she sometimes spoke a greater truth than she was aware of when to express the trouble occasioned to her Family by Silvia she said that fair Lady had brought fire into her House Silvia indeed was never so surprized as she found her self when she saw that perplext Lover come into her Appartment where he fell on his knees before her whilst the rest were saving themselves almost in their shirts for it was in the night And when hindering her from running away with them he confest to her that he had caused that disorder on purpose Fear nothing said he there is a ditch full of Water betwixt us and the fire You may be safe here and never stir from your Chamber Deny me not one moment to hear me when I do sacrifice all to so dear an occasion Silvia did what he desired and heard him whilst she was making her self ready Being convinc'd that he must be in great need of speaking with her who for that purpose only had set his House on fire She told him the reason of all the cold usage he had found by her of late in her feigned slights and the discourse she had had with his Mother and lastly the promises which she thought her self obliged to make that Lady lest she should take a resolution to part them The Lights he got by this Conference did him all the good in the World And lastly Madam after a quick deliberation about what measures they should keep to deceive their Overseers for the time to come She saw her Gentleman so well pleased that he would not for a great deal not to have burnt a piece of a fair Building Mean while the fire which was seen afar off had Alarm'd the Neighbouring Towns and Castles round about The Marquis de Birague being but four or five miles off was none of the last that perceived that it was our Castle which was on fire He got his Horses sadled and rid up in hast to us Not finding Silvia among the other Ladies in the Park where they were fled he ran every where to know what was become of her He went up to her Chamber at last and was like to have surprized there the Earl of Englesac But as the Marquis to whom indeed she was then extreamly obliged did as he went call her with a loud voyce and made much noise that gave time to the Earl to hide himself Silvia did escape that danger by counterfeiting her self to be in a swoon that so she might be excused for staying behind And by enduring some kisses that the Marquis took on her cheeks for his pains of carrying her away in his Arms She did abide it and made no shew of coming to her self again till she was a pretty way out of her Chamber so that the cold Air might seem to have done it Since that time the brave Earl and the fair Lady did live together with a great deal of care and circumspection and the better to conceal their Love they feigned to hate one another mortally They laid this plot and went on with it with discretion and cunning enough pretending for it the most probable causes that was possible for them to invent Birague was so glad of it that he was the first person deceiv'd in it Englesac's Mother was the next and to that degree as to chide her Son for it and seek out a thousand wayes of shewing her love to Silvia to comfort her as to the hatred of that Gentleman and to assure her of her protection against him In a word they were happy had they but been content with this precaution A man of Quality of that Country about that time fell in Love with Silvia at a Visit that he made to thâ— Countess of Englesac For though she had no intention to intangle any body else into her Love and was content with that she found in Englesac yet it is very hard for such persons as have set their hearts at rest enjoy the happiness that Silvia found her in to forbear being extream civil to others and shewing them that complaisance and good humour by which they are catcht on a sudden before either party be aware of it The Earl who knew wherein lay the true charms of Silvia would have her make as if she had liked his Love well This was too much subtilty That Gentleman became deeply in Love with her did often write to her and the Earl by a youthful imprudence took a fancy to make him an answer in Silvia's name wherein the humour of making a sport on 't caused him to take the Liberty to make her speak amourously enough This undiscreet Rival as scarce any man can forbear to be otherwise when they think they are in favour and even when they do not think so shew'd this Letter to a Friend That Friend told it another This told it to Birague who believed it to be Silvia's hand and complained of it very much to her She did chide the young Earl for it seeing the wrong that Letter did her But he acknowledging his errour and thinking to mend it by a greater fault took a resolution to discover that himself was the Author of that writing and that he had made only for to put a jest upon his Rival In conclusion a very great mischance was occasioned by these follies Not long after the Chevalier des Essars gave the divertisement of a Ball or Feast with Dances as the custom is in France to the Elder of the Ladies of Englesac There was a great Assembly and very good Company which the nearness of the Court had occasioned to meet at the Marquis d' Ampus The two Rivals were there and having pickt a Quarrel I know not how they agreed to meet the next Morning about a Town called Villeneufue Their Combat was bloody two Seconds were kill'd upon the place and the Earl's Adversary very much wounded This business had two very sad effects The one that the King having renew'd his Edicts against Duels there was no safety for Silvia's poor Lover to stay any longer in France And the other that when the true cause of that Duel came to be known the Countess of Englesac could not but see clearly that the hatred betwixt her Son and Silvia was but a trick they had joyntly contriv'd to put upon her Nothing at that time could have happened to Silvia of worse consequence than that For as she was the visible cause of all that trouble and of all those disorders that the Countess was fall'n into with her whole Family That good Lady the very next morning commanded her to be carried away into a Cloyster at the same time strictly forbidding to let any body come to her till she were resolved to take the Vow of a Nun. Besides the affliction of being thus closely shut up Silvia had another in this occurrence which was that the Cloyster she was lockt in was not that where she had been before and where being acquainted with the
