service when you were tri'd Woman said I with an angry tone tell me not of doing her service in so unlawful an action I know it would be the greatest disservice I could do her to blemish her honour eternallie by illicit actions the very thoughts thereof are to me more cruel than death would there were but any occasion offer'd to do her service wherein her nor my honour might be contaminated you should see how willinglie I would embrace a death in the performance I honour Clotuthe and I honour her so much that I will first lose my own life before I will defile hers or I will banish my self this place seeing I have made others criminal After these words I walked a turn or two in a very confused posture and then stopping suddenlie with an action not to be expressed I cannot believe said I looking again on the letter that Clotuthe can be guiltie of this letter the virtuous Clotuthe could never do it this is some plot of my enemies to beguile innocent Euripedes but O my enemies you shall never intrap him in such illicit actions The woman seeing me so transported had not the confidence to interrupt me but hearing me go on in this she at last fell into a thousand protestations adding innumerable oaths calling all the gods to witnesse that it was no design of my enemies and that it was onely Clotuthe who waited but her return to receive her death therefore she desired me to take pity on her and remember how careful she had been of me and that I should not cause the death of the fair and amiable Clotuthe by standing upon a foolish point of honour I was so moved that I heard not many other words that she said Ah would the gods at last cry'd I out had verified my hopes and have given me no cause to complain against Clotuthe by letting it have been a plot of my enemies with how much less trouble could I have bore it and with what shame should I have confounded my enemies Think not by your perswasions said I turning to the woman nor by your implorations to gain me to that which must be a spot of infamy to us both eternallie Have I received so much kindness so much honour so much love from Lilibilis and shall I abuse it with so great deceit so much vileness and so great an abuse as to defile his bed the gods certainly would dart thunders upon my head and the great God of Hospitalitie would Eternally plague me should I be guiltie of such a thought O Clotuth would instead of preserving it you had abandon'd this life to ruin then had I never been guilty of hearing this proposal nor it may be you altogether so criminous O Lilibilis how well indeed should I requite your favours by doing you the greatest of injuries To defile Clotuthe and dishonour my self for ever No no cease to urge me to so great a crime That impudent woman replied thus Sir I did not think you would have been lesse generous in this action for Clotuthe than you have been in all things else if you consider her love and life they will bear down those weak reasons you alledge For what dishonour or infamie can it be to love her whose love is so unparallelable and when none in the world else can discover it and when you receive an affection that any in the world besides your self would account a happinesse to be envied of the Gods themselves That reason of Honour is nothing it being but an outside and can receive no distain but in the eyes of others which cannot be procured by this being unknown Besides in my mind that is the greatest honour whereby we receive proofs of it from others to the advantage of our selves which you do in this the other being but imaginarie this real though secret But if she is willing to forgoe that point for you why should you be so scrupulous as not to do so much for her seeing she lives not but by being yours why then should you refuse to be hers Nevertheless if her love cannot move you let the consideration of her death cause you to pity her if I grant you that it is a crime which can hardly be thought so seeing the Gods themselves have authoriz'd it by their own actions think whether it be not a greater crime to cause her death by so much rigor than to preserve her life with so much ease and pleasure to your self Fear not that the Gods will punish that which themselves are examples of no they are too just to do so and as for Lilibilis it would be far greater indignitie to destroy Clotuthe for all his favours than to save her life with no wrong to him especially being unknown Consider I beseech you her death is inevitable and if you refuse her her shame will not let her live Oh be not so hard-hearted if you cannot do it with complacencie force your self to save a life which else will be lai'd to your charge I admire how I heard her so long but she had proceeded farther if I had not put an end to her speeches my choler being rais'd to the height Woman said I my face shewing my resentment wert thou not of that sex which would be a dishonour to me to hurt I would cruelly chastise thee for these speeches I know Clotuthe never gave you so large a Commission to treat as you do her Letter though it be criminal is not so inverecund I believe she her self would punish thee if she knew it and be ashamed of what thou hast spoken in her behalf being thou belongest to her whom I truly honour I force my self to forget what you have said that you may not appear before me as a Monster Tell Clotuthe that it is impossible for me to be ingratefull but I cannot satisfie her no other wayes than by laying my life at her feet if she looks for other satisfaction I have none however I will be so carefull of her Reputation that even my self will forget that ever I received such a Letter from her that she may not appear criminal in my thoughts Tell her I would come to visit her but that I doubt my Companie would be but a disturbance and suscitate those motions which I desire my absence may banish and make her incur danger of discovering to others what her prudence hitherto hath hid and which rather than it should be known my life should expire at her feet With these words I left the Woman and entring a Closet in the Chamber I gave her leave to depart There I call'd to my remembrance Clotuthe's former kindnesses her speeches and past actions and with what fervency and care she performed many things for me I could then perceive there was a passion in all she did and her ambiguous speeches were now manifested and in fine I wondred that I could not perceive it all that while being openly enough exhibited but I was so far from thinking
altered the face of the battel but it was not long without another vicissitude for their second body coming upon us with so impituous a shock that it overwhelmed the most valliantest and made the most cowardliest turn their backs Our Souldiers were not of the choisest but compos'd of all sorts that could be pickt up in that necessity and of those who being forc't had not the heart to withstand the Romans and these fresh-water-souldiers hardly withstood the first brunt before they fled and left the resolutest finding their deaths in the midst of their Enemies for hardly one of them escap'd that remained to me of the first battel for being resolved to die or conquer they nobly yielded their lives according to their determination and had the whole body been compos'd of such men we needed not to have had the least doubt of the Victorie For my part though my actions are not worth the relating yet I gave them no example to slye and seeing Etruscis slain by my side I rushed into the very midst of the Romans and in spight of all opposition I decollated his murtherer amidst the points of a hundred Swords but turning my head and seeing the shame Fortune had prepared for me by the losse of this Victory I was so suriously transported that nothing besides that command of Amenia's could have deterr'd me from running to have receiv'd my death from the Swords of my Enemies and as often as I went about to effect it that strict observance to which I had ty'd my self to all her commands hindred the prosecution and made me seek to save my life only for fear of disobeying her this made me after having sacrificed many to my resentments to clear my self a passage with my sword and to escape to the adjoyning woods with nine or ten that fought near my person after I had seen my men dispersed and my self with those few that accompanied me left alone fighting among the Romans This Victory was so absolute that the Romans slew most of them that fled and so dispersed the rest that they could never unite more I retired to the Woods with nine or ten Horsmen and from thence I went to the next Mountaines where we found a very safe retreat I did not fight so slightly in that battel but that I receiv'd four or five deep wounds which much anoy'd me after my riding These made me to keep my bed almost a month before I was permitted to leave it but in all that time I endured most heavy Agonies by the remembrance in what condition that part of the Province was and how likely Amenia was to suffer by the Romans I would in the midst of these thoughts often attempt for all the pain that I self from my wounds to leave my bed and to go help Amenia but I was still deterr'd by those attended me almost by force I sent some of those that were with me to enquire after the actions of the Romans and causing them to disguise themselves I charg'd them to enter Asturica and to acquaint Clotuthe and Amenia in what condition I was in and how insuccessfull my endeavours had been to their preservation I would have wrot to Amenia but I was so debilitated that I was not able but dismissing them I awaited their return with much impatiencie Some dayes after they returned bringing me newes that had almost broke my heart they told me that being disguised they entred Asturica with much facilitie being full of Romon Souldiers for assoon as Lancia was taken they approached Asturica and those who were left to guard it considering their own weaknesse and the advantage the Romans had over them abandoned it quite and sav'd themselves by flight so that the Romans found no resistance but committing all manner of villanies had turn'd that gallant City into nothing but confusion In that confusion they made a dilligent search after them I sent them to but they could not hear any thing what was become of them they were about to return when one of them who knew that Woman who was only the depositary of Clotuthe's love to me met her by chance making themselves known to her they told her the Commission they had from me and that they desired the favour to speak with Clotuthe and Amenia They certified me that this Woman seem'd very joyfull at their message and that I was alive she bid them to follow her and they should obtain their desires she conducted them to a strong Tower at the further end of the Pallace where was a great guard of Roman souldiers she left them without for some time and then returning with the Captain of the Guard she conducted them to Clotuthe whom they found in teares for those considerable losses she had sustain'd and though she seem'd a prisoner by the Guard yet within she seem'd to have all manner of liberty given her The Captain having withdrawn himself they did their message to Clotuthe and then enquiring after Amenia they told her I had commanded them to bring me a certain and true account in what condition they were in Clotuthe after having stood mute a pretty while Return to your Master said she and tell him in what condition you find me I am a prisoner but it is to preserve me from the outrages of the souldiers who else would not have any respect to my sex nor my birth Tell him that he may visit me safely and without fear and that I desire to see him to communicate something to him of importancie as for Amenia proceeded she Atropos some few dayes since hath cut the thred of her life and when he comes I may give him a fuller narration of it Assoon as I had heard these words I gave a sudden cry and not hearing what else they said life had almost forsaken me in that mortal apprehenston of Amenia's death And is Amenia dead then cryed I after I was come to my self and is Amenia dead and doth Euripedes live In this agonie I would have pull'd off the plaisters from my wounds that my life might have breath'd forth at those chinks but I was deterr'd that and all other meanes whereby I might effect my own precipitation by the diligence of those who looked to me Neverthelesse I gave my self over to thoughts and apprehensions that tormented me and gave me a hundred deaths in a day and were more cruell than one death I neglected the counsel of those that were carefull of my wounds who recommended silence and rest to me for continually I vented forth my grief with thousands of exclamations till I had so debillitated my self that I was not able to speak more and for rest I permitted not my eyes to close themselves for three nights together after this fatal newes which made the messengers thereof repent that ever they had obâ—yed me They all represented to me that death would inevitably follow if I persisted in my violences and I that must perish unlesse I gave my self to
suddenly after the interment however I resolved to follow him and perpetrate my design though in the armes of his beloved With this resolution without discovering my selfe I left Lixus and at last arrived at Tingis Some few dayes I awaited an opportunity to meet with him which at last was given me as happily as I could wish for walking in a little grove hard by the pallace it being almost evening I saw him come forth of a back dore of the pallace garden only with one squire He descended into the grove and musing with himselfe gave me liberty to come very near him before he espied me when I was come up to him my resentments stimulating me to a revenge Traitor said I laying my hand upon my sword at this very instant thou must give satisfaction with thy blood and life for two murthers committed by thee that of thy father and that of thy wife Marcipsius was startled at this sudden encounter steping back and being nothing daunted drew his sword I am lougth reply'd he to take away your life for your temerity but you ought before you encounter any with your tongue to observe them well with your eyes and not let your rashnesse induce you into errors that would with one lesse mercifull than my self before this time have cost you your life No Monster reply'd I am not deceiv'd 't is you that are deceived in thinking so I see you know me not but know I know you to be the most perfidious and patricidicall Marcipsius to be the ravisher and vitiator of divine Atalanta who suffered the stroke of death in bringing into the world the infant form'd of thy most lustfull seed it is to her Ghost that the expiation of thy life in the first place must give satisfaction and in the next place to thy empoysoned father who through thy venefication scelerous wretch hath ended his dayes and this must be by the hand of Lonoxia who hath liv'd hitherto but to give satisfaction to their Umbrae by immolation of thy life He was much amazed in seeing me and seeing me ready to sacrifice his life with the sword of vengance he saw there was no time to delay defending himself for I assaulted him with a free violence His fury and despair assembled in him an unwonted force and had I not with the like agility evaded his first thrust he had stocadoed me and given a period to my Life and fury our duel lasted some time till at length he fell having a thrust through his right arme and another through his body so that I thought him dead and leaving him I departed that night in a vessel for Spain As we were passing the narrow frete that divides Spain from Affrica we were set upon by a vessell of resolute pyrates we were but few in number to them and they thought it a folly to gain death by a resistance but I that sought ardently for that megre champion since I had obey'd the commands of Atalanta resolved to loose it desperately amongst them and at the last extinguishing of my taper to give the greatest blase of my valour Assoon as they had boarded us I alone resisted them and leaping amongst them irritated them by the blowes I gave them at first thinking me mad with folly or rashnesse they did not much regard me but when that they saw how fast I fell'd them they all began to dispute it with me with their swords and to deprive me of the life I was resolved to loose but with their deaths In this encounter fell their captain with nine more that expired through their blood and wounds at last everpowred I was born down and expecting death fortune to spight me gave me life I looked for no generosity amongst those Barbarians nor no pity from such irritated soules But they made it appear that valour had some estimation amongst them and that they were not altogether so Brutuall as I thought them Taken with the small puissance that I had shewed amongst them they preserved my life and proffer'd me my liberty notwithstanding the slaughter I had made And seeing their captain dead they all joyntly prayed me to accept of their vassallage and his place and power I many times deny'd them and proffer'd to be their companion but they told me that my valour which they so much respected deserved the preeminency and that they should account themselves happy under my protection and that they would fear nothing under my conduct but if I would accept of their proffers that they would swear a blind obedience to my commands and would follow me to death it selfe I pondered for some time on their words and believing that to be the readiest way to find the death I sought I yielded to them and accepted of their offer For my sake they spared the vessel they had assaulted and carrying me to a strong fort on the side of Affirica placed between two rocks sufficient to frustrate the efforts of a strong army where when all their pyratick vessels were come in they proclamed me with a generall consent to be their captain and with ceremonies peculiar amongst themselves crowned me with a Diadem made of cable ropes untwin'd in which was placed many precious stones and swore their obedience to me never to forsake me though in the greatest peril never to disobey my commands or thwart my designes or to ransaek the prey but to stand to my division of it amongst them By this means they ever were in obedience amongst themselves and in their common storehouse had treasure enough to defray the charges of an army of an hundred thousand men I led this pyratick life about two years in which time I receiv'd a thousand proofs of the Pirats valour and obedience which was as perfect as the greatest monark could receive from his meanest subjects In it I found a life if I may say so for the consideration of the unlawfullnesse of it that was pleasant and free from the versatilousnesse of Fortune and I seemed now as if I tryumph'd over the power of that deity There was nothing the world could afford or the industry and power of men could gaine so absolute a regency had I acquir'd over the hearts of those that serv'd me that if I desired it they would sacrifice all their lives but they 'd content me All outward blisse attended me and I wanted nothing of the pleasures and deliciousnesse of the greatest princes But yet Atalanta was a spectre that alwayes appear'd before my eyes and seem'd to desire my company in the Elisium Indeed I sought death every where where I hop'd I might finde it I led them to most apparent dangers which yet their valour still conquered and in the greatest atchivements came off victorious and without murmuring at my actions and with a desperatnesse of a man resolv'd for death I fought against all opposers and incurr'd all dangers which rashness they accounted the effects of an extream valour and their love made them
