within the course of which theyby a time return to their first heads his destiny constrained him now return into that honorable servitude in which shee captivated the most beautious souls Minerva not lesse wondring at the love of Adraste then satisfied with her own beauties of which she had heer an illustrious proof in this second conquest of this lover answered him in these terms If any other then your self should talk to me thus Adraste either I should not believe him at all or at least should fain not to believe him But the knowledge I have of your goodnesse makes me that as I esteeme you veritable so will I answer you from my own heart believing you speak to me from the bottom of yours And to observe the same method you hold with me in confessing your thoughts I shall discover mine to you and acknowledge that if I were in such condition as I could give me to any one it should be you But I will not forbear to tell you many things that hinder me therin though you do know them neer as well as I to the end that if you do not receive the satisfaction you have promised you you may lay the fault on your own errours and not upon my will that never shall be wanting in good wishes to you nor to perform like deeds on your behalf Minerva discoursing afterwards the causes hindred her from loving of Adraste missed not to put that of god in the first place whom wee ought to love and fear above all things and you said shee that love and feare him above other men would cause me render him my enemy for your love This divine reason is of such force as there is no humane passion can or convince it or withstand the being overcome by it But if you dis esteeme of god which were so enormous an offence wher of the monstrous impiety could never be sufficiently chastised or what could perswade you to make mee believe that I could ever live after being robbed of my honour in this World And you that hazard oft so generously your life to save your honour how dare you heere propose to mee the losse of mine Is not the honour of us Ladies pray all out as choice and delicate as that of men And if you love me as you say and as I do believe why do you desire to lose mee so can you love my person and neglect my honour Madam answered Adraste my discretion may be shield unto your honour and this same innocent feare you have of doing ill by favouring me is void of likelihood God is not the enemy but the author of nature and the offence without scandall is no offence Believe you that the naturall affection the author of nature imprinteth in our souls is averse to the will of him that gives it us and that the first thing he ever commanded he should now forbid us God wisheth us no il but for the ils we do to our selvs nor takes amisse the offeces done to him but those we do to our selvs for being maker of the universe his care is most to perserve his workmanship his offence at that would hinder it and not at that which meerly tendeth to the conservation of it Then is he the enemy of violence injustice cruelty and the ingratitude that tend to the subversion of love and not of love it self and he is angred that we turn his sweets to bitternesse and doe convert to our dammage that which he hath given us for our benefits For as love is the cause of our greatest goods so may it become of our greatest ils but then it must be by our own improvidence and not by his See then who offends most the divinity Madame or I that follow the lawes of love according to the end for which they first were made or you that do endeavour what you may to change and to pervert his institutions and chuse rather to apply you to the counsell of a thanklesse and unnaturall rigour then the true apprehension of a naturall inclination that is not only permitted but commanded It is true that God hath commanded love said Minerva but that which is legitimate all other affections being forbid not only by divine but humane lawes In which I 'le speake no more to him that teacheth others A good cause defends it selfe and one word is sufficient in a truth whereas a lye needs the support of a large discourse Both of them spake against their conscience and contrary to their own beliefe for this discourse of Adraste was quite averse to what he thought and Minerva's answer was no lesse farre from her meaning Adraste desiring to perswade a woman that would be perswaded and whom he perceived to seeke some honest meanes that she might love him without blushing endeavoured by this talk to take from her such shame as naturally retaines all women In which nerethelesse he knew well that he did ill but one so common amongst men whose reasons are overcome by appetite as it seems custome not onely renders them permitted but authorised Minerva speaking truely according to her beliefe stretched yet her thoughts unto such things as she might do accompanying the coldnesse of her words with the quickning flames of her faire looks drew by the gentlenesse of her fweet charms him that she yet repulsed by the force of her strong reasons to let him see the beauty of her minde in the refusing him that of her body so as in yeelding both one and the other to him he should owe the favour rather to her love then to her ignorance And permitting him some small privacies which did not much forbid the greater as they seemed to promise unto him caused him hope that she would doe like the good wives that often resuming what men aske of them yet forbeare not to doe some part of their demands but saying still they will doe nought Whilest Adraste so eagerly solicited Minerva Brassidas and Gracchus both came athwart his designes Brasidas was a little of kinne to Minerva but not so much but he could have wished to have been more neer A man discreet wise subtile and a boon companion chiefly amongst women Gracchus was a little more earthy and retained more of the Souldier then of the Courtier but nerethelesse both of them brave Gentlemen and both Lovers of Minerva who seeing Adraste first in time and consequently in right however such a consequence is not alwaies necessary in affairs of love where the last commers are many times first received agreed both together to ruine him The occasion was offered them by the means of Asteria one that Adraste saw some times and Gracchus likewise however for divertisement onely and each single without the other notwithstanding which they often met there Gracchus being then one day with Asteria she would needs know the newes of Minerva and he knowing that she knew not her but through the report of Adraste asked her again what he said
an entertainment to day should not have left him as she had to finde out his enemies and that she was not stoln away so much for any devotion she had to Church as for the desire she had to see them there But next day he was much more troubled thinking to goe make his complaint when they told him she was gone out to walk with them Then presently conceived he the plot was not combined against him but with her counsell and assent and that she had not onely approved but designed it And so returning backe his brest fraught with more despight then love and not so much reason as rage after having resolved now to breake with her once for all he wrote to her THat as hee had pitied her weaknesse seeing shee suffered her selfe to be rather perswaded by passion on the part of his Enemies then by the truth of his words so hee received no small contentment to see that for his having cheered himself before them and for ever being too d screet and respectfull on her behalf and at her instance on theirs he was now deprived of what they possessed for having been the contrary That the time had been when this privation now so easie to undergo had been most difficult for him to believe but considering that of all things that most provoked him and the chiefest cause of his vexation and worst tormenting passions it was easie for him to endure the losse of a good the possession wherof was so extremly damageable Wherfore he would now as with a sponge wipe off the fair impressions which he had formerly admitted in his memory and hee intreated her to favour him so farre as not to oblige him ever by the replacing them Hee avow'd it the mediate will of Heaven without which hee had beene as unable 'to execute as rash in undertaking this designe For which hee only was to thank her ingratitude that thinking to work him so much ill had been the cause of so great good to him And that he did beseech her by this last and by all other and so many vowes no lesse religious then unprofitable which hee most foolishly had rendred her that henceforth shee would never more call them to minde assuring her he should esteem him fully satisfied for all his services when he should finde they were forgot and that she held them so indifferent that hee had never cause to joy in or complain of them The Argument Adraste closeth againe with Minerva comforteth her on the death of Arnolphe Commotions in France and divers adventures upon that subject CHAP. IIII. WHat delight soever the company afforded could not be so pleasant to Minerva as this Letter was bitter to her But howsoever she took it extreamly ill from Adraste she would not yet loose him so No though she knew not to what purpose to reserve him for she had sufficiently manifested the little good will she bore him But there are some women that delight themselves to render all men amorous of them and they affecting none Or it may be she held this maxime of the wise that say a man should not breake with friends no not for any cause whatsoever for that such as are unfit for one thing may yet serve to another and it may be she intended to accommodate her selfe by Adraste to some other purpose Whatsoever it were she forbore to answer his Letter till her choler was past over nor wrote she to him then but passing some daies after by his lodging she caused him to be told that there was a Gentlewoman in the street asked for him Adraste came down and Minerva made him come into her Coach where she was then accompanied onely with one gentlewoman and going to take the aire She told him that she had not answered his Letters for that shee could not bethink her of termes sufficiently powerfull to make him senceable of her anger So then Madame answered Adraste if you have not given me offence I stand not obliged to you for it but your ill memory that had not means to find words sufficiently capable to expresse the offence you intended mee T is true said shee but you are a naughty man to write such Letters to mee And you are then a naughty woman answered Adraste to inforce mee to it by so many just and rightfull causes as you have If I have given you such replyed she and have so little reason in my actions why have you so little judgment in your love you have lesse reason then mee to love one that hath none at all and by the extravagance of your unfound minde accuse me of your own defaults Madam answered Adraste I have caused you to see most cleerly that you are in the wrong since you cannot finde meanes to answer my Letters But how should you finde reasons that could not indeed finde the offence Wherby it follows that being you have done the wrong you cannot have reason on your side since wrong and reason cannot be united in one subject And yet cry you that I am reasonlesse to love one that hath none I answer you that though I am reasonlesse it followes not but you are so likewise as I have proved without denying but I was my self so And on the contrary I have always endevoured to let you see that I had litle reason in me ever to shew that I had so much love for you Since if I had I could not have loved you or at least but in such sort as I had been loved again of you And if you were reasonable you would love mee as I love you See then wherfore I love you in two sorts without reason first for that you are reasonlesse secondly because I am so also As to the extravagances of my diseased minde I apprehend them to my own advantage Remember you what I have ever said that my weaknesses and failings were the things that I desired to cause you see T is well I am there arrived Minerva fell a laughing at these words and as particular complaints do usually succeed the generall Adraste complain'd of her for that when hee had left his entertainment to his enemies upon her promise to afford him one more private and favourable she had not onely turned him off to her mother Arlande but her self had stoln away from him to go to them had depriv'd him of the honour of her company and conduct to afford it unto them and had wronged a man whose goodnesse was so known to her therby to favour others whose malice was to her no lesse manifest Minerva excused her on the just fear shee might have of the bloudy effects their quarrell might have produced said that the same fear had caused her not to suffer him to lead her and that she had also denied it unto them And on the contrary having found Brasidas Gracchus at Church shee had prayed them not onely to forbeare to lead her but to see her Notwithstanding that Brasidas being since
