by Taddees confession and held for innocent being that only in their owne defence and without any other designe they had committed this murther Androgeo absented himselfe for a time but by change of aire he changed not his evill manners nor the malice he conceived against the two brothers of his Step-mother but on the contrary being doubly animated by the death of his brother and thinking it a dishonour if he revenged it not he resolved to dispatch them to take them both together he had at his owne cost experienced how dangerous it was therefore he determined with his complices to take them asunder and rid them one after the other Returning backe secretly into the City and having divers times watched his adversaries hee at length met with Willerme going alone in the street thinking on nothing lesse then on the misfortune which happened unto him for he lost his life having not so much time as to lay hand on his sword it was by a pistoll shot wherewith Androgeo hit him in the head and dasht his braines about the pavement an infamous act unworthy not onely of a Christian buâ— of any man that hath never so little honour before his eyes upon this he betakes himselfe to flight therby to save himselfe for had he fallen thereby to save himselfe for had he fallen into the hands of justice nothing could have prevailed towards the saving of his life pardons being never granted for such deeds notwithstanding it was presently knowne that he was the man that had done this filthy action whereof Sostene was no lesse sorrowfull than his new wife for the losse of her brother The other brother which was Tibere sweares by all the Starres that Heaven containes hee will bee righted either by way of justice or by force the bloud of his brother calling on him daily to seeke revenge but time the Physitian of all the wounds of the mind moderated a little his fury so that hee slackned the pursuite of justice Sostene deprived of his eldest sonne by death and his other sonne by exile sees now though too late that his indiscreete passion and unseasonable love were the grounds of all these mischiefes yet will he not cast the helve after the hatchet nor let that sparke of his race goe out which only remained in Androgeo and to conjure this tempest hee makes use of his wifes wit who moderated the boyling anger of her brother and in fine for his better satisfaction Sostene gave him his eldest daughter in marriage with such a competent portion that Tibere had no reason to thinke ill of any thing that had past all matters where hereupon accommodated and mercy taking the place of justice Androgeo by an abolishment of his former malice reenters into his estate But what agreement soever was made it was never possible to reunite the devided hartes of these two brothers in law nether the alliance by their two sisters nor the thought of the misery past nether the entreaties of freinds nor the teares of the poore old man could ever recall the fury of Androgeo he lookes awry sowrely and doggedly at Willerme who seeing this could not but do as much for being no lesse haughty minded than he by the like despisalls hee mockt his arrogancy from these lightnings of looks proceeded thunders of threats and from the thunder of wordes tempests ofdeeds For behold in mid-day meeting in open street they quarrell draw and Willerme receiving a hurt in the shoulder repaid Androgeo with two others the second whereof laid him dead on the ground although this was done by incounter in combatâ— and in heate of bloud yet Willerme got away chusing rather to justifie himselfe a farre off then neer Imagine now the poore old mans sorrowes when he beheld his last sonne lye wallowing in bloud and dead before his eyes and moreover kild by him that was his brother in law and son in law Let us leave his teares and despaires as a disease contagious because perhaps his griefe may passe into those who have the reading of these lines more for recreation then to procure pensivenes he now sees himselfe without heires male and his inheritance like to passe into the hands of strangers yea even of those who are imbrued in the bloud of his children O what a heart breaking was this too late did the scales fall from his eyes whereby he saw and felt that his foolish love had beene the spring and originall of all these deplorable Events at length being cast downe with languor and overwhelmed in sorrow and discontent a sicknesse seased on him which in few dayes layd him in his grave whereunto this griefe accompanied him to see all his house turned topsie turvie as we may say his estate disordered his second wife taking what she could get his two younger daughters unprovided his sonnes killd and his eldest daughter married unto a fugitive O old men learne hereby to overcome and moderate your doting passions and endeavour to become so prudent and wary as to avoyd any occasion which may induce such fooleries both dishonouring you shortning your life and hastning your body into the grave trust not too much unto the Snow of your head the Ice of your blood nor the coldnesse of your stomacke The flesh is a domesticall enemy which ceaseth not to molest us untill death The flesh is that enemy who lyeth in ambush for the heele that is to say to the extremities of our life so long as one breath is in our lips so long there is a spark of that fire still in our bones moreover it is a very ridiculous thing and no waies pardonable to see an old man foolishly passionate and who thinketh of a marriage bed when he had more need thinke on his grave THE GOOD FORTVNE OF HONESTIE The Seventh Event THE Romans in times past built two Temples the one they consecrated to Honour the other to Vertue These were so joyned and contrived together that none could enter the former but they must goe through the latter this served as an Embleme to shew that there can be no progresse to honour but by vertue And that glory is a perfume fit to smoake no where but before the Altar of vertue and indeed doe but marke what cleere lustre and bright sparkling you see in a Diamond or what light comes from a great fire the same is honour in vertuous actions which are of themselves so resplendent that they produce rayes of esteeme and praise to reflect on those out of whom they issue The Psalmist goes further and will not only have glory to accompany the just man but also riches to enter into his house and to remaine there from age to age in his posterity so that if the ancients had had any knowledge of this doctrin they would surely have added a third Temple unto the two former which they would have dedicated unto good hap or good fortune which should have beene entred through that of honour for
dayes of his life and I will so well provide for your daughter that both she and you yea and all yours shall bee glad thereof This newes was carried by Bonit to Metran who poore young man receaved it as the sentence of his death and indeed to rende so strong a love from his heart was no lesse then to teare his soule from his body hee cannot answer but with teares like to the Stag when hee stands at a bay Bonit pressing him to an answer hee fell presently in a swoune shewing thereby that hee could not grant so hard a request but by death here pitty gave new assaults to the soule of his Father and truly hee had beene very barbarous if hee had not beene touched with compassion seeing his daughter so extremly beloved of him whom he had chosen to be his son in law then goes he to his daughter to try her mind who had no other answer but sighs and sobs at last amongst many interruptions hee learned that her will was in the hands of Metran and that having given herselfe unto him shee could noe more dispose of herselfe her Father having left her shee opened the â—â—â—dgatâ— of her teares tore her haire had almost spoyled that faire complexion which nature had set on her face so much did she hate that beauty which seemed pleasing to any other then Metranâ— eies then Bonit returns to this yong man who having with incredible convulsions of mind digested the bitter thought of the ruine of his love which he saw to be evident tooke at last a couragious resolution and such an one as taken contrary to the true intent may seeme blame-worthy but understood aright shall appeare excellent Philosophers distinguish betweene loues say that that which is perfect hath no other end but the good of the person beloved and that which is imperfect tends to thee utility of the person that loveth Metran would shew the perfectioÌ„ of his love to his deare Valeria and seeing the Marriage so evidently advantageous for her freely tooke the bit out of his owne mouth to put it into Armentaires this was the sum of the answere he made to Bonit who tenderly imbraced him and mixing their teares together hee promised ever to account him as much the raiser of his house as the Earle being that herein Armentaire sought nothing but his owne content and on the contrary Metran deprived himselfe of his only in consideration of Valerias good this newes was presently carried by Bonit to his daughter who incredulous desires to here it from her beloveds owne mouth whereupon Metran being come into the presence of Valeria could hardly endure her lookes which seemed to upâ—raidâ— him with disloyalty so to forsake her and to give â—â—â— over unto another and before they could speake both of them fainting fell to the ground palenesse seizing on their faces their lips were forsaken by their naturall colour and they were thought to be yeelding up their lives but at length being a little recovered and come to themselves Metran made it well and sufficiently appeare unto Valeria that she deceived her selfe in accounting that for basenesse of heart and disloyalty which was the greatest act of magnanimity that his heart could shew to renounce its owne proper interests and pleasure in favour of the thing beloved Valeria could not at first conceive this subtilty her soule being united unto the soule of Metran that shee beleeved death it selfe could not divide them what said she hath caused thee so easily to forsake me and so willingly to give mee unto another Ah Metran Metran call you that loving and perfectly loving as for my part I should not onely have preferred you before an Earle but before a King also for I esteeme not men for their wealth and their greatnesse but for their own proper merits Deare Valeria replyed Metran the affection I beare you being as strong at death workes now in mee the same effect since it seperates me from you my vehement desire of your greatnesse makes mee deprive my selfe of the greatest contentment that I could have wished and without which my life hence forward shall be but a death live then great honoured happy rich most deare Valeria and by marrying with Armentaire become the glory of your kindred whilst I goe miserable poore unhappy and forlorne Metran spinning out the remainder of my sad dayes amongst the lovers of solitude much adoe they had to plucke these lovers from each others presence a heart as hard as Adamant could not but have relented at so hard a separation The words