a powerfull and secret Sympathie one with another and that life I have accounted amongst the most happiest of my dayes which I have spent in the company of Amenia whose innocent and pleasing conversation often put my soul into a posture of tranquillity and rapt my soul into a contemplative enjoyment of that which afterwards I received more really but hardly with more delight Thus I had almost passed over the winter in the sweet conversation of Amenia never breaking my imposed silence when Lilibilis had notice given him that the Chief of the Gallicians desired him with the chief of his men to meet them on the borders of the Austures that they might consult for the general good concerning their next Campaign and in what manner they should oppose their enemies They sent him word that Caesar was returned to Rome and had left the Legions with Antistius a valiant Captain and who with all speed was mustering his Forces to assail them and to begin the War though it was so soon Lilibilis soon departed with the chief of his Commanders leaving a great charge on Clotuthe to be carefull of me and desired me to contribute what I could to my health that I might be in a condition to render him that help which he hoped for from me and on which he depended more than on his Army I would have perswaded him to let me accompanie him but he utterly refused it in consideration that my weaknsse was not so well recovered but that so sudden a jorney might have thrown me into a relaps When I saw he would not let me accompany him I told him that I would cherrish my self as much as his absence possible could give me leave and that I only desired my life to loose it in his service to which I had destinated the remainder of my daies He replyed in very civil terms having nothing of Barbarism in him and after our mutual imbraces he departed leaving me to the care of those whose love had made them uncapable of having their care of my health augmented by his commands or entreaties The second day after Lilibilis his departue I was set in my chamber by the fire in a very deep melancholy ruminating on the different tyrannies of the God of Love and considering how deeply I was engaged in a passion that had cost me so many tears and so much trouble and yet had receiv'd nothing but a severe Law from the mouth of my goddess when her Melanthe suddenly entred my Chamber and surprized me in the midst of those tears which my ardent passion had extracted from my eyes That Maid whom affection had tied to my interests excused her so sudden and uncivil entrance as she termed it with very good language and desir'd my pardon for her incivilitie I soon made her understand how glad I was of her company and how much I desired an opportunity of entertaining her alone She told me she came from her Mistriss who had sent her to excuse her in that she had not seen me that day by reason of an indisposition which had made her keep her Chamber I replyed I was unworthy the honour she did me in taking so great a care of my well-fare and that I could entertain the assurance of my own death with less trouble then to understand she was indispos'd in her health The Maid reanswer'd that there was no fear of any danger in her Mistriss indisposition and that she made no question but that she would visit me the next day and pay me interest for that dayes neglect we spent some time in these interlocutions till at last after I had forc'd her to sit down I uttered my self in these terms ' Melanthe you cannot be ignorant of the cause of those tears you have surpriz'd me in which are but a small part to what I dailie and almost hourlie offer to a severitie which hath made me mute You know I have manifested my love and you do not ignore to what a cruel silence I was condem'd I have not hitherto transgressed it though all the world is ignorant with what torment I undergo it I continually sigh languish and spend my time in tears and yet dare not declare my misery which is the only and considerable ease others troubled with the like passion enjoy Was there ever such a Law impos'd on any as is on me which makes me live in the continual languishment of my soul and in the dailie conversation and intuition of the object of all my suspirations and still to lock up my lips by severity not to be parralel'd I know Melanthe though sickness hath not kil'd me that grief will if not mitigated by some relaxation but if I die it will be a happiness in that it is by keeping a Law impos'd upon me by that mouth which I so much adore whereby she shall see Euripedes can never be guiltie of transgressing the severest of her commands I find some ease in declaring this to thee what allevament should I find in disburdening my self to her but since she hath enjoyned the contrarie I must I will undergo it with silence to the death and last expiration of a soul totallie hers and which lives onlie to do her service She did not bid me Melanthe to speak of love to no body else therefore I hope I have not transgressed in speaking to you nevertheless I desire you not to make her acquainted with it lest her severity may impute it as a transgression to me I dare not sue or desire O Melanthe to have this imposition taken off but you may conceive with what joy I should receive the revocation of so strict a Law but I doubt I am faulty in in that I desire to have that taken off which was imposed by Amenia though it be more grievous and less easie to be born than death Sir replyed Melanthe your vertues have made me inseparably yours as far as the duty I owe my Mistriss and the pudicity of my sex give me leave I will not tell you how often I have endeavoured her to revoke that which she had impos'd upon you and which I saw you bore with a patience not to be parralel'd because my andeavours prov'd in vain to cause her revoke what she had once commanded I know the severity of her humour is such that she will endure the greatest afflictions rather than break it and this severity is very strange which she useth towards you strange in that she afflicts you whom she desires not to afflict and strange in that she no less afflicts her self in that she is so severe to you and that her humour is so strictly tyed to the severity of her own Law that she will rather endure what she suffers than break it She her self hath told you Sir therefore I may say it without any infidelity to my Lady that you are not indifferent to her but being tied by the cruel Lawes of duty cruel in that it makes her contradict
or Love proceeding from similitude of qualities or manners or of morall love generall or particular to men or naturall to children or parents all whose causes are indifferent and besides that passion on which I insist and which cannot be without diversity of sex as the other may But the cause of this as generally the chiefe cause of all love is an attractive power which causeth an expansion or emotion of the soule and spirits to an object which she thinks convenient for her and which must be a conception of need or want of the object Now privation it selfe is evill and love being privation and want of an object is therefore evill for the effect of it beeing desire seeks the possession of that object and so makes the love circular to attract that to the soule which she seemes to want Now if we then wanted nothing we should not desire any thing which shewes we are not compleat in our selves and desire being the exhibition of want and the effect of love shews that the foundation it self is evill for that it is grounded on want Then besides if you look upon the outward cause of attraction whether it be beauty or any other exterior quality of the object beloved and the possession of it desired which is alwayes suffulted with hope the very causes themselves being vanity or not worthy objects for the soules egression to or opperation upon that desire and that love cannot be good the causes themselves being not absolutely good but vain and transitory But this by the way the chief thing I proposed was to insist on the effects of this passion which plainly exhibit the evils of it and out of which as from the fountains head all other evill passions have sprung This also we may consider in relation to the body and to the soule First consider this in relation to the body and that must be relatively and as it is joyned with other passions whose motions cause the diversity of motions in the body Through this the body which is as it were the case of the soul is imbued through the conjunction of the soule with the body with pain with languishing with restlesseness and all the senss feel the effects of this passion upon the soul by exposing the body to danger by wounds by torments and oft times by death all which happen through the exuscitation of other passions Now the soule suffers innumerable evills for first all passions as griefe hatred envie wrath malice revenge disdain and divers other particular passions which spring from this love all which falling upon the body agitate it to diversity of motions and without rest causes the soule to a continuall solicitous care of obtaining the object of its desires which if once hope faile then dispair the foretunner of mischiefe carries the soule into wonderful precipitancies and if in its best estate that hope continues it is never without fear jealousie and a soâ—icitrous care of conserving the object of its love so that the soul is under a continuall agitation by those paâ—sions that necessarily accompany love and so cannot enjoy the rest it ought to have But now to leave this kind of Philosphicall discourse let us speake of it morally and let us consider the evill effects it hath produced in the world and then we will define it thus Love is a most fatall plague a most venemous poyson a most ardent and foolish desire and the source and fountaine of all evill Men when once they are entred into this passion quite lose their former natures for