pleasing as I have imposed silence on my owne passions to give care to yours and forgotten all the ills you doe me to haste to your helpe even in those which you your selfe procure you I cannot deny Madam but your sorrowes are naturall since they proceed from love and from the death of a man you lov'd you have not loved him sans merit and you have lost him without possessing him so as you lament him justly This is a truth and cannot be denied without offending the resentment you have for him But Madam against whom complaine you of his death Is it against God who did permit him live or against your selfe most innocent of his death If it be against you are you not still the more afflicted and the more sorrowfull And if it bee against God knowes hee not better what is fit for us then we our selves Could not hee have suffer'd him whom you love dead to have beene living yet possessed by another Mistris within whose arms you had lesse loved him then in his grave Could not hee as well have taken you againe as him thereby reducing you to that first nothing which he made you of Consider what you complaine of Madam and you will finde that it is nought and that to be moane your selfe and vexe your soule for nothing is an inexcusable weaknesse We well may pardon the first complaints that griefe inforceth us to utter for that there is no courage so assured whom the violence of these first motions does not overturn But this storme ceased there is no more excuse if Reason reassumes not place at her turn does not obtrude those passions that had turn'd her out It is for this Men say that the superior part of the Soule should be like the supreame Region of the Aire that never is agitated with or storm or tempest See here Madam the difference twixt what you doe and what you ought to do for doubtlesse discourse time the necessity of death and a thousand other considerations I omit should before now have setled your resolution to have borne a remedilesse mishap Where see the quite contrary instead of making your constancy appeare and shine in such an accident shewing by how many waies you exceed in the beauties and perfections of your Sex you give your selfe over a prey to griefe like to some simple and ignorant woman you shut your spirits up which God ordained for heaven within a grave together with a dead Carkasse which he it may be hath deprived of life even for the immesurable love you bore him you sacrifice your Soule to a most singular griefe and vainly runne after a shadow you are sure you never can oretake Your Soule is the Temple of God and you adore there the image of a dead man whom hee permitted not that you should love not whilest he liv'd You make scruple of small thinges and make no conscience of Idolatry which you your self do know to be the grieuousest sinne that can be perpetrate The Lawes allow a widdow but one yeare to testifie her lawfull sorrowes which for the most part be but in apparance neither and you resolve to carry yours eternally within your soule You will nourish a Woolfe that devoures you embrace what betraies you ruine your repose outrage your beautie and your health and cause your selfe to die alive To conclude Madam you will openly resist the will of God according to which you make profession of ordering yours Who being our Father loves us his children better knowing what we want then we our selves rules all things by his Providence and not according to our fancies For if the world were governed by the various humors and divers passions of men Alas Madam to what new Chaos were wee then brought backe And if that sometimes hee afflict us here t is alwais yet to profit us never to our hurt and even that ill hee does us is either still to make us merit some greater good or else to cause us shun some greater ill Complaine not you unjustly then of what he justly doth Think not that he hath suffered now this losse for other cause then to acquit you of a greater griefe which howsoever you are unable to perceive yet see you that his power is infinite and that his judgements are unknown and which 't is better farre to apprehend then prove But you will tell me the same you told me yesterday that your passions are not so easily shifted as your petticotes It is true Madame and I finde it but too certaine in what I undergoe for you But where are now those so sufficient reasons by which you have erewhiles endeavoured to perswade me that I might easily put off mine Why serve you not your selfe against your selfe with those weapons you so well handle against others Why doe you thinke it impossible to free you of the passions you have for a shadow having before beleeved that it was nothing for me to divest me of these I have for you Is it that you are more capable of love then I am or that the subject of your love is more excellent then mine Madame I will not lessen the merit of your affections which you had never conceived had they not been most perfect of which it is no little proofe to see them live yet in you after the death of him that caused them Yet are they naturall and nothing is more common then to mourne for a lost friend But that I had power to humble me so to the pleasure of a woman as for her love I have lov'd even the rivall that hindred me to be beloved is a proofe of an affection Madame that in some sort exceeds the rule of nature And in the which you cannot deny but I surpasse you as much as you in all other things exceed me As to the subject of your love Madame he was most certainly lovely otherwise you had not made choice of him But without wroning your election or his merits I dare say that there was more correspondence in your humours then in your qualities and that more then the compliance and discretion wherewith he entertained you and whereby chiefly he was praise-worthy he was not possessed of so great perfections as could make him merit yours By which you may see that the subject of my love being more excellent then yours it followes that your passions must be lesse then mine and that you may easlier divest you of them then I of mine yea if so the cause remained which being now no more it is a marvell that the effect should yet continue But Madame I have given sufficient audience to your plaints it is now high time that you hearken unto mine if not for my ease yet for your own at least since the most miserable may finde in them some cause of comfort You bemoane the dead Madame and think not of those that die by your meanes I doe daily perish and am evenat the last gaspe and that for
your love and yet have you the heart to sigh for another before my face and the power to interdict my passions to make me wed yours I see a dead body preferr'd to me which living I in affection yet preceded and find you as insensible and whollie inanimate on my behalfe as he is on yours My whole labours all my affections and best qualities are altogether bootlesse you know without acknowledging my faith you looke upon my afflictions without once being moved and whatsoever might commend a perfect affection you behold in me not daigning ought to regard it Thou too too much beloved dead man whose condition is most happy in comparison of mine thou wert living beloved of the most lovely beauty under heaven and thou art onely he that art beloved of her as yet even after death Thou wert not onely beloved of thy Mistresse but thou wert likewise of thine enemie In stead of persecuting thee even to thy grave as thiefe and robber of my good which thy remembrance hinders me as yet to have I have honoured thy memory with my writings which have so imprinted it in the heart of thy Mistresse as now there is no other impression can take place for that Is there any complyance Is there any passion or perfection indeed in love that can come neere to this Madame I implore here the beauty of your wit and the integrity of your owne soule in default of mine that with this thought passeth away in transe and leaves me not with other hope or desire then here to see my life faile me with my speech The Argument He complaines of his Mistresse that she had failed him in a meeting appointed by her to walke Epistle 9. YOu sent yesterday to let me know that you could not come and that I should not attend you any longer I was told that you supped very late and you chased me away upon pretence that you would sup in good time A man should be extreamely purblinde not to see that there was something more in this then matter of Mastership and that you having threatned to deprive me of a particular entertainment would let me see that you were a woman of your word Hug your selfe for it Madame you shall never more be troubled though I continue ever in torment I shall not onely leave you your liberty but mine own which I pretend not to withdraw from so worthy a servitude where I chuse rather to suffer extreame tyranny then elsewhere to live beneath the perfects Empire No Madame what I pretend to is to make you see in an unparalleld respect an affection incomparable and in a blind obedience mute and inconsiderate how much inferiour to me I leave such as aspire to the glory of your love and how much I hope to exceed them by those actions which my courage and the violent ambition I have to merit you do promise meto atchieve in this war The Answere YOu conceive things otherwise then they be and according to your fancies whereupon you write to me as you please I shall better answer you by word of mouth then by Letter and making you finde your errour it will belong to you to make me satisfaction The Argument He justifieth his fancies Epistle 10. THe party you left with me yesterday can tell you how I knew not what to doe with my selfe after I had then lost you When howsoever it were neer night it seemd to me a tedious day There is a faire Lady neere you who lately told me she would gladly see me I light on him had procured me this honour who endeavoured what he could to get me thither but prevailed nothing howsoever I knew not how to busie me but in thinking of you turning and returning in my memory such things as you have said to me and those humours and conjectures whereof you accuse me after having your selfe caused them I humbly intreat you Madame take notice there may be fancies and humour without love but not love without humour and fancy and if you upbraid me with them as an error it is yet a generall one and common to all lovers above whom I have this advantage yet that I order them so as they never trouble her I love Most beauteous Minerva glory of my thoughts the soveraigne good of my life and extreame felicity of my soule who can render a more faithfull testimony of this truth then your selfe that can so casily moderate the furies of my violence How many times have you staied the most impetuous motions of my passions with one word yea with a looke No more then blame my humours that doe rather merit commendations since they make mee honour the cause that brought them forth and are not onely proofes of my love but also of my obedience The Argument Why his Mistresse should not be moved at his Martyrdome upon his departure Epistle 11. THere is nothing so strange nor any thing so wonderfull the accustomed vse whereof weares not out the astonishment Observe that death is most horrible notwithstanding which the habit theeves have in murther causeth that they kill men not onely without horror but with some kinde of pleasure and voluptuousnesse The comparison is bad but it is proper I would say that albeit my martyrdome be without example and that the novelty thereof amazeth me and renders me my selfe thereat affrighted you are so accustomed to plaints and to the teares of such whom you make sigh as that you suffer not your selfe to be the least touched at mine No Madame I beleeve your intellect extreamely generous and consequently pittifull but it is beaten so with such discourse as it but laughs thereat and lookes on me dying not only with dry eyes but with some sort of pleasure too Oh Madame were I capable of comforting the afflicted I should and not without good cause begin with my selfe rather then with those whose jealousies are more worthy of derision then of pitty You Madame with whom I am to part this day in no lesse sorrow then if I were to be separated from my proper life expect not words at my depart my sorrowes will not suffer them it will be much if I be able but to bid adue since that is the last word a man should use in leaving life The Argument He intreats his Mistris so torment him to the end such pleasure as she takes therein be increased proportionably to the increase of his torments Epistle 12. Madam I give you good night letting you know besids for newes that my dolours are become more pleasing then they were since I tooke notice of the contentment they bring you Wherefore I intreat you not to lessen them but to provide me new vexations to the end your delights bee increased proportionable to the aboundance of my punishments For I am not content to undergoe onely the ills you do me but I would yet too suffer those are done to you and become the most miserable soule that ever lived to render
LOVE and VALOR OR The diuers Affections of Minerva Will Marshall sculpsit London Printed by Th Harper are sold by Tho Stater at his shop in Duck lane 1638. LOVE AND VALOVR Celebrated in the person of the Author by the name of ADRASTE OR The divers affections of MINERVA One part of the unfained story of the true Lisander and Caliste Translated out of the French by W. B. LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Thomas Slater and are to be sold at his shop at the Swan in Duck Lane 1638. TO THE RIGHT WORTHY AND MY Truely honoured Favourer Sir PETER TEMPLE Knight and Baronet Honoured Sir HOwsoever I have received more encouragement from your selfe alone then all men living besides had not my Author deemed his labour worthy the survey of so great a Prince I should not have entitled you to my worthlesse labours in the conversion since the difference between his originall drawn by a free and art commanding hand and my rough Copy being the first essay of my abilities in this nature may be more then the distance between your condition and a Princes In supplyance of which defect being unable to adde any thing but the bare figure of my devotion to serve you it were but ill rhetoricke and worse arithmeticke in me through many words multiplying ciphers by ciphers to blot my paper with infinite nothings Yet gracious Sir I perswade me that I see though I have not delivered in the booke many lines and draughts resembling the patheticke facility and gentlenesse of our best writers which draughts being but bare dissections and curious anatomies of humane nature it is impossible to be over-tedious if pertinent therein But I flourish as if I would say something where I am in truth a sceptique ignorant and doubting all things but my own weaknesse and the strength of those affections borne your service Worthy Sir by your vertues honourer W. B. To my Lord the MONSIEVR Sole Brother to the King of FRANCE MY Lord so much is to be said in your commendations as to forbeare in so ample a subject of elocution were rather an ingratitude then silence and I never sparing of my praises in all mens merits seeming to have refused them untill now to yours shall doe much better here to confesse then to defend my thanklesnesse It is not my good Lord but I have as much inclination to honour you as I have cause which is to have it in the greatest perfection that can be imagined but the same instigation I have had to speake hath made me still silent and the greatnesse of the subject which had animated most hath yet discouraged me There is so farre a distance from your highnesse to my lownesse and twixt my own power and my will as I deemed it a sinne against my knowledge rashly to have undertaken a thing not possible to be performed but in great imperfection and that my enterprise would much rather have discovered my weakenesse then my intentions Notwithstanding which my Lord are they not the most rare affections which men testifie to their owne prejudice how can I then more perfectly manifest mine then at the dispense and disrepute of my knowledge How can I better make seen to you the passions that I undergoe for your service and for your glory then by the exposing them amid my own weakenesses