the sixth day of this our Hermetical course of life about noon we discovered a Fly-boat making towards us whereupon drawing our Bark ashore we fortified our selves so that we could have defended our selves with ease from a greater number in that Mountainous and impenetrable Fort especially with the assistance of Argosthenia who being perfect in Archery could have sent death at a good distance to our Enemies They of the ship perceiving our design put forth a white flag in token of peace and friendship Alexander for all this as being alwayes a Lover of blows and quarrels would not agree that we should trust them to approach us but Argosthenia having discovered amongst them the Master of the ship-wrack't Vessel she took occasion to treat him courteously to get some news of Arnaldo We made therefore to understand at a good distance that we intended to let none land but onely himself and one companion He readily accorded to our pleasure being the Commander of all the rest but coming on shoar he stood like one half dead to see Argosthenia with a countenance more resembling a Goddesse then a Mortal and but that he saw her ravished and carried away with his own eyes he would have sworn she had never stirr'd thence The first word we asked him was What was become of Arnaldo and he told us that having learnt by the Processe formed by the Criminal Court the death of the Captain her Ravisher and that she was put to Sea for some other place with two young Cavaliers in her Company whereas before he was comforted with the death of that Traitor he now received a greater affliction in this new separation having a conceit that one of those young Gentlemen was the same Knight who said he was destinated by heaven perpetually to oblige him so that he could never live in quiet within himself for him having therefore now three dayes since departed towards Corinth in hope to find him there together with his Spouse But three dayes after his departure he the said Methrodorus had heard some rumour that we were upon that Rock for two Fishermen of those Coasts being accused of having sold goods that were prohibited and being apprehended by Justice and having confest against themselves where they had done that robbery they were likewise accused of their errour in abandoning us in that manner And that he was come thither to fetch away the residue of the goods hid in those caves and to see withall if he might meet with the happinesse of being able in any measure to serve us I knew what construction Arnaldo's turbulent nature would put upon my actions but I reserved my thoughts to my self thanking Methrodorus for his courtesie and saying that we would onely trouble him once more so far as to borrow some of his Marriners to go as far as Argos or Corinth for that we intended to go thither in search of Arnaldo Methrodorus presently made a voluntary offer to wait upon us himself to that Port with two of his Marriners which attended him in that Fly-boat Then Argosthenia with a Soul truely generous took him aside and shewed him what she had found in Money and Jewels asking him If they were his He answered they were but that he presented her with them and because she should not think that he was so liberal of things that were lost giving her that which was not in his power he took his other riches out of the Cave and made her an exceeding noble Present of Cloaths both Silk and Gold of Oriental workmanship very beautifull and costly Then lading his Bark he kept with himself onely some of the preciousest things and he sent her under conduct of his Mate towards Athens whither he before was bound that he might stay himself with us to guide his Skiffe Then I complemented Alexander entreating him to acquaint me with his intention for I thought it not civil longer to impede his return into his Countrey But he being offended by my Courtesie said He knew not in honour how to desert us till he saw us in a place of security So we both mounted the Skiff which was excellent well provided for all occurrences steering with a prosperous wind towards Corinth and coming to fall upon a discourse about the writings found by Argosthenia we came to know that Methrodorus was not what he appeared to be a Master of a Cretan ship but a Knight of Calcides father of Calisthenes formerly spoken of as the Lover of Argosthenia treacherously slain by her brother Aristheus in Athens Whereupon the insurrections of Calcides ensuing which had almost put the whole Isle into a revolt he was forced to depart thence with the confiscation of his goods and went to Candia where he built the ship that was cast away and had so good successe in the management of that imployment that he was at that present worth little lesse then twenty thousand Ducats which he had in Athens Argosthenia wept exceedingly at the dolorous remembrance of her betrayed Calisthenes nor was Methrodorus lesse moved when knowing her for the innocent cause of all his losses and misfortunes he understood moreover that she was already contracted to Arnaldo a Knight of the bloud Royal of Thebes and might one day ascend the Throne of Negropont He respected her therefore thence-forward as his Lady and Mistresse and he entreated her that at her return to her own Countrey whither he offered to carry her she would please to think upon his ruined family and restore it by some act of beneficence Argosthenia