thus low What more can be desir'd by cruell Fate No hope my sad thoughts know Of reinjoying their past happy state Oh my afflicted minde Death would'st thou come a welcome thou shalt finde With patience forlorne I passe the Moneths the yeares in solitude The Evening and the Morn In vaine my hopes thus striving to delude My teares I constant keep And as I am Aurora daily weep When the Rebellious Sea Armed with Snow strives to subdue this Rock It seemes my miserie At once kindly to warne and rudely mock For so the Destinies My life each minute offer to surprize Soon as the morne appeares And ushers in with dubious light the day My reall sorrow weares So true a shade of death that I betray My reason to that dreame And though awake dead to my selfe do seem All things within my view All things that grow and thrive by Natures care My sorrowes doe renew For by successive change they better'd are But to me fortune still Is therefore constant ' cause she first was ill This Tree from January No livery but the hoarie Frost receives Yet May its dresse doth vary Proudly adorning it with painted leaves Vnto the fruitfull plaine What August stole April restores againe This Sea somtimes enrag'd Swells up in Christall mountaines to the skies Yet often is aswag'd But onely I in constant miseries Confin'd to endlesse griefe Expect no liberty nor hope reliefe Aurora clos'd this sweet Musick with so many Sighes and Teares that hee must have had a soule truely insensible that could heare her without Compassion One evening as shee entertain'd her selfe with the present prospect of the sea shee saw a man strugling with the waters and breaking the waves though hee relyed more on the mercy of a Planke then the strength of his armes endeavouring to recollect his fainting Spirit till he might approach the shore for preservation of his life Aurora mov'd with a noble pitty and tender feare to have him die before her eyes commanded those few that attended her to relieve him who putting to sea in a little Skiffe took him up and treated him most carefully for so Aurora had commanded them besides the person and civilty of Pausanias for that was his name mov'd them to respect and affection Being recover'd from his rough usage which had caus'd him to vomit much water he shar'd amongst them some Jewells which hee had preserv'd from the sea in his late danger telling them that he was nobly descended and that untill he saw his fortune amended it was necessarie for him to live conceal'd and therefore desir'd the company to accept of his service for that possibly hereafter it might not repent them of that favovr His gold and person had purchas'd the affection of those that heard him they return'd thanks for the complement promising to serve him to the utmost of their power Pausanias was glad conceiving hee might securely continue there without being known for that Island was little acquainted with other then the watchfull Guardians of that beauty which so unjustly suffer'd Going forth one night when the bright 〈◊〉 with her beames enlightned the Wood hee heard a voyce that with a chearefull sweetnesse thus related its griefe to the Birds and Waters From th' early Dawne untill the Sun retire I to these woods and hills my griefe exspire My eyes with boundlesse Rivers over-flow Like troubled Fountaines murmuring at my woe Perpetuall miseries I still deplore As they are mine but as immortall more What is' t by nature beauties wealth to owne If to these woods confin'd I live alone Or that my eyes have power to kill with love If neere me none but birds and beasts doe move Too cruell heav'n that know'st my innocence Or with my sorrowes or my life dispence Thou to torment me dost forbid me die For death is pleasing unto misery Let those that happy are enjoy their breath The wretched never live but in their death To each dull houre that slides through lazy day My griefes or memory of griefes I pay Thus live I only pleas'd with this reliefe Death is the latest remedy of griefe For patience failes where th'injur'd soule sustaines The rigour of unintermitted paines Pausanius was astonisht as well at the sweetnesse of the voice as to heare it in so strange a place wondring who it could be whose soul so feelingly deplored its owne misfortunes and as well that he might not be ungratefull for the favour he recived though he were ignorant from whom as to try if by this meanes he might come to know the divine owner of so sweet a harmony to the suspence of the listning Nightingales he sung this song Torment of absence and delay That thus afflicts my memory Why do'st thou kill me every day Yet will not give me leave to dye Why dost thou suffer me to live All hope of life in life denying Or to my patience tortures give Never to dye yet ever dying To faire Narcissa's brighter eyes I was by loves instruction guided A happinesse I long did prize But now am from their light divided Favours and gifts my sute obtain'd But envious Fate would now destroy them Which if to lose I only gain'd What