to the pleasant notes of those wood Choresters whereby his senses with the pleasure were rapt into a sweet repose and for a season gave some ease to those inquietudes that possest his amorous breast But at last remaining in that kind of stupidity he was assaulted by a violent rushing in of those passions which had through that small repose received some stop to their wonted current but then overflowing the banks of his silence he uttered to the senseless trees that which his breast was too weak to contain Ah cruel and unsupportable flames said he that neither danger nor distress can quench what torments put you my soul to what cruelty do you exercise on a soul who so much adores your Deities and hath your power in so great veneration that it endures those pains you inslict without the least murmuring Why exercise you not your cruelty on those who oppose your regency and make them feel the heat of your penetrating flames Ah! no those polluted souls are not worthy your visitation nor their defiled breasts capable of receiving your sacred fires Seeing it is an honour to die by the hands of love I shall desire not to be freed its bonds but quickly to receive a welcome death for thus to live in continual torture is more than morâ—als are 〈…〉 bear And yet the continual sight of that fair deity the object of my love and passion makes me yet live to enjoy that blessed sight so that thâ—ough the assaults of pain and pleasure I am at once both kill'd and made alive It seems to me sometimes better to die than to live and sometimes better to live than die sometimes I pray for the one sometimes for the other But O you powers which rule us Mortals What need I sigh out my misery to you when you know and are the Causers of it Surely not for my disobedience but that I may know your power Ah! I must be content for ever to endure this torment which yet no other ever knew because hope is wanting I am like one who admires the Sun but may never reach him I love an object more requisite for the gods than man much less I who know not whence I am nor by what fortune I came into the world How dare I then aspire to serve a Princess so far beyond my reach I must blame ye Deities for binding me with an infragible chain so that it is not possible for me to live and not love Eliana whose very name transportes me Love her I cannot chuse that that I must do admire and adore her O Heavens me thinks I find some sparks of a generous soul which tells me I am not form'd out of the common earth of Plebians May your Divinities make known my stock and that may extricate me from this Labrinth of love and confusion or else with my life end my misery That I confess is the most feasible for such humble thoughts best befit mortals grouling at the shrine of such a supereminent divinity as I adore Dye ah that 's all my hopes The conclusion of these words shewed the unsuppertable burthen of his sorrowfull mind for pointing them with a sigh able to penetrate an obdurate heart he entred into so profound a cogitation with his eyes fixed on the earth that he heard not the obstrepency which one made in coming till he had approached him with these words Sir accidentally hearing the complaints of your too amorous soul and I know not by what power feeling your torments stirring up a pitty and curiosity together in my breast I have thus rudely adventured to approach you and also out of a desire I have prompted by a more than ordinary violence to enter a discourse with you and if it might be to shew you the precipices of this Tyrannous love by too many experimented Tryals I have before now observed your melancholy resort into these shades my habitation is nigh and unknown where I have a freedome to study at large Dictates of reason against such youthful excurrances Pardon Sir this rude addresse and exact what punishment you please after having given me the favour I desire Argelois at his first speaking had lifted up his eyes obscur'd as they were with the clouds of sadness to behold him who thus had disturb'd his melancholy humour and they were incountred with a gravity that allayed the cholor that began to arise through this disturbance but being suppressed through this grave object he arose and saluting him thus expressed himself Though it be the greatest of disturbances to be interrupted in these pleasing cogitations and nothing hardly lesse pardonable with a Lover yet the gravity which accompanies you and some intereor motion which moves me by I know not what power I am well satisfied with this your interruption and desire to know that laxating drogue which you seem to promise The stranger invited by Argelois seated himself by him on that pleasant bank exercising his eyes in beholding the incomparable features and most attracting graces which accompanied this Heroe and at last being not a little astonished that such a brave aspect should complain who deserved justly the title of incomparable I cannot but wonder said he that nature having dealt so favourable with you Love and fortune should so much oppose you for nature hath made you rather to be sued to by the fairest female than to sue to any whatsoever and given those graces which others want but love it seems crossing her intentions makes you leave that which you have to seek beauty where it is not to be found but in your self and fortune being of the conspiracy strives to make you equally miserable by hiding from you the knowledge of your extraction and birth this I understand by your complaints which though I may not help altogether yet I may give some remedy for those plagues of love I will shew you my experiences as marks to shun his deceits and shew you how my utter ruine came from thence which makes me have a just cause to complaine against sin and forwarn others that they may not precipitate themselves blinded with his deceits It may be sayes Argelois that the fault lay in your self not in Love and and through your own fault lost that which Love had ordained for you and so were the cause of your own misery which you impute to Love I know not iâ— I have err'd replyed the stranger but if I have it was because I was blinded for I account it altogether impossible for any to be deeply engaged in that folly for so I must term it and not to degress the precepts of wisdome I have had my share in it which made me hearing your complaints so far to pity your estate as to present my self before you to acquaint you with the experience I have had of him and though Love deal not with all men alike yet it is seen for a time he undoeth most When in my youth I felt those heart tormenting flames
freed my self from his embraces I drew my Sword out of his body and with a back stroke strook him so forcible on his crest that I tumbled him at my feet I was about to pull off his Cask and to make him beg his life or give him his death when I felt so many forcible blowes upon me that they set me upon my knees at last mauger all opposition I recovered my feet and turning about saw at least ten or a dozen Horsmen who sought with all violence to deprive me of my life This sudden surcharge put me into an astonishment ' Is this the way then thou intendest I should die cried I out very furiously and casting my self among them I deprived the first I struck at of his life I soon found they had not that valour nor courage as he whom I first fought with they knew what they did must be with expedition which made them seek all manner of wayes to slay me running upon me with their Horses but being carried with a desperate fury I slew four of them before I fell and I think wounded them all just as I fell Lilibilis came with his Guard who had made all the hast they could from the place where they were not expecting such a treacherie those that assailed me fled at their approach but Lilibilis thinking me dead ran in among them unarmed as he was and slew two of them with his own hands the other were taken by the Guard and destined to exquisite torments Lilibilis approached me and finding me yet alive exhibited the joy he had through his eyes he caus'd me immediately to be carried into his Pallace and gave his Chirurgians as great a charge of me as if they had been to preserve himself As they were carrying me into the Pallace we went by the Scaffold where Amenia and Clotuthe were at our approach we heard a grievous cry among those that were there I would not be carried any further before I understood the cause when it was told me Armenia was through the fright that she had conceiv'd in that hurliburlie cast into a sworn and Clotuthe drown'd in teares for my losse and the treachery that was acted ' I bid them that brought me this newes to present my humble duty to them both and tell them that by the assistance of the gods and the industry of the Surgions I might yet Live to do them further service My thoughts began presently to work upon that which I heard and induced a good presage to my future fortunes I began to please my self by thinking Amenia might have some particular inclination to me in that my death so nearly touch'd her I began to collect her paleness when my foes insolency exhibited it self by his speeches for my own advantage and to strengthen my self with many such pleasing thoughts In the mean time Lilibilis thinking my adversary had been dead because he lay without motion pulled off his cask to know who it was assoon as they had discovered his face Lilibilis stood in as great amazemenr as one deprived of his senses he could hardly believe his own eyes when he saw it was Mandone the Prince of the Cantabrians and him to whom he had promised Amenia and so accounted him as his son in Law ' What 's this I see cryed Lilibilis steping backward what my son could he be guilty of so great a treachery against him who hath preserv'd my life and Signiory and hazarded his life so often for my sake against our mortal foe Whilst Lilibilis said this the fresh air had brought Mandone to himself and opening his eyes beholding Lilibilis and all the rest standing round about him amazed he sought to arise but he was so enfeebled through the loss of his blood that he fell again to the earth and fainting away he was not able to bring out those words he was about to utter It was then very different motions strove in Lilibilis breast compassion and a just resentment contended for the mastry when he look'd upon him as my foe as my murtherer and the avowed enemy of my rest he was about to finish that life he saw so debilitated with his own hands but on the contrary when he look'd upon him as his son to whom he promised Amenia and to whom he was indebted for many former kindnesses and him whose valour was the chief obstacle that the Romans had no better success against them where he fought he thought it not fit to slay one so considerable his youth pleaded for his temerity his quality and place wherein he held him pleaded for his safety and his wounds and pitifull condition suscitated a compassion that at last stifled his anger and overcame all other resentments He caus'd him therefore to be had to his Pallace and gave order for the cure of his wounds He could not understand by his servants what was the cause he sought my life but only that Mandone had given them a charge to be in a readiness and when they saw him slain not else to stir not to let me escape alive for hearing reports of my valour he doubted his strength yet he charged his men not to fall upon me till they were sure he was slain Being they were Mandone's servants and had done nothing but by his command they let them have the liberty to attend their Master after their wounds were dressed Lilibilis immediately came to visit me but was not permitted by the Surgions to speak to me they assured him my wounds were not mortal though they were very many they told him it would very much retard the cure to have me often visited which made him contented only to look on me once a day without many words for a week it contibuted to his joy when in so short a space I shew'd such effectual signs of my amendment so that he was permitted to acquaint me with the designs of my adversary Having first expressed abundance of sorrow for the accident that had happened to me he told me who my adversary was and the considerations that made him spare him ' Nevertheless said he if Euripedes cannot overcome his just resentments and pardon that life which was at his mercy neither the consideration that he is in the place of a Son nor the fear of his fathers wrath shall with-hold me from rendring him a punishment according to the vileness of his fact in seeking the life of him to whom I owe all my safety the love I bore him shall not overcome the love I owe to Euripedes nor the Justice wherewith I should punish such insolencies shall be diverted by any considerations for I am resolv'd he shall not hold his life but of Euripedes When I heard who it was you may consider my interests desir'd his expiration and I was angry with my self that I had not finisht that life which now I could not take away without a great blot and infamy to my honour I considered likewise the affection Lilibilis bore me
which made me that I could not consent to the death of one so considerable whose death would inevitably bring sharp wars upon him and so might be the utter ruine of them all and the making of their common foe without the greatest piece of ingratitude which could be offered These considerations with an ambition I had not to be out-brav'd in vertue made me return him this answer ' The gods forbid that ever I should desire the death of a person whose valour hath made him so remarkable and by whose fall I have gained more glory then could have been expected by his death but especially in that he holds the place of a Son in Lilibili's affections for which only consideration I not only desire his life but his pardon in that I have offended one so near to Lilibilis and shall stifle all resentments whatsoever for his friendship I cannot imagin what hath made him my enemy nor caused in him that violent desire of my death I was sorry his obstinacy made me bring him to that exigent but I am not only glad that he lives but that I live also to do him service for never shall Lilibilis his friends be my foes These speeches were uttered with much reluctancy and contrary to the desires of my heart not but that I could have forgiven the greatest injury that could have been done to my person but considering him as my Rival I could not think on him but as my mortal foe Lilibilis embraced me as stricktly as the tenderness of my wounds would permit and highly praising me for my vertue told me ' He would disown him for a son if he did not acknowledge me as the doner of his life and crave pardon at my feet for the injury he had done me After many speeches to divert him from requiring any such thing of him I besought him to let me know the cause of his enmity The cause was so false said he that since he hath been assured to the contrary he is ashamed of his credulity and repents of what he hath done seeming by his speeches much to desire your friendship but not to hide it from you he had heard and I believe from some of Amenia's servants how you were like to have depriv'd him of the happiness of enjoying my daughter and that you had gain'd much upon her affections and that these Justs were held only for her sake this news so netled him that he never stood to examine the truth but enraged as he was left Juliobriga to put in execution what the gods and your innocency deter'd When I knew the cause my self and all that were near Amenia assured him the contrary and I was fain to make him new assurances of my daughter to asswage those violent motions these considerations had cast him in he would have had the like assurances from Amenia but she answered him as she did ever That she would never disobey the will of her father and whomsoever he should design for her husband she should accept without murmuring and that all inclinations whatsoever should stoop to those of duty We pacified him at last and then I sharply reprov'd him both for his credulity and temerity but his repentance mov'd me to beg his pardon at your hands After some expressions by me of my innocency in the suscitation of Mandone's Jealousie he left me but to those tormenting thoughts that you may imagin his discourse had rais'd I begin to see all my hopes dejected and cast in the dust and that structure which I had built in my Imaginations to be broken all to pieces I saw it was a folly to gain an inclination which her vertue would force to cede to duty I look'd upon my self in a deplorable condition and I saw Mandone already Possessor of Amenia by her fathers promise and hers in obedience to him my only hopes were I did not see she bore him any inclination nor would accept of him did not duty force her On the other side Amenia though unknown to me was no less troubled at this accident than I and falling into her wonted lacrymations put her Melanthe to her usual divertisements duty and love had many a sharp conflict in her soul and neither obtaining the victory gave her unsufferable Cruciations she detested Mandone for what he had done to me and bewail'd me with a great deal of interest my last performances were too greedily intuited to be forgotten and my valor in overcoming so considerable an enemy was preserv'd with much interest in that feminine breast O how often did she wish he had dyed by my hand and how little she thank'd the gods for their assistance in his preservation Melanthe was her only comfort who by a thousand Sophistries mitigated her dolor My Rival passed his time with no less torment for shame and dispight in being overcome by me and his manifest treachery making him odious to many generous souls fill'd him with anxiety And though he dissembled it he could not so satisfie his humour but that he still imagined me his Rival and bore me an implacable grudge The thoughts and inward commotions proceeding from his troubled humour retarded the cure of his wounds and caus'd inflammations that made them in fear of his life For my part that trouble which continually assaulted my soul through those considerations in three dayes space had cast me into a violenr feaver and my wounds bleeding afresh so debilitated me that they thought I could never sustain the loss of so much blood and the Surgions almost despaired of my ever recovering Clotuthe by the special command of Lilibilis visited me every day and with her Amenia we could not entertain one another because the Surgions thought it might conduce to my disrepose but with a dying eye I gave Amenia many sad glances which testified the anxiety of my soul I found a great desire in my self to die so I might but have the happiness as I accounted it to have assured Amenia that I died hers So foolishly vain are the thoughts of those involved in the snares of love to account it the chiefest bliss and greatest happiness next to the enjoyment of the beloved object than can betide them to assure those they love they die for their sakes and precipitateing themselves in an amorous humour find death sweet in such assurances and receiving its cold kisses with ardent desires testifie a content not to be measured in the expiration when such souls whom they expire for account it an idle humour or believing when they saw they could not live thought to oblidge them by telling them they dyed theirs This was hardly liked by Argelois but for the interrupting of his story he would have replyed but considering he might have been accounted by some unmannerly he bit in his words and heard him proceede thus Clotuthe visited me every day sitting sometimes an hour or two upon the side of the bed where she shed so many tears and expressed her self with so many
