of me whilst this noble gentleman is in fetters Bee your Majesty pleased to finish what you so prosperously have begun Forthwith the King caused Ischyrion and Faustine to be fetched commanding their chaines to bee taken off Ischyrion feeling himselfe unfettered lifted his hands to Heaven and said Now is the time oh Heavens I render you thankes that I once againe have my hands at liberty to die in some battaile if you shall please to deigne me this favour we at the least so farre as I perceive have escaped from these bloudy sacrifices where wee were to loose our lives not illustrating our deaths with one ray of honour but now if we needs must make an end wee will conclude on the theater of Kings in some glorious piece of service Charlemaigne hearing this yong Eaglet speake with so much generosity enquired his name race employment course and progresse of life But hee making a low obeysance said to the King Sir I beseech your Majestie to excuse me if I give you not upon this question that full satisfaction I could wish For fortune hath created me an imperfect man without Father or Mother kindred allyes Countrey house or riches casting me as an abortive of the sea risen out of the waves to arive on some unknowne shore All I can say of my extraction is that I was taken away in so tender yeares that I could not have any knowledge either of my selfe or mine It onely was told mee that Pirats stealing mee away from I know not what Countrey came to east anchor in a a part of Affrick where they were so hotly assayled that one of their vessels was left behind in which I was and every one running hastily to the pillage of this booty the shepherds sought also to have their share in it whereof one of them seeing me whither mooved with compassion or whither he thought mee a childe of some good family and that one day restoring me he might gaine somewhat by it he resolved to lay hold on me and bred mee up with his son Faustine here present We both grew up under his wings like two yong Ashes planted by the favour of Heaven neere a rivers side and although I had then no other opinion of my selfe but that I was the son of Thoas my foster-father yet being among little Countrey boyes of my condition I played the Prince and was infinitely delighted to practise warres and combats wherein I almost everhad the upper hand from whence it came to passe the name of Ischyrion was given mee which is a tite of valour and glory The shepherd Thoas loved me tenderly as his owne son and plainely perceiving I was not borne to rest in sheep-coats all my life Being now upon the degrees of an age more vigorous he tooke me apart and said My deare Ischyrion I must now at this time unsold a secret unto you which I have hitherto been willing to conceale from you fearing least the greatnesse of your courage might prove your ruine in these greener yeeres but now when at this present you are come to more maturity and strength I would have you know you are no son of mine I found you in a ship of Pyrats and some Mariners did secretly whisper you were stollen away from a certaine port and that your Father was a great Prince whereof I could never learne any further Perhaps your good starres will shew you more I onely intreat you to take care of your person which shall be most deare to mee whilst I live and if you one day arrive to any fortune worthy your selfe forget not your poore foster-father not son that I beg ought of your abilities for God hath affoorded us contentments in our little Cottage but much it shall please me to be continued in your remebrance as one who greatly have desired to breed you well and if any thing were defective in your education excuse our poverty Heaven hath created 〈◊〉 such as you see full of good will though slender in fortune and meanes This discourse drew teares from mee and so farre penetrated my heart that in few daies I resolved to travell thoroughout the world and enquire out my birth But Faustin knowing what passed prayed me by all that I held most pretious not to forsake him but to make him the companion of all my dangers which was the cause I besought his Father to grant it mee which hee assented unto although the Mother very much opposed it Since we continually have lived together as one soule diuided into two bodies For our amity having taken roote in a mutuall temperature and great correspondence of humors hath been maintained with a perpetuall familiarity arriving to that height that neither death nor hell is of power to separate us Good and ill have ever beene common betweene us daily we obliged one another by all the wayes of friendly offices There was never any thing secret betweene us both our hearts and breasts were enter changeably transparent Dissimulation and contradiction could no more approach the sincerity of our love then serpents the blossome of the Vine Nor was there in so many yeeres as we lived together the least impression of inconstancy distaste or coldnesse in our affections but wee loued with the same ferver as if we daily began never to end When wee had travelled