evils have no tongue When one knows well to speak his evill the sense thereof is not extreme nor the regret unfeigned Alas Genevieva is already dead I see her stretched out upon her poore bed without vigour and without motion her eyes are no more but two starres eclipsed her mouth hath no more Roses her cheeks have lost their lillies Oh that it is not possible for me to call all the beauties of the world about this bed I would say unto them behold the remains of that which you cherish with so much passion behold the ashes of that fire which burns the world behold an example of that which you shall be behold an image of which you shall soon be the resemblance make ye make ye now Divinities of that which death shall change one day into worms and putrefaction But I deceive my self Genevieva is not dead a violent trance had onely withdrawn her soul for a time she comes to her self again this gives belief that nature is yet strong enough to drive away the evil provided that it be assisted with some remedies Think not that any thing was spared She must depart God will have it so and her stomach which could not suffer but Herbs and Roots nourished her Feaver and advanced her death The good Princesse knew it and desired it she called her dear son Benoni whom she blessed and her Husband to whom she said this adiew able to make Tigers and Panthers weep My dear Sifroy behold your dear Genevieva ready to dy all the displeasure that I have 〈◊〉 leave this life comes unto me from your tears weep no more I shal go away content If death would give me leasure I would make appear unto you by the contempt of that you lose the little cause you have to lament your losse But sinâ—â— the time presseth me that there rests unto me but three sighes I have but this word to sâ—â— unto you Weep Sifroy as much as I merit it and you shall not weep much notwithstanding I conjure you yet that having forgotten that little dust which I leave you would remembeâ— that Genevieva goes to heaven to keep yoâ—â— place there and that the Husband and Wife making but one it may be that God calls â—â— to draw thither the other part Adiew haâ—â— care of Benoni After these languishing words 〈◊〉 that her weaknesse permitted her was 〈◊〉 receive the sacred body of her good Master which was no sooner entred into her mouth but she fixed her eyes on heaven where her heart was already thrusting her fair soul forth of her fair body by a last sigh of love It was the second of April in the very year of her restauration that she knew perfectly the merit of her patience Benoni had no sooner seen the dead members of his Mother but he cast himself upon the bed breaking forth into such sharp cryes that he pierced the heart of all the assistants It was impossible to withdraw him from thence what indeavour soever they used thereunto On the other side Sifroy was on his knees holding fast the hands of his dear Wife which he watered with his tears All the domesticks were round about her like so many Statues of Marble whom grief had transformed yet must they give to the earth what the soul of Genevieva had left it they made themselves ready to bury this holy body which was found clad in a rude hair-cloth capable alone to consume members so delicate as hers When they carried the Herse out of the House it was then that the Palatine made his grief break forth more visibly than the torches which lighted the Funerall pomp nothing was heard but sighs every where nothing was seen but tears In the end after that Sifroy and his son had laid their hearts into the same Tomb with Genevieva the followers endeavored to withdraw them from the Church where this holy body remained in depository the regret of this losse was not so peculiar to men that it was not common to the beasts the birds seemed to languish with grief and if they singed sometimes about the Castle it was no more now but plaints I cannot omit one thing which seems unto me worthy of admiration the poor Hind who had served the Countesse so faithfully in her life expressed no lesse love unto her at her death They hold that this kind of beast casts forth but one grosse tear at death it must be granted then that this Hind dyed more than once at the decease of her dear Mistris It was a pitifull thing to see this poore beast follow the Bier of Genevieva more deplorable to hear how wofully she brayed but most strange that they could never bring her back to the house remaining day and night at the doors of the Church where her Mistris was The Servants carried her Hay and Grasse which she would not so much as touch suffering her self thus to dy wth hunger They brought the news thereof to the Palatine who betook himself to weep so tenderly as if his Wife were dead once again for recompence of her fidelity he made her to be cut in white marble and laid at the feet of Genevieva All that notwithstanding comforted not the affliction of Sifroy it was in vain to tell him that nature being satisfied it was time to hearken unto reason The remedies of his griefs caused him new griefs if they represented unto him that it was no more a love of Genevieva to lament in this manner but a hate of himself he answered that the regret to have lost so holy a woman could not be commendable if it were not extreme This was not enough he sought all the means to entertain his passion having never more pleasing Idea's than those which represented him his Genevieva If he went unto the Church it was to make unto her a sacrifice of his eyes if