discretion and to hate and disdaine jealousic she beares this as patiently as shee may till at last seeking and finding out a fit opportunity shee both with teares in her eyes and griefe in her speeches very secretly checks him for these his inordinate and lascivious desires towards the young Lady Perina their Daughter in law But as it is the nature of sinne so to betray and inveagle our judgements that wee flatter our selves with a false conceit none can perceive it in us so this old lecher her Husband thinking that hee had danced in a net from the jealousie and suspicion of all the world in thus affecting his Sonnes wife hee like a lewd and wretched old varlet is so farre from rellishing these his old wifes speeches and exhortations or from being reclaymed thereby as hee disdayneth both them and her and from henceforth is so imperious and withall bitter to her as hee never lookes on her with affection but envie which neverthelesse she as a modest wife and grave Matrone holds it a part not onely of her love but of her duety by sweete speeches and soft meanes of perswasion to divert him from this fond and lascivious humour of his But observe the vanity of his lasciviousnesse and the impiety of his thoughts and resolutions for all her prayers and perswasions serve only rather to set then rebate the edge of his lust and rather bring oyle to increase then water to quench the flame of his immodest and irregular affection so as seeing that she stood in the way of obtayning his beastly pleasures he like a prophane and barbarous Husband termes her no more his wife but his Medea and which is worse hee out of the heat both of his lust and choller vowes he will soone remove her from this world to another And here the devill ambitious and desirous of nothing so much as to fill up the emyty roomes of his vast and infernall kingdome by miserable and execrable degrees takes possession first of his thoughts then of his heart and lastly of his soule so as being constant in his indignation and choller and resolute in this his impious and bloudy revenge hee meanes to dispatch and murther her who for the terme of forty two yeares had beene his most loving wife and faithfull bed-fellow but withall hee will act it so privately as not having as yet discovered his affection to his daughter Perina hee will therefore conceale both from her and all the world the Murther of this his wife Fidelia except only to those gracelesse and execrable Agents he meant imploy in this mournefull and bloudy businesse To which end with a hellish ratiocination ruminating and revolving on the manner thereof hee having runne over the circumstances of many violent and tragicall deaths at last resolves to poyson her and deemes none so fit to undertake it as her owne Wayting-gentlewoman Ierantha the which authorized by his former lascivious dalliance with her as also in favour of five hundred Ducats that he will give her hee is confident shee will undertake and finish neither doth hee faile in his bloudy hopes For what with the honey of his flattering speches and the sugar of his Gold she like an infernall Fury and a very Monster of her sexe most ingratefully and inhumanely consents thereunto so as putting poyson into Whitebroth which some mornings she was accustomed to make and give her Lady it spreading into her veines and exhaling the radicall humour of her life and strength within eight dayes carries this aged and vertuous Matrone to her Grave and her soule to Heaven But her Murtherers shall pay deare for this her untimely end The Lady Perina and all the Lady Fidelia's kinsfolkes and friends infinitely lament and bewayle her death and indeed so doth the whole City of Nice where for her descent and vertues shee is infinitely beloved and affected but all these teares of theirs are nothing in comparison of those of her wicked and execrable Husband Castelnovo who although he inwardly rejoyce yet he outwardly seemes to bee exceedingly afflicted and dejected But as hee hath heretofore acted the part of a Murtherer and now of an hypocrite yet have we but a little patience and we shall see that detected this unmasked and both panished Whiles this mournefull Tragedy is acted in Nice the mediation of the French King and Pope reconcile the differences give end to the Warres and conclude peace betwixt Spaine and Savoy So home returnes the Duke of Feria to Millan the noble Duke of Savoy and the generous Princes his Sonnes to Turin the Marshall de Desdiguieres and the Baron of Termes into France and consequently home comes our Knight Castelnovo to Nice where thinking to rejoyce with his young wife hee is so unfortunate to mourne for the death of his old mother but God knowes that neither of them know the least sparke or shadow of her cruell and untimely Murther and lesse the cause thereof Now for his lascivious and bloudy father albeit to cast a vaile before his thoughts and his intents and actions hee publikely mournes for his wifes death and rejoyceth for his Sonnes returne yet contrariwise hee privately mournes for this and rejoyceth for that But to leave the remembrance of Fidelia to assume that of our Perina I know not whether shee grieved more at her Husbands absence or rejoyce at his presence sith her affection to him was so tender and fervent as in her heart and soule shee esteemed that as much her hell as this her heaven upon earth but these joyes of hers are but fires of straw or flattering Sun-shines which are suddenly either washed away with a showre or eclipsed and banished by a Tempest for whiles her hopes flatter her beliefe of her Husbands continuall stay and residence with her her Father in lawes lust to her foreseeing and considering that it was impossible to thinke to obtaine her at home e're her Husband his Sonne were againe imployed and sent abroad makes all his thoughts aime and care and industry tend that way as if time had no power to make him repent the former murther of his wife or Grace influence to renounce the future defiling and dishonouring of his Daughter in law But hee is as constant in his lust to her as resolute in his dispatching and sending away of him onely hee must finde out some pregnant vertuous and honourable pretext and colour for the effecting of his designe and resolution because he well knowes his Sonne Castelnovo is as wise and generous in himselfe as amorous of his beautifull young Lady Perina but his lust which is the cause of his resolution or rather his vanity which is the authour of his lust at one time suggests him these two severall imployments for his Sonne either to send him into France with the Prince Major who was larely contracted and shortly to espouse MadameChristiene the Kings second Sister or else under the insinuation of some great Pensions and Offices that were shortly to
evill but it is our owne concupiscence that drawes and inticeth us to it In which respect wee may justly say it is a folly to hearken to temptation but a misery and madnesse to follow and embrace it For why should discontent cast us into despaire except wee will resemble the foolish Saylor who abandoneth the Helme in a storme when he hath most neede to use it or the simple fish that leapes from the pan to the fire Or those ignorant fooles who to shelter themselves from the raine run into the river For are we tempted The Lord will hold us up by his right hand yea hee will not faile those that seeke him For he is our Rocke and our fortresse our shield and our refuge yea although hee hath wounded us hee will bind up our wounds And that wee may yet see a farther benefit that accrueth to those that are tempted let us read with joy and retaine with comfort that Blessed is the man that endureth temptation hee shall receive the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to those that love him yea they that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever When therefore amongst other temptations choller so farre prevaileth with us or rather the Devill with our choller that wee imagine mischiefe in our hearts or life up our hands against our Christian brother let us then consider what the Apostle tels us from God Hee that hateth his brother walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whither he goeth yea He that loves not his brother is not of God Hath any one therefore offended thee Why consider hee is a man and no Angell and as subject to infirmities as thy selfe as also that he is thy brother by Creation and Adoption by Nature and by Grace and that hee beares the same Image and Resemblance of God as thy selfe dost in which regard thou art counselled Not to 〈◊〉 the Sunne goe downe on thy wrath That thou seeke after Peace and follow it That we forbeare and forgive one another as Christ forgives us and q that if we live in Peace the God of Peace will be with us But some there are yea alas too too many who are so hardned in their hearts and sinnes and so resolute in their wilfulnesse as in stead of rellishing they distaste and in stead of embracing reject and disdaine this Christian advice and counsell opening their thoughts and hearts to all vanities or rather drawing up the Sluces and Flood-hatches to let in all impiety to their soules they give way to the treacherous baites of the World to the alluring pleasures of the Flesh and to the dangerous and fatall temptations of the Devill and so cruelly imbrue their hands in the innocent blood of their Christian brethren and although the murthers of Abel by Cain out of Envie of Vriah by David for Adultery of Abner by Ioab for Ambition of Naboth by Iezabel for Malice and of Iehu his Sonnes by Athaliah for Revenge with their severall punishments which God inflicted on them for these their hainous and horrible crimes are presidents enough fearefull and bloody to make any Christian heart dissolve into pittie and regenerate soule melt into teares yet sith new examples ingender and produce fresh effects of sorrow and compassion and as it were leave and imprint a sensible memory thereof in our hearts and understandings therefore I thought it a worke as worthy of my labour as that labour of a Christian to collect thirty severall Tragicall Histories which for thy more ease and perfecter memory I have digested into sixe severall Bookes that observing and seeing herein as in a Christall mirrour the variety of the Devils temptations and the allurements of sinne wherewith these weake Christians the Authors and Actors hereof suffered themselves to bee carried away and seduced Considering I say the foulnesse of their facts in procuring the deaths of their Christian brethren some through blood others through poyson as also Gods miraculous detection and severe punishment thereof in revenging blood for blood and death for death yea many times repaying it home with interest and rewarding one death with many that the consideration of these bloody and mournfull Tragedies may by their examples strike astonishment to our thoughts and amazement to our senses that the horrour and terrour thereof may hereafter retaine and keepe us within the lists of Charity towards men and the bonds of filiall and religious obedience towards God who tels us by his Royall Prophet that Whosoever makes a pit for others shall fall into it himselfe for his mischief will returne upon his own head and his cruelty fall upon his own pate Which we shall see verified in these who seduced partly by sinne but chiefly by Sathan who is the Author thereof forgot the counsell of the Apostle If any one be afflicted let him pray and grived to powreforth their hearts before God not considering the efficacie thereof nor how Moses made the bitter waters of Marah sweet thereby yea they builded not their faiths on God and his promises on Christ and his Church on his Gospell and his Sacrament but spurned at all these Divine comforts and spirituall blessings yea and trampled that sweet-smelling Sacrifice of prayer under their feete which is the Antidote and preservative of the soule against sin and the Bulwarke to expell all the fiery and bloody darts of Sathans temptations yea the very ladder whereby both the aspirations and ejaculations of our soules mount unto God and his benefits and mercies descend unto us and this and only this was both the Prologue to their destruction and their destruction it selfe the which I present unto the view not only of thine eyes but of thy heart and soule because it is a Vertue in us to looke on other mens Vices with hatred and detestation imitating herein the wise and skilfull Pilot who mournes to see the Rockes whereon his neighbours have suffered shipwracke and yet againe rejoyceth that by the sight thereof he may avoid his owne which indeed is the true way both to secure our safety and to prevent our destruction as well of the Temporall life of our bodies in this World as the Spirituall of our soules in that to come I must farther advertise thee that I have purposely fetched these Tragicall Histories from forraine parts because it grieves mee to report and relate those that are too frequently committed in our owne Countrey in respect the misfortune of the dead may perchance either afflict or scandalize their living friends who rather want matter of new consolation then cause of reviving old sorrowes or because the iniquity of the times is such that it is as easie to procure many enemies as difficult to purchase one true friend In which respect I know that divers both in matters of this and of other natures have beene so cautious