over some Proninces of Affricke we passed into Asia and from Asia are come into Europe where wee have borne Armes against the Sarazins and every where have opposed Monsters Pirats Robbers wild-beasts trampling under foot those plagues borne to afflict Mortals Finally we have here beene stayd by a most unworthy treason as your Majesty hath understood by the discourse made unto you I verily thinke good fortune now presents herselfe unto us and that wee here shall finde what is â—â—ine to search in any other part of the world The King well satisfied to heare this whole narration asked him whither whilst hee was in the Pirat-ship any marke were upon him which might one day discover his birth Thereupon he drew forth a little jewell that had been found about his necke and which Thoas having faithfully kept restored him at his departure The King taking it into his hand to see what it was perceived many out of our iosity lifted up their heads and cast their eyes upon it and among others Clodoaldus who said in his heart Ah what if the destinies bee pleased I this day recover all my losses good haps sometimes comes by heapes as well as bad The God whom I now worship is much greater then all my desires As he paused on this imagination and came so neere as hee could Behold saith Charlemaigne a very rich jewell I here among other things discover an Agat which beareth two javelins crossed one over another At these words Clodoaldus fetched a deepe sigh and said Sir these are my Armes from all antiquitie thereupon his speech was stopped by the deep resentments of his heart yet
no sooner dispatched him but behold a voyce dreadfull and menacing came out of this Idoll which condemned me to blindnesse and the whole Countrey to a most meager sterility if this fault were not speedily repaired and verily I in an instant became blind and my companions saw the grasse dryed and withered up under their feet whereat I being much amazed most humbly prostrated my selfe at the feet of this god beseeching to know of him what satisfaction he desired of me he then appointed I should offer that thing in sacrifice which first presented it selfe unto mee in my returne homeward which I most willingly assented unto not thinking on the sequell of this unhappy promise When behold poore Iacinthus mine onely son whom I with so much care had bred and who alone was able to comfort me in all my losses vpon the report that I was hunting in the groue of Irminsul came out to meet me with unspeakable ioy So soone as I heard the voyce of this tender lambe I was so surprised in all my sences that I knew not what to say he on the other side bemoaned my blindnesse and enquired with all his endevours some remedy for my disaster when by chance having understood the knot of the businesse this imcomparable sonne hastned to present himselfe at the altar of Irminsul where I verily am perswaded the sacrificers who will not mittigate any thing of their cruelty have offered up and torne in pieces this little body as flesh in the shambles But Sir at the least revenge the bloud of my poore victime since you are the worlds arbitrator and if there yet remaine any part of his ashes or bones I beseech your Maiestie they may be restored me that I may bury them in my bosome and powre out my soule upon them The King bitterly wept when hee heard these Tragicall accidents and promised to affoord him all possible comfort for which Clodoaldus lifting his hands up to Heaven gave thankes to the gods and when a Bishop there present told him hee must take away this plurality of gods and beleeve in one God soveraigne Monarch of Heaven and Earth who had sanctified the world by the incarnation of his Word hee required to bee instructed in our Religion which was quickly granted and so soone as his minde was enlightned with the rayes of faith this mist which the Devills had caused was dissolved to the admiration of all the World and foorth-with hee disposed himselfe to prayse and thanke God never leaving the King from whom he began to hope much and that beyond all expectation Charlemaigne entring into the Castle saw the gods of the Saxons and among other the Idoll of Crodon whom Historians thinke to bee the Saturne of the Grecians which verily was an Idoll of bloud and massacres and to which they offered in many places sacrifices of men and children as wee understand from the relation of Pagan Antiquities There likewise stood Irminsul all armed from head to foot holding in one hand a standard with a rose figured in it and in the other a ballance having besides a Beare engraven on his Cuirasse and a Lion on his Target Wherupon Crantzius and other Historians give sundry explications easie to bee observed Moreover there was a statue of Venus which shewed it was no extraordinary matter for these Idolaters to ad homicides and slaughters to the ordures of the impurity whereof this Irminsul bare the figure This brave Monarch breathed out a deepe sigh seeing these prodigious deities which had hitherto amused this miserable people and as he was about to cause them to be