hell to earth purposely to erraise them from Earth to Heaven and so religiously to give and consecrate both them and our selves and soules from sinne to righteousnesse and consequently with as much felicitie as glorie from Satan to God THere dwelt in the Citie of Avero in Portugall an ancient Nobleman termed Don Gasper de Vilarezo rich in either qualitie of earthly greatnesse as well of blood as revenewes who was neerely allied to the Marquesse of Denia in Spaine as marrying a Neece of his named Dona Alphanta a Lady exquisitely endued with the ornaments of Nature and the perfections of Grace for she was both faire and vertuous that adding lustre to these and these returning and reflecting embellishment to that which made her infinitely beloved of her husband Vilarezo and exceedingly honoured of all those who had the honour to know her and to crowne the felicitie of their affections and marriage they had three hopefull children one sonne and two daughters he termed Don Sebastiano and they the Donas Catalina and Berinthia Hee having attained his fifteenth yeare was by his Father made Page to Count Manriques de Lopez and continually followed him at Court and they from their tenth to their thirteenth yeares lived sometimes at Coimbra otherwhiles at Lisbone but commonly at Avero with their Parents who so carefully trained them up in those qualities and perfections requisite for Ladies of their ranke as they were no sooner seene but admired of all who saw them But before wee make a farther progression in this Historie thereby the better to unfold and anatomize it I hold it rather necessarie then impertinent that wee take a cursory though not a curious survey of both these young Ladies perfections and imperfections of their vices and vertues their beautie and deformitie that as objects are best knowne by the opposition of their contraries so by the way of comparison wee may distinguish how to know and know how to distinguish of the disparitie of these two sisters in their inclinations affections and delineations Catalina was somewhat short of stature but corpulent of body Berinthia tall but slender Catalina was of taint and complexion more browne then faire Berinthia not browne but sweetly faire or fairely sweet Catalina had a disdainefull Berinthia a gracious eye Catalina was proud Berinthia humble In a word Catalina was of humour extreamely imperious ambitious and revengefull and Berinthia modestly courteous gracious and religious So these two young Ladies growing now to bee capable of marriage many gallant Cavaliers of Avero become Servants and Suiters to them as well in respect of their Fathers Nobilitie and wealth as for their owne beauties and vertues yea their fame is generally so spread that from Lisbone and most of the chiefest Cities of Portugall divers Nobles and Knights resort to their Father Don Vilarezo's house to proffer up their affections to the dignitie and merits of his daughters But his age finding their youth too young to bee acquainted with the secrets and mysteries of marriage puts them all off either in generall termes or honourable excuses as holding the matching of his daughters of so eminent and important consideration as hee thinkes it fit hee should advisedly consult and not rashly conclude them which affection and care of Parents to their Children is still as honourable as commendable Don Sebastiano their brother being often both at Madrid Vallidolyd and Lisbone becomes very intimately and singularly acquainted with Don Antonio de Rivereâ—… a noble and rich young Cavalier by birth likewise a Portugall of the Citie of Elvas who was first and chiefe Gentleman to the Duke of Bragansa and the better to unite and perpetuate their familiaritie hee proffers him his eldest sister in marriage and prayes him at his first conveniencie to ride over to Avero to see her offering himselfe to accompany him in this journey and to second him in that enterprize as well towards his father as sister Don Antonio very kindly and thankfully listeneth to Don Sebastiano's courteous and affectionate proffer and knowing it so farre from the least disparagement as it was a great happinesse and honour for him to match himselfe in so noble a Family they assigne a day for that journey against when Don Antonio makes readie his preparatives and traine in all respects answerable to his ranke and generositie They arrive at Avero where Don Gasper de Vilarezo for his owne worth and his sonnes report receives Don Antonio honourably and entertaines him courteously he visiteth and saluteth first the mother then the two young Ladies her daughters and although hee cannot dislike Catalina yet so precious and amiable is sweet Berâ—…nthia in 〈◊〉 eye as hee no sooner sees but loves her yea her piercing eye her vermillion châ—…ke and delicate stature act such wonders in his heart as hee secretly proclaimes himselfe her Servant and publikely shee his Mistresse to which end hee takes time and opportunitie at advantage and so reveales her so much in termes that intimate the servencie of his zeale and endeare the zeale of his affection and constancy Berinthia entertaines his motion and speeches with many blushes which now and then cast a rosiat vaile ore the milke-white lillies of her complexion and to speake truth if Antonio bee inamoured of Berinthia no lesse is shee of him so as not only their eyes but their contempâ—…tions and hearts seeme already to sympathize and burne in the flame of an equall affection In a word by stealth hee courts her often And not â—…o deâ—…aine my Reader in the intricate Labyrinth of the whole passages of their loves Antonio for this time finds Berinthia in this resolution that as she hath not the will to grant so she hath not the power to deny his suit the rest time will produce But so powerfully doe the beautie and vertues of sweet Berinthia worke in 〈◊〉 his affections that impatient of delayes hee findes out her father and mother and in due termes requisite for him to give and they receive demaunds their daughter Berinthia in marriage Vilarezo thanking Antonio for this honour replies that of his two daughters hee thinkes Berinthia his younger as unworthy of him as Catalina his eldest worthily bestowed on him Antonio answeres that as he cannot deny but Catalina is faire yet hee must confesse that Berinthia is more beautifull to his eye and more pleasing to his thoughts Vilarezo lastly replies that he will first match Catalina ere Berinthia and that he is as content to give him the first as not as yet resolved to dispose of the second and so for this time they on these termes depart Vilarezo taking Antonio and his sonne Sebastiano with him to hunt a Stag whereof his adjacent Forrest hath plentie But whiles Antonio his body pursues the Stag his thoughts are flying after the beautie of his deare and faire Berinthia who as the Paragon of Beautie and Nature sits Empresse and Queene-Regent in the Court of his contemplations and affections hee is wounded at
chiefest Mannor house with eight hundred Crownes of yearely Revenew and all his Goods and Chattels To Hautemont his second son he gave his second Mannor house worth foure hundred Crownes yearely and fifteene hundred Crownes in his purse by his Testament Estates which though it came short of their bloud yet it exceeded that of most of the Gentlemen their neighbours and is held in France at least the double if not the triple of as much here with us in England So having neither the happinesse or the care to be accompanied with any sister or other brothers they interchangeably sweare a strict league of brotherly love and deare affection each to other which by their Vertues and Honours they sweare shall never receive end but with the end of their lives They many times consult together for the conduction and improving of their Estates which they promise to manage with more frugality than lustre and with more solide discretion than vaine ostentation or superfluity and not to live in Paris or to follow the Court but to build up their residence in the Countrey To which end they cut off many unprofitable mouths both of servants horses and hounds which their father kept They likewise vow each to other to bee wonderfull charie and carefull in their mariages as well fore-seeing and knowing it to be the greatest part of their earthly felicity or misery So here we may see and observe many faire promises rich designes and resolutions and many sweet covenants voluntarily drawne up betweene these two brothers which if they make good and performe no doubt but the end thereof will bee successefull and prosperous unto them or if otherwise the contrary But before I wade farther in the streame and current of this History I must first declare that by the death of Vimory the father and by the custome of France we must now wholly abandon and take away the title of Hautemont from the second brother futurely to give him that of Harcourt the eldest and that from Harcourt the eldest to give him that of Vimory their father for by the right and vertue of the premised reasons these are now become their proper names and appellations which the Reader is prayed to observe and remember A yeare and halfe is not fully expired and past away since their father past from Earth to Heaven but the eldest brother Monseiur De Vimory being extreamly ambitious and covetous of wealth and understanding that a rich Counsellour of the Court of Parliament of Dijon named Monseiur De Basigni was dead and had left a very rich widow of some forty yeares of age named Madamoyselle Masserina he earnestly seekes her in marriage Shee is of short stature corpulent and fat of a coale-blacke haire and if fame towards her bee a true and not a tatling goddesse she hath and still is a lover of Veâ—…s and a Votaresse who often sacrificeth to Cupids lascivious Altars and Shrines Harcourt is very averse and bitter against this match for his brother They have many serious consultations hereon Hee alleageth him the inequality of her age and birth in comparison of his her corpulency the ill getting of her Husbands goods who was held a corrupt Lawyer and as the voyce of the world went who gained his wealth by the teares and curses of many of his ruined and decayed Clients and when he saw that nothing would prevaile to disswade his brother from her he rounds him in his eare that it was spoken and bruted in Diion that she was not as chaste as rich nor so continent as covetous Vimory is all enraged hereat and chargeth Harcourt his brother to name the reporters of this foule scandall vomited forth quoth he against the vertues and honour of chaste Masserina Harcourt replies that hee speakes it wholly upon fame no way upon knowledge much lesse upon beleefe so Vimory being wilfully deafe to his brothers advice and requests and preferring Masserina's wealth to her honesty hee marries her But shee is so wise for her selfe as first both by promise and contract shee ties him to this condition that he shall receive all her rents which are some twelve hundred Crownes per Annum she to put her ready money to Use into whose hands she pleaseth and he also to have the one halfe of the interest money but the principall still to remaine in her owne right propriety and possession and as well in her life as death to be wholly at her owne disposing Not long after Harcourt being at a great wedding of a Gentleman his Cousin Germaine at the City of Troyes in Champagne he there at the balles or publike dancing espies a most sweet and beautifull young Gentlewoman whom he presently fancieth and affects for his wife He enquires what shee is and findes her to be named Madamoyselle La Precoverte daughter to an aged Gentleman of that City tearmed Monseiur de la Vaquery Harcourt courts the daughter seeks the father finds the first willing and the second desirous but at last he plainly and honestly informes Harcourt that his daughters chiefest wealth are her vertues and beautie that he hath not much land and lesse mony that hee hath two great suits of Law for store of Lands depending in the Parliament of Diion which promise him store of money and that he will futurely impart a great part thereof to him if he will marrie his daughter the which for the present he tels him he is content to make good confirme to him both by bond contract Harcourt loves his faire young Mistresse La Precoverte so tenderly and dearly as he is ready to espouse her on those tearmes but he will first acquaint his brother Vimory therewith and take his advice therein Vimory informes his brother Harcourt that he knowes Monseiur De Vaquery of Troyes to be a very poore Gentleman that most of his lands are morgaged out and in great danger never to be redeemed that his law suits are as uncertaine as the following thereof chargeable Harcourt extols the beauty of La Precoverte to him to the skie Vimory replies that beauty fades and withers with a small time and that those who preferre it to wealth are many times enforced to feed on repentance in stead of content and joy and to looke poverty in the face in stead of prosperity But Harcourt having deeply setled his affection on La Precoverte he rejecteth this true and whole sâ—…ne counsell of his brother and so marries her When forgetting his former promise to his brother hee in a small time turnes a great Prodigall abandoneth himselfe to all filthy vices and beastly course of life and as a most deboshed and gracelesse Husband within one yeare hee for no cause quarrelleth very often with this his faire and deare wife then whom neither Champagne nor Burgundie had a more beautifull or vertuous young Gentlewoman shee was of stature tall and slender of a bright flaxen haire a gratious eye a modest countenance a pure
immediately in comes Gasparino with his Hat in his hand and his Rapier by his side he courts and salutes Christeneta with many amorous speeches and sweet Complements shee prepares to receive him but in stead of curteous entertainment gives him a bloudy welcome Her words or rather her watch-word are these Gasparino quoth shee this Garden is the place where I had my first conference with Pisani and where I purpose to have my last with you At which words Bianco and Brindoli rush forth of a Bowre and with many wounds kill him dead at their feet but hee had first the leisure to draw and for a while very valiantly defended himselfe giving each of them severall wounds Christeneta seeing Gasparino felld to the ground fearing that he was not fully dead and to prevent his crying she runnes to him thrusts her Handkercher into his mouth and to shew her selfe more like a Tygre then a Woman and a Devill then a Christian she with a small Ponyard or Stilleto stabs him many times thorow the body and spurning him with her feet utters this revengefull and bloudy speech This I sacrifice to the memory of my deare Love Pisani And so Bianco and Brindoli take this murdered body of Gasparino and tying a great stone to it threw it into the Well of â—…he Garden and the better to conceale this damnable act they flye by a Posterne â—…oore and Christeneta thinking to cover and shrowd her sinne under the cloake of Piety and devotion forsakes the Garden and so unseene of any earthly eye betakes her selfe to the Nunnes Church where she falls an her knees but with so prophane a devotion as shee did no way repent but rather triumph at this Murther But this her hypocrisy shall cost her deare Wee have here seene this horrible and cruell Murther committed and acted and the Murtherers themselves by this time all fled and gotten to their homes Yea Christeneta gloryeth in her revenge and Bianco and Brindoli in their money so as they now â—…hinke themselves free and past all danger but they shall be deceived in their hopes for Divine providence hath decreed otherwise And here we come to the detection and punishment of this Murther wherein Gods mercy and justice his providence and his glory doe most miraculously shine and appeare The Nunnes being in their Cells at their Oraisons heare the flynking of swords and so they advertise their Abbesse or Governesse thereof who gives the Alarum in the house They descend to the Garden to see what this rumour might be they finde the Posterne open and the Alleyes very much sprinkled and gored with blood they suspect Murther but neither finde nor see any either living or dead they send to acquaint the Prefect and Provost of the City herewith who repayre to the Garden and as before finde much bloud but see nobody they make strict inquiry and search in the Ditches hedges thickets and vaults of the Garden but finde nothing only they forget to search the Well Then to finde what those Fighters were they thinke of a Policie as worthy of them as they of their office they give a secret charge to all the ehirurgions of the city to reveale them if any having new wounds came that night or the next morning to them to be cured whereupon Rhanutiâ—… one of the chiefest Chirurgions informes them that he about an houre since had dressed Bianco and Brindoli two souldiers of the city of nine severall wounds which they newly received The Prefect and Provost advertised hereof cause them to bee brought before them whom they found both together where no doubt they had consulted They enquire who wounded them They answer they had a Quarrell betwixt themselves and so they fought it out Being demanded againe where and when they fought they looked each on other and knowing that Christeneta was safe at home and Gasparino close in the well they instantly replyed It was in the Nunnes Garden at Saint Clayre and at sixe of the clock in the morning which agreeing to the Nunnes relation gave end to this businesse for that time especially But though they delude and blinde the eyes of men yet they cannot nor shall not those of God And now although these murtherers have thus escaped yet they prepare to forfake and leave Pavia for feare to be afterwards discovered But they shall be prevented in their subtleties for the hand of God will speedily arrest them Now wee must observe that Gasparino being found wanting two whole nights from his Lodging and his Lackey gathering no newes of him at Vituri's house where hee usually frequented to visite and court his Mistresse Christeneta he informes the Host of the house hereof and he like an honest man doubting the worst after the custome of Italy acquainted the Prefect and Provost thereof who like judicious and wise Magistrates examined Gasparino's Lackey when he last saw his Master and where The Lackey answeres Hee parted from his Chamber yesterday morning betwixt five and sixe with his Prayer-booke in his hand as if hee were going to Church but commanded him not to follow him and since hee saith hee saw him not And now by the providence of God the Lackeyes relation gives a little glimpse and glimmering light to the discovery of this Murther for the Magistrates see that the houre of Gasparino's departure from his Chamber and that of Bianco and Brindoli's fighting doe agree as also his Booke and the Nunnes Church beare some shew of coherence and probability Whereupon they guided as it were by the very immediat finger of God resolve and determine to apprehend and forthwith to imprison both Bianco and Brindoli who the very next day had thought to have slipt downe the River to Ferara and so to Venice They are examined concerning Gasparino they vow he is a Gentleman they have neither knowne nor seene The Magistrates hold it fit they should be put to the Rack which is as speedily performed but these stoute Villaines firmely and constantly maintaine their first speech and although they make sute to be freed and released yet the Prefect holds it necessary to continue them in prison and withall to make a more narrow and exacter search in the Nunnes Garden Christeneta being at the first advertised that Bianco and Brindoli were dead is thereat astonished and amazed and so resolves to flye but being advertised they had already suffered torment and revealed nothing she againe resolves to stay which indeed she doth but it is the Iustice and mercy of God that keepes this bloudy bird within her nest The Prefect and Provost as being inspired from heaven continue constant in their resolutions to make a second search in the Garden for Murther which they doe and very curiously leaving no place unsearched at last it pleased the Lord to put into the Provosts minde to search the Well which the day before they had omitted Hee acquaints the Prefect herewith who with much alacrity approves hereof and so causing it to be