a powerfull and secret Sympathie one with another and that life I have accounted amongst the most happiest of my dayes which I have spent in the company of Amenia whose innocent and pleasing conversation often put my soul into a posture of tranquillity and rapt my soul into a contemplative enjoyment of that which afterwards I received more really but hardly with more delight Thus I had almost passed over the winter in the sweet conversation of Amenia never breaking my imposed silence when Lilibilis had notice given him that the Chief of the Gallicians desired him with the chief of his men to meet them on the borders of the Austures that they might consult for the general good concerning their next Campaign and in what manner they should oppose their enemies They sent him word that Caesar was returned to Rome and had left the Legions with Antistius a valiant Captain and who with all speed was mustering his Forces to assail them and to begin the War though it was so soon Lilibilis soon departed with the chief of his Commanders leaving a great charge on Clotuthe to be carefull of me and desired me to contribute what I could to my health that I might be in a condition to render him that help which he hoped for from me and on which he depended more than on his Army I would have perswaded him to let me accompanie him but he utterly refused it in consideration that my weaknsse was not so well recovered but that so sudden a jorney might have thrown me into a relaps When I saw he would not let me accompany him I told him that I would cherrish my self as much as his absence possible could give me leave and that I only desired my life to loose it in his service to which I had destinated the remainder of my daies He replyed in very civil terms having nothing of Barbarism in him and after our mutual imbraces he departed leaving me to the care of those whose love had made them uncapable of having their care of my health augmented by his commands or entreaties The second day after Lilibilis his departue I was set in my chamber by the fire in a very deep melancholy ruminating on the different tyrannies of the God of Love and considering how deeply I was engaged in a passion that had cost me so many tears and so much trouble and yet had receiv'd nothing but a severe Law from the mouth of my goddess when her Melanthe suddenly entred my Chamber and surprized me in the midst of those tears which my ardent passion had extracted from my eyes That Maid whom affection had tied to my interests excused her so sudden and uncivil entrance as she termed it with very good language and desir'd my pardon for her incivilitie I soon made her understand how glad I was of her company and how much I desired an opportunity of entertaining her alone She told me she came from her Mistriss who had sent her to excuse her in that she had not seen me that day by reason of an indisposition which had made her keep her Chamber I replyed I was unworthy the honour she did me in taking so great a care of my well-fare and that I could entertain the assurance of my own death with less trouble then to understand she was indispos'd in her health The Maid reanswer'd that there was no fear of any danger in her Mistriss indisposition and that she made no question but that she would visit me the next day and pay me interest for that dayes neglect we spent some time in these interlocutions till at last after I had forc'd her to sit down I uttered my self in these terms ' Melanthe you cannot be ignorant of the cause of those tears you have surpriz'd me in which are but a small part to what I dailie and almost hourlie offer to a severitie which hath made me mute You know I have manifested my love and you do not ignore to what a cruel silence I was condem'd I have not hitherto transgressed it though all the world is ignorant with what torment I undergo it I continually sigh languish and spend my time in tears and yet dare not declare my misery which is the only and considerable ease others troubled with the like passion enjoy Was there ever such a Law impos'd on any as is on me which makes me live in the continual languishment of my soul and in the dailie conversation and intuition of the object of all my suspirations and still to lock up my lips by severity not to be parralel'd I know Melanthe though sickness hath not kil'd me that grief will if not mitigated by some relaxation but if I die it will be a happiness in that it is by keeping a Law impos'd upon me by that mouth which I so much adore whereby she shall see Euripedes can never be guiltie of transgressing the severest of her commands I find some ease in declaring this to thee what allevament should I find in disburdening my self to her but since she hath enjoyned the contrarie I must I will undergo it with silence to the death and last expiration of a soul totallie hers and which lives onlie to do her service She did not bid me Melanthe to speak of love to no body else therefore I hope I have not transgressed in speaking to you nevertheless I desire you not to make her acquainted with it lest her severity may impute it as a transgression to me I dare not sue or desire O Melanthe to have this imposition taken off but you may conceive with what joy I should receive the revocation of so strict a Law but I doubt I am faulty in in that I desire to have that taken off which was imposed by Amenia though it be more grievous and less easie to be born than death Sir replyed Melanthe your vertues have made me inseparably yours as far as the duty I owe my Mistriss and the pudicity of my sex give me leave I will not tell you how often I have endeavoured her to revoke that which she had impos'd upon you and which I saw you bore with a patience not to be parralel'd because my andeavours prov'd in vain to cause her revoke what she had once commanded I know the severity of her humour is such that she will endure the greatest afflictions rather than break it and this severity is very strange which she useth towards you strange in that she afflicts you whom she desires not to afflict and strange in that she no less afflicts her self in that she is so severe to you and that her humour is so strictly tyed to the severity of her own Law that she will rather endure what she suffers than break it She her self hath told you Sir therefore I may say it without any infidelity to my Lady that you are not indifferent to her but being tied by the cruel Lawes of duty cruel in that it makes her contradict
be constrain'd by fortune against her inclinations if she has no inclinations to thee she is so high spirited as to suffer death by her own hands rather than fall into the hands of her enemies or to seek protection unworthy of her self If she has inclinations to thee thou hast more need to fear that her high spirited humour will both crosse her self and thee in not yielding to be thine or accepting of thy protection least she should seem to do it basely because she had no other to accept of and that she yielded to these because she could not better raise her fortune and because she had not declar'd it before that she doth it now because she cannot avoid it and that she forsakes Mandone because his fortune is spoild and accepts of thee because thine is entire And thus Euripedes hast thou most cause of fear out of that from which thou raisest thy highest hopes for such thoughts as these are enough to hinder thy happinesse in the high spirited Amenia who can stoop to no base ends nor nothing unworthy that noble spirit that reigns in her In such like soliloquies I spent many houres and sometimes compleated whole daies in those cogitations and whatever virtue did to make me not hope for any thing by Lilibilis his death yet could I not chuse but remember that that cruel enemie Duty was now abolish'd though to have recall'd Lilibilis I would have been content to have run the hazard of the same enemie though I saw I must have perisht by it nor could I remember the death of Lilibilis without tears nor that Amenia was free without hope In this condition I remain'd till those that conducted the body of Lilibilis were return'd they represented to me with what dolour it was receiv'd in Asturica in general but in particular by Clotuthe and Amenia who had secluded themselves from all company that they might with more freedome vent those tears due to the death of Lilibilis and that they had seen his body interr'd with much pomp and collachrymation and that there was nothing but a general consternation to be seen in Austurica since his death wherein they had treasur'd all their hopes This news drew tears from my eyes which was reclear'd by a letter which they presented me from Amenia and which Melanthe had given them in answer to mine but a little before they came from Austurica I receiv'd it with much content and as soon as they were gone out of my tent I fell to kissing of that letter and should not have ended in a long time had not the great desire I had to know the contents hastened me to open it But when I went about it I could not impair that seal Amenia had impress'd without great reluctancy but at last overcoming these niceties I broke it open and read to this purpose Amenia to Euripedes MY eyes though drown'd in tears found so much liberty as to intuite those lines you sent me and though the excesse of my grief might justly have excus'd me had I omitted writing yet to testifie that which I owe you I have taken this liberty in the midst of my tears That obligation wherewith I bound you shall not be taken off by any consideration and I hope you will not be so injurious as to augment the grief of the enough afflicted Amenia by a precipitancy contrary to my will I hinder you not from revenging the death of Lilibilis but effect it without wilfully casting your self into the armes of death and depriving us of the hopes we have you will help us in this exigent Live therefore Euripedes and seek no precipices which may with your honour be avoided and by that you will give the most assuredst profs of your affection to Amenia You may believe with what joy I read this letter wherein I perceiv'd I was not indifferent to Amenia and that in the midst of all her troubles she had conserv'd a time to think on me and that her tears had not so occupied her but that she found leasure to read my lines and to write to me If she had been weary of my service I thought she would not have forbidden me to die in a revenge wherein she needed not to have car'd what lives had been sacrific'd and in a time wherein her interests could not plead for me being there was so little hopes that I could accomplish any thing against the Romans their power being increased with their victories and ours decreased with our losses Once did not satisfie me to read this letter and out of this I conceiv'd great hopes of a future blisse I thought now I might well deprive Mandone of his life without afflicting Lilibilis and rid me of a rival whose power I fear'd but his being engag'd in the wars made me think he could not effect any thing against me In the reading and contemplating on that Letter sometimes with hope sometimes with fear I spent that time which from my troublesom imployments among the souldiers was given for my repose and till those troops arrived which were collected through the countrey the Romans were not yet possess'd of After the addition of these forces we compleated eighteen thousand and our intent was to relieve Lancia which we heard was very much distress'd but as we were about to leave our hold for that enterprize our explorators brought us word that twenty thousand Romans were landed and came with great speed towards Asturica and that they were already masters of many places It was generally approv'd that we were to oppose them and to let Gurgulinis defend himself from the extremity the Romans had reduc'd him to till we were able to help him for if we had rais'd the siege which was hazardable and in the mean time the Romans should have gain'd the Countrey it would have been to no purpose but if we had been able to overthrow those new commers we needed not to feare but we should much daunt the besiegers and animate our men for high enterprises being flushed with a late gotten victory We saw that on this encounter depended the safe-guard or destruction of the Countrey which made us animate our men with all those words that used to put life and courage into the fearfull'st soul We made very long marches till we were come not far from their Camp they had understood of our coming and were resolved to bid us battel but we staid within our Camp two dayes without answering their expectations which they attributed to fear The next day we resolved to engage and to try our fortune by a battel but that night we understood of the surrender of Lancia and that Gurgulinis being forced to it by the souldiers the Romans very hardly granted him his life for his obstinacie for he was resolved never to have yielded And further that most of that Armie was marching to Asturica We gave a strict charge to those who brought us this newes not to communicate it to any else for
you expose your life to a thousand dangers I set not so much by my self as to value my life worth those dangers you may expose your self to in redeeming it nor do I want courage to redeem it by my own hand rather than to hold it of another did I not think you still retain'd that passion which you exhibited to me which would make this service as pleasing to you as it will be acceptable to me I give you notice then of my captivity with leave to redeem me and if I must be a captive it shall be to none more willingly than Euripedes It is to you then that I resign my life and fortune and 't is from you I hope to receive my liberty I know not whither I shall be carried therefore I candirect you where to finde me I know your passion will accellerate you to effect my Liberty which when I have receiv'd I shall consider the services of Euripedes by requiting them by what in lawful and just wayes may be required from AMENIA Before I had finish'd the reading of it all that were present saw by the joy I exhibited in my eyes with what content I receiv'd it and reading it over divers times I continued a great while in this consolation framing to my self a happiness which the very next thought dejected for reflecting upon that which I had heard concerning her death it not only mitigated but absolutely took away all the joy I had conceived After I had desired the man that brought me that Letter not to depart from me before he saw me recovered and that the company were withdrawn leaving me to the liberty of my thoughts I uttered many different exclamations both in the sense of my joy and grief Sometimes reading that letter with excesse of joy I ran into those pleasing cogitations that made me to forget my grief and reflecting on every word I could not see her affection without a world of content being that as I then thought that would make me the happiest man living being that which I had desired with so much passion and for which I had expos'd my life to so much danger But these joyes did but augment a grief that came violently upon me at the least reflection of her death for considering that this letter was wrote before I receiv'd that fatal news and that I could find nothing that might contradict it nor could gain no knowledge of the man that brought it you may consider what agonies I was in and with what grief I was agitated by these cogitations I thought that Mandone might sacrifice her to his resentments or that her self rather than yield to him against her inclinations might precipitate her self to death these thoughts with those that the nearness of my happiness and the assurance of her affection had rais'd augmented my dolor in that I lost a happinesse at the point of receiving it Before said I to my self her severity her duty and that law which she had impos'd upon me made me languish in pain and were the only motives of my grief but now her duty is taken away her severity is turned into mildness by her inclinations and that Law is abolisht by her affection yet I languish in paine and more powerful motives to grief are represented to me motives that subvert both my joy and my hope to joy in knowing her affection when she is incapable to render it to me is a folly to hope she should revive it is against reason no no her death is too sure and all my joy and my hope is turn'd to grief and despaire In such respirations I languished for some moments when different motions arose It may be said I again to my self it may be that Amenia lives and expects thee and reproaches thee for thy tardiness in that thou exposest her so long to the violent assaults of Mandone and givest her cause to think that thou slightest her and that may make her fill'd with indignation to give her self up to Mandone more to dispight thee than please her self hasten therefore and do not frustrate her expectation in neglecting to help her by a vain opinion of her death Sure this was my good Genius that insusurrated these suggestions and though they were not able quite to abolish those fatal apprehensions I retain'd of her death yet they made me resolve to festinate the cure of my wounds by yielding to whatsomever might conduce thereto that I might go to Clotuthe to understand the destiny of Amenia and so either to redeem her if living or to follow her if dead The desire I had to be cur'd made me yield to all that was propos'd to me for the curation and in space of a week I left my bed and before another was fully finisht I departed that place fully cured But least suspition should be raised in the breasts of our enemies by our number we divided our selves and took several wayes to Asturica I kept only the young man that brought me Amenia's Letter From him I understood the brave resistance Gurgulinis had made at Lancia against the Romans which had so incens'd the souldiers that their Captain could hardly gain them from turning that Citie into ashes and by the ruines to have made it a perpetual monument of their fury We were come within sight of that stately City Asturica without any adventure when the gods intending to make me the instrument of their justice sent thither the chief of the Brigaecins who was the author of our destruction and had betrayed us to Carisius by giving notice of our designes upon their Camps The beaver of his cask was up so that the young man knew him and discovering to me who he was I resolved to sacrifice him to the Ghost of Lilibilis and to execute that justice upon him which was due to traitors Riding up to him I discovered my self and soon let him know what he was to expect from me his conscience accusing him of the fact he answered not but being valiant he refused not the combate It was soon debated for my anger against the traitor soon augmented my strength so that I left him dead upon the place with almost twenty wounds I receiv'd not any so considerable as to make me to repair to the Chirurgions but stopping their bleeding with such things as I alwayes carried about me I entred Asturica almost in the evening My impatiency gave me no liberty to repose my self that night without seeing Clotuthe and I long'd to know a desting which would either prove fatal or joyful to me I therefore went to that tower wherein I understood she was and the guard knowing my desire to speak with their Captain sent an Officer to understand his pleasure It was not long before he came to me and understanding my desire to see Clotuthe and that it was by her command that I came thither after having used those civilities the Romans were ever prepared with he desired my stay for a moment whilst he
