsaking of God that hath brought him to this misery paints and points him out his dissolute life his frequenting of bad company his prodigality and adultery but above all his masked hypocrisie which hee saith in thinking to deceive God hath now deceived himselfe yea in heavenly and religious speeches informes him how mercifull and indulgent God is to repentant sinners that hee must now cast off his thoughts from earth and ascend and mount them to heaven and no longer to think of his body but of his soule and so after a learned and Christian-like speech as well for the instruction of the living as the consolation of Alibius who was now to prepare himselfe to dye hee pronounceth that for his execrable Murther committed on his owne wife Merilla hee should hang till hee were dead and so besought the Lord to bee mercifull to his soule And now is Alibius againe returned to his prison but still remaineth obstinate and perverse affirming to all the World that as hee hath lived so hee will dye innocently But God will not suffer him to dye without confessing and repenting this his bloudy and unnaturall Murther These his grave and religious Iudges out of an honourable and Christian charity send him Divines to prepare his body to the death of this world and his soule to the life of that to come they deale most effectually powerfully and religiously with him in prison and although they found that the devill had strongly insnared and charmed him yea and as it were hardned his heart to his perdition yet God out of his infinit and ineffable mercies addeth both power and grace to their speeches and exhortations so as his eyes being opened and his heart pierced and mollified they at last so prevaile with him that being terrified with Gods justice and incouraged and comforted with his mercies he with teares sighs and groanes confesseth this murther of his wife and not onely bitterly repents it but also doth thank these Godly Divines for their charity care and zeale for the preservation and saving of his soule and doth upon his
repentance nor consequently from Earth to Heaven but like a prophane Libertine and unregenerate person being within a small point of time neere his end hee yet thinkes not of his soule nor of God but onely dallies away the remainder of his houres in the miserable contemplation of his fond affection and beastly sensuality By this time Victoryna hath receiv'd his Letter at the newes and reading whereof such is the passion of her frenzy which shee though unjustly tearmes love that shee is all in teares sighes and lamentable exclamations she knowes it impossible for any other of the world to bee the revealer of Sypontus his Letter but onely her Mayd Felicia whom in her uncharitable Revenge shee curseth to the pit of hell but that which addes a greater torment to her torments and a more sensible degree of affliction to her miserable sorrowes is to see that her Sypontus whom by many degrees she loves far dearer then her life finisterly snspecteth her fidelity towards him yea so farre as hee not onely calls her affection but her treachery in question and this indeed seemes to drowne her in her teares But yet notwithstanding so fervent is her love towards him as the feare of his death drawes her to a resolution of her owne so if Sypontus dye shee vowes shee will bee her owne accuser and so not live but dye with him Strange effects of love or rather of folly sith love being irregular and taking false objects in its true character is not love but folly to which end calling for inke and paper she bitterly weeping indites and sends him these few lines in answer of his VICTORYNA to SYPONTVS I Were the most wretched and ingratefullest Lady of the world yea a Lady who should not then deserve either to see or live in the world if Victoryna should any way prove treacherous to Sypontus who hath still beene so true and kinde to her But beleeve mee Deare Sypontus and I speake it in presence of God upon perill of my soule I am as innocent as that witch that devill my mayd Felicia is guilty of the producing of thy Letter which I feare will prove thy death and rejoyce that in it it shall likwise prove mine For to cleer my selfe of ingratitude trechery as I have lived so I will dye wiyh thee that as we mutually participated the joyes of life so we may the torments of death for although thy Letter accuse me not of my Husband Souranza's Murther yet that my affection may shine in my loyalty and that in my affection I will not survive but dye with thee for I will accuse my selfe to my Iudges not onely as accessary but as author of that Murther and this resolution of mine I write thee with teares and will shortly seale it with my bloud VICTORYNA Sypontus in the middest of his perplexities and sorrowes receives this Letter from Victoryna the sweetnesse of whose affection and constancy much revives his joy and comforteth him For now her innocency defaceth his suspicion of her ingratitude and treachery and withall hee plainely sees and truly beleeves that it was Felicia not Victoryna who brought this Letter to Light But when hee descends to the latter part of her Letter and finds her resolution to dye with him then hee condemnes his former errour in taxing her and in requitall loves her so tenderly and dearely that he vowes hee will bee so farre from accusing her as accessary of her husbands Murther as both the Racke and his death shall cleare and proclaime her innocency Had the ground of these servent and reciprocall affections of Victoryna and Sypontus beene laid in vertue as they were in vice or in chastly and not in lust and adultery they would have given cause to the whole world as justly to prayse as now to dispraise them and then to have beene as ambitious of their imitation as now of their contempt and detestation So Sypontus as before having fully and definitively resolved not to accuse but to cleare Victoryna of this Murther as also that hee would dye alone and leave her youth and beauty to the injoying of many more earthly pleasures hee expecting hourely to bee sent for before his Iudges to sit upon his torment or death thinking himselfe bound both in affection and honour to signifie Victoryna his pleasure herein he craves his â—…aylors absence and with much affection and passion writes her this his last Letter SIPONTVS to VICTORYNA SWeet Victoryna thy Letter hath given mee so full satisfaction as I repent mee of my rash credulity conceived against thy affection and constancy and now lay the fault of the discovery of my Letter where it is and ought to bee on Felicia not on thy selfe It is with a sorrowfull but true presage that I foresee my life hastens to her period the Racke is already prepared for my torments and I hourely expect when I shall bee fetch 't to receive them which for thy sake I will imbrace and suffer with as much constancy as patience I will deny mine owne guiltinesse the first time but not the second but in my torments and death I will acquit thee of thine with as true a resolution as Earth expects to lose mee and I hope to finde Heaven Therefore all the by bonds of love and affection that ever hath beene between us I first pray then conjure thee to change thy resolution and to stand on thine innocency For if thou wilt or desirest to gratifie mee with thy last affection and courtesie at my death let mee beare this one content and joy to my grave that Victoryna will live for Sypontus his sake though Sypontus dye for hers SYPONTVS Hee had no sooner sent away this his Letter to Victoryna but hee himselfe is sent for to appeare before his Iudges who upon his second examination and denyall adjudge him to the Racke which hee indures with admirable patience and constancy Yea hee cannot bee drawne to confesse but stands firme in his denyall and not onely cleares himselfe but also acquits Victoryna Hieronymâ—… Souranza doth notwithstanding earnestly follow and solicite the Iudges and God out of his immense mercy and profound providence so ordaineth that their consciences suggest and prompt them that Sypontus is the actor of this execrable Murther Whefore the next day they administer him double torment when loe his resolution and strength fayling him hee acknowledgeth the letter his and confesseth it was himselfe that had Murthered Seignior Iovan Baptista Souranza but withall protesteth constantly that Victoryna is innocent and no way accessary hereunto The Iudges rejoyce at Sypontus his confession as much as they grieve at the foulenesse of his fact and so although they were also desirous to hang him yet considering hee was a Venecian Gentleman and consequently had a great voyce in the great Counsell of the Seigniory they adjudge him the next day to lose his head betwixt the two Columes at Saint Markes Place and so for that night send him backe
cole-blacke the best Physicians and Chirurgians are sent for they see her death-strooken with that Planet and therfore adjudge their skill but vaine her strength and senses fall from her which Catalina having the happinesse to perceive and grace to feele will no longer be seduced with the devils temptations The Divines prepare her soule for Heaven and now shee will no longer dissemble with man or God shee will not charge her conscience with so foule a Crime as Murther the which shee knowes will prove a stop to the fruition of her felicity She confesseth shee twice procured her Wayting-gentlewoman Ansilva to poyson her Sister Berinthia and since that she hath given Sarmiata one hundred Duckets to poyson the said Ansilva which he performed and whereof shee humbly begs pardon of all the world and religiously of God whom shee beseecheth to bee mercifull to her soule and so though shee lived prophanely and impiously yet shee dyed repentantly and religiously Vilarezo and Alphanta her old parents grieve and storme at her death but more extreamely at the manner thereof and especially at the confession of her bloudy crimes as well towards living Berinthia as dead Ansilva onely their Daughter Berinthia is silent hereat glad that shee is freed of an enemy sorrowfull to have lost a Sister they are infinitely vexed to publish their daughter Catalina's crimes yet they are inforced to it that thereby this Sarmiata this Agent of Hell may receive condigne punishment for his bloudy offence here on earth So they acquaint the Criminall Iudges hereof who decree order and power for his apprehension Sarmiata is revelling and feasting at Isabella's wedding to which hee is appoynted and requested to furnish the Sweet-meats for the Banquets but hee little thinkes what sowre sawce there is providing for him Wee are never neerest danger then when wee thinke our selves furthest from it and although his sinnefull security was such as the Devill had made him forget his murther of Ansilva yet God will and doth remember it and lo here comes his storme here his apprehension and presently his punishment By this time the newes of Catalina's suddaine death but not of her secret confession is published in Avero and arrived at the Bride-house which gives both astonishment and griefe to all the world but especially to Sarmiata whose heart and conscience now rings him many thundering peales of feare terrour and despaire his bloudy thoughts pursue him like so many bloudhounds and because he hath forsaken God therfore the devill will not forsake him he counselleth him to flie and to provide for his safety but what safety so unsecure dangerous or miserable for a Christian as to throw himselfe into the Devills protection Sarmiata hereon fearing that Catalina had revealed his poysoning of Ansilva very secretly steales away his Cloake and so slips downe to a Posterne doore of the little Court hoping to escape but hee is deceived of his hopes for the eye of Gods providence findes him out The House is beleaguerd for him by Officers who apprehend him as hee is issuing forth and so commit him close prisoner In the afternoone the Iudges examine him upon the poysoning of Ansilva and the receipt of one hundred Duckets to effect it from Catalina which shee at her death confessed Hee addes sinne to sinne and denyes it with many impious oathes and fearefull imprecations but they availe him nothing his Iudges censure him to the Racke where upon the first torment hee confesseth it but with so gracelesse an impudencie as he rather rejoyceth then grieves hereat where we may observe how strongly the Devill stickes to him and how closely hee is bewitched to the Devill so for reparation of this foule crime of his hee is condemned to be hanged which the next morne is performed right against Vilarezo his house at a Gallowes purposely erected and which is worse then all the rest as this lewd villaine Sarmiata liv'd prophanely so hee dy'd as desperately without repenting his bloudy fact or imploring pardon or mercy of God for the same O miserable example O fearefull end O bloudy and damnable miscreant Wee have seene the Theater of this History gored with great variety of bloud the mournefull and lamentable spectacle whereof is capable to make any Christian heart relent into pitty compassion and teares But this is not all wee shall yet see more not that it any way increaseth our terrour but rather our consolation sith thereby wee may observe that Murther comes from Sathan and its punishment from God Catalina's confession and death is not capable to deface or wash away Berinthia's malice and revenge to her brother Sebastiano for killing of her deare and sweet Love Antonio Other Tragedies are past but this as yet not acted but to come Lo now at last though indeed too too soone it comes on the Stage The remembrance of Antonio and his affection is still fresh in her youthfull thoughts and contemplations yea his dead Idea is alwayes present and living in her heart and brest 't is true Sebastiano is her brother 't is as true she saith that if hee had not kill'd Antonio Antonio had beene her husband Againe shee considereth that as Antonio's life preserved hers from death so her life hath beene the cause of his and as hee lost his life for her sake why should not she likewise leave hers for his or rather why should shee permit him to live who hath bereaved her of him But her living affection to her dead friend is so violent and withall so prejudicate and revengefull as shee neither can nor will see her Brother who kill'd him but with malice and indignation In stead of consulting with nature and grace shee onely converseth with choller and passion yea she is so miserably transported in her rage and so outragiously wilfull in her resolution as she shuts the doore of her heart to the two former vertues to whom she should open it and openeth it to the two latter vices 'gainst whom shee should shut it A misery equally ominous and fatall where Reason is not the Mistresse of our Passions and Religion the Queene of our Reason Shee sees this bloudy attempt of hers whereinto shee is entring is sinfull and impious and yet her faith is so weake towards God and the Devill so strong with her as shee is constant to advance and resolute not to retire therein Oh that Berinthia's former Vertues should bee disgraced with so foule a Vice and oh that a face so sweetly faire should bee accompanyed and linked with a heart so cruelly barbarous so bloudily inhumane for what can shee hope from this aâ—…mpt in killing her brother but likewise to ruine her selfe nay had shee had any sparke of wit or grace left her shee should consider that for this foule offence her body shall receive punishment in this world and her soule without repentance in that to come but shee cannot erect her eyes to heaven shee is all set on revenge so the Devill hath plotted the