he returned to his house he retired himself into his chamber speaking to every thing that had been hers Behold the bed of my Genevieva said he behold her cabinet behold her mirrour then looking into her glasse he sought there the visage of his dear wife calling continually Genevieva Genevieva but Genevieva answered not from the chamber he passed into the garden which was sometime all her pastime but it was in the greens of eternity that he must seek her to find her If the soul of the Saint had been capable of any other passion than of joy it had been of a tender compassion to see the deep Melancholly of Sifroy without doubt her love would have been the remedie thereof as she was the cause thereof One afternoon as he was in his ordinary indispositions a page came to tell him that there was a Hermit who requested covert The Count who had not been accustomed to shut the door unto works of mercy nor to drive away good actions from his house was very glad to meet the occasion thereof He commanded then that they should cause him to come up O
by his judgement and dissembled his discontent for fear to vent his designe Golo had retired himself to his house these two years and came to see the Palatine onely when civility constrained him to this duty What doth Sifroy he takes good order that he escape him not he prayes him by letter to come to aide him at a solemn hunting The design thereof was true but he declared not to him that he was the beast which he would there take Behold him then in the Palatines house and from thence in the same Tower where he had held so long time his innocent mistresse Say now that God is not just say that he sleeps and that his providence leaves virtue to suffer and vice to triumph Golo sighed with fear and Genevieva sighed with love he lost himself in the horrours of his punishment whilest she lost her self in the sweet extasies of her solitude This is nothing yet you shall see presently that God serves himself with the malice of the wicked as we use Serpents and Vipers from whom we seek their venome and after crush their heads The Palatine having thus given the conduct of the punishment which he meditated to his discretion took up a designe to invite his allyes at the kings festival and after the feast to put Golo into their hands to this purpose he made all the provision that could be for a sumptuous and magnifick banket All the elements furnished there their delicates the Count willing to contribute thereunto something of his labour resolved to go a hunting the day which he had chosen had no sooner dissipated the darknes waked the birds but Sifroy departed to the end to surprise the beasts in their lodges It would be to engage one's self in a labyrinth to describe all the turns and returns of the Hares the cunning of the yellow beasts the flight of the Stags and the retreat of the Boars Although this discourse might be pleasing it would be unprofitable being from the matter and then I have so many necessary things that I leave willingly the superfluous Whilest they heated themselves in the Chasse the providence of God prepared its stroak but in a fashion all amourous and full of sweetnesse Scarce was our Palatine separated from his people but he perceived a Hinde at the mouth of the wood it was the Nurse of his poor son he presently set spurs to his horse but she gained the Forrest brushing a thwart the bushes so slowly though that she seemed to desire her taking or at least to be chased Sifroy pursued her even to a Cave Alas it was that of our Innocent Countesse As he made himself ready to dart a Javeline at this poore beast he beheld something in the bottome of that den which resembled much a woman but that it appeared naked having no other cloathing but a long and thick dresse of hair which covered in some fashion all her body This spectacle made him approach it till he might discern that it was a woman in whose bosome the Hind sought Sanctuary The Count and the Countesse were then seised with two different admirations Sifroy wondred at the familiarity of this beast and at the extreme necessity of the woman whom he had taken for a Bear Genevieva who had not been visited but of the Angels these seven years could not sufficiently admire to see her husband whom she presently knew though unknown her self After that the astonishment had made place to other thoughts the Palatine prayed her to approach him but Genevieva who was too modest to appear so naked requested him something to cover her which he did letting fall his Cassock with which she cloathed her self When she was wrapped with this cloak Sifroy came towards her and questioned her of many things O wisdome of God how admirable art thou during their discourse the goodnesse of heaven awaked the remembrance of Genevieva in the soul of Sifroy who demanded of her her name her countrey and how it came she was retired into so fearfull a desart Sir replyed Genevieva I am a poore woman of Brabant whom necessity hath constrained to retire into this little corner of the world having not any support elsewhere It is true I was married to a man who could do me good if he had had so much will thereunto as power The suspition which he too lightly took of my fidelity made him consent to my ruine and to that of a child which was not conceived with the sinne that was imposed upon me and if the servants who received the command to make me die had had so much precipitation to execute my Sentence as he had imprudence to condemn