for the defence of your Royall Authority against the Insolence of the Rebells What would those envious persons say whose Calumnies have for so long time deprived mee of the Honour of your presence the onely felicity of my Life or rather what would they not say if in this publick occurrence I should not give some testimony that I am not so desirous of receiving your Liberalities as to deserve them by my indeavours and the effusion of my Blood which are but slender proofs of the boundless affection I have to serve you Permit therefore gracious Sir by whose Munificence I injoy both my Honour and Estate that I may expend this and imploy that for your Majesty to whom I am so far ingaged that although I should sacrifice my Life in your Wars I should not requite the least of those Obligations which render me Eternally your Debter Scarce had hee by this answer waved the inticements of the Court but a Surcharge shall I say of Affliction or importunate Affection opposed his determination it was a tedious but loving Letter from Modestina adorned with the Flowers of so plaintive a Rhethorick that Iphigenes heart was much more moved at those sad Contents than allured with the King's invitations yet having paid her with a like excuse hee continued his preparations for the War The Palatine's power is so absolute in Polonia that when they command the Drums to beat for any Expedition all those in their territories who are obliged to the exercise of Arms must presently bee in a readiness to march Besides this Authority Iphigenes beeing of a very obliging and liberall disposition in short time hee raised a considerable party of as gallant Horse as any were in the whole Army Mieslas used the like diligence in his Palatinate but beeing of a greedy tenacious humour and more ready to take from others than impart any thing of his own his Levies were not comparable to his Son 's who met him at the Rendez-vous And although they were ill satisfied enough of each other yet at that time they trampled under feet all private considerations to apply their united forces to the present service of the Publick and their Prince The revolted Lithuanians not daring to incounter the Royall Army in the Field sheltred themselves under the bulwarks of the strongest Holds then in their possession So that after some slight skirmishes the Loyall Party besieged the Mutiniers in their chief City named Minsce scituate upon the River Nepor which the Antients called Boristhenes Liante amongst others had cast himself into this place with Olavius Palatine of that Province and Bogdales Palatine of Troc his Confederate besides divers Castellains and Gentlemen of note This City was strongly fortified and well stored with Provisions and all necessaries requisite to maintain a Siege And as Despair redouble's the courage of those who know the unjustness of their cause there was not any of those Factious Spirits but resolved to suffer the utmost of extremities rather than surrender Olavius had retired within those Walls his whole Family Wealth and as I may say all his Fortune Whilest the Royall Army were drawing their Lines of Circumvallation the Rebells made Sallies daily and allarmed them with hot skermishes and sometimes sent Challenges for single Combats I should swell this Volume too much if I stood to relate the particulars therefore not to tire the Reader I shall onely mention some persons principally concerned in my History But first I must crave leave to say that the Planets of Mars and Venus who do so frequently interchange their glances in the Heavens have such powerfull influences upon Earth that it seem's the one hath no sooner cast his Aspect upon any Morrall but the other by some agreeable Sympathy take 's possession of the same Object And in effect among those who make profession of handling a Sword it seem's that the wearing thereof would not bee fortunate to them if it were not imployed for the consideration of some Lady as it is commonly seen that Gentlemen expose their Persons to most eminent dangers to give testimony of their Valour in favour of Her whom they serve Liante who till then had lived in exceeding restraint seeing himself in full liberty of his desires was easily induced to the naturall inclination hee had to Love Olavius among divers other Children had two Daughters whose Beauty deserved observation But the younger had a great advantage of Nature above her Elder Sister who was inferiour to her in all things but her age wherein shee surpassed her by many years The one was full-ripe and in a condition that seemed visibly to demand an Husband The other was a Bud not quite blown yet discovered something that promised in her season all the excellences of a perfect Rose but as yet so green that her yeares might have dispensed the hastiest of her Sex to render her selfe under Hymen's pleasing yoak her humour was childishly vain and more apt to give then receive Passion her Judgement beeing yet insusceptible of any It was Liante's Fortune to be caught with this bait betwixt seeing her and beeing taken there was no great intervall His Birth and Estate which hee hoped to recover by Olavius means gave him confidence enough to aspire to that alliance and the merit of the Object contein'd captive but too many attractions to his desire Nevertheless hee hid his Fire under the Ashes of discretion expecting a fit time and opportunity to disclose his intentions Clemencia Sister to Iphigenes possessed no such charms as could oblige him to much Constancy her fidelity onely having moved his Heart to a reciprocall amity but in regard the Despair of possessing her by reason of Mieslas cruelty and the Prince Cassin's research forced him to relinquish that desire hee thought more of beeing revenged of that savage Palatine of Podolia than of seeking her alliance beeing the rather incited thereunto by Despight seeing his Sister Modestina upon the point of beeing repudiated by Iphigenes Upon these considerations hee suffered the inclinations of his Minde to bend under the yoak of this new Captivity suppressing however his flames within his brest allowing nothing to outward appearances but what Modestie and Decency might permit Whilest hee was contriving projects for the conquest of this Rachel Olavius studied how to ingage him in his alliance by giving him the Leah It beeing the custome in these dayes as well as in Laban's time to marry the Elder Daughters before the yonger Age Reason and Decency requiring no less Olavius having formerly been familiarly acquainted with Liante's Father and knowing to how great an estate hee was heir though Mieslas unjustly deteined it from him thought it no small advantage to have him for a Son-in law notwithstanding his disgrace which hee could not have hoped for if Fortune had been more kinde to him Therefore to make him fall into his Nets hee received him as yet all wet with his Shipwrack into his house cherished him as his Son
for back againe to Court to avoyd the ruine of the Province and the trouble of further complaints During these many journies and long absences of Mieslas grew up the hopefull Iphigenes whom the carefull Aretuza had caused to be nursed in a County remote from Podolia having given charge of her to an antient and faithfull servant of her Father's whom She made Depositary or Gardian of her Child and secret Whilest the supposed Iphigenes passed his Infancy with Aretuza Boleslaüs foster-father of the true one did not only make all those that came to see her believe she was a Boy but bred the Child likewise in the same opinion And although her extraordinary tender Complexion seemed to accuse her of being a Girle yet the advantage of imagining her selfe to be of the robuster Sex added to the generosity which she had by Nature made her not only incline but delight in the sports and exercises of Boyes as if she had been as her habit spake her About two years after the birth of Iphigenes Aretuza who seemed to be ordeined to bring forth none but females and fill the World with that Commodity which is hard enough to keep yet harder to put off was brought to bed of another Daughter who had not so rare a Beauty as to make her be much admired nor such remarkable defects as might make her be despised Mieslas being then at Court and having appealed his choller by the imagination he had of being Father to a goodly Son expressed not much distaste at the comming of this fift Daughter especially when he heard that she was faire enough and without deformity Aretuza made her be named Clemencia as having experimented in her the Clemencie of her Husband of whose more courteous usage she began thence-forwards to have some hopes Among great persons Marriages doe not alwaies accompanie Baptisme but oftentimes precede it for to allie illustrious families to purchase a support to maintaine factions and effect divers other such practises frequently used in Courts Parents doe sometimes promise to marry their Children before they are in Being as many do procure benefices and charges for the Children which they shall have whence an eminent man of our times tooke occasion to say That it was no marvell if great Ladies had hard labours since their Children were Mitred and Armed before they came out of their Wombs Such were the thoughts of Mieslas who was so mad for a Son onely to make him marry Rosuald's Daughter his Ward promising himselfe to obteine some spirituall Benefices for her Brother and so make him renounce the inheritance which he intended to draw into his owne family by meanes of her marriage with his Son Those that are lavish spenders are glad to meet with Estates gotten to their hands without any trouble or pain of theirs for they naturally hate frugality Mieslas who was of this humour relyed absolutely upon the wealth of Rosuald his predecessor in the Palatinate with the Revenues and Interest of whose Estate he splendidly mainteined all his train without touching the main stock whereof he could not dispose without prejudice to his Wards But because this Lamprey might in time slip out of his hand he determined to take a Fig-leaf that is to contract an Alliance whereby he might gain the full possession of that mighty Estate and make himself enter upon the labours and acquisitions of his Predecessor And in regard that the want of years in both Parties might