love who is upon bad tearms with his Mistresse can do Philoxypes blusht at these words and looking upon me with a kind of smile which did not notwithstanding drive the melancholy from his countenance I perceive Leontidas said he I am not so much beholding to you as I had thought since doubtleslie you are come hither rather to chide me then to visit me I am come Sir said I to trie whether I may not be able to serve you in a time when all the world believes that somewhat of great importance which they cannot guess at doth afflict you Leontidas said he I am much bound to you but I should be so more if you could hinder the Court from looking so far into my heart For I confess said he I finde it somewhat hard that a man may not look inwards sometimes though whilst he does so he is hardly master of his own minde Sir said I were you less beloved you would not suffer under this persecution which you complain of This kinde of Love replied he causeth in me no small suffering For what can I more rationally do then to conceal my Melanchollie in a retiredness to the end that I may not trouble the joy of others But Sir said I t is the cause of this Melanchollie which every body seeks after and none can finde as for my particular I must crave your pardon if I do For Sir t is not ambition that torments you No Leontydas said he if I were sick of that disease the King would quicklie cure me Neither is it revenge said I for not being hated by any it is not to be believed that you are possest with hatred You have reason for what you say said he and sighing added I think I am mine own greatest enemie It is not said I again the passion which you have for books for that passion may cause solitariness but not such melancholy as you are possest withall And moreover you have had that passion a long time without the product of so bad an effect It is not books certainly said he which cause my trouble which were I capable of reason would rather be my comfort It is not Love said I that torments you for you see none that can cause it in you Conclude then said he taking me in his arms that there is no more to be said but that I hate my self that I have lost my reason and if my friends be wise they will let me alone and will leave the knowledge or cure of my malladie to the process of time Sir said I shall Leontidas who hath so particular an affection for you be dealt withall as others are shal he have known nothing more of your concernments then do your enemies if any such you have Ah Sir said I you must if you please do otherwise to prove to you that Leontidas doth in som sort deserve you should do so know Sir that hitherto I have spoken unto you as a spie sent by the King who will know at whatsoever prise what t is that afflicts your minde But after having bootlesly acquitted my self of my Commission I speak no longer Sir as one sent by the King but as one who is resolved to serve you with his life if it shall be needfull and never absolutely to give you over till he know the cause of your Melancholy for Sir if there be no cause of this Melancholy and that it be but a distemper of humours I must stay here that I may endeavour mauger your self to divert you and if there be any cause for it Leontidas must likewise serve you therein if there should redound no other benefit to you thereby then to help you to keep it concealed from the King and from the whole Court if you desire it should be concealed from them I do not know any way said he to keep it undiscovered better then to tell it to no body But Sir said I if you treat me with this indifferencie when I shall return to Paphos and the King shall ask me what I think of your Melancholie I must needs say something to him And what will you say to him replied Philoxypes I think Sir said I that to revenge my self for the little confidence you have in me I will say what I do no waies believe to wit that you are in love and that the shame of your former inflexableness or of your new weakness hinders you from avowing it nay I will peradventure tel him said I in mockerie that that Venus Urania which people have so much quarrel'd with you about since the great feast which you made here and which did precede but a few daies your melancholy humor hath struck you effectually in love In fine sir there is nothing of so odd which I shall not say to revenge my self for the wrong you do the passion which I have to your service During this discourse Philoxypes changed colour twentie times and were it out of friendship or out of my importunitie or that indeed those that are in love love naturallie to speak thereof he took me by the hand led me into his Cabinet and after having made me take sundrie solemn Oaths never to discover what he should say unto me and all this with as much ceremonie and pressure as if he had some conspiracie to discover unto me against the state or some attempt upon the Kings Person he told me that he was in love What Sir said I these retirements these Melanchollies and this impenetrable secret which all the world in vain seeks to finde out is it onely that you are in Love Ah Leontydas said he mock not at my misery for it is greater then you can imagine But Sir said I I have much ado to imagine that you can be so unfortunate as you say since I cannot conceive that there is e're a Princess in the Kingdom except ambitious Aretephile who will be Queen who will not favourably entertain your affection when you shall make it known unto her Alas said he with a sigh Love hath dealt much more cruellie with me then you are aware of and since I must discover unto you the secret of my heart know that I have met with an invincible resistance in one who lives amongst these rocks and dwels but in a cottage Yes Leondidas I have found a maid or to say better I have found virtue it self wholely pure and under the viseage of Venus Urania which hath and doth yet resist me A maid who is not touch'd with ambition in whom beautie causeth no affectation nor pride who hath simplicitie and wit gallantrie and sinceritie and who in a sandie and desart place which the Gods alone have pointed out unto me speaks better then all the wittiest Ladies in the Court But when all this is done she lives in a Cottage her condition appears to be very mean if I consider all that is about her and when I consider onely her self or do but hear her speak shee appears
