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
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
hereat but how to remedy it she knowes not For his discontent hath made him so vicious his vices so obstinate and his obstinacie so outragious and violent as his Mother surfets with his Love-sute to Eleanora and will no more entermeddle with it Hee prayes and reprayes her to make one Iourney more for him to Vercelie to see what alterations time may have wrought in the hearts of Cassino and Eleanora but shee is as averse and wilfull as he is obstinate and peremptory and therefore constantly vowes neither to write nor ever to conferre more with them herein But this resolute answer of the Mother breeds bad blood in the Sonne yea it makes a Mutiny in his thoughts a Civill warre in his heart and a flat Rebellion in his resolutions against her for the same to which the Devill the Arch-enemy and Incendiary of our soules blowes the Coles For he who hereâ—…ofore looked on his Mother with obedience and affection cannot or at least will not see her now but with contempt and malice yea hee is so devoid of Grace and so exempt of Goodnesse that hee lookes from Charitie to wrath from Religion to Revenge from Heaven to Hell and so resolves to murther her thinking with himselfe that if hee had once dispatcht her he should then be sole Lord of all her wealth and that then this his great and absolute estate would soone induce Cassino and Eleanora to accept of his affection But he reckons without his soule and without God and therefore no marvell if these his bloody hopes deceive and betray him his Religion and Conscience cannot prevaile with him neither hath his Soule either grace or power enough to divert him from this fatall busines and execrable resolution for he will be so infernall a Monster of nature as to act her death of whom he received his life He consults with himselfe and the Devill with him whether hee should stab or poyson her but he holds it farre more safe and lesse dangerous to use the Drug then the Dagger and so concludes upon poyson to which â—…nd he being resolute in his rage thus to make away his Mother he as an execrable Villaine or indeed rather as a Devill provides himselfe of poyson the which hee still carries about him waiting for an opportunitie to give an end to this deplorable busines the which the Devill very shortly administreth him The manner thus This refusall of Cassino to her Sonne Alphonso and his miserable relapse to whoredome drunkennesse and neglect of prayer doth exceedingly distemper the Lady Sophia his Mothers spirits and they her body so that she is three dayes sicke of a Burning feaver when to allay the fervor of that unaccustomed heate shee causeth some Almond-milke to bee made her the which shee compoundeth with many coole herbes and other wholesome Ingredients of that nature and quality which she takes three times each day morning after dinner and before shee goes to bed So the third day of her sicknesse walking in the afternoone in one of the shaddowed Allies of her Garden with her Sonne and there with her best advice rectifying and directing his resolutions from Vice to Vertue she is unexpectedly surprised with the Symptome of her Feaver when sitting downe and causing her waiting Maid to hold her head in one of the Arbours she prayes her Sonne Alphonso to runne to her Chamber and to bring her a small wicker Bottle of Almond milke the which he doth but bloody Villaine that he is nothing can withhold him but his heart being tempered with inhumanitie and crueltie hee first poures in his poyson therein and then gives it her who good Lady drinkes two great draughts thereof when a sweat presently over spreading her face and shee beginning to looke pale he as a wretched Hypocrite makes a loud outcry from the Garden to the house and calling there Servants to her assistance hee likewise cals for a Chaire so she is brought to her Chamber and laid in her bed and within few houres after as a vertuous Lady and innocent Saint she forsakes this life and this world for a better and the ignorance of her Servants and her bloody Sonne drench'd as it were in the rivolets of his fained teares together with his excessive lamentations doe coffin her dead body up somewhat privately and speedily so that there is no thought nor suspicion of poyson and thus was the lamentable Murther and deplorable end of this wise and religious Lady Sophia committed by her owne wretched and infernall Sonne Now this Devill Alphonso to set the better luster on his forrowes and the better varnish and colour on his mourning for the death of his Mother gives her a stately Funerall the pompe and cost whereof not only equalized but exceeded their ranke and quality For he left no Gentleman or Lady in or about Cassall uninvited to be at her buriall and his Feast and dighted himselfe and all his Kinsfolkes and Servants in mourning attire thereby the better to carry off the least reflexion or shaddow of suspicion from him of this his foule and inhumane Murther The newes of the Lady Sophia's death runs from Cassall to Vercelie where Cassino and his Neece Eleanora understanding thereof they both of them exceedingly lament and sorrow for it in regard she was a very Honourable Wise and Religious Lady and to whom the tender youth of Eleanora was infinitly beholding and indebted for many of her sweet vertues and perfections so that as her Vncle honoured her so this his Neece held her selfe bound to reverence her as making her eminent and singular vertues the mould and patterne whereon shee framed all her terrestriall comportments and actions which in few moneths after were so many and so excellent that as she was knowne to bee one of the most beautifull so shee was likewise justly reported to be one of the wisest young Ladies of all that Citie and Countrie which together with her owne great Estate as also that of her Vncle Cassino's to the full enjoying whereof in contemplation of her vertues and consanguinity he had justly both designed and adopted her his sole heire the which made her to be sought in marriage by divers young Gallants of very noble and chiefe houses most whereof were superiour to Alphonso both in blood and wealth When her Vncle at last with her owne free affection and consent privately marries her to Signior Hieronymo Brasciano a rich and brave young Gentleman of Vercelie who was Nephew and Heire to the Bishop of that Citie but he being likewise very young the tendernesse of both their ages dispenced them from as yet lying together and both the Bishop and her Vncle Cassino for some important reasons best knowne to themselves caused this their marriage as yet to bee concealed from all the world with great privacie and secrecie hee for the most part living with the Bishop his Vncle at the Citie of Turin which is the Court of the Duke of Savoy and she in Vercelie
ignorant and cowardly to bee put off with her first repulse and refusall but rather seeing that the perfections of her minde corresponded with those of her beauty hee resolves now to make triall of his wit and tongue as heretofore hee had done of his courage and sword and so joynes with her thus It is a pretty Ambition in you sweet Lady to disparage your beauty that thereby it may seeme the fairer as the Sunne who appeares brighter by reason of the nights obscurity and all things are best and more perfectly discerned by their contraries but I cannot commend and therefore not excuse your policy or rather your disrespect to slight and poast me over from your selfe whom I love to those Ladies I neither know nor desire which in effect is to give mee a cloud for Iuno No no it is onely to you and to no other that I present and dedicate my service and therefore it will be an ingratitude as unworthy my receiving as your giving that I should be the object of your discourtesie sith you are that of my affection To these speeches of Alsemero Beatrice Ioana returnes this reply It is not for poore Gentlewomen of my ranke and complexion either to bee ambitious or politike except it bee to keepe themselves from the snares of such Caviliers as your selfe who for the most part under colour of affection ayme to erect the trophees of your desires upon the tombs of our dishonours onely I so much hate ingratitude as you being to mee a stranger charity and common courtesie commands me to thanke you for the proffer of your service the which I can no other way either deserve or requite except in my devotions and prayers to God for your glory and prosperity on earth As shee had ended this her speech the Priest ends his Masse when Alsemero arising advanced to lift her up from kneeling and so with his hat in his hand sequestring her from the crowd of people who now began to depart the Church he speaks to her to this effect Faire Ladie as I know you to bee the Ladie Beatrice-Ioana daughter to the noble Knight Don Diego de Vermanderos Captaine of the Castle of this Citie so I being a stranger to you I admire that you offer so voluntary an injurie to your judgement and my intents as to pervert my affection and speeches to a contrary sense but my innocencie hath this consolation that my heart is pledge for my tongue and my deeds shall make my wordes reall In the meane time sith you will give mee no place in your heart I beseech you lend me one in your Coach and be at least so courteous as to honour me in accepting my company to conduct you home to your fathers Castle Beatrice-Ioana calling to minde the freenesse of her speeches and the sharpnesse of his answer not blushing for joy but now looking pale for sorrow repents her selfe of her errour the which shee salves up the best she could in this Reply Noble Sir when I am acquainted as well with your heart as with your speeches I shall then not onely repent but recant mine errour in judging your selfe by others in the meane time if I haue any way wronged your merits and vertues to give you some part of satisfaction if you please to grace mee with your company to the Castle although it be not the custome of Alicant I doe most kindly and thankfully accept therof when Alsemero giving her many thankes and kissing his hand hee takes her by the arme and so conducts her from the Church to her Coach It is both a griefe and a scandall to any true Christians heart that the Church or-ordained for thankes giving and prayer unto God should bee made a Stewes or at least a place for men to meet and court Ladies but in all parts of the Christian world where the Romane religion reigneth this sinfull custome is frequently practised especially in Italy and Spaine where for the most part men love their Curtizans better then their God and it were a happinesse for France if her popish Churches were freed of thisabomination and her people of this impiety But againe to our History Wee will purposely omit the conference which Alsemero and Beatrice-Ioana had in the Coach and allow them by this time arrived to the Castle where first her selfe then the Captaine her father thanke him for his honour and courtesie in requitall whereof hee shewed him the rarities and strength of his Castle and after some speeches and complements betweene them hee was so happy as to kisse Beatrice-Ioana but had not the felicity to entertaine her and so he departs his Lackey attending him with his Gennet to the counter-scarfe So home hee rides to his lodging where whiles the winde holds contrary wee will a little leave him to his thoughts and they to resolve in what sort hee might contrive his sute for the obtayning of his new and faire Mistresse Beatrice Ioana and likewise her selfe to muse upon the speeches and extraordinarie courtesie which this unknowne Cavallier afforded her and begin to speake of Don Alonso Pâ—…racquo a rich Cavallier of the Citie who unknowne to Alsemero was his rivall and competitor in likewise seeking and courting Boatrice-Ioana for his Mistresse and wife This Piracquo being rich both in lands and money and descended of one of the chiefest and noblest Families of Alicant by Profession a Courtier and indeed to give him his due a Cavallier indued with many brave qualities and perfections was so highly beloved respected and esteemed in that Citie as the very fayrest and noblest young Ladies were with much respect and affection proffered him in marriage by their parents but there was none either so precious or pleasing to his eye as was our Beatrice Ioana whom hee observed for beauty to excell others and for Majestie and grace to surpasse her selfe and indeed hee could not refraine from loving her nor bee perswaded or drawne to affect any other so as hee setled his resolution either to have her to his wife or not to bee the husband of any Yea hee is so earnest in his sute as scarce any one day passeth but hee is at the Castle Vermandero thinkes himselfe much honoured of him in seeking his daughter yea hee receives him lovingly and entertaines him courteously as knowing it greatly for her preferment and advancement and so gives Piracquo many testimonies of his favour and many hopes that hee shall prevaile and obtaine his Mistresse But Beatrice-Ioana stands not so affected to him rather shee receives him coldly and when hee begins his sute to her shee turnes the deafe eare and never answereth him but in generall tearmes onely not peremptorily to disobey her parents shee seemes to bee pleased with his company and yet secretly in her heart wisheth him farther from her But Piracquo flattering himselfe in his hope and as much doating on Beatrice-Ioana's beauty as hee relyes on her fathers constant affection to him hee is so farre from
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
an Apothecary named Augustino and when she hath conjured and he promised his secrecie shee acquaints him that her new husband Fassino keeps Courtisans to her nose and daily and hourely offereth her many other insupportable abuses and disgraces in requitall and revenge whereof she is resolved to poyson him and prayes him to undertake and performe it and that she will reward him with three hundred Zekynes for his labour Of all professions and faculties there are good and bad Augustino loves God too wel herein to obey the devil he hath too much grace to be so impious and gracelesse and vowes that he will not buy gold at so deare a rate as the price of blood so as a good Christian and true child of God he not onely refuseth Victoryna's motion and proffer but in religious termes seeks to divert and perswade her from this her bloody attempt But she is resolute in her malice and wilfull in her revenge and therfore will performe it her selfe sith this Augustino will not so by a second hand she procures poyson from a strange Empericke whereof the Citie of Venice more then other of Italy aboundeth so she onely waits for an opportunitie which very shortly though alas too too soone presents it selfe the manner thus It is impossible that Fassino his dissolute life and extreme deboshing can keepe him long from sicknesse for this punishment is alwayes incident and hereditary to that sinne Hee complaines thereof to his wife Victoryna who receives this newes rather with gladnesse then commiseration and pitie and so taking his bed hee prayes her to make him some comfortable hot broath for his stomack which newes she heares and imbraceth inwardly with joy outwardly with disdaine For albeit shee layes hold of this opportunitie to poyson him yet she dissembles her malice and the better to colour her villany because she knowes it the smoother and shorter way to be revenged in poysoning him shee will not make the broath herselfe but commands her maid Felicia to doe it of whom wee have formerly spoken in the discovery of Sypontus his Letter to her Vnkle Hieronymo Souranza which treacherous office of hers our malicious and devillish Victoryna her Lady and Mistresse hath now a plot in her head to requite with an execrable and hellish recompence for whiles Felicia is boyling of the broath her Lady Victoryna trips to her chamber and closet and fetcheth out the poyson inveloped in a paper whereof shee takes two parts and brings downe with her and whiles she had purposely sent Felicia from the fire shee runnes and throwes it into the broath which for the present no whit altered the colour thereof so Fassino calling for it this poore innocent Gentlewoman Felicia not suspecting or dreaming of poyson gives it him which as ignorant thereof hee sups up and this was about nine or ten of the clocke in the morning Now whiles Felicia is acting this mournfull Tragedie in Fassino his chamber her Lady Victoryna is acting another in hers for shee takes the other third part of the poyson and secretly opening Felicia's trunke puts it into a painted boxe which shee found therein and so lockes it againe hoping though indeed with a wretched and hellish hope that her huâ—…band being dead his body opened and the poyson found in her trunke shee would give out that Felicia had poysoned him with broath that morne and this found in her chest would make her guiltie of the murther for the which she knew she must needs die See see the devillish double malice of this wretched Ladie Victoryna as well to her husband Fassino as her mayd Felicia But as finely as the devill hath taught her to spinne the thread of this her malice and revenge yet though her plot have taken effect and hold of her husband neverthelesse shee shall in the end fayle of hers to innocent Felicia in the interim though to the eyes of the world it seeme at first to succeed according to her desires by the bye yet it shall not in the maine but that murther and this treason of Victoryna shall not goe long either undetected or unpunished This poyson working in Fassino his stomacke and body begins by degrees to cut off his vitall spirits so as his strength failes him his red cheekes already looke pale and earthly and his body infinitely swels he cals for his wife Victoryna who with all haste and expedition tells her secretly that hee feares Felicia hath poysoned him with the broath she gave him in the morning and so requesteth her to send for his Parents and friends to bee present at his death for live hee could not Victoryna like a dissembling shee-devill teares her hayre for anger and for meere sorrow seemes to drowne her selfe in her teares at this newes kisseth and fawnes on her husband and in all possible haste sends away of all sides for his kinsefolkes and friends who hastily repayre thither and finde Fassino almost dead so they with teares inquire his sicknesse when with open voyce his wife Victoryna cries out that her wretched mayd Felicia had with broath that morne poysoned him which Fassino his memory and tongue yet serve him to confesse and averre word for word as his wife Victoryna had related them whereat they are all sorrowfull and weepe and then and there cause Felicia to bee apprehended and shut fast in a chamber who poore harmelesse yong Gentlewoman is amazed at the terrour and strangenesse of this newes and cries out and weepes so bitterly as she seemes to melt her selfe into teares only she knowes herselfe innocent and yet feares that this malice and revenge proceeds to her from her Lady Victoryna Whiles Felicia is thus under sure keeping her Master Fassino dyes which newes is soone dispersed and divulged abroad to the griefe and admiration of the whole Citie The next morne the criminall Iudges are advertised hereof who repaire to Fassino his house who by this time is dead there see his breathles carkasse which they oâ—…daine to be opened the poyson is apparantly found on his stomack in its naturall pristine colour when examining first Fassino then Victoryna's parents they report Fassino his owne words uttered a little before his death that Felicia had that morne poysoned him with broth which is averred by Victoryna who saith she saw her give it him So they send away poore Felicia to prisoâ—… but yet with a vehement suspicion that this poysoned arrow came out of Victoryna her owne quiver which they the sooner beleeve in respect of her former troubles and â—…spicion for the murther of her first husband Souranza So the Iudges returne and bâ—…ake themselves that very instant to their Tribunall of Iustice in the Dukes Palace of Saint Markes where they send for Felicia who is brought them unaccompanied of any for as misfortune would both her Vnkle Hieronymo and her Cousin Andrea 〈◊〉 wâ—…re then at Corfu imployed in some publike affaires for the Seigniory The Iudgeâ—… examine Felicia concerning the