of him because he flattered himself with vain hopes I condescended to this Rendezvouze on purpose to conjure him once for all to shake off this Passion No Signac said I I cannot accept of your Courtship endeavour to overcome it it makes you unhappy and you are not so indifferent to me as that I can be sensible of your prejudice without some discontent Nay what would you have me do more I love the Earl of Englesac Our little Controversies are almost at an end and when they cease our mutual Love will be greater than ever But Signac interrupted me with these words Madam this Earl cannot be happy and the Reconciliation that you discourse of which would perfect another man's Felicity will but increase the Despair of your Husband Have you never looked earnestly in the Face of an enraged Inamorato who has his Mistriss in his power who is affectionately beloved who might lawfully enjoy her and yet does not possess her That which Signac said strook me with such compassion for the Earl of Englesac that I could not forbear weeping and Signac turning this to his advantage fell at my Feet and gave me such convincing arguments that I knew not how I could possibly oppose them Permit your self my lovely Countess said he to be moved with my Sighs amd murder not a miserable man whose Love and Perseverance in that Passion merits a kinder Destiny If the Earl of Englesac could make advantage of your Constancy I would die before I 'de contend against it and you are not ignorant that I once brought him back to you But Madam your Fidelity is fatal to him And whilst you thus suffer me to perish to preserve your self for him you put him to a kinde of death no less cruel than that which I daily experiment Have pity upon us and your self you are not sensible what a dreadful mishap 't is for a beautiful Woman to have a Husband who has just cause to have an ill opinion of him You are going to make your self the most unfortunate of Women and that drives me into despair I repli'd with Tears in my Eyes No matter I cannot suffer too much in acknowledging the Love that poor Earl hath ever shewn me I will love him as long as I breathe come what will on 't and I should be too happy to spend my days with him in any condition whatsoever that can befal us The Earl of Englesac who through a Palisado heard the whole Discourse was so moved at it that he had not power to conceal himself any longer He came and threw himself at my Feet and surpriz'd us so strangely with his sight that Signac cried out and I was ready to fall into a Swoon Be not dismay'd said the Earl to his Rival I come not to upbraid thee with thy endeavours to seduce her thou deservest her better than I I am a miserable wretch that have nothing to do but to die And he had almost died indeed at the uttering of these last words yet casting his Eyes upon me with a most pitiful look No my dear Sylvia said he for so he always called me I will not abuse thy Constancy that would render thee unhappy Marry Signac I freely consent to it nay I do more than barely give my assent I beg of thee to do it And after this wish he departed half desperate went out of the Garden and rode Post to Flanders whither the Army then began to march Signac hoped to succeed by this his departure and the consent he gave in favour of him but he came far short of his expectation I upbraided him a thousand times as the cause that my Husband forsook me and accus'd him only for this my Misfortune I vow'd that I would hate him worse than death it self if he did not restore me the Earl of Englesac Consider Madam if you please what Character his Love to me deserv'd He followed the Earl the same Road and I have been certainly informed since that he did his utmost endeavour to procure his Return But I have been too long serious I must to diversifie this History and to refresh you in some measure since that I have in all probability afflicted you give your Highness a relation of my Counsellors Deportment to ingratiate himself into my favour He was my daily Visitant I was obliged to be somewhat Complaisant for if these Gentlemen be coursely used 't is in vain to go to Law He came one day to tell me that he knew an excellent way to overthrow my Adversaries and enrage the Countess of Englesac I did really believe that he had found out some trick in Law to my advantage But excuse me Madam that was not the business he onely endeavoured to perswade me that a brisk subtile Woman never dies without an Heir What do you think of such advice in Law I durst not be offended at it for that had been to take it in earnest besides I had other businesses of concernment to consider of This cunning Woman the Lady d' Englesac had disengaged me from a young Gentleman whose Name was the Marquiss de Vilars whose Mother as I was inform'd she was intimately acquainted with and he was one of the handsomest Court-Gallants They intreated him to court me hoping as I conceive that he might win my Heart and after he had wrought upon me so far as to disclose the Marriage then he should desert me when Husbandless and expose me thereby to the Scoffs of all the World But it fell out otherwise This amiable young Gentleman fell in Love with me in earnest and disclos'd all the designes of the Lady d'Englesac which still make me tremble at the very thoughts of them Poor Youth this freedom of his one would think should have sav'd him from that Musquet-shot that gave him his mortal Wound at Dandremonde Then they would by force have put me again into the Convent at Avignon where I formerly secured my self Madam de Vandosme whose goodness they had prevaricated by their fram'd discourses of me was to countenance this designe before the Cardinal de Vandosme and probably had done it if she could have found me out for the zeal of all good souls is impetuous I was never more disquieted and disturbed to know how I should dispose of my self every thing I heard I fancied to be a Coach to take me away by force and I was in a House where I often met with such kinde of frights for 't was in the Dutch House Monsieur the Abbot of Villeserin lodged over against me and the Assembly des beaux Esprits or of the Virtuosi which conven'd afterward at his Appartment was then designing I saw none but men of a morose aspect stand at his Door and pass by the Street I lodged in and I took them for so many Messengers from the Lady Divota's or Nuns Not daring to venture my self any longer at Paris I committed the care and management of my Law-business to an
depart so rudely out of the Garden that I had not so much time as to exchange one word with him I was troubled that he left us thus and would willingly have made an Essay how he stood affected towards me before he had seen any person that might have incensed him against me I desired Don Pedro to go after him and to bring him back to me if possible but he could not finde him for he had taken Horse and it was not known till a long time after what was become of him You cannot believe Madam the noise that this accident made at Brussels Maubeuge as 't is probable you know is not far distant from thence and there is great Communication between both these Towns for many Ladies of Maubeuge have their Families at Brussels and make it their Winter-quarters They soon knew that the Marchioness de Meneza which was then known to be the Countess of Englesac was in that Country that she had sojourned there for some time under an imaginary Name and as those people who make it their business to poison all things with the virulency of their Tongues do not stop half way they assigned several causes of this my Disguise which I never so much as thought of and indeed was certainly incapable of dreaming any such thing The absence of the Flemish Marquiss did help to render these rumours more dangerous The Earl of Monterey was angry with him because he went away without taking leave of him His Lady was so vexed at it that she grew worse ill than ordinary and they looked upon me as the cause of all for they began to reason and argue upon his being so long at Maubeuge It was well known that he visited me as often as he had an opportunity and when they saw him thus departed almost half