usually happen but it is to Alcidor that it hath happened and that hinders it from being a wonder A great reason of his good success said Dorame surely is because he drew not his sword but upon a just cause for who can deny but he had right on his side in both these duells in the one as being assaulted in the other as being outraged No man Cozen said Rolimon to her can with justice condemn him for what he hath don and if any man should have either so much malice or so little judgment as to speak ill of him for it he would finde enough ready to revenge it upon him But let us withdraw hence to wait for him in the house as shady as this place is the rayes of the sun peircing it and beginning to set it on fire Removed into the house they for some time held conversation upon severall worthy things which Cartagenes had done and then Dorame turned it to Florisa and Alcidor speaking very much in commendation of the former for regarding the merit rather than the birth of the latter though reserving the quality of Prince she knew he was issued of one of the best families of the kingdom and of him they were speaking when he came into the room where they were At the sight of one another he and Dorame were struck into a little stupor which being quickly dissipated and salutations performed you have since you left us Sir said she to him been to us the cause and the object of more than ordinary apprehensions my Uncle and Cozens who came hither two dayes since have been both witnesses and partners of them but was there a necessity that you should abuse us by making shadow to us of going to agree some freinds and engaging yourself in mortall quarrells I hope Madam interrupted her Alcidor Limonides hath not done me the ill office to conceal what past between his Master and me He hath given us a full account of it Sir said Rolimon to him but my neice taking a particular interest in your preservation therefore sets thus upon you that she may persuade you not to be another time so ready to satisfie the resentments of men void of reason What could I do less replied Alcidor than use my sword against a man who forced me so to defend me honor and my life I am certainely no quarreller much less am I of a humor to fall foul upon those whom I do not beleeve to have a design of offending me but that it should be said that out of cowardise I disengaged myself from a provocation or that any body should set upon me without my giving them to see as far as I am able that I am not insensible I can by no meanes bring myself to endure You gave sufficient demonstration of this to Lisimax said Dorame to him and thereby acquired a far more triumphing reputation than that any body should be easily disposed to pass sentence upon you as pusillanimous I see you know Madam returned Alcidor to her what in respect of its in considerableness I had reason to think lay private from you but that is too small a thing to procure me credit with any body much less can it bring me into esteem with you to whom those things are common which to others are rare Not to dissemble what we have done Sir said Rolimon to him Vindorix and I to divert my neice have imparted to her the knowledge which we have of your life which reaches you know to the time that you was taken prisoner excepting what became of Florisa and what intercourse you maintained with her after her Uncle removed her from Paquin I am sorry replied Alcidor that she hath had no better a diversion the occurrences of War usually making horror rather than harmony to those of her sexe and temper Notwithstanding my weaker sexe reparted Darame I am not of so weake a temper as to be frighted with the bruite of things on the contrary they have been very melodious aires to me both those of your martiall deeds and those of your amorous intelligences whith the princess Florisa In the remainder of which latter I beseech you to instruct me after you have recounted to us that which I also begge of you how things went between you and Almidon But yet before you doe this I will shew you what Cartagenes wrot to me dying With those words she took out of her pocket and presented to him the letter of that defunct which he having read How few such men said he are there to be found in the world and how much regret have I that such a man should fall by my sword though withall by his own fault But let us leave him in peace Madam continued he and suffer me to tell you that you use me with too much ceremony to intreat of me what it is your part to command Had you as much favor for me as I have honor and obedience for you you would only say Alcidor it is my will you should do thus and thus this freeness would make me do what you desire with greater cheerfullness But you beleive you should render me too happy should you treat me so You have no reason surely to complain answered she to him if I pay you the respect which I know to be due to you loose no more time therefore in producing to us these punctilio's of your spirit we being better assured of its excellency than to need such testimonies of it but relate to us the adventure which you have had with Almidon Not to tell you again what you have been told allready Madam said Alcidor to her be pleased to take this breviate of the rest After I was informed by Cartagenes and Limonides how Almidon had calumniated me to the former and by so doing been the author of his misfortune over which I could not choose but weep I had no longer any thing besides my love of your self so busy in my minde as revenge but I was a while unresolved of what means I should serve myself in prosecution of it sometimes I thought of acting one way sometimes another I was indeed most inclined to go find him myself in his house and draw him into the feild there to demand an account of him for what he had done but I was withall miserably agitated with fears of incurring your displeasure by so doing and of acquiring the tittle of a gladiator more than of your servant I had agreed those upon whose occasion I went hence with the success that I desired and there was nothing but my love that stood in the way of my anger But when I considered that you was of a more generous humor than to take it ill that I should seek satisfaction for the wrong that was done to me and for the mischeife that was done to Cartagenes I wavered no longer but leaving that dying man in the armes and to the care of Limonides I betook myself to the house of
