War and the things that affright and molest were scarce so much as mentioned all the discourse was of love of the chase of dances of feasts of all the more elegant recreations of humane life There indeed spread a felicity over all the Kingdome Heaven blessing it with a serene tranquillity and an exuberancy of good things But the tranquillity was at length disturbed the workers of the past tempests raising new ones Liampo forgetful of the mercy which the King had shewed it when at the next door to ruine renewed its old factions and the Isle of Varella was powerfully and sharply assaulted by the Japonoises Aftertaind of this the King who armed with speed to prevent the mischeif with which he beleived the Isle of Chapasi threatened commanded Alcidor to put himself into it and it was in an instant that he had set foot on ground there with a great number of Gentlemen who reckoned it a fair glory to fight under his colours To help him make good his charge there was quickly sent to him by the diligence of the admirable Orestes eight thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse and with these aids he so well disposed the Iland to a defence that the Japonoises coming three dayes after to view it found it too well fortified and managed to be assaulted After this the King seeing that the designe of Callimorus was wholly set to force the I le of Varella caused a good part of Alcidors forces to be joyned with others and make a descent thither and the success was that they compelled the Japonoises with great loss to retire to their ships Callimorus being gone Ariances who came with him fled also back with him to take refuge at Meaco Alcidor who had not as yet stirred from Chapasi was orderd by the King to go Feild-marshall to the seige of Liampo He was again upon intelligence that Roâ—ilus had forces in the Feild which he intended to put into Liampo or else to divert the siege with them ordered by him with eight hundred Horse to go seek him out and sight him and taking with him Silvanus and Dolompus the latter of which the newes of the arming had brought from Mongul where he had been dangerously wounded at the siege of Teudac he made his course but could no where meet with them that he looked for Returned to the Kings quarters he had past but few dayes there before he received the newes of the sickness and within a few houres after of the death of Florinda newes which filled his great heart as full of greif as it could possible hold and not break and which put his two Sonnes all in sadness He had Condolers of his unhappiness the King and all of his acquaintance and when seeing the change of his habit they had learnt the cause of it the whole army the King withal together with others his freinds reading lectures to him of patience and comfort He had indeed for arguments of quieting himself that she was fallen into a sleep for which it was below a soul of true courage to torment it self and from which all his Stock of Tears and sighes could not awaken her that the Queen and Court had taken all the care and pains about her not only which humanity but which also a zealous tenderness could suggest and that he had neither himself nor any other to complain of for his not seeing her in her sickness the first moment that she fell ill a Curâ—ier being dispatched to him with notice of it and she dying within six hours after of which also he had as quick a messenger But after all he had an earnest mind to throw aside his charge and arms and go weep over her that which stop him from doing it was a just consideration that his sovereign had present need of his service and demanded it and that therefore to leave him would be to incurre an opprobry from which he should never be able to clear himself Let us wait therefore said he to himself to go pay our last duties to that part of our dear Florinda that remaines till this rebellious City which is at the even of its being subdued be fully so It is not now the first time that we have received an infelicity of this kind we have too well learnt the sad usage of resenting a wife's death to forget it and shall we make less resistance against the oppressions of affliction now than heretofore when our spirit had more of impurity than now by the advantage of age it hath The exercise of Tears is to be left to women we have reason to shew ourselves more constant And besides into what region is Florinda gone that we should do nothing but lament for her Is she in an abode that is inaccessible to us Is she not there where all faithfull souls have a place reserved for them and where it is not long before we shall see her again Let us forbear then to sigh over her state of bliss and resume the temper which we had before the loss of her that so we may the better imploy ourselves as our duty and necessity require in things importing to the speedy reduction of the enemy This resolution tooke and followed Alcidor and by his advice and example his Sonnes also very much to the satisfaction of the King in regard both of the benefit which thereby they would receive themselves and of that also which would accrew from it to his own affairs The Japonoises having a good mind to succour Liampo but in regard of the invincible obstacles that stood in their way contenting themselves to appear upon the sea and retire the beseiged though they had thereby their hopes frustrated continued obstinately enough to defend themselves but at length great numbers of them being destroyed by the arms of the