regarded those pretty pleasing delights wherewith the place did entertain him and with a sweet though silent Elâ—quence seemed to bid him welcome But entring in he saw the Hermit apparalled in a Gown of Grey kneeling upon his Knees with his Eyes and Hands lifted up Gravity was written in his looks Devotion in his Gestures and Age in both for his snowy Hairs and shaking Hands argued that the Summer of his Age was past Grave Father said Periander my bleeding Wounds sighing Heart and sorrowful Countenance are better able to apologize for my rude interruption of your serious Devotions than my tongue which if it speak at all it can be no other than lamentations of my unhappy Fortune And therefore read there what I would say which cannot I hope but be satisfactory The Hermit answered him that he knew no errour he had commited that needed an Apology except it were for making a groundless Apology and that if he had committed any offence it was only against himself offence being grounded upon injury and it was himself alone that he had injured by deferting the healing of his wounds by his discourse With that the tears descended in showres upon Perianders cheeks Ah Athalus that my Death could purchase thy Life since I deserve not Life that have so neglected thy Death A thousand times I beg thee pardon but alas thou art not alive to give it happy should I esteem my self in the midst of the greatest misery wert thou but alive to sentence me to it This sudden sorrowful Rapture of sorrow filled the Hermit with as much Amazement as Periander was with Grief and as the suddenness of it bred Astonishment so the sadnesse bred Pity so that he wept as if the heat of Perianders passion had thawed his frozen Age into Tears At length his compassion for Perianders passion was not converted but encreased to a desire of knowing the cause of his sorrow Alas said he what can I do that am thus informed by the Ears one way and by the Eyes another you tell me Sacrifice must give place to Mercy and yet you Sacrifice your self to Cruelty for what greater Cruelty can there be than to be Unmerciful to those over whom Fortune hath exercised her greatest cruelty do you not see how the Bloud trickles down in Streams and your Armour seems to weep in tears of Bloud for your cruelty to your self and your Wounds like so many mouths intreating for mercy And with that the Hermit was going to dress Perianders wounds but he would not permit him until he had gone and conveyed Athalus's body into the Cave where after they had chafed his Limbs the Hermit took down a little glass within whose transparent wall there was inclosed a Spirit of such a reviving Vertue as it was able to recal the revolted senses After they had transfused some few drops thereof into him his panting Breast faintly began to beat his unclouded eyes that had been Eclipsed with a veil of darkness began weakly to struggle with the over-dazeling light Periander seeing this began to faint with joy but he was quickly revived with Athalus his first saluting the light Oh said he where am I with him said Periander who is hastening to dye with you since it is worse than Death to Live while you are dead No said he I am hastening to live with you since it is the worst of deaths to dye while you are alive But Athalus who had hardly so much life in him as to perceive he had life and yet so much as to discern that he was inclosed within a dark place which had only so much light in it as to let them see they were in darkness for so the Hermit had made it to keep out the intruding air lest it should penetrate Athalus his wounds and cause relapse and finding that it was not inroll'd in the Records of his memory how he came there he more and more grew to a perswasion that the former conceipt that he was alive was but a deceit that he and Periander were but Ghosts and remembring how that with his life he had lost Matilda more precious to him than ten thousand lives he began to faint again as though he would dye to avoid Death and his sences sensible of insensibility grew weary of being sensible and as condemned themselves fled as voluntary exiles from their proper habitation But the Hermit continuing his charitable office recovered him from the confines of Death But yet so strongly was he confirmed in that apprehension that he imagined the Cave either his Tomb or else a dark entrance into that Region of darkness the Hermit to be Charon and the River to be the Stygian lake the Gloominess of the first the Gravity of the second and the whispering Conspiracies of the last seeming to combine together to deceive him And as the Fancy is not only capable to receive and apprehend those species which the external Senses as its Organs convey into it from external Objects but also to create Phantasmes within it self which never had a being in Natnre so did Athalus his fancy represent to his eyes Legions of Ghosts doomed to their eternal habitations But though his thoughts were thus filled with shadows yet were they not able to crowd Matilda thence but remembring how that in losing his life he lost her and in losing her he lost the life of his life and which only made Life precious and Death miserable he fell to a passionate lamenting his condition till he was convinced by Perianders persuasions and a more liberal access of light And then the very joy of his sudden redemption from that Hell that tortured his mind was such a restorative that it was not long ere by the Hermits assistance he had regained a great degree of strength so that looking about him and observing the Hermits little solitary dwelling he espied the Youth that attended upon him and that directed Periander to the Cave And taking notice of his Starry Eyes and beauteous promising countenance he demanded of the Hermit who he was who to satisfie his curiosity and to pass away the time which otherwise through the Melancholy loneliness of the place might seem tedious he told them this story This youth said he is Pâ—ndion Son to Agis King of Thessaly a Prince of such a melancholy constitution both of body and mind as that it was rare for the most curious wits in his Court ever to wrest a smile from him or once to discompose his countenance always retiring himself within the Closet of his thoughts and those thoughts consisting most of horrid matters And as melancholy by reason of those sable fumes which ascend from that feculent humor and with a gloomy darkness over-spread the mind is the cause of fear so fear is the mother of superstition as is apparent in him who never thinks himself secure if the least more of danger flotes in the air of his imagination or while that fear which his thoughts ever
the King of the Castles surprizal and then with greater hast spurred on by a despairing hope to inform my Daughter the Queen of his heart of his own delivery But the first object that saluted his eyes was to behold Helena in Trebonius arms Here a most Rhetorical Orator might have a fair field to emblazon with Eloquence the strange diversity of Passions that abounded in their hearts at the first encountering He whose mind before was distracted between despair and hope was now wholly distracted with despair In his face one might have read a combat between the Beams of Love and Beauty and Cloud of grief and hatred and all these stunned with a maze of amazement whilst she no less answered his affection with reciprocal interchanges of Passion at first she blushed as ashamed of her unfaithfulness and then looked pale with fear lest I should perceive her blushing but then she blushed again lest her paleness should be discovered so that there seemed a sweet contention between the Rose and the Lily which should have the possession of her face At length Pentheus like one returned from a â—rance flung away with such a frowning mourning disdainful pale countenance as if anger grief hatred and death it self had all begun to prey upon him and all strove which should have the greatest share Which poor Helena seeing no longer able to contain gave a sigh as if that breath had been her last after which the tears gushed out which trickled down her Cheeks like Pearls dissolved just as the blushing Rose watered with Heavenly dew when the soft Air gently breaths upon it those Crystall drops leave their perfumed dwelling and distill upon the ground so did her tears blown with sweet gales of gentle sighs leave the Crystalline mansions of her eyes and descend upon the floor which she strove against with so sweet a violence as added such a grace to her sorrow that instead of restraining it she constrained us to imitate her stormy eyes so that there were scarce any present who were not drawn into society of their tears But at length swinging out of her Husbands arms with a hateful look in a lovely countenance counting him the only object of her hatred and cause of all her misery she run to her chamber and there made this complaint to her self which I her Husband stealing after her over-heard Hard-hearted Father said she and well thou maist call me so could a little estate bribe your affection so as not to regard the miserable estate of your poor Daughter True it is I derived my being from you a blessing which I can never requite but alas the blessing of a being cannot countervail the misery of a miserable being which I have also derived from you for better never come into this miserable world than come into such a world of misery as I am now involved in so that my Heart Head Eyes and Tongue are too barren of Sighs Thoughts Tears and Words to express my unexpressible grief come all you fountains fill my head with Springs of Tears and all you Clouds dissolve in shoures and come and inhabit my eyes that so these thirsty Eyes which before quaffed in such draughts of Love may now be punished for their sweet intemperance and satiated with over-flowing streams of briny tears or rather that this sinking soul of mine might be swallowed up in a deluge of surging griefs Ah hateful Trebonius from thee flows all my misery oh that my eyes had been masked with an eternal night