Kings discourse felt two contrary agitations at the same time he was grieved to finde his odd opinion and joyed that he knew not the true cause of his love as he thought he had done And believing that he might easily disabuse him in a thing so false as the former was he resolved to continue the concealment of his true passion The King then had no sooner said what I have told you but Philoxypes stepping back a little said what Sir does your Majesty suspect me of so much boldness as to be your Rivall Confess said the King for I know your misfortune hath been such as not to be able to resist Aretaphiles charms But Phyloxipes I blame you not for it t was I that first made tryall thereof I know how inevitable they are you have done more then I my self should have done it may be had I your part to play I should have betrayed my master instead of resolving to die of grief and sorrow as you have done for my sake Thus Phyloxypes I am not displeased with you for loving Aretaphile Sir said Phyloxypes to witness unto you that I am not in love with her I promise you never to see her more nor yet ever to come within Paphos or at least never to speak to that Princess I very well know said the King your Generosity rather leads you to resolve on death rather then to be failing in your duty But Philoxypes to the end you may not object unto me That I have done nothing to vanquish my self I am come to stay at Claria as well as you that I may endeavor to cure my self of this passion and to yeild up Aretaphile to you You on your side shall do the like and he that is first cured shall surrender his part in her to the other But my dear Phyloxypes said he you are yet more unhappy then you think for for when I should cease to love Aretaphile you would not have wonn her heart you know how ambitious she is that her soul is onely sensible of greatness and when I should have yeilded up my mistress to you unless I should also yeild my Crown unto you you would not winne much upon her inclination But in fine said he not affording Philoxypes leasure to answer him if I yeild up Aretaphile to you it will not be hard for me to yeild you up my Crown And in a word I will not be upbraided with your death I will do what I can to cure my self to the end that you may cure your self and if we can neither of us cure our selves we will at least die together Sir said Philoxypes I vow by whatsoever I hold most sacred and most holy that I have not the least pretence to the Princess Aretaphile What then said the King who did not believe him is the cause of your retreat and Melancholly I confess Sir I was a hundred and a hundred times ready to break my word which I had past to Philoxypes but seeing the trouble he was in end that in fine he could not resolve to all the King the truth I with held whilst Phyloxypes answered That what his Majestie did command did not deserve his curiositie and that he could not tell it him Being by this time late we returned to Claria where the King spoke still after the same manner to Philoxypes as Philoxypes did also to him Having found a moment of time to entertain Philoxypes alone I would have perswaded him to have acquainted the King with the truth but he could never resolve to do so saying it would be sufficient to let him see he was not in love with Aretaphile if he should never see her more This mean while the more obstinacie and grief the King found in Philoxypes the more did he compassionate him and the more he laboured to overcome his own passion And to this purpose he stayed eight daies at Claria all which time Philoxypes readie to go mad as well in consideration of the Kings opinion and more for that he could not get to see Polycryte I do not think the King would so soon have left this retiredness had he not been advertised that an Ambassador from Amasis King of Egypt was come to Paphos which forc't him to return But Philoxypes do he what he could must needs go along with him No said the King I will not see Aretaphile without seeing you at the same time The Melancholy which I shall see in your eyes must be to me an antidote against the Charms which I shall see in hers We went then to Paphos but good gods how little delightfull was the Court then and how much troubled did the Ambassador finde the King who was three daies without seeing Aretaphile and Philoxypes being in unimaginable pain for the abovesaid reasons seemed to grow still more melancholy whereat the King was still more and more afflicted Ambitious Aretaphile was this mean while not without her perplexity as well by reason of the Kings journey to Claria as that he came not to visite her and for that shee heard he was returned wonderfully sad But at last the King desirous stil to confirm himself in his belief brought Philoxypes with him to Princess Aretaphile hoping to discover his passion better there then in any other place Philoxypes who thought there was no better means to undeceive the King then in leting him see that he took no pleasure in looking upon this Princess was stil careful to look another way but that which he did to dis-deceive the King did the more deceive him for said he to himself unfortunate Philoxypes cannot indure the sight of her whom he loves and whom he will not love He accused himself then of too much inhumanity in exposing him to so great a punishment and seeing how strangely perplext he was his visit was not long This mean while he having during this visit eyed his pretended Rivall as much as his mistress and having been much disquiet the Princess was not much satisfied with his conversation and knew not whereunto to attribute the cause of the change which she saw in him At his coming forth he said a thousand obliging things to Philoxypes and Philoxypes made as many protestations to him of his being unconcerned in Aretaphile But at last that I may shorten my discourse as much as I may Philoxypes being persecuted by the Kings conceit anger'd at Cleanthes discourse much afflicted at what Policryte had said and much more that he could see her no more and that he durst not return to Claria fell dangerously sick all the Physitions gave up their opinions that unless some cure were found for his Melancholy he would infaliblie die The feaver continued seven daies upon him very violently during which time the King was greatly disconsolate and during which time I had tane a little journey to Amathuse about some business that I had there for I think if I had been at Paphos I should have had much adoe to have kept
