reason to love him no more This said hee stopt his speech which upon her not answering he thus continued I beseech your Highnesse to tell me if rather than to have Lucano dead you would bee contented to have him alive mistake me not not yours but a woman's whom he keepes and enjoyes before your face here in this Iland whilest you live like a serpent under ground for love and long of him and where because you could not dye with griefe you strive to kill your selfe with the rotting humidity and maligne exhalations of the dankish earth But be pleased I beseech you my Lady and Princesse whom I know to be discreet to tell me Is it not a strange thing that the Duke of Lucania who before was dead should be now risen againe to life who before a lover should be now a loather of his deservedly-beloved object and who formerly was a noble and loyall Gentleman should as for certaine hee now is become most perfidious and ungratefull Corianna become clay cold thereat had not the power to answer him the Dutchesse also with the Gentlewoman astonished at these strange newes stood mute like so many statues till shee her selfe at length having first dried her beteared cheekes thus said Lucano then is not dead but lives and yet is no more mine And is it possible that Lucania could bring forth and foster such cruelty and ingratitude No no the world will not beleeve it no more doe not I. Thou dream'st alack thou dream'st Carildo the constantly-good-gentle-carriage of Lucano is a cloth died in graine incapable of either spot or staine But hereupon Carildo's distinct relation of all he had seene taking for the right Lucano the true Almadero shee flung her selfe on the ground tearing her haire clothes and face and had doubtlesse kill'd her selfe in that passionate fury had not the discretion of her attendants hindered and crost that her so desperate intention Lucano on the otherside being by his loyally-loving servants conducted to the place where he landed and whither Carildo was wont to come to buy provision and to espie for the landing of any shipping was in a poore lodging provided of a poorer bed with small hope of life his griefe augmenting his feaver whilst his spirits hourely wasted Resolved then to dye he yet resolved first to be the death of the Knight that was the cause of his death Olmiro and Erinnio did by turnes the best they could to bring him out of the imminent desperation hee was in from which they could not thinke of a better or more powerfull diversion than the loathing of Corianna shewing him withall that in respect of loves being engendred by love the one should surcease to be upon the ceasing of the others beeing A correspondence in their judgement every way just for that if the hazarding ones life for any ones love was an effect not onely of affection but also of duty wherefore then since we have all of us reason to respect ever chiefly our owne good and to love our selves best should any man so love any one that loves him not as to hate himselfe to death with further telling him that amorous constancies were poeticall fables and if not that yet they could not be vertues their effects being vitious and against reason That that which was constantly to be liked and lov'd in a woman was constancie honesty modesty shamefastnesse and the like and not their opposites and unlike But Lucano arguing the case according to his passion returned them this answer My well-meaning friends the priviledge of men in health is to judge of sicknesses as they conceive of them and not according to the sicke mans paine Would not yee hold me for a madde man if I being well and you sick went about to perswade you that it is ill done to be sick and contrary to the reasons of loving a mans owne good and content with adding that your being sick makes your friends sorry disquiets your family and leades you the high-way to death and that therefore your best course were to bee well againe which if you please you may be Yet yee now perswade your selves that I can doe what I cannot thinkign that passions should bee ranked among things indifferent whereas indeede true love hath ever beene a supreame Commander and to this day exerciseth his Soveraignety not onely over reasonable men but also over reason itselfe how much more powerfully then must I needs bee tyrannized over by mine that hath beene already possessed of its sweetes and since in an examplelesse manner suspended from them by time and sufferings Thinke you that a thing so precious acquir'd with the hazard of my life and losse of my state and fortunes can be by me given over and resigned to another onely because my will and resolution you say should be to doe so You would perswade me to it out of charity to my selfe for sooth but I pray you tell me how can I expresse my selfe more charitable to my selfe than seeing a necessity of my death to dye quickly and willingly To love no more Corianna is unpossible for me nay more the meere instincts of love yet perswade mee shee is innocent and the Law wee live under enforces me to beleeve her such Againe that shee hates me I cannot beleeve nor yet dared yee tell me so Is shee having heard of my death obliged to languish perpetually Or doe the Lawes deny marriage to faire young orphan-widowes and in a plight so miserable as shee was in Corianna was borne to love me out of her voluntary noblenesse to cause mee to be slaine yea and slay mee too but innocently Corianna hath for my sake forsaken both Father and Countrey nay lived too like a worme under ground through my doings till occasion was offered her that a gentle Cavalier moved to compassion at her sufferings freed her thence and shee poore Lady was faine to accept of his courteous offer now that shee liv'd for loving me excluded and deprived both of Realme and honour Nor can I but acknowledge my selfe in some respect obliged to her Knight her new servant and am sorry that I cannot requite him since that Corianna being mine cannot be his too nor have two husbands at the same time living I therefore am necessitated to slay him with my owne hands or if he chance to kill me I shall then Heaven be my witnesse dye contentedly and dying wish him that felicity which my owne heart desired I should enjoy with my deere Corianna The disconsolated Princesse slept not all that night but spent it in bemoaning Lucano living as shee had before lamented him dead resolved the next morning to goe finde him out her selfe which because Carildo disswaded her from as both a thing unworthy of her and a subject of favour to Lucano and of triumph to the Princesse of Feacia shee bade him spare his speech and get her a few new-laid egges shee having not eaten any thing all the day before In