before his owne and with all possible speed commands his Chirurgion to bring and hast thither his Coach and to his best power doth assist Betanford in setting him up in ordering and binding up his wounds his Coach being come hee causeth him to bee layd in softly and so hee in one Boote and the two Chirurgions in the other their Pages and Lackeyes attending them they drive away to the very next country house where they hush themselves up privately and here Betanford resembling himselfe conjureth both the Chirurgions to use their best art and chiefest skill upon Grand Pre and before hee would have his owne wounds looked unto hee causeth his to bee opened they doe it and both concurre in opinion that his last wound is mortall he sees them dresse him and vowes hee will not forsake him in this extremity but will bee more carefull of him then of himselfe Reciprocall and singular demonstrations of courtesy and honour in these two Caveliers which will make their memories famous to posterity Betanford seeing Grand Pre committed to sleep causeth his owne wounds to be speedily searched and dressed which are not found dangerous and then takes order in the house that Grand Pre bee furnished with all things necessary as Chamber curious attendance and the like yea he ordereth matters so that all things might be done with great secrecie and silence nor permitting any of his owne or Grand Pre's servants to bee seene forth the house to the end that the newes of these their accidents might not bee bruted or vented About noone Grand Pre's speech by little and little comes to him and likewise his memorie when Betanford absenting all from his Chamber with his Hat in his hand came to his bed side and having courteously saluted and comforted him prayes and conjures him as hee is a Gentleman of Honour to tell him why and wherefore hee fought with him Ah Baron quoth Grand Pre first sweare to mee on thine honour thou wilt deliver me the truth of a question I will demand of thee and then I wil shew thee By my honour and fidelitie replies Betanford and as I hope for heaven I will Then Baron quoth hee diddest thou never wrong me and mine honour in being too familiar with my wife Mermanda The Baron with many solemne protestations and religious oathes cleares both himselfe and Mermanda and vowes that his heart never thought it much lesse his tongue ever attempted it Whereat Grand Pre very humbly intreats him to excuse and pardon him sith he understood and beleeved the contrary which was the onely cause of his discontent and challenge adding withall that hee will till death esteeme him as his most honourable friend and as long as he liues will affect and loue his wife dearer than ever he had before It is as great a happinesse to repaire and reforme errours as a misery to commit them The Baron of Betanford stayes very secretly ten dayes with Grand Pre at the Countrey house when seeing his wounds hopefully cured and recovered they resolve to depart Grand Pre kindly thankes Betanford for his life and all other courtesies hee hath received of him and hee as courteously doth the like to Grand Pre for giving him his sword wherewith he preserved his owne and so like honourable and intimate friends they take leave each of other the Baron taking horse for Paris and freely lending Grand Pre his Coach to returne to Auxone Thus wee see courtesie alwayes returneth with interest Grand Pre at his comming home kisseth fawneth on his wife Mermanda acquaints her with the occasion and event of the combat condemneth his owne folly and extolleth her chastitie prayes her to forgive him againe this once for all and vowes that there lives not a braver Noble man in the world then the Baron of Betanford and to speake truth she deserves this submission and reconciliation and he that praise At the knowledge here of I know not whethet Mermanda like a gracious and curteous wife doe more grieve at her husbands wounds then rejoyce at his recovery and life and now he repenting and detesting his former errour renewes his love affection and friendship to her the which hee confirmeth and uniteth with a perpetuall and indissoluble Gordion knot neverthelesse the variety of her afflictions and the excesse of her griefe and discontent breeds her much weakenesse and sickenesse which withereth the Roses and Lillies of her beauty But come wee from Mermanda's heavenly Vertues to Hautefelia's devillish Vices which cannot be paralleld or compared except by Antithesis for as Mermanda reposeth her selfe under the shaddow of her owne innocencie and lives in perfect love and charity with the whole world so her wretched Sister in law Hautefelia seeing her hopes and purposes prevented will not sleepe in her malice but sets her wits and revenge upon the Tenter-hookes to finde out another expedient to be rid of Mermanda who in her wicked conceit shee thought was enemy to her content and an eye-sore to her ambition and greatnesse We no sooner fly from God but the devil followes us it proves alwaies a miserable folly to be wise in wickednes and sin Hautefelia is resolute in her rage and cannot or rather will not see heaven for hell she be thinks her selfe of another invention to send Mermanda into another world and so strikes a bargaine with La Fresnay an Apothecary for two hundred crowns to poyson her who like a limbe of the devil doth undertake and promise it the which Ah griefe to thinke thereon he in lesse then two months performeth and so this vertuous and harmles young Gentlewoman is most unnaturally and treaherously bereaved of her life and brought to a mournfull and lamentable end Which inhumane murther we shall see God in his due time will miraculously detect and severely revenge and punish Her Husband Grand Pre exceedingly bewayles her death as also all her parents and friends yea so infinite were her Vertues and so sweet her behaviour and carriage as all that knew Mermanda lamented her decease yet no way suspecting or knowing the violent and extraordinary cause thereof Now whiles others mourne Hautefelia exceedingly triumphs and rejoyces hereat but this bloudy victory shal cost her deare In the meane time Mermanda's single death can neither quench her revenge nor satisfy her ambition for as shee liked not the Sister so she as before we have partly understood never loved the Brother her owne husband de Malleray whom she observed very bitterly wept and grieved at his sister Mermanda's death she therefore resolute to adde sinne to sinnne resolves to cast the apple of discord betwixt Grand Pre her brother and de Malleray her husband knowing that if the first were slaine shee were sole heire to her father if the second shee would have a noble Husband a policie whose invention is as diabolicall as the execution thereof dangerous To which effect she informes her husband that her Brother Grand Pre had
in all the Spectators as wondring at the cause and reason therof when in constant and discreet termes Augustino informes the Iudges that hee thinks 〈◊〉 innocent and her Lady Victoryna guiltie of this murther and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…m â—…er time and place where Victorina her selfe seduced him to poyson her 〈◊〉 Fâ—…no how she proffered him three hundred Zeckynes to performe it which hee refused and to the utmost of his power sought to disswade her from thiâ—… bloody and execrable businesse The Iudges are astonished at the strangenes of this newes which they begin confidently to beleeve and so blesse the houre of Augustino's arrivall that hath withheld them from spilling the innocent bloud of Felicia when commanding her from the place of execution to her prison they instantly give order for the Lady Victoryna's apprehension who already had built trophees and triumphs of joy in her heart to see that all her bloudy designes so well succeeded But now is the Lords appoynted time come wherein al her cruell Murthers whoredome treachery and hypocrisie shall be brought to light and punished yea now it shall no longer be in her power or in that of the devill her Schoolmaster Seducer either to diminish the least part of her punishment or to adde the least moment or poynt of time to her life Shee is all in teares at her apprehension but they rather ingender envie then pittie in her Iudges And so from the delights and pleasures of her house she is hastily conveyed to prison Her Iudges in honour to the sacred dignity of Iustice the Queene of Earth and the daughter of Heaven confront her with Augustino who averres his former deposition as constantly in her face as shee denies it impudently in his But this will not prevaile her for now God hath made the probabilities or rather the sight of her crime too apparant So without any regard to her prayers teares or exclamations they adjâ—…dge her to the Racke where the tendernesse of her limbs the sharpnesse of her torments but especially the griefes and pinches of her conscience make her acquit Felicia acknowledge Augustino his evidence and condemne her selfe to be the author both of her first husbands stabbing as also her seconds poysoning her Iudges as much praise God for her confession as they detest and are astonished at the falsenesse of these her horrible crimes So with much joy they first free innocent Felicia of her unjust imprisonment and then knowing it pitty that so wretched a Lady as Victoryna should live any longer they for her abominable cruelties and inhumanities condemne her the next morne to be hang'd and burnt on Saint Markes Place At the knowledge and divulging of which newes as her father mother and kinsfolkes extreamely grieve so all Venice blesse and glorifie God first that innocent Felicia is saved and guilty Victoryna detected and condemned to the shame and punishment of a deserved death The same night the Priests and Friers deale with her about the state of her soule and its pilgrimage and transmigration to heaven they find that her youth lust and revenge hath taken a strange possession of the devill and hee in them for she still loves the memory of Sypontus and envies and detests that of her two husbands Souranza and Fassino but they deale effectually with her and in their speeches depainting her forth the joyes of heaven and the torments of hell they at last happily prevaile and so make her forsake the vanity and impiety of these her passions by rellishing the sweet shown of Gods mercies so the next morne shee is brought to her execution where the world expecting to heare much matter from her she is very pensive and contemplative and sayes little onely she prayes Felicia to forgive her as also all the Parents of her two Husbands Souranza and Fassino and likewise of Sypontus but chiefly shee invokes God her Saviour and Redeemer to pardon these her horrible sinnes of adultery and murther and beseecheth all that are present to pray for her soule and so according to her sentence she is first hang'd then burnt whereat all that great affluence and concourse of people praise the providence and justice of God in cutting off this female monster and shame of her sexe Victoryna whose tragicall and mournefull History may we all reade and remember with detestation that the example hereof bee our forewarning and caveat not to trust in the deceiveable lusts of the flesh and the treacherous tentations of the devill but to rely on the mercies and promises of God which will never faile his elect but will assuredly make them happy in their lives blessed in their deathes and constantly glorious in their resurrections GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXEcrable sinne of Murther HISTORIE VII Catalina causeth her Wayting Mayd Ansilva two severall times attempt to poyson her â—wne Sister Berinthia wherein fayling shee afterwards makes an Empericke termed Sarmiata poyson her said Mayd Ansilva Catalina is killed with a Thunder-bolt and Sarmiata hang'd for poysoning Ansilva Antonio steales Berinthia away by her owne consent whereupon her Brother Sebastiano fights with Antonio and kills him in a Duell Berinthia in revenge hereof afterwards murthereth her Brother Sebastiano she is adjudged to be immured betwixt two Walls and there languisheth and dyes HOw foolishly and impiously doth our malice betray our selves or the devill our soules when we maliciously betray others for wee are as farre from Grace as Wisedome when wee permit either irregular affection or unlawfull passion to hale us on to choller choller to revenge and revenge to Murther Nay how exempt are we of Religion and devoyd of all Christian piety and charity when our thoughts are so eclipsed and our judgements darkened when our consciences are so defiled and our soules so polluted with revenge that the eldest sister seekes to poyson her younger and this younger afterwards murthereth her owne and only brother because in a Duell he had formerly slaine her Lover Alasse alasse these are bloudy accidents which not only fight against Grace but Nature not only against earth but Heaven and not only against our soules but against God neither are these the only Tragedies that our insuing History reporteth and relateth for wee shall therein farther see a wretched Wayting-gentlewoman poysoned by her more wretched Lady and Mistresse together with her execrable Agent a bloudy and gracelesse Empericke and all justly revenged and severely punished by the sword of Gods wrath and indignation Wherein the Christian Reader may observe as well to Gods glory as his owne consolation that never pretended or actuall Murthers were either contrived more secretly perpetrated more closely detected more miraculously or punished more strangely and severely so as if the devill have not fully possest our hearts and soules or if our thoughts and resolutions doe yet retaine the least sparke of Grace and Christianity we shall flie their crimes by the sight and feare of their punishments refetch our wandring and erronious senses from
sort as I know not whether I more rejoyce at the one then detest the other Having therefore first thanked God for thy happie and miraculous preservation I next commend my Page as the second cause of the discovery thereof and this fidelitie of his shall neither bee forgotten or unrequited Thinke how tedious time is to mee sith I blame and envy this short Letter of mine for taking up and usurping any part thereof till I enjoy the honour to see thee and the felicitie to assist thee I returne it thee Poast by Diego who brought mee thine and my Coach-man tells mee I shall rather flie then runne towards thee Let the precise houre I beseech thee bee on Munday night at twelve of the clocke when I will awayt thy selfe and expect thy commaunds at the Posterne of thy Fathers Arbour where let the light of the candle bee my signet and the report of my Pistoll shall bee thine I am throwing away my penne were it not to signifie thee that my sword shall protect thy life and mine honour preserve thine as also that Antonio thinkes himselfe the most unfortunate man of the world till Berinthia bee impaled in his armes or hee encloystered in hers ANTONIO Whiles Diego is poasting to Avero Antonio his Master is preparing to follow him taking the next morne his Coach with six horses and three resolute Gentlemen his friends to assist him with each his Rapier and case of Pistols Diego first arrives at Avero yea a day and two nights before him Ansilva checks him for his long stay and Berinthia a thousand times thanks him for his speedy returne He delivers her his Masters Letter and prayes her to prepare her selfe against the prefixed houre Shee reades her Antonio's Letter with much joy and comfort which her lookes testifie and her heart proclaimeth to her thoughts shee will not be slacke or backwards in a matter which so deeply imports her well-fare and content and so with all possible secresie packes up the chiefest of her apparell and jewels in a small trunke or casket and wisheth the houre come that shee were either in Antonio's armes or he in hers and for Diego he casteth so subtill a mist vaile before Ansilva's eyes as it is impossible either for her or her Lady Catalina to perceive any thing But loe a second treachery is provided to effect that which the first could not and indeed which went neere to have performed it had not God miraculously and indulgently reached forth his hand to prevent it for Catalina still persevers in her inveterate and deadly malice towards her sister Berinthia as if God had not yet taught her or rather that she would not learne the way from Satan or Grace instructed and directed her from the impietie of so foule a sinne as the murthering of her owne and onely sister For the very night that Antonio had promised and assigned to fetch Berinthia as shee had by times retired her selfe to her chamber under colour to go to bed and ready to put on her night abiliments in comes Ansilva sent by her good and kinde or rather wicked and cruell sister with a sweet Posset or rather a deadly poyson in her hand in a silver covered cup telling her that her Lady had drunk the one halfe and sent her the other it being as she affirmed very cold and refreshing for