and my defaults This consideration my Lord hath changed my former feares into rashnesse and hath made me so bold to undertake that which I have not had the daring to thinke of beleeving that if the execution were impossible yet the enterprise was at least honourable and by so much the fitter to manifest my devotions bent to you wards as it beares me hood-winked beyond my knowledge and my power But I am erred my good Lord even at the entry of my discourse which beginning with your commendations as the greatest and richest argument that could be chose I know not how I have so suffered my selfe to be carried away with my passions as I have said without thinking that which I would not and have not yet spoke one word of what I would say The cause of my erring is the boundlesse extent of my subject Hardly could it be but I should lose me in a labyrinth from out of which it is so difficult to get but the wonder is I have not entred it and that in stead of loosing my selfe in search of the issue I have erred at the entry without once having found the beginning But indeed great Prince where is there any beginning in things infinite If I should begin at the greatnesse of your birth and weigh you as Prince of the chiefest kingdome in the world and Son and Brother to the two greatest Kings the earth hath ever bore were I not diverted by the excellence of your admirable nature by the exquisite education wherewith it is so happily propagate and by the ample hopes you give both of the one and the other what multitudes of other things might here be added in your commendations did I not feare to doe them wrong and loved I not more to honour them in silence then to injure them by going about to speake their greatnesse but reducing me to these three onely and speaking but one word of each what more excellent nature was there ever found in Prince or more generous then yours What Achilles fed with the marrow and pith of Lyons one day to subdue the force of Hector does not give way to you as well in noriture as couragious heart And what hopes may we not well conceive from such and so magnanimous a Prince as surpasseth the greatnesse of his birth by the excellence of his nature and the excellence of his nature by the goodnesse of his noriture But rising up to the fount head and scorse of your great Ancestors and so descending by the succession of so many Kings as have been since S. Lewis to Henry the great I not observe you onely as a green and flourishing branch of thestock of Bourbon or as a Sience of that of Anjou but as Sonne and Prince of France that is to say of the best house and most illustrious Empire of the world What can I hope lesse or the enemy feare more then some still and unexpected enterprise mannaged with no lesse silence and privacie even to the entire and generall conquest of all such authority as strangers do usurpe from us victories seeming as incident unto the house of Bourbon as crowns seem destinated unto that of Anjou Charles the brother of Lewis was the first of this family crowned King of Naples Sicile and Ierusalem Lewis brother to Charles the wise and first Duke of Anjou went to take possession of those kingdomes with 30000 horse And in our times the last Henry of the house of Valois being then Duke of Anjou and brother to Charles the ninth was crowned almost against his will King of Poland But the most honourable titles of all these
Kings were yet to be brothers to the Kings of France For this cause only was it that Henry rather chose the quality of Duke of Anjon in France then that of King of Poland And for the same reason as well he as Francis his brother being but Princes of France did precede the dead King your father when as he was but King of Navarre which I speake but by the way my Lord to let you see how much this dignity of brother to the King ought be esteemed by you before all the Scepters and the Crowns of the whole earth Be it then that you would regain you the antient possession of your inheritance in Italy the remembrance of Charles the eighth of Lewis the ninth and of Francis the great causeth the Alpes as yet to tremble Be it that you would passe to Constantinople the eastern Empire conquered and possessed by the French doth there with all feare still redoubt their very name If you would yet thrust further and as farre as Palestine the same French have conquered and possessed that also you may affright the Sultans of Egypt and the Mores in Affrick by the sole memory of S. Lewis In what part soever of the world fatecalleth you thither may the renown of your predecessors open you a passage No mountain is so steep that will not stoop below your feet nor sea so inraged and impetuous as not to be appeased and humbled beneath your sailes Go on great Prince under the name and armes of that great King to whom onely you ought rest a subject Goe and happily re-enter on the possession of so many Realmes Eface by your immortall acts those in the end worthy a Gaston of France the glorious memory and illustrious name of Gaston of Foix. Make seen there is as much difference between your valour and your renown and his as there is between his condition and his house and yours 'T is said Alexander intending to passe into Asia there was one of the statues of Orpheus whose forehead stood with sweat from whence the Augures drew a presage that he should there bring so great things to passe as should produce sweat on the browes of such Poets and Musicians as should desire to relate them May you great Prince beare Armes more farre then Alexander and do those deeds as the admiration and astonishment thereof may render men mute and statues speaking that after I have been often covered with sweat in the pursuit of the thunder of your Armes in battell I may again sweat within their triumphs singing the hymnes of your so glorious victories So as I may from out those large extended wings wheron Renown it selfe ought beare your glory draw a quill best capable of their description and which supplying the imperfections of this book that I purpose to the eternity of your memory may leave to posterity works more worthy your name and the desire I have to signallize me My Lord 〈…〉 Your most humble most obedient and thrice affectionate servant D'AUDIGUIER A Table of the Arguments MInerva commeth to solicite her suits in Paris is beloved of Balamyr Crassus Arnolphus and Adraste but loveth onely Arnolphus The disfavour of Adraste causeth that of Crassus Adraste desirous to give a Serenade to Minerva accompanied with Periste and Oristene runneth a dangerous Misfortune Page 1 Adraste reconcileth himselfe to Minerva and not being able to vanquish the inclination shee hath for Arnolphe of a Lover he becometh a Friend Tatius renders himselfe necessary to Minerva and so engageth her estate marrieth her person after the death of Arnolphe and the vaine predictions of Adraste which were found so true as they produced a second separation of Marriage betweene them 16 Minerva commeth back to Paris The second loves of Adraste with her are ruined by the practices and confederacie of Brasidas and of Gracchus her kinsmen and Lovers 32 Adraste closeth againe with Minerva comforteth her on the death of Arnolphe Commotions in France and divers adventures upon that subject 56 The reprisall of Minerva in affection with Adraste a dangerous adventure of his going to see Minerva A walke of Adrastes with Minerva and some others in company with her at Ruel 78 The divers pursuits of Crassus and Adraste The departure of Minerva her returne and confidence in Adraste The sodaine disfavour of Adraste on the Eve of his parting and the Letter he wrote to Minerva As also the reconciliation of Adraste with Minerva and his departure for the Army 101 That neither his Love nor the perfections of his Mistris could be possibly spoken of but imperfectly 123 Vpon his Mistris forbidding him to Love 125 He sayth that he loveth as well by election as destinate thereto and intreats his Mistris to examine the cause for which she doomes his death 127 He complaines of the indifference of his Mistris 129 The Answer 130 The Reply 131 He amorously seemes angry with his Mistris 133 He comforteth his Mistris on the death of his Rival and manifesteth the excellence of his Love above all other affections 135 He complaines of his Mistris that she had failed him in a meeting appointed by her to walke 141 The Answer 142 He justifieth his fancies ibid. Why his Mistris should not be moved at his Martyrdome upon his departure 143 He intreats his Mistris to torment him to the end such pleasure as she takes therein be increased proportionably to the increase of his torments 145 He excuseth himselfe for putting his Mistris in coller by preferring a just complaint unto her and protesteth that he will never more complain since he seeth he cannot complaine without giving her offence 146 The Answer 148 Hee endeavours to maintaine a wager hee had propounded to have lay'd that hee would write no more to her and begs pardon that hee doth not aske her pardon for it ibid. After his Mistris departure hee comforteth her in her afflictions by the example of his owne adversities 150 An Epistle of a Lady to a faithlesse Lover 151 He justifieth his silence 153 He dares not see his Mistris 154 Hee complaines of his Mistris absence and of those would hinder him from seeing her 155 Hee comforteth a Lady upon some displeasures shee had received ibid. He answereth to a Letter of Minerva's 157 A Ladies answer to her Lover 158 Hee makes answer to a complaint shee had made of him for his silence and not writing 159 Vpon some discontent a little before his departure 160 The Answer 161 The Reply 162 Being returned to Paris he found that his Mistresse had harkened to some ill reports of him whereof hee complaineth and for that she had taken from him such houres of visitation as he had hardly acquired to give them to another The first occasion of breach betweene them 164 Vpon that shee had answered to his former Letter how she was inforced to her griefe to suffer unpleasing company and that she was sorry she could not admit of his entertainment as she
here and some there and gave him no lesse room then the whole street he passed them like thunder and fled much marvelled at so admirable a successe he need not feare following for the others fled as fast on the other side But there were so great a number of them that not seeing any offence neer them when he was gone they took hart at grasse as we say and finding the Musician and Laquay that had not the heart to flye they laid hands on them Note that it was a band of Comedians going to act before Monsieur the Prince accompanied with many others as well women as men who thinking of nothing lesse then of the adventure of Adraste were put in greater afright then he The Musician thought himselfe already hanged and the foot-boy at least flead alive but seeing thēselves not accused for having kild or hurt any one and that they were onely demanded who this mad man was that had so furiously routed them they escaped by denyall and were quit by saying they knew nothing of the matter Adraste in the mean time went his way backe all alone to the house of Oristene where he found that Periste had brought her back again yet shaking with the feare this accident had caused in her Well said Periste so soon as he saw Adraste enter much mooved with fortunes he had run I beleeve it will be this two dayes before you desire again to give your Serenades or your Aubades more to Minerva I am now ready as ever to return answered Adraste but I assure you it shall be alone for either I will ingage me in no quarrels or I will not leave my friends engaged in them after I have my self begun them which I speake not concerning you for besides that as I know well that you began not this so had you enough to do to disingage Oristine But was it possible that four or five rascals should so easily rout so many honest good fellowes As you betook you to your sword against that angry blade that would by no meanes sheath up his said Periste his companions likewise took them to theirs I seeing them to runne after you threw the formost of them to the earth with a thrust I made which stayed and took them all short up Indeed we were the greater number but the most of us had no other weapons then their Lutes which they threw away the better to flye Whilest they made away and the others took up their hurt man I had the opportunity to bring back Oristene You have done what you ought and I what I could said Adraste assuring you that I beleeve there was never Knight errant that in one evening had two such adventures or so strange as I have had since supper nor know I well if I may dare to tell them since I can hardly beleeve them my selfe Then discoursed he to them what had happened to him and they knew not lessening yet the number of those through whom he had forcibly passed for feare they should think it but a tale But the Musician and footman which he beleeved dead or at the least prisoners upon the conclusion of his story arriving no little renewed his wonder for he could not imagine how they had escaped But how went you to work said he for I left yon invironed by fifteen or twenty people from whom I scarse hoped that ever you or my selfe should have gotten free Indeed Sir said the boy they were 30 of them or more but they dreamt not of you and they had more feare in them then they could put you in And then the Musician told them that they were certain Comedians followed by many Lawyers and other gowned people the most part of whom took their wives along with them to the play which was to be acted at Monsieur the Princes Court I wondred indeed how I came so valiant answered Adraste but now the marvell is over since I finde with what manner of people I had to doe To all this discourse poore Oristine said never a word though she thought nere the lesse doubting much that she should pay deere for this piece of folly as indeed she did for the next day Adraste and Periste having taken leave of her the Kings Officer in those cases failed not to visit her house letting her understand he would informe against the ryot committed the evening before and to garnish his Majesties pockets as the French hath it began with the seisure of her goods But not to make a starre-Chamber suit of this in place of a love story we will leave Oristine to her suits and follow the affections of Minerva The Argument Adraste reconcileth himself to Minerva and not being able to vanquish the inclination shee hath for Arnolphe of a Lover he becommeth a Friend Tatius renders himself necessary to Minerva and so engageth her estate and marrieth her person after the death of Arnolphe and the vain predictions of Adraste which were found so true as they produced a second separation of Marriage between them CHAP. II. NO misfortune but may bring good to some the disparagement of Oristene was cause of the reconciliation of Adraste with Minerva She for Adrastes sake took some pains on the behalfe of Oristene and then could Adraste do no lesse then go home to her and thank her for it where a peace was no sooner treated then concluded Hee craved pardon for his Letter which was indeed to excuse him of a fault that none knew that he had done so Minerva recounted to him the mistake that it had caused her to make Though she loved not Adraste yet shee liked well to retain him for a friend or at least not to have him as an enemy so as for sometime he governed her very peaceably by day he walked with her to the Gardens of Ruel and those of Saint Germans and by night he accompanied her to the accustomed places of bathing by moon-shine at the Tournelles and afterwards having carrried her back to her house and passed the most of the night with her he usually retired all alone without light from the one end of the City to the other Of 1000 men scarce shall ye finde one that would for 1000 women do what he did for this one Notwithstanding one conge one salute of Arnolphe wayed more in the estimation of Minerva than all the services of Adraste After some time debating the matter with him she confessed to him what indeeed she could not deny The same passion you have for me said she I have for him and sigheth as often for his love as you for mine But I tell you a secret I should be loth he should discover I swear to you by the love I beare him that he hath never received the satisfaction therin which you have had nor once hath hee pretended to it however you have received but what I might with mine honour grant Arnolphe was a stranger without name quality or estate that entertained