give occasion to the kindred of his Wards already much displeased that he had ravished the Gardianship out of their hands to endeavour to render invalid this Alliance through the default of a mutuall consent which is the principall knot of Matrimony he obteined from the King a permission for them to marry in their Childhood or at least to contract them so that the meanes could not be taken out of his possession This was in agitation before Iphigenes was five yeares old And Aretuza being not well pleased to see that a supposed Child should reap before the season that which she as well as Mieslas desired to preserve in their owne family taking the opportunity of a whole year's time her Husband was absent she sent the false Iphigenes home to his Mother and took the reall one into her own tuition giving Boleslaüs who had brought her up from the Cradle the conduct and government of her to the end that he should help to conceale that which she would not have Mieslas know and that he might see her learn all the recommendable qualities and exercises requisite for a Gentleman of such Extraction Permit that we speak of her hence forwards as a Male since her Mother will have it so and her Father thinks her so Herein Aretuza was served as faithfully as she could desire in a business sso ticklish and dangerous that she ran no less hazard then of losing her own life if Mieslas should discover the deceipt who at his return found his Son so beautifull for it was a little Angel that he was quite ravished But if his Body was agreeable believe it that exteriour domicile lodged a Wit that surpassed many degrees any of that growth which augmented exceedingly the Father's joy who staying very little at home being for the most part either visiting his Palatinate or called to Court or sent upon some Military expedition for defence of his Country injoyed but seldome and short whiles the sight of his dear Son who was the light and delight of his Soul Iphigenes had scarce yet seen eight years in the World when hee was marryed God knows how to Modestina Rosuald's Daughter and Ward to Mieslas who deserved that name for her incomparable Modesty she was so much elder then Iphigenes as that the Husband and Wife could make up eighteen years between them Mieslas being of a magnificent humour invited the greatest part of the Nobility and Gentry of his Palatinate to the Wedding which was celebrated with all the delights and greatest Pomp imaginable But one Ceremony that he caused to be done was very needless which was to make a Venerable Matron lye betwixt the marryed Couple lest they should approach each other in the Night This Prudent caution of his would have made Aretuza laugh heartily if her continuall apprehension that the secret would be discovered had not held her in the same transe that kept Damocles from eating at the Tyrant of Sicilie's table Liante Modestina's onely Brother was destined by Mieslas to be a Church-man to the end that by that Spirituall and Leviticall Circumcision his Sister might remain sole Inheritrix of Rosuald's Estate and the whole Patrimony come to Iphigenes This was the Palatine's plot but Liante being high-sirited and of a Martiall disposition took more delight in Arms than at his Book and was more ambitious of wearing a Sword than a Priest's Cassack Nevertheless as Trees which are young may be bended which way the Master pleaseth the same is commonly done with Children who
hinder Iphigenes and Modestina's private communication and so handsomly did Liante with his ordinarie sadness hide from his Over-seer his affectionate pretensions Only Boleslaüs who watching like a Dragon that never shuts his eyes to preserve the secret of Iphigenes observed that the great familiarity 'twixt him and Liante put in evident danger of beeing revealed all the Mysterie which hee had till then concealed with so much care and fearing lest Liante rather than Modestina should discover what kind of man Iphigenes was had a serious conference thereupon with Aretuza who jumping with his opinion thought it most expedient to single out Iphigenes and declare unto her all the passages of her birth and education to the end that seeing her self obliged under pain of losing her life which punishment shee could not escape by discovering her self no more than Aretuza to keep this secret and so to demean her self that living with the libertie of Males Shee might no way blemish the honour of her sex Necessity which is a very harsh Mistres made them embrace his resolution and it was no sooner concluded than put in execution To tell you the astonishment that seized Iphigenes at the recitall of his own storie would bee too difficult an enterprise Hee thought that hee either dreamt or was inchanted and hardly could give credit to his ears and eyes The joy that the Maydens had or might have received being transformed into Men as some Histories make mention may make us conceive some shadow of that sadness which struck Iphigenes heart when hee saw himself fallen from that degree of glorie whereunto hee fancied the condition of being a Man might have raised him Hee could hardly refrain from falling out with those that had unseeled his eyes with the Medicine of their advertisement and who had dispossessed him like Trasimenes cured of his follie of that sweet errour which contented him Hee apprehended to be reduced to that almost servile Subjection of the female Sex having by Custome made Nature of the libertie which Men enjoy What shall this Amazon change her Sword and Lance for a Needle and a Distaff shall shee leave so many noble Exercises wherein her generous Spirit took such pleasure to sit constantly in a Chamber tricking up her self and consulting with her looking-glasses how to ensnare inflame lover ' s hearts What in stead of having the Empire and command over Men shall she be reformed to the submission and obedience that is the only portion and propertie of Women No such a resolution is less supportable than death Having been bred the beginning of her daies like a Man shee will end them like a Souldier and seek in the bed of Honor an heroick Death since shee hath lost the hope of a happy life But this resolution is too extream there 's a remedie for every thing but dying Aretuza flattered and as a Mother conjured her shee-Son not to disclose himself Boleslaüs to second her beseeched him to have pittie on his gray hairs and not to hasten his journie to the grave by paying with too unworthy an ingratitude his faithfull services representing that upon him who had been the Manager and Concealer of that Deceipt Mieslas would chiefly discharge the burthen of his furie if that Mysterie should come to his knowledg Moreover that the advertisement they gave him was not to oblige him to change neither manner of life nor habit or to leave the exercises of Chivalrie wherein his Courage and Activity gained the admiration of everie one But quite contrarie they desired him to continue them with more eagerness and to feine himself to bee a Man the more the less hee knew it That Time might produce some expedient means to gain his father's heart wihtout hazarding the lives of so manie persons and in stead of Modestina who could not bee his wife by reason of those obstacles which nature had interposed hee might lawfully injoy Liante as a Husband so that some one of their Children bare the Name and Arms of Mieslas whereby his intention would not bee altogether frustrated in the Alliance which hee projected with the house of Rosuald Judg how great the advnatages of Love are above the Sense of Friendship This last Clause which ingendred some Hope in Iphigenes to see herself united by marriage to the beloved Liante effaced almost in an instant that incomparable sorrow that dejected her at first seeing her self fallen from a quality so honourable and advnatagious as that of Man Insomuch that immediately changing the Love shee bare Modestina into a pure Friendship and the entire Friendship shee had contracted with Liante into a fervent Love but vertuous since that it justified it self by the design of a chast Matrimony shee personated a Man better then ever betook her self to her Military execises again with more eagerness looking upon Liante with other eyes than of a Brother-in-law Shee treated him with more reservedness deducting somewhat from the liberty of a Man to add to the moderation of a Virgin to whom Pudicity ought to be more precious than Life O how much did shee repent her possessing Clemencia with so much Love for Liante whereby shee had made her Sister her Rival and kindled a fire which shee ought rather to have quencht and which thence-forwards shee promised her self to smother by all the industrie her invention could suggest As for Modestina whose friendship obliged her to a reciprocall affection shee feined to be more passionate for her than ever and the better to act the Husband Shee made a shew of desiring with much ardour the possession of her wife being by that time neer fifteen years of age Perpetua wrote to Mieslas then at Court that shee should be constreined to suffer what shee could no longer hinder and that if Iphigenes would make use of Modestina as her Husband Modestina had no less desire to serve him as his Wife Mieslas who had desired nothing more than the accomplishment of that marriage out of an odd fantasticall humor would not consent to the Consummation but delayed it from day to day untill his return into Podolia But being not able to obtein leave from the King who finding him very fit for the managing great affairs had every day some new imployment for him Hee bethought himself to send for his Son to the Court which is the Theater of young Nobility where hee would present him to the King and make him appear according to his quality This Command somewhat troubled Aretuza at the first but Boleslaüs quickly perswaded her to condescend to that which shee could not oppose promising her to watch so carefully over the deportments of his Nursling that shee should receive neither reproach nor discontentment This news was diversly received among our yuong Lovers all their four hearts did feele at the same instant very different assualts For Modestina pressed with the just impatiences of a marriageable Virgin that expects till the maturity of a too-tender husband makes
