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
poorely to dye shamefully that if his divinity had not beene witnessed not alone by men living and dead but by Angels and by Devils the obeying of the windes and waters by the trembling of the earth and darkning of the Sunne it would bee impossible to receive it in our beleefe Lisander eased by the voiding of these things which hee had vomited and comforted by the remonstrance of this good religious man lifted up his â—yeâ— to his face and having earnestly beheld him a good space labouring to recover his speech and to remember where hee had seene him in a feeble and broken voice spake unto him in this manner Father I have alwaies little feared Death assuredly trusting in Gods mercy wherefore my hope of one surpassing my feare of the other I cannot be affraid of a passage which is common to all men I know nothing is more naturall that living is not more ordinary than dying And so farre am I from being astonished at it that I confesse I have desired it with lesse â—eare than impatience That which afflicteth me and feareth me is to see things come out of my body which never entred into it nor cannot bee framed there and therefore cannot come naturally from me And if any wonder can have place in my minde next unto that 〈◊〉 is to see my selfe knowne and to heare my selfe named in this agony by a man whose face I think I have seene and heard his voice in another world and in another habit This good man discovering then his head which was almost hid under his Coule and making himselfe knowne unto Lisander with teares in his eyes in kissing him said if nothing were wanting unto your health but the removing of these two causes of astonishment I durst promise my selfe to see you well no lesse astonishing the company with the Miracle of your healing than it is yet with the wonder of your evill For the things which you have vomited although they are true and seeme to be truely come out of your body ought rather to bee ascribed to the illusions of the evill Spirit who hath deceived our sense than unto the testimony of our owne eyes And it is to bee beleeved that they are reall seeing they are palpable But it is to be beleeved also that hee hath charmed our sight as the Operator who last healed you charmed your wounds and healed them in applying salves to your Doublet And it is likely that from this first charme proceeds now this second For the Devill hath done nothing for nothing and did not succour you in that extremity but onely to reduce you into a greater As for your astonishment which proceedeth from my knowing you I thinke it is now wiped away And Clarangeus having beene so perfect a friend unto Lisander cannot be unknowne by so strange a change as mine or by the violence of a sicknesse like yours For the rest you have reason in saying you have seene me in another world for this wherein I now am is much differing from that wherin I then was Lisander who knowing Clarangeus who cast from serving and banished from the presence of Olinda had confined himselfe into a Cloyster embracing him with a joy mingled with sorrow and astonishment to see him in this habit answered Is it possible that my eyes doe not deceive me Clarangeus and that it is not one of the illusions of my sickenesse how have you left the world As those replyed Clarangeus who being beaten by stormes at Sea doe search for some safe Port where they may bee covered from the tempest O how happy are you said Lisander to have that power of your selfe Yea if you knew the happinesse said Clarangeus and if after so many stormes wherewith you have beene beaten you would with mee prove the sweetnesse and quietnesse of a religious life you would despise and mocke at Honours Loves and other vanities which cast away the most part of men I would to God said Lisander I could doe it but I know my selfe so weake so chained to the world that though I should leave it to day I should take it againe to morrow and as it ordinarily happens my second entrance would bee much worse than my first You have reason replied Clarangeus For as there is nothing worse for health than to passe from one extremity to another so there is nothing more dangerous in the world than to goe from a religious life unto an irregular one From thence it comes that there is nothing more evill than a Monke who hath cast away his frocke and that the most parâ— of our errors owe their birth unto these Apostata's who as vipers doe endevour in their birth to rend the sides of their mother Ambrisia and many Gentlemen of the Countrey who were come to see her in this sicknesse of her brothers were no lesse joyfull to see him so well recovered than of Clarangeus his discourse knowledge Unto whom Lisander in continuing his speech said that not finding himselfe strong enough to observe such a perpetuall vow he promised 〈◊〉 the least if it pleased God to restore him to his former health the first voiage he would undertake after his sicknesse should be unto our Lady of Mount Serraâ— Clarangeus confirmed him in this devotion and afterwards taking his leave hee returned with the other religious man into the Covent Shortly after were it by the prayers of those good Fathers or through Lisanders vow hee began to amend but as the proverbe faith sickenesses come on horsebacke and goe away on foote of a Snailes pace It was fifteene dayes before hee could rise out of his bedde and fifteene dayes more after hee was out of his bed before hee could get strength which being past and having visited his friends but principally Clarangeuâ— and taken leave of his Sister Ambrisia hee secretly caused a â—acket of gray Serge to bee made and a Cloake of skinnes over it and having gotten a Palmers staffe in a faire Evening hee began his Pilgrimage In the meane time some of those who had left him sicke going unto Paris not onely carried newes of his sickenesse but of the habit which Clarangeus had taken which brought forth no lesse astonishment than sorrow in the minds of their Friends Olinda herselfe witnessed some feeling of pity which shee had of poore Clarangeus and it was encreased by the griefe shee had for Lidians losse But this was nothing in respect of what Calista suffered for Lisanders sickenesse she being so much the more afflicted by how much shee durst not make it appeare although her brothers and her husbands absence had been colour enough for her to have justified her griefe Alcidon being advertised of these accidents which happened after the departure of his friends determined to goe see them and taking his leave of Argire took his journy towards Burgundy But finding Lisander gone and being no lesse glad to heare that hee was well recovered than sorrowfull because
