which did not rather seeme naturall than affected In the meane time to make that knowne unto one which hee would have invisible unto the other hee every day made matches with Cleander and other Knights of Tiltings and other noble Exercises where the two friends were alwayes of a side and alwayes vanquishers In the morning they were together at the Church after dinner together in their houses after supper in their gardens and alwayes Calista is the starre which lightneth the place Time passing in this manner Lisander consumes occasion of speaking unto his love being not offered It is true that every day he spake unto her but not of love nor of any thing relishing thereof so that in every mans eye hee languishingly decayed of an unknowne passion in the midst of all the contentments which could be imagined And although hee intended to dissemble his evill covering his true griefe with feigned joy yet did the dying colour of his face discover yea even unto those of small knowledg that there was some passion in him which with much griefe lay at his heart Cleander is the onely man who doth not perceive it beleeving that he should wrong his friend in thinking so Hee discerned plainely how the lively flowers of his face did daily wither but he thinks that it proceeded from accident and would have imagined that it sprung from any other than from the true cause They were then at the Court in the great city of Paris which so proudly raiseth her head above all the Cities almost of the world when as Cleander said that Lisanders indisposition proceeded from the unwholesome aire of the City wherefore he was resolved to lead him into the countrey Now he had a house a dayes journey from Paris built in a Lake within the middle of a great Parke called Beauplain the situation whereof being pleasant beyond expressing would have rejoiced sorrow it selfe Thither did he invite Lisander together with three or foure friends and Calista also without whom the feast was of no value went along with them It was then in the Spring when the earth more beautifull than at any other time of the yeare reneweth her countenance and decketh herselfe in her richest apparell There Cleander and Calista continuing unto Lisander their acustomed loving entertainment made triall that the country recreations which they gave him together with all other honest delights were no better remedies for his languishing than the pleasures of the city The exercise of Hunting which was ordinary with them could not divert his fantasie variety of company wherewith hee was every day visited did but increase his evill and gave him occasion to steale out of their companies to entertaine himselfe alone with his thoughts which he durst not communicate to any body living One day they having made a match to hunt an out-lying Stagge Calista having stayed at home with a young brother of Cleanders called Berontus after some time walked out with her brother in law to see their returne from the hunting and as she was at the side of a wood in the middle of the Parke so thicke that solitarinesse perpetually resides there in the shadow of an impenetrable leafinesse she heard a voice which in bewailing manner proceeded from the bottome of this wood In the beginning she could not understand the complaint but going somewhat neerer with Berontus who onely conducted her she heard these words Poore Lysander must thou consume in these woods the miserable remainder of thy youth and unprofitably lose thy life both in absence and unknowne unto her who is the cause thereof Must thou needs dye obscurely without having the contentment to let her see in thy death the sacrifice which thou offerest unto her of thy life O faire Calista is it possible that such a divinity as yours should be ignorant of those extreame affections which you stirre in me and have no feeling of those flames which you so lively kindle in my soule Can it be that a cause so faire should be ignorant of so necessary an effect as my love O God suffer not this want of knowledge in her to be a punishment unto me for my ingratitude unto Cleander O Lisander thou dost violate together with the law of Hospitality the most perfect friendship in the world Neither canst thou hope for pardon in any respect but onely in this that thou art forced by a beauty which bendeth every thing under the violence of its sweetnesse and whose excellency not alone lesseneth thy fault but maketh thee worthy of pardon and also of merit By these words they knew not onely the subject of this complaint which was love but also the person that made it who was Lisander and her for whom it was made who was Calista It is not to be spoken who was more abashed of Calista or Berontus for this passion was equally unknowne to them both But Calista was most ashamed and most grieved although her innocency was sufficiently witnessed by this complaint And indeed it was enough to have troubled a very able and wise woman for she did not know whether she ought to entreat her brother in law to hold his peace or tell her husband or whether she were best to hide or discover that which might bee told by his brother and where there was no lesse danger to conceale it than scandall to declare it Neverthelesse dissembling her thought shee went on as if she had not heard any word of this discourse Berontus