notwithstanding Iphigenes employed all the credit hee had to procure his pardon The Sun is never without Shadows nor Vertue free from Envy yet among so many thorns some flowers may bee gathered Iphigenes had so much quaintness and such sources of polite subtilities in his brain was so dexterous and happy in captivating hearts that he was called the Master of that Art It is true that shadows do still accompany the Sun but they are very short when hee is Elevated to his Apogee or the verticall point of the Horizon So Iphigenes being arrived at the highest degree of favour and which is very rare as pretious in the King his Master ' s sight as in the Queen his Mistresse ' s in this Zenith of Honour hee contemned the vaine vapors of Envy seeing as it were from the top of a lofty mountain the rowling Thunder grumble and the stormy clowds burst under his feet There are few that haunt Favourites but either very powerfull or inconsiderable persons For if the Royalty bee for them is it not a Giant-like presumption to offer to approach that Greatness If the Gods of the Earth bee for them who can surmount nay who dares contradict them Yet as wee see although the glory of the World ' s Eye bee never so bright the least Atomes and exhalations like moats do rise to oppose and blemish it but are as soon deprest as raised and no sooner gathered together than dissolved So do presumptuous spirits revolt and combine sometimes against the Eldest Sons of Fortune but their fruitless indeavours immediately do make appear the weakness as well as the baseness of their hearts swollen and pufft up with Vanity rather than filled with Courage Such was Augustus such approved himself another Noble-man named Polignotes of whose vapouring and jealous Bravadoes I shall at this present omit to make any further mention esteeming it more to purpose by mingling sweet with sower to temper the animosities of these envious Antagonists with the delicious amity of the innumerable friends which Iphigenes had purchased by his most perfect Courtesie This admirable knot of Friendship which is the sweetest bond of humane Society in its perfection is an Enemy to Multiplicity A man may be Friendly to all but should be Familiar with few and in this Vertuous Familiarity consists that Communication which giveth life and being to true Friendship To establish an eminent Fortune and high favour a man hath need as of divers Supporters of many Friends But in regard Favour no more than Love can admit of no Corrivalls it was Iphigenes industry sto to manage the good wills of those that expressed any affection towards him that making them participant of his Riches hee reserved the King's favour intire to himself Thus do those that make presents of Fruit keeping the Tree and the Ground still in their own possession Thus may one distribute Water and allow their Neighbours part and yet retain the Spring in its wonted place Among others of lower degree I do not say for matter of quality but affection there were two particularly in favour with Iphigenes One was a young Prince of Polonia named Cassin the other a Noble man of a very antient family known by the name of Pomeran this was the Minion of his heart and as it were the Favorite of the Favorite for Hee loved with much tenderness the person of Iphigenes The former who cherished rather his greatness and quality ardently embracing whatsoever had reference to his Interest and Glory was as the favorite of the Favor like Hephestion and Craterus the two friends of Alexander the Great whereof one loved him as Alexander the other as King Cassin and Pomeran were the two Arms and Eyes of our young Count as those that applyed themselves more particularly to what concerned him Pomeran being more disinteressed considered nothing but the person of Iphigenes for which Hee did feel passions which would have been much more Violent if hee had been as Skilfull to penetrate the secret of darkness as Ignorance made him incurious The Prince who grasped at great Charges and whose ambitious humour aymed at nothing but those Grandeurs whereunto by his extraction hee justly might pretend but could not yet arrive by reason of his too unripe age accosted Iphigenes as a Jacob's ladder that hee might thereby clime to the top of his pretensions His Mother who shall likewise enter upon this stage under the name of Respicia brought him into the World before Shee could fully reckon the third luster of her age her Husband who had bee one of the highest rank in the Kingdome having left her a widdow in her five and twentieth year And although Shee was owner of Beauty enough to make her bee beloved and injoyed an Estate that might invite the greatest in that Countrey to marry her yet the affection Shee did bear to the memory of her deceased Husband and the consideration Shee had of her two Children made her remain almost ten years in a constant Widdowhood breeding with all the splendour and care imaginable those two pretious pledges of her former flames However being one of the most consderable Ladies in the Court and living in the height of delights though then arrived at her five and thirtieth year Shee found at length the death of her Liberty in the inevitable charms of Iphigenes Beauty This COKELVCHE or Court-Vertigo had so turned her brain that Shee forgot both the Idea of her Husband the Affection to her Children and the Care of her self exposing her self to the hazard of being the table-talk through the whole World to the disadvantage of that Honour of whose preservation Shee had always thitherto made so exact a profession Those Creatures that are signalized for the greatest Wiles when they are taken do display all their Shifts so did this subtill-witted Lady when Shee perceived her self tyed by the Heart with such delicious bands that shee preferred this Servitude before her former Liberty For the better to dissemble her wound the more shee felt the smart of all the Ladies in the Court shee was observed to speak the seldomest and the least advantagiously of Iphigenes suppressing all her passion within her brest without suffering it to evaporate at the passage of her mouth but by very slight sparkles But if shee said little shee thought the more and fancied no mean projects to accomplish the design shee had to make her self lawfully his Wife Widdows who have learned in their Matrimoniall observances the secrets of pleasing Men and how to intrap them send glances from their Eyes so much the more attractive the less they are innocent And as the most sparkling fire and hottest embers are those which are cover'd with ashes as the most shining flashes of Lightning are those which proceed from the blackest Clouds So the kidnesses that come from under those great Veils are generally the most attractive those are the Fires that blaze in the midst of Water when from Eyes destined to
whence they had Chased the Stag that by the Blood which their Arrows had drawn out of his sides the Dogs might recover the Sent. This made Pomeran say to his Comrades laughing what an Ancient Philosopher said of himself That they payed the Interest of their ill looks Thou art mistaken answered Arcade it is because they are likelier men than thou that I take them Sir said Argal to the Hunt-sman if you ride very fast wee shall not bee able to follow you for wee are very unfit men to bee Lacquaies Sirrah said Philaster I 'le make thee finde thy feet and if thou come'st not away quickly I shall put mettle into thee Hee had his Arm already up to measure Pisides o're the Shoulders who not being accustomed to such caresses slipt aside to avoid the blow saying You Master Hunts-man mee think's it would become you better to goe on Foot and mee to Ride if you would please to alight wee should end the Chase more conveniently This hee said thinking Philaster would know him by his Voyce But whether the heat of his Game or the strangeness of Piside's habit rendred him so little civile hee replyed How now Rascall dost thou jeer mee As I am a Gentleman thou shalt pay for thy Insolence With that hee was going to joyn the Effect to his Promise when Pomeran calling him by his name said Hold art thou blinde dost thou not know Pisides under this Peasant's Coat Hee that meets a Ghost when hee thinks least of it is less Astonished than Philaster was hearing those words and understanding the Error which hee was going to commit So leaping from his Horse and falling on his Knees hee demanded pardon of him whom hee would have beaten making many excuses accompanyed with Protestations that were needless since the disguisemement rendered the offence nothing Pisides and Argal turning all to laughter took Philaster's Horse and Armelin's Arcade would have given Pomeran his but being unwilling to dismount the chief Conductor of the Game hee took another So some running on Foot some on Horse-back they continued their Chase The Hounds having recovered the Sent followed the Stag full-cry untill being brought to the Bay hee rendred his life with Tears and lamentable Groans to the violence of the pitiless Hounds and the force of our Gentlemen's Spears who took pleasure to pierce him in divers places The Chase being thus ended they satisfied the Hunts-men's admiration by telling them that the Palatine was in that Forest disguised in the same manner for his divertisement incharging them not to say who they were but only that they were Gentlemen of their acquaintance Having thus given them their lesson they returned to Celian's Village there to break up their prey and make good cheer for their Country-men Their arrivall comforted the old Man who intended to kill the fat Calf if his Iphis had been returned But his joy was very short when hee perceived not in all that company his desired Iphis and Almeria and notwithstanding all their jonkets hee could not bee merry because those two persons whom hee loved more than his own Children did not appear But Boleslaüs having given him some hopes of not beeing much longer deprived of their sights hee made of Necessity a Vertue But it would bee hard to say whose astonishment was greatest that of Boleslaüs Seeing Iphigenes Servants and all his Hunting-Equipage or their 's to see Boleslaüs whom they knew to bee the inseparable shadow of their Master's Body However the discreet Old Man knowing the Palatin's Intentions and