being come seemed to assure Cleanders life and to convince his Hoste of a lye then did he accuse himselfe of weakenesse and blamed his overmuch credulity which had over lightly given such an alarum upon the uncertaine report of a shadow being ashamed that Verasco and Calista should bee witnesses of the feare which hee had and Calista gave thankes unto God for making vaine so evill a presage when the cursed Clarinda having brought Leon into the house by the garden gate whereof we have formerly spoken and having made him enter into Calista's chamber thinking that she would lye with Cleander as she had done since this last voyage It chanced for all their mischiefes that Calista wearied with her passed watchings and sick with the affliction of her precedent feare whereof she thought her selfe now free seeing the three dayes expired wherein her husbands life was threatned after she had born him company untill midnight together with Verasco would go unto her owne chamber to sleepe alone and with more quiet Clarinda who had carried her night-cloaths into Cleanders chamber hearing her say so carried them presently backe into her Mistresses from whence shee made Leon presently depart that he might not be surprized But he could not goe downe the staires because Verasco withdrawing himself into a chamber upon the side of Cleanders Calista going with him they stayed themselves betweene the two doores both which opened upon the staires with so much light of divers candles that hee could hardly hide himselfe there where he was neither durst he go higher for feare of making a noise and being desirous to escape at any hand hee no sooner heard her bid Verasco good night but he came down against the light which was going up into Calista's chamber with her selfe The Page who carried the candle frighted to see this man come hastily downe the staires unknown unto him with his sword in his hand and shee also cryed out Cleander who was at his chamber doore going in hearing his wife cry came suddenly out and was just in Leons way having nothing about him but his night Gowne yet he stept unto him and stayed him and so tooke hold of his sword that both the one and the other had stayed if Leon finding himselfe taken and not being able otherwise to get away had not stabbed him with his dagger which made him let goe his hold This wretch Leon having deadly wounded him and by this meanes got cleare of him was yet happy in this that he escaped by the way which hee entred saved himself without being followed or known because that every body ran presently to Cleander and the remedy which they did endevour to bring for his life saved his murderer together that this accident did so surprize them that hee was sooner gotten from Beauplaine than it could be imagined that hee was entred Cleander being carried to his bedde by Verascus and his servants which were run thither at the noise together with discomfited Calista who grew desperate at this mischance having alwaies the sword which hee had taken from this cursed hand which hurt him looking earnestly upon it knew that it was his friend Lisanders you have heard how Leon found it and having amended it in the same hilts wherein it was before wore it in Lisanders absence Cleander judging himself dead without knowing by whom or how not being able to comprehend that it was Lisander not knowing how his sword should come into any other mans hand was no lesse astonished to see it than at his owne death In the end finding that hee fainted having a greater feeling of Calista's sorrow than his own hee tooke her hand which he wrung and looking upon her with a firme countenance in comforting used these words Calista I suffered your teares these three last daies in which wee both feared what is now happened beleeving that they might have prevented this stroake and beene of use to prolong the time which I had to remaine with you but now being unprofitable I cannot suffer you vainely to afflict your selfe for mee who finde no other evill in death but my leaving you for beleeve the separation between my soule and body troubleth mee but little in comparison of that from you But knowing that I cannot possesse you but upon condition of parting from you that our life is so knit unto death that wee cannot enjoy one without the other I infinitely comfort and rejoice my selfe that God doth now grant which I have ever begged of him that I might not live to see thee dye To this favour he hath added so many more that I should dye in unexcusable ingratitude if I did not acknowledge how uncapable I am worthily to acknowledge them but there is no blessing which I have received wherein I account my self more happy or more satisfied than in the sweet life we have led together which I may well call a marriage without thornes I conjure you Calista by the desire which you ought to have to sweeten the anguish and paine of my death not to encrease it by your griefe but conforme your self to Gods will who hath done me this favour to advertise me of the time that I might have leisure to prepare my selfe In time you shall know from whence this stroake came for Gods justice will never leave it unpunished before men yet take special care that this sword do not deceive you for I had rather dye twice more than enter into any distrust of the true Master thereof whom I do entreat you to love above all persons next me as I did love him next unto you above all things in the world but good God said he how is it possible