desperate and without prosecuting any of his Suits against me they guessed at one part of the Truth and his Parents wish'd me very ill for it My Abbess and I did imagine with reason that we must steal our selves away from their Resentments and we also apprehended that the Ladies of Maubeuge were discontented that this Comedy was acted among them but we knew not how to get from them for this was the time when the French King made War against the Hollanders and all these Countries were over-run with Souldiers some being put into Maubeuge for its safeguard to hinder the Enemy from insulting Upon this consideration we durst not expose our selves to pass through so many Troops unknown and much less required Guards or Pasports under our Name for I feared some ill turn from the Heirs of the Marchioness of Sevil and my Abbess had the goodness to believe upon my account as if they had been her own The Love of Don Pedro was hereupon a great help to us for Don Antonio of Corduba was at last reconciled to his Mistriss and resolved to consummate the Marriage This left Don Pedro entirely to me and I was not less acceptable to him when I was the Lady d'Englesac than how as Niece to the Abbess of Cologne On the contrary I think that I pleased him better and that he framed within himself such Idea's of my person since he knew me as rejoyced him more than those he had when he knew me not Hereupon he came very obligingly and proffered us a Castle for our Retreat in a Country that was Neuter and his Guard to conduct us I confess Madam that this offer did not a little please me and that in spight of my scornful humour I knew then that I had really touch'd the Heart of Don Pedro. We did accept of his Retirement with satisfaction and his Conduct also and had all the reason in the world to be pleased therewith at the very first for the Castle whither he led us was very pleasant and we arrived there without any accident It belonged to a Lord of Liege one of his Friends who was then near the Prince of Liege and had a very great Employment that fixed him there who had left there two Sisters and one Relation who seemed to be very rational persons Don Pedro leaving us with them return'd for Brussels where his Duty obliged him to be but promis'd to come and revisit us assoon as he could and in the mean time to inform us of all News wherein I was in the least concern'd I heard none but what was troublesome for Madam the absent Marquiss was dead since our departure and they wish'd me as much prejudice upon the account of his Death as if I had murdered him Alas I could not contribute much to it for Madam if you remember the first time that her Husband spake to me of her he told me she was threatn'd with sudden Death But they had intercepted I know not what Letter which this man had sent to me at Maubeuge wherein he made as they report great Protestations of Love to me This woman was jealous hereat and they would have this to be the cause of her Death rather than the mortal Disease which had seized upon her a long time before This Letter so surpris'd created two or three bad effects For the Love of the Marquiss pass'd for currant which at first was only suspected upon very weak grounds They supposed and that is seldom wanting in Detractors that I had entertained him either with Favors or Hopes This did again cloud my Reputation de novo and that which proved worse in the consequence was that Don Pedro seeing he had a declar'd Rival and understanding that the Death of his Wife made him sole Master of his Actions he fear'd some Enterprizes and hereupon made me be kept up in this Castle like a Prisoner I did not perceive any thing of this for I seldom went abroad and if I did and had spied any Souldiers I should have look'd upon them as our Protectors and not our Goalers Thus I patiently waited for the end of the War at Cologne and according to the gayety of my own Humour I only sought after some company among the Ladies of Liege to comfort up my self in these new troubles that befel me I told your Highness that they were persons very rational and they proved so indeed They had been educated at Brussels where the Gentry are very polite and endeavour to imitate their great Lords They were more witty and pleasant than usually the Women of Liege are and his Niece above all was the most Complaisant and Mild Person that ever I was acquainted with her Name was Angelica and her Mother was the Confident of the Amours of the Duke Uncle to the deceased person last mentioned and of the Countess of This Gentlewoman and I contracted a very firm Friendship and she sometimes gave me an account of what she had learn'd from her Mother concerning this Love I am discoursing of Without any fallacy Madam these two Lovers must needs love each other very passionately and I wonder that their Love continued not
it was the same Madam indeed nor was I mistaken we understood since that he had news of his Wife's Death and returning to Brussels to order his Affairs he passed by the house of the Baron de Roste who as I said before was very much his friend in his journey thither Judge you Madam if you please what a condition I was in when I saw that man whom I did not in the least expect there and from whom I had cause to fear as many Persecutions as I lately suffered by Don Pedro. I returned to the house all in a maze and the Gentlewoman of Liege following me for she perceived by the alteration of my Countenance that the arrival of this man did discompose me and asked the reason We went together into a Garden where they go through a Glass-Portal belonging to a Hall and I told her my discontent and how in endeavouring to escape out of the hands of one Lover I was fallen unhappily into those of another She was almost as much troubled at this Rencounter as my self for I never knew a more tender-hearted Girl and she concern'd her self with her friends business as if it were her own We consulted together what we should do to free our selves from this mischief and after many Arguments on both sides 't was concluded that the safest way was to counterfeit being Sick and hide my self till that man was gone To this end I went and shut my self up in my Chamber and Angelica went to the Lady de Roste and told her I was troubled with a Meagrim to which I was very subject and the best remedy for it was not to speak to any one She said this onely to prevent their seeking after me but for her part she never left me time after time but came to understand how I stood affected and to bring me some Conserves which I supp'd with that evening For Madam I forgot to tell you that I passed all this while for this Girls Brother and Fortune herein did very much favour our Cheat because that young Man had run through his course of Learning at Antwerp where he had an Uncle and was little known by any of his Relations in the Country of Liege The Baroness of Roste knew very well that Angelica had a Brother but for the reason I told you never saw him and though she knew very well he could not be above seventeen or eighteen years old yet Women look so young when clothed in Mens Apparel that she did easily believe me to be the same person Therefore she thought it not strange that Angelica spent some part of the Evening with me nay she had come her self but that she thought