Minerva with discourses of his own lightnesse inconstancy and the Trophes he reared therby to his vanity ye even to the prejudice of that discretion ought to be used in like cases But she as if shee had had power to render him as well faithfull as loving beleeved that he would become better to her than God himself had made him lived encharmed within the circle of a faith much more amorous then reasonable Adraste told her all these things and that he much marvelled that already having bin deceived by one inconstant man shee could yet again set her affections on an other more to be doubted then the first But said she this is bad Rhetorick in you to speak ill with intention to cause me wish you well I cannot be so perfect as you goe about to make me beleeve of my selfe if so I have not judgement sufficient to make an election worthy me And grant that he wanteth all those qualites you speake of yet ought not my affection to be the lesse that is not tyed at all unto the qualities and fortunes of a man but meerely to his vertues and his demerits Then did Adraste take the course is seldome used amongst Rivals Since it is so said he that your will and pleasure beares you to this I will by no meanes stand in opposition It being altogether reasonlesse that you having the power you have upon my liberty should not have the like upon your own In my example you shall see allover that doth for the love of his Mistresse love his rivall I will for your love serve him to the end that you even for his sake shall beare me some good will But yet remember you that there shall be no justice left in heaven it for the faithfull love of a slave that doth adore you you endure not the shamefull tyrannies of a faithlesse and impetuous Master and in place of that eternity of divine honours and everlasting faithfulnesse which I vow to you you drown not your life in endlesse sorrowes and soile not your name with as many infamous scandals An unfortunate presage that yet did prove more true Howsoever Minerva loved Arnolph deerely yet could she not helpe it but this extreme submission of Adraste did o'recome her And though Adraste grieved to see Minerva loved another yet could not he avoyd it but this great freedome with which she trusted him in a secret concerned her so neerly must needs oblige him much so as notwithstanding they seemed to renounce each others love yet disavowed they not each others friendship Adraste therefore in stead of becomming Minerva's servant became her friend an exchange more necessary then favourable but which depended meerly on her pleasure Whilst Adraste and Arnolphe thus pretended to Minerva there was yet a third competitor that bore away the prize they expected and laboured for but he enjoyed it not o're-long nor without much cost for indeed he was Clericus in libro as we say and not in this craft a Master Minerva for want of good prosecution and not of right was quite o'rethrowne in her suit There was one of the common Councell of the City an ancient man and of the longest continuance in the Court of Parliament one powerfull in meanes and authority and one that was not ignorant of all the quirks and quillets in the law and in truth a most proper instrument to re-edifie and gaine againe a lost cause Minerva needed such a man as this and her fortune would in stead of seeking him out she was her selfe sought out by him Tatius so was this Councellor called was of an amorous complexion and covered glowing fires beneath the embers of a grey beard He had no sooner seen Minerva but he was taken with her and she well managing the occasion made him so wed her cause as in place of counsell he became Solicitor and party and in a word gaind her the sute which she had absolutely lost and got her to be sequestred both body and goods from her husband and all this without Minerva's once troubling her self which was the thing indeed she required best liked of But this you may think could never be without much charge the which Tatius very freely had disbursed furnishing her with 5 or 600 crownes that Minerva secured him out of her estate For though Tatius were a gallant Gentleman yet knew he well that it sufficed not to carry away this prize from so many others braver then himselfe and he cleerly found that it behoved him render himself the more necessary by so much as he was the lesse pleasing and that he should begin to ingage her estate somewhat to him the better afterwards to interest him in her selfe The design was profound and subtile and succeeded well in the acquisition howsoever it fell out but ill to him in the possession The first took notice hereof was Adraste who incontinently told as much to Minerva letting her understand besides she would become as meane a slave as those are commonly sold in Barbary at market if so she ever marryed this old Sire that could not be so soon marryed as jealous of her And if it chance said he as I have told you otherwhiles that for being too covetous of your favours to one so capable of the knowledge of their worth the heavens shall after as a just revenger consent that you be liberall of them unto some ignorant that no way shall finde cause to acknowledge them or shall not be able to return their price but on the contrary be satiate with your kindnesses afflicted with his happinesse and openly neglect even these your excellent beauties for some slight regard And who shal then assist you to lamentyour cause after so fair a warning as is this of your disgrace Who will not think fit such a cruell one as bathes her self still in the bloud of such as love her best and is not pleased but in the murther of their inconstant loves at last should fall into the hands of such a sot as should revenge by his contemptuous outrages the most injurious disdaines wherewith she hath crucified so many faithfull soules And to remember you that I have said it is a misery fatall unto such as you and by so much the more assured as it is little feared Minerva did but laugh at these his ominous predictions and told him then she could with ease render them all wholly false Aruolphe wer't that he deemed it for the good of Minerva or that he loved her rather for a Mistresse then a wife freely advised her to marry Tatius But she having drawn and got from him what she would now thought not but of the readiest meanes to discard and cast him off Tatius was a Church-man and upon that she told him that her friends took it amisse that one of his coate should so frequent her company he sent to Rome and having obtained a dispensation for marriage he sought her openly Minerva excused her then upon the
this bondage which wereto her no lesse then three ages perpetually thinking of some meanes to redeeme her At last having resolved upon it think you not Sir said she that the assembly of so many wrongs and injuries as you doe daily heape on me will not one day breake upon and strike you too for me I should rather chuse to dye then once to give you cause to use me thus But I confesse unto you truely that indeed I had much rather dye then longer to indure them Tatins not being used to be braved by a woman much lesse by his wife answered sternely to her that there was no meane between them but that she must resolve to endure the one or of the other Minerva replyed not to him but bethought her presently what she would doe upon this The mishap or imprudence rather of Tatius would that he must to Paris which ministred to Minerva an opportunity to order her affaires and to dispose them in such manner that upon the returne of Tatius she caused him to be told that she had reserved two chambers to her selfe which she intreated him to afford her and content him with the rest of the house which she left wholly to him Tatius that lookt not for this would needs to her to answer her in proper person but she would not suffer him speake to her or by any meanes once see her and in stead of now playing the Master at home he found that she was at home in truth and that he was become the weaker So as neither prayers nor threats being able to shake the resolutions taken by a determinate woman he was constrained to returne backe to Paris whether she followed him soone after with purpose to sequester her estate from his very sorry that two children that she had had by him were the cause she could not be separated from him in body as well as in goods The Argument Minerva commeth back to Paris The second loves of Adraste with her are ruined by the practices and confederacie of Brasidas and of Gracchus her Kinsmen and Lovers CHAP. III. MInerva being disburthened of a charge shee thought her self very unfit to beare turned her whole Meditations to the meanes by which shee need never return under his charge and to this effect having established some order in the managing the affairs of her house according to the necessity of her new Common-weal shee took her way presently to Paris whither shee was called not onely for the execution of her designe but likewise for the accomplishing of her desires For her usuall residing in this incomparable City where shee had tasted so many delights was become more deer and farre more pleasing to her then that of the Country where shee had reaped no other then a bitter harvest Tatius not lesse feeble in adversitie then insolent in his better fortunes understood not so soon that shee was there arrived but hee sent unto her to intreat so much favour as to be admitted to seeher It was too soon to descend so low as to beg leave of his wife to see her in stead of the possession which hee wont and ought yet to have had of her and a wife which but three dayes before he not suffered to see any man Hee should have done like Alcibiades that bore away his wife by force through the publike hall and from amidst the assembly of all the people where she had summoned him to appear But he passed from one extreme to another and fell from a most insupportable tyranny into a dejected and most insufferable servitude Minerva admitted him to come seeher and this weak man thinking to mollifie by prayers her whom he had not had power to overcome by threats and recover by humility what he had lost by arrogāce not onely made her al the offers due from a husband to a wife but rather all the submissions that a slave oweth his Master Minerva for her part did render him all the honour of the world but without the least being moved by his prayers or any way slacking her pursuit most humbly intreating him to pardon her if shee sought the assurance of her life in that of herestate of which shee had not so much as thought had not hee himself inforced her to it So were their estates parted and by consequence their bodies for Minerva said she had children enough for the fortunes she possessed not being able to maintain any more she would by no means make any more Poor Tatius didst thou for this remove the earth Eye heaven it self almost to sequester this woman from her first husband to the end to see her now again sequestred even from thee Must thou make merchandise of thy whole fortunes and thy honours both of whatsoever thou didst possesse in all the World to have a wife which thou indeed hast not Minerva having rid her of this thorn out of her foot learned the news of Adraste and having bin informed of his lodging gave him presently to understand where hers was and Adraste went thither to see her soon after at their first greeting they staid some while to view one another both equally astonished Minerva with a little shame and Adraste with some wonder Well Madam said Adraste having saluted you have found at last that I am no lesse veritable then unhappy since my predictions have not onely proved true but unavoydable likewise Would I had never spoke them since they have proved so inprofitable and were received as ill presages which for the most part but foregoe mishaps Indeed Adraste said Minerva I avow it that you have shewn more judgement by foretelling my misfortunes then I have in myaddresses to avoid them but you are not ignorant it is more easie to foresee then to prevent such things by much The cause why we sometimes wisely undertake the things that doe not alwaies well succeed being cleere that it rests but in our powers to undertake as wholy it belongs longs to God to give the event You onely said Adraste have the art to make those things shew well that in themselves are nothing so which here I come not to subvert much lesse yet to complaine of you whose fortunes I lament more then my owne So have you indeed more cause to plaine my miseries then to complaine of my actions answered Minerva no one of them ere tending to your displeasure But tell me now how rest I in your memory and how may I hope to be therein reserved henceforward Assure you Madame answered Adraste you abide there better then ever where I preserve you with much more ease and farre lesle trouble then I was wont to doe And as for what depends on time to come you know we positively can say nought And I have been so much deceived in the event of things are past that I dare promise nought in future else had I sworne to you ere this that all the waters fleeting in oblivions streame are not of force to wash