and France was shortly followed by a peace as a Mother by the daughter Which was concluded at the Hage by his Excellency of Nassaw and Marquis Spinola being chiefe Commissioners of either party Alsemero seeing his hopes frustrated that the keyes of peace had now shut up the Temple of Warre and that Muskets Pikes and corslets that were wont to grace the fields where now rusting by the walls he is irresolute what course to take resembling those fishes who delight to live in cataracts and troubled waters but die in those that are still and quiet For hee spurnes at the pleasures of the Court and refuseth to haunt and frequent the companies of Ladies And so not affecting but rather disdaining the pompe bravery and vanity of Courtiers hee withdrawes himselfe from Validolyd to Valentia with a noble and generous intent to seeke warres abroad sith hee could find none at home where being arived although hee were often invited into the companies of the most noble and honorable Ladies both of the City and Country Yet his thoughts ranne still on the warres in which Heroike and illustrious profession he conceived his chiefest delight and felicity and so taking order for his lands and affaires he resolves to see Malta that inexpugnable Rampier of Mars the glory of Christendome and the terrour of Turky to see if hee could gaine any place of command and honour either in that Iland or in their Gallies or if not he would from thence into Transilvania Hungary and Germany to inrich his judgement and experience by remarking the strength of their Castles and Cities their orders and discipline in warre the Potency of their Princes the nature of their Lawes and customes and all other matters worthy the observation both of a Travellour and a Souldier and so building many castles in the ayre he comes to Alicant hoping to find passage there for Naples and from thence to ship himselfe upon the Neapolitan Gallies for Malta There is nothing so vaine as our thoughts nor so uncertaine as our hopes for commonly they deceive us or rather wee our selves in relying on them not that God is any way unjust for to thinke so were impiety but that our hopes take false objects and have no true foundation and to imagine the contrary were folly the which Alsemero finds true for here the winde doth oppose him his thoughts fight and vanquish themselves yea the providence of God doth crosse him in his intended purposes and gives way to that hee least intendeth For comming one morning to our Ladies Church at Masse and being on his knees in his devotion he espies a young Gentlewoman likewise on hers next to him who being young tender and faire hee thorow her thinne vaile discovered all the perfections of a delicate and sweet beauty shee espies him feasting on the dainties of her pure and fresh cheekes and tilting with the invisible lances of his eyes to hers he is instantly ravished and vanquished with the pleasing object of this Angelicall countenance and now hee can no more resist either the power or passion of love This Gentlewoman whose name as yet wee know not is young and faire and cannot refraine from blushing and admiring to see him admire and blush at her Alsemero dies in conceit with impatiency that hee cannot enjoy the happinesse and meanes to speake with her but hee sees it in vaine to attempt it because shee is ingaged in the company of many Ladies and hee of many Cavaliers But Masse being ended hee enquires of a good fellow Priest who walked by what shee was and whether she frequented that Church and at what houre The Priest informes him that shee is Don Diego de Vermandero's daughter hee beeing Captaine of the Castle of that Citie that her name was Dona Beatrice-Ioana and that shee is every morning in that Church and Place and neere about the same houre Alsemero hath the sweetnesse of her beauty so deepely ingraven in his thoughts and imprinted in his heart that hee vowes Beatrice-Ioana is his Mistresse and hee her servant yea here his warlike resolutions have end and strike sayle And now hee leaves Bellona to adore Venus and forsakes Mars to follow Cupid yea so fervent is his flame and so violent is his passion as hee can neither give nor take truce of his thoughts till hee bee againe made happy with her sight and blessed with her presence The next morne as Lovers love not much rest Alsemero is stirring very timely and hoping to find his Mistresse no other Church will please him but our Ladies nor place but where hee first and last saw her but shee is more zealous then himselfe For shee is first in the Church and on her knees to her devotion whom Alsemero gladly espying hee kneeles next to her and having hardly the patience to let passe one poore quarter of an houre hee resolving as yet to conceale his name like a fond Lover whose greatest glory is in complements and Courting his Mistresse hee boards her thus Faire Lady it seemes that these two mornings my devotions have beene more powerfull and acceptable then heeretofore sith I have had the felicitie to bee placed next so faire and so sweet a Nymph as your selfe whose excellent beauty hath so sodainely captivated mine eyes and so secretly ravished my heart that hee which heretofore rejected cannot now resist the power of love and therefore having ended my devotion I beseech you excuse mee if I begin to pray you to take pittie of mee sith my flame is so fervent and my affection is so passionate as either I must live yours or not dye mine owne Beatrice-Ioana could not refraine from blushing under her vaile to see an unknowne Cavalier board her in these tearmes in the Church and as shee gave attentive eare to his speech so shee could not for a while refraine from glancing her eye upon the sprucenesse of his person and the sumptuousnesse of his apparell but at last accusing her owne silence because shee would give him no cause to condemne it shee with a modest grace and a gracefull modesty returnes him this answer Sir as your devotions can neither bee pleasing to God nor profitable to your soule if in this place you account it a felicity to enjoy the sight of so meane a Gentlewoman as my selfe so I cannot repute it to affection but flattery that this poore beauty of mine which you unjustly paint forth in rich prayses should have power either to captivate the eyes or which is more to ravish the heart of so noble a Cavalier as your selfe Such victories are reserved for those Ladies who are as much your equall as I your inferiour and therefore directing your zeale to them if they find your affection such as you professe to mee no doubt but regarding your many vertues and merits they will in honour grant you that favour which I in modesty am constrained to deny you Alsemero though a novice in the art of Love was not so
as also to cast a mist before peoples conceits and judgements she bids him by some secret meanes to cause reports to be spread first that Piracquo was seene gone foorth the Castle gate then that in the City he was seene take boate and went as it was thought to take the ayre of the sea But this wit of theirs shall prove folly for though men as yet see not this Murther yet God in his due time will both detect and punish it By this time Piracquo is found wanting both in the City and Castle so these aforesaid reports runne for currant all tongues prattle hereof Vermandero knowes not what to say nor Piracquo's brother and friends what to doe herein they every houre and minute expect newes of him but their hopes bring them no comfort and amongst the rest our devillish Beatrice-Ioana seemes exceedingly to grieve and mourne hereat Don Thomaso Piracquo with the rest of his friends search every corner of the City and send scouts both by land and sea to have newes of him Vermandero the Captaine of the Castle doth the like and vowes that next his owne sonne he loved Piracquo before any man of the world yea not onely his friends but generally all those who knew him exceedingly weepe and bewaile the absence and losse of this Cavalier for they thinke sure he is drowned in the sea Now in the middest of this sorrow and of these teares Beatrice-Ioana doth secretly advertise her Lover Alsemero hereof but in such palliating tearmes that thereby she may delude and carry away his judgement from imagining that shee had the least shaddow or finger herein and withall prayes him to make no longer stay in Valentia but to come away to her to Alicant Alsemero wonders at this newes and to please his faire Mistresse believes part thereof but will never believe all but hee is so inflamed with her beauty as her remembrance wipes away that of Piracquo when letting passe a little time hee makes his preparations for Alicant but first hee sends the chiefest of his parents to Vermandero to demand his daughter Beatrice-Ioana in marriage for him and then comes himselfe in person and in discreete and honourable manner courts her Parents privately and makes shew to seeke her publikely In fine after many conferences meetings and complements as Alsemero hath heretofore wonne the affection of Beatrice-Ioana so now at last hee obtaines likewise the favour and consent of Vermandero her father And here our two Lovers to their exceeding great content and infinite joy are united and by the bond of marriage of two persons made one their Nuptialls being solemnized in the Castle of Alicant with much Pompe State and Bravery Having heretofore heard the conference that past betwixt Alsemero and Beatrice-Ioana in the Church having likewise seene the amorous Letters that past betwixt them from Alicant to Briamata and from Briamata to Alicant and now considering the pompe and glory of their Nuptialls who would imagine that any averse accident could alter the sweetnesse and tranquillity of their affections or that the Sunne-shine of their joyes should so soone be eclipsed and overtaken with a storme But God is as just as secret in his decrees For this marryed couple had scarce lived three moneths in the pleasures of Wedlocke which if vertuously observed is the sweetest earthly joy but Alsemero like a fond husband becomes jealous of his wife so as hee curbes and restraines her of her liberty and would hardly permit her to conferre or converse with yea farre lesse to see any man but this is not the way to teach a woman chastity for if faire words good example and sweete admonitions cannot prevaile threatnings and imprisoning in a Chamber will never yea the experience thereof is daily seene both in England France and Germany where generally the Women use but not abuse their liberty and freedome granted them by their husbands with much civility affection and respect Beatrice-Ioana bites the lip at this her husbands discourtesy shee vowes she is as much deceived in his love as hee in his jealousie and that shee is as unworthy of his suspicion as hee of her affection hee watcheth her every where and sets Spyes over her in every corner yea his jealousy is become so violent as hee deemes her unchast with many yet knowes not with whom but this tree of Iealousie never brings forth good fruite Shee complaines hereof to her father and prayes him to be a meanes to appease and calme this tempest which threatens the Ship-wracke not onely of her content but it may be of her life Vermandero beares himselfe discreetly herein but he may as soone place another Sunne in the Firmament as roote out this fearefull frenzie out of Alsemero's head for this his paternall admonition is so farre from drawing him to hearken to reason as it produceth contrary effects for now Alsemero to prevent his shame and secure his feare suddenly provides a Coach and so carries home his wife from Alicant to Valentia This sudden departure grieves Vermandero and galles Beatrice-Ioana to the heart who now lookes no longer on her husband with affection but with disdaine and envie Many dayes are not past but her father resolves to send to Valentia to know how matters stand betwixt his daughter and her husband hee makes choyce of De Flores to ride thither and sends Letters to them both De Flores is extreamely joyfull of this occasion to see his old Mistresse Beatrice-Ioana whom hee loves dearer then his life hee comes to Valentia and finding Alsemero abroad and she at home delivers her her fathers Letter and salutes and kisseth her with many amorous imbracings and dalliances which modesty holds unworthy of relation she acquaints him with her husbands ingratitude he rather rejoyces then grieves hereat and now revives his old sute and redoubleth his new kisses shee considering what hee hath done for her service and joyning therewith her husbands jealousie not onely ingageth herselfe to him for the time present but for the future and bids him visite her often But they both shall pay deare for this familiarity and pleasure Alsemero comes home receives his fathers Letter sets a pleasing face on his discontented heart and bids him welcome And so the next day writes backe to his father Vermandero and dispatcheth De Flores who for that time takes his leave of them both and returnes for Alicant He is no sooner departed but Alsemero is by one of his Spies a Wayting gentlewoman of his Wifes whom hee had corrupted with money advertised that there past many amorous kisses and dalliances betweene her Mistresse and De Flores yea she reveales all that ever shee saw or heard for shee past not to bee false to her Lady so she were true to her Lord and Master And indeede this Wayting-gentlewoman was that Diaphanta of whom wee have formerly made mention for conducting of Alsemero to her Ladies chamber at Briamata Alsemero is all fire at this newes he consults not with
judgement but with passion and so rather like a devill then a man flies to his Wife's chamber wherein furiously rushing hee with his sword drawne in his hand to her great terrour and amazement delivers her these words Minion quoth hee upon thy life tell me what familiarity there hath now past betwixt De Flores and thy selfe whereat shee fetching many sighes and shedding many teares answers him that by her part of heaven her thoughts speeches and actions have no way exceeded the bounds of honour and chastity towards him and that De Flores never attempted any courtesy but such as a brother may shew to his owne naturall sister Then quoth hee whence proceedes this your familiarity Whereat she growes pale and withall silent Which her husband espying Dispatch quoth hee and tell me the truth or else this sword of mine shall instantly finde a passage to thy heart When loe the providence of God so ordayned it that shee is reduced to this exigent and extreamity as shee must be a witnesse against her selfe and in seeking to conceale her whoredome must discover her Murther the which she doth in these words Know Alsemero that sith thou wilt inforce mee to shew thee the true cause of my chast familiarity with De Flores that I am much bound to him and thy selfe more for he it was that at my request dispatched Piracquo without the which as thou well knowest I could never have enjoyed thee for my husband nor thou me for thy wife And so she reveales him the whole circumstance of that cruell Murther as wee have formerly understood the which she conjures and prayes him to conceale sith no lesse then De Flores and her owne life depended thereon and that shee will dye a thousand deaths before consent to defile his bed or to violate her oath and promise given him in marriage Alsemero both wondering and grieving at this lamentable newes sayes little but thinkes the more and although hee had reason and apparance to believe that shee who commits Murther will not sticke to commit Adultery yet upon his Wife 's solemne oathes and protestations hee forgets what is past onely hee strictly chargeth her no more to see or admit De Flores into her company or if the contrary hee vowes hee will so sharpely bee revenged of her as hee will make her an example to all posterity But Beatrice-Ioana notwithstanding her husbands speeches continueth her intelligence with De Flores yea her husband no sooner rides abroad but he is at Valentia with her and they are become so impudent as what they did before secretly they now in a manner doe publikely or at least with Chamber-doores open Diaphanta knowing this to be a great scandall as well to her Masters honour as house againe informes him thereof who vowes to take a most sharpe revenge of this their infamy and indignity as indeed he doth for hee bethinkes himselfe thereby to effect it of an invention as worthy of his jealousie as of their first crime of Murther and of their second of Adultery hee injoyneth Diaphanta to lay wayt for the very houre that De Flores arrives from Alicant to Valentia which shee doth when instantly pretending to his Wife a journey in the Country hee very secretly and silently having his Rapier and Ponyard and a case of Pistols ready chaâ—…ged in his pocket seeming to take Horse husheth himselfe up privately in his Studie which was next adjoyning and within his Bed-chamber Beatrice-Ioana thinking her husband two or three Leagues off sends away for De Flores who comes instantly to her they fall to their kisses and imbracings shee rejoycing extreamely for his arrivall and hee for her husband Alsemero's departure she relates him the cruelty and indignitie her husband hath shewed and offered her the which De Flores understands with much contempt and choller as also with many threats Alsemero heares all but doth neither speake cough neeze nor spit So from words they â—…all to their beasily pleasures when Alsemero no longer able to containe himselfe much lesse to be accessary to this his shame and their villany throwes off the Doore and violently rusheth forth when finding them on his Bed in the middest of their adultery he first dischargeth his Pistols on them and then with his Sword and Ponyard runnes them thorow and stabs them with so many deepe and wide wounds that they have not so much power or time to speake a word but there lye weltring and wallowing in their bloud whiles their soules flie to another world to relate what horrible and beastly crimes their bodies have committed in this Thus by the providence of God in the second Tragedie of our Historie wee see our two Murtherers murthered and Piracquo's innocent bloud revenged in the guiltinesse of theirs Alsemero having finished this bloudie businesse leaves his Pistols on the Table as also his Sword and Ponyard all bloudy as they were and without covering or removing the breathlesse bodies of these two wretched miscreants he shuts his Chamber doore and is so farre from flying for the fact as hee takes his Coach and goes directly to the Criminall Iudge himselfe and reveales what he had done but conceales the Murther of Piracquo The Iudge is astonished and amazed at the report of this mournefull and pittifull accident hee takes Alsemero with him returnes to his house and findes those two dead bodies fresh smoaking and reeking in their bloud the newes hereof is spread in all the City The whole people of Valentia flocke thither to bee eye-witnesses of these two murthered persons where some behold them with pitie others with joy but all with astonishment and admiration and no lesse doe those of Alicant where this newes is speedily poasted but all their griefes are nothing to those of Don Diego de Vermandero's Beatrice-Ioana's father who infinitely and extreamely grieves partly for the death but specially for the crime of his daughter The Iudge presently commits Alsemero prisoner in another of his owne Chambers and so examining Diaphanta upon her oath concerning the familiaritie betwixt De Flores and Beatrice-Ioana shee affirmes constantly that now and many times before shee saw them commit adultery and that shee it was that first advertised Alsemero her Master heereof Whereupon after a second examination of Alsemero they upon mature deliberation acquite him of this fact so hee is freed and the dead bodies caried away and buried But although this earthly Iudge have acquitted Alsemero of this fact yet the Iudge of Iudges the great God of Heaven who seeth not onely our heart but our thoughts not onely our actions but our intents hath this and something else to lay to his charge for hee in his sacred providence and divine Iustice doth both remember and observe first how ready and willing Alsemero was to ingage himselfe to Beatrice-Ioana to kill Piracquo then though he consented not to his Murther yet how he concealed it and brought it not to publike arraignement and punishment whereby the dead body
thereof But is there any thing so unnaturall or ridiculous as this Now if hee murmure at this his child during her infancie hee will much more storme at her when shee comes up to riper yeares and observing that her mother doth subtract from his prodigality to adde to her maintenance this doth againe extreamely vexe and afflict him so that his child whom hee pretended should bee the cause of his joy and prosperity is now that of his griefe and as hee thinks of his farther poverty and misery the which poore Merilla his wife to her unspeakeable and ineffable griefe palpably perceiveth aswell in his uncharitable and malicious speeches banded to her for her daughter Emelia's sake as to Emelia for her sake But what know wee whether God hath purposely sent this daughter to revenge the injuries and wrongs that her father intendeth to her Mother His fift and as yet his last distaste against his wife proceeds from his observing that her beauty is withered and decayed not that heretofore he knew her faire but that shee is not so faire now as when hee first married her as if time and age had not power to wither the blossomes of our youth as the Sunne hath to daver the freshest Roses and Lillies But as all his former distastes towards his wife bewray his inclination to prodigality and prophanenesse so this last of his doth manifestly discover his addiction to lust and his affection to Whoredome for it is impossible for our wives to seeme foule in our eyes except there bee some other seemes fayrer as blacknesse seemes blacker when it is compared and paralelled with whitenesse and this indeed is the Vulture and Viper that stickes so close to his brest and so neere to his heart yea this is his darling and bosome sinne that will strangle him when it makes greatest shew to kisse and imbrace him Alibius powerfully sollicited by these five severall distastes conceived against his wife Merilla who poore woman rides at an Anchor in the tranquillity of her innocency whiles hee in the heate and height of his youth floated in the Ocean of his voluptuousnesse and sensualitie but especially provoked by his owne poverty and penury who now beganne to appeare to him in a leane and miserable shape hee leaves his wife and family and betakes himselfe to the service of Gentlemen thinking thereby to stoppe the current of his prodigality and to finde out the invention and meanes futurely to get that which formerly hee had expended which resolution of his had beene indeed commendable if the integrity of his heart had beene answerable to the sweetnesse of his tongue but wee shall see the contrary and finde by his example that Snakes alwaies lurke under the fayrest and greenest leaves During which time hee serves some Gentlemen of worth and quality but one of especiall accompt and reputation not distant above three small miles from the City of Brescia who being an excellent House-keeper and a good member of the common-weale there Alibius had hee had as much Grace as Vanity or as much Religion as impiety might have forgotten his old vices and have learned new Vertues but if hee delighted to become excellent in any thing it was first to bee a perfect Carver and Wayter then to bee decent in his apparell and last of all to bee smooth in his speeches and affable and pleasing in his complements without any regard at all either to reforme the vanity of his thoughts or to controule his disolute and dangerous actions Having thus pastaway many yeares abroad in service and very seldome or never either seene Spreare or visited his Merilla and Emelia hee at last seeing of the one side that age beganne to Snow on his head and that the greatest wealth of a Serving-man was to have onely a new Livery and a full belly to have many verball but no reall friends resolved to leave his service as also his wife and daughter in Spreare and so to travell to Venice hoping there in some honest place and imployment to serve the Seigniorie or at least some one of the Magnifico's or Clarissimo's but then considering the charge of the journey the weakenesse of his purse and the uncertainty of his advancement and preferment hee resolves for a time to sojourne in Brescia and to watch if any occasion or accident presented whereby hee might repaire and raise his fortunes Hee had not long lived in this City which for antiquity beauty situation wealth and fidelity after Venice it selfe gives not the hand to any of her sister Cities of that state but his eyes as the lustfull sentynells of his heart espie so many beauties as he began to loath his owne wife Merilla and to wish her in another world that hee might have another wife in this Loe here the divell beginnes with him anew to perswade him to hate his wife Abiding thus in Brescia it fell out that hee who bore the silver rod in token of honour and Iustice or rather of honour to Iustice before the podestate or chiefe Magistrate of this City dyed and to this Office Alibius because hee knew himselfe a grave and personall man aspired and what through the respect of his gravitie through his smooth tongue and fayre speeches but especially by making many friends to the Podestate and Senators he at last obtained it a place indeed more honourable then profitable and yet worth at least one hundred Zechines per annum besides his diet This preferment makes Alibius looke aloft and so hee scornes his poore wife Merilla as if there were no paritie and simpathie betwixt her rags and his robes yea hee would not see Spreare nor suffer her to see Brescia and the devill was so busie with him or hee with the devill that in hope of a richer and fayrer wife hee resolves to poyson her according as hee heretofore had many times thought and premeditated and that which egged and threw him on with more violence and precipitation was a proud conceit of himselfe and of his much dignity and preferment But as povertie many times befalls us for our good so sometimes wealth and prosperity bring us misfortune and misery Not long after another accident falls out which doth likewise much rejoyce him An honest Cittizen of Brescia of his owne name though no way his kinsman dies and as since it hath beene shrewdly imagined not without vehement suspicion of poyson leaving a rich widdowe named Philatea and for the familiarity and good conceit he had of our Alibius as also induced thereunto through his hypocritall shew of honesty and piety makes him sole overseer of his will so neatly and smoothly did our Alibius worke and insinuate himselfe into his favour But the maske of this his hypocrisie shall bee soone puld off Alibius seeing Philatea young rich and faire hee lookes on her more often then on her husbands testament and so wishing his wife Merilla in his adopted kinsmans grave and himselfe in Philatea's bed hee bends his