me I had not lived the space of seven years in a solitude where I have not had any did but of the air of the water of some roots which have no lesse served to prolong my miseseries than my life During this sad Discourse love spake in the heart of Sifroy and his eyes sought upon this extenuated visage the marks of his dear wife his sighs said unto him without doubt behold Genevieva but the extreme miserie of our penitent permitted him not to settle himself in this opinion The malice of Golo seemed unto him too prudent and too full of artifices to let her live who had been the subject of his hate Yet she said that a suspition was the cause of her misfortune that she was of Brabant that her husband was of quality that he had a design against her life O what force hath love this visage which so many austerities had defaced gave him certain assurances of that which he sought But my friend tell me your name Sir I am called Genevieva at these words the Count let himself drop from his horse and skipping unto her neck he cryed out Is it thee then my dear Genevieva alas is it thee whom I have so long lamented as dead and from whence comes this good fortune to me to embrace her whom I deserve not to see but what though may I remain in the presence of her whom I have killed at least with desire O my dear Girl pardon an offender who confessing his sin avoucheth your Innocence If one life may serve after having made you die so many times I put mine into your hands dispose thereof according to your will I will live no longer than it shall please you since that my life and my death depend of your Iustice Geneviev It is true that great griefs can neither weep nor complain and it is no lesse true that immoderate joyes cannot speak After this first sally the Count and the Countesse remained immoveable like marble Statues without power to speak a word in a long time Genevieva thought of the amiable providence of God which rendered her Honour by those wayes which were rather miracles than miraculous and Sifroy could not satisfie himself with seeing a visage which he had sometimes so much loved and which he respected then as the most
the Sun out of the cloud I see her cherished like a wife served like a Queen adored like a Saint what say you now Is God good behold if he be just All the kindred and friends of Sifroy failed not to visit him in his palace where they met with a far greater subject of joy than they hoped when they knew their good kinswoman and understood the means which God used to declare her innocence there was no body that rendered not thanks unto God for so great a benefit some saluted the mother others were alwayes glued on the cheeks of the childe nothing was forgotten of all that could encrease this rejoycing The feast dured a whole week entire the joy whereof was not troubled but with the displeasure onely to see that the Countesse could not taste either flesh or fish All that which her strength and stomack could endure was herbs and roots a little better accommodated then those she eate in her solitude Some dayes being thus passed away in pleasures and delights the Count commanded that they should draw Golo out of prison who had not been then entire if he had not reserved him to a punishment more rigorous they brought him into the chamber where the Countesse was withall this Nobility which was come to visite Sifroy It was there where all the terrors of an evill conscience seised this wicked man his artifices served him no more he could not deny a crime which had men the beasts and the fishes for witnesses The hope of a pardon seemed unto him a new sin the fear of torments tortured him already the image of death put him into transies the goodnes of Genevieva gave him a thought of his safety but the horror of his offence crossed it and represented to him that it was as little reasonable to expect mercy as he was worthy of pardon Her piety made him to hope it but his own cruelty took from him all his confidence The amity of the Count endeavoured to give boldnesse but his just indignation filled him with fear he would fain finde in his heart the assurances of pardon but his eyes his voice and all his visage spake not to him but of Gibbets and of punishments at last daring not so much as to fix his sight upon her whom he had so unworthily treated he fell down with fear and faintnesse Sifroy kindling all his countenance with choller and thundering forth fearfull threatnings after having reproached him for his infidelity condemned him to die It was here that goodness came to combat with malice prudence with artifice compassion with cruelty sweetnesse with all the resentments of nature and clemency with equity it self Genevieva not able to see a wretch without pitty indeavoured to revoake the Sentence of death speaking unto Sifroy in these tearms Sir said this good mistresse although good successes justifie not evill intentions I have notwithstanding some cause to beg of you the life of Golo for the great good which he hath procured me I confesse that all his proceedings being unjust I cannot finde his pardon but in your goodnesse but if you look upon the favors that I have derived from thence I believe that he may have recourse to another vertue than mercy I disguise not his fault to give it a fair visage Golo hath offended Genevieva he would have ravish't from her her honour with her life to whom belongs it to pursue the revenge of this crime but to her self if you say that her injuries are