you cleere from thence but by the incertainty of things have happened late to me I judge that it may be that I may beare you long in minde and with more ardure and more passion too then ever yet and likewise it may chance the helps of reason time and absence may doe me the grace to have power to loose your memory The greatest displeasure that a man can doe a woman whom he hath euer loved or honoured is to let her see that he loves her no more for it seems an outrage done to their beauties Minerva for all she was much moved yet smiled at this answere for amongst other parts of dissimulation or of prudence she had that never to manifest the least feeling of a grudge but on the instant of her revenge She said then to him that she was very glad to see him cured of an affection which her honour forbade her to remedy provided that the cure were perfect and not rather a stupifying of the apprehension of it for then said she such as complaine the least are they are most to be feared for that their ill is by so much the greater as their sence of it is the lesse Moreover as the cure ought be entire so should it be moderate for that she had heard that too perfect a health was oft the presage of a dangerous disease and she feared a servitude by so much the greater as his liberty now seemed the more boundlesse which she conceived altogether incompatible with his humour that she thought unable not onely to undergoe the disease but more to suffer the remedy Excuse me if you please answered Adraste I shall bear them both so they come together but I love not the one without the other for that the remedy without the evill is to no purpose and the evill without the remedy is insupportable Well then said Minerva you assure me to be without the disease and I promise you not to minister the remedy We are then agreed Madame answered Adraste I demand nothing of you and you grant me my request which saying they fell both in laughter and to discourse of such accidents as were befallen them since their last intervenue Minerva related to him the indignities Tatius had done her which caused her seek the assurance of her life in that of her estate with as much sorrow yet as any vertuous wife could have in the displeasure of her husband I marvell not much said Adraste at what is happened unto you after having been so often forewarned before it befell you I should haue wondred if it had beene otherwise Since you merit it by your incredulity though not in your actions I cannot render you so small good will but I wish you much better then him though I grieve more for him then I doe for you since you have lost a man whose acquisition was your mishap and he hath lost a wife whose possession was his whole fortune Comfort you so your friends said Minerva yet more harshly said Adraste when they dare to complaine to me of ils they suffer for their pleasure and for not beleeving me I am further then from daring to complaine to you of the death of Arnolph said she For that answered Adraste I shall compatiate with you in your mishap Arnolph being dead by an accident wherein you had no hand There is much difference in the misfortunes we suffer innocently and those we undergoe by our own default But if you be not receivable in demanding of my counsell or resolution on the divorce of a husband how think you to be in demanding it on the losse of a Rivall had I not as much cause to rejoyce me for my own interest as to afflict me for yours And you Madame that have said you will give me no help how dare you demand of me my advice I could doe no lesse answered Minerva then to promise my refusall of help when you assure me not to have any need Well Madame replyed Adraste but when I doe assure you of need will you assure me of help When how when said Minerva It is impossible to come ny fire without being heat Adraste conversing daily with Minerva whatsoever liberty hee had recovered by his absence her marriage became reingaged in the inevitable charmes of her allurements and stroken with the same amorous infection wherwith she woundeth all the world After long arguing in favour of his reason he concluded yet according to the swinge of his passion and judged it better for him to submit with all the world beneath the Empire of this so excellent a beauty then he to resist it onely If he were troubled to resolve this be sure he was more to confesse it He was much ashamed that he had plaid the fool and rendred himselfe so flexible It seemed strange unto him to have slighted one he had adored and again to adore the woman he had slighted so he cald to minde the first shipwracke he had undergone with her and by that he apprehended the second remembred him how easily he had been ingaged in his affections and with what pain he was retired It seemed to him he did but breake in two these chaines were almost now worn out to carry new more strong and that he freed himself but from an easie hold to re-enter in a prison farre more mercilesse That he should quit a Master that he had more cause to praise then to complaine of who amongst the ils he had wisht him had not yet forborn to wish him well and suffer underneath a mercifull resentment of his passions But love what can it not in a gentle heart At last hee confest to her that more then her rigour and his absence the many perfections which hee saw in her opposed to the many defaults he felt in himself had inforced him to practise a remedy more ill then his disease which having cost him much to finde would cost him more to lose That her great beauties which wholly occupied his soule being yet ravished from him as all hope of their possession was most injuriously torn from him t was no way to be deemed strange if so despair had put to death desire that could not livewithout it were in hope That to save him from the tyranny of one Master onely he had bin constrained to make him many and not unprofitably to love one thanklesse object ever hee had dispersed the stream of his passions and divided his affections into as many places as he found several sorts of objects That erring like the Pilot that had lost his starre and rendring him like to the trees on the high-wayes that do bear fruit but for the passers by he was become infetterd in a chain so sweet in appearance and fair in effect that he had willingly himself thrust in his armes and did esteem him now more happy in the losse of his liberty then he could be in conquering the whole earth But that as all things have a certain revolution
of her Asteria either to give him cause of jealousie or to make her selfe merry said that Adraste did speake all the good i' th world of her but in his particular he thought no longer of her And that others might now with his free good will visite her if they would for he had taken his leave Gracchus whether he beleeved her or that he was well pleased to have such an advantage on Adraste was so sottish or malitious as to report again to Minerva for a truth what the other had spoken in jest And the ill fortune was that Adraste not seeing her of 3 or 4 dayes she was so weake to beleeve it The next day after Minerva having agreed to goe take the ayre with Brassidas and Gracchus in the Tuilleries and having given them notice of the time she would passe over the new Bridge she by chance met with Adraste alone neere his lodging that it may well be thought then of her but not of the mischiefe she wished him nor of the charitable office was provided for him from so far as she could see him she called to him having caused him come into her coach told him as they went the cause she had or she believed she had to be offended at his words Adraste judged presently from whence it came but he would say nothing behinde the backe of those hee seemed the Authors of this imposture which were as he beleeved Brassidas and Gracchus and by so much the lesse he spake by so much the more he seemed guilty and to confesse it so as Minerva extreamely offended at his words took yet more offence at his silence by which he esteemed to confirm them Brassidas and Gracchus failed not of the time at the place appointed by Minerva but were presently seene on horseback at the lower end of the street Dauphine neer the new Bridge Minerva offered them roome in her Coach and they went both into one of the boots Adraste being with her in the other They were scarse set before Gracchus turning him towards Adraste so Sir said he you have taken your leave and parted with this Lady for all which me thinks you are here still I stay Sir answered Adraste to tell you that is a tale and nothing so In saying which they being set back to back one against the other laid hand on their swords Adraste on that of Gracchus and Gracchus on Adrastes which they drew neer halfe out Minerva and her mother that sate at the end of the Coach both shrieked out extreamely afrighted Brassidas put himselfe between them the Coachman stayed and both of them sate down againe without a blow striking out of their respect to Minerva who was yet irreconcileably offended at the-small regard they had had of her She complained of wrong to the one and the other and they both excused themselves to her deferring their difference untill a fitter opportunity But Brassidas could not forbeare to tell Adraste that he had done ill Adraste hearing such words from him he esteemed and who was indeed partly author of the quarrell told him very hotly that he was none of his Iudge and that he should doe well to stay the medling in his causes till they were brought before him Brassidas being before interessed in the businesse for love of Gracchus was now become ingaged on his own behalfe Note either of them had a sturdy Laquay and each of them a sword and that Adraste had but a little boy who bore none with him neither so as if they would have took their advantage the match had been ill made The Coach drove along strait to the Tuilleries whilest Minerva forethinking they would strive who should leade her at the going out of the Coach and fearing some worse matter might yet arise in the businesse very privately charged and conjured Adraste to take her mother telling him that she had had promised this day to walke with them and that shee met him but by chance Adraste asked her why if she had made them such a promise she called him along and said that since he was first in time if any one led her it must be he She then intreated him he would let her goe alone and promised that none of the other should leade her Adraste deeming it unfit to enforce her to suffer her selfe to be led against her will agreed to that And as she came out of the Coach every of them tendring his hand she beseecht them leave her at liberty saying she was old enough to walke without help of a leader Notwithstanding Adraste kept close on one side of her and Brassidas and Gracchus on the other without any one once offering to conduct Arlande though she had more need of their help then Minerva not out of incivility or want of courtesie but through excesse of pride and courage fearing in leading the mother they might seem to decline the daughter They walked in this posture so farre as the grande alley of the Tuilleries and from thence as farre as the Echo Adraste and Gracchus interchanging some braving looks arose observed one another not speaking one word till they came to the end of the alley when the King entred at the other end and Minerva that had shooke all this while took Adraste aside whom she had not spoken to since their comming into the Parke more then to the rest And just the same feare a poor woman might have said she to see two men of her company fight have I to this minute had not but I thought ve had both sufficient discretion to forbeare doing me such discourtesie but that I mistrusted my self of sufficient merit to retain the violence of your first motions till now the Kings comming frees me from the feare and you from the means to change blowes I conjure thee Adraste by that great power which thou hast made me beleeve I have in thee not to trouble the delights we expect in this daies walke with thy company You have been sufficiently troublesome already though I think innocently so as I could wish that true was told me of you and that I had not had the honour to meet you at all this day not but your company is deere to me that being the cause I intreat you now indeed to reserve it for some other time for now I cannot entertain you for feare of offending them nor them for the same feare of offence to you And this little time I spend with you makes me doubt I have distasted them since I know well you would be angry to seem talke so long to them Adraste was no way agrieved at this discourse for having cleered himselfe to Minerva and driven his enemies to winde ward hee was soon weary of the company had lost what ever could be called pleasure in it in the bitternesse of this dispute he desired much to converse with Minerva but he as much shunned all common entertainments as he sought particular The comming of the King