she should disturb me Yet Madam I might have let her come for my precaution was useless and I might as well have shewed my self publickly as conceal my self You may well think Madam that we were forced to rely upon the Valet that came with us and he could not possibly see another person in the place and habit of his young Master without acquainting him with our Secret in some measure We took all the precaution we could to engage him to secrecy and fidelity but at last we run the risque of his deceiving us and he knew as well as we that I was a Woman and that I fled from the violence of Don Pedro. He kept this business private enough whilst we were with the Baroness de Roste and you have heard Madam that I was not discovered But he had been formerly a Servant to this Flemish Marquiss that I mentioned but just now he went from him onely to be married and had yet a great love for his old Master He thought he was not obliged to Silence with him as he was with other persons and assoon as the Marquiss saw him and that he asked him what he did there he told him very fully and ingenuously what was the cause of it and all passages precedent to our arrival The Marquiss had not so absolutely renounced Brussels and Maubeuge but that he had private Intelligence of all their Transactions He understood by those Letters that were sent to him how Don Pedro had declared himself my Lover that he had conducted me to Liege and that the Abbess of Cologne also went along with me When he heard his old Servant tell him that he conducted a Woman in Mans Apparel that she escaped out of a Castle where she was with an Abbess and where a certain person one Don Pedro de Larra would have detained her he himself added to all this that I counterfeited my being sick assoon as he came thither because he should not see me and he did not question but that I was the Countess of Englesac He told me since that that Imagination did very much enhance the Estimation and Tenderness he ever had for me and that he could not hear without much satisfaction that I had testified so great a Repugnance to an amorous Intrigue with the forementioned Don Pedro. He spent a whole Night almost in taking to himself I know not how many different Resolutions And the next Day understanding where my Bed-Chamber was and being led thither he came in and out like a Laquay from the Baroness to understand how I did I being very much amazed to see him at my Beds-head before I could use any means to prevent him I was so disturbed at his sight that I could not speak one word to him and my silence without doubt made him guess at my commotion inwardly Fear not Madam said he that my Visit shall prove injurious to you I come not here to upbraid you with the Errours into which you have plunged me and which you have maintained with so many Cheats and Dissimulation On the contrary I come to assure you that in my Opinion you are already justified and it shall be only your fault if there follows not upon all that passed between us a most loving and solid Friendship I have contended with you about the Estate of Madam de Seville because I was perswaded it was more my Right than yours Besides that there was some discourse both of you and her that her Relations could not see you without shame become her Legatory To these Considerations of Policy and Interest were added the naughty Character that they gave me of you I am satisfied within my self that it was false and take delight in so thinking For Madam I love you still and will always love you as long as I live I trembled again when I heard him make these Protestations and interrupted him saying that certainly he deceived himself and he did not love so much as talked of Pardon me Madam he replied I am not deceived and do certainly love you as much as I am capable of Love but do not fear that this Love of mine has the same effects as Don Pedro ' s. I know very well that my Wife is dead and her death has rendred me absolute Master of my
leasure to take better Measures which we were to keep for the future as to be the less expos'd to meeting with troublesome people which would be almost impossible to avoid in Great Houses But 't is in vain to imagine that Prudence can bear up against Destiny the first person that I met with as I was going to Supper was the Lady-Abbess Sister to the Countess of Englesac with whom I had so frequently heretofore made sport about the Letters of the Marquiss de Birague A very importunate Affair which she was to sollicite at Court had for some time withdrawn her from her Cloister and her good Character or Repute made her lodge at the same being a very civil house which we had taken up part of upon other Considerations Yet she did not know me although the antient Sympathy of her good will towards me under this my German habit continued me as great as ever and perhaps it had been no great difficulty for me to permit her to return without her divining my Disguise if I had not been so foolish as to divert my self with her Imbecility and the Esteem she had for me For Madam I was belov'd and that with an excessive Passion and should I give you a relation of all the passages between us for some time it would not be any ways offensive to you But why should I not acquaint you with them possibly your Highness will be pleased with the diversion and that will do no great injury to the Lady-Abbess At first sight indeed I was much astonished to see her and was put to the blush but the Lady who was well accomplish'd did me the favour to fancy somewhat more pleasant in that change of colour than the cause thereof and looking with a brisk Eye and a sufficiently handsome Mouth she said to encourage me a little Ah! the Comely Gentleman Come Sir come I look upon Madam de Madane to be the most happy Woman in the World who entertains such a Guest as your self Then she came and took me by the Hand to seat me at the Table and from thence forward did daily embolden me as much as was possible On my part I had the curiosity to understand to what excess of Esteem and Amity my good Complexion could lead a person of her profession and the day after I made advantage of her kindnesses I did pay her several Visits and she proffer'd to teach me the French Tongue exactly to which purpose she did every morning oblige me to answer a little Love-letter which she sent me from her own Chamber to mine There was nothing more courtly than those Notes yet mine though clothed in a meaner Garb in her opinion were pregnant with Sense In fine Madam we became so charm'd with each other's Conversation that I know not what obliged her one Night to cry out that I read the Comedy of des Facheux with her Ah dear Sir said the Lady-Abbess the most vexatious of all vexations is a third person which disturbs two good Friends when they would never desire to be more than two in Company And another time discoursing of other matters she told me That multiplicity of Laws was never made for persons of Wit and Spirit that there was need but of one Secret to violate them undetected and that then there was no more punishment for us but that all the difficulty lay in putting this Secret in practise As to the rest I do not relate these particulars but as a Specimen of her shrewdness without pretending to draw from thence any dangerous Consequences