demollished one came to tell him there were prisoners of note in the dungeon reserved to be very speedily sacrificed Wherevpon hee in all haste appointed a commissary with guards about him to bring them foorth and to bee informed of the crimes wherewith they were to be charged The poore Hildegardis buryed in this deepe darknesse expected nothing but the pile and flames fearing the high Priest factious and enraged would draw to himselfe a reputation of honour signed with her bloud Wherevpon she wholly resolved for death but it extremely troubled her that together with life they sought to bereave her of the reputation of honor and honesty and endevoured to stamp an infamy on her Tombe If ashes which fly away with the wind may expect the funerall rites of a Tombe shee complayned that having so charily preserved her virginity of which fire it selfe had rendred a most solemne testimony yet did the rage of her enemies handle her as a harlot Shee deplored that her ashes should remaine in a barbarous Countrey her selfe to bee buried in oblivion as the most unknowne and abandoned creature of the World and that of so much kindred and allies there was not one would come to strew some silly flowers on the place impressed with the prints of her punishments And as wee are free in our desires shee in thought wished that some one at the least would one day carry the remainders of her ashes to her father and say unto him Behold here the lamentable reliques of that daughter whom you so much sought so much haue bewailed never giving end to your search or teares The poore creature is dead under most cruell torments leaving her life and memory in the flames of a burning pile prepared by her enemies but she is dead as a child of honour and hath not disgraced the example of her Mother nor the vertue of her ancestors Wee all of us retaine some love for the affection and estimation of posterity which is a great note of the immortality of our soules It seemed to her if some one would promise the accomplishment of this desire she should die with much satisfaction that her father would bee comforted therewith and willingly affoord the last obsequies to this slender portion of her body Having dreamed sometime thereupon shee bitterly bewailed the death of her deare Ischyrion of little Iacinthus and Faustinus fearing least this unhappy surprisall might redouble their punishments she desired yet once againe to speake with them before shee dyed to assist comfort and fortifie her selfe with them for this last passage shee intreated she might bee permitted to speake one word to her foster-father Araspus but it was told her hee was lately arested as being held guilty of the conspiracy shee had plotted which redoubled her sorrow with the more violence considering this innocent old man was involved in her ruines In the end the disastrous Maid mourned in the dungeon wholy absorpt in deepe miseries and being deprived the splendor of the day she saw in her imagination all the confusions of fortune and a million of the images of death which assayled her repose when shee desired to shut up her eyes for sleepe Then hearing the prison doore open she cryed out aloud Let us goe behold here the houre appointed by Heaven which must give an end to so many miseries as instantly turmoyle thee But
a signe to reserve them to be sacrificed yet did they not yeeld themselves but with giving notice with their swords of the effects of their courage upon the confused heape of dead and wounded who fell at their feet but being overwhelmed with a prodigious number of desperate men who beset them on every side needs must they yeeld to necessity and stretch out those hands to fetters which deserved palmes and crownes The History now transferreth us to recount an honourable passion of the virgin Hildegardis towards these valiant prisoners which we cannot omit without offering wrong to this discourse nor can wee speake it but with much caution therein rather seeking the instruction of our Readers then their delight If those who have consecrated their pens to the tickling of the eare and vanity of an eloquent stile had such an History in their hands I am perswaded they would make many dishes of this action and trumpet out worldly loues with conceptions and imaginations like to those pearles which being corrupted in their birth promise in the beginning an excellent substance and produce nothing but winde wee neither can nor will be so affectedly fluent having from our younger daies devoted our stile as well as our soule to the Altars of purity Let us be satisfied to observe a notable doctrine touching the diversitie of loves and sinceritie of true amities to serve for a helpe and guide in that which wee here purpose to delineate The Soule according to the saying of ancients is a shipp the rowers thereof are loves as the noble Maximus of Tyre hath wittily observed and as among rowers there are very many conditions for some are miserable slaves who row of necessity others doe it out of bravery or vertue as the incomparable King S. Lewis who scorned