and Authority of Another And our Helvetian had only the Diversion to see the Malice of his enraged Mother frustrated and by giving some slight security to the Publick had his Liberty of going abroad without fear of the Sbirri or Constables But indeed nothing Afflicted him more than this last procedure of Vicentina's and his Passion would oft transport him into these Complaints Cruel Creature whom till now I could ne're believe so to make me such an Inhuman Monster as to have offered thee Violence much more to have designs upon thy Life Cruel Vicentina To-turn that tenderness I did always shew to thy Person into the Savageness of a Beast a Beast of prey as if I had no more Humanity than an He-Tygre no more mercy than that has Milk to destroy the Wife of my Bosom the joy of my Heart the delight of my Soul You your self my Dear Vicentina tho instigated by the malice of a Mother do not believe what you have so rashly Sworn and how could you believe your Life in danger from him that to preserve yours was alway ready to Sacrifice his own All my Comfort is the World will never believe this tho you have Sworn it were it true I should be ashamed to look ever Human Creature in the Face much less my Father or any of my Country-men it must have been with kindness if ever I attempted to kill you and where you never met with the least Violence how could you fear so much hurt Remember how concerned I was always for your being but the least indisposed how you could perceive me to languish with you and pine away by Sympathy Remember how when you would needs imitate the part of a Romantick Lover after the Reading of the Tragick Scenes of Cleopatra of Lucretia and such Heroick Ladies as had kill'd themselves for Love and the like when you had a little overacted your part and let the pointed Sword to pierce that tender Skin How the very sight of but one drop of Blood that it drew was enough to touch my Heart and draw more from thence and your acting Death as it were to the Life was enough to have made me dye with the sight or even the Apprehension of it And is this the Man that you fear will bereave you of your Life Is this the Man by whose hands you are so afraid to fall Is Armadorus then to kill Vicentina how would you once have startled at the very Imagination or abhorr'd your self had it but entred your thoughts in a Dream but now you have verifi'd the Catastrophe of your foreboding Vision by making all the Serene and pleasant Scenes of it terminate even in the blackest Cloud in Blood and in the misery and wild distraction of us both These were his ruthful Complaints that all that heard them regarded lamented condoled but the hardned Mother and unrelenting Wife and therefore finding he could make no Impression upon them nor that Time that softens Iron and Stone had turn'd their Natures nor all the Importunities of Friends and Relations the powers of Flesh and Blood could mollify their petrified Hearts he betook himself to the Courts of Equity and Justice to make his Complaints and receive Redress who soon Authorized him by a Legal Process to demand his Spouse wheresoever he might suspect her to be which accordingly he did in a solemn manner of the Lord of Ogliano at the Gates of the said Lord's Castle and afterward in the Mansion-House it self but she being deni'd there to be or that they detained any such Lady he was left to make out his proof by Law and a solemn Tryal for which both sides prepared amain The Gentlemen of the Long-Robe were engaged with Gold and to fight it out like Switzers that were well paid one against another The Wittnesses were to be Mustred up by Multitudes and to Swear lustily and perhaps for Gold too And being thus ranged in Battalia were all ready against the time appointed to give Battel The adverse party had so packt their Cards and shuffl'd the Young Lady from place to place that it was a difficult matter to fix that of her abode and prove where she was detain'd for Vicentina that was now brought to stoop to all their Lures began to disguise her self whereever she went and she that was once like Juno's Bird or Venus Dove the beauty and splendor of the Day like a Bat began only to buz about by Candle-Light or hover like a night Bird in the dark nor would she stir by twilight unless incognito and once like the Italian in Masquerade that would mimick at a Carnaval a Spaniard and French-man parte per pale at the same time both in dress and gesture she was observed to ride forth in a Cavalcade somewhat extraordinary pleasant viz. a good rich Velvet Saddle and fashionable upon a sorry Horse with a switch-Tail that that us'd to carry Lime and not Ladies A gentile Surtout or riding-Suit with her Shoulders warmly wrapt up in a good White Serge whittle A pretty handsome Commode of the newest fashion upon which was gracefully plac'd a good homely Straw-Hat with a long Pole like a Sugar Loaf so that Cit and Bumpkin seem'd never better met or set off since the Creation Poor Vicentina to what hard shifts to what Obloquies