for I my self being willing to make this slight inference needed onely to press her a little to finde out several other of her Weaknesses I found the quite contrary that there was nothing more solidly vertuous She did indeed well to indulge her self that becoming Liberty of talking and loving whatever she fancied which is as it were permitted to Ladies when they are over-witty but she was a mortal Enemy to all dangerous Consequences and for pretending one time that I would serve my self in spite of her of these occasions which she in my apprehension offered me designedly I had almost lost all her esteem I was forced like a Fool to betake my self to Laughter and make her sensible I was but a Woman to obtain a Pardon for that Insolence To say that she wish'd me no great hurt hitherto I being the cause that so long a resistance and so great vertue had edified but one Woman that thing I durst not put forward for she appeared too much out of order after I had told her my name but at last she recall'd her gentile humour to answer my Raillery with other more witty reparties We renewed our antient Friendship I gave her a particular of what had befallen me since I was depriv'd of the honour of seeing her she bewail'd my condition promised me concealment of all that was to be kept silent and as she was ever Generous profer'd me once more a Retirement in her Abby till I had reconciled my self to my Husband but I durst not recommit my self a second time to the Influences of the Air of her Countrey which did so disagree with me in my younger years besides I always dreaded every thing that might cause my re-approach near the Countess of Englesac Thus you have the whole History of what hapned to me in this Citizen's house where I yet for some time associated my self with her without any new accident upon my account I said the Relation should not be troublesome nor do I believe that it hath offended your Highness In conclusion the Abbess returned and I finding my self well pleased with my manly habit which deceived the very Hearts of Ladies and in which I had also affronted some of my Husband's Emissaries I desired no other Asylum I thought my self more secure in the very heart of Paris than if I should take upon me to seek for refuge elsewhere in an Equipage proper to my Sex and from that time forward I resolved to pass for the Prince de Salmes St. Canal's Hair stood an end Good man when I made this Resolution known to him and that he understood I had already communicated this Impostor to my Hostess and her Daughter upon a mistaken presumption You will destroy us all said he being altogether dismay'd and do not imagine that this will prove a new Labyrinth of Perplexities and Adventures from which you will never be able to disintrigue your self that which hath proceeded from the Mouths of two three or six particular persons will not be approved of by those in the wide World that you must converse with And besides what will become of you if the true Prince should arrive when you are here also He opposed my designe with a thousand other reasons which his fears suggested to him as well as my own Interest but it was to no purpose for him to be disturbed at it and to adde Threats withal that
that I could do was to put by his Pass as well as I could till he changed his resolution to kill me on the place for another of suffering a more lingring and cruel death He disarmed me and calling his Servants one by one to treat me the more rudely commanded them to disrobe me it was perhaps to flea me alive for the Cook was there also among them Judge you Madam what a shame it was for me when notwithstanding all my resistance my Tears and Protestations to make this Jealous-pate sensible that I was never capable of doing him that injury which he imagined I was already guilty of these butcherly Fellows began to tear off my Clothes till my Neck appeared bare to them but in fine there was no more to be done and I was also very happy in that they did perceive I was but a Woman The Marquiss could never appear in a greater confusion than he was in at that present and changing suddenly his Choler into profound Sorrow that he should offer to treat me as he said so fair a Creature so roughly Ah! said he with a loud Voice Madam What was your intention and why have you compell'd me to be Conscious of so hainous a Crime He beg'd my Pardon on his Knees sent back all his Servants came and closed my Hands with a gentle squeeze beseeching me to forgive him what he had so lately done he kissed them a thousand times and yet I my self during all these passages did scarce know where I was so much terrour and confusion had siezed me To conclude Madam he added many specious Protestations to give reparation for my discontent occasioned by him if I would but inform him who I was and told me that he believed himself a Lord great enough to perform that and in a word he grew so milde that in any danger of my Life where I should have thought to have found my self a minute sooner I must tell your Highness this piece of foolery also the greatest hazard that I ran that day was not that of being kill'd onely But the best part of the Adventure was that when the Marquiss was hereby convinced of the fidelity of his Wife he thought himself obliged to go and ask her Pardon also and to laugh with her at this his Extravagance The poor Lady did not know what Interpretation to make of the Story he told her and thought he had invented it to shelter his Honour from the noise that he had newly made to no purpose Yet in short she knew very well it was not a Female that had charmed her every night The Oaths wherewith the Marquiss endeavoured to perswade the Religious woman that he spake truth seem'd to her but as so many Snares which he spread to entrap her but when several of the menial Servants testified the matter in hand and reported what they had seen with their own Eyes she look'd like one drop'd out of the Clowds The Husband for his part knew not what to think of the obstinacy and terrours of his Wife and they were both of them just at their Wits end But now I must bid adieu to my Secret from that very moment What Promises soever the Marquiss had made me to be mute and never discourse it too many people knew it so that it could not be longer concealed The Rumour was spread all over the Court which gave way to much Raillery and great Astonishment especially among those Ladies that thought otherwise of me Now I was forc'd to take upon me again the Equipage of my own Sex for I had not Confidence enough to continue any longer in Man's Apparel after this I stood at last in need of all the subtlety imaginable to invent Romances that might satisfie the Inquisitive and hinder the knowledge of my true History I gave it out that I was the fair Marchioness de Castelanne which had not long since so Tragical an end and that I was willing thus to fly the persecution of my Husband's Brethren who were in quest of me designing nothing but my Assassination But all my Contrivances could not long shrowd me from the last blows that Fortune intended me for every one recollecting himself by degrees what search my Husband had caused to be made for his Wife in France the precedent Moneth of January did immediately thereupon conjecture that I was rather the Marchioness