most secret Thoughts told them that Iphigenes would not bee well pleased to finde them there where hee concealed himselfe for some very important Affaires therefore hee willed them to return next Morning betimes to Plocens Which command they readily obeyed For hardly the Breaking Day had summoned the watchfull Stars to prepare themselves for a retreat but the Hunts-men as early as the Precursor of the Morn's approach cast themselves again into the Forrest with design to coast over the Country Hunting to theirs Master's House But the adventure of their return deserve's the time to consider it The Passionate Serife whose senses felt no small commotions in Calliante's Presence had during the Night and in his absence lost the benefit of repose For this Idea was so lively imprinted in her mind that shee was continually in Alarme untill her sight restored to her Eyes that malignly-sweet consolation which is taken in the aspect of the Object beloved the source of perplexing Agonies no less dear than troublesome Scarce had Aurora Guilded o're the Girdle of the Horizon but leaping out of her Bed which seem'd to her as if it had been strewed with Thorns shee went into the Wood to entertain her Thoughts sweet Thoughts which hovering within the circumference of Love's Dominion still lighted upon Calliante as their Center her Designes ayming at nothing but to captivate that high Spirit whose ambition could not bee limited by any less subject than her self After the spending of some time in seeking out a place suitable to the humour wherewith shee was possest shee chose in the thickest of the Forest the brink of a Silver Brook whose murmuring waters seemed both to speak and answer at once and tune their pleasant Purling to the agreeable noise which the Leaves of the Neighbouring Trees did make when frizled by the Zephyr's welcome Wings There under the protection of the shady Boughs which were so interlaced that the Sun could not peep through but rather Night in Day-time seem'd there to keep her Residence beeing laid along upon the soft Flowers which lost their lustre at the presence of those that appeared in her Face an humid coolness having sent a sweet vapour into her Eyes ushered in gentle SLEEP who could not all Night upon the Feather-bed finde admittance Scarce had that drowsie Deity benummed all her senses but MORPHEUS who take's delight in representing to the imagination the most extravagant Chimera's that can bee fancied made her conceit that the Princess Respicia displeased at his backwardness to satisfie her desires had made recourse to the power of inchantments which of an Iphigenes made a Stag and that the same Stag thredding the brushy Woods and having mued his Antlers became a Hinde which beeing pursued by the Palatin's Hounds and Men was reduced to such extremity that if shee had not retaken her former shape shee had been killed by these and devoured by the others These troublesome thoughts put her into strange perplexities and passing her Hand twice or thrice over her Face as it were to strike off the Flies shee felt a stinging more sharp than those Creature 's ordinary touch which made her awake and shee had no sooner opened her Eyes but the first species that formed it self to her sight was an horrible Serpent of an immense growth which made towards her sliding himself in divers folds upon the Grass infecting it with the poyson which distilled from his swollen Throat This
would please to demand for a Dowry Liante well contented with those triumphs and trophies which they erected to a Victory that cost him so little perceived thereby how vain the judgement of the World is and that as punishments are not alwayes inflicted on the most wicked persons but the least fortunate So Glory was an infamous Courtisan which cast herself not alwayes into the Arms of the most valiant but most successefull And to incite Olavius the more to press him to accept a Present which hee so passionately desired with an artificiall modesty hee pretended that he was unworthy of so much favour beeing at that time a distressed Gentleman banished from his Country and dismantled of all his Estate by an injust Confiscation Whereupon Olavius falling of himself into the Nets replied That the restitution of his inheritance would bee the least part of the brave Prisoner's ransom wherewith hee had inriched their City and that hee ought not to stick upon that consideration in regard hee had alwayes respected him more for his Vertues than his Fortune esteeming it more advantage for his Daughter to have a Man that wanted means than means that wanted a Man But Liante demanding time to deliberate more at leisure upon that business desired him to thinke of treating Iphigenes with such Civility that hee might have just occasion to commend rather than complain of Lithuania Which was performed in such honourable manner that if the gallant Iphigenes had been Governour and Master of that rebellious City hee could not have received greater respect Hee had no other Prison than his own Parolle Liante rendering himself pledge for his fidelity Since the beginning of the Siege the two Palatines of Troc and Minsce had secured their Wives Children and what they had of most considerable value in the Castle as the place of greatest safety there Liante likewise had his Quarters neer which they conducted Iphigenes into a Chamber so richly furnished that in the King's Pallace hee could not have been lodged more splendidly Good Cheer was no more wanting than all sorts of Games and honourable divertisements The company of Ladies was his ordinary attendance For they had no sooner tasted the inevitable charms of his conversation but they became more licourish and greedy of it than Bees are of Flowers or their Hony-combs If that beautifull Face which shewed to Mortalls the image of the Angells had infected with it's pleasing Poyson the Court-Ladie's hearts imagine you how those of Lithuania could be exempted from that delicious contagion you would have said that this new Sinon had been come to bring the Grecian fire to reduce that Ilion to ashes and that beeing a prisoner in Body his design was to inthrall and torture all their Mindes For that agreeable venim which is swallowed by the Eyes according to the variety of Spirits conveyed into their hearts such secret flames and those flames caused such torments that hee seem'd to have the same destiny as Sejanus Horse who put all places in disorder where hee was received Bogdales had a Wife so advanced in years that the blood of her veines which ought by the course of Nature to have been Icie seem'd exempted by the benefite of her Age from those ardours which are onely excusable in youth with her was retired into that Castle a Daughter which Hee had married to a gallant Nobleman of Lithuania who not delighting to bee inclosed within the walls of that besleged City kept a flying Army in the Field accompanied by the Palatine of Trod's Son his Brother-in-law His merit was sufficient to have made all the Affections of his Wife terminate in his Person but the Perfections of the beautifull Prisoner so perverted her Reason that as the Primum Mobile by a violent motion drawe's all the other sphears after it shee could not hinder her Heart from following her Eyes whose too inconsiderate looks betrayed the licentiousness of her thoughts So that the Mother and the Daughter were both taken in the same snare at once Neither could Olavius Wife as wise and reserved as shee was withhold the motions of her Minde from Dancing the same brawle And as if that rare Object had been formed on purpose to ruine the constancy of the most continent few saw him without taking pleasure to behold him and few beheld him without strange allarms and agitations of Spirit That fire must bee very fierce which presently take's in green Wood. Amiclea who never yet felt any resentments for Liante that deserved the mentioning was presently all inflamed with that Feaver whose fits are so agreeable that those who resent their Heats and Colds fear nothing more than to bee cured of that Disease On a sodain of ignorant shee became knowing in the Art of Love judging by the pains which shee indured that which shee had caused to Liante's Heart Oh Liante you will bee henceforwards but a difformed Esau this white Jacob will supplant you and you will see the ruine of your pretensions arise from the same ground whence you expected your establishment Onely the poor Oloria remained constant in her affection to him who despised her For her Soul beeing filled with the Idea of that first Object was insusceptible of any other impression If Iphigenes had been a Man what vanity would he have conceived in his thoughts seeing himself the blank of so many desires But beeing such as Nature had created him those Roses were to him but Thorns and those Adorations Importunities To relate the distemper which these new Passions bred in those weak Brains I dare not undertake much less to express the confusions that imbroyled their thoughts For Love Envy Despair Jealousie Shame Desire were as many Worms or rather Vultures that gnawed continually their Brests Even the Men that were too attentive in the contemplation of that Angelicall Face had not their minds free from disturbance For believing him a Man they wished him of the other Sex that they might in some kinde settle their complacency on his perfections And the Ladies who thought him not a Woman esteemed themselves as happy to have amongst them that beautifull Prisoner to whom they were all slaves as the Trojan youths were to injoy that samous Beauty of Greece within their walls Oh Iphigenes as those who cast artificiall Fire-balls are burn't oft-times themselves So among so many storms which thou excitest thou art not without some agitation With what Pencill shall I delineate the division of those Spirits The old Ladies were ready to die with Despair and Shame to see themselves in an Age which according to the Lawes of Nature protected them from the Tyranny of that little Boutte-feu which inflames Heaven and Earth become Subjects to unjust and infamous Desires whose sweet cruelty was more redoubtable to them than the pangs of Death and bee afflicted with a languishing Pain that could expect no other remedy than the Grave Bogdale's Daughter a Lady full of Honour and who would assoon have cast herself