of betrothing being rendred backe the very next morrow Valeria is promised to Armentaire who in few dayes makes her a Countesse and withall becomes so idolatrous of her that both his eyes were not enough for him to view her withall meane while Metran who could rather have dyed then indured to see his Mistresse in the armes of another went his way wandring through Italy for the space of some few yeares often changing place but never heart nor affection Armentarie had but one sonne and hee was married but had no childe and that was partly the cause why the Earle did marry againe to get issue but age and the gowt opposed themselves to his desire Moreover it was generally reported that hee was so charmed by the love of a Courtezan that he disdained his lawfull wife but as the kinde of bad women resemble the materia prima which is never satisfied with formes what expence soever Hilaire was at for to stay the covetousnesse of this creature she still flew out and daily bred new distractions in his brain so that on a time being throughly vexed at her he used her like a woman of her trade and marked her face with the slash of a sharpe Rasor which they there call Coustillade This lewd creature seeing her selfe deprived of that little beauty which made her to be esteemed grew so desperate that she caused Halaire to be murthered by another of her lovers with whom she imbarked and got into the Venetian Territories a receptacle for such sort of wares This his sonnes death unmeasurably afflicted the Earle seeing himself deprived of heires and out of all hope of having any children yet the love he bare to his young wife was a charme to all his griefes But indeed this praise must onely be attributed to the vertuous discretion and carriage of Valeria that shee could so well frame herselfe to his humours and so win his heart that he had been insensible if hee had not acknowledged her respects the gowt by little and little wasting the Earles naturall vigour brought him to the threshold of his â—om be and what could he then doe better in the acknowledgement of the service received from his prudent mate then to make her his heir as he did by his solemne will and testament and after that he went the way of all flesh which is the way to the grave so long as he lived
their labour with all their subtilties and skill and shamefully returning acknowledged all their stratagems to be vaine against a Fortresse so impregnable These difficulties were so far from slâ—ckning or abating the ardor of Ctesiphon that contrariwise it animated it the more imagining that nothing was impossible unto him in those places where he had authority and that all was lawfull that pleased his humour Heraclee wisâ— and vertuous shutting her eares unto their infamous Embassadors her eyes unto the letters which Ctesiphon writ her and her hands unto those great presents wherewith he thought to dazle her did what in like occasions honest maids ought to do she advertised her mother thereof who glorying in her poverty highly commended her daugher for practising so well the instructions of vertue which she had given her further incouraging her rather to dye with honour on her brow then to live with infamy no doubt but she had made som stirre in this businesse had not the authority and power of the Marquesse stopt her mouth who was Lord of the place where she dwelt but when Ctesiphons wicked sollicitors saw their labour lost with Heraclee they then addressed themselves to the mother who poore woman what did she say unto them or rather what did she not say unto them Yet would they not be repulsed imagining that this old woman intended to raise the price of her ware so that how lowd soever she spak moved with anger they spake yet lowder promising her mountaines of gold they told her that it would be the way richly to match her daughter for whose portion in the name of Ctesiphon they promised and proffered foure thousand French Crownes but full ill did they know the heart of Anastacie who for all the Indian fleet would not have committed so base a sale Seeing their battery could not prevaile against these two Fortresses they turne it to another side and addressed themselves unto a kinswoman of Anastaces whom they found more tractable to their will they blinded her with the powder of gold which they blew into her eyes and plotted with her a notorious piece of villanie Meane time Ctesiphon not able to hide his fire tooke walkes night and day about the place where the prey was which he desired seeking to feed his eyes with the sight of this faire image which swimmed in his fantasie the City soon talked of this businesse and every one spake thereof according to their opinions some excused his youth others accused his want of judgement and those that had daughters marriageable cryed out on him for tyranny mothers hid their daughters as hennes do their chickens who gather them under their wings when they see the Kite yet so it is that Ctesiphon lost many a stay to small purpose exposing his reputation to the pillage of every mans tongue on the contrary Heraclee was commended beyond all measure when it was knowne that she and her mother opposed themselves so generously against the filthy lust of the Marquesse who being not able ro purchase what he laboured for but by deceit had recourse unto the foresaid treacherous kinswoman to whose house Heraclee did sometimes goe to worke with the daughters of her who so basely endeavoured to betray her this wicked woman promised Ctesiphon to put him where he should bee alone with this maid leaving the rest unto himselfe to treate As she promised so shâ— pâ—rformed for on a day as Heraclee was at her worke with her sellowes this filthy woman having called them away one after the other in comes the Marquesse with the countenance of a lover who feeles himselfe neere his conquest at this sight Heraclee became colder then marble and all her blood being retired to her heart Roses left their places unto Lillies and her face became pale and wanne like as it were dead The Marquesse begins to flatter her and as he that would as well enjoy the will of the heart as the pleasures of the body knowing how distastfull those enjoyings are which be forced and how execrable are ravishings protests unto her that he is not come to force constraine or use any violence towards her but only to speak his mind freely and make her understand what she should not heare by those whom he had sent unto her nor read in the letters he had written her and being a crafty Courtler he so sugred his speeches and displayed all the Rhetorick which his passion suggested unto him for to perswade Heraclee that what he sought of her would turne to her advancement and no way to the prejudice of her honour I need not fill this paper with his deceitfull discourses Heraclee who well saw that the divell spake by the mouth of this man and that it was not fit shee should delay him with faire wordes holding a paire of sheeres hidden in her hand said vnto him with an assured voyce which testified her courage my Lord I do not beleeve that a man of your birth and quality would commit an act so base as to ravish a poore maid but if passion should blind you so far I know the way to prevent this violence by my death and for as much as I am sure it is some features that you have observed in my face which leads you to desire my ruine I am willing before you to sacrifice them to mine honour and to the health of my soule And at the same instant as she was speaking these words she thrust the points of her sheeres into two or three places of her face which she would have quite disfigured if Ctesiphon laying quicke hold of her arme had not stayed the stroke presently the bloud that came forth with the horridnesse of the wounds maide her so hideous that the Marquesse who needed no other Antidote for his love cried out help help this generous maid thinking he called his men to ayde him for to ravish her had already laid hold ou a knife which hung at her side and was even striking it into her hearte if she had not seen her kinswoman and her daughters enter the roome who found her in the aforesaid pittifull case as you have heard The Marquesse to get out of the confusion and to avoyd the tumult after he had left one of his men to take order for the curing of this maid retired to his Castle with the rest of his followers the woundes were found to be such that the Surgeons promised so to heale them as the markes should scarce appeare but God knowes what cause of talk this heroycall act gave vnto all the country farre and neere Ctesiphon for to justifie himselfe of the reports that went how he would have ravished Heraclee caused a declaration to be published wherin confessing his passion he shewed himselfe to be free from that designe of violence and whether it were to amend his fault or to repaire the breach which calumny had made in his reputation or whether touched with a defire to acknowledge so great a
service was no sooner presented but received And although he had no permission from her parents to become a suitor unto her never thinking on this leave which is so necessary to make a love lawfull which tends to marriage she applyed her selfe to love him with so much affection that being not able to dissemble her fire her actions burst out into flame and made it known unto proud Gelase who jealous of his owne shadow was so wroth to see he had a rivall that he conceived no other thought but to rid him by any means whatsoever yet ere he thundred by deeds he flasht out lightning by threates But although Octavian was not so rich nor of so ancient nobility yet was he a Gentleman and had a heart so well seated that his humour could not suffer bravadoes Gelase having said unto him scoffingly that he tooke it ill he should encroach upon his bargaine in the suite to Pauline and that if he abstained not from it he should find himselfe to be but a bad Marchant Octavian answered that he never knew but marriage affections were free but that whensoever he should purchase this maid that way hee then should strive to put her out of his mind but till then he was not resolved to forbeare being his courage was as great as his love these words seconded by sundry replyes would haue urged them to have fallen presently to deeds if their friends that were present had not endeavoured to hinder this contention Gelase told Octavian that hee would make him pay interest for his temeriry whereunto the other answered that since hee barked so much hee would bite but little and that hee would alwayes make himselfe halfe the feare if he durst set upon him like an honest man without treachery Meane time Gelase who possessed the parents of Pauline as much as Octavian the heart of the maid caused them that had all power over her to forbid her the company of Octavian unto whom they interdicted the entry into their house endeavouring therein to please Gelase whose alliance they wished by reason of his meanes and of his noble parentage This so incensed the maides minde against him that as shee shunned his encounter and avoyded all occasions of