Honesty and Integrity yet a Passion rais'd in him by a Person so amiable as you will be Proof against all Batteries of Duty and easily master it 'T is but in jest Meharen says Hattige that you raise these Scruples I am false as you are but that 's nothing with me 'T is a fine thing to be false if you know how to do it handsomely I have a Heart will be its own Master and love one to day and another tomorrow What would become of Men and Women if when they engage in kindness with one they must absolutely sell themselves and not be allowed to change when they grow weary or have a greater Inclination for another 'T is a natural Right to bestow our Affections where we please and when we please to revoke the Gift And wretched are they who enjoy not that Liberty Our Sentiments are subject to Change as other things and Love as well as Nature is not charming but in Variety For Example Meharen to day I am for You but three or four days hence I will not undertake but I may be for another And it would be Injustice in you to expect I should be truer to You than I am to the King True Madam replies Meharen smileing I have no Reason to blame in you that amiable Inconstancy to which I owe my Happiness But would you say as much to the King Madam You may believe says She I glory not in these Maximes before him not for fear he should follow them but to avoid giving him Cause to have an ill Opinion of Me Were He of my Humour I think I should love him the better and perhaps I hate him for nothing else but that he loves me too constantly I have endeavoured handsomly to engage him to be false to me insomuch that I told him one day I dream'd I had seen him in your Wife Roukia's Arms whom I knew to be a handsome Woman and hop'd he might have a mind to her or the Curiosity at least to see her but my Address was lost upon a Man obstinately faithfull and produc'd no other Eruit but nauseous Assurances of his Truth and Tenderness for me You did not much oblige me in that particular Madam says Meharen and when you have occasion again to dream to be rid of one troublesome to you let me intreat you it may not be at your Friends cost How replies Hattige would you take it ill the King should do as much for you as you do for him Yes without doubt says Meharen for I do it not for that purpose that he should do as much for me Well answers Hattige if he do not another will I fear not that replies Meharen I know my Wife very well and am perswaded She is Fool enough to die rather than do me such an Jnjury though the King should tempt her She quarrels with me every day for but letting the Slaves come into her Chamber and I dare engage once more she would rather dye than appear to another Man though the best of my Friends This pleasant Dialogue had very different Effects on the two Auditors who were ready sometimes to laugh and sometimes to be angry The King all the while had Roukia in his Arms and squeez'd her Hand when they spoke of her She did as much to him upon the like Occasion True it is he had small Kindness for Hattige after he had found her false and less a great deal after he fell in love with Roukia But it cannot but vex one to see a Mistress though forsaken in the Arms of another especially of one Inferiour to himself Setting aside the Crown yet Meharen was not comparable to the King for Vigor or good Meen He was not very old yet not so young as the King and a hundred times harder favour'd Pleasant as the King was at dumb Raillery with Roukia and pressing her hand yet he was mad to hear what was spoken and any one but Meharen of whom he took very pleasant Revenge should have felt terrible Effects of his Anger Roukia but for Hattige had born her part of the Sorrow but finding by her her Business with the King went on the better and that she had paid her Husband in his own Coyn she thought she had all the Reason in the world to rejoyce But this new pair of Lovers had their Design and were not come into the Grotto only to talk the Scene was going to alter But the King was so little complaisant that he had not the Patience to see the best Act of the Play but rising up with a great noise Meharen says he with a voice would have made the most Confident quake Is it thus you serve me Is this your Execution of the Orders I gave you 'T is hard to represent the astonishment the fear and confusion of our Shepherd and Shepherdess when they heard the King Meharen fell at his Feet with his Face to the Ground and not able for some time to say a word And you False One says the King to Hattige you Baggage without Honour or Truth is this your requitall of the Obligations I put upon you in making you what you are There was harsher Language in the case but I will not trouble you with it I must draw to an End The Master-Gardiner being a little recover'd of his Fright though labouring