greater paine then to enjoy them The same wonder which before seiz'd Pausanias surpriz'd Aurora knowing none of her servants were of such extraordinary parts or could so sweetly complaine of the insupportable torment of absence Aurora inquisitive to know and incited by the curiosity that is incident to women was desirous to see the Orpheus of those Rocks but the shadow of the trees the distance of place and above all the regard of her quality which detained her represt this desire so that she deferr'd it till some other time and calling one of her attendants demanded of him if there dwelt any in that wood besides those that came with her out of Sicily The servant answered she forgot him whom not long since she commanded them to succour seeing him in danger of his life Aurora asked if he knew who he were Hee replyed he knew no more then thâ—t he had said he was call'd Pausanias concealing his quality and country yet could assure her that he seem'd to be of noble Parentage or at least his person and spirit deserv'd to bee so Aurora would not enquire further lest her curiosity might breed some suspition and although it be true that none can love what he never saw or convers'd with yet Fame Vertue and Desert incite a desire to see whether that satisfie the eye which had by the eare affected the soule Wee will not say Aurora was in love though her solitude might require it her greatnesse would not consent to it Yet she had a desire to know the man so well qualifi'd Pausanias soone seconded this desire for not enquiring the mystery inclosed in the Palace he continued to frequent the place where he first heard her and Aurora had the opportunity many evenings of seeing him passe by with such
AURORA ISMENIA AND THE PRINCE BY Don Juan Perez de Montalvan ORONTA THE Cyprian Virgin BY Sign r. Girolamo Preti Tout vient a poinct qui peut attendre Translated by Thomas Stanley Esq The Second Edition with Additions London Printed by W. Wilson for Humphrey Moseley at the Sign of the Princes Armes in St. Pauls Church-yard 1650. The Reader MAy be pleas'd to take Notice That what hee hath in his hand was undertaken with no other Intention then as an exercize of both Languages That it now comes abroad in Obedience to private command which could not be withstood That the Licentiousnesse of the French Translation brings hither no assistance But if he finde the Names of Persons or Places differ from the Originall let him suppose it done for the better accommodation of the Scaene Upon AVRORA THis Transplantation of Sicylian Loves To the more pleasing shades Albions Groves Though I admire yet not the thing betrayes My soule to so much wonder as the waies And manner of effecting that thy youth Vntravail'd there should with such happy truth Vnlock us this Iberian Cabinet Whose Diamonds you in polisht English set Such as may teach the eyes of any Dame I' th' British Court to give and take a Flame But here the greatest Miracle we see That Spain for this hath travell'd unto thee W. H. LAnguage and Wit which equally dispose Both light and life to Poetry and Prose In this traduction as their Orbe doe shine And make these Stories like thy selfe Divine Aurora brighter then she was of late The Prince in his misfortunes fortunate Montalvan proud to see himselfe out-done By a Reflection clearer then his Sun W. F. TRanslations that should give light Eclipse their Authors from our sight But here like Christalls doe convey The lustre of a forraigne day Which the inlightned world might see Is owing to thy Charity Who reinspir'st Aurora's cheek With such fresh Roses that we seek Truth in th' originall which Spaine To owne must borrow back againe J. H. Upon ORONTA FLames rescu'd faire Oronta from the power Of an insulting Thracian Conquerour The Fame of which brave action Preti's Rhime Freed from the greater tyranny of Time Yet in that freedom she lesse glories then In being thus made Captive by thy Pen. E. S. FArre brighter now in thy Poetick fire Oronta seemes then in her fatall Pyre For there her beauty lost her vertue shines But thy admir'd expression both combines And Cyprus whose best glories here are seen Is prouder of her Virgin then her Queen W. F. Aurora DIonysius the Sicilian Tyrant had a daughter for her Celestill beauty named Aurora not more faire then unfortunate scarse had she compleated the last yeares of her Infancie when Heaven was pleased to let her know that she was beautifull by eclipsing her fortune For Nature as if she esteem'd beauty a crime not her owne image doth for the most part punish it The Mother of Aurora dyed and Dionysius although the losse of his wife gave him no reall resentment exprest in feign'd teares how extremely he lov'd her but within a few days discover'd the hypocrisie of his griefe receiving in her place Arminda an Italian Lady of quality but not worthy of that Crowne because he had many yeares before kept her as a Mistris She was of a lively spirit witty and faire but of a disposition so harsh that she gain'd little upon the