the liver against the hotnesse of the weather But Berinthia being forewarned is armed by her former danger yet shee seemes joyfull thereof and so accepts it returning her sister Catalina thanks saying shee will drinke it ere shee goe to bed onely she prayes Ansilva first to fetch her prayer booke and gloves which in the morne shee had left in her sisters chamber So whiles shee is wanting shee privately powres it into a silver bason in her Studie and washing the cup three or foure severall times shee fills some Almond milke therein and Ansilva being returned takes the said cup and prayes her to tell her Sister that shee drinkes it to her health and withall gives her the good night and so likewise doth Ansilva to her But what a good night thought shee in her heart and conscience when shee knew Berinthia should never see day more So away shee trips to her Lady Catalina who demaunds her if the businesse bee dispatched and her sister gone to her rest Who replies shee hath drunke her last and is gone to her eternall rest But they are both deceived in their malicious Arithmaticke For although Catalina extremely rejoyce in the confident and assured death of her sister yet God ordaineth that their bloody hopes shall deceive them as marke the sequell and you shall see how About an houre after Ansilva's departure by Berinthia's order and appoyntment in wonderfull secret sort in comes Diego to her Chamber to awayt the houre of his Masters arrivall and to assist her in her escape and departure Berinthia acquaints him with the potion her Sister Catalina had right now sent her by Ansilva hee is astonished at this newes as being assured it was poyson and humbly prayes her to make proofe hereof on Catalina's Parrot which that afternoone shee had brought with her into her Chamber and so by her consent Diego takes the Parrot and with a spoone forceth some downe its throat who poore harmelesse bird immediately swells and dyes before them They both wonder hereat and Berinthia at one instant both grieves and rejoyceth grieves at her Sister Catalina's malice and crueltie and rejoyceth for her happie deliverance first praysing God as the Author then thanking Diego as the instrument thereof and so they throw the remainder of the poyson out at the window and lay the dead Parrot on the table And now Berinthia attending and awayting the houre of her happinesse which is that of her Antonio's arrivall and of her owne departure with as much desire as impatiencie Diego often looking on the houre-glasse and Berinthia a thousand times on her Watch. So at last with a longing longing desire the joyfull houre of twelve is come wherein Antonio arrives hee sees the happy light of her candle and shee heares the sweet musicke of his Pistoll which reviveth and ravisheth these two Lovers in the heaven of unexpressable joy and content when all things being hush'd up in silence and every person of the house soundly sleeping Diego softly takes up the small trunke and Berinthia as secretly followes him and so they wonderfull privately slip into the first Court and from thence to the posterne doore of the garden where Antonio with a thousand kisses receives her in his armes having no other light but the lustre of her eyes to light them for the Moone that bright Cynthia had conspired and consented to Berinthia's escape and therfore purposely withdrawne her brightnesse by hiding and invelloping her selfe in the darkenesse of an obscure cloud Antonio locking this sweet prize this his deare and sweeâ—… Berinthia in his armes hee with the three Gentlemen his friends
this and that shortly I resolve to see him at Naples and that in the interim I will reserve his Letter Fiesco departs but knowes hee hath so highly betrayed and wronged his Master as he dares not see him and so shewes him a faire paire of heeles Such Laquayes farre better deserve a halter than a Livery Carpi wonders at his Laquayes long stay In which meane time Alcasero comes to Naples where hee is yet irresolute whether to accuse Carpi by the order and course of Law or to fight with him but he resolves to doe both and that if the Law will not right him for the murther of his father his sword shall He goes to the Criminell Iudges and with much passion and sorrow accuseth the Baron of Carpi for murthering of the Captaine Benevente his father and for proofe hereof produceth his two Letters to his sister Fidelia and the copie of one of hers to him Whereupon the Judges grant power to apprehend Carpi so hee is taken and constituted prisoner and now hee hath leasure to thinke on the basenesse and foulenesse of his fact But he is so farre from dejecting himselfe to sorrow or addicting himselfe to repentance as hee puts a brazen face on his lookes and speeches and so peremptorily intends and resolves to deny all Had he had more grace or lesse impiety he would have made better use of this his imprisonment and have shewen himselfe at least humble if not sorrowfull for his offence and crime But hee holds it wisdome in greatest dangers to shew most courage and resolution and so makes himselfe fit to grapple and encounter with all accidents and occurrences whatsoever Men may palliate their sinnes but God will finde them out and display them in their naked colours Alcasero is an importunate solicitor to the Judges to draw and hasten on Carpi his arraignment But they resembling themselves proceed therein modestly and gravely they consult and consider the three Letters they finde conjecturall sentences enow to accuse but no solide proofe to condemne him they hold that their opinions ought not to bee swayed with the wind of every presumption and that it is not fit so trivially to set the life of a man at six and seven Besides as they approve of Alcasero his affection to his father so they dislike of his impetuosity and vehemencie towards Carpi They all resolve to lay the Sword of Iustice in the ballance of Equitie and then ordaine that Carpi shall bee rackt to see whether they can draw more light from his tongue than from his pen. But he endures these his tortures and torments with wonderfull constancie and still denies all Had his cause beene more religious and humane and not so bloudy this fortitude and courage of his had beene as praise-worthy as now it is odious and execrable The Court by sentence pronounced in open Senate acquit and cleare Carpi of this murther whereat Alcasero exceedingly repines and murmures It is not enough that Carpi hath now escaped this danger for Alcasero remaines still constant in his conceit that he is the murtherer of his father and therefore vowes and resolves to fight with him He le ts passe some six weeks time till he be sound of his limbs and then resolves to send him a challenge Had Carpi beene innocent it had beene more honourable and requisite that hee had challenged Alcasero than Alcasero him but his cause being unjust and his conscience fearefull he dares not runne the hazard to be desirous or ambitious to fight with Alcasero the which if hee had attempted Alcasero will anticipate and prevent him who making Plantinus his second hee out of the ashes of his sorrow and the fire of his revenge sends him to Carpi with this Billet of Defiance ALCACERO to DE CARPI ALthough the Law have cleared thee for the murther of my Father yet my Conscience cannot and my Rapier will not I should be a monster of Nature not to seeke revenge for his death of whom I have received my life Could I give peace to my thoughts or unthinke the cause of my disaster I would not seeke to bereave thee of thylife with the hazard of mine owne But finding this not onely difficult but impossible pardon me if I request thee to meet me single at eight of the clocke after supper at the West end of the Common Vineyard where I will attend thee with a couple of Rapiers the choice whereof shall be thine and the refusall mine or if thou wilt make use of a second he shall not depart without meeting one to exchange a thrust or two with him ALCASERO Whiles the Baron of Carpi is triumphing to see how hee hath bleared the eyes of his Judges and so freed himselfe from the feares and danger of death behold Plantinus finds him out and delivers him Alcasero his Challenge Hee takes it and with a variable countenance reads it whereat hee finds a reluctation and combate not onely in his thoughts but his Conscience whether hee should accept or refuse it His Honour bids him doe the first but his Conscience wills him to performe the second it were better to be borne a Clowne than a Coward Besides if he should refuse to fight with Alcasero he upon the matter makes himselfe guilty of the Captaine his fathers death He knowes he hath an unjust cause in hand but he preferres his Honour before his Liâ—…e when setting a good face upon his resolution he adresseth himselfe to Plantinus thus Sir I presume you know this businesse for I take you to bee Alcasero's Second He hath replyed Plantinus done me the honour to make choice of mee in stead of a more worthy Well quoth the Baron of Carpi tell thy master from mee That although I have not deserved his malice yet that I accept his challenge and will performe it onely I must fight single because I am at present unprovided of a Second Plantinus as full of Valour as Fidelity prayes him that hee may not see his hopes and desires frustrated but that hee may enjoy part of the feast But Carpi gives him this answer which he bids him take for his last resolution That hee will hazard himselfe but not his friend So Plantinus returnes with joy to his master and discontent to himselfe when nothing proving of power to quench the fire of these two Gentlemens courage and revenge they meet at the time and place appointed Carpi fights with passion and vehemencie Alcasero with judgement and discretion Carpi lookes red and fiery with choller and Alcasero pale and ghastly not for feare of his cause but for the remembrance of his sorrowes and to conclude and shut up this combate in the issue thereof Iustice is not now pleased to shew the effects of her power and influence nor God that of his Justice onely it is reserved for another time and for a more shamefull manner so Carpi hath the best of the day for he is onely hurt in his right hand and scarred over
Lillie-rose at complexion of a milde nature and sweet disposition respectfully courteous to all the world and exceedingly devout and religious towards God as perpetually making it her practise delight and glory to consume a great part both of her time and of her selfe in prayer and in the service of God And although she were formerly sought for in mariage by many as good Gentlemen as Harcourt yet she could fancie none nor affect any man for her husband but himselfe Never wife was more carefull or more desirous to please a husband than she and as for one whole yeare it was her former content and joy to see him to be a provident kinde and loving Husband to her so now it is her matchlesse griefe and calamity to see his good nature perverted his resolutions transported and his affections drowned in deboshed and vitious company She leaves no sweet advice nor courteous requests and perswasions unattempted to reclaime him from these his foule vices of drunkennesse swearing dicing evill company and whoredome for of no lesse sinnes in quality nor fewer in number she with extreame griefe and sorrow sees him to be guilty But all this will not prevaile no nor her infinite teares and sighs which many times she spends and sheds to him both at boord and bed yea and sometimes on her knees but still with a wretched violence and sinfull impetuosity he goes on in his vitious courses and ungodly life and conversation neither caring for his health or his estate and meanes but wilfully neglects the first and prodigally wastes and consumes the second whereat she wonderfully grieveth and lamenteth She often requesteth Vimory his brother and La Vaquery her father to perswade and divert him from these his ungodly Courses and enormous vices which threatens no lesse than the vtter ruine and inevitable shipwracke of all their fortunes but they likewise cannot preuaile although his Brother Vimory with whom they live and sojourne every houre and time he sees him doe strongly deale and labour with him to that effect For now he giving no limits to his vices and prodigalities he sels away his lands peece-meale whereat his brother Vimory stormeth and rageth against him and his vertuous sweet wife most pitifully weepeth and lamenteth But as a base Gentleman and a most unkinde and ungrateful Husband he laughs at her teares smileth at hersighes and contemneth scorneth both them and her selfe And it nowfalling out that La Vaquery her father losing both of his Law suits at Diion where they by the votes sentence of that Court of Parliament are adjudged against him wherby he was utterly ruined both in his hopes and estate for ever Harcourt hereat soslights neglects his wife as he tearmes her beggers brat threatneth to send her home to Troyes to her Father and setting all at randome cares not what becomes either of himselfe or her who poore sweet Gentlewoman is so extreamely afflicted and as it were weighed downe with all these calamities and miseries especially with the vices and discourtesies of her husband as in her heart she daylywisheth and in her soule hourely prayeth unto God that she were out of this life and in Heaven infinitly lamenting and a thousand times a day repenting that ever it was her hard fortune to see her Husband and her woefull chance to marry him But how to remedie or redresse these her miseries shee knowes not For now doe her Husbands vices and prodigalities make him daily grow poorer and poorer in so much as in lesse than three yeeres hee is become the shame of himselfe the contempt of his enemies the pittie of his friends and Kinsfolkes and the extreame griefe of his sweet and deare wife so that hee hath well neerâ—… spent all and almost left nothing to maintaine himselfe much lesse to maintaine her whose griefes are so great and sorrowes so infinite as her roseat cheekes now looke thinne and pale her sweet eyes are become obscure and dim yea and in so pitifull and lamentable a manner that she fals exceedingly sicke and her discontent and disconsolation is almost so remedilesse as she would but cannot be comforted for that her Husband whom she thought would have proved the argument of her joy and prosperity is now become the cause of her endlesse griefe and the object of her matchlesse calamity and misery Thus leaving her sorrowes sighs and teares to bee diminished through time or dissipated and defaced by God The order of our History invites and conjures me now againe to speake of this her base and deboshed Husband who hath many beastly and bloudy parts to act herein Whose lewd life and prodigalities enforcing him now to behold poverty because heretofore he disdained to looke on frugality and providence Seeing his wealth wasted his lands either sold or morgaged himselfe forsaken of his brother and friends his reputation lost his debts great his creditors many and who now began to grow extreame clamorous and scandalous to him Hee knowes not which way to looke or how or where to turne himselfe to finde out some invention and meanes to repaire the decayes and ruines of these his miserable fortunes and so to beare up and screw himselfe againe into the eye and repute of the world When his necessity gaining upon his heart and nature and Satan upon his Conscience and Soule he knowing his brothers wife Masserina to be rich â—…nd wanton hee will become so unfaithfull to his owne wife so ingratefull and treacherous to his owne brother and so dishonourable and ignoble to himselfe as to attempt to gaine her affection from him and to draw her to his owne lewd and lascivious desires whereon his irregular hopes did more than partly grow confident because he flatters himselfe with this true yet foolish beleefe that as he was seven yeares the younger so hee was twice seven times a properer man than his brother When taking time at advantage as his brother and her husband Vimory were rid to Diion he finding her in a wonderfull pleasant humour and exceedingly disposed to be merry when God knowes his owne sweet and sorrowfull wife was according to her frequent custome disconsolately at her prayers and booke in her owne chamber and her doore shut to her then then I say hee taking his said sister in law Masserina to a window in a private Parlor hee there for himselfe or the devill for him breaks his minde to her and is so farre from shame as he glories to make her acquainted with his deepe affection lascivious suit to her Neither doth he faile of his hopes or they of his voluptuous desires for he findes this his sister in law so dishonestly prepared and so lustfully resolved and disposed to grant him his desires that sealing her affection to him with many smiles as he did his to her with more kisses she is so impudent so gracelesse as at this his very first motion she vowes to him she hath not the power to deny him any thing and