come to see Arlande as his Kinswoman and Gracchus accompanying him as his friend she could not hinder the Visitations nor the Walks Arlande admitted of it being very uncomly for the daughter to play the Mistris before her mother not thinking also that it would have becomm'd a woman of her quality to testifie the least animosity against them at all to shew she affected him In the end she knew so well to plead her cause as she gained her suite Adraste asked pardon and the wronged party made the amends This day consumed in complaints and such like satisfactions took yet away all hate that the last falling out seemed to have ingendred in their hearts how ever it placed not there the wōted love not in that of Minerva's for that she yet mourned for the dead on whose behalf she seemed even to despise her life Nor in that of Adraste for that seeking in these disgraces to save him from the ambushes of Minerva hee was already faln in those of Cariclea which hee would have dissembled but Minerva intreating him to helpe her loose the remembrance of a man whom shee had loved hee againe begged of her advise how to acquire the affection of a woman that he adored You have already so acquired her answered Minerva thinking he had spake of her self as you need not care further but of means to preserve her Would to God that he you love were alive said Adraste and that I were in possession of her I desire I believe I should have lesse trouble to preserve then I shall have to acquire her How can that be said Minerva that you should be in possession of her you desire during the life of him I lament if you desire not some other then me And how think you also that it can be believed answered Adraste that I have acquired the affections of one that lives not but in the death of an other I have the wrong indeed on my side said Minerva and you the reason on yours Adraste to engage your thoughts upon such an object as hath not ingaged theirs But since I discover thus my malady to you if so you cannot give me help as there is none in death I pray at least refuse me not your comfort and be it so that in losing you for a Lover I may enjoy you as a friend Madam answered Adraste it hath bin the greatest unhappinesse that hath done me outrage to see how unapt you have bin to think the one or the other of me But I shall never cease to be both to you so long as God shall give me life and you no cause to die by the ill use you daily do me The night book of their discourse which else they had not known how to leave Minerva having prepared to retire to her house in the Country and apprehending in the solitude that place offered the sorrows that Arnolphes death did now make her so lively feel in the divertisements of this so excellent City again conjured Adraste that did sometimes apply him to such things to write somewhat in way of consolation and in verse on the death of Arnolphe an importune request to pray a Lover to busie himself in the commendations of a Rival and the more for that Adraste medled but unwillingly in making Verses seeing so many as he did come off with little credit in that subject But Arnolphe was dead and hee hoped in pray sing him hee should at least flatteringly sooth his Mistris and insensibly insinuate in her favours yet the more unwilling to give the repulse to a Lady to whom he had given himself without whom he could not rest and with whom he could not live he endevoured to render him pleasing and agreeable so far as to celebrate for her the affections of him that living had orethrown his own So after having brought Minerva home to her house and being retired to his own lodging hee made the same Evening the following Stanzaes as you see which the next morning he sent to her at her uprising to let her see with how much care and readinesse hee did imbrace all manner of occasion did at all pertain unto her service The Verses were these Stanzaes On the death of Arnolphe to Minerva CEase fair one cease your mournfull plaints lay by Arnolphe is not dead though absent hence More then the Sun remov'd from off our Skie In shady dark hath any residence No he 's immortall and amongst the Saints And vainly you importune Heaven too late That hath no eare to lend to such complaints But must in all things too give way to fate Great Iove himself that with one thunder might Dissolve the earth all things annihilate Saw maugre him brave Hector fall in fight And Troy in dust lament her ransackt state How often mov'd eye pressed by ' his Favorite And his fair daughter did he think to hide But destiny withstood and did deny it That goodly Empire from the Grecian pride For in the Eternity of vengefull fate Before was Priam doom'd his sentence past Else Pallas power nor Iuno obstinate Could have his land orerun or laid so wast But your Arnolphe here a blessed man Though beaven should chance refuse him deny you Is happy yet that he did serve you when He liv'd and more to be lamented by you And is not one death then enough but you Will with your tears bring back his soul to breath And he must so die twice and you would now Double your griefs and twice mourn for his death In vain then fall those tears along your face Nor can they move the destinies decree And if they could obtain you any grace That grace were yet more ill then death can be Minerva that the Heavens caus'd to come down Heer to be seen perfections object still Ought she to afflict her for the love of one That to acknowledge it hath power nor will You moan his body or his soul lament If 't befor's body you complain t' is gone And if for 's soul your grief hath worse extent For you a good in place of ill bemoane Leave to low mindes these bootlesse tears these moods Can so much heart so sooth the sence of crosse We should not drown our reasons in those floods Nor lose our selves in weeping others losse The room 's too fair to be th'retirement still Of a guest so foul as is perpetuall moan And they without cause use themselves but ill That pitying others cruell are t' their own Do you then celebrate's immortall fame And with proud marble heer his corps inshrine Then let some happy pen divulge his name Throughout the earth where ere the Sun do's shine This doth accord with great Augustus minde And your brave heart that wont not be so griev'd But t' feed your soul with sorrows so unkinde And griev'e he 's dead is to lament he liv'd Quit then your sorrows yet your grief make even And know when you lament that naturall throw Common to all
had heard at the least two Masses before Plancus or Melite came though they failed not at the houre appointed them bnt she that appointed it failing them many houres after And after having waited one or two which were so many ages to the impatience of Adraste who had sent three or four Messengers one after another that brought back word that she was ready that she was come out that she came shee arrived at last about ten a clock when every one began to despaire of her comming at all And in place of excuse for having made the company stay so long she would needs perswaded Adraste that hee was extremly bound to her for the pains shee had taken in getting so soon away from her houshold and affairs both for she told him that she had an occasion of extraordinary importance at the Palace which she had neglected for his love Adraste replyed not a word to that but letting her say what she would got him into the Coach with her sufficiently manifesting by his silence and looks that he was more offended at her words by which she would excuse her fault then at the fault it selfe They were soon out of the City keeping the direct way to Ruel when Minerva angred at Adrastes silence and grudge asked him whether he had desired her to accompany him into the Country to aire themselves there or his ill humour and seeing he still forbore to speak she continued I am very unhappy to quit such company as adored and reverenced me to finde me slighted here and to have neglected my affaires to offend them I thought to have obliged Turn about Coachman said Adraste without answering Minerva and drive to the Palace that this Lady may by no means neglect her businesse It is not possible to expresse the despight shee tooke at these words He shall turn I assure you said shee or I will go back thither a foot But Melite blaming Adraste and gently entreating Minerva that would by all means have returned perswaded so farre as they followed on their way to Ruel Minerva notwithstanding having got out of the Coach Adraste took her under the arme and led her along a fair way more then a mile whilst the Coach followed them softly with the others that were in it And as Lovers are soon angry and soon pleased and re-alight the fires of their affections by the breath of such brabbles they had not so soone began to discourse together but they became agreed For Minerva cared not if one offended her so they asked pardon of the offence And Adraste cared not to offend her on those termes if it were a giving her offence to resent the offence he had received from her Arrived at Ruel the first thing they talked of was dinner after which they fell into discourse which they themselves would be much troubled to resaye watched yet by that importune old Beldam who unable to follow them walking left not yet to importune them with her eyes thorow every Ally of the plots and parteries into which these excellently beautifull Orchards are divided Notwithstanding the burthen of age and the care she had of the little ones in her charge gave leisure and opportunity yet to our Adraste somewhile to enjoy his Mistris in the cool of a shade whilest Plancus and Melite entertained each other in another place where in the presence of the Nymphs and other loanly deities of those sacred fountains their waters were taken to witnesse the eternity of their flames Adraste summoning yet things more firme and solid swore that the Heavens should change their course ere he his Mistris and that the earth should sooner leave her firme stability then his love its lasting quality And Minerva swore that waters should rise upward and fire descend downward ere she would leave to love Adraste But those things shee swore by being light and transitory could not produce but lightnesses no lesse agreeing with their qualities then her nature After having pleasantly past the remaynder of this day they took again the way back to Paris so late as they durst stay but they got not thither without danger for the Coachman being drunk drave his Coach so carelesly over a bridge in the way as for lack of take heed the Horses Coach and all that was in had like to have faln into the water but God was pleased to shew them the precipice onely keep them out of it The rest of the way they talked not but of the journey of Adraste Minerva wishing it as short as happy to him and Adraste beleeching her not to let such as then hee being present desired to crosse his fortunes any way to ruine them in his absence it being a certainty that such as sought to overthrow him in her affections being now with her would not forbeare when he were gone Minerva complained of this his request as grounded she thought upon the mistrust Adraste had of her saith and constancie and shewing him the Sun that as then yet shined so long said shee as this so glorious a Planet still shall be the light and comfort of all mortall men so long shall you be mine I could pardon one that had not known my minde so well as you but you are by so much the lesse excusable as you the better know it Adraste excused him if the danger to lose a thing the preservation wherof was so extreamly valued by him and the losse so ruinous had constrained him to intreat her to preserve her affection to him which should he lose he must for ever grieve the mischance and never cease to accuse his fate or indeferts and keeping it as now she did assure him she would he should part thence with such felicity and comforts in himselfe as he promised fortune never more to to take offence at any lucklesse chance shee ere should put upon him In conclusion of this Discourse they came to the City to went set down Minerva at the end of the street wherin her house was for she would not suffer them to accompany her any further not for fear of Tatius who was farre enough off and for whom she cared little but for fear of increasing the jealousie of Crassus that lay at watch in the same street where he had taken a lodging to wav-lay all resort to Minerva'es And for that shee desired they should believe yet that she cared not for him Adraste poor man that saw this gave as I say more faith to the witnesse of her words in the contrary then he put in his own eyes that saw it For this cause it is They say that love is blinde insomuch as passion hood-winketh all such as follow him troubles their judgment and takes from them their very knowledge Plancus went home with Melite and Adraste retired to his own lodging with intent to write to Minerva as if it had bin some long time since he saw her furious effects of a violent and extraordinary affection which we
yet so capable of reason in the end as he promised not onely to give up his Lease but also to become conformable to the will and pleasure of Minerva Minerva as then had few thoughts to which Adraste was not made privy for in recompence of his service she communicated her secrets at least such as he had not interest in For proofe whereof she recounted to him an action of Tatius which well noteth the great confidence betweene them Tatius being privately some time before come to Paris got one day unperceived to his Wives house where staying below in a little Parlour hee caused Minerva to be called downe thither who not beleeving she might honestly refuse to see her husband not mistrusting any ill came down to the same roome where he stayed her After having saluted Minerva praying him to walke up into her chamber he tould her that he had but a little while to stay there with her aud hee desired not to be seene no not of her servants and that being borne away by that extreame affection which he ever had for her she must beleeve that this visit so unexpectedly made and by stealth was a sufficient testimony thereof But thou most faire Minerva cōtinued he having tane her in his armes art thou not in pitty any whit sensible of my misfortunes Sir answered Minerva I am not so insensible stony but I suffer some impression from your passion and in your disgraces do compassionate yet as in mine own But you know well the cause that parted mine from your interest and I wish no other Iudge in this case then your selfe Indeed said Tatius I did not use you I confesse as your demerits did oblige me but excuse the passions of a Lover pardon him that does repent him forget the ills that I have done you and but now remember you of all the good that I have wished you you shall make nature a lyar if you become not then as pittifull as you are faire if you have not the same sweetnesse in your minde you carry in your looks They were all alone for the servant that had called downe Minerva was gon out and Tatius enjoying those rights the opportunity and his cōdition afforded him and reducing so his words into actions touching the heart of Minerva which was not made of wood or marble as partly by consent partly by force he reentred the possession of those favours he had formerly lost But so soone as hee had satisfied his owne desires See but the thanks of this disloyall and ingratefull soule No man can witnesse said he that I have now been heere Thinke not I came for love of thee but of my owne revenge to the end that after having left with thee what I can utterly deny I so may give thee lost Lo here the wicked act of Tatius which amongst the most remarkable basenesses that ere were perpetrate may hold the place of the most enormous treason and the most faithlesse wickednesse that husband ever committed gainst a wife Minerva never trusted this secret but to the fidelity of Adraste who never abused that trust or ever wronged her