that it should come into the hands of this murderer with these last words he fainted and calling upon the name of Jesus he died even upon the breake of day at the same houre wherein the Spirit appeared with that discomfort unto Calista and such astonishment unto Verasco and all the servants that no humane discourse is able to expresse it Cleander thus dead and Calista extremely sicke and overwhelmed with insupportable griefe Verasco who was a grave wise man not being able to call again his life resolved to revenge his death and to find the spring from whence it came The dead man had no neerer kinsman than Berontus who was then absent wherefore Verasco was obliged to procure justice upon the crime first hee began to informe himselfe which way this man came into Beauplaine and hee found that it was by the garden gate whereof wee have spoken which of necessity must some of the house open for since the alarum when Cleander tooke Lisanders comming in the night for theeves hee had beene carefull to keepe it shut this evening it had so rained that the prints or markes of shooes did plainly appeare in the alleyes where was manifestly seene that there were two prints of different bignesse from whence hee collected that one had opened the
A TRAGI-COMICALL HISTORY OF OUR TIMES VNDER THE BORROWED Names OF LISANDER AND CALISTA LONDON Printed by R.Y. for G. Lathum at the Bishops head in Paules Church-yard Anno Domini â—635 TO THE VERTUOUS AND NOBLY DISPOSED Gentlewomen Mistris FRANCIS FORTESCU wife unto Ma. JOHN FORTESCU And Mistris ELIZABETH DUNCOMB wife unto Master WILLIAM DUNCOMB of Badlesden My most Honoured THis French Knight and his Lady being importuned contrary to their designe and the fashion of this time which is almost all French to appeare to publick view in this their English habite and knowing how subject strangers are to malignant humours a disposition growne so common that like a contagious disease it hath infected almost the whole world they have made humbly bold to expose themselves abroad under your auspicious and candide names hoping they may be more free from censure and more boldly tell their Loves their Feares their Dangers their Imprisonments their Jealousies and their Joyes They have in their native country served under the protection of a great King where the gentlenesse of their spirits had a generall approbation and now their hope let it not be accounted presumption is that you according to your accustomed noble goodnesse will not refuse it unto them here where they are poore strangers at the least that they may resting by you await your leisure when by their conversation they may endevour to rob away tediousnesse though but from one houre to which the greatest mortals are at sometime subject This is their highest ambition and my only end not capable of greater expression is to witnesse my affection to your services from intending whereof onely death shalâ— divide Your most humble and most devoted servant W.D. A TRAGI-COMICALL HISTORY OF these Times THE FIRST BOOKE UNder the reigne of our great HENRY the valorous father of our invincible Monarch there lived in France a young Lord whose Heroick Noblenesse was more recommended through the glory of his Vertue than by the antiquity of his Race Hee was called Cleander rich both in the goods of Fortune and Nature being no lesse beloved for his Beauty than feared for his Valour If hee were valiant hee was also more wise and if hee were wise hee was also more happy But his chiefest happinesse was in his marriage for in his first youth his merits had gained him a wife one of the fairest that France ever brought forth The East had never so many Pearles as shee had Beauties and the morning did blush to behold any thing fairer she was called Calista neither was there any thing wanting but an apt name to expresse her perfections With this woman did Cleander passe the sweetest life that ever fell into mans imagination enjoying a happinesse which cannot bee comprehended but by mindes capable of the glory of such thoughts The Sunne did never looke upon the earth but he beheld these two Lovers embracing Neither did night ever kindle so many fires in Heaven as they felt within their soules Their desires were not like unto those which were drowned in their pleasures but contrariwise their loves were sharpned by enjoying for the more they did possesse that which they did desire the more they did desire that which they did possesse But darke night followed this bright day and this cleerenesse was clouded yea even whilst Cleander made the earth envious and the heavens jealous of the favours hee received from his Mistresse There was another Knight called Lisander who in courtesie and valour gave place to none of his yeares who had beheld Calista's excellent beautie with the lightning whereof hee was so amazed that hee cleane lost the remembrance of himselfe Hee was now no more that Lisander whose free and warlike mind was wont to apprehend no disturbance but ambition for in stead of breathing forth an honourable desire of glory hee was so possest with the Idea of this perfection that it was not possible for him to receive any other thought nay hardly could hee finde a place in all his minde for himselfe This new guest thus lodged in Lisanders heart counselled him to see his Lady Now this Knight was a most absolute Gentleman and a most acceptable companion especially among Ladies of a sweet and courteous conversation full of attraction and recommended with so many excellent parts as well of body as of minde that it seemed Love had stollen into this man of purpose if it were possible to ruine Calista's chastity for there was appearance that if shee could love any thing it must needs be him who loved nothing but her and that if she had not a heart of stone shee must needs be apprehensive of his torment But for as much as hee could not well acquaint himselfe with this woman without accosting the husband he first sought Cleanders friendship who held it for an honour and prevented his suit recompencing Lisanders feigned with true affection He seldome spake