conduct her to the end of the street and Diego following them with the Casket where they all privatly and silently take Coach and having opened the Citie gate with a silver key away they speed for Eluas with all possible celerity but I write with griefe that as these affections of Antonio and Berinthia begin in joy so I feare they will end in as much sorrow and misery Leave we them now in their journey for Eluas and returne we to Avero to bloudy Catalina and wretched Ansilva who lying remote from Berinthia's Chamber could not possibly heare so much as the least step of her descent and departure although their malice were so extreame as to write the truth they all that night could not sleepe for joy that Berinthia was dispatched so they prepare themselves against the morne to heare some pittifull out-cries in the house for Berinthia's death but seeing it neere ten of the clocke and no rumour nor stirre heard they both as they were accustomed went into her Chamber thinking to feast their eies upon the lamentable object of this breathlesse Gentlewoman but contrary to their bloudy hopes they finde the nest I meane the bed emptie and Berinthia not dead but escaped and flowne away Onely Catalina in stead of her Sister findes her owne Parrot dead on the table they are astonished at this newes and looke fearefully and desperately each on other Ansilva for her part protests and vowes that shee saw Berinthia drinke the poyson But finding Berinthia's small trunke wanting and hearing Diego gone then Catalina knowes for certaine that shee was escaped and her poysoning plot detected and prevented So they give the alarum in the house and shee goes directly and acquaints her Father Mother and Brother of her Sister Berinthia's flight but speakes not a word of the poyson or of the Parrots death Vilarezo grieves to see himselfe robbed of his daughter and Sebastiano of his Sister but when they understand that Diego was gone with her then they are confidently assured that Antonio hath carried her away which is confirmed them by the Porter of the Citie who told them that 'twixt twelve and one a Coach with a Lady and foure Cavaliers and a Page drawne by sixe horses past the gate very speedily Vilarezo and his sonne Sebastiano storme at this affront and disgrace they consult what to doe herein so first they resolve to send one to Elvas to know yea or no whether Berinthia bee there with Antonio The messenger sent returnes and assures them thereof as also that Antonio is retyred from Elvas to a Castle of his without the walls of the Citie where it is reported hee keepes the Lady Berinthia with much honour and respect Had old Vilarezo had his health and strength he would himselfe in person haue undertaken this journey but being sicke of the Gowt he sends his sonne Sebastiano to Elvas accompanied with six resolute Gentlemen his neere allies and friends to draw reason of Antonio for this affront and disgrace and so either by Law Force Policie or perswasion to bring backe Berinthia Sebastiano knowing Berinthia to bee his Sister and Antonio his former ancient and intimate friend with a kind of unwilling willingnesse accepts of this journey he comes to Elvas and findes his former intelligence true hee repayres to Antonio's Castle accompanied with his sixe associates Antonio admits them all into the first Court and onely two more of them into the second where hee salutes them kindly and bids them all welcome to his Castle Sebastiano layes before him the foulenesse of his fact in stealing away his Sister in that clandestine and base manner the scandall which hee hath layd upon her and consequently on all their family and blood tells him that his father and himselfe are resolued to have her againe at what price soever and therefore conjures him by the respect of his owne honour and by the consideration and remembrance of all their former friendship to deliver him his Sister Berinthia Antonio answereth Sebastiano that it was an honourable affection and no base respect which led him to assist his Sister Berinthia in her flight and escape that he never was nor would bee a just scandall either to her her family or blood that his malicious Sister Catalina was the authour and cause thereof who by her wayting Gentlewoman Ansilva had twice sought to poyson her and therefore sith he could not deliver her with her owne safetie and his honour and conscience hee was resolved to protect her in his Castle against any whosoever that should seeke either to enforce or offend her Sebastiano is perplexed at this strange newes and wondereth at Antonio's resolution so doe the two Gentlemen with him hee desires Antonio that hee may see and speake with his Sister Berinthia the which hee freely and honourably grants and so taking him by the hand they enter the Hall where Berinthia having notice hereof accompanied with two of Antonio his Sisters assoone comes and with a cheerefull countenance advanceth towards her Brother hee salutes her and shee first him then the other two Gentlemen her Cousins Sebastiano prayes Antonio that hee may conferre apart with his Sister Antonio replies that his Sister Berinthia's pleasure shall ever bee his Shee willingly consents hereeunto when hee taking her by the hand conducts her to the farthest window and there shewes her her disobedience to her Father her dishonour to her selfe and griefe to her friends for this her unadvised and rash flight and so perswades her to returne and that if shee intend to marry Antonio this is not the way but rather a course as irregular as shamefull His Sister Berithia delivers him at full the cause of her departure and very constantly confirmes what Anâ—… had formerly told him of her Sister Catalina's two severall attempts to poyson her by her wayting Gentlewoman Ansilva though with more ample circumstance and dilation and to testifie the truth Diego is produced who vowes and protests the same Sebastiano checkes her of folly and crueltie shewes her that in seeking to wrong others shee onely wrongs her selfe that in inventing and casting a feigned crime on her Sister Catalina shee makes her owne conspicuous and true that she hath no safetie but in her returne whereunto with many reasons hee seekes to perswade and induce her His Sister Berinthia againe answereth him that there is no safetie for her in Avero and that she cannot expect greater then shee finds in Elvas shee prayes him to thinke charitably and honourably of her departure and if ever her Father will love her shee requests him not to hate but to love Antonio whose Castle shee finds a Sanctuary both for her honour and life taking God and his Angels her conscience and soule to witnesse that her Sister Catalina's crime is true and not feigned Sebastiano seeing Antonio resolute and his Sister wilfull and obstinate begins to take leave telling her that hee will leave her to her folly that to her shame and her
aboue his right pap and hee him cleane thorow the body of a large and dangerous wound whence issued foorth abundance of blood so they divide themselves and take breath They againe fall to it and at this third close Sebastiano repayes Antonio with a mournfull and fatall interest for hee runnes him thorow the body on the left side a little below the heart whereof staggering he falls and so Sebastiano dispatcheth him and nailes him to the ground starke dead Villandras congratulates with him for his victory which Sebastiano with much modestie ascribes to the power and providence of God and not to the weaknesse of his owne arme Bellasco is no way daunted with the misfortune and death of his Principall but rather like a generous Gentleman and valiant Second resolves to sell it dearely to Villandras They are not long unsheathing of their Rapiers for as soone as Bellasco hath covered up Antonio with his cloake they approach at their very first meeting Bellasco slightly hurts Villandras in the right shoulder and Villandras him thorow the bodie and reynes with a fatall wound wherewith his sword fell from him and hee to the ground when fearing and presaging his death he with a faint language begs his life of Villandras who at the sight and hearing hereof throwes away his owne Rapier and stoupes to assist him But in vaine for it is not in his power to give him his life for by this time hee is dead and his soule departed to another world This tragicall newes is soone knowne and bruited in Elvas whereof the Criminall Iudges of that Citie remit Sebastiano with as much ease as Villandras with difficultie in favour of money and friends and obtaine their pardons And now the newes hereof likewise flies to Antonio's Castle where his dead body and that of Bellasco are speedily conveyed and brought to the griefe and sorrow of all those of the Castle who bitterly weepe for the disaster of their Lord and Master But all these teares are nothing to those of Antonio's two sisters nor theirs any thing in comparison of these of our sweet Berinthia who is no sooner advertised hereof but shee falls to the ground with sorrow and there wrings her hands beats her breast and teares off her haire in such mournfull and pitifull sort that Crueltie her selfe could not refraine from teares to see the numberlesse infinitie of hers Counsell advice perswasion cannot perswade her to give a moderation to her mourning or limits to her sorrowes for they are so violent as their extremitie exceeds all excesse Shee will see the dead body of her deare Antonio all those of the Castle are not capable to divert her eyes from this wofull and pitifull object at the sight whereof shee falles to the ground on her knees and gives his breathlesse body a thousand kisses yea shee washeth his sweet cheekes with a whole deluge and inundation of her salt teares shee cannot speake for sighing nor utter a word for weeping onely wringing her hands shee at last breathed foorth these mournfull and passionate speeches O my deare Antonio my sweet and deare Antonio Antonio would God my death had ransomed and preventhine O my Antonio my Antonio Leave we Berinthia to her passionate sorrowes and sorrowfull passions from which her brother Sebastiano will soone awake her who by this time as Victor and Conqueror is come to the Castle gate and demaunds her where he sees himselfe refused and the draw-bridges and approaches drawne up and rampired with Barricadoes he craves ayd of the Criminall Iudges who send the Provost with an armed company of Souldiers so they force the Castle gate with a Petard where sorrowfull Berinthia is delivered into the handes of her joyfull and rejoycing brother Sebastiano who with sweet perswasions and advice seeks to exhale and dry up her teares but her affection is so great as she is not capable of consolation In a word shee cannot looke on her Brother with the eye of affection but of revenge and indignation yea shee wisheth her selfe metamorphosed from a Virgine to a man that shee might bee revenged of her Brother for the death of her deare Lover Antonio Sebastiano leaving the dead bodies of Antonio and Belasco to their Graves takes Coach with his incensed and sorrowfull Sister Berinthia and so leaves Elvs and returnes towards Avero where his Father Vilarezo and his Mother Alphanta welcome him home with prayse and their Daughter Berinthia with checkes and frownes who the best she may smothers her discontents but yet vowes to be revenged of her Brother for killing the life of her joy and joy of her life Antonio But all vowes of this bloudy nature and quality are better broken then kept which if Berinthia had had the grace to have considered and made good use of doubtlesse her hand had proved more joyfull and not so fatall and miserable Come we now to Catalina who seeing the object of her affection Antonio dead and her Sister Berinthia returned who for his sake was that of her living malice she secretly confesseth her fault to her sister in seeking formerly twice to have poysoned her by Ansilva craves pardon of her vowing henceforth to convert her malice to affection and so reconciles her selfe to her whereunto her Sister Berinthia willingly condescendeth Catalina hath made her peace with her Sister but shee hath not contracted and concluded it with God for Ansilva's death Earth may forget this Murther but Heaven will not Gods judgements are as just as secret and as true as wonderfull for hee hath a thousand meanes to punish us when wee thinke our selves safe and furthest from punishment which our wretched Catalina and her execrable Empericke Sarmiata shall see verifyed in themselves For the smoke of this their bloudy Crime of Murther hath pierced the Vaultes and Windowes of Heaven and is ascended to the Nostrells of the Lord who hath now bent his Bowe and made ready his Arrowes to revenge and punish them The manner is thus A Sister of Ansilva's named Isabella is to be marryed in Avero who invites the Ladies Catalina and Berinthia to her Wedding Berinthia is too sorrowfull to bee so merry as desirous rather to goe to her owne Grave then to any others Nuptialls so shee stayes at home onely her Sister Catalina takes Coach with an intent to accompany the Bride-woman to Church but see the Providence and Iustice of God how it surpriseth and overtakes this wtetched Gentlewoman Catalina for as shee was in her way the Sunne is instantly eclipsed and the Skyes overcast and so a terrible and fearefull Thunder-bolt pierceth her thorow the brest and layes her neere dead in her Coach her Wayting-mayds and Coach-man having no hurt are yet amazed at this strange and dismall accident so they thinke it fit to returne Catalina is for a time speechlesse he Parents are as it were dead with griefe and sorrow hereat shee is committed to her bed and searched and all her body above her wast is found