be done and yet are not done for being thought unexpedient which I beleeve beares a great stroake over you in the consideration of this our case I for my part was borne a Prince and am by Order a Knight it behooves mee then to dye like whom I was borne and doe like whom I am if dangers had wherewithall to binde our hands there would then never any thing be done in the world Besides that security and danger sometimes so neerly resemble each other and are in humane actions so confused as it were that they glide through our hands undistinguished in so much as we often take or rather indeede mistake the one for the other so as if reason will that wee take hold of this the selfe-same commands us not to despaire of that How many from out of lothsome prisons hourely expecting the deadly stroake of the executioner have beene happily transferr'd to the possession of honours and crownes And how many againe swaying Royall Scepters have by their owne guards in whom they reposed the safegard of their lives and persons beene cruelly butchered and inhumanely murthered A Prince's heart therefore should never be either elevated with felicity or deprest with misery but ever indifferent though in farre different fortunes never beleeving destiny to be growne so powerfull that valour back'd by discretion can no more countermand it and though no other benefit could be reaped from it yet will it in all the seasons of his age be for a mans honour and commendations to dye valiantly a faire death His mother observing he had thus set a period to his speech with a gravely-sad smile thus replied I see then you answer me not in jest Coralbo since in steede of reasons you give me sentences yet alas did you but know how easie they are in their explicating and how hard in their experimenting you would then I am perswaded have omitted the reading them Action and speculation doing and speaking are as nature and pourtraiture the one really makes what the other but visually represents And although those first reall bodies be not in that degree of perfection as the exactnesse of the unfallible Art of the Mathematicks would require yet are they neverthelesse both lively and necessary whereas the second being either meerely imaginary or at the best but the brats of fancie are but inanimate and superfluous The Philosophers humanities picture-drawers have indeede drawne many pictures of her without being for their hearts able to adde to her other beauties than such as are apparant in her face covering the members whereunto they knew not what proportion to give with side garments which they called habits but if Nature had not her selfe given them their true proportions which are good inclinations bootlesse then and vaine were their habits well might they vaile but never take away their imperfections a Maske we know may well cover a face but never cleere off it one litle mole or scarre and the bodies habit by the selfe same reason cannot by any meanes take quite away the halting of a broken legge though it be never so neatly rejoyn'd and knit together I could therefore wish that vertue were considered by you Coralbo not according to the imaginary abstracts of the theorick but reall experience of the practick These ideall transcendent vertues are proper solely to God and such men as abandoning humane actions pretend to seize on them by maine flight come tumbling downe with them to the earth where they burst their necks with the fall The world hath its generall rules and with honest men profit and honesty goe hand in hand Let us then square our case by this rule and by it examine our resolutions To this Coralbo knew not well what he were best answer for that hee before thought his mothers words would prove to be such as might by some critick had they beene a subject to a poeticall pen have beene censured for not observing a decorum as though there could not be among women either that hight of subtilty of spirit and wits acutenesse as to apprehend things well or that supreame degree of copious and sweete language as were requisite to expresse themselves in the best and most elegant manner but shee standing so seriously attent to her conceits that shee nothing heeded her sonnes admiration held on her speech I once said shee in my happier yeares knew a decrepit Prince whom both the graces and heavens had endowed with the best gifts that lay in the power of their bestowing a memory which of mee shall be ever honoured though unpleasing this Prince gave for his devise a Leopard his motto I either take or surcease taken from the propriety of that beast which as soone as he conceives that he cannot overtake the beast he hath in chase gives over his pursuite so could I wish that you without a bandoning your swan weare that Leopard For applying of whose sense to our occasions I say That if to suffer ones-selfe to be carried away to great but possible enterprizes be greatnesse of spirit then surely to attempt things impossible is meere temerity and presumption If the kingdomes title were to be tried by a suit in Law and we withall sure to have justice then needed we not doubt of its recovery or though the title were uncertaine yet should we doe well to try if the uncertainty of the Iudge's owne judgement his inclination towards us or some other humane affect in him might any thing availe us for then without hazarding either our selves our honours our friends or servants we might well adventure being at the very worst the hazard of the better But alas who can hold plea with a tyrant Prince who being entred into our possession by fraude and force thinkes he deales fairely enough though he say he will have no other Iudge than his owne conscience a judgement in Law unreversable since for having no conscience at all he hath no Iudge to condemne him this way of justice to private men open but to us 〈…〉 up inforces us either to retire us or to passe through a way so full of the thornes of dangers as we shall wish we had for who-so would recovere kingdome should have at his devotion first some strong Hould for a reiltring-place and next supplies of men money and munition together with a strong faction of friends interest in neighbouring Princes and dependance and inclination of its subjects For the first alas we have beene already treacherously expelled from Cardamina for money you have beene robb'd of the treasure in Capraia and I bereft of that in Cardamina save onely the more unfit for such imployments the gold remaining there which for its weight and massinesse I choosed rather to leave behinde me than to be with it made a prize my selfe Friends we have now no more the old friendship being now changed for a new with the altering by a new potent Prince of the old into a new government Besides if we duly consider the present