and Reproaches has thy blind submission thy Passive Obedience to an Imperious Mother reduc'd thee But 't was too late for her to retract she had her Irons in the Fire she was to strike while they were hot tho' they burnt her Fingers and the Lord of Ogliano he was drawn in to Espouse the Cause upon the account of the old Countess his Spouse and perhaps out of hopes if all things went well the Signiory of Albania the young Countess's Patrimony might come into his Family otherwise he had the Repute of a well-meaning person that did not love any litigiousness but what his Old Lady led him to who having the ascendant made her good Lord submit to such conditions sometimes that went down with reluctancy and Armadorus himself would alway do him that Justice as not only to think but to represent him as unconcern'd in those perplexities they had brought upon him The time approacht in which this great Cause was to be decided not by Combat as of old when Appellant and Defendant met to decide it by a Duel The Principals as we have heard before had been thus engag'd on the Nuptial Night where it prov'd but a drawn Battel here it was come to the Dernier Resort and almost the last Appeal except the highest and to be decided by a Judicial Sentence and Decretum Finale and for that both sides seem provided when the Learned Podesta or Judg took his place upon the Bench. After the preliminaries of the Trial were come to be adjusted and the Jurors and the People full of expectation to hear the Evidences Proofs and Disproofs whether by error in process of the one
THE ADVENTURES OF THE Helvetian Hero With the Young Countess of ALBANIA OR THE AMOURS OF Armadorus and Vicentina A NOVEL Quae me Suspensam insomnia terrent Quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes Quem sese ore ferens quam furti pectore Armis Virgil. Aeneid 4 th Licensed 9th December 1693. LONDON Printed for Randall Taylor near Stationers Hall MDCXCIV TO THE Right Honourable THE E. of M. c. YOVR Lordship being so Illustrious an Example of Heroick Love and Renowned Valour 'T is but fit that at your Feet our Adventurous Lover and most Valiant Hero should fall and that Good-natur'd Pity and Sweet Compassion that moved you to Espouse the Justest Cause of an injured Stranger will encline you also to Patronise The History of his wrongs and Injuries and your Lordship cannot be an Enemy to the Author if you are but a Friend and favourer of ARMADORUS THE ADVENTURES OF THE Helvetian Hero With the Young Countess of Albania c. NO sooner had the God of War raised himself from a a profound Repose a Tranquility in which all Europe lay too long alas for the restless humour of the Aspiring Gaul who in the midst of Peace betook himself to Arms besieging Phillippolis a Frontier of the Empire flaming Caesar and all his Allies with the surprizing insult of so sudden an Invasion so unjust a War No sooner I say had Mars set up his Standard and Bellona displayed her bloody Colours in the Field as if War in Conjunction were to denounce discord among the Sexes or only designed it on the two sorrowful Subjects of this Discourse whatever were the dispensations of Fate or its deep designs certain it is that the News of so Universal so formidable a War could not but reach the whole Helvetick Body a People so truly Martial and Warlike that they have no other Cradles but their Tents and begin their Lives with a Campagne A Nation Neighbouring on a Great Emperor and a King as Great which lying open to two such potent Enemies had need of all its Arts as well as Courage to subsist and had no little Reason to have some regard to its self and so thought it best by a wise Neutrality to prevent their becoming a prey by a precipitous participiation to the Avenging and Triumphant Victor and falling so many Victims to the Force and Fortune of the Conqueror tho' this policy I must confess has sometimes proved as destructive to States as 't is many times thought a medium to preserve them and makes them in the end to be aimed at as Sacrifices by both sides because they sided with neither but here notwithstanding the general body of this Canton'd State stood Neuter it was left to their particular Subjects in which Party they would Engage And Gold and Gain being with them a good principle of Honor as well as the best argument of a good Cause mixt with their Native hardiness that on one side or other enclines them alway to Action Their bold Youth betook themselves each to that Country and Cause where they thought they might find the best Interest and the best Pay Amongst which Martial Adventurers it so sell out that the sprightly and active Armadorus made one A Youth well made and of a good Meen Proper and Gay qualified with a Sweet air and a melting softness The first such as Brezes on their Mountains and the latter to be compared to the Snow that lies upon them while his Warlike disposition was all that was rugged about him like the roughness of his Country 'T is true he followed Mars while Venus seem'd to