that which we had prevented her in Amenia's indignation was raised at this confession but she took no other punishment on her that deserved greater but banished her her service for ever but Clotuthe entertained her for her infidelity Amenia was cruelly afflicted that she knew so much of her affaires because she lay open to all her machinations having none now to guard her from her devices for she knew Clotuthe both spiteful and subtil enough to work her mischief and she had some little suspition that she was her corrival though you never intimated so much Clotuthe and Amenia after this knowledge met not in a long time after being segregated to their afflictions and by reason of Clotuthes unwillingnesse to meet Amenia but at last they met one another where Amenia stuck not to tell her of her ill actions but with a great deal of modesty and civility But on the other side Clotuthe falling into great passion uttered words extream misbecoming and soon gave Amenia to know the authoritie she thought she had over her after she had vented her passion against Amenia at their parting she uttered some such words as these that gave Amenia a good cause to feare her complottings No no Amenia said she speaking in answer to the justifications of Amenia against her aspersions do not justifie your self against that which is so apparent you were too carefull of his life not to love him you gave him a charge not to be too forward in battel least you might lose him you car'd not how great the losse be so you lose not Euripeâ—es nor how much dammage your Country receiv'd by the backwardness of his valour so he was not in danger this doth not favour of too much affection Amenia He might as well have wrote to me as to you but he cares not to pay what he owes to civilitie and decency so he payes what he owes to his affection and yours But stay Amenia do not you think the death of Lilibilis disengages you to Mandone he hath promised you to him and though he lives not to perform it you ought this way to exhibit your love to him by performing what heengaged and do you account me your enemy and your foe by endeavouring to finde out your affection to Euripedes and by trying to convince you of your errour when Mandone may claim you for his wife by right by the itterated promise and engagements of your father which ought not to die with him and when you cannot marry Euripedes without great dishonour flatter your self no longer for if you will not be Mandone's by Love and fair means he hath yet power enough to force you notwithstanding the power of Euripedes who is a stranger and not so worthy as Mandone a redoubted Iberian Anger had suscitated a fresh crimson in the cheeks of Amenia and she had answered these speeches had Clotuthe staid to have heard her but finishing her discourse she would not stay for a reply but left Amenia somewhat disturb'd at her words Amenia saw not Clotuthe after that but retiring to her chamber considered her disasters with much weeping In this she continued till a surcharge came which I thought would have been the greatest it was the news of your last overthrow she heard the valour of the General recounted but she could not learn whether he was slaine or no or whether he survived that cruel encounter Truly this consideration more then the losse of her Countrey made her finde new springs of teares which she thought her former grief had wholly exhausted and the Flood-gates of her eyes were hardly wide enough to let forth those torrents which impituously gushed out thereat The next newes she heard did not so much trouble her being fore-seasoned with a greater as otherwise it might have done and it was the approach of our enemies towards Asturica having taken Lancia and our own men who were left to guard it abandoned us to their fury This disaster was hardly considered when a greater befell us by the meanes of Clotuthe who had most maliciously sent for Mandone and given him notice both of the Letter and of your Love to Amenia I was sitting that morning that the Romans entred Asturica with Amenia in great heaviness considering our disasters and what would become of us in that confusion and in a very sad posture were we when Mandone entred the Chamber with two or three more This sudden and unexpected coming of Mandone's so surpriz'd Amenia that she was not able to rise from the seat where she sat which gave him liberty to use all those civilities which he was accustomed to pay her Madam said he Although the gods are resolved to subjugate these Countreys to the Romans for an addition to their glory yet have they had so great a regard to your person that they have sent me for your preservation and for that end only have they preserv'd my life that I might preserve yours in this extremity Our fortunes are alike Madam and I hope our affections are not unequal since by the will and command of both our Parents we were accounted individual if you have lost your father the gods also have taken away mine if you have lost your Countrey I have also lost mine if you have been abandoned by your friends and are in danger to be ruined by your enemies I have run the same fortune and my life is solely given me for your preservation I am come therefore in this very exigent to carry you forth of the jawes of these cruel Romans make not now my endeavours fruitlesse nor sacrifice both our lives to our foes by your delay for our safety consists in a speedy departure the Romans are even at the walls and there is scarce time for these words Amenia by this time had recollected her self and rising at that time from her feat I am not Sir said she lesse daunted then I thought she had been so afraid of death but that I can embrace it joyfully having already tasted too much misery to desire life I had rather be buried in the ruines of my Country than to flye it in its deepest misery and offer this life to the hands of those that have sacrificed the lives of my Country-men slain my friends and taken away the life of my father to be slain by their swords than leave this place I am very sensible of your care of me and render you many thanks for your paines but let me desire you to leave me to my disasters and not engage your self in them nor look that you are obliged to it for me more then any other woman since I am about to leave all the world that all the world may leave their pretensions to me I desire not nor care for safety therefore leave me to receive death the chief object of my desires Madam replyed Mandone suddenly somewhat startled at her resolutions the consideration of your honour ought to festinate your abscession for you cannot continue here
passed away in the which I was truly inform'd what she was and finding her birth noble and her riches sutable to her quality they became inducements to my prosecution She was a Princess of great esteem in those parts and had resided in Thessalonica under the tuition of her Grandmother many years her parents being dead She was of the race of that unhappy Prince Perseus the last King of Macedon who illustrated the triumphant Chariot of Aemilius After I had understood all things that the generality could give me I made it all my imployment to be acquainted with her which I soon effected heing a very affâ—ble Princess We had been four moneths in Thessalonica and I had been throuâ—hly acquainted with Cynthia when we receiv'd lettters out of â—ilicia that gave us notice of the death of my other Uncle who was father to Araterus and that he had equally divided a great estate between me and the son of my other Uncle that was living whose name was Epamondas This caused my Uncle to prepare for a sudden departure which gave me more trouble than the accretion of riches could content because I should be forc'd to leave Cynthia without giving her notice of my pain I could find no excuse to stay from performing the Ceremonies at my Uncles obsequies This put me to much trouble and at last made me resolve to exhibite my affection to her at my departure When I came to take my leave of her I yet trembled to perform it but at last I effected it with all the Rhetorick I was capable of and with no less passion than when I courted Amenia If my fancy flattering made me judge her features like Amenia's my judgement made me see her conditions were very unlike and her vertues not to be compared with hers for having with small patience heard me discover my affection she answered me so extream scornfully and despising my service in such a manner that it utterly dejected me for the present But renewing my speech with as good order ar that trouble she had put me in would permit I proceeded notwithstanding very submissively to exhibite my affection till she with very scornfull and haughty language put a period to my discourse and scarcely taking any leave departed from me leaving me in extream trouble and confusion The wind sitting very contrary kept us there almost a week much against my Uncles mind but conformable to mine in that I hoped with my implorations yet to mollifie the heart of Cynthia I went to visit her as I used to do but three dayes one after another she denied to speak with me yet at last I gain'd the speech of her but with the same scorn as the former she answer'd my suite which gave me so much trouble that my countenance was well fitted to follow the herse of my Uncle We at last left Thessalonica and arriving in Cilicia we performed our duties to the dead Those Ceremonies were no sooner finished but I was preparing to return to Thessalonica and although my Uncle sought by very many perswasions to deter me yet my obstinacy would give place to no reason That poyson which I avidously had sucked in from Cynthia's beauty had so intoxicated me that I hardly was my self till I was returned to Thessalonica But the wellcome that scornful Princess gave me was a terrible corrosive to my heart for to shew you how much she disliked my coming she would not permit me to see her in many dayes However nothing being able to deter me I wore out her rigour with my patience Whilst I remained adoring this beauty and consuming my self with the scorching flames of desire I receiv'd many letters out of Cilicia of the very great wrongs that were done me in the partition of that estate which was bequethed to Epamondas and my self and that all would go to ruine unless I returned yet all that could be wrote was not able to attract me from that loadstone nor divert my constant motion from that Cynosure I had wholly devoted my self to her service though I found nothing but scorn slighting and reproaches in all her words and actions But my soul like the Thracian stone the more it was merged in the water of her disdain the more it was inflam'd and the more opposition it found the more desire it had to attain Some moneths were expired and still my dolor increas'd my heart was exhibited by my eyes my passion by my face my grief by all my actions and sometimes by my words yet hard-hearted Cynthia harboured not the least spark of compassion At last that fatal hour came wherein I was to be depriv'd of that happiness which I had fancied to my self that I receiv'd in the quotidian inspection of her fascinating beauty for having had some more liberty than usually with her being pressed by my ardent desires I urged her with the greatness of my passion the extremity it had brought me to how few dayes I had to reside upon earth unless she graciously commiserated my condition I followed my suit so hard her silence giving me liberty that I thought I should have stir'd up some compassion but alas instead of pity I exsuscitated her anâ—er and at the conclusion of my words the lightning of her eyes foreruning the thunder of her's she expressed a fatall sentence of banishment upon me chargeing me immediately to leave Thessalonica and never to appear in her sight more These words depriv'd me of all motion and as if metamorphis'd into some Statue of brasse or stone for a memoriaâ—l of the implacable anger of my Goddesse left me so inâ—â—nsible that seeing her avoy'd the the roome I had neither power to speake or stiâ—r But at last my spirits returning to exercize their ordinary functions by breaking the Phylica of their intent setlement gave me a more perâ—ect sensibility then I receiv'd in my astonishment My astonishment turn'd to griefe and my griefe to fury and that led me headlong to my owne precipitation O strange power of Love I could not hate her nor take any revenge but on my selfe to satisfy her In a strange posture I went to my lodging my servants noting the strange alteration which I exhibited but they were not so bold to enquire the cause I slung my self upon my bed where my ruminating on my condition increased my fury and urg'd me not only to leave Thessalonica but also the whole world since there was no hopes of enjoying Cynthia After I had pour'd out a world of complaints against Cynthia and my evil fortune I suddenly started from my bed divertly agitated till at last being overcome with griefe and dispaire I drew my sword and setting the hilt to the ground I cast my self upon the poynt of it But the Gods not permitting me to dye for such a wretch or else preserving me for future miseries hindred the execution by one of my servants who fearing some such determination by my countinance stood ready at the dore to prevent
but in enjoying her his love was quench'd Seeing therefore after some small pleasure the flames of Love are often extinguished or abated is it not better to love without ends or any other desire of enjoyment than that which is between a brother and sister which is pure and caelestiall and not subject to decay Let it be so and then there will be no obstacle for this love no doubt but her amity if she knows me will grant this in consideration of my love and honesty I may enjoy all the pleasures that may be except that which serves but to put out the fire of glowing love Hath not my pleasure been excessive in this small time that I have been here and have I not thought that possession could give me no greater pleasure This same I may still enjoy which is purer than ordinary love uncontaminate full of chastity free from vitious thoughts and desires and kindled not by Cupid but by Jove being a sparke or scintilla of the same fire where with he enflames our soules with love to himselfe and which we exhibit in loveing virtue which is his gift this love will not faile this is past the power of fortune to crosse with many such discourses as these I sought prettily to beguile my self and at last I resolved ro love her as my sister since I could not enjoy her as my mistris In this resolution I persisted and beguiling my grief recovered my health I began and verily at last effected it to banish not the love but the immoderate desire I had to Atalanta I did not present her to my imagination as I us'd to do in my armes or in those close unseen embraces of lovers yet did I not banish her thence but look't upon her as part of my soule and for whose content the sacrifizeing of my life was but a trifle and whether it was my imagination or no I will not determine I thought I felt stronger flames and stronger love than ever it seemed to be a far different fire more pure more celestial seemed to afford more content and pleasure than the other Whilst I thus pleas'd my self in this new kind of love and every day enjoyed the utmost of my wishes time who had seem'd to me to borrow penneous sailes for his greater speed brought forth that moneth wherein Atalanta expected her lying down The time was very near that she had so long expected and now a new grief possest me in that I must be forc'd to leave her and new fear possessed me in that I must be forc'd to make my self known to her I still boar her a passionate love and dreaded her anger as much as Jove's thunder But there was a necessity of it Modesty would not permit me to stay any longer to be present at an action which required only the presence of the bearing sex I could not tell how to depart nor to be absent at the time of her delivery without her knowing what I was seeing this necessity I resolved at length to make my self known to her but fear and trouble so long detered it that Atalanta fell sick and kept her bed and looked every hower for her paritude when I saw there was no time for any cunctation I embraced the first opportunity which was the next day after she had taken her bed and being alone with her I sat down by her upon the bed side but so full of feare and trembling that I was not able to unglew my lips and my face so pale that it exhibited I was going about an action on which depended the quiet of all my remaining dayes I know not any thing like to the trouble I was in at that time knowing my selfe guilty of deludeing that innocent I sat a while with a wondrous emotion within me at last disturbing her repose with my ingeminated sighs I could not refraine from shedding some love drops Atalanta fixing her eyes upon mine and reading the trouble in my face what said she are these tears to supply the place of mine indeed I have through excesse drawn my springs dry but it is unequall that you should so much sorrow for my crime No Maddam said I tremblingly it is for my own crimes that I weep and for the trouble I have that I must leave you I emitted these words with so languishing an air that they peirc't her gentle soul leave me replyed she I hope you will not leave me in this distresse By your comforts I have been preserv'd and now I have most need of them do you speak of leaving me what is the reason Sabane alas I am too unworthy for thy company I am too contaminate for thy purity At those words reaching out her hand which might have been compared with the mountaine snow she lockt it within mine and with an action full of love pressed it between hers her eyes then shew'd that her springs were not utterly dry or else that love had caused new ones This action piercing my heart I was not able to do any thing but suspire but at last bringing forth words and sighs together Ah! maddam said I the time is come that I must be forc't to leave you the Gods for these few months have made me happy by your sight and now they will make me more miserable by forceing me to leave you There is but one thing that I can hope for and that 's your pardon without which my death is inevitable but my crime is so great that I can expect no mercy from you did I not know that your goodnesse far excells all others that live I saw by her amazednesse that she knew not the meaning of these aenigma's But proceeded I the time is now come according to the appointment of the Gods that my deceit must be manifested that I must implore your goodnesse for my life and pardon for my crime or dye for the expiation of my fault behold an impostor flinging my selfe upon my knees as I spake that hath wronged you that hath deluded you say can you find in your heart to forgive one who hath abused your goodnesse by an imposture Sabane said Atalanta much amazed what meane you can you have committed any thing against me that should deserve this Let it be what it will I pardon it if it be any thing that you think you have committed against me my soul is not dearer to me than thou art draw me out of this trouble which thou hast caused quickly dear Sabane I must not suffer you any longer in this error returned I you have been abused long enough I am no longer Sabane but as you may well know my deceit I am Lonoxia brother to the wicked Marcipsius he it is that was banisht his fathers pallace that accidentally was transported to Olissipo that espied your charmes at a distance walking on the river Tagus that then ost his heart and vowd it to you as his peculiar Goddesse and lastly investing himself with this habit to enjoy that