his approach so shee sought carefully and subtilly all manner of meanes to speake to Octavian or at least to write unto him who by secret practises advanced himselfe as farre into the affection of Pauline as he◠drove out his competitor who being not able any longer to beare the rigorous contempts of this maid and being desperately jealous of Octavian whom he knew possessed that part in her affection that he sued for with so much desire he resolved to put all in a venture and set an end to this businesse by the death of Octavian whereupon he causes him to be watched night and day and at length he learnes that his usuall walk was by night up and downe before the house of Pauline after the manner of passionate men then Gelase like to a jealous person that seekes nothing more eagerly then that which they are least willing to find went in the evening and hid himselfe neere that house with a friend of his whom we will name Megatime and one of his men a lusty tall fellow and one whose courage and fidelity he much trusted long had they not lien in their ambuscado Octavian but coms accompanyed with his friend Leobell to walke his accustomed round it being the property of those that are possessed with any passion to walke circularly and at certaine signes which he made Pauline appeared at a window with whom he entred into those discourses which are ordinary betweene lovers whilest Leobell being a little wide from them gave them time and liberty to talke What furies of jealousie did then invade the minde of impatient Gelase then was the time that the appetite of vengeance seased him and that hee intended to cut this rivall in pieces who to his disadvantage was thus favoured he commands his man to goe set upon Leobell and to hold him tacke whilest Megatmie and he would chastice the insolence of Octavian at this command they all three start out of their hole at once and parting runne with their swords drawne to assayle their adversaries Leobell in two or three stroakes gives the Servingman two wounds whereof one laid him on the ground as if hee had beene dead from thence he runnes to helpe his friend that calles him Octavian had set his backe to a wall and by the helpe of a shop warded and put by the blowes and thrusts which his enemies made at him Leobell came furiously and the first he met at his swordes point was Gelase whom surprising behind as he was eagerly thrusting at Octavian he ranne his sword into his backe up to the hilt and with this only thrust he drave the soule out of his body and laid him on the ground Then Octavian entering upon Megatime gave him a slight wound in the arme and had likewise beene his death had he not sought his safety by flight which he could not looke for from the hands of the other by defence Leobell was without any hurt but so was not Octavian who had two wounds in the body whereof the one was such that had he not beene speedily drest he had beene in danger to have lost his life by reason of the abundance of bloud which flowed from them The people runne forth of their houses at the noise of this combat and finde Gelase starke dead on the stones and his man some few steps from thence yeelding up the ghost Leobell holding up his friend whose heart fainted by the losse of so much bloud and prayed the lookers on to helpe to carry him to a Chirurgion where he swounded in such manner that he was for a while thought to be dead yet by force of remedies they brought him to himselfe againe and after the first dressing they laid him in bed Meane time while all this passed Megatime advertised Gelases parents of this sad newes and of the untimely death of their son and relating the matter best to his own advantage told them that they both had bin assaulted in a treacherous manner by Leobell and Octavian this first tale takes such impression that it is beleeved for an Oracle whereupon recourse is had to justice who ordaines that Octavian Leobell shal be cast into prison on this decree Octaviā is seased sick weak as he was drawn into the goale Leobell gets away in hope to prove his owne innocency and his freinds by shewing that they had done nothing but in their owne defence and that the fortune of armes had fallen on them who had vnjustly assaulted himselfe and his freind by treason and advantage but the case went quite otherwise then he expected because that Gelase had parents and kindred so powerfull and authorised in in the Citty of Vilne that in few dayes Octavians arraignement was at hand and upon the
in that miserable prison whereupon a great suite is framed against Castalio who for such a barbarisme begun by his father and continued by him was condemned to pay all the debts of Ceraste who by this meanes re-entred into all the lands which his sonnes had sold and became master of that Castle wherein hee had so long been a captive and where by the benefit of hunger and A good remedy against the gowt misery hee became cured of the paines of the gowte Hee lived some few yeers after his deliverance free from creditors and without Physitians An admirable spectacle whereby to behold the omnipotency of the divine providence which doth not only help in calamity but also drawes profit out of tribulation An Italian Bishop in his pleasant and curious discourses whereunto he hath added the title of Caniculary dayes relates this Event which he assures to be true as having learned it from the owne mouth of Ceraste who was then delivered from his so long imprisonment and from debts no lesse troublesome then the gowt was painefull THE VNLVCKY WORD The Eleventh Event LIfe and death are in the power of the tongue the mouth which tells a lye killeth the soule much more when it blaspemeth or speaketh rash words out of a desperate hastinesse from which the Prophet prayed God that hee would preserve him This makes St. Iames compare the tongue unto fire whose least sparke being scattered by carelesnesse causeth great burning and consuming he calls it likewise an universall iniquity as being a thing that defiles the whole body and soule like a tunne full of must or new unrefined wine which foules it selfe with it's owne foame he addes moreover that it is harder to be tamed then the fiercest beasts yea worse then Serpents Tygers or Lyons an unquiet evill full of deadly poyson and the place from whence proceed cursings and blessings indeed as there is nothing so light and slippery so there is no faculty in us whereunto we ought to take more heed seeing the greatest part of sinnes come from thence for very often doth it happen that men utter so many and inconsiderate speeches that they are taken at their word and they remaine punished for the same before they can have so much time as to crave repentance therefore The history I am about to relate will shew you that the predictions of the wicked do often turne to their owne ruine In a City of Swisse which the relation nameth not a Surgeon as expert in healing of bodyes as he was ignorant in curing his owne soule of the wounds of vice although he had a faire and very honest wife not content to quench his concupiscence with her alone had still some giddy passion or other in his soule which stole away his heart from her who only had the lawfull right to possesse both it and his body he led a most dissolute and deboist life which abandoned his health bringing it unto shamefull maladies and his reputation for a prey unto tongues his wife perceiving his evill courses laboured at first by all the gentlest and most convenient meanes she could devise to withdraw him from those bottomlesse pits wherein he was sinking both soule body and estate yet his untractable mind amended not by all these remedies but on the contrary as sweet things according to the Aphorisme be most easily converted into choller and as oyle feeds the fire which is quenched by other liquors so her sweet admonitions made him more chollerick and the gentler he was handled the worse did he sting Patience leauing this woman whose head was troubled with a just jealousie she fell to reproaches and threates which more vexed her froward husband who replyed with sharpe words seconded with such heavy blowes that the poore woman was halfe brained thereby This harsh usage made her complaine to her parents who made their moane unto the Magistrate he finding himselfe obliged to redresse this disorder caused the Chirurgion to be cited before him and ratled him with so good a lesson and withall caused him to pay such a fine that he amended him if not in effect yet at least in shew and commanded him on paine of imprisonment to leave of his accustomed haunting of such suspitious houses where if ever hee were knowne to goe againe hee would cause him to bee punished as an adulterer Here now becomes the sinner humbled and he who rejoyced in his evill and gloryed in his fault endeavoured to hide his dissolutenesse to avoyde scandall murmur and the punishment wherewith the Iudge threatned him yet could he not long abstaine for since the wicked hath cast downe his eyes from beholding heaven and is fallen to the very bottome of the Abyssus he despiseth all humane advertisements having played bankrout with his salvation but now he finds other tricks he makes his journeyes by night and by stealth And to his jealous wife who had over him as many eyes as Argus he finds out thousands of lyes And like another Mercury pipes her asleep with a flattering tongue and counterfeit kindnesses neverthelesse she still mistrusts him knowing that as the Ethiopian cannot leave his blacknesse nor a Leopard the spots of his skin howsoever they are washed so it is likewise hard for him that hath taken a habit of evill to leave of his vitious customes Hereupon she sets divers spies but the malicious man multiplies his deceits and findes more inventions to cast himselfe away then his good carefull wife hath to saue him yea he so jndustriously doth hide his naughtines that although he minded nothing else yet his neighbours thinke him to be reformed and if his wife complaine they mocke her suspitions and accuse her of causlâ—sse jealousie At length having gathered together his affections rather having setled his infections on a lost creature whose only frequentation had beene sufficient to defame those that resorted unto her being one that made an infamous trafficke of her selfe he made his hearte and his body one with this woman This stinking fire could not be kept so secret but that it shewed it self by it's smoke and blacknes his wife had already gotten some small knowledge of this matter and already did the neighbours about the place where he haunted begin to perceiue it and what veiles soever he invented to couer himselfe withall were meerly as spiders webs which discovered him in covering him One of his most probable excuses was to frame some journeyes out of towne whereupon getting upon a Mule which he kept he would ride forth of the City come late in the night unto the adulteresse whom he frequented this craft being discovered by continuance his wife reproved him for it and threatned to certifie the Iudge that he still continued his lewd courses to the end that feare of punishment might cause him to refraine but he being altogether obstinate in his vice and as it were fallen into a reprobate sense jested at her admonitions and with blasphemous oathes and horrible