Charybdis of Murther for they found the fruits and end of their beastly pleasures farre more bitter then their beginning was sweet yea and because at first they would not looke on repentance at last shame lookes on them and they when it is too late both on a miserable shame and a shamefull misery May we all reade it to Gods glory and consequently to the reformation of our lives and the consolation and salvation of our owne soules IN the beautifull Citie of Avignion seated in the Kingdome of France and in the Province of Provence being the Capitall of the Dutchie of Venissa belonging to the Pope and wherein for the terme of welneere eightie yeeres they held their Pontificall See there dwelt a young Gentlewoman of some twentie yeeres of age tearmed Madamoyselle Laurieta whose father and mother being dead was left alone to her selfe their onely childe and heire being richer in beautie then lands and indued with many excellent qualities and perfections which gave grace and lustre to her beautie as her beautie did to them For shee spake the Latine and Italian tongue perfect was very expert and excellent in singing dancing musicke painting and the like which made her famous in that Citie But as there needs but one vice to eclipse and drowne many vertues so this faire Laurieta was more beautifull then chaste and not halfe so modest as lascivious It is as great a happinesse for children to enjoy their Parents as a miserie to want them For Laurieta's Father and Mother had been infinitely carefull and curious to traine her up in the Schoole of Vertue and Pietie and wherein her youth had during the terme of their lives made a happie entrance and as I may say a fortunate and glorious progression But when God the great Moderator and soveraigne Iudge of the world had in his eternall Decree and sacred Providence taken them out of this world then Laurieta was left to the wide world and to the vanitie thereof without guide or governour exposed to the varietie of the fortunes or rather the misfortunes of the times as a Ship without Pilot â—…r Helme subject to the mercy of every mercilesse winde and wave of the Sea yea and then it was that shee forgot her former modestie and chastitie and now began to adore the Shrines of Venus and Cupid by polluting and prostituting her body to the beastly pleasures of lust and forâ—…cation wherein it grieves mee to relate shee tooke a great delight and felicitie But shee shall pay deare for this bitter-sweet vice of hers yea and though it seeme to begin in content and pleasure yet wee shall assuredly see it end in shame repentance and misery for this sinne of Whoredome betrayes when it seemes to delight us and strangleth when it makes greatest shew to imbrace us so sweet and pure vertues are modestie and chastitie so foule and fatall vices are concupiscence and lust But hee with whom shee was most familiar and to whom shee imparted the greatest part of her favours was to one Monsieur de Belluile a proper yong Gentleman dwelling neere the Citie of Arles by birth and extraction noble but otherwise more rich then wise who comming to Avignion no sooner saw Laurieta but hee both gloried in the sight of her singular and triumphed in the contemplation of her exquisite and incomparable beautie making that his best content and this his sweetest felicitie that his soveraigne good and this his heaven upon earth so as losing himselfe in the labyrinth of her beautie and as it were drowning his thoughts in the sea of his concupiscence and sensualitie hee spends not onely his whole time but a great part of his wealth in wantonizing and entertaining her a vicious and foule fault not onely peculiar to Belluile but incident and fatall to too many Gallants as well of most parts of Christendome in generall as of France in particular it being indeed a disasterous and dangerous rocke whereon many inconsiderate and wretched Gentlemen have suffered shipwrack not only of their reputations healths and estates but many times of theiâ—… lives In the meane time Laurieta more jealous of her same then carefull to preserve her chastitie is advertised that Belluile is not content to cull the dainties of her beautie and youth but hee forgets himselfe and his discretion so farre as to vaunt thereof by letting fall some speeches tending to the blemish and disparagement of her honour so as vaine and lascivious as shee is yet the touching of this string affords her harsh and distastfull melodie For shee will seeke to cover her shame by her hypocrisie and so resolves to make him know the foulenesse of his offence in that of his basenesse and ingratitude To which end at her first interview and meeting of him shee not onely checks him for it but forbids and banisheth him her company which indeed had been a just cause and opportunitie for him to have converted his lust into chastitie and his folly into repentance But hee is too dissolute and vicious to bee so happily reclaimed from Laurieta and therefore hee is resolved not onely to justifie his innocencie but thereby also to persevere in his sinne Hee is acquainted with many Gentlemen who forgetting themselves conceive a felicitie and glory to erect the trophees of their vanities upon the disparagement of Ladies honours yea he seemes to be so farre from being guiltie of this errour as hee taxeth and condemnes others in being guiltie or accessary thereunto So although his Mistresse Laurieta remaine still coy strange and haggard to him yet hee persevereth in his affection to her who at last judging of his innocencie by his constancie and of that by his many letters and presents which hee still sent her as also observing that she had no firme grounds nor could produce any pregnant or valable witnesses of this report shee againe exchangeth her frownes into smiles and so receives and intertaines him into her favour onely with this premonition and caution That if ever heereafter shee heard of his folly or ingratitude in this kinde shee would never looke him in the face except with contempt and detestation So these their dis-joynted affections as well by oathes as protestations are againe confirmed and cimented but such lustfull contracts and lascivious familiarities and sympathies seldome or never make prosperous ends Now to give forme and life to this Historie Not long after a brave young Gentleman of Mompillier named Monsieur de Poligny having some occasion comes to Avignion who frequenting their publike Balles or Dancings no sooner saw our faire and beautifull Laurieta but hee falls in love with her and salutes and courts her and from thencefoorth deemes her so fayre as hee useth all meanes to become her servant but not in the way of honour and Marriage rather with a purpose to make her his Courtezan then his Wife But hee sees himselfe deceived in the irregular passion of his affection for Laurieta is averse and will not bee
discretion and to hate and disdaine jealousic she beares this as patiently as shee may till at last seeking and finding out a fit opportunity shee both with teares in her eyes and griefe in her speeches very secretly checks him for these his inordinate and lascivious desires towards the young Lady Perina their Daughter in law But as it is the nature of sinne so to betray and inveagle our judgements that wee flatter our selves with a false conceit none can perceive it in us so this old lecher her Husband thinking that hee had danced in a net from the jealousie and suspicion of all the world in thus affecting his Sonnes wife hee like a lewd and wretched old varlet is so farre from rellishing these his old wifes speeches and exhortations or from being reclaymed thereby as hee disdayneth both them and her and from henceforth is so imperious and withall bitter to her as hee never lookes on her with affection but envie which neverthelesse she as a modest wife and grave Matrone holds it a part not onely of her love but of her duety by sweete speeches and soft meanes of perswasion to divert him from this fond and lascivious humour of his But observe the vanity of his lasciviousnesse and the impiety of his thoughts and resolutions for all her prayers and perswasions serve only rather to set then rebate the edge of his lust and rather bring oyle to increase then water to quench the flame of his immodest and irregular affection so as seeing that she stood in the way of obtayning his beastly pleasures he like a prophane and barbarous Husband termes her no more his wife but his Medea and which is worse hee out of the heat both of his lust and choller vowes he will soone remove her from this world to another And here the devill ambitious and desirous of nothing so much as to fill up the emyty roomes of his vast and infernall kingdome by miserable and execrable degrees takes possession first of his thoughts then of his heart and lastly of his soule so as being constant in his indignation and choller and resolute in this his impious and bloudy revenge hee meanes to dispatch and murther her who for the terme of forty two yeares had beene his most loving wife and faithfull bed-fellow but withall hee will act it so privately as not having as yet discovered his affection to his daughter Perina hee will therefore conceale both from her and all the world the Murther of this his wife Fidelia except only to those gracelesse and execrable Agents he meant imploy in this mournefull and bloudy businesse To which end with a hellish ratiocination ruminating and revolving on the manner thereof hee having runne over the circumstances of many violent and tragicall deaths at last resolves to poyson her and deemes none so fit to undertake it as her owne Wayting-gentlewoman Ierantha the which authorized by his former lascivious dalliance with her as also in favour of five hundred Ducats that he will give her hee is confident shee will undertake and finish neither doth hee faile in his bloudy hopes For what with the honey of his flattering speches and the sugar of his Gold she like an infernall Fury and a very Monster of her sexe most ingratefully and inhumanely consents thereunto so as putting poyson into Whitebroth which some mornings she was accustomed to make and give her Lady it spreading into her veines and exhaling the radicall humour of her life and strength within eight dayes carries this aged and vertuous Matrone to her Grave and her soule to Heaven But her Murtherers shall pay deare for this her untimely end The Lady Perina and all the Lady Fidelia's kinsfolkes and friends infinitely lament and bewayle her death and indeed so doth the whole City of Nice where for her descent and vertues shee is infinitely beloved and affected but all these teares of theirs are nothing in comparison of those of her wicked and execrable Husband Castelnovo who although he inwardly rejoyce yet he outwardly seemes to bee exceedingly afflicted and dejected But as hee hath heretofore acted the part of a Murtherer and now of an hypocrite yet have we but a little patience and we shall see that detected this unmasked and both panished Whiles this mournefull Tragedy is acted in Nice the mediation of the French King and Pope reconcile the differences give end to the Warres and conclude peace betwixt Spaine and Savoy So home returnes the Duke of Feria to Millan the noble Duke of Savoy and the generous Princes his Sonnes to Turin the Marshall de Desdiguieres and the Baron of Termes into France and consequently home comes our Knight Castelnovo to Nice where thinking to rejoyce with his young wife hee is so unfortunate to mourne for the death of his old mother but God knowes that neither of them know the least sparke or shadow of her cruell and untimely Murther and lesse the cause thereof Now for his lascivious and bloudy father albeit to cast a vaile before his thoughts and his intents and actions hee publikely mournes for his wifes death and rejoyceth for his Sonnes returne yet contrariwise hee privately mournes for this and rejoyceth for that But to leave the remembrance of Fidelia to assume that of our Perina I know not whether shee grieved more at her Husbands absence or rejoyce at his presence sith her affection to him was so tender and fervent as in her heart and soule shee esteemed that as much her hell as this her heaven upon earth but these joyes of hers are but fires of straw or flattering Sun-shines which are suddenly either washed away with a showre or eclipsed and banished by a Tempest for whiles her hopes flatter her beliefe of her Husbands continuall stay and residence with her her Father in lawes lust to her foreseeing and considering that it was impossible to thinke to obtaine her at home e're her Husband his Sonne were againe imployed and sent abroad makes all his thoughts aime and care and industry tend that way as if time had no power to make him repent the former murther of his wife or Grace influence to renounce the future defiling and dishonouring of his Daughter in law But hee is as constant in his lust to her as resolute in his dispatching and sending away of him onely hee must finde out some pregnant vertuous and honourable pretext and colour for the effecting of his designe and resolution because he well knowes his Sonne Castelnovo is as wise and generous in himselfe as amorous of his beautifull young Lady Perina but his lust which is the cause of his resolution or rather his vanity which is the authour of his lust at one time suggests him these two severall imployments for his Sonne either to send him into France with the Prince Major who was larely contracted and shortly to espouse MadameChristiene the Kings second Sister or else under the insinuation of some great Pensions and Offices that were shortly to
lesse doth his father Castelnovo for that of his sonne onely their griefes comformable to their passions are diametrically different and opposite for hers were fervent and true as proceeding from the sinceritie of her affection and his hypocriticall and faigned as derived from the profundity of his malice and revenge towards him And not to transgresse from the Decorum and truth of our History old Castelnovo could not so artificially beare and over-vaile his sorrowes for his Sonnes death but the premises considered our young afflicted widdow and Lady vehemently suspecteth hee hath a hand therein and likewise partly beleeves that Ierantha is likewise accessary and ingaged therein in respect she lookes more aloft and is growne more familiar with her Lord and Master then before And indeed as her sorrows increase her jealousie so her jealousie throws her into a passionate and violent resolution of Revenge both against him and her if shee can bee futurely assured that they had Murthered and poysoned the Knight her husband Now to bee assured heereof shee thus reasoneth with her selfe that if her Father in law were the Murtherer of his Sonne her husband his malice and hatred to him proceeded from his beastly lust to her selfe and that hee now dispatched hee would againe shortly revive and renew his old lascivious suit to her which if hee did shee vowes to take a sharpe and cruell Revenge of him which shee will limit with no lesse then his death And indeed wee shall not goe farre to see the event and truth answer her suspicion For within a moneth or two after her husband was laid in his untimely grave his old lustfull and lascivious father doth againe burst and vomit forth his beastly sollicitations against her chastity and honour which observing shee somewhat disdainefully and coyly puts him off but yet not so passionately nor chollerickely as before onely of purpose to make him the more eager in his pursuit thereby the better to draw him to her lure that shee might perpetrate her malice and act her Revenge on him and so make his death the object of her rage and indignation as his lust and malice were the cause of the sorrowes of her life But unfortunate and miserable Lady what a bloudy and hellish enterprize dost thou ingage thy selfe in and why hath thy affection so blinded thy conscience and soule to make thy selfe the authour and actour of so mournefull and bloudy a Tragedy For alas alas sweet Perina I know not whether more to commend thy affection to thy husband or condemne thy cruell malice intended to his father For O griefe O pitty where are thy vertues where is thy Religion where thy conscience thy soule thy God thus to give thy selfe over to the hellish tentations of Satan Thou which heretofore fled'st from adultery wilt thou now follow Murther or because thy heart would not bee accessary to that shall thy soule bee now so irreligious and impious to bee guilty of this But as her father in law is resolute in his lust towards her so is shee likewise in her revenge towards him and farre the more in that shee perceives Ierantha's great belly sufficiently proclaimes that shee hath plaid the strumpet and which is worse shee feares with her execrable and wretched Father in Law so as now no longer able to stop the furious and impetuous current of her revenge shee is so gracelesse and bloudy as shee vowes first to dispatch the Lord and Master then the Wayting-Gentlewoman as her thoughts and soule suggest her they had done first the Mother then the Sonne so impious are her thoughts so inhumane and bloudy her resolutions Now in the interim of this time the old Lecher her father is againe become impudent and importunate in his suit so our wretched Lady Perina degenerating from her former vertues and indeed from her selfe she after many requests and sollicitations very feignedly seemes to yeild and strike sayle to his desire but indeed with a bloody intent to dispach him out of this world So having concluded this sinfull fatall Match there wants nothing but the finishing and accomplishing thereof onely they differ in the manner and circumstances the Father is desirous to goe to the Daughter in lawes bed the Daughter to the Father in lawes but both conclude that the night and not the day shall give end to this lascivious and beastly businesse his reason is to avoyd the jealousie and rage of Ierantha whom now although she bee neere her time of deliverance hee refuseth to marry her but the Lady Perina's if that she may pollute and staine his owne bed with his bloud and not hers but especially because shee may have the fitter meanes to stab and murther him and hereon they conclude To which end not only the night but the houre is appoynted betwixt them which being come and Castelnovo in bed burning with impatience and desire for her arrivall hee thinking on nothing but his beastly pleasures nor she but on her cruell malice and revenge she softly enters his chamber but not in her night but her day attire having a Pisa Ponyard close in her fleeve when having bolted his Chamber doore because none should divert her from this her bloudy designe she approaching his bed and hee lifting himselfe up purposely to welcome and kisse her shee seeing his brest open and naked like an incensed fury drawes out her Ponyard and uttering these words Thou wretched Whore-master and Murtherer this life of mine owne honour and the death of my deare Knight and husband thy some And so stabbing him at the heart with many blowes shee kills him starke dead and leaves him reeking in his hot bloud without giving him time to speake a word onely hee fetcht a screeke and groane or two as his soule tooke her last farewell of his body Which being over-heard of the servants of the house they ascend his chamber and finde our inhumane Perina issuing foorth all gored with the effusion of his bloud having the bloudy Ponyard which was the fatall Instrument of this cruell Murther in her hand They are amazed at this bloody and mournefull spectacle so they seize on her and the report hereof flying thorow the City the Criminall Iudges that night cause her to bee imprisoned for the fact which she is resolved no way to denye but to acknowledge as rather glorying then grieving thereat Ierantha at the very first understanding hereof vehemently suspects that her two poysoning Murthers will now come to light and so as great as her belly is she to provide for her safety very secretly steales away to a deare friends house of hers in the City which now from all parts rattleth and resoundeth of this cruell and unnaturall Murther yea it likewise passeth the Alpes and is speedily bruited and knowne in Saint Iohn de Mauriene where although her father Arconeto would never heretofore affect her yet he now exceedingly grieves at this her bloudy attempt and imminent danger but her irregular affection and