this passion contaminates their reaâ—on tyranizeth over their wills makes them subject to the egregious fancies of the object they seek to acquire it deprives them of Jugdment â—â—ills them with all manner of passions which caries them into aâ—l mannâ—â— of preciptation their minds are continually tost to and fro on the wheel of love being stimulated with that Oestrum they are jacted câ—â—â—â—ted agitated versated by this passion and fill'd with exanimation distinction direption and accompanyed with cares feares jealousies false and faint comforts disquiets languishings longings rage and what not that is evill and all but for the acquiring of a little vain pleasure which vanisheth assoon as 't is caught And besides all these folly lust sinne doings turbulent motions and precipitancies wait on lovers And if we should go about to summe up the bad consequences and effects of this passion with the evils it hath caused we should find them innumerable for what disturbances what commotions what hurly burlies what distractions what battalls what slaughtars hath it caused and what rapes what sinnes what polutions what sueds and what murthers hath it committed was it not the cause of the distruction of ancient Troy was it not the cause of the banishing Kings out of Rome Was it not the cause of the abolishing the Decemveri hath it not been the cause of many murders was it not the cause of the wicked and inhumane slaughter of Absyrtus the brother of Medea was it not the losse of Megara when Nisus lost his fatal hair by his daughter Scylla Alas it would be endlesse to recount these things so well known and generall hated and yet this dispicable unprofitable and dangerous passion cannot be shunned but embraced by those who acknowledge the evills of it but yet wilfully maintaine its interests They cannot take example by others nor shun the precipicies they see others fall into before their eyes but that they also must rush into them Neither can I see any good at all that this passion doth produce but on the contrary those that are free from it enjoy all the quiets felicity ease pleasures and freedome which the other are incapable of and which is most miserable of all of free men and unconstrained they become slaves subjects and bound to obey the motions of their owne passion and will of an inconsiderate mistris who it may be is as dispicable in the unblinded eye of another as she is lovely in his Nor let it serve any to excuse it by saying they are forced and cannot decusse it for it is impossible for all men to mastre this passion if they resolve to set their wills to doe it but so long as they account it good and best for them they are not able to overcome it because they doe not seek it truly but cherish and obey every motion that cometh from it But if they were once convinced of the evill of this passion and were resolved to forsake it I make no question of the possibility of their effecting it There may be divers wayes proposed for the decussion or prevention of this evill the chief of which as I suppose is a constant imployment of the mind either in study or armes whereby it may have no time to fall into that which as they say is accquired by a supine and idle life fit to entertaine such a guest and justly sent as a plague from the Gods to such a soule Other
never well enjoyed my liberty but of late more furious have been the assaults the more they were despised by that cruel one the cause of my misery The Object of this passion not to hide any thing from you is Subelta Lord of the Redones one as valiant as cruel We were acquainted sometime before this Tyrant took possession of my soul and by his jovial Court-ship was I brought first to a likeing and afterwards to a violent love which forced me to express some small signes thereof yet never transgressing the Lawes of modesty He cruel wretch soon perceived it and as soon slighted my innocent affections oftentimes despising that company which before he had so much sought He had no other reason for this but his own opinion which was he accounted it an extream folly for any to yield to so sottish a passion as Love openly despising and speaking scoffingly of that Deity In this budding of my Love hapned that which might have deracinated it had it not been too deeply grounded for my father being oppressed by Caelius a Roman Captain I was given to him to be sent to Rome as a hostage for my fathers obedience I must confess I parted not from my father with so much regret as from Subâ—lâ—a and the thoughts for him made my journey unpleasant I was had to that stately City the Mistress of the Universe and by Augustus I was appointed to wait on Julia his daughter a place nothing dishonourable The statelyness of the place the pomp of the Court the daily converse with the great ones and the tender of services could not divert the passions I retained for Subelta I rendred my self acceptable to Julia and with my obedience gain'd her good liking But though I served her with all willing duty yet she observed a more than ordinary sadness still accompany me One day she said thinking it was because I was given in hostage and remained as a Captive that she had wondred at my sadness more than others for she thought I had been there long enough to forget my home and that there were many of my condition who counted their exchange the happiest thing that could betide them in coming to a place where they might learn that which naturally they had not leaving their Barbarism for Civility and but then living like humane Creatures but she said if that it grieved me to serve her she would release me or if it was because I remained in the condition of a slave she would get Caesar to free me bidding me to tell her truly the cause of my trouble and not to doubt of her assistance I seeing so great gentleness in the Princess thanking the gods for that occasion fell upon my knees and not without tears told her that it was not my captivity that caused my sadness nor in that I was her servant which I accounted the greatest bliss yet seeing she had charged me to let her know the cause of my trouble I told her the truth My words and my tears were so effectual that she told me although she greatly desired my company yet she would rather shew her affection in pleasuring me than in contenting her self I beseecht her not to oblige me with so many favours for if she did she would cause me endure a perpetual misery in parting from so benign a Princess Within a short time after she told me she had gaind Caesar's leave for my departure on condition my father would give him other hostages I made no question but to redeem me he would have given half his Signory I sent him word of Caesars will desiring him to festinate those who should supply my place He moved with a fatherly love used such speed that they arrived at Rome before I could expect them Leaving those my father sent as a despositum for my fathers faith in my place I with great celerity hastened from Rome once more visiting my native Countrey but my chiefest joy was that it harboured ungratefull Subelta Many of my friends visited me after my return and Subelta among the rest desiring to know the rarities of that stately place which I had deserted for his sake I quickly left others company to enjoy his and no joy or content was like to that when I thought I could pleasure him in my relations of the City the Court the polity of the Courtiers the behaviour of the Citizens the Royalty of Caesar and the magnitude and statelyness of the City Temples and Palaces spinning out my relations to lengthen the time that I might enjoy his presence But this content that I gave my self did but more ardently sufflate that spark which remained in my breast and inkindled a more violent flame which ever since hath consumed my heart That which tormented my soul was that I saw he remained in his former obdurateness and extreamly slighted me which so pinched my heart that it put me into a grievous sickness She to whom I had used to communicate my secrets was ignorant of this but perceiving something besides a natural sicknesse conjur'd me to let her know what I ailed Hoping the discovery might give some vent to my passions I related to her under the seal of silence the torments I endured She comforted me and to quiet me promised much But sickness encreasing I was forced to write to Subelia declaring with as much modesty as sincerity the great affliction I conceiv'd for those slightings he had made of my favours and the true and affectionate Love I bore him To this Letter which was conveyed to him by one I could trust with such a secret he would return no answer but a perverse obstinacy in his slights The relation of this had almost put a period to my life and happy had I been if it had been the last exigent thereof but the gods have prolong'd it for future shame and miseries I know not what Fate attends me but all that ever I could do could not overcome a passion so firmly fix'd in my mind nor all his slightings and contumelies lessen the immoderate affection I bore him so that the anxity of my mind and indisposition of my body bad so heightned my disease that every one looked for my death and it was much wished for by my self But see the justice of the gods who heard my prayers and avenged my trouble for whilst I thus languished that deity whom he had so scossingly derided struck him with a leaden Dart and made him dote on Artesa a great mans daughter of the Santones who as she was inferiour to me in birth so by others judgement in beauty Here he was repay'd in his own coyn and as he had dealt with me she prompted by divine vengeance handl'd him When I heard of this vicissitude of fortune my soul was mixt both with joy and grief I rejoyced that he might know what Love was and that he might be sensible of those torments he had caus'd me to endure but I was troubled that he suffered