but of him nor ever made any good relation if Lisander were not the subject thereof Calista her selfe who saw not but by her husbands eyes nor judged but by his knowledge could not choose but honour that which shee saw Cleander loved she being otherwise by Lisander adored with so much respect that she should have wanted humanity if shee had been with out discerning thereof Behold here a faire beginning for our Lover but this is nothing without perseverance His care was now to make knowne unto her the great passion which hee suffered for her and to let her know it in such a fashion that Cleander might not perceive it Hee was cleare sighted like a Linx and although he were not jealous yet he was a husband and unto a wife whose admirable beauty did deserve to be preserved If he once did discerne of this love all was lost there could be no more friendship nor acquaintance and otherwise to resolve to dye in a silent griefe so neere unto his remedy hiding his death from her who was the cause thereof hee could never consent thereto And indeed it is better never to see that which one loveth than seeing it not to dare to expresse ones love for the object stirreth up the desire Neither is there any evill in the world like unto the presence of a forbidden good Which the Poets the better to expresse did not represent Tantalus his thirst in a Desert void of waters but in the middle of waters not being able to drinke To prevent then the husbands distrust and to keepe suspicion from entring into his minde hee ruled his actions his words and his lookes in such sort that in his sight hee never came neere unto the wife hee never spake unto her nor ever looked upon her but as upon a thing indifferent neither â—oo free nor too reserved fearing lest if hee were too much composed or not enough hee might discover his designe in the guiding thereof He held therefore a meane betweene both with that dexterity that there was no gesture nor motion of his
embracing your passion we may in some measure requite and I in particular so many inestimable good turnes wherewith you have obliged mee Lisander seeing himselfe set upon on all sides and by Calista her selfe who could not better witnesse the great confidence which she had in his discretion answered her thus Madam although I doe not name my Mistresse unto you it is no argument of my presumption neither if I doe name her is it out of any hope of any bodies favour but hers onely because as I am not so vaine to presume that I can merit her so can I not beleeve that all the prayers in the world can prevaile with her beyond her duty Now there is so great disproportion betweene her merits and my wants that there is nothing more contrarie to her duty than loving of mee neverthelesse Madam I value your favour so highly your contentment is so deare unto me and I have sworne so much obedience that although I have promised never to name her yet there is no body living unto whom I would more willingly name her than unto your selfe upon condition you will also promise me never to speake of it untill shee permits the publishing thereof I had rather never know it than bee tyed to this condition answered Calista but seeing you will not content our curiosity this way satisfie me another way we will quit you for a Song provided that you will sing it to the Lute I doe conjure you said shee by her love and in favour of all this faire company who entreat you Now she knew that Lisander played excellent well upon the Lute and that having an excellent voice did accord it with so much art that there was no sweetnesse in the world comparable unto it nor no heart so hard that could avoid being charmed therewith yet he would have been excused though not like unto Musitians who will never sing when they are entreated nor hold their peace when they are bidden seeing himselfe conjured by the thing in the world which hee held most deare he said Madam you demand such poore small courtesies whereas the greatest are due that although I am the most unable that can be to content you yet had I rather erre in obedience than excuse my selfe by reason So receiving the Lute from Calista he began to touch it so sweetly that all those who walked in the Hall came about him but when hee added his voice it brought so great a silence that the mindes of all the hearers ravished with this wonderfull harmony seemed to bee deprived of all motion in the body Every one admired at the incomparable perfections of this Knight every body had their eyes fixed upon the beauty of his face and their eares chained unto the sweetnesse of his tongue Now was remembred the grace which did accompany him in his ordinary conversation with his friends and his invincible courage which drew him victorious from the danger of his enemies and wherewith he finished so many brave deeds of armes in his youth He sung verses which he had made when he was in Reyne Berke then when he being assailed within and without and being to defend himselfe from love and his enemies hee who gave life unto others could not have it for himselfe and complaining of Calista's cruelty under the name of Hipolita said Hipolita faire if in the end I for your sake must yeeld my breath I never could my choice amend In finding out a sweeter death But yet alas what cruelty Procureth you to make me dye Onely in loving till this time To serve you was mine enterprise And if to love you be a vice Then to be lovely is a crime Lisanders last words pronounced with the grace of his singing and mingled with some teares let them know that he was truely amorous and touched the heart not alone of the Ladies but also of the Knights so deepely that compassion sprung up in stead of envie Calista her selfe was moved unto so great pity that shee repented of her intreating him to sing Thus all the company being raised into admiration and their memories filled with this object lost themselves in this pleasure Being now night there came a Page into the Hall who asking to speak with Lisander was ledde unto the place where hee was environed with the Ladies there the Page said aloud unto him Sir