and constantly avoid it in our selves THe foundation of this History is layd in the faire and famous City of Verona anciently a great Colony of the Romans since a free estate of it selfe but now dependant and subject to the Estate and Seignory of Venice wherein their lately dwelt an old Gentleman being a widdower and one of the chiefest and noblest families of that City named Seignior Fabritius Miniata who was rich in lands but exceeding wealthy in money whereof he had put a great and remarkeable Sum in the bank of Venice he had one only Childe a daughter of some eighteene yeares of age named Dona Felisanna who was wonderfull faire and a most lovely sweet Creature tall and slender of stature of yellow golden haire and sanguine damaske Rose Complexion Now as her beautie was every way answerable to her birth and extraction no lesse were her singular vertues and sweet perfections to her beautie and as wealth beautie and vertue concurring and meeting together are three powerful lures and attractiue Adamants to draw the desires and affections of many Noble gentlemen to seeke her in mariage So two of her chiefe Suitors and who cheifly flattered their hopes to enioy this sweet and pretious Jewell of nature and who stood in best possibility to beare away her affection and her selfe was Seignior Thomas Planeze a brave young gentleman of the neighbour citie of Mantova of a sweet presence and proper comely feature of some twentie five yeares old not verie rich yet indued with competent meanes to maintaine himselfe like himselfe but infinitly well bred and adorned and honored with all those generous parts and endowments which are requisit to make the gallants of our times compleat and the other Seignior Inan de Borlari a verie rich Gentleman of the same citie of Verona a proper man of countenance but of personage some what crooke backed and much Camber leggd and drawing towards fortie yeares of age but of education conditions and qualities so ignorant and inciuill as hee seemed to bee rather a Citizen then a Gentleman or indeed more a clowne then a citizen and yet otherwise of mettall and courage enough And that we may the more apparantly see and perfectly know upon what tearmes they both stand aswell in the opinion of the Father as the affection of the Daughter Miniata is infinitly desirous of Borlari for his Sonne in law but not of Planeze and Felisanna is excedingly affected to take Planeze for her Husband but not Borlari which they both perceiving whiles Borlari intends to seeke the affection and cosent of the Father before that of the Daughter Planeze shapes a contrary course resolues to seeke and prefer that of the daughter before the Father the regard of Borlari his wealth and of Planezes poverty with covetous Miniata like a furious stream or impetuous Torrent beares downe all other regardes and considerations before it But the consideration and respect of Borlari his deformed personage and then that of Planezes sweet feature and deportment with amorous Felisanna as a delicious charme and heart-ravishing extasy sweepes away all other regards and respects whatsoever The Father bids Borlari to be couragious and cheerfull and then hee shall not faile to have his daughter for his wife But the daughter wills Planeze to be descreet and constant and then she will not faile to take him for her Husband Miniata to shew his love to Borlari forbids Planeze his his house and the company of his daughter Felisanna to reveale her deere and fervent affection to Planeze assureth â—…m he shall often enjoy both her sight and company but confidently if not peremptorily prohibits Borlari to approach her presence Thus whiles Borlari often frequenteth and converseth with the Father publikely no lesse or indeed farre oftner doth Planeze privatly and whiles the first hath more cause to despaire than reason to hope of her affection and consent to be his wife the second hath all the reasons and causes of the world not onely to hope but to assure himselfe thereof But the patience of a little time will shortly resolve our curiositie whereunto these different affections will tend and what the event and issue will bee of these their opposite intentions and resolutions But because the ambition and wisdome of Borlari will make it conspicuous and apparant to his Mistris That there is as much difference betwixt him and Planeze as there is betweene her selfe and her Chamber-Maid Radegonda Hee therefore seeing that he cannot hitherto gaine her by the perswasion of her Father now hopes and attempts it by this her maids solicitation as holding her to be a fit instrument for the compassing of his desires and a proper Agent for the perfecting and crowning of his wishes because his best genius and intelligence informe him that shee hath a great power and beares a great stroake and sway with her Mistres But we shall shortly see and he too soone finde the contrary and that these his ill grounded hopes and undervalewing attempt of his will both deceive his ambition and betray his wisdome and judgement Now to gaine this her chambermaide Radegonda to his will that thereby with the more facility and cheerefullnesse shee may obtaine him her Mistris her favour and affection Hee bribes her with silver and Gold and many other gifts if not too costly for his giving yet I am sure too rich for her receiving and in requitall thereof she with her tongue promiseth him her best power and assistance towards her Mistris but in her heart intendes the contrary which is directed to betray him He sends likewise by her to his love and her Mistris divers curious rich presents and two Letters and prays her to take time at advantage and so to deliver them to her from him the which likewise shee faithfully promiseth but yet intends nothing lesse so she holds it rather a vertue than a vice to keep these presents for her selfe and to give the letters to his Corrivall Planeze to whom by solemne oath she had formerly ingaged her best art and power and her chiefest assistance Which policy or rather which fallacy of hers is not so secretly borne betwixt Planeze and herselfe but Borlari by some sinister accidental meanes hath perfect notice therof which he takes so unkindely at Radegondaes hands as consulting more with passion then reason his heart is so inflamed with Choller and his resolution with revenge against her that impatient of all delaies he sends for her one afternoone to meet him at the Amphitheatre and from thence goes with her to the next street to a friends house of his where ascending a chamber and bolting the doore withinside to him he with choller and threats chargeth her with this her ingratefull infidelity and treachery towards him when drawing all the truth from her by making herselfe a witnesse against her selfe aswell of the delivery of his letters to Planeze as also of keeping her presents for her selfe and that her Mistris and he are
their swords drawne hee judgeth it a Duell when hee and his two sonnes gallop into the little meddow joyning to the Vineyard to prevent and part them but they came too late for Montagne and Marin seeing them swiftly galloping towards them they to prevent them with more haste then good speed set spurres to their horses the sooner and at this there second meeting Montagne warding Marins sword and putting it by dotâ—… at the very same Instant runne him thorow the body a little below his navell of which mortall wound hee fell presently from his horse dead to the ground uttering onely these words O Montaigne thou hast slaine mee Thou hast slaine mee God receive my Soule and then and their without speaking a word more immediately dyed No sooner hath Montagne wiped sheathed up his sword but his joyful brother Beaumarays gallops up to him and cheerefully congratulates with him for the same When instantly the Marquis of Bellay and the two Lords his Sons arrive to them though a littâ—…e too late They are astonished to see two proper Gentlemen lye their slaine in the field and reeking in their hot bloud when turning to Beâ—…umarays and his brother Montagne whom they knew they congratulate with them for their victories and the Marquis as briefely as his time and their wounds will permit enquire of them the cause of there quarrel and the manner and particulars of their combat whereof being fully informed and satisfied by them hee sends the dead bodies of Champigny and Marin to Chartres in his Coach And understanding by Beaumarays and his brother Montagne that for the preservation of their safeties and lives they were resolved to leave Chartres and Beausse and so thwarting ore Normandy by Euereux and Lesieux to embarke themselves for Caen and thence to passe the Seas into England till their friends in their absence had procured their grace and pardons from the King as also that they were destitute both of Chirurgions to dresse their wounds and of a guide to conduct them thither Hee very nobly gave them his owne Chirurgion and guide and promising them likewise to labour with the King to the utmost of his power for their peace he passeth on his Iourney and commits them to the best fortune A singular yea an honourable courtesie of this brave old Marquis of Bellay whose deserts and fame I should much wrong if I gave not the relation and memory of his name a place in this History Whiles thus the Marquis of Bellay is travelling towards Paris and Beaumarays and his brother Montagne posting for Caen come we briefely to Chartres which now resounds and ratles with the report and issue of this combate where Gentlemen Cittizens and all according to their passions and affections speake differently thereof some condemne the vanity of Beaumarais others the folly and treachery of Marin but all doe highly extoll the courage and generosity of Champigny and Montagne But leave we them to their censures and come we againe to speake of Blancheville who takes the newes of this untimely death of her husband so tenderly and sorrowfully that shee is ready to drowne herselfe in her teares It is not onely a griefe to her heart to see but a terrour to her conscience to know that her husband Champigny and her friend Marin have both of them lost their lives for her sake and when againe shee falls on the consideration and remembrance that the first dyed by the hand and sword of Beaumarays her mortall enemy and the second by that of his Brother Montagne then she is againe ready to burst her heart and brest with sighing thereat She is so uncapable of Counsell as she will heate of no consolation nor speake of any thing but of her malice and revenge toward Beaumarays and to write the truth this implacable wrath and revenge of hers to him takes up all her thoughts and speeches her contemplations and actions and both her time and her selfe To which end shee converts most of her Corne and Wine into money goes to Paris casts herselfe at the Kings feet and to the feet of that great and illustrious Court of Parliament for Iustice against Beaumarays the murtherer of her husband the which againe and againe shee aloud resounds and ecchoes forth to their eares yea her rage is so great and her malice so outragious towards him that notwithstanding his body is absent yet she spends five hundred Crownes in law to have him according to the law and custome of France to bee hanged up in effigie But although her sute be just yet by reason of his great friends in Court shee sees herselfe so unfortunate that shee cannot obtaine it Whereupon after twelve monethes vaine stay in Paris and a profuse expence of money shee with much griefe and sorrow secretly vowes to herselfe that if ever hee returne againe to Chartres or which is more into France that shee herselfe will bee both his Iudge and Executioner by revenging her Husbands death in his and from this hellish resolution of hers she deepely sweares that neither Earth nor Heaven shall divert her Now to follow the naturall streame and tyde of this History Wee must againe bring Beaumarays and his brother Montagne on the stage thereof For the Reader must understand that their wounds being dressed and secured having bestowed both of their horses on the Chyrurgeon and guide the two servants of the aforesaid Marquis of Bellay and likewise written him a thankfull Letter for his honourable courtesie extended to them and therewith likewise prayed him to solicite the King for their Grace and pardon in their absence they privately without any followers embarque themselves upon an English vessell at Caen and so with a prosperous gale arrive at Rie and from thence take Horse for London where they settle up their aboad and residence from whence Beaumarais sends to Chartres for two of his footmen and his Brother Montagne for one of his which come over to London to them some six weekes after and brings their masters word how earnestly and violently their adversaries follow the rigour and severity of the Law against them in Paris but especially against Beaumarays they receive these advertisements from their servants and friends rather with griefe then contempt and therefore to prevent their malice and their owne disgrace and danger they often write from London to Paris to the Marquesse of Bellay and likewise to the Bishop of Chartres their deere friend and kinsman to hasten their pardons from the King So that Noble Lord and this reverend Prelate pitying their danger and absence as much as they wish their safety and returne take time at advantage and the King in a well disposed humour and so doe most effectually and powerfully acquaint his Majesty how these two absent Gentlemen and brothers Beaumarays and Montagne were without just cause or reason provoked to this unfortunate combate by their adversaries that they were the Challenged not the Challengers that heretofore they had