found they held such sense as this Though possibly there bee few pretensions of marriage so exalted which my birth would not authorize me to make the worth which continually represents it selfe to me in you hath so much of magneticke influence upon me that my heart cannot keep it selfe from being drawne and tied fast to you and that I cannot forbeare telling you so And this you shall never faile of knowing so long as you render your selfe capable of doing so But make no ill judgment of my freenesse for my virtue is no otherwise interested by my affection than it ought to be and as it is most true that I love you so is it also that I love you in such a manner as chastity and sageness allow and that I looke you should continue in the tearmes of respect that are due to me When I had done reading these words not to detaine you any longer with this concerne adjoined Alcidor I am at present mounted to the highest step of happiness that a vertuous love without marriage is able to bring me to and if I may say so without imputation of arrogance I have reason to thinke that I may be to morrow the husband of Florisa if I will She every day indeed presses me to be so and though I upon a manifold consideration beleive that I shall never have her for my wife I have promised to make her so as soon as the seige is raised and in the meane time to prepare my selfe for it by gaining as large a stock of honour as I can He thus concluding his discourse to me I told him that he had certainly done very well in satisfying the princess with those assurances that she desired and that I made no great question but the terme which he had taken for marrying her would produce such a revolution of affaires as would set him at liberty to doe in that affaire according as he should see cause Then not thinking it fitting to counsell a man whom his discretion made him act well in every thing I onely let him know how deeply I accounted my selfe in his debt for communicating to me the particularities of his affections and presently we parted Having such within our walls as practised for Polianis and carried on conspiracies of moment enough to have quickly destroyed us if we had not happily smelt them out and provided against them we were eight dayes in remedying this desease which done we made our beseigers see that wee had not lay still but to take breath that we might fall upon them with the more life cutting our way up to their trenches putting them into a great disorder and bringing backe a great number of prisoners There was againe nothing worth mentioning attempted on our side till one day Alcidor without me whither I was otherwise busied or that he had some other reason not to take me along with him issued out of the Town accompanied onely with ten volunteers that put themselves under his conduct They were presently set upon by twice as many and were at length constrained to give way to their strength and retire But before Alcidor made his owne retreat he by amuzing the enemy gave his party leasure to make theirs Upon which occasion staying a little too long behind after he had maintained fight as long as he was able to put himselfe out of the danger that he was in he leaped his horse over a great ditch Thereupon one of those whom he had to deale with vainely enough uâ—braided him that he had the advantage of making him fly To him the advantage is returned Alcidor that you are so many were you a little fewer you should quickly see me come backe to you It shall be your fault if you come not said the other againe for I promise you you shall have to doe with none but me try the adventure and you shall see I will attend you as it in honour becomes Lisimax Hearing him say so Alcidor was about to jumpe backe to him but he at the instant perceived about halfe a score horsemen galloping to intercept his way he therefore set spurs to his horse and retired Got into the Town he came and recounted to me what had befallen him he told me withall that Lisimax being the favourite of Florimen and of an applauded name and there therefore being a great measure of glory to be gotten by a single combate with him he resolved to demand it of him The reasons which he alleadged for his resolution inducing me to approve it after I had intreated him to let me be his second but could not obtaine it of him we concluded that it was necessary for him to have the consent of the Princess and of the Counsell of warr in the business and we went first to the Princess to whom he declaring that his honour put him upon a duell with Lisimax she before me could not forbear having her selfe extremely troubled at it and endeavoured all that she was able to turne him from it But when she saw she could not pervail with him Goe then said she to him and fight this Giant and heaven reserve for you the victory From her we went to the Governour at whose house the cheif officers being convened Alcidor propounded to them what he desired and without difficulty procured their leave to doe as he thought good From them I waited upon him home by the way whither The King said he to me beleives Lisimax invincible and so doe others also if therefore I overcome him I shall acquire a glory which will not quickly dye but if my ill fortune on the other side will have him triumph over me this satisfaction I may pretend to that I am vanquisht by one of the bravest Cavaleirs of our age It is almost impossible that you should not conquer him replyed I to him so much advantaged as you are Was there indeed nothing but the favour of Florisa that is enough to make you irresistable and I make no doubt but the prayers which she sends up for you will be heared and draw down upon you the blessing of heaven We were in these tearms when we came to his lodgings where he making me stay and sup with him during supper I againe set upon him with the best rhetorike that I had to persuade him to make me of his party but all to no effect Risen from table we went into his closet where he giving me a book to reade I had not perused many lines before he had drawn these and came and shewed them me Alcidor to Lisimax YOu may well remember what yesterday past betweene us and you live in a higher reputation than to beleive any thing meane of yourselfe If therefore you can get leave of the King as I have done of those upon whom I depend it shall lye upon you if I come not to day to sight you at the head of your army You are a better man at armes than to refuse to fight with