in the very centre of his heart and thoughts hee beginnes to make his private affection to her publike and so having already wonne her heart from her selfe hee now endeavoureth to winne her from her friends and then to marry her But old Seignior Sturio his father is no sooner advertised of Brellati his death of Bertolini's flight and of his sonnes affection and intent to take Paulina to wife but disdayning hee should match so low and withall so poore as also fearing that this might likewise ingage his sonne in some quarrell betwixt him and Bertolini hee resolves privately to convey him away out of Rome in some retired or obscure place from whence hee should not returne till his absence had cooled and extenuated the heat of his affection to Paulina and of his malice and Revenge to Bertolini to which end three weekes are scarce past but taking his sonne with him in his Coach under colour to take the ayre in the fields of Rome beyond Saint Pauls Church hee having given the Coach man his lesson commands him to drive away and having two Braves or Ruffians with him they dispose or rather inforce the humour of his son Sturio to patience as despight him selfe they carry him to Naples where a Brigantine being purposely prepared hee shippeth over his sonne for the Iland of Capri or Caprea where long since Seiarâ—… his ambition caused Tiberius to sojourne whiles hee played the pettie King and domineered as Emperour at Rome in his absence and gives him to the keeping and guard of Seignior Alphonsus Drissa Captaine of that Iland with request and charge not to permit him to returne for the maine for the terme of one whole yeere without his expresse order to the contrary It is for none but for Lovers to Iudge â—…ow tenderly Sturio and his sweet Lady Paulina grieve at the newes of this their sudden and unexpected separation yea their sighes and teares are so infinite for this their disaster as all the words of the world are not capable to expresse them As for Paulina shee had so long and so bitterly wept for her brothers death as it was a meere cruelty of sorrow to inforce her to play any farther part in sorrow for the departure and captivitie of her Lover Sturio but her afflictions falling in each on the necke of other in imitation of the waves of the sea occasioned by the breath and blast of Boreas threaten her not onely with present sicknesse but with approaching death Againe she understands of Bertolini's safety and prosperity in Cicilia where hee triumphs in his victory for killing her brother Brellati and like a base Gentleman continually erects his Trophees of detraction upon the ruines and tombe of her honour and these considerations like reserved afflictions againe newly afflict and torment her so as having lost her jewell and her joy her brother and her Lover Brellati and Sturio shee beginnes to bee extreame sicke weake and faint yea the Roses of her cheekes are transformed to Lillies the relucent lustre of her eyes to dimnesse and obscurity and to use but a word not onely her heart but her tongue beginnes to faile and to strike saile to immoderate sorrow and disconsolation Her parents and friends grieve hereat and farre the more in respect they know not how to remedy it and for her selfe if shee enjoy any comfort in this life it is onely in hope that shee shall shortly leave it to enjoy that of a better Thus whiles sorrow â—…tion and sicknesse make haste to spâ—… out the thred and webbe of her life if her griefes are extreme and insupportable in Rome no lesse are those of her Lover Sturio in Caprea for it â—…rets him to the heart and gall to see how his father hath bereaved and betrayed him of his Mistris Paulina's presence the onely content and felicity which this life or earth could afford him a thousand times hee wisheth himselfe with her and as often kisseth her remembrance and Idea and then as their affections so their malice concurring and sympathizing hee againe wisheth that hee may bee so happy to fight with Bertolini for the disgrace of his Lady Paulina and shee for the death of her brother Brellati and in that affection and this revenge hee with much affliction and no comfort passeth away many bitter dayes and torments in the misery of this his inforced exile and banishment and although his curiosity affection or subtilty could never crowne him with the happinesse or felicity to free himselfe of his guards and captivity and so to steale away from that Iland in some Foist or Galley for the maine yet understanding that two dayes after there was one bound for the Port of Civita Vetcha hee to testifie his affection constancie and torments to his deare and faire Paulina takes occasion to write her a Letter to Rome the which that it might come the safer to her owne hands he incloseth in another to an intimate deare friend of his The tenour of his Letter was thus STVRIO to PAVLINA I Know not whether I more grieve at my absence from thee then at the manner thereof yet sure I am that both conjoyn'd make me in this Iland of Caprea feele the torments not of a feigned Purgatory but of a true Hell It was my purpose to condole with thee for the untimely death of thy Brother it is now not onely my resolution but my practice to mourne with my selfe for thy banishment or rather with thee for mine and when my sorrowes have most neede of consolation then againe that consolation findes most cause of sorrow for thinking of Bertolini me thinkes I see thy false disparagement on his malicious tongue and thy Brother Brellati his true death on his bloudy Sword and yet have neither the honour or happinesse to revenge either and which is worse not bee permitted to know where hee is that I may revenge them but I wish I were onely incident and obliged tosupport this affliction conditionally then wert exempt thereof or that I might know the limits and period of our absence thereby to hope for an end and remedy thereof which now I can finde no motives to know nor cause to hope O that I have often envyed Leanders happinesse And if Love could make impossibilities possible the Mediterranean Sea should long since have beene my Hellespont my Body my Barke my armes my â—…res to have wafied me from my Abidos to thy Sestos from my Caprea to thy Rome to thee sweet Paulina my onely fayre and deare Hero And although the constancie and fervencie of my love to thee suggest me many inventions to escape the misery of my exile yet the Argus eyes of my Fathers malice in that of my Guardians jealousie cannot bee inchanted or lulled asleâ—…e with the melody of so unfortunate a Mercury as my selfe but time shall shortly act and finish that which impatience cannot till when deare and sweet Paulina retaine mee in thy thoughts as I doe thee in my heart
and memory and doubt not but a few weekes will make us at happy as wee are now miserable STVRIO Paulina in the middest of her forrowes and sickenesse receives this Letter from her best and dearest friend Sturio and although shee rejoyce to heare of his health and wel-fare in Caprea yet she is more glad that the extremity of her-sickenesse and weaknesse informe her shee shall shortly dye in Rome for vanquished with afflictions and overcome with variety of griefe and discontents shee in conceit already hath left this world and is by this time halfe way in her progresse and pilgrimage towards Heaven yet in love to her deare Sturio who wrote her this kinde Letter she will not be so unkinde but will kisse it for his sake that sent it her and peradventure if she had been so happy that hee might have beene the bearer and deliverer thereof himselfe or that he had borne and delivered himselfe to her in stead of his Letter hee might then have given some comfort to her sorrowes and some consolation to her discontents and afflictions whereas now seeing him exiled and mewed up in Caprea without any apparance of returne shee sees shee hath more reason to flye to her old despayre then to any new hope and so wisheth the desired houre were at last come wherein shee might give her last farewell to this world but againe perusing and over reading his Letter shee findes it full fraught with love and affection towards her and therefore disdayning to proove ingratefull to any especially to Sturio who is so kinde and courteous to her calls for pen and paper and by his owne conveyance returnes him this Answer PAVLINA to STVRIO I Cannot rightly define whether the receipt of thy Letter made me more glad or the contents sorrowfull for as I infinitely rejoyced to understand thou wert living so I extremely grieved to heare there was no certainty of thy releasement and returne Whether or no Caprea be thy Purgatory I know not but sure I am Rome is my Hell sith I cannot bee there with thee nor thou here with me and as I lamented with sighs I could not dye with my Brother so I grieve with teares that I cannot live with thee but why write I of living when his mournefull Tragedy and thy disastrous exile hath made mee more ready to dye then live or rather not fit to live but dye for despayring of thy returne how can I hope for comfort sith it onely lived in thy presence as my heart and joy did in thee As for Bertolini's folly to mee and crime to my Brother if thy Sword punish him not Gods just revenge will and wishing this as a woman as a Christian I pardon and forgive him and so I pray doe thou for my sake if thou wilt not that of my dead Brothers Could prayers or wishes have effected thy returne to mee my teares had long since been thy Hellespont and Mediterranean Sea and my sighes had fill'd the Sayles of thy desires and resolutions to have past Ostia floated up Tiber and landed at Rippa to mee But alas alas here in remembring Hero's felicity and joy I cannot forget my sorrowes and afflictions for as Leander liv'd in her armes so I cannot bee so fortunate either to live or dye in my Sturio's and if now as a skilfull Mercury thou couldst inveagle the eyes both of thy Fathers malice and Guardians jealousie yet that happinesse would come too late and out of season for mee for before thou shalt have plotted thy flight and escape from Caprea to Rome I shall have acted and finished mine from Rome to Heaven I would send thee more lines but that my weake hand and feeble fingers have not the power though the will any longer to retaine my pen. Heaven will make us happy though Earth cannot therefore my deare Sturio let this bee our last and best consolation as these joyes are temporary and transitory so those will bee permanent and eternall PAVLINA This Letter of Paulina to Sturio meets with a speedy passage from Rome to Caprea who receiving it and thinking to have found her in her true and perfect health with much joy and affection breakes up the seales thereof when contrary to his hope and expectation understanding of her sickenesse and approach to death hee tenderly and bitterly weepes at his owne misfortune in her discontent and disaster yea he passionately and sorrowfully bewayles his Fathers cruelty in thus banishing him from her sight and presence from the contemplation of whose beauty and from his innate affection to her the Fates and Destinies cannot banish him But alas unfortunate Sturio the newes of thy Paulina's sickenesse is but the Prologue to the insuing sorrowes and afflictions that are ready to befall and surprise thee for the newes of her death shal shortly follow her Letter and if that drew teares from thine eyes this shall drowne thine eyes in the Ocean of thy Teares neither shall he stay long to feele the miserable impetuosity 〈◊〉 â—…is mournefull Storme For scarce twenty dayes are past after the writing of her Letter to Sturio but Paulina languishing with Griefe Despaire Sorrow and Sicknesse as a female Love-Martyr takes her last leave and farewell of this world in Rome it being not in the power or affection of her parents any longer to divert her from paying this her last due and tribute unto Nature sith wee all have our Lives lent not given us and therefore as we receive so must we repay them to our Creatour and Redeemer of whom we have first received them Old Sturio is as glad in Rome for the death of Paulina as her Parents grieve thereat and now it is that he intends to be as happy and joyfull in his Sonnes presence as hee hath formerly made himselfe sorrowfull in occasioning his absence whereupon with all expedition hee dispatcheth a Servant of his to Caprea with a Letter to signifie his Son thereof and consequently to recall him This newes of Paulina's Death-infinitely afflicts and torments our Sturio for shee being the Queene of his affections and the soveraigne Goddesse of his delights and desires he resembleth himselfe and so like a true Lover as hee is acteth a wonderfull mournefull part of sorrow for her unwished and unexpected Death he is no longer himselfe nay such was his living affection to Paulina and such is his immoderate sorrow for her death as hee will not bee himselfe because she is gone who was the greatest and chiefest part of himselfe But as wounds cannot be cured ere searched so passion transporting his thoughts beyond reason and revenge beyond passion he for the time present forsakes the effect to follow the cause and so hath no other object before his eyes and thoughts but that of Bertolini's killing of her Brother Brellati and this of his Fathers unkinde banishing of him from Rome to Caprea wherefore that he may out-live his sorrowes and apply a Lenitive to his Corrosive he vowes to revenge both
this and that shortly I resolve to see him at Naples and that in the interim I will reserve his Letter Fiesco departs but knowes hee hath so highly betrayed and wronged his Master as he dares not see him and so shewes him a faire paire of heeles Such Laquayes farre better deserve a halter than a Livery Carpi wonders at his Laquayes long stay In which meane time Alcasero comes to Naples where hee is yet irresolute whether to accuse Carpi by the order and course of Law or to fight with him but he resolves to doe both and that if the Law will not right him for the murther of his father his sword shall He goes to the Criminell Iudges and with much passion and sorrow accuseth the Baron of Carpi for murthering of the Captaine Benevente his father and for proofe hereof produceth his two Letters to his sister Fidelia and the copie of one of hers to him Whereupon the Judges grant power to apprehend Carpi so hee is taken and constituted prisoner and now hee hath leasure to thinke on the basenesse and foulenesse of his fact But he is so farre from dejecting himselfe to sorrow or addicting himselfe to repentance as hee puts a brazen face on his lookes and speeches and so peremptorily intends and resolves to deny all Had he had more grace or lesse impiety he would have made better use of this his imprisonment and have shewen himselfe at least humble if not sorrowfull for his offence and crime But hee holds it wisdome in greatest dangers to shew most courage and resolution and so makes himselfe fit to grapple and encounter with all accidents and occurrences whatsoever Men may palliate their sinnes but God will finde them out and display them in their naked colours Alcasero is an importunate solicitor to the Judges to draw and hasten on Carpi his arraignment But they resembling themselves proceed therein modestly and gravely they consult and consider the three Letters they finde conjecturall sentences enow to accuse but no solide proofe to condemne him they hold that their opinions ought not to bee swayed with the wind of every presumption and that it is not fit so trivially to set the life of a man at six and seven Besides as they approve of Alcasero his affection to his father so they dislike of his impetuosity and vehemencie towards Carpi They all resolve to lay the Sword of Iustice in the ballance of Equitie and then ordaine that Carpi shall bee rackt to see whether they can draw more light from his tongue than from his pen. But he endures these his tortures and torments with wonderfull constancie and still denies all Had his cause beene more religious and humane and not so bloudy this fortitude and courage of his had beene as praise-worthy as now it is odious and execrable The Court by sentence pronounced in open Senate acquit and cleare Carpi of this murther whereat Alcasero exceedingly repines and murmures It is not enough that Carpi hath now escaped this danger for Alcasero remaines still constant in his conceit that he is the murtherer of his father and therefore vowes and resolves to fight with him He le ts passe some six weeks time till he be sound of his limbs and then resolves