I beseech you to give us leave to carry you to the cave that I may then after hye me speedily to him to give him life and bring him to you Whilst Lucano stood as a by-spectator of this part of a Tragecomedy he might see displayed from out the wood another scene The Princesse of Feacia whom he before had taken for Corianna not knowing that her Almadero was otherwise busied was met by him whom shee had espied from the hill top And Polimero with his company seeing the three Squires comming out of the wood went another way to finde them out Whilst Lidomia being told by Almadero that he had strangers at home goes her way Lucano at first sight was almost deceived againe nay he had questionlesse so beene if the lamentation of the foure had not pointed him out the true Corianna And now seeing those Knights goe that-a-way he made a stand though his heart drew him out of the ambush he lay in as free by then from jealousie as more than ever sick of love and pitty Corianna now that shee was somewhat able was about to speake in answer to Olmiro when shee saw stand over her the five Knights and a litle after Almadero Lindadori forgetting her designe of passing for a man sate close by her like a young Girle conforting her with the prettiest words that could be When Almadero by this time come greeted her with these speeches Madame it hath pleased you see the Gods to chastize you for the disfavour you to your owne prejudice did me in refusing to accept of a short repose in my poore house I hope you will now oblige me with that favour sithence these noble Gentlemen joyne with me to entreate you to suffer your selfe to be carried up there to continue till such time as you have recovered strength enough to goe on your intended voyage But shee not being yet able to speake much with a low voyce thanking him told him that those her three servants would carry her very well to her Barke and with that calling to her Olmiro shee whispered him in the eare to goe for the Duke and bring him presently to the cave Lucano who standing aside observed all seeing him part and imagining that hee went for him stept out to Olmiro a joyfull man to see him whom he was already bethinking with himselfe whither to goe to finde out who now told him in two words all the businesse by him before hand sufficiently comprehended That done Lucano suddenly breaking through the circle of Knights prostrated himselfe before her and then taking her by the hand and bathing it with his teares he affectionately kissed it Shee presently knew him and at the very sight of him instantly recovered her full strength her soule then returning to its proper mansion and her spirits executing their severall offices Clasping then her armes about his neck forgetting the nice decorum of her sex and the at other times blush-procuring presence of so many Knights shee parenthesing her words with greedy kisses thus bespake him And what God restores you to me now my sweete Lucano what spitefull death alas tooke you from me deerest life of my soule Dye I or live I now I shall live or dye contented for seeing you alive and too withall not anothers but mine But tell me I beseech you are you indeed Lucano or the sweete spirit that was in him No no! you are my true loyall Lucano Spirits I see are not dissolv'd by the blowes of Fortune This your languishing palenesse is a marke infallible of your love and a most glorious trophey of mine But my deere soule you are in some sort recompenced for it since your tombe hath not any either more worthy Epitaph nor your Hearse any Elegy that expresse your disasters more lively than doth this face of mine whereon so you but cast your eye you may there reade in sad characters the deposition of my affection To this Lucano after he had first as a preludium to his speech vented a few profound sighes thus answered The life Madame that at this present I receive is the hight of so great a glory that the death and now past calamities that I suffered come exceedingly short of meriting it Happy therefore were I if for better expressing my loyaltie and to doe you further service I might often reiterate the sufferings of my disasters For though that your favour to me-wards ever the same doth ever warrant my content from becomming subject to alteration neverthelesse Fortune's so various accidents make me now that I have prov'd and felt them adverse relish better my happinesse than before when I knew nothing of its spitefull effects Onely I affectionately begge of you to adde this one favour more to the summe of my obligations which is that you will presently cheere up your spirits and live otherwise I protest unto you that I may well resolve to dye my selfe but not to endure to see you leade me the way to either death or griefe which said he embracing her affectionately nourished by the assistance of their close-joyned lips her weakely-panting with his fresh-vigorous spirits and then shee having first bestowed such time as was necessary for recovering her intercepted breath bethought of getting her selfe up and to be gone to her retiring-place her cave For furthering of which her desire the Dutchesse to strengthen her fainting spirits presented her with a morsell of restorative conserve which shee had brought with her purposely to revive her but could not perswade her to take of it before because of her then resolution to starve her selfe or otherwise set a finall period to her dayes Now also afterwards shee was by importunity wonne to taste of a litle conforting wine which together with other dainties Almadero caused to be brought downe for her and now presented her withall not without letting her know how sorry hee was that her diffidence extended so farre as to Cavaliers who were obliged to serve her Eromena lighting now on an occasion conforming with a determination of hers concluded on by her husband and the Count of Bona of taking her along with them thus greetes her Madame I know you by your high birth noble spirit and disasters ere e're I had the honour to be acquainted with your person and now that I have the happinesse to know you that occular way too I thanke the Heavens for favouring me so much as to finde you out in such a time or plight as I may any way steede you And to the end you may be excuselesse for not commanding me I am Eromena More she would have said but that name scarce exprest bred such joy in Corianna that she interrupted her with saying And how happy a day is this for me Madame wherein Fortune hath beene so liberall as to restore me my Lucano that so both he and I might personally tender our service to you whom we so much honour and desire to serve But Eromena observing her speake with a great deale of paines made her this sudden reply Sweete Madame let us I pray you lay aside all complements and thinke of some meanes of conveying you hence to take some conforting-cordiall-simples for I conceive you have need of them Besides you may honour me by voutchsafing to be acquainted with Polimero my Lord and Lindadori my daughter who are also come here to serve you together with these two Knights the one of them which is this shewing her the Count of Bona having chanced to espie you out before hathconducted us hither expressely to bring you along with us to Sardinia where we shall with your greater advantage treate of your reconcilements And then after complementall courtesies replied on all sides Almadero would by all meanes have Corianna carried up which favour shee accepted not of but in excuse thereof said Courteous Sir I may not accept of your much-obliging proffer not because I dislike of it but for that I cannot conforme the necessity of my occasions to the desire I have to obey you in explanation whereof I must tell you that I am though I presume you hitherto know not as much your neere neighbour and have at home a young sucking babe that expects me and therefore I shall make bold to begge of you one undeniable request which is that you would bee courteously pleased to leave to my Lucano and me with our company the use of my