when first they beheld thy loathed face or that my marriage bed had been my grave and instead of my Epithalamum that they had warbled out my Epicaedium then might my touring soul whilst they were chanting forth their dolefull tones here below have bore a part among the Angelical Hierarchy and there unskreen those awful secrets which are only reserved for the eyes of purified souls where no woes dare crave for entrance but all joys injoyed in their full perfection Ah my dear Pentheus little thinkst thou what a faithful lover thy poor Helena is to thee and what a killing thought it is to me to think that my foolish but necessitated levity should occasion thee to harbour any hard thoughts of me the very thought is able to put me beyond all thinking Oh my sweet guardian Angel if any such be allotted to my protection which sure if there were all these miseries would not befall me I say if any such I have prepare thy wings haste quickly fly to my Pentheus and tell him that he is more dear to Helenaâ— than ever and that a forced marriage hath only changed her State not her and though another to her endless grief enjoyed her Body yet none her Heart which she hath kept intire for him and that her chast unstained soul hath not embraced a thought or desire that hath thought of or desired any other but him But why do I fondly bemoan my self to these senseless walls haste I will to him without whom to Live were worse than Death and with whom to Dye is better than Life And therewithall she ran out of the chamber and ran down stayres but her speed was stopt by an affrightful messenger that lookt like one arisen from the dead to bring news from those dark Regions and as one that regarded not or indeed knew neither what nor to whom he spake in a mournful tone belched out by parcels the death of Pentheus Helena whose former griefs had carried her to such an excessive raging that they had transported her beyond her self so that at first she minded not what the messenger spake but Trebonius and I who still followed her he jealous of her and I what would be the issue demanded of the man the manner of it He like one newly awak'd from a terrible dream who looks about to see whether his past thoughts were realities or only the productions of his fancy mustering up his sences and collecting his thoughts told us that passing by it was his fortune to come just as Pentheus was speaking his last words some of which as well as his confused memory could retain he said were these Oh Helena how willingly would I resign my life might my remembrance but lye intombed in thy sweet thoughts where thy dayly meditations of me would be better than embalming spices would Heaven grant me such a favour I should then count the divorce between my soul and body the sweetest marriage to the greatest happiness How soon would I build my Funeral Pile of woes and miseries and enkindle them with the flames of Love and therein consume my self to Ashes might those Ashes be kept as a relique of one of Loves Martyrs within the Urn of thy breast Well may I call thy Heart a glassy Urine seeing I have found it both brittle and transparent But ah what woman is not so she must have degenerated from her Feminine nature or have been some third sex had she been endued with a
faithful constancy for Woman she could not be and Man she was not Oh what a thing were Woman should her visage alter with her mind and her external form should receive constant figurations from that inconstant mould she would be twenty several women in a moment Never was any Chamelion or Proteus more subject to various mutabilities But why do I blame the whole Sex for the unfaithfulness of one and why do I blame her for my own unworthiness ah it was not her inconstancy to me but my inconstancy to any thing of worth that made her hate me I that was the reason I am not worthy of her of her no not to live Then once more I bid farewell to all my hopes farewell all false deluding pleasures painted woes sugred lyes and farewell Helena the sum of all thou hast already peirced my heart with a wound more deep though not so deadly as this with that I ran in but ere my trembling feet could convey me to him his bloudy knife had made passage for his soul to fly from her claiy prison My daughter who had by this time so far come to her senses as sensibly to understand the sequel of the story no sooner heard it but overwhelmed with the raging agony of a furious passion ran up stairs whom still we carefully pursued but ah my tongue falters and my heart fails to speak the rest and then the tears began to glide down his Cheeks in such a liberal manner that Periander could not forbear to incorporate his with them but intreating him to proceed he thus went on Ah said he the rest is so tragical that it cannot be heard or related without a fractured heart for we could not follow her so fast as she followed death neither did we overtake her ere she had overtaken it for seeing her self pursued and no other way to bereave her self of life she leapt out of the window which Trebonius seeing as one already carried out of himself with horror despair and amazement knowing himself to be the cause of all these bloudy Tragedies to appease their Ghosts which otherwise he thought might continually attend him with affrighting representations in this world he would attend them in the other and thereupon leapt after her so that as if Fortune had studied how to exercise her uttermost power in making me miserable in one moment I was deprived of Son and Daughter Joy and Comforts all at once so that hopeless of ever superviving such extremity of miseries I resolved to spend the reâ—idue of my few days in preparing for death which my age now begins to summon to Scarce had he concluded his lamentable relation of a more lamentable story but a panting messenger came running with such haste as if his ambitious legs unsensible of their burthen had contended which should be esteemed the swiftest or attain the period of their journy the soonest His message was to require Geryon from the King with speed to haste to Court who accordingly arose and accompanied with Periander presently walked thither where the first species that did greet his eyes was the King and his Daughter Helena with their hands intermixed coming to meet him no sooner had his eyes beheld her but as if they had retained their visive power only for such a sight and now satiated with that resolved for ever to exclude all other objects that might exclude it determined never to see more His aged Heart rent with the violent extremities of over flowing excess of misery and now a too prodigal access of comfort not able to contain his vital spirits he in a moment just as he was going to salute and embrace her malicious Death as envying him so much happiness tript up his heels and rob'd him of life and kiss and all which Helena seeing shewing no less dutiful affection to him dead than living after many vain endeavours to recall his revolted spirits caused his funerals to be solemnized with as much state as his quality required and her ability could perform Fortune who had hitherto filled the eyes and ears of all men with nothing but dismal Tragedies was now minded to play a wanton reak and as sated with so much bloud for its better digestion brought in this Comical adventure amongst them It happened that one evening as they newly concluded their Supper a messenger came and privately whispered in Helena's ear telling her that an ancient Gentleman without desired the favour of some converse with her She granted it bade the messenger to invite him in He drawing neer after humble obeysance made to the King and the rest there present directed his speech to the Lady Helena in this sort Madam said he it was my fortune to be present at the death of unhappy Pentheus but who can be unhappy that ever was beloved by such a Lady as your â—â—lf who bequeathed his last gasp into my mouth which as well as I could understand breathed out these words Go tell dear Helena said he and dear may I well call her since she hath cost me my life that here I dye a mirror of Love and Faithfulness and a true pattern of a faithful Lover And moreover commanded me to beg of you that if any sparks of love or mercy to him yet remained and conjure you by the former testimonys of affection and the sweet remembrance of your more sweet embracings you would for your own sake if not for his for otherwise his unquiet Ghost would never rest appeased entertain my Son as your servant whilst Trebonius remains alive and after as your husband that so the resemblance that he bears of him may be a continual Memento to you And now Madam said he I have performed the Will of the dead on my part the residue of obedience only remains on yours of which I cannot but promise my self performance for sure so much cruelty and unfaithfulness as to deny cannot be disguised under so sweet a visard as Nature hath adorned your face withall And then he stopt earnestly waiting Helena's answer who first making many sighs and tears a prologue to her discourse made this Reply Sir said she I call heaven to witness to my faithfulness and constancy whose All-surveying Eye sees into the most abstruse retirements of the Soul and knoweth all its most secret productions to whom I dare appear Surely had I been faithless to such a one had the whole worlds contracted powers endeavoured to Barricado me against heavens vengeance all their united force had been but as paper bulwarks My spotless innocency is the only Brazen Wall that can protect me from its Cannon shot which I humbly importune heaven and then she kneeled that the very Clouds might discharge against this breast if there be any other than truth and faithfulness in me toward my Pentheus Madam answered the other such imprecations are unnecessary he whose distrustful breast dares lodge an unbelieving thought of what comes from so sweet a mouth may Cassandra's curse in its
