the which the most impossible things are easie unto mee I will not relate the torment which I suffer the evils are contagious and that which I could say may peradventure cause griefe in you suffer onely that I entreat you to save my life in preserving your honour which you cannot well refuse to your very enemy and which you may yeeld unto me in giving me the meanes to see you without scandalizing or injuring of any man I doe also intreat you to beleeve that my life is not so deare unto mee that I would preserve it with the least prejudice unto you and if I should sorrow for the losse thereof it would bee rather in respect of you than my selfe and out of the griefe I should have to see my end before I had testified the beginning of my service To conclude Madam all these words are too weake to witnesse so strong an affection as mine and doe rather lessen than expresse it therefore I intreat you not to judge it by their weake eloquence but by your owne perfections who are the faire cause and beleeve that there is not any kinde of service which I could not easilier yeeld than offer I shall expect the sentence of my life or death in your answer and will remaine so perfectly yours that I cannot say any thing neare to it when I say I am your most faithfull most obedient and most affectionate servant Calista having read this Letter and being no lesse combated with the obligation which shee had unto Lisanders love than with the duty unto her owne honour and Cleanders love discoursed long in her selfe whether shee ought to answer her honour representing that an honest wise vertuous woman as she would bee accounted and as shee was ought not to doe any thing in secret ftom her husband much lesse give him any answer and already did her heart reproach her with the audience which shee had given him and made her alone in her Closet blush with shame for receiving it But Love pleading Lisanders cause and representing his admirable qualities his incomparable affection testified with such signall and late services accused her for suffering with no lesse cruelty than ingratitude a life to bee lost which ought to bee so deare unto her if not for the love which shee bare him at least in that hee had saved both her fathers and her brothers and the rather because shee might preserve it by a word or by a looke which would oblige Lisander without any way offending Cleander Following then this last opinion and knowing that Dorilas was resolved to take Cleander Berontus and Lidian along with him the next day she concluded not alone to write backe againe unto Lisander but to take this occasion to see him in their absence without any bodies privity yet with this resolution not to yeeld him any favour but only sight and speech wherfore she answered thus CALISTA's Answer I Have received your letter against my will and answere now against my duty which is to advertise you of yours and to have you forbeare any further suit in a matter which cannot chuse but be dangerous unto you and not to promise to your selfe from mee any more than such good will as my honour and your vertue may make you hope You are not now to begin to doe me services which you offer me for you have already performed them and so binding in the persons most neere unto me that I cannot chuse but bee sorry at the griefe which you suffer by my meanes and by your absence but I doe beleeve you love me with so much honour and are so perfect a friend unto him whom I onely can love that you would not that I should remedy it to his prejudice neither if you would were it availeable seeing it is impossible yet forasmuch as you onely demand to see me and that those obstacles which you your selfe have raised doe hinder mee from permitting it openly I had rather run a fortune in giving way unto your desire than refuse you so small a mattter as my fight To the end then that you may know if I do not yeeld all that which I owe unto your merit it proceedeth not from ingratitude but from a former obligation which hindereth mee from satisfying that which I am indebted unto you I doe advertise you that if this letter may come to your hands this day I hope to bee here alone to morrow you shall find the little gate of the Garden open and Clarinda not farre from thence who shall attend you Be there about eleven of the clocke and see if I doe not hazzard more in this assignement than you do in keeping it Farewell It is true Calista you hazzard more in this than he for hee could but lose his life and you both life and honour neither doe I thinke it will be long before you repent it although you are not guilty of any offence either in effect or will But not to digresse this letter closed and given unto Clarinda that she might as from her give it unto the woman of the Village to send unto Lisander Calista went into the Hall where dinner was ready and the company onely staying for her which she excused as well as she could After dinner Cleander would needs give Dorilas and Lidian the sport of hunting of a Stagge whereupon they went all together a hunting neere unto the Village where this woman dwelt who was Lisanders messenger It fortuned whilest they were going to their sport a most violent storm of raine fell so vehemently upon them that they were constrained to seeke shelter and finding none neerer than this womans house who as I said was ordinarily at Beauplain they ran thither so fast as their horses would go all together and so suddenly that Lisanders Lacquey who was within waiting for his dispatch could not hide himselfe from being found and knowne by Cleander Berontus and Lidian who asked newes of his Master The footman who was not prepared for this surprize remained so astonished that he wished himselfe dead neverthelesse making a vertue of necessity and not being able to hide his amazement hee disguised the subject telling them that hee was not now with his Master who had put him away for a slight occasion when after so many faithfull services which he had done him hee ought to have expected a recompence so that not knowing what to doe and not having the heart to serve any other man he resolved to come to Beauplaine to entreat their favour to write in his behalfe unto Lisander to take him againe seeing the cause for which he had put him away was onely for giving a boxe on the eare unto a fellow of his who had not served him above three dayes whereas he had served him sixe yeeres But seeing this storme falling hee had come thither as well for shelter as also to entreat the woman of the house who had well knowne him at Beauplaine and had beene well acquainted