cave whereunto seeing her resolution so fixt they all assented so as shee was seated and carried thitherward in a chaire accompanied though against her will with all of them who when they came to see that subterranean habitation though adorn'd with royall furniture they could not refraine from weeping But more than all the rest Lucano though he afterwards passed from a sea of teares to an Ocean of joy upon sight of the babe whom Lindadori would needs feede whilst Eromena having first excluded all the menkinde helped Corianna to bed and then soone after re-admitting them shee with some soveraigne restoratives by then prepared her by the noble mayden both conforted and restored her enfeebled forces Full fifteene dayes entertayned they themselves all of them in Ericusa For the Prince of Feacia being informed of their qualities went in person to conduct and lodge them in a delicious house of his pleasingly-scituated on the sea side where upon Corianna's recovering her former beauties they were observed although in apparance the same with Lidomia to bee animated though with different spirits onely so farre alike as tooke away all marveile of their being taken the one for the other Lucano rather was a greater subject of amazement since betweene him and Almadero could not be discerned any sensible difference of favour or making other than in certaine gestures and those too rather habituall than naturall Many complementall ceremonies passed betweene Eromena and Corianna touching their going together till at length upon the later her accepting of the invitation the old Prince furnished them with a Galley Leaving then Almadero protested-unto of a perpetuall amity they fetching about Sicily prosperously arrived in SARDINIA FINIS
so farre from being a fault that hee was not held for a gentle spirit that did not both honour and in a manner adore him Corrianna then casting both her eyes and heart I know not whether more upon the comely and well-featured personage or sweete disposition and other excelling qualities of Lucano grew to be so affectionate both to the one and the other that her becomming blinde thereat so dimm'd his eyes that they stumbled or rather tumbled downe both together over the precipice of inconsiderate resolution into the bottomlesse gulfe of despairing miserie The King her Father had solemnly promised her to the King of Sicily for the Prince his Sonne and shee very readily had assented thereunto for being at that time a free woman shee wholly rendred her selfe obedient to the disposition of her parents But after that love the infringer of wholsome lawes and destroyer of good orders had violated her modesty and corrupted her minde shee then gave liberty to her licentious will which afterwards occasioned his fatall end and her utter ruine The Princes Lords of that Kingdome are for the most part used to resort to the Court but few moneths in the yeare for it being their humour to make a glorious shew the great expences they make therein doe so farre exceede their abilities that for not being able to maintaine themselves there any long time in their accustomed pompe they are constrained for feare of their utter undoing to retire themselves to their owne home and meanes The Father of Lucano by thus over-running his courses left at his death his estate so incumbred as it was judged a happinesse that hee died although for other occasions hee was well worthy of life and his Mother being his guardian assigning an honourable allowance towards her house-keeping and towards the maintenance and nobly breeding up of her sonne who at that time passed not nine yeares of age imployed the residue towards the discharging of debts so that at his going out of his minority hee was so rich that without prejudice to his estate he could liberally spend conformable to the unbounded greathesse of his minde and eminent degree of his nobility This was the reason that Lucano never frequented the Court but in his Fathers time when he was very young making his abode during the residue of his blooming yeares in forraine countries it being discreetly considered of his prudent mother that ones naturall climate and aire how temperate and pure soever is subject to the imperfection of being uncapable of it selfe to make any man compleate studie and instruction being of themselves dead things without Travell and Experience the onely meanes to pollish the rudenesse and imbellish the deformity both of mindes and manners At the publishing of these nuptials the Court was enriched with Princes Lords and Knights and pompously adorned with magnificent and glorious shewes in so much as Parthenope though alwayes gentile seemed now exeedingly to exceed her selfe so as such as beheld her wondred what wit could invent or purse minister and supply the excellencie and abundance of the Artifice and stately curiosities that were there seene The wals seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such 〈…〉 expressible varieties of delightsome objects In the morning the temples refounded with the harmonious noise of care-ravishing Mufick and odoriferously smelled of sense-recreating and fragrant savours In the after-noone their faire large streetes strowed all over with rich Caroches and proud Coursers made a most glorious shew in the distinct medley of such a number of Nobility who towards the setting of the sunne retired themselves under the jetting-out windowes and faire balcones of the Kings Pallace enriched with a comely aspect of most beautifull Ladies a sight which wrought in the Cavaliers an ardent desire to deserve the being eyed and gaz'd upon The Sunne taken with the delightsomnesse of these heroicall exercises was loath to withdraw himselfe to his accustomed rest untill he had seene broken by two hundred lances that there were burst in shivers two hundred of his more resplendent rayes the vapours of the earth at that houre serving for sticklers to devide it equally among the tilters From the lists they betooke themselves to the dancing hall the first place of admittance granted novice-lovers in Cupids Academy and best affected solace of rosiall and love-adoring yeares In this happy time came Lucano to the Court entertained by the King with particular favours his worth speaking him the prime Peere of the Realme but much more his gracefull aspect and Princely presence qualities forwardly recommended by Nature unto other mens favours And having with all ceremonious reverence performed his duty to the Queene hee with a sweetly-respective-humblenesse kiss'd the hand of the Princesse But while they interchangeably beheld one another their eyes were at first sight so constantly fixed on each others countenance as though their objects had beene long before familiar to them and seene else-where for clearing themselves of which ambiguity their rayes as faithfull Heralds by peering while here while there question either the other about it What the particular answers of either side return'd were is unknowne onely most certaine it is that the scope of it was love for to love they concluded Now the daily newes of the future bridegroome began to sound harsh in Corrianna's eare all his rich