hath forgotten her deere affection and constancy to him and how shee hath incurred her fathers indignation for making him her husband and herselfe his wife He hath forgotten his former oathes and promises of his tender affecti-and constant love to her and how that in life and death hee would live and dye more hers then his owne Hee hath forgotten how for his sake and for the fervent love shee bore him that she forsooke divers rich young men of Savona who were every way his Superiours in Birth Wealth and profession Or els if he did remember it hee would not thus sleight her by day or lye from her by night in lewd and lascivious company spending both his time his meanes and himselfe upon panders bauds and strumpets from which ungodly life and sinfull conversation neither her prayers intreaties requests perswasions sighes or teares can possibly reclaime him but he lets all things runne at randome and confusion without order care or consideration so that within the compasse of one yeare and a halfe his trade is neglected his credit crackt his reputation lost his estate spent and nothing left either to maintaine himselfe or releive her but griefe sorrow dispaire and misery Shee sets all his best friends and most vertuous acquaintance to convert him from this his abhominable life yea she holds it more shame then sinne to acquaint his confessor therewith who taking a fit time deales roundly with him for his reformation and failes not to paint out his sinnes and vices as also their deserved punishments in their foulest and most hideous colours But still her husband Lorenzo is so strongly linked to the devill and so firmely wedded to his beastly vices and enormities that all the world cannot divert or disswade him from them and still he is so farre from abandoning and forsaking them as he adds new to his old for the devill hath now taught him to delight in cursing and swearing for in his speeches and actions he useth many feareful oathes and desperate execrations He beginnes to revile her and to give her foule language tear ming her Beggar and her father villaine and that hee is bound to curse them both because saith he they have beggerd him When God and his sinnefull soule and conscience well knowes that there is nothing more untrue or false For if his piety toward God or his care and providence of himselfe and his family had equallized hers he had than made himselfe as happy as nowhe is miserable and she as joyfull as now we see her disconsolate and sorrowfull and then no doubt but time and God would have drawne her father Moron to have bestowed some portion on him with his wife whereas now the knowledge of his impious life and lascivious prodigalities doth justly occasion him to the contrary Againe here befalls another accident which brings our sorrowfull Fermia new griefe vexation and teares for shee sees herselfe great yea quicke with childe by her Husband Lorenzo so as that which shee once hoped would have beene the argument of her joy now proves the cause of her affliction and sorrow for his vices hath scarce left her wherewith to maintaine herselfe and therefore it grieves her to thinke and consider how hereafter she shall be able to mainetain her childe when God in his appointed time shall send it her for he hath so consumed his estate and spent sold and pawned all their best houshold stuffe and apparell that almost they have nothing left to give themselves maintenance hardly bread But yet still how lewd and irregular soever Lorenzo be his vertuous and sorrowfull wife Fermia serves God duely and truely and spends a great part of her time in prayer still beseeching the Lord to give her patience and to forgive her husband all his foule sinnes towards him and cruell ingratitude towards herselfe When in the middest of this her poverty and misery once she thought to have left her husband in Genova and to have cast herselfe at her fathers feet in Savona that he would pardon receive and entertaine her But then againe considering his flinty heart and cruelty towards her and that he would rather contemne then pitty her youth and misery but especially calling to minde her duty to her husband and her Oath given him in marriage in presence of God and his Church for better for worse for richer for poorer Then I say the consideration and remembrance thereof is so strong a tye to her conscience and so strict an obligation to her soule that she thinkes his vices and poverty hath now more need of her assistance prayers and company then of her absence so as a vertuous wife and a religious christian she will not consent to forsake and leave him but resolves to stay and live with him to see what the Lord is pleased to impose on her and for his sinnes and hers what afflictions and miseries hee hath ordained and decreed for them And yet being desirous to draw hope and comfort any way because she findes griefe and dispaire from all parts she resolves to acquaint her father with her calamities as also earnestly and humbly to pray him to releive them the which she doth in this her sorrowfull letter to him which she sends him safely to Savona FERMIA to MORON I Now finde to my griefe and know to my shame and Repentance that my disobedience in marrying Lorenzo against your consent and without your blessing is the reason why God hath thus punished me with a bad husband in him whose fervent affection to me is so soone forgotten and frozen and whose Vertues in himselfe are so sodainely and sinfully exchanged into vices that his prodigalitie hath spent and consumed all his estate and left not wherewith either to give himselfe or mee mainteinance In which regard because my afflictions are so great and my miseries so infinite that I rather deserve your pitty then your displeasure Therefore if not for my sake who am your living Daughter yet for my Mothers sake and remembrance who is your dead wife either give my Husband meanes to set up his old trade and forsake his new vices Genoua or else take mee home to live with you againe in Savona And if you will not in Nature respect me as your Daughter yet in compassion entertaine mee as your Hand-maid and I most humbly and religiously beseech you to thinke and consider with your selfe to what great wants and necessity I am now reduced sith I write you this my letter rather with teares then incke God direct your heart to my reliefe and consolation as mine is eternally devoted to your service and consecrated to his glory FERMIA Her father Moron after a long consultation and reluctation with himselfe whether he should read or reject this letter of his Daughter He at last having formerly understood of her husbands prodigalitie and her poverty and misery breakes up the seales thereof and peruseth it and surely if there had beene any sparke of humanity or
his Lady Dona Catherina and her sonne Don Martino and then privately the other to the young Lady Cecilliana according to his promise and Don Delrio's request As for the mother she grieves to see that Delrio will not bee reclaymed but hath quite forsaken her Daughter But for her Sonne don Martino hee is exceeding joyfull hereof for now he is confident that according to his plot his mother upon Delrio's refufall will in meere malice to Monfredo assuredly commit his sister to a Nunnery Thus if hee obtayne his ends and desires hee cares not who misse theirs As for Cecilliana shee doth not a little rejoyce at Delrio's Letter to her and at his constant resolution to leave and commit her to Monfredo yea shee reputes his advise to her concerning her mother and her brother don Martino's intended discourtesie towards her to much respect and honour She acquaints her brother don Pedro and her Monfredo with this Letter of Delrio who now plainely see their mother and brothers former resolution confirmed in ayming and intending to make Cecilliana a holy Sister whereat they againe laugh and jest at her and shee to them for in their hearts and thoughts they all know and resolve to prevent it But they cannot but highly approve of Delrio's noble respect and true discretion in being so constant to give over his sute to her and yet so courteous and honest towards them all in this his kind and respectfull Letter to Cecilliana the which above the other two shee cheerefully receives and joyfully welcomes that shee resolves shee can in honour doe no lesse then returne his complement and answer his Letter with one of her owne to him the which shee doth in these tearmes CECILLIANA to DELRIO WHat my brother don Pedro informed you concerning Monfredo and my selfe was the very truth and sincerity of those affections wherewith God hath inspired â—…r hearts and setled our resolutions each to other As I was never doubtfull of your well-wishes and love so now I am not a little thankefull to you for your deare respect towards mee in approoving my choyce and in praying to God to make it prosperous whereas the obstinacie of my Lady mother and the malice of my brother don Martino without ground or reason affirme it must needes proove ruinous I have heeretofore beene advertised and 〈◊〉 by your care of mee and respect to mee which clearely resplends and shines in your Lâ—…tter anâ—… fully confirmed that my said mother and brother have some undeserved designe against mee and my content and although my poore beauty and silly wit no way deserve those excellent prayses of your pen yet my heart shall consult with don Pedro how to beare my selfe in this so weighty and important a businesse whereon although the cause be malice and the pretext religion I know depends either my future content or affliction my happinesse or my misery in the meane time I will pray for those who vitiously hate mee and honour these 〈◊〉 vertuously affect and honour mee Of which last number I ingenuously and gratefully acknowledge that your generosity not my merits hath condignely made you one CECILLIANA When shee had dispatched this Letter to Delrio then Monfredo by her consent and the advice of her brother don Pedro holds it very requisite now once againe to sound the affection and to feele the pulse of their mother dona Catherina's resolâ—…tion towards him to see whether yea or no shee will please to give him her daughter in marriage and it is agreed of all sides betweene them that at the very time and houre which he goes there that shee and her brother don Pedro will purposely absent themselves and ride abroad in their Coach to take the aire which they doe To this effect Monfredo takes his Coach and goes directly to the Lady Catherina's house and sends up his name to her as desiring to have the honour to salute her and kisse her hand but shee is so inraged and transporâ—…ed with choller at his arrivall and message as shee sends him downe a flat and â—…eremptory denyall that shee will not see him and as formerly shee prayed so â—…ow shee commands him to depart and ever hereafter to forbeare her house An â—…swer so unkinde and uncivill that Monfredo well knowes not whether hee have â—…cason to digest it with more choller or laughter so returning her answer by her â—…ayting-gentlewoman that hee will obey her commands and no more trouâ—… either her house or her patience yet that hee will still remaine her most humâ—… servant and although shee refuse to see him that hee will ever pray for her long life and prosperity don Martino is now at home and laughs in his sleeve as a Gipsie to see what brave entertainment his mother gives Monfredo he expecteth also that hee should visite him but because his mothers stomacke is so high therefore his cannot descend so low as owing him no such duety and service and so takes Coach and away and knowing where don Pedro and his Mistresse Cecilliana were in the fields hee drives away presently to them and very pleasantly relates them the whole long storie of their mothers short entertainment to him which administreth matter of laughter to them all and farre the more in regard neither of them expected lesse so Monfredo staying an houre or two with them in the fields and then bringing them to the gates of the City they for that time take their leave each of other and all appoynt to meet the next day after dinner in the Garden of the Augustine Fryers and there to provide and resolve for their affaires against the discontent of their mother and the malice of their brother don Martino The next morning the Lady Catherina storming at Monfredo's yesterdayes presumption and boldnesse sends for her daughter Cecilliana into the Garden to her as being fully resolved to deale effectually with her for ever to forsake Monfredo or if shee cannot then to commit her to a Nunnery Shee comes when in great privacie and efficacie shee layes before her the poverty of Monfredo the which shee affirmes will bring her to more misery then shee can expect or thinke of or indeed which shee deserves at least if shee bee not so wilfull to ruine her selfe and her fortunes as shee is to preserve them Cecilliana now seeing her mother bent to play her prize against the merits and honour of her Monfredo and therefore against the content and felicity which shee expects to injoy by injoying him shee no longer able to brooke or digest it cuts her off with this reply that her duety excepted it is in vaine for her either to seeke to disparage Monfredo or any way of the world to attempt to withdraw her affection from him and therefore with much observance and respect prayes her to affect and honour him if not for his owne sake yet for hers Her Lady mother weeps to see her daughter thus obstinate shee might have sayd thus constant in her