affections of the people bearing such command over her husbands actions that shâ— permitted not any thing to pass in the Kingdâ—me without first consulting her pleasure a care proper to suâ—h of small worth as make ostentation of the power they enjoy that by this meanes they may dissemble their low beginnings but the sucesse proves contrary in regard the injur'd by murmur and complaints discover more then was imagin'd Aurora considering that to permit such excesse were to lend wings to her pride advis'd her not to rely with so much confidence on her fathers affection since it was not impossible that it might faile then would she fall lower for not having treasured the good will of his subjects adding moreover that shee should remember what shee was formerly that shee might not vainly be transported with her new estate These words so incens'd Arminda that from thenceforward she plotted Aurora's death and to effect her desire made Dionysius beleeve that shee was jealous telling him hee lov'd his daughter so passionately for being the picture of the dead Originall since as the Phoenix leaves her ashes to perpetuate her succession so affection useth to leave some living pledges to preserve its memory and certainely the neglect he sometimes exprest towards her was occasion'd by that dead love pictur'd in the beauty of Aurora Arminda urg'd this so earnestly that Dyonisius making impiety a Complement resign'd his daughters fault into her hands allowing her in this cause to be both Judge Party Love the common excuse of all extravagace did not here acquit Dionisius for a man is not oblig'd to dispise the pledges of his blood for a woman that dissembles when she weepes and weepes when she pleases Arminda was satisfied so that Aurora were in some remote place out of her sight whereupon her Father commanded her to depart out of Sicily chusing rather to live without a daughter then displease a wife such was the affection of a blinded Lover the rashnesse of an unnaturall Father They conveig'd the faire Princesse to a little Island seated betwivt the two Promontories Pelorus and Pachynum which seem'd as a Garland of Flowers in the Tyrrhen Sea it was done privately to avoid the mutiny of the people who lov'd her for her beauty and her vertue Hee order'd a select number of servants for her attendants with forfiture of life to any who should discover that Aurora resided in that narrow Pallace The discreet Lady did with much wisedome beare her Fathers unkindnesse diverting her minde now with the musick of the little wanton Birds which hearing her name thought it ever morning and sung continually Now with the pleasant wind which sporting upon the smoothnesse of the Christall sea did amorously disquiet it now with reflecting on her owne misfortunes for the unhappy are often recreated with the same thing that afflicts them Now with the Ladies that attended her especially with Celia who being of the same age and kindred well deserv'd her privacie but when all fail'd and nothing could delight her she took an Instrument which in her hands might boast it was not dumbe and weeping sung thus When will arrive the Day Which must my life and sorrowes terminate That angry fortune may The tyrant goddesse of all humane state Her crueltie fulfilling By one kinde death thus make an end of killing When shall my troubled yeares Be to a verdant grave of flowers restor'd My injuries my feares Too little merited too much deplor'd When shall my just complaint From equall heaven receive a full restraint Now I am throwne
whereby the warres that have long infested both Kingdomes may have an end Ismenia would not proceed any further nor indeed could shee for jealousie and anger a lesse discovery might have been sufficient to have kill'd her she accused her malicious fortune and much bewailed the losse of Perozes apprehending so many inconveniences that it seemed impossible he should ever bee hers First his Birth and the distance between them next hee was to marry a Princesse enrich'd as the Picture shew'd with extraordinary beauty but hearing some body come she dissembled her griefe and perceiv'd it was her Enemy who as hee came along sung thus As faire Ismenia forth did goe A Saphire sparkled in each eye And on her cheek did Jesmines grow Bath'd in the Roses Purple dye But when I nearer came t' have plaid Within the Sun-shine of her light She scorc'd me in her beames betraid Like sportive flyes to losse of sight What feare and reverence doth beget Th' approach unto so bright a flame Which can extinguish with its heate And makes both love and death the same An injur'd woman is not sensible of any thing so much as of flattery from him that wrongs her and Ismenia confident that Perozes love was counterfeit tooke it more unkindly to bee deceiv'd then unrequited for disaffection may bee naturall and out of our power but dissimulation is not being bred onely in malicious breasts That Perozes might not boast he had forsaken her first though for the Princesse of Albania she went to