propose nothing but what is vertuous and tending to salvation the bad doe but invite to unlawfull passions which darw unto eternall ruine there is the distinction betwixt the Hiblean and the Heraclian hony that the first is good and wholsome being gathered upon Thyme a bitter hearbe it is a little unpleasing in taste but good for the stomack whereas the second being gathered upon the sweet but venemous hearbe aconitum hath increase of sweetnesse which is mortall for it provoketh swimmings in the head strange convulsions and in fine death if it be not speedily vomited up even so it is with good and evill love the first free and plaine but the pure hath I knowe not what in it rough and simple but it troubles not the soule nor overturnes not the Oeconomie of its health which consisteth in the right use of reason and of all its faculties whereas bad love is sugered full of quaint wantonesses faire smooth speeches sweet but dangerous mortall unto reputation pernitious unto salvation and quite contrary to reason which she puts out of order to establish in its place the tyrannie of an unruly passion Now as it is the end which giveth the beginning unto a thing the means being justified by the intention I generally call that bad and unjust love which hath not marriage for its end and which by wanton wooings letters presents and other such arts tends unto the entire ruin of honesty I call that love good which is lawfull and honourable and hath the eyes of a Dove yea of a Dove washed in the milk of purity whose teeth are of Ivory the symbole of its integrity whose lips are bound with a red riband in signe of pudicity and modesty of speech whose cheekes are like the opening of a pomegranat it witnesse of modest shame whose feet are seated upon bases of gold for a foundation of cleannesse In briefe whose thoughts words countenance actions and intentions are all pure upright and sincere all cleane and honest It there were ever any of this sort we may be sure that the love of Maximian to Hermile had all these qualities At the beginning of their frequentation the father of Hermile was troubled in mind Hermile her self had a good share in that trouble because that considering the extream disproportion which was betweene the quâ—lâ—ty of the one and the other of the parties they could not imagine in what manner heaven could tye them together But nothing is impossible to him that hath made heaven and earth and hath set such a tye amongst the elements whose qualities are not onely different but contrary each to other depending them on divine providence who hath wrought greater miracles After a thousand protestations of purity of intention and honest pretention Hermile was permitted by her father to hearken unto Maximian and not to reject after a froward manner the vowes of his love and service Vnder the aspect of this starre of fatherly permission shee imbarqued herselfe in this affection with so much staydnesse and discretion that she proved the Proverb a lyer which saith that Wisedome and Love never go together The eyes of her mother were alwayes spectators of her carriage although her ears could not alwayes understand the words wherewith Maximian entertained her which although ful of modesty might have lost their point if they had had lesse liberty in conclusion their love went on so far that nothing wanted but marriage to put it in its apogeon but forasmuch as the publique laws forbid children to contract it without the consent of their parents the consent of Rogat was absolutely necessary that of Hermiles father being sure enough Maximian in whom love and desire bred great unquietnes and impatience writ unto his father that beeing ingaged in an affection which hee could not cast off but with his life he humbly intreated him to give thereto his consent and blessing whereby he might make him the happiest gentleman in all Brittain Rogat who went not so fast on in a matter which cannot be too much thought upon having inquired of the qualities and condition of the maid I meane of those which the world chiefely regards in marriages to wit bloud which is the riches of birth and wealth which is the bloud of life and having learned how extreame the inequality was between his sonne and this party like a prudent man as hee was he would not wholly cut off his sonnes hopes therof for feare of raising his spirits to drive him unto some great extreamitie but he imitated Physitians who turne backe a rheume which by their remedies they cannot wholly dry up he cunningly takes time to thinke upon it and in that time seemes desirous to see his sonne to conferre with him viva vâ—ce on this matter Lovers easily beleeve what they desire for what doe they not hope that love This deceitfull language seemed unto Maximian to bee a kinde of consent and he concludeth with himselfe so dexterously to husband the minde of Rogat that he will worke him to condescend unto his desires The father sends him word that for his own part he is now in an age which dispenseth him from great voyages but that Paris is not too far a journey from Brittaine for a young Academicke Love of the Countrey desire to see it and paternall invitation sets on the backe of Maximian such wings as are attributed to the god of Love he promiseth an inviolable loyaltie to Hermile in presence of her father and mother and takes leave of her but onely to goe and take leave of Rogat to be wholly hers He depends thereon as on a thing already done yet reckoning without his host he may reckon twice Hermile accompanies his departure with sighs and tears sweet and chast witnesses of her affection exhorting him to constancie and to take heed that winde and absence beare not away his faith and promise It 〈…〉 to tel you the vows and protestations which this Britton made of an immutable stability yet so it is as effects have showne that he spake even from the bottome of his heart and that his speeches were oracles Being then arived in Brittaine he found not in the minde of his father that condescendence which he imagined Contrariwise he met with reproofes which he expected not and whereunto his soule was not prepared he resembled them in war who thinking to retyre among those of their owne party see themselves ingaged in the hands of their adversaries in vain did he alledge the beauties and vertues of Hermile Rogat sees them not so far off and besides he thought there were beauties and vertues in Britaine as well as in France Moreover that which he desired in a match were beauties of silver and vertues of gold which Hermile wanted Then did Maximian judge that his minde would never yeeld and that those gentle letters which hee had written were but onely lures to call him backe into his countrey from the object of his passion
any thing of more force to stay his desires For answer I had none other but that he was sorry to have beene troublesome to my designes yet he beleeved a dispensation might remedy al this if I would give eare thereunto I told him that a dispensation presupposed some reasonable cause and that I saw no necessity to revoke a vow which I had made without necessity He sees my father and communicates my answer unto him who instantly falls into anger and from thence into injurious words threats He had once gotten knowledge of my affection to Volusian and had interdicted mee the commerce therof and now presently beleeves that in despight of that I had made this vow and such is the tyrannie of paternall authoritie he imagined that I could not vow without his consent hee falls to consultation with a Civilian who gave him to understand that nothing was more easie then to get a dispensation of his vow he who was no les desirous to have Minard for his sonne in law then Minard to have me for his wife takes this counsell and dispatches presently to Rome for this dispensasion which being come and all the preparations made for our publicke betroathing and the articles signed betweene Minard and my Father what should I have done declare my Clandestine marriage consumeâ—ed with Volusian no I had not brasse enough in my face to undergo so much shame beside I should have exposed my husbands life to manifest danger the counsell which we tooke was to retire disguised from Austria into some part of France hee had formerly borne Armes under a Prince of the house of Austria who was Governour of Bittaine and dyed in Huugaria drowned with many victories gotten on the Turke hee had made some acquaintance in that Province and though we might liue there at shelter in case of pursuite that from thence we might sayle into Ireland or Scotland and hide our selves from the fury of Gaudence in those extreamities of Europe he cloathed me in mans apparrell as you see and in this manner wee leave Austria and pâ—ssing through Champagne and Burgundy Enter in Burbonnois to get unto the River of Loire there to imbarke our selves for to land in Brittaine But Fortune my capitall enemy to end on mee the last stroake of his vengeance permitted that as wee crost a Forrest wee were set upon by foure Theeves who had given Volusian two wounds before he could set himselfe in defence as soone as he had drawne his sword he ran him through who had first stroak him the others to revenge the death of their fellow made an end of him presently affrighted as I was and dazled with the glittering of so many swords I fled into the thicke of the wood where I remained till midnight with dolours of feares which cannot be exprest at last under the Moones pale light I beganne to seeke what I feared to meete with alas I found Volusian naked for these theeves had taken away his very Shirt and pierced through in so many places that it is to be thought their rage had extended to give him many thrusts after his death at his feet lay also their fellow stretcht along naked whose face they had mangled that he might not bee knowne I was so overcome with sorrow that had it not beene for a secret feare of eternall damnation which seased my soule I had a thousand times stroke a knife into my heart I past the rest of the night in griefes which cannot be imagined and in troubles unconceiveable for me to return to my frieÌ„ds after so grosse a fault was a thing wherunto I could not resolve nor on which side to turne in an unknowne Country I knew not at last I resolved to give my self over unto divine providence to teÌ„d towards those in Britany wherof my husband had so much told me and after I had wet him with teares I fled from this in famous wood for feare of being apprehended as guilty and so to be discovered having passed the River of Loire I hapned I know not how to be at the river of â—udre when my Master arrived there to passe I helpt him downe from his horse and afterwards to get up againe when we were on the other side he asked me whe I was I made him beleive what I would to cover my true disgrace under a fayned history he had taken me to