presents were priz'd but as meere drosse in her esteeme nor could shee endure to give the Embassadours as much as a looke that might any way promise them that shee bare the least good liking to their embassie her thoughts affection and will were in a moment quite altered and if the fayning of her selfe sick had not depriv'd her of the sight of Lucano shee from fayning had become sick in good earnest her body being already disposed to follow the indisposition of its minde which was discovered by the evident signes of the alteration of her countenance were it for the relation that is between it and the minde or through her want of sleepe or rather because from that time her heart began to make an ominous presage of her ensuing disasters The sports and revellings were reduced all into one place where in dancing were by them laid the ruinous foundation of their utter ruine It never came within the reach of my knowledge to discerne which of them both was the first that made the motion of love but I am perswaded that their wounds being equall both at the selfe same time sought for the proper salve to cure them with yet I have heard the Princesse her selfe often say that shee alone was in all the fault and that the unfortunate Duke foreseeing the future misfortunes resolved to goe on rather because he would not have her beleeve that he little esteemed her than because he was either inconsiderate or any way uncapable of performing the office of a prudent and discreete Gentleman Nature having foreripened his bosome because the Destinies had over-forwarded his death But where
matter did the best shee could to comfort her till seeing shee could get no answer of her shee opened the windowes and then seeing her looke so pale shee was againe amazed yet finding no drop of blood about her though her lips and eyes looked of a pale blewish colour shee gently tooke her by the hand and respectively kissing it besought her to speake one word to her but was answered with a gastly grone wherewith shee expired because of her wounded heart's being by then quite suffocated with blood The Gentlewoman searching over her body a-new and yet finding nothing considering that the occasion of her death was not to be divulged shut the doore and went and acquainted therewith the King who because hee could not beleeve that shee died without violence commanded to view her better himselfe casting the meane while an eye on her pulses and paps under one whereof as hee more heedfully observed hee came to discover the bodkin by a litle blood that trickled off the orifice of the wound and so comprehending the cause of her death he charged that no words should be made thereof giving out the morrow following that shee was dead of an apoplexie Feredo in the meane time hastned on his journey beleeving that the farther hee went from Venedotia the neerer he came to content and quietnesse till hee chanced to come to the famous Court of Logria whose then King Alfrido observing him besides the comelinesse of his person to be endued with incomparable qualities had a minde at first sight to make him his Son-in-law for establishing the dominions which hee possessed lying open to divers hostile incursions with the alliance and stay of a King for territories and power next himselfe the greatest of all Albion One sole Daughter had he of some eighteene yeares of age named Alite for beauty singular among the fairest and one sonne as then absent addicted to exercises of Chivalry No sooner was Feredo seene by her than that shee began to affect him seconding her Fathers secret designe with an honest open love and the correspondencie as it was fitting it should had beene by him as forwardly repaid her but that at his first comming thither he began suddenly to feele strange passions of mellancholy which transporting him to turbid imaginations would never suffer him in quiet for that he thought hee saw Gelinda every houre in an horrid shape with a naked and bloody brest settle her selfe by him whether hee were laid in bed or walking any where abroad so as he passed most nights without closing his eyes which made him desire to watch with merry company who upon his corrupted affects wrought just such an effect as doth one single drop of water on one tormented with a burning feaver that thinkes all the rivers of the world too litle either to coole his heate or quench his thirst Many a time have I thought upon these visions whether any such really be or no and whether that which appeared was the very spirit of Gelinda or nothing but the meere imagination of Feredo For if the Gods permit the dead to walke why more for hatred than for love since we heare not for the most part of any such apparitions save in the likenesse of such as have come to their deaths by violent meanes betweene husband and wife father and sonne brother and brother and friend and friend in whom Nature and long practice imprint reciprocall affections with greater efficacie wee seldome or never heare of any such though they should be ordinary Which though they also were yet could they then neither be no arguments making for imagination and use would discover unto us those of reason Nature being not able to worke ordinarily by extraordinary reasons contrary to it selfe The Count who attentively listned seeing him looke as if he expected an answer said unto him Nature gentle Sir cannot give a reason for all things as it seemes you expect it should since we have for attaining to it onely the two meanes of the practick and speculation By the practick we cannot shee requiring time and we being short-liv'd By speculation much lesse she never soaring higher than the pitch of sense Hence comes it that our common knowledge obscure even in things manifest is subject to the censure of contradictions where of such as were Antagonists choosed for the surer side rather to doubt of all than to affirme any thing for certaine out of the uncertainty of our understanding and the same knowledge though in much deceivable is yet neverthelesse embraced for want of a better which well may I beleeve be hoped for but not found by the meanes of humane organs without a long and almost eternall life If then we be so ignorant in things subject to our very senses what can we be in those of the soule abstracted from them yet should not for all this the insufficiencie of meanes of attaining to the knowledge of things make us deny their effects if any be and yet the curiosity of seeking out for them is hurtfull because speculation too much subtilized makes a man unfit not only for the active but even for the contemplative life so as if he be but short in conceiving the first heads he becomes quite dull by that time he comes to the second so blunted shall hee finde his intellect with the hardnesse of what hee understands not therefore a mans choyser course were to rest at quiet and to beleeve that which common opinion both drawne from all the lawes and approved by all the prime Schoolmen of the world in all ages induceth us to beleeve which if otherwise it were not so this Prince his very case might be a sufficient argument for it Since hee was in perfect health when he came from home