they part Lo here the first fruits of their foolish and lascivious affections to Laurieta but I feare the second will prove more bitter and bloudy Belluile going home with his shame and repentance and Poligny with his honour and glory they hush themselves up in silence Poligny at his Chamber and Belluile at his Chirurgions house to dresse his wounds hoping that as they in their fight saw no body so that none had seene them but they are deceived for two Souldiers from the Castle walls not onely espy them fighting but know them So they divulge it in the City whereof Laurieta being advertised she sends a confident Gentleman a cousin germane of hers to finde out Belluile and to know the truth and issue of his combate but indeed his cowardise hath purchased him so much shame as hee will not bee seene much lesse spoken withall which Lauricta understanding beginnes conceive that the two Souldiers report was true and that undoubtedly hee and Poligny had met and fought in her behalfe whereupon ghessing at the truth that Poligny had given Belluile the foyle she was once of opinion to have written to Poligny to bee informed of the particulars and successe of their combat which so much imported as well her honour as her content But Poligny's affection prevents her curiosity for as she was calling for pen and paper hee in person ascends the stayres to her Chamber where after a complementall and courteous salute he informes her as we have formerly understood that hee hath given Belluile two wounds for her sake and now his life for his owne She demands if he himself were not hurt hee answers No. At both which good newes shee infinitely rejoyceth and in token of her thankfulnesse permits him to gather many kisses as well from the roses of her cheekes as the cherries of her lips and so from thenceforth he vowes to be her professed servant and she promiseth him to bee though not his Mistresse yet at least his friend And here they unite and combine their affections but that contract and this familiarity written onely in vice and sealed in lust we shall shortly see cancelled and annihilated with as much pitty as infamy and misery as the sequell of this History will shew and demonstrate Whiles thus Laurieta and Poligny are triumphing in Belluiles foyle and their owne familiarity and affection how is it possible but he must infinitely grieve for his losse of Laurieta and la Palaisiere as much sorrow to see her selfe deprived and out of hope of her Poligny But they brooke their afflictions and passions with variable resolutions for whiles la Palaisiere is imbathing her selfe in her teares and discontents Belluile is resolute to quench his revenge in Poligny's blood For forgetting as well his God as his soule his honor as himself he intends to doe it by the bye and not by the maine by execrable treachery not by magnanimous generosity yea the devil is so strong with his faith because that is so weake with his Saviour and Redeemer as shutting the doores of his humanity and charity hee opens them to Choller Revenge and Murther yea and henceforth he is so inraged and his lookes are so gastly and distracted as if his thoughts were conducting and incouraging his hands to perpetrate some bloody stratagem and designe which is observed and doubted by his chiefest familiars and intimate friends as also by la Palaisiere whose company hee sometimes frequents not so much out of affection to her as for consolation from her to himselfe sith wee are subject both to hope and believe that our afflictions are partly eased and diminished by the sight and relation of that of others as sympathizing and participating with them first in their flames of love then of griefe and sorrow in being disdayned of those wee love Neither could Belluile so cunningly or closely rake up the fiery sparkes of his malice â—…nd revenge under the embers of silence and secrecie but her affection to Poligny and â—…ealousie of his good made her so tender ear'd and sharpe-sighted as she over-heard â—…ome words that either in jest oâ—… earnest â—…ell from Belluile's â—…ongue whereby it was apâ—…arent to her that hee intended no good but portended a secret fatall malice to him â—…ich a little time might too too soone and uneâ—…pectedly discover wheâ—…upon her love to Poligny was so deare and honourable although hee were so firmely intangled in the beauty of Laurieta as he would not vouchsafe rather disdayned to love her selfe that she thought the discovery of Belluiles malice to Poligny so much imported Poligny's good as she held her selfe bound as well in duty as affection to reveale and relate it him which she doth in this Letter LA PALAISIERE to POLIGNY TO testifie thee now the constancie of my affection with inke as I have formerly done the fervencie thereof with teares know thou hast some cause to feare and I to doubt that Belluile hath some dangerous project or bloudy designe to put in execution against his honour and thy life and as I reveale it thee out of my care so looke thou prevent it out of thine owne discretion lest hee bereave thee of thy life as thou hast done him of his Laurieta if thou slight this my advice as thou hast already my affection yet as I remaine witnesse of the purity of the last so will these lines beare testimonie to the world of the candour and sinceritie of the first Neither doe I presume to send them thee out of any irregular ambition to purchase the honour of thy favour but onely to let thee know that my affection is both powerfull and capable to shine thorow the clowdes of thy disdaine and that the obscurity of that neither hath defaced the lustre nor can eclipse the resplendencie of this Regard therefore thine owne safety albeit thoâ—… wilt not respect my content and although thou please not give me the honour to be thy Mistresse yet I will take the ambition and resolution to live and dye thine hand-mayd LA PALAISIERE Poligny breaking up the seales of this Letter laughes to see la Palaisieres affection and to understand Belluiles malice and being besotted with Laurieta hee lost both his wit and judgement in the sight and contemplation of her beauty yea he is growne so fond in his affection and respect towards her as hee is arrived to the Meridian of this simplicity to deeme it a kinde of treason to conceale any secret from her to which end he shewes her la Palaisieres Letter which hee makes his pastime and shee her May-game yea so vaine is her folly and so foolish her vanity to see the passages and events of these their passions as shee not onely exceedes the decorum of discretion but of modestie in her laughter and which is more when shee againe considereth how Belluile loves her selfe and not she him la Palaisiere Poligny and not hee her it makes her redouble her mirth and exhilaration in such sort as
walked by his Horse side are so busie in lifting him up and rubbing the temples of their dead Master as they forget the research and inquiry for his murtherer but the Assistants and standers by hearing the report of the Peece and not onely seeing the smoke in the window and ayre but this noble Gentleman dead in the street they ascend the house finde the Petronell on the Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fled upon a swâ—… Spanish Gennet by the back doore they of the house affirming with teares that they knew not the Gentleman that did it neither was it iâ—… their powers to stop or prevent his escape This Fatall and mournefull newes dispersed and spred o're the City of Rome the Serjeaâ—…s and Captaines guard are busie to finde out the Murtherer who by this time they know to bee Seignior Bertolini but being gallantly mounted hee speedes away thorow the streeâ—…s amaine and is so farre from despaire as hee makes no doubt but to recover the Lateran Gate and to escape this his second danger as fortunately as he â—…id his first by flying into the Kingdome of Naples but his hopes shall deceive him for if hee bought Brellati's Muâ—…her â—…t an easie rate God hath now ordained and decreed that he shall pay deare for this his second of Sturio and â—…o here the impetuous storme of Gods just revenge and indignation now befalls him when he least feares or thinkes thereof The manner thus As hee was swiftly galloping thorow Campo de 〈◊〉 the publike place where the Pope that Antichrist of Rome burnes the children of God for the profession of his glorious Gospell and being at the farther end thereof with an intent to draw towards the backe side of the Capitoll behold two Brick layers building of a house upon a Scaffold two Stories high in the street as Bertolini passed both the Scaffold and the two Brick layers fell downe upon him and his horse and so beat them both to the ground but as yet the newes of Sturio's Murther was not arrived thither so as danger and feare making Bertolini forget the hurt of his fall hee againe riseth up and calls for his horse which was speedily brought him so leaping into the Saddle he spurres away with as much celerity as his Gennet could possibly drive under him But if hee have escaped this first judgement of God hee shall not the second for having past the Capitoll and the Amphitheater his Gennet â—…twixt that and the Lateran fell under him which putting his shoulder out of joynt the poore afflicted Beast could not râ—… with his Master who by this time is more afflicted and grieved then the harmelesse Gennet hee rides upon Whereupon being amazed and fearing that the search would instantly follow and surprise him hee leaving his horse betakes himselfe to his owâ—… heeles and so with much terrour both of minde and conscience hee knowes not whither to goe or where to hide himselfe but at last considering that the greateâ—… dangers have neede of the least distraction and most discretion hee thinkes to 〈◊〉 on his right hand to Horta Farnesi or the Gardens and Orchards which belong â—…o that illustrious Family but then againe fearing to meet with a wooden face in stead of finding an open doore hee leaves that resolution and as fast as his legs and feet can beare him flies on his left hand up towards Nero's Tower so famous for that Emperours infamy in standing thereon when hee delighted to see all Rome on fire and here in the ruines and demolitions of an infinite number of Palaces Churches and other stupendious buildings our murtherous Bertolini hides and hâ—…sheth up himselfe hoping if the day were past to escape and recover some secret friends house by night But God is too just to let this his cruell fact passe unrevenged and this bloudy Murtherer unpunished for hee hath scarce beene there halfe an houre but hee is knowne there found out and hemm'd in of all sides by the Captaine 's Guard arm'd with Partisans and Pistols Heere Bertolini considering himselfe a Romane Gentleman would fayne have made some resistance with his Rapier but seeing their numbers to increase and himselfe alone as also that it would fâ—…rther augment his crime and exasperate his Iudges against him hee at thâ—…r first 〈◊〉 delivereth up his Rapier and yieldes and rendereth himselfe into their hands who presently convey him to prison where hee shall have but little time to thinke of his hainous and bloudy Murthers e're wee shall see him brought forth and arraigned before his Iudges but in the Interim all Rome is possessed and informed hereof So the second morne of Bertolini his imprisonment hee is fetcht before his Iudges where at first the Devill is so strong with him as hee once thought to have denyed this Murther of Sturio but God proving more mercifull to his soule hee upon his Iudges grave and religious remonstrances with many sighes and teares freely confesseth it humbly beseeching them to take pittie of his young yeeres and that it was onely the heate of youth and the vanity of his ambitious honour which had thus betrayed and seduced his soule to perpetrate this cruell and impious Murther and for the which he extremely and bitterly repented himselfe But the arrow of Gods wrath and Revenge is now fully bent against Bertolini as his bullets were against Sturio so as his sacred Majesty causing his Iudges to resemble themselves they are deafe to his requests and tell him it is not his youth or his ambition but the Devill that hath seduced and drawne him to performe this bloudy Murther and so for expiation thereof they in consideration hee is a Roman Gentleman nobly descended will not hang him but adjudge his two hands to bee cut off before the house where hee shot at Sturio and then to bee beheaded at the common place of execution at the foote of Saint Angelos bridge his head to bee set upon a pole over Saint Iohn de Laterans gate and his body to bee throwne into Tiber which the next day was accordingly executed in presence of many thousand people of both sexes and of all ranks notwithstanding the importunate sollicitations which his father made to Cardinall Borghese the Pope Paulus Quintus Nephew to the contray who was too noble and generous to assist him in so base and ignoble a Murther And these were the lives and deaths of these three unfortunate Roman Gentlemen Brellati Sturio and Bertolini and of that beautifull chaste and sorrowfull Lady Paulina And here to conclude and shut up this their mournefull History I have beene informed that the curious wits of Rome made many exquisite Epitaphs upon the deaths of Sturio and Paulina as also that Bertolini made a religious and most Christian speech at his end of which I must confesse I was not so happy to recover the sight or copies of either for if I had I would not have failed to have inserted and placed them at the end of this their
not affect La Frange we may yet observe and discover which way hee intends to shape the course of his affections and resolutions For albeit he had formerly addicted himselfe and resolutions to be a professed Souldier yet Peace calling him home now to Pleasure and that to effeminacy a fatall and dangerous vice which in the iniquity of these our times and depraved manners not onely most insensibly creepes into common Souldiers and Commanders but also into all Armies and into many Estates and Kingdomes still to the disparagement of their glory and sometime to the price of their ruine and perill of their subversion he began to let his Colours hang dustie and his Pike and Parâ—…zan râ—…stie by the walls and to frequent the company of Ladies which the old Counsellor his father observes with joy hoping that in the end he shall draw him to affect and marry La Frange but these hopes of his will proove vaine and this hiâ—… joy will soone bee exchanged into sorrow and metamorphosed into affliction and misery for that his sonne is partly resolved to marry t is true but as true it is that he is fully resolved never to love much lesse to marry La Frange Now wee must understand that in Tholouse there dwelt a Merchant of Silks or as wee in England say a Silk-man termed Monsieur de Soulange rather reputed rich of others than knowne so of himselfe and yet being an old widower to the end the sooner to get him a new wife he puts a good face on his estate and maintaines himselfe familie and house with great pompe and expences having no son but three faire daughters all marriageable yet out of ambition and in emulation of the Gentry severally knowne and stiled by their titles not by their names as Mesdamoyselles de Marsy La pre Verte and La Hay all famous for their beauties and indeed for the purenesse and excellencie thereof justly reputed held the prime Birds of the citie and yet the youngest of them La Hay was the Phenix of all the three for she was so sweetly faire and fairly sweet of complexion as she drew all eyes to doe homage to hers so as it was almost impossible for any man to looke on her without loving her or to gaze on her without desiring her for her body was so strait and slender and the roses of her cheekes so deliciously gracing the lilies and the lilies the roses that the greatest Gallant either of the Citie or Country held himselfe not only happy but honoured with the felicitie of her presence and company But in one word to give these three sisters their true characters de Marsy and la Pre-verte were far more vertuous than La Hay though La Hay were far fairer than they for as Religion and Pietie was their chiefest delight and exercise as more desirous to embelish their soules than their bodies so wanton pleasure and vaine lasciviousnesse was hers as rather delighting to please and adorne her body than her soule they being more vertuous than faire shee more faire than vertuous different inclinations and resolutions these as happy and blessed as hers wretched and impious their actions might have beene a President yea a Pilot to have conducted her fame as well to the Temple of Honour as to the harbour of immortall glory of glorious immortalitie but she vowes she will prove a President to her selfe and her pleasure shall be a Pilot to her will although she misse the Temple of Honour to find out that of beastly concupiscence and the harbour of immortall glory to suffer shipwrack vpon the shelves of ingloâ—…ious infamie and the rocks of infamous perdition To this Monsieur de Soulanges house the beauties of his three daughters but especially that of La Hay and withall her pleasing and tractable affabilitie invites many young Gentlemen and the eminentst Citizens who there passe their time in courting and conversing in dancing singing and the like whereunto the Youth of France more than any other people of the world are most licentiously addicted and as things are best discerned and distinguished by their contraries so the vertues of De Marsy and La Preverte were made more apparant by La Hayes vices and her lust and whoredomes were more palpably notorious in their chastitie O that so sweet a creature should be subject to so foule a sinne and that Beautie the best gift and as I may say the gold of Nature should be thus vilified and polluteâ—… with the beastly pleasures of carnall concupiscence and obscene sensualitie For aye mee I write it with as much griefe to my selfe as shame to her she was too prodigall of her favours for she imparted them liberally unto some for love but unto most for money not caring to whom she prostituted her body so they filled her purse thereby to support her pride and maintaine the excesse and vanitie of her braverie and yet she was so subtill and cautious therein that although she were a professed Courtisan she would neverthelesse publikely seeme a pure and unspotted Virgin and the better to fortifie her fame and to make the reputation of her Chastitie passe currant with the world she would sweare all those to conceale her favours on whomsoever she imparted and bestowed them but if this lascivious subtiltie of hers have power to bleare the eyes of the world how can this her beastly sin of fornication be unseene of God when the windowes walls and beames of her chamber yea her very bed whereon she hath acted her whoredomes shall one day give in evidence and serve as witnesses against her yea and be petitioners on earth that God will requite and reward them with vengeance and confusion from Heaven Now among the rest of those deboshed Gentlemen who devoted their lascivious service and sacrificed their fond affections to La Hays beautie in comes our De Salez to inroule himselfe one who feasting and surfetting his eyes on the delicacies of her fresh and sweet complexion leaves his owne fathers house to frequent hers yea his desires are so lustfully inflamed with her beautie as with his best art and policie he lies close siege to her chastitie and with many gifts requests and oathes seekes to endeere her to his desires and pleasure But see the subtiltie of this lascivious young Courtisan for knowing De Salez deeply in love with her and to be the only childe of his father and he one of the richest Councellors of Tholouse she conceives a plot in her head to goe a fishing to make him her husband and so beares her selfe wonderfull modest and coy casting a cloake and veile of chastitie over her unchaste desires and actions as if she were now a virgin yea a Saint to him though heretofore she had many times played the Strumpet with others but her deniall doth rather inflame than quench the fire of his lust so as making many assaults to raze downe the defences of her refusall that he may enter and
