How his hard fate oppos'd his sweet intent For a warm Mistress a cold Monument Hot Devils must caress our Paramour Hot as his lust nor then his flames more pure His lust could ne're with the Chast Saint agree As Heaven and Hell have their Antipathy How safely may the Saint her foes despise The Devil himself destroys her Enemies Lust and Devil do the Saint surround Enclos'd her goodness does the more abound Incompas'd with a Stew she Chaster is Christians have their Antiperistasis THe Lady continued in her Devotion and the People out of respect to the Young Symphronius ceased their Incivilities and seeing him stay somthing long within imagined he was about his pleasures and therefore entered not in for a considerable time But at last seeing he came not out suspecting by the success of the former Intruders that the fair Witch for they could not allow any better Title might have kil'd him they rush'd in and found the poor Lover cold and pale upon the Ground and immediately cried out the Sorceress hath kil'd the Son of the Governour they all pursued to the Stake with her to revenge the Gods and the Governour This lamentable news presently arrived at the Governours ears who half Distracted at it run furiously to the Stew and approaching the Holy Agnes Dam'd Sorceress cried he out why shouldst thou destroy a Person whose only fault was his too well loving thee Is this your Christian Conscience And could his Affection render him so great a Criminel Ah! cruel ungrateful Woman He was going on when the good Lady extreamly afflicted too hear her Innocence abus'd so No Sir she cried out and interrupted him I did not kill your Son but that Master he serv'd the Devil Blast not my Innocence but impute the Death of your Symphronius to him that was the cause of it No cruel one said he impatiently thy Sorceries have produc'd it and rob'd me of the greatest comfort I had in the world But why for Heavens sake did'st thou spare the rest that came into the Chamber to thee and only destine my poor Boy to so severe a Punishment The rest said the Lady came not upon so bad a Design as thy Son did and the just God would seperate the guitly from the Innocent Thou lyest said the enrag'd Father He was not guilty he was Good and Innocent and thou art the only Criminel or if thou wilt clear thy Innnocence and shew what thy God can do of whose power you talke of so much give me my Son alive again and I will pronounce thee guiltless Christians talk much of Mercy and Compassion shew us now a Proof of it and succour the most miserable Father that ever breath'd Though your Infidelity deserve it not answer'd the Holy Saint yet to shew the power and mercy of my dear Saviour I will beg his Life and doubt not but my Praiers shall restore him But think not Governour of Rome that I do this to oblige thee to rescue me No my Piety shall not be so mercinary It troubles me that that fatal Love which your Son conceived for me should render him guilty of such a Vilanie and then deliver him up to be strangled by the hands of the Devil and though I did not willingy produce that guilty Flame and though I caused it was the Innocent cause of it yet I would have procured him his Libertie by any other means then leaving my blessed Saviour and violating my most sacred Vow of a perpetual Virginitie I will therefore humblie intreat my bountiful and Almightie Lord to restore him to his Life again and that antient tranquilitie he enjoyed before my unhappie eies had destroyed it The Governour hereupon immediately retir'd and left the Saint to her Praiers It would be impossible for me to express her Pious Oraisons her Almightie Tears and Sighs that could extort what she desir'd from her blessed Jesus The Primitive method of Christian Devotion was then Vigorous and Regular and not capable to be desir'd by us that live in so prophane a Generation Her Praiers were not long they were contracted and therefore the more strong and valid A Period was included in a Word and a whole Discourse inclos'd in a Period Such powerful Petitions could not be long in producing their effects as really they were not for the Young Gentleman presently arose and to prove that the Heathen only had died and the Old Man been Buried in him he Rose up to a Christian and running out into the Street where his Father expected what the Ladies Praiers could effect he cried out with a loud voice there is only one God and that God is the God of the Christians SO rais'd And by his Mistriss too alone This is a double Resurrection She from whose hand he could receive his death Without a Sigh and Smile away bis breath Does bountifully life and health conferre Now doubly wellcome ' cause they came from her From her sweet lips life doth new charms derive And makes our happy Lover more then live He lives and does a Christian become Born in the Grave regenerate in the Tomb. Say Christians what a sweet divorce was this How Lovly such a Separation is He dy'd but only dy'd to live again As he 's