hold it repugnant to reason and contradictory to the right and nature of Duels that their Seconds should once draw their weapons much lesse fight But this neither doth nor can as yet satisfie La Roche whose choller is now become so boundlesse as he in lofty termes elevateth Valfontaines valour to the skies and dejecteth Quatbrissons cowardise as low as Hell begging permission of the one to fight with his Second and peremptorily informing the other that he will fight But both Quatbrisson and Valfontaine condemne those fumes and this heate of La Roche and are so farre from applauding it in him as they in downeright termes repute it to temeritie and rashnesse and not to magnanimity and valour yea his impatiencie hath so provoked and moved their patience as not in jest but in earnest they bandy these words to him that he glorieth so much in his generositie as in now ambitiously seeking to adde to his valour hee substracteth from his judgement When Pont Chausey to retort and wipe off the least taint or blemish which either La Roche or the two brothers might conceive lay on his reputation thinkes it now high time to speake because as yet he had spoken so little and prayes La Roche to find out some expedient either that they might returne as loving Friends or fight it out as Honourable Enemies and that for his part hee is so farre from the least shaddow of feare or conceit of cowardise as hee tels him plainely hee shall find his Rapier of an excellent temper and his heart of a better Whereupon vaine and miserable La Roche consulting with nature and not with grace he to give end to this difference resolves on an expedient as wretched as execrable the which he proposeth to Pont Chausey and the two brothers in these termes That the onely way and his last resolution is that a faire paire of dice shall be the Iudge and Vmpier betweene them and that who throwes most at one cast it shall bee in his choice either to fight or not to fight whereunto Pont Chausey willingly consenteth although Quatbrisson and Valfontaine doe in vaine contradict and oppose it But the decree is past and La Roche very officious in his wickednesse and forward in his impiety spreads his Cloake on the ground drawes a paire of dice forth his pocket and because he was of the Challengers side he will throw first which he doth and the fortune of the dice gives him seven Pont Chausey followes him and likewise taking the dice throwes onely five Whereat La Roche gracelesly insulting and triumphing with an open throat cryes out fight fight fight and so presently drawes his Rapier Pont Chausey seeing his enemy armed thinkes it no longer either safe or honourable for him to be unarmed when yet with a kind of religious reluctancie and unwilling willingnesse hee likewise unsheathes his Rapier and so without any farther expostulation they here approach each other But because for brevities sake I resolve to passe over the circumstances and only to mention the issue of their single combat let mee before I proceed farther in the name and feare of God conjure the Christian Reader here to admire with wonder and admiration at his sacred Providence and divine Iustice which in the issue of this Duell is made conspicuous and apparant to these two rash and unconsiderate Gentlemen the Combattants and in them to all others of the whole world For loe just as many picks as each of them threw on the Dice so many wounds they severally received each from other as Pont Chausey five and La Roche seven and he who so extremely desired to fight and so insatiably thirsted after Pont Chauseyes blood is now here by him nayled dead to the ground and his breathlesse corpes all gored and washed in his owne blood A fearefull example and remarkeable president for all bloody minded Gentlemen of these our times to contemplate and looke on because wretched La Roche was so miserable as hee had no point of time to see his errour no sparke of grace to repent it Quatbrisson and his Chirurgion as sorrowfull for his death as his brother Valfontaine is glad thereof take order for his decent transporting to the Citie whiles Valfontaine congratulates with Pont Chausey for his good fortune and victory who for â—…ty flies to Blavet untill the Duke of Rayes to whom he was homager had procured and sent him his Pardon from the King the which in few weekes after he effected Monsieur de Caerstaing and Madamoyselle Ville-blanche his wife are advertised of their two Sonnes quarrell at Saint Vallery and of the cause and issue thereof who condemne Quatbrisson for his treachery and malice and applaud Valfontaine for so nobly giving of his brother his life when it lay in his power and pleasure to have deprived him thereof which newes is likewise speedily conveied first to Nantes and then to Saint-Aignaw where Pennelle as much grieves at Quatbrissons foyle and disgrace as his Daughter our faire La Pratiere triumphs at her Valfontaines victory and because she will no longer bee deprived of his presence whose absence deprives her of all her earthly content and felicity shee makes her prayers and teares become such incessant Orators and importunate Advocates to her Father as she now drawes his free consent to take Valfontaine for her husband which at last to their owne unspeakeable Ioy and the approbation and content of all their parents of either side is at Saint-Aignaw performed and consummated with much pompe and bravery But albeit Quatbrisson as we have formerly understood have all the reasons of the world to bee fully and fairely reconciled to his brother Valfontaine yea and according to his promise and oath to affect him tenderly and dearely yet where the heart is not sanctified and in peace the tongue may pretend though not intend it For the more he gazeth on his sister in law La Pratieres beauty the more the freshnesse and delicacie thereof revives and inflames his lascivious lust towards her when knowing her to bee as chaste as faire and being confident that he was out of all hope to receive any immodest courtesie or familiarity from her whiles her Husband his brother Valfontaine lives the Devill hath already taken such full possession of his heart as with a hellish ingratitude and impietie hee wretchedly resolves to deprive him of his life of whom as it were but right now he had the happinesse to receive his owne As soone as we thinke of Revenge we meerly forget our selves but when we consent to murther we absolutely forget God for that hellish contemplation and this inhumane and bloody action doe instantly worke so wretchedly in us that of men we become Monsters and which is worse of Christians Devils for thereby we make our selves his slaves and members A misery to which all others are not comparable because those are finite in regard they have only relation to the life of our bodies but
he by this time polluting himselfe with filthy and pernicious Company it is no marvell if he leave his temperancie to follow drunkennesse his chastity to commit fornication and adultery yea it is no marvell I say if these foule sins as Bawds to rage and revenge exact such power in his heart and predominancie in his soul as in the end to draw him to murther for goodmen cannot receive a greater plague nor the Devill afford or give them a worse pestilence then bad company It is the fatall Shelves and dismall Rocks whereon a world of people have and doe daily suffer shipwracke yea it is the griefe of a Kingdome and Countrey the bane of our Age and the corruption and poyson of our Times for it turnes those who professe and pursue it out of their estates and homes which they are then inforced either to sell or rather to give away to Vsurers and Cormorants and consequently which makes themselves and their poore wives and children ready to starve and dye in our streets So this is now the cause of our Vasti and therefore it will be his happinesse if it prove not his misery hereafter for after twelve yeares time of a most peaceable cohabitation and Godly conversation betweene him and his vertuous wife Hester it is a thousand griefes and pitties that she must now be inforced to see so brutish and beastly a Metamorphosis in her husband for hee is no more the man which hee was nor the husband which shee formerly found him to bee Hee loves neither his house nor his wife but stayes abroad every day with his whores and then at night returnes home to her starke drunke and in lamentable sort reviles and beats her whereas heretofore he would rather have lost his life then have strucken her and whereas heretofore he affected and loved her so dearely as he thought he could not be kinde enough to her now in the extravagancie of these his deboshed humours he hates her so deadly as he deemes and supposeth hee cannot be sufficiently cruell to her although her affection be still so fervent to him and her care so vigilent and respectfull of him as shee gives him nothing but either sweet words teares sighs silence or prayers yea shee proves her selfe so good a woman to so bad a man and so courteous and vertuous a wife to so unkinde and vitious a husband as to the eyes and judgements of all their kinsfolkes and neighbours they know it is now her praise and glory and feare it will hereafter prove his shame and misery She leaves no meanes unassayed or invention unsought and unattempted to divert and turne this foule inundation of his Vice into the sweet streames of Vertue and the pure rivers of Godlinesse But Ahlas good woman her care proves vaine and her affection and zeale impossible herein although her pale cheekes mournefull eyes brinish teares far-fetcht sighs religious prayers and sweet perswasions doe still second and accompany her indeavours in this her desired hope of his reformation for she is inforced to know that hee keepes a young strumpet named Salyna at the Towne of Cleraux some sixe Leaugues from Fribourg whither most mornings hee goes to her and to make himselfe the more treacherous a dissembler to his wife and the more execrable a traytor to his soule he fortifyeth and coloureth out this his accustomed journey to his strumpet with this false Apologie that he goes to Cleraux to heare the Sermons of M r Abraham Tifflin a very famous and religious Preacher there when God and his ulcerated soule and conscience know the contrary and that this pretended excuse of his is but only a false cloak to overvail his true Adultery and prophane Impiety for he needed not to have formerly added Whordom to his Drunkennesse and now Ingratitude Cruelty and Impiety to his Whordome in regard the least of these enormous crimes and sinnes assuredly have the power and will infallibly finde the meanes to make him futurely as miserable as now he foolishly thinkes himselfe happy for these his journeyes to Cleraux are onely the Pilgrimage of his wanton Lust. Salyna is the Saint of his voluptuous devotion her House the Temple of his obscene wishes and Adultery the Oblation and Sacrifice of his lascivious desires Wee can difficultly make our selves guilty of a fouler sinne on earth then to seeme sanctifyed in our devotions towards God when we are prophane or to indeavour to appeare sound without when we are rotten within in our Faith and Religion For as Man is the best and noblest of all Gods creatures so an Hypocrite towards God is the worst of men yea or rather a Devill and no man for our hearts and actions and our most retired thoughts and secret darling sinnes are as conspicuous and transparant to Gods eyes as his decrees and resolutions are invisible to ours sith he sees all things and we see nothing when we doe not see him A miserable hight of impiety in making of our selves foolishly sinners and wilfully Hypocrites and yet it is a more fatall and fearefull degree thereof when we so delight in sinne and glory in hypocrisie as to make Apologies for the same But Vasti not thinking either of Religion or God frolicks it out with Salyna his strumpet in Cleraux whiles his owne vertuous wife Hester weepes at home at Fribourg and when he returnes thence hee is still so hard hearted and cruell to her as he continually beates her Now by this time George their Sonne is sixteene yeares of age of a mans courage and stature and of a very pregnant wit so that as young as he is hee hath beene long enough a sorrowfull eye-witnesse of his Fathers cruelty in beating of his Mother Hee hath formerly seene the lamentable effects and now he falls on his knees to her and with teares and prayers beseecheth her to acquaint him with the true cause thereof and from whence it proceeds when his Mother adding more confidence to his wisedome then to his youth from point to point fully relates it to him accordingly as we have formerly understood George bursts forth into sorrowfull passions at her repetition and his knowledge hereof as not able to refraine from sighing to see her sigh nor from weeping to see her weepe Hee as much grieves to be the Sonne of so vicious a Father as he rejoyceth and gloryeth to be that of so vertuous a Mother so he makes her sorrowes his and here weds himselfe to her quarrell with promise and oath either to right it with his Father or to revenge it on Salyna whom he knowes to be the originall cause of all these stormes and tempests of all these afflictions and miseries which befall his Mother and in her himselfe He will no longer bee a child because God and nature hath now made him a man so the very next time hee sees his Father beate his Mother hee steps to her assistance and defends her from the tyrannie of his blowes and then
sugred speeches and protestations of their pretended innocency but consult between themselves what here to resolve on for the vindication of this truth So at last they hold it expedient and requisite first to expose Astonicus to the torments of the Racke the which hee being a strong and robustuous man hee endureth with a firme resolution and constancy every way above himselfe and almost beyond beliefe and still confesseth nothing but his innocency and ignorance of this deplorable fact whereof the Judges resting not yet satisfied they within an houre after adjudge Donato to the tortures of the Scarpines who being a little timbred man of a pale complexion and weake constitution of body his right foote no sooner feeles the unsufferable fury of the fire and his tormentors then confidently promising him all desired favour from his Iudges if hee will confesse the truth but after some sorrowfull teares and pittifull cries hee fully and amply doth and in the same manner and forme as in all its circumstances we have formerly understood The which when the Iudges heare of they cannot refraine first from admiring and wondering there at and then from lamenting that personages of their ranke and quality should bee the Authors and Actors of so foule and lamentable a murther especially of this faire Gentlewoman Imperia to her owne good old husband Palmerius Now by this time also are Morosini Imperia and Astonicus acquainted with this fatall confession and accusation of Donato against them for this murther wherat they do infinitely lament grieve because they are therby perfectly assured that it hath infallibly made them all three liable and obnoxious to death as also for that their supposed firme friend Donato proved himself so false a man and so true a coward to be the cause therof wherin they so much forget themselves as they doe not once thinke and they will not therefore remember that the detection of this their foule murther proceeded immediatly from Heaven and originally from the providence and justice of the Lord of Hostes. The very same after noone the Iudges send for Morosini Imperia and Astonicus to appeare before them in their publike tribunall of Iustice where they first acquaint and charge them with Donatos confession and accusation against them for murthering of Palmerius whereat they are so farre from being any way dismayed ordanted as they all doe deny and reâ—…ell his accusation and so in high tearmes doe stand upon their innocency and iustification But when they see Donato brought into the court in a chaire for his fiery torments of the Scarpines had so cruelly scorched and pittifully burnt away the flesh of the sole of his right foote almost to the bone that he was wholly vnable either to goe or stand and that they were to be confronted face to face with him as also they being also hotly terrified and threatned by the iudges with the torments of the Racke and Scarpines then God was so gratious to their hearts and so mercifull to their soules that they looking mournefully each at other shee weeping and they sighing and all of them dispairing of life and too perfectly assured of death they all confesse the whole truth of this foule fact of theirs and so confirme as much as Donato had formerly affirmed of this their bloody crime of murthering