happinesse without which he was no longer able to live he invented a figment to deceive you and all this time hath been an impostor and now knowing through a strange providence how nearly you have been engaged to his brother he quits all pretensions of being your servant any further than the laws of civillity and duty bind Atalanta at that instant let goe my hand and looking upon me with an eye in which I saw at once both pity and anger killed and revived my soul at the same time Blushes and palenesse took their turnes in her cheecks and amazed she stay'd in a suspence not knowing how to answer which caused me to speak thus Maddam behold a criminall that implores your goodnesse though I must confesse my crimes of so high a nature that they are almost impardonable with the most mercifull I deserve to be hated if I had been innocent in that I am allied so nearly to hatefull Marcipsius But ah Atalanta forget these resentments and let pity exuscitate your pardon remember that you have promised of what nature soever my crimes were to grant it remember the love you have borne Sabane let it not be converted to hatred to Lonoxia That is it I beg may be continued that your opinion of my goodnesse may not be diminished by this knowledge Alas to forgive my crimes and to hate me is but to kill me through grief I will freely offer my life as an expiament for my imposture so that after my death you will but retain me whole in your memory without remembring my crimes Remember that Sabane though an impostor never did any thing that may make your virtue blush to remember it It was love made me excurre into this crime on that I lay all the fault that you may be the better induced to forgive me since your selfe have been deceived by him Love I say Love hath been of such force as to make me thus disguise my self happy disguise under which I have received so many favours of divine Atalanta under which I have received that content which might have been envied by the Gods under which I have enjoyed the sight of my titular angell But cursed disguise under which I have prov'd an Impostor to innocent Atalanta I have loved you hoping rhat time might have made me worthy through my long services to have attained to that which now is not lawfull to thinke on But by a peculiar providence of the Gods finding that my brother hath made you his though accursed he hath forsaken you my designes which were honest are diverted and I forced at length after my sorrow and sicknesse to confesse it neverthelesse though I desire nothing at your hands my Love is inconvertible but it beares the same stamp that a brothers hath to a sister or is the same that your self divin Atalanta bore to the faigned Sabane after this free agnition let the remembrance of Sabane stir up your pity your pity your pardon and your pardon give life to Lonoxia who else dies to satisfie you for his imposture I ended with these words and my eyes being full of tears I awaited her sentence Remaining thus for somtime I saw that this sudden and unexpected accident had made her immovable What maddam said I cannot you yet determine what sentence to passe on this wretch whether life or death Alas though you 'r lought to emit so severe a sentance from so meak a soul I perceive you 'd have the impostor dye but you 'r lought to passe the sentance from your mouth you are not in a suspence whether he ought to live or no but whether you ought to command it Well! I le satisfie you without bidding the crime is too great to be pardoned yet say dear Atalanta as I have been an impostor so â— have been obsequious and faithfull in the love I bore you consider all the ancidents of Sabane and you will be forc'd to say that although Lonoxia followed the motions of his love passion yet he never transcur'd the bounds of vertue and lastly say I was wlling as far as able to satisfie for all my crimes At that instant trembling and casting my eyes about I espied a knife at the beds feet which I suddenly snatched and plucking open my bosome I will I will Madam cryed I give you satisfaction this shall execute your will As I lifted up my hand to have let her seen that I regarded my life lesse than her love and fear'd the loosing of it lesse than the acquiring her anger she caught hold on my arme Sabane said she so I must yet call you I cannot consent to this rigorous chastizement I confesse you have much amazed me and I should be more difficult to believe what you tell me did I not see the same virtue Sabane hath hitherto exhibited to remain still in Lonoxia But I command if my words may have any power that you forbear to injure your self and give me some time to revolve this accident in my mind Madam said I letting go the knife which she took from me I obey you I have wholly devoted my self to your service and though I may have purchased your hatred and displeasure it shall never be acquired by my disobedience Saying this I kissed her hand and departed I betook my selfe to the solitary walks and found a great relaxtion in my mind in that I had passed over that difficulty that so oppressed me and that I perceiv'd the Love she bore me in the faign'd condition of Sabane had taken too great an impression to be obliterated by the knowledge that I was Lonoxia I had not walked two hours but that the confident of Atalanta came to invite me to her mistris's chamber I followed her with perturbation enough I there found her governesse with her to whom she had related who I was who riseing from her bed side as I came in I know not said she what compellation to give you not how to behave my self towards you since the knowledg of your sudden Metamorphosis We are so accustomed to Sabane that we know not how to call you Lonoxia But since you are no longer what we have taken you for you must not be discontented if we are more severe since modesty commands it You have put Atalanta into no small passion by the knowledg of what you are since she has shewn those favours to Sabane which shames her to think they were given to Lonoxia And indeed it was enough justly to purchace her hatred had not the love she bore to Sabane made her consider the virtuous deportments of Lonoxia and forces her not to follow the dictates of her irritated humour I have at last pacified her and she hath given me leave to tell you that she will equally ballance the vertuous cariage care love and troubles of Sabane against all the crimes of Lonoxia and the Love she bore you under that name against the hatred you might have acquired under this So that she seales
proving too weak to strive with the violence of that impetuous storm they committed it to the mercy of the winds and water and prepared themselves to receive an inevitable death Morning appearing but the storme not ceasing we still rode upon the dangerous waves till at last our barque shattered with the continuall batteries both of Boreas and Neptune gave entrance to that aquatick enemy into its very bowells and running a leak presantly was fill'd with water Every one sought to save himself but there was no meanes to escape perishing some cut the tackle others the masts others cast themselves before hand into the sea at last the ship sanke at which so horrible and lamentable a cry proceeded from those deplorable wretches that I thought it would have relented the Gods of their Cruelty to have sav'd them miraculously The child being laid in the chest which admitted no water was tossed upon the waves and caried out of my sight in a moment The desire I had to see Atalanta made me endeavour to save my life which I cid by gaining the mast of the Ship on which I sat and beheld the rest perish in the sea without being able to afford them help I was driven for Some howers by the waves which many times had allmost made me forgo my hold with their violences and playing with my looser garment had put me to much trouble to keep steady on that dancing pole when at last by the favour of the Gods I was espied by a vessel which yet tryumph'd o're the storme which at that time slackning its violence gave them the liberty of saving me The vessell was bound for Spain so that they were easily induc'd to land me at Olisippo for the rewards I profer'd them all the jewells and things of worth that were about me I bestow'd on them The pilot being very skillfull in his art set me ashore in the Haven of Olissippo in spite of the raging waters I presently repaired to Atalanta's Ile and being admitted I was made acquainted that she had not many minutes to live The greif that then afflicted me its impossible to relate I ran to her bed side and like one distacted ask'd her many foolish and impertinent questions as why she for sake us and why she should not endure any companies in this world and why she would not overcome her grief and sorrow The old lady with her chiefest maids weeping by her made a very sad and dolefull spectacle but she glad that she was departing from this world wherein she had received so much sorrow and greif lay smiling at the frowns of death and embrac'd him with a chearfull countenance Assoon as she saw me she invited me with her dying eyes to draw near in the mean time those that stood by her bed side seeing she desired privacy withdrew a little She first ask'd me concerning the child whose misfortunes I hid from her lest the knowledg of that might have shortned those few moments she had to live I told her that it was safly provided for and that she should not fear but that I would imploy the remainder of my dayes in fullfilling her desire This is all then said she besides what allready I have told you that you let Marcipsius know he was the cause of my death and if he publisheth my dishonour I hope though he be your brother that you will desend me One thing yet grievs me and that is that I must part with Sabane her teares and weaknesse stopp'd her here and I with the excesse of passion could not answer her one word but kneeling down I gave her an assurance by my eyes that I would effect what ever she commanded my teares shew'd her with what resentment I beheld her dyeing and the greatnesse of my grief clearly deprived me of my senses At that time arrived Atalanta's father whom they had sent for and coming where his daughter lay he shewed his love was excessive for beholding her ready to expire he fell by her side and had almost deceived all their hopes of ever fetching him again but at last coming to himself he embraced the dying Atalanta who had the content to expire in his armes When they saw she was dead then began a heavy ejulation all seeking to express their passion by their several gestures and actions The old man toâ—e his hair and beard and calling aloud on his daughter seemed as if he would have made his voice pierce to the centre of the earth and revoked the absent spirit of his daughter every one was copartner with him in his grief so that 't was difficult to know who were most interested in her death A heart of slint must have melted at those lamentâ—ble mournings and bewaisings and it was not a few houres that gave them respite in their passion I had got on the further side of her bed and placeing my self hard by her dead caâ—casse I fell on her pillow with the extremity of my passion and there lay so senslesse that it was hard to judge who was deadest But after a long time my senses returning to exercise their functions I cast my eyes obscured with teares on that face which triumphing over death carried yet weapons enough to have captivated the stoutest hearts The conquering lillies began now to overcome the roses in her cheeks and they as it were yeilding to the hand of fate sunke their blushing heads under the snow of her cheeks which gave a kind of a dying tincture to the white There was nothing to be seen of death but want of heat and motion and had you but seen her you would have said that it was the fairest of the graces that in the kingdome of Morpheus was taking her sweeter repose My griefe permitted me not to read to my self lectures of mortality but by stimulating considerations put me into motions of sury Oh! how often I secretly curst that cruell brother how often I vowed her revenge and how often resolved I to sarcrifice the Life of Marcipsius on the altar of vengance 't was these resolutions that kept me from following that faire one to the Elisian shades and ty'd me to endure those sorrows by living which I was necessitated to undergo since she was dead But the old Lady having fâ—r different considerations fearing as 't was suppos'd the indignation of the Prince since she was the seeming cause that his daughter was remov'd thither where she dyed retiring into a closset pierc'd her ancient breast with a ponyard and so emitted her soule to follow Atalanta's Atalanta's maide with some others whose others whose love to her had transported them had effected the same emission of life had they not bâ—en hindred by others so that the opinion of the Indians seem'd to possesse them that souls want the service of others in the other world and that they out of a sence of love and duty would follow Atalanta to the Elisium When that they had tyred but not satisfied themselves with weeping
impossible to let you know the palpitations of his heart at that time but Madam said he trembling I know not what it is you call passion but I rather think 't is some growing disease not ordinarily known for if I dare say so I find in the midst of these sadnesses a strange kind of pleasure which yet is afflictive and yet desired So that I cherish my disease and wish for no remedy for what appears so grievous in the eyes of others 'T is very strange reply'd Eliana that you should Love that which is your torment 'T is the part of a resigned soul answered Argelois to be content with what the Gods shall send if their hand hath afflicted me with this strange sicknesse I ought to accept of it as their gift knowing it proceeds from the powerfull hand of an uncontrouling deity The Gods seeme unjust reply'd Eliana to punish so severely the virteous and to let the most vicious go untouched We are not said Argelois to prescribe a way to heaven or to tell him who they are that ought to be punished for we are not able to peirce into the sins of men which are perceivable only to the penetrating eyes of Heaven He that seems most holy in the eyes of men may be most vicious in those of Heaven You know not Madam what I have deserved Truly my aspiring mind in that it hath given me audaciry above those of my quallity to so glorious a converse with your self hath deserved these thunders of dejection Virtue cannot sore to high return'd Eliana and it is but a vanity that possesses rhe great ones of the world to consider great births more than virtue for true honour proceads from virtue and is regulated by it therefore the Gods cannot do so great injustice as to punish you for making others happy by your company I rather thinke it is the meannesse of our deserts that make the Gods to interrupt the felicities we received by your conversation Men cannot be more pitifull than the Gods and I pity your dejection with all my heart That is enough said Argelois to make me happy and to establish me in my pristine condition for your pity is restorative Dardanus coming to them put an end to their discourse but Argelois finding the virtue of her speeches to operat much upon his soul and to relax the continual agitations of his thoughts he often engaged into the like discourse but with a great diligence lest he might discover the cause of his sadnesse and Melancholy Whilst he enjoyed that happiness of conversing with Eliana her words still prov'd a Nepenthe to his soul and gave some relaxation to that sadness that peâ—petually afflicted him But it lasted so short a time that 't was scarce perceiveable and no sooner had he left that Sun but his heart was contracted by the cruel frost of dispair which ushered in those killing thoughts that were most commonly his Companions and which very often had like to have precipitated him to death Dardanus seeing he strove in vain to perswade him out of that mestitude or to gain the knowledge of it from him resolv'd to satisfie his desire being his intent was only for the good of his friend by a secret auscultation of his miseries He often perceiv'd that he stole out to secret places of the woods where he believ'd he play'd the usual part of afflicted people who not having to whom they may commit their secrets blab them to the senseless trees or dumb animals whereby they find some ease but no remedy for their complaints Dardanus watch'd him one day and following him unseen to the wood crope near to the place where he lay amongst the thickest of the bows which intexed their leavy arms in one another and sheltred him from his sight sufficiently It was a long time before a world of ingeminated suspirations would give him leave to speak but at last casting his eyes up to heaven having laid himself upon an oblique bank he began to disburthen those oppressing thoughts by most pitifull complaints O Heaven said He with a pitifull tone will you force me to be my own executioner Will you not yet give leave to Atropos to conclude my destiny and free me from misery It is an act of your mercy to take away a life so unsupportable I beg not to be eas'd of my grief any other wayes than by death since it cannot be but by wronging the best of friends But what say I Do I ask for that death as will be so prejudicial to Dardanus since he loves me No let me live only for his sake O Gods ye are just and 't is sit that I endure these torments for the crimes I commit Ah! dear Dardanus Can you ah can you forgive me the crimes that I dayly commit against you in loving that beauty which is ordained by heaven for you and which is too divine for any other mortal than your self Yes Dardanus that shall be the last thing I will request when I leave this Love consumed carcase and I doubt not but thy goodness will forgive thy Argelois a crime which is forced upon him by the uncontrouling power of love who though he hath made me to love Eliana shall never cause me to injure thee by a thought of obtaining her were my birth answerable to her greatness No Dardanus dear Dardanus I hold that tye of friendship too dear to be broken for all the content of the whole world My life shall be sacrificed to maintain it and it shall be kept inviolable though for it I expire After some time of silence breaking forth with another tone Ah damnable thoughts cryed he what evil Daemon is this that gives these injections that tells me Love considers no friendship that for the consideration of Love we may lawfully break that tye That Rivals in love are unsupportable though friends or brothers That I ought to account him my enemy that is so to my desires and content That I ought to afflict my self when I may take the obstacle out of the way by a noble Combate which will be allowable in a rival O wicked cruel and deadly susurrations avoid all evil thoughts and know that 't is my self that is rival to my self It is Dardanus it is no other that is my rival were it any besides him he could not have lived so long to my torment though I had reaped nothing by his death Love must be satisfied and Rivals must share the prize by their deaths But 't is Dardanus to whom I ow more lives than one and 't is a great comfort to me ah my dear Dardanus that t is for thy sake I endure this torment Yea were it far greater which is impossible it should not be murmured at by Argelois but borne with patience as the most glorious tryall of my ftiendship After some little time of pausing and sighing Ah! more pleasing thoughts said he but yet unjust and unrighteous and that do not throughly consider