freed my self from his embraces I drew my Sword out of his body and with a back stroke strook him so forcible on his crest that I tumbled him at my feet I was about to pull off his Cask and to make him beg his life or give him his death when I felt so many forcible blowes upon me that they set me upon my knees at last mauger all opposition I recovered my feet and turning about saw at least ten or a dozen Horsmen who sought with all violence to deprive me of my life This sudden surcharge put me into an astonishment ' Is this the way then thou intendest I should die cried I out very furiously and casting my self among them I deprived the first I struck at of his life I soon found they had not that valour nor courage as he whom I first fought with they knew what they did must be with expedition which made them seek all manner of wayes to slay me running upon me with their Horses but being carried with a desperate fury I slew four of them before I fell and I think wounded them all just as I fell Lilibilis came with his Guard who had made all the hast they could from the place where they were not expecting such a treacherie those that assailed me fled at their approach but Lilibilis thinking me dead ran in among them unarmed as he was and slew two of them with his own hands the other were taken by the Guard and destined to exquisite torments Lilibilis approached me and finding me yet alive exhibited the joy he had through his eyes he caus'd me immediately to be carried into his Pallace and gave his Chirurgians as great a charge of me as if they had been to preserve himself As they were carrying me into the Pallace we went by the Scaffold where Amenia and Clotuthe were at our approach we heard a grievous cry among those that were there I would not be carried any further before I understood the cause when it was told me Armenia was through the fright that she had conceiv'd in that hurliburlie cast into a sworn and Clotuthe drown'd in teares for my losse and the treachery that was acted ' I bid them that brought me this newes to present my humble duty to them both and tell them that by the assistance of the gods and the industry of the Surgions I might yet Live to do them further service My thoughts began presently to work upon that which I heard and induced a good presage to my future fortunes I began to please my self by thinking Amenia might have some particular inclination to me in that my death so nearly touch'd her I began to collect her paleness when my foes insolency exhibited it self by his speeches for my own advantage and to strengthen my self with many such pleasing thoughts In the mean time Lilibilis thinking my adversary had been dead because he lay without motion pulled off his cask to know who it was assoon as they had discovered his face Lilibilis stood in as great amazemenr as one deprived of his senses he could hardly believe his own eyes when he saw it was Mandone the Prince of the Cantabrians and him to whom he had promised Amenia and so accounted him as his son in Law ' What 's this I see cryed Lilibilis steping backward what my son could he be guilty of so great a treachery against him who hath preserv'd my life and Signiory and hazarded his life so often for my sake against our mortal foe Whilst Lilibilis said this the fresh air had brought Mandone to himself and opening his eyes beholding Lilibilis and all the rest standing round about him amazed he sought to arise but he was so enfeebled through the loss of his blood that he fell again to the earth and fainting away he was not able to bring out those words he was about to utter It was then very different motions strove in Lilibilis breast compassion and a just resentment contended for the mastry when he look'd upon him as my foe as my murtherer and the avowed enemy of my rest he was about to finish that life he saw so debilitated with his own hands but on the contrary when he look'd upon him as his son to whom he promised Amenia and to whom he was indebted for many former kindnesses and him whose valour was the chief obstacle that the Romans had no better success against them where he fought he thought it not fit to slay one so considerable his youth pleaded for his temerity his quality and place wherein he held him pleaded for his safety and his wounds and pitifull condition suscitated a compassion that at last stifled his anger and overcame all other resentments He caus'd him therefore to be had to his Pallace and gave order for the cure of his wounds He could not understand by his servants what was the cause he sought my life but only that Mandone had given them a charge to be in a readiness and when they saw him slain not else to stir not to let me escape alive for hearing reports of my valour he doubted his strength yet he charged his men not to fall upon me till they were sure he was slain Being they were Mandone's servants and had done nothing but by his command they let them have the liberty to attend their Master after their wounds were dressed Lilibilis immediately came to visit me but was not permitted by the Surgions to speak to me they assured him my wounds were not mortal though they were very many they told him it would very much retard the cure to have me often visited which made him contented only to look on me once a day without many words for a week it contibuted to his joy when in so short a space I shew'd such effectual signs of my amendment so that he was permitted to acquaint me with the designs of my adversary Having first expressed abundance of sorrow for the accident that had happened to me he told me who my adversary was and the considerations that made him spare him ' Nevertheless said he if Euripedes cannot overcome his just resentments and pardon that life which was at his mercy neither the consideration that he is in the place of a Son nor the fear of his fathers wrath shall with-hold me from rendring him a punishment according to the vileness of his fact in seeking the life of him to whom I owe all my safety the love I bore him shall not overcome the love I owe to Euripedes nor the Justice wherewith I should punish such insolencies shall be diverted by any considerations for I am resolv'd he shall not hold his life but of Euripedes When I heard who it was you may consider my interests desir'd his expiration and I was angry with my self that I had not finisht that life which now I could not take away without a great blot and infamy to my honour I considered likewise the affection Lilibilis bore me
which made me that I could not consent to the death of one so considerable whose death would inevitably bring sharp wars upon him and so might be the utter ruine of them all and the making of their common foe without the greatest piece of ingratitude which could be offered These considerations with an ambition I had not to be out-brav'd in vertue made me return him this answer ' The gods forbid that ever I should desire the death of a person whose valour hath made him so remarkable and by whose fall I have gained more glory then could have been expected by his death but especially in that he holds the place of a Son in Lilibili's affections for which only consideration I not only desire his life but his pardon in that I have offended one so near to Lilibilis and shall stifle all resentments whatsoever for his friendship I cannot imagin what hath made him my enemy nor caused in him that violent desire of my death I was sorry his obstinacy made me bring him to that exigent but I am not only glad that he lives but that I live also to do him service for never shall Lilibilis his friends be my foes These speeches were uttered with much reluctancy and contrary to the desires of my heart not but that I could have forgiven the greatest injury that could have been done to my person but considering him as my Rival I could not think on him but as my mortal foe Lilibilis embraced me as stricktly as the tenderness of my wounds would permit and highly praising me for my vertue told me ' He would disown him for a son if he did not acknowledge me as the doner of his life and crave pardon at my feet for the injury he had done me After many speeches to divert him from requiring any such thing of him I besought him to let me know the cause of his enmity The cause was so false said he that since he hath been assured to the contrary he is ashamed of his credulity and repents of what he hath done seeming by his speeches much to desire your friendship but not to hide it from you he had heard and I believe from some of Amenia's servants how you were like to have depriv'd him of the happiness of enjoying my daughter and that you had gain'd much upon her affections and that these Justs were held only for her sake this news so netled him that he never stood to examine the truth but enraged as he was left Juliobriga to put in execution what the gods and your innocency deter'd When I knew the cause my self and all that were near Amenia assured him the contrary and I was fain to make him new assurances of my daughter to asswage those violent motions these considerations had cast him in he would have had the like assurances from Amenia but she answered him as she did ever That she would never disobey the will of her father and whomsoever he should design for her husband she should accept without murmuring and that all inclinations whatsoever should stoop to those of duty We pacified him at last and then I sharply reprov'd him both for his credulity and temerity but his repentance mov'd me to beg his pardon at your hands After some expressions by me of my innocency in the suscitation of Mandone's Jealousie he left me but to those tormenting thoughts that you may imagin his discourse had rais'd I begin to see all my hopes dejected and cast in the dust and that structure which I had built in my Imaginations to be broken all to pieces I saw it was a folly to gain an inclination which her vertue would force to cede