him and betwixt reason and jealousie said thus Perozes though you see mee in this Mountaine so rudely attir'd that my richest ornament is the spotted skin of a Tygresse yet you may well perceive my soul hath more worth then my habit promiseth You say you love me so infinitely that though you are of the best bloud in Armenia yet you will hazard both life fortune to be my Husband and as this expression must not either by the Laws of Civility or affection be unacknowledged I requited it with the like But as those that love cannot dissemble for that 's a crime it grieves my affection to have hid a secret from you It is impossible wee should ever enjoy each other Do not wonder that I undeceive you now whereas I might as well have done it before All women at first conceale their passions unwilling to discover their imperfections to them they know not for by open profession of love they might beget too slight an opinion of themselves but when we find engagement wee have a care to discover the truth to such Professors of affection that they may see the danger they incurre either for avoidance or excuse The summe of all is to let you know I am anothers he who I told you was my Father is not so but one whom misfortune hath banish'd Albania and he has my promise to be his wife though in truth he hath yet had no other assurance then my hand therefore love me lesse and containe your selfe more my descent is noble and I must be his having once profest it for my Obligation cannot be discharg'd but by giving my selfe unto him and he is of so excellent and gallant a mind that he thinke it not passion surpasseth you Scarse had the jealous Ismenia ended when without expecting an answer of satisfaction shee ran away into the more envious part of the Wildernesse Perozes being unacquainted with the place presently lost her expressing so much passion as might have mollifi'd a Rock if it could have heard him but all in vaine Ismenia would not runne the hazard of relenting by hearing what hee could say for the tender disposition of women is perswaded to weepe by seeing others do so yet was she not without resentment for retiring to the remotest corner of the Cave shee wept affectionate teares and taking out the Letter that was directed to her lover shee kist that name in the superscription which was engraved in her heart Thus the two Lovers passed two dayes without meeting not through Perozes neglect but Ismenia's obstinacy who saying late one evening at the border of the mountaine to behold a tree on whose barke both their names were engraven What availes it said shee complaining to her selfe that Peroses writeth himselfe mine on the trees when the Princesse of Albania may countermand it what that he flatters mee with such kinde affection in this solitude if at Court he adores a brighter beauty shee would have said more had shee not been interrupted by the Musick of a sweet voice from amongst the Poplars though she knew it was her ungratefull Lover yet shee was willing to dispence a little with her resolution and hearken to this Song Ismenia's eyes my soule divide A faire yet haplesse Sheperdesse In whom rich Nature all her pride And Fates their poverty expresse To move the sute I feare to misse Her worth and my respect deny For where even hope endanger'd is Lovers in silence use to dye Thus the desire I entertaine Neither shuns love nor sute preferrs For though she to be mine disdaine I 'me blest enough in being hers Ismenia perceiving by the words and voice it was Perozes sought to hide her selfe in the bushes that she might avoid sight and speech with him not that she was averse from it but she would not give occasion to awake that love which slumbred in absence but the rushing of the leaves betraid her Perozes told her She had no reason unlesse she had with her habit changed he humanity to fly from one who had not lost her through any offence of his own But since he was so unfortunat that he could not be hers he entreated her to informe her selfe by that Paper of his extreme passion that she might at least know how much she was indebted to him so taking leave of her he left in her hand these Verses which she imprinted as she read them in her soule Divinest Syren cruell faire Cause of my life and my despaire Griefe that descends to words is weake But mine is full and cannot speake For how can Fate more cruell be Then to grant life denying thee Yet I in death hope to adore Those joyes without which life is poore My reason 's banish'd by my paine Who can lose thee and it retaine How soon was my calme soule dejected And ruine suffer'd ere expected But since that blisse which once was mine Thou to another wilt resigne Be happy in thy choice whilst I In unregarded ashes lye Be happy in him 't is unfit To wish thee joy and hinder it Then finish what thou hast begun Encrease my griefe and kill me soon And when I 'me dead let pitty move thee But to remember I did love thee Ismenia relenting would have read them often had shee not beene hindred by Gesimenes who comming to seek her and glad to have found her entreated her to divert his continuall Melancholy with a Song whereupon more to obey him then please her selfe