Chimney and so dispatcheth and kils her in her bed without giving her any time to commend her soule unto God and so very hastily rusheth forth the doore Pomerea fearing that which was happened lights a candle and ascends up the Chamber where shee sees the lamentable spectacle of her Murthered Grand-Mother hot reeking and smoaking in her bed whereat shee is amazed and makes most wofull cries and mournefull lamentations when wringing her hands and bitterly sighing and weeping shee knowes not what to doe or what not to doe in this her bitter and wretched perplexity in which meane time Alibius going for his horse findes onely the halter for his horse is grazing in the Meddow hee diligently seekes him but cannot a long time set sight of him which indeed doth much astonish and amaze him but at last hee findes him and so gallops away to Brescia where the better to delude the World and to cast a mist before their eyes hee is againe dy sixe of the Clocke in the morning waiting upon the Podestate and conducting him to the Domo or Cathedrall Church of that City But this policy of his shall not prevent his detection and punishment In this meane time Pomerea runnes to the neerest neighbours and divulgeth the Murther of her Grandmother Many of the neighbours flock thither to see this bloudy and woefull spectacle the Corrigadors of Spreare are acquainted herewith they send for Chirurgions who visit the dead body and report shee is both poisoned and beaten to death they examine poore Pomerea who relates what shee sees and knowes theâ—… send every where to search for the Murtherer By this time the newes hereof comes to Brescia Alibius like a counterfet miscreant is all in teares yea hee sheweth such living affection to the memory of his dead wife as hee sends every where to find out the Murtherer But God will not have him escape for in due time wee shall see him brought forth and appeare to the world in his colours Alibius notwithstanding his teares in his eyes having still a hell in his conscience is afrayd least Emelia his daughter measuring the subsequent by the antecedent hold him to bee her mothers Murtherer and because the Corrigadors of Spreare suspecting her have taken sureties for her apparance he the better to insinuate with her useth her with more then wonted courtesie and affabillity imagining that if her mouth were stopped he needed not feare any others tongue But this politike sleight of his shall not prevaile Now by little and little Time the consumer of all things beginnes to were away the crying rumor of this Murther and so Alibius thinking himselfe secure e're three moneths be fully expired forgetting Merilla takes Philatea to his second wife which being knowne in Brescia many curious heads of that City though not upon any substantiall ground but onely out of presumptive circumstances vehemently suspect that Alibius had a deepe hand in the Murther of his late wife Merilla but they dare not speake it alowd because hee was well beloved both of the Podestate himselfe for that yeere being and generally of all the Senators But as Murther pierceth the Cloudes and cryes for revenge from Heaven so wee shall see this of Alibius miraculously discovered and e're long severely punished for when hee thought the storme past and saw the Skies cleere when I say hee imagined that all rumours and tongues were hushed up in silence and that hee thought on nothing else but to passe his time sweetly and voluptuously with his new and faire wife Philatea then when all other meanes and instruments wanted to bring this his obscure and bloudy fact to light Lo by the Divine providence of God we shall see Alibius himselfe be the cause and instrument of his owne discovery For after hee had married Philatea which I take to bee the first light of suspecting him of his wife Merilla's Murther if my information bee true as I confidently beleeve it is this is the second Alibius under the pretext of other businesse sends for one Bernardo of the parish of Spreare to come to him to Brescia Now for our better light and information herein as also for the more orderly contriving of this History we must understand that this Bernardo was an old associate and dissolute companion of Alibius whom as it is well knowne by those who knew them hee had many times used and made his stickler and agent in many of his former lewde courses and enterprises not that I any way thinke hee had any hand in the present Murther of Merilla for then I know such is the Candour and Wisedome of the Corrigadors of Spreare and such is the cleere judgement and zeale of the Senators of Brescia to justice that hee had never escaped but had beene apprehended and brought to his tryall Wee must farther understand that this Bernardo was likewise a companion of Emelia's husband yea scarce any one day past but they were knowne and seene together in tippling houses and other such lewd and vicious places whereas drinke was still a most treacherous and unsecret Secretary It may bee that what Merilla told her husband privately hee discovered it publikely to Bernardo who comming as wee have formerly heard to Brescia after his conference with Alibius hee fell to his old vaine of tippling and carowsing and there without the North gate of Brescia which lookes towards Bergamo having more money then wit and more wine then money in the middest of his cups told hee was a Contadyne or Countreyman of Spreare that hee knew Alibius as great as now hee bore himselfe and that hee Murthered his poore wife in the Countrey to have this fine one in the City Which speeches of his hee reiterated and repeated often yea so often as they fell not to the ground but some of his â—…ewd companions tooke notice thereof and one amongst the rest being inwardly acquainted with Alibius went and secretly advertised him hereof who under-hand sends away for Bernardo where hee was and wrought so with him as since that time he was never seene in Brescia But this report of his remained behind him A second light which Alibius gave to the discovery of this his Murther was that thinking the way cleere and all suspicion vanished he converted his affection into contempt and his courtesie to disrespect and unkindnesse towards his daughter Emelia by taking away the greatest part of that small meanes hee gave her towards her maintenance which uncharitable and unnaturall part of his threw this poore woman into so bitter a perplexitie as knowing in her conscience that her father was her Mothers Murtherer shee exceedingly apprehended and feared lest hee would attempt to dispatch her likewise the which shee farre the more doubted because her father had bayled her but not as yet freed her from her appearance before the Corrigadors of Spreare But here as simple as shee was shee enters into many considerations with her selfe that to accuse her father would be as great
Sypontus and Victorina she like a bad woman a wicked wife and a wreched creature redoubleth him her complaints and discontents against her husband and because Sypontus knowes it wisedome to strike whiles the Iron is hot as also that Time must be taken by the forelocke he like a wretched Politician layes hold of this occasion and opportunity and so consenteth to the Murther of her husband when from this bloudy resolution they passe to the manner how to effect it they consult on this lamentable businesse Victorina industrious in her malice proposeth to poyson him and so to bury him in her little garden but Sypontus dislikes this project and profers her to murther him in his Gondola as he comes from Luifizina whereon they agree So some ten dayes after Victorina advertiseth him that her husband is to goe to his house of pleasure in the Countrey neere Padua on the banke of the River Brenta where hee is onely to stay three dayes Sypontus imbraceth this occasion and continually wantonizing with his wife in his absence promiseth her to meet her husband at his returne and then to dispatch him which newes with a longing desire this miserable Curtezan Victorina attends him with as much impatience as impudencie Sypontus in the meane time in favour of twice ten Zeckynes is prepared of two wicked Gondoliers or Watermen who deepely vow and sweare to conceale this Murther So the precise day of Souranza's departure from his Countrey house being come Sypontus not to faile of his promise to Victorina in the execution of his bloody and damnable attempt takes his Gondola and hovers in the direct passage betwixt Lucifizina and Venice for Souranza his arrivall who poore harmelesse Gentleman loved his young wife so tenderly and dearely as hee thought this short time long that hee had wanted from her but hee hath seene his last of her and allasse alasse hee shall see an end of himselfe for about five of the clocke in the evening it being Summer time his usuall houre of returne hee takes Gondola at Lucifizina for Venice and neere midway twixt both Sypontus espies him and the sooner because it being hot weather and no wind stirring Souranza had caused his courtaines to bee withdrawne Sypontus inflamed with boyling malice and Revenge with all possible celerity makes towards his Gondola the which disguised and masked hee enters and there with his Ponyard very divellishly stabs him three severall times at the heart when falling downe to his feet hee most barbarously cut of his beard and nose that hee might not bee knowne and so throwes him into the Sea as also his Waterman after him that they might tell no tales when having finished these execrable Murthers hee with his Gondola with all possible speed hyes first to Murano and so lands by the Patriarchy from thence by the Arsenall and so to his owne house behind Saint Servi's Church thereby to cast a fayrer varnish on this villany by landing and comming into the Citie another way when being arrived at his house hee that night by a confident servant of his sends Victoryna this Letter SYPONTVS to VICTORYNA FAire and deare Victoryna I have begun and ended a businesse which infinitly imports thy good and my content the party hath drunke his fill of White and Claret and is now gone to his eternall rest so a little time I hope will wipe off thy old teares and confirme thy new joyes bee but as affectionate as I secret and as secret as till death I will bee affectionate and thou needst neither feare my fortunes nor doubt thine owne judge what I would doe to injoy thee and for thy sake sith I have already undertaken and acted a businesse of this nature we must for a time refraine each others company that wee may the sooner meet and imbrace withmore content and lesse danger SYPONTVS Victoryna infinitly rejoyceth at this newes and the better to cloke her malice under the vaile of secrecie shee laments and complaines to her father of her husbands long absence Souranza's Parents are by Beraldi acquainted herewith they begin to finde the time of his stay very long and now resolve to send his nephew Scignior Andrea Souranza up the river Brenta to know the cause thereof hee passeth and repasseth the Sluce of Lucifizina and brings word that hee departed thence for Venice in a Gondola foure dayes since Victoryna his wife grieves and weepes at his absence so doe his owne Parents and friends who enquiâ—…e of all sides but finde comfort or newes from none what is become of him And here Reader before thy curiosity carry thee further I conjure thee to stand astonished and wonder at the inscrutable and wonderfull judgement of God in the detection of this Murther For Fishermen some eight dayes casting out their nets betwixt the Ilands of La Lazareto and Saint George Majore bring up this dead body of Murthered Souranza being well apparelled but chiefly for their owne discharge they bring the dead corps to Venice and lanâ—… him at Saint Markes stayres where they extend and expose his body to bee knowne of passengers now behold further Gods miraculous providence in the discovery and finding out hereof for amongst the numberlesse number of spectators and walkers who dayly and almost hourely frequent and adorne that famous Burse and incomparable Pâ—…lace it happened that Andrea Souranza cast his eye on this dead and sea-withered body on whom hee lookes with as much stedfastnesse as curiosity as if Nature had made his living body a part of that dead or as if his hot bloud had some sympathy and affinity with that of the dead personage which long since the coldnesse of the Sea had congealed and frozen but at last espying a red spot in his necke under his right eare that hee brought into the world with him and which all the influence and vertue of the water of the Sea had not power to deface and wash away as also observing a wart over his left eye-lid which Nature had given his birth and his youth his age hee passionately cryes out before the world that it is the body of his Vncle Seigâ—…ior Iovan Baptista Souranza so it is visited by his Parents and friends and knowne to bee the same so they carry him to an adjoyning house and there devesting it naked finde that hee hath tâ—…ree severall wounds in his body either of a Sword or Ponyard which gives matter of talke and administreth cause of admiration in all the City so they bury him honourably according to his ranke and degree and all knowing him to bee Murthered infinitly bewaile his untimely and lament his mournefull death but especially his wife Victoryna who having formerly plaid the strumpet then the Murtheresse now takes on the maske and assumes the representation of an Hypocrite outwardly seeming to dye for sorrow when God and her foule ulcerated conscience knowes that inwardly her heart leapes for joy thus to bee depriv'd and freed of her old husband
by the compasse of her advice hee had undoubtedly avoyded the shipwracke of his life and prevented the misfortune of his death what to thinke of Belluile shee knowes not bâ—… if hee were her friend before hee hath now made and proclaimed himselfe her eâ—…my by killing her deare and onely friend Poligny and therefore is resolved that as shee could never perfectly bâ—…ooke his company so now this bloudy fact shall make her detest both it and him But let us a little leave her and descend to speake of Lâ—…rieta to see how shee brookes the murther of her intimate friend Poligny for sith sheâ—… assuredly knowes and believes that this cruell Murther was performed by no other bâ—… by her professed enemy Belluile or by some of his bloudy agents love and revenge conspire to act two different Scenes upon the Theater of her heart for in memory and deepe affection to her Poligny her pearled teares and mournefull sighes infinitely deplore and bewayle his disastrous end so as sorrow withering the roses of her cheekes and griefe making her cast off her glittering to take on mournefull attire she could not refraine from giving all Avignion notice how pleasing Poligny's life was to her by the excesse of her lamentations and afflictions demonstrated for his death oâ—… if her sighes found any consolation or her teares recesse or truce it was administred her by her revenge which shee conceived and intended towards Belluile for this his bloudy fact So as consulting with Choller not with Reason with Nature noâ—… with Grace with Satan not with God shee vowes to bee sharpely revenged of him and to make him pay deare for this his base and treacherous Murther yea the fumes and fury of her revenge are so implacable and transport her resolutions to so bloudy an impetuositie that resembling her sexe and selfe shee inhumanely and sacrilegiously darts forth an oath which her heart sends to her soule and her soule from Earth to Hell that if the meanes finde not her she will infallibly find out the meanes to quench and dry up her teares for Poligny's death in the bloud of Belluile which sith she is so devoyd of reason religion and grace I feare we shal shortly see her attempt and performe But leaving her in Avignion let us finde out Belluile in Aix who is a Gentleman so prophane in his life and debosht in his actions and conversations as in stead of repenting he triumphs at this his Murther yea hee is become so impious and impudent as hee grieves not thereat but onely that he had not sooner dispatched his rivall Poligny but the better to delude the world that neither his hand or sword were guilty in sending Poligny from this world in a bloudy winding sheet his thoughts like so many hounds pursuing his conscience and his conscience his soule hee thinkes himselfe not safe in Aix where the sharpe-sighted Presidents and Councellours of that illustrious Senate of Parliament might at last accuse and finde him out for the Authour of this bloudy Murther and therefore leaves both it and Provence and so rides to the City of Lyons accompanyed with none but his two Lackeyes who to write the truth actâ—…d no part in Poligny's mournfull Tragedy neither doth he yet thinke himselfe safe there but within a moneth after the Murther thinking directly and securely to flye from the eyes and hands of justice thereby to avoyd the storme of his punishment hee againe takes horse for that great City and Forrest Paris where he hoped the infinite number of People Streets Coaches and Horses would not only secure his feare but prevent his danger and that here as in a secure Sanctuary and safe harbour he might quietly ride at anchor in all peace and tranquillity but as before the time is not yet come of his punishment for it may bee God out of his inscrutable will and Divine providence will when hee best pleaseth returne him from whence hee came and by some extraordinary accident make him there feele the foulenesse of his fact in the sharpenesse and suddennesse of his punishment which as a fierce gust and bitter storme shall then surprise him when hee least suspects or dreames thereof But in this interim of his residence he forgets his new fact of Murther to remember his old sinnes of Concupiscence and Whoredome and so rather like a lascivious Courtier then a civill morall Christian hee cannot see the Church for the Stewes nor the Preachers or Priests for Panders and Strumpets But this vanity of his shall cost him deare and hee shall be so miserable to feele the punishment sith hee will not be so happy to seeke the meanes to avoyde it for now sixe moneths having exhausted and dissipated the greatest part of his gold and his credit comming short of his hopes it seems the aire of Paris is displeasing to him sith he cannot be agreeable to it and therfore necessity giving a law to the vanity of his desires he beginnes to loath the I le of France to love the Province of Provence and to leave Paris to see Avignion And now it is that the devill that subtle and fatall seducer steps in and at one time bewitching both his reason and judgement presents him afresh with the freshnesse and delicacie of Laurieta's beauty which so inkindleth and revives the sparks of his affection that lay raked up in the ashes of silence as he vowes there is no beauty to hers and if hee chance espie any faire Ladies either at Court or in the City he presently affirmeth and infinitly protesteth they come farre short of his Laurieta's delicacie perfection and grace so as his purse tyrannizing o're his ambition and his concupiscence o're his judgement he not so much as once dreaming of the implacable hatred she formerly boâ—…e him and thinking it impossible for her to conceive much lesse to know that he murthered Poligny he is constant and resolute to reseeke the felicity to live in her favour and affection or to dye in the pursute thereof but that will prove as impossible as this apparent and feasable So as absence adding fire to his lust and excellencie to her beauty he is resolute to send one of his Lackeyes to Avignion partly to returne with money and so to meete him at Lyons Moâ—…lins or Nevers but more especially in great secrecie to deliver a Letter to his fa re and sweet Lâ—…urieta and to bring him backe her answer as if hee were still at Paris and not in his journey downewards When meaning as yet to conceale his Murther of Poligny hee calling for pen and paper traceth her thereon these lines BELLVILE to LAVRIETA IF Poligny had but the thousandth part as truely respected mee as I dearely loved thee thou hadst not so soone cast mee out of thy favour nor God so suddenly him out of this world but I know not whether more to bewayle my unfortunacie occasioned by thy cruelty or his misery ingendred through his owne treachery And indeed