besiegers and greater by sickness and famine so that the Town made hast to be desert of inhabitants they were necessitated to beg the Kings mercy and what they necessarily begged he freely indulged Having mastered this City which three Kings his predecessours could not do and re-establisht there the old Religion of China he returned in triumph to Paquin and thither Alcidor waited upon him and then applied himself to perform the supreme honours to Florinda When he came to see her body in the Coffin he was wholly possest with greif and his sentiments were more equitable than to be blamed but his reason after a while making good its empire and tempering his passion his Cheif care was taken up about her funerals and he laid her in the grave with a State in which Mourning was renderd full of Majesty While the King continued at Paquin Alcidor was always about him and new occasions calling him abroad he and his Sons attended him They were of his Cheife assistants when he forced his way through the barricades and other obstacles that shut it up and dissipated those that opposed it releived Baiador that was straightly beseiged upon the Prince
endearing conversation and proceeded from one kindness to another untill they seemed at strife which of them should shew most and till Alcidor began to argue with himself from Carmelia's freeness that she had so warm a Passion for him that if he would but take the confidence to try she might be brought to grant him what in colder modesty she had forbidden him to aspire to While such thoughts past up and down in his mind she who suspected nothing of them but was willing to indulge as much to his and her own affections as she thought she well might without infringing her duty to Clidantus and the rules of decency curled his locks and kist his forehead with little less allurement than if she had a mind to dress a party against her Chastity Confirmed by these her more innocently intended dalliances in the opinion that if she was importuned she would not refuse him that which places a Lover at the â—â—p of his happiness and interpreting the amorous wiâ—hly regards which he observed â—he cast upon him as a summons to make use of that conveniency of the place for the performance of what he had a mind to he had his flames so animated that thinking no longer of any thing but quenching them with those delights which have the Vertue both of quenching and re-accending the thirst of Love he solicited her to what was so disagreeable to her that starting up from the place where she was set and looking as pale as if she had recieved some blow that made her heart fail How Alcidor said she to him dare you entertain me with so foul a baseness a baseness which unspeakably astonishes and offends me together Think you that to gratifie your brutishness I will betray my honesty Go make your prayers to lustful women it is at their temples that you must address your offerings With these words fetching a deep sigh and on a sudden growing as red as she was before pale she hastily turned to go away but Alcidor who read his delinquency in her face and carriage and exprest his penitential distraction in his ovvn held her by the Mâ—ntle and throwing himself at her feet I acknowledg Madam said he to her that the cholar that you are in is no greater than is just and reasonable but if there be any thing in the universe that hath influence upon your spirit I by it beseech you to pardon the untuly violence of the passion which I have for you It is that which having deprived me of my reason haith been the cause of my impudence and if nothing else will satisfie you I have not a drop of bloud with which I am not ready to expiate it No No interrupted she him I have no body to blame but my self who have too lightly and foolishly permitted you familiarities which have made you hope as easily to obtain the spoyls of my Chastity But undeceive your self Alcidor and know that I should much more cheerfully love to dye than consent as you immagine I might be induced to do to the ruine of my honor I am sensible Madam replied Alcidor that my crime though it have love for its complice is of a very deep and ugly stain but any repentance if any repentance can be so is answerable to it I again therfore beg by all that you hold good and dear to pardon me and I beg you not to do it but upon condition that if ever I fall back into the same sin you banish me for ever from your favour without leaving me the least hope of Mercy Overcome with these words and other testimonies of remorse which he exprest in a plain and large Character since I have reason to believe returned she to him that you are really troubled for the offence that you have given me forbear trobling your self any farther I fully pardon you but withall I lay an indispensable charge upon you that you no more go against the law which I have by the Obligation of Vertue necessarily prescribed you I confess I love you entirely but if you imagine you shall be ever able to draw from me more than what I have told you I will allow you know I shall run to my grave rather than bring a blot upon the integrity of my life As for our wonted Caresses Provided you proceed not to unlawful propositions I will allow you them as heretofore but if by allowing you them you again encourage your self to abuse me assure your self you will oblige me to hate you as much as I love you I farther esteem my self very happy in being at present alone with you but least any ill should be suspected