gate for the other Verasco perceiving this caused all the servants of the house to come into that alley whose feet hee measuring with the prints which were made in the sand there was none found any way agreeing but onely Clarinda's whose shooe did perfectly fit the lesser print which served as a great proofe at the least for a violent suspicion against her who otherwise accused and convinced by her owne conscience did not deny the fact But alas it had beene much better that she had disavowed this truth than to have added so execrable and notorious a lye For it is very true shee said it was I who opened the gate notwithstanding it was by my Mistresses command Verasco not willing to proceed further in examination of a cause so criminall made Clarinda fast and sent for the Justice strictly forbidding every body to speake of it unto Calista who was so plunged in sorrow and drowned in griefe that her sickenesse moved no lesse pity than Cleanders death The Judges who for the most part are like Surgeons seeking for nothing more than for wounds and swellings quickly came unto the place visited the body and examined Clarinda who persevering in what shee had formerly said added that Lisander was the man who had killed her Master as might easily bee seene by the sword which hee had left that she had let him into the house by Calista's command as formerly shee had done although to her extreme sorrow which she no longer able to beare had discovered to Berontus whom she called to witnesse these words Calista being upon this accusation heard for the fulnesse of her misfortune saw her selfe accused of her husbands death by her who was the cause thereof and for her last calamitie that shee might the more lightly passe this troublesome passage was carried unto prison in the little Castle in this proud City of Paris where in former times shee had beene often seene in so much pomp and glory The End of the sixth Booke A TRAGI-COMICALL HISTORY OF these Times THE SEVENTH BOOKE CALISTA being thus in prison the very centre of misery and a sepulchre unto those who live therein must not be forgotten nor suffered to lye long there yet her comming forth cannot bee so soone for innocency doth not easily appeare in darke dungeons neither is the getting out of prison so easie as the entrance thereinto Clarinda was also placed in another chamber and in her stead there was a strange woman appointed to waite upon Calista whom she had never before seene in appearance to serve her but in truth to observe her words and espy her actions As for Verascus hee remained at Beauplaine unto which place having sent for Berontus and there celebrated Cleanders funerall and setled his houshold he afterward went unto Paris to become Calista's adversary who being brought into this pitifull estate began first to teare her haire and to doe mischiefe against her selfe after having remained in silence a long time without speaking one word as one whose griefe tooke away her sense at the length her present mischiefe bringing unto her minde her former fortune brought teares into her eies and these words into her mouth stirring pity in that place where it never had beene O Calista where art thou what are become of all thy pleasant dayes unto what is all thy glory and vanity reduced O Cleander my onely joy and comfort was it not affliction enough to lose thee without being accused for thy losse Ah Lisander the services which you have done mee heretofore are now dearly sold unto me and I pay those honest acknowledgements of your love with a high price O Lisander why doest not thou know of my imprisonment And you my Judges why doe you not know mine innocency And thou Clarinda why dost thou accuse mee In the middest of these complaints much more grievous than I can expresse nothing comforted her but the hope of death which was preparing for her which shee would have much more desired than her liberty if she could have received it without incurring infamy for the crime whereof she was accused But not to be long upon so grievous a subject I will briefly say that Berontus being come from Burgundy and being no lesse astonished than sorry for those accidents since his departure was heard by the Provost and confronted with Clarinda unto whose former speeches his being conformable it seemed that Calista was sufficiently attainted and convicted of her husbands death so that her processe was in the worlds opinion judged both to the losse of her life and honour I must not forget the griefe which this misfortune brought unto Olinda Alcidon Argire who were then at Paris the sorrow which Ambrisia had who was in Burgundy and that which was suffered by Lidian and his Parents in Normandy when they knew of it Argire and Olinda imployed all their friends to speake with Calista but were not able to obtaine it All the world wondred that Lisander had so fouled the glory of so many brave deeds by so dishonourable an act There was none but Cloridons friends who beleeving that hee was cowardly murdered rejoiced that hee had committed this last base act as a proofe of the former Lisander was then at Brusels farre from thinking upon such an act where a faithfull Poste whom Alcidon had sent let him understand the newes of this deplorable disaster When he heard of Cleanders death he uttered great sorrow as for a person whom next unto Calista he truely loved above all creatures but when he knew that the common beliefe was that he had killed him with his wifes privity who was for that cause a prisoner and upon the point of her