and ready to yield himself a prisoner unto death less cruel then his enemies as appeared by his pale looks which had no other redness than what they received from his own and enemies bloud Which sight did so animate Perianders courage as that with a Lyon-like fury he flew upon the first and sheathed his sword in his bowels but ere he could recover his weapon he was wounded in the shoulder by another which Periander feeling it so increased the flames of his fury within him as that it flew in sparks from his Eys enraged he fell upon him never ceasing till he had separated his murderous Soul from his body made both him and the other the Trophies of his Valour Periander leaving them weltering in their gore turned to Athalus for so was the young Knight named thinking to revive his dying Spirits and to acquaint him with the death of his enemies But Athalus that before was fainting and sowning and even at the confines of death with the presence of this strange Knight began to revive as if he had received life from him as well as owed his life to him after millions of thanks returned desired him to accompany him to his Castle which was not far distant from them so that Periander accerting of the invitation they in a short time there arrived which for its magnificence might more properly be termed a Palace being invironed with a Wall of Stone whose height enviously seemed to hinder them from beholding the Fabrick it did encompass The Pillars on which the Gate was hung were made of purest Marble on the top of which were ingraven Gilded Griffons whose Wings spread with the shutting and closed with its opening by the means of a secret Engine as if they had been indued with life When they were entred in they came into a stately Court paved with checquered Marble through which they passed into a second far surpassing the former in which there stood a Tâ—wâ—â— imbraced with wanton Ivy spread with fragrant â—â—â—lantine entrailed with Roses and suppâ—â—â—ed with Pillars resembling Atlas The Arched Roof was decked with Flowers Arbors and Groves underneath there were engraven the Nine Muses each holding a melodious Instrument in her hand wherein the Artificer seemed to excell himself for underneath the Pavement there was a secret bubling Spring whose Streams were through Pipes conveyed to each Statue so that at the turning of a Silver Cock as if they had been inspired with life from Heaven like Prometheus Image all the Instruments would sound with such melodious consent and harmony as charmed Periander into an extasie of admiration so that with what he saw and heard he imagined himself in a Paradise where the more he admired the more he desired to stay to satisfie his Curiosity and yet the longer he stayed the more his admiration was augmented But Athalus faintness would not permit any long delay so that into the Castle they went where the spacious Rooms were hung with Arras Tapestry and Cloth of Tissue adorned with lively Pictures After Athalus had taken some repose and repaired the bloudy breaches the late battery had made Periander entreated him to relate the occasion of the quarrel at whose request Athalus thus began Sir said he the obligements I have received from you are of so high a nature that I cannot but acknowledge them above requital there being nothing of an equal worth with Life which I must acknowledge I have received from your Valour and therefore I cannot but account your desires as Commands and my disobedience to them as Rebellion against the Laws of Nature therefore to satisfie them know that in the Lordship of Parrhasia where I dwell there lives a young Nobleman Son to the Lord of the place called Plivio in whose friendship I was once as happy as now unhappy in his hatred Bred up we were together and as our stature so our affection encreased Youth is tender and readily receives the impressions of education but though it easily receives them yet it difficultly pâ—rts with them so it was with us that affection which was ingraffed when we were young grew and increased untill our mature Age insomuch that once we thought the Stars should sooner have fell from Heaven and sunk into the Ocean there to have extinct their light Stones ascend and supply their places the Sun rise in the West and the order wherein Nature hath placed all things be perverted than our love dissolved but as love conjoyned us so love parted us for hapning once to espy Aâ—ritesia and Matilda the two beautiful daughters of Pirotes walking dallying and discoursing in the Fields our affections were captivated with their Beauty he with Arritesia the elder I with Matilda fain we would have concealed our passions but Love will not be hid its nature is such that it is most revealed when most concealed for sometimes we must be commending one and then the other one while Arritesia was judged most beautiful and then Maltida would seem to carry it with the greater grace one while we compared them both together and then singling out a Feature as if that had surpassed the rest in excellence but then a second seemed to excel that a third exceeding them both In fine Plivio was so deeply entangled with Arritesia as not being able to conquer it he discovered it in frequent sighs and heart-betraying looks often would he extoll Matilda but then when he spake of Arritesia he would accent every sentence with a sigh which I perceiving thinking to please him would answer all his commendations with complyance and when he sighed I could not but sigh too he out of affection to her and I out of cordial love to him but still he misconstrued all and there wherein I thought I most pleased him I most offended him he interpreting all I did to him was done to her so that though his love to me was not presently converted to raging jealousie yet it soon begot suspition which is jealousie in its infancy which I assoon perceived by the constant watch his eyes kept Home we returned to try what success Fortune would crown our loves withall but as if the Staâ—s had conspired at once to cross our affections and our happiness together Matilda had placed her delight in Plivio and Arritesia the object of Plivios delight was pleased to esteem of me far above my deserts and above Plivio so that this was the spring and source of all our future unhappiness for Plivio's jealousie by this was daily augmented and begot hatred and hatred made him put the worst construction upon each thing I said or did He took my visits to Matilda to be only pretences thereby the more securely to rob him of Arritesia and the cold entertainment and slights he received of her to proceed from thence which latter was truth though I was both innocent and ignorant All my vows and protestations wherewith I laboured to clear my self did but the more confirm him
down all opposition that shall withstand his attaining your Kingdom and the greatness of your force will serve him but to erect the Pyramids of his renown so much the higher And however my Lord you may â—latter your self with thoughts that you need ingage against none but his person conceiving that his death will put a period to all your troubles and be the onely means to invest you with the Soveraignty of Thessalia as the Oracle fondly advises you I tell you if you inquire of Reason the only Oracle placed in the Soul for man to follow it will inform you that in stead of opening a Gap to enter and possess his Kingdom it will open the floud-gates for a torrent of ruine to rush upon you but the best and only way to consummate all their misery and salve their State sores for whilst he lives all those dissentions divisions and distractions which already have brought the Kingdom to a gasping condition so that they are fain to address themselves to you for redress will be rather augmented than diminished For as in the Body Natural so in the Body Politick ill vapors are not contented alone to distemper the head but thence as from a Limbeck distilling disperse themselves into the whole body and there beget faction the mother of ruine and that which above all things strikes at the vitals of a Commonwealth by indeavouring to clip asunder that bond of Union which knits Soveraigns and Subjects together and so if you view the present condition of his estate with an impartial Eye you will find that that Kingdom which while all private concernments flowed in one stream of publike good was able to bear down all opposition before it is now cut into so many small rivulets of private interests as that if it obstruct not their course by War but let each stream flow in its own Chanel the whole power of that Kingdom will soon be dryed up Whereas were he dead those who now out of contempt and hatred forsake the Father would if not out of loyalty and fidelity yet out of pitty adhere to the Son and all those factions which like mists obscure the lustre of that Government will then all vanish before the rays of that rising Sun and if he be once seated in his Throne you will find it a more than Herculean labor to crowd him out from thence or to wrest the Scepter out of his tender hands Rather submit and part with part than be forced from all which will inevitably be the event if you follow your intended resolutions Were ever thy Eyes spectators said the other or thy Ears of any dishonorable action of mine that thou hast such mean thoughts of me that my heart can sâ—oop to a serviâ—â— submission either thou must imagin my worth very little and folly great that I will hearken to thy perswasions though containing never so little reason and honor in them or thy folly must be great to think that after a twenty years illustrious Reign in honor and applauâ—e I shall now begin to degenerate and what though blind Forâ—une hath hitherto câ—owned him wiâ—h success all his victories shall attend as Captives at my triumphant Chaâ—iot or else shall be as gemsm to adorn my Crown and give it the greater lustre And if my Kingdom hath â—urfetted by a long continued peace and contracted many malignant humors what can there be better than to let them bloud by War where the sharper the Lance the less is the wound Besides thinkst thou my presence nothing if my men are so stupidly base that