of Meneza than of Castellanne which many people could not discern in the Symmetry and Proportion of my Face The Count of Englesac's fixing of himself near me the remembrance of what pass'd between us when we met with one another at the Royal Palace with the young Ladies and what they had learn'd of his Love and Duel all this contributed very much to the Suspition and in fine many other Circumstances carried the report of those Accidents which had befallen me even to the knowledge of the Aged Meneza who lay languishing through Grief and Distempers at Brussels and assoon as he understood it wrote to the Queen-Mother to supplicate her Majesty to send me back into Flanders The House of the Duke de Guise was then my Sanctuary and the Earl of Englesac thinking that I could not be safe enough in any Cloister did rather chuse to trust me to the Generosity of the Duke who knew me and had proffer'd me both Silence and Protection 'T is true also that he gave me great cause to commend him for his Treatment and if he intermixed some Efforts to perswade me to return him thanks some other way than barely by words yet he left me wholly at liberty to do it or not I was infinitely surpriz'd when I saw this Prince earlier than usual enter my Appartment and say unto me with Tears in his Eyes 'T is death to me Madam to come here to disturb your Repose but a plenary Power commands me to see you take Coach and to commit you to the Custody of three Ladies who are appointed to conduct you to the Queen-Mother who will see you You must not flatter your self Madam continued he seeing that I received this News with a kinde of indifferent Indignation as if I had divin'd the principal thing which they conceal'd from me I believe it is to carry you back to your Husband at Brussels I wish to God that the Traytors that discovered the place of your Residence had been in the center of the bottomless Abyss or that I my self had been dead before the detection of this Treachery He Crowned all these melting Expressions with Tears which this Noble Prince if I mistake not could command at pleasure And I replied Your Highness jests with me and I am better fortified than your self I merit not the Affliction which you take upon you for a thing which is indifferent to me I have endeavoured to avoid my Misfortune but could not effect it my Destiny has more Stratagems than I have Policy Well Sir I added we must satisfie the Queen and expect my better
Capricio's of my Misfortune Being Intrigu'd with almost all my Acquaintance that could serve me with â—y Advocate with the Ladies that sollicited for me with Birague a long time ago with Signac almost assoon as I knew him for he had not the patience to wait till he was beloved and I had given him his farewel with the hazard of creating a great Enemy to my self In fine evil treated also by the Lover beloved and abandoned if I may say so by a Mother since 't was by the Marchioness of Sevil Could I since stand in fear of any new Disgrace at least if it were not my Death True and I soon had the terrible trial of it I sent a Messenger with Letters to the Earl of Englesac to plead my justification in all things pass'd who returned and told me there had been a bloody Battle between the English and Dutch and that this my dearest Love was swallowed up by the Waves That Battle was fought in June 1666. He went aboard the same Vessel the Prince of Monaco and the Count de Guiche did And after dreadful Exploits performed for that is a proper name for them and that he had like a Lion seconded these two Illustrious Voluntaries who possibly fought as he did stir'd up by Honour composed of somewhat more than ordinary and performed Exploits beyond men in short he perished endeavouring to save the life of the former This Prince being surprized by the burning of a Fire-ship whereunto the heat of the Battle had thrust him forward too vigorously he threw himself into the Sea thinking to make a Shallop and so was drown'd among broken Masts and Cordages that hindred his swimming The Earl of Englesac who was ever an admirer of the Prince de Monaco for his Valour as well as the Count de Guiche leap'd from another Vessel into a Shallop to help him and did so too for by this means the Servants of the Prince had an opportunity to lay hold of their Master and pluck him out of the Sea and may be this passage would surprize grateful Spirits who never knew well who they were engaged to for the best part of so great service To conclude he had honourably Crown'd his former by this last Action But the Shallop he was in split at the same time and sunk to the bottom with him and fresh Ships coming and riding in the place where he was shipwrack'd 't was not questioned but that he was irrecoverably lost But 't was no such thing as yet nay it would be unjust and unprecedentable that the chief Heroe in a History who ought to resemble a curious Fable should be really dead before he had finished his Adventures We will raise him again if you please when time shall serve and finde that the Waves did but waft him up and down many places of the Sea till by the mercy of Romantick Destiny that sported with him as well as my self he was taken up by one of the English Frigats In the mean time Madam what dismal news was this for me when they informed me that he was dead after this manner Your Highness cannot imagine the grief that seized on me unless you have some time or other been as passionately in love with some one man as I was with the Earl d'Englesac and you are too prudent to be so overborn with Love Yet I would desire you to think of one part of my regret upon the sincere averment that I make you that as this unfortunate Gentleman had been always dear to me so I did then adore him maugre the injustice he had done me and that accident only made me more fond and desirous of a Reconciliation I grew furious this onely Expression discovers exactly the condition I was in I was almost in the minde to go and revenge the Son upon the Mother and do my utmost endeavour to discompose her 'T is true 't is reported that she her self was afflicted so far as to be almost in the same despondent condition with my self In fine this mischance instead of choaking up all the Seeds sown by the disinteressed in the person that caused them did onely serve to animate us to a Prosecution at Law The Countess of Englesac pretended to bring full proof of the Actions of my scandalous Life and to seek her Revenge in my Punishment I would have mine in a publick way of Reparation We stuck close to this Designe which could not otherwise prejudice us We were obstinate for all our Presidents who judged this would prove ineffectual and who endeavoured to disswade us from it seriously and in earnest They were the same persons Jurandon and Grasset which your Highness made choice of since that to take care of your Concerns in France and with whose management I believe you will be well pleased In fine the whole Court wondred at our Contests and it was an unmatchable Suit at Law But here possibly I have made too great a stay upon a passage not diverting and to do that I must return to the pleasant Adventures which frequently hapned afterward The thought and apprehension of the certainty of the Earl of Englesac's Death was a new original cause of it It gain'd