punishment he was strooke with silence the newes taking from him both his feeling and all his senses like a great stroake which is not felt at the instant but some time after it is received When he had gathered his spirits unto him which were wandred away with the violence of the first motion and that griefe had given place unto his words O God what did he not say his griefe cannot be represented but by that of Calista for never two soules were so equally wounded with one stroak and their wounds unlike unto all others had nothing to paralell either the others but themselves yet being a man and having his liberty he did resolve to lose it together with his life or else to assure Calista's Now if hee durst appeare he had done his Lady a great service for his flight was one maine argument against her and his presence would have much served for their justification But Cloridons murder being fresh and his blood almost warme representing it selfe every day to the Kings memory who would never grant him his pardon he thought that his presence in stead of satisfying things would exasperate them and that unprofitably he should carry his head to bee lost at Paris without saving Calista's but what cannot love doe in a gentle heart hee
with great demonstration of sorrow seeing her selfe constrained to make this request unto them Both of them witnessing as much obedience unto her as love promised to forbeare although this banishment were more cruell unto them than any torment which her rigour could have inflicted Alcidon who made the third in this businesse remonstrating unto them what extremities they were brought unto by their jealousie having made them commit a fault a relapse whereinto could not bee but inexcusable and mortall intreated them to give this passion unto their friendship or at the least not to take it away having once given it before and if they loved Olinda they ought not to constraine her good will by violence nor make her odious unto all the world as being the cause of dividing so ancient and perfect a friendship as theirs was with many other reasons so that they promised not to forbeare loving of her for that was not in their power but at the least to abstaine from seeing her as they had promised This promise was for some dayes religiously kept by the two friends who would not by any means be justly taxed for wronging each others friendship but beleeving that they should either vanquish or by diversion wipe away their love and jealousie seeing every day all sorts of objects excepting that which was most fixt in their imagination But Clarangeus having taken a lodging neere unto Olinda's to the end he might see at his window as she went in and out at the doore her whom hee durst not goe to see in the house as lovers have strange phantasies and content themselves with what they can get when they cannot get what they would made Lidian thinke this his taking of a house was no apt meanes to make him forget her Wherefore beleeving that hee was dispensed of his promise and no more to bee bound to the oath which was first broken by his rivall hee found the meanes to meet Olinda one evening in the garden of the Tuilleryes where she was gone to walk there with some teares complaining of the torment which hee suffered in his absence by the commandement which she had given not to see her which Clarangeus had disobeyed in taking a house so neere hers expressed his love so lively unto her that Olinda who truely loved him and did not like that Clarangeus had taken a lodging so neere hers beleeving that he had done it to observe her actions suffered him to see her at certain houres which shee did assigne unto him so secretly that it was not perceived by Clarangeus although her neere neighbour These visites were by night Olinda retired her selfe earely and went late to bed and when every one else was asleepe Lidian without any followers or light was brought into her house and spent a great part of the night with her although with all the honest respect which could bee betweene honourable lovers But the Moone envious of Lidians fortune discovered him to jealous Clarangeus who watching like a Dragon at a window which looked into the street a little upon the one side from his Mistresses saw him come out from thence about two houres after midnight The unfitnesse of the time and the astonishment to see him come from a place where his word and friendship had barred him the entrance raised such humours in his braine that hee could hardly containe himselfe and to perfect the cause of his complaint Lidian being in the street and Olinda in her window they tooke new leave one of the other without thinking or remembring of their neighbour with such amorous words from Lidian and so favourable from Olinda that Clarangeus fell from an ague into a feaver and Lidian as if he had not had leisure in two houres which he was with her to speake so blinde are both love and lovers intreated her to fling him downe her handkerchiefe that he might have the contentment to lodge with it and to embrace it all night in remembrance of the deerest person unto him in the world Olinda who was otherwayes discreet and wise so farre yeelded unto his prayers that as well to satisfie his importunity as not to let him stay any longer there cast it unto him thinking that he would goe his way so soone as he had taken it up But the wind jealous of this favour blew it upon the barres of Clarangeus window who saw this action with a motion of so violent a passion that impatience and rage were likely to have carried him into the street there to decide by a last combate the difference and jealousie of their love Olinda and Lidian were in no lesse pain perceiving although too late their undiscreet improvidence yet her Gentlewoman running speedily with a pole got down the handkerchiefe which Lidian catching before it came unto the ground and in his Mistresses sight lovingly kissing it retired himselfe leaving unto her a good night and unto Clarangeus the worst that ever hee felt The next morning they failed not to