to duty I look'd upon my self in a deplorable condition and I saw Mandone already Possessor of Amenia by her fathers promise and hers in obedience to him my only hopes were I did not see she bore him any inclination nor would accept of him did not duty force her On the other side Amenia though unknown to me was no less troubled at this accident than I and falling into her wonted lacrymations put her Melanthe to her usual divertisements duty and love had many a sharp conflict in her soul and neither obtaining the victory gave her unsufferable Cruciations she detested Mandone for what he had done to me and bewail'd me with a great deal of interest my last performances were too greedily intuited to be forgotten and my valor in overcoming so considerable an enemy was preserv'd with much interest in that feminine breast O how often did she wish he had dyed by my hand and how little she thank'd the gods for their assistance in his preservation Melanthe was her only comfort who by a thousand Sophistries mitigated her dolor My Rival passed his time with no less torment for shame and dispight in being overcome by me and his manifest treachery making him odious to many generous souls fill'd him with anxiety And though he dissembled it he could not so satisfie his humour but that he still imagined me his Rival and bore me an implacable grudge The thoughts and inward commotions proceeding from his troubled humour retarded the cure of his wounds and caus'd inflammations that made them in fear of his life For my part that trouble which continually assaulted my soul through those considerations in three dayes space had cast me into a violenr feaver and my wounds bleeding afresh so debilitated me that they thought I could never sustain the loss of so much blood and the Surgions almost despaired of my ever recovering Clotuthe by the special command of Lilibilis visited me every day and with her Amenia we could not entertain one another because the Surgions thought it might conduce to my disrepose but with a dying eye I gave Amenia many sad glances which testified the anxiety of my soul I found a great desire in my self to die so I might but have the happiness as I accounted it to have assured Amenia that I died hers So foolishly vain are the thoughts of those involved in the snares of love to account it the chiefest bliss and greatest happiness next to the enjoyment of the beloved object than can betide them to assure those they love they die for their sakes and precipitateing themselves in an amorous humour find death sweet in such assurances and receiving its cold kisses with ardent desires testifie a content not to be measured in the expiration when such souls whom they expire for account it an idle humour or believing when they saw they could not live thought to oblidge them by telling them they dyed theirs This was hardly liked by Argelois but for the interrupting of his story he would have replyed but considering he might have been accounted by some unmannerly he bit in his words and heard him proceede thus Clotuthe visited me every day sitting sometimes an hour or two upon the side of the bed where she shed so many tears and expressed her self with so many
could it ease you and you should soon see it pour'd out at your feet did I think it would be pleasing to you but I will ah I will leave this place this place so affected by me since I am the cause of your disrepose and it may be my absence may give you that again which my presence hath rob'd you of Madam with this resolution I leave you seeing I can no otherwise ease you I will not be guilty of the expiration of that life which with my own I should account a happiness to preserve With this making a low obeisance I was about to depart when Clotuthe looking upon me with an aire full of affliction ' O Euripedes said she slay me not immediately nor be the cause of a sudden and unavoidable precipitation you say you will obey me in all things wherein virtue gives you leave let me then demand intreat and implore your stay depart not for if you do that moment shall be the last of my life The fault of Clotuthe is alreadie enough to her husband without aggravating it by the banishment of him on whom Lilibilis puts all his considence for the keeping of our liberties and our lives I had but time to tell her that since she commanded my stay I would obey her and that I would sacrifice my life for their general good since she would not receive it as an oblation to satisfie her for the crime I had made her precipitate her self into by my presence when Amenia came to me and to my joy hindred all other communication I was not sorry she had commanded me to stay for I could not have departed without leaving my life behind me and thereby she would have taken a more cruel revenge than if with her own hand she had given me my death We had but little more discourse before we departed leaving her to her afflictions Amenia had sent to Lilibilis to let him understand of the sickness of Clotuthe he bore her a real affection and that was the cause he came before he was lookt for I was extream joycus for his return as well for the love I bore him as that I hoped his presence would deter Clotuthe in the pursuit of her illicit Love Lilibilis expressed a hearty sorrow for her egritude and embracing her with a tender affection expressed his trouble by melting words the exhibiting of so ardent an affection made me in my thoughts extreamly vituperate Clotuthe for the wrong she had done him Lilibilis made me acquainted that the result of their meeting was to oppose the Romans as they had done the last Summer and to assist one another as opportunity should serve Antistius was drawing his forces together and as we heard by our spies that he intended to march against us with all the speed he could This made Lilibilis to take the field that he might not be prevented by his enemie and gave order to his chief Captains to appear at the Rendezvouze with that celerity as their case required I was then strong enough to bear arms found my self as well able as ever to do Lilibilis service and I long'd to be in the field that I might be free from the supplications of Clotuthe's woman who still persecuted me though I am perswaded it was unknown to Clotuthe and that it was either hope of reward or compassion on her who continued in her sickness that made her seek to effect her desires but she still found me inexorable as also that I might render more proofs of my affection to Amenia from whose presence and sweet conversation I received comfortable to make me bear that silence impos'd upon me with much patience especially when I consider'd it was Amenia's command and that it was a character of my affection and would be look'd upon so by her But when I thought of departing it was with a most sensible affliction and insupportable had it not been for the service of Lilibilis and for particular interests in serving Amenia She assured me afterwards that she entertain'd the thought of my separation as the cruelest displeasure that could have happned and had no lesse grief for it than my self Her goodness was pleas'd to â—â—nde something pleasing in my conversation and her love had tyed her to me inseparably and now she saw me ready to be ravisht from her and it may be never like to return but receive a death in her service she could not but almost evaporate her soul through the sighs and tears that she shed What said she shall Euripedes lose a life a life so dear to me since I love him since I have prov'd his and that with the hardest proofs why should I not confess it to him it may be it will make him more careful of it when he knows he cannot lose it without endangering mine it may be it will so animate him that it may be some conducement to make him returne conqueror over out insulting foe deter it no longer scrupulous Amenia let him know thou acceptest of his affection These motions on my behalf were oppos'd by those of her severity they represented her more criminous by that action than by loving me and that she could not do it without offending against her severity and her duty knowing her father had destin'd her for another Theâ—e conflicts wholly agitated her minde she resolving upon neither when the last day was come wherein Lilibilis intended to take his leave A little before this last dayes approach I exhibited the afflictions of my heart by that trouble which appear'd in my face and by it Amenia read the greatnesse of my affection and of my sorrow She saw my life was ready to leave me at this separation and yet I endur'd her imposition with a patience not to be equal'd but by my affection and that I had resolv'd to die rather than to break it this consideration wrought a compassion joyn'd with her love that made her resolve to give me leave to take my leave of her in private but she was not resolv'd to make known any affection to me Melanthe let me know the favour Amenia intended to do me and truly in spight of all my trouble this favour gave me a real consolation Lilibilis intending to depart very early the next morning considering the illnesse of Clotuthe be would not disturbe her repose so early therefore he took his leave of her that night I was resolv'd not to take my leave of her alone least it should have engag'd her into a discourse which I was not willing to hear After Lilibilis had taken his leave of her with words and actions full of affection and not without many teares I â—pproached her bed which she still kept and with my ordinary Civilities took my leave Lilibilis his presence lockt up her mouth but her eyes shewed she resented that action and that she saw I purposely made use of that time to avoid her reproaches Go Euripides said she at last triumph over those enemies