nor was he ever troubled with any infirmity of his fancie till after the death of his Sister and then too without knowing whether shee were dead or no. So as we must of necessity either deny all and by consequence make the Prince a lyar or in beleeving him beleeve the generall terient which is a reall apparition of the dead a beleefe due to the obedience of the Lawes The Gentleman that stood listning unto him litle satisfied with what was alleadged and loath to let the discourse fall replied My doubt honour'd Sir neither toucheth nor arrives to the law but is as I may say an abstract from it touch it perhaps it might if it were incorporated with it and partaked of its substance and colour as wine doth with those of water The lawes have all of them the selfe same principals and the selfe same ends at leastwise in appearance that is God and good dealing or piety the end of this is to feare those It will not be denied mee that apparitions belong to piety and by consequence make wonderfully for it my doubt doth but question the power of Nature for if Nature could but be united or conform'd to the Law in things supernaturall and that
hounds imagined what was there a doing following therefore the crie shee arrived unawares just as the Prince the Marquesse and I were alighted to the fall of a goodly Stagge Shee leaping from off her horse into her husbands armes that with great amazement was by then runne to helpe her downe having affectionately kissed him with out answering to his demand of her sudden comming would needs come benignely to greete us and all the rest one after another The Prince most glad of this unexpected encounter said unto her Your comming sweete Lady of my blisse cannot prove but most welcome and happy unto me be it for what occasion it will though in token of my extreame content I cannot at this present dedicate to your welcome other than the life of this Hart. The tired beast lay on the ground expecting his death with beteared eyes grieving perhaps that Nature having beene liberall in enduing him with so long a life if what is thereof reported be true humane cruelty for an inhumane delight corrupted his enjoying it without the curiosity of as much as trying in him whether his life could extend it selfe to many ages whether hee had in himselfe any such discourse or no I know not though I well know that the gentle Eromena accoasting and seeing him a goodly one and to seeme at the very point of death to begge favour at her hands answered Be your present my endeer'd Lord waited on by a good augury which I accept with a better and will so please you that he live with this calling for the huntsmen shee asked them what yeares he might be of But because the Gods gave us the world in controversie not excluding as much as those things whereof practique and observation are our masters they could never accord about his yeares by reason of their disagreeing in the markes of his age The beliefe then of knowing any thing certaine so as others thinke they have not their certainties to contradict it is a beliefe notoriously false The Princesse whose minde was busied in a more important thought remounting with the rest rode towards the Citie where being come shee would needs have the Marquesse and my selfe to be partakers of her relation contained in a few words By which shee unfolded her fathers obstinate minde her departing without his leave and resolution to live and dye with her husband discourse there was enough without for all that so much as once proposing any thing that savoured of violence the Marquesse and I being old enough to know what are the troubles of a civill warre especially of such a one which for all the reasons making for it cannot but bee unjust against a father with the schisme of subjects and states and they though young and undeservedly hardly used being yet of a sweete nature patiently bare with the author of their injuries choosing rather to suffer than to endeavour to avenge or right themselves The whole difficulty consisted in the choyse of a place to reside in for Majorica and Mauritania being prohibited they knew not whither to betake themselves wee argued a long time whether or no it were her best course to follow him and leave the Realme in the hands of a frantick father whose infirmity might encourage the Corses to attempt innovations spurr'd on by the Tingitan with promises of men and shipping Besides the ill constitution of Sardinia whose dangers were manifest by reason of the intelligences of bandities beeing the reliques of the Admiralls conspiracie who back'd by the Tingitan daily wrought and perswaded their kinsfolkes and allies to revolt which once hapning who alas was there then to sustaine the ruine shee being farre off the Corses become rebels and the King for his weakenesse contemned these reasons the Princesse would neither give eare to nor admit of Polimero knowing them to be good as he opposed them not so contradict his wife hee durst not yet wish'd he that some body else would perswade her to stay but because the decree was not as yet come thither and that for the executing thereof there was no necessity of an immediate departure they resolved to stay till it came their deliberations in the meane while ripening with the priviledge of this short time Arato gone out from the Councell was by the Earle of Toralba presented with Eromena's letter whereat he asking if shee could not come to speake to him her selfe No my Liege answered the Count for shee is some two houres since gone aboord the vice-admirall and lanch'd out without acquainting any body whither shee went but for ought was seene shee made towards the Promontory of the East Arato confused in mind opened the letter which I afterwards often read so as I beleeve I shall not faile much in repeating it whose tenor was such My Soveraigne Liege I goe to Corsica to finde out Polimero a husband taken by me by your Royall assent a Prince every way worthy and accomplish'd to whose vertue and prowes the kingdome owes its conservation and you both the Crowne of Corsica and Perosphilo's revenge I know not whether I ought or no to excuse my selfe for departing without your Royall leave nor yet in case I should know I to whom to doe it to a King or to a father your Majestie using towards me the power of the distinct person of a King and quite debarring me from the priviledge of the other I well know that I speake to a King yet forget I not that I am a Kings daughter and heire and that I ought to be used as such a one I am sure I have ever honoured you as a daughter served you as a vassall and borne with your passions in so obsequious a manner as other than such as have the gift of obedience as I have could not have done I will not my Liege exaltmine owne merits though the having the power to transgresse and not to doe it is in some respects esteeme-worthy Onely I must tell you that as I have from you the right of the Realmes succession by nature so have you from me the possession thereof by prowes for though as then a may den I onely with the assistance of Prince Polimero saved both it to you and you to it and did when your infirmities brought you to be uncapable of holding its scepter binde it to your hand and with my owne hands fastened on your head the kingdomes Crowne whereas you now suffer your selfe to be upbraided rather than you will acknowledge much lesse remunerate the deserts of others so constraining mee to leave you for your unjustly-depriving me of my husband and more cruelly bereaving me of my daughter to whom by the Lawes both of God and nature the mother is so expressely bound to tender and bring up from which since I cannot otherwise conjecture than that your pleasure is to live all alone in the world I leave you to live so in Gods name and pray Heaven to the end you may the longer live to showre on