form a Camp for him and the French Gallantry seem'd couch'd under the robust denomination of a Swiss Perhaps his Parents from their long services in that politer Country had infus'd in his formation some more polisht matter than what usually Compounds the Courser People of his own Country but as soft as he seem'd for War he was design'd and so the first prompting Expedition that offer'd to his Inclinations was the Warlike preparation that was made by the Belgians and the Heroick Prince that headed them for a Descent on the Isle of Old Albion now commonly call'd Brittain A Command he soon got either by desert or recommendation and accordingly entred upon the Action The Success of which every Historian has in Voluminous Diaries sufficiently related it may suffice to say their Expedition was Prosperous they Landed their Forces without Opposition They march'd into the Country without Resistance look'd on as Redeemers and not Conquerors So that the Young Hero had not the occasion of shewing the proofs of that Valour that a brisk action might have Exemplifi'd and so signaliz'd Himself to Her that proved afterward the Mistress of his Affections The first seat of War beginning in that very Province she called her own but alas little did either of them then think of those Sharper Engagements and Conflicts that afterward befel them Honour led him on so that Love had no time to intangle him or her Tho' the little God perhaps had laid his Plot already tho' the Execution of it by him was deferr'd The Army by easy Marches advanc'd to the Metropolis and our Noble Helvetian hardly gave or receiv'd the least wound in the Field The Cause seemed to Conquer for them while themselves profest they came not to Conquer all the Conquest the Young Hero was reserved for was that of Beauty and Armadorus to dye in no other Arms but Vicentina's Thus having possest themselves of the Capital City which there was no need of Force to make themselves Masters of the willing Citizens receiving them with Gratulations Pageantry and Pomp a peaceful settlement soon followed this shew of War at least what was thought to conduce to it the Crown was placed on the head of the Deliverer by a publick Act of the Senate and the People pleased with a new Coronation Festivals Pageants Triumphs and Rejoycings were the only Diversions of the Town drown'd all the noise of Drum and Trumpet and the useless Army dispers'd was Commanded to Reside in their Respective Quarters in the several Country Towns and Villages of such Provinces as their General Officers thought fit It was our Young Helvetian's fate to be remanded to the Province of Danmonium where they first Landed and his Quarters Assigned him in the Principal Town of it Anciently the Isca Danmoniorum little imagining what Snares the little God had laid for him against his return what hard Conflicts he was to meet with after such easy Triumphs Thou Powerful Love Tho' Infant God! How dost thou Govern and dispose of Human Affairs And as inconsiderable and puny Deity as thou art painted influence all things Fate and Destiny can do no more Little did our Armadorus think that He whom all the Beauties of the Capital City could not Conquer or divert from his Martial Exploits and Employments should be Triumphed over in a Country Town Captivated where
fondness as 't was generally thought Fool'd the Young Lady into a more Refractory Obstinacy than was Natural to her Temper and Constitution but as much Marble as she was she melted into Tears at his talking of exposing of his Person to the hazards of uncertain War But the Countess-Dowager that desired nothing more than by some obliging Ball or Bullet to be rid of her Son-in Law persuaded her Daughter not to lay it so much to heart that there were Men enough going in the World and better Husbands to be had However the piteous Vicentina was not become yet so obdurate she wanted a little more of her Mothers Stony Heart to petrify hers and so beseeched him earnestly not to think of any such thing and she would bear with his Absence for a while if his occasions required it if he would promise a return to her and not to the Army Armadorus that perhaps never designed it was easily prevailed on to promise so much and so for that time affairs seemed a little accommodated He prepared for his Journey with Reluctancy parted from his Spouse who throwing her longing Arms about his Neck showed also how loath she was to part with him they sighed by consent and their Tears mingled as they Kiss'd They parted indeed but pursued one another so long with their looks till a cruel distance cut off the Communication of their Eyes Armadorus arrived no sooner among the Dispensers of the Law those Oracles of the Courts of Justice but you may be sure he received good encouragement for the carrying on the Cause which as yet carried somewhat of merit with it so it had with them a promising aspect of Profit too He came to take Counsel with a Meen that carried Gold in both Hands and that did declare he was not