serue your sonne a place proportinable to my strength and wherein I intended to expect with patience how God would dispose of me but you would needs through pitty take some parte in my paine I Madam all the pittie I humbly intreate you to take thereof is to keepe close that secret which you have commanded me to discover unto you and to have care of preserving that small remainder of honour in this miserable creature whom excessive but lawfull love of a husband hath borne into the extreamities whereunto you see her reduced Geronce ended in this manner the recitall of her Fortune falling downe on her knees before Fursee who in compassion mingled her teares with the teares of this disconsolate woman and kissing and embracing her promised never to forsake her and to have the same care of her as if she were her owne daughter after that time Reason tooke place in the affection of Fursee from whence it had bin drawne by passion her actions were better ordered her flame sweeter and more moderate it was not so with Leobardes which augmented daily by the shunings refusals and contempts of Geronce which this foolish Wench attributed unto the pride which she thought he took in the enjoying of his Mistresse and although that Fursee without discovering the secret of Geronce assured her that her love was converted into friendship and Geronce was the most chast and most vertuous youth in the world this Maid heated by another fire imagined that Fursee held this discourse but to cover her game whilst she possessed her Adonis and to say true Leobardes suspitions were not without some shew or likelihood of ground for Fursee now beholding Geronce but as a woman used so much freedome with him made him come into her chamber at such suspitious houres that the least credulous would have beene tempted to take it ill and this was that put Leobard into a desperate jealousie which peevish humour made her doe a base and treacherous act that caused a tragicall event a misfortune which gave birth unto a prosperity and thus it was After she saw that all her sollicitings of faire Geronce were lost labours imagining that the refusals were disdaines and stung with anger at these imaginary contempts she resolved being she could not content her love to satisfie her revenge and undoe her rivall Mistresse together with him that would not corespond unto her affections it was by a morrall advertisment given unto her Master of the bad dealings of Fursee and Geronce whereof shee shewed such apparant colours that Marcel nothing doubted but that
he was dishonoured by his wife Immediatly then how to reveng it at full he makes shew of lying forth and by the helpe of Leobarde hides himselfe in a closet neere the chamber of â—ursee this woman who tooke great delight in conversing with Geronce and in makeing him him relate perticularities of his house and Country of his love and fortune fayled not to make him come at night for to put him into his discourse and to fall a sleepe thereon but whilst she is in bed and Geronce sitting at her beds head talking to her Marcel is preparing fire and sword to reveng the injurie which he belieues to be but too apparant he starts forth of his ambuscado and comes with his pistoll in hand crying with full mouth ha accurfed woman now is the time that thou shalt wash my spoted honour in thy blood and that thou and thy adulterer shall both of you pay interest for the wrongs you have done me and without hearing any answere shoots off his Pistoll thinking to pash out Fursees braines but she turning her head a little the shot went into the feathers without any other effect but onely that it burned the cheeke of this poore Lady who in this trouble misdoubted the cause of her husbands wrath had no more leasure but to cry out O Sir Geronce is a woman whereat Marcel whose sword was already drawne to end therewith what the fire had spared as if a flash of lightning had dasled his eies stood in suspence at these words when Geronce more dead then alive cast her selfe at his feet and with the discovering of her breasts assured him that Fursees words were but too true presently to cleere his understanding of so many confusions wherewith his soule was troubled Geronce though trembling related unto him the whole history as you have heard of her miffortune and pittifull adventure which drew teares from the eies of Marcel and made him infinitely repent what he had done meane time remedies were applyed to the burne on Fursees face which besides the paine threatned her with a great deformity but whether it were the inflamation that redoubled or through the extreame terror which she had felt in hearing a Pistoll thunder in her eare and see her selfe nere loosing her life she fell into a strong fever which in three daies laid her in the grave Marcel lamented much for her both because he truely loved her and for that he saw himselfe to be the cause of her death he had almost discharged the burthen of his wrath on Leobarde and sacrificed her to the Manes of her Mistris but when hee knew that shee her selfe had been first deceived and that the conjectures of the evill had been so strong he was contented only to drive her away from his house Meane time Geronce hauing changed her habit and being become Saturnine appeared so faire in the eies of Marcel that loue being entred into his soule by the two gates of beauty and pitty he resolved to marry her as being a Gentlewoman of a good descent and the widdow of a Gentleman Saturnine seeing her fortune to bee desperate if shee with open armes received not this occasion laide hold on her foretop and consented to Marcels will by a solemne marriage and since Gaudence Father to Saturnine being dead Marcel had that part of the inheritance that fell to her thereby which amounted to as good a portion as hee could have had with a wife chosen out of his owne Countrey thus in the secular or civill life the harme of the one is the profit of the other as in the naturall the corruption of one body is the ingendering of another so the misfortune of inconsiderate Saturnine was by divine providence changed into a good fortune and that moment of time intended for her death was to her a beginning of a happier life it may be that the patience which she shewed in that extreame adversity of the losse of Volusian and her wise carriage and behaviour in the governement of Marcels sonne brought her to this felicity not without great wonder to little Sulpice who saw his tutor in a short time changed his mother in law THE IMPVDENT ATTEMPT The seventh Relation NOt pride onely but also temerity ever mounts there be men who cannot play foolish prancks but they must extend them to the uttermost poynt of impertinency impudence elevating them so much the higher by how much the lower she meanes to cast them downe doing by them as the Eagle by the Tortoise which she carries up into the ayre but onely to let her fall on the point of some rocke to breake her in pieces and then devoure her Speusippe a Gentleman of the Province of Aquitaine will shew us here the image of an impudent traytor whose attempt unworthy of a man of honour was punished by heavens permission when he had thought to take his prey in his hand and to triumph insolently in the honour of another This man in the warres had entred in friendship with another Gentleman of the same Province named Liberat and this friendship was grown so great that they called brothers and the one had nothing but what was the others Peace being returned to France by the victorious hand of great Henry sent every man backe under his owne figge-tree and under his owne Vine and changed swords into Sythes and head-pieces into hives these two friends with drew themselves to their houses which were not so far asunder but that they saw each other often enough living with a freedome and familiarity wholly fraternall Liberat took a desire to marry and wedded a faire and vertuous Gentlewoman whom we will call by the name of Mela for the honeyed sweetnesse of her disposition her conversation being wholly without bitternsse it was a Dove without gall but a chast Dove having no eyes but for her mate Speusippe failed not to expresse at this wedding how much it joyed him to see his brother of alliance so well matched he called Mela sister and this young Lady who saw but through the eyes of her husband knowing how much he esteemed Speusippe could do no lesse then hold him in estimation as the best friend Liberat had in the world shee called him likewise brother and cherished him in the same manner as if she had indeed been his sister It is to be beleeved that the first moneths of this marriage passed with much innocence on Speusippes part and that he thought onely to honour Mela as his sister of alliance but trayterous love who blindeth all and surpriseth even the most wary and is so good an Archer that he hits none but hearts setting himself in ambuscado in Melas eyes hit the heart of Speusippe with a mortall strâ—ke Now though all that Liberat had were in his power excepting his wife yet he desired what was prohibited and despised what was permitted this stinking flame burned not long ere he made the blacknesse and smoake thereof appeare to Mela
she who thought then to have attained the end of her intentions redoubled her blandishments with so much unseemelinesse that no patience was able any longer to suffer them But when Basian perceived that shee did play these pranks more to spight him then for any evill she committed with this Child hee resolved to punish her by a Faining or Counterfeiting likewise and to scare her so that she should loose the custome of seeing these things which passed not without some kind of scandall Hee buyes one of these Poyniards which Players use to comit fained murthers in their tragedies and to deceive the eyes of the beholders the blade hides it selfe in the handle when the point leanes against the stomacke so that the spectators thinke that it enters into the body he put a little bladder of bloud at the end of the haft and one night as his wife beganne more licenciously then ever to hug kisse and make much of her Adonis hee comes to her with his Dagger in his hand as if he had beene transported with anger strikes this page three or foure blowes therewith and made the blood of the bladder spurt on his wifes sace then throwing by the child comes to her and giues her so many stabs on the brest and on the head that this pore woman believing herselfe to be runne through on all sides though she were not at all conceaved such feare that without any manner of wound or hurt she fell starke dead at his feete presently the report fled all over the Cittie that Basian had stabd his wife having taken her in adultery with her faire Page if Basian were amazed to see his faining bring so unfortunate a conclusion you may judge the Magistrates came to enquire of the fact and he declares the trueth according as I have related it he shewes the poignard and the bloud which he had put to it Ephese is visited and found without any manner of wound and so is the child likewise who being not capable of