meet at the Masse rather to see Olinda than for any devotion where Clarangeus comming unto Lidian said You cannot now deny that you have not seene Madam Olinda both against her command and your promise Against my promise I doe confesse answered Lidian because you have made me dispence with it in first breaking your own but not against her commandement because she hath permitted me as she did formerly forbid me Clarangeus provoked with this answer said Wherein have I broken my promise I yet never did it and doe well know the meanes to compell others to performe what they promise You need not compell answered Lidian those who are ready to pay and you did breake your word when having promised not to see Madam Olinda you tooke a lodging close unto hers Well Sir answered Clarangeus I would not so lightly have departed from your friendship as you have from mine but this is the truth herein I am your enemy Sir answered Lidian I will alwayes oppose my services unto your hatred But I entreat you to consider that our promise is reciprocall and hath no more force than my Ladies commandement gave it and if you neverthelesse beleeve that I have sooner broken my word than you pardon it unto mee and thinke that I have no more power of my selfe than you have of your selfe The holinesse of the place and their friends which did accompany them interrupting their discourse they heard Masse together with Olinda who understood part of their dispute and was no lesse offended with Lidians answer than with Clarangeus complaints who was the more provoked at that time by Lidians holding of the handkerchief against his mouth Their friends having sent to seeke for Alcidon and Cleander and they comming the best meanes they could finde to agree them was to entreat them that their differences might be determined by her will who was the cause thereof Lidian at the first word consented hereunto assuring himselfe of Olinda's favour
but Clarangeus distrusting his cause would not referre himselfe unto the judgement of a woman already gained by his adversary yet Alcidon and Cleander used so many perswasions unto him that hee yeelded if Olinda made choice of Lidian for her servant Clarangeus should leave her service and should never pretend any interest in her love and in like manner if she should rather chuse Clarangeus Lidian should forbeare any further suit and never come in any place where he might hope for grace or favour from her Commission to deliver this agreement unto Olinda was given unto those who had made it and their honours were ingaged to the performance of these conditions declaring themselves enemies unto the first breakers thereof Olinda being equally offended with them both beleeving also that she had power to call backe Lidian when she pleased and not thinking it fit to make choice of one and offend the other resolved to bee rid of them both entreating both the one and the other to absent themselves and promising to choose him for her husband who should last come unto her The Oracle proceeding from this mortall goddesse so unexpected by those who asked it so astonished Clarangeus but most Lidian that the next morning without communicating their designe or taking leave of any person they got to horse leaving the Court and all their friends in great sorrow In the meane time feeble Lisander by little and little recovered his strength and no lesse by Calista's charmes than by the Operators skill who onely applyed his salves unto the doublet lost the paine of his wounds The contentment which he received in her company was so great that fearing to lose that he was unwilling to be healed out of which respect when she asked of him how his wounds were he answered Better than I would Madam because the happinesse which I receive in your most deare company doth infinitely surpasse the paine which they put me to and I doe so much feare the losing of this glory when I shall bee healed that to preserve it eternally I could wish them incurable Calista gently smiled at these words and told him that hee should onely take care for the healing of them and after they should enjoy more pleasure being whole than in being sicke But what pleasure Madam answered Lisander can I hope from your rigour if you use mee alwaies according unto your accustomed manner You complaine without cause replyed Calista knowing as you doe well unto what extremity I have beene reduced to please you but as it is said to bee willing to be healed is a beginning of health only be willing to be healed that I may see you once doe what I desire With these sweet words Lisander thought that Calista did but deferre the remedy of his love untill the healing of his wounds did make him capable of the receiving thereof And thus deceiving his hope with his evill unsensibly he was reduced to his former health But then when Lisander thought to gather the fruit of this love for which hee had suffered so many rigorous absences travels and wounds and that Cleanders Alcidon and Berontus riding after Lidian and Clarangeus who being gone this very day as wee said put them all in feare that they were gone to fight made him hope of a favourable occasion to enjoy his Mistresse She entring with Clarinda into his chamber spake thus unto him Sir since the time that I suffered you to see mee at Beauplaine unknowne to my husband I have beene alwaies followed with a multitude of torments which have never left mee in peace and I doe beleeve that God hath justly suffered them to punish in me the wicked designe which you have had to dishonour a person who entirely loveth you although I have committed no other offence but suffering that which I could not hinder and that I did not give notice of an injury which you procure unto him who ought to be more deare unto me than you are and who ought to bee more deare unto you than I am This hath beene confirmed unto me in this last affliction which I have had for your wounds in which time I made a vow to God that if he shewed you so much mercy as to suffer you to escape I would never draw his anger upon my head