come to Starve his Cause In forma Pauperis and that was able to make any Nokes a Tertullus or John a Stiles a Chrysostomus For he Experimentally found verified among the Gentlemen of the Law what his Country-men had always practised in their Arms. What Swiss came e're to Beat of Drum Or Bawling Lawyer was not Dumb To see no Gold nor Silver Come It is a happy thing for a good Cause to have a good Client too or ten to one but it miscarries Armadorus had the good luck to make both these ends to meet and so went on merrily with his Negotiation and first to qualify himself with the privileges to Traffick as a Native obtained an Act of Naturalization to bring himself upon the same bottom with those that had dealt so Vnnaturally with him this being compast the Complainant Armadonus that indeed had very good Reason to Complain was advised to turn humble Orator and to move in a Court of Equity for Redress against those Perilous Women for withholding his Right while the good Women at the same time were Counselling to get hi into a Spiritual Court for detaining theâ—â— due These Variances this Cloud oâ— Discord that was like to raise such a dust and on both sides a Cloud of Witnesses too was for a little while disspated and dispell'd by a sudden seisure of the poor Armandorus with a violent Sickness so that he could not follow and dispatch his Affairs with that diligence and therefore laying aside those little resentments that contesting generally stirs up He being utterly Ignorant that the cunning Old Countesâ— had in his Absence engaged his Dear Spouse to declare her self his open Enemy and sue for so Unnatural a Separation and cruel Divorce while he lay Languishing on his Bed in a Feaver which his Physitians look'd on as Malignant occasioned as they said by some ill Planets that now seem'd to Influence their Loves for the Mars and Venus had been lately in Conjunction they were now like to come in direct Opposition Lumpish Saturâ— seemed to Lower and Libra could not keep the Scales even between them bold Sagitarius had shot Virgo thorough and thorough and it approaching toward the Vernal Equinox where Aries might predominate 't was fit for Husbands to show themselves very kind to their Wives for fear of the worst That there was a great distance indeed in Trine and many wide Deâ—rees of difference between the Old Countess the Young and Armadorus they might meet in the House of Strife but their Horoscope had no Room for them in the House of Life Thus out of Ptolomy Haly Cardanus Olaus all â—is Physicians Rosacrucians vere â—depti having severally declared their opinions and confirm'd them from â—â—e Writings of Trismegistus Mesue â—â—vicenna Averroes Arabians Aegyptians â—hose Works and Words like the Deâ—â—ees of the Medes and Persians was â—ot to be Controverted The poor â—â—tient Armadorus that understood their Jargon no more than they did his Helvetian did only guess that his Condition was but bad and the worse for that his Doctors did not understand it and therefore as soon as their Gravities was descended Decently he dictated to his Amanuensis these few Lines for his Dearest Vicentina Dearest Vicentina AS nothing but Death can make a separation between us which is indeed an Unavoidable Divorce so as long as I have Life nothing shall be more Inseparably yours but alas how long that will be I know not for I am at present in such a languishing Condition that I cannot continue long under that indisposition that oppresses me A consult of Physicians I have had who talk to me much of Stars and Constellations but understand no more my Disease than if they had studied nothing but Almanacks 'T is only you my Dear Heart that can relieve me I have nothing in this long absence left to enjoy you in but Thought and Contemplation and out of that you never are the great distance cannot hinder me from enjoying you in a Dream and my restless Nights afford me only Dreaming slumbers I long to see you and that speedily lest those Eyes should close that have so much delighted in the Contemplation of yours and those other Features and Perfections of your Face My hand is too weak to guide that Pen that should convey to you the Dictates of my Soul and so am forced to crave the assistance of a Secretary But my Heart as faint as it is is firmly yours and your Idea the only Cordial that supports it Pray Dearest hasten your departure and let no false Insinuations of an ill Mother detain you or make the least division between your beloved self and your most Affectionate Armadorus The good soft humoured Gentleman as we have observed before having not the least in him of the Rough temper of the Helvetian had habituated himself to those Compellations to his Wife that others commonly use in their Courtships to their Mistress and by his sweetness of Address endeavoured to continue that Affection when her Husband which he had in Abundance when only her Lover but alas all was in vain His absence had lain him open to the Aspersions and Recriminations of an enraged