suffocates that which is the very life of all generous actions Since I have retired into this solitude I have had time to Contemplate this and many other things both of the nature of Love and the effects and have learn't to separate the drosse from the Gold I might declare more of it but I read an invitation in your face to the prosecution of what is unfinish't concerning my life and in the end you may perchance perceive that this discourse was not unnecessarie Argelois would willingly have represented his thoughts concerning Love but being more desirous to hear the end of his Love and Adventures he favour'd his prosecution with his silence and heard him proceed thus I shall be very succinct in my following narration therefore I shall not give you the particulars of this Summers War only tell you that which cannot be omitted without impairing my Relation The next morning very early we left Austurica and came to the Randezvous within a short time being hard by the River Astura where we encamped there was a great appearance of the Astures who shewed a great propensity to defend their liberties with their lives and resolved to fight to the last man The Cantabrians and Gallicians were as forward as we and the conquering Romanes were not behind us who were encamped at Sigisama The Romans had had a very sharp and fierce War of it and resolving to finish it this Summer they had filled up their Legions with their valiant men and many stout Commanders Lanium a Roman Captain marched with his Troops towards the Gallicians where they had many fierce Encounters and though they were helped by the Voâ—caeans and spared not for courage to defend themselves yet were they fain to run the fortune of the Conquered and to yield their lives to the invincible Romans Many of those Barbarians being besieged on the Mountain Medullius and seeiing a necessitie that thâ—â— must either yield to their Enemies or die by their swords they unanimouâ—â—â—â—â—rn'd their armes against themselves and by sundry deaths depriv'd 〈◊〉 Conquerors of that glory In the mean time Antistius and Firmius oppress'd the Cantabrians who though they were the most formidable of all Spain â—ell continually under the swords of the conquering Romanes But the ferositie of that people made the Romans to win those Victories with much blood both of themselves and their Enemies who oftentimes despising a profer'd life they shew'd how much they lov'd their liberty by a voluntarie death The Romans had not so easily gain'd that Countrey if they had not oppressed them with a Fleet of Ships which they had transported from Gaule for seeing it otherwise impossible to have subdu'd them they with a very great Fleet oppress'd them by Sea The Cantabrians having lost many Victories and many men and all their chief Townes taken they were fain to stoop to that yoke which the Romanes had impos'd on all the world Whilst these things were a doing on each side of us you must not imagine us idle or that we had not as sharp afflictions as the rest Carisius to whose lot it fell to contest with us was not encamped far from us We had at that time a very great Army composed of very stout and valiant men and at least 5000 Astercones which did great service in their battels whose velocitie much troubled the Roman Legions in all their Encounters for disordering them with a sudden decursion they assoon drew off with little hurt to themselves We had often called the chief of the Armie to Counsel that we might not be wanting of Policie as well as valour to defend our selves and that we might not take in hand any thing rashly and without the advice of the most experienc'd Souldiers For the want of good Councel is oft-times the overthrow of the most valiant when with temeritie they undertake any design Those actions I had perform'd the Summer before were not forgotten by them and they did me the honour to call me to all Councels and to cede very much to what I said Indeed the provocations of my love with a desire that I had to return to Amenia made me extreeamly desirous to expedite this War and therefore my councel was all for battel or some other valorous Stratagem that might soonest put a period to it and in this I did not lack followers among so many valiant and hardy men I at last proposed the attacquing of the Romans in their Camp for that I understood by Spies that they were very secure not being accustomed to meet with so much valour as to dare to undertake such an Enterprize I backed my proposition with many reasons which I now remember not but at last it prevailed with them being all very stout men and desirous of action For this end the Armie was tripartited one part was led by Lilibilis the other by Gurgulinis a very valiant Captain and the third they honour'd me with With great secresie we marched three several wayes that we might surprize them on all sideâ— with the more astonishment and we came so suddenly and were so neare them before we were discovered that we had almost effected our design which shewed our valour that we ventured to undertake so difficult an Enterprize However we put the Romans into great fear and had we not been discovered without doubt we had defeated them but they had so much time as to embattel themselves and to meet us without their Camp Neverthelesse they found us assured in our countenances and they were fain to animate themselves with the remembrance of their former Victories to keep up their spirits We met with an impetuositie that admits of no comparison where hundreds of men found their deaths at the first Encounter Lilibilis and Gurgulinis on each side met with the like resistance and on all sides the Camp was nothing but blood and slaughter I will not go about to describe a battel to you who I know have acted your part in many bloody ones but I am perswaded the Romans never met with a more fierce and stout resistance The earth was soon cruented and spread all over with dead bodies whilst heaps of men lay groaning out their last which could not be heard through the noise of the clattering of their Weapons It was a dismal fight to behold how horror ranged throughout the Field and with what animositie each side receiv'd their deaths The strenuitie of the Astercones was very usefull but neither that nor the generall valour of the Souldiers nor the particular actions of the Commanders amongst which my self may without vanitie boast in having twice unhorsed Carisius could keep the invincible Romans from the Victorie though she had long hung in suspence being accustomed to light on the Roman standards she so well knew her wonted residence that she resided there more out of custom then that the valour of the Astures did not deserve her Alas the Genii of the Barbarians were too weak for those of the
be constrain'd by fortune against her inclinations if she has no inclinations to thee she is so high spirited as to suffer death by her own hands rather than fall into the hands of her enemies or to seek protection unworthy of her self If she has inclinations to thee thou hast more need to fear that her high spirited humour will both crosse her self and thee in not yielding to be thine or accepting of thy protection least she should seem to do it basely because she had no other to accept of and that she yielded to these because she could not better raise her fortune and because she had not declar'd it before that she doth it now because she cannot avoid it and that she forsakes Mandone because his fortune is spoild and accepts of thee because thine is entire And thus Euripedes hast thou most cause of fear out of that from which thou raisest thy highest hopes for such thoughts as these are enough to hinder thy happinesse in the high spirited Amenia who can stoop to no base ends nor nothing unworthy that noble spirit that reigns in her In such like soliloquies I spent many houres and sometimes compleated whole daies in those cogitations and whatever virtue did to make me not hope for any thing by Lilibilis his death yet could I not chuse but remember that that cruel enemie Duty was now abolish'd though to have recall'd Lilibilis I would have been content to have run the hazard of the same enemie though I saw I must have perisht by it nor could I remember the death of Lilibilis without tears nor that Amenia was free without hope In this condition I remain'd till those that conducted the body of Lilibilis were return'd they represented to me with what dolour it was receiv'd in Asturica in general but in particular by Clotuthe and Amenia who had secluded themselves from all company that they might with more freedome vent those tears due to the death of Lilibilis and that they had seen his body interr'd with much pomp and collachrymation and that there was nothing but a general consternation to be seen in Austurica since his death wherein they had treasur'd all their hopes This news drew tears from my eyes which was reclear'd by a letter which they presented me from Amenia and which Melanthe had given them in answer to mine but a little before they came from Austurica I receiv'd it with much content and as soon as they were gone out of my tent I fell to kissing of that letter and should not have ended in a long time had not the great desire I had to know the contents hastened me to open it But when I went about it I could not impair that seal Amenia had impress'd without great reluctancy but at last overcoming these niceties I broke it open and read to this purpose Amenia to Euripedes MY eyes though drown'd in tears found so much liberty as to intuite those lines you sent me and though the excesse of my grief might justly have excus'd me had I omitted writing yet to testifie that which I owe you I have taken this liberty in the midst of my tears That obligation wherewith I bound you shall not be taken off by any consideration and I hope you will not be so injurious as to augment the grief of the enough afflicted Amenia by a precipitancy contrary to my will I hinder you not from revenging the death of Lilibilis but effect it without wilfully casting your self