the nature of friendship You 'd have me to make my love known to Dardanus you perswade me he will pity me you tell me it is possible he may seek to content me and to leave his interest for me nay seek to gain Eliana to me You mind me that he beggs to know the cause of my saddnesse and that I do ill to deny it him and that it makes him suspect my love you tell me it will ease my miseries and put an end to my trouble Ah! pleasing thoughts true indeed I doubt not of generoâ—â—ty and excesse of friendship all this may be But must I be so selfish to rob my friend of that which is so much estemeed by my self No it is contrary to the nature of friendship to covet that for my self which will be a loss to my fâ—iend No no friends lay down their lives willingly for one another and how easie could I sacrifice many if I had them for to save thine Dardanus but this is far greater to endure a living and continuall death and to deny my self of what I love with so much passion this is the highest act of friendship and didst thou know it Dardanus thy self wouldst say so Yea Dardanus I can be content to deny my self and to see the fair Eliana thine without repining thou alone dost deserve her I will continue my abnegation and persevere in it till I am utterly consummated by my silence No Dardanus were I sure thou wouldest satisfie me and give me what I can wish and what alone will make me happy I mean the possession of Eliana I would not discover it to thee No no 't is far better that Argelois shold dye than that Dardanus should be deprive'd of that happinesse of enjoyning Eliana It is better for to let thee suspect my friendship than to discover this to thy hurt for 't is thy generosity that I fear and thy Love lest it should make thee consider me more than thy self How soon shouldst thou know it were I sure thou wouldst put a period to my life with thy ponyard for the wrong I do thee and for my audacity in loving Eliana How willingly should I receive it from thy hand and how glorious should my death be No no thou wilt be apt to pardon such a wretch as I therefore thou shalt not know my passion 'till death hath seal'd up these eyes nor then neither but to clear my self of the suspition of breach of frindship But ah misserable wretch cryed he out more vehemenâ—ly and looking discontentedly upon himself what unpardonable crimes hast thou committed and dost dayly commit against that divine princesse in whom is seated something more than mortall in takeing her name into thy mouth Oh unpardonable and deserving the worst of torments that thou who art ignobly and it may be spuriously borne thou that knowest not thy self and only raiz'd by the excesse of love in Dardanus that thou shouldest dare to offer to raise thy thoughts and so audaciously sublimely love a Princesse the fairest and divinest of princesses oh horrible thou deservest not one moment of life for sinning against Eliana and abuseing the goodnesse of Dardanus After the sending forth a few sighs and teares Ah divine Eliana went he on pardon me ah pardon me I confesse I love but 't is impossible for me to contradict a power so unconquerable Ah I do but conserve those flames in my heart that took their origenall from your eyes I preserve flamâ—s presumptious ones I confesse yet are they pure and châ—st flames and those that make me but adore you as a deity too good to be poluted by our defiling thoughts I confesse my self punishable in the hiâ— heâ—â— deâ—reâ— but yet am I unable to helpe my crimes I am forc'd to sin against you but pardon me ah divine Eliana that shall be one of the last requests I will make Dardanus that he gain your pardon after my death and that you may at last confesse though I was presumptuous and incomperably bold yet withall that I was conscious of my duty in repressing those flames that consum'd me with so much impetuosity and also that I knew that none was worthy of the incomperable Eliana but the matchlesse Dardanus Dardanus who heard this generous and pitifull complaint was oppressed with extreme agitations in his mind Fancy and friendship struggled for the victory and love and desire equally oppos'd each other it was sometime before he could overcome his resentments but at lâ—st that noble and invincible mind to whom both love and generosity were inseparable gave the palme of victory to his friendship and resolv'd to do an act worthy of so Heroic a soul What said he to himselfe after long strugling wilt thou have thy Argelois overcome thee in all things dost not thou hear his immense generosity ah true friend and wilt thou love lesse or lesse generously than he But greater considerations ought to move you than these 't is the love and life of Argelois How often have you said that the beauties nor other considerations of the whole world could be able to rob him of one graine of the love you bear him and shall the love of your self now stand in competition with it shall he dye for you by denying himself and cannot you foregoe that princesse for whom you have no passion to save his life dear Argelois I have commited a crime by expostulating so long that cannot be clear'd but by gaining thee the object of thy passion and full fruition of thy desires 'T is done Argelois be content thou art mine more than all the world and thy interests shall disengage my own And what hitherto I have sought for my selfe I will seek to acquire for thee Whil'st he was in these silent disputations Argelois had renewed his complaints ah heavens said he in what perplexities am I brought I am not able to endure the torments of life and yet I dare not wish my ease by the stroake of death love forbids me to live and love forbids me to dye At these words Dardanus not able to forbear longer ' rose from in the place where he was hid which action causing a rusling amongst the bowes so near to Argelois put him besides his complaints and made him forsake the earth and cast himselfe upon his feet to see what it was Dardanus rushing suddenly from among those close woven trees cast himselfe upon the neck of Argelois No Argelois shall not die said he but shall enjoy what he so passionatly desires Dardanus loves him too well to see him expire when 't is in his power to help it Argelois shew'd by his countenance how amazed and angry he was at this accident for not able to utter one word he cast his eyes about as if he would accuse the trees the birds and the heavens for contributing to this discovery or for having some intelligence with Dardanus I know not how many changes in his countenance were seen in a moment
that speech was the least of his graces and that he came not thither to talke but to fight The Parthean claping fast his cask retyred a little taking a Pathean javelin flung it with a terrible fury against my Prince that had it hit him his armes would hardly have pâ—ov'd of force to have withstood it Arizobanes collimated his lance with better fortune for meeting him in the cutrere gave him so terrible a shok that all his endeavours could not keep him from falling over his horses croâ—peâ— The Prince scorning advantage alighted and meeting Pampatius with his sword they began an encourter worthy of Romes theater When I saw them engaged I allighted and drawing my sword I told Pamaptius's Squire that it did not become us to stand in that posture whil'st our Masters were in that engagement The Squire not refusing me we did our devoyres to take each others life Fate not my valour after near an howers dispute gave me the victory by the death of my adversary This encounter hindred me from beholding the admirable actions of my Master and so deprives you of the best part of that combate As I had concluded my victory I perceiv'd Arizobanes had meet with a champion who would him the victory at an easie rate and I saw him cover'd with blood and wounds before Pampatius fell not so much wounded as the Prince but mightily disabled through a cut on the the joynt of his right arme and by a gash in his forehead which yielded so much blood into his eyes that it blinded him Arizobanes seeing him fall set his sword to his throat expecting he would have implored his life I 'le never confesse my selfe conquered said Pampatius so long as I have a heart to resist I confesse fortune hath declared you the victor and I cannot resist a Fate that is uncontroulable but neither fortune you nor the world can conquer my heart that is invincible take my life but when I am dead then confesse that dyed spontaneously and that though you kilâ—'d me you never overcame me The Prince seeing his resolution and courage No said he I am none of those who desire to rebate such great courages who are able to conquer death upon a point unworthy any generous spirit Live then Pampatius I will not say I have given you your liâ—e but that 't was the greatnesse of your own courage neither will I attribute the victory to my own valour but to the justice of the cause and your temeâ—iâ—y At that mstant came two of his Squires came into the place it being almost night to whose care he left Pampatius who retired with them to his traine Before we could recover the City we met a great many knights and gentlemen going to seek the Prince whose departure was not kept so secret but it came to the Kings eare whose care and vigilancy had enâ—aged the whole court in our peâ—quisition The Prince having lost much blood which continually destilled at many wounds fainted in sight of the City and was fain to be carried to the court upon our arms The court was in great fear for his recovery and the generall love he had acquired of all men made all interested in his welfare But coming to himself he assured them he was not in such danger they thought him in Ah! brother said Philadelphia it had been better that I had been prey to that truculent Parthian and that I had endured the worst of miseries rather then you should have engag'd the whole Kingdome into danger with your selfe and our parents into sorrow for your hurt He satisfied that faire one with many fraternal words and told her the combate was as well for his own honour as her safety The Chirurgions giving them hopes of his sudden recovery returned part of their former joy into their faces The wounds I had receiv'd by my adversary were not considerable enough to make me keep my bed so that I had enough to do to be the praeco of the combat which was enternain'd by all with joy for the valour of the Prince His love and desire to see the Princesse your sister contributed much to his cure and made him willingly undergo what they told him would festinate it They could hardly congratulate him for 's victory after he had recovered his wounds which had enchain'd him to his bed but that he left the court full of heavinesse for his departure Assoon as we came to Byzantium the prince understood that your self Argelois and the princesse Elâ—ana were remov'd to some castle in Asia for pleasure and repose and that the Princesse Panthea having been sick of a feavour was not throughly recovered Did not I tell thee said the Prince to me that the princesse Panthea was in some danger of her life those palpitations I felt were not caused by absence but through a simpathy that my soul had with hers languishing Love is Magicall and distance of place is not able to hinder us from those knowledges which we receive from the hidden and secret virtue thereof Arizobanes was received by the King your father with his wonted courtesie and kindnesse Assoon as he saw the princesse he perceived that the fire of her seavour had left its ashes in her face and had much dimed that luster that formerly displayed it selfe in her eyes But whatsomever the matter was he trembled at her first fight and told me afterwards that he saw anâ—er in those lookes she exhibited and though it could not alter the suavity of her countinance yet he found that it terified his heart After some few dayes that he had been there the Princesse leaving her chamber was walking in the garden where Arizobanes met her and being transported by his passion he confest to me afterwards that he approached her with too much audacity and did not shew all the respect he ought to have done to that visible Goddesse proceeding with the precipitancy of his passion he â—ell towards that tended only to the exhibition of his and all though he knew she was not ignorant of his Love yet he proceeded too far and the princesse not accustomed to speeches of that nature left him with anger and hardly saw him in a week after I cannot tell you with how many tears and words he repented his insultity he endured torment enough to expiate a greater fault and he desir'd but to live to gain her pardon for his boldnesse This made him seek out all occasions of meeting her alone that he might fling himself at her feet and beg her pardon for what he had done But Panthea as dilligently avoided him as if she had known his desire or feâ—r'd his intentions His desire led him to all places where he might find the Pâ—incesse which she perceiving I beleve she attributed to impudency or importunancy At last he espieo Panthea and her gentlewoman Arselia one evening to enter a close Umbraculum Ventering all his hopes at that cast he surpriz'd her in her
safe in Sinope Leaving that poor Domicile with riches enough for these two entertainers to raise themselves a better fortune By easie jorneys we came to Sinope the Prince Dardanus receiving a great deal of honour from the King in consideration of those courtises Arizobanes had received in your fathers Court. After we had been there a little while the Kings courtesies and the Princes disquiets engaging his Highness to a longer stay he sent me expresly to let you know of his divertisements and to give you these bloody testimonies of Arizobanes's affection with the relation of these accidents Epidauro having thus finished his relation with a low reverence left the place The Princess Panthea must have forgot her self and have chang'd her nature if she had not resented these actions of passionate Arizobanes She found them too moving to leave her impassible and though they could not force her to love yet they compel'd her to a loving pity No consideration but that of the incomparable Argelois could have been able to have dissipated those clouds which a new Love began to raise in her thoughts She found more pity towards him than she willingly would have given him and that amorous deity had like to have surpriz'd her had she not at that instant cast her eyes on Argelois which dispel'd all those thoughts which began to assault her She found him busie in reading what Arizobanes had writ Let 's hear said she what that rash Lover hath wrot doth not he charge me with his crimes Argelois beginning those sanguinious lines read as foloweth The dying Prince ARIZOBANES to the incomparable Princesse PANTHEA BE not affrighted at these sanguinall characters nor account me immanâ— for sending you the picture of my Death delineated with my blood I possesse a place that could afford no other implements and I am sure none could speak better than these I have made use of This red inke hath a commixion of Love which should mitigate its territion and induce you to believe that 't is but the modesty of this rustick paper which blushes between those lillyes that hold it haveing never received such honor before But these blushes have a language which tells you that they were not formed by that extrinsicall blood which flowes in the veines but that it is that which allwayes incircled the heart of Arizobanes and that it is made purer than the rest by its vicinity to that fire which was injected into this heart from those faire luminaries that behold it This heart Madam hath a mouth too which tells you that it yet preserves that fire which is immortall and knowing you to be the Creator of it it comes to resigne the last sparks which it yet conserv eunder its palenesse It tells you silently that Arizobanes hath obeyed you commands and hath lived so long as he was able without that life you had deprived him of But it tells you too that he could sooner dye than break your comands and that without murmuring since it is for your repose I have but few minutes to live and that crimson stream which I freely shead hath almost exhausted its fonntaine and therefore I must contract those deprecations I had intended into this one that you will pardon all those insulsities caused by the vigor of my passion and believe after my death that his heart speaks true when it tells you I Lov The Prince said Argelois was forced to this imperfection by that fainting which accompanied the losse of his blood but I verily believe if strength had permitted that he would have added love with a passion unâ—atchable and intire to last the gaspe the fair princesse Panthea and that there was no content to that which he received in dyeing in obeâ—ience to your commands You have concluded it very well replyed she but the greatest enemy poor Arizobanes has is your self And I maddam said he professe my self his greatest friend and it is both contrary to my will and knowledg if it be otherwise It cannot be unknown to you replyed the princesse though it may be contrary to your will for I have broake through all those obstacles pudicity would have exhibited to make you know it At the end of these words she gave Argelois so languishing a look that it peircede to the noble seat of his soul But being willing to divert her from those thoughts which he saw agitate her Truly said he if I maynot be too bold I should tell you that Arizobanes did deserve a lesse rigorous chastizement and his passion might have been some excuse for any fault he might heve committed through the ardency thereof for I know it was too pure to cause any thing unpardonable pray madam what was the reaason that moved you to such a sudden severity Do you aske that reply'd she her resentments were so strong that it forced some tears from her eyes Yes Argelois I will tel you though thereby I must upbraid you with your inhumanity You were not ignorant Cruell one that the fire of Love was the cheifest inflammation of my blood and that which caused the greatest fire of my seavour You know that my debility had chained me fast to my bed when you desireous to kill me left me with an inhumanity innate to none but Tigers Yes you and my brother with the princesse Eliana left me and though I was recovering yet you know that it might have been the only remedy to have cured me of my love and life together I will not trouble you for I know it is erksome to tell you of those cruciations proper to those are diseased by the Cyprian ague 'T is enough to let you know I was in the midst of those unequall sits when to augment them Arizobanes came to court He might well observe in my face that I badly resented his company and that 't was intolerable whilest I sometimes fried in flames and at other times was frozen in Ice I endured his ardences and company as long as I could but when I saw that it hindred me from those thoughts I had given my self up to I fell into impatiences and unusuall angers which made me I confesse at last prohibit his stay any longer but I did not judge his passion would have led him to such a praecipice But I see now I revenged my self on the wrong object for after his departure I found no ease of that torment that before possest me every thing seemed to disturb me and indeed if I may say so I was not my self Arselia fearing I would have been distempered and have relapsed into my feavour perswaded the Physitians that solitarinesse was not agreeable to me and that my love to Eliana made me extreamly wanting of her company Those Aesculapians believing that the chainge of air would do me good perswaded the King my father to let me come hither to Eliana which was effected and you may believe if you please that it was nothing contrary to my will After she had beheld