Palâ—…rius in his bed when one of these two reverend and grave Iudges immediately thereupon doe condemne them all foure to be hanged the next morning at the common place of execution of that cittie although Donato because of his confession hereof in vaine flattered himselfe that he should receive a pardon for his life So they are all sent backe to their prison from whence they came where all the courtesie which the importunate requests of Morosini and the incessant sighes and teares of Impreia an obtaine of their Iudges is that they grant them an houre of time to see converse and speak one with the other that night in prison in presence of their Goalers and some other persons before they dye When Morosini being guided towards her chamber such is the weakenesse of his religion towards God and the fervency or rather the exorbitancy of his affection towards her that as he passeth from chamber to chamber he is so far from once thinking much lesse fearing of death as he absolutely beleeves he is going to a Victory and a triumph here Moroâ—…ni with a world of sighes throwes himself into his Imperia's neck brest and here Imperia with a whole deluge of teares embraceth and encloystereth her â—…orosini in her armes when after a thousand kisses they beg pardon one of another or being the essentiall and actuall cause each of others death and doe enterchangeably both kisse and speake sometimes privately and most times publikely before the spectators that if those reports be true which I first heard therof in Tolentino next in Folignio and lastlâ—… in Rome I say to depaint and represent it at life in all its circumstances I should then begin a second history when I am now on the very point and period to end the first neither in my conceit is it a taske either proper for me to undertake or pertinent for my pen to performe because to speak freely and ingeniously I hold the grant and permission of this their amorous visit enterview in prison before they dye to be every way more worthie of the pittie than of the gravity or piety of their Iudges If therefore I doe not content the curiositie I yet hope I shall satisfie the judgement of my Christian Reader here briefly to signifie this their limited houre is no sooner past but to the sharpe affliction of Morosini the bitter anxiety of Imperia they by their Goalers are separated and confined to their severall chambers where by the charity of their Iudges they finde two Friers and two Nuns attending them to prepare their soules for Heaven and in a lesse vaine and a more serious and religious conference to entertaine both their time and themselves from an Earthly to the speculation and contemplation of a divine and heavenly love as also from them to Astonicus and Donato But before I proceed farther Wee must understand that the two Fryers have not been with Morosini and the two Nuns with Imperia above an houre But by the two Iudges there is a cheife subordinate Officers of theirs sent to prison to tel Imperia that her Uncle Seignior Alexandro Bondino a great Senator and famous Iudge of Rome hath obtained her pardon of this present Pope Vrban the eighth But shee is not of glad of this newes as shee is then curious to enquire if her Morosini bee likewise pardoned so the Officer tells her no and that hee absolutely must suffer death then shee weepes farre faster than shee rejoyceth and affirmes that shee will not live but dye The Iudges send for her and perswade her to live but she begges them as importunarely to give Morosini his life as
but not hee her and wee shall not goe far till we likewise see what effects these their different affections will produce Whiles Vrsina is assured of Sanctifiores love to her Bertranna contrariwise by her selfe and her friends makes it her chiefest care and ambition to perswade and draw him to forsake Vrsina and to love and marry herselfe but shee will find more opposition and difficulty therein than shee expects True it is that although the Baron of Sanctifiore doe continually frequent Placedos house and his daughter Bertrannas company yet understanding and considering with himselfe that Vrsina honoured him with her constant love and affection hee therefore held himselfe in a manner bound sometimes to see and visit her although indeed it was every way more to content and please her than himselfe where albeit that her policy to her selfe and her affection to him gives him many quips and jerkes of his Mistris Vrsina yet his reputation and discretion makes him comport his actions and speeches so equally towards Bertranna that although hee give her little cause to hope yet he gives her none to despaier of his love and affection to her in requitall of hers to him and upon these and no other tearmes stand Sanctifiore and Bertranna But as for Vrsina her hopes and heart of Sanctifiores affection to her sayls on with a more pleasing and joyfull gale of wind for shee loving him as deeply as hee doth her dearly she accounts her selfe his and he hers as we may the more particularly and perfectly perceive by foure love-letters of theirs which secretly and interchangeably past betweene them the which for the Readers better satisfaction I thought good here to insert and publish whereof his first to her spake thus SANCTIFIORE to VRSINA THe Sweetnes of thy beauty and the excellencie of thy Vertues have so fully taken up my thoughts and so firmely surprised and vanquished my heart that I am so much thine hoth by conquest and duty as I know not whether I doe more affect or honour or more admire or adore thee Wherefore if thou art as courteous as faire and as loving to me as I am faithfull to thy selfe then returne mee thy heart as I now give and send thee mine and assure thy selfe that my affection is so infinite and entire to thee that I love and desire theeâ—… thousand times more than mine owne life and will esteeme my death both sweet and happy if thou wilt henceforth live mine by Purchase as I am now thine by Promise Thy will shall be my law and as there is a God in Heaven so Vrsina hath not so fervent a lover or constant a servant on earth as her SANCTIFIORE Vrsinas answer hereunto was couched in these tearmes VRSINA to SANCTIFIORE IF thy heart be as full of affection as thy letter is of flattery to mee I should then have as just cause thankfully to beleeve that as now I have to suspect and feare this For the iniquity of our times and the misery of many former examples doe prompt and tell mee that most men love more with their tongues than with their hearts and that they all know far better how to professe than preserve their affections and fidelities to their Mistresses As for mee judge with thy selfe how courteous and loving I am to thee for if I perfectly knew that thy Letter were the true Ambassadour and unfeigned Eccho of thy heart I would both say and promise thee that I would love thee and none but thee Make my selfe thy wife when and as soone as thou wilt please to bee my Husband for in life and death I here now promise thee to bee more thine than mine owne Resolve mee of this doubt and free mee of this feare and then manage this affection and favour of mine with discretion and requite it with fidelitie to thy VRSINA The Baron of Sanctifiores second letter to her contayned this language SANCTIFIORE to VRSINA AS I am not guilty so I am not answerable for other mens crimes of infidelity but doe as justly detest and scorne as you unjustly feare them in mee That my affection is pure and sacred and shall bee inviolable to thee bee God my Iudge and my heart and conscience my witnesses Therefore to resolve thy doubt and to free thy feare thereof I vow by the purenesse of thy beauty and by the dignity of thy vertues that both my former letter and also this are the true Ambassadours and Ecchoes of my heart and which is more of my soule I will shortly kisse thee for thy love to mee then love thee for thy kisses and after embrace and thanke thee for both and when I faile of my affection and fidelity to thee may God then faile of his Grace and mercy to my selfe I will make my selfe thy deere Husband and thee my sweet wife when thou pleasest to crowne and honour mee with that sweet joy and to ravish my heart with this desired felicity SANCTIFIORE Vrsinas answer hereunto was traced in these tearmes VRSINA to SANCTIFIORE RElying on the Purity of thy affection and the preservation and performance of thy constancy to mee for the which thou hast invoked God for Iudge and thy heart and Conscience as witnesses thereof I now freely acknowledge my selfe to bee thy wife by Purchase and thou to bee my Husband by Promise and doe therefore wholly take me from my selfe eternally to give my selfe to thee I desire the enjoyance of thy company and presence with as much impatiency as thou longest for mine and thou shalt find that I will make it my chiefest care and ambition to love thee and my greatest glory to honour and obey thee and let both of us beware of infidelity each to other for God will assuredly punish it with justice requite it with revenge and revenge it with misery on the Delinquents and Offenders VRSINA By the perusall and consideration of these foure precedent Letters wee may plainly perceive what a firme promise and secret contract there was past betweene the Baron of Sanctifiore and the Lady Vrsina and how servently and sweetly they had given themselves each to other in the promise and assurance of mariage so not contented to have gotten the Daughters good will hee in very honourable fashion and tearmes likewise seekes her Father Seignior Placedos consent thereto whom though for some few Monethes hee found to bee averse and opposit to his desires therein yet upon Sanctifiores importunate intreaties and his Daughter Vrsinas frequent teares hee at last consenteth to this their mariage only he delayed the consummation thereof for some secret reasons and considerations best knowne to himselfe the which I cannot publish because I could never gather or understand them Whiles thus the Baron of Sanctifiore remaines in Naples his long stay great trayne prodigall expenses there and his absence from Capua where his lands and meanes lay made him bee in some distresse and want of mony and not knowing how to procure it
owne pressing wants hee now seemes to affect and court a thousand times more familiarly and tenderly than before whereof shee is infinitly glad joyfull For having a long time loved him in her heart and mind and therefore desiring nothing so much under heaven as to see him her Husband here on earth and having to that end her secret eyes and spies every where abroad upon his life and actions she is at last advertised that there is some great distaste and difference fallen out betweene him and the Lady Vrsina as also that being farre from his home hee wanteth monyes to defray his Port and expences in Naples shee being of a sharp wit and deepe judgement thinkes that the last of his defects was the cause of the first and that peradventure Sanctifiore having attempted to borrow some money of her father Seignior Placedo and received the repulse hee therefore was fallen out and become displeased and discontented with his daughter And although her conceit and judgement missed of the truth herein yet the better to estrange Sanctifiore from Vrsina and consequently the more powerfully and strongly to unite and tye him to her selfe shee well knowing that her owne father De Tores exceedingly loved him and desired him for his sonne in law as much as shee did for her Husband shee therefore as much in love to him as in disdaine and malice to Vrsina doth under hand deale so politickly and yet so secretly with her Father to lend Sanctifiore some monyes that hee meeting him the very next day in his house hee takes him aside in his study and told him that in regard of his absence from Capua and his long stay and great expences here in Naples it was rather likely than impossible that hee might want some monyes and therefore hee freely lent and then and there laid him downe 500 double pistolls adding withall that if hee needed more hee should have what hee pleased and repay it him againe when hee pleased and that if hee would honour him so much as to marry his daughter hee would give him all the lands and wealth hee had This great courtesie of De Tores to the Baron of Sanctifiore hee held was redoubled to him in the value in that hee lent it to him so freely and undemanded as also for that it came so opportunely and fitly to pay his debts and satisfie his wants as after a long and respective complement betweene them Sanctifiores necessitie so easily prevailes with his modesty that hee most thankfully takes this gold of De Tores and likewise gives him more hope than despaire to his motion of marrying his daughter the Lady Bertranna wherewith the one rests well satisfied and the other exceeding well contented This point of courtesie being thus performed betweene them Sanctifiores joy thereof was so great I may say so boundlesse as he presently finds out his new Mistris Bertranna and with a frolick countenance and cheerfull voice relates her how much her father had obliged him and from point to point what had past betweene them and immediately after no lesse doth her father the musick of which newes was so pleasing to her mind and so sweet to her heart and thoughts that she hereupon flatters her selfe with a confident hope that hee will shortly marry her and in this hope doth hee still feed and entertaine her being seldome or never from her but ever and anon both together billing and kissing drowning his judgement so wholly in her company and his heart ranging and dreaming so fully on her youth and beauty and on her fathers great wealth and estate that hee hath not the grace no nor which is lesse the will or good nature once to thinke of his poore desolate and forsaken Vrsina of whom in her turne I come now to speake Wee have formerly understood with sorrow and our sorrowfull and unfortunate Vrsina hath to her griefe too too soone seene how unkindly Sanctifiore hath used and how basely and treacherously abused her in the points of her honour and his infidelity and yet all this notwithstanding her love and affection is still so deare and constant to him and her hopes so confident of him that all this discourtesie of his to her is only but to try her patience and that considering what familiarity hath past betweene them it is impossible for him to bee so cruell hearted towards her as in the end not to marry her She hath likewise acquainted him that she is with child by him and when all other reasons and persuasions faile shee hopes this will prevaile to reclaime his affection to her and to induce him to take pitty of her and compassion of his unborne babe within her But to resell and dissipate all these her flattering and deceitfull hopes and which is worse to make her lose all hopes of this her desired happines and good fortune from him his new contracted and incessant familiarity betweene him and the Lady Bertranna is not so privatly carried and hushed up in silence betweene them but shee hath secret and sorrowfull notice thereof which so inflames her mind with hot jelousie and likewise afflicts her heart with cold feare and apprehension that shee hath seduced and drawen his affection from her to himselfe as also that hee will utterly forsake her to marry Bertranna that shee fully beleeves that the wind of his discourteous absence from her proceedes from this point of the compasse Wherefore fearing that which shee already knowes but far more that which shee knowes not of this their familiarity betweene them all her hopes of Sanctifiore are almost vanished and banished and her heart is as it were wholly depressed and weighed downe with bitter griefe and sorrow thereof She dares acquaint no body with her disgrace much lesse her Father and her looking on her great belly doth but infinitely augment her sorrowes and increase her afflictions in regard that that which should have beene the cause of her joy and glory shee now knowes will shortly prove the argument of her shame and misery A thousand times a day yea I may truly say as many times an houre shee wisheth shee had beene more chaste and lesse faire and not so easily to have hearkned to Sanctifiores sugred oathes and temptations as to have lost her honour and fortunes in seeking to preserve them in her affeâ—…tion to him shee would faine draw comfort from all these â—…er calamities or from any one of them and yet shee knowes not from whom except from her Sanctifiore when presently shee checks her folly and reproves her ambition for tearming him hers when shee beleeves she hath far more cause to feare than reason to doubt that hee already is or shortly will bee Bertrannas husband And yet againe because the excesse of her sorrowes hath more eclipsed her joyes than her judgement and more dulled and obscured her heart than her understanding therefore judging it a master peece of her policy if shee can sequester and reclaime