so much feare had no harme at all notwithstanding the first impression that ranne about the world of this murther was so strong that it was impossible to blot it out every one held Ephese for an infamous adulteresse neither considering the age of the child uncapable of comitting it nor receving the trueth as Basian declared it diuers being of opinion that it was so saide for to save the honor of the children and kindred the world being full of malignity ever takes actions in the worst part and if it gives a bad interpretation to the best what will it give to those that have in them some shew of evill meane time the matter stayed not there for although the Magistrates grounding their judgements upon very probable conjectures left Basian without punishment the Physitians attributing the cause of Epheses death to the force of imagination which had given her the stroke of it whereof they alleadged divers examples Euloge brother unto this Lady a Gentleman of greate courage and who through some secret hatred had formerly opposed this marriage when Basian was a Suiter being not able to suffer that his dead sister should be defamed by detracting tongues nor that Basians Faining should remaine without a true chastisment he challenges him And not withstanding that Basian made shew unto him of much sorrowe and affliction for the death of Ephese and that he published her to have beene an honest woman worthy of honour and prayse yet nothing would satisfie Euloge but Basians blood which he drew out of his body together with his soule cooling in this manner the immoderate heate of his affection to Leonille whom it was thought he should marry it may be these adulterate affections drew on him the hand of God by Euloges sword which verifies this that the unjust deceiptfull man shall be overtaken by an unluckie end THE DOVBLE FRATRICIDE The ninth Relation IT is not thirty yeares since one of the most famous Cities of France was the stage whereon the tragicall accident which I am going to relate was acted If the love of wealth could arm bloud against bloud as we have seene in the relation of the treacherous Brother in law that if sensualitie breeds here a reciprocall fratricide the scandall whereof I will hide under borrowed names without losing the utility of the example Widowes who in the use of mariage have learned wayes to allure men doe doubtlesse cast forth more dangerous attractions than doth the simplicity of maids These neat mourning weeds wherewith they curiously adorne themselves are nothing behind the finest ornaments wherewith those do deck themselves that either have or desire to have husbands Contrariwise even as the Sunne comming from under a cloud casts forth its raies the more ardent and as the coles are quicker and brighter that come from under the ashes so likewise those lookes or rather darts that are cast from under the Cypres or veiles wherewith Widowes cover themselves with more desire to see and be seene than to hide themselves doe make in mens hearts impressions that are not slight I advance all this in regard of Permene a young Widow who having bin but three yeares under the yoke of marriage and having not yet attained but unto the twentieth of her age bred more desire of her new conquest in those who considered her beauty under so many blacke attyres than pitty of her widowhood and to say truth her sparkling eyes her ruddy cheeks her studdied countenance her pleasing speeches and her ordinary conversing among companies sufficiently witnessed that she was not of those right widowes separated from men both in body and heart but that her frequentation was not so much a diverting from soâ—row as a desire to find a rock whereon in the bands of Hymen to make a second wracke of her libertie It is true that as soone as she was a widow going into a monastery to receive some consolation from a kinsman she had therein shee received there as it were a kinde of prediction that she should no more bee married A thing which she scoffed at in her heart when shee had resolved the quite contrary as she testified since by her demeanours This Widow being the North starre of many who in respect of her imbarked themselves on the tempestuous sea of love yet was by none adored with so much submission nor more loved than by Prelidian who was a gentleman of thirty yeares of age having neither father nor mother and beeing in full possession of his estate had both matcht his sister according to her quality and discharged the part of Babilas his younger brother who was in the six and twentieth yeare of his age and according to his boyling courage was gon to seeke occasions to make himselfe knowne in the Armies of Flanders the Theatre of warre for the space of these threescore years Whilst Babilas is in the rough exercises of Mars Prelidian is amongst the tents or rather amongst the attends of Love
his body into some secret place his vanity thus triumphed on his reputation The conjecture is strong he had Thyrsis weapons which he shewed and his owne stained in his bloud as hee sayd if he be not dead where is he then that hee should be gone to hide himselfe for shame there is small likelyhood of that for the law of duels is such that armes beeing hazardous and uncertaine the honour of the vanquished is washed in his own bloud whether he dye or dye not Vincent who beleeves that praises are perfumes which should bee burnt but onely upon the altar of his merit goes all about holding up his head as conqueror of Thyrse Meane time the brothers and sisters of this absent man thinke him to be dead and divide among them his inheritance whereof they would have thought themselves unworthy if by way of justice they should not seeke to avenge his bloud Vincent who knew that he had not killed Thyrse hides not himselfe but shewes himselfe in companies yea and he appeares even before Callinice who respects him and abhorres him as the murtherer of her lover at last in a faire morning he saw himselfe seised upon in his bed by the Provost who was set on by the heirs of Thyrsis Now is he in prison where he yet continues his bravadoes and boastings his parents labour to get him forth but he gets not so easily out of the hands of justice the formalities goe on hee answeres the Iudges with assurance that hee hath fought with Thyrse and gotten from him what advantages he desired he shewes his weapons denies to have killed him but that hee made him beg life and renounce his right to Callinice the cause of their combat he acknowledges to have wounded him in divers places and knowes not whether he bee dead of those hurts or no. Thyrse is so farre off that he is not like to appeare the suit goes on and is brought to a hearing the Iudges declare Vincent criminall for that he had challenged fought hurt and probably killed Thyrse and they condemned him as having violated the Edicts to lose his head This sentence pronounced in the morning was executed ere night and our triumphant Yonker saw himselfe led in a cart accompanied by the hangman unto the place of execution where his head ful of wine made as many rebounds as a Baboon there was the triumph of his vanitie and of his folly Thyrse stayed two years in his voyage of Levant and in the end time having moderated his displeasures and beginning to wax weary of his aboad among Infidels hee resolved to returne backe into Christendome hee arrived in Sicilia and thence he came to Rome from whence he made knowne unto his brother and sisters that he was not yet dead entreating them to have a care of his meanes and to send him a certaine summe of money This newes was reported to Proiect and Callinice who thereby resuscitated their hopes Thyrse soon received what he had sent for together with relation what had past in the punishment of Vincent he also had Letters from Callinice which made him know the constancie and fidelity of this maid and wherein she recalled him from his long exile and conjured himto come and end their marriage Thyrse beeing returned to his better sences and judging that hee had done in his combat as much as a valiant man could have done flattered a new by the Idea of Callinices beauty and by that so naturall love of the country which cannot die but with us tooke his way againe towards France by Lorette and from thence by Bologne Millaine Swisse and Lorraine he came into Campagne where he was received by his friends as a man risen from death Short time after he married Callinice with unspeakable contentments So the Vanquished bore away the cause of the combat for a trophy and shame and death remained for the conqueror THE IDEA The fourteenth Relation ALL the Idea's which passe thorow our mindes are not alwaies so frivolous as some thinke I will beleeve that the imagination which is a very light faculty of the soule and as it were the ship of a thousand Chimera's doth forge a quantity of vaine and shallow ones and which have subsistence but onely in the vast or rather in the voyd roome of extravagancie as blind men shooting may hit the marke without seeing it even so dreames which are but species and images altered by the shadowes of the night often serve us as presages I here propose unto you an Idea which you will finde very strange and which some will attribute unto some consultation of a Soothsayer or to some invention But it happened unto so honest a man of my acquaintance and I will say more mine allye that on his word I feare not to set it downe as a certain truth for I know he is a person who hates falsitie as death and whose piety and purity are capable of greater revelations Salviat let us cal him so being left an Orphan very young remained untill his full majority under the power of his tutors beeing come unto the time which by the law put him into government of his owne meanes he tooke it in hand and for to be assisted therein by the fidelitie of a person interessed he tooke into his house one of his sisters a maid of government and judgement the confidence he had in his wisedome as much as in her bloud was the cause hee concealed none of his affaires from her and that he left her the free mannaging of all that belonged unto him a desire tooke him to see Italy in an age ripe enough to make profit there of the good qualities of Italians and to keepe himselfe from the contagions of the bad ones as he was in the Court of Rome esteemed to be a very wise and discreet man He had left his sister in one of the principall Cities of France in the house that had been their fathers and in the mannaging of all his revenues Moreover hee had had by inheritance exceeding faire houshold stuffe and especially plate which amounted unto a great summe In great cities the great robberies are committed as in great rivers the greatest fishes are taken some prying fellowes having espied that there was store of faire goods and plate in the house which was inhabited onely by maids and some little lacquiâ—s beleeved that if they could enter by night they might get a great booty hereof they failed not and having before under colour of shewing some mercery wares to sell spied out and marked the wayes and places of the house they got in by night and besmooted their faces that they might not be knowne and seised on this gentlewoman and her dismayed maids which were easie to be terrified they locked them up in a chamber threatning to cut their throats if they cried never so little meane while they open all chuse out the fairest and best make up their packes and go their way at pleasure The