injuries you had done him Amongst many other words that his fury and distemper made him utter I retained these Cruel mischance cryed he out just as I hoped for the fruition I had so long expected but who can conquer Fortune that mocker of our hopes I thought I had been past all danger of her mockeries I thought she had done her utmost against me I thought the cruell Goddesse had given me Amenia for to recompence the losse of the Kingdom she hath taken from me Cruell destiny inexorable goddesse thou art nothing but illusions no thou knowest no other way to make Mandone throughly miserable but by this last ereption of all my comfort with Amenia furies snakehaired sisters asist me Fill me with your veniferous potions add fire to my flames and let your stings give me no rest till I have revenged my self on that cursed vagabond Euripedes and that strumpet Amenia Assist me in my invention and they shall know there is no rage like that of love converted to fury and revenge your selves shall be lesse cruell than I will be in inflicting those tortures rage wrath and revenge provoke me to No Euripedes thy weak arme cannot help thee now I am assisted by the internall Furies wrath and revenge Thou shalt find that my arme is stronger than it was and the inspiration of rage hath augmented my forces And thou Amenia shalt repent thee of thy folly thy beauty nor teares shall move me to any pity no I will blind my eyes with revenge and answer thy demerrits with whips of steel Araterus after he had listned a while to the rage and fury of this man impatient of longer delay and hoping by him to learn some newes of you lest his secret ausculation and presenting himselfe to that mad man I have heard said he accidentally what your fury hath made you vent against a man whom I go in Quest of and who is my friend and kinsman The ardent desire I have to meet with him induces me to pardon your crime upon condition you direct me where I might find him otherwayes consanâ—tinity and fâ—iendship ties me to chastise the irregularities of your tongue The man who by thâ—â—e words was sufficiently roused cast himselfe upon his feet evâ—ginating his sword Gods cryed he I thank ye for sending one that dares maintaine the Quarreâ—l of Euripâ—des how great eâ—â—e will this be to me that his friend shall bear the first Stigma's of my fury Without other words he assaulted Araterus with his eyâ—s that shewed rage and desâ—eâ—atenesse and with so much strength and fury that it made me doubt of the event Araterus opposed him with a sufficient courage and animosity and oppoâ—ed to his strength and fury skill and Judgment The battle hung long in suspence blood and wounds having been equally shar'd till at last after three hours endeavour Victory began to declare her selfe for Araterus Mandone beâ—inning to faint with the losse of blood and courage I expected every minute when he would fall when Fortune shewing one of her usuall pâ—ankes had like to have given away the victory and life of Araterus to Mandone Araterus warding a back blow of Mandone's and stepping back stumblâ—d at a shrub which intangling his leg flung him on the ground Mandone noâ— loosing that opportunity thrust his sword in at the buckling of his Curace which neverthelesse with the sudden turning of Araterus mist his body and piercing the other side pinned him fast to the ground Mandone drawing his dagger sell upon him and had there put a period to the life of Araterus If I seeing the danger he was in had not whilst he was busie in taking away the life of Araterus deprived him of his with a thrust which I gave him in at the back Araterus arising pulled off the cask of Mandone and finding him stone dead instead of the thanks I expected very angerly told me that he had rather he had dy'd than that his honour should be destain'd by so cowardly an act Abash'd at this insulsity I replyed that no wise men but would disowne such generosity which had rather lose a liâ—â— that ought to be preferred to all the world before the breach of such a foolish punâ—illo I told him that I did not do it till necessity urg'd me to it and that it was no stain to his honour himselfe not consenting to the fact and that I hoped he would not be angry at my care of his life but rather that he should have accounted me a monster to have stood by and have seen him murthered without lending him my assistance My teares haveing more poweâ— than my words and promising to offend him no more in the like pacifyed his anger and reconciled him to me Leavinâ— the place and the dead body of Mandoâ—e we rode to the next village where we spent a mon'th in the cure of Araterus his wounds Their sanation being perfected we searched all those places where we had any hopes of meeting with you the last Countrey being the Cantabrians where not finding you and believing that you were returned home we took shipping at Flaviobriga with an intent to do the like Our sailes swelled with a prosperous wind till we had compassed Spain and were almost come to those straits that give entrance into the Mediterranean Sea A reâ—â—â—ting gale arising by little and little the ship notwithstanding the endeavours of the mariners far from the entrance of the strait and withstanding their art and paines bore them into the midst of the Ocean The skie began to befrown his serene face with spissous clouds and to muffle himselfe with an unwonted obscurity darknesse and horror began to empale us round The eyes of heaven continually shot down upon us fulmineous flames his voyce bespeaking our deaths with a tonitruous eccho Every man had his deaths symptomes in his face fear having tainted the cheeks of all the Passengers with a pallid hew The winds breaking their Hyperborean prison fomented the waters which with a kind of imperious greatness swel'd into liquid mounrains opposing it self to the agil lightning Our ship left to the mercy of the winds ran far into those traceless paths ore which Dedalus's wings had never soar'd where lost in that new world of waters it sometimes mounted to the Poles and by and by sunk to the vally of Stix between the aqueous rocks which perpetually threatned with an eternal Tumulation those poor souls with whom fear and sorrow were continual Concomitants Driven thus with a perpetual Hurricano for ten dayes together towards the Antartick Pole we found the Sun almost in our Zenith which penetrating us with its ardoâ— made us know the intolerable heats of those Climatâ—s The storm now tired with assaulting us or else giving a trace to our almost quite-spent Barque abated and heaven unfrowning his face seemed to smile on our miseries There were no gods left unthank'd for this serenity and being reviv'd from that death Dispair had cast them into they
with her guard to the next town where she was accommodated as well as the time and â—lace would afford As soon as the Sun appeared in the East chaceing away the horrors of the night with his splendid beams the General gave order for the burning of the bodies of the slain and the inteâ—rement of the chiefest Captains being very many slain on both sides This being effected and the Chirurgions permitting the General to travel they returned to Sinda with their banners displayed the insignâ—'s of their enemies trailed on the ground trophies of their armes carried in Chariots before them and with all the signes of joy tryumph and magnificence that could possibly be imagined They were scarcely lodg'd in Sinda before the Queen received word by the Posts that her other Army in the Frontiers had received a great overthrow through the unskilfulness of their Leader and that the enemies troops advanceing apace came accompanied with victory fire and sword This news put a damp upon the Generals rejoyceing and made them see their danger was not over The Queen sending for Peomontile and Araterus told them this newes and withal that she was not to expect victory from any other hands than from the sage Peomontile and the valiant Araterus that it was for their glory that her army had received the overthrow the gods having ordained that none besides themselves should contribute any thing to hers and her kingdomes happiness And that it was them alone that she ought justly to stile her Protectors and deliverers These speeches were answered by a great deal of submission and humility by them both they testifying that pride could make no advantage on their souls by the praises of the Queen but rather inspired them with a generous valour and desire of serving her After they had assured her of their utmost endeavours and given her their Council how to proceed they received her commands to go meet them with their victorious army She could not chuse but express her sad resentments for their so sudden departute which she did with notable address and in general terms but Araterus might have seen that if it might have stood with his honour and her safety he should have stayed behind The Soldiers having received a largess from the Queen with promises of greater rewards marched with a courage and resolution that already assured them of the victory over their enemies The General that received the former overthrow hoping to regain what he had lost was so rash and unadvised to hazard another battle wherein he resolved to dye or regain his former honour knowing it would be an in supportable disgrace to appear any more before his Queen having lost it through his own unskilfullness more then his cowardize But fortune resolving the victory for Araterus he lost both his life and the better halfe of the Army in the Conslict so that the enemies came flesht with their victories and tryumphing till they heard of the loss of their other Army which gave such a check to their exultancies that it half conquered them before the other Army could come to oppose them Fortune that seem'd to be sworn now to Araterus's side gave us the first victory in which the enemy lost a hundred thousand men and twenty thousand Elephants Seeking still to ingage them we obtained two or three one after another in all which sights Araterus did such actions that the most envious of them all could not but contribute to his glory seeing they tended to theirs and their kingdomes preservation 'T was more then once or twice that he saved the life of Peomontile he slew with his own hand two of the enemies Generals and by his examples inspired others with such courage and animosity that he often turned the fortune of the battle and although reduced to extremities and Exigents he still came off victorious and tryumphant Having oftentimes discomâ—ited them with extraordinary loss strong holds there not being regarded to retard a War but determining all with pitched battles the War was soon finished and in halfe a year there was not an enemy that dar'd appear in the Kingdome and of so many hundred thousand men very few returned into their own Countrey Peace being setled in those parts we returned to Sinda where Peomontile and Araterus were received by the Queen with such caresses of joy and in such state triumph and magnificence that the East never beheld the like These publick rejoyceings after many weeks beginning to lessen the Queen who was generous and noble having before acquainted her Uncle Peomontile and Araterus with her intentions who gave her their approbation sent for the Prince of Sinana He who thought it had been to receive the sentence of death came with so dejected a countenance that he disgraced the quality he represented and the apprehensions of which made him speak and do things so misbecoming a Prince that the Queen had much ado to endure him in her presence whilst she told him That he now saw the fruits of his insolency pride and temerity and that although she had respected him above his demerits and according to that regality which he bore yet that he had unworthily and altogether misbecoming a Prince behaved himself That he saw how the number of his men his threatnings insolencies and pride were overthrown by the gods who protected her innocency against his violencies That being her prisoner and guilty of such horâ—ible crimes she could justifie his death to all the world and that she ought not to have deferred it so long but yet for all this that she had given him his life clearly with his libâ—rty not that he had any wayes deserved the least favour but rather more than death by his pusillanimity and dejected carriage so unworthy a Pâ—ince but that she accounted him unworthy her revenge or anger and she permitted him to live that she might conserve him for the Subject of her hate and scorn The Prince received this sentence with some sign of joy and though it was so little to his glory applauded the Queens Mercy According to her order he was conducted to the Frontiers of the kingdome with all the other prisoners which she had taken with them she sent a letter to his father the king of Sinana in which she old him That 't was her desire to live in peace amity with all her neighbour-Princes but especially with him the interests of whose kingdome her Ancestors had alwayes made their own That she wondred he was so unadvised to follow the temerity of his son and to ingage himself in a Warre so unjust and illegal thereby breaking those Leagues which she ever had kept inviolable That what she had done was but in her own defence and to keep her and her Subjects from ruin and destruction and therefore that he was to thank himself and fortune for his overthrow and loss That for her part she desired not to make use of her good fortune nor advantages that she
I spent my years in bringing up this plant my brother Marcipsius having taken upon him the crown of Tingitana and gaining the confirmation if it from Augustus by his presents and bribes to his chiefest favourites promising an annuall tribute and acknowledgment that 't was from his donation married his coâ—sen the princesse of Bogudiana and enjoy'd that basly purchased crown some yeares in peace Marinus now entring into his fifth lustre I made known to him his parents which till then I had hid from him and exhorting him to virtue and patience and to the exercise of Hâ—roick actions and generosity which would obliterate the blot of his mother and his own extraction I gave him all the Instruction and admonition of a father and by my indulgency exacted from him a filial reverence and fear At last I desiring he should be known to his father I would not permit him to lye any longer in such obscurity and accompanying him my self to Tingis noâ— imagining the fire of malice and hatred could have been preserved alive so many years in the King my brother I presented him to him and discovering my self and Marinus I made known to him how he was his son But that wicked one having laid aside all sence of nature and humanity instead of forgetting my injuries and remembring I was his brother and that his son caused us to be imprizon'd and that very closely for fear we should be known who we were lest that the anger of his Queen for his crimes past or the discontent of his subjects for my imprisonment might cause some disturbance to his quiet We endured this restraint with a vertue which we made out of necessity near five years when on a sudden and unexpected by us our prison dores were broke open and we carried to the head of an armie of thirty thousand men to be their guides and conductors against Marcipsius This was occasioned through the evill reign of my brother and the discontents of his subjects and the great a version they allwayes had to him so that many and that of the cheif about him conspireing together procured this revolt and raised this army with great secresy in his further provinces They had not kept our imprisonment so close but that 't was known to some of these who knowing who I was design'd me presently for his successor and for their Generall They made very large remonstrances to me of the equity of their doings the wickednesse of their King and the affection they had to have me succeed Ambition and injury both at once solicited me but remembring that he was my brother and King I told them As I would not approve of the follies and weaknesse of their King so I could not tell how to take armes against a brother and a Prince whom I ought to obey I told them that the Quallity of a brother prohibited me revenge and that of a King swallow'd up all Injures And that what before I had acted against him was not for injuries done to my self but being bound by the obligations of love greater then those of Nature I was forced to what I did and haveing sufficiently compensated for that I could not revenge injuries done to my self And if they could not perswade themselves but that they ought to perpetrate their designes that at least they would not make me the executioner but rather return me to the prison from whence they brought me if I must be necessitated to obey one I had wholly frustrated their expectations if Marinus being more sensible of my injuries than of nature to a father so monstrous and obdurate had not engag'd himself to them and so perswaded me at least to bear him company in the field and see whether he could performe the practick of the Theory his tutors had taught him Father said he if the Pellaan heroe as my tutors have dictated to me acknowledged himself more beholden and bounden to the Stagyraean Sage for his learning and precepts than to Philip his father for 's life who lov'd him left him a kingdome and means to raise him to that stupendious greatnesse he attained to How much more ought I to acknowledg you and to revenge your injuries that have given me life by saving it that have educated cherisht and spent your selfe upon me on a father that begot me into misseries that hates me that imprizons me that seeks my death and ruin Let me give you this proof of my affection and shew you how sensible I am of injuries done you and that for my sake suffer me to make my father acknowledge me for his son by force and when it lyes in our power to use mercy I 'le make him give satisfaction for injuries done to the best and cheifest of my fathers and then we 'l put on the duty of a son and begg pardon for our selves Not to use any more of those arguments he us'd to perswade me the Love I bore him and the discretion I perceiv'd in those young yeares ty'd me to him inseparably and made me to accompany him in the warr which lasted long and was very Tragicall This war continued five years in which time we had many great battels many slain towns taken Cities and places dismantelled houses burnt the country forraged and all those sad disasters which inseparably follow a civill war The three first years victory still attended us and a sensible successe made us doubt of nothing that might crosse us But Marcipsius having gain'd notable experience in the warrs of Caesar kept himself so secure by the certain intelligence he had of all our councells by his agents so that there was nothing that we resolv'd on but he had notise of it before hand and still frustrated our projects and designes whether it were in knowing our intended marches that he might way-lay us with ambuscadoes or our intended besiegments that he might sufficiently prepare it against us or our sudden assaults that he might prevent us and having mony and men enough he keept us from advancing very neer Tingis The fifth year we came to a pitcht battell which prov'd fatall to us all the whole strength of both sides engaged and on the victory depended the decision of the Quarrell and Crown Both sides were very resolute and fought it out to the last man at least thirty thousand fell on both sides and the plain was like a sea of blood the contrary side prov'd victors Marinus was slain cover'd over all with wounds falling upon a rampart of dead bodies that he had slain My self kill'd in Marinus and having lost all the blood in my body fell amongst the dead But being preserv'd against my will by those that came to gain by the dead and cur'd of my wounds I left Africa With the like sorrow that I left Spain after the death of Atatanta I retired amongst those Pirates that I once commanded and the love they bare me not being extinguished in that intervallation of years that I had been