not sometimes to take an oare in hand to row in stead of a mariner whilst he sent him to learne his Catechisme So may we truly say there are loves wholy carnall base and terrestriall which absolutely adhere to slavery others spirituall noble and worthy which wee rather call by the name of amities All love hath this proper in it it goeth it saileth and liveth out of it selfe in complacence of the thing beloved but taketh notable differences according to the obiects to which it adhereth For the carnall resembling Noe's Raven is wholly confined to carrion and ends in bruitishnesse The Spirituall tendeth to vertues to perfections to the lively images of honesty which have in them contentments and delights ineffable It is very true this Hildegardis who as yet lived in gentilisme could not imprint foot-steps totally purified in these amities yet was there nothing carnall and grosse in it for shee felt her heart worthily entertained with the image of a great goodnesse and equall worth which she saw resplendent in these gallants since they had freely exposed themselves to death for the preservation of a person who according to the iudgment of all the world nothing cōcerned them had so bravely carried themselves in the field of battell Behold the way wherein ordinarily spirituall amities insist they begin by admiration of some excellency which being a ray of the Divinitie striketh the understanding and as the carnall is taken in the snare which the flesh stretcheth foorth so the spirituall eye is enflamed and ravished with the obiect of a Spirituall beautie This admiration is attended by another degree which is the conformity of the will with that good which is proposed unto it causing the soule to begin to take fire and force sparkes of desire to flie out in courting that good shee figures unto herselfe Then it gaineth another degree which is that of sharpe and sweet complacence pleasingly entertained with the thoughts of its obiect one while in hope to possesse it another while in feare to loose it and with sundry other passions which accompanie this delectation as yet painfull and suffering From complacence one is transported to a search where love assumeth wings to flie to the bosome of its repose therein imploying all possible meanes to content it selfe and if it be favoured in its pursuit it commeth to mutuall vnion of wills of affections good turnes communications and presence from whence finally ariseth another complacence no longer laborious and embroyled but satisfied and pleased in the fruition of its obiect This poore mayd not thinking thereof ranne thorough all these degrees in a very short time For after her heart was surprized with admiration of the great and heroicke vertues of these yong warriors she felt her faire soule infinitely transported to wish them well and as shee saw their innocency unworthily oppressed under the Tyranny of the high Priest so compassion comming to entermingle with admiration they emulously blew those generous flames with which her heart was enkindled The entred she into languors which were neither soft nor effeminate into ardours sweet and spritefull which gave to her heart an operation perpetually labouring for accomplishment of the good shee proposed to her selfe Shee was bent on this designe and resisted with animosity of imaginations all the obstacles which feare did present her It seemed to her that should she hew thorough mountaynes passe thorough thornes and burning serpents rush among swords and launces her happinesse would never bee too dearely purchased She had but one desire which was to dissolue her heart into him who had so gloriously gained it When she returned from the Amphitheater to her lodging she took a singular contentment to discourse with her selfe what had passed and although the condition of affaires permitted not freedome of speech she notwithstanding sufficiently discovered her selfe more to incline to pity then rigour and if some one spake any word in favour of the prisoners shee began to hold him in good esteeme as a faithfull servant and worthy instrument of her pretentions But when shee retired into her chamber to take some repose as solitude and night are proper to foster passions that was the time those cares which were in the bottome of her soule began to breake forth and dilate themselves in a very long traine of confused and ill digested purposes All the combat which passed in the circuit of the Lists was renewed in the closure of her heart stil the brave Ischyrion returned into her thoughts one while how he chased the Beare then how he overthrew the Lyon sometime how hee was all covered over with sweat and bloud amongst the huge heapes of the dead which fell under the valour of his victorious hands But when she came to consider the fetters on his feet in this darke dungeon and that shee reflected upon this infernall sacrifice wherein she was to bee imployed in the destruction of the most lovely creature of the world shee was engulfed in the horror and affrightment of her thoughts The mournefull virgin a hundred and a hundred times detested the day which destined her to this abhominable condition she cursed to all