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
passe his time that Winter partly hoping that his father will discharge his debts in his absence but more especially to become acquainted with the beauties of that City thereby to obtaine some rich young heire or old widdow for his wife whose estate and wealth might support his pride and maintaine his excessive prodigality and voluptuousnesse and indeed although the two former of these his hopes deceive him yet he shall shortly finde and see that the third and last will not Living thus in Mans the bravery of his apparell and equipage the freenesse of his expences his comely talke personage blacke beard and sanguine complexion makes him as soone acquainted and affected as knowne of many Ladies and Gentlewomen and farre the more because they know his father De Manfrelle to bee a very ancient and rich Gentleman of that Countrey of Maine and although hee is not his heire yet in regard hee is his second sonne as also a Traveller he was the more honoured and respected of all those he frequented so that the very fame and name of Monsier de Merson beganne to bee already divulged and knowne in the City yea and because hee was a great Balladine or Dancer there was no solemne assembly either publike or private but still De Merson made one and there was not a reputed beauty or supposed courteous Lady in Mans or thereabouts but such was his vanity as hee soone wrought and insinuated himselfe into her acquaintance and familiarity the which he made not onely his delight but his glory And although that in a small time the wiser sort of the Gentlemen and Ladies of the Citie found his wit and experience to come infinitely short of his brave apparell yet the more illiterate ignorant of them who esteeme all men by their lustre not by their brave worth as preferring gay apparell and the comelinesse of the body before the exquisite endowments and perfections of the mind they hold him in so high a repute esteeme as they thinke him to be the most absolute Gallant not onely of Mans but of all the Country of Maine so easie it is to captivate the conceits and judgements of those who onely build their judgements in their conceits and not their conceits in judgement And of this ranke and number was our old widow La Vasselay who having many times heard of De Mersons fame and comely personage and seene him once at a Sermon and twice at two severall Nuptiall feasts where his skill and agility proved him to be one of the prime dancers she is so farre in love with him as in her thoughts and heart she wisheth she had given halfe her estate dowrie conditionally that she were his wife and he her husband yea she is so ravished with the comelinesse of his feature and the sweetnesse of his complexion and countenance as all the world is not halfe so deare to her as De Merson nor any man whatsoever by many thousand degrees so delicious to her eye and pleasing to her heart and soule as himselfe And although she be in the frozen Zone of her age yet her intemperate lust makes her desires so youthfully intemperate as forgetting reason and modestle that the best vertue of our soule and this the chiefest ornament of our body she a thousand times wisheth that either De Merson were impalled in her armes or she incloystred in his But doting yea I may well neere truly say dying old Gentlewoman is this a time for thee to thinke of a young husband when one of thy old feet is as it were in thy grave 〈◊〉 being in thy 〈◊〉 yeare of threescore and three art thou yet so fraughted with levity and exempt of continency as thou wilt needs seeke to marrie one of five and twenty Foolish La Vasselay if it be not now time yea high time for thee to sacrifice thy desires to continencie when will it be if ever be Didst thou resolve to wed a husband neere of thine owne age and so to end the remainder of thy dayes with him in chaste and holy wedlocke that resolution of thine were as excusable as this in desiring so young a one is worthy not onely of blame but of reprehension and I may say of pitie Consider consider with thy selfe what a preposterous attempt and enterprise is this of thine that when thou shouldest finish thy dayes in devotion and prayer thou then delightest to begin them in concupiscence and lust O La Vasselay mocke at those rebellious and treacherous pleasures of the flesh which seeme to mocke at thee yea to betray thee and if there be yet any sparke of thy youth which lies burning under the embers of thy age why if thy chaste thoughts cannot yet let modesty or at least piety extinguish them God hath already given thee two husbands is it not now therfore time yea more than time for thee to prepare to give thy selfe to God Hitherto the chastity of thy youth hath made thee happy and wilt thou now permit that the lust of thine age make thee unfortunate or peradventure miserable and that the purity and candeur of that be distained and polluted by the foulnesse and obscenity of this Alas alas incontinent inconsiderate Gentlewoman of a grave Matron become not a youthfull Gigglet or if thou wilt not suffer the eyes of thy body at least permit those of thy soule to look from thy painted cheeks to thy snow-white haire who can informe and tell thee that thou art far fitter for Heaven than earth sith those pleasures are transitory and these eternall for God than a husband sith he onely can make thee blessed whereas in reward of thy lascivious lust this peradventure may be reserved to make thee both unfortunate and wretched But the vanity of this old Gentlewomans thoughts and desires doe so violently fix and terminate on the youth beauty of young and as she immodestly tearms him faire De Merson as the only consideration of her delight and pleasure weighes downe all other respects so that neither reason nor modesty advice nor perswasion can prevaile with her resolution to divert her affection from him but love him she doth and which is repugnant as well to the instinct of Nature as to the influence of modesty and rules of civility seeke him for her husband shee will yea she is already become so sottish in her affection and so lasciviously fervent in her desires towards him that her heart thinks of him by day her soule by night that admires him as the very life of her felicity and thus adores him as the onely content and glory of her life shee will not see the greatnesse of her owne estate and wealth nor consider the smallnesse of his meanes and hopes in that he is not an heire but a second brother she will not enquire after his debts and vices to know what those may be what these are she will not thinke what a preposterous disparity there is betwixt the
fire of his youth and the ice of her age nor what a world of discontents and afflictions are incident to proceed thereof shee will not consider that in endowing him with all her wealth that shee thereby impoverisheth many as well of her owne kindred as of those of her two former husbands to whom in the right of Nature it more justly and properly belongs and to conclude and shut up this point she will not imagine or dreame to how many laughters and scandals of the world she exposeth her selfe who will not onely call her discretion but her modesty in question for matching with so young a Gentleman as De Merson to whom for age she may not only well be mother but which is more grandmother But contrariwise this foolish old Gentlewoman having sent her wits a wooll-gathering on his sweet and comely personage his youth and her affection like two impetuous torrents and furious inundations beare downe all other respects and considerations before them yea they so submerge her reason and quite drown her discretion as she hath no eies unshut to see the one nor eares unstopped to heare the other so that if she desire any thing in the world it is as formerly is observed that shee live to see De Merson her husband and her selfe his wife which to effect and accomplish she knowes no better nor fitter Agent to employ herein than one Mounseir de Pruneau an ancient Councellor of the Presidiall Court of that City who was the onely Councellor both to her last husband and her selfe and of whose discretion integrity and fidelity she had all the reasons of the world to rest confident and assured Now although the Wisdome and Experience of De Pruneau suggested him what an extreame inequality there was betwixt De Mersons youth and La Vasselayes age which he could not more pertinently parallel and compare than to Winter and Summer the Spring and the Harvest and therefore how many afflictions and miseries were subject to attend and wait on such preposterous marriages whereof he had formerly seene divers lamentable examples and wofull instances as well of men as women who had suffered shipwracke upon that Sylla and this Charibdis he like an honest man and indeed a truer friend to her than she was to her selfe produceth some of the former alleaged reasons to her consideration thereby to divert the streame of her ill grounded affection from De Merson and in generall tearmes to convey and conduct it to some elder personage whose yeares and therefore their dispositions and affections might the better agree and sympathize But when he sees that her love to De Merson was so firmly and immoveably setled as that it not only appeared to him to be her griefe but her torment to be any way crossed or contradicted therin then he changeth his language and because she will not hearken to his advice he therefore gives way to her resolution promising her his utmost power and best endevours speedily to effect compasse her desires when taking leave each of other at last La Vasselay remembring she had forgotten something cals him againe and prayes him that if De Merson be inquisitive to know her direct age that he substract away at least ten yeares thereof so that whereas she is sixty three to affirme that she is very little above fifty whereunto she her selfe blushing De Pruneau not able likewise to refraine from smiling promiseth her to be very mindfull thereof To which end he with the first conveniencie finds out De Merson acquaints him how much he is obliged to Madamoyselle La Vasselay for her affection to him layes before him the Nobility of her descent and bloud the greatnesse of her Estate and meanes as also the excellency of her vertues that fifty yeares is the most of her age and that she is not by farre so old as pleasing and lovely that she affects him above all the men in the world yea and desires no man of the world for her husband but himselfe and that when he pleaseth she desires the honour of his company to her house with many other intimations and insinuations conducing that way De Merson having formerly understood of La Vasselayes rich Estate and Dowrie as also of the truth of her age he likes the first well and although he distaste yet he will dissemble the second he thanks De Pruneau for his paines and La Vasselay for her love toward him promiseth to requite the first and if her wealth and vertues correspond with his relation to deserve the second alleaging further that although there be a great inequality in their age yet sith he is no heire but a second brother that it is rather likely than impossible for it to be a match betwixt them and in the meane time to requite part of her affection hee promiseth to Sup with her the night following at her house where hee onely desires his company and assistance that they may the more effectually and secretly consult of this businesse which he hopes will so much import as well her good and his content as her content and his good and so for that time they part De Pruneau having received this pleasing and discreet answer from De Merson hee returnes with the relation and repetition thereof to La Vasselay vowes that his exteriour feature is no way answerable but comes farre short of his interiour Vertues and discretion and that by all which hee either can collect from his speeches or gather from his deportment and behaviour hee is in his conceit the most accomplished Gentleman not only of Maine but of France and so bids her prepare her Supper and her selfe to entertaine him the next night Which answer of De Mersons and relation of De Pruneau is so pleasing to her heart and thoughts as her age seemes to be already ravished with joy at the conceit of his Youth when thinking every minute a moneth and every houre a yeare before shee bee made happy and her house blessed with his presence shee leaves no cost unspared or unspent to make his Entertainement answerable to his welcome whereof whiles shee is not onely carefull but curious in providing let us cursorily speake a word or two how De Merson entertaines and digesteth this unexpected motion and affection of La Vasselay He laughes in his sleeue to see her youthfull affections so flourishing in this Atumne nay in this Winter of her age as to desire and seeke so young a Gentleman as himselfe for her husband but hee understands she is exceeding rich and therefore resolves that this vertue is capable to overvalue and ransome that defect and error of hers He sees that his father will not pay his debts and that hee of himselfe cannot that they growing more clamorous will shortly become scandalous which will not onely directly prevent but infallibly ruine his fortunes He considereth how displeasing her age will bee to his youth as also that there is no hell comparable
Is De Merson given and addicted to other women why pardon him because hee is a young man and as hee is thy husband and thou his wife beleeve that hee is every way more worthy of thy praiers than of thine envie Thus wee see upon what fatall and ominus tearmes these late married couple now stand De Mersons youth scorning and spurning at his wife La Vasselaye's age and wholly addicting himselfe to others and her age growing infinitly jealous of his youth so that for any thing I see or know to the contrary these different vices have already taken such deepe and dangerous roote in them as they threaten not onely the shipwracke of their content but of their fortunes if not of their lives Now for us to find out the particular object of La Vasselayes jealousie as her foolish curiosity hath already the generall cause we must know that she hath a very proper young Gentlewoman who atends her of some eighteene yeares of age tearmed Gratiana of a middle stature somewhat inclining to fatnesse having a fresh sanguine complexion and bright flaxen haire she being indeed every way exceeding lovely and faire and with this Gratiana she feares her Husband is more familiar than either modesty or chastity can permit and yet she hath onely two poore reasons for this her credulity and jealousie and God knowes they are poore and weake ones indeed The first is that she thinkes her owne withered face serves onely but as a foyle to make Gratiana's fresh beauty seeme the more precious and amiable in his eyes The second is that shee once saw him kisse her in her presence in the garden when she brought him a handkercher which his Page had forgotten to give him Ridiculous grounds and triviall reasons for her to build her feare or erect her jealousie on or to invent and raise so foule a scandall and calumny and yet not to suppresse but to report the whole truth De Merson was laciviously in love with Gratiana had often tempted her deflouration but could never obtaine her consent thereunto for shee was as chaste as faire and impregnable either to bee seduced by his gifts and presents or to bee vanquished and wonne by his treacherous promises protestations and oathes for she told him plainely and peremptorily when she saw him begin to grow importunate and impudent in this his folly That although she were but a poore Gentlemans daughter yet she thanked God that her parents had so vertuously train'd her up in the Schoole of Honour that she would rather dye than live to be a strumpet to any Gentleman or Prince of the world which chaste answer and generous resolution of hers did then so quench the flames of his lacivious and inordinate affection to her as thenceforth he exchanged his lust into love towards her and vowed that he would both respect and honour her as his sister Now although they both kept the passage of this businesse secret from his wife her Mistris yet notwithstanding as it is the nature of Iealousie not to hearken to any reason nor approve of any beliefe but of her owne therefore shee is confident that he lyes with Gratiana more oftner than with her selfe which shee vowes shee cannot digest and will no longer tolerate To which end with a most malicious and strange kind of treachery shee makes faire weather with Gratiana and thinking to coole her hot courage and to allay the heat of her luxurious blood looking one day stedfastly in her face she tels her that she hath need to be