accomplish'd in every thing but for the danger might ensue if her hand were knowne and betwixt them both they fram'd this Answer THat you may not when you returne home to your Countrey accuse the Sicilian Ladies of ingratitude since your desire is so reasonable as the sight of a woman I will performe what you require me though then your eyes will contradict your fancie for it is certaine that I am fairer in your opinion now then I shall bee afterward I am call'd Celia and attend a Lady of quality that lives in this Castle She and I will be to morrow in this place so that you may then see me bee of good courage and thanke me for being so soone quit of your love if that can be love which hath past no further then imagination I only entreate you to keepe this indiscretion secret and to tell me your name estate and quality for it imports us both Pausanias kist the Paper and read it often for a Lover is never satisfied at the first the day following went to see what hee so much desir'd Aurora had commanded her servants to retire to another quarter of the house and being alone with Celia caused her to attire her selfe richly and shee stood beside her Pausanias beholding was exceedingly ravisht in regard his fancy had come short of the truth for Celia besides her slender shape was of a pleasing beauty but her lustre was eclips'd by Aurora's presence whose eyes were spheres of light her forehead a plaine of Lillies her haire the riches of Arabia in her cheeke Roses her mouth Pearles her neck of Alabaster her breasts of Snow and hands of polisht Ivorie she was attir'd in greene Tabey wrought with gold so that she appear'd like a Diamond enchased in Emralds her Gowne Skie-colour laid with black Buttons and Loopes in a word she was altogether divine her perfections many and her yeares few Pausanias was much astonished yet fearefull the Sea should see her lest he should wooe her for one of his waterie Deities and thanking his own perseverance hee determined to gaine her that had got his soule though at the expence of a long absence from his Countrey for he found that the Picture of Aurora that he had seen was farre unâ—quall to the divine Celia he esteemed the time well employ'd that he had spent in adoring those Walls since within them hee had found so much more then expectation had promised Whilst Pausanias enjoy'd these favours passing the night with them and the day with hopes it happened that Dionysius sent for one of those that waited on Aurora aâ—d threatned him that if either through his or his fellows fault it should be known where his daughter was they should instantly dye a shamefull death With this feare he returned to the rest and gave them notice how much it concerned them that Pausanias would quit the Island since he might easily at one time or other as he walked in the wood see the Princesse and occasion all their ruines So easie is it replyed another that I thinke he pretends if he have not already effected it for I have observ'd that he looks up very intentively to those Balcones and she hath enquired of me who he is and if he persist hee must of necessity come to know her and we to lose Dionysius favour In effect feare overcame them and all agreeing that hee should not continue there they advertis'd him that it concern'd his life to absent himselfe Pausanias wondred at their suddaine resolution and after many conjectures began to suspect that without doubt some one of them lov'd Celia and would use that meanes to secure his jealousie or envy and thereupon he determin'd to speake to them all that he might satisfie him who conceiv'd himselfe injur'd and to beseech them againe not to offer him so great a discourtesie as to constraine him to depart the Island untill such time as he had news of his servants whose lives perhaps the Sea had pardoned He plainly perceiv'd how difficult it was to reclaime them seeing those that before so kindely entertain'd him now behold him distastefully for ill will is discover'd by the eyes countenance and carriage and one morning finding them altogether hee said to them Gentlemen and friends my birth is noble and though I live where I am unknowne to all but my selfe I doe not thinke any here can complaine of my demeanour for men of my parentage receive not benefits unthankfully ingratitude and noblenesse differing as night and day I came to this Island or to say better my fortune threw me here not unhappily since in it I have found both protection and friends Here I have liv'd a while endeavoring to satisfie to my power though not to my desire the favours I have receiv'd from all but it seemes I have not sufficiently exprest my selfe since when I think you most my friends you threaten me with death unlesse I depart I have enquired what might be the reason but indeed can finde none unlesse some one of you being jealous incites the