speed to find out Sanctifiore the which armed with his innocency hee joyfully doth Now as they are come within two flight shots of him Vrsina bids Sebastiano not to proceed farther but to drive in the coach into some close shaddowed place out of the high way where they might see Sanctifiore but not as yet to bee either seene or espied of him which accordingly hee doth where shee descends her coach drawes off her 〈◊〉 apparell and so puts on her false friers apparell as also the haire and beard having made and prepared all things fit and ready before and here likewise shee soldeth up the tresses and tramells of her owne haire under it and hath purposely shaved away the haire of a little part of the crowne of her head and all this whiles her coachman Sebastiano turnes her chamber maid here in the fieldes to make her ready where hee cannot refraine from exceedingly smiling and laughing to see what a strang metamorphosis this now is that his young Lady Vrsina is here become an old frier but still shee hides and conceales her two pistolls carefully in her pocket from him as also her bloody designes and intents towards Sanctifiore and whereof hee as every way as innocent as shee her selfe and only her selfe is guilty thereof Now being all in a readines she out of her other pocket takes her almos box and holds it in one of her hands and her howres or breviary in her other and so taking leave of her coachman and with a diffembling cheerefull countenance charging him to pray for her good fortune and speedily to bring up her coach to her as soone as hee sees her wave her white handkercher towards him so as a jolly old frier away this 〈◊〉 â—…vill soâ—…y trips towards Sanctifiore having piety in her lookes but prophâ—… and â—…barous cruelty in her heart and intentions and all the way as shee goâ—… 〈◊〉 cannot refraine from laughing to see this great change and alteration in his young Lady and mistris but directly beleeving that shee in mâ—…ent 〈◊〉 maying or masking such was his ignorance that he least thought oâ—… dreamâ—… 〈◊〉 shee went to commit murther or what devill was here vailed and shrouded under this friers weed So with more assurance than feare and with far more impiety than gâ—…e shee goes on towards Sanctifiore who was there alone walking and reading to whom approaching and giving him a ducke or two she holding up her begging box and counterfeiting an old friers voâ—… prayes him for the blessed Vâ—…rgin Maries sake and also for holy saint Francis sake to bestow some thing on him for their society and order which Sanctifiore being alone as having sent bâ—…e his coach to the cittie resolving to doe hee seeing that faire new 〈◊〉 the friers hands hee fairly takes it from him and carefully vieweth and peruseth it which being that which Vrsina aimed and looked for shee for 〈◊〉 sake but indeed purposely and malitiously steps behinde him and very â—…oftly drawing out one of her pistolls out of her pocket which was already 〈◊〉 shee levels it at the very reines of his backe and so le ts flye at him whereof hee presently was falling to the ground when the devill making â—…mble and dexterious in her malice in the turning of a hand shee whips but the other pistoll out of her pocket and to make sure worke with him likewise dischargeth it in his brest and to make her inveterate malice and revenge to him the more conspicuous and apparant to all the world as neere as shee could gueâ—…e to his very heart of which mortall wounds made by her foure bullets Sanctifiore fell immediatly dead to the ground having neither the power grace oâ—… happines to speake a word and then she pulling off her false beard discovered her selfe to him as hee was dying and spurning him most disdainfully and maliâ—…usly with her foote gave him this cruell farwell such deaths such villaines deserve who triumph and glory to betray harmelesse and innocent Ladies which having acted and said shee waving her hand kercher to her coachman hee comes upâ—…o her with her coach as 〈◊〉 as the wind who is all amazed and in teares to behold this woefull accident and lamentable spectacle for descending speedily from his coach hee finds the Baron of Sanctifiore dead and his soule already fled and ascended from earth to heaven to whom his Lady Vrsina in a gracelesse insulting bravery sayes rejoyce with thee Sebastiano that I have now so bâ—…vely and fortunately revenged my selfe on this base and treacherous Baron Sanctifiore but honest 〈◊〉 being as full of true griefe as shee was of falsâ—…ny replies and tells her Oâ—…dame what have you done for this is no cause and therefore no time to rejoyce but rather â—…o â—…ent and mourne for this lamentable fact and criâ—…e of yours and not to disseâ—…ble you the truth as much as yoâ—… in this â—…all frieâ—…â—…cke did â—…e your bloody inâ—…tions I have faâ—… more reason to feâ—…e than cause to doubt that your â—…urthering of the Baroâ—… of Sanctiâ—… will pâ—…ove the ruine and confusion of your selfe except God â—…ee gratiously pâ—…ed â—…o â—…e more mercifull to you than you have 〈◊〉 to him therefore looke from his danger and misfortune speedily to provide for your owne safety which as sooâ—…e as hee had said hee in the â—…riersweeds speâ—…ly takes her up in the coach and then drives away a full gallop to the shadowed thickeâ—… from whence â—…hee 〈◊〉 where she câ—…sts of her â—…iers apparell beaâ—… 〈◊〉 box and bookâ—… as also the â—…o pistolls the which they two wrap up all in the gowne and throw it into a deepe ditch or precipice and so hee helpes her to put on all her owne apparell and a â—…ire and then with more hast than good speed drives home a maine towards Naples and it was a disputable question whether our bloody and execrable wretch Vâ—…a more rejoyced or her honest coachman Sebastiano lamented and grieved at this unfortunate and deplorable fact Wee have seene with what a malitious courage and a desperate and prophane resolution this cruell hearted Gentlewoman Vrsina hath in the habit of a frier murthered this unfortunate Baron Sanctifiore and the reader shall not goe much further in this history before if not in the same moment yet in the same houre hee see the sacred justice of God will surprise and bring her to condigne punishment for the same as if the last as indeed it is were co-incident and hereditary to the first or as if it were wholy impossible for her to rejoyce so much here on earth for that as God and his Angells doe both triumph and glory in heaven for this Gods judgments are as just as sacred and as miraculous as justs so that all people should rather admiâ—… it with awfull reverence than any way neglect it with a prophane presumption But our wretched Vrsina will not make her selfe so happie to bee of the first but rather so miserable
and number lamented and pittied that so proper and noble a Gentleman should first deserve and then receive so untimely a death When after the Priests and Friers have here prepared and directed his soule hee aseending the Scaffold with some what a low voice and dejected and sorrowfull countenance he delivered this short speech That in regard hee knowes that now when he is to take his last leave of this life to charge his conscience with the concealing of any capitall crime is the direct and true way to send his soule to hell in stead of heaven hee will now therefore reveale that hee is yet more execrable and bloudy then his Iudges thinke or know or his spectatours imagine for that he not only hired Pierot his Fathers Miller to murther Marieta but also the Apothecary Moncallier to poyson his owne brother Valfontaine of both which foule and bloudy crimes of his he now freely confesseth himselfe guilty and now from his heart and soule sorrowfully lamenteth and repenteth them that his filthy lust and inordinate affection to women was the first cause and his neglect of prayer to God the second which hath justly brought him to this shamefull end and confusion that therefore he beseecheth all who are present to bee seriously forewarned of the like by his wofull Example and that in Christian charity they will now joyne their devout prayers with his to God for his soule When on the Scaffold praying a little whiles silently to himselfe kneeling and then putting off his Doublet hee commits himselfe to the Executioner who at one blow severed his head from his shoulders But this punishment and death of Quatbrisson suffiseth not now to give full content and satisfaction to his Iudges who by his owne confession considering his inhumane and deplorable poysoning of his owne brother Valfontaine they as soone as hee is dead and before he be cold adjudge his body to bee taken downe and there burnt to Ashes at the foot of the Gibbet which accordingly is performed And here our thoughts and curiosity must now returne poast from Rennes to Vannes and from wretched Quatbrisson to the base and bloudy Miller Pierot whom God and his Iudges have now ordayned shall likewise smart for this his lamentable murther on poore and harmelesse Marieta Hee is brought to the Gallowes in his old dusty mealy Suite of Canvas where a Priest preparing him to dye hee either out of impiety or ignorance or both delivereth this idle speech to the people That because Marieta was young and faire hee is now heartily sorry that he had not married her and that if he had beene as wise as covetous the two hundred Crownes or the Lease of his Mill which his yong master Monsieur Quatbrisson profered him might have made him winke at her dishonesty and that although she were not a true Mayd to her selfe yet that she might have proved a true and honest wife to him with many other frivolous words and lewd speeches tending that way which I purposely omit and resolve to passe over in silence as holding them unworthy either of my relation or the Readers knowledge when not having the grace once to name God to speake of his soule to desire heaven or to seeme to bee any way repentant and sorrowfull for this his bloody offence hee is stripped naked having onely his shirt fastned about his waste and with an Iron barre hath his legs thighes armes and brest broken alive and there his miserable body is left naked and bloudy on the Wheele for the space of two dayes thereby to terrifie and deterre the beholders from attempting the like wretched crime And the Iudges of Vannes being certifyed from the Court of Parliament at Rennes that Quatbrisson at his death charged the Apothecary Moncallier to have at his hiring and instigation poysoned his brother Valfontaine they hold the Church to be too holy a place for the body and buriall of so prophane and bloudy a Villaine When after well neere a whole yeares time that he was buried in Saint Francis Church in that Towne they cause his Coffin to be taken up and both his body and it to bee burnt by the common Hang-man and his Ashes to bee throwne into the aire Which to the Ioy of all the Spectators is accordingly performed GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXECRAble Sinne of Murther HISTORIE XXV Vasti first murthereth his Sonne George and next poysoneth his owne Wife Hester and being afterwards almost killed by a mad Bull in the Fields hee revealeth these his two murthers for the which he is first hanged and then burnt TO religious hearts there can nothing be so distastfull as Sinne nor any Sinne so odious and execrable as Murther for it being contrary to Nature and Grace the very thought much more the act thereof strikes horrour to their hearts and consciences Wherefore if this foule and bloudy Sinne bee so displeasing to godly men how infinitely more detestable is it then to God himselfe who made all living creatures to serve Man and onely created Man purposely to serve Himselfe But as Choller and Malice proceede from the passions of men so doth Murther from the Deuill for else wee should not so often and frequently see it perpetrated in most Countryes and Cities of the World as we doe A mournefull Example whereof I here produce to your view and serious consideration THe place of this History is Fribourg an antient city of Switzerland which gives name to one of the Divisions or Cantons of that famous and warlike country Wherein of fresh memory dwelt a rich Burger named Peter Vasti who had to his wife a modest discreet and vertuous woman named Hester by whom he had one only child a Sonne called George Vasti whom God sent them the latter end of the first yeare of their marriage and for the tearme of some ten yeares following this marryed couple lived in most kinde and loving sort each with other yea their hearts and inclinations so sympathized in mutuall and interchangeable affection as they held and reputed none of their Neighbours so rich in content as themselves for she was carefull of her Family and he very diligent and industrious to maintaine it both of them being chaste and continent in themselves very religious towards God and exceeding charitable affable and courteous to all their Neighbours and Acquaintance onely they are so temperate in their drinking as â—…ee would not and shee could not bee tainted with that beastly Vice of Drunkenâ—…esse whereunto that Countrey and the greatest part of that People are but too excessively addicted and subject So that had Vasti still imbraced and followed those Vertues in the course and conduction of his life hee had not then defiled this History with the profusion of so many sinnes nor besprinckled it with the effusion of so much innocent bloud nor consequently have administred so much sorrow to the Reader in perusing and knowing it but as contrary Causes produce contrary Effects so