still under the Apprehensions of Death did all he could not to excuse himself there being no colour for it but to take all the Fault on himself and make Hattige appear less faulty whom he would needs endeavour to save by offering his Life as a Sacrifice for her The King said he would accept of it provided a Person he had with him would be content and with that he made Roukia draw near who had not yet appear'd on the Stage Meharen was one of those Husbands who though they love their Wives well cannot forbear hunting other Mens Game He had been in love with Hattige when she was at the Janizaries And the choice the King had made of her for his Mistress had but increas'd Meharen's Passion So that he had several times apply'd himself to Zara whom he knew to be a Mistress of that Trade and found faithful on other Occasions The Liberty he had to enter at pleasure the Garden of the Seraglio contributed much to the good Fortunes Zara procur'd him But as for Hattige she thought her then so inaccessible she had almost disswaded him from any thoughts of her till the Disgrace of his Nephew which instead of frighting Zara encourag'd her to make a Trial of what he desir'd her who no sooner had the Oppertunity of speaking to Hattige but the Bargain was made Little did Meharen think it must have cost him his Wife and his Consternation was yet greater when he heard her Voice than when he heard the Kings He knew not what to do or say he saw himself paid in his own Coin and without cause of Complaint He puffed out his
receive he made her sit with him at Table and us'd her so obligingly as confounded the poor Slave She was neither young nor handsome and could impute the Favour to nothing but the pure generosity of the Knight whose good meen was sufficient assurance of the sincerity of his actions Her Mistress became insensibly the Subject of their discourse and the Maid wanted not wit to satisfy his curiosity She told him her Mistress was a Lady the King of Tamaran had been passionately in Love with and out of remorse of Conscience she was going a Pilgrim for Mecha The Knight who knew persons of that Quality did not without great reason perform acts of so extraordinary devotion asked her merrily whether she knew the cause her Mistress became so extremely Pious and seeing her dispos'd to conceal nothing from him he pray'd her to tell him the whole story not doubting but the account of the devotion of a woman of that Character must needs contain more then ordinary adventures Razy the Slave he convers'd with was by this time so taken with the Knight she would not have deny'd him a far greater matter and without further intreaty spoke to this purpose Tamaran is a Kingdom where Love at this day reigns more absolute than ever he did at Cyprus or Granada Gallantry is become so much in use there 't is almost as natural to be a Gallant as to live they are wholly given up to Love and the young People incourag'd by their Fathers Examples get themselves Mistresses before they get rid of the Rod of their School-Master In a word from the age of fifteen to sixty from the King to the Plowman every one enjoys his natural Liberty whether it proceed from the nature of the Clymat or temper of the People I cannot resolve you I rather think Subjects are such as their Kings make them And the King of Tamaran being one of the most gailant Princes the World ever had 't is no wonder there is nothing so much talk'd of in his Kingdom as Gallantry But to come to my Story that King when he came to his Crown fell in Love with Hattige my Mistress who is certainly one of the most beautiful Women eye ever saw She is the daughter of a Janizary and was married to a Person of Quality who had a competent Estate sufficient to make her happy had not her ambition preferr'd the Title of Mistress to a King before private Felicities To shorten the discourse the good Man found himself oblig'd to endeavour to content himself with the Honour the King did him in giving him a Title and an Imployment abroad which he scarce took for a Favour and would have been better pleas'd His Majesty had bestowed it on another My Mistress proud and handsome as she is wanted not the address to put a value on her self and sell His Majesty a Conquest of that importance at a rate suitable to her height of Spirit and Beauty True it is she hath not been admir'd for her wit but that defect is supply'd by the obligeingness of her carriage and womens Little Arts which she makes use of so much to the purpose of gaining the Monarchs heart that never Prince was so deeply in Love as he he hath that complaisance and care to please her as never man had for any Woman And she hath not lost the advantage of it but is by degrees become absolute Mistress of his Soul and hath reaped the benefit of her conquest in all particulars a woman that