into the armes of death and depriving us of the hopes we have you will help us in this exigent Live therefore Euripedes and seek no precipices which may with your honour be avoided and by that you will give the most assuredst profs of your affection to Amenia You may believe with what joy I read this letter wherein I perceiv'd I was not indifferent to Amenia and that in the midst of all her troubles she had conserv'd a time to think on me and that her tears had not so occupied her but that she found leasure to read my lines and to write to me If she had been weary of my service I thought she would not have forbidden me to die in a revenge wherein she needed not to have car'd what lives had been sacrific'd and in a time wherein her interests could not plead for me being there was so little hopes that I could accomplish any thing against the Romans their power being increased with their victories and ours decreased with our losses Once did not satisfie me to read this letter and out of this I conceiv'd great hopes of a future blisse I thought now I might well deprive Mandone of his life without afflicting Lilibilis and rid me of a rival whose power I fear'd but his being engag'd in the wars made me think he could not effect any thing against me In the reading and contemplating on that Letter sometimes with hope sometimes with fear I spent that time which from my troublesom imployments among the souldiers was given for my repose and till those troops arrived which were collected through the countrey the Romans were not yet possess'd of After the addition of these forces we compleated eighteen thousand and our intent was to relieve Lancia which we heard was very much distress'd but as we were about to leave our hold for that enterprize our explorators brought us word that twenty thousand Romans were landed and came with great speed towards Asturica and that they were already masters of many places It was generally approv'd that we were to oppose them and to let Gurgulinis defend himself from the extremity the Romans had reduc'd him to till we were able to help him for if we had rais'd the siege which was hazardable and in the mean time the Romans should have gain'd the Countrey it would have been to no purpose but if we had been able to overthrow those new commers we needed not to feare but we should much daunt the besiegers and animate our men for high enterprises being flushed with a late gotten victory We saw that on this encounter depended the safe-guard or destruction of the Countrey which made us animate our men with all those words that used to put life and courage into the fearfull'st soul We made very long marches till we were come not far from their Camp they had understood of our coming and were resolved to bid us battel but we staid within our Camp two dayes without answering their expectations which they attributed to fear The next day we resolved to engage and to try our fortune by a battel but that night we understood of the surrender of Lancia and that Gurgulinis being forced to it by the souldiers the Romans very hardly granted him his life for his obstinacie for he was resolved never to have yielded And further that most of that Armie was marching to Asturica We gave a strict charge to those who brought us this newes not to communicate it to any else for
fear of disheartning the souldiers but it was quickly known throughout the Camp for all our endeavours to hide it and had so dismay'd them that they already began to fear the successe The chief Officers and my self had work enough all that night to resettle their minds and to perswade them to fight the next day Assoon as it appear'd having had very little time to rest I arm'd my self and being they were wholly left to my dispose I drew them out of the Camp leaving a sufficient Guard within and having divided them into two equal parts I gave the care of one to the best deserver and one whose courage was not seen to fail named Etruscis and the other I intended for to lead my self We were in a very spacious Plaine and where no advantage was to be perceiv'd the Romans seeing our intentions very readily presented themselves and by that time the Sun was up we were ready to joyn I was very sensible that on this battel depended the ruin or renewing of our hopes and therefore I used all the meanes I was capable of to infuse courage into their soules and I spar'd for no paines that I might accomplish my design I rode through every rank armed except my head and seeking to stirre them up to their dutie I uttered words somewhat to this purpose VAliant Asturians methinks I see in your countenances so great a propensity to this battel that I need not use words to animate such resolute men but being I am honoured with the title of your Captain and General there shall not be any thing neglected by me that belongs to the place And though I am perswaded that I cannot infuse more courage than you already have and a more desire of revenge for the death of your valiant Head then you retain yet will I put you in mind that you now sight not so much for glory riches and esteem as you do out of a necessity to defend your lives Liberties and your Rights Your renown lyeth not now alone at the stake but your wives your children your goods your houses your lands and that Liberty so dear to you are all now ready to be offer'd up as a prey to your insulting foe and your selves born a free people to become their slaves if you prevent it not with your own valour for it is the issue of this Encounter that will determine it which will make you glorious and a terrour to your Enemies or else slaves and a scorn to your foes The Romans are neither immortal nor invulnerable but men as you are and though fortune hath hitherto declared on their side you ought not to fear but Justice and your valour will overcome her If the covetous desires of Renown and riches can infuse such animosity into the Romans sure this necessity of saving all that is near and dear to you by your valour should be more powerfull to infuse it into the Astures the Astures that are the redoubted of all Spain and that have so often foyl'd the Romans and that have shewed no lesse valour and prowesse then they in all their actions Let this therefore move you that your enemies are not many more than you that your courage equals theirs that the Justice of your cause will oppose their fortune and that not only by this you will redeem your selves wives children lands and liberties but gain a perpetual renown and hinder the Romans from the like attempt by the powerfull remembrance of your valour Let this I say move you to acquit your selves like men and to declare to all the world that you esteem your liberties more than your lives and that you have as much courage to lose your lives in the midst of your enemies as the Gallicians who effected their own deaths rather than to accept of a servile life I will not go about to encourage your generous soules with the hope of reward or booty because these more necessary considerations ought to move you Besides I know your earth plentifully affords you that which makes the insatiable Romans to endeavour your subversion and to make you their slaves for the fulfilling their greedy desires There is therefore a necessity either you must fight it out valiantly turn your backs cowardly or submit to the yoke basely or as the Gallicians did turn your swords against your selves dâ—sperately and wickedly To turn your backs upon them and to flye will render you infamous to all the world and would not save your lives from the pursuing Romans but that is so contrary to your wonted custome that I fear it not for I know you know not what it meanes to flye before your enemies it is impossible for the renowned Astures to be so cowardly But to yield to the yoke of these insulters will brand you with an Eternal infamy and make you lose that reputation you have acquired throughout the world in that with so much valour hitherto you have maintain'd your liberty No I cannot perswade my self that you can admit such a thought having spent so much blood in the maintainance of it to acquit it so basely and infamously and you cannot think of it being used to liberty without suscitating an anger capable to make you conquer the whole world if they went about to deprive you of it And then if you think of doing as the Gallicians did to run upon your own deaths desperately you had better expose your lives to your enemies with your weapons in your hands and sacrifice theirs with your own and so to die like valiant persons making thousands of them to accompany you in your deaths than to effect it your selves and give them leave to laugh at your dispair There is no other way then you see without cowardize infamy and an unworthy precipitation but that you must acquit your selves like men and offering the lives of these Romans to your just resentments exhibit to all the world that it is impossible for the Asturians to be conquered or to yield to the yoke of the Romans I quickly perceiv'd that my words had wrought the desired effect upon the soules of most that heard me for with chearfull countenances and great shouts they testified how willing they were to sacrifice their lives for the good of their Countrey they cryed to me to lead them on and they would follow me even to death it self At that time observing that the Romans had us'd the same form with us and that one of their bodies began to move I put on my Cask and gave order to Etruscis to joyn That first Encounter was very violent on both sides and many were slain by the impituousnesse of the first storm of Arrowes but being mingled together pell-mell the Ranks grew thin on both sides by the deaths of their Companions our party very valiantly defended themselves and for a long time permitted not the Romans to gain the least advantage over them but at last I perceiv'd them to retire when I advanced and quite