me new Courtiers and recall'd my old ones The Marâ—uiss de Birague and the young Count de Signac among others began to renew their Pretences more vigorously than ever nay my very Counsellor came and found me out â—o tell me that though I had quite lost my Reâ—utation in the Eye of the World he would â—ot for all that shake off his Passion but proseâ—ute it so far as to espouse me in private if I â—pprov'd of it I thanked him as you may believe with â—uch civility as I thought suitable to so passionate a Compliment I told him I did in that the more applaud his rare Prudence that if by chance I could be in a capacity to love him after the loss of the dearest thing in the whole Universe I should not resolve to be married to him but in private the Adventure of the counterfeit-Thieves having defamed him as much for a man as it had me for a woman And you may judge Madam whether this was over-pleasing to him The poor man returned with such a confused and passionate Transport of Anger that I doubt not but he desir'd with all his heart once more to be my Judge to make me lose my Cause But this was nothing in comparison of what befel me by the Jealousie that Birague had of young Signac which in my judgement was a trick of a man of Spirit and a second Comedy 'T is said 't was the effect of what he had gain'd by the reading of Astrea where there is just such another piece of malice but whence soever he had his designe it was a thing well contriv d and very pleasant I confess that I did live with the Count de Signac somewhat more familiarly than with the Marquiss Whether he had more Merit but that
the first that did droll in Company after our own way of Entertainment But when malicious Spirits go about to poison Discourse they make every thing a Crime Your Highness may remember that I had stollen away the Heart of the Marquiss de from a Gentlewoman of Grenoble she ever owed me ill will after that Larceny and knowing that my Protector was a very vertuous man she understood so well how to work upon him that he was perswaded the Visits of the Chevalier de Montchevreüil were more culpable than they appeared to be insomuch that he would not concern himself with my business any longer I know not how so wise a man was so easily seduced nor how those innocent Toys which passed between the Chevalier and I could have so bad a Construction put upon them but in fine they did interpret them very prejudicially and said such things of us both as put me to the blush when I think of them The persons of Quality on whom he depended blamed him for his Gaming and in truth he was never cut out for a Gamester he was ever so unfortunate But he could not leave it off nay he would shut himself up with Gamesters that he might play all night long without interruption He honoured me with his Watches as if he were in my company and they perswaded the good man that I spake of that whenever they searched for Montchevreüil and could not finde him he was then Caressing of me My Adversaries buoy'd up this false rumour by their Authority and Testimony and I know not whether they did not likewise make use of some shift to countenance it for the talk was concerning a man muffled up in a great Champaigne-cloak that went out of my house at break of day They invented several other strange circumstances besides which had as little of truth in them What shall I say Madam my Protector was ashamed that he ever had born that Name and write what I could in my own Justification for he would not permit me to see him he continued inexorable His change made so great an alteration in my Affairs that I concluded I should lose my Cause and therefore took a resolution to go and cast my self at the King's Feet to Petition him that I might sue in another Court or have other Commissioners deputed to try my Cause I departed from Grenoble upon this designe and however I gained this advantage by my Misfortunes that all men were insupportable to me One of my greatest griefs in going to Paris was in thinking that I must be obliged to lend an ear to some of them for I guessed very right that when a Woman is somewhat handsome and that she undertakes Sollicitation at Court she is frequently exposed to be caressed by Courtiers This reflection more than once perswaded me to steer my old course I know not what I should have done without the Remonstrances of Merinvil but she asked me whether I would live without Estate and Name in the World and when I was not sufficiently sensible of this consideration she grew angry told me that I had lost my sense and that she could wish I had ten Lovers provided that one of them would free me from trouble She had not any long time to discourse me with these kinde of Follies for I learned by my arrival at Lyons that the King was upon his departure for the Isle where he was resolved to pass away two moneths time and better This delay afflicted me very much I did not question but my departure from Grenoble would have lost me those few Friends that I had left and seeing my self deprived of the ready help which I expected I repented my self that I had taken such ill Measures But Patience was the onely remedy What could I do The King would not hear any business till his return and if I could possibly move him with Compassion how should I overtake him that makes such long Journeys and was 100 Leagues before me Well I comforted my self as well as I could and resolved to go to Lyons all the time that the King would be in Flanders I thought that it would be more easie for me to live there a solitary Life than at Paris and I had formerly made a friend at Languedoc which was then a Pensioner in St. Peter's Abbey from whom I expected great matters She had no greater cause to praise men than I had and we spent our time whole days together in strengthening our selves in the Spleen we owed them A Divota one of her friends who was very Ingenious and Complaisant did sometimes come to our entertainment and did always make it very pleasant for she was naturally merry She told me and my friend that we were Fools to shun the society of Men because they had injured us 'T is not by avoiding their Company that they are punished said she on the contrary you should converse with them endeavour to please them and then make them run mad But I replied By enraging them they destroy Women and if they are so civil as not to do it the Publique will without their assistance Adde to that says my Friend that usually by endeavouring to bring but one Lover to despair we come to love him insensibly and prove by this means that Love is not to be sported with We entertained one another one day after this manner when the Earl de Tavanes who went from Lyons in order to his passage to Candia where he after lost his Life and who was very intimately acquainted with the Religious Woman I speak of came to see her the Nun that attends at the Round Box or Portress sent him into the Parlour where we were and though I disappeared at his sight yet I was very much offended at this Rencounter I told my friend the next day after that if her Parlour were made so common to all the world she should seldom have me there with her She appeased me as well as she could and assured me that I need not have any apprehension of fear upon the account of that Gentleman that I saw there And indeed Madam she had already seen the Earl de Tavanes several times who perswaded her that he hated our Sex as much as I hated theirs I did not at first believe that Hatred was real I told my friend that there was some mystery hid under that and that she was the person to be wheedled But the Religiosa and she told me so many things to take off that suspition that in conclusion they did perswade me and I my self had a desire to see a person so rarely to be found That was no difficult matter I went every day to St. Peter's Abbey and he himself seldom missed coming thither We met together as we did the first time and I protest to you that I confirmed that was said of him He made the difference considerable between her and other Women She is not a little obliging added he and he must