rest to this violence which if it be so hee ought to consider that a man doth not offend unlesse hee know that he injures for he who through ignorance or innocence sollicits that whereunto another hath right can onely then be said to offend when after he knowes the truth he pursues his wish and so to have surveigh'd this Castle with a desire to see what it inclos'd or by curiosity to have obtein'd that fight can not disquiet any one for before this present I knew not that it would give offence and if I conceive aright there is more then one Goddesse inhabits there so that none hath reason to complaine of mee because I neither injur'd him out of malice nor can he know to which I am enclin'd Pausanias thought by this to have appeas'd and satisfied them but the event was contrary for the knowledge of this secret being their greatest feare they needed no other information to draw their swords and assault his life But before they could dispatch it Aurora and her gentlewomen hearing the noise saw the treacherous mischiefe they intended to a single stranger and forgetting her greatnesse for love considers not quality when that which is esteemed is in danger sent to command them all to desist and informe her of their quarrell who comming before her related what charge her Father had given them adding that Pausanias for certaine either had already or else meant to speak with one of the Ladies that attended her highnesse which might give occasion to discover what Dionysius intended to keep so secret that none but heaven and themselves should know and therefore to excuse the danger that threatned them it was necessary to take away his life It would be replyed Aurora impiety in me to consent to it and treachery in you to effect it because I am informed you have received courtesies from this Gentleman there is no reason you should
take away his life whom you your selves confesse to be of such estimable parts especially for that which may be remedied without bloud I understand that Pausanias saw one night one of my women whom either for the novelty or opportunity he courted and she I think heard him not unwillingly For this reason it concernes me that he stay no longer in this Island and since his absence is sufficient to secure you I take that and your danger upon my selfe for Pausanias is a gentleman and can conceale what he hath seen With these hopes they were satisfied and Aurora remained in a thousand perplexityes for she lov'd him so passionately that there would be but little difference betwixt loosing him and her owne life And indeed so powerfull was his discourse and conversation that although he had been lesse worthy of her beauty yet to see and heare him would beget affection And at last she became so resolute that it would have grieved her to have been freed from her prison if she should thereby be deprived of his pleasing conversation for women when they once fall in love are sensible neither of paines or misfortunes which befall them in the company they affect wherefore she considered by what meanes she might comply with her own affection and her servants feare To keep him there against all their wills were to hazard her honour and to give her enemies an occasion of a more severe revenge Having first adviz'd with Celia she writ a Letter wherein she informed him of what had past entreating him affectionately to preserve his life and to prepare for departure two things in appearance contrary When night was come the faire Princesse went forth to take leave of Pausanias and delivering him the Letter with a little Silver Cabinet wrapt in Taffata not having power to speake shee withdrew her selfe to lament her ensuing misfortunes Pausanias also retir'd through the suspition of the late quarrell and kissing the Signature which said Your Celia he read it with much feare on this manner SIr I have had much care for you this day I saw you draw your Sword and I assure you it troubled me I think it was love yet unfortunate since it must dye as soone as borne We are both the cause of it because I ghesse our affection hath been discovered My birth is more noble then you imagine and it concernes us both that you immediately absent your self that you lose not your life nor I my reputation Believe mee I am very sensible of it for in a word I love you and must lose you You may comfort your selfe with this thought that it was impossible I should ever have been yours not for love to any other but for my qualitie too transcendent I send you here a thousand Crowns to serve you in your journey with a knot of Diamonds and Emeralds which I did sometimes weare at my breast that in your Countrey you may remember it was mine and its owner yours Having read and deplor'd the rigorous sentence of his death hee resolved precisely to obey all that Aurora in it had commanded and to let her know some part of his regret he tooke the Pen and return'd this answer I Should have esteem'd it a happinesse if to day I had received death by my enemies since such they were