promised that when it should be in her power she would remember him not so much for being the father of Calisthenes and injuriously persecuted as for the Courtesies shewn her in that her necessity In such kind of recognitions remonstrances and promises it grew towards the evening when Methrodorus advised us to land at a little Castle between the confines of Argos and Corinth where he assured us we should find good accommodations Here therefore we landed and rested that night when upon the next morning going out of my Chamber to visit Argosthenia I met the Host which attended to present me with a Letter I knew it presently to be from Alexander and opening it with exceeding great commotion of spirit I found that it said Alexander to Philiternus SIR I Accompt it my happy fortune to have had an occasion to serve you together with the Princesse Argosthenia for the adventures that accosted me within this few dayes have given me advice what I may hope from the World and of that which I ought to procure to my self in Heaven Argosthenia being born to be the innocent occasion of ruin to many I will make use of it as a just motive to provide for my own safety I confesse Sir that her prodigious beauty hath made a deep impression in my heart but were it so that she had not been espoused to Arnaldo her being in your company would have taught me to behold her
right was vindicated and infidelity punished Here the Knight having stayed his discourse I congratulated with him so glorious a victory obtained over so perfidious together with so valiant an Enemy Then the Cavalier sigh'd from the bottom of his heart and said Too dear I paid Noble Stranger for so famous a victory for in acquiring to my self the applause of valour I came to procure an infinite deal of sorrow having eternally lost her whom I hoped to win in so great a field of courage and fidelity For not being yet cured of my infirmity I made overtures by divers friends kinsfolks so was I inamoured on her to Lucinda that entreating she would pardon the offence done her upon the necessity of honour against my will she would consent though now she was not worthy of my bed and company to receive me in the room of her deceased Consort To which being alwayes averse she shut her ears setling her self in this cruel approbation not onely of not gratifying me with marriage but of not surviving her beloved Jerson Seeing therefore that I spent all my attempts in vain I would for my last proof and ultimate disgrace make use of the person of Belisa Who though she was very unwilling yet knew not how to deny at my request to seek to so ill-beloved a woman but try'd to see if at her entreaty she would receive me into favour which besides bloud and fortune having also made my self a known Superiour in valour to her deceased husband I was not doubtlesse unworthy in a second place to possesse her affections Lucinda understanding by the mouth of Belisa such like remonstrances she disturbedly said to her My friend follow me and I will give you the answer you require of me So they went together to a building of the Ladies separated from the common offices of life and entring the same according to the freedom of our Countreys they came just into that part where Jerson lay enterr'd in the hereditary Sepulcher of her greatest Ancestors founders of that structure Whither being come with her Governesse and other Ladies of her acquaintance Lucinda first stedfastly beheld the Sepulcher and after turning to Belisa tartly said See the nuptials prepared me by your brother And that saying with a sharp Dagger which she carried hid in her slieve she barbarously stabb'd her self in the breast to tranfix in her life my Soul and the comfort of all my hopes She did not die presently yet did not survive many hours so desperate was her resolution to be a perpetual companion in death of him whose company she had enjoyed but few hours in life The horror of such a spectacle put such affliction and terror into the mind of Belisa that it being accompanied with the fear of seeing me also fall in her as not desiring to survive this her death she fell into a deep swound in which she long continued like one really dead being not able to resist so great a dysaster she also ended the course of her dayes with a short ficknesse in the most goodly flower of her youth and hath left me Heir of a perpetual death few nights passing me in which she comes not to disquiet my sleep with horrid apparitions and discourses of death I think therefore that the end of my calamity is not far off for but yesterday she appeared to me about break of day telling me that there would arrive at my house and you are the dearest Guest from the Western parts a Stranger which would one day transmit to the memory of Posterity the Tragical History of our miserable adventures And bring me withall a change of my fortune which I am certain cannot be but by changing this turmoyled life into the tranquil repose of death Arnaldo or The injur'd Lover BOOK IV. HEre stopt the Knight and I subjoyned I would have you hope for more fortunate Auguries which not my arrival in these parts but the benignity of destiny shall present you with gentle Sir which is that which the information you have given me hath just now infused into my mind of the beautifull Huntresse through whose tracks we now direct our steps For if I deceive not my