neither honor victory the preservation of their lives and fortunes which will be all at stake will not stimulate them to the performance of actions of a higher and more noble nature than ordinary yet add to all this which is equal to all to see me in the midst of the greatest hazards confronting and encountring the greatest dangers surely will engage them to act something worthy the name of my Subjects and to be owned by me And if I dye what then better dye with honor than live with shame when if I dye it will be such a death as will give life to my name and after death I shall survive by an â—â—mortal fame But if I submit as you would have it and live it will be such a life as will be worse than death to be buried alive in the obscure Grave of Inâ—amy Besides hath Fortune Garlands for no Brows but his or is his Armor impenetrable or his Sword Inchanted if not why is it impossible for me to conquer Submit must I that were the ready way to be trampled uâ—on by all domineeâ—ing Princes superior in discipline of War though inferior in all other respects Tell not me of such ignoble things I hate to hear the mention of any thing so unworthy and infinitely beneath any who are endued with the smallest portion of a Royal spirit No though all Heavens winged Heralds should proclaim my destruction and accent each sentence with thunder yet would I undauntedly prosecute my resolutions when if I am forced at last to surrender the world may rather commiserate me for want of Fortune thâ—n condemn me for want of Valour Pardon My Lord said the other if I used an expression too â—ar below a person of your Royal dignity and Heroick spirit I endeavoured not to perswade you to any dishonrable reconcilement out of mistrust to your Valour which should I in any measure doubt of I deserved to perish by it and to give the proof of it by mine own destruction as I doubt not but Agis will With that Agis that had so long sacrificed his ears to their discourse and with such greedy attention devoured each sentence being now fully informed by hearing his own name mentioned who was the subject of their discourse resolved with all secresie and celerity to return to his Army and send a party to surprise them but as he was riâ—ing to return it was his unhappy Fortune to stumble and fall upon two boughs which as it were out of revenge for their blow with a rushing noise betrayed him to his enemies who having their discourse interrupted by such a sudden noise between fear and amazement arose and no sooner risen but as well as the Nights darkness would permit they discerned Agis newly recovered from his fall whom though they knew not yet thinking he might be some Sâ—ie from their enemies party or one at least who upon examination could inform them they apprehended him and with speed conveyed him to Megapolis the Metropolitan City of Hiarba's dominions which was not far distant from thence where they committed him to safe custody untill the light should discover what the darkness concealed No sooner did the morning appear and the light dispell the darkness but this Royal prisoner was called forth to give an account to Hiarbas who and what he was I should be guilty of too much profuseness both of words and time if I
they were put in an incapacity of giving due testimonies of their gratitude to him and that if their Fortunes might be raised equal to their desires it should be that they might be able to return requital equal to his deserts The Hermit answered that as his deserts were small in themselves so they would be less should he be so mercenary as to shew kindness in expectation of a requital but however if he had merited any thing that they had sufficiently repaid him by their sweet conversation Thus after some ceremonies past between them they left the Hermit who at parting could no longer retain his gravity nor refrain from weeping tears of joy and sorrow of sorrow to part with them all but especially Pandion whom he had so long entertained as his Pupil and instilled those excellent principles the effects whereof shall be made apparent in the sequel of the story but of joy through the conceived hopes of his future prosperous Fortune These three noble Consorts having travelled for some few days together came at length to a parting way which might properly be so called for it was the means of parting Athalus from the other two whom we shall also part from for a time and leaving him associate our selves to Pandion and Periander who amongst many other adventures they encountred withall in their journey this was one Travelling along one scorching day the Sun darted his rayes with such vehement violence as that they were forced to betake themselves to a neer adjoyning shady Grove for protection where the spreading boughs so embraced each other as if they had combined together to exclude the Suns proud beams from entring there where being invited by the pleasantness of the place and their own wearisomness to refresh themselves they lighted off their Horses and having pulled their bits out of their mouths turned them to feed upon the Grass which there grew in great plenty whilst themselves being overcome with the murmurings of the sweet bubling streams and the whilstlings of the quivering leaves were lulled asleep But long they had not yielded to sleeps pleasing charms when their ears were suddenly filled with a sudden shriek which pierced and rent the air with such a dividing shrilness as plainly appeared it came from a heart pierced rent and divided with sorrow and withall so small and clear as they knew it came from some Female Breast neither came it alone but was presently followed by a train of doleful groans which pursued it with hue and cry as a Thief for stealing her joyes from her They no sooner heard it but they arose and guided their steps by the mournful noise till they came to a place where they saw a beautiful Lady lying along upon the ground leaning upon her elbow Nature had painted her Face with more than ordinary Beauty so that Sorrow seemed to appear in the liveliest colour her Face Gestures Sighs and Tears and all made apparent that sorrow had tuned her heart to so high a Key that the strings were near cracking Loath they were to interrupt her and yet desirous to serve her At length they heard her fetch a groan and that seconded by a sigh and both ushered in these words Hard-hearted enemies could your tyrant minds invent no other way to vent your merciless cruelty but by being thus cruelly merciful to leave me behind to weep his obsequies what wrong did you ever receive from his guiltless hands as nothing could satisfie your boundless rage nor satiate your thirsty souls but his dearest bloud and if it was I that did the wrong why did you not sheath your Swords in this breast that my Death might expiate his and why do you not come and steep your sulphrous souls in my diffused bloud that so both they as well as their horrid actions their monstrous of-springs may be of a Crimson dye O ye celestial powers since 't was your pleasure to joyn our Hands and unite our Hearts by Hymens sacred and inviolable bands dislodge this Soul of mine and take it up into that heavenly Chorus whereof he is one that so out of the reach of dull-browd sorrow we may sing prolonged Anthems of Peace together and being no longer intangled with this Worlds turmoyles my Soul may be involved in that bottomless Abyss and boundless Ocean of immortal happiness Oh sweet Death come and welcome put a period to my Griefs and rid me of this dying life oh how the thoughts of thy approach revive me frustrate then not my hopes and expectations the way to kill me is to let me live Oh then augment not my griefs by adding new let me not ever languish here in perpetual anguish but come oh come and if my enemies have extracted the quintessence of all cruelty and swilled it up into their parboyl'd Souls that so there is none left for thee what then it is mercy not cruelty that I crave for what greater mercy can there be than to unloose a soul intangled and hamper'd with griefs and sorrows oh then unty this knot of dull mortality that pineons my soul and makes her flutter here below and let her fly to him who is my Life my Heart my Joyes and all that my highest desires can attain unto And if with killing him thou hast spent thy Arrows for sure his great soul would not surrender up her mansion on too easie terms here 's Shafts within my Heart shot both from Love and adverse Fortune enough to fill thy Quiver and let that remain full still Come then and draw thy Bow and give that wound that shall heal all other wounds And therewithall she gave a sigh as if Death had indeed made a divoâ—ce between her Soul and Body and her tender heart had bid adieu to this lower world and fled into the Empyreal Regions But proceeding Charon said she prepare thy Boat to waft me over the Stygian Lake and if thou fearest it is too shoul to transport such a Cargo of Woes and Griefs as I am filled withall here 's tears enough that flow in uncontroled Streams from Griefs Fountains to make it at its lowest Ebb over-flow the Banks and if that will not suffice open my Veins drain my Heart dry rather than let me tarry behind for what Joys can ever accrew to me now Theon in whom my Joys are plac't hath bid farwell And then she stopt giving a groan as if her Heart had been rest in sunder and folding her fair Arms as if she went about to imbrace death Pandion and Periander hearing this no longer able to contain discovered themselves to her and craving pardon for their intrusion begged to know the cause of her sorrow telling her they would spend their dearest bloud to purchase her desires Oh then said she my desire is to be with my dear Theon hand me to the Elizian Plains where he resides I desire not your death but my own for alas what comfort can I have to tarry here behind Never more shall these