who was none of Lisanders bestfriends jealous of the overmuch love which his brother did beare him had a faire occasion to divide them but he considering that hee should wrong his sister and not willing to imbroile his brothers heart with so miserable a passion as Jealousie nor to ruine the affection which he ought unto his wife in destroying that which he unduly bare unto Lisander resolved in himselfe to say nothing But all these considerations were apart and in silence without communicating any word one unto the other In the end Berontus seeing that Calista returned without saying a word spake unto her in this manner I doe not wonder Sister at Lisanders languishing but I rather wonder at your cruelty who so ungratefully suffer a Knight of his merit to dye without taking any care or knowledge of the wounds which your beauty giveth him Brother said Calista you shew as much folly in entertaining me thus with his evill as he doth in complaining if it be true that he hath forgotten himselfe so much for I am unwilling to heare either your discourse or his complaint But because we may have no more cause of suspition thereof and that the house may be as well free from suspition as from crime I doe conjure you to remove away the cause and to finde some meanes so to drive him away that I may have no more cause to complaine of the good which you say he wisheth unto mee Sister said Berontus it is a businesse wherein I cannot
grieved for my men who are either all lost or dead For those which are dead answered Lisander there is no calling of them againe but for the rest they cannot be lost so neere the Court whither I thinke you are going It is true said the old Gentleman that I am going thither but not to make any stay for it is long since my age and the contentment of a free life which I have accustomed my selfe unto at home have exempted me from that honourable servitude But leaving this discourse unto another time I would faine see if among those which lye for dead there is none of mine yet alive Saying this he alighted and Lisander also whose men by this time were comn unto them and eased them of this labour They looking amongst them who lay upon the ground found two of the old mans servants still breathing although wounded in many parts of their bodies as well with shot as with swords They called the other with lowd cryes which sounding through the Forrest helped by the silence of the night and solitarinesse of the place came unto theiâ— eares who hearing themselves called by their names and by their Master whom they thought dead returned to the place where they had left him Lisander no lesse content with the good service which he had done unto this Knight than he himselfe was joyfull for the recovery of his servants the two first which were found wounded among the dead were Gentlemen as such had rather dye at their Masters feet than save their lives by shamefull flying whom he caused to be lifted upon their horses setting the others behinde to hold them up and so they proceeded in their journy toward Fountain Bleau By the way which was a good league and more Lisander intreated this Knight to pardon his curiositie if it did stretch so farre as to desire to know the cause of this accident at least if this his request might not seeme too much importunitie The old man looking Lisander stedfastly in the face as much as the darkenesse of the night would give him leave and thinking him the bravest and best fashioned Gentleman that ever bee beheld answered him in this manner Not alone of this accident whereof I cannot tell you the cause but also of all my life which you have saved obliging mee thereby to hold it next after God of your Sword I will give you such an account that although I cannot satisfie my obligation I will satisfie at least your curiosity My countrey is Normandy my house called Bellayre I am named Dorilas I have spent the most part of my life in the warâ—es and few memorable actions have beene in my time in Christendome wherein I have not had the honour to bee I followed the fortune of Monsier du Mayne in that famous battell of Lepantho where Don John of Austrige and the Venetians made the Easterne Sea looke redde with the Turkish blood A long time after I was with old Monsier de Guise in that fearefull battell of Anneau when with a handfull of Volentiers hee defeated many thousands of Reisters which were come from Roane unto the bankes of Loiere Afterwards I was with the late Monsier de Mercure when hee made that great and never-enough celebrated retraict of Cavise where he retired many leagues in Hungary before a hundred thousand horse with an army of fifteene thousand men Finally willing to retire my selfe I married a wife in mine own country whole name is Otranta who hath borne unto me a sonne whosâ— name is Liddian and a daughter who is called Calista and not long since married to a Knight of this countrey called Cleander It is now eight dayes since I departed from my house and my wife out of a desire which I had to see my children one of whom I have seene but once since his comming out of Italy Now he followes the King and the other lives about a dayes journey hence with the Knight her husband whom even now I named This afternoone I departed from Paris where I have stayed these three dayes and as I came from thence on this