self in the little knowledge I have taken more from the experience of Mundane revolutions than the study of any abstruse sciences I see not onely in your looks but read also in the internal tablet of your heart a marvellous correspondency of Genius between your noble person and that of Argosthenia And Who knoweth but that Heaven which by the means of women hath effected the greatest benefits in the World hath sent this fair Stranger out of Negropont into Baeotia for no other end but by the assistance of her person to terminate your sufferings taking you from this dolefull solitude wherein you are unprofitable to others and a burden to your self to transport you to a place and estate worthy of the dignity of your bloud and the grandure of your mind Here the Knight stedfastly beheld me with silent seriousnesse letting loose unawares many profound things whereupon I prosecuted my discourse saying Negropont already bewails the ruine of the stock of its Princes reduced into the sole person of Doricinia Periander elder brother of Argosthenia to whom by primogeniture that inheritance doth belong hath given the final period to that family For rebelling in an amorous disdain against the Durchesse who either to conserve her self free and independent would not marry or for that she knew Periander to be of too turbulent a Genius and two tyrannical a disposition had refused to make him her husband he hath for the same merited exile from Negropont as a reward of his insurrections and according to the report which goes of him is dead in the Isle of Andros whither he had betook himself with the deplorable Reliques of his Rebellion The eldest sister likewise of Argosthenia is without any of the fruits of her Matrimony so that if Heaven permit that also the Dutchesse should run the great Carier of death without legitimate issue the government of that Noble principality would descend directly to Argosthenia And what would you say gentle Sir if you changing your fortune with the mutation of your life should passe by the means of so prodigious a Lady from the desarts of Boeotid to the Throne of Calcides And whereas now you lye buried an unprofitable burden to the world in the Sepulcher of a Forrest you would return to live in publick to the glory of our age What pretend ye to with such anxiety for an extinguish'd Beauty that you so much love her Is it haply with hopes to revive her that she may again return to torment you That 's an enterprize wholly unworthy of your prudence For Lucinda shall never return more to the earth And although the Fables of antiquity might be renewed and she should rise again Do you presume peradventure that she with her nature changed would rise favourable and faithful It
spoke to me Sir Since I see that this noble and virtuous Girl delighted by your courteous carriage and by the grace of your countenance and expressions hath conceived an infinite affection for you and desires exceedingly to cease this pastorall life and to go to live in an other place and employment more conformable to her birth and inclinations I will discover to you that concerning her which none else knows except my husband and I and leave you to do as you shall please There went now sixteen years agoe to Corinth upon occasions of his studyes an English Gentleman of great birth but greater virtue he put himself to lodge according to the custom of Scholars in the house of a young and comely woman a Citizen which being left a Widow in the flower of her years with some Fortune in movable goods had applyed her self to this Calling very profitable in that City of boarding Trans-mountanian and Trans-marine Scholars which were wont to become the most modest and most studious of all those about our parts whereas ours commonly abandoned themselves to all dissolutenesse Now as it should happen these two being both alike young and fair they were mutually enamoured of one another their names were Rosmond and Camilla and making use of their liberty and familiarity there was both of them this goodly child Orsina The love of the daughter no lesse than that of the mother detained Rosmond at Corinth some five or six years whence at last being necessitato depart about urgent affaires he left about three thousand Ducates in assignment of Portion to Orsina and pretious gifts moreover and above to her Mother She notwithstanding continued to lodge Gentlemen of such like quality Orsina came by that means to learn not onely foraign Languages but also the Principles of the Sciences especially Physik Chirurgery in which professions she is able to do strange things with onely two or three words as what she hath experimented in Arnaldo whom she hath raised from death to life may easily perswade you It happened in this mean time that certain contests arose among the Scholars her guests which breaking into blows some of them were slain at the table mingling their blood with their victualls and wine Whereat Camilla being afrighted and fearing to be cited before the Judges she packt up all her richest movables with what money she could presently get together and imbarkt her self for Athens where not holding her self for all that secure enough she would go into Negropont as being a disjunct Jurisdiction from the Dominion of Attica and stayed her voyage in this place and in the end dyed in this house first leaving and recommending to my