there is at the doore a Lady who hearing of your safe arrivall home sendeth you a good-night by mee which she had rather give you her selfe if you would bee pleased to take the paines to goe downe into the street Lisander as the courteousest Knight living had not the leisure to aske the Page what Lady it was desiring rather to see her than to lose time in informing himselfe so much hee feared to make her attend wherefore rising up from among the Ladies with great reverence unto them he followed the Page leaving Calista with a new suspition that this was some new Mistresse who had part in that which shee thought shee wholly possessed In the meane time Lisander going out of the Hall found foure men armed at the doore two of whom presently clapped the doore after him and the other two instantly catching fast hold about his middle stabbed him into the body with their Poniards Lisander finding himselfe wounded and not being able to draw his sword held them very hard with his armes and with his nimble strength wherein he if any man excelled lifted them both up from the ground and being upon the toppe of the staires he missing his footing they all three fell downe the staires together The two who had shut the hall doore came running downe the staires after him and there finding Lisander grasped betweene the other two and wallowing all together in his blood thrust him twice thorow the body before hee could draw his sword The noise which was made as well in shutting the doore as in falling downe the staires together with the clamours of a Page who cryed out that they murdered his Master gave an alarum unto all the house Some cryed out to have the street doore shut others began to breake open the hall doore Alcidon Lidian Clarangeus and Berontus with their swords in their hands leapt out of the windowes of the hall which looked into the Court and having found the foure murtherers who endeavoured to get away having as they thought dispatched Lisander there began betweene them a bloudy combate for besides that they were valiant men the necessity wherein they were and despairing to save their lives otherwise than by their swords enforced them to a greater resolution together that being armed to the very throats against men who had onely their swords they were with lesse feare and bare themselves more hazzardously than otherwise they would have done Neverthelesse the courage and the nimblenesse of the others was so great and the fury wherein they were through Lisanders death which they did account certaine that notwithstanding all advantages
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
gate for the other Verasco perceiving this caused all the servants of the house to come into that alley whose feet hee measuring with the prints which were made in the sand there was none found any way agreeing but onely Clarinda's whose shooe did perfectly fit the lesser print which served as a great proofe at the least for a violent suspicion against her who otherwise accused and convinced by her owne conscience did not deny the fact But alas it had beene much better that she had disavowed this truth than to have added so execrable and notorious a lye For it is very true shee said it was I who opened the gate notwithstanding it was by my Mistresses command Verasco not willing to proceed further in examination of a cause so criminall made Clarinda fast and sent for the Justice strictly forbidding every body to speake of it unto Calista who was so plunged in sorrow and drowned in griefe that her sickenesse moved no lesse pity than Cleanders death The Judges who for the most part are like Surgeons seeking for nothing more than for wounds and swellings quickly came unto the place visited the body and examined Clarinda who persevering in what shee had formerly said added that Lisander was the man who had killed her Master as might easily bee seene by the sword which hee had left that she had let him into the house by Calista's command as formerly shee had done although to her extreme sorrow which she no longer able to beare had discovered to Berontus whom she called to witnesse these words Calista being upon this accusation heard for the fulnesse of her misfortune saw her selfe accused of her husbands death by her who was the cause thereof and for her last calamitie that shee might the more lightly passe this troublesome passage was carried unto prison in the little Castle in this proud City of Paris where in former times shee had beene often seene in so much pomp and glory The End of the sixth Booke A TRAGI-COMICALL HISTORY OF these Times THE SEVENTH BOOKE CALISTA being thus in prison the very centre of misery and a sepulchre unto those who live therein must not be forgotten nor suffered to lye long there yet her comming forth cannot bee so soone for innocency doth not easily appeare in darke dungeons neither is the getting out of prison so easie as the entrance thereinto Clarinda was also placed in another chamber and in her stead there was a strange woman appointed to waite upon Calista whom she had never before seene in appearance to serve her but in truth to observe her words and espy her actions As for Verascus hee remained at Beauplaine unto which place having sent for Berontus and there celebrated Cleanders funerall and setled his houshold he afterward went unto Paris to become Calista's adversary who being brought into this pitifull estate began first to teare her haire and to doe mischiefe against her selfe after having remained in silence a long time without speaking one word as one whose griefe tooke away her sense at the length her present mischiefe bringing unto her minde her former fortune brought teares into her eies and these words into her mouth stirring pity in that place where it never had beene O Calista where art thou what are become of all thy pleasant dayes unto what is all thy glory and vanity reduced O Cleander my onely joy and comfort was it not affliction enough to lose thee without being accused for thy losse Ah Lisander the services which you have done mee heretofore are now dearly sold unto