by having any connivence with your crime I doe entreat you therefore Sir and conjure you by that love which you say and I beleeve you beare me that if you will love mee you would love mee honourably and according to the love which I owe unto Cleander and the friendship which hee beares you if not I doe most humbly entreat you to pardon me if in paying the vow which I have made unto God and in satisfying the just obligations which are amongst men I am constrained to entreat you to retire your selfe and use that great courage which you make appeare in every danger to suffer constantly the losse of a person who cannot be acquired lawfully by you I would faine have all those who are apprehensive of love think with what patience Lisander could heare a speech so little looked for at the instant when hee expected the possessing of a pleasure so long and so vainly followed Ha Madam answered he is it possible that in the midst of so many faire hopes which you have made me conceive of your pity you should use mee so cruelly Is this the recompence of so many services which I have done you of so many dangers whereinto I have throwne my selfe of so many wounds which I have received and so many passions which I yet suffer Had it not beene better you had then suffered mee to dye when I was so neere death when I should have felt no paine it being a kinde of pity to kill those quickly which of necessity must dye rather than to make me suffer it with so much violence after so much sweetnesse having prolonged my life to prolong my torment Alas it was not without cause I feared to bee healed too soone seeing that in recovering my health I lose your favour and then to faine a counterfeit vow to excuse your ingratitude and cover your cruelty with the cloake of Religion will not heaven punish this hypocrisie Lisander said Calista I will speak but one word after which I entreat you not to hope for any other I take the same heaven to witnesse which you doe invoke against me that I grieve that I cannot love you as you love me and doe wish that I may be punished according to your desire if I use either hypocrisie or dissimulation You wrongfully accuse mee of ingratitude and cruelty seeing I cannot satisfie you without being ungratefull unto Cleander nor have pity upon you without being cruell unto my selfe I have told you that I loved you and with so perfect a love that it could not bee encreased nor lessened since the first birth thereof neither am I ignorant of your merits towards me but
of this light whereof thou hast deprived the best Knight in the world what doest thou in this solitary corner where as a Prometheus tyed to this rock thy bowels renewing are continually devoured with the eternall repentance of this offence thinkest thou that this great sea can wash away thy crime or this secret place hide thee from thy selfe O Love thou art a Traitor and a Murtherer hiding under such sweet apparances such bloody and mortall effects Poore Cleander now reduced unto ashes by thy deadly flame nay rather by thy impudent flaming desire Infamous Clarinde who hast brought me into this extreamity for thy fault cursed bee thy memory if it yet remaine amongst men and cursed be thy Ghost if it bee gone into Hell Let thy body be without buriall thy spirit without rest and thy name without honour for ever to remaine scandalous and opprobrious unto all the world By these words Lisander knew that hee who lamented was Leon whom sorrow for having killed Cleander and feare of punishment had shut up in these rockes O what vowes did hee make unto Neptune for running this fortune how many times did he thank the winds and the waves for this happy encounter Well Leon said he stepping unto him resolve your selfe to goe to Paris with us or else here â—o leave your life in satisfaction of that which you have wickedly taken from poore Cleander Leon knowing him both by his voice and by his face and seeing his sword shining in his hand and over his head now no lesse troubled with the apprehension of death than even now weary of living answered thus It is true that I have killed Cleander not maliciously nor out of designe but onely to save my life with the honour of a person whom then I loved and who was more deere unto me than my owne life which you cannot thinke strange if ever you have loved The repentance and sorrow which I suffer will I hope something excuse the offence for which I would not refuse death if my life might not serve to justifie two persons of whom I beleeve you are one without which respect I had rather leave it here than carry it to Paris to lose it upon a scaffold but I consider that there is another in which wee must give an account for this wherefore I should bee sorry to bury with mee Calista's reputation and yours whose innocency is so troubled that it cannot cleerly appeare but in the confession of my fault Your reasons are good answered Lisander but your considerations are a little too slow and would have beene unprofitable if stay had been made untill you had executed them But better late than never and although I doe not helpe you to obtaine your pardon for the death of so deare a friend as you have killed yet I will not hurt you and it may be the King according to his accustomed clemency and goodness considering that it was love and necessity of saving your life which made you deprive him of his will rather use mercy than justice After some other discourse which they had together Lisander without entring farther into the Ile so great was his desire to be at Paris made him enter with him into the ship and the winde being faire and the sea calme they made their course along the Coast of Normandy untill they came unto New Haven from whence going without any accident unto Roane hee was constrained to stay there to buy horses and armes the richest that he had ever yet worne and to witnesse that he had rather dye in the sight of his Lady than suffer any longer the torment of his absence hee bare for his device an Argent Eagle with wings spread and halfe burned under a Sun of gold