charge this her daughter now twelve years of age I have not been wanting on my part for the bringing of her up for this three years that she hath been here with the best decorum my rusticity would permit having my self learnt some thing in my younger dayes in the service of a Lady of Athens which in the end marryed me to this Husbandman with more regard to her convenience than my satisfaction though I confesse my self well enough pleased with this manner of life which though rude and toylsom is yet simple and quiet Now Orsina having often entreated me to carry her to Corinth to procure for her the Dowry left her by her Father and to marry her I could never prevail with my husband to content her for having never gone out of the bounds of these Villages he fears the world will fall on his head if he hear but any strange Country named If you shall please therefore gentle Sir to favor this maid with your assistance protection though my husband gainsay it yet being informed by Arnaldo of your noble quallities I will consigne to you that little Coyn and such Jewells as I have left in my hands by her Mother assuring my self that she cannot but arive safely to the end of her desires She is already pleased with it and tells me She would account her self happy in being able to serve you Do you resolve therefore for we are ready to execute what you shall command us I was well pleased with the conversation and the Virtue of Orsina but the taking such troubles upon my self was a thing wholly contrary to my Genius and inclinations And the businesse of Argosthenia had made me to know by proof what I might expect from travelling up and down the world with Women especially young and handsom Yet the intreaties of the child being added to the perswasions of the woman and knowing my self obliged to her for my health I promised that so soon as I was dis-engaged from the company of Arnaldo I would conduct her to Corinth to her Parents house and it fell out sooner than I thought for For Euristus coming to see me with Letters from Arnaldo I knew not how to reward him for my liberty which I obtained by his means better than by giving him Orsina in marriage under the notion of my Daughter with all that deposited by her Father as the Inheritance of her Mother with a considerable rise to his fortune The advice brought me by Euristus was that Arnaldo having found Argosthenia at the mouth of Asopos expecting of him they had determined to return together to that Village to assist me in my distemper till I was recovered But having deferred it by reason of Cadmus being indisposed and withall to understand my pleasure I that already was aware that Arnaldo for all his generosity languished with a jealousy of me and that this resolution of coming back was a motion of Argosthenia as it was on the other side an invention of Arnaldo to remit it to my disposall and being desirous withall to see my self at liberty to travell the world according to my purposed intent I immediatly dispatcht back Euristhus to intreat them both that they would not incommode themselves for my sake but pursue the course of their own fortune and go to Calcides to celebrate with solemnity their Nuptialls by consent of the Dutchesse from whose pleasure did depend their felicity and advancement For that when I was ridd of my infirmity I would wait upon them in person at a time when my urgent affairs would better permit Yet I should where-ever I came and in all conditions of estate and fortune ever bear in mind the obligations received from them both to preserve them fresh in my memory to the last moment of my life Euristhus returned with new Letters from Arnaldo and Argosthenia who by all means desired me to be at Calcides before the disclosing of themselves being willing to have me present at the opening of that Scene But I resolved to travell to Corinth to settle Euristhus and Orsina and free my self from this new suggestion And it was the goodnesse of destiny so to dispose of it for if new accidents of adverse fortune should crosse their design I should be also inevitably much concernd in it
easily induced to second this enterprise Being come into the Prison I dismist the Keeper with a formall complement and bid her to put off her woman's weeds with which having drest Euristhus and advised them both of my design I held discourse with a Camrade of his to whom I promised and did observe it to prevail in reward of that service that Isabella should manumit him Euristhus went out in womans apparell with a countenance that in the darknesse of such obscure dwellings would have deceived curiouser eyes than those of a rude and simple guard and assisted by his Companion to the Gate I took Lisa up under my mantle for she was so little that we past almost un-discerned and I went out in the obscurity of those walks very happily But being got to the principall Gate in the open light and under other Sentinells they saw that I walked slowly and with some luggage under my long mantle and began to suspect som fraud but not daring to open their mouths because Arnaldo and the other Cavaliers stood in a posture able to terrifie more daring souls they opened the Gate out at which Euristhus suddenly leapt sans complement I followed her seconded by Arnaldo and our other friends with so much alacrity that Lisa putting back one of her feet falsified the secrecy of the Mantle