yours and that you enter into all her interests I answer that you should not take a lesse part in her desires and as there is nothing in the world that I desire with more passion than the life of Golo I must expect this contentment from your goodnesse as he hopes this favour from my benefits Permit that I adde to that little virtue which I have the glory to vanquish my self in the thing which is most sensible to me that is to give life unto him who used all the means he could to take mine from me but if you are fixed to the designe of punishing him I know no means more proportionable to his crime then to leave him under the hands of his own Conscience which will furnish him with a thousand executioners and a thousand punishments In a word my dear Sifroy I desire that he live and that he owe his life to these tears which I give to his misery Who would not have yeelded himself to the prayers of so fair a mouth Golo began to hope all the company expected the pardon of his crime This discourse could not contradict the expectation of the company without giving it admiration the poore malefactour was so touched therewith that he cryed out falling at the feet of Genevieva Madame it is now that I penetrate better than ever into the goodnesse of your heart and the malice of mine alas who would have dared to hope that she whom so many just reasons oblige to my ruine would desire my preservation miserable Golo it is at this instant that thou art unworthy of thy life since thou would'st have ravished that of this holy Princesse No no my good Mistris suffer me to dye ordinary regrets and displeasures cannot expiate my offence it is fit that the rigour of a shamefull death revenge its cruelty Blood is necessary where tears are unprofitable since I cannot merit my pardon permit that I suffer my punishment I have attempted your honour the violence of passion might serve me for excuse Your courage having resisted my pursuits I have slandered your innocence this sin is very black yet it may be forgotten I was not content to make your vertue to be doubted but I endeavoured to take away your life truly this crime ought not to find pardon having no pretence at all It is not that your goodnesse is not great enough to grant me this favour neverthelesse seeing that I am altogether unworthy thereof I have not the desire So my dear mistris all that I beg of you in dying is that my crime live no longer in your memory and that my blood wash away the resentment thereof in your heart As he had ended these words or to speak more properly the sobbes having interrupted them his eyes powred forth so many tears that it was to be believed he would have melted at the feet of the Princesse Golo took Genevieva for that which she was extremely sensible but if she had much pity Sifroy had no lesse zeal God who is as just as mercifull would give by this stroke an example unto men and harden the heart of the Count who believed to have need of all the goodnesse of his wife for his own pardon Behold then his condemnation confirmed they led him unto prison to attend there the execution of the Sentence Sifroy who would punish the extraordinary crimes by torments which were not common found himself troubled about the manner of his death sometimes he would revenge himself of
us with more wonder and more evident testimonies of his love Let us return to the poore Genevieva whom I see go guarded between two carrying in her arms her little Innocent It is here where all the eloquence of Oratours would be mute if it should enterprise to expresse the horrour of this sad spectacle Our Princesse whom grief had hindered to speak untill then turning her self towards the house where she had suffered so many cruelties said sighing Adiew then sad residence of my sorrows adiew since heaven will that I dy I quit willingly a place where I have endured so many cruel deaths But since men fail in the testimony of my Innocence I desire that all the insensible creatures that are within the compasse of these walls accuse my wickednesse if I have been wanting to my duty and praise my vertue if I be Innocent adieu for ever Whilst Genevieva wept thus a torrent of tears washed her cheeks and her bosome not that she had regret to leave so miserable a life as hers but because she esteemed the means of losing it too unjust not to be lamented And to speak truly there must be a vertue beyond-humane to remain insensible of such rude strokes When we lose life we lose a thing which we cannot always keep but honour being as the spirit of our soul if it come once to dye we cannot but with much difficulty hope the resurrection thereof Our two Innocent victimes being arrived to the place where their sacrifice was to be made one of the ministers of this barbarous execution lifted up already the sword to cut the throat of the little Infant when the mother demanded to dy first to the end not to dye twice O how a miserable beauty hath power upon a heart that is not altogether of marble could you believe that those whom Golo had chosen to take away the Countesses life should be those that conserved it to her the last words that proceeded from her mouth changed so their wil through compassion that the one of them said to the other Comrade why should we stain our hands in so fair a blood as that of our Mystris let us leave her to live whom we have not seen to do any thing worthy of so cruel a death her modesty and sweetnesse are the infallible proofs of her Innocence may be a day