prison although she partly believed and knew that she never affected or loved her when ayming to adde consolation to her afflictions as God would have it Laurieta out of her ignorance or folly returnes la 〈◊〉 this unlooked for answer That her selfe was as innocent of Belluile's death as shee was of Poligny's Which words being over-heard by some curious head of the company were instantly carryed and reported to the Criminall Iudges who instantly cause la Palaisiere to bee apprehended and brought before them whom they examine upon Poligny's death which doth no way affâ—…ight or afflict her because her conscience was untainted and her selfe as innocent as innocencie her selfe thereof They deale further with her to understand the passages of former businesses betwixt her selfe Poâ—…gny and Belluile Shee gives them a true and faithfull account thereof yea and relates them as much and no more then this History hath formerly related us and to verifie and confirme her speeches like a discreet young Gentlewoman she gives them the keyes of a Trunke of hers wherein shee sayth is her copy of a Letter shee wrote to Poligny and his answer againe to her which shee prayes them to send for for her better cleering and discharge The Iudges send speedily away for these Letters which are found produced and read directly concurring with the true circumstance of her former deposition whereupon with much applause and commendation they acquit and discharge her But if la Palaisiers Vertues have cleered her Laurieta's Vices which the Iudges begin to smell out by Poligny's Letter doe the more narrowly and streightly imprison her and yet knowing that la Palasiere neither had nor could any way accuse her for either of these two Murthers she sets a good face on her bad heart and so very bravely frollikes it in prison and to speake truth with farre more joy and lesse feare then heretofore but to checke and overthrow these vaine triumphs of hers in their birth and to niâ—… them in their bâ—…ds newes is brought her that her Wayting mayd Lucilla is secretly fled which her Iudges understanding they now more vehemently then ever heretofore suspect that without doubt Laurieta was the authour and her Mayd Lucilla the accessary of Belluile's Murther and so they set all the city and countrey for her apprehension And this newes indeed makes Laurieta feare that shee will iâ—…allibly be taken which doth afflict and amaâ—…e her and indeed here at shee cannot refraine from biting her lip and hanging downe her head But see the miraculous and just judgement of the Lord upon this wretched and bloudy Lucilla for she for feare flying as it is supposed that night from Avignion to Orenge to her parents was there drowned and the next morne found and taken up dead in one of the Fenny Lakes betwixt the two Cities Which newes being reported to Laurieta she againe converts her feare into hope and sorrowes into joyes as knowing well that dead bodies can tell no tales But the wisedome and integrity of the Iudges by the apparencie of Laurieta's crime in that of her Wayting-mayds flight againe command her to be racked but the devill is yet so strong with her and she with the devill that she againe indures the cruelty of these torments with a wonderfull patience with an admirable constancie and resolution and so couragiously and stoutly denying her crime and peremptorily maintaining her innocencie and justification her Iudges led by the consideration of the sharpnesse and bitternesse of her torments as also that they could finde no direct proof or substantiall evidence against her beginne to conceive and imagine that it might be the Wayting-mayd and not the Mistresse that had sent Belluile into another world and so resolve the weeke following if they heard nothing in the meane time to accuse Laurieta to release and acquit her which Laurieta understanding the torments which her limbes and body feele are nothing in respect of those contentments and joyes her heart and thoughts conceive and already building castles and triumphs in her heaâ—… and contemplations for the hope and joy of her speedy inlargement she in her appareâ—… and behaviour flaunts it out farre braver then before But she hath not yet made heâ—… peace with her Iudges neither have they pronounced her Quieta est And alas how foolishly and ignorantly doth the vanity of her hopes deceive and betray her whenâ—… the foulenesse of her soule and contamination of her conscience every houre and minute prompt her that God the Iudge of Iudges who hath seene will in his good time and pleasure both detect and punish as well her whoredome as her murther in heâ—… death And lo here comes both the cause and the manner thereof wherein Gods providence and justice doe miraculously resplend and shine For Laurieta being indebted to her Land-lord Mounsieur de Riehcourt as well for a whole yeares rent as for three hundred Livres in money which hee had lent her being impatient of her delayes but more of her disgrace le ts out that part of his house which shee held of him to the Deane of Carpentras who for his healths sake came to sojourne that Winter in Avignion and despairing of her inlargement and to satisfie himselfe beginnes to sell away her household-stuffe yea to the very Billets which she had in her Cellar which he retaines for himselfe whereof when his servants came to cleere the Cellar they removing the last Billets finde the earth newly removed and opened in the length and proportion of a Grave wherof wondring they presently informe their Master who viewing the same as God would have it hee instantly apprehended and believed that Laurieta had undoubtedly killed Belluile and there buried him when not permitting his servants to remove the least jot of earth he as a discreet and honest Citizen with all possible celeritie trips away to the Criminall Iudges and acquaints them herewith who concurring with Richcourt in his opinion and belief they dispeed themselves to his house and Cellar where causing the new opened earth to be removed behold they find the miserable dead body of Belluile there inhumanely throwne in and buried in his cloaths which causing to be taken off thereby to search his body they find himshot into the reines with two Pistoll bullets and his body stabd and pâ—…erced with sixe severall wounds of a Rapier or Ponyard they are amazed at this pitifull and lamentable spectacle and so resting confident it could be no other but Laurieta and her Mayd Lucilla that had committed this cruell Murther they very privately and secretly cause Belluiles dead body to bee conveyed to the prison and there when Laurieta least dreamt thereof expose it to her sight and in rough termes charge and crie out upon her for this Murther but this monster of nature and shee-devill of her sexe hath yet her heart so obdurated with revenge and her soule so o're-clouded and benumm'd with impiety as shee is nothing daunted or terrifyed with the sight hereof but
lesse doth his father Castelnovo for that of his sonne onely their griefes comformable to their passions are diametrically different and opposite for hers were fervent and true as proceeding from the sinceritie of her affection and his hypocriticall and faigned as derived from the profundity of his malice and revenge towards him And not to transgresse from the Decorum and truth of our History old Castelnovo could not so artificially beare and over-vaile his sorrowes for his Sonnes death but the premises considered our young afflicted widdow and Lady vehemently suspecteth hee hath a hand therein and likewise partly beleeves that Ierantha is likewise accessary and ingaged therein in respect she lookes more aloft and is growne more familiar with her Lord and Master then before And indeed as her sorrows increase her jealousie so her jealousie throws her into a passionate and violent resolution of Revenge both against him and her if shee can bee futurely assured that they had Murthered and poysoned the Knight her husband Now to bee assured heereof shee thus reasoneth with her selfe that if her Father in law were the Murtherer of his Sonne her husband his malice and hatred to him proceeded from his beastly lust to her selfe and that hee now dispatched hee would againe shortly revive and renew his old lascivious suit to her which if hee did shee vowes to take a sharpe and cruell Revenge of him which shee will limit with no lesse then his death And indeed wee shall not goe farre to see the event and truth answer her suspicion For within a moneth or two after her husband was laid in his untimely grave his old lustfull and lascivious father doth againe burst and vomit forth his beastly sollicitations against her chastity and honour which observing shee somewhat disdainefully and coyly puts him off but yet not so passionately nor chollerickely as before onely of purpose to make him the more eager in his pursuit thereby the better to draw him to her lure that shee might perpetrate her malice and act her Revenge on him and so make his death the object of her rage and indignation as his lust and malice were the cause of the sorrowes of her life But unfortunate and miserable Lady what a bloudy and hellish enterprize dost thou ingage thy selfe in and why hath thy affection so blinded thy conscience and soule to make thy selfe the authour and actour of so mournefull and bloudy a Tragedy For alas alas sweet Perina I know not whether more to commend thy affection to thy husband or condemne thy cruell malice intended to his father For O griefe O pitty where are thy vertues where is thy Religion where thy conscience thy soule thy God thus to give thy selfe over to the hellish tentations of Satan Thou which heretofore fled'st from adultery wilt thou now follow Murther or because thy heart would not bee accessary to that shall thy soule bee now so irreligious and impious to bee guilty of this But as her father in law is resolute in his lust towards her so is shee likewise in her revenge towards him and farre the more in that shee perceives Ierantha's great belly sufficiently proclaimes that shee hath plaid the strumpet and which is worse shee feares with her execrable and wretched Father in Law so as now no longer able to stop the furious and impetuous current of her revenge shee is so gracelesse and bloudy as shee vowes first to dispatch the Lord and Master then the Wayting-Gentlewoman as her thoughts and soule suggest her they had done first the Mother then the Sonne so impious are her thoughts so inhumane and bloudy her resolutions Now in the interim of this time the old Lecher her father is againe become impudent and importunate in his suit so our wretched Lady Perina degenerating from her former vertues and indeed from her selfe she after many requests and sollicitations very feignedly seemes to yeild and strike sayle to his desire but indeed with a bloody intent to dispach him out of this world So having concluded this sinfull fatall Match there wants nothing but the finishing and accomplishing thereof onely they differ in the manner and circumstances the Father is desirous to goe to the Daughter in lawes bed the Daughter to the Father in lawes but both conclude that the night and not the day shall give end to this lascivious and beastly businesse his reason is to avoyd the jealousie and rage of Ierantha whom now although she bee neere her time of deliverance hee refuseth to marry her but the Lady Perina's if that she may pollute and staine his owne bed with his bloud and not hers but especially because shee may have the fitter meanes to stab and murther him and hereon they conclude To which end not only the night but the houre is appoynted betwixt them which being come and Castelnovo in bed burning with impatience and desire for her arrivall hee thinking on nothing but his beastly pleasures nor she but on her cruell malice and revenge she softly enters his chamber but not in her night but her day attire having a Pisa Ponyard close in her fleeve when having bolted his Chamber doore because none should divert her from this her bloudy designe she approaching his bed and hee lifting himselfe up purposely to welcome and kisse her shee seeing his brest open and naked like an incensed fury drawes out her Ponyard and uttering these words Thou wretched Whore-master and Murtherer this life of mine owne honour and the death of my deare Knight and husband thy some And so stabbing him at the heart with many blowes shee kills him starke dead and leaves him reeking in his hot bloud without giving him time to speake a word onely hee fetcht a screeke and groane or two as his soule tooke her last farewell of his body Which being over-heard of the servants of the house they ascend his chamber and finde our inhumane Perina issuing foorth all gored with the effusion of his bloud having the bloudy Ponyard which was the fatall Instrument of this cruell Murther in her hand They are amazed at this bloody and mournefull spectacle so they seize on her and the report hereof flying thorow the City the Criminall Iudges that night cause her to bee imprisoned for the fact which she is resolved no way to denye but to acknowledge as rather glorying then grieving thereat Ierantha at the very first understanding hereof vehemently suspects that her two poysoning Murthers will now come to light and so as great as her belly is she to provide for her safety very secretly steales away to a deare friends house of hers in the City which now from all parts rattleth and resoundeth of this cruell and unnaturall Murther yea it likewise passeth the Alpes and is speedily bruited and knowne in Saint Iohn de Mauriene where although her father Arconeto would never heretofore affect her yet he now exceedingly grieves at this her bloudy attempt and imminent danger but her irregular affection and
The manner is thus That as his Father deceived his hopes in carrying him from Rome to Caprea so hee will deceive those of his sayd Father in carrying himself from Caprea to Cicily there to find out Bertolini and to fight with him It is not the poynt of Honour much lesse Iudgement and least of all Religion that precipitates and throwes him on this bloudy and therefore uncharitable resolution but it is the vanity of his thoughts and his living affection to his dead Mistris Paulina which gives life and birth to it for he trampling on all disswasion and opposition finding a Galley of Naples bound from Caprea to Cicily very secretly imbarkes himselfe in her and contemning the impetuosity of the Windes and the mercilesse mercie of the Seas lands at Palermo where hushing himselfe up the first night privately in his Inne and informing himselfe that Bertolini was in that City he the next morne by his Lackey sends him this Challenge STVRIO to BERTOLINI HAving killed my deare Paulina in the scandall of her honour and the death of her Brother Brellati my afflictions and sorrowes to survive her make me contemne mine owne life to seeke thine to which purpose I have left Caprea to finde Cicily and in it thy selfe Wherefore as thou art Bertolini faile not to meet me this Evening 'twixt five and sixe of the Clocke in the next Meadow behinde the Carthusians Monastery where my selfe assisted onely with a Chirurgian and the choyce of two single Rapiers will expect and attend thee Thy Generosity invites thee and my Affection and Honour obligeth mee to be the onely Guests of this bloudy Banquet STVRIO Bertolini receives and reades this Challenge which to write the truth is not so pleasing to him as was that of Brellati he sees himselfe and his Honour ingaged to fight and knowes not how to exempt and free himselfe thereof For first he considereth that the ground of his Defence and Quarrell is not good sith he knew in his soule and conscience that Paulina was as chast as faire that he had wronged himself in seeking to wrong and scandalize her then that hee perfectly understood Sturio was valiant and generous yea and very expert and skilfull in handling his Weapons and withall that single Combates were variable and onely constant in unconstancie so that he begâ—…n not onely to doubt but feare that as he had killed Brellati so Sturio was reserved to kill him but againe considering that his birth and bloud was noble it contrariwise so incâ—…red and animated his courage and inflamed and set an edge on his Generosity as with a kinde of unwilling willingnesse hee accepts of Sturio's Challenge and so bade his Lackey tell his Master from him that hee would not faile to meet him to give him his welcome to Palermo The Clocke strikes five and long before sixe our two young Gentlemen come ride into the Field where giving their Horses to their Chirurgians with command not to stirre till their dueâ—…y and office call them they both draw and so approach each other but although this fury of theirs beginne in bloud yet it shall not here end in death At first comming up Sturio wards Bertolini's thrust and runnes him into the right Flanke of a deepe wound at the second he wounds him again in the neck which draws much bloud from him neither is the third meetingmore propitious or lesse fatall to him for Sturio without receiving any touch or scarre gives him a third wound 'twixt his small ribs whereat his courage feareth and his strength fainteth when willing to save his life though with the losse of his honour he throwes away his Rapier and with his Hat in hand begs his life of Sturio and with as much truth as integrity confesseth and voweth that hee is infinitely sorrowfull and repentant for the scandal delivered against the honor of his most faire and chast Lady Paulina for the which he craves pardon and remission Sturio is astonished at this unexpected and cowardly act of Bertolini whereat he bites his lip but I know not whether more with disdaine then anger only at first the remembrance of Brellati and Paulina's deaths for the present make him inexorable to his requeâ—… and submission but at last making reason give a law to choller and Religion to Revenge and considering that he was more then a Man sith a Christian as also that the lustre of his bloud and extraction had distinguished him from the vulgar and so made him honourable and noble hee not as a cruell Tygre but as a generous Lyon disdayneth to blemish his reputation and valour in killing a disarmed man and so his honour outbraving his valour and revenge he as a truely noble Gentleman gives Bertolini his life as holding himselfe satisfyed by having righted the honour of his dead Mistresse Paulina in Bertolini's confession and contrition So they sheath up their Swords and like loving friâ—…nds returne together into the City where Sturio prepareth for his departure and Bertolini betakes himselfe to have his wounds dressed and cured This Combate or Duell is not so secretly carryed betwixt them and their Chirurgians but all Palermo resounds and prattles thereof and which is more this newes speedily sayles from Cicily to Naples and from thence rides poast to Rome where Sturio and Bertolini likewise in short space arrive but first comes Sturio then Bertolini whose Father by this time hath obtained his Pardon for killing of Brellati The Nobility and Gentry of Rome speake diversely and differently of our two late return'd Gallants some â—…t of reason highly applaud Sturio's fighting with Bertolini occasioned through his affection to his dead Mistresse Paulina and then his humanity and curtesie shewed and extended him in giving him his life others out of the errours of youth and vanity taxe and condemne him for not dispatching and killing him againe many extoll Bertolini's valour in killing Brellati but all taunt and taxe him for his Cowardise in not fighting it out with Sturio and which is worse for disgracefully begging and receiving his life of him Bertolini findes this scandall throwne and retorted on him to bee very distastefull and dishonourable in so much as hee cannot rellish it but with discontent nor digest it but with extreme indignation and choller which throwes him so violently on the execrable humour of revenge as hee vowes to make Sturio pay deare for giving two much liberty to his tongue to the prejudice of his honour and reputation Puft up thus with these three execrable humours and vices disdaine envy and revenge whereof the least is great and capable enough to ruine both a fortune and a life hee out of a wretched resolution unworthy the generosity of a Gentleman not onely forgets Sturio his singular courtesie in giving him his life when it lay in his power and pleasure to take it from him but also remembreth and in that remembrance resolveth to repay him with the ungratefull requitall and mournefull interest of