Now the Keepers plainly perceived our design and having neither courage to cry out against persons of such quality nor to stay an hazard of being questioned for that escape they flung away the keys and betook themselves to their heels and ran faster than we into some other place For we mounting upon the Carroche of Euridamas past happily to the Feluca of the Governesse which attended us ready to weigh Anchor So Euristhus being delivered and every one falling to some discourse or other I would have had Lisa took her woman's cloths again but she with a comely smile said If that the Lady Isabella so please since my Fortune hath brought me whither my election formerly led me be you content Sir that I continue as I am to accompany you to see the war of Negropont And you shall not need to fear I shall want the company of women for I will wait upon the Princesse Argosthenia Your company said I since the Lady Governesse is so content shall be very welcome to us provided it be in an appearance and garb becoming your quality and my reputation Do what you please said Isabella for that I took her to be neer me for the Love of you and to you I consign her now that she is at liberty I thanked Isabella for her courtesy and added But How came Antonello to dye so soon said I being so sprightly and lusty She may better tell you answered Isabella laughing than I as better acquainted with it Yet for the present know that Antonello is dead because he was not worthy of the company of so handsome a maid He was become so infinitely Jealous of her that she could not stir out of doors to go to the Temple nor so much as see the air at her window without his grumbling and beating her You know what is wont to happen to such Animals but the goodnesse of Lisa hath never desired though she might to pay him in the Coyn he deserved howbeit not being able to live in so miserable a slavery she found out a way to free her self by placing herself in the Palace neer my person Whereat Antonello took such distast and fell into so furious a rage that meeting me one day at a feast he had the saucinesse to vent his resentments publickly treating me with unworthy names Whereby those Cavaliers at whose house the feast was celebrated were so moved that under pretence of communicating something to him they drew him aside and slew him having learnt by his death all such rash fellows to observe the respect due to Ladies of my quality In sum Antonello is dead and Lisa lives ever at your dispose I having no longer any desire of this charge to keep her for you Dispose of her therefore at your pleasure she being yours but look well to it that you provide her no more Jealous husbands for I know not whether she may be alwayes so good as not to deal with them according to their deserts The rest of the company laughed but Arnaldo sighed at these words of Isabella though it was onely observed by my self that sate next him and knew the peccant humour of his profound melancholly He asked me Who that fair young creature was And I satisfied him that being a Noble Lady of Anaplistum which fell by the death of her Parents into a miserable condition I had took her into my house and marryed her to a young man well descended of Eleuxis who perished in the mis-fortune re-counted by Isabella whereupon he exprest a desire to have her go along with Argosthenia that so he might repay to her part of the obligations which he acknowledged to my person Perceiving whereat he did drive I complyed with him seeing that together with freeing him in a great measure from the inquietude of his jealousie I came also to ease my self of the burden of farther caring for her Answering that he was her Master alwayes provided that she was satisfied because I was alwayes far from offering Violence to the liberty of another's will In this kind of entertainment we came with a felicitous voyage to Athens where Fortune had prepared for us a new vexation After we had waited upon Isabella to her house we took our way towards my own where instead of Argosthenia and Methrodorus we came to encounter with the perfidious Liviana who without knowing who I was had landed there with the Feluca and with a Page of Euristhus Which Page being brought up in my house by reason of his new Masters mis-fortune was fled thither Argosthenia and Methrodorus hearing by the boy of Arnaldo's imprisonment and the condemnation of Euristhus yet knowing nothing of the cause but onely of the death of the Provost they instantly went for Eleuxis to provide the best they could for that occurence But how amazed was Arnaldo and Euristhus when they saw Liviana and how confounded was Liviana to behold Euristhus and Arnaldo I leave for others to imagine She having re-assum'd her banished spirits from her sudden fright betook herself to my Closet and hastily shutting herself in fell a plotting her own death to free herself from the feared ignominy of some scandalous punishment Whereupon I not expecting any other from so furious a Female knowing that Arnaldo and Euristhus were too generous to seek to revenge themselves upon a Woman which agitated by Love or by hatred knew not what she did entred into the Closet another way and snatcht out of her hands the mortall instruments which she had prepared to take away her life and left her at liberty to go whither she would assuring her upon my word that she should not be