side of Aussone the theeves set upon me they having followed me untill I came into this wood where I had met with my grave if you had not happily succoured me Thus briefly you have what I can say of my fortune and my life But gentle Knight if it please you I pray tell mee your name that I may know unto whom I may give thankes for my preservation for it is unreasonable that I should not know him unto whom of all men in the world I am most obliged nor that you should refuse this courtesie unto him unto whom you have not refused to expose your life for the safety of his Sir answered Lisander I am a poore Souldier so little knowne in the world that though I should tell you my name you would never the better know my person yet thus much I will say that I am come out of those parts whither you are going and doe know by good intelligence that those whom you goe to see are in good health And I have heard so much good of their merits and vertues that I account the small service which I have done you exceeding well employed although the onely consideration and fame which I have heard published of your valour whereof you have made large proofe in this encounter doth oblige mee to render you more signall offices which with time I hope to performe And then Sir I will not onely declare unto you my being but I will let you see that I am in no lesse degree of love unto you than one of your children By this meanes Lisander did thinke that hee should have avoyded the telling of his name unto good Dorilas who did intreat him with a passion so great as the refusall of so just a demand did augment his desire But one of his footmen in the meane time holding speech with one of Dorilasses and not knowing that his Master had a designe to hide his name did nakedly tell without thinking whatsoever his Master did endevour to dissemble yet because they did not understand what their Masters said nor their Masters what they said it came not at this time to the old mans knowledge Shortly after they came unto Fountaine Bleau but it was late and the Court being very great they could get but two chambers in one house which Lisander left unto Dorilas and unto his people going himselfe with his servants unto a friends lodging of his to Dorilas his great griefe who did much desire that they might accommodate themselves in one lodging Let us leave him among his wounded servants whom he causeth to bee dressed with great diligence and no lesse danger of their lives and returne wee unto Lisander who retiring of himselfe as we have said to one of his friends called Clarangeus he was received with all loving entertainment At supper he told the adventure which had happened
withall I told you what hindered me from acknowledging them and to let you see that you lose the glory of your good turnes by the recompence which you require is there any appearance of justice or reason that for having saved my fathers my brothers and my husbands lives you should bind me to make them lose their honour Do you think that if I should forget my selfe so farre I could excuse my selfe upon the obligations wherein I am tyed unto you and justifie the injury which I should doe them by the services which you have done unto me Content your selfe that I have no lesse griefe to give you this command than you have to receive it and the same passion which you feele because you cannot obtain that which you unlawfully desire I suffer because I cannot lawfully yeeld it unto you At this word Calista went out of the doore leaving Lisander in that confusion and perplexity which may easily bee imagined Hee went three or foure times about the chamber sat down and rose cast himselfe upon his bedde and not finding in any place the rest which he every where sought for after a thousand discourses in his imagination as little resolved as he was at the first hee used these words O ungratefull woman and I more foole to thinke the earth could beare other Well Calista death shall free mee from thy cruelty if thy tyranny doth not stretch after death and so thou shalt avoide the sight of mee but not of my Ghost which together with the Furies revengers of my blood shall alwayes hang about thy necke yet I will not dye before I my selfe have enjoyed the contentment of my revenge and doe shew thee that I am as able to hurt thee as to oblige thee Was there no meanes but a pretence of courtesie like a gentle bit in a horse mouth to constraine me to endure this womans indignities But stay thy madnesse Lisander thou thy selfe art both ungratefull and disloyall whereof thou complainest base as thou art thou doest with infidelity and treachery go about to deceive thy friend thou doest also injurie Calista because she will not consent unto thy wickednesse Alas who shall punish mee for these crimes and if I be not punished who shall ever pardon me Thus Lisander sometimes injuring Calista and then crying her mercy digested his bitternesse with so much anguish that hee thought hee should end his life with the day insomuch that Cleander who in the morning left him in good disposition comming home at night with Alcidon and Berontus without hearing newes either of Lidian or Clarangeus found him sicke in his bed Yet he rose early in the morning before Sun and went unto Cleander who was a bed with Calista unto whom having given him good