as it seemed to promise her much facility in a project which was otherwise impossible It also happened very fortunately that the execution of offenders was put off till another day for certaine customes of antiquity and religion that are strong chaines among people and which gave her full scope to accomplish her desires Wee daily see among many occurrents of affaires that to be verified which an ancient Author said who having made a large recitall of all the naturall armes which God giveth creatures he affirmes a women eminently hath them all and that there is neither fire nor sword which yeeldeth not either to beauty or cunning wyles which with them are very frequent She is able to walke thorough a Corps-du-guard to pierce Rockes and to seat her selfe in places where nothing can penetrate but lightning Hildegardis so mannaged her businesse in a short time that a hundred iron gates were all-most ready to fly open at her command Shee having disposed so many affections to her service failed not to visite the prisoners whom she knew naturally much to desire their liberty Shee went about mid-night into the dungeon accompanied only with a trusty maid-servant and a page who bare a Torch before them The poore gentlemen extremely weary with the labours of the former day and who after so great a perplexity of thoughts began to sleep upon their sadnesse hearing the great dore to open with a confused noise they suddenly awakened but when they beheld this heavenly face which promised more day-light to their affaires then the torch could afford to their eyes it seemed unto them some Divinity favourable to their affections was descended into the dungeon to comfort them but perceiving it was the she-Priest of the Temple which had charge to attend the sacrifices they were somewhat astonished But the generous Ischyrion cried out aloud Madame what is the matter come you then to leade us out to butchery Shee desirous to sound them answered Sir trouble not your selfe but as you have fought valiantly dispose your selves to die bravely To which he replyed he was already thoroughly prepared and asked her if it were she must do the deed To which she answered That never had she learned the trade to cut mens throats but that she was onely to assist in the sacrifice and to cut off the tipps of the victimes haire to throw the first fruits into the flames I at the least render thankes to my fortune saith Faustin that we are fallen into so good a hand and that since wee must needes die our death shall be honoured with the eyes of such a beauty Vpon this Hildegardis felt her heart surprized and stood some distance of time without speaking one word casting her eyes on the yong Iacinthus kept in the same dungeon and who notwithstanding the light and voice still slept securely Behold saith Ischyrion how this child doth allie the brother to the sister that is sleepe to death Why should wee so much feare death since to speake truly it is as it were nothing else but to performe once for all what Iacinthus now doth and what wee daily doe many times Then turning himselfe with a smiling countenance to the vestall Madame saith he should wee dare to hope a favour from you we would not beg life For wee know wee are accounted in the number of the most wretched sacrifices and that the people must be appeased by our death Doe then but save this little innocent pardon the tendernesse of his age take pity on the sorrow of his father verely we may vaunt even in these dungeons hee is our deare conquest and that we have purchased him in a sharpe combat at the price of our bloud which causeth his death to afflict us more sensibly then our owne At this word Hildegardis breathed foorth a deepe sigh which shee notwithstanding sought to smoother yet turning to her companion she said Verely this heart is truly generous what could hee doe more should hee pleade his brothers cause Behold what contempt of death what resolution It is fittest for such to live since they so well know how to use life Therevpon drawing neere vnto him Sir said shee Doe me the honour to tell me your name and what you are He replyed there needed in him for sacrifice but body and soule as for his name it served for no other use That all which miserable men can doe is wisely to conceale themselves and that among disasters the most secret were ever the best for generous soules This answere more enkindled the curiosity of the Lady to enquire after that which he was willing to dissemble so that seeing himselfe pressed on all sides he said Madame I am called Ischyrion since you must needs know it and I intreat you to thinke I doe not now begin to fight with Monsters for my whole life resembleth those pieces of Tapistry where Dragons are seene among golden apples It is a perpetuall web of miseries and glories there was never any thing so various I have beene told I sprang from regall bloud but being very young and unknowne was stolne away by Pirates and then