absent they receiv'd me with Joy and according to my desire let me live the remainder of my dayes in a solitary cave but accommodated with things convenient which was within the rock of the fortresse After allmost twenty years solitude time a little makeing me insensible of those things so long past I began to be more conversant amongst them and enquiring after the passages of the world I understood by them that were ignorant of few publique transactions that Marcipsius enjoy'd his fortune very little after that fatall battell for his neighbour King Juba a prince indued with the learning of the Grecians and the valour of Romans in his rising fortune had swallowed him up and buried him under the ruins of his greatnesse I used sometimes to take the sea in some of their vessells to recreate and relaxate my tyred spirits not to dispoyle any of their goods as I had formerly done and one time fortune at last to please me after these stormes shipwrack'd our vessel upon the coasts of Asia but it was to give me the greater calme for gaining the shore I travell'd up into the country having some jewells and gold which I sav'd from the shipwrack where I mett with Euripedes travelling with a few servants but both of us being altered by our years we knew not each other till in discoursing as we went together I knew him to be Euripides and making my self known to be Lonoxia we renew'd our former amity with tears of Joy Understanding the design he was going about and agreeing so fit to my wishes and desires I joyned my self with him and ever since have been his companion in this beloved grot I have given you the relation of my life with which fortune hath as often play'd as any and hath made it one of the greatest examples of her mutability I cannot but wonder what kind of deity it is that should take so much delight in the vicissitudes of things being a matter of impossibillity for her to permit any man to enjoy a content that is permanent nor is she to be won by sacryfices prayers or vows Lonoxia thus concluding Argelois stai'd some time reflecting on the many remarkable passages of his story But at last taking hold of the shutting up of his narration spake something of that clausion I have said he given good attention to your narration wherein there are many things worthy of denotation and wherein that Goddesse you speak of hath manifested her power But if you please I 'le tell you the opinion of a philosopher whose dictates I well remember since I learn'd them in the Academian shades concerning this Fortune which thought it may be different from the Common opinion seems not to deviate from reason nor to be dissentaneous to truth The common sort of people are constantly ignorant of the true notion of the Gods and meaning of those figures which they see represented to their eyes â— fram'd by the hands of men and only follow the vulgar opinions and common notions and dogma's testifying their obedience to receive upon trust what the priests or the wise men tell them fitted to their Jgnorance without any Inspection into mysteries So it is then that the Romans and other nations worship those Images whether of Jove Cyllenius Venus Fortune or any of the Gods as if they themselves appeared or their divinities were comprehended within those materialls when to confute that blindesse we often see them abused by sacrilegious persons without restriction or punishment The wise men themselves were the cause first of all of this infulse and false adoration for they knowing how fraile the comprehensions of vulgar minds were and that they were not able to conceive beyond the power or dictates of their senses nor comprehend a deity that is the Invisible Gubernator of all things fram'd certain Images to represent the power and different effects of one sole powerfull Numen that by those ocular demonstrations sitted to the abject capacities of the vulgar they might be put in minde of a supream invisible all-ruling power lest otherwise they might fall into an Impiety to believe there was no such Power or at least should be unmindfull of it without some thing formed to the sense to mind them of it and help forward their devotion seeing that things presented to the eye immediately stirs up our rememberance and causes a renewing or commemoration of those things we had forgot But of this their good intention there sprung up a great Impiety for the vulgar placeing divinity in those carved and gilded Images adored them for that uncontroulable power and imposing certain names and offices on them never look beyond those wooden objects And since for their confirmation through the covetousnesse and to the enriching of their priests or conservers some wicked men adding sorcery and charmes caused certain illusive miracles to be done or shown by these Images But this error is too inveterate to be contradicted or spoken against and so generally embraced that very few of the wisest Philosophers have preserved this verity But he that instructed me in these things wiser than the inspired Sybills who were instated by this power and prophefied of some glorious star which is about this time to appear that shall dispel these clouds of error and impiety hath them out of writings that he accounts as sacred as others the Delphick oracle and delivered them to me as his choycest secreets and greatest proof of his Love But to this Fortune you speak of a power or Goddesse that is accounted so caprichious and unstable the Romans according to their apprehensions of her by her effects have depicted her and plac'd her in the Pantheon in the form of a woman ' cause that sex is most mutable faining her the daughter of the sea to shew her inconstancy and the servant of the Gods because they accounted all sublunary things to be at her dispose and to be effected by her She was placed upon a globe to shew she praesided over the earth She had Cornucopiae in one hand to shew she gave plenty in the other a wheele to shew the mutability of it on which was the Image of Favour of a vitreous substance apt to be broken and lost She was also painted blinde and drawn by 4 blind horses they accounted her so by reason of the indifferency of her actions in sparing neither the princes nor the plebeians as Justice is and by reason of her confused and miscellaneous actions which seem'd a Chaos in their eyes and the productions of a blind deity But this said my tutor is but the Phantasies of those that cannot perceive the great Divinity who rules all things and by his providence effects all this that they atribute falsly to Fortune a blinde Goddesse indeed Nor are we able to comprehend this power for what we think disorderly and confused is most regular and agreeing as we see in some Machine or clock whose wheeles move contrary wayes yet all in an
detract from its lustre and through which it will not shine with a splendency able to overcome it 'T was not cloathes that made her but she that made her cloaths beautifull And as the richest ornaments cannot contribute beauty to a face in which there is none so the meanest cannot detract from a beauty of it selfe naturally sweet though I confesse ornaments are not without their peculiar graces and settings ost to meaner beauties but Eliana's was so transcendent that as the meanest dresse could not detract from her beauty so the richest could adde nothing to it Argelois being diverted by Panthea from beholding that faire skin which carried albitude extraordinary and a heate through the gentle live of her bed which concorded with that of his heart he walked some turnes with those fair Princesses's and telling them the reason of his stay the last night made them acquainted with his engagement that day to visit Euripedes Panthea unwilling to be deprived of his company so long desired to accompany him and proposing it to Eliana she consenting they told him their intentions I had thought Madam said he to Eliana that you durst not have adventured into those woods again considering the danger you were in the last time you see there You see therefore said she I fear nothing under your protection Panthea interposing told them they ought not to let Euripedes expect Argelois whilst they spent the time in those discourses and give him cause to thinke he was capable of breaking this word Eliana following her councill they left him joyful that he should enjoy their company and went to put on those robes sutable to their qualities and estate They spent little time in dressing them having but very little humour to that court vanity and yet their ornaments wee so rich that they seemd to vie with their beauties Eliana had drest her self like one of the Nimphs or the goddesse Flora and as if she meant to sute with the time of the year she had put on a gown of a verdant hew branched with leavs and flowers so artificially that they made raire knots and poses which served for compartments to her gown Panthea's was a bright azure in which shone so many bright stones that it represented the firmament in its greatest lustre of starrs and by the which she would have intimated the constancy and charity of her affection Having sent for Argelois they entred a clariot and putting off their traine took none with them but Tribulus and their two confidents with the squires of Dardanus and Argelois Beeing arrived at the grove they sent back their Chariote and entring Euripedes groate received all the welcomes of that generous old man You will not increpat me for my stay said Argelois seeing I have brought such company that may excuse it 'T is enough said Euripedes and this company is so glorious that could my wishes be effected I should break that law which I have impos'd upon thy thoughts since I have turn'd Philosopher wish now to be great and potent only that I might give an entertainment some wayes corresponding to their virtue and greatnesse But were I a Prince it were impossible for me to recompence the decima of this favour in illuminating this darke grote with the incomparable lustre of their beauties Eliana and Panthea reanswering him vicissively made him at last leave these termes of perfection Meador who by the virtue of those oyntments which his carefull master had applyed found so much ease that he would not put this Princesse to the trouble of coming into his chamber but being helped on with his cloaths he was led into the chamber where Argelois and the two Princesses with the rest of the company stayed to hear him acquite himself of a relation which he knew they expected at his hands Euripedes had entertained them before with those civilityes that were to be expected at his hands therefore there being nothing now to be done but to audite his relation they caused him to sit down who obeyed and after he had taken some pleasure in beholding the beauty of his auditors directing his speech to Euripedes he began THE HISTORIE of ARATERUS VIrtue what ever the vicious thinke although she be often banded against by that power to which we attribute the name of inconstant and mutable at length overcomes her triumphs over her and wears the crowns of her victories with an immutable fortune But yet should she not receive this reward whilst the soule remaines in the domicill of flesh I am confident the Justice of the Gods would return it a hundred sold after she is departed to the Elysiume some indeed they reward here yet not denying those hereafter and pay their perseverance with rewards corresponding to their deserts Amongst the rest Araterus has tasted of their bounty which is in consideration of his virtue and though what we are able to do in consideration of those deities is nothing and not worthy the least rewards yet they are just and repay our wills and devoyres with happinesses transcending our merits and actions Had you seen the perills and dangers we past and the continuall prosecution of our ill fortune with the marchlesse patience of Aratearus you would have thought there had been no other powers than those which continually seek the destruction of mankind especially the virtuous but as he endured all mischances without murmuring so at last the Gods have repayed him I think without example I know by your own relation that the elapsion of so many years hath not made you forget the place and manner of our losse and I believe that your kinsman had the sight of those implorations of yours to the Gods which may be were the cause of his preservation After we had got those small preservations of life which grew on the verging branches of the green trees we returned to that place where we left you but finding neither you nor the child which fortune had cast on that place I know not whether we were more amazed or grieved At last griefe bursting forth into words and teares Araterus wept forth such complaints that testified how ardently he affected you but amazednesse sometimes stopping his speeches gave him time to consider which way you could be gone indeed sometimes he accused you for leaving him sometimes he inveighed against heaven and then against himself that he dared to speak against either But at last turning all against fortune he made her the sole cause of this accident For my part seeing you gone and believing that 't was impossible for us to escape death by famin in that plâ—ce I would have anticipated it by a voluntary precipitation into the sea which like a mad man I had effected had not Araterus by force more then entreaties deterred me After we had somwhat mitigated our grief by the effusion of our tears and emission of our complaints that we might not be guilty of our own deaths Araterus having changed my
mind with his good instructions we eâ—t that food which was ready prepared by the maturating sun and which extended themselves upon the verdant branches In this condition we lived some weeks till the slendernesse of of our dyet had so macerated our bodies that we could hardly make our quotidian walkes to the sea side in hope to find some winged transporter In the time we were there Araterus researching that cave in which the Phantasmes apeared found in the tomb a lose stone which being taken away discovered a large plate of copper on which was insculpted the sea with that great lamp of the world emerging it selfe with this word in decumanal characters Oriens under which was wrote in Gâ—eek this prophesie The Praediction I Bâ—rcellizeg Druidae having visited the better part of the world for the acquirement of an art whereby I might be as wise as the intelligences or coelestiall deitiâ—s in the fore knowledge of future things at last in this desolaâ—e and solitary Island took up my last habitation and in this naturall structure ended my dayes having attained to the perfection of my art and to the two hundred and third year of my age The estate of the world is laid open to mâ— for these many hundred rears to come but for that I will not make men acquainted with their own miseries nor the Arcanum of the Gods I bury all with my selfe in this tomb only this Prediction I leave to be considered by him whose name is SuretarA and who I am sure will visit this place Praedictio Thou shalt never more return to thine own country but shalt be a continual vagrant for many years from the immergency to the emergency of Sol shalt thou go wherein recompence of thy virtues travel and miseries thou shalt attain the greatest Diadem of the Orient with the fairest and wisest Princesse Wherethou shalt lead thy life in pleasure end thy days in peace this is decreed of thee S. U. R. E. T. A. R. A. After Araterus had read this he shewed it me saying there were large promises for some that he believed were not yet arrived theâ—e After I had a while considered it I was about to depart when perceiving the last letter of the name to be made different from the rest by a more notable character I took more notice of it and presently found that Suretara was read backwards Araterus Immediately calling Araterus who was gone to the mouth of the cave I told him that praediction belonged only to him and therefore I desired him to relege it Smileing at my words he did it but not finding what I had done ask'd me the reason why I said so I presently shewed him his name and told him that with out Contradiction the wise Druide had foreseen his fortune as well as his coming thither He could not deny but that was his name but yet he could give no credit to the Praediction but rather believ'd that 't was his fortune to be starved in the Iland Whatsomever he thought I could not get it out of my mind but revisiting the place I made it a potion against despaire placeing a faith on what I desir'd might be for desire is apt to cause a belief on any thing that may seem corresponding to it We were become mere skeletons and my saith began to waver when traversing the sands on the side of the Iland more out of use than hope of seing any deliverance Fortune or rather Providence permitted the fury of that liquid Element to cast a ship into a harbour of that Iland We soon made known the miseries we had endured our faces testifying to the verity of our speeches They admitted us into their ship and being of Africa assoon as the impetuosity of the storme was allaid which by its sudden ceasing seem'd created for our preservation we hoised the sailes before the adjuvating winde bidding adieu to the Iland but not to our miseries For we had not been long on the sea before we were assaulted by two stout Pirates Araterus was too weak to make any resistance and those in the ship too few to withstand their assaulters so that we were all made prisoners without any great labour Araterus and my self were put into a Cabbin where we found amongst other prisoners the captain of that ship which brought us to the desolate Iland Having saluted him in Greek he told me that whilst we were gon into the Iland those pirates which had taken us prisoners having discryed our ship made to them and in spite of all their resistance took them prisoners with the barque and conveighing them to a peninsula on the coasts of Africa not far from the greater Atlas they were keept close prisoners excepting when these rovers scoured the seas they were put into the ship to use the owers when they were be calmed To this peninsula we were had being the habitation of these pirates and a place that the Conspirations of Nature and Art had made impregnable There was from the sea but one admittance all other places riseing with high cliffs were butterresses sufficient to keep of the invasions of men or waters This admittance was by a river deep enough to carry ships of burthen on each side of which the declineing rocks made a kind of Arch on which with certain ginns there placed two men by letting down strong peices of timber framed Cross wise were able to impede the entrance of any ship On this place they kept continual gaurd and from whose summit they could discry all ships in the ocean for many Leagues Being admitted we sailed up the river into the midst of the peninsula in which place through a great breach there was made a very safe and spacious bay Here disimbarquing we were chained to certain barges and rowed up to the neck of land which adjoyned it to the main and through which the river ran In this place those pirates had built a fort with a wall and dike from one side of the neck to the other whereby they had made themselves impregnable In this place we were imprisoned amongst others which they had taken where we endured their indignities allmost a twelve month Araterus had sufficiently enquired into the Condition of the Iland and their captain He felt the pulses of many beating towards a change And the perceived that nothing but want of an opportunity and introductions hindred their motion Their captain was covetous cruell and unjust depriveing them of their rights and liberties and induceing a Tiranny without controulment Araterus assoon as he had found their alienation augmented it by the charmes of his voluble tongue and telling some that began to heaâ—ken after his words that 't was contrary to the nature of men and the end of their creation to be restrain'd and subjugated by their fellow-creatures That the Gods had created them free and had imposed no such tyranny upon them That Kings Lords or Tyrants were not first made and then others for to