let blood to prevent a Fever whereunto although chaste and innocent Gratiana was never formerly let blood she notwithstanding willingly consents thereunto which to effect La Vasselay like a base mistris and a treacherous stepdame sends for an Apothecary named Rennee gives him a watch-word in his eare to draw at least sixteene ounces of blood from Gratiana for that she was strongly entred into a burning Fever But he being as honest as shee was treacherous and cruell told her that the drawing of so great a quantity of blood from her might not only impaire her health but indanger her life But she replies it was so ordered by a Doctor whereupon he opens her right arme veyne and as he had neere drawen so much from this poore harmelesse young Gentlewoman shee faints twice in a chaire betwixt their armes and all the cold water they threw in her face could very hardly refetch her and keepe life in her this old hard-harted hag still notwithstanding crying out that it was not blood enough having no other reason for this her treachery and cruelty but that indeed she thought it not enough or sufficient to quench the unquenchable thirst and flame of her jealousie of which this is the first effect towards this innocent young Gentlewoman but wee shall not goe farre to see a second Gratiana is so farre from dreaming of her mistris jealousie towards her master and herselfe or from once thinking of this her treacherous letting her blood as shee thankes her for her affection and care of her health and now the very next day after De Merson dyning at home with his old wife which he had not done in many dayes before and seeing Gratiana looke so white and pale demaunds her if she bee not well and then questioneth his wife what ayles her Gentlewoman to looke so ill which she seemes to put off with a feigned excuse but withall as if this care of her husband towards Gratiana were a true confirmation of their dishonesty and her jealousie she retaynes the memory thereof deepely in her heart and thoughts yea it is so frequent and fixed in her Imaginations as she cannot she will not any longer suffer or indure this affection of her husband to Gratiana nor that Gratiana's youth shall wrong La Vasselay's age in the rites and duties of marriage Wherefore casting sad aspects on him and malignant lookes on her she to please and give satisfaction to her jealousie which cannot bee pleased or satisfied with any thing but revenge resolves to make her know what it is for a waiting maid to offend and wrong her mistris in this kinde when not to deminish but rather to augment and redouble her former cruelty towards her Her husband riding one day abroad in company of divers other Gentlemen of the City to hunt Wolves which abound in those vast and spacious woods of Maine shee under pretence of some other businesse calls Gratiana alone into her inner chamber when bolting the doore after her she with meager and pale envy in her lookes and implacable fury and choller in her speeches chargeth her of dishonesty with her husband calling her whore strumpet and baggage affirming that the time and houre is now come for her to be revenged of her Poore Gratiana both amazed and affrighted at this sudden and furious both unexpected and undefiled alarum of her Mistris seing her honour and as she thinkes and feares her life called in
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
his wits in Prison he there confesseth his foule and inhumane murther for the which he is hanged IF we did not wilfully make ourselves miserable God is so indulgent and mercifull to us as hee would make us more happy but when with high and presumptuous hands wee violate the Lawes of Nature and Grace of Earth and Heaven in murthering through Envie those whom through Duty and affection wee are bound to obey honour cherish and preserve then it is no marvell because we first forsooke God that he after abandoneth us to our selves and sins and to the fruits thereof Calamity Misery Infamy and Perdition and that we may see humane cruelty to be justly met with and punished by Gods upright and divine Justice Loe here in this ensuing History we shall see a wretched sonne kill his harmlesse and deare mother A very fearefull and lamentable Parracide a most cruell and execrable fact for the which we shall see him rewarded with condigne punishment and with a sharpe and infamous death although not halfe so deplorable as deserved It is a bitter and bloudy History the relation and remembrance whereof in the most barbarous and flinty hearts is capable not only to ingender compassion but compunction yea not onely contrition but teares at least if we have any place left in us for Pitty or roome for Piety the which if we have doubtlesse the end of our reading will not onely blesse but crowne the beginning and the beginning the end thereof VPon the North-east side of the Lake Leman vulgarly knowne and called the Lake of Geneva because it payes its full tribute and makes its chiefest Rendezvous before that City whereof it invironeth at least one third part There stands a pretty small and strong towne distant a little dayes journey from it termed Morges which properly belongs to the jurisdiction of Berne one of the chiefest Cantons of that warlike people and Country of Swisserland wherein of very late yeares and recent memory there dwelt a rich and honest Burger or Burgemaster for of Gentry those parts and people are not because they will not bee capable named Martin Halsenorfe who by his wife Christina Snuytsaren had one only childe a sonne named Maurice Halsenorfe now of some fourteene yeare old whose father although hee were by profession a souldier and enrolled a Lieutenant to one of those Auxiliary Bands of that Countrey which are in pay to the French King yet neverthelesse his chiefest ambition and care was to make this sonne of his a scholler because the Ignorance and illiterature of his owne age made him to repent it in himselfe and therefore to provide a remedy thereof in his sonnes youth sith hee now knew and saw that a man without learning was either as a body without a soule or a soule without knowledge and reason which are her chiefest vertues and most sacred Ornaments and Excellencies So hee brings him up to their owne Grammar Schoole in Morges where in some three or foure yeares his affection and care to study makes him so good a Proficient as hee becomes not onely skilfull but perfect therein and almost as capable to teach his Schoole-master as hee was to instruct him yea and to adde the better Grace to the Grace of that Art hee was of so milde and so modest a carriage and the blossomes of his youth were so sweetly watred with the Heavenly dew of Vertue and Piety as if his manners and himselfe were wholly composed thereof so that for Learning and Goodnesse hee was and was justly reputed not onely the Mirrour but the Phoenix of all the youth of Morges and as he esteemed himselfe happy in his Parents so they reciprocally hold themselves not onely happy but blessed in this their sonne but because the inherent corruption of our Nature and the perversenesse and multiplicity of our sinnes are such as they cannot promise us any true joy much lesse assured and permanent felicity so the Sunne-shine of this their Temporary content equally divided in thirds betwixt the Father Mother and Sonne will shortly receive a great Eclipse and a fatall disaster which will bee to them so much the more bitter and mournfull sith both the cause and effects thereof were of each of them unthought of of them all unexpected For God in his saâ—…red decree and providence seeing Martin Halsenorfe the father his strength arrived at his full Meridian and height and his dayes to their full number and period He as he sate at dinner jocund and merry with his wife and sonne is suddenly taken with a deadly swoone which presently deprives his body of this life and sends his soule to enjoy the sweet felicity and sacred joy and immortality of the life to come A Document which may teach us not to relie upon the rotten privileges and strength of youth but so to prepare our lives that death at all places and in all times maystill finde us armed and ready to encounter it A Document which may teach us with the erected eyes as well of our faith as body so to looke from Earth to Heaven that our soules be not onely ready but willing to forsake this stinking Tabernacle and prison of our mortality to flie and be admitted into Heaven that Heavenly Ierusalem and Celestiall City where they may enjoy the blessed Communion of the Saints and the greatest blessings of all joyes and the most soueraigne joy of all blessings then to see our Creator and Saviour God the Father and Christ Iesus his Sonne face to face wherein indeed all the joyes and blessings of our soules are comprised and included The death of Halsenorfe the father is not onely the Argument but the cause of his widdow Christinâ—…'s griefe of his sonne Maurice his sorrow of her teares and groanes of his sighs and afflictions yea and not to derrogate from the Truth I may step a degree farther and say that this his death is a fatall herauld and mournfull harâ—…inger which pâ—…rtends and prepares both of them many disasterous calamities and wofull miseries the which in a manner are almost ready to surprise and befall them This sorrowfull widdow being thus deprived of her deare Husband who was both her comfort and her joy her stay and her Protector her Head and her glory although hee left her a good Estate sufficient enough to warrant her against the feare of poverty and to secure herselfe against the apprehension of worldly Indigence and wherewithall to maintaine both her and her sonne with somewhat more than an indifferent competency yet she saw her friends forsake her and her Husbands familiar acquaintance abandon her as if their friendship died with him and that their remembrance of him was wholly raked up and buried in the dust of his grave A most ingratefull disease and iniquity of our time rather to be pitied than cured and reproved than reformed so fading inconstant are the unfriendly friendships of the world who for the most part are grounded on profit not on
nor make vp the mony and great â—…eaches of his former prodigalities neither will a few kisses and embraces of that â—…ustfull Dame his Sister Masserina appease his unchaste appetite or satisfie his insatiable lust and lascivious desires Wherefore at one time and cast to set nature and honour at stake and so commanding his heart and thoughts to trample on both of them without any respect or regard to either he contrives and assumes this vitious and treacherous resolution that having already taken the actuall possession of her body hee should then likewise doe so of her gold yea of all her whole Estate and so flye away with her whose Estate through his long dishonest familiarity with her hee now knowes to bee great yea farre greater then his Brother Vimorye her husband either ever knew or dreamt of Wherefore with much superficiall affection and artificiall flattery and insinuation he no sooner breakes this motion to her but her lustfull heart corresponding with his and her lascivious desires likewise ayâ—…ing and intending that way she freely gives him her consent thereunto and to that end shee very secretly drawes in all her monies and gold together with all her plate Rings and Iewels most carefully and privatly packes it up and so they flye away together In a morning when her Husband and his Brother was with his servants gone forth a hawking and hunting for all that day he without ever making his wife or she her husband once acquainted therewith Vimorye is amazed and La Precoverte extreamely perplexed and afflicted at the strangenesse of their undreaâ—…t of base clandestine departure And although in regard of his affection to his wife â—…e were once resolved to send and make after them for their stay and apprehension yet at last to avoid the vniversall scandall of the world which thereby insteed of stopping one tongue would assuredly let loose many hee leaves the successe of this treacherous Accident to Time and the due reward and true punishment the reof to God Now the first place of safety and shelter which Harcourt and Masserina flye unto is the strong citty of Geneva which depends not of France or Savoye but of God and it selfe where they take two chambers and live together having no servant at all to attend or follow them but only Noell who for many â—…eares before had beene and still was his man But to live here in Geneva with the more privacy and assurance because they observe it to be a Citty exceeding politiquely vertuously and religiously governed they finde out this excuse for their stay that hee is heire to some lands which by the death of an vnkle of his is devolved and fallen to him in the estate and dutchy of Millan betwixt Pavia and Alexandria whether hee goes to sell it away in regard as he falsly alleageth that both this Gentlewoman whom hee resolves to leave there and presently upon his returne to marry and himselfe are Protestants and for a moneth or six weakes this false glosse and true imposture passeth current with those of Geneva whom all that time they freely permit and suffer to enjoy the lawes and previledges of Hospitality in their city and the sooner and with far lesse suspition doubt because they observe that they very often frequent their Sermons and Churches although in their hearts and devotions God knowes they both are directly Roman Catholiques But at the end of this small time understanding that the two Syndicks and the rest of the Magistrates of that City beganne to pry more narrowly into their stay and more neetely inâ—… their actions Then they thinking to mocke with God and their soules and so to make Religion onely to be a cloake to overvaile their villany he then and there resolves to marry her before he goe to Millan which indeed affords sweet musicke â—…o the heart and melody to the thoughts and minde of this lascivious dame Masseriâ—… the which shee esteemed to be the chiefest felicity she could desire upon earth excusing the alteration of this his resolution upon her sickenesse and indispositiâ—… which also was as false and counterfeit as the pretence of their protestant Religion was feigned and hipocriticall and to that end he acquaints the Ministers and the Ancients of the Church therewith But they being as regular in their actions as hee was exorbitant and as pious in their intentions as he was prophane in his question him to shew some authenticall certificat from that Protestant Church or Churches in Poictou where they aver they formerly dwelt that they were both of them Protestants by religion and that their marriage was honourable and no way clandestine affirming to him that it was against the rules of their religion the Constitutions of their Church and the lawes of their City to doe otherwise either to them or to any strangers whatsoever Which Harcourt well perceiving He now comes too short in his arithmeticke and having none to shew them in that nature hee sweats under the saddle and so slackes his importunacy therein and puts it off with a specious excused dilatory delay When acquainting his Masserina therewith they both are equally afflicted and grieved thus to see their hopes nipt and their expectations and desires of marriage frustrated and blasted in the very bud and blossomes and now they see that their abode and stay in Geneva neither can nor must belong But here betides them another unlooked for accident which will speedily transport them thence It is the pleasure and mercy of God that Noell Harcourts man is not a little grieved in heart and afflicted in mind to see his master guilty of this foule and treacherous crime in stealing away Masserina his Brothers wife and entertaining and using her as his owne Hee knowes how infinitely this their adultery is displeasing to God and odious to men and how opposite and repugnant it is to Grace and Nature Wherefore holding it a trouble to his minde a vexation to his heart and a scruple to his conscience any longer to attend and follow them because he is assured that the divine Justice and vengeance of God will never permit them to goe long either undetected or unpunished He calling to his remembrance the sweet vertues and chastity of his Mistris La Precoverte and by opposition and Antitheses comparing them to the foule vices and whoredomes of Masserina hee out of his duty to the first and detestation to the second though a bad Servant to his Master yet was a good Christian to God gives his Mistres La Precoverte very secretintelligence of his masters lascivious residing and living here in Geneva with Masserina whereof he sends her word he is a very sorrowfull and unwilling eye witnesse and so leaves the reformation thereof first to God and then to her selfe Our vertuous sweet Gentlewoman La Precoverte is wonderfully afflicted and grieved at this foule crime of adultery betwixt her Husband and his Sister Masserina whereat her chaste heart towards him and her