knows the World and is studious of her interest can propose to her self The Government of the Kingdom was in a manner in her hands every one made his court to her and whoever expected Favours or Rewards must apply himself to Hattige by whom all was granted as the pipe that convey'd the Royal bounty to the Subject Past ages have furnished us with Examples of this nature and posterity may see the like but not equal to this for it may be said without stretching too much the King of Tamaran took his Crown from his head to put it on Hattige's The first Day he saw her he fell desperately in love with her the great rise of my Mistress and her power at Court raised her many Enemies yet her Pride and height of Spirit procured her more hatred than her favour did jealousie But the most considerable and most dangerous Enemy she had was Osman chief Aga and Favourite to the King A Favourite a Mistress are seldom seen to agree either of them endeavouring to engross their Masters affection is consequently engag'd for the ruin of the Rival yet persons of that character for the most part go cunningly to work but those I speak of declar'd open War one against the other being both great spirits willing to let the World see the advantage they had one over the other the King very prudent and of a very peaceable humour sided with neither but having a kindness for both and knowing they hated one another he gave neither of them credit in any thing said to the disadvantage of the other Osman after many vain attacks resolv'd at last to try what jealousie might work on his Master and hoped his Passion like that of other Lovers might split on that Rock He apply'd himself diligently to observe the Conduct of the Lady and find out some considerable and well grounded cause of suspition being throughly convinc'd his Master was so taken with the Charms of the Lady it would be no easie matter to disabuse him and that she had cunning enough to clear and work her self again into Favour unless the crime were great and plainly proved My Mistress look'd not like an Enemy to Nature and her illustrious Lover being as usual less amorous in his visits than he had been at first it was not improbable her constitution might force her to make use of a Gallant to her mind to satisfie her inclinations at least the Aga thought so and you will find he was not deceiv'd The Title of Mistress and Chief Mistress to the King besides the power it gives persons of that Character hath introduc'd much Liberty into the Serrail Hattige who never stinted her self in any priviledge she had was in a manner Soveraign there not a person daring to contradict her in any thing The Aga was no less considerable and somewhat more formidable and having Money at command which is omnipotent at Court he quickly by that means had his Spies in every Corner who promis'd him a faithful account of my Mistresses Actions As glorious as it is for an ambitious Woman to see at her Feet every day a person who commands all others yet Monarchs are deceived if they think their Mistresses are always true No passion but that of extraordinary love can fix a Womans heart Ambition alone is too weak a gage for their Fidelity it frequently happens Princes owe their Amorous Conquests more to their quality than merit and accordingly they extend
Rage in great fighs The King triumph'd and to encrease Meharen's despair and the pleasure he took to overwhelm him with Grief and Confusion he commanded him to acquaint him with the Particulars of his Intrigue with Hattige how he came acquainted with her and how he got her out of the Seraglio Our unfortunate Adventurer was forc'd to obey him and gave him an Account of the Passion he had had for her many years and was renew'd after his Nephews Adventure which let him see Hattige was not insensible That Zara had been his Confident and that very day appointed for their Interview like a Man that leaves all for Love he had not Power to execute his Orders As to her coming out of the Seraglio it was through a Window of her Apartment towards the Garden and that she was let down in a great Wicker-Basket The King had the Curiosity to go see the Machine and found it in a Posture to help up the fair Lady who had deserted it But it was his Pleasure Roukia should go up in her Room and that her worthy Spouse should weigh her up instead of Hattige whom the King gave him in exchange though not to his Satisfaction However it was the Kings Favour to him It was his Majesties Goodness to do it And I know not how he could have us'd him better Thus got Roukia into Possession not only of the Kings Kindness and Care but of Hattige's Apartment and all that belong'd to her who had not remov'd or taken with her any of her most Precious things yet Hattige was so far from being troubled at it that she lov'd her Pleasure