of us let us return to Clidantus who possibly may awake and send about in search of us if he finds us not by him To this he having replied with very ingenious acknowledgments of her goodness they sealed their reconciliation with some warm kisses and past next way out of the wood to Clidantus his Chamber where when they first came in they found him asleep but he presently awakened and signified himself very well pleased to see them about him It being a Month after this before his Physicians could with their best diligence advance his Recovery to any considerable pass they in that time enjoy'd all the contentments with one another that in the tye which limited them and in the place where they were they could soberly expect and in the enjoyment of them Carmelia's affection grew to such a height that she began to see by its effects that to love her lover more she loved her Husband less This enormity she made very assiduous effects to overcome but as often as she made them she so often experienced that the more she resisted the more the forces which she had to fight against increased and desires continually sprung up in her mind which were altogether contrary to her will and which made her wholly ashamed of her self but which her reason seting it self to oppose there was alwayes something which obtained the victory against it While she was in this rout which though she could not rectifie she very discreetly concealed her Husband by the advice of his Physicians resolved to return to Laquiâ— that which Alcidor liked very well both because he loved the abode of the Court and because he made no question of having more liberty with Carmelia there than where they now were and that which was now by his fartherance of it quickly put in execution The next day after they were come to the Royal City Alcidor going under colour of visiting Clidantus to see Carmelia found Felisbea with them whom he saluting with civility enough and a kiss which had more of manners than heat in it but which however so much dissolved and drew out her heart that she could hardly defend her self from falling in a swoon the same desires repullulated in her soul which had not long since agitated it and her humour withall shewed it self drest in lighter
and he in execution of the trust was on a sudden seen at the head of many silent Men attempting and atchieving things which called not only the vulgar but the bravest of the Nation to take notice of him with admiration and which particularly purchased him the good will of Lisantus one of the most Gallant chiefs of the party The heads of the League to give it good colour and to draw strength to it had publisht very specious principles as motives of it and had conjured the Princes Nobles and Commons to stand up for the Antient faith against the Novel which they said the King favoured against them by that Lure decoying into them multitudes of credulous People To impede this the King put abroad a Declaration in which he cleared himself from the several blots wherewith they aspersed him and particularly testified that he bore a sincere and constant love to the settled Religion of China that which disarmed a great number of People and some of them very considerable but not Alcidor who persisted so affectionate to the cause which he had espoused believeing himself bound to venture and if need required to spend his Life in its quarrel that nothing but death seemed of power to discover him from it In proportion to his affection did his courage and Prudence labour for its advantage but notwithstanding all the endeavors both of him and others to hold it up they saw it in a short time so enfeebled and bent to fall that they were constrained to incline to peace and to return it not for always yet at least for a time to the obedience of their King It was indeed no long time before they who had been so forced to lay down their Arms had taken them up again which Polianis seeing put himself in the Field with a very considerable Strength and as first Prince of the Bloud declareing their practises Felonious protested he would as faithfully as necessarily defend against them the prerogative of the King the State of the Queen Mother and the fundamental Laws of the Realm In sequel of this the War becoming open Alcidor got on Horse back and ranged himself in the Army that was led by Lucimon where continually seeking occasions of Action he signalized his vertue and aggrandized his name by deeds which were altogether wonders But he could not by all that he could do protect that Brother of Orastes from being as continually molested so in several Battels notably beaten by the Brother-in-law of Florimen Lucimon after a while advancing to Paquin whose Inhabitants had been diligently chaâ—ed to stir and lookt with jealousie upon the intervier which Polianis and the Queen Mother had lately had and there by the interest of Orastes whom they worshipt as a God making what impression upon them he desired Orastes himself in another quarter with loud and sharp invectives complaining of the King that he had labored against his own work by revoking an authentick Edict of Peace by another which he had made since carried on the War with a very sedulous and potent hand In the end the Indians being called in by him and following his call and the Kingdom being on all sides imbraced with Hostility the Opponent Armies came to a bloody Fight in which Lucoris was slain Polianis remained Victorious and the vanquisht were reduced to