anger So he conjures him to perpetuall secrecie and silence of this proposition and businesse which Noell promiseth but sweares not Hereupon Harcourt to approach neerer to Sens He and Masserina leave Nevers and very secretly by litle Iournies and the greatest part by night come to Mascon and there his heart strikes a bargaine with the Divell and the Divell with his soule and resolutions to ride over himselfe to Sens and there with his owne hands to pistoll his Brother Vimory to death in the fields or if his Bullets misse him then to finish and perpetrate it with his owne Sword O wretched Gentleman O execrable Brother thus to make thy Hope and Charitie prove bankrupt to thy Soule and thy Faith unto God But nothing wil prevaile with Harcourt to diswade him from this bloody busines Whereunto the damnable treacherie and malice of Masserina impetuouslie precipitates and hastens him onwards although it be against her owne Husband So he leaves Mascon and in a disguised beard and poore sute of apparell comes to Saint Symplician purposely leaving Sens a litle on his left hand Where waiting for his Brother Vimory at the end of a pleasant wood of his a litle halfe mile from his house where he knew he was accustomed to walk alone by himselfe solitarily He personating and acting the part of a poore begging Souldier and counterfeiting his tongue aswel as his beard and apparel with his hat in his hand espying his Brother he goes towards him with an humble resolution and requesteth an Almes of him Which Vimory seeing and hearing hee in meere charitie and compassion of him because he saw him to be though a poore yet a proper man which is more a Souldier drawes forth his purse and whiles he lookes therein for some small peece of silver Harcourt as a Disciple of the Devill very softly drawes out his litle pistoll out of his left sleeve which he covered with his hat and having charged it with two bullets hee lets flie at him and so shooâ—… him in the truncke of his body a little under the heart of which two wounds he presently fell dead to the ground being as unfortunate in his death as his brother was miserable diabolicall in giving it him for he only fetched two groanes but had neither the power or happinesse to speake one word And the Divell in the catastrophie of this mournefull Tragedie was so strong with Harcourt as his malice towards his Brother Vimory exceeded not onely malice but rage and fury it selfe for fearing he was not yet dead he twice ran him thorow the body with his sword When leaving his breathlesse body all goring in his hot reeking blood he with all possible celeritie takes his horse which he had tied out of sight to a tree not farre off and so with all possible speed gallops away to his now intended wife Masserina at Mascon who triumphs with ioy at his relation of this good newes the which to her yea to them both is equally pleasing and delectable But God will not permit that these wretched joyes and triumphes of theirs shall lâ—…st long This cruell murther of Monseiur Vimory is some two houres after knowne at his house and Parish of Saint Symplician as also in the City of Sens and so dispersed 〈◊〉 all Burgundy and the murtherers narrowly sought after but in vaine Harcourt and Masserina meet with these reports at Mascon but yet they hold it discretion and safetie a small time longer to conceale themselves secretly in that Towne and so to suffer the heate of this newes to passe over and bee blowne away But at the end of two moneths Harâ—…t setting a milke white face upon his bloody fact arrives at Sons and from thence to his maâ—…or house of Saint Symplician which now by the death of his Brother Vimorye who died without issue wholly devolved and fell to him Who having formerly plaid the Devill in murthering his said Brother he now as infernally plaies the Hypocrite in mourning for his death making so wonderfull an outward shew and demonstration of sorrow for the same as he and all his servants being dighted in blackes A moneth after hee sends for his good Sister in Law Masserina who comes home to him and they seeme so absolutely strange each to other as if they had never seene one another during all the long time of their absence and shee likewise seemes to drowne her selfe in her teares and is likewise all in blackes for the death of her Husband But God in his due time will pull off this their false maske and detect and revenge both their horrible Sinnes of Adulterie and Murther Now as close as they conceale this their dishonourable fleight and departure yet it discovered and found out and held so odious so foule to all the Gentlemen and Ladies their neighbours who yet know nothing of their murthers as they disdaine to welcome them home or which is lesse to see them which they both are inforced with griefe to observe as holding it to be the reflection of their owne disgrace and scandall the which henceforth to prevent they within two moneths after sends for their Ghostly fathers as also for two Iesuites and the Vicar of their parish and acquaint them with their desires and resolutions to marry But these Ecclesiastiques affirme it to be directly opposite to the Rules and Canons of the holy Catholique Roman Church for one Brother to marry the widdow of another as also against the written law of God and therefore they utterly seeke both to perswade and diswade them from it as being wholly unlawfull and ungodly and so refuse to Consent thereto much lesse to performe it without a dispensation from the Pope or his Nuntio now resident at Paris They cause the Nuntio to be dealt with about it but hee peremptorily refuseth it But in favour of money and strong friends within three monethes they procure it from Rome and so they are speedily marryed now thinking and withall beleeving and triumphing that this their nuptiall knot hath power to deface and redeeme all their former Adulteries and now wholly wiped off their disgrace and scandall with the world And therefore in their owne vaine and impious conceits are secure and abound in wealth delight and pleasure But as yet they have not made their peace with God Come we therefore first to the detection and discovery of these their bloudy crimes of murther and then to the condigne punishments which they received for the same Whereof the manner briefly is thus It is many times the pleasure and providence of God to punish one sinne in and by another yea and sometimes one sinne for another the which wee shall now see apparant in this bloudy and hellish Itallian Mountebancke Tivoly who repayring to the great Faire of Sens and there beginning to professe his Emperie to a rich Goldsmithes wife of that City named Monseiur de Boys hee the third day stole a small casket of Jewels and
saw or knew them May wee reade this their History first to the honour of God and then to our owne Instruction and reformation That the sight and remembrance of these their punishments may deterre us from the impiety and inhumanity of perpetrating the like bloudy crimes Amen GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable sinne of Murther Lorenzo murthereth his wife Fermia Hee some twenty yeares after as altogether unknowne robbeth his and her sonne Thomaso who likewise not knowing Lorenzo to be his father doth accuse him for that robbery for which he is hanged THose who by the pernitious instigation and fatall temptation of Sathan doe wilfully imbrue their hands in innocent bloud and so make themselves guilty of murther are no longer men but have prodigiously metamorphosed themselves into the nature and quality of devils And as after this their crime they are worthy of all true christians detestation so most commonly without Gods saving grace and mercy their hearts are so obdurated with impenitency of security and their soules seared up and abandoned to all kinds of atheisticall prophannesse and impiety that they are so far from thinking of God as they beleeve there is no God and so far from fearing of his judgements and punishments as they are desperately confident they have not deserved any But because their hearts and actions are as transparent to Gods eyes and knowledge as Gods decrees and resolution are invisible to theirs therefore despight this their blindnesse and the devils malice and subtilty to obscure and conceale it this world will affoord them no true peace nor this life produce them any perfect tranquility But wheresoever they goe or live their guilty thoughts and consciences as so many hellish bloudhounds will incessantly persue and follow them till in the end they drag them to condigne shame misery and confusion for the same which this subsequent history will verifie and make good to us in a wretched and execrable personage whom it mournefully presents to our view and consideration Let us read it in the feare of God that we may weigh that benefit by it which becomes good Christians to make IT is not the meannesse of the personages but the greatnesse and eminence of Gods Judgements which hath prevailed with me to give this History a place among my others The which to draw from the head-spring and originall we must understand that in Italy the Garden of Europe as Europe is that of the whole world and in the City of Genova seated upon the Mediterranean Sea which the Italians for the sumptuousnesse and statelinesse of her buildings doe justly stile and entitle proud Genova neare unto the Arsenall upon the Key there dwelt of late yeares a proper tall young man of a coale blacke haire some twenty five yeares old named Andrea Lorenzo who by his trade was a Baker and was now become Master of his profession and kept forth his Oven and shop for himselfe wherein he was so industrious and provident that in a short time he became one of the prime Bakers of that City and wrought to many Ships and Galleyes of this Estate and Seigniory He in few yeares grew rich was proffered many wives of the daughters of many wealthy Bakers and other Artificers of Genova but he was still covetous and so addicted to the world as he could fancy none nor as yet be resolved or perswaded to seeke any maid or widdow in marriage sith hee knew it to be one of the greatest and most important actions of our life and which infallibly drawes with it either our chiefest earthly felicity or misery But as marriages are made in heaven before consummated on earth So Lorenzo going on a time to the City of Savona which both by Sea and Land is some twenty little miles from Genova and heretofore was a free City and Estate of it selfe but now swallowed up in the power and opulencie of that of Genova he there fell in love with a rich Vintners daughter her father named Iuan Baptista Moron and shee Firmia Moron who was a lovely and beautifull young maiden of some eighteene yeares of age being tall and slender of a pale complection and a bright yellow haire but exceedingly vertuous and religious and endowed with many sweet qualities and perfections who althouhh she were sought in marriage by divers rich young men of very good families of that City with the worst of whom either for estate or extraction Lorenzo might no way compare yet shee could fancie none but him and hee above all the men of the world she secretly in her heart and minde desired might be her Husband Lorenzo with order and discretion seeks Fermia in mariage of her father Moron who is too strong of purse and to high of humour to match his daughter to a Baker or to any other of a mechanicall profession and so gives him a flat and peremptory deniall But Lorenzo finds his daughter more courteous and kinde to his desires for she being as deeply enamoured of his personage as he was of her beauty and vertues after a journey or two which he had made to her at at Savona she consents and yeelds to him to be his wife conditionally that hee can obtaine her fathers good will thereunto but not otherwise which Lorenzo yet feared and doubted would prove a difficult taske for him to compasse and procure for her father knowing Fermia to be his owne and onely childe and daughter and that her beautie and vertuous education together with the consideration of his owne wealth and estate made her every way capable of a farre better husband than Lorenzo As also that his daughter in reason and religion and by the lawes of heaven and earth was bound to yeeld him all duty and obedience because of him she had formerly received both life and being therefore he was resolute that Lorenzo should not have his daughter to wife neither would he ever hearken to accept or consent to take him for his sonne in Law Lorenzo having thus obtained the heart and purchased the affection of his sweet and deare Fermia he now out of his fervent desire and zeale to see her made his wife and himselfe her husband makes it both his ambition and care according to her order to drawher father Moron to consent thereunto wherein the more importunate humble and dutifull he both by himselfe friends is to Moron the more imperious averse and obstinate is he to Lorenzo as disdaining any farther to heare of this his suit and motion for his daughter But Lorenzo loves the daughter too tenderly and dearly thus to be put off with the first repulse and deniall of her father and so notwithstanding hee againe persevereth in his suit towards him with equall humility and resolution Hee requesteth his consent to their affections with prayers and his daughter Fermia having formerly acquainted her father with her deare and inviolable love to Lorenzo she now prayes him thereto with teares But as one who
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 HISTORIE XXV Vasti first murthereth his Sonne George and next poysoneth his owne Wife Hester and being afterwards almost killed by a mad Bull in the Fields hee revealeth these his two murthers for the which he is first hanged and then burnt THE TRIVMPHS OF GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXECRABLE sinne of Murther HISTORIE XXI Babtistyna and Amarantha poyson their Eldest Sister Iaquinta after which Amarantha causeth her servants Bernardo and Pierya to stifle her Elder Sister Babtistyna in her bed Bernardo flying breakes his necke with the fall off his Horse Pierya is hanged so likewise is Amarantha and her body afâ—…er burnt Bernardo being buried his body is again taken up hanged to the Gallowes by his feet then burnt and his ashes throwne into the ayre THe Golden times being past what doth this Iron or flintie age of ours produce but Thornes for Roses and Brambles for Lillies I meane bloudy and barbarous actes in stead of deedes of Compassion and workes of Charitie Not but that Christianitie as a faire and glorious vayle covereth the face of Europe as the firmament of Heaven doth that of Earth and that by the mercie of God there are now great variety of learned and godly Preachers who by the sanctity of their lives and the purity of their Doctrine spend the greatest part both of their time and of themselves to propagate Vertue and Pietie in us and consequently to roote out vice and Sinne from among us But it is the vanity of our thoughts the corruption of our depraved Natures the infirmity of our Iudgements the weakenesse of our Faith the coldnesse of our Zeale and our neglect of prayer which sometimes O that I might not say too too often transporteth our selves beyond our selves and our resolutions and actions beyond the bounds of reason yea and violently carrieth us to desperate and inhumane attempts which this next deplorable History will so apparantly and perspicuously verifie vnto us that we shall difficultly reade it without sighes nor understand it without teares at least if wee have but the sparkes of so much Charitie in our hearts and Pietie in our Soules as the unfortunate authors and miserable actors hereof wanted IF Tuscany be the beauty glory of Italy then Florence the capital Citie thereof must needs be that of Tuscany or else it could not so justly and generally deserve that true and excellent Epithite of faire It is a Citie which hath given both life and being to the Illustrious family of the Medicis or as some affirme they to it The worst grounds about it are Vâ—…eyardes and the best are dainty Meadowes and delicate Gardens or rather their Gardens are Meadowes for their spaciousnesse and their Meadowes are Gardens for their fertility beauty It is divided and crossed in two parts by the famous River Arno and that river againe by two stately Bridges curiously embelished and adorned with many Marble and Alabaster Statues The streetes hereof are well paved broad and long the buildings for the most part rather Palaces then private houses and the Temples for sumptuousnesse and beauty nothing inferiour to the best and richest of Italy especially the two most sumptuous and unparalleld Chappels of the Babtistaria and Saint Lorenzo as also the Domo and Campanella which is the Tower thereof it being a most magnificent and stately Cathedrall Church which not onely catcheth our eye with wonder but surpriseth our thoughts with admiration as all our English Noblemen and Gentlemen Travellers doe peradventure know farre better then my selfe I say in this rich and fayre Citie of Florence neere the Church of the Dominican Fryers in the latter dayes of the great Duke Ferdinand there dwelt an ancient vertuous and generous Cavallier named Seignior Leonardo Streni descended of a Noble family neere to the Citie of Pistoia where his Auncestors left him many fayre demeanes and a very rich Patrimony the which through his Frugality Vertue and Wisedome the true foundation of most of the chiefest houses and best familyes of Italy hee managed and improved so well that within the space of twenty yeares he became exceeding rich and oppulent but neere about this time that the sweetnesse of his content might receive some checke of bitter affliction to shew him that man is subject to God and that there is no perfect or permanent felicity heere on Earth his Lady Alcydina dyed which brought him much sorrow and affliction having onely yet this joy and consolation left him that he had by her in marriage three proper young Ladyes to his Daughters named Iaquinta Babtistyna and Amarantha who albeit he hoped would prove the stayes and comforts of his Age yet they will futurely afoord him farre lesse felicity and more misery then he can expect or my Readers as yet any way conceive or imagine the which to approve and verifie they are by me prayed to understand and remember that these two youngest Daughters Babtistyna and Amarantha are wonderfull fayre and beautifull of a reasonable tall stature very streight and slender But Iaquinta the eldest Daughter is of a browne complexion short and Crooke-backd but shee hath this sleight that her Taylors art serves to overvayle the defects and to cover the deficiencie of her Nature and she her selfe hath the skill to put on fresh tincture and complexion on her face vices which the puritie and simplicity of former Ages were not acquainted with or else purposely disdained and hated although the pride and vanity of these our times doe ambitiously allow and practise them Againe Iaquinta is proud and stately Babtistyna chollericke sullen and revengefull and Amarantha to the eye and judgement of the world pleasant and courteous Have we but a little patience and we shall shortly see each of these three Sisters appeare in their true coulers and in very different wayes to act their severall partes upon the Stage and Theater of this their History Streni seeing himselfe a widdower not so much favoured of God to have any Sonne to enjoy his name and Landes and all his three Daughters to be now capable of marriage He as a provident and loving Father holds it a great poynt of affection and discretion in him now to leave his Mannor house of Cardura neere Pistoia and to betake himselfe to live and reside in Florence hoping thereby with lesse difficulty and farre more advantage to looke out and provide fit Husbands for his daughters answerable to their ranke and degree which disposition and resolution of his pleased them well and administred them cause of great content and joy siith it is now growne to a custome and a habit that young Ladyes and Gentlewomen doe infinitely desire to live in great Townes and Cities where they may see and be seene and especially in those of Italy more then in any Country of