and counsell and to send it him by the ordinary Carrier of Tholouse which was then in that Cittie bound thither from Paris his letter spake thus 〈◊〉 to DE SALEZ IT is out of a fatherly and as I may say a religious care of thy good that I now send thee these few ensuing lines for thy Youth cannot see that which my Age knowes how many miseries are subject to wait and attend on Vice and how many blessings on Vertue if La Frange be not faire yet she is comely not contemptible but sith her defects of Nature are so richly recompensed with the Ornaments of Fortune and the excellencies of Grace why should thy affection preferre La Hay before her who hath nothing but a painted face to overvaile the deformity of her other vices If thou wilâ—… leave a Saint to marry a strumpet then take La Hay and forsake La Frange but if thou wilt forsake a strumpet to take a Saint then marry La Frange and leave La Hay for looke what difference there is betweene their births thou shalt finde ten times more betweene the chastity of the one and the levity of the other If thou espouse the first thou shalt find Content and Honour if the second shame and repentance â—…or I know not whether La Frange will bring thee more happinesse or La Hay misery This letter shall serve as a witnesse betwixt God myselfe and thee that if thou performe me not thy promise and oath I will deny thee my blessing and deprieve thee of my lands ARGENTIER De Salez having received this his fathers letter in Tholouse exceedingly grieves to see him disgrace his mistresse by the scandalous name of a strumpet which hee knowes she is not and therefore will never beleeve it yea he vowes that if it were any other in the world who had offered him that intollerable affront hee would revenge it though with the price and perill of his life La Hay perceives this discontent and alteration of mirth in him but from what point of the Compasse this wind proceeds she neither knowes nor as yet can conceive but withall determineth to make the discovery thereof her greatest Ambition and not her least Care which she now well knowes it behooves her to doe sith she finds De Salez lesse free and more reserved and pensive in her speeches than accustomed But when in vaine she had hereunto used many smiles and feâ—…ches loâ—… here falls out an unlook't for accident which bewrayes her the very pith and quintescence of the Mistery For on a time when hee lay slumbering on the table shee as accustomed diving into his pockets for sweet meats or rather for gold of both which he many times went well furnished she finds his fathers aforesaid letter which she knew by the direction and so flying into another chamber and bolting the doore after her she there reads it both with griefe and choller when stunge to the quicke and bitten to the heart and gall to see her reputation and Honour thus traduced and scandalized by the father of her pretended husband she with teares and interjected sighes and grones flies backe to De Salez and holding the letter in her hand like a dissembling and impious strumpet as she was there shewes it him takes Heaven and Earth to beare witnesse of her innocency and of the irreparable and extreame wrong his father hath offered her in seeking to ecclips the Glory of her chastity which she sweares she will beare pure and unspotted not onely to his bed but to her owne grave But Alas alas these are the effects and passions of dissimulation not of truth of her prophanenesse not of her piety which time will make apparent to De Salez though now her beauty and teares be so predominate with his judgement and folly as he cannot because he will not see it So being still as constant in his â—…ottishnesse as she in her hypocrisie he gives her many sweet kisses and with a Catalogue of sugred words seekes to appease and comfort her whom he hath farre more reason to excerate and curse But for her part her heart is not so afflicted for remembring her selfe still her â—…its are her owne and so remembring the conclusion of the letter and fearing that De Salâ—…z his promise and oath to his father might infringe and contradict his to her she tels him that her love is so fervent and infinite towards him as shee can give no intermission nor truce to her teares before he reveale her his oath and promise which his fathers letter informed her he had formerly made him De Salez seeing himselfe put to so strict an exigent and push doth both blush for shame and againe looke pale for anger when for a small time irresolute how to beare himselfe in a matter of this different Nature wherein hee must either violate his obedience to his father or infringe his fidelity and honour to his mistris hee at last consenting with folly not with discretion and with Vanity nor with Iudgement doth so adore her beauty and commiserate her teares as he sottishly reveales her his oath given his father Verbatim as we have formerly understood it adding withall that she hath far more reason to rejoyce than grieve hereat That a little time shall cancell his said late promise and oath to his father and confirme his former to her For sweet La Hay quoth he come what come will two moneths shall never passe ere I marry thee when sealing his speaches with many kisses our hypocriticall afflicted Gentlewoman is presently againe come to her selfe and in all outward appearance her discontents are removed her choller pacified her teares exhaled and her sighes evaporated and blowne away But all this is false like her selfe and treacherous like her beauty For this letter of Argentier to his sonne and his promise and oath to his father hath acted such wonders in her heart and imprinted such extravagancies in her thoughts as she cannot easily remove or supplant it nor difficultly forget or deface it whatsoever she speake or make shew of to the contrary for thus she reasoneth with her selfe That 〈◊〉 whoredomes are already revealed to Argentier and for any thing she knowes â—…y likewise be discovered to his son how closely soever she either act or conceale them That La Franges descent wealth and vertues will in the end overprise and weigh downe her meane extraction poverty and beauty and in the end that the wisdome of the father will infallibly triumph ore the folly of the sonne except her pollicy interpose and her vigilency prevent it which to prevent and effect she sees no other obstacle to her content nor barre to her preâ—…erment but only La Frange for quoth she if La Frange shine in the firmament of De Salez affection La Hay must set or if La Hay will shine La Frange must set againe if she fall not I cannot stand and if she stand I must needs fall and as the skie is
Widdowes and Wives to beware by her mournful and execrable example her flames and prayers made expiation for the offence of her body and her soule mounted and fled to Heaven to crave remission and pardon of God who was the only Creator of the one and Redeemer of the other And such were the deplorable yet deserved ends of this bloody and wretched couple La Vasselay and La Villette for so cruelly murthering harmelesse Gratiana and innocent De Merson And thus did Gods all-seeing and sacred Justice justly triumph ore these their crying and execrable crimes O that their examples may engender and propagate our reformation and that the reading of this their lamentable History may teach us not only how to meditate thereon but also how to amend thereby GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther HISTORY XIV Fidelia and Caelestina cause Carpi and Monteleone with their two Laquayes Lorenzo and Anselmo to murther their Father Captaine Benevente which they performe Monteleone and his Laquay Anfelmo are drowned Fidelia hangs her selfe Lorenzo is hanged for a robbery and on the gallowes confesseth the murthering of Benevente Carpi hath his right hand then his head cut off Caelestina is beheadeâ—… and her body burnt OUr best parts being our Vertues and our chiefe and Soveraigne Vertue the purity and sanctity of our selves how can we neglect those or not regard this except we resolve to see our selves miserable in this life and our soules wretched in that to come and as charity is the cyment of our other vertues so envie her opposite is the subversion of this our charity from whence flowes rage revenge and many times murther her frequent and almost her inseperable companions but of all degrees of malice and envie can there be any so inhumane and diabolicall â—…s for two gracelesse daughters to plot the death of their owne father and to seduce and obtaine their two lovers to act and performe it whereof in this insuing History we shall see a most barbarous and bloody president as also their condigne punishâ—…nts afflicted on them for the same In the reading whereof O that we may have the grace by the sight of these their 〈◊〉 crimes and punishments to reforme and prevent our owne that wee may looke on their cruelty with charity on their rage with reaâ—…on on their errors with compassion on their desperation with pitty and on their 〈◊〉 wiâ—…h pâ—… that the meditation and contemplation thereof may terrifie ouâ—… 〈◊〉 quâ—…ch both the fire of our lust and the flames of our revenge so shall our faiths be fortified our passions reformed our affections purified and our actions eternally both blessed and sanctified to which end I have written and divulged it So Christian Reader if thou make this thy end in perusing it thou wilt then not faile to receive comfort thereby and therefore faile not to give God the Glory MAny yeeres since the Duke of Ossuna under the command of Spaine was made Viceroy of the Noble Kingdome of Naples the which hee governed with much reputation and honour although his fortunes or actions how justly or unjustly I know not have since suffered and received an Eclipse In the City of Otranto within the Province of Apulia there dwelt an ancient rich and valiant Gentleman nobly descended tearmed Captaine Benevente who by his deceased Lady Sophia Eliaâ—…ora Niece to the Duke of Piombinâ—… had left him two daughters and a sonne he tearmed Seignior Richardo Alcasero they two the Ladies Fidelia and Caelestina names indeed which they will no way deserve but from whom they will solely dissent and derogate through their hellish vices and inhumane dispositions to blood and murther wee may grace our names but our names cannot grace us Alcasero lives not at home with his father but for the most part at Naples as a chiefe Gentleman retayning to the Viceroy where he profiteth so well in riding and tilting a noble vertue and exercise beyond all other Italians naturall and hereditary to the Neopolitans that he purchased the name of a bold and brave Cavalier but for Fidelia and Caelestina the clockes of their youth having stroke twenty and eighteene the Captaine their father thinking it dangerous to have Ladies of their yeeres and descent farre from him keepes them at home that his care might provide them good husbands and his eye prevent them from matching with others It is as great a blessing in children to have loving Parents as for them to have obedient children and had their obedience answered his affection and their duty his providence wee had not seene the Theatre of this their History so be sprinckled and gored with such great effusion of blood This Captaine Benevente their father for his blood wealth and generosity was beloved and honoured of all the Nobility of Apulia and for his many services both by sea and land was held in so great esteeme in Otranto that his house was an Academie where all the Gallants both of City and Country resorted to backe great Horses to run at the Ring and to practise other such Courtly and Martiall Exercises whereunto this old Captaine as well in his age as youth was exceedingly addicted so as the beauty of his two daughters Fidelia and Caelestina could not be long either unseene or unadmired for they grew so perfectly faire of so sweet complexions and proper statures that they were justly reputed and held to be the Paragons of Beautie not only of Apulia but of Italy so as beauty being the Gold and Diamonds of Nature this of theirs so sweet in its influence and so excellent and delicious in that sweetnesse drew all mens eyes to love them many mens hearts to adore them so had they beene as rich in Vertue as in Beauty they had lived more fortunate and neither their friends nor enemies should have lived to have seene them die so miserably for now that proves their ruine which might have beene their glory They are both of them sought in marriage by many Barons and Caviliers as well at home as abroad but the Captaine their father will not give care nor hearken to any nor once permit that such motion be moved him They are so immodest as they grieve hereat and are so extreamly sorrowfull to see that a few yeares past away makes their Beauties rather fade than flourish where Vertue graceth not Beauty as well as Beauty Vertue it is often 〈◊〉 presage and fore-runner of a fortune as fatall as miserable But as their thoughts were too impatient and immodest to give way to such incontinent and irrigular conceits so on the other side the Captaine their father was too severe and withall too unkind I may say cruell to hinder them from Marriage sith their beauty and age had long since made them both meritorious and capable of it It was in them immodesty in him unkindenesse to propose such ends to their desires and resolutions for as hee hath authority to exact obedience from them
hee will die his faithfull servant But wee shall see him have more grace than to keepe so gracelesse a promise Carpi flattering himselfe with the fidelity and affection of his Laquay resolves to stay in the City but hee shall shortly repent his confidence Hee was formerly betrayed by Fiesco which mee thinks should have made him more cautious and wise and not so simple to entrust and repose his life on the incertaine mercy of Lorenzo's tongue but Gods Revenge drawes neare him and consequently he neare his end for he neither can nor shall avoid the judgement of Heaven Lorenzo on the gallowes will not charge his soule with this foule and execrable sinne of murther but Grace now operating with his soule as much as formerly Satan did with his heart hee confesseth that hee and the Baron of Carpi his Master together with the Knight Monte-leone and his Laquay Anselmo murthered the Captaine Benevente and his man Fiamento and threw them into the Quarrie the which hee takes to his death is true and so using some Christian-like speeches of repentance and sorrow he is hanged Lorenzo is no sooner turned over but the Criminall Iudges advertised of his speeches delivered at his death they command the Baron of Carpi his lodging to be beleagred where he is found in his study and so apprehended and committed prisoner where feare makes him looke pale so as the Peacocks plumes both of his pride and courage strike saile He is againe put to the Racke and now the second time hee reveales his foule and bloudy murther and in every point acknowledgeth Lorenzoes accusation of him to be true So he is condemned first to have his right hand cut off and then his head notwithstanding that many great friends of his sue to the Viceroy for his pardon The night before he was to die the next morne one of his Judges was sent to him to prison to perswade him to discover all his complices in that murther besides Monte-leone and his Laquay Anselmo yea there are likewise some Divines present who with many religious exhortations perswade him to it So Grace prevailes with Nature and Righteousnesse with Impiety and sinne in him that he is now no longer himselfe for contrition and repentance hath reformed him hee will rather disrespect Caelestina than displease God whereupon he affirmes that she and her deceased sister Fidelia drew him and Monte-leone to murther their father and his man Fiamento and that if it had not beene for their allurements and requests they had never attempted either the beginning or end of so bloudy a businesse and thus making himselfe ready for Heaven and grieving at nothing on Earth but at the remembrance of his foule fact he in the sight of many thousand people doth now lose his head This Tragedy is no sooner acted and finished in Naples but the Judges of this City send away poast to those of Otranto to seize on the Lady Caelestina who in the absence of her husband for the most part lived there A Lady whom I could pitie for her youth and beauty did not the foulenesse of her fact so foulely disparage and blemish it She is at that instant at a Noblemans house at the solemnitie of his daughters marriage where she is apprehended imprisoned and accused to bee the authour and plotter of the Captaine her fathers death neither can her teares or prayers exempt her from this affliction and misery She was once of opinion to deny it but understanding that the Baron of Carpi and his Laquay Lorenzo were already executed for the same in Naples shee with a world of teares freely confesseth it and confirmes as much as Carpi affirmed whereupon in expiation of this her inhumane Paracide she is condemned to have her head cut off her body burnt and her ashes throwne into the ayre for a milder death and a lesse punishment the Lord will not out of his Justice inflict vpon her for this her horrible crime and barbarous cruelty committed on the person of her owne father or at least seducing and occasioning it to be committed on him and it is not in her husbands possible power to exempt or free her hereof Being sent backe that night to prison she passeth it over or in very truth the greatest part thereof in prayer still grieving for her sinnes and mourning for this her bloudy offence and crime and the next morne being brought to her execution when she ascended the scaffold she was very humble sorrowfull and repentant and with many showres of teares requested her brother Alcasero and all her kinsfolkes to forgive her for occasioning and consenting to her fathers death and generally all the world to pray for her when her sighs and teares so sorrowfully interrupted and silenced her tongue as she recommending her soule into the hands of her Redeâ—…mer whom she had so heynously offended shee with great humility and contrition kneeling on her knees and lifting up her eyes and hands towards heaven the Executioner with his sword made a double divorce betwixt her head and her body her body and her soule and then the fire as if incensed at so fiery a spirit consumed her to ashes and her ashes were throwne into the ayre to teach her and all the world by her example that so inhumane and bloudy a daughter deserved not either to tread on the face of this Earth or to breathe this ayre of life She was lamented of all who either knew or saw her not that she should die but that she should first deserve then suffer so shamefull and wretched a death and yet shee was farre happier than her sister Fidelia for shee despaired and this confidently hoped for remission and salvation Thus albeit this wretched and execrable young Gentlewoman lived impiously yet she died Christianly wherefore let vs thinke on that with detestation and on this with charity And here wee see how severely the murther of Captaine Benevente was by Gods just revenge punished not onely in his two daughters who plotted it but also in the two Noblemen and their two Laquayes who acted it Such attempts and crimes deserve such ends and punishments and infallibly finde them The onely way therefore for Christians to avoid the one and contemne the other is with sanctified hearts and unpolluted hands still to pray to God for his Grace continually to affect prayer and incessantly to practise piety in our thoughts and godlinesse in our resolutions and actions the which if wee be carefull and conscionable to performe God will then shrowd us under the wings of his favour and so preserve and protect us with his mercy and providence as we shall have no cause to feare either Hell or Satan GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther HISTORY XV. Maurice like a bloudy villaine and damnable sonne throwes his Mother Christina into a Well and drownes her the same hand and arme of his wherewith he did it rots away from his body aad being discrased of
day goes home to his house with him visiteth his daughter He findes her to be weake leane and pale the which serves the better for his turne to coulour out this his bloody purpose to her When if there had been any humanity in his thoughts any Grace in his heart or any sparke of religion or pietie in his Soule the very sight of this sweet this harmelesse this beautifull young Gentlewoman would have moved him to compassion and not with hellish crueltie to resolve to poyson her But his sinnefull heart his seared Conscience and his ulcerated and virulent soule had in favour of gold made this compact with the Divell and therfore hee will advance and not retire in this his infernall resolution Hee feeles her pulse casts her estate in an Vrinall receives thirty Crownes of her Father for her cure and so bidding her to be of good comfort he administreth her two pills three mornings following whereof harmelesse sweet Gentlewoman within three dayes after shee sodainly dyes in her bed by night Tivoly affirming to her sorrowfull Father and Friends that before hee came to her the violency and inveteracy of her consumption had turned all her blood into water and exhausted and extenuated all the radicall humours of her life which opinion of this base and bloody Italian Mountebanke past current with the simplicitie of his beliefe and their Iudgements So he burieth his daughter and with her his chiefest earthly delight and ioy Within three daies after that this sorrowful and lamentable tragedy was acted This monster this Divell incarnate Tivoly leaves Troyes and poasts away to Nevers where he ravisheth Masserina's heart with the joyfull newes and assurance of La Precovertes death and buriall of whom he receives his other hundred and fifty Crownes the which according to her promise shee failes not presently to pay him downe And heere againe they solemnely sweare secrecie each to other of this their bloody fact Wretched Masserina feasting her heart with joy and surfeiting her thoughts with content to see the rivall and competitor in her loves La Precoverte thus dispatched and sent for heaven Shee now thinking to domineere alone in her Harcourts heart and affection esteemes her selfe a degree neerer to him in marriage that so of his Sister shee may become his Wife For this is the felicity and content whereat her heart aymeth and the delectation and ioy wherein her desires and wishes terminate But her Husband Vimories life doth dash these ioyes of hers in peeces as soone as she conceives them and strangles them if not in their birth yet in their cradle She finds Nevers to bee a pleasant Citie and Pougges a delightfull little place to live in and when the Spring is past and the great confluence of people retired and gone home to bee a place of farre more safety for them than Lyons Yea and shee affects and loves it farre the better because here it was she first heard and understood of La Precovertes death which as yet for a time she closely conceales to her selfe Wherefore shee sends Noell her man to Lyons to his Master and by her letter prayes him speedily to come and live with her at Nevers which shee affirmes to him is a pleasant City and that there she attends his arrivall and company with much affection and impatiencie Harcourt to please his Sweet-heart-Sister Masserina leaves Lyons and comes to her at Nevers where with thankes and kisses she ioyfully wellcomes him telling him that these bathes of Pougges have perfectly freed her of her ache but in her heart and mind shee well knowes it is the death of La Precoverte and not those bathes which hath both cured her doubts and secured her feares They have not lived in Nevers and Pougges above three weekes since his arrivall untill they there but by what meanes I know not understand of La Precovertes death whereat hee seemes nothing sorrowfull but she extreamly glad and ioyfull And by this time which is at least a whole yeare since their flight and departure from Saint Simplician and Sens they in their Travells and other gifts and expenses have consumed â—…nd expended a prettie Summe of their money In all which time wee must understand that Vimory hates his wife and Brother so exceedingly as hee in contempt of their crymes and detestation of their trecherous ingratitude scornes either to looke or send after them but the only revenge which he useth towards him in his absence he pretends a great Summe of money to bee due to him from him and in compensation thereof seizeth upon the remainder of his lands and by Order of Iustice gathereth up and collects his rents from his Tenants to his owne use and behoofe Which extreamely grieves Harcourt and afflicts Masserina who by this time seeing in what obscurity and considering in what continuall feare and eminent danger they live in As their lascivious affections so their irregular desires and irreligious resolutions looke one and the same way which is to send her Husband and his Brother Vimory to Heaven after his wife La Precoverte yea so resolute are they in this their bloody intentions and desires as they wish and pray for it with zeale and desire it with passion impatiency And now their malice is growen so resolute and their resolution so gracelesse in the contemplation and conceiving of this bloody 〈◊〉 as they bewray it each to other Masserina vowes to him that she can reape no true content either in her life or conscience before of his sister he make her his wife Nor I replies Harcourt before my brother Vimorie be in Heaven and I marry thee be thy husband here in earth When as a bloody Courtisan and Strumpet she gives him many thanks and kisses for this his affection to her and malice to his Brother Vimory for her sake when working upon the advantage of time occasion and opportunity Shee tells him that in her opinion the shortest and surest way is to dispatch him by poison Harcourt dislikes her judgement and plot as holding it no way safe in taking away his brothers life to entrust and hazard his owne at the coâ—…rtesie of a stranger at which speech of his shee blusheth and palleth as being conscious and memorative of what she had lately caused to be perpetrated by Tivoly Therfore he thinks to acquaint and imploy his owne man Noell in this bloudy businesse and proâ—… him two hundred Crownes and fortie more of yeerely pension during his life if hee will pistoll his Brother Vimory to death as he iâ—… walking in the fields But Noell is too honest a man and too good a Chriâ—… to stabbe at the majesty of God iâ—…â—…ling man his creature and Image and so absolutely denies his Master and although he be a poore man yet he rejects his offer as resolving never to purchase wealth or preferment at so deere a rate as the price of innocent blood whereat his Master bites his lip for discontent and