me and I pay those honest acknowledgements of your love with a high price O Lisander why doest not thou know of my imprisonment And you my Judges why doe you not know mine innocency And thou Clarinda why dost thou accuse mee In the middest of these complaints much more grievous than I can expresse nothing comforted her but the hope of death which was preparing for her which shee would have much more desired than her liberty if she could have received it without incurring infamy for the crime whereof she was accused But not to be long upon so grievous a subject I will briefly say that Berontus being come from Burgundy and being no lesse astonished than sorry for those accidents since his departure was heard by the Provost and confronted with Clarinda unto whose former speeches his being conformable it seemed that Calista was sufficiently attainted and convicted of her husbands death so that her processe was in the worlds opinion judged both to the losse of her life and honour I must not forget the griefe which this misfortune brought unto Olinda Alcidon Argire who were then at Paris the sorrow which Ambrisia had who was in Burgundy and that which was suffered by Lidian and his Parents in Normandy when they knew of it Argire and Olinda imployed all their friends to speake with Calista but were not able to obtaine it All the world wondred that Lisander had so fouled the glory of so many brave deeds by so dishonourable an act There was none but Cloridons friends who beleeving that hee was cowardly murdered rejoiced that hee had committed this last base act as a proofe of the former Lisander was then at Brusels farre from thinking upon such an act where a faithfull Poste whom Alcidon had sent let him understand the newes of this deplorable disaster When he heard of Cleanders death he uttered great sorrow as for a person whom next unto Calista he truely loved above all creatures but when he knew that the common beliefe was that he had killed him with his wifes privity who was for that cause a prisoner and upon the point of her punishment he was strooke with silence the newes taking from him both his feeling and all his senses like a great stroake which is not felt at the instant but some time after it is received When he had gathered his spirits unto him which were wandred away with the violence of the first motion and that griefe had given place unto his words O God what did he not say his griefe cannot be represented but by that of Calista for never two soules were so equally wounded with one stroak and their wounds unlike unto all others had nothing to paralell either the others but themselves yet being a man and having his liberty he did resolve to lose it together with his life or else to assure Calista's Now if hee durst appeare he had done his Lady a great service for his flight was one maine argument against her and his presence would have much served for their justification But Cloridons murder being fresh and his blood almost warme representing it selfe every day to the Kings memory who would never grant him his pardon he thought that his presence in stead of satisfying things would exasperate them and that unprofitably he should carry his head to bee lost at Paris without saving Calista's but what cannot love doe in a gentle heart hee
of this light whereof thou hast deprived the best Knight in the world what doest thou in this solitary corner where as a Prometheus tyed to this rock thy bowels renewing are continually devoured with the eternall repentance of this offence thinkest thou that this great sea can wash away thy crime or this secret place hide thee from thy selfe O Love thou art a Traitor and a Murtherer hiding under such sweet apparances such bloody and mortall effects Poore Cleander now reduced unto ashes by thy deadly flame nay rather by thy impudent flaming desire Infamous Clarinde who hast brought me into this extreamity for thy fault cursed bee thy memory if it yet remaine amongst men and cursed be thy Ghost if it bee gone into Hell Let thy body be without buriall thy spirit without rest and thy name without honour for ever to remaine scandalous and opprobrious unto all the world By these words Lisander knew that hee who lamented was Leon whom sorrow for having killed Cleander and feare of punishment had shut up in these rockes O what vowes did hee make unto Neptune for running this fortune how many times did he thank the winds and the waves for this happy encounter Well Leon said he stepping unto him resolve your selfe to goe to Paris with us or else here â—o leave your life in satisfaction of that which you have wickedly taken from poore Cleander Leon knowing him both by his voice and by his face and seeing his sword shining in his hand and over his head now no lesse troubled with the apprehension of death than even now weary of living answered thus It is true that I have killed Cleander not maliciously nor out of designe but onely to save my life with the honour of a person whom then I loved and who was more deere unto me than my owne life which you cannot thinke strange if ever you have loved The repentance and sorrow which I suffer will I hope something excuse the offence for which I would not refuse death if my life might not serve to justifie two persons of whom I beleeve you are one without which respect I had rather leave it here than carry it to Paris to lose it upon a scaffold but I consider that there is another in which wee must give an account for this wherefore I should bee sorry to bury with mee Calista's reputation and yours whose innocency is so troubled that it cannot cleerly appeare but in the confession of my fault Your reasons are good answered Lisander but your considerations are a little too slow and would have beene unprofitable if stay had been made untill you had executed them But better late than never and although I doe not helpe you to obtaine your pardon for the death of so deare a friend as you have killed yet I will not hurt you and it may be the King according to his accustomed clemency and goodness considering that it was love and necessity