so odious as Nature cannot excuse and so diabolicall as no Clemencie can pardon And yet this age and this world is but too plentifull and fertile of such bloudy Tigers and inhumane Monsters and Butchers of mankinde as if they had not a Conscience within them to accuse them a God above them to condemne them and a Hell below them to punish them or as if they had not the sacred Oracles of Gods eternall Word I meane the Law and the Gospell and the blessed Precepts and Doctrine of the holy Prophets and Apostles yea of Christ Iesus himselfe the great Shepherd and sacred Bishop of our soules to teach us the rules of Mercie Meekenesse and Long-suffering whiles wee live in this vale of misery here below and that wee must imbrace and follow Peace and Charity with all men if ever wee thinke to participate of the true felicity and joyes of Heaven above But neverthelesse yea directly contrary hereunto this insuing History will produce us one who though sufficiently instructed in the rules of Piety and Charity yet hee wilfully abandoned the first and contemned the second by cruelly and unnaturally imbruing his hands in innocent bloud for the which wee shall see that hee in the end suffereth a severe and shamefull death May we reade this History to the glory of God and the instruction of our selves THe Scene of this History is layd in Spayne in the famous Province of old Castile and in the faire and ancient City of Burgos where lately dwelt a noble and rich old Gentlewoman termed Dona Catherina Aâ—…z a Sirname much knowne and famous in that City Province and Kingdome who had by her deceased Husband Don Roderigo de Ricaldo two sonnes Don Pedro and Don Martino and one Daughter named Dona Cecilliana Her eldest sonne Don Pedro was a gallant Cavallier of some eight and twenty yeares of age tall and well-timbred by complexion and hayre blacke and of a swart and martiall countenance who for the space of seven yeares served as a voluntary Gentleman under that wise and valiant Commander Don Gonsalez de Cordova in Germany and against the Lords States of the Netherlands and since in the Voltoline and Millane against the Grisons and French In both which warres he left behind him many memorable testimonies of his prowesse and purchased divers honorable trophees of true valour and generosity but for any other intellectuall endowments of the minde hee was no scholler and but of an indifferent capacity yet very honest courteous and affable particularly to his friends and generally to all the world His Brother Don Martino was of some foure and twenty yeares of age short of stature very slender but crooke-back'd of an Aubrun hayre a withered face a squint eye of inclination extreamely sullen and of disposition and nature envious and revengefull as desirous rather to entertaine a night-quarrell in the street then a day-combate in the Field but as God is many times pleased to countervaile and reward the defects of nature in the body with some rich gifts and perfections of the mind so though not by profession yet by education he was an excellent Scholler of an active and sharpe wit a fluent tongue and singularly able either to allure or divert to perswade or disswade according as the streame of his different passions and affections led him Vertues enough relucent and excellent to build a fame and sufficient to rayse an eminent fortune if his former vices doe not too fatally eclipse the one and deface the other Their Sister Cecilliana aged of some twenty yeares was of an indifferent height but growing to corpulencie and fatnesse of a blacke hayre an amiable browne complexion a big rolling eye and the ayre of her countenance rather beautifully amorous then modestly beautifull Shee was of a nimble wit of humour pleasant and facetious yet so reserved in the externall demonstration thereof that through her Mothers pious and austere education of her shee in all outward semblance seemed rather to bee fit for a Nunnery then a Husband and more proper to make a Saint then a Wife but as the face proves not still a true Index of the heart nor our lookes and speeches still a true Sybile of our soules so how retired soever her Mother kept her from the company of men yet her wanton eye conspiring with her lascivious heart made her the more desirous thereof and farre the more licentiously in regard shee was strictly forbidden it so as not to contradict or dissemble the truth I am here inforced to relate and affirme that shee imparteth her favours upon two or three young Gentlemen of that Citie of her private acquaintance and is more familiar with them then modesty can well warrant or chastity allow of But there is a young Gallant of this City likewise more noble by birth then rich in estate and meanes named Don Balthazar de Monfredo who deeming Cecilliana as famous for her chastity as for her beauty beares a singular affection to her yea his heart and thoughts are so fervently intangled in the snares of her delicious beauty that in publicke and private in his desires and wishes and in his speech and actions he proclaimes her to bee his Mistresse and himselfe her servant and if hee affect and desire Cecilliana for his Wife no lesse doth shee Monfredo for her Husband so that they many times by stealth meet and conferre privately in remote Churches and Chappell 's it being rather a prophane then a religious custome of Spaine wherein Heaven is too much made to stoope to Earth and Religion to Impiety for men to court their intended wives and which is worse many times their Courtizans and Strumpets Cecilliana oftentimes warranted by her Mothers indisposition can no sooner take Coach to injoy the pleasure and benefit of the fresh ayre abroad in the fragrant fields but Monfredo assuredly meets her where leaping from his Coach into hers and leaving his Page to accompany her Wayting-gentle woman in his own they at first familiarly kisse and confer and in a few of these meetings at last effectually resolve to give themselves each to other in the sacred bonds of marriage so he gives her a rich Diamond ring and she reciprocally returnes him a paire of Gold bracelets in token of marriage and they then and there calling God to witnes very solemnly contract themselves man and wife yet for some solid reasons and important considerations which conduce to the better accomplishing of their desires they for a time conclude to beare it secretly and silently from all the world and it is concluded and agreed betweene them that a moneth after and not before hee shall attempt to seeke her publikely in marriage both of her Mother the Lady Catherina as also of her two Brothers Don Pedro and Don Martino So when this moneth is past over which to these out two Lovers seemes to be many ages Monfredo very fairely and orderly seekes her of her Mother in marriage 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
cause thereof might be Who being likewise sad spectators of this their masters sodaine and unfortunate death they conceieve and beleeve that hee had voluntarily stopped his owne breath and destroyed himselfe by putting this Orenge in his mouth and that his face being blacke and swollen was only his owne strugling for life against death which opinion of theirs in common sence and reason was probable enough if God had not here resolved to disprove it in verifying and making apparant the contrary For Richardo who was of a pregnant wit and of a sharpe and quicke apprehension considering that these were Morosini's gloves which hee found there in his Vncles chamber And his memory now telling his heart what lascivious daliances and obscene embraces and familiarity his eyes had lately seene and known between him and his Aunt Imperia as also that God heretofore prompted and informed his soule that they both had an equall share and hand in this lamentable murther of his Uncle and that it was farre better for him justly to ruine her now then she unjustly to begger him hereafter Hee therefore with teares in his eyes prayes the Servants to stay a little while in the Chamber with his dead Vncle till his returne and then with those gloves in his pocket and this letter in his hand hee speedes away to the Podestate or criminall Iudge of this Cittie named Seignior Loudovicus Ceranno and in a passionate and sorrowfull speech makes him know as much as himself knowes of this lamentable murther of his Vncle Palmerius for the which hee strongly chargeth Morosini and his said Aunt Imperia to bee the Author and Actor and so craves Iustice on them both for the same This grave personage is very sorrowfull at this lamentable accident and likewise at this relation and accusation of Richardo aswell for the manner thereof as for the qualitie of the persons who he heares and feares are interested herein when walking a turne or twodeeply contemplating hereon in his chamber he sits himselfe down in his Chaire and then bidding Richardo approach neerer to him he seriously demands of him these foure Questions First if he were assured that these were Morosini's gloves to which Richardo answered he perfectly knew them to bee his for that hee had seene him weare them three or foure severall times Secondly where Morosini was lodged in that Cittie whereat he replyed that he and his two associates Astonicus and Donato lay at the signe of the ship upon the Kaye Thirdly where he thought his Aunt Imperia now was whereat he tells him shee is now in Saint Francis Church in her devotions and fourthly what letter that was which hee held fast sealed in his hand when hee also informed him that this was the very same Letter which hee formerly told him of the which Signior Bandino the Father to his Aunt Imperia sent to his Vncle this morning from Loretto by an Innekeeper of that Towne named Antonio Herbas whom he said hee had brought along with him to affirme so much the which being called up before the Podestate hee upon his corporall oath did so when the Podestate taking that Letter from Richardo and breaking up the seales thereof hee findes it to speake this language BONDINO to PALMERIVS IT was a sensible griefe to me when I first heard of Morosini's arrivall from Turkie to Ancona But farre the greater when I since understand of his long and lingring stay there and to write thee the truth of my heart my thoughts by day and my dreames by night doe still prompt and assure mee that as it is likely hee will attempt some thing against the Chastity of thy wife my Daughter so it is not impossible for him likewise to plot somewhat against thine owne life for by Nature and inclination I heare he is very malitious and revengefull If he depart speedily to Venice then burne this Letter in Ancona which I now send the there by my Neighbour Antonio Herbas But if he farther protract his stay there then speedily bring thy selfe and thy wife away to me here in Loretto where my House shall be a Sanctuary for her and a Castle and Cittadel for thy self sleight not this my carefull and tender advise to thee but rather resolve with considence that as God gave it first to my heart so from my Heart I most affectionately now send it to thee BONDINO The Podestate being ascertained of all these Evidences from the confession of Richardo the gloves of Morosini the Letter of Bondino and the acknowledgment of Herbas although hereupon hee verily beleeves that Palmerius was stifled in his bed by his Wife Imperia and her lover Morosini yet as a wise Iudge and a prudent magistrate hee will informe his knowledge of one important point more for the better disquisition and vindication of the truth of this deplorable businesse Hee will not send any subordinate Officer but a private friend of his to the Hoast of the Ship upon the Key where Morosini lodged whose name hee now knowes to bee Stephano Fundi and that in favour of a cup of Wine hee should courteously allure him home to his house and presence the which that friend of his performes where the Podestate then told him that hee hath beene informed by divers that hee is an honest man and therefore in friendly sort hee prayes him to answer him the truth of three demands which he shall make unto him First if Morosini and his friends Astonicus and Donato lay in his house all the last night or if not when they went abroad and at what houre returned When Fundi performing his duty reverence to the Podestate tells him that they all three went forth of his house together the last night with their Rapiers without any lights a little after twelve of the clocke and returned home againe a little before two as neere as hee could guesse Secondly the Podestate shewes him the gloves and askes of him if he thought these were Morosini's to the which he answered he did assure himselfe they were for that he had many times seene him weare them Thirdly he enquires of him if he knew where Morosini Astonicus and Donato now were wherunto he made answer that after they came home to his house the last night they merrily carowsed and dranke in their Chamber till sixe of the clocke in the morning that they then went to their beds and there as yet they all lay soundly sleeping The Podestate having thus happily cleered all these rubs he makes no doubt they were the murtherers of Palmerius and therfore resolves speedily to lay sure hold of them all But hee is so solid and wise in his administration of justice as he will adde subtiltie to his power and discretion to his authority First therefore in friendly manner he confines Fundi to a chamber here in his owne House to prevent that hee should not returne home to tell tales to Morosini and his associates Then hee presently sends away two