such an universal disorder extream confusion and miserable estate that they who escaped from the deluge of blood that was shed had wholly exposed themselves to the mercy of the Conquerors had it not been for Alcidor who as in the Battel so in the rout and Flight did all that it was possible for a Man of heart to do He with a management which can never be too much applauded carried of the said relicks of the shipwrack drew them into a Body and offered fair for the repairing of the loss But the Commanders proved too timerously affected towards the undertaking and the Soldiers more eager of securing than of hazarding themselves and of running a way than of Fighting again The revolt was thus set at Bay but the principal Authors of it determined rather to Abyss themselves in the ruines of the State than change the course which they had begun and presently the King from all parts received Advertisement of the conspiring of his Subjects For the necessary security therefore both of his Person and his head City he put a Garrison in it which Orastes looking upon as intended a curb to his ambitious practises he so powerfully incited the people that they fall to barricading and committed ravages altogether unworthy of Chinoises and which made the King leave Paquin to go seek a shelter against the storm that threatned his life The King and with him the Court gone the Miserable Citizens sensible of the wound which they had thereby received repented of their disobedience and desired the Parliament to beg their Pardon and humbly beseech his Majesty to return to his Palace and by his presence restore to that great Town the abundant Emoluments which his removal had taken from them But this reckoning himself justly incenst he resolvedly denied his denial very much perplext both the People and their leaders and to warrant themselves from the mischeifs which they saw were likely to fall upon their heads they set new Engines on work and made new experiments Florimen on the other side armed both against them and those of the other Religion and against both obtained very important victories All things went to his advantage Which Orastes seeing and that after whatsoever manner he steered his designs they sailed not with an untoward wind he demanded an assemby of the general Counsel of the Kingdome to the end as he said of re-establishâ—â—d peace and replacing the King's Subjects in a perfect Obedience The King having granted what he demanded and opened that great Court with a speech of which the Eloquence and Conduct made him admired for one of the wisest and most excellent heads that wore a Crown he who had braved his authority confidently presented himself before him and he received him with a gratious aspect but not long after by the advise of his Counsel dispatcht him out of the World Upon notice of which Execution the People of Paquin broke out into extremeties which trampled all their allegiance under foot and in revenge of it Lucimon raised them that were exasperated in plain rebellion and after their example several of their chief Towns of China and having gained a formidable strength advanced towards Florimen with a confidence of making him his Prisoner But upon intiligence of his enterprize Polianis reconciled himself with the King employed his Arms in his succor and forc't the Enemy to fly In this occasion was Alcidor engaged on the side of Lucimon and performed all the parts of a Man of courage but was constrained to give place to Equity and Force A little after having notice that his friend Tyrenas was taken Prisoner and kept at
found they held such sense as this Though possibly there bee few pretensions of marriage so exalted which my birth would not authorize me to make the worth which continually represents it selfe to me in you hath so much of magneticke influence upon me that my heart cannot keep it selfe from being drawne and tied fast to you and that I cannot forbeare telling you so And this you shall never faile of knowing so long as you render your selfe capable of doing so But make no ill judgment of my freenesse for my virtue is no otherwise interested by my affection than it ought to be and as it is most true that I love you so is it also that I love you in such a manner as chastity and sageness allow and that I looke you should continue in the tearmes of respect that are due to me When I had done reading these words not to detaine you any longer with this concerne adjoined Alcidor I am at present mounted to the highest step of happiness that a vertuous love without marriage is able to bring me to and if I may say so without imputation of arrogance I have reason to thinke that I may be to morrow the husband of Florisa if I will She every day indeed presses me to be so and though I upon a manifold consideration beleive that I shall never have her for my wife I have promised to make her so as soon as the seige is raised and in the meane time to prepare my selfe for it by gaining as large a stock of honour as I can He thus concluding his discourse to me I told him that he had certainly done very well in satisfying the princess with those assurances that she desired and that I made no great question but the terme which he had taken for marrying her would produce such a revolution of affaires as would set him at liberty to doe in that affaire according as he should see cause Then not thinking it fitting to counsell a man whom his discretion made him act well in every thing I onely let him know how