to send him a challenge Had Carpi beene innocent it had beene more honourable and requisite that hee had challenged Alcasero than Alcasero him but his cause being unjust and his conscience fearefull he dares not runne the hazard to be desirous or ambitious to fight with Alcasero the which if hee had attempted Alcasero will anticipate and prevent him who making Plantinus his second hee out of the ashes of his sorrow and the fire of his revenge sends him to Carpi with this Billet of Defiance ALCACERO to DE CARPI ALthough the Law have cleared thee for the murther of my Father yet my Conscience cannot and my Rapier will not I should be a monster of Nature not to seeke revenge for his death of whom I have received my life Could I give peace to my thoughts or unthinke the cause of my disaster I would not seeke to bereave thee of thylife with the hazard of mine owne But finding this not onely difficult but impossible pardon me if I request thee to meet me single at eight of the clocke after supper at the West end of the Common Vineyard where I will attend thee with a couple of Rapiers the choice whereof shall be thine and the refusall mine or if thou wilt make use of a second he shall not depart without meeting one to exchange a thrust or two with him ALCASERO Whiles the Baron of Carpi is triumphing to see how hee hath bleared the eyes of his Judges and so freed himselfe from the feares and danger of death behold Plantinus finds him out and delivers him Alcasero his Challenge Hee takes it and with a variable countenance reads it whereat hee finds a reluctation and combate not onely in his thoughts but his Conscience whether hee should accept or refuse it His Honour bids him doe the first but his Conscience wills him to performe the second it were better to be borne a Clowne than a Coward Besides if he should refuse to fight with Alcasero he upon the matter makes himselfe guilty of the Captaine his fathers death He knowes he hath an unjust cause in hand but he preferres his Honour before his Liâ—…e when setting a good face upon his resolution he adresseth himselfe to Plantinus thus Sir I presume you know this businesse for I take you to bee Alcasero's Second He hath replyed Plantinus done me the honour to make choice of mee in stead of a more worthy Well quoth the Baron of Carpi tell thy master from mee That although I have not deserved his malice yet that I accept his challenge and will performe it onely I must fight single because I am at present unprovided of a Second Plantinus as full of Valour as Fidelity prayes him that hee may not see his hopes and desires frustrated but that hee may enjoy part of the feast But Carpi gives him this answer which he bids him take for his last resolution That hee will hazard himselfe but not his friend So Plantinus returnes with joy to his master and discontent to himselfe when nothing proving of power to quench the fire of these two Gentlemens courage and revenge they meet at the time and place appointed Carpi fights with passion and vehemencie Alcasero with judgement and discretion Carpi lookes red and fiery with choller and Alcasero pale and ghastly not for feare of his cause but for the remembrance of his sorrowes and to conclude and shut up this combate in the issue thereof Iustice is not now pleased to shew the effects of her power and influence nor God that of his Justice onely it is reserved for another time and for a more shamefull manner so Carpi hath the best of the day for he is onely hurt in his right hand and scarred over
hee will die his faithfull servant But wee shall see him have more grace than to keepe so gracelesse a promise Carpi flattering himselfe with the fidelity and affection of his Laquay resolves to stay in the City but hee shall shortly repent his confidence Hee was formerly betrayed by Fiesco which mee thinks should have made him more cautious and wise and not so simple to entrust and repose his life on the incertaine mercy of Lorenzo's tongue but Gods Revenge drawes neare him and consequently he neare his end for he neither can nor shall avoid the judgement of Heaven Lorenzo on the gallowes will not charge his soule with this foule and execrable sinne of murther but Grace now operating with his soule as much as formerly Satan did with his heart hee confesseth that hee and the Baron of Carpi his Master together with the Knight Monte-leone and his Laquay Anselmo murthered the Captaine Benevente and his man Fiamento and threw them into the Quarrie the which hee takes to his death is true and so using some Christian-like speeches of repentance and sorrow he is hanged Lorenzo is no sooner turned over but the Criminall Iudges advertised of his speeches delivered at his death they command the Baron of Carpi his lodging to be beleagred where he is found in his study and so apprehended and committed prisoner where feare makes him looke pale so as the Peacocks plumes both of his pride and courage strike saile He is againe put to the Racke and now the second time hee reveales his foule and bloudy murther and in every point acknowledgeth Lorenzoes accusation of him to be true So he is condemned first to have his right hand cut off and then his head notwithstanding that many great friends of his sue to the Viceroy for his pardon The night before he was to die the next morne one of his Judges was sent to him to prison to perswade him to discover all his complices in that murther besides Monte-leone and his Laquay Anselmo yea there are likewise some Divines present who with many religious exhortations perswade him to it So Grace prevailes with Nature and Righteousnesse with Impiety and sinne in him that he is now no longer himselfe for contrition and repentance hath reformed him hee will rather disrespect Caelestina than displease God whereupon he affirmes that she and her deceased sister Fidelia drew him and Monte-leone to murther their father and his man Fiamento and that if it had not beene for their allurements and requests they had never attempted either the beginning or end of so bloudy a businesse and thus making himselfe ready for Heaven and grieving at nothing on Earth but at the remembrance of his foule fact he in the sight of many thousand people doth now lose his head This Tragedy is no sooner acted and finished in Naples but the Judges of this City send away poast to those of Otranto to seize on the Lady Caelestina who in the absence of her husband for the most part lived there A Lady whom I could pitie for her youth and beauty did not the foulenesse of her fact so foulely disparage and blemish it She is at that instant at a Noblemans house at the solemnitie of his daughters marriage where she is apprehended imprisoned and accused to bee the authour and plotter of the Captaine her fathers death neither can her teares or prayers exempt her from this affliction and misery She was once of opinion to deny it but understanding that the Baron of Carpi and his Laquay Lorenzo were already executed for the same in Naples shee with a world of teares freely confesseth it and confirmes as much as Carpi affirmed whereupon in expiation of this her inhumane Paracide she is condemned to have her head cut off her body burnt and her ashes throwne into the ayre for a milder death and a lesse punishment the Lord will not out of his Justice inflict vpon her for this her horrible crime and barbarous cruelty committed on the person of her owne father or at least seducing and occasioning it to be committed on him and it is not in her husbands possible power to exempt or free her hereof Being sent backe that night to prison she passeth it over or in very truth the greatest part thereof in prayer still grieving for her sinnes and mourning for this her bloudy offence and crime and the next morne being brought to her execution when she ascended the scaffold she was very humble sorrowfull and repentant and with many showres of teares requested her brother Alcasero and all her kinsfolkes to forgive her for occasioning and consenting to her fathers death and generally all the world to pray for her when her sighs and teares so sorrowfully interrupted and silenced her tongue as she recommending her soule into the hands of her Redeâ—…mer whom she had so heynously offended shee with great humility and contrition kneeling on her knees and lifting up her eyes and hands towards heaven the Executioner with his sword made a double divorce betwixt her head and her body her body and her soule and then the fire as if incensed at so fiery a spirit consumed her to ashes and her ashes were throwne into the ayre to teach her and all the world by her example that so inhumane and bloudy a daughter deserved not either to tread on the face of this Earth or to breathe this ayre of life She was lamented of all who either knew or saw her not that she should die but that she should first deserve then suffer so shamefull and wretched a death and yet shee was farre happier than her sister Fidelia for shee despaired and this confidently hoped for remission and salvation Thus albeit this wretched and execrable young Gentlewoman lived impiously yet she died Christianly wherefore let vs thinke on that with detestation and on this with charity And here wee see how severely the murther of Captaine Benevente was by Gods just revenge punished not onely in his two daughters who plotted it but also in the two Noblemen and their two Laquayes who acted it Such attempts and crimes deserve such ends and punishments and infallibly finde them The onely way therefore for Christians to avoid the one and contemne the other is with sanctified hearts and unpolluted hands still to pray to God for his Grace continually to affect prayer and incessantly to practise piety in our thoughts and godlinesse in our resolutions and actions the which if wee be carefull and conscionable to performe God will then shrowd us under the wings of his favour and so preserve and protect us with his mercy and providence as we shall have no cause to feare either Hell or Satan GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther HISTORY XV. Maurice like a bloudy villaine and damnable sonne throwes his Mother Christina into a Well and drownes her the same hand and arme of his wherewith he did it rots away from his body aad being discrased of
both accuseth 〈◊〉 condemneth himselâ—… for the same For the very Image of that conceit 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 â—…s his feaâ—… did his phrensie and madnesse hee in thâ—… 〈◊〉 of those fiâ—…s aâ—… the height of that Agony and Anxietie driâ—… out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Mâ—…ther in the Well I have drowned 〈…〉 he suffer you to hang me I speake it on Earth and by my part of Heaven what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is true Which words 〈◊〉 sooner esâ—…aped his 〈◊〉 â—…ut he â—…nstantly â—…nes againe to his out-cries of phreâ—… and madnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d the rest 〈◊〉 â—…ed at these fearefull 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 that they attribute to madnesse yet they lead him to the Hospitall he still raving and crying as hee passeth the streets But oh Let us here farther admire with wonder and wonder with admiration at the providence and mercy of God here againe miraculously made apparent and manifested in this execrable wretch Maurice for he who outragiously cryed in his prison and licentiously raved in the street is no sooner entred into the Hospitall but the pleasure of God had so ordained it as his Madnesse fully fals from him and he absolutely recovereth againe his wits and senses in such firme and setled manner as if he had never formerly beene touched or afflicted therewith His Gaolers make report to the Magistrates first of his confession of drowning his Mother and then of his sudden and miraculous recovering of his perfect memory judgement and senses as soone as hee set foot within the Hospitall Whereupon they as much astonished at the one as wondring at the other doe instantly repaire thither to him and there arraigne and accuse him for that inhumane and bloudy fact of his whereof his owne Evidence and Confession hath now made him guilty But they take him for another or at least hee will not be the same man He denies this horrible and bloudy crime of his with many oaths and asseverations which they maintaine and affirme he hath confessed sayes that they either heard a dreame or saw a Vision whereof hee neither dreamt not thought of and that hee was ready to lose all the bloud and life of his body to finde out and to be revenged of the murtherers of his mother But the Magistrates are deafe to his Apologie and considering the violence of his madnesse by its sudden abandoning him as also his free and uninforced confession of drowning his Mother they conceive that Gods providence and Justice doth strongly operate in the detection of this foule and inhumane murther and therfore contemning his requests and oaths in the vindication of his innocency they cause him to bee refetched from the Hospitall to the Prison and there adjudge him to the Racke when although his heart and soule bee terrified and affrighted with his apprehension and accusation Yet the devill is so strong with him as he cannot yet finde in his heart to relent much lesse to repent this foule and inhumane crime of his but considering that he acted it so secretly as all the world could not produce a witnesse against himselfe except himselfe hee vowes he will bee so impious and prophane in his fortitude and courage as to disdaine these his torments and to looke on them and his Tormentor with an eye rather of contempt than feare But God will be as propitious and indulgent to him as he is rebellious and refractory to God for here we shall see both his Conscience and resolutions taught another rule and prescribed a contrary Law yea here we shall behold and observe in him that now Righteousnesse shall triumph over Siâ—…e Grace over Nature his Soule over his Body Heaven over Hell and GOD over Satan for at the very first sight of the Racke the sight and remembrance of his bloudy crime makes him shake and tremble extremely when his soule being illuminated by the resplendant Sun beames of Gods mercy and the foggie mists of Hell and Satan expelled and banished thence he fals to the ground on his knees first beats his brest and then erecting his eyes and hands towards Heaven he with a whole deluge of teares againe confesseth that hee had drowned his mother in the Well from and for the which he humbly craveth remission both from Earth and Heaven And although there bee no doubt but God will forgive his Soule for this his soule murther yet the Magistrates of Morges who have Gravity in their lookes Religion in their hearts and speecheâ—… and Justice in their actions will not pardon his body so in detestation of this his fearefull crime and inhumane parracide they in the morning condemne him that very after-noone to be hanged At the pronouncing of which sentence as he hath reason to approve the equity of their Iustice in condemning him to die so he cannot refraine from grieving at the strictnesse of the time which they allot him fot his preparation to death But as soone as wee forsake the devill we make our peace with God All Morges and Losanna rings of this mournefull and Tragicall newes and in detestation of this mournefull inhumane and bloody crime of our execrable Maurice they flocke from all parts and streets to the place of execution to see him expiate it by his dearh and so to take his last farewell of his life The Divines who are given him for fortifying and assisting his soule in this her flight and transmigration from Earth to Heaven have religiously prevailed with him so as they make him see the foulenesse of his crime in the sharpenesse of his contrition and repentance for the same yea hee is become so humble and withall so sorrowfull for this his bloody and degenerate offence as I know not whether hee thinke thereof with more griefe or remember it wirh detestation and repentance At his ascending the Ladder most of his Spectators cannot refraine from weeping and the very sight of their teares prooves the Argument of his as his remembrance of murthering his Mother was the cause Hee tells them hee grieves at his very soule for the foulenesse of his fact in giving his Mother her death of whom he had received his life He affirmes that Drunkennesse was not onely the roote but the cause of this his beggery and misery of his crime and punishment and of his deboshed life and deserved death from which with a world of sighes and teares hee seekes and endevours to divert all those who affect and practise that beastly Vice He declares that his Mother was too vertuous so soone to goe out of the world and himselfe too vitious and wirhall too cruell any longer to live in it that the sinnes of his life had deserved this his shamefull death and although he could not prevent the last yet that he heartily and sorrowfully repented the first Hee prayed God to be mercifull to his soule and then besought the world to pray unto God for that mercy when speaking a few words to himselfe and sealing them with