recovered againe by shepherds whereof Thoas the most eminent among them was pleased to breed mee with his owne sonne Faustin here present with whom I have vowed a most faithfull and strict amity After that I had a vehement desire to travell all the world over with him and to make enquiry into my birth which I have hitherto done nor is there any place of fame in the habitable world to which in this my youth I have not travelled and ennobled it with some conquest wee together have seene above a hundred times the gates of death wide open to receive us but still our good Genius found some way for our deliverance untill now I see no helpe at all verely in my opinion death alone must shew mee the place where my parents are He cut off these words very short unwilling to seeme either vaine-glorious in recitall of his owne adventures or suppliant to purchase life by the history of his travels But shee who considered these discourses like unto Pictures which tell more then they expresse not being able any longer to dissemble her heart which shee seemed to distill with her teares having broken some very deepe sobs said unto him Worthy sir and friend God hath not created me a rocke to be insensible of humane miseries I plainly see your atchievements very neere approach the fortunes of our house and it seemes the web of our destinies hath passed thorough the one and the same hand For my father had a sonne taken from him when he was very young a while after the death of his wife my thrice honoured Mother which drenched him into so deep a sorrow that thorough griefe he expected death Hee notwithstanding comforted himselfe in me beholding me in most innocent yeeres of a nature very cheerefull and doubted not but that I in time might bring him a
one comming who opened a little window to give day-light to the darkenesse of the dungeon she much amazed to behold other countenances of men then such as shee had knowne plainly discovered them by their habits and fashions to be strangers They commanded her to follow them wherevpon she replyed Sirs whither will you lead mee and instantly shee understood shee was no longer to give answere to a company of Priests who had forsaken the place but before the throne of the prime Monarch of the world This newes made her conceive at first great hope of liberty imagining with her selfe she should plead her cause before a benigne Prince who would give sentence with all equity But hearing some to murmure round about her who spake what fame published that shee must bee burnt as a sorceresse and that it was she who had lent her hand to so many enormous sacrifices committed in this cursed place this greatly amazed her But forgetting her proper danger for the love shee bare to Ischyrion shee asked whither those gentlemen shut up in the next prison were already put to death or no to which it was answered they were alive and should bee sentenced with her and even at the same time they were taken out of prison to bee brought before the King who called for them and it happened they both met upon the way Verily this was a very heavy meeting for the noble Ischyrion perceiving his dearest Hildegardis led along enchayned and knowing shee had no other crime but for obliging him felt his heart so seized with griefe that he thought to yeeld up the ghost betweene the armes of Faustinus and Iacinthus who supported him although bound as well as they could So soone as he a little had recovered his spirits and got liberty of speech he cryed out What Madame am I then the instrument of your death There needs no question be asked whither I be criminall since I see my selfe defiled with bloud and am guilty of the murder of a person in whom nothing may bee desired but immortality Where shall I find limbs enow in my body to expiate such a guilt I from hencefoorth defie Wheeles Gibbets keene Razors and flames and if it bee true which is said that the burning pile is already prepared for us I will mount to the top of it without bands or fetters I wil first of all try the violence of the fire I wil render an honorable payment before the eyes of Heaven and earth I most faithfully promise when my soule shall bee separated from my body it shall every where waite on your most purified spirit as the shadow of it but if it must be condemned to darkenesse for eclipsing so divine a light I will onely begge of thee oh great intelligence that from the sphere of splendors due to thy merrit thou wilt some times deigne to send forth a ray of thy clemency to enlighten the dusky nights of my miseries and offences Hildegardis answered this speech with her weeping eyes the dart whereof was not so blunted by teares but that they made impression on the heart of her beloved and so much as her voyce might cleaue a sunder the sharpe sighes of her heart she said Sir accuse not your innocency but my unhappinesse which hath made mee become so unfortunate that even meere benefits have power enough to make mee criminall If death separate our lives at the least I am glad it may perhaps unite our ashes and that wee shall