deeply I accounted my selfe in his debt for communicating to me the particularities of his affections and presently we parted Having such within our walls as practised for Polianis and carried on conspiracies of moment enough to have quickly destroyed us if we had not happily smelt them out and provided against them we were eight dayes in remedying this desease which done we made our beseigers see that wee had not lay still but to take breath that we might fall upon them with the more life cutting our way up to their trenches putting them into a great disorder and bringing backe a great number of prisoners There was againe nothing worth mentioning attempted on our side till one day Alcidor without me whither I was otherwise busied or that he had some other reason not to take me along with him issued out of the Town accompanied onely with ten volunteers that put themselves under his conduct They were presently set upon by twice as many and were at length constrained to give way to their strength and retire But before Alcidor made his owne retreat he by amuzing the enemy gave his party leasure to make theirs Upon which occasion staying a little too long behind after he had maintained fight as long as he was able to put himselfe out of the danger that he was in he leaped his horse over a great ditch Thereupon one of those whom he had to deale with vainely enough uâ—braided him that he had the advantage of making him fly To him the advantage is returned Alcidor that you are so many were you a little fewer you should quickly see me come backe to you It shall be your fault if you come not said the other againe for I promise you you shall have to doe with none but me try the adventure and you shall see I will attend you as it in honour becomes Lisimax Hearing him say so Alcidor was about to jumpe backe to him but he at the instant perceived about halfe a score horsemen galloping to intercept his way he therefore set spurs to his horse and retired Got into the Town he came and recounted to me what had befallen him he told me withall that Lisimax being the favourite of Florimen and of an applauded name and there therefore being a great measure of glory to be gotten by a single combate with him he resolved to demand it of him The reasons which he alleadged for his resolution inducing me to approve it after I had intreated him to let me be his second but could not obtaine it of him we concluded that it was necessary for him to have the consent of the Princess and of the Counsell of warr in the business and we went first to the Princess to whom he declaring that his honour put him upon a duell with Lisimax she before me could not forbear having her selfe extremely troubled at it and endeavoured all that she was able to turne him from it But when she saw she could not pervail with him Goe then said she to him and fight this Giant and heaven reserve for you the victory From her we went to the Governour at whose house the cheif officers being convened Alcidor propounded to them what he desired and without difficulty procured their leave to doe as he thought good From them I waited upon him home by the way whither The King said he to me beleives Lisimax invincible and so doe others also if therefore I overcome him I shall acquire a glory which will not quickly dye but if my ill fortune on the other side will have him triumph over me this satisfaction I may pretend to that I am vanquisht by one of the bravest Cavaleirs of our age It is almost impossible that you should not conquer him replyed I to him so much advantaged as you are Was there indeed nothing but the favour of Florisa that is enough to make you irresistable and I make no doubt but the prayers which she sends up for you will be heared and draw down upon you the blessing of heaven We were in these tearms when we came to his lodgings where he making me stay and sup with him during supper I againe set upon him with the best rhetorike that I had to persuade him to make me of his party but all to no effect Risen from table we went into his closet where he giving me a book to reade I had not perused many lines before he had drawn these and came and shewed them me Alcidor to Lisimax YOu may well remember what yesterday past betweene us and you live in a higher reputation than to beleive any thing meane of yourselfe If therefore you can get leave of the King as I have done of those upon whom I depend it shall lye upon you if I come not to day to sight you at the head of your army You are a better man at armes than to refuse to fight with
usually happen but it is to Alcidor that it hath happened and that hinders it from being a wonder A great reason of his good success said Dorame surely is because he drew not his sword but upon a just cause for who can deny but he had right on his side in both these duells in the one as being assaulted in the other as being outraged No man Cozen said Rolimon to her can with justice condemn him for what he hath don and if any man should have either so much malice or so little judgment as to speak ill of him for it he would finde enough ready to revenge it upon him But let us withdraw hence to wait for him in the house as shady as this place is the rayes of the sun peircing it and beginning to set it on fire Removed into the house they for some time held conversation upon severall worthy things which Cartagenes had done and then Dorame turned it to Florisa and Alcidor speaking very much in commendation of the former for regarding