their being unacquainted with the roomes marr'd all their designe for they beleeved that my comming in was through the ordinary doore through which they had entred which also made them misse of me many nights before that they had spent in watching my comming not without suspition that Cripasso to revenge himselfe of me had maliciously invented this slander whereupon some dispute fell betweene them till hee causing mee to be search'd for in my chamber understood that I was gone thence though he was yet confident that I must needs have come in the right way through the lodgings which indeede I did never so as he made full account to penne me in since having as he thought but one way to enter they had now left me none at all to goe out through The Dutchesse's withdrawing chamber butted on an arch erected on a backalley through which no man passed it had anciently served for a passage to another house which till it happened to be burnt was a member of the Pallace the arch remaining ever sithence unusefull and its doore shut and so covered with the Arras-hangings as there was none but her selfe and some of her ancientest servants that knew there was any such On the out-side of this Arch stood an old ladder to get downe by which wanted in some places one and in other two rongues the roome was very low full of filth and rubbish and o're-growne with brambles weedes and briars having two other roomes adjoyning to it the foremost whereof was assured with a good lock and key through which I secretly came and return'd without any danger Those that pursued me were foure Cripasso the two brothers and one servant but the foremost of them was Cripasso who came running after me with sword in hand faine as live would I have turn'd to strike at him but doubting to bee overtaken by the brothers whom I had no will to injure I went fairely onwards fortune favouring mee beyond either my expectation or imagination for being slowly pursued because of their conceiting to penne me up in the farther chamber where-hence they saw no way for me to get out I had leisure to descend the ladder without any danger for in drawing onely the Arch-doore together after me I deprived them of the time although it were but shut with a latchet of hindering my descent Cripasso marveiling to see me gotten so low downe unacquainted with the place but much more with the defects of the ladder the torch which the servant carried not sufficiently illuminating all those darkesome by-corners and he withall seeing but very litle for being very weake-sighted tumbled for the extreame haste that he made to pursue mee headlong downe from one end of the ladder to the other whereat I resolved now neither to lose any time nor to faile to kill him as I did the other time before runne him for making the surer worke of him at two thrusts through the neck and brest in the later whereof I ranne my sword up to the hilts conformable to my desire whilest the rest of his company stood immoveable spectators from above for feare of the precipice This done I went my wayes keying fast after me the doore that had the lock on it to hinder them from pursuing me and so hying me to the City walls I got me out without any great adoe and then during all the rest of the night travelled a-foote the speediest pace I could towards that part of the country where its territory was narrowest for I thought my selfe safe enough in any other dominion Continuing this my journey I chanced to meete by good fortune a Knight with whom I had beene acquainted at Parthenope who by occasion of certaine lands was a great enemy to Cripasso to this Knight enquiring the occasion that he saw me so a-foote I unmasked the whole businesse save that in steede of the Dutchesse I made him beleeve that I went to enjoy her woman and was faine to save my selfe with Cripasso's death Whereupon the Knight affectionately embracing mee told me hee was much bound to me inviting me withall to his Castle where he assured me that I should not neede to feare or doubt of any thing I thankfully accepted the invitation but desired for his safegard aswell as mine owne to abide there undiscovered whilest he suddenly dispatch'd away a discreete Gentleman to goe learne if Cripasso were dead indeede and how slaine The Gentleman after a few dayes return'd and told him That fortuning to bee entertained and lodged by a Knight who was an intimate friend of his and a bosome one of the brethren he had not onely beene informed but was also by him favoured to see under the seale of secrecie the whole truth of the fact which was That Cripasso was dead for certaine That the brothers having dragg'd the Dutchesse's Gentlewoman to the top of the ladder had tumbled her downe headlong over it and then slaine her upon Cripasso's corps martyrizing her with so many wounds that her body was seene all over pierced through with stabbes That the Dutchesse could neither with authority nor entreaty obtaine life for her but was oh unnaturall cruelty her selfe the day following by them-themselves cruelly strangled and the Coffin happening to be too short for her one of them stept up on her legges that reached out of the Coffin and with his feete crush'd them to pieces that the Chest might containe them and all because shee was taken with me they having beene before advertized by Cripasso of all the particulars by me related Now though they had not published the case to bee as it was indeede they giving out they had surprized me with the Gentlewoman and that the Dutchesse extreamely affrighted to see her slaine before her face died in the place for meere feare yet had they for all that imprudently communicated the truth to most of their friends so as the people came to know it by having their conjecture in that behalfe confirmed by the coffin's being nail'd up and pitched ere any body was suffered to see it Cripasso's corps were embalmed up and solemnly sent to his owne barony upon a chariot of black velvet drawne by eight horses covered and trapp'd with the same downe to the ground accompanied with two hundred Gentlemen clad they them selves and their Coursers with their head-stalls plumes and trappings all in black with unbraced drummes sordine trumpets trailed standards and mournefull musick On would Coralbo have proceeded in his story but here interrupted with sudden sobbings he was forced to reiterate by the dropping of a few great pearle-like teares his in this manner many times re-solemnized funeralls of his beloved Crisanta Polimero therefrom not diverting him for his conceiving the not giving way to just griefes to be a thing too farre distant from humane putty but soone after the water being soaked away with the drought of reason stopp'd of it selfe and then hee blushing to see himselfe according to the opinion of some contrary to a