in it and if hee hath spoke on 't since it hath beene still to her defence gainst such as have accused and blamed her much for living from her husband And to make seen what cause she had to be for ever doubtfull and mistrusting such and so inveterate and setled a malice As Adraste had no care that tended not to the service of Minerva it seemed no lesse that shee had no inclination but tended to the love of Adraste She spake not but of his merits remembred her not but of his services nor in appearance thought of any thing more then of the meanes to acknowledge them Yet this faire sun-shine but presaged a storme Sailors have cause to seare a calme too smiling And physitians think it not amisse to doubt a health too perfect and secure for as the one doth but presage a furious storme the other argues still a dangerous disease But when that sicknesse doth succeed excesse of health Raines a great winde or stormes ensue grosse clouds no man at all is moved thereat for that already were foreseeen the signes that usually precede But when that in a time cleere and serene the face of heaven is in an instant bound about with clouds Or that we see a man to die at going out of bed that did arise in health T is then we do become affraid and that amazement seiseth us for that we are surprized and by so much the more astonished from these accidents as we could not foresee the event So had there beene but any cause or a pretext that had preceded the disgrace of our Adraste here hee had not marvailed at it aught for he knew well what kinde of soule he had to deale withall But all at once when he the lest expected it and that he did esteeme himselfe the most in favour with his Mistris not knowing why or doubting how hee found him fallen in her contempt and in the place of recompence and those kinde favours whereof his tried affections and his services did render him most worthy he did yet undergo the scornes and chastisements which he had no way merited He had not three dayes to stay in Paris when going to see her one morning a little later then hee was wont hee found shee was gone to Church whither very readily following her rather in desire to see her then for any other devotion he had It is no mervaile that God permitted him to be so ill entreated She had in her company only the Governesse and had already heard Masse upon the arivall of Adraste who having bid her good morrow presented her his hand to leade her home dinner time pressed them not so but having sufficient leisure fair weather to walk in and the place they were in inviting them thereto Adraste that thought he might have better liberty to entertaine her in this walke then at her house intreated her to take a turne in the Garden of that faire house belonging to the Queene Mother And Minerva admitted him to conduct her as well to entertaine him though very differently and with an entertainment and welcome much contrary to the desires and hopes of Adraste So as he pressed her to recompence his services and at the least would needes have some kinde favour from her for him to beare along with him unto the warres Minerva changing her discourse did tell him straite that his so frequent visits and disorderly addresses unto her had scandalized her much with all the Neighbours bout her house so as she was inforced to intreat him come more seldome there that esteeming his company as she did she could not deprive her of it she sayd with little griefe of which she did beleeve that hee would have his part but knowing likewise that he did esteeme more of her reputation then himselfe she hoped he alwaies would preferre that good
Goddesse are not sublime enough So as Madam be it that my wit confounded in the excellence of yours be unable to endure the brightnesse of it be it that yours incomparably elivate above mine be not lesse inaccessible then you your selfe are altogether inexorable be it that the chaos of despaire whereto your cruelties have reduced me do take from me my speech together with my life or be it that as there is no thoughts can equall the greatnesse of your merits so is there no words can reach the greatnesse of my thoughts be it what it will be Madame this is sure I cannot speake or of my love or your perfections but imperfectly and that a stile most new and words unknown behoved to expresse as yet so rare and most unheard of things The Argument Vpon his Mistresse forbidding him to love Epistle 2. YOu yesterday gave me in command not to love which I confesse I have ill obeyed for be it for the afflictions I feele in that cruelty be it that things forbidden are ever most desired I have not had the power to think another thought since you forbade it me Madame there is no kinde of duty that I owe you not command me that I shed your enemies bloud or that I spill my own I shall not leave one drop within my veyns I shall oppose the violence of times and of the elements nor is there cruelty of chance or fate to which I shall not willingly expose my selfe to obey you But either cease you to forbid me love or otherwise forbid your image to pursue me since that doth watch me every where and leaves me not or liberty or thought but what it doth inspire or else you may as well forbid the Sunne to enlighten the whole earth the earth not to produce her fruits you may as well forbid the waters to descend and fire to mount on high since all these functions are not halfe so proper unto them nor yet so naturall as 't is most naturall and proper unto me to think on and to live in you But Madame I beseech you say what Empire else but yours hath ever reached so farre as to the thoughts of men what tyrant but your selfe forbids to think of things desired Is it not sufficient that I obey you in things most difficult but you will yet command me those impossible shall then so much respect and passion with so much violence and lasting too availe me nought nor ever bend the cruelty of your so pittilesse spirit how many yeers is it I have sighed for you is it not time at last to yeeld is not my constancy as yet sufficiently proved shall you not reape more glory and contentment to preserve me then to betray your selfe in my ascertained losse Madame I have told you heretofore that no desire so violent bides in the heart of man or mad indeed as that I have to possesse you But I shall rather chuse eternally to undergoe such rage and violence then seek my remedy in any thing displeasing to you Oh what mistrust or what so feeble strength as now hath power to make you doubt a faith so known If quite disfavourd as I am I cannot chuse but love you yet and worship now in you even this ingratitude and cruelty that makes me dye what should I then do would you but render me possessor of that grace the only hope whereof doth cause me live Madame conceive the rest by thought and think your selfe of what you do forbid me think The Argument He saith that he loveth as well by election as destinate thereto and intreats his Mistresse to examine the cause for which she doomes his death Epistle 3. Madame I Told you yesterday that I did love you as of meer election and free will but likewise by an absolute necessity with an ardent excessive and a most furious passion of which I could not possibly be healed without it were by a possession or by death and that herein was neither end or meaue you Madame as if to slay the creature that adores you were to doe better then to give him life did absolutely then forbid me ere to hope the first meanes of recovery upon necessity reducing me unto the second then that is to say you did condemne me unto death unto what Iudge Madame please you shall I appeale In what religion in what schoole have you learned so bloudy adivinity Who hath given you such assurance as to perswade me after this that yet you wish me well and to command me live when you have doomed me unto death Who hath beene able to perswade you to impose such rigorous lawes as doe oblige me beg your pardon even for the ills you doe me and for the love it selfe which I beare you Madame yet this once and as the last I do most humbly intreat you but to examine the cause wherefore and why you kill me It is for a most perfect love which hath extended so it selfe as unto those that naturally indeed I ought to hate Was ere man found but me that for the love of his Mistresse lov'd his rivall too But wherefore busie I my selfe to represent my affections here to you that have confessed that you beleeve them much more then I know how to expresse Doe you represent them Madame in the true perfection I have conceived them and see if for being too faithfull and for having in your love exceeded the most violent passions of man it be reasonable that you cause me undergoe the heaviest torments of mankind Think that my fate or good or ill dependsnow on your answer and that I beg not here my life but for to make immortall yours and seen in the extended vastnesse of my sufferings how boundlesse the perfections are that render yet your cruelty so lovely The Argument He complaines of the indifference of his Mistresse Epistle 4. Madame I Should live ill satisfied as well from you as from my selfe might I not complain me of the ill you doe me of which the little care you take is yet more cruell then the ill it selfe That feeble sparke of reason rests to me amid the blindnesse of so much amazement lets me yet see in you so much indifference as not to see it I should take it for a blessing to have lost my sight I know well you will accuse me of a raving but to complain with reason of an ill suffered without cause is by no meanes to rave The long continuance of my servage Madame and the advantages my affection gives me afore all such as honour you makes me presume I hold in your affection yet some place above the common sort And you have told me so but suiting ill your deeds unto your words there is no company so ill the entertain ment and converse whereof you have not still preferd to mine Madame I will not comment on your actions your deportments being so just on my behalfe that even the ills you do me do
yet seem good to me But I complain of heaven that hath bestowed on me so little merit and so boundlesse love according unto which proportions the one beares me to adore and honour you the other doth invite you to disdain and scorn me Nor can I deny also but that it seems extreamely cruell unto me to see you harke to any other speech then that of my complaint Nor that I conceive not an ill opinion of my selfe by the slight esteem that you have of my sufferance Yet Madame since that you are so pleased I shall conform me to your humours and make you see that I have no content at all but in what pleaseth you But if my frequent visits rēder you my passions importune I shall most humbly beg you will accuse your own perfections of the fault that in the image of such beauties have caused me to adore even cruelty it selfe and seeke the vaine shadow of contentment in a most sure and reall martyrdome The Answer Epistle 5. Sir I Expected the least of any thing such a Letter from you whom I beleeved better then ever satisfied in my deportments and intentions You judge both of the one and other rather by opinion then by reason and falsely accuse me to have done you ill since I have neither had the power or will and that you never can reape the good I wish you You have cause to say that I will accuse you of raving and to call to minde that I have promised to love you more then others This truth me thinks should hold sufficient place in your beliefe to hinder that any other contrary impression should ever usurpe the roome But if you take the pains to remember you of what you do complaine and chiefly of the complyance wherewith you say I gratifie all the world without remembring you You will finde they are but complements to which civility inviteth and obligeth me and that they have been more liberally imparted to your selfe then any man I am never importuned by your visits but on the contrary they have been so valued by me that I desire the continuance on condition that you give no more faith to any thing averse to the esteem I have of your demerits The Reply Epistle 6. Madame I Iudg'd what you would answer me before I wrote unto you and well I knew that you would not want words whatsoever reason you might see deficient in But I know not nor can I as yet learne on what deportment of yours I ought take up my satisfaction for either I am very blinde or else I have not seen any so favourable as might render me more satisfied then I have been Notwithstanding you have cause to say that I rather judge thereofby opinion then by reason for that I have pronounced them just against my selfe which reasonably I never could To say I accuse you wrongfully of the ill you do me and that you have nor power nor will therto were not onely against my knowledge but also against yours and cannot be said without gaine-saying the most certaine experience that I have proved therein against which it is impossible to beleeve that you have ever wished mee well As to my raving I my selfe give sentence against my selfe upon condition you confesse that it proceeds not but of too much love And for the verity of your promise I know not what place it may hold in my beliefe to hinder a contrary impression not having ever seen the proofe that was not to the contrary To remember me of things whereof I doe complaine were but to afflict me more It were better seek some meanes to forget them as her hath been their causer since that I neither can or ought hope other thing The Argument He amorously seemes angry with his Mistris Epistle 7. Madam I Should indeed never write more no nor speak calling to minde how much both the one and the other have beene bootlesse to me and how much that faithfull stedfast and most perfect affection which I beare you continued of so long time and with so wonderfull a perseverance might speak for me were not you on my behalfe the most imperswasible woman under heaven But the violence of my torments and that rigorous usage wherwithall you entertaine me when I ought be rather cloyed then starved with your favours constraine me to lament my selfe and to accuse you both of ingratitude and cruelty What is the matter Madam have you lost the name and memory of him that hath not any but to love you to serve you And is it not enough that you are lovelesse but you will be too without memory without knowledge How long have I sighed for you and you withstood not onely my felicity but more your owne Remember you that he that begs love on you now is he that of so long hath beene your suppliant and that it is not a vaine humor that invites him to it but the truest passion love did ever yet inforce Content your selfe in that so violent resistance you have made till now against your own good happe and suffer you your selfe to be orecome at last by an invincible spirit All things invite you to it and nothing lets you your honour is protected in my warinesse and my discretion and this same innocent feare you have to doe amisse in my favour is altogether causlesse God is no enemy of Natures but its Author and the offence committed without scandalls is no offence for this'tis said that they are blessed whose sinnes are covered But Madam the men of the first times having composed their civill Lawes did after give them out unto the people as divine to the intent to render them the more venerable and themselves the better obeyed in their Authority So Numa made the Romans beleeve hee had the Lawes hee gave them from the Goddesse Egeria And Lycurgus perswaded the Greekes that Apollo had given him his Stand you not then on so vaine a scruple which indeed is no other then a bare pretence to hide your cruelty And if you still doubt of that so faithfull constancie of which you have had so long experience Alas with what manner of proofe have I not testified the same which notwithstanding if so bee there yet remaines one I have not renderd may it include my life and all that ever I have command me heere that I present you with it that so living and dying in obedience as in affection I may cause you find me more worthy of the good you refuse me then of the il you do me The Argument He comforteth his Mistris on the death of his Rivall and manifesteth the excellence of his Love above all other affections Epistle 8. Madam YOu commanded mee to ease you of a passion gave you offence and at the same time promised to cure mee of another gave me death And howsoever I hope nothing lesse then the effects of such a promise your repose is so deare to me and your Empire so