relation of my hand-maid Mathurina which are now dead with her and are as false as thy rashnesse and her revenge makes thee beleeve them true for it is neither I nor thy father who have any way blemished thiâ—… honour or vanquished thy joyes but rather thy selfe and thy too too unkinde and hasty departure from Santarem to Madrid which to the prejudice of the truth and of my content and honour hath occasioned it For my heart and foule will testifie both with me and for mee that my affection and constancy is both as sâ—…lesse firme and true to thee as thy jealousie is false towards my selfe and therefore as thou leavest my pretended crime so will I thy reall ingratitude both to time and to God and if yet thou wilt be so wilfully cruell to live from me and consequently not to esteeme me thy wife yet as it is my zeale and duty to begge and pray thee to returne to me so I will make it my Integrity and Conscience still to hold and love thee for my Husband and so preserving my heart for thee as I doe my soule for God I hope with assurance and confidence that I shall have no cause to feare either his indignation or the world contempt in regard I have neither merited the one nor deserved the other MARSILLIA Upon the writing and contents of these two Letters of Idiaques to his sonne and of Marsillia to her Husband Don Ivan the Reader may please to observe and remember with how much policie and with how little Piety they seeke to over-vaile and deny these their Adulteries and Incest towards him thereby to make their actions and themselves appeare as innocent as they are guilty both to him and to God But God being the Authour of Truth and the Father of Light and whose Sacred Throne and Tribunall is environed with more glorious Sunnes than we see glistering Starres in the Firmament He will one day unmaske this their hypocrisie and bring their foule sins of Adultery and Incest both to light and punishment Now as Marsillia is exorbitantly lascivious in her affection to her brother De Perez and he reciprocally so to her so with a world of false sighs tears she shewes him her Letter and â—…er fathers in law Idiaques which they had sent to her Husband Don Ivan to Madrid and with â—…y female oaths and asseverations protesteth to him of both their innocencie herein which her brother beleeves yeâ—… her fâ—…ed sorrowes and false teares had so farre trenched and gained upon his cruelty that in contemplation and commiseration of her wrongs hee was then so vaine and impious as once hee thought to haue carried these two Letters himselfe into Spaine and there to have fought with Don Ivan for the reparation of his sisters honour But at last leaving passion to consult with reason and temerity againe to bee vanquished and swayed by judgement first that these Letters of theirs should see Spaine and then to attend his brother in Law Don Ivan his answer to them and as he shall therein finde him either perverse or flexible to his wives desires and his fathers expectations hee will then accordingly beare himselfe and his resolutions towards him and hereon both himselfe and his sister Marsillia doe joyfully determine and conclude So Don 〈◊〉 owne servant returnes these two aforesaid Letters from Santarem to Madrid to his Master who breaking up the seales and perusing them he doth not a little wonder at his wives impudency and his fathers impiety in so strongly denying these their foule crimes to him But hee is not a little astonished and withall afflicted and grieved when he fals upon that point and branch of his wives Letter which reports the death of her maid Mathurina for in his heart and conscience he now verily thinks and beleeves that his wife in her inveterate malice and revenge to her hath caused her to be murthered and sent her to Heaven in a bloudy winding sheet But alas if it bee so how to revoke or remedy it he cannot Once therefore hee was minded to have neglected these their Letters and so to have answered them with perpetuall oblivion and a disdainfull silence But then againe considering with himselfe that this might rather increase than extenuate their hopes of his returne he betakes himselfe to his Study where taking pen and paper he neglecting his father traceth his wife this Letter in answer of hers and againe sends it her into Portugall by his owne servant which assureth them of his resolution not to returne DON IVAN to MARSILLIA THe receit of thy second Letter hath not diminished but confirmed and augmented my confidence of my fathers shame and thy infamy in your foule sinnes of Adultery and Incest perpetrated against me and which is worse against God so that I am fully resolved for ever to forsake his house and thy company and to live and die here in Madrid as griefe and disconsolation will permit me For I prize the unjust Apologie of thy pretended Innocencie at so low a rate and value it at so base an esteeme as I disdaine it for thy sake and thy selfe for thine owne I do as much grieve as I both doubt and feare thou rejoycest at thy maid Mathurina's death and as I am ignorant of the manner so if my father and thy selfe have beene the cause thereof you have then all the reasons of the world to beleeve that God who is as just in his resolutions as sacred in his decrees will in the end revenge it to his glory and punish it to your confusion DON IVAN This Letter of his doth inflame his wife with malice and indignation for now her father and she see these their lustfull and lascivious crimes seated and confirmed in his beleefe and his stay in Spaine fixed in his anger and eternized in his resolution When as close as they beare it yet knowing full well that the world will take notice of it and ere long make it their publike scandall and infamie He is so devoid of Grace and shee of goodnesse that to prevent it hee wisheth his sonne in Heaven with his mother and shee her old father in law in grave with her young maid Mathurina But these vaine hopes of theirs may deceive them which as yet they two are not so wise to thinke of nor so cautious or religious to consider but rather more resembling bruit beasts than Christians they still continue their obscene and incestuous pleasures the which I take small delight or pleasure to mention in regard of modesty or to repeat in respect of Nature and Honour Here Marsillia againe repaires to her brother De Perez as to her Oracle and Champion she shewes him both these two last Letters of her husband to his father and herselfe and conjureth his best advice and speediest assistance for the recovering of her honour in that of her husbands affection and company or else that she were freed from him and he out of this life and
one way to bring us into this world but death hath infinite to take us from it and what is this buâ—… true argument reason of Gods glory and our miserie of his power and of our frailty and weaknesse and therefore because wee are as repleat of sinne as he is of sanctity and as subject to imperfections as all perfections are both properly co-incident and subject to him It will be an act of morall wisdome and of religious piety in us rather to glorifie than examine his sacred Providence and rather to admire than pry into his divine Decrees and resolutions And because his correction and punishment of all sinnes especially of this crying and scarlet sinne of Murther is as Just as secret and as inscrutable as Just therefore to 〈◊〉 towards the period of this deplorable History God is first pleased to exercise and beginne his Judgements on miserable Marsillia and then to finish it in wretched Idiaques But his divine Majestie is likewise pleased and resolved both to impose and make as great a difference in their punishments as he found a parity and conformity in their crimes It is Marsillia's pleasure or to say more truly the providence and pleasure of God that she rides from Santarem to Coimbra to visit a sicke Gentlewoman her Cousin German who dwelt there being only accompanied with her maâ—… 〈◊〉 on horse-backe and her foot boy Piscator to attend her and as shee comes within a small halfe league of that towne having sent away her man Andrea before and her foot boy Piscator being a very little distance behinde her there suddenly staâ—…s up a Hare betweene or close to her horse legges which so amazed her horse which was as hot and proud as the Gentlewoman his Mistresse whom he bore as comming off with all foure he throwes her to the ground and kicking her with his hinde feet at her fall hee strikes her in the fore-head and so dasheth out her brains God so ordaining that she had not the power to speake a word much lesse the grace or happinesse to repent her of her horrible sinnes A dultery Incest and Murther And thus was the lamentable and fearfull end which God gave to this gracelesse young Lady the which I cannot as yet passe over without annexing and remembring one remarkable point and circumstance therein in which the Justice and Mercy of God to both sexes and all ages and degrees of people doth miraculously resplend and shine forth for that very horse which threw and killed her was the verie same which shee formerly lent to her Brother De Perez and whereon he rid to Saint Sauiours when he by her instigation killed her waiting maid Mathurina Good God how just and wonderfull are thy decrees Deere Lord how immense and sacred is thy Iustice. But this is but the forerunner and as it were but the enterance into a further progression of this History For as her foote boy Piscator extreamely wept and bitterly cryed at the sight of this mournefull and tragicall death of his Lady and Mistris God had so decreed and provided that the next that passed by and who were sorrowfull spectators thereof were two Corigadors or Officers of Iustice of the Citie of Coimbra riding that way in their Coach to take the aire Whoâ—… compassion of the deplorable death of this faire unknowen young Gentlewoman they descend their Coach and having enquired and understood of her sorrowfull Foote boy what shee was they then with much respect and humanity cause 〈◊〉 dead Corps to be decently layd into their Coach which they shut and so mounting their Servants Horses they returne againe to Coimbra From whence they send her Man Andrea in all possible post hast to Santarem to acquaint his Master and her Father in law Don Idiaques with this lamentable death of his daughter in Law Marsillia and to pray him to repayre speedily thither to them to take order for her Buriall Andrea is no sooner departed for his Master but these two Corigadors consult on the fatality of this accident and very profitably consider for themselves that the horse who killed her and all her apparell and jewels by the custome and royalty of their City were devolved and forfeited to their jurisdiction to which effect they cause her rings chaines and bracelets to be taken from her and then her pockets likewise to bee carefully searcht for gold and jewels so as murther cannot belong concealed or underected wee may therefore here behold the wonderfull Providence and singular Justice of God for in one of her pockets they finde folded up in a rich cut-worke handkerchiefe the last Letter which her Husband Don Ivan had written and sent her from Madrid at the sight of this Letter one of these Corigadors is desirous to have it read publikely but the other being more humane and respective to the concealing of Ladies secrets which many times prove that of their honours hee contradicts it till at last God enlighâ—…ing their judgements and prompting and inspiring their hearts that the perusall of this Letter might peradventure import and report something which might teâ—…d to his service and conduce to his glory they fall then on a 〈◊〉 â—…wixt both their 〈◊〉 and so withdrawing themselves to a priâ—… chamber they there secretly oâ—…-reade this Letter where in with admiration and amazement they understand of the obscene Adultery and Incest of Don Idiaques with this his daughter in law Marsillia which was the cause of her Husband Don Ivan his absence from her in Spaine But at length when they proceed farther therein and so fall upon these words of Don Ivan to her in this his Letter I doe as much grieve as I both doubt and feare thou rejoycest at thy hand maid Mathurina's death and as I am ignorant of the manner so if my father and thy selfe have beene the cause thereof you have then all the reasons of the world to beleeve that God will in the end punish it to your confusion then led by the spirit of God they both concurre in one opinion that this their Adultery and this Murther of Mathâ—…rina did not only firmly reflect but equally take hold both on Idiaques and Marsillia and therefore that this her late deplorable and disasterous end was only a blow from God and the very true fore-runner and undoubted Harbinger of his owne to come When resolving to seize and imprison Idiaques as soone as he should arrive thither to Coimbria They hushing up this Letter and businesse in their owne bosomes doe then hold it fit to send for Marsillia's foot-man Piscator to come to them which he speedily doth They carefully enquire of him if his dead Lady had not sometimes a waiting Gentlewoman named Mathurina hee answered them yes and that she was lately murthered in the streets of Saint Saviours and that her murtherers were as yet unknowne They demand of him againe whose daughter she was hee informes them that her father is a Gentleman who dwels in
and fidelity towards her which shee would never forget nor leave unrecompenced and yet all this while neither Harcourt nor Masserina were any way suspitious that it was their man Noell which gave La Precoverte intelligence of their residence in Geneva Harcourts Letter to his wife was in these tearmes HARCOVRT to LA PRECOVERTE DOe not rashly and unjustly torment thy selfe with jealousie at my absence for thou shalt finde as much joy thereof at my returne as now thou beleevest and fearest the contrary I have vowed to accompany my sister in law Masserina to our Lady of Loreto which is the best Saint of the best Countrey of the world Italy where we are now setting forwards from this towne of Geneva to which holy Lady and blessed Saint her Oraisons for her Husband and mine for thee are and shall be as repleat of pure affection and pietie as thou imaginest they are of iniquity and prophanesse True it is I committed an errour in not acquainting thee with my departure which I perceive thou esteemest a crime but when shortly I shall be so happy to enjoy thy sweet company and presence then my just reasons will justly enforce thee both to know and acknowledge that that pretended crime of mine is lesse than an errour and this errour lesse than nothing And if thou wilt yet be farther inquisitive why or from whence our journey was first derived I pray let these generall tearmes content thy feare and satisfie thy jealousie that it was her devotion and conscience to God not my desire or affection to her which gave life and birth to it therefore I hold it rather an unmerited cruelty than a condign penance either for my heart to be tied to aske forgivenesse of thee or my soule of God for this thy pretended crime of mine whereof I am as innocent as thy feare and jealousie deemes me guilty Therfore I allow of thy piely I accept of thy prayers yea and I rejoyce in thy affection to entertaine and thy resolution to welcome me home with thy smiles and kisses when I come the which shall be if not so shortly as thou expectest or I desire yet as soone as reputation and good speed shal permit HARCOVRT Masserina's Letter to her sister in law carried these lines MASSERINA to LA PRECOVERTE MY departure and absence hath neither wronged mine owne Husband nor abused thine for it is my pure zeale to God and not any lascivious lust in my selfe which drew me to this devotion to see Loretto and him through his goodnesse to the resolution honourably to accompany me thither and therefore my heart defies that foule sinne of Adultery and my soule detests that odious one of Incest whereof I am farre more innocent than thou thinkest me guiltie I am sorry for thy griefe and I grieve for thy affliction and am so farre from triumphing in the one or glorying in the other as I have given that to my thoughts with passion and this to my minde with compassion although I confesse I have small reason to place it so neere me in regard thy jealousie is the sole authour and my fidelity and chastity no way the cause thereof wherefore I am so farre from fearing as I love Gods justice because as in other sinnes I have offended his Divine Majestie so I am sure that in this I have noway incurred or merited his indignation and doe most freely referre my fortunes and reputation to his sacred pleasure but not to thy secret discontent and ill grounded choller from which by the plea of a just proviso I have all the reasons of the world to appeale as also from that foule scandall and infamous Epithite of a Strumpet which I thought thee too vertuous once to conceive much lesse to name but least of all for one sister in law without cause or reason to give to another But thou art La Precoverte therefore I forget this ingratefull crime of thine and I am Masserina therefore I freely and absolutely forgive it and to doe thee as much right as thou hast done me wrong I will silence it in eternall obscurity and oblivion MASSERINA And is it not worthy of our observation or rather of our detestation to see how impiously these prophane wretches deny this their Adultery towards God and also to La Precoverte whom they have so hainously offended therewith and which to Heaven and Earth to God and his Angels and to their owne hearts and consciences are neverthelesse as apparant as the Sunne in his brightest Meridian yea had they not wilfully fled from God and presumptuously abandoned themselves to Satan to contrive such irreligious excuses and to frame such ungodly Apologies for these their foule crimes and offences and so to make Hypocrisie the veile of their Adultery and the cloake to cover it from the light and sight of the world And is it not a resolution worthy of a halter in this world and of Hell fire in that to come to attempt mariage when the wife of the one and the Husband of the other are in perfect strength and full of life and health especially Masserina's Husband Vimory as but right now to theit shame not to their glory they understand by La Precovertes Letters to them To the Magistrates of Geneva they are firme Protestants and as they pretended so they then as they constantly affirmed intended to live and die To La Precoverte in their Letters they are sound Roman Catholikes and in the sublimity and singularity of their zeale travelling towards the Lady of Loreto in devotion O wretched Christians or indeed rather O miserable wretches thus with your hypocrisie to think to deceive God when therein you onely deceive your owne selves and soules For can there be a greater misery found by us on earth or sent us by the devill from hell to make Religion which of it selfe is a precious and soveraigne Antidote to become a fatall drugge and a pernitious ingredient to poyson not to preserve our soules and so only to delight our earthly humours and affections and to please our carnall desires and concupiscences Of all sorts of men after the Atheist and the murtherer the Hypocrite is the veriest devill upon earth and hee is so much the more wretched and execrable in that he guilds over his speeches life and actions with the seeming shew of piety and devotion when God and his ulcerated conscience know that he is nothing lesse To be lukewarme in religion is to bee prophane not religious And as wine mixt with water is neither wine nor water so he that is of two religions is of neither For God who is still jealous of his owne honour and of our salvation will not onely have our soules but our hearts to serve him and not only our hearts but also our tongues to glorifie him that is to say all our actions and all our affections not a peece of our heart but he will have our whole heart and not an angle or corner