of saving your life which made you deprive him of his will rather use mercy than justice After some other discourse which they had together Lisander without entring farther into the Ile so great was his desire to be at Paris made him enter with him into the ship and the winde being faire and the sea calme they made their course along the Coast of Normandy untill they came unto New Haven from whence going without any accident unto Roane hee was constrained to stay there to buy horses and armes the richest that he had ever yet worne and to witnesse that he had rather dye in the sight of his Lady than suffer any longer the torment of his absence hee bare for his device an Argent Eagle with wings spread and halfe burned under a Sun of gold upon which he firmly looked with this word Purche godon gli occhi ardan le pinne Whilest he busied himselfe about this the Porter who as wee have said was gone from Paris to seeke him after the combate betweene Hippolita and Lucidan and going from city to city was come from Paris to Roane beleeving that in regard of the frequent arrivall of strangers which the sea brings thither he might there heare newes of him and passed by chance through the same street where Lisander was about his armes who perceiving him called him by his name Never man in this world was so content as hee was but if he were joyfull to have found him the other was as sad when the story of his Mistres was told him as you have heard and the letter given him which said thus Calista's Letter unto Lisander THis Letter serves not to bewaile but to rejoice with you for the marriage which is said that you contract If you had advertised mee and that my presence had not troubled your contentment I should have desired to have beene at the feast at least to have served as a foyle unto the lustre of that beauty you sue unto But seeing I cannot be there without troubling your peace and without making your face blush I will onely endevour to learne the colour of your livery that I may weare it in your absence and thereby witnesse unto you that although I have not tyes enow to hold you I have resolution enough to let you goe and more patience in your losse than I had contentment in possessing you Doe not looke that I should here accuse you of infidelity for herein you doe mee the most pleasing service that is possible for you and for which I am rather to thanke you than complaine neither have you deceived mee for the words which you have said proceeding but from an unconstant heart make me sufficiently judge that your actions must needs partake of the same lightnesse But you have deceived your selfe in thinking to finde in mee any thing more lovely or more easie to conquer than you have done I am glad that at the last you know your selfe for although your malice hath not beene able to prevaile over my goodnesse yet the oaths wherewith you have accompanied your words the easier to make them sinke into my beliefe have had so great effect that they raise a griefe in mee to see you sigh forth a passion whereof you cannot bee healed but by inconstancy which justifieth to me your infidelity and not onely maketh me approve thereof but also to thanke you for wiping away by this change of yours the sorrow which I conceived by seeing you suffer for my sake a remedilesse evill I also give thankes unto her who is the cause thereof seeing that labouring my minde as I did to free yours I must needâ— be obliged unto her who hath eased mee of that paine Other jealousie I have none for I shall be alwaies glad to yeeld that unto her which I should be sorry to gaine from her And besides her merit which by your election I must needs acknowledge she hath beene sooner and better beloved of you than I am and in my opinion doth love you better than I doe
either one or the other of them two would compell her as Ladies would faine be forced in those occasions and doe never yeeld but with some shew of constraint answered in this manner Sir it is a complaint which I renew every day in my soule and one of the greatest evils wherewith my minde is afflicted that ever I should be the cause of sorrow unto my parents But that which comforteth me Sir is the assurance which I have in my heart that your Majesty and they themselves doe cleerly see that it is rather my evill fortune than my fault And as unto the disobedience whereof they complaine I have yeelded it as fully as ever any daughter in this world did excepting onely in one point from which the condition of my widowhood a thousand other reasons which I cannot speak of do dispense me And Sir though there were no other reason but my will having once submitted me unto theirs they shall force me to submit if I do again in so unreasonable a matter Calista said this beleeving that the King would have more respect unto Adrastus his request and unto Dorilas than unto any reasons which she should bring but she was deceived and did quickely repent her of this last folly for the King wisely judging that nothing in the world ought to bee freer than marriage nor that any thing was so contrary unto the liberty thereof as violence dismissed the two fathers from the power which in this case they demanded over their children Calista because she had beene once married at her fathers will Lisander because he was not bound to obey his in a matter impossible exhorting neverthelesse to obey him in any other thing This sentence being pronounced by such a King Calista was disappointed the parents confounded and Lisander desparate who casting himselfe at his Ladies feete with teares in his eyes spake in this manner I see that after so many labours and hazzards for a reward of my fidelity which is beyond that of all lovers I must finde ingratitude in a heart which hath alwaies promised me never to be capable thereof and that for having adored you I suffer such usage as I should have deserved if I had done the contrary I will not dispute with you whether it be with justice for that were to seeke reason in love and your will holding in mee the place of reason and law doth binde me to beleeve against my proper