are not obliged to doe more nor justly to grieve your selfe for acciâ—ents you cannot avoid Here be the remedies that I often practise on my selfe continually since I first knew me wrastling beneath so injurious a fortune as the most miserable may finde wherewith to comfort themselves in the contemplating me But I am estrayed Madame and forget that I increase the number of your troubles by the length of this my Letter which may witnesse for me if you please that the desire I have to live is not so deare to me as that I have to preserve me yours The Argument He answereth to a Letter of Minerva's Epistle 21. YOur note enforceth me to avow it that you have a better memory on my behalfe then heretofore you have had acknowledgement and that you doe something acquit you of what you owe me if so you can pay all my love with one bare remembrance I finde also that you have cause to beare me in minde for if so be I have not rendred you the service the memory whereof may be deare unto you at the least I have given you no offence that ought to render you ill apaid As for me I have a thousand reasons that oblige me to cherish yours but one onely forbids me which is that I cannot remember me of you without passion and to suffer a mans selfe to become passionate for a thing cannot be had is but a folly I have of late pretended to wisedome and have believed my selfe but ill favouredly therein as you may thinke notwithstanding which if so I cannot attain to it I will at least seeme to have done it and begin by the forgetting of my passions and of her that was the cause of them it is true that it is but an ill way this to begin to forget my love by renewing the memory thereof and indeed of what should I ever remember me after once having forgotten you The Argument A Ladies answere to her Lover Epistle 22. THe care which you have to preserve my memory and the passion you feele for my absence to my thinking are lesse then the meanes you have to expresse them notwithstanding I value them so as I am not much displeased to see the new assurances you give me of your affections which are not over-pleasing unto me though I were well satisfied with the former The fairest proofes and most desired effects you can give me of your good will consists in your return I imagine not that you have cast the affection behinde you that you had for me but contrariwise I deeme that you ever laid it amongst the most eminent of your best thoughts aud that like enough you may draw your crâ—â—es after you but cannot breake them As to the â—â—cape you have made without my leave I attribute it to your affaires never having any designe that tended to the diverting you from them if I render you beautifull thoughts it is not in such abundance but I alwaies reserve some to my selfe for the entertainment of my solitude in your absence you say that you resolve to attend my answer at Brux elles and I am resolved to write to you thither by an expresse messenger if so your comming doe not prevent me Adue I am your servant The Argument Hee makes answer to a complaint she had made of him for his silence and not writing Epistle 23. Madame ONe chanced to deliver me a note which by the hand and the stile I knew to be yours I confesse to you Madame that I scarse understood any thing in it and that as I have no cause to beleeve that my good wishes are any thing valued by you so have you yet lesse to say that you cannot consent to the losse of them You thinke not that such as love not but in presence know well how to love I know not wherefore you say that Madame to one that both in your presence and in your absence hath testified so much love unto you and one that therein hath been so ill requited as you cannot renew the memory of his affection without refreshing that of your owne ingratitude You continue to write to me almost against your will Indeed I cannot deny but in that you doe me a favour which I hold extreamly deare but with it you ought to avow that my affections do merit a greater and that for every word that you have wrote to me you have received many Letters from me from any of which I cannot thinke that you can draw argument to prove that I desire not the continuation of yours And to demand that I should cleer your scruples thereupon is it not to demand new proofes of a passion which you cannot be ignorant of without belying your own experience you say that should be much contrary to your desire so sure should it be to mine that hath never tended but to honour you though to no purpose and that cannot yet repent the time therein lost Thus would I entreat you to write to me answering my Letters as I reply to yours and arguing with me reasonably without framing to your selfe such chimera's as have not for support but your own phantasie You will be thereby more satisfied and I more contented since my contentment depends on your satisfaction I am not in the meane time your servant but I shall alwaies be so whilest it shall please God and you to let me live The Argument Vpon some discontent a little before his departure Epistle 24. Madame IF so be this paper be not as unwelcome to you as my selfe I intreate you here peruse a word or two which my extreame dolors hinder me to come and tell you I nurse sufficient ills in my despaire without the need to have had them more exasperated by the interdiction of your speech and of your sight Yet nerethelesse are any of them so cruell but I would rather undergo them still without complaint then be displeasing unto you No Madame I am sufficiently possessed of my affections but not so much to the prejudice of my obedience that they shall ever give you cause to tearme your selfe a miserable one I know not what you thinke but I wish no part in heaven if there be any manner of misfortune upon earth I would not undergoe to render you in happy state thereby Adue I goe to breath forth my afflictions in some place whereas my worst of sufferings never shall offend the due respect I owe to you and which I ever shall preserve to you even in my own losse The Answer 25. YOu have made an ill construction of my intentions if so be you thinke that I desire to banish you my sight since yours have ever been too deare to me to value it now no better And you shall much offend me if you doe not bid adue by word of mouth When you shall enter into your selfe you will I assure me confesse that you are in an errour that all such things as you accuse me of are
which certaine ought to be permitted to the miserable like my selfe and which yet I will not stretch so farre as to the importuning you but rather chuse to burn and hold my peâ—ce as hoping in your helpe more from your pitty then my own complaints Good day Minerva faire one once more good day and againe once more good day permit I here doe give good morrow to my Lady your mother too together with the antiquity of theeves which I did promise her But t is to you indeed I ought to have presented it as to the greatest thiefe on earth For if they be the greatest theeves that make the greatest thefts what greater robber can there be then one that steales away our hearts The Argument She answers that if he knew how much she partakes in his sufferings hee would rather lament her then himselfe and that no one should ever esteem better of his merits nor so cherish his affections as her selfe Epistle 34. IF you knew how much I partake in your sufferings and how often I wish some meanes in my power to remedy them you would rather lament me then your selfe no one shall ever esteem better of your merits then I nor more cherish your affections then I doe if so I could assure you of this truth by effects worthy you and my own desires I should not now make use of these misbecomming words which nerethelesse I intreat you to accept for that they come from her that honours you the most The Argument Hee saith that it is impossible he should undoe him from the thoughts that have undone him Represents to himselfe the time he hath lost in serving her what she hath taken from him and what she hath yet left him And concludes that it is high time that he retire all naked as he is to some desart whither her image shall not be able to pursue him further But that all this discourse vanisheth on her presence Epistle 35. IT is impossible I should ever undoe me from those thoughts have utterly undone me You are with me as Hellen with the Trojans So oft as they in absence did consult on her affaires they concluded that they would discharge themselves of her but if so be that she were present then they did resolve they would retaine her yet So when I call to minde the many years that I have spent in serving you where seeking to obtaine you I have lost my selfe there is no reason but doth counsell me to put you off But what I have lost all care of my affaires the repose of my minde the health of my body the pleasure of life and the remembrance of my selfe You have taken from me my memory understanding and will and have not left me my life but to prolong my torments or for the pleasure that you draw from them or for the glory since you receive such honours yet therein as are not rendred unto any other one Is it not time all naked as I am left I seek to save me in some desart place where your pursuing image nere can finde me out but this discourse doth vanish all if once I come in sight of you and I in stead of my supporting it become as one that dumbly playes the Amorous demanding straight your pardon to have had the thought orecome not by your reasons but your beauties And in your absence is it yet much worse I weep not no my dolours were full light if I could heale them with my teares I dye in passion not to be beleeved whilest you do cause and yet doe sleep secure and carelesse of my ill I was yesterday to have seen some Ladies to have diverted me intending to have spoke to them of love as unto them indeed I did but it was still of yours or rather indeed of mine Pressed thereupon to name the cause from whence my sighing did proceed I told them there I sighed not for a woman but a deity My goddesse then adue receive part of the sighes you cause which bring you a good morrow and know the King departs on Monday without faile I am to goe this morning into many places whither I shall not carry other then my body howsoever I have much to doe with the best gifts of my soule Of which if so that you be asked the newes say boldly that it dwels with yours in Flying-heart street I his sufficeth not I must adde that you have lost one half of my Letters which I intreat you to look out Argument He complaines that they would debar his visits on the passion weeke and that it was not a generall rule but his greatest griefe was to leave her in the hands of her enemies whose drifts he discovereth to her and offers himselfe to undertake them Epistle 36. Madam NOt seeing you yesterday at Church according to that you have told me I judged you were retained at home by some unhappy discontent but I was ignorant of meanes to inform my selfe thereof for to have sent to you it was at such an houre as you had not dared to have returned me answer and for to have had me come unto you much lesse I too remembred me of what you said concerning visits on these daies of which I think full well and should much better yet were it a generall rule for all and not a particular exception for me onely But if it were not amisse as yesterday it is yet good to day and to morrow better and I being to depart on Monday shall consequently goe without the honour to see you for whom I not onely am and stay here but for whom onely I live which is not the greatest of my unhappinesse though it be extreame since having alwaies placed your pleasure above my owne I easily can resolve of any thing contenting unto you but my misfortunes being to me a much lesse burthen then are yours it is the greatest sorrow I can have to leave you in your enemies hands from whence it seemes you have no will to free your selfe and from whence my minde foregives me that you will not part but by the light of some debate Madame to say truth it is not for me to talke of this for as it is fatall to me to foretell you verities it also seems that you are destinate not once to credit them and that you have no faith nor cares that you can lend to any one but such as will deceive you By so much the more as you are good and generous by so much are you subject to deceit since generosity is alwaies opposite unto distrust Who doth no ill suspecteth none and one that doth not thinke ere to deceive a friend beneath the shadow of affection cannot beleeve that in an other they cannot once conceive in themselves But feele you not the effects of some designes that you have never seene doe you not see that they have got possession of your goods and of your liberty and that under a pretence of serving you