as deep into that Favorite's brest as they had done in Liante's what great matters would hee have promised to his Ambition But besides that hee knew Iphigenes was Married to Modestina and was not ignorant of the Designes of the Princess Respicia seeing the great indifferency that beloved Captive shewed for all Women as hee lost the Hope of atchieving so high an advantage hee quitted the thought of desiring it Which made him turn all his pretensions towards Liante promising himself to obtain of the King by Iphigenes what hee should demand of Iphigenes by Liante If this Palatine had an ambition to make Liante his Son-in-Law Liante was no less desirous than Hee to contract that alliance But hee was not so simple as to take the Elder for the Younger there was no darkness impenetrable to the sight of such a Lover Since Oloria had turned her Eyes towards Iphigenes beeing transported with the ravishing Garbe of that beautifull Object shee slighted Liante's scorns The same cause made Amiclea disdain the esteem which Liante made of her and nothing was so irksome to her as when hee entertained her with the discourse of his Passion Melindra Daughter to the Palatine of Troc beeing assaulted on one side by the Legitimate Affection and Fidelity which shee owed to her absent Husband and on the other by the Charms which the presence of Iphigenes cast into her thoughts felt Combats of Love and Honour in her Heart whose convulsions approached the torments of a Woman in travell who would but cannot bee delivered The Conflict or violent opposition that Heat and Cold make in the concavity of a Clowd is some resemblance of the Contradictions in her Minde And after many passionate Complaints continuing to aggravate her sore with a thousand various imaginations shee impoisoned the Humour more and sometimes shunned the remedy sometimes desired it with impatience Nevertheless shee remained so firm in the steps of Vertue that although her languishing looks broken sighes and tears discovered plainly enough her distemper to Iphigenes yet shee observed a severe silence never giving her Tongue the liberty to say any thing but what was within the bounds of a modest Civility Wherein shee made appear as much vertue as the two old Palatinesses shewed little For they were grown so jealous of their Daughters having discovered their inclinations that like Furies they were perpetually haunting them and reprehending in them a fault which they authorized in their own deportments I will not stain their memory with the extraordinary means which they used to inveigle this Fish into their Nets Imagine you onely what Women can doe or rather what they cannot do when animated with a violent Passion and in an Age whose weakness redouble's the other's force At length Despair had made them commit a treachery and change their inclination into vengeance if the Publick necessities had not retarded them in their Private animosities So they borrowed of Time and Patience the succour of Hope which is alwayes ready to assist the most miserable But Iphigenes who had been beaten with fiercer and more dangerous storms at Court laughed at those Feminine divisions and looked as from an eminent place upon those fraile Vessels agitated with that violent tempest as a Shittle-cock in the Wind and the subject of his Disdain The assault which I am now going to relate was otherwise resented for it came from the Place that was onely capable of putting Iphigenes beyond his Temper and Art of Dissimulation You may conceive already that it proceeded from Liante whose Spirits beeing settled after the motion which Iphigenes transvestment had caused in his brest relapsed into the vehemence of his Passions for Amiclea whose Scorns befrosted his Pretensions as much as her Graces inflamed his Inclinations At length the Eyes of those that love beeing very quick-sighted hee perceived it was onely the presence of Iphigenes that ruined his Designes and that his Idoll was so possessed with the Idea of that beautifull Palatine that no other could finde admittance into her Soul This presently bred Jealousie in Liante and so much power hath the Tyranny of Love above the ties of Friendship that hee felt the later diminish as fast as the other dilated it self in his thoughts Hee wished hee had some occasion not to love Iphigenes so well but his indearing deportments his vertue and above all that incomparable Modesty which accompanied all his Actions wrested out of his Minde all thoughts of loving him less Afterwards considering to what danger that brave Palatine had exposed himself to save his Fortune and the promises hee made to raise him to the most eminent Dignities of Polonia if hee would follow his advice which hee had alwayes found as advantageous as sincere that expunged all manner of Gall out of his Heart and restreined him from doing or saying any thing that might be prejudiciall to so pure and inviolable a Friendship One of whose principall Effects beeing Confidence hee resolved to open his Heart to Iphigenes and discover to him as well the extremity of his Passion for Amiclea as the pricking torments of his Jealousie But when hee had displayed all his distempers the End of his Discourse was the Beginning of Iphigenes paines for fearing nothing so much as the loss of that Heart which hee desired to keep intire to himself it was an inconceivable torture to his Minde to see him so violently bent upon another Object Whereupon hee thus spake to Liante I marvell not at your beeing in Love for the Subject deserves it But your Jealousie put 's my senses beyond all temper for I pray what occasion have I ever given you to doubt of my Fidelity Observe Liante how far my Friendship extends if you had but said to mee Iphigenes I would not have you look upon such a Lady although her Image were ne're so deeply ingraven in my Soul I would tear it away or pluck the Eyes out of my head if they were so rash as to cast but one glance upon her I am sure if I had brought your's to this test it would not have indured the touch and you would defend your disobedience by the advantages that Love who is but a Child possesseth or'e those Spirits that are subjected to his Empire See Liante how I surpass you in all things and which is as much to your shame as my honour in the Prerogatives of Friendship which is vainly reported to equalize Friends since you are inferiour to me by so many degrees that you dare not think in my favor what I would willingly execute for your Consideration What imagination possesseth your mind do you think to make Amiclea love you against her will Certainly you understand very ill the motions of Love which have no other foundation but the Liberty of choosing and therefore it is called Dilection as if one should say an inclination of Election And you are very ignorant of the humour of Ladies who like shadowes do usually follow those that flie
overspread her Cheeks and her attire had such conformity with that which Virgenia wore when shee was brought into the Palace together with the favour of the Time Place and Shadiness of the Chamber that no body could know her on the sodain for Iphigenes there was not one but had his Eyes dazled at the splendour of so rare a Beauty and not one Soul in the whole Company so Envious as not to confess seeing those two Lovers that they were as the happiest so the handsomest Couple in the World Mieslas was the first couzened Insomuch that hee cryed out alowd hee did not think hee had been Father of so beautifull a Daughter What think you Madam said the King turning to the Queen were it not an impiety for a Father to disown so admirable a Daughter Shee seem's to mee an Angell rather answered the Queen and that shee hath more reason to acknowledge the Heaven for her Father than Mieslas Indeed said Florimunda it were great Pitty that such a Jewell should be hidden hence-forwards this Lady will be one of the richest Ornaments of the Court That 's evident replied the King and Liante shall do well to be carefull of her for if so many Ladies were inamoured of her Brother her penetrating glances will ingender no less flames in diverse Courtier 's Hearts The Royall Chamber seemed at that time like a Serene Heaven wherein their Majesties were the greater Lights the others the meaner Planets as the Infanta Florimunda Modestina the Princess Respicia Amiclea Melindra and poore Oloria quite Eclipsed But what Rank can wee give to the fair IPHIGENIA unless it bee that of the Planet that bear 's the Name of the Goddess which causeth Love When Oloria saw that glorious Star shee would have hidden herself from her own Eyes The changing of her Colour shewed sufficiently the distemper of her thoughts but all the Assembly was so attentive in contemplating the incomparable IPHIGENIA that no body took notice of her alterations Shee confess 't her self vanquished by that eminent Beauty therein shee read the cause of Liante's scorns whom in her Heart shee called Traitor for having spoken of Affection to her beeing prepossessed with that Object Shee had nothing left to support her senses in that Despair but this sorry consolation that her Sister Was as much excalled in Beauty as Shee surpassed her in handsomness At length shee excused her unfaithfull Lover as having made a choyce so worthy of his Judgement that shee herself was constain'd to approve it The Queen having for some time held her Eyes attentively fixed on IPHIGENIA'S Face turned to Florimunda saying Sister by the Life of the King my Lord I do not think it is possible to finde through the whole World two Faces more like than those of the Brother and the Sister There is but one Letter's difference in their Names but in their Faces I finde not the least tittle of exception and if Iphigenes were in Women's cloaths I believe we should hardly be able to distinguish them Iphigenes hearing this Discourse notwithstanding the gravity and modest bashfulness wherewith hee had studiously composed his Conntenance could not refrain smiling but with so pleasing a grace as obliged the Infanta to reply Madam There is no difference but in their action For Iphigenes hath I know not what of Martiall in his Face but this Lady hath a certain sofclier look so full of attraction that her sweetness charm's me What Philosophicall severity would not have