upon which he firmly looked with this word Purche godon gli occhi ardan le pinne Whilest he busied himselfe about this the Porter who as wee have said was gone from Paris to seeke him after the combate betweene Hippolita and Lucidan and going from city to city was come from Paris to Roane beleeving that in regard of the frequent arrivall of strangers which the sea brings thither he might there heare newes of him and passed by chance through the same street where Lisander was about his armes who perceiving him called him by his name Never man in this world was so content as hee was but if he were joyfull to have found him the other was as sad when the story of his Mistres was told him as you have heard and the letter given him which said thus Calista's Letter unto Lisander THis Letter serves not to bewaile but to rejoice with you for the marriage which is said that you contract If you had advertised mee and that my presence had not troubled your contentment I should have desired to have beene at the feast at least to have served as a foyle unto the lustre of that beauty you sue unto But seeing I cannot be there without troubling your peace and without making your face blush I will onely endevour to learne the colour of your livery that I may weare it in your absence and thereby witnesse unto you that although I have not tyes enow to hold you I have resolution enough to let you goe and more patience in your losse than I had contentment in possessing you Doe not looke that I should here accuse you of infidelity for herein you doe mee the most pleasing service that is possible for you and for which I am rather to thanke you than complaine neither have you deceived mee for the words which you have said proceeding but from an unconstant heart make me sufficiently judge that your actions must needs partake of the same lightnesse But you have deceived your selfe in thinking to finde in mee any thing more lovely or more easie to conquer than you have done I am glad that at the last you know your selfe for although your malice hath not beene able to prevaile over my goodnesse yet the oaths wherewith you have accompanied your words the easier to make them sinke into my beliefe have had so great effect that they raise a griefe in mee to see you sigh forth a passion whereof you cannot bee healed but by inconstancy which justifieth to me your infidelity and not onely maketh me approve thereof but also to thanke you for wiping away by this change of yours the sorrow which I conceived by seeing you suffer for my sake a remedilesse evill I also give thankes unto her who is the cause thereof seeing that labouring my minde as I did to free yours I must needâ— be obliged unto her who hath eased mee of that paine Other jealousie I have none for I shall be alwaies glad to yeeld that unto her which I should be sorry to gaine from her And besides her merit which by your election I must needs acknowledge she hath beene sooner and better beloved of you than I am and in my opinion doth love you better than I doe
or if I doe not endeavour to make you an example and so goes out of the doores Judge you in what plight our Lovers were by their owne folly which 〈…〉 to torment themselves Calista began to 〈◊〉 wrong which shee had done unto Lisander and beginning to repent hee selfe desired onely that hee would come unto her and shee would repaire it I she would have come halfe way if shee could have found some honest occasion to goe unto him But Lisander who knew hee could not goe from her but to his death not so much moved with his Fathers anger and threatnings as with love although he could have been contented to have urged his merit and desired to have knowne his fault as also to have beene pardoned yet not knowing her minde but setting before his eyes the scorne which she did him publikely and in favour of his arrivall hee willingly gave himselfe to death and rather than he would any more sue unto an ungratefull woman who had paied all his signal services with such an affront hee swore he would never see her but leave the countrey First intending to write a bitter letter unto her which his trusty Porter should carry her unto which end he went unto an Inne with resolution toward the evening to depart but halfe his letter was not written when there comes one of the Kings Guard who having enquired him out told him that the King had sent for him and that hee must presently goe with him unto his Majesty for Adrastus incensed by Lisanders disobedience as hee conceived it hasteth to the Court and findes out the King unto whom not so much out of sound judgement as out of petulancy of age resolving to force his sonnes will or remove all things under Heaven being admitted into his presence kneeling downe with grievous sighes and lookes to move the King unto compassion hee said Sir I have formerly come unto you to beg pardon and mercy which was in your pleasure to give but now Sir I come with much more sorrow at my heart to beg for justice which you may not deny and against my sonne that sonne for whom my feeble age carried more with strength of affection than body hath made so long a journey undertaken such dangers and in this place implored mercy wherefore Sir have pity of the just griefe which maketh me complaine and thinke how great it is since it maketh a father demand justice against his sonne who unlesse your Majesty be a helper unto me will be the affliction of my miserable age Bee pleased therefore Oh Sir to command him to be brought before you that to his faced may urge my accusation The King together with all the standers by wondred what new accident was fallen out as well out of curiosity as out of a desire to do justice to the complaints of his subjects presently gave command that Lisander should be sought for and brought before him hardly had the King made an end of commanding to bring Lisander when Dorilas came into the presence and witnessing as much hast anger and griefe as Adrastus had done kneeled downe before the King begging the like justice against his daughter Calista urging