thus matched by a Youth inraged and ashamed that he should be so long in conquering one over whom though his valour should render him victorious yet he should not merit the title of a Victor summon'd together all his active powers and with united force gave such a blow on Pandion that all the protection he could receive from his well-managed Sword was to moderate the violence of the stroak which yet nevertheless lighted on the side of his Head with such a force that it dispossessed his memory of its bruised habitation and drove him some few paces from the place where he stood which Clausus perceiving resolved not to neglect such an opportunity but pursued him with redoubled blows and reunited power But Pandion as if his veins had been filled with Spirits as fast as they were emptied of Bloud mustring all his strength skill and courage together being to give a gallant Farewell like the last blaze of a dying light ran with such a vehement courage upon Clausus that he not aware but rashly prosecuting victorious Fortune the Sword run thorough his Heart or rather he ran his Heart upon it conqueâ—ing himself just when he was triumphing on the conquest of his enemy which when the Knights of the Castle pâ—rceived not regarding the Laws of Arms â—lew in â—o defend their Captain or rather themselves knowing that on the thrid of his Life hung all their Privileges which â—ut in two must needs fall to the ground which consideration made them fall inconsiderately on Pandion which Periandâ—r seeing enraged with contempt of their Dastardly baseness to set upon a wounded man gasping for Life and more to think that such cowards should be allotted him to be the Subjects of his valour and most of all to think that his friend and he should receive their Deaths from the hands of such miscreants Being near over-pressed with the multitude he rushed upon them with such a torrent of violence as drowned whomsoever he encountred withall in a lake of their own bloud though surrounded with them he could not avoid receiving some blows yet they served but to encrease his rage to the extremity so that with a mad violence or furious madness all the powers of his Soul and the Strength Dexterity and Activity of his Body transfer'd to the one arm he dislived some and disarmed others his valour being crushed between the two extremes necessity of preserving his Friends and his own Life and the difficulty of accomplishing it made it so swell within his breast with the madness of a terrible fury that to the destruction and admiration of his enemies he went beyond himself in his atchievements killing where he hit and hitting where he pleased separating some not only their Souls from their Bodies but their upper parts from their nether others that were aiming where to lodge their blow with the greatest advantage he deprived of blow and sight and all Whilst Pandion not able to assist his friend was forced to refresh his fainting body by resting himself upon the ground But they were soon assisted by the Knights imprisoned within the Castle who knowing that their Jaylors were imprisoned by Death and seeing Pandion bestrid by Periander and he beset with their enemies they unanimously assaulted them all agreeing in the means of their preservation their enemies destruction though all disagreeing in the end some fighting to preserve their own honour disdaining to be enslaved by such unworthy Villains others for their Ladies some out of Love to the Commonwealth to quit it from such a nest of Pestilent Fellows others out of hatred to their enemies so that in fine there grew a desperate combat as it must needs the Combatants growing desperate the Clausian Knights resolving rather to lose their lives by whole-sale on the point of the Sword than retail them out by the hand of Justice which they knew would befall them should they surrender grew fearless through fear so that Courage in the Valiant grew desperate and despair made the Coward couragious that at length the conflict grew so cruel that the very ground was overflown with a deluge of bloud and the earth that was wont to bury mens bodies mens bodies now buried the earth so that it seemed like Mars's sowing time the seeds of cruelty being implanted in each Breast and watered with Bloud but like Deaths reaping time such an Harvest of Bodies there lay in heaps serving as Bridges to transport over Rivers of Bloud that streamed in the pavement Hard it was to determine which way the ballance of victory would poize Fortune for a while carrying her self a Neuter till at length Periander being a too partial Umpire by the mediation of his valour decided the controversy sending such throngs of Souls of the Clausian Knights that were loth to answer for their unanswerable crimes before Melampus his Tribunal to receive their eternal doom that the small remainder yielded craving mercy which they found Then Periander receiving the Keys of the Gate gave the Captives that were the Keepers to the Keepers that were the Captives till Pandion whose right it was to command should otherwise order who appointed Sentinels on the wall and a watch for that night intending the next morning to march in triumph to King Melampus's Court. But no sooner had each man took his Station but their Ears were arrested with the crys of a Female voice which as well as they could understand demanded entrance the Gates being opened they all straight knew her to be Roxana their Kings Daughter who seeing the event of the Combat came with speed to the Castle to perform her last obsequies to Theon and to return thanks to Pandion and Periander for their hazardous adventure And being admitted into the Castle she was received with all respect and joy by all the Knights and Ladies there but especially by Pandion who blest her ears with the happy tidings that Theon was yet alive pointing where his Chamber was who would have said more but the transporting joy not only divorced all sorrow from her Heart but her Body from the place so that both his words and thoughts were prevented with her sudden â—light calling as she went Theon Theon her Tongue not being able any more to express her unexpressible passion but as soon as the eyes of Theon nay his Heart nay his Soul was ravished with the sight of Roxana as if her beauty had been some divine quintessential extract or some ray of that celestial fire that inspired life into Prometheus Image he felt a vigour infused into all his fainting limbs and the Darts of Beauty to triumph over the Darts of Death and her words to blow up the dying sparks of Life into a flame so that assembling all his powers together he cast himself into her Arms his Legs being unfaithful and feeble supporters of his Body But alas as their arms were linked each in other and their very Souls intwin'd by a sweet sympathy Theons Spirits that like the dying
they preferred before all but the internal eyes of his Soul continually gazed upon the picture of Florinda that was lively painted in his Fancy by the Pencil of affection But Supper being ended after some Masks and Revels and other pleasures the night being far spent they all retired to their Lodgings THE SECOND BOOK OF PANDION AND AMPHIGENIA SWift-footed Time feathered with flying houres of it self posts away with such celerity that we are no sooner entred upon the Stage to act our parts on the Theatre of this world but ere we are aware the Scene is concluded and Death pronounces an Exit yet the mirth and jollity of those happy days seemed to add wings unto it while unhappy Periander and the more unhappy because so in the mids of so much happiness would not permit the least joy to intrude into his heart but abandoned his thoughts wholly to mournful meditations which though in themselves unpleasing yet sweet to him because hovering in Loves Dominions still lighted on so sweet a Centre as Florinda Oft would he walk alone and recount to himsâ—lf his various misfortunes and then account them all as Cyphers compar'd with his exilement from Florinda but then joyning both together with a multiplying addition how far would he say doth it surmount my Souls Arithmetick to number my innumerable griefs Had ever any one such mountains of sorrows heaped upon him and not overwhelmed Cetainly they are not set for steps to climbe to a Heaven of happiness rather aâ— Tombes where all my hopes desires and joys may be interred Thus as the Torpedo when it feels it self insnared by the deceitful hook vomits â—orth a bane-full humor into the briny Ocean and not onely fills the places neer adjoyning to her with a Chilling Ice but sends it up to the Anglers hand wherewith in a moment it 〈◊〉 and Charms his senses into a death-resembling sleep so Perianders sorrow intangled with Loves Bait not only fill'd his heart with the fumes of discontent but infected all those Joys that seemed to Angle for it with their delicious Baits And one morning by that time Aurora had spread her Vermilion Mantle on Heavens Azure floor and the Suns glistering Beams had gilded the mountain tops Periander leapt out of his Bed aâ—d went into the Walks where the shadiness of the Trees the coolness of the Air which was fann'd to and fro with Zephyrus wings and the sweet agreeable murmuring of the Fountaines fomented in his Breast that humor which fed it self with the remembrance of Florinda What strange unruly passions are these said he that thus stand Centinel at the doors of my senses and deny Rest entrance and if any Joys are suters for the possession of my heart they soon forbid the Banes and thus domineering within the Kingdom of my troubled Breast chase all contentment from me so that methinks I could consume an Age in thinking and make my Griefs keep Time with the Spheres harmonious motions till time shall be no more for as they do rise but never set for when they seem to set to us they then rise to our Antipodes so have my sorrows a beginning but never ending keeping a perpetual motion in my Breast and when the morning begins then doth my Heart greet the approaching light with a hope-abscoâ—ding Cloud of sighs exhaled by the heat of Loves Passions from the Ocean of Grief within my mind and when the Evening begins to close the Day then doth my Heart conclude it with showers of dewy Tears and all