that I might not have expected it from your hands Before the mornings light breakes forth I will absent my selfe from yours that you may say I knew how to love and to obey you What I would not doe for my owne life I will for your honour I cannot expresse what I feele because I write perplexed and can ascertaine nothing onely I assure you my bloud is so noble that the King of Syracuse himselfe cannot say hee is my better I came out of my Countrey to marry in this Kingdome for your sake will return back I give you infinite thanks for your Present and will not excuse my selfe from repaying it hereafter The knot I will keepe as your favour and since you have given me so much cause of griefe give me time to lament it though I hope so to resent it that when you least thinke of it you will heare newes of his death who knew how to love you but had not the happinesse to deserve you Aurora with much trembling made an end of reading the Letter and not able to restraine her eyes bath'd it in teares Celia came to her and tooke out of her hand the occasion of her griefe but that little avail'd for she tooke it not out of her breast so that as she went through a long Gallerie she wrung her hands beseeching heaven to increase her Fathers rigour and Arminda's hate that they might contrive her death She went to looke towards the Sea imagining that her lost lover was already embarqued and comming thither so excessive were her teares and passionat expressions that Celia fearing she might offer some violence to her selfe amongst other reasons said thus to her Is it possible Madam that a disproportion'd affection should so extremely work upon you I should not have beleev'd this of your reserv'd discretion if I had not seene it I confesse Pausanias deserves to be lov'd but you know he is not a man equall to your condition nor can in reason be yours what proofe have you of his discent more then his owne relation which may well be doubted for the meaner sort where they are not knowne give large testimonies of their bloud Alas replyed Aurora that uncertainty is my greatest trouble If Pausanias be as noble as he hath intimated perhaps I might have attempted something you would little have suspected from my reservednesse and I perswade my selfe it might yet well be done were it but to free my selfe from imprisonment And though I should marry into a stranger Country I should not lose my right to the Kingdom after my Father I believe his Subjects affect me so entirely that if they knew I were here in prison he would have little security either of his Kingdome or life Tell me Celia what can I hope for in this Castle but death My Father is married and in love Arminda governes the Kingdome and beares mee so much ill will that I many times eat my meat in feare suspecting shee hath sent something to kill me though I shall now need no other poison then the absence of Pausanias Oh Celia you would oblige me if you could contrive how I might speake with him and be better inform'd of his quality that I may not continue thus in suspence If hee bee of meane Parentage I will rather dye by mine owne hand then admit a thought may staine my bloud and if to my happy fortune he should prove as is not impossible some Prince cast upon this Island by accident be confident I would hazard my life for my liberty though in all things I should first take your advice that I might not erre through mine own opinion Celila was attentive
dissembling her griefe she sung thus Why doth that foole unjustly love accuse Who through his owne feare did occasion lose To misse an offer'd happinesse must be Or want of love or too much modesty Thy scorne Lysarda I have justly won Who wanted light when I embrac'd the Sun O look into my heart thou wilt see there 'T was admiration onely caus'd my feare Respect curb'd my affection let me dye displeasing thee by thy enflaming eye Such death will make thy cruelty confesse I never wanted love though happinesse When Ismenia had ended her Song it being late they retired homewards and as they were going up the Hill by a Lane fenced on either side with Willowes and white Poplars they heard a great sound as of something that fell from an high Ismenia was amazed and Gesimenes laid hold of his Bow thinking it might be some wild beast they searched all about but could not find the cause at last they perceived a Barke â—o they were not far from the Sea neare the Shore it was covered over and had neither Helme nor Mariner to guide it Gesimenes and Ismenia fastned it to Land and were desirous to know what was in it scarce were the Sailes and Coverture taken off when such astonishment seiz'd them that for a good space they did nothing but looke on each other within it was a man bathed in bloud and by his sid a beautiful Lady living yet so dismaid that she wanted little of the dead body which lay beside her They were both afflicted at so sad a spectacle especially Gesimenes who intentively beholding the Lady fancied he saw in her the face and person of his absent Wife