in the time of Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma that the Marquesse de Varambon Knight of the golden Fleece one of the greatest Noblemen of the County of Burgoigne and who for his courage and experience had at that time faire imployments in the armies received commandement to besiege Bliemberg a very strong little town and neer Rhinberg This brave Captain made his approches and without making here a long description of this siege which I leave unto these that have at large written the history of the troubles of the Low-Countries it sufficeth me to say that well assaulted and wel defended the place was battered the breach being reasonable a general assault was given so furiously that the assailants repulsed divers times at last launched themselves with so much violence through the blows the bodies of the dead and of the hurt that they forced downe the defendants and entred into the towne which taken in this sort suffered all the insolencies and outrages which victors were wont to practise upon the vanquished who have bin subdued with their weapons in hand Let us adde moreover that the place had so obstinatly held out that those within would never hearken unto any composition but resolved to dye rather than to yeeld unto the Spaniard it sufficeth to say that it was entirely sackt and that they pardoned neither age nor sexe nor honour nor riches all was desolate when the Marquesse made himselfe absolute master thereof and that order was given to bury the dead for feare that the infection should corrupt the aire and overthrow health two souldiers were found on the breach so streightly embraced that even in this state which hath no more strength it was hard to part them The vanquishers ardent after prey and booty for to have the spoils of these two who were reasonably well cloathed stripped them quite naked one of them as white as snow and of a wonderfull beauty was found to be a woman Presently amazement ranne through all the troupes and curiosity laboured to know the successe of this memorable adventure it came unto the eares of the Marquis and as a man that made much account of valour and of love hearing talke of the death of this armed Venus who had beene found fastned with her Mars Hee passionately desired to know who were these two lovers for to honour the memory of their courage and of their fidelitie A souldier who had made proofes of an incomparable generosity and who being wounded in divers places had yeelded himselfe under the faith of a Burguignon Captaine who in favour of his vertue took care to have him drest sayd that he was alone in the City and it may be in the Countrey that could satisfie the curiositie of the Marquisse and of so many others who had an extreame desire to know the truth of this amorous and warlike history This hurt prisoner beeing not able to stirre the Surgeons having but an ill opinion of his wounds the Marquisse went to see him accompanied by divers Captaines for to learne from his mouth the particulars of this event The sicke man resuming an extraordinary vigour made the discourse therof in this manner in his naturall tongue which was high Dutch and which the Marquesse and most of those that were about him understood very well My Lord sayd he I render thankes unto heaven that hath given me but so much life as I wish for to yeeld in so honourable a company the glorious testimony which I owe to my love and to my friendship which done thinke it not strange if I die for the causes that made me live being no more it were a cruelty and not humanity for to dresse my wounds and the way to prolong my death rather to preserve my life I can no more live without friendship than enjoy the light of dayes without eyes and without sunne even from my birth I have had an inclination to love but an inclination so strong that I remember not to have ever lived without some particular affections but I had never any stronger than for these two lovers my friend and my mistresse which have been found dead and embraced on the breach O happy couple why must the order of warie have separated our affections and make me fight in another place how freely for to save you from death would I have suffered my selfe to have beene hewed in a thousand pieces or at leastwise I had beene your companion inseparable in death as I have beene in life but you have out-stript me of a small time Stay for mee deare soules and I shall soone be at you Alas the desire to see you rather than to preserve my life made me yeeld my armes unto this young man in whom my courage hath bred pitty but being you are no more in the number of the living I will bee blotted out from thence and remaine there no longer time than needs must for to consigne unto mens remembrance the memory of our friendship Hee made this fine speech with so many sighes sobbes and teares and with so great a voyce that falling suddenly into faintnesse they thought he was expiring his last This was attributed unto the paines of the wounds of his body but it may be those of his heart were rather the cause thereof Yet so it is that the Marquisse for feare this disturbance should kil him retyred into another chamber resolving to put off this matter untill he might be stronger but when he was come to himselfe againe and that hee saw no more this faire troupe which had appeared about his bed hee entred into such sorrowes and plaints for that he could not dis-burthen his minde as moved so much compassion that the Marquesse being pierced therewith came backe to see him who after he had with opportunity craved favor to be heard proceeded in a more stayd manner and with a grave and hardy countenance sayd thus My name is Aleran my birth noble my country is the Lantgraviat of Hessen the place that saw my entrance into the world is Melsignam neer unto Cassel the seat of my Prince being in his Court I bound my selfe in so straight a friendship with Incmar a gentleman Native of Rottenburgh who had beene bred up as page unto the Lantgrave that wee were commonly called the Inseparable those impatiences which lovers feel when they are from their mistresse we felt when we lost sight one of another being together dayes were unto us houres and houres were moneths when we were asunder a moment was unto us an age even in sleeping sleepe which is a benumming of the powers was unto us tedious if we were severed by reason whereof wee commonly made but one bed we had but one purse and one table one and the same house the same servants the same Livories the same retinue and when any of our servants were asked unto whom they did belong they answered Vnto the two friends if those that are but one may be called two Wee went
noblenesse of humour both she and Incmar gave me leave to call her my mistresse and she called mee her servant and there was all the favors that ever I had of her besides that of sometimes kissing her no lesse valiant than fair hand She had a beauty of face annexed unto such a majesty that if the one inflamed me with love the other freezed me with feare and I may say that the friendship of my friend and the love of this chast mistresse reigned in my heart with such an equall counterpoise that to die I would not have done any thing to the prejudice of either And that was it that did sweepe away from my spirit all the unjust thoughts that since might have there encreased in revolting it self against reason To tell you something of what passed in our Countrey after our flight wee heard by some secret friends unto our parents that the prince unmeasurably incensed against us ordained that the law should proceed as against ravishers we were condemned to lose our heads but it was in effigie our goods were confiscate in briefe we were there used with all rigor so that having no hope on that side we setled it all on our owne valour and committed our fortune to the hazard of armes Incmar and I had done therein upon occasions all that souldiers can doe which venture all and brave Roland hath in all places shewen that love which gave her courage â—aised her strength beyond the vigour not only of her sex but of men After many encounters we shut our selves up in Bliemberg resolving to shew in this siege the proofes of a couragious valour in extream events where there hath happened what you have seene military command having separated me from them they have been killed on the breach as it may be thought Incmar being first dead Yoland being not willing to survive him hath been killed on his body and expiring embracing him As for me I would have died in the forefront of the combat if the brave but too pittiful Captain who would not suffer me to be made an end of had not caused me to be brought where I am the losse of my bloud having layed mee among the dead Now that I have satisfied both your curiositie and my desire I will no longer live bereaved of the light of myne eyes those twinne starres my Freind and my Mistresse Aleran thus ended his discourse and had like the same time to have ended his life so extremely did greife oppresse his heart but the Marquesse pitying his great courage gave order unto his doctor and his Chyrurgeon to labour in this cure with all the industrie which their science could dictâ—te unto them yet was art and cure overcome for whether through the extremitie of his sorrow or of his wounds poor Aleran died within two dayes after and was by command of the Marquesse interred with honour by Incmar and his wife under a Tombe bearing this inscription the three Lovers inseperable in life and death Many remarkable morrals may bee drawne from this history first how ill Fathers doe in destinating their daughters unto young men which they abhorre next whereunto despaire carries amorous and unhappy soules then whereupon love raiseth the courage of the weakest sex its fire being no lesse admirable in its effects then that of thunder In Aleran is seene the image of a faithfull friend and of a lover imparalelled who makes known the victory of friendship over love this tragicall end discovers an admirable valour and the generositie of the Marquesse honoring of the memory of these whom hee had vanquished serves for a ground which graceth or setteth out the glosse of all the other colours of this picture THE HAPPIE Almes-deed The Seventeenth Relation STudying the law in the Vniversitie of Orleans I learned of a Tourengean scholler this following history which he had from the mouth of the selfe same person unto whom this event had happened A young man of Poictou called Cyran the sonne of a Marchant was by his Father sent to Tours about some negotiation which concerned his commerce this young man by nature pittifull and from his youth prone to give Almes without distinction of persons it is true