Dorilla receiving this Letter from Castruchio she puts it into her purse and promiseth him her best care and fidelity for the delivery thereof to Seignior Borlari although she confesseth that she neither knew him nor his house But see here the providence and mercy of God which cleerely resplends and shines in the deportment and action of this beastly old bawd for she meeting with some of her gamesters and gossips in the street though contrary to the custome of Italy away they goe to a taverne where they all swill their head and braines with wine especially Dorilla So the day being farre spent her businesse for Castruchio is ended ere begun for shee forgetting her selfe cannot remember his letter but as fast as her reeling legges will permit her away shee speedes towards her owne house which was some halfe a mile off in the Citty But when she was in the streets and had a little taken the aire then she cals Castruchios letter to minde and her promise to him to deliver it but to whom through her cups she hath quite forgotten for she cannot once hiâ—… on the name Borlari But at last remembring the letter to be in her purse and she by this time in the midst of the Citty she takes it out in her hand seeing a faire yet sorrowfull young Lady to stand at the street doore of her house all in mourning attire and no body neere her after she had done her duty to her she reacheth her the letter and humbly requesteth her to tell her the Gentlemans name to whom it was directed when God out of the profundity of his power and immensity of his pleasure having so ordained and ordered it that this faire young Lady was our sweet Felisanna who for the death of her deere husband Planeze had dighted her selfe al in mourning attire and apparel thereby the better to make it correspond with her heart who reading the superscription therof and finding it directed to Seignior Borlari by some motion or inspiration from heaven her heart could not refrain from sending all the bloudof her body into her face when demanding of this woman from whom this letter came Dorilla as drunke in her fidelity and innocency as shee was guilty of her drunkennesse tels her that the letter came from an Apothecary who lay in prison named Castruchio At the very repetition of which name our Felisanna againe blusheth and then palleth as if God had some newes to reveale her by this Letter because shee remembreth that this Castruchio as we have formerly understood was the very same Apothecary who gave her husband Planeze physicke a little before his death Whereupon she praying Dorilla to come with her into her house because she purposly and politikely affirmed she could not read written hand herselfe but would pray her father to doe it she leaves her in the utter hall and herselfe goes into the next roome where breaking up the seales of this letter she at the very first sight and knowledge that her husband was poysoned and by whom and that God had now miraculously revealed it to her through the ignorance and drunkennesse of this old woman she for meere griefe and sorrow is ready to fall to the ground in a swoone had not her father and some of his servants who over hearing her passionate outcries come speedily to her assistance which yet could not awake Dorilla who had no sooner sate her selfe downe in a chaire in the hall but being top heavy with wine she presently fell a sleepe Miniata rousing up his fainting and sorrowfull daughter brought her againe to herselfe and seeing her in a bitter agonie and passion of sorrow demands of her the cause thereof when the brinish teares trickling downe her virmilion cheekes she crossing her armes and fixing her eyes towards heaven had the will but not the power to speake a word to him but reacheth him the Letter to read Miniata perusing it is as much astonished with griefe as his daughter is afflicted with sorrow at this poysoning of her Husband and his sonne in Law Planeze so enquiring of her who brought her this letter she after many sighes and pauses tels him that it was the mercy and providence of the Lord who sent it her by a drunken woman who was forth in the Hall They both goe to her and finding her fast sleeping and snoring Miniata puls her by the sleeve and wakes her and then demands of her before his daughter and servants where and from whom she had this letter who as drunke as this Baud is she is constant in her first speech and confession to Felisanna that she had it from Castruchio an Apothecary who lay in prison but she had forgotten to whom she was to deliver it and then prayes them both to deliver and give her backe her letter againe But Miniata seeing and knowing that it was the immediate finger of God which thus strangely had revealed this murther of his sonne in Law Planeze he calls in two Gentlewomen his next neighbours to comfort his daughter Felisanna and so leaving Dorilla to the guard of two of his servants he with two other Gentlemen his neighbours takes his Coach and having Castruchio's Letter in his hand he drives away to the State-house where he findes out the Podestate and Prefect of the Citie and shewing them the Letter which revealed the poysoning and poysoners of Planeze his sonne in Law they in honour to justice and out of their respect to the sorrowfull Lady his daughter take their Coaches and returne with Miniata home to his house Where they first examine Felisanna and then Dorilla who is constant in her first deposition Whereat these grave and honourable Personages wondring and admiring that a Gentleman of Barlari his ranke and quality should make himselfe the guilty and bloudy Authour of so foule a Murther they likwise admiring and blessing Gods providence in the detection thereof doe presently send away their Isbieres or Serjeants to apprehend Borlari and so they goe to their Forum or seat of Iustice and speedily send away for Castruchio to be brought from the prison before them Who at the very first newes of their accusation of him and the producing of his Letter to Borlari he curseth the person and name of this old Bawd Dorilla who is the prime Authour of his overthrow and death and then confesseth himselfe to be the Actor and Seignior Borlari to be the Authour cause and Instigator of this his poysoning of Planeze but never puts his hand on his conscience and soule that the strange detection of this lamentable murther came directly from Heaven and from God The Serjeants by order from the Podestate and Prefect finde Borlari in his owne house ruffling in a new rich suit of apparrell of blacke Sattin trimmed with gold buttons which he that day put on and the next was determined to ride to the City of Bergamo to seeke in marriage a very rich young widdow whose Husband lately died
sugred speeches and protestations of their pretended innocency but consult between themselves what here to resolve on for the vindication of this truth So at last they hold it expedient and requisite first to expose Astonicus to the torments of the Racke the which hee being a strong and robustuous man hee endureth with a firme resolution and constancy every way above himselfe and almost beyond beliefe and still confesseth nothing but his innocency and ignorance of this deplorable fact whereof the Judges resting not yet satisfied they within an houre after adjudge Donato to the tortures of the Scarpines who being a little timbred man of a pale complexion and weake constitution of body his right foote no sooner feeles the unsufferable fury of the fire and his tormentors then confidently promising him all desired favour from his Iudges if hee will confesse the truth but after some sorrowfull teares and pittifull cries hee fully and amply doth and in the same manner and forme as in all its circumstances we have formerly understood The which when the Iudges heare of they cannot refraine first from admiring and wondering there at and then from lamenting that personages of their ranke and quality should bee the Authors and Actors of so foule and lamentable a murther especially of this faire Gentlewoman Imperia to her owne good old husband Palmerius Now by this time also are Morosini Imperia and Astonicus acquainted with this fatall confession and accusation of Donato against them for this murther wherat they do infinitely lament grieve because they are therby perfectly assured that it hath infallibly made them all three liable and obnoxious to death as also for that their supposed firme friend Donato proved himself so false a man and so true a coward to be the cause therof wherin they so much forget themselves as they doe not once thinke and they will not therefore remember that the detection of this their foule murther proceeded immediatly from Heaven and originally from the providence and justice of the Lord of Hostes. The very same after noone the Iudges send for Morosini Imperia and Astonicus to appeare before them in their publike tribunall of Iustice where they first acquaint and charge them with Donatos confession and accusation against them for murthering of Palmerius whereat they are so farre from being any way dismayed ordanted as they all doe deny and reâ—…ell his accusation and so in high tearmes doe stand upon their innocency and iustification But when they see Donato brought into the court in a chaire for his fiery torments of the Scarpines had so cruelly scorched and pittifully burnt away the flesh of the sole of his right foote almost to the bone that he was wholly vnable either to goe or stand and that they were to be confronted face to face with him as also they being also hotly terrified and threatned by the iudges with the torments of the Racke and Scarpines then God was so gratious to their hearts and so mercifull to their soules that they looking mournefully each at other shee weeping and they sighing and all of them dispairing of life and too perfectly assured of death they all confesse the whole truth of this foule fact of theirs and so confirme as much as Donato had formerly affirmed of this their bloody crime of murthering Palâ—…rius in his bed when one of these two reverend and grave Iudges immediately thereupon doe condemne them all foure to be hanged the next morning at the common place of execution of that cittie although Donato because of his confession hereof in vaine flattered himselfe that he should receive a pardon for his life So they are all sent backe to their prison from whence they came where all the courtesie which the importunate requests of Morosini and the incessant sighes and teares of Impreia an obtaine of their Iudges is that they grant them an houre of time to see converse and speak one with the other that night in prison in presence of their Goalers and some other persons before they dye When Morosini being guided towards her chamber such is the weakenesse of his religion towards God and the fervency or rather the exorbitancy of his affection towards her that as he passeth from chamber to chamber he is so far from once thinking much lesse fearing of death as he absolutely beleeves he is going to a Victory and a triumph here Moroâ—…ni with a world of sighes throwes himself into his Imperia's neck brest and here Imperia with a whole deluge of teares embraceth and encloystereth her â—…orosini in her armes when after a thousand kisses they beg pardon one of another or being the essentiall and actuall cause each of others death and doe enterchangeably both kisse and speake sometimes privately and most times publikely before the spectators that if those reports be true which I first heard therof in Tolentino next in Folignio and lastlâ—… in Rome I say to depaint and represent it at life in all its circumstances I should then begin a second history when I am now on the very point and period to end the first neither in my conceit is it a taske either proper for me to undertake or pertinent for my pen to performe because to speak freely and ingeniously I hold the grant and permission of this their amorous visit enterview in prison before they dye to be every way more worthie of the pittie than of the gravity or piety of their Iudges If therefore I doe not content the curiositie I yet hope I shall satisfie the judgement of my Christian Reader here briefly to signifie this their limited houre is no sooner past but to the sharpe affliction of Morosini the bitter anxiety of Imperia they by their Goalers are separated and confined to their severall chambers where by the charity of their Iudges they finde two Friers and two Nuns attending them to prepare their soules for Heaven and in a lesse vaine and a more serious and religious conference to entertaine both their time and themselves from an Earthly to the speculation and contemplation of a divine and heavenly love as also from them to Astonicus and Donato But before I proceed farther Wee must understand that the two Fryers have not been with Morosini and the two Nuns with Imperia above an houre But by the two Iudges there is a cheife subordinate Officers of theirs sent to prison to tel Imperia that her Uncle Seignior Alexandro Bondino a great Senator and famous Iudge of Rome hath obtained her pardon of this present Pope Vrban the eighth But shee is not of glad of this newes as shee is then curious to enquire if her Morosini bee likewise pardoned so the Officer tells her no and that hee absolutely must suffer death then shee weepes farre faster than shee rejoyceth and affirmes that shee will not live but dye The Iudges send for her and perswade her to live but she begges them as importunarely to give Morosini his life as