changed countenance at these Speeches The King had all the pain imaginable to contein himself seeing so universall an Errour Then the Infanta speaking again to the Queen said Madam do's not your Majesty perceive that this Nymph Almeris whom Iphigenes hath chosen for his Wife excepting her complexion which is somewhat tauny by beeing much exposed to the Sun hath some resemblance to Liante I did think so replied the Queen but not to interrupt the King who was speaking I forbore declaring of my sense The King who made a shew of not hearing this Discourse knew that artificiall things like Paint are but of little durance and if hee should differ the discovery of that Secret much longer hee should lose the pleasure of his Stratagem For hee overheard already the Palatine's three friends Pomeran Pisides and Argal saying to each other Would not you say that were Serife I must confess I never saw any Sister so perfectly a Brother Clemencia hearing the high praises every Spectator gave to the perfections of her Naturall Sister would willingly have quitted the quality of Legitimate to have possessed so eminent a Beauty and a secret worm of Envy gnawing her Heart made her conceit that the extolling of Iphigenia's graces was the eclypsing of her's The Prince Cassin who could have wished to himself as many Eyes as the Poëts gave Argus the better to contemplate IPHIGENIA could not forbear saying that Liante was the happiest of Men. As many Heads as many Opinions as many Mouths as many Censures Onely poor Aretuza dreading the success of this adventure was like one that hold's the Porringer whilest the Surgeon is opening his Vein the Cruelty of Mieslas swam in her Fancy his inhumane humour dazled her Eyes with terrour and although shee was in the King's Court a sacred and inviolable Sanctuary and under his protection yet shee trembled like a Pigeon that see 's a Gerfaulcon neer him LIANTE and IPHIGENIA beeing contracted the King promised Mieslas to pay his Daughter's Dowry and gratifie Liante with such pensions and Honours as hee should not grudge to leave him the use of his Estate during Life ordeining that the first male-Male-Child that should proceed of that Marriage should bear the Name and Arms of the house of Mieslas and the rest Liante's All the Ceremony beeing past the Queen and Florimunda according to the ordinary curiosity of great Ladies would have had Iphigenia come neer them that they might examine her Beauties and make triall of her Wit But the King who knew that Gold would not indure the Touch commanded Boleslaüs to re-conduct the new Contracted Couple into his Closet untill hee should give order for their coming forth together with the former like the four wheeles of a Triumphant Chariot Which done beating the Iron while it was hot and not to give leisure to the assistants of discoursing and communicating their Opinions having prepared their attentions by promising to tell them one of the strangest Evenements any Age had produced upon the Theater of the World hee related summarily the History of the Birth Education and Fortune of Iphigenes with the principall Passages already declared in this Narration And then turning to Mieslas Behold said hee Seigneur Palatine the memorable Marvell your Rigour hath produced are not you happy to have brought into the World a Daughter that surpasseth so many Men in Valour and Generosity and so many Women in Beauty And let mee tell you if for preserving this Miracle of Nature you should
upon the lips from spreading its poyson upon the purest innocence Persons which are seated in the highest place upon the World's Theater are commonly the subjects of obloquies as the Butts and Blanks of Calumnie The King besides the merits of Mieslas and the remembrance of his former services saw joyned with a ravishing presence such remarkable vertues and perfections in his Son that as a just prudent and liberall Prince hee could do no less than shew the esteem hee made of so many rare qualities which rendred him the spectacle and marvell of his Court. And as this life is a perpetuall Game full of contrarieties and vicissitudes the disgrace and falling of one being the advantage and raising of another as in Heaven when some Stars rise upon the Horizon others at the same time set when some are seen others are hid it being impossible that all should appear to us at once So at the Court severall Favorites are incompatible they strive to thrust each other out of their Prince's affection This drew much envy and many quarrells upon the brave Iphigenes but in all these contestations Hee came off with such good success and signs of courage that as the files do polish and smooth the Iron by biting it and the waters of the Deluge did raise the Ark by falling upon it so these malicious oppositions did increase the value and reputation of Iphigenes Insomuch that the King whose solid Judgment was able perfectly to distinguish the Precious from the Vile and knew what extreme difference there was betwixt the Merit of that vertuous Gentleman and the Demerits of so many others of his age who lost themselves in gameing and deboistness did an act worthy of so great a Prince to seat his favour in so good a place withdrawing it from those who had not purchased his countenance by Desert but Art imitating those Women that paint who make borrowed and supposed Beauties be beloved in them rather than Naturall This transported with a desperate fury a yong Noble-man named Augustus Son to the Palatine of Vilne in Lithuania Hee having been bred Page to the King had found the means so to insinuate himself into His Majestie 's favour that hee had obteined a great Estate of his gift and a considerable charge in the Court whereby hee was become so haughty and insolent that his humor was insupportable Seeing then that Iphigenes entring into Grace was likely to cause his Ruine and that the King turning his Eyes from him and fixing them on this new Object hee should bee supplanted there was no sort of Bravado's and Treacheries that hee left unattempted to provoke the patience of our innocent Cavalier But his Discretion augmenting the Arrogance of the Lithuanian whose abuses drew one day some language from Iphigenes mouth which gave him to understand that hee feared his Biting no more than his Barking His frowns and threats lightning which presaged a tempest neer at hand were cause that the King interposing his Authority cut off this Contestation in the root by commanding Augustus to contein himself within the bounds of his devoir or quit the Court. This put him into an excessive rage judging by this Soverign Oracle which way the King's Heart inclin'd Envy which murthereth low spirits cruelly gnawed this Lithuanian's but because this vice is so ridiculous that it dares not shew it self hee bit his bridle in silence feeling his heart pierced with a thousand pricks to see that his Competitor high in the King's favour acquired every day new honours and that as when a pretious balsome is spilt the good odour of his reputation dilated it self into all parts Iphigenes was never mentioned but with tearms of high commendation as not seen without astonishment If his Face was the glory and delight of those Eyes that beheld him his Actions full of vertue and winning gracefulness purhcased him the quality so rare in this age not only of Irreprehensible but of the most accomplisht of Gentlemen Hereupon Envy who is sick at other men's well being made Augustus feel such torment in his mind as none of all those invented by the barbarous Tyrants mentioned in Histories could parallel A just Vice in the unjust hatred it bears to Vertue since it serves to torture him that gives it admittance into his soul But the mischief is that as the winds inclosed a long time within the bowells of the Earth at length burst out with horrible Eart quakes that dis-joyn the frame of nature So the furies of Envy suppress'd a good while with silence most commonly disclose themselves all at once by most tragicall successes In all honorable Exercises wherein yong Gentlemen use to shew their activity and skill Iphigenes always had the better There were no Rings but for his Courses so exactly could hee command his Horse and Lance At the tiltings his gracefull garb ravished all the spectators At dancings there were no Eyes but for him And as the King's bountry to him was very great his Expences Sumptuousness Liberality and Magnificence increased proportionably No body was so handsomly dressed so richly attired so well attended so well mounted so well accompanied as hee and all this with so much judgement that it rendred his pomp doubly admirable Hee was no Gamester at all neither was hee guilty of running into any unnecessary Excesses by which means hee was the abler to appear with the Nobler train Mieslas ravisht with the Vertues and prudent Conduct of his Son became more reserved and moderate in his expences imitating him as much as might be possible and although his credit was great with the King it was nothing in comparison of his Son 's For without entring into the quality of importunate being very circumspect in managing his Master's favour Hee alwayes received of the King more than hee demanded conteining himself within the compass of what hee might or ought to do if hee had been a greedy seeker of his own advantage But as the Shadow follows those that fly it so doth Prosperity those that look not after it In less than one year's time the King gave him a whole County with some Offices of Castellains and destined him also for a Palatinate assoon as Age had furnished him with Experience and Authority requisite If Fathers were susceptible of Jealousie against their Children Mieslas had reason enough to conceive some against his Son seeing the rarity of his beauty and discretion had thrust into his Hands in an instant a Fortune which his long services could not attain but it is not with her as with a Goale where those that run fastest come the soonest at it Hee was very glad to be surmounted in that by Iphignes after the custom of most Parents who desre nothing more than to see their Children higher and more advanced in the World than themselves The Queen a vertuous and wise Princess and who saw but with the King her Husband's Eyes could not but esteem him whom shee saw His Majesty so highly