proceeds from the remembrance of Florinda Ah sweet remembrance said he happy were I wouldst thou make me forget all other happiness or smother the thoughts of my present misery But more sweet Florinda since all abstracted sweetness is lodged in thee how could I part with Thee and not part with Life or rather how could I part with Life in parting with Thee and yet live What was I senseless that I could hear the fatal Messenger pronounce that more fatal sentence and the very Cadence of his speech not stab me to the heart Sure the very sound would have struck me dead but alas misery had so filled my Heart that there was no room for death Oh envious Fortune couldst thou find no other time to blast my happiness but in the blooming of it In what poysonous composition didst thou dip thy invenomed shaft that feathered both with Life and Death shot Death to my happiness but Life to my misery Come once more bend thy Bow and since thou dost delight in my destruction draw thy Dart up to the head and here 's a Brest prepared for thee As he was further proceeding in his speech he was interrupted with a doleful noise which being handed to his ears by Eccho's reverberations seemed as if she had a fresh begun with pining lamentations to bewail her more pining Narcissus but er'e he could consider what it was or whence it came his ears were arrested with a train of mournful tones that followed their flying predecessor and then a peircing drilling cry would seem to be a treble to a murmuring Groan but drawing neer hoping to find one to sympathize with him in his misery he heard the voice formed into these words Oh heavens were it not enough to take her hence but you must take all mercy with her alas what need is there for mercy where there is no misery there is nothing but a boundless Sea of Happiness and here nothing but a bottomless abysse of Wo. Oh command Death to unlock the doors of happiness that I may enter in and exchange these Heart-infringing Groans for the Heaven-bred Raptures of that Seraphick Quire that surround the Heavenly Throne and these Soul-melting Tears for those Nectarian streamâ— of immortal pleasures Come Death thou that art so prodigal of thy Darts to shoot a Virgin in the Aurora of her days whose fresh smiles would have melted the most flinty heart into mercy come spare a shaft to me whose age aswell as miseries inviteth Oh! why art thou grown thus preposterous to take the young and leave the old would not her Beauty move pity in thy heart Methinks her blushing Cheeks might have made thee ashamed of thy cruelty How couldst thou find in thy heart to thrust thy Sithe into her tender sides Sure no such thing as Love could be the cause no Love never resides in an obdurate Heart And ah the Grave is too hard a marriage Bed and thy looks too gastly for her to delight in thy cold embracements Come then to me to whom thou shalt be wellcome puff out this blaze of Life and let my fledgd Soul take her Wing Thinkest thou that a few Tears can supply with moysture what so many griefs and years have dryed up No surely long it cannot be ere my sublime Soul must bid farewell to all these transitory Griefs and Joys Having spoken this he concluded with such a groan as if he had ended his speech and Life together But Periander
full extent light on him never to be believed by any though he should swear by all thatâ— sacred no not by himself that so when he himself by an infernal instinct should prophecy his own ruine his base mistrust might not permit him to use means for anticipation It is my confidence of your perseverence that makes me persevere in confidence to urge his dying request than the concession of which there can be no greater manifestation of your love and constancy but the refusal would not onely by actions contradict your words but oppose that which Fate and Nature seem to conjoyn their powers and combine together to accomplish the former by removing away your husband Trebonius the only Remora and the latter by bestowing such a resemblance of Pentheus on my Son as I am perswaded when you see him you will not easily be convinced that it is any other than he himself What an unfaithful faithfulness were that replyed she that were to commit the highest falâ—eness veiled with a pretended fidelity No said she let Fate and Nature conspire how they will all their combinations shall never make me love any other but Pentheus And whatever similitude your Son may have of him it cannot be a greater resemblance than his Idea indelebly engraven in my heart Then said he since you will have none but him here he is and with that he pulled off a vizard and discovered himself to be Pentheus indeed Helena in whose mind grief had so fixed the death of Pentheus that hard it was by all Arguments for him to eradicate the belief of it thence but she stood rather as if she had been affrighted with his Ghost than delighted with his presence but Pentheus continued still his perswasions telling her the truth how that when he went away from her he was so transported with the rage of a passionate madness that he resolved to kill himself and therefore fled into the next Wood where meeting with some men he to hide his intentions ran into a Cave and when he thought that the Coast was cleer and none to interrupt his bloudy design he ran a kniâ—e into his breasts but his good fate more careful of him than he of himself fenced so well for him as broke both his thrust and his weapon by glancing it on a rib the wound made him give a grone so that some undiscovered persons that still remained in the Wood came speedily in and carrying him to the next house compelled him to be dressed where having â—ain some time the strange news of her death and recovery came to his ears and every circumstance of it how she leapt out of the window and her Husband Trebonius after her how her fall brake his heart but his his neck and how she had onely bruised her fair limbs and the breath for a while expelled out of her body but that loath so soon to be turned out of its sweet Tenement resolved still to continue and bless the world with the injoyment of so much excellency This news he said was a greater Cordial and restorative to him than all the Galenists and Paracelsians in the world were able to compose and he that before was so desirous of death was now as eager of life and had rather he had a thousand lives to regain that he might spend them all in the fruition of Helena's sweet society so that now willingly accepting whatsoever might restore him he was in a short time by the diligence and care of the Chirurgeons perfectly cured and resolving to make a tryal of her constancy and whether Fame had not been a lyar he came in this disguise This speech being confirmed by some Gentlemen Companions of Pentheus convinced Helena Then no longer able to withstand the Invasion of their minds they mutually embraced each other so that by agreement and consent of all the Nuptials were the next day to be celebrated After the joyful Nuptials of Theon and Roxana Pentheus and Helenâ— were solemnized with great joy and admiration Periandor and Danpion took leave of the King and the rest of the Court to proceed in quest of their Fortune and after many fruitless importunings from all there present but especially the King who seemed to be passionately desirous of their stay telling them that as their worth was such that no place in the world but would be proud of such Guests so his estimation of them was such though short of their merits that their presence should be more acceptable to none than to him Danpion replied Great Sir said he to be enthroned in your Royal thoughts and estimation is a reward that would transcend an Angels merits much more my poor deserts which if I have any thing mine that can arrogate this title it is but the reflection of yours If I have any worth in me answered the King it consists in this that I delight to see it in any and to reward it where I see it which your departure disinables me to do Royal Sir said Danpion the many glorious and happy days we have already spent under the heaven of your Court hath so involved us already in a Sea of obligations that we desire no longer to live then our obsequiousness should attend your commands but to continue longer were to plunge our selves yet deeper and by that means enforce our selves in despight of our greatest gratitude to dye ingrateful King Melampus seeing his perswasions vain with many ceremonies dismist them Periander and Danpion having consumed many days in a long and tedious journey into Thessalia and passing thorow many Cities therein to inform themselves the better how the affairs of State were managed as Trica and Phthia and Trachys and Phyllus and over the high mountains Ossa Oeta and Pindus where they met with many strange adventures at length they came to Tempe a place not undeservedly renowned for pleasure It seemed as if the whole worlds delights had been there Epitomized and contracted into a lesser volume but more excellent Character There were delicious fragrant Gardens enamelled with odoriserous flowers large and invious Woods whose sâ—ady locks swept the Chambers of the Air and seemed to dance to the harmonious retortings of the reverberating Ecchoe's delightful Groves within whose embracing boughs dwell the winged Musicians of the Air chanting forth their Love Sonnets in Care-charming accents walks of love bestrewed with Roses and Lilies bedewed with the sweet drops spouted from Crystall Fountaines fresh purling rivulets whose delightful streams tuned their agreeing murmurs to the soft whispers of the wagging leaves frizled by Zephyrus wanton wings the spreading boughs casting such pleasing shades on the smiling ground like the shadowy strokes in a picture made it more florid and delightsome the trembling leaves moved by the fresh breathings of the healthful Air dancing to the harmonious curlings of the Azure streams with such peaceful pleasure as would have forced a Stoick to have indulged his most obdurate mind to loves melting passions And all this