the merit rather than the birth of the latter though reserving the quality of Prince she knew he was issued of one of the best families of the kingdom and of him they were speaking when he came into the room where they were At the sight of one another he and Dorame were struck into a little stupor which being quickly dissipated and salutations performed you have since you left us Sir said she to him been to us the cause and the object of more than ordinary apprehensions my Uncle and Cozens who came hither two dayes since have been both witnesses and partners of them but was there a necessity that you should abuse us by making shadow to us of going to agree some freinds and engaging yourself in mortall quarrells I hope Madam interrupted her Alcidor Limonides hath not done me the ill office to conceal what past between his Master and me He hath given us a full account of it Sir said Rolimon to him but my neice taking a particular interest in your preservation therefore sets thus upon you that she may persuade you not to be another time so ready to satisfie the resentments of men void of reason What could I do less replied Alcidor than use my sword against a man who forced me so to defend me honor and my life I am certainely no quarreller much less am I of a humor to fall foul upon those whom I do not beleeve to have a design of offending me but that it should be said that out of cowardise I disengaged myself from a provocation or that any body should set upon me without my giving them to see as far as I am able that I am not insensible I can by no meanes bring myself to endure You gave sufficient demonstration of this to Lisimax said Dorame to him and thereby acquired a far more triumphing reputation than that any body should be easily disposed to pass sentence upon you as pusillanimous I see you know Madam returned Alcidor to her what in respect of its in considerableness I had reason to think lay private from you but that is too small a thing to procure me credit with any body much less can it bring me into esteem with you to whom those things are common which to others are rare Not to dissemble what we have done Sir said Rolimon to him Vindorix and I to divert my neice have imparted to her the knowledge which we have of your life which reaches you know to the time that you was taken prisoner excepting what became of Florisa and what intercourse you maintained with her after her Uncle removed her from Paquin I am sorry replied Alcidor that she hath had no better a diversion the occurrences of War usually making horror rather than harmony to those of her sexe and temper Notwithstanding my weaker sexe reparted Darame I am not of so weake a temper as to be frighted with the bruite of things on the contrary they have been very melodious aires to me both those of your martiall deeds and those of your amorous intelligences whith the princess Florisa In the remainder of which latter I beseech you to instruct me after you have recounted to us that which I also begge of you how things went between you and Almidon But yet before you doe this I will shew you what Cartagenes wrot to me dying With those words she took out of her pocket and presented to him the letter of that defunct which he having read How few such men said he are there to be found in the world and how much regret have I that such a man should fall by my sword though withall by his own fault But let us leave him in peace Madam continued he and suffer me to tell you that you use me with too much ceremony to intreat of me what it is your part to command Had you as much favor for me as I have honor and obedience for you you would only say Alcidor it is my will you should do thus and thus this freeness would make me do what you desire with greater cheerfullness But you beleive you should render me too happy should you treat me so You have no reason surely to complain answered she to him if I pay you the respect which I know to be due to you loose no more time therefore in producing to us these punctilio's of your spirit we being better assured of its excellency than to need such testimonies of it but relate to us the adventure which you have had with Almidon Not to tell you again what you have been told allready Madam said Alcidor to her be pleased to take this breviate of the rest After I was informed by Cartagenes and Limonides how Almidon had calumniated me to the former and by so doing been the author of his misfortune over which I could not choose but weep I had no longer any thing besides my love of your self so busy in my minde as revenge but I was a while unresolved of what means I should serve myself in prosecution of it sometimes I thought of acting one way sometimes another I was indeed most inclined to go find him myself in his house and draw him into the feild there to demand an account of him for what he had done but I was withall miserably agitated with fears of incurring your displeasure by so doing and of acquiring the tittle of a gladiator more than of your servant I had agreed those upon whose occasion I went hence with the success that I desired and there was nothing but my love that stood in the way of my anger But when I considered that you was of a more generous humor than to take it ill that I should seek satisfaction for the wrong that was done to me and for the mischeife that was done to Cartagenes I wavered no longer but leaving that dying man in the armes and to the care of Limonides I betook myself to the house of