preserve the immortality of our affections in the immortality of our soules This pleasing spectacle softned the heart of the Commissary and guards that they almost forgat themselves so transported they were In the meane time Charlemagine sate on his Throne covered over with a faire pavillion and appeared on that day resplendent in the attires of a Maiestie absolutely Royall encompassed with his Nobility which afforded him the same lustre that leaves doe roses He caused Clodoaldus to bee placed in his Throne that hee might finde out his sonne if happily hee were yet among the prisoners As they were put forward to be presented before the King it hapned Iacinthus who was very carelesly bound for the assurance they had of his liberty seeing his father instantly brake his cords and ranne to leape about his necke in the presence of Charlemaigne and all this goodly company The father tenderly imbracing him said with a confused voice How my sonne What come you now out of your Tombe Ah my poore sonne How were you to your father when you left him in the Forrest to goe to the altar of Irminsul Tell me who hath raised you up againe The son on the other side beheld his father with admiration a blinde man become cleere sighted and said unto him Father who hath restored you your eyes There upon both stood seized with so inexplicable joy that they were unable to expresse the cause of their happinesse but that the father distilling some teares of gladnesse spake thus Oh my sonne It is a worke of God and then perceiving he had done an act of a man transported not considering hee was in the presence of a King hee hastned to prostrate himselfe at the feet of Charlemaigne saying Sir excuse the power of nature otherwise this childe is more yours then mine Then turning to Iacinthus Sonne draw neere and kisse the feet of the chiefe Monarch of the World to whom you owe your happinesse and mine His God hereafter shall be yours his Altars shall be your Altars and you shall have no other Religion with me then his Vpon which the childe making a most lowly obeysance cast himselfe on the earth and the King causing him to be lifted up againe tooke him by the hand and gave him to the Bishop to bee instructed in the faith This matter for a long time entertained the eyes of all the company with his happinesse and this novelty untill Hildegardis was brought forth to take her turne then was the time when all the World shewed it selfe to bee mooved with much curiosity to know who this virgin was and for what offence shee was fettered in the dungeon shee was of a goodly stature and had a body well proportioned in all the parts thereof the lineaments of her face very delicate her colour bright and lively port grave and which sufficiently declared her to bee borne of some noble family And though her countenance was then deiected her eyes dull her haire negligently discheveled and attire very plaine yet all this did much grace her for her beauty failed not to shine thorow so many obstacles as the Sunne in a winters day which is ever constantly the Sunne though the sharpenesse of the season robbe us of the vigour and lustre of his rayes The King at the beginning was amazed seeing such a creature reduced to this state and commanded her to draw neere vnto him which she did with an excellent grace when prostrating her selfe at
sonne on whom he might repose his decaying age But who is able to penetrate the turnes and winding wayes of this great Laborinth of time and the employments of worldly affaires In a short space I was snatched from him by a notorious theft leaving him with a childe yet in the Cradle and after many adventures I have scene my selfe confined to this place of Massacres to become the most unfortunate creature of the World But now that I may speake vnto you with an open heart I every moment die and each day a thousand times abhor my wretched life captived vnder the most infamous tyranny may happen to a creature of my condition Wherefore most heroicke and generous gentlemen I coniure you by your inviolable friendship your adventures your danger and mine take mee from hence to restore me to the house of my Father Save your owne lives to preserve mine and think not you atchieve a slight conquest in redeeming your owne selves and making mee a paterne of your triumph for perhaps it may proove one of the most glorious acts which the Sun enlightneth or the earth sustaineth Ischyrion well perceived shee had taken fire and that she spake in a good tone since she seasoned every word with her tears Notwithstanding to make her give more lustre to this discourse he said unto her Madame it is to make triall of us and to sound if in these images of death wee bee capable of vaine hopes If you wished us so well as your words witnesse you might finde men fit enough to yeeld you true service How Sir replyeth shee doe yee thinke these words which I moysten with the waters of mine eyes are counterfeit I command in this place and have absolute power to set you all at liberty to mount you on horsebacke to arme you so that you