beare up with the time and so to dissemble it and when in the language of a victory and a triumph Felisanna acquaints him therewith hee holds it discretion rather to winke at it and dissemble it with silence then to remember it with choller or reprehension towards her So hee to acquit his ignorance reputation and honour herein towards Borlari cals his laquey againe and vowes and protesteth to him as hee is a Gentleman that hee is free from being any way knowing or accessary to this his disgrace and disaster and bids him to assure his Master from him that hee is every way Innocent hereof the which hee would have signified to him in writing but that his letter was sealed before he knew it and so giving him some crownes to wash downe his anger and sorrow he then takes leave of him Romeo sayes little but thinkes the more and as hee disdaineth to bewray any appearance of griefe hereat so he cannot cloake that of his choller nor overvaile or smother that of revenge in their fatall effects which time will too soone produce Romeo in great haste and more choller arrives to his master Borlaries presence gives him Planezes letter who very speedily and hastily breaking up the seales thereof findes therein these lines PLANEZE to BORLARY I Acknowledge it to bee rather thy misfortune then my merits that induceth the faire and vertuous Lady Felisanna to give her affection to mee and not to thy selfe the which as a rich treasure and pretious Iewell I doe not onely esteeme equall to my life but a thousand degrees aboue it and therefore it was with much affection and zeale to her and with no ostentation or malice to thy selfe that I tendred her my best service to right her of the ignoble wrong which thou didst offer to her Chamber-maide Radegonde In which regard because thou purposely givest a sinister construction to my intent therein and art so ambitiously resolute to hazard thy honour and life in hope of the losse of mine I doe therefore freely and cheerefullie accept of thy challenge and my impatience and zeale shall anticipate thine before I perform it wherein if my Rapier give not the lie to my bloud my misfortune to my Rapier thou shalt finde me enough noble and generous to attempt this duell for thy sake and to finish those of greater danger for the Lady Felisannas sake who I freely professe is the Empresse of my affections and till death shal bee the Queene Regent of my desires and wishes PLANEZES Borlari hath no sooner perused and ore read this letter of Planeze but finding his challenge accepted he is exceeding glad and Ioyfull thereof as if his glory consisted in his shame and his safety in his danger Then his laquey Romeo acquaints him with his disgrace acted saieth he wholly by Dona Felisanna and no way as hee vowes and thinkes by the consent or knowledge of Planeze and so relates all that he and shee charged him to report unto him The which Borlari hearing and understanding hee extreamely stormes to see his owne affront and disgrace offered and brought home unto him in that of his Laquey When having other affaires and businesse in his head he contents himselfe for that time to give him some gold thereby the sooner to make him forget the losse of his eare which his lockes better then his lookes could now overvaile and cover These two inconsiderate Gentlemen being infinitely more ambitious to preserve their honours then their lives and more carefull of their reputations towards the foolish people of the world then of their soules towards God are now fitting of their Rapiers and Chirurgions to dispatch this their rash enterprise and irreligious businesse and it is not the least part of Planezes discretion and care to play the Mercury and now to blinde the Argus eyes of Felisannaes feare and vigilancy and how to see a beginning and end to this duell with his generosity and fame that he bee no way disturbed or prevented by her in the performance thereof The prefixed houre being come Borlari with his Chirurgeon as Challenger comes first into the field I meane into the meadow the designed place and theatre where they intend to act this their bloudy Tragedy and hee hath not stayed halfe a quarter of an houre but Planeze the Challenged arrives there likewise with his Chirurgion When there malice is so furious and their courages so inflamed each against other as passing over their saluting ceremonies without a ceremony they putting themselves into their shirts doe both of them draw and so approach each other At their first comming up Planeze runnes Borlari through the left thigh and Borlari him in the right shoulder and the sight of their scarlet bloud upon their white shirts doth rather revive than quench their courages At their second meeting Borlari runnes Planeze into the right arme of a large and deep wound and Planeze dies not in debt for it but requites it with a dangerous one in the small of his belly which went neere to prove mortall for it fetcht much bloud from him made him to beginne to faint and stagger so being both of them well neere out of breath they make a stand to breath and take the benefit of the aire but their hearts and animosity are so great as they will not as yet desist or leave off but now begin a fresh to redouble their blowes and courages and here they traverse their ground to gaine the advantage of the Sunne with far more advisement and discretion then before Now at this their third comming up Borlari presents Planeze a furious thrust but he very actively and nimbly wards it off him and in exchange runnes Borlari into the necke a little wide of his throat bole whereat Planeze instantly closing with him he fairely attempted to whip up his heeles but that Borlari his strength prevented Planezes agility when each having the other by the coller of their doublets with one hand and their rapiers in the other as they are striving and strugling together God more out of his gratious goodnesse and mercy then of their desires and wishes is pleased that neither of them shall for this time dye For the Earle of Lucerni riding poast with three gentlemen in his company from Venice towards Turin chanced to espie and see them in the meddow almost all covered over with sweat bloud and dust when he and they leaping from their Horses hee very honourably and charitably runnes to them and parts them offering them his best power and a pretty parcell of his time to end and shut up their differences in a friendly attonement and reconciliation but so inveterate and strong by this time is their malice each to other as he found it no way feaseable but impossible to effect it So this brave and honourable Earle contents himselfe to reconduct and see them safe into the City where privately leaving them to their future fortunes hee againe takes horse and away Our
Dorilla receiving this Letter from Castruchio she puts it into her purse and promiseth him her best care and fidelity for the delivery thereof to Seignior Borlari although she confesseth that she neither knew him nor his house But see here the providence and mercy of God which cleerely resplends and shines in the deportment and action of this beastly old bawd for she meeting with some of her gamesters and gossips in the street though contrary to the custome of Italy away they goe to a taverne where they all swill their head and braines with wine especially Dorilla So the day being farre spent her businesse for Castruchio is ended ere begun for shee forgetting her selfe cannot remember his letter but as fast as her reeling legges will permit her away shee speedes towards her owne house which was some halfe a mile off in the Citty But when she was in the streets and had a little taken the aire then she cals Castruchios letter to minde and her promise to him to deliver it but to whom through her cups she hath quite forgotten for she cannot once hiâ—… on the name Borlari But at last remembring the letter to be in her purse and she by this time in the midst of the Citty she takes it out in her hand seeing a faire yet sorrowfull young Lady to stand at the street doore of her house all in mourning attire and no body neere her after she had done her duty to her she reacheth her the letter and humbly requesteth her to tell her the Gentlemans name to whom it was directed when God out of the profundity of his power and immensity of his pleasure having so ordained and ordered it that this faire young Lady was our sweet Felisanna who for the death of her deere husband Planeze had dighted her selfe al in mourning attire and apparel thereby the better to make it correspond with her heart who reading the superscription therof and finding it directed to Seignior Borlari by some motion or inspiration from heaven her heart could not refrain from sending all the bloudof her body into her face when demanding of this woman from whom this letter came Dorilla as drunke in her fidelity and innocency as shee was guilty of her drunkennesse tels her that the letter came from an Apothecary who lay in prison named Castruchio At the very repetition of which name our Felisanna againe blusheth and then palleth as if God had some newes to reveale her by this Letter because shee remembreth that this Castruchio as we have formerly understood was the very same Apothecary who gave her husband Planeze physicke a little before his death Whereupon she praying Dorilla to come with her into her house because she purposly and politikely affirmed she could not read written hand herselfe but would pray her father to doe it she leaves her in the utter hall and herselfe goes into the next roome where breaking up the seales of this letter she at the very first sight and knowledge that her husband was poysoned and by whom and that God had now miraculously revealed it to her through the ignorance and drunkennesse of this old woman she for meere griefe and sorrow is ready to fall to the ground in a swoone had not her father and some of his servants who over hearing her passionate outcries come speedily to her assistance which yet could not awake Dorilla who had no sooner sate her selfe downe in a chaire in the hall but being top heavy with wine she presently fell a sleepe Miniata rousing up his fainting and sorrowfull daughter brought her againe to herselfe and seeing her in a bitter agonie and passion of sorrow demands of her the cause thereof when the brinish teares trickling downe her virmilion cheekes she crossing her armes and fixing her eyes towards heaven had the will but not the power to speake a word to him but reacheth him the Letter to read Miniata perusing it is as much astonished with griefe as his daughter is afflicted with sorrow at this poysoning of her Husband and his sonne in Law Planeze so enquiring of her who brought her this letter she after many sighes and pauses tels him that it was the mercy and providence of the Lord who sent it her by a drunken woman who was forth in the Hall They both goe to her and finding her fast sleeping and snoring Miniata puls her by the sleeve and wakes her and then demands of her before his daughter and servants where and from whom she had this letter who as drunke as this Baud is she is constant in her first speech and confession to Felisanna that she had it from Castruchio an Apothecary who lay in prison but she had forgotten to whom she was to deliver it and then prayes them both to deliver and give her backe her letter againe But Miniata seeing and knowing that it was the immediate finger of God which thus strangely had revealed this murther of his sonne in Law Planeze he calls in two Gentlewomen his next neighbours to comfort his daughter Felisanna and so leaving Dorilla to the guard of two of his servants he with two other Gentlemen his neighbours takes his Coach and having Castruchio's Letter in his hand he drives away to the State-house where he findes out the Podestate and Prefect of the Citie and shewing them the Letter which revealed the poysoning and poysoners of Planeze his sonne in Law they in honour to justice and out of their respect to the sorrowfull Lady his daughter take their Coaches and returne with Miniata home to his house Where they first examine Felisanna and then Dorilla who is constant in her first deposition Whereat these grave and honourable Personages wondring and admiring that a Gentleman of Barlari his ranke and quality should make himselfe the guilty and bloudy Authour of so foule a Murther they likwise admiring and blessing Gods providence in the detection thereof doe presently send away their Isbieres or Serjeants to apprehend Borlari and so they goe to their Forum or seat of Iustice and speedily send away for Castruchio to be brought from the prison before them Who at the very first newes of their accusation of him and the producing of his Letter to Borlari he curseth the person and name of this old Bawd Dorilla who is the prime Authour of his overthrow and death and then confesseth himselfe to be the Actor and Seignior Borlari to be the Authour cause and Instigator of this his poysoning of Planeze but never puts his hand on his conscience and soule that the strange detection of this lamentable murther came directly from Heaven and from God The Serjeants by order from the Podestate and Prefect finde Borlari in his owne house ruffling in a new rich suit of apparrell of blacke Sattin trimmed with gold buttons which he that day put on and the next was determined to ride to the City of Bergamo to seeke in marriage a very rich young widdow whose Husband lately died
happinesse to you as I your sorrwfull daughter and his poore mother see my selfe borne to affliction and misery God will requite this your charity to him and thereby I shall the sooner forget your unnaturall unkindnesse and cruelty towards my selfe And so may you live in as much prosperity as I feare I shall shortly die in extreame indigence and misery FERMIA Her father Moron receiveth and peruseth this third Letter of his daughter Fermia whereat being yet nothing moved in charity or touched in compassion towards her but onely towards her young sonne and his grand childe Thomaso he returnes her this short answer MORON to FERMIA I See thou art both wilfull and obstinate in disobeying my commands with thy Letters wherein I beleeve thou takest more glory than either I conceive griefe at the relation of thy wants or sorrow at the repetition of thy miseries the which I am so farre from releeving as I onely pitie it that I am thy father but not as thou art my daughter And yet because thy young sonne Thomaso is as innocent as thou art guilty of my displeasure and indignation therefore give him to this bearer whom I have purposely sent to receive hiâ—… of thee and I will see whether it be the pleasure of God that I shall be as happy in hiâ—… as I am unfortunate in thy selfe and if in his sacred providence he hath ordained and decreed that he prove as great a comfort to thy age as thou art a crosse and calamity to â—…ine which if it prove so then give God the onely praise and glory which is the best use and requitall which thou canst make or I desire MORON Our poore and desolate Fermia having received and over-read her fathers letter although she be wonderfull sorrowfull at the perseverance of his cruelty towards her selfe yet she is infinitely glad and joyfull at his compassion and kindnesse towards her young son who apparelling the very best that possibly she could which God knowes is ragged meane and poore she with a thousand sighs teares prayers blessings and kisses gives him to her fathers messenger and to whose affection and education as also to Gods gracious protection and preservation shee religiously recommends him when to her exceeding griefe and sensible affliction she sees it out of her possible power once to perswade her husband Lorenzo either to kisse or see him at his departure as if it were no part of his affection to blesse it or of his duty to pray to God to blesse it much lesse to kisse it at parting A most unkinde and unnaturall part of a father to his sweet and pretty young sonne Which strange and discourteous ingratitude of his it is not impossible for us to see God as strangely both to requite and revenge Sorrowfull Fermia having thus sent away her little sonne Thomaso to her father Moron at Savona she the very same night dreames in her poore bed and house in Genova that she shall never be so happy to see him againe when being awaked and remembring this her sorrowfull dreame she for meere griefe bitterly weeps thereat and although she would yet she cannot possibly forget or suppresse the remembrance thereof or once put it out of her minde so that thinking her selfe fortunate in placing this her little sonne with her father and his Grandfather shee is now very pensive and sorrowfull for his absence because she can no longer see him play with him and kisse him and is infinitely disconsolate and mournfull when she thinks of her dreame of him In the meane time her lewd husband growes from bad to worse so that her cohabitation is but a bondage with him and her mariage and wedlocke but an Indenture of slavery and a contract of misery under him Such is her incomparable griefe such her unparalleld afflictions and calamities Five yeares our disconsolate Fermia lives in this rich misery and miserable poverty with her husband and yet all the whole world cannot perswade her father Moron to take her home to him and maintaine her She hath no consolation left her but prayers nor remedy but enforced patience so shee armes her selfe with the last and adorneth her selfe with the first She was contented to begge for the maintenance of her little sonne Thomaso but now being eased of that burthen she will give it over so she works hard to get her hard and poore living which yet she cannot get so fast as her husband spends it prodigally and lasciviously Her care and vertues make her the pitie as his lewdnesse and vices make him the scorne and contempt of all their neighbours So whiles she sits at home close at her needle in poore apparell he idlely wanders and gads abroad untill he have brought his apparell to ragges and himselfe almost to nakednesse And here it is that her wretched husband Lorenzo now first beginnes to hearken to the devill yea to prove a very devill himselfe towards this his deare and vertuous wife for he enters into a consultation with himselfe that if he were once rid of his wife Fermia he might marry some other with a good portion to maintaine him and so againe set up his trade of baking which now had forsaken him because he had vitiously and unthriftily forsaken it When his faith being as weake with God as his infamous life and vices were odious to the world he assumes a bloudy and damnable resolution to murther her and hereunto the Devill is still at his elbow to provoke and egge him onward and continually blowes the coales to this his malice and indignation against her So neither his minde or heart his conscience or soule can divert him from this fearfull enterprize and lamentable and bloudy businesse The which to performe and perpetrate he on a great holiday which was the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary takes her with him into a Vineyard some halfe a mile from the City of Genova under colour to recreate themselves and to take the aire which God knowes she poore soule takes for a great because an unaccustomed favour and courtesie at his hands where she most lovingly and willingly goes with him and there feigning himselfe fast a sleep and she innocent harmlesse young woman then thereslept soundly and every way being as devoid of feare as he was of grace he with a barbarous and diabolicall cruelty seeing the coast cleare softly riseth up and cuts her throat without giving her the power time or happinesse to utter one word before her death Where leaving her weltring and goring in her bloud he speedily and politikely enters Genova by a contrary gate thereby to avoid all suspition of this his bloudy and damnable fact The very same night this her breathlesse murthered body is found out by some of Genova who accidentally walked that way and they causing it to be brought to the City it is knowne by some of Lorenzo's neighbours to bee his wife Fermia whereat to adde the better cloke to his knavery and shadow