young slave who served Cleanthes came and opened the door who very well knowing Philoxypes told him after that Philoxypes had ask'd him where his master was that he could not tell him what he desired to know and that all that he knew was that Cleanthes Megisto Polycrite and Dorida were gone from thence and were not to return thither any more that they had carried along with them the women which they had brought from their own Countrey and that his Master had commanded him to wait his further directions there not knowing wherefore he was gone nor why he left him there Philoxypes surpriz'd and afflicted at this Discourse was a good while without speaking The King thought at first that there was some trick in it and that Philoxypes had made me say what I had said only to abuse him but at last this young Slave being stept into the House and returning presently Sir said he to Philoxypes when Policrite was ready to depart from hence she drew me aside unseen by any one and gave me this which I give to you ordaining me so to doe if you should come hither Philoxypes taking immediately what the Slave presented him with opened the Letter whilst the King did me the honour to speak with me and read these ensuing words Policrite to Philoxypes I Know not Sir whither it is that Policrite is convey'd but I very well know that Philoxypes is the cause of her exile not being peradventure likely ever to have the Honour to see him I thought I might without blame let him know my minde by this Letter which I refused to acquaint him withall the last time which I spoke with him He may then be pleased to know that at first not esteeming my self worthy of his affection by reason of my birth I with-held mine from him as much as I was able but that having learnt since that I am not of the condition I appeared to be and that there have been Kings of my Race I confess I was gladded that I could not reproach Philoxipes for having an inclination too disproportionable for his degree and that I thought it became me to let him know what I am to the end he may not think he doth any thing unworthy of himself if he sometimes think upon Policrite who wil alwais with much contentment think upon his worth whether his fortune be to lead his life in a Cottage or in a Palace POLYCRITE PHILOXYPES as soon as he had read this Letter came to the King and presenting it unto him Sir said he your Majesty may read in this Letter my innocency and my misfortune The King began then to read aloud what Policrite had written but good God in what pain was the unfortunate Philoxypes that he could not interrupt him but as soon as he had read it out looking upon him with a fixt and grieved eye how say you now Sir said he am I yet in love with Princess Aretaphile or am I not the most unfortunate man in the world the King imbracing him asked him pardon for his suspitions and of the trouble he had given him but my dear Philoxypes said he I shall be sufficiently punished for it as well in respect of your sorrow which shal alwaies be mine as for Aretaphile who will not easily forgive me yet said he you have wherein to rejoyce since you learn two things at once of great importance and of great consolation For now you know that Policrite loves you and that she is of Princely descent Could you have asked more of the Gods if you had been to have had your wishes granted you Ah! Sir said Philoxypes that which you alleadge to comfort me is the greatest part of my misfortune For t is true I finde that Policryte does not hate me and that shee is of birth equall with my self but at the same time this lovely and cruel personage tells me shee shall never see me more and that shee knows not whither shee is carried Oh! Sir I should be more to blame were I in love with Princess Aretaphile but I should be less miserable I should have reasons to gainsay my passion but here I see nothing which doth not fortifie and augment it In fine after Phyloxypes had sufficiently bemoned himself he left the King and went to ask a hundred things of the young slave without being able to learn any thing either of Policrites birth nor whither Cleanthes Megisto were gone all he could learn was only that t was above a fortnight since they were gon nothing els could be gotten out of this young Slave neither by prayers promises nor threats whose fidelitie Philoxypes for all his rage could not chuse but approve of but not being able to learn any more he waited back upon the King to Claria For my part I was never more at my wits end for the king was so sad as well for his own occasion as for those of PHILOXIPES as he could not resolve to say any thing neither by way of bemoning himself nor yet of comforting PHILOXIPES whom he so dearly loved PHILOXYPES on his part was more perplex'd he was sorry to forgo that Cottage though his beloved was no longer there he sometimes looked back upon it sometimes he looked upon Policrites Letter which the king had given him back He would somtimes lift up his eies to heaven then again fix them on the earth and walking sometimes without speaking sometimes fetching deep sighs he seemed not to know whether the king were there or no or whether he were alone so deep was his melancholy At last we came to Glaria but good Gods how sad was the conversation the rest of that day At last said the king to Philoxypes you have this advantage to know that Policryte is much obliged to you that she hath nothing to reproach you withall that you have not offended her and that wheresoever she is if she think of you t is onely to bewail your absence where on the contrary I have incen'st Aretaohile whose aspiring soul does doubtlesly accuse me of want of affection and who will take it very ill that I preferd your life before my love to her But Sir said the afflicted Philoxypes you know where the Princess Aratephile is you may make your reasons known to her you may ask her pardon for that fault which an excess of Generosity made you commit you may sit and sigh by her and may appease her anger But for my part Sir should I complain should I sigh should I pour forth torrents of tears amidst these Rocks would all this restore to me my Policryte should I thereby learn where shee lives It may be Cleanthes is put to sea and it may be I shall never know neither who Policryte is nor where shee is Ah! Sir said this disconsolate Prince if you knew the cruelty of my adventure you would easily know that I am the most unfortunate man in the world for if I loved one that did hate me despight