employ the sword which I will put into your hands for my safety I use not to entertaine any man with dreames and illusions I am the daughter of a Prince and my father commandeth over a large Territory Onely make unto me a religious and solemne oath that you will deliver me with all honour and integrity into the Kingdome of Denmarke in such a place as I will direct you and beleeve me my father shall not bee ungratefull nay nor prove unable to requite your good office The brave Ischyrion became wholly ravished with such goodnesse and very faithfully protested to her all she desired Therevpon she caused their irons to be strucken off and appointed the houre of their departures which was to be the same night Behold hopes in flowre the most sweet and charming of the world but they were sodainly blasted by a furious storm of haile There was a certaine Damsell among the virgins of the Temple called Geronda of an ill disposition and a cunning wit who for a long time had fought meanes to satifie the malice she conceived against the poore Hildogardis and this occasion seemed unto her the most happy opportunity which might bee found for her ends It is a strange thing how the most fervent friendships of the world oftentimes degenerate into the vehementâ—st enmities and that the most desperate hatreds are such as spring from love ill mannaged There are certaine bodies ill disposed say Physioians that quickly putrifie in balme which is made to hinder corruption so are their hearts which draw corruption from love from whence they should derive immortality These two virgins had been bred together from their most tender yeeres and were so straightly linked in amity that they had but one heart betweene them Geronda sprang from one of the best families of the Countrey being placed in this Castle of Irminsul to bee trayned up with the virgins and seeing shee came at the same time when the young Hildegardis was brought thither she was from her child-hood so taken with her worthy disposition that shee neither had contentment nor life but in her conversation The beame doth not more accompany the Sunne nor the shadow the body then these two creatures esteemed one another they equally shared all their ioyes and discontents all their affaires all their recreations and seemed willing to dissolue their hearts as one would melt one peece of waxe into another Behold there is a certaine malignity in humane things which so handleth the matter that they never are so neere declining as when they arrive at the highest period of their happinesse nay the same is observed in the loves of the world which insensibly wither away when they are mounted to the highest point of the contentments which nature can expect The great fervours of these two companions changed first into a coldnesse from coldnesse into distaste from distaste into aversion from aversion into enmity It is true the spirit of Hildegardis was too free and generous to give occasion that such effects should grow from her but the other was double crafty malicious ayming at particular ends and walked in the way of not loving any body in that she was too much fixed on the loue of her selfe These fractions began by petty jealousies which in that sexe are very frequent For many with passion desire to be singularly beloved and courted thinking a great affront is put upon them when they are set in the number of things indifferent The worthy and eminent quallities which our Hildegardis received from nature as a dowry and comming to sprout with yeeres as flowers which spred themselves to the rayes of the Sunne was the cause that courtships services and admirations seemed onely to be made for her Geronda who was entertained in her affection thought to divide her happinesse with her as she did her heart grew very angry to see her too much courted and thought the honour done to her companion turned to her disadvantage From this jealousie envie was created which discoloured her face cast poyson into her veynes withered her up alive and made her to behold all the prosperities of this admirable mayd with the same eye the Owle doth the Sunne When for merit she was chosen out to be the Princesse of virgins this envious heart was wounded to the quicke at this election and spared not to condemne her discretion and cariage raysing a great storme of fruitlesse words like to a cloud which growne big with flames and tempest cracks it selfe in vaine upon the top of the highest rockes It happened the innocent Hildegardis who endevoured to cure this envenomed spirit having discovered some passages where-into shee very far had proceeded reproached her with it which in the proud spirit of the other not able so easily to digest it bred a mortall hatred which never ceased to hatch the vengeance in her bosom that was in the end discovered in this mischievous occasion It is evidently to be seen in all this proceeding that affections which are truly naturall not speaking of the fire which enflameth Angels in heaven and the most purified hearts on earth are clouds without water which rent