the cause of his complaint to bee such as was beyond a Fathers suffering and such as ought by punishment to bee made an example humbly entreating that shee also might be commanded to come before his Majesty where if she had any thing to alledge in her behalfe she might then speake This encreased the Kings wonder and desire to heare the cause and therefore gave order to have her also fetcht before him Shee was found as soone as Lisander and came accompanied with her Mother Ambrisia Argire and Olinda as also with Lidian Berontus and Alcidon all wondring what the occasion of their sending for should bee When Lisander and Calista were come before the King for they came almost together and both beheld one the other Oh! how soone had Calista's lookes which were with more gentlenesse dispersed Lisanders anger and utterly ruined his resolution hee commanded Adrastus to declare the cause of his complaint against his sonne whereupon Adrastus began that besides the common duty of a good Father which hee had alwaies performed unto his sonne he called his Majesty to witnesse what hee had lately enterprised for him in this his old age to the extreame perill of his life yet neverthelesse having twice offered him marriage with parties more worthy of him than he of them he was so faâ—re from yeelding any kinde of obedience that first having stolne from him and by the flight having put both him and his friends unto such unevitable dangers of utter ruine if by a particular care and admirable providence God had not miraculously preserved them Hee was now about the same course under pretence of a feined vow making religion a cloake to palliate his disobedience He had hardly proceeded thus farre in his complaint when Dorilas advanced himselfe and interrupting his further discourse began his complaint against Calista in this manner As much Sir can I say against this ungratefull Calista who knowes not or at least will not respect the sorrowes and the travailes which she hath given me the afflictions and evils wherewith shee hath so often broken the course of my life I need not abuse your Majesties patience in relating the story it is but too manifest Neverthelesse Sir she is not ashamed to disobey me in that which above all things in the world shee hath most earnestly desired how then Sir would she have obeyed me in any other matter which should have beene contrary unto her minde Sir you having setled order in the estate ought also to do the like in families and as you are a great father of the kingdome exacting obedience maintaining the paternall authority of the Royalty so I hope you will and we do humbly entreat you to render the ancient power of fathers over their children who will not obey The end of these complaints were not lesse pleasing unto Lisander than the beginning had beene displeasing seeing they concluded in the marriage of Calista who silent yet with lookes full of pity and love upon him hee spake in this manner Sir it cannot be denied but that my fathers words are most true and if I had yeelded all kind of obedience unto him yet his benefits and fatherly goodnesse are so great unto me that I ought not to be ungratefull although I cannot satisfie them yet Sir if I have but deferred and not refused his commandements the injury is not irreparable wherefore I doe humbly entreat your clemency and his to forgive mee upon condition I repaire my fault And you faire one said the King then unto Calista what answer make you unto your fathers complaint Calista seeing things brought to the point which shee did desire and being glad that her fathers command or rather the Kings might constraine her to pardon Lisander and to marry him absolutely beleeving that
either one or the other of them two would compell her as Ladies would faine be forced in those occasions and doe never yeeld but with some shew of constraint answered in this manner Sir it is a complaint which I renew every day in my soule and one of the greatest evils wherewith my minde is afflicted that ever I should be the cause of sorrow unto my parents But that which comforteth me Sir is the assurance which I have in my heart that your Majesty and they themselves doe cleerly see that it is rather my evill fortune than my fault And as unto the disobedience whereof they complaine I have yeelded it as fully as ever any daughter in this world did excepting onely in one point from which the condition of my widowhood a thousand other reasons which I cannot speak of do dispense me And Sir though there were no other reason but my will having once submitted me unto theirs they shall force me to submit if I do again in so unreasonable a matter Calista said this beleeving that the King would have more respect unto Adrastus his request and unto Dorilas than unto any reasons which she should bring but she was deceived and did quickely repent her of this last folly for the King wisely judging that nothing in the world ought to bee freer than marriage nor that any thing was so contrary unto the liberty thereof as violence dismissed the two fathers from the power which in this case they demanded over their children Calista because she had beene once married at her fathers will Lisander because he was not bound to obey his in a matter impossible exhorting neverthelesse to obey him in any other thing This sentence being pronounced by such a King Calista was disappointed the parents confounded and Lisander desparate who casting himselfe at his Ladies feete with teares in his eyes spake in this manner I see that after so many labours and hazzards for a reward of my fidelity which is beyond that of all lovers I must finde ingratitude in a heart which hath alwaies promised me never to be capable thereof and that for having adored you I suffer such usage as I should have deserved if I had done the contrary I will not dispute with you whether it be with justice for that were to seeke reason in love and your will holding in mee the place of reason and law doth binde me to beleeve against my proper feeling that what you doe is just but if