Vrsina whom hee ever held to bee more charitable and not so cruell hearted to any one of the world and although hee be poore yet hee is so honest vertuous and religious as hee highly refuseth to distaine his heart or dip his hands in innocent blood for any silver or gold whatsoever So in humble and yet in absolute tearmes hee gives her the deniall and with teares in his eyes prayes her to desist from this her cruell purpose because hee affirmes to her that the end of murther proves most commonly but the beginning of shame repentance misery and confusion to their authors so shee bites her lip and hangs her head for sorrow at this his repulse and refusâ—…ll and yet is so cautious and wary in her actions as shee makes him againe swear secrecy to her in all thinges which now doth othereafter may concerne this businesse the which hee faithfully promiseth her provided that her commands and his seruice bee every way exempt of the effusion of innocent blood and the perpetration of murther to the which hee constantly vowes to her it is impossible for him ever to bee seduced or drawen and so hee takes leave of her and leaves her solitarily alone in the garden to her muses but yet as hee was issuing forth shee againe calls him to her and strictly chargeth him first carefully and curiously to informe himselfe and then hee her of Sanctifiores most frequent haunts and walkes without the cittie the which hee likewise promiseth her to performe Our malitious and revengefull Vrsina is not contented to receive the deniall from her Apothecary Romancy and the repulse from her coachman Sebastiano about the finishing of this deplorable busines but without making any good use of their honest and religious disswasions of her from it or without once looking up to God or thinking of heaven or hell shee as a fatall member and prodigious agent of Sathan is still resolute to proceed therein for he is still so strong with her heart because her faith and soule are so weake with God that shee sees not her selfe so often in her looking glasse with delight as shee both sees and finds Sanctifiore in her heart and mind with detestation for her mallice to him hath quite expelled all reason and banished all charity and piety in her selfe and consequently now made her memorative and capable of nothing but of revenge and blood towards him which takes up every part and usurpes every point both of her time and of her selfe yea and workes so strang I may rather truly say so miserable a metamorphosis in her as if shee were now wholly composed of one or both of these two impious and diabolicall vices so that every moment seemes a yeare and every day an age to her before shee hath dispatched him for heaven she now sees that shee cannot with safety employ any other herein but her selfe and therefore day by day calling upon Sebastiano to know of him where Sanctifiores usuall haunts and walkes were without the cittie hee at last tells her that hee is fullie assured that most mornings and evenings he takes his coach and some times his page but many times alone and so goes a mile out of the cittie beyond the gate which lookes towards Saint Germaines and there in a dainty grove of olives and orenge trees neere a small rivers side hee with his booke in his hand and his spaniell dogge at his heeles passeth an houre or two alone in his private contemplations his coach being sometimes out of sight from him and sometimes returnes to the cittie and so comes and fetcheth him backe againe which report is no sooner heard and understood of Vrsina from her coachman but shee receives it with much joy and entertaines it with infinite content and delectation shee is therefore so cruell in her thoughts and so determinate and bloody in her resolutions as shee will protract no time but shee speedily bethinkes her selfe of a hellish stratagem and policy no lesse strange than cruell which the devill him selfe suggested and found out for her to wreake her inveterate malice and infernall revenge in murthering of Sanctifiore the manner whereof is thus She very secretly provides her selfe of a friers complete weed as a sad ruffer gowne coule with a girdle of a knottie rope woodden sandalls proper to the order of the Bonnes homes which is the reformed one of that of S. Francis with a false negligent old beard and haire for his head sutable to the same and in one of the pockets of this frocke shee puts a small begging box such as those friers use to carry in cittie and country when they crave the charitable almes and devotion of well disposed people as also a new breviary or small masse booke of the last edition and forme of Rome boundup in blew turky leather richly guilt but in the othor pocket thereof shee puts a couple of small short pistolls which shee had secretly purloined out of her father Placedo's armory and had charged each of them with a brace of bullets fast rammed downe with priming powder in the pans and all these fatall trinckets shee with equall silence and treachery packes and tyes up close in the gowne expecting the time and houre to worke this her cruell and lamentable seate on innocent Sanctifiore who little thinkes or dreames what a bloody banquet his old love and now his new enemy Vrsina is preparing for him And here I write with griefe that it was the tuesday after Palme Sunday a time and weeke which the blessed passion of our Saviour Christ Jesus makes sacred and famous and which all true christians in his commemoration ought to keepe holy and not to polute or defile it with barbarous and bloody sacrifices when our masculine monster or rather our femall fury Vrsina being assured by Sebastiano that the Baron of Sanctifiore was that day about three of the clocke after dinner gone out alone in his coach to his aforesaid usuall place of walking a mile off the cittie in the fields shee infinite glad of this desired occasion and longed for opportunity bids Sebastiano make ready his coach and silently to leave him without the posterne gate of her fathers garden and so presently to come up to her chamber to her the which hee as soone performes to whom she now prophanely and treacherously sayes Sebastiano by the favour and mercy of God I have now exchanged my cruelty into courtesie towards the Baron of Sanctifiore and doe therefore presently resolve to give him a merry meeting in the fields whereat before our departure and returne I know thou wilt rejoyce and laugh heartely at the fight hereof the which indeed was very welcome and pleasing newes to Sebastiano to whom shee then gives this little fardell and so purposely leaving her waiting maid behind her shee cheerefully and speedily followes him to the coach wherein being seated and the litle fardell likewise within by her shee bids him drive away withall
time but bootlesse for mee either to paliate the truth or to flatter with God or man the worst of his crime he being my servant was the least courtesie hee owed to mee I being his mistris which after with mine owne hands I had committed that deplorable fact was to bring mee home from the fields to my fathers house and for assisting mee to cast the friers frocke the false beard and haire the almes box breviary and two pistolls into the next deepe pit or precipice thereunto adjoining where as yet they still lie for this my heinous offence the very remembrance whereof is now grievous and odious unto mee I aske pardon first of God then of mine owne deare father and next of the Lady Bertranna and if the words and prayers of a poore dying gentlewoman have any power with the living then I beseech you all in generall and every one of you in particular to pray unto God that hee will now forgive my sinnes in his favour and hereafter save my soule in his mercy the which as soone as shee had said and uttered some few short prayers to her selfe shee often making the signe of the crosse takes leave of all the world when pulling downe her vaile in comly sort over her eies and face and erecting her hands towards heaven shee was turned over now as some of her spectators rejoyced at the death of so cruell and bloody or female monster so the greatest part of them in favour of her birth youth and beautie did with aworld of teares exceedingly lament and pittie her but all of them doe highly detest and execrate the base ingratitude infidelity and treachery of this ignoble Baron of Sanctifiore towards her which no doubt was the prime cause and cheifest motive which drew her to these deplorable and bloody resolutions As for her honest coachman Sebastiano although his owne torments on the racke and now this solemne confession of his Lady Vrsina at her death had sufficiently proclaimed and vindicated his innocency in this murther of Sanctifiore yet such was his widdow Bertrannas living affection to her dead husband and her deadly malice to living Sebastiano for thinking him to bee guiltie and accessary hereunto with his Lady Vrsina that her power and malice so far prevailed with the integrity of the judges for the further disquisition of this truth as they now againe sentence him to the double torments of the racke the which hee againe likewise endureth with a most unparalleld patience and constancy without confessing any thing the which his judges wondering to see and admiring to understand and having no substantiall proofes or reall and valable evidences against him they now fully absolve and acquit him of this his suspected crime when being moved in charity justice and conscience to yeeld him some reward and satisfaction for thus enfeebling his body and impairing of his health by these his sharpe and bitter torments they therefore adjudge the plaintiffe widdow Bertranna to give him three hundred duckatons whereof shee cannot possibly exempt or excuse her selfe And thus lived and died our unkind Baron Sanctifiore and our cruell hearted young Lady Vrsina and in this manner did the sacred justice of God requite the one and condignly revenge and punish the other Now by reading this their history may God of his best favour and mercy teach us all from our hearts to hate this Barons levitie and from our soules to abhorre and detest this Ladies cruelty and impiety AMEN GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther HISTORY XXX De Mora treacherously kills Palura in a duell with two pistolls His Lady Bellinda with the aid of her gentleman usher Ferallo poysoneth her husband De Mora and afterwards shee marrieth and then murthereth her said husband Ferallo in his bed so shee is burnt alive for this her last murther and her ashes throwen into the aire for the first IN the generall depravation of this age it is no wonder that many sinfull foules are so transported by Sathan and their owne outragious passions to imbrue their guilty hands in the innocent blood of their christian brethren and it were a great happines and felicity to most countries and kingdomes of Europe if they were not sometimes infected with the contagion of this bloody and crying sinne which with a presumptuous hand seemes to strike at the majestie of God himselfe in killing man his creature but because wishes availe little and for that examples are more powerfull and prevalent and prove the best precepts to the living therefore I here produce a lamentable one of so inhumane a condition that by the knowledge and consideration thereof wee may know how to detest the like and avoid the temptations in our selves IN the famous kingdome of Portugall and within a very little league of Stremos one of the sweetest and fairest cities thereof there within these few yeares dwelt a noble gentleman of some fifty six yeares old named Don Alonso De Mora Issued and discended from one of the best and famous houses of that kingdome as being Nephew to that great and wise Don Christopher de Mora of whom the histories of Spaine and Portugall make so often and so honourable mention and although hee were by his ancestors and parents left very rich in lands and possessions yet his ambition and generosity caried him to serve his king Phillip third of Spaine in his warres of Africa and Flanders wherein hee spent the greatest part of his time and of himselfe wonne many renowned laurells and martiall trophees of honour and as an excellent cavalier left behinde him many approved markes and testimonies of his true valour and magnanimity But as all men are naturally constant in unconstancy and subject and co-incident to mutations and that the world still delights to please us with changes and to feed our fancies and affections with different enterprises and resolutions so our De Mora at last calls home his thoughts and himselfe from warre to peace and resolves to spend the remainder of his age in as much ease pleasure as formerly hee had done the heate and strength of his youth in tumults and combustions hee now sees that there is no life nor pleasure comparable to that of the country for here the sweetnesse of the imbalmed aire the delicacy of the perfumed and enamelled fields the unparalleld pastime of hauking and hunting and the free and uninterrupted accesse which wee have to arts in our study and to God in religious praiers and meditations makes it to bee no lesse than either an earthly paradise or a heaven upon earth For the campe despite of commanders abounds with all kinds of insolencies and impieties the cittie despite of magistrates with all sorts of vice deceit covetousnes and pride and the court despite of good kings and Princes too often with variety of hippocrisie perfidiousnes and vanity To his owne great mannor house neere Stremos therefore is our De Mora retired with a resolution
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
to his villany he seemes to be wonderfully sad and passionately sorrowfull for the same and so requesteth the Criminall officers both in and about the City to make curious research and enquiry for the murtherers of his wife which they doe but this hypocriticall sadnesse and false sorrow of his though to the eye of the world it prevaile for a time yet to that of Gods mercy and justice in the end it shall little availe him so he gives her a poore and obscure buriall every way unworthy the sweetnesse of her beauties and the excellencie of her vertues Her father Moron hath speedy notice of this deplorable death of his daughter who considering how she had cast away her selfe upon so bad a Husband as Lorenzo though outwardly hee seeme to bewaile and lament it yet inwardly he much cares not for it and for her little sonne Thamaso his few yeares dispenceth with his capacity from understanding much lesse from lamenting and mourning for this disastrous end of his mother A moneth after the cruell murther and buriall of this vertuous yet unfortunate young woman Fermia her bloudy and execrable husband Lorenzo is yet so devoid of feare and grace as he goes to Savona to request his father in law Moron to give him some maintenance in regard he had no portion from him with his wife his daughter as also to see his sonne Thomaso But Moron by his servants sends him a peremptory refusall to both these his requests and so will neither see him nor suffer him to see his sonne but absolutely for ever forbids him his house Whereat Lorenzo all in choller leaves Savona and returnes to Genova where selling away his wives old cloaths to provide him new he seeks many maidens and widdowes in mariage but the fame of his bad life and infamous carriage and deportment with his late wife is so fresh and great that they all disdaine him so that utterly despairing ever to raise himselfe and his fortunes by mariage he forsakes and leaves Genova inrols himselfe a Bandetti and for many yeares together practiseth that theevish profession to the which we willl eave him and speake a little of his young and little sonne Thomaso Old Moron traines up this his Grand-child Thomaso very vertuously and industriously and at the age of fourteene yeares bids him chuse and embrace any trade he best liketh When Thomaso exceedingly delighting in limming graving and imagery he becomes a Goldsmith and in foure or five yeares after is become a singular expert and skilfull workman in his trade His Grandfather loves him dearly and tenderly and intends to make him his heire but Thomaso led as I thinke by the immediate hand and providence of God or out of his owne naturall disposition and inclination being of a gadding humour to travell abroad and see other Cities and Countreyes and having a particular itching desire to see Rome which he understood is one of the very prime and chiefe places of the world for rich and curious Goldsmiths Hee finding a french ship of Marseilles which by contrary winds stopt in the Road of Savona bound up for Civita Vechia very secretly packes up his trunke and trinkets and so goes along in that ship Now as soone as his Grandfather Moron understands hereof he very much grieves at this his rash and sodaine departure So Thomaso arrives at Civita Vechia goes up to Hostia by sea and thence on the River Tiber to Rome where hee becomes a singular ingenious Gold-Smith and thrives so well as after a few yeares he there keepes shop for himselfe and constantly builds up his residence In all this long tract and progression of time which my true information tels me is at least twenty foure yeares his father Lorenzo continues a theevish Bandetti in the state of Genova and Luca where hee commits so many Lewd robberies and strange rapines depraedations and thefts as that country at last becomes too hot for him and he too obnoxious for it so he leaves it and travelleth into Thoscany and to the faire famous Citty of Florence which is the Metropolis therof where with the moneys he had gotten by the revenewes of his robberies he againe sets up his old trade of a Baker in which profession he knew himselfe expert and excellent and here hee setleth himselfe to live and dwell takes a faire commodious house and lookes out hard for some rich old maiden or young widdow to make his new wife But God will prevent his thoughts and frustrate his designes and desires herein For as yet his bloudy thoughts have not made their peace with his soule nor his soule with his all seeing and righteous God for the cruell murthering of his old wife Fermia which as an impetuous storme and fierce tempest will sodainely befall him when hee least dreams or thinkes hereof yea by a manner so strange and an accident so miraculous that former ages have seldome if ever paralleld or givenus a precedent hereof and wherein the power and providence the mercy and Iustice of God resplends with infinite lustre and admiration and therefore in my poore judgment and opinion I deeme it most worthy of our observation as we are men and of our remembrance as we are christians Charles now Cardinall of Medicis going up to Rome to receive his hat of this present Pope Vrban VIII and Cosmos the great duke of Florence his Brother in honour to him and their illustrious bloud and family whereof they are now chiefe resolving to make his entry and aboade in that Citty of Rome to be stately and magnificent Hee causeth his house and traine in all points to be composed of double officers and Servants to whom he gives rich and costly liveryes and among others our Lorenzo is found out elected and pricked downe to be one of his Bakers for his owne trencher in that Iourney where in Rome he flaunts it out most gallantly and bravely in rich apparell and is still most deboshed and prodigall in his expenses before any other of the Cardinals meniall Seruants without ever any more thinking or dreaming of the murthering of his wife Fermia but rather absolutely beleives that as he so God had wholly buryed the remembrance of that bloudy fact of his in perpetuall silence and oblivion But the devill will deceive his hopes For now that Lamentable murther of his cryes aloud to Heaven and to God for vengeance Wherein we shall behold and see that it is the providence and pleasure of God many times to punish one sinne in and by another yea and sometimes one sin for another as reserving it in the secret will and inscrutable providence to punish Capitall offenders whereof murtherers are infallibly the greatest both when where and how he pleaseth for earthly and sinfull eyes have neither the power to pry into his heavenly decrees nor our minde and capacity to dive into his divine actions and resolutions because many times hee accelerateth or delayeth their punishments as they shall