sees by no other eyes but by those of malice and revenge towards her Sister shee thinkes every day an age before shee heare of her dispatch At the expiration of which time according to their former agreement Bernardo arrived by night at Streni's house in Florence and at one of the Clocke after midnight hee findes the little Garden doore open and his Pierya there purposely to receive and welcome him so they beginne their meeting with kisses Shee leades him by the hand to the outer doore of her Ladies chamber and they two having agreed on the manner how to stifle her in her bed shee had there to that purpose provided two pillowes keepes one and gives him another to effect it These miserable wretches for the more secrecie put off their shooes and out the candles and the darknesse of the Moone and the obscurity of the night seeming to conspire to their conspiracie they softly enter her chamber goe one by one side and the other by the other where unfortunat Babtistyna lying soundly sleeping and snoring they stifle her with their Pillowes and then a little whiles after thrust a handkercher into her mouth and their fury and malice was so fierce and implacable towards her as shee hath neither the grace to speake nor the power once to screech or crye Thus she who had formerly poysoned her elder Sister Iaquinta is now also cruelly murthered by the treachery of her youngest Amarantha which makes me crie out and say O Lord as thou art immense in thy mercie so thou art inscrutable in thy judgements and that therfore as wee ought not so we cannot resist his divine power and eternall preordination Bernardo and Pierya as two limbes of the Devill having finished this cruell murther on Babtistyna they leave her breathlesse body on her bâ—…d and then withdrawing themselves from her Chamber they softly pull fast the doore which had a Spring locke and then shee secretly throwes in the key within side at a private hole or crannie when her Sweet-heart and her selfe descend the stayâ—…es and with wonderfull silence stalke away to the Garden without the Posterne doore whereof his horse tyed up to an Iron ring in the wall awayted and attended him where with a multitude of kisses they part he faithfully promising her to returne to her againe at Florence within a moneth after at most and then to marry her So whiles Pierya now in the depth and dead of this dismall night betakes her selfe to her bed and there as devoyd of feare as of grace sleepes soundly her sweet-heart Bernardo that very obscure night gallops thorow the streers of Florence towards the gate which leads to Pistoia where God in all seeing providence causeth his horse to stumble and fall with him to the ground whereof hee brake his necke and presently dyed and his horse then rising flyes from him straglingly in the streets leaving the breathlesse corps of Bernardo in the street having not the happines either to crie or utter one word at this his sudden disastrous death God having so ordain'd and decreed in his Star-chamber of heaven that although for the murthering of the Lady Babtistyna he deserved a more shamefull end yet that this poore horse which brought him to Florence should at the same time and place be his executioner as also that there was scarce one houre between his crime and his punishment between her murther and his own death An act and example of Gods justice worthy of all men to know and of all Christians most especially to remember so secret and sacred are the judgements of the Lord of Hosts All that night Bernardo's dead body lay gored in his blood which abundantly issued forth his mouth as also in the dirt of the street unespyed of any mortall eye but as soone as the morning began to appeare thorow the windowes of heaven then it was found and likewise to bee done by the fall of a horse whereof his necke the beholders saw was broken the which the sooner they were induced and led to believe because they likewise found a horse neere him stragling in the streets without his rider This his dead body is therefore presently exposed to the Criminall Iudges of that faire and famous City who forthwith cause his Pockets to be searched where in stead of gold they by the direction of God find the before nominated promise of a yearly Annuity which we have formerly understood Amarantha gave him Whereupon they knowing the Lady Amarantha to be Seig. Leonardo Streni's daughter by this note confidently believing this dead man to be the same Bernardo and he to be Amarantha's servant they without once suspecting or dreaming of any murther committed by him hold it a part of their office and duety to acquaint Streni herewith But the newes of this dead found Corps ratling thorow the streets of the City it devanceth this care of theirs and so speedily arrives to Streni's house before them whereat Pierya looking for nothing lesse takes so hot an allarum of griefe feare and despaire that her guilty thoughts and conscience like so many Blood-hounds still pursuing her she seeing this unlookt for disaster and death of her Bernardo to bee an act of God and a blow from heaven which infallibly predicted both her danger and death she therefore presently flies out a doore and with much celerity and more feare betakes her selfe to the least frequented and most remotest streets of the City for her safety By this time the Criminall officers are arrived at Streni's house whom they acquaint with this mournefull accident shew him this assurance of Annuity and inquire of him if it bee the Lady Amarantha his Daughters hand as also the dead Corps and if this were her servant who with a countenance composed of astonishment feare and sorrow acknowledgeth to them that it is his Daughter Amarantha's owne hand writing and the dead personage to bee her Servingman Bernardo Whereupon they confidently believe and hee sorrowfully feares that this death of his and that assurance of hers doth either import or include some greater disaster and misfortune whereupon they againe modestly yet juridically demand of him for his Daughter Amarantha and her Chamber-mayd Pierya who returnes them this answer that the first is at his Mannor of Cardura neere Pistoia and the second here in his house and now serving his eldest Daughter Babtistyna they demand to speake with Pierya whom hee causeth to bee sought in all places of his house but shee is not to bee found so hee sends to looke her in his Daughters chamber her Mistresse but his servants returne and report that the doore of that Chamber is fast lock'd and that they can get no speech either of her or of the Lady Babtistyna which answer of theirs doth exceedingly augment the jealousie of the Iudges and the feare of the Father So 〈◊〉 all resolve to ascend themselves to that Chamber where they aloud againe calling both the Lady and her Mayd and
hearing no answer of either of them they instantly cause the doore to bee forced open where contrary to their expectation they finde the Lady Babtistyna dead and well neere cold in her bed and causing her body to bee secretly searched by some Chirurgians and neighbor Gentlewomen they all are of opinion that shee is undoubtedly stifled in her bed and her face very much blacke and swolne with struggling for life against death They are amazed and her Father Streni almost drowned in his sorrowfull teares at the fight of this deplorable accident and mournefull spectacle and therefore what to say or how to beare himselfe herein hee knowes not But the Iudges upon farther knowledge and consideration of the flight of Pierya the death of Bernardo and the promised Annuity of Amarantha upon their marriage as it were prompted by God doe vehemently suspect and believe that they all three were undoubtedly consenting guilty of Babtistyna's death notwithstanding that the Key of her Chamber was found thrown in within side So they presently leave this sorrowfull Father to his teares and betaking themselves to their Seat of Iustice doe instantly cause all the Gates of the City to be shut and a strict and curious search to be made in all parts thereof for the apprehension of Pierya which in their zeale and honour to sacred justice they performe with so much care and speed as within three houres after shee is found out and apprehended in an Aunts house of hers who was a poore woman and a Laundresse of that City named Eleanora Fracasa The Iudges being presently advertised hereof convent her before them and by vertue of this Annuity charge both her and her lover Bernardo to bee the actors and Amarantha to bee at least the accessary if not the authour with them of murthering Babtistyna shee can hardly speake for teares at this her examination because her sighes still cut her words in pieces and yet she is so farre from grace and repentance as at first shee stoutly denyes all and boldly affirmes that both Amarantha Bernardo and her selfe were every way innocent of attempting any thing against Babtistyna's life and that if shee were dead shee dyed onely of a naturall death by the appoyntment of God and no otherwise and to this Answer of hers the Devill had made her so strong as shee added many fearfull oaths and deprecations both for her owne and their justification but yet notwithstanding this her Apologie these grave and cleere-fighted Iudges are so farre from diminishing as they augment their suspition both of her and them and so commit her to prison and forthwith to the racke At the pronouncing of which Sentence Pierya is much daunted seemes to let fall some of her former fortitude and constancie and to burst forth into many passionate teares sighs and exclamations But they will nothing availe her for seeing her pretended Husband Bernardo dead in whom lived the imaginary joyes of her heart shee so fainted as at the very first sight of the Racke with some teares and more deep fetch'd sighes shee confessed to her Iudges that shee and Bernardo had stifled her Lady Babtistyna in her bed but still constantly affirmed that her sister Amarantha was wholly innocent thereof flattering her selfe with this hope that for thus her cleering of her Lady Amarantha from this crime and danger shee in requitall thereof could doe no lesse then bee a meanes to procure a pardon for her life But these hopes of hers will deceive her and flie as fast from her hereafter as ever shee formerly did from God So the Iudges in detestation of this her foule and bloudy crime adjudge her to bee hanged for the same but first they send her backe to prison and the very next morning before breake of day they secretly send away three of their Isbieres or Sergeants to Cardura to fetch the Lady Amarantha to Florence being very confident notwithstanding Pierya's denyall that shee likewise had a deepe finger and share in her Sister Babtistyna's murther Amarantha not dreaming in Cardura what had betided in Florence to 〈◊〉 and Pierya but flattering her selfe with much hope and joy that by this time they had undoubtedly made away her Sister Babtistyna and consequently that she should shortly revisite Florence and there domineere alone and obtaine some gallant Cavallier of her Father for her husband shee in expectance of her servant Bernardo's returne and of his pleasing newes had that day as it were in a bravery and triumph purposely dighted her selfe up in her best attire and richest apparell and so betaking her selfe to her Chamber and to that window which looked towards Florence shee with a longing desire expecteth ev'ry minute when he will arrive when about ten of the clocke before dinner contrary to her expectation shee sees three men to enter into the house apparelled as Florentines whereat shee much museth and wondereth as not knowing what they or their comming should import These three Sergeants having entred the house they are brought to the Governesse Malevola who brings them to her young Lady Amarantha in her Chamber to whom with a dissembling confidence they report to her That Seâ—…gnior Streni her Father hath sent them to conduct and accompany her speedily to Florence Amarantha inquires of them for her Fathers Letters to that effect whereunto one of the subtlest of them makes answer very slylie and artificially to her that her Fathers haste and her preferment would not permit him to write to her for that hee perfectly knew from him hee was now upon matching her to a rich and noble Husband Her Governesse Malevola likewise demands of them if hee had not written to her selfe they answer no but that hee bad them tell her that he will'd her without delay to bring away his Daughter Amarantha with her and themselves to Florence by Coach and onely one Foot-boy The Pupill and Governesse consult hereon and the very name of a Husband makes the first as willing as the second is discontented to goe to Florence without a Letter but the policie of the Sergeants so prevaile with the simplicity of this young Lady and old Gentlewoman that they speedily packe up their Trunkes so dine and then take Coach and horse and away for Florence during which short journey although the mirth and joy of Amarantha bee great yet shee findes so many different reluctations and extravagant thoughts in her minde at the absence and silence of her man Bernardo as shee cannot possibly againe refraine from musing and wondering thereat They all arrive at Florâ—…nce where these Sergeants having learnt their parts well and acting them better in stead of Amarantha's Fathers house doe clap her up close prisoner in the Common Goale of that City notwithstanding all her prayers and cries sighes and teares to the contrary and then send her Governesse Malevola home to her said Father to advertise him hereof who tearing the snow-white haire of his head and beard at this sad newes and
and may well be called the Fortresse of Christian piety against the tentations of Sathan so by the contrary wee expose and lay open our selves to the treacherous lures and malice of the Devill For if by Faith wee doe not first beleeve then pray unto God for our owne preservation it will bee no hard matter for him to tempt us in our choller to quarrell with our best friends and in our malice and revenge to murther even our neerest and dearest Kindred O Faith the true foundation of our soveraigne felicitie O Prayer the sweet preservative and sacred Manna of our soules how blessed doe you make those who embrace and retaine you and contrariwise how miserable and wretched are they who contemne and reject you Of which last number this insuing Historie will produce us one who by his debauched life and corrupt conversation trampled those two heavenly Vertues and Graces under his feet without thinking of God or regarding much lesse fearing his judgements But how God in the end requited him for the same this Historie will likewise shew us May we therefore reade it to Gods glory and to our owne instruction IN the Citie of Verceli after Turin one of the chiefest of Piedmont bordering neere to the Estate and Dutchy of Millan there lately dwelt a rich Cannon of that Cathedrall Church named Alosius Cassino who had a daintie sweet young Gentlewoman to his Neece named Dona Eleanora whose mother being sister to Cassino named Dona Isabella Caelia lately died and left this her onely daughter and â—…ild her heire very rich both in demeanes and moneys when her Vncle Cassino â—…eing neerest her in blood takes Eleanora and her Estate into his protection and â—…ardship and is as tender of her breeding and education and as curious of her â—…omportment and cariage as if shee were his owne daughter for there is no sweet â—…alitie nor exquisite perfection requisite in a young Gentlewoman of her ranke and extraction but he caused her to become not superficiall but artificiall therein as in Dancing Musicke Singing Painting Writing Needling and the like wherof all the Nobility and Gentry of Verceli take exact notice and knowledge yea her beautie grew up so deliciously with her yeares that she was and was justly reputed to be the prime Flower and Phenix of the Citie Cassino considering that his house was destiâ—…te of a Matron to accompany and oversee this his Neece Eleanora that his age was too Stoicall for her youth and that his Ecclesiasticall profession and function called him often to preach and pray hee therefore deeming it very unfit and unseemely in the Interims of his absence to leave her to her selfe and to be ruled and governed by her owne fancy and pleasure shee being now arrived to twelve yeares of age He therefore provides her new apparell and other pertinent necessaries and giving her a wayting-mayd and a man of his owne to attend her hee sends her in his Coach to the Citie of Cassall in the Marquisat of Montferrat to the Lady Marguerita Sophia a widdow Gentlewoman lâ—…ft by her deceased husband but indifferently rich but endowed with all those ornaments of Art and Honour which made her famous not onely in Piedmont and Lombardie but also to all Italy and to her he therefore writes this ensuing Letter to accompany his Neece and chargeth his man with the delivery thereof to her CASSINO to SOPHIA TO satisfie your courteous Requests and my former promise I now send you my Neece Eleanora to Cassall whom I heartily pray thee to use as thy daughter and to command as thy Hand-maid She hath no other Vncle but mee nor I any other acquaintance but thy selfe with whom I would entrust her for her Education and recommend her for her Instruction Shee is not inclined to any vice that I know of except to those imperfections wherein her youth excuseth her ignorance and it is both my order and charge to her that she carefully and curiously adorne her selfe with vertues in thy example and imitation without which the privileges of Nature and Fortune as Beauty and Wealth are but only obscure shadowes and no true substances because there is as much difference betwixt those and these as betweene the puritie of the soule and the corruption of the bodie or betweene the dignitie and excellencie of Heaven and the invaliditie and basenesse of Earth I am content to lena her to you for a few moneths but doe infinitely desire to give her to thy Vertues for ever In which my voluntary transaction and donation thou wilt conferre much happinesse to her and honour to mee and consequently for ever bind both her Youth and my Age to thee in a strict obligation of thanks and debt What apparell or other necessaries thou deemest her to want thy will shall be mine God ever blesse her in his feare and you both to his glory CASSINO The Lady Sophia receives this sweet young Virgin with much content and joy yea shee sees her tender yeares already adorned with such excellent beautie and that beautie with such exquisite vertues that it breeds not only admiration but affection in her towards her whom shee entertaineth with much respect and care as well for her owne sake as also for her Vncle Cassino's whose letter shee againe and againe reads over highly applauding his vertuous and honourable care of this his Neece whom in few yeares she hopes will prove a most accomplished gracious Gentlewoman when Cassino's Coach-man after a dayes stay deeming it high time for him to returne to Verceli to his Master he takes his leave of his young Mistris Elianora who out of her few yeares and tender affection and dutie to her Vncle with teares in her eyes prayes him to remember her best service to him at his comming home and the Lady Sophia by him likewise returnes and sends him this letter in answere of his SOPHIA to CASSINO I Know not whether you have made mee more proud or joyfull by sending me Eleanora wherein you have given mee farre more honour than I deserve though farre lesse than she meriteth and who henceforth shall be as much my Daughter in affection as shee is your Neece by Nature and if I have any Art in Nature or Iudgement in Inclinations her vertues and beautie doe already anticipate her yeares for as the one is emulous of Fame and the other of Glory so as friendly Rivals and yet honourable friends they already seeme to strive and contend in her for supremacie to the last of which as being indeed the most precious and soveraigne if my poore capacitie or weake endeavors may adde any thing I will esteeme it my ambition for your sake and my felicitie for hers But if you resolve not rather to give her to mee for some yeares than to lend her to mee for a few moneths you will then kill my hopes in their buds and my joyes in their blossomes and so make me as unfortunate in her absence as I shall
odious in the sight of God and man that he acknowledged hee no longer deserved to tread on the face of the earth or to looke up to Heaven That he knew not justly whereunto to attribute this infamy and misery of his but to his continuall neglect and omission of prayer whereby he banished himselfe from God and thereby gave the Devill too great an interest over his body and soule that he desired God to forgive him these his two soule and bloody crimes of Murther as also that of his neglect of Prayer and so with teares in his eyes besought all who were there present likewise to pray unto God for him When againe beseeching the vertuous young Lady Eleanora to forgive him the murther of her good old Vncle Cassino hee often making the signe of the Crosse and recommending himselfe into the hands of his Redeemer bad the Executioner doe his office who presently with his sword severed his head from his body and both were immediatly burnt and the ashes throwen into the River of Ticino without the wals of Vercelie although his Iudges were once of opinion to send his said head and body to Cassall for the Iudges of that place to doe their pleasure therewith for there poysoning of his owne Mother the Lady Sophia And thus was the miserable and yet deserved death and end of this bloody and execrable Gentleman Alphonso and in this sort did the judgements and punishments of God befall him for these his two most inhumane and deplorable Murthers May God of his infinit grace and mercie still fortifie and confirme our faith by constant and continuall prayer the want whereof was the fatall Rocke whereon hee perished that so we may secure our selves in this world and our soules in that to come GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXECRAble Sinne of Murther HISTORIE XXIV Pont Chausey kils La Roche in a Duell Quatbrisson causeth Moncallier an Apothecary to poyson his owne Brother Valfontaine Moncallier after fals and breakes his necke from a paire of staires Quatbrisson likewise causeth his Fathers Mâ—…er 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murther and strangle Marieta in her Bed and to throw her body into his Mill-Pond Pierot the Miller is broken alive on a wheele and Quatbrisson first beheaded then burnt for the same WEe may truely affirme that the world is in her wane when Murther is become the practice of Christians which indeed is the proper office of the Devill and how frequently those wofnll accidents happen wee cannot thinke of but with much horrour nor remember but with grieâ—…e of mind and compassion of heart For is it not to mâ—…ke our selves wilfull Traitors and Rebels to God to violate his Divine Majestie in spoiling his true Image and resemblance yea is it not the high-way of Hell But that this age of ours produceth such Monsters of nature reade we but this ensuing Historie and it will informe us of much innocent blood shed we know not whether more wilfully or wickedly IT is not unknowne that the Province of little Britaine was long since annexed and united to the flourishing Kingdome of France by the marriage of Charles the Eighth with Anne the young Dutchesse thereof notwithstanding that she weâ—…e formerly contracted to Maximilian Arch-duke of Austria where we shall understand that in the Citie of Vannes formerly the Court and Residence of those British Dukes thereof late yeares dwelt a noble Gentleman of rich Demaines and Revenues termed Monsieur de Caerstaing who by his wife Madamoyselle de la Ville Blanche had two Sonnes the eldest named by his title Monsieur de Quatbrisson and the youngest Monsieur de Valfontaine The first aged of twenty foure yeares being short and corpulent the second of twentie being tall and slender both of them brave and hopefull Gentlemen as well in their outward personages as in the â—…ward perfections and endowments of their minds For in all respects the care and affection of their Parents had made their education answerable to their births Valfontaine for the most part lived in the Citie of Nantes the second of that Dutchie with an Vncle of his named Monsieur de Massie being President of the Kings Chamber of Accounts which is kept there who frequenting the Bals or publike Dancings whereunto the youth of France are generally adicted amongst many other excellent beauties wherewith that Citie is graced and those pastimes and meetings honoured he sees a young Gentlewoman being a stranger and newly come to the Citie so infinitly rich in the excellencies of nature and the treasure of lovelinesse and beauty as with a kind of imperious commanding power shee atracts all mens eyes to behold to admire to affect her So as although Valfontaines youthfull heart and yeaâ—…es had never as yet stooped or sacrificed to Love yet at the very first sight of this sweet young Gentlewoman whose name wee shall not goe farre to know hee cannot retaine his enamored eyes from gadding on the Roses and ranging on the Lillies of her sweet complexion nor his resolutions from enquiring what her name and her selfe was when being informed that she was the onely daughter and heire of a rich and noble Gentleman a Widdower termed Monsieur de Pennelle of the Parish of Saint Aignaw fower leagues from the Citie and her name Madamoyselle la Pratiere of the age of some seventeene hee at the very first sight likes her so well and loves her so deerely that if her interiour vertues come not too fhort of her exteriour beauty and feature he vowes he will be her Sutor and Servant and so he attempts to court and seeke her for his wife To which end he more like a Tutor then a Pupill in the Art and Schoole of love is so farre from neglecting any as he curiously and carefully seekes all opportunities and occasions to enjoy the felicity of her company and so for the most part hee conducts her to and from the dauncings sits and talkes with her in her lodgings meets her at Church where as well at Vespers as Masse he accompanies and prayes with her and briefly shee can difficultly be present any where where he is long absent from her For by this time which is scarce a moneth since he first saw her her peerelesse beauty and unparalell'd vertues and discourse have acted such amorous wonders in his heart as hee vowes hee must either live her Husband or die her Martyr But see the providence and pleasure of God for if Valfontaine tenderly love our sweet and faire La Pratiere no lesse doth shee him for knowing him to be the Sonne of his Father and therefore a Gentleman of noble extraction and worth and seeing him to bee wise discreet and proper as also remembring and marking that he fervently and infinitly affects her shee is so delighted with his neat feature and personage and ravished with the melodie of his discourse as albeit at first her tongue bee so civill and modest to conceale her affection from him yet her eyes the Ambassadors of