morrovv hee said that resting better this night than hee had done although with terrible disquiets out of the feare hee had that Clarangeus and Lidian might fight againe he found himselfe so well that he was resolved never to rest untill hee had either found the one or the other But my deare friend said Cleander the weake estate wherein you are will not permit you Lesse will my care suffer mee to take rest answered Lisander for if it should happen so unfortunately that they should fight againe I should never enjoy my life When replyed Cleander will you come againe So soone as I shall find them answered Lisander who having embraced him went from him unto the side of the bedde where Calista lay unto whom in saluting her he said aloud Madam I should leave you with more sorrow if I did not know how acceptable the service will be which I goe about to doe unto you Cleander beleeved that hee spake this in respect of Lidian but Calista better apprehending his speeches referred them to his departure yet faining to understand them in the other sense answered thus Sir you have tyed us in so many bonds that although you bring backe my brother hardly can wee bee more obliged for debts being infinite cannot bee encreased and from this infinitenesse it followes that not onely your services are agreeable but all your other actions in respect of them although they were not so in their owne nature but onely your departure which in regard it doth deprive us of the contentment wee receive in your company cannot bee pleasing unto us Lisander said nothing unto this but having kissed her went his way speaking to himselfe O treacherous Calista how artificially dost thou hide thy malice and minglest sweetnesse with cruelty From thence he went to take leave of Alcidon and Berontus who would at any hand accompany him but he remonstrated unto them that it was much better for them to separate themselves the easier to finde their friends So going alone hee tooke his way towards Burgundy and stayed not before he was come unto a sister of his called Ambrisia who had beene married in that countrey and then was a young widow rich of a great spirit and of an excellent beauty who receiving her brother as the dearest thing in the world could not so divert his melancholy but that after hee had strove the space of a moneth against his love hee yeelded to the violence thereof and fell from this melancholy into a strange sickenesse which produced the most admirable effects that ever memory hath heard In the meane time Cleander having a journey to make into Italy to dispose of some possessions which hee had in Naples into which place for the like effect hee was accustomed to goe every three yeeres left Berontus with Calista and Calista accompanied with the heaviest solitarinesse that ever she was reduced unto And unto him there happened this accident so memorable that I think the like is seldome found in any history He being gone a great way in Italy to a place called Aquapendent at which place alwaies in his journey to Naples hee was accustomed to lodge the place was inconvenient enough and Cleander came so late that the lodgings were all taken and hee forced to travell further or lye in the streets He asked to speake with his old Host who said hee before hee would have suffered mee to bee thus unprovided would have lyen out of his owne bedde for me Answer was made that his old Host was dead yet there was a chamber where a bedde if he pleased should be made for him but of late time it had beene frequented with spirits for which cause no man durst lye there Let me have a bedde there said Cleander I had rather lye there with them than in the streets with my men A bedde was then made in a chamber which he knew to be the very same wherein he was accustomably lodged in the life time of his old Host where having supped with his people and being readie for his bedde his servants retired to looke for such lodgings as the straitnesse of the house would affoord leaving him with the doore shut unto him sitting by the fire side
presently hee heard a noise at the door and turning his head that way he saw a man come into the chamber of the same shape proportion and countenance that his dead Host was who comming unto the chair wherein Cleander sate stood still stedfastly looking him in the face without doing or saying any thing Cleander whose heart was capable of any thing but feare felt neverthelesse an unknowne shivering run thorow all his veines which curdled his blood yet he had the heart to say unto him Good even my Host I was told you were dead So I am answered the Spirit How then come you here answered Cleander I come to tell you that I am killed said hee and withall to intreat you by our ancient acquaintance that you will cause me to be buried you shall finde my body in such a pit under a great heap of stones which have beene cast upon me I doe conjure you once againe to give me buriall Well mine Host answered Cleander to morrow I will cause you to be buried Will you no other thing No said the Spirit and giving him good night retired leaving Cleander more desirous to see day than to sleep yet he was not further troubled all that night The next morning rising very early he sent for the Justice of the place unto whom having recited the vision which he saw not sleeping but waking and