He gave the dead body buriall in the Sea since there was no meanes to restore his life he tooke the Lady in his armes and carried her to the homely Palace of his Cave where he entertain'd her with such care that in a short time he had good hope of her life When she had recovered so much strength as to open her eyes and found on either side of her a man and woman At first she was afraid of them though their behaviour and hospitality had exprest more pietie then her severe father and kindred She wondred much that Gesimenes so constantly fixed his eyes upon her and hearing Ismenia sometimes call him by his name she said to him Two things hold mee in this suspence you may do me a favour to instruct me in them Is it true that you are called Gesimenes Why since I opened my eyes have you so stedfastly beheld me often sighing and sometimes weeping you may aske the same of mee because when I first heard your name it struck mee to the soule For I loved a Gentleman of the same name at the expence of so many afflictions that this hazard of my life was the least and should I say that this Gesimenes whom I call Husband was son to the King of Albania truth would not accuse me Gesimenes was so transported with joy that hee could scarce expresse his mind If said hee I am the unfortunate Sonne of Pharnazes and thy Husband if thou art Polixena and my eyes deceive me not how can I behold thee without an extasie of content how can my heart but breake with the apprehension of the misfortunes thou hast suffered for my sake Polixena I am Gesimenes and will be thine till heaven deprive me of this life which I esteem now I enjoy thy sight and embraces Henceforward I shall desire life which I thought I should never have done for during the time I have dwelt among these Rocks the rising Sunne never found mee not suing to heaven to be eased of it for life is not a pleasure but a torment to the unfortunate Words are not full enough to expresse the content of these two Lovers for language is too narrow to cloath great passions so that with their eyes and soules they congratulated their strange and happy meeting The beauty of Ismenia and Gesimenes care of her might well have given Polixena cause of jealousie yet when shee was informed of the occasion which brought her to live with him shee esteemed her with as much affection as if shee had beene her owne daughter Thus being all three equally contented Gesimenes desired her to instruct them in the afflictions shee suffered during his absence for the relation of past miseries in prosperity doth deiight more then disconsolate wherefore to comply with their request she said So many my deare Gesimenes have been the troubles that opprest me in your absence and so continuall that 't is impossible I should either then have resented them or now relate them fully I was left as your surety to satisfie the hurt you did Lucander who seeing hee could not revenge himselfe on you resolv'd to do it on your other selfe divulging my weaknesse and giving it out that I was delivered in his armes My Father instead of punishing the infamous cruelty he used to the innocent Infant forgetting the relation it had to his bloud encouraged him and commanded I should bee shut up in a Tower where for a long time I neither saw the face of the Sun or of any humane creature untill at last the King your Father mov'd with pitty permitted one that had been brought up in my Fathers house to visit mee for they reposed trust in him With him I recreated the tedious houres of my imprisonment relating to him my misfortunes One day hee telling me that you were for certaine in a Village neare Albania I earnestly begg'd of him to afford mee some private meanes of writing to you which he did Then did I signe the death of us both For I writ a Letter wherein I informed you of my sad condition and of the great affection of the people to you who continually pittied you as much as they wisht Lucanders death for being possest of the Crowne he opprest them with tyrannicall injuries I advised you to make use of the protection of some other Prince by whose aid you might compasse your revenge In the mean time that I would if it were needfull poyson the Prince that the Subjects seeing him dead and hearing you were alive might be necessitated to seek after you lawfully to possesse the Kingdome after the decease of Pharnazes These and other things of importance did I write in that unhappy Letter to ease my heart and redresse your miseries but there is no successe where Fate opposeth so unfortunate were Arnestes and I that as he went from my chamber to seeke you out he met Lucander who questioned him concerning me whereupon he was so confounded that your Brother began to suspect something and causing him to be apprehended and searched found this Letter by which he confest more then he knew this put the Court into a tumult My Father who would be singular in Loyalty though at the expence of my life executed on me the greatest cruelty the world ever saw He gave order for