my Sister meets you Sir said she to him and you turn as voide of sense then as you appear now I may lay any wager that she is lost and am sure to winne But astonish your self no farther to see her unhappiness compell her thus to habit her self If you was capable of remarking Madam replied Alcidor to her that which Love makes me take notice of in this faire Queene of his Empire you would have your speech and judgment left you as little it may be as I have had Certafilan himself could not with all the hard and feirce thoughts that he hath for her consider her in this posture but he would have some mild and tender ones mixt with them This is but to trifle and make sport with my misesery and we have at present something else to minde said Astasia and therewith fell on weeping and Feonice together with her But Alcidor to take them of from that sad exercise obliged them to bid one another farewell led Astasia to her horse helpt her up and past away with her The Summer season and the light of the Moon making it pleasant travailing Alcidor renderd it more pleasant to Astasia by entertaining her with very taking discourses and to himself by considering her feminine graces in her masculine habit One thing which they both pleased themselves with was that their journey was known to nobody but those to whom they were willing it should be known but here in they were deceived Certafilan had sent to the Waters to be a spy over his wife's carriage one Berlin and he by counterfeiting the fool had so easy at access into the Lodgings of Feonice and Astasia that there was scarce any thing done there which he had not opportunity of being acquainted with This subtle agent seeing Alcidor arrive and knowing the suspicioâ—â— which Certafilan had of him with a vigilance which was most artificially dissemble observed all transactions and by that mean the Ladies and Alcidor using no cautioâ— against him because as they thought him voiâ— of apprehension heard the greatest part 〈◊〉 what they said and particularly what way they would take to gaine their retreat With this intelligence he flew to Certafilan Certasilan again flew whither he directed him with a troop of his freinds and servants Buâ— whatsoever diligence he used and he used all that he could he could not meet with these whom he saught for Some hunters who had first seen in armes Alcidor and his Company seeing again Certafilan and his not knowing who they were nor with what intention they were abroad carried notice of it to the King The King dispatching troops in search of them some of them in the inquest met with Berlin who had lost his way in a Wood. Berlin informing them what the business was they carried him to the King The King hearing his story though he disliked the action of Alcidor as knocking against his authority he nevertheless commanded that Emissary of Certafilan and those that had taken him upon perill of their lifes to speak nothing of it As they withdrew from his presence with this order Certafilan enterd it and in a most pittyfull fashion applying himself to him see me here Great Prince said he to demand justice against Alcidor for his egregious Enterprize in carrying away my wife from the place whither your appointment sent her to keep her Sister company You are more just than not to chastise this audacious undertaker who at the same time braves your authority and ruines the honor of one of your most faithfull servants I come now from seeking him and could I have found him I would have made him bear upon the feild the revenge of the offence that he hath done me Though by your own confession Certafilan returned Polianis to him you demand not justice of me but because you cannot execute it yourself I have notwithstanding that a due compassion of your trouble You had done well if as soon as you knew what Alcidor had done you had instead of arming you and going abroad with a party to set upon him in my forrest kill him at the feet of your judge and his came and complained to me of him You know I suppose how your equipage hath alarumed me and made me least my own person should be aimed at guard myself in a more than ordinary manner But be patient and you shall see that I am King to animadvert upon those that are insolent See withall added he what it is to incense wives and the salary that one receives for suspecting foolishly their fidelity Without question it is Astasia's sense of the old indignities that you have heaped upon her and her feares that you would load her farther with new ones that have moved her thus to take her flight from you Did you not know that I am acquainted with a part of your capricious and frantick carriage towards her I should not at present put you in mind of it The care that I have taken to reform it may well make you remember the little account that you have made of my remonstrances and desires How ofâ—eâ— too hath Feonice soberly reproved you 〈◊〉 those furious humors with which you have made her Sister weary of her life without being able to do any good upon you Astasia would be much more blameable than she is had she not so much cause to complain of you as she hath and Alcidor would be far more culpable than he is if you had not given him a very specious pretext with which to excuse himself Not that I approve enormous actions time will shew you that I very well know to correct and curbe the rashness of those who enterprize more than they ought in my dominion where I would have not vice but vertue bear sway I have nothing of good reason Sir said Certafilan where with to purge myself of the fault with which you charge me I freely confess I am in a high degree guilty both of disrespect to your Majesty and of inhumanity to Astasia when I disobeyed you I had lost my reason when I treated her ill I was madde and when I armed myself and my freinds to dedestroy Alcidor my trouble made me forget my duty and think of nothing but revenge Pardon me Sir for what is past and for what is to come I shall so change my temper that neither your Majesty shall have occasion to reprove me for my capricious and franticke carriage towards Astasia nor Feonice for my furious humor But to give proof of what I say where is now Astasia She is ravisht from me Sit and it is from your justice that I wait for reparation of the injury If Astasia Certafilan said the King to him hath caused herself to be carried away it is not to ruine either her own honor or yours her vertue forbids any thing bad to be suspected of her and you well know she hath not gone away but to warrant herself from the afflictions which she