you do not thinke that the services which I have done are injuries I doe most humbly entreat you Madam to tell mee here in this most illustrious company what offence I have committed and let not my condition be worse than that of criminall persons unto whom the cause of their punishment is at the least told before they suffer any And if I doe repent my services here it is not to reproach you but to shew that in serving you I have not beene so unhappy as to offend you You may thinke what you please but I must needes thinke that you might better have acknowledged them than I could better have addressed them and God forbid Madam that ever I should complaine the time which I have lost in your service since it hath bin emploied according unto my intention which was to honour you It is true Madam that herein I have done but my duty yet I do not know that I have committed any fault and it is no small matter to pay all that one owes especially unto one unto whom all is owing neverthelesse since together with the eternall affections which you have so solemnely promised I must lose the greatest happines that ever I hoped for in this world I will leave with you if you please this remembrance of youâ— Lisander that he is not sorry he hath suffered so much and is glad he hath not deserved this suffering Live therefore satisfied and contented with my misfortune and beleeve it shall be a comfort unto mee in all my miseries to heare that they doe bring you contentment I only ask your permission to endure them and to honour you at the least in holding my peace and in hiding in the secret of my heart that which you cannot take away but in appearance To conclude Madam I will not complaine of you but of my fortune which maketh your pitty dumbe and changeth your nature without changing my affection thereby shewing that it is not subject unto the change of her wheele And I should think my selfe unthankfull if in this my complaint I did not give her thankes that by my destiny being reserved unto such cruell mischiefes she hath ordained that they should come from your hand Madam whose cruelty I have loved more than my life and whose despising I doe honour in the pangs of death doe me this last office and beare this pitifull testimony of your Knight That he had lived longer if he had beene lesse faithfull This his long speech ended with their Majesties incredible patience who were pleased to heare him and no lesse disquiet in Lisanders friends who feared he would never get out to his advantage It was a pleasant spectacle to see them in one instant to shed teares for joy Lisander for love and Calista out of pity upon whose answer depended the misery or happinesse of their lives who having consulted some time with her selfe her heart inflamed with love her face with shame in the end answered in this manner It is true most deare Lisander that I have promised you never to be capable of ingratitude and if I have beene so untill this time in regard of the cause which you have given me I will not be so now you having taken the cause away Wherfore pardon me the evils which you have suffered seeing that I my selfe first felt them and in respect they will serve to be so many witnesses of your fidelity will make the injoying which we shall have one of the other so much the sweeter by how much we have indured the more And seeing their Majesties do suffer me my parents command me your services do oblige me I do confirme in this most excellent presence and assembly the oath which particularly I have made unto you that I will be onely yours In saying this Calista gave him her hand which he most amorously kissed blessing the evils which hee had suffered for so great a good And the contentment of these two lovers not being able to bee contained in themselves spread through all the company renewing imbracings with joy which was then pure without any mixture of sorrow or feare if this word Joy be not too weake a word to expresse the feelings which cannot be spoken hardly comprehended Who can tell the divers motions of so many persons who had a part in this common rejoycing Verascus his astonishment Berontus his admiration as also of Hippolita and Lucidan who can speake of the infinite pleasure of Alcidon and Lidian of Olinda and Argire of Ambrisia and Otranta and the unspeakable pleasure of Dorilas and Adrastus These two latter having long embraced Lisander Calista snatching them one from another and imbracing them between them with teares as those who after a dangerous storme having escaped shipwracke doe meet upon the dry land in uncredible joy To increase which Lisander knowing the love which Lucidan bore unto Hippolita most humbly entreated the King to marry them together and after turning to Adrastus made the like request unto him in favour of Berontus and Ambrisia Then looking unto Argire and Alcidon Lidian and Olinda he entreated them that as they had suffered great griefe and sorrow with him so they would honour him so much as to let one day give an end unto all their troubles and one day by marriage a beginning unto their joyes By this meanes the Marriages were resolved to bee in one day finished between Alcidon and Argire Lidian and Olinda of Lucidan and Hippolita of Berontus and Ambrisia and of brave Lisander and Calista who humbly taking leave of their Majesties retired all together to Dorilas and Adrastus who as we have said had but one house where after a magnifick supper they gave themselves unto their rests expecting the next morning with longing which being come all of them most richly apparelled especially Calista who having ever since Cleanders death neglected her attire now richly beset with jewels and with that rich collar which Lisander had conquered in great Britaine drew all the eyes of the beholders upon her with admiration They were solemnly married in the Chappell of Burpon where I will leave them returning home with wishes of the people that they might long and peaceably after so many alarums and stormes enjoy the deare delights and sweetest pleasures of this life FINIS