before hee went to bed hee led him unto the pit which the Spirit had told him of and finding it full of stones they caused it to be emptied untill they found the body which lay under them easily known to be the old Host every body was astonished at the fact Cleander left the information of the cause unto the Justice and to acquit himselfe of his promise to the Host caused him to bee buried with an honourable service wherein having spent all that day hee resolved to lye that night againe in the chamber Being there alone much about the houre that hee came the night before my Hoste came againe and at his entrance into the chamber hee said God give you a good evening Sir Cleander who could willingly have spared this visitation answered him Good even my Hoste have I not performed my promise Yes Sir answered the Spirit I am now come to thanke you and to tell you that if you please to command me any thing where I goe there is nothing which I can doe for you that I will not doe Friend answered Cleander there is nothing that I have to doe in that countrey which you speake of wherefore God give you Peace and the Rest which you desire The like I wish unto you said the Spirit and so Sir I bid you farewell Farewell my Host said Cleander unto whom these complements began to be troublesome Neverthelesse the spirit being at the doore ready to goe away Cleander called him againe and said unto him Mine Host one word with you The Spirit returning said What is your pleasure Sir I intreat you said Cleander if you have any power where you goe you would oblige mee so farre as to advertise me of my death three dayes before I dye Well answered the Spirit I will doe it if I can Thereupon hee vanished and Cleander presently after going to bed slept till the morning neither he nor any other ever after either hearing or seeing any thing in that Chamber In this time Lisander lying at his sisters house in Burgundy very sicke fell into that weakenesse that hee lost all knowledge and was given over by the Physitians who were ignorant of his disease unto the prayers of the religious Hee had lost both speech and sight and when he recovered either it was onely to see fearefull illusions or speake raving or doe such extravagant actions as never entreâ— into the thought of man Ambrisia bewailing his evill with teares as bitter as the remedy was desperate and seeing the Physitians knew not what to give nor what to doe as one who is accustomed to have recourse unto God when humane helpes faile sent for a Capuchin from a Covent which was neere to exhort him with constancy to give up his life unto him who was the author thereof At her sending two Capuchins came before whom Lisander fell into so grievous a vomiting that among other things which he vomited up at his mouth he cast up Pen-knives Inke-hornes Images of waxe Bracelets of haire Cart-nailes which were not illusions and fained but so reall and true that they yet remaine in the hands of the Capuchins and are kept as perpetuall reliques unto their Covent These good Fathers seeing so wonderfull a Prodigie lifted up their eyes and voices to heaven praying God to have pity upon this Knights soule whose body they thought was so neere an end One of the two who was young and who hid a goodly personage and a beautifull facâ— under this poore habit began to poure forth so many teares that all the standers by no lesse wondred at him than at the unknowne and strange sickenesse of Lisander unto whom seeing him a little recover his spirits hee spake in this manner Lisander my ancient friend seeing it hath pleased God to reduce you into this pitifull estate bee it either to call you to the glory of a second life or to let you see the misery of this pull out of your minde these deceiving thoughts of the World before you bee constrained to leave them and lift your minde unto heaven before you goe thither You shall see that it is the Haven of our Navigation the end of our Course and the true land which hath beene promised by our Father This is a cursed one into which we have beene banished for our sinnes and our bodies are the Prisons where wee are detained If it please God that it bee broken by death and that you bee called from this banishment resolve your selfe freely to the liberty of your soule and unto the glorious returne thereof into the holy city of the heavenly Jerusalem which is the naturall Countrey thereof There shall you bee free from so many travels wherewith you are now enslaved and there shall you no more remember the stormeâ— wherewith you have beene beaten you shall onely there give praise to God that you have avoided them without shipwrack enjoying the soveraigne good in recompence of all your evils and changing the miserable condition of man into the happinesse of Angels Courage then Lisander valiantly meet death in the face whom you have so many times braved in the most perillous hazzards of this life the passage from earth unto heaven is not so terrible nor so painfull as is thought Our Lord hath himselfe plained the way and so disarmed death that hee can neither hurt nor feare those who rest assuredly in his goodnesse Emplore his aide hee neither can nor will refuse any person relying upon him for what can hee refuse unto us having given himselfe for us so much lessening himselfe as to be borne basely to live