regenerate that 's a Christian So after a debauch I 've often seen When sence and reason both were put out clean A gentle slumber lock the heavy eies And steal upon the Soul by soft surprise But when these pleasing slumbers go again Then from the Beast there rises up a man Ah! happy Soul 't was worth the dying so By Death to banish Death and wo by wo. While from Eternal pains short pains retrive And dying once thou dost for ever live Baptis'd in Death turn'd Christian in the Grave What need he fear that Death it self can save PIous Martyr thou for all his outrages and violence which his extravagant Love made him commit dost graciously pardon him and by thy holy Praiers freest him from that Death he had endured and deserved to give him the hopes of Eternal Life and Glory in making him commence a Christian How Divine is this Act of thine gracious Lady how well dost thou Imitate thy God in this That oftentimes denies us what we desire when we beg those things that may hurt us and gives us what his infinite Wisedom knows most convenient Thou would'st not grant him what his immoderate affection made him desire thou woul'st not cease to be what thou wast but mad'st thy Lover like thy self a Christian and mad'st him approve of thy blessed choice and Love thy dearest Lord almost as ardently as thy self The People were distracted at so strange an incounter The Priests being the most concern'd Persons were the first that demanded St. Agnes and cried out that her Sorceries and Blasphemies could no other way be expiated but by Flames and then threatned them with the fury of the Gods if such offences were left unpunish'd The giddy Rabble
her and their very opposition furnish'd her with matter for a Triumph St. Agnes was Born at Rome of a Noble Family though the Names of her Parents I cannot possibly acquaint you with nor precisely in what year of our Lord it was St. Ambrose and all that have oblig'd the world with the History of our blessed Martyr being herein unanimously silent nor ought our curiosity to engage us in an unnecessary search of things of such indifference and that when kown cannot yeild us any considerable advantages The Nile enrich'd the Egyptians never the less because his head was undiscovered And the Life of the holy Agnes may stir us to as great a piety as if we knew her Patents most exactly How she spent her Youth her Pious Life and most Christian Death may give us reason to conjecture though all the Authours I could meet with have not spoke a word of it in particular and since I dare not assume the liberty of foisting any in thing that the authority of St. Ambrose c. would nor justifie I shall pass it over and advance to the more important parts of her Life where we shall make a full discovery of all those Beauties Charms and Graces that a Crucified Saviour can present us with in comparison of which all our worldly pleasures must loose their relish and a Heavenly Spouse be preferr'd to all out earthly enjoyments But 't is very certain that our holy Martyr when she was very Young had dedicated her Virginity to her sweet Redeemer and made a formal Vow of perpetual Chastitie which may clearly be discovered by the sequal of this discourse and therefore it would be very impertinent to insist long upon it Pious Lady Thou at those years hadst fix'd thy thoughts on Heaven and wast engag'd in the contemplation of the Holy Jesus which we commonly spend in gratifying our corrupt Affections thou did'st anticipate thy years and without an absurdity I may justlie say thou wast old even in thy childhood and had'st the prudence and all that was to be esteem'd of that age without any of it's inconveniencies Who dare say she was Young and Childish that was allready ripe for Heaven and had finish'd her glorious course of Christianity She was now about Thirteen years of age when all the temptations imaginable conspired to Divorce her from her Saviour Love that potent Passion that hath occasion'd so dismal effects in the world that by a sweet insinuation betrays us to our ruine and pleases into our destruction was the first obstacle that was opposed to her flight to Heaven and that endeavoured to retard her pursuit of a blessed Eternity which was thus As she was returning home from School a Young Gentleman the Son of one Symphronius at that time Goverour of the Citie young and handsome and Master of all those excellencies that render one of his years accomplish'd and that might have enslaved any Soul but St. Agnes's unfortunately chanc'd to see her He saw her he admir'd her he lov'd her all in an instant That crowd of Beauties that Heaven had endow'd her with to render her fair body a worthy habitation of it's fairer inhabitant were not long in producing their effect Ladies less considerable could not have done that in an Age that her fair eies effected in a moment The Sun illustrates all the Horizon at once and that Affection our Gallant had for Saint Agnes at it's first Creation I can justly term it