happinesse without which he was no longer able to live he invented a figment to deceive you and all this time hath been an impostor and now knowing through a strange providence how nearly you have been engaged to his brother he quits all pretensions of being your servant any further than the laws of civillity and duty bind Atalanta at that instant let goe my hand and looking upon me with an eye in which I saw at once both pity and anger killed and revived my soul at the same time Blushes and palenesse took their turnes in her cheecks and amazed she stay'd in a suspence not knowing how to answer which caused me to speak thus Maddam behold a criminall that implores your goodnesse though I must confesse my crimes of so high a nature that they are almost impardonable with the most mercifull I deserve to be hated if I had been innocent in that I am allied so nearly to hatefull Marcipsius But ah Atalanta forget these resentments and let pity exuscitate your pardon remember that you have promised of what nature soever my crimes were to grant it remember the love you have borne Sabane let it not be converted to hatred to Lonoxia That is it I beg may be continued that your opinion of my goodnesse may not be diminished by this knowledge Alas to forgive my crimes and to hate me is but to kill me through grief I will freely offer my life as an expiament for my imposture so that after my death you will but retain me whole in your memory without remembring my crimes Remember that Sabane though an impostor never did any thing that may make your virtue blush to remember it It was love made me excurre into this crime on that I lay all the fault that you may be the better induced to forgive me since your selfe have been deceived by him Love I say Love hath been of such force as to make me thus disguise my self happy disguise under which I have received so many favours of divine Atalanta under which I have received that content which might have been envied by the Gods under which I have enjoyed the sight of my titular angell But cursed disguise under which I have prov'd an Impostor to innocent Atalanta I have loved you hoping rhat time might have made me worthy through my long services to have attained to that which now is not lawfull to thinke on But by a peculiar providence of the Gods finding that my brother hath made you his though accursed he hath forsaken you my designes which were honest are diverted and I forced at length after my sorrow and sicknesse to confesse it neverthelesse though I desire nothing at your hands my Love is inconvertible but it beares the same stamp that a brothers hath to a sister or is the same that your self divin Atalanta bore to the faigned Sabane after this free agnition let the remembrance of Sabane stir up your pity your pity your pardon and your pardon give life to Lonoxia who else dies to satisfie you for his imposture I ended with these words and my eyes being full of tears I awaited her sentence Remaining thus for somtime I saw that this sudden and unexpected accident had made her immovable What maddam said I cannot you yet determine what sentence to passe on this wretch whether life or death Alas though you 'r lought to emit so severe a sentance from so meak a soul I perceive you 'd have the impostor dye but you 'r lought to passe the sentance from your mouth you are not in a suspence whether he ought to live or no but whether you ought to command it Well! I le satisfie you without bidding the crime is too great to be pardoned yet say dear Atalanta as I have been an impostor so â— have been obsequious and faithfull in the love I bore you consider all the ancidents of Sabane and you will be forc'd to say that although Lonoxia followed the motions of his love passion yet he never transcur'd the bounds of vertue and lastly say I was wlling as far as able to satisfie for all my crimes At that instant trembling and casting my eyes about I espied a knife at the beds feet which I suddenly snatched and plucking open my bosome I will I will Madam cryed I give you satisfaction this shall execute your will As I lifted up my hand to have let her seen that I regarded my life lesse than her love and fear'd the loosing of it lesse than the acquiring her anger she caught hold on my arme Sabane said she so I must yet call you I cannot consent to this rigorous chastizement I confesse you have much amazed me and I should be more difficult to believe what you tell me did I not see the same virtue Sabane hath hitherto exhibited to remain still in Lonoxia But I command if my words may have any power that you forbear to injure your self and give me some time to revolve this accident in my mind Madam said I letting go the knife which she took from me I obey you I have wholly devoted my self to your service and though I may have purchased your hatred and displeasure it shall never be acquired by my disobedience Saying this I kissed her hand and departed I betook my selfe to the solitary walks and found a great relaxtion in my mind in that I had passed over that difficulty that so oppressed me and that I perceiv'd the Love she bore me in the faign'd condition of Sabane had taken too great an impression to be obliterated by the knowledge that I was Lonoxia I had not walked two hours but that the confident of Atalanta came to invite me to her mistris's chamber I followed her with perturbation enough I there found her governesse with her to whom she had related who I was who riseing from her bed side as I came in I know not said she what compellation to give you not how to behave my self towards you since the knowledg of your sudden Metamorphosis We are so accustomed to Sabane that we know not how to call you Lonoxia But since you are no longer what we have taken you for you must not be discontented if we are more severe since modesty commands it You have put Atalanta into no small passion by the knowledg of what you are since she has shewn those favours to Sabane which shames her to think they were given to Lonoxia And indeed it was enough justly to purchace her hatred had not the love she bore to Sabane made her consider the virtuous deportments of Lonoxia and forces her not to follow the dictates of her irritated humour I have at last pacified her and she hath given me leave to tell you that she will equally ballance the vertuous cariage care love and troubles of Sabane against all the crimes of Lonoxia and the Love she bore you under that name against the hatred you might have acquired under this So that she seales
suddenly after the interment however I resolved to follow him and perpetrate my design though in the armes of his beloved With this resolution without discovering my selfe I left Lixus and at last arrived at Tingis Some few dayes I awaited an opportunity to meet with him which at last was given me as happily as I could wish for walking in a little grove hard by the pallace it being almost evening I saw him come forth of a back dore of the pallace garden only with one squire He descended into the grove and musing with himselfe gave me liberty to come very near him before he espied me when I was come up to him my resentments stimulating me to a revenge Traitor said I laying my hand upon my sword at this very instant thou must give satisfaction with thy blood and life for two murthers committed by thee that of thy father and that of thy wife Marcipsius was startled at this sudden encounter steping back and being nothing daunted drew his sword I am lougth reply'd he to take away your life for your temerity but you ought before you encounter any with your tongue to observe them well with your eyes and not let your rashnesse induce you into errors that would with one lesse mercifull than my self before this time have cost you your life No Monster reply'd I am not deceiv'd 't is you that are deceived in thinking so I see you know me not but know I know you to be the most perfidious and patricidicall Marcipsius to be the ravisher and vitiator of divine Atalanta who suffered the stroke of death in bringing into the world the infant form'd of thy most lustfull seed it is to her Ghost that the expiation of thy life in the first place must give satisfaction and in the next place to thy empoysoned father who through thy venefication scelerous wretch hath ended his dayes and this must be by the hand of Lonoxia who hath liv'd hitherto but to give satisfaction to their Umbrae by immolation of thy life He was much amazed in seeing me and seeing me ready to sacrifice his life with the sword of vengance he saw there was no time to delay defending himself for I assaulted him with a free violence His fury and despair assembled in him an unwonted force and had I not with the like agility evaded his first thrust he had stocadoed me and given a period to my Life and fury our duel lasted some time till at length he fell having a thrust through his right arme and another through his body so that I thought him dead and leaving him I departed that night in a vessel for Spain As we were passing the narrow frete that divides Spain from Affrica we were set upon by a vessell of resolute pyrates we were but few in number to them and they thought it a folly to gain death by a resistance but I that sought ardently for that megre champion since I had obey'd the commands of Atalanta resolved to loose it desperately amongst them and at the last extinguishing of my taper to give the greatest blase of my valour Assoon as they had boarded us I alone resisted them and leaping amongst them irritated them by the blowes I gave them at first thinking me mad with folly or rashnesse they did not much regard me but when that they saw how fast I fell'd them they all began to dispute it with me with their swords and to deprive me of the life I was resolved to loose but with their deaths In this encounter fell their captain with nine more that expired through their blood