and Liberty so well she would have given more than ever she was Owner of to be out of the Seraglio But Meharen grown wiser by Roukia's example kept Hattige as close as if she had continued in the Seraglio This quickly produc'd Disputes and Quarrels betwixt them till at last they grew weary one of another Hattige to be rid of him pretended a Revelation from Heaven which the Turks are very subject to and told him she was requir'd to make a Voyage to Mecha otherwise her Sins would never be pardon'd The Cause was specious enough to oblige Meharen to give her her Pasport though he had not as he had a mind to be rid of her He gave his Consent to the Pilgrimage and sent her to Tunis recommending her to Mahomet Bascabey his intimate Friend and praying him to fu̇rnish the fair Pilgrim with a Vessel to carry her to Alexandria This Sir says Razie is the Story of my Mistress You see I have not spar'd her that I might give you a true Account of all her Adventures which none knew better than I who have been with her ever since she was taken into the Seraglio but never approv'd her Conduct therefore she endeavour'd still to hide it from me yet I knew all she did Certain it is had her Soul been Beautiful as her Body there had been nothing more perfect under Heaven She would charm you Sir did you see her and 't is pity a Man as the Captain of the other Vessel should have her in his hands She would be far better in yours The Knight answer'd he had a desire to serve her Mistress but not to make an Advantage of her That he had been in search of her on no other Design And if it were possible he would at the first Oppertunity set her at Liberty and all those of her Vessel But it must be kept secret lest if his Friend any way suspected it he might put a stop to their good Fortune Razie amaz'd at so great Generosity in a Knight of Malta who ordinarily use not too well those of her Nation knew not what to think of it but took it for a Miracle She thank'd the Knight for the Favour he gave her hopes of and was carry'd back to her Vessel laden with Provisions which the other Women were the more surpriz'd at having been ill us'd by the other Captain whom they thought no more inhumane than this That Night the Knight did but think of the Adventures of the Lady and as bad as she had been represented yet being young he could not chuse but have a mind to see her but he was affraid the sight might cost him dear since he found by hearing the Story of her he had more than an indifferent Inclination for her Few Knights of Malta of his Age would have been so scrupulous Curiosity if not Love would have prevail'd over all other Considerations But this who was Honesty and Generosity it self made it his Business to serve the Lady without the least hope of Recompence Yet he lov'd to do things civilly and was willing before he went any further to speak once more to Gourdan and was preparing to go see him just as Gourdan came to him a little more gay than ordinary Well Sir says He how like you your Company I hope you will excuse me the easier for what Love made me do I can easily excuse answers the Knight the Love one has for a fair Lady but cannot excuse a Man who uses them ill as You do I am more troubled at it says the Corsair than you think who know not as I do the Women of this Country they are humoursome and will never love a Man but when they are forc'd to it by ill Vsage That 's a scurvy piece of Policy replies the Knight and becomes not a civil Person Believe it adds He it would be more for your Honour to send her back into her Vessel than do her the least Violence He spake these words in such a manner as made Gourdan redden without answering a word The Knight proceeded to say I know You will not take my Advice but I would do my Duty to mind you of it and if you have any Value sor me you will leave the poor Slave at Liberty at least to love or not love you for whatever you have to say of the Customs of the Women of this Country you see the ways you have us'd to win her have not yet taken but ended quite contrary to your wishes She is not an ordinary Woman to be threatned and ill us'd into Compliance And could you have your will of her pray tell me what Pleasure could you have of her but would reflect with Disadvantage on a Man of that Esteem You are of in our Order This open'd Gourdan's Eyes he imagin'd the Knight had been told of the Ladies Beauty and was fallen in Love with her which might be the reason he spoke in that manner and hoped perhaps he would be such a Sot to quit her to him These were Gourdan's thoughts who turning to the Knight All your Rhetorick Sir says he smiling will not serve your turn you are too young for me And without makeing a fine Speech as you have done I will only tell you I will keep my Turk and let her love me or not love me she shall not stir