of the deare affection and tender respect which I beare you will then fall on my knees to my Father to hasten his consent to our marriage that in seeking my content you may therein find your owne and this is my resolution wherewith if yours concurre and sympathise Heaven may but Earth shall not crosse our desires LA PRATIERE Valfontaine receives this second Letter from his Mistris with smiles and frownes with smiles to see her inviolable constancie and affection with frownes to behold his brother Quatbrissons continuall malice and treacherie towards him the which considering as also because it so neerely concernes him hee resolves to taxe him thereof and to see whether by faire requests and perswasions hee may reclaime him from affecting his faire and deere La Pratiere and so to give over his sute to her but first hee knowes himselfe indebted and obliged to returne her an answer to this her last Letter the which he doth in these termes VALFONTAYNE to LA PRATIERE IT is every way your affection no way your duty sweet La Pratiere which againe advertiseth me of my Brother Quatbrissons perseverance in his treachery towards mee by seeking to betray and bereave mee of your selfe in whom my heart and thoughts imparadise their most soveraigne earthly felicity and your resolution in nipping his hopes and your Fathers will by electing me or your grave for your Husband doth so ravish my heart with joy and so rap my conceits in an extasie of sweet content as I am confident God hath reserved La Pratiere to bee Valfontaines sweet Wife and he to bee her deare Husband But as I know not whether my unkind and treacherous Brother will yet farther bewray you his folly in exercising your patience with his importunity so to save you that labour and penance which for my sake and love you are ready to impose to your selfe I am both ready and resolved not onely to fall on my knees to your Father but also to your sweet selfe that our marriage be hastned for as your resolution herein is and ever shall be mine so our hearts and thoughts sympathising in these wishes I hope that both Heaven and Earth have resolved not to crosse but shortly to consummate and finish our desires VALFONTAINE He having thus dispatched and sent away his Letter to his sweet and faire Mistresse hee now resolves to have some conference with his unkind Brother to see what a brazen face hee either will or can put upon this his ingratitude and treachery But Quatbrissons policie will anticipate and prevent him for he having his heart and contemplations deepely fixed on La Pratieres beauty and having ranne over all the inventions of his art and affection how to make her forsake he coynesse and so how to obtaine her for his wife hee at last resolves to faine himselfe sicke and so then to reveale to his brother Valfontaine that it is his deare and fervent affection to La Pratiere which is the cause thereof To which purpose hee keepes his bed and in his perfect health is twice let blood thereby to looke ill when sending for his brother to his Chamber and exempting all other company thence he acquaints and informes him That since he first saw La Pratiere hee still most tenderly loved her and that hee must now die because she will not affect and love him He prayes and conjures him by vertue of all the same blood which equally streames in both their bodies for the saving and preserving of his life that hee will now abandon his affection from her and so yeeld him up all the power and interest that hee hath or pretends to have in her and that in requitall thereof if occasion require hee shall still find him ready not onely to expose all his meanes but his dearest blood and life at his command A request so unjust and a proposition so devoid of common sense and reason as Valfontaine observing it and therein seeing his brothers impudencie now growne to the height of basenesse and folly hee exceedingly incensed thereat with a disdainefull looke returnes him this sharpe and bitter yet deserved reply Was it not enough that I understood your treachery by my faire and deare La Pratiere in seeking and attempting to bereave me of her but that thou art thy selfe become so sottish to â—…ake thy tongue the Advocate as well to plead and apologise thy treachery to me as to publish thy shame to thy selfe and to the whole world in seeking and desiring me to surcease my affection to her and to renounce my interest of her to thy selfe No no base Quatbrisson for henceforth I highly disdaine to terme or esteeme you my brother I give thee to understand and know that in heart and in honour she is mine and I hers and therefore you shall die and damne before I will permit thee to inrich thy selfe with my losse of her whom I affect and prise a thousand times dearer then my selfe or then all the lands and treasures of the world when without any other farewell he hastily and chollerickly flings forth his Chamber from him Quatbrisson seeing his brothers furious departure and remarking his peremptory and incivill answer to him hee in his heart and thoughts vowes revenge and in his resolutions sweares to make him repent it To which effect forsaking his bed and abandoning his counterfeit sicknesse his choller hardly affording his patience three dayes to recover his blood and strength but knowing his brother to be now at Nantes with their Vncle De Massy hee seekes out a deare and intimate friend of his named Monsieur La Roche whom ingaging to be his second in a Duell against his owne brother Valfontaine they ride over to Nantes when comming to 〈◊〉 small Parish termed Saint-Vallerge within a league of the Citie he writes a Challenge delivers it to La Roche and so dispeeds him away with it to his broâ—…r La Roche comes to Nantes finds out Valfontaine at the President his Vncles â—…use being in the company of a very intimate friend of his of that Citie naâ—…ed Monsieur de Pont Chausey and delivereth him his brothers Challenge fast sealed â—…e which hee hastily breaking open and perusing hee finds that it speakes this â—…guage QVATBRISSON to VALFONTAINE â—…N regard it is impossible for both of â—…s to enjoy the faire La Pratiere to wife therefore it is fit that one of us dye that the other may survive and live to be enriched with so â—…ious a treasure and crowned with so inestimable a blessing and felicity which considering as also because my modest requests have undeservedly met with thy incivill carriage and beene requited with thy malicious execrations Therefore find it not strange to see affection give a Law to Nature and mine honour to contemne thy contempt and malice in enviting thee and thy Second to meet me and mine with your single Rapiers to morrow twixt two or three after dinner in a faire meddow at the East end of
rape on her former resolution shee is at last contracted and married to him or rather to the calamities and miseries which wee shall shortly see will ensue thereof Heere now then this old dotard Palmerius is married to faire Imperia who esteemes himselfe as happie as shee findes her selfe unfortunate in this match His Age is to old for her Youth and her youth farre to young for his Age Disparity of yeares seldome or never breedes any true content or felicitie in marriage Hee cannot sufficiently estimate much lesse deserve or requite the dainties of her youth so that truth must heere needs implore this dispensation for mee of modesty to affirme that his chiefest power was desire and his best performance but lust towards her for whiles every night as soone as he comes to bed to her he falls to his sleepe so poore young Gentlewoman shee turnes to her repentance wishing from her very heart and soule that her husbands bed were her grave and that her Nuptialls had beene her funerall A thousand times every day and night shee accuseth her Fathers crueltie and with bitter sighes and teares as often condemneth her owne levity and inconstancy for consenting thereunto Shee can neither honour or love her husband or rather not love him because shee so tenderly loves the person and honoureth the memory of Morosini Thus whiles Palmerius retaineth and enjoyeth our Imperia in his bed no lesse doth shee her Morosini in her heart so that the first hath only her body but the second wholy her minde and affection the sorrowfull consideration and remembrance whereof doth so torment her heart and perplexe her minde that shee protesteth publikely to her selfe and privatly to all the world that there is no calamity equall to hers nor no misery comparable to that of a discontented bed Thus being as much a maid as a wife and yet more a Nunne than a maid shee makes spirituall bookes her exercise solitarinesse her pastime her chamber her chappell and her closset her Oratory to pray to God to forgive her Fathers cruelty and her husbands indiscretion towards her as also her owne inconstancy and treachery towards Morosini which foule ingratitude and crime of hers shee cannot remember but with extreame griefe nor once thinke of but with infinite shame sorrow and repentance Although this her old husband Palmerius bee so amorous and kinde to her and so tender of this his faire young wife that hee leaves no cost unbestowed on her aswell in rich apparell as chaines and Iewells wherein the Ladies and Gentlewomen of Italy chiefly pride themselves But this was not the content and felicity which our Imperia desired because deserved because her fresh youth and her husbands feeble and frozen Age cast her heart on other opposite conceits and her minde on other different contemplations Whiles thus Bondino and Palmerius as much rejoyce as Imperia mournes and grieves at this herunequall and discontented match and Morisini confidently relying on the firme affection constancy of his Imperia made his stay in Alepo some 10. months longer than his promise to her He at lastled by the star of her beautie and his owne affection to her leaves Turkie and in company of his constant old friends Astonicus and Donato sets saile for Italy and purposly puts in with their ship into Ancona where they and hee are no sooner arrived but Mercario finding him out entertaines him with the welcome of this sorrowfull newes that his Mistris Imperia is now in this Cittie of Ancona and married to old Signior Palmerius whereat Morosini infinitely grieves and Astonicus and Donato much wonder He is stricken at the heart at this sorrowfull newes and too too soone for him believes it with as much affliction as admiration By this time likewise is Imperia advertised of his and their arrivall whereat she seemes to drowne her selfe in a whole deluge of teares yet not for sorrow but for joy of his arrivall He imployes Mercario to her to grant him a private visit the which most joyfully the next night shee doth in her owne house her old husband being in bed and snoring fast a sleepe At Morisini's first sight and entrance into her chamber where shee all alone privately stayes for him shee throwes her selfe on her knees at his feet and with sighes teares and blushes begges his pardon for her unconstancy in marrying Palmerius the which shee no way attributes to his long stay but rather to her fathers cruelty and her owne misfortune Morosini is as joyfull of her sight as sorrowfull of this her errour and so will not permit her to kneele because hee sees and knowes and also assureth her that she is still the Goddesse of his heart and affection Hee takes her up in his armes and there embraceth and freely pardons her and so they reciprocally speake each to other in the sweet language of love I meane of kisses sighes and teares with the last whereof they againe and againe bedew and wash each others cheekes as if love had made them far more capable to sigh than speake and to weepe than sigh Here their old affections revive and flame forth a new with more violence and impetuositie Shee hath no power to deny him any thing no not her selfe For as he sweares to live her servant so she constantly vowes to live and dye his handmaid and that his will shall ever bee her Law and his requests in all things her commands Heere his heart beates for love and her brest pants for jâ—…y For as he promiseth her that shee shall bee his sole and only love so shee willingly forgets her selfe so farre as solemnly to protest to him that hee shall bee more her Husband than Palmerius when with many embraces and kisses they for that night part The next morning Morosini and his two consorts Astonicus and Donato by the feigned way of a rejoycing complement doe visit his young Mistris Imperia and her old husband Palmerius who more out of his owne goodnesse than their deserts bids them all most kindly and courteously welcome They congratulate with him for this his happy match with Imperia for which old Palmerius respectively thanks them but he knowes not what dangerous snakes lurke under the greene leafes of this their pretended faire courtesie As for his Wife Imperia shee is so reserved in her comportment and so coy in her carriage towards them that according to the custome of Italy her Husband can hardly perswade or cause her to see and salute them the which at last shee faintly and feignedly performes rather with an eye of disdaine than of respect They all see the young Wife with love and pity but looke on her old Husband with contempt and envie yet Morosini then and there in stealth sees Imperia's heart in her eyes when in counterchange she knowes his heart by his enamoured lookes and countenance So Palmerius being as innocent as aged having discoursed with them about their voyage and about Turkie and Constantinople and
with sorrow at this lamentable spectacle and accident as they for a quarter of an houres time know not what to thinke or say hereof as whether this their Lord and master had here kild himselfe or were murthered and robbed by theeves but at last this sorrowfull page Hieronymo will stay alone weeping by the breathlesse body of his Lord and master and so sends away the coachman in his coach speedily to Naples to acquaint their Lady Dona Bertranna and her father Seignior de Tores with this sad and sorrowfull newes whereat shee almost drownes her selfe in her teares and hee very bitterly laments and sorroweth for it so being incapable of any hope comfort or consolation they doe both of them take coach and drive away into the fields where shee almost murthereth her eyes with her teares to see her deare Lord and husband lie thus murthered in his blood They here see none in sight of him neither doe they know any body but them selves that hath seene him so by whom or how hee is kild they cannot as yet either conceive or imagin when the father leaving his daughter to wash and bedew her dead husbands cheekes with her teares hee himselfe gallops away in his coach to Naples and brings thence along with him the crimynall officers of justice first to know and then to bee eye witnesses of this sad and deplorable accident at the hearing and sight whereof in nature and justice they cannot refraine from equally woondering and grieving at it when to act the part and duty of themselves they cause the coachman to spread his cloake on the ground then to remove the dead corps from his blood and to lay him thereon and so they make a chirurgion whom they had purposely brought with them to unapparell and search his body for wounds who finds and shewes them that hee was shot with two pistoll bullets in his backe and other two in his brest when missing likewise of his purse they all of them doe confidently beleeve that undoubtedly hee was murthered and robbed by theeves The which the better to discover the judges send their sergeants and servants and De Tores likewise sends the page and his coachman searching and scouring all over the adjacent fields to apprehend and bring before them all those whom they finde there who are so far from meeting of many persons as they all of them bring in but one poore ragged boy of some twelve or fourteene yeares old who some two hundred paces off kept a few cowes which yeelded milke to the cittie and him they find sitting within a hedge in a ditch whom they bring along with them to the judges where hee sees this dead body lying on the ground before them where at poore silly boy hee shakes and trembles for feare The judges demand his name of him who tels them hee is called Bartholomeo Spondy they further enquire of him what his father is and where hee dwels who replies that his father is a poore butcher named Pedro Spondy and dwels at Naples in Saint Iohns suburb which the judges afterwards find true then these grave judges perceiving the poore boy to be bashfull and timorous they therefore bid him bee of good cheere and to feare nothing for the which hee thankes them both with his cap and knee Then they enquire of him if hee saw any one to come neere and kill this gentleman to whom in plaine and rusticke tearmes he answereth them that from the hedge within w ch he kept his fathers cowes he saw this gentleman walke alone by himselfe at least an houre with a booke in his hand reading and that then hee saw an old frier come to him who as hee thought begged somealmes of him whom hee saw did shoote off two pistolls to him and therewith kild him for hee then and thereupon presently saw the gentleman fall to the ground they againe demaund of him what afterwards became of this frier who tells the judges that a coach came up instantly to him and carried him away but where hee knowes not They aske of him why hee had not cryed out against the frier when hee saw hee had kild this gentleman to whom hee makes answer that he dared not doe it for feare lest hee would then likewise have killed him with his pistolls The judges further demaund of him whether this were a white a blacke or a gray frier to whom hee answers that hee was neither of them but that hee wore a minime or sad russet gowne and hood Thereupon they thought it fit againe to demand of him how many horses this coach had and of what collour they were to whom hee affirmes that they were two blacke coach-horses when the judges to conclude this their quaere and his examination they demand of him what colloured cloake this coachman wore who tells them hee wore a red cloake and as he thought some white laces upon it the which this pregnant poore little boy Bartholomeo had no sooner pronounced and spoken but Sanctifiores page Hieronymo cries out and relates to the judges to his Lady Bertranna and her father Seignior de Tores where and in what manner and accident he some two houres since found the Lady Vrsina and her coachman Sebastiano whom hee seriously affirmed wore a red cloake with white laces and that her two coach-horses which they saw straying below in the valley were coale blacke right as Bartholomeo had described them adding further that her coach was broken with a falâ—… as also her right arme and his left legge and that out of respect and pittie to her hee had carried both her and him home to her father Seignior Placedo's house but hee affirmed hee saw no frier either in their sight or company all which relation of his was likewise there confirmed to the judges by the Baron of Sanctifiores owne coachman who was also there present the which evidence of theirs as soone as the Lady Bertranna over heard shee with a world of sighes and teares as if shee were suddainely inspired and prompted from heaven passionately cries out first to her father and then to the judges that God and her conscience told her that doubtlesse Vrsina was this divlish frier and her coachman Sebastiano the very same damnable fellow who had here thus cruelly murthered her Lord and husband when throwing her selfe on her knees to their feet shee very earnestly begs justice of them against them for the same who partly concurring in the opinion and beleese with them they doe here most seriously and solemnly promise it her To which effect these reverend judges leaving her father her selfe and her page and coachman decently to convey her husbands dead body home to their house in Naples they themselves make great hast thither before and presently send their officers and sergeants to Seignior Placedo's house there to apprehend the Lady Vrsina his daughter and their coachman Sebastiano whom they both opportunly finde issuing forth his gate in a fresh