and wounds at last everpowred I was born down and expecting death fortune to spight me gave me life I looked for no generosity amongst those Barbarians nor no pity from such irritated soules But they made it appear that valour had some estimation amongst them and that they were not altogether so Brutuall as I thought them Taken with the small puissance that I had shewed amongst them they preserved my life and proffer'd me my liberty notwithstanding the slaughter I had made And seeing their captain dead they all joyntly prayed me to accept of their vassallage and his place and power I many times deny'd them and proffer'd to be their companion but they told me that my valour which they so much respected deserved the preeminency and that they should account themselves happy under my protection and that they would fear nothing under my conduct but if I would accept of their proffers that they would swear a blind obedience to my commands and would follow me to death it selfe I pondered for some time on their words and believing that to be the readiest way to find the death I sought I yielded to them and accepted of their offer For my sake they spared the vessel they had assaulted and carrying me to a strong fort on the side of Affirica placed between two rocks sufficient to frustrate the efforts of a strong army where when all their pyratick vessels were come in they proclamed me with a generall consent to be their captain and with ceremonies peculiar amongst themselves crowned me with a Diadem made of cable ropes untwin'd in which was placed many precious stones and swore their obedience to me never to forsake me though in the greatest peril never to disobey my commands or thwart my designes or to ransaek the prey but to stand to my division of it amongst them By this means they ever were in obedience amongst themselves and in their common storehouse had treasure enough to defray the charges of an army of an hundred thousand men I led this pyratick life about two years in which time I receiv'd a thousand proofs of the Pirats valour and obedience which was as perfect as the greatest monark could receive from his meanest subjects In it I found a life if I may say so for the consideration of the unlawfullnesse of it that was pleasant and free from the versatilousnesse of Fortune and I seemed now as if I tryumph'd over the power of that deity There was nothing the world could afford or the industry and power of men could gaine so absolute a regency had I acquir'd over the hearts of those that serv'd me that if I desired it they would sacrifice all their lives but they 'd content me All outward blisse attended me and I wanted nothing of the pleasures and deliciousnesse of the greatest princes But yet Atalanta was a spectre that alwayes appear'd before my eyes and seem'd to desire my company in the Elisium Indeed I sought death every where where I hop'd I might finde it I led them to most apparent dangers which yet their valour still conquered and in the greatest atchivements came off victorious and without murmuring at my actions and with a desperatnesse of a man resolv'd for death I fought against all opposers and incurr'd all dangers which rashness they accounted the effects of an extream valour and their love made them
I spent my years in bringing up this plant my brother Marcipsius having taken upon him the crown of Tingitana and gaining the confirmation if it from Augustus by his presents and bribes to his chiefest favourites promising an annuall tribute and acknowledgment that 't was from his donation married his coâ—sen the princesse of Bogudiana and enjoy'd that basly purchased crown some yeares in peace Marinus now entring into his fifth lustre I made known to him his parents which till then I had hid from him and exhorting him to virtue and patience and to the exercise of Hâ—roick actions and generosity which would obliterate the blot of his mother and his own extraction I gave him all the Instruction and admonition of a father and by my indulgency exacted from him a filial reverence and fear At last I desiring he should be known to his father I would not permit him to lye any longer in such obscurity and accompanying him my self to Tingis noâ— imagining the fire of malice and hatred could have been preserved alive so many years in the King my brother I presented him to him and discovering my self and Marinus I made known to him how he was his son But that wicked one having laid aside all sence of nature and humanity instead of forgetting my injuries and remembring I was his brother and that his son caused us to be imprizon'd and that very closely for fear we should be known who we were lest that the anger of his Queen for his crimes past or the discontent of his subjects for my imprisonment might cause some disturbance to his quiet We endured this restraint with a vertue which we made out of necessity near five years when on a sudden and unexpected by us our prison dores were broke open and we carried to the head of an armie of thirty thousand men to be their guides and conductors against Marcipsius This was occasioned through the evill reign of my brother and the discontents of his subjects and the great a version they allwayes had to him so that many and that of the cheif about him conspireing together procured this revolt and raised this army with great secresy in his further provinces They had not kept our imprisonment so close but that 't was known to some of these who knowing who I was design'd me presently for his successor and for their Generall They made very large remonstrances to me of the equity of their doings the wickednesse of their King and the affection they had to have me succeed Ambition and injury both at once solicited me but remembring that he was my brother and King I told them As I would not approve of the follies and weaknesse of their King so I could not tell how to take armes against a brother and a Prince whom I ought to obey I told them that the Quallity of a brother prohibited me revenge and that of a King swallow'd up all Injures And that what before I had acted against him was not for injuries done to my self but being bound by the obligations of love greater then those of Nature I was forced to what I did and haveing sufficiently compensated for that I could not revenge injuries done to my self And if they could not perswade themselves but that they ought to perpetrate their designes that at least they would not make me the executioner but rather return me to the prison from whence they brought me if I must be necessitated to obey one I had wholly frustrated their expectations if Marinus being more sensible of my injuries than of nature to a father so monstrous and obdurate had not engag'd himself to them and so perswaded me at least to bear him company in the field and see whether he could performe the practick of the Theory his tutors had taught him Father said he if the Pellaan heroe as my tutors have dictated to me acknowledged himself more beholden and bounden to the Stagyraean Sage for his learning and precepts than to Philip his father for 's life who lov'd him left him a kingdome and means to raise him to that stupendious greatnesse he attained to How much more ought I to acknowledg you and to revenge your injuries that have given me life by saving it that have educated cherisht and spent your selfe upon me on a father that begot me into misseries that hates me that imprizons me that seeks my death and ruin Let me give you this proof of my affection and shew you how sensible I am of injuries done you and that for my sake suffer me to make my father acknowledge me for his son by force and when it lyes in our power to use mercy I 'le make him give satisfaction for injuries done to the best and cheifest of my fathers and then we 'l put on the duty of a son and begg pardon for our selves Not to use any more of those arguments he us'd to perswade me the Love I bore him and the discretion I perceiv'd in those young yeares ty'd me to him inseparably and made me to accompany him in the warr which lasted long and was very Tragicall This war continued five years in which time we had many great battels many slain towns taken Cities and places dismantelled houses burnt the country forraged and all those sad disasters which inseparably follow a civill war The three first years victory still attended us and a sensible successe made us doubt of nothing that might crosse us But Marcipsius having gain'd notable experience in the warrs of Caesar kept himself so secure by the certain intelligence he had of all our councells by his agents so that there was nothing that we resolv'd on but he had notise of it before hand and still frustrated our projects and designes whether it were in knowing our intended marches that he might way-lay us with ambuscadoes or our intended besiegments that he might sufficiently prepare it against us or our sudden assaults that he might prevent us and having mony and men enough he keept us from advancing very neer Tingis The fifth year we came to a pitcht battell which prov'd fatall to us all the whole strength of both sides engaged and on the victory depended the decision of the Quarrell and Crown Both sides were very resolute and fought it out to the last man at least thirty thousand fell on both sides and the plain was like a sea of blood the contrary side prov'd victors Marinus was slain cover'd over all with wounds falling upon a rampart of dead bodies that he had slain My self kill'd in Marinus and having lost all the blood in my body fell amongst the dead But being preserv'd against my will by those that came to gain by the dead and cur'd of my wounds I left Africa With the like sorrow that I left Spain after the death of Atatanta I retired amongst those Pirates that I once commanded and the love they bare me not being extinguished in that intervallation of years that I had been