new thoughts for being caught with the graces of the faire Princess without daring to manifest it upon examination with himselfe of her tender yeares and customes both those and these being incapable of any such affect And withall which seemed most averse to him of a nature farre from an amorous inclination a contemner of men and a mortall enemy of such of her sex who for conforming to their lovers passions shewed themselves any thing pliable to their loves And though hee hoped that time might alter her yet did the suspence of the selfe-same time also torment him for being unable to suffer the agony of such long-expecting and uncertaine hopes hee being but a traveller without either state or meanes deprived of any certaine place of abode yea and of all power to resolve of any thing excepting such as fortune might favour him withall But being unable to contrast with heaven upon re-examined deliberation with himselfe hee determined to serve her in a somewhat more than usuall manner and withall to smoother his flames by assaying if approached her they could by any meanes without her knowledge warme her Or in case nought else come of it yet should he not neede to despaire wholly were it but for the content that he hoped to receive from her most lovely presence and yet more lively because unparalled gestures and though the worst that could happened yet should hee not be the first that for nourishing his amorous hopes had beene voluntarily deceived for not yeelding himselfe up to deaths tyrannie The princely Mayden on the other side far God wot from any such thoughts beheld him with an indifferent eye onely fretting her selfe for his being such as shee could not hate Her youthfull spirit ruminated on nought else save warre and death with cruell revenges of wrongs which poore women every day as shee conceived received from men She held the subjection of her sex to be tyrannicall and conceiv'd that both Nature and the Law were therein deceived and that onely for being abased by tyrant custome it shew'd not its native vertue That it was now high time to let the world see it and by reacquiring their lost liberty to make the so inured female sex if not superior equall and companion to the other in favour whereof shee was egg'd on by examples Well knew shee that in Egypt where shee then abode the Kings had effeminated the men put them to domestick services to the distaffe and spindle to free themselves from dangers and suspitions shee had also read the Amazon's valorous enterprizes and thereupon contemplating the greatnesse of her owne spirit was confident of accomplishing the full of her intentions Wherein shee perceived but one sole difficulty which was to deprive women of their naturall feares though she beleeved them to be rather habituall than naturall Her selfe shee knew to be valorous not so much by the force of her body as by the courage of her heart shee comprehended that valour consisted in being neither carefull of ones person nor incumbred with the feares of death That the sensibility of wounds enfeebles the forces and blunts the edge of courage seeing it is the sole cause that makes it effeminate and backward in assailing and disadvantagious and slow in defending Shee therefore concluded them onely to be more valiant than the rest in whom had taken deepest roote the indifferencie of either living or dying confirmed in such an opinion by the nature of irrationall animals whereof the fiercer are not the stronger but the more courageous Since that for being endued with more force than men they would merit the title of fortitude rather than they if such vertue had its seate in bodily force that then since women were equally capable of the conceits of the minde wherefore then not of their effects too Such were her internall discourses which if they sometime tooke a turne about any passages told her of divers effects of love shee then ever sparkled out disdaine against the shee-lovers and could have found in her heart to have torne in pieces such of her sex as being rejected or slighted tormented themselves with love an affect to her thinking neither necessary nor necessiting but a simple proposition of free will an incompatibility by consequence unnaturall to love one that hates the person loving which if it be not conceiv'd shee a frensie must needs be an infirmitie of the braine to be cured with penance and fasting The day being come and the horses saddled the young woman there waited in a readinesse with her coates gathered up for the better trudging a-foote which the Princesse abhorring and failing to perswade her to make use of the benefit of the channell was therefore faine to consent that shee came along with her upon the importunity of her entreaties accompanied with such a quantity of teares that never mother shed so many for the losse of her children Causing her therefore to be put on horse-backe behinde Carasio shee asked her who shee was and whither shee meant to goe having already understood how shee was found and runne-away from Carasio she considering that no evasion could any thing steed her resolved now though not without being thereof ashamed to recite in the termes of truth the story of her selfe in such like words I redoubted Sir am the most miserable woman that ever was yet borne since whereas others miseries proceede from fortune mine spring meerely and wholly from my selfe so as though but too unworthy in all other respects yet in this above all I deserve to be pittied of no man in so much as if the unfained repentance of my faults had not enabled and prepared mee for supporting the pennance due for them with an intention to impose on my selfe others somewhat greater I should then not onely finde my selfe to be in a desperate case but should also have together with a perverse minde a lying tongue that in steede of faults and dishonour would blazon my merits and honours not so much to conceale from your knowledge my dishonesties which should indeede be buried in the center of the earth as to finde pitty in you and to gaine your better opinion At the hearing of these words the Princesse kindled as fiery-hot embers was about to make her hold her peace till upon her becomming more pliable because of Coralbo's expectation and shortning the longsomnesse of the way shee gave way to her relation My name said shee is Diatistera by Nation a Grecian and by birth of the noblest blood in Chio not because my Father possessing himselfe of its liberty became tyrant thereof but for that no other one Family in all Ionia is of more ancient memory than ours nor any ancestours more remarkeable for vertue nor renown'd for trophies than are our Forefathers I was conceived in a private estate my father then conformable to the stiles of republiques being himselfe but a Citizen though in greater estimation than the rest yet marked with no titulary dignity of