no other that was a motion so instantaneous was not any longer capable of degrees In fine he loved her he doted on her be preferr'd her to half his Heathen Deities and in her fruition he placed his only felicity He had not now opportunity either to spake to her or enquire of what Familie she was And indeed had all the opportunities in Nature courted him at that time he could scarce have made any benefit of them being surprised with the greatest astonishment that can be imagined However after some time having made enquirie who she was a Star of so great magnitude could not possiblie long be hid he understood she was of a Noble Familie and born in that Citie and what ever else he learned of her from his intelligence gave him all the satisfaction that his Soul was capable of receiving She 's Noblie Born said he clapping his hand on his breast after a profound Réverie and now I may justlie Court her Affections I may own my Love without dishonour and my Father my indulgent Father will never oppose himself to my Intentions But Villain continued he with a great deal of vehemence how was it possible she should be otherwise or how could one imagine that the bountiful Gods would throw away so many perfections on an ignoble Person No what ever her Familie was or could be she would sufficiently ennoble it and transfund an excellence into all about her she must necessarily either find her Kindred Noble or make them so The most pittiful Rock in the Ocean can borrow lustre from it's bright Native the Pearl that grows upon it and the most craggy Shelves can gain worth and esteem from their Diamonds their Illustrious Inhabitants Well 't is so and I have nothing to conquer but the heart of that Fair one to compleat my happiness Whereupon our young Inamorato spur'd on by his Passion and arm'd with Confidence that his Fathers power in the Cittie at that time might extreamly advance his design he is resolv'd to address himself to the fair Agnes and having signified the desire he had to wait upon her with all the respects in the world and humbly begged her permission at last he acquainted her with his Passion in the most moving words that could be used in that conjuncture and when he had said what he would and expected her Answer what hopes and fears was he then engaged in But his eies with their dumb Rhethorick still pursu'd his Petition The poor Lady surprised at this so displeasing a proposal stood in the greatest amazement that ever soul was troubled with and if I should tell you it was not unlike that astonishment which a poor Traveller resents when at midnight he sees his fellow thunder-strook just by his side I should make you but a faint resemblance of it But after some few minutes recollecting her scattered Spirits and looking upon him with an eye that at once pitied and condemned his passion she thus answer'd him Remove noble Sir that Afffection that will be equally troublesome to both of us I cannot imagine how this Miserable Face should gain me that esteem you are pleas'd to obleige me with and I think more Charitably of all Men then to think any one can be so much mistaken and have forfeited their Reason and Judgment as to Love her who may justly be contem'd of all the World and there to place an Obligation where it would be counted an injurie In a word for that very Love's sake you say you have for me forgo
no more Here 's noble work to do that may suffice The proud Ambition of the proudest eyes Turn Heavenly Captives in those Fetters lye Kissing those Chains they 're th' only Liberty To Heaven to Heaven advance your glimring sight Your Light refund unto the Sourse of light Now all your Charmes collect your temping graces And Court his Favour that all else surpasses Not with a wanton glance or melting eye O! these are not the Christians Armory 'T is not with such Artillery as this We please th' Almighty when we force our bliss Bring here a Still of Tears a broken Groan With Sighs and Vows and Lamentation While others are advanc'd to Heav'n by Fire Whose fervent Zeal did upward still aspire I 'le weep a Flood and in that Flood I 'le be Transported to a blest Eternity And in a broken Sigh I 'le waft a Praier 'T will ne're miscary sighs true Bearers are Here Lamentations not fruitless be While I deplore I banish misery Thus shall my Soul to thee dear Lord aspire Fervent in tears Tears make the Flames the higher On Dust and Ashes cast an eye below They 're now notworthy thou canst make 'em so What can't thy blood sweet Lord and merits do He who for me turn'd Man and suffer'd too What after that will he refuse to do WHilst the blessed Saint does thus entertain her Pious Soul let us see how our passionate Gentleman spends his hours whose every minute seems an Age in the absence of his Mistress He went away posses'd with the greatest fury that ever Soul was in He stamp'd he Beat his Breast and did whatever a Furious Person is us'd to doe in such encounters He Imprecated his Heathen Deities to assist