prize and cherish and who possessed so great a share in his Favour For it is not seldom seen in Courts that Favorites have more power in effect though not so much state in appearance than the Queens and that to accomplish their desires in some cases these are glad to have recourse to their mediation In such a condition a man had need have a good brain not to be made drunk with the fuming vapors of Favour and a strong sight not to be dazled with the splendor of so great a Light for what Soul is there so reserved that would not feele it self puff't up at least somewhat more than glad at such a height of Fortune as rendreth in some sort inferior a person who acknowledgeth no Superior but God It was in this particular that Iphigenes made chiefly appear the Excellency of his Wisdom demeaning himself with such moderation and humility towards the Queen that hee was in a no less degree of favour with her than with the King so far forth as to receive many considerable presents from her hand not without some murmuring of the Ladies about her person who wondered to see her bestow such liberalities upon a Man contrary to her custom and in their opinion somewhat beyond Decency But shee conforming her self to her Husband's humour did onely shew by this imitation how much shee honored the King seeing it was enough that Hee esteemed any one to make her shew him the like respect and Countenance Indeed it is probable if shee had known all the mystery or if the unbridled lusts of the Orientalls could fall into the imagination of the Septentrionalls that Jealousie might have possest her with some ill thoughts of Iphigenes But the incomparable Chastity and Modesty that apeared in all his proceedings begat him so admirable an Opinion that all the Men in the Court and indeed wihout danger would freely have trusted all their Wives to his keeping as if hee had been the Prince of the grand Signor's Eunuches There was never seen a Youth so discreet a Beauty so chast a Favorite so courteous a Greatness so affable a Fortune so reserved an Elevation so moderate a great Courage so humble a Generosity so judicious Hee was the Spectacle of astonishment the Miracle of Grace the Ornament of Nature the Glory of his Country the Joy of those that had dependance on him the Honor of his Linage and we may add the Flower of Polonia the Eye of the Court the Orient of Vertues and the Occident of Vice At all the Justs and Turnaments made for publick rejoycings where Iphigenes was of the answering Party and alwayes Conqueror Augustus who studied nothing more than to meet with some occasion to do him an affront or mischief made this Opportunity the Baud of his base Design like those Traytors who in a Salve of Infantry at a Trayning where they should use none but Powder do charge their Muskets with Bullets to shoot at some particular Enemies For where 's all Gentlemen did run with but slight Arms because their Lances were only pegg'd purposely that they might break in pieces at the least touch that exercise having no other end than to delight the Spectators Augustus being to run against Iphigenes furnished himself with a Lance plated with Iron and ground very sharp intending to pierce him through or at least to make him so rudely measure the ground with his Body that hee should serve for a laughing-stock to all that saw him But the Powers who love Justice hate Iniquity and above all do abhor Traytors turned this malicious desire upon Augustus own head For missing his Rest his Lance slided along the smooth guilded Arms of his Adversary who not failing of his aym broke his all to shivers with a very becoming grace but one of the splinters falling with the point downwards pierced Augustus thigh which put him to an intolerable pain The furious Lithuanian seeing his blood was inraged with Choler that hee was hurt and no less mad for Spight that hee had mist his thrust Insomuch that without considering that his wound proceeded from Accident and not from Iphigenes will as if hee had been highly offended in his honour hee returned with full career his Sword drawn to revenge that affront upon Iphigenes who protesting innocence and declaring that hee was sorry for that chance hee cryed out to him to draw or hee would kill him vomiting against him a thousand injurious reproaches not becoming the mouth of a Cavalier Iphigenes who was not used to such caresses put himself in a posture to receive him and make him feel the punishment of his Arrogance Augustus came full speed with his Sword 's point towards Iphigenes to run him through or bear him to the ground But Iphigenes who had more sleight than strength putting by that thrust charged him so home that of a furious Assailant he had enough to do to prove himself a good Defendant The King who with the Queen was present at this shew seeing this Quarrell begun by Augustus who was the Aggressor commanded them to give over fighting But the inraged Lithuanian refused saying the King was Master of his Estate and Life not of his Honour which hee fancied was then highly interessed This proud reply so incensed the King that hee commanded his Guards to cut him in peices presently mean time the Combat continued and notwithstanding diverse Cavalier's intervening to hinder them Augustus being mounted upon a Horse as full of fire as his Master of fury made himself passage in desight of all those that indeavoured to separate them And being even ready to fall like a hasty storm upon his Adversary with a quick back-blow the dexterous Iphigenes slit the nostrills of his Courser who foaming and breathing fire out of his mouth reared up on end and flung so desperately with pain that casting his Rider with his heels upwards added to the hurt upon his Thigh the breaking in pieces of a Leg. Iphigenes nimbly leaping from his Ginet to give Augustus the contentment to fight on foot also though hee could have made his Horse passing and repassing trample out his guts found him in no condition to contend So without taking any other advantage than that of making him deliver his Sword hee gave him his life before all that Assembly notwithstanding the King gave order he should bee kill'd for having disobeyed his Command This done Iphigenes prostrated himself before his Majesty ceasing not to supplicate untill he had changed his Indignation into Clemencio and obteined Life for him who would have procured his Death Augustus was carried to his own house loaded with as much infamy and shame as Iphigenes reurned covered with the Laurells of triumph and glory By chance one of his friends taking up Augustus Lance found it made purposely to doe mischief being very strongly plated with Iron and sharp-pointed sufficient evidence of his unworthy intentions This being told the King hee banished him the Court for ever
faith to mee by the indissolvable tyes of a most sacred Hymen Thus did this loving Spouse entertain her troubled mind but Shame opposing her Design if there can bee any shame in the legitimate desires of a chast wife or rather the impossibiity of disengaging her self from under Aretuza's wing and the strict guard of the too severe Perpetua made her seek in Patience the common Remedy of all her discontents How often did shee please her fancy with the imagination of transvesting her self and by the help of a Man ' s disguise deceiving the eyes of those that watched her deportments to convey her self into the Court to her beloved Iphigenes But that Honour whereof shee was so Jealous did choak this Resolution at its birth considering that such an Equipage would not only make her the discourse of inconsiderate Censurers but in stead of rendring her Husband a testimony of her Love might perhaps attract upon her Innocence his Dislike At length not to do any thing unbeseeming her quality shee resolved to hearken to Modesty and let Discretion prevail over all those Surges of Passion Shee comforted her self with her letters from Iphigenes the words in every line whereof were as many protestations of Constancy and new oaths of Fidelity The severall vertues shee had remarked in her dear Husband were as many Proofs and those Proofs as many Assurances of his invariable Purity whereupon shee reposed all her thoughts And these thoughts which often made her sequester her self into sad unfrequented places were her most delicious recreations The shade of woods the coolness of Gardens and the agreeable murmuring of Fountains fomented in her brest that humour which nourished it self with the dear remembrance of her adored Husband's perfections And if such were the resentments of this Turtle being separated from the presence of her mate Think not that Iphigenes felt any less discomfort amongst all his greatnesses which hee would willingly have shared to his dear Friend and Wife or to have rendred the contentment perfect have injoyed in their presence His affection to Modestina and the Love hee bare Liante never suffered him to take any rest notwithstanding the multitude of Felicities wherewith the King's favour had in a manner overwhelmed him Thus in this world wee can have nothing perfect Those whom wee do many times imagine seeing them born up by the wings of the Wind of a Prince's favour to Swim in an Ocean of Delights do find amongst the agreeable flowers of Pleasure some secret prickle of Sorrow which marreth the harmony of their Prosperity Of so many Objects whereunto the Court did invite Iphigenes to affix his affections hee saw as few that hee deemed worthy of the application of his thoughts as Hee who looked for a Man with a candle at mid-day amongst a great Assembly in a publick place Whether the want of Freedome and Vertue which is great amongst Courtiers made him meet with a scarcity of friends in that multitude which environed him or whether which is very probable the first impressions of affection had so seasoned the new Vessell of his Heart that here was no possibility of making it take any other tincture or tast than that which hee had relished in the conversation of Modestina and Liante the sweet Objects of his education and most tender years His Disposition being of an excellent temperature and his Heart no coveter of Wealth Avarice and Vanity which are the two Bonds the two Charms and as I may say the two poisoned Tets of the Court-favour had very little interest in his Soul And