which by mutual vows and stipulations written in our hearts with a Pen pluckt out of Cupids Wing we have obliged our selves to bless each other Danpion calling to mind he had heard that voice and therefore presumed he might not he unacquainted with the person drawing neer to see who it should be he preceived it to be his friend Periander whereat not a little rejoyced he demanded of him if that was not the Lady Florinda which honored him with her affections for said he my dubious thoughts collect so much from that Song which her Syren voice lately warbled out Periander acknowledged she was Then Danpion turning to Florinda thus accosted her Madam said he accept of this rude salute as an oblation to your Beauty where the glory of all perfection is enshrined and which makes me esteem Perianders felicity above expression and such that were he not Periander I could freely indulge my thoughts to envy him but my heart is wholly devoted to his happiness and mine 's involved in his After mutual gratulations that past between them Danpion requested Florinda to honor him with the relation of the manner of her escape from Acastus King of Coninth and how she fortuned to meet with Periander which she consented unto and thus declared The fates said she who expose not their decrees to vulgar view though for a time they seemed to thwart my desires and bury my hopes in the grave of despair yet they intending in conclusion as the event manifests to crown me with my long-wished-for joy to bring about their resolutions thus ordered it It happened that Novellus the Kings Nancius that brought me that sad citation to the Court no sooner saw me but he fell into his Masters distemper and grew fondly amorous and carried me to the Palace but put me in the custody of Octavia a Lady as great an admirer of him as he was of me and told the King that the present state of my body required purification ere I was fit for his Royal embraces which Octavia no less watchful than Argus nor jealous than Juno readily confirmed of all which I was ignorant but amazed at my imprisonment and what should be the reason of my invitation to the Court untill at length privately inquiring of Abra Octavias Woman she fully informed me of my condition I perceiving by Novellus faint sighs and mind-disclosing countenance his passionate affection resolved to make a vertue of necessity and by his means to make a way for escape and therefore cast frequent favourable glances â—t him and sometimes let fall ambiguous expressions to encourage him in his affection and the more to provoke Octavia's jealousie who nor able to suppress those ardent flames that run thorough all her veins presently suggested to the Queen the whole matter who no sooner heard it but her heart was arrested with the Tyrant pangs of Jealousie in as great a measure as Octavia so that between them both they thus plotted my destruction either to convey me privatly put of the Kingdom or to send me to Deaths cold confines with a poysonous drop secretly infused into my cup and then by commixing some dangerous drug with my Physick bereave me of my life and them of their jealous fears But my courteous stars whose benign rays were as so many Bucklets to protect me from the insolence of these two Furies would not permit this horrid contrivement to take effect For one morning when Octavia had resolved to attempt her intended murther Novellus as he was wont came to visit me but Octavia knowing how contrary to her bloudy design Novellus presence was refused him admittance into my chamber pretending my indisposition of body rendred me unfit for any society for the present Novellus the more desirous of entrance pressed so rudely that with the strugling Octavia spilt the venemous draught which she had prepared for me which my Dog presently licked up and fell into a languishing distemper that in few days killed him I perceiving this not daring to trust my self with one so barbarously perfidious resolved to go to the King and impetrate a releasment from my imprisonment or if it was denyed me to effect my freedom by a plot which I then contrived Accordingly choosing a convenient opportunity when the King was solitary and none to interrupt or observe me I went into his presence and fell on my knees and thus addrest my self to him Royal Sir said I summoned by your Majesties Command I thought it my duty to attend your pleasure but some in the court I presume unknown to your Highness have not only restrained me from the performance of my duty but from all liberty so that my humble sute to your Highness now is to supplicate a freedom from such restraint and I cannot but hope your Majesty will not remain inexorable if you retain your 〈◊〉 clemency Before I could have ended my speech the King arose and with a smiling countenance took me by the hand and made me arise Come said he my hearts sweet Jaylor let me ingraft thee on my heart with these embraces and let us mingle our united souls with mutual kisses this is my pleasure and the pleasure I command Oh Sir said I will you thus contaminate your unstained honour with so foul a bluâ— you whom the world hath honoured for a Prince that could govern your most exorbitant passions as well as your kingdoms and by that means fabricked a kingdom of honour in each noble breast who pay you the constant tribute of assiduous Prayers for your long life and whose perpetually admiring thoughts are your subjects will you now expose your glorious name to the blasts of vulgar opprobry for the obtaining of a little bessial pleasure By that time I had said this there came in one of the Nobles who seeing the King to frown upon him for this interruption of his privacy suddenly retired and lest us to our selves The Kings lascivious 〈◊〉 were not all extinguished with what I said but he continued his endeavors to obtain his lustful desires but in a more gentle manner than before using nothing but inticements and perswasions untill in the concâ—usion I seemingly consented to meet him the next day in the private walks where none were admitted without special license whither the King was wont to resort for his private meditations but with this proviso that the Queen should be conveyed the next morning some distance from the palace lest her jealous vigilancy should deprive us of our happiness The King was as ready to consent to that as my self so that with a countenance bewraying much affection and how ill I brooked so long protraction I parted from him and hasted to Abra whom I made the constant depository of all my secrets and bid her go to the Queen and with a great deal of pretended zeal to her honour inform her of the plighted vows between the King and me and of every circumstance of our agreement and advise her to attire her self
from the Yards the Yards and Masts shivered in splinters and the Shrowds snapt like burnt twine mean while the raging Surges mount and roâ—l as if Death were making waâ—ry tombes wherein to intert these heaven-besieged Souls At length a breaking Billow came tumbling along and boarded the ship with such a force as split her in pieces and rent her stemm from her stern The poor drowning men to save their lives catcht hold some on the Prow others on the Poop some on the Masts others on the Boat But Neptune bowl'd his waves so fast that they were soon overwhelmed and made a prey to the greedy fishes as the Master had sworn The Master whose execrable villany had brought this deâ—truction upon his men had notwithstanding awhile saved himself in the Long-boat and began to bless himself with the hopes of escape but just Heaven would not permit such wickedness to go unpunished nor Glyceras death to go unrevenged but sent a furious gust which transported a breaking billow into the boat and both transported him to the Port of death and that his death might be the more signal there came two Shaâ—kes just as he was thrown out of the Boat and contending for his body tare it in pieces No sooner had heavens blustring executioners put their just doom in execution but there grew a truâ—e between the Winds and Seas the Sun giving his Beams as Hostages for the heavens the Sea demolishing its lofty rampiers and both â—eas and Skies smiling each on other in token the powers above were pacified Many small vessels that were fishing some on the coast of Pelopennesus others by Cyprus and others amongst the Aegean Islands were cast away in this storm some wrackt on the shore others foundred in the Seas some over-set and others sâ—lit against the Rocks so that few or none escaped excepting one small fisher Boat that had seasonably disburthened it self of her Masts and goods and all things that might make her swim deep in the Sea and with a small Sail fastned to the main Yard that then served for a Mast spooned afore the Wind and by that means nimbly mounting over the lofty waves and again gently descending into the low valleys it saved it self in the midst of that hideous tempest but yet was driven from the Euxine promounts to the place where this Ship was wracked that is between Peloponnesus and the Island of Cyprus This Vessel thus tossed hither by that time the raging Winds were appeased and the Seas allayed might discern some ribs of the torn Carkass of the Ship floating to and fro on Neptunes bowling-green and here and there Bailes of goods Chests and Trunks swimming up and down which the Fishermen perceiving conjecturing that they were the goods of some Ship tossed in the late storm they loaded their Vessel with those things that were of most worth and sailed towards Cyprus intending there to Merchandise their spoils but by that time they had sailed about three hours the weather growing more and more â—erene the Sun in his most glistring attire couâ—ting the Sea and the Sea to appear more lovely smoothing her face from wrinkles and the sky clipping and embracing the Sea with a clear Horizon they might discern in a prospective glass at a great distance something move upon the Sea like a man and as they thought casting his arms to and fro to cry for succour they with all speed make