that the honour of the King of glory which is advanced by good workes ought to bee tryed by judgment for discretioÌ„ is the golden rule of human actions and it is not enough to do good but it must be done fitly Almes being one of the most illustrious acts which can bee done by those unto whom God hath given meanes it must be done also with a judicious distribution Otherwise it were rather a dissipation theÌ„ a distribution unto such might do many give almes who do as it were put a sword into a mad mans hand and give him meanes to commit excesse it is true that vertues are in a middle equally distant from vicious extreamities and as to give blindly is rather a profuse wasting then a liberality so to take heed unto so many circumstances when one gives an Almes is rather niggardlines then judgement wee must not search so narrowly into the quality of those persons unto whom we bestow our charity so we must not wholy shut our eyes theron and among these uncertainties wee must raise up the intention and not looke what the right hand doth give nor unto whom we give but unto God alone for whom we give and who hath said whatsoever you shall doe unto the least of the poore I will keepe a just accompt thereof even unto a glasse of cold water There be hearts so hard and so close fisted that they find some fault with most part of the poore miserable persons which aske Almes of them this one is strong and able to get his living that other is a shifting fellow the other is not so old the other is vicious the other is a rascall all in their opinion are unworthy of an Almes and it is only to save their purses that mettle whereof they make their Idoll without purchasing the blame of avarice there are others whole hands are bored and more for honour then through pity or more for pity then with judgment give indifferently unto all commers without considering that it is the way to maintaine the idlenesse of many beggers who have more needs of a spirituall almes by a good reprehension then of a temporall which they abuse in dissolute courses strange deboisnes but who can have this spirit of so just decerning since there is nothing in he world so deceitfull as appearances as for example about the streets in Cities and up and downe the Countries there goes so many vagabonds who under the name of poore souldiers returning from warres into their owne Countrie aske somthing to carrie them home and somtimes they are theeues who in begging seeke but occasion to commit theft murders and rogueries those people have God in their mouthes and the divell in their harts and yet out of the middest
of this kind of bandiliers may somtimes issue a good theefe who may deserve an almes as you shall heare Cyran going through the streets in the City of Tours which appeares a flower in the midst of the garden of France met with a poore souldier who being but in bad array had notwithstanding a good aspect begged an almes of him with such a grace that he felt himselfe moved to give but extraordinarily moved he put his hand into his pocket and thinking to draw out a Sol which is little more then an English penny and gave it him with a good wil and with words of honour and consolation wished him a happy returne into his owne Country and a better trade then warre where most commonly is nothing to be gotten but blowes and lice the souldier in a modest and civill manner answered him Sir God make mee able to do you some good service and confirme me in the desire I have so to do you bestow a liberality on me in my pressing necessitie which shall never die in my memory you do little lesse then if you gave me life after these words of complement they parted and a while after Cyran having ended his affaires at Tours tooke leave of his friend and returned towards his owne Countrey as hee was crossing a Wood there steps forth of a Coppice three theeves whereof one layes hold on the bridle of his Horse and the other holding his sword at his throat commands him to alight and follow them into the thicket of the Forrest when they were farr enough in they search him and take from him all the mony that he had which was about a hundred French crownes with his cloake and best thinges after this they begin to deliberate whether they should kill him or no let us kill him saide one I know by his tongue that he is of this Countrie and may discover us or cause us to be pursued you say right saide another if such had killd him whom they robd they should not now hang on gibbets making mouthes at passengers the third which was he unto whom Cyran some dayes before had given the almes of sixpence in Tours said fellowes what good will his life do us his blood will crie vengeance against us lowder then his voice thou playest the preacher said one of the other two those that use our trade shut their eies unto such considerations which are good onely for old wives and children The dead bite not nor speake not the voyce of bloud hath no sound hee will bee quite rotâ—en before hee bee found in this place My friends replied the good theef I beg his life of you and will rather give you my part of what hath bin taken from him he is a gallant man pray let us not kill him I will teach you a good way both to save his life and to provide for our safety Let us binde him to some tree and leave him to the protection of God lest we should be spotted with his bloud This counsell was followed Cyran was bound to a tree with the bridle of his horse and his garters and the theeves tooke his horse and his things and left him there The good theefe as he was binding of him sayd in his eare Friend take courage this night will I come and unbinde thee I have not forgotten thy almes deed Cyran remained in this case all the rest of the day hoping still in the mercy of God and in the promise of the good Theefe But towards night hee entered into terrours of death when as it began to be darke and hee heard the Wolves howling in the Forrest whereof hee saw two passe close by him and were a good while looking on his countenance For besides the cruelty of this beast he is likewise so extreame crafty and distrustfull that even when a traine is layd for him yet is he hard to be taken and is afraid of all things hee shunnes snares hee lookes hee hearkens he considers he watches Already they began to approach nearer for to smell him and that they might set on him in a troup and eate him up they called their fellowes together by howling wherewithall the forrest did ring and the ecchoes multiplying their voyces made Cyrans eares beleeve that there was a legion of Wolves comming to devoure him Surely if the good theeves helpe had stayd a little longer it is likely that it had come too late and out of season and had found poore Cyran torne to pieces by Wolves But God who helpes in tribulation and whose assistance comes in fit time made him arrive at the very instant which was needfull to deliver Cyran not onely from the feare of death but from the death of feare for terrour had almost borne away his soule I leave to your consideration with what words he thanked the good theefe who had twice in one day saved his life first in drawing him forth out of the jawes of Lions which were the other two theeves and then of Wolves which are Theeves that live but by rapine he profered the Souldier to use him as his brother and to give him such part of his meanes as hee should therewith bee content if hee would go with him and leave this wicked course of life which could not leade him but to a shamefull end To give ouer this theeving life said the souldier that is a thing that I am resolved to do having long since conceived such a horror thereof that it seemeth to me a hell My intent is to be a religious man to repent for so many evils which I have done in this unlucky trade it is true that I did never kill but I have beene present at many murthers I began to robbe pressed by necessitie but I have continued by a certaine malignant delight that therein is to be taken seeing it serves to maintaine wickednes finding not safety enough in France where I should ever thinke justice to be at my heeles I doe entreat you to pray to God for me that he may continue in me his good inspiration and may give me grace to put this good designe in execution there is the part which I have had of the hundred crowns that were taken from you I restore it you with a good will in so saying he would have put a hundred Franks into his hands Yet Cyran would never take them backe againe but gave them him in almes to helpe him in his pilgrimage offering to give him yet more if hee would goe with him to the next City The penitent souldier for I should make a conscience to call him theefe after such a change thanked him and having mutually embraced each other and mixt their teares together Cyran tooke his journey one way and the souldier the other whom hee never saw since but the other two he did for about some three moneths after being discovered by the Cloake and horse of Cyran and accused of some other thefts they fell into the hands of the Provost Marshal who did them good and speedy justice and so they were fastened unto an unlucky tree called a gybbet from whence they came down by hangham The good fortune of Almesdeeds shines in this relation with such splendour that although there were were no other motive to use liberality towards miserable persons this were argument sufficient to draw it forth of the hands even of Avarice it selfe FINIS Errata PAge 1 line 9 reade abaseth p 9 l 5 r. rinde p 10 l 25 râ—unties p 11 l 32 r. with p 15 l 3 r. fury and. p 17 l 26 r. wrong p 25 l 7 r. made p 33 l 11 his health r. Enemond p 54 l 2 r. to make â—er hold p 67 l 6 r. seeing p 97 l 31 r. hâ—d p 100 l 32 r. him take p 102 l 3 r. but Octavian p 110 l 3 r this p 116 l 15 r. neerely pag 144 l 15 r. distrustfull p 146 l 4 r. many p 161 l 3 r. reâ—ecting l 18 r. protection pag 163 l 4 râ—t is not l 29 r. shoot p 171 l 5 r lightly p 173 l 30 r. he is brought to p 177 l 30 r. made me lose p 179 l 12 r his p 184 l 7 r. grace l 8 r. soever a maid l 18 r. summe page 186 l. 30 r counsels p 192 l 3 r lines p 196 l 1 r then p 200 l 2 r person pag 201 l 4 r. on to l 21 r matter p 205 l 9 r not done p 214 l 3 r. all bid p 218 l 28 r. he p 221 l 2 r. that it is p 222 l 10 r imprudence p 225 l 2 r. this p 227 l 3 r. to suavity l 25 r. she did even l 27 r. no other p 231 l 16 r. darkest nâ—ghts like r. life p 234 l 24 r. to oppose p 236 l 18 r crowned l 20 r. thought l 30 r her p 239 l 26 r meditating p 240 l 1 r. this l 16 r. misdoubting p. 246 l 19 r. with p. 252 l 11 r for p 253 l 14 r master pa. 254 l 23 r. felt l 25 r. boy whose p 259 l 29 r kinswom in p 265 l 8 r contemp which p 268 l 8 r faithfull l 10 r to flye what p 269 l 11 â— behaves p 270 l 21 r is able p 280 l 4 r expired p 299 l 20 r â—â—ppening l 23 1 pretentions p 310 l 7 r Maid p 312 l 9 r of l 15 r two l 28 â—holler p 315 l 29 r reject p 316 l 22 r Baloon p 319 l 16â— hâ—r p 322 l 2 r with p 324 l 19 r ardor p 325 l 17 r had p 326 â— involve p 329 l 13 r no witnesse p 332 l 31 r than to p 333 l 8 r factions p 336 30 r had