Voluptuousness which according to the saying of an antient Orator hath no place of abode in the Kingdom of Vertue could find no access in his Body too Honest not to bee Continent No wonder then if the fetters of the Court though made of Gold and pretious Stones were irksome unto him and the sincere chaste and true affection which hee bore those two absent Objects of his Love made him in the midst of so many pleasures languish with the desire of their presence The passionate resentments of his Soul for this detested Separation He feelingly exprest in severall letters to Modestina and Liante which they interchangeably communicated to each other according to the permission of their Overseers in order to Iphigenes particular injunction who at his departure from them did earnestly intreat Liante to take as intended to him the affectionate letters hee should write to his Sister protesting that the Friendship hee did bear him was no less tender nor less ardent than his Love to Modestina as may easily be believed by one that knows the reason whereof Liante as yet was ignorant One day Modestina and her Brother having been allarmed by letters from the faithfull Iphigenes with the Princess Respicia's design of breaking their Marriage and giving him her Daughter to wife whereunto hee had been Sollicited by Mieslas whom shee had gained But that hee had rejected their propositions choosing rather to lose his life than his Loyalty Hee received letters from them full of complaints and stinging resentments of Jealousie Modestina feining to fear or fearing in effect that the rare Beauties and great Honors whereof the Court is the Element would in time ravish from her the Mind as well as the Body of her Iphigenes And Liante writing that the acquaintance of great Ones would perchance make him not value the friendship of meaner Persons in which rank hee placed himself Whereunto a Reply was speedily dispatcht which conteining large expressions of a holy and reall affection comforted a little those two tender hearts which languished one for her Husband the other for his sincere Friend But why do I say comforted I should rather say that it caused the same effect in the sorrow of their Privation as water in a Smith ' s forge being cast upon burning coals whose heat it doth increase Or as those hot drops of raine extorted by the Sun during the ardors of Summer which rather Scald than Wet Indeed if wee measured their discontents for his absence with the satisfaction they would have received by the presence and possession of Iphigenes wee might judge of its extremity However not to give Iphigenes any occasion to bee afflicted at their suspitions they made him understand by Letters how great a confidence they had in his promise and constancy acknowedging that those honours which are accustomed to change the dispositions of weak and vulgar Souls are below the thoughts of them that place their honour in their Faith and who are not Reeds of the Desart in unconstancy but Pillars of the Temple of Stability By this reciprocall intelligence of Letters these three loving Hearts mainteined the harmony of their concord that served for Oyl to nourish the Lamp of their mutuall affection Mean time Iphigenes blessed with the dew of Heaven and Earth was the true Child of Increase and the Nursling of Fortune Fortune in him seeming to have lost those two qualities of
Blinde and being an Enemy to Vertue since shee knew so worthily and so abundantly to acknowledge his Merit The greatest secret to gain Fortune is to be Just to abstein from Evill and do Good for it is with Justice as with Wisdom all sorts of felicity do attend her The same success doth not accompany those who by oblique and undirect wayes do seek to accomplish their pretensions in imitation of Ships who having but a bare quarter wind do laveer and turn severall wayes before they can arrive at their intended Port. The Princess Respicia being stung with that Wasp that rob's Minds of repose sollicited Mieslas without intermission to press Iphigenes to the rupture of his non consummated Marriage and become Spouse to her Daughter Simphoroza Which proposition jumped with the Father's disposition being equally greedy after her Wealth and Honour especially the Prince Cassin likewise promising to marry Clemencia As for this last Marriage Iphigenes's consent was easily obteined thereunto nay more hee desired it might be accomplished to draw that thorn out of his foot I mean that point of Jealousie which sticking at his Heart did cause him to fear lest Liante should bee so deeply ingaged in Clemencia's Love that Hee should not be able to conquer his inclinations when the time for his Revelation and Metamorphosis should be expired But for the other hee labored all hee could to hinder it alleadging his Faith given the Honour of his Word his Affection to Modestina and the Obligations hee had to the fervency of her Love whom hee would have them esteem as his Wife All this Mieslas after the manner of great Persons who use to make and unmake Marriages according to their Interests called Superstitious and frivolous Scruples telling his Son by way of reproach that hee was too Religious for a Courtier and too strict an observer of his word for a Favortie At least sayd hee Do not oppose the advancement of your Sister's Fortune by your too fond inclinations for Modestina whereupon Iphigenes sodainly replying promised That hee would contribute the utmost of his endeavours to further the Match between the Prince Cassin and his Sister Clementia and to that effect hee became a frequent Visiter of Respicia who did express such extraordinary kindness in her receptions that Iphigenes might easily have perceived the full scope of her thoughts and whereunto did tend those Nets which shee prepared for him For producing her Daughter before him rather loaden than deck't with Jewells besides her Youth being yet Infantine in a manner an Age that hath neither Beauty nor Ugliness her design was to induce him to make a Change and catch him in her own Trap by attracting his looks upon her self But Iphigenes being what hee was ran no danger of being intangled in such Snares this Bait and Line were not proper for that Fish Love how blind soever hee is esteemed hath Linxe's Eyes which penetrate to the very thoughts Stanislas Palatine of Vratislaü being a Widower in the strength of his Age and having no other issue than an onely Daughter had cast his Eyes upon the Princess Respicia as the Party of all the Court most suitable to his quality Shee through a vanity common to all Women who take a pride in seeing themselves Observed Courted and Adored admitted of his Visits and by a tacite consentment approved of his Suite in not rejecting it For yong Widdows that suffer Men to accost them that give ear to their offers of Service and their protestations of Fidelity do seem as Mistresses of their Motions to give these Suiters some hold upon their liberty or at least to foment a hope in them that their Vows shall not be displeasing This Noble-man holding Respicia for his Mistress was not well satisfied to see her visited by our Favorite whose glory dazled all the World and effaced the luster of the most Eminent persons But his displeasure was redoubled when hee perceived by Respicia's actions and countenance that shee participated of the Court-vertigo for this fair Podolian At last hee grew beyond all temper having intelligence of the Marriage which was projected betwixt the Prince Cassin and Clementia for hee Marrying the Mother intended to match his Daughter to her Son and by their double Alliance to draw the Princesse's vast estate into his own hands But when hee heard of the advantages that were offered to Iphigenes if hee would take to Wife the Princesse's Daughter Simphoroza this raised so furious a disorder in his Mind that hee believed the Favour would ruine all his pretentions if hee did not speedily rid his Hands of the Favorite Already Respicia had no more any Eyes to see him no Mouth to speak to him no reception for his Visits hee perceived nothing in her Actions but a cold Reservedness in her Countenance Disdain at his arrivall Sadness at his departure Joy apparent signs of his being in disgrace if hee prevent it not all his hoes are vanished Ambition kindled his Love Love suscitated Jealousie Jealousie hatched Despair and Despair precipitated him into such a rage as made him espouse the wickedest of resolutions to Sacrifice to his Revenge the Innocent blood of him who thought nothing less than to supplant him in the Princess Respicia's Favour The Third Book ARGUMENT The Combate betwixt Stanislas and Iphigenes Stanislas killed by Iphigenes The manner of his Death The Palatinate of Uratislau given by the King to Iphignes The Envy of the Courtiers and their plots against Iphigenes The King made jealous of the Queen Shee no lesS umbragious of him and both for Iphigenes Iphigenes by the King's command is difmiss'd the Court His generous deportment in this Disgrace Perpetua having discovered the intelligence betwixt Liante and Clemencia advertiseth Aretuza and Mieslas Liante made close Prisoner by express command from Mieslas Iphigenes obtein's leave of the King to pass through Podolia into his Palatinate under pretence of seeing his Mother and taking his Wife Modestina with him Mieslas having indeavored in vain to disswade him command's Modestina to be imprisoned and strictly garded in one of his strongest Castles The King 's and Queen's deportments when Iphigenes came to take leave of them His speches to them at his departure The manner of his retiring from the Court The Princess Respicia having followed him into Podolia presses Mieslas to make him repudiate Modestina in favour of her Daughter Simphoroza His Evasions ONe Day Stanislas attended by divers Gentlemen besides his ordinary Train on Horse-back after the Polonian manner met Iphigenes accompanied like a Favorite And it being in a publick place where the Noble-men used to take their pleasures Hee accosted him desiring that Hee might speak two or three words to him in private Iphigenes who for Courtesie had not his equall through the whole Universe presently left his company and being retired some little distance Stanislas said to him in a fierce arrogant manner That hee porceived hee had a design to establish a