to him and within half an hour came so neer as to perceive it to be a woman by her dishevelled hair but still as fast as they sailed to overtake her she made from them that in the end they thought her to be some Mermaid so that they were clapping on all the Canvass they had saved in the storm to make haste from her but by that time they had sailed some few leagues they descryed her â—aking towards them with so much swiftness as they thought it in vain to flye from her but rather determined to stay untill she came up with them which was in a short time for by that time they had put their Sails in the wind she was come so neer as they might discern it to be a sorrowful Lady sitting as on horseback on a Dolphin her face the Index of a grieved mind seemed to be beauties Coffin wherein in lamentable Characters there seemed to be engraven this Epitaph Here lys heart-enthralling beauty murdered by heart-breaking sorrow Fain would her breath formed into words have broken the sweet prison of her trembling lips but grief their tyrannous Jaylor would not permit it but converted them into groans At length giving liberty to her tongue to Midwive the dolours which her heart pregnant with was in travel withall she with lamentable demeanor thus spake Ah wo is me wo is me said she but then the tears interrupted her speech and her eyes to assist her fainting voice in sorrows doleful language discourst her griefs but then tears again as it were ratifyed into sighs and sighs framed into words she thus lamented her condition Ah said she little did I ever think that heaven had thus many plagues in store for me Never was poor woman distrest like me as though one death were not enough to kill a poor dying woman but I must daily be tormented with partial deaths that methinks tear my soul piece-meal from my body Oh! shew some mercy to a miserable wretch a helpless hopeless forlorn forsaken woman beset with remediless doloâ—â—â— and pity my sorrows as you would ever hope that heaven should commiserate you when you are besieged with the terrors of death-threatning calamities which how soon may be your lot is known only to the great disposer of our fates These doleful expressions expressed so dolefully by a Lady beleagured with extremity of misery would have scrued tears from a Rock and made an Adamant turn Niobe but yet took no impression upon the Master but he rather like an inhumane Churl commands them to sail away What said he have we nothing to do but to mind a foolish womans babling let her alone to prate to the Dolphin and mind you your employments But no sooner had he tacked about to be gone but the poor Lady gave a shriek would have rent a heart in sunder and cryed out to them as loud as her feeble voice could utter Oh! said she have your hearts made a league with cruelty though your ears should be deaf to the lamentable crys of a distrest woman yet methinks your eyes might intercede a little for me with your rocky hearts Oh that ever so much barbarous immanity should lodge in humane souls methinks it might shame you to see a Dolphin more merciful than your selves Shame do I say alass shame is vertues attendant and resides not where vertue is exil'd and vertue is ever exil'd from an obdurate heart Oh you powers above will you give no truce to my sorrows must I be quite bereft of all relief and then she gave a groan
of her soul but the Destinies that had inter-woven and twisted the Threeds of her life and misery so together as neither could be clipped asunder without clipping both resolved that the bottom of her life and misery should not yet be unwound by the wounds of Death but nevertheless a little to apâ—ease the ragings of an uncontroulable Passion they arrowsed a humid Vapour out of its moist bed of dirt and sent it to unlock her Pores and usher in a gentle sleep But no sooner had sleep allayed the surges of Passion but Morpheus began to form strange â—â—antasms in her imagination Somtimes he would erect a high precipice in her Fancy so high as the blended Clobe of earth and water would look like an Atom and then tumble her down from thence into some profound abyss peopled with Adders Toads and Snakes and other venemous vermine and then she would start and give a shriek that the whole Forest would reâ—ound with the Eccho but then the purlings of the silver stream would hush her asleep again and then the drowsie Deity would Plant a Forest in her Brain where he would digg dens for Lions Bears and howling Wolves and build nests for Owls Batts and Night-Ravens and other Birds of darknesse and then the howling roaring bellowing shrieking croaking of these wild inhabitants would attach her faculties with hideous terrors and imprison them in amazement Thus in a confused manner she spent the greatest part of the night till about the time when Orion begins to bath himself in the Ocean and the Lamps near consumed she heard a rustling among the leaves and boughs which putting her in mind of her dream obtâ—uded on her fancy a conceit that it must needs be some wild beast that roving through the Forest sought for prey wheâ—eat exceedingly astonished she flyes as if fear and amazement had added wings to her heels but ah to overtake her own sad fate for as she was passing by a hollow cave hollow-hearted indeed to her though otherwise repleat with mischief there suddenly issued out a savage Ruffin that ere she was aware catcht her about her waste and not at all regardiâ—g her â—uful cries and groans such as would have meltâ—d a Rock of Adamant such as would have inâ—used a sâ—nse-diâ—tracting grief into a Fury though hardened with quotidian cruelty he flings her upon the ground and draws out a sharp Ponyard and threatens with that to peirce her heart if she speedily surrendred not hâ—r body that sweet Temple where Vertue lay inshrined and spotless thoughts were the pure obâ—â—ions offered on the Altar of a chast heart to the pollâ—tions of his filthy lust Glycera perceiving her inability to contend by force by reason of her faintness with a voice that shewed a heart fearless of death returned him this reâ—ly Lustful Villain said she dost thou think that the pâ—ircing of a heart can be a piercing terror to a heart already peirced with killing sorrow the Antipathies between life and death are too much reconciled in me by the terrors of assiduous deaths ever to be terrified with thy death-threatning savageness sharpen thy Ponyard then with the Whetstone of thy Marble-hearted cruelty and when thou hast done sheath it in my heart but then know that it shall prove a Pandora's box filled with thousands of miseries which shall flutter forth out of that wound and by heavens vengeance glewed to thy soul shall at length possess thee with a terror that will make thee exercise a death upon thy self more horrid than this that hell now prompts thee to exercise upon me and the very steams that will ascend from my reaking blood shall become a thunder which wheresever skulkt shall find thee out and â—end thee into more pieces than hell will have Furies to torment Foolish woman said he tell not me of heaven hell or Furies I know no other heaven but satiating my desires no other hell than such dilatory interruptions of my pleasure when extremity of desire breeds impatiency nor other Fury than a pestilent imperious woman such as thou therefore I tell thee once more resign up thy self to my lust or by heavens if there be any I 'le take thee by storm as impregnable as thou thinkst thy self and quench the flames of my lust in thy heart bloud The fear of death she replyed hath impression upon none but such Villains as thou whose smutty souls horror striking guilt corrodes but as for me my soul is carryed on the wings of Vertue out of the reach of those terrors therefore if thou wilt or if thou durst broach my heart and make thy soul drunk with cruelty thou wilt but make a passage for my soul to fly to those mansions where happiness dwells essentially Thy vertue said he flatter not thy self wiâ—â— that for I 'le plunder thee of that totally and oh that my Steeletto could reach thy soul too I 'de nail it to the ground from whence it should never fly to fetch revenge but no matter when I have poured out my lust into the kennel of thy body I 'le wash away with thy blood those pollutions wherewith thy soul in the commixture may have stained mine This said he binds her fair hands with her hair that lovely hair that had fettered and bound so many hearts must now bind her own hands and tears her garments and in despight of all her shrieking groaning crying weeping he at length unloads his lust and not content only to plunder her of her honor after he had thus demolished the Cittadel of her vertue but he with his Ponyard disenthrones those powers that should govern her faculties and seals pale death in the majestick throne of her Beauty and thus he leaves her like a fair flower nipt with the mornings Frost hanging down her head as if ashamed of her declining glory her face covered with hoary paleness as if deaths cold blast had congealed the dew of her tears into a hoary Frost But by this time the Sun having notice of the Tragedies acted in his absence by Nights permission had sent the morning as his Scout to draw the Curtain of the night and descry whether any such horrid Villanies as even resounded thorough the arches of heaven were committed under the protection of the Night whilst he came after with an Army of beams to depose her from her Throne of Jet but no sooner had he shaken his dewy locks wet with toying too long with Thetis in her watery bower but he beheld this ravished wounded Lady and no sooner beheld than he sent his light to call away a loytring dream that was sent of an Embassie from heaven to Polienus a great Nobleman of Crete that dwelt in that Forest to inform of this cursed act and to command him to revenge her When a deep silence hath fixt an intenseness upon the souls faculties then is the fittest time for divine impressions Though exemption from sad fates is not alwaies entailed upon innocence yet that unseen Nemesis