they doe her to accept and receive her owne They tell her they have not the power to grant her the first and she replies that shee then hath not the will to embrace and entertaine the second They acquaint Morosini herewith who by their order and by their selves doe strongly perswade her hereunto but her first answer and resolution is her last that shee willaccept of no life if he must dye neither will hee refuse any death conditionally that shee may live to survive him The two Friers and two Nunnes use their best Art and Oratory to perswade her hereunto but they meet with impossibility to make her affection to Morosini and her resolution to her selfe flexible hereunto Her life is not halfe so pretious to her as is his for if shee had many as shee hath but one shee is both ready and resolute to lose and sacrifice them all for his sake and would esteeme it her felicity that her death might redeem and ransome his life The Judges out of their goodnesse and charity afford a whole day to invite and perswade her hereunto but shee is still deafe to their requests and still one and the same woman desirous to live with him or constant and resolute to dye for him Therefore when nâ—…thing can prevaile with her because dye he must so dye shee will to the which shee cheerefully prepares her selfe with an equall affection and resolution which I rather admire than commend in her So the next morning theyare all foure brought to the place of common execution to suffer death Where Donato is first liftedup to the Ladder who being fuller of paine than words said little in effect but that he wished he had either died in Constantinople or Aleppo or else sunke in the sea before he came to Ancona and not to have here ended his daies in misery and infamy The next who was ordered to follow him was Astonicus who told the world boldly and plainly that hee cared lesse for his death than for the cause thereof and that hee loved Morosini so perfectly and dearely that he rather reioyced than grieved to dye for him only he repented himselfe for assisting to murther Palmerius and from his heart and soule beseeched God to forgive it him and so he was turned over Then Morosini ascends the Ladder â—…ad in a haire coulour sattin sute and a paire of crimson silke stockings with garters and roses edged with silver lace being so vaine in his carriage action and speeches as before hee once thought of God hee with a world of sighes takes a solemneleave of his sweet heart Imperia and with all the powers of his heart and soule prayes her to accept of his life and so to survive him He makes an exact and godly confession of his sinnes to God and the world and yet neverthelesse hee is so vaine in his affection toward Imperia as hee takes both to witnesse that had hee a thousand lives he would cheerefully lose them all to save and preserve hers As for Imperia such was her deere and tender affection to him as she would faine look on him as long as he lives and yet she equally desires and resolves rather to dy than to see him die and because she hath not the power therefore she turnes her â—…ace and eies from him and will not have the will to see him dye When he having said his prayers and so recommended his soule into the hands of his Redeemer he is also turned over Now although our Imperia bee here againe and againe solicited by the Iudges Friers and Nuns to accept of her life yet she seeing her other selfe Morosini dead shee therefore disdaines to survive him shee hath so much love in her heart as she now hath little life and lesse joy in her lookes and countenance Shee ascends the Ladder in a plaine blacke Taffeta Gowne a plaine thicke set Ruffe a white Lawne Quayfe and a long blacke Cypresse vayle over her head with a white paire of gloves and her prayer booke in her hands When beeing farre more capable to weepe than speake shee casting a wonderfull sad and sorrowfull looke on her dead lover Morosini after many volleyes of farre fetchd sighes shee delivers this short speech to that great concourse of people who from Citty and Country flocked thither to see her and them dye Good People I had lived more happy and not dyed so miserable if my Father Bondino had not so cruelly enforced mee to marry Palmerius whom I could not love and to leave Morosini whom in heart and soule I ever affected a thousand times deerer than mine owne life and may all fathers who now see my death or shall hereafter heare or reade this my History bee more pittifull and lesse cruell to their daughters by his Example I doe here now suffer many deaths in one to see that my deere Morosini is dead for my sake for had hee not loved mee deerly and I him tenderly he had never died for mee nor I for him with such cheerefullnesse and alacrity as now we doe And here to deale truly with God and the world although I could never affect or fancy my old husband Palmerius yet noâ—… from my heart and soule I lament and repent that ever I was guilty of his innocent and untimely death the which God forgive me and I likewise request you all to pray unto God to forgive it me And not to conceale or dissemble the truth of my heart I grieve not to dye but rather because I have no more lives to lose for my Morosini's affection and sake I have and doe devoutly pray unto God for his soule and so I heartily request and conjure you all to doe for mine Thus I commend you all to happy and prosperous lives my selfe to a pious and patient death in earth and a joyfull and glorious resurrection in Heaven when signing her selfe often with the signe of the crosse she pulls her vaile downe over her face and so praying that she might be buried in one and the same grave with Morosini she bad the executioner performe his office who immediatly turnes her over And if reports be true Never three young men and one faire young Gentlewoman died more lamented and pittied then they For Morosini died with more resolution than repentance and Imperia with more repentance than resolution thus was their lives and thus their deaths May wee extract wisdome out of their folly and charity out of their cruelty so shall wee live as happy as they died miserably and finish our daies and lives in as much content and tranquillity as they ended theirs in shame infamy and confusion GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable sinne of Murther HISTORY XXVII Father Iustinian a Priest and Adrian an Inne-keeper poyson De Laurier who was lodged in his house and then bury him in his Orchard where a moneth after a Wolfe digges him up and devonres a great part of his body which father Iustinian and Adrian
taking a solemne and sorrowfull farwell of all the world shee puls downe her vaile over her snow-white cheekes and then often crossing her selfe with the signe of the crosse and saying her last in manus â—…ua the executioner with a flaming torch sets fire to the straw and fagots whereof shee presently dies and in lesse than an houre after her body is there consumed burnt to ashes at which all that great concourse of people and spectators in favour to her youth and beauty as much affecting the piety of her death as they hate and detest the cause thereof I meane the infamy and crueltie of her life doe with far more sorrow than joy give a great shout and out-cry When the judges of that cittie now upon knowledge of this Ladies first horrible crime of poysoning her first Lord and husband Don Alonsâ—… De Mora they in detestation thereof being not able to adde either worser infamy or more exquisite and exemplary torments to her living body they therefore partly to bee revenged on her dead ashes doe cause them curiously to bee gathered up and so in the same place by the common hang-man before all the people to bee scattered and throwen in the aire where at they rejoyce and praise God to see the world so fairly rid of so foule and bloody a female monster And thus was the untimely and yet deserved end of this lascivious and cruell hearted Lady Bellinda and in this sharp manner did the Lord of heaven and earth triumph in his just revenge and punishments against her for these her two foule and inhumane crimes of murthering her two husbands May God of his best and divinest mercy make this her history and example to serve as a chrystall mirrour for all men and especially for all women of what condition and qualitie so ever And now Christian reader having by Gods most gratious assistance and providence here finished this entire and last volume of my six bookes of tragicall histories if thou find that thou reape any profit or thy soule any spirituall benefite by the reading and perusall thereof then in the name and feare of God I beseech thee to joyne thy prayers and piety with mine that as in Christian religion and duty wee are bound so for the same wee may jointly ascribe unto God all possible power might Majesty thanksgiving dominion and Glory both now and for ever Amen Amen FINIS Augusti XVIII 1634. REcensui hunc librum cui titulus The sixt booke of the triumphs of Gods revenge upon Murther qui quidem liber continet folia 99 aut circiter in quibus exceptis quae delentur nihil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quò minus cum publicâ utilitate imprimi queat sub eà tamen conditione ut si non intrà annum proximè sequentem typis mandetur haec licentia sit omnino irrita Guilielmus Haywood Capell domest Archiep. Cant. a Psal 23. 1. b Psal. 100. 3. c Mat. 25. 34. 41 d 1 Ioh. 2. 16. e Col. 3. 5. f 1 Pet. 5 8. g Revel 12. 9. h Ioh 12. 31. Ephes. 6. 12. i 2 Cor. 11. 14. k Luk. 4. 6. 7. l Gen. 1. 27. Psal. 115. 6. m Ioh. 10. 21. 11. 25. o Gen. 2. 7. p Gen. 1. 28. q Isay. 43. 21. r Heb. 13. 14. s Psal. 102 3. Isay 40. 7. t Psal. 39. 5. u 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x Coloss. 3. 〈◊〉 y Ephes. 6. 〈◊〉 b Rom. 5. 3. c Iames 1. 2. d Iam. 1. 13 14. e Psal. 73. 23. f Psal. 9. 10. g Psal. 18. 2. h Hos. 6. 1. i Iames 1. 12. k Psal. 125. 1. l 1. Ioh. 2. 11. m 1 Ioh. 4. 10. n Ephes. 4. 26. o 1 Pet. 3. 9. p Coloss. 3 13. r Psal. 145. 8. s Gen. 4. 8. t 2 Sam. 11. 17. u 2 Sam. 3. 27. x 1 Kin. 21. 13. y 2 Kin. 21. 1. z Psa. 7. 14 15 a Iam. 5. 13. b Psal. 61. 8. c Exod. 15. 15 c Deut. 30. 20. d Psal. 104. 31
me to cease to be affectionate Neither doe I sacrifice my shame to thy Glory or cast away my teares on thy contempt sith I performe it more out of duty then complement and rather out of true zeale then false hypocrisie And as the strongest Cities and Castles by the rule of war so the fairest beauties by that of love deserve to be honoured with more then one assault and siege and that Cavilleir cannot justly be termed either a Gentleman a Souldier or a Lover who will resolve to be put off with the first repulse especially from so sweet and so beautifull an Enemy as thy selfe Neither can it any way breed infamy or repentance in me to be servant to so deare and slave to so faire a Mistris because the excellency of thy beauty is every way capable both to confound sence and to subvert and overthrow Reason Bee then but as courteous as thou art faire and as kinde as I am constant and thou shalt finde that I onely desire to erect the Trophees of mine Honour and Glory upon those of thy content to sacrifice my best life at the shrine and altar of thy beautie and to devote and prostrate my best zeale and service to the feet of thy Commands which if thou please to grant me Earth will not make me miserable but Heaven fortunate BORLARY The Lady Felisanna having received and oreread this second Letter of Borlari as one way shee laughes to see the constancy of his folly and indiscretion so another way shee stormes and yet grieves to see her selfe to be both the object and the cause thereof When returning to the party who brought it her shee thinks to vent part of her choller on him taxeth his audacity and rashnesse herein and strictly conjures him to bring her no more of Borlari his Letters yea shee is so farre transported with passion and choller against Borlari for sending them to her as now shee resolves to answer this wâ—… silence and hence forth to burne all other which are sent or brought to her from him because if his folly make him culpable of sending shee will not futurely make herselfe guilty of receiving any more But here againe her thoughts are taken up with feare and her heart surprised with resolution and doubt whether yea or no shee should shewe these his two letters to her Husband For her affection is soe tender soe faithfull soe constant to him because shee likewise knowes that his is reciprocally so to her that she will rather displease her selfe then any way discontent him or administer him the least cause whatsoever to runne the hazard of his displeasure or indignation for as by concealing them from his knowledge she knowes this businesse will be for ever husht up in silence and perpetually buried in oblivion So contrariwise if either through Borlarie his malice to her or indiscretion to himselfe it should any way come to her Husbands eare then she thinkes she should give him a just cause of exception and offence against her Wherein if the subtilty of the Devill should once put his foot or the malice of any of his members their tongues or fingers then his jealousie might call her Honour and Fidelity in question and make him suspect and feare her to bee dishonest though heretofore in heart and soule he confidently knowes and beleeves the contrarie she farther knowes that there is nothing so easie as to entertaine jealousie nor so difficult as to expell it and therefore that it is not enough for us to prevent a scandall but likewise to remove the originall cause thereof faine she would conceale these foolish letters of Borlari from her husband but yet she doubts it and willing she is to accquaint him there with and yet she feares it And although her chastity and innocency perswade her to performe the last yet her discretion and judgement encourage and prompt her to execute the second And here our Beautifull and Vertuous young Wife is perplexed as a traveller who meetes with two different waies and knowes not which is the best for him to take and her heart and thoughts here in this accident is as a ship at sea at one time surprised and met with two contrary windes and tides for preferring her honour to her life and her affection to her husband and his to her before any other earthly respect or felicity whatsoever she in the intricacy and ambiguity of these doubts wisheth that Borlari had slept when he writ and sent her those Letters or she when she received and read them But at last consulting with Reason and Religion with her Soule and God then her chastity gives a commanding law to her feare and her innocency to her doubt so first hoping and then praying that nothing herein might breed bad bloud in her husband or disturbe the tranquility and sincerity of her marriage shee watching a fit opportunity shewes her husband the first letter of Borlari to her with her answer thereof and then his second letter the which she informes him shee answered with silence and contempt adding withall That had she a thousand lives as she hath but one she would cheerefully sacrifice and lose them all before she would be guilty of the least thought to distaine the honour of his bed or to breake her sacred vow of Love and Chastity which in presence of God and his Church she religiously made and gave him in marriage Planeze at the hearing of these speeches and the reading of these Letters doth at one instant both blush and pale for as hee lookes pale with Envy towards Borlari to see how secretly and subtilly he endevoureth to ruine his honour in that of his wifes so he blusheth for love towards her to see how sweetly and chastly she had demeaned her selfe in her answer to him as also what a wise and loving part it was in her so punctually and fully to acquaint him therwith when in requitall hereof hee gives her many prayses and kisses extols her chastity and vertues to the sky and condemnes Borlarie his lustfull vices to Hell and although for the present shee finde some incongruity in his speeches and observe some perâ—…bation in his lookes yet he makes his affection so apparant to her and dissembleth his hatred and choller towards Borlari so secretly and artificially That his wife Felisanna wholly reposing herselfe upon her owne integrity and her husbands discretion shee sweet innocent Lady little dreames or thinkes of any disaster which will ensue hereof muchlesse what dismall effects threaten to proceed from this inconsiderate act of hers in acquainting her Husband with those Letters But shee will have time enough to see it to her griefe and know it to her sorrow yea shee will finde occasions enough to repent but never any meanes how to remedy it except it be too late and which then will meerely prove phisicke after death Planeze as wee have formerly understood is extreamely incensed against Borlary thus to attempt to bereave him
of his sweetest Joy which is his wifes affection and shee of her most pretious Iewell her chastity And although both in reason and religion he had farre more cause to rejoyce then to grieve at this accident in regard hee was both assured and confident that his wifes chastity triumphed ore Borlaries lust and her glory was apparant in his shame for as objects so actions being best distinguished by their contraries therefore through the obscure clouds of Borlari his obscaene concupiscence that of Felisâ—…as Angelicall chastity as a bright relucent Sunne shined forth most radiâ—…tly and sweetly with farre more vigour and glory yet Planeze being a man composed of corrupt flesh and bloud and therefore subject to passions and those passions to errours and imperfections So he takes a course and resolution herein contrary to all Iudgement and to all reason yea diametrically opposite to the rules of Nature and precepts of Grace For although his heart bee upright in the opinion of his wifes chastity and honour yet as the deerest and purest affections cannot be exempted of some shadow or spice of feare so although his heart looked directly on Borlari with malice hee cannot possibly â—…aine nor retaine his thoughts from glancing squint-eyed on his wife with â—…lousie And although he knowes it to be a most ignoble ingratitude and irreligious impiety in him thus to call her honour in question on in the best â—…ce to revoke it to doubt by making any puplike shew of suspition or 〈◊〉 to her or by seeking any private revenge on Borlari yet because her beauty and vertue is a thousand times deerer to him then his life and the puâ—…ty and integrity of her affection to him as deere as his soule Hee therefore thinkes she shall not prophane his good opinion of her noâ—… offer her merits 〈◊〉 his owne reputation any wrong if he resolve to right both her and himselfe on Borlari when consulting not with reason or charity but with their opposites malice and revenge hee will not bee at peace with his heart nor at â—…ce with his thoughts before he have fought with Borlari albeit indeed his â—…lict and offence towards him more deserved his scorne then his Care and was every way farre more worthy of his oblivion then of his remembrance To which end by a Chirurgion which he had made choice of he sends him this challenge PLANEZE to BORLARY THy crime is so foule and so apparent to mee in seeking by thy two lascivious Letters to distaine my honour in that of my wifes chastity as nothing but thy life is capable to expiate it or 〈◊〉 to desace and forget it wherefore if thou have 〈◊〉 much courage 〈◊〉 thou wantest grace bring thy self â—… thy â—…upier and thy Chirurgion with thee