she said that at last she did yield to the perseverance of both these Lovers That she was now in balance her Daughter being gone and that she was much troubled she did not give her time to determine that business But Madam she might say and do what she would the Lover still was Amorous of his Mistriss and if he were grown desperate to see himself thus betray'd yet it was a tender Despair and not a brutish and vindicative Resentment Two moneths compleat were elapsed in this manner during which time our new-married Gentlewoman who was not for all this the Wife of her Husband did so feelingly represent unto him the remorse that an honest man exposeth himself to when he exerciseth violence upon a Woman's Inclinations and that he abuseth a power that is not lawfully given him that he conceived a kind of horrour within himself for the action he had done and resolved to make reparation for it by all possible means The new-married Man was as I acquainted your Highness a kind of tractable Youth and well enough principled who demonstrated more Obedience than Malice in all these Transactions His Father-in-Law proposed this Cheat to him and he acted it without prying into the consequences that might follow but when he saw apparently that he should make a person very unhappy and lead his life with a woman from whom he could expect nothing but Complaints and Reproaches he freely set his hand to the rupture of the Marriage and leading his Wife into a Convent whereof one of his Aunts was Abbess and she her self became Abbess afterwards they parted the best friends in the world This Retreat made a great noise throughout the whole Countrey where 't was transacted the cause was at last known and the Lover making haste to clear up the truth no sooner understood the innocence of his Mistris but thought to bring her back with him and at last to conclude that Marriage which had been so often crossed But she had an insuperable reluctancy to see that she had two Husbands at once he might talk if he would and say that he did not believe her to be Wife to the first and that he would remember that Adventure only to enhance her estimation with him She said that all the world would not be of his opinion and continuing firm in her Resolution of making her self a Nun they converted their Love into such innocent and endeared Friendship that it cannot be too much admir'd One day they would have married the man I am talking of and the Religious Woman newly entred who judged this Match might be advantageous advis'd him to accept of it I shall see you then with less scruple said she for I shall never possess your whole heart And though mine be replete with none but innocent desires and that I believe yours are the same Methinks an honest Wife and one that should love you well would better suit with this Innocence and this is a Caution we should do well to give one another You have a sufficient one in the Character of your Soul Madam said he and in that that you have been able to imprint upon my esteem of you I look upon you with admiration which permits me not to love you like another woman and judge you Madam if it be not with justice that I make such a difference between you and others I have found you tender not weak You have seen your self basely betrayed without Despair You have quitted one Husband and he ne'er complains of your Conduct you have driven one Lover into Despair and yet he cannot reproach you in the least and by a Priviledge granted from Heaven to you onely you are a Wife Lover and Nun without failing in any of your Duties How can I know you so well and suffer any vacant place in my Heart for another Woman to supply Madam don't ordain me to marry an honest person and one that could love without doubt would complain of her Choice and in the humour I am in now I should look upon my self as very unhappy if I should not make may Wife absolutely happy This was the delicate and passionate Gentleman that was wounded at the siege of Cologne and that I found the poor Abbess drown'd in the Tears he had so well merited when I came to acquaint her with my last Adventure She was so pleased herewith that she made a Truce with her Grief for a small time to give ear to it And as my Stars will create me Lovers and Suiters everywhere she gave me Relation for Relation and told me that Don Pedro was also grown in Love with me I perceived no such thing and I did not believe the Abbess when she told me this news But Madam I could not by any means question it afterward for as she went for my Aunt and that he believed I was committed to her Tutelage he addressed himself to her discovered his Amours assuring her that he had but an Honest and Lawful Designe This did not take much with me for in the humour I was in at that time I did as much detest a Lover under the name of a Husband as under any other form But I thought I stood in need of all the world and feared some dreadful effects of our Marquiss his Resentment if he came to discover the cheating trick that his Heart had play'd him Therefore I treated his Rival more civilly than I should have done if I had followed my own Sentiments and as that did somewhat confine my Spirit and did not willingly admit of Courtiers or else did divertise my self by turning what they said into Ridicule I often revenged my self of this constraint by the Questions that I put on my part and by the Person that I made him represent He was engaged very deeply in many of my particular Concerns and told me all the ways that he made use of to deprive me of the Requests of the Marchioness of Sevil. This put me upon it to ask him sometime or other some news of my own and you would have laughed Madam sufficiently had you but heard how I persecuted him on this Subject He knew nothing of them as your Highness may imagine but I pretended that he did and that it was out of mistrust or defiance that he would not acquaint me therewith He would not let me continue long in that opinion and giving me a relation of the first Adventure that he could call to minde he put me in thoughts of the most pleasant things in the world I remember that one day he made me walk in Man's Apparel in I know not how many Towns in Italy and gave me several Adventures which are known to befal a fair Lady of great Quality for whom certainly I could not be mistaken He told me one among the rest which was very pleasant and would agree with me well enough if I were detained in a Convent where I should give my self over to wearisomness and tire the