him in his Revenge He vow'd the utter ruine of his unknown Adversary notwithstanding all the difficulties he might meet withal and posting home with all the speed he could make having lock'd himself up in his Chamber he was somenting the most dreadful resolutions that ever can be conceived Must I then be unhappy said he and live the most unfortunate Person that ever Breath'd Must I draw on my life in all the extreams of misery to a period no less unfortunate Must I do thus and can't it be otherwise No it cannot I must live and die a Wretch and do all this for an ungrateful Woman and long of one perhaps less worthy then my self He stop'd here and the vehemence of his resentments was better express'd by this silence then it would have bin by all the words in the World He continu'd not long so however when beating his Breast he forc'd his Tongue in some measure to unravel his thoughts But since I cannot enjoy her continued he and I am doom'd to my misfortunes by a person notwithstanding all her cruelty so dear and agreeable to me that even Death it self would not be unwelcome when it proceeded from her I will however have some Companion in my unhappiness and involve my envied Rival for all her Love and Favour in that Calamity she hath damn'd me to I will do so pursu'd he vehemently Base and Ungrateful Woman in spite of that Respect I have for thee that troublesome Love and Respect that hath betray'd me into the worst condition in the World But can I thus injure him continu'd he after he had been silent for some moments that she is pleas'd to bless with her particular Affection Yes I can do more then injure him that hath deprived me of the most supream happiness my Ambition could aspire to I should be extreamly tedious should I trouble the Reader and my self with an exact account of all his Passion made him then utter I shall therefore content my self to acquaint him that after a nights rest if I can properly term that so that was only a repetition of his former disturbances he rose and laid out to all he could learn who this Favourite of his Mistriss was But with what success you may easily imagine though 't is possible had there been any and he capable of discovery he might have setv'd himself with the greatest Efficacy since a Rival in such a case as being most interess'd was most likely to find it out But after a tedious enquiry to no purpose which though it infinitely discourag'd him as depriving him of that Revenge he had already promis'd himself it did not a little encourage him and gave him some hopes that only out of Design and Artifice she had told him so when really it was otherwise Having half perswaded himself to believe what his hopes suggested to him he reassures himself ventures upon a Second Visit which considering his Qualities could not be well refus'd him I shall leave you to guess what St. Agnes sense was of it she trembled she changed her Colour but still for the better and her very amazement and surprisal did very much increase her Beauty and renderd her more Lovely in the eies of our Young Amorist that alas was but too too Lovely to him before She was in this condition when our Young Roman accosting her assum'd the confidence to tell her notwithstanding he held her as infallible as his Divinities who could not but be peswaded that she had abus'd into an errour which was extreamly prejudicial to his repose and that he had troubled himself with the fear of a Rival to no purpose since he was the only person that Love had inspir'd with the assurance to lift up his eies to so much excellence Be pleas'd therefore Madam continu'd he in an extraordinary transport to rid me of this doubt and assure me of a truth then the knowledg of which nothing can make me more happy but the assurance of your mutual Affection He staid his discourse here and the Pious Lady not without some difficulty assum'd it Know Sir reply'd she you have still a Rival and such a one as all your Interests in Rome how considerable so ever cannot remove him did you know what sincerity I alwaies make use of you would not have doubted of the truth of that which I assur'd you of Oh! Madam answer'd the Lover hastely why should you so soon return me to my former Apprehensions and disabuse me of an oppinion so advantageous to my repose I am not acquainted with those Arts reply'd the Lady very sharply that abuse Men into happiness Know fond Man thou hast a Rival Know I Love him and prefer him to all the World and when thou know'st this if thou wilt still pursue a fruitless passion never expect any thing from me but scorn and contempt Dismiss thy troublesome Affection and retrive thy Liberty I conjure thee to it by all that 's Sacred by thy own Interest and if that be of any force with thee for my sake desist to trouble me any more with thy addresses Assure thy self this will be the greatest engagement thou can'st make me receive and which will equally conduce to thy felicitie and my own She was retreating then into her