to morrow at six a clocke in the morning in the City Ditch without the utter Gate which lookes towards Brescia and there my selfe and my Chirurgion who is the bearer hereof will silently and honourably wait for thee And if thy obscene heart retaine yet any sparke of generosity or thy vitious braine of judgement thou wilt resolve to performe this my request and to excuse my resolution herein sith it is wholly derived from thy lasciviousnesse and receives its life and birth from thy treachery PLANEZE Borlary receiving and perusing this Challenge of Planeze he is much grieved and sorrowfull to see that Felisanna had so little discretion for her felfe and so much hatred against him to shew her husband these his Letters and except she meant to make her selfe the present authour and the cause of her future affliction and misery he knowes not else what she intends hereby But for Planeze his spleene and resolution against him Borlaâ—…y knowes it to be both just and well grounded in the best sense and in the worst to be yet a requitall of that Challenge and Duell which he formerly sent and presented him Onely he doth a little admire if not wonder that he should now againe make triall of his valour and courage whereof he so lately had experience and tasted And although he had farre more reason to rest assured than doubtfull that this second Duell of theirs would not prove so fortunate as their first but would rather terminate in one if not in both of their lives He yet loves Felisanna so dearly albeit she hate him extreamly that he will by no meanes refuse to fight with her husband once againe for her sake yea and to kill him for his owne if possible he can the devill making him strong in the vanitie of this beleefe and confidence that if it prove now his good fortune to kill Planâ—… that he can then requite and limit his victory with the reward of no lesse happinesse and felicity by his death to obtaine his widdow for his owne wife But this is to write upon the water and to build Castles of vaine hopes in the ayre which the least breath of Gods mouth or wind of his nostrils will easily reverse and blow away For this is to consult and resolve with Satan and not with God and therefore no marvell if he see his lascivious desires to come too short of his ridiculous hopes and both his hopes and desires herein to end in as much true misery as they beganne in false hope of felicity and joy So Borlari having made a turne or two in his Garden to resolve upon this businesse which so much imported both his honour and life Hee at last with joy in his lookes and courage in his countenance turnes to Planeze his Chirurgâ—…on whom after he used respectfully and courteously hee secretly rounds him thus in his eare Tell Seignior Planeze from me that I will not faile to meet him to morrow morning according to his request and expectation and so he dismisseth him who as soone returnes this answer of Borlari to Planeze whom he now findes staying for him in the Church of the Augustine Fryers but God knowes with no intent or devotion to pray or to invoke his Divine and Sacred Majestie to divert him from this his intended bloudy enterprize but rather to reconduct home the Lady Felisanna his wife who harmlesse sweet Gentlewoman was there in that Church upon the Altar of her heart proffering up the most religious prayers and zealous Orisons of her soule unto God without once surmising or thinking what a mournfull and dangerous part her husband was resolved to act the next morning to the prejudice of her content if not to the utter dissolution and ruine of her Matrimoniall joy and felicity But her husband Planeze beares this businesse and these his intentions so secretly from his wife as it was impossible for her to have any suspition much lesse knowledge of this his next dayes intended Duell The night which brings rest to others hath not power to give it to our two inflamed Duelists For the consideration of their honours and their lives of their quarrell and the cause thereof doth equally possesse their braines
and number lamented and pittied that so proper and noble a Gentleman should first deserve and then receive so untimely a death When after the Priests and Friers have here prepared and directed his soule hee aseending the Scaffold with some what a low voice and dejected and sorrowfull countenance he delivered this short speech That in regard hee knowes that now when he is to take his last leave of this life to charge his conscience with the concealing of any capitall crime is the direct and true way to send his soule to hell in stead of heaven hee will now therefore reveale that hee is yet more execrable and bloudy then his Iudges thinke or know or his spectatours imagine for that he not only hired Pierot his Fathers Miller to murther Marieta but also the Apothecary Moncallier to poyson his owne brother Valfontaine of both which foule and bloudy crimes of his he now freely confesseth himselfe guilty and now from his heart and soule sorrowfully lamenteth and repenteth them that his filthy lust and inordinate affection to women was the first cause and his neglect of prayer to God the second which hath justly brought him to this shamefull end and confusion that therefore he beseecheth all who are present to bee seriously forewarned of the like by his wofull Example and that in Christian charity they will now joyne their devout prayers with his to God for his soule When on the Scaffold praying a little whiles silently to himselfe kneeling and then putting off his Doublet hee commits himselfe to the Executioner who at one blow severed his head from his shoulders But this punishment and death of Quatbrisson suffiseth not now to give full content and satisfaction to his Iudges who by his owne confession considering his inhumane and deplorable poysoning of his owne brother Valfontaine they as soone as hee is dead and before he be cold adjudge his body to bee taken downe and there burnt to Ashes at the foot of the Gibbet which accordingly is performed And here our thoughts and curiosity must now returne poast from Rennes to Vannes and from wretched Quatbrisson to the base and bloudy Miller Pierot whom God and his Iudges have now ordayned shall likewise smart for this his lamentable murther on poore and harmelesse Marieta Hee is brought to the Gallowes in his old dusty mealy Suite of Canvas where a Priest preparing him to dye hee either out of impiety or ignorance or both delivereth this idle speech to the people That because Marieta was young and faire hee is now heartily sorry that he had not married her and that if he had beene as wise as covetous the two hundred Crownes or the Lease of his Mill which his yong master Monsieur Quatbrisson profered him might have made him winke at her dishonesty and that although she were not a true Mayd to her selfe yet that she might have proved a true and honest wife to him with many other frivolous words and lewd speeches tending that way which I purposely omit and resolve to passe over in silence as holding them unworthy either of my relation or the Readers knowledge when not having the grace once to name God to speake of his soule to desire heaven or to seeme to bee any way repentant and sorrowfull for this his bloody offence hee is stripped naked having onely his shirt fastned about his waste and with an Iron barre hath his legs thighes armes and brest broken alive and there his miserable body is left naked and bloudy on the Wheele for the space of two dayes thereby to terrifie and deterre the beholders from attempting the like wretched crime And the Iudges of Vannes being certifyed from the Court of Parliament at Rennes that Quatbrisson at his death charged the Apothecary Moncallier to have at his hiring and instigation poysoned his brother Valfontaine they hold the Church to be too holy a place for the body and buriall of so prophane and bloudy a Villaine When after well neere a whole yeares time that he was buried in Saint Francis Church in that Towne they cause his Coffin to be taken up and both his body and it to bee burnt by the common Hang-man and his Ashes to bee throwne into the aire Which to the Ioy of all the Spectators is accordingly performed GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXECRAble Sinne of Murther HISTORIE XXV Vasti first murthereth his Sonne George and next poysoneth his owne Wife Hester and being afterwards almost killed by a mad Bull in the Fields hee revealeth these his two murthers for the which he is first hanged and then burnt TO religious hearts there can nothing be so distastfull as Sinne nor any Sinne so odious and execrable as Murther for it being contrary to Nature and Grace the very thought much more the act thereof strikes horrour to their hearts and consciences Wherefore if this foule and bloudy Sinne bee so displeasing to godly men how infinitely more detestable is it then to God himselfe who made all living creatures to serve Man and onely created Man purposely to serve Himselfe But as Choller and Malice proceede from the passions of men so doth Murther from the Deuill for else wee should not so often and frequently see it perpetrated in most Countryes and Cities of the World as we doe A mournefull Example whereof I here produce to your view and serious consideration THe place of this History is Fribourg an antient city of Switzerland which gives name to one of the Divisions or Cantons of that famous and warlike country Wherein of fresh memory dwelt a rich Burger named Peter Vasti who had to his wife a modest discreet and vertuous woman named Hester by whom he had one only child a Sonne called George Vasti whom God sent them the latter end of the first yeare of their marriage and for the tearme of some ten yeares following this marryed couple lived in most kinde and loving sort each with other yea their hearts and inclinations so sympathized in mutuall and interchangeable affection as they held and reputed none of their Neighbours so rich in content as themselves for she was carefull of her Family and he very diligent and industrious to maintaine it both of them being chaste and continent in themselves very religious towards God and exceeding charitable affable and courteous to all their Neighbours and Acquaintance onely they are so temperate in their drinking as â—…ee would not and shee could not bee tainted with that beastly Vice of Drunkenâ—…esse whereunto that Countrey and the greatest part of that People are but too excessively addicted and subject So that had Vasti still imbraced and followed those Vertues in the course and conduction of his life hee had not then defiled this History with the profusion of so many sinnes nor besprinckled it with the effusion of so much innocent bloud nor consequently have administred so much sorrow to the Reader in perusing and knowing it but as contrary Causes produce contrary Effects so
he by this time polluting himselfe with filthy and pernicious Company it is no marvell if he leave his temperancie to follow drunkennesse his chastity to commit fornication and adultery yea it is no marvell I say if these foule sins as Bawds to rage and revenge exact such power in his heart and predominancie in his soul as in the end to draw him to murther for goodmen cannot receive a greater plague nor the Devill afford or give them a worse pestilence then bad company It is the fatall Shelves and dismall Rocks whereon a world of people have and doe daily suffer shipwracke yea it is the griefe of a Kingdome and Countrey the bane of our Age and the corruption and poyson of our Times for it turnes those who professe and pursue it out of their estates and homes which they are then inforced either to sell or rather to give away to Vsurers and Cormorants and consequently which makes themselves and their poore wives and children ready to starve and dye in our streets So this is now the cause of our Vasti and therefore it will be his happinesse if it prove not his misery hereafter for after twelve yeares time of a most peaceable cohabitation and Godly conversation betweene him and his vertuous wife Hester it is a thousand griefes and pitties that she must now be inforced to see so brutish and beastly a Metamorphosis in her husband for hee is no more the man which hee was nor the husband which shee formerly found him to bee Hee loves neither his house nor his wife but stayes abroad every day with his whores and then at night returnes home to her starke drunke and in lamentable sort reviles and beats her whereas heretofore he would rather have lost his life then have strucken her and whereas heretofore he affected and loved her so dearely as he thought he could not be kinde enough to her now in the extravagancie of these his deboshed humours he hates her so deadly as he deemes and supposeth hee cannot be sufficiently cruell to her although her affection be still so fervent to him and her care so vigilent and respectfull of him as shee gives him nothing but either sweet words teares sighs silence or prayers yea shee proves her selfe so good a woman to so bad a man and so courteous and vertuous a wife to so unkinde and vitious a husband as to the eyes and judgements of all their kinsfolkes and neighbours they know it is now her praise and glory and feare it will hereafter prove his shame and misery She leaves no meanes unassayed or invention unsought and unattempted to divert and turne this foule inundation of his Vice into the sweet streames of Vertue and the pure rivers of Godlinesse But Ahlas good woman her care proves vaine and her affection and zeale impossible herein although her pale cheekes mournefull eyes brinish teares far-fetcht sighs religious prayers and sweet perswasions doe still second and accompany her indeavours in this her desired hope of his reformation for she is inforced to know that hee keepes a young strumpet named Salyna at the Towne of Cleraux some sixe Leaugues from Fribourg whither most mornings hee goes to her and to make himselfe the more treacherous a dissembler to his wife and the more execrable a traytor to his soule he fortifyeth and coloureth out this his accustomed journey to his strumpet with this false Apologie that he goes to Cleraux to heare the Sermons of M r Abraham Tifflin a very famous and religious Preacher there when God and his ulcerated soule and conscience know the contrary and that this pretended excuse of his is but only a false cloak to overvail his true Adultery and prophane Impiety for he needed not to have formerly added Whordom to his Drunkennesse and now Ingratitude Cruelty and Impiety to his Whordome in regard the least of these enormous crimes and sinnes assuredly have the power and will infallibly finde the meanes to make him futurely as miserable as now he foolishly thinkes himselfe happy for these his journeyes to Cleraux are onely the Pilgrimage of his wanton Lust. Salyna is the Saint of his voluptuous devotion her House the Temple of his obscene wishes and Adultery the Oblation and Sacrifice of his lascivious desires Wee can difficultly make our selves guilty of a fouler sinne on earth then to seeme sanctifyed in our devotions towards God when we are prophane or to indeavour to appeare sound without when we are rotten within in our Faith and Religion For as Man is the best and noblest of all Gods creatures so an Hypocrite towards God is the worst of men yea or rather a Devill and no man for our hearts and actions and our most retired thoughts and secret darling sinnes are as conspicuous and transparant to Gods eyes as his decrees and resolutions are invisible to ours sith he sees all things and we see nothing when we doe not see him A miserable hight of impiety in making of our selves foolishly sinners and wilfully Hypocrites and yet it is a more fatall and fearefull degree thereof when we so delight in sinne and glory in hypocrisie as to make Apologies for the same But Vasti not thinking either of Religion or God frolicks it out with Salyna his strumpet in Cleraux whiles his owne vertuous wife Hester weepes at home at Fribourg and when he returnes thence hee is still so hard hearted and cruell to her as he continually beates her Now by this time George their Sonne is sixteene yeares of age of a mans courage and stature and of a very pregnant wit so that as young as he is hee hath beene long enough a sorrowfull eye-witnesse of his Fathers cruelty in beating of his Mother Hee hath formerly seene the lamentable effects and now he falls on his knees to her and with teares and prayers beseecheth her to acquaint him with the true cause thereof and from whence it proceeds when his Mother adding more confidence to his wisedome then to his youth from point to point fully relates it to him accordingly as we have formerly understood George bursts forth into sorrowfull passions at her repetition and his knowledge hereof as not able to refraine from sighing to see her sigh nor from weeping to see her weepe Hee as much grieves to be the Sonne of so vicious a Father as he rejoyceth and gloryeth to be that of so vertuous a Mother so he makes her sorrowes his and here weds himselfe to her quarrell with promise and oath either to right it with his Father or to revenge it on Salyna whom he knowes to be the originall cause of all these stormes and tempests of all these afflictions and miseries which befall his Mother and in her himselfe He will no longer bee a child because God and nature hath now made him a man so the very next time hee sees his Father beate his Mother hee steps to her assistance and defends her from the tyrannie of his blowes and then