feeling that what you doe is just but if you do not thinke that the services which I have done are injuries I doe most humbly entreat you Madam to tell mee here in this most illustrious company what offence I have committed and let not my condition be worse than that of criminall persons unto whom the cause of their punishment is at the least told before they suffer any And if I doe repent my services here it is not to reproach you but to shew that in serving you I have not beene so unhappy as to offend you You may thinke what you please but I must needes thinke that you might better have acknowledged them than I could better have addressed them and God forbid Madam that ever I should complaine the time which I have lost in your service since it hath bin emploied according unto my intention which was to honour you It is true Madam that herein I have done but my duty yet I do not know that I have committed any fault and it is no small matter to pay all that one owes especially unto one unto whom all is owing neverthelesse since together with the eternall affections which you have so solemnely promised I must lose the greatest happines that ever I hoped for in this world I will leave with you if you please this remembrance of youâ— Lisander that he is not sorry he hath suffered so much and is glad he hath not deserved this suffering Live therefore satisfied and contented with my misfortune and beleeve it shall be a comfort unto mee in all my miseries to heare that they doe bring you contentment I only ask your permission to endure them and to honour you at the least in holding my peace and in hiding in the secret of my heart that which you cannot take away but in appearance To conclude Madam I will not complaine of you but of my fortune which maketh your pitty dumbe and changeth your nature without changing my affection thereby shewing that it is not subject unto the change of her wheele And I should think my selfe unthankfull if in this my complaint I did not give her thankes that by my destiny being reserved unto such cruell mischiefes she hath ordained that they should come from your hand Madam whose cruelty I have loved more than my life and whose despising I doe honour in the pangs of death doe me this last office and beare this pitifull testimony of your Knight That he had lived longer if he had beene lesse faithfull This his long speech ended with their Majesties incredible patience who were pleased to heare him and no lesse disquiet in Lisanders friends who feared he would never get out to his advantage It was a pleasant spectacle to see them in one instant to shed teares for joy Lisander for love and Calista out of pity upon whose answer depended the misery or happinesse of their lives who having consulted some time with her selfe her heart inflamed with love her face with shame in the end answered in this manner It is true most deare Lisander that I have promised you never to be capable of ingratitude and if I have beene so untill this time in regard of the cause which you have given me I will not be so now you having taken the cause away Wherfore pardon me the evils which you have suffered seeing that I my selfe first felt them and in respect they will serve to be so many witnesses of your fidelity will make the injoying which we shall have one of the other so much the sweeter by how much we have indured the more And seeing their Majesties do suffer me my parents command me your services do oblige me I do confirme in this most excellent presence and assembly the oath which particularly I have made unto you that I will be onely yours In saying this Calista gave him her hand which he most amorously kissed blessing the evils which hee had suffered for so great a good And the contentment of these two lovers not being able to bee contained in themselves spread through all the company renewing imbracings with joy which was then pure without any mixture of sorrow or feare if this word Joy be not too weake a word to expresse the feelings which cannot be spoken hardly comprehended Who can tell the divers motions of so many persons who had a part in this common rejoycing Verascus his astonishment Berontus his admiration as also of Hippolita and Lucidan who can speake of the infinite pleasure of Alcidon and Lidian of Olinda and Argire of Ambrisia and Otranta and the unspeakable pleasure of Dorilas and Adrastus These two latter having long embraced Lisander Calista snatching them one from another and imbracing them between them with teares as those who after a dangerous storme having escaped shipwracke doe meet upon the dry land in uncredible joy To increase which Lisander knowing the love which Lucidan bore unto Hippolita most humbly entreated the King to marry them together and after turning to Adrastus made the like request unto him in favour of Berontus and Ambrisia Then looking unto Argire and Alcidon Lidian and Olinda he entreated them that as they had suffered great griefe and sorrow with him so they would honour him so much as to let one day give an end unto all their troubles and one day by marriage a beginning unto their joyes By this meanes the Marriages were resolved to bee in one day finished between Alcidon and Argire Lidian and Olinda of Lucidan and Hippolita of Berontus and Ambrisia and of brave Lisander and Calista who humbly taking leave of their Majesties retired all together to Dorilas and Adrastus who as we have said had but one house where after a magnifick supper they gave themselves unto their rests expecting the next morning with longing which being come all of them most richly apparelled especially Calista who having ever since Cleanders death neglected her attire now richly beset with jewels and with that rich collar which Lisander had conquered in great Britaine drew all the eyes of the beholders upon her with admiration They were solemnly married in the Chappell of Burpon where I will leave them returning home with wishes of the people that they might long and peaceably after so many alarums and stormes enjoy the deare delights and sweetest pleasures of this life FINIS