will come that will put her vertue into evidence and our condition into a better fortune It would be hard to say who had the most pain to consent to this designe either those who were to take her life from her or she that should lose it Notwithstanding the regret to see an Innocent of five years old murdered made Genevieva consent to be unhappy somtimes perswading her self that necessity would make her dye wth lesse horror than the sword This so resolved the two servants commanded their Mistris to get her self so farre into the Forrest that Sifroy might never have news of her It was easie to hide her self in a wood which seemed not to have been made but for a retreat to the beares and savage beasts its extent gave horrour to the most hardy when they were to traverse it and its obscurity was the abode of silence but if any thing interrupted it sometimes it could be but the howlings of the wolves the cry of owls and the sighings of the Orfray The grief of the Countesse bare well its part there when it was permitted her to live amongst the beasts Go boldly then Genevieva go into a place which you sometimes ardently desired and know that God had not given you an inclination unto solitude but to sweeten unto you the incōmodities thereof As the Servants returned towards the Castle it happened by accident that they repented them of their pity remembring that Golo had commanded them to bring the tongue of Genevieva for assurance of their fidelity Whereupon they returned back again to execute that which their compassion had hindered them to do But God who conducted this affair ordained that they should meet a little dog who received the favour to lose his tongue for his Mistris Being arrived at the house the Intendant received the news of that which they should have done by his commandment for which he resented a very sensible joy presently he gave advertisement thereof to the Palatine in whose house he acted the Count Sifroy being arrived they talked not but of the Chase of debauchees and of recreation to the end to divert all the thoughts that might call back the memory of Genevieva One day the Count being fallen upon the discourse of his miseries against the intention of our Intendant he related to him that the last night he had dreamed that a great dragon had ravished from him his wife Truly replyed Golo who made all things serve to his artifices Behold a dream that tells you too clearly your misfortune this dragon is the traytor Drogan who hath so wickedly sinned against his duty You can doubt no more thereof seeing the dream hath onely reversed one letter of his abominable name to give you assurance whence your disaster proceeds And truly besides what I have spoken we understand from History that many persons have dreamed the same when the unchastity of their wives made them adulteresses or the violence of some one constrained them to that wickednesse But Sir you should remove all these black thoughts from your spirit since they cannot serve but to trouble the peace thereof Forget the ashes of her who would burn with so filthy a fire that it is impossible to remember it without shame must there be so much force and vertue to raze out of your spirit an ingrate who hath so wickedly removed you from her heart believe a person that makes his repose and his troubles of your interests and settle your spirits upon better thoughts than those that hinder the tranquility thereof Let us leave the Count to seek divertisements for his evil humour come we to see Genevieva in the thicket of the wood where we left her Assoon as the two servants had abandoned her her first steps carryed her upon the bank of the river that passed by the Castle It was there that she took the ring which Sifroy had put on her finger when he departed for France and then cast it into the current of the floods protesting she would not carry the mark of a vertue that had caused her so many misfortunes and then entring again into the Forrest she sought some retrait to defend her self from the rage of the beasts and to dy in covert As she was in this search and that the very insensible creatures were afraid to succour her she heard this voice which came out of the midst of the wood Genevieva fear not I will have care of thee and of thy son Upon the assurance of this promise she penetrated further into the Forrest without perceiving any thing that might promise her consolation Two dayes passed away in
how happy wert thou Sifroy at the same time that thou op'nedst thy gate unto charity thou openedst thee that of glory may be that this encounter makes the knot of your predestination Whil'st that supper were making ready the Count kept company with this holy man who entertained him upon no other subject but the miseries of the world and the bitternesses which are mingled amongst it's greatest delights Though these discourses were sharpe yet they seemed unto him full of sweetnesse Supper being ready the Count made the Hermit fit at the higher end of the table although his modesty had chosen the lowest place he believed that his virtue required the chief so do all those who despise not virtue for being ill cloathed Every one having taken place according to his quality and eaten according to his appetite our Religious man took notice that Sifroy did nothing but mourn and complain without tasting one morsell of meat He believed that he nourished not himself but with sighes or at least he made shew to believe it That notwithstanding hindered him not to ask him the cause of his tears which obliged much the Count who took no pleasure but in the remembrance of his dear Genevieva After having made the recitall of his lamentable History he concluded thus Now my Father have not I cause to shed everlasting tears can any one finde it strange that so precious a losse should afflict me Sir replyed the Religious man It would be to overthrow the first law of nature to deny tears unto those to whom we ow something more Patience hinders not to complain but onely to murmur you have reason to resent your affliction but how long is it since my Lady deceased It is six moneths answered the Palatine Pardon me then if I say that your grief is too long or that your courage is too weak there is somewhat of excesse when tears reach so far Oh father that would be true if I had made a common losse but having lost in Genevieva a wife a Saint even by my fault I cannot sufficiently complain my misfortune That very thing said the Hermit should comfort you and wipe away entirely your tears Permit me if you please to discourse with your grief and to examine its justice you have lost a wife ought you alwayes to possesse her They have ravisht from you a Saint what right gives you the enjoyment thereof have you so little profited in the consideration of the worlds changes to be ignorant that man being not made to last alwayes must end once your judgment is too good to exact from death a priviledge which is impossible on every side where we cast our eys we see nothing but tombs and ashes Soveraign Princes have indeed some power upon life but none at all upon death yea her greatest pleasure is to overthrow a Thron to break a scepter and to pull down a crown to the end to render her puissance remarkable by the greatnes of those whom she hath ruined Be we born in the purple or in the spiders webs inhabit we palaces or dwell we in cottages death will finde us out every where the great may be distinguished in the condition of living but they shall never have a difference in the obligation of dying I say not but that there are many things which may make us look upon death as a good to be desired and life as the subject of all our fears I stop at the reasons which are particular to you for fear that my considerations may be too generall What cause have you to take it ill that a mortall thing should dye you find nothing here to object but that it is too soon as if you would that death should have the discretion not to displease you but when you pleased And know you not that death being born to the ruine of nature we should not expect favour from her cruelty if not to make us dye quickly for fear of languishing If this knowledge be pass'd unto your spirit whence comes it that you take it ill that a woman hath not lived beyond what she should live and that she hath lived but a little to the end not to dye longer it is not the death of a woman that afflicts you but a Saint who might acquire her self a greater crown in heaven and do many good actions in the world Are you assured that what had been well begun should finish well My Lady was loaden with merit might she not fall under the burthen her treasures of vertue were great might she not fear thieves she was firm in grace but feeble in her nature her piety was well supported but not immoveable her will was constant but it was capable of inconstancy what know you if God who hath no other thoughts but for the good of his creatures hath not taken from her the leasure to sully the glory of her former actions Believe me Sir vice and vertue follow one another like the day and the night the night may precede the day but this terminates again in the darknes I wil believe that the merit of her whom you lament could not be changed but by a great prodigy but it could not also be conserved but by a great miracle I see no cause at all to murmure against God if he takes pain to keep for you a thing which you might lose Consider now the weaknesse of your tears and I assure my self that you will resolve rather to follow her than to hope that she should come again where you are Her example in conforming it self to the will of God leaves you a straight obligation to imitate it her constancy will not that you should weep longer it is that which she her self would say unto you if you could hear her it is that which a person councells you who hath no other interest in your repose but that which charity gives him Seek it in the honest divertisements of hunting of visits and of recreations which cannot hurt you if you take them with moderation which is to be expected from a person to whom vertue ought to be as naturall as it is necessary The Palatine left not escape one sole word of this Discourse which gave him a medicine that time it self had denyed him The Table being taken away after some communication every one retired himself The next day Sifroy having demanded where the Father was the servants answered that he walked in the garden but being come thither he found him not The Count would not believe that he was gone thinking him too honest to commit an incivility and acknowledging enough not to be ungratefull When